We are so proud to have had Elizabeth Layton as part of our team this past year!

Liz graduated in December from Cal Poly San Luis Obispo with a Communications major in Business Ag. She is currently back home in Santa Rosa looking for new opportunities to spread her talents. We loved having her as part of team Rosie and wish her
the best in all her future adventures!
We know that for us she will always take her Rosies spirit with her.  Thanks for all that you did Liz, you will be missed! 

Liz  is being replaced by Katie Crawford. Katie has been a part of Rosies for 10 years, she has been a Rosies model, helped create product ideas, worked at road shows selling and now we get to have her use her unique talent for writing by taking over the blog , newsletter and face book posting. Rosies has a lot planned for 2012 and we welcome Katie’s voice to keep the Rosies community connected.
 
-Sharon Moore (Rosie’s founder)

New Year brings a new contest for Rosies! Get ready to pose for the camera and bring out those maps, to win lots of Rosies gear in 2012! 

Here is how you play:

1. Have someone take a picture of you in your favorite Rosies gear in front of a fun location (ex. a popular landmark)

HINT: we are looking for backgrounds that provide good clues without giving the location away! So, don’t stand in front of a sign telling what the location is! Also, the location should be something other Rosies can figure out, so a picture in front of your personal farm would not be as good of a choice as a picture in front of a hometown landmark.

2. Email the photo to us at info@rosiesworkwear.com Each month we will select one picture to post on our webpage. If your photo is selected you will WIN A PRIZE!!

3. Go to our webpage to try and guess the location of the selected photo. The first one to correctly respond will WIN A PRIZE!!

Working with your hands is no glamorous job, as all of you Rosies are well aware of.  With dirt under our fingernails, sweat on our faces, and hair piled up in a bun so that it’s neatly out of our way, no one mistakes us for fashionable during working hours…or do they?

That’s right ladies – the overall is back in style!  Style blogs are commenting that overalls are “vintage cool and totally chic” (I’ll take that!).  Just because we are doing tough work doesn’t mean we can’t look good at the same time, right?  This is one of the biggest reasons we love to offer our Rosies overalls in a variety of colors (our sea green, raspberry, pink, and tan – also coming soon are navy overalls and a USA made denim!).  Giving our uniforms a little splash of color is fun and a great way to stand out.

A pair of new, fashionable Citizens of Humanity overalls are selling for up to – wait for it – $298.00!  High fashion comes at a high price.  Luckily for us, we can sell our Rosies overalls at only $52.00.  Plus, our “we can do it” attitude has given us the pleasure of meeting thousands of inspiring and fascinating women.

You all are the reason that we love making these overalls, and the reason we have such a strong and supportive community of women!  Not only is the Rosies community strong, independent, and inspirational, but we are fashionable, too!  Look out, world!

We have been getting great stories from all you Rosies out there!  We love seeing the passion everyone has for hard work and getting dirty.  That’s what makes us Rosies gals because we can do it and we do it in style.  Our Labor of Love Contest is still going on until August 31, so be sure to keep sending in those stories for your chance to win some new denim coveralls.  Check out some of these great entries we have had…

“Working on clearing my land! I love cutting wood, piling it up, having a bonfire and cleaning the trash up from prior owners to make our land beautiful.” – Karen Rowden

“All kinds of gardening, so much so, that I actually started a business doing just that. I also love to ride and tend horses, which is also a very dirty love.” – Wendy Patrick

“I’m a Wildlife Damage Control Agent, and I love it! I crawl under houses to check for signs of animals like raccoons and opossums, the occasional snake, or to retrieve dead animals (ew!). I crawl through insulation in tight attics looking for squirrel nests and bats. I do a lot of crawling! I also inspect roofs and chimneys, soffeting, and I like looking for wildlife damage and repairing it. Because humans keep expanding into wildlife territory, the two continue to clash. That’s where I come in! It’s about getting animals out and keeping them from coming back in the most humane ways possible. That way everyone wins. The animals get back in their natural habitats and people don’t have to live with critters in their houses anymore! It doesn’t pay great, but this work really is a labor of love for me.” – Kristen Strickland

“My husband is a farmer and his father has been his best friend his entire life. He (my husband) never had a male friend except for his father until I came along. Jerry worked on the farm with his father since he was six years old. His ‘pa’ died January 3rd of this year after being ill for several years and not being able to help on the farm any longer. My poor husband has been like a lost puppy dog without his ‘pa’ and the crops have been late.  It is just very hard to get used to farming alone, which has been a tandem effort for a lifetime. I am from the city (Jerry has always called me his city slicker) and decided last year to try to help him run the combine and the tractor so we don’t loose what he loves to do. So now I am a farmer, not by choice, but for sure by ‘labor of love’. I love my husband and would do anything to help him.” –  Melodie Koukilk

