Re-purposed & Re-imagined: T-shirt Tote

A deceptively simple idea and one I just had to try myself. I'm in constant need of bags and I'm not keen on buying paper ones or even the reusable grocery bags. My issue with the grocery store bags is they are emblazoned with the store logo, so I feel kinda weird going to a different store and handing over a bag without their logo.

I've also recently changed my shopping habits, so I'm often at the Farmers Market or at a local store where I buy in loose bulk. I like the idea of having various size bags for separate produce and smaller bags that tie off for nuts, grains, etc...

I've found a couple of websites with instructions and suggestions that I'm going to try out:
Instructable "Fastest Recycled T-Shirt Tote Bag"
Instructable "No-Sew 10 Minute T-Shirt Tote"
Ecouterre Produce Bag

New to Me Skill - Rug Making

My plan was simple to make a hooked rug, but all the instructions online specified a specific type of ribbon, a special hook and fabric.

I didn't want to spend additional money on a project I might not continue, much less complete. So I compromised creatively.

I had a crochet hook that fit a latch rug canvas and I had lots of fabric scraps that I could rip into ribbons. The canvas I purchased on the cheap from a yard sale for a buck.

Not having a clue what design to do or even where to start, I consulted My-Good-Friend-the-Internet and was overwhelmed. I couldn't find a simple design or instructions. Thinking the largess of the canvas was intimidating me, I cut out a mostly square section.

Because the grid pattern looked like that alphabet paper I used as a kid, I decided to do an "E". I probably chose that letter because it's the first initial of my fairy goddaughter's name, whose "this many" and holds up two curved fingers widely spread.

From the "E," I created a simple design that allowed me to experiment with different shapes like, squares, circles, and zigzags. I was pretty happy with the results and very, very, very glad I started small. I think I'll give this one to E and I've already started another one for my cars obsessed nephew.

I don't know if I have an innate skill or if its not as hard as the internet instructions made it seem, it seemed pretty easy to me but tedious. Basically, I used the crochet hook to pull a loop of fabric ribbon up through the canvas from the bottom. Then I moved on to the next square and repeated the action until the pattern ended or I ran out of ribbon, then I left a tail sticking up through the canvas and started again with a new ribbon. Once a section was complete, I trimmed all the tails down and they disappeared into the rug.

I like this style because I'm using scraps of fabric that would otherwise be thrown away. You see the blue area in the rug picture below. That's actually a mixture of two different fabrics. They both were dark blue with a light blue pattern. One pattern was floral and the other was waves. However, when ripped into strips you couldn't tell that they were different.

Like I said before, it's work. I definitely plan to stick with the small rugs right now, especially if I'm doing a pattern. I'll let you know if I decide to tackle something larger.

Feeling Inspired - "Our Tiny House Inspiration"

Through a random search, I came across Bryce and Mel's video regarding "Tiny House Inspiration" (see below).

Unbeknownst to me, I was already following their Pinterest page "Tiny House Inspiration." I like the way they've put together their story through social media. It's taken a huge commitment from them to tackle a project like this and record many of the steps. I feel good just keeping this blog up to date!

Anyway, their YouTube channel and website have so much more information, so check them out.

Me & My Stuff, Parting 2

My load of small stuff - cloths, kitchen, bathroom, camping.

When I moved in 2011, I discovered that adjusting from 1800 square feet to 800 square feet was not as hard as I expected, especially once the boxes and books were evacuated (See Me & My Stuff, Parting 1) . There were, however, several thing that really annoyed me in a teeth gritting sort of way.

• The walls. A small space should not have walls.
• Cooking in the kitchen was also very bothersome. It was a galley style that opened into a central hallway. 

 I lived in the apartment for 2 years. The rent skyrocketed after the first year but I stayed put because I'd found the place I wanted to move to - Downtown. They had studio apartments between 500 to 550 square feet located in Downtown area, a block away from a rapid transport station.

It was perfect. Problem was it had a 98% occupancy rate at all times. It took me a year to get in, but I did in 2013.

