Avani Creations - All My Own Thoughts

WE GO ONLINE - Store for Recycled Products

2010-04-03T16:34:00.000-07:00

We are starting to put all our banners, sails and coffee bags online for sale. After much consideration we think this is the best way to go for us.

Its a little bit more work with each individual item being put on the web etc but we hope the response will be just as good as when we take our products to festivals.

Any information that you need we will be happy to answer, especially where it is made, how it is made, where we source our fabrics from etc.

A big shout out to K-Dub - Hamilton for the interview. I will upload the podcast once it is sent to me.

Thanks

Jessica

Shouting - We are ethical and green because ...

2010-03-18T20:20:00.000-07:00

we support this charity or that. Why not just say that you are in this business because everyone else is and its the IN thing to be in now. I always wonder how ethical and sincere these orgs. are really - just because they have a good name link-up with an org. Anyways that's my bloggie today. Please buy our stuff because we use this ladies org. or the other to get our stuff made. In a third world country any work you give an ethical organization that employs a young man or a woman is great. When you support these orgs. you are actually supporting a family not necessarily just a women's organization. That's it.

Kiva News - Something I got in the mail today

2010-03-16T07:33:00.000-07:00

Dear Jessica D'Silva,

Thank you for supporting entrepreneurs in Ghana.

Dear Kiva Lenders,

My name is Maia Pelleg and I'm a Kiva Fellow working with Sinapi Aba
Trust (SAT) in Ghana. I completed my first placement as a Kiva Fellow in
Kenya in January, 2010 and was thrilled to embark on an experience with
Kiva and microfinance in the new context of West Africa. The initial
goals of my posting in Ghana included implementing a repayment reporting
system, facilitating a process that enables SAT to provide journal
updates to lenders, and making necessary changes to increase efficiency.

I arrived in Kumasi and quickly ascertained that Ghana's reputation for
tremendous hospitality stems from reality. The staff of SAT welcomed me
warmly and graciously offered to acquaint me with various aspects of
Ashanti society.

Unfortunately, as I discovered the kindness of SAT staff, I also found
that SAT's existing Kiva system was extremely flawed and lacked proper
management. A close look revealed that many loan amounts and terms
published on the Kiva website were incorrect. Additionally, the presence
of multiple duplicate loan postings was concerning.

Kiva took immediate action and paused SAT for fundraising on Kiva.org.
We have evaluated many aspects of the SAT partnership, and I am
confident that operational weaknesses can be corrected and adequate
management information systems can be utilized.

I have spent the last few weeks designing a new decentralized Kiva
system and have already begun implementing changes. Including loan
officers from around the country in Kiva processes serves as an
additional check as well as enables SAT to provide journal updates and
scale in the future. Central to the new Kiva platform is an internal
data system that will verify loan details and automate frequent and
accurate repayment reports. Additionally, a senior regional manager will
be stepping in as Kiva Coordinator at the end of this month.

I am working directly with SAT leadership and staff to execute
identified changes. Just this week I trained two branches and several
loan officers in how to collect borrower information and photographs for
Kiva's site. I can attest to SAT's commitment to a strong Kiva
partnership based on integrity and honesty. I am confident that we are
able to bridge any gaps that existed in SAT's process of raising funds
on Kiva.

This experience serves as a reminder of how seriously Kiva takes
transparency and accountability. I hope you will share my ongoing
confidence in SAT and more generally in microfinance. Sinapi Aba Trust
makes a real difference in the lives of low-income entrepreneurs and I
am excited to be a part of enabling them to continue their lending
footprint.

Sincerely,

Maia Pelleg

Kiva very much appreciates your responses online. You can read and
respond to this journal online at:

Joana:
http://www.kiva.org/lend/162851/comment?ent=241959&_te=j
Wonders Group:

http://www.kiva.org/lend/164482/comment?ent=241959&_te=j
Additional notes from Kiva:
1. If this journal entry is in a foreign language, please feel free to
use an online translator such as Google Translator:

(http://translate.google.com/)

2. If you do not wish to receive these emails, you can disable them by
logging into your Kiva account and clicking "My Account" where you can
set your email preferences.

