Falling for Fashion - Autumn 2012

I didn't take any photos of falling leaves last autumn. Here's a skyline instead.

Fall is the one time of year I get really excited about fashion and new trends. I think it was because my mom always bought the big, thick September issue of Vogue before we'd all go back-to-school shopping. Maybe it's the return of the cool weather and the planning for the long, dark winter ahead, or just the fact that many of us are starting anew in scholastic pursuits that makes autumn the most alluring fashion season of them all.

Possibly it's because of the temperature range; a comfortable high of 17 degrees C and cool mornings and evenings means that you can wear tweed, knitted sweaters and wool again without overheating. In the winter, it's all about bundling up under a great overcoat, and you don't get to see much . . . I suppose spring would be the other ideal season temperature-wise, but I just can never seem to get very excited for it. Not like I do for fall.

Fall always, always has plum or berry-colours featured, presumably representing the harvest season (I suppose that's how 'pumpkin' and those rich amber, mustards and browns factor in as well). At least during my lifetime, it almost always has involved tweeds and plaids, too. Admittedly, plum and plaid aren't my favourite combinations, and yet every year I get excited when I see their return (go figure!).

Sunset on the seawall last October.

Being broke, I don't really feel like getting the September Vogue this year. It's huge, I read through it (i.e. flip the pages) once, maybe twice, and then I don't throw it away right away because I invested money in it, and it's a great big hefty thing that should have more 'use' in it than a few flip-throughs before it hits the recycling bin. What a dilemma.

So now I just go online and see what the stores have on offer instead. Or I watch TV - Joe Fresh and H&M have been all over the networks with their ads (liking the music, not sure I like the Joe outfits presented). I used to try to find fall 'trend' reports, but they all seem slightly contradictory and in the end I am never really that inspired anyway.

This year, I'm doing the Green, Broke & Living in Kits Fall Fashion 2012 Shopping Guide. No, I haven't been to a single designer's show this year. And no, I have yet to consult Vogue. I'm just making this stuff up as I go along! So be forewarned - you might end up looking like a poor grad student from the relaxed West Coast instead of whatever they've got Gisele put in (which could be a burlap sack and she'd still knock your socks off! Boy, if we could only pick how we wanted to look...!).

Here's my advice for those of you on shoestring budgets looking to round out a killer fall wardrobe:

Find a fashion campaign that you like the look of and rip it off. 

You can go big and try to knock off the Holt Renfrew lookbook (wasn't overly thrilled with this one), BCBG MaxAzria (love this place - hit up the sale rack!), or Anthropologie (I love this store! And I do really like this fall campaign, too). These stores, featuring designer looks will be more difficult to fake. You might need to buy a few key pieces and round it out with cheaper secondary components. Still, it's good for inspiration purposes, if nothing else. Michael Kors is always nice (at least I think so), though unattainable for someone on my budget.

You can go easier on yourself and copy Nordstrom's, or Le Chateau's, or Mexx's. Don't forget Plenty (though not my fav), Kensie (a local brand, very nice, carried in several Kits boutiques as well as online), Club Monaco, and the usual mall fare like RW&Co., Gap, Zara, Urban Outfitters, etc.

I also like to check out a few British and European shops, just to see what's on the horizon / not available in North America: Monsoon, TopShop, Printemps.

But for me, I don't want to do all that much work, and although I have to say that Joe Fresh's TV commercials (aside from having good music) didn't turn me on much, H&M's fall lookbook did:

After much copying & pasting, I made a collage of outfits I'd like to get.

And it's gone again - oh no! Well, this is from last week, and I really liked the 'autumn collection'. I suppose it doesn't really matter, because, as usual, H&M was a terrible mess, completely unstructured, and stuffed full of grabby people. I only found one of the above pieces in the end (the blazer, which I bought).

So I went to Joe to flesh out my wardrobe instead, which was also a bit of a gong show, but at least you can find what you're looking for, provided it isn't sold out in your size (like all the pants I wanted, argh!).


Steps to ripping off a campaign you like:

1. Identify which pieces are KEY. There will probably be a few that you just can't get around, such as a floral printed blouse or a grey woolie sweater. In the case above (and in other campaigns I've seen elsewhere), a tweed blazer with elbow patches is where it's at. I invested $70 in one from H&M, which will likely function as my go-to fall coat. Everything else I figured I could find easily enough elsewhere. I really needed that blazer to be well-tailored and fit me, otherwise I'd have a go at rustling up a vintage one. I cringe at the thought of reconstructing a blazer, so vintage wasn't my first choice. Maybe if I was an accomplished seamstress...maybe.
Footwear often falls into the "key piece" category. I needed booties, which I didn't have last year either.

