These Muji cardboard speakers are collapsible, portable and recycled! So green. Only 3 1/4" sq and only $42! From The Museum of Modern Art.
This cute little pavé heart ring holds lip gloss and is made by Juicy for Sephora. The best part? It's got a built in mirror, kittens! Just in time for the holidays, too. $68, Size 7.
Place these little wraps in the fridge or in warm water to soothe your feet. They are filled with massaging gel to help reduce puffiness and ease tension. One size fits most. Hooray! $35.
Free People has some great, unique clothes. Now, they also have great jewelry, accessories and shoes. These clear rings are cute and only $12. The perfect cocktail ring for the holiday season. AND, everyone won't have them on.
Don't have your expensive hair products or perfume confiscated by airport security! There is a great website called minimus.biz you can go to and find hundreds of trial size products. "Minimus began when the Shrater family was on a vacation to a cottage in New Hampshire. When we realized we would need to throw away several bottles of condiments at the end of our trip, we thought, "wouldn't it be great if there was one place you could go for the small packets of condiments -- better yet, a place to get all of your travel accessories and travel size item needs?"" Now they have 30,000 sq feet of warehouse space.
Do you spend more time and effort on your accessories than your clothes? Well, you are not alone and there is a great new website for you called sacredaccessories.com. They carry favs like earrings, necklaces, scarves to the purse holders mentioned in a previous cupcakelife post. It is also refreshing to see quality crafted merchandise without a 300% mark up! Here is one of the best selling pieces, the Raj prayer scarf in aqua. Similar to the Sir Alistar Rai scarf, but for half the price ($49). Check out the 'gifts under $50' page.
Get into the Halloween spirit with some cute, recyclable totes from Williams Sonoma. They will even embroider them with "your little goblin's name". Choose between pumpkin or scary bats! $19.50 without personalization, $5 more with.
Want to be able to chat with your long distance loved ones and be able to see them? Not everyone has a built-in web cam on their computer and this little gadget solves that problem. From Restoration Hardware, this Eco Trends Web Cam is 'eco friendly' because it is made from recycled plastic. It swivels and is also illuminated. PC/Windows® compatible (except Vista), silver. $39
There is a great website out there that carries fresh, hip stationary called luxepaperie.com. They have everything from distinctive greeting cards, social announcements and invitations, boxed notes, and gift wrap. They have also gotten recent shout-outs in Lucky Magazine, as well as Blueprint. Some favorites are by a brand called Sidepony that feature such taglines as "Everyone Likes a Den Mother" and "Wanna Couple Skate?". Check out the luscious line of cupcake cards available!
It's breast cancer awareness month and there are multiple items out there that contribute a portion of sales to organizations such as Susan G. Komen Cancer Foundation and the American Cancer Society. This MIO pink heart rate monitor is also a calorie counter. It lets you set your daily calorie limit and enter the ones you consume, then it beeps wehn you go overboard. 10% of sales go to Susan G. Komen. $69.99
Hubby from Minnesota and you are from Atlanta? Don't be stuck watching Vikings football games in silence! Show your transplant pride with pillows from your home state or city. Using thorough research and vivid pictures laid across the state's outline and name, each pillow packs in its sites, cities and culture with flair. A brilliant way to celebrate where you live, where you came from or where you've just traveled, these pillows feature black velvet piping and a soft polyfill and are sure to become heirlooms and delightful additions to your home. $149.
Get straightened out while on vacay. And don't have your straightener take up so much space either! This one is 6 inches long and heats up in 30 seconds. Also has ceramic plates, which are easier on your hair. Only $17.88
Or wireless. Whatever you like to call "getting teckie". This mini iPod Speaker is cute, small and charges your iPod as it plays. Comes in yellow, pink and white. Love that it is called the "iPig". Space saver, 4 speakers &15W Sub, Bass Reflex, Sound Stabilization technology for best sound quality. Compatible with iPod, iPod mini, iPod nano, iPod with color display, iPod with video,iPod touch. I especially like the remote control. $139.99. 
Wash those politician mouths out with soap and make this campaign a little cleaner! Set of 2 soaps say "Feel Good" and "Vote". Comes in a tiny 'soap box'. How appropriate! $15.
