BLOU INK Magazine : simplebooklet.com

WELCOMEI would like to take this opportunity to welcome you to BLOU INK. I’m excited to take you on this journey with me to help people bring their spaces to life. This magazine is meant to provide you with an opportunity to rethink how you look at and design your own spaces.For me, there is no design without taking into account the whole person, their relationship to nature, and how they impact the world around them.As you go through these pages, it is my hope you leave inspired and excited about creating spaces that take into account all of you, Earth, Air, Water, Light, and Space. Feel free to contact me with any questions you might have, I’m always happy to help. If you know someone who can benefit from my design services, please share.Again, Welcome to BLOU INK and life sustaining design.Warmest regards,Vera BlouinFounder/Principal Designer

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4812152230CONTENTSEARTHElement of order, structure, foundation, stability, fertility, masculine and feminine energy, nourishment, shelter, grounding, manifestation, prosperity and projectionWATERElement of feelings and imaginationAIRElement of intellect, communication, and knowledgeFIREElement of physical strength, force, courage, desire, initiative, fertility, passion, puriﬁcation and rejuvenationA Well Balanced HomePhotography on cover, back, and contents page by Vera Blouin Feng Shui Life Kua Number

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Wake up, shower, work, eat, sleep, and repeat. Regardless of how or where you start or end your day, we can all agree that having a place to call home is crucial. Webster deﬁnes home as “the house or apartment where a person lives”. By that definition alone, home is simply a location that at the bare minimum provides protection from nature's elements. Over 400,000 years ago man first started sheltering in place in caves. Fast forward to today and thanks partially to technological advancements, our homes have become nice boxes on the outside, filled with pretty things on the inside, disconnected from nature, and for the most part unfit to truly sustain real life.The ancient Greeks believed everything was made up of five elements: earth, water, air, fire, and aether (space). www.blouink.com4

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However, they focused primarily on the main four. This belief system guided how they approached science, philosophy, and even medicine. Hippocrates went as far to use the four elements to describe the four types of temperaments (humors) of a person. It is theorized that if one of these humors are out of balance it can affect an individual’s mental and physical well-being.Good quality air, water, light, and space are necessary elements needed for healthy spaces. However, if most of us were to test the quality of any of those elements in our homes today, we might find that our environments are seriously lacking.Much like the human body, our homes need all the elements, in their purest form, to be balanced to remain healthy as well. Have you ever walked into a space that was filled to the brim with things? How did it make you feel? What about walking into a space that was dark and lacked light?Most of the time the air in our homes is actually dirtier than the outdoors. The EPA has provided a comprehensive list to give you an idea of some of thepollutants and sources of indoor air pollution. Some side effects to the lack of access to natural light in a space are depression, an interruption to your natural circadian rhythm, a weakened immune system, and an increase in obesity. Exposure to drinking water with unsafe levels of contaminants can cause negative health effects, gastrointestinal illnesses, affect the nervous and reproductive systems, and more.Given the fact that Americans spend 93% of their time indoors, makes it even more imperative that we are certain all the elements in our spaces are stable. A well balanced home that is designed to sustain life isn’t necessarily going to show you on the surface what makes it healthy, but your body will reap the benefits for the long term. So, the next time you start thinking of your space remember to check the elements. www.blouink.com 5

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FENG SHUI LIFE KUA NUMBERYour Life Kua number in Feng Shui is based off the Eight Mansions of Feng Shui. The Eight Mansions say that any home can be split up into eight directions and there are eights stars in each of those charts. Your Life Kua number tells you your best directions and locations for specific areas of your home and energies.There are 8 Kua numbers and they are separated in to East/West Groups.East Group Kua numbers are 1, 3, 4, 9● The auspicious directions are North, South, East, and Southeast West Kua Numbers are 2, 6, 7, 8 (5 is a 2)● The auspicious directions are West, Northwest, Southwest, and NortheastThe eight different directions determines an aspect of your luck. Your Kua number lets you know the best directions to orientate your bedroom for optimal sleep, location of front door, etc.How to calculate your Life Kua number?● Add up all the numbers of the year you were born..If you were born in 1982 you take 1+9+8+2=20www.blouink.com8Continue to break this down into a single digit 2+0 = 2● If you were born before the chinese new year, which is February 3rd, subtract 1 from your birth year. ie. January 3rd 1982 = January 3rd 1981 ● If you are female add 4 to that numberie. 2+4 = 66 would be your Life Kua number● If you are male subtract that number from 11ie. 11-2 = 99 would be your Life Kua number

