thanks ikea for taking our used cfl light bulbs…and for the chocolate mousse cake that we were able to eat off of reusable plates!

avoid clutter creep

watch it!  we rented it through amazon and it was amazing!  tears and triumph.  and safia minney, you are a true hero and trailblazer…20 years!! …and plenty more heroes to discover in this movie.

new autumn collections are coming out, are you prepared to deal with the temptation?  be aware.  make a plan.  more next week.  

my farmers market challenge has had me approaching meals from a different point of view.  normally, i plan my meals in advance, so i can just buy what i need and avoid waste.  at the farmers market, i have to look at what's available and work from there.  at supper time, i have to look at what i have and make it into a meal that leaves full meals for later in the week.  we really loved this meal that came together at the end of the cycle.  it's almost time to replenish the supply, but we're still eating deliciously!

a different kind of roast
potatoes
onion
tomatoes
kale, destemmed and chopped 
cheese

i started by cutting my potatoes into smallish pieces and combining them with chopped onion and olive oil.  this went into the oven at 410 degrees F for about twenty minutes.  the tomatoes were mixed with olive oil and put into the oven in a glass casserole dish…the temperature was raised to 420 degrees F.  maybe another 15-20 minutes and the chopped kale was plopped on top of the potatoes.  everything was removed about 10 minutes later and topped with cheese.  salt it all on the plate…and enjoy!

love,
jane

we have been pulling things out of closets around here.  we have been reevaluating the use of space in some rooms, and the necessity of items in all rooms.  it's not something new…it is an ongoing process…but somehow i'm still putting less back into the closets and letting more go.  craigslist, ebay and etsy are all in play, and the trunk is loaded up with bags for the charity shop.  

while listing a book on etsy yesterday and realizing how much time it was taking to list all of these things, i thought to myself, "next time i want to buy something, i should really consider how long it will take to get rid of it."  it sounds harsh, but it's really quite kind.  all of these items have a stories…resources used and makers making.  some were bought long before i was born, used and cherished.  my discovery comes years after, in a corner of a tiny shop, in a certain place, and on one day in particular.  these things evoke memories, and that is part of their value.

when the time comes for the item to move on, i want it to find a new resting spot where it is taken care of, valued and used.  this thought, too, can be useful when considering a purchase.  will this item stand the test of time?  will it have a life beyond me?  

i realize (and briefly considered) that i could just bag all of this stuff up and bring it to the resale shop.  i do, however, think that it is worth listing some items on these sights, because there is a broader spectrum of people looking for specific items.  there is a greater chance of the items finding that caring home.  it is completely understandable that the charity shops can't hold on to every donation until the perfect match is found.  some things will land in the landfill, and it's my job to see that my purchases have the best chance of not meeting that fate.  the landfill is full enough.

when i consider taking something home, i want to consider if i'm willing to become a part of this item's story.  am i willing to truly take responsibility for this item?

love,
jane

"open your eyes and see what you can with them before they close forever."  anthony doerr in all the light we cannot see

the article awakens my awareness of the importance of global humanity.  this is above and beyond our need to see the responsibility we have here in the top consuming nations.  this has elevated my thinking to an entirely new plane, one that i am somewhat ashamed to say i did not consider previously.  i do think that we have to first realize how our personal habits are affecting those around the world.  striving to understand our true needs, figuring out "enough", buying less, owning less, buying fair…... these are crucial!  i am not belittling these things in the least!  we must start here!  

i am, however, always looking for the next step.  i did not start this journal at the beginning of my journey.  it has taken me years to get here… and here i am in the middle of my journey somewhere.  i am just always hoping that this is not it…i want to do more.  i want to see what's next.

yes….and?

yes, i want to stop being such a consumer…and i want to be more of a producer.
yes, i want to grow a garden…and i want to be able to eat it.
yes, i want to make my clothes…and i want them to be clothes that keep me from buying other clothes.
yes, i want to read…and i want the words to change my mind.
yes, i want to think differently…and i want to act differently.
yes, i want to boycott fast-fashion…and i want to support independent makers.

the article does offer an example that is cause for hope.  brazil has been able to implement change by employing inspectors to work with companies and people to help them move in a positive direction instead of simply imposing fines and penalties. these inspectors have been allowed to initially overlook some minor infractions in order to be able to focus on solving more major problems.  wow, problem solving as opposed to problem punishing, which actually makes it more difficult to work on the problem, since now there is less money available.

this article has kept coming to mind.  it is a long one, so here's part of what i think is being said.  the idea that the american consumer can boycott their way to better global clothing manufacturing standards is not completely true.  my take away is that boycotts work and are a place we can start, but let's not stop there.

we know that safety regulations in the garment industry can be sidestepped, and even the best intentions can be hard to monitor and enforce.  subcontracting makes it nearly impossible to know exactly where an item of clothing was actually made and under what circumstances.  the article notes factories that play a certain song over a speaker to signal inspectors are incoming and to get the underage workers out the back door.  

