New Year, New Habits

I had a conversation with a co-worker this week about how I rarely have to put my trash at the curb, frequently skipping weeks. He mentioned category after category of item (ex. takeout food packaging) and asked what I do with them. After about 10 categories, he just shook his head, surprised at how differently we live. 

Well, none of this happened overnight. :) I started about 8 years ago, just thinking about 1 item at a time, and over the course of a few years got to how I'm living today. By pacing myself, I prevented all the change from becoming overwhelming. Every few months, I tackle another item. 

None of the changes I make are too complicated, or they wouldn't stick. The process is basically to ask myself "Can I Reduce this item from my life? If I can't, can I Reuse it (even it's intended to be single-use), or find someone else to reuse it? If I can't, can I find a way to Recycle it?" in that order. I start with either the thing that seems easy to address (ex. I already own tote bags and just need to remember to bring them to the store), or the thing that seems more impactful (ex. I go to Starbucks A LOT).

Here are few things to consider starting with: 

Reduce: 

• Grocery bags or coffee cups: find a home in your car, backpack, etc. where you'll actually remember the bags when you go to the store. (If humor is encouraging to you, check out this cute tote from Etsy.)

• Books/DVDs: can be checked out from the local library or purchased and resold from Half Price books. Consider checking out The Power of Habit by Charles Duhigg, who says anyone can form a new habit in 21 days! (So be patient with yourself if it takes a little while for these new practices to be "sticky".)
  

Reuse:

• Takeout/leftovers food containers: many of these are durable and can be washed and reused. 
• Ziplocs: can be washed! Or if you prefer, you can invest in durable reusebles like Stasher bags. 
  

Recycle: 

• Soft plastics: can be recycled through alternative recycling services like Ridwell, who partners with Trex to make composite lumber.
• Electronics: can be brought to stores like Re-PC for proper disassembly.
   

So, New Years challenge: pick an item to address each week or month, and the following period, pick another. At the end of the year, you will have 12 or even 50 new habits!

Here's to a Thoughtful 2025.

A 90s Revival

Prior to COVID, my dear friend T and I used to get together weekly for coffee from 7-9pm. Usually, we'd work on art projects and sometimes we'd bail and go thrift shopping. Sadly, most coffee shops and retail haven't fully recovered, leaving us with one coffee shop open until 9pm (Oddfellows Cafe in Elliott Bay Books) and one thrift shop (Goodwill).

Bemoaning a coffee culture that seems to have died, and bemoaning the death of a Capitol Hill that used to be quirky, artsy, and alternative, and now is mostly banks and medical centers, we've conceded to the fact that there are few options left, and hoping that someday things will rebound. 

Well, today, we got a sprinkle of joy, a hint of hope: we got together to celebrate T's birthday, and go coffee and Goodwill. On a whim, I decided to Google "thrift stores near me open now" on the off chance that somewhere's hours had expanded. And to our pleasant surprise we discovered a whole new vintage mall!

The Late Night Vintage Market opened in late 2022, and is open every day except Tuesday until midnight. 

The are 3 floors featuring multiple (20+) vendors, and the display seems to just keep going and going. If you want to get nostalgic for 80s and 90s memorabilia or fashion, or for the younger generation who is enjoying 90s trends on their way back around, this place is for you.

Just a few of the cool items we saw tonight:

These gently used Steve Madden boots for $40 (would have come home with me if they were my size!).

This classic Mickey sweatshirt:

Or how about this pineapple serving set?

Or perhaps Mad magazine was more your style?

We kept enjoying racks upon racks of nostalgia, from rainbow lunchboxes to color-blocked jackets. But ultimately, we loved the feel of Capitol Hill from the 90s, and the idea that items with personality are still alive and well.

Here's to more revival in the coming year! Do you you think that's what T wished for?

(New in package candles rescued from Buy Nothing.)

DIY for your Valentine

T and I like to collect Christmas ornaments on vacations and for important life moments. Then, when we set up our tree each year, it's like flipping through a scrapbook and revisiting those moments. 

So a couple weeks ago, as we're contemplating taking it down for the season, T says, "You know we should've gotten an ornament for when I had my gallbladder removed." A little creepy, yes, but also one of the most exciting things to happen to us during COVID!

Thus started the craft project to make him a gallbladder ornament (I mean, NO stores will carry those...).  I will give this to him for Valentines Day, where typically you give your loved one your heart, but hey, it's still an organ?

To make this ornament, I just needed some fabric, a scrap of ribbon, a little fluffing, a few beads, and a pipe cleaner. For such small pieces, it was easy to use scraps from other projects, so completely free in terms of materials. 

I cut an old work shirt into the pear-shape for the gallbladder, complete with bile duct and hepatic duct. I sewed around the edges by hand and leaving the edges exposed for a more hand-crafted rustic look. I sewed the ribbon in as I went, creating a loop to hang the ornament from the tree. Into the gallbladder went the stuffing, and into the ducts went a pipe cleaner (it's a shapable ornament!).

Sew on a few beads to represent gall stones (naturally!).

And for most of our ornaments, we write the year on with a gold Sharpie. Since this is a fabric ornament, I sewed on the year with gold thread.

While this is a truly one-of-a-kind type of gift, the same ideas can be used for your loved ones! Whether a homemade card, ornament, or other trinket, small gifts can be easy to make by repurposing materials from around the home, and show that personal touch!

