As you may have read earlier this week I have discovered many great eco friendly products lately and I can’t wait to share them with you. Ever since finding out about the dangers of BPA and other scary materials that are used in the bowls, cups and bottles we use for our family every day I have only purchased safe alternatives and threw out the rest. It gets even better when those safe products are also super cute and biodegradable like these gorgeous Ecups from Buxton Baby.

Buxton Baby is a fantastic family business with Australian mum Pip selecting only the best green and eco friendly products for your family. In store you’ll find green finds for babies, kids, mums and even your household. The Ecups are a perfect example of Pip’s good taste, they are made of bamboo and at the end of their life they (normally) take about 12-18 months to decompose. How cool is that? The price is cool too, just $15.96 for a set of 6.

The moment I laid eyes on the Edulodo Shapes set ($44.95) from French brand Djeco I knew it: this would be a huge hit with the twins. They have already spent hours playing happily at the kitchen table, counting, placing, swapping and trying to copy the different images on each card. With 41 timber shapes, 45 cards and multiple levels of difficulty they will no doubt enjoy this kit for a long time to come.

To stay on the topic of toys I absolutely love the Plan Toys Butterfly Mirror. This would have to be the most affordable, fun, cute, durable and eco friendly gift you can find for a new baby. The body is made from eco friendly rubberwood and the wings can be removed for washing. Featuring bright colours and a mirror (easy entertainment for babies) you simply can’t go wrong with this friendly little toy (and priced at just $13.95 it won’t break the bank either).

While you are looking around in this gorgeous store don’t forget to check out one of their latest additions, the beautiful organic clothing range from Sapling Child. If you like what you see you are in luck as Buxton Baby is running a special Sapling Child giveaway and one lucky winner will win a $100 Sapling Child Organic Baby Clothing Pack in gender and size of their choice. Hurry though as entries close February 29, 2012.

To find out more about Buxton Baby, to browse the range and to order online visit www.buxtonbaby.com.au.

For your chance to win a $50 Buxton Baby gift voucher visit www.buxtonbaby.com.au and answer the following question: Aside from the items featured above, which item in the Buxton Baby store do you like most and why?

Submit your answer by leaving a comment below, your email address will not be published.

If you really want to win you can earn up to ten additional entries, please leave separate comments for each entry:

• Like Buxton Baby on Facebook
• Follow @BuxtonBaby on Twitter
• Subscribe to the weekly Sales, Savings & Giveaways email
• Subscribe to Hip little one via RSS
• Tweet about this giveaway on Twitter using @hiplittleone and @BuxtonBaby in your tweet
• Write about this giveaway on your blog or Facebook page and leave the URL
• Visit up to four of my sponsors on the left and right and tell me your favourite item (1 entry per sponsor)

Competition ends March 23, 2012. Sorry, Australian entries only.

Chic Mother & Baby
What? 25% off storewide
How? Enter the code /save25′ at checkout
When? Until February 25, 2012
Where? www.chicmotherandbaby.com.au

Charlie Bloome
What? MCN’s $10, Wet Bags $3.50, Bamboo Nappy Liners $7, Swim Bags $12, Nappy Wallets $12 and Blue/Orange Kindy Sheets $20
How? Prices as marked
When? Until further notice
Where? www.charliebloome.com.au

Fiona Kate
What? Buy one, get one free on all boxes, labels, letters, sacks and cushions
How? Simply order one, your free item will be added manually
When? Until February 25, 2012
Where? www.fionakate.com.au

Bright Buttons Toys
What? 46% off all Click Clack Cars, $8 each
How? Prices as marked
When? Until stock lasts
Where? www.brightbuttonstoys.com.au

Merino Kids
What? Up to 65% off in the outlet section
How? Prices as marked
When? Until stock lasts
Where? www.merinokids.com.au

Lately I have discovered so many fantastic Australian made products, I have a huge list of brilliant finds to share. I have also found many great eco friendly products which I am very excited about (yay for green living with kids!). Even better is when a label is both Australian AND natural, so I was thrilled to spot the Four Cow Farm range available in store at Avidiva.