Compact and lightweight, Handpresso allows for espresso to be enjoyed anywhere. It works without electricity with four easy steps: pump handle, pour hot water, insert coffee pods, and press. Uses standard E.S.E. (easy-serving espresso) coffee pods (not included). Made of aluminum and plastic. No bulky wires or cables and saves counter space too. $129.95
Are they taking over your abode? KinderHarvest collects recycled magazines across the entire magazine supply chain - Publishers, National Distributors, Wholesalers, Retail Newsstands, and Consumers. The magazines are given to new readers - children and families faced with economic challenges who are unable to receive them via traditional consumer channels.
Need an inexpensive, cute gift idea? Maybe an apron by Jessica Steele. Clair Steele & Helena Steele are the mother/daughter design team behind the Jessie Steele label and their designs have been featured on some TV shows and magazines lately. I found this feminine one for $32.95. Perfect for your consummate hostess or your cooking-challenged friend.
Just because you are from Malibu doesn't mean you can't have 'street cred' and become a rapper. Well, whatever the rule is, Shwayze is a cool new sound from Shwayze (born Aaron Smith) and Cisco Adler (son of Lou Adler, Producer). I'm loving the tunes "Corona and Lime" and "Buzzin". I call the music a cross between Jack Johnson and hip/hop rap.
Yes, that's right. She is now a shoe designer as well as an actress and Harvard graduate. She has been a vegetarian since 8 and decided she wanted to see more 'animal-friendly' designer shoes out there. She collaborated with Té Casan. “As a vegan, it’s been challenging finding designer shoes made of alternative materials. This collection offers a great selection without compromising quality or style.” 
The latest Apple offering, unveiled yesterday by Apple Founder Steve Jobs, is the new Nano that comes in either 8GB or 16GB. 8GB offers 2,000 songs / 8 hours of video, 16GB has 4,000 songs / 16 hours of video. The model is curved and made of aluminum and glass. It can supposedly be recycled also. Instead of picking a few colors, Jobs said they decided to pick every color. There is an intelligence feature that allows it to create playlists based on songs it 'thinks would go together'. Has a 2 inch screen (great for photos), games, and you can even 'shake' the iPod to shuffle your music. Turn it sideways if you wish, and the album cover art moves sideways too. Just like the iPhone. Pretty cool. Starts at $149.
Topshop has been dazzling Brits for years with its edgy fashion and now they have launched a Topshop US site today. Motorcycle jackets for $95? Sound nice? Check out some of their funky fashions. FYI, fashionista Kate Moss also designs for Topshop. "Bringing you all the features that have made TOPSHOP.COM the online destination for cutting edge style and weekly fashion fixes but with an American twist."
These big-eyed characters are the perfect way to convey your stuffy corporate business card with flair. "Created by artist Caia Koopman, her original characters have an alternative, rebellious and vulnerable beauty about them." Choose from Rehab Wallet Case and Knitting Card Case. Made in Los Angeles. $30 or $36. Check out the ones by Kelly Haigh too.
Even though their music has been around since 2002, I recently discovered this group and cannot get 2 of their songs out of my head, "Lake Michigan" and "Eyes". Songs conjure different images for everyone, but Lake Michigan makes me think of sitting in a coffee shop on a cold day watching everyone walk by. Rogue Wave is a San Francisco area band formed by Zach Rogue. Check out their music on iTunes. Best described as Indie, Alternative, College Rock.
Have your pooch show your partisan pride with a McCanine 2008 Doggy Tee or a Bark Obama 2008 Tee!!
In 2005, Rory Freedman and Kim Barnouin came out with a diet book that quickly became a phenomenon. And with a book name like "Skinny Bitch", it is easy to understand why!
Meetup.com helps groups of people with shared interests plan meetings and form offline clubs in local communities around the world. Find a group near you that likes adventure, hiking, biking, running, skiing, networking, reading or even happy hour (ing). Meetup.com is a great way to meet new people with like interests. 47,839 meetups in 112 countries. Give it a whirl!
