Twenty Twosday

So I have an idea I want to share with you…

This is something that’s been on my mind for a while.
Since last Summer to be exact, and after a conversation with my friend Anna.

Anna and I have talked about our mutual love and affinity for living more sustainable and ethically responsible lives through a whole manner of ways, but especially in regards to shopping for our homes and bodies.

Which is in large part why we feel so passionate about what we do in regards to each of our respective vintage businesses.
It’s not just about paying the bills, though we gotta do that, we live and breathe what we preach in our every day and personal lives in regards to shopping secondhand and combatting fast fashion and the type of unhealthy and wasteful consumerism so prevalent in our world right now.

Which brings me to this point: Anna said this thing last Summer that’s stuck with me and been on my mind ever since…

“I want to make shopping secondhand and buying vintage more accessible to people.”

And while I  try often get most excited by working on fixing up Victorian tops, and hunting for really old denim, and hoping to find WW2 vintage and one of a kind handmade jumpsuits from the 1970s…

I’ve come to realize that I want that too.

I want to continue to share my love of the really old stuff. The vintage that does warrant higher prices because they’re rare or one of a kind, because they have special wear and patches and because they hold immeasurable amounts of history and story in them…

But…

I also want to make shopping for vintage and secondhand more affordable and accessible to more people and more budgets.

Because I do think it makes a difference.

It makes a difference buying something old that already exists, vs. something new at Target and creating the demand for more which has consequences far greater than most of us realize the reality of in our first world lifestyles.

It makes a difference supporting a small business and in turn your local community and economy.

It makes a difference refusing to settle on lack of quality in the name of quantity.

It makes a difference choosing to be more mindful with how you spend your money because: every time you spend a dollar, you’re casting a vote for the type of world you want.

And so I have an idea in the works…

99% of my wardrobe is secondhand/vintage/handmade

A similar statistic could be applied to how I furnish my home.

(Well… when I have a home and I’m not living on The Road in Blue Moon anyway…)

And so once a week I’m thinking about offering up a collection of more affordable pieces for your body and your space to help further the inspiration and motivation to keep the ways in which you clothe your body and furnish your home more ethical, sustainable and attainable.

The working concept for this idea is to call it: Twenty Twosday

In which I would post a collection of pieces every Tuesday that are $22 each.
Most pieces would be vintage, but not necessarily all because I don’t think something necessarily has to be 20 years old (the definition of true vintage) to be a great staple in your wardrobe or a beautiful or functional piece in your home.

(Though admittedly the quality and craftsmanship of clothing in the past 20 or so years has degraded IMMENSELY which is another reason I prefer true vintage more often than not. But I somewhat digress…)

As always, I would love to hear what your thoughts are on all of this friends! Comment on this post or shoot me a message over on instagram.

Last week’s first intro to the idea went so well, and I am so excited to post this week’s collection today in the folkling instagram stories! Click the button below to shop along.

In Case You Want To Put A Sheepskin On It

⋒ ⋒YOU COULD WIN THIS SHEEPSKIN FOR ONLY $10⋒ ⋒

In case you missed it yesterday, I posted a super fun raffle on the Folkling Instagram!

Tryin to help us all get through the middle of the week with a fun opportunity to win an extra special piece for your home!

Up for raffle is a lovely sheepskin. 
Measures 71” x 39”

It does have two slight marks *see photos* that may come out with some cleaning and spot treatment, but in no way effects the usability and enjoyment of this beautiful piece! There are also a few imperfect sections that have been shorn.

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HOW IT WORKS

1. To enter, send $10 to @Leney on Venmo OR via PayPal Friends and Family to missjellyb@gmail.com with “Sheepskin Raffle” AND your instagram handle.
OR

(If you do not have Instagram you can leave your email instead but it is SUPER important that I have a way of contacting you if you win so please leave one or the other with your transaction!)

 Only ONE entry per person to give everyone an equal and fair chance of winning!

2. You have until midnight FRIDAY to enter!

3. I will write down everyone’s names who entered, throw them in my hat, go live SATURDAY morning on the Instagram story (so you guys feel extra good about this being above board and honest ) and pick a winner! (Don’t worry about being present to watch the live video— I will contact you via Instagram or your email if you win!) Many of you know my love for sheepskins due to my fiber arts history, and I have and use so many in both my stationary and mobile life!

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I have one that I always sleep on when camping in Blue Moon  or in a tent, and I have been known to throw them in the backseat of my car for extra “ambiance”, but I also love them:

Draped on a chair that needs some extra cushion

On your bed for some extra styled depth and layering

Next to your bed as a rug so that your hard workin feet start the day extra pampered

A sweet floor pad to lay your bebe on

AND I don’t have a dog but I hear they make excellent dog beds... 

