Housewife MacGyver: The Disease of Social Comparison by Keira

I'm so excited today to have Keira again! Give her a nice warm welcome back...

Hello again! I'm Keira, a frequent guest-poster at Just Lu. This is a copy of my original post: The Disease of Social Comparison. Although I never did enjoy hating my body for its tiny imperfections that I magnified my entire life, becoming a mother brought this depressing habit to the forefront of my mind for the past year. This is a modified post, intended to label for clarity what we do everyday, and hopefully we can all come up with ways to change it.

As a Psychology major, I am required to take Social Psychology, a class that has really opened my mind to a new, deliberate way of thinking. I absolutely love the insights I gain in college that I can now use throughout my whole life, things that are qualified as "the world's knowledge", but actually display vividly the truths of the Savior's teachings.

One of those psychological findings that has shown over and over again to actively depress people is just what my title states--social comparison. You are guaranteed to be a pessimist and are many times more likely to be depressed when you compare yourself to others. Not to mention the things we ALL know are true, research or not--you just feel like garbage whenever you do it, whether you compare up or down.

Whether it be someone in front of you in line at the checkout or a celebrity in a movie you'll never meet, we are always comparing, and we're obviously not any happier. Not only is it unfair, but in a comparison, someone wins, and someone loses. We are often the losers, since we know our faults and insecurities better than anyone else, and we compare to what others present in public. Comparing their best to your worst? You lose, every time.

Why do we compare, then?

Because it's addictive.

It becomes a compulsion with enough time.

Although you may only "win" one out of every five comparisons (or one out of every thousand!), the addictive part is that we win at all. Just as gamblers in a card game will win once or twice in a whole night, but end up badly in debt waiting for the next stroke of luck, so we compare ourselves endlessly, hoping for our stroke of luck. And do we have one? Of course!

There is always someone worse off than us--health issues, family dysfunction, lack of faith or joy in their lives, less education or experience, and someone is always not as well off and is wearing last year's styles. But just as there is always someone who we can look down on, there are a myriad of people who we can look up to in envy and quietly hate. Even if you lose the comparison, it feeds our pride to lose in one area (income) but gain in another (beauty), thus affording us a back-door "win".

But you know what's funny about winning and losing? It means that we are at war. When you compare yourself with another person, hoping to win (whether you do or not), you have committed an act of psychological violence on that person. Yes, even that completely oblivious woman standing in front of you in the grocery line. What is so significant about doing something to someone who is not affected and has no idea you are using psychological warfare?

It makes you a warrior.

With everyone you meet.

We women (and men) are targeted enough by the media and advertising. They strive to keep us unhappy so we will buy their products. They encourage this competition because it is profitable. And while it may take some effort and time to correct society as a whole, what we can do, right now, TODAY, is put down our weapons. Let's stop being warriors and start being comrades.

What I need help with is the how.

How do we cure this disease that permeates our (even casual!) relationships, and sickens our minds and hearts?

How do YOU suggest we become comrades? It is so easy to compare with blogs and Facebook, where every moment of life is documented--including how you looked one month after birth! It's easy to compare when we are told that perfection IS attainable--just buy _______. It's easy to compare when current instant communication keeps us distanced from people, where real change can occur. What do we do?

And by the way, this theory doesn't just apply to the interaction with one another. It also applies to how we treat ourselves. Every time you pass in front of that mirror and see your flaws and calculate them in a split second (I'm right with you all, I do it, too, unfortunately), you are at war on yourself.

Sometimes, I get so caught up in looking at myself or others that way, that I literally have to scream in my mind, "STOP!" I have to admit, it is a long-ingrained habit that I fight every time I pass a reflective surface! Isn't that just awful?

How can we all be kinder to ourselves and each other? How can we create meaningful relationships with other women that never surround a number on a scale or what we ate that day? I would love to hear your suggestions and examples! What do you do when the media insists on war?

And in case you need ideas or encouragement, I have a spiritual, emotional, AND cognitive-behavioral answer of my own here.

This post is part of the Housewife MacGyver series on just Lu. Read more about Housewife MacGyver and see all the posts in the series here.

Housewife MacGyver: Paying For Your Academic Goals

Keira is here again with another phenomenal post. As part of our academic MacGyver month, Keira will show you how to to pay for the schooling you've always wanted... using just a Swiss Army knife! Just kidding about the knife, but really, you don't have to be a financial guru (or use the knife to rob a bank) to achieve your schooling goals debt-free. Here's Keira to tell you how:

 
Hello again! I'm Keira, and I am a part-student, part-SAHM. Although I have done other posts on many different topics, why should you listen to me about paying for your education? Because I am about to finish my Bachelor's Degree in Psychology completely debt-free! This is my way of giving back for all the help I received to get my [priceless] education. You can do it, too!

First, let's define some terms:

Tuition: This is the cost of attending your classes. And a fact everyone seems to know is that it's expensive. What's sad is that even though tuition is a killer, it often doesn't include hidden fees (such as a lab fee, language fee, distance education fee, or "course" fee). I know. It's sad. That's how they getcha.

Books: These are almost always separate from your other fees, because classrooms rarely, if ever, provide textbooks for their entire class(es). These can be hundreds of dollars, even if you get the e-book version, because nowadays, they can come with specialized software for the students.

Scholarships: by definition, these are awards of money, or tuition waiving, that are given to a student. They are not expected to be paid back, except if conditions otherwise state (such as "If you fail a class, you must pay back the scholarship award").

