Media fast / re-fashion

I thought I'd take a break from resenting and complaining about the very rich, and focus today on one of the cool side-effects of living just a stone's throw from the sixteenth most expensive ZIP code in the country: The thrift stores around here rock. Today at lunch I got five gorgeous heavy linen sundresses (also two heavy silver plate soup spoons in a beautiful and unusual pattern) that I am going to cut up and turn into skirts and other things yet to be invented. I can't wait to get started!

In the spirit of experimentation I departed slightly from my standard fabrics of choice and picked two flowered dresses (I almost never wear anything with a pattern) and one with some embroidery and applique at the side. I also got one that is pale blue – not a great color for me, but I can dye it any kind of green. One of them is all natural colored, but has a flowery pattern woven into the cloth. It's also sewn on the bias and has a swirly hem that I'm looking forward to trying out. The other one is just plain, and might end up being used for linings and pockets and interfacings, or possibly some kind of blouse if there's enough of it.

About my love affair with linen – mainly what I like about it is the way it moves and breathes, compared with cotton, which always seems to feel either too hot, or too stiff. Also, linen dyes up great, and I love the heavy, rustic texture. Lately I've been checking out other fibers too, when I can find them. Tencel is cool and super durable, and there's a woman online who's selling hemp canvas from Eastern Europe that I might take a chance on one of these days, if I don't wear myself out with sewing this first batch of items.

I've also decided to take the plunge and cut up most of my old favorite black clothes to use as patterns. Now that several months have passed since I took a break from black, I've realized I don't really want to go back to wearing it. It seems funny that I never noticed before how really bad I look in black. I see it now, and am excited to keep moving in the direction of warmer, more alive (for me) colors.

As for the media fast, in the last few weeks of working crazy hours and getting home too wired to sleep, I've attempted to calm myself into oblivion by reading waaaaay too many books. Also, listening to too much music, watching too many movies, and endlessly surfing the web. My brain is now so packed full of other people's words and ideas that I can hardly hear my own voice anymore. So instead of doing any of those things when I need to relax, my plan is to sit down and make something instead.

Or, just to sit. I might try that too, once I've settled back into my groove again.

P.S. Tater did not enjoy the Frosty Paws. In fact, he wouldn't even condescend to taste it. I always knew he was smart. Next time I want to give him a frozen treat I'll stick to the tried & true homemade chicken broth pupsicle with shreds of krunchy karrot.