Something New: Sourdough Starter

Here’s a controversial statement. I want to make a sourdough starter but I don’t want to make bread.

I might have gone thru a brief period where I thought making bread was cool (don’t get me wrong it IS cool), but working at a restaurant that makes great bread, I’d decided to put my efforts elsewhere. I have amazing bread professionals around me to make the bread.

But since my work was closed for about 5 weeks, I finally broke down and got started making starter.
It wasn’t lack of bread that convinced me. Some friends have been kind enough to gift me bread, and we have been buying it on grocery trips. It was seeing all the other things you could make with the starter.

Pancakes, biscuits, flat bread, pita, crackers! So many items that one would otherwise have to buy in plastic can be made at home more easily with a sourdough starter!

So start a starter I did, it’s been a few weeks now and going well! I used King Arthur Flour’s sourdough starter recipe, which is simple and easy. I particularly like it bc it doesn’t require a scale. I’m not much of a measure-er let alone going to scale things out. I also have only been feeding my starter once a day. It’s cool enough in my house, and I’ve only been making a small amount to reduce waste, so this has been working for me.

Have you made a sourdough starter? If so, share your thoughts and tips in the comments! Have you made bread, or are you focusing on the lesser uses of your mix?

I’m excited to share more about my starter and much more about the recipes I use it for!

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April Plant Update

Oh my goodness, being home and taking a walk everyday coupled with the fact that we had an early spring in March, made this April one heck of a month for plant observations. I literally had hundreds of photos to go through.

A carpet of magnolia petals.

A carpet of magnolia petals.

A blurry yard bouquet.

A blurry yard bouquet.

Sun thru daffodils.

Sun thru daffodils.

What kind of pine is this? I love the adorable cones!

What kind of pine is this? I love the adorable cones!

Our Japanese maple just waking up for the year.

Our Japanese maple just waking up for the year.

So many early azaleas!

So many early azaleas!

Our monstera much prefers this spot to where it used to be.

Our monstera much prefers this spot to where it used to be.

This was some perfect morning golden hour light.

This was some perfect morning golden hour light.

A very good holly tree.

A very good holly tree.

I’ve been taking stump portraits.

I’ve been taking stump portraits.

Cannot resist cherry blossoms. Ever.

Cannot resist cherry blossoms. Ever.

Lake views.

Lake views.

I have to crop these bushes, but at the moment they are bright and beautiful.

I have to crop these bushes, but at the moment they are bright and beautiful.

We’re trying to tame this grandma rose bush to go a different direction.

We’re trying to tame this grandma rose bush to go a different direction.

Love this neighbor’s cacti.

Love this neighbor’s cacti.

What is this ground cover? it is magical.

What is this ground cover? it is magical.

Perfectly rain soaked tulip.

Perfectly rain soaked tulip.

The lilacs have been early, but i’m always happy to see them!

The lilacs have been early, but i’m always happy to see them!

Apple blossoms?

Apple blossoms?

We had some kale that bolted. When we put it in the compost bin, it flowered!!

We had some kale that bolted. When we put it in the compost bin, it flowered!!

I could have added so many more photos to this post! What were your plant observations in April?

Six Feet Under

One of my goals in 2020 is to read more. See other books I've read or listened to here.

I’m sure I picked up Six Feet Under by Dorothy Simpson bc it has this tagline: Murder Most British. How could I resist?

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Hardworking, honest, family loving, and empethetic, Detective Thanet sometimes wonders if he’s in the wrong career. But he is a fine detective and when the murder of a seemingly insignifigant and mousy house cleaner with a vile and overbaring mother is broght to his attention, he will do everything in his power to solve it. Even if that means uncovering a whole twon of secrets and some shortcomings of his own.

