Goodwill GOLD (and yes, thrift shopping ROCKS)

Lately I've been tight on money (oh wait, that's pretty much always!), and Goodwill has become my new "shopping mall".  Yah, it takes some time to sift through everything, and it sometimes smells a little funny, and sometimes there are screaming children.  

BUT there's air-conditioning. 

AND you can find some pretty awesome stuff there for really really cheap. 

Case in point - this dress. 

How flippin' cute is that??  
It fits me perfectly (well maybe a teensy snug, but who cares?), and I found it on the rack for $10.  Not too shabby. 

I also found these shoes... 

Steve Madden strappy sandal heels (ridiculously comfortable for heels too, by the way). 
Only $7. 

Yah, that's a pretty successful shopping day if you ask me!  

Refashioning Tips - Update your closet (for free!)

I randomly came across this blog yesterday through my Pinterest page, and I'm just loving all of this girl's refashioning ideas!  She takes old clothes and makes them new again - and shows you how she does it through her blog.  SO awesome.  

Now I need to get myself a sewing machine! ;)  

Here are some tips that she gives on her site (for "Refashion 101"): 

1. Learn to use your sewing machine. This is huge for me. Your clothing will most likely look homemade if you are just tying knots, or gluing things on. You only need to know the basics of sewing for most refashion projects, but doing real seams will make a world of difference in making your clothing look professional.

2. Utilize Pinterest. There are so many amazing ideas on there, but not just DIY projects. Most of the things I make or refashion come from outfits I see models or other bloggers wearing. An idea is usually sparked when I see a model wearing a shirt with a similar color or pattern to a shirt I already own, and from there I can figure out how to manipulate my shirt to look like the models'.

3. Make a "repair box" and then go through your closet and put everything in there that you don't wear.  Going through your closet one piece at a time lets you know what you have to work with when refashioning. Then when you see a refashioning idea, you know exactly what you own and how you can use it to make a piece you love. Also, work on each piece in the repair box one at a time. Seeing each item individually can help the task seem easier. Attacking your whole closet at once will get overwhelming really fast. Some of my clothes have only needed a simple seam for me to love them again (baggy sleeves are a big one for me...I've taken in so many sleeves and suddenly the cardigan or shirt fits me like a dream and makes me love it again).

4. Clean out your closet. I have a strict policy that I don't keep anything in my closet that I don't like and won't wear. I either get rid of it or put it in the repair box. Having a big closet full of clothes that I don't like makes me unhappy. Who cares if you have a lot of clothes in your closet if you hate them all? It's okay if your closet is small if you love and will wear every single item in there.

5. Don't be limited to your closet only.  Utilize your husband's (or boyfriend, or brother) old clothes, if he's going to get rid of them. I did that with my polo refashion, and it's now one of my favorite tops. Also, there may be lots of potential in cheap thrifted items -- taking in the sides or hemming the bottom can often make an awful piece into an amazing piece.

6. Accept the fact that some clothes are not fixable. I've sent plenty of shirts to Goodwill, or thrown them away, because there is nothing I can do with them (after I've tried). Don't hang on to it forever, hoping that it will somehow get new life, or it will become a thorn in your side or a wet blanket for your creativity. Sometimes you just have to throw things away. It's okay.

7. Learn how to layer. Pinterest is another great guide for this, as are fashion blogs. Style is about putting pieces together in interesting and creative ways. If you learn how to mix pieces, you have endless outfit possibilities, even if you're using the same pieces over and over. Use belts, scarves, cardigans, and tights to mix and match your clothing, and make it feel new and fresh. I've had some of the same pieces in my closet for years that I've always worn the same way, and suddenly when I layer them together, new interesting outfits are born.

8. Re-purpose. Put a shirt on over a dress, and turn that dress into a skirt for a day. Or the opposite -- put a skirt on over the dress and turn it into a top. Use a thin scarf as a belt, or a headwrap. Wrap long necklaces around your wrist to create the look of several bracelets. When you start thinking outside of the box, style and creativity start developing.

9. If you can, buy something new every once in a while. Having a new piece in your wardrobe can spark new ideas, make a bunch of new outfits, and make you feel like your closet is staying current. 

 
 I love love LOVE tip #8 about re-purposing things that you wouldn't wear in a "typical" way - sometimes I struggle to think outside of the box for sure. 

