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

Time to fall in love!

Lovebirds Necklace - £24.50

February is a month of love! A time to show your loved one, just how much you care. We want to show you how you can surprise your loved one with beautiful handmade jewellery whilst helping other women create a more positive future for themselves and their families in different communities throughout the world.

We are very excited to introduce to you our new ranges of jewellery just recently in, just in time for Valentine's Day! We have fallen in love! We also wanted to let you know the positive effect you can have by buying our jewellery! Our April Showers Collection from Just Trade is made by the wonderful ladies at the Flowering Desert project in a rural community in Tamil Nadu, Southern India.

Heart earrings - £7.50

There are currently 18 ladies working there. The training and fairly paid employment opportunities at the Flowering Desert offer a way for the women to increase their skills and future work possibilities. Often bringing them a status in their society for the first time. 

Since the initial jewellery training programme in 2010 an additional 10 people have been trained in jewellery skills to keep up with the orders.

We hope you like the pieces you have seen here, you can purchase these and other jewellery at both www.facebook.com/ConfusedArt and www.con-fusedarts.co.uk. We can have it posted to you before Valentine's, perfectly and personally wrapped (included in price).

Sending you love and wishing you a wonderful February!

Pam 

x

Do you know you have powerful gifts?

These days, so many people moan and complain about life but did you know that one of the most wonderful and powerful things we can do is to be thankful?  Would you like to enjoy your life more and make progress even in the midst of difficult situations? It all begins with giving thanks. Every morning, I say thank you for waking up, for a comfortable bed, for food in the house, the list goes on - it really does make a difference!

Many people can BE truly thankful for someone in their life but do they actually take the next step and tell them or show them they are thankful?

Encouraging others is one of the another great thing we can do in life.  Life can be difficult and most people have plenty of reasons to feel discouraged  but we have been given a tremendous gift - the ability to encourage and uplift other people and make them feel good about themselves.

This festive season, I challenge you to a person of action. When someone has blessed your life or you feel they need encouraged, take a few moments to send a card or call them on the phone.  Why?  Because those few minutes out of your schedule - that simple action - can completely transform their day!

Another great way to encourage or thank someone is to buy them a  gift. At Con-fused Arts, we have a great range of Fairtrade jewellery all lovingly handmade by the wonderful ladies at Kazuri, Kenya. When you give a gift of Kazuri jewellery, you are also giving a piece of Kenya - a gift of knowing that you are helping us empower disadvantaged women in Kenya! CLICK HERE for our website or HERE for our FaceBook page.

Why not share this to encourage and challenge your friends?

Love
Pam


 

Art and Giving Back

Please take time to read this post from a wonderful lady Celina Wilde. She really is pushing her boundaries!

Last month I decided that nothing was going to stop me from living life on purpose. At the beginning of January I set up the Mortal Coil Project on my website, to challenge myself and others to do and try all those things they have always wanted to, big or small.

One part of this for me was a short film script that I have been toying with for 6 months: 6 long months of procrastinating, faffing and putting it off. So when I finally decided to get serious last month about everything in my life this was the first port of call.

I got ridiculously focused, wrote and rewrote and rewrote, sent it off for professional analysis and rewrote it again. I got it to a point where after 20 rewrites it will be a powerful socially conscious film that can contribute to creating real change in the world.

Due to the film being about providing understanding about the emotional impact of Rape on a victim and the people that love them, it is a topic that is bound to cause controversy, but also unite with a similar cause. I personally am tired of living in a world where 1 in 3 women are subject to rape, abuse or violence in their lifetime. The only way to create change is to work for it, join together and make it happen.

One of my other life goals is to become a film director. I have a passion for creative arts and the entertainment industry, and I truly believe art and film has the power to change the world through education and understanding.

So after writing the script, setting goals, and doing all my budgeting research it’s time to find finance. I set up the website and Facebook and the Indiegogo campaign launched on 1st of March. For those not familiar with Indiegogo it is a crowd-funding platform where people can contribute a little or a lot to a project and receive special gifts or ‘perks’ for it. Lots of people contributing a little bit all add up.

The best part of this though, is because it will be a group effort to create the film its only right to give back. So 50% of all the film profits generated once the film is released will be donated back to Rape counseling and support charities around the world.

