DIY Painted Vases

I don't know about you, but I find it terribly frustrating when I browse the gardening aisles of a store and find the price stickers adhered to simple flower pots and vases. Yikes! However, there's no need to spend big bucks in order to spruce up your favorite plants. The next time you're at your local hardware store, be sure to browse their selection of "mistake paint" (the small jars of "mistake" colors often cost anywhere from $1-$5) for quirky colors you can use to refinish and reinvent your old jars or pots.
Photos: Luna and Chloe Weddings & Joy's Hope 

Summer Hostess Gift

The next time you are invited to a casual backyard BBQ, consider offering your hostess this creative gift. Create a summer car wash gift basket filled with green products, such as eco-friendly sponges, organic cotton washcloths and phosphate-free liquid soap.
Photo: Martha Stewart

Custom Bottle Stoppers

Create custom bottle stoppers with pretty found knobs. Simply adhere the knobs to corks for instant vintage glamour!
Photo: Martha Stewart

Eco Gifting

Planning a birthday bash? Wrapping up a hostess gift?  Instead of purchasing tissue paper or other box fillers that are likely to be used once before being tossed in the trash, consider shredding old magazines, newspapers, or any other paper products you may have around your home.
Photo: Martha  Stewart

Spring Favors

Spring has (almost) sprung! Offer your guests pretty party favors inspired by the new season. Reused aluminum cans filled with bulbs are a charming and thoughtful take-away gift for any spring celebration.
Photos: Once Wed

Beer Soap

Trying to find creative (and eco) V-day gifts for the men in my life is often a difficult task. However, these beer soaps, which are made using Guinness Extra Stout, are phthalate-free, vegan-friendly and decidedly more sweet (and definitely more unexpected) than the go-to box of dark chocolate.

Photo: Etsy

Jelloware

If you’d like to use earth-friendly disposable dinnerware at your next party but would still like to keep things stylish you’ll love this innovative new “jelloware.” These disposable cups are made from agar agar and are cast in unique flavors such as lemon-basil and rosemary-mint. When the cocktails are gone guests can nibble on these flavorful cups and toss any remains in the compost bin.

Photos: The Way We See the World

Vintage Gift Tags

Looking to decorate a small favor or gift? Etsy offers recycled and upcycled gift tags that range from traditional to quirky to sweet. Book lovers will adore the assortment of eco gift tags made from the pages of vintage poetry books and recycled library catalog cards. Have a foodie in the family? Check out the many gift tags crafted from the pages of vintage cookbooks.

Photos: Etsy

Core Bamboo

Back in January, we had the pleasure of stumbling across Core Bamboo while browsing the aisles of the New York City Gift Show. Core Bamboo makes beautiful, eco-friendly serving pieces, including trays, bowls and servers, that are functional enough and stylish enough for any party, big or small. Each of the company's products are made from 100% organically grown bamboo, a sustainable material, as well as food safe water-based adhesives, natural oils and lacquer made from natural cashew trees.
Photos: Core Bamboo

Essence of Vali

I first became interested in aromatherapy when I was about 13, thanks to my very cool, very “in the know” aunt. Once I realized the deeply healing affects that plant essences could have on my body and my mind, I was hooked. Since party planning, specifically wedding planning, can include so much stress, I’ve been thinking for a while now that aromatherapy products might be a nice gesture to offer a hostess or a group of bridesmaids.

About a month ago, I had the pleasure of meeting Valerie Bennis, the founder of Essence of Vali, while browsing at the NYC Go Green Expo. Essence of Vali specializes in beautifully packaged aromatherapy products – everything from bath oils to body mists – that leave skin soft and have soothing, subtle scents. Essence of Vali products are all-natural and are made in the U.S.A, which means you can give them entirely guilt-free. Looking for a thoughtful, yet affordable, going-away gift for a couple of honeymooners? Check out the sleep travel set, which comes packaged in a pretty organza pouch. In search of the perfect sexy something to compliment your bridal shower gift? Try the sensual passion-scented massage oil and body mist. I especially like the company’s “Sleep” line; I’ve been dabbing the concentrated sleep-scented oil on my pillowcases for several weeks now and have enjoyed many nights of peaceful, uninterrupted rest. For more about their products, please visit Essence of Vali.