Grants: Grants are sums of money given (usually by a government entity, either State or Federal) to a student, with no obligation to pay it back, unless you drop or fail a class. These are given on an as-needed basis, so you have to meet a certain level of income to qualify. You have to re-apply every year, in case your income has changed, because if it has, your awarded amount could be changed as well.

Student Loans: These are loans that can come from a variety of lenders--the US Department of Education loans money to poorer students with fantastic terms, but your bank or Credit Union probably would give you a student loan. This money has to be repaid, regardless of whether you finish your education, are dissatisfied with the quality of your education, you can not find a job, or even if you file bankruptcy. In short, you will always pay your taxes and your student loans. :)

Whew! With those out of the way, here's some ideas to get around those student loans:

Let's start with Tuition:

There are always ways to get around tuition. First and foremost is a scholarship, especially those that are awarded by the school itself--usually if you get a scholarship from the school, they have no problem waiving all or part of the tuition.

When you receive a grant through the government, you won't receive a check to spend how you like--it is credited to your college account to pay the balance. Anything leftover is yours to spend, after tuition and fees are paid for in full.

Discounted or free tuition is often given to employees of the University. Check with your potential college to see what they offer. Usually you can get some sort of discount, even being a janitor at the school. Plus, working at your University can have other benefits: you work with professors who can give you letters of recommendation, you can build your resume, and your employer will often work with your school schedule!

On Books:

The university's bookstore will make you pay the maximum price for a book. I'd suggest going there last. If you have any time, I suggest going online to search for your books. I use Amazon for their selection, and that's just the truth, not an advertisement. :)

Often, electronic versions of the textbook (if available), are cheaper, especially when you calculate shipping in. They're often the most current edition of the book as well.

On Scholarships:

Scholarships are not just for a 4.0 GPA, but not everyone knows that. Scholarships can be academic-based (my most recent one required a 3.0 GPA, not a 4.0!), activity-based (such as a sports scholarship), need-based (did you know that??), and lots of "other-based".

If you are handicapped in any way, if you are the first in your family to attend college, are poor, are a parent, are a minority, are short, or can make a tux out of duct tape for prom, there's a scholarship for you! People are silly with scholarship money, so don't give up hope! And if you feel lost in the sea of the internet looking for them, start at your school's website. They usually can have you apply once there, and it will be an application for all (or most) of their grants/scholarships!

On Grants:

You may think you have to be a special kind of poor to get government grants to go to school. :) But you don't. Even if you don't think it will be worth your time, please apply. Even if you only get a few hundred dollars, it's totally free money, and it can buy quite a few books. :)

Also, if you plan to get a special-terms loan from the government, you have to use the same application, but just check that you are interested in both grants AND loans. What could it hurt?

Also, grants are not conditional on your earning your degree. You really can take a class or two, try it out, and then not continue school. So, take a watercolor class. :) You can get grants for technical degrees and trade schools as well!

On Loans:

Alright. Be prepared to hear it from me. Try your best not to go into debt! It's just sad how hard it can be to climb out of it, but how easily it is incurred.

Remember that you cannot excuse yourself from student loans, unlike everything else. Sometimes, they can garnish your wages if you won't pay. Although I believe that an education would be one of the best things to go into debt for, try your best not to go there unless needed. Nowadays people use student loans like it's "free money"--buying cars with it, living large off of it, paying for vacations with it, and once I heard someone buying a house with them! But it's NOT free money, even if the interest doesn't accrue until 6 months after you graduate, even if they say the payment is next to nothing.

I hate to sound like a old grump, but I worked two jobs, as did my husband, to pay for what grants and scholarships wouldn't cover. We worked hard and we scrimped and saved, and even had a baby while in school. It IS possible. It won't be easy. But an easy education is a contradictory term. :)

I hope this helps all of you out there who desire learning (not even necessarily an education or degree), but don't know where to start or how to pay for it. I have treasured my education and my time in college, it has changed my life. I hope that it will do the same for you. Best of luck in all your learning!

Thanks, Keira! My husband and I also graduated with our Bachelors degrees without any student debt (hurrah!), so I, too, can attest that it IS possible. As I was applying for scholarships, my wise old dad would always tell me that it was time well-spent because, "Even if you spend 3 hours on the application and only get 100 bucks out of it, that's still WAY more money per hour than you'll make scrubbing toilets." And my job at the time was actually scrubbing toilets, and he was SO right. :)

Pop on over and say hello to Keira, and feel free to ask any questions you might have, too!

This post is part of the Housewife MacGyver series on just Lu. Read more about Housewife MacGyver and see all the posts in the series here.

Housewife MacGyver: Keira's Meatless Meals - A Case for Less Meat

Keira is here again! Today she's showing off her nutritional chops by talking about meat -- cutting back and making nutritious meals without the meat, for both nutritional and financial benefits. Having a few meatless recipes up your sleeve can also save you from the take-out monster on those days when you're out of your staple meats but still have a hungry family. :) Take it away, Keira!

I'm sure you and I are like most Americans--we plan our meals every night around a cut of meat. That's how we did it in MY house, so I couldn't even fathom what to do with a meal that had no meat! I'm slowing converting to the strange idea myself, but meals CAN be fun without the meat!

