Mighty oaks from little acorns grow.

There’s a saying that mighty oaks from little acorns grow. Some of the highest altitude oaks in the world grow in Nepal, which is where Danusha began in 2008.

I remember the first time I stepped into the workshop at Lalgadh Leprosy Services centre. It was an incredibly moving experience as I watched women whose fingers had been lost to nerve damage manipulate stones and thread to make objects of beauty.

As well as training in jewellery making we provide adult literacy lessons, decent wages, good food, basic health and hygiene education and we’ve sponsored compost toilets too - very important in the fight against pollution of drinking water. Childhood diarrhoea is one of the main causes of death in children under the age of 5, simply because people don’t have access to clean water.

I’ve always been concerned about issues like poverty, equality and human rights, and think it’s important for us all to do what we can to make the world a better place for everyone. Along the way I’ve been inspired by ordinary people who work to get the job done. You won’t read about them in books but many of my friends work really hard for the benefit of other people.

My Danusha experience has been life changing for me. I think far more carefully about what I buy and opt for fair trade whenever possible. I spend a fair amount of time in south east Asia and have seen first hand some terrible working conditions.

Take a moment to look around. What can you see? If you’re reading this I guess there’s a computer, phone or tablet not too far away. Imagine all the people involved in making it. It’s impossible to know just how many pairs of hands it’s been through on its journey to your home, but it’s a fair bet there’s been some exploitation along the way. I’m not saying ‘don’t have stuff’, simply that we should all do what we can to redress the balance from time to time, and buying fair trade is a good first step.

At Danusha, highlights have been working direct with the women to develop new designs, and watching them blossom as they gain in confidence. In their society any association with leprosy is a one way ticket to ostracisation so it’s fantastic to see them regaining the respect of their families and being accepted back into their communities. This is what skills training does. It gives people back their dignity and I love it! I also love the light and life and colour of Nepal. Being there is like fire for the soul. 

You can find and find a wide range of Danusha pieces of jewellery at both www.facebook.com/ConfusedArt and www.con-fusedarts.co.uk

From Alli of Danusha,

www.danusha.org

Dress for A/W 2013!

Hi,
the seasons are changing and if like us your nights are drawing in and it's getting cooler, you will be thinking of changing your wardrobe. This month, we are bringing you a quick guide to some of the hottest colours this coming season!

Nothing says autumn more than rich sumptuous colours from deep purple and midnight blue to mustard and burgundy. So it is no surprise that Tomato Red, Cobalt Blue (see bracelet left, £24.99 www.con-fusedarts.co.uk),  Chocolate and Purples featured strongly on the catwalks.  A couple of surprises included a subdued lime green and dusted rose pink.  Oh and don't forget the obligatory Christmas parties, office parties and New Year Balls. Let's mix in a splattering of metallic including gold, silver and bronze.

If you are feeling brave, you could wear them in large block colours such as dresses or winter coats. If are you not wanting too much colour, why not add a splash of gorgeous colour with a scarf, shoes or jewellery. Hmmm, jewellery I hear you ponder... well this is where Con-fused Arts can help you!

Here at Con-fused Arts, we are excited to be introducing a new gorgeous range of luxury ethical jewellery with richer tones and colours and also some different designs perfect for autumn/fall and winter. Keep your eye on our Facebook page for announcements on when this jewellery has arrived in stock. 

Look good and feel good with Con-fused Arts :)

Love Pam

Be Bold, This Spring!

"To do more for the world than the world does for you - that is success"

Henry Ford

 

Everyone's idea of success is different. For some, it is being able to read and write, for some it's having a big family and for some it's a professional career. What is your idea of success? What makes your heart sing? 

I challenge you to be BOLD, I challenge you to do something that makes you feel alive.  If like a lot of people, you are busy, juggling jobs, kids, the house - being bold may not be doing something for someone else but it could be doing something for yourself like booking a massage, going for a walk, doing a new exercise class. 

