Have You Discovered the CSN Network of Stores?

Have you discovered the huge network of CSN Stores yet?

I've seen a couple blogs that have posted reviews or giveaways about them, I even entered a few (but didn't win), now I have the chance to review for them and do a giveaway in the future (maybe closer to the holidays).

I can't believe all the awesome stuff they have- something for everyone. From beds to shoes to wall sconces they have everything.

Over 200 stores to choose from.

So much that I'm not sure what to review. I'm looking at storage cubes, a platform bed, an ottoman, a toaster over, shoes (LOL), possibly a nice desk (I could use a new one).

There is just sooo much to choose from it is just unbelievable.

This is a great place to shop for wedding gifts, birthday presents, graduation gifts, and more. It's also a great place to find stuff for college bound kids (I'm looking at that stuff too since my oldest starts college in the fall).

So I am off to find something to review.

Be sure to check back for the review and future giveaway information.

Ladies A Special Giveaway Just for You; The RackTrap

Have you ever slipped money, your driver's license or even a credit card into your bra?

Come on admit it, I think we've all done it at least once.

Whether going out for a quick run, driving to drop off a video, going clubbing or attending a special event- sometimes we want to be hands free and not worry about lugging around a handbag or clutch.

Enter the RackTrap.

This small, one size fits all pouch will easily slide into your bra and hold what you need; cash, credit card, ID - and you won't have to dig around to find them when you need them.

Nope the racktrap will keep everything in one convenient location for you.

The Racktrap comes in white lace, black lace and nude lace so it matches any bra (and dress). Even the bride can stash a tissue or some Xanax for her big day. And it also makes a great bridesmaid gift.

The Racktrap comes in a Fashion Three pack of Lace ($15.95) and a sweat proof sport version with Velcro closure ($9.95).

The classic Gold Racktrap (the very first one!) is still $7.95.

Want one?

I have 3 of the classic golds to give away.

US Shipping Only

Please be a blog follower to enter

For an extra entry follow me on twitter @everythinggreen

For another extra entry friend me on Facebook

Contest open until Tuesday July 13

Winner Announced on Wed July 14

Please include your email address in comments

Create Your Own Framed Art with Alphabet Photography

Do you see letters in the things around you?

Do you see art in your surroundings?

Photographer Jennifer Blakeley does.

Owner and Creator of Alphabet Photography Jennifer Blakeley was inspired by the children's book Alphabet City and traveled throughout North America in 2006 and 2007 taking photographs of images that look like letters from the Alphabet.

Why?

So you can create your own special work of art out of any word you choose.

Try it yourself here- pick a word then choose an image for each letter.

Here's one I made (I also picked out the photos for LOVE up top):

You can create a special gift for someone you love- make a name, a special word, frame a surname for a new married couple- it sure beats a set of monogrammed towels don't you think?

What I love most about this is the complete uniqueness of it. I am a sucker for things that are different and to me this is just awesome and creative because you get to choose your own design. Sure the photographs have already been taken but you get to make your choices and pick your style to create a beautiful one of a kind framed piece of art.

Visit http://www.alphabetphotography.com/ today and give it a try

Shakti: India Travel

Have you ever dreamed of traveling around the world? Of visiting exotic locations and immersing yourself in that world, not as a tourist but as a participant in the culture?

Shakti may be just what you've been dreaming of.

Shakti is a unique travel experience in India- you travel there and stay in one of the beautiful villages they have to offer.

You have your choice of The HIMALAYAN VILLAGE EXPERIENCE in the KUMAON VILLAGE EXPERIENCE, the SIKKIM VILLAGE EXPERIENCE or the LADAKH VILLAGE EXPERIENCE

You have to visit the website to get a true and clear idea of what they have to offer- believe me it makes travel to India sound exotic, luxurious, and relaxing- all at once.

Read part of their

"vision":

Shakti was conceived to share the rejuvenating effects of remote surroundings – to provide privileged access to places far removed from the noise and clutter of the modern world, where space, peace and epic landscapes provoke the imagination and nourish the soul. These places of intense beauty and a deep, soothing serenity, encourage you to slow down for a while and simply “be”.

Now if that doesn't sound like a vacation I don't know what does. Wow.