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www.blouink.com 13EARTH, LIFE FORCEFertility, nourishment, grounding, the great mother. Earth is seen as the giver and taker of life and when all the other elements cease to exist it will still stand. It is the yin and yang, the masculine and the feminine. Earth is the element that keeps and holds life, it is the caretaker of each generation past, present, and future.The great mother does not ask much, but for us to only take what we need and she will do the rest. Indigenious people understood this and lived their lives in a very connected way to Earth’s life force.As we become more technological we seem to get further and further away from our connection to mother earth. So how can we incorporate earth into our spaces?Image by Tomas GrigerStart by incorporating neutrals and earth tones into your space. Decorate with raw woods, natural texture fabrics, neutral paints, earthen clay pots, anything that can bring the feeling of earth back into your space.

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Pittsburg, Milwaukee, Flint, Newark, these are just some of the cities that come to mind when talking about water quality issues here in the US. Given that this country is one of the richest in the world, the fact that all across this varied landscape you have dangerously high levels of lead, copper, and haloacetic acids (HAAs) in the local water supplies is a sad reality. What’s even more shocking, in 2004 the US capitol’s water supply was ranked as having one of the highest levels of lead contamination in the country. This is due in part to the lack of reinvestment back into the country and crumbling infrastructures, but that is not a good enough excuse for the absence of care concerning a very basic necessity.When you look on a global scale water quality is a worldwide issue, but there are countries like Switzerland, Canada, and the UK that have some of the best tap water in the world. These countriesunderstand the value and importance of their water supplies, protecting those resources, and the benefits of well thought out and designed water filtration systems.In 2010 the United Nations recognized water and sanitation as a basic human right, however, in the US, land of the free home of the brave, there is no such belief or understanding. I don’t know if you remember the Dakota Access Pipeline protest from 2016 where our indigneous brothers and sisters were screaming “...WATER IS LIFE…”, but that is the reality.When people started living a domesticated life and migrated away from the nomad lifestyle, they settled near bodies of water. The reason for this was that our early people understood the importance of having access to fresh water not only for drinking, but for the need for farming. Without water, there is no life.So what do you do, when you are living in a world where the access to fresh tap water isn’t available? Easy, you focus on what you can control, your own pipeline into your home. Some of these methods might be more exciting than others, but they all work to offer a better water supply for drinking.W TERIS LIFEwww.blouink.com16

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NATURAL WAYSBoilingThis is definitely a tried and true method that may have been in the works probably since there was fire. Boiling water is great for killing bacteria and other organisms, however, when thinking of filtering lead, copper, and other heavy metals boiling water is not the solution and actually can increase those levels.Activated CharcoalIs a natural and effective way to remove toxins and heavy metals from water, however, it is not so effective in removing bacteria and viruses.CilantroFor those that cook, cilantro is a pretty common herb around the house, however, it has really great water ﬁltering properties. Filtering water through cilantro can remove toxins and heavy metals from water, but also your body.MAN MADE WAYSFiltersThere are so many different water ﬁlters out there, pitcher, faucet, under sink, fridge. Each ﬁlter offers its own beneﬁts. Some use activated charcoal, others reverse osmosis, but no ﬁlter alone will make your water 100% free of contaminants.UV Treatment SystemsThese water treatment systems use Ultraviolet light to eliminate microorganisms in water. UV systems are a safe and more affordable way to clean up your water, however, they do not remove other contaminants like heavy metals, chlorine, petroleum etc.Whole home water ﬁltering systemsThese systems ﬁlter all the water in your home. Based on what is in your water, ie. iron, chlorine, lead, they are designed to ﬁlter out what is in your water and make it better. The downfall to these systems is that they can be expensive as they are ﬁltering all water, washing machine, shower, sinks, toilet, essentially making all the water in your home drinkable.How to check your water at home for safety?There are several ways you can check your water quality on your own.TDS(total dissolved solids) MeterThis is a small device used to measure the the total amount of dissolved solids in your water, ie. salts, minerals, and metals.www.blouink.com 17

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Test StripsUnlike TDS, test strips actually tell you what is in your water. They test for things like iron, lead, arsenic, and TDS, etc. Drinking water test kitIf you want a more comprehensive test then try a drinking water test kit. They can detect microorganisms, toxins, heavy metals, nitrates, chlorine, ﬂuoride and more.How do you know if the water coming through your faucet is safe? Your city sends a copy of the report annually but it should also be available online. Check your public works department. This annual report comes out July 1st and is required to include information on where your water comes from, how the water is treated, if there are any contaminants detected, and the information on those contaminants. The report for Baltimore City can be found here: https://publicworks.baltimorecity.gov/water-quality-reportswww.blouink.com18

