accumulation_stasis
@tcleescrib.bsky.social
Educator, mom, crafter, walker traveler, writer… posting here about a 2025 experiment in buying no non-consumable items for a year. Let’s see how it goes.
So taken with what folks can make out of trash. Watts Towers: found rebar, cement, bottles, broken pottery, and other found materials. Built by a tiny man who could not read, write, or do math and somehow just knew how to build beautiful structures that would endure for over 100 years.
May 19, 2025 at 6:26 PM
So taken with what folks can make out of trash. Watts Towers: found rebar, cement, bottles, broken pottery, and other found materials. Built by a tiny man who could not read, write, or do math and somehow just knew how to build beautiful structures that would endure for over 100 years.
For reasons beyond my control, I’m swimming in monitors (both at home and at work). They function, so I’m not ready to go full art installation with them. But these two displays (Bombay Beach/East Jesus) inspired me to get creative (starting to imagine an animation cave at our school’s art walk….).
April 22, 2025 at 3:05 PM
For reasons beyond my control, I’m swimming in monitors (both at home and at work). They function, so I’m not ready to go full art installation with them. But these two displays (Bombay Beach/East Jesus) inspired me to get creative (starting to imagine an animation cave at our school’s art walk….).
East Jesus and Bombay Beach are true inspirations in re-using, upcycling, and using what we have. Beautiful toilets? Appliances? Rusty cans? I am not an artist by any means, but am inspired to get full use out of everything I consume.
April 21, 2025 at 3:22 PM
East Jesus and Bombay Beach are true inspirations in re-using, upcycling, and using what we have. Beautiful toilets? Appliances? Rusty cans? I am not an artist by any means, but am inspired to get full use out of everything I consume.
When winds derailed my hike, I visited the amazing Cabot’s Museum in Desert Hot Springs. He recycled a lot of building material (telephone pole rafters!). This quote really got me: “It was common practice to bathe the face in a teacup of water, then add soap to wash hands; after this the water…
April 19, 2025 at 2:06 AM
When winds derailed my hike, I visited the amazing Cabot’s Museum in Desert Hot Springs. He recycled a lot of building material (telephone pole rafters!). This quote really got me: “It was common practice to bathe the face in a teacup of water, then add soap to wash hands; after this the water…
As I exist on this “no buying” journey, I realize it relies on saving (as I dig out plastic eggs that I’ve reused for a decade). But I worry, does my “saving” border on hoarding? A trip to Bombay Beach to see the sustainable art inspired me to keep on. (Credit to @chromeseanart for the fab art).
April 19, 2025 at 1:33 AM
As I exist on this “no buying” journey, I realize it relies on saving (as I dig out plastic eggs that I’ve reused for a decade). But I worry, does my “saving” border on hoarding? A trip to Bombay Beach to see the sustainable art inspired me to keep on. (Credit to @chromeseanart for the fab art).
I finished the pouch! Denim from an old a pair of jeans worn through the crotch. Floss left over from friendship bracelet shenanigans and a zipper and liner fabric (a decade old at least) from my stash. Proud: I think it’s a proper (though not perfect) 50th b-day gift, with no parts purchased.
March 26, 2025 at 5:22 PM
I finished the pouch! Denim from an old a pair of jeans worn through the crotch. Floss left over from friendship bracelet shenanigans and a zipper and liner fabric (a decade old at least) from my stash. Proud: I think it’s a proper (though not perfect) 50th b-day gift, with no parts purchased.
Thrifted XXL suit vest “tailored” to cocktail attire for me for a nonprofit gala tonight! Seams aren’t gorgeous on the inside, but I’m not showing anyone! $6. No dress. No Spanx. Paired with drawstring, flowy pants I’ve had for over a decade (best purchase ever!) Tentative win.
March 23, 2025 at 5:27 PM
Thrifted XXL suit vest “tailored” to cocktail attire for me for a nonprofit gala tonight! Seams aren’t gorgeous on the inside, but I’m not showing anyone! $6. No dress. No Spanx. Paired with drawstring, flowy pants I’ve had for over a decade (best purchase ever!) Tentative win.
