Green Valentine's Gift Giveaway - Share the Love! *Closed

Valentine's Day may have passed but we're celebrating all week by sharing the love. In lieu of sending you - our friends - flowers and chocolates, we're spreading green love in our own lavish way, with a great Green Valentine's Gift Giveaway! You could win a fabulous prize package of green Valentine's Gifts ideal for use the whole year long and worth more than $80. The great part is, the winner will be able to have one item from the package sent to a friend who's also entered - and share the love, with our compliments! We believe in paying it forward. Win and so does one of your friends. Simply tell us what green things you LOVE to do and you could win a prize package of eco-friendly gifts that keeps on giving.

WIN and you'll receive one of our hugely popular, Oprah-approved S'well Stainless Steel Insulated Water Bottles - the sleekest steel bottle around and in your choice of colour. There's seven to choose from.

Plus, you'd also win these products too:
Kids Konserve Leak Proof Stainless Steel Food Containers 2-Pack - perfect for everything from luscious strawberries to yoghurt and more, choose from pink lids or brown.
Collapsible Recyclable Flower Vase - ideal for those Valentine flowers and five styles to choose from.
O'Bon Strawberry Sugarcane Notebook - write your thoughts, plan your day, make notes of any kind on spiral bound lined paper made from sugarcane pulp fronted by high definition strawberries that look real enough to eat.
Hopscotch Kids Red Rover Nail Polish - paint those little fingers and toes without any nasty chemicals.
If you win, you can choose which of these items is sent to a friend or loved one - free of charge.

*** THIS GIVEAWAY IS NOW CLOSED *** CONGRATULATIONS TO OUR WINNER CRYSTAL (BANKIE AS BELOW) ***

WIN IT!
Tell us what green things you LOVE to do and you could win all the green Valentine's gifts detailed above in our random draw.

Leave your answer in a comment below or email it to us at customerservice@lavishandlime.com with 'Share the Love Giveaway' in the subject line. **Please be sure to include your name and email address so we can contact you if you win.**

SHARE IT & WIN TOO!
We really want you to win something! Share this giveaway with your friends -- if they win, so can you. The winner will be able to choose a friend to receive one of their prize items and we'll ship it free of charge. To receive the item, the winner's friend must have entered this giveaway as well. It's a win-win, so pass it on.

EXTRA ENTRIES:
Do any of the following and be sure to tell us you did!
- Like a post about this Giveaway on our Lavish & Lime Facebook Page - the more posts you like, the more chances to win
- Tweet the message: Great Green Valentine Gift #Giveaway! Win @lavishandlime, @swellbottle, @kidskonserve, @obon http://bit.ly/xayoiq
- Sign up to receive our email newsletter
- Like us on Facebook (or tell us you did & that you still like us!)
- Follow us on Twitter (or tell us you did a long time ago & are still doing so!)


Leave a separate comment below for each thing you do. The winner will be chosen in a random draw. Deadline for entries is midnight PST Sunday, February 19th. The winner will be notified by email Monday, February 20th. Open to Canadian residents only. The prize item for the winner's friend will be shipped to a Canadian address only.

5 Best Green Valentine's Gift Ideas

How do I love thee? Let me count the ways... Valentine's Day may be just around the corner but there's still plenty of time to count the ways you love your Valentine. Here are five green Valentine's gift ideas to show your love - for your Valentine, and the planet too.

1. Give a great big bear hug with this Valentine's e-card from the Natural Resources Defense Council (NRDC). A $10 donation to the NRDC will help them fight in court to save the polar bear from global warming, Arctic oil development and trophy hunting in honor of your loved one. A personalized e-card will be sent to your loved one.

2. From board to boardroom, he'll be stylin' at work with these eco-friendly skateboard cufflinks in hip and happening Valentine's pink.

3. Jewelry always hits Cupid's mark this time of year. With so many options available from colourful natural felt necklaces (pictured above) to recycled paper bracelets and silver necklaces even vinyl record cuffs, the question quickly becomes, why wouldn't you choose eco-friendly jewelry?

4. Set the Valentine's mood with a glass of organic wine. For top organic wine picks from one of Canada's leading wine writers, Anthony Gismondi, click here. Alternatively, take the edge off alcohol-free with the latest in locally produced organic soda -- Kombucha. Our fave is Blackberry.

5. Pucker up for that Valentine's kiss au naturale without the nasty chemicals. If there's one makeup item to be chemical free, we vote for lip colour. Not only does it absorb into your system like all the rest but through drinking, eating and yes, kissing -- it's also inevitably ingested. For a hint of luscious, moisturizing colour try Wine Country Organics Tinted Lip Balm and to pump up your pucker Vapour Organic Elixir Plumping Lip Gloss.

8 Ways to Give Green Love on Valentine's Day

There's no doubt Valentine's Day has become big business and while we wholeheartedly support lavishing your love on what many call the most romantic day of the year, we've come up with eight eco-friendly Valentine's ideas to help do this with a dose planet-friendliness in mind.

To help put this holiday in perspective, here are some interesting consumption facts, according to American Greetings.