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PUR PLUS FAUCET FILTRATION SYSTEMwww.pur.com- Certified to reduce 70 contaminants including lead²- Filters water over natural minerals for great taste- Bluetooth enabled- Filters up to 100 gallons or lasts up to 3 monthsWATER FILTRATION SYSTEMSSPRING WELLUV PURIFICATION SYSTEMwww.springwellwater.com- Kills 99.9% of harmful pathogens, viruses, and bacteria- A high 15 GPM system with 30mj/cm2- UV (ultraviolet) technology is proven to control microbiological (bacteria & virus) issues in water including E.coli, Cryptospordium and Giardia- Pairs well with any of our other whole house water filtration systemsSOFTPRO CARBON FILTERwww.qualitywatertreatment.com- Improves water for the whole house- Removes Chloramines, Chlorine, VOC's and other chemicals- Chemical-Free Operation- Backwashes without chemicals or saltBIG BERKEY WATER FILTERwww.berkeyfilters.com- Tested to remove 203 contaminants commonly found in drinking water, including viruses (99.999%), pathogenic bacteria (99.9999%), Chloramine (below lab detectable limit), trihalomethanes (99.8%), pharmaceuticals (99.9%), pesticides (below lab detectable limit), heavy metals- Up to 3.5 GPH with 2 Black Berkey Filters- 2.25 Gallons (8.5 L)- 304 AISI Stainless Steel BLOU INK®

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Every living thing breathes and requires oxygen. There is an instinctual assumption that each breath we take is promised. Even the remote idea of not having oxygen for many of us is an absurd thought. However, we pollute our air as if it is not the most necessary element for our survival. Without water we can last roughly 3 days, but without air, 3 minutes.Now when you look at air quality on a global scale, you have places like China, India, and Poland who are some of the worst contributors, however to their credit, the rest of the world is partly to blame due to the supply and demand of cheaper products and the use of coal. For a time after the implementation of the Clean Air Act, here in the USA, outdoor air quality improved. However, in recent years air pollution has increased without a real resolution in sight. Though some cities are trying to combat that by expanding their tree canopy, especially in low income areas where air quality is at times worse.One would think the easiest way to get away from air pollution is by going indoors and keeping our windows closed, but that is not always a good good solution as many times the indoor air is just as unsatisfactory if not worse. If everywhere you go there is dirty air imagine the health implications from long term exposure, increased respiratory infections, stroke, lung cancer and more.Given that air pollution is not something that will be solved overnight, as individuals we have to take hold of whatwe can control and that is the quality of the air we breathe in our indoor environments. Our building materials, furniture, cleaning products, and even the outdoor air are just some of the main sources of indoor air pollution. (You can check out a comprehensive list from the EPA)Clean up your indoor airWe have gone away from our primitivelives to being domesticated. Open your windows, bring in hopefully fresh air and incorporate live plants. There is nothing like introducing plants into a space that heightens the feeling of life while purifying our air. LIFE WITHOUT AIRwww.blouink.com24

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We buy these beautiful things without thinking about what they are made of. How many times have you heard someone say they had to “air out” their very expensive rug or new mattress. There should not ever be a time where anything we bring into our space need to have a breathing period. Those chemicals that you “air out” have to go somewhere and that is directly into your indoor air space and your body. In addition to the pretty objects, it’s important that you’re mindful of the things you track indoors. In Asian culture there is a very clear understanding that your feet are the dirtiest part of the body. After being outside walking around all day, you endup stepping on animal feces, human spit, food, chemicals, and a host of unknowns. Then you go home, and track all of that in your home for your pets, family, and friends to share. Having a no outdoor shoes home zone makes for better indoor air quality.We all love the smell of a clean space, however, it’s important to be mindful of what exactly you’re using to get that spic and span look. Many of the items we’re so used to buying from the store contain toxic chemicals that can cause irritation to your eyes, nose, throat, and lungs. There are so many great green options available on the market that are just as good if not better. www.blouink.com 25

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If you were to ask someone right now if they'd like plants in their home or ofﬁce, they're probablygoing to follow that up with an of course, yes, sure...maybe... I don't know…But, if you were to ask would you like to breathe clean air, without hesitation that answer I am certain would be Yes, 100%... What if you had the option of having cleaner air and plants without fear of your not so green thumb?www.blouink.com26

