Jack Frost is an unwelcome house guest.

Brrrr.  My house is cold!

Heh, first winter in the new house and I'm reminded again that older California houses don't have the best insulation by a long shot.  The house was built in 1980 so it's not really OLD old, but not as well protected from the winter chill as something built in 2005 would be; the single pane windows have a lot to do with it.  I'm kind of used to it since the house I grew up in was exactly like that until the folks replaced everything with double pane windows; but since I'm probably many years from having the money to do that I needed to find a way to help seal out the cold at least a little bit.  (And after the first heating bill, it was a top priority.) 

Those blackout/insulating curtains are supposed to be helpful for this kind of thing, but they're pretty expensive.  I got them for my tenants' room but I didn't feel like spending a few hundred bucks doing it for the rest of the house.  (Especially because it took a lot longer after the tenant's room to get curtains for my OWN room.)  I've seen something like saran wrap taped over a window to seal it, but that wasn't quite the look I was going for either.  I was looking for something thick, something insulative - and relatively inexpensive.

My solution - fleece blankets!!   A couple of searches later on the almighty Google on similar themes had entries on things like "window quilts", especially for very old homes in non-urban areas that really ARE not insulated, and this isn't a new idea at all.  Kind of like those tapestries in medieval times to warm up stone walls!  I was all set to run out and buy fleece until I saw the suggestion to try using fleece blankets from discount stores.  BRILLIANT.  It was the beginning of cold season so all the store were bringing out their sale blankets.  That night I ran over to the local discount store and bought cheap tension rods and blankets.

My existing curtains are made for just screening out a little summer light and are 4" away from the actual window.  I put the fleece as close as I could to the actual window and it actually helps!  It's not as though my house was magically toasty warm, but there is a noticeable difference when you put your hand on one side of the blanket verses the other.  At least now I don't feel any benefit from the having the heat on leaks out 5 seconds later through the window.  Maybe 10 minutes! ha. Every little bit counts.

The Depths of Frugalness

fashion disaster Doris - 11-16/11

Let's face it; Asians have a reputation for being cheap.  This is a raging stereotype, but on the whole it is pretty true for the first generation folks who came here dirt poor and worked their asses off to the middle class; and it affects a lot of second generation-ers like myself who are the children of the previously mentioned group.  (The cheapness doesn't apply to the other group of name-brand chasing Asians; or anyway, less obviously.  There isn't an Asian out there alive who can pass up a good bargain.)

Earlier this week a friend sent me a 50% off coupon for Banana Republic, good only for one day.  Of course I did my duty and passed it on to other friends and then scoped out the website to see what I might want.  I didn't end up getting anything from Banana that day, but I sure got infected with the need to buy more classy clothes for work in a really bad way.  It probably didn't help that I was dressed in fashion-disaster style and having a bad hair day to boot.  So I was on a serious mission to get a whole new wardrobe, like now.  And because I'm cheap, I started searching through Target and Ross in a serious way.

While I was there I saw this adorable wool jacket and it looks like the perfect classy jacket to go over some work dresses and skirts I picked up.  I tried it on and I'm between sizes; I needed the medium to fit my shoulders, but a small around the waist area.  Regretfully  I put it back on the rack because I'm trying to be good and not waste my money on ill fitting clothes and uncomfortable shoes; until I noticed that the jacket was on CLEARANCE.  That little tag changed everything because my frugal Asian genes kicked in; it's such a good deal!  How can you not?  My ancestors would be ashamed if I didn't take advantage of such good luck!

A little sewing machine is a dangerous thing.

Ungh.  Sometimes I think I have maybe more time on my hands than is quite good, or anyway, at this point in my life I spend more effort in the name of less money.  So I got that jacket, took it home, and took it apart to try to do some tailoring myself.  It didn't seem like it was going to be a very hard thing; I mean, I've sort of sewn a few things together, right?  I only needed to alter the jacket slightly to look less boxy on me, but still be big enough to fit  some heavier winter clothes underneath. 

In the end, I was reasonably pleased because it's always helpful for me to see how clothes are constructed and by ripping apart the lining I got a better view on how a jacket is made.  Sadly I wasn't able to make my stitching invisible and I did kind of rip a tiny hole I had to sew up (making the jacket go instantly from classy to ghetto; but not THAT noticeable....I think.)

not box shaped anymore!

Yup, so I discovered I've got quite a capacity for being cheap, although it'll be a ways to go before I can really tailor my own clothes super well.  Shortening some pants and the hack job on this jacket is my limit so far, and still working on making it less obvious that I have done so; but I have noticed that good tailoring will take a so-so article of clothing and make it great.   Anyway I had fun doing this and it's a warm jacket so I'm good with it.  AND CHEAP, mwahahaha.