In the very early days of Con-fused Arts, I made greeting cards and lavender sachets but this quickly changed.  I decided to be BOLD, I decided to stand up for women who have many more struggles in life than me, struggles to live a dignified optimistic life. Women who deserve a job with security, fair wages, trade union rights, no sexual harassment or mental stress.  Some overseas factories working for the UK fashion industry which on the surface look clean and modern, workers are often deprived of their internationally-recognised basic rights.

Our passion is helping and supporting these strong amazing ladies as well as supporting the women who buy and wear our jewellery.  Currently, our most popular range of luxury ethical jewellery comes from Kazuri, Kenya. The 400 local women at Kazuri, who are mostly single mothers, handcraft every piece of jewellery, from the beads being shaped to painted, glazed and strung. There is heart, feeling and personality in every necklace, bracelet and pair of earrings. Not only does Kazuri provide employment opportunities for single mothers and disadvantaged women in Kenyan society but the company also hosts a medical clinic that provides free medical care for its employees and their families.

So whatever you do, why not be BOLD, it could be for yourself or for someone else.  It's a new season, time for CHANGE!

Pam x

www.facebook.com/ConfusedArt

7 TIPS TO ETHICAL STYLE HEAVEN

I have been working on something with you in mind. I am sure you will agree that it's great to look good but good to know that you are helping the environment and the people in our world too!

We hope that our "7 TIPS TO ETHICAL STYLE HEAVEN" will help you think about your wardrobe and in what way you can help us fight against waste, pollution and unfair working conditions amongst other things. We hope we motivate you to make a positive change and contribution whilst still expressing your individuality and gorgeousness! We would love to hear how you get on, if you are inspired by our tips to buy some new ethical goodies or if you discover some gorgeous eco-friendly things.

You can always let us know via Twitter or FaceBook and also check out our gorgeous handcrafted jewellery from the wonderful ladies at Kazuri, Kenya.

Thanks for reading this and supporting us, we really appreciate it.

CLICK HERE TO ACCESS YOUR 7 TIPS TO ETHICAL STYLE HEAVEN

Much love,

Pam

How to put a smile on your face!

It is coming up to that time again, ordering the turkey, getting the Christmas tree bought or in our case down from the attic and deciding who is going to whose house on Christmas day! Unfortunately not everyone is so blessed and there are lonely folks amongst us and this is only magnified during the festive time.   So, why not carry out an ACT OF RANDOM KINDNESS to bring a smile to their face and hearts?? 

Here are 6 acts of random kindness that I wanted to share with you, they have been collected either from personal experience or heard from other folks;
1) If you are at the supermarket, why not leave the £1 in your trolley?
2) I read this one "A girl slept through her bus stop and ended up at the bus station at midnight with no more money. A couple paid her fare back to her final destination"
3) Why not cook a meal for someone -whilst my mum has been recovering from cancer, so many friends, family and neighbours have been cooking meals. Very useful seeing that the cooking has been left to my dad!
4) You could help to shovel the snow from your neighbours path especially if they are elderly!
5) Why not help out a co-worker when they have a big deadline?
6) You could help someone out for free, maybe babysitting or helping with garden or painting!

So what is stopping you from carrying out your very own act of random kindness? It might even make you smile!  Why not tell us if someone has helped with you something randomly or you have carried out an act of random kindness.

Whilst you are being kind, why not surprise someone with one of our brand new gift vouchers - just CLICK HERE . Another gorgeous gift bought without leaving the comfort and warmth of your own home.

Wishing you a very happy and peaceful festive season!

Love Pam x

Savour the Flavour

Alison E, Alison H, Janice W and I.

Last Friday evening, us ladies set off down to Stonehaven to attend the last date of the "Savour the Flavour" cooking show. It was put on by The Co-operative and in conjunction with Just Trading Scotland. What a great informative evening we had!