To learn more about this amazing travel adventure visit the website: http://www.shaktihimalayan.com/

How to contact Shakti:

To speak to one of their representatives in either India or the UK please call or email using the following contact details.

India : +91 124 456 3899

Mon - Fri: 0930 - 1900hrs IST (GMT + 5.5hrs)

UK : +44 203 151 5177

Mon - Fri: 0900 - 1900hrs GMT

US : 1 877 637 5665

Mon - Fri: 0900 - 1900hrs GMT

Mailing Address:

Shakti

903-904, Vatika City Point

Sector 25, MG Road, Gurgaon

122002 India

Tel: +91 124 456 3899

Fax: +91 124 456 3801

This post has been paid for by a sponsor.

Turtle Mat in the UK

Now here's a company I adore- Turtle Mat.

First of all I love their name (because I love turtles) and because they support the Marine Conservation Society which is the only charity in the UK dedicated to caring for the seas, shores and wildlife.

Through their Adopt-a-Turtle program they are working to save marine turtles from extinction. In the last year, Turtle Mat customers have helped raise over £5,000 through their adoption program.

To find out more about the Marine Conservation Society please visit their website: www.mcsuk.org.

So now you're probably wondering what Turtle Mat is and what they do, right? Well they sell mats - you know small carpets for your floor. For at your front door, for the kitchen for the bathroom, even for your pets. You know what they don't have though? A mat with a turtle design. They have ducks, flowers, even cupcakes but no turtles. Hmmm...

Anyway the mats are quite beautiful and other than no turtle designs they have a great selection. I love the red and the plum brocade styles, very elegant. But I got to love the whimsical cupcakes, don't you?

Eco-friendly, environmentally conscious and they offer great products. Turtle Mat's affinity for Turtles and their other eco-friendly initiatives make me wish I was in the UK:

Turtle Mats are manufactured by one of the world's largest and most eco-friendly textile groups which has achieved carbon negative status by planting one million trees every year and by producing green energy in its own hydroelectric plants. They are at the forefront of initiatives to reduce waste, cut water usage and use fewer chemicals.

In recognition of this, their production plant has been certified to ISO 14001:2004, as well as ISO 9001:2000, which are the highest global standards for quality products and environmental management.

This is a post has been paid for by a sponsor.

Pretty Petal Aisle Runners for Weddings

Brides to be that are looking for something unique and beautiful for their wedding should check out Petal Happy.

Petal Happy is the world's first (and so far only) provider of pre-petalled aisle runners and petal carpets for special events.Petal Happy's products were originally designed to beautify and enhance offbeat spaces for events like beaches, rooftops, gardens, tents and loft weddings. Each Petal Carpet is handmade and consists of tens of thousands of beautiful life-like fabric flower petals that are securely attached to a fabric backing. This creates the visual effect of walking on a bed of rose petals and allows for a cleaner, more streamlined look than strewn petals -with no clean up necessary other than rolling the aisle runner or carpet up after the event.

Keep reading here.

Gift Books for the Flower Girl and Ring Bearer

Bridal Party Gifts for the Ring Bearer and Flower Girl

Are you looking for a great wedding gift for your Flower Girl and Ring Bearer that is both sweet and practical?

Then check out these two new books that help explain and show the little ones what being in a wedding is all about: The Most Special Flower Girl: All the Best Things About Being in a Wedding (cover price $10.99, Sourcebooks, April 2010) and The Best Ever Ring Bearer: All the Best Things About Being in a Wedding (retail price $10.99; Sourcebooks April 2010).

The Most Special Flower Girl: All the Best Things About Being in a Wedding is a delightfully new way to give a gift book designed especially for that one member of the wedding party the bride often has a hard time shopping for.

The Most Special Flower Girl offers a cute story combined with beautiful color illustrations to help little girls who are going to be flower girls understand what they should expect and what is expected of them at the wedding. Most importantly the little flower girl will love a story all her own that features the smart and sometimes sassy, Sophie and the story of how she saves the day at her aunt's wedding.

The little ring bearer gets his very own book too in The Best Ever Ring Bearer: All the Best Things About Being in a Wedding.This wonderful book will make a great gift for the little boy in the bridal party.

Keep reading here.

