Em Colley
  • Home
  • Homeopathy
    • Are we a fit?
    • Availability/Fees
    • Homeopathy - what can it treat?
    • The Homeopathic Consultation - what's it like to work with me?
    • How to take a remedy
    • I believe...
    • Testimonials
    • Homeopathy Awareness Week
    • Homeopathy and Wikipedia
  • The Joy of Homeopathy
    • TJOH Wall of Fame
  • Supervision
    • Supervision Matters Course >
      • Supervisors
  • Me
    • As a Speaker
    • Food >
      • Food Intolerance Testing
      • Testimonials
      • Recipes >
        • Breakfast Ideas >
          • Banana Boats
          • Breakfast ice cream on fresh fruit
          • Granola
          • Smoothie bowl
          • Sunrise Smoothie Bowl
        • Dips, Dressings & Appetisers >
          • Carrot, Orange and Ginger Soup
          • Cheese-less cheese dip
          • Guacamole
          • Hummus (oil free)
          • Mango and Cucumber Dressing
          • Ranch Dressing
          • Seedy 'Slaw
          • Summer salad dressing
          • Wild Garlic Pesto
        • Mains >
          • Cashew Cheese-y Kale Salad
          • Creamy Avocado Noodles
          • Green Mango Soup
          • Lasagne. Scrummy, yummy, vegan lasagne.
          • Mango Spinach Salad
          • Middle Eastern Inspired Dinner
          • Moroccan Inspired Salad Dressing
          • Raw Coconut Curry with Cauliflower 'Rice'
          • Raw Curry
          • Simple, Tasty and Nutritious Romaine Wraps
          • Spiralised courgette, chopped tomatoes, celery, spring onion with an red pepper, garlic, lemon and cashew cream sauce
          • Squashy Mac n Cheese
          • Sundried Tomato Tart
          • Sweet Mango Noodles
          • Sweet and Sour Noodles
          • Sweet potato, chilli mixed veg with cauliflower and kale 'rice'
          • Vegan Carbonara with Vegetables
        • Desserts >
          • Almond butter and date toffee stacks
          • Anyone for (low fat, high carb, raw vegan) Blueberry Pie?
          • Apple and strawberry crumble with salted caramel nice cream
          • Banoffee Ice Cream Pie
          • Banoffee Pecan Pie
          • Birthday cake pie!
          • Carrot Cake Balls
          • Chocolate almond sundae
          • Chocolate and Peanut Butter Pudding
          • Chocolate Extravaganza Ice Cream
          • Chocolate Ginger Brownies
          • Chocolate Orange Cupcakes with Raw Chocolate Icing
          • Chocolate orange fudge
          • Christmas Energy Balls
          • Christmas pudding 'cheesecake'
          • Cinnamon, vanilla pud
          • Coconut Happy Bars
          • Ice Cream Cake
          • Lime Cheesecake
          • Mango and apple tart
          • Mango and Raspberry Tart
          • PBJ Ice Cream
          • Peanut Butter Banoffee Pots
          • Peanut Butter Bar
          • Pecan Date Bites
          • Plant power pancakes
          • Pumpkin Pie (raw vegan)
          • Raw Bilberry Pie
          • Raw Chocolate
          • Raw Chocolate Brownies
          • Raw Coconut and Sultana Brownies
          • Raw Energy Balls
          • Raw Ice Cream
          • Raw Raspberry Cheesecake
          • Raw Rolos
          • Raw Snickers Joy
          • Rocky Road Raw Vegan Style
          • Salted Caramel Almond Nice Cream
          • Summer Fruit Nice Cream with Mango Sorbet and Fruit Coulis
          • Super Cookies
          • Vegan chocolate chip cookies
        • Smoothies and Juices >
          • Banana Free Smoothies
          • Caramel chocolate smoothie
          • Juices
          • Smoothies (featuring the brilliant banana)
    • Laughter Yoga >
      • Laughter Yoga feedback
      • Laughter Yoga Sessions
      • Laughter Yoga Exercises
    • Leonie Dawson courses
    • Mindfulness >
      • My Children's Meditations
    • Things I love
  • Get in touch
  • Events
    • Current Events
    • Past Events >
      • A Plank a Day for HHA
      • ARH Conference
      • The Ceilidh at Christmas 2024
      • Ceilidh at Christmas 2022
      • Ceilidh at Christmas 2023
      • Homeopathy Marathon
      • Introduction to Homeopathy
      • Inspired by Homeopathy
      • Retreat
      • Shamanic Ceremony
      • The Compassion Sessions
      • The Happiness Sessions
  • Shop
    • Cotton Bags
    • Curiosity mugs
    • Homeopath mugs
    • Play out posters and postcards
    • Soul of a Mugs
    • T-shirts
  • Blog
07734 861297

Thoughts on the world, homeopathy, mindfulness and food...

