2012: Looking Ahead

<div style="text-align: center;"><br /><br />Hello lovely friends :) How are you? I've missed you.<br /><br />I love this time of year, don't you?<br />We've had heaps of great visits with people we don't get to are all that often...,<br />it's a glorious snow globe out the front door,<br />and after the great rest of winter,<br />I can feel the energy of spring beating just around the corner.<br /><br /></div><div style="text-align: center;"><br />Just spent a few hours attempting to catch up on all your news from around the blogosphere...<br /><br /></div><div style="text-align: center;"><br /><br /></div><div style="text-align: center;"><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEizj96mVTqaxaP36qe-XNEgmo1W-tkeW3HzTao4Y0vRUkV95dYv2v1TFqWSCw3KaGcKeP4lnGHWpMbXIYCTpgdM4oV5R7ihUtfrl3NqS0g8beRBZvTdpps2eE_zfT-DdV9j-yHsgQ56QTku/s1600/Screen+Shot+2012-01-09+at+9.04.14+AM.png" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEizj96mVTqaxaP36qe-XNEgmo1W-tkeW3HzTao4Y0vRUkV95dYv2v1TFqWSCw3KaGcKeP4lnGHWpMbXIYCTpgdM4oV5R7ihUtfrl3NqS0g8beRBZvTdpps2eE_zfT-DdV9j-yHsgQ56QTku/s1600/Screen+Shot+2012-01-09+at+9.04.14+AM.png" /></a></div><br /><br /><br /></div><div style="text-align: center;">Sounds like you were as busy as we were!<br /><br /></div><div style="text-align: center;">It was a wonderful mad holiday here, as always.</div><div style="text-align: center;">We hosted Christmas, plus three other dinners, and two birthday parties;</div><div style="text-align: center;">attended two dinners, a cocktail and a birthday party;</div><div style="text-align: center;">and managed to squeeze in a few days of skiing.<br /><br /><br /><br /></div><div style="text-align: center;"><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEhF-0XeNjJPtUdzxcnRpzTDVx6WCJU_nXtOsf9mjSwgpidBJxs6EAVpOdO_MLnKXerWOYzpRDhPsmPNhS1FzpEeOPqfcWMIZJfbQQMGGYdvNqUbWd1bmPhOTPnWEg6a2a9EV8G_fBpdc5yH/s1600/Screen+Shot+2012-01-09+at+10.32.06+AM.png" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEhF-0XeNjJPtUdzxcnRpzTDVx6WCJU_nXtOsf9mjSwgpidBJxs6EAVpOdO_MLnKXerWOYzpRDhPsmPNhS1FzpEeOPqfcWMIZJfbQQMGGYdvNqUbWd1bmPhOTPnWEg6a2a9EV8G_fBpdc5yH/s1600/Screen+Shot+2012-01-09+at+10.32.06+AM.png" /></a></div><br /></div><div style="text-align: center;"><br /></div><div style="text-align: center;"><br /></div><div style="text-align: center;">Quite happy to get back to regularly scheduled life, </div><div style="text-align: center;">& squeezing in some time for design love!<br /><br /><br /><br /></div><div style="text-align: center;"><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEixSucO3PWlEUe1Se6UC3V6sfwlcL1jSntPWjM4IboA4B3k4n7VFPB-1Hs4JGYM2ENCdiYUVV4w2khyPjfdk3pmZ7g6F8dChgkJhX0Ve_Y2i1d6FKUPtxYvGdUwH_NF6obz4T7nPQOFExNo/s1600/Screen+Shot+2012-01-09+at+9.06.25+AM.png" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEixSucO3PWlEUe1Se6UC3V6sfwlcL1jSntPWjM4IboA4B3k4n7VFPB-1Hs4JGYM2ENCdiYUVV4w2khyPjfdk3pmZ7g6F8dChgkJhX0Ve_Y2i1d6FKUPtxYvGdUwH_NF6obz4T7nPQOFExNo/s1600/Screen+Shot+2012-01-09+at+9.06.25+AM.png" /></a></div><br /><br /><br /><br /></div><div style="text-align: center;">Having said that, the new year always finds me setting some personal goals, and this year they are....</div><div style="text-align: center;"><br /><br /></div><div style="text-align: center;">to embrace the changes ahead<br /><br /><br /><br /></div><div style="text-align: center;"><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEgShCnKQK35OTjt8BYBQjPNbe40CUwYhSOFoQj1FJsdbWvf-NV9dvvP16Yvz509LzFLy7sB76JFfADhh0IboRrU8xvKdjMacjVZpuBaFm8dMniCWdO3Kn3ynmKHwpc03bjH2szaAk6ZCQ_l/s1600/Screen+Shot+2012-01-09+at+10.14.59+AM.png" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEgShCnKQK35OTjt8BYBQjPNbe40CUwYhSOFoQj1FJsdbWvf-NV9dvvP16Yvz509LzFLy7sB76JFfADhh0IboRrU8xvKdjMacjVZpuBaFm8dMniCWdO3Kn3ynmKHwpc03bjH2szaAk6ZCQ_l/s1600/Screen+Shot+2012-01-09+at+10.14.59+AM.png" /></a></div><br /></div><div style="text-align: center;"><br /></div><div style="text-align: center;">(it's on it's way, the most change in a long while, and it's due....</div><div style="text-align: center;">more about that later x)</div><div style="text-align: center;"><br /></div><div style="text-align: center;"><br /></div><div style="text-align: center;"><br /></div><div style="text-align: center;">and to spend more time MAKING -<br />life has become so busy, and I dearly miss painting and crafting.<br /><br /><br /></div><div style="text-align: center;"><br /></div><div style="text-align: center;"><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEhPUBqK4ERkZwAhh-Lgt35xrDPmbnrinJMUptVcQKhmwD8hg2vyo_ReiNuXmSta6vKp97MAjZBN6vE-wxtyZFgbv4HKrFHQ_W-_Z4yPFQcqSc1TAlMVnb3OPJUvj0r7aBpZpENTo-ZAhegi/s1600/Screen+Shot+2012-01-09+at+9.21.46+AM.png" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEhPUBqK4ERkZwAhh-Lgt35xrDPmbnrinJMUptVcQKhmwD8hg2vyo_ReiNuXmSta6vKp97MAjZBN6vE-wxtyZFgbv4HKrFHQ_W-_Z4yPFQcqSc1TAlMVnb3OPJUvj0r7aBpZpENTo-ZAhegi/s1600/Screen+Shot+2012-01-09+at+9.21.46+AM.png" /></a></div><span class="Apple-style-span" style="color: #cccccc; font-size: xx-small;">source <a href="https://pinterest.com/">1</a> <a href="http://weheartit.com/">2</a> </span></div><div style="text-align: center;"><br /><br /><br />Of course, that may also mean cutting down on the <strike>hours</strike> minutes spent on my pinterest "habit"...</div><div style="text-align: center;">maybe that should be a resolution?<br />Hmm. Nah. :)</div><div style="text-align: center;"><br /></div><div style="text-align: center;"><br /></div><div style="text-align: center;"><br /></div><div style="text-align: center;">What are your goals for this year? </div><div style="text-align: center;">Do you set any?<br /><br /></div><div style="text-align: center;"><br /></div><div style="text-align: center;"><br /></div><div style="text-align: center;"><img border="0" height="51" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEhk6NPqy9xJ-HOXKGM0fevxvI3lNOrp2nJT8XdoPKxKFMCRP6QHahewcDn-HQh8JVljuq5hlMuBtn4brMQfkIZLXJStHDns5xqrDoTJ2m-BNvT7hEn9osfvj8LDg9nZni85Gg_cFXiIYUH1/s200/Screen+shot+2011-05-19+at+3.08.10+PM+copy.png" width="200" /><br /><br /><br /></div><div style="text-align: center;"><br /></div><div style="text-align: center;">( btw -have you seen the pantone colour pick for the year?</div><div style="text-align: center;">of course you have :)</div><div style="text-align: center;">I'm going to be doing a post about it shortly.... hope you'll pop by and share your thoughts.</div><div style="text-align: center;"><br /></div><div style="text-align: center;"><br /></div><div style="text-align: center;"><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"><br /></div><br /></div>

