Greenwear

My journey with autism in my family has taught me to look at earth conservation in a new light. I believe that many of our current epidemics that effect our children, (such as severe allergies, asthma, and autism,) are brought upon us by the environment, or our lack of care for it.

Here are some creations of mine that I have been running around town in over the summer. These are both made out of recycled fabrics. Now that the summer is sadly over, I just need to make me some recycled goodness for cooler weather. :)


This one I call my hippie skirt. It is made from old flare jeans and linens.



This skirt has been so fun and cool to wear in hot weather. It is made from old t-shirts and cotton jersey linens.

The Bakery and Autism

I think that parents of autistic children will all agree that life gets a pretty through overhaul in the early years after your child's diagnosis. I was just reflecting on this as I was washing dishes, which pile up so quick due to all the GF/CF cooking done in our house.

One marker of these drastic changes that I have identified with me personally has to do with my job: bakery clerk. I have held several different positions in several different bakeries since I started as a sophomore in college ten years ago. It has been my job while my husband and I have been going to school and raising our son. Most frequently, I have been on the night crew, because those have been the hours I have been available. We manage product, provide customer service, and most of all, we clean. Boy, do we clean. I currently this position for the time being.

When I meet someone new and I mention my job for the first time, I regularly get asked, "So, do you decorate the cakes?" This occurs almost without fail. I do not blame them one bit. It is that bit of nostalgia that goes with special custom cakes. Weddings, birthdays, bridal/baby showers, etc. We celebrate them all with cakes.

I do know how to decorate. My college degree is in art, and so the creative element has always had a draw for me and I have made it my business to know how. However, being a cake decorator is a position I have never held. My availability for my job with college and family has never allowed it. I used to think that the circumstance was really one of those "too bad" things. I used to really want to be a decorator.

I have done many, many custom cakes for people over the years in my job. I have pictures of cakes I have made for family members. One summer I made two wedding cakes, one for my sister, and one for my sister-in-law. I even remember once watching a video on youtube of someone using fondant to ice a cake. The next day there was a fondant wedding cake order to do, and the decorator needed help, and so with my new knowledge I got to help her. I could not have been prouder.

Interestingly enough, I have recently found that my feelings on the subject have changed a great deal. It is all a direct result of all the changes these early years of my child's diagnoses has had. When I think about being a decorator and spending all that time with the cakes, I think, "Ice hunks of gluten with gobs of trans-fat? No thank you!"

The Growing Experience

My husband and I decided that this year we were going to grow a garden if possible, for several reasons. First, we wanted wholesome veggies that we know the source of. We wanted to learn to be more self-sufficient, and we thought that learning to do this kind of work together as a family would be great for all of us.
The fresh, wholesome veggies have been great. It makes us feel so good to feed this food to our little son because we know that these veggies we grow are not adding to any toxin burdens he has. Oh, and our garden is not done. We are are looking forward to more, and looking forward to putting some up.




We were given a little lot next to our apartment to use for the season. We are so grateful! This garden was started from seed. The first picture was taken afew weeks or so after planting. The picture of Eli and his grandma was taken just last week. Notice our reuse of shopping bags... we have tied some to the tomato cages in hopes of scaring the deer away who have discovered our garden. :)