small collective
AU
Welcome to The Small Collective Small Collective, our magazine or collective hub is a place where we want to share and educate our readers on how to live a happier and simpler life and find value in what we have. We want to support small and local (here in Australia) providing a community of like-minded individuals who are paving the way to a more sustainable future. The Small collective magazine is aimed at women and men who are curious, mindful and looking for a new read that has all things art, travel, craft, design, culture, nature, music, fashion, photography, tips and tricks and eco-friendly practices to a more sustainable way of life. So come along on this journey and get to know all the wonderful individuals, brands, and organisations that you may have never discovered without this lovely collective! The Small Collective is an independent digital and print publication, based in Australia. Our beautiful magazines are created with 100% recycled paper and are printed with vegetable based inks and green electricity. It’s as eco-friendly as it gets. Here at the Small Collective, we have chosen not to number the pages, as we want you to take the time and explore the joys of each of the beautiful features - here enabling you to be surprised by each page and look forward to the next. We understand that you may wish to return to a section to continue reading or to get your craft on. So if you flick to the last page you will find a bookmark to cut out and use. Enjoy! With Love, Liv & The Small Collective
Editorial Magazine Produced / Published by:
The Small Collective Australia www.thesmallcollective.com.au Designed by: Olive Rose Designs www.oliverose-designs.com
ALL RIGHTS RESERVED. This Publication in no way can be published, reproduced, or transmitted in any other form i.e recordings or otherwise, without permission of the publication owners. The author and publisher in no way represent or warrant that the information provided in this publication is accurate, complete or current. The authors, publisher, contributors or other representatives throughout will not be liable for loss, damage, the critique of any kind caused arising out of or in connection with the use of this publication.
Cover Artwork
OWLET
www.thesmallcollective.com.au | @small_collective
SMALL COLLECTIVE ISSUE
|
04
SUMMARY The Auslan sign language Dismantling Misogynoir What Is A Circular Economy? Get The Dirt Stank Spray 5 Tip To Master Photography Like A Professional Just The Essentials The Art Of Deep Breathing 3 Restorative Yoga Shapes To Help You Sleep Creating Regenerative Food Can Mushrooms Replace Plastic? Grow Your Veggies And Plants In Water The Declining Bee Populations How To Make A Shift Towards Reusability? Plant Dying Guide + So Much More!
M A R G AR E T J E AN E
From animals, to scenes, to unending flower blends, she utilises her sensitivity of colour and shading to explore the natural subjects; mirroring the acquire freedom of nature in her free and whimsical hand. Discovering her beautiful work, we had the pleasure of getting to know Margaret a little better and learn about some of her recent projects. For those who are not familiar with you yet, who is Margaret Jeane? I’m a mother of two beautiful girls, two dogs, and a wife to my loving and supportive husband. I’m a nature lover, who loves spending my days in the sunlight. I have a special place in my heart for the desert and mountain west.
Margaret is an artist and designer who has a passion for catching the endless magnificence of nature through her work.
I’ve always been interested in so many things, I had a love for art, and reverence for colour at a very young age. I studied Visual Communication Design in college and became immersed in a world of graphic design. At that point, I quite honestly never imagined a career in illustration and painting. I worked in the industry for a while, but always felt a bit constrained (which is one of the beautiful things about graphic design, a practice of art within a set of constraints). I began practising art and illustration in my own time and it took over. I’ve never looked back.
How your passion for Painting began and how it turned into a full-time job? I think that any passion you’re truly dedicated to has the potential to become your career. I spent my days practising graphic design, and my night’s painting. When my first daughter was born, we moved across the country and I left my job behind. I shifted my focus to painting, gaining some traction on Instagram. That traction and momentum led to jobs, and now a career.
What inspires your artwork and your Medium? Nature and colour are the inspiration for my artwork. I’m always trying to create a sense of joyful peace within my work. I also love the idea of simplifying subject matter to a more minimalistic state, where colour and form take over. I love gouache because of the richness in the pigment. I also work with acrylic more out of convenience, I have a home studio and do not want to expose my children to the harsher chemicals of oils.
