bamboo salad bowl beautiesby laurie |
Crate & Barrel does houseware basics beautifully, and these bamboo salad bowls are no exception.
Made of pressed natural bamboo grown without fertilizer or pesticides, they’re handmade, foodsafe and waterproof!
Available at: www.crateandbarrel.com
Price: $32.95 US (serving), $9.95 US (individual)
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keep calm and carry on – or not!by laurie |
Not eco so to speak, but my pal on Twitter, @meljones77, found this and it made me laugh so much I had to share it with you all. Sometimes, it pretty much sums up the way I feel…
Not available yet in Canada or even North America, so if you want it really, really badly, you’re going to have to order it from the U.K. My twitter friend found it at www.hunkydoryhome.co.uk, but they don’t ship here, so try the site below.
For more on the original motto, check out this article.
Available at: www.pedlars.co.uk
Price: £8.50
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restoration hardware solar lanternsby laurie |
Now that I’ve found an eco-friendly bug repellent that works (see my post from a few days back), entertaining and eating outdoors is no problem, and these attractive solar lanterns from Restoration Hardware light up the night beautifully.
They’re made from weather-resistant cast aluminum and you can either hang them or put them in the ground with the stake that’s provided, plus they come with a switch, unlike many solar lights, so you can turn them on and off as needed. Available in a zinc or rust finish, in a set of six. Shown in rust.
Available at: www.restorationhardware.com
Price: on sale for $183 US
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karl lohnes’s ebay tabletop makeoverby laurie |
Looking to save a little money and save the planet while you’re at it?
Karl Lohnes, style at home style editor and eBay design expert, believes that becoming eco-chic starts at home and is easier than you think if you stick to the principles of reducing, reusing, and recycling. He made over this table (see before, inset) with finds from eBay, using the following tips.
• Reduce waste by looking for ways to update or change a look rather than start from scratch. Adding colour to an indoor or outdoor table setting doesn’t mean that you have to throw away all that plain white china. Simply look for ways to add colour with different accessories like coloured drinking glasses or pieces like bowls or salad plates.
• Use cloth napkins instead of paper; patterned ones are a great way to add another splash of colour.
• Unique containers can be an inexpensive and fun way to add a different look to your table; for example, champagne buckets can be used to hold a bouquet of flowers or even serving utensils.
• When shopping for specialty items, look for objects that have multiple functions and reuse them. When not serving brunch, for instance, use small egg cups to hold spreads or fill them with bite-size snacks.
Most important, the key to an eco-chic makeover, according to Karl, is to keep it simple. He recommends using a website like eBay.ca for a one-stop shopping experience. You can browse through different categories – like Antiques and Home & Garden – or search using a specific keyword, and before you know it, you’ll have found a treasure trove of items that match your budget and style!
For similar items, visit ebay.ca
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solar-powered string lightsby laurie |
No doubt you’ve been taking advantage of the weather and entertaining outdoors of late.
Light up the night in a natural way with Rittenhouse’s Aurora Glow Solar String Lights. Each string has six hand-blown glass orbs that you can put up anywhere in your garden, since they’re solar-powered, so no worries about plugging them in! Just plant or mount the solar panel up to 13 feet away from the first light on the string in a place where it will receive direct sunlight, then as night falls a photo-sensor will automatically turn on the lights – magic!
The lights come in three colours: clear with yellow LED (shown) clear with a white LED, and blue-green sea glass with a white LED.
Available at: www.rittenhouse.ca
Price: $49.90
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hive bench/table by arkturaby laurie |
Is this not one of the most amazing tables you’ve ever seen? Designed by Chris Kabatsi of Los Angeles-based design company Arktura, the Hive table features an algorithmically generated pattern that reminds me of lace or a spider’s web.
Why is the table green? Because it’s constructed of mostly recycled steel and zero-VOC powder-coated finish and is produced in a wind- and solar-powered facility.
The accommodating size – 50″ wide x 16″ deep x 16″ high – means it can be used as a bench or table, and it comes in orange (pictured), black, sea green and white.
Available at: www.vivavi.com
Price: $1,790 (US)
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salvaged wood table & wine barrel chandelierby laurie |
If you love that whole raw wood thing, check out this stunning ensemble from Restoration Hardware. I’m drooling, simply drooling over the look of this whole room and its Belgian aesthetic.
