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You’ve probably noticed the erratic posting around here for the past couple of weeks. Chalk it up to getting used to my new surroundings (still a work in progress) and a really bad cold. I’ve got some great content coming up for you this week and next though. I likely will not post on Wednesday, Thursday and Friday of this week, so in the meantime, check out these great green reads:

From the Blogosphere & News-o-sphere:

• NEWSFLASH :: Brand New Organic Beauty Magazine Coming To A Newsstand Near You! {fig + sage}
• Adopt a Sea Creature with Oceana {Focus Organic}

I think I am obsessed with pillows. Seriously. I love the way they can completely change the look of a sofa, chair or bed with so little effort. And lucky for me, there are so very many designers and artisans who create stylish, eco-friendly accents that we can fall in love with. And if there’s one place where you can find such designers in abundance, it is Etsy. Designer modernwool caught my eye with her simple, modern pillows.

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.

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.

I’m always looking for green business to partner with that share the same ideals that I have for Green Your Decor. In this age of increased interest in green living, companies like my newest sponsor, Sparrow, are welcome finds. Sparrow is an eco-boutique that carries green products for babies and children.

You can find everything for your child, from cloth diapers and organic cotton apparel to bedding, furniture and wall decor. You can also find a great selection of eco-friendly toys. And if you’re looking to deck out a green nursery, Sparrow is a great place to start. The brick and mortar store is located in Los Angeles, but thanks to web savvy owner Terrie Owen and her husband Brian, you can also shop online.

My husband loves incense and uses it all the time, in every room and even in the car. I’m not quite as partial to the musky fragrance, but I know he loves it. The problem is that the ashes end up everywhere, particularly because he has a habit of putting the incense sticks in random nooks and crannies, like the window frame or the air vents in the car. Ashes end up everywhere and I’m never happy about it. So one of the things I wanted to do this year is get him a unique incense holder that would catch the ashes and look great when its displayed.

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.

It’s no fun being cold. This is especially true for me, as I am originally from the Caribbean. Even though I’ve been in the states for nearly 10 years, I’m still more partial to warm weather than the chill of the winter. But since upping the thermostat also means upping energy use and our electric bill, I’ve learned to snuggle up in other ways. Besides, I’m not a big fan of the dry, artificial heat created by home heating systems and space heaters.

Decorating my daughter’s nursery was quite possibly the most fun I have ever had decorating. I had a blank slate, and could do literally anything I wanted with it. This was back in the days before I was green mama and before I really knew anything about decorating. So while I had fun doing the room, it wasn’t what I would call well-designed. This beautiful bamboo Jungle Friends Mobile from Branch Home is leaps and bounds above the gaudy plastic Winnie the Pooh mobile that hung over my daughter’s crib.

As much fun as I have recycling everything in my home from plastic food packaging to cereal boxes and glass bottles, I can’t help thinking I could probably find ways to reuse those items before I recycle. Unfortunately, my imagination often doesn’t take me much further than that. Thankfully, there are many, many people and companies out there that are more creative than I am. The ReMake It! Glass Bottle Lamp is a functional solution.