Girls Can’t Be Mechanics

Posted by: gretchen on February 29, 2008 | 3 Comments |

When our van started making horrible noises on our vacation last year, we pulled off the interstate and into an automotive shop in a small town in Wyoming. My husband went inside to find a mechanic and returned with a young woman, tools in hand, who expertly popped open the hood and began to poke around to see what was wrong. My kids were in the backseat at the time and they both looked up and said “Hey mom - look - it’s a girl mechanic. You should add that one to your shop.” Say no more.

Girls Can’t WHAT? Mechanic Design

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Space: My Final Frontier

Posted by: gretchen on February 28, 2008 | 2 Comments |

This post promises to be ultra-geeky… that’s your warning. ;)

Old DeskFor the last year or so I have been on the hunt for the perfect desk. Since I began working from home in 2005, I have been using an old, beat-up metal desk as my workspace. It was so horrible I refused to move any of my stuff into it except for a few pencils, mobile phone accessories and my checkbook in the top drawer. The rest lay scattered on a nearby credenza. The desk had previously belonged to my parents who used it as a spare desk in my dad’s dental office and was later passed to my oldest daughter who used it for a couple years before handing it over to me covered in girly stickers with glitter spilling out the bottom drawers. I kid you not. It was a wreck.

Not only was the desk in not-so-great shape physically, but it was small. It was meant to be a student desk - just large enough for a few books and papers. Not a printer, and inbox, a laptop, speakers, phone chargers, digital camera accessories and more. So for two years I squished myself and my gear into this teensy tiny space every day and tried to be as productive as possible. I put a two-drawer metal filing cabinet next to me which added some extra storage space and a few more square inches of surface to pile more of my stuff.

Underneath the desk was a snake pit of tangled cords to computer gear, chargers, speakers and all kinds of other gadgets. Just unplugging the laptop was a challenge in itself. My sub-woofer sat right under my feet and I lived in fear of accidentally kicking it or slamming my chair into it. My backup drive also lived on the floor under the desk and every time I needed to plug it in I had to get on my hands and knees to hunt for it. I hated my workspace. Loved my job. Hated the space. Read more

Girls Can’t Sky Dive

Posted by: gretchen on February 27, 2008 | Leave a Comment |

Sky Diving is something I would probably try if given the opportunity. It’s not for everyone, but it sure looks like fun! And it’s not just for boys. In fact, there is an all-female skydiving team called Misty Blues, who was featured on Girls Can’t WHAT? back in 2006. The sky diving design has been on my list for quite some time. It was not the easiest thing to create since the parachute is so big, but it has finally made it’s way to the Girls Can’t WHAT? shop.

Sky Diver Design

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Looking for Girls Can’t WHAT? Models

Posted by: gretchen on February 22, 2008 | 1 Comment |

alli.jpegIt’s been well over two years since I first began designing Girls Can’t WHAT? characters. These designs have sold all over the world on T-shirts, hoodies, stickers, bags, hats and so much more. If you have a favorite Girls Can’t WHAT? product, send me a photo of you and your shirt/hat/bag, etc. and I’ll add it as a random photo in the “Get The Gear” section. C’mon… show us what you can do!

I’m also working on a photo gallery for the site that will feature snapshots of girls of all ages doing what they love to do while sporting their Girls Can’t WHAT? gear. Watch for an announcement soon. ;)

Girls Can’t What? Delivers

Posted by: gretchen on February 22, 2008 | Leave a Comment |

Need your Girls Can’t fix? You can have the latest information sent directly to your email box! Sign up to receive a bi-monthly digest of Girls Can’t What? content, which includes the latest news, interviews, inspirational quotes and the newest Girls Can’t WHAT? designs and products. Don’t miss out. Sign up today!


A New Book Quest

Posted by: gretchen on February 19, 2008 | 1 Comment |

I discovered another book I want to get my hands on soon for a review. It’s titled Wanting to Be Her: Body Image Secrets Victoria Won’t Tell You by author Michelle Graham. Love the title! Here’s an excerpt:

Wanting to Be Her“We are convinced that the only way to find contentment and happiness is to permanently change the parts of our bodies that upset us. It becomes so important to us that we are willing to spend thousand of dollars on a solution that doesn’t address the underlying issue.”