2012: Looking Ahead

Hello lovely friends :) How are you? I've missed you. I love this time of year, don't you? We've had heaps of great visits with ...

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Resolution Week: Number 4, The Great Clean Out

<div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"><br /></div><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEhCwVB9szXhuwJfyNLQTSFXNzGIq0l10NDfWzQAo4YuIrj4_MTAsEfdloTQ4ea7l79MCHph6lfEKfkoJyAFxASUpD5YcFsi0Um_QhraM2wKNys3nmuge3Hf4ULgt8rlfjjt7dVLGZ2RcMk/s1600/Screen+shot+2011-01-07+at+6.37.54+AM.png" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEhCwVB9szXhuwJfyNLQTSFXNzGIq0l10NDfWzQAo4YuIrj4_MTAsEfdloTQ4ea7l79MCHph6lfEKfkoJyAFxASUpD5YcFsi0Um_QhraM2wKNys3nmuge3Hf4ULgt8rlfjjt7dVLGZ2RcMk/s1600/Screen+shot+2011-01-07+at+6.37.54+AM.png" /></a></div><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"><br /></div><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"><br /></div><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;">It seems that we all have a one-track mind right now, </div><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;">and that collective brain is saying one thing:</div><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"><br /></div><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;">GET ORGANIZED!</div><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"><br /></div><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;">Is it a reaction to clearing away the cutter of the holidays,</div><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"> or maybe trying to find spots for all our newest treasures?</div><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;">I'm not sure, but I have got the bug!</div><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"><br /></div><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;">It always motivates me to finish a project once I post about it here,</div><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"> and so I have got a little proposal for you:</div><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"><br /></div><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"><span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-size: large;">how about we all pick a space and clean it out?</span></div><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"><br /></div><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;">It can be something a s simple as a junk drawer (I can't close mine these days!)</div><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;">a closet, even a room if you are super-motivated!</div><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;">I will post links to all your organization triumphs here in <b>The Great Clean Out.</b></div><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"><br /></div><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"> If you have a blog, I am inviting you to send me a before and after pic by Friday January 21,</div><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"> and we will all post together on Monday January 24.</div><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;">If you don't have a blog, but would like to join in, just send me a before and after pic</div><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;">(amezeard@10rooms.ca) by Friday, Jan 21 and I will post it here for you..</div><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"><br /></div><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;">I know we are all busy, but I hope that you will join us for a little pre-spring cleaning.</div><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;">I've sent out a few invites already and have at least four fabulous bloggers</div><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"> lined up to share their organizing stories with you-</div><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"> I think we are all going to come out of this with some really great ideas for our homes!</div><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"><br /></div><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"><br /></div><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEhAYEso51gLtDi_lugIhZ-_R8PUn-7_Ubs0XScC5KZs0k0UIwNmHpVGaWFZDmnApzoccSfEUKpRK16tiPtwi0SbVb_ZF8O7cgsGSzWisB-oElOw7PHgi2OeAm83CknsPBz1iryNdaKqvj8/s1600/Screen+shot+2011-01-07+at+5.15.47+AM.png" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" height="640" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEhAYEso51gLtDi_lugIhZ-_R8PUn-7_Ubs0XScC5KZs0k0UIwNmHpVGaWFZDmnApzoccSfEUKpRK16tiPtwi0SbVb_ZF8O7cgsGSzWisB-oElOw7PHgi2OeAm83CknsPBz1iryNdaKqvj8/s640/Screen+shot+2011-01-07+at+5.15.47+AM.png" width="518" /></a></div><div style="text-align: center;"><span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-size: xx-small;">source </span><a href="http://www.housetohome.co.uk/galleries/home_office.html"><span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-size: xx-small;">1</span></a><span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-size: xx-small;"> </span><a href="http://www.putmeinorder.com/home.shtml"><span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-size: xx-small;">2</span></a><span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-size: xx-small;"> </span><a href="http://business.ikea.com/en_ca/guide,organized_kitchen_storage"><span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-size: xx-small;">3</span></a><span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-size: xx-small;"> </span><a href="http://www.apartmenttherapy.com/la/organizing/ultimate-getaway-best-tips-for-moving-into-the-dorm-058837"><span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-size: xx-small;">4</span></a></div><div style="text-align: center;"><br /></div><div style="text-align: center;"><br /></div><div style="text-align: center;"><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEgXqybeN1oECb_ZZ8wPffAv3OI8vzts563vbY9qW6J4KASd8DeJMo49BgpY8pDf22M7aqCkczr4odLV3UkybHE303rANT6FutryzG3-6XaoIW55iDq_1_FuUSv_TKp-_oGbe3Vsl4-B52c/s1600/Screen+shot+2011-01-07+at+5.44.22+AM.png" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" height="640" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEgXqybeN1oECb_ZZ8wPffAv3OI8vzts563vbY9qW6J4KASd8DeJMo49BgpY8pDf22M7aqCkczr4odLV3UkybHE303rANT6FutryzG3-6XaoIW55iDq_1_FuUSv_TKp-_oGbe3Vsl4-B52c/s640/Screen+shot+2011-01-07+at+5.44.22+AM.png" width="584" /></a></div><span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-size: xx-small;">source </span><a href="http://www.roomservicestore.com/blog/modern-office-organization/"><span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-size: xx-small;">1</span></a><span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-size: xx-small;"> </span><a href="http://www.usernetsite.com/creativity/how-the-office-would-be-its-own-dedicated-space-of-the-home.php"><span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-size: xx-small;">2</span></a><span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-size: xx-small;"> </span><a href="http://www.housetohome.co.uk/galleries/home_office/Eighties-inspired_home_office_30834.html?subslug="><span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-size: xx-small;">3</span></a><span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-size: xx-small;"> </span><a href="http://www.housebeautiful.com/decorating/hollywood-regency-rental-apartment-0510"><span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-size: xx-small;">4</span></a></div><div style="text-align: center;"><br /><br /><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEhJ8t7YnLYPy-XGiVX3pVMnazfTSLw5oochBLtm6lDiVdEUyAFThnZu_hj8zaC11azYxCxrtGcN_ikLgzgm3MztedW7Pb4q160ri8UPzH-6SfsLZS4pPhjnBrxypOGWEUZ83nFDIxz7h4w/s1600/Screen+shot+2011-01-07+at+6.01.58+AM.png" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" height="640" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEhJ8t7YnLYPy-XGiVX3pVMnazfTSLw5oochBLtm6lDiVdEUyAFThnZu_hj8zaC11azYxCxrtGcN_ikLgzgm3MztedW7Pb4q160ri8UPzH-6SfsLZS4pPhjnBrxypOGWEUZ83nFDIxz7h4w/s640/Screen+shot+2011-01-07+at+6.01.58+AM.png" width="562" /></a></div><a href="http://www.livingetc.com/gallery/main.php?g2_itemId=4409"><span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-size: xx-small;">source</span></a><br /><br /><br />So looking forward to seeing all of your spaces!<br />Several spots here need "the treatment" - my closet, the hall closet, my office -<br />I'm going to get started this weekend (the clear out phase), taking trips to the Salvation Army...<br />and trying my best not to bring anything home :)<br /><br /><br /><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEiM-KYz8JTd4Uyj09wOtjso1e2NBPdreCpS8HtlFfZvot_oXa_0zR_b5mGtPr1fbTN4omCD1B9DbZ2A4IJxcf4MHj4B0j8wWp7QBUf_ljfem9GV23gZWDJAvR9DAQGUA0l3hC0rWuC2lGQ/s1600/Screen+shot+2011-01-04+at+7.01.17+PM.png" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEiM-KYz8JTd4Uyj09wOtjso1e2NBPdreCpS8HtlFfZvot_oXa_0zR_b5mGtPr1fbTN4omCD1B9DbZ2A4IJxcf4MHj4B0j8wWp7QBUf_ljfem9GV23gZWDJAvR9DAQGUA0l3hC0rWuC2lGQ/s1600/Screen+shot+2011-01-04+at+7.01.17+PM.png" /></a></div><br /><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"><br /></div><br /></div>

