ForUsToBe » Fashion

Police Caught A Criminal Selling Jackets From Cats Fur

ForUsToBe — Fri, 07 Oct 2011 08:14:09 +0000

Nadine was buying a jacket at the market in Leipzig, Germany, when a man offered her fur jacket made out of cats. She was shocked. He even said that for one jacket he needs at least 18 cats. According to him, cats came from a local vet, already dead.

When media heard about this, Roman M. changed his story. He was now telling people that those jackets were actually made from sheep and rabbit fur.

Leipzig Market Authority called the police and pressed charges against this individual.

As of 2008. European Union forbids selling products made from cats and dogs.

Make A Stylish Lamp Out Of Coffee Cans

ForUsToBe — Sat, 22 Jan 2011 13:16:39 +0000

Make a caffeine jolt for all of your lighting needs.

Materials

3 large metal coffee cans (the 34- or 39-ounce size)
6 – 8/32 1/2-inch long bolts
6 – 8/32 nuts 12 washers that fit the 8/32 bolts
3 – 1/8 1/2-inch long threaded nipples
3 keyless medium-based lightbulb sockets
3 – 1/8 lock (toothed) washers
3 – 1/8 X 9⁄16 hex nuts
3 silver 18/2 gauge cord sets

Tools

Marker
Ruler
Drill
3/8-inch drill bit
3/16-inch drill bit
Pliers
Screwdriver

Turn the tins bottom side up, numbering each can with a marker and also marking the center.

Huddle the cans together in a triangular configuration, keeping in the numbered sequence with the seams facing the center. From center to center, make a mark on the outside edge of the cans where they touch each other.

Separate the cans. Using the marks on the edges, draw vertical lines down the length of each can. Drill two 3/16-inch holes on each line (four holes total). Make sure the holes are on the flat ribs of the can and the measurements are the same so the holes will line up.

With the cans bottom side up, use the 3/8-inch drill bit to drill through the center of each can (that you marked in step 1).

Use the six 8/32 bolts, the six 8/32 nuts, and the twelve washers to attach the cans to each other, using the screwdriver and the pliers.

Thread the 1/8-inch nipples into the bottom of the socket shells. Put the shell into the can, sticking the leftover nipple out of the center hole. Use the lock washer and 9/16 nut on the outside bottom of the can. Tighten all parts together.

Feed the silver cord set through the center of the nipple from the outside bottom of the can to the inside. Pull plenty of wire through so you can easily knot the end of the wire and attach the socket.

Pull the excess wire back out and snap the socket together using the other part of the shell. With the sockets completed, test the electrical components and make sure that each lights up. There will be three separate cords, which can all be wired together or fed into a junction box if the fixture is to be installed in the ceiling.

Next, paint lamp cans however you want and, when dry, assemble as instructed above.

Make A Comic Book Wallet

ForUsToBe — Sat, 22 Jan 2011 13:02:57 +0000

If you like comics, like I do, and have an favorite superhero , take a look at this cool DIY wallet.

Materials

1 standard comic book (about 65⁄8 x 101⁄8 inches)
Clear cellophane tape
1 package 17 inches2-yard iron-on vinyl
Pencil

Tools

Staple remover
Scissors (or a rotary cutter or straightedge and self-healing mat)
Iron and ironing board
Coffee mug or can, approximately 3¾ inches in diameter
Sewing machine
Thread

Take the staples out of the center of the comic book; separate the pages without tearing them.

Select one two-page spread plus one additional single page to make your “material.” Turn the pages right side down, then use a strip of cellophane tape to connect the two-page section to the single page, lining up the edges so they are flush. Trim off any extra tape. You will have made a rectangle that is approximately 20×10 inches.

Turn the material so it’s vertical, with the two-page spread section at the top. On the two-page section only, beginning at the top, fold the material forward and back to make a four-section accordion pleat.

Open the pleat. At the bottom end, fold up a 4-inch flap, then fold the accordion pleat back down. (It will cover part of the flap.)

Fold this bottom section up to make a 2½-inch flap. Make sure all creases are crisp.

Fold the wallet in half widthwise and crease. Unfold the wallet completely. Laminate the right side of the material with iron-on vinyl, following package instructions. When done, fold the wallet back up as it was before.

Make a cutout for credit cards: Mark an X in the center of the inside flap. Open the material completely again, and fold in half lengthwise. On the section where you’ve marked the X, use a curved edge, such as the bottom of a coffee mug, to draw an arc 1⅛ inch from the fold. With material still folded, cut out the credit card opening.