Four Cow Farm is a real family farm located in Queensland. On the farm you’ll find a range of cattle, wildlife and a large range of fruit trees, grown without any fertilisers or pesticides. Using the original recipes of a mother, grandmother and midwife Four Cow Farm creates handmade baby creams and balms made from pure, genuine, natural, naturally derived and organic ingredients and nothing else. I am sure we all agree that pure and natural is the best for our precious bundles.

The current Four Cow Farm range consists of everything mums use on their little ones: baby lotion, baby oil, baby wash, nappy balm, nappy cream and calendula remedy. Prices start at just $8.90 making Four Cow Farm a very affordable and much healthier alternative for skincare products from other major brands. The 4-piece Four Cow Farm kit ($34.90) offers fantastic value and would make a lovely gift for a new baby.

What you definitely won’t find inside Four Cow Farm products are unnecessary fragrances and chemicals, artificial additives or colours, fillers, additives, parabens, propylene glycol, sulfates, cocamidopropyl betaine, synthetic detergents, petrochemicals, mineral oils, lanolin, chlorinated water or phthalates. If you think these names sounds scary you should take a closer look at the skincare products you are currently using, it is very likely they contain some of these nasty ingredients.

To find out more Four Cow Farm, to take a closer look at the range and to order your favourite products online visit www.avidiva.com.au, all Australian orders are delivered free of charge.

Recently we were invited to the birthday party of our nephew, of course the kids were super excited but they are not the ones having to buy a present for a 10 year old boy. I never have any trouble picking gifts for girls, no matter what age, in fact I am always well prepared and know in advance what sort of present I am looking for. Shopping for boys on the other hand is much more difficult (I think) and up until the last minute I wasn’t sure what to get. The only thing I did know is that he loves footy so just in time I came across these two great new books:

The Find The Footy activity book ($14.95, 48 pages) is both fun and educational so it will get the tick of approval from both kids and parents. On every page kids need to locate up to 12 footy balls, hiding in pictures of famous landmarks and locations from all around the world. That sounds easier than it is and it will certainly keep them busy for quite a while! The Great Wall of China, the Colosseum in Rome, the Tower Bridge in London, kids will learn a lot whilst hunting for icons from their favourite sport.

As a child I (and my sisters) used to love arts and crafts but my brother was not much into all the creative stuff. Both my son and daughter love sitting at the table with their colouring books but when boys get that little bit older they are often not very interested in drawing and colouring in anymore. They prefer to go outside and get dirty in the yard or even better, play a game of footy. But what do they do when it is too cold or rainy to play outside?

The Bumper Footy colouring book ($9.95, 96 pages) is great crafty entertainment for young footy lovers. The book features a massive 48 famous AFL players and whilst learning lots of interesting facts about the players kids can colour in a picture of each sportsman and team logo. When was he born, how tall is he, what position does he play and what moves is he famous for? Little supporters will love this crafty footy ‘encyclopedia’. Priced at just $9.95 the Bumper Footy book is a great gift idea.

To find out more about Find The Footy or Bumper Footy and to order your favourite titles online visit www.slatterymedia.com, delivery within Australia is free for every book order.

For your chance to win a copy of Bumper Footy and Find the Footy visit www.slatterymedia.com and answer the following question: Name one of the players featured in the Bumper Footy colouring book.

Submit your answer by leaving a comment below, your email address will not be published.

If you really want to win you can earn up to ten additional entries, please leave separate comments for each entry:

• Follow @SlatteryMedia on Twitter
• Subscribe to the weekly Sales, Savings & Giveaways email
• Subscribe to Hip little one via RSS
• Follow Hip little one with Networked Blogs (click this link and click ‘follow’ http://bit.ly/pjPo0k)
• Tweet about this giveaway on Twitter using @hiplittleone and @SlatteryMedia in your tweet
• Write about this giveaway on your blog or Facebook page and leave the URL
• Visit up to four of my sponsors on the left and right and tell me your favourite item (1 entry per sponsor)

Competition ends March 20, 2012. Sorry, Australian entries only.

