Just a Card week – Your support means the world

We’re half way through Just a Card week. In case you’ve missed it, #justacard is a campaign to encourage people to support and buy from independent artists, designers, makers and retailers. The initiative is backed by Sarah Hamilton, founder of craft magazine Molly Makes, as a result of her hearing of a gallery that could have remained open if only everyone who complimented their work had bought just one card.

Throughout the week, independent business owners like myself are encouraged to share their personal story and work. You can follow me on @chalkandmoss (instagram/facebook/twitter/pinterest).

So today I share with you the face behind Chalk & Moss.

My name’s Anna Sjöström Walton, I’m a UK raised Swede with a passion for all things outdoors. I’m always hiking, camping/caravanning, foraging or enjoying snowy mountains. I go to Sweden to enjoy the freedom nature offers. This is me at an a recent event.⠀

Last year I started the Chalk & Moss blog and shop based on Biophilic Design. This draws on Biophilia, a term coined by Edward O Wilson, referring to our innate need to connect with nature for our wellbeing. Biophilic Design brings nature into our interiors through greenery, natural textures and visual references, which has proven to improve productivity, creativity and wellbeing among office workers. But why should our wellbeing just relate to the bottom line of organisations? We need to look after ourselves in our homes too! So I started the Chalk & Moss blog and online shop, giving you that natural connection inside and out. ⠀

The homewares, furniture and accessories I sell are handmade from natural materials, in natural colours. Visually, they sometimes allude to nature, like kitchen textiles by Softer + Wild and Wald, as well as botanical prints by Dollybirds Art. ⠀

Botanical apron by Softer + Wild

Botanical monochrome stationery by Wald, made with recycled paper.

Cheese Plant botanical print – Monstera Deliciosa. Painted, printed and hand finished in Belfast by Dollybirds Art.

I work with independent designers/makers who have the passion and ethical mission to make a difference. ⠀

The homewares and accessories I sell are made by real people. And they demand better conditions for those making their raw materials or assemble part of their products. Like the ethical working conditions for textiles by The Organic Company and Luks Linen and sustainable metals and gems used in Emma Aitchison’s jewellery.

Double oven gloves by The Organic Company

Turkish peshtemal towels by Luks Linen, ethically hand woven in natural materials by family ateliers in Turkey.

Emma Aitchison’s Three Peaks stacking rings from the Mountain collection. Made using recycled silver and brass stacking rings.

The way we live is changing. As consumers, we have more choice, and use our right to know more about what we buy. We can demand better ethical conditions for makers and sustainable quality in what we buy. ⠀

As individuals, being entrepreneurial is more relevant than ever before. We no longer have a job for life. We change, develop and understand our core passions and beliefs, and we can act upon these. Many don’t want to work all hours for little pay and little job security. They want to do things better, even if it comes with a financial sacrifice, at least initially. I think independent businesses will grow like never before. ⠀

It’s up to us all to support this movement – one card at a time. We can find interesting designs by real people, in shops run by real people who put their blood sweat and tears into it. ⠀

I want to thank Elle Decoration Magazine for picking Chalk & Moss as one of the UK’s best online shops (May 18 issue – see the feature here), acknowledging the mission I follow. It means the world! ⠀

Please support me and other indies this week and beyond. It truly does make a difference. ⠀

Find out more at justacard.org and Molly Makes.

Thank you,

Anna x

⠀