If this is a cause you are passionate about, please pop over to the film Facebook page, join us and share. Together we can make the world a better place.
https://www.facebook.com/violationfilm

http://violationmovie.wordpress.com/

Mother's Day Contest

Con-fused Arts are passionate about supporting women and wants to celebrate mothers and mother figures around the world. We’re launching our first themed contest on Pinterest and you’re invited! Get that creativity going, because we’re looking forward to seeing some gorgeous inspirational boards to celebrate your mum in 2013.
To enter, create a board, title it “I love Mum” then add a description to your board. Make sure your board contains the above competition pin above, 3 jewellery pins from our "We Love Mum" board in no particular order. In each pin’s caption, include the hashtags #Con-fusedArts and #Mother's Day. When your board is perfect, share it with us by posting a comment on the original contest announcement pin, with a link to your board, located in our “We Love Mum".
Make sure to check the details below. Your board could win one of Con-fused Arts jewellery pieces that you pin to your new board and inspire our future trends throughout 2013!

• You must follow @confusedarts on Pinterest to enter.
• Contest ends 5th March 3pm GMT.
• Each pin must include the hashtags #Con-fusedArts and #Mother's Day.
• Only one entry board per person.
• Boards will be judged based on creativity, Con-fused Arts spirit and adherance to the guidelines.
• The winner will be notified by e-mail March 2013. In order to be notified, please sign up by clicking HERE.

We can’t wait to see your creative, beautiful work you share with us, feel free to also share on Facebook and Twitter as well! Most of all, have fun!

Do the green thing does Valentine's Day!

 After Christmas, Valentine's Day is one of the biggest waste producing days of the year. Over a billion cards get posted and untold amounts of unwanted, unloved and un-inspired tat gets presented in pink and red wrapping.

Free yourself from the consumer-driven Valentine's Day and instead celebrate it with a bit of upcycled thinking and some crafty ideas. We've picked five of our green gift ideas to help you spread the love.

1. Happy memories
Gather up all the photos, cinema tickets, love notes and that beer mat from your first date and glue your way to a collage of love.

2. The way to the heart is through the stomach.
Bake their favourite cake, cook up their most loved dinner and if you want to add the extra bells and whistles then almost anything can be heart shaped. Cookies, cakes, pancakes, waffles, sandwiches, fried eggs, omelettes, pizzas, the list goes as far as your imagination and kitchen prowess.

(Image: abeachcottage)

3. Flowers forever
Forget single wrapped red roses and bunches of flowers that will die before the weekend hits, give the gift that keeps on giving - a packet of seeds for your beloved to grow their own bunch, be it flowers or carrots.

4. Weekend away
If no Valentine's Day is complete without a huge romantic gesture then forget writing a message in the sky and whisking them away to a secluded island. Book the Eurostar to Paris and walk hand in hand through the city of love. Or try Amsterdam for a less obvious trip.

5. Get your craft on
If you're the kind of lover that likes to show your love in glue and glitter then the possibilities are endless. And you don't need a craft box full of expensive materials either. Collect sticks for a hanging wooden heart, turn newspaper into heart bunting or fold your way to these adorable origami hearts with a message of love hidden inside.

And remember, showering together saves water and if the night goes well then don't forget these.

Happy Valentine's Day.

How The Law Of Attraction Loves You Back - Kate Spencer 

This month's blog is slightly different, Con-fused Arts are not just about luxury ethical jewellery but also about supporting women issues including confidence and self-esteem. We are excited to share with you a guest blog from Kate Spencer of The Life and Soul coach, on the subject of Law of Attraction and our opportunities in love. 

It’s the time of year when our attention turns to romance, and whether you are single or attached you can engage with The Law of Attraction to draw in more of the experiences that you want and less of what you don’t. We are all a combination of energy and this includes thoughts, feelings, beliefs and experiences and The Law of Attraction works by bringing to you a match to your own energy signature. In essence you attract what you are, and this is based on the thoughts and feelings that you are sending out there into the universe as they are magnetic. 

If you are in a relationship that could do with a side order of sizzle and you are in a place of thinking “my love life stinks”, then the universe will send you a match to that thought and things will never improve! Likewise if you are single and wishing for that special someone to sweep you off your feet with hearts and flowers, it’s likely that you will be sending out thoughts like “I’m lonely, I don’t have anyone in my life.” Again in terms of energy you will find that you get a direct match to this and that no one shows up. 

This is where affirmations can really help you and yes it does feel a bit fake to begin with but you know what they say, “fake it ‘til you make it!”. Affirmations change your thoughts and then your feelings and gradually the signal that you are sending out to the universe in order for you to get a different result. Make sure that they are in the present tense and positive. Starting with “I AM” gives them more impact and power.
So depending on your situation, you could try some of the following:

“I AM in a loving and stable relationship where I am cherished and adored.”
“I AM attracting the perfect partner for me.”
“I AM sexy and loveable and my life experience reflects this.”

Sending you love & blessings this valentine’s.

Kate Spencer

www.thelifeandsoulcoach.com

http://www.facebook.com/pages/The-Lightworkers-Academy/470201749672562

http://www.facebook.com/pages/Twelve-Lessons/200982026704283?ref=hl

 Author of 12 Lessons ~ The 5 star reviewed debut novel from Kate Spencer that is changing lives all over the world. 

