Buying Fair Trade, recycled goods is so easy nowadays. Consumers are starting to demand it, and artisans are happily complying. These colorful recycled pillows from Uncommon Goods are an excellent example. Handmade from recycled plastic soda bottle labels by South African artisans, these recycled art pieces have an amazing, soft texture and will liven up any room. When guests in your home inquire about the fun feel of the pillows, how fun will it be to answer, “Oh, those come from recycled soda labels, and were handmade in South Africa!”? Answer: probably very fun.

$45-75

Posted by Alison in Green Living, Household
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Friendships seemed so much easier to maintain when we were kids. When we grow up things like college, careers, chores, and kids of our own often take precedence over our personal relationships. But even adults need close friends! Step back in time and revive the caring tradition of giving “best friend jewelry” to your closest mates. The My Friend… Sterling Silver Cuff Bracelet bears the meaningful inscription “You are the Sister I Wish I Had”, making it the perfect sentiment for your BFF. Each cuff is handcrafted and signed by the artist, so it’s as unique as your dear friend.

For something more lighthearted, Cherry Dot’s sweet handmade set of 2 PB & J Friendship Necklaces are perfect. You’ve probably already told your best buddy that she’s the peanut butter to your jelly (or the cherry to your sundae, the ketchup to your fries, etc.), but now you can wear a daily reminder of how lucky you both are to have each other in your lives.

$79.99 & $22.99

Posted by Lauren in Clothing and Accessories, Indie
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Everyone loves a good martini, even dogs! How better to help your dog unwind from a “ruff” day like ice cold water in her very own martini dog bowl? Wrapables has a quirky take on the tired old stainless steel dog bowl, and it pays attention to the details. This designer dog bowl set comes with ceramic martini-themed elevated dog bowl, matching placemat, and olive dog squeaky toy. It’s all in a nifty gift box too, which makes a great gift for a dog owner/parent, or even bartender, in your life. Since no dog is happy without a few treats, there’s also a matching Cocktail Shaker dog treat jar for truly a swanky set.

$34.95

Posted by Alison in Pets
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Imagine going back to your childhood. How vividly do you remember your bedroom? Was it unimaginative or boring, or did you have the perfect room? Would you have been the happiest kid alive if you had your own fantasy bed? I’m not sure if this type of custom dream furniture was even available when I was a kid, but nowadays some very lucky kids can have their own dream beds.

Posh Tots has an awe inspiring collection of fantasy furniture available in many different themes: each one a unique work of art. One of the grandest beds they offer is the Fantasy Coach bed. Themed like Cinderella’s pumpkin coach, this bed is as magic as the real thing. This princess carriage bed is handcrafted in England, and is sure to make all your little girl’s dreams come true. For those of you with little pirates in training, you’ll love the ornately decorated Shiver Me Timbers bed and bedding. If your little swashbuckler dreams of sailing the deep blue sea, and wants to be the captain of his own pirate ship, then this is the bed for him! Another amazing bed is the Gingerbread Cottage. A Posh Tots exclusive, this charming cottage is sure to make your little girl feel just like Goldilocks. It’s a 2 story cottage with room for a twin size mattress, and an entire upper floor for imaginative play.

These beds are exquisite, but being a splurge item, they are not for everyone. If you have the budget for a fantasy bed, Posh Tots is the place to order from, otherwise you can try your hand at making your own!

$1,000-$49,000

COUPONS: Save 10% on orders $200-$999 with code LOVE10
Save 15% on orders over $1000 with code LOVE15
Coupons good until 2/28/07

Posted by Alison in Kids, Splurge
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During a late night perusal of some design blogs, I recently came across New York based dVider. As their name would suggest, their flagship product is a modular room divider. Highly customizable in size and optional printed design, these partitions are adjustable vertically and horizontally, and provide a clean look to open spaces.

Unsurprisingly though, what really caught my eye was their accompanying line of movable wall stickers that can be applied to either the room dividers or any smooth, flat surface, such as a wall. Where other manufacturers have focused their efforts into a niche set of designs, dVider has a wide assortment of art to adorn your walls. There are styles for kids, an “edgy” category, animals and insects, and my favorite, nature stickers. Looking at the organic forms found in the “nature” and “shapes” categories is reminiscent of flipping through a graphic design magazine or walking through an expensive boutique; applied in your room though, you’ll get the look without the pretense.

Each design comes in 12 vibrant colors, and combined with their extensive design choices, that gives you a lot of creative options. To further sweeten the deal, dVider’s prices are a bit more affordable than the better known brands, starting at just $19. Be sure to check out their gallery for inspiration, then put together a set of stickers that are perfect for your walls.