2. SHOP YOUR CLOSET. This step must be done very early on, or I guarantee you you'll forget about something you have already that could fit the bill. This not only saves money, it can also help you put together an outfit that doesn't look exactly like everyone else's who also went to the same store! (Same as with vintage, but we'll get there in a minute).

Expand to read my closet's contents...

I also took all of my winter clothes out of storage and put away spring clothes and any summer clothes that aren't going to easily transition into fall (particularly those which clash with the autumn spectrum!).

Pre-existing articles - my plum legwarmers are going to come in handy!

3. Make a list of component pieces - deconstruct that look-book to the bones! For the above example, I made a list and cross-referenced it with articles of clothing I already owned. It resulted in this shopping list:

Blazer (tweed, preferably camel)

Skinny medium brown leather belt (long)

Floral-on-white-background scarf

Charcoal woolie tights

Heather woolie tights

Plain white button-up shirt

Blue pinstripe button-up shirt

Floral print long-sleeved blouse

Navy button-up shirt

V-neck sweater

Dark grey knit sweater (normal neckline)

Plaid skirt

Some of these things I sort of cheated on to cross off - I never did find a good floral-on-white-rose-type-patterned scarf, but I did find a shirred and ruched tube-top dress in the same print that I figure I can wear in the warmer weather, then pull down to my hips and make it a floral skirt (which I don't already own).
It should also be mentioned that NO ONE is selling grey woolie tights yet. If you come across them, I want to know! The cheaper, the better! Please comment and let me know if you find 'em for under $20 (under $10 would be awesome)!

4. SHOP MY SISTER'S CLOSET and other vintage/thrift shops. I'm going to burden you with some basic rules for vintage shopping. If you're already experienced with thrifting, please skip ahead. But just to be safe, have a glance over my recommendations:

• Don't buy anything you can't wash ( in extreme cases you can break this rule, but try not to).
• Don't buy anything that's cheaply made - it's like buying a used car; the mileage adds up, and the more miles, the more likely it's going to go kaput. Make sure there's plenty of mileage left. If it's fuzzed up or balled up, or if the stitching's coming out, or it's label tells you it's cheaply made, reconsider.
• You can still get ripped off at vintage shops. Especially consignment stores, which will adjust the price of the item based on the label/name. For starters, it might be a knock-off illegally using the designer name (in which case, it's probably not well made. Check those seams, and how that label is sewn on! That can be a dead giveaway of really poor craftsmanship). Alternatively, you can also get ripped off (but only by a dollar or two) at the Salvation Army thrift stores. This is much less diabolical (and probably completely accidental) because it really falls under point two (Don't buy anything that's cheaply made) - all ladies' blouses might go for a set price of $5.99, for example. One shirt might be worth that or more, where another is worth much less for the mileage you can get from it (both in terms of structural rigidity and trends). Be wise about what you're sinking your cash into - how long can you expect to wear the garment? Years? Weeks? Spend accordingly.
• Buy it for fit. Unless you're an extremely gifted seamstress (not me!), walk away from fabulous pieces that just aren't your shape or size. It's a bit of a heartbreak, but that's the price you pay for thrifting. If you can't bear to let it go, put it on hold and bring in a smaller/larger friend to see if it's their style. Be prepared to sadly walk away (and live to thrift another day!). Persistence is paramount in scoring great vintage finds - you have to make a habit of sifting through racks whenever you have the time.
• Go for classics. Now I have to admit that this is a taste-dependent point. Classics are things like white button-up shirts (unlikely to find a crisp, clean one in vintage), navy turtlenecks that don't have any era-specific styling like shoulder-pads or obnoxious spangles, plain old blue jeans that fit you well, pencil skirts, cable knit sweaters, plaid kilts hitting at the knee, tweed pants, etc. Neutral tones (beige, brown, navy, muted blues, blacks, greys, whites and ivories) are usually safe bets since they almost never completely go out of style. Plum, berry and aubergine comes in style virtually every autumn, as does plaid (or so it seems to me). These are all safe bets. But bright colours will come and go, odd shapes (crop-tops, shoulder-pads, 3/4 length sleeves, capris) as well, and if the 70s are big this year (which they are, apparently), they may not be next year. Oh, and don't assume everything from the 70s or another era is suddenly desirable - every decade had it's crazy and regrettable trends. Think classic shapes (A-line, shift dresses, etc.) and fabrics and you should be alright.
• Buy what you love. Here's the cop-out bullet point that can override all the others. If you TRULY love that garment, go for it. But you might want to put it on hold and see how you feel in the morning. If you're still just as excited, go for it! Can't put it on hold? Can you pay a deposit on it? I'm sure they'll put in on hold if you offer to leave them $5 whether you buy it (in which case, $5 off the price) or not (in which case, they get $5 and you lose it). I would never recommend wasting money in this way, but if the item you want costs $60, you might end up saving yourself $55 when you realise that the bright pink zootsuit isn't going to be worn often enough to justify the purchase.

