Green Your Decor will be offering giveaways from several retailers and manufacturers that were featured in the Green Gift Guide. The duration of the giveaways will be short so they can end before Christmas. However, prize delivery may not happen until after Dec. 25 due to the short time frame. Come back this week so you won’t miss any of these awesome giveaways!

For the most part, my skin, on my face and elsewhere) manages to stay pretty clear and smooth. But I’d be lying if I told you it was because I pay a whole lot of attention to it. I’ve never worn makeup — none at all — and the furthest I really go toward making sure my face looks its best is washing it with some olive oil soap and moisturizing with a drop or two of pure coconut oil. But I know that there are lots of girls and women out there who don’t have it so easy. My niece, for example, has eczema, and the flareups really drive her crazy. So when I found Good for You Girls, I knew I had to include them in the Green Gift Guide.

In their tween and teen years, girls are likely going to start becoming curious about skin care and beauty products. Good for You Girls starts them off on the right foot. Unlike the chemical-laden products they could discover on the shelves of pharmacies and department stores, Good For You Girls contains only organic and natural ingredients. And like many other green products, the idea for them was developed by friends Kim and Grace, who were looking for natural skin care products for their own daughters. They couldn’t find what they needed, so like many savvy mama’s they made their own!

The Good For You Girls product line consists of 4 items:

• Gel Cleanser: soap-free, gel cleanser gently washes away daily dirt and grime without stripping or irritating skin.
• Blemish Wash: helps deep clean pores and fight bacteria naturally.
• Purifying Toner: Alcohol free toner combines witch hazel, organic aloe vera gel and antimicrobial meadowsweet extract to deep clean pores while soothing organic botanicals like chamomile and calendula help balance skins delicate pH.
• Moisturizer: A lightweight facial moisturizer that absorbs instantly to help protect against moisture loss without clogging pores.

The kit includes 2 oz. bottles of the gel cleanser, toner and moisturizer and is projected to last about 4 months.

Why It’s Green:

• Made of organic and natural ingredients | See list of ingredients
• Products are 100% vegan and come with recyclable packaging

Price: Kit, $24.99; Other items: $13.99-37.97

(review) – I will receive a Good for You Girls Complete Skin Care Set in conjunction with this giveaway.

MORE CURRENT GIVEAWAYS

• Earthopoly board game by Late for the Sky. Ends 12/23/09 @ 11:59 p.m. EST
• Clementine Art holiday gift set. Ends 12/23/09 @ 11:59 p.m. EST

Want to win?

Good for You Girls has generously offered up a complete skin care set for one lucky reader of Green Your Decor. So how do you win? Visit Good for You Girls, then come back here and leave a comment about something you learned. Do this by 11:59 p.m. EST on Wednesday, December 23, 2009, to enter.

Want to enter more than once? Boost your chances of winning by completing one or more of the tasks on this list. Please leave a separate comment for each entry:

1. If you haven’t already, sign up for Green Your Decor’s email updates by 11:59 p.m. EST on Wednesday, December 23, 2009. You must verify your email subscription to be eligible. Current subscribers must leave a comment saying that you are a subscriber to be entered.
2. If you’d prefer to receive your updates via RSS, sign up for the GYD feed. Then please leave a comment letting me know that you’ve done so, and be sure to include your email address.
3. Become a fan of Green Your Decor on Facebook and leave a comment on the wall. Then leave a comment letting me know you’ve done so.
4. Blog about the Green Your Decor Green Gift Guide and post a link to your blog entry here.
5. Stumble the Green Your Decor Green Gift Guide via StumbleUpon and post a link to your SU profile to verify your thumbs up.
6. Fave Green Your Decor on Technorati. Then come back here and leave a comment with your Technorati user name so I can verify it.
7. Follow Green Your Decor on Twitter. Then tweet about GYD or this giveaway and leave a comment with a link to your tweet.

You have until 11:59 p.m. EST on Wednesday, December 23, 2009, to enter. A winner will be chosen via Random.org and contacted via email. Good luck everyone!

© 2009 Green Your Decor. Do not republish any items from this feed without permission.

Green Gift Giveaway: Good for You Girls Complere Skin Care Kit

Green Your Decor will be offering giveaways from several retailers and manufacturers that were featured in the Green Gift Guide. The duration of the giveaways will be short so they can end before Christmas. However, prize delivery may not happen until after Dec. 25 due to the short time frame. Come back this week so you won’t miss any of these awesome giveaways!

