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

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

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.  :)

Love,
​Jane

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

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

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

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

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.  :)

Step 1 :: Take everything out. 

​Step 2 :: Clean the drawer(s) + let it/them dry.

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.  :)

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

 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.

Love,
Jane

If you see the world as
​beautiful, thrilling + mysterious...
then you feel quite alive.
~David Hockney

April Meets October designs + makes beautiful pieces from (mostly) natural fibers in Los Angeles. Most of these pieces come in one size, which normally seems unrealistic...but these pieces seem like they would look lovely on quite a variety of bodies. I find that really exciting. 

Making clothing in a variety of sizes can lead to a lot of waste. Stocking each size can lead to leftovers of just a size or two that struggle to find their wearing mates. (This can be remedied somewhat with a made-to-order model.) Wrong size purchases involve mailing pieces back + forth across the miles which involves cost to customer, brand + planet. A one size model of business has the potential to cut out much of this waste. 

April Meets October also has an adorable children's line which is made in Korea.

All lovely photos via April Meets October.

Love,
Jane