Five Days in Cleveland Ohio | Part Two

In my usual style, I crammed a lot into five days when I recently visited Cleveland Ohio. I wanted to highlight the architecture and the feel of the city and you can see that in my last post. There was so much more I wanted to include, so for this part two post, here are some of the places I went and saw. 

Bc I was in Cleveland for a wedding I stayed in the Hyatt Arcade, a very historic and fancy hotel I most likely wouldn't have chosen myself. This ended up being perfect for me bc it exemplified the reuse of historic buildings that I enjoyed so much in this city. 

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I visited a few cute coffee shops, one was right in the ground floor of the hotel!

Cleveland is known for having a ton of great breweries and I was lucky enough to visit four of them in the 5 days I was there. My two favorites were Great Lakes Brewing on the West Side and Noble Beast which is in Downtown. 

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A must visit for Cleveland is the West Side Market and I almost missed it! The first day I tried to go, it was closed! I made it a point to go back and it was well worth it. I could have spent a lot of time and money exploring this classic indoor food market. 

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I went to a bunch of other sweet spots and I'm sure there are many more to explore when I go back!

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Have you visited Cleveland Ohio? Do you live there? Do you have suggestions of places to visit?

Five Days in Cleveland Ohio | Part One

In late May and early June I had the opportunity to visit Cleveland. I had never been there before, except briefly passing through. I had a few days to wondering around and I loved the city! 

I stayed in Downtown Cleveland and spent time walking around, seeing some landmarks, and going to the aquarium. One of the things that struck me most about the city was the amazing architecture and how many old buildings were repurposed into something new. Many were also used for their original purpose and still going strong, like the West Side Market, a bustling food hall full of shops and restaurants. Or small local spots that seemed straight from the 40s. 

Here are some of my photos from Cleveland, OH. 

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West Side Market

West Side Market

5th Street Arcades

5th Street Arcades

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Tower City

Tower City

Heinen's Grocery

Heinen's Grocery

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I have so much more to show of Cleveland! Look for a Part Two of my trip! Do any of my readers come from or live in Cleveland? What are your favorite places? 

My Plastic Free Kit

In 2017 I started my zero waste journey. Zero Waste is the goal, mindful practice is the action. When I use the term Zero Waste, that is my ultimate goal, but Less Waste would be a more  accurate description of my evolving lifestyle.

One way I'm participating in Plastic Free July is to be better about bringing my Plastic Free Kit with me where ever I go. Since starting my zero waste, low impact journey, always having my kit with me has been a struggle but I find when I do bring it it makes my life so much easier.

Creating and carrying a plastic free kit is a great way to start your own plastic free or low waste journey. You don't have to buy anything new to create one, you can use items you already have! The hardest part of having a kit is remembering to bring it with you! 

So, what is a plastic free kit? For me, the kit is simply a few items I try to bring with me to help me avoid waste and disposable items. What you have in your kit depends on what you will use most and what will help you avoid using plastic disposables. Your kit can be one or two items, or a whole bunch. Your kit can always be the same items, or can change depending on what you're doing or where you are going. Here is what I usually carry in my kit:

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1. A Reusable Cup - Usually insulated to keep hot or cold drinks. Sometimes glass or metal. The one pictured is one I found at my work's lost and found but I have several that I have accumulated over the years. I like reusable cups that have a clear size printed on them. 

2. A Small Container. I use this for leftovers or salad bars mostly. But it can also hold bulk items, snacks, or compost I want to bring back home. The one seen here I got last year from the Mighty Nest website. But you don't need to buy anything new!! I also use old tupperware, glass jars, or reused take-out containers for this purpose. 

3. A Cloth Napkin. Here I have just a tea towel, but I also have a few thrifted napkin sets, so I'll also bring one of those. This is useful for wiping one's mouth but also for wrapping leftovers and  tying into a bag for fruit and veg among many other uses. 

4. Produce Bag. I like to keep an extra bag on hand. Cloth bags take up barely any space and are so useful. Use for fruit and veg, carrying groceries or other purchases, loan to a friend, etc... The one pictured was gifted from my BFF; it was her grandmothers!!

