FDA Says BPA Will Be Banned Because the American Chemistry Council Asked Nicely

Finally the Food and Drug Administration (FDA) is caving in regarding a BPA ban, but not because of their deep concern for family safety. No… that would be too sane. Instead the FDA has finally changed their tune because on September 19, 2011 the American Chemistry Council (ACC) sent a petition to the FDA requesting that infant feeding bottles and spill-proof cups, “Be removed from the scope of permitted food contact applications for polycarbonate resins.” The ACC goes on to say that their petition is, “Based solely on the grounds that these uses have been intentionally and permanently abandoned by all major product manufacturers.” Now, before you start developing warm and fuzzy feelings for the FDA or the ACC, read on to see why this whole BPA ban is a bit of a joke.

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Ander Lizaso’s Bull Kid’s Chair Doubles as a Wagon

We love ingenious products that deliver two uses in one well-designed package. Case in point: Ander Lizaso's Bull. What first appear to be nothing more than a playfully modern wooden child's chair, actually has another use that makes its rounded back design much more clever. Flip it over and you can push the Bull as a wagon.

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HOW TO: Make Upcycled Halloween Tombstones for Your Yard

Want to spook the whole neighborhood this Halloween? Turn your yard into graveyard with our clever Halloween how to. Our upcycled tombstones are made from leftover wood and paint. While you'll have to do a lot of the building, your kids can get involved in the process, too. Read on to learn how to make a set of easy, eerie, upcycled Halloween tombstones.

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See How Your Child’s School Lunch Stacks Up on National Take Your Parents to Lunch Day

October 12 is National Take Your Parents to Lunch Day. Sponsors KIWI magazine and the School Nutrition Association hope you’ll use this opportunity to head over to your child’s school for lunch. The event, a co-event of National School Lunch Week (October 10th-14th) is all about healthy eating for kids and parents getting more involved in school nutrition. This year’s National School Lunch Week theme is “School Lunch: Let’s Grow Healthy.” However, you can’t know if your child’s school lunch is healthy (or even edible), unless you actually see what’s being served to your child once in a while. With that in mind, National Take Your Parents to Lunch Day is an event worth participating in. You might think school lunch is a small issue, but your child will typically spend about 12 years in school. If your child’s school is serving up poor quality school lunches that’s about 2,280 days worth of those lunches, so this event does matter.

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Katie Mello Creates a Hilarious Star Wars AT-AT Costume for Dogs

Somebody (and I will point fingers) had way too much time on her hands during the weeks leading up to Halloween. This super-detailed, super-funny (and hopefully super-light) AT-AT pet costume was created by Katie Mello for her dog Bones — that is, an All Terrain Armored Transport as seen in The Empire Strikes Back. Mello is one of the Star Wars-loving artists over at LAIKA/house, a Portland animation studio. Let this inspire you to get your creative …

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Hello Hanna Puts a Recycled Twist on Paper Dolls

There's something about the simplicity of paper dolls that makes it a timeless favorite. We shared a preview with you before, but now, an array of modern, princess-themed paper dolls are finally available from Hello Hanna, and they're made from FSC-certified recycled paper. Read on to see all of the adorable designs.

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7 Eco-Friendly Ways to Organize Your Child’s Bedroom

One of the best ways to encourage your child to keep her bedroom neat and clean is by helping her to get it organized. Once everything in her bedroom has a "place," it's much easier for her to put things back when she is finished playing with it. Stopping at your local big-box store to pick up a bunch of organizational items is not the eco-friendly or budget-friendly choice though. Instead, look around your house for different items that could be used to help organize your child's bedroom. You might be surprised by how many great organizational containers you may already have. To get started, read on to learn my 7 favorite eco-friendly ways to organize your child's bedroom.

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How To Find a Halloween Candy Buy-Back Program

Kids love trick-or-treating for Halloween candy. However, by the middle of November, most kids have tired of their overwhelming stash, leaving candy to go bad. Plus, while a treat now and then is good, the excessive amounts of candy given out on Halloween isn’t really all that healthy for your child. What can you do? Locate a Halloween Candy Buy-Back Program! A Halloween Candy Buy-Back Program is when a dentist buys back your kid’s candy treats in exchange for coupons, toothbrushes, creative exchanges and yes, sometimes even cold hard cash. After the candy has been collected, the dentists send the candy to Operation Gratitude or other Military support groups. Last year this helpful program received and shipped 125 TONS of candy out to troops.