The wait is finally over for fashion savvy mums around Australia as the new Oobi Winter 2012 collection has arrived in stores. Whether it is on Facebook, at the playground, the schoolyard or even the cafe on the corner, everywhere mums meet you hear them talking about Oobi. Shop For Tots is one of the lucky stores that managed to secure the new Oobi designs, take a look at what all the buzz is about:

This gorgeous girls outfit has won the hearts of many mothers nationwide, picturing their little ladies in the stunning Emma Duffle Coat ($89.95, size 2-5). On the inside this pink duffle coat is lined with adorable bunny print fabric, from the outside you can see the lining in the hood but you can show off a little more by rolling up the sleeves. To complete the picture you’ll need the Rebecca Dress $54.95, size 1-5) in matching bunny print. Oobi Duffle Coats are also available in Navy and Olive.

One of the real winners for boys is the Percy Sweater ($54.95, size 0-5), the classic stripes and button up neckline make this a timeless style that can be worn on many occasions and won’t go out of fashion. There is choice from blue/brown and red/olive, both combinations are brilliant for mixing and matching with other items in your boy’s wardrobe (and the darker winter tones won’t show dirty marks easily, a bonus!).

This has to be one of the sweetest looks around, the Sara Floral Shirt ($44.95, size 2-5) is just divine and goes beautifully with other pieces from the new winter collection. As if the floral print is not girly enough the shirt also features ruffles, a big favourite for many girls. Also pictured is the Oobi Pretty Little Bow Belt, available in red and pink and at just $12.95 a real must-have for this winter.

As a mum of boy/girl twins I love finding outfits that go well together, blue and red happen to be my favourite colours so I think these Oobi pieces would be perfect for my kids. In fact it is very easy to dress siblings in Oobi as many of the prints and colours are used in several styles. As always the Oobi range also contains plenty of accessories like hair clips, brooches, headbands and belts, for Oobi kids from top to bottom.

To find out more about Shop For Tots, to browse the Oobi Winter collection and to order online visit www.shopfortots.com.au.

Until Feburary 25, 2012 you can earn yourself some extra Shop For Tots shopping credit: Simply spend $100 in store to get a $15 gift certificate to be used on your next purchase and for even more savings spend $150 = $30 voucher, spend $200 = $40 voucher and spend $300 = $75 voucher. That’s a fantastic offer!

Recently one of my lovely readers gave birth to a gorgeous little girl, a beautiful addition to their family of three. Looking at the pictures of this new arrival is making me a bit clucky, compared to her my youngest seems like such a big toddler already! Knowing little miss C. is a breastfed baby I thought her mummy would be the perfect tester for the new breastfeeding coverlets from Pretty Well Covered.

Invented by an Australian mum the Pretty Well Covered breastfeeding coverlets are a stylish, discrete and convenient way to feed your baby in public. Specifically designed for the warmer Australian weather they are lightweight and cool. As they are made of sheer fabric you can see your baby when feeding, the perfect design for mums who are worried about breastfeeding when out and about.

I am not surprised my tester Cindy loves this new Australian product, this is what she had to say:

First impression: The Pretty Well Covered breastfeeding coverlet looks classy and stylish, sheer material looks lovely as does the shape. Great quality and workmanship was good, professional finish to the product. Practicality was good. I never used any covers with my first child but I have found the coverlet to be no more difficult to use (than not use anything at all), and I found it easy to carry around and fit in the nappy bag as it is not bulky. It even came with a little mesh bag for storage.

The material was lovely, sheer and cool. Provided enough coverage to be discreet though still allowing me to see my baby through the material. Due to the material being non-stretchy, it is important to get the correct size to allow plenty of room to move. The size I got was correct for me, though if I were to buy another I might get the next size due to the material not being stretchy, and I personally like things to be roomy.

The Pretty Well Covered breastfeeding coverlets cost $30 per coverlet which I think is fine and I would be happy to purchase a coverlet for that price, it is worth it in material, quality and practicality. My friends commented on how discreet it was even being sheer, and they all thought it was stylish. There are eight designs to choose from so you can choose a print that matches your style or your outfit.

To find out more about Pretty Well Covered, to browse the range of designs and to order your favourite visit www.prettywellcovered.com.au.

For your chance to win a Pretty Well Covered breastfeeding coverlet of your choice (subject to availability) visit the Pretty Well Covered Facebook store and answer the following question: Which coverlet design would you pick if you were to be our lucky winner?

Submit your answer by leaving a comment below, your email address will not be published.

