The DIY Dremel Guide

The Dremel tool is one of my favorite goodies in my tool bag. Using different bits and attachments, you can do a million different crafts. The first step in using a Dremel is picking the ideal bit for your project. I like to think of it as a mix-and-match game. Ask yourself these two questions:

1. What task to I want to do? (like cutting, sanding, or engraving)
2. What material am I going to use? (like wood, glass, or metal)

Find the attachment that works with both of your answers to the questions above and you’re ready to get started. I always like to experiment a bit before I dive into the craft at hand. It helps ease your nerves, find your groove, and gain confidence. As you practice, play around with the speed settings and various bits to see what happens.

Once you’ve gotten the hang of it, find a simple do it yourself piece to put your skills to the test. Engraving a piece of wood is a fun place to start. Give this Valentine’s Day DIY a try.

 What I’m wearing: Carhartt Women’s Dodson Shirt, Ravenden Sweater, & 1889 Slim Double-Front Dungaree.

Meegan Czop of Rebuilding Exchage

I think there are a lot of women (myself included) who often feel as though they are without a voice; be it in the workplace, the construction site, on the range, in social media, or during everyday life. It can be infuriatingly overwhelming to stand against the dialogue that already dictates those venues and arenas: the ideas that men are better leaders, women can’t perform as well in tough, blue-collar jobs, or even that women are better suited to clerical tasks rather than being out on the field.

Women, let’s stick together and raise our voices simultaneously to create a new discussion. We are capable. We are strong. We can swing a hammer or wield a crowbar. We can be contractors and painters and cattle ranchers and mechanics and engineers. We can do whatever job we want. We can lead, and we can do it well. WE CAN.

That brings me to Meegan Czop and the folks at Rebuilding Exchange. Many women there fill roles that are typically considered a man’s job. Meegan spends time on the ground scavenging through demolition sites for materials that can be resold through the non-profit to the public for re-use. It’s a tough job and she’s often the only woman to step foot in the work zone.

I tagged along on a trip she made to a Chicago warehouse that was ruined by fire a few months ago. With a jump in her step, she explores areas that would make most people nervous. A job that requires an adventurous spirit requires a special person. Meegan is changing the dialogue of what women are capable of with the elbow grease she puts into every day, the hard work she does to preserve and better the community, and the way she defies stereotypes with confidence and competence.

Meegan is wearing: Carhartt Women’s Force Performance Verdon Polo & Series 1889 Slim-Fit Double Front Denim Dungaree

Tiny House Builder, Katy Anderson

Many of us have formed an attachment to the idea of home. The American Dream is often linked with those ideals and hopes that have been programmed into our brains since childhood. However, giant houses covered with freshly painted shutters and a white picket fence may no longer be the dream of the masses. It’s cliché enough in its descriptive form to turn us off just by mentioning it.
There is a movement of tiny house dwellers sweeping the nation. People who are driven by the notion that more material gain isn’t the bearer of happiness. As Henry David Thoreau would say, it’s the desire to “live deliberately.”
Meet Katy Anderson, a very talented Portland woodworker. She’s in the process of building a tiny home for author, Dee Williams. You may have heard of Dee’s book, The Big Tiny, which documents her adventure of living in an 84 sq. foot home on wheels.
Katy says the sense of fulfillment that comes from building a tiny house is tremendously gratifying. Given its scale, one can afford to spend more time and give greater attention to detail. Higher quality materials can also be used because less is needed. Instead of the desire for more, more, more, it comes down to what you really need and what you really want in your home and everyday life.

“I thought I’d find something in all of this, and I got more than I bargained for. I discovered a new way of looking at the sky, the winter rain, the neighbors, and myself; and a different way of spending my time. Most important, I stumbled into a new sort of “happiness,” one that didn’t hinge on always getting what I want but rather, on wanting what I have. It’s the kind of happiness that isn’t tied so tightly to being comfortable (or having money and property), but instead is linked to a deeper sense of satisfaction—to a sense of humility and gratitude, and a better understanding of who I am in my heart.
I know this sounds cheesy, and in fact, it sounds fairly similar to the gobbledygook that friends have thrown at me just after having their first baby. But the facts are the facts: I found a certain bigness in my little house—a sense of largeness, freedom, and happiness that comes when you see there’s no place else you’d rather be.” -Dee Williams
Katy’s work wear: Carhartt Women’s Force Performance T-Shirt, Clarksburg Quarter-Zip Sweatshirt, Women’s Series 1889 Slim Double-Front Denim Dungaree, & Carhartt Women’s Dearborn Belt

Safety Tips in the Wood Shop

 

