Green Living

13 Perfect Etsy Gifts from My Own Wishlist

published on November 25, 2022 by Angela Hamilton

Few things on the internet bring me joy like my Etsy favorites list does. Etsy is kind of like Pinterest for me, a place for endless inspiration. I save all my gift ideas for loved ones there, and of course, I always have a wishlist going, featuring everything from home goods to clothing and so much more. It’s my happy place. (Sponsor us, please!) I think all of these products and the designers behind them are so special and make such good Etsy gifts that I wanted to dedicate a post to them today!

etsy gift ideas from my own wishlist

The old rose corduroy culottes by OffOn are absolutely on the top of my list.

For more of a statement, I love this crochet granny square sweater by AlisdaKnit.

We’ve been getting really into stained glass lately! This stained glass suncatcher by PafinDesignPL is perfect for a shelf or desk.

I always buy my wallets off Etsy. This handmade card holder by

I’ve had my eye on this self care journal by BlushAndGoldInvites for some time. Perhaps for the New Year?

If I didn’t already have too many throw pillows, I’d snag these round velvet cushions (and just about everything else!) from PoppyandHonesty.

I have so much lighting saved from Etsy, even though I can never decide on one to actually buy. I do love this trio of hand blown glass pendant lights by

I was a little late on the quilt coat game, but now I’m into this handmade patchwork oversize jacket with bow tie front by

I actually own (and love) this bag from AlexBender, who makes accessories with leftover leather from Italian tanneries. I think anything in this shop would make a gorgeous gift, but I especially love this flat mint leather bag.

This rainbow hand loomed blanket by MagicHomes would brighten any cozy space!

Do you like the detachable collar trend? I think it’s a fun way to dress up crewnecks. This embroidered statement detachable collar by noemiah has beautiful detail.

I jumped right on this 90s trend the moment it came back around, so it’s no surprise to see the patchwork silk naturally dyed scrunchie by MarramDesigns on my list.

Lastly, like I said, OffOn is one of my favorite shops. Another coveted piece is this mustard cord suit.

See more products I’ve hand-picked from Etsy and other small business favorites in our boutique!

Carbon Footprint 101

published on November 22, 2022 by Mindy Chung

I feel like sometimes—in all the hullabaloo about living sustainably, going green, and just being more eco-friendly—we forget that not everyone automatically knows everything about green living. More often than not, articles on being green offer suggestions and tips assuming that the reader has a baseline understanding about what it all means.

But what about the novice eco-warrior? How are they supposed to start their journey to being more mindful? Looking up essential terms like “sustainability” means a bunch of academic journals pop up; and no one likes spending hours trying to understand one article, let alone a whole virtual book of them.

Knowledge should be inclusive and transparent—and that’s why I’ll be taking us back to the basics today with something we’ve all heard of, but maybe don’t yet fully understand: the carbon footprint.

Carbon Footprint 101

What is a carbon footprint?

Your carbon footprint isn’t a literal thing; it doesn’t mean you’re taking a physical step that somehow creates carbon dioxide. Instead, your carbon footprint is this concept that every choice you make creates greenhouse gases, and that those gases in turn affect our planet.

Choices like the kind of produce you buy, car you drive, and where you get your clothing from, all create some level of greenhouse gases. For example, we know that gasoline comes from fossil fuels, and burning fossil fuels creates exhaust which contributes to the depletion of our ozone layer.

Why does that matter?

Think of the ozone layer like plastic wrap around the Earth; protecting us from the sun’s UV rays. The same way that guacamole turns brown if you don’t seal it in an airtight container, the ozone layer keeps us from turning brown (i.e. the bad kind of roasty-toasty) from too much exposure to the sun.

Now, as the human population has continued to grow, more and more people are making choices that create greenhouse gases. While it may not seem like a huge deal if one person drives a gas vehicle, when it’s people in the billions, that amount of pollution adds up!

This is where our carbon footprint comes into play.

The carbon footprint of the average US citizen is about 16 TONS. That’s four times more than almost anyone else on the planet. And while there’s a bunch of factors that contribute to this number, a lot of it comes down to our culture of consumption.

Creating positive change

When you look up tips for reducing your carbon footprint it’s always advice like “walk to work,” or “eat less meat.” And while that’s good advice, it’s hard to make the “right” choice sometimes. Fresh fruits and vegetables cost more than junk food. Meat is a more accessible source of protein than seitan or chickpeas.

We make choices that are convenient because choosing sustainability isn’t always an accessible option.

