The magic bear: Starphyre's adventures

I awaken to sunlight pouring through the thin veil of cloth shielding me from exposure, my soulmate sleeping soundlessly beside me, his eyes peaceful, his body contorted into a strange position.

I think of getting up, going inside the wooden structure that is my house. I peer out, I feel something watching me.
And from above the tent flap, through the gossamer netting I see the source of my instinct, a towering chocolate brown beast with a yellow mask, (or is it his face) is peering down at me, he is paused. My heart races as realization dawns, and then he fades from my vision, leaving nothing but a gray tree, a dangling bunch of maple helicopters, and empty air. As my pulse winds down, excitement bursts into my heart.

I think of a bear! A magic one, with a yellow mask growing from his face, was he just passing by, and happened to see me? Who was this strange beast, watching me from above?

She is me: From StarPhyre's Poetry

I awaken to loneliness. First fear; fear of separation, and of closeness. Fear of the world around me, of the implications of my new eyes. I awaken to paranoia, their watching. Is it their world, is it mine? Is it time, has it come so soon? Have I run out of this precious illusion of a clock of delusion? But I know inside fear solves nothing, it is only the demon bred out of my sleep. I am battling with her, an inner battle. She wants normalcy, systems and games that twirl around in circles like a ferris wheel. I want freedom and fantasy, I want magic and dreams. She’s scared as she hides in her dark corner, wanting nothing more than to forget. To fall back into her deep dreamless sleep, where she is none to blame, none to take action. But as I move on, she fades as a distant horizon, as a shooting star, as a fading cloud the sky is clear, and she is me. She remembers the scent of wet moss and rainfall, and the crisp chilly air of the forest. She remembers the names of the land, of the fruits that bear witness to sunlight in springtime, of the leaves that unfurl towards the sky, of their poisons and their friends. She remembers the smell of hotel bathrooms and cheap laundry detergent from traveling in her childhood. She remembers the simple things are all that count. She is I, and I remember my dreams. The veil is lifted and my memories return, as scents as fresh in my mind as if it were yesterday, of images as close to my heart as if they were waiting for me tomorrow. Of joy so clear and pure and unquestioned, unhindered. Its so close I can touch it, hold her, that me that was and will be again.

Homemade Teas: Blackberry Ginger Tea

Blackberry ginger tea recipe:

What you will need:
Tea Ball


Fine Mesh tea strainer


Zest Grater


A bowl
A qaurter of a piece of ginger

About 5-6 blackberries

Honey

Grate the ginger until there is enough to fill the teaball. Drain the juice from the ginger into your cup, and put the tea ball in your cup.
Take the blackberries and press them into the fine mesh tea strainer, above the bowl. Continue to press until all that is left is pulp and seeds. Pour the blackberry juice into your cup. Pour hot water over it, and add honey to taste!

My sequined 80's value village find: The largest clothing recall

I just found the most incredible sequined 80's butterfly shirt at
Value Village, for only $14.99
Scroll to the bottom of this article, to read an amusing piece of news,
regarding imports from India, and this clothing label.

Yes, I'm in my socks!!



On the label:
Papillon
Vancouver Los Angeles
Made in India
RN No. 57716
C.A. 02784 100% Pure silk
Lining of 100% Rayon
Dry clean only(DUH!)






I looked up the brand of this shirt; Papillon, and found the following article, I thought it was quite amusing!

                             THE VIRGINIAN-PILOT
           Copyright (c) 1994, Landmark Communications, Inc.

DATE: Saturday, August 13, 1994              TAG: 9408130291
SECTION: FRONT                    PAGE: A5   EDITION: FINAL
SOURCE: ASSOCIATED PRESS
DATELINE: WASHINGTON                         LENGTH: Short :   45 lines

---

LARGEST CLOTHING RECALL ORDERED THE GAUZY SKIRTS MADE IN INDIA EASILY CATCH FIRE. THEY HAVE BEEN SOLD FOR YEARS.

The government announced the largest clothing recall ever Friday, a quarter-million rayon skirts made in India that can be set on fire with a cigarette and burn faster than a newspaper.

``Consumers must stop wearing these skirts,'' said Ann Brown, chairman of the Consumer Product Safety Commission, which ordered a stop to all sales and a recall.

So far, she said, there have been no deaths or injuries, even though the skirts have been imported for two to three years.

CPSC said it has contacted stores to take the skirts off the shelves.