“Bridget Jones meets The Secret”
“This is chick lit for the intelligent woman”
“Quite simply the best book that I have ever, ever read. Changed my life entirely.”

Do you suffer from square peg syndrome? - GUEST BLOG BY PAULA JONES

I believe wholeheartedly in stepping outside of our comfort levels. In fact, I believe that comfort zone, when seen as a dot in the distance, is a great marker of how much we’re willing to push ourselves towards the shiny stuff we want. However, there’s also the issue of being a square peg in a round hole and in trying to batter ourselves into shape to fit, we have a tendency to knock our confidence levels.

Let me give you an example.

I have a client who knows that for her business to be a success, she must network. And let me tell you, she loathes it. Now, I’m not the biggest fan myself, but I do it and I’ve found networking formats that suit me really well. My client, however; we will call her Sue, and you guessed it, her name has been changed to protect her confidentiality; Sue made appointments for networking and signed up to tons of events, because they would seem like a good idea at the time, and then she’d torture herself over them.

Here are some of Sue’s old thought processes:
“I really have to go.”
“I should go, I’ll feel terrible if I don’t.”
“I don’t want to go.”
“If I don’t go it will look really bad.”
“I’ll feel like a failure if I don’t go.”

So, not a healthy set of thoughts, and thoughts that are guaranteed to make us instinctively form the “loser” gesture once we start beating ourselves up about them. What a shame.
Sue and I discussed her reasons behind these thoughts and I asked her what she did enjoy; and she enjoyed the social type of networking where she didn’t have to stand, quaking in her shoes with all eyes upon her while she stumbled through an introduction. So, I asked what was stopping her from choosing the networking events she could get along with and ditching the others.
Her eyes were like saucers. “I don’t have to go to the ones I don’t want?”

No, of course not.

Now; this may seem like a no brainer. However, if you run a business and your mojo is running on empty, the temptation is to think that in order to get yourself “out there” you must attend every event going. I don’t believe that’s a useful or viable option. If you are mojo – less, forcing a square peg into a round hole is a pointless and painful exercise, and your discomfort will show. You may as well carry a sign that says, “I don’t belong here!” Trying to keep up and act of being someone other than yourself is tiring and self identity is central to confidence.

This is true of so many situations. Push your boundaries, leave your comfort zone in the distance while you speed away in a cloud of dust; just remember you don’t have to put yourself into situations that leave you thinking, “well, I’m not going there again.” Network like mad, in a format you love. Get into social situations that you wouldn’t normally attend, just making sure you are likely to enjoy it.

You don’t have to force a square peg into a round hole.

Paula Jones is a qualified life coach at www.sugarboxcoaching.com. She dedicates her time to helping women who have been in a toxic relationship to recover their mojo and get back the confidence and self-esteem they left behind. She is now happily married to a fabby man who makes her laugh every day and reminds her of what it’s like to feel valued and respected and gently made fun of. Life is good again...

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

My must have this coming season!

Well, the seasons are changing and you can feel a nip in the air!  One thing is sure to be coming - the festive season and hopefully lots of nights out in the calendar!! Rather than buy a new dress, I bought this new perfume and I did not regret it. From the sassy box and bottle to the deep sensual confident smell, I was hooked. Why not have a new addition and spoil yourself to a new smell! 

You deserve it,
Pam 
x

Yummy tea!

   Well, there are not many things that beat a good cup of tea! Whether it is on your own when the wee one has gone for a nap or meeting up with your friends, a cuppa really is just fabulous. It really can be 5min of bliss, I am sure many of you agree. That's why I wanted to tell about these gorgeous Clipper Organic Assam teabags I was fortunate to win in a hamper.

They are Fairtrade (big tick from me) and are of very good quality. I have heard people say in the past that they thought Fairtrade tea and coffee was of poor quality. Oh, how times have changed! Right, off for a cuppa.

Pam x

TAKE A MOMENT!

Although it may not be in our mission statement, Con-fused Arts is passionate about women's self-esteem and wellbeing. You ARE worth it, no matter what you have been told in the present or past. You are fearfully and wonderfully made and don't forget it!

Having a busy life myself and being everything from a mother, a wife, a daughter, an employee and a small business owner - some may think I dont have a second to myself. My secret is to take a few minutes here and there - I regularly spend an extra few minutes in the bathroom. When I make that much needed cup of coffee, I just AM, listening to the kettle boil, watching the spoon swirl round in the cup. When I sink into bed, I take a few minutes to be thankful for the day, for food and drink, for shelter, for freedom of speech - the list goes on.

Whatever it is, try take a few minutes each day to recharge before the chaos starts all over again!