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.