I didn't have a lot of things to pack up this time since half my boxes last time were books and those were gone. This time most of my small stuff actually fit in my car in one load. I was so surprised! (picture Macaulay Culkin's "Home Alone" face).

This time, there was a furniture issue. I was not going to be able to fit all my furniture into a 500 square foot studio.

I called around to various family members to find out if anyone wanted anything I was thinking about getting rid of. Only the harvest table went back to my parents.

I couldn't exactly hold a yard sale in a apartment, especially one that was gated, and to be honest I was not that impressed with the last one. Instead I decided I would let friends and people in the apartment complex know I was getting rid of some furniture for a price. I did much better than a yard sale because I was able to sell things over months rather than just one day.

The daybed that looked like one of those hospital beds from Madam Pomfrey's ward, went to a family across the hall whose daughter was graduating from her crib. 

 The chair that was originally a burnt-orange velvet was positioned too close to the hearth and suffered fourth degree burns which resulted in it being recovered in a burgundy crushed velvet. When my uncle saw it, he stated "it looks like it came from a house of ill repute." Appropriately,  I thought, the chair was sold to a friend for her boudoir.  

The bookcase my mother and I painted together with a shimmering summer gold inside and the outside was a lovely copper patina, was sold as well. I loved that bookcase, but I had no books.

It's been years since I sold these pieces of furniture but still remember them because of the memories associated with them. I once thought that if I got rid of them that I would be discarding the memories as well. I've just proven that's not the case, the memories are still there and just as strong as before. Maybe even stronger because I don't have the things anymore.

 The remainder of my furniture including bookcases which were given to a teacher and some smaller antiques that I sold to a used furniture store. I sold fewer thing than I did in the 2011 move yard sale but walked away with more money. (There's a lesson to be learned there, I'm sure...)

Afterwards, Me and my stuff moved into 500 square feet without a U-Haul! Whoohoo!

Feeling the Need for Escape

There are some days when going to work, going to school, going home in the city are last places I want to go. I wish I could hurl away all my responsibilities, hit the road and hide among the trees.

This image came through my Facebook feed this morning and I think it best describes how I feel. I don't know what Tom Fonder calls this comic strip but I don't think it needs a name. It's eloquent as is.

TED Inspiration - Dee Williams "Dream Big, Live Small"

Dee Williams is a remarkable woman who changed the course of her life. Her opening line is a great motivator when considering how much "stuff" you actually need.

" I want you to take a second and think about what new purchase, what item, would you want to hold in your arms as you die... Can you imagine how our consumer patterns would change and how small our houses would shrink if we asked those questions a little more often." - Dee Williams

Re-purposed & Re-imagined: Chris McMahon

Chris McMahon's painting

Chris McMahon's deviantART site states, "I buy other people's landscape paintings at yard sales and Goodwill and put monsters in them." With a tagline like that, I had to take a closer look.

You can see his process for different paintings on his blog Involuntary Collaborations.

I like seeing people step outside the box and re-imagine what other people have thrown or given away, especially when it involves monsters and trolls.

New to Me Skill - Bread

I don't know why I decided to start with bread. It seemed like a natural progression after cupcakes, I guess. And the cupcakes were coming pretty regular after I bought my wonderful used Kitchen Aid mixture on Ebay. See, aren't they both pretty!

Growing up in a small family restaurant business with my Dad and Memaw as the cooks, I've always felt pretty confident in the kitchen, at least when it comes to cooking food. My Dad is champion cake maker. Memaw's pies are delicious. And Mom makes some of the best cookies around. We also made stews, sauces, salads and meats. But we didn't bake breads, unless you count rolls and biscuits.

So when I got my Kitchen Aid mixture, I wanted to start small and got a few boxes of cake mix to experiment. I quickly discovered the baking was pretty simple for me (though, I know that's not true for everyone) and began to enjoy the decorating portion of cupcakes.

After several dozens of cupcakes, it was time to venture beyond the paddle tool. Pretty soon I was playing with all the attachments on the Kitchen Aid mixture and came across the dough hook. Well, I can make something with that, I thought, bread.