I have the feeling that I got this book at a by the bag book sale, but I can’t remember when or where. This is the second in the series and like I said, I know I picked it for the tagline. I had never heard of the author before, but it seems she had 15 novels in her Inspector Thanet series. Why this novel is called Six feet Under, words which are never uttered in the book, and have no baring on the story, is a mystery to me (haha). It seems that in 1982, this might have seemed a thrilling and enticing name for a mystery novel. I love dry British cop shows and novels and if someone made a handbook on how to create them, it might be this book. Tough, brilliant, loving, rye, and firm lead detective? Check. Eager, green but determined, not all put together but trying his best, young sargent? Check. Secretive, cloistered, looks perfect from the outside but everyone has their own agenda and allgeince, country village. Got it. Gruesome murder of a seemingly innocuous occupant. Killed it (her). So if you like those things, this is the book for you. It wasn’t the greatest mystery novel I’ve every read, and I wouldn’t seek out more of Dorothy Simpson novels but if I found one randomly again, I would pick it up. I would recommend this book for those who like novels set in small English towns, cop mystery novels, or anyone interested in comparing this to other books of it’s ilk.

Had you heard of this author before? Are you a fan of British Detective novels?

Banza Chickpea Pasta Review

Now is the time to go thru everything in your pantry and eat it up! While looking thru mine, I found half of a box of Banza Chickpea Pasta and remembered how much I hated it!!

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I had seen a lot of people eating this pasta and decided to try it. Pasta made from chickpeas, it sounded interesting. I like the bold orange box, and I like that it only has a small plastic window. It has much less plastic then my normal pasta of choice. I made it according to instructions and tasted it.

This is, by far, the worst pasta I have ever eaten in my entire life. Gritty, grainy, not tasty, not quick to cook, really really bad, are just some of the ways I would describe this pasta.

One can’t like everything one tries. And just bc we are trying to reduce our waste doesn’t mean that we should stop experimenting or enjoying trying new things (even if they might, in fact, generate waste). We can only do our best and not beat ourselves up about it.

Luckily, the other day a friend mentioned that she likes this pasta (how?!), so the remainder of the box will go to her. If she doesn’t want it, I could make it to feed it to the birds, or simply put it in the compost. I can rest easy knowing the left overs will not go to waste and knowing that I never have to eat this pasta ever again.

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Let's All Kill Constance

One of my goals in 2020 is to read more. See other books I've read or listened to here.

I might have gotten Let’s All Kill Constance by Ray Bradbury on a stoop, or at a library sale, or off a shelf in a coffee shop. I can’t remember. But I’m sure I picked it up bc of the author and I know I’ve had it for many years.

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“It was a dark and stormy night….” The audacity of using this as the opening line isn’t taken lightly by the narrator, an author himself. When the storm blows in an old flame and a murder mystery, it’s our narrator’s duty to investigate.

I realize that I have never read any Ray Bradbury besides Farenheit 451, which is an amazing book (one I should probably reread soon). I have a few of his books in my to-be-read pile, the Martian Chronicles, Something Wicked This Way Comes, but this is the first I’ve actually taken the time to read. I must say it’s not what I expected. Bradbury writes in a very stylized manner for this book, which is almost all in conversation. Set in 1960s California, every character has an individual dialect, but all speak in a halting, in-the-know manner that can be sometimes hard to follow. Since this is not a straight forward mystery and is a bit confusing in plot, the language makes it even more so. The chapters are extremely short, which, while they make you feel accomplished (I’ve read 6 chapters today! even though that’s only about 20 pages), makes the story even more broken up. The vagueness of story, constant switching of internal and external monologue and dialog, half expressed thoughts in both, and the strange speech patterns make this read a bit of a jumbled mess. The book’s saving grace is probably that it’s short and quick. It’s not that I didn’t enjoy this book, but it’s not one I’ll think too much on or ever pick up again, I think. Sometimes an avant garde style of writing will grab the reader, entice them into a different world, but I found this book too confusing to really dwell on. That being said, I would recommend this book for those who like quick mysteries, odd writing styles, Ray Bradbury novels, or books set in California.