If you really want to win you can earn up to ten additional entries, please leave separate comments for each entry:

• Like Pretty Well Covered on Facebook
• Subscribe to the weekly Sales, Savings & Giveaways email
• Subscribe to Hip little one via RSS
• Follow Hip little one with Networked Blogs (click this link and click ‘follow’ http://bit.ly/pjPo0k)
• Tweet about this giveaway on Twitter using @hiplittleone in your tweet
• Write about this giveaway on your blog or Facebook page and leave the URL
• Visit up to four of my sponsors on the left and right and tell me your favourite item (1 entry per sponsor)

Competition ends March 18, 2012. Sorry, Australian entries only.

Every night before bed we read books to the kids, until recently that is because things have changed and they now prefer reading to us. When reading books with my little ones it is obvious that they ‘read’ books in a completely different way than we do. As they can not really read just yet they simply tell the story the way they remember it. Sometimes they are lucky and the pictures guide them as to what part we are up to but more often than not they turn pages as they see fit regardless of the text. To teach them more about how to read books we have started using the LeapFrog Tag Junior.

LeapFrog Tag Junior is the little sibling of the original LeapFrog Tag system which I have written about before. The Tag reading system is all about helping children learn to read in a fun way. These days children are familar with and intrigued by electronic toys from a very early age so LeapFrog combines the fun aspect of electronic play with the educational aspect of learning to read, a winning combination.

The original LeapFrog Tag reading system is specifically developed for children between 4 and 8 years old and thanks to the simplified version of Tag even little ones as young as 2 can start learning the basics of reading with Tag Junior. Especially for those chubby little hands the Tag Stylus has been replaced by the chunky Book Pal which is available in 4 different designs (white/green, white/purple, Scout or Violet).

The Tag Junior books may look like ordinary board books but once the Book Pal enters the scene the sturdy pages come to life. All kids need to do is move the Book Pal over the pages to hear the text on each page read out loud and even behind the pictures songs and sounds are hiding. By turning the reading of books into an exciting adventure you can spark an early interest in reading, something your child will thank you for later.

With over 20 different titles in the Tag Junior library there is sure to be a book that will grab your little one’s attention, some even feature famous characters like Dora, Toy Story and Sesame Street. The latest addition to the library is the Get Ready to Read Series ($34.99), a set of seven books teaching reading skills and short vowel sounds through music and funny stories. As your child’s book collection grows you simply add the audio for your new book to your Book Pal via your computer.

If you would like to see the LeapFrog Tag Junior in action and give it a little electronic try yourself visit the interactive LeapFrog Tag Junior website.

To find out more about the LeapFrog Tag Junior ($59.99, 2 -4 years) visit www.leapfrog.com.au. LeapFrog toys are available at leading retailers all over Australia, click here to find out where to buy your favourite LeapFrog products.

You may have read that two weeks ago we went out for dinner with our kids, quite an adventure with three little people. At home the baby is known to make quite a mess at dinnertime and I was not looking forward to the mess she’d leave at the restaurant. I prepared myself with plenty of wipes and a Bibska Duo Bib from Babies Favourite Things.

Babies Favourite Things is an Australian online store filled with loads of fabulous products for babies and mums, handpicked by the lovely Kristy. When browsing the store you will soon notice that Babies Favourite Things has got it all covered: from wearing to playing, eating to sleeping, going out to decorating, you will love Kristy’s top picks. Big bonus: many of the items in store are designed and made right here in Australia, so you are supporting Australian businesses too!

Bibska bibs are a perfect of example of these great Australian treasures. The Bibska range offers a gorgeous selection of styles and prints that will pass the test of all style conscious mums. At the restaurant the fold on the Bibska Duo Bib stopped a large amount of food from falling on the floor, how handy! The original Bibska Bib does not only catch food and teething dribble, it is a fashion accessory too. Prices start at just $12.95.

Baby food pouches are an easy, compact and quick way of feeding baby on the go but store bought baby food is not as healthy as home made food. With the On the Go Baby Food Pouches ($17.95, 20 pack) you get the best of both worlds, fill them with home made meals and eat fresh or freeze and heat when needed. With the reusable, BPA free Colour Change Pouch Spoons ($5.95 per 2) you can feed baby directly from the pouch (plus they fit on other baby food pouches too).