The commission named 18 major retailers cooperating in the recall but said many other stores had carried the skirts:

Abraham & Strauss Basement; Ames Ladies Wear; Annie Sez; Bealls Outlet Stores; Burlington Coat Factory; Cost Plus; Dayton's; Filene's Basement; Gantos; Hudson's; Jean Nicole; Loehmann's; Marianne; Marshalls; Marshall Field's; One Price; Ross and T.J. Maxx.

Some, but not all, of the garments have these brand labels:

2 Kool Look; Ann Simone; Carla Freeman; Casual Designs by RAVIA; Exclusif; Fbi; Founded 1976 D II K by K.V.M.; Giallo Napoli; Gold Star; LaGebi; Masone II; Minti Mode; Papillon; Phool; Renuka; Short Circuit; Steed Import Inc.; Vile Parle; Xessorium; Zero Zero.

Some labels with no other brand information had these numbers: RN 81177; RN 74867; RN 50971; RN 57716. ILLUSTRATION: FREE HOT LINE

The Consumer Product Safety Commission will answer questions

about the recall on its toll-free hot line:

(800) 638-2772.

KEYWORDS: RECALL SKIRTS INDIA FIRE HAZARD

Starphyre's Fabric Notes: How to identify fabric; N-W

This list is a continuation of my list of fabric identification! The following is excerpted from this book: Secondhand Chic: Find fabulous fashion at Consignment, Vintage, and Thrift stores: By Christa Weil.

Net:
An open fabric, which is created by connecting the intersections in a woven knitted or crocheted construction to form a mesh-like appearance that won't ravel.




Nylon:
The first completely synthetic fiber developed. Known for its strength and excellent resilience, nylon has superior abrasion resistance and high flexibility.

Organza:
A crisp sheer, light-weight plain weave fabric with a medium to high yarn count. Made of silk, rayon, nylon, or polyester. The fabric is used primarily in evening and wedding dresses, and apparel for women.

Ottoman:
A tightly woven, plain-weave, ribbed fabric with a hard slightly lustered surface. The ribbed fabric with a hard slightly lustered surface. The ribbed effect is created by weaving finer silk or manufactured warp yarn with a heavier filler yard, usually made of cotton, wool, or waste yarn. In the construction of the heavier filler yarn is completely covered by the warp yarn. Thus creating the ribbed effect.

Pearlized:
Given a pearlescent surface, or finish.

Peau Satin:
A heavy twill weave drapeable satin fabric, made of silk or manufactured fiber, and used for bridal gowns and evening wear.

Picot:
A row of woven loops along the selvage of fabric or lace.

Pointelle:
Very feminine, delicate looking, rib knit fabric made w/ a pattern of openings.

Polyester:
A manufactured fiber which has high strength, excellent resiliency, and high abrasion resistance. Low absorbency allows the fiber to dry quickly.

Poplin:
A fabric made using a rib variation of the plain weave. The construction is characterized by having a slight ridge effect in one direction, usually the filling.

Ramie:
A bast fiber, similar to flax, taken from the stalk of a plant grown in china.

Rayon:
A manufactured fiber composed of regenerated cellulose, derived from wood pulp, cotton linters, or other vegetable matter.

Re-embroidered:
To outline a design(as on lace) with embroidery stitching.

Rhinestoned:
To attach a colorless imitation stone of high luster made of glass, paste, or gem quartz.(Is also sometimes plastic and can be colored)

Ribbed:
To form vertical ridges in knitting.

Ribboned:
Ribbon lace is made by stitching ribbon onto mesh or net fabrics. The design is usually a random pattern rather than floral.

Rib knit:
A basic stitch used in weft knitting in which the knitting machines require two sets of needles operating at right angles to each other. Rib knits have a very high degree of elasticity in the crosswire direction. This knitted fabric is used for complete garments, and for such specialized uses as sleeve bands, neck bands, sweater waistbands, and special types of trims for use with other knit or woven fabrics. Lightweight sweaters in rib knits provide a close, body-hugging fit.

Satin:
A traditional fabric utilizing a satin weave construction to achieve a lustrous fabric surface. Satin is a traditional fabric surface. Satin is a traditional fabric for evening and wedding garments. Fabrics include: Slipper satin, crepe-back satin, faille satin, bridal satin, moleskin, and royal satin.




Seersucker:
A woven fabric which incorporates modification of tension control. In the production of seersucker, some of the warp yarns are held under controlled tensions at all times during the weaving, while other warp yarns are in a relaxed state and tend to pucker when the filling yarns are placed. The result produces a puckered strip effect in the fabric.

