and now for the hardest post of the year (says jo)...2015 favorites:

fave song:
jane:  choices by to kill a king, weapon by bastille
jo:  father by youth
julia:  let her go by break of reality

fave book:
jane:  all the light we cannot see by anthony doerr
jo:  six of crows by leigh bardugo
julia:  the candymakers by wendy mast


fave place visited:
jane:  pentwater beach , mi
jo:  twenty one pilots concert venue
julia:  pentwater beach, mi

fave album:
jane:  st. lucia's when the night, hozier's hozier
jo: twenty one pilot's blurryface, youth's start again, levi the poet's seasons
julia:  enya's shepherd moons and watermark

fave new discoveries:
jane:  judah and the lion, oh wonder, voxtrot
jo:  yøuth, judah and the lion
julia:  enya

(we have to mention that most of these are all of our favorites!  we just agreed to diversify to add more!)   :)

what are your 2015 faves?  we'd love to hear!  

love, 
jane + jo + julia

i only made two gifts this year...one for jo + one for julia.  julia needed a new hat, so i knit carrie bostick hoge's hats for all (women's size) from malabrigo rios that i had in my stash.  it worked up quite lovely, is a nice weight, and matches her coat well.

it was fun to make this from what i had on hand...without sacrificing the look i wanted.  

did you make any gifts that you can share now?  :)  i'd love to hear about them!

love,
jane

one of my favorite examples of patches done right is this guy.  scott schulman (the sartorialist) writes in his first book of a gallery show which included a photo of this man. people commented that it was interesting for schuman to include a picture of a homeless man in a fashion exhibit.  others knew him as the head of the vintage department for ralph lauren!

maybe it's because i was a teenager at a time when ripped jeans were in style, but i've always been attracted to a slightly disheveled look.  patches are badges of honor for those pieces of clothing deemed worthy of a of love and devotion almost beyond what they can endure. 

i'm on a mission to extend my devotion to the items already in my closet, and patching just makes my heart grow fonder.  here are a few of my favorite patches.

we are expecting snow today, so naturally let's talk about seashells!  :)  i love to decorate with natural elements.  there is nothing quite as zero-waste as that...except maybe blank walls...which i also love.  :)  we made the original version of this piece while on vacation with friends a few years ago.  i had always loved it, but wanted to see it a bit more filled in.  so...i started again, and quickly had a piece i know i'll love for more years to come.  these shells with their knocked off tops were plentiful on the beaches of wales.  they are perfect for tying onto this weathered piece of driftwood found there as well.  this now hangs above my bed and reminds me of the beach, which i love.

hope you had a wonderful, cozy christmas!  

love,
​jane

i would not say that i fall into the category of dreading the holiday season…but i have noticed a tightening in my chest that comes with this time of year.  two out of four of our tribe's birthdays fall in these weeks between thanksgiving and christmas, and i feel pressure to make each of these days + the entire season spectacular. 

at the same time, this tribe has come to a point of truly feeling we do not need more.  we do not want extra clutter.  we've done the work of clearing out, and we like simple.  and yet, i feel like i am left to wonder how to fill these weeks with the feelings i think should come in this season.  we don't have big school or church productions to participate in or attend.  it's up to me to bring christmas to life.

i realize that i am still trying to figure out, after all this time, how to give my tribe a wonderful christmas that does not come from a store.  i also realize that maybe i'm still expecting to create something that elicits the same reactions and feeling my girls had when they were younger...but toys have been replaced with a cello, a ukelele, art supplies, and library books.  

it is amazing and satisfying.  we don't need more stuff.  

so we have conversations about it.  we are ready for christmas simplicity.  i know we want this, and i want to figure out what exactly this looks like...so i can just have fun with what we choose to do (which is not nothing!).

i want to come up with some guidelines for myself that feel right in this season of life (although, i think these would be right in any season-for us)…something to help me not to have to wonder about this next year.  no second guessing, no comparison, no guilt.  