On the topic of going out and about with baby you might need something more than food to keep your little one happy. The Peek-a-Boo Bags are sure to deliver plenty of entertainment. Each bag contains lots of little items and the goal is to ‘find’ all the items on the list by feeling from the outside. No mess, no pieces getting lost, just great fun and very educational too! I will definitely remember this one for our next plane trip.

To find out more about Babies Favourite Things, to browse the range and to order online visit www.babiesfavouritethings.com.

For your chance to win a Babies Favourite Things prize pack including a Bibska gift set, On the Go Baby Food Pouches and Colour Change Spoons visit www.babiesfavouritethings.com and answer the following question: Aside from the items featured above, which other Babies Favourite Things product do you like most and why?

Submit your answer by leaving a comment below, your email address will not be published.

If you really want to win you can earn up to ten additional entries, please leave separate comments for each entry:

• Like Babies Favourite Things on Facebook
• Like Bibska on Facebook
• Subscribe to the weekly Sales, Savings & Giveaways email
• Subscribe to Hip little one via RSS
• Tweet about this giveaway on Twitter using @hiplittleone in your tweet
• Write about this giveaway on your blog or Facebook page and leave the URL
• Visit up to four of my sponsors on the left and right and tell me your favourite item (1 entry per sponsor)

Competition ends March 16, 2012. Sorry, Australian entries only.

Millie’s Playground
What? 20% off Bobble Art and Mizzle products
How? Prices as marked
When? Until February 19, 2012
Where? www.milliesplayground.com.au

The Enchanted Child
What? Up to 45% off in sale section
How? Prices as marked
When? Until further notice
Where? www.enchantedchild.com.au

Bright Star Kids
What? 15% off storewide ($20 minimum spend)
How? Enter the code ‘LOVETINYTHINGS15′ at checkout
When? Until February 16, 2012
Where? www.brightstarkids.com.au

Shop For Tots
What? Free shipping Australia wide (orders under 2kg)
How? Discount automatically applied at checkout
When? Until February 16, 2012
Where? www.shopfortots.com.au

SIDS & Kids
What? 10-20% off Plum Sleeping Bags
How? Prices as marked
When? Until February 20, 2012
Where? www.sidsandkidsshop.org

If you are lucky your husband has surprised you this morning with a sweet gift for Valentine’s day, or maybe you have a special night out planned to spend some quality time together. If you are not that lucky you should know that there are many other mums out there who go without a gift today. Especially for those mums the lovely people at Sebastian Professional have donated two fabulous prize packs to make up for a disappointing day.

The Sebastian Professional High Impact Volume Meets Softness pack is perfect for busy mums who deserve a bit of pampering, don’t we all? Each pack contains the volume boosting Volupt Shampoo, Volupt Conditioner and Volupt Spray and together these three products work to revive flat, lifeless hair with renewed body and volume. Aside from making sure your hair fits in with the big volume trend of this season it will also look and feel nourished and incredibly soft.

What makes the Sebastian Professional Volupt line stand out from other volumising products is the ability to combine both amazing volume AND beautiful softness, two things that don’t often go hand in hand (we all know the hard, breakable feel that usually comes with big voluminous hair). The unique micro-particle technology provides an extreme volume boost without any roughness, meaning you can add inches without compromising on softness.

To find out more about Sebastian Professional, to browse the range and to locate a salon near you visit www.sebastianprofessional.com or call 1300 728 333.

For your chance to win one of two Sebastian Professional High Impact Volume Meets Softness prize packs (RRP $70) visit www.sebastianprofessional.com and answer the following question: Aside from the Volupt products which other Sebastian Professional products would you like to try?

Submit your answer by leaving a comment below, your email address will not be published.

If you really want to win you can earn up to ten additional entries, please leave separate comments for each entry:

• Like Sebastian Professional AUS & NZ on Facebook
• Subscribe to the weekly Sales, Savings & Giveaways email
• Subscribe to Hip little one via RSS
• Follow Hip little one with Networked Blogs (click this link and click ‘follow’ http://bit.ly/pjPo0k)
• Tweet about this giveaway on Twitter using @hiplittleone in your tweet
• Write about this giveaway on your blog or Facebook page and leave the URL
• Visit up to four of my sponsors on the left and right and tell me your favourite item (1 entry per sponsor)

Competition ends March 14, 2012. Sorry, Australian entries only.