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Tell Me Something Good

September 22, 2020 by Rebecca Hadfield 5 Comments

When stress or boredom starts to take its toll on me, I ask my fella to “tell me something good”. More often than not, he rolls his eyes and carries on with what he’s doing. I don’t take it personally, though; who can be expected to think up “good stuff” on demand? This week, however, he surprised me with something good – an email containing a link to Hello Rewind’s t-shirt upcycling program. It was the first that I had heard of the fledgling organization and I was immediately impressed. Not only is it something good for the earth, it’s something good for survivors of sex trafficking in New York City.

Here’s how it works: you have a favourite t-shirt that you no longer wear, but can’t bear to part with. Rather than let it langish at the bottom of a drawer, you contact Hello Rewind and tell them that you want it made into a sleeve for your 13“, 15“ or 17“ laptop. You pay them 49 bucks and in a few days you’ll receive a prepaid envelope, which you fill with the aformentioned shirt and drop back into the mail. They stitch it up into a custom, padded sleeve and before you can say “upcycle”, it is back in your hands. Not only will your laptop be cozy and happy, you’ll be happy knowing that you’ve helped women get off the street and back on their feet. How cool is that?

Hello Rewind got its start as a simple idea – take an old t-shirt and make it into something new and usable like, say, a laptop sleeve. The social/rehabilitation aspect of the business came into the picture when the company formed an alliance with the founder of Restore, NYC; an organization which provides support and housing to women victimized by the international sex trade. Soon, the ball was rolling and the company is becoming a source of support, training and income for women trying to break free from prostitution rings. The young women, mostly in their 20s and 30s, are taught to make the custom laptop sleeves, paid a fair wage and given a safe and viable option to a dangerous and marginalizing lifestyle.

The $49 that Hello Rewind charges for the sleeves is, in their words, a “break-even” price. The money that they receive is spent on training and wages for the women in the program, materials, shipping and operational costs. If there is anything left after that, it is used to sustain the business itself. From the sounds of it, no one is getting rich over at Hello Rewind. Not financially, that is.

Check out the Hello Rewind blog for more info on their background and what they do. To read more about what Restore, NYC are doing to help integrate ex-sex trade workers back into society, visit their site.

What’s In Season Now: November Edition

September 17, 2020 by Diana Prichard Leave a Comment

Here, last weekend marked the final Farmer’s Market of the year. While it’s a bittersweet passing of time for growers — the loss of convenient, weekly contact with customers is never a welcome thing, but the late fall and winter downtime that is a result of a lightened market schedule is imperative in the planning of the next year’s crop — it’s mostly just bitter for shoppers. Especially those new to eating local and those who are not accustomed to stocking up. Many will have few choices other than to turn back to their local chain supermarket to feed their families.

Last year in On Year-Round Appreciation, I briefly grazed the topic of keeping in touch with your local growers year round, and the advice there is still relevant and useful to this day, but if you’re committed to eating local even in the off-season you may need to dig deeper. The end of organized markets doesn’t necessarily mean the end of local food, but you may have to do a bit more homework to find it. And even if your local Farmer’s Markets are still open, doing your homework may yield you better sources of local food than you had before.

Most locales are still supporting some growth, though the variety will be less impressive than it has been. If your markets are still open be on the look out for those early spring vegetables that are making a comeback for a second season this year. Greens are huge — spinach, lettuce, kale, chard, collards — as are fast growing root crops. Think: radishes. Also keep your eyes peeled for long-season crops that are just now ripe, such as leeks, egg plant and winter squashes, as well as those crops that store well for winter like potatoes, onions and garlic. Those that store well can be stocked up on now, and eaten throughout the coming cold months. Just be sure to ask the grower to make sure the variety they’re selling is one that stores well; not all do.

While you’re out there also ask the vendors you frequent whether or not they’ll have limited crops available during the time when the market is no longer operational. You may be able to pick up local food on-farm all winter. If your market, like mine, has already closed for the winter search Local Harvest for growers near you and get on the phone to line up sources of your favorites for the whole winter season.

Of course the transition to the non-growing season also means a transition to those foods that have no season. Meats, soft dairy and hard cheeses can be produced and harvested year round and are excellent staples for hearty, warming winter meals. Canned products, if you didn’t can your own during the months of summer bounty, are also something you may want to be on the lookout for as December approaches. Think outside the box and even a simple jar of jam can go a long way. Raspberry, spread atop a pasture-raised pork loin is to die for.

However you choose to round out your winter pantry this November, happy local shopping!

Signatures by LaNorma

September 1, 2020 by Valerie Williams 5 Comments

It’s that time of year…dark, cold…some of us are even in the middle of suffering through our Lenten sacrifices. But last week, I was lucky enough to visit a little jewelry studio in Woodbridge, Virginia where it is Mardi Gras every day! No amount of snow and ice could dampen the spirit of LaNorma Huggins-Hope, the designer and owner behind Signatures by LaNorma. Her jewelry line is all about one-of-a-kind pieces that are vibrant, exotic, and colorful.

Like so many professional artists and crafters, LaNorma has been creative her entire life, due in no small part to her grandmother, Maxine. Maxine was a professional seamstress, and was dubbed the “queen of all crafts” by family members. LaNorma still has vivid memories of the extravagant gowns and costumes Maxine made for Mardi Gras queens and pageant girls. While helping her grandmother with these over-the-top outfits, LaNorma’s love for bling was born.