As a side-note here: I love meat. Especially the worse they are for me. I blame my iron-deficiency that makes me crave a mean steak in the summer. And I will never get over my love-affair with bacon. But I'll admit to anyone that NOT having meat doesn't make me miss it much, and then when I DO have meat, it makes the meat taste better. :) Absence makes the heart grow fonder, I guess! On a serious note, though, I find it risky at best to become a vegan. The more I study nutrition in college, the more I realize how important meat is to our systems. It's necessary in my book--but not necessary for every meal, or even every day. In our family, we're down to meat about 3-4 times a week. That's pretty manageable.

With that out of the way, I'd like to make a case for having less meat. Meat is expensive, and if you're trying to be a little more thrifty, cutting meat out 3 times a week can be very budget-friendly. Meat provides complete proteins that are absolutely necessary to your body, but you don't need it everyday to get that benefit. Meat often has quite a bit of saturated fat and cholesterol attached to the complete-protein-advantage, so less of it can help you manage your fat intake and cholesterol levels.

Although we do not need meat every day to meet our protein needs, we DO need protein, every day--both complete proteins and incomplete proteins (I didn't know there were two types either, until college!).

Basic breakdown:
Most animal products are complete proteins.
Most plant proteins are incomplete proteins.

The exceptions: gelatin (made from animal product) isn't a complete protein (or much of anything, really); soybeans are the one complete protein you can get from plant foods.

What does this mean? It means when you eat a grilled cheese sandwich, when you put sour cream on your taco, when you pour milk on your cereal--you are getting a complete protein. There it is! No meat! On the off chance you eat tofu or drink soy milk or enjoy edamame--you are getting a complete protein (as close as you get).

So, some examples of meatless meals are very simple: mac and cheese, cereal and milk, grilled cheese sandwiches, scrambled eggs/omelettes, tacos with beans instead of beef, tomato bisque, pizza (even the veggie lovers one!), nachos, stir fry with tofu, fettuccine Alfredo, even your spaghetti (minus meatballs), when you sprinkle Parmesan on it, is complete.

Whew. Isn't that nice? Meatless meals have started to become very popular with me at my house because it eliminates cooking a huge feast--sprinkle cheese and sour cream on my taco and we're good!

Two notes on how to "complete" an incomplete protein:

* If you aren't keen on meat or animal products, but are tired of soy in its varieties, there is one way to "match" incomplete proteins: have beans and corn in the same meal. This has been used in Latin-American cultures for centuries because meat was so expensive and rare, but beans and corn were their staples. Put corn into your chili instead of meat; have corn tortillas with your re-fried beans in your tacos, or use corn tortilla chips in your bean dip.

* If you eat an incomplete plant protein, you won't be able to use the protein in its incomplete state (with the exception mentioned above), you will need to "complete" it. For example, if you snack on walnuts, you won't absorb most, if any, of the protein to be used properly without a complete protein. This is mostly an easy fix, though: stir walnuts into yogurt with fruit and granola; have sour cream or cheese with your bean taco, have a glass of milk with your moudjadara, or just plain replace meat with an egg.

Replacing most of the meat in your dishes with high-protein, low-fat alternatives can be easier than we think, and better for our wallets and our bodies! Here is a list of a few of my favorite recipes. Enjoy!

Source: Nutrition and You by Joan Salge Blake, 2008 edition, published by Pearson-Benjamin Cummings.

Thanks, Keira! I think you've just started a meatless revolution! Plus now I feel very smart, knowing that there are two types of proteins. :)

Don't forget to hop on over to Keira's blog and check out her awesomeness there. In addition to her fantastic recipes, she shares wise insights about motherhood and life and oh, you will LOVE the subway art she did recently! 

 

This post is part of the Housewife MacGyver series on just Lu. Read more about Housewife MacGyver and see all the posts in the series here.

Housewife MacGyver: Better to Best - Easy Substitutions

Happy Memorial Day! Keira is here again today to share some simple ways to make your menu just a little bit healthier, taking food from the good options you use now and giving you ideas for some better options and the best (health-wise) options:

Hello again! It’s Keira, a frequent guest-writer at just Lu, you can find some samples here. I’m honored that Lu has thought enough of my food skills to have me post here about food substitutions. I know that you are all busy women (and men) and want to eat better, but do not want to be dragged into making some granola-meal-that-takes-five-hours-to-bake. I understand. :)

So, under the structure of the “Good, Better, Best” idea, let’s get started. The “Good” title is what you all are doing now—you are doing what is good for yourself and your children/families, plus you are reading this article to improve! That’s pretty good in MY book! :)

Let's get started!

Sandwiches

Good (in other words, what you do now): Using mayo (or miracle whip) as a dressing for sandwiches. We all need fat in our diet (especially children for their growing brains), and when we add a bit of turkey, a very low-fat meat, to that sandwich, mayo is all the fat we’ve got!



Better: Using oil as a dressing. Some people love olive oil, some swear by coconut oil. Whatever you choose, you will still get the fats you need, but they will be unsaturated. If that’s a little too technical for you, use this rule of thumb: fats that are liquid at room temperature are unsaturated, and therefore better (overall) for you. Fats that are solid at room temperature (such as Crisco, butter, mayo) are saturated fats, and can raise cholesterol levels.