Check out Merricks Art here, and send her some love!  Her style is super duper cute, and she has some really amazing & creative ideas. 

I really want to go through my closet and give it a facelift, especially since I can't go shopping due to my Spending Fast.  Not only is this method FREE, but it's totally green!  I LOVE THAT! 

All photos from Merricks Art blog. 

Clothing Swap!!

The other night I went to a Clothing Swap with my girlfriends.  It was SO much fun - and reminded me a lot about the Accessories Swap that Katy & I attended just last month!  This time it was clothing AND accessories though. 

I have to admit - I really needed to search my closet for stuff to donate for this!  I'd already done a pretty decent clean-out before, but there were a few things that I'd been holding onto for a while that needed to go.  It worked a similar way as the other swap - but you got "dollars" to spend on items depending on the quality of what you brought.  They sure did go a long way though! :) 

Katy just arriving at the Swap.  They had quite a spread of food there, matched with wine pairings - I was very impressed!  The cheese and snacks were totally delicious. 

They also had beautiful little tulips everywhere - such a lovely touch! :) 

The girls - mingling before the swap.  This was actually held at an interior design firm - their offices were absolutely GORGEOUS.  I wish I worked in such a cool space!  They were so open and airy - it just felt so bright and happy in there.  Very different from the basement I work in every day! 

They did a great job of organizing the clothes, and making it seem like we were actually in a store!  Everything looked so nice hung up on hangers, and on mannequins.  It made me think of our swaps we do at people's houses... everything is usually just tossed on a bed.  Ha! 

Katy totally snagged that black flowered dress in the pic too.  It looks ridiculously cute on her! 

Yes, they have a water feature in their office - filled with fish.  Could I be any more jealous?  Probably not. ;) 

Champagne & cupcakes?  Don't mind if I do!!  I actually brought a white chocolate macadamia nut cupcake home for John, but I totally ate almost the entire thing before he got home.  Whoops.  It was SO GOOD though!  I mean, did you hear what I said?  White chocolate macadamia nut.  I'm only human, people. 


Once the clothing swap began, I didn't take many photos.  I was too busy grabbin' up all the goodies!  I found some SUPER cute clothes, and I'm very excited about them.  2 of them are rompers (pants / shorts attached to a tube top) which I'm totally in LOVE with.  I can't wait to wear them!  


I also got a couple of gorgeous black dresses (one fits me absolutely perfectly - I couldn't believe it), a pair of diamond-sparkly hoop earrings, a pair of Lucky jeans, and a purple top.  Considering that everything was pretty much free (in exchange for my stuff), I felt like I got a hell of a deal!  


Once I got over my "shopping" high, a lot of us returned to the wine and the food...

This is the water they had set out for us - isn't it just lovely?  I have seen cucumber water many times before, but strawberry water!?  I had to try it - it was super light and refreshing, and I will definitely need to make it for summertime.  It was absolutely scrumptious! 

Two SUPER rad girls that Katy & I met while we were there!  Abby is on the left of Katy, and Danielle is on the right.  We had so much fun chatting with them!  They're pretty awesome. :) 


All-in-all it was a wonderful event.  I'm so glad that Geneva told us about it!  I guess they do it annually, so I really hope I can make it to next year's as well.  It was a total blast and we met some pretty great people.  Now I have to figure out where to wear my new treasures!  

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. ;)  

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!! :) 

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! :)

Some birthday gifts for me!

Yesterday I went to H&M (the first one in Denver - WOOHOO!!) to cash in on some of my gift cards.  I was SO excited, and they had SO many super cute things just in time for Spring!  

 I found these ridiculously awesome striped pants - they're stretchy and stripey and amazing!  They actually are cropped, so they come just above my ankle, but last night it was kinda chilly, so I covered 'em up with some boots. 

They have now been deemed my "Beetlejuice pants".  Haha!  

I also got a pair of ridiculously huge hoop earrings, a pair of jean shorts, and some cropped pants similar to these in style & length, but black with HUGE colorful flowers on them.  I can't wait to wear those too! 

