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Moon Pads&Brinsmead BabieseNewsletterDecember 2005 |
Hello Friends!
Do you like my new Moon Pads logo? Much as I liked the original design, inspired by the full moon rising across the Derwent River, I have decided to go with a more recognisable design unmistakably the moon, and also representing our southern situation with the Southern Cross.
Christmas is racing upon us for another year... so how can we resist the race for consumerism and clebrate Christmas in ways better for the planet? Here are some ideas from the Sustainable Living Foundation:
Christmas can be, often is, "Consumerism" out of control!
Why not make this Christmas a time to communicate a message of "walking lightly".
Presents: Support sustainable businesses. Some suggestions for gifts are:
- FairTrade coffee, chocolate and items from Oxfam shops. www.oxfamtrading.org.au
- Buy a goat for a Third world community through TEAR. www.tear.org.au/giftcatalogue
- No Sweat shoes from www.nosweatstuff.com.au
- Cruelty free cosmetics, listed at www.choosecrueltyfree.org.au
- Treat people to a special experience instead of an item
- Find a second-hand gift from all the gifts you've been hoarding over the years.
Feast & celebrate: Remember to:
- Cook you own treats. Nothing like a freshly baked plum pud!
- Remember to take your shopping bags with you
- Challenge the traditions! Save a turkey. Go meat free
- Choose seasonal food and drink from your local market or grocer, which cuts down on `food miles', contributing to climate change.
- Avoid disposable plates and cups - borrow extra crockery from neighbours
- Give Worms a Christmas feast too. Compost your left overs.
- Save that wrapping paper.
- Buy a real tree (alive!). Use it next year.
Thanks to the Sustainable Living Foundation, Level 1a, 140 Burke St. Melbourne VIC 3000; Ph: (03) 9412 7888; _info@slf.org.au; www.slf.org.au
And of course I'd like to add the suggestion that you buy reusable presents for your family and friends :-) Take a look at our website for some more suggestions...
© 2005 Evelyn Shakespeare.
These pages will tell the on-going story of a woman's survival and recovery from rape. In June 2004 Evelyn was drugged, physically and verbally abused then theatened with a knife before being sexually assaulted.
ALL names of people and places in this true story are altered to protect the privacy of the individuals involved. Her story will unfold on our web site as it is written in serial form.
Evelyn has chosen to tell her story for four important reasons:
1. As part of her own healing;
2. Her hope that just one word in it might help at least one other survivor to take another step on her own healing journey;
3. Her trust that it will help other women to avoid suffering the same experience; and
4. To empower allies (friends/family/workmates) to better support a traumatized woman.
The first "chapter" talks about the need for support from friends and family. It explains what was helpful and what was not! Evelyn draws on her own experiences, her research after the event, her diaries and art work as she struggles to understand and come to terms with what happened to her.
Chapter 2 is currently being written and will be uploaded when finished.
We trust that this story of one woman's trauma, courage and healing journey will help and inspire other women.
Look out for the Bubba Lugga tent. We are working with Joy Adair in the anticipation that she will be able to sell Moon Pads and The Keeper on site to Festival participants.
If you know of anyone going to the Woodford this year, let them know to say 'Hello' to Joy and check out her baby slings as well as our products :-)
Recently I have had a few of my first customers come back for some new pads. "They aren't worn out yet", I'm hearing, "but they are faded and looking a bit tired, so I thought I'd get a few new ones to add to the collection!"
It looks as though I'll need to update my brochure! That says to expect 5 years of use from your Moon Pads; but it seems women are getting seven years plus:-) Think of how much that will save for the family budget!
And I also promise the all-cotton Moon Pads won't be still rotting at the tip in 500 years time as is estimated for plastic backed pads - I compost all the offcuts when I am sewing, and they disappear very quickly, feeding the worms in my compost bins. (I guess they won't eat the studs though...)
I've had to have a bit of sewing help this year. Sarah has been making the Woollies for me. But I continue to sew all the Moon Pads and Passion Mats myself. So our customers make it possible for 2 women to continue to find small incomes by working in their own homes. Our Zappy Nappy customers are helping keep a small group of Eumundi (Qld) home-based women gainfully employed.
So all our customers are following the sustainable ideas of buying locally (Australian) produced items to reduce the footprint of your consumer habits. Thankyou!
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