Happy Earth Week! Alright, so I missed posting on Earth Day, but that’s because I was busy getting ready to be a judge at Canton, Ohio’s second annual Wear & Share Fashion Show! If that sounds like a lot of fun, let me assure you— it was! I was invited to attend as a judge, but I left the event feeling extremely inspired and motivated to put my imagination to work with my sorely neglected mending pile at home.

The 2014 Wear & Share event was dreamed up by the fine ladies and gentlemen of ystark, a local organization that works to improve the Canton area community through knowledge, leadership and participation. The ystark committee members were inspired by Annie Leonard’s The Story of Stuff, which focuses on reusing materials to help with the waste problem of consumerism. Wear & Share celebrates and inspires with this earth-friendly mindset, featuring the wear— on-site vendors selling repurposed clothing and accessories as well as the refashioned styles showcased on the runway— and the share— a clothing drive to share your lightly worn clothing with those who need or can repurpose them.

photos by Mallory + Justin Photographers

I’ve never attended a high style fashion show before, but I’d wager to say the Wear & Share fashion show was twice as inspiring! The showcased designers were regular folks (women and men) from my own hometown of Canton, and the outfits they crafted were fashioned from just a few dollars worth of supplies from the thrift store! It was incredible as a judge to be able to see the before photos of the supplies— dated curtains, horrible satin pajama pants, ’80s dresses with the hugest shoulders, and even neckties. The way the original elements were deconstructed and completely refashioned just blew my mind and really got my own creative wheels spinning. So inspiring!

It was so refreshing to see such a variety of styles all in one place. The diversity showcased was really encouraging. Some of the runway styles were pretty easy to wear— just like something you could wear to the office— while other styles were begging to be taken out for a night of drinks and dancing. There was pattern mixing, there was subtle use of muted materials transformed into glorious vintage-inspired duds, there was high fashion influence, and there was even a good ol’ nod to punk rock styles.

My new friends and talented photographers, Mallory + Justin, captured the entire event, so if you’d like to see more of the designer’s creations and more of the event, please check out their public gallery here. If you think something like this would be fun to do in your hometown, why not work with some creative community-minded friends to put your own event together? You don’t even have to wait for Earth Day!

photos by Mallory + Justin Photographers

photos by Mallory + Justin Photographers

Don’t you love traveling to new cities, falling in love with new restaurants, shops, and people, but then get kinda sad when it’s time to go back to your boring ol’ town? I used to feel like that in my early twenties, before I began branching out and meeting new people and places where I live in Northeast Ohio. Now I’m quite content traipsing about from Canton, to Akron, to Cleveland, and back. There are so many amazing places if you know where to look, and if your city’s like Cleveland, you have to know where to look— and often, that’s not downtown.

If you head west from downtown Cleveland and over the bridge, you’ll find yourself in a thriving part of the city, known as Ohio City, where there are a lot of great shops and restaurants. If you go a bit further, you’ll end up in the heart of a newly thriving corner of Cleveland known as the Gordon Square Arts District. In the summertime particularly, this neighborhood comes alive with an artful colliding of cultures, artists, music, and FOOD. And one place in particular manages to mash it all together so nicely. That place, my friends, is Happy Dog.

Happy Dog is about as simple as it gets. Its menu is all dogs, made locally from their own recipe, and even including a nice vegan sausage if you’re not into the whole meat thing. Dogs, tots, and fries are all you’ll find, but you may just be blown away by the long list of toppings and sauces you can pile on top. From silly toppings such as breakfast cereal and peanut butter to complex sauces like oaxacon red chili and chocolate mole, the beginning of the fun at Happy Dog is deciding what adventure your taste buds will experience this time. You just sit down, fill out your checklist of toppings, and order a drink while you wait for your dogs.

The truly great thing about Happy Dog isn’t the delicious dogs, though. This restaurant truly captures the Cleveland vibe I’ve come to know and love since discovering more of the city. At first it comes across as just an old fashioned corner bar, but once you settle in, Happy Dog oozes a totally contemporary vibe with its casual atmosphere, craft beer, surprisingly diverse live music, and bustling atmosphere filled with locals of all ages and backgrounds.

Fun is number one at Happy Dog, so be sure to bring a roll of quarters for the vintage arcade games, juke box, or for the game room/bar below, called Underdog. Yes, that’s right- they have a game room and even more bar space below! If you’re into old arcade games, Happy Dog will be an extra special treat. And their craft beer selection is pretty good too. Perfect place for a Friday night!

If you’re in the Cleveland area, be sure to head out to the Gordon Square neighborhood and enjoy a casual meal at Happy Dog!

Ever find yourself admiring someone’s style and thinking, “I could never pull that off!” I used to say that quite a bit, before I started really exploring my own personal style and developing confidence along the way. My gals at First Friends in Canton, Ohio asked me to host a workshop at their 2014 Spring Women’s Conference to encourage other women with practical tips for developing their personal style and confidence. I’m so excited! Encouraging other women while talking about how fashion fits into our real lives? It’s an opportunity I couldn’t pass up.

I attended my first women’s conference at my church two years ago, and had always thought those events were geared towards older, super Christian women. But the ladies at First Friends just want to put together a refreshing time to connect with other gals over good food and clean fun, with lots of inspirational moments mixed in. If you’re not into the whole church thing, I think you’ll still enjoy the event- it’s jam packed with practical encouragement and fun for all kinds of women! There are a few workshops to choose from- even one that includes a couple of my Italian friends teaching how to make pasta from scratch! Seriously- something for everyone.

The conference takes place at First Friends in Canton, Ohio (on the corner of 55th and Market Ave.) on March 28th & 29th. Cost is only $40, but registration ends this Sunday (March 23). You can check out more information at their website here, and call the church to register. (Psst! Childcare is even provided!)

I hope to see some of you there! I’d love to meet you in person. If you have any questions, feel free to message me or leave a comment below.