Ransacked Goods

Outdoor Chalkboard

I've been meaning to do this outdoor chalkboard project for so long! It was put on the back burner so many times I just forgot about it. But last weekend we got motivated to finish up some projects in our backyard. One trip to the hardware store for a can of paint was all it took, now that's not too hard. The Chickpea helped me slap a coat of primer on a big board we already had, then three coats of chalkboard paint. Yeah, my little helper got board so I did most of it. The hubby mounted it to the fence and I repurposed 2 hooks (they are a little creepy because they are shaped like fingers) to hang 2 chalk buckets. Instant play time, they love it. Now to be an over achiever I also painted the inside of the chicken coop (I should call it a kid coop for now) with the chalkboard paint and recovered the benches inside with new oil-cloth. We're ready for Summer.

Grandfather's WW2 Satchel (the redux)

 

Awhile back two things happened at the same time.... I was cleaning out some cupboards in the garage and found my grandfathers WW2 satchel which I had briefly used in college. Obviously it had been through a lot and I was contemplating keeping it or not since I'm trying my best to carefully consider family keepsakes that are not in use. Realistically, I wasn't going to bring it out to use again but what a connection to a man I've never met. The next day.... I was flipping through Real Simple when I noticed some lovely bags by forestbound. All of Alice Saunders utilitarian bags are created using found and salvaged material, primarily from WW2. Check out her design sponge interview here. I contacted her through her etsy shop after checking out some of the past beautiful bags she had created. And although she wasn't taking custom orders she said she would recreate the bag for me, so off it went to NY.

I'll now proudly be carrying this revitalized leather bottomed tote around town. I love that she was able to keep my grandfather's name and rank which were important to me. The rest is made from the deconstructed bag with the addition of the classic blue ticking. She even made a little pouch from some of the left over material. Check out the before and after photos on her blog.

So here's to reaching out for inspiration and collaboration, the results can be impressive. And here's to giving new life to old things instead of hiding them away.

Upcoming Earth Day

via www.marthastewart.com

In advance of Earth Day this week here are some links to reducing the junk mail you receive. Seriously one of my pet-peeves.

Is there any greater disappointment than a full mailbox stuffed with only junk mail? Here's how to keep the unwanted at bay.... (keep reading)

Bay Area Junk Mail Reduction Campaign

YellowPageGoesGreen

Also if you haven't watched No Impact Man yet, go right out and do it. While it admittedly has it's flaws it's very thought provoking. I was really drawn to the transformation his wife Michelle Conlin but honestly what I thought it lacked as insight into their lives as parents. I really wanted to know more about how their child functioned under these constraints and how they managed it as a family. How did they feed her without refrigeration, what kind of child care was she going to, did they pack any lunches for her?

As for us, we'll be celebrating my husband's birthday on Earth Day. There is a reason they both share the same day and have been around just as long as one another.

Reusable Produce Bags

via www.etsy.com from Wonder Thunder

Next up on my sewing agenda is the reusable produce bag. Something I haven’t bought because it just looks too easy to make. When I go grocery shopping I usually stuff all my produce into one plastic bag. Our local grocery store has a clumsy system of weighing all organic produce and bulk food separately before checking out. It’s more of an organized chaos of stickers and rolling fruit than I’d like it to be. We recycle all the plastic bags that we bring home which isn’t that many or that often but it’s one more step in reducing our consumption.

Tea Tins For Paint Brushes

The other day I turned this tea tin into a cute little paint brush holder for Chickpea with a little bit of doodled paper and glue. Am I the only one who hold on to little tins because they could be useful for something and they sit and sit empty forever? I think this one has been in my desk for at least 2 years. Better to turn things into useful objects than hoard them right. So then I ran across these tins below in an old copy of Martha a few days later. Leave it to Martha to have already figured it out. They do make a nice collection though, don't they.

