Earth Day Projects

As a mom of a one-year-old, wife of a husband, nursing a full-time nursing career, and trying to keep up with the hair balls that roll away when I walk down the hallway (thanks dogs!), I am finding myself not spending much time writing on this blog (or shaving my legs, really). Time is such a precious thing.  Just yesterday I told my husband that our daughter is no longer a baby. She is a straight-up sassy toddler! She has perfected her fake cry, learned how to body slam herself on the floor when she’s upset, and jibber-jabbers like it’s no one’s business. Man, she is growing fast and I love her so much, my heart could just burst out of my chest!

Well, over the past several months, I’ve been thinking hard about unnecessary consumption and (almost always) this comes back to clothing for me. I feel like there are a hundred ways I can be more responsible in my consumption, but the area that interests me most is clothing.  That could be due to the fact that my closet seems to be quite full, and yet I am constantly wanting new.  And I think I may not be alone in this, as our culture is constantly trying to tell us to wear the newest trends and colors. This steady demand for new and lower cost clothing means that someone somewhere is paying a high cost (low wages, questionable work conditions, etc).  I want to clarify that there is always a balance (one of my mantra words for life right now).  I am not intending to put a guilt trip on anyone here.  So I say, find balance. Buy that new dress for the upcoming wedding, but see if you can find an accessory or shoes at a consignment shop.

With all that said, I have found a way to harness some of this energy on this subject into a fun hobby.  About 4 months ago, I purchased a screen, some ink, an x-acto knife, and a self-healing cutting board.  I started cutting out some of my doodles, and with the first print, was hooked.  And side note here, if you have a chance, read Big Magic by Elizabeth Gilbert.  This book was not only enjoyable to read, but also such a great encouragement to grasp any artistic inspiration and run with it! 

Here a few samples of some of the prints below. I am constantly thinking up new ‘messages’ or designs, and am open to suggestions.  And due to some mild interest, I am going to be selling these prints on a custom basis for $15.00 each, meaning I will find a secondhand shirt in good condition (or item of your choice), print using eco-friendly, solvent-free ink, in a color of your choosing. Please comment below if you are interested!

First project, 'mug of steaming liquid' on tea towel.

 

 

 

 A logo and shirt to support my sister's new personal training business, 'creative energy wellness'

 

 

 

 

'dreamcatcher'

 

'there is art in the earth'

'Micah 6:8'

 'downward dog recycle sign'

 

As always, thanks for stopping by my little world.

 I am hoping to spread some secondhand love on this earth day.

 

thredUP: a review

A few weeks ago, while researching secondhand living options online, I stumbled across a company called thredUP.  It is an online consignment shop, featuring all secondhand items! It eliminates one of the greatest difficulties of shopping secondhand- finding what you need in your size, when you need it.  The website features easy to navigate categories, including shops for children and women, that can be narrowed down into sizes, brands, relevance, and newest listed. 

The shop works out of San Francisco, CA, accepting clothing and accessories from people all over the country. They send people who would like to clean out their closets a clean out kit, allowing you to send your gently used clothing and accessories to them to be listed and sold on the website. Best part is, they pay for the shipping!  If they can't list an item to sell, they will either donate it or send it back to you with a small shipping charge. You can receive payment for your items, based on the listed price once the item is processed, adding a great incentive. Your payout can be transferred to store credit, donated to a charity, or transferred to cash. Win win!

And buying? Well, that is the easiest part! I looked for an item that I really needed, jeans that are long  (I'm almost 6' tall!) and fit well.  I knew what brand I liked, what size, and was able to easily add the item to my cart and pay for it securely. The website is so easy to navigate! The jeans came in less than a week, were true to size, color, and the description of being very gently used (I truly cannot tell they are secondhand).  And the best part is, if they hadn't worked out, I still could have returned them within 30 days.  But they fit like a charm, so they are staying!

One of my favorite things is that the company also sent a little booklet along with the jeans that features the staff members and the company's vision and purpose. I loved some of the quotes, so I couldn't help but feature them on the blog today because they jive with exactly what I believe in and why I write this blog.

"I fear we are becoming a throwaway culture, where everything is disposable. I want my son to live in a more thoughtful, considerate world." 

