Quick Craft: From Last Year's Greeting Cards to this Year's Gift Tags

I really enjoy receiving holiday cards, especially from my loved ones who live far away and I don't get to see as often as I like. But eventually (usually just in time for the next year's batch), it's time to pick my favorites for the scrapbook and retire the rest. 

But did you know... 1.3 Billion (yes with a "B") holiday cards are sold each year in the US? And then subsequently put into storage or thrown away?

For those that aren't photo cards, the festive text and images are ripe for repurposing! Today, I'm cutting out the best parts into gift tags.

Take this card, for example:

The layout and size of text and images makes it really easy to cut out 2 tags, one of the Danta abd one of the text. 

Simply cut out your preferred shape and attach to your gift package. 

Now, this type of card requires a little more creativity. Since the whole card is one big image, you'll need to select a portion of the image for each tag. (Note: a card like this isn't even recyclable due to the glitter, so it's a great pick for giving a little more life!)

I chose to use cookie cutters to assist this process. Since they have no center, you can see through to frame which portion you want to show. Once you've selected the area you want, you can trace around the cookie cutter as the outline of a festive-shaped tag.

After tracing, cut out your tag, and attach to your package.

Happy merry-making! Feel good knowing that you got free tags, and gave a second use to a some paper.

New Job, Used Pants

Last week, I started a new job! I'm proud this is my first job with a substantial focus on sustainability (ask me about jet fuel!).

That said, new job, new culture, and I don't even know: what is "business casual" these days? With the Pacific Northwest being generally casual, and having spent the last 12 years in tech, which is even more so, I now didn't know how to dress. In my experience, business casual includes a wide range from "jeans with a nice top" to "suit - no tie required". Insert panic. 

I wasn't worried about tops. In the last 3 years of work-from-home, I had perfected the Zoom work mullet: blouse on top, sweatpants on the bottom. However, I was pretty sure that I should own some non-denim pants, at least until I saw how my colleagues dressed. 

Of course, enter Goodwill. In-person thrifting is the fastest way to try on many brands all at once. 

I scored these charcoal slacks and paired them with an Alfani faux-wrap blouse from thredUP.

For a little bit of fun, I paired them with these Mia color-block booties (also thredUP).

I also picked up these navy slacks, and paired with a bright green cable knit sweater, and taupe booties.

All in all, I got 3 pairs of pants for just shy of $40.

The navy Nine West slacks run $48 new; the eggplant Gloria Vanderbilt brushed cotton pants also cost $48; and the charcoal George slacks ran $32. In total these would have cost $128 brand new resulting in a 69% savings. Not too shabby to quickly refresh the wardrobe, and with little risk if I were to discover that jeans are the norm. 

If You Like Fried Pickles, You Might Like Fried Green Cherry Tomatoes

A few days ago, I shared that if you grow tomatoes, you should go rescue those last green tomatoes and bring them in before the freeze. There are still so many things you can do with those green tomatoes to prevent food (and the fruits - pun intended! - of your labor) from going to waste.

First, keep those green tomatoes in a paper bag. If you have an apple, toss it in there too. The ethylene from the apple will off-gas and help the tomatoes ripen faster. Even without an apple, these are my tomatoes after about 4 days in the bag. You can see that some of tomatoes have ripened! And some more will over the next couple weeks. Be sure to check the bag every few days to retrieve ripe tomatoes and discard any that inevitably spoil.

Second, put those green tomatoes to use! There are several recipes out there for green tomatoes, both full size and cherry. This week, I tried a new recipe for Fried Green Cherry Tomatoes, using up about 3 cups of my surplus. Start by measuring, rinsing, and drying your fruit.

Coat them first in flour, then in egg white, then in a breadcrumb/cornmeal mix.

Deep fry your coated tomatoes at 375 degrees for about 2 minutes until golden.

 

LET THESE BABIES COOL for a few minutes as the juices inside will be quite hot, and then dip in your favorite sauce. I made this awesome remoulade which felt appropriate for southern-inspired food, but ranch would also be good.

Now, these tomatoes were much more tart than their full size counterparts. If you like fried pickles or even salt and vinegar potato chips, than these are for you. If you are expecting the sweetness of a ripe cherry tomato, you are in for a bit of a sour shock!

Having experienced the flavors here, I'm now thinking that green tomatoes would also make for great pickles or salsa. Here's to getting the most out of your garden, and not letting any of that goodness go to waste.

Second-Hand Smurfette

As you all know, Halloween is one of my favorite holidays. You can dress as crazy as you want, and go as far as you want with makeup. And, of course, it's tons of fun to see how everyone else dresses too: some classic (like witches), some super topical (like Barbie), and inevitably the creative or obscure (my friend T went as a character from her favorite video game). 

