For whatever reason, I’ve been looking for things to make me smile lately.  And wow… do these little nuts make me smile!  For me Etsy can be a little daunting, but sometimes I do set aside a chunk of time to peruse their pages.  This fantastic piece, called Squirelly Love, is from a seller who goes by Enormous Champion.  I love the sleek design, the cheeky vibe and the heartfelt message (see below).

Made in the USA from sustainably harvested wood. The heart was painted with a non toxic, no-VOC water based paint. The little squirrels were left the natural color of the beautiful wood. All are finished and sealed with beeswax.

As put by Enormous Champion:

These two squirrels are in love, plain and simple. But, they know that they have to work together to maintain their relationship. Compromise and team work are key. Together they hold their little love up

.

I know this isn’t one of my typical bargain buys, but for $30… a well-designed piece that puts smiles on faces certainly seems like a bargain to me.

Perfect for a picnic or patio dining!  Confetti Melamine is a total throwback, but RECYCLED confetti Melamine is completely current – and really cute, right?  I found these pieces at Target… tumblers, bowls and divided plates (ideal for those of us who can’t stand when your potato salad assaults your watermelon) .  Sold in packs of 6, the price starts at $19.99!

Who wants seconds?

I was walking through REI yesterday when I spied these… how incredibly cool, right?  And I typically don’t care for many things stainless steel, but stemmed drinkware – C’mon!  Perfect for evenings at the Hollywood Bowl or Ravinia – or even just to “class up” your camping gear, this stainless steel drinkware will last you an eternity (and you can ditch the toxic, nasty plastic pieces) and looks oh-so-chic!  Available in Martini, Wine and Margarita form.  Is it wrong that I want a Champagne version as well?

Priced at $9-$10 per stem AND will last you a lifetime!

I have to tell you… I love the clothing we sell at Green with Glamour.  I pretty much wear something from GwG everyday.  And we don’t currently sell Loomstate – not for any reason other than we’re not much of a Tshirt & jeans gang.  They do great casual separates, but for women, cute dresses and feminine silhouettes are more our speed.  Anyway, I was doing my weekly Nancy Drew-ing for a bargain buy, when I came across this super cutey and ordered the “neutral” directly.

100% organic cotton scarf – $12 at Overstock.com!

Ok… this may seem like shameless self-promotion, but Green with Glamour IS having a serious sale – so why shouldn’t we be this week’s bargain buy?  Even though, in this not-so-sexy economy, we have made great strides to lower our price points overall… who doesn’t love a sale?

Over here at GwG, we adore these little bags by Beau Soleil.  They’re versatile, eye-catching and good-spirited!  And you can choose your favorite approach to Earth-saving.  Whereas I’m a definitely a “Reduce” and so is N.A. – Deana’s more of a “Reuse” and Kat and Stephanie W. are badass “Recycle”s.  You see… there’s a bag to suit everyone!

Roomy enough for all your products, yet won’t take up too much precious suitcase space. Of 100% organic cotton canvas with recycled leather zipper pull – very chic!  And right now…they’re marked down to $16.20, People!

Depending on your town’s recycling program, you may have to sort your recyclables yourself.  That’s not a big deal, but why not make it attractive & easy (Heck, why not make everything attractive & easy, right?!)?  Cost Plus World Market is now carrying super-cute jute recycling bins for plastics, glass and paper!  I particularly love these because they have handles… which makes carrying to your main recycler – or even if you have to drive your bottles & paper to a recycling center – SO MUCH EASIER!

Sold seperately. Only $6.99 each!

Depending on your town’s recycling program, you may have to sort your recyclables yourself.  That’s not a big deal, but why not make it attractive & easy (Heck, why not make everything attractive & easy, right?!)?  Cost Plus World Market is now carrying super-cute jute recycling bins for plastics, glass and paper!  I particularly love these because they have handles… which makes carrying to your main recycler – or even if you have to drive your bottles & paper to a recycling center – SO MUCH EASIER!

Sold seperately. Only $6.99 each!

LOVE this one!  In a time when Bargain Buys and Obsessions kind of go hand-in-hand… this waste can (of all things) really fits the bill!  It’s fantastically chic – very lates 60s hallucinogenic, very Marc by Marc Jacobs from a couple of seasons ago, but still high-style.  It’s bio-degradable – completely breaks down in a landfill, rather than clinging to the earth for eternity.  AND it’s only $18, People!

By Umbra, I saw this can at Target but don’t find it on their website.  You can, however, order it at Plushpod – and they have in 3 different colors/styles.  Waste not… Want yes!

I cannot stress enough the difference in softness between regular (REALLY bad for the environment) cotton and organic cotton… there’s no contest.  Every time I witness a client, friend, whomever first feel how soft organic cotton is – the reaction is the same.  It’s a real OMG moment.  Anyway, cotton sheets are no exception.  The organic ones are SO soft and silky and I swear I sleep sounder now.  And though always soft & smooth… they are not always inexpensive!