Best: A very low-fat alternative (not recommend for young children) is using hummus as your dressing. I know it seems real technical and/or hippie-esque, but it’s very easy to make a batch or even buy some at the store! Hummus usually has an olive base, which is a great source of fat, but is made up of blended beans. This gives you a little fat and lots of fiber and protein! Plus, you can season hummus anyway you like to give an extra zing to your sandwiches. Here is my Black Bean Hummus recipe.

Snacks

Good (current choice): You are bored of trail mix, but you eat it.

Better: Did you know that popcorn is a whole grain? I had no idea until I took my nutrition class. Could have fooled me! It uses the entire kernel, so you actually get some fiber in your diet, without needing to eat more thick-dry bread or higher-fat nuts.

Best: Mix up your trail mix and add something other than your boring peanuts:

• Popcorn
• Pretzels

• Dried fruit (such as banana chips, mango, apple chips/crisps, raisins (or chocolate-covered raisins if you hate them like I do!), Crasins
• Try some new nuts! Especially if they are raw. New nuts can include: cashews, honey-roasted peanuts, almonds (either salted OR sugar-coated), walnuts (which are easy to eat raw), hazelnuts, macademia nuts
• Add a different sweet: white chocolate chips, peanut butter M & M’s, Reese’s pieces, caramel bits, coated nuts

Hide Your Veggies

Good: You convinced your child to eat their spaghetti dinner. :)

Better: When making your sauce, sneak a jar or two of baby food carrots into your spaghetti sauce. They’ll never know it was there, and the sauce will taste sweeter anyway!

Best: Besides using some pureed carrots, try to grate other vegetables in the sauce, since the redness of the tomato hides so many colors. I grate yellow squash, carrots, zucchini, onions, red peppers, butternut squash, and any seasonings I can sneak in as well (such as fresh bay leaves or oregano). Any vegetable you can sneak in is a victory!

The Skinny on the Butter and Margarine Battle

Good (or at least okay): Using margarine RARELY--the kinds that have NO trans-fat.
Better: Using butter RARELY.
Best: Using oil or applesauce to replace butter.

Let’s face it. We now all know that margarine is worse for us than butter, considering the trans fats and the fact that Margarine is one molecule short of being plastic. But that does not mean you should be running back to butter, either. Although they are naturally-occurring, butter has trans-fat as well. It is also high in saturated fat and cholesterol. We have to use it with care. Quite a bit of foods are good for us in small amounts, and butter is one of them. Butter is a lipid, and will bring out flavors in food better than any other substance, that’s why we crave fats on our meals. Butter is saturated and holds our baking together well when cooked at high heat. Butter keeps things moist or lubricated. But we all know we could use a little less.

Oils are always a good replacement. Make it a restaurant style meal and dip your bread in oil and vinegar instead of butter. Usually recipes can hold up to substituting butter for oil. For the ones that can’t, try halving the butter and adding oil, or better yet, using applesauce, which is a great way to get the moisture that you need in your baking. I have heard from some of my favorite chefs that baking or cooking in coconut oil is actually BETTER than butter—especially in things like cookies, bringing a flavor and sweetness to the confection.

Other Substitutions

Instead of a regular potato, make it a sweet potato. They take about the same amount of time to cook and are packed with better vitamins than a traditional potato—most prominently, iron. Add a little bit of butter and cinnamon, or applesauce in place of the butter.

Blend yogurt with carrot juice, bananas, honey (not for children under one, and optional anyway), and another fruit like strawberries or raspberries for breakfast. Don’t worry—this has less sugar than a frosted cereal, and is much more fulfilling.

Instead of adding salt, add lemon or lime juice, vinegar, or dill.

I hope these substitutions were helpful and informative. I hope you all will still enjoy your meals while taking care of your bodies. Food is such a large part of our lives, we should definitely take the time to make it well and enjoy it right. :)

Thanks for hosting me, Lu!

Thanks, Keira! Doesn't she have some impressive dietary know-how? You can get more over at her blog, like in her recent post about iron deficiency and her seriously yummy crepes.  Plus, she'll be back next month as we MacGyver our kitchen skills. Unless she's sick of me by then ;)

This post is part of the Housewife MacGyver series on just Lu. Read more about Housewife MacGyver and see all the posts in the series here.

Mother's Day Etched Vase Tutorial

Keira is here today with a fantastic and inexpensive way to personalize a gift for Mother's Day... or a birthday, or any day really!

One quick note: I used my Silhouette to cut the words for her out of contact paper, but if you don't have access to a fantastic machine like that (my condolences!), you can print the letters/shapes from your computer and then trace and cut them with an x-acto knife on the contact paper, or you can also pick up some stickers at the craft store (or dollar store) and etch around the letters/shapes instead of the letters themselves, like this.

Trying to find a personalized Mother's Day gift? One that hasn't been done before? Or is simply cheap? Look no further, my fellow crafters! I bring you the etched vase--personalized with adjectives and/or nouns that describe your lady, or just a beautiful, simple design to spice up your dollar-store vase. :) Enjoy!

Before I begin with this tutorial, I beg you to use gloves as you work with the etching cream! If you don't believe that the cream can be dangerous, I ask you to glance over this article on it.

What you'll need:

A pair of gloves that can get wet (I use just standard clear plastic food prep gloves)

A pair of scissors

An exact-o knife or something sharp and pokey to pull out the words and/or pictures

Glass etching cream

Plenty of Q-tips

Glass cleaner and paper towels

A vase (duh!), I bought mine at the Dollar store. I saw the same one at Hobby Lobby for $5.99!

