I sort of have a love-hate relationship with Domino magazine, but I subscribe to it anyway. I have to give them credit, though ... They actually have something ultra-affordable and attainable on their web site this month. Amazingly, they've found 25 stylish designs (mostly housewares) under $1. (No, that's not a typo ... Seriously, a buck or less.) Check out the slideshow, complete with source information.

	Photo by mouseandtrowel.org

Just recently, I discovered Mouse & Trowel via a link on You Grow Girl. Strangely enough, it's a blog about garden blogging.

Apparently the web site is giving out awards for the best gardening sites, forums, podcasts, and blogs. The finalists are listed here, but you'll have to visit this page to see the links for all the contenders and to place your vote.

Despite the huge roster of home & garden blogs stacking up in my Google Reader, I'm only familiar with a few on the list of finalists. I'll definitely be spending some time checking out each site, but it will have to wait for a rainy day. The weather is too nice to stay inside after work!

	Photo by homedepot.com

This just in from Charles & Hudson (via an article in the NY Times):

Home Depot is now allowing its employees to engage in haggling. Yep, you heard me right. Apparently the weak housing market is making times tough enough that even the big box stores are willing to negotiate if it means winning a sale.

So that light fixture may not be $100 after all! If you want to get the best price, better brush up on your haggling skills. Of course, there's an entire how-to web site devoted to the topic: howtohaggle.com.

(P.S. -- According to the NYT, Circuit City and Best Buy are open to price negotiations, too. Maybe it's time for a big screen TV?)

	Photo by dominomag.com This treehouse is pretty, but a little extreme. I'm thinking electricity and running water are pretty much out of the question?

Green, sustainable, eco-friendly ... The buzzword for this super-hot trend has many incarnations. Regardless, environmentally-conscious home design has finally earned a reputation for its aesthetic advantages as well as its ethical and practical benefits.

In case you missed it, our very own FNP offered up a great story earlier this week. (On the front page, even!) Click here to read Adam Behsudi's "How to go green in the historic district."

Looking for more? The current issue of Domino magazine has a green theme, and Design*Sponge's Grace Bonney offers the swanky shelter mag an online exclusive of her favorite affordable** eco-friendly accessories.

If you're into sustainable solutions that are a bit less frou-frou, there's always Treehugger, Home By Sunset, EcoSpace, The Green Life, and This Old House.

** "Affordable" is a term used loosely in this case. I don't think $76 for a bowl made out of a log is that much of a deal. But there are still some neat ideas to glean from this roundup of products.

	Photo by homebysunset.com My new favorite daily read: Home by Sunset

Thanks to Google Reader's telepathic ability to recommend blogs I will love, I've discovered some new online sources. Here's the lowdown on my new favorites:

• Home by Sunset: This blog, one of Sunset magazine's TypePad-powered sites, is an amazing source for great DIY projects, innovative eco-friendly ideas, and oodles of eye candy.
• Fresh Dirt: Another Sunset blog, with down-to-earth gardening tips. The latest posts include information about keeping pets out of flowerbeds and how to use coffee grounds as mulch.
• Shelterrific: This one was started by a group of Budget Living (now defunct) contributors, and seems to encourage more interactivity with readers. From what I've seen, this blog also offers more links than any of the other home & garden blogs that I frequent, so it's a great launching point for finding more shelter blogs of interest.

Still craving more? Check out the list of "Blog Links" in the sidebar on the right.

	Photo by target.com

I was in Target this morning (yes, I'm one of the lucky ones with Martin Luther King, Jr. Day off), and could barely resist most of the merchandise in the seasonal section.

In what's become an annual tradition at Target, the back corner of the store is filled with products inspired by far-away places. They call it Global Bazaar. I call it awesome! In the past, it's been organized by geographic region, but it seems this year's collection is organized by color. Either way, it's fun to shop these limited-time housewares.

There's one more week to browse Global Bazaar. If you need more temptation, print out this coupon, for $5 off a $50+ purchase, or $10 off a $75+ purchase.

P.S. -- Though the end of Global Bazaar is sort of sad, it does make space for seeds & other gardening merchandise ... Which means Spring is not that far away!

Lately it seems that home & garden blogs have been dominated by a very feminine, crafty look. I don't usually mind, but a few scattered posts caught my attention this past week that featured a selection of housewares made from rustic woods. These earthy (and surprisingly modern) products are definitely a welcome change.

So, dear reader, I have assembled the highlights right here, in one convenient place. See below for sources.

Clockwise, from top left:

For once, I'm ahead of the curve. About a year ago, my mom made these custom frames for me, out of barnwood salvaged from my family's farm in Dimock, PA.

Live Wire Farm has created shelf supports, hooks, spoons, and other products from Vermont hardwoods. (Via sfgirlbybay and Apartment Therapy.)

A Design*Sponge reader submitted this DIY project. She used the centerpieces in her own barn wedding. (Instructions and details available here.)

Paradise Hill Designs sells these tealight benches (and other products created from reclaimed barnwood) in their Etsy shop.

Parker-Sims Interiors created this "Driftwood Bliss Bed" from driftwood found on the shores of South Carolina. (Via Design*Sponge.)

	Photo by Albertine Press (via etsy.com) The 2008 calendar by Albertine Press features hand letterpressed months and paper-marbled pages, suitable for framing at the end of the year. Bonus: No two are alike.

Just like everyone else, my schedule is pretty jam-packed. Between work, music, and other extracurricular stuff, I have trouble keeping it all straight.

I like to use Backpack and an assortment Google utilities to keep everything organized, so that gives me the freedom to have wall calendars that are more artistic, and not necessarily utilitarian. Luckily, there are a lot of beautiful options out there. Here's a roundup of some favorites that have recently become available for 2008:

• Albertine Press
• You Grow Girl
• Happify
• Magnolia Moonlight
• Ink and Wit
• Satsuma Press
• Diana Fayt
• Port2Port Press

I stumbled upon a few of these sort of randomly, but most were featured on Design*Sponge or Poppytalk at some point. If you click through all the links, you'll see that quite a few of the artists have set up shop at Etsy, another great place to browse for affordable art and handcrafted housewares.

Still can't get enough? Check out the calendar roundup at decor8: part 1 & part 2.