Eco Party Bags

Don't you get fed up with all the plastic tat that your children bring home from parties? I started using recycled brown paper bags a few years ago and get the children to decorate and write their names on them. I've just found some fantastic party bags for Green Eyed Frog which are made from jute and of course will last for ever. They are a lovely, longlasting gift to take away from a party.

Ideas for filling your eco party bags:

• The cake - of course


• Organic fruit bar


• Box of raisons


• Organic, fairtrade chocolate treat


• Recycled pencil or pen


• Rubber eraser

Beware - some children however, don't take too kindly to finding organic fruit bars and raisons in their party bags and some may start to cry if they don't have an unhealthy sweet or two so you may have to slip a few of these in just to avoid the tears!

Ditch the Plastic - Use your own Shopping Bags

Some supermarkets are encouraging customers to use cloth bags for shopping. At Green Eyed Frog we have a selection of Eco Shopping bags which will help you gain extra points if you shop at Tesco but are really handy to keep in the car, handbag or coat pocket. You can try the organic, fair trade cotton coloured string bags made in India using natural pigments or the jute every day shopper. I use the recycling bags with bamboo handles. You can fit two or three of these in the trolley and are easy to transport into the car. I also use them to take my orders to the Post Office - it just makes life easier.

Help prevent marine pollution. Turtles are mistaking upturned plastic bags for their favourite food, jellyfish, with deadly results. By reducing the amount of plastic bags you can help the environment - Say No to Plastic!

New Eco Pre-School Nursery

As Chair of the local Pre-School in Stonham Aspal I have been helping to plan for a new Eco building for the children and staff, to be located on the grounds of the Primary school nearby. Committees have been working on this project for over 15 years and now with an Eco twist we hope to win the hearts and pockets of funders.

The Pre-School has been running for over 25 years in temporary accomodation at the local village hall. A new building will be safer for the children and provide facilities for those with special educational needs. It will be a true sustainable Eco building with rain water harvesting, grass roof, solar panels for water heating and electricity and a biomass heating system.

We are all hoping that this will be the last time that committees will need to go through this time consuming and lengthy project and hope that next year children will be playing in their purpose built contemporary eco haven. Our award winning architects Ralf and Meredith at StudioMGM have been very patient and even more patient as it has taken nearly two years to get to the planning stage but we hope that there is now light at the end of the tunnel.

Get Rid of Flies the Eco Way

I saw my first fly in the house today and its only the beginning of April. This warm weather is starting to wake up the summer insects. We have also seen butterflies and bumblebees in the garden.

Orders for Red Top Fly Traps have started to increase and I am already on my second shipment from the supplier this year. The Red Top Fly Catcher is an Eco friendly way to get rid of flies without the use of pesticides and chemicals sprayed around the house. The trap sits outside in the garden and catches female flies thus reducing the fly population in and around your house. If you haven't already tried one of these take a look at the Fly Trap on Green Eyed Frog.

Wash Clothes the Eco Way

I hope your washing is now hanging on the line in this lovely Spring sunny weather we are enjoying? If you haven't already been converted to Eco washing powder then why not give it a go? I have used Ecover, ClearSpring amongst others but have now discovered an ingenius natural product called soap nuts.

Soap Nuts are THE eco washing detergent grown on trees for use in washing machines and dish washers. Environmentally friendly, sustainably produced, bio-degradable and compostable. Harvested from the Soapnut tree, the nuts contain the active natural washing ingredient saponin. Similar to soap, when the shells of the soapnut come in to contact with water, the saponin is released and suds are produced.

If you fancy giving them a try Green Eyed Frog sell a cotton gift set containing 250g of soap nuts plus a small cotton bag to use in the washing machine.

Mummy, I Prefer Shop Pizza!

"Mummy, is it shop pizza?" the children ask when I tell them we have pizza for dinner.

"No, its mummy's pizza" I reply.

"Oh no, why do we have to have your pizza, we like shop pizza" they say.

Mummy now gets annoyed and says in a high pitched voice "mummy's pizza is good for you and much nicer because its made from organic wholemeal flour, organic cheese & mushrooms and vegetables from the garden - and I have just spent AN HOUR IN THE KITCHEN MAKING IT"

"Mummy, is it shop pizza?" the three year old pipes in.

Mummy puts the food on the table and says eat it or go without...

What do you do when they say this, its so frustrating? Good food with organic ingredients made with love is far better than a frozen shrink wrapped wilted thing from the supermarket but they are not convinced and think I'm a horrible mummy for making them eat such nasty food!
If you would like my recipe for pizza just ask...

Spring is in the Air

I love this time of year, you know that winter is now over as the daffodils start blooming and everything comes alive in the garden. We have been busy with the vegetable plot and released some of the worms from the wormery to hopefully make even better soil for next year. We have still got leeks in the garden and yesterday had the last of the carrots from last year. I baked a lovely spinach flan using our own spinach from the garden and local free range eggs from the farm. I think its going to be leek and potato pie for dinner today!