Your letters or pictures cut out of vinyl or contact paper

A towel, drop-cloth or plastic bag to cover your work area

What you'll do:

Make sure your words or pictures are correct. Is the spelling of all your words correct? Once you etch them, they're there forever.

Cut out each word or shape from contact paper and place on the vase. I etched the positive space (the words themselves) so I removed that part of the cut design. If you'd rather etch the negative space (the background or non-word part), remove that part of the design. The etching cream will etch whatever is NOT covered by the contact paper.

Clean the vase well with glass cleaner so there are no smudges or fingerprints.

Place the words carefully and make sure there are no bubbles or wrinkles.

Now (using gloves!), cake your cut-outs in etching cream with the Q-tips.

Let stand for as long as you wish--from 5 minutes to 30 minutes. The longer the cream stays on, the deeper and more visible the etch. I left mine on for about 10 or 15 minutes, and I wish I would have left it on longer.

Then scrape the cream off and dump back into the bottle (did you know you can use it over and over??), and rinse in the sink with gloves!

Now remove your vinyl or contact paper and wipe clean and voila! Your own personalized vase! Just deliver with flowers on Mother's Day and you're the talk of the town! :)

What I would do differently:

As I said before, I would leave the cream on longer for a deeper etch. You can see with this vase, the lettering is hard to read!

Secondly, I'd pay more attention to how I painted on my etching cream. I accidentally went "outside the lines" and etched a blotch on the vase. Once you do it, you can't undo it, so be careful and deliberate!

For other ideas:

Don't be limited to vases. Here's a frame I etched with a spiritual quote and a picture of Christ, appropriate for a baptism, wedding, christening or blessing, or an Easter gift. Insert a picture of your family in place of Christ with a quote or song unique to your clan. :) Anything that is glass is up for grabs! Happy Mother's Day crafting to you all!

Housewife MacGyver: Have a Happier Laundry Day

Hey there! Mrs. Clean Madwoman here! I'm more commonly known as Keira, and now that we've finished our fashion confections, I'm branching out. An important part of being a MacGyver housewife is to: a) know where your resources (stuff) are, and b) never let your hard work go to waste. Today I’m going to show you how to make your laundry day—and subsequent days—a lot easier.

These are just a few things I do to keep it simple with my laundry:

Which one is which??

We all know children (and sometimes even HUSBANDS!) can get that fresh stack of nicely folded laundry from us and do what? …throw it somewhere instead of putting it in drawers, where it should be. This is one of the reasons you have an ENDLESS cycle of laundry going—is this TECHNICALLY dirty? Before you do the sniff trick and end up next to the toilet over some pants, I’ve got a better idea!

When you sort the laundry and put it in the washer, ZIP UP THE PANTS AND BUTTON THE FLY. On shirts, button ONE button, near the top is suggested. On socks, unroll them. On under wear, turn them right-side OUT. On your bras, clasp them closed like you’re wearing it (you should do this anyway to avoid tearing and catching with the hook-and-eye clasp). Turn T-Shirts right-side-out, unless they have a special screen printing that needs to be protected (check the label!).

Wash your clothes like normal, dry and fold. Hand to your children and husband—then prepare yourself for the possibility that your two-year old will pull all the clothes out of the drawer, so you don’t know which is dirty and which is clean.

This is the good part, I promise. All of us have a tendency to undress and leave it like that. Pants are left unzipped, shirts inside out, bras undone. SO…if you find a pair of pants all buttoned up? They’re clean! Your bra is clasped? Clean! Socks are folded together? Clean! Your shirt is right-side-out, but on the floor/bed/dresser? Clean!

Enjoy your time not using your nose to test every article of clothing!

Avoid tears (and tears!)

Going along with the benefits of the last section, as you load your laundry, you should “re-do” everything you “undo” while getting undressed (minus buttons on button-up shirts). Zippers should be zipped, clasps should be clasped, buttons buttoned. This helps avoid the inevitable laundry fiasco of someone’s beautiful polyester blouse being caught, snagged, and ripped by jean-zipper’s teeth, or shredded by a hook-and-eye clasp.

And those buttons on those shirts? Out of sheer laziness I don’t button every button, because you have to unbutton it to hang it as well as wear it, but buttoning one toward the top can help keep that firm collar shape we all love. If you keep all your other clothes in check, buttons are usually safe enough to brave the washer without being ripped off. :)

Avoid your child’s creativity on your clothes

We love our kids, but there is nothing more frustrating than finding an entire load of laundry soaked in red. At the bottom of the disappointment, we find the culprit: one red crayon (or marker, or pen). We all know we should check the pockets of every article of clothing, but we don’t. But since you ALREADY have to zip it all up, why not do a quick run-through? You might find extra change, but even more valuable, you’ll probably find a crayon or a piece of cherry candy, saving you a load of laundry.

Don’t search



Ever lose that ONE pillowcase in your set, right when you need a complete set the most? Now you have several mismatched sets of sheets, lost and lonely! Here’s what to do so your dryer eats less of these things (if your dryer is the enemy). When you go to fold your sheets, fold the flat sheet first, then the fitted sheet, then ONE of the pillowcases. Place the flat sheet and pillowcase INSIDE the fitted sheet, and fold the whole package into a standard pillow size. Take the remaining pillow case and open it like you would to place your pillow in it, but instead shimmy the contents of your set into the pillow case. Voila! You can’t lose ‘em! On a related note, check the fitted sheet before you fold it—that’s usually where I find lost socks later. :)



If you’d like to go a little over-zealous with this project, use old, odd-and-end pillowcases (or buy some at a garage sale) to also store your towel sets—both towels, hand towels and washcloths placed inside—you’ll have extra clean towels (not so much as dust on them!) and you’ll never have mismatched washcloths again!

