The Omnivore's Dilemma

I was recommend to read The Omnivore's Dilemma , a Natural History of Four Meals, By Michael Pollan by a friend who thought I would enjoy it. It started out much like reading a text book but just for a few pages.The first part of that I have read has been about corn and how it is practically the base of everything we eat. I had heard this before but had not actually read it. The author visits a farm in Iowa that he had traced back to be one of the farms that is the base of all food. He only grows corn and soybeans and is barley making a living. When his Grandfather started the farm it fed his family and 6 others. Today what he grows he does not eat. You see Iowa imports 80% off all food. The corn grown in Iowa is destine to become soft drinks or fed to cattle. It's as if they are growing a food additive and not a food at all. I think this will be an interesting book and will write further on it as I progress. Interesting reading for Earth Day!

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T-shirt Upcycle to Cardigan

I have had this large long sleeved t-shirt for about a year. I paid $2.99 for it at the Salvation Army and appeared to be new. I had thought about embellishing it with a flower or two but could not come up with a original or cute idea so I decided to make a cardigan out of it. So lets get started and upcycle another piece of clothing! First I laid the shirt out and measured from under arm to under arm to find the exact center. Once I found the center, I cut right up the middle. This step always makes me nervous ever since I was a child and tried to cut a collar on a coat to make it narrower. It was a disaster but I try not to think about it that much and just cut. Once it was cut, I decided to use the hem from another t-shirt that I had cut up for another project. I cut two pieces of the hem of the t- shirt long enough to cover the edge of the cardigan and wrap around the top and bottom edge. I folded over the edge and pinned Then I pinned it to one side of the cardigan. Making s...

Ipad Pillow Stand

I like to watch tutorials on my Ipad and although I have a cover that converts to a stand, it isn't always the best solution for viewing. So I decided to make one of my own inspired by these Iphone stands I found on Etsy. They are sold by dognamedbanjo and are really unique and lovely. So I thought I could make one similar to it and here is how i did it. First I started with a 1 yard of a fabric in my two favorite colors. Then I cut the following pieces 1 Pc 13" x 13" 1 pc 29 x 13" 2 Triangle pieces 13" x 13" x 13" Next I sewed the top square to the two triangles. This is will be the sides and the base. Next I took the large rectangular piece and sewed it to the bottom of the square. Now I don't have photos of the last few steps since once it start forming a pillow it is difficult to photograph, but the process is not that difficult. Next I sewed each side of the the rectangle to one side of the triangle on both s...

Neck Tie Upcycled to Cuff

I found a large stash of Neck ties at an Estate Sale this past weekend and I had to buy them since I had the perfect idea for an upcycle project. They were mostly from a long since closed store here in Buffalo,NY and I felt the need to preserve them as well as the tags. I started by washing them on gentle and removing them immediately and laying flat to dry. They came out a little disfigured but nothing that a little ironing wouldn't fix. Next I took a seam ripper and opened up the back to take out the interfacing. I did this for two reasons, it was discolored and had a little odor and it would be easier to sew without this bulk. I next cut the tie into a piece 10" long and hemmed the edge. Then I sewed two pieces of velcro to each side to make my cuff. The last step was to sew on a few antique buttons and beads and my cuff was done. Wow! Looking at this I can't believe how it turned out!.But wait... I made a few more! Love this one.. Antique Maple leave button and golden...

Janet of All Trades

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