sustainable systems & storytelling
“Man is condemned to be free; because once thrown into the world, he is responsible for everything he does. It is up to you to give [life] a meaning.” --Jean-Paul Sartre What if we could wrestle down life’s big questions using the scientific method? What if we could systematically improve human thoughts, actions, and environments... Continue Reading →
My boyfriend ventured to our local farmer's market to pick up our produce for the week. On this particular Saturday, the market manager called him aside to ask where I was, to make sure I was okay as I hadn't been in several weeks. I was at home, he explained, as I am at higher... Continue Reading →
My mom requested a durable gardening apron for Christmas since she spends all of her free time in the garden and has a habit of unconsciously wiping dirty hands on her pants. The Grainline Studio Free Apron Pattern & Tutorial fit the bill. My boyfriend contracted the covid virus in late-November, so December was a... Continue Reading →
I'm five years old and gifted my second piggy bank. This one is not actually a piggy. The clear, house-shaped plastic box has stickers adhered to the front that resemble storefronts. One 2D marquee reads Spend, another Share, and the final Save. The non-traditional piggy bank was meant to teach me to think beyond the... Continue Reading →
Happy Friday, my friends! I hope that your week was filled with joy, excitement or--at a minimum--small moments of contentment. I've had an extremely busy work week, but welcomed the sense of productivity. I've been reading Matthew Dicks' book, Storyworthy, this week and am looking forward to reading Tim Buaghman's latest work of fiction, Kotvo... Continue Reading →
My brother has taken up walking during quarantine and requested an attention-grabbing fanny pack to take along on his adventures for Christmas. I searched far and wide and landed on the Proper Fit Clothing Fanny Pack Utility Bag Pattern, which has multiple pockets, adjustable straps, nylon webbing to secure carabiner hooks, and a water bottle... Continue Reading →
I held my two-month-old niece for the first time yesterday, as her parents sat down for their first meal together sans baby since the birth. I heard a soft cooing as I bounced the ten-pound, chunky-soft human in my arms and walked her around the room to satiate her curious brown eyes. Within her line... Continue Reading →
My zero-waste journey began as a broke college kids with an allergy to the one-time-use plastic in grocery store bags and very few possessions, over a decade before the idea of sustainability even became popular. The developed world is filled with stuff, often more stuff than we really need. In my mind, zero-waste comes down... Continue Reading →
Hi there! How are you and what have you been up to over the last week? In the midst of local, national, global chaos in the forms viral pandemic, civil unrest, broken relationships, and nuclear threats, I'm finding contentment in the minuscule momentary pleasures. My garden is sprouting, my houseplants are happy, and the finches... Continue Reading →
Hello friends! We're now one week into 2021. How are you feeling? The atmosphere in America is heavy with anger, hatred, hypocrisy, and division. I won't get into politics, but I do fear that the media will continue to pit member of the political parties against one another and prevent any semblance of national unity.... Continue Reading →
Happy New Year! 2020 was something, wasn't it? Like any other year, it was filled with ups and downs, and hopefully lessons we can all carry into the year ahead. Though the first of the new year is an arbitrary date, I try to take advantage of its psychological power and leverage the date to... Continue Reading →
On the path from my front door to the adjacent artificial lake--home to the migratory geese that couldn't recognize spring--my eyes drifted up from the inky asphaltto a flock of iridescent angels, shimmering whiteagainst the sky-bound seas of the high desert. On the final day of the year in which machines forced last breaths into... Continue Reading →
Happy New Year! I hope that you had a safe and happy Christmas with your loved ones, or relaxing at home in your pajamas baking cookies. I fall into the latter category, but it wasn't so bad. We took evening walk around the neighborhood to look at Christmas lights and saw a lone coyote and... Continue Reading →
For several years now, I've seen fellow sewists discuss the Make Nine Challenge. I love the idea of committing to projects, and I've historically set similar goals for writing, reading, budgeting, and all other areas. I took sewing lessons each summer as a child and would show up to the first class with a list.... Continue Reading →
Hello there, and happy holidays! Is it just me, or is this one of the strangest Christmas seasons on record? Today, we will be taking part in two curbside Christmases, where we will set a box of gifts in the driveway outside each Christmas gathering, wave briefly, and then drive home to a house devoid... Continue Reading →
Recently, I have been reminiscing about old friends that I have fallen out of contact with since leaving social media. After a few quick internet searches, I discovered that several happily married mommies had fallen in love, gotten married, had a child, then gone through a divorce, and won sole custody of the toddler, all... Continue Reading →
