Thank you so much to everyone that visits and especially those who leave comments. It is always so nice to hear from you lovely people.
To celebrate I have teamed up with Tara at the beautifully ethical online shop boutiko. We are offering one lucky reader a £5 gift voucher to spend in her shop. (Perfect just before Christmas!) Just leave a comment on this post with your email address and a short note about you favourite item from the shop. Entrants will be drawn at random on Thursday 26th November and announced the following day so stay tuned!
I have picked out my favourites for a Christmas wish list below!
1. Hand-knitted hotwater bottle.
2. Recycled leather address books.
3. Handmade earrings.
4. Natural soy wax candles
5. Handmade bracelet
6. Recycled paper notebook
7. Handmade soap
8. Framed chair print
Not only that but Tara is also offering 10% discount to all Manillamade readers for a period of two weeks starting from today! Just enter discount code MM09 at the checkout and get shopping! Check out Boutiko here.
If that wasn't enough!!! Tara has also kindly answered a quick questionnaire for us so hope it inspires you!
1. Tell us about your website…
Boutiko has been up and running for two years now, although I recently had the website revamped so it's now a lot easier to use. It has always been about ethically produced gifts, but with the revamp I decided to focus solely on ethically produced gifts and accessories for woman and home. I look for items that are recycled, handmade, organic, sustainable, locally produced or fair trade, or as many of these as possible!
2. What inspired you to set up your own online eco boutique?
I did some travelling after leaving my previous job in teaching, and was inspired by the beautiful handcrafts in countries like Guatemala, and the incredible weaving and sewing skills of the people there. I felt that I would like to make those products accessible at home and therefore also helping to support these craftspeople, so when I got home I looked into starting up the website. I spent about nine months researching and writing a business plan, and found that there were more companies than I realised based in the UK but importing fair trade, handmade goods from countries all over the world so it was easier to buy wholesale than I'd thought. More recently I have also started supporting craftspeople closer to home; I aim to have a good mix of ethical products from here in the UK and abroad.
3. What is your favourite item in your shop?
Oh that's a tricky one! Of course because I choose all the stock myself I love it all! But I do have a particular soft spot for Sarah Hough's recycled stationery, because it ticks all the boxes and looks fantastic right down to the packaging, and I also love the Oneless bags, made from vintage and recycled saris by disadvantaged women both here and in India. I use mine every single day and it's pretty AND indispensable!
4. Tell us a few random facts about you...
I love art and paint at every available opportunity.
I am fascinated by all things esoteric and have trained to Level 2 in Reiki.
I love to travel; I actually set up Boutiko with a view to travelling to source products - so far it hasn't worked out quite as planned but the travel bug is still there!
I lived in London my whole life until last year, but now I live by the sea.
My favourite colour is aquamarine!
5. Name one thing that you own that you could not live without?
Very boring but my laptop! Without it I wouldn't be able to run my business, and I find the internet an incredible resource for all sorts of things, from new products and new music, to interesting blogs and new friends!
(Small print - upon entering this giveaway you will be added to the Boutiko mailing list if you do not wish to receive updates on then you can unsubscribe at any time.)
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