As a graphic designer, it warms my heart to see my daughter become a budding artist. As much as a hate the paper waste, I love watching her go to town with a stack of crayons, a couple of markers and her imagination. She has made more than a few masterpieces that we proudly display on the fridge, and several that I plan to frame. However, I’m not a big fan of traditional, paraffin-based (ie. petroleum-based) crayons that smell like the bottom of an old oil barrel. I also rarely let her get her hands on glue, dough or paint because you never know what they are made of. So I had her in mind when I added Clementine Arts to the Green Gift Guide for kids.

These fantastic art products were conceived by an art teacher who had many of the same concerns that I do. They are made from a variety of plant and mineral pigments and other natural ingredients, including crayons and crayon rocks made of soy. And unlike any other art company I can ever remember seeing, Clementine lists all ingredients on its packages. I love the gift set, because it contains several of Clementine’s most popular products, including scented, crumble-free modeling dough, soy crayons and crayon rocks, and multi-purpose glue.

When I opened the packages, rather than being greeted by a typical, strong art supply scents, I was met with lemon, lime and strawberry. According to Clementine, the modeling dough will last for more than 12 months if it is stored in the airtight container it comes in. The glue, which is supposed to work on a variety of materials, dries clear and washes off most surfaces. The crayons and crayon rocks are thick and stubby, which means they are perfect for small hands that might drop or break their thinner traditional counterparts. They are also designed to be washable, which is a great thing, since our little artists often tend to get carried away and color in places where they shouldn’t.

I think it’s safe to say I know what I’ll be buying next time my daughter needs replacement crayons and paint. It’s comforting to know I won’t have to guess about what’s in the products the little one is using.

Why It’s Green:

• Made of non-toxic, all-natural ingredients
• Packaging made of 80% post consumer recycled and reusable materials

Price: $5.49-27

(review) – I received a Clementine Art gift set to review in conjunction with this giveaway.

MORE CURRENT GIVEAWAYS

• Earthopoly board game by Late for the Sky. Ends 12/23/09 @ 11:59 p.m. EST
• Good for You Girls Complete Skin Care Set. Ends 12/23/09 @ 11:59 p.m. EST

Want to win?

Clementine Art has generously offered up a gift set for one lucky reader of Green Your Decor. So how do you win? Visit Clementine Art, then come back here and leave a comment about something you liked or learned. It could be a product or something you learned about the company. Do this by 11:59 p.m. EST on Wednesday, December 23, 2009, to enter.

Want to enter more than once? Boost your chances of winning by completing one or more of the tasks on this list. Please leave a separate comment for each entry:

1. If you haven’t already, sign up for Green Your Decor’s email updates by 11:59 p.m. EST on Wednesday, December 23, 2009. You must verify your email subscription to be eligible. Current subscribers must leave a comment saying that you are a subscriber to be entered.
2. If you’d prefer to receive your updates via RSS, sign up for the GYD feed. Then please leave a comment letting me know that you’ve done so, and be sure to include your email address.
3. Become a fan of Green Your Decor on Facebook and leave a comment on the wall. Then leave a comment letting me know you’ve done so.
4. Become a fan of Clementine Art on Facebook and leave a comment on the wall. Then leave a comment letting me know you’ve done so.
5. Blog about the Green Your Decor Green Gift Guide and post a link to your blog entry here.
6. Stumble the Green Your Decor Green Gift Guide via StumbleUpon and post a link to your SU profile to verify your thumbs up.
7. Fave Green Your Decor on Technorati. Then come back here and leave a comment with your Technorati user name so I can verify it.
8. Follow Green Your Decor AND Clementine Art on Twitter. Then tweet about GYD, Clementine or this giveaway and leave a comment with a link to your tweet.

You have until 11:59 p.m. EST on Wednesday, December 23, 2009, to enter. A winner will be chosen via Random.org and contacted via email. Good luck everyone!

© 2009 Green Your Decor. Do not republish any items from this feed without permission.

Green Gift Giveaway: Clementine Art Gift Set

Green Your Decor will be offering giveaways from several retailers and manufacturers that were featured in the Green Gift Guide. The duration of the giveaways will be short so they can end before Christmas. However, prize delivery may not happen until after Dec. 25 due to the short time frame. Come back this week so you won’t miss any of these awesome giveaways!

We are starting to get back into playing board games at our house. Monopoly is one of our favorites, particularly because we have the newer electronic version that comes with “credit cards” and a banking machine. So when I discovered Earthopoly, by Late for the Sky, I knew it would be a great addition not just to the Green Gift Guide, but also to our family game stash.

