Resolution Week: Number 4, The Great Clean Out

It seems that we all have a one-track mind right now, 

and that collective brain is saying one thing:

GET ORGANIZED!

Is it a reaction to clearing away the cutter of the holidays,

 or maybe trying to find spots for all our newest treasures?

I'm not sure, but I have got the bug!

It always motivates me to finish a project once I post about it here,

 and so I have got a little proposal for you:

how about we all pick a space and clean it out?

It can be something a s simple as a junk drawer (I can't close mine these days!)

a closet, even a room if you are super-motivated!

I will post links to all your organization triumphs here in The Great Clean Out.

 If you have a blog, I am inviting you to send me a before and after pic by Friday January 21,

 and we will all post together on Monday January 24.

If you don't have a blog, but would like to join in, just send me a before and after pic

(amezeard@10rooms.ca) by Friday, Jan 21 and I will post it here for you..

I know we are all busy, but I hope that you will join us for a little pre-spring cleaning.

I've sent out a few invites already and have at least four fabulous bloggers

 lined up to share their organizing stories with you-

 I think we are all going to come out of this with some really great ideas for our homes!

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So looking forward to seeing all of your spaces!
Several spots here need "the treatment" - my closet, the hall closet, my office -
I'm going to get started this weekend (the clear out phase), taking trips to the Salvation Army...
and trying my best not to bring anything home :)

Resolution Week: Number 3, Buy More Responsibly

First off, you may notice a few changes to the blog..

I am re-vamping 10 Rooms online,

with the aim to incorporate the home for 10 Rooms Design

into this site, as well as linking to our new Etsy shop that's coming!

Exciting things are afoot these days...

This is resolution 3 of 4, so I promise it won't go on forever :)

I am aiming to buy more responsibly these days.

That means local green products when possible, 

and ensuring everything else was manufactured responsibly.

There are so many better options out there, 

we can all do a bit better at this - 

I know I am somewhat of a slacker on this front at times, caving to the easy choice.

But if I had convenient,well-designed, well-priced, responsible options I may do better...

Enter Ethikl.

I met owner Peita Gardiman on twitter,

where her bio reads:

Marketplace for upcycled, repurposed, sustainable and fair trade products

 made by independant artisans around the world. 

www.ethikl.com

Intrigued? The shop includes some great global finds..

KiKati bags, from Africa - fluffy towels backed with a traditional East African garment

Silver Knitted Ring, Australia

Hei Cube,from Australia - bamboo charcoal air freshener

Pure Earth Home Cleaning Pack

Fair Trade Giraffe & Buffalo - made from recycled rubber thongs (!) in Kenya

I wanted to know more about the company and it's founder - 

 and she graciously agreed to an interview - Thank You, Peita!

10: What is your background? 

PG: I have this quirky background that has always been half technology, half humanity. 

I grew up travelling around Australia a lot and it seemed that no matter where I travelled, I found the most fascinating places to be in either surrounded by nature or trawling through marketplaces filled with artisan merchants. I think these two loves are what led me to create Ethikl. Becoming a parent also really inspired to me make a difference in the world my children would inhabit. 

10: What inspired you to launch Ethikl?

PG: Ethikl is an online Market supporting handmade, upcycled, fair trade & ethical products made by independent producers. I started Ethikl as a result of my own personal journey to become a conscious consumer following a realisation that the products I was using around my home and family were toxic and not coming from trustworthy sources and that clever marketing is leading us to believe that we should consume more than we really need to. I started to adopt a new way of thinking… where are the things coming from that I am using, and who am I buying them from? Where is it going to go when I’m done with it? How can I use things that already exist instead of asking the planet to continually contribute more resources?

10: On your site you discuss "ethical consumerism" and "conscious consuming" - have you seen a real increase in people wanting to buy responsibly?

PG: Ethical consumerism is all about exercising the power of your money to drive forward positive change and align your personal values with your buying decisions. People are excited to be part of something new, and they can see the potential in making their dollars count by supporting fair trade, sweat-free production and upcycled design. 

So many of the designers on Ethikl are truly excited to finally have a venue that resonates with their ideals. Surveys show that increasing numbers of consumers want their food, clothing, cosmetics, energy, travel and finance to have less of a negative impact on people and the planet, and want companies to behave more responsibly

Ethical consumerism has been heralded as one of the major trend right now riding on the back of the current trend for natural and organic products. Research has shown that consumer demand for organics is growing rapidly with worldwide demand for organics is growing by between 20 and 45 per cent each year and Fair Trade by 72 per cent. 

10: How do you find the products that you sell?