(If you want to see more ways that I use sheepskins, you can check out #PUTASHEEPSKINONIT

Thank you all for doing this with me! It’s been really great coming up with more diverse and varied ways to connect and have fun with you all during this time and help make ends meet over here! I have such a blast hanging out with you in this virtual space and talking about all the vintage and sustainable ways of livin. Thank you for being here.

I super appreciate each and every one of you. ️

Good luck and see ya Saturday morning on the @folkling Instagram!

The Consistency of Place

“The land doesn’t speak to you because you don’t stay in one place long enough to hear it”

It seems a lot of what I’ve written about recently stems from conversations with various friends from all across this country.

I don’t know that I’m talking to people more than I normally would, but perhaps life has slowed down enough to really be able to meditate on the things being said to the extent they deserve.

This is a paraphrased quote by a friend who mentioned this line from the book: The Practice of The Wild and it’s from a conversation with a Crow elder.

It struck a chord with me for several reasons.

While I have the constant pull of The Road on my mind and that’s a huge part of me, I’m also a life long Virginian. A born and raised Richmonder, and someone who grew up routinely going to the Chesapeake Bay and its surrounding tiny towns because I’m the #daughterofasailor.
I have immense pride in being from one consistent place and having the roots that I do.

I lived in #RVA for 25 years before I chose to make the bay my home in between my road dog life, and while it’s always been a part of me and felt like home, taking up residence here has made that more tangible.

When I came home in November from living a year on The Road, I really meant to be back just for a few months to catch up with loved ones, work on some writing projects and then get back out there.

And then the world fell apart.

Yet, in the midst of that I’ve had more ability to enjoy this place. Discover unexplored corners, notice things I’ve always driven past too fast, really get to know my neighbors and those who work in my community and appreciate the consistency of place.

I have been debating what to do in the coming months.
Whether to leave or stay.
What leaving would look like now that photo jobs have been cancelled and I’m unsure if @folkling could be consistent enough while being mobile to make ends meet and still trying to save for a place of my own.

And I’m still debating.

But I’ve been relearning the importance of home. That even in these times, or maybe especially so, pausing long enough to listen to the land and appreciate where you presently are is a narrative worth hearing.

How To Survive Staying At Home: Get Dressed

Other than focusing on the good and trying to create something each day to some capacity, another thing getting me through this current upheaval of our world is getting dressed.

Every day.

What a concept, I know I know, but hear me out.

Even before the stay at home order that we currently have in place in Virginia, I have largely worked from home.
Through my varied ten years of owning my own business and working for myself, whether it’s photography or writing related, my knitwear designing or vintage curating, a lot of what I do in a day can be done from home.
As a result, I have had a built in routine of getting dressed every day.

Because I noticed when I didn’t, when I stayed in my pajamas, or my workout clothes, I did not get as much done in a day. I felt sluggish, distracted, unorganized and quite frankly, not so great about myself.

I truly notice a difference in my outlook and attitude when I choose clothes I love, don my hat and boots and maybe even put some mascara on. Even if I’m not leaving the house that day.

Think about it, if you feel good, you’re going to do good. You’re going to feel put together and therefor your output and actions have the ability to be more put together.

It should go without saying, but I’m going to say it anyway, that I am in no way faulting anyone for living in their yoga pants during this time. Everyone’s lifestyles are different, especially those of you home with kids. That is a whole other battle of priorities and things you have to take care of in a day… but if you’ve been feeling kind of off lately and need a reframe of mind… maybe just try it.
Put on your favorite pair of jeans (cause while I have been getting dressed every day I am actually mostly just wearing the same pair of pants…) brush your hair and just see if it makes a difference in how you feel.

It might be the attitude shift you need to see today as a good day.

Another practice inline with this ethos?

Make your bed.

I haven’t gone a day without making my bed since… I honestly don’t remember.
But maybe that’s a post for another day.

Folkling Shop Update: A Military Education

I don’t know a lot about military vintage to be perfectly honest.

(Except, you know, USN wool sweaters and N1 deck jackets… I know about good stuff like that…)

But O has been teaching me and it’s been such a fun thing to learn more about.

We found this Vietnam Era Rip-Stop Jungle Jacket, Gore-Tex USAF Type CWU 36/P Flight Shell & Liner Jacket and US Army Vietnam Era BDU Shirt a few weeks ago and finally got around to shooting and listing them in the web shop!

But my favorite part?

The 1970s matchbook and 1973 penny we found in the pocket of the jungle jacket. (Which will of course be left in there for you, or whoever the next owner of this piece will be)

Good clothing tells stories.

Find value in the pieces that have layers of them.


I envision these perhaps being the jackets that you buy for your boyfriend but then end up stealing and wearing more than he does… You know, as seen in the last photo. ;)


Suggested listen: French Press by Rolling Blackouts Coastal Fever

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Folkling Shop Update: Because of A Field of Buttercups

I know there have been more “Folkling Shop Update” posts than others lately on here.
The main reason, if I’m being honest, is that more in depth creation is the thing that’s keeping me goin these days.