I hope you find these hints helpful -- happy laundry day!


Thanks, Keira! If any day needs more happy at our house, it's laundry day :)
 

This post is part of the Housewife MacGyver series on just Lu. Read more about Housewife MacGyver and see all the posts in the series here.

Polishing Off Your Serving of Fashion Confections

Hello again! To those who don't know me, I'm Keira. I'm not a girl who always has her nose in a fashion magazine, and often is found in jeans and a pair of comfy shoes. Although I do love fashion and its potential artistic beauty, I love the simplicity found in practical, applicable fashion. And that is what I am writing about today.

Since this series of articles are about fashion for the everyday woman, and the everyday woman is BUSY, each article is a bite-sized treat ("chic morsel") for the fashion-minded, but not necessarily the fashion-savvy, woman. :)

This series of articles contains the knowledge of basic fashion I wish I would have had when I was twelve years old to consult through my teenage years and early adulthood. Although it may be very rudimentary knowledge to some, I hope everyone can benefit from a little bit of wisdom imparted in this last and previous articles.

In case you missed our last installment, here is the link to the first step and the second step in down-to-earth, but elegant, fashion: defining one's self. And now, to pick up from where we left off:

For my last fashion article, I would love to give every woman a basic guideline for her everyday wardrobe. With these pieces (separated for the different seasons), you will be elegantly ready for almost any quotidian [Lu's note: this means daily. I looked it up :)] occurrence. For further reading or reference, I highly recommend this book.

For Winter and Fall

• One black coat (trench or peacoat, depending on your shape -- peacoat especially recommended for apple and pear shapes)
• One coat in a bright color (example: red)
• One dark suit (if you work), pantsuit or a blazer and skirt, in a dark shade
• One plain sweater in an easy-to-match color (brown, white, beige, black)
• One black skirt—A line for those who are pear-shaped, a nice pencil skirt for the others
• One pair of black pumps (pointy toe for those who want to look modern and tall, round toe for everyone else, except if you are over 50 years old)
• One pair of brown shoes, preferably low-heeled
• One black handbag to match the shoes
• One brown handbag to match brown shoes
  Note: Bags don't have to match the EXACT same pattern/material, just similar.
• An absolute must: One little black dress. Note: Now, take your time and find something you REALLY love. Don’t just buy a LBD just to have one. You need to LOVE that LBD :)

For Spring and Summer

• One lightweight wool suit, gray or navy, depending on your preference and complexion
• Two blouses to match, one bright (yellow, pink, bright blue) and one dark.
• Two skirts of lightweight material that match the blouses (I often gravitate toward khaki skirts, since dressed up they are passable for church. Corduroy is a great choice as well.)
• A good sturdy pair of jeans that hug you well and that you love
• One white button up shirt that fits you well
• A pair of Bermuda shorts (longer is better, short is acceptable for those under 21), navy is a great color, but khaki or plaid work as well. If long shorts make you look short, try capris!
• A few cotton tops that match your jeans and shorts/capris
• One light colored handbag to match your “casual clothes”—I have a beige one, and plenty of cheaper cloth printed bags
• One summer hat (mine is straw), in case you want to go swimming

Now the nitty-gritty with accessories:

The ultimate ideal would be to have matching shoes, coats and bags in black, brown, and a lighter color, such as beige. But if you can only start with one, always start with black. Gloves in black for winter are probably all you need, but if you would like to co-ordinate with gloves, too, you are welcome (no one uses gloves as a real fashion accessory anymore. How sad! :) No one really uses hats much anymore, but it couldn’t hurt to have a matching winter hat, scarf or knitted ear cover that matches your coat.

Sunglasses are fun and always add an extra touch to any outfit. Beware that your glasses say a bit about you—so if you aren’t an “aviator” girl, don’t pick aviators, no matter how popular they are. The bigger the glasses, the bigger the ego, they say. So if you choose big glasses, be prepared to act big! I’m sure I don’t need to tell you that on the opposite end, too small of sunglasses really don’t perform their function very well, therefore choose wisely. :)

One thing a girl simply cannot be without is a pearl necklace. Pearls are timeless, classy, elegant, and go with everything. There is no age limit on the wearing of pearls like there is on other jewelry (one is never too old or young for pearls, the question is size). This doesn’t excuse those who wear a blouse covered in tiny pearls and lace—less is always more. But a strand of pearls with black sweater, or a little black dress? Gorgeous. Simple pearl earrings with a summer dress? Classy. The rule is, the larger the pearl, the older the woman. I would say until you are over fifty, don’t choose pearls larger than 8 mm. I personally love anywhere from 6 mm to 7.5 mm in diameter for my set.

Pearls also come in other shadessilver beaded necklace—these beads are shaped just like pearls, but are silver instead. This is very beautiful paired with a red or black sweater at Christmastime. It’s one of my favorite accessories!

As for other necklaces for daily wear, simple geometric shapes never truly go out of style. A circle of small diamonds, a square inlaid with a stone, etc. are all good choices for your basic accessory needs.

