We’re really excited about 2012, and from what we’re reading on Facebook and Twitter, pretty much everyone else is too. (Was 2011 that bad?) To celebrate, we’re featuring our favorite unique, handmade calendars, made by independent designers on Etsy. You can see all of the calendars we’ve featured here!

I always ask for paper bags when I forget to bring my own. There’s something about knowing that I won’t be left with the icky feeling that a handful of empty, plastic bags creates brings me comfort. But… while choosing paper is the sustainable choice, after several times forgetting my insulated grocery bags at home, I’m left with bags and bags of… well, empty paper bags. I always think “one day I’ll figure out something cool to do with all those paper bags!” I, of course, do nothing.

Lemonade Paperie did something.

This cute, mini calendar is made from heavy-weight paper bags, and might be the most adorable thing I’ve ever wanted to randomly send to a friend to wish them a happy new year! How cute would that be?

The Mini Doodle Desk Calendar is available for $10 and comes with a wooden display easel! 

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My boyfriend and I are complete coffee snobs. Well, he more than I – I just love coffee. He knows like 724 ways to prepare it. Every once in a while, I’ll trade it for tea, but most of the time, coffee is an integral part of my morning ritual.

Those of you who know what it’s like to love coffee must also know the value of having friends who are just as obsessed with the stuff. I’ve managed to surround myself with people who will always want to get coffee over grabbing a glass of wine. (Replace wine with gin, though,  and you have a different story…) Growing up in Seattle also gave us all the misguided sense of ownership over the ancient art of drinking coffee, and I absolutely fly that [meaningless] flag with [meaningless] pride.

Jen and I, coffee-and-shopping in Westlake!

This Secret Caffeinated Beverage Club that you’ve been hearing about your whole life definitely exists, by the way. It not only contributes to our inflated sense of importance, but also allows us to hyper-fixate on novelty-esque holiday gifts. Buying something coffee-related for a coffee-person is always a hit, in my book. I have more coffee paraphernalia in my apartment than I care to admit, and, damnit, I hope I accumulate three times as much. That’s how much I love to think about steeped beverages.

Sustainable/Handmade Gifts for Coffee People

While I’m not silly enough to post anything I’m actually getting for one of my too-many coffee nerd friends (I like to pretend they read this blog), I can tell you that the amount of coffee accoutrements on Etsy are not only startling, but heartwarming in their vastness, and my friends will definitely be on the receiving end of some things I found today!

Coffee Stencil by Cosmic Emotions  | $18 + $4 shipping

I’m not sure that something has ever flown onto my favorites/wish list as fast as this coffee stencil did.

Did you think that coffee could get any cuter? Because it can. With penguins.

Hand Stamped Vintage Coffee Spoon by Jessica N. Designs | $10 + $3 shipping

There is something so wonderfully frivolous about a “coffee spoon” – particularly one that has a coffee-related engraving. This seller has a bunch of cute coffee spoons with phrases like “this is how we brew it” and “I love you a latte.” Pretty adorable stuff.

Retro Coffee Quote Poster by Of Life And Lemons | $16 + $2.50 shipping

This print is so cute, and the amazing artist behind it even took the time to recommend an [inexpensive] IKEA frame that works with it!

Coffee Butter Sugar Scrub by Sweet Sally Soaps | $7.50 + $2.75 shipping

The smell of coffee shown strong aromatic abilities to reduce stress – you wouldn’t think so, would you? Envisioning over-caffeinated people alone makes me anxious. Plus, coffee alone is full of antioxidants, and has some great detoxifying effects on skin!

Coffee & Cupcake Tights by Aguce | $27 + $4 shipping

Are you serious? I could easily apply this lifestyle to 40% of my friends, and each of them would wear these. (Even some of the boys.) Too adorable not to post!

Coffee Bean Necklace by Jill Griffin Jewelry | $42 + $2.25 shipping

What a perfect, everyday necklace for one who wants to subtly but proudly preach their coffee devotion.

White Mustache Stackable Mugs by Love Grace Joy | $34 + $14.90 shipping

I can’t deny my love for the hipster-mustache trend-whatever. They’re cute, and kitschy, and so are these mugs. Plus, I dig the stack-ability (for me and my teeny-tiny apartment).

Coffee Art Print by Type Posters | $15 + $5 shipping

This is especially cute since Jen is trying desperately to cut back on caffeine. Neener!

