Cute, right? These little goodies make the perfect green gift for your favorite eco-conscious pal. Not everybody manages to keep a ceramic cup on hand at all times – but anyone could easily slip this small piece into a purse or pocket. Portable, practical, and of course super-stylish! And best of all, made by YOU. How could a gift get any better?
Here’s what you’ll need:
- An old men’s collared shirt (long sleeved)
- Needle and thread or sewing machine
- Elastic
- Embellishments (optional)
For the sake of these photos I made this example entirely by hand, to show how it can be done. But I’m totally machine-spoiled, so my hand sewing skills suck! Sorry ’bout that.
To make the body of the java jacket, you’ll be using the wrist band of the shirt. So first things first, cut it off!
This is what you’ll end up with:
Clean it up by removing those ugly buttons. A seam ripper works best for this, but scissors will do in a pinch.
Next you’ll need to finish up that frayed edge. I used red thread so you could see my work, but you can use white if you want to hide it, or whatever color suits your fancy.
Continue until you’ve secured the entire jagged edge, like so:
Now you’ll want to cut a length of elastic. The wide-band type works best here. Cut a piece about 2 inches thick, slightly tapered.
Pin the elastic into the cuff. It helps here if you have a standard 16-oz ‘to go’ cup to measure on, to make sure you get the circumference correct.
Sew the elastic into place. Since I was using red thread and going for a decorative look, I kept it going around the entire perimeter. But this wasn’t necessary, function-wise.
And guess what? That’s it! All that’s left is to decorate as you see fit. I kept this one simple . . .
And the other one extra fancy!
The possibilities are pretty much endless. And I’m dying to see what you guys come up with! These are so fun to make and super customizable, I really think they’re the perfect gift. And bonus – they make adorable, wearable wrist cuffs!
Happy Holidays!
Last week we delved into socially conscious skivvies, namely our bras and panties. As the new and growing movement of Ethical Sartorialists, it’s our responsibility to morally manage every aspect of our wardrobe. Thus, we continue this week with the critical other half – boxers and [my personal favorite!] socks!
So let’s dive right in, shall we?
~ Boxers ~
I wrote about Patagonia last week, but let’s recap. This southern California-based retailer is at the forefront of sustainability in textiles. Their mission statement reads: “Build the best product, cause no unnecessary harm, and use business to inspire and implement solutions to the environmental crisis.” Their position on corporate social responsibility can be found here.
- Tighty-whiteys and boxer briefs, made primarily from recycled polyester.
- Regular baggy boxers, again from recycled polyester.
The progressive Cottonfield USA is an organic company, using cotton grown in America, milled in America, and made in America. All their dyes are also free of heavy metals. Their commitment to organic products is laid out on their website.
- They have two styles of briefs, the classic and the sport.
- They offer one style of boxer briefs.
- And these are their boxers, though honestly they don’t look very comfortable (or stylish).
I absolutely love Faeries Dance for their affordable options. They’re all sweatshop-free, made with environmentally sensitive fabrics and low-impact dyes. You can read about their policies on their website.
- Of course, they have tons of underwear options!
Rawganique is a ‘human scale family business’ that specializes in organic hemp and other natural fibers. Their products are all sweatshop free, and made in the US, Canada, Europe, and Thailand. You can read a lengthy explanation of their business plan on their about page.
- They have quite a variety of offerings, from briefs to boxers to boxer briefs.
And again . . . *sigh* . . . if worse comes to worst you can always get organic cotton briefs from American Apparel. Also available in a 3-pack. (but read about why I don’t like to support them, here, in italics)
~Socks~
My absolute number one favorite online sock source is the amazing, the incomparable, Sock Dreams. Not all of them are organic, or sweat free, or even vegan, but there are plenty of options that are. And all of the Sock Dreams label are made right here in Oregon. Here are some of my favorite choices:
- Here’s their eco-friendly page, with TONS of styles.
- Some simple organics, nothing fancy.
- There’s lots and lots more, and they’re really well-priced, so check ‘em out!
