We all thought that this New Year was going to bring peace of mind, calm, prosperity; that we’d find smoother sailing after the storms of 2009.

Boy, were we wrong.

Turning the calendar over doesn’t change the circumstances, or the trials we’re embedded in. The only things it can change are our minds. It’s hard to stay positive, though, when you get your hopes up for January 1, and by the end of the month you realize things are going to be just as tough as they were before.

One friend’s really difficult morning inspired me to find a little something to send her way, to help keep her spirits up. Instead of looking at the following things as presents for you, look at them as a way to support your loved ones. Who knows, maybe they’re reading this same post, with you in mind.  (Click the pictures to go to the websites.)

Moustache Pillow: it’s soft, it’s bright, and it’s completely ridiculous. How could that not cheer someone up? I have no idea, but since there’s got to be someone out there, I’ve also added the peacock pillow (both are by Sew Lucky Girl), which is pretty and interesting, without the added crazy.

Yes, this is a shiny, black, plastic platform heel re-purposed as an aloe planting box. (The aloe plant is included.) This may exemplify, almost perfectly, just how difficult it is to be a woman sometimes.

My kitchen is vintage fifties – even the oven is original – and I’ve been playing it up with pin-up calendars and antique-looking art. These poppy-printed dishcloths would fit the aesthetic perfectly, but they’d work really well in an ultra-modern setting, too. (You’ll never go back to those thick, plush dishtowels from Target: these thinner, softer ones are much more absorbent.)

Speaking of kitchens, these prep bowls are gorgeous. They’d definitely cheer me up after a long workday. (Incentive to cook?)

And, of course, there is never anything wrong with chocolate…especially when it’s all natural, gmo-free, dairy-free, kosher, and gluten-free.  (Want fifteen percent off?  Use code AESTHETIC15.)

What do you turn to after a difficult day?

Occasionally, I like to post things that I just plain want – whether or not they fit my style, budget, or even my ever-changing mood.  Ergo, the semi-regular To Covet: a category that shows one thing that I’ve been coveting, be it eco-, socio- or independently-friendly.

First thing first: Gilt has a new “Gifts” section, and I didn’t even know it until this morning.  I’m guessing this addition came up for Valentine’s Day – I’m seeing lots of heart-shaped pendants and shades of red – but since I’m not one to go all out for V-Day, I passed by all that…and found this adorable bear.

He’s made by Ross Menuez, sewn entirely from organic cotton, and silk-screened using environmentally-friendly soy-based inks.  Not only that, he comes in seven different patterns.  (The above, Cedar, is my favorite.)

Note that this is not a gift that will arrive before Valentine’s Day, as its estimated delivery dates are February 18 through March 1.  It’s half-price at $25, and you can get it by joining Gilt (if you haven’t already – it’s free and not spam-y) and going to the Gifts section.  (Anyone need my shipping address?  )

My friends are often mad at me.

I have a really busy schedule, which includes way too many commitments, not enough sleep, and a lot of rain checks for dinner “when I’m not so busy.”  (Yeah, right.)

To be honest, I like it that way. Even with all the stress and the frustrations - between work, the dog, the workout regimen, the blogs, the friends - I wouldn’t want to lead a simpler life.  All of this stuff is just too interesting to miss out on, you know?

That’s part of the reason I’m always looking for portable beauty items: I do my makeup on the bus and I always forget perfume, so I like to pick up all-in-ones and solid scents that I can just take with me to the office or a night out.  Oddly enough, I hadn’t thought of anything to destress me, like “aromatherapy to go,” until Spirit Beauty Lounge introduced me to Nostalgia Organics‘ aromatherapy balms.  Luckily, a number of them are intended to reduce stress and keep me focused (along with forcing me to sleep when I should) so I had many, many chances to try them out.  Here’s the breakdown of three of their five options, all of which are only $10.00 each.

Ruffles

Scent: Bergamot, Jasmine, Orange, Rose

My take on it: This is the first aromatherapy balm that I tried, and I did so without having any idea what was in it!  When I woke up one morning, post-migraine and insomnia kicking my ass, I decided to just pick a balm and put it on.  I was attracted to the Ruffles scent the most, and it’s no surprise: Ruffles contains two of my favorite smells, rose and jasmine, along with a healthy dose of blood orange and bergamot.  All of these scents are meant to “calm ruffled feathers” and re-center you during those crazy moments.   Once I’d rubbed it in, the blood orange really stood out as the top note, but it wasn’t crazy strong.  I’m impressed that, without knowing which balms are tailored to which emotional needs, I’d grab the perfect one to help me re-center myself for a busy day at work!