Martha's Memorabilia Tins 

Perfect Day (almost)

It was a more than beautiful day here. Winter, you have been officially kicked out for another year. 75 degrees and total sunshine, tank tops, flip flops, open doors, lemonade and cool Vietnamese food. I surprised Chickpea with a trip to Fairyland this morning and she was over the moon with excitement. We watched an outdoor puppet show about a princess and a unicorn, rode the Jolly Trolley and ate our special lunch - a very successful adventure. We packed in some gardening to boot. It was a perfect day...

That is except for you bitter, ice queen, parking ticket lady.Who gives a pregnant lady running across the street carrying a 2-year-old on her hip a $55 ticket on such a wonderful day? And I'm just telling you now because I was keeping my act together in front of my child - You suck! And I hope you have a terrible weekend! No sunshine and fairies for you!!

To the rest of you, have a wonderful weekend filled with goodness.

White Elephant Sale 2010

via www.etsy.com

Elephant by Orange Willow

Hit the White Elephant Sale again this year with my friend Julia. We both scored with very modest dents to our wallets. Lesson learned, even if you get their early, just pay for parking. The crowds were overwhelming but organized chaos prevailed at this Costo sized garage sale. Never know what you're going to unearth!

My favorite find was this first edition printing of a childhood favorite called The Stray by Betsy James Wyeth and illustrated by Jamie Wyeth who was a classmate of my mother. It's long since out of print and I believe my brother has the copy we grew up with. So glad to have my own.

Finished Bench

After much pestering and pleading the husband finally painted the bench for me (darn those toxic chemicals or I would have done it myself). Even though it's bright, I'm so happy with the way it turned out. It will look darling outside or even inside. Certainly a happy kid place.

Vintage Tablecloth - Now Napkins

I adore vintage linens and I have a whole stash of beautiful tablecloths that I've picked up over the years. The problem is that they are all sitting in my closet - folded and unused. They aren't that kid friendly and who needs more laundry. What we do use a whole lot of around here are cloth napkins. We'll go through a whole set during breakfast, lunch and dinner. The ones that we've been using the most we're looking really mangy. So I think I spotted this idea in Betz White's book while browsing the book store a few weeks back. I cut up a well worn tablecloth with great colors and lovely soft linen and trimmed it with bias tape. Each one has a different slice of the overall pattern which I love. I have just 2 more to sew up tonight for a nice new set of 6. Very pleased. Let the wiping of fingers begin.

Sewing Green: 25 Projects Made with Repurposed & Organic Materials

Log Cabin Pillow

Check it out, yet another new pillow. I've been wanting to finish this one up for a long time. It's actually a large vintage quilt block that I got a long time ago. It's mostly silk and linen. I backed it with a cute red and white polka dot (similar to the blue on the front) and put in a successful invisible zipper. It's large at 22" and makes a great place for reading books in Chickpea's cozy bed.

I've got more sewing planned this weekend, if I'm lucky to steal a moment to myself. Plus a trip here with a friend for what has been touted as amazing hot chocolate. Now that I've been dabbling with giving up lattes, hot chocolate is my new cafe buddy. Yummers.

Happy weekend to all!

Weekend Thrifting

I love this picture of Chickpea, although the photographer in me says it could have been better and I knew when I took it that I had already missed the shot I wanted. Such is life with a roving 2.5 year old, deliciously adorable and innocent one minute then off like a shot to something new.

This weekend was the first time that we took her out to do some real thrifting and vintage scavenging in Alameda. I used to love spending full days roaming antique malls, stopping at garage sales and cruising eBay but my fondness has faded over the recent years. I think it all started when we moved into our new house 4 years ago. Our old place (although it's the same age and style as the new one) just craved color, happiness and kitsch - perhaps it was the bleak neighborhood that forced us to liven up our interior. But when we moved what we had looked out of place and awkward so most of my fun finds remained tucked away - the pink girraff salt and pepper shakers, the Thailand Jim Beam bottle, the cowboy lampshade. Our house has been going through a bit of an identity crisis ever since. But you grow up, your tastes change and what you choose to surround yourself with does as well. I still love vintage finds, appreciating old character and history but it has a different place in my heart and home now. I'm constantly working on removing the clutter in my house for the sake of simplicity, choosing to keep what has purpose, meaning or truly makes me happy to look at.

