Sewing bloggers

I have found so many creative bloggers who are extra generous and share their patterns and tutorials online.  Just finished a skirt. x
Check out this great website if you want to be inspired by Jessica's creativity: running with scissors

Christmas in 1 month

Convinced my husband to climb a tree in our yard and saw off a branch as our Christmas tree.  Sustainable and no carbon emmissions on production, manufacture or transportand no petrochemicals used!  It does look a little creative, lobsided and rather odd, but I've put up some energy efficient LED lights from IKEA and a few wooden decorations.  There's a greener way to do everything! 

Precious junk

Purchasing a 50 year old house without intending major renovations and driving 1 small family car which is over 10 years old makes me feel very eco-friendly.

Until I calculated my ecological footprint.

Easy changes:
Growing veggies & herbs
Planting a lemon tree

Other changes:
Removing a dead tree by hand/axe/saw without electrical tools
Installing a heat pump solar hot water system (thankfully our house had this)

Really small changes:
Switching off electrical items on standby, even my husband is doing this now
Reusing toilet roll tubes as decomposable seedling pots
Washable in place of disposeable kitchen cloths

Biggest change: I'd planned to furnish my home with wonderful IKEA goodies, but found a perfectly great lounge set on council pick up day. Spent time recovering the seats and am enjoying the results.

Home made clothing

Found this cheap and easy skirt pattern and got to work making 1 for myself and 2 really girlie ones for my niece's birthday.
I used material scraps and have a fun new skirt to wear!

read up

self sufficiency : I NEED this book is what I told my husband yesterday.  This is why: it starts small with practical tips on how to make steps to improve your sustainable living even in the city.  Perfect start for me in suburbia.

My first steps when we get our house: construct a chicken hutch and buy 2 chickens.  Plant a fruit tree in the middle of my garden. Get a compost heap & rainwater tank. Save some bucks for a solar hot water panel. So looking forward to it

organic baby: I was shocked to realise that mattresses are so toxic, to prevent spontaneous combustion, they contain poisonous flame retardants: polybromiated diphenyl or polychlorinated biphenyl.  This book is an excellent eye opener and has loads of healthier options for the precious little ones.

Skipping five days instead of three for every hair wash has been altogether beneficial. Even though it took a while to getting used to, my hair has never felt healthier, plus it saves water, mula, time & stuff.

Made my first pair of trousers

WOHOO, I now have a pair of trousers to wear for work tomorrow. I have been inspired by some particularly creative friends, thank you Brigs, Beth, Ella & Eva, to sew.  Thanks mum for the sewing machine and your excellent seamstress example.  I took a pair of trousers I liked and fitted me well, turned them inside-out folded in half with the back bits on the inside, and cut 2 front pieces.  Then folded the front bits on the inside and cut the two back pieces.  I sewed of course the two wrong pieces together first, tee hee, and after unpicking that it was easy to see which ones went together. I was also extremely brave(I think so anyway), after reading the zip instructions that came with my sewing machine I attempted the zip and won! The best part was I didn't have to buy the material, it was something I wanted to use up from another project. Yay for reducing waste :)

Combating the"I have nothing to wear" syndrome

Swop party's help to mix it up a little(check the white cardigan). Adapt those boring or misfit item(check the sleeves cut off of the grey number). Spruce it up a little(easy to make flower detail from material cut-offs). Now big smiles- a completely new outfit :-)

sisters are doing it for themselves

Tonight on the 7pm project I was challenged to do something! Even our Prime Minister is washing her clothing in cold water - how very exciting, if 1 woman can make a difference, imagine what 1 million women can do? Come on ladies lets make small changes to change big things.
Renowned anthropologist Margaret Mead once said, "Never doubt that a small group of thoughtful, committed citizens can change the world; indeed, it's the only thing that ever has."
http://www.1millionwomen.com.au/

Barter or make your own

Heard about this great local bartering system, using a point system to swap your skills, using local and its been working well for many years. Well done Central Coast!

Also loving making my own things - achievement and satisfaction. Here are some great gifting ideas: http://www.chroniclebooks.com/papercraft/

Making, buying & swapping

Thanks Brigs for inspiring me to make my own handbag, I needed a casual type bag... and found the perfect off-cut material at IKEA. Gotta love that store. So many DIY ideas there, also really enjoying reading and using tips from realliving magazine... Got this great $5 white curtain from IKEA(in the bargain corner) and am going style it up with some more off cuts. So many ideas, so little time.

Had fun finding the greatest treasures along the road last week, a few terracotta pots, a ceramic water filter, tall blue vase, and and. I felt excited that it was reduce-reuse-recycle all in one. Plus a money saver.

So looking forward to a swap party this week... clothing and other trinkets to share and swap with my girlfriends. Its a great way to hang out, save cash, give in to our need of a new outfit without wasting precious resources. Everyone wins

Hope

rubbing my eyes this morning after a full-on couple days at hillsong colour conference, i am starting to think of the challenge before me.
i want to limit my footprint on our earth. but there is more to be done. i can't do nothing.

girls in far-away countries, are being abused, mistreated, broken physically and emotionally. how can i live everyday and not allow this to affect me. i would be un-human.

