HoodieGate's Happy Ending

Did I ever tell you that my cool-ass BFF Dax has an Etsy store?  It's true!  Most of her stuff centers around the more perky side of life... bibs & adorable stuff for babies of all genders, which she's really good at making; she's also got some wheels turning for other cute things in the future.  (I may even be able to make a case for catering to the darkling demographic!)  Dax has an eye for the kawaii-est fabrics on Earth, and her search for them has spanned several continents!  (Well, two continents -- but still, she came back with some good stuff.)  I did talk her into making a sleep mask that said "FUCK OFF", as I saw one on Shameless, fell in looooove with it, and I just know other people will want one!  The one that she made was a sparkly pretty pink instead of a bad-ass black... with the words in a fancy cursive, which somehow made it even cooler.  I love the idea of an offensive text written in script on something pink and girly!  She and I have different styles, but there are lots of places where our interests overlap.  I think that makes a much more interesting friendship!

However... not all differences between friends are going to turn out great.  For example:  A few months ago, my friend Fluffy was popping some laundry into my washing machine, and instead of hanging my magical hoodie to dry, he scrunched it up and put it on my "nest," which caused an apartment-wide hunt for the missing hoodie.  When it didn't turn up (because everything in my apartment is black, making it a very challenging search!), I was pretty effing devastated.  It's hard to find a summer-weight hoodie that's at least 30 inches long.  If a big girl is wearing stretchy yoga pants (or leggings!), then trust me, you want a CTB (Camel Toe Barrier) at the ready!  And with all of the bustle and activity that I have planned for these warm sunny months -- visits to my adopted local family, physical therapy, doctor's appointments, and possibly pool-based workouts on the reg at the Y, I am going to NEED a lighter hoodie to see me through all of these trips out of the house.

Everyone tried to console my broken heart, and believe me, it was BROKEN!  Fluffy placed an order to Junonia in an effort to help me move on with my life, but alas, it wasn't the same!  Dax combed the final-days clearance rack at Fashion Bug (home of the original hoodie), but alas, lime green was all they had in stock!  Even my man, Fuzz, combed the internet, searching valiantly for a good replacement.  What we found was this -- the "tag-free hooded lounger" from Woman Within...  It is long enough to go down to my ankles, but still nice and roomy for all my layers... he thought maybe we can have it redone.   "Let's try it," Fuzz said, reassuringly.  "We'll get the old ladies to fix it up good!"  (His tailors are old ladies... he calls them "the old ladies.")  The nightie came in the mail, and it does look like it can easily be converted.  We can cut it up, slice the middle, and plant the zipper.  Plus, I got an enormous one, so it will be nice and big.  What we'll do with the leftover fabric, I've yet to determine!

I was telling Dax about my idea, and she offered to help in order to give it a personal touch that the old ladies could not.  She suggested that I buy a YKK zipper, since they're the best.  And it's true... those are the kind you see on jeans and higher-quality garments.  Fun fact:  When I was a kid, I thought it said "KKK," but it actually doesn't.  My old hoodie measured about 30 inches, but since I'm having it my way like Burger King, I'm going to try to get something maybe 33' or 34'.  I want that thing down to my knees!

It's hard to find YKK zippers in very special lengths, I've found.  The ones I've seen are like $12 dollars or more for a metal-teethed one -- which isn't too bad, considering I'll be having this thing for years! But I want to make sure it's going to work out.  I just found this one on Amazon for $6something, plus shipping, which sounds all right to me.  I think 32" will work out fine.  I'm super excited!

By the way, you know you're (a) loved, (b) feared, or (c) owed a ton of favors... when you have that many people trying to soothe your broken heart over a hoodie. I like to think it's a combination of all 3. ;)  It's true that I have some weird connections to my clothes, but it's really nice that people are so understanding about it!  I'll be letting you know how the new one turns out!