5. A Flatware Set: 

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My set has a a bamboo spoon, fork, and chopsticks. I bought these and the little carrying case last year. It came with a knife, but I find I never use that, so don't carry it. I love the chopsticks tho (highly recommend carrying some chops!). I also carry several metal straws. I don't use straws for most drinks but love milkshakes and smoothies so want to be prepared! You never know when a friend might need one, too. 
My advice here would to NOT buy any new forks, knives, spoons, etc!! We all have flatware hanging around that can make a set, or spend a few pennies to get some flatware at a local thrift or charity shop. I like using these bamboo items, but regret buying new when I already had plenty. The carrying case is also not needed.
I would advice investing in some reusable straws. 

6. A Carry All Canvas Bag. Once I have all my items I need a bag to carry them in! I prefer a canvas bag bc it's pretty sturdy, can get wet, can take some ware and can be used for a shopping bag, or in other ways as well. I've been using the one seen here, which was a gift, bc it's pretty small but tucks under my arm, and still holds a lot.

I switch out items, this cup for that one, etc... when one needs washed or I left one at work or what have you. If I know I want to get smoothie bowl, I'll bring a bigger container. If I know I'm eating with friend or family, I'll bulk up some items. If I'm going shopping, I'll bring more bags. My kit is fluid and that makes it easy for me. Over all the kit is small and light and easy to carry. 

I tend to leave my kit in the car, where I can easily grab it if we are out and about. If we're home and walking around I might grab it to carry with us. My biggest challenge is remembering to bring it with me when I leave the car. I tend to forget until I've gotten far enough away that I don't want to go back. For Plastic Free July I've been more mindful about it and it makes a big difference!!

Have you started your Plastic Free Kit? What was your first item?

 

The Lighthouse

One of my goals in 2018 is to read more. See other books I've read or listened to here.

I'm not sure where I got this copy of The Lighthouse, one in a series of Adam Dalgliesh mysteries, by PD James, but I'm guessing it was a book sale or stoop. I don't make it a point to pick up her novels when I see them in the wild, but I should!

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I've read several PD James books and her eloquent, subtle, and evocative writing has a way of being lengthy, intricate and simple at the same time. She will form a sentence, that when looked at as a whole, seems exceedingly complex and complicated, but when read, flows so naturally and easily, it is a joy to read.  

Combe Island doesn't just seem like a perfect, idyllic, restful spot where a person of very stressful and crucial, high profile job might come to find absolute seclusion, rest, and peace, it was designed that way. It's staff and occupants pride themselves of the total serenity given to the rich and powerful, so they are completely shocked when murder rocks the tiny island. Dalgliesh and his small team are the only appropriate response for such delicate matters.

I put off reading this book for a long time bc it is late in the series of James' most famous detective. Despite it being the 13th book, and taking place in the middle of many of the characters lives, it was easy to jump in having not read many (if any at all) of the other novels. I guess I should have known. Reading this book definitely made me want to read the ones that came before and learn more about the central characters and how they came to be. Besides the revered and astute Dalgleish and his crew, The Lighthouse has the mismatched characters of Combe island for you to get to know. This mystery kept me guessing until the last fourth of the book, and only when I wasn't reading did I think "how will it end?". While reading, I was just hoping to soak up more of the action and intrigue. I would recommend this book to anyone who like mysteries with stoic detectives, anglophiles (like myself), and people who like books set on islands. 

What is your favorite book set on an island? Who is your favorite serial detective?

Mad Cat Capsule: Summer 2018 (July - Sept)

My Summer 2018 capsule came together pretty organically but also took a long time to finalize. It was kind of a meandering process this time around. It really started bc I had been thrifting quite a  bit and found items that I loved that didn't work for spring or in my spring capsule. I chose one of those items to be my color inspiration for Summer and got started from there. 

I started putting this capsule together in early June, about a month before I would be finished with my Spring capsule. I usually have this kind of fluidity in the last month of each season, sometimes it starts earlier in the month, sometimes later. My colors for Summer are purples (light and rich), yellows (buttery and bright), light blue, bright pinks, grey (of course!), black and white, and a few pops of red.  

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Here is the inspiration for my Summer Capsule. I've never had a muumuu before and I could not pass this one by! I knew I wanted to use some of my purple pieces for Summer which I think goes well with this palate. Here is the capsule I built around this dress. 

