Natural Living Blog Carnival

We’re excited that you’re interested in participating in the Natural Living Blog Carnival, sponsored by the Green Moms Network and co-hosted by Chrystal of Happy Mothering and Brittany of The Pistachio Project through the Green Moms Network.

Please bookmark this page, as it contains all of the information you need about the monthly carnival topics, posting details and more.

What is a Blog Carnival?

While blog carnivals have been around for quite some time, we know the concept is new to many of you, so we wanted to share a little bit of background with you. Blog carnivals are a fun way to connect with bloggers who share a common interest by writing about the same topic one time each month.

In addition to writing your post, we encourage our participants to hop around to as many of the other participating blogs and leave a thoughtful comment on their post (at the very least, the 2 blogs above and below you on the linky). It’s a great way to discover new blogs you may want to continue following and foster a greater sense of community between green moms.

Why Natural Living?

As green moms, our interests are broad, but they share an overarching goal – to make the world a better, safer place for our families. There are many ways we can accomplish this together, so are leaving this blog carnival open to exploring many topics related to eco-friendly and natural living.

How Does the Blog Carnival Work?

We want to keep this blog carnival simple and fun! Each month, you’ll be asked to write a new, previously unpublished post on the specified topic (listed below) and publish it on the specified day. In each month’s call for submissions, we’ll include the information for adding your blog to the linky, and adding the linky to your post.

In general, you will be required to add your blog name, post title and a one-sentence description of your post (no more than 500 characters). We will go through the linky the day of the carnival and review all of the posts. Anyone found to be writing off topic or not including the linky and intro copy will be given 24 hours to rectify the issue or be removed from the linky. We also expect that you write with proper grammar and spelling, and that your content is family-friendly and supportive of that month’s topic.

Each month, we will post a call for submissions to give you time to prepare your post and provide the link to us ahead of time.

Celebrate Your Participation!

If you are participating in this month’s carnival, or have previously participated in a Natural Living Blog Carnival, and you would like a banner to put in your sidebar, grab this button code to show your readers (and potential sponsors) that you’re passionate about natural living!

<div align="center"><a href="http://www.happy-mothering.com/natural-living-blog-carnival" title="Natural Living Blog Carnival" target="_blank"><img src="http://www.happy-mothering.com/wp-content/uploads/2012/08/GMN-Carnival-Button.jpg" height="150" width="150" alt="Natural Living Blog Carnival" style="border:none;" /></a></div>

Upcoming Monthly Carnival Themes

June 2013: A Natural Challenge

Take 1 or 2 weeks to explore a natural practice that you have yet to try, then tell us about how it went. Perhaps it was cloth diapering, cooking completely from scratch, ditching all paper products, eliminating plastic purchases or line drying laundry. The possibilities are endless!

July 2013: Inspiring Change in Others

Be the change you want to see in the world. Mahatma Gandhi said this, but we can all extend this practice to our own lives. While you set the example by living a green and natural lifestyle, those around you may not follow suit. How do you inspire others to make positive changes in their lifestyle? Do you think it’s your place to encourage change in others? How do you do that peacefully and effectively? Share your best tips and stories with us.

August 2013: Living Sustainably

How to live sustainably is a hot topic these days, and rightfully so. As food and energy costs continue to rise, more families are looking for ways to cut costs and their dependence on the the volatile food and energy systems. What steps has your family taken to live more sustainably. What steps would you like to take? What’s preventing you from reaching your goals?

September 2013: Extending Natural Living to the Classroom

While it’s easy to stick to your natural lifestyle when you homeschool, it’s not so easy for families with children that attend school outside the home. How do you extend your family’s lifestyle to your child’s school? Do you pack healthy lunches in reusable containers? Does your child bike or walk to school? What tips can you share with parents who want to extend their lifestyle to their child’s school?

Past Monthly Carnival Themes

May 2013: Taking Care of Mom

As moms, so many of us forget to take care of ourselves. Share with us some things you do for YOU!

April 2013: Natural Kids

How do your kids respond to natural living? Has it been a battle? How do you help them understand the changes you are making?

March 2013: Naturally Spring Cleaning

March is when spring begins and with it comes the age old Spring Cleaning. However, if you are trying to live naturally then you can’t spring clean like everyone else using chemical laden products. How do you naturally clean your home? Share your tips, recipes, reasons to choose natural products, etc.

February 2013: Addressing Sleep Challenges

Most families face some sleep challenges in their home. Whether it’s sleeping through the night or naptime struggles with the kids – or insomnia or other sleep challenges for the adults – most of us have dealt with sleep issues. From your experiences, what tips do you have to share? How do you handle sleep problems naturally and in a gentle way?

January 2013: Green Confessions

Let’s face it – none of us are the perfect shade of green. We’re always striving to become more eco-conscious and make wiser decisions. However, sometimes it’s just not possible to make the greenest choice. What decisions have you made to not be green in your lifestyle, and how do you feel about it? What would you be mortified if your crunchier friends learned about your lifestyle choices? Spill the beans about what Green Resolutions you’re making this year.

December 2012: Natural Remedies

We are now in the middle of the sick season. Thankfully, there are plenty of natural ways to prevent and cure illnesses. What are some ways that you help your family stay healthy during the sick season? Perhaps you have some amazing natural remedies for when you do get sick that you could share? Whether it’s preventative methods or curable remedies, we want to know how you naturally survive the sick season.

November 2012: Healthy Holiday Meals

The holidays are just around the corner and with them some amazing meals! Just because it’s the holiday season doesn’t mean we have to cave in to unhealthy foods however. What are some of your favorite healthy holiday meals? How about tips to keep your healthy eating habits during the holidays or perhaps some healthy substitutions that can easily be made in place of traditional ingredients or favorite snacks? We want to hear about your healthy holiday meals and tips!

October 2012: Ethical Shopping Choices

Shopping is something most of us do on a regular basis – groceries, clothes, gifts, household items and more. What factors go into your family’s buying decisions? Do you buy only USA made products? How do you feel about fair trade certified products? Or is your main concern price? October is Fair Trade Month, so we want to learn how the bloggers in our network make their purchasing choices.

September 2012: Kids in the Car

Let’s face it, as parents we spend a lot of time in the car. This month, share your stories and tips for traveling with kids in the car. Do you have tips for keeping kids happy in the car, ideas for road trips or stories about dealing with a carsick child? We want to hear them! September is Child Passenger Safety Month so car safety fits in this theme as well.

Stay Connected

Don’t forget to bookmark this page and stay tuned for future topics. And be sure to subscribe to our blogs via email and follow us on Facebook or Twitter to stay updated on any carnival announcements. For more green events and information, join the Green Moms Network.