Sequined:
Ornamental with a small plate of shining metal or plastic.




Shantung:
A medium-weight plain-weave fabric, characterized by a ribbed effect, resulting from slubbed yarns used in the warp of filling direction. End uses include dresses and suits.



Sheer:
Any very light-weight fabric(e.g. chiffon, georgette, voile, sheer crepe)usually and open weave. Sheers mostly feel cool.

Silk:
It is obtained from cocoons of a certain species of caterpillars. It is soft and has a brilliant sheen. It is one of the finest textiles, and it is also very strong and absorbent.

Spandex:
A manufactured elostomeric fiber that can be repeatedly stretched over 500% without breaking, and will still recover to its original length.

Suede: Leather with a napped surface.

Taffeta:
A lustrous, medium weight, plain weave fabric with a slight ribbed appearance in the filing(crosswise)direction for formal wear, taffeta is a favorite choice. It provides a crisp hand, with lots of body. Silk taffeta gives the ultimate rustle, but other fibers are also good choices.

Tencel:
A trademark of courtauds for a high performance fiber used to make soft, beautifully draping rayon fabrics. Tencel is made from wood pulp that is harvested from replenished tree farms. Washable.

Terry:
A woven fabric usually cotton, with a loop pile on one or both sides.

Tri-acetate:
A manufactured fiber, which, like acetate, is made by modifying cellulose. Tri-acetate is less absorbent and less sensitive to high temperatures than acetate. It can be hand or machine washed and tumble dried, w/ relatively good wrinkle recovery.

Twill:
A fabric that shows a distinct diagonal wale on the face(e.g. denim, gabardine, tricotine)

Velair:
A medium weight closely-woven fabric with a thick pile. It can be made using either plain weave or a sating weave construction. It resembles velvet, but has a lower cut pile.

Velvet:
A medium-weight cut pile constructed fabric in which the cut pile stands up very straight. It is woven using two sets pf warp yarns; the extra set creates the pile. Velvet, a luxurious fabric; is commonly made with a filament fiber for high luster and smooth hand.




Venice lace:
This lace often has a high profile, and is made using needle point technique rather than embroidery. A heavier weight lace, the patterns vary from geometric to floral. Each pattern is attached to the others by bars made of thread.

Viscose:
The most common type of rayon. It is produced in much greater quantity than cuprammonium rayon, the other commercial type.

Voile:
A crisp, lightweight fabric, plain weave cotton-like fabric, made with high twist yarns in a high yarn count construction. Similar in appearance to organdy and organza.

Wool:
Usually associated with fiber of fabric made from the fleece of sheep or lambs. However; the term "wool" can also apply to all animal fibers, including the hair of the cashmere or angora goat, or the specialty hair fibers of the camel, alpaca, llama or vicuna.

Starphyre's Fabric Notes: How to identify fabric; A-M

These are my notes from my fashion archives; The following is excerpted from this book: Secondhand Chic: Find fabulous fashion at Consignment, Vintage, and Thrift stores: By Christa Weil.
Hope these help in identifying the fabric you have found!

Acetate:
A manufactured fiber formed by a compound of cellulose, refined from cotton linter, and or wood pulp. An acetic acid that has been extruded through a spinnernet and then hardened.

Angora:
The hair of the Angora goat. Also known as Angora Mohair. Angora also may apply to the fur the angora rabbit. This fabric is often made in sweaters, and is extremely soft to the touch.




Beaded:
This refers to any style of fabric. Beading can be done at the time the the lace is made, or re-embroidered after the lace is made.




Bengaline:
A fabric with a cross-wire rib made from textile fibers(such as rayon, nylon, cotton, or wool)often in combination.

Boucle:
A knit of woven fabric made from a rough, curly knotten boucle yarn. The fabric has a looped knotted surface and is often used in sportswear and coats.

Brocade:
A heavy exquisite jacquard type fabric, with an all over raised pattern, or floral design.

Cambric:
A fine thin white linen fabric.

Canvas:
A strong, durable closely woven cotton fabric.

Cashmere:
A luxury fiber obtained from the soft fleecy undergrowth of the Kashmir Goat of Tibet, Mongolia, China, Iran, Iraq, and India. Most commonly used in sweaters, shawls, coats and dresses.

Crushed Velvet:
Velvet is a form of textile that is woven on a special loom. It is a tufted fabric in which the cut threads are very evenly distributed, giving it its distinct feel. Velvet can be made from any fiber.