The size of our carbon footprint is not entirely our fault, and I think that’s an important distinction to make. While we can try to live greener, it’s crucial not to get caught up in guilting yourself for not “doing enough.” Educating ourselves is the first step to reducing our carbon footprint, and so long as you understand how you’re affecting your environment, you’re bringing change through awareness.

And let’s be real, sometimes it’s easier for us to create positive changes that balance out our consumption rather than cutting back entirely. For those who have to commute to work, planting a tree, making the most of your food scraps, or donating to a charity may be a more realistic option to reduce your impact on the environment. Small acts do add up.

Remember, there is no “wrong” way to approach sustainability. Keep educating yourself, aim for small, sustainable changes over grand gestures, and you’ll be making more progress than you ever thought possible.

Not sure where to start? Here are some articles to help you find eco friendly habits that work for you!

How to Quit Palm Oil
Your Guide to Vegan Leather That’s Actually Sustainable
6 Sustainable Apps to Help You Become a More Conscious Consumer
A Beginner’s Guide to Shopping More Sustainably

Photo by cottonbro studio from Pexels

Sustainable Holiday Cards

published on November 18, 2022 by Angela Hamilton

I love stationery no matter the occasion and often send cards to friends throughout the year, but there’s something special about sending a note during the holidays! And I’m definitely not one to buy a boxed set of 200 cards and send the same thing out to everyone I know (as if I know 200 people, haha). I love picking out a specific card for each person on my list… I’d say it’s because my first job was Hallmark, but the obsession began long before age 16. Anyway, to me, greeting cards can be an affordable way to support small design houses and independent artists and gift something that is just as display-worthy as art, but more accessible. Here are all the best sustainable holiday cards I’ve seen so far this year, by so many artists I admire.

17 sustainable holiday cards from our favorite artists

left to right, top to bottom: sister paper co merry and bright candles card / carolyn suzuki goods winter crew greeting card / modern peace & love holiday card / sending all the love christmas card / cozy + bright card from people i’ve loved / dear santa fundamental rights card / cozy holiday plantable card by plantedroot / blush season’s greetings card / naomi wilkinson merry christmas / klingercreative mushroom new years card / sister paper co driving home christmas card / merry christmas table setting card / holiday plant shelf card / carolyn suzuki goods season’s greetings card / plantedroot plantable cozy fireplace card / moglea holiday confetti / meowy christmas card by missive

Whether it’s mailing holiday cards or topping gifts with them, this is my favorite easy way to spread holiday cheer. If I’m giving it with a gift, I’ll often ditch the envelope (and save it to use later when I need one) or simply not write on it so that the recipient can reuse it. (Just another strange quirk my friends have come to expect from me, which complements my obsession with saving and reusing tissue paper.) Let us know which designs are your faves, and be sure to follow the artists you discover and love!

Cute Handmade Felt Ornaments

published on November 18, 2022 by Angela Hamilton

I love DIY. Around this time each year, you can find me crafting Christmas ornaments, festive garlands, or cute gift toppers to embellish my gift wrap. But by now I know my limits when it comes to crafting. There are some things I just don’t have the skill (or patience to acquire the skill) for. And I learned long ago that working with felt was one of them, despite my love of it. So these cute handmade felt ornaments, all by different artists mostly on Etsy, are on the top of my list should I find space on my tree this year.

I came across these felt bird ornaments by Savana Lawler Textiles when searching for something else, which kicked off too much time spent searching for felt pretties!

The same designer also sells sparkly roller skate ornaments and these cute hand embroidered name baubles.

Pretty pink felt and needlework bulb ornament by Nviri Armenian Gifts

Sweetest Dala horse by bake apple designs

Orange felt ornaments by Citrus & Poppy which also make great party favors or a sweet garland. They also have lemons, limes, and peaches.

Felted wool woodland mushrooms by Mandys Favorite Things

Love the simplicity of these neutral felt embroidered star ornaments by Sweet Bow with Love

These brown and aqua felt mushrooms by Pills Against Boredom are too cute.

Custom felt initial ornaments with embroidered embellishments by Shop Elysian Fields

Hand embroidered hearts by Mexican Beauty Shop for the colorful Christmas tree

These intricately embroidered initial ornaments by Nelly Makes Embroidery might be the most beautiful ones I’ve seen! This shop also sells the loveliest mini embroidery hoop fits for the DIYers out there.

Frockdolly also offers embroidered felt ornaments in traditional bulb shapes. Stunning!

Love the sequins adorning these layered felt Christmas trees by Silk Road Bazaar Shop. BTW if you’re looking for quirkier or more novelty ornaments, definitely peruse this shop for more designs.