Let’s talk safety in the wood shop. Here are a few tips to follow while you’re working:
1. Wear the appropriate workwear. No loose or dangling clothing or jewelry.
2. Always use sharp blades and tips. Dull blades can be very dangerous.
3. When changing out blades, make sure to disconnect power source beforehand.
4. Check for nails, screws, and other metal pieces in wood before you work with it.
5. Never reach over the blades. Use a push stick to move cut off wood.
6. Always be patient and careful. When you rush, you’re more likely to make mistakes.
7. Keep the shop clean. This helps the work flow and prevents accidents.
Take a look at Rachel’s outfit. It’s easy to move around in, sturdy, and safe to wear to work. 
El Paso Utility Vest, Short-Sleeve Signature T-Shirt, Relaxed-Fit Canvas Kane Dungaree, & Billings Safety Glasses.

The Family That Fixes Cars Together

There has been a lot of talk lately concerning the typical gender codes for children’s toys. Boys usually play with water guns and model cars. Girls commonly play with dolls and tea sets. When kids deviate from the gender driven stereotypes, it can cause a bit of a stir. It’s about time we learn to let kids do what they love. Don’t stifle passions and interests. They can lead to great things.
For Diane Fallstone, that mentality rings true. She grew up tagging along with her brother: building forts, climbing trees, and playing with Hot Wheels. As time passed, her interests continued along the automotive path. She became the owner of her own mobile restoration company in the San Francisco area. Diane learned that in the automotive world, women have to work harder to prove they have what it takes. In the long run, that extra effort makes you more adept and skilled at your craft.
Now Diane and her family live in Portland. Her whole family is in love with the business and lends a hand. Her daughters Madi and Brooklyn are following in their mother’s footsteps. Working together draws them closer as a family and allows knowledge to pass down from one generation to the next. It’s encouraging to see the nurturing side of the mother-daughter relationship break down stereotypes.
Let those power tools roar!

Check out these featured looks:
Diane’s outfit: Carhartt Women’s El Paso Utility Vest, Clarksburg Zip-Front Sweatshirt, Kenmare Henley, & Women’s Series 1889 Slim Double-Front Denim Dungaree. Madi’s Outfit: Carhartt Women’s Tucker Jean Jacket, Clarksburg Zip-Front Sweatshirt, Calumet V-Neck Shirt, & Relaxed-Fit Weathered Duck Straughn Pant. Brooklyn’s Outfit: Carhartt Women’s Force Equator Jacket, Minto Shirt, Denim Bib Overall, & Osmore Conductor Hat.

Carissa and Claire of Franconia Sculpture Park

Franconia Sculpture Park in Minnesota is 25 acres of large scale installations and machinery. I visited last week and it was like a winter wonderland of creativity and fun. Carissa and Claire live and work at this unique community arts organization. Each year, new artists apply to Franconia for fellowships. Artists work, create, eat, and live together. It’s not often that you can find an open and innovative environment that provides work, residence, and exhibition space to emerging and established artists. The girls showed me around their workspaces and the scenic art that covers the land. The pink forklift, affectionately referred  to as mother, helps get the job done. Who said forklifts are a man’s tool?!

Check out the girls’ outfits: Carhartt Women’s Sandstone Berkley Jacket, Women’s Hamilton Flannel Shirt II, Women’s Series 1889 Slim Double Front Dungaree, & Quincy Hat / IFD Women’s Detroit Jacket, Women’s Clermont Sweater, Annapolis Long-Sleeve Shirt, Carhartt Pants, & Maysville Hat

I’ve Got Turbo Blue in My Veins

Remember Adrienne from a few posts back?
We wanted to share a bit more of her story. 

Q: What is your first memory of your fascination with automobiles?

A: Both my parents work in automotive industry. There was always car stuff and art work around the house that my mother or father had done. My dad always had cool cars. I was always so excited when he brought home cars when I was growing up. I remember being three or four years old and he came home with this 4^th generation Corvette manual with a stick. I would help him wash it and work on it. One day, I was sitting in the drivers seat of the car and I pulled on the gear shift and it started rolling. My Dad yelled at me as he jumped in the car and pulled on the hand brake. That’s when I first fell in love with cars. That was the beginning of my obsession of cars.

Q:  What car did you learn to drive on and what was the first car you owned?

I first learned to drive my mom’s minivan when I was 10 years old and she let me back it out of the garage. When my dad said I could officially start learning to drive, it was music to my ears. My dad had a 50^th anniversary Corvette and that was the first car he took me out in. That was a pretty cool car to first learn how to drive. We would go to the parking lot at a school by my house. I was pretty picky when it came to picking out my first car, which was a 1999 Camaro SS.