“After moving around for the military for the first 4.5 years of our marriage, we were finally able to settle down on 4.12 acres in beautiful Missouri. Shortly after arriving came the chickens! Next came the garden… and lastly the cow. We have given our little patch of heaven the name ‘Charity Farm’ and our goal, once we get more established and learn more (we are both newbies at the farming thing), is to be able to provide fresh fruits and vegetables, eggs and some milk free of charge to a family in need in the area. We will use the farm to teach our girls (who we plan on homeschooling) about being self sustainable.” – Jacki McGinnity

“My labor of love is my almost three acre lot where I reside in a formerly rural area, which has now developed subdivisions. (Sigh) I keep on, keeping on by tending to my gardens and yard the old fashioned ways—by using organic methods with a homesteading philosophy to keep me going. It is a life sustaining act for me, and a great counter-balance to my 8-5, 40 hour a week job. Nothing reaffirms life and nature so much as harvesting your own vegetables or fruit, and my favorite apparel to wear to do so are bib overalls. I would love the opportunity to try out Rosie’s bibs. And denim would be perfect for my gardening and homesteading life of choice! Thank you!”  -Clare M.

“I just bought my first home last year and the yard had nothing in it. I have been busy designing and digging flower beds out, planting, laying mulch and also working in the garage, which up to just last week has had electrical power restored. This is my labor of love, making a home for my family.” -Adrianne Calhoun

“My home. My husband and I did every bit of the labor we could. Wiring, drywall and painting. It’s an always evolving process so we are always working on it.” -Melinda Grubb

“I have an organic herb garden in the backyard and an organic vegetable garden in the front yard. The herbs are not only used to season my food, but for medicinal purposes as well (I’m a shamanic healer). Right now the basil, chamomile and holy basil are in full bloom. The privilege of smelling that delicious clove-like scent from the basils and seeing the tiny chamomile flowers and all the bees happily collecting nectar is utter bliss for me – proving that all those hours of hard labor, broken fingernails, dirt scattered on me and tracked into the house, shooing away my dogs from eating the herbs as young shoots, constant weed patrol, and pulling the weeds by hand, is paying off big time and is truly a labor of love!”  - Kerry Murphy

“I garden in my Rosies! I love gardening and have turned what was a desolate oasis (my honey’s yard) into a yard this summer and my Rosies have been wonderful for doing all the work….in addition to gardening, we have three horses and I wear my Rosies while tending to our big babies and often for riding as well. Lots of room and comfort on horseback in my Rosies! So happy to have found, ordered and be working in my overalls!” – Joy York

“My husband and I bought ten acres of old cattle grazing/feed cornfield farmland with the dream of starting an organic farm. Truly an enormous labor of love, as we are starting from nothing (basically, a cleared field) and building from the ground up. Whether it’s kneeling in the mud & yanking out weeds, peering into leaves and hand squashing bugs, digging holes for new trees, starting seeds, beautifying the grounds with flowers, or chasing after our flock of guinea fowl as they wander the neighboring acres, there’s always something to do around here. Combine that with two kids, a puppy and two cats, and I could probably live in Rosies 24/7.” – Sara Bozzelli

Don’t forget to enter your Labor of Love by going to the Labor of Love tab on our Facebook page.  Be sure to enter before August 31 for your chance to win a pair of our classic denim coveralls.  Keep on working hard!

It’s been hot out, which is why we want to share these recipes with you to help keep you cool while working on your summer projects.

Pineapple Mint Agua Fresca from Serious Eats

Christianne Wintrhop shared this yummy summer drink on seriouseats.com.  It is a “hot weather Latin American tradition” that is sweet and refreshing.  Here is the recipe:

What you need:

• 1 small pineapple, peeled and cut into 1-inch chunks
• 1/4 cup sugar
• 2 cups water
• 1/8 cup mint leaves, tightly packed
• juice of 1 lime

Directions:

1.  Combine sugar and pineapple in a bowl, cover and refrigerate for one hour.

2.  After an hour, add the pineapple mixture, water, mint, and lime to a blender. Blend until smooth.

3.  Pour liquid through strainer into a pitcher, pressing on the solids. Serve over ice.

Watermelon Cooler

I love watermelon.  It is one of my all-time favorite summer fruits.  It is so refreshing on those hot summer days, and it fills me up and hydrates me at the same time!  Check out this watermelon cooler from Better Homes and Gardens.  Sounds tasty right?