All from vintage shops: My Sister's Closet, Turnabout, and somewhere in Victoria

Club Monaco merino sweater, mint condition - $8.99 at the Salvation Army thrift shop.

American Eagle mint condition (though not terribly well-made) ankle booties to complete the trend - $24.99, also at the Salvation Army thrift shop, 4th & Cypress.

5. Summer Clearance Racks.  Be very careful not to buy anything that you can't wear into November - the cheap prices always sucker us in! Be on the look out for things you can layer, i.e. long sleeved t-shirts in oatmeal or mustard yellow, jumpers/vests you could wear over a light, long-sleeved sweater, long-sleeved floral blouses that you can wear under something else, long floral skirts that you can wear tights under, and ankle booties with CLOSED TOES. Note that the sandals and peep-toed shoes will be on sale - don't buy those. There are deals to be had, but they are few and far between. BRING YOUR SHOPPING LIST from step #3 with you and don't be tempted to buy something you won't be able to wear two weeks from now. I can almost guarantee you that whatever it is will seem a lot less exciting to you by next summer, so save your cash! Look for long sleeves and fall colours and keep to the list!

6. Start your permutations! Alright, a little bit of geeky math humour there, but I'm just being factorial! (Groan). With your component pieces, how many other outfits can you make? Now here's where we come across the distinction between mathematics and art - not all bottoms are going to 'work' with all tops, so although it's a possibility to pair your plaid shirt with your floral skirt and striped scarf, you may wish to give that particular combination a miss (then again, you might not!).

Thanks Ash for the awesome moss green hand-knit gloves!

I bought that handmade purse at a Victoria street market. I love the craziness of it.

Yeah, it crocheted that cowl! While tutoring! Fast pattern!

This, despite the math references, is actually the fun part. I like to take photos and blog about it, but maybe you are normal and just want to lay the outfits out on the bed. I still recommend taking photos - you can just load them up on your computer and have a virtual fall closet. Heck, you could upload all of your clothes and mix 'n' match potential outfits. That's just way too much work for me (however, I do fantasize about such a system on mornings when I seriously can't be bothered and would just wear my sweatpants to work if I could).

Pre-existing Sari Bari Bag, and vintage merino sweater and boots

Ah, my lovely Sari Bari bag comes in handy yet again! What a great colour. Check out Sari Bari here, or read more about this fabulous company from my previous blog post. Buy a truly one-of-a-kind bag!

That's it for today! Hope it gives you some inspiration to build a wicked fall wardrobe:

1. Cheaply
2. Easily
3. from pre-existing clothing
4. and ethically/environmentally - My Sister's Closet and the Salvation Army stores are both!

Gift Idea: Mad Tea Party

It may only be June, but Christmas will be sneaking up on you at any moment (complete with the credit crunch). And in the intervening months, housewarmings, birthdays and other celebrations will require gifts.

Big cup, small cup; yellow cup, green cup. (Ikea, for cheap)

It can be hard to give when you're broke. Perhaps that's why I have so many previous posts on gifts - I know it's not easy to do! But with a little ingenuity and imagination (and failing that, taking ideas from other folks off the internet!), you can come up with some pretty memorable and inventive gifts on a student budget.

Growing up a huge fan of Alice's Adventures in Wonderland, I've always thought having a mad tea party would be good fun. And it is, actually - I had one for my birthday in 2007. True, alcohol did manage to sneak its way into the beverages, but it was good fun all around nonetheless.

So here's the gift idea: a hamper or picnic basket of teacups, saucers, teapots, creamers, sugar bowls and tea towels (new, vintage, or a healthy mix of both). The beauty of the "madness" comes in when you realise that you can slowly but surely build this gift around a central unifying theme or colour(s), or just indulge in complete whimsy and have a colourful basket of mismatches.