Earthopoly, as the name might suggest, is patterned after Monopoly. You can still buy and sell properties like the Concrete Jungle, Coral Reefs or even Mother Earth. The big difference is that property values are increased not by adding hotels and other buildings, but by collecting Carbon Credits and exchanging them for Clean Air. And just like in real life, you are rewarded for actions like switching to energy-efficient light bulbs, and “punished” for actions on the opposite end of the spectrum. For example, you lose $78 when fill up your gas-guzzling car. That’s what I call sweet justice!

The premise of the game is fun, but it also serves as an educational tool. Each property deed comes with a “Go Green” tip. Some of the are obvious steps that most of us who are already trying to lead a greener lifestyle will already be doing, but let them serve as a reminder that every little action counts.

And to demonstrate that the message the game presents should not be taken lightly, check out the Why It’s Green list below to see just how far Late for the Sky has gone to make sure that the Earth was considered. I can’t wait until our next family game night so we can try this out! I think I’ll invite my nieces to play, too. They can’t help but learn something.

Why It’s Green:

• Game board and box made from recycled materials.
• Printed with soy-based ink.
• Shrink wrap is a compostable plant-based product called EarthFirst PLA film
• Game tokens are all made of natural materials. Any given box might contain a lima bean, a piece of crystal from Arkansas, a bamboo ring, a pyramid carved from black walnut by local woodworkers or a shell from Southeast Asian.
• Made in the U.S. (Cincinnati, Ohio)
• There’s even more! Click here.

Price: $24.95

(review) – I received 2 Earthopoly games to review in conjunction with this giveaway.

MORE CURRENT GIVEAWAYS

• Clementine Art eco-friendly gift set. Ends 12/23/09 @ 11:59 p.m. EST
• Good for You Girls Complete Skin Care Set. Ends 12/23/09 @ 11:59 p.m. EST

Want to win?

Late for the Sky has offered up an Earthopoly game for one lucky reader of Green Your Decor. So how do you win? Visit Late for the Sky, then come back here and leave a comment about something you liked or learned. It could be a product or something you learned about the company. Do this by 11:59 p.m. EST on Wednesday, December 23, 2009, to enter.

Want to enter more than once? Boost your chances of winning by completing one or more of the tasks on this list. Please leave a separate comment for each entry:

1. If you haven’t already, sign up for Green Your Decor’s email updates by 11:59 p.m. EST on Wednesday, December 23, 2009. You must verify your email subscription to be eligible. Current subscribers must leave a comment saying that you are a subscriber to be entered.
2. If you’d prefer to receive your updates via RSS, sign up for the GYD feed. Then please leave a comment letting me know that you’ve done so, and be sure to include your email address.
3. Become a fan of Green Your Decor on Facebook and leave a comment on the wall. Then leave a comment letting me know you’ve done so.
4. Blog about the Green Your Decor Green Gift Guide and post a link to your blog entry here.
5. Stumble the Green Your Decor Green Gift Guide via StumbleUpon and post a link to your SU profile to verify your thumbs up.
6. Fave Green Your Decor on Technorati. Then come back here and leave a comment with your Technorati user name so I can verify it.
7. Follow Green Your Decor on Twitter. Then tweet about GYD or this giveaway and leave a comment with a link to your tweet.

You have until 11:59 p.m. EST on Wednesday, December 23, 2009, to enter. A winner will be chosen via Random.org and contacted via email. Good luck everyone!

© 2009 Green Your Decor. Do not republish any items from this feed without permission.

Green Gift Giveaway: Earthopoly Board Game

Green Your Decor will be offering giveaways from several retailers and manufacturers that were featured in the Green Gift Guide. The duration of the giveaways will be short so they can end before Christmas. However, prize delivery may not happen until after Dec. 25 due to the short time frame. Come back throughout this week and next so you won’t miss any of these awesome giveaways!

I have been addicted to coffee ice cream for years, particularly if it’s made by Starbucks. But would you believe I only started drinking coffee, cappuccino and espresso a few weeks ago? Yeah. Crazy, I know. But now I can’t get enough of it. And since we didn’t have a coffee maker, that meant numerous runs to the nearest McDonalds (don’t hate me) or coffee shop to get a cup. At least that’s the way it was until Presso, the makers of this fabulous manual espresso machine, sent me one to review.

All I can say is heaven! The idea that I can have a fresh shot of espresso from my own kitchen is awesome. In fact, I can make a single shot or a double shot, simply by adding a small attachment that comes with the machine. It is also incredibly easy to use and requires no electricity. Well, technically you have to boil some water on the stove, but the espresso machine itself doesn’t require any power to operate. You simply add ground coffee of your choice, add hot water, and press. Voila! A hot shot of espresso. It also comes with a milk frother, which you use directly inside your cup.

