Cheap & Chic: Zoe & Zac Ballet Flats

Who says going green means spending big bucks? For under $30/pair, these Zoe & Zac flats are adorable and affordable! Made of faux suede, organic cotton, and recycled rubber, I think they'd look especially sweet paired with an oversized cowl-neck sweater and some pencil jeans.

Stuff I Dig! Felt Brooches from Digs.com

I have no idea how I went so many years without knowing about Digs.com, but now that I know, I've resigned myself to the fact that I will now spend countless hours of my life admiring page after page of the site's delightful, sustainably produced goodies.

My favorite of all of the Digs loot? Their high-style collection of recycled, Fair Trade felt brooches. Sure, the word brooch is super funny, but the look? Seriously fabulous.

Here's me modeling the Dahlia:

Pup Collars So Nice, They Live Life Twice!

Has your pooch been begging for a new look lately? These WonderDog collars and leashes are sure to make him the cool pup in the park. Have a trendy pup? Go for the birdies above. A classic pooch? Check out the fauxberry below. Somewhere in the middle? Can't go wrong with stripes.

Fine print: They're made with 100% recycled polyethylene webbing!

Save the French Fries!

Today is Blog Action Day! So let's take a moment to discuss a few of the reasons I'm against climate change:

1. Warmer temperatures are threatening potato crops. And a life without French fries is no life at all.

2. Scientists predict a 40% drop in avocado crops over the next 40 years. Where am I supposed to dip my chips?

3. Pinot Noir grapes are being damaged by the new warm climate. So what am I supposed to do when 5pm rolls around? Have a glass of water?

For more reasons (including some serious ones) about the effects of climate change, check out The Top 100 Effects of Climate Change over at AmericanProgress.org. Wanna fight? Check out 10 Solutions for Climate Change at ScientificAmerican.com.

Sleep in Style: Amenity's New Muir Furniture Collection

It somehow seems entirely possible that my dreams would be more fabulous if I slept in one of Amenity's new Muir furniture collection beds. I'd be so cool in my sleep. So, so cool. Plus, when I woke up and realized I wasn't actually that cool, I'd have all this extra storage as a consolation prize.
Fine print: The furniture is made from wood collected from demolition sites in LA, manufactured nearby, and finished with low-VOC, water-based stains.

Best Baby Shower Gifts: SewnNatural!

I mean, seriously. Could this stuff be any more adorable? SewnNatural, a one-woman shop, has created an online zoo of organic and vintage textile critters and dolls that are, yes, sew cute. Sorry. But it's true! Judge for yourself:




Man, that's one lucky lil' girl.


{Via OhDeeDoh.com}

Need a Hug? And/Or a Placemat?

Then you're in luck. Fuz, a new line of planet friendly home accessories, offers up this adorably affectionate placemat option. Pop out the center guy and let him hug your napkin for the sweetest lil' place setting you've ever seen. Gotta love felt!

Happy Friday! Xo, Finley (and her Hanna Anderssons)

That's a wrap on Finley's nursery tour! Thanks so much for taking a peek.

Here's Fi wishing you all a very happy Friday. She's chillin' in her 100% organic cotton Hanna Andersson outfit, courtesy of a friend who introduced us to the awesome brand. Not only are Hanna Andersson clothes extra soft and planet friendly, they also grows with your babe...two rows of snaps on this onesie mean Fi will be wearing it until she's walking! Plus, the pants have pockets -- super critical for a little lady who won't roll out the door without her wallet, keys, and pacifier.

Finley's Green Nursery Tour: The Best of the Rest!

I sewed these pillows by hand using leftover eco-felt and eco-stuffing from the birdie mobile project and fabric scraps from other projects (including the leftover Hable Construction green bead fabric used to upholster the glider). Yup, still waiting for that sewing machine donation...

As the daughter of a writer, Finley WILL love books. (Notice the emphasis is on will, not love? Mother's word is law.) So far, I think The Big Red Barn by Margaret Wise Brown (of Goodnight Moon fame) and Time for Bed by Mem Fox are at the top of my list. Fi certainly enjoys chomping on them with her tiny gums.
Hooray for wood toys and handmade stuffed animals as gifts! Finley received the Plan Toys wood snail above and the handmade monkey and flower doll below as gifts from friends, and my parents brought the pink elephant all the way back from a trip to India.
What else? The rug is constructed of Flor tiles made with post-industrial recycled content. The little end tables (below) next to the glider and crib are from Vivaterra -- they're chiseled from stumps of sustainable wood. Anyone who chisels anything deserves a shout out.

Man, I wish my camera weren't on the fritz. I really do think the colors pop more in person than in these images. But you get the idea, right?

Finley's Nursery Tour: DIY and BIY (Buy It Yourself) Art!

If you'll be so kind as to turn around now, you'll see the other half of Finley's nursery. Oh, here we are. Using the leftover no-VOC Natura paint from the tree mural, I painted the two canvases above Finley's changing table. My favorite animals? Ponies and puppies. One of the many wonderful things about being a parent of a not-yet-talking child is that you get to make all of your favorite things be your baby's favorite things too. So far, so good. Finley loves her ponies and puppies paintings. No word yet on dance movies, flip flops, and vodka tonics.


Listen up! I can not take credit for anything about these paintings other than the fact that I am a decent forger. After spending weeks on the Avalisa website, drooling over the crisp, colorful, funky animal prints and lamenting the fact that I could not afford them, I finally studied a couple of the designs closely and then painted my own. You should not do this. You should buy from Avalisa. Seriously. Get over there now. (Then come back.)

I bought the lovely custom family tree print above from the talented Karen Yi's Almost Sunday Etsy shop. It's a steal at $38. Since my busted camera can't do the print justice, check out the sample print from her shop below. Super pretty, right?

The final piece of art in the room is the fab Finley ABC print from Jennifer Ramos of MadeByGirl.com. I majorly heart it.


This is where it lives:


Tomorrow? All the miscellaneous details! Pillow, rugs, and tables...oh my!