• After Christmas, Valentine's Day is the second largest card-sending holiday with around one billion cards sent globally. One billion cards stretched end to end would wrap around the world five times!
• Over 36 million heart-shaped boxes of chocolate are sold each year.
• Valentine’s Day is the top holiday for fresh flower purchases with red roses being most popular.
• 10% of engagements happen on Valentine’s day.

This kind of big business means a potentially big impact on the environment. Spreading a little love to the environment too could go a long way to lessening this impact. Here are eight ways to do it.

1. Think less is more and you'll consume less. A small token of your love says just as much as that huge heart-holding polyester teddy bear that he or she will be wondering what to do with by the time July rolls around. For this holiday in particular, it truly should be the thought that counts.
   
2. Choose eco-friendly gift options that not only show a little creativity on your part but are often healthier for the recipient too. Pink Recycled Skateboard Cufflinks and Heart Bike Bells are great for the planet. Chemical-free Scotch Naturals Kiltlifter Red Nail Polish and natural Aloe Jojoba Bubble Bath are healthy options for your love.
3. For the chocolate lover, think organic chocolate - Denman Island Chocolate is one of our local favourites or better yet, go for a calorie-free chocolate flower growing kit.
4. If you're preparing a meal, buy organic or locally grown produce and other foods and cut down the meal's carbon footprint. The same goes for choosing from a restaurant's menu.
   
5. Buy organic or locally grown cut flowers - check out sierraeco.com for a listing of florists in Canada carrying organic, fair traded flowers. If they're being delivered at work, hospital or anywhere else a vase might not be readily available, a great addition to help ensure they last is a collapsible, recyclable plastic flower vase.
6. Consider sending an e-card instead of traditional card. Jacquielawson.com is one of our favourite e-card sites.
7. If you are a traditionalist (like many), choose a card made from recycled or tree-free paper or make your own card(s) with materials you already have in your home.
   
8. If you're buying jewelry, consider local artisans or recycled materials first and jewelers who are certified to be sourcing precious metals and gemstones in an ecologically and socially responsible manner. While no form of mining can be considered truly environmentally friendly, some responsible mining companies are making an effort to ensure that damage to the environment is minimal, effluent properly managed, workers fairly treated and areas mined rehabilitated.

These are just a few ideas about enjoying an eco-friendly Valentine's Day. If you have any more or some general thoughts about Valentine's Day, please leave a comment below. We'd love to hear from you! For more green living ideas, visit eco boutique Lavish & Lime.

Great Valentines Ideas for Making your Own Cards

Without a doubt it's easiest to buy one of the many packs of Dora, Spiderman or other licensed Valentine's Day cards we see in all the shops but why not teach the kids slightly more planet-friendly ways and encourage their creativity at the same time?

Making your own Valentines cards with things you already have around the house is not only easier on the environment but it's a great way to help build kids' self-esteem with a sense of accomplishment.

We've scouted around and found a great UK-based site with lots of make it yourself Valentines cards ideas. From finger painting to printing and tissue paper to recycled fabric bits, there's a card here for every interest at pretty much every level. For some, you might have purchase supplies, like non-toxic finger paints, chemical-free natural felt markers or soy crayons but for most, you should be able to use items you already have.

If your child is to distribute cards to the entire class, our #1 card-making tip? Get started early. It's absolutely do-able, you may just have to do a little at a time, a few times. Happy card-making!

For more green living ideas, visit eco boutique Lavish & Lime. If you have any thoughts about cards or valentines ideas, please leave a comment below. We'd love to hear from you!

Best Calorie-Free Chocolate Valentine

For a unique, eco-friendly Valentine's day gift that will wow your Valentine, look no further than the Chocolate Lover's Pocket Garden - the perfect calorie-free and guilt-free chocolate gift for February 14th.

The recycled steel container features 4 varieties of seed of chocolate-y smelling and looking flowers, 4 seedling garden stakes and growing information with tips.

This is an ideal gift for the chocolate lover who likes to garden.
Flower seeds included: Chocolate Pincushion Flower, Chocolate Cosmidium, Chocolate Sunflowers and Chocolate Drop Rudbeckia

If chocolate isn't your Valentine's 'thing', try our Herbal Tea pocket garden for tea lovers who can grow, harvest and blend their own. We also have a Wine Lover's version with information about wine/food pairings and for the chef, a pocket garden to grow everything they need for a fresh Gourmet Salad.

For these and more ideas for unique Valentine's gifts, visit eco boutique Lavish & Lime. If you have any thoughts or comments about unique Valentine's gifts (family appropriate!), please leave a comment below. We'd love to hear from you!

Kids Jewelry from China Found Toxic

We want to indulge them with pretty things, but not put them at risk. Unfortunately, that's exactly what's been happening with cheap necklaces and bracelet charms made by Chinese manufacturers substituting cadmium for lead and selling them for distribution throughout the US and possibly Canada.

Cadmium is a known carcinogen and ranked as No. 7 out of 275 hazardous substances in the environment. Cadmium can affect brain development and doesn't have to be ingested to cause damage. Children can be exposed to low levels by sucking or biting a piece of jewelry.

