Breathe some fresh air

I have been busy making necklaces this week, using fairtrade glass beads, recycled faux pearls (luckily in plentiful supply at charity shops) and even beads from broken jewellery. Christine however has been under the weather, so I cheered her up with a walk around Swansea Marina for inspiration and fresh sea air. We popped into the Environment Centre, to browse their fantastic range of fairtrade, recycled and organic goods, as well as read through literature, magazines and notices.

Please note that instead of blogging at Organic Jac too, I am now putting my ramblings here, including local interest stuff too (see below).

Ella

Website of the week - Clever recycled and organic calico bags from Carry-a-Bag - check out the beach bags for summer (see picture). Sally Walton. the bag designer is very inspiring too! Also read my article on the Top Ten Hottest Ethical Beauty Brands in New Consumer.

Organic Jac's Welsh news - Food tasting will be actively encouraged at the new Waterfront local produce market at Swansea's Waterfront Museum this Sunday 1st April 10-4pm (first sunday each month).

Good news from Ghana

The Fairtrade recycled glass beads have arrived and we are ever so impressed. I even loved the packaging of Ghana newspaper (pictured). The delivery includes some striking sea themed pendants perfect for Green Beach and we will get straight onto handmaking necklaces and bracelets. Some beads are a bit chunkier than we expected but we will have fun creating a design to suit - they may not even become jewellery but added to our eventual accessories and eco-living range. Pop back soon for pics of our first designs.

Ella

New* Green Beach Website of the Week - www.swanturbines.co.uk . Tidal energy on my doorstep? Swansea bay has one of the largest tidal ranges in the world. Could this be the predictable and reliable answer to our energy crisis?

Delayed order, but we're not grumpy.

There's a nice write up about us at New Consumer today - it's spot on, thanks Cathy.

Christine and I met up today for a 'meeting' - a cup of Grumpy Mule coffee (Peruvian Fairtrade & Organic 'Titicaca') and an update on progress. The Fairtrade beads, the real focus of our collection, are delayed due to the 50th Anniversary of Ghana's independence. The artisans have been busy celebrating at festivals and our contact has also had power difficulties. It would be great to get out there and have a better understanding of the makers and their community - one day we'll do it.

We switched our attention to recycled materials and Christine has hand made over a hundred fabric pouches. The material is old cotton gingham curtains, which we have personalised with a name tag. We will be putting each piece of jewellery inside the resusable bag as a practical yet pretty finishing touch.

Our aim is to blog about our progress at least every Friday. Thanks for reading - Ella.

[Pic -'limited edition mermaid bracelets' made from vintage faux pearls and locally bought glass beads, tumblechips and jade)

Designed by Christine at Green Beach

The nearly new sale wasn't up to much (no beads at all), so we headed to a local bead shop to buy a few bits and pieces to go with our large collection of old beads. Still waiting for more Fair trade beads to arrive but we are going to make up bracelets this week whatever the weather.

Ella

[Pic - Necklaces and matching bracelets hand made using mixture of old and new (rock crystal). Designed by Christine who likes the feel and natural style of wooden and glass beads.]

Something old, something new, something blue (and green)

Ethical consumer blog Hippyshopper gave us a mention yesterday which was great! Soon after had a lovely email from a girl who is looking for sea themed jewellery in time for her beach wedding - she is hoping that we could come up with an anklet or bracelet to be her 'something blue'. I love a challenge and am enjoying the encouragement as a result of our 'coming soon' blog.

Tommorrow Christine and I will be trawling a nearly new sale in aid of the local branch of the National Coastwatch Institute (so quite apt). We will be on the lookout for old beads and fabrics to mix with the new fairtrade glass beads. There is a group of retired ladies in Gower who have also taken to beading - so I guess we will be in competition for the best junk! - should be fun!

Ella

[Pic - Necklace made using a recycled glass heart, pale green and lemon fairtrade glass beads and vintage pearls. Although most pieces will be sea-inspired - colours other than blue will be available - pics of bracelets and new designs to be revealed soon.]

'The Manic Green Beachers'

I can't think of a better way to spend St David's Day (or any day really) than on the Gower beaches. It was fresh and breezy and Christine and my eager son were on a mission - driftwood. We examined every piece and rated on shape, feel and size. There was so much to choose from, washed up by the high tides and only the best made the bag. It's for one of Christine's mad projects but let's just see where the creativity takes her this time. I'll publish the end result.

Ella