Green Eyed Frog has some new additions in the form of fair trade flower seeds from South Africa. We are looking forward to planting these later on in the year. We have also put together a lovely gift for Spring - the Paper Potter Gift Set which includes a packet of seeds, jute bag and the popular wooden paper potter. You can then make your own seedling pots from newspaper and plant the seeds in the greenhouse or windowsill before going outside.

Observer Ethical Awards 2007

Vote now for your best on-line retailer for 2007 in the Observer Ethical Awards 2007 sponsored by Ecover http://observer.guardian.co.uk/ethicalawards

There are many other categories and the voting screen will take you through the list.

I would love you to vote for Green Eyed Frog but you can vote for any on-line ethical retailer or local store.

Deadline is 2nd March 2007 so get voting now and support us all.

Snowy Suffolk

I woke up this morning to find a light frost, had a shower and then looked out of the window and there was an inch of snow. I didn't think my shower was that long I should get one of those timers...

Schools are closed so the children are happy and our WEETU course has been cancelled so I'm not going to the Post Office today to dispatch orders.

As a child I remember 6ft snow drifts and my Dad getting the tractor out to make a path to the road (we lived on a farm). Even in the bad weather we still managed to get to school unless it was really icey and cold when the diesel froze in the school bus. There was a very steep hill into the village which caused major problems with the old school bus so we were all very happy children when we heard that it just couldn't reach the top!

These days, due to climate change and mans impact on the environment it rarely snows and just an inch of snow results in school closures. It does seem sad that society today has changed so much since I was a child. Although health & safety is important it can take the enjoyment of life away, the risk. We wrap our children up in cotton wool and then expect them to survive in the real world when they leave school.

Must go children calling, said I would bake biscuits...

Carbon OffSetting...

Carbon OffSetting seem to be the buzz words at the moment however I find it very hard to accept the reasoning behind it. So you can still take your foreign long haul holidays each year to Florida adding to the pollution and conjestion in the sky but ease your conscience by planting a few trees? Surely the answer would be NOT to travel to distant countries in the first place and take your holidays in our own lovely country thus creating jobs in tourism in the UK and boosting the economy. This is a far 'greener' option or am I missing the point...

For a UK only holiday in our beautiful county of Norfolk with clean beaches, good food & pubs check out our own Royal Cottage in Mundesley

Eco & Green - Valentine Gifts

Its not long now until the 14th of February and of course the huge mountain of cards coming through the door. Ahhh. those were the days... Have you thought about making your own card out of recycled paper or opt for an eco gift like the recycled jewellery and cuff links from Green Eyed Frog.

There are lots of gifts that don't cost the earth, are kind to the environment and your pocket so why not check out the latest romantic offerings from Green Eyed Frog.

Full Circle WEETU Training Program

I've just started a certified (Open College Network) business course just for women, the first in Suffolk, run by WEETU (Womens Employment and Training Unit) and funded by the European Development Agency (EEDA). Its going really well and is designed for women who want to start up in business especially those who have families. I've met a really great bunch of women on the course and we are learning so much by talking to each other and sharing experiences.

The course is fully funded and includes childcare expenses for under 5's which is ideal for me. If you are a woman and thinking of setting up your own business I would recommend finding out if this program is in your area.

Next week we start the marketing session so I'm hoping to pick up some handy hints for Green Eyed Frog and Royal Cottage.

New Greener Year Resolution

In the Green Eyed Frog household we all try to be a little bit greener each year. This year we have decided to grow more veg and fruit in the garden, make more jams & pickle and do more batch baking/cooking for the freezer.

Personally I am really going to try and buy all my clothes secondhand. I used to get quite a lot from ebay but prefer to see what I'm buying so now that my youngest child is at pre-school a couple of mornings a week I can take the opportunity to do a bit of retail therapy. Should really be working on these precious mornings but rewards are just as good!

Did you know that the Sue Ryder Shops do loyalty cards with discounts and money off so thats my first stop. There are some really first class charity shops round here with good quality clothes with a far better choice than the high street stores. So why not give it a go...

Green Eyed Frog January Sale

Check out our January Sale which starts today 1st January and ends 31st. Lots of bargains on bedlinen plus gifts for all the family.

Christmas at the Cottage

We're spending a few days at the Cottage in Mundesley, North Norfolk between visitors. Painting, fixing up the garden and trying to control three excited children...

Now that we have broadband here its easy to check email and orders from Green Eyed Frog and to update the blog!

We have considered eco building technologies at the cottage and have just installed a new energy efficient boiler, new windows and use electric and gas from a 'green' supplier but its a Victorian terrace cottage and we are limited by its age and size. We encourage visitors to recycle and take their bottles to the bottle bank. Also thinking about getting a wormery for the garden so the children can 'feed' the worms.

Visitors at the cottage certainly enjoy and comment on the organic bedlinen, towels and bathrobes. They also have full use of wi-fi broadband, Sky and organic toiletries. We also make sure that all cleaning and laundry products are eco-friendly and use Ecover, Faith in Nature and Clear Spring.

Back to work now painting the landing...

