Example #7,260 of how awesome the Internet is: it allows artists from around the world to get paid for turning their unique designs into t-shirts. The best thing is that, for the most part, it is the community (aka the actual consumers) who get to choose the designs they’d actually buy and wear. Here are some of our favorite artist-fueled and community driven t-shirt sites;

Threadless is definitely the most popular community driven t-shirt site out there with a lot of active users. Basically an artist submits their design and the community votes on which designs should be printed, then Threadless prints the winners. The designers get paid a nice sum of cash, too. Threadless offers adult shirts, kid shirts, and even hoodies.

$15 - $40 but watch for their occasional $10 shirt sales.

UneeTee FREE SHIPPING UNTIL 9/30 The word “unee” is a play on the prefix “uni”, which means “one” so Uneetee really means “One Tee”. Clever, eh? The way it works is that an artist submits a design, and it gets voted on by site users. The design with the most votes is featured for a day. Looking for a super deal? Every Saturday and Sunday they randomly select a One Day Tee that has been printed in the past and resell it for one last chance at a very low price.

$15 - $18

Ten Bills says “We sell exclusive designed t-shirts for $10 always. We feature artists from around the world so our t-shirts have our own unique flair.” Exclusive and stylish, their designs do draw the eye, which is why I like them. Although the catalog isn’t huge, Ten Bills is definitely a site to watch.
$10

Posted by Sean in Indie, Clothing and Accessories
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I’m really in awe of these picture frames made by Rebekah. Big, wide frames can give fantastic contrast to your favorite pictures or art; if they’re also covered in imagery or words, frames can actually be just as expressive as what they’re framing. They become part of the art. She uses a variety of ephemera to decorate with, such as children’s books, street maps and art/design magazines. Each one is handmade and totally one of a kind.

But what’s especially noteworthy about these frames is that they’re made with 100% recycled materials. If you’ve ever tried your hand at repurposing an item, you know it can take some ingenuity to avoid using new materials. Rebekah has done a commendable job and made a bit of home decor that’s not just stylish, but totally green. Under the pretty reused paper and behind the frame is cardboard that is embarking on it’s second use. Now that’s a commitment to being eco-friendly!

Since good picture frames are like the Type O blood of gift giving (they’re good for all occasions), scoop up a couple from Rebekah’s Etsy store, or contact her to get a custom frame.

COUPON: Get 10% off your order. Enter coupon MABLE in the “notes to seller” section during checkout.

Posted by Lauren in Indie, Green Living
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Our Shopping Blog is a little different than the norm: we generally promote unique, green, and indie products rather than the big box retailers or “what’s hot”. The concept of celebrity just makes me giggle, but I sort of did a double take when I stumbled upon Emitations. Their niche is replica jewelry (faux pearls, cubic zirconia, fake gems and the like), but they have a focus on imitation celebrity jewelry. They say you can “steal their style for less” and buy “celebrity bling without the sting“. (OK, I can’t even type that without giggling again.)

Anyway, I sort of like the concept not because it allows us to mimic famous people, but because it brings really glamorous jewelry at a price that is actually affordable. Celebrities are often loaned stunning pieces of jewelry to wear at events that cost insane amounts of money. Even the celebrity wearing the jewelry doesn’t purchase them! But once someone creates a knockoff version, it allows us to wear red carpet style accessories anywhere we want. Myself, I like to go subtle or totally over the top for everyday style. If I’m not wearing an understated necklace, then it’s a 3 carat CZ ring for me. (Questionable yes, but that’s my style!) Costume jewelry can be quite gaudy sometimes, and there are some really fug pieces at Emitations, but a single classy piece of replica jewelry can do wonders for any outfit.

Emitations COUPONS:
$10 off all orders of $100+ with code AFAS10
$6 off all orders of $60+ with code AFAS6
8% off all orders of $40+ with code AFAS8
Free Shipping for all order $75+, no coupon necessary

Coupons expire September 30th, 2007

Posted by Lauren in Sale, Clothing and Accessories
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I honestly don’t have a Roomba in my life yet because every time I’ve looked into them I’ve read the downsides that users had. Like many reluctant would-be Roomba owners, Lauren and I have said “we’ll wait for a new model that isn’t as problematic”. It looks like the Roomba 500 Series is here to squash those issues with it’s new improved features and technology. New Roomba, here I come!

With the new Roomba 500 series you get:

• Improved navigation and floor coverage
• Improved edge and corner cleaning
• Improved brushes and filters
• Improved anti-tangle technology
• Schedule up to seven cleaning times
• Automatically returns to the self-charging Home Base
• Most efficient room-to-room cleaning

In addition to all that they say it’s even easier to use and maintain due to it’s audio voice alerts and larger bag-less dust bin. That means this robot vacuum not only automatically cleans your floors everyday, but also speaks to you when it needs help or maintenance. The higher end model comes with a remote control so you can actually chase your cats around the house without leaving the couch. Or maybe it’s so your teenager will be more enticed to vacuum?

Overall these new versions look more stylish, less bulky, and obviously have better capabilities. You can try out the Roomba in confidence since iRobot has an exceptional 30-day money back guarantee. To see previous versions and eBay auctions for the best deal on Roombas check out our Roomba Vacuum page.

$299-$399

Posted by Sean in Household, Gadgets
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Halloween is less than 60 days away and you know you always wait until the last minute to buy your costume. Why stress yourself this year? Do yourself a favor and start browsing the new costumes for the year over at Mable’s Halloween Costumes section. We recently re-designed it and made it easier to find the costume you’re looking for or get ideas for what you want. Check out the hundreds of new costumes; for men, women, kids, and even pets.

Halloween had always held a special place in our hearts, even when it’s the middle of Spring, which is why we created 365 Halloween just over a year ago. To get you into the spooky spirit we invite you to take a look at our Halloween recipes, creative costume ideas, and haunted homemade decor. We encourage those DIY spirited folks to submit their Halloween flavored crafts and creations to 365 Halloween so others who believe Halloween should be more than one day can get their fill throughout the year.

Good things come to those who plan ahead, which is why we’d like to spread the word about how to get 10% off and free shipping from BuyCostumes. Get 10% any order of $20 or more by using the coupon code bat91. Get your order total to $40 or more and they will even throw in free shipping*. Of course this wont last forever so be sure to order by the end of day on Sunday Sept. 9th, 2007.

Posted by Sean in Sale, Halloween, Fun
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Just in time for those last minute buys for back to school eBags is offering 20% off their awesome collections of backpacks, totes, duffel bags, and more. To make a sweet deal even better they are offering free shipping on orders $50 or more. So pick out your new bag, and enjoy the rest of this beautiful holiday weekend. Sale valid from 09/02 to 09/03.

We here at Mable’s have extensive experience with the Ogio brand backpacks. Our Ogio backpacks have proven worthy in everything from backing trips through New Zealand, to everyday mobility on our scooters. They’ve also protected our laptops very well throughout the years.

Why eBags? They have excellent prices, with a 110% price guarantee. Free return shipping, millions of helpful customer reviews and ratings to help you choose the perfect bag for you. They won website of the year, again, in 2006, and they have excellent customer service. Plus they have unique browsing options like the laptop bag finder, and what type of backpack you’re looking for.

Posted by Sean in Sale, Clothing and Accessories
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