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Starting with my new thrifted muumuu, I knew I also wanted to wear my black and white striped American Apparel dress, so I went with a combo of geometric, plain, and floral/butterflies for dresses.  
6 dresses - butterfly muumuu (thrifted), AA dress (ethical, made in USA), blue roxy geometric zipper dress (thrifted), floral with pockets (thrifted), denim "nurse" dress (thrifted and vintage, Not Pictured), linen "nurse" dress (thrifted and vintage. Not pictured)

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I've been obsessed with vintage silk tops. 
4 silk tops - purple, yellow, pink and black & white (all vintage and thrifted). 

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I found these two great semi long sleeve but very light tees recently. 
2 long sleeve tees - Linen 3/4 sleeve, grey mesh front long sleeve top (both thrifted).

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I got a crop "moon" tee at the clothing swap we did last year and it's inspired me to try more crop tops. 
3 crop tops - moons (clothing swap), button back b&w (clothing swap), cream lace (a gift, going on 5-6 years old). 

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Lots of tee shirts are a must for warm weather (or any weather!). 
8 tees - fancy sleeved blue (clothing swap), japan (thrifted), blue AA v neck, grey AA v neck (both over 10 years old and ethically made), tie dye (10+ years old), cat/whale tee (10+ years old), work tee, blue forgotten boardwalk tee (not pictured).  

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Gotta have a lot of over shirt options. 
6 over shirts / sweaters - vans hole sweater, maroon cardigan, lightweight grey cardigan (5-6 years old), blue FAB (found at bar) shirt, dot denim shirt (thrifted), light purple button down (thrifted). Last three not pictured. 

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This season I'm looking for some trousers (both in my own collection and in thrift shops) so I might add to my pants, but for now, it's all about jeans. 
5 pants - engineer jeans (thrifted), banana republic jeans (thrifted), grey jeans (thrifted), everlane jeans (ethically made), bright blue pants (thrifted and not pictured). 

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I feel like I'm forgetting a skirt? I found the pink skirt at the same time as the muumuu!
3 skirts - pink midi skirt (thrifted), purple with pockets (thrifted), blue stripes (15+ years old). 

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I wear shorts mostly when chilling at home (never at work), but I do like to have a few for summer. 
3 shorts - levis button fly, roxy white (5-6 years old), denim cutoffs (15 years plus, not pictured). 

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I use tanks mostly for layering or hanging around, but again in summer, you gotta have em. 
5 strappy tanks - yellow, blue, purple, bright pink with lace (15+ plus), terry halter (15+ years). 
3 ribbed tanks - grey (10+ years. Not pictured), black (10+ years), bright pink. 

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Besides, bare feet, the only shoes I need for summer are my flops!! Unfortunately I can't wear them all the time. I recently thrifted a great pair of vintage sandals that I can't wait to wear (pictured below). I also want to wear my salt water sandals this year. 
8 shoes - Emily boots, tan flats, cat sneaks, grey cons (10+ years), zip boots (thrifted), flops (second hand from a friend), vintage black sandals (vintage and thrifted), salt water sandals (10+ years, made in the USA. Does anyone know the ethics on this company?). 

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As always this capsule doesn't include sleep wear, swim wear, outerwear or loungewear. No undies, socks, bras, accessories, or jewelry  are included either. This capsule comes in at 56 items, 41 of which fall under slow fashion.  

Between Spring and Summer, I had some revelations about how capsule wardrobes have helped me find my personal style. I'm planning on sharing those with you in another post, but for now I'm just really excited to wear this capsule!

What capsule are you wearing right now? How do you feel about my choices for Summer? Are there items that you would have left out? Are you interested in seeing outfits I might make from this pieces?

5 Steps to Get You Started for Plastic Free July

In 2017 I started my zero waste journey. Zero Waste is the goal, mindful practice is the action. When I use the term Zero Waste, that is my ultimate goal, but Less Waste would be a more  accurate description of my evolving lifestyle.

Plastic Free July is a month to give up or at least be mindful of not using disposable items like plastic straws, bottled water, plastic bags, disposable coffee cups, etc... and it's a time to be mindful of your plastic consumption in general. This is a great time to think about how our purchases and practices effects the world. 

Plastic Free July doesn't suggest you tear through your house abolishing every item of plastic, you can start going plastic free this minute, by simply deciding that you want to. 

