String 'Em Up ....


According to the U.S. Department of Energy our clothes dryers are the second largest energy hog in our homes. The Energy Star label of efficient appliances doesn't even bother to label them.

There is a little $5.00 solution to consider.

A clothesline has a few pluses:

1. You can save money and reduce your personal impact on climate change
2. Your clothes will last longer; dryer lint from your clothes is like sawdust from wood, no shrinkage, no static cling, less ironing.
3. Your clothes will smell fresher and the sunlight will bleach and disinfect.
4. Indoor racks can humidify in dry winter weather.
5. No more dryer fire worries (over 18,000 a year in the U.S. alone).

And, I'm not going to get all new age-y on you here, but there is something about the feel of those wet clothes against your arms when you hang them up and the warmth when you take them down that is very grounding - I'm starting to tear up a little bit just thinking about it.

(or maybe I have something in my eye, but you get the picture)

A clothesline has a couple negatives:

1. You can't leave the clothes up for days like you leave them in your dryer
2. It takes a little more time, but not as much as you might think
3. It can be a bit unsightly depending on how crappy your wardrobe is

I have a little clothesline that started out as a yard gym for Olive. It has a rubber donut that dangles from it and she spends hours jumping for that donut and wearing herself out while I work. Now I use it for towels, linens and jeans (I don't use it for everything, but it does save me a few loads a week).

It is also great for beating throw rugs and this is where some real therapy can come in. You can even draw a little picture of your mother-in-law (just as an example not that I have done this) on the back of the rug and the cleaning will be even more therapeutic (this kind of only works if you have kids though).

Hubby - Is that my mom's face on the back of that rug?

Me - Huh?

Hubby- My mom's face drawn on the back of that rug!

Me- *looking confused*

Hubby - Look! *points to back of rug*

Me - *frowning and shaking my head* These kids...

1. Laundry room vinyl lettering by SingleStoneStudios
2. Vintage Washboard from ShamsandCoverUps
3. Vintage Clothespins from TripleTrouble
4. Vegan Laundry Soap by ShowerTreatSoap
5. Dryer Pillow Sheets by zJayne
6. Wool Dryer Balls by Romeo2Juliet

When Things Fall Into Place...

I’ve decided that today I want to be that artist (choking that word out) who posts pictures of her studio on her blog.

(instead of other people's studios, even though those others are way cooler)

Since most of my inventory is packed up for next weekend's show and it will probably never be this clean again- this is my chance to look uber organized.

Plus I've got some flowers on my desk. Plus I've got an amazing photographer here with a fisheye lens.

So I think the cosmos has lined this up for us ....






Some Hump Day Honey

A little assortment of sweet awesomeness to get you over the hump of this crazy July week and give you some ideas for great places to spend some of that moula you have been working so hard to earn lately!

I am totally in love with Moshi Moshi Designs' gorgeous dresses, Eight Season's beautiful organic bags, Aaron Ruell's stunning photographs, PlayDoh cologne? Oh yeah!, Goldfish trashbags - I've gone to heaven, Recycling Totebag that tells it like it is, Kendra Zvonik's stunning new collage work and fruit shaped sticky notes- almost too cute to use!








Awesome QUIET DOING Wallet Giveaway CLOSED

AND THE WINNER IS (number 244 of 265 using random number generater at random.org) QUILTING DIVA! She has an amazing Etsy shop, too- so check it out- congrats Quilting Diva!

Tawny is the amazing artist behind the craft design project she calls Quiet Doing.

She feels handmade is personal and says, "Supporting an independent is valuable because it attaches a face, a tale and a life to an otherwise anonymous and mundane transaction. You may not know everything about the creator, but you might imagine and appreciate them by purely owning that piece of art. In this vast and limitless world, I think we need those connections. Buying handmade to me is just as rewarding as making it."

I think Quiet Doing totally rocks and Tawny's wallets are the coolest thing any guy or gal could ever shove in their pocket! Super slim and lightweight, yet totally sturdy and functional my hubby got one as a gift and just loves it and you will, too.


WHAT YOU GET:
One lucky winner will receive one Quiet Doing Power Lines slim wallet in green!

HOW TO WIN:
It's easy, peasy -just leave a comment below with your contact information

For additional entries:

(5) Follow my blog
(5) Twitter this post
(5) Blog about this contest; linking to this post

Let me know if you have done these things so I can give you additional entries.

DRAWING:

MIDNIGHT on Saturday, July 18th!