Plum Tired

Scent: Lavender, Mandarin & Chamomile

My take on it: It’s the holidays.  I manage an office.  There are parties.  End of year filing projects.  Presents to buy.  Family events.

…I’m using Plum Tired almost every night.

The lavender is mellow, soothing, and blends really well with the chamomile to make me feel all melty and ready to relax.  Because I don’t like chamomile tea, this is another nice way to get the calming effects of the scent without having to drink it.  Additionally, studies show that the quieter mandarin scent - an undertone to the stronger lavendar - is good for clearing your head, and with a mind that’s going a million miles a minute, I need to relax my brain just as much as my body before I go to bed.  (It also elevates mood and can make it hard to study, so don’t use this before any finals, k?)

Butterflies

Scent: Ylang-Ylang, Neroli & Lavender

My take on it: Once a month, I am a very, very stressed out person.  I know it may sound like a cop-out, but seriously, it’s true: that three or four days that come, each month, just before I find out that I’m not pregnant again (this is a good thing) are always high stress.  I can’t help it; my PMS is all about anxiety.*  I was skeptical about using a balm to calm down during the extra stressful moments – this month, it was a set of deadlines at work  – but I was surprised to actually feel a little difference after putting on Butterflies.  It wasn’t a huge difference – I was still stressed out - but I felt a little more controlled about it than usual…and even though I’m a skeptic, I still think it was the ylang ylang (the top note in the scent) and not the placebo affect: I’ve been trying to control this stress for years, and pretending it’s not there just doesn’t work.  Ah, body, how you love messing with my chemical makeup…

*And, oddly enough, really firm boobs.

—

In case you didn’t see my first post about Spirit Beauty Lounge, the skinny is this:

Spirit Beauty Lounge offers skincare, cosmetics, fragrances, baby stuff and accessories, all of which they’ve researched and tested themselves, so you don’t have to.  They also offer lots of information about sustainable beauty, including the Green Guide’s “Dirty Dozen,” a list of chemical ingredients to avoid in cosmetics, as well as a link to the Environmental Working Group Skin Deep‘s Cosmetic Safety Database.  They also use recycled shipping materials and make environmental donations.  (They’re basically amazing.)

Along with the above, they also give you free samples with every order – my free samples of these balms have lasted for the better part of a month!  They do a “Deal of the Day” every morning on Twitter, too, so if you’re looking for 20% off on almost anything, follow them and be patient.  It WILL come up.  (Stocking stuffers, anyone?)

Here we go again!  I promise: after today, I’ll lay off the sales for a while.  (It’s kind of killing me.)

Tobi

Take 25% off any and all regularly-priced items in Tobi’s online store. Use code CHEERFUL25, and make sure you check out their “Eco-Tobi” section – click the link in the upper left-hand corner.

Alternative Apparel

Save 25% to 75% …plus, get free shipping! The deals are seriously intense over here – they’ve got the perfect staple pieces to beef up any wardrobe (guys or girls).  This is where I’m buying my boyfriend’s tees from now on.

ShopBop

Spend $300 and get $50 off, spend $500 and get $100 off, spend $700 and get $150 off, and spend $1000+ and get a whopping $225 off. Just enter code GIFT4U at checkout. I know this may seem complicated, but their “Earth Friendly” section” makes me want to support them anyway.  To get to it, go to “Shop By” in the upper right-hand corner, and click “Earth Friendly.”  Pages and pages of eco options await!

Inhabit

Save up to 60% in the entire store…plus, get free shipping! (Hint: search “organic” in the upper right corner.)

Etsy: Pearl @ Play

Through today, take 10% off anything in her store, which features simple, fun, everyday jewelry.

The Body Shop

You already saw how they’re supporting a worthy cause…today, they’re offering 20% your entire order AND your choice of FREE product.

