Category: Green Living

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Beginning a Braided Rug

The Lucky Fish

The weather guy says if you go outside,you’ll die in 15 minutes or something like that. (It’s really cold here) It’s a good day to start piecing the braids together I made from t-shirt yarn. It’s my first braided rug. I have no idea what I’m doing but so far, it’s looking ok. I added the burnt orangey color in because I was afraid I was going to end up with something that looked like hunter’s camouflage. I was trying to a color scheme to match the cushion I made for this gigantic papasan-style couch (seriously, this thing is huge. … Continue reading Beginning a Braided Rug

Green Living, Thrifting1 Comment

Thrifted Sewing Supplies

The Lucky Fish

  Over at whipup.net, there’s a great guide to buying thrifted sewing supplies. It’s all great suggestions. I get most of my sewing supplies at yard sales (or jumbles, as I’m told they are called elsewhere…and I rather like the sound of that better), rummage sales,and thrift shops. It’s quite common to come across boxes or bags full of stuff no one wanted to sort through and be able to snatch a huge bag of yarn or fabrics for less than $5.     Continue reading Thrifted Sewing Supplies

Green Living, Thrifting, Vintage2 Comments

Guide to Thrifty Second Hand Shopping, Part 1

The Lucky Fish

Alternate title to the post: How to shop second hand (like a BOSS.) Too much,right? This will be a series of posts on tips to get the best second hand shopping experience. Part 1 deals with where to get the goods. It always amazes me when people compliment me on something I recently acquired at a yard sale or a thrift shop and they’re shocked. I mean ,jaw-dropping,mouth-gaping, shocked that I found something awesome second hand. “I never find anything good at yard sales”, a woman recently told me. Well, what do you mean by good? Turns out , she is looking for name-brand kids clothes but … Continue reading Guide to Thrifty Second Hand Shopping, Part 1

Etsy, Green LivingLeave a comment

“Washies” ….aka Reusuable Cloth Wipes or “Family Cloth”

The Lucky Fish

 On my To -Do List this week: Sew up more cloth washies. I started making my own cloth wipes when my twins were born 16 years ago. It wasn’t the first time I had used cloth wipes .When I was a nanny years earlier, they had used cloth because they didn’t like the chemicals in disposable baby wipes. An excellent reason not to use baby wipes fro the store but my reason was absolutely financial. Disposable wipes can cost on average about $500 for the 3 years a kid is in diapers…and I had two baby butts to wipe! Since then, the … Continue reading “Washies” ….aka Reusuable Cloth Wipes or “Family Cloth”

Etsy, Fabric & Textiles, Green Living1 Comment

Things to Make With Burlap Bags

The Lucky Fish

      A round-up of the crafty ways to upcycle burlap rice and coffee sacks.     Some great ideas for wreaths….and those burlap rosettes would make nice embellishments for other projects. 1. The Complete Guide to Imperfect Homemaking  2.  grapevine wreath 3. Love Is…  4. burlap rosettes 5. Today’s Fabulous Finds 6. The Roseland Family [via 74 Burlap Projects at Too Much Time On My Hands ]   Speaking of embellishments, check out these sweet burlap flowers. I love that the color graphics on the bag ass a nice pop of col or. [via iShare Crafts ] Storage Bins!   [via Mari Makes: ] These would be so excellent in a craft … Continue reading Things to Make With Burlap Bags

Books, Green Living, Reviews, Vintage1 Comment

Book Review: I Like Old Clothes

The Lucky Fish

We found a kiddie lit gem at the library this week. I Like Old Clothes by Children’s Poet Laureate Mary Ann Hoberman was originally published in 1976 with different illustrations. The poem is about how fabulous second hand clothing is …and even old, “vintage” clothing .The new illustrations by  Patrice Barton with this version are gorgeous,bright and have a wonderful handcrafted, comfortable feel. When somebody grows And gives me their clothes, I don’t say, “What, those?” And turn up my nose The way some people do When their clothes aren’t new   I love this shrugging off of the attitude that hand me downs are bad … Continue reading Book Review: I Like Old Clothes