Seriously, I couldn’t have asked for a better, more useful addition to our kitchen. And because it’s made of durable aluminum, it is built to stand the test of time AND to be recycled whenever it does reach the end of its useful life. All I need now is a few bags of Fair Trade, organic, shade-grown coffee and I’ll be set for the rest of the winter.

Why It’s Green:

• Made of aluminum, which is 100% recyclable
• Manually operated, requiring no electricity

Price: $150. BONUS! Get 20% off your purchase with coupon code “greenyourdecor.” Exp. 12/31/09.

(review) – I received an espresso machine gift set to review in conjunction with this giveaway.

MORE CURRENT GIVEAWAYS

• Earthopoly board game from Late for the Sky. Ends 12/23/09 @ 11:59 p.m. EST.
• Clementine Art eco-friendly gift set. Ends 12/23/09 @ 11:59 p.m. EST
• Good for You Girls Complete Skin Care Set. Ends 12/23/09 @ 11:59 p.m. EST

Want to win?

Presso has offered up an awesome prize for one lucky winner: an espresso machine gift set that also comes with a sugar scoop and a bag of flavorful coffee beans. So how do you win? Visit Presso, then come back here and leave a comment about something you liked or learned. It could be a product or something you learned about the company, but it has to be something that was not mentioned in the post above. Do this by 11:59 p.m. EST on Monday, December 21, 2009, to enter.

Want to enter more than once? Boost your chances of winning by completing one or more of the tasks on this list. Please leave a separate comment for each entry:

1. If you haven’t already, sign up for Green Your Decor’s email updates by 11:59 p.m. EST on Monday, December 21, 2009. You must verify your email subscription to be eligible. Current subscribers must leave a comment saying that you are a subscriber to be entered.
2. If you’d prefer to receive your updates via RSS, sign up for the GYD feed. Then please leave a comment letting me know that you’ve done so, and be sure to include your email address.
3. Become a fan of Green Your Decor on Facebook and leave a comment on the wall. Then leave a comment letting me know you’ve done so.
4. Blog about the Green Your Decor Green Gift Guide and post a link to your blog entry here.
5. Stumble the Green Your Decor Green Gift Guide via StumbleUpon and post a link to your SU profile to verify your thumbs up.
6. Fave Green Your Decor on Technorati. Then come back here and leave a comment with your Technorati user name so I can verify it.
7. Follow Green Your Decor on Twitter. Then tweet about GYD or this giveaway and leave a comment with a link to your tweet.

You have until 11:59 p.m. EST on Monday, December 21, 2009, to enter. A winner will be chosen via Random.org and contacted via email. Good luck everyone!

© 2009 Green Your Decor. Do not republish any items from this feed without permission.

Green Gift Giveaway: Presso Manual Espresso Machine

Green Your Decor will be offering giveaways from several retailers and manufacturers that were featured in the Green Gift Guide. The duration of the giveaways will be short so they can end before Christmas. Because this prize will be delivered via email, you may still be able to shop before Christmas! Come back throughout this week and next so you won’t miss any of these awesome giveaways!

If the name Bambeco sounds familiar, it’s probably because you’ve seen me feature their products so many times here at Green Your Decor. This is easily one of my favorite retailers when shopping for green products online, whether for the home, for myself or even for my new puppy! For that reason, I featured several of these products in my Green Gift Guide, including the Arroyo Candle Blocks (by Amenity) shown above.

Bambeco provided a $100 gift card for me to do some holiday shopping, and here are my picks for the loved ones on my list:

• Red recycled cotton photo box: For my mother who loves red and never seems to find a good way to display the dozens of photos she insists on taking of all of us. Made of recycled cotton. Price: $20 (aff)
• Reknitz sweater by West Paw Design: For the tiny, 2 pound Doxie-Chon puppy that my husband gave me for my birthday, who is so little that short bathroom breaks outside in the December weather make him shiver within 2 minutes. Made in the U.S. of reclaimed cotton fibers. Price: $34 (aff)
• Big Green Purse: For my sister, who is always asking me whether something or other can be recycled or what makes product green or whether the changes in her spending habits are really making a difference. This book answers those questions and more. Price: $17.95 (aff)
• Ecolo Red Recycled Leather Journal: For my niece, who will likely use it as a sketchpad for all the images she loves to draw. Made of recycled leather. Price: $24.95 (aff)

When I take into account the coupon codes for up to 15% off and free shipping that are available from Bambeco (see the GYD deals page), I was really able to stretch my budget!

