Summer in the City!

I am so excited to be starting my Yoga Teacher Training in just 5 days... lucky for all the Simply. fans of the world, Joanna, my new partner in craft, is ready to take the wheel! Her first batch of Lavender soap is successfully curing in the basement, almost 100 bags of body polish line the shelves and body butter tins are stacked and ready to go!

I feel so honoured to be "passing the torch" to the third mom in the history of my company - I started simply. when I was trained by a mom-at-home who crafted soap...

Along the way I have had the ongoing help and support of a number of moms (my friends and family!) and it is amazing to me that I have this Circle of Women who are so enthusiastic and encouraging! It really speaks to me of the importance of human connection in this time of the "information age" - as I sit here blogging I imagine myself chatting over a cup of tea with my mom.

There is so much in my business that relates back to women and the connections we have with eachother - whether we know it or not! An example of this is the women we support in Togo - they are the primary caregivers for their families, and have a tradition of farming shea nuts to bring home income, but also to heal their communities. I have never met any of them, but we share a common goal - to work as part of a community for the greater good. In Togo, the communities I buy Shea Butter and Cocoa Butter from are building schools, digging wells and enabling their communities to continue a way of life that is healthy and connected to tradition.

Here in Toronto my community of women is doing the same - founding schools, starting businesses so they can be home with their families, and supporting a way of life that respects eachother and the planet upon which we dwell.

I am thankful for Simply. and what it has taught me, and I look forward to growing my business with Joanna, and with all of the women who I know, and don't know - we are all connected...

we all come from the Goddess
and to her we shall return
like a drop of rain
flowing to the ocean

hoof and horn
hoof and horn
all that dies
shall be reborn

corn and grain
corn and grain
all that falls
shall rise again!

Springtime Soaping!

Well, we're not there quite yet, but with the sun streaming through my window as I type this it's not hard to think Springtime thoughts!

As little seeds begin to soften and leaves unfurl, I always feel a sense of anticipation in the spring... What new projects will burst forth with renewed energy? How will I grow this year?

To help get everyone started with a spring in their step, I have a full roster of workshops coming up, scheduled to take place at Nathalie-Roze & Co., my fave indie boutique and D.I.Y hive.

http://www.nathalie-roze.com/

Breastfest Filmfest

I have been invited to speak at the screening of Toxic Bust, a look into the environmental links to breast cancer, at the Breastfest Filmfest taking place in Toronto this weekend. http://www.breastfestfilmfest.com/

While I am far from being a medical expert, I do take great pride in living a lifestyle and running a business in a way that is not only environmentally friendly, but in a way that (I hope) serves to educate and inspire. I am so excited to have this opportunity to share what I have learned along the way.

Living a healthy lifestyle is so much more than the food you put in your body or the (fair trade, organic) moisturiser you use on your skin. It is empowering yourself and those around you to bring about change - locally, nationally, globally - to the way that we perceive ourselves and our interaction with the world around us.

A toxic chemical plant in California is affecting us here in Toronto. Women exposed to harmful substances in the workplace overseas are affecting all of our communities for generations to come.

Rethink Breast Cancer is an organization aimed at educating and empowering - not just funding research by big pharma - and I am very pleased to be affiliated with them at this event.

Great shopping for the Holi-daze!

Come and visit the simply. booth at Crafternoon Tea - Toronto's finest indie craft fair for over 5 years!

I love doing this show. It is inspirational to see what a vibrant and eclectic community of crafty people can get up to in Toronto. It's cool that many of the exhibitors also share their talents in the DIY-hive and it always makes me feel that I am a part of something very important - LOCAL TALENT being supported by a community that doesn't want to support big biz.

In these times of global uncertainty, it's nice to know that connection matters.

WHEN: Saturday November 29th (11am - 5pm)
WHERE: Queen Street East Presb. Church, 947 Queen St. East at Carlaw

Hope to see you there!!

The Sustainable Style Show

This coming Saturday, November 8, simply. will be exhibiting at the Distillery District's Fermenting Cellar in a fabulous new show!

The Sustainable Style Show is part of Fashion Takes Action - a not-for-profit that is dedicated to bringing the worlds of great style and ecolocially aware consumption together. Sounds crazy, eh?

The show is going to offer up the best to be found in Toronto when it comes to beauty and fashion, and I am very happy to be among the exhibitors selected who meet their high standards of ethical and sustainable production.

For more details about the show and the evening Gala visit http://www.fashiontakesaction.com/

simply. is nuts for Pistachio!

A new eco-store is opening in Toronto, and it's called Pistachio.

They chose to feature simply. soaps in their grand opening gift bags - so fingers crossed you'll see my soaps in their stores soon!

If you happen to wander in - ask them where you can find your favourite bars and butters... Or just buy them on my etsy site - it's almost done!!
www.simplybyamanda.etsy.com

Anywhere else you'd like to pick up my products let me know (and tell them, too!) It doesn't seem fair to keep such a good thing to ourselves!

FSC certified labels!

I am very pleased to announce that I have started working with a new printer in Toronto - Taylor Labels - who have Forest Stewardship Council(FSC) certified labels.

This means that the paper used is independently certified to assure consumers that they come from forests that are managed to meet the social, economic and ecological needs of present and future generations. And the adhesives are recycling compatible, so if you don't have a chance to return your box for re-use, you can feel good knowing it won't gum up the recycling plant!

This is such an exciting step for me, and I would like to thank Lloyd for buying my soap at Grassroots and suggesting that we work together to bring my company one step closer to being the cleanest, greenest soap on the market!