White Bread

Wheat Bread

Oatmeal Bread

I don't use an automated bread maker because I find the periodic interruptions conducive to my frame of mind. Many times I get engrossed in studying, watching TV, household chores, and playing on the computer that I forget to give my eyes, back, feet, or mind a rest. Doing something like bread making where I use a timer to provide scheduled interruptions works. Overall, I find the experience of bread making worth the effort.

The process is soothing and the results are amazing. It smells so good that I often don't restrain myself well enough from cutting into it. I end up feeling really good about myself when I eat that first slice.

Feeling Inspired - Livin' Tiny: A Quest for Power

Me & My Stuff, Parting 1

When I decided to move, as a matter of fact every time I've decided to move, I encounter the question, "Where do I go?" This question encompasses more than just me, it's me and my stuff.

The house I owned in 2008 was 1800 square feet, 950 was the main cottage, 850 was a separate guest house, not counting the 2 car garage which had so much stuff in I couldn't park my truck in it.

When I moved to my new apartment in 2011, it was 1000 square feet less and no garage, meaning three quarters of the stuff had to go. Naturally, I decided to have a yard sale because I was so sure I'd make some money on that. Not!

I ended up giving most of what I planned to sell away to local charity resale store and the rest I packed up with the other stuff. Then I moved. My dad and uncle were the two main unloaders while I stayed in the U-Haul and mom organized boxes coming in the apartment.

"Where does this go?" Dad asked. He and my uncle peered up from the ground looking like gnomes weighted down by boulders instead of men with moving boxes.  

"Oh, that's books. Put it in the living room," I said as I continued to moved boxes to get to the dolly. It took my dad and uncle several trips from truck to living room before the dolly was unearthed.

On one return trip, my uncle ask exasperated and not really expecting an answer, "How many of these are there?" More trips of book boxes with the dolly then it was on to moving out the furniture.

"Is that it?" Dad's question echoed through the truck.  

"Yes..." I answered before glancing up. "Oh, uh, no. Looks like there's more book on the U-Haul shelf thing."

The dolly was loaded again and rolled into the living room. I entered to find my mom staring at a room half-filled, shoulder high with book boxes.

"That's a lot of books," Mom said dryly before turning to me, "Where do you plan to put them?"

"I don't know." 

Think about that... about half of the boxes I moved were books. That's a lot of boxes. Heck, that's a lot of books. Some of the books were from my grandfather's library which I inherited, the rest were all mine. After that move and the realization that I might have to move again, I decided I didn't want to move that many books... ever.

***

One of the categories under my American Dream is "A better quality of life." Through my experience with buying a house, I had already begun to question the cost of realty and largess of housing sizes. It didn't seem efficient or sustainable which the market crash was proving. But no one was talking about alternatives, or so I thought until I came across the "Tiny House Movement."  Then it clicked and with this realization, others followed (but that's a subject for later).

One of the key points of discussion in the Tiny House Community is stuff in a smaller space and having a place for the stuff. I was already experiencing this with my move, but the Tiny House Community has a slightly different way of looking at, organizing and utilizing their stuff and their space. This was a mentality I wanted to adopt and I started with my books.

When I moved I left some good friends behind, especially a family with two boys who are very special to me. They knew of my love of reading and books, for I always carried a book in my purse when I came over to babysit, help with science fair projects or just dropped in. As a going away gift, they gave me a Kindle.

That first night in my new place with my books still packed in the other room, I snuggled down in my bed and tried to sleep. I couldn't do it. I always read before bed but had no desire to mine through boxes for a particular book that was now like a chocolate craving that can only be fixed with consumption. No book would do but this one particular book. 

I trudged from my bed, retrieved my purse and pulled out the book I had finished the night before, thinking I could read something... anything, when I saw the Kindle.  

Oh, I thought. Could I buy the book?

Why buy the book when I already have it? I rationalized. That's wasteful.

Well, let's see how much it cost first. I excused. Hmm, not bad. Half the price of regular book. I could sell the hardcopy and it would pay for purchase. 

So I bought it. I pulled the plush comforter under my arms and was reading in seconds.