(review) – I received a $100 gift card from Bambeco in conjunction with this giveaway.

MORE CURRENT GIVEAWAYS

• Azuri Pashmina Scarf from Nimli. Ends 12/18/09 @ 11:59 p.m. EST.
• Manual Espresso Maker from Presso. Ends 12/21/09 @ 11:59 p.m. EST.

Want to win?

Bambeco has offered up a $100 gift card for one lucky winner. Give it as a gift, use it to shop for the special people on your list or keep it as a special gift for yourself.  The gift card will be delivered electronically, so you still may be able to use it to do some holiday shopping! So how do you win? Visit Bambeco, then come back here and leave a comment telling me what you’d buy if you won the gift card. This cannot include any of the products mentioned above! Do this by 11:59 p.m. EST on Friday, December 18, 2009, to enter.

Want to enter more than once? Boost your chances of winning by completing one or more of the tasks on this list. Please leave a separate comment for each entry:

1. If you haven’t already, sign up for Green Your Decor’s email updates by 11:59 p.m. EST on Friday, December 18, 2009. You must verify your email subscription to be eligible. Current subscribers must leave a comment saying that you are a subscriber to be entered.
2. If you’d prefer to receive your updates via RSS, sign up for the GYD feed. Then please leave a comment letting me know that you’ve done so, and be sure to include your email address.
3. Become a fan of Green Your Decor on Facebook and leave a comment on the wall. Then leave a comment letting me know you’ve done so.
4. Blog about the Green Your Decor Green Gift Guide and post a link to your blog entry here.
5. Stumble the Green Your Decor Green Gift Guide via StumbleUpon and post a link to your SU profile to verify your thumbs up.
6. Fave Green Your Decor on Technorati. Then come back here and leave a comment with your Technorati user name so I can verify it.
7. Follow Green Your Decor on Twitter. Then tweet about GYD or this giveaway and leave a comment with a link to your tweet.

You have until 11:59 p.m. EST on Friday, December 18, 2009, to enter. A winner will be chosen via Random.org and contacted via email. Good luck everyone!

© 2009 Green Your Decor. Do not republish any items from this feed without permission.

Green Gift Giveaway: $100 E-Gift Card from Bambeco

Green Your Decor will be offering giveaways from several retailers and manufacturers that were featured in the Green Gift Guide. The duration of the giveaways will be short so they can end before Christmas. However, prize delivery may not happen until after Dec. 25 due to the short time frame. Come back throughout this week and next so you won’t miss any of these awesome giveaways!

Of all the people my Christmas gift-giving list, the women are the toughest to shop for. Maybe it’s because I know my husband and dad well enough to know exactly what they’d like. Or maybe it’s because women tend to have very particular tastes and will always say “nothing” or “I don’t know” when asked what they want for Christmas. I you know a woman like that, you can rest assured she will be very happy with a luxurious pashmina scarf by Azuri, sponsored by Nimli.

They were generous enough to send me a pashmina wrap, and I love it! While it is not thick at all, the thin fabric is soft and luxurious. I felt like a princess while all wrapped up in it. It would be the perfect accessory to take a simple dress or outfit over the top, or to dress up casual jeans and a cute top. I personally like wrapping it around my waist like a sarong over a pair of fitted organic jeans.

You could also use it to wrap another gift for the special lady on your list.

Why It’s Green:

• Made of Pashmina wool

Price: Wrap, $49; Scarf, $25 (aff)

(review) – I received a Azuri Pashmina wrap to review in conjunction with this giveaway.

MORE CURRENT GIVEAWAYS

• $100 Gift Card to Bambeco. Ends 12/18/09 @ 11:59 p.m. EST.
• Presso Manual Espresso Maker. Ends 12/21/09 @ 11:59 p.m. EST.

Want to win?

Nimli has offered up a purple Azuri Pashmina scarf for one lucky winner. Give it as a gift or keep it as a special gift for yourself.  So how do you win? Visit Nimli, then come back here and leave a comment about something you liked or learned. It could be a product or something you learned about the company. Do this by 11:59 p.m. EST on Friday, December 18, 2009, to enter.