Fold the wallet back up, following folds and creases. Once the wallet is folded back up, stitch the side seams closed using a 1-inch seam allowance, backstitching at the beginning and end. Trim extra fabric on each side close to the stitching, and trim all threads.

Finished Measurements: 8 1⁄8 by 3 5⁄16 inches.

Toxic Chemical Horrors

ForUsToBe — Sat, 07 Aug 2010 18:19:35 +0000

It’s a well-known fact by now that the cosmetic we use is more often than not, filled with toxic chemicals. As are most perfumes, makeup, and even more basic items like contact solution. The Environmental Working Group has been working tirelessly over the last several years to educate the public about not only the fact that these chemicals are out there, but that they are not regulated in personal care products (thanks, FDA). The personal care industry has responded fiercely, knocking back bill after bill proposed to regulate the ingredients of such products, claiming that any such regulation would cause undue economic strain.

Fortunately, there’s something people can do about it, other than switching to safer versions of their personal care products. Representative Jan Schakowsky (D-Ill.) introduced this morning the Safe Cosmetics Act of 2010, along with Reps. Ed Markey (D-Mass.) and Tammy Baldwin (D-Wisc.). It’s the first attempt in 70 years to regulate the personal care industry, and it’s legislation most believe is long overdue.

The bill would phase out the more dangerous chemicals used in cosmetics, and would require companies to be more transparent about the ingredients they use. It sounds pretty basic, but don’t expect companies like L’Oreal and Estee Lauder to go down without a fight.

And if You share this, internet will soon be ablaze with people wondering why these things aren’t regulated, why women have to bear the brunt of yet another corporate gamble with public health, and why the HELL anyone ever thought it was okay to put toxic chemicals in baby shampoo.

This is an industry that has been largely self-regulated since the late 1930s. The existing law governing personal care products (the Food, Drug and Cosmetics Act of 1938) cedes decisions about ingredient safety to the industry. Under the current law, the FDA can’t require companies to conduct safety assessments. Even more frightening, it can’t even require product recalls. In a recent example, the FDA could not recall cosmetics skin whitening creams that were found to contain illegal levels of toxic mercury.

Recently FDA tested a number of lipsticks from various brands and found lead in every one. Especially discouraging was the fact that the three lipsticks with the most lead are also some of the most popular — CoverGirl, Revlon and L’Oreal.

Studies say the average woman consumes about four pounds of lipstick throughout her life from eating, drinking and licking her lips. And even though the lead levels found in these products might be “small,” many experts, like Florida’s Department of Health, say there’s “no safe level of lead in blood.” Lead, even in trace amounts, collects in the body over time and gets stored in your bones. For women, this lead is released into the blood at three key times: pregnancy, breastfeeding and after menopause.

In related news, lead (along with arsenic and cadmium) was also discovered in some protein drinks. So bottoms up!

The Price For Our Clothes

ForUsToBe — Sun, 18 Apr 2010 20:33:06 +0000

Fashion industry is booming, we want everything trendy and we do not care about the price. But the price is high!

Wool

It may come from a sheep, goat, or Tibetan antelope. It may be called “wool,” “mohair,” “pashmina,” or “cashmere.” But no matter what you call it, it means bad news for the animal it came from.

In the wool industry, just weeks after birth, lambs’ ears are punched, their tails are chopped off, and the males are castrated, all without anesthetics. To prevent “flystrike” (a maggot infestation caused by wrinkly skin, which was bred into the sheep so that they would have more wool), Australian ranchers perform a barbarous operation called “mulesing,” which involves carving huge strips of flesh off the backs of unanesthetized lambs’ legs.

Leather

Leather is not a slaughterhouse byproduct. It’s a booming industry, a driving force for the cattle industry, and it accounts for two-thirds of the value of the slaughtered cattle. Even the hides of “veal” calves are made into high-priced calfskin. The economic success of slaughterhouses and factory farms is directly linked to the sale of leather goods. Decreasing demand for both animal foods and leather products will result in fewer cows’ being factory-farmed.

Silk

Silk is the fiber that silkworms weave to make cocoons. To obtain silk, manufacturers boil worms alive in their cocoons.

Fur

Those who wear fur trim and fur coats have the blood of minks, raccoons, foxes, beavers, and other animals on their hands. Animals on fur farms spend their lives in tiny cages only to be killed by anal or genital electrocution, which causes them to have a heart attack. Some are skinned alive. Animals in the wild may languish for days in traps before they die or are killed.

