Second-Hand-Roses...

I always loved that song.... it  made me feel a kinship to Rose, who the song described as 'second-hand'. We grew up with made over clothes given by wealthy friends.  My friends alway wondered how we could afford to look so good.... (my Mother sewed them or altered hand-me-downs). But now with the onset and onslaught of second-hand shops, it is even more appropriate.

Cashmere Cowgirls know how to find treasures in nearly-new shops... It takes a bit of time, and more than a little savvy, but the bargains, and the labels are there for a pittance.

As a passionate (Master) Gardener, my summer wardrobe consists of dungarees and t-shirts.  I don't really wear dungarees, but I love the word - they are mostly tough capris and soft, well-broken in t-shirts.  But this year, I wanted to look more, well, put-together out of the garden, and why not.

I  do go out to places other than gardens, like lunch on patios or coffee in shi-shi cafes.... my latest find was a "Hilary Radley" spring coat in black - for the huge sum of just under $15. Wow !... with a pair of jeans, ballet flats (never-been-worn for $2.99) and a silk scarf (oh, that was 99 cents !!) I feel quite French...Paree, French. Oh, I forgot about the new (expensive label) classic white shirt for $2.50.

See what I mean?  I am still that second-hand-rose and I love that.

I remember when I was teaching a group of single moms on budgets (aren't we all on budgets?) and we were talking about buying food and clothes.  They scoffed at me suggesting second-hand shops when I pointed out that the only piece of clothing I was wearing that was NOT second-hand, was my lingerie!  Instant converts.

Find a shop near you and before you go looking for bargains, find out if they support a local  charity and take all the items in your closet you have not worn in a year, and donate them... think how good you will feel when you take in clothes that help others and when you take home clothes that help you.

Be careful though... there are some shops who say they give money to local charity, but when you find out the portion, it is quite a small percentage.  I like shops run by either churches, volunteers or organizations where the money gets to the people who need it... not the administrators.  Just make sure you support a charity that you believe it....

I love that!

Old Cashmere, New Coats for the Puppies

It almost broke my heart to cut up so many old cashmere sweaters... after all, old or not, cashmere is cashmere.

But they were getting downright religious, so hol-ey were they.... and the puppies needed new warmer coats.

I pieced them together, saved the label (after all, cashmere is cashmere no matter who wears it) and  used the old sweaters to line their new aqua fleece coats.

This is Lucy in hers. (See her blog : a Puppy's blog)  She loves cashmere and thinks nothing of dragging  my sweater off the chair and curling up on it.... hmm, I wonder if some of those holes are...? naw... she wouldn't?
Lucy's coat is lined with an old grey and black striped cashmere sweater.... so has a collar and 'grinchy' pocket on hers.

Here is Tessa, her big sister in her coat.  They are warm as toast and I am thrilled not to have to discard those favourite sweaters. Tessa's is lined with dark grey cashmere and so she has a grey heart on the back.

This is the first one I made for Lucy.... and it is lined with a piece from an old plaid fleece blanket.  The coats they can wear outdoors but this one is more like a fall sweater or an indoor one for colder days by the fire.
                Lucy is glad to leave this one on when the thermometer drops below all that is sane.

Do all cowgirls wear cashmere?

                                            Today I found this card.

It is the size and weight of a playing card, but the back is  blank and it was alone at the bottom of a tattered box in the basement of an old farmhouse.

I wonder where it came from and how old it might be.  At any rate, it got me thinking.

Does this gal wear cashmere ?   And why wouldn't she? It's warm, light, soft and oh, so elegant.

It got me thinking about where cashmere comes from- it is not from sheep as most think... but from some smart and very special goats.  (of course, just like those who wear cashmere...)

Lesley of Devon Fibres ( http://devonfinefibres.wordpress.com) says: "Cashmere goats are a type, not a breed. All goats apart from Angoras, produce two layers of coat. The top coat is stiff guard hair and the undercoat, which grows seasonally during the late summer and autumn and moults in the spring, is much finer and in SOME goats, may be fine enough to be called cashmere."


I know little or nothing about goats but here is what Devon Fibres says that their goats are:

“Hill sheep with brains! - Intelligence personified and incredibly proud and aloof. They will not give their allegiance/trust lightly to you and the flock always comes first.  ... Tough and independent but not in the slightest bit aggressive. "

Just like I view cowgirls who appreciate and wear cashmere.

Snow and music...

Another snowstorm and we are all shovelling out - the flakes are big, soft and very silent.  I opened the door to let the puppy out and my neighbour was shovelling snow.... with the most beautiful classical music playing - loud -

                                                             I love this neighbourhood...

I just stood in the cold doorway and let it all wash over me... the crystal clean whiteness, the flakes drifting by and the music wafting over it all.  How very lovely and one of those memories that is hardwired into my soul's brain.

It takes "Silent Night" to a whole other level.

I love that.

Cashmere for Lucy

Sometimes favourite sweaters just wear out.  Sad but true.  There were a few  my daughter and I just had to give up, so we washed them a few times in hot water and dried them in a hot dryer... to felt them.

Then, I made a pattern for a puppy sweater and lined it with a piece from an old fleece blanket.  Both are so soft that once I made the sweater,  she will not lift her paws for me to take it off.... wears it all day in the house, even though it is cozy here.

This is the cashmere side:

 And this is the former blanket side......

I will re-design the pattern because this one was meant for a coat and velcro tabs but because it is all so very soft, I can easily pull it on over her head so will not need tabs.

She LOVES this "sweater"... now for another....

Did Dale Evans wear cashmere?

Dale Evans was the first cowgirl I "knew"... knowing on television was as close as I got.

She was a writer and a singer-songwriter and she was not afraid to stand up for what she believed.

She was quoted saying this:

"Cowgirl' is an attitude really. A pioneer spirit, a special American brand of courage.
The cowgirl faces life head-on, lives by her own lights, and makes no excuses
Cowgirls take stands; they speak up.
They defend things they hold dear."

I like that in a person.  Perhaps if more of our leaders faced life head-on, making no excuses for their beliefs or what they stand (up) for, we would have governments that were accountable, and responsible.

Perhaps if world leaders held their countries "dear" instead of their own agendas, we would have more peace, more tolerance and we could get on with loving, learning and living... and, wearing more cashmere, of course.

And Dale Evans in cashmere? why not?

Hole-y Cashmere....

Today I wore one of my favourite grey cashmere turtlenecks to a meeting.  Of course, clothing tends to shift under jackets and scarves.... so, in an attempt to adjust  mine, I tugged at the side of the waist and dang, put my finger right through it.

Not that it was the end of the world, no one saw, but alas, it just added another hole... also hidden by my jacket - too hot to leave on, but a hole-y sweater was not really appropriate, cashmere, or not.

Now it lies on the laundry basket, awaiting its  fate along with the 6 others that will be made into puppy sweaters or the lining of a doggy bed... sigh.

Then again, it just means I can  go hunting again, right? Isn't that what cowgirls do?

This hunt will involve my favourite second hand store - I never mind spending money there- it all comes back to our community... how great is that?

It's time to take stock - how many grey or black sweaters does one cowgirl need?