What you need:

• 3 cups coarsely chopped seeded watermelon
• 3/4 cup sugar
• 1/2 cup lightly packed fresh mint leaves
• 2 cups white grape juice
• 1 tsp. finely shredded lime peel
• 3/4 cup fresh lime juice, chilled
• 32 oz. (4 cups) club soda, chilled
• Fresh mint sprigs (optional)
• Watermelon wedges or balls (optional)

Directions:

1. Place watermelon in a blender or food processor. Cover and blend until smooth. Strain watermelon puree through a fine mesh sieve; discard pulp.

2. In a large bowl combine sugar and mint. Using the back of a wooden spoon, lightly crush mint by pressing it against the side of the bowl. Add grape juice, lime peel, lime juice, and watermelon puree, stirring until sugar is dissolved. Stir in club soda. Serve in glasses over ice. If desired, garnish with mint sprigs and watermelon wedges or balls. Serve immediately. Makes 9 servings.

Sun Made Iced Tea

Growing up, this was one of my favorite parts of summer—my mom’s sun made iced tea.  It is super easy and it is one of those “set it and forget it” recipes you can do anywhere.  Tipnut.com has exact directions for what you need and how to do it.

What you need:

• 1 large glass pitcher or jar with lid (that will accommodate 8 cups of water)
• 6 to 8 regular size tea bags (or equivalent loose tea)

Directions:

• Fill pitcher with 8 cups of cold water then add the tea. Seal with lid.
• Place pitcher in a sunny location so it can sit out in full sun (getting 2 to 3 hours of sunlight–up to 4 hours if you prefer stronger tea).
• After brewing in the sun, strain out the tea and refrigerate until fully chilled.
• Add ice cubes and any flavorings before serving.

This year’s Dirtiest Rosies Contest winner tells us a little bit about herself and how she gets dirty.  She is a true Rosie and we admire all of the beautiful work she does.  Plus, she is a fellow blogger!  Check out her blog at sageartistry.blogspot.com.  Here is what she told us about herself and how she became a Rosie:

Sherri doing what she loves best, plastering!

It’s so nice to have companies like Rosies! You support us cowgirls, pioneers, innovators, and creators! It’s a real treat to be honored. My Mom bought me my first pair of Rosies and encouraged me to enter a few months ago…a Mother’s intuition must be right!

I worked at Microsoft from 1998 – 2006 as a project manager. In 2000, my husband and I bought our first house. I went down to Home Depot, grabbed a bucket of “Venetian plaster” and fell in love with the work. At first, my arms burnt from troweling, but I couldn’t get enough of the work. Wall after wall became less white and more textured, one finish flowed into the next.

Pretty soon, I realized that I wanted to do this for a living and I decided to switch careers. I decided to complete Bellevue College’s interior design program to really learn and explore the field of art and design. I knew that I loved plastering before I started the program in 2005, and I still was in love with the trowel after I completed it in 2009. The program at Bellevue College is exceptional and it gave me the structure I needed to elevate my current work. My professors will tell you that I was also the dirtiest Rosie in the program… I hope I didn’t get too much plaster on the tables and seats!

Getting my A.A. in interior design AND growing my business was challenging. I think my biggest challenge now is learning when to take small risks or big leaps of faith! I love being accountable and navigating the direction of my business. One of the most challenging aspects is selecting which plaster materials to fall in love with. Some are beautiful, but toxic, others are beautiful AND kind to our health. When I started my business I developed the slogan, “Creativity with a Conscience.” I have to stick to these ethics as an artisan and constantly evaluate the health of the materials I am using.

Creativity is a beautiful monster… so when I am not getting dirty with eco-friendly plaster finishes like American clay, I am often found getting dirty with fabric painting, sculpting, and casting glass. There really isn’t ever a time that I am not trying to get dirty through creating. My respite is nature… when hiking at the river with my dogs helps bring all those explosive ideas down to a quiet simmer. Then it’s back to the studio!

The current state of my Rosies is very textured!  I used sun paints to paint in wrench designs into the fabric and also did some paint splatters to really take them wild. My family will tell you I have very few solid colored clothes left. Everything in my closet has some sort of texture!

I think the biggest aspect of me being able to “do what I do” is the support I get from my family. It’s nice coming home to a supportive husband, 3 golden retrievers and 2 orange tabbies at the end of a long day. We all nest together and I couldn’t be a creative warrior without a strong family!

While getting dirty is fun, getting the stains out of your Rosies isn’t. We have had many of you ask us what’s the best way to clean your workwear so we decided to give you some tips and tricks we have learned:

Sherri Gamble, winner of the Dirtiest Rosies Contest, shows off her paint stains.

• For all stains: We have found that using good old Spray n’ Wash and Oxyclean work well. You can use stain removers as well, but you should test it on your Rosies first before applying.