Another birthday gift came from my good friend Katy, who MADE me some earrings out of none other than.....(drumroll).... POGS!!  Yes, you heard that right, folks.  Pogs.  Do you remember those things?  I didn't have very many, and I'm pretty sure I lost all of them during childhood.  But Katy kept all of hers, and she showed me about a jillion of them that she had in a shoebox! 

AWESOME, huh??  She glued the rhinestones on them, and used crafting tape around the edges, then sealed everything with a clear coating. 

These are the other ones she made for me.  I friggin' love them!  Haha!

I'll share my other b-day gifts with you as they come up, but that's all for now!  I just had to share these, 'cause they're pretty rad. ;) 
 

Looking for new glasses & the Oscars

Over the weekend I went to SEE to try on some new glasses.  I finally went to an optometrist on Saturday (found out my eyes did get a little worse - figures), and I thought since my insurance covers up to $100 on a pair of frames, that I'd update my look!  

If you'll remember in this post, I've certainly had a new pair of glasses on my brain for a while! 

I went to SEE to check out glasses because if you'll remember in this post, I mentioned how I MUST FIND glasses just like this girl...

She randomly found my blog through a search, and told me that she got them at SEE!  Pretty rad, huh? 
IT GETS CRAZIER!
John and I went snowboarding a couple of weekends ago at Breckenridge.  While we were waiting for the bus to go back into town, I saw this girl with super cute glasses really similar to the photo above.  I went up to her and asked her where she got them. 

She said in a very thick (I think British?) accent "I'm not sure - I think it's a chain - it's called 'look' or something?"  To which I replied: "you mean SEE??"  Yep, that was the place!!  Crazy. 

Anyhoodle, I finally went in and tried on some stuff.  Unfortunately everything seemed to be WAY out of my price range (pretty much everything I liked was about $260+... damn, I have expensive taste), but it was fun to try stuff on anyway, and it gave me a better idea of what I'm looking for. 

 These were my FAVORITE.  I just love the cat-eye style, and they're so much more unique than the glasses I usually wear.  I think the purple color is really fun, but I still think I should probably find a more neutral color (like black), since these will most likely be something that I need to match a LOT of my outfits.  And I'm always very concerned about matching! 

These were the ones that the sales girl was really encouraging me to get.  But they were a bit too big for my face, and not as much my style.  I think they'd be super cute on someone else, but they're just not really "me".  Also, John would NEVER let it down about how much of a hipster I am if I got these.  Haha! 

On top of all that, they were $289.  For PLASTIC frames!!  I just don't get it. 

I decided to try the online route since glasses are much cheaper if you can find them through the world wide web.  One website I really liked that has a pretty rad selection is Bon Look - they have a ton of frames all around the $100 range.  With many glasses websites these days, you can upload a pic of yourself and try them on virtually, so that's what I did!  Here are two of my favorites: 

 These are a bit thick for me, but I kind of like the nerdy style!  These are the "Jungle" frames.

And these are by far my favorite so far.  I love the size (if I got that right online), and that the frames aren't TOO thick, but they're slightly cat-eye as well.  On top of all of that, the frames are called "Honeybadger".  Awesome. 

I decided to look around a bit more before ordering, although it is really nice that Bon Look lets you return frames for free (if you don't like them).  Then my friend told me about Warby Parker - they send you up to 5 frames to TRY ON AT HOME!  How awesome is THAT??  They take your credit card (so that they know you won't try & steal 'em), then they ship 'em to you for free.  You try them out, then send 'em back in a pre-paid envelope and make your order.  Awesome!  

So I should be getting some glasses to try on within the next day or so.  I'm totally excited!  Their glasses are all around $100 too which is fantastic.  On top of that, with ever pair purchased, they donate a pair to someone in need.  Rockin'.  

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On another note, did you watch the Oscars on Sunday?? I did, and I'm totally not surprised that The Artist totally swept up!  It was such a wonderful film - I wrote about it here.  

I actually had no intention of watching the Oscars, but I just so happened to have the rest of my day free, so I figured "why not?" - I plopped down on the couch with a dirty vodka martini, and enjoyed watching all of the beautiful celebrities. 

 

 

Here are my general thoughts on the evening.... 

- Angelina Jolie is WAY too skinny (her arms look like matchsticks)

- Michelle Williams looked GORGEOUS and I really want to cut my hair like hers someday.

- Billy Crystal is an awesome host.  He knows when to be funny, and when to be serious - and he knows when you can make fun of stuff (and people)! 

