The EcoChic

**Giveaway Alert** Check out my second offer for a great eco-chic giveaway from kateylove jewelry!  ECO-ngratulations Sarah H!

Mother’s Day is just a week away – what are you getting your mom this year?  Do you have a wish list of your own?  Here are just a few ideas compliments of my beloved sponsors.

1.  Lillunia- If you haven’t visited Lillunia yet you really should.  These find ladies make some adorable artwork and prints that are perfect for a nursery or child’s room.  They have a new photo album on the front page that shows you some creative ways to display their work.  My favorite room in their album is the pink and brown room with the Koala print.  Laura from Lillunia has offered my readers a special discount for 15% off with code TheEcoChicMoms.  Don’t forget that you can customize any piece with names and dates; just let them know when you checkout.

2.  kateylove jewelry - I wish I had a picture of me wearing my own kateylove necklace but I’m a little camera shy (I prefer pics of my beautiful children).  If you are looking for a simple but elegant piece of environmentally friendly jewelry (eco-chic) look no further than kateylove!  Her pieces are all made with organic and found materials.  The leather in the cording is not new leather…it’s been saved and reused.  All stones are conflict free.  katey is a native Californian and has a passion for jewelry, the ocean, and of course the environment.  She operates a sustainable buisness from her energy reduction efforts to the purchase recycled content mailers.  A portion of all sales even go to local environmental efforts. 

Want to win this Citrine necklace from her Terra Collection?  Visit kateylove jewelry and tell me one thing you learned about her line of jewelry.  Leave your comment below; one comment per person.  One extra entry can be earned by sharing this post (with link) on Twitter.   Giveaway ends May 10th, 2010 (midnight ET).  Contest closed! ECO-ngratulations Sarah H!

3.  And for those cloth diaper addicted mama’s – don’t forget to share this Diaper Shops coupon code with your family!  We all know that you really want new fluff for Mother’s Day…don’t deny it!  10% discount off your next order at Kelly’s Closet with code AFTERPARTY. (Cannot be used on bG,flip,econobum*) Exp. 5/4.   Limit one code per order and you may only use each code one time! Not good on any previous orders. 

4.  Grab Your Bags - Every eco-minded mama has a stash of reusable bags but how many times do you forget to take them with you!  It’s called Bagnesia!  Why not give her a Reusable Bag Reminder Kit this year for Mother’s Day.  The kits include a compact reusable shopping bag, a door hanger, a steering wheel wrap, a clip, and reusable pouch for storage.  You will never forget your bag again!  The kits normall sell for $14.99 but from now through Mother’s Day (2010) they have been reduced to $11.99 – a 20% savings!  I think it’s time I get myself a second set for my stash.

I’ll share my Mother’s Day present with you all next week.  Yes, I already have it (I think).  I came home with a new piece of jewelry the other day and hubby informed me that it was my present to myself.  Aren’t I a lucky mama?  What about you? Do you shop for yourself…or does your family surprise you?

One thing that I don’t talk about often is my art background.  As a child I was heavily involved in all things artistic.  I was an oil painter at age 10 and continued to pursue my passion through college.  In college I was studying to become a graphic designer.  At the same time I was working my way through college as a sales associate at the local art supply store…making a whooping $7/hr.  You might have guessed by now that I didn’t finish my degree in art…instead I attended a different university my final 2 years (actually more like 4 more years…LOL!) and now hold a Bachelor’s degree in Biology.  I decided that graphic design was very competitive and I wasn’t a competitive person.  That plus all of my coworkers at the art supply store all had their degree in graphic design and were still working 9-5 at the art supply store! 

I recently received a beautiful piece of artwork from Lillunia, a collection of artwork by Laura Hill and Eve Gianni Corio.  The piece is Ashley’s Bears, a giclee print of the original watercolor painting of three polar bears snuggled up to their mother trying to stay warm.  A giclee is simply the process of making fine art prints from a digital source using ink-jet printing (Thanks Wikipedia!).  Each print is hand numbered and signed by the artist (Deborah Bassino). 

The artwork on Lillunia is all nature-inspired and is perfect for a nursery or child’s room.  You can buy one piece or you could buy a collection (or mosaic) of work.  The mosaics are different sized pieces of the same animal in different poses.  I’m not sure which animal is my favorite…the polar bear, giraffe, monkeys, ducks, zebras, or dolphins.  I’d have to say the dolphins, but that would be the water lover in me.  

All prints can be customized with your child’s name and date of birth to make this an extra special keepsake.  The pieces can be shipped either matted or custom framed.

As a fellow art lover I was drawn to the Lillunia collection.  Maybe because it is so similar to the type of art that I used to paint.  I really should make time to get back into my artwork.  I still have all of my supplies in a box in the garage along with my easel and art desk.  It’s a part of me I never really let go…even if I don’t practice. 

Buy It Now!  Whether you like original watercolors or prints Lillunia can provide you with quality work for your child.  Prices are very reasonable; an 11 x 14 print of Ashley’s Bears is priced at the low price of $95.  Don’t forget each piece is signed and numbered by the artist and comes complete with a Certificate of Authenticity.  Lillunia is located in New York.