Journal-ish

We collaborated with The Green Jar to help them takeover Rob Greenfield’s Instagram! Please go show some support 🙏💛

🌎Hi All!
We were thrilled to do a takeover, today on page and story.
Thank you, Rob and team!
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Most of you know our story, but we thought we should do a post here as well.
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My twin sister, Mara and I opened our eco friendly refillery in Toronto, Canada, in December of 2019; putting our knowledge of sustainable living to good use!
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The Green Jar is an eco-friendly, package-free refillery.
We have worked hard at finding Canadian products that align with our values.
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Our Mission is to eliminate single-use plastics by offering plant-based, bulk and package-free products that are compostable, recyclable, biodegradable or can be re-purposed in a way that supports a circular economy.
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We have been eco-conscious since the 70's. Our Mother and Grandmother heavily influenced us. In our house, we bought in bulk, nothing went to waste and everything was made from scratch.
We tried to maintain the same lifestyle as young adults, yet found it challenging to find package-free, safe alternatives. Our dream was to one day, play a bigger role in finding a solution to the ubiquitous plastics issue.
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We are very excited to continue to grow in our little refillery, curating local and sustainable alternatives to single-use plastics.
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Drop us a line; we'd love to answer any questions you may have in the comment section!
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Be sure to check out our pal, , an activist dedicated to sustainability, equity and justice. Inspiring, educating and empowering you to be the change you wish to see in the world.🌎
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We’re currently working on a PODCAST and are looking for people with real interesting stories that they want to share on the show. These stories can be: once-in-a-lifetime, funny, sad, happy, romantic, or anything in-between.

If so, please get in touch via our form! https://forms.gle/HNrr9YQqPbeapAfE6

Stories for 'Long Story Short' Podcast So.... long story short, this podcast is a collection of independent real short stories by real people. With the pandemic making it difficult to be with others, this podcast brings people and their unique experiences to you.

“After graduating I tried a few different jobs but wasn’t entirely sure what I wanted to do. I was working as a content strategist at an agency but found myself so unmotivated and uninspired. I wanted to build something that I actually cared about. My dad has been in the jewellery business for 30+ years. So, when one of my friends was talking to me about wanting a necklace that was real gold and trendy (like mejuri) but didn’t want to pay steep prices, I briefly told her I could get her the necklace for a cheaper price! And that’s kinda where it started. From there, I built out an Instagram page and the idea really started coming to life. There was a demand for it and still is, and we’re looking forward to seeing it grow and where it takes us!” -Jess, founder of 

Casting Call! We're looking for individuals interested in asking an Ouija Expert some questions for a video! It'll take roughly 10 minutes on your end and will be filmed all via zoom. Date is TBD but will be sometime this October. Please DM if Interested.

"I discovered my passion for art when I was a young girl - from colouring all over my bedroom walls to drawing on sticky notes and selling them to family members! My mom put me into art classes from an early age and so my passion grew. When I reached high school, the idea of pursuing a career in art seemed 'childish' and unrealistic. While my passion for art never diminished, it simply became a far away dream nagging in the back of my mind.

When COVID hit, I decided (for a lack of a better phrase) to "just do it" and to finally go full force into something I had been thinking about for such a long time. I wanted to create a space for other Canadian artists to share their talent and have success from it. I also know how art can inspire and touch people - so I wanted again a space that anyone could visit and feel inspired and bring that into their homes. While the art gallery is online only right now, I would love to have pop up galleries experiences across the country once COVID settles down! I truly believe art has the power to heal. My biggest dream is to one day build a foundation that allows youth living with trauma and mental illness to have opportunities to use art to heal." - Remy, founder of

“I actually happened to start this business completely by accident, or by chance I guess. One of my friends asked me to make a cake a few days before Christmas, I posted it on my personal Instgram story and then it took off from there. COVID was actually pretty much the incline of my business, I think because I offered contactless delivery. People liked the aspect of having it just show up at their doorstep.

My career is philanthropy and humanitarian work so I love being able to channel my values through this new outlet. Whether it's donating baked goods to frontline workers or facilitating fundraisers. I raised over $800 in four days for the Minnesota Freedom Fund a few months ago. I guess you can say it brings people together in that sense, as a community, doing good things and enjoying dessert at the same time.

My dream for the business is possibly opening a store in the heart of downtown.” -Mikaela, Founder of

“I have had a passion for cooking, baking... and eating since I was a little girl. I often watched cooking shows instead of cartoons!

My Gramma and her mother were amazing bakers! I get my passion from them for sure. My Grampa’s Mom, ran a small town General Store and I’ve always dreamed of running my own, selling my goods.

I went to George Brown for chef training, and worked in restaurants for over 6 years. Realizing it was a hard hard job where I wasn’t utilizing my own creativity I moved to a more 9-5 job. I now am the Admissions Coordinator for an ESL, and career college in Toronto. My day job, which allows me time to follow pursue my side hustle!

I still really wanted to cook, and share food with other people. 22 & Lou has been a project developed over the last two years. I make preserves in my home, trying suggested new recipes and also my favourites that have stayed staples since the beginning.” - Laura Freel, founder of

"It's been a sort of success story for us. The pandemic could've created any kind of need so we're in a really unique position.
We've been a locally owned soap business for more than two decades. All of our products are made here in Canmore, on the other side of town, and we're known for being all-natural. We keep saying that we're in a really unique position as a business because we were already known for our soaps - I mean it's in our name - and our goal has always been to be better for our bodies and the environment. When COVID started, all of a sudden, there was this big demand for us that we had never experienced at that level. It was really gratifying because we realized that the community trusted us and turned to us for help. So many other brands out there do a lot of damage to the body and the environment so it means a lot to us to be making a difference, especially during this time.