Top Eleven Tips for a RRR Really Eco Christmas

Below are some of the things we do at home...

1. Reuse last years Christmas cards to make gift tags - the children love helping with this one.
   
   
2. Reuse last years Christmas Cards to make new cards for this year. Just cut up with fancy scissors and stick on recycled card.
   
   
3. Use Eco Christmas decorations and get rid of all the plastic tinsel tatt. Collect pine cones and paint with gold and silver paint. Bake Christmas biscuits to hang on the tree instead of chocolates. Use Green Eyed Frogs Fair Trade, Eco Christmas garlands and tree decorations.
   
   
4. Make your own mincemeat and bake mince pies. We use vegetarian suet and organic fruit.
   
   
5. Make your own sausage rolls. Our vegetarian Bible is Rose Elliots Complete Vegetarian Cookbook - a must have if you prefer healthy eating to processed food from supermarkets...
   
   
6. Buy a native, local Christmas Tree which is rooted in a pot you can then take it outside after Christmas, plant it in the garden and dig it up for next year.
   
   
7. For the Christmas lights use LED type instead of the older style bulb filaments as they are cheaper to run and don't keep blowing.
   
   
8. Buy a free range, non GM turkey or bird. Check the farm out beforehand and talk to local people. Organic turkeys can be ordered on line eg www.redopollmeats.co.uk one of our local suppliers.
   
   
9. Buy local, in season organic veg, use your local box scheme or even better grow your own. We have carrots, leaks, celeriac, onions raspberries and apples from our garden this Christmas.
   
   
10. Buy your children, friends & family gifts from second hand shops. Some will appreciate it although some will not! "Are we bothered!!"
    
    
11. Don't spend a fortune on that little black number for the office Christmas party just visit your local charity shops and you will certainly find a far better outfit for far less.
    

Just try to relax at Christmas, don't get sucked into the ultra consumerism of it all. If the turkey isn't ready on time does it matter, eat later and enjoy more festiver pre-dinner drinks.

Recycled Packaging

At Green Eyed Frog 90% of our packaging is reused and recycled. We aim to increase this to 95% but being a new company it has taken quite a few months to build up our stock of reused paper, boxes and envelopes.

Where do we get our packaging from?
The local community. Friends, neighbours in the village and surrounding villages. Local shops and businesses provide a lot of cardboard boxes and the local post office I use to send parcels provides me with a good supply of cardboard boxes. If you receive an order with Bobbys Muffins on the box, please don't be too disappointed when you open it up to find your Green Eyed Frog gift for uncle Fred. The muffins are delicious but unfortunately I don't get to eat them all before sending the box out - they are sold in our local Post Office and General Store.

If you live locally (Suffolk) and are passing this way I would love to collect your unwanted packing material, boxes, paper etc. Please contact Green Eyed Frog for more details on rachel.turner@greeneyedfrog.co.uk

Dreaming of a Green Christmas

In this age of consumerism, especially at Christmas, there is constant pressure on the High Street to buy more things to throw away using more resources and energy. There are alternatives out there that don’t destroy the planet or your finances and give consumers a choice. For the individualist with a green conscience this Christmas who can think of a better way to spend your money than on eco, organic, fair trade and recycled gifts.

Don’t give your hard-earned cash to unethical brands, check out Green Eyed Frog for sustainable present ideas. We specialise in gifts for children and baby including blankets, wooden toys, solar and brick construction sets. For adults why not browse the homeware, garden, gadgets, jewellery and organic toiletry departments to find that special gift. For the personal touch a bespoke gift wrap service is available.

Our web site is not just an on-line shop but has been designed to raise awareness, educate and inform. Product research and testing has taken place by our family ‘team’ of three young children, parents, grandparents, friends and neighbours to present a collection of quality products that customers will enjoy.
“If we don’t use the product ourselves why should you?”

Power Out

We've got no electricity all day tomorrow while the power lines are switched off for tree cutting. When living in the country this does happen every so often but hopefully it will mean less power cuts in the winter. So I can't do any work... What a shame - going to Mother in laws with the baby as it might get cold in the house without the heating on.

If you do try and call during the day I wil pick up messages in the evening once we are back on line.

Courier Service or Local Post Office

I am often asked why we don't use a courier. There are several reasons but the main one being that Green Eyed Frog is a rural business and its important to support local services and other businesses which includes the local post office. When you live 9 miles from the nearest supermarket you need a local shop for banking, fresh bread and to post the orders.

When Barclays closed down most of the small rural branches we were hit hard here in Suffolk and the Post Offices are all that remain of our links with the towns. My local Post Office is on route to the school where I drop the children (no affordable rural bus service for our kids but thats another posting) so I'm not going out of my way and I get to meet other local people, have a chat and find out whats what and whose who as women like to do. The rural Post Office is the hub of small villages and offers a far wider service than you find in the towns.

My local Post Office is also the general store and newsagent, they even do picture framing. They also pass on a good supply of cardboard boxes so if you wonder what Bobbys muffins are on your packaged order - they sell them in our Post Office and they are very nice although not at all organic or good for you!