Proof that, when you’re two, the hand-me-down legos pour out of the bin just as satisfyingly as the brand new ones! (Maybe even better — no sticky boxes hampering the joy). Big brother is on the other side of the couch spinning tales with the halfway built Harry Potter castle. Hand-me-down success.
March 18, 2025 at 6:23 PM
Proof that, when you’re two, the hand-me-down legos pour out of the bin just as satisfyingly as the brand new ones! (Maybe even better — no sticky boxes hampering the joy). Big brother is on the other side of the couch spinning tales with the halfway built Harry Potter castle. Hand-me-down success.
Found a reason for holding onto those old salsa and sauce jars: dropping off flowers for friends feeling under the weather. Lots of scrubbing to get the labels off but I think they look nice!
February 28, 2025 at 8:33 PM
Found a reason for holding onto those old salsa and sauce jars: dropping off flowers for friends feeling under the weather. Lots of scrubbing to get the labels off but I think they look nice!
Avocado distribution continues! But I’ve run out of the paper sacks I give to teachers, so they don’t have to juggle fruit back to their classrooms. Almost ran to the store, but out of sheer laziness, rummaged around where I stash paper bags. Voila. So many bags to reuse. No purchases necessary!
February 21, 2025 at 6:07 PM
Avocado distribution continues! But I’ve run out of the paper sacks I give to teachers, so they don’t have to juggle fruit back to their classrooms. Almost ran to the store, but out of sheer laziness, rummaged around where I stash paper bags. Voila. So many bags to reuse. No purchases necessary!
We love Tortillaland raw tortillas, but they’re gone from the store shelves. So, I made my own. You’re supposed to stack them, so the steam keeps them soft. So, of course, now I want a tortilla warmer. Putting it on my thrift store list. A month ago, I’d have already ordered from Amazon. Progress!
February 17, 2025 at 6:06 AM
We love Tortillaland raw tortillas, but they’re gone from the store shelves. So, I made my own. You’re supposed to stack them, so the steam keeps them soft. So, of course, now I want a tortilla warmer. Putting it on my thrift store list. A month ago, I’d have already ordered from Amazon. Progress!
Project cast iron wok is done. Or done enough. I don’t think every iota of rust is gone, but the orange cast is, so after hours of steel wool scrubbing, I’m calling it. Tonight I season (oil and bake for an hour). Tomorrow, the first batch of fried rice!
February 13, 2025 at 5:36 PM
Project cast iron wok is done. Or done enough. I don’t think every iota of rust is gone, but the orange cast is, so after hours of steel wool scrubbing, I’m calling it. Tonight I season (oil and bake for an hour). Tomorrow, the first batch of fried rice!
Sadness. The last things I bought in ‘24 were string lights. Shortly after the party, I noticed some were out. I should have pulled them down then. More strings dangling today; 5/6 strings chewed through! So bummed. Lesson: don’t just be thoughtful about WHAT you buy, take care of what you have.
February 10, 2025 at 5:50 PM
Sadness. The last things I bought in ‘24 were string lights. Shortly after the party, I noticed some were out. I should have pulled them down then. More strings dangling today; 5/6 strings chewed through! So bummed. Lesson: don’t just be thoughtful about WHAT you buy, take care of what you have.
Explored a cool store today: RE-grocery. I keep getting ads for Ridwell, but don’t want to add another service. I want to buy less plastic! So, RE-grocery: I bring my containers, tare them, and fill. Came home with shampoo, baking soda, cleaning spray. No plastic but what I went in with.
February 9, 2025 at 8:39 PM
Explored a cool store today: RE-grocery. I keep getting ads for Ridwell, but don’t want to add another service. I want to buy less plastic! So, RE-grocery: I bring my containers, tare them, and fill. Came home with shampoo, baking soda, cleaning spray. No plastic but what I went in with.