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“...I'd love to have real plants but I kill everything…”“...I just don't have enough natural light coming into my space…”Due to a lack of knowledge and fear, we opt for what seems to be a safer and better alternative, our tried and true faux plants (some of which I'll have to admit are pretty gorgeous, but there's nothing like the real thing!). Let's be honest, if you were armed with just a bit of knowledge and a dose of confidence, Ibet you too would find yourself marchingproudly to your local nursery or gardencenter ready to buy a piece of mother nature.Often times we aren't aware of the harmful pollutants that are just hanging out in our indoor spaces. These pollutants don't simply come from the occasional opening of doors and windows when letting a little bit ofsunshine in, but more from things like our furniture, paint, the building materials, carpet, and even the mattresses we sleep on. The reality is there are hidden dangers everywhere, but we can do something about it.NASA did a clean air study and concluded, that plants can play a major role in removal of organic chemicals from indoor airwww.blouink.com 27

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Mother-in-Law’s Tongue(Sansevieria trifasciata)The snake plant is anotherone of those that are veryeasy to grow and almostindestructible.If you are looking for a plantthat needs very little water,sun, or humidity then this it.These are great for spaces where you want more height,but have low light available.At some point you have probably heard the word photosynthesis, which is basically a process where green plants and other organisms use light to convert water, carbon dioxide, and other elements into oxygen and organic compounds. The beautiful thing about 1SPIDER PLANT(Chlorophytum comosum)If you are looking for aneasy to grow plant that isadaptable and can grow in awide range of conditions,then you're probably goingto want to check out thespider plant.These are great to use in a windowless bathroom or other spaces where light is limited.WHAT KINDS OF PLANTS HELP TO PURIFY THE AIR BUT ARE ALSO LOW MAINTENANCE?2nature, is that whenever it consumes one thing, it will always replace it with something much more important to its survival. Fortunately for us humans we get to reap the benefits. In this case, we are referring to clean air.www.blouink.com28Image by jonnysek from Getty ImagesImage by Daisy Riego Reyes

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3Aloe Vera(Aloe barbadensis)It is a great succulent thatyou're probably familiar withfor using on sunburn andcuts, but it also is great forpurifying the air offormaldehyde and benzene.Just sit in or near a window,very low maintenance requiring minimal watering.4Chinese Evergreen(Aglaonema modestum)The Chinese Evergreen ispretty low maintenance plantand can tolerate manyindoor conditions. It doesn'trequire a lot of lighting oreven watering. If you evenallowed it to dry out a bitbetween watering you'd befrom doing it a favor.Great used as centerpieceor hanging.5Philodendron(Philodendron bipinnatifidum)Philodendron, are beautiful, have big leaves, and elevatea space. This is one lowmaintenance plant that cansurvive in low light and loves to absorb formaldehyde.Place these near light and let them grow. Beautifulconversation piece in any living space.www.blouink.com 29Image by nenovbrothersImage by dropStock from Getty ImagesImage from Getty Images

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LET THERE BE LIGHTLighting is one of the fastest and easiest ways to change the look and feel of a room, but is also one of the quickest ways to increase energy use. In recent years there has been an ever increasing pressure for us all to reduce our energy use, but have we ever thought about the materials that make up our lights and their energy contribution... MINIMIKADODesigned by Miguel Herranzhttps://lzf-lamps.com/products/minimikado-sThe Mikado light takes its names from the classic pick-up-sticks game, where sticks are bundled together and when released, fall in a circular jumble. A radiant light, Mikado’s wood veneer strips spread outwards, in a manner evocative of a bird’s plumage. Cleverly engineered, the Mikado’s form is both chaotic and harmonious at the same time.Inspired by a pile of long linear wooden cut-offs in their workshop, RUX designers challenged themselves to develop a truly sustainable lighting system. As a starting point, they only considered designs that could be manufactured locally and affordably within a five mile radius of their New York City office. They chose to use reclaimed and sustainably sourced woods as a primary building material, and sourced energy efficient LED technologies and components. The collection was designed with the least number of parts possible and with connections that make the pieces easy to separate for maintenance, recycling, or reuse.STICKBULBhttps://stickbulb.com/BASKET OF LIGHTDesigned by: David Trubridgehttps://davidtrubridge.com/usThe story of the Baskets of Light is based on a Māori myth in which three baskets were used to bring knowledge down from the gods to the people of the land. Originally released in 2009, we have redesigned them to exclude plastic and this positive movement will give them a new life...and a more sustainable one!www.blouink.com34

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