i want christmas to be special. it want it to be cozy and happy.  most of all, i want it to be jesus.  i want the glow to come from the manger.  i don't think it has to be spectacular every day, and i need to let that sink in.  so this is just to remind myself.  :)

our decorations are:
-twinkle lights
-vintage-y tinsel
-candles
-pinecones gathered on autumn walks
-paper snowflakes
-small tree + stars
-nativity set  
-advent calendar we made together

activities: (because we like an activity or two to look forward to)
-making for others + volunteering too
-giving an extra gift to our compassion kids' families
-a ride or three to see christmas lights with hot cocoa in hand  
-christmas tunes
-a few silly movies
-dickens' christmas carol audiobook from the library  
-the christmas story read by linus and us too  
-a special event or two (they make great gifts)
-a christmas day walk to spread some seeds and give the animals a day of easy eating

gifts:
-3 small stocking gifts  
-3 gifts under the tree for the girls (including experience gift) 
​-(note to self:  these don't have to make their year.  they are just little lovelies to give smiles and warm feelings.)

food:
-homemade cookie/treat of the week
-our traditional shepherd's pie + cranberry fluff + birthday cake on christmas day

i hesitate to post this, because it is so personal.  i mostly want to convey the idea that we each get to decide what is right for us...what is simple...what is enough...what is meaningful.  

these are just some of the things that i can make happen...not a to do list that must happen. expectation is what gets me every time.  and i mean my expectations, really.  my girls never seem disappointed.  it's more than just gifts…or perhaps they are all gifts...especially the one in the manger!

love,
jane

p.s.  what are your plans/have you done this year?  i would truly love to hear!!

i like to have a paper planner so that i can list my tasks for the day and also see what's coming up.  i had a planner that i started writing dates in for 2016…and then later that day, i came across bullet journaling again.  (watch the video, if you like- it's a good overview.)  i'm guessing this an old news, but somehow this time it felt new and inspiring.  the funny thing was, when i mentioned it to jo…we realized that we had come across it at the same time…and had both been intrigued.  

jo and i spent some time looking at our combined inspiration together…and really came to no conclusion whether we would try it.  :)  anyway, i thought i'd mention it here.  it's almost the new year…and one might find a need for a new planner or planner system.  :)

things i like about the bullet journaling thing:
~a new journal can be started at any point in the year.  no need to wait for a new year…or waste unused pages.
~any journal can be used.
~the journal can be customized to specific needs.  homework log…grocery list…goals…inspiring quotes…project notes, etc...
~the journal can be customized to any style…simple or fancy
~a little or a lot of space can be used for each day…and that can vary from day to day…no paper wasted…no squeezing necessary

what do you think?

love,
jane

last minute gifts:

~grocery store items like:
--bulk candy, snack, coffee, tea, or soup mix in a glass jar 
--fair-trade chocolate bar(s)
--candle(s)
--flowers
--oranges
--magazines (could add a subscription)
--fresh rosemary or basil plant, perhaps prettily potted

a promise that buys you time like (but presentation and follow-through matters!):   :)
​~a day trip around your city including a few places they love, but don't always seem to get to…scavenger hunt style (one clue at a time)
~other experience gifts, like:
--concert tickets
​--ballet, circus, show tickets
--zoo pass
--museum membership
--bowling
--dinner out
--skate park
--sporting event
--ice skating
~the promise of a favorite meal…including dessert + candles + music (or the promise of dinner for them and some of their friends…like this…brilliant idea!)
~a day of cooking with someone who wants to learn + a cutting board, apron or wooden spoons
~gift certificates for back rubs, breakfast in bed, chores, a day with sole control of the remote, babysitting, yard work, etc.)

one stop shopping:
~gift card…(again... the plastic ones create more waste, so perhaps real money in a little handmade envelope marked with the intended/suggested use could work instead?  or refill one you've received and used up.)
~a plant in a cute pot
~seed savers catalog + a little seed money :)
~a donation to a cause they love

​or maybe you've got enough time to finish knitting one more hat!  ;)

love,
jane

the boxwood wreath on our front door is simple and natural, and its beauty doesn't fade.  it looks fresh all spring and summer long.  in the autumn, the addition of an orange or caramel brown ribbon keeps it seasonal…and in december the ribbon can change to red.    :)

​simple.  minimal.  and that ribbon needs to ironed.

love,
jane

we've probably all heard about giving experiences as zero-waste gifts.  i love this idea and have employed it a lot over the past few years.  as a tribe, we have experienced memorable concerts, movies, meals, ballets and even a road trip or two as spectacular gifts.  back rub certificates, free hugs, and chore coupons have also been appreciated.  i love these types of gifts so much, but i also like to have a few touchable gifts under our tree.  