Best Wishes,

Kiva Staff

Kiva and Women's Entrepreneurship

2010-03-14T21:12:00.000-07:00

If you have not heard of KIVA I would urge you to go to their website and check them out. It is truly a great way to give without feeling the pinch. I joined KIVA in December 2009 and I hope to give hope to the people looking for loans to jumpstart their own endeavours. A stronger woman makes a healthy society.

KIVA's website is http://www.kiva.org/.

I have given 3 loans so far. Would you believe, I have started receiving back money from the people we have given to. Its so awesome. All you do is just roll back the money to someone else. Its a great way to give back and I truly believe that if you give you get back tenfold.

We can do our bit in our own community too. We at Avani Creations recycle coffee sacks and banners and sails here in Toronto. Instead of going to an outfit that will mass produce your stuff we prefer to employ women who have ambitions of owning their own business (just like us and need some boost). We have one sewer right now who stitches from home, has ambitions of opening her own shop sewing drapes and upholstery work. By us giving her some work, and you buying some of our recycled products, we are helping not only the environment by diverting materials from landfill but also an entrepreneur. I have another woman who is interested in sewing from home and I am looking forward to giving her work too. We need your help.

Coffee Bean Recipes - Coffee Bean Bags

2010-03-14T20:57:00.000-07:00

Upcycling, recycling and reusing has been one of our main goals in our business.

A little bit of jute history. Since the early 1700s, jute bags have been used as packaging. That's one tradition that has been carried out by the coffee industry and it has not changed. All their coffee beans are transported using burlap bags, the same jute burlap bags that we promote on our website. We have started picking these coffee sacks from coffee roasteries around Toronto and have repurposed these bags. We hope you like them. When we clean out our coffee bags we end up with a few coffee beans and hate to throw them out. So when we sell our coffee bags we attach a small bag of coffee beans in them. Below are a few recipes for coffee scrubs. If you need more beans, email us and I will be happy to give you some more. With the Christmas season on us - make some of your own coffee scrubs and also some to gift to a friend and buy one of our spa bags to put them in! By the way, we got all these recipes from the internet and make no claims on these being our recipes. It's just to have some fun.

The thought of luxurious pampering of the body strikes a chord with every person in this world, but nearly all of you would agree that the moolah it costs surely makes you take a step backwards. If you are in a similar state and want to pamper yourself, but at minimal cost, here's just the right solution for you - homemade body scrubs. Most of you would be surprised to know that the coffee, which most of us drink to rejuvenate our mind can be a great option, when it comes to refreshing the body as well. Coffee body scrubs make an excellent choice for assisting lifting dead skin, dirt and dust. Easy to make, beneficial in terms of usage and most of all, cheap to pocket, coffee body scrub have supplementary benefits, which most other exfoliating scrubs lack. If you are wondering how to make a coffee body scrub, read through the following lines, as we have provided some easy and quick recipes.

Simple Coffee Body Scrub

Ingredients

2 cups Coffee Grounds
1/2 cup Raw Sugar or Sea Salt
2/3 tbsp Massage Oil

Instructions

The first step would be to add coffee grounds, raw sugar or sea salt and massage oil, in a large mixing bowl and blend well.

Apply the above blended mixture to a damp body in a circular motion and rinse off. Finish off by applying your favorite moisturizer.

Coffee Body Scrub With Sugar (this might be a good Christmas gift with the cinnamon)

Ingredients

1/2 cup White Sugar
1/2 cup Brown Sugar, packed
6 tbsp Fresh Coffee Grounds
8 tsp Tea Tree Oil
4 tsp Extra Virgin Olive Oil
8 tsp Sweet Almond Oil
4 tsp Honey
1 tsp pure Vanilla Extract
Oil of 2 Vitamin E Capsules
Dash of Cinnamon

Instructions

The first step would be to mix white sugar, brown sugar and coffee grounds in a large bowl. Mix until the ingredients are well-blended.