Want to enter more than once? Boost your chances of winning by completing one or more of the tasks on this list. Please leave a separate comment for each entry:

1. If you haven’t already, sign up for Green Your Decor’s email updates by 11:59 p.m. EST on Friday, December 18, 2009. You must verify your email subscription to be eligible. Current subscribers must leave a comment saying that you are a subscriber to be entered.
2. If you’d prefer to receive your updates via RSS, sign up for the GYD feed. Then please leave a comment letting me know that you’ve done so, and be sure to include your email address.
3. Become a fan of Green Your Decor on Facebook and leave a comment on the wall. Then leave a comment letting me know you’ve done so.
4. Blog about the Green Your Decor Green Gift Guide and post a link to your blog entry here.
5. Stumble the Green Your Decor Green Gift Guide via StumbleUpon and post a link to your SU profile to verify your thumbs up.
6. Fave Green Your Decor on Technorati. Then come back here and leave a comment with your Technorati user name so I can verify it.
7. Follow Green Your Decor on Twitter. Then tweet about GYD or this giveaway and leave a comment with a link to your tweet.

You have until 11:59 p.m. EST on Friday, December 18, 2009, to enter. U.S. mailing addresses only! A winner will be chosen via Random.org and contacted via email. Good luck everyone!

© 2009 Green Your Decor. Do not republish any items from this feed without permission.

Green Gift Giveaway: Azuri Pashmina Scarf from Nimli

I have never been afraid of color, but I’m also not a fan of painting, then repainting. For that reason, I tend to stick to neutral — or at least versatile — colors on the walls and the largest pieces of furniture in the room, preferring instead to add pops of color with accessories. You’d never know that if you walked into my living room and saw the elephant in the room — a.k.a. the red sectional we bought before I knew better — but take my word for it. For subtle, glam, holiday-friendly accents, accessorize with items like these recycled glass vases from Bambeco.

The balloon shapes make them fun and modern, and I can picture them living happily grouped with a white ceramic elephant or bird. The uneven heights mean they can work beautifully together or be separated without looking too matchy-matchy. In other words, it will look like you designed them that way on purpose

They’d also make a pretty sweet — and affordable — green gift. Maybe if I box these up for my mother for Christmas I can convince her that she can have red accents in her home without using the color on everything. Or maybe we can just give her our red sectional and use it as an excuse to buy a new sofa. I know…I know…not very green. But a girl can dream, right?

Why It’s Green:

• Made of recycled glass

Price: $26-38 (aff)

© 2009 Green Your Decor. Do not republish any items from this feed without permission.

Great Green Gift: Soho Recycled Vases from Bambeco

There are lots of dates in my life that are incredibly significant for me. I still remember my projected due date from when I was pregnant with my daughter, and her birthday and my wedding date are high on the list of ones to remember. I’m also a big fan of gifts that are cool and stylish, but that also have significance. The innovative artwork from Frame the Date is the perfect marriage of these two concepts.

Frame the Date is an eco-conscious company formed by sisters Julie Henderson and Ashley Jensen that makes unique gifts featuring numbers photographed in a variety of settings. I am particularly drawn to this idea because of my love for design and typography. I notice fonts and type treatments on signage and ads everywhere I go, so this is a perfect gift for a quirky design geek like myself. The fact that those random numbers can be combined to create something as unique and significant as my wedding date makes it even more special!

At the Frame the Date website, you are able to select not just your frame, but which number photos you want to use for your special date. The top image is what I created using my wedding date. I also love the idea that if I wanted, I could add a photo representative of my special date, like a wedding or baby photo.

Frame the Date took great care to ensure that all the material for their frames has been harvested responsibly, and their eco-friendly line includes reclaimed wood and bamboo frames and utilize green matting. I am officially in love with this idea!

Why It’s Green:

• Frames handmade of reclaimed wood and bamboo
• Tree-free matting is made from eco-friendly co

© 2009 Green Your Decor. Do not republish any items from this feed without permission.

Need a Unique Green Gift? Just Frame the Date

My husband and I are certified candle connoisseurs. OK…maybe we’re not certified, but we have a thing for candles. Natural, nontoxic ones, that is. So when Soy Delites contacted me to send samples for my review, I couldn’t say no. And let me tell you, I wasn’t disappointed.

Not all soy candles are created equal. Typically, they have to burn for a while before you really begin to smell the candle’s fragrance, and you can barely smell some of them at all. Not the case with Soy Delites. The fragrances were exceptionally potent, even before being burned. And even after the candles were extinguished, the beautiful fragrances stuck around for hours afterward. On top of that, the 9 oz. glasses used to contain them are beautiful. We’re thinking of using them to make our own soy candles to give away as gifts. And did I mention that these candles are handmade in Austin, TX? Every time I have to give someone a gift, I try to come up with great eco-friendly gifts they’ll actually use. Soy Delites are now on my list of go-to options.