This year, I chose to be Smurfette, which I think falls into the obscure category, now that Smurfs are "vintage" 😜 The great thing about a costume like Smurfette is you can go as far as you want to (I chose not to do my entire face blue this year), and a lot of components you may already have in your closet.

(Smurfette grabs a meal in a spooky diner.)

Instead of painting my whole face and skin, I brought the blue into my makeup with blue eyeshadow (and of course some sparkles) and blue lipstick. Makeup is an easy way to enhance your look at low cost and with little to throw away. I discovered the same matte product would work well on eyes and lips.

 

I went out 2 nights this year, so could play around with the look. In this second look, I went for a smokier eye, and darker lip, giving Smurfette a bit more of a goth vs. glam look.

Here's how I sourced the outfit:

Second-hand from thredUP, I purchased a Victoria's Secret beanie $13 (vs $20 new), Mainstream dress $22 ($50), Under Armour active t-shirt $12 ($30), Fabletics leggings $20 ($53), and Hushpuppies Soft Style pumps $10 ($55). Overall, I spent $77 for a $208 value. This is comparable cost to a pre-packaged, ill-fitting polyester costume, but I got to make it completely my own. I will keep the beanie, tee, and leggings for my regular wardrobe, gaining even more value than a packaged costume. The shoes and dress I'll either donate or re-sell.

Reused from a previous costume, the blond wig. No additional cost here, and getting more use out of an item. Staple products like wigs are great to keep for multiple looks throughout the years.

All in all, I'm excited to have had an entirely second-hand Halloween, and can't wait to start plotting next year's costume!  Did you repurpose, thrift, or DIY any of your costumes this year?

Sam Edelman Sneakers for a Steal

Who doesn't want an extra little pizazz when kicking around for casual errands? These grey velvet sneakers are a cute upgrade vs the typical Keds or Converse. 

And these black satin ribbon laces? <chef's kiss>

Sam Edelman sneakers typical start at $80, with a pair like this retailing for about $100 new. These were a happy find at just $13 at Crossroads Trading. 

Now that we're out of sandal weather, I'm adding more sneakers to my thrifting list!

DIY: From Recycle to Roses

Can you believe these roses were made from TP cores? (You can also use the inner cardboard from paper towel rolls or wrapping paper.)

Folks, after making some TP core snowflakes and poinsettias a few years back, I was ready for a new craft (one only needs so many Christmas decorations). I decided to try this tutorial for making roses.

First, start by tracing a flower shape onto your flattened toilet paper core. You should be able to get one out of each TP roll or 3 out of a paper towel roll. Note: my flower shape has 8 "petals", but the tutorial used 6. I think both results are lovely.

Cut out the flowers, and paint them the color of your choosing. Once dried, you'll need 3 1/2 of these flower shapes to make each rose. You'll cut one petal out of one so you have 2 shapes (1 petal and 7 petals). Repeat so you end up with seven pieces: 7 and 1, 6 and 2, 5 and 3, and 4. You'll have a half-flower/4-petal piece left over for your next rose.

For each of the seven pieces, curl them up so the two flat edges meet, making a conical shape, and seal it with hot glue, super glue, or some other fast-drying and secure adhesive. I recommend against a glue stick (not strong enough) or tape (will end up very visible). I also recommend a small paint brush, popsicle stick or other implement to help push the edges together, so you aren't burning your fingers on hot glue or sticking them together with super glue.

One by one, glue each piece into the next (with just a dot of glue in the bottom of the larger layer), starting with the 7 petals, then 6, and so on, allowing the glue to harden between each.

Once all seven layers are together and glue dried, use your skinny paintbrush to help you curl the edges of each petal.Viola! You have a rose!

Optional: If you want to turn your roses into a larger craft, for example a wreath or a flower crown, you may want something attached to the rose to connect it to the larger piece. These roses have conical bottoms, so won't easily glue onto flat items. To help with this, I wove a floral wire through four points of the 7-petal layer, prior to gluing in the remaining layers.You could also do this with embroidery floss or other thick thread/thin ribbon.

Happy crafting!

How Are You Preparing For Halloween?

With Halloween just 4 weeks away, are you or your loved ones prepared to dress up? One of the coolest ways to have a stand-out costume is to skip the pre-packaged costumes, and develop a one-of-a-kind concoction through thrifting, swapping, and DIY. 

To give you some inspiration, here are some of my looks over the last few years: 

By attending a swap, I scored a chicken hat and beak. Read more about hosting a swap here. 

