Friday, March 30, 2012

Spending Fast Update: 3 months down, 9 to go!

This month was not as successful as the other two unfortunately, but I still think I did pretty well!  I had a couple of moments of weakness (I did purchase 2 meals at restaurants - about $20 a piece total).  I'm frustrated about that, but I'm not perfect and I'm not going to beat myself up over it.  I think I could've done better, but I still did well, and I did pay down my debt some more, so that's great! 

Here is how I did for the month of March with NOT spending:




Date Not buying Approx $ not spent Total $ Saved
3/1/12 Derby Dues $50.00 $50.00
3/2/12 Dinner at Steubens (Brian's B-day) $15.00 $65.00
3/4/12 Going out to brunch for my b-day (had people over instead) $25.00 $90.00
3/3/12 Out for drinks for my b-day $30.00 $120.00
3/1/12 Google Offer ($10 for $20 at City-O-City) - ugh… really wanted that!  $10.00 $130.00
3/3/12 Drinks at the bout $18.00 $148.00
3/3/12 Taco Bell (thank GOODNESS John didn't let me do this!) $10.00 $158.00
3/7/12 Gift basket donation (donated handmade items instead) $10.00 $168.00
3/7/12 Bowling (friends had a free coupon!)  $15.00 $183.00
3/10/12 Additional Drink at Clothing Swap w/ Katy (had 1 free drink, wanted another!) $8.00 $191.00
3/15/12 Lunch (the one I brought wasn't very yummy again) $8.00 $199.00
3/17/12 Large Green Beer (while at Breckenridge) $6.00 $205.00
3/23/12 Lunch (I REALLY wanted to go & get an Arepas today!) $6.00 $211.00
3/21/12 2 bottles of wine (I used gift card money!  WOOT!) $20.00 $231.00
3/27/12 Glass of wine or beer / Queso & chips (I REALLY needed this today…) $10.00 $241.00
3/28/12 Hunger Games movie ticket (my mom treated me!)  $12.00 $253.00
3/29/12 TJ Maxx (I had $3 left on a gift card, but wanted much more than that) $20.00 $273.00
3/29/12 Bottle of wine (John got it) $11.00 $284.00


So I did not spend $284.00 this month!  Not too bad if I say so myself.
It also means that since the end of February (to the end of March), I've paid off $1,285.29!! 

Woooooohooooooo!!!  That's great news.  In total since I started the spending fast 3 months ago in January, I have paid off a whopping $2,664.69 off my debt. 

I'm almost to the $3k mark!!  It's so close I can taste it!!  And it's also amazing how much money you can save up when you really put your mind to it, huh? :) 

For more information about the Spending Fast and inspiration - visit And Then She Saved!



Thursday, March 29, 2012

Victory Rolls (Pin-up girl hairstyle tutorial)

OK, I kind of want to be this girl's best friend - she's totally adorable!
In this video she gives a step-by-step tutorial on how to do Victory Rolls, and I'm TOTALLY going to try it out.  I don't have quite as much hair as she does at this point, but I'm still going to give it a shot.

Check it out!



I like that she mentions that you have to practice to get it down - so true!  I started using liquid eyeliner to get the 50's cat-eye look, but it took a lot of practice to get as good at it as I am now.  I definitely screwed it up many times before I got to the point where I could just swipe it on!  ;)

Next big night out, this is going to SO happen.  Woohoo!

I also came across this video too, which I'm super excited about:



I had never been able to figure out how to A): put a bandana in & make it stay, and B): get the actual pin-up girl look from a bandana without looking like a thug / Goofy with a sore tooth.  HA!  But I totally did this today since I didn't feel like washing my hair, and I think it turned out pretty darn well! 
It's certainly not perfect, but hey, it was my first try.



The bandana hasn't slipped an inch either.  Simple as using bobby pins.  Who knew?  

I'm totally going to be rockin' this style over the summer when I'm feeling lazy. ;)  

A newfound love for Ramen!