Patagonia, pricey as they may be, has a small but significant selection.
- The lightweight everyday version, organic cotton and nylon.
- The lightweight ski liner socks are mostly recycled polyester.
- The lightweight hiking crew liner is the same.
Good old Cottonfield USA has such a comprehensive collection of apparel.
- They only offer one option, but it’s pretty reasonably priced.
Faeries Dance comes through again!
- Check out their entire selection with tons of cheap choices to choose from!
No Sweat Apparel was one of the first socially conscious companies I discovered, way back in the day (I asked for an awesome pair of red high top ‘chucks’ for Chanukah). They’re a great company that have been doing good for a long long time, and they seem to be hurting in this economic climate. So why not support them?!
- The women’s cotton crew socks are made in the US and vegan. Unfortunately the men’s classic is a wool blend. *sad trombone*
And that about wraps it up, my dears. Please do continue to share your own ideas and discoveries. I’m always looking for more alternatives!
Growing up in my house, we always made our own holiday gifts. We were pretty poor, and I suppose it was our only option. But it was never presented to me like that (I didn’t even know what ‘poor’ was, really, and I had a stupendously fabulous childhood full of ‘thing finding’ and ‘government cheese’. But that’s another story.) It was all about crafting our caring into something unique, something personal. My mom and I made play-doh ornaments, or baskets of baked goods, or clay coffee mugs. And, I guess, the tradition has just continued.
The first holiday season that Damian and I spent together, I was a starving college student. So I thrifted the softest cashmere sweater I could find (this was pre-vegan), disassembled it, and sewed it into a pillowcase. I needlepointed ‘Damian’s Head Here —->’ into the corner. Damian, who is sort of obsessed with really soft things, loved it. It’s still on our bed.
Last year we made all our gifts together – our attempt at canning. All our friends and family got our truly terrible plum syrup, sugar-free strawberry jam, and tomato starter sauce. Hey, it was our first time! And it’s the thought that counts, right?
Anyway, there I go reminiscing. Pregnancy and the holidays have got me all nostalgic! But all of this story-telling serves a purpose: to introduce this years gift projects. First up – candle making!
How To Make Candles In A Crock Pot
All you need is some wax, some wicks + wick bases, and some candle-holders. I used soy wax because it’s vegan and I think it makes superior quality candles (just my preference, I love soy candles!). It’s available at any craft store along with a selection of other options. I used precut wicks that came in their bases, because they were really cheap. But you can also buy wick string and cut it yourself. Both are available at the craft store. For candle holders, I just used a bunch of shot glasses I’d purchased years ago for a party, and never even opened. You could also upcycle your old candle holders, or hit the thrift stores for anything from shot glasses to tea cups, whatever you can imagine can become a funky candle holder.
Optional additions include color (candle dye is available at the craft store) and smell. I used eucalyptus essential oil, but you can also buy scents specifically designed for candles (though you certainly don’t need to and can use any essential oil you’ve got). You’ll also probably want a wooden skewer for stirring hot wax (a chopstick or a length of wire, like from a hanger, would probably work just as well)
Once you’ve gathered all your supplies, set aside some time when you’ll be around the house for a couple of hours. I made these candles on Sunday afternoon, whilst cleaning the kitchen and then suggling with the husband for movie time. Just make sure you’ll be nearby and available for frequent checks. You don’t want to deal with a waxy mess (or worse!).
1) Spoon the pieces of wax into your candle holders and arrange them in the bottom of the crock pot. Don’t overcrowd and definitely don’t stack! Turn the crock to high, cover, and go do something else.
2) 20-30 minutes later you can check back. Your wax will probably be melted and you’ll probably notice your candles aren’t as full as you’d like. So carefully add more wax to each container. You may have to do this for a few rounds.
3) When the candles are as full as you like and you’ve let them get good and hot and melty, it’s time to add the essential oils. You’ll need to call for an assistant. “Assistant!”
