Credo

(The beautiful tree in the park down the road)

I've been mulling things over lately. The line between work and home isn't just blurry - it's been completely wiped out now that I work for myself 100%. The decisions I make for the shop and my family often spill over into the other. It feels better that way, but I realize if I talk about it too much I could sound pious. Or like a bandwagon jumper. Or disingenuous. But as I grow my business and figure out what I want it to become I keep coming smack up against my own conscience. I feel a personal responsibility for the products I sell. I will not sell something that I wouldn't want in my home. Indeed, I say no more often than I say yes to new products. I prefer to shop at independently-owned stores and I buy local, where I can. I've outlawed paper towels in the house. I believe well-designed secondhand goods are better than poorly-designed, cheaply made new. I believe plastic grocery bags should be banned. I clean my kitchen with baking soda and vinegar but I use latex and, sometimes, oil paint in the studio and I wash the brushes in the sink. The hypocrisy bugs me. I was super excited to learn about Boomerang Paint, which is recycled paint and has a really low VOC rating (much less off-gassing than normal paint). I will be giving it a try. So far it's only available in three stores in Toronto, but there is an east, west and central location so it shouldn't be too hard to get your hands on a can.

Protek Paint
355 Horner Av
Toronto (ON)
(416)251-0051

Rotblott's Discount Warehouse
443 Adelaide St. W.
Toronto (ON)
(416)703-0456

Ontario Paint & Wallpaper
299 Queen St. E.
Toronto (ON)
(416)362-5127

I was also delighted this week to make the acquaintance of Tracy, an ex-Torontonian now living in LA, who runs a lovely blog chock-full of eco-friendly ideas for families. This post on replacing water and chemical dependent lawns with hardy native plants is an inspiration.

Happy weekend friends.