For some reason the last time John and I were at Costco, we decided to get an entire palette of Ramen noodles.  I think the whole thing (about 50 packets I think?) was about $7.  You can't beat that.

Lately there's something about these wavy little noodles that have been gettin' me craving them on a daily basis.  I think my new favorite thing is to just make the noodles & drain them, then add my own sauce & toppings.


Hells yeah!  That's what I'm talkin' about!

This is just some simmer sauce that I bought in the ethnic foods aisle of the grocery store.  I think it's the coconut curry one, but I can't remember.  I also love adding Madras Lentils (it tastes just like a creamy chili), with a splash of soymilk & hot sauce.  YUM!!

Above I added sauteed zucchini, red peppers, onions, garlic, and mushrooms.  It was scrumptious!  Today for lunch, I topped it with asparagus, onions, and seared tofu.

Seriously, I can't get enough.


Luckily, John can't either. :)

Wednesday, March 28, 2012

Sometimes stuff just doesn't happen the way you want it to...

Well, the news I received wasn't what I was expecting.

The big secret is that I had an interview with a company that would have been a HUGE step up for me career-wise.  It would have been amazing, and working with the company would have been really exciting.  I would have been working alongside some awesome women close to my own age, in a fun environment, working in a position I would have been crazy excited about getting up and doing every single day.  The added bonus is I would be making twice the amount I'm making now salary-wise, PLUS benefits.  

And I nailed the interview.  I mean NAILED it.  It was the best one I've had in a really long time.

But I didn't get the job.

I guess they were looking for someone with more experience in that company's field, and although they really liked me, they had to go another direction. 

I couldn't have been more disappointed yesterday. 

I cried.  A lot. 

I try not to get too excited about something with an unknown outcome.  I tried really hard not to think of what I could do with this company.  I tried not to think of the fact that I could have my debt paid off before the end of this year with my new salary.  I tried not to start planning my new commute, or how I would decorate my new office.  But in the back of my mind, I still did.

And now I have to move on.  I feel like I've reached a crossroads in my life, and I have a choice to go one way or another.  I don't have a lot of freedom right now because of my debt, and that pisses me off to no end.  It limits my decisions, and makes me hate my debt even more.  I guess that's a good thing because I'll keep working as hard as I possibly can to be free of it.  But that doesn't change my feelings of being trapped right now.

Today is much better than yesterday.  Tomorrow will be even better.  I know I need to keep my chin up and just keep plugging away.  I had my time to mope, and now it's time to brush myself off and get on with my life.  After a glass of wine or 3, of course. ;)

Then this popped up in my Pinterest, and made me feel a lot better:


Well, I've already got most of that figured out.  I just need to find out what will make me happy work-wise, and do that.  It's simpler than I make it out to be, but that's really what matters in the end.

Just do what makes you happy.

I think I can do that.
:) 

Monday, March 26, 2012

Life is like riding a bicycle...




This is how I'm feeling today....
I've been waiting to hear back about some possibly life-changing news, and if I think about it too much I'm just going to freak myself out.  I am trying to stay centered & balanced.  I walked to work today and listened to a book on my iPod.  I am going to yoga tonight.  I need to breathe.  I need to keep moving.

I know that if this news isn't what I hope it will be, that I will still be okay.  Life will take me down another road, and surprise me all over again (as it always does).  Although I'm on shaky ground now, it will be stable again.  I have faith in that. 

I will hopefully be able to be less vague by tomorrow, but I'll let you know!  :)  In the meantime I'm going to keep myself busy!
<3

Wednesday, March 21, 2012

Over the weekend... Snowboarding, St Patty's, and the NEAT Market!

This past weekend was kind of crazy but totally awesome! 

John and I went up to the mountains to get in some Spring snowboarding.  I took the day off from work on Friday (it was a heck of a busy week), so we made our way up on Thursday night!  We stopped at a Mexican restaurant in Idaho Springs along the way for a delicious dinner! 


My big sister Amber gave me some money for my birthday, so part of it went towards this.  Technically it doesn't break my Spending Fast since she insisted I spend it on something frivilous. ;)


Mmmmmmm..... beer.