Bella Dawn Boutique

I love this: their sale is called “Just Black Off“ and they’ve extended it through Cyber Monday at midnight.  It’s a great one, too: thirty percent off!

Gaiam

This “Cyber Monday” sale lasts through Wednesday. Get 20% off select items by using code AFCMGIFT.

OnlineShoes.com

Save $25 on orders over $100 by using code 9CYBER. Remember: they have an entire eco-friendly section on their site – along with tons of, ahem, less eco-friendly options. (I can’t help it – I love a good pair of shoes, organic, recycled, or neither.)

Etsy: Sweet Petula

A well-loved Etsy soap maker, Sweet Petula is also local, and has a shop in Seattle.  Spend $50 and she will add this $28 gift to your order.  If you’re just looking for a few things, however, make sure to check out her “Cyber Monday” Section, which features hundreds of soaps for just $3.00 each!

Origins Online

This one is for Cyber Monday only! Get $10 off any order of $25 or more at Origins.com by entering code TenOff09 – plus, get free shipping.

Target

Yes, Target! They have a huge eco-friendly section, and today, they have lots of Cyber Monday Deals and free shipping. No need to leave the house (or the office)!

(Click the Target link, then search either “Antique Green Glass” or “Cotton Rag Rug” for these items)

E.L.F. Cosmetics

Eyes Lips Face already has really, really cheap makeup, so this deal is kind of insane: Get 70% Off Mineral Makeup by using code CM70MIN.

Etsy: Coleeflower

Take 20% off everything in her store! She’s got tons of really interesting pieces – wallets, hats, collages and jewelry – that are all “folk art inspired.”

There were so many great Thanksgiving Weekend sales on Etsy that, just after finishing yesterday’s post, I started this one!  You’ll still want to peruse the list of holiday weekend offers – there’s no way I could list all of the good ones – but I would like to mention a few of my favorites.

Pure Intox:
Free Shipping, Free Lotion bar with purchase over $25.00
Free $10.00 Gift Certificate with purchase over $100.00
Buy One Get One Free Lemon Drop Cuticle Butter
Through Monday

Econica:
Free shipping on all products
Eco-friendly dresses, shawls, etc.
Through Sunday (tonight!)

Nova Designs:
Receive a FREE pair of silver mini bean sprouts with any 2 jewelry purchases
Write “Happy Thanksgiving” in “note to seller” at checkout
Through Monday

This Year’s Girl:
Buy any one print, get the second FREE!
Ends Monday at noon EST

Ticklebean:
40% off everything in the store
Through Monday

Avendano:
Free shipping, plus 10% your entire order
Through Monday

Sharon Montrose:
Buy three prints, get one free
Through December 11

Who are you having trouble shopping for this holiday season? Who have you given up on?

Though I’m not a fan of just perusing online boutiques as a passtime, I make an exception for Etsy.

For those of you that have been living under a rock (that can’t be comfortable, can it?), Etsy’s moniker is “Buy, Sell, and Live Handmade.”  Their goal is to connect makers with buyers, therein removing all of the stress, markups and corporate counterculture in our current economy – and they do just that.  I began supporting the artists on Etsy long before I started this site, and will continue to do so long after it’s lost in the internet ether.

This holiday season, Etsy has created a Gift Guide, listing all of the holiday promotions its creators have to offer.  It’s an extensive, ever-changing list, so I suggest you peruse, but because this is the only site I can spend hours browsing, I thought I’d show you a few of my favorites.

Urban Soule:
10% off dishware, 20% off paintings, 30% off vintage
Through November 30, enter code *ETSYHOLIDAYSALE* in “Message to Seller” at checkout

Original Hardware:
Get 15% off everything in the shop
Through November 30

Unconventional Ida:
Free worldwide shipping; all prints & pocket mirrors are buy two, get one free
Through November 30

Precious Meshes:
Free worldwide shipping
Through November 30

KEEP CALM by derder:
10% off all 13×19 posters, 20% off all 16×20 posters
Free matt lamination on all orders; free shipping on the second poster

Marriage of Metal:
25% off everything in their store
Through November 30

Sideways Shop:
15% off everything in the store
Through November 30th

Michabella Creations:
Free worldwide shipping and free gift with purchase
Through November 30

Eliza + Axel:
30% Off All Cashmere; free worldwide shipping
Receive a free tank top with every order
Through Monday

What do you want for Christmas?