Be careful in choosing your costume jewelry, since these pieces are usually in season for only one year. The heavier the piece, the louder it is. Colors say a bit too, so stay on the conservative side until you have your bases covered, then venture out. A word of warning as well: if you don’t have much of a budget, don’t buy a piece of costume jewelry unless you can pair it with at least two outfits at home, if not more. It’s always a shame to find something you love, and then have no occasion to wear it!

I am so grateful for my opportunity to contribute to the blog of a friend I consider the epitome of simple and natural beauty, Lu. Thank you for reading and all your support! :)

Thanks, Keira! You are far too kind in your compliments. :)

And, dear readers, don't worry, Keira isn't throwing in the towel -- she'll be with us covering different topics in the coming months until she gets sick of me. :) And as you're looking at building your basic wardrobe as Keira suggests, keep an eye on the clearance racks! As long as you stick with classic styles, the pieces you buy this spring from last fall/winter's selections will still be classic next fall/winter without breaking the bank!

For those of you in Utah wondering about getting your own string of pearls, just be patient until Mothers Day. Even if pearls aren't in the budget, Goldsmith Jewelers in Provo gives out free strands of pearls (one per household) each year. That's where I got my pearls and I love them!

Fashion Confections: Flatter Your Shape and Age

Hello again! To those who don't know me, I'm Keira. I'm not a girl who always has her nose in a fashion magazine, and often is found in jeans and a pair of comfy shoes. Although I do love fashion and its potential artistic beauty, I love the simplicity found in practical, applicable fashion. And that is what I am writing about today.

Since this series of articles are about fashion for the everyday woman, and the everyday woman is BUSY, each article is a bite-sized treat ("chic morsel") for the fashion-minded, but not necessarily the fashion-savvy, woman. :)

This series of articles contains the knowledge of basic fashion I wish I would have had when I was twelve years old to consult through my teenage years and early adulthood. Although it may be very rudimentary knowledge to some, I hope everyone can benefit from a little bit of wisdom imparted in this and upcoming articles.

In case you missed our last installment, here is the link to the first step in down-to-earth, but elegant, fashion: defining one's self. And now, to pick up from where we left off:

Now that you have some ideas of the personality you would love to define through clothing, we have to define two things that you cannot change, and, in order to adhere to elegant practices, must use guidelines for accordingly: body shape, and age. I apologize ahead of time for bringing them up. :)

First, body shape. You must find your inflection points. They are usually described like an object:

Apple: Curvier on top.

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Pear: Curvier on bottom.

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Banana: Not very curvy at all.

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Hourglass: Equally curvy on top and bottom.

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Be honest, but not brutal with yourself. You want clothes that accent you and fit you well, right? Then let us enhance what you have, draw attention to it!

Scroll down to find your shape, and have fun shopping accordingly. :)

Apple: You’ve got the bosoms some girls die for. A little bit of décolleté (or "cleavage") goes a long way for you! Whether it is implied or actual décolleté is up to you. Implied can be through V-neck shirts and sweaters with the layering of a shirt or tank underneath, vests, button up shirts (depending on your size, you can leave the whole shirt open with an undershirt, or leave it half open), and cardigans. Anything that creates a line from your neck to your chest.

If your derrière (your behind :) is not as proportionate to your other assets as you’d like them to be, wear tighter fitting jeans or skirts. Create long lines, if possible. The reason for this is your one side-effect of your asset: you tend to look rounder or fuller because your chest happens to be near your face, and all people upon first meeting you look at your face. You could be banana-thin, but with an ample bosom, you look curvy. Try to create long lines, vertical lines, to draw out a little of that attention.

Pear: You are lucky in the areas your apple friends are not—you can look very thin in the frame of your face and shoulders when meeting the first time, but have curves when walking away. :) Because you have more room, you can wear empire-waist dresses so well; you might as well have been born in Jane Austen’s time.

But alas, when walking away with sass, you want to impress as well, so let’s accent what you have. First, fun and colorful A-line skirts will juice up the area, but not too much. A-line dresses with almost any neckline are great for you. Cap sleeves, ¾ length, even strapless look great on you, you lucky dog! If you do want to show off your ample derriere in something tight: black is best, as are most neutral colors. I wouldn’t brave banana yellow pleather pants if I were you, or if I were me! Pantsuits are best when possible, and try and keep a consistent line from your waist down.

Banana: Honestly, why are you reading this? What can you NOT wear? I wouldn’t often suggest tights as pants or skinny jeans, but they were made for you! Tanks, short skirts, flats or heels, heck, walking down the street in a ballerina’s outfit, you could probably get away with! The only advice I can offer is that accenting your waist is never a bad thing if you want the illusion of curves for a softer feminine touch.

Hourglass: Ah, the men-can-make-a-hand-gesture-for-it figure. You probably have enough in each spot for the best of both worlds. Natural waist dresses or blouses, especially if accented by things like a sash, bow or embroidery, are flattering on you. Long lines are always becoming, especially if you have such a figure, but you are short. High heels and boots are your friend - they add authority to your curves!

Secondly, age. Before I begin, I would like to preface all that I suggest about age and fashion by asking you to not take offense. Times are changing quickly, and women are becoming mothers later in life, and grandmothers even later. Whether it be an easier lifestyle or plastic surgery, many women look young for their age, compared to generations before. So when reading over these guidelines, please note that most of my information comes from one of my favorite authors on the subject, as well as a little cultural experience. I could be wrong, or you could look young for your age and thus "get away" with younger styles. Take these suggestions with a grain of salt.

