the ReFab Diaries

I rarely post on weekends, but actually remembered to take some pics at the market this morning, and I wanted to share. You don't have to drive too far out of Chicago to hit farmland... which means the city benefits from easy access to locally grown produce! And not just during the summer months. Many small farmers sell pretty much year-round thanks to great indoor venues (we go to the Nature Museum) ... and the innovative things farmers are doing with greenhouses, storage and meat production. In the summer months, we go the market in Evanston every Saturday and I'm constantly dazzled by the colors, and the care sellers put into displaying their wares. Today's best buy: Michigan cherries and sweet corn! Oh, and just to give a shout-out to Evanston:  Not only are they licensed to accept SNAP benefits (Supplemental Nutrition Assistance Program), but they have somehow raised the money to match the benefits dollar for dollar. So people receiving "food stamps" and trying to stretch that money can, in many cases, pay less for local produce at the market than they would for the stuff we can get at a grocery store. 

"Mielie" is, officially, the Afrikaans word for corn/maize.  But it's also the word all South Africans use for corn (and its by-products), no matter what language they happen to speak. Now, "Mielie" is a small business after my own heart. Employing over 50 artists the mission is "to design and produce innovative, export-quality hand-crafted products using reclaimed materials - with the aim of creating employment and restoring dignity and financial independence to South Africans".  The Mielie Peeps work out of their homes, sell across the planet, share a community garden and create the most amazing things using strips of t-shirt fabric!!

The items pictured here are the tip of the Mielie-berg.  I cannot begin to capture the variety and creativity of these folks.  Wanna learn to weave like a Mielie Peep?  Follow the links to the two free tutorials... after the jump.

I think the smell of fresh sawdust is wonderful! ... (she ducks to avoid the virtual thwack).  But really ...  isn't it?  On the other hand, working with wood is intimidating, and N-O-T, not manicure-friendly.  I understand now that I was lucky to grow up surrounded by "woodshops" and wood "benches" - even at school!  My pre-school had a wood table - we used actual hammers and nails (can you imagine?!).  And I got to spend my 6th grade year working with wood as part of my actual curriculum.  We made clocks, tables ... even music stands.  (Also saw my very old, wiry-haired teacher/school principle electrocute himself one day in the workshop - not a sight you forget!)

For all that, I've done little more than sand and refinish in recent years.  Even though I know there are Park District woodshops across Chicago.  My excuses: well ... I live in an apartment ... I don't have a circular saw handy ... I have very little work space ... etc!  But there are things you can make indoors on a rainy/snowy day.  And if you smile nicely in the hardware store, those lovely people will happily cut pieces to exact size for you.  And the wonderful sawdust fragrance is free. 

Here's some inspiration to get you going: