Showing posts with label USA. Show all posts
Showing posts with label USA. Show all posts

Shoe Diaries


The first day after
taking the pledge
was fraught with potential
shopping land mines.


My daughter's
homecoming dance this
year had a hoe-down theme.
We thought a western style 
Frye boot-look would be
a great compliment to her
jeans and little plaid shirt.


Our inspiration
Country Living
Normally we'd hit Target
or Famous Footwear, but
had a good idea that her
choices would be knock-offs
made in China.  So, we
went to Designer Shoe Warehouse, 
aka DSW, instead.



Astonishingly enough, 
most of the shoes there were 
also made in China....even iconic
American brands such
as Ralph Lauren.  Box
after box....made in China.

Dreaming of American-made shoes!

I'd be lying if I didn't tell
you that my stomach was
in knots and I almost felt
queasy.  Would I break
the pledge or would my
daughter just have to go
to the dance in sneakers?


{Her Converse Chuck
Taylor All-Stars, an
American classic....also
made in China.}

The real Frye boots were in
the $250-$400 range,
so we left, discouraged.


Solution?  We ended up
borrowing a pair from my
friend Jennifer. {Luckily, she and
my daughter wear the same
shoe size.}  Jen's a vegetarian
and her pleather pair were
actually made in ....Brazil.

Go figure!

If you visit Zappos.com
and search shoes made in
USA you will get three pages
of results, which include Frye
boots, cowboy boots, dance
shoes, Harley-Davidson boots
and a few others.....

Lucchese brand ~ Made in Texas, USA

Need a pair of work boots
or moccasins?  You'll be able
to find them manufactured in
the USA.  {Although Minnetonka
Moccasins are now made 
south of the border.}


Pretty dress shoe or boot?
Fa-ged-a-bowt-it.


I would really love to own a
a pair of Wellington style
boots.  So far, I haven't
found any that won't break
my pledge.  {Even the
U.K. brand Hunter is now
made in China and Serbia.}


{Hunter Botanicals ~ Sigh!}

But I'll keep
looking.

Stay tuned.

PS:  Ever notice how many
things at the craft store are
made in China?  I left there
today with only half of the
things on my list....

PPS: Thank you for all of
the comments and encouraging
e-mails supporting my 
October pledge!


[images: 1.4.5 flickr: click
for attribution; 2 Country Living;
rest:  Google images]


Posted in ,

The Pledge


I love nothing better than a 
great flea market or antique store
and my kids get equally excited
to while away an hour or so there, too.

  To them, it is like discovering treasure.


My daughter is always on the hunt
for vintage dog figurines to add to
her collection.  My son likes frogs
as well as other boyish collectibles,
such as spy-glasses and compasses.


On a recent trip to an antiques mart,
I was struck by their surprise whenever
they turned an item over looking for
a price tag or an identifying mark,
crowing,  Mommy, it's made in
the USA!  In their young lives, this
has been the exception and not the rule.


Which got me thinking about how 
ubiquitous the Made in China sticker
has become in our lives.....

While I love 

Chinese
tea


games



history and culture



food


fireworks


even dogs and cats....



There is one Chinese thing I do not like: 
 the prevalence of their manufactured
 items found in our U.S. stores. 




The Chinese dominance in manufacturing 
makes me mourn the days when our own
craftsmen and artisans created 
millions of items with pride and our
domestic corporations churned out typewriters 
and washing machines, televisions and telephones.


{This is one reason that I'm so drawn to vintage.}


Low labor costs in China mean lower wholesale 
expenses for companies and lower retail prices for us, 
the consumers.  Sadly, inspections and standards
of working conditions in China are not as rigorous 
as they are in the USA and sweatshops and child labor 
are a still a reality in that country.  China also has 
environmental problems that continue to get worse every
year due to factory pollution.  And, China is a communist 
country, diminishing the hard work and goodness 
of some of its people in order to benefit others.

Chinese children making toys

Chinese children making fake designer boots

Of my international friends, I ask:  
Do products made in China dominate 
the stores in your countries?  
If they do, what are your feelings about this topic?

For me, the true cost of these low price 
items is too high.  
I believe that my family can choose
alternative things to those made in China.  
So, for the month of October, I am 
pledging not to purchase Chinese manufactured goods..  

Nada.

Zilch.  Zippo.

It will take awareness.
It will take intent.


What are your thoughts on this subject?
Care to to join me in my challenge? 

 I'd sure love your company.



[mages: 1-3, P&H;
4-17 flickr {click for attribution}
18-20 Google sources {click}]


Posted in ,

Sweet Freedom


When people 
talk 
of the freedom
 of writing, 
speaking, 
or thinking, 
I cannot choose but laugh. 
No such thing ever existed. 
No such thing now exists; 
but I hope
 it will exist.
 But it must be 
hundreds of years
 after you and I 
shall write 
and speak 
no more.  

~ John Adams


John Adams is
one of my
favorite
American patriots.
His vision,
one shared
with a handful
of equal
visionaries
was
brave
bold
and
determined.

Let us remember
our founding
fathers
as we celebrate
all that is
good
generous
heroic
and kind
about our
dear country.

I will leave
you
with some
sweet images
I took in Savannah
that transported
me to
gentler
eras
in the history
of our
great nation.

 















Happy Birthday,
Sweet America!

And happy
celebrations,
lovely blogging
friends.


images: P&H


Posted in , , ,
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