However you choose to do it, a mix of vintage finds and new deals will keep you in good stead!

A motley crew of various porcelain object d'art.

Take my personal collection of teatime-related odds and bobs, for instance. I had a cat-shaped teapot since I was very small (a component of my former cat figurine collection from a very young age), a whelk-shaped teapot from Paboom (a great store I loved in Victoria which has a very convenient sister location on W. 4th near Vine), two little robin's-egg-blue hen-shaped egg cups (from Mingo Wo), and an elephant sugar bowl (also from Paboom, which caries an elephant-shaped teapot as well).

I also have a huge latte bowl in yellow and a teeny espresso cup in green from Ikea from years back, that I bought almost solely for the size disparity (and the colours - love the colours!). Ikea is another great place to find good teatime bargains (tea towels, cups and saucers, trays, etc.).

Speaking of Ikea, you could always just buy bits and pieces from the Odmjuk series (cute teapot and accessories, but probably more expensive than the hunt & gather approach I'm recommending). Still, really sweet!

Paboom, Mingo Wo and Motiv on West 4th Avenue are great places to start building a gift-able collection. Don't forget to take advantage of the sale items - 'last one' is a phrase that need not trouble you!

But arguably the most fun places to shop for whimsical tea party ware are thrift stores (Salvation Army, Value Village, SPCA thrift stores, the MCC thrift store on Fraser, etc.). I can guarantee you you'll find something bizarre there, and it may even become the central 'theme' to your build-over-time gift. For example, if you find a hideous but hilarious pineapple-shaped sugar bowl, you may wish to build a collection of teacups yellows and greens. If you buy a green-and-yellow basket, you'd better include the "a-tisket, a-tasket" nursery rhyme on the card.

A few thematic or colour schemes I could suggest:

- blue & white

- cat or rabbit themed (love this one)

- red and apple themed

- fruit

- pink & yellow

- zoo (animals of all kinds)

- seaside (shells, boats, nautica)

- Asian-inspired or "Indochine" (which would be easy, given Daiso/Yokoyaya123 and the amazing number of Asian-inspired teacups and teapots that appear with regularity on thrift store shelves!)

Thank you Allyson!

Steph hates this apron.

 Aprons, trivets (hot pads), tea-cozies can all be bought, but you could also sew these to match your theme. If you have a real hodge-podge colour scheme or theme, then patchwork-style may suit it. An extra bonus is that you could use up existing fabric scraps rather than purchasing new.

Don't forget the cheapest place in town to buy fabrics! Dressew! Check in the bins to find small off-cuts or fat quarters (for quilting) for $0.25 a piece.

One of the more tempting places to browse pretty new fabric is at Sew, Mama, Sew. Definitely worth subscribing to their updates - they have great sales and perks. They also have a fantastic blog which has a myriad of sewn gift ideas.

(The best part of the Sew, Mama, Sew blog are the handmade holidays gift-guides.... Yeah, isn't that awesome?!).

Things your Mad Tea Party gift needs (adjust according to budget and availability):

• a teapot
• teacups and saucers (4 of each, various sizes, shapes and/or styles)
• serving plate for biscuits, etc.
• creamer
• sugar bowl
• teaspoons and teabag rests
• tea towels
• teapot cozy, trivets, apron
• a mouse, Mad Hatter, white rabbit and a (broken!) pocketwatch*

*if you include these, better add an Alice in Wonderland DVD, or the original book by Lewis Carroll for explanation!

Tea-for-Two (a smaller version of the above):

• a teapot
• teacups and saucers (2)
• 2 teaspoons
• sugar bowl and creamer
• small tray or serving plate

Don't forget - no tea party is complete without teas and cookies! Buy some teas and bake a batch of cookies to go with your unforgettable and completely unique gift. Places to buy tea in/near Kits: David's Teas, Granville Island Tea Company, and of course any grocery store's shelves (which is often the cheapest option).

