I had to save the best for (almost) last. I have had my eye on Jo Totes for a long time. If you (or a woman you know) own a DSLR camera, or really any quality camera that you use all the time, you will L-O-V-E these bags.

I’ve had my Nikon D40 for a few years now, and I learn something new about it every day. Wen I bought it, I also bought an ugly, but functional, boxy Nikon camera bag. I hate it. It is big and clunky, and I only use it for storage or traveling when absolutely necessary. Most of the time, I just stick my DSLR in my purse. But it’s not a very good idea to have an expensive camera jostling around inside a bag full of keys, pens and Lord knows what else. (aff)

Imagine my glee when I discovered Jo Totes, a company that clearly felt my pain and decided to make fabulous camera-ready purses to ease it. Wait. You mean that’s not why the company started? Well, that’s how it feels to me!

So what’s the green part? These bags are made of vegan leather. Ie. No animals were killed in the making of these bags. On top of that, they are very affordable for bags of such awesome quality. Plus, they are available in several gorgeous styles and beautiful colors — including turquoise (swoon) and yellow. That was all the information I needed to become a fan from afar. But the up-close and personal experience? Much, much better!

I received the Rose bag in Pewter, and boy, am I smitten! I have a habit of carrying large purses, so this sizable bag felt right at home on my shoulder. It also has an optional longer strap so you can wear it as a crossbody bag if you choose. However, the magic happens inside the bag. Rose comes with 5 detachable padded partitions that can be arranged as needed to fit your camera and accessories.

There was more than enough space to hold my camera, charger and extra memory cards, and since I put a new lens on my Christmas list, I left some space for that too After all that, there was still ample space for my iPhone, wallet, checkbook, keys and a couple of reusable shopping bags that I always keep in my purse. If I did have one complaint, it would be that there is no space for my iPad. But of course, Jo Totes has already thought of that too. Their newest bag style, the Betsy (shown below in Mustard), features a rear pocket that is large enough for an iPad. Problem solved!

Seriously, I couldn’t love Rose more. She makes me happy. And I know you want to feel the love too

Why It’s Green:

• Made of vegan leather.

Price: $84-90

Want to Win?

Jo Totes is going to make one camera owner of the female variety very happy. One lucky reader is going to take home a Jo Totes bag in the style and color of your choice! Just use the Rafflecopter widget below to enter. Javascript must be enabled to to see the Rafflecopter. If you still cannot see it, wait for the page to load completely, or refresh the page. U.S. mailing addresses only! Entry period ends at 12:01 a.m. 12/27/11. Please note that this giveaway ends AFTER Christmas.

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© 2008-2011 Green Your Decor. Do not republish any items from this feed without permission.

There are some green products that will always be on my go-to list when gift-giving time comes around. Sprout Watches are absolutely among those items — which is why they appear in so many categories of the Green Gift Guide! They are stylish, high quality, eco-friendly and affordable. And best of all, Sprout is constantly evolving and releasing new styles. So while you can get some of the same watches this year that were available last year, you can also find a variety of new styles.

Among those new styles are watches made from — believe it or not — fish leather! Yes! Sprout recycled skin from salmon and other fish to create bands with beautiful texture, as shown in the photo above. Fish skins are an eco-friendly alternative to traditional leather because it is made of the by-product from fish farmers who are catching non-endangered species for human consumption. In other words, if companies like Sprout didn’t find ways to use it, it would simply be thrown away. Fish skin is praised as being one of the strongest leathers on earth, as well as having great elasticity. Plus, there’s the bonus that no two skins are exactly alike.

Their other new watch style is made from Tyvek®. Ever had one of those really tough envelopes from the post office that you couldn’t tear with your hands if you were Hercules? They’re made of Tyvek®. It is a very strong, high-density fiber that is also water and tear resistant AND recyclable. Also, given the nature of the fibers, Tyvek® develops a leather-like look over time, as you can see in the photo above. Continuing Sprout’s history of innovation, they’ve found a way to turn this material into a long-lasting product rather than a throwaway.

Seriously, how could I not love this company? I have never ever looked at salmon skin and thought to do anything with it but toss it — immediately. So anyone who can figure out how to turn something I’d never give a second thought into a product I’d be happy to give as a gift will get my attention every time.