A collection of blog posts - feel free to respond with your thoughts and comments - I love to have feedback - thank you!

My clothes challenge, Embsay swishing evening and a little black dress...

10/19/2017

0 Comments

 
Picture
I hadn't realised I'd been at it 7 years until right now. I thought it'd been 4 or 5. How time flies!!

​Turns out (the internet helping where my memory failed!) from this blog, I've been over 7 years doing my 'mostly not new' challenge, or as it is now, lifestyle. By May 2011 I'd done a year of it. So now I must be a pro. 

A recent find was the LBD here, a Next dress from Age Concern in Hebden Bridge. It looks new, fits great and for £6.99 was a bargain for me and a donation for them.

When I 'gave up' drinking for a year (still a few months to go) a friend expressed concern that I was restricting things from my lifestyle, and I see her point. But actually it feels like clearing some things allows for greater freedom and clarity. Abundance of a different kind. So 'giving up' buying new. I treated myself to some lovely harem pants recently that are fair-trade, responsibly sourced and so cosy. And colourful. I love them. I'm definitely not restricting, but am aware that I am choosing more consciously. Did I really need them? Possibly not. Do I love them? Definitely. So I'm happy with that decision.

I think much of our buying may be less conscious and I'm not here to be a kill joy or tell anyone what to do just thought I'd share a little of my path. And - before I forget - to invite you to Embsay's swishing evening next week, of which the theme 'swap not shop', is celebrated. It's happening during One World Week, of which I believe the theme this year is 'Good Neighbours' and I'm really happy to be involved, especially with my love of clothes recycling.

Picture
There's fair-trade wine and nibbles and we're looking forward to a lovely evening of changing, updating, chatting and enjoying. Clothes (if they are hanging clothes) are to be on hangers wherever possible please. There's a changing room too so you can check out whether it fits before you decide if you want it.

So I started out with a year of an aim of nothing new. There have been occasional new things since. I'm not a clothing martyr. Other's people's saggy leggings don't appeal to me so I'm making my own saggy knee marks in new-new ones.

I'm fairly sure it's around a max of 10-15 new items during the last 7 years (I don't keep track - clearly!). Lots of new to me things, and less adapted as I thought I might when I started out. I've occasionally embroidered jeans, added ribbons, but mostly get things I like and keep them like that. Mostly because work is busy, life is busy and my life of sitting around crafting isn't quite here just yet. So my point being, you don't have to be skilled, just curious and open to ideas.

There are many reasons why I love doing it, one of which to cut help down clothing waste, the abuse within the industry doesn't sit well with me and I am happy to opt out of being part of that system. I think I like the not knowing too. I'm not great with fixed ideas (actually I hate having to get dressed for things if I'm unsure what I need to wear to 'fit' with a corporate picture, say if giving talks or attending conferences) so finding treasures like the LBD above on a chance wander makes me smile. I've borrowed clothes for conferences before - my day to day life doesn't need quite the same wardrobe, and that's worked out well for me. Or eBay Coast and Monsoon - great for black tie parties and occasions.

My top tip would be to know a couple of brands you like and that fit you well if you're embarking on a similar experiment - I know Monsoon, Coast, Next and FatFace sizes for items and that they fit me well generally, Next jeans work well for me and Coast/Monsoon for smarter dresses and so makes eBay recycling easy.

Anyway enough of me - come swish and swap your clothes for new to you numbers on Wednesday if you're local to Embsay, North Yorks.
0 Comments



Leave a Reply.

    Author

    I'm a Homeopath working in the Skipton (North Yorkshire) area. I am also able to offer food intolerance testing using Kinesiology and advice around diet and lifestyle.
    My blog is a reflection of thoughts, collection of recipes, suggestions of self help remedies and more.

