January 13, 2010

The way I think right

bag with a cause

I bought this bag at H.E.B. grocery store by the Market Street in The Woodlands, TX. It's made by the women in developing countries and sold at "fair price" to support them. I just liked the color, fabric, and the size (though now I feel it's a bit too small) of the bag, and felt the happiness that I can buy it. I used and used and used the bag so the shoulder strap finally started to break apart.

Now, if buying these bags really help the fellow women, I should just throw it away and buy a new one so I can do my share of helping more, shouldn't I?
But, the body of the bag is still good enough for everyday use. I don't want to trash it.
The torn fabric of the shoulder strap reminded me of a small tip about productivity.
When you find a small paper clip on the floor of your office, don't pick it up - your wage during doing so is higher than the cost of one small paper clip.
I don't want to live like that. I would rather pick up all the paper clips on the entire floor and make a funny hedgehog out of them.

I patched the strap. Doing so doesn't pay to the women who makes bags, but I feel more connected to them.

So, this is my "paper-clip picking" project. I have a couple more.

My husband wore this cotton shirts out. He gave it to me "to use whatever way you like" - cut into wipe cloth, clean the bathroom, whatever.
before-outsidebefore-inside

So, I patched it.
after-outsideafter-inside
Now I got a soft, nice spring coat / work shirt.

Next? I'm going to frog my daughter's fit-perfectly-last-year-but-now-it-is-way-too-small socks and reknit pairs for her again. One frogged, two more to go.
for re-knit
Best part is, that my daughter wanted me to do so.

1 comment:

JeniE. said...

I really liked your article on the bag and so forth...I agree. I like to find things that bird houses can be made of, with a little imagination and tenacity many thing can be made to help out our wild life friends. Don't throw out those corn cobs in the trash. during the winter months (and summer) many birds find it difficult to find fresh water, a corn cob is full of moisture, you can even soak them in water and then hang them from a hook for outside. The smaller birds will come and peck, peck...to get moisture from the cobs.