Posted in Business Stuff, tagged eco events, eco fairs, green events, green fairs on May 31, 2008| 1 Comment »
Boutiko will be attending various fairs around the UK this summer, so if you’re in any of the following areas on these dates, come and say hello!
June 21st, Arundel, West Sussex: St Nicholas’ Church Fair, from 12 noon
July 20th, Horsham, West Sussex: Horsham Eco Fair, 10.30 – 5pm
September 20th, Balham, London: Balham Eco Fair, times tba
Posted in Website, tagged blog, Giftchooser, gifts, press on May 27, 2008| Leave a Comment »
Kim at Gift Chooser has written some lovely things about us!
“I have recently discovered Boutiko, a beautiful looking site with some gorgeous gifts on offer.
All of their stock is ethical in some way or other. Whether it be fairly traded, organic, made from recycled products or locally made.
They are just as passionate about shopping for nice, ethical things as you are which means you’re in for a treat.
It’s like wandering into a huge chest full of treasure, so crammed full of good stuff, it’s hard to know how I will be able to load up my arms and carry everything out. Then I realise it’s an online shop and I relax – they’ll post it all to me!”
She goes on to choose her favourite gifts, among them the silver Chiming Heart Necklace and the Leather Photo Keyring. To see all Kim’s lovely comments, click here.
We are soon to be launching a competition on Giftchooser, so keep an eye out for that!
Posted in Website, tagged myspace on May 16, 2008| Leave a Comment »
Boutiko is now on Myspace! For some reason it wouldn’t work for ages but I have now mastered it and you may find us here: http://www.myspace.com/boutiko. Please feel free to become a friend!
That’s all!
Posted in Green Things, tagged charity walk, Just walk, Sussex downs on May 10, 2008| Leave a Comment »
So today my mum and I walked 20km (or 12.5 miles) across the beautiful Sussex Downs with ‘Just Walk’ for the charities of our choice. In my case, it was of course the World Land Trust, for whom my walk has so far saved 6 acres of rainforest! Hooray! 
I really want to say an enormous thank you to everyone who has supported me and sponsored me; it’s been hugely encouraging and really spurred me on. Even though I didn’t get in as much training as I’d planned, it went very well and what with the stunning countryside, beautiful sunshine and free food, not to mention the free t shirt at the end it really was a fabulous day!
I definitely plan to do more walking now; apart from everything else, it’s made me appreciate my body and what it can do in a new way. I totally recommend a good cross country walk!
Posted in Business Stuff, Green Things, Link Info, tagged art, cards, crafts, etsy shop, handmade on May 8, 2008| Leave a Comment »
There’s a cryptic title! I am a huge fan of art and crafts of all kinds, and recently opened a shop on Etsy to sell my own work.
Etsy is a craft site, a bit like Ebay in the sense that you can open up a shop under its ‘umbrella’ and sell the things you make. There are some truly fabulous things on there; paintings, jewellery, clothes, baby items, accessories, the list goes on and on. It’s a US based site but there are plenty of UK based artists, and in fact shop owners from around the world. All prices are in dollars but are converted to your currency, and it’s very reasonable to list items.
So anyway, I make a lot of pieces at home in the moments between running Boutiko, and Maisie and Munch is where you’ll find them! The shop is named after my sister’s two Staffordshire Bull Terriers, and currently stocks cards, paintings and multimedia collage. There are many more items in the pipeline and my inspiration changes frequently so there will always be something different to see. I also only tend to make one of anything, so everything is handmade, UK made, often made with recycled materials, and unique!
Posted in Uncategorized, tagged fair trade, Fair Trade and Ecology, Only Fair, Safia Minney, WFT, World Fair Trade Day on May 7, 2008| Leave a Comment »
World Fair Trade Day this year falls on May 10th. It was started by Safia Minney of People Tree, adopted by IFAT (the International Federation of Alternative Trade), and is the first global campaign for the Fair Trade movement that connects producers and customers worldwide. This year the theme is Fair Trade and Ecology, and this is what they say about it:
“Fair Trade is a force for protecting the environment while promoting sustainable development. Fair Trade favours the sustainable use of natural resources and production methods that are not capital and oil intensive, favouring hand production and organic agriculture – to reduce the carbon footprint. Because Fair Trade is committed to paying a living wage and works in long-term partnerships, it enables producer partners to invest in environmentally friendly production. In turn, these initiatives promote environmental awareness locally and internationally.”
World Fair Trade Day draws our attention to buying more Fair Trade products – an ever easier option with supermarkets and high street shops selling wider and wider ranges, not to mention all the online options. People tend to think Fair Trade products are going to be more expensive but this actually isn’t the case a lot of the time, and stocking up on necessities while helping those who would otherwise struggle to make a living really is a win win situation.
Throughout May there will be events across seventy countries to celebrate justice in trade, including fashion shows, talks and concerts. “Fair Trade products from marginalised communities in the majority world, including coffee, tea, clothes, jewellery and handicrafts will be showcased on World Fair Trade Day.”
Here at Boutiko we stock fairly traded products, such as our embroidered silk and satin jewellery rolls and handbags. For a wider range of Fair Trade goods, check out Only Fair, a lovely site selling all sorts of Fair Trade items, such as coffee and chocolate, homewares, jewellery and children’s products. Kate, the owner, is very friendly, and very knowledgeable about all things Fair Trade too!
For more information on World Fair Trade Day, visit: http://www.wftday.org/
Posted in Thoughts and Stories, Website, tagged Brazil, gifts, luggage label, recycled leather on May 5, 2008| Leave a Comment »
Check out this pink recycled leather luggage label, which was lucky enough to go from us all the way to Brazil! (There it is, at the bottom! Small but definitely there.) This photo was sent in by a customer and I think it’s fantastic to see where our gifts go. Thank you Elisabeth! Anyone else who has bought or received a gift from Boutiko, please do send in pictures of what happens to them! Perhaps I will turn it into a regular competition…..
Posted in Business Stuff, Website, tagged hand cream, new stock, paraben free on May 1, 2008| Leave a Comment »
Hooray, we’ve had some lovely new handcreams in! They are handmade in Somerset from a light, non greasy, paraben free luxurious base, with added aloe vera and comfrey extract to soften and condition your hands. They are scented with essential oils, locally sourced where possible, presented in a recyclable glass pot, and finished with a pretty fabric top to match the handmade soaps. Together they make such a lovely birthday or thank-you-for-having-me gift.
Boutiko 
