Up-cycled T-Shirt Bag (No sewing required!)

So, if you’re like me, then you have about thirty T-shirts you no longer wear but don’t want to get rid of, because they have meaning or sentimental value, or whatever. Solution: up-cycling! Pinterest is crazy awesome for tutorials on new fun ways to destroy your old shirts and turn them into something cool and useful.

My best friend late last night asked if I wanted to do this particular up-cycling on an old festival shirt and turn it into a tote bag. So I decided that it would be fun to show the Internet how to do this super simple and nifty craft (and sewing isn’t required!).

Without further ado, D.I.Y. T-Shirt Tote Bag Tutorial!

What You Need:

• A cool, old t-shirt
• Some fabric scissors
• Opposable thumbs

Last summer I got to travel in Europe for about three weeks, and came back with about six different shirts. This Parisian cutie became my second victim (after the Music Midtown ’14 cotton friend).

Step One:

Start off by laying out your shirt. Iron it if you have to. It’s important to smooth it out as much as you can.

Step Two:

Next, use the fabric scissors to cut off the collar and both sleeves. Basic muscle tee cuts. Try to keep them even if possible.

Step Three:

Cut between one or two inch strips all along the bottom seam of the shirt. For reference, see below.

Step Four:

Alright friends, now we are getting there. Next step: turn that bad boy inside out. Lay flat and straighten out again.

Step Five:

Using your opposable thumbs, tie the strips together. I did the ones that are diagonal across from each other, mostly because I figured that would be of better support for the tote bag, and also I don’t listen to The Man and his societal teachings.

After completing your ties and having a quick rant about how you don’t apply to “the system,” your bag should look a little like the picture above.

Step Six:

Next step! Pay attention. This one is really hard. Turn the cloth right side out.

Step Seven:

Make sure no strips of cloth are sticking out. There are usually some that escape your grasp. Enforce punishment by stuffing them back through the depths from which they came (into the holes along the bottom). And then re-tie the loose ends with other knots.

Here’s what the bottom of the bag should look like once you’ve turned it right side out.

Step Eight:

Enjoy your new tote bag!

Here are the two that I made this afternoon. It took me ten minutes tops! I thought they would be especially cool to take to places like your local Farmer’s Market and whatnot.Glad I did thing today. Hope you did thing today too. See soon. Thank for reading.

How to be healthier(ish)

Pretty often I post fitness related things on social media. These posts can be something like a yummy plate of food, yoga poses, and plenty of hiking pictures. Generally I’m a pretty healthy person, always have been. Lately quite a few people have commented on my posts saying, “Teach me to be healthy.” Or sometimes I get “Dang it, I wanna be skinny too.”

First things first, you’re good enough. Don’t compare yourself to others. Simply become the best person you can be. I especially dislike the “wanting to be skinny” comment. Skinny doesn’t always mean healthy. Skinny means skinny. Fat means fat. Skinny is not synonymous to pretty, and fat is not synonymous to ugly. You want to be healthy. Healthy is good.

Now, I don’t go to the gym everyday. That’s a lot of work. I’m not studying nutrition. I’m not a professional trainer. I don’t even own a FitBit. However (she says to gain back her recently lost credibility), I grew up a pretty health-conscious kid, which meant I never drank soft drinks, loved eating fruit, disliked heavier meats, and always played some sort of sport. I also was a swimmer for seven years, so health was always prevalent.

So, with that in mind, I’m just going to share some ways I like to use to be a little healthier(ish):

