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weekend reads + such

11/28/2020

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I've been trying to get into a few more corners + closets to see what's hiding in there this week. I went through my books + really wanted to have a few less. Finally I just put them into stacks according to what I wanted to be able to let go of...instead of letting fear of regret rule. Once I could see the stacks that way, it was much easier to choose that path. I took a picture of a couple of books I felt I might need a reminder for...and let them go. 

This reminded me a bit of setting boundaries for our things. If we can decide that we'd really like for our books to fit on this one shelf, we can choose the ones that earn their spot on that one shelf. If we want our sweaters to fit in this one drawer, we can say no to the one that's on sale a little bit more easily.  ;)

Next on the list is my fabric scraps. What size would I like my scrap bin to be?  :)

​Where they are now.
Haunted.   
​Even the simplest of things are worth noting.
​Don't let shopping ruin it.
A weekend project or gift.
We haven't at some level quite factored in that we are now all grown-ups.
​​Glorious "enough".

Hope you are enjoying a beautiful weekend, friends! I'm so thankful for you!!

Love,
Jane
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feast

11/26/2020

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"Enough" is a feast.
~Buddhist proverb
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simple gifts :: little luxuries

11/24/2020

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a special vessel for daily snacks
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a beautiful art supply
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something lovely to keep them cozy
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an inspiring magazine
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a small contribution to a set
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a beautiful replacement
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a service offered with a smile
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a lovely version of something mundane
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something they don't buy for themselves
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beautiful stamps
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a stash of a favorite treat
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fancy skincare
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 a high-quality tool
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something they've been meaning to try

Little luxuries are the epitome of simple gifts. Laura Ingalls Wilder's vivid depictions of her childhood Christmases are visions I return to each year. A stick of candy, an orange, a handmade doll...each gift savored + enjoyed to the fullest. 

Two stories I heard recently sparked thoughts of simple luxuries as well. One involves parents who gifted their children an open space + presence on the floor to play with the toys they already had in their home on Christmas morning...just what they really want!

Another involved a single dad of quadruplets who is struggling with work + caring for his daughters during this pandemic. He said that the girls know when he is struggling with money when he puts the Ferraro Rocher back on the shelf, because it is his favorite treat (i.e. simple luxury). 

Simple gifts can become sweet luxuries when we savor the small things in our daily lives. Another tchotchke doesn't stand a chance of stirring our hearts when we are surrounded by clutter or shop for "hauls" with every paycheck. Simple gifts land with true value + meaning, when we've cultivated gratitude + slowed the pace of consumption during the rest of the year.

As parents, we set the tone in our homes. As partners, friends, sisters, brothers, daughters + sons, we can offer our lives as quiet, humble, open examples. 

The gifts above are offered as sparks rather than as things to necessarily purchase. Each category offers an abundance of individualized options. Increased cost does not communicate an increased level of love. Thoughtful gifts need not cost money, those who made them or the earth. As always, gift with love.  :)

All lovely photos via links.

Love,
Jane
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experimenting with less :: kitchen :: 04

11/23/2020

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Another week...another experiment with less...in search of "enough". In the USA, this is the week of Thanksgiving. I know some of us are busy, but I thought maybe we could still tackle a small category...the kitchen linens. Is that the right name for all the fabric things in the kitchen?  :) ​

​Step 1 :: Before we even take a look at what we have, let's think about what we need. The fabric items we might consider include towels, sponges or washcloths, napkins, placemats, tablecloths, table runners + potholders. Consider the necessity of each category.

​Just of few of my thoughts:
  • kitchen towels + potholders can be both useful + beautiful
  • we like washcloths rather than sponges or brushes...food washes off of washcloths, they can go into the washing machine + they are reusable for years
  • we don't use napkins...we use the sink if we need to clean our hands during a meal (which almost never happens)...no dirty napkins to wash 
  • it's easier to wipe the table than to clean placemats, tablecloths or runners
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Step 2 :: Consider how many of each of the things we feel we "need" would be "enough". It's worth noting what things truly fall into the "need" category versus the "want" category. My intention is not guilt, but gratitude here. Many of us have access to more than we truly need. Recognizing this can change our perspective significantly on so many things.  