$19 and up

Related: Wall Candy Arts & Critter Walls

Posted by Lauren in Household, So Pretty
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When a simple hand gesture just isn’t enough, use an emoticon to tell them exactly how you feel. The driving LED emoticon suction cups to your rear window and is controlled via the included wireless remote. This handy little gadget has 5 different messages: smiling face, frowning face, “Thanks”, “Back Off” and “Idiot”. Just be careful which button you press when the fuzz is behind you. Watch this YouTube video to see it in action.
$29.99

I’ve always wanted something that could express my true feelings or send a message out to others while driving, but I always envisioned some scrolling text. Another option in road-based communications is the scrolling LED license plate frame. Most geeks prefer blue LEDs because of their elite status, and this license plate frame not only has all blue LEDs, but is made of rust proof aluminum alloy for that extra bling. Programmable with up to 120 characters per message it can hold 5 messages and is controlled via included remote control.

39.99

This is only the beginning since it looks like Volkswagon’s Electronics Research Laboratory has designed a programmable electronic bumper sticker that can be used to communicate in real time with an unlimited amount of messages. [via] – Link

Posted by Sean in Gadgets, Nerd
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Most people aren’t aware of how germ infested everyday household usually items are, even in well looked after homes. Kitchen sponges, door handles, toothbrushes… they all fall into the category of things people don’t clean very often. I think some people misunderstand disinfecting, and wrongfully assume that rinsing long enough will rid their toothbrush of any germs. Your mouth, no matter how much you brush, is bacterium’s playground. In order to truly have a clean mouth, and a cootie-free toothbrush, you need a sanitizer. Brookstone offers a great solution: their germicidal UV light toothbrush sanitizer which kills %99.9 of bacteria, viruses and anything else mucking up your toothbrush. It holds up to 4 of your family’s brushes, even the electric ones. It works with just a touch of a button, has an automatic shut-off feature, and performs it’s job in just 10 minutes! There’s also a travel version for keeping clean on the go.

$29.95 & $50.00

Posted by Alison in Gadgets, Household
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Welcome to the most comfortable sitting experience you’ll probably ever feel. This portable gel seat from Hammacher & Schlemmer is designed with maximum comfort in mind. You’d be surprised how many times a day you might be able to use this: waiting at the bus stop, sitting on a park bench, behind your desk, in the bleachers during a sporting event, or anywhere that has less than comfortable seating options. The pliable gel interior disperses weight evenly across the cushion, relieving painful pressure when sitting. The center groove even gently slopes for tailbone comfort- which helps to eliminate back pain- and the entire design is just slightly sloped to encourage correct posture. Good things do come in small packages; at a wee 2.5 pounds, the gel seat is compact (folds right in half) and portable (comes with a handle).

$59.95

Posted by Alison in Just For You, Outdoors
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How’s this for irony: I’m not a parent, but I’m a sucker for baby clothes. Having a little sister has it’s perks, one of which is shopping for the cutest kind of kids clothes…springtime ones! I’m a big fan of screen print t-shirts, which is why I was drawn to these quirky, glittery tees. Being a big fan of food/dessert related fashion, it was an obvious choice. I love this Morning Swim breakfast cereal themed top from the Children’s Place. (Sorry, sold out!) It’s made from cotton jersey fabric with tagless design for itch-free playtime.

For more sweet themed kid’s clothing, check out this cupcake appliqued birthday girl outfit from liliputiansNYC. It’s handcrafted and oh-so-custom, just for your birthday girl. There are also a ton of other adorable kids items in the liliputiansNYC online boutique featuring “bright colors, retro prints, polka dots and stripes in the finest fabrics”.

$39.99

Posted by Alison in Clothing and Accessories, Kids
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A familiar theme here at Mable’s is functional things in attractive packages. I’m bored of household items in greys and whites, and I’m pleased to see that the creators of Hot Heads Oven Mitts feel the same. Who says kitchen safety has to be boring? These silicone oven mitts are heat resistant up to 446 degrees, and are flexible, strong, and lightweight. Now you can shield your hands from steaming temps while bringing a smile to your face. Much more durable and heat resistant than traditional woven oven mitts, these silicone mitts are, in the words of Howard Hughes, the way of the future! These would also make great hand puppets for the kiddos, so don’t be surprised if you get requests to borrow these for playtime. Choose from orange doggy or green froggy.

$9.99

Posted by Alison in Household
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