3.5) He was very helpful. So, using a dropper add 5-15 drops of your odor-of-choice to each candle. I wanted a more mild, mellow vibe so I only used 5 drops. If you were to use color, this is where you would add the dye as well.
4) Stir it up! (note bulging belly creeping into the pic)
5) Add your wicks. Carefully insert them and make sure they’re centered. They should stay straight up on their own, so don’t worry about that.
6) Turn the crock pot off. Leave it uncovered. Go do something else.
Over the next few hours the wax will cool and harden. They’ll be hard enough to handle if you’d like to remove them after a few hours, but give them at least 6+ hours before you really toss ‘em around. They need plenty of time to get good and set.
And that’s it, just a few hours of monitoring and six easy steps gets you these adorable, customized gifts that anyone would be delighted to receive. They’re so cute, no?
Happy Holidays!
Oi , and ‘ello out there! It’s the weekend once more, and of course it’s time for comments, critiques, thoughts, support, and suggestions.
So let’s have it! What do you want to see. What are you missing? What would you want to read about? What are YOU interested in?!
As usual, the Feedback Forum will remain here at the top of the page all weekend, so if you’ve got an idea or a question or you just want to introduce yourself and say ‘Oi!’, you can stop back by any time. This is your community, so get involved and have your say!
For those who are interested, I’ve added another round of belly pics and another batch of midwife visit pics.
Now get out there and have a great weekend! But be careful, it’s cold and flu season!!!
Six and a half months pregnant, and a girl’s gotta have a night out on the town! Yesterday evening Damian and I met up with my lovely sister for some greasy happy hour grub ($1 PBRs and $1 vegan corn dogs) (no I was not drinking the PBRs), followed by an awesome exhibit at OMSI After Dark. It was so fun! A bunch of 21-and-overs running around the science museum, drinking microbrews and playing like children. I totally won the soda bottle blast.
I’m glad I got a little more use out of my summer shorts and ripped stockings, because today the temperature dropped by about 10 degrees! I’m so underprepared for the SNOW that might be coming this weekend. I still don’t have a warm winter coat that fits over my new-and-improved and ever-expanding frame!
This photo should be titled “Hello, This Is My Pregnancy Cleavage“
- Bird Print T-Shirt: secondhand
- Black Long Cami (underneath): secondhand by Truly Madly Deeply
- Long Black Cardigan: secondhand Banana Rebublic
- Tan Shorts: secondhand American Eagle Outfitters (ha!)
- Ripped Tights: oh my goodness, I’ve had these for so long, I bought them at a dime store in college . . . community college. Yes that long ago!
- Purple Long Socks: Sock Dreams, oh how i love them
- Engineer Boots: secondhand, by Carolina
- Pewter Chain (I knotted it): some mall store, I had a gift card
- Black Flower Ring: a local shoppe
I love this cardigan – I’ve been living in it all autumn. Simple and versatile and a tad bit chic, it’s been the perfect piece to take me into colder weather. Alas, I’m going to need something a bit thicker starting real soon. Any suggestions? It’s gotta be vegan, acquirable used, and accommodating to a big belly. A biggering belly, especially after those corn dogs!
Corn Dogs!!!
So you’ve read the reports and you’ve taken the pledge, and now you’re quickly becoming an effortlessly styled Ethical Sartorialist. You shop primarily secondhand, except in cases of positive pro-cotts. You’ll proudly drop your dollar at vegan, earth-friendly, sweat-free shops like Herbivore, Alternative Outfitters, and No Sweat. You rock handcrafted jewelry from Etsy and recycled kicks from Ebay. You flaunt the frills you can now afford on this ‘no-frills’ budget, and relish in the thrill of a mint condition vintage score. Yeah, with a little practice, you’ve figured it out and you’re working it.
That is, until the elastic wears out in all your panties. Or your last good bra just melted in the dryer. Or you’ve blown out the toes in your entire collection of stripey long socks. What about these garments – the more personal underthings? How do we remain true to our values without having to buy such skintimate skivvies . . . secondhand? (eek!) Well, like this:
~ Panties ~
Patagonia is a southern California industry leader, pushing the limits of sustainable clothing for the past 2 decades. Their mission statement reads: “Build the best product, cause no unnecessary harm, and use business to inspire and implement solutions to the environmental crisis.” They’ve also written a comprehensive essay on corporate social responsibility.