SMALL COLLECTIVE ISSUE
What do you feel your role is, as an artist in today’s society? I’m not sure I really feel as if I have a specific role. Part of my artwork is admittedly selfish, as I get lots of joy in creating. However, I really want to share that sense of joy through my work with others that experience it. If my art can bring others a moment of happiness, a release of positive energy, albeit brief, I’m content.
Tell us of the story of how “artwork name”, came to be and the medium of choice? “Red Rock With Desert Land” My husband and I took a mini-vacation road trip through the state of Utah while we were living there. We drove from one National Park to another, camping along the banks of the Colorado River and staying at small Bread and Breakfasts’. I love desert land, and some of the vistas along the side of the road were breathtaking. This vista was so interesting to me because it included both red rock and mountains. And I just love how the desert land leads up to the backdrop.
Are there sustainable methods you use when creating your art and how as an artist are you implementing it in the most sustainable manner possible? I do! Not necessarily when creating the art, but I reuse lots of packaging. I hate the idea of creating additional unnecessary waste. I save bubble wrap, boxes, cardboard, etc that comes to my house and use for materials to package and send my art. I
|
04
also love partnering with companies that promote sustainability. Seedlings, a stationery company that I work with, uses plantable packaging which is really so cool.
How are some of the ways that as an artist you have had to begin to change the way you run your art business during COVID-19, and how have you maintain your creativity with restrictions of going out into nature? I haven’t had much of a change in my business, as I work from home. I have had less time to devote to artwork, so I’ve been focusing more on doing work that I love and getting done what needs to be done. My family and I are very lucky to still have a lot of access to nature that still allows for social distancing if anything we actually spend even more time outside because it’s one of the few things we have access to. I feel very fortunate that we have that opportunity.
Do you feel every time you sell a piece of art you lose a piece of yourself? No, I do not. I learned very quickly in graphic design to detach myself from my work after creation (for better or worse). Sometimes you’d spend days on a design solution for a client, only to have it be dismissed. I learned to find joy in the process of creation, and then let it live its own life after completion. I do the same with my artwork. www.margaretjeane.com | @margaret.jeane
We’re Chris and Mandy, two travelling Osteopaths with a strong sense of adventure and a desire to push ourselves and the boundaries of a career within Osteopathy. We believe all Australians deserve adequate access to healthcare and we’ve made it our mission to provide hands-on healthcare, education and mental health counselling to as many people as we can from all walks of life all over this country. For the last year, we’ve been taking our skills, knowledge and passion to the most remote communities in Australia and we have absolutely loved every second of it. Recently we swapped our Hyundai iLoad Van “Walter” to an old Toyota Coaster Bus that we’ve named “Bussell Coight”. We’ve spent the majority of our time in isolation by renovating the Bus into our new home/office/billboard on wheels. The Outback Osteos aren’t complete without our Rescue dog Ralph whose title differentiates between receptionist, therapy dog, comedian and alarm clock. What made you hit the road? Working in Melbourne we both encountered clients who had driven a long way from rural areas to finally see someone for a condition which had been present for months to years. Often these people are convinced to come in by a family member because they “don’t want to be a burden”. These conditions can sometimes be so debilitating that they impact the person’s ability to work, provide for their families and therefore can start to affect their mental health. The hardest part about these experiences for us is that most of the time these cases can be treated before they become chronic. If this person had regular access to Osteopathy and the mentality that prevention of injury and maintenance of mobility is better than waiting for things to become debilitating, the road to recovery is not as long. (pardon the pun). Unfortunately, there’s a real toughen up mentality out in the outback, which is a real testament to some people’s resilience but it’s not the best approach to your own health. We want to change that, so here we are. How did you make it possible in terms of taking Osteopathy to remote communities around Australia? We recognised the huge demand for healthcare in these areas, so we started researching and planning how we could make an impact. We had to step out of our comfort zone and start contacting and reaching out to the communities to let them know we wanted to help. Every community is different and often the biggest challenge is figuring out how to reach the population. We find as soon as we are setup, word of mouth is the most powerful tool. We’ve always run our business off a very simple notion, provide a good service and business will come. What has been your most memorable moment on the road? This entire business was a massive roll of the dice for us. We spent the first few months chasing our tails, really not having a clue what we were doing. Couple that with acclimatising to living in a small space with a large dog and everything you own thrown in for good measure and it’s fair to say we were
second-guessing ourselves. The spark moment for us came at the very heart of this country, Uluru. We setup our first pop up Osteopathy clinic in the town of Yulara surrounding the rock and we had the most amazing response. We treated camel farmers, firemen, tour operators, international guests who had hurt themselves on their holiday, resort staff and of course the odd grey nomad. Their closest healthcare option was a four-hour drive away and the gratitude we felt from each of these clients was a really special moment for us. That was the kick-starter for us, it gave us belief that what we were on our path and the passion and excitement just built from there. Describe what a normal day looks like? That is genuinely impossible to answer ha-ha. The only constant is that it starts by Ralph waking us up. Every day is so different but the constants that we love are that we get to spend every day together, most nights we’ve got a different view through the window and no idea how the next day is going to pan out. What is your motivation and goal through Outback Osteo? We have a dream to take Osteopathy Student groups or recent graduates out to some of our favourite remote locations. That way the community gets a huge increase in their supply of healthcare and the students or graduates gain real-world experience from people who truly need their help.
