Notes on a Change...

Noteworthy Saturday

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Well that's a pretty heavy title for a book! Seriously, no pun intended! As some of you may know, Noteworthy Saturday is about appreciating the written word. Whether crafted in a scrapbook, simple journal, reading a good book, or writing a novel.

I had heard about Victoria Moran from a podcast I listen to called Vegan and the Living is Easy-- Check them out on iTunes. Ginger and Marion are lively hosts that focus on all aspects of Veganism. Victoria has been on their podcast twice and she's always an interesting guest. She is an author, speaker and Vegan. Also I think she's a Christian.

There are several books she's written that caught my eye. Apparently her book Living a Charmed Life is quite popular. I guess that will be next on my list! I saw this book Fat, Broke and Lonely No More! on Amazon.com and was intrigued by the cover and the title. Plus buying it used made it super cheap!

I just started to read the book and so far I like what she's saying. She's discussing being a victim to the media/societal pressures to be something we're not. She basically asks the question "What do you want for yourself?"  She asks us to address the emptiness in our lives. The emptiness that makes thin or rich people want to avoid becoming fat and broke. The emptiness that makes fat or broke people strive to be rich and thin. Not to mention loneliness. The "world" sees a person as abnormal if their life is not like the sitcom Friends. Meaning that they are surrounded by groups of friends most days of the week. We pressure ourselves to be perfect in the world's eyes, but overlook our needs and capabilities.

More to come as I continue to read this book!

Peace, Vegan Girl

Well Hello Kitty!

Vegan Living Thursday

Copyright 2012 All Rights Reserved

I hear quite a few philosophies on what to feed your pet. We craft our pet's lives through our dedication to veganism. We are inspired to do no harm by providing the best care possible for their well-being. I decided to start a short series on what to feed your pets. And no, I'm no expert in this area, I just want to be more informed. 

People ask me, "So do you feed your pets a vegan diet?"  My response is, " When I see cats and dogs in the wild foraging for tofu and kale, then I will feed my pets a vegan diet!"

Of course after my statement I hear the "Oh, but your supporting the terrible meat industry. Aren't you being a hypocrite?" My response is, "Everytime we drive our cars and use computers etc. etc. etc. we support industries that use animal parts." Vegans are not perfect (was there ever any doubt!) and no we cannot avoid not harming all living things 100%of  the time. But I am purposely inspired to avoid as many animal products as possible.

As I continue to research I will present various options on pet diets. I'll start with kitties. This may offend some, but I will ask you not to feed your cat a vegan diet. They cannot live successfully on a plant-based diet. Yet, with that being said, I question some of the pet nutrionists who say that plant-base protein is a poor quality in comparison to animal flesh. Afterall, I'm a vegan and I'm certainly not wasting away! But, I am excited to learn more and share my findings with you. 

Peace, Vegan Girl

For the Love of Alpaca...

Cyber Fyber Monday

Copyright 2012 All Rights Reserved

As I go on my journey to be a vegan fiber artist I recently experienced a personal and possibly ethical "snag". Alpaca. Those beautiful creatures whose eyes seem to read your soul. I thought to myself, well I know a person who raises Alpaca and they treat their Alpaca very well. I could still use the fiber since it's basically combed or brushed from the animal's coat. But then I read the article by Peaceful Prairie Sanctuary (located in Colorado). Here is the article:  http://peacefulprairie.blogspot.com/2012/01/willows-whisper-to-world.html

Reading this article changed everything. I couldn't personally justify using the animal's hair for my projects. I felt that it was not mine to use as a commodity. I didn't want to give sellers the idea that I would purchase Alpaca fiber. As I always say, " When you hit a business in the wallet, then they will listen." I will enjoy those beautiful creatures with my eyes instead. You may have other thoughts(I get it), but this is the path I thought best for me.

Peace, Vegan Girl

Yves Saint Laurent

Noteworthy Saturday

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Over the years I have learned that what is important in a dress is the woman who is wearing it ~ Yves Saint Laurent



Fashion can speak as loud as words... Every line, every detail can paint a picture of thought. The Yves Saint Laurent exhibition was a retrospective of his life's work. He reflected his vision through cloth. Unfortunately, his work was not considered vegan. Many haute couture designers use wool, silk, other exotic fibers and feathers in their work. Despite the use of these materials, I still appreciate great design as a form of "unwritten" communication.