Enter the 300 thread count organic sheets at Overstock.com.  They only come in 4 subtle colors – white, ivory, pale green and ice blue – but as I’m not a huge fan of bold, pattern-y bed linens… I’m good to go.  And now marked down from $160+ to under $40… C’mon!

This is kind of a combo Bargain Buy & GwG Pick.  The jute totes by June Fifteen are some the least expensive pieces at Green with Glamour ($17!), so it’s a total bargain!  And I have to say… I use mine EVERY DAY for groceries, thrift shopping, my computer – you name it!  It’s stylish and super sturdy.  I can’t say enough good.  I kinda thought the rattan handles were going to be a pain, but not at all!

The Palette tote (my personal choice)

The Nightengale tote (super-cute!)

This is kind of a combo Bargain Buy & GwG Pick.  The jute totes by June Fifteen are some the least expensive pieces at Green with Glamour ($17!), so it’s a total bargain!  And I have to say… I use mine EVERY DAY for groceries, thrift shopping, my computer – you name it!  It’s stylish and super sturdy.  I can’t say enough good.  I kinda thought the rattan handles were going to be a pain, but not at all!

The Palette tote (my personal choice)

The Nightengale tote (super-cute!)

What can I say… Summer is almost here and Margarita is my mood!  I typically don’t care for “Margarita” glasses, with their cactus stems or blue rims (gag.), but check out these lovelies from Target.  Clean, modern lines, crafted from recycled glass and at $20 for a set of 4… they’re a steal!

Salt my rim, fella?

Ok… wine isn’t one of our typical bargain buys, but a friend brought over this tasty Fairhills Cabernet the other night – and it was quite a hit!  A hearty cab with aromas of dark fruit, coffee and black tea that lead into fresh strawberry fruit… and a finish with good acidity and layers of smoke.  I’m not exactly a wine expert, but it was interesting and approachable at the same time.  I also learned that the Fairhills company buys grapes from a collective of ten farms in Argentina, South Africa and Chile – that employs/houses 1300 adults and their children.  The “members” of these co-ops are paid fair prices to sustain themselves and their communities.  Fairhills also produces a Malbec that I’m dying to try!  Just know, in an evening filled with gifted bottles of red, I actually saved this empty bottle to remember it for the future.

Well, the future is now… so I snooped around to find where I could grab more of this delicious little vino. Check it  it’s avail at – Whole Foods AND Cost Plus/World Market… how easy is that???  Wait for it… it gets better… the price tag for this well-rounded, fairly made wine – a mere $10!  Times are tight, but you’re still being asked to dinner parties, right?  Here’s the perfect contribution… not only to your festive evening, but to the 1300 global farmers & family members paid healthy wages to produce this deliciousness.  I’ll drink to that!

Ever wanted to cover a less-than-attractive floor in a snap?  Well, I was recently faced with this issue when I moved into a new place and realized my new kitchen floor is tack-y!  I hit some of my bargain-y online faves and thank you Overstock.com for this perfect and REALLY reasonably-priced (not to mention simple & chic) 100% recycled Harrison cotton rug!

Available in several colors & sizes, this basic but in my case, life-saving bargain sells from $19.99 (runner) to $44.99 (4′8″x8′) and with Overstock’s everyday flat rate $2.95 shipping… we’re talking serious deal!

We’re introducing a new feature to Living GwG called “Bargain of the week”.  We scour the market weekly for something chic & sustainable that won’t break the bank.  Enjoy!

Oooooooh… warm weather!  Which makes me go Mmmmm… lemonade!  Or Mmmmmmmm… vodka & lemonade – even better, right?  Well, which ever poison you pick the Luigi Bormiolo recycled glass pitcher  at Walmart is ready to serve.  A clean, classic design, the LB (as we like to call it) will work with anything from Danish Modern to American Traditional.  And at $19.98, it’s also the perfect hostess gift for any summer fete!

 One of the reviewers on Walmart’s site said, “It adds some elan to my lemonade.”  Oh la la!

We’re introducing a new feature to Living GwG called “Bargain of the week”.  We scour the market weekly for something chic & sustainable that won’t break the bank.  Enjoy!

Oooooooh… warm weather!  Which makes me go Mmmmm… lemonade!  Or Mmmmmmmm… vodka & lemonade – even better, right?  Well, which ever poison you pick the Luigi Bormiolo recycled glass pitcher  at Walmart is ready to serve.  A clean, classic design, the LB (as we like to call it) will work with anything from Danish Modern to American Traditional.  And at $19.98, it’s also the perfect hostess gift for any summer fete!

 One of the reviewers on Walmart’s site said, “It adds some elan to my lemonade.”  Oh la la!