The cooking itself was done by Fi Bird and a cheery assistant who volunteered from the audience. Our menu was designed by Fi and a restaurant in Glasgow called Calabash.

We got to taste ALL the gorgeous food prepared in front of us. I would say the food wasn't pure "African" but more precisely a wonderful fusion of European and African ingredients and flavours demonstrating wonderful ways to use Fairtrade ingredients!

Coconut Kilombero Rice and Elmwood Chicken
Serves 6
What to find:
300g Malawi Kitchen Kilombero rice (2.5 cups)
410g Elmwood Chicken Breasts (pack)
2 tablespoons sunflower oil
1 large red onion, peeled and chopped
1 teaspoon garlic paste
3-4 pieces Lazy Ginger, rinsed and finely chopped
1 small chilli, de-seeded and finely chopped
400g can chopped tomatoes
2 tablespoons coriander, chopped (plus extra to decorate)
3 peppers, mixed colours, finely chopped
½ 400ml can coconut milk (Asian Kitchen if available)
Freshly ground pepper
What to do:
1. Rinse the rice and follow the cooking directions on the packet.
2. Put the chicken breasts in a pan and just cover them with water. Bring to the boil and simmer for 10 minutes until the chicken juices run clear when tested with a knife. Allow to cool and cut into small slices or cubes.
3. Heat 1 tablespoon oil in a wok or large frying pan and cook the chopped onion with the garlic, ginger and chilli until the onion is soft.
4. Add the tomatoes, bring to the boil and simmer to reduce until thick. Add the chopped coriander and cook briefly. Remove the sauce from the heat and put it in a bowl.
5. Add the rest of the oil to the washed frying pan and stir fry the peppers for 2-3 minutes. Add the coconut milk. Stir well and then add the prepared tomato sauce, cooked rice and chicken.
6. Return to the hob briefly to heat thoroughly, stirring continuously. Add the extra coriander and serve immediately.

This event was in support of Scotland's bid for Fair trade Nation status!

To find out about the other wonderful recipes used that night and what else we got up to, check back for my next blog post very soon.

Just in!

Hi,
We hope everyone is keeping well and having fun with the Jubilee Celebrations!! That may be the case if you are living in the UK or are British and living abroad but may NOT be the case in other countries, ha ha. We would love to hear what you all have been up to over the last weekend.

We are very excited to introduce this vibrant range of handmade Fairtrade grass baskets! Having one of these baskets gives YOU the chance to have a piece of AFRICA (Rwanda to be precise!) in your house. YOU can have a piece of history as someone has lovingly handmade this basket. No mass production or factories here!

Buying one of these baskets helps us help those in disadvantaged communities in Rwanda.  Its the least we can do! These baskets are exclusively being showcased on our Facebook page  to see how  we get on with them. We hope you love them as much as us! Just go to www.facebook.com/ConfusedArt to check them out and let us know if you are interested purchasing one.

Just for your interest these grass baskets are sourced through Kigali Crafts. Kigali Crafts trades fairly with Rwandan genocide survivors to help relieve this amazing countries poverty.  

Just like Christmas cards that we can re-cycle or pass on to others, we can also re-cycle used stamps that we receive on our mail.  Great if you already do this, but not everyone is aware of the good we can do.

It woudl just take a few minutes to cut out the stamps from envelopes and packages (I actually look forward to the therapeutic activity of neatly cutting round stamps), store them and after you have collected a few, they can be sent to various charities.

It obviously depends where your heart lies but there are animal charities such as, Hearing Dogs are taking used stamps CLICK HERE. Other animal charities include RNIB  and RSPB Save the Albatross.

Medical charities include Brittle Bone Society and Leukaemia Care. All these charities will ask you to separate UK stamps and foreign  stamps and send them separately.  As I have a lot more UK stamps, I send those ones away more often and then wait longer until I gather up enough foreign stamps to make it worthwhile sending!

Happy neat cutting (ha ha maybe I need help!) 

Pam