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This can be a a really intimidating undertaking, even if it's only a minute or a month at a time. Here are a few steps you can take today to get you started to have a great Plastic Free July: 

1. Get Over Your Own Convenience. 
The majority of the plastic we use daily was created to make life "more convenient" for us. Plastic water bottles to get water anywhere and easily, straws to keep our teeth from staining and make our drinks that much closer to our faces, plastic grocery bags, plastic tooth brushes you can buy and just throw out, disposable razors, etc... etc... these items might be helpful to us in the short term but ultimately it's the waste of these items that are creating problems there is currently no solution for, like micro plastics in our oceans and drinking water, like pollution in our rivers and cities. By thinking and being mindful and putting our own convenience aside, we can start to think about healing these problems. Bringing your own water bottle instead of buying plastic might be slightly inconvenient, but it makes a huge impact and all you have to do is get over the idea that everything should be convenient for you!

2. Think About The Life Of Items You Use. 
When you buy that disposable plastic water bottle, think about the factory where it was made, the machines filling it, the stream they blocked to get the water, the towns that effected, the truck driver bringing it to the grocery, the stocker putting it on the shelves, and how it got to you. Then think about where you will throw it in the trash, who will pick it up, where it will go, how long it'll be there or if it will make it's way somewhere else, like onto the beach, into the ocean, and into our water. I find this exercise makes it easy to make the decision whether I need an item or if I really don't. Before I buy anything I think about how I will throw it away which has made a huge change in what I buy. This is a simple moment of mindfulness practice that anyone can do. And you can start right now.  

3. Learn to Refuse. 
One of the easiest ways to cut down on the plastic you use is just to refuse the plastic that is given to you every day out of hand. Ask for no straw at the restaurant, ask for paper bags at the check out, buy soda in cans not plastic bottles, there's a ton of alternatives out there! Once you start refusing the items that are given but you don't need, it's easier to seek out non plastic alternatives. 

4. Choose Something To Give Up.
Now that you are getting comfortable saying, "no straw please", or asking for a real cup at the coffee shop, it's time to pick a thing that can give up. Maybe you can give up plastic coated paper coffee cups and bring your own reusable mug. Maybe a water bottle to replace plastic water bottles. Maybe a metal fork so you don't use a plastic one. Now, this doesn't mean you have to run out and buy a bunch of stuff!! You can bring a fork from home, a mug you already have, a tote bag you had lying around, you can reuse the last plastic water bottle you bought until you're ready to get a new one. It's not hard or expensive to have a reusable item and give up a disposable one.  

5. Start a Plastic Free Kit. 
Now that you've given up using a plastic fork for your lunch and bring a metal fork from home, pick the next thing to give up. Maybe you're used to refusing a plastic straw but you really miss straws, now might be the time to invest in a metal straw. Now you carry a reusable fork and straw! Now you have a Plastic Free Kit! You can continue to give plastic disposable items, and replace them with reusable items. Again, this doesn't mean you have to run out and buy a bunch of stuff. You can, if you want, but you can also look around your house for these swaps, ask your friends and family if they have something that might help you, or seek low cost alternatives at the local thrift store. 

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I hope these steps help you on your plastic free journey and let you have an easier and less intimidating Plastic Free July. It's about starting where you are and doing what you can. It's about shifting your mindset and your habits. It's not easy but it is simple. Mindfulness is the key. 

Need more details? Let me know what you want to learn more about! Let me know what wasn't clear. Want more plastic free tips? Share your PFJ questions and insights in the comments. 

 

Whitesbog Revisited

This is our third year going to the Whitesbog Blueberry Festival and it's one of our favorite June events!! This year was much cooler and cloudy than previous years. It was really nice to do some exploring, eating and observing when it wasn't a million degrees. 

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We also saw this amazing dog!! How cute and tough is he?

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I love to visit and revisit the places we love around NJ. It's so great to see an area in all different weather. Where are your favorite places to visit in your state?

Mid Year Goal Review

Here we are in in July and I've definitely been feeling that mid year slump. My unexpected blogging hiatus has lasted much longer than I intended, I'm having trouble motivating myself to get back started, I'm having trouble motivating to sew and art, I'm struggling a little to be happy and content at work. To try and change this mental slump, I've been brainstorming, reading, and watching some videos that might help inspire and motivate me! 

One step I've decided to take is to reassess the goals I made in the beginning of the year. This is something I have never done before. It never occurred to me to change my goals mid year but why not? If the goals I set are not working for me, I should mold them into something that does. My goals should work for me as much as I work towards them.