The next morning I remembered what I'd done. Could I do that with all my books?   

I spent many evening unpacking books, checking the titles against available Amazon Kindle titles, taking those that could be purchased digitally to Half Price Books and collecting the income which was used to purchase Kindle editions. Within a week I was left with only my grandfather's library and one box of my science fiction that was OP.

This was the first moment where I felt like I correctly utilized a Tiny Space solution. I know all solutions won't be this easy but the situation proved that there was a solution to find.

Streamlining to be continued...

Feeling Inspired - Peafield

The Tiny House Swoon often features tiny houses that make the heart go pitter-patter, it makes you sigh "Aawwww," and inspires the imagination. Today's swoon just had to be shared, The Peafield. Go check it out!

TED Inspiration - Adam Baker "Sell Your Crap"

Adam Baker and his wife created a new vector in their life by asking themselves honestly, "What does freedom mean to them?" It took time, but they came up with a new future. 

"I used to joke that we're collecting loans, we had one of everything except a mortgage and guess what, we were house shopping. It was the most hectic time of our life... there couldn't have been a more hectic time and we were shopping for mortgage. This didn't make sense... I thought it was because that was the next item on the script that we were living our life by, and it wasn't a script we chose. it was a script that chose us because we were unwilling to answer this question <What does freedom meant to you?> for ourselves." - Adam Baker

Why are some skills considered obsolete?

After 15 years in the museum field I've come to recognize many of the skills that used to be a part of our everyday lives are now deemed obsolete. Yet, they're really not.

Before I settled into the museum field, I was a lowly student worker in the archaeology lab getting my B.A. in Anthropology. I was quite excited to acquire skills through various experimental archaeology activities. The activity I remember most was the pottery making... coiling the layers, smoothing the edges with wood, polishing with a round smooth stone, rubbing with bear oil, and firing in a pit. It took us months to finish one set successfully.

The first set cracked horribly in the fire and the next wasn't much better. But the shards proved useful. They provided a barrier from the fire as well as insulation to regulate temperature. The result, third time was the charm. (I'm sure there's some epiphany that can be summarized, such as "using the shards of the past to build the future" or something of the sort.)

However, these activities and skills were more about learning from the past and its people. It had no influence on my present life.

For a variety of reasons, it took 10 years before I realized that homesteading or artisan skills of the past were not restricted to the past. A lot of the realization came from an awareness of various issues associated with "factory made" and "mass production."

There's a mindset that newer is better and for some reason newer is equated with mass produced or factory made. However, the mindset doesn't diminish artisan produced or handmade as less, rather artisan produced and handmade is better, more expensive, higher quality, less convenient.

Herein lies the dilemma with the word "convenience." In a world consumed with amassing things, the mindset of "newer is better" has become entangled with "more for less." The result, artisan and homesteading skills have become inconvenient because they require more.

From the perspective of someone who makes artisan/handmade items, you put forth more effort (planning and implementing) and you put in more time. The result, is high quality good for a nominal cost.

From the perspective of someone who buys artisan/handmade items, you pay more money for the item in return for not putting forth the effort and time.

So the skills are not obsolete... they're just inconvenient.

Since one of my listed goals for my American Dream was financial independence, I decided it was time to reclaim some of these skills and techniques. Part of this journey is to at least try them and decide what's convenient for me.

"All these young folks wanna learn how to do this stuff... its nothing new, but it is new to people who don't do this anymore. So much of this is reclaiming old knowledge..." - Ben Falk

Feeling Inspired by Elena Shumilova's Photography

Back in January, Inhabitots did an article on Elena Shumilova's farm and family photographs. There's a strong sense of freedom, love and wonder in her photos enhanced by her use of light. Here are two to get you started, the rest are over at Elena Shumilova's website.

Photograph by Elena Shumilova

Photograph by Elena Shumilova

Creating Your Own Vector

A decision once made usually means making more decisions, especially if you're taking steps you've never taken before. In this case, you are creating your own force and applying a new vector to your life.

After reviewing my options when external forces foretold that my rent would increase significantly, I decided it was time to move. I mentally created a new vector that was also going to affect me physically.