Natural Skin Treatments For Younger Skin

ForUsToBe — Sun, 28 Mar 2010 18:19:51 +0000

Have you ever heard of natural skin optimizers or rejuvenators? There are natural products out that can do more for your skin than a chemical that you put on and leave only to realize when it’s too late that the side effects are bad. There are usually no side effects with using a natural skin treatment like this. That is why you see so many hand lotions on the market today with stuff like coconut oil and palm tree oil and cocoa butter in them. You can also get herbal soaps that are proven to make your skin look more refreshed and younger with repeated use. These bar soaps usually contain some sort of all natural extract as their base and then a solidifier as well. Usually this is all natural as well like bees wax as a solidifier.

When you want to rejuvenate your skin it is a great idea to go all natural, you won’t have to worry with side effects or nasty smells because most natural stuff they use is made of some flower. You can get either all natural herbal treatments in a bar form so you can wash with it daily or in an herbal salve. You are usually left with this stretchy harsh feeling with regular skin masks, with herbal salves as a mask it stays liquefied so it won’t make your skin feel like it is shrinking or become uncomfortable. They are usually made of beeswax so there is a nice consistency to it where you won’t have to worry with it just running off your face all over the place too. One very nice and successful all natural skin cleanser and rejuvenator is made with Chamomile flowers. Chamomile has been shown to be very effective against acne and other skin issues such as eczema.

Chamomile has also been shown to reduce itching in the skin and inflammation in skin issues. This can be very helpful if you are worried about your skin becoming less resistant to the sun and wind and other natural elements. Sometimes when your skin has been exposed to a lot of wind it can become wind burnt. A Chamomile wash will rejuvenate your skin and have it feeling fresh and no longer burning in just a short time. If you apply it as a salve then you are using its long term effects which apparently it can make your skin look a lot younger.

Architect Is Making Jewelry From Scraps Of Buildings

ForUsToBe — Wed, 24 Mar 2010 19:02:47 +0000

Green architecture and fashion hold equal places in our hearts, so we were delighted to discover the line of jewelry that Marmol Radziner is making from leftover scraps of actual buildings. The Los Angeles-based architectural firm has an impressive portfolio of prefabs, mid-century restorations, and beautiful modern homes. Now you can take a little piece of its beautiful designs with you wherever you go and save a bit of metal from the landfill while you’re at it.

The line was created by partner Ron Radziner, who couldn’t find any men’s jewelry that he liked and so decided to make his own. The process was made easy because Marmol Radziner has its own production facility in Vernon, CA, where it produces its prefab homes and furniture.

The sophisticated, unisex pieces, which fall under the company’s new M + R Jewelry label, have the same clean, modern lines as Marmol Radziner’s architecture. (Not surprising, since they’re made from surplus architectural bronze by the same highly skilled craftspeople.) Over time, the designers note, the patina of each piece will “evolve in response to its wearer.”

Green Shows at New York Fashion Week

ForUsToBe — Sat, 06 Mar 2010 19:00:43 +0000

What is stylish, colorful, and green all around?

The Green Shows at New York Fashion Week, naturally. Ecouterre captured the best moments from last week’s fashion shows, where styles were flirty, edgy, and everything in between. They caught up with designers Samantha Pleet, Lizz Wasserman of Popomomo, JoAnn Berman, Leanne Mai-ly Hilgart of Vaute Couture, and Melissa Kirgan and Xing-Zhen Chung-Hilyard of Eko-Lab, discussing their individual visions and use of green materials. Each designer has a surprisingly unique approach to fashioning their green fabrics. For some, burying it in mud is the trick; for others, it’s derived from wood pulp. How’s that for one of a kind?

Make Your Own Perfume

ForUsToBe — Sun, 21 Feb 2010 21:02:42 +0000

Have you ever thought about making your own perfume? Not only it is fun and original, but it can save the environment and your pocket. It is not animal tested and with this recession, this is the right step to keeping your family budget on the line.

The basic formula for perfume is 15% to 30% essential oil, 70% to 80% of pure grain alcohol, such as vodka, and 5% of distilled or bottled spring water. Essential oil can be replaced with fragrance oil for a cheaper quality and price perfume. Essential oils can easily be found in a craft store or health food store. Store your perfume in a small glass or plastic container. You can buy a container with a sprayer at almost any local craft store. You might also be able to find vintage perfume bottles at thrift stores or flea markets.

