Tinkered By | Building Brighter Futures

I love hearing how businesses are born and the Tinkered by story is an especially inspiring one. Australian sisters, Rachael Steadman and Kate Boston, had a vision to create a business together that was both fulfilling to them, as well as being a 'force for good'. With Rachael living in Western Australia and Kate in Kenya, the pair created a sustainable brand that brings superior handmade products to consumers, while having a positive impact on the artisans behind the products.




Artisan businesses in the developing world struggle to gain access to a global market where they can sell their goods. Tinkered by is committed to helping their artisans in East Africa to grow their businesses. They source all of the handmade products and work directly with the beautiful people that create them.




This is positive in so many ways... providing work and growing businesses, empowering women, helping families, cultural sustainability, connecting communities, and brighter futures for many. There's a wide range of products available, all beautiful and you know that each piece is unique. The jewellery is lovingly crafted using raw or recycled materials and each piece comes with a 'story of note'.





You can shop for beautiful homewares and accessories and know that you're not only receiving an amazing product, but also giving back to a community at the same time.





The rugs are also works of art. Raw wool is spun by hand and then dyed in barrels of boiling water over a fire. Dried in the sun it is then woven into beautiful thick woollen carpets with a gorgeous thick texture. The rugs are durable, hard wearing and naturally stain resistant due to the lanolin in the raw wool. Custom-made you can choose your design, colours, and size to suit your home and create a wonderful story that you are very much a part of. You will be guided through the process and have plenty of input.





I am completely taken with the range of Tinkered by toys. My favourites are the beautiful dolls, but the motorbikes and tractors made from wire and bottle tops are so clever!







If this business model has inspired you, Tinkered by has recently launched an extension to their business - the opportunity to become an Ambassador. You can create your own flexible business by marketing and selling the Tinkered by collection at in-home "Trunk Shows". These are parties where you can share the background stories and sell the quality products in a fun, no-pressure setting. As an ambassador you can choose when and where to sell and how much time you want to invest, so it is completely flexible with your lifestyle. This opportunity is currently open to Australian women, but Tinkered by hope to extend it to include New Zealanders in the near future. If you're interested to know more check out the website or drop them an email.




Passionate About Pattern

A friend of mine forwarded me the link to this home thinking I'd like it, and she was right, I LOVE it (thanks Emma). Irene Neuwirth designs jewellery which is worn by Hollywood's royalty, and her luxe Bohemian style has been translated into her Venice Beach home.



A fellow lover of colour and pattern Irene finds it hard to go plain. I can relate to this being instantly drawn to pattern myself. She makes it work in her home by keeping the background simple - white walls and floors allow the furniture and artwork to bring the character.




The gorgeous home is filled with art and photographs, all of it personal and meaningful. Irene has mastered the picture wall by placing a piece in the centre and building out from there, adding new art as she collects it.




She has a built-in ability to mix patterns - keeping the colour palette consistent is key. "It's all about having a mixture that makes sense and stays balanced", she comments.




Rearranging her shelves on a regular basis is a labour of love. I do this too, and highly recommend this to keep your home looking and feeling fresh.





The bedhead alcove with it's built-in shelving is a clever idea. The colour palette is quieter in the bedroom to create a calm experience. As you can imagine, Irene's jewelley collection is exquisite.




A clothes rack in the corner holds the clothes that don't fit in the wardrobe. You can see her fashion sense definitely mirrors her interior style. Would you have thought to mix leopard print with the bright Moroccan rag rug? It looks fantastic, and note how they're balanced by the simplicity of the desk and lamp. If you love this eclectic home as much as I do, click here to read more about it.


Bibby + Brady Giveaway

Dael and I have decided it must be time for another giveaway - who doesn't like the chance to win free stuff?! Not just any old stuff either, we are giving away one of our gorgeous La Luna Rose beaded bracelets.




The La Luna Rose range is created using sterling silver and beautiful quality Japanese glass beads. They're an instant shot of colour and look simply amazing on.






For the rest of this month you can get 10% off the entire range. Simply enter the code LLROSE at the checkout.





To go into the draw to win our Sandy Beaded Bracelet in pink & blue, you first need to join our mailing list - you can find this at the bottom of our shop home page. Never fear, we won't be overloading your inbox, we will only email you if we have new products or special offers. If you're already on our mailing list you can still be in to win by 'liking' this Facebook post. Please email me to let me know you have done this, so I have a way of contacting you if you're our winner.




The competition closes 3pm next Wednesday 18th March, and the winner will be contacted by email and announced on the Cush & Nooks Facebook page (open to New Zealand residents only). Good luck!

COMPETITION NOW CLOSED. CONGRATS TO LARA, OUR WINNER.