(Organic) Curtain Call: Can You Help Me?

Mark and I have lived in our house for six years, and—for six years—I’ve wanted to hang curtains in our living room.

You have to understand: If I had to choose another career, it would be green interior design, so the way a place looks (and, really, feels) is of the utmost importance to me. As I shared with you many blogs ago, we moved into our house on a sweltering August day and we didn’t stop moving until every box was in the house and unpacked.

We had a house-warming soon afterwards and an acquaintance said to me, “It took 10 years to get my house looking this cozy and lived-in.” It was the best compliment I could have received.

But I digress . . .

Our house is totally designed, down to the angle of the plants, but the one bare spot is the living room windows. To me, it looks like a woman who got all dolled up and forgot to put on her lipstick. It’s just not finished.

Yesterday I decided to do something about it (finally!) and I went about what I thought would be an easy task: finding organic cotton curtains. I was so wrong. Organic cotton shower curtains are a breeze to find, but take the “shower” out of the equation and, well, you’re all wet.

I’m hoping you can help me in suggesting a source for eco-friendly and stylish window treatments. Ideally, the curtains will be grommet top, insulated, and some shade of maroon . . . and organic cotton or hemp or bamboo . . . and made in the United States. I know, I’m asking for a lot, but what I’m looking for just might be out there.

Oh, and if it’s on sale, that’s even better.

Question of the blog: Do you suffer from “green guilt” if you have to buy a product that’s conventional when you’re looking for eco-friendly?

Looking for a "Going Green" Blessing?

Yesterday, I visited a local Whole Foods and found myself inexplicably drawn to a display in the produce section. It wasn’t an impressive tower of red tomatoes or wild pile of fresh corn, it was a collection of baskets.

Orange is my favorite color and I walked right up to an orange basket. Something about its artistry spoke to me, and it had an energy I liked. Then I read its tag . . . and put it in my cart.

It’s a “Blessing Basket,” a handmade piece of utilitarian art by woman in Uganda. And the women actually sign a card that comes with the basket: Kasagga and Prossy made my basket.

Their story is as lovely as their art form.

According to their site, “The Blessing Basket Project exists to reduce poverty by providing sustainable jobs that pay prosperity wages. When you buy a Blessing Basket, you bring hope to the weaver who made the basket. Each basket sold is a life changed. Every basket is signed by the artist who made it and comes tagged with the story of their struggle. Those tags are assembled in the United States by adults with disabilities. Depending on the size and style, prices for one of these incredible works of art range from $20 - $55.”

I hope you bless your home—and the homes of your friends and family members—with a Blessing Basket.

Question of the blog: Does going green influence the way you decorate?