high waisted shorts

before you press that "order" button STOP.

High waisted jeans are back  in action & some of them are being 

sold for over 50 dollars

I made these shorts  from a pair of 

old "mom jeans" I found in a local thrift  shop for 4 dollars ! !

So let's have some sustainable  fun & create your own unique shorts by up-cycling  some good old "mom-jeans" from your local thrift shop.

let's get sustainable, america!

Materials:

-- scissors --

-- pair of "mom jeans" --

-- pencil or pen --

Optional Materials:

-- fabric scraps --

-- sewing machine --

-- seam ripper --

Up-cycle step 1 :

draw a line starting about 4 inches down  the in-seam of your pants across to the outter-seam

draw your line with a slight curve, so that the outside seams are shorter  than the inner seams

if you want to fold the edges of your shorts & not fringe them, give yourself a little extra seam allowance !

try starting your line 5 inches down instead of 4 inches

-- REMEMBER --

it's always better to give yourself extra  fabric if you are unsure of anything !

you can always cut off more until you reach your desired  length 

get out those scissors !

up-cycle step 2 :

start cutting along  your line or pen marks ONLY on the front fabric of your jeans !

You want the back of your shorts to be a little longer  than the front, 

so we will cut the back after

make sure to cut with long and even strokes to get a nice clean  cut

perfection

up-cycle step 3 :

in order to make the back of your shorts  longer, you have to draw another line

using the opening  you just cut on the front of your shorts,

draw a line about an inch away from the new  bottom edge of your shorts

piece of cake !

up-cycle step 4 :

carefully cut this new line,

you will find that you may need  to play with your sides a little bit in order to adjust  their style

I recommend  trying your shorts on before you trim your sides  so that you can actually

see what they will look  like on you as you trim them 

up-cycle step 5 :

once you have your shorts exactly  the length you desire, carefully fold the pants in half

you will now start cutting the pant leg on the opposite  side

but WAIT:

be sure that you follow the original  short pattern you just created on the opposite side

to do this: fold the pants in half so that the back pocket  is facing you,

because this is the longer  side of the shorts, we will cut the pant leg following this edge

next: fold the shorts so that the front  pockets are facing you,

now carefully  cut the front of your shorts so that you are following this shorter

edge of your original  short leg.

FRINGE !!!

when you have your shorts  at your desired length and style

its time for some fringe  !

run your fingers  along the cut edge & pull the threads  all along the sides
you can also use a small  razor blade to help with the fringing
by simply  running the blade along  the fabric's edge

if you want a clean edge, just fold  the edges up, iron flat, fold once more

& stitch at about a half  inch

IT'S THAT SIMPLE!!

----------------------------------------------------------------------------

if you want to take your awesome  new shorts to the next level

try this simple addition:

POCKETS

upcycle step 6 :

find a recycled fabric that you would like to add  as a back pocket to your new shorts

recycled fabric

up-cycle step 7 :

using a seam ripper, slowly & carefully  remove a back pocket from your shorts

try not to cut any of the material because this will be used  as your pattern piece

if you are using a thin fabric, like the one shown,  you will want to use 

a heavier fabric  behind it for support

I used an old denim back pocket for support

up-cycle step 8 :

take your fabric  piece & use your new pocket pattern as a guide to trace

out the new  pocket ! 

up-cycle step 9 :

cut out this new pattern piece

NOTE:

 if you are using one piece of fabric for your pocket

it should be the exact same size as the old pocket 

however ...

if you are using two  pieces,

make sure the lighter fabric that will be shown on the outside

is about a half inch longer  in all directions

you will notice  from the old pocket pattern that there are folded edges

that help secure the pocket once sewn  onto the shorts

you want to copy this exact  folding onto your new pocket cut-out

& pin down the sides after ironing  the folds into place

they should look like this

  up-cycle step 10 :

in order to be sure your pocket is secure

you want to stitch all along the edges to keep them in place

especially  if you are using two fabrics

up-cycle step 11 :

once you have sewn  around the edges of your new pocket

pin it in place directly on the old spot in which the last  pocket lay

 stitch into  place

you can stitch right onto the seams you just created

or use a zig-zag stitch  to give some stretch room

and add a different style to the pocket

for my pocket, i used  the zig-ag stitch

shown here:

 congrats!
you just successfully
& sustainably up-cycled ! !

you can now where  your high-waisted shorts
loud & proud
knowing you helped support your local thrift store, recycled  old clothing,
& got those creative  juices flowing !

remember  to always take a peek in any thrift  store you see,
you never know what may inspire you

Don't forget to like our Facebook page!

http://www.facebook.com/FHCPblogspot

& follow us on instagram : @FHCP_blogspot

Keep on craftin' , sustainably of course.

namaste.

Diy Patchwork Denim Jacket

I've noticed denim jackets with different navajo inspired prints popping up in almost every store lately.

Every time I see one I get inspired by the idea & always have one of those 

"I can make that!"  moments.

Well I finally put that moment to the test, sustainably of course!

My hometown's awesome thrift store had their annual 1$ clothing sale when you

donate 1$ to the Open Door Food Pantry.

Helping support such wonderful local businesses while thrift shopping has my name all over it, what can be better than that!?