The Little Things in Life

I think I'll take Rihanna's advice for now, and STFU. :)

I apologize for not posting more lately, but I have suffered some injuries through an accident which, for legal reasons, I can't really discuss just yet.  I'm alive and in one piece, but beyond that I really need to keep mum for the time being.

Before this happened, I had a few projects cooking, but the progress has slowed to a halt for now.  I recently read someone else's blog where the main article was a list of things that the blogger was "into right now."  It's a bit of a cop-out for PGS, but what the hell?  It's a nice cheerful distraction, and maybe if some of my current mini-obsessions spark some interest in you, you will find something cool or new to make your own life a bit better.  So, here's a rundown of what I'm into these days:

1.  Modal fabric.  This stuff is amazing!  It's technically not a natural fiber because of the process it needs to go through in order to become fabric, but it's roots are natural.  Modal comes from beech tree fibers.  It's softer and more absorbent than cotton, hangs beautifully, and always seems to look great even if you don't iron it.  This makes it beautiful for any body type, as it drapes and flatters the wearer to a T.  Over the past few months, I have acquired a few pieces of modal clothing; it's wonderful to go out and be seen in, but also to stay home and just live in.  I love it!

2.  No-fuss nail treatments.  If I could marry nail foils, I would.  My nails are short and brittle, and often, my nail polish chips off the edges within a day or so of applying it.  But the nail foils I've been using are designed to stay on for up to 10 luxurious, polish-free days!  They come in solids, but also in a cunning array of cute designs as well.  They're available in stores for $5-$7 a pop, but being a patient cheapie, I bought mine from this eBay store for only 99 cents.  My favorites?  Black with skulls or spiderwebs, of course!  (A close runner-up is the Sally Hansen nail pen, in chrome colors.  It dries quickly and with a minimum of BS, so it's just right for a 30-second touch up before you run out the door.) 

3.  Scramble With Friends.  A good friend of mine surprised me with an iPad for my birthday this past month, which thrilled and exhilarated me -- I've wanted one for a couple of years now, mostly for a curiosity.  But let me tell you, the convenience and fun of the iPad has made it an invaluable tool for me, whether it's for work or play.  One of the awesomest games going is Scramble With Friends, which is easier and quicker than the better-known Zynga app, Words With Friends.  I feel that it helps my powers of concentration too.  If you don't have an iPad or iPhone, no problem -- you can play it on Facebook too. :)

That's all I can think of right now.  What's everyone else into these days? :)

Glove Love

I needed some gloves to protect the backs of my hands from the sun during a long car trip, so I came up with these super-duper easy gloves!  They're so easy that even the most elementary knitter (like me!) can make them.

The yarn I chose was Bernat Soft Bouclé acryllic/poly blend and number 10 needles.  It had a cool fuzzy texture that was a bit slow to work with at times, but overall it worked out fine.  I knitted a rectangle that fit my hand (it was 35 rows in length), then then sewed it up one side, leaving a small hole for my thumb near the top.  Then I braided some extra yarn into small strips, and sewed the strips between my fingers to make secure little sections for each finger.

It worked great, and I didn't get any sunburn on the way home!  Best of all, the yarn cost about $6 and I still have probably 80% of it, so this was also a very cost-effective project as well!  Next time I'll see if I can learn how to make fingers.

Make Your Own Laundry Detergent

Trent over at The Simple Dollar wrote a really interesting article on how to make your own laundry detergent.  His formula was remarkably similar to my own "washing slime" that I used to use on my delicate hand-washables which I'd clean in the bathroom sink.  Like mine, his formula starts out with a bar of soap processed with water.  Mine added scented linen water to the mix, whereas his includes washing soda and Borax.  My mother used to keep a MASSIVE box of Borax in our basement laundry room.  I never had any idea what it was for, but I do now!  I guess people used to use it back in the day for removing stains, or adding it into laundry that was particularly dirty.  It can be harsh on clothes, but effective.  It also makes a great base for all sorts of natural cleaning agents.