Maxine is the inspiration behind LaNorma’s entire business, and the memories of those gorgeous and flashy gowns still influence her today. “The colors and festive atmosphere of Mardi Gras makes me happy,” she says, and LaNorma likes to make things that make her happy! She uses bright colors and bold styles in her jewelry designs to not only evoke the carnival ambiance, but to remind her of family fun. In LaNorma’s family, Mardi Gras isn’t just a party, it’s also a family reunion!

LaNorma’s jewelry is bright and colorful, and emphasizes sparkle and shine. Even if you’re not planning on going to party, you’ll definitely be ready for one wearing one of her creations. Her favorite materials to use are crystals of all colors and shapes, precious metals, and colored semi-precious stones, especially amethyst. LaNorma has found her crochet wire items are the most popular with her customers, which she finds particularly satisfying, since it is a technique that her grandmother favored as well.

In addition to her flagship Mardi Gras collection, LaNorma creates five other jewelry collections, each with their own central theme, including a bridal collection and one for gentlemen. LaNorma likes to create around a theme, like a certain color combination, or a certain material. But she doesn’t really like to follow trends, or plan too much for future collections. New materials and techniques are always catching her eye, and she is always up for experimentation. She has a work-in-progress centered around a shell found during a family beach vacation. She’s also experimenting with incorporating painted silk into her jewelry designs.

In addition to the mystery and magic of Mardi Gras, LaNorma is also inspired by vintage fashion, especially from the 1920s. She loves the fact that women in that era were always dressed up, and were always ready for a party. LaNorma specializes in making statement jewelry for special occasions, and is happy to do custom orders. A customer of hers required something special for the most recent Inaugural Ball, and commissioned a necklace from LaNorma made from a vintage art deco belt buckle.

Although LaNorma has been crafting her whole life and has tried many mediums and techniques, she always comes back to jewelry. The sparkle of crystal and the shine of pretty stones is irresistible to her – she just likes to make things that make her feel good! “It also feels good to give back,” she says. LaNorma makes a point to work with local charities and participate in fundraisers, especially those that aim to help women and girls.

You can find LaNorma’s jewelry on her web site, at local juried craft shows, and at a handful of boutiques in the Washington, DC area.

Gift Guide – For the Collector

August 28, 2020 by Amy L. Leave a Comment

Image above is from: Miles of Light

Are you a collector? I think most of us are, and I know I am. When I really think about it, I’ve been a collector for quite some time – and some collections started unintentionally. My collections have included: lip gloss, shoes, clothes, and even movie tickets from favourite date nights, as well as gadgets, books, cd’s and on and on. I think a big part of our culture – for good or for bad, revolves around collecting. These days – I’m happy the internet exists, because I can collect and curate without actually purchasing anything. Having said that – I do currently collect art from independent artists – and while I’ve slowed down, I have a tough time keeping up and getting everything framed.

For the camera collector – this beautiful collection is from: Kitty Rogers.

I can’t think of a person in my life who doesn’t collect things – my husband, who purchases little, can’t help but collect books. My father is the same way, not a big shopper by any means, but he collects tools.

For the nature lover, a gorgeous collection from A Place for Twiggs:

Everyone has a different attitude about their collections too I find – for some each item is a keepsake of sorts, and they would never dream of parting with even one piece. I know I’m that way about the art I collect – even if it’s not hanging on the wall, it’s still special to me. My husband – he doesn’t keep most of his books, once he’s read them – he’ll usually sell them or gives them away.

For those who feel the seaside is their second home, a photo from Quercus Design:

As I get older, my desire to collect has certainly waned – and it becomes more important to me to collect memories and to create, though I still love seeing other people’s collections.

If there’s a collector in your life who can’t fit another thing in their home or their collection – they might enjoy this genre of art I’ve noticed popping up here and there, photos based on collections… Almost as good as the real thing I figure, and it’ll result in less clutter in your home for sure!

What’s In-Season Now; March Edition

August 4, 2020 by Diana Prichard 5 Comments

Whether your farmer’s market is officially open for the season now or just holding a few special winter edition sale dates until warmer weather really ushers in most are now operating in one way or another. If they’re not they likely will be very, very soon.

But what can we — and maybe more importantly, should we — be shopping for now? That’s a very good question; one that can only be answered with the following: Thank goodness for greens! The long dark days of winter would be even longer and darker for locavores without them. Okay, maybe not the only way, but they certainly do make up at least a majority of what’s in season now.

More specifically, look for cold weather crops. Lettuces, spinach, kale, broccoli, cabbage, garlic and leeks are most common — and even better, easily prepared. Stretch your other foods further, especially those you’re not able to find locally right now, by serving a salad with every meal; experiment with coleslaw recipes of every type, one of our favorites is an asian variety that we eat with sweet and sour basted chicken that was grown in our backyard; add spinach to just about any dish for a nutrient punch. The options truly are endless.

Of course produce that has been stored in a root cellar or shed over the winter is also an option. Potatoes, apples, onions and squashes — among a few others — should they make an appearance near you will be just as good now as they were last summer. Scoop some up!

Things that were once ‘on the hoof’ are almost always in season and that’s not limited to meat — though looking for meats is never a bad idea, especially those that are raised humanely and sustainably. Eggs and cheeses, both products of animals, are also available year round from most producers.

Likewise, while their components are not necessarily in season keep your eyes peeled for preserves of all kinds. Traditional jams and jellies are nice for breakfast but heartier fare like canned tomatoes can also be found and when they are it adds a whole new dimension to the end of winter. Of course, if you’re like me it also makes you yearn for tomato season that much more.

Not sure where to find a farmer’s market near you? Check out Local Harvest for help. Not sure how to shop a farmer’s market? Never been before? Check out the farmer’s market guide that was featured right here at Try Handmade last year for tips! Happy shopping and happy spring!