INTRODUCTION
Permit me to introduce myself: My name is Rachel Ann Gray and I am a PhD student at the University at Albany (SUNY). Both my daughters work and attend college. Albert the Family Dog runs this roost. Permanent physical disabilities related to a traumatic brain injury (TBI) sustained in 2003 keep me home-bound for the most part. My younger sister Sarah is a librarian in the Great American West; we are very close so her name is bound to come up sooner or later!! She has been a great source of support and inspiration for me and my family.
REFASHIONS & COFFEE TALK
48 years of living on this planet means I've accumulated a ton of clothes, including those of my husband, Jim, and my two daughters, ages 19 and 22 years old. Time to sew up a whole new wardrobe!! This blog features "Before & After" photos plus my own and others' tutorials. Photos of Coffee - made with a plethora of different methods - shall adorn this blog, too. Either coffee fuels refashions or nothing gets done. Seriously!
THE LABELS:
THE LABELS:
- Batman
- Clinical Depression
- Coffee
- Hair Affair
- Introduction
- Menopause
- Outfit
- Re-mix
- Refashion
- Thrifted
- Upcycle
- Weight
PHOTOGRAPHS
My camera was a 2010 Craigslist find: barely used & $10, an Olympus Camedia D-580 Zoom, 4 Megapixels. What does it mean? I know nothing about cameras.
MENTAL ILLNESS
I am out of the closet about living with mental illness: chronic clinical depression. I do not 'advertise' it or shout it from the rooftops; I simply refuse to act out of shame and stigma! Because depression influences every facet of my day-to-day, I talk about it when depression-related issues crop up. Topics could include medications, side-effects, and anecdotes.
Many in my family feel ashamed and disappointed about having a close relative with mental illness ("Crazy Rachel"). The "embarrassing disgrace" phrase originated from the mouth of a close family member, and another called me a "depressed failure." They've said worse. Nice, huh? I laugh and move on.
NAMING THE BLOG
Your feedback matters to me a whole lot, and your advice shall be heeded:
"Rachel! You must change the name of your blog!!!"
Quite a few agreed with this comment. That is why I re-named it "Embarrassing Disgrace: Refashion & Coffee Talk" (from simply "Embarrassing Disgrace.") I will not refer to myself that way — though I do have a Yiddishkeit (Jewish) self-deprecating sense of humor.
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| ALBERT, My 12-year-old pure-bred Heinz 57 All-American Mutt He has his very own couch... |
Thank you for sharing Rachel! You are lovely. X
ReplyDeleteI just found your blog though Refashion Co-op. You sound like a lovely person! Cat wait to read though the rest of your blog. So far your refashions are great.
ReplyDeleteRachel;The people who mind don't matter.The people who matter don't mind.I look forward to reading more of your blog and seeing your refashions in the future.
ReplyDeleteNice to have stummbled upon your blog and nice to meet you. I too am looking forward to your refashions and other creativities.
ReplyDeleteHi Rachel - I often look for inspiration on re-fashion co-op, you haven't posted for a while. Hope everything is OK with you and your mental health issues aren't making life too hard. Also longing to know if Albert is still pottering around.
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