Spotlight: Westland Distillery

T is a fan of whiskey (thanks to my Dad for teaching him an appreciation of finer spirits), so for Christmas I gifted him a tour and tasting at Westland Distillery. 

Pro gifting tip? "Experiences" like tours are naturally zero-waste. 

Now, even if you don't like liquor, distillery tours can still be quite interesting, from a science or manufacturing perspective. 

We were treated to a great history of the company, their processes and facilities, including this still, which is one of later steps in production.

Of course, what I was most interested in was all the ways Westland focuses on circularity. (If circularity is a new term for you, it's sort of what it sounds like: finding ways to keep production materials in circulation for as long as possible. This includes activities like reuse, recycle, rent, and so on.)

For example, Westland starts with as much local materials as they can, including local barley and local peat. In fact, barley was chosen due to its ability to be sourced locally, vs other whiskey crops like corn. When you first walk into the shop, the first smell you get is a rich grain smell. At first, I couldn't place it, but as part of our tour, we had the opportunity to sniff multiple varietals of barley, and sure enough, that's what caused that amazing, bread-y fragrance that surrounded us.  

In the whiskey-making process, there are several steps, including germinating then drying the grain, then mashing it. Post-mash, Westland sends the spent barley to a farm in Enumclaw for some happy cows to enjoy. I just picture them like my cat and dog, who normally get dry kibble, so then wet food is such a treat. I don't know what breed those cows are, but this is what I imagine: 

Further into the process, Westland recognized that C02 is a natural byproduct of fermentation. They saw the value in this as not just a waste product, but a resource. So they became the first distillery to use a recapture tank for the C02, which then they resell to other industries. This type of project is a great way to demonstrate how sustainability doesn't need to be more expensive - in fact, it can be a way to generate new income streams or recoup cost.

Finally, they participate in barrel exchange with local breweries. If you ever see sherry cask aged whiskey or whiskey barrel aged maple syrup, you're already used to this concept. By exchanging barrels, different beverages can impart different flavors into the end product, and those barrels get an additional use. With the craft beverage movement in full swing, this is a great way to create those unique flavors. 

These concepts are just a few examples of how Westland's beverages are "Thoughtfully Made". If you want to learn more about their sustainability efforts, check out their website here. 

As for you, I hope you're inspired by some of these creative approaches, and seek our businesses like this to support.

A Look Back at a Our 2023 Thoughtful Choices

(Image by Marco Verch, Creative Commons license)

Ah, New Years Eve in Seattle. This year was fortunately milder weather than some years, cool but not rainy or icy. T and I decided to celebrate with a stand up comedy show, so we took the light rail into the city. Public transit is always a great option to save to save on gas and expensive parking, but kudos to Sound Transit who made it *free* for the holiday to prevent drunk driving. 

After a great night to wrap up the year, it was time reflect on all we accomplished in 2023. 

For this blog, I created 30 new posts and 7 videos. Video was a brand new format for me, which pushed me to get more comfortable in front of the camera, but which you all responded well to, so I am definitely taking a resolution to bring you more videos in 2024! But most exciting was that we were able to share and talk about all those ways to make a positive impact on the planet while all not breaking the bank. With just the items I highlighted in new content this year, I saved over $946, showing that all those small changes add up!

As a reminder, here's how we did it:

Secondhand Fashion

Beat the winter blues with a rainbow sweater and saved $83 (91%) at thredUP.

Went girly while saving $44 (72%) by purchasing a puff-sleeved blouse at thredUP.

Used the thredUP Fashion Footprint calculator to understand how my purchasing choices stack up.

Saved $88 (69%) at Goodwill on non-jeans pants for my new job. 

Wore a one-of-a-kind Halloween costume due to thrifting and reuse, saving me $131 (63%)

Bought upgraded brand name like-new kicks for $87 (87%) off at Crossroads Trading.  

Travel

Made secondhand shopping part of my sight-seeing in Salt Lake City, and scored an embroidered dress as a souvenir. 

Purchased secondhand jewelry as a vacation souvenir, and learned that thrift shops are "charity shops" in the UK. 

Took Uber Green and brought a few reusables for lower impact travel.  

Food Waste

Saved end-of-day pastries from the landfill and 67% by using the Too Good To Go app. 

Rescued some late-season harvest by making fried green cherry tomatoes. 

Learned that I can use strawberry stems in multiple ways for no-waste summer treats. 

Used carrot tops as the greens in pesto. 

Mend/Repair

Saved $25 (63%) on a secondhand tank, and made it work for my short stature by altering the straps. 

DIY / Artists

Upcycled cardboard cores into roses. 

Saved on gift tags by making them out of last year's greeting cards. No new tags, and a second life for the cards!

Found an artisan at the Vashon farmer's market who uses reclaimed wood to make beautiful cooking utensils. 

Purchased earrings from a local artisan made from upcycled bicycle innertubes. 

Supported trash sculpture artist Thomas Dambo by visiting his troll creations made from reclaimed scrap wood. 

Other

Saved $45 (53%) by purchasing a rug for my home office on Facebook Marketplace. 

Went compostable with Pela for my cell-phone case. 

Recycled that hard-to-dispose of makeup packaging at a Nordstrom BEAUTYCYCLE box. 

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!