“I would travel only by horse, if I had the choice.” -Linda McCartney
Tag: quotes
The Way of Progress
Marie Curie is one of the most inspiring women in history. Not only was she the first woman to win a Nobel Prize, she was the first person to win two. She lived a passionate life of discovery and hard work, leading the way in the the field of radioactivity, forever leaving a mark on humanity for the better.
It’s all about the hard work. That’s how we better ourselves, our skills, and the world.
“I was taught that the way of progress was neither swift nor easy.” -Marie Curie
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:
- What task to I want to do? (like cutting, sanding, or engraving)
- 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.
In Nature, Nothing is Perfect and Everything is Perfect.
We’re all hunting for beauty: be it in nature, our travels, through work, or play. Rugged appeal in rolling hills and twisted branches steal our breath and remind us of the call to adventure.
“In nature, nothing is perfect and everything is perfect. Trees can be contorted, bent in weird ways, and they’re still beautiful.”
-Alice Walker
Where do you find your inspiration? Take a look at more inspirational quotes from wise women who’ve paved the way before us.
Forget the Desk Job– I Make a Mean Chocolate Croissant
It’s fair to say that most people would prefer an early morning routine of rolling out fresh chocolate croissants to a 9 to 5 desk job. But how do you get there? How do pin down your dreams fast enough to make a career out of them?
After realizing she wasn’t cut out for the daily grind of cubicle life, Sandra Holl decided to buckle down and follow her heart by attending culinary school. At that time, she knew she wanted to be her own boss and make the food she wanted to make. Seeing the opportunities at Chicago’s Green City Market, Sandra decided that opening her own booth would be a low-risk way of starting a business. There she and her husband, Mathieu, used it as a venue to test out their rustic, French pastries and built a name for themselves. Eventually, a brick and mortar space was next step. In 2010, Floriole Café and Bakery’s doors opened in Chicago’s quaint Lincoln Park neighborhood.
When I asked Sandra what the most rewarding part of her job was, she replied,
“I love that I have a family business. I work with my husband and can bring my daughter to work with me. She sees how hard I work and is so proud of her mama. She often tells customers, “This is my mom’s bakery.””
There is no greater feeling than to bring creativity and light to the world through the smile a chocolate hazelnut cookie can yield, while inspiring your own daughter and nudging her along to the discovery that she too can do the same with a little elbow grease and determination.
Here are a few tips from Sandra for anyone striving towards a similar path:
1. Find a chef you admire and work with her or him. Absorb as much of their knowledge as you can, then move on and learn more.
2. Perfect the basics before you get creative. No one really wants a wasabi curry cupcake but everyone wants a perfect slice of peach pie.
3. Everything breaks. Learn how to fix things yourself.
4. Know that you will work seven days a week. Even when you are off, you will run errands for the business, answer calls and emails and when the security alarm goes off in the middle of the night, you will go make sure that it was only a false alarm.
Sandra is wearing: Carhartt Women’s Minot Shirt, 1889 Slim Double-Front Denim Dungaree, & Rapid City Utility Work Apron.
Further Debunking the Myths About Where Women Belong in the Work Force
This week Crafted in Carhartt is giving a shout out to the inspiring Krista Burleson. She’s a welder and a construction worker. Talk about girl power! Krista has some words of wisdom to share with any women with aspirations similar to her own:
“All the things I’ve ever been interested in, nobody around me understood (hunting, welding, climbing, MMA), and they never have to since that is who I am. I’ve managed to accomplish all I’ve set my mind to (all of which in male dominated fields) by working harder than everyone else around me and earning the respect of everyone around me. I’ve managed to keep my femininity and morals while having respect from fellow co workers and team mates. Carhartt has always been there to help my performance excel in every aspect of my life. For that I thank you Carhartt!”
take a look at Krista’s work gear: Sandstone Sierra Jacket, Original-Fit Canvas Crawford Dungaree, & Wellington Boot
If you’re a Carhartt lover and you have a photo you’d like to share on the blog,
email craftedincarhartt@carhartt.com and you could see your photo here.
Under Construction
The path of your career, your craft, and even your hobbies can be long and hard.
Don’t forget, there isn’t a set path for everyone. Find your own way.
If you make a mistake, don’t give up. Keep up the hard work.
“The road to success is always under construction.” -Lily Tomlin
The Fountain of Youth
You can spend a lifetime chasing your dreams and building your skills. Each passing year brings knowledge and a greater familiarity with your craft. Your hands learn the motions. Your feet know each peddle and step. Mixtures and solutions are written over and over in your mind so many times that you’ll never forget them. Each day you create new thoughts and ideas to make your work better or different. That accumulation is one of the most beautiful parts of life. Each time you put on your Carhartts, still covered in yesterday’s work, you’ve grown stronger, smarter, and more capable. The seasoning of each passing year, with all the mistakes and successes you’ve seen, can only add to who you are. Always wear your dirty work vest with pride.
“There is a fountain of youth: it is your mind, your talents, the creativity you bring to your life and the lives of people you love. When you learn to tap this source, you will truly have defeated age.” -Sophia Loren
DIY: WIRE WORDS
Valentine’s Day can be a very divisive topic. You love it or you hate it. It does feel like a very commercial holiday that pointlessly makes us buy tons of things covered in little pink and red hearts and end the night with a self-indulgent candy binge. I’ve never been a fan of store bought cards or heart-shaped chocolate boxes. But boy do I love a good old fashioned handcrafted sentiment. That’s why these wire words are the perfect craft for this time of year. Give them as a gift or simply use them in your own home as decoration. This year, make something from the heart to remind those you hold dear how much they mean to you. Go ahead, state the obvious.
“The most important things to say are those which often I did not think necessary for me to say- because they were too obvious.” -Andre Gide
take a look at my crafting outfit: Script Logo Tee, 1889 Double Front Dungaree, & Sandstone Berkley Jacket
DIY: Embroidery
The perfect pair of blue jeans are hard to find. Well, Carhartt’s all women design team came up with a few new styles that are sure to fit your needs. Check out the Jasper Jean, pictured above. They have just the right amount of stretch from the Work-Flex® Technology that lets you move around while you work. The mid-rise cut and contoured waistband prevent gapping so no matter what your job calls for, we’ve got you covered.
It’s time to clean out the old jeans in your closet so you can stock up on Carhartt’s new denim options for working women. I cleaned out my closet this past weekend and decided to say goodbye to a few outdated pants. With some creativity and a little elbow grease, you can turn what was once considered trash into art.
Getting in the spirit of the season, I stitched a quote that nods to the mindset of Thanksgiving.
“I have decided to be happy because it is good for my health.” -Voltaire
Viewing life with a more thankful attitude can make all the difference. The more grateful you are, the more you can spread the sentiment around to others. Try your hand at stitching for your next DIY project. You can either follow the template provided above, or you can test out some of the other stitching examples shown in the chart. Go on! Have fun with it!
check out this great working gal’s outfit: Women’s Annapolis Long-Sleeve T-Shirt, Weathered Wildwood Jacket, & Carhartt Women’s Jasper Jean
Crafted in Carhartt 