I suggest writing these numbers down, because it might be hard to remember them when we are looking at our things. I'd suggest considering how many people live in your house at the moment + how many of each item are necessary to make it through one week (considering laundry).


My personal thoughts: 3 towels, 3 washcloths + two potholders are enough for us
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Step 3 :: Let's pull out all the towels, sponges, washcloths, napkins, placemats, tablecloths, table runners + potholders. 

Step 4 :: Shop your collection for the number of each item you decided would be enough. (Don't worry. We aren't necessarily deciding to get rid of our leftovers.)
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Step 5 :: Repurpose the leftovers!  :) 
  • Pull out anything that is ready to become a zero-waste, cleaning rag. Washcloths + napkins might already be the right size for rags. Kitchen towels can be cut in half + hemmed along the cut edges for longevity (but it's not necessary).
  • A pretty holiday tablecloth could become a gift or could be cut up to make reusable gift wrap...furoshiki, bento or drawstring bag style.
  • Make bulk bags 
  • Use as reusable tissues
  • Carry a napkin to avoid needing disposable napkins or paper towels when you are out of the house. They also come in handy when buying bulk treats like a bagel or cookie (non-Covid times).
  • Use fabric for patches, quilting supplies, pillow cover
Or pass items on to someone who can use them. (Offer them to friends, family or an agency that works with adolescents aging out of foster care, refugees, abused mamas, formerly incarcerated or homeless folks.) 

Of course, we may decide to keep a few things that aren't necessarily necessary right now. These extras might stretch the need to buy anything new for a while. The key is to remember that we have "enough".  

Step 6 :: Use your curated collection of kitchen linens + implement any new habits/methods. Observe the feelings these changes bring.  :)

​
Find our other experiments with less in the kitchen here: 01, 02, 03, 05, 06.

Love,
​Jane
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holiday cooking with less

11/22/2020

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I've been making complete holiday meals with my simple collection of kitchen tools for years, but this one-pot-one-pan holiday meal looks mighty good too. Just a little inspiration for holiday cooking with less.  :)

Mouthwatering photo via New York Times.

Love,
​Jane
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freedom

11/20/2020

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There is no gate, no lock, no bolt
that you can set upon the freedom
of my mind.
~Virginia Woolf
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simple gifts :: handmade

11/19/2020

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hat
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candles
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reusable bag
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waist pack
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game
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dog coat
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soft friend
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treats
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calendar
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basket
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bread
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mask
Handmade gifts are my favorite ones to give. It's fun to think of what each special recipient will like + then to pour love into every stitch or stroke. My goal is always to give simple, lovely + useful gifts.  Just a few thoughts ::

A hat, scarf or mittens for getting outside this winter.

A soft friend for keeping them company during stay-at-home times.

A candle to bring light to the darkness.

A treat to enjoy while on zoom.

A reusable bag for a little zero-waste-ness during quick grocery runs.

A calendar to remind them that they are loved every day of the year.

A fanny pack for treasures found on long winter walks.

A basket to hold a plant friend or bits + bobs.

A game to foster connection.

A loaf of something sweet or savory to leave on their doorstep.

A coat to keep them cozy too.

​A fresh mask for health.

All lovely photos via links. 

Love, 
Jane
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clothing innovation :: plant-based stretch denim

11/18/2020

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denham
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outerknown
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outerknown
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denham
This is an exciting one, friends...plant-based stretch! We've come to depend on petroleum-based lycra, spandex, elastane + even polyurethane for stretch + recoverability in our leggings + jeans...even the otherwise cotton ones. These plastics make the clothes they are woven into much less biodegradable. ​

How exciting that the Candiani Mill in Italy has developed a plant-based stretch denim! Their Coreva denim uses a yarn made up of organic cotton wrapped around a rubber (from a rubber tree) core. This yarn allows the denim to have both stretch + compostability. 