Green Bride Guide Launches New Green Wedding Registry

GreenBrideGuide.com, the companion website for the book The Green Bride Guide by Kate Harrison, has launched a new green wedding registry service and gift shop online.

The new registry offers a huge pre-screened collection of sustainable gifts for couples to choose from. "From non-toxic cookware and recycled wine glasses to earth-friendly fine china
and organic cotton textiles, the shop features hundreds of eco-friendly home goods. It is also the first store to offer free carbon-neutral shipping with every purchase."According to a survey conducted by David's Bridal in 2009 almost half (48%) of the brides surveyed stated that they were committed to going green, this included registering for eco-friendly products.

The Green Bride Guide registry offers couples the opportunity to easily register for eco-friendly goods while learning a lot about the products they are shopping for. The registry includes detailed information for each product listed including where it came from, how it is made, and what materials were used in production of the product. The registry also offers easy to use search features that sort products by: country of origin, state of origin for made in the USA products, eco strategy (choose whether to search for fair trade, ethically sourced, or handmade), and eco- certifications like USDA organic.

Click here to keep reading.

The Natural Curtain Company in the UK

The lush fabrics offered by The Natural Curtain Company make me wish I was in the UK- lush 100% linens, cottons, silks, velvets- wow.

You'll find toile, stripes, polka dots, gingham's, and more.

You can get custom made to order curtains or roman blinds or you can purchase fabric and make your own.

First you choose your fabric then your lining, submit your measurements and voila you have ordered your curtains. want to know more about how it works- visit http://www.naturalcurtaincompany.co.uk/more/index.cfm

Not sure how to measure for your curtains? The Natural Curtain Company offers very fabulous detailed instructions including youtube videos.

If you're in London they offer a measuring service where they'll come out and measure for you.

Want to see and feel the fabric before choosing? You can order up to 6 FREE swatches of fabric (of course you have to be in the UK). I wish I could order- they have such beautiful fabrics and the colors....very nice selection.

The rich silks have some sexy shades- Mars, Carmine, Black Currant, Espresso...and in the cotton velvets I love Rhone, Compte, and Forest.

And the stripes...huge selection of striped fabrics in many shades, colors, vertical stripes, horizontal stripes, check stripes, Provence stripes, Chelsae stripes, bright stripes and more.

The Natural Curtain Company is an ethical and environmentally aware company. They are accredited by Ethical Company Organisation. They have a careful sourcing process and use 100% natural fabrics wherever possible. They also strive to implement and improve measures to minimise environmental impact, from recycling office waste to improving packaging and transport systems.

Be sure to visit their blog for great decorating tips, advice and more:
http://blog.naturalcurtaincompany.co.uk/

This post has been paid for by a sponsor.

Eco Items at The Travelling Souk

If you're in the UK and you haven't dropped by The Travelling Souk yet...what are you waiting for? :-)

The Travelling Souk was created in 2003 by Georgiana Grimston and Anna Craven. The business was inspired by a trip to the magical souks & markets of Marrakesh- Georgiana wanted to recreate these markets and bring them to British homes while donating partial proceeds to charity.

In 2007 they launched the website The Travelling Souk and have over 100 businesses that offer exotic and niche market items you may not find anywhere else.

And while they have always offered fair trade gifts and distinctive brands the Souk now offers "green" goods too. They have a whole Eco Souk section. The eco souk section has home and garden offerings, eco toys, clothing, and health and beauty items. And a jewellery section is coming soon.

Look for the eco souk symbol to know you are shopping for an item that is fair trade, ethical , organic, recycled, green, natural or eco-friendly.

So much to see...it's a lot to take in- just like being in a market filled with exotic and wonderful goods. Makes me wish I was in another country so I could really enjoy this unique shopping experience.

Skimming through the site I found a lot of familiar names and products in the eco-section so have no fear these goods (at least the ones I clicked on) are authentically green and not green washed.

Since opening in 2003 the company has raised more than £300,000.00 for many charities. At the events 10% of proceeds go to the hostesses’ assigned charity. Orders placed on the website send 2.6% of each purchase to charity.

And if you're in the UK you can attend a Travelling Souk event. In May they held one at Leeds Castle Kent.

A castle...people in the US can barely fathom attending events in castles. To me that would be like being in a fairytale- we just don't have castles on every corner here in the US.