Heeeere we go!  It’s the weekend I’ve been dreading, the two “holidays” I loathe: Black Friday and Cyber Monday.  No matter how prepared I am, I always get overwhelmed trying to shop just after Thanksgiving…and I often give up, buying sub-par, mass-marketed gifts just so I can get it over with.

Now that I’m shopping for a living (or a blog-ing) I have the situation under control have more connections to find those eco-friendly holiday sales.  I’ve compiled a list of websites – ones that sell green products, and ones I can back with confidence – that are having Black Friday and Cyber Monday events.  Now…go enjoy!

Black Friday Sales:

Tobi: Through Monday, take 25% off any and all regularly-priced items! Make sure you check out their “Eco-Tobi” section – click the link in the upper left-hand corner.

Alternative Apparel:  Through Monday, November 30, save 25% to 75% …plus, get free shipping! (The deals are seriously intense over here.)

BGreen Apparel:  30% off sale on EVERYTHING in the store, through Sunday, November 29. (I recommend their panties highly.)  Enter code TG2009 at checkout.

Nature of Beauty:  Through Monday, November 30, the first 25 customers get a free trade makeup bag with any 100$ purchase, including:

• Jane Iredale’s PureGloss in Tourmaline
• Sweet Riot’s unBar65
• EcoTools Eye Shader Brush
• Keys Travel Size lotion
• Deluxe samples from Alima’s new Holiday Collection
• Plus samples from Rare El’ements, Erbaorganics, Dr. Alkaitis, and more!

Plus, get free shipping on Friday, November 27 with the code BLACKFRIDAY.

ShopBop: Spend $300 and get $50 off, spend $500 and get $100 off, spend $700 and get $150 off, and spend $1000+ and get a whopping $225 off. Just enter code GIFT4U at checkout.

Inhabit:  Through Monday, November 30, save up to 60% in the entire store…plus, get free shipping! (Hint: search “organic” in the upper right corner.)

The Body Shop: You already saw how they’re supporting a worthy cause…but they’re also putting out some great deals, like Buy 1 Get 1 Free on all Holiday Bath & Body products… AND Buy 1 Get 1 Free on all Gifts! (These last through Sunday.)

ChickDowntown: Whether or not you buy green, save 25% off with code FRIDAY25. (Search for organic options in the upper right-hand corner.)

Gaiam.com: Through Sunday, Save 20% Off Selected Items. Use code AFBFGIFT.

OnlineShoes.com: This one only lasts through Saturday!Save 20% on regularly priced items at Onlineshoes.com – including their incredible selection of winter styles. Use code 9TURKEY.

Origins Online: This one’s a specific gift sale…(Mom, are you seeing this?) Get the Origins Greats gift set – 6 of their best-sellers – for just $55.00…a $111.50 value.

Shop Mapel:  Take advantage of 30% off ALL Denim (including NEW styles from Joes & already reduced SALE) Today through Sunday during Mapel’s Pitch Black Sale.

NEW Joes Jeans Chelsea Ultra Slim Jeans $110

Best Selling 7 For All Mankind Dojo Jeans $106

Joes Jeans Honey Curvy Conner with Stud Embellishment $114

Citizens of Humanity Amber Pacific Bootcut $109

Sunday and Monday:

The Body Shop: On Sunday and Monday, get 20% your entire order AND your choice of FREE product!

OnlineShoes.com: Save $25 on orders over $100 by using code 9CYBER. Remember: they have an entire eco-friendly section on their site!!

Gaiam.com: This time, Get 20% off all orders AND a free gift!

Sales throughout the holiday season:

Hessnatur: Enter this code: L1V001 and get 25% off plus free shipping on your first order!

YOOX: Get up to an Extra 30% off Fall and Winter Collections!

Bangalla: Save 10% and receive free shipping over $30 at Bangalla.com – your home for green gifts. (They’ve gots of eco-friendly totes, bags, and accessories.)

Beautorium: Save 15% on all featured lines: All natural lotions! Cleansers! Other delicious-smelling skincare products! (Yum.)

EDUN: Get free shipping on all orders through December 15.