• For grass stains: We blogged about this a while back, but this remedy is an easy homemade solution from Mrs. Clean. “Pre-treat the grass stain with warm water and vinegar (no fruit vinegar) or water and rubbing alcohol. You can then rub the mixture directly into the stain and then wash it as you normally would. This mixture is known to get out the stain. Another option is to take some ammonia and mix it with one teaspoon of vinegar and then repeat the above steps. All of these methods work great at removing stains.”

• For grease and oil stains: Rubbing lard/shortening on the spots, then washing them as you would normally. This may take a few tries, but it should eventually start to work its way out. Or, spray some WD-40 on the stain and let it sit for about 20 minutes. Then rub some dish detergent onto the stain. Rinse the area, apply more dish detergent onto the stain and wash as usual.

These Rosies have been used for three years and still look like new.

• For paint stains: Pour warm water and rubbing alcohol (generous amount) onto stain and work stain out with toothbrush. Or, spray the stain with some hairspray and rub with toothbrush. Wash as you would regularly. To remove oil-based paint, apply paint thinner onto spot with sponge, rubbing as much of the paint off as you can. Then rub liquid detergent and wash in hot water.

*Remember to test any cleaning solution you use before using it.

If stains don’t come out, wear your Rosies with pride! Stained workwear shows that you like getting dirty, plus they give your Rosies a little personality.

This past October, Rosies Workwear helped build a house for Habitat for Humanity San Luis Obispo for Habitat’s Women Build program. The Women Build is a program that encourages women to make a difference in their community by building homes for those in need. It provides a comfortable environment where women can learn construction skills they might not otherwise have the opportunity to learn. Lowe’s in Paso Robles and CK Builders teamed up to bring Women Build to San Luis Obispo. Our Rosies strapped on some overalls and went to work! Check out this video showing all our Rosies and their can do attitudes…

by Elizabeth Layton, Rosies Intern

I have had the privilege of working at Rosies Workwear for the past two months.  Not only have I loved working for a business that promotes “women can do it,” I have been inspired by the hard-working women who purchase Rosies.

As a graduating senior at California Polytechnic State University in San Luis Obispo, I decided to take one easy class…the beginners rodeo class.  This class allows students to practice all the various events in a rodeo.  We were also required to volunteer at the Cal Poly Rodeo that takes place during our Open House for incoming freshman.  Included in all this was a steer riding competition for our class (similar to bull riding, but not quite as scary since steers are smaller).  Out of the 80 students only 10 were randomly chosen to ride the steers in the rodeo…in front of everyone.

So of course, my name was chosen.  The first words out of my mouth were, “Are you kidding me?”   No, I did not want to put myself on a steer whose only goal is to buck me off, but yes, of course I’ll do it.  How could I possibly work for a business whose motto is that women can do anything that men can do, and then not take this opportunity?

The day of the rodeo I was pretty nervous.  I wasn’t so much scared anymore (I had gotten to practice once, earlier that week) but I didn’t particularly feel like embarrassing myself in front of hundreds of people.  As Rosie luck would have it, I didn’t embarrass myself at all.  In fact, I won!  I stayed on the longest and received the highest score out of the ten students.  I won a belt buckle and got the satisfaction of proving that girls can ride steers, too.  I think I’m becoming a Rosie.

Tired of being cooped up for weeks on end?  Do you find yourself daydreaming of falling madly in love? Or do you have a sudden urge to clean your whole house, upside down, inside out?  Then you may be suffering from spring fever.

Spring fever is not just a topic of popular poems, movies and songs; there is actually a science behind it.  Scientists say it is a decrease in the hormone melatonin and an increase in the hormone serotonin.  Combined, these shifts cause a rise in energy, increased elation and a desire to find that special someone.  Melatonin is also affected by the amount of light, and since the days are longer, expect to get a sudden desire to be ultra productive.

So how do you cure your spring fever?

First, I would take all that newfound energy you have and fulfill your desire of planting a garden, cleaning your house, or reorganizing your shed.  Plus, it gets you out of the house and into some fresh air, which you have missed for so many weeks.

Second, if you are looking for love, it is time to spring into action.  Set a date to spend time with your loved one.  Or, take a chance and talk to that someone you have been thinking about all winter.

Lastly, get outside.  You have been cooped up too long.  You may be tired of being surrounded by the incessant flu bugs that seem to plague everyone in the winter.  Take a walk, tend to your yard, or go for a bike ride.  Spring is here so take advantage of it!

In the words of Mark Twain, “It’s spring fever.  That is what the name of it is.  And when you’ve got it, you want – oh, you don’t quite know what it is you do want, but it just fairly makes your heart ache, you want it so!”

What are you aching to do?  Share it with us here or on our Facebook page.