For years Etsy has dominated the web as the go-to source for small business, handmade, unique and one-of-a-kind goods. But to say the site's number of options can be overwhelming would be an understatement. To help streamline the search for eco-friendly and natural goods, a new website has popped up, Eco Market, which has branded itself as the "Etsy for Eco." The online retailer has focused not just on handmade, but the story behind the product — the who, what and why behind every item and business featured on the site.

I am a firm believer that cleaning tools do not need to be expensive or ugly, so I was excited when I found this simple duster tutorial over at 3191 Miles Apart. Made from wool scraps, which naturally attract and hold dust, it can be thrown into the washer once it gets dirty.

A few years back I found a discarded 1950's Westinghouse stereo cabinet unceremoniously tossed curbside, a midcentury turntable that had definitely seen better days. It was love at first sight, and driven by this retro Cupid's arrow, I somehow hauled the monstrous all-wood and electronics piece back to our studio apartment to later transform it into a media storage unit. The whole process was extremely satisfying, turning would-be landfill fodder into something that could be revitalized into a treasured piece...

We've featured Sarah Dorsey's projects before, here and here, so her creativity and resourcefulness shouldn't surprise anyone. She recently posted another upcycling project that's remarkable, not just in its similarity to the original inspiration, but also for the material she used to build it. Sarah had the Lolita chandelier above (designed in all its candy-colored, sculptural glory by Susan Hornbeak-Ortiz) in mind for her project. Click to see Sarah's version.  

A friend of mine is dealing with the myriad tasks involved in selling a house, packing up, and moving, so I offered to help a bit yesterday. I wouldn't be able to decide what to do with paperwork or childhood memorabilia, but I do have strong opinions about clothes! I sorted his entire closet into three categories: Definite, Potential, and Questionable. Of course, the Questionable section was the most entertaining...

This season has been sort of drab up here, and it's been raining or just plain grey and cold lately. So I've been looking at different options for indoor entertainment, and since my son has been into board games, I figured I would find different games than the usual.

Architectural salvage shops are increasingly popular destinations for designers, collectors, and remodelers, and for the home decorator looking for unique furnishings, there's no better place to start a search. 

Brittany has a tutorial for some amazing masks over at The House That Lars Built. These are a step up from many masks, with dimensional features built upon a cardboard base. They are easily made from scraps around the house, and perfect for costumes, or just some pretend play around the yard. 

Green. Sustainable. Ethical. Responsible. Recycled. Reclaimed. Upcycled. Downcycled. There are a lot of words being thrown around these days advertising products made from reused materials. Luckily, there are just about as many innovative products to keep the these category of eco-friendly goods interesting and fashionable. Just check out what people are doing with laptop bags.

This adorable mini garden from Melissa at The Inspired Room was assembled in five minutes flat, and makes for a pretty spring accent for your dining table or windowsill.