Friday, December 23, 2011

Because kindness keeps the world afloat


Life Vest Inside

Their mission:
"By creating an exciting and accessible kindness experience, we will become more aware of the opportunities that surround us and recognize our potential to change the world, simply by changing ourselves."

Saturday, December 10, 2011

Some Crochet Projects

Here's a couple of crochet projects I've been making. I'm still a beginner but I'm really enjoying this. It is so relaxing to just sit quietly somewhere and turn a yarn into something amazing that I will cherish or offer as a gift. Crochet very much feel like a mindfulness meditation... Some people even chant while crocheting. I will try this next! Chanting the words of happiness so that the message is encrypted in whatever I'm crocheting!

Here's a hat that I've made using this pattern that I bought. It's an easy pattern for a beginner and I very much like the results.

Crochet Hat

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How does it look on me?
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I can see a pixie! Oh, where is it hiding?!
Crochet Hat

And I've also made a bag. I made this one without a pattern, just measured according to the frame and increased/reduced as required.
My sewing skills helped in making an imaginary pattern for this...
I've still got to attach a chain to it and it will be done!

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The back view. I think I got excited with the frills but I kind of like it! It's nice a girly!

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So, here's some inspiration for some handmade gifts for the holidays! I'd be making the hat again!

Tuesday, November 22, 2011

Is it possible for us to thrive?


I recently watched the Thrive movie which I wanted to share with you as it gives a clear picture on energy, how the world economy is managed and where our world is heading to. Visit the ThriveMovement website for more info and to rent/buy the movie. It is well worth your time.

It is crucial to know where our money is going - an important stepping stone for change.

Saturday, November 19, 2011

Tuesday, November 15, 2011

A Friend's Birthday and Visiting Howth...

Today is one of my friends birthday. But as I wasn't going to see her during the week, we met on Saturday for a little trip to Howth which is a small cosy fishing village north of Dublin city.

I made her a little handmade jewellery gift which I think she liked and some cupcakes!





The cupcakes was a good excuse to make some for me as well. They are vegan and the recipe is coming soon on Veganlovlie.

vegan coconut cupcake

Happy Birthday!
bijouxlovlie


Our day trip in Howth was a really refreshing one. Howth is actually close to where I live but I had never been around the area before. It is more than a fishing village actually. There's a nice mix of picturesque residential development and a breathtaking serene hillside.

We spent our time leisurely, walking around the cliffs and up the hill. We were lucky to be blessed by great calm weather on that day, Ireland being windy and rainy for most of the year!

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At the end of the day, we came back to the village centre for an early dinner or late lunch.

howth

Howth is definitely a place to go back and visit anytime. There is still a lot more to see in this little village.

Wednesday, November 9, 2011

Sunday, November 6, 2011

Saturday, November 5, 2011

My Paper-to-Pearls™ Bag-o-Beads! Sweet!

The call within me is starting to hit really hard. I can no longer live every day without constantly thinking and doing a little bit to serve my purpose. My purpose? Settled and maybe starting a family? Nah! Not that I have anything against it but I’ve decided that this wasn’t going to be my life a long time ago. And a long time ago, I feel I've even thought this out before the first day I saw daylight on this planet.

It has taken me 30 years and a bit to really feel the right path for this but now I am flowing, no resistance, just being.

A little step each day, and it will all add up. Yesterday, I received my Bag-o-Beads from Paper to Pearls. I talked about them in a previous post. Wow, could these beads be more gorgeous!

papertopearls.org,papertopearls

They are absolutely magically as if made by little fairy hands. I felt so much happiness just looking at these little wonders inside the bag. Each bead is telling a story of its own...

papertopearls.org,papertopearls

And the first idea that came to my mind when I saw them was that they must indeed have been made my fairies!

papertopearls.org,papertopearls

papertopearls.org,papertopearls

Stay tuned for what I'm going to be creating out of them... I can't wait!

You can purchase a Bag-o-Beads for your craft projects here. Let me know if you do and what you're making out of them!

Or see the Paper to Pearls™ Online Store for paper bead jewellery.


Paper to Pearls™ is a fair trade initiative of Voices for Global Change — a not-for-profit founded on the belief that when people who have had no voice, speak, they change their world.

My first order ... shipped!

I am so happy to have shipped my first order today! Thank you my first buyer!



Depending on what you purchase from the store, items come beautifully packaged in a gift box with a little linen bag to keep your jewellery safe.



*Some items may come only in the box without the bag.