• Go and get yourself a glass of water, and drink said water.
• Drink some more water (even drink it when you’re not thirsty).
• Stretch it out.
• Stretch it out at random times (i.e. when you wake up, while watching Netflix, after dinner, etc.)
• Download some fitness apps and actually use them.
  • Nike Running +
  • MyFitnessPal
  • Pokemon Go (Yes, this is technically fitness)
• Find a friend who likes to do physical activities and do activities with them.
• Make an awesome workout playlist. I promise the action of making a playlist will actually get you excited enough to go workout.
• Buy workout gear. This is the same principle as above. If you are confident, you’ll feel more inclined to gain more confidence through exercise.
• Eat dinner before 7 p.m.
• Only get CookOut once (sometimes twice) a week.
• This one is important: Stop drinking soft drinks. Those things will kill you. If you can use it to dissolve bugs off of your car windshield, then why are you putting in your body?
• I know you might be thinking, “Meredith, I can’t quit drinking soda. I’m addicted to the caffeine.” I never really had that problem, but water is nature’s solvent and it flushes that junk out. Try and ween yourself off of caffeine one day at a time. Or maybe try another caffeinated alternative like, black coffee (in moderation) or dark chocolate (also in moderation).
• Do some yoga.
• Run a mile.
• Run two miles.
• Run/walk a mile or more.
• Eat lean meats.
• Spend a few extra dollars to get a lighter and healthier meal. Your body will thank you for it.
• Eat breakfast!
• Get on a pretty regular sleep schedule. Don’t sleep too much or too little. Eight hours is a prime amount to get quality REM, which will help you process information better, feel more awake, and generally happier.
• Go for a hike.
• Swim some laps.
• Or just swim around in a pool (doggy-paddle is acceptable).
• Drink more water.
• If your body is craving sugar like crazy, eat some fruit (fruits have a ton of sugar too).
• Put some fruit in greek yogurt (that stuff is gooooooood).
• Don’t eat a ton of junk food. Your body is a temple, why are you tearing down the foundation?
• Go outside and sweat on purpose.
• Instead of grabbing the whole bag of chips when you’re watching TV and want to snack, only fill a cereal bowl up with your snack. In America, we have been bred to complete what we’ve started, so we naturally feel the need to finish a bag of chips in one sitting. But…you really shouldn’t do that.
• Eat and drink in moderation.
• Exercise in moderation. Overexercising is a serious problem when it comes to those who struggle with body image!
• Try a new sport or activity, like ballroom dance, water polo, Zumba, badminton, fencing, rock climbing, etc.
• Lastly, remember you’re being healthy for you! Remember why you wanted to get off the couch, release some endorphins, and feel good.

Again, I’m no fitness guru. But I do enjoy the way I feel after a quick run, or long stretch, or making a colorful meal. Sometimes I just want to post all about it.

Well, I hope maybe something helped. Maybe nothing helped, maybe all of these things are super obvious and you wanted to give up reading seven bullet points ago, but to that one person that was wondering, that’s how you can be just a little healthier(ish).

Peace out, Internet scouts.

A Tribute to my Dog

You were a grumpy old bastard, weren’t you?

But we still loved you.

We had you for fourteen years. Cuddled you, fed you table food, picked you up when you wanted a drink from the bathtub faucet instead of your water bowl, because you weren’t a normal dog. You were annoying, psychotic at times. But we still loved you. Still love you.

You were mean and you gave us many memories. As a child, you taught me to be cautious, so I wouldn’t get bit by you. You growled at us, cuddled back with us, took food we weren’t offering from our plates. You were jealous of the cats, so you would head-butt them away from us. You loved us. Still love us.

Mom always introduced you as the third kid in the family. That made me the forgotten middle child, but I didn’t mind.

When we picked you out from the litter I was so excited. I had prayed about what you would be like, my new best friend. Looking back at my five year old brain, it only produces watercolors of memories, blurry and transparent. I arranged the stuffed animals in my room to welcome you to your new home. You were fluffy and quiet(ish).

I haven’t been as close to you this past year because I’ve been away at school, but I knew this day was coming soon. That’s why I wanted to do a tribute in your memory, my best friend.

Kip, you had a good life. You were grumpy and snapped at us frequently. You liked soft blankets and checking in on me at 7 a.m. on Saturday mornings.

All of these things and I still loved you. Still love you.

You’ll be missed, bubs.

Troop 769

For the past twelve years (yes I said twelve), I have been a member of Girl Scout Troop 20769. In this troop, I have learned what it’s like to be a strong young lady and expand my moral compass to assist others.

Through this organization I have made lifetime friendships, assisted those in need, and earned the three highest awards one can achieve. I received the Bronze, Silver, and Gold Awards by helping clothe and feed the homeless and organizing a reading program for elementary age children in my area.

