DIY CHARM BRACELETS & GIFT TOPPERS

By Lorna

I've just seen these super cute charm bracelets on Free People's blog... There are step by set instructions on what you will need and how to make them HERE. Max your eco potential by using recycled charms from broken or vintage jewellery. As well as being good little personal (last minute) handmade gifts, they make lovely Christmas wrapping toppers... Enjoy! xx

People Tree - Ethical Christmas Gifts made easy! - 40%

By Lorna

It's that time of year again and I'm slightly panicking that all my good intentions of making ethical Christmas Gifts aren't going quite as well as I had hoped! But once again, the lovely people at People Tree have come to the rescue!! Wooop! Sale ends Friday at midnight so get shopping!! xx

Once you've got everyone else sorted, head down to the People Tree Sample Sale next weekend and pick up some last minute presents for yourself! xx

Facts: People Tree, Ethical, Sustainable, Recycled, Fair Trade, Organic and Beautiful. Sample Sale. 16th-17th December 2011, Friday 6-8pm and Sat 11-6pm, Ethical Christmas!! 

Ditch the wrapping paper for something more stylish!

by Naomi

I've already got Christmas fever! And....I've been inspired! Wrapping paper is convenient and pretty cheap but soo wasteful, so why not go for something a little more creative?

Such a simple idea, but done so effectively, the Evergreen Wrap is a resuable wrap that can be used to turn almost any shape prezzie into a fabulously wrapped work of art! There are loads of tutorials on their website that show you exactly how to wrap your gift of choice.

The nordic ski pattern on this special Christmas design is tugging on my heart strings!

Another idea I have used for gifts for girlies is to make a little cotton drawstring bag - they are great as you can recycle fabric (cotton or poly-cotton works well) and add on little decorations to personalise them! They can be reused as gift bags, or to keep shoes or laundry neat when staying away! Perfick!

I use a pattern similar to the wonderful Cherry Menlove's one here. I will try and upload some piccies of Xmas bags soon!

-x-

DIY printing... a new project!

By Lorna

I bought a really cool book last month on ''hand printing techniques and truly original projects.'' Its name alone intrigued me! Finally a book which could help me slowly and confidently get into the messy delights of hand printing. The author, Christine Schmidt, neither treats you as a child nor an artist but instead delivers beautifully concise direction and wonderful illustrations to allow full clarity.  She has been printing for years and offers genuine well practiced advice. The book is a joy to read even if you have not yet put ink to paper (which I guiltily haven't)!

As inspiration to get my printing hobby to get started - I have found the perfect aids. Wandering around Camden in the sun this monday I saw a shop full of ecclectic treasures from India. What attracted my interest immediatly was a bowl of hand carved indian printing blocks. There were £4 each and I imagine most people would buy them as an orniment or decoration. Perfect tools for a first time hand-printer. The timing couldn't be better... 3 months until (dare I say it....) Christmas!! I'm completely ashamed to mention it so early but if you are intending to DIY any lovely presents then now is a good time to start thinking up some projects!

Printing is a brilliantly simple way to re-use charity shop/ vintage fabrics, upcycle old clothing and give long forgotten treasures some new life. I'm going to 'attempt' to make some little make-up bags using vintage fabrics and my new print blocks. If successful I will post full instructions and patterns here so you can make some too!! watch this space for Ecogoddess DIY projects....

Facts: Print Workshop by Christine Schmidt, Upcycled presents, Handmade, DIY, Indian hand carved blocks.

Scribbling some more!

by Naomi

You know how I said I love to scribble? Well only a couple of days after posting I discovered another eco notebook that I think is pretty rad (yes I am totally bringing that word back into fashion!).

These simply elegant notepads and address books are made by Betty & Betts, who work closely with artisans in India. All the books are acid free, biodegradable or made from post-consummer waste, and the fabric is 100% organic. We like!




Betty & Betts books

I think they would make lovely gifts, wrapped in a vintage scarf or even just with a pen and a little ribbon! Single books start at £10 and these gift sets are £22.

Scribble, scribble, scribble!

Write your Christmas Wish List with Vivienne Westwood...

By Lorna

Great news Westwood fans (of which I’m sure there are plenty!) the brand has just launched a quintessentially English range of eco-friendly stationary. The range includes a 2011 diary and hardback notebooks bound in silk and printed with Westwood signature prints. The stationery is produced in Italy and made from recycled paper. The A4 notebook is particularly chic printed in vintage Anglomania Union Jack Design and featuring a gold Westwood orb logo at the top of each black leaf. It is also available in the iconic Squiggle print in red and grey colours. The diary is available in yellow tartan. A lovely eco Christmas present, the notebooks retail at £25 and the diary at £35. Happy writing…

You can check out the full stationary collection in Vivienne Westwood stores and online here

Facts: Vivienne Westwood, Eco Stationary, Recycled, Christmas Presents

Eco Party Dresses: Prepare to drop jaws in Dazzling Dior!!

