Because sometimes my friends think I’ve gone off the deep end . . .
Katy Wolk-Stanley
“Use it up, wear it out, make it do or do without.”
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Katy Wolk-Stanley
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I’ve been writing The Non-Consumer Advocate for over four-and-a-half years, and in that time I’ve run giveaways of everything from tax services to video games to food bank donations to books. But never in in all these years have I come close to today’s giveaway, which is an opportunity to win two pairs of . . . drum roll please . . . underwear!
Yes, underwear.
But these are not your normal underwear, as Upitees are upcycled from used T-shirts, which makes them perfect for Non-Consumer Advocate readers.
Kori, who sews these underwear was kind enough to send me two pairs to, umm . . . test out before the giveaway, and I give them the Non-Consumer Advocate Non-Wedgie Seal of Approval. They’re thicker than my normal underwear, but I kind of like that. They also came packaged super cool, like so:
I asked Koriel Jock, how she got started with such a unique business idea, and here’s what she had to say:
In my family, making underwear is normal. I come from a long line of sewers, and my grandma makes my grandpa’s and my dad’s underwear. (He’s her son-in-law, so I’m not sure if that makes it more or less weird.) It’s just not weird to us, so when I needed some underwear one summer after college but didn’t have a lot of money, of course I thought to make them.
And then! The “Aha” moment! It was so much fun to clean out my T-shirt drawer at the same time. My new Upitees (the name would come later) were soft, sporty, sassy and gave my old tshirts a new life. I got excited right away because I realized that underwear was something that everyone (well, almost everyone :)) needed and wore. For me, that meant that it was further removed from the cycle of consumerism and accumulating “stuff.” I also felt really comfortable with recycling old tshirts for the raw materials: there is such abundance.
I studied fashion design in college, but haven’t pursued it until starting La Vie en Orange 18 months ago. It was then that I started finding a way to balance my values: I want to achieve great fits to promote self-esteem in women, but also avoid unnecessary consumerism and waste. I want to practice eco-stewardship, but not achieve anything at the cost of other women’s human rights. So I choose to make something that costs more, but lasts longer, nurtures local economies, and doesn’t exploit the unfair and dangerous labor practices used by chain stores. For me, the civic responsibility and the cost need to meet in the middle.
The giveaway is for two pairs of Upitees women’s underwear from La Vie en Orange in whatever size or color you wish. (Kori also does silkscreen prints, so the patterns are not completely random.)
And for those of you who do not win this giveaway, Kori is offering a free shipping coupon code of USEITUP for Non-Consumer Advocate readers that’s good until the end of 2012.
To enter this contest, write your name in the comments section below. I will randomly choose a winner Friday, December 15th at 9 P.M. Please enter one time only, U.S. residents only.
Good luck!
Katy Wolk-Stanley
“Use it up, wear it out, make it do or do without.”
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Today I want to mix up cookie dough, take a fire hose to the house, hit up a couple of Goodwills and enjoy a day off from work.
I can think of nothing to write, so I will see ya’ tomorrow!
Katy Wolk-Stanley
“Use it up, wear it out, make it do or do without”
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Mid-December is the time of year for cutting down Christmas trees, lighting candles and answering the endless questions of “What do you want” and the corresponding “What do the kids want?”
I never seem to come up with good enough answers, because frankly I hate this placing an order style of gifting. It was easier when my teenage sons were little, because “anything Lego” was always a sure-fire hit. I prefer for gifts to reflect the giver, which is why I refused to put together a gift registry when I got married. (Boy-o-boy did this annoy certain relatives.)
However, I do recognize that some people won’t take no for an answer, and for them I do suggest a few gift ideas. Earrings for my freshly pierced older son and iTunes for my younger son.
I am curious how others deal being asked to name specific gifts. Do you request gift cards, charitable donations or something completely different? Please share your stories and ideas in the comments section below.
Katy Wolk-Stanley
“Use it up, wear it out, make it do or do without.”