Dutch jeanmaker, Denham has made a collection of men's jeans with Coreva. They feature no rivets + an ungalvanized button for compostability. Outerknown has made their first pairs of jeans with Coreva too. I'm sure that many more brands will follow quickly.

​Let's hope this is only the beginning for plant-based stretch!

All photos via links.

Love,
Jane
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fair brand :: big bud press

11/17/2020

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Two words come to mind first when I think of Big Bud Press: colorful + fun. And it's possible that some color + fun are just what 2020 could use.  :) The styles Big Bud Press offers are unisex + offered in an extended range of sizes. Big Bud Press designs + makes its cotton pieces in Los Angeles. Enjoy!

All lovely images via Big Bud Press. As always, this + lots of other fair brands can be found on the ethical brands page when you need it.  :)
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experimenting with less :: kitchen :: 03

11/16/2020

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Our experiments so far have tackled some of the big stuff in the kitchen...today let's focus on some of the little stuff. Most of us probably have at least one spot that serves as a catchall for all the little miscellaneous things that we collect over time...some useful + some that will never get used. This week we're taking on the junk drawer(s). 

I just want to say at the outset that things (even the smallest of things) can be useful to others elsewhere, so don't feel like you have to hold on to things just to keep them out of the trash. We'll discuss how to get them used below.  

Also, the pictures for these experiment posts, are not pretty or curated...just honest. I find myself wanting to explain things...but...I won't.  :)

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I used a bin to get it all over to the table.
Step 1 :: Take everything out. 

​Step 2 :: Clean the drawer(s) + let it/them dry.
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Step 3 :: Divide all the things into three piles.
  • Supplies- things like extra batteries + lightbulbs 
  • Just-in-case things 
  • True junk (to be recycled, composted or trashed)
If there are things that would be better placed in the tool box or with the art supplies, etc....get them where they need to go.  :)
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my "supplies" pile
Step 4 :: Go through each category considering the following + setting aside things to let go.

Supplies ::
  • Are these useful to my current life? Are they expired or working? Have you switched to rechargeable batteries, but still have a stash of regular batteries? 
  • How many is enough? I can't use 12 smoke detector batteries before they expire. 
  • When do I plan on using this? If you don't plan on using it in the next year or two, maybe it's a just-in-case item. Move it to that category.

Just-in-case things ::
  • Be honest with yourself about the likelihood of needing these things. If it's not likely it will get used in a year or two, maybe you can get it into the hands of someone who will use it.
  • Consider whether an alternative is possible. Could something else do the job, if necessary? Could you borrow one?
  • Consider how much it would cost to replace it...in the unlikely circumstance that it would need to be replaced.
​True junk ::
  • get it into the recycling, compost or trash
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drawer #1 :: before
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drawer #1 :: after
Step 5 :: "Organize" your junk drawer(s).
Beautiful drawer organizers might be great for some, but they might just be more stuff. I'm trying to prioritize being able to see my "supplies", so we use them + avoid buying more.
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drawer #2 :: before
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drawer #2 :: after
 Step 6 :: Get extra resources to those who can use them.
  • Do your best to get useful supplies into the hands of those who will appreciate them. (Offer them to friends, family or an agency that works with adolescents aging out of foster care, refugees, abused mamas, formerly incarcerated or homeless folks.) 
  • Take spare office supplies to work, school or church.
  • Even small things get snapped up on a local, free listing website. Maybe offer a collection of odds + ends all together.

Take note of the feelings these actions bring. I often feel a little lightness about doing the work of getting them used + not sending them to a landfill.

We are calling this series "experimenting with less" + the observations of this "experiment" will be carried out over the course of maybe a year or two. Take note of how often you need something you let go. Do you mind that that resource was made useful to someone else in the meantime? Was it a total drag or expensive to replace it?

Another goal here is to notice + change what we bring into our homes. When we need a new battery, we can purchase a pack of two rather than feeling the need to buy the biggest pack. Less stuff takes up less space + is easier to keep organized. This makes it easier to see what we have + to use that up rather than buying more...which saves money, resources + waste.

​
Find our other experiments with less in the kitchen here: 01, 02, 04, 05, 06.

Love,
Jane
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