To the above blended mixture, add tea tree oil, extra virgin olive oil and sweet almond oil. Make sure that the oils are well mixed to the sugar and coffee mixture.

The next step would be to add honey, pure vanilla extract, vitamin E oil and cinnamon in the mixing bowl. Blend the mixture until the oils are completely incorporated with the other ingredients.

Now, all you need to do is take a warm shower and massage your body using the coffee and sugar body scrub in circular motions.

Do not forget to store the rest of the body scrub in a sealed glass jar, in the refrigerator, until you use it next time.

Coffee Body Scrub With Cloves

Ingredients

3/4 cup Coffee Beans
1 tbsp Olive Oil
2 tbsp Vanilla Extract
1/3 cup Brown Sugar
1 tsp Ground Cloves

Instructions

Firstly, place coffee beans, powdered clove and brown sugar in a coffee grinder and grind it until the mixture turns coarse.

Once this has been achieved, empty the mixture in a empty jar or container and blend it a little more.

Now, add vanilla extract and olive oil to the mixture. You can add some more olive oil but remember not to overdo it.

Coffee Body Scrub With Spices

Ingredients

1 cup Sugar
1 tbsp Ground Coffee
1 tablespoon Cocoa Powder
1 tsp Cinnamon
Generous pinch Nutmeg
Generous pinch Ginger
1/4 to 1/2 cup Almond Oil (or other light oil, such as grape-seed or jojoba)

Instructions

Whisk sugar, coffee, cocoa, cinnamon, nutmeg, and ginger in a medium-sized mixing bowl, until it blends well.

Now, add 1/4 cup oil to it and mix until the oil gets completely absorbed in the sugar mixture. In case, you want to add more oil, add it using a tbsp, until you achieve the desired consistency.

Store it in an airtight container that has a wide mouth.

Coffee Body Scrub - This is the one - The Cellulite Body Scrub!

1/4 cup fresh, whole organic coffee beans
Coffee grinder
Small mixing bowl
3/4 cup brown sugar
1 cup sweet almond oil
2 drops of vanilla extract
2 drops vanilla essential oil
Sealable container

Use fresh, whole organic coffee beans when making your cellulite body scrub, as it is the best source of antioxidants, acids, oils and caffeine. Grind 1/4 cup of beans finely and tap them into a bowl.

Step 2

Add 3/4 cups of brown sugar to the coffee grounds and then stir in 1 cup of sweet almond oil. Mix the ingredients until it creates a consistent loose paste and then add 2 drops of vanilla extract and 2 drops of vanilla essential oil.

Step 3

Mix the ingredients once again. If you would like more scent, feel free to add it now. If the paste seems dry, add a splash more almond oil until it all sticks together in a paste. Transfer your scrub into a sealable container and store in the refrigerator for about 2 weeks.

Step 4

Apply your cellulite body scrub in the shower before bathing. Massage the skin using gentle cicular motions and then rinse thoroughly with warm water. Your coffee body scrub is gentle enough to use everyday, and you should see noticeable resuls in just a week or two.

Coffee Bean Recipes

2010-03-14T17:59:00.000-07:00

NOVEMBER 2009 - NEW UPCYCLED COFFEE BAGS, UPCYCLED SAILS AND BANNERS. ALSO RECIPES FOR COFFEE SCRUBS

Upcycling, recycling and reusing has been one of our main goals in our business. Since the early 1700s, jute bags have been used as packaging. That's one tradition that has been carried out by the coffee industry and it has not changed. All their coffee beans are transported using burlap bags, the same jute burlap bags that we promote on our website. We have started picking these coffee sacks from coffee roasteries around Toronto and have repurposed these bags. We hope you like them. When we clean out our coffee bags we end up with a few coffee beans and hate to throw them out. So when we sell our coffee bags we attach a small bag of coffee beans in them. Below are a few recipes for coffee scrubs. If you need more beans, email us and I will be happy to give you some more. With the Christmas season on us - make some of your own coffee scrubs and also some to gift to a friend and buy one of our spa bags to put them in! By the way, we got all these recipes from the internet and make no claims on these being our recipes. It's just to have some fun.