outbackosteos.com | @outbackosteos
SMALL COLLECTIVE ISSUE
Living in a small space isn’t for everyone. It can be really challenging and you’ve got to let go of some of life’s creature comforts. Try before you buy. Rent or borrow something similar to what you want and try a weekend or a week in it. You will know pretty quickly if this is something you want to do. And if you decide to take the leap then welcome to the club, we hope to meet you on the road!
|
04
Woods
sandbar co.
Frankie for Keeps
Woods Candle Co. specialises in hand poured soy wax candles. Our candles are made in our home studio on the Southern Gold Coast, Australia. We proudly support local suppliers in sourcing the materials used in our soy wax candles. We choose soy wax because it is a natural, renewable product that releases no toxins into the air. Soy wax candles are a more environmentally friendly choice over regular paraffin candles and are safer for your family, pets and home. Soy candles also burn slower and longer than regular candles, filling the room with a strong and lasting aroma.
Sandbar delivers Australia its first ever fold-up, lightweight, compact, and handcrafted beach table.
Frankie for Keeps is a local, boutique business creating handmade keepsakes and accessories.
Sandbar Co is a small business located in Perth, Western Australia. The idea of a “Sandbar” stemmed from an outing at the beach, that resulted in: a coffee cup falling over, a bag full of sand, and an overheated phone. Bec Founder of Sandbar started to google “beach tables”, and couldn’t find any that suited her needs. So, after discussing this idea with family and friends, and them loving the concept, she decided to invent one herself; that’s where Sandbar began.
Launched in May 2020, after posting a photo on social media of a handmade makeup bag. Suddenly, the messages started rolling in with friends wanting to buy one for themselves or as gifts.
CANDLE CO
Woods Candle Co. is a small family run business that started naturally after making candles for friends and family. What sets us apart from the rest is our eco-consciousness. We want to reuse and recycle where we can and that’s why we offer candle refills at a low price. See the ‘refills’ tab on our website for more information. We also try to keep the packaging of our orders waste-free. Recycled boxes are used where possible and our tape is compostable. Bulk buying and wholesale prices are available when requested, please don’t hesitate to contact us if you are interested in stocking our range. We also do wedding favours, staff gifts, bridal showers, baby showers etc. Love, the Woods family. “We will be running a Christmas bundle sale launching early October, keep an eye on our socials for updates and information”.
woodscandleco.com.au | @woods.candle.co
Sandbar co. would love to use ecofriendly materials for Sandbar bags in the near future. “With very small orders and minimal profit margins at the moment, it’s not financially viable for this goal yet, in all areas. However, as sales increase and when we can start to scale our business, this will hopefully be one of the first areas of our business we will look at”. Sandbars are hand-crafted individually and locally in Perth, by an incredible manufacturer. The mesh material on the surface of the Sandbar is 100% organic hemp and purchased from a fabric company located south of Perth, in Margaret River. Sandbar co. gift boxes are designed and made in Melbourne and the gorgeous branded tissue paper is sustainable and printed in Sydney.
sandbarco.com.au | @ sandbarco
“I had been manifesting starting my own business for many years but was hesitant to force something, I wanted it to feel organic, and this was the moment. I created an Instagram page and off I went! Working out of my little workroom in Sydney, my aim is to offer beautiful, unique, handmade products, whether it be a headscarf or a personalised art piece.” Frances Greshoff, founder Frankie for Keeps. Frankie for Keeps loves supporting other local businesses and creatives as well. Most of their materials are purchased locally with many of the printed fabrics created by Australian artists or textile designers. Frankie for Keeps endeavours to be as environmentally conscious as possible with more sustainable choices of fabrics, packaging and minimal wastage, the remaining materials are recycled from fabric offcuts and cut samples, obtained throughout years of working in the fashion industry. “We’re excited to continue to grow and blossom at Frankie for Keeps so stay tuned!”