Q:  Why did you start working in a body shop?

A: I started working in the shop with another women who was building a funky transformer car. We were the only two women in the shop and when that gig ended I asked the owners if I could stay on and apprentice with the guys in the shop. They said yes!

Q:  Why are so many women in drag racing? Why are you building a drag racing car?

A: The sport of drag racing is more receptive to women than other forms of car racing. They look at you as a racer first, a man or woman second. I spent a lot of time drag racing in college. That’s what my friends and I were doing. So naturally that’s why I wanted to build my own car. And my racing friends are all guys. I only have one girlfriend. I don’t hang out with girls too much.

Q: Can you describe what makes this car so special?

A: What I like about the first generation Monte Carlo is that it’s a muscle car but it’s got an underdog quality. It’s an unconventional hotrod. My plan for it is comes partly from inspiration from drag cars and partly from the inspiration of mid-century stock cars. I’m building a completely custom dashboard with gauges.

Q: Tell us about your day job?

A: I work in promotion in the motorsports industry. I travel around the country to all kinds of car racing events including NASCAR, American Lemans Series (ALMS), dirt track, and Indy Car races. I manage mobile event tours and also relationships with race teams and tracks. I love it! I get to spend my weekends at a racetrack. I’m in heaven. The hardest part about my job is not being in a car or a pit crew. I want to work on cars and drive them, but that’s not my job. But I get to be an advocate for the sport, which is rewarding.

Q:  Do you think you’ll make the switch to the other side of the track, ie. to driving?

A: My parents didn’t put me in a go cart when I was four, so I’ve accepted the fact that I’m not going to race cars for a living. My passion is still around my work, so I’m grateful.

Q: How is it to be a woman in the field of auto sports? How do the guys treat you?

A: In my day job, I don’t volunteer information about my own mechanical skills and knowledge of cars. I just don’t boast about it. But people who know cars can pick it up. It’s not like it used to be. Racing is still male dominated, but there are lots of women who work in motorsports, and people don’t seem to judge whether you’re male or female. You just have to do a good job exceptionally well.

Outside of work, to be honest, my favorite part of driving my cars would be when I would pull up at cruise night and step out with my designer clothes, and no one expected a women to walk out of that car, never mind own it. They always thought it must be my boyfriend’s car. I don’t have a boyfriend. Generally guys thinks it’s cool that I work on cars, but they are also intimated by it. I’m an intense person. My dad says I have to put a radius on it, my intense personality that is.

Q: What does the future look like for you?

A: To stop procrastinating and go to graduate school and get my MBA.

See what Adrienne is wearing here: Original-Fit Canvas Crawford Dungaree, Clarksburg Zip-Front Sweatshirt, Clarkston Cami, Logo Loop Belt, & Billings Safety Glasses with Anti Fog Lenses. 

Kiersten and Suandra of Habitat for Humanity

Meet Kiersten and Suandra. Both girls work for Habitat for Humanity in Washington DC. This is no job for the weak or those with a fear of heights. From scaling scaffolding and roofs to wielding saws and sledgehammers, these girls have it covered. It’s encouraging to see such skill and confidence being given back to the community. See how you can lend a helping hand here.

check out what the girls are wearing: Double Front Sandstone Pants, Signature Tee, Norfolk Tank, Force Performance Shirt, Annapolis Shirt, Fargo Jacket, & Rockford Windbreaker

Brooke Weston’s Unconventional Art

Small worlds and fairy tales, vibrant colors and amusement parks. That’s what drives Brooke Weston’s mixed media creations. Brooke works out of her home in Portland making the most unique dioramas I’ve ever laid eyes on. What glorious combinations of dream lands and taxidermy! Check out a few of her other pieces HERE.

shop Brooke’s look: Huron Shirt, Clarkston Cami, Straight-Fit Slim Straight Jean, and Duck Nail Apron.

Ginger of Grove in Portland

Shattered cell phones– the sound of those words are like nails on a chalkboard. We all have smart phones these days, and we all want to keep them safe. You have to check out Grove, a Portland company that specializes in handmade iphone cases. From start to finish, these beautiful bamboo cell covers are constructed in-house. Ginger, pictured above, works on the assembly line. Power tools are a part of her every day routine. Get it girl! She puts her Carhartt to good use, covered in saw dust– just the way it should be.

Shop Ginger’s look here: Dover Hooded Track Jacket, Straight Fit Jean, C-grip Pro Palm Glove, Carhartt Acrylic Watch Hat