Chambray:
A plain woven fabric that can be made from cotton, silk, or manufactured fibers; but it is most commonly cotton. It incorporates a colored warp(often blue)and white filling yarns.

Chantilly lace:
This lace has a net background, and the pattern is created by embroidering with thread and ribbon to create floral designs. The pattern has areas of design that are very dense, and the pattern is often outlined with heavier cords or threads.




Charmeuse:
Trade name of silk and silk-like fabrics that characterized by a shiny soft satin like appearance.

Chenille:
Soft fuzzy yarns stand out around a velvety cord on this fabric, whose name comes from the french word from "Caterpillar"

Chiffon:
A plain, woven, light-weight, extremely sheer, airy and soft silk fabric, contained highly twisted filament yarns. Used mainly in evening dresses and scarves. Can also be made from rayon, and other manufactured fibers.

Chintz:
A usually glazed cotton fabric.

Cotton:
A unicellular natural fiber that grows in the seed pod of the cotton plant. Fibers are typically 1/2 inch to 2 inches long. The longest staple fibers, longer than 1-1 1/2 inch, including the Pima and Egyptian varieties; produce the highest quality cotton fabrics.

Crepe:
Used to describe all kinds of fabrics--Wool, cotton, silk, rayon, synthetics and blends, that have a crinkle, crimped, or grained surface.




Crepe back satin:
A satin fabric in which highly twisted yarns are used in the filling direction. The floaty yarns are made with low twist and may be either high or low luster. If the crepe effect is the right side of the fabric, the fabric is called satin-back crepe.

Crinkled:
Forming many short bends or wrinkles

Crocheted:
Loose, open knit made buy looping thread with a hooked needle. Used for light, summer sweaters.




Denim:
True denim is a twill weave cotton-like fabric, made with different colored yarns in the warp and the weft. Due to the twill construction, one color predominates on the fabric surface.

Dupioni:
Similar to Shantung, this textured fabric is recognized by irregular-sized thick fibers woven into the base fabric. Fibers that create the texture are thicker than those used in Shantung.

Elastin:
A protein, that to collagen and is the chief constituent of plastic fibers.

Embroidered:
An embellishment of a fabric or garmet in which colored threads are sewn into the fabric to create a design. Embroidery may be done either by hand, or by machine.




Fagoting:
An embroidery produced by pulling out horizontal threads from a fabric, and tying the remaining cross threads into groups of an hour glass shape.

Faille:
A glossy, soft, finally-ribbed silk-like woven fabric made from cotton, silk, or manufactured fibers.

Georgette:
A sheer lightweight fabric, often made of silk, or from such manufactured fibers as polyester, with a crepe surface. End uses include dresses and blouses.

Gingham:
A medium-weight, plain-weave fabric, with a plaid or checker pattern.



Heather:
A yarn that is spun using pre-dyed fibers. These fibers are blended together to give a particular look(For example: black & white may be blended together to create gray heathered yarn.)
The term "Heather" may also be used to describe the fabric made from heathered yarns.

Hemp fiber:
Hemp is a common name for Cannabis and the name is most used when this annual plant is grown for non-drug purposes. When grown for industrial purposes hemp is called, often, industrial hemp, and a common product is fiber for use in a variety of different ways. Hemp use dates back to the Stone Age, with hemp fibre imprints found in pottery shards in China over 10,000 years old. It is used in bags, clothing, and jewelery, and tends to be rough and itchy, depending on how fine the weave is.

Intarsia:
A colored design kitten on both sides of a fabric.

Jacquard:
Woven fabrics manufactured by using the jacquard attachment on the loom. This attachment provides versatility in designs and permits individual control of each of the warp yarns. Thus fabric of almost any type of complexity can be made. Brocade and damask are types of jacquard woven fabrics.

Jersey:
The consistent inter looping of yarns in the jersey stitch to a fabric with a smooth, flat face, and a more textured but uniform back. Jersey fabrics may be produced on either circular or flat weft knitting machines.

Knit-Fabrics:
Made from only one set of yarns, all running in the same direction. Some knits have their yarns running along the length of the fabric, while other have their yarns running across the width of the fabric knit. Fabrics are held together by looping the yarns around each other. Knitting creates ridges in the resulting fabric. Waves are the ridges that run lengthwise in the fabric, courses run crisscross.

Knitted:
Formed by interlacing yarn or thread in a series of connected loops with needles.

