Project 333- my new beautiful wardrobe

This is one of the things on my "The List". I have applied to "A Simple Year" course and look forward to receive the first "package" whatever that may be (for sure not some random things and stuff to clutter our home more).

Meanwhile I have decided to engage in one other project which may be a part of this course- Project 333.

The basic idea is this:

• When: Every three months (It’s never too late to start so join in anytime!)
• What: 33 items including clothing, accessories, jewelry, outerwear and shoes.
• What not: these items are not counted as part of the 33 items – wedding ring or another sentimental piece of jewelry that you never take off, underwear, sleep wear, in-home lounge wear,  and workout clothing (you can only wear your workout clothing to workout)
• How: Choose your 33 items, box up the remainder of your fashion statement, seal it with tape and put it out of sight.
• What else: consider that you are creating a wardrobe that you can live, work and play in for three months. Remember that this is not a project in suffering. If your clothes don’t fit or are in poor condition, replace them.

At my personal circumstances I find it a little challenging! So, since I am testing this first without almost any guidance, I am sort of creating some room to maneuvre before (and if) it oficially starts within A Simple Year. My situation is that I live in two places, and it would be terribly difficult to carry all the stuff I might need between the places, therefore I have separate closets in each place. So for now I will keep that way and have the set of 33 in each home, and will continue to bring with me nothing but the clothes on me so in none of the places would be overflow of clothing. The city closet is still cluttered, as I have not yet been there since I started this.

An inspiration- what to do with currently empty hangers :)

But the countryside one cleared out pretty nicely! And I also reduced the amount of home or so called in-lounge clothing to only really neccessary amount of pieces-few short and longsleeve shirts, one lounge dress, one pair of leggings and one capri pants for indoor kitchen/ crawling with toddler/ messy works moments and one "garden jeans". Also the amount of home outdoor winter jumpers is very much reduced to only two to be rotated depending on the temperature outside (there's a harsh difference whether it's around 0 or -20).

Since I do both yoga and dancing which takes specific outfits that cannot really be worn anywhere else, I have kind of a double of the workout clothing set- one for yoga only, the other for dance practice only.

I have a little grim perspective for next season, when the outdoor activities will become more dirty and messy, so that the project will not work so well then. But currently I am still up to it, and testing. My closet looks really, really empty!

An inspiration- what to do with currently empty hangers :)

To dress with even less I have also gone through the items that are not included in 33 list- underwear, socks, tights, pyjamas! I have to admit the success I've never seen in my closet before- I've got rid of many items, I've organized away the ones currently not in use or not in season, therefore also reducing the potential of mess coming back to my drawers I hope!

What I have, well not skipped, but 'alternated' is the way I included accessories and jewelry (apart from the pieces I NEVER take off)- the ones still on the list are now moved to my cosmetics purse, but the rest remain in the larger jewelry box that I've made a pact with myself not to open until the rotation time comes. I have found that I don't use as many pieces as I have, some are left in drawers for ages. So I have put few also in a "give-away-box", but still deciding whether I should try to sell them on some ebay-type of lists or give them the way I usually give things away, or donate in second hand charity shops that will bring an extra good karma.. Since I am saving up now for many not-things of my "save money for.." list, I am still in decision process.

The result- I feel lighter myself as my closet has become clear of things I do not wear (these I donated or the really worn out ones have gone to rugs or crafts), of things that are out of season (I hope it will soon be real Latvian winter), and of things that do not fit me anymore.
It really is a wonderful way to reorganize your mind, emotions and overall feeling!

And I actually can't wait I'm having a free evening in city apartment to declutter my closet there too!


Anyone cares to join me?