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 cle...

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Resolution Week: Number 3, Buy More Responsibly

<div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"><br /></div><div style="text-align: center;">First off, you may notice a few changes to the blog..</div><div style="text-align: center;">I am re-vamping 10 Rooms online,</div><div style="text-align: center;">with the aim to incorporate the home for 10 Rooms Design</div><div style="text-align: center;">into this site, as well as linking to our new Etsy shop that's coming!</div><div style="text-align: center;"><br /></div><div style="text-align: center;">Exciting things are afoot these days...</div><div style="text-align: center;"><br /></div><div style="text-align: center;">This is resolution 3 of 4, so I promise it won't go on forever :)</div><div style="text-align: center;">I am aiming to buy more responsibly these days.</div><div style="text-align: center;"><br /></div><div style="text-align: center;">That means local green products when possible, </div><div style="text-align: center;">and ensuring everything else was manufactured responsibly.</div><div style="text-align: center;"><br /></div><div style="text-align: center;">There are so many better options out there, </div><div style="text-align: center;">we can all do a bit better at this - </div><div style="text-align: center;">I know I am somewhat of a slacker on this front at times, caving to the easy choice.</div><div style="text-align: center;">But if I had convenient,well-designed, well-priced, responsible options I may do better...</div><div style="text-align: center;"><br /></div><div style="text-align: center;">Enter <b><a href="http://www.ethikl.com.au/home.php">Ethikl.</a></b></div><div style="text-align: center;"><br /></div><div style="text-align: center;">I met owner Peita Gardiman on <b><a href="http://twitter.com/#!/ethikl">twitter</a>,</b></div><div style="text-align: center;">where her bio reads:</div><div style="text-align: center;"><br /></div><div style="text-align: center;"><br /></div><div style="text-align: center;"></div><div style="margin-bottom: 0px; margin-left: 0px; margin-right: 0px; margin-top: 0px; text-align: center;"><b><span class="Apple-style-span" style="color: #777777; font-family: Georgia, serif; font-size: 14px; font-style: italic; font-weight: normal; line-height: 18px;">Marketplace for upcycled, repurposed, sustainable and fair trade products</span></b></div><div style="margin-bottom: 0px; margin-left: 0px; margin-right: 0px; margin-top: 0px; text-align: center;"><b><span class="Apple-style-span" style="color: #777777; font-family: Georgia, serif; font-size: 14px; font-style: italic; font-weight: normal; line-height: 18px;"> made by independant artisans around the world. </span></b></div><div style="margin-bottom: 0px; margin-left: 0px; margin-right: 0px; margin-top: 0px; text-align: center;"><b><span class="Apple-style-span" style="color: #777777; font-family: Georgia, serif; font-size: 14px; font-style: italic; font-weight: normal; line-height: 18px;">www.ethikl.com</span></b></div><div><b><span class="Apple-style-span" style="color: #777777; font-family: Georgia, serif; font-size: 14px; font-style: italic; font-weight: normal; line-height: 18px;"><br /></span></b></div><br /><div style="text-align: center;"><span class="Apple-style-span" style="color: #777777; font-family: Georgia, serif; font-size: medium;"><span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-size: 14px; line-height: 18px;"><i><span class="Apple-style-span" style="color: black; font-family: Times;"><span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-size: small; font-style: normal; line-height: normal;"><br /></span></span></i></span></span></div><div style="text-align: center;"><span class="Apple-style-span" style="color: #777777; font-family: Georgia, serif; font-size: medium;"><span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-size: 14px; line-height: 18px;"><i><span class="Apple-style-span" style="color: black; font-family: Times;"><span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-size: small; font-style: normal; line-height: normal;">Intrigued? The shop includes some great global finds..</span></span></i></span></span></div><div style="text-align: center;"><span class="Apple-style-span" style="color: #777777; font-family: Georgia, serif; font-size: medium;"><span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-size: 14px; line-height: 18px;"><i><span class="Apple-style-span" style="color: black; font-family: Times;"><span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-size: small; font-style: normal; line-height: normal;"><br /></span></span></i></span></span></div><div style="text-align: center;"><span class="Apple-style-span" style="color: #777777; font-family: Georgia, serif; font-size: medium;"><span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-size: 14px; line-height: 18px;"><i><span class="Apple-style-span" style="color: black; font-family: Times;"><span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-size: small; font-style: normal; line-height: normal;"><br /></span></span></i></span></span></div><div style="text-align: center;"><span class="Apple-style-span" style="color: #777777; font-family: Georgia, serif; font-size: medium;"><span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-size: 14px; line-height: 18px;"><i><span class="Apple-style-span" style="color: black; font-family: Times;"><span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-size: small; font-style: normal; line-height: normal;"><br /></span></span></i></span></span></div><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEhPC6kXomMBiGo8SOPVCwQ90D69dz2J6WCVWkJusl1HVZVpAnX2KAHQQaR2EpQ24Yxy75KMCT6IVTSLv9XXNGPwA3P6crqdpCG92wFwU9UsveI1HCts_Kpp__DAUVyVhFuuqqnb7QeIzpc/s1600/Screen+shot+2011-01-05+at+8.38.05+AM.png" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" height="584" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEhPC6kXomMBiGo8SOPVCwQ90D69dz2J6WCVWkJusl1HVZVpAnX2KAHQQaR2EpQ24Yxy75KMCT6IVTSLv9XXNGPwA3P6crqdpCG92wFwU9UsveI1HCts_Kpp__DAUVyVhFuuqqnb7QeIzpc/s640/Screen+shot+2011-01-05+at+8.38.05+AM.png" width="640" /></a></div><div style="text-align: center;"><span class="Apple-style-span" style="color: #777777; font-family: Georgia, serif;"><span class="Apple-style-span" style="line-height: 18px;"><i><span class="Apple-style-span" style="color: black; font-family: Times;"><span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-style: normal; line-height: normal;"><span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-size: xx-small;">KiKati bags, from Africa - </span></span></span></i></span></span><span class="Apple-style-span" style="color: #777777; font-family: Georgia, serif; line-height: 18px;"><i><span class="Apple-style-span" style="color: black; font-family: Times;"><span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-style: normal; line-height: normal;"><span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-size: xx-small;">fluffy towels backed with a traditional East African garment</span></span></span></i></span></div><div style="text-align: center;"><span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-size: xx-small;">Silver Knitted Ring, Australia</span></div><div style="text-align: center;"><span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-size: xx-small;">Hei Cube,from Australia - </span><span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-size: xx-small;">bamboo charcoal air freshener</span></div><div style="text-align: center;"><span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-size: xx-small;">Pure Earth Home Cleaning Pack</span></div><div style="text-align: center;"><span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-size: xx-small;">Fair Trade Giraffe & Buffalo - </span><span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-size: xx-small;">made from recycled rubber thongs (!) in Kenya</span></div><div style="text-align: center;"><br /></div><div style="text-align: center;"><br /></div><div style="text-align: center;"><br /></div><div style="text-align: center;">I wanted to know more about the company and it's founder - </div><div style="text-align: center;"> and she graciously agreed to an interview - Thank You, Peita!