We left the restaurant and continued our drive up, until John realized he forgot his condo keys when we were just 20 minutes away from the exit.  We had to turn around and drive all the way back to Denver to get them.  That kind of sucked, but luckily I had the Twizzler's that Cat's $20 bought me for the trip!

The next morning we slept in a bit, and got to have a leisurely breakfast.  I made an over-easy egg with sprouted toast, my homemade caramel apple jam, and a cup of coffee.


Gotta love that morning light!

Eventually we got geared up and drove up to Breckenridge.  It was a GORGEOUS day, and we had SO MUCH FUN!!  It was about 50 degrees and sunny, and the snow was soft and awesome.  We boarded for about 3-4 hours, and got our picture taken at the top by Epic Mix!


We are such dorks.  :)
That was the day I enjoyed a free beer from Cat's $20 too.  

That night we hit the hot tub, then John worked while I watched an episode of "Weeds", and then "Notting Hill".  I forgot how hilarious that movie is!

Saturday morning, we got up late again (it was so awesome to sleep in 2-days in a row) - and I made some breakfast for both of us...


Asparagus with garlic, topped with scrambled eggs, fake mozzarella cheese, tomatoes, onions, and hot sauce.  It was DELICIOUS.

John made bacon to go with his (yuck).  But he seemed to enjoy it!  HA!


We headed up to Breckenridge again to meet up with our friends Becca & Ryan.  It was the first time I'd boarded with them this season!  Love those two - they crack me up...


Ryan was the catch of the day! :) 


John and I had to do a super awesome high-five photo as well.  I can't jump quite as high as he can.

That night we headed back to Denver for Becca & Ryan's St Patrick's Day party.


This is where the trouble began.... Haha!
John was playing "Drunk Driver".  You just start playing Mario Kart with someone, but you both have to finish your beers by the end of the round.  You can only start drinking after the first lap, and you have to bring your kart to a complete stop before you continue with the race.

Needless to say, John drank a bit much.  Case in point:


Haha!!  Kind of my new favorite picture of John.  Goofball. :)


Becca - ain't she just the cutest!?


The gang hangin' out & havin' some beers.  It's how the Irish would have wanted it!

The next morning John woke up with a raging hangover, and I woke up to get my things ready for the Neat Market - put on by Plants & Animals Denver

The Neat Market is a place with vegan vendors - food, crafts, animal welfare, etc.  It was really fun!  Although I only sold two of my hair flowers (one to my little sister), it was still a fun experience.


Our little table set-up.  How could you NOT want to buy one of these babies? ;)


My mom actually came to help me run the table, but she also sold some of her knitted tea-cozies that she made.  She actually sold more of her cozies than I did of my flowers!  People went nuts for them!  They are really cute though!


Watercourse Bakery was there selling their pastries and goodies.  We shared a Key Lime tart (vegan).  It was SO yummy.


This is the girl with Watercourse setting up.  I loved the light coming through the skylight during the day too - I'm so glad it wasn't just a big dark warehouse!


The people are starting to trickle in...


Our friend Deb stopped by to see us!  That was so nice. :)


My little sister Taryn stopped by as well!  She's wearing the rose hair flower that she bought, and she's helping my mom model a hair flower as well.


My mom gave me $5 to spend on something, so I got this little organic plant!  It's actually Grapefruit Mint - so mint with a citrusey aftertaste.  I can't wait to try it in iced tea and mojitos over the summer - yum!!

After we closed up our table at the Market, I went home and made vegan cupcakes.  I joined some of my derby friends for a potluck dinner, and it was lovely to see them all!

When I got home that night I had time to catch about an hour of "Frozen Planet" on the Discovery channel.  It was AMAZING, and I really enjoyed it.  Eventually I climbed into bed and slept like a rock!

So I had a truly wonderful (and busy) weekend!  How was yours? 

Tuesday, March 20, 2012

What Cat's $20 of Birthday Money got me...