The thought of luxurious pampering of the body strikes a chord with every person in this world, but nearly all of you would agree that the moolah it costs surely makes you take a step backwards. If you are in a similar state and want to pamper yourself, but at minimal cost, here's just the right solution for you - homemade body scrubs. Most of you would be surprised to know that the coffee, which most of us drink to rejuvenate our mind can be a great option, when it comes to refreshing the body as well. Coffee body scrubs make an excellent choice for assisting lifting dead skin, dirt and dust. Easy to make, beneficial in terms of usage and most of all, cheap to pocket, coffee body scrub have supplementary benefits, which most other exfoliating scrubs lack. If you are wondering how to make a coffee body scrub, read through the following lines, as we have provided some easy and quick recipes.

Simple Coffee Body Scrub

Ingredients

2 cups Coffee Grounds
1/2 cup Raw Sugar or Sea Salt
2/3 tbsp Massage Oil

Instructions

The first step would be to add coffee grounds, raw sugar or sea salt and massage oil, in a large mixing bowl and blend well.

Apply the above blended mixture to a damp body in a circular motion and rinse off. Finish off by applying your favorite moisturizer.

Coffee Body Scrub With Sugar (this might be a good Christmas gift with the cinnamon)

Ingredients

1/2 cup White Sugar
1/2 cup Brown Sugar, packed
6 tbsp Fresh Coffee Grounds
8 tsp Tea Tree Oil
4 tsp Extra Virgin Olive Oil
8 tsp Sweet Almond Oil
4 tsp Honey
1 tsp pure Vanilla Extract
Oil of 2 Vitamin E Capsules
Dash of Cinnamon

Instructions

The first step would be to mix white sugar, brown sugar and coffee grounds in a large bowl. Mix until the ingredients are well-blended.

To the above blended mixture, add tea tree oil, extra virgin olive oil and sweet almond oil. Make sure that the oils are well mixed to the sugar and coffee mixture.

The next step would be to add honey, pure vanilla extract, vitamin E oil and cinnamon in the mixing bowl. Blend the mixture until the oils are completely incorporated with the other ingredients.

Now, all you need to do is take a warm shower and massage your body using the coffee and sugar body scrub in circular motions.

Do not forget to store the rest of the body scrub in a sealed glass jar, in the refrigerator, until you use it next time.

Coffee Body Scrub With Cloves

Ingredients

3/4 cup Coffee Beans
1 tbsp Olive Oil
2 tbsp Vanilla Extract
1/3 cup Brown Sugar
1 tsp Ground Cloves

Instructions

Firstly, place coffee beans, powdered clove and brown sugar in a coffee grinder and grind it until the mixture turns coarse.

Once this has been achieved, empty the mixture in a empty jar or container and blend it a little more.

Now, add vanilla extract and olive oil to the mixture. You can add some more olive oil but remember not to overdo it.

Coffee Body Scrub With Spices

Ingredients

1 cup Sugar
1 tbsp Ground Coffee
1 tablespoon Cocoa Powder
1 tsp Cinnamon
Generous pinch Nutmeg
Generous pinch Ginger
1/4 to 1/2 cup Almond Oil (or other light oil, such as grape-seed or jojoba)

Instructions

Whisk sugar, coffee, cocoa, cinnamon, nutmeg, and ginger in a medium-sized mixing bowl, until it blends well.

Now, add 1/4 cup oil to it and mix until the oil gets completely absorbed in the sugar mixture. In case, you want to add more oil, add it using a tbsp, until you achieve the desired consistency.