Fuzzband used to find my washing slime to be rather gross, but when I explained the cost saving in Trent's formula, he was intrigued to find out if the DIY laundry soap could really clean as Trent claims, comparable to liquid Tide!  We decided that it'd be an interesting weekend project and set about gathering supplies.



Homemade Laundry Detergent Ingredients:
1 bar of your favorite soap
1 cup washing soda
1/2 cup borax
3 gallons of water (plus a little extra)

Equipment:  Big ol' pot (or smaller pot and bucket, big enough to hold about 3 gallons), knife or grater for demolishing soap, spoon for stirring, containers for storing the final product.

The first thing we did was to get our shit together.  We bought the Borax and the washing soda (there's plenty left over to do other projects).  I'd had a cake of unscented Dove in my kitchen ever since my mother-in-law included it with the late, great Aunt Pearl's hand-crocheted afghan to pretty up the musty in-storage smell.  The soap still smelled good, and I knew it'd be perfect for this project.  (The Sidekick is an optional ingredient!)

My husband started a couple cups of water boiling in our big ol' pot while I chopped up the bar of soap.  Originally, I wanted to shave it with a vegetable peeler, but after about 10 seconds of futile scraping, I gave up and hacked the darn thing to bits and pieces.

Into the pot our soap shavings went!  We boiled the whole thing, until it turned into...

... a big, foamy blob o' fun!  Then it was time to add the Borax and the washing soda.

Then Fuzzband poured in about three gallons of water.   We almost used Hawaiian Punch, but we got thirsty.  So yeah, in went the water.  Then we stirred the mix until it was thoroughly blended, covered it (to keep out the dust), and left it to "cure" until the following day.  (Trent's directions say to leave it for about 24 hours -- I think we left it for somewhere around 16 and it was just fine.)

You can tell it was a day later, 'cause our kitchen got a bit cleaner. ;)  The final product, Trent's website says, may be slimy or watery or thick or something completely different.  Ours was nearly perfect liquid detergent consistency -- it was only a slimy, but no big deal.  I broke it up with a wooden spoon before we poured it into our leftover detergent bottles.  (OK, actually I rolled up my sleeves and played in it for awhile first.  My hands were very dry afterward, so I wouldn't recommend using this formula on skin.  Keep it in the washing machine, people!)

The batch yielded enough detergent to fill up this many bottles!  We'll probably use a capful or two per load, so we don't need to worry about getting/making new detergent for months and months!

You might ask how the homemade detergent cleans.  To tell you the truth, I don't notice much difference between our DIY stuff and the usual laundry detergents that we use -- BUT, just to let you know, most of my clothes are black.  So I didn't try any white shirt/mustard tests. ;)    It smells vaguely like the unscented Dove bar that we used, so it gave our clothes a very subtly, yet comforting fragrance of my in-laws' house.  In the interest of keepin' it real, I tried my best to stick with Trent's recipe.  I don't think I'd change anything about the ingredients or instructions -- maybe next time I'll add a bit of essential oil if I try a different soap.  

This was a super fun project!  If you're on the fence about trying it, I'd say that you should go for it.  The basic ingredients will cost you less than $10, and you'll have them for a lot longer than that store-bought bottle of detergent.  Give it a shot!

Halloween Shopping Tips

If you're anything like me, you get a special thrill out of going to the store to shop for Halloween stuff!!! (This is because you'll probably use it all year, and not just until Halloween's over.) Here are a few tips on what to look for, and what to avoid, this Halloween when you're out scavenging for goodies:

* CLOTHES: Anything non-seasonal that you can use all year 'round. Look for skeletons, spiders, bats, skulls. If you like pumpkins and will wear pumkin-themed clothing all year, go for it. Buy stuff in any colors you like... I like black & purple, which are easy to find at Halloween!

* MAKEUP: Hit the makeup section and see if you can find anything interesting. Always seek black lipstick and nail polish. Also worth having: Lip or nail colors in dark, dramatic, or unusual colors; jewels or other cool accents for the face; "normal" cosmetics in cute gothy containers; special-effects cosmetics or theatrer-type makeup items that are hard-to-find normally (such as eyebrow plastic or spirit gum).

