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Hello everyone. I’m Ofe and I’m delighted to be taking on the mantle of 10 Ways from the fantastic Clare. She’s left some enormous shoes to fill but I’ll do my best not to let you lovely folks down.

In many ways, life has been less than lovely lately. We’ve experienced massive worldwide upheaval, loss, confusion and fear. But in the midst of this, we’ve seen outpourings of vast love, a global coming together of people of all creeds, races and religions. A new hope, understanding, empathy, a slowing down and a quietening. In the space created by this unusual silence, many lovely things have been born. New creative ideas, new loves, new understanding and life, for many, has been filled with new meaning.

Whether you’ve been inspired to seize the day or slow down this year, do something to make your life lovely as often as you can. To start you off, here’s my little list for October, featuring some of my favourite small businesses.

One: A Mini Makeover

I used to think a makeover meant a total upheaval of your wardrobe and look… but I’m starting to realise that small changes can have the biggest impact. With many of us trickling back into offices and the streets, we want our internal changes- our mental refresh- to be reflected on the outside. For me, it’s all about the accessories.

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CHALK Jewellery is one of the amazing designers I discovered during lockdown. Malaika, the designer behind these treasures, is an architect who’s channelled her architectural flair into her structured jewellery designs. Each piece in her range is striking, a centrepiece by itself. Be prepared to be stopped, admired and questioned when you have any CHALK pieces on. Every design is handmade in small batches and each new drop sells out quickly. I definitely recommend getting on the mailing list if you’d like to cop a piece (or three!).

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Two: Late Summer Sounds

I’m a big fan of music that gets my booty shaking, but lately I’ve found myself tending more toward mellow rhythms. I do like a bit of flavour with my mellow so I present to you Iskaba by Nigerian artiste, Wande Coal. Sit in your seat and tap your toes or get up and shake everything you’ve got to this cool Afrobeat tune. It just works. If you’re more of the “shake everything you’ve got” type, learning this choreography with your family and friends would be a great way to spend an afternoon.

Three: Stay Fresh in a Fresh Way

The days are getting cooler so what better time than now to try organic deodorants? I’ve used Pitt Balm at the height of summer and found that it worked just as well as, if not better than the chemical laden stuff I used in the past. And I’m a sucker for those bright colours. Who knew whiff-fighters could make you feel zesty and happy? Pitt Balm also comes in reusable tins and can be refilled at locations around the country. A win for you and a win for the environment!

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Four: Busy Hands

The slower pace of life left many of us room to try new things. For the first time, in a long time, many of us picked up new skills. It’s funny how getting lost in crafting and making with our hands creates space in our heads too. Like basket weaving. Labasketry’s beautiful handwoven gems are a pleasure to look at use. But did you know that you can make your own too? Pre-Covid, Tabara hosted in-person workshops that delved into the intricacies of hand-weaving. Now, you can learn from anywhere in the world using her online classes or her beautiful book, Baskets.

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Five: Sip Slow

Cooler days and warm brews go hand in hand. If you need your brew to be pretty as well as soothing, I’ve found the perfect thing for you. The botanical teas by Daughters of Botany, warm you up as you sip and boast rich jewel colours that remind you of summer. How perfectly lovely. Their ingredient line up includes beauties such as hibiscus leaves and peony tea.

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Six: Treat Yourself

Sign yourself up for a subscription of something you like. Future you will be grateful to past you for this act of thoughtfulness. If, like me, you like sweet treats, you might be interested in one of the brownie or cake box subscriptions available. I adore the brownie boxes by Good Cake Day. Chinelo is such a beautiful creature and her mission in life is to make everyone feel BLUSH (visit her website to find out what that means). Her decadent brownies come in reusable tins that can be used to create the carrot cake recipe she so helpfully includes. Buy a subscription for you and for a friend. You’re welcome.

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Seven: Hoop it Up

Hula hooping was my favourite way to get moving during lockdown. I’m not a fan of exercise, but every now and then, I need something to blow the cobwebs away. My friend introduced me to hula hooping over the summer and now I’m hooked. If, like me, you weren’t able to get into it as a kid, don’t worry. Play Tone will take you right back to your youth and learn you some skills. So get ready to #windyowaist and #levelup.

Eight: Spice it Up

Curries and pastas are tried and tested go tos for dinner. But what if we added something new to the quick meal repertoire? If there is one thing that most West Africans agree on, it’s that “Jollof Rice is bae”. If you’d like to see why we love this dish so much, Chilli Chop Co’s multi purpose sauces are a great start. Follow the simple steps on the back of their Jollof Sauce and you’ll be gobbling delicious rice in no time.

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Nine: Cool it Down

Can you think of anything better than a cocktail to cool down with? Sky Juice, a creamy, tropical delight from Swimming Pigs gin will have you feeling like you’re on a beach even in the midst of winter.

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Ten: Give

Few things feel better than giving out of the abundance of your heart. I’ve felt moved to give more this year than ever before and if you’re similarly moved, I’d like to share a cause that’s dear to my heart with you. Noire Wedding Edit is a collective of some of the best creatives in the UK wedding industry, and a resource for everyone getting married or looking for amazing suppliers to work with. Noire Wedding Edit is a passion project driven by the lack of diversity and inclusion in the wedding industry and it was created to make sure that black couples in this and future generations easily see themselves represented when planning their weddings. We’ve come a long way but we’re only getting started! If you feel moved to support Noire, please donate on their Go Fund Me page.

This list is geared toward the buying of things, but there’s a reason for this. Small businesses have been hit particularly hard by Covid-19 and there are many that will not make it through to the other side. With your collective help, we can make our lives lovely while helping our beloved small businesses stay afloat through this season. Future editions of 10 Ways will be less focused on the material but always, always, lovely.