Anyone read this one yet?

1943 Guide to Hiring Women

Posted by: gretchen on February 14, 2008 | 9 Comments |

Oh My.

1943_guide_to_hiring_women-2.pdf

What is up with #4?

Click To Empower

Posted by: gretchen on February 14, 2008 | Leave a Comment |

The Allstate Foundation has launched “Click to Empower” — a very important program in support of the survivors of domestic violence and specifically, a commitment to the economic empowerment of these survivors.

For every “click” on the site, the Allstate Foundation will donate $1 to The Education and Job Training Assistance Fund, with a maximum donation of $300,000.

What are you waiting for?

Click To Empower. Brought to you by The Allstate Foundation.

What is a Feminist?

Posted by: gretchen on February 12, 2008 | 3 Comments |

Being that it’s nearly Wednesday, I’m a little late to the game with the weekly challenge, inspired from this quote:

“I myself have never been able to find out precisely what feminism is; I only know that people call me a feminist whenever I express sentiments that differentiate me from a doormat or a prostitute.” ~ Dame Rebecca West

So what do you think? How would you describe a feminist?

A Return To Modesty

Posted by: gretchen on February 12, 2008 | 3 Comments |

Modesty seems to be a hot topic on this site. Go figure. I don’t get the bare-it-all mentality, the skimpy clothing or the fashion industry. What’s wrong with a good pair of jeans and a t-shirt these days? Sheesh. Raising two young and very impressionable daughters, modesty is a daily topic in our house whether it is over two-piece bathing suits or wearing tank tops in below zero weather because it’s “cool”. But modesty goes way beyond what we choose to wear. Read more

A Good Wife Always Knows Her Place

Posted by: gretchen on February 7, 2008 | 7 Comments |

Good Housekeeping

Click the image for a good laugh. ;)

Danica McKellar is a True Role Model

Posted by: gretchen on February 5, 2008 | Leave a Comment |

Two thumbs way up for Danica McKellar who told Newsweek

danica.jpg“When girls see the antics of Paris Hilton and Lindsay Lohan, they think that being fun and glamorous also means being dumb and irresponsible. But I want to show them that being smart is cool.

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Daddy’s Boss is a Woman?

Posted by: gretchen on February 4, 2008 | 1 Comment |

My youngest daughter, Kirstie,  is eight.  We have been telling her since the day she was born that she can be anything she wants to be.  She gets that concept, but she has been struggling to grasp the fact that my husband’s new boss is a woman.  He has mentioned her a few times at dinner when talking about his work day and Kirstie has frequently interrupted him and with an inquisitive “she?“  We then go through another round of “yes, Kirstie, daddy’s boss is a woman”.  The first time we had this discussion her response was “I always thought the word ‘boss’ means a man”.  Arg.  8-|

Girls Can’t Be Truck Drivers

Posted by: gretchen on February 2, 2008 | 9 Comments |

Trucker PhotoMy grandpa was a manager for Yellow Freight trucking and I recall spending an occasional Saturday visiting the terminal when grandpa got called in to handle some unexpected business. I got to sit at his desk and sometimes he’d let me use the CB radio and pretend to be the dispatcher. Check out the photo (click to enlarge it) of me in his Yellow Freight trucker’s hat and with a big button pinned to my shirt that read “I like trucks”. So it is no surprise to find this written in my memory book:

When I Grow Up

Yup, that’s what I wanted to be in the second grade. On all the other years I listed multiple careers, but in the second grade I was apparently focused on driving a semi. I was so into trucking that many of my childhood photos show me in a Trucker’s cap and I knew the meaning to this saying which hung on my grandpa’s wall:

“Seville, der day go. Tousin buses innarow.
Nojo, demstrux, summit cowsin summit dux.”

So to honor my trucking history, I created the Girls Can’t WHAT? trucking design in the colors of the Yellow Freight company, with the Girls Can’t WHAT? initials on the side of the trailer.

Truck Driver Design

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