Have you read this book? Have a different take on it than I do? Share your thoughts in the comments.

My Favorite Videos About Productivity

I love to watch Youtube videos about productivity, habits, resets, to keep you on track, different methods of systems and checklists, and meeting your goals, whatever those goals may be. I find by watching a lot of these types of videos, I can pick and choose and create my own views and methods of being productive in both work and life. Here are some of my favorite videos and a great way to get started.

One method that I love to use to increase my productivity and organization and keep my life in order is Bullet Journaling. I have a bunch of posts about my bullet journal you can check out. But the best video to start a bullet journal is the Bullet Journal Set Up by Ryder Carroll.

My favorite youtuber to watch on this subject is MuchelleB. She does a lot of reading on the subject and can distill that info down, so you don’t have to. I enjoy almost all of her videos, but especially like that most of them are short and to the point. I follow, to some extent her method of having a Life Admin Day when I can.

Calendar blocking is a great method for productivity and organization and Any Landino is the queen of calendar blocking. Her style is more commercial and brash than most of the videos I watch, but I enjoy many of her vids.

Who are your favorite productivity gurus? What methods do you find useful to keep your self on track in the day to day? Do you find videos helpful? Share your favorites!

Capsule Wardrobe, Curated Closet, One in One Out

In this series I explain terms used in the low impact movement, lifestyle terms, and other verbiage that I use on my blog and in my daily life. Simply, in case they are new to readers. In some cases, I have done some research on them, but these definitions are mostly what I understand them to be and how I use them.

April is here and I’ve made my 4th spring capsule wardrobe (16 capsules in total). I’m excited for another spring and another year of slow fashion, curating my closet, paring down all my clothes, and keeping a capsule. I talk a lot about these things on this blog and it’s an important part of a mindful, low impact existence. This seems like a good time to define these terms as I understand them.

Capsule Wardrobe
The term capsule wardrobe was first coined in the 1970s, by shop owner, Susie Faux, but it was recently made most popular by Be More With Less and her Project 333.
The basic concept is that you have a wardrobe in 2-4 parts (depending on weather where you live), which you swap out seasaonally. You have a limited amout of clothing in each (and ideally all ethical and sustainable or second hand). People often keep to a color scheme and each piece goes with every other piece. This makes getting dressed simple, non-decisional and pleasant. The underlying factors are items that are versatile, easily picked out, and fit your personal style. A Capsule Wardrobe usually consists of a certain amount of clothing in each season, but what that number is depends on your personal preference. This is the basic concept but how far and deep you want to delve into a Capsule Wardrobes system is up to each person. Some choose to only include their basic everyday clothes, come include shoes, accessories and outer wear, some have special capsules for fancy dress, exercise, lounge, wear, etc… A CW can also help one determine their personal style if they feel like they have none. Buy making a CW each season, you more easily find what you like, what you don’t, what is comfortable and fits well. CW enthusiasts also suggest buying better made and more durable pieces, so that the items last longer, and you are able to enjoy them more. There is an emphasis on repair rather than buying new.

I’m not sure where this iinfo grafic originated, but this is an example of what one possible capsule might look like. Not a very practical one, but…

I’m not sure where this iinfo grafic originated, but this is an example of what one possible capsule might look like. Not a very practical one, but…

10 by 10
This phrase refers mainly to the idea of pairing down your Capsule Wardrobe even more on a semi regular basis. By taking 10 items, including shoes, accessories, and outer wear, and wearing only these items for 10 days, we now can stretch the potential or our daily capsule and our creativity. Some Capsule Wardrobe keepers will build a 10 by 10 wardrobe for special events, vacations, etc… some just use one periodically as inspiration and challenge. This concept was made popular by Style Bee (she may also be the inventor).

