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!

Blooms and Balloons Giveaway!

Well, what a great month it has been! We have loved hearing all your lovely comments about our re-designed website! We still want to celebrate this happy occasion and also thank you for your support so far! We are having competitions and giveaways throughout the month of November. Our third giveaway is a £10 voucher to spend on whatever takes your fancy instore at Blooms and Balloons by Suzie of Aberdeen. This would be a very useful in the run up to Christmas.

You may already be a fan but let me tell you a little about Blooms and Balloons by Suzie. They are no ordinary florists. Suzie, not only provides modern artistic floral designs but she is qualified in balloon decorating and offers a range of balloons and decorating services. She has also made the in-shop experience something a bit different and special by having a gallery display area for artists and photographers.

To be in with a chance of winning this great giveaway, simply answer this question -  In what month and year was Blooms and Balloons by Suzie launched? (HINT: Have a nosy through www.blooms-balloons.co.uk/ )

E-mail us at info@con-fusedarts.co.uk , giving us your answer, full name and post code. The winner will be notified by e-mail on Fri 24th November.

*This competition is open to UK residents only.

Beautiful handmade soap giveaway!

Well, it has finally arrived- our stylish re-designed website! We want to celebrate this happy occasion and also thank you for your support so far! We are having competitions and giveaways throughout the month of November. Our second giveaway is a beautiful gift set containing  three soaps, all with their own unique scent of Lavender, Geranium and Patchouli Oils. These soaps will arrive in a recycled box with tissue paper, tied with ribbon and lovingly labelled.  This gift set could be a present to yourself or a present for a loved one! 

Cottage Soap Company are a small, family fun business that specialise in handmade soap. All of their soaps are made in small batches, with care and attention to ensure the best quality. I love the fact that where possible, they use recycled, biodegradable packaging for ther soap too so you can be sure you will be caring for the environment as well as your skin.

To be in with a chance of winning this gorgeous gift set, simply answer this question - Which city are these soaps hand made in ? (HINT: Have a nosy through www.cottagesoapcompany.co.uk )

E-mail us at info@con-fusedarts.co.uk , giving us your answer, full name and post code. The winner will be notified by e-mail on Fri 16th November.

*This competition is open to UK residents only.

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