</div><div style="text-align: center;"><br /></div><div style="text-align: left;"><br /></div><div style="text-align: center;"></div><div style="font: normal normal normal 12px/normal 'Times New Roman'; margin-bottom: 0px; margin-left: 0px; margin-right: 0px; margin-top: 0px; text-align: left;"><span style="letter-spacing: 0px;"><b><span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-size: small;"><span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-family: inherit;">10: What is your background? </span></span></b></span></div><div style="font: normal normal normal 12px/normal 'Times New Roman'; margin-bottom: 0px; margin-left: 0px; margin-right: 0px; margin-top: 0px; text-align: left;"><span style="letter-spacing: 0px;"><b><span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-size: small;"><span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-family: inherit;"><br /></span></span></b></span></div><div style="font: 12.0px 'Times New Roman'; margin: 0.0px 0.0px 0.0px 0.0px; min-height: 15.0px;"></div><div style="font: normal normal normal 12px/normal 'Times New Roman'; margin-bottom: 0px; margin-left: 0px; margin-right: 0px; margin-top: 0px; text-align: left;"><span style="letter-spacing: 0px;"><span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-size: small;"><span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-family: inherit;">PG: I have this quirky background that has always been half technology, half humanity. </span></span></span></div><div style="font: normal normal normal 12px/normal 'Times New Roman'; margin-bottom: 0px; margin-left: 0px; margin-right: 0px; margin-top: 0px; text-align: left;"><span style="letter-spacing: 0px;"><span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-size: small;"><span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-family: inherit;">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. </span></span></span></div><br /><div style="font: normal normal normal 12px/normal 'Times New Roman'; margin-bottom: 0px; margin-left: 0px; margin-right: 0px; margin-top: 0px; min-height: 15px; text-align: left;"><span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-size: small;"><span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-family: inherit;"><span style="letter-spacing: 0px;"></span></span></span></div><div style="font: normal normal normal 12px/normal 'Times New Roman'; margin-bottom: 0px; margin-left: 0px; margin-right: 0px; margin-top: 0px; min-height: 15px; text-align: left;"><span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-size: small;"><span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-family: inherit;"><span style="letter-spacing: 0px;"></span></span></span></div><div style="font: normal normal normal 12px/normal 'Times New Roman'; margin-bottom: 0px; margin-left: 0px; margin-right: 0px; margin-top: 0px; text-align: left;"><span style="letter-spacing: 0px;"><b><span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-size: small;"><span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-family: inherit;">10: What inspired you to launch Ethikl?</span></span></b></span></div><div style="font: normal normal normal 12px/normal 'Times New Roman'; margin-bottom: 0px; margin-left: 0px; margin-right: 0px; margin-top: 0px; text-align: left;"><span style="letter-spacing: 0px;"><b><span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-size: small;"><span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-family: inherit;"><br /></span></span></b></span></div><div style="font: normal normal normal 12px/normal 'Times New Roman'; margin-bottom: 0px; margin-left: 0px; margin-right: 0px; margin-top: 0px; text-align: left;"><span style="letter-spacing: 0px;"><span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-size: small;"><span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-family: inherit;">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?</span></span></span></div><div style="font: normal normal normal 12px/normal 'Times New Roman'; margin-bottom: 0px; margin-left: 0px; margin-right: 0px; margin-top: 0px; min-height: 15px; text-align: left;"><span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-size: small;"><span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-family: inherit;"><span style="letter-spacing: 0px;"></span></span></span></div><div style="font: normal normal normal 12px/normal 'Times New Roman'; margin-bottom: 0px; margin-left: 0px; margin-right: 0px; margin-top: 0px; text-align: left;"><span style="letter-spacing: 0px;"><b><span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-size: small;"><span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-family: inherit;">10: On your site you discuss "ethical consumerism" and "conscious consuming" - have you seen a real increase in people wanting to buy responsibly?</span></span></b></span></div><div style="font: normal normal normal 12px/normal 'Times New Roman'; margin-bottom: 0px; margin-left: 0px; margin-right: 0px; margin-top: 0px; text-align: left;"><span style="letter-spacing: 0px;"><b><span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-size: small;"><span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-family: inherit;"><br /></span></span></b></span></div><div style="font: normal normal normal 12px/normal 'Times New Roman'; margin-bottom: 0px; margin-left: 0px; margin-right: 0px; margin-top: 0px; text-align: left;"><span style="letter-spacing: 0px;"><span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-size: small;"><span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-family: inherit;">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. </span></span></span></div><div style="font: normal normal normal 12px/normal 'Times New Roman'; margin-bottom: 0px; margin-left: 0px; margin-right: 0px; margin-top: 0px; min-height: 15px; text-align: left;"><span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-size: small;"><span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-family: inherit;"><span style="letter-spacing: 0px;"></span></span></span></div><div style="font: normal normal normal 12px/normal 'Times New Roman'; margin-bottom: 0px; margin-left: 0px; margin-right: 