Late night blog link - Rethought

I bought this dress the last time I was at Value Village. It's way too big for me, but how gorgeous is the fabric? It will be dismantled and turned into any number of pretty things.

I just found a new hero: thenonconsumeradvocate.com

Thank you, Katy.

I've read about 'The Compact' before but never made a conscious decision to stop buying things new. It has just sort of happened over the years, and now I can't remember the last time I bought something that wasn't second hand. Except food and toiletries, of course... and shoes. But that's another story.

Anyway, reading Katy's blog made me want to add something about my last post, on the plush star: All the materials are second-hand. Fabric, thread, needles, pins, embroidery floss, and the batting I stuffed it with. And the coffee table it's sitting on.

There's something about creating things that feels so pioneer, like a throwback to when it wasn't an option to go get a crapload of plastic-y, crisp new fabric off the bolt. If you wanted a new dress, you had to cut up the curtains, Maria Rainier-style. Oh-oh, or use flour sacks. (Do you have any idea how bummed I am that I missed flour sacks? I mean come on, the bags you buy food in, being made of cute, floral fabric? Who the heck decided to phase that out? Worst decision ever.) But when you drive the minivan to Michaels or JoAnn's for supplies, it winds up feeling more like a cheezeball arts & crafts project kids do in Sunday school (paper bag reindeer, anyone?)

Buying and using pre-owned materials is earth friendly, it's a cheaper way to get high-quality supplies, and let's face it (if you enjoy the hunt like yours truly), it's just more fun, darn it.

And one more time, it's earth friendly. Best reason there is.

Which is why I may lust after the designs of Anna Maria and Amy, but I will remain true to my thrifted linens. They're softer than the new stuff anyway.

Love, J

P.S.~ Best line from Katy's blog: getting the 'hippie ethic without the hippie aesthetic.' I like to think I avoid the hippie aesthetic. The hubs says my decoration style is 'dorm room chic' - that doesn't sound too earth muffin, does it? I mean, there's no macrame or anything.

RETHOUGHT: I've been thinking, and I should clarify that the 'nonconsumer' moniker probably doesn't suit me at all. I shop. A LOT. I buy things all the time, just because they're pretty or colorful or I think I might, someday, use them. But they're always pre-owned. So while I'm not really *consuming* anything from the stream of commerce, I am for sure a consumer in that I come home usually at least once a week with something new to me.