Why It’s Green:

• All Sprout’s watches are made from eco-friendly materials, including bamboo, organic cotton, recycled Tyvek, fish leather (yes!), biodegradable corn resin, stainless steel, mineral crystal lens, natural mother of pearl and more.
• Mercury free
• Sprout packaging is made from at least 80% post consumer fibers. It is both recycled and recyclable.

Price: $30-75 (aff)

Want to Win?

Sprout Watches is giving away not just one, but THREE of their beautiful products — one each to three different winners! One winner will take home a ladies’ fish leather watch, one winner will get a ladies’ Tyvex watch and one winner will receive a men’s corn resin watch (not necessarily in the colors shown above). How awesome is that? Use the Rafflecopter widget below to enter. Javascript must be enabled to to see the Rafflecopter. If you still cannot see it, wait for the page to load completely, or refresh the page. The giveaway is restricted to U.S. mailing addresses only! Entry period ends at 12:01 a.m. 12/26/11. Please note that this giveaway ends AFTER Christmas.

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© 2008-2011 Green Your Decor. Do not republish any items from this feed without permission.

I am incredibly excited about this giveaway. Red Clay Home has been on my radar for a while, mostly because I have a whole lot in common with the owners: We both are passionate about sustainability and about creating beautiful spaces at home — and we are both looking for ways to make doing that easier and more affordable for the average person. So when I learned they had created a collection of gorgeous, eco-friendly ceramics, I didn’t hesitate to add them to the Green Gift Guide.

Their Peek-a-Boo vase, Incline at Sunset bowl and Bubble plate and Bulba vase are all handmade in partnership with Mudshark Studios, a sustainable ceramics studio. And I love the way Red Clay crowdsources their designs. In a nutshell, the community submits design ideas for new products, and then votes on the designs that will go into production.

Their first collection makes me eager to see what will come next! Don’t you just love the bright pops of color these products provide? As you can see in the photo above, Red Clay sent me a Peek-a-Boo vase in peacock (that’s becoming a theme around here, isn’t it?), and I used it to create my simple Christmas centerpiece. I really can’t wait to decorate the rest of the table around it.

Why It’s Green:

• Ceramics handmade in the U.S. in small-run production

Price: $29-69/ea.

Want to win?

Red Clay Home is giving away not just one, but TWO of their beautiful products! One winner will take home a Peek-a-Boo vase, and one winner will receive an Incline bowl, both in the color of their choice. How awesome is that? Use the Rafflecopter widget below to enter. Javascript must be enabled to to see the Rafflecopter. If you still cannot see it, wait for the page to load completely, or refresh the page. The giveaway is restricted to U.S. and Canada mailing addresses only! Entry period ends at 12:01 a.m. 12/20/11.

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© 2008-2011 Green Your Decor. Do not republish any items from this feed without permission.

I am a very big proponent of using real dishes all the time — even on occasions when you have to serve a lot of people. But if there was ever a time to pull out and use your “good dishes”, it’s during the holidays. And as it turns out, good dishes also make a pretty sweet gift.

Baked in the Balkans Dinnerware is a collection of tableware imported from Eastern Europe. Why import? Well, in the Balkans, pottery is still hand-produced via traditional methods: On wheels, glazed with salt and enhanced with watercolor paints. These pieces are free of toxic paints, dyes, artificial glazes and anything else you wouldn’t want touching your food.

There are several styles to choose from, some in solid colors, and some featuring more elaborate patterns. Personally, I love the Glosee collection, which features a glossy (hee hee) finish that makes for a very contemporary look. I also love the fact that these dishes are both microwave and dishwasher safe, since I’m not a fan of putting plastic in the microwave.

Baked in the Balkans pieces are designed to be durable and stylish, and they’d make a great gift for almost any adult on your list.

Why it’s Green:

• Handmade using traditional methods
• Free of toxics paints, lead, dyes and artificial glazes

Price: $99/4-piece place setting

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My regular readers know that I’m an Amy Butler fangirl, and her 100% organic bedding will always be among my most recommended products. In fact, it’s even included in this year’s Green Gift Guide! Plus, I get a LOT of inquiries about her bedding, so when I find it on sale, that warrants an immediate blog post.

Amy Butler bedding is currently on sale at Rue La La for 40-60% off! The Bucharest comforter set, which I use in my master bedroom, is available from $59.90-$89.90 (depending on size), on sale from $180. A wide variety of other patterns are included in the sale, available in duvet and comforter sets,  sheet sets, window treatments, coverlets and decorative pillows.

