“During the holiday season we tend, as a whole, to consume more. And, in doing so we create more… waste, that is. The following is a short list of ideas to help you reduce, reuse and recycle this season.

• Purchase living gifts such as house plants, garden seeds or potted trees that can be transplanted in the spring.
• Reduce waste by offering homemade food items or personal services as gifts. Baking cookies or preparing a meal a week for someone who would appreciate the help are two examples.
• Reuse holiday wrapping: use old maps or pages from newspaper comics for wrapping gifts.
• Reuse good quality, nearly new items as gifts or as donations to less fortunate individuals and families. Local charities can help distribute these items.
• If your celebration calls for a Christmas tree, compensate for the harvest of your tree; arrange to plant a new tree in your yard or neighborhood next spring.
• Give gifts that promote eco friendly life style changes. For example: cloth napkins and tablecloths, cloth or string shopping bags, a compost bin, gift certificates to resale shops, lunch boxes, reusable or biodegradable picnic plates, cups and utensils, recycling bins, or any gift made from recycled materials.

To preserve the spirit of giving, don’t try to give too much. Less “stuff” means less waste and a healthier environment for everyone.”

Article courtesy of San Diego’s organic and vegetarian Ocean Beach People’s Co-op.

We, Mables.com, pledge that we shall abstain from the purchase of “new” manufactured items of clothing, for the period of 4 months. We pledge that we shall refashion, renovate, recycle preloved items for ourselves with our own hands in fabric, yarn or other medium for the term of my contract. We pledge that we will share the love and post a photo of our refashioned, renovated, recycled, crafted or created item of clothing on the Wardrobe Refashion blog, so that others may share the joy that thy thriftyness brings! Signed Lauren & Sean

So from July 1st – October 1st we’ll be sharing our adventures with creating, living in, and loving our “preloved” wardrobes. Honestly, being huge fans of vintage and reconstructed clothing, this won’t be a big stretch from what we’re already doing. We like the idea of making a commitment to it though, and sharing our journey with others. We look forward to trying out new refashioning techniques, scouring vintage clothing stores on eBay and better connecting with the sources of our clothes.

Are you interested in taking the Wardrobe Refashion pledge with us? You can sign up for 2, 4, or 6 month period and rest assured you will be in great company. This is the 3rd year and participation gets bigger each time. There are currently over 400 members in the Flickr pool! Whether or not you’ll be joining us in this DIY fashion adventure, what do you think of the idea? Could you avoid buying new clothes for a few months?

At the top of the list are cupcakes, which are a subject close to my heart. My newest love in the cupcake realm is silicone bakeware: I cannot praise it enough. My favorite part is obviously the non-stick capabilities, and growing assortment of shapes. I also love the fact that it’s lightweight, easy to wash, and won’t break like glass bakeware. Here’s an extra cute *PINK* silicone mini muffin pan from Tar-jay.

For those of you with multiple batches to bake, take a look at this *RED* 24 cup silicone muffin pan with sled (available at Target, too).
Or if you’d really rather bake a whole cake, here’s a large heart shaped silicone pan (also available from Target).

I also found these heart shaped pancake molds from Lillian Vernon, and heart shaped waffle iron from Hearth Song. Why is it that food instantly seems more appealing when it’s heart shaped? I’ll never know. I like the idea of serving your loved ones “I <3 U" pancakes, for breakfast in bed. But these are great for anytime or year, and all ages. After all, in this world or drive-thrus and take-out, people always enjoy lovingly prepared home-made goodies.

Presentation is everything, so after you’ve made your yummy cupcakes, you’ve gotta serve em’ up right! Treat all your Valentines to hand painted sugar-sweet place settings to go with their dessert. Each set is comprised of a heart shaped plate and mug, with an over all “candy heart” theme. They even have matching embroidered placemats.

So if you’re fretting over what your Valentine’s Day plans will be, try something different! Stock up on supplies and plan a sweets-sampling get together for all the loved ones in your life.

COUPON: At Lillian Vernon, get 10% off orders $75+ (enter Media/Promotional Code 066850100 in your shopping cart) or 15% off orders $100+ (use code 076850100).

Increasing your intake of organic fruits and veggies with vegetarian, vegan, or raw meals is a great way to start. You don’t have to be a full-time vegetarian to reap the benefits either. Reducing the amount of pre-packaged foods and animal products that you eat is far easier on the earth and your body. The only question left then is, will I enjoy the taste? You better believe it! In a hands-on cooking class designed for beginners and budding chefs alike, you’ll learn to make delicious plant-based meals that will impress and satiate everyone. After the courses you will understand the basics of creating fast, healthy, yummy recipes, allowing you to align your diet with your green ideals. An excellent gift for yourself or anyone who wants to eat better and feel better.

Raw Cuisine (L.A. or Miami) $270-370
Vegetarian Cooking (L.A.or O.C.) $305