Recycled paper placemats for a contemporary setting

recycled paper placemats make a strong style statement

At WOMAD  (World of Music and Dance) last month, I came across some fabulous recycled homeware products that I want to share. Made from recycled paper, these place mats are strong, durable and stylish.

Naturally I asked whether they were heat-resistant and strong enough to withstand straight-from-the-oven casserole dishes, or hot plates.

Hammocks are handwoven comfort and not just for the lazy

creature comforts in a hammock

All over the world, people sleep, snooze, read and laze in hammocks. And they are the ideal adornment to a home or garden, capturing the essence of travel – warm evenings and balmy nights, or gazing out to sea while swinging in hammock under a tree.

During trips to South East Asia, Malaysia and Mexico, hammocks have played invaluable roles in my life. I love their cozy comfort and the way they wrap around my body, so I can snuggle deep or lounge and read a book.

however, returning to the UK with a tan and a hammock presents its own dilemma. Where do we hang it and how? It needs to be high enough to sit in without bums touching the floor, yet low enough to climb into. The ends far enough apart that it is supported and tied with the kind of knots only a sailor knows. Is the garden tree strong enough? Will the nail in the brick wall take the strain etc…

Caroline Lucas MP on being green in Brighton

Caroline Lucas on easy ways to be green in Brighton

Eco-girl was lucky enough to interview Caroline Lucas MP recently.

As Britain’s first Green MP with the backing of the UK’s first Green-led city council in Brighton & Hove, Caroline Lucas is a happy lady. She talks freely about taking local action, the Brighton Peace & Environment Centre and her love of Brighton’s art scene.

Information leads to action

Caroline believes that change needed for sustainability stems from taking action, not just taking a political stand point. And action begins with information and education. “Information is the first step to change things,” Caroline says, adding that most global issues can usually be connected to the actions we take every day. Yet it’s not always easy to see the end results.

Colour psychology in the home

what does colour reveal about your home?

Carl Jung said that colours are the mother tongue of the subconscious and long before Jung, before Newton’s light experiment in 1655 where he discovered that white through a prism refracts light into an array of colours, people have been enthralled by the power, suggestion and brilliant interplay of colour.

The Greeks, the Egyptians and even the nomadic tribes of Africa understood the importance of colour for temples, authority and healing. So it comes as no surprise that modern man, with our thirst for research and development, places great significance on the psychology of colour and maximises its effect to create space, light, shadow; to revel emotion or display character, reveal lifestyle choice or deflect an impression.

Blank walls are like blank canvas for the colour palette, but before you get handy with a brush, consider what colours reveal about a room, a person and a state of mind.

What does your front door say about you?

Is your front door welcoming?

If you look with fresh eyes at your own front door – what message are you giving the world?

The front door is the first thing visitors see when as they approach your dwelling (unless you’ve got a mattress in your garden or a skip on your path) – and whether you like it or not – people make immediate judgements about owner occupiers as the details of a home are layered upon the psyche.

Equally, the state of your front door also has great significance in feng shui as it is the ‘mouth of chi’ – the place where all vital chi energy flows into and out of your house. Your inner world exists behind the front door and you step into your outer world through it, so it carries a great deal of significance.

Save money & scale away limescale

Eco limescale removers save money, energy & earth

Limescale is the result of excess minerals such as calcium and magnesium in water and can turn sparkly new kitchens very old, very quickly.

The excess minerals turn water ‘hard’ and leaves limescale around taps, in bits in kettles and leaves a builds up around the heating elements of dishwashers, washing machines, coffee makers and heaters.

It prevents toilets from flushing properly and forms a dark rim around the water edge of the bowl. If left untreated, limescale harms water pipes and household appliances, forcing appliances to work harder and pushing up energy bills.

Ethical customised decor for festivals, parties & kid’s rooms

eco-bunting is stylish and customised

I was at a party the other day and noticed that the celebratory banners were cloth, not plastic, but they were still personalised. Cute red and white squares were sewn on to spell out the name. It was a lovely touch and I thought it good that someone had made time to do that.

But it turned out she was a very busy working mum, who also wished she had the time to do that.

Whether you’re kitting out your child’s bedroom with colourful name flags or dressing the house, gazebo or garden in celebratory banners and balloons or handing out party bags – you can do it with eco-chic. Some clever individuals have created all our celebratory needs using recycled fabrics and fair trade goodies.