PG: I have met many artisans all around Australia and have taken great delight in the process of visiting markets and studio searching for new talent, we also get a lot of referrals and interest online. I love meeting and inviting artisans to open a studio on ethikl and then I personally get excited about every single sale for they make, I feel proud to bring exposure to these brilliant designers. All our sellers are handpicked, and need to apply to sell on Ethikl to maintain the integrity of the site.

10: What is your favourite find?

PG: It’s really hard for me to pick just one that is my favourite…

I have handmade soap http://www.ethikl.com.au/soaps all over the house, my mother loves the Calendula Hard Working Hand Balm by the Herbal Gardener http://www.ethikl.com.au/theherbalgardener and I also now buy all our greeting cards from Earth Greetings http://www.ethikl.com.au/earthgreetings. I have been dreaming about the beautiful hand forged and ethically sourced range of jewellery with stunning archetypal designs by Osiris http://www.ethikl.com.au/osirisjewellery for a while…Oh and I can not go past these amazing rubber sculptures by Ethical Gifts http://www.ethikl.com.au/ethicalgifts.  Local women and children comb the beaches to collect the indestructible pieces of rubber washed up and talented artisans and sculptors in the village glue the pieces together in multicoloured patterns, then hand carve each carefully crafted animal, transforming recycled waste into stunning works of art, amazing!

10: What has been your major achievement in 2010?

PG: It has been a huge buzz when major publications have contacted me to do an interviews and I realize that people are really connecting with the idea and I am continually excited by the potential of ethical shopping to create real change in the world. Oh, and we are just about to celebrate our 1st Birthday, that in itself is a huge achievement!

10: What's next for Ethikl?

PG: Where to start!…The dream is to grow ethikl into an international platform where sellers who are doing great work all around the world can sell in one place. We plan to develop a thriving community where consumers are actively aware of the ethical implications of their purchasing decisions and we aim to have consumers engage in meaningful dialogue around the values and implications of various forms of ethical purchasing. 

Makes you want re-think that jaunt over to the dollar store, doesn't it?

If you are concerned about the source of the products you are buying, 

Ethikl provides an opportunity for change.

Thanks again, Peita, for taking the time for this interview -

I wish you continued success in 2011.

Resolution Week: Number 2, Continue Building a Home Library

Last year I decided to begin collecting (and reading!) the classics,

with the hope that building a family library will encourage my darlings to read them in later years.

I stumbled on a list of the "must-reads" one day and 

realized my literary world was shockingly lacking.

Apparently, Apartment Therapy's Big Book and The Selby in Your Space haven't made the list yet,

although they are definitely required reading in my books - yours?!

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So the reading/collecting began.

Found vintage copies of The Iliad and The Odyssey (bound in pea green :)

and was happily immersed in Penelope and Ulysses love.

The Twilight Series followed, 

which aren't really on the list but I justified because Natasha wanted to read them, 

and I always read her books first to make sure they are appropriate.

Which means we also read the entire Harry Potter series this year!

Plowed through The Hitchhikers Guide to the Galaxy and 

the Complete Tales and Poems by Edgar Allen Poe

 although they are completely not my cup of tea.

I must admit, those required healthy doses of art and design books sprinkled in...

Reminisced with Holden Caulfield and Heathcliff..

read and re-read Memoirs of a Geisha, and re-read A Woman of Substance,

both of which are on my required reading list.

Then I began The Complete Works of William Shakespeare.

Some progress was beginning to be made on that front by the holidays.

I was planning a bit of a break this year, 

thinking that perhaps I could alternate years of design books and classics...

then the kids gave my their presents.

Each picked out by them.

 The Complete Works (see a trend here?!)

of Charles Dickens, Jane Austen, and Arthur Conan Doyle.

Okay :)

If you are interested in putting together your own library,

there are some great starting points here and here.

til next time..

Resolution Week: Number 1, Taking Time For Your Mind and Body

I used to do yoga each and every day.

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It's my favourite way to strengthen and tone because it creates such a
calm within your body and your mind.

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Having three children enables you to appreciate quiet in a unique way :)

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I love the simplicity.
You don't need much space or equipment, just a slice of floor and a place to keep your mat.
(umbrella stands work really well)





People hitting the gym on vacation used to seem ridiculous.
Then I discovered yoga.
Now I am that person carrying on her yoga mat
 for fear it will be lost in the baggage compartment :)
Who cares about the clothes, save the lululemon mat!



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Last year I took a break due to injury, and fell out of habit.
 But I so miss that sliver of peace...and the refreshment and energy it brings.
Resolution number 1 is about giving exercise and meditation the priority it deserves in 2011.

til next time..