To learn where other Travelling Souk events are being held visit: http://www.thetravellingsouk.com/categories/Events

Disclosure: This post has been paid for by a sponsor

Have a Charitable Wedding with the I Do Foundation

More couples than ever before are starting their new life together charitably. Many couples are now planning socially conscious and eco-friendly weddings.

To help make this an easy thing for couples to accomplish the I Do Foundation, who recently joined with JustGive, created Celebrate Generously™ with charity.

This encourages couples to "embrace meaningful traditions" that will personalize their wedding day.

With help from the I Do Foundation, a couple's wedding can raise money for any charity that they choose. Whether it's animal rights, animal rescue, children's charities, health, any charity they select with benefit. This is the ultimate way to share their love with each other and with the charity of their choice. The I Do Foundation gives couples the chance to express their values and support their charitable interests.

Keep reading here.

Toilet Paper Wedding Dress Winner

Sixth Annual Toilet Paper Wedding Dress Contest Winner
Sixth Annual Contest Flushed with Talent!

Galit Zeierman of Ramat Gan, Israel takes home the $1000 grand prize!

Cheap-Chic-Weddings.com announced the winner of their sixth annual Toilet Paper Wedding Dress contest today. Toilet paper dress entries from around the world were received and final judging took place today in Boca Raton, FL.

Grand prize winner Galit Zeierman entered a flirty, fresh, fun short dress that features a whimsical bird on the shoulder and headpiece.

This year’s second place winner is Ericka Andrade of Winnetka, California and third place goes to Bailie Bickford of Carlsbad, California. Ericka wins $500 for her design and Bailie wins $250 for her entry.

Laura Gawne and partners Susan Bain and Roxie Radford, who operate the website on saving money on weddings, base the contest on the popular bridal shower game. Cheap-Chic-Weddings.com asked their readers to create wedding gowns using toilet paper, tape and/or glue. This year, entrants were allowed to sew as well.

“Judging this year’s entries was tough.” Said Laura Gawne. Roxie Radford added, “We had so many fantastic dresses to choose from!” Cheap Chic Weddings welcomed Jack Jones of Boca Raton Bridal as celebrity judge for this year’s contest.

Photos from the contest and money saving ideas for planning your wedding can be found at http://pull.xmr3.com/p/1549-2328/86432541/clickto1_ings.com-wedding-contest-2010.html

For more information please visit http://pull.xmr3.com/p/1549-B1A9/86432557/http-www.cheap-chic-weddings.com-.html

GoodShop.com Wedding Registry Donates to Charity

Brides and grooms can help the environment while planning their big day by using GoddShop.com as their wedding regisrty go-to.

Many couples are encouraging their guests to buy their gifts via GoodShop.com.

The online shopping mall donates up to 30% of every purchase made at more than 1,400 stores - including Williams-Sonoma, Macy’s, Bloomingdales, The Knot Wedding Shop, Target and other stores where people generally register - to the couple’s favorite ‘green’ cause (including the NRDC, The Nature Conservancy, Conservation International and others!).

In addition, the site lists hundreds of deals and coupons so users can save money while shopping for a good cause!

Here’s how it works:

1) Go to www.goodshop.com

2) Designate your favorite charity

3) Enter the store you want to shop at and get a list of the coupons and deals

4) Shop as you normally would and a percentage of what you spend goes back to your cause

By using GoodShop, the new couple will receive all of the gifts they’ve chosen and the guests still pay the same price (or lower with all the coupons listed), but at the same time, the couple’s favorite charity receives a portion of everything that was spent!

How to Reduce Dust and Pet Dander Allergens in Your Home

A Guest blog by Marcy Tate

Allergy medication is an amazing innovation and helps so many people who suffer from allergies. If you are an allergy sufferer, there are things you can do help our medication work better for you, such as removing common household allergens (like dust and pet dander) from your home. The following tips are simple and budget-friendly but require time and energy to initially
implement. Keep in mind that reducing the allergens in your home is well worth the effort as it will significantly improve your quality of life. The ease of executing the following steps depends on how much time you have to implement them and the size of our home.

Keep It Clean

Dust and pet dander is one of the biggest household allergen irritants. Improving your cleaning habits and increasing the frequency of your cleaning will directly reduce allergens.

