Crowning Glory

When I met my husband, I was going through a really intense fashion phase that involved lots of polyester, stubby fat neck ties (a Melissa B inspiration) and hair that I could sit on when I rode the 1/9. Thanks to time, multi-vitamins and my inability to successfully make appointments, my hair has reached the bottom of my back and within the year will probably be sat upon at some point. This, I find awesome.

In the midst of DIY summer, where I attempted to make everything from scratch including 6 vats of pickles, a new dress and baby mobiles, I came across the idea to create my own shampoos and conditioners. I had wanted to do this with my fashion students at some point, but never got around to it. Also, I like that it's green and is customizable, plus, it can be unbelievably easy and rewarding as most prairie-style DIY projects are. Here's the first recipe I tried and, let me tell you, I'm impressed. (I made sure to use Dr. Bronner's castille soap for the liquid soap as it's pretty pure and doesn't contain weird chemicals that will yield three-eyed fish in our future)

Specifically, here's my modified recipe:
-8oz. distilled spring water
-4 tbsp. liquid castille soap
-3 tablespoons dried/crushed lavendar (I had this in my garden, but you can buy it in health food stores or craft stores...just make sure its organic)
-3 tablespoons dried/crushed rosemary (also had this in my garden)

1. Bring water to a boil
2. Place herbs in a strainer (the kind with very small holes or mesh)
3. In the bottle you'll use for your shampoo (I used an old glass vanilla bottle), add the castille soap.
4. Make herb water by holding the strainer of herbs over a container with a lid. Pour boiling water over the herbs and squeeze out any excess water into the new container. Make sure no renegade herbs got into your herb water. Cover and let steep for 10-30 minutes.
5. Transfer herb water to the shampoo bottle (the one that contains the castille soap)
6. Date and label the bottle (the shelf life is up to a year!). You can really go overboard with the cuteness of the label, as those shown below. Because mine was a practice round, I just sort of let it be anonymous....I'm the only one in my house that uses liquid shampoo anyway, but I'm toying with the idea of making this as a gift in the future and perhaps infusing with orange zest. We'll see.


"Her" Shampoo by Good4You; A Beautiful Life's (P.S. They're local!) "Honey'do" Shampoo in honey bear bottle,

Greetings from the Happy Files

Just a few things that are floating my boat:
Embroidery Art from the merriweather council.


Fabric Plants! from janejoss

Simple...and not so perfect. Compliments of AmeliaBrilliant ;)


Here's hoping this positive outlook will lead me straight into a positive labor. C'mon out, Amelia!
Love,
Jes

Someone Was Looking Out...

About ten years ago, I was sort of a wayward girl living in Manhattan and going through a real "lady of the night" phase if I can call it that after a bad breakup with ye olde high school sweetheart. When I came home to hide out after September 11, my friend introduced me to this flippant boy who offended me and never deserved a second look until I saw him again months later and we were wearing the same shirt. In this new context, I knew I had to have him. So I got him. Between college classes, I wrote his senior year research paper on the relevance of celebrating Christopher Columbus (I got a B+ but it was totally an A paper) after he refused to do it. He came to New York and spent his last dollar to bring me ice skating. We walked around a lot and talked about things because we didn't have any money to do anything. I made him a wallet out of ketchup packets. He gave me a stuffed dog named James. I went to his prom and wore a red dress from 1955 that I bought and reworked for $12. He carried all of my shoes from West 27th St. all the way to the train when I moved home. Somewhere along the line, after refusing to let myself for a really long time, I fell in love with that guy and I married him two years ago today. Now I look at him sometimes and I wonder what I did in my past life to deserve him. If I were president, there would be a law that would make it mandatory for everyone in America to have someone that makes them feel the way he makes me feel. In other words, world peace. Man....I'm lucky.

Farewell, Fringe and Frida

It was a tough week in our house with the passing of a family member. We were lucky to have been invited several days this week to say goodbye and we're currently working through a two-day funeral/memorial service, so we've been in a bit of a fog. Dan's uncle was a wonderful man and I'm happy we've been able to say goodbye in a big way. Still...at 39.5 weeks it's been pretty hard on the body. I'm secretly hoping that the experience is teaching Amelia the importance of family in utero. I don't think we'll have a hard time getting this idea through to her either way...but I digress.

Unless she's born before her Monday due date, I'm hoping to get back into the craft room this weekend to make some Spring 2012-inspired necklaces to add to the bunch for spring shows before I become a full-time mom. Here are a few inspiration pieces that, oddly enough, I had found myself wearing in the ridiculous dreams that I've been having. I know. Obsessed.

also...uhm...hi, Frida.




Happy Friday.

Love
Jes

Channeling Frida

I recently read Elsie Larson's tips for staying inspired and I was particularly taken with tip #2-Find a New Muse. I can't agree more that, when doing any kind of organized creativity, it is important to have a concept. At the same time, I can't seem to digress from Frida Kahlo, my life's greatest muse, as she seems to creep into all of my artistic endeavors and, of late, into most of the late-pregnancy looks that I've been struggling to put together. Especially lately. (At least for now, I refuse to live a day where I do not dress-please spare me any "wait until the baby is born" nonsense. This is currently non-negotiable.) So while I may take Elsie up on her other tips (Elsie after all is muse-worthy in and of herself), I think I'll keep Frida around for a while. I think I may even let her take over for a while. After all....

She refused to live by Coco Chanel's rule of taking off one accessory (could you die over that head piece?!:


Girl knew how to layer:


And oh, the colors. It's impossible not to think of Frida in those saturated reds and yellow, as though she lived her life in a brilliant Mexican shrine:


She never ceases to inspire me and I plan to let her for as long as she likes. Especially if it means that I'll continue wearing fringe booties with maxi skirts and lace shirts. <3 Thanks, Frida.

Love,
Jes

Teeny Tiny Things-No it's not pregnancy related

I held my breath when I read about Emily Henderson's "I'm A Giant! Dollhouse Challenge" this morning here and straight from the source. I was so excited...until I realized I was holding my breath and I nearly passed out. Whoops.

I've been totally addicted to miniatures since I was a little kid and once of the highlights of my life was building my dollhouse with my mom. I even took a class to learn how to make a tiny wicker dog bed and a wicker bathroom waste basket from a certified (CERTIFIED!) dollhouse expert. I have to admit that I played with my dollhouse until I was way too old to admit I was playing with a dollhouse. Like, seriously, I think I was driving when I finally stopped...but I always decorated it for Christmas...even when I could drink legally. Whew...It feels good to admit that. Throughout this pregnancy I've toyed with the idea of making a dollhouse for Amelia, before realizing that it had nothing to do with Amelia. This challenge is making me feel tempted again, but luckily, the fact that I can barely bend over would make this project an impossibility so I'll sideline myself. For now.


Love, Jes

Happiness Files Cont.

Some Things I've gathered for inspiration:

Shoes from that I started making this summer but don't plan on finishing by the 10.29 deadline. (My sister's wedding day!) Luckily I found a worthy pair to wear as plan B.
What is it about a beautiful table scape?
A great stop on the 3R highway. Reusing an old tee shirt to decorate a new tee shirt. I'm currently making one of these for my sister-in-law.