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Here are my original goals for 2018 and how I might modify them:

Be Balanced in Home Life/Art/Personal Endeavors and Work
Since 2015 working on personal endeavors as much as my job has been one of my main goals. At some times this works, at others it does not. In 2018, I would like to continue on this path but to change it slightly. What I find most difficult sometimes is splitting my focus, trying to keep my work, art, life and job separate but equal. This year I want to focus on keeping them Balanced.

Finding a balance between work and personal art and achievements is a constant struggle. Mid year, I want to take time to figure out what I need to do to be creative and productive in my non professional life. And happier in my professional one. 

Sew and Quilt More
In 2017 my quilting fell off the map a little after a strong start to the year. I want to get back in the habit of working on quilting more days than I don't. I want to have more finishes in 2018 than last year. There are a bunch of projects (not quilts) that I have been wanting to work on; I'd like to get these done this year! I want to keep up with all my community sewing projects, like YOTS, OMG, and FALs. 

This goal is taking a break. I have been unmotivated in sewing and feeling guilty about it. I know it's something I will always come back to so why stress myself out feeling bad about it? 

Be a Better Blogger
I want to keep up my progress on my blog and set some goals for myself. I want to make sure I blog at least 23 days each month, explore my favorite columns more, create new content, and make bloggy connections. I want to get back in the habit of writing in my live journal, and use it more as a free flowing, personal, brain dump, style actual journal. I plan to get some items that will help me at work, but I plan to use them for my blogging life as well. I plan to try a standing desk. I have to learn to get better about answering comments!!

This goal still really motivates me!!! Every year I take a blogging hiatus and this year I feel like it was not planned but has already happened. With that out of the way, I can concentrate on blogging hard for the rest of the year! I can't wait to blog more and have some great content ideaas coming up. But LiveJournal doesn't work for me, so that's a no go. 

Zero Waste Journey
Last year I began my zero waste journey. In 2018, I plan to continue this journey and take more steps towards becoming plastic free. At the moment, I feel like I still hold myself back from taking easy steps towards this goal, so becoming more mindful and incorporating more ZW routines into my daily life are key for this goal. 

This is another one that I am even more excited and motivated about it!! I am so happy about where I am in my ZW journey. 

Be Purposeful and Mindful in My Home Life and Relationships
This is a big goal, but I can break it down. 
First and foremost, I want to spend more time with my husband and the cats, and make that time more purposeful. We live very busy lives and sometimes togetherness and quality time get pushed to the side. I want to make sure I'm mindful of the little things, like taking photos together, going on walks, exploring, beach combing, and being together intentionally. I want to make sure we are caring for the cats, appreciating where we live and the seasons. 
I made strides in decluttering and keeping the house clean, happy and healthy in 2017. This year I want to get even better. I want to tackle a few bigger projects around the house, like finishing our kitchen renovation, fixing up our bathroom, organizing and purging the basement, plus more. I want to continue to take good care of the plants. 
I want to continue to see and be mindful about connecting with my family and friends. This includes my immediate family, who live close, but also those that live far away, and friends near and far. 
This year, I want to focus on gardening, taking care of our yard, growing food, and composting. Since moving we have wanted to make our property more comfortable and useful. This is the year to do that in earnest. 

This is a big goal! But I think we are doing a really great job with this one. We spent 30 minutes the other night pulling caterpillars off our tomato plants and having a great time. That seems like a perfect embodiment of family togetherness and care.  

Improve My Health, Wellness, and Mental Well Being. 
A lot of things last year worked towards this goal, but in 2018 I want to be more mindful and more intent on really taking care of my health. In February, I turn 39 and I want to make sure that I get healthier and happier as I get older. I want to walk and exercise more regularly and purposely. I want to swim in the summer and learn to do yoga and home workouts. 2018 will be the year I can touch my toes!!
My first full year of having a capsule wardrobe is approaching and I have loved this challenge and routine. I plan to implement even more consciousness about my style and outward appearence to feel better about myself in 2018. 
I want to continue to eat and be more mindful of having a plant based diet. I want to make sure that we are eating locally and sustainably as much as possible. I want to increase our health using suppliments, vitamins, essenital oils, and exercise. I also want to make sure I'm maintaining my health by taking my inhaler. My asthma has gotten worse in the last few months and I know this is due to not being strict on taking my meds and also not exercising properly. 
Reading, drawing, sewing, creating, and organization have always helped my mental well being and this year I want to focus on all these areas. Watching tv does the opposite, so I want to be mindful of moving away from this fun but unproductive activity. 