Curated Closet
Once you have made your capsule wardrobe to your satisfaction, you may end up with just a simple Curated Closet. This means that every item in your wardrobe goes with every other, each are practical, and make you feel good, fit well and are taken care of. A curated closet doesn’t require as much work as a Capsule, bc you only have one, as opposed to several to deal with. Even if you still end up switching items out seasonally, you now know that your wardrobe is complete. Having a simple pleasurable curated closet is one of the goals of a CW. It takes the stress and guess work out of getting dressed each day, the anxiety of having “nothing to wear” or nothing that fits and makes you feel good. It also takes the stress of shopping for items out of your process, bc most Curated Closets simply replace items as they can no longer be worn, but put little or no effort into coming up with new items, or styles to buy.

One In, One Out Rule
Many Capsule Wardrobe and Curated Closet methods believe in the idea of the One in, One Out Rule. It sounds just like what it is, which is when one items is brought into your wardrobe, one must be taken out. This way you never accumulate more items than you need.

Are the definitions or these terms as you understand them? Do you have a different definition? Or a question about a related word of phrase? Share in the comments!

My Homeschooling History, Part Two

I was homeschooled until I was eight and a half, and then again later in life. My mother was was my primary teacher, but I feel that everyone I met taught me. Find the first part of my story here. When I was almost nine years old, I started going to school part time.

When I was eight and a half, I remember the age distinctly, my parents decided to try school again. I don’t know why it was so at this time, but I remember that it was very much talked about and I was involved in the decision. For the first 6 months it was on a trial basis. We started only going part time. It might come as no surprise that the school my parents chose was one for alternative education.
The New School of Monmouth County is a private alternative school started by an English woman in the 70s. This year is it’s 50th anniversary! It started out in borrowed spaces until it got it’s current home in Holmdel NJ. There are several well known alternative style school in the US (monessori being one), but The New School is unlike any that I have seen, it’s one-of-a-kind and unique. It is based on the British intergrated day, which follows the idea that all your subjects can be learned in project or theme based work, instead of having set subject classes to go to at certain times. Each year, an over arching theme is chosen. Projects within those themes, as well as work sheets and side projects, are how students get their math, science, history, geography, etc… There are no set classes for these subjests and much of the learning is self guided.
TNS (The New School) is family grouped into three classes, approximately equivilant to K, 1st, 2nd grades in one class. 3rd, 4th, 5th in another, and 6th, 7th, 8th in the last. We call them Little Class, Middle Class, Older Class. These groups are roughly based on age, grade, educational advancement, and emotional advancement. Meaning sometimes a younger child might be in the middle class, sometimes an older child will stay in the little class, and occationally, a student will stay an extra year or two before graduating on to highschool. When I came into TNS, I started in the Middle Class. Each class room in the rambling red school house has no desks, no chalkboard or white board, no school like structure. The rooms do have communal tables, pillows on the floor, lofts, books, games, art supples, “junk” areas, tote trays for students to keep their work in, and other items catered to the age group or area of the school (a science solar room, the library, a music room…). Every morning, after students arrve and put away thier jackets or back packs in the lockers which are scattered through out the buildling, and after they have stored thier lunches in the communal kitchen, each class holds a Book Corner. Book Corners are held twice a day, once in the morning for everyone to touch base and see what they will be working on for the day and once in the afternoon, to recap and look towards the following day. There’s a snack and lunch time each day, which also incorporates some free play time. Sometimes and some days of the week are devoted to outside classes, like phys ed, which maybe a trip to the park, swimming at the Y, or gymnastics. Sometimes there are contained classes like languages, music, or art. But most of each day is spent working on various projects towards the common goal of incorporated learning.
My earliest memories was going to my first ever Gingerbread Night. There are many such events throughout the school year. Here the school gathers to make innovative and creative gingerbread houses, sometimes following the year’s theme. Out of school activities like these, self guided learning, alternative takes on learning, family groups classes, home style breaks, and more are only a few ways that TNS is like homeschooling. It was a fairly natural and smooth transition from one to the other. Getting used to daily interactivity with other students took some getting used to among other aspects of going to school. But I ended up loving most of the school experience and staying until I was old enough to graduate. I credit The New School with furthering my drive to self educate, to learn about many artists, art forms, different cultures and life paths. Having teachers that were smart, interesting, respectful and willing to listen to the students (as they guide us, we help guide them), had a huge impact on me and my education.
Once I moved into the older class, my mother took over teaching the middle class. She had assisted or volenteered before, but when she would no longer be my primary teacher in the school, she took the class on full time and still works there to this day. Being family grouped was not the only way in which family played a role at TNS. The director, and founder’s children also attended, many siblings were encouraged to attend. I could talk a lot more about TNS, how it works and why it works. Since this is a homeschooling history, the most important thing to note is that TNS and homeschooling share a lot of methods and goals and bother were intregal to my educational development. I left The New School at age 14 and went on to a conventional high school but The New School was never far behind me and I would return to it again and again.
I first returned soon after graduation for a Older Class trip to England. I participated and later taught in the Summer Program at TNS. I went on to teach Language, Color Theory, and Modern Art at the school at various times in my life. For many years I would attend school events regularly or be a chaperone on trips or yearly camping excursions. My mother still works there which makes revisiting easy, but I also deeply believe in the mission and method of the school.