More mushrooms? Why not? These felted mushrooms from farmhouse pottery come in really pretty colors.

If you’re looking for something to jazz up a holiday gift, by the way, I definitely recommend tucking one of these pretties into the ribbon of your box! It’s so fun to offer a little gift before the gift.

Artisan Home Decor for the Conscious Maximalist

published on November 16, 2022 by Angela Hamilton

It’s been a minute since we shared a moodboard for the conscious maximalist, so in honor of cozy season we’ve got one featuring our favorite artisan home decor in natural and warm hues. Perfect for fall, but work just as lovely in any other season, so you know you’ll keep it on display for a long time.

Like much of the internet, I’ve become obsessed with the pairing of lush, sagey greens and oranges, corals, and pinks. It’s a bit deeper than I usually go in my own decorating, but I find myself gravitating to it more and more, so I think it’s beyond a trend for me at this point!

My primary muse for this collection is that WIP (Work in Progress) LA Rug and how it marries warm color with green and blush. The rug is made in Bhadohi, India using mid-weight, flat-weave cotton. It also comes in a runner style which I’ve been dreaming about for my tiny kitchen!

Find more artisan home decor brands in our sustainable directory.

Introducing wallflower, a Boutique for Curated Gifts, Decor & Objects That Inspire

published on November 10, 2022 by Angela Hamilton

Hello friends! We have a big announcement for you today! Introducing our very own shop, from the founders and editors of eco club and our design studio, wallflower. We launched this fall and have been since been hard at work on our holiday collection, so I haven’t gotten around to making the *official* introduction here on the blog. So, it’s long overdue, but today we’re sharing photos from our first shoot, featuring so many of our favorite products. I’ll explain a bit more about this new endeavor and the products we’re sharing below!

Blockprint napkins

wallflower is a shop, blog, and creative studio celebrating makers + spaces + objects that inspire. Jenn and I met almost ten years ago as lifestyle bloggers with a love of crafting and collaborating with other makers. Fun fact, we both independently sold vintage finds and crochet accessories on Etsy back in college, before we knew each other. Eventually, we both became freelancers in our own fields and started collaborating on a project called The Blog Market. Later, we moved on to work together on eco club (and a bunch of other projects). We launched our studio in 2019, offering creative services for thoughtful brands and people, and finally, incorporated our ecommerce brand in fall 2022. Phew!

Porcelain plates

Pastel coasters (a personal fave!!)

Espresso cup and saucer set and cat charcuterie board

We think of wallflower as the ultimate moodboard for us — and for you! As longtime bloggers and Pinterest-obsessed curators, we believe in surrounding ourselves with beauty and creativity. Of course, we also believe in caring for people and the planet, and in the power of small business and handmade, so our shop is really a celebration of artists around the world and the creativity we all have within.

Art prints from artists around the world

Striped table runner

Pink taper candle holders

For our launch shoot, we collaborated, of course, with Charity, who helped us show off some of our favorite pieces in a small space setting.

Woven colorblock coasters

Pastel woven vessel, another favorite of mine

Design books

Woven planter basket

We collaborated with a lot of different makers to bring wallflower together. As we grow, we plan to share lots more about these designers and why we love them (and why you should too). But for now, you might recognize Kazi, a fair trade home decor brand we’ve talked about here on eco lots of times. We selected some of their most vibrant pieces for our first collection.

Blush plate

Linen scallop napkins

We also worked with a small business in India to make custom sets of the napkins shown throughout, which features a cotton block print technique and these solid linen scalloped napkins. It was soooo fun to curate custom sets! They’re all handmade and the detail is incredible.

Floral ceramic cat ring dish and striped ceramic cat ring dish with yellow and lavender earrings

This collection of ceramic cats, which features ring dishes, earrings, and pins, is a collaboration between us and Romanian ceramicist and illustrator Livia Coloji of Gruni Ceramica. You can’t find these anywhere else, they are based on Livia’s original designs and updated with wallflower’s branding (and love of florals) in mind. I think this was my favorite product to receive in the mail and finally see in-person after all our communication online. They’re just so beautiful and will make such special gifts.

Acetate hair accessories

A few greeting cards from our massive stationery collection

We also have a lifestyle collection and a self care line. We currently offer over 200 products by about 40 vendors from the US and all around the world. And we have so much more we want to share! But I’ll leave it at this intro for now, and follow up with more of our favorites soon. If you’re interested, please head to shop.studio-wallflower.com to see all of the above and more! Thanks for checking out our small shop and following along!