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Earth Friendly Etsy: Chasing Lightning Bugs Recycled Paper Giveaway

November 19, 2009 47

If you want to see a giddy girl, be at my mailbox when I receive a handwritten letter or elegant invitation in the mail. I love them, you will hear me squeal in delight. The look and feel of a letter or invitation that someone took time to craft and write is so special to me. I have kept every letter and every card that I have ever received. I do not think it is necessary or Earth friendly to send a letter for every little thing, but if you want to tell someone something that you think they will want to have forever or are sending an invitation for a wedding or anniversary, I think a handwritten letter is the best option. Unfortunately, I can not tell you the last time that I received a handwritten letter. I still write thank you notes and send handwritten letters but possibly I am a dying breed. I have tried to instill this in my son Eben by having him write thank you notes for birthdays, holidays and special occasions. He doesn’t find it as lovely as I do. Ha!

Growing up I dreamed of a pen pal, but wasn’t sure how to get one since I didn’t have a cousin or friend that lived far away. Maybe as an adult, I will receive a beautifully written and elegantly crafted letter from a pen pal and my wish will come true. If I do receive a letter, I will be sure to mail a letter back in one of these fab envelopes made by Annette at Chasing Lightning Bugs.

Annette has traveled the world, read many books and received a BFA in painting. All of this has inspired the envelopes that she crafts using old, worn and no longer viable encyclopedias, atlases and maps and other found objects. She has beautiful envelopes that would be perfect for your pen pal, anniversary party or wedding invitation.

Annette lives in a beautiful little stone house with a huge garden full of lavender and crab apples trees on Lake Ontario in Kingston, Canada. She lives her life full of love and happiness on a beach full of beach glass, pebbles and peace for as far as the eye can see. Her studio is full of paintings, cans of brushes, jars of beach glass and piles of books. Annette lives in her beautiful paradise with her lovely husband and Great Dane Edgar.

Have you written a letter lately? Annette at Chasing Lightning Bugs has been so lovely to offer ONE of my lovely readers a set of handmade envelopes. If you win, please remember to use the envelopes to send someone you love a beautiful handwritten letter that they will cherish forever.
How To Enter

1. Subscribe to Sweet Greens (if you haven’t already) and click confirm in the email confirmation that you will receive from FeedBurner.

2. Visit Chasing Lightning Bugs and leave me a comment telling me who you would write a letter to.

Additional Entries
leave a separate comment for each thing that you do.

Rules for Entry

  • Please leave a way for me to contact you if you win.
  • Contest ends August 5th @ 12am EST. Winner will be chosen at random using a random number generator and will be announced the following day. (I will announce the winner, if I do not hear from you within 72 business hours, I will pick another winner.)
  • You must leave a comment telling me which item you love in order to qualify.

Good Luck.

UPDATE:: Winner is #26, Cindi. Congratulations and thank you to everyone who participated. I had a lot of fun reading who you would write your letters to.

Earth Friendly Etsy: Sew to Speak Giveaway

November 18, 2009 60

Since we have been talking about stocking stuffers, I thought it would be nice if this week’s Earth Friendly Etsy Shop offered a lovely item that you could stuff in the stocking of someone you love. I also wanted something that would be perfect for the crafter’s and seamstress’ out there. {I love to sew and have been working on my own craft.} I wanted something cute, organic, fun and creative. With that said, I found Sew to Speak and was immediately smitten.

Sew to Speak is owned and operated by Brittany in . Brittany is a fabulously talented seamstress who makes the sweetest shirts that you have seen. Brittany’s shirts are made using 100% organic cotton which makes them Eco friendly, good for you and lushly soft. Brittany’s designs are inspired by sewing and quilting which has always surrounded her life. Both Brittany’s mother and grandmother are master seamstresses who create the most lovely quilts. When Brittany was growing up, her grandmother made most of her beautiful clothes. How lucky is that?

To create her beautiful and whimsy shirts, Brittany starts by hand drawing the designs and then transferring them to her computer to add the text. She then creates the screen for the printing of the shirts and prints each by hand.

Do you have a crafter or a seamstress on your holiday shopping list? If so, wouldn’t they love to open a lovely little gift from Sew to Speak?

