I get so excited when I see independent designers out there launching their own fabric lines. And extra excited when those designers decide to come share their work here on cosa verde!

Dotty Logic features organic cotton fabrics designed by Jasonda Desmond. Her first collection (of 16 lovely patterns!) is inspired by the seashore. Seagull feathers, waves, sand and driftwood... so perfect for summer. She has such a lovely style—a little bit modern, a little bit retro—and a great use of color. I would love to see these in a modern beach house—a lively alternative to the ususal beach rental decor of red, white, and blue sailboats and adirondack chairs. I can't wait to see what Jasonda releases next.

It may sound silly, but I'm really proud of designers like Jasonda, who find a way to produce and distribute their own fabrics. Like so many things, I feel like the tools have gotten so much better for designers of any kind to get their work out there, seen, and used. I can't imagine how exciting it must be to ship fabrics of your own design off in little bundles, dreaming about the lovely things stitchers around the globe will turn them into!

I don't know about you, but for all my wishing for summer, I can't wait for it to be fall. I'm looking forward to things cooling off and slowing down a bit.

100% certified organic merino wool scarf from erineleanor (Seriously. Check out her shop. You won't be disappointed.); recycled siver earrings from AntiGenre; scrappy repurposed card holder from spectaclealamaison; eco-friendly vegan flats from TheGeneration

Yum. It has been a long time since I featured an organic baker on the blog, so say hello to Pastry Girls. Is your mouth watering as much as mine is right now?

Andrea, the chef behind Pastry Girls, is working to recreate the fine pastries of her childhood in Hungary through a collection of recipes from her grandmother, mother and other women from her time in Europe. All of her goodies are crafted with natural, organic ingredients, and if the end result tastes anything as good as it looks, well, I'm sold.

FromSoul has some very fun eco-friendly desk supplies, like these recycled paper pencils. You can pick between a bunch of cute sustainable sayings stamped on each pencil, and they just look like they would be tons of fun to have on any desk!

Here's wishing you all a little bit of peace in the middle of this hot, hot summer. Rest, relax, recharge and enjoy your weekend.

handmade organic cotton yoga pants from niluh

naturally-dyed organic wool and silk shawl from lizetfrijters

handwoven linen scarf hand-dyed with organic pigment from AMIZANTI

organic snickerdoodles from AllCatsBaking

handknit cotton slipper socks from RGsocks

As I have mentioned before, travel, and seeing cultures and people in situations very different from mine, has become a huge priority for me in my life. Cambodia is one of the places at the top of my list to get to in the next few years (especially after going to Thailand last year—I am itching to get back to that side of the world), so when I read this article on Ecoteurre last month about a Cambodian fashion collective for HIV-positive women, I sat up and took notice.

KeoK’jay employs nine HIV-positive women—generally widows and the key supporters of their families—by training them to produce fashions in their own homes. Working form home allows the women to work at their own pace in case their illness flares up, and to care for their children and families while earning an income. KeoK’jay works in conjunction with Sihanouk Hospital Center of HOPE, which provides free health care for these women and their families.

All of the products are designed by US based designer Rachel Faller. Faller provides the patterns to the women of KeoK’jay, but often they take it upon themselves to add their own touches—creating a line of unique, hand-crafted clothing and accessories. In addition to being fair trade, all products are produced with ecological impact in mind. Recycled paper and plastic bags are used in stationery lines and wallets, and the clothing lines are crafted from repurposed men's clothes or naturally low-impact-dyed new fabrics. In fact, 80% of the dyes used are made from edible materials!

KeoK’jay also presents a great degree of transparency. They are a social enterprise but are not funded by charitable support, so the price of each product reflects the full cost of production. There is an openly presented breakdown of their expenses on their website.

Products are curently only available via email and in a select few boutiques, though I hope they will soon be more readily available, as they are truly lovely designs.

I am absolutely enchanted by the work of Nicole from BabongoHome. Each mobile she crafts looks as though it would be wonderfully magicaly to live with—butterflies or leaves floating in the slightest breeze, or woodland creatures that look as though they have just stepped out of the world's most colorful forest.

The shapes on each mobile are created from fused plastic bags, giving each animal his own unique coloring and turning those icky used shopping bags into something truly beautiful. Animals are cut out, strung together in strands and hung from a fallen branch—all ready for a nursery or playroom.

While perfect for kids, I  love that these designs aren't babyish. They would be lovely in a child's room, but would add a bit of sophisticated whimsy to a home without children as well. The animal shapes have a vey modern feel — especially the reindeer above — that would work in any contemporary home. All in all, I am smitten. How about you?

Here'a another fun find, and the timing couldn't be better. It is wedding season, after all.

Star House creates little lovelies and custom cake toppers from locally-harvested sustainable poplar wood. Pick a grouping of figures—two adults, add some kids or pets—and send over some photos of yourselves. In a few weeks you will have some lovingly crafted wooden figurines of your family or you and your honey. Details are burned into the wood, and color is added using US made non-toxic watercolors and then each piece is finished with local beeswax and organic jojoba oil.

What I love most, aside from the wonderfully sweet illustration style, are the samples shown in the shop. The couple on a tall bike, the two brides plus parrot, the family with a wandering luchador... how amazingly amazing are they all?