We source our materials and make and ship everything - all from within the rocky mountain town of Canmore. So, we have a joke that if you buy a product online, you get a little bit of the mountain air in each package." - Leah, soap specialist at

Collaborator:

“Being born and raised in the Middle East has sparked a particular interest in me to learn about and showcase Middle Eastern art. In the past few years, the Middle East has witnessed a growing wave of designers who have created unique collections, making powerful statements inspired by the region's rich, diverse culture. My mission is to introduce, support and respect these artists' designs through KÖWLI Shop. Many of the designers that I work with are emerging artists and supporting and showcasing their talent allows them to focus their energy to their creativity.

I was planning on launching my business in March 2020 and had multiple pop-up events scheduled for the following months to introduce my brand and the designers that I'm working with. Due to the pandemic, I had to postpone my launch and cancel the events. Nonetheless, this allowed me to think of creative ways to promote my brand and connect with consumers virtually.” - Arezou Ossareh, founder of

“We haven't been able to predict much - we're in a tourist town, so it's been interesting to see how things have played out.
Initially when COVID hit, we had to close down and start an online store, but since then have gradually reopened. People from around Canada are now travelling more and have really shown their support. We have lots of local Canadians coming in... less than normal years for sure, but overall the store is doing well. I'm a bit nervous about the fall, when kids go back to school and families stop travelling, but I guess we'll just have to wait and see.”

Collaborator:

“It kinda happened accidentally. It started as a class project and our goal was to sell the most so we could get an A in the course. We even went hoodies because we figured that’s what students would love the most. It wasn’t until we decided to put a mission behind our sweaters that we became really passionate about the company and POGO (Pediatric Oncology Group of Ontario).

When someone buys a Good Hood sweater, 50% of the proceeds go directly to POGO so that can have a pretty big impact on someone’s life. It’s become something we’re very passionate about and we’re very grateful that we get to do it together.”

Check out our IGTV video, “Using Hoodies to Support Pediatric Cancer,” to hear more about the story behind .club

“I came to Canada to study professional dance and I fell in love with this country!... Well, except winter, haha.
It was after my injury (knee dislocation) that I started to get more and more into vintage, and with the quarantine I couldn’t control myself. Before I noticed, my apartment was full of furniture and special pieces that I’ve decided to share.
If I have something to say about me it is that I have always thought that I was born in the wrong era. I would love to have lived in the 1920’s… the only thing that I could never give up from this time are flip flops - they are so damn comfy.”

Reposted from

“If it wasn’t for COVID, I don't think I would’ve taken this leap.
Ever since I was a little girl, I knew I wanted to create a business of my own… except, back then, I thought I’d go into fashion. I had a binder full of clothing drawings that I wanted to design, and my business was going to be called ‘Virgo,’ after my horoscope – I know, so original right? As I got older, that dream slipped away as I went down a different career path. I found myself in a 9-5 job, without a lot of free time to pursue something like this on the side. COVID, in some ironic way, gave me the chance to get back to my creative roots. In May, I started a jewellery business called Meraki.
Meraki, which means to put your love and soul into something that you create, is my creative outlet. It’s the dream I had when I was a little girl, but slightly transformed (and under a more unique name).”

“I started working here last summer. I'm a student. And then I came back again this summer – so, I guess I’ve been working here for a total of six months. I think it means a lot to all of the employees and all of the customers that the business stays and gets through this.
It was started about three years ago by a couple, Monica and Michael Aitken, who wanted to focus on bringing authentic Mexican food to the neighbourhood of Streetsville. A lot of the people that work here are actually from Mexico. So, they've incorporated their own taste of home into the food. It’s just like a family-run business.
Obviously, when COVID hit, we struggled to adjust. Luckily, we survived by doing takeout. Now, things are starting to go back to normal, but we can’t accommodate as many people as last summer. Without our indoor seating, we can only serve people out on the patio.
We’re trying to adapt and accommodate everyone because we love our customers and have missed them. This place is so special to Streetsville. The owners are from the neighbourhood. Everyone that works here is from the neighbourhood. And, all of the regulars are from the neighbourhood.”

Today we filmed with .club and even did some tie dying! Keep your eyes peeled for the video - hopefully it’ll be as cool as their sweater designs 🤪

Meet Roxane! Owner of and the star of our most recent video. She not only creates beautiful works of art by pairing paint with poetry, but she also uses her skills to teach others. Check out their page and our recent IGTV to learn more about her business!

Another filming day done and completed ✔️ stay tuned for the video!

Filming another video today! Any guesses where we are?

Journal-ish updated their website address.

Thank you so much for the support on our page! We would love it if you could also subscribe to our YouTube channel linked below to make sure you never miss a video.

As we continue producing our Bouncing Back series, spotlighting local small businesses that have been affected by the Covid-19 Pandemic, we’d love to hear from YOU! If there is a business or story that you think would be great for a future video, feel free to message us or comment your nomination down below.

https://www.youtube.com/channel/UCMi4LbWnKL_6_VtsrYj0HIA?view_as=subscriber

Journal-ish Journal-ish is a small production company based in Toronto, Canada. With a curiosity about our world and the people in it, we create videos that capture a gl...