Why It’s Green:

• Made of organic cotton

Price: $14.90-99.90 (on sale from $30-230)

How to Find It: The bedding is on sale at Rue La La. If you’re not a member of the site, you’ll have to sign up to take advantage of the sale. Signing up is free! (aff)

© 2008-2011 Green Your Decor. Do not republish any items from this feed without permission.

I love Kate Quinn Organic clothes. It is my go-to brand for my daughter, because I know I can trust that the fabrics will be soft, comfy organic cotton and that the quality will be impeccable. Apparently, the folks over at Zulily feel the same way! This week, you can grab not just organic clothing for boys and girls, but also organic crib bedding, curtains, pillows and more for up to 60% off!

The colors and patterns are amazing and as appropriate for a grown-up space as they are for a nursery. The curtains are 84″ long, and if that’s not long enough, you can always add a strip of solid-colored fabric across the bottom. In any case, $45-47 a pair is a great deal for organic window treatments!

Why It’s Green:

• Made in the U.S. of organic cotton
• Fair Trade-certified

Price: $12.99-59.99

NOTE: If you’re not yet a member of Zulily, you’ll have to sign up to take advantage of this sale. Signing up is free. If you make a purchase after signing up via my link, I will receive a small site credit to shop at Zulily.

© 2008-2011 Green Your Decor. Do not republish any items from this feed without permission.

Last year, I waited until the very last minute to decide that I wanted to make a Halloween costume for my daughter. Of course, my last minute project didn’t go so well. I won’t get into all the details, but lets just say that my attempt to make fairy wings was a fail. Tinkerbell would NOT have been proud. So this year, I decided early that I was determined to make a costume for my daughter. She initially wanted to be Minnie Mouse — an homage to our Make a Wish trip to Disney this summer — but I knew I had little chance of being able to make Minnie’s dress, given my less than stellar sewing skills.

I searched hundreds of homemade costume ideas, but couldn’t decide on one both my daughter and I liked that I’d actually be able to make. Until I downloaded a background photo of a peacock to my iPhone. Inspiration! I don’t know what made me think I could make a peacock, but I went ahead with the idea anyway. Pinterest and Coolest-Homemade-Costumes.com provided enough ideas for me to start sketching what the costume would look like and making a list of necessary supplies.

I’m a graphic designer, but I’m not very good with pencil and paper. Still, I could see the end result in my mind’s eye, and that vision was enough to get me going. I headed off to Walmart, Hobby Lobby and a couple of other places to collect my supplies:

Knotted, No-Sew Tutu

• 5.5 yards nylon tulle, Walmart (I chose to use several colors: 2 shades of turquoise, purple, green and black)
• 1 yard satin ribbon, Walmart
• Blue feather boa, Hobby Lobby

Peacock Tail

• 50 long peacock feathers, Hobby Lobby
• Scraps of blue & green iridescent fabric, Walmart
• Scrap cardboard
• 1 yard elastic sequin trim, Walmart

Mask

• Gold plastic craft mask, Hobby Lobby
• Beaded flip flop embellishments, Hobby Lobby
• Leftover tulle and feathers from the boa

Headpiece

• Turquoise Plastic Headband
• Turquoise stretchy headband
• Black feathers, Hobby Lobby
• Leftover blue feathers from the boa

Outfit

• Turquoise long-sleeved leotard, Target
• Short peacock feathers, JoAnn Fabrics
• Purple tights, Target

General Supplies

• Scissors
• Hot glue gun
• Craft glue
• Measuring tape and ruler
• Patience

Making the Tutu

I started with the tutu, because it seemed to be the easiest part of the project (and the part that required the fewest supplies). I started to buy a peacock-colored tutu from Etsy, but backtracked and decided to search YouTube for a tutorial. I’m glad I did. It turned out to be really easy to make! Seriously. I won’t rehash it, but watch the video below for a tutorial that’s extremely easy to follow:

Time Spent: 1.5 hours

 Making the Tail

I won’t lie: I really splurged on the feathers for this costume. Before the feathers, I had spent about $25 for the other supplies. I wound up spending an additional $50 on feathers alone — and I would’ve spent more if I hadn’t gone to go to Hobby Lobby on a day when they happened to be 50% off. But I was determined to make this costume with real feathers and not with fabric. And I think it was totally worth it in the end!