0px; margin-top: 0px; text-align: left;"><span style="letter-spacing: 0px;"><span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-size: small;"><span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-family: inherit;">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</span></span></span></div><div style="font: normal normal normal 12px/normal 'Times New Roman'; margin-bottom: 0px; margin-left: 0px; margin-right: 0px; margin-top: 0px; min-height: 15px; text-align: left;"><span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-size: small;"><span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-family: inherit;"><span style="letter-spacing: 0px;"></span></span></span></div><div style="font: normal normal normal 12px/normal 'Times New Roman'; margin-bottom: 0px; margin-left: 0px; margin-right: 0px; margin-top: 0px; text-align: left;"><span style="letter-spacing: 0px;"><span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-size: small;"><span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-family: inherit;">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. </span></span></span></div><div style="font: normal normal normal 12px/normal 'Times New Roman'; margin-bottom: 0px; margin-left: 0px; margin-right: 0px; margin-top: 0px; min-height: 15px; text-align: left;"><span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-size: small;"><span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-family: inherit;"><span style="letter-spacing: 0px;"></span></span></span></div><div style="font: normal normal normal 12px/normal 'Times New Roman'; margin-bottom: 0px; margin-left: 0px; margin-right: 0px; margin-top: 0px; text-align: left;"><span style="letter-spacing: 0px;"><b><span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-size: small;"><span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-family: inherit;">10: How do you find the products that you sell?</span></span></b></span></div><div style="font: normal normal normal 12px/normal 'Times New Roman'; margin-bottom: 0px; margin-left: 0px; margin-right: 0px; margin-top: 0px; text-align: left;"><span style="letter-spacing: 0px;"><b><span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-size: small;"><span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-family: inherit;"><br /></span></span></b></span></div><div style="font: normal normal normal 12px/normal 'Times New Roman'; margin-bottom: 0px; margin-left: 0px; margin-right: 0px; margin-top: 0px; text-align: left;"><span style="letter-spacing: 0px;"><span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-size: small;"><span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-family: inherit;">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.</span></span></span></div><div style="font: normal normal normal 12px/normal 'Times New Roman'; margin-bottom: 0px; margin-left: 0px; margin-right: 0px; margin-top: 0px; min-height: 15px; text-align: left;"><span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-size: small;"><span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-family: inherit;"><span style="letter-spacing: 0px;"></span></span></span></div><div style="font: normal normal normal 12px/normal 'Times New Roman'; margin-bottom: 0px; margin-left: 0px; margin-right: 0px; margin-top: 0px; text-align: left;"><span style="letter-spacing: 0px;"><b><span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-size: small;"><span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-family: inherit;">10: What is your favourite find?</span></span></b></span></div><div style="font: normal normal normal 12px/normal 'Times New Roman'; margin-bottom: 0px; margin-left: 0px; margin-right: 0px; margin-top: 0px; text-align: left;"><span style="letter-spacing: 0px;"><b><span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-size: small;"><span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-family: inherit;"><br /></span></span></b></span></div><div style="font: normal normal normal 12px/normal 'Times New Roman'; margin-bottom: 0px; margin-left: 0px; margin-right: 0px; margin-top: 0px; text-align: left;"><span style="letter-spacing: 0px;"><span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-size: small;"><span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-family: inherit;">PG: It’s really hard for me to pick just one that is my favourite…</span></span></span></div><div style="font: normal normal normal 12px/normal 'Times New Roman'; margin-bottom: 0px; margin-left: 0px; margin-right: 0px; margin-top: 0px; min-height: 15px; text-align: left;"><span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-size: small;"><span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-family: inherit;"><span style="letter-spacing: 0px;"></span></span></span></div><div style="font: normal normal normal 12px/normal 'Times New Roman'; margin-bottom: 0px; margin-left: 0px; margin-right: 0px; margin-top: 0px; text-align: left;"><span style="letter-spacing: 0px;"><span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-size: small;"><span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-family: inherit;">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!</span></span></span></div><div style="font: normal normal normal 12px/normal 'Times New Roman'; margin-bottom: 0px; margin-left: 0px; margin-right: 0px; margin-top: 0px; min-height: 15px; text-align: left;"><span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-size: small;"><span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-family: inherit;"><span style="letter-spacing: 0px;"></span></span></span></div><div style="font: normal normal normal 12px/normal 'Times New Roman'; margin-bottom: 0px; margin-left: 0px; margin-right: 0px; margin-top: 0px; text-align: left;"><span style="letter-spacing: 0px;"><b><span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-size: small;"><span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-family: inherit;">10: What has been your major achievement in 2010?</span></span></b></span></div><div style="font: normal normal normal 12px/normal 'Times New Roman'; margin-bottom: 0px; margin-left: 0px; margin-right: 0px; margin-top: 0px; text-align: left;"><span style="letter-spacing: 0px;"><b><span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-size: small;"><span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-family: inherit;"><br /></span></span></b></span></div><div style="font: normal normal normal 12px/normal 'Times New Roman'; margin-bottom: 0px; margin-left: 0px; margin-right: 0px; margin-top: 0px; text-align: left;"><span style="letter-spacing: 0px;"><span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-size: small;"><span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-family: inherit;">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!</span></span></span></div><div style="font: normal normal normal 12px/normal 'Times New Roman'; margin-bottom: 0px; margin-left: 0px; margin-right: 0px; margin-top: 0px; min-height: 15px; text-align: left;"><span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-size: small;"><span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-family: inherit;"><span style="letter-spacing: 0px;"></span></span></span></div><div style="font: normal normal normal 12px/normal 'Times New Roman'; margin-bottom: 0px; margin-left: 0px; margin-right: 0px; margin-top: 0px; text-align: left;"><span style="letter-spacing: 0px;"><b><span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-size: small;"><span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-family: inherit;">10: What's next for Ethikl?