- They may be a bit pricey, but these organic cotton choners are pretty damn cute, from a pretty damn cool company.
- Um hello!? Unders made out of old plastic bottles! Here & here & here. WOW!
Blue Canoe is another California-based company, with an entirely organic line. All their clothing is manufactured in San Francisco, California. You can read all about them here.
Cottonfield USA uses only 100% certified organic cotton, grown in America, milled in America, and made in America. All their dyes are also free of heavy metals. You can read all about their commitment to organic on their website.
- Here’s their entire panty page, w00t!
Faeries Dance is a sweet little online company featuring diverse pieces from a variety of vendors. They have great options and lots of cute cuts. All are made sweatshop-free, with environmentally sensitive fabrics and low-impact dyes. Read about it on their ‘About’ page.
- The panty page! Lotsa choices, cheap cheap prices!
And . . . *sigh* . . . if worse comes to worst you can always get organic cotton underwear from American Apparel. (read about why I don’t like to support them, here, in italics)
~Bras~
Bras are so hard to find! You can get organic, but it’s not sweat-free. Or you can get vegan, but it’s not green. You can definitely find lots of yoga wear/sports bras, but anything underwired or purty is like ‘Where’s Waldo?’ on the internets. But here’s what I came up with.
Patagonia, as noted above, is always a good bet for quality and conscience.
- Here’s the organic cotton selection.
- Here’s the rest of them – spandex, nylon, and mostly recycled (and recyclable) polyester.
Blue Canoe, discussed above, has a pretty disappointing selection of bras. But if you’re looking for something sporty you may want to check them out.
- Here’s their catalogue page.
Faeries Dance, bless their hearts, have tons of options to choose from. Lace, push-up, and prints included. I love these guys!
- Get the whole list and see for yourself. It’s good stuff!
Enamore is the perfect choice for those across the pond. Sexy, sultry, specializing in sustainable and vintage fabrics. A bit on the pricier side, but also the nicest ‘eco’ lingerie I’ve seen!
- The Bedrock range. (raWr!)
- The Bamboo Bralette is adorable.
- This chic Underwire Bra is utter sexy sophistication.
So there you go, my ever-conscientious, fabulous fashionistas. Now you’ll be just as fly on the underside, as you are on the outside (and on the inside!). But it’s not quite over yet. We mustn’t neglect that essential other half . . . our feet! Nah, just kidding, I mean boys of course! And yeah, socks too.
Tune in next week for part II, on sustainable socks and boxers!
On the first Monday of every month, we take on a ‘mission’ – a shift or habit or inspiration – to work on together. There’s strength (and support) in numbers! On the last Thursday of the month, we reconvene to see how far we’ve come.
#8
You’ve all been so amazing joining me in these grand experiments each month, willingly committing yourselves to new, sometimes drastic life changes. And I think, this month, I’m really going to test your faith in me! Eek!
Okay. So, this month I’m going to switch to family cloth. “Now, what is family cloth?”, you may ask. “That sounds so sweet, like a big warm blankey for sharing”.
But yeah, no.
Family cloth is cotton toilet paper. Basically, you replace your standard bleached, chemically-treated paper TP, with reusable wipes made of fabric (bought new or upcycled from old clothes/towels). Keep your clean cloths near the toilet, in a drawer or a pretty basket or bag. Keep a ‘dirty rag’ receptacle near the toilet as well, a bin with a lid or a hanging drawstring sack. Launder the used wipes as necessary.
Sound crazy? I thought so too, at first. It’s honestly taken me a while to warm up to the idea. But the more I think about it, the more it makes sense. Obviously, it’s a great environmental gain. We already know from our research into paper napkins, that washing reusables is much more resource/energy efficient. And I remember from the switch to cloth menstrual pads, how surprised I was at the comfort that came with cotton. I hope to get the same benefit from the family cloth.