I doubt many who read this are under twenty, but if so, never you mind—you can wear almost anything, depending on your type—any color, almost any length (although I would not suggest very short), modern or classic styles.

For the rest of us: the more conservative, the better.

Before and during the thirties, knees shown are acceptable, as well as quite a bit of décolleté. Arms exposed to the shoulders are generally more acceptable. This can depend on where you live and your lifestyle--being a soccer mom or a New York commuter can greatly influence what you prefer to show off. :)

Forty is a gray area, because, as aforementioned, many are not becoming mothers nowadays until about this age. But generally you begin to have older children by forty or fifty, and this marks the advent of a new kind of beauty. An emphasis on your chest is acceptable for the motherly look—but generally you should become more conservative in dress and in colors.

Nothing is more becoming than a beautifully aging and elegant woman. Nothing is more revolting than someone who refuses to age gracefully and continues extreme fashion.

I hope this article helps those of us who need guidelines to choose wisely, and unlocks a type of fun in selecting outfits and shopping.

My next article will be on your basic wardrobe for different seasons and how to select accessories. Thank you all for reading!

Fashion Confections: Defining Yourself

I am so thrilled today to introduce you to my friend, Keira, who will be posting here monthly. While she and I have a lot in common (I mean, that's part of why we can get along so well), the things I love most about Keira are all of the amazing qualities she has that I am sorely lacking: elegance, tact, grace, fashion sensibility... plus she is a fantastic decorator and a (practically) gourmet-but-healthful cook. So... pretty much everything I am NOT, yet dream of being. :) Give her a warm welcome!

Hello, I'm Keira. I’m not a girl who always has her nose in a fashion magazine. You can often find me (after the birth of my son) in jeans and the occasional pair of flip-flops. I do not wear a lot of make up, nor have I ever spent more than fifteen minutes on my hair (with the exception of high school dances and my wedding day). These articles are about practical, applicable fashion. Natural beauty and elegance.

In case you need a visual, it’s not about this:

But more like this:

Since this series of articles are about fashion for the everyday woman, and the everyday woman is BUSY, each article is a bite-sized treat ("chic morsel") for the fashion-minded, but not necessarily the fashion-savvy, woman. :)

This series of articles contains the knowledge of basic fashion I wish I would have had when I was twelve years old to consult through my teenage years and early adulthood. Although it may be very rudimentary knowledge to some, I hope everyone can benefit from a little bit of wisdom imparted in this and upcoming articles.

To truly know one's self is to be elegant. Therefore, let us start with defining what you are and who you want to convey, since your dress should reflect (among many things) your personality. What kind of person are you? Do not just ask yourself—ask your partner, best friend, sister, or mother. It’s always a fun experiment to try. :) Some examples:

Photo source

Obviously, the styles you choose, the colors you wear, and the patterns presented are going to say a bit about your personality. Like it or not, most judge a book by its cover. So since you have defined a little of who you are, what do you want to say about yourself?

This is one example: my sister-in-law is an artist. She is brave, comedic, young, loud, artsy, and prefers to be comfortable. The outfits and bright colors she chooses to wear reflect that. A perfect metaphor for her personality is that she has a beloved pair of bright yellow Converse shoes. Are YOU a bright yellow personality? Are you a "sneaker" girl? Do you enjoy "grown-up dress up" and find occasions (i.e. church) to do so?

All colors and patterns (even loud ones) have their place. But there are more appropriate times to wear your chosen outfits--for example, though it may be your favorite color, "you don't wear white to a wedding". Timing is everything. Think about the event as well as your "message". Some examples of different messages clothing can send are below:

* The color white, in general, can be formal (think: wedding dresses, button-up shirts), and often shows others that you are very clean (unless you spill your spaghetti on it, in which case you can be misconstrued as very dirty :).

* Animal prints are rather bold and sassy. They are very modern as well, going in and out of fashion often. If you choose to wear them, you will have to keep up-to-date on the latest trends to make sure you aren't committing a faux pas.

* Lace has a tipping point (and the same idea applies to embroidery). A little accent of lace can add a feminine touch, but too much lace can make you seem like a walking doily. Remember those? Probably used in your grandmother's home? If you don't want to look like a grandmother (or great-grandmother), use lace wisely.

Example of a doily, in case your grandma was cooler than mine. :)

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* Bright, primary colors are often worn by bold, artistic people (see example above!), and children. Determine if you are that kind of person, and even if you're not, you may find an occasion that it may be "you".

* You have probably heard that black is best. In most scenarios, that is completely true. Black is the color of professionalism and being chic, and the saying IS true that black is slimming. A little black dress truly IS a girl's best friend, when it is picked with care and suits the body well. The only occasion black may not be what you are looking for is when everyone else is wearing it, and you'd like to stand out from the crowd. This is true of most cocktail parties, social gatherings, and balls. Black is a safe, common color, which can be your ally or enemy.

* Think about your lifestyle (stay at home mommy? professional businesswoman?) as you choose your clothes. I love high heels, personally, but since I'm a stay at home mom without a car, I rarely want to walk in high heels to get somewhere, however beautiful they look. :)

Defining yourself and your style is the first step to creating or altering your closet to match you. Be sure to read the next article: "Accenting Your Unique Body Shape".

Thanks for reading!