Some time-dependent links of cool things I found on Etsy that you may wish to buy... (remember, it's always more expensive for vintage things online! Check your local thrift store or garage sale ('tis the season) first!):

"Fruit-on-Top" vintage sugar bowl - $4
A very retro orange and yellow daisies teapot - $5 (ALWAYS search by "lowest price" for vintage - found an identical one a few pages on for $18!)
Coral coloured cream & sugar set - $1
Retro white and yellow creamer - $3
Lovely cornflower-blue teacup and saucer - $2
Milk glass teacups (I love milk glass!) - $2
Blue and white donut-shaped 'Asian' teapot - $7
Cottage-shaped teapot - $7 (and another, if you're starting a collection - $17) - one on eBay too for $8 (here)
Beehive honey pot - $12
Royal Doulton poppies creamer - $12
Seriously retro brown and white scandinavian teapot - $12
An orange-shaped teapot (I want this!) - $12
A tea-table-shaped teapot - $15
A very modern-styled Zebra-print teapot - $15
A cauliflower teapot (go figure! It's kind of nice, too) - $20
Creepy frog teapot, sugar bowl and creamer set - $20
...and I could go on, but I figured $20 and up would be for the collector, not the casual gift buyer. Check back often, but definitely hit up those thrift stores first! Use the internet to flesh out a themed collection, but start it cheaply somewhere else. I can't handle navigating eBay anymore, but it's another option.

If you have a strawberries theme, there's lots out there! So cute!

Strawberries mug - $2.50
Avon Strawberry plate, cup and saucer - $16
Vintage strawberry tray - $8
Strawberry tea kettle - $10
A strawberry tea cozy on eBay for $8 (then you can buy a $2 white teapot and it might be cheaper overall!)
Strawberry tea fabric (one fat quarter - the centre of a trivet you'll sew?) - $2.50
Vintage strawberry teabag rest - $4
Strawberries table runner (so cute! Lace trimmed!) - $7
.....and the best of all (whether I would actually wear these is debatable!) - strawberry teacup earrings - $9
Oh, there's a strawberry teapot necklace, too! - $10

Oh wow - there's just about every kind of teapot (new) here.... link to "teapot decor" on Pronto

And finally, here's a few DIY links, if you're handy with a needle and thread, or with knitting needles/crochet hooks:

Tea Cozy sewing pattern from Homemade Holiday Gifts
Another tea cosy (British spelling) pattern from the Guardian
A photo of a simple felt Squirrel teapot cozy that could be easily replicated! Cut two and sew together!
A rather involved but seriously impressive knitted elephant tea cozy (you have to see this one!)
A granny-square based tea cozy on Ravelry

Finishing on a song (can you guess where it's from?):

Twinkle, twinkle, little bat!

How I wonder what you're at!

Up above the world you fly,

Like a tea tray in the sky.

Twinkle, twinkle, little bat!

How I wonder what you're at!

Sunday Shopping - Cheap Cookbooks!

While I was linking the previous post's mention of Moosewood's "New Classics" cookbook to their website (and remembering that they only ship to the USA), I went and checked the used book prices on Amazon and stumbled across savings that blow my mind!

I bought my copy "used" on Amazon.com in 'good' or 'decent' condition or something like that. Well, it arrived with the original Costco price tag still on it, in mint condition! And I paid something obscene for it, too, but nothing as cheap as the prices posted today!

Maybe today's the day to do some online shopping! These links will no doubt expire soon as the items sell, but if you've been thinking about getting this cookbook, I say act fast! Especially because of the looming potential postal strikes...!

Don't forget that you can save money on shipping when you buy more, so check and see if there aren't other titles to pick up that may be worth your while in the long run. Think of future Christmas gifts, too - save yourself some money up front this year! Only 6 months to go after all!

Moosewood's "New Classics" Cookbook (I've previously reviewed it here if you want a refresher):


USED on Amazon.ca:

$2.91 CDN (plus $6.49 CDN for shipping & handling) = $9.40
*Best Deal!*

USED on Amazon.com (note shipping costs will differ, and make sure they can send to Canada):

$4.50 USD (plus $3.99 USD shipping, but check for CDN option)

and 3 more at $4.59 USD (plus $3.99 USD shipping, but check CDN options)

USED on Abebooks.com:

$4.59 USD (plus $6.50 USD for Canadian shipping) = $11.09

USED on Chapters/Indigo.ca:

$9.26 CDN (plus shipping...to be calculated at check-out)

USED on Alibris.com:

$4.93 (plus shipping) for paperback OR $5.52 (plus shipping) for HARDCOVER (great deal!!!)

