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

Life long lessons learnt in 2013 (warts and all)!

A little late, I know but Happy New Year everyone!  I wanted to wish you a very happy, healthy 2014 and also to share with you what I learnt in 2013 (warts and all) and how those lessons will stay with me forever!

I guess the one thing that made the biggest impact was the passing of my mum late August last year.  When her cancer came back with a bang in April last year, I felt so dizzy and shaken up but little did I know that a few months later mum would no longer be here to laugh or smile with and talk to. I couldn't imagine that my life could continue. What made it worse was my father-in-law passed away two months before my mum did. However, this is where I slowly smile, I have been taught how precious every day is and how utterly precious my family is. I remember how positive my mum was through everything she got thrown at her, how she took each day as it came and how her sense of humour always lightened the conversation. I have been shown how strong I am when I didn't think my life could continue without my mum in it. Maybe some of you know how this feels.

Through our difficult times in 2013, I have connected with many lovely ladies (and some guys) online who are so supportive of Con-fused Arts and even more lovely, they are people who know what it is like to be a working mum running your own business and all that comes with it. In particular, Charlie from Sophia's Choice who offer a fabulous range of natural and organic products for the whole family, Sharon from Miss Beau Bangles who sells a great range of ethical, eco-chic fashion accessories and Andrea from O So Beautiful  who sells gorgeous good quality beauty products from Oriflame (all the way from Sweden) and Kendall from Kindness by Design who is constantly inspiring me with new ethical clothing/designers and much more. Thank you ladies for your conversations, support and encouragement!

So having left 2013 behind, I look back with very fond memories of my mum when she was well and her normal independent self but not so fond memories of the months before she passed. However, I am more determined than ever to look forward and make the most of everyday I am blessed with and I am more passionate than ever about empowering women around the world. 2014 promises to be a flourishing year, a year of new gorgeous ethical jewellery and perhaps branching out in other areas. A year of blogs, guest blogs, teaming up with other ethical businesses and most importantly FUN!

With all that 2013 taught me, I am ready to embrace 2014 with less worry, more determination, more focus, more patience and more love! What has 2013 taught you?

Pam x
www.con-fusedarts.co.uk
www.facebook.com/ConfusedArt

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


 

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

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!

Your life changes the moment...

 

 

I have just come across this quote that has so resonated with me that I simply had to share my story.

In April 2012, I took the leap of faith and started my own business to get away from the most difficult and challenging set of circumstances (that have been ongoing since 2009) I have faced in my personal life in a long time. This was the beginning of an exciting journey for me and I finally felt happy and contented for the first time in a long time.

However, in July 2012 yet another unexpected event pulled the rug from under my feet and left me feeling completely bewildered and unable to focus on anything good or positive in my life. From July through to December, I was fighting a constant battle with the “mind gremlins” who were telling me “what are you doing this all for”, no-one cares whether you succeed or not” “just give up”. I have never come so close to listening to them and simply just quitting. However, giving up is simply not in my nature or in my vocabulary so I wasn’t prepared to give anyone the satisfaction of giving in and quitting what I had worked so hard to achieve - this was simply not an option or solution.

Fortunately for me I have always had a very strong and supportive network of family and friends around me who stand by me no matter what - for which I remain eternally grateful. I began to realise towards the end of December 2012 that I had spent an unnecessary amount of time focusing my valuable time and energy on aspects of my life that I really have no control over. This “light bulb” moment about how I had allowed certain people – who no longer had any significance in my life - to clutter my mind with negativity was for me life changing.  It was then that my outlook changed and what better time than just before the start of a new year. Yes, I may have carried over some unfinished business into 2013 but I no longer allow it to dominate my time or energies and give it any credence with which to influence my life.

January has so far been an amazing month for me. I have changed as a person and I no longer take for granted anything or anyone who matters dearly to me – the rest of them can take a hike quite honestly. I have so much to be grateful for and so many positive aspects of my life that truly deserve 100% of my focus and energy that I have no room for any of the negative “monkey chatter” that I have allowed to dominate my life. I have never felt so focussed, determined, positive and full of excitement for the opportunities that lie ahead. I am working on the confidence issue and I am sure it is only a matter of time for that to be fully restored also.

April 2013 will be the first anniversary of my business and I am determined to have made a real success of it in order to celebrate in style. If someone had said to me a year ago that I would have fulfilled a life-long ambition of having my own business, I would not have believed them. So, now that I am in this position, nothing or no-one is going to stop me from reaching my goals and fulfilling all my life ambitions and dreams. I have been blessed with so many wonderful experiences and met some truly inspiring ladies who I am privileged to call my friends that the incentive to succeed in business is massive. I most definitely would not give it all up now. Bring it on, I am ready!