    Archives

    February 2025
    September 2024
    August 2024
    July 2024
    May 2024
    April 2024
    February 2024
    January 2024
    December 2023
    November 2023
    October 2023
    September 2023
    July 2023
    June 2023
    May 2023
    March 2023
    February 2023
    January 2023
    December 2022
    September 2022
    August 2022
    May 2022
    April 2022
    March 2022
    August 2021
    July 2021
    June 2021
    May 2021
    March 2021
    February 2021
    January 2021
    December 2020
    November 2020
    October 2020
    May 2020
    April 2020
    March 2020
    January 2020
    July 2019
    May 2019
    April 2019
    March 2019
    January 2019
    December 2018
    July 2018
    June 2018
    May 2018
    April 2018
    March 2018
    February 2018
    December 2017
    November 2017
    October 2017
    July 2017
    June 2017
    May 2017
    April 2017
    March 2017
    February 2017
    January 2017
    December 2016
    November 2016
    October 2016
    September 2016
    August 2016
    July 2016
    June 2016
    May 2016
    April 2016
    March 2016
    December 2015
    November 2015
    October 2015
    September 2015
    August 2015
    June 2015
    May 2015
    April 2015
    March 2015
    February 2015
    January 2015
    December 2014
    November 2014
    October 2014
    September 2014
    August 2014
    July 2014
    June 2014
    May 2014
    April 2014
    March 2014
    February 2014
    January 2014
    December 2013
    November 2013
    October 2013
    September 2013
    August 2013
    June 2013
    May 2013

    Categories

    All
    2014 Calendar
    Absolute Specialists
    Animals
    Apple
    Avocado
    Ayuvedic Medicine
    Banana
    Banana Free
    Bowen
    Breakfast
    Byron Katie
    Cancer
    Carrot
    Challenge
    Change
    Charity
    Chocolate
    Coconut Oil
    Dairy Free
    Dates
    Date Toffee
    Diabetes
    Diet
    Dynamis
    Epidemic
    Exercise
    Fish
    Focussed Mindfulness
    Food Production
    Food Production
    Forks Over Knives
    Gerson
    Green Smoothie
    Hayfever
    Headache
    Health
    Healthy
    Holiday
    Homeopathy
    Homeopathy For Health In Africa
    Homeopathy For Health In Africa
    Homeopathyhour
    Homeopathy Research
    Homeopathy Worked For Me
    Horse
    Ice Cream
    Ilkley
    International Diabetes Federation
    Juice
    Juicing
    Kale
    Kuvings Juicer
    Love
    Make A Difference
    Mango
    Migraine
    Milk
    Mindfulness
    Mouth
    Naked
    Neal Bernard
    Ngo
    Nutrition
    Oil Pulling
    Oral Hygiene
    Orange
    Peach
    Philips Juicer
    Pineapple
    Protein
    Pudding
    Raw Chocolate
    Raw Food
    Raw Food
    Raw Ice Cream
    Remedies
    Remedy
    Research
    Running
    Russell Brand
    Santa Fun Run
    Selfies
    Skipton
    Smoothie
    Spinach
    Strawberry
    Studio Pilates
    Studio Pilates
    Sundae
    Sustainability
    Talks
    Teeth
    The China Study
    The Snooks
    Treat
    Tumeric
    Vegan
    Vegan Smythe
    Vegetarian
    Water Fasting
    Water Fasting
    Watermelon
    Weight Gain
    Weight Loss
    Weight Loss
    World Aids Day
    World Diabetes Day
    Youtube

    RSS Feed

07734 861297   
[email protected]


Em Colley Homeopath
Practitioner of Classical Homeopathy
BSc(Hons) Psychology and Neuroscience
Laughter Yoga Leader
Focussed Mindfulness Practitioner

