Granny Gear

I bet you thought I was going to blog about cycling steep inclines! Nope. I'm referring to a hot "new" fashion trend: Grandmother Style. The fashionistas are talking breathlessly about radical apparel such as knee-length skirts, kitten heels, cardigan sweaters, classic colors, all things *gasp* prim and proper and ladylike. Imagine that.

Granny style appropriate,
but would a 20-something wear it?

Now this really isn't Granny Style.  I've seen pictures of my grandmothers and they did not dress like Lee Radziwill or Caroline Herrera, nor did they wear Chanel suits with Farragamo flats. I think the fashion critics are referring to trend setters like Kate Middleton, Duchess of Cambridge. Designers are probably bored trying to make young women look like hoochie-mamas so now they proclaim that demure is de rigueur. Even though their motives are financial, I applaud the change.

From a thrifty point of view, this trend is wonderful. Soft florals, tailored knee-length skirts, kitten heels or flats, small structured purses, gold jewelry...this is easy to find at consignment shops and thrift stores. Ditch those daisy dukes and embrace peddle pushers! Down with 4" stillettos and up with kitten heels! Gold is the new silver.

In searching for granny gear, you might want stay away from Plato's Closet! Their racks are filled with young, whipper snapper apparel. Instead seek out shops whose customer base is...well, older.

Go, Granny, go!

Sharing the Love

In the spring time there is nothing that does my heart and soul more good than to see my yard, perennials, landscape come back to life. This gardening passion has evolved over time thanks to many green-thumbed friends - including my sister, a master gardener. They have taught me to appreciate the process of garden design: researching, planning, digging, planting, mulching, pruning, cultivating, propagating, dividing, weeding, composting. A never ending joyful process! And my fellow horticulture loving friends enjoy sharing their successes and failures.  And when nature has blessed them with an overabundance of the green stuff, they love to share. And so do I. It's a way not only to connect, but to help each other save a few dollars. You see, gardeners are weak-kneed and budget-tipsy when near a greenhouse or nursery. I can be quite frugal and disciplined in other areas of my life, but will pay full price for that gorgeous blush pink peony.


Too much of a good thing? Pass it along!

But back to sharing. As I stroll around my beds I see friends, I see my sister, I relive events. The crepe myrtles? I bought those at the first Garden Jubilee after moving to Hendersonville. The Shasta Daisies (among many other plants) are from my dear sis, Linda. My co worker's wife passed along tall verbena which graces the exterior of my husband's workshop. The Bumblebee Iris was given to me by a woman at a farmers market...a total stranger. She thought I needed some in my yard. She was right.

Want to garden but don't have a clue where to start?  Seek out a gardening mentor. We are more than willing to share the love.

Wabi Whati?

According to the most trusted resource on the internet, Wikipedia, Wabi-sabi is explained as a "Japanese aesthetic centered on the acceptance of transience and imperfection." It goes much deeper than that as it also involves Buddhist teachings on simplicity, austerity, suffering, etc. As a designer, I have simply summed it up as the appreciation of beauty in imperfect things as opposed to the beauty of perfection. As a Christian, I see a correlation of the saving work of Christ in my life - taking my imperfection and declaring it perfect in Him - to the Wabi-Sabi thought. Perfect and yet imperfect. Perfectly imperfect?  For now, I can't go any deeper than that.

Frugalista, Me?

While dressing for work today I realized that everything I was wearing was something purchased at a thrift store. Well...except for undergarments *ahem*. Adding up the purchases, this outfit set me back a cool $10 plus tax. The North Face capris looked like they had never been worn - same with the espadrilles. The purse and shirt? Pristine condition. Many frugalistas have written blogs about the thrill of finding great clothes for a fraction of the original cost, but until now I never really appreciated the fact that thrift stores have more than worn out frocks hanging on the racks.

And what a wonderful way to refresh your wardrobe while supporting worthy causes. My favorite place to thrift for clothes is a store in Brevard, NC that supports a shelter for women escaping domestic violence: Safe's Attic. There are so, so many more and they all need good donations and lots of frugalistas...like me.