Public high school was an entirely different story….

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What was your middle school experience? What kind of school did you attend? Are you interested in alternative education? Have you ever researched or visited or attended any alternative education institutes?

Pandemic Pantry - A Trip to the Supermarket Has a Whole New Vibe

I love supermarkets. I’m a supermarket tourist. I love to visit them, see new ones, go to them when I’m traveling, or seek out interesting ones near me. We used to hit the supermarket 2-5 times per week. Whenever we were thinking of something, wanted to get out of the house, needed an item or two, we would head to the grocery, sometimes stopping at a more local shop in between. We did this bc we liked it and bc we could.

But visiting the supermarket has become a whole new experience in the time of covid 19. It’s become something we must all plan for as we make our Pandemic Panty. Here are some tips for your next visit!

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Plan what day you want to shop and stick to it!
There are several benefits to plan what day and when you will take a trip to the supermarket. While we are social distancing, it’s best to leave the house only when absolutely necessary. By planning your day to shop, you will know when you have to go out and you can plan other chores around that day (post office, pet store, etc…). You will also have a better idea how much food you have left in the house. If you plan to go shopping and stick to that day, you may find yourself getting creative in the last meals before your trip and this is a good thing! Another good reason to plan your day to shop and stick to it is that you can coordinate what days/times are the least bananas at your grocery, or will be the most productive for you. With all the restrictions placed on times to shop (senior hours, long lines, early closing hours, restocking or sanitizing days, etc…), being strategic so you are sure to get everything you need and not get overwhelmed is key.

Make a thorough list.
We talked all about that in our last pandemic pantry post.
Remember it’s very important to only buy what you need and avoid hoarding.

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Be prepared.
Once you have you list, make sure you have your cloth bags, for produce and groceries. Make sure you have your mask and gloves (if you use them). Come equip with a sanitizer for before and after. get everything you need together before your trip, so you are not scrambling around at the last minute or feeling flustered. The vibe at most groceries is now super tense, we want to eliminate this in ourselves as much as possible. You know when your shopping trip will be, so gather your gear early.

Stick to your guns.
Many groceries now require certain items and disallow others. You can bring reusable bags, but you must bag you own groceries (no big deal, you were prob doing that already). Some require masks and gloves, make sure to wear your own reusables, to avoid waste. Many supermarkets have done away with their bulk sections, so you might have to get creative. The important thing is that you are still thinking about how to shop the most sustainable and zero waste under the current circumstances. This will def require some extra work, but putting aside our own convenience is still a big part of this endeavor. It’s easy in this time to give into thinking, why does it matter? But it matters more now than ever, and what we demand as consumers now, could change the face of consumption after the pandemic.

