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I believe that the things a person chooses to have around them, in their home and elsewhere, are a reflection of who that person is. Because we haven’t been living in our own space for quite some time now, my husband and I look around and don’t see very many reflections of ourselves in our surroundings. There are the photos on the wall — but not much else. We’re hoping that this move to a new state also means a new start, and I intend to put my stamp on our space as much as possible.

I have made no secret of my adoration for Gaiam. The company was included as one of my top 10 online resources for eco-friendly decorating and I have featured their products on numerous occassions, including quite a few showings in my Green Rooms in a Box series. Today, I have the pleasure of welcoming Gaiam as a sponsor of Green Your Decor.

Gaiam is a company with unquestionable ethics and one of too few retailers you can patronize without wondering about the quality, safety or eco-credentials of the products you are buying. And while I focus on home decor here, Gaiam is no one-trick pony. You can also find other products to support your eco-lifestyle, from apparel to yoga gear.

When I see a beautiful piece of furniture, my emotions take over and I can’t help myself — I wind up lusting after it. Thankfully, I’ve learned to wait a few minutes until I calm down, or I’d be up to my eyeballs in debt from furniture and home decor purchases. After a little while, my green side kicks in and reminds me that buying things I don’t need only contributes to the overconsumerism that threatens to turn this nation — and in fact the world — into a giant landfill. Doesn’t stop me from looking, though

This holiday season, eco-friendly is the way to go! Everywhere you look these days, there’s something “green” - from clean-running hybrid cars to hardwood bedroom furniture made from sustainably harvested forests. I guess it’s fitting that the color “green” is one of the colors that’s synonymous with the holiday season (along with red)! In keeping with the holiday tradition of “giving back,” here are the top 5 eco-friendly holiday trends this year. This is a preview of the “Green Christmas” series I’m planning for upcoming weeks.

1.) Eco-Friendly Christmas Trees:

My husband can, and will, attest to my undying love for candles. So when I first found out about the toxins that are realeased when traditional, petroleum-based paraffin candles are burned, I was more than a little disappointed, not to mention worried about the number of candles we’ve burned over the years.

Lucky for me and my eco-savvy readers, companies are taking notice to green consumers’ concerns and developing healthier alternatives. The Chesapeake Bay Candle Co. is one of these companies. In addition to their standard offerings, they have created Pure & Natural candle line that uses soy wax, lead-free cotton wicks and recycled packaging.

I never, ever thought I would want to decorate with a beanbag chair. I’ve never found them attractive — not even in kids’ rooms. But leave it to Pottery Barn to create a beautifully designed room around a beanbag that makes me want to do a total 180. I am really loving this Bean Bag Sectional from PBteen. And what makes it even more beautiful is the fact that it is covered in organic cotton canvas and filled with 100% recycled fill.

There are a bunch of pieces to choose from, so you can get whatever fits in your space. Here are some of the configurations:

I’m typically really good about staying on topic here, but this is too good not to mention. I recently won a great giveaway of a vegan Matt & Nat handbag from one of my favorite blogs, Green Grechen. The team at Stefani Bags, the sponsor, was extremely gracious and generous, even offering to substitute the bag I had won with the bag I’d mentioned was my favorite in my comment.

And after visiting Green Your Decor, they were also gracious enough to offer an awesome coupon code just for my readers. Aren’t they awesome? Sounds like a Great Green Gift to me!

You know the “3 Rs” mantra: reduce, reuse, recycle. Well, if artist Dolan Geiman had his way, there would probably be a fourth R: rescue. Geiman salvages wood and found objects and puts them together to create beautiful, eclectic works of art. These constructions often feature animals, and the paint used to create them comes from the Chicago Paint Exchange Program, which helps give traditional, but unwanted, paint a home.

In other words, you won’t find these at your local TJ Maxx or IKEA.

Making origami is one of those things I’ve always wished I knew how to do, but never learned. My stepmother is a very crafty lady, and origami is one of her many talents. I’ve always imagined how great gifts would look topped with a custom origami creation, or how they would make great place markers at Thanksgiving dinner. Until I finally sit down with a stack of old paper and learn how to do it, this ingenious table will suffice.

Photo by Jim Goldstein

I’ve alluded to it, but never really came right out and said it. My family and I are getting ready to move to a new state, so I’ve been more than a little busy over the past week or 2 trying to get everything situated. We’re not sure exactly when, but if all goes well, it will be in the next few days. So if there’s a day or 2 when I miss posting, please forgive me. I’m trying to line up some guest posters so there’s no gap in content. For your green weekend, here are some great reads, deals and giveaways to keep you going.