Charlotte (I mean Kristin Davis) is launching a line of clothes that will be sold at Belk stores. Everyone else has a clothes line now, so why not? Carrie (I mean Sarah Jessica Parker) has launched her "Bitten" line for Steve & Barry's, in which all items are inexpensive. I can imagine the same would be true for Belk clothing. The price range is said to be between $16 and $248. She will have accessories such as shoes, purses and belts as well as clothing that can be worn to work or at night. Stay tuned for the launch this Fall.
With this 14-karat gold-filled "Reminder Bow" necklace. www.byboe.com. $66. They also have sterling silver for $60 and Reminder Bow earrings as well. By New York based designer Annika Salame. 212-228-4300. 
Their latest shoes are very impressive and almost artistic. Lots of fabric, patterned shoes designed to mismatch beautifully. "Fun fact: the author of The Preppy Handbook, passing through our office one day, named them for us." Italian metallic-leather upper with silk satin bow. Man-made lining and sole. 3" self-covered heel. Made in Italy. $250.00
Donate your old suits to a great charity called Dress for Success. They take your suits and give them to people who are trying to get back on their feet in the workplace.
Dazzle your digits with Rachel Leigh's bird ring! The gorgeous Swarovski Crystal Pave Domed Rings are beautifully encrusted with shimmering crystals. The Bird Ring in Cobalt has a dazzling shape with a small peacock peeking out in the center, encrusted in black. One size, $258. An instant crowd pleaser for sure!
Have some old sneaks lying around the house that you want to get rid of? Consider bringing them to your closest Nike Town. "Reuse-A-Shoe, part of our Let Me Play campaign, is one of Nike’s longest-running environmental and community programs, where worn-out athletic shoes of any brand are collected, processed and recycled into material used in sports surfaces like basketball courts, tennis courts, athletic fields, running tracks and playgrounds for young people around the world." There is also a group called One-World Running that brings your donated shoes to Africa, Haiti and Central America.
Calorie-free desserts? Cute little cupcake lip glosses are a great gift idea and a way to lighten your day. The little mini cupcake containers with flip-top lids come in a boxed set includes four sweet flavors, with one each of a Raspberry, Vanilla, Chocolate and Strawberry style. Great party favor too. $9.50
A roller ball so you don' have to touch goopy cream? The Garnier Nutritioniste Skin Renew Anti-Puff Eye Roller (whew long name) let's you 'massage' away puffiness and dark circles with a caffeine gel formula. Also contains vitamin B5 and other nutrients designed to make your eyes brighter. Does it work? Let us know. Design sure is cool. About the size of a pen and can be found at most drugstores.
Look closely! It is not a boombox but actually an iPod dock station! Has many features, one of them being microphone input and volume/echo adjustment for karaoke. $220. Put it on your shoulder and go!
Sounds like a gimmick, but this stuff rocks! Coloring hair can take it's toll and these vitamins are perfect for getting hair back to where it was before. Hair product brand Phyto makes Phytophanere Dietary Supplement. "Hair & Nails Phytophanere is a dietary supplement for lifeless hair and weak, brittle nails. Super nutrients like carotene, wheat germ oil, and brewer's yeast nourish, protect, and help maintain healthy hair and build strong nails." Expensive ($50), but worth it. Shake it girl!
Smythson of Bond Street has been making personalized stationery and luxury leather goods for weddings and gifts, including bags, diaries, albums, purses, wallets and writing paper since 1887. Great idea for a monogrammed, personalized gift. This Card Case is a small leather wallet with one slim pocket and one gusseted pocket for business cards or credit cards. The cover can be silver-blocked with initials. $150.
Make a statement with a large, beaded necklace. Black is more elegant and looks great paired with all black as well. For work (believe it or not) or for play. This one found on Amazon does not break the bank either. Faceted beads of glossy black onyx lead to a pear-shaped black onyx drop with a checkerboard cut. With its single solid color, this necklace can stand out or blend in, depending on how it's worn. The 18-inch necklace closes with a fish lock clasp in solid 14 karat yellow gold. $59.99.
Pandora.com a.k.a Pandora Radio, a.k.a Music Genome Project promotes radio that plays only songs that you like. You create a custom radio experience then you listen for free via the web (streaming).
