Ethical Picks....Shops - Howies.

I went to visit Howies first store on Carnaby Street last week. Founders Clare and Dave Hieatt always thinking of the environment, wanted to cut down on the amount of electricity they used to light the shop when it was closed. They came up with an ingenious touch button system for customers to press when they want to see into the shop in the dark!!!
I love their website too and it is so great to read their detailed accounts of how the business has evolved over the years. It is really inspiring!! Here are a few pics of the shop and a few printed product!!

I Love....

A weekend away in the countryside of Catalonia!
We had a really lovely time staying with a good friend in his beautiful house in the hills of the Garraf National Park 30km from Barcelona. Because the house is so remote electricity is harvested using large solar panels at the back of the house and water is taken from the small well at the bottom of the garden. The surrounding area is beautifully quiet and peaceful. It was so nice to spend some time relaxing in the country!





The house and a lunch of "calcotts" a traditional catalonian dish...Very messy and very yummy!!

A trip to the beach.



A walk in the hills.



Play time!

Ethical Picks....Stationary.

I love stationary!! And if it’s green stationary then all the better! Night Owl Paper Goods print onto Eco-friendly sustainably harvested yellow birch for unique greetings cards.

Ethical Picks....Green Living - Dojo Ecoshop.

FOUND Dojo Ecoshop whilst searching online. They stock a great range of ethical products and all really stylish. If you are in Manchester I think it would be definitely worth popping in I know I will be!!




1. Cards and wrapping paper made from completely recycled paper. Degradable packaging. Vegetable derived inks.
2. Natural twine. FSC Oak. Made in England
3. Organic fabric, Fairtrade or fairly traded. Eco-dyes. Cotton, linen, hemp and wool.
4. Soap. No animal ingredients/testing or harmful chemicals. Either local, natural, organic or fairtrade or all of these.

Ethical Picks....Books.

Flea Market Style by Emily Chambers is a beautiful book. Full of great ideas of how to decorate your home with flea market finds…I loved every single page!!!





I bought this book “Recycled Home” by the brilliant Mark and Sally Bailey of Baileys Home and Garden its really lovely. Full of their brilliant ideas for recycling around the home.

Ethical Picks....Lara Cameron.

Many of our fellow pattern loving bloggers out there have posted about Lara Cameron, and rightly so as her Kirin and Co range is full of beautiful printed fabrics. I was very excited to read on her blog yesterday that she had announced her new range was printed on eco friendly fabric - A blend of 55% hemp and 45% Certified Organic cotton. Great news!!

Ethical picks....Shops - ECO

After spending yesterday morning being very dissapointed with the Ideal Home Show we decided to take a trip to the new ECO shop in Chiswick, I had been meaning to visit ever since it opened in February. Founded by Colin Firth and his wife ECO is part shop, part design consultancy for all things green! They had some really lovely product. I especially loved the bespoke lamps and shades by lucy renshaw.
Eco can be found at 213 Chiswick High Road.

Ethical Picks....Etsy.

bananasaurausrex – lavender bag made from vintage fabrics.
maidenlove – blue elephant.
Jennifer Joy Creative - eco-conscious hemp/certified organic cotton lightweight canvas purses
honeybeehill pin badges
Weather and noise - tote bags with fab gocco print – I exercise ethical consumerism!

Uncommongoods - pendants made from recycled scrabble tiles.

I Love....

...to wake up to snow! This was the view from the window when I woke up this morning! It's great living in the countryside!!!

I Love….Paperchase cards!

From left to right.
1. Design by Kelly Hyatt. beaumonde cards
2. Card by nineteen seventy three
3. Snow and Graham Chicago. Letterpress printed. New website is under construction but when its finished you will be able to view it here
4. Green star!! push me pull you design - card and envelope made from 50% recycled and 50% chlorine free pulp from managed forests.
5. the carte postale card from managed forests
6. hotch potch cards
7. egg press printed on an antique letterpress in Oregan, USA.
8. the carte postale Green Star!! states product is 100% eco-friendly! Bio-degradable cellophane and vegetable based inks
9. Card by soul