Okay, enough with the vector analogy.

Like any decision, especially one that veers away from the status quo, more questions and decisions follow. Here's how it lays out.

External Force: Apartment is raising rent of my neighbors and possibly mine as well.
Question 1: What do I do?
Decision 1: I will move out of my current apartment.

My next question is "Where?" but yours might be "Why?" For that, you're going to need some back story.

Seven years ago, I set myself out to achieve the American Dream. I wasn't married and I knew I couldn't have kids (unless I adopt) but I could buy a house. In another of those decisions made because of changing circumstances, I reasoned it would be better to buy a house than rent again. Besides, wasn't that what I was supposed to do. 

I remember filling out the finance paperwork and being rewarded an exorbitant figure that I knew I couldn't afford. 

"No," I countered, "I want to pay this every month for my mortgage and mortgage insurance. What price house does that get me?"

 It took awhile to find a house with monthly payments equitable to my rent payments, but I found one and a real fixer-upper too. This was the first step towards my American Dream future and I quickly discovered I was not happy. This was not the future I wanted but I didn't know what I wanted either. It's a tough spot to be. 

To this day I'm a little disturbed by my perception of the American Dream - a husband, children, a house. These were not ideas ingrained by my family or friends, at least not overtly. True, there are still pockets of these thoughts out there and easily ignored. This idea of the American Dream came from an subjective and intangible place as a result of watching friends marry, have children and buy homes. I began to feel like an outsider so I succumbed.

It took about a year to identify the flaws of my American Dream. During that time I was forced to reexamine many things in my life due to the 2008 market crashed as well as my mom losing her job and being unemployed for year. It made me take a hard look at my life and I realized I was existing, not living. It was time for a change and for me to set down my clearly defined American Dream.

It's funny because I was reading CNN Money this morning and they had a series called "I achieved the American Dream." Many of the defining characteristics they listed were my own:

1. Being financially independent.
2. Reaching your goal or dream.
3. Achieving maximum potential.
4. Successful career.
5. A better quality of life. 

I took these and had to decide what they meant for me, how was I going to define them.

Now before I move on to this next bit, I want to clarify something. My obligations were minimal and directed solely towards myself. I had no kids, significant other or other dependents which means my decisions were solely my own. Not everyone has this luxury and I'm aware of that. But this is an account of my decisions and actions, one of which resulted in a chorus of objections from my boss, coworkers, friends and some family:

"What are you thinking?" 

I just gave Boss Lady my 18 months notice and told her I was planning to sell the house and move to work on my PhD.

"This is not logical."

The market was still in the crash. I was going to be looking for a job in a over-saturated unemployment arena. I was going to sell my house when no one was buying and foreclosures were the norm. I had no money saved for graduate school. 

"Are you crazy?"

Yes. And I had faith that I could pull it together in 18 months. It was a little like jumping into the water when there's a haze across the horizon. You have to swim to the other shore that you know is there but you don't know how far it is and how much work it's going to take to get there. Is it a pond? a lake? or an ocean? 

"I can't believe it."

6 months before my deadline I was accepted to doctoral program and qualified for a full scholarship. 4 months before my deadline, I leased an apartment. 3 months before my deadline I hired my replacement. 2 months before my deadline, I was offered a job. 1 month before my deadline, I sold my house for what I owed. 

Making decisions is scary and taking a new direction leaves you with feelings of uncertainty. However, it was the certainty that my current future was not for me that motivated me to explore elsewhere. I chose to face an unknown future that provided hope, rather than a known future of stress, burnout and further financial difficulty.

Now here I am again with the question, "Where do I go?"

TED Inspiration - Jay Shafer "Tiny Homes"

Jay Shafer's Tumbleweed homes were some of my early inspirations. He's one of those quietly humorous men that you want to sit out on the front porch with the dawn and drink a cup of coffee or tea (or whatever Jay Shafer drinks) and just listen to him speak. He's one of the few men who can get away with saying things like:

"Lego meets Ikea and they make a porn movie..."