Lace:
An ornamental braid for trimming.

Lame like glotique:
A woven fabric using flat silver or gold metal threads to create either the design of background in the fabric.

Lawn:
A light, fine, cloth made of using carded or combed linen or cotton yarns. The fabric has a crease-resistant, crisp finish.

Leather:
Animal skin dress for use in clothing.

Leatherette:
Simulated leather.

Linen:
A fabric made from linen fibers obtained from inside the woody stem of the flax plant. Linen fibers are much stronger and more lustrous than cotton. Linen fabrics are very cool, and absorbent, but wrinkle very easily unless blended with manufactured fibers.

Lycra:
A DuPont trade mark trademark for its spandex fiber. Anytime you see this fiber listed on a label, expect comfort, movement, and shape retention that won't wash away.

Marabou:
A throw silk usually dyed in the gum or fabric made of this silk.

Matte:
Lacks luster or gloss, and has a usually smooth even surface, free from shine or high-lights.

Mesh:
A type of fabric characterized by its net-like appearance, and the spaces between yarns. Mesh is available in a variety of constructions including wovens, knits, laces, or crocheted fabric.

Micro-fiber:
Generic term for any synthetic fiber finer than silk. Fabrics made with micro-fibers are soft lightweight breathable, and durable.

If you would like a more in-depth list on textiles and cloth types, visit the website:
http://phrontistery.info/fabric.html

Thrift shopping 101: Part 2

In my previous blog I gave some tips on finding high quality costume jewelery; to start your collection of jewelery for your new wardrobe!

Tip:
You always want to be an early bird shopper! Find out when they open, and be there when the doors are opened. You will get the best stuff first!

Browsing and inspecting:
The difference between these two? When you browse; you fluff some clothes around, peek at a few pretty colors, and generally, find nothing and decide to give up. When inspecting; you painstakingly flip through every piece of clothing, whether it may suit you or not. You will end up finding the treasure buried beneath Grandma's Christmas tree sweater, and the orange furry thinga-ma-bob that LOOKS like your cat Fluffy.

An open mind:
Bring one of these w/ you, even if you have to borrow it from your weird hippie co-worker! You may come out a whole new person, w/ your own unique and classy(Or not)sense of style. Thrift shopping invites all kinds, whether you want to dress like a punk, a hippie, an evening dress for a night out on the town, or you work for a business where you have to wear a suit. You can dress up in any genre, or find your own quirky fashion sense EVERY day! Thrift shopping is like when you were a kid playing dress-up. Be experimental, try things you've never tried before, colors you've never worn, don't stick w/ earthy tones and bland avocados, spice things up. Remember, you are leaving the cheap retail scene to escape the boring fashions that come and go.

How frustrating is it that every year the retail stores tell you what's "In", what colors are "Fall colors", and what cuts you should be wearing? We shouldn't let corporations dictate what we wear. We are all individuals with personalities, not cardboard cut-out of what's in or out!

The great thing is, you don't have have to find one specific style that is "you" you can have MANY looks and styles, for all occasions, and your g/f's will wonder WHERE you got all your great outfits!

What to do when you find something cool:
First, check the fabric! Read what kind of fabric it is, if it still has a tag. Check if has to be hand-washed, or dry-cleaned, etc. If hand-washing suits your lifestyle, and time schedule, its a good idea; otherwise, be wary of avoiding the clothing item until you finally get around to having it dry cleaned. The next thing you want to do check is the seams, and the fabric quality. Do the tug-o-war test on the seams, lightly pull the fabric taut and check if the seams are loose, or you can visibly see light through them. Check all aspects of the seams to make sure there are no loose seams, loose thread, or torn corners. Also; look for double-stitching, this is a good sign, noting that the shirt is durable. Look for small stains, tears, or rips, these can be easily patched and repaired it your item is a true find.

Sequins, beading, rhinestones and embroidery:
Make sure to check if the designs on the item your checking out, are strong, and well-done. Make sure the thread is thick, and if possible not visible. Check for missing beads, or sequins, or weak thread sagging under the weight of beads. You want the sequins to be tight knit, and well overlapped and layered. If the piece is particularly heavy in your hand, and the cloth appears strong, and the beading has no missing patches, then it is usually a good piece.
What about those rhinestones? Make sure your rhinestones are encased in a metal piece, that is firmly attached to your shirt. If they are just "floating" and glued on, they will fall off even with light movement and daily activity.
Embroidery; make sure that the thread is thick, and there are no stray threads sticking up. Make sure the design is strong, and not done quickly and factory style.