Another big goal!! Mid year I want to really concentrate on health so that at the end of the year, I don't fall in to laziness. I always struggle more in the Winter months, so I want to make sure I have some good habits in place before then. Everything mentioned in the goal has a place in my mid year review. 

Make Time To Travel and Explore 
This should be a priority for us but it must be balanced with being at home in our own space. Challenges like exploring one new place per month, doing an overnight every two months, seeing art once a month, going to the beach once a week, etc...  might help strike this balance. 

This hasn't been a priority for us, and honestly, I haven't thought about it too much. This might happen when it happens but mid year, it's not a goal. 

Write 2 Letters Per Month
Writing letters gave me so much joy last year, but I never made the time to do it in a purposeful way. In 2018, I plan to change that. 

I really want to get back into this!!

Create 1 Tattoo Per Month
I have very slowly been learning to do Stick and Poke tattoos. This year it's time to branch out and seriously improve this skill. One tattoo per mouth is really ambitious but it's a good goal to strive for. 

No progress has been made on this, and it's not going to be a huge goal going forward. If it happens, I'll be happy, but I'm not going to beat myself up over it. 

Save Money
We did a good job at saving money and at not over spending in 2017. 2018 is the first year since we moved to NJ that I will work full time all year and I want to have some money saved to show for it. 

We've been really mindful of this goal and I think we are on the right track. 

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I think one of the biggest takeaways for me is to reassess my art and how to be creative. Sewing, tattoos, and other things I've tried to focus on are not doing it for me but I am inspired by clothes, blogging, and other new endeavors!! I'm ready to move forward in those directions.
Going thru my goals has really let me think about what I want for the rest of the year. I think I need a little while to ruminate and come up with my new goals list. 

Have you ever changed your goals mid year? Did it help you stay motivated?

Plastic Free July

In 2017 I started my zero waste journey. Zero Waste is the goal, mindful practice is the action. When I use the term Zero Waste, that is my ultimate goal, but Less Waste would be a more  accurate description of my evolving lifestyle.

Happy Plastic Free July!

2017 was the first year that I even knew what PFJ was, and it came right at the right time of my life. I was just learning about Zero Waste and the Low Impact Movement. I was thinking about it a lot at that time. But I wasn't ready to really paricipate in PFJ. I was a little at a loss as to how to even do that.  But July 2017 was, if I can pin point it, the time where I really started my Zero Waste, Low Impact, journey. That was the month I first tried to refuse straws on the regular, I bought a water bottle and tried to use it, and that was when Low Impact became a serious undercurrent in my life. 

So here we are a year later, and this year, I was ready for Plastic Free July! This year, refusing straws is second nature, bringing my water bottle is becoming the norm, I try to always get items in my own containers instead of a disposable container, we no longer use plastic wrap or garbage bags! Continuing these practices is part of my PFJ2018. I also created a list for my self for things to work on this year:

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- Audit my trash for the month of July. I have done this before while I was starting out along my ZW journey, and I do it every once in a while to see where I'm at. This month, I plan to mostly audit our recycling. 

- Take the time to recycle the items that are difficult to recycle. We are donating clothes, dropping off our electronics, bringing our plastic bags to drop off centers, and other annoying tasks this month. We still accumulate some of these items, so disposing of them properly is super important. 

- Focus on building our garden for this year and years to come! We recently (finally) planted our front bed and now we are hooked! We cannot wait to create more avenues for us to grow our own food and rely less on conventional, and often plastic packed, fruit and veg. 

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- Utilize local farmer's markets! Summer is the best time for fresh fruits and veggies and I want to eat them all! The farmer's market is a great to get them, plastic free!

- Continue to refuse disposable plastics like straws, plastic bags, plastic cups and coffee cups, single use plastic containers, etc... and get better at it!! The more you practice, the easier it becomes!

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- Preach! Mostly, I try not to be too preachy about my Zero Waste journey, but PFJ is the perfect time to let people know about the horrors of disposable plastics, give them some insight into my lifestyle and ideals, and to hopefully spark them to think to these ideas!

So far, I'm happy with how my Plastic Free July is going. How are you celebrating PFJ?

 

June Plant Update

A little late but here are my plant observations for June!

Lots of flowers!! Veggie garden is started! Replated roses! Farmers markets! What do June plants look like where you live?