DIY- Vintage Baby Cot- Photo report

As I already mentioned few posts ago, we've been busy with some DIY projects on green carpet. My personal favorite lately was my baby's cot.
In terms of anti-consumerism and boycotting low quality short usage products and choosing vintage instead- it's as green as can baby cot be- it's mine. Literally. I slept in it when I was a baby, my two brothers slept in it and now- my little princess will! (And I am sure- all our future children as well)
It all started with my husband cleaning it from previous paint and then I used linseed varnish and baby paint with  Zero VOC. Great guys in the store mixed all three colors I needed from one tin of paint so we don't waste more than we need!
I wanted this cot to be natural so I left some parts without a paint, just linseed varnish, which is also healthy option for little one to teeth on the upper parts of the bet as I remember my brother to do :)
I wanted this cot to be spring colorful so I chose my three favorites for my little princess- purple, spring green, yellow- all very light.
I wanted this cot to be fun for her, so I painted some butterfly, bee, snail, caterpillar silhouettes on the natural wood parts.
We took off one side of this conventional cot to turn it to a co-sleeper since I consider it as one of the basic 'pillars' of natural parenting- being close to your offspring also during the

Now it's already in our room, it seems so big comparing to our Roba co-sleeper that will go to our city apartment.. Coco and buckwheat mattress is already in place, organic cotton mattress cover and bed sheet as well, Oko-tex approved wool filled blanket is already within a cotton flannel cover made by me. We have a 'second hand' canopy thanks to our dear friend. I also hanged a linen bag of lavender and a bag of meadow sweet on her bed for calm and relaxing sleep.
Umf, now I kind of feel she's really growing and it moves me, makes me happy with a little hint of sadness- I already miss her being this tiny little baby. But I love her. And I love that she loves my DIY Vintage Cot!!!!

But here's the most important- PICTURES:

A project done with pure and unconditional love...

Going countryside and four basic tasks

Hallo back on green carpet. It's been a little quiet here for a while, but it doesn't meen that nothing is going on. So I think I should start with some updates :)

First- back to the April. I went home ("my real home" as I always call Latvian countryside where I grew up) for the Easter and May holidays. I took a bus, a coach and a plane. Yeah, it's not green. Unfortunately that was the only way for that moment. But I know that the big flying schedule is going to be over very very soon, just the last flight in July left now :) So that's good.

It was fantastic.. being there in the countryside. And so green.. so I'll just start with four basic tasks for human survival and how they were enjoyed on green carpet closer to the nature..

Breathing - we all know that taking slow and deep breaths works great for you. That you shouldn't breath shallow as people usually do, especially when they are crumped at their computers. So we do yoga. But sometimes there's something else we need, and that is-

• Air itself. It was so fresh that breathing seems to make you feel free at last. I wish I could take it with me to the city, but I could just breath full lungs as long as I was there. And it did wonders-I was relaxed but full of energy.
• Open windows around the clock. That is another wish-come-true on green carpet. In the countryside you can have the open window all day and night long. I mean- you do still breath in the night! I can't express how beneficial is fresh and cool air when you're sleeping.
• Being outside. One of the top things for breathing is being out and around, and especially when you are physically active. Which we did and as much as we could!   

Sleeping - ah this very pleasant part of our lives. And the most reviving as well. We heal when we sleep and we grow when we sleep. Not just physically also in other terms. On green carpet we believe that sometimes we have to sleep over some things, they're much more clear in the morning. If you have a good sleep. But what do we need for a good sleep? -

• Total darkness. Ahh, sleeping in dark, without any light pollution from my windows- I miss it in the city. Just the moon and millions of stars. I'm not just being romantic here, it's also very unhealthy not having the proper rest in the darkness. Body can't rest and recreate enough with the light pollution. Now when I'm back in the city I'm trying to imitate the darkness hanging my black bed throw on top of my beige (bad design idea a while ago) curtains. It's not the same though. The true darkness is very important.
•  Silence and natural sounds. Silence for sleeping time was another great benefit- not a single human made noise (except my brother walking around or somebody talking downstairs). Some birds chirping, yes, but at the time I was laying my head to the soft pillow, there was silence. It is such a rest. You can hear your heart, your breath and thoughts that fade away in this quiet night. Interesting, that my husband found it difficult to sleep in such silence at the beginning. City had spoiled him too much as he's been living in cities longer than me. I just wonder, how far away from our nature we've been led if that is so. But then his body and mind adapted back to its original state, he loved the dark and silence. We slept in silence and woke up with natural sounds of birds and all nature awaking outside instead of alarm signal. That is something that's worth the world. Now back in the city we suffer a lot from the traffic noise, people shouting, partying, music outside etc. I bought some earplugs (supposedly bio silicone or something to keep ourselves as green as we could) after the first night litterally crying about not being able to sleep. Silence through your sleeping time is a bliss.
• Waking up with the light. In these two weeks not just light- the sunshine! That's another benefit- in countryside you don't have to use curtains- the night is dark, the morning- bright. So forget about the alarm clocks. The light just tells your body- time to get up, feel invigorated and start your day! 