-Kristy Atkins-Kirshtner, merchandising

"how do we want to live today?"

"We know shopping secondhand helps the world in some small way, 

and we're proud to be a part of that."

Guys, check this website out! 

It is an awesome way to live consciously buying secondhand, but still be able to shop for what you really need and brands that best represent you! 

Here is the link: thredUP.

enjoy your weekend and thanks for stopping by!

top 5 nursing apparel items you already own

These days sitting down at the computer to write feels like I am stealing a piece of my pre-motherhood self. Now my days are mostly filled with the tasks of the early weeks of motherhood- nursing, diapers, and constant worries of every sound my baby makes.  

We had our daughter on her due date, February 14- she was the best little valentine! Her name is Beatrice Rose. She is a sweet baby, slowly learning how things work around here, while slowly teaching us about who she is. I love that. God has created this very special person that we are getting to know!

Well, my thoughts today are on breastfeeding clothing- and I apologize to those of you who aren't mothers or don't care about breastfeeding apparel. Bare with me, my mind is consumed with Beatrice and any topic related to her.  Most of our time together is spent breastfeeding. And if you've done it, you understand that what you wear makes a big difference in your comfort while feeding, particularly in public.

In the vein of living secondhand and consuming less, what I've realized in the past 6 weeks is that pieces that I already own are convenient for nursing.  Not only does that mean I'm not spending money on new pieces, but I'll wear what I have long after I'm done breastfeeding.  You don't have to spend much (or anything!) on the tops specifically made for nursing that cost an arm and a leg.  And you can still feel good, which is essential to any woman postpartum.

Here are essentials that I already own that are staples in my nursing wardrobe:

1.  Spagetti strap tank tops. These are key for quick easy access- loosen the straps so you can quickly pull down the shirt for access.  (Note: this works specifically with nursing bras that can be unsnapped from the top.) I also recommend these tank tops from Target.

2.  Long sweaters or cardigans that open in the front. I can't tell you how wonderful they are for not only warmth and easy access, but they are a great source of added material to help conceal if you are in a crowd. Plus, they cover parts of your body that may be "softer" after pregnancy.

3. Scarves.  These are fabulous to wear for added coverage.  I do have a nursing cover that I absolutely love, but scarves are a fantastic way to add a little flash of color or pop to your outfit, and can also be used for additional coverage on the spot.

4.  Easy access dresses.  There are a few cotton dresses I have that are perfect for easy access, particularly v-neck styles. 

5. Cowl neck shirts.  I have 2 of these style shirts and they are absolutely wonderful in creating a dressy look with easy access due to excess stretch and material around the neck line.

Pregnancy and birth are probably the most drastic changes your body will go through! The last piece of advice I will leave with you is to wear anything that makes you feel good. Your body is doing amazing things.  Hopefully this list will inspire you to look at what you already own and not feel like you have to buy a completely new wardrobe or spend a lot to feel good postpartum, especially while breastfeeding.

*have a great day*

it's christmas in january!

This past December, my sister-in-law got me a thrifted sweater, with the intent that I would be able to create whatever I could out of it's cable-knitted goodness. So with a good friend's 30th coming up in a couple of days, I felt inspired to repurpose this sweater into a warm scarf for her.  And so commences the cutting and hemming....pressure is on since this is a gift for someone else!

 

 ^^not only do I hate my appearance in this picture, but the sweater has GOT to go...^^

^^a blue sweater project deserves a blue moon^^

 ^^the bottom was cut off in one straight line, leaving one edge already "hemmed" and the other needing a good hemming, of which the sewing machine was used to do.^^

 ^^I cut one cuff off the sleeve of the sweater to add a little character to the otherwise simple infinity scarf.  A flower from the clearance section at Michaels was added for more pizzazz! It was just hand sewn into the cuff piece and the scarf itself to hold it all in place.^^

^^once again, don't mind the makeup-less me here, but I am glad the scarf can be doubled for more warmth!^^

A few notes on sewing a hem in a sweater:

- I did have a hard time keeping the lines straight with the cable-knit texture, so I was thankful to have thread that matched perfectly to the color of the scarf, for those times when my "line" was not exactly even.