Moosewood's "Low Fat Favorites" Cookbook (also previously reviewed it here - yes, I realise it's the American spelling of favourite and is incorrect!):

USED on Amazon.com (note shipping costs will change with CDN addresses...):

$1.00 (wow!) plus $3.99 shipping (and there's 2 at that price!)
*PROBABLE BEST DEAL, EVEN WITH SHIPPING CONSIDERATIONS!*

USED on Alibris.com:

$1.11 CDN (plus shipping, not specified - inquire)

USED on Chapters/Indigo.ca:

$5.33 CDN (plus shipping, not calculated)

USED on Abebooks.com:

$3.97 USD (plus $3.97 shipping to Canada) = $7.94 total

*****

I meant to find a cheap place to buy "Vij's at Home - Relax Honey", but it's still so new (and no one's giving up their copies - seriously the best cookbook I have ever, ever owned), that the cheapest place I know to buy it is at Costco (for about $20 or less, can't quite remember), nearly half the cover price.

*****

The W's of Savings in Vancouver

Two general stores the thrifty of Vancouver need to be aware of: Welk's and Wonderbucks.

Now technically Wonderbucks on Broadway is now called "Urban Alley", though the signage incorporates both names (On a side note, the internet never seems to be up-to-date enough for my needs: I went looking for a store on Main Street last month that appeared to be still in existence according to the Internet (Lazy Susan's), but the lovely lady at the Bohemia Gallery gave me the sad news that it had closed its doors for good nearly a year prior...).

Speaking of the internet directory letting me down - Arezzo Consignment in Yaletown is also gone, despite what Google may suggest. Bugger.

Wonderbucks wins the "Best of the City" awards from newspapers like the WestEnder for a reason - it is certainly cheap, often chic, and perhaps most importantly of all isn't Walmart. I hate Walmart, for all the usual green and ethical reasons, but mostly because it's a terrible, terrible place to be. The shopping experience has no positives at Walmart. (This is not a W which I am currently praising!).

Sorry about the image quality - taken with my phone. Great place to get glass storage containers if making the trip out to Ikea fills your heart with dread.

Read my post on Coffee at Home - $10 for a Bodum-style press!

Wonderbucks is great for cooking utensils, plates and glasses, laundry hardware, indoor plants and balcony planters, patio furniture, cheap wall decor, inexpensive rugs, etc. Definitely don't pass by without taking a quick trip through it's aisles! I've also discovered that it's a convenient place to purchase glass storage jars as well.

Not only did I get this all-time favourite tablecloth at Wonderbucks, I also bought the wire basket (which fits my Avalon milk bottles perfectly!), a grapefruit knife (finally - struggling along without one for years), 3 wooden spoons for $1, and a tea strainer/icing sugar duster. Blissful shopping.

Welk's (on Main Street at 19th Ave) is a very useful store, and like Wonderbucks, prides itself on being an old-fashioned 'general store'. It has everything, even Dr Bronner's famous Castille soaps (though I was tipped off by a fellow shopper that Trader Joe's in the US is the cheapest place to buy the large-sized peppermint one. The lady and her partner began to wax poetic on washing with peppermint castille soap in the shower after a workout and the tingly sensation it gives . . . it did not provide a nice mental image, so I haven't tried it myself yet. I used it to clean my patio furniture instead, and that worked very well!).

CHEAPEST place in town to buy Jiffy pellet refills!!! Even cheaper than mail order.

Welk's has a few things Wonderbuck's doesn't bring in (Hallowe'en costumes, pinatas and St Patrick's Day/Easter/Canada Day wearable crap, too), and perhaps most appealing of all (to me), they have racks outside the shop of seedlings - edibles and ornamentals. I loaded up on the usual there last year (alyssums, petunias, gazania daisies, etc.) as well as a few veggies and herbs (cilantro, strawberries, etc.). It's cheap, the selection is surprisingly good, and I didn't have to trek out to a nursery to get them. Reliable but predictable, the plant section is my favourite aspect of Welk's. Good and cheap!

Best way to avoid putting Drano down your pipes? Buy a hair catcher!

...and now for another installment of Green, Broke and Living in Kits Recycling Tips!

Q: Can I recycle my empty paper coffee cups in the 'mixed paper' recycling boxes?

I'm no saint. I make coffee at home, I *sometimes* remember to bring a travel mug, but every so often it's paper-cup time pour moi. I tuck them into my bag and bring 'em home, though, for repurposing!

A: No - you absolutely cannot, I'm very sorry to say.

This is one that stirs up quite a bit of controversy at my two principal work sites. I've seen signs admonishing people for attempting to recycle their paper cups in one area, only to find a stack of empties waist-high, and leaning like the Leaning Tower of Pisa in the corner of the lunchroom. On campus, I've even seen an invitation to recycle coffee cups in a paper bin, but I've never been completely certain if they are possible to recycle (I don't see why not, but that never seems to get me very far if the recycling depots of Vancouver feel otherwise).