The Trestle table is made of 2½”-thick pieces of pine salvaged from a distillery in Great Britain, and comes complete with all sorts of character-enhancing dents and dings. The Wine Barrel chandelier is handmade from reclaimed French oak wine barrels hoops and staves. Both are available in limited quantities, since the materials they’re made from are limited, so get them now if you’re interested!
Available at: www.restorationhardware.com
Price: $3,415, table (comes with 2 leaves, seats 8 to 12 people); $2,995, chandelier
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dirt candles: soy sensational!by laurie |
One thing that’s sure to make a winter night feel cosy to me is lighting up a candle, and now all I use are soy or beeswax candles – they don’t have any nasty things like carcinogens.
Dirt Candles are my latest indulgence. Sure, at first glance the name sounds strange, but dirt is, as the website says, “where nature begins and ends,” and Dirt Candles are “formulated from beginning to end with natural things.”
The 10-oz candles made of GMO-free organic soy wax and natural essential oils, are lead- and soot-free and have a natural cotton wick. They come in 25 fun scents like Take It Easy (Bulgarian & English lavenders, Mexican and Madagascar vanillas) and Beach Bum (seawater, kelp, fresh rain, white sand), and the metal lids ensure those scents remain fresh.
I like them because the ones I tried out (including Fountain of Youth, After Hours and Open Arms) are subtle and not overpowering, a big plus in my books. I like some scent, but being knocked over by any too-powerful perfume is not only irritating to me, it’s also potentially harmful since it can trigger a painful migraine. There’s also an unscented version, cheekily called Skinny Dip.
The paper packaging is 100% post-consumer recycled (and recyclable) and printed with soy inks and the labels are made from corn. The recycled-metal lids and glass are all recyclable, but hold onto the glass containers – after you finish burning the candle and wash them out, they make nice tumblers for drinking!
An added bonus: a portion of the money made from each candle sold goes to charity; for a list of the charities funded click here.
Available at: www.dirtcandles.com, as well as Pistachio stores in Toronto (check out www.epistachio.com)
Price: approx. $31.50
green & black’s organic chocolate fondueby laurie |
A couple of posts back, I mentioned Green & Black’s Ginger bar, which I first encountered a few years ago on a trip to Ireland. I’ve been in love with the company’s organic chocolate since then. It’s the perfect blend of flavour and values – what’s not to like??
Whether or not you’re going to be celebrating Valentine’s Day this year, this fondue recipe is sheer comfort in a bowl on a cold day, so enjoy!
Green & Black’s Amaretto-Almond Fondue
1 100 gr (3.5 oz) Green & Black’s Milk Chocolate and Almond bar
1/8 cup plus 1 tbsp water
2 tbsp (1 oz) Amaretto
conventional method
Break up the chocolate and put in a saucepan with the water. Over low heat stir with a small wire whisk until ingredients are smooth and combined. Add the amaretto and stir. If the resulting sauce is too thick, add a few drops of water and whisk to blend. Serve with desired fruit and nuts. If fondue becomes cool and thick, microwave for 10 seconds and stir, repeat if necessary.
microwave
Break up the chocolate and put in a plastic bowl with the water. Give the mixture of ingredients 10-20 second bursts in the microwave, whisking in between. Do this until blended and warm.
Suggested dippables: Strawberries, peach slices, grapes and almonds.
Serves 2 to 3
Green & Black’s Chocolate Bars available at: Sobey’s, Metro, Loblaws, Shopper’s Drug Mart
Price: approx. $3.89
Recipe courtesy of Green & Black’s Organic Valentine’s Day 2009
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a green christmas bookby laurie |
This book from the whimsically named Sheherazade Goldsmith is a wonderful read, covering off all aspects of holiday celebrations. She says, “The book is about having a simpler, more home-spun Christmas….I hope [it] will inspire you to take a different approach to Christmas and spare you the stress of excess consumerism.” From welcoming your guests with beautiful decorations for the outside of your home to setting up and embellishing your tree, making gifts, cooking for the holidays, and setting your table, Goldsmith has it covered.
The crafts are simple, yet beautiful (templates are included), the recipes yummy-sounding (the Nougat Sweets are ones I absolutely have to try out!), and the eco tips on recycling and composting are sound. Where else can you get such an interesting mix of ideas! Plus, at the back, there’s a directory listing places to find info on green items and services not just in the U.S., which is often the case, but some in Canada, too! Hurrah!
Available at: bookstores across Canada
Price: $28
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