Why It’s Green:

• Made of soy wax with natural fragrances
• Handmade in Austin, TX

Price: $6-12 for single candles, $20-21 for sets of 2 candles

(review)

© 2009 Green Your Decor. Do not republish any items from this feed without permission.

Who Needs Air Fresheners When You’ve Got Soy Delites?

I am officially in love. Today, I found a company that combines two of the things I crave most: dessert and decorating. Le Viette makes the most beautiful, delectable-looking towels I’ve ever seen! Their organic cotton and bamboo towels are folded, rolled and otherwise cajoled into dessert-like shapes, complete with fruit adorning the tops. If you’ve ever admired diaper cakes, you’ll love these!

There are rolls, cakes, and even cups of ice cream. These would make a beautiful housewarming or shower gift — once you explain to the recipient that the delicious slice of chocolate cake in front of her is really a hand towel, that is. And the best part? They are less than $10 apiece, so you can make a huge impact with your unique, green gift without spending a lot of money.

Am I the only one who’s drooling?

Why It’s Green:

• Towels made of organic cotton and bamboo
• Towels are never bleached or treated with chemicals

Price: $7 to 8/ea.

© 2009 Green Your Decor. Do not republish any items from this feed without permission.

Eco-Eye Candy: Le Viette Organic Cotton ‘Dessert’ Towels

From the moment she was born, my daughter has loved being wrapped up in a cuddly blanket. Sure, that’s normal for newborns who are still getting used to life outside the warmth of the womb. But my daughter never really outgrew this particular attachment. Luckily for us, she’s not attached to any one particular blanket — just to blankets in general. This means she carries them around the house and always wants to be wrapped, or covered up or otherwise near the comfort of her snuggie-of-the -moment. Truth be told, I’m pretty attached to blankets myself, though I prefer to leave them on my bed. So Ann Heaney of OrganicBlankees.com is welcome in our home anytime, and so are her blankets.

Ann sent me one of her blankees to try, shown above, and I’m not lying when I say it was love at first sight. Made of organic cotton velour and trimmed and embroidered with hemp silk, the couch-sized blanket is easily the softest one we’ve ever owned. Back in the days before we knew enough to care what the products we bought were made of, we owned a soft silky blanket made of some kind of acrylic velour that we thought had descended straight from heaven. In hindsight, that thing may as well have been made of itchy wool in comparison to Ann’s blankee. If you’ve never gotten your hands on organic cotton velour, trust me when I say you want to. There’s nothing else like it.

Aside from the obviously luxurious materials, the craftsmanship of this blanket is superb. The trim was obviously added with extreme care, and the embroidered monogram of my daughter’s initials is done just as well. In fact, it is so well made that I hesitate to give it to her, because I know it’ll wind up on the floor, in the bathroom and everywhere else my daughter goes. Something this special should be treated as such. So after I wrapped up in the blankee to enjoy it’s luxurious comfort for a while, I folded it up and put it back in the box it came in to be put aside as a surprise for my daughter’s birthday in August. Sure, it will be in the middle of the sweltering Georgia summer when she receives it. Trust me. That will make no difference. This is a blanket I know she’ll use all year long.

The Organic Blankees are available in natural organic cotton velour or fleece with your choice of trim styles in a variety of colors, as well as three sizes, from baby up to couch size. I have several friends who are expecting, and these will be very high on the list of shower gifts.

Why It’s Green:

• Made of organic cotton fleece or velour
• Trim made of hemp silk

Price: Starts at $48-138 depending on size and options

(review)

© 2009 Green Your Decor. Do not republish any items from this feed without permission.

Love at First Snuggle: Couch Blanket from OrganicBlankees.com

Lately, I’ve been doing a lot of research about ceramics. Part of me wants to become a sculptor who can create bowls and dishes that are to die for. But the realist in me knows that I’m a lot more likely to end up making misshapen ashtrays that noone but my mother could love. So I’ll leave ceramic art to the experts, like the Vietnamese artisans who used centuries-old pottery techniques to make this Fair Trade, hand-painted yellow dish set.

At just $7.99, I can definitely afford to buy this covered dish and bowl now and figure out how to use them later. I’m thinking we can use them to hold sugar and unused tea bags when we’re eating outside on the newly redecorated patio, which will be completed in the near future, I might add. It would also make a great gift.

Why It’s Green:

• Made of ceramic using centuries-old techniques
• Fair Trade

Price: $7.99 (aff)

© 2009 Green Your Decor. Do not republish any items from this feed without permission.