Sunday, October 30, 2011

TreeSisters

I have reached a point in my life where working only for a living is no longer making sense. I have to earn a living for sure but doing just that feels like drinking from an empty bottle. Mother Earth, our planet has been abused for a long time and even though it seems that it could be too late, it is not; we still have time. I have been feeling such a connection with all life on this planet recently that this has triggered something that I cannot really explain within me. I only feel the urge to pour out this feeling into actions that can contribute into making the planet a better place to live for every living being that are sharing it.

I recently came to know about the TreeSisters Organisation and I have been deeply moved by the initiative of these women who are seeding change across the planet. Their plan is to reforest certain areas of Asia and Africa.



Although I would very much have liked to be actively part of helping in the reforestation of the planet and going to physically plant the trees, for the moment I am unable to take active participation in that area. But what I can do is help to in other areas that will allow these changes to happen.

Like I've mentioned before I have recently opened a handmade cruelty-free jewellery shop on Etsy where I try to make a difference by using cruelty-free materials in the making of my jewellery and accessories. The idea of opening the shop itself really came from the fact that I have been doing my own jewellery and accessories for some time and my boyfriend suggested that I put some for sale for people interested in buying cruelty-free jewellery.

Anyone can contribute to this project. As even the smallest contribution helps to go a long way. As such you can also take part in this wonderful initiative. Please visit the 'Gaia Collection' where 30% of sales will go to the TreeSisters Organisation. You will not only have a nice item of jewellery to cherish and wear or offer as a gift but you would also have taken part in a change at a much larger scale. And this feeling is priceless. Please spread the word and gather more tree sisters...



Follow the TreeSisters on Facebook and Twitter.

To offer your contribution by buying a jewellery piece, please visit the Gaia Collection in my shop on Etsy.

TreeSisters, Gaia collection

Monday, October 17, 2011

Paper to Pearls



Paper beads. Now this is something really interesting that I've recently come across. These stories and initiatives from the founders of Paper to Pearls™ are really heartening. The possibilities and creative pieces of jewellery that can be made from paper beads are simply inspiring.

Here’s all the fascinating jewellery that the women from refugee camps in northern Uganda are making using paper beads. An initiative from Paper to Pearls™.

Paper to Pearls™ is a fair trade initiative of Voices for Global Change — a not-for-profit founded on the belief that when people who have had no voice, speak, they change their world.

According to the World Bank, the average annual income in Uganda is just US$340 or less than US$1.00 per day. Paper to Pearls beaders earn as much as US$120 per month, more than four times the national average.

Visit their website and see how we can all make a difference.

I was curious to know how they make the beads. Here's how:




All of us can make a difference if we not only buy for the use of the item or for pleasure or maybe just for the sake of buying but if we take the time to also consider the consequence of buying an item. How will I be making a difference if I buy this item? How can this improve the lives of other beings (not only human) on the planet? The butterfly effect as it is called - how every tiny action can affect everything else.

paper to pearls,paper beads

It fills my heart with so much joy to find the awakening that is happening worldwide at this present moment, to realise that the road towards a better planet is deploying little by little, to find that more and more people are trying to take part in this and making responsible choices, to realise that there is room for every being to enjoy a better life on this planet if we perpetuate the efforts...

Peace to all...

You can check out Paper to Pearls on Facebook, subscribing to their Twitter feed and follow them on LinkedIn. Also, subscribe to their blog feeds.

paper to pearls

All photos are borrowed from the Paper to Pearls website.

Monday, October 10, 2011

Spiral of Life

Spirals are a well of inspirition in a lot of my design work, be it as a graphic designer or in jewellery design. A lot of my jewellery features spirals (infinity symbols). Spirals, in an infinite flow, represent the spiritual unbroken "thread of life".



"Closer to God" - Nine Inch Nails official photostream.
Although I'm not a fan of their music, I do like this image a lot.


There is a sanctuary of stillness within this piece that personally stroke me after it was complete.
Endlessly wrapping around itself, it nurtures and protects, creates and evolves, the perfection of nature pervading all life.

View this item on Etsy.

Spiral of life

Sunday, October 9, 2011

Loving these!

I've been browsing the Etsy website more and more often lately. I'm loving these cute little 'Bird on a Branch' earrings by tineytokensdesigns.

Wednesday, October 5, 2011

Bijouxlovlie on Etsy!

Hurray for the new Bijouxlovlie Etsy Shop! Cruelty-free jewellery and accessories available for you to purchase.
Here’s a glimpse:



Hope to see you there! If you like it, tell your friends.
Check out this space for updates on my new creations and many more as I explore my newly found passion for jewellery making.