My friend Cat gave me $20 for my birthday.  In the card, she wrote: 

Things you can spend this money on: 
- hookers
- blow
- eyelashes
- eating out

Things you can NOT spend this money on:
- bills
- John's cookie habit
- Groceries

I demand pictures or proof of whatever you get. <3  Happy Birthday!

Well, Cat - I did just that.  Here are the things that I enjoyed (thoroughly) with your investment: 


You bought a DELICIOUS Qdoba dinner for John and I!  I had a 2-for-1 coupon that I used, so it got us dinner for two (for the price of one).  Yay!

photo credit:  Newell Jones + Jones Photography

You got me a $5 ticket to the Accessories Swap!!  Katy came with me, and we had an amazing time.  I got a free glass of wine for getting there early enough, and my purse design won me a FREE PURSE from handbags.com!  So that $5 actually got me wine, 10 awesome accessories (that I exchanged with some of my own), and a free brand-new handbag!  Not too shabby.


A scoop of pralines & cream ice cream, on a beautiful Spring day.


A big ol' bag of TWIZZLERS for the long car ride up to the mountains!


And last (but not least), a delicious beer that I enjoyed while taking a break from a ridiculously fun day of snowboarding at Breckenridge.

Cat, that $20 went a lot longer than I thought it would - and it was a wonderful gift! :)  Thank you for getting a broke girl like me to so many little treats.  It made me very happy. 
LOVE YOU!! 

MY NEW AWESOME CAT-EYE GLASSES!

Hey gang! 
GUESS WHAT!!

I finally got new glasses. :)

I got them at Zenni Optical online.  I was actually really super nervous about ordering glasses online, but since buying them in stores were SO EXPENSIVE, I decided to take a chance.  And I'm so glad that I did!  They have this little online try-on feature that I used (I uploaded a ridiculous photo of myself - but I could only find one that was straight-on!), and you have to be sure you get the right measurement from pupil to pupil (I just did this in a mirror with a ruler).  Easy peasy! 

I got the frames, plus lenses, plus scratch-proof coating, PLUS anti-glare for $48!!  THAT INCLUDES SHIPPING!!  Can't really beat that.

Oh wait, yes you can!  I got reimbursed for $39.90 of that by my health insurance plan.  WOOT!! 

Yay for new glasses!!

Friday, March 16, 2012

Summer Reading Recommendations

As you may know, I'm in an AWESOME book club with some of the most fantastic ladies I've ever met in my life.  

My mom and I started it about 4 years ago (WOW - 4 years!!) after we watched the movie "Jane Austen Book Club" together.  We decided to invite some girls along, and make it a monthly event.  We choose a different person's house every month (sometimes we do a picnic in the summertime), everyone brings a dish to share, and we talk about BOOKS.  It's wonderful. 

Everyone puts a square of paper into a jar with a book suggestion on it.  We ask for 2 suggestions per person, then we draw a new book at every meeting.  

Part of the reason why I love this club is because it gets me to read books that I'd never think to read - it gets me outside of my comfort zone, exploring genres I might not think to dive into.  I've come across some of my most favorite books because of our little club!  

Summer is coming and it's a wonderful time of year to sit on your front porch with a glass of iced tea and a good book (or lay in the grass in the park with a good book, on the beach with a good book..... you see where I'm going with this).  So in the spirit of the upcoming season, I'd like to share with you a short list of my most favorite books that we've read in our book club so far.  Enjoy! 


The Fountainhead (by Ayn Rand)

This was one of the first books that we read in our book club.  It was pretty intimidating (due to sheer thickness), but I have always wanted to read Ayn Rand, as she was so revolutionary as a writer during her time (and as a female writer too)!

We gave ourselves 2 months to read it, and I'm SO GLAD that I did.  It was such an interesting read, and made for some great discussion in the group.  Sometimes the architectural descriptions went over my head, but that didn't really matter.  I could still use my imagination & make it work.  Also it was cool because we have a few architects in our book club that ended up being able to answer some of my questions!  RAD!

