Shea butter – African women’s gold
Shea butter has nothing to do with pigs, but is derived from the nuts of a tree that grows in Africa. In Estonian, it’s actually called butter seed oil. Shea butter is known as the gold of African women, because it has been produced by women for centuries, and with the income from its sale, […]
What’s in the soap
Can you imagine a day without soap? Probably quite difficult. Although soap has been around for over 4500 years, it hasn’t always been as obvious a cleaner as it is today. Sappo mountain Legend has it that the soap is named after the Sappo hill near Rome. It was the site of an animal sacrifice. […]
In the footsteps of ancient design techniques in Istanbul
One gloomy February day, I got a call. A nice English-speaking lady from Lithuania asked if Õrreke also offered ebru workshops. “Of course!” I shouted enthusiastically into the phone, while clicking my fingers on the computer keyboard. Within half a minute I knew what I was doing. It was very reminiscent of the dripping technique […]
The most beautiful flowers
In the near future, there will be various anniversaries where we love to buy, give or receive flowers. But are we aware that growing these innocent beauties is leaving an ever-growing footprint on our collective environment? Valentine’s Day, and the Women’s Day that follows it, is a day of celebration. But sadly, this celebration does […]
Don’t buy Christmas from China …
That’s right… All the gold, sword and glitter that fills the world of commerce at the beginning of November to set the mood is actually quite soulless and fake. The spirit is rather homemade, in meaning and in stories. We – Estonians have a background in the back rooms of farmhouses and there was no […]