After some trial and error and some seasoning, I actually love how easy it is to clean (water, a quick scrub, dry it on the stove) and when I heat it up properly, my eggs actually do slide right out (pic below is just post egg removal!) 4/5
February 6, 2025 at 8:29 PM
After some trial and error and some seasoning, I actually love how easy it is to clean (water, a quick scrub, dry it on the stove) and when I heat it up properly, my eggs actually do slide right out (pic below is just post egg removal!) 4/5
New project in making the old new: I’m rehabbing our old cast iron wok. We got it when we got married 15 years ago, but we had no idea what we were doing and it got rusty and gross and I stashed it in the garage. But over the past few years I’ve become a cast iron convert. 1/5
February 6, 2025 at 8:29 PM
New project in making the old new: I’m rehabbing our old cast iron wok. We got it when we got married 15 years ago, but we had no idea what we were doing and it got rusty and gross and I stashed it in the garage. But over the past few years I’ve become a cast iron convert. 1/5
Amazon keeps sending me notifications to buy things! I do love shipping notifications so I can get packages off the porch before they get swiped, but can I stop sale notifications?
Turns out: Yes! You can turn off notifications of sales and new releases and still get shipping notifications. Win!
Turns out: Yes! You can turn off notifications of sales and new releases and still get shipping notifications. Win!
February 5, 2025 at 5:38 PM
Amazon keeps sending me notifications to buy things! I do love shipping notifications so I can get packages off the porch before they get swiped, but can I stop sale notifications?
Turns out: Yes! You can turn off notifications of sales and new releases and still get shipping notifications. Win!
Turns out: Yes! You can turn off notifications of sales and new releases and still get shipping notifications. Win!
This experiment is making me think, not just about what I buy, but if I’m being a good steward of resources. I have an amazing avocado tree but it’s so much work to pick the fruit, the squirrels get most of it. Today, I got on the ladder and delivered avocados to over a dozen friends/neighbors. 🥑❤️
February 3, 2025 at 3:00 AM
This experiment is making me think, not just about what I buy, but if I’m being a good steward of resources. I have an amazing avocado tree but it’s so much work to pick the fruit, the squirrels get most of it. Today, I got on the ladder and delivered avocados to over a dozen friends/neighbors. 🥑❤️
Coffee mug found! I was definitely punked by some 5th graders. There’s no way I set it down between two tables on the far side of the room. But there it is. And now I have two Contigo mugs. And the recovered one is actually the 24 oz. size I prefer. I’m actually really happy about this process.
January 30, 2025 at 4:42 PM
Coffee mug found! I was definitely punked by some 5th graders. There’s no way I set it down between two tables on the far side of the room. But there it is. And now I have two Contigo mugs. And the recovered one is actually the 24 oz. size I prefer. I’m actually really happy about this process.
Happy Chinese New Year! Today, I bring Chinese food and hongbao (red envelopes with cash inside) for my students. Growing up, on the Chinese side of my family, we mostly gave hongbao, not gifts. As a kid, I thought it was impersonal and not very fun. Now, I see that cash as awfully efficient.
January 28, 2025 at 6:26 PM
Happy Chinese New Year! Today, I bring Chinese food and hongbao (red envelopes with cash inside) for my students. Growing up, on the Chinese side of my family, we mostly gave hongbao, not gifts. As a kid, I thought it was impersonal and not very fun. Now, I see that cash as awfully efficient.
Seriously Old Navy? Guilt? I have so many friends I owe a text or a call or a letter and you’re going to tap into that to make me shop? This may seem so obvious, but I guess I’ve never thought that much about how much we’re pushed to consume. #buynothing #buylittle
January 25, 2025 at 5:17 PM
Seriously Old Navy? Guilt? I have so many friends I owe a text or a call or a letter and you’re going to tap into that to make me shop? This may seem so obvious, but I guess I’ve never thought that much about how much we’re pushed to consume. #buynothing #buylittle
I’m stitching my underwear! I love these Hanes boy shorts, but the bands are just not sewed on securely. My stitches awful and this feels a little extreme. But the truth is, it’s so darn hard to find this particular style of underwear, it’s worth it. #buynothing #repair
January 24, 2025 at 8:14 PM
I’m stitching my underwear! I love these Hanes boy shorts, but the bands are just not sewed on securely. My stitches awful and this feels a little extreme. But the truth is, it’s so darn hard to find this particular style of underwear, it’s worth it. #buynothing #repair