I’ll be spending this first month using family cloth for #1 only. So I’ll keep some TP in the bathrooms, for guests and for #2.
And what about you, my dear green go-getters. Is this just too extreme to be gotten? Or, are you with me? Will you accept this mission?
BONZAI!
On the first Monday of every month, we take on a ‘mission’ – a shift or habit or inspiration – to work on together. There’s strength (and support) in numbers! On the last Thursday of the month, we reconvene to see how far we’ve come.
This was a lengthy mission, spanning 2 months to allow everyone ample time to see it through. I first proposed the challenge in early October, but it wasn’t until this follow-up article later that month, that things really got rolling. So many people signed on! And there were so many wonderful questions, with so many experienced ‘no-poo’ers sharing their wisdom. It warmed my little heart! That’s what this whole project of a website is about, but I digress . . .
It seemed that a lot of interested folks were coming in late to the game, and so in an effort to make sure we all could benefit, I extended the mission an extra month. This was great for me as well, as it gave me a full two months to acclimate to the new cleansing method.
So what can I say? NO-POO IS AWESOME. I use baking soda paste with an apple cider vinegar rinse, once per week, and my hair is in excellent shape. Why would I ever, ever go back to chemical cleaners and conditioners? My hair is strong and shiny and thick and soft. I don’t get ‘build-up’, even though I clean only once a week and use product every day. I never feel greasy or oily.
So suffice to say, I’m sold. Hands down. I can’t imagine I’ll ever need shampoo again. How liberating!
But what about you, my dears? Yours are the stories I’m really dying to hear. How has this little adventure gone for you? Will you continue to no-poo? Let me know how it went!
Oi Oi! Hello out there! How did the weekend arrive so fast? Time flies when you’re having fun (or eating tons, as the case may be), and now it’s time for comments, critiques, thoughts, support, and suggestions.
So let’s have it! What do you want to see. What are you missing? What would you want to read about? What are YOU interested in?!
As usual, the Feedback Forum will remain here at the top of the page all weekend, so if you’ve got an idea or a question or you just want to introduce yourself and say ‘Oi!’, you can stop back by any time. This is your community, so get involved and have your say!
Just a reminder, I finally created a Facebook page, so check it out and join in.
American’s, I hope you had a wonderful and yummy Thanksgiving! To the rest of the world, so sorry my posting was infrequent this week. I’ll be back on track starting Monday, with all new Bonzai love.
Itty Bitty Bonzai is a collection of tiny tips and tricks for living a life more mindful. Small actions, collectively and compounded, become a powerful force of change.
#16
We’re coming up on December madness, and that means serious travel season in many parts of the world. But with airlines being so . . . *ahem* . . . not nice, a lot of us are opting to drive to our holiday destinations. Here’s a few tips on how to maximize mileage in the coming month – and beyond.
First, get rid of any extra baggage! Tools in the trunk, flotsam and jetsam hiding under the seats . . . I even have an iron in the back of my car (long story). According to the U.S. Department of Energy, each extra 100 pounds will reduce gas mileage by 1-2%. And it adds up fast! So clear out.
Then, before you leave for your trip you’ll need to check your tires. We’ve all heard it before, but seriously guys! If everyone kept their tires properly inflated, we would reduce consumption by millions of barrels per year – like, no need to drill in ANWR! So put that funky little tool in your glovebox to good use!
Next you’ll need to take a trip down to your local auto specialist. If your air filter is reusable, you need to clean it; if its replaceable, you need a new one. Dirty filters muck up the air/gas ratio which compromises combustion. You should aim to address the air filter every 12,000 miles or so.
And finally, drive right on the road – especially in stop ‘n go traffic. That means: slow, constant acceleration, which will cut your fuel consumption by ~20%. That’s a lot of savings, so keep the pedal OFF the metal, eh!?
Safe traveling my dears, and happy holiday season!
BONZAI!
