Recyle, Recycle, Recylce

After a really wonderful Christmas and nice new year (no we did not see in 2010, and were happily asleep in our comfy beds) it is back to work. With a new enthusiasm Shimi will be back this year, focusing mainly on our organics range, and all things good for the earth.

Unfortunately it is still quite costly to buy organic in any form, although we will be stocking our lovely and comforting organic range in both t-shirts and t-towels, we believe it is time to think outside the box. These thoughts took me back to my student years where the small amount of money I had was not sufficient to buy lovely NEW clothing, so I spent my free time trawling though op-shops. But 15 years ago when I was buying op-shop clothing, the stores were full of rare finds from the 70's and 80's and the price tag was never more then a few dollars. Now op-shops are predominately one brand - "Millers" and the price tags are in the double figures now for anything with a brand on it and/or any type of style.

I must admit, due to my figure (short, small with bum, hips and boobs) I have never had a whole lot of luck finding things off the rack that fit me perfectly - so with my op-shop finds back in the 90's - I spent a lot of time altering. It was a bit of fun, and I got myself an original outfit. Then "real-life" set in and I went to work in a corporate environment where it was all about the suits, and I lost that fun individual style. But it is time to bring it back.

Keep a look out for our new offerings at shimi. Not only will we have the style of 2009 but we will be recycling the old and tying in with the new. And we hope in the meantime doing our little bit by reducing our carbon footprint !!!!!!!!!!

www.shimi.com.au

Kids and Work

• Isn't life funny. You work and work and work in order to be financially ready to bring children into the work, then children come along, and life just gets more expensive and you have to work harder. My dream, like millions of other mothers I am sure, is to have a career that I can establish from my own home, so I am available to my children whenever they need me. I can do the school drop off and pick up. I can go to sports days. I can spend mornings and afternoons and evenings with my kids and have a career that fits into my free (what little I have) time. Is it possible???

I hope so. I am working mighty hard to make it that way, but as with all business, this is not something that will happen overnight and it is a 5-10 year plan, but there are many many days where I am so discouraged. And it pains me that I have to worry about this instead of enjoying my children to the fullest. But now is the time that young families need money - to plan for the future and give our children the best chances in life.

I think this is a common problem with most families, and I don't think I will be surprising anybody by voicing this. What is the solution? I have had so many "offers" to join companies like Amway with the promises of wealth, but I am not interested in selling people promises. I love the work I do, and I am proud that we support ethical Australian made, organic products and I have come to the solution that no matter how hard I feel it is to invite success I have to stay true to my beliefs. And they are that family come first - what is the point of having a successful business if I haven't enjoyed my kids formative years, and to follow my heart. It would be very easy for Rowena and I to go the route of importing cheap t-shirts and homewares from China, etc. Not only would we be supporting the sweat shop industry, but we would be increasing our carbon footprint. By buying Australian made organic products we are lowing our carbon footprint, supporting ethical work standards, and supporting our Australian industry.

For the days that I am feeling not so positive, I still can feel very proud of Rowena and myself for the choices we have made.

If you would like to support these ideas, I encourage you to shop and www.shimi.com.au and visit our links to find like minded traders.

Happy shopping!!!