This topic is not without controversy elsewhere in the city, either. On the Vancouver Coffee Blog, this article cropped up, mentioning that a Vision Vancouver counsillor had proposed a tax on paper cups.

And last month, David MacPherson posted "The Coffee Cup Conundrum" on SPEC's website (The Society Promoting Environmental Conservation). In it, he gives an estimate of coffee cups in Vancouver comprising 3.5% of landfill waste! That's a staggering statistic! Actually, this whole article is very well-written, and I think I'll defer to David on this subject. Please read on here.

And for those too lazy, I'll quote some of the good bits here (thanks in advance, Mr MacPherson!):

Please follow above link to this excellent article. It's a short one!

So what about those recycling bins for paper cups that the Tim Horton's have? (I never would have known this, were it not for this article - I hate their 'coffee'.). Pure, feel-good, white-washed crap, as explained in the article:

On Tim Horton's recycling bins for cups in-store in Vancouver

At this point (although I'm quite embarrassed to admit to it), I have to share that I have reached into countless trash cans around campus and at work to separate the plastic coffee lids from the cups, believing them to be recyclable. I have another post coming on this subject, and so considering the research I've done I ought to have known better. No matter, I'll leave this 'til the next installment. But in the meantime:

Depressing, yes? I thought so. I always enjoy the hefty ceramic cafe mugs and have been quietly lamenting their demise for purely esthetic reasons previously. Alas.

An final thought from Mr MacPherson:

I'm encouraging you (I hope)! :) Let's all try to avoid these EVEN MORE strongly.

And my advice then, to you: TAKE HOME YOUR COFFEE CUPS AND REUSE THEM!

They make excellent seedling containers (just poke a drainage hole in the bottom and fill with soil!), you can use them as gift packages (no, really! Clean it out (or paint it if it's stained and ugly), keep the lid, stuff the inside with strips of used newspaper or crumbled (reused! Go forth to the craft drawer!) tissue paper, put your small gift inside, and voila! With a bow on the top (loops of newspaper strips taped or glued in the centre would be so cute!), it will be the most talked-about gift at your next party. Also a great gag-gift box for the coworker who WILL NOT recycle - take that! The whole package is reused and recycled. Put in recycled metal bracelets or something from Ten Thousand Villages to really tick 'em off good!

And let's all then resolve to carry our reusable mugs. I know I will after reading the SPEC article above.

5 Stores for the Frugalist

By no means an exhaustive list, here are five stores for the short-on-change to be familiar with in the Vancouver area:

Dressew Supply - 337 West Hastings (between Homer and Hamilton). This is the store for anyone with a creative streak, even those that don't sew. The notions and craft supplies can be dirt cheap (for example, less than a dollar for more pipe cleaners than you could ever hope to use up in every colour and style known to man; 25 cents for stuffed animal 'safety eyes' (though only the green colour is left); 25 cents for a dual pack of lingerie-sized elastic ribbon; $1.99 for every skein of wool, acrylic, and cotton yarn; and the biggest selection of buttons (stored in tubes) you'll ever see at 10 cents each), and they have all sorts of bizarre odds and ends like plastic doll heads, doll house furniture, bags of remnant trims, mushroom-based bird ornaments, and new ski clothes from the 1980's (I kid you not). On the more practical side, if you need knitting needles, crochet hooks and all the accessories inbetween, look no further (but do stop by YokoYaya 1-2-3 as well). There are literally miles of zippers of all varieties and all colours, sequinned trims and appliques galore, and bargain basement fabric as well (in some wild, funky patterns). Take the afternoon to explore this dual floor monstrosity, and get there quick for Hallowe'en goods (huge selection of wigs, hats and props, but they go fast!). Not the nicest of neighbourhoods to be sure; when I took the above photos yesterday afternoon, a man was urinating on one of the trees outside the shop . . . with his pants around his ankles. It's always an adventure shopping at Dressew, both inside the store and out!