Finally!  I’ve been waiting for a lingerie sale I can write about on Awakened Aesthetic…and damn, they’re hard to find.  After a long wait, however, Gilt Fuse is offering super cheap prices on Eberjay.  The sale, which includes briefs, bras, separates and other intimates, begins today at 9AM PST. (Need an invite?  Use mine.)

Eberjey

“Purveyor of feel-good intimates and sweet, loungy separates

In just over a decade, what began as a low-key catalog business for Eberjey cofounders Alejandrina Mejia and Mariela Rovito, is now an internationally recognized lingerie and lifestyle sensation. Among its top sellers are French briefs, constructed from light, breathable patterned mesh, soft-cup plunge bras and lace-trim lounge pants. Over the years, a broadened customer base also prompted the launch of chic swimsuits for women and girls, a maternity collection and plush organic sleepwear.”

Potential giftees:

• A loungewear set for your sister
• A cute panty for your best friend
• Something sexy to surprise your boyfriend/girlfriend/other partner with on Christmas Eve!

[If you need an invite, please consider using my invite code.  It won't spam you, and only gives me a boost if you find something you can't live without.]

Image c/o Gilt.com.

Here we go again!  There are two more sustainable sales going on at Gilt’s deep-discount sister site, Gilt Fuse, just one day before Thanksgiving.  If you don’t already have too much on your plate, add these to your schedule so you can get a little more holiday shopping done before the food coma sets in.  Both sales start today at 9AM PST. (Need an invite?  Use mine.)

MATT & NAT

“Animal lovers take note: we have found the perfect tote for you! The patent all-vegan bags by Matt & Nat are sleek, versatile and affordable — an amazing staple in our book! The bags are architecturally inspired, eco-friendly and come in lovely shades of plum, gray and cognac.

At the forefront of ethical fashion design, Montreal-based Matt & Nat’s blend of beautiful design and eco-friendly values has made this handbag line a premier player in the vegan luxury-accessories market. Each style-conscious collection draws influence from modern art and architecture and combines bold colors, edgy silhouettes, heavy hardware and innovative materials to create Matt & Nat’s signature look. These everyday accessories are void of animal by-products but are rich enough in style to receive frequent mention in the pages of Elle, Marie Claire and O magazine.”

Potential giftees:

• Your sister-in-law
• Your girlfriend (fill it with other great gifts for a double surprise!)
• …me!

Nepali by TDM Design

“‘Tis the season for layering. Nepali by TDM’s bright, playful scarves are hand-crafted and come in bright tie-dye and check-print designs. The luscious cashmere and silk-chiffon scarves are made of all natural materials and feel oh so wonderful against the skin.

TDM’s luxurious scarves and shawls aren’t just good for your wardrobe ­ they’re good for the world. For the collection, launched in 2007, the company employs women weavers in Nepal, who draw on a rich tradition of craftsmanship. The result are hand-woven scarves and shawls distinct for their saturated colors, fashion-forward prints and eco-friendly fabrics and dyes. Devoted to helping Nepalese communities, TDM pays its weavers above-market rates for their work and funds education and healthcare initiatives in their areas. Now that’s a fashion fix everyone can get behind.”

Potential giftees:

• Your on-the-go mother
• That kitschy girl you study with
• An old friend, recently relocated up north

[If you need an invite, please consider using my invite code.  It won't spam you, and only gives me a boost if you find something you can't live without.]

Images c/o Gilt.com.

I’m getting kind of overloaded on eco-friendly sample sales, aren’t you?  There will be a “who cares if it’s the holidays” post soon, I promise.  But for now…

The Fairest is having a sample sale on Butter London, an all-natural nail care company based in London.  Their products are “3 Free,” which means No Formaldehyde, No toluene, and No DBP (Phthales) (what they call “the three ‘chemical nasties’.”)

Yeah, it’s a tiny sale – that image is everything The Fairest has listed – but they’re perfect party colors, and the gift boxes are only twelve bucks (instead of the usual $25).  I already picked one up for a friend – will you?

You can find the sale by following this link.  Let me know if you pick something up!

…and on a related note:

Do you wear purple nail polish?  I dig the black, silver, and grey trends, but I just can’t get down with plum and fuscia.  What do you wear it with?  How long do you think the trend will last?