It was fun to see what Chickpea was drawn to: "broken dollies", a wicker baby carriage, train sets... I found myself looking mostly at what would amuse her and not what would fill my house, a happy change for the eyes.

But mostly we had what she calls "good times", running around and exploring. So what did we walk away with, a wicker doll rocker for her and a rosette cookie set for me. I had just asked my mom the other day if she still had my great-grand-mothers but she didn't. Funny the way things appear when you want them to, burried at the bottom of a box none the less. I'm excited to make these Swedish goodies but more on that later. We also happened upon another score the day before at Urban Ore, a BOB stroller (below) for just $38, nice I know. Sure it looks like it sat on someone's porch for a year but it's a nice ride for a fraction of the price!

Quilt Score

I decided to brave Chinatown parking and get a quick visit to our largest Salvation Army thrift store. While thrifting doesn't hold the appeal it once used to it's still a fun adventure. But here's my score, this beautiful 40's quilt for only $7.50 - and I can't find a single blemish on it. Now I need another quilt like a need a hole in my head but I couldn't resist. Now it's off to the laundry for you lovely quilt!

T-shirt Toddler Dress

I've had this t-shirt a friend of mine made in my drawer for too long now. Even though it doesn't fit me anymore, I can't bare to toss that cute little nest illustration into the Goodwill bag. But what do I do with it? So while I was browsing the bookstore this weekend I saw a solution in this book. I used the existing neckline and hem, sewed it into a narrower A-line shape, and just cut the sleeves off using another one of Chickpea's dresses as a template. I snipped the top to tie adjustable straps. It's a little too rough with the "toddler rocker" look for me. I usually prefer things a little more finished but it will work for play clothes this summer. My husband said it looked like peasant wear... But I've got a little more room in my dresser now.

Generation T: Beyond Fashion: 120 New Ways to Transform a T-shirt

Weekend Deal

Have I ever mentioned how much I like a deal? I've been on the hunt for a used wood doll house for quite a while now since they're one of the pricier kid items out there. Plus I'm just a big fan of re-using kid's stuff. I scored on this little house complete with too much cute furniture and a slightly creepy family for get this... $20. Now I can think of a hundred ways that I can easily blow through a twenty in my wallet, a glass of wine with a friend, new books, the farmer's market, parking downtown... But this particular $20 will give us hours of play and stories to invent.

Goodwill Going Upscale

Uh, how come we don't get Marc Jacobs in my local Goodwill? Yeah, ours is re-branded with their peppy new colors and cheerful smiley logo but it's still ghetto. Check out this article in today's New York Times, Look Who's Shopping at Goodwill.

And for those of you who want to know more about the global used-clothing trade read here. Where are those concert t-shirts you donated?

Photo by Hiroko Masuike for The New York Times

The Compact

Here's a little number I picked-up for the Chickpea at a random trip to the Salvation Army last week. It's Gymboree for a whopping $3.25 and she'll fit into it this summer. But it has me thinking...

I've been reading some interesting articles on The Compact life recently. It's well worth checking out this concept. I love their simple and straight forward guidelines for a more sustainable lifestyle.

1. to go beyond recycling in trying to counteract the negative global environmental and socioeconomic impacts of U.S. consumer culture, to resist global corporatism, and to support local businesses, farms, etc.

2. to reduce clutter and waste in our homes (as in trash Compact-er)

3. to simplify our lives (as in Calm-pact)

I'd like to think I always have these principals in the back of my head but I know I don't follow them whole heartedly. It takes a special kind of person for follow these rules methodically for a year. But moving forward for 2009, I'm going to put a greater effort into keeping my consumerism in check. Before I dash out to Target or pull up Amazon, I'll think twice about weather I can borrow or buy used, even for the simple things. But the tighter wallet we'll face next year shouldn't be my only reason. If I love the idea of handmade and community supported gifts, food, art, what-have-you... then my lifestyle needs to reflect that more. And those are the values I need to show my daughter instead of just talking about them. So sure, we'll continue to do what we're already doing for "the cause" but I'll make a concerted effort to step it up in 2009 and maybe you will too!