So, although challenging at times, and kind of intimidating at first - it was definitely an awesome read.







Grass (by Sherri Tepper)
This was one of our first true science fiction novels, and it totally blew my mind.  The first couple of chapters make it a little hard to get into (it's a bit hard to understand), but once you get past that and into the meat of it, it's absolutely thrilling.

It's basically about this planet covered with an amazing variety of grasses.  A plague has been taking over the other planets, and Grass is one of the last ones that shows no signs of it.  There is a group of elite people that go on "hunts" while riding animals called Hippae.  The Hippae are smarter than they seem, and young girls begin to disappear.  Is the planet truly free of this plague?  Where are these girls going?  Why can't these people just stop going on their "hunts"?

This book was not just an exciting read, but it brought up many social issues, and was another great one for discussion.  I really enjoyed it!








The Stupidest Angel (by Christopher Moore)

This was one of the books that I recommended as a Christmas book.  We normally try to keep to a theme during the holidays (scary books for Halloween - holiday books during Christmas / Hanukkah, etc), and I am a HUGE fan of Christopher Moore books, so I had to throw this one in the mix.

Although some of our members thought it was a bit ridiculous, I absolutely LOVED this book.  It was totally hilarious, and fed into my slightly darker side of humor that I've always loved from Moore's books.

There's a really dumb angel that can't seem to do anything right, and plenty of zombies.

Yes, I said zombies.

It's truly hilarious, and I hope that you can set aside any judgement and give this book a shot.  I laughed out loud!



The Unit (Ninni Holmqvist)
This book was interesting, and not entirely what I expected.  It kind of reminded me a bit of the book "The Handmaid's Tale" by Margaret Atwood.  It takes place in the future, but it certainly doesn't seem that far away...

Basically, in this story, when you reach a certain age, you're taken to a facility where your organs are donated / used for medical tests.  You're no longer of use to society except by these means.  The Unit you're held as prisoner is the most comfortable place you can imagine - with wonderful food, beautiful shops and gardens, health centers, etc - everything for free.  But in the end, you must pay the ultimate price.

The story of the woman (Dorrit) is really wonderful.  Well, wonderful, sad - many things.  Again, this one is a very interesting critique on society (and how it treats older people), as well as how the characters interact with each other in the story.



Julie & Julia (by Julie Powell)
Our book club had some mixed reviews on this one, but personally I loved it.  The movie didn't really do it justice, to be honest (I watched it after I read the book).

The title kind of explains it all - Julie Powell lives in NYC with her husband, and she decides to make every recipe in Julia Child's famous cookbook "Mastering the Art of French Cooking".  She blogs about it, stresses, goes through ups & downs, and discovers new things about herself throughout.

In the movie, I kind of hated the main character (Julie).  She just seemed like a bitchy whiney person, and I couldn't stand her.  Although I LOVED Meryl Streeps portrayal of Julia Child (she was really amazing - I loved her!), I didn't think Julie was very true to the way she was in the book.  In the book I really cared about her, and I could totally relate to a lot of the things she went through.  She had her breakdowns at times, but so does everybody!  She was much more relate-able (and loveable) in the book! 

I think it's a wonderful story of doing something out of the ordinary (and very challenging), to take a step forward in your life - even if that means knowingly walking into something that you might fail horribly at. 

The Likeness (by Tana French)
This book was hands down one of my favorites!!  It was kind of a sequel to "In the Woods", but you certainly don't need to read that book to understand that one (it shares the same characters, but that's all - I didn't read "Woods" myself).

The story is about an ex-undercover agent that comes across a case of a girl that was murdered.  The catch is - she looks almost identical to the girl that was killed.  With thorough training, she goes undercover as the girl that was murdered to find out who her killer was.  Part of this includes living in a house with 4 of her friends - any of which could be a part of the girl's death.

It's an amazing, and beautifully written tale.  It gives me goosebumps just thinking of it!  I will definitely read this one again.  The characters were phenomenal, and the writing was very poetic - even with the very eerie and mysterious storyline.














