Harvesting yarn

I recently attended the University of Maine's annual yard sale where the facilities people sell all the stuff leftover from students' rooms (kinda creepy, yes), things forgotten and many things intentionally left behind. There were many, many pieces of clothing that were clearly discarded Halloween costumes, and various teeny-tiny sized garments that I imagine the owner no longer being able to fit into after gaining the Freshmen Fifteen, so rather than packing up those size zeroes she conveniently leaves them behind. I searched for sweaters made with fairly good shape yarn for harvesting and came up with a few good ones and some hats and scarves as well. After I unravel and wash the yarn who knows in what form they will live their second life. I apologize for the poor quality of the pictures, I'm no good with a camera, but I have since discovered that the manual for the camera is chock full of good information regarding how the camera actually works.

Results of doing my (little) part

After being more conscientious about our electricity usage at home I just wanted to post that last month we reduced our KWH (kilowatt-hour) per day by 1.5 KWH or about $0.27 per day. From one year ago we are down 4 KWH and about $.69 a day. While that may not sound like a lot it is in black and white on my bill and the difference is only more motivation to keep on keepin' on.

Too much milk and two almost-done projects

I discovered on Monday that the milk we just bought was set to "expire" that day. I generally don't pay much attention to those dates, I mean if it smells fine and tastes fine...So what to do with a gallon of milk? I made corn chowder and biscuits for supper and rice pudding for dessert, that put a major dent in it. At work, in order to meet our Carbon Challenge we switched from a 5 day week to a 4 day week (4 10-hour days). So Monday, my day off this week, was a perfect day for solving the problem of too much milk. The English Teacher suggested I stay home everyday, when asked if he would subsidize this request he replied yes, as long as I cooked that well everyday. Oh, if only!

I am inches, no, millimeters away from finishing two projects. One is a navy blue polka-dotted dress (see pattern at right) and another is the Go-Go Garter Scarf from Debbie Stoller's Stitch 'N Bitch. I ignored the pattern's request to use purple, teal, and green (I think, I can't remember) colored yarns, and used pale blue, pink, and a cocoa colored organic cotton yarn. While working on it at the In-Laws house over Memorial Day weekend, my brother-in-law saw me knitting together the blue and pink and asked me if I was "expecting" (I am not). I don't outwardly look like I'm in a state of expectancy, so I guess he deduced that knitting=pregnancy or it was the baby blue and pink that threw him. Oh well! Hopefully I will be able to post the FO by this weekend.

Doing my (little) part

It's sad but true; what really got me motivated to attempt a greener life is the price of gasoline. Maybe that's the American way, we pay attention once our wallets feel the pinch. I guess the reason for the decision to live greener is probably not what matters though, what matters is that I'm trying to do my part by taking (baby) steps to reduce my carbon footprint.

The Husband and I have started buying food locally as often as we can. We buy our meat (yes, we still will be consuming meat) at an amazing farmers market from a quirky farmer who tells great jokes and his elderly mother who has that dry Maine wit so common with that generation. I also bought a half share of a CSA which is part of the University of Maine's Sustainable Agriculture program. Starting in June I will go to the farm once a week to pick up organic vegetables, and I can't wait!

I started taking the bus. While it's not as green as walking or biking it's certainly better than driving alone in my car.

We replaced our light bulbs with CFLs- and we are probably the last people I know who haven't done this already.

I started taking Navy showers, cold but worth it, I think.

I read Colin Beavan's blog No Impact Man, definitely one of the most inspirational blogs I've read. It keeps me motivated and he is always providing his readers with ways to be green and be active about being green.

And as I love crafting, I also have been searching the Internet for ideas for green crafts. Crafters and DIYers are resourceful by nature and, I think, have always been pioneers of figuring out ways to reuse thing that might otherwise become trash. Here's a small collection of links about recycled materials for crafting:

Recycling yarn from old sweaters:
Neauveau.com
Recycled yarn

Recycling wool:
Sew Green Recycled Slippers
Two Green Chickens Recycling Wool Sweaters

Various materials:
A Little Hut
Sew Green

Buying things...

I am in dire need of some dresses and skirts that can transition from one season to another, hence my recent Forever21 purchases (I threw in a top for the free shipping).

Making things...

I mocked up these invitations this weekend for my sis and her fiance. I'm definetly a novice at graphic design, but I did manage to do my own invitations for my wedding so I thought I'd give it another whirl. I sketched, then scanned, then used Photoshop to manipulate the images. I really need to do the Save-the-Date cards, probably should've started there.

Current Obsessions

Here's quickie post just for the sheer purpose of posting something, these are things with which I am currently obsessed:

Crocheting, or rather learning to crochet

Redecorating my kitchen, I want to paint the walls and floor, and buy new cabinets

Juno soundtrack

Inventing a new career for myself

Other people's blogs

Spring clothes, enough with the snow Mother Nature, do you hear me?!

Wardrobe Overhaul

The long weekend allowed me to take inventory of what I had (or lack thereof) hanging in my closet. My crowded, messy, shared closet was the first hurdle, I couldn't see anything that was in there. My first step was to buy a garment rack and designate a new home for my clothing away from the black hole of a closet, out in the open. After hanging up my sad duds I sifted through what remained of several recent purges, which was not much. I have a few things that I do wear often which are in good condition and are well-made, but one's wardrobe cannot subsist on two nice button-up shirts, two nice sweaters, and some work pants. Truly, sad duds. With the help of Lucky's Style Manual and a couple of my favorite blogs (Chic & Icing's Wardrobe Taming posts) , I figured out what I needed most to start building a basics wardrobe. It will probably take me a while as I like to research and price compare, but I think it will be fun and chronicling it here will keep me organized (I am a Capricorn).

The Black Pump

Of course Louboutins and Manolos are obvious choices that will last forever, but I currently don't have that kind of scratch and I am looking for a mid-range, instant gratification standard black pump.

My criterion: Black, closed-toe, non-platform, non-stacked heel, over 3 1/4 inch heel, leather or patent leather, no-frills professional-looking, under $300 (preferably under $200)

The finalists are:
Via Spiga Amanda $182.95

Nine West Gaffer $82.95

Michael Kors Cairo $229

Charles by Charles David Fate $113.95

Calvin Klein Vida $100

BCBGirls Nice $92.95

Anne Klein Chesna $263.95

Some zombie fun!

Here is a pic of some zombie note cards I purchased from seller MATTY8080 on Etsy.com. I plan on arranging them behind a frame and putting them in my new office. It's not too over-the-top ghoulish/grotesque zombie imagery so I figured I'd be safe displaying them in a professional environment.