Peace, Vegan Girl 

Oh Yummy Comfort Food!

Vegan Living Thursday

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Rich, creamy, faux cheezy…sublime… This was by far the best tasting Mac n’ Cheeze that I've prepared. According to VegWeb- my favorite vegan recipe website (www.vegweb.com), this recipe is called the Best Vegan Mac and Cheese in the entire World… Seriously (http://vegweb.com/index.php?topic=8295.0). I would have to agree!

There is not much I would change about this recipe. I would reduce the 1 tablespoon of salt to half or ¾ the amount. I had bowtie pasta on hand instead of elbow macaroni. The creamy sauce wrapped itself around the pasta for an extra boost of flavor. I recommend about 16 oz of bowtie pasta for the full recipe. I also used teriyaki sauce instead of soy sauce because that’s what I had on hand. I would love to try this same recipe with rotini pasta. I topped off my meal with a small salad. Very filling. Oh the yumminess! Tell me what you think of the recipe!

Peace, Vegan Girl

Cyber Fyber Monday

I Dreamt of Cotton...

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After being inspired by my previous video post of the woman spinning cotton in Ecuador, I decided to embark on my own cotton spinning adventure. I purchased some easy to spin 50% light brown cotton, 20% dark brown cotton and 20% Lyocell roving from The Village Spinning & Weaving Shop (http://www.villagespinweave.com/). Lyocell is a cellulose fiber made from bleached wood pulp. The roving is incredibly soft to the touch! The coloring is a gorgeous fawn with a hint of glimmer (must be the Lyocell). The staple length is probably over a ½ inch.

I pulled a section of the roving; I imagine it was no more than four inches long. I separated that piece into smaller sections. I didn’t bother to draft the sectioned fibers more. I felt that the sections would spin nicely without further assistance. I retrieved from my cabinet a poor, little, neglected spindle I purchased nearly ten years ago. This spindle is a handcrafted spindle with a glass blown whorl and metal shaft. It is a lovely spindle, but I hadn’t worked much with support spindles because the worsted, woolen yarns I created didn’t need a supported spindle. I bought it because it was different and cute!

I didn’t find spinning this fiber to be horrible at all. LOL! I’d heard stories of challenge and frustration! What was difficult for me was creating an even yarn. I laugh at the lumps and bumps in my yarn. And no, I won’t just tag it as “art yarn” :) I will cut myself some slack, after all it was the first time I’ve spun cotton! I really like the spongy softness of the fibers. I would like to ply this sample and test it out on a small project before trying to spin it on my spinning wheel. I can’t wait until I save up for a charka! But that is a story for another day…

Peace, Vegan Girl

Noteworthy Saturday

For the Love of Writing...

                                                      

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As some of you may know, I’ve written my very first novel. Yay! I’m now in the process of finding an agent. My cozy mystery is about a character Natalie D’Aunay, a museum educator at the International Costume and Textile Institute who is taken on a whirlwind ride where fashion and deception collide.

Writing a book has been a very long process for me. I started this book several years ago. I had written about 64 pages when I lost my museum job due to re-structure. Well, I was busy searching for employment and put this book on the shelf for nearly four years!

When my life was more settled, I felt a great desire to complete this book. So I finished my story in about five months. I went on to editing and now I’m trying to find an agent. I will confess that this has been the not-so-fun process of writing. LOL!

I’ve had my ups and downs. Weeks had gone by and I’d had writers block and lack of direction. This is all so new to me, but I've always felt a joy with writing. Writers say writing can be cathartic. They are right! I love learning how to create characters, design plots, and understand the process of writing. In this book I get to talk about my love of textiles, the complexities of human relationships, and I made the main character a vegetarian. Of course! I also discovered that my grammar skills are terrible! But, again it’s about the journey. Please share any with me your thoughts on the writing and publishing industry. Wish me luck!

Peace, Vegan Girl