Picture
Picture
www.findahomeopath.org
Member of the
Alliance of
Registered Homeopaths
  • Home
  • Homeopathy
    • Are we a fit?
    • Availability/Fees
    • Homeopathy - what can it treat?
    • The Homeopathic Consultation - what's it like to work with me?
    • How to take a remedy
    • I believe...
    • Testimonials
    • Homeopathy Awareness Week
    • Homeopathy and Wikipedia
  • The Joy of Homeopathy
    • TJOH Wall of Fame
  • Supervision
    • Supervision Matters Course >
      • Supervisors
  • Me
    • As a Speaker
    • Food >
      • Food Intolerance Testing
      • Testimonials
      • Recipes >
        • Breakfast Ideas >
          • Banana Boats
          • Breakfast ice cream on fresh fruit
          • Granola
          • Smoothie bowl
          • Sunrise Smoothie Bowl
        • Dips, Dressings & Appetisers >
          • Carrot, Orange and Ginger Soup
          • Cheese-less cheese dip
          • Guacamole
          • Hummus (oil free)
          • Mango and Cucumber Dressing
          • Ranch Dressing
          • Seedy 'Slaw
          • Summer salad dressing
          • Wild Garlic Pesto
        • Mains >
          • Cashew Cheese-y Kale Salad
          • Creamy Avocado Noodles
          • Green Mango Soup
          • Lasagne. Scrummy, yummy, vegan lasagne.
          • Mango Spinach Salad
          • Middle Eastern Inspired Dinner
          • Moroccan Inspired Salad Dressing
          • Raw Coconut Curry with Cauliflower 'Rice'
          • Raw Curry
          • Simple, Tasty and Nutritious Romaine Wraps
          • Spiralised courgette, chopped tomatoes, celery, spring onion with an red pepper, garlic, lemon and cashew cream sauce
          • Squashy Mac n Cheese
          • Sundried Tomato Tart
          • Sweet Mango Noodles
          • Sweet and Sour Noodles
          • Sweet potato, chilli mixed veg with cauliflower and kale 'rice'
          • Vegan Carbonara with Vegetables
        • Desserts >
          • Almond butter and date toffee stacks
          • Anyone for (low fat, high carb, raw vegan) Blueberry Pie?
          • Apple and strawberry crumble with salted caramel nice cream
          • Banoffee Ice Cream Pie
          • Banoffee Pecan Pie
          • Birthday cake pie!
          • Carrot Cake Balls
          • Chocolate almond sundae
          • Chocolate and Peanut Butter Pudding
          • Chocolate Extravaganza Ice Cream
          • Chocolate Ginger Brownies
          • Chocolate Orange Cupcakes with Raw Chocolate Icing
          • Chocolate orange fudge
          • Christmas Energy Balls
          • Christmas pudding 'cheesecake'
          • Cinnamon, vanilla pud
          • Coconut Happy Bars
          • Ice Cream Cake
          • Lime Cheesecake
          • Mango and apple tart
          • Mango and Raspberry Tart
          • PBJ Ice Cream
          • Peanut Butter Banoffee Pots
          • Peanut Butter Bar
          • Pecan Date Bites
          • Plant power pancakes
          • Pumpkin Pie (raw vegan)
          • Raw Bilberry Pie
          • Raw Chocolate
          • Raw Chocolate Brownies
          • Raw Coconut and Sultana Brownies
          • Raw Energy Balls
          • Raw Ice Cream
          • Raw Raspberry Cheesecake
          • Raw Rolos
          • Raw Snickers Joy
          • Rocky Road Raw Vegan Style
          • Salted Caramel Almond Nice Cream
          • Summer Fruit Nice Cream with Mango Sorbet and Fruit Coulis
          • Super Cookies
          • Vegan chocolate chip cookies
        • Smoothies and Juices >
          • Banana Free Smoothies
          • Caramel chocolate smoothie
          • Juices
          • Smoothies (featuring the brilliant banana)
    • Laughter Yoga >
      • Laughter Yoga feedback
      • Laughter Yoga Sessions
      • Laughter Yoga Exercises
    • Leonie Dawson courses
    • Mindfulness >
      • My Children's Meditations
    • Things I love
  • Get in touch
  • Events
    • Current Events
    • Past Events >
      • A Plank a Day for HHA
      • ARH Conference
      • The Ceilidh at Christmas 2024
      • Ceilidh at Christmas 2022
      • Ceilidh at Christmas 2023
      • Homeopathy Marathon
      • Introduction to Homeopathy
      • Inspired by Homeopathy
      • Retreat
      • Shamanic Ceremony
      • The Compassion Sessions
      • The Happiness Sessions
  • Shop
    • Cotton Bags
    • Curiosity mugs
    • Homeopath mugs
    • Play out posters and postcards
    • Soul of a Mugs
    • T-shirts
  • Blog