A Recycled Hawaiian Shirt

Hello! I`ve been a little under the weather this past week with a sinus infection. Mint tea, green tea and steam have almost cleared it up. I was pulling weeds which got the allergies going and the infection that followed. While confined to the house I made a pillow cover and bread bag using a vintage cotton Hawaiian shirt. It was a Paradise Found shirt with white hibiscus on a blue background, too pretty to toss.

The bread bag was easy, just a couple of seams and I threaded white flat braid (like shoelace) through the casing for closure.

 The pillow is made with the shirt front. I wanted the opening at the top,  kind of unusual but it`s my pillow! The button holes are on top, closed with the original coconut shell buttons. I wanted to save the label and that is attached at the upper left hand corner.

The shirt back, sleeves, pocket and collar still remain to be used. It took about two hours total which included cat wrangling and running the cows out of my lilacs. Not bad.

Did our monthly shopping today, it was surprisingly pleasant. We got to town about 7:30 a:m, temp about 65. Store shelves were fully stocked and there was not a crowd of people.   I buy very little boxed anything. Cooking from scratch doesn`t take too much time and I feel it is far healthier. Our grocery bill is half what it used to be. I have the time to cook, I know many of you don`t. I try to make enough extra to stay ahead at least one meal  for leftovers and to freeze. We`re on a fixed income and saving on groceries is like money in the bank. I  keep a pantry stocked with whole wheat and soy flours, sugar, honey, spices, Hersheys cocoa for making instant hot cocoa mix, rice, beans, broth, maple syrup etc. I keep unbleached white flour on hand too, cornstarch, yeast for bread, baking powder, vanilla, almond etc. It`s takes time to build a pantry. If you buy just one extra item a trip your storage will grow.

That`s about all for today. Take care everyone.

Thank you for visiting,
Cathy