What I'm NOT going to teach you:
This guide is for Thrift-shopping functionality, not for brand-whores! I'm not going to tell you how to decipher between real vintage Louis Vuitton, and fakes, or any of that stuff. You have to decide that for yourself!

What I will teach you about brands:
I will tell you what brands to avoid, if you want your piece to last longer than its third wash!
Cheap mall brands, are to be avoided at all costs!
Brands like Charlotte Russe, Wet Seal, Forever 21, are big no-no's! If its cute and you don't mind it lasting only a few washes, by all means buy it! But be warned, mall brands have a higher chance of breaking, snapping, and unraveling, as well as tears, runs, and all around disarray.
Mall brands will fade quicker, lose their luster and appeal much quicker than quality boutique brands.
A lot of thrift stores will carry retail brand clothing; Fang, Southpole, Self Esteem; etc. These brands are a little bit better than mall brands, and their cotton tees and jackets usually last a good amount of time. However; the spaghetti straps, and lacy pieces have a tendency of falling apart quickly.
If you want to know what high-quality brands and labels to look for, I suggest getting some Harper's Bazaar magazines from your local library, and browsing through the clothing ads. You will find that some of these brands are at your thrift store. These brands tend to be higher-grade cloth, last longer, and are usually more fitted and contoured to your form than retail and mall clothing.

The Secret:
The secret to creating a wardrobe for ALL occasions? Check ALL the areas of your thrift store. Don't go in solely looking for tank-tops and blouses, check the skirt section even if you don't normally wear skirts. Check the formal evening dress section, even if you don't have a reason. Items tend to get misplaced, and stuck in odd areas as well. You can find cute tank-tops in the Pajama's section sometimes. Looking through the dresses, and blazers you can find high grade vintage pieces, because most people don't check the formal wear. Don't leave any area unchecked, because you might just be leaving a treasure behind.

After reading this blog, you will be equipped with a basic knowledge of how to find good quality items, and how to avoid being scammed into a shiny shirt, that will quickly fall apart.
With these skills you will soon be on your way to building your new wardrobe, with long-lasting timeless favorites, instead of cheap throw-aways!
In my next blog I will cover some notes of mine, on how to identify types of fabric!

Fair Trade, and recycled clothing/accessories

I went online, to search for fair trade clothing companies and distributors, and found tons of links!!! A lot of people have the impression that Fair Trade items are more expensive, when in truth buying Fair Trade costs just about the same as a retail store! The retail store hikes up the prices, to benefit the big company. These places get their stuff directly from the craftspeople source, and pay them fair wages. I have also included links to individuals who are designers, making items from recycled materials. Enjoy!


People Tree
http://www.peopletree.co.uk/


Fair Indigo
http://www.fairindigo.com/

Mercado Global
https://iwojima.globat.com/~mercadoglobal.org/shop/index.php

Fair Trade Clothing, in Canada!
http://fairtradeclothing.ca/

Global Mamas
This stuff is really cute, its got a boho chic about it :)
http://www.globalmamas.org/

Union made apparel
http://nosweatapparel.com/

Equa-Fair Trade and Organic Boutique
http://www.equaclothing.com/

Indigenous Designs
http://www.indigenousdesigns.com/

American Apparel(Yes they are fair trade!!!)
www.americanapparel.net

Anatomy
www.anatomyfashion.co.uk

Bishopston Trading Company
www.bishopstontrading.co.uk

Chandni Chowk
www.chandnichowk.co.uk

Clothworks
www.clothworks.co.uk

Epona
www.eponasport.com

Equop
www.eponasport.com

Ethical Threads
www.ethicalthreads.co.uk

Fairganic Ltd
www.fairganic.co.uk

Funky Ghandi(This stuff is really trendy, Tees, and punkish styles w/ cool graphics)
http://www.funkygandhi.com/

Gossypium
http://www.gossypium.co.uk/

Greenfibres
www.greenfibres.com

Hemp Union
www.hemp-union.karoo.net

Howies
www.howies.co.uk

Hug
www.hug.co.uk

Jo Pott Mercer
www.jopott.com

Manumit Fair Trade Accessories
www.manumituk.com

Marlo Clothing
www.marlo.co.uk

Mini-Organic(Fairtrade organic cotton baby clothes)
www.mini-organic.co.uk

Natural Collection
www.naturalcollection.com

Nomads
www.nomadsclothing.com

One World is Enough
www.one-world-is-enough.net

Pachacuti
www.panamas.co.uk

Remould Clothing-A Derbyshire based business offering a range of Fair Trade clothing and accessories at competitive prices from beautiful fashion items to hand crafted accessories.
www.remouldclothing.co.uk

