Earth smart

        Look for the Rugmark: Enjoy your new, imported rugs but make sure you're not taking advantage of child labor in India, Nepal and Pakistan by looking for this logo when shopping. Rugmark is a global non-profit organization trying to stop child labor and educating children through loom and factory monitoring and schooling. The label means manufacturers adhere to strict no-child labor guidelines and permit random inspections. It also verifies that part of the purchase price goes to rehabilitate and educate former child-weavers. More at www.rugmark.org.

Wise buys

        Smart iron: Black & Decker racks up a sale “approximately every two seconds — 24 per minute, 1,444 per hour, 17,000 per day, 6.25 million per year” — hefty numbers for today's wash 'n' wear society. That's why B&D wizards are still perfecting the appliance. The newcomer on the board is the Prestige Premium with a SmarTemp system that selects the right amount of steam at any setting to help prevent water spotting, tells you when the iron has reached the selected temperature and warns you when the iron is about to shut off automatically (after 10 minutes via a motion sensor). Some of the space-age designed models also have cord reel storage, all have a non-stick soleplate and a 9-ounce water tank. $39-$69 where Black & Decker appliances are sold.

        Tile totems: Marble tile moved out of the bathroom and into the front yard when the Nest in Oakley and Studio Vertu partnered to create these elegant address towers. Mark Schmidt, president of Studio Vertu, designed the totems, made with 4-inch-square Botticino Italian marble tiles adhered to a faux rust finish finial and supported by a 1-foot square steel plate. The customized columns are available in 34-inch and 42-inch sizes and can be customized with numbers or letters. Special orders take about two weeks. Available at the Nest, 3184 Madison Road. $250-$295. 871-8852.

In Print

        Make cards: Handmade cards threaten to replace scrapbooks as the new arts-and-crafts craze. Becky Higgins, the creative editor at Creating Keepsakes magazine and the author of The Art of Creative Lettering, Scrapbook Secrets and My Creative Companion, dishes out her card secrets in a new magazine Creative Cards. Don't skip the “tools for success” section with card-making basics and instructions for making envelopes, creative lettering alphabets, messages and quotes for your cards. $14.99 at craft stores and newsstands. More info at www.craftsmag.com.

        Contact Joy Kraft by phone: 768-8467; fax: 768-8330; e-mail: jkraft@enquirer.com.

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