Green Steal of the Week: Hand-Painted Yellow Dish Set

Spring is a rough season for me. In addition to the annual spring cleaning (which is actually the easy part), I get the unshakable desire to change everything around me. I want to strip the beds and replace the linens with something fresh and lively and slap a new coat of paint on the walls. But because our budget and our living situation don’t warrant any major changes, I have had to be creative about finding ways to refresh our space without spending much money. A simple solution: Find an inexpensive vase, or make one from an empty glass bottle, and add flowers.

For spring, you’ll want to add some lively color or organic themes. You’d be surprised what big a difference it can make just to add splashes of color to a room. My husband and daughter planted some daisies and sunflowers a little more than a week ago, and I am eagerly anticipating the moment when I can bring fresh cut flowers into the house. Here are some picks for some affordable, spring-ready, eco-friendly vases:

1. Samba Bottle Vases from Crate & Barrel: Made from recyced glass bottles, jars and other broken glass and available in four lively colors. Price: $5.95/ea.

2. Espana Round Vase from Amazon: Handmade of 100% post-consumer recycled glass and available in four colors, including chocolate brown and aqua. Price: $19.99/ea. (aff)

3. Recycled Curved Vase from Uncommon Goods: Handmade of recycled newspaper and lined with a recycled plastic water bottle. Price: $28 (aff)

4. Milky Red Decorative Bottle Vase: Made of recycled glass. Price: $17.99 (aff)

5. Roughhewn Sandalwood Vases by Mbanda: Handmade of wood from decades old stumps so no healthy, living trees are harmed. Price: $12.95-19.95

© 2009 Green Your Decor. Do not republish any items from this feed without permission.

Easy Spring Makeover: Add Inexpensive, Colorful Vases & Flowers

If you’ve lived in as many small spaces as I have, you’re always looking for ways to save floor space. The oldest trick in the designer’s book for small spaces is to use vertical space and elements as much as possible to fool the eye into thinking the room is larger than it is. It is also practical, as it gives you more room to move around. Even if you’re not lacking space, any pet owner would appreciate this beautiful hanging Square Cat Habitat by Buddha.

It is made of bamboo plywood, a great renewable resource, and the insert is basic carpet. I’m not sure what the carpet is made of and I’m trying to find out. I’m hoping its made of organic wool or recycled fibers to make it extra green. The carpet inserts are available separately in a variety of colors, so you can change them as your mood or decor changes.

And as we all know, most cats love to climb and manage to find their way to seemingly unreachable places — like on top of the kitchen cabinets or refrigerator. Maybe a hanging habitat will encourage your cat to stay away from the kitchen. And if there’s a cat owner on your gift list, I’m sure they will appreciate this for its stylish, green, space-saving qualities.

In my mind’s eye, I’m also envisioning this is a stylish shelf for other purposes, even if you don’t have a cat.

Why It’s Green:

• Made of bamboo plywood

Who Would Like It:

• A cat owner
• A homeowner who likes modern design

Price: $99 (aff)

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Great Green Pet Gift: Square Cat Habitat by Buddha

There are a couple of people in my family who are pretty tough to buy for. They also tend to be the types who will say “nothing” or “I don’t know” when asked what they want for Christmas. Since I’ve turned over a new leaf this year and plan on doing little to no shopping for the holiday, that’s not as much of an issue. But I imagine it is hard for some of my wonderful readers. So here’s my suggestion: Think about what that person likes to do rather than what they would want. If they like to cook at all, they will appreciate this beautiful set of kitchen knives and utensils from Bambu.

The handles are made of sustainable bamboo, as the manufacturer’s name would suggest, and the blades are made of high-grade stainless steel. A bread knife, cheese knife, cheese plane and spreader are available, though they are all sold separately. They are still very affordable: You can get the set of 4 for less than $26. Not bad for a great-looking gift that is also easy on the Earth.

You may, however, want to include a recommendation that the giftee not put these in the dishwasher. And when you’re wrapping it up, to make it extra green, forgo the wrapping paper and wrap them inside a beautiful, organic kitchen towel instead. You’ll be giving two gifts in one and eliminating the need for wasteful paper.

Why It’s Green:

• Made of bamboo that is sustainably harvested and free of fertilizers or pesticides
• Bambu donates a percentage of its profits to 1% for the Planet and promotes and supports Fair Trade
• Designed to last forever

Who Would Like It:

• Anyone who loves to cook
• A new homeowner

Price: $5.75-7.75 apiece

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Great Green Gift: Bambu Stainless Kitchen Utensils