Friends, it is almost Christmas. And it is really almost Halloween. The planner for handmade holidays at Skip to My Lou (PDF) is useful for both occasions if you are planning homemade costumes or outdoor displays. It’s not helpful if just the idea of the holidays now makes you a little queasy.

Surely You Nest reminds me that I need to check with our dentist about sealants and their BPA content. He told me he did the research and the ones he uses doesn’t have it, but he also called it “BPH”, which makes me just a little nervous.

The recipe for Spinach-Rice Balls at How Do You Do It? got me thinking about how hard it’s going to be to beat back the bologna monster every day. I need ideas for lunches P can take from preschool to his afterschool program, things that will stay fresh with a minimum amount of hassle for him and us.

I haven’t been blogging here too long yet, but friends, I need you to promise me that if you are going to buy ribbon (and who doesn’t need some lovely ribbon now and then?) you do so from the affordably gorgeous and biodegradable Cream City Ribbon. In fact, just go and order the Holiday Kit for a Cause right now, because you know you’ll use it all by January…

Have any cats? “Deal”icious Mom points out that Purina has a coupon up for Yesterday’s News, a recycled newspaper litter product. Get a free bag (up to $6.99)! Seems worth trying to me, especially at that price

Baby Cheapskate shares another $5 off $25 Babies R Us coupon good for this weekend. The one in our area is way too far away for this to be worthwhile (I think I would use at least $5 worth of gas!), but if you are headed there anyhow, enjoy the savings!

More kudos to Baby Cheapskate for pointing out the drugstore.com sale that includes BOGO on Sassy items. We use Sassy Mam BPA free bottles for the triplets, so we’re going to buy the next size nipples right now and save a bundle. Lots of things on sale (including green cleaners EFP and Biokleen), as well as an additional discount for new customers!

Also way too far away from us is IKEA. They’re offering free breakfast this weekend at their stores. Yum!

How timely! An Etsy/treehugger colaboration post. I *love* Etsy, but I find myself using what I see more for crafting inspiration than for actual purchases, like that onesie with the vintage washcloth sewn on to it. I could definitely make that. (When I get my new sewing machine, that is…)

Did you know that Martha Stewart sends out all sorts of free daily emails? I get most of them because I’m kind of a Marthawhore. Detractors aside, the woman/empire puts out a lot of excellent ideas, many of which are very much in the sage spirit. For example, yesterday’s organizing project, the Shirt Pocket Quilt. Considering my husband always tears his shirts in the elbows, this is a keeper for us.

Ask Moxie ponders the “no gifts, please” party invite, while the fact that Target is trotting out Christmas already has me thinking… Can I impose an all-Etsy policy for the holidays for my boys (and maybe for Mama, too)? Not too many makers in my family to do a homemade holiday, but if there are homemade goods they could buy and we could support individual artists, WAHMs and the like, maybe they’d go for it.