Contests

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I will readily admit that when I was little, I hated getting practical Christmas gifts. You know the kind: towels, sheets, socks, underwear…Not exactly exciting for a child. But now that I’m an adult (at least I act like one sometimes ) I can appreciate the practicality of those kinds of gifts. When my husband and I moved into our first apartment, we would have been in heaven if someone had given us some beautiful towels or a slipcover for our old, worn sofa.

One of the things I’ve been looking to focus on more here at Green Your Decor is technology. Gone are the days when interior designers could create a room completely devoid of TVs or computers of any kind. They are an integral part of our lives and often, an integral part of our decor. So as Green Your Decor continues, I will present you with some technology options that are both stylish and green, so you don’t feel like you have to hide your computer/TV/gadgets for the sake of a well-designed room.

As promised, this week;s Dreaming of a Christmas series ends with an awesome giveaway from 10 great sponsors. Each of the products included in this giveaway were mentioned this week and can help you have a more eco-friendly holiday season, from start to finish. So without further adieu, the prizes:

Yes, the giveaway includes ALL of these products! Two readers will walk away with prize packages that contain:

1. Method Holiday Collection products, including a bamboo aroma ring, a scented potpourri ornament, and a mini soy glass candle set. Value: $26

I’ve been missing in action for a few days due to our move, but trust me when I tell you I haven’t been idle. Today’s giveaway is one that will make someone’s holiday season just a little bit brighter, and hopefully, a lot greener.

Nickelodeon and Walmart have teamed up to offer a holiday tips contest hosted by the ElevenMoms. I don’t know about you, but Nickelodeon was one of my favorite networks when I was growing up. Who can forget the slime in “You Can’t Do That on Television?” And right now, my daughter loves the shows on Noggin and Nick Jr., so I’m very thankful for this great prize for one of my readers. So what does the winner get?

My husband can, and will, attest to my undying love for candles. So when I first found out about the toxins that are realeased when traditional, petroleum-based paraffin candles are burned, I was more than a little disappointed, not to mention worried about the number of candles we’ve burned over the years.

Lucky for me and my eco-savvy readers, companies are taking notice to green consumers’ concerns and developing healthier alternatives. The Chesapeake Bay Candle Co. is one of these companies. In addition to their standard offerings, they have created Pure & Natural candle line that uses soy wax, lead-free cotton wicks and recycled packaging.

You know the “3 Rs” mantra: reduce, reuse, recycle. Well, if artist Dolan Geiman had his way, there would probably be a fourth R: rescue. Geiman salvages wood and found objects and puts them together to create beautiful, eclectic works of art. These constructions often feature animals, and the paint used to create them comes from the Chicago Paint Exchange Program, which helps give traditional, but unwanted, paint a home.

In other words, you won’t find these at your local TJ Maxx or IKEA.

For the past few years, I’ve made New Year’s resolutions that have fallen by the wayside within a few weeks. This year, I’ve decided to make a few resolutions throughout the year in hopes that I’ll be able to start the new year with most of them already complete. One of them has been to do a better job of organizing my work area. I’ll have to start over pretty soon as we prepare to move to a new state in a few weeks, but one of the things I know that organized work area will need to have is a great calendar. These would also make great, inexpensive green gifts for those on your holiday list. Here are 5 stylish, eco-friendly options I’ve found:

Today, I’ve got a giveaway that even the non-greenies amongst us will love. When I first joined Wal-Mart’s ElevenMoms group, I was told I would receive a Flip video camera like all the other members had, a means to begin video blogging with money-saving tips. What I didn’t know is that I would receive two cameras: one for myself and one to give away to my readers.

When you’re a home decor fanatic like I am, you learn to recognize luxury when you see it. Sometimes, you don’t have to feel a product in your own hands to know that it will be soft, supple and indulgent. Yumi & Laurie’s blanQuettes™ fall into that category. I featured the St. Moritz blanQuette™ a few months ago, and I’ve been coveting one ever since.

The lovely ladies at Yumi & Laurie are offering up a gorgeous Laguna blanQuette™ worth $195 to one lucky reader of Green Your Decor. The Laguna is shown above, and the winner will get to select the color. This is nothing to sneeze at. These throws are gorgeous, to say the least. More importantly, they are green:

When researching home textiles, I tend to stick to sustainable fabrics like organic cotton, hemp, linen and the like. But as most of you know, there are many shades of green, and many characteristics that can make a product eco-friendly.

When I first learned about Eclipse Curtains, my first question was what they are made of. Much to my dismay, I learned that they weren’t made of a sustainable fabric, but polyester. I was tempted to walk away right then and there, but another quality of these window treatments made me take a second look — they are blackout curtains, meant to block light, reduce noise and, lo and behold, help reduce your energy costs.