One year, I DIY'd an Ursula costume from thrifted pieces, with a little sewing and painting. Read a step-by-step here. 

The year I was Rock Lobster for Halloween, I was also able to resell some pieces to keep the fun going for the next person and recoup some cash. 

Then there was the year I was a time lord, the one and only Dr. Who, incorporating some second-hand pants and top.  

And last year, a combination of thrifting and DIY, let me bring a classic painting to life, and intentional use of double stick tape means I'll be able to reuse the main component as a formal gown in the future. 

This year, I've already acquired most of the components for my costume from online consignment, but am also happy I'll be able to re-use the blond wig from my Dr. Who costume. 

 

 

Twice Used Tires

Bikes - so great for recreation on a summer day (a pleasureful ride along the waterfront) or (for those more committed or more athletic than me) your commute. And while they are a planet-friendlier choice than most vehicles, did you know an estimated 44000 tons of bike tire inner tubes end in the landfill each year globally? 

The good news, bike riders, is that many local bike shops will take your spent tubes back for recycling, and some partner with artisans for them to be upcycled into new goods. 

This past weekend, I was happy to meet Portland artist Gina of Consciously Crafted Jewelry, who repurposes used inner tubes into jewelry. This feather design is just one of the several designs she offers, where the feather shapes are carefully cut from the inner tubes, painted, and then assembled into earrings.

My dear friend, A, helped me pick out these vibrant aqua/jungle colors at just the right length to suit my hairstyle. Although, if you have a more adventurous style, these came in many lengths, including shoulder-skimming!

At just $25, these earrings were just as friendly to my wallet as they are to the planet. And, as always, we love supporting local businesses and artisans. 

Interested in what other items can be made from inner tubes? Check out Alchemy Goods (Seattle), who creates backpacks, wallets, and more.

 

Spotlight: Danish Artist Makes Woodland Trolls from Reclaimed Wood

This weekend I had the pleasure of visiting one of 6 large sculptural trolls that make up the NW Trolls: Way of the Bird King exhibit. The trolls are made from reclaimed wood materials by Danish artist Thomas Dambo. For the West Seattle troll, much of it appears to be scrap lumber and shingles, and the flute she's playing is from a large part of driftwood. 

Each troll tells a story (this one is playing the song of the orcas), and even the overall project tells a great story. It is sponsored by the Scan Design Foundation whose mission is to support Danish-American relations, and they partnered with local indigenous tribes to support the building of the trolls. Thomas' goal is to show that with collaboration and community, we can build large things of beauty, even cities, with materials that would normally be considered waste.

This project is comprised of 6 trolls in the Pacific Northwest: 3 are currently live in Portland, Bainbridge Island, and now West Seattle. 3 are coming soon to Vashon Island, Issaquah, and Ballard.

To visit the West Seattle troll, head to Lincoln Park (the park just north of the Fauntleroy ferry dock), and walk down to the beach. The troll (named Bruunidun) is nestled among the trees next to Colman Pool. 

Here it appears that the driftwood flute is laying by her feet, and perhaps she's calling to the orcas with a conch shell. 

At closer look, she has such amazing detail, from the branches that make her hair to the small hoop earring she's wearing.

Every finger and toe is carefully designed. Decorations, such as her shell necklace and bracelet were contributed by Muckleshoot tribe artist John "Coyote" Halliday.

This selfie is for scale. With the other people beside her, you can see that Bruunidun stands over 15' tall. 

If you are able, go visit Bruunidun in West Seattle, or view more photos of the West Seattle troll and a short video with the artist from the unveiling at the West Seattle blog.

Learn more about the artist and see a worldwide Troll Map. 

Now... this type of project is not a DIY for the standard thoughtful consumer, as Thomas has years of experience, but perhaps it will inspire you for smaller reuse projects from scrap wood. Other ways you can help: 

• Support the artist directly through his online shop. For example, in this hardcover art book featuring "hundreds of  photos, original poems and fairy tales, and behind-the scenes highlights, I tell how my crew and I—with the help of thousands of volunteers—scavenged over 250 tons of scrap wood to build a trolliverse spanning 17 countries (and counting!)."

• Visit the artworks to show your support.

• Tell your municipality that you support this type of artwork and want to see more in your area.

Happy Troll Hunting!

Digest: Best of Buy Nothing

One of my favorite ways to participate in reuse is through the "gifting" economy, and primarily through Buy Nothing. Buy Nothing groups are local to your city or neighborhood, to make it super convenient to pickup or drop off items. If you haven't yet, check out the website to identify your local group; there are more mature groups on Facebook, as well as a less mature app.

