Who: Wabisabi Green – Encinitas, CA

What: Eco-Art Throw Pillows

Where: Wabisabi Green – $45 for cover only, $65 with ecofiber insert & $70 with kapok insert

Why We Love It: Looking for a way to brighten up your home now that the Christmas lights are down? These bold graphic nature-inspired pillows are a great way to bring a little color and a touch of the natural to your home. There over 32 designs divided into three collections, Zen, Leaf and Shore. The Shore Collection, featuring sea urchins, turtles, and starfish in colors in a sea of reds, greys, blues and white, is definitely our favorite.

The pillows are made of a nice medium weight organic cotton canvas that is quite durable so great for a highly trafficked area. The graphics are hand printed using non-toxic water based inks and you can choose from one of two 100% hypoallergenic fill options, ecofiber made from recycled plastic bottles or silky organic kapok fiber sustainably harvested from the rain forest. The pillows are designed and made in the USA.

***BONUS!! Courtesy of Wabisabi Green, you can enter to win one of their Sand Dollar Reusable Bags!! Made of certified organic cotton canvas, this roomy tote is perfect for trips to the grocery store, the library and everyday errands. Enter by January 13, 2011 at 11:59PM EST. Open to US residents only.

To Enter: This giveaway is now closed. Thanks to all who entered and congratulations to our winner Leah B.!

Note: Wabisabi Green generously donated this bag for our giveaway. We received no payment to feature this product.

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Who: Ink + Wit – New York

What: Everything Counts Poster

Where: Fawn & Forest – $50, 16×20 (mat & frame not included)

Why We Love It: This is just the latest fodder for our obsession with number and alphabets poster. Tara Hogan’s “Everything Counts Poster” blends delightful graphics and a fabulous color palette (love love love the blue and red!) with an important message that all things, big and small matter, reminding us to find joy and peace and reverence for the world around us. It reads: “One Earth, 2 pears ready to eat, 3 trees to plant, 4 peace symbols, 5 high fives, 6 bowls to fill with food, 7 happy days, 8 cupcakes made with love, 9 wind turbines conserving energy, 10 cans to recycle…”

Artist Tara Hogan practices what she preaches, designing with the environment in mind. The “Everything Counts” Poster is offset printed on 100% post consumer recycled paper with soy inks and packaged in a recycled kraft tube mailer.

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Who: Mod Green Pod – Austin, TX

What: ‘Delight’ Wallpaper

Where: Mod Green Pod – $75/roll

Why We Love ‘Em: Very exciting news – just heard from the gals at Mod Green Pod that they’ve added a new print to their collection of chic eco-friendly wallpapers, and ‘Delight’ may just be our new favorite. Love the colors and the mod/art nouveau graphics of this print. Now just need to convince the husband that this is just the look for the master bedroom… mmm, teal and grey! Click to continue »

Who: Lucky Sprout; Seattle, WA

What: Lucky Sprout Organic T-Shirts

Where: Lucky Sprout Shop; $26 in red, brown or natural

Why: What can we say, we are just dig these kids tees with their spunky little characters enthusiastically touting their “seeds of change” summed up on the back with the frankness of a child.

Each t-shirt is made of 100% organic cotton with low-impact dyes and water based dyes. (fyi: the blank T-shirts are produced by Edun-Live in Africa, hence why, when ordering you will note the UK sizes).

And with each t-shirt purchased $1 is donated to a corresponding non-profits: Purchase a Wind Catcher tee and $1 will be donated to the  African Leadership Academy; a Peace tee supports Caroline for Kibera;   a Water tee supports Project Wet; and a Happiness tee supports the Smile Train.

Or just being reminded that the biggest challenges can be overcome by taking the smallest of steps.

Who: Salvor Fauna by Ross Menuez; Manhattan, NY

What: Seahorse Baby Onesie

Where: Generate – $49, multiple styles available

Why: A fun alternative to the classic preppy pink and green baby wear with the pink seahorse spanning baby’s belly – just imagine the elevated cuteness factor with a little one tucked in. The kimono style neckline makes changing baby a cinch.  The animal prints are hand silk screened on 100% organic cotton using water based inks. Another of our favorites – the penguin….

As my friends will attest, I am in desperate need of a good re-upholsterer for my favorite chair, a thrift store find circa 1999. Of course, reupholstering will likely be more expensive than if picking up a new chair at a discount chain, but, in keeping with a greener lifestyle, I will salvage my perfectly good antique, crafted back when things were built to last and were not disposable…… (See Story of Stuff). Per usual, I am holding out (it has been 5 months now) until I find just the right fabric from the budding eco-friendly textile market. In the meantime, I will continue to begrudgingly lounge in my more shabby than chic chair.

Here are the contenders thus far: Click to continue »

Who: Balanced Design; Providence RI

What: Pod Organic Cotton Throw Pillow

Where: NIMLI for $80

Why: I have had my eyes on a pair of throw pillows from Balanced Design for quite some time, but, in an attempt to curb my consumption, I had exercised restraint. But with prints reminiscent of the Mid-Century Masters, think Eames, Girard and Jacobsen, and crafted of a range of eco-friendly fabrics including organic cotton, organic linen, organic flannel, hemp and wool felt; how was a girl to resist? So now two of these lovely designs now grace my sofa and I adore them! Best of all the feather insert is super thick and malleable so molds to you needs, but with the bat of a hand regains its’ shape. Click to continue »