Store it in an airtight container that has a wide mouth.

Coffee Body Scrub - This is the one - The Cellulite Body Scrub!

1/4 cup fresh, whole organic coffee beans
Coffee grinder
Small mixing bowl
3/4 cup brown sugar
1 cup sweet almond oil
2 drops of vanilla extract
2 drops vanilla essential oil
Sealable container

Use fresh, whole organic coffee beans when making your cellulite body scrub, as it is the best source of antioxidants, acids, oils and caffeine. Grind 1/4 cup of beans finely and tap them into a bowl.

Step 2

Add 3/4 cups of brown sugar to the coffee grounds and then stir in 1 cup of sweet almond oil. Mix the ingredients until it creates a consistent loose paste and then add 2 drops of vanilla extract and 2 drops of vanilla essential oil.

Step 3

Mix the ingredients once again. If you would like more scent, feel free to add it now. If the paste seems dry, add a splash more almond oil until it all sticks together in a paste. Transfer your scrub into a sealable container and store in the refrigerator for about 2 weeks.

Step 4

Apply your cellulite body scrub in the shower before bathing. Massage the skin using gentle cicular motions and then rinse thoroughly with warm water. Your coffee body scrub is gentle enough to use everyday, and you should see noticeable resuls in just a week or two.

Earth Day

2010-03-14T16:38:00.000-07:00

While the whole world is trying to find ways to stop global warming and getting people to be more conscious in making decisions on wastage, there are so many easy ways to make this whole process simple. We can look back, what, merely 50-60 years ago and see how our parents lived after the Great Depression.

We recycle coffee sacks and it is amazing the number of people who stop by our booth to tell us stories of how they had clothing made from burlap or used it as curtains or table cloths.

Properties of jute which is what the coffee sacks are made of:

100% biodegradable and compostable
Releases oxygen into the atmosphere while absorbing carbon dioxide during its growth.
Provides jobs to millions of farmers
Composts into nutrients that rejuvenate soil conditions

BUT we throw all these bags into landfill.

Haiti Information

2010-01-19T17:41:00.000-08:00

We have seen the massive destruction of this country. Why am I writing a blog about it. Well I have a friend who has been there helping a NGO for the past three years.

Janelle Clarke and I worked together at Lang Michener a while ago. Anyways, she left all of this exciting life to go work with a group called AMURT/AMURTEL, first with Katrina victims and then went to Haiti and has been there now for the past 3 years. I just got news that she is fine and if you go to this website you will see she is involved right there in the middle of all this tragedy. She is one of the people in the orange volunteer jacket with dreds.

http://amurtel.org/category/disaster-relief/

This group, I know from her does a lot of good work there – they are not just there for now but have been there for a while help with schools, orphanages, helping women to be self-sufficient. There is more information on their website to see how they are helping that community.

AMURT Canada here is looking for donations and it’s a charity with their no. etc. so you can get a tax receipt for it. If you want to help please do so. Information is set out below:

I'm responding to your request on Friday. We finally received some photos of Janelle, they are posted on her Facebook page. If you wish to donate some money to aid her efforts here is the information.

AMURT Canada
110 Millicent St.
Toronto ON M6H 1W4
Tel: 416-588-8359
Charitable Number: 85872 1004 RR0001

Best regards,>> Robert and Alisa

What AMURT Canada is doing is collecting money for now and sending it with materials and medicines etc from Miami.

Thanks

Visit to Doka Coffee Plantation - Costa Rica

2009-12-02T20:59:00.000-08:00

November 2009, we visited the Doka Coffee Plantation in Costa Rica. A presentation on how coffee is grown and processed was a real treat. This estate has been in that family for 3 generations. It is close to San Jose airport in the town of Alajuela, it is close to the Poa Volcano which is what coffee plantations consider prime coffee growing location.

We were taken on this beautiful tour where we saw coffee grown from seeds to little plant to full blown coffee plants.