The US Product Consumer Safety Commission has been conducting tests and Health Canada says it's going to launch an investigation. According to the CBC, jewelry with the highest levels of cadmium has been found to come from three sources: Wal-Mart, dollar stores and girls' jewelry chain Claire's.

But concern doesn't stop with cadmium. There seems to be plenty of lead in children's jewelry too. Health Canada reported in December that half of the kid's jewelry it had tested in 2009 was made of almost pure lead. Apparently, targeted testing of 67 suspicious pieces found 39 had illegal levels of lead.

Read more about the investigation into tainted kids' jewelry here.

There are lots of safer and smarter options - from our own backyard. Our little princesses need not go without. Buying Canadian and buying quality makes sense. So does choosing materials like sterling silver, porcelain and pearls.

This pink cupcake charm necklace and porcelain blue heart pendant come with 1" extenders on the chain, so the necklace can 'grow' as she does. This baby heart charm bracelet and girls' heart charm bracelet come with an additional upsizing option. While these pieces may cost more than their dollar store counterparts, they can last for years and in the long run are well worth the money.

Visit Lavish & Lime for a full range of quality children's jewelry. If you have any questions or comments about tainted kids' jewelry or buying local designs, we'd love to hear from you. Please leave a comment below.

Lavish & Lime Valentine's Gifts in the Press

We're certain our Valentine's gifts are sure to hit the mark with your loved one and guess what? We're not the only ones.

We're more than happy to report that over the last week, a few members of press have concurred and featured a selection of Valentine gifts from Lavish & Lime. Here are some top picks from press across the country.

Sweetmama.ca
February 9th
They loved our Natural Love wood heart necklace. Frankly, we can't think of anyone who woodn't!

The Edmonton Sun
February 8th
Our lovely Canadian-made crystal heart necklace made it into their Feb 14th gift round up for sweet dreams.

The Globe and Mail
February 7th
The silver ballchain on our Signature Bejewel Heart necklace was a rock chic hit.

North Shore News
February 6th
One of Vancouver's leading suburban newspapers thought our red wrap Italian-made journal wasperfect for your thoughtful Valentine.

For these and more great gifts for your Valentine, visit Vancouver-based Lavish & Lime. It's still not too late to lavish your love!

5 Ways to Give Green Love on Valentine's Day

The most romantic day of the year is just around the corner (already!) and this year, it's easier than ever to give green love.

With a little forethought you can take a few easy, eco-conscious steps on February 14th and make it a truly feel good occasion all around!

Here are a selection of sweetheart offerings to help impress your Valentine.

1. Buy a gift made from recycled or other earth-friendly materials, but don't feel you have to compromise on style. You can give a gift that's green and looks good. The days of these two being mutually exclusive are over with the introduction of the concept eco-chic. If it's a heart you're looking for, go for the natural love necklace - a dark wooden heart pendant hanging from two sterling silver chains, or perhaps a pair of adorable dangling hearts - sterling silver threader earrings, both made in Canada from reclaimed wood.There's also the ultra soft bamboo nightshirt that can double for daywear. Show your love for him with a practical reusable sport twist water bottle in deep, luxurious red.

2. Save gas and snuggle up for a movie night in with a pizza and a bottle of bubbly. Heat things up with a crackling fire or simply grab a cozy throw - try a lightweight mohair throw (with a stunning recycled yarn fringe) in robin's egg blue, perfect for two. Choose a suitably themed flick that's all about love. Our favourite romantic picks include Phenomenon (He says, 'Will you love me for the rest of my life?' as his is about to end, and she says 'No, I'll love you for the rest of mine.' ...sniffle) Pretty Woman (LOVE the part when he snaps shut the necklace box) and As Good As It Gets (poor, Keanu; good ol' Jack gets her in the end). Any favourites you'd recommend?

3. Make a card. Remember way back when you used to make those paper hearts with red construction paper, white doilies and way too much glue? Remember your sense of achievement and the smile on your Mom's face? Well, there's no reason not to do it now, except now there can be a bit more to it. Include photos, recycled bits of paper, ribbons, greetings cards you've already received or anything else you can think of. Go on, lose yourself for an hour. Check out these card-making ideas if you're stuck, then let yourself go. Nothing melts a heart more than the thought of the time and effort put into a homemade gift and you might just be surprised at how creative you can be!

4. Give a foot massage. Who wouldn't love you for one of these? Wash them, dry them, exfoliate and invigorate them with a good brush, then massage using soothing foot butter made with carrot oil which restores moisture and leaves them baby soft. You can wrap up separately a coconut foot brush - ethically made in Sri Lanka - or a Canadian-made, all natural and paraben-free foot butter. We recommend giving them together as a foot brush gift set, packaged nicely in a lime green jute bag.

5. Serve up your gift on a tray with breakfast in bed. Everyone loves a bit of pampering and starting off with some sweetheart waffles and berries, eggs benedict or even simple tea and toast is certain to make your Valentine's day. Buy local produce, eggs, bread and other ingredients wherever possible, not only are they fresher but you can do your bit to boost the local economy. Check out spud.ca for a great selection of organic and other groceries delivered fresh to your door.

Visit Lavish & Lime for more great Valentine's Day gift ideas for him, for her and the little ones.