Conscious Family Giveaway #4

As stated in a previous post, this month is dedicated to the Conscious Family. And, as I stated prior, we will be having some fun giveaways during April.

Giveaway #1 can be found here
Giveaway #2 can be found here
Giveaway #3 can be found here

Nicole, from Evergreen Organics, is our fourth business owner who exemplifies Conscious Family values. She has been kind enough to donate an awesome item for our month-long event and I can't wait to share it with you... but first, I'd like you to get to know her a little better! :)

THE INTERVIEW
Can you tell me a little about you, as a person, and then a little about how you, the business owner, came to create Evergreen Organics?
I am a new mama to a 4 month old boy who brightens every day :) I try to live with the values I want to instill in him, such as being good to all, people, animals, and the earth. As a family we try to be conscious of what we consume and what our impact is or will be on the earth and others. We do our best to recycle, use sustainable products, and eat healthy. I mainly prefer to buy handmade and support other work at home families.

I started becoming interested in organics as a teenager. I traveled 20 minutes to the nearest natural food store to buy my food because at that time organic food wasn't available in the regular supermarkets. After making healthier choices with what I put into my body, I noticed that my skin was brighter, I had more energy, and most importantly, the depression that I had been dealing with slowly started to become less of a burden.

I then realized that if what I put into my body made such a radical change, then what I used on my body probably mattered too. I couldn't afford the expensive organic skincare at the specialty stores, and wanted something tailored to my needs, so I started studying the properties of different herbs and oils. I then created my own products and grew from there!

What were you like as a child?
As a kid I remember being outside all the time. My best friend lived next door and we would play in the woods behind our houses and build tree forts and play "Indians," we went "hunting" and gathered "herbs" and things to make tinctures and food :) One spring my friends mom let us plant a garden in their back yard, and I remember loving the feeling of accomplishment when all the flowers came up.

If you had to pinpoint one turning point in your life/career, what would you consider that defining moment/event?
I would say the turning point in my life and career would be when I decided that I wanted to make changes in my life as a young adult. I struggled with depression as a teen, and I became frustrated with all the medications that were being prescribed to me. I decided to stop the meds and change my lifestyle instead. I started hiking more, eating better foods, and studied eastern religions and ways. At that time I also started a job with a group of like-minded, beautiful people whom I bonded with immediately. This time in my life got me thinking in a forward direction of what I wanted my life to be rather than being stuck in a fog.

You offer organic, natural products, so tell me why these things are important to you both personally and professionally.

I have proven to myself the power of nature in food and other products and would love others to find this out too. I also believe in the importance of preserving our earth, so I use recyclable and sustainable products and materials as much as possible. As a mother, I want my son to be aware of these things, and I hope that his generation sees this importance so they are not surrounded by pollution and concrete.

What do you hope your clients get from your products?
I hope my clients find something that makes them feel good in their skin, as well as feel good about their choices in products. I want to show people that they do not need to use toxic chemicals to get their clothes and skin clean, and that by choosing to use sustainable products we are stepping in a positive direction to preserve the earth for future generations.


Would you be willing to share your favorite recipe with my readers?
Haha, my partner would get a kick out of this question, he's trying to teach me to cook :) I can whip up some great beauty products, but when it comes to food recipes, I'm used to eating raw and vegetarian "rabbit food" :) I do have a weakness for oatmeal chocolate chip cookies, so here's a recipe I found for Vegan chocolate chip cookies

Ingredients:

• 1/3 cup smooth cashew butter or 1/3 cup almond butter or 1/3 cup peanut butter
• 2 tablespoons canola oil
• 1 cup sugar
• 1/3 cup soymilk
• 1 teaspoon pure vanilla extract
• 1 cup whole wheat flour
• 1/2 teaspoon baking soda
• 1/2 teaspoon salt
• 1 cup rolled oat
• 1/2 cup non-dairy chocolate chips
• 1/2 cup chopped macadamia nuts or 1/2 cup walnuts

Directions:

1. Preheat oven to 425°F Oil a large baking sheet; set aside.
2. Whisk together first five ingredients until very smooth. Add remaining ingredients, and stir to combine (be sure to mix in thoroughly the baking soda and salt--you may want to stir these into the flour first).
3. Drop batter by large spoonfuls onto prepared baking sheet. Bake for about 8 minutes, or until tops just begin to crack. Remove sheet from oven, and wait 10 minutes before transferring cookies to a plate or wire rack.

THE GIVEAWAY
So, I bet you all are dying to know what she is giving away! She is offering an awesome cloth diapering sample pack from her amazing etsy store.

Cloth Diaper Sample Pack

 Click on the link above to learn all about it! :)

Now, I know you all are dying to get your hands on this very cool sample pack, so, read below CAREFULLY for the rules to enter!

RULES FOR ENTERING:
To enter, you MUST complete #1 on the list. After that, feel free to enter as many additional times as you would like (#2-#5). You must leave an additional comment for each entry for it to be valid. Please don't forget to leave me some way to get in contact with you if you are the winner.

1. Like Nicole's Facebook page, leave a comment on her wall saying that I sent you, and come back/comment here to let me know you did. :)
2. Like my Facebook Page, then come back and let me know you have. If you are already a liker, let me know. :)
3. Share this giveaway on your own blog, then come back here and comment, sharing the link to that post in the body of your comment.
4. Share this giveaway on your own Facebook wall, tagging my or Nicole's FB pages, then come back here and comment, letting me know you did. 
5. Go to Nicole's etsy shop and browse around, come back here and let me know what item you like the most.

Entries must be received by April 30th at midnight. Drawing will occur in the first week of May. Good luck!!!