Negative to Positive to Freedom

Negative to Positive to Freedom

When you come up with an idea, do all the work to develop it, manufacture and introduce it at market you become not only financially attached but emotionally attached as well.   The product and the work becomes personal, and it feels like it is yours.  When other companies start following your lead and echoing your ideas and products, the first reaction is usually a negative one.  There is no doubt about it...you came up with a great product and other people are riding in your wake.  You could feel cheated and have ill will toward the companies copying your products, websites and press photos.  Who hasn't sat around and looked at a product, or talked about an idea and said, "Gosh I wish I had come up with that".   This thought process is negative and could instill bad vibes that will transcend through out your day.  You have to choose how to live your life, and eco-kids chooses to be grateful and humbled.

Excepting positivity is an amazing feeling that can change your day, your week, your life.

Being open to others without judgement is an overwhelming experience.  As we go into our fifth year we have seen other natural art supply companies come and go.  We have met them along the way at trade shows around the country.  We have always wished them well as eco-kids believes there is room for all of us.  This year we noticed a few companies following in our footsteps and putting there own spin on the products eco-kids developed.  One product in particular is the eco-eggs coloring kit™.  A few GREAT companies have made beautiful versions of our eco-eggs coloring kit™.  One of those companies is GLOB.  This company started a few years ago making a natural powder based paint set.  This year they introduced there Natural Easter Egg Coloring Kit.  This kit is beautifully packaged and made in the USA.   Another company is WE CAN TOO with their Nature's Magic Egg Dying Kit.  Look them up, check them out, read their story, and try their products.  Seriously!

One would think it would be hard to see other companies following us, but instead of negativity, eco-kids chooses to welcome them.  There is room for all of us and the truth is,  we need more companies like eco-kids, GlOB and WE CAN TOO!  Not only in the natural art world but for every product we consume in every category in everyday life.  We need to support one another until we have taken over the shelves at all of our beautiful mom and pop toy stores, mid tear franchises, and as blasphemous as it may sound every big box stores in America.  Yes I am saying it…WAL-MART,  TARGET,  HOME DEPOT, TOYS R US,  WILLIAMS-SONOMA and GAP!  The more companies like eco-kids, GLOB and Wee CAN TOO that have their products on shelves, the better it is for the consumer, for children, and for this earth.  It's all about small companies making responsible products and taking care of the environment along the way.  I would rather see our products on the shelves than PVC based action figures from the newest blockbuster movie saturating our kids minds.

This positive way of thinking and living will set you free!  Support all that are making strides to change the world. And I say to them, competitor or not, "DON'T STOP!"  There IS room for us all.  I hope to meet you along my path.  Maybe at a trade show and then a discussion at a coffee shop.  I am proud of all of these companies, as you all should be too.


“Keep your thoughts positive because your thoughts become your words. Keep your words positive because your words become your behavior. Keep your behavior positive because your behavior becomes your habits.  Keep your habits positive because your habits become your values. Keep your values positive because your values become your destiny.”
― Mahatma Gandhi

Giving Back

When Cammie first started making eco-dough® it was to give to our kids, our kids friends and the children Cammie would nanny for.  When we decided to sell our eco-dough® at the Hollywood Farmers market we were overwhelmed with encouraging words.  If a child enjoyed our product while visiting the booth we always wanted to make sure they left with dough regardless of whether or not money was exchanged.  When we started our company we were never worried about keeping inventory counts.  It just felt better to give our excess product away to people.  We would trade with other vendors at the market, and they were kind to us.  I would sometimes leave the market with a box full of heirloom tomatoes, vegetables and fresh cut wild flowers.  All the necessities to fill a house, body and mind with joy. 

As eco-kids has grown we've never had a budget for PR and Marketing.  What we did have was a willingness to donate or give our products away to a good cause or a family in need.  Giving away gift baskets to be raffled off at schools and doing give-aways on blogs around the country seemed to be the perfect fit for eco-kids.  We have been very fortunate to be surrounded by a supportive customer base, family and friends. 

So to continue on this path, this Spring we have decided to do a eco-eggs coloring kit™ give away.  We've put 5 golden tickets randomly in our eco-eggs coloring kit™ reminiscent of Willy Wonka & the Chocolate Factory.  The lucky winners will receive our entire line of products, PLUS eco-kids will donate $500 worth of art supplies to a charity or cause of that child's choice.  

As we continue to grow it is nice to be reminded of where eco-kids 

came from and our core beliefs.