Click HERE to follow The Non-Consumer Advocate on Twitter.
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“Use it up, wear it out, make it do or do without.”
Click HERE to join The Non-Consumer Advocate Facebook group.
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I don’t plan on Goodwill shopping on a daily basis. I assure you that I do hold down a job, and that I’m more likely to be found puttering around my own house than wandering the aisles of Portland’s myriad thrift shops.
The beautiful, beautiful thrift shops . . .
But I digress. Where was I? Oh, yes. Being defensive about how often I go thrift shopping.
However, my younger sister was needing curtain fabric for her school bus/home and it had been awhile since we’d hung out. We figured that her best bet for cheap fabric was to hit up the Goodwill Outlet, where the tonnage of merchandise is priced by the pound and the furniture is cheap, cheap, cheapity cheap.
My sister ended up only buying a single curtain panel and some clothes, but I gleaned a basket full of Tinkertoys for my niece’s Hanukkah gift, (My older sister was the 1972 Oregon state Tinkertoy champion, and had suggested that Tinkertoys would be a good gift for her daughter) as well as a vintage style spice tin to upcycle into a pencil cup for the fridge, (I’ll glue a magnet onto the back) and a couple of 78 records for my father. (Cole Porter and Gershwin.)
But my favorite find was this incredibly sturdy $5 piano bench. Which of course, is totally begging for a makeover. Cute paint below and snazzy fabric above and this girl will be headed to the ball, with or without a fairy godmother.
And today, I will not go thrift shopping.
Probably.
Katy Wolk-Stanley
“Use it up, wear it out, make it do or do without.”
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I am very good at finding free opportunities, and no I don’t mean horrible over-packaged and chemical laden commercial samples. I mean great adds-to-our-lives-without-creating-more-junk-in-the-world kind of stuff.
Here are examples of some recent great free finds:
Do you search out the free opportunities in your community? Please share your free finds in the comments section below.
Katy Wolk-Stanley
“Use it up, wear it out, make it do or do without.”
Click HERE to follow The Non-Consumer Advocate on Twitter.
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Cory Booker, the current mayor of Newark, New Jersey is about to embark on a week of feeding himself for $4 per day, which is approximately the average amount a SNAP/Food Stamp recipient receives. And let me tell ya’, food in Northern New Jersey is going to be a lot more expensive than here in sunny Portland, Oregon.
Non-Consumer Advocate readers are aware that I’ve run the same challenge in 2010, 2011 and 2012. My first two years were month-long commitments, although this year was just the single week. What I learned is that a single week of focus on eating with a $4 budget is very doable, but an entire month is a huge drag. The constant burden of not spending too much on the food budget wears you down and is in no way an enjoyable challenge.
Which is how it should be.
If Food Stamp Challenges were easy, then they would be pointless. To try to prepare and eat a healthy diet under such tight restrictions is far from effortless. And for people whose daily lives involve these budgetary restrictions, there’s no finish line.
I’m curious to see how well Mayor Booker does, as he’s probably used to eating on the go without thought of cost. And more interestingly, I am looking forward to the community response. These challenges can bring out a very unattractive and judgmental side of people.
I know I’ll be following the news. Will you?
Katy Wolk-Stanley
“Use it up, wear it out, make it do or do without.”
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I have a special holiday gift for Etsy sellers, which is a free 125X125 advertisement on the blog for the month of December. No strings attached.
I just want people to think about buying homemade and vintage for the 2012 holiday season.
So if you have an Etsy store that you want to promote, just send a 125X125 graphic of your store, as well as the link to your store and I’ll set it all up.
nonconsumer@comcast.net
Happy holidays, and please feel free to share this with your friends and family!
Katy Wolk-Stanley
“Use it up, wear it out, make it do or do without.”
Click HERE to follow The Non-Consumer Advocate on Twitter.
Click HERE to join The Non-Consumer Advocate Facebook group.
Click HERE to follow The Non-Consumer Advocate on Pinterest.
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