Thanksgiving weekend means lots of sales, as we all know. If you’re like me, you probably want to stay as far away from the mall as possible this weekend, but doing so doesn’t mean that you have to miss out on all the great deals.

This weekend you can celebrate Holiday EtsyFest with about 200 Etsy artists, who will be offering all sorts of different discounts and deals. All you need to do to find participating shops is visit Etsy.com and search using “EtsyFest” or check the Holiday EtsyFest blog between Thursday, November 27 and Monday, December 1 to shop with special discounts only available during those 5 days. Each participating Etsy store will have their own sales & discounts going on, which should be clearly marked in the Shop Announcement at the top of their shops.

We-Care.com offers a program where online shoppers can devote a portion of their purchases to a charity, school or association of their choice.  There are over 700 merchants participating in this program, including Target.com, Amazon.com, Saks Fifth Avenue, Sears, FAO Schwarz, Zappos.com, Nike, The Body Shop and Brookstone.  So if there’s something that you absolutely can’t buy local or handmade this holiday season, this is a great way to make your major retailer purchases count towards something you care about.  You can either log on to We-Care.com, select your favorite cause and then go shop at the merchant’s site through the links at We-Care.com, or there is also a secure browser plug-in that you can download and use when you visit a participating merchant.

If you’re looking for holiday cards, gift tags or invitations, there’s a big sale this weekend at fin + roe and their sister store, shades of violet from Friday, November 28 until Sunday, November 30.  Just use the code blackfriday at either site to receive 20% off your order.  fin + roe offers  up custom designed correspondence, while shades of violet stocks even more holiday cards, gift tags, and greetings.

Kir DeVries is getting in on the Black Friday action by offering 15% off of orders over $75 (use promocode save15) and 20% off of orders over $100 (use code save20).  There are so many great gift ideas here, it would be easy to pick up gifts for just about everyone on your list and easily rack up a $100 total!  These reusable lunch kits designed by Shinzi Katoh would make fab gifts for kids and co-workers alike, or check out the clearance section for more great deals.

Over at Nimli’s green boutique, get 25% off store wide on Monday, December 1 only - just use coupon code CYBERMONDAY08.  Also, starting Friday, November 28 until Sunday, December 7, they will be running an accessories sale with up to 70% off on some items.

Branch is also having a 2 day only “Friends & Family Sale” this weekend, where you can save 20% on just about everything in the store (furniture and items already on sale are excluded).  Just shop their selection of cool sustainable housewares and gifts on Saturday and Sunday, November 29-30 and enter the code branchfriend at checkout.

If you’re in the San Francisco area, drop by Clary Sage Organics with your unwanted coats on Thursday, December 4 from 6-8pm for their Green Giving For All Seasons event.  The donations of coats will benefit the One Warm Coat non-profit group and they’ll also get you a 20% discount on the Clary Sage Yoga Collection.  If you’re not in SF, you can still shop the collection online.

If you know of any great sales on handmade goodies or green gifts this holiday weekend that I missed, leave ‘em in the comments for everyone to check out!

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Geez, there are just so many amazing new shops stocking eco-friendly fashions, handmade gifts and fair trade goods that I’m having trouble keeping up with them all!  It is nice though that this is starting to feel a little more like the norm than a passing trend.

Equita is a Pittsburgh based company with both a webshop and a brick & mortar boutique stocking the best in ethical fashion, organic body care and sustainable home decor.  They are one of only a few American companies currently carrying FIN, a Norwegian brand whose Fall/Winter collection features non-violent silk which is grown in the wild, and handpicked and handspun by artisans.  One of their pieces is this gorgeous zippered dress.  Equita also carries other well-known eco-labels such as Edun, Loomstate and Del Forte.

Camilla Boutique is another eco-friendly shop located in Brooklyn’s Boerum Hill neighborhood. Founded by Camilla Ares after she became disillusioned with the unsustainable practices plaguing much of the fashion industry, Camilla Boutique stocks green clothing and accessories, as well as goods for kids and the home. Camilla also offers an online store, so that that individuals who can’t make it to Brooklyn will still have a chance to buy beautiful eco-friendly clothes.

If you’re shopping for eco-conscious and socially responsible Hanukkah gifts this season, check out the Spertus Shop at the Spertus Institute of Jewish Studies.  They’ve got some really great products, like these wooden crocodile-shaped menorahs, which are handmade and finished with non-toxic milk paint by special needs adults in Israel.

And for those of you up north, be sure to try goodEGG industries and their eclectic mix of gift ideas, all handmade by Canadian artists. This shop was founded in May 2008 by two Toronto-based craft bloggers: Laural of Thimble, and Jen of the Toronto Craft Alert, who I had the pleasure of meeting during Craft Congress 2007. Their shop has a curated selection of fabulous products, such as this awesome moose antler ring.