Dust like Crazy

Use dust cloths made of electrostatic material as they remove the most amount of dust. In fact, they capture almost 90% of dust-particles they come into contact with. They are also more eco-friendly compared to paper towels.

Work to De-Clutter

Clutter is a magnet for dust. Do your best to limit clutter around your house. Dust mites love piles of magazines and stuffed animals. Keep magazine piles in a covered bin. If someone in your
home has a severe dust allergy, then make your home stuffed-animal free.

Sweep It Up

Carpets should be vacuumed at least three times a week with a HEPA (high-efficiency particulate air) filtered vacuum. Sweeping and mopping is equally important as pollen is often brought into a home on shoes. The more you sweep, vacuum and wash, the more allergens you’ll remove.

Additional tip: to reduce the amount of pollen entering your home, have family members leave their shoes outside on a porch or take them off upon entering the home.

Breathe Cleaner Air

Install allergen reducing ventilation and filtration systems to help you breathe cleaner air. They help reduce the amount of allergens and impurities in your home.

• Furnace filters - Use HEPA furnace filters and promptly replace as needed.

• Air Purifier – Air purifiers work to remove air impurities in a single room. The air purifier should be placed in the bedroom of the allergic person.

• Air Ducts – Dust and dirt can collect in your air ducts and add unnecessary impurities into your air. Have them inspected and cleaned by a professional about once a year.

Bedding

Allergen-reducing and dust resistant bedding can significantly decrease your direct contact with dust mites. Dust mites can actually live in bedding, mattresses and pillows. Expect to spend about $100 per bed for allergen-reducing bedding. It’s an extremely worthwhile investment that you won’t regret. Once a week, wash bedding in hot water.

Flooring

One of the most effective ways to reduce household allergens is to remove carpet and limit area rugs. Carpets harbor dust mites and even HEPA vacuums cannot remove all allergens.

Upholstery is a No-no


Upholstery attracts dust mites. Leather, wood, or plastic furniture do not attract nearly as much dust mites compared to fabric couches. Remove upholstered drapes and curtains and replace with washable blinds or roller shades.

Seal It Up


Keeping your door closed during peak pollen season will help limit the amount of pollen entering your home. Additionally, caulk windows and use we atherstripping to seal cracks.

Written by Marcy Tate

Marcy Tate is a home improvement blogger at Networx. She works with house cleaners learning about effective ways to reduce household allergens.

Coverall- A Green Cleaning "Champion"

Coverall knows about green cleaning.

They have been recognized by the US EPA as a "Champion" under the agency's Safer Detergents Stewardship Initiative (SDSI). Champion is the highest level of recognition under this initiative and so far Coverall is the only cleaning company to be recognized.

The EPA's Design for the Environment Program works to prevent pollution by working in partnerships with a broad range of stakeholders. The Design for the Environment program focuses on industries that combine the potential for chemical risk reduction (like cleaning companies and other companies that use a lot of chemicals) and improvements in energy efficiency. "The SDSI was designed to recognize environmental leaders who voluntarily commit to the use of safer surfactants that break down quickly to non-polluting compounds."

Coverall's Health Based Cleaning System is "committed to environmental sustainability". They provide their customers with an innovative, science based, environmentally conscious cleaning program that decreases the spread of infections while still ensuring the well-being and safety of the humans and environment that are exposed to the process. This means they kill the germs without harming you or the environment in the process.

One way that Coverall implements eco-friendly practices into their cleaning methods is by using microfiber cloths and mop pads instead of paper towels and string mops. These can be washed and reused up to 500 times thus saving a whole lot of trees that would be used to make all that paper towel that most cleaning companies use.

Coverall also uses Multi-filtration Backpack HEPA Vacuums which contain the dirt and germs without putting it back into the air. These vacuums remove 99.7% of germs and allergens.

Conventional vacuums can return up to 40% of the dirt they pick up back into the air.

For more about Coverall's green cleaning methods please visit their site: www.coverall.com

Win $500 Worth of Camera Rentals from CameraRenter.com

Head on over to CelebrateGreen.net

and sign up to win a free

$500 camera rental package

from CameraRenter.com

This is a great package that can be used for your big green wedding day!