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These little light green plants popped up in our blueberry bushes all in a clump? What are they?

This weird fungus also appeared! Can anyone help us identify it? 

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It was a great month for plants! Love living this plant life!

July OMG

Fabric storage is a problem in our house. We always seem to have more fabric than we know what to do with. Not a terrible problem! This One Monthly Goal for me is to find some good fabric storage options and declutter and organize. I'd like to have the majority of my fabric neatly put away by the end of July. 

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This is an especially important goals for me this month as I will be taking a big step back from sewing for the rest of the year. Even though I'm putting sewing on the back burner, I want to make sure that my resources are available to me if inspiration strikes . 

Linking up with Elm Street Quilts this month, as usual!

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June In Review

You know when you sit down to start something at your desk, or you set out for your morning run, or you get ready to walk in to an event, or work, and you say to yourself internally "OKAY"?

Like, "okay, let's get started", like "okay, we're gonna do this", or "okay, let's get down to business". That's how I approached June. Maybe that's how I approach every month (day?). I knew June was gonna be a thing. I just didn't know what thing it would be. 

Turns out, June was great, but hard. June helped me sit down and reassess what my goals are and what the rest of 2018 might look like. We did a lot of our regular things in June, too! We saw family and friends, watchercats, we saw a lot of bees this month!

1) Bees, 2) Bees, 3) Bees... 4) and a sea princess. 

1) Bees, 2) Bees, 3) Bees... 4) and a sea princess. 

The month started out for me in a different state so we did get to travel some in June. We got to visit beaches, pine barrens, and hang out in our city. 

1) The cutest #myfavoritetrucksofasburypark. 2) Funeral home #watchercat. 3) Gazing. 4) and Yawning. 

1) The cutest #myfavoritetrucksofasburypark. 2) Funeral home #watchercat. 3) Gazing. 4) and Yawning. 

Since high season is here, June saw us working a lot! But we made time to tend the garden, have our first (and hopefully last) yard sale, and do household things, although never as much as we would like.  

1) All the great signage. 2) Pink in Point Pleasant in NJ. 3) We replanted this rose and it had one big bloom. 4) Weekly challenge #1!

1) All the great signage. 2) Pink in Point Pleasant in NJ. 3) We replanted this rose and it had one big bloom. 4) Weekly challenge #1!

June was hard, but I feel it set me up for some great things to come. I have a lot planned for July, so let's get started, okay?

June OMG

For the first months of the year I had the same One Monthly Goal and I still haven't completed it. I thought about keeping with it this month, but I thought I would take a break and make a goal that would, hopefully be easier to accomplish. 

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Last month part of my hiatus from this blog was also a break from the Mad Cat Quilts Block Of the Month in May. For June I want to get back into it so I'm making creating two MCQBOM blocks my June OMG. 

So far, in 2018, I still haven't completed any OMG Goals:
Jan - Finish one small quilt - Not Finished
Feb - Finish scrappy quilt - Not Finished
Mar - Finish scrappy quilt - Not Finished
Apr - Finish scrappy quilt - Not Finished
May - Finish scrappy quilt - Not Finished
Jun - 2 MCQBOM Blocks -

I'm linking up with Elm Street Quilts today. 

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May In Review

May went by in a blur. I took an unexpected hiatus from the blog, saw so many friends and family, made new friends, found watchercats, worked on the house, took long walks, explored places new and old, worked hard, but had tome to rest, too. June started off in a new place and with a celebration. What will happen next?

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Tattoo Story: Anchor

It might be an unofficial goal for 2018 (and every year) but I would love to get more tattoos this year. Actually, I think about my next tattoos constantly. Does everyone feel like this?

In honor of my future tattoos, I thought I would take a look back at my current tattoos. I hope I can remember in what order I got them! 

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Getting your first tattoo is so odd bc you have no idea what to expect!! It did not go as I was thinking but one thing was for sure, I loved it! This tattoo was not at all how I expected it to come out. I had had ideas of what it would look like, but it working with another person on art is always a surprise! My artist was Ryoko and she was working at Brooklyn Tattoo at the time. 

I always get asked if I intend to put color on my tattoos, but I do not! I love my thin black and grey line work. I hope that all my tattoos are semmetrical, so this tattoo is on my left forearm, and  I have another one of the opposite arm. 

What is the story behind your tattoos?