Brittany has been so lovely to offer ONE of my readers a Sew Happy Shirt, it has a picture of a Singer Featherweight on it, any seamstress’ dream machine! How much fun is that? How to Enter

** Visit Sew to Speak and leave me a comment telling me which shirt design is your fave?

Additional Entries
please leave a separate comment for each that you do.

* Share Sew to Speak on Twitter.
{You can tweet daily, just leave a separate comment for each tweet}
* Share Sew to Speak on Facebook.
* Kirtsy, Digg or Stumble Sew to Speak
* Add Sweet Greens to your Technorati favorites.

The winner will be announced December 2nd.

*UPDATE:: WINNER:: #3 Peach Rainbow. Thank you to everyone who entered.

Green Your Holidays with 5 Earth Friendly Hostess Gifts.

November 18, 2009 4

Have you been invited to the home of a friend, family member or colleague for Thanksgiving Dinner or a Christmas or Hanukkah celebration? Are you looking for a fab gift to take to thank the host and hostess for including you in their festivities? Look no further, here are a few of my favorite hostess gifts for the holidays or anytime.

1. A lovely gift of spices from Olio & Spices would be perfect for anyone who loves to cook. $39.95

2. A lovely bottle of Organic or Biodynamic Wine from Quiveria Winery. One of my favorites is the 2008 Fig Tree Vineyard, Sauvignon Blanc. $18

3. A lovely rosemary plant in a pretty pot would be the perfect centerpiece for any kitchen island and is a gift that can be enjoyed indefinitely.{Eben gave me this one last year as a gift.} $5-$10
4. A gift for the home is always a lovely gift. I really love these organic bamboo napkins from one of my fave Etsy shops Sewn Natural. $9

5. If you are going to give a bottle of wine, why not wrap it in an adorable Around the World Wine Tote from Delight.com. $11.50

What do you give as hostess gifts?

Holiday Music

November 18, 2009 7

In the mornings while I am making Eben’s breakfast and in the afternoon while he is having a snack, we listen to music. Eben loves to come into the kitchen, pick an album off of the iPod and enjoy. Right now, Eben and I are smitten with the music of Vince Guaraldi Trio. Vine Guaraldi produced all of the music for The Charlie Brown Movies. Naturally, we are completely into ‘A Charlie Brown Christmas,’ it is perfect for the winter weather and upcoming holidays. It is a nice way to start the day. It seems like if I turn the music on loud enough that Eben can hear it in the morning, he will come downstairs for breakfast all by himself. I love music that is strictly instrumental, it is a true way to appreciate the music for what it is, lovely. Eben’s favorite is ‘Linus and Lucy’ and ‘Skating.’

What holiday music do you listen to at your home?
What are your favorites?

XO.

Green Your Holidays with Eco Friendly Stocking Stuffers for Her + A Giveaway for You from Tilvee

November 17, 2009 25

It is time to start planning for the upcoming holidays. I thought it would be fun if I share some of my fave green things for the holidays with you. I have a lot of great things picked out that will make you sing, ♪♫ I’m Dreaming of a Green Christmas ♫♪. Then 2 weeks from now {mark your calenders}, I have a HUGE surprise for you that will make you giddy.

So first off, let’s talk about stocking stuffers. I love, love, love stocking stuffers. How much fun is it to open many little tiny packages picked especially for you? The best stocking stuffers are things that you love or things that you need. Here are some of my favorite stocking stuffers that I would love, love, love to receive.

Pambril Earrings in hibiscus red from The Andean Collection $19. You can read why I love The Andean Collection here.

Pomegranate Soap from Tilvee $5.75. You can read why I love, love, love Tilvee soap here.

Organic Cocoa Butter Lip Balm from Badger Balm $5. These are my fave lip balms because they are large and have a lovely scent.

Little Dandelion Necklace from LuLu Bug Jewelry $34. You can read more about Lulu Bug Jewelry here.

Bicycle Inner Tube Journal from PalePink $45. You can read more of what I think about PalePink here.

Bird Ornaments from Amenity Home $9. You can read why Amenity Home is one of my fave shops here.

Are you excited for the holidays?

Tilvee would like to help you start your holiday stocking stuffer shopping. Tilvee will give ONE of my lovely readers a fab soap of your choice. Simply leave a comment tell me what you would like to find in your stocking this year?

Winner will be announced November 30th.

UPDATE: WINNER:: #6 Kat C. Congratulations and thank you to everyone who entered.

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