Of course, once I bought the feathers, I still had no idea how I was going to turn them into a peacock tail, much less attach it to my daughter’s back. So I improvised. I held a piece of a cardboard box up to my daughter’s back so I could get an idea of the size I’d need. I drew a wedge shape approximately the width of her back (at the widest point) and cut it out. Next, I made 2 vertical cuts in the middle of the cardboard. I threaded the elastic sequin trim through the slot, planning to use it to make either a belt or arm straps. I glued the trim to the cardboard where it came out of the slots to make it extra secure.

Next, I simply started hot gluing the feathers to the cardboard in a fan pattern. It is worth mentioning that the “eyes” of the feathers (the pretty circle part at the top of the feathers that make peacocks so recognizable) need to face forward, toward your child’s back. This way, they’ll be seen from the front when they’re wearing the tail (see the front view above). I had to cut down some of the feather stalks since the feather lengths varied, but they were really easy to cut. I started gluing at the outside edges and worked my way to the middle, leaving a little space between each stalk. Once I had one layer, I started working to fill in the spaces between the first layer, to better fill out the fan.

The feathers were secure, but I needed a way to cover up the jumble of stalks, since all of this would be visible from the back. I cut a piece of an old folder in the same fan shape, and glued it on top of the stalks to cover them up. Lastly, I cut some blue and green fabric into “scale” shapes, and layered them on top of the folder — first a row of green, then a row of blue. I overlapped each “scale” to make sure the folder wouldn’t show between them.

You can see in the first photo of the finished tail how the “scales” worked once they were complete.

Voila! Done, and done!

Time Spent: 2 hours

The mask

I picked up a gold, plastic, masquerade-style mask on  a whim, thinking it would be a great addition to the costume. I was right. I simply hot glued some beaded embellishments onto the mask. They are designed for flip flops, but they worked just fine for the mask. I had some scraps of tulle and feathers left over from the tutu, so I added a little around the edges to give the mask a little something extra.

Time Spent: 20 minutes

The headpiece

One of my favorite parts of a peacock (in addition to their beautiful tails, of course), are the feathers on their heads. I found peacock head plumage feathers online, but I didn’t want to wait for them to be shipped, so I figured I’d try to replicate them on my own. I bought a couple of stalks of black feathers from Hobby Lobby. They looked like tiny feather dusters at the end of a solid, but flexible wire.

I knew the wires would be too long, so I bent them at the length I wanted (about 4 inches). Next, I measured an additional 3″ and cut off the rest of the wire. I bent that additional 3″ section back on itself several times to create a makeshift base that I could hot glue to a headband. The headband needs to be hard (not flexible) and relatively wide for this method to work. But though it worked, but it wasn’t pretty. I had to improvise again. I used a flexible headband in the same color, also relatively wide, to cover up my handiwork. I cut the flexible headband open and glued it across the full length of the hard headband to cover the base of the feathers.

Finally, I grabbed some more leftover feathers from the boa used in the tutu and hot glued them in the center of the black feathers. Done!

Time Spent: 20 minutes

The outfit

Ja’Naya would have to wear something under all these pieces, and I initially wanted her to wear a blue unitard. Those were all but impossible to find locally though, so I decided on a leotard and tights. I bought a sleeveless, crushed velvet leotard from Walmart‘s Halloween section, but I had to return it. It was really ill-fitting, especially in the underarm area, and I thought it would be a good idea to find an option with sleeves in case it’s really cold on Halloween. So I headed to Target and found a long-sleeved leotard in their Halloween section.

I initially planned to leave the turquoise leotard plain, but once I saw it all together, I knew the bodice would need some embellishment. I grabbed a couple of short peacock feathers from JoAnn and hot-glued them to the front of the leotard in a fan pattern. Then I cut a strip of ribbon to cover the bottom of the stalks.

Time Spent: 10 minutes — and 7 of those minutes were spent deciding how to arrange the feathers

The finished product!

I couldn’t wait to see all the pieces together, and I know my daughter was equally excited. So are you ready for the final reveal?

Here she is, my little peacock!

As I saw each piece of the costume come together, I knew the total package would be awesome, but I couldn’t anticipate how beautiful it would all be! We are both incredibly happy with the way it all turned out. After Halloween, the peacock fan will find a permanent spot on the wall in her room. So now I have to figure out how to outdo myself next year. And what shoes she’s going to wear. On both counts, I have no idea.