By Lorna

A couple of weeks ago I set myself the challenge of finding lots of perfect Christmas party dresses. My intention was to provide you with a multitude of stunning cocktail dresses (all ethically made of course) which you could rock with glowing pride for your work Christmas party’s. I’ll be honest... its not been an easy task. Whilst everyday chic looks are something the ethical fashion pack are great at, proper party dresses seem to get a bit overlooked. Perhaps this is because as we strive to be more ethical in our lives, the idea of buying an expensive dress to wear once and then have it relegated to the back of the wardrobe does seem a tad at odds.

This is why I am super excited to tell you about my first find! It’s an AMAZING resource for eco fashion savvy girls wanting a taste of iconic fashion history. Lucy in Disguise established this summer by Lilly Allen and her sister is a beautiful store, which claims to have  ‘more drop dead gorgeous gowns than you could shake a feather bower at!’  We at EcoGoddess likee!

Lilly and her sister, Sarah Owen share a love of fashion, sourcing and hording vintage finds and have put their talents to excellent use! In Lucy In Disguise you can find everything from whichever decade you choose! Beaded flapped dressed from the 20s, 30s evening gowns, 40’s tea dressed, 50s prom dressed, Ossie Clark and Biba from the 60’s and 70’s, sequins and sparkle from the 70’s and 80’s... this really is a vintage wardrobe from heaven!

Their aim is to make vintage style attainable and to bring the highest quality pieces of iconic fashion history direct to the customer for their special night out. In hiring a piece of fashion history everyone can afford to look a million dollars!!!

There is also a lovely video of girls getting ready for a night out (which we all know is half the fun!) on the website, watch it by clicking here.

Calling all EcoGoddess’s -please email us pictures of your best Vintage looks at ecogoddess@live.co.uk

FACTS: Vintage, Hire, Lilly Allen, Christmas Party, Dresses, Biba, Ossie Clark, Yves Saint Laurent, All Photos by Rankin.

Christmas Party Dresses.... Eco style!

By Lorna


EEEkkss!!!! I just got an email saying 'Work Christmas Party... 10th Dec, Dresscode - GLAM'. Which, since I work in Fashion, leads me to the eternal girly question..  'What the hell am I going to wear!!??' I want to look beautiful, sophisticated, glamourous and stay true to my ethics. I will therefore spend the next couple of weeks attempting to find the perfect Work Christmas Party dresses which will let us show off our Ecogoddess curves in style, whilst promoting our eco fashion expertise to our colleagues. Wish me luck...

Ease yourself in with these festive treats!

by Naomi

If you are like me and have a humungous number of people to buy Christmas presents for, then preparation for Christmas cannot be left to a mad dash around the shops of Christmas Eve.

So, now is around the time when I begin to ease myself into Christmas present shopping, to try and make everything as stress-free as possible. I will be posting lots more ideas for an eco/ethical Christmas, but here are a few things that will get your present-juices flowing!

Lush is...lush.

For those emergency situations when you get a surprise gift from someone you hadn't expected, or office Secret Santas when you have no idea what to get, these little treats are perfect - who wouldn't love them? Keep a couple in your present stash as they are guaranteed to come in handy! Have a Sweet Christmas (£5.95) contains a Candy Cane bubble bar and Godmother Soap, and Chillin With My Gnomeys (£6.50) is perfect for boys or girls, and contains Snow Globe soap and Whoosh shower jelly.

I absolutely adore this Matryoshka Russian Doll - it is so cute and packaging free! The outside is a limited edition So White soap, and inside are two doll-shaped ballistics, So White and Cinders. The scarf can be reused as a hanky or napkin!

This Gingerbread House gift box (£13.50) comes with a reusable tin, perfect for your biscuits once you have used up all the products! It contains a Gingerbread House bubble bar, a Cinders bath ballistic, a Candy Cane bubble bar and a Lil' Lush Pud ballistic.

Last, but not least, this is one of my favourites because of the beautiful vintage-style handpainted tin! Winter Garden (£29.95) contains an impressive array: Vanilla in the Mist soap, Mandarin’s Tea Party soap, Snowcake soap, Maple Taffy lip balm, Once a Year

massage bar, King of Skin body butter, Sugar Plum Fairy sugar scrub, The Olive Branch shower gel - phew!
 

 
Shop online at Lush 
Facts: Lush Christmas gifts, reusable, minimal and sustainable packaging.