* ACCESSORIES: Halloween is the best time of year to find accessories with bats, skulls, or other spooky themes. You can find just about anything you need, with a spooky style... hair accessories, purses, hosiery (gotta love striped stockings!), shoes, wigs, jewelry, and more!

* HOME DECOR: Be very careful of items offered in this category, lest you get overly cheesy items in your enthusiasm! You can find some good stuff, though... like skull/death themed pieces, even spooky or cool-looking kitchen ware. DEFINITELY look for candles, as you can get fantastic styles and colors during the season! Be careful of plastic, cheaply or badly-made items. Remember that many of these are meant to be used only for a short time and then tossed away. It may take awhile to find quality items that will last in your home for years, but the efforts are so worth it!

* EDIBLES: I like Halloween candy and treats all year 'round. Some of my favorite treats are things like General Mills Monster Cereals, Pillsbury Halloween cookies (just cut and bake), and of course, Halloween Pop Tarts. Many companies are beginning to release special Halloween edition things with either special packaging, or unusually-decorated versions of their regular products, so this is the perfect time of year to stock up!

* CRAFT ITEMS: Absolutely nowhere is more fun than a craft store at Halloween... but take my advice and DON'T wait 'til the last minute! You can find all kinds of wonderful things here, to fulfill your crafting fetishes well into next year!! Look for fabric, notions, beads, ribbons, even cool accessories and must-have crafting essentials in creepy Halloween styles! Some craft stores do pre-season Halloween sales in September or even August, as crafty folks will often make their own costumes and come looking for their ingredients in advance. The early bird will catch the cutest stuff!! Latecomers may be surprised by a fantastic rare find or two, but I'd try to hit the craft shops as early in the season as possible.


More tips...

1. Timing is key. It's always best to start browsing as soon as the Halloween stuff goes up, usually around the middle of September. If you see something that you absolutely MUST have, snap it up at your earliest convenience -- it may not be there next year, or even next week! You can also try to wait until November 1st to make the most of clearance sales (one of my personal missions in life!), but remember that Halloween stores typically close before then. My favorite place to try on November 1st would be drugstores, as they're practically giving the stuff away. (The best stuff may be picked over -- or gone entirely -- if you wait too long!)

2. Location. If you see something that you absolutely MUST have multiples of, in a chain store, try visiting the same stores in different cities. For example, this year I found an awesome coffin container in the Target near my New England home; a few weeks later I visited my in-laws in NYC and came across the same one! (I should have bought it the second time around, but fortunatley coffin number one is in my office now!)

3. If you're picking through clearance stuff, don't be afraid to haggle. Lots of Halloween stuff is going to be seriously marked down come the first of November. Some pieces will just be thrown into the clearance bin without even being tagged! One year I found a thick faux dungeon chain (it was made of styrofoam and painted to look metallic and old/rusty) just sitting around with a bunch of cheap Halloween makeup, and even though it wasn't tagged, the checker "decided" to sell it to me for 99 cents. A true Halloween find!

4. Plan ahead. Make lists of what you need, who's having sales, or of where you got the best hauls in Halloweens past. Try your favorite "haunts" but don't be afraid to plunge into uncharted territory. You never know what you'll find! (My favorite discount store to Halloween shop is definitely Target, as their stuff is high enough in quality to last for many years... as for drugstores, it's gotta be either CVS or Rite-Aid for their wide selections of makeup and costume-y pieces. I tend to avoid Wal-Mart, which sells cheesy "rustic" fall crap, and Halloween-themed shops, which are mostly filled with overpriced junk. I did get a nice ceramic skull-shaped serving tray at the Halloween store last year, though, so as I said... be flexible, and don't be scared to travel off your beaten path!)

I've gotten some good stuff this year so far, but will be making my last Halloween run on November first. Happy hunting, all!