masks on masks on masks.

I'm a little late to the game, but I've been going nuts sewing masks this week.

^(i thought until recently that i could get by indefinitly with a bandana mask...)

I did a little research, hopped on Pinterest, and ta-da! (with a little help from Mom's vintage sewing machine) My newest obsession is sewing masks!

So here's the deal -

You wanna have at least two layers of fabric in YOUR mask to protect others from whatever you might put into the air from breathing, talking, sneezing, etc...

and thennn adding a few folded up kleenexes or a layer of silk or chiffon to the mask helps create an electrostatic barrier against germs/particles in the air around you. The pattern I used leaves a pocket in the mask to add kleenex or additional fabric.

Pretty cool, eh?

Oh, and some experts are saying that the folds in certain masks also help to filter out and/or trap aerosol particles.

So I made folds.

For reference:

an article about a study testing best materials for face masks HERE

link to the pattern I used HERE

Please be kind and socially responsible and continue to wear a mask in public.

Love,

Taya

cherry pie for every meal.

We picked fresh, sweet cherries from my dad's cherry tree last weekend which resulted in....

well, a whole lot of cherries. So I made pie!

Actually, I made 2 pies because the first one was gone in less than 48 hours.

(I've had pie for breakfast more than once this week.)

Here's the deal - The crust really makes the whole thing. I learned this because of Samin Nosrat and her incredible book Salt Fat Acid Heat. (sidetone: this book changed my life. er, at least my cooking, so if you like to cook things I highly recommend checking it out.)

Anyways, her all-butter crust recipe involves lots of butter and lots of steps including many visits to the freezer and multiple temperatures in the oven, but oh man does it make for a flipping awesome and flaky AF crust.

Black Lives Matter.

The past week has been..... emotional, to say the least. And I don't feel that I have ANY room to talk - I'm as white as can be.

As a white girl, here are a few things I've learned this week:

Even though I personally have never thought, believed, or been taught that a person's rights are different based on skin color, that is NOT enough.

Every voice and action can and does count.

I am not the only one to have written off a family member because they are racist.

Here is what I did this week:

Discussed any and many topics on racism with family members and, especially, other white people.

Resgistered to vote in North Carolina. - I wish I could vote RIGHT NOW.

Donated to The Innocence Project and to The Bail Project

I educated myself on the importance of signing relevant petitions and began signing.

Did A LOT of reading, thinking, feeling, crying.... But most importantly LISTENING.

Here is what I hope:

I HOPE that November's election will get Trump out of office.

I HOPE that all of those who are posting on all social media outlets about pledging to be anti-racist will continue to live true to that pledge to the best of their abilities after this week and as long as we all shall live.

and I REALLY HOPE for a little more love and a whole damn lot of change.

A few podcasts to check out if you haven't already:

Let's Talk About It... podcast HERE

Seeing White podcast HERE