many countries are not governed by the same moral compass that even our government or big businesses are held somewhat to (i am aware of the ridiculousness of this statement and i mean it even then).  when we urge wal-mart or gap to increase their social responsibility…and they comply in some way…this is at least a partial win.  it does not, however, change the industry as a whole.  india makes twice as much clothing for their own country as for export to the USA, at this point.  countries such as china, turkey and brazil have growing middle classes of their own with growing consumer mentalities.  the point is that other countries are consuming cheap clothing as well.  our companies striving for some level of safety and increased wages is positive, but there are still many, many mistreated workers out there who remain unaffected by even these paltry attempts at justice.  

i've been thinking about how i can impact global humanity, and i don't have a final answer.  buying fair is a given.  i've been able to achieve this goal this summer, and with the burgeoning numbers of "fair" to choose from, i know that it is doable.  so…yes…and?

yes, i want to have a voice…and i want to influence others.
yes, i want to influence others…and i want to see them start to act differently.
yes, i want to see others act differently…and i want to see them speaking out as well.

it can be hard to speak out on a topic that we feel might offend.  it can be hard to think that we should influence someone else's choices.  let's remember to be kind…it's ultimately what we're fighting for!   let's remember to be sensitive.  we want influence and will lose it with the wrong approach.  let's think about how we can be bold in small ways.  if someone comments on, my outfit, maybe i can say, "thank you!  this amazing husband and wife team in LA designed it.  not only was it made in LA, but even the fabric was woven in the USA.  i love that i know its story!"  for me, that is bold.  :)  i don't really like the focus to be on me too much, but i could focus on the fact that this is not about me.  it's about others around the world...skilled, God-given hands and hearts that deserve a living wage for themselves and for their families.  they deserve a chance to have their contributions valued.  they deserve the opportunity to give their children enough to eat, an education, a childhood.  they deserve my action and my prayers.       

this is just a first, next step…

yes, and?

yes, i want to see the USA operate a fair system of production, and i want the rest of the world to do it also.

love and courage, 
jane

nightbird by alice hoffman is about a girl, nicknamed twig, who lives with her mom. she and her mom have always been quiet and have kept to themselves because of a big secret that has to be kept a secret. twig becomes friends with the new neighbors which changes everything. i liked this book, i thought it was a good book of friendship and staying together.

cornelia and the audacious escapades of the somerset sisters by lesly m.m. blume is about a girl called cornelia, who is the daughter of two famous prodigy pianists. she has always been a quiet, word lover, until  virginia somerset and her mischevious dog, mister kinyatta, move in next door. exciting stories of virginia's travels opens cornelia up a bit and cornelia finds herself with friends she never could have imagined. this was another great and exciting book about friendship and adventure. it took me a few chapters to really get into it, but i'm glad i finished it. 

from,
julia

where did that cotton come from? link

planned obsolescence  link

affordable green energy link

good advice link

what's warming it up?  link

the wrinkles in these dresses may actually be useful to demonstrate how long these pieces have languished unfinished in a pile near my sewing machine.  the one on the left was an unfinished muslin i made when originally trying to fit the anna maria well composed dress pattern…it didn't end up fitting as i would have liked.  the one on the right was cut with my revised pattern, but never made it to the sewing machine.

this week, i finished both of these beauties…one for me and one for the thrift store.  i didn't want to waste the muslin, so a little time was put in to making it wearable for someone else.  hope it finds a good home where it is well loved.  mine is folded away and ready to be worn lots in the autumn!  i love it!

what gets your creative juices flowing?

love, 
jane  

i'm doing it!  farmer's market or bust (mostly)!  :)  i love looking in the refrigerator and seeing all that unpackaged, fresh goodness!  i feel good about the farmers we are supporting!  we're eating organic and healthy!  yippee!

here are some of the meals we've been eating…  
 (non-farmer's market items in italics)    

~kale + eggs + pepper jack cheese with toast + jam and watermelon

~amazing greens + quinoa + our own garden tomatoes + cheese + dressing

~quinoa + tomatoes + sausage + cheese

~tomatoes + cilantro + onions + greens + avocado + quinoa + black beans + cheese

~french toast made with eggs + jam

yum!!  are you enjoying the farmer's market?

love,
jane

we do periodic purges of stuff around here.  this week we tackled bookshelves.  both jo and julia let a lot of books go.  a couple awesome things i heard from julia as we moved through the job:

"phew.  i feel so much lighter and better now."  we talked about how strange it is that we can begin by thinking that there is just the good stuff here…of course we'd want to keep it all.  julia is still left with lots of good stuff, but maybe it's just the best stuff with a little room to breathe.  

"i just keep thinking that i want a new cello more than i want that."  so smart!  we were looking at items that could be sold for a little cash.  a goal to work toward changes everything!

"my shelves look so much better and less cluttered now.  i'm happy."

a couple of bags got dropped off for charity resale.  5 bags of books were traded for cash at half priced books. a bunch of things were listed on ebay.  julia's shelves were dusted and reorganized…and look great!  now for the closet…  :)

what do you want more than all that stuff?

love,
jane