Schmidt Natural Clothing
www.naturalclothing.co.uk

Sea Salt Organic
www.seasaltorganic.co.uk

Spirit of Nature
www.spiritofnature.co.uk/

Think Clothing
www.thinkfairtrade.com

THTC
www.thtc.co.uk

Tonic T-shirts
www.tonictshirts.com

Traidcraft plc
www.traidcraft.co.uk

Wildlife Works UK-Organic clothing produced by locals on their 80,000 acre eco-sanctuary in Kenya where they also educate the locals on the importance of conserving their wildlife and provide jobs for the locals and schools for their children.
www.wildlifeworks.co.uk

A lot of shopping, fair trade and organics!
http://www.alotofshopping.co.uk/

So Organic
http://www.soorganic.com/home.php

Natural Collection-Fair Trade, handcrafted, natural stuff!!!
http://www.naturalcollection.com/

Adili-Fair trade Fashion
http://www.adili.com/

The UK Organic, and fair trade search engine
http://www.alotoforganics.co.uk

Turns recycled tires and soda bottles into sassy sneaks:
http://www.simpleshoes.com/

Incorporates recycled clothes and car seats into creatively designed sneakers:
http://shop.terraplana.com/shop.aspx

Purses made from recycled aluminum can tabs
http://www.escamastudio.com/products/index.html

Some recycled hand-bags, and eco-friendly purses
http://www.her-design.com/catalog.htm

An awesome collection of unique designer handbags made from recycled car interior!
http://kimwhitehandbags.com/shop.html

Vintage find at St. Vincent De Paul, Sunday, May 06, 2007: From StarPhyre's Thrift Shopper Archives

Check it out! It was only $9.99

Me wearing it:


Detail:

Lamp Refurbished, Sunday, June 03, 2007: From StarPhyre's DIY Archives

I recently acquired a lamp, from my neighbors dying yardsale. My neighbor had a bunch of free stuff, and there were these two big ugly(well not THAT ugly)70's lamps sitting outside for free. I decided to fix them up, and give them a new look!

First stage:



Second stage:



Third stage:
For this one, I took a sponge, and cut little lines in the sponge w/ scissors, to give it more of an effect, and then painted light paint onto the sponge, then applied it to the lamp.



Final stage:
I then applied spray laquer to the lamp, and voila!

Fremont Festival, and the Naked Bike Ride; Sunday, June 17, 2007: From StarPhyre's Journal

My bro, my Fiance, and I all went to the Fremont Fest yesterday. We missed the naked bike ride(luckily)but unfortunately we were exposed to(I only saw one naked old man)but according to my bro and Sam, three naked old men! Anyways, the best thing there was the cars that people had altered, and one chicks fairy costume :) Check it out!

Thrift shopping 101: Part 1; Costume jewelery

The other day my fiance and I went to Value Village; and I found this amazing dress for a great deal!



Detail: The dress was only $4.99, and the blue hand painted seed beads were only $0.99! Baby blues are a great accent w/ dark browns!




How can you get great fashion finds for a low price, without the guilt of buying slave labor?
Thrift stores, yard sales, and consignment stores are my favorite choices for cute, or funky clothes and styles.

What will you need?
A sense of adventure
An imagination
A few bucks!

I used to dread thrift shopping, it was a last minute option for me.
All I ever saw when I walked in were isles of old lady sweaters, and dirty old shoes. I practically refused to browse the isles, and just couldn't bring myself to try anything on.
Years later I finally let go, and realized that my pocket book couldn't take my trips to Macy's and Nordstrom's anymore. I also hated dressing like the rest of the population.
One of the great things about thrift shopping, is the fact that you can get a cashmere sweater for $5, and you can't even get a tank-top at JC Penney's for less than $10.
The upsides of thrift shopping; constant variety, vintage finds, and you always feel like your on a treasure hunt!
The downsides to thrift shopping; hip thrift shoppers like me knowing just how to get great deals, before Thrift-noobs get them!
But no worries, that's why I'm here, to tell you how to find amazing outfits, and get the good stuff before Lame Jane grabs your vintage sequined blouse.