So what about you? Have you ever made a homemade Halloween costume? Are you planning to make any this year? I’d love to hear about it in the comments below.

Disclosure: I am a member of the Walmart Moms program. Walmart has provided me with compensation for sharing my DIY Halloween costume project with you. Participation is voluntary and as usual, all opinions are my own.

© 2008-2011 Green Your Decor. Do not republish any items from this feed without permission.

Whenever I need a new rug for a room, FLOR is one of the first places I look — and with good reason. I can always trust that their products are eco-friendly in a variety of ways, and that there will always be new designs for me to peruse. This summer is no exception. I am loving the bold, graphic new designs from FLOR’s summer collection.

Lasting Grateness

My personal favorite is the beautiful Lasting Grateness. It is the kind of rug that can either make a room, or work well with the statement pieces you already own. The black and white color palette leaves endless room for bold accent colors, and it’s really hard to “mess up” black and white.

Filligreed

A close second is Filigreed. The black and white color palette continues, this time with a black background and bold white flourishes on top.

Line by Line

If you’re feeling ultra-modern, you’ll love Line by Line, and striped work of art that resembles the graphics you’ll see when there’s a “test” on your favorite TV station. How great would this be under a bright white, vintage tulip table surrounded by Eames chairs? I can see it now!

Of course, there are options with less contrast as well, with names to match. If you want something more neutral, you’ll like the next three designs:

Soft Spoken

Lacebark

Suit Yourself

Reoriented

And if you have a thing for oriental rugs, FLOR has something for you, too. Reoriented is their modern take on a traditional concept. Like most FLOR designs, the finished look is more of a patchwork than a seamless design, but the edges of the tiles are less obvious with this design because of the overdyed colors. Available in lavender, teal and pink, it is definitely not your grandmother’s oriental rug.

Surprise Giveaway!

As always, FLOR has something for everyone — me included. While none of these designs work in my new apartment, I did find something in their catalog that I loved, and FLOR was kind enough to send me a rug from one of their previous collections. I’ll give you a couple of hints:

• It is bold and graphic.
• It is a 2-color design, including a a color I’ve been saying I wanted to use.
• If you search my site for “FLOR,” you’re bound to find it!

Can you guess which FLOR design it is? I have a special prize from my own pocket for one reader who correctly identifies the FLOR rug design I chose! Leave your guess in the comments below, and I’ll choose a winner randomly from all those who guess the correct design. You have until 11:59 p.m. Monday, July 11, 2011 to enter, and you can guess as many times as you’d like. Just leave a separate comment for each guess. U.S. mailing addresses only! I won’t say what the prize is, but I will say that it’s something special!

I’ll reveal my pick and the giveaway winner next week, and I’ll show you how this rug inspired my new dining room design!

Why It’s Green:

• FLOR products are made with renewable and recycled content
• Fully recyclable via FLOR’s Return & Recycle program
• Products are low-VOC
• More than 90 percent of FLOR’s product line is made in the U.S.

Price: $10.99-14.99/tile; Starting at about $200 for a premade rug

Disclosure: FLOR provided me with a rug.

© 2008-2011 Green Your Decor. Do not republish any items from this feed without permission.

I can’t imagine I’d ever want to have real animal parts hanging on my walls, but there’s something about these papier-mâché animal heads that’s just…endearing.

I could see the bull head in an eclectic girl’s room, and the lion head could work for a boy’s room or a study. Either way, you’ll have a piece on your hands that’s almost guaranteed to start a conversation.

You’ve also got to love the story behind them: They are produced by an group that employs 200 talented artisans in Haiti. They are handmade from recycled materials, including cement sacks and cardboard, then sealed using glue made of arrowroot starch and covered with fabric scraps. Even the packaging is made sustainably: They come in a reusable box made of recycled newspaper.

I’m getting a little bored with square picture frames on our walls, so I may have to surprise my husband with one of these smack dab in the middle of the gallery wall we just finished (more on that soon).

Why It’s Green:

• Handmade
• Product and packaging both made of recycled materials

Price: Lion, $68; Bull, $170

© 2008-2011 Green Your Decor. Do not republish any items from this feed without permission.

