A new addition to Cowboy Kimono’s Etsy store, this recycled jean jacket has bright green and turquoise vines climbing up each sleeve and shoulders capped with a sacred heart. The “Martian” leaf motif continues on the front panels beneath the pockets, contrasting with the deep indigo blue of the denim. Dimensional paint creates faux embroidery accents. It’s good to know that this child size jacket is washable, durable and one-of-a-kind!
Still trying to decide if this paper craft is cuter than, happy as, or crazy as (a June bug). Either way, I’m ready to release this swarm of June bugs into my living room. The bright colored insects will serve as tree ornaments celebrating the holiday known as summer.
Once your paper June bugs are ready to swarm, you can strategically place them in houseplants, decorate a year-round holiday tree, give them to friends named, “June,” or use them to decorate the fridge door!
I’m planning on diving into Memorial Day celebration chow and want to feel a little less guilt when I go for seconds (thirds…). Increasing my steps this weekend with a quick walk and a scavenger hunt may do the trick. Play along by simply locating patriotic symbols in your neighborhood or campground using the checklist and your phone. Play solo or as a competition between friends, family members, or neighbors.
Francesca Blueher easily identifies as an independent-minded person. She is my older sister, leader of our clan of six children, and a self- described “hero from zero to now.” She is also the first owner of a Cowboy Kimono. As her birthday approached in 1996, I found myself fund-challenged and needing to come up with a zero dollar present—stat! I took a denim jacket from the closet, dusted off my fabric paints, and spawned the first Cowboy Kimono.
It is not unusual for Francesca to act on her own initiative and her Cowboy Kimono (featured above) is a reflection of that. Curious about what appears to be an undying devotion to the garment and an insistence on wearing it well beyond its life expectancy, I asked her to share about her Cowboy Kimono crush.
FRANCESCA: “I still have it and I will never get rid of it. It is 25 years old, a quarter of a century! Perhaps I will include it in my will – maybe going to my (yet-to-be-born) granddaughter.”
FRANCESCA: “I’m not playing competitive tennis anymore, but I wore it as a form of sunscreen until I hit the court and put it back on as I walked off the court. The wardrobe strategy? To be used as a protective garment.”
FRANCESCA: “My daughter said, ‘My gawd, every time you wore that you would get a compliment on it!’ I started putting Cowboy Kimono business cards in the pocket and giving them away when people asked me about it. I’ve worn it to New York, Paris, and Japan. In New York, it gets a lot of compliments.”
FRANCESCA: “OMG it just got better and better as the denim evaporated. It didn’t get older, it just got better – just like me!”
FRANCESCA: “I wear it to gala or formal fundraising events – much to my husband’s chagrin. I wear it because that beautiful design on the back is meant to go with anything and is such a celebratory design. The jean jacket is the fancy. “
FRANCESCA: “It fits me like a glove. The design is stunning. Absolutely love how perfect the colors are. I’ve never had a piece of clothing that I love as much as this Cowboy Kimono.
If you have a favorite garment that only gets better with time, please share a photo and your story in the comments. #FashionCrush.
Mother Earth is miffed at the apparel industry. It is the second largest polluter in the world, after the oil industry. Americans throw out an average of 80 pounds of clothing per year. Two River Times
You know Cowboy Kimono is all about upcycling denim jackets, but did you know that Cotton’s Blue Jean’s Go Program gives you a discount if you turn in an old pair of jeans before buying a new one? Participating companies partner with Cotton to make it easy for you to recycle your denim.
Another trendy way to bring your jeans back from the dead is Boro. Patch the jeans you have using this bold stitching technique and fabric scraps. “Central to Boro is the concept of finding beauty in mending—that nothing should ever be wasted, and that imperfections have their own subtle and simple appeal.” Indigoniche.com
Breathing life into someone else’s castoff doesn’t always mean a trip to the thrift store or dumpster diving. Online second-hand stores like ThredUP or Patagonia’s Worn Wear line (clothing made from recycled garments) let you shop without leaving home.
Share creatively and tread lightly on the planet by trading your jeans for something else in a local BuyNothing group.
Cowboy Kimono’s favorite way to extend the life of denim is to purchase recrafted or upcycled clothing and accessories. Most of our hand painted denim jackets start as thrift store purchases! Patagonia’s Worn Wear has a denim ReCrafted Overnight Bag, $150 and a wonderful red Recrafted Synchilla Sweater, $197.
An irresistible paper craft originally created to celebrate the Year of the Ox, 2021. Simple instructions follow – but first a brief history of the Lunar New Year from Pinterest:
“Marking the first new moon of calendars traditional to many East Asian countries, Lunar New Year is a multi-day celebration of luck, health and togetherness celebrated by billions of people around the world. February 12 marks this year’s festivities, beckoning in the Year of the Ox according to the Chinese zodiac. And while this year’s celebrations may be at home this year, the rich traditions of this holiday aren’t going anywhere.“
“The legends behind the Lunar New Year date back thousands of years. The tale goes that at the beginning of each new year, there was a monster that attacked a village. The monster was afraid of loud noise, bright lights and the color red, so the villagers banded together to scare it off by hosting loud celebrations and wearing red. Each year is represented by a different animal, the 12 signs of the Chinese zodiac, with this year represented by the ox, which symbolizes patience and cheerfulness. The Chinese zodiac has been adopted by many countries throughout Asia. Lunar New Year is celebrated in a variety of ways across different Asian cultures. For example, in China, the celebration is often called the Spring Festival, in Tibet it’s known as Losar, and in Vietnam, it’s called Tết. It’s widely celebrated amongst the Asian diaspora all over the world, making it a truly global holiday.” https://www.pinterest.com/today/article/how-to-celebrate-lunar-new-year-2021/64041/
Another holiday season – I’m short on time and short on funds. This year’s challenge: create quick gifts that cost absolutely zero dollars (not even the price of a postage stamp). Ready to savor the spirit of giving?
You can catch a rare celestial event the evening of December 21, 2020 when the two largest planets in our solar system – Jupiter and Saturn – nearly overlap to form a “double planet.” This cosmic conjunction will occur on Winter Solstice marking the shortest day and longest night of the year. How rare is this occurrence? The last time a close conjunction of Jupiter and Saturn occurred was about 800 years ago and isn’t expected to happen again until 2080!
Great Conjunction:How to photograph it with your phone
Want to warn would be trick-or-treaters with scary silhouettes? Create this big foreboding sign on a window or glass door with ease using large, inexpensive black and white prints. Glass with lights, light-colored shades, or a light-colored door behind them provide the best contrast for these dark silhouettes. In just a few hours. I’m able to upload files online, have 18″x 24″ black and white blueprints made, and pick them up at my local Staples. Click the button below for details and pricing on Staples Blueprints.
Start by printing the ghoul, cat, spider, and/or phrase to fit in a window or storm door. Click for 18″ x 24″ templates. I printed them to fit on a storm door, arranged the prints behind the glass and drew on the front of the glass with black Uni-Posca markers (extra broad, broad and medium). I have used these paint markers on glass before and was confident that I could clean the paint off without damaging the storm door. Make sure to test a small area of your surface with the paint markers before drawing/painting silhouettes. If you cannot easily clean off the dried paint marker, try the cut paper method.
Start by printing the ghoul, cat, spider, and/or phrase to fit in a window or storm door. Trim the characters and letters, removing the white paper sections. Place the prints behind the glass window or door and tape with scotch tape or double stick tape.