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Do the best you can.
The above being said, it has become harder to be sustainable in this time so, as always, we must start where we are and do what we can. Can’t wear your own gloves? Take the disposable but make sure they get thrown away properly. Can’t bring your own produce bags? Use the groceries paper bags (often where the bakery items are). Can’t find items in bulk? choose the same item with cardboard packaging or has the least amount of plastic. Can’t use cloth bags at check out? Ask for paper so they can be recycled. This is a useful time to think about all the easy swaps to be made. resourcefulness is a huge part of sustainability.

Stay calm.
or as we like to say at MCQ, Don’t Panic. This is going to be a frustraiting visit to the supermarket. They may not have what you need. They might only have it in plastic. They might be crowded. People might be rude. It’s hard to tell what people are saying, thinking and feeling when everyone is covered up and apprehensive. Remember to communicate clearly, smile, take your time, and don’t panic.

With these tips in mind, you are sure to have a successful shopping trip. Do you have any ideas or experiences to share?

Loafing Down Long Island

One of my goals in 2020 is to read more. See other books I've read or listened to here.

I can’t remember exactly how I found Loafing Down Long Island by Charles Hanson Towne. Maybe I was searching for books about walking? Or books similar to The Great Gatsby? I do remember buying this book online and then setting it aside for a few years.

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I remember looking for and buying this book online, but it’s one of the strangest printings I’ve every seen. The text is set differently on almost every page, clearly copied from an older test, but no care was taken to make each page match up. The cover is also of a strange dry itchy sort of plastic coating that is the first I’ve ever come across. The feeling is extremely unpleasantly dry to me, but once I got into the book, I forgot all about it.

Follow Towne on a Summer jaunt from one end of Long Island, NY, to the other. Even in 1921, or there abouts when this book was published, Long Island was a popular Summer destination. But Townes astonishes and amazing his friends and aquiantences by going on his Summer adventure on foot!

The moment I opened this book, I knew it was a book for me. The first few lines read as follows: “When I speak of the difficulties of walking, I do not refer to the infirmities of age, to flat feet…Not at all. I mean that it is hard indeed in these rushing times to go afoot…without being considered eccentric.” A problem I can relate to today, I thought immediately! I love to travel by foot, it is one of my favorite modes of transport and a favorite past time, so I was right away hooked. People always look at me askance when I turn down a ride in a car, or end up somewhere wet, from a sudden rain storm, or choose to take a longer route so that the walk is extended. Towne, considered the quintessential New Yorker of his time, writes like a cross between F Scott Fitzgerald, PG Wodehouse, with a little bit of Bill Bryson. He is free with his opinions, and can be a bit judgemental, but Loafing reads like a diary, including thoughts, conversations, ideas, and songs or poems. But it’s also a bit of a guide book: Towne points out areas of interest, shares history and suggests sights to visit. It’s clear that he has a deep love for NY in general and Manhattan specifically. The way he write reminds me of so many things I love about Brooklyn and other areas of Long Island and how special a place it is. I would highly recommend this book for those who also love NYC and Long Island, those who like travel tales, fans of F Scott Fitzgerald, or those who really like to walk.

Do you like to read books about activities? Walking, hiking, sailing, etc… What book like this have you read?

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Mad Cat Capsule | Spring 2020 (April, May June)

Here we are at the 4th Spring that I have made a Capsule Wardrobe. When I write it down like that, it doesn’t seem too long, but think about it, that means I’ve made 16 Capsules. Making a capsule each season is something I look forward to, and I don’t think, until I have pared down my clothes to only have 1 small wardrobe, that I’ll ever go back to a conventional closet. Spring is always a special marker for me, bc it was the first season that I ever started a capsule.

This Spring will be a weird one. We’ve had an early Spring here on the East Coast of USA (thanks groundhog!) but the weather was still rainy and grey in the beginning of April. I was all set to go thru absolutely all my clothes in the beginning of March, picking items to wear to work, wear out and about and wear at home, since those are the places that I mostly am.