Then, of course, there’s always you know – coffee cups and actual coffee, which make equally great gifts. If you’re in the Pacific Northwest and want some killer coffee to purchase as a gift (or all to yourself), check out these ethical roasters:

• Lighthouse
• Cafe Vita
• Stumptown
• Honeymoon Bay

For those on a shoe-string budget, let it be known that coupons for coffee dates are just as adorable and special as anything else here.

(Awww.)

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I really, really want this Flying Pig Coin Bank by Scott Nelles. Made of sand-cast bronze and aluminum, it’s one of the most interesting coin banks I’ve ever seen. It was cast by hand in Elk Rapids, Michigan, weighs a hefty four pounds, and costs $175.

What weird things do you want for the holidays?

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What is this acronym!?, you might be asking. Well, it’s a stolen acronym, that’s what it is.

ECIG stands for Eye Candy, Indie Genius. It’s a long-standing column that originated on our sister site, Broke & Beautiful. Every Monday, we’ll be featuring a new, fabulous, independent designer along with their wares & craftsmanship. And, of course, our drooling and ogling.

This week, we’re presenting to you a fabulous artist who creates beautiful, interesting items for your home. You know that we have a penchant for mobiles, so if you love them as much as we do, you’re going to love Kate’s Cranes.

A beautiful crane from the Peace Crane Mobile in Maps ($45).

Not only are these cranes beautifully constructed, but the paper used is so gorgeous, and varies with each crane, each mobile. The artist behind it, Kate (obviously) says that her children love these mobiles hanging in their room – and who wouldn’t? I’m 26, and I would put one up right now.

The Pink, Gold, & Brown Butterfly Mobile ($45).

It’s possible that my favorite aspect of these gorgeous pieces is the natural, found driftwood that serves as each mobile’s base. Each piece of driftwood is collected from the shores of the Great Lakes. (And props to her for actually making something with her driftwood instead of… just trying to sell it, right?)

Aside from the Maps mobile, this Peace Crane Mobile in Sheet Music ($45) is my favorite.

I don’t think I’ll ever be too old for mobiles. I can see at least three places from my seat before my laptop that I would happily put any of these. It’s always nice to have something to look at while daydreaming, you know?

You can view the rest of the products available at Kate’s Cranes. 

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The weddings are coming! The weddings are coming!

I need to get used to the idea that being in my late twenties means being invited to at least two or three weddings per year. I also need to get used to the idea that, unlike when I was in my teens, at this point it actually makes sense for those I know to start musing about wedding ideas (whether or not they have a partner). It’s that…time. Of life. Or something.

I just received yet another “Save the Date” card, and on the same day I ran across a friend who was asking for creative wedding favor ideas. Someone mentioned Lush bath bombs, which made me think of the Lush store in downtown Seattle, which made me think of the Occupy movement (Occupy Seattle is occupying the park just outside Lush’s door), which made me think that if there’s a way to DIY bath bombs, that’s probably smarter.

And there is.

Make your own sex. Bomb.

The best recipe I found was from TeachSoap.com. Head to their site to nab the ingredients list, then follow the instructions below.

BLEND BLEND BLEND BLEND the citric acid and baking soda – this step is super important – if you don’t blend well, you end up with a grainy bomb. We actually use a mixer on our larger batches.

Once you’ve blended really well, add your colorant. Dry pigments or a specialty bath fizzy colorant like La Bombes work best – don’t add too much though – the color shows up once you add the witch hazel.

Add fragrance oils to your personal nose preference.

Now, this is the difficult part. Spritz (with a squirt bottle) the witch hazel onto your batch while stirring with the other hand. When your batch sticks together when squished, you need to start putting it in molds – time is of the essence. If you wait too long, the mixture will get hard. If you spritz too much, the mixture will be too wet and “grow” (start the fizzing reaction) on you.

Put the bombs in molds – wait a few minutes and tap them out. Let them air dry for 3 or 4 hours and voila! Wonderful, hard bath bombs. The harder you pack the bath bombs, the more dense, heavy, and durable bomb you will get.

To add my recommendation: while gathering your ingredients, go to a local natural goods store and make friends with one of the employees. Work together with said employee to find the perfect combination of essences – peaches and cream? rose and jasmine? blackberries and chocolate? – to create a well-rounded scent.

