If you’re looking for a special gift for your bridesmaids, these monogram necklaces should definitely go on your short list. Granted if you’re having a mammoth sized wedding party it might not be in the budget, but it’s a great option if you’d like to spoil a couple of your dear friends with a bit of eco-friendly bling.  The necklace is hand crafted using recycled sterling silver and includes the monogram and birthstone of your choice (maybe the birthstone of your wedding month?).  Check out One Loom Studio’s Etsy shop for all the details.

Yesterday was a sad day for the music world. Paste Magazine, one of the last great print magazines covering music, film and culture, officially announced it was ceasing production of it’s print publication. I can’t remember when I first discovered Paste, and it’s wonderfully curated sample CDs, but I was a fan immediately and have been a faithful subscriber for a few years now. I have discovered countless new-at-the-time and now favorite artists via Paste and credit it with expanding my musical horizons beyond top 40 radio. Thankfully Paste will continue to live on (for now?) in it’s digital form on their website.  I would love to hear who your favorite artist is that you’ve discovered thanks to Paste and if you’re not a Paste reader where do you go for discovering new music and artists?  Three cheers to a great magazine and a good effort to stay a float in tough times

I love, love this modern and minimal centerpiece from EcoLectic Events that would be a super star centerpiece for a Fall wedding.  Add a few hanging tea lights for an evening occasion, or tie your escort cards to it for a unique seating display.  And, voila!  Eco-friendly doesn’t get easier than that, friends!

“Kimberly” available in the Paper Mango Etsy store and printed on post-consumer recycled paper.

I’m super excited to be kicking off a new Paper Mango 411 mini-series today! I’m always fascinated to know the “why” behind the “what” and some of my favorite indie bloggers and businesses that do this so well have inspired me to do the same for Paper Mango. You already know the name behind the business and the face behind the name {check the upper right corner of this page if not} and now I’d like to share a bit of the intent behind it all and why I absolutely LOVE what I get to do every day here as Paper Mango.

So, why eco-friendly?

Way back in the day when Paper Mango was a nameless dream in my head, I knew that if I ever had the chance to make it a reality, that a huge goal would be to make my products “green”.  (Which I quickly learned is no way to describe something in an industry where color is essential.  Because it gets quite confusing when you’re selling “yellow & grey” invitations that are “green”.)

Semantics aside, we hear so much about environmental issues and what we all HAVE to do in order to save the world that, if you’re anything like me, it’s kind of overwhelming and you end up doing nothing because you would go crazy trying to do everything.  Well, not too long ago I had this massive light-bulb moment (CFL of course) when I realized that in so many areas of my life, doing SOMETHING is always better than doing NOTHING.  It’s always better to do some exercise rather than none, always better to cook at home some nights of the week rather than eat out all the time, and it’s better to make some environmentally conscious changes than to continue on living the same way we always have.

My goal for Paper Mango is to make ECO-FRIENDLY EASY.

If you’re getting married (and not at the JOP) invitations are pretty much one of the essential items you’ll need in planning your event.  And while you may not have room in your budget for that hand made bamboo and hemp wedding dress you’ve been swooning over, you will most likely have room for invitations that are printed using an eco-friendly ink technology on paper that is made of post-consumer recycled materials.  And all of this without looking one bit hippie!  Unless of course you’re having a hippie themed wedding, then that’s something I can absolutely accommodate.  :)

Another (obvious) way I make eco-friendly easy is by recycling all of my paper scraps and (less obviously) by formatting all of my print files to fit the max amount of content on every sheet of paper so I have as little waste as possible.  Easy!

What changes have you made to incorporate a more sustainable way of living into your day to day?  I’d love to hear your ideas and discover new ways of making eco-friendly easy!

I’ve recently been doing some self-diagnosing and doctoring before shelling out the big bucks for some one in a white jacket to confirm my suspicions (expensive health care is one of the few cons of being self-employed).  Part of my diagnosis has included transitioning to a dairy free diet.  I had this notion that it was going to be impossible; one of the hardest changes I would ever have to face.  I mean, I’m a total foodie. What do you do with out cheese and cream?!  And then I was introduced to dairy free chocolate cherry swirl ice cream from Trader Joe’s and I knew everything was going to be ok.  I’ve realized there is a whole delicious world out there that doesn’t require cow’s milk and also happens to be a much more sustainable way of eating.  Here are a few dairy free treats that I’m sure could win over even the hardest of skeptics.  (PS – I’m still not sure what to do about cheese.  I’ve tried a few soy varieties that had the consistency of bike tire rubber.  Any suggestions?)

1. Silver Moon Chocolates – Almond Butter Cups

My favorite food combo re-imagined sans dairy and with a healthier PB alternative.

2. Mrsss Treats – Grandma Ruth’s Pumpkin Bread

I binge eat on all things pumpkin in the fall.  This bread is wheat, gluten, yeast, lactose, dairy and soy free and would be great for people with a variety of food intolerances.