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Delight.com has this exclusive set of 4 ECOBAGS Reusable Produce Bags for only $15.50.  I’ve been meaning to get or make some bags for carrying produce at the grocery store, and I think these lightweight and sturdy bags would be perfect.  Actually, I think these bags would be a great inexpensive gift idea for friends or family who have expressed an interest in wanting to go green.

Delight.com has lots of really fabulous gift ideas, including many eco-friendly options.  I really like that you can shop the site by price (including items under $15), so it’s great for picking out unique gifts any time of the year.  Plus, a new product is added to the site every single day, so there’s always something new to check out.

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Nimli, an online shop carrying an absolutely huge selection of the biggest names in eco-fashion and design, is running an incredible giveaway on their site, starting today. 

Nimli specializes in clothing, accessories, home décor, beauty products and more from independent designers who blend environmentally conscious and socially responsible ethics with stunningly good design.

Today through November 23rd Nimli will be picking mulitple winners daily, and each day of the week prizes will be awarded from a different category. (Just check out all of the gorgeous eco-fashion that Mondays bring!)  All you have to do to enter is subscribe to their email newsletter here and wait for a call.  Current subscribers will be automatically entered to win.

I think I’ve found a new favorite online shopping destination.  I’ve been eyeing Del Forte denim for awhile, and it’s nice to see a good selection here!

Speaking of giveaways, don’t forget to enter the Shopflick Violet Valen Buddy t-shirt giveaway here on MissMalaprop.  All you have to do is leave a comment on the original post.  You’ve got until this Friday, November 14, 2008.

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Jena from Modish emailed me recently to let me know about her money-saving new project called the Modish Marketplace.  Think of it as a coupon site for all things indie and handmade.  The Modish Marketplace is loaded with deals and discounts ranging from 10-20% off to free shipping to free gifts included with orders for all sorts of cool indie shopping.

There are so many amazing indie designers participating (90 different shops in November alone!), and I’ve already discovered a few sites that were totally new to me.  Zanisa is an awesome online boutique found in the eco-friendly section, and Enju is a cool indie clothing & handbag company based in Dallas, Texas.

Jena is a huge supporter of indie artists & designers and she created the Modish Marketplace to help give these shops a more competitive edge with the big box stores and encourage people to buy handmade & indie goods this year instead.  Go check it out and remember to buy handmade this holiday season!

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I know a bunch of you out there are parents trying to make smarter choices for your kids and family.  I just learned about two really cool sites to help you out.

Craftsbury Kids is a great online boutique offering up the best in independent craft and designs, specially catered to kids.  Owner and founder Cecilia Leibovitz is a mom of four and step-mom to two.  Her mission is to offer parents and gift-givers an alternative to mass-produced goods.

With fears about lead in toys made in China being only one good reason to shop handmade when it comes to kid’s products, Craftsbury Kids is a great resource.  They’re helping artists and crafters earn a living doing what they love, while encouraging a life-long appreciation for the arts and high quality, handcrafted goods in the kids who receive these products.  There are some adorable last minute Halloween costumes and treats, plus tons of great gift ideas, including many items under $20.

Elyse C. Bec Designs offers up a line of SuperCute! Baby Sweaters, in addition to scarves, hats and gloves for men and women.  All of these designs are handcrafted from the finest alpaca, silk and cotton, by knitters working under fair trade conditions.

The knitters who create these designs are primarily single mothers living in Bolivia, one of Latin America’s poorest countries, and they make their living using the skills which have been handed down from generation to generation, as Andean women and men have been weaving and knitting alpaca wool for centuries.  The SuperCute! Baby Sweaters are exactly what their name implies, and just like the goods from Craftsbury Kids, these sweaters are made to last and would be great to hand down as new family heirlooms.

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The team from Embodies, an eco-friendly online boutique, recently contacted me to let me know about their shop. When I went to check out the site I immediately fell in love with these babies:

These gorgeous turquoise heels by Form & Fauna are handcrafted in Los Angeles from biodegradable synthetics and feature bamboo and regenerative wood heels.  They’re on the pricey side at $273, but considering how many shoes out there ring in at similar prices and are made in less than sustainable ways, I don’t think it’s quite as outrageous as it seems at first glance.