Our troop leader, Tracy Jarnigan, (a second mother to me and one of my most frequent blog readers) got a photographer to take some farewell shots at the Tanasi Girl Scout Camp in Norris, Tennessee.

I love my troop, and I am so grateful to have spent my life with you.

(Hint: I’m the one with the red hair in the pictures.)

         

Photos taken by Ashlyn Daugherty

The woods

The woods are lovely, dark and deep. But I have promises to keep, and miles to go before I sleep.
Robert Frost 

 

The Afghan.

Three Thanksgivings ago, my family and I were making our usual Turkey Day rounds with each set of extended family ranging from Middle Tennessee to a small town in Kentucky called Elizabethtown. After a few days in the Nashville area, we had yet another feast with the Kentucky family. After indulging in a good five pounds of turkey and dressing, we began our four and a half hour drive back home. Unbeknownst to me, my aunt from Middle Tennessee previously had a stomach bug, and I had caught it.

I had felt queasy all day, but I just thought it was from the excessive amounts of food and driving. But I have an ungodly gag reflex, so I knew throwing up wasn’t on the agenda.

Boy, was I wrong.

About three hours into a drive I thought would never end, I really felt some of the Thanksgiving food coming back for round two, and not in a good way. I hurriedly gestured to my brother sitting beside me that I was going to spew in the backseat of my father’s CRV.

My brother turns to the front and says, “Uh, I think Meredith is about to vomit everywhere.” Panic spreads throughout the car.

During the car ride, I had this old, ugly, and thick blanket with pastel colored deer on it laying across my lap.

My mother, in the passenger seat, frantically is speaking in some sort of tongues. At this point, my cheeks are nearly overflowing. I make a sign that I literally have no idea what she is talking about.

My mother says, “Puke in the afghan! Puke in the afghan!! The afGHANNNNNNNN!!!”

I really wish I had been able to pull up Dictionary.com and figure out what an afghan was.

Afghan

[af-gan, -guh n], noun; (lowercase) a soft woolen blanket, crocheted or knitted, usually in ageometric pattern. 

Not knowing where to puke and having a car window too slow, I bent over to the best of my ability and let loose four pounds of liquid Thanksgiving into the already hideous pastel blanket.

After I finished, I slowed raised my vomit stained face to my mother.

“What the HELL is an afghan?”

Naps

Do you know that moment right before you fall asleep on a lazy Sunday afternoon?

You’re laying on the couch soaking in the relaxation, and it seems as though the cushions have adapted to your body’s shape completely. There’s no way you could get up at this point. You’re already too far gone to even think about it.

There’s probably a furry house friend at your feet, or if you’re lucky enough, laying in your arms. You just drank a cup of coffee, and instead of the caffeine jolting you awake, it does the exact opposite. Your mind is in this perfect state where you don’t really mind if you miss an hour of the movie or lose the page in the book you were holding. It pays no attention to the distant rumblings of the television.

After all the clamor and never-ending tiredness of the week, you finally have that moment to clear your mind and drift off. You’re not worrying about what’s going on in today’s stocks, or when your extended family is going to visit.

No. You simply drift off into a twilight state without a care for much. It’s a healthy and happy moment. Definitely much needed.

Sweet dreams, friends.

Writing

I’m going to share a secret with you, my internet friends.

I love to write.

Okay, let your sighs out, stop rubbing your temples, and continue reading. I apologize. I can already tell you “adult” figures are done with me and my lovely blog page.

But it is no lie. I do love to write. Whether others read it or not, I really do. I’ve learned recently that a few of my friends from different websites have started reading my blog. Blogging has always been fun, but I do like to write fiction.

Let me tell you it is very unfortunate fiction, much like my writing on this page, but at least it’s mine.

I’ve always liked creating scenarios of a different life while sitting bored in the classroom. Or scenarios of a different person’s life, whether it be inspired by a book I’ve read recently or a movie. However, I do not like writing about this subject because it makes me feel cliché and vulnerable. But I suppose that’s how many writers feel. Vulnerable. Perhaps that is why their stereotype involves them struggling when coming in contact with direct sunlight and indulging in a plethora of alcoholic beverages.