I love what I do as a massage therapist and am passionate about health and wellbeing. I love working with clients to try and alleviate pain related issues due to back ache, tension, stresses and strains.

Hold onto your dreams and don’t ever give up. Don’t ever let anyone make you think you are not capable of achieving whatever your heart desires.

As you can see, I do love my quotes and the following are also very close to my heart:

I've learned that people will forget what you said, people will forget what you did, but people will never forget how you made them feel.  Maya Angelou

When one door closes, another opens; but we often look so long and so regretfully upon the closed door that we do not see the one which has opened for us. Alexander Graham Bell

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...

Travel ethic and chic!

Travel Ethic AND Chic

For those who are passionate about the environment and love to holiday, we have the perfect guest blog for you... 

I don’t know where you stand ladies but I like to pay a little attention to ethic matters. I am a travel PA and thus I have been thinking lately about ethical and sustainable travelling.

Of course, you can always go backpacking and showering once a week with cold water… But that is just not for me. I like a bit of comfort and chic now and then. Although I do give in to the yearly camping expedition once a year to please the hubby and doggy, but that’s not the subject.

Anyhow, how can we travel chic and ethic ? Well if the joy of camping is just not for you, follow your bespoke travel PA.

Start on paying attention to the housing you choose. You might want to go for High Environmental Quality labeled places. This sustainable label is a lot more common in France than in the rest of the world, but it is used worldwide, and even if it is not strictly the HEG label that you are looking for, the goals need to be the same : build and run sustainable facilities through eco-construction, eco management and a great concern about comfort and health priorities. This label was first used by office buildings and facilities but is now also used by the hotel and housing industry. The first HEQ hotel in Europe opened its doors in 2011, in Lyon, France: The Golden Tulip Millénaire. It has now been followed by a few others.

If you are more of a B &B traveller, you can chose to stay in B & Bs whose owners pay attention to sustainability : shop and cook local products, use eco- friendly washing products… You will usually find them on Google.

And then it’s all about adopting a green attitude. First of all, do not drive around too much. Use public transportation, bike or electric vehicles to get around and allow yourself to discover one area, instead of taking a busy busy full touristy tour of one country. No, you won’t get to see the Eiffel Tower, the Mont Saint Michel, the Châteaux de la Loire, the Bordeaux Vineyards and the French Riviera… But you will get to know one region really well and take time to discover the off-track activities and places, get to know the locals and share some fabulous time with them. You will get that lovely feeling of belonging a little to the place.

Last but not least when you are away, shop local, eat local, live local. Find restaurants and activity providers who share your mindset.

Finally, traveling ethic and chic is all about lowering your impact on earth resources and pollution, but keeping that comfort and chic you are used to and having a positive impact on the local economy. You will find all the addresses and brands name that have an earth friendly policy on the web.

I agree that it might be a lot more work to plan such a trip, carefully choosing your housing, activities, restaurants… Spotting all the off tracks “must do and must see” places, the open markets, the sustainable shops…But I can guarantee it will be worth the pain as you will get a fabulous ethic once in a lifetime travel experience you will be able to brag about for long.

And if you really want this fabulous vacation but on the no-brainer style, I am here to plan it to the very last detail for you. That is what I do with SensationnElle.net and all my clients leave either with a private guide or a tailor-made booklet of what will suit you on their destination. My bespoke exclusive services are just an email away!"

Our guest blogger, Gwen, taught for 4 years after graduating from anthropology. Then decided it was time to do what she really loved; travel. She recently became a Personal Travel Agent, mostly selling France and Europe to foreigners, but she also works on other destinations. She specializes in bespoke travel and events, making sure that her clients get the best experiences with no worries. This new job allows her to travel as much as she wants with her hubby and doggy and still be available for her privileged clients. Her office fits in a hand luggage : a Mac book, an iPhone, her notebook and a pen, and a few SensationnElle gift cards ready to be sent! Get in touch if you would like to know more information!

Behind the scenes!

Well, what a great 2012 we had at Con-fused Arts, thanks to YOU but we are aiming for an even better 2013! In 2012, we decided to work with a new supplier called Kazuri and I wanted to start 2013 by telling you a bit more about this supplier/project, the special group of ladies that handcraft the luxury ceramic jewellery and the jewellery itself!



Founded by the late Lady Susan Wood,  Kazuri is still located where she first created employment for struggling single mothers in 1975, in her back garden. The workshop is in Karen, named after Karen Blixen of "Out of Africa" fame. Karen is a beautiful area just a few miles outside Nairobi. In 1988, Kazuri became a factory and expanded hugely employing 120 people. Currently, there are over 340 local women, mostly single mothers, employed at Kazuri, handcrafting our beautiful ceramic jewellery. The Kazuri workshop now has a clinic which provides free medical care for the employees.