@ frankieforkeeps
SMALL COLLECTIVE ISSUE
small collective MAGAZINES
|
04
AU
READERS OFFERS BLOG QUIZZES DIY
Small Collective MAGAZINE
WHAT’S NEW
HAVE YOU HEARD ABOUT OUR NEW ECO HUB? Enjoy a Simpler, Mindful, Sustainable Life with Fresh Ideas The Small Collective is Australia’s fresh independent magazine with tips and ideas for a happier, more sustainable life. Our new Eco Hub gives our community a welcome place to learn further and have exclusive access to content, videos, resources and discounts. If you’re hungry for mindful content, products and education that can empower a simpler, more Ecofriendly life - the Eco Hub is for you.
WOULD YOU LIKE TO JOIN OUR MARKETPLACE? NEVER MISS AN ISSUE
•
MONTHLY PAYMENTS
•
CANCEL ANY TIME
We have just launched our beautiful marketplace and subscription. Connecting conscious businesses, creatives and organisations who aligned with a mindful lifestyle. Our marketplace is for all things paving the way for a brighter future. A creative hub that will take the guesswork out of shopping for products that are environmentally friendly and ethically sourced. If you focus on sustainable products, wellbeing, mindfulness and thoughtful content, we would love to have your join our marketplace and use your consumer power to choose the right products. Let’s inspire, love and create change.
NEED HELP WITH YOUR CHRISTMAS SHOPPING? DISCOVER OUR FREE ECO CHRISTMAS GUIDE We want to take the stress out of Christmas shopping this year and enable you to have a one-stopshop for all your Christmas goodies. We have gathered a beautiful bunch of Australian Brands and Businesses ( that you will absolutely love) and created an Eco Christmas Guide. Head to www.thesmallcollective.com/shop and discover our free Eco Christmas Guide.
Thank you For supporting the Small Collective au and all the beautiful Creatives, Brands and Organisations throughout this issue. We hope your mind was open to new and amazing things featured in this issue. If you are a mindful Brand, Individual or Organisation doing amazing things we would love to hear what is next install for you, via our submission tab on our website. If you loved this issue, stay tuned for our next issue coming in February 2021. Don’t forget to tag @small_collective, we love getting to know our readers! www.thesmallcollective.com.au
Small Collective MAGAZINE
SMALL COLLECTIVE ISSUE
1 MAGAZINE = 1/2 A DAY OF EDUCATION An important part of creating this magazine was knowing that it wasn’t adding more rubbish to this world, so we wanted to ensure that the printer we chose shared the same values. With this in mind, we found a printer that enables our magazine to be printed on eco paper with eco ink. Another important attribute was having the opportunity to support a nonprofit. Here through our beautiful printer who is partnered with CARE Australia, we were able to make this happen. Through each print, a percentage of funds are donated to support a project run by CARE Australia, in Cambodia. These Projects support girls from ethnic minorities through primary school. They also have projects in Nepal and Tanzania with two separate grassroots organisations. One funds skills training for women and the other provides education scholarships for girls in primary and high school. Previously they have also funded projects in Sierra Leone and Uganda, focusing on small business training and scholarships for girls in primary and high school. Each print run measures our impact on ‘Education days’, so for every purchase, our printers let us know exactly how many days are helping to fund each project. Our Printers work closely with their charity partners to work out exactly (as close as possible) what an education day costs for each specific project, factoring in everything that is needed: school fees, uniforms, books, sanitary products, transport, etc. They do this because its more powerful than using a percentage of profits, as the impact is very tangible for customers and clients. So every time you and a friend buy a magazine, you fund one day of education.
|
04
WWW.THESMALLCOLLECTIVE.COM.AU