And these posts allow for that.

But also my hope with these posts is that I can more consistently share a little more of my artistry and inspiration.
How I correlate and connect all of my passions into a photograph of a dress.
How a field of buttercups can leave your creative cup filled for days.
How the fullness of intention, mindfulness and specific action can be executed in everything that we do.

It’s a stretch to you perhaps. But it makes sense in my mind.

I’d been driving past this field for about a week, watching the golden waves grow brighter and brighter with each passing rain.
I finally donned this folkling dress and headed out to shoot in it yesterday afternoon.

These photographs emulate a feeling of quarantine relief for me. The ability to go outside and be in nature amidst this pandemic has been one of the saving graces of where I currently am.

I hope this dress can bring a similar feeling of calm— Even if you just wear it around the house.

Suggested listen: Diamonds & Gasoline by The Turnpike Troubadours

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Folkling Shop Update: Naturally Dyed

One of my main ethos’ in selling vintage is encouraging a more sustainable and ethically responsible lifestyle in myself and in others. It goes along with my five year pursuit of the art of slow living.

These pieces are a collection of vintage that I’ve held onto over the years because, despite stains or perceived plainness or lack of wear, I believed their bones were just too good to not be given a second life.
(See some of the before photos here!)

I have had various adventures in natural dyeing in the past, primarily with yarn and knitwear (see more here), but it was so much fun experimenting with clothing this time and some natural and simpler ways of dyeing that I hadn’t used before.

I had so much fun working on this collection and I hope you all find a little bit of inspiration to perhaps repurpose or recycle something in your own closet vs. throwing it out.

Sometimes we just need the chance to look at something through a different lens to fall in love with it all over again.

Suggested listen: Shades of Man by Khruangbin

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Natural Dyeing

I have been working on natural dyeing some vintage pieces for Folkling over the last few weeks. Pieces that I have been collecting that were otherwise unused, unworn, stained or just needed some new life.
I thought it would be fun to show a few before photos!

The after will be revealed and available in the shop later this week. Follow Folkling on Instagram and turn on post notifications to be the first to see!

It’s been a long while since I’ve experimented with natural dyeing, but I thought I would share some fun 35mm film photos of when I did it for a knitwear collection I had at a Quirk Gallery Trunk Show back in the day!

When I lived in Richmond, this was how I would dye my knitwear and yarn.
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I’d set the dyes in my tiny kitchen on the stove and then I’d rinse the pieces in the alley next to my apartment and dry them on the roof of my building (where I wasn’t really allowed to be… but I digress….)

This time in my life and chapter in my creation process is such a special one to me.

I have always been proud of my tenacity and resourcefulness in not allowing limitations to stop me from achieving my goals.
This is something I’ve learned partially because I’ve had to, but also because I learned early on that out of limitations creativity and some of my best art is born.
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First two portraits of me were taken by my fellow natural dye/fiber artist friend, Emily.

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Just Nice Things

A bundle of hand-chopped cedar lovingly brought with the thought of care for all of my wool stuffed spaces.

Sporadic but thoughtful entries in the Moonlists book.

Re-tying together a driftwood ladder I’d dreamed up long ago (the story of which you can read here).

Rain falling on the tin roof.

Handwritten mail.

Windswept bike rides.

Your Sunday best.

Waking up early with the sun more routinely again.

All of us together.

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Thank You

Last weeks Folkling vintage sale went better than I could have ever anticipated and holy smokes am I beyond grateful.

I wish I could find words that expressed the amount of gratitude I am feeling this Monday.
I am speechless in regards to the amount of orders that came in.

I even shed tears once in the wake of someone’s immense kindness at sending money just because they wanted to support but didn’t need anything.

Several of you sent a few extra dollars with your purchases just because and that too means a hell of a lot.

But you know what means more?
The messages of kind words and encouragement and support and love.

SO MANY of you have been with me since the very beginning of Folkling in 2017 and even before that through the various ventures under A Girl Named Leney since 2010.

The fact that you appreciate and celebrate the art that I put out into the world, whether it’s through my photo journalism projects, my writing, my knitwear designs, or this venture in vintage—THAT is what means the most to me.

I am so fortunate to get to do what I love for a living.
But it is a LOT of hard work to keep my head up and keep believing that what I create and do in the world means something and matters.
Especially in times like these.
I never have a guaranteed paycheck, and never know what my income is going to be in a month.
Somehow though, ever since quitting my formal job ten years ago, I have always had enough.
Sometimes just barely.
Sometimes I’ve needed to get a part time job to make ends meet, but I have always been able to get back to who I am as an artist and keep creating.

And that’s largely because of you.

So thank you.
Thank you for keeping my dreams alive, for helping me live an alternative and more sustainable lifestyle, for resonating with some form of who I am as a person and an artist.

You are the stuff dreams are made of and I am so humbled by the message of community and togetherness in that.

We’re all in this together.

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