On Buy Nothing, the only rule is that you "buy nothing", and you can both post items to give, respond to other people's posts to receive, or post "ask"s if you want to try to receive something from a neighbor before resorting to shopping. This is the modern version of "borrow a cup of sugar from your neighbor".

To show how much value these these types of groups can create in your community, this is just a sampling of my activity over the last 6 years:

Received

Tons of clothing. I especially loved this Liz Claiborne Rose Sweater (~ value $44), this plaid shirt ($23), this top ($39), and this purse ($65). 

Occasionally, folks would pass on new or like new items that were of high value, such as these Mugsy jeans ($108) or these Taos sandals ($125)

The most amusing item I was gifted (click to see videos!) was this ball pit for Meeko ($40), and the most unique item I was received was when someone smoked too much goat meat. (This is how we try new things with no financial risk. :) )

Overall, I have received well over $600 worth of value from my neighbors. 

 

Gave

40 deli containers similar to Gladware (~$60 value)

120+ empty egg cartons ($50)

100+ wine corks ($20) 

240+ shipping and moving boxes (up to $1200 value, depending on if people bought these retail or wholesale)

3 "ugly" holiday sweaters ($60)

7.5 ft Kirkland pre-lit Christmas tree ($500) along with ornament and star topper

Glass patio table ($40)

Many previous model electronics (ex. Fitbit and DVD player) and accessories when I upgrade

Lots of miscellaneous kitchen accessories, art supplies, and picture frames

Overall, I have given over $2200 worth of value to my neighbors, much of which most people would consider "trash" or just recycle.

Between giving and receiving, my participation in Buy Nothing has recirculated over $2800 of goods in the last 6 years. Now consider the possibilities when you multiple by all the members (7.5 Million!) in the group and all the groups (128000 Buy Nothing communities)!

Pretty for Pennies

After a few years of schlubbing at home in t-shirts (thanks COVID and WFH), I wanted to add some more flirty tops to my wardrobe. Maybe I wanted to prove to myself that I wasn't old and hadn't given up, but it was just the slump of not going out every day and *having* to make an effort. 

In comes thredUP (of course), and a purchase of a couple puff-sleeve, plunging neckline blouses. I love this green floral-print Topshop blouse. Maybe a little too plunging, I paired it with a camisole, but maybe I'll get brave for date night. :)

The back is also a deep V, as well as has a slit in the peplum, so it's essentially secured with a few cute buttons as the waist and a tie at the neck.

The detail is a little more visible in this listing photo. And what a steal at $19.99 (72% off)!

I paired the blouse with jeans (free from Buy Nothing), and sandals (free hand-me-down from Aunt T), for a comfy summer-day-out 100% second hand outfit. 

 What are you buying second-hand this summer to complete a new outfit?

Charity Shops

thrift store: American bucket term for second-hand stores. Often refers to the business model where items are donated to the store, and the store may be a non-profit serving a specific cause.

consignment shop: American term for second-hand stores where the business model is for items to be sold to the store instead of donated. Typically for-profit and dissociated from any social causes.

charity shop: British term for non-profit second-hand stores that serve a specific cause.

opportunity (op) shop: Aussie/New Zealand term for non-profit second-hand stores that serve a specific cause.

pre-loved: a sweeter way of saying "used"

Thoughtful Consumer rule #82: When exploring another town, check out their second-hand scene. There are so many different styles in different regions, that you'll find things you could never find back home, and you may get to bring home a discounted souvenir!

I recently when on a trip to the UK, and London and Edinburgh are *extremely* supportive of second-hand, with charity shops throughout the cities. (Learn the local lingo: they looked at me funny when I said "thrift store".) In the UK, it seemed the stores were much more transparent about exactly what cause they were supporting, for example, the shop I went into was named Royal Trinity Hospice, and others were named after supporting children with autism, etc.

Royal Trinity Hospice was a cute store, well-decorated like a local boutique, with a few main sections: general second-hand clothing, luxury brands, and finally company donations (ie. new items that were leftover from last season).

 

To give you an example of the type of savings you might find, see this splashy linen shift dress. Similar Paul Smith dresses go for approx 300 new, making this like-new dress about 75% off.

 

I was happy to discover this sweet rose-gold necklace in the "last season company donations" section, meaning it's completely brand new but wasn't able to be sold previously. At just £7 (~$9), it was a bargain.

A little different from my standard "single pendant on a chain", I like the delicate, cascading circles.

The store had reminders throughout of why we want to shop second-hand:

Save an item from the landfill, all while looking stylish and donating to charity? Count me in!