</span></span></b></span></div><div style="font: normal normal normal 12px/normal 'Times New Roman'; margin-bottom: 0px; margin-left: 0px; margin-right: 0px; margin-top: 0px; text-align: left;"><span style="letter-spacing: 0px;"><b><span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-size: small;"><span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-family: inherit;"><br /></span></span></b></span></div><div style="font: normal normal normal 12px/normal 'Times New Roman'; margin-bottom: 0px; margin-left: 0px; margin-right: 0px; margin-top: 0px; text-align: left;"><span style="letter-spacing: 0px;"><span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-size: small;"><span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-family: inherit;">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. </span></span></span></div><div style="font: normal normal normal 12px/normal 'Times New Roman'; margin-bottom: 0px; margin-left: 0px; margin-right: 0px; margin-top: 0px; text-align: left;"><span style="letter-spacing: 0px;"><span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-size: small;"><span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-family: inherit;"><br /></span></span></span></div><div style="font: normal normal normal 12px/normal 'Times New Roman'; margin-bottom: 0px; margin-left: 0px; margin-right: 0px; margin-top: 0px; text-align: left;"><span style="letter-spacing: 0px;"><span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-size: small;"><span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-family: inherit;"><br /></span></span></span></div><div style="font: normal normal normal 12px/normal 'Times New Roman'; margin-bottom: 0px; margin-left: 0px; margin-right: 0px; margin-top: 0px; text-align: center;"><span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-family: inherit;"><span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-size: small;">Makes you want re-think that jaunt over to the dollar store, doesn't it?</span></span></div><div style="font: normal normal normal 12px/normal 'Times New Roman'; margin-bottom: 0px; margin-left: 0px; margin-right: 0px; margin-top: 0px; text-align: center;"><span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-family: inherit;"><span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-size: small;">If you are concerned about the source of the products you are buying, </span></span></div><div style="font: normal normal normal 12px/normal 'Times New Roman'; margin-bottom: 0px; margin-left: 0px; margin-right: 0px; margin-top: 0px; text-align: center;"><span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-family: inherit;"><span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-size: small;">Ethikl provides an opportunity for change.</span></span></div><div style="font: normal normal normal 12px/normal 'Times New Roman'; margin-bottom: 0px; margin-left: 0px; margin-right: 0px; margin-top: 0px; text-align: center;"><span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-size: small;"><br /></span></div><div style="font: normal normal normal 12px/normal 'Times New Roman'; margin-bottom: 0px; margin-left: 0px; margin-right: 0px; margin-top: 0px; text-align: center;"><span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-size: small;"><br /></span></div><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEjn1XpI8iau016QvWokOSCbJewrv0roR__RpfWejjcNQzafw00XmDpA8BY8gYan1PgI-C6-2Wq8QnSdcyFI7H9GOPccA7OPVLZjeOpqoZPgWWpwh8af0RSv-oi0fWAueycY3BwSSltBJlc/s1600/Screen+shot+2011-01-05+at+9.05.01+AM.png" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" height="320" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEjn1XpI8iau016QvWokOSCbJewrv0roR__RpfWejjcNQzafw00XmDpA8BY8gYan1PgI-C6-2Wq8QnSdcyFI7H9GOPccA7OPVLZjeOpqoZPgWWpwh8af0RSv-oi0fWAueycY3BwSSltBJlc/s320/Screen+shot+2011-01-05+at+9.05.01+AM.png" width="219" /></a></div><div style="font: normal normal normal 12px/normal 'Times New Roman'; margin-bottom: 0px; margin-left: 0px; margin-right: 0px; margin-top: 0px; text-align: center;"><span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-size: small;"><br /></span></div><div style="font: normal normal normal 12px/normal 'Times New Roman'; margin-bottom: 0px; margin-left: 0px; margin-right: 0px; margin-top: 0px; text-align: center;"><span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-size: small;"><br /></span></div><div style="font: normal normal normal 12px/normal 'Times New Roman'; margin-bottom: 0px; margin-left: 0px; margin-right: 0px; margin-top: 0px; text-align: center;"><span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-size: small;"><br /></span></div><div style="font: normal normal normal 12px/normal 'Times New Roman'; margin-bottom: 0px; margin-left: 0px; margin-right: 0px; margin-top: 0px; text-align: center;"><span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-family: inherit;"><span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-size: small;">Thanks again, Peita, for taking the time for this interview -</span></span></div><div style="font: normal normal normal 12px/normal 'Times New Roman'; margin-bottom: 0px; margin-left: 0px; margin-right: 0px; margin-top: 0px; text-align: center;"><span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-family: inherit;"><span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-size: small;">I wish you continued success in 2011.</span></span></div><div style="font: normal normal normal 12px/normal 'Times New Roman'; margin-bottom: 0px; margin-left: 0px; margin-right: 0px; margin-top: 0px; text-align: center;"><span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-size: small;"><br /></span></div><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEgeefp4Jyw6nasR4oXHh_ZKvRGLxEq9glbEYr3wnGTwvKwocHvOuYhhCSGj4lYN_pJZdmJgrWM2we4g3bPMtboteVZmXcue9zme6jzMyz01dLP3kBnphkIlomerfv2jcI7tjlAYzd3JLdE/s1600/Screen+shot+2011-01-04+at+7.01.17+PM.png" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEgeefp4Jyw6nasR4oXHh_ZKvRGLxEq9glbEYr3wnGTwvKwocHvOuYhhCSGj4lYN_pJZdmJgrWM2we4g3bPMtboteVZmXcue9zme6jzMyz01dLP3kBnphkIlomerfv2jcI7tjlAYzd3JLdE/s1600/Screen+shot+2011-01-04+at+7.01.17+PM.png" /></a></div><div style="font: normal normal normal 12px/normal 'Times New Roman'; margin-bottom: 0px; margin-left: 0px; margin-right: 0px; margin-top: 0px; text-align: center;"><span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-size: small;"><br /></span></div><div style="font: normal normal normal 12px/normal 'Times New Roman'; margin-bottom: 0px; margin-left: 0px; margin-right: 0px; margin-top: 0px; text-align: center;"><span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-size: small;"><br /></span></div><div style="font: normal normal normal 12px/normal 'Times New Roman'; margin-bottom: 0px; margin-left: 0px; margin-right: 0px; margin-top: 0px; text-align: center;"><span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-size: small;"><br /></span></div>