Kazuri jewellery is aptly named as it means "small and beautiful" in Swahili. Every bead which makes up a necklace, bracelet or earrings is shaped by hand by one of the 340 local women employed by Kazuri. The beads are then kiln fired once, glazed and fired again before being strung.

If you have already bought a piece of Kazuri jewellery, you can be assured that it is completely unique, with many pieces taking on the quirks and trademarks of the people who shape the beads, paint them or string them, giving them soul as well as beauty. We love providing you with different ranges of Kazuri jewellery, different designs and different colours. We also enjoy picking new pieces to compliment the season. Simply visit our Facebook page or our website  to see what we have in stock and to get your own piece of Kenya!

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

Beautiful Mexican earrings for free!

Well, we are drawing to the close of another month! Not just any month but our month of celebrations!  We have enjoyed showing you our new photos,jewellery and website which we are still in love with, by the way! We wanted to finish our celebrations by giving away one of our most precious pair of Alpaca silver earrings, handcrafted by artisans in Mexico! 

Con-fused Arts are moving up a notch and expanding our luxurious ethical jewellery. We have also been delving into the world of Pinterest  giving you inspiration around certain key pieces of Con-fused Arts  jewellery - it's definitely worth taking a look at our visual feast!  Finally, if you want to keep up to date with our day to day happenings, check out our Facebook page.

We know you deserve the best in jewellery, beautifully wrapped and all at the touch of a button. That's why all our pieces come beautifully wrapped in pillow gift boxes with an optional (free) gift tag. We also have gift vouchers, if you really can't make up your mind, ha ha

To enter this giveaway, simply answer the following question;
Our white bead necklace is hand made in what country?
Just e-mail your answer along with your name and postcode to info@con-fusedarts.co.uk.

The winner will be picked at random and notified on 7th December. Good luck!

Skills NOT just for the CV!

Well, ladies to say the last few months have been a steep but interesting learning curve is an understatement however I am glad to announce that as a result, Con-fused Arts and my personal life have a clearer, more focussed vision for the future! I have been reading inspirational e-books, quotes and reports and am currently doing a "training program" with Claire from "The Girls Mean Business" (a very knowledgable lady with both great business and life skills).  We have also re-launched our website - www.con-fusedarts.co.uk, you are sure to love it!

Con-fused Arts, however, is not just about jewellery and style but about your self-esteem, confidence and proactively bettering all our lives. Now, I want to share with you five skills that are helping me in the right direction in all aspects of my life;

• BREAKING DOWN TASKS into bite sized chunks. We all have busy lives, whether it be running our own businesses, working day jobs, having kids, looking after elderly or disabled relatives or all four, sometimes we just don't have the energy to face those daunting tasks. Break them down and see what can be done today! You will feel so much better for it!
• BUSINESS VISION, BUSINESS PLANS AND A MARKETING PLAN may sound really professional and scary but they don't have to be and can be tailored for your own needs. Once I had these done, a fog had lifted and now I know what I am doing month by month for the next year. You could also apply this to your everyday life
• YOU DON'T HAVE TO SPEND ALL DAY on FACEBOOK, Twitter, Pinterest, Stumbled Upon (you get the idea!) Decide what you need to do on there. Do it and then get on with the next thing!
• BE A LITTLE BIT SELFISH SOMETIMES! As with running a business, in everyday life, you need to take some time for yourself to recharge your batteries and be the best you can!
• BE OPEN TO HELP - It's ok to admit you don't know everything! We all have to start somewhere and weren't born with the skills and knowledge we now have.Whether it be running your own business, a project at work, a personal/family issue - be open to help. 

Thanks for reading ladies, believe it or not you have taken a moment to yourself just by reading this post!

Love and peace, Pam x

London Fashion Weekend Update

London Fashion Weekend update....

Eco specialists were gearing up at London Fashion Weekend to discuss the 'relevance of sustainable fashion in our current climate' with a Vodaphone lounge panel including fashion writer and presenter Angela Scanlon, Filipo De Castro (From Somewhere) and Jocelyn Wipple (Element 23). The eco event got me thinking about sustainable fashion and brands that have revolved their lines and campaigns around it, with People Tree firstly popping into my head.


Eco and fair trade fashion has become a trend within its own right and now there are hundreds of brilliant boutiques and brands that are offering great pieces including clothing and accessories. One of those, a local to me, is Con-fused Arts.

Con-fused arts, an on line fair-trade jewellery and accessories boutique, offers some great bold statement pieces in addition some really quirky cute items. I did a bit of browsing on the brand's website and came across these earrings, see the pic above, but check out the website to find loads of other bits and bobs....Con-fused Arts.


J

http://julielinks.blogspot.co.uk/

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!