This easy Do It Yourself tutorial 

cost me a total of $ 2 & took about 30 min to make:

so dust off those sewing machines & lets get craftin',

sustainably of course.

spring time lovin

Materials:

-- scissors --

-- recycled denim jacket --

-- recycled printed shirt --

-- marker --

-- thread --

-- sewing machine --

up-cycle step 1:

wash all thrift store finds before starting any sewing project & iron all materials.

lay out your printed material on top  of your denim jacket

make sure to place the pattern exactly how you want it to be shown on the back of the jacket.

using a marker, outline  the outer seam of the yolk onto your printed material.

outside seam of yolk

up-cycle step 2:

cut out the printed material so that is a little bit longer than the outside seam of the yolk:

this will give you some extra seam allowance

pin materials together

pin fabrics

seam allowance

up-cycle step 3:

time to get stitchin' :

dust that old sewin machine off & give it some love !

start sewing along the inside seam of the yolk, guiding the needle along this inside edge

before you know it, your jacket will look like this !

sew sew sew

up-cycle step 4:

now it's time to break out those scissors:

cut along the edges of your seam allowance.

you can cut as close to the seam as you'd like.

I left a little extra fabric so that I could fray  the edges by rubbing my nail along the fabric like so:

up-cycle step 5:

your jacket is complete !

if you are feeling really crafty  you can follow these same steps for a front pocket

sustainably craftin

I hope this DIY  tutorial has inspired you to continue to craft, sew,  & be merry

remember: by recycling clothing you are helping our planet  & saving 400 gallons of water.

That's right. It takes 400 gallons  of water to produce ONE cotton t- shirt.

so go support your local  thrift shop, you never know what may inspire  you !

Don't forget to like our Facebook page!

http://www.facebook.com/FHCPblogspot

& follow us on instagram : @FHCP_blogspot

Keep on craftin' , sustainably of course.

namaste.

Vegan Buckwheat Burgers

I have recently found myself in a " Buckwheat Groove " and I have to say,

I am loving it.

Some quick buckwheat facts:

 - gluten free -

- the protein found in buckwheat contains all 8 essential amino acids -

- high in fiber - 

- rich in lecithin; helps neutralize toxins -

- superfood -

- sprouted buckwheat helps cleanse the colon -

I have been eating gluten free for 5 months and have found it extremely beneficial to my body.  I found this recipe and fell in love! What can beat a 

HOMEMADE VEGAN BUCKWHEAT BURGER?!

:) 

Ingredients:

-- 1/4 cup cornmeal --

-- 1 can black beans --

-- 1 cup uncooked buckwheat groats -- 

-- 1 medium onion --

-- garlic cloves --

-- 1 TBLSP chipotle powder --

-- 2 TBLSP cumin --

-- 1 TBLSP coriander-- 

-- salt to taste --

-- dash of olive oil --

Start Toastin !

1) To toast your buckwheat groats, place them in a pan with a dash of olive oil over medium heat.

When the buckwheat turns a slight golden color add 1 . 5 cups of water & bring to a boil.

Reduce heat & allow to simmer until all water is absorbed (about 15 minutes)

Remove from heat

perfection

Get Mixin !

2) Add all grouts, spices, cornmeal, onion, garlic, and beans into a large mixing bowl

Place about half of this mixture into a food processor

-- if you don't have a food processor, place smaller portions into a blender --

Makin Patties !

3) Time to make some patties!

You can make all different size patties, I tend to make multiple medium size ones.

The wonderful thing about this recipe is that you can freeze your uncooked patties until you are ready for more!

Place the Buckwheat Burgers on your stove top in a little bit of oil & cook for about 5 minutes on each side

YES - it is THAT simple ! !

I hope you enjoy these buckwheat burgers as much as I do

Don't forget to like our Facebook page!

http://www.facebook.com/FHCPblogspot

Keep on cooking, sustainably of course.

namaste.

Avocado Plant Update

Seven months ago I shared my avocado growing secrets with you

in my " Avocado House Plant " post. 

I have had many messages sent to me from different followers telling me their growing success & how amazing it is to watch their avocado grow!  These replies brought a smile to my face & sparked an idea for a new post: Avocado Plant Update !

Beautiful Roots!

My plant has been going through " growth spurts ." 

Sprouting new leaves & roots in spurts, my avocado plant has reached a height of 14 in. ! !  

It's newer leaves are much larger than its first leaf growth & I can always tell when it's about to grow again when the bud begins to open.  

It's recent leaves are the size of my palm or larger & have a soft texture to them.

I have added new toothpicks to the seed because they eventually become water logged & break.

I change my water about every 2 weeks & add nutrients about once a month.  

I have 2 other avocado plants waiting to grow!
I started a new seed last week & the other has just started to take root after 3 months

of soaking up the sun.  

I hope this update inspires you to start your very own avocado house plant if you have yet to try

or to start another seedling. 

These plants bring so much joy & life into any room.

Don't forget to like our facebook page!

http://www.facebook.com/FHCPblogspot

Keep on growing, sustainably of course !

Namaste.

Diy Coffee Mug

Here is a quick & easy way to UP-cycle those plain coffee mugs

found at any local thrift shop!

This is a great project for all ages & a thoughtful gift that any tea / coffee drinker will LOVE !!

Supplies:

-- Sharpie --

-- Coffee Mug --

Thats It !

Get Creative !

1) Make any design you wish onto the mug using your Sharpie.  I found that the regular size Sharpie's work the best compared to the oversized or smaller tip.

2) Set your oven to 350 degrees & let your mugs " bake " for about 30 minutes.

3) Your designs will set into your mugs as they heat & your personalized gifts will be ready for use in no time!

To keep this craft as sustainable as possible, try finding mugs at local thrift stores to help 

support local businesses & help recycle. 

Don't forget to like our Facebook page!

http://www.facebook.com/FHCPblogspot

Keep on crafting, sustainably of course.

Namaste.