You will have to play around with the oils to make your own homemade perfume. To start, I suggest mixing ¼ cup of straight vodka with 5 drops of an essential fragrance or oil of your choice. Depending on how strong you want the perfume, you can let the mixture stand for as little as 48 hours all the way to a month. The longer it stands, the stronger it will be. After your perfume has sat for your preferred time, add 2 tablespoons of the diluted water. If the perfume is too strong for you, you can add more water to get your desired scent strength. To make your scent last longer, add a tablespoon of glycerin to your perfume mixture. Glycerin is a neutral, colorless, thick liquid. It can be found anywhere soap making supplies are found. When added to water and alcohol, glycerin remains liquid and helps the other ingredients dissolve faster and better.

When you are ready to start combining fragrance/essential oils for a scent that is completely unique, understand that there are three different notes in scented oil. The first is base notes, which will stay longest on your skin. Base notes include oils such as vanilla, cinnamon, and sandalwood. The second of the notes are middle notes, which add to the scent for a while, but not as long as the base notes. These oils include lemongrass, geranium, neroli, and ylang-ylang. The last of the notes are the top notes which do what they say, they top off the scent. The top notes do not last as long as the other two notes, but add to the scent significantly. The top notes include oils such as rose, lavender, jasmine, bergamot, and orchard. When making a perfume of more than one scent, add the base note oil first. Follow the base note with the middle note oil, and finish with the top note oil.

It takes experimentation to get the scent you want, but you can get started in the right direction by keeping in mind the type of scent associated with essential oils:

earthy: patchouli, vetiver
floral: geranium, jasmine, neroli, rose, violet, ylang-ylang
fruity: bergamot, grapefruit, lemon, lemongrass, lime, mandarin, orange
herbal: angelica, basil, chamomile, clary sage, lavender, peppermint, rosemary
sea: sea salt
spicy: black pepper, cardamom, cinnamon, clove, coriander, ginger, juniper, nutmeg
woodsy: cassia, cedar, cypress, pine, sandalwood

Certain scents can alter your mood. Jasmine and lavender can calm the anxious and aide in sleeping, orange and ylang ylang can ease anger, and sandalwood and grapefruit can fight fear. Need a boost of confidence? Try cypress or rosemary. Frankincense, rose, and bergamot can help relieve depression and grief. To increase memory powers, try black pepper and peppermint. You may want to keep this in mind when you are creating your concoction.

If the perfume is too strong, you can dilute it with more water. If you want your perfume to retain its scent longer, add a tablespoon of glycerin to the perfume mixture.

ER Doc Goes to the Dogs

ForUsToBe — Sat, 30 Jan 2010 09:46:01 +0000

An animal rights group kicked off its first antifur campaign in eastern Europe with roadside billboards featuring Goran Visnjic and his pet dog Bugsy.

Croatia’s most famous export, actor Goran Visnjic, costar of the international smash TV series ER, and Animal Friends Croatia (AFC) have joined with international pressure group People for the Ethical Treatment of Animals (PETA).

The arresting image was launched in Goran’s native Croatia-PETA’s first-ever campaign in Eastern Europe-on billboards in Zagreb and Split, as well as on leaflets that members of Animal Friends Croatia will hand out to fur-wearers walking their dogs in parks. The ER doc’s prescription for fur-free fashions will also be plastered on billboards and leaflets around the United States.

The billboards show a picture of Visnjic, star of NBC’s ER, cradling Bugsy and the slogan: If you wouldn’t wear your dog, please don’t wear any fur.

Visnjic, who grew up in Sibenik, said in a statement released by PETA that he decided to support the campaign after he and his wife read a magazine article about fur. “My wife and I were disgusted,” he says. “What’s going on? Civilization is advancing, but some people are going backwards. Today we can use many different materials to warm ourselves without killing other beings. Ninety percent of the people seeing a person wearing a fur coat think that person is an idiot.”

Goran believes that animal protection is an issue that crosses all political and social boundaries. “Somebody once asked me, when war was happening in my country, why don’t you do more for humans, against wars?” he says. “It’s our own stupidity that people are so violent to each other. What people do to animals is a one-sided war, and animals are innocent and cannot protect themselves. It’s important to be a protector of this planet, not a destroyer.”

Help Goran spread the message about fur-industry cruelty by distributing leaflets at dog parks in your area. One look at this debonair duo and folks might just hang up their minks once and for all.