I get a LOT of inquiries about Amy Butler bedding, so I thought everyone would like to know that that Amy Butler organic cotton bedding is currently on sale at Rue La La for 40-50% her regular prices. This means that you can grab the comforter set I have in my master bedroom for just $89.90, on sale from $180. You’ll also find her organic sheet sets, comforter sets, window treatments and decorative pillows in a variety of styles for great prices. We just may have to add on to the pieces we already have so we can mix and match!

Why It’s Green:

• Made of organic cotton

Price: $19.90-89.90 (reduced from $40-180)

How to Find It: The fabrics are on sale at Rue La La. If you’re not a member of the site, you’ll have to sign up to take advantage of the sale. (aff)

Want to get money-saving tips like this one?

The Save Green newsletter will deliver daily deals on the best eco-friendly products, which have been vetted for their environmental merits. Sign up here:

© 2008-2011 Green Your Decor. Do not republish any items from this feed without permission.

I can’t be the only one who looks forward to West Elm’s announcements that they’ve released new products. My excitement is doubled, however, because of the fact that West elm is one of the mainstream retailers of home goods that seems to be truly committed to providing greener product options for their customers. To be sure, this doesn’t apply to their entire product selection, but they consistently include products that are sustainable in some way.

Here are some of my favorite green products from their latest release:

1. Stria Bed and Storage Collection, $299-999. Made in India of  reclaimed solid saal wood drawer fronts, solid mango and acacia wood frame. The wood was reclaimed from railway trestles, and the irregular, stacked wood look is fabulous!

2. Organic Reflections Duvet Cover + Shams, $24.00 – $109.00. Made of organic cotton. Thankfully, you can also snag organic cotton comforter and pillow inserts from WE.

3. Poppy Seeds Pillow Cover, $29.00. Made of hemp.

4. Dexter Outdoor Dining Collection, $199-1295. Warmer weather means more time spent outside, and this collection of patio furniture is a beautiful incentive to do so. Made of solid FSC-certified wood.

5. Stray Dog Designs Side Table and Chandelier, $149. Handmade of papier-mâché made of recycled newpaper.

6. Organic Lily Pad Duvet + Shams, $24–$109. Made of organic cotton.

7. Recycled-Glass Stacking Vases and Votive Holders, $4-19. Made in Spain of recycled glass.

Beautiful, though not as green as I’d like

1. Jaipur Printed Dhurrie Rug, $29-199. Handwoven in India of 80% wool, 20% cotton.

2. Rainbow Napkins, $16. These are eco-friendly if they replace paper napkins, but I wish they were made of organic cotton or some other sustainable material.

There are more, but those are my picks. What do you think of West Elm’s sustainable product line? I’d love to hear your thoughts!

© 2008-2011 Green Your Decor. Do not republish any items from this feed without permission.

After researching green products for so long, it’s become increasingly rare for me to come across products or a company that I’ve never seen before. Yesterday, discount retailer Haute Look delivered a surprise that reminded me more and more companies are venturing into green manufacturing. 108 Mala is one of those companies, and boy, have they got it right!

Their gorgeous organic cotton bedding, towels and bags are handmade by skilled artisans under Fair Trade conditions. These products allow them to earn a sustainable income that they can put back into their communities. Every product is made of sustainable textiles like organic cotton, recyclable and lead-free materials, vegan materials and natural dyes. And did I mention that they are beautiful?

The designs are graphic, but simple, and available in a variety of colors, including: yellow, gray, black, purple, blue and pink. They are the perfect choice for subdued bedding that will complement your decor. Their towels and tote bags are equally fabulous and colorful.

Thanks to Haute Look, you can snag these goodies for up to 60% off!

Why It’s Green:

• Handmade by Fair Trade workers
• Made of sustainable materials like organic cotton
• 108 Mala is a member of the Fair Trade Federation, contributes to 1% For the Planet, and recognized with a Business Seal of Approval from Green America’s Green Business Network

Price: $19.99-224.99 on sale (regularly $49.99-549.99)

FIND IT: If you’re not yet a member of Haute Look, you must sign up to take advantage of this deal. Signing up is free. To find the sale, visit Haute Look, and mouse over “Living” in the navigation menu. Click “108 Mala.” (aff)

© 2008-2011 Green Your Decor. Do not republish any items from this feed without permission.

