With Valentine's Day right around the corner, now is the time to start planning how you can make Valentine's Day lovely for your sweetheart and the environment. There are several ways to make Valentine's Day Eco friendly that are simple, affordable and that will let your sweetie know that you were thinking of them.

Valentine Cards:

Did you know that over 1 billion Valentine cards are exchanged worldwide every Valentine's Day? That is a lot of trees being used for cards, that in most cases are simple thrown away or recycled once the day is over. With this in mind, consider alternatives when shopping for Valentine's Day cards such as; tree free blooming cards, 100% recycled post consumer cards printed with soy or vegetable ink, sustainable wooden cards or e cards.

Give a Gift that Gives Back:

If you will be purchasing a lovely gift for your significant other, spouse, child or friend this Valentine's Day, think of gifts that give back. Organizations such Ten Thousand Villages and Novica work with artisan groups throughout the world to bring you fair trade jewelry, home decor and other lovely gift ideas. The best part, fair trade enables artisans in other countries to earn a fair wage and it provides them with the opportunity to live a better quality of life.

If your sweetie has a soft spot for animals or loves the great outdoors? You may want to consider making a donation to her favorite charity in her name. Some charities to consider would be the ASPCA, The Human Society or The Nature Conservancy.

Have you been searching for holiday gift ideas that are outside of the box? Wouldn't you love to give a gift that is Eco friendly, handmade and lovely? Did you know that you can find these gifts from the comfort on your own home? It's true, you can with Etsy. Etsy is an online community that spans 150 countries and enables people to connect with others who make a living making things. This is a fabulous community full of creative individuals who not only sell lovely items but have a fabulous story to go with them. You will find something unique for everyone on your holiday gift list.

Would you do your holiday shopping on Etsy?

What are your favorite Etsy shops?

Well Black Friday and Cyber Monday have come and gone, but if you're like me and haven't started your holiday shopping I have four great gift ideas for the gardener in your life. The adorable "Eggling" designed by Jun Inui and available at the MoMa Store is a fun stocking stuffer for apartment dwellers or gardening newbies. The extra large egg, hand-made from white ceramic with a terracotta tray, comes with a seed packet of either basil or mint and is ready to grow in the peat mixture. The eggs are $9.50 each and make a cool modern design statement in a grouping of three.

Every gardener, expert green thumbs and novices alike, needs a reference book like this one from the American Horticultural Society's New Encyclopedia of Gardening Techniques (above). It contains thousands of illustrations, hundreds of color photos and covers a wealth of gardening techniques. It is an incredible resource and at $29 on Amazon, quite a deal.

For the gardener who has everything, these Bionic Gardening Gloves may be just the gadget. Although I love the feel of the dirt in my hands, when it's time for serious weeding you need a good pair of gloves. Designed by a hand surgeon, these leather gloves have breathable zones and cushioned areas to prevent calluses. They are $39 and available at Target.

Lastly, for the stylish gardener who wants to look good even when she's covered in dirt, there's the Orange Mum Garden Belt and matching Hat from Hable Construction. The utility belt features 3 big pockets and 4 loops to hang tools for $65. The wide brim hat made of cotton canvas has a raw edge and is currently on sale for $30! Any one of these gifts are sure to please the gardener in your life - happy shopping!