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 Des...

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Resolution Week: Number 2, Continue Building a Home Library

<div style="text-align: center;"><br /></div><div style="text-align: center;"><br /></div><div style="text-align: center;"></div><div style="margin-bottom: 0px; margin-left: 0px; margin-right: 0px; margin-top: 0px; text-align: center;">Last year I decided to begin collecting (and reading!) the classics,</div><div style="margin-bottom: 0px; margin-left: 0px; margin-right: 0px; margin-top: 0px; text-align: center;">with the hope that building a family library will encourage my darlings to read them in later years.</div><div style="margin-bottom: 0px; margin-left: 0px; margin-right: 0px; margin-top: 0px; text-align: center;">I stumbled on a list of the "must-reads" one day and </div><div style="margin-bottom: 0px; margin-left: 0px; margin-right: 0px; margin-top: 0px; text-align: center;">realized my literary world was shockingly lacking.</div><div style="margin-bottom: 0px; margin-left: 0px; margin-right: 0px; margin-top: 0px; text-align: center;">Apparently, Apartment Therapy's Big Book and The Selby in Your Space haven't made the list yet,</div><div style="margin-bottom: 0px; margin-left: 0px; margin-right: 0px; margin-top: 0px; text-align: center;">although they are definitely required reading in my books - yours?!</div><div style="margin-bottom: 0px; margin-left: 0px; margin-right: 0px; margin-top: 0px; text-align: center;"><br /></div><div style="margin-bottom: 0px; margin-left: 0px; margin-right: 0px; margin-top: 0px; text-align: center;"><br /></div><br /><div style="text-align: center;"><img height="296" id="il_fi" src="http://blog.mlive.com/chronicle/2008/04/01library25.jpg" style="padding-bottom: 8px; padding-right: 8px; padding-top: 8px;" width="640" /></div><div style="text-align: center;"><a href="http://www.google.ca/imgres?imgurl=http://blog.mlive.com/chronicle/2008/04/01library25.jpg&imgrefurl=http://blog.mlive.com/chronicle/2008/04/refurbished_library_wows_muske.html&usg=__ar0NLHfDeBdL04QFOkSO1yc_pZ0=&h=335&w=723&sz=347&hl=en&start=127&sig2=a5dt2xu7QEPDEUSytvUW1A&zoom=1&tbnid=WTlBKAHmb4p3fM:&tbnh=86&tbnw=185&ei=99UhTcmhPIGjnQfgz8zpDQ&prev=/images%3Fq%3Dlibrary%26hl%3Den%26client%3Dsafari%26sa%3DX%26rls%3Den%26biw%3D1182%26bih%3D948%26tbs%3Disch:10%2C4176&itbs=1&iact=hc&vpx=681&vpy=604&dur=2198&hovh=153&hovw=330&tx=172&ty=91&oei=7dUhTZS7DI6Unwex3tjqBQ&esq=7&page=6&ndsp=26&ved=1t:429,r:19,s:127&biw=1182&bih=948">source</a></div><div style="text-align: center;"><br /></div><div style="text-align: center;"><br /></div><div style="text-align: center;"></div><div style="margin-bottom: 0px; margin-left: 0px; margin-right: 0px; margin-top: 0px; text-align: center;">So the reading/collecting began.</div><div style="margin-bottom: 0px; margin-left: 0px; margin-right: 0px; margin-top: 0px; text-align: center;">Found vintage copies of The Iliad and The Odyssey (bound in pea green :)</div><div style="margin-bottom: 0px; margin-left: 0px; margin-right: 0px; margin-top: 0px; text-align: center;">and was happily immersed in Penelope and Ulysses love.</div><div style="margin-bottom: 0px; margin-left: 0px; margin-right: 0px; margin-top: 0px; text-align: center;">The Twilight Series followed, </div><div style="margin-bottom: 0px; margin-left: 0px; margin-right: 0px; margin-top: 0px; text-align: center;">which aren't<i> really</i> on the list but I justified because Natasha wanted to read them, </div><div style="margin-bottom: 0px; margin-left: 0px; margin-right: 0px; margin-top: 0px; text-align: center;">and I always read her books first to make sure they are appropriate.</div><div style="margin-bottom: 0px; margin-left: 0px; margin-right: 0px; margin-top: 0px; text-align: center;">Which means we also read the entire Harry Potter series this year!</div><div style="margin-bottom: 0px; margin-left: 0px; margin-right: 0px; margin-top: 0px; text-align: center;"><br /></div><div style="margin-bottom: 0px; margin-left: 0px; margin-right: 0px; margin-top: 0px; text-align: center;"><br /></div><br /><div style="text-align: center;"><img alt="[David+Netto+2.jpg]" border="0" height="310" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEh4Ihh4CCxX9L2MF0QfXfzU80AuqcZLMdQdq5xCENKm3qOdmQyby9tzUBaBPYshzPQL_A7KCeOz1oWFleViYmi4SZxiTvXGDRKZKlUeHjR1mC-E4u5KxvKwGtHOhVwbHmS2PKVC7hmLpDpj/s400/David+Netto+2.jpg" width="400" /></div><div style="text-align: center;"><br /></div><div style="text-align: center;"><br /></div><div style="text-align: center;"></div><div style="margin-bottom: 0px; margin-left: 0px; margin-right: 0px; margin-top: 0px; text-align: center;">Plowed through The Hitchhikers Guide to the Galaxy and </div><div style="margin-bottom: 0px; margin-left: 0px; margin-right: 0px; margin-top: 0px; text-align: center;">the Complete Tales and Poems by Edgar Allen Poe</div><div style="margin-bottom: 0px; margin-left: 0px; margin-right: 0px; margin-top: 0px; text-align: center;"> although they are completely not my cup of tea.</div><div style="margin-bottom: 0px; margin-left: 0px; margin-right: 0px; margin-top: 0px; text-align: center;">I must admit, those required healthy doses of art and design books sprinkled in...</div><div style="margin-bottom: 0px; margin-left: 0px; margin-right: 0px; margin-top: 0px; text-align: center;"><br /></div><br /><div style="text-align: center;"><br /></div><div style="text-align: center;"><img alt="Photobucket" border="0" src="http://i637.photobucket.com/albums/uu98/ohmishka/83FDB7EC-094D-4496-B265-8F9E086F-1.jpg" /><img alt="Photobucket" border="0" src="http://i637.photobucket.com/albums/uu98/ohmishka/1EF2CBCC-DB40-41D7-B448-6E25F071-1.jpg" /></div><div style="text-align: center;"><br /></div><div style="text-align: center;">Reminisced with Holden Caulfield and Heathcliff..</div><div style="text-align: center;">read and re-read Memoirs of a Geisha, and re-read A Woman of Substance,</div><div style="text-align: center;">both of which are on <i>my </i>required reading list.</div><div style="text-align: center;">Then I began The Complete Works of William Shakespeare.</div><div style="text-align: center;"><br /></div><div style="text-align: center;"><br /></div><div style="text-align: center;"><img alt="[Books.jpg]" border="0" height="640" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEh8io9U9b3zE04rVzMBsUnaajxEfz3J0azpiqY-5RevsfihyphenhyphenbWJ5xClmekf338RQx9I8ise0uKQZhgtrhIrnSBqLeb5v_HFwyhRiy_KLvKNxo4LmLtXV35DlRRCQoovlRxczqtNzsW1vcJn/s640/Books.jpg" width="530" /></div><div style="text-align: center;"><br /></div><div style="text-align: center;"><br /></div><div style="text-align: center;">Some progress was beginning to be made on that front by the holidays.</div><div style="text-align: center;">I was planning a bit of a break this year, </div><div style="text-align: center;">thinking that perhaps I could alternate years of design books and classics...</div><div style="text-align: center;">then the kids gave my their presents.</div><div style="text-align: center;"><br /></div><div style="text-align: center;">Each picked out by them.</div><div style="text-align: center;"><br /></div><div style="text-align: center;"> The Complete Works (see a trend here?!)</div><div style="text-align: center;">of Charles Dickens, Jane Austen, and Arthur Conan Doyle.</div><div style="text-align: center;"><br /></div><div style="text-align: center;">Okay :)</div><div style="text-align: center;"><br /></div><div style="text-align: center;">If you are interested in putting together your own library,</div><div style="text-align: center;">there are some great starting points <a href="http://www.modernlibrary.com/top-100/100-best-novels/">here</a> and<a href="http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/100_Classic_Book_Collection"> here</a>.</div><div style="text-align: center;"><br /></div><div style="text-align: center;">til next time..</div><div style="text-align: center;"><br /></div><div style="text-align: center;"><br /></div><div style="text-align: center;"><br /></div><div style="text-align: center;"><br /></div>

