Blog Archives

white linen

2/16/2016

when it came time to replace my long-sleeved white tee shirt, i thought of linen...simple, natural, thick, classic, crinkly- wrinkly, white linen. this weekend i sewed it up, and here it is in its current lived-in, wrinkly state. (no ironed linen for me.) :) this top goes as well with jeans as it does with leggings...looks great under a sweater or on its own. i'm happy. :)

fabric: white linen
pattern: made by tracing and adjusting an existing top

love,
jane

2 Comments

don't give up

2/15/2016

3 Comments

mr. tribe and i have a standing date on sunday afternoons. we head out to a coffee shop and sit and talk and sip. we've been proudly asking for our coffee in to-stay cups long enough that now, when they see us coming they just grab the cups. now that makes me smile big! when i want a cup to go, i can bring my klean kanteen or a mason jar...or wait until i get home to make a cup for myself. good plan.

but this plan is not ironclad...for me. the other night, i was brought an earl grey latte and it was so good. i was grateful, and i totally forgot about the cup until my tea was gone. sorry, but this won't be the last time.

the point of this entry is to say... if i do find myself with a disposable cup...i can choose not to just give up and dump the cup into the trash can like everyone else. the lid and the sleeve are recyclable! i can take my cup home and recycle those pieces there.

why don't all of these shops have recycling bins? (we did actually see one in a small town starbucks...and complimented them on it. maybe you have them- that's something!) so bonus points for asking (maybe repeatedly) if your shop might think about working toward getting recycling bins in the shop.

may all your beverages be waste free and delicious! :)

love,
jane

3 Comments

be

2/12/2016

0 Comments

be humble.
shine bright.

0 Comments

february calendar

2/11/2016

0 Comments

for february's calendar page (on the back of last year's calendar), i carved a simple heart. (i like the speedball speedy-carve blocks.) i used block + paints in my stash...and quite like the clashing colors of it all. the stamp also made some cute valentines!

love,
jane

0 Comments

winter read

2/10/2016

4 Comments

"not to get too saccharine about it, but for me, using up the last sliver of bar soap and then getting to unwrap a fresh one is, well, joyful. i love peeling off the paper wrapper, or untying a ribbon, and placing a fresh bar of soap in the shower. it's like a tiny gift."

from: simple matters by erin boyle

4 Comments

sprouting

2/9/2016

2 Comments

winter months can feel like a barren wasteland in the fresh local produce department. i don't have a greenhouse, but i can grow sprouts...inside,,,any time of year. these fresh little shots of nutrition are great tossed onto a sandwich or wrap...into a salad or stir-fry... or even topping an asian inspired soup.

they are super easy to grow...and the only equipment required is a glass jar. (i bought a specially made sprouting lid, but it is not at all necessary.)

these two little bags have lasted me for a few years. i found mine at the same place i buy my groceries. all the growing directions are on the package.

do you sprout?

love,
jane

2 Comments

happy chinese new year

2/8/2016

0 Comments

it's the year of the monkey. time to sweep out the old, wear fresh clothing, open red envelopes, and celebrate with loved ones. we have a special place in our hearts for chinese new year. years ago we walked the streets of china and took in all of the smiling characters, red lanterns and bunting that hung in the cold breeze. it was an incredibly happy new beginning.

love,
jane

0 Comments

think

2/5/2016

0 Comments

think of all the beauty still left around you and be happy. ~anne frank

0 Comments

love the one you're with

2/4/2016

0 Comments

i've lived in century old houses with kitchens oozing potential character (not to mention a large hole in the floor that i covered with a piece of furniture)...and i've lived in newly built apartments with clean, unsoiled surfaces. the kitchen i find myself in today falls somewhere in between. this house was built in the eighties.

the kitchen does have wood cabinets, a countertop that i don't hate, and laminate wood floors. i picked none of the finishes. i would love a whole new kitchen.

i've sketched this new kitchen. it is lovely. my new kitchen would be open and bright and have room for a big long table. it would involve removing walls and cabinets and a new floor. there would be another window and sunbeams and the smell of lavender wafting in on the breeze.

yeah. so that's not going to happen any time soon. and i'm allergic to lavender.

instead, one of my goals for january was to touch up the paint on my upper kitchen cabinets. drastic, huh? small steps. i started by caulking the join between the ceiling and the cabinet (made such a huge difference to me, truly). the inside of my closed cabinet got a brightening coat (or 7-uggh) of white and all the cabinets were touched up to a bright and clean state. finally, sparkly glass knobs were added (it only took me 5 years).

i've never touched the bottom cabinets (with a paint brush), but they need a new coat of paint now. i would like to paint the ceiling, and there is a whole bank of cabinets surrounding the fridge that will get a fresh lick o' paint as well. i think i need to wait for a bit of fresh air to accompany my efforts, so that gives me a month or so to figure out a paint color for the cabinets.

anyway, i'm using what i have...and that creates a lot less waste as well. :)

love,
jane

0 Comments

simple february wardrobe

2/3/2016

0 Comments

january summary: i did not wear my indigo tee (still love it, but i like it best on its own) or the silver tennies (ankle coverage was a good thing in january). i liked wearing leggings to be cozy and comfy, so i wonder if it would be nice to find a thing or two more to make leggings even more of an option... although it is not totally necessary... and maybe not wise. :) i bought a new dress on super sale...made in the usa (yay)...and then saw that there was a hole in it (boo...returned). thought that would be a good leggings outfit...but no. i made a jumpsuit, layered it up and wore it once. all in all, i felt like i had enough pieces, and i kept warm.

february plan: i'm switching those jeans again...and a paler top for the dark plaid one. little switches go a long way in staving off monotony. i've gotta say that i am looking forward to warmer weather. february will still be cold though, so this month's simple wardrobe contains a lot of the same pieces...again.

the pieces:

tops:
~white tee
~see-sun top
~cream striped tee
~navy striped tee

dresses:
~denim/linen

bottoms:
~faded vintage levis
~skinny jeans
~leggings

jumpsuit:
~cream ?? (don't know if i'll wear this much with it still so cold)

sweaters:
~tan wool pullover
~grey wool/cashmere cardigan
~marl wool cardigan

footwear:
~mid-calf brown boots
~tall caramel boots

total: 14 pieces

i have a plan for a couple pieces i would like to make this month...we'll see. :)

how are you keeping it simple...and yet, varied in the wardrobe?

love,
jane

0 Comments

<<Previous

Forward>>

white linen

don't give up

be

february calendar

winter read

sprouting

happy chinese new year

think

love the one you're with

simple february wardrobe

categories

archives