There’s nothing like a sharp, graphic element to take your decorating to the next level. Chevron patterns — particularly large-scale ones — are perfect for this. Here are some of my favorite examples of eco-friendly products and projects featuring chevron patterns:

Bryn fabric AND East Village fabric by Rubie Green. Made of organic cotton. $90/yard. Bryn is shown above on curtains in Michelle Adams’ living room (image via Lonny Mag), and East Village on a vintage chair (image via Cote de Texas). I plan to recreate a similar design on my own white curtains using this tutorial from kfd designs.

Here Comes the Sun pillow by Etsy seller EarthCadets. Made of organic cotton canvas and vintage fabric and printed with eco-friendly inks. $24.

Grey and White Chevron Wood Tray by etsy seller afabulousfete. Handpainted. $50.

DIY Gold Chevron Paintings from Make Under My Life. I LOVE these, and they are so simple to make!

Chevron Note Cards from Made by Girl. Printed on 100% recycled, acid-free paper. $2.95/ea.

Madeline Weinrib Organic Blockprint Fabric. Available to the trade only by the yard or on pillows.

Chevron Balsam Fir Sachets by etsy seller SewnNatural. Handmade of a linen/cotton blend fabric. $26/set of 2 sachets.

Organic Cotton Chevron Print Tea Towel by etsy seller katherinejlee. Handmade of 100% organic cotton with non-toxic, water-based inks. $18.

Side steps fabric Patriciazapata on Spoonflower. Can be printed on organic cotton sateen or knit fabric. $27/yard.

Owl softie from Etsy seller HaleybyHand. Handmade and stuffed with environmentally conscious EcoFill (made from recycled plastic bottles), with a face made of wool felt and Eco Felt. Also available in pink. $35.

© 2008-2011 Green Your Decor. Do not republish any items from this feed without permission.

It is very rare for me to find great deals on two brands I love as much as these two. But today, the Foundary has outdone itself with sales on both Perch! Designs’ beautiful ceramic tableware and lighting AND AphroChic’s gorgeous silk and linen pillows and textiles. I’ve rarely seen either of these brands offer sales or discounts, so this is a great opportunity.

Perch! offers a gorgeous line of whimsical, colorful ceramics, and the sale includes some of their most popular pieces. You can get your hands on their Spot bowls or Early Bird light for up to 40% off.

The AphroChic sales includes the Haze pattern, which is featured on pillows, placemats and table linens, along with the gorgeous Mandala, Reflection and Silhouette pillows. If you’re like me and you’ve had your eye on these for a long time, you don’t want to miss this opportunity. The hardest thing for me to decide is which I want first!

Why It’s Green:

• Perch! products are handmade with low impact materials and processes, non-toxic finishes and byproducts.
• AphroChich textiles are made of materials like silk, linen and organic cotton

Prices: Perch, $19-119 (up to 40% off); AphroChic, $23-140 (up to 30% off)

How to Buy:

If you’re not already a member of The Foundary, you’ll have to sign up, which is free. Once you’ve registered and signed in, look for the banners that say “AphroChic” and “Perch! Designs.”

(aff): If you sign up for The Foundary via my invitation link, I will receive a site credits if you make a purchase.

© 2008-2011 Green Your Decor. Do not republish any items from this feed without permission.

I am a huge fan of TOMS Shoes. If you’ve never heard of them, they are a shoe maker that gives a pair of shoes to a child in need for every single pair purchased. So what does that have to do with organic bedding, right?

Well, The Company Store, a 100-year-old manufacturer of bedding and other household textiles, has developed a similar program.

They teamed up with regional non-profit organizations all across the country for their Buy One, Give One program, which donates a comforter to a homeless child for every one sold. And for anyone who doubts the impact this could have, consider these facts:

• Each year, 1 in 50 children in the U.S. are homeless.
• Families with children make up 34% of the homeless population.

This program could help up to 1.5 million children. So if you’re in need of new bedding, grab one of their comforters and rest assured that you’re helping a child who needs a little warmth and comfort.

While none of the comforters are made from a specifically sustainable material, the cause is worthy. And the company store does have an awesome selection of organic sheets, duvet covers and other bedding. Among my favorites is the reversible Tile/Fretwork pattern duvet cover and matching sheets shown below. It is available in brown/red and green/blue.

Why It’s Green:

• Buy One, Give One program helps homeless children
• Bedding made of GOTS-certified organic cotton

Price: Comforters, $48.99-1950; Bedding, $22-129

© 2008-2011 Green Your Decor. Do not republish any items from this feed without permission.