               
YokoYaya 1-2-3 - first floor of the International Village Mall (88 West Pender) at Tinseltown, near the Stadium/Chinatown SkyTrain station. I must admit that I chickened out taking more photos of YokoYaya, and it's because of a large sign asking patrons not to photograph inside the store. I know why that sign is there - there are some of the funniest misuses of English that you'll ever read scattered throughout the store. My friend Chantal just purchased a mug from Daiso (YokoYaya's parent store, located in Richmond) that reads "Love means never having to say you are sorry." But can you see the potential here? A misquote like that could make a hilarious gift for the right recipient! Besides the amusing 'Engrish', YokoYaya has some really affordable practical items, particularly kitchen utensils, Japanese ceramic tableware, stationery, and home organizion gadgets (computer cable tidies, over-door hooks, suction-cup bathroom and sink accessories, etc). They sell false eyelashes for $2 a pair that you'd normally have to fork out $15 for at Shopper's for Hallowe'en, those great stretchy plastic transparent hair elastics in an array of colours for $2 a set (compare to $5 from a drug store), nail polish and tweezers all for $2. I always buy the socks ($2 a pair - get the ankle socks that have a thicker layer on the sole), the onzen (hot springs) styled bath salts, and the $2 umbrellas. I bought one of the clear umbrellas with white polka dots yesterday (PVC free!) and then left it somewhere amongst the shoes at Army and Navy. Didn't even take a picture of it first. Sigh. YokoYaya also sells my favourite crochet hooks (aluminum, powder-coated in a gold colour) and has bamboo knitting needles as well. Kawaii! This is where you want to go for stocking stuffers come Christmas - be sure to take a look at the cola-scented erasers, $2 toques, and their computer & cell phone accessories!

Army and Navy - 36 West Cordova (between Abbott and Carrall). Worst neighbourhood ever, be forewarned! I think it's good, however, to see what daily life on the DTES is like and not remain separate from it's horrors. It's all of our duty to reach out and help one another, including those marginalized here on the edge of Chinatown. So like Dressew, expect a bit of an adventure when you head out to Army & Navy, and bring a camera - this is one of the more interesting and photogenic parts of Vancouver. Army & Navy carries all sorts of cheap, discount items (clothing, shoes, grocery items, housewares, etc.). It's a great place for camping and fishing gear, and of course for its legendary shoe sales. The mossy brick pictures are from the breezeway that divides the store into two separate buildings (though connected underground by the shoe and camping departments). Cheap sweatpants and work boots & clothing are probably the best perennial deals here, but sale items can be seriously discounted. Not my favourite store by any means, but their lingerie, swimsuits and the occasional pair of shoes are some of the lowest priced items in town. Just watch the quality of what you're buying (especially the shoes and boots - yes, they're only $20, but can you walk in them?). Check out the recent flyer on their homepage before you go to help narrow your search, and be prepared to wander in Canada's poorest postal code, the DTES.

 Joe Fresh Style Frais - Granville street, just north of Dunsmuir. I am really looking forward to the opening of this flagship store on October 13th! Though you can bet I won't be there for the grand opening (I don't mind crowds, but I certainly don't seek them out); I've made it a policy of mine to never be caught camped out in line for anything. But when the doors do open, I will gladly skip down to Joe to see what's on offer, hoping they've kept true to their original Superstore prices give or take 10% or so. Being a grad student, I can't afford new clothes very often, and I love the idea that Joe Mimran is making fashion accessible to broke persons such as myself! The only thing I'm not overly excited about is that nasty faux-cheetah print coat that seems to be defiling many bus stop advertisements here in Vancouver. Urgh. But cheap jeans, affordable tops and cute accessories are things I can get onboard for! If it's a total bust, then H&M is just a block away.

H&M - Pacific Centre Mall. Cheap, cheap, cheap and full of pushy bargain hunters, H&M is the place to go for everyday tops and bottoms, and also for inexpensive evening wear and accessories. While I find their website difficult to get any useful information off of, the store is easy enough to navigate in person if you don't hit rush hour. The waits for the changerooms can be painful, but you usually have arm loads of clothing to try on so it's worth the wait. It's proven to be a convenient place for me to find long and short sleeved t-shirts and blouses, but I find that a lot of the bottoms and dresses are quite picked over. It may just be one of those places that's worth getting to right as it opens - take a friend and stop for brunch afterwards (I recommend the Vancouver Art Gallery's cafe on a sunny day, White Spot on Georgia for a hot coffee and the usual eggs & hashbrown comforts, or a coffee from Blenz at the Central Library concourse just down the road - can you tell I'm not a food fair fan?). If you don't knit or crochet, here's a great place to buy toques, scarves and mittens as affordable gifts in trendy colours and styles. And I love being able to buy favourite t-shirts for $8, too.