Or was. Once we got our stay at home order, my idea for this capsule changed. I didn’t feel that I needed to go thru everything before the month my capsule started. I also didn’t feel the need to have my capsule complete and set my the beginging of the spring season. I’ve been slowly swapping out items, seeing what I’m drawn to wearing, and what makes me feel great now that I’m spending my time differently than I thought I would be.

One of the main ideas of having a capsule is having a complete wardope that makes it easy to get ready every day. Having a limited amount of items that all go together make it very easy to not think too hard about what one is going to wear every day. To choose these items, I go by season and weather, by where I plan to be and what I plan to be doing, and how I’m feeling at the time of making the Capsule (this might effect color and style choice). taking into consideration I might be out of work and isolating (with my husband, of course, ) for a while (perhaps the whole capsule?), here’s what I’ve come up with:

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8 pants - Grey wool slacks (thrifted and vintage), green holey jeans (thrifted), everlane blue (ethical, sustainable), everlane button grey (ethical, sustainable), blue linen sailor (thrifted, vintage), tan pleated (thifted, vintage), engineer (thrifted), mens levis (thrifted).

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4 dresses - grey sweatshirt (10+ years), burnout (hand me down), silver eileen fisher (thrifted, ethical , sustainable), blue denim (thrifted).

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2 skirts - black tea length (8+ years), black leather (thrifted, vintage).

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10 sweaters - Cropped mock neck (thrifted), confetti (thrifted), grey wool (thrifted), black and white (8+ years), black holey (5+ years), anchors (thrifted), teal (5+ years), grey cardigan (vintage, hand me down), green cardigan (vintage, hand me down), cashmere (thrifted).

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5 long sleeved tops - striped henley (10+ years), blue button down (hand me down), grey lace sweatshirt (thrifted), cropped with elbow patch (clothing swap), grey waffle (8+ years),

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3 tops - sheer patterned (thrifted), cropped floral (thrifted), grey waffle (8+ years).

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9 t shirts - ford crop (vintage, thrifted), pachyderm (local artist, 8+ years), pizza! (work shirt, local, 4+ years), green v neck (ethical, 10+years), green crew (ethical, 10+ years), grey crew (ethical, 10+ years), minutemen (10+ years), spiritualized (band t, 10+ years, artist), happy bday sandwiches (homemade by a stanger, thrifted).

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3 tanks - grey (10+ years), black crop (10+ years), TBD.

4 shoes - floran vans, flops (ethical, recycled), velcro vans (3+ years), blue/black vans (thrifted).

So this season’s capsule sits right around 50 pieces, not including outerwear, or incidentals (maybe I want to wear some boots, but prob not). Spring is a tough month already, bc one never knows what the weather will be, but factoring in the wild changes in the world, it’s almost impossible to tell what will be most used. I tried to go with a lot of my favorite items for this capsule, but also comfort was key. Sweaters, easy pants, loose dresses are all in the capsule. This Spring I also have an honorable mentions pile. This is something I have never done. It consists of clothes that I wear, but are not really in my capsule, or items that might go in it.

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Honorable mention pile - Velvet skirt. This is a short skirt, and I don’t know if I’ll get to use it (hand me down). Floral top. This one needs some modifications for me to wear it. Will I do them in time for this capsule? (vintage, thrifted). Going out PJs. These are 3+ years old, and they are just sweats, but presentable enough to wear to the grocery. Grey slacks. I’m not sure I need these, but if I take to wearing them, I might swap something out of the above capsule (vintage, thrifted). Garden pants. My pants for gardening (thrifted). Silver sweater. I love this very moth eaten sweater, but not sure I’ll wear it for this capsule (10+ years).

What will you be doing over the next three months? Maybe your Spring wardrobe is all loungewear, since you know you’ll be staying home, maybe you are still working and only need professional clothes…

Whatever the case may be, a Capsule Wardrobe can keep you prepared. Are you making one this season?