We found the list of Affordable Eco-Friendly Home Accessories at Domino.com and thought you might want some inspiration for your holiday shopping. Our favorites include colorful bowls carved from tree branches and newspaper vases. The shelf at right is a reclaimed railroad tie from Sprout Home.

Have a Waste Free Holiday by giving tickets, memberships, and gift certificates through King County's discounted program. More...

We spotted this easy project on this family biking page in (EcoMetro city Portland), which is fast becoming a solid resource for families on a roll in any city. The latest blog describes several methods and products for keeping kids warm, dry, and happy through the rain and cold whether using bike seats, bakfiets (at right), or trailers. The easiest is the author's own DIY project, a converted poncho that she fitted with elastic to stay put over the mounted high-back child seat. Materials needed are a poncho, elastic or shock cord, and a small reflective triangle, which you can purchase at one of our bike merchants with a coupon. Happy riding!

Keep an eye out for our family biking blog, which also involves a bakfiet. Coming soon! (Image: Flickr/santanartist) More...

Parents heading out on Halloween with children can do more than just chaperon the candy raids. The site Green Halloween suggests taking along your own reusable bag and offering to collect old cell phones from the neighbors you visit. Not only will you prevent e-waste from reaching the landfill, but you can then send the phones free of charge to the Good Deed Foundation. The phones are recycled and fund programs supporting women and children in poverty.

See Green Halloween for additional ideas, or use our listings for Organic, Fair Trade, and local chocolate for yourself or costumed visitors.

Sometimes you stumble across a blog full of ideas and think, if only I had the time! Resurrection Fern is one of the best crafts blogs we've seen. It's a joy to read and the daily(!) tutorials are simple, beautiful, and entirely possible to tackle. The author is a family physician in a rural community (we look forward to a chat with her in the future!) who takes time each day to make something using materials from the natural world. Each creation is a sweet mix of function and whimsy--recent highlights include crocheting mushrooms from vintage buttons and making sweaters for visiting snails (below). Our list of yarn stores stocking organic cotton and natural wool are after the jump, along with recent Resurrection Fern project highlights. Happy crafting!

It's a busy Thursday here while we work to get out our September newsletter and coupon offers (you can sign up in that box in the upper right corner), so this time we'll inspire you and send you on your way to local salvage shops.

Recently a Martha Stewart email caught our eye with this crafty repurposing of window shutters as an entry way organizer. Salvage stores always have oodles of weathered, sunbeaten old shutters which would look great for this project. Secure the slider and affix them to the wall, then slip cards and notes in. Vintage hooks could be affixed to the bottom to hold keys. I'd use an even number of shutters to create a trompe l'oeil closed window in my windowless entryway. Below are your local salvage shops and coupons, including a free online coupon for paint! More...

Last week on Craft Thursday we profiled the Portland, OR based non-profit Trillium Artisans. This week we're looking at an international group that unifies crafters by family (ok, city), the Craft Mafia. Originating in Austin, TX, the reign of craft has spread to cities small and large, including EcoMetro cities St Paul and Portland. A Seattle familia is  suspiciously absent. Form your own group and be the big boss. More...

The non-profit organization Trillium Artisans has long been a favorite of EcoMetro Portland. Members must use a minimum of 50% recycled materials in their gifts and wares. The flower represents the three principles of people, planet and profit that guide this group in creating business opportunities for low-income artists. Group members are coached in small business counseling and gain access to credit card processing and other benefits that would otherwise be prohibitively expensive. Applicants must be below the median income in Portland ($33,950 for a house of four, $27,150 for two and $23,750 for one). This week we'll take a look at some of our favorite picks from the online shop. Artists interested in forming a similar group in your area can contact Trillium via their site for more information. More...

If you have the DIY bug, then you're familiar with the appeal of those dilapidated, lost looking chairs found in garages, thrift stores, and curbs everywhere. Instead of purchasing a new chair, find one with good bones that needs a little TLC, and give it a new life. With a little elbow grease and our listings of local fabric and paint stores, you'll be able to turn a $5 (or free!) find into a beloved home project. All kinds of wood furniture--tables, dressers, desks--can be painted and revitalized with these tips and resources.

We've got your local coupons, too, to help inspire a project. Anyone can use our free online coupon for Rodda Paint for 2 for 1 gallons. More...

Each Thursday we'll bring you our favorite gems picked out from scouring local craft markets, Etsy, Lov.li, and local craft sites. We'll also give highlights from our other EcoMetro cities. Materials must meet our environmental criteria, which include recycled/reclaimed materials and eco fabrics such as organic cotton, hemp, and soy fabrics and yarns.

Lincoln Wool Pillow by Felted Style, $95
Magnolia blossoms are needle felted onto this pillow, hand felted with wool from a Western Washington farm. Ask for a custom wool insert instead of polyester, a synthetic fiber made from petroleum.

More of this week's crafters after the jump... More...