Seasonal eating- one of other human pleasures. One of important parts of how to sustain or lives in our bodies. One of the opportunities to do good or bad to ourselves- we are what we eat. We all are at times sinners and saints in one person with this. Let's talk about the good things that I enjoyed on green carpet in the country side this spring season.

• Water. Clean and good right from the tap. Or the spring. First thing in the morning and good levels of it throughout the day. I still started my morning with hot water with lemon juice and Manuka honey, while swingin in a hanging chair in the orangery, talking to my baby, just watching the day begin. Remember- water carries your messages, so make it count :)
• Spring juice. In spring- it's time for trees. I missed the maple juice, but we made it for the last drops of birch juice. I'm not sure in how many countries people actually do that, but in Latvia, everybody does it! You pick a birch (we have our own special one that treats us every year), bore the hole in it (ask the permission and blessing to the tree!), put the wooden groove in it and a bucked to collect it. (If you're new to it, find someone to make more clear instructions for you!). And then- enjoy the sweet juice. You can drink it till the leaves spring out from their buds. It's healthy and also very good for detox. We collect, prepare and keep it also for later in the cellar, so we can drink it in the hot summer day, but it's the best fresh from the tree.
• Buds, leaves, flowers. Yes, you can eat all of them and - you don't have to grow them in countryside, they grow there themselves. So I picked my favourites this spring stright from the garden sides, lawn and trees. Leaves: sorrel, chick-weed, ground-elder, nettle, wood sorrel, ramsons, etc. Buds: linden. Flowers: wood sorrel, dandelion, cowslip. This was a nice daily mix I had from fresh leaves and flowers, and it delicious! I just chewed these as they were, but if you can't take it that far yet, just put them in the salad ;) 

Seasonal physical activities- a human body is designed to move and I think we all know the great feeling after doing something more than just clicking and typing. Physical activitie not only gives us a good cardio or strenghtens our muscles, it also improves our immunity, raises our spirits and fills us with "feel good" hormones. Well, I love yoga and walking, I can do it everywhere, so obviously I can do that in the countryside as well. But I just wanted to mention some seasonal things I can do there and then.

• Spring gardening. Oh, I just love to tell my growing bump, that she will eat these carrots and parsnips in the winter when she's born and starts to eat solid. And I love the knowledge, that I'll have these beetroots to juice in the autumn for my whole family. But to do that, we have to do some digging, sowing and watering. And believe me, it's a good workout that brings you both immediate joy and great fruits (veggies in this case) afterwards.
• Spring cleaning in and out. We all love spring- it's fresh, bright and green. So we clean. Everything. Starting from the cupboard and inside of home, to garden and all the territory surrounding your house. Which in my case was big. Reorganizing cupboard or cleaning windows might be tiring, but so rewarding. More space, everything clean and tidy, and some bags to give away to charity. Outside though it's the real deal- cutting bushes, some trees, clearing the space to make it beautiful for this year. Lovely. But you must take into account that you'll need a good dinner and a nice massage after it. 

These all things were much enjoyed within those two weeks. I wish everyone had a chance for them, it would be just fair to ourselves. I can't wait till I'm going back in July to have some Summer seasonal pleasures there in all these matters.