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...

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

<div style="text-align: center;"><br /><br />I used to do yoga each and every day.<br /><br /><br /><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"><a href="http://www.cmykstudios.com/jonwhittle/pictures/yoga%20room.jpg" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img alt="yoga room.jpg" border="0" class="enlarged" height="432" src="http://www.cmykstudios.com/jonwhittle/pictures/yoga%20room.jpg" width="287" /></a></div><a href="http://www.cmykstudios.com/jonwhittle/index.html"><span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-size: xx-small;">source</span></a></div><div style="text-align: center;"><br /><br />It's my favourite way to strengthen and tone because it creates such a<br />calm within your body and your mind.<br /><br /><br /><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEhcTj9HzUPWs1ozlouiOntNdzf56kbaiwCiiDAJ_yGBK5ZZZa_EYskiM73oE36SFQaG6q6pkYIcjhSbfMSe4S_8ErgzvJNO9segk-dtb6uTUP0dB0bI6axtXL2MLgMdTy6MU8mw2RQjmpE/s1600/Screen+shot+2011-01-01+at+10.51.23+AM.png" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" height="428" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEhcTj9HzUPWs1ozlouiOntNdzf56kbaiwCiiDAJ_yGBK5ZZZa_EYskiM73oE36SFQaG6q6pkYIcjhSbfMSe4S_8ErgzvJNO9segk-dtb6uTUP0dB0bI6axtXL2MLgMdTy6MU8mw2RQjmpE/s640/Screen+shot+2011-01-01+at+10.51.23+AM.png" width="640" /></a></div><a href="http://www.flickr.com/photos/krugel/3029204048/"><span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-size: xx-small;">source</span></a><br /><br /><br />Having three children enables you to appreciate quiet in a unique way :)<br /><br /></div><div style="text-align: center;"><br /></div><div style="text-align: center;"><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEieFVdaBKG-_9KM6g_Tix8v69y94HTUG3wp5NN-Zg_pEwVSEsxsKJKNGDE_lMLiFY921CUR1R6atrVSXEhr275k-pBSx7T4ReAdAn_8FdFVqRYpoKq1MyvcihQV9jd6ovP2VRd1LtIRLas/s1600/Screen+shot+2011-01-01+at+10.56.20+AM.png" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" height="480" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEieFVdaBKG-_9KM6g_Tix8v69y94HTUG3wp5NN-Zg_pEwVSEsxsKJKNGDE_lMLiFY921CUR1R6atrVSXEhr275k-pBSx7T4ReAdAn_8FdFVqRYpoKq1MyvcihQV9jd6ovP2VRd1LtIRLas/s640/Screen+shot+2011-01-01+at+10.56.20+AM.png" width="640" /></a></div><span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-size: xx-small;"><br /></span><br /><span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-size: xx-small;"><a href="http://www.flickr.com/photos/hopalog/2172292385/">source</a></span><br /><br /><br />I love the simplicity.<br />You don't need much space or equipment, just a slice of floor and a place to keep your mat.<br />(umbrella stands work really well)<br /><br /><br /><img height="200" id="il_fi" src="http://www.countryliving.com/cm/countryliving/images/umbrella-stand-de-45591880.jpg" style="padding-bottom: 8px; padding-right: 8px; padding-top: 8px;" width="155" /><img height="320" id="il_fi" src="http://www.supplierlist.com/photo_images/107478/Umbrella_Stand_Umbrella_Rack_Umbrella_Holder.jpg" style="padding-bottom: 8px; padding-right: 8px; padding-top: 8px;" width="240" /><img height="320" id="il_fi" src="http://www.decordemon.com/wp-content/uploads/2009/12/Owl-Umbrella-Stand.jpg" style="padding-bottom: 8px; padding-right: 8px; padding-top: 8px;" width="201" /><br /><br /><br />People hitting the gym on vacation used to seem ridiculous.<br />Then I discovered yoga.<br />Now I am that person carrying on her yoga mat<br /> for fear it will be lost in the baggage compartment :)<br />Who cares about the clothes, save the lululemon mat!<br /><br /><br /><img height="680" id="il_fi" src="http://derewin.co.cc/images/266.jpg" style="padding-bottom: 8px; padding-right: 8px; padding-top: 8px;" width="451" /><br /><a href="http://derewin.co.cc/free-yoga-online.html"><span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-size: xx-small;">source</span></a><br /><br /><br />Last year I took a break due to injury, and fell out of habit.<br /> But I so miss that sliver of peace...and the refreshment and energy it brings.<br />Resolution number 1 is about giving exercise and meditation the priority it deserves in 2011.<br /><br />til next time..</div>

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

I used to do yoga each and every day. source It's my favourite way to strengthen and tone because it creates such a calm within your bod...

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