Bossypants (by Tina Fey)
As expected, this book was absolutely hilarious.

I have always been a huge fan of Tina Fey - she's truly one of the most talented comedy writers / comedy actors today!

I actually read the book the first time, and the second time I listened to it on audio (she reads the book herself).  It made it even funnier to hear her read it, although I did have a few "laugh-out-loud" moments when I was reading it myself!

The book is basically about how Tina Fey came to be.  Her awkward adolescence, her journey through college, adulthood, marriage, becoming a parent, then becoming a huge success.  It's inspiring, funny, honest, and downright awesome.

I didn't think I could love Tina Fey anymore, then I read her book!




Audacity of Hope (by Barack Obama)
This is definitely a book that I never would have picked up myself.  I'm not big into politics, that's for sure.  But something about this new presidential candidate (we read this just before the election in 2008), really got to me.

This book was really well written, and gave a whole new insight to who Obama is.  He's intelligent, articulate, has great ideas, is compassionate, and honest.

I don't care what anybody says about this guy, but I think he's pretty rad.  I truly think that he is a president that will do great things for America, and hopefully get us out of this slump.  I'm glad that I voted for him, and I will surely do so again.  














Shadow of the Wind (by Carlos Ruiz Zafon)
I've written about this book before (just after we read it) - and it is definitely one of my new favorites!

You can read my full summary / interpretation here, but basically it's very much a coming-of-age story.  It's also beautifully written, so poetic, and will make you fall in love with the magic of books (and stories) all over again.

The characters are also really wonderful.  I can't wait for you to meet Fermin.  He's so awesome!














In Defense of Food (by Michael Pollan)
This book completely opened my eyes to what REAL FOOD is and what our diets should truly be made up of. It was well researched, well written, and a fantastic read.

Pollan goes into the many myths about what we call "food", and what is truly good and nutritious for us as humans.  He goes into how eating healthy & raw foods in their most basic state can prevent anything from heart disease to cancer - and even reverse the effects.  Food is a magical thing, and we truly are what we eat.

His mantra is "Eat food. Not too much.  Mostly plants."

Those are certainly words to live by!








The Book of Lost Things (by John Connelly)
This was our first fantasy novel - we were in a mystical world with dwarves, princes & princesses (that were not what they seemed), and a boy learning what it means to grow up.

This was kind of like a fairytale for adults.  It was scary and sometimes disturbing - sometimes even very sad.  But it had wonderful message throughout, and I ended up in tears at the end.

I will definitely be reading this one over & over again.  It made me think of my childhood, and how the world isn't always how it seems (especially in fairytales).











Habibi (Craig Thompson)
This book was our first graphic novel!  It was truly one of the most beautiful books I've ever seen.  The artistry in the illustrations must have taken AGES - there is so much detail!  It's a very oedipal like tale - with a young woman who adopts a child and takes him into her care.  They are separated when he's a teen, and they each take their own separate journeys.  Eventually they fall in love.

The story is very based around Christian ideals in congruence with Muslim ideals.  It was based around the two religions and their similarities, but also how everything related to the lives of the two main characters.

It was a lovely story (very sad at times), and really beautifully illustrated.  If you've never read a graphic novel before, this is truly a work of art.


Anyway, those are my favorites! 
I hope they help you put together your own reading list this summer.  Definitely tell me your thoughts too if you end up reading any on this list - I'd love to hear what you thought! 



Wednesday, March 14, 2012

My Sister the Fashionista (and a cute Fudge video)

My little sister has a pretty awesome sense of style.  She's really been finding her own fashoinista ways lately, and I just love what she's come up with!  She always takes a few simple & fun items (a big scarf / cute sunglasses), then pairs them with a cute dress or skirt that really pulls the outfit together.  I gotta say, this little chickie has come a long way!


Ain't she just fabulous??  We met up after work / class and it was such a gorgeous evening for walkin' around!  She came over and I made bean pie while we talked about our days.  Then we watched an episode of "Buffy" and "Weeds", and drank some wine.  It was so nice to catch up!


