This week’s Tank Top Tuesday pic comes from Beej of http://flickr.com/photos/tootsicle. If you’re on the Fatshionista LiveJournal community, you’ll have seen her there for sure! Always stylish with a unique or handmade twist, this gal knows how to work that fatshion like nobody I know! =0)
And now you can check out her brand new blog: http://thebustytraveler.blogspot.com!

Thanks, doll! I love this pic! It’s all sass & glam and thank you ma’am! Ha!

**Exercise your right to bare arms! Email your Tank Top Tuesday pic here: notblueatall@notblueatall.com I still haven’t had any guys submit a photo. I would love to feature ya though. So please, take a chance, we love everyone here! <3

This post from LifeOnFats.wordpress.com made me realize that we must arm ourselves in a positive way against those that would have us hiding or shaming ourselves. While getting through to any major news outlet is nearly impossible (corporate sponsorships and all) there must be a way for us to turn those unsolicited dieting tips into a positive moment. So here’s what I propose: A neat & handy card, like a business card, only with a positive message and a website for them to look into if they so choose. This way they can simply go about their business OR they could see what it is that has you so happy and not wanting to diet! This is my first draft, please comment with your suggestions:

This was it’s not super confrontational. When they give you a diet tip or other such nonsense, simply hand them the card…or better yet, say, “Oh! I think you might like this!” and then hand them the card. Maybe it will feel less defensive that way? I don’t know. Just a  first draft and I am open to other options, for sure!

If you do like the card as is and would like the pdf for your own use, comment and I will email it to you! Yay!

Tough economic times call for creativity and using all resources possible! How does this relate to fatshion? How doesn’t it?! Ha-ha! Yesterday I decided to finally dye the vest I bought two weeks ago at Avenue to complete what I’m dubbing “The Ultimate Outfit” (though it won’t be complete without the right knee-high boots, but that search is still in progress). You see, I found the right style vest at the right price, but the color? Meh. The vest was $6.96, how could I pass it up?! So I bought a bottle of RIT black dye and gave it a go! (I have never dyed any garment before, other than tie-dying which is different all together since you’re going for more color/designs/etc.)

The vest’s original camel-khaki color:

As I was about to dye this vest I went to my dresser for a shirt I wouldn’t care if it got stained. I first chose this top I got at Torrid a couple of years ago and looked at it and though, “Why don’t I wear this? I love this shirt!” Then I realized that it had a stain. Boo! So I grabbed two identical shirts from the same drawer and they, too were stained. Y’all! I don’t have to tell you about staining t-shirts on the frontal-chestal area, do I? I believe it’s a fairly common thing with everyone, but especially those of us gifted with larger boobages (I am using all sorts of made-up words today). Anyhoo, I decided I needed to save these shirts from their previously considered destiny: Cut into rags for cleaning! Oh Noes!!!

I headed out to my current sewing station (I’ve been making aprons like crazy for an upcoming craft show) and laid out my supplies and planned my next course of action. Dye? Appliques? Iron-on transfers? Check, check and check! I turned on the iron and filled my bucket with hot-hot water, a cup of salt (my vest was a cotton-linen blend and the bottle said this would help) and the bottle of dye. I first soaked the vest itself in hot water and then lowered in into the bucket-o-blackness. Doing this caused a mini-splash onto my aqua t-shirt and I realized, “Hey! I should just dye this, too, probably won’t see the stain anymore!” And whipped it off my person and into the bucket it went, too!
Supplies:

So much stirring!

30 minutes of stirring followed by many-several changes of water (have to keep agitating and then mild detergent and more water changes until the garments rinse clear) and finally my vest and t-shirt were ready to lay flat to dry. (I must note here that I chose not to use rubber gloves for two reasons: my husband had mysteriously thrown mine away and the dye was washing off my hands just fine at first, until? Well, see the pics!) After that I tackled the two remaining shirts. One got a neat-o iron-on transfer that covered the little stain it had perfectly, I think. And the other got some embroidered appliques ironed-onto it. Now I haven’t worn any of these yet, but I think they’ll look fairly if not entirely cute with these little upgrades. And the “Ultimate Outfit?” Well, I’ll just have to leave you in suspense for a bit, my dears. That will be for another day/week. =0)

Two tops saved (the black swirlyness at the right is what I ironed-on):

The “Corpse Hands” as my husband has dubbed them after the dying:

What creative or resourceful way have you saved something from the garbage or rag bin? Tell me about it! =0)

I had planned a more visually appealing/grabbing  Body Love Attack (as announced here http://bigfatblog.com/body-love-attack), but the trees outside of my cafe? Well, I just wasn’t sure how to attach the hearts to their branches without a lot of equipment. Ha! Go figure, poor planning on my part. But I did use the hearts in the way I intended originally, which is to share positive messages with people walking by or into my cafe.

On the back of every heart I wrote, “Love Your Body Just As It Is” I’ve already had people stop and read & smile at me!

One of my friends stopped by and said, “Oh I Love this! These hearts are great!” and I gave one that said, “You Amaze Me!” to her little girl. She left smiling from ear to ear! This is such a great thing! I love doing this. And the sign on my door about weight diversity? Fabulous! When my friend started to mention doing a body wrap with a friend I smiled and gestured to the sign, and she smiled back and said, “Oh don’t worry, I’m doing for the pampering and not for any sort of body issue.” I do love her. =0)

What are you doing for Love Your Body Day???

ETA: My business neighbor, man in his 70’s reads the sign on the door about weight diversity and says to me, “Oh good! Most people don’t know what the hell they’re talking about anyway!” referring to the no diet talk. Nice! Later he reads some of the hearts out front on my flower cart and comes back and says, “Those are really neat! I promise to love my body, okay?!” Too funny!

Today’s Tank Top Tuesday Pic comes from BigFatBlog.com’s WithoutScene! She is a die-hard fat feminist activist and fat studies scholar and teacher, who collects as many skirts/dresses-with-pockets as possible. I have truly enjoyed getting to know her recently and will be interviewing her for my podcast soon, I promise! =0)

The outfit: the top is a cami from LB and the skirt (which has pockets!) I snagged from Goodwill.

**Please email your Tank Top Tuesday pics to: notblueatall@notblueatall.com Thanks!