And don’t forget to grab some extra trinkets to place inside your bomb! Use Lush for inspiration: the Calavera Ballistic has marigold petals inside, Cinders uses cinnamon leaf (yeahohmygod), and Green Party contains recycled paper streamers, which fizz all over the place! (And if you don’t think you can recycle free, colorful paper, spend five minutes walking around in a major city. You’ll get enough color paper leaflets to fill a million bombs.)

Make your own Tisty Tosty with dried rose blooms and petals. You don’t have to use a circular mold – try various cupcake and cookie molds from the dollar store!

If you do choose to make your own bath bombs, for you or as gifts, I do have one favor to ask of you: please, for the love of god, don’t use glitter. As fun as it sounds to have a glittery bath, it can irritate sensitive skin and will never, ever come completely off of you or your bathtub.

What’s the most interesting wedding favor you’ve ever received?

If you are feeling lazy and think you might want to buy Tisty Tosty instead of making it yourself, check out this review by I Believe in Smiles. She loved it!

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Being one who often describes themselves as being “from the internet,” you might think that the idea of handwritten… well, anything is lost on me.

Not so!

I am an avid collector of stationery, notecards, and have a healthy obsession with office supplies and paper products. I have searched around and assembled my favorite earth-friendly notecards for every occasion, ready for you to reclaim the art of letter writing without eco-guilt.

Lulu Powers Stationery

Lulu is my new guru. She is a fantastic caterer, chef, at-home entertainer, and designer. I discovered her when I started following her curated shop on OpenSky (she has amazing taste!). She recently collaborated with Cocodot to create a beautiful, vibrant line on note cards that are perfect for invitations, thank you notes, menus, sweet messages, or place cards.

(Click the image to enlarge – these are so beautiful, it’s incredible!)

Cocodot’s services allow you to personalize and label your notecards, which keep the personal touch strong without sacrificing design. The cards are printed with non-toxic ink on 30% post-consumer content. You’re definitely sacrificing a little bit of eco-awareness for design here, but the aesthetic value of these cards is tremendous. See all of Lulu’s designs here.

Poo Poo Paper

Maybe you’ve heard of it, maybe you haven’t, but Poo Poo Paper is on the rise. This particular poo poo comes from elephants, and uses the grass and other fibrous materials found in their dung to create a pulp that then produces this wonderfully eco-friendly paper. (Saying “poo poo” makes me feel like a suburban mother! Weird feeling!)

Can you believe something so beautiful could be made out of poop? Seriously! Their range of stationery, notebooks, and journals are adorable. Plus, a portion of the proceeds go right back to elephant welfare & conservation funds, allowing them to get regular care and food, and you know what elephants + food equals, don’t you..? So the cycle continues! (Oh, and Poo Poo Paper is scent free, if you, um, catch my drift…)

Night Owl Paper Goods

A piece of light, beautifully grained Birch wood; a deep, warm colored slice of Cherry wood… these might not strike many as the perfect space for a sweet note, but for Night Owl Paper Goods, it’s the best possible spot! They buy wood from sustainable-yield harvesting companies, and create beautiful note cards, gift tags, and even business cards that will be sure to leave a lasting impression on their recipient.

(Please, oh please click to enlarge!)

Letterpresses and hand-drawn designs are the specialties of the two brains behind this “Owlabama” operation. One single log can produce thousands of these adorable cards – even more wooden cards than sheets of paper! Plus, these are fully biodegradable and recyclable – they can be included with your recyclable paper products. They’ll even custom print your design (um, even photographs) onto these cute wooden slabs. Snag a journal, scrapbook, blank business card, or the most unique wedding invitations your friends & family will ever see!

Cartolina

While the materials aren’t exactly as innovative as wood and poop, Cartolina‘s strengths lay in their design aesthetic. Woodblocks and classic imagery create the most amazing, intricate scenes on Cartolina’s cards. Using recycled wood that’s been certified by the FSC (Forest Stewardship Council) and vegetable-based inks, they have been named the Most Environmentally Progressive Printer in Canada for the last 5 years.

What I love about these cards is the antiquated feel of each card. The typography is beautiful, and the combination of modern flourishes against anachronistic images, covered in vivid hues makes my heart beat faster! Cartolina also offers notebooks and pocket mirrors boasting the same designs as their cards. Dreamy!

Any of these beautiful companies will offer you a product that your friends and family won’t soon forget! I love it when you can stand out from the crowd while doing amazing things for the environment by shopping consciously and creatively.

What do you think of these interesting note cards? Would you use them?

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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.”