She just got that new short haircut that's absolutely adorable too.  Short cuts really suit her! :)

On another note, John and I discovered something very interesting the other night... Fudge's reaction to getting air blown in his face.  The results were pretty hysterical.... (please ignore the snorting - sometimes I have no control)!  



Hope you're all having a great week so far!! :) 

Monday, March 12, 2012

Accessories Swap (and SPRING is here!)

Over the weekend, Katy and I went to the Accessories Swap in Denver at the Curtis Hotel.  It was $5 to get in (thanks, Cat A Combs - this is one of the things I used the b-day money you gave me for!), and you could bring up to 10 items to exchange for other items.  It was SO much fun!  

Here's how it works: 
You go through your gently-used accessories (shoes, bags, purses, earrings, necklaces, rings, bracelets, belts, scarves, hats, etc.) and bring them along with you.  They had "inspectors" to go through your stuff, then they set them up at tables according to what type of accessories they are.  

If you brought 10 items, you get to pick out 10 new items (well, new to you!) from the tables to take home with you!  If you brought 6, you take home 6, and so on.  Pretty genius!  

Since Katy & I got there early enough, we each got a free drink ticket.  So we both got a glass of Chardonnay, and were handed purses to "design" (aka - act like kids and color stuff).  The top winners got free AWESOME handbags from handbags.com!  Pretty rad, huh? 

We chatted with some of the other girls there, got our picture taken at the photo booth, and ran into the videographer for Katy's wedding there who was working the event!  They even had a manicure station set up, a DJ, and a button-making station (I made one with skeletons on it, and Katy made one with $100 bills on it.  Haha!). 

 











We were also given buttons from And Then She Saved - the blog started by Anna Newell Jones that inspired me to start my spending fast!  She was there, and I was so thrilled to meet her.  More on that later! :) 
 

This is the purse that I designed... cute huh? ;)  I told the girls I was inspired by Betsey Johnson (true, by the way).  And guess what?  Both Katy & I WON the design contest!!  How awesome is that?  There were other winners too, but we were pretty thrilled that both of ours got chosen.  We each won a free handbag!  Cat, your $5 went farther than I thought it would!   Haha!  

 
Cuppy-cakes for the taking?  YES PLEASE!!  I love this photo of Katy... she hates it.  Ah well, it still gets a spot on the blog. :) 


The swap tables just before we got in there!  There was some pretty amazing stuff, honestly - I came out with a few necklaces, some pretty amazing rhinestone dangly earrings (about 3 pairs), 1 messenger bag (with TONS of pockets!), a black handbag (totally needed one of those), and my most favorite thing of all - a pair of black high-heeled CROCS!!  

Man, I'm getting old if that's the thing I was most excited about.  Haha!  They're amazing though - and SO comfy.  You'd never know that they are Crocs!!  


OH and we had to get a picture with these two ladies!!  Katy knew them from high school, and we ran into them there.  The names go as follows (which is why I needed a picture):  Beth, Katy, Katie, Beth.  Haha! 


Me and Anna from "And Then She Saved"!  It was so great to meet her and tell her how much her blog inspired me to start my own Spending Fast.  She was super sweet, and so much fun to chat with!  Turns out her sister actually plays roller derby too - how rad is that?  It was totally the cherry on top of the evening.  

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On another note, it has been absolutely GORGEOUS weather-wise in Denver lately!  I finally took Audrey 2 (my little pink scooter) to the repair shop to get her ready for Spring - so hopefully she'll be as good as new soon!  


This is the other pair of pants I got with my gift certificate from H&M.  Very Springy, eh?  I was enjoying the sunshine on my break (reading outside is one of my favorite things to do when it's nice outside), and decided to snap a pic.  There's my crappy flip-phone I've been using too since I lost my good one on the slopes - haha!  Hey, it works. 


Hope you all had a great weekend, and that you're enjoying the sunshine too! :)