SONGBIRD

| By Michelle Holt | 23/2/2023

SONGBIRD

Australian avian aficionados Songbird are well-known and loved for their beautiful bird-inspired wares. Crafted by artisans in Thailand, India and Nepal, the brand pro- vides support to these local communities – and are now also spreading their wings by opening a new store just out of Hobart filled with fair trade, artisan-made treasures.

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Modern life is busy. So how do we find and maintain joy? Traditionally, if you wanted to see some art to remind you of that pure human emotion, you’d have to head indoors – and marvel at work set against stark white walls and bright fluorescent lights. But next Sunday 2 April, Brisbane’s magnificent street art will be on display as the Outdoor Art Gallery hosts a free Art Treasure Trail to celebrate the importance of the city’s art and culture scene!

Follow a map to five locations across Brisbane’s CBD and if you’re one of the first 50 participants to complete the trail, you’ll walk away with free limited-edition prints and merchandise from exhibiting artists like MUCHOS., Maxim Chikanchi, Arkie the Label, Daniel Sherington and Kelsey Doyle, all bundled alongside vouchers from local businesses and a gift from yours truly at Peppermint magazine. That’s art with heart, baby!

Head to the link in our bio for all the deets like start times and locations to get involved ✨

#PeppermintPartner #VisitBrisbane #BrisbaneCreatives #StreetArt

Sorry we’ve got serious dilly-dallying business to attend to today. Hope your Sunday was full of rest and a sweet sense of play 💖

🎨 by @OrangeJuiceForDinner

#Regeneration #GiveBack #SelfCareSunday

EARTH HOUR 🌏⁠
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Switch off and take #TimeOutForNature tonight at 8.30pm local time for Earth Hour.
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Join a worldwide community of millions supporting stronger action on climate change, by signing up through @EarthHour_Australia at EarthHour.Org.Au⁠.

How will you spend 60 minutes for the planet?
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#EarthHour #SwitchOff #ClimateActionNow #ClimateCrisis #MakeChange

This time last week we were wrapped up in the arms of the beautiful @Finders_Keepers team as they delivered their second Creative Business Summit in Melbourne. We’re still feeling all the creative joy and inspiration as we revisit these incredible aha moments from a few of the courageously creative attendees.

If you’re feeling the FOMO or want to relive some of the magic of the day, head to the link in our bio to see our full wrap or grab a digital ticket for the Summit – available now 🌈✨

#TheFindersKeepers #CreativeBusinessSummit23 #TFKSummit2023 #Melbourne #MelbourneEvents #MelbourneCreatives

In a stirring statement on the back of the release of the IPCC’s synthesis report, UN secretary general, António Guterres has called for climate efforts by every country and every sector and on every timeframe to be massively fast-tracked. “Our world needs climate action on all fronts: everything, everywhere, all at once,” he says. ⁠
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Likewise, according to Australian National University’s Frank Jotzo and Mark Howden (two local academics involved in the latest report which is a synthesis of the six other reports by the IPCC), “If we really put our shoulder to the wheel we can turn things around.” ⁠
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Read more from Frank and Mark about the findings of the report and how we have the means to act at the link in our bio. ⁠
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#IPCC #ClimateReport #ClimateActionNow #ClimateJustice #SustainableFuture

Crochet has started cropping up everywhere it seems, from the resurgence of crocheted bikinis to those cool vests made from granny squares – a combination of 70s revival, 90s-reviving-the-70s nostalgia, the enduring popularity of handicrafts and the simple appreciation of crochet’s sweet style. It’s a very handy, versatile fibre craft, capable of creating garments, homewares, accessories and those little amigurumi guys. ⁠
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A useful skill for any human and, for the moment, only humans. There are no machines that can industrialise the process of crochet the way the sewing machine and knitting machines can. Robots cannot crochet. This may lead you to think of crochet goods you see in stores in a new light – who made these and under what circumstances? Or maybe you think, “Finally a hobby the AIs can’t steal!” ⁠
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Either way, if your curiosity is tickled at the idea of picking up crochet for yourself, you’re in luck. We’ve put together some of the best resources for getting you hooked on this mighty art form. Granny squares aren’t just for squares and grannies! Crochet is cool. Check it out at the link in our bio!⁠
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📸 by crochet queens @Cardigang_Knits⁠
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#YarnAddict #CrochetersOfInstagram #MeMade #SlowFashion #MakeItYourself

@IAmLauraWells recalls how she felt when she first noticed the destruction that human beings had wrought on nature.

She was in Little Curaçao, a small island in the Caribbean, for a modelling job. One side of the island was beautiful, while the other was covered in plastic pollution.

“I was just completely dumbfounded." Laura recalls. "You can't even walk on the sand... Some of [the plastic] is so old that you can pick it up and it completely degrades in your hands – it is just so perished by the sun and by wind and waves.”

In places like Hawaii, South Africa and other parts of the Caribbean, Laura says assistants would rake pollution off the beach so they could start the shoot. "It was a really big eye-opener… I was noticing it absolutely everywhere, even down to small pieces of microplastics.”

She realised that she could make a difference and help to tackle these issues herself – moving home to Australia to educate people about the environment. "It just made me go, 'Well, I've got a voice, I've got a platform. I've got the knowledge around biology and how we work with our environments… Something's got to be done about this.’”

And do something she did. We caught up with Laura in our latest issue to learn more about her work at the intersection of modelling and activism, Laura Zacharias shooting the model citizen at Sydney’s gorgeous Camp Cove. Grab a copy from your local newsy to read more and end your weekend right.

📸 by @LauraZacharii

#PeppermintMagazine #SustainableFashion #EthicalFashion #NaturalBeauty #Regeneration #SocialImpact #ClimateChange #WorldChangers

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