Click http://www.chinaberry.com to see today’s specially-discounted item.

Was $24.95, Today (9/21/10) Only $4.97.

Price goes back up tomorrow (09/22/10). Shop Now! One per customer.

Click http://www.chinaberry.com to see today’s specially-discounted item.

Was $14.95, Today (9/14/10) Only $2.97.

Price goes back up tomorrow (09/15/10). Shop Now! One per customer.

Click http://www.chinaberry.com to see today’s specially-discounted item.

Was $19.95, Today (9/07/10) Only $3.97.

Price goes back up tomorrow (09/08/10). Shop Now! One per customer.

Click http://www.chinaberry.com to see today’s specially-discounted item.

Was $14.95, Today (8/24/10) Only $2.97.

Price goes back up tomorrow (08/25/10). Shop Now! One per customer.

Click http://www.chinaberry.com to see today’s specially-discounted item. Hint: It’s another one of our bestsellers!

Was $21.95, Today (8/17/10) Only $4.97.

Price goes back up tomorrow (08/18/10). Shop Now! One per customer.

Click http://www.chinaberry.com to see today’s specially-discounted item. Hint: It’s one of our bestsellers!

Was $17.95, Today (8/10/10) Only $3.97.

Price goes back up tomorrow (08/11/10). Shop Now! One per customer.

One-Day Tuesday special discounted item. Was $14.95, Today (08/03/10) just $2.97! Price goes back up tomorrow (08/04/10). Shop Now! One per customer.

Super flexible, super foldable, super portable, and super-duper fun, the Ultra Sky-O flying ring is a larger-than-life throwing toy that can soar for hundreds and hundreds of feet. It folds down to fit in its 10” handy carrying case for easy storage and portability. Simply pop it open in any fairly large, open space and give it a flick to send it swooping. Its enormous size and soft design make it easy and fun for even the most novice of beginners.

After nine long months of dreaming, planning, building, and decorating, we’re finally ready to announce our big news: Chinaberry had twins!

Meet Jake & Ella, the newest addition to the Chinaberry family. Created by the original Chinaberry kids, Elizabeth and Evan (some of you may remember them from our earlier catalogs way back when), Jake & Ella brings our mission of raising children with love, honesty, and joy to a new generation of discerning parents.

When Chinaberry launched its first catalog almost (gasp!) 30 years ago, our message and values attracted a community of people who were decidedly noncomformist. From vegans to homeschoolers, homesteaders to tree-huggers, our customers back then didn’t exactly swim with the mainstream. But over the years, as “Chinaberry babies” started having babies of their own, we have happily witnessed a slow but meaningful culture shift among parents. “Tree-hugger” is a badge to be worn proudly, and urban-dwellers are planting their own backyard organic farms. “Unschool” play groups are popping up across the country, and everyone seems to be talking about making healthier, more conscious food and lifestyle choices. It would seem, Chinaberry parents, that we’ve all done something right after all.

Now, catering specifically to those with babies and toddlers in their lives, Jake & Ella offers distinctive, sustainable toys, wellness products, and resources for nurturing creative, compassionate children. With a focus on environmental and social responsibility, Jake & Ella draws on three decades of Chinaberry’s experience to help the new generation of parents make natural, conscientious choices for their littlest ones.

Beyond its online boutique, Jake & Ella’s blog and social networks are building a community of unconventional and thoughtful parents, ones who wish to give their children the knowledge and inspiration to make the world a healthier, more wholesome place for all of us. From the latest news in environmental health to alternative thinking on child development, Jake & Ella’s online communities cover topics often ignored by the mainstream but essential in navigating the increasingly complicated business of raising a healthy family today.

Celebrate with us! Stop by our store, peruse our blog, connect with us on Facebook for interesting news bites, special offers, enticing contests, and banter with like-minded people. And if you like what you find, please let your friends know! Now through July 31, 2010, we’re offering a special deal for our Chinaberry family: Spend $50 or more at Jake & Ella and get $10 off your order. Just enter the code CBFAMILY during checkout to receive your discount!

We know you’ll be as smitten with our exciting new bundle of joy as we are…

Read about one of our favorite toy-manufacturers, Sarah’s Silks [story by Mike and Sarah Lee]:

The story of our toy-making business is a deeply personal one for us. Our oldest son Josh was in need of many dress-up options as he loved to play pretend. He required lots of pieces of beautifully colored, non-itchy fabric for his games. We found that the options in toy stores were limited and so we began to dye our own silk squares for him to play with, eventually bringing them to market. For 15 years, we have been offering a wide selection of natural fiber dress-ups and toys to stores all over the world and, ultimately, providing families like ours with beautiful, creative toys.

We chose silk as it is a natural fiber and renewable resource. Silk is an ancient product of China. Our silks are hand-hemmed in a small village near Shanghai which we have visited. The seamstresses are in their homes, often sitting in doorways, as their children play nearby. In addition, many of our products are sewn, ironed and packaged by women working in their homes in Sonoma County, CA. Our dyes are non-toxic and the silks are easily hand-washed.

At Sarah’s Silks, we are dedicated to helping create a better world through imaginative play. We believe that simple, open-ended toys are best for growing minds. Developing inner creativity at a young age leads to higher levels of creative thinking in adulthood. When children’s inner creative life is nurtured, they grow into more well-rounded, stronger, and creative contributing members of our society, eager to bring their gifts to the world. We are dedicated to simple, unique and beautiful toys for all of the children of the world. Through our work, we are reminded of the infinite possibilities of play.

We offer quality playsilks, toys and dress-ups for boys and girls between the ages of 3-10, that ignite the imagination, and capture the magical soul that lives in young children.

To see Chinaberry’s full selection of Sarah’s Silks’ products, please go to www.Chinaberry.com and type Sarah’s Silks in the search box.

I don’t think there is a worm left in our yard that hasn’t been turned. My son has discovered the joys of digging in the soil, and every rock, block, and grain of sand has been flipped in his search for underground creatures. At any given time I am sure to find a container of dirt in the yard, a new ”home” for his bugs until he releases them back to the earth. I think his fingernails will always have dirt embedded underneath them, despite my attempts with a nailbrush and a firm scrubbing every night.

I used to enjoy digging and getting dirty too, back when I was called a ”tomboy,” rode an oversized bicycle around the neighborhood, and didn’t come home until the streetlights came on. I spent spring days after school outside with my mom’s trowel, digging big holes in the yard (which I know my mom appreciated!). I’d happily scrape my trowel deep enough to reach past the sandy top layer, through the moist dark layer, down to the red clay treasure until it was too hard to dig anymore.

This spring, may we all have time to dig a little deeper and get our hands messy alongside our kids. By gardening, bug hunting, and exploring in the dirt together, we not only connect with our children and to the earth, we are also reminded of the outdoor memories of our own childhood. Remember the delight of holding a leaf that was bigger than your head or the fascination of watching an earthworm or caterpillar wriggle in front of you? And of course you could just take a trowel and dig as deep a hole as possible, not with any purpose, but just because you can!