$20 or Less to a Great, Green Nursery: Pull One Over On 'Em

One way to sweeten or spice up any nursery decor is so simple, it gets over looked. I'm talking about drawer pulls or nobs on baby's dresser or toy chest. Now before you run to baby's room and start unscrewing those tired and scratched nobs to toss, scan your art supply bin for a few colors of craft paint (non toxic!) and grab sketch pad and pen(cil). Get ready to update your drawer pulls into a custom look just for your little bundle.

Consider spelling baby's name, giving life to your favorite pregnancy doodle or writing baby's first words on individual, updated nobs.

Or search the garage for some thick gauge rope/twine and turn baby's dresser into one fit for the high seas.

And if you want some more inspiration to brighten baby's abode, check out these ADORABLE hand-painted nobs from SweetMixCreations.

Photo courtesy of SweetMixCreations

String Beans for the Long, Lean and Everyone In Between

Leave it to moms to find a solution to anything! Two northwest moms in search of pants that fit their long, lean and growing kiddos launched String Beans Clothing Co. This adorable site features a few styles of pants sure to please young and older shoppers.

What's more is their sustainable approach to clothing. They invented cufflinx(TM) shown here to give their pants or any pair an extra l-o-n-g life. The no-sew solution adds a great looking cuff to any pair of pants. In a couple of dozen print options there's something for every style seeker. It's so green!

Photo courtesy of String Beans Clothing Co.

Green Art in a Rainbow of Colors from Lex Modern

Let your junior activist make a sustainable statement with this rockin' collection of kid and baby-friendly art from an inspiring Arkansas Artist Mom! It's Eco-friendly, Eco-art from Eco-excellent Lex Modern. The wall art and assorted ornaments (all customized!) start at $25 and up. Jazzing up the nursery was never so easy and fun.

And complete the green nursery with baby bamboo bedding from Satsuma Designs!

Photo courtesy of Lex Modern

Hopscotch for Big (and little) Boys and Girls!

A friend tipped me off to this ADORABLE tee shirt collection from Seattle called Hopscotch Tees. The designs are fully customized and the aesthetic superb. I picked one up for my beloved's Christmas morn using our son's name and birth year. Cute. It's a subtle homage to his little one too so he can wear it to play hoops, but not catch flack for wearing a picture of his kid on his belly (I mean 4-pack!).

All tees are soft and natural 100% cotton for babies, toddlers, kiddos, moms, dads, and g'rents.

Go play a round of hopscotch!

Photo courtesy of Hopscotch Tees

NEVER Sleep Train Again!

No more 'cry it out'. Want to know how? I thought so.

Bamboo Velour Crib Sheets, of course!

Satsuma Designs has just launched one our newest products for the eco-luxe enthusiast. We know it's a splurge, but this crib sheet, which fits all standard and deep crib mattresses with and without piddle pads is DURABLE, naturally antibacterial, CRAZY soft, absorbent (possibly a moot benefit now that tears are in the past), and easy to clean.

Sweet dreams!

Late last week I had the good fortune to participate in a panel discussion about sustainable textiles at the ITAA annual conference. The ITAA is the International Textile and Apparel Association. Its membership includes academics, administrators, researchers and other interested parties committed to outreach in textile and fashion eduction and industry.

On the panel I represented Satsuma Designs and small business using sustainable resources in a commercial application, O Ecotextiles was there to share incredible date on green textiles for interiors and the Sustainable Style Foundation (SSF) was in the house too. Rebecca Luke from SSF helped moderate the panel that touched on the entire life cycle of 'green' textiles. I came away really appreciating SSF's mantra that even a little green step, is a step in the right direction.

As they say at SSF "look fabulous, live well, do good". More on SSF to come!