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Artist Marni Kotak Will Give Birth in Front of a Live Audience in a Brooklyn Gallery

It’s easy to say that life influences art, but it’s another thing entirely to make your life a work of art. Performance artist Marni Kotak has done just that, reenacting everything from her grandfather’s funeral to the first time she had sex, but her latest piece, The Birth of Baby X, brings the audience directly into her life. The very-pregnant Kotak has transformed Microscope Gallery, located in Bushwick, Brooklyn, into her home birthing room, and for the next five to six weeks, she will be on display for visitors, eventually giving birth in front of a live audience. The exhibit, described as Kotak’s “most profound and physically challenging performance” yet (you think?!), is meant to show that human life itself is the highest form of art.

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Made to Play from Made by Joel is a Must-Have Recycled Craft Resource

 

If there is one blogger we’re a little jealous of, we have to admit it would be Joel Henriques of Made by Joel. He never ceases to amaze us with his endless supply of uber creative and flawlessly executed crafts, many of which are created with found objects and repurposed materials. Now …

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Link Roundup: An Amazing Cardboard Castle and Halloween Fun

Built by Kids shares easy how-to instructions for a fabulous cardboard castle that was originally constructed by Christiane Lemieux’s kids – she’s the founder and creative director of DwellStudio by the way.

We told you about the Miniio modern dollhouse earlier this week and Handmade Charlotte spotted a drool-inducing abode as well: The Poppenvilla dollhouse by Liliane. It’s a must see.

Have a few crayon stubs around the house? Follow Taylor Made‘s instructions to create some …

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HOW TO: Make a Spooky, Silly Graham Cracker Halloween Haunted House

Who says graham cracker or gingerbread houses have to wait until the winter holidays? Making a haunted house is a fun activity for kids (and adults of all ages). Shhh....it’s also a great after-Halloween activity to diminish that huge bag of sugary loot they picked up trick-or-treating. They might have so much fun creating, they won’t even want to eat it afterwards! Read on for a creative and colorful candy craft fit for any age.

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BPA Exposure In Utero May Increase Risk of Breast Cancer Later

National Breast Cancer Awareness Month is in it’s 25th year, and it’s cool to celebrate and support the cause. However, you should avoid supporting the cause via questionable products, such as pink-washed bottled water. Especially in light of a new research linking BPA (readily found in most plastic water bottles) to breast cancer. A recent study published in Molecular Endocrinology, found that bisphenol A (BPA) may alter long-term hormone response and breast development, thus increasing the risk of developing breast cancer later in life. Not good news, especially since study authors go on to say that not only is BPA one of the highest-volume chemicals produced worldwide, but also it’s been detected in the body fluids of more than 90% of the human population. This new research was conducted with mice, not humans, but evidence points to a real link between BPA and breast cancer.

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Kalon Studios Offers Limited Edition Handmade Animal Masks for Halloween

From beautifully constructed cribs that grow with your child to cleverly designed modern rocking horses, Kalon Studios continues to wow us. Now, for Halloween, they've introduced a limited quantity of lust-worthy handmade animal masks that can add the perfect finishing touch to this year's costume - and just wait until you find out how they are made!

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5 Easy Craft Projects that Reuse Orange Juice Cartons

If you have an orange juice carton - or any type of juice carton - in your recycling bin, you can create a cool recycled craft. With scissors, a cutting blade, glue and a few other basic supplies you and your child can easily put together one, or all of, these simple juice carton projects. Choose from a desk organizer, wallet, sailboat, portable dollhouse, or snack container.

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Add Spice to Your Child’s Wardrobe with My Little Pakora’s Organic Cotton Clothing Line

We loved Indian-inspired clothing line My Little Pakora when my son was a baby (especially these sweet and comfy tees), so we’re thrilled that they have given birth to a new and improved line that now includes organic cotton clothing for boys and girls up to 5T.

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