-I would have planned to double over the hem.  Originally, I had only folded it once, meaning that the "raw" edge was still exposed, spewing little bits of blue sweater everywhere....so I had to double fold the hem...should have done that from the start.  

-pay close attention when using a sewing machine on cable-knit material...the foot gets tripped often.

Overall, this was a very quick and easy project, created and enjoyed over a beer and is now being sent through the post to a friend on the other side of the state.

**have a great weekend all**

accessories, part 3: hand warmers

In another attempt to expand my warm winter wardrobe (prior projects here and here), I decided to "scissor" another thrifted sweater and make a pair of hand warmers!

I started with this 100% wool sweater...

Brody wanted to help.

I simply cut the sleeves off and cut a small hole for the thumb. 
BUT....the sweater sleeve isn't snug enough to stay up on my forearm...

So I bought some multicolored yarn (also for a flare of color!) and stitched the yarn into the "cuff", tailoring it to fit my arm.  I also stitched yarn around the thumb hole because it had a very unfinished look to it.
 

And then, because I didn't want to just stop at fitting these sweater hand warmers to fit, and finishing the thumb hole, I decided to add a little femininity to the look by throwing some yarn-stitched flowers to the front of the hand warmers!

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 Good thing these hand warmers are done tonight-
 it's supposed to be in the 20's and snowing on Sunday!!

*have a fabulous weekend*

 

accessories part 2: leg warmers

Being in PA for about a month now feels wonderful- it is like my body was programmed to live in this state.  However, each day the numbers on my car's external thermometer keeps creeping lower and lower.  On my early morning drive the other day, it dipped to 36 degrees! 

In an attempt to continue to be conscientious about what I buy and wear, this next little project was influenced by the dropping temps.  I don't know if leg warmers are actually in style at all, but they are definitely in my style this winter.  I found a sweater a few weeks ago in town at a thrift store for $1.25- 100% wool.  It was a XL size, so I stuck it in the dryer for a few minutes to shrink the sleeves.  Then, as unnerving at it was to cut a nice wool sweater, I cut off the sleeves at the seam, and then proceeded to put them on my legs. Glorious!

They are so warm, I barely need socks when I have them on! I'm sure they'll come into better use in a few months when it really is winter.  (As chilly as the mornings and evenings are compared to NC, I know I haven't seen anything yet...)

 

I've had a few weeks to try out the leg warmers and their various accessorizing skills. So far I predict they will be a highly-used accessory this fall and winter!

 

^great with yoga pants or tights^

 

 ^gray booties^

^tall boots and skinny jeans^

Also, I may be in over my head, but the rest of the sweater 

is going into another fun project! 

**happy fall and the return of the 80's**

accessories: part 1

Fall is hands-down my favorite time of year. Not only is the weather incredible, but it seems all of the tradition surrounding this time of year (football, camping, boating, Thanksgiving, etc) is equally as exciting- so life-giving to me.  Today, I am relishing in a project done awhile ago with a good friend in NC and I thought I'd take some time to share that with you.

A few months ago, my dear friend Emily, whose awesome blog can be found HERE, found this project on DIY scarves and thought it may be a good one to tackle together.  The project is originally inspired by another blogger (see HERE).  We got together on a warm summer evening, drank a glass of wine (or 2), and set about crafting ourselves some new scarves! It is now that I am reaping the benefits of that evening, as nights here are getting cooler, and the extra warmth around my neck is more enjoyable now than when it's 90 degrees out!  

 Here's the gist of what we did:

1.  We found material- me, a few old shirts, cut in the shape of a scarf, and for Emily, a piece of material from Joann Fabric did the job.

2.  We mounted the material to a bleach safe space.  In our case, a giant cardboard box sufficed.  Frye, the cat, supervised.

3.  We made designs with the scarves- either with painters' tape or using twist-ties and rubberbands.

4.  Spray with bleach and see what happens!! (Caution: please be careful with bleach!! A few nice pairs of my black yoga pants have had their run-in with bleach in spite of my "carefulness"!)

5.  Let dry and then wash SEPARATELY from anything else before wearing!

The Results!

 

 **thanks Em for an awesome idea and sharing it with me-

 happy fall days**