Depending on the thrift store you go to, depends on the frequency of up to date clothing, or 80's belly-button smashing jeans. No worries, they all usually have a treasure hidden somewhere.

Creating your jewelery collection:
The first place to check for jewelry, is the wall-hanging section. It's usually all priced the same, and you can get some great bracelets, earrings, necklaces etc.
Start by checking every single hook holding the jewelry, just cause it looks shiny, doesn't mean its quality. You want to check for glass, and stone beads, and necklace pieces.
To do this; simply click the piece against your tooth, and if it feels dense, and makes a slight ting sound against your tooth, its probably glass or stone. This is an easy way to decipher between shiny plastic, and glass.

Pot Metal, and Silver:
Check whatever jewelry you are looking at, to see if there are any missing rhinestones, bent metal, or extremely flexible metal. You want to stay away from pot-metal(this is a very cheap and easily snapped metal, usually made in china, and coming from retailers like Kohls).

What to look for to determine pot-metal: The findings(round chain link like things attaching the jewelery to the hook, clasp, etc)are split, not welded, or easily bendable. This is a bad sign, because your jewelery could easily fall off, or snap. The color of pot metal is usually much brighter than that of silver, and instead of grey coloring, it has black coloring to mimic silver. Silver is usually dull, or grey, and it is a softer metal, it doesn't snap as easily as pot metal. Older silver has tiny scratches, and small dents in the metal. It usually heats quickly to the touch.

Pearls, costume jewelery, and big beautiful beads:
I myself don't really care if the pearls are real or not, they are a cool accent for some outfits. Although; an easy way to check if the pearls or plastic beads you found are real pearls, is another tooth-checking method; the teeth don't lie!
Roll the bead against your tooth, if there are dents or it feels slightly gritty, you probably found real pearls, or damn good fakes. Otherwise, if they are plastic, they will be completely smooth and round.
You want your beads to be dense, and strong, not hollow. Just tap them w/ your fingernail, and if it feels heavy in your hand, and there's no hollow sound, those are high quality beads. Also; if they are paint covered, or chrome covered, scratch them lightly w/ a fingernail to make sure no paint chips off.




Beaded necklace string:
You want to make sure when you buy beaded necklaces, that the string holding them together is reasonably strong, and durable.
Think what a mess it would be if your out on a date, and your necklace catches on something, and beads scatter everywhere!
To make sure the string is strong, first check how closely the beads are from each other, if there are tiny knots between each bead, this is a good sign; it means it will hold together well. Try the tug-a-rope test, and grab either side with your hands, and lightly pull to the opposite direction of each hand. If the necklace gives, I wouldn't buy it; if it stays firm, it has less of a chance of snapping randomly. Just make sure the string is thicker than fishing line. Inspect w/ a magnifying glass if necessary, to check if it is twined like a mini-rope, once again a good sign. Big round plastic beads are a fun way to accent almost any outfit!

Quality materials/beads:
Wood
Seeds
Crystal
Stones
Glass
Thick plastic beads
Silver/Sterling
Gold

The second place to look for jewelery is of course, the infamous glass display cabinet! Usually the items in the display cabinets are higher priced, and most of the time, incorrectly priced. A lot of the time there is some good vintage brooches, pins, and really high quality necklaces. On the downside they get in a lot of retail costume jewelery that looks really shiny, but its worthless. Thrift stores will often charge very high prices for these pieces because they "look new". If it looks like it just came out of the JC Penney's or Mervyn's Juniors section, it probably did.

If you are not a frequent retail shopper, I recommend visiting your local retailer(excluding Macy's and Nordstrom's)Try Kohls, Sears, Ross, TJ Maxx, Mervyn's, or JC Penney. These are lower-end retailers. Browse the jewlery section, and inspect the costume jewelery. You will note that some earrings are bent, or the clasps don't connect properly. Some of the necklaces have missing rhinestones, or broken chains. Make sure you make a mental note of the way this type of costume jewelery looks; so when you are thrift shopping, be sure to avoid this cheaply made jewelery.
This may seem complicated at first, but once you get the knack of it, you'll be a pro thrift shopper!

I hope these tips help Thrift Shoppers new to the scene, I also recommend an awesome in-depth thrift shoppers guide, that really helped me: Secondhand Chic: Find fabulous fashion at Consignment, Vintage, and Thrift stores: By Christa Weil
You can get this book at your local library, if they don't carry it, you can usually ask them to buy the book for you!

In my next blog I will cover the basics of finding high quality clothing, and where to look!