3. kNOw Gluten – Gluten, Soy, Dairy Free Pizza Crust Mix

Well, I’ve got the pizza crust sorted out.  Now seriously, what to do about that cheese! :)

4. Goodness Bake Shop – Cinnamon Rolls

These look absolutely divine and are full of the good stuff and none of the bad.

Holy cow, do I love me some Mumford and Sons. I was a bit late to jump on the band wagon, but my iTunes has basically had “Sigh No More” and “The Suburbs” on repeat for weeks so what I lacked in promptness I think I’ve made up for in repetition.   Hailing from the UK this band has a rich “new folk” sound but I can hear a lot of influences in their music ranging from bluegrass to traditional Irish music to straight up rock.   Just as striking as the music are Mumford and Sons’ lyrics which are sung with refreshing clarity and wrestle with heavy issues of faith, love, failure, and all the space in between.  If I had to pick one track as a favorite (and for sake of brevity I’ll force myself to) it would have to be “Awake My Soul”.  The lyrics are mad deep and when the chorus really gets hoppin’ late in the song, the harmonies and rhythm will awaken your soul no matter how asleep it’s been for how long.  Regardless of your spiritual beliefs, as creative people, we constantly need to awaken our soul and creativity to keep our craft fresh and alive.  A little bit of Mumford and Sons will do just the trick.  Grab “Sigh No More” for only $5 before the end of August on Amazon MP3.

If you’ve ever wished for more options than Target, Bed, Bath, & Beyond and Macy’s for your wedding registry (or shower registry, or birthday present wish list) Wishpot.com is the answer you’ve been waiting for! Wishpot is a free service that let’s it’s users create a registry or wish list by picking your favorite items from your favorite web sites.  This means all of your favorite eco-friendly, hand made, and independent web based businesses are now fair game!  Your Great Aunt Milly might not jump on Wishpot to buy your wedding gift so make sure you still have a brick & mortar or two that people can go to, but for all of your tech savvy peers make sure they know about your Wishpot registry so you have a chance at getting that killer piece of art you’ve been swooning over.  Sign up to use Wishpot on their website and get to registering!

The past couple weekends in our house have been major project weekends.  Nearly two years ago we purchased our first home, a classic “fixer upper” with unending projects (in stark contrast to our bank account).  I spent hours on Saturday and Sunday sanding, painting, and repainting 3 new interior doors for our downstairs living area.  This means we now have three old doors out in the garage that are just begging for some TLC and a new life and function somewhere else in the house.  (I have some big ideas.  We’ll see where that leads!)  Repurposing is not only a budget friendly option but it’s super eco-friendly as well because you’re not consuming new materials, just reusing something that’s already available to you.  This week’s Sustainability is dedicated to all things repurposed. If you’ve been bitten by the DIY bug, I’d love to hear your stories of making old things new again!

1. Half Pint Salvage – Vintage Hook

Old meets new with this vintage piece of moulding hand stamped with a mod lamp design and outfitted with a salvaged butterfly hook.

2. Houndstooth Design – The Original Chalk Boxer

Ralphie is quite possibly the cutest message board around.

3. Emma Klee – Labyrinth Rug

This fabulous geometric pattern rug was completely hand hooked and made using repurposed t-shirts.

4. Star Redesigns – Lightbulb Vase

Bring an old incandescent bulb back to life by filling it with your favorite garden cuttings or live bamboo.

I love looking to other realms of design for wedding inspiration. Fashion, interior design, fine art, architecture; all can be incorporated into your wedding design to add unique and personal touches to your big day.  Enter this fabulous collection of upcycled candle sticks from In My Nest.  These would add a sweet touch to a gift table, guest book table, favor table, head table, or any other special place at your wedding.  The added bonus is that after the party is over, you can take these home and give them a second life as an addition to your home decor.  Visit In My Nest to see all of the upcycled options that would work for your wedding and home!

I know, I know, I know. Everyone is talking about Arcade Fire’s new album The Suburbs.  And I wasn’t ever going to bring it up in a MTCT post because it just seemed too obvious and cliché.  But…I can’t stop listening to this album.  I think I’ve listened to it at least once every day (and usually multiple times a day) since it was released a couple weeks ago.  Every track is solid, I love the fullness of the musical arrangements and the irony of the lyrics winding through out the album.  For a girl that was raised in the suburbs, tried desperately to escape the suburbs by globe trotting, but found herself sucked back into the sprawl, some of these songs feel like snippets of my own story.  The two opening phrases of “Suburban War” pretty much sum it up:

Let’s go for a drive
See the town tonight
There’s nothing to do but I’ll unwind when I’m with you

This town’s so strange
They built it to change
And while we’re sleeping all the streets, they rearrange

Regardless of all the hype (and criticism) surrounding “The Suburbs”, if you’re an Arcade Fire fan, or a music fan, or a recovering/reluctant suburbanite, there is something on this album you’ll enjoy.