Here in New Orleans, pest control is a big problem, and while there are plenty of bug sprays on the market, most are full of scary chemicals.  EcoSMART is an organic line of bug sprays that are safe around children and pets.

I’ve seen some other natural mosquito repellents (the kind you spray on yourself when you go outdoors), which EcoSMART does offer, but before checking out their website, I had yet to see any eco-friendly alternatives to household bug sprays for roaches, ants, wasps and spiders. I read their page about how these repellents work, and the science behind it is actually really interesting.

They offered to send a sample of their Ant and Roach Killer to one lucky reader to test it out.  All you have to do to enter is leave a comment on this post by midnight on Friday, December 12, 2008 (Central Standard Time - go here to figure out what time that is where you are). The winner will be chosen at random from the comments and notified via e-mail.

Please, please, if you’re the winner you have to let me know how it works for you!  I’d love to have a non-toxic way to deal with roaches.  Now if only they could come up with a greener way to deal with Formosan termites… Yuck.

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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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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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I love the beautiful new collection of images shot on a recent trip to Greece by photographer Jennifer Squires.  I’ve always been a little obsessed with images of Greece, and I’ve often longed to go there.  These photos aren’t really helping matters!

Jennifer Squires has been photographing professionally since 1996 and it really shows in her work.  She does so many different styles beautifully: everything from portraits and wedding photography to landscapes and detailed closeups.  I really love her flower images, especially the peony photograph.

Any of Jennifer’s photographs can be produced as large as 24×30 inches or as small as 4×6 inches.  They would make such a great addition to any home or office. (I love the idea of a Greek-inspired bathroom!)  All of the images are available for sale in Jennifer’s Etsy shop and you can check out more of her work at www.jennifersquires.ca.

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I had never even heard of soap nuts until recently when Gail from Soap in a Nutshell contacted me to see if I’d like to try out a sample.  These berry-like fruits are native to southern Asia and they are full of saponins, a substance which makes them great for cleaning just about anything.  They’re a great all natural, biodegradable, completely non-toxic alternative that can be used for household cleaning, laundry, cleaning & detoxifying food, shampoo (for both you or your pets), and they can even be used to keep away bugs and mosquitoes!

I’ve already tried out the soap nuts on two loads of dirty laundry, including some pretty rank kitchen towels, and everything came out nice and clean.  I’ll admit I was a little skeptical at first, but the soap nuts totally did the trick!  They’re really easy to use too, and definitely no harder or more time consuming than traditional laundry detergent.  They did leave sort of a very faint plantlike scent, but if you don’t like it you can toss in a few drops of essential oils into your laundry or cleaning mixture.

I used them in whole nut form (they come in a little muslin bag, which you just tie closed and toss in the washer).  If you’re washing your laundry in cold water, they should last about 4-5 loads this way.  There’s also instructions on how to make a liquid cleaning solution out of either the whole nuts or a powder form of the nuts which is also available.

In addition to all their many cleaning uses, soap nuts have been used for generations in India to effectively treat eczema and psoriasis, and they’re really good for people who are allergic to many of the fragrances and chemicals found in so many mainstream detergents and cleaning products.  They also work out to be cheaper per load than most traditional laundry detergents.

You can find out more and get your own (there’s a trial size for 50 cents or a starter kit for under $5) at Soap in a Nutshell.

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A week or so ago I was in a doctor’s waiting room back at home in Gulfport, Mississippi and I spotted the most amazing handmade mirrors hanging on the wall near the receptionist. It took me a minute to figure out what the designs around the mirrors were made of… then it dawned on me that these were small squares cut from old soda cans and nailed together to form these beautiful patterns. I fell in love immediately. They would have been beautiful either way, but the fact that they were made from recycled cans made me love them even more. Luckily, there was a business card for the artist on the receptionist’s desk and I picked it up and checked out the artist’s Etsy shop when I got home.

Kathy Taylor Gray creates jewelry from rusty keys and other recycled components in addition to her beautiful mirrors. There is only one mirror currently in her Etsy shop, but I asked her to send me some images of more of her mirrors so I could show them off to you guys. She does such great work, I just had to share!

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I was just searching on Etsy for calendars for the coming new year, and I’m amazed at the selection! Below you’ll find a list of 15 of my favorites that I came across in my search.

Some of these are professionally printed with original art work by the designer, some were printed by hand using a letterpress, some are printed on recycled paper using soy-based inks… All are truly unique and way cooler than any calendar you’ll find at the calendar kiosk at the mall!

Etsy Labs calendar, designed by Etsy.com’s staffers - $12

oladesign’s My Best Work calendar - $20

Magnolia Moonlight calendar, printed on 100% recycled paper - $19

2008 happify calendar - $12

Save What’s Left calendar, made using real pressed leaves - $18

SusyJack Mini Wall Calendar - $18