A21 is fighting for the human trafficked.
Watoto is rescuing child soldiers
Compassion fights for the vulnerable

my earth...
our earth is sick, it's people are violent, hateful, unkind...
but we can seek out those who will stand against the cruelty & injustice. 1 person will make a difference, YOU can make a difference. how?
be intelligent, start small & be realistic about what you can do
let's do it together, we are not alone

The Meatrix

Found this vid on meat. The Meatrix
Meet Leo and Moopheas :)

Paper

To find the culprit wasting valuable resources: look through the trash. That's just what the office cleaner remarked when emptying my recycling bin. TOO MUCH waste paper.

Nearly 4 billion trees worldwide are cut down each year for paper, representing about 35% of all harvested trees. Paper is not the limitless resource it seems, we need to preserve our forests!

But using paper is the nature of my job, I need to photocopy documents, worksheets, assignments and reports. How can I cut down my usage and waste?
REDUCE, REUSE & RECYCLE:

• Do I need to print this? Is there another way I or others can view this? Can I copy 2-sided or half size? Am I using the photocopier effectively or making unnecessary waste?
• Can I print/write on the back of other pre-used paper destined for recycling?
  
• Do I ever put paper in the trash instead of recycling?
  

Its so difficult

Trying to save the world one bus trip at a time. But I have been very lucky to get a few lifts from my workmates. AND The rain has kept me from the washing line so tumbled dried some clothes. Why oh why does this feel like confession?

The best part about subsistence farming is the pleasure of working the land and harvesting the crops, we (the western world) are so removed from this process, we work jobs that show little or no rewards for our labour. Eating beans, lettuce, figs, radishes, herbs, peppers and rocket leaves from the garden gives pleasure and satisfaction. We water, weed, talk to and care for our plants and they bear fruit for us to eat.

Another thing I am thoroughly enjoying is wearing the clothes I have made. I am still waiting for someone to point and laugh or a stitch to come undone and my skirt to fall down... but so far only good feedback and even a few compliments. I have used my existing bought clothes as a pattern and tried to keep it simple with stretch fabrics. I have something new to wear tomorrow which cost next to nothing and was fun to put together. WOHOO!

Eating things from the garden is possibly the best foodie experience. I'm not quite on to snails yet but have begun eating from my collective family labours. A ravishing red radish, beautiful bountiful basil, fantastic figs... Check out the home-made pesto, substituted expensive pinenuts for mixed nuts and twas just as yummy.

The seed packets have loads of info about where/when/how to plant so easy to follow. Main efforts were getting the soil rich & ready, and the constant watering. But connecting with our green earth has been very enjoyable. Radishes were ready to start picking after4 weeks and yum just rinsed. The basil was great made into a pesto (just wizz the whole stalks&leaves with a handful of mixed nuts, olive oil & important garlic). These were grown from a seedling and can be propagated, just put the cut stalk in water for a week or so & it grows roots wohoo!

Still waiting for... carrots, lettuce and rocket - but have been stealing leaves to taste :)

Bus is better

1. Most buses have air-con
2. It is relaxing to read a book on your way to work
3. There are friends to be made on the bus
4. The bus is high up with a good view of the surrounding area
5. I can "switch off" and won't risk causing an accident
6. The bus drivers are friendly and happy
7. I can do chiro exercises (shoulder shrugs) whilst travelling
8. It is cheaper than owning and maintaining a car
9. It is better for the environment
10. No traffic stress to worry about

The wheels on the bus go...

Friendly bus drivers, such a change from the grumpy ones in London. Must be all the sun we get here. My first day taking the bus went very well, my mother-in-law even stalked me and took some photos, she is such a cutie for loving me so much. It seems quite an event to take public transport here! I also enjoyed the air conditioned coach and the quiet morning trip - allowed me to read a book on my journey. How relaxing!

round and round... all day long

I am setting out to travel by bus to work. I already horrified so many Aussies, who asked me WHY WOULD YOU CHOOSE TO DO THIS?? or do you not have ANY other options. I didn't think it was a big deal when I decided to try.

There is an obvious downgrade from the oysters I used in London and it seems the buses aren't AS often. A few issues with the staff not sure of ticketing etc. I take my first trip on Monday morning.

Captain Planet

It's Australia day today and a sweltering 33°C with 83% humidity. I have opted to spend most of my day under the ceiling fan with the air con blasting. I need to find a greener way to keep cool!

I have already been at work on my challenge for three weeks and have successfully started a veggie/herb garden, made more than 10 items of clothing, bought and collected used items instead of buying new, and used my legs as transport.

Question: Is "heart" the most uncool Captain Planet power? (Question courtesy of Jess)