"... the hardest part for, I think being happy in life is to, at least it has been for me, figuring out what I needed to be happy and getting rid of all the rest that was in the way, was the hard part. After that, it was all easy." - Jay Shafer

Newton's Law of Motion

Newton's First Law of Motion states:
I. Every object in a state of uniform motion tends to remain in that state of motion unless an external force is applied to it.

 Applied to humans, once moving at a steady speed and in a straight line, you will continue moving at a steady speed in a straight line or if standing still will stay still and motionless. This is the easiest thing for us to do, maintain the status quo, because this is the path to a future we know... or at least have a pretty good idea about. And that's fine. There's nothing wrong with keeping to the path you know. I was telling a friend this and I used the term "temporary future." I think the idea that there's a singular overarching grandiose future that you're to strive for is overwhelming and doesn't allow for the necessary moments of stability between periods of change and transition.

However, whether standing still or moseying on your path of choice, one inevitably encounters vectors. These are forces that alters your path. And here's where we have a very Shakespearean choice, to go or not to go.

Unlike inanimate objects who are at mercy to the whims of forces around them, we can choose how we react to these forces. I'm going to give you an example based on my most recent vector encounter which is partially responsible for this blog's appearance.

Shortly after the rather dismal 4th of July fireworks party on the Downtown Parking Garage Rooftop, I collided with several other apartment mates and my neighbor as we were all taking out our trash. Incidentally, I found myself listening to trash talk as the ladies around me had received their rental renewal notices informing them of $65 to $120 rent increases. My neighbor's had gone up by $85 last year and was horrified at the thought of another rent increase.

Last year I was lucky and received no rent increase, but I wasn't going to delude myself into thinking that happy occurrence would repeat itself.  "Sherry," I interrupted my spunky, white-haired neighbor's diatribe, "What are we going to do?"

 "I'm going to move." The "of course" was implied through stern eyes. 

Why was her reaction "of course" and mine "what to do"? The simplest answer is people are different and they process information differently.I'll give you an example and a little background.

Last weekend my awesome and beautiful friend (mind, spirit and body) Julie flew in from San Diego. I drove her down to her parents and we were going to stay the weekend to help setup and celebrate her parent's 50th Wedding Anniversary. I was the only non-family member in a house bursting with family and I foresaw some potential issues with this but Julie was adamant that I was family and it would be fine... and it was until Saturday morning.

 Julie has this soft and gentle way of waking me up. She places both hands on my back and does a swirling, patting, petting motion. I always wake smiling, but this time I saw something was wrong. Reading her body language and picking up some of the nuances behind her words I quickly realized I "needed another place to be" as I later explained to another friend. 

It took me only a few minutes to come to this conclusion and develop a plan for finding another place to stay. I told her what I thought I should do but I could see Julie was wrestling with it. Rather than try to convince her that my decision was the correct course of action, I suggested a walk. Coffee in hand for her and yogurt for me, she talked it out for 20 minutes, working through the layers of her thought processes.

 "What do you think?" she asked.

"I've already told you what I think. I'm just waiting for you to get there too."

We laughed because the statement was true. Julie and I usually come to the same conclusion regarding situations, it just takes her a little longer to get there. There's nothing wrong with a thorough and methodical decision making process and there's no "right" length of time in which a decision must be made.

I found myself in switched roles with Sherry's quick retort and my lapsing indecision. You see, the apartment had applied a new vector to our path and being human and not inanimate objects, we had a choice to make. Sherry's decision was quick, she'll move. But mine took longer as I carefully and methodically examined my options.

1. Succumb to the apartment's vector force and pay the higher rent which meant less money in the budget for other things.
2.  Try to convince the apartment to to reduce the increase amount which still means less money in the budget for other things.
3. Try to convince the apartment to forgo the increase and maintain status quo; however, it doesn't mitigate the chances of higher increases following the next renewal. 
4. Leave the apartment.

Admittedly, I was not crazy about option 1 through 3 because I could almost guarantee myself unmitigated stress. Even option 4 has stressful elements but there I found hope for a better temporary future. I started to consider if it was time to leave my current temporary future and reach for a new one.