touchable gifts produce a lot of waste around the world at this and other times of the year. there are mountains of wrapping paper, boxes, bags, cards, and packaging disposed after the holidays.  i always notice people's enormous garbage cans propped open by the heaping waste in the week following the day.  i want to try to avoid that, so here are a few of my ideas for zero-waste gifting:

~consumables like clementines, bulk candy in a glass jar, homemade cookies (or a jarred mix made of bulk ingredients), homemade bread, ingredients for a meal, bulk soup mix, homemade pickles or jam, etc.
~a themed gift like:
--"an evening of pampering", including some homemade bath salts, a hand crocheted wash cloth, tea, and maybe a book from your own shelf
--a "coffee sampler", including small jars of few different types of coffee beans (maybe locally roasted) and labeled
~a gift to subtley encourage more zero-waste choices in someone with an interest.  for example:
--a cuppow
--zero-waste shopping kit items
--zero-waste grooming kit, including bamboo toothbrush, bulk soap, homemade tooth paste, deodorant or crystal deodorant, etc.
--a cute canvas tote bag (handmade or otherwise) + a list of all its possible applications
--baggu + the hint that it fits perfectly in purse, glove compartment, or back pocket  :)
~a candle
~handmade lotion scented with their favorite essential oil + recipe
~spice mixes…or tiny jars filled with a few bulk spices, labeled
~hot cocoa kit, with homemade hot cocoa mix and handmade marshmallows
~home sewn purse or pouch made from what you already have
~handknit scarf, cowl or hat
~a journal + prompts (or an all in one version of this + extra pen you have laying around, or new one without packaging- check out craft or art stores)  
~a replacement (it helps to know the person quite well for this one)…something they use often or need, but is maybe not at the top of their shopping list…socks, pajama pants, slippers, everyday sweater/sweatshirt, backpack, kitchen knife, bathroom towels, etc. (may want to include a gift receipt)  :)
~kitchen towel made by an independent maker (or you)
~playlist…this can be a nice on its own or as an addition to many of the above…or, like:
--bathsalts + crocheted washcloth + playlist
--songs from the year you met + a couple pictures + a candy bar you loved at the time
~new sheet music
~ or any of the ones mentioned here (plus there are many from last year's posts that you can find through the simple christmas link to the right)

giving gifts that the receiver doesn't want can also be wasteful, so it's important to remember to have the recipient in mind when choosing the gift (sounds obvious, but i think most of us have experienced that it apparently is not).  :)  if in doubt, i stick with food/drink which can easily be shared or passed on.  and it doesn't hurt to ask what the recipient would like to receive either!  :)

i'd love to hear what zero-waste gifts you are giving!

love,
​jane

i love the idea of experience gifts as the ultimate zero-waste gifts.  spending time with loved ones is often the best treat, but some of our loved ones are far away... so while i'd love to get the chance to take them out to lunch, it just can't happen.  we might like to send a little something to let them know we care, but i'd still like to keep the waste minimal.  i thought i'd share some gift ideas this week…and since mail needs to be sent soon, let's start with a few ideas for zero-waste gifts especially good for those far away (some are good for those close to home as well):

~a set of cards or postcards + stamps and a promise to write them a piece of snail mail every month (these can be recycled, made into gift tags, or used as decoration, but will most likely be kept + cherished)  :)
~a gift card (the plastic ones create more waste, so perhaps real money in a little handmade envelope marked with the intended/suggested use could work instead?  or refill one you've received and used up.  i have one in my purse waiting to be refilled and regifted.)
~a themed gift like: 
-- "a cozy evening at home kit", including a couple pairs of socks, favorite bulk tea + homemade carmel corn in reused containers, and a crossword puzzle book or favorite magazine or a book from your shelf that they would enjoy
--"a box of cozy", including a handmade hat or store bought gloves, homemade hot cocoa in a reused container, and a beeswax candle
--"a crafty afternoon", including supplies to explore a new craft like knitting (ball of yarn + bamboo needles + free pattern link to get them started) or origami (papers + books recommendations to check out at the library + a couple paper cranes) or adult coloring (book + markers)

​love,
jane