My father and brother are both excellent writers. My dad likes true crime, and my brother has his heart locked on science fiction and mystery. I honestly enjoy it all. Every genre. Maybe that is why I’m such a poor fictionist. I cannot decide which one would be more exciting to write about. My entire family reads like no other. We find it crazy when others say they dislike reading. But you are talking to a family that sees about as many plays as they do movies a year.

Though I dislike the vulnerability, perhaps I shall one day post an old short story to this page and see what happens. That is an exciting thought. Possibly not for you, my few readers, but at least it is for me.

Just a thought.

Thank you for reading my unfortunate clichéness.

Snow Daze

I notice the bright morning light streaming through my window and basically piercing through my eyelids and blinding my soul. Finally, my eyes flit open and regardless of their hopeful adjustment to the brightness, I am once again blinded by the view. I do have light blocking blinds, but even they don’t help on this morning. I am, however, thankful that I am awoken by the morning light rather than my phone’s alarm. Today is a snow day.

In Tennessee school gets called off, in my opinion, for some of the dumbest circumstances. For example, this semester we have had two delays in the school day because the wind chill was too cold.

However, the past two days have been different. We got a dangerous ice storm and some snow to follow after. The sidewalks and roads have about two inches of solid ice and some fresh powder to top it off. It’s not very good for the suburban business man to get to work, but it is perfect school cancelation material.

It isn’t very pretty snow, but it’s good enough for me.

I came to realize that I was beginning to “grow up” when I would rather spend my snow days inside reading a book instead of sledding down the neighbor’s hill getting a variety of skin rashes from the unkept weeds.

Don’t call me a Debbie Downer. I just like to curl up with my steaming mug of coffee, a two hundred something page novel I’ve been meaning to read for the past four months, and spend more time bonding with my cats than with human beings. I think that’s reasonable.

I feel like snow days are necessary sometimes. We all need our “off” days. Sometimes it is just as important to get Cabin Fever as it is to spend the day at the office achieving a hopeful salary. We, as suburbians, need both in order to survive.

I need to get better at closure on my blog posts, but this is all I have today. Make sure to buy your bread and milk, constellation seekers.

Complete Love

“No one has ever seen God; but if we love one another, God lives in us and his love is made complete in us.” 1 John 4:12 (NIV)

It’s crazy to think how much God loves us. It’s this unconditional love that is far greater than a newlywed couple has, or a set of parents has for their children. It’s this agape love that we can’t even comprehend.

1 John 4:12 has been my favorite verse for over a year now, and I doubt it will stop being my favorite Bible verse any time soon. Are there just sometimes those moments when you read the scripture and think, “Holy smokes, Batman. This is good stuff!”? I have that moment often because, duh, it’s the Bible and it’s awesome, also duh. But no verse has had the same effect on me as this one does.

This love that God washes over us daily is overwhelming. It’s fantastic. It’s warm and fuzzy. It’s divine. It’s supercalifragilisticexpialidocious.

Wait, I take that last one back. That last one sounded something quite atrocious.

But you still get the picture? God’s love is totally and absolutely nowhere near our comprehension. It’s higher than the Himalayan Mountains. It’s deeper than Death Valley. It’s wider than the Pacific Ocean. It’s bigger than the Universe.

1 John 4:12 says that no one has ever seen God, which to my knowledge is true. But if we love one our friends, neighbors, and enemies, the Holy Spirit completes that unconditional love inside of you. It’s really a win-win situation. You reflect God’s love, because of the Holy Spirit inside, and that love is completed in you. Then you want to spread more of his love. Then your friend, neighbor, or enemy also experiences that love from you. That love is also made complete in them. Amazing, right?

The reason why I love 1 John 4:12 so much is because it is what I attempt to do everyday. However often I fail, God still loves me the same for trying.

I don’t know how I feel about this blog post, but I felt like it was time to talk about the verse that drives me everyday.

As always, thank you for reading my blog. It means the world to me.