Photos: Essence of Vali

Amazing Resource: Foodzie

Food tends to be a pretty big deal in my house. My love of entertaining frequently guides me towards interesting new culinary products that will inspire some sort of new themed party I'd love to plan. Additionally, my boyfriend is an executive chef, and thus, food tends to be the only thing that is ever on his mind. While many couples enjoy dates to the movies and the like, most of our couple adventures land us at local farmers' markets or browsing for (literally) hours at the nearby Whole Foods where we can explore and discuss all the new yummy products we can't wait to try.
It was my resident chef who introduced me to this fantastic resource last week. Foodzie.com is a vast online marketplace where you can discover and purchase food directly from small food producers and growers. They feature everything from small batch coffees and teas to baked goods to produce and beyond. Not only would their website be the perfect "go-to" for your next dinner party shopping list, but many of their smaller goods, such as their honeys, jams and candies, would serve as beautiful (and inexpensive) favors for nearly any special event.
Photo: Foodzie

LBRANDTerraria

Since childhood, I’ve adored terrariums and the way they capture and enclose a perfect little world for my viewing pleasure. Lately, terrariums are having a bit of a moment in the design world. LBRANDTerraria is one of my new favorite companies for chic terrariums and other gifts that embrace the natural world in their design. The next time you’re in search of a beautiful (and affordable) hostess gift, consider one of their minimalist glass bird feeders. Hosting a small party? Take a break from the flower “norm” and opt for a small cluster of conversation-worthy terrariums (I’m a huge fan of the coral reef inspired terrarium, pictured below).

Photo: LBRANDTerraria

Wrap It Up

Wrap your gifts up right by using smart boxes made of recycled materials. Afraid that things will look a bit too, well, brown? Purchase spools of beautiful vintage ribbon to help tie some color and some style onto all of your packages. While you’re at it, why stop with just gifts? Consider using vintage ribbon to decorate your bouquets, centerpieces and, in the case of weddings, your aisle, too.

Photo: Martha Stewart

We LOVE: Baggu Bags

If you’ve ever thought about using a reusable bag to cart home all of the groceries for your next dinner party (but haven’t been able to find one you’d actually be willing to wear) search no further. Baggu Bags are sort of like the American Apparel of reusable bags (think simple designs, affordable prices and styles available in every shade on the color wheel). And if that doesn’t sway you, consider this fact: if you use one Baggu bag for one year, you may save up to 700 plastic bags from reaching landfills.

Photos: Baggu Bags

Bamboo Charcoal Body Bar

About a year ago, my boyfriend and I began purchasing bars of bamboo charcoal soap to keep at our kitchen sink. Because he is a chef, and because we are both constantly experimenting in the kitchen, we found that bamboo soap is a great kitchen staple. The soap is naturally anti-bacterial and because of its naturally occurring negative ionic charge, it eliminates icky food smells from your hands almost immediately. Fast forward to late January. While enjoying my coffee and browsing through the (endless) aisles of the NYC Gift Show, I met some (sincerely friendly) reps from the company EverBamboo who introduced me to their line of deodorizers and skin care products. Next time you are invited to someone’s home and are looking for an interesting spin on a traditional hostess gift, consider a set of the company’s bamboo charcoal face and body bars. The jet-black soaps are the perfect hybrid between classic and edgy with just a hint of masculinity. And since they are created using rapidly growing bamboo (i.e.: growth rates averaging 2+ feet daily), a natural deodorizer, your gift will be eco-friendly, too.

Photo: EverBamboo

Unique Favors: Try a Cup of Tea

Several weeks ago, I had the pleasure of meeting some individuals from the wonderful company Teatulia while browsing at the NYC Gift Show. Teatulia grows all of its tea using organic, sustainable and entirely responsible methods in a single tea garden in Bangladesh (in fact, the only USDA certified organic tea garden in Bangladesh). Their teas are excellent (I am a big fan of their white tea) and come in simple, yet pretty packaging, making any of their products a perfect hostess gift, small favor, etc. 

Photos: Teatulia

Gifts of Love

Whether you are married, engaged, just starting a relationship, or a single girl out on the town, Valentine’s Day is an inspired time of year to share small tokens of appreciation with friends and loved ones. During the entire month of February, I’m known for handing out heart-shaped candies to nearly everyone who crosses my path and for hiding handwritten Valentine’s around my apartment for my boyfriend to stumble upon. If you plan on hosting an intimate V-day dinner for two, a lunch for your closest girlfriends, or any shade of cupid-worthy party this week, consider celebrating your love with some of the adorable gift ideas below (all of which would also serve as romantic favors or gifts for a wedding or any other special occasion.)

Photos: Martha Stewart

Keep love in full bloom by offering your Valentine a packet of seeds adorned with a personalized note.

Instead of heart-shaped candies, offer your guests these sweet, handmade soaps.

Why give a gift that will be thrown away? Give thanks to your favorite chef with a trio of patchwork potholders that she is sure to use for many months.

Enjoy a simple moment with a loved one while sipping a warm cup of tea.

African violets trimmed to resemble hearts are a quirky reminder of your love.

Any booklover is certain to cherish this heart-shaped bookmark, perfect for marking the pages of any great love story.

Recycle old ties by crafting them into feminine silk envelopes.

Cover all of your tasty Valentine’s Day baked goods in these lovely wax wrappings to make an even sweeter treat.