I think the style is really timeless (but yet playful and quirky), so I’d look at shoes like these as investment pieces.  Then again, that’s kind of how I view shoe shopping anyway, especially heels and boots.  I’d rather save up and spend the extra money on well-made, high quality shoes that I know I’ll love for a long time and that I know will last.  It’s easy to extend the life of well made shoes by replacing soles and heels.  Trendy, cheap, fast fashion creates so much waste and it’s soo bad for the budget too.  I think in the long run you save more money by investing in really high quality pieces that will last forever than trying to buy cheap stuff more often.  Quality, not quantity is my #1 rule in eco-friendly shopping.

You can find more high quality, eco-friendly designers like Lara Miller, Deborah Lindquist, and Linda Loudermilk at Embodies.

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Beklina, an amazing online shop dedicated to sustainable fashion has offered MissMalaprop.com readers an exclusive discount code!

Get 35% off all full priced women’s clothing through the end of this month. Just enter the code July35m into the notes box at checkout and once the order is received they’ll email you a confirmation of the refunded discount amount.

Beklina stocks brands like Stewart+Brown, Del Forte, Linda Loudermilk, and EDUN. I love this handmade organic cotton swimsuit by Mociun, and I REALLY love this gorgeous Linda Loudermilk dress made from 100% organic cotton lightweight denim. It’s so strange and beautiful!

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Circle Circle Dot Dot, an online shop full of handmade cuteness, is having a grand re-opening sale! Owner Wendy Aracich has expanded her shop’s selection by hosting an ever-evolving roster of handmade goodies by a variety of crafters, myself included.

To celebrate the shop’s new look, Wendy is offering free shipping through July 24th. There’s no minimum purchase required and you don’t need any special coupon codes, but the offer is valid only for shipping within the U.S.

The Etsy Trashion Street Team is having a team wide 15% off sale to celebrate our up coming Trunk show at Etsy Labs! If you purchase anything from the group shop between July 15th and July 27th , type in “Pre-Trunk Show” in the notes to seller, then wait for an updated PayPal invoice. Check the Favorites section for a full list of Trashion team members, as most members will be participating in the sale in their own shops.

I’ll be joining in the sale too at my own shop, though I’m starting today and ending the sale on July 25th, because on July 26th, I’m headed to Brooklyn to participate in the Trashion Trunk show in person! Remember to come early if you’re in NYC…the first 25 people through the door will get a FREE team Trashion swag bag! I’ve been in charge of putting them together and I can officially say they are awesome!

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I recently discovered the online boutique Bright and Bold. They carry just what the name says…a huge assortment of bright, bold, colorful & clever stuff. They’ve got everything from candles shaped like fortune cookies to super fun gear for your kitchen to custom high heel shoe chairs. There’s truly something for everyone!

The thing I was most excited to discover they carry is the Envirosax line of reusable shopping bags. I wrote about these bags back in February, before they were being sold in any stores in the U.S. You can now purchase the flora, retro, or mono Envirosax collections at Bright and Bold. They come in assortments of either 5 or 3 bags, depending on the collection, but all three sets are currently on sale!

After I first wrote about Envirosax, the company was kind enough to send me one of their bags from the retro collection to try out. Out of all of my reusable tote bags, this one is my favorite…it’s so easy to fold up and stick in my purse. (Plus it holds a TON of stuff.) I’d love to have the bags from the flora collection too… They’re just so bright and pretty! I’m so glad more U.S. based boutiques and online stores are finally carrying them.

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My classmate, Beth, has the rare luck and fortune to be living and working not too far from the warehouse of the Junk Gypsy Company. Junk Gypsy is the efforts of a family of Texan women (two daughters and their mother) with independent, where-the-road-takes-me spirits who love scouring flea markets and envisioning gypsy lives.

Gypsyville’s products are a mixture of gypsy, country, and rock n’ roll essences combined together to create one of a kind, eccentric fashion, art, and housewares for the junk gypsy shopper in us all. Favorite pieces of mine include the Rockstar Cowgirl Duvet cover made with gold taffeta and black flocked velvet. Paired with the right boudoir, it’s equal parts decadent and kitsch.

My favorite part of Gypsyville is the jewelry section, where you’ll find gorgeous pieces such as this gorgeous hodge podge necklace (shown with the Guadalupe double strand necklace and the Sugarbaby Cross necklace). This necklace is perfect with a beat up pair of jeans, cowboy boots, and the road to freedom.

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Last night I found out that one of my favorite online indie boutiques, day-lab, just got a brother: Night-Lab.

Night-Lab just opened and is already stocked full of all sorts of cool stuff for guys, including this hand silkscreened vintage tie. The shop carries everything from clothing and accessories to housewares to comics and graphic novels.

There are already plenty of indie boutiques stocking cool handmade gear for girls, so it’s nice to see more places like Night-Lab popping up as well to offer a more masculine selection of goods. Everyone deserves the chance to shop indie!

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