-  Rooney Mara knows the secret to perfect bangs.  I don't think she has a cowlick at all.  Damn her and her perfect bangs! 

 

- Emma Stone is friggin' adorable.  

- Gary Oldman needs to win an Oscar.  Like NOW.  I can't believe he hasn't won one yet!!  He's amazing!! 

- When you sit on the couch for 5 hours, it's reallllly hard to fall asleep that night.  

Hope you all had a wonderful weekend too!! :) 

Oscar photos found via a Google Image search. 

My new necklace! And some pre-birthday thoughts...

A very nice person gave me a Visa Gift Card for Christmas last year, so I promptly went on Pin Up Girl Clothing and found me a gorgeous necklace to treat myself with! 

You can't IMAGINE my horror and disgust when 4 weeks went by, and I realized that the package had been STOLEN off my front porch by some JERK who thinks they can just TAKE THINGS OFF PEOPLE'S PORCHES!!  Ugh.  Needless to say, I was pissed.  

I filed a claim with Fed Ex, which was completely useless.  I had to complete a ton of paperwork, send them all of the records of the transaction, then 3 weeks later I receive a letter saying that I was missing a piece of the puzzle and that it would slow the process. 

Thanks, Fed Ex.  Jerks. 

Luckly I also emailed Pin Up Girl Clothing and explained what happened.  They reached out to Fed Ex as well and when they found out my claim was denied, they decided to send me a new necklace anyway.  BECAUSE THEY ARE AWESOME!! 

Anyway, it just came in yesterday to my work, and I was thrilled!  John made fun of me because it's kind of ginormous (it's about 2" wide by 1.5" high), but I totally love it. 

Here's a better close-up shot... isn't it RAD!?

This might have to be my birthday-girl necklace!

Oh yeah!  Speaking of which, I turn 31 next weekend!  Holy moses!  I can't believe this year has gone by so fast.  It seems like just yesterday we were roller disco-ing our hearts away at my 30th b-day party.  Crazy! 

It's funny 'cause as I realized I was turning another year older next week, I realized how I came to work that day... 

 

Let's just say - if I'm ever too old to wear pigtails, and sparkly-gel eyeshadow, I don't want to be that old. ;) 

This year for my birthday we're doing things a little more low-key, with people coming to celebrate in any way they like.  My team is playing a derby bout next Saturday (which I'm singing the National Anthem at - holy crap!), then the next morning I'm having everyone over for brunch!  It'll be super fun. 

I also decided that for my birthday dinner, I want crab legs.  Big fat juicy crab legs.  That is all. :)  

Boys don't make passes at girls who wear GLASSES

...what a crock! ;) 

I don't wear my glasses nearly as much as I should, and I don't like sticking contacts in my eyeballs unless I absolutely have to (snowboarding).  

I was just thinking of Marilyn Monroe's character in "How to Marry a Millionaire" (which she's hilarious in, by the way - you must see it).  She never wears her glasses because, as she claims: "You know what they say about girls that wear glasses..." - as the saying goes, "Boys don't make passes at girls that wear glasses".  So silly, isn't it?  

Anyway, she spends the film running into walls and even gets onto the wrong plane at one point!  Good for her though, because that's when she meets a man that wears glasses that tells her: "Are you kidding!  I think you look better with them on!"

Not that I'm saying you should require a man's validation of course, but it was still pretty cute. 

I'm trying to figure out how I can get myself to wear my glasses more, and I think finding a more fashionable pair would help.  I think my glasses are kind of boring - they don't make any kind of fashion statement, and all they seem to do is block the eye makeup that I take such time every day to put on!  Lame-o.  

This is Taza from the blog Rockstar Diaries!  Her blog is super cute (as is her little girl), and she has an amazing sense of fashion.  I just LOVE her glasses - they are my favorite by far!

This is another one of my favorite fashion bloggers - Andrea from Blonde Bedhead.  These girls find the best glasses, I'm tellin' ya!  They're not just there for function - they wear them as a fashion statement!  Love it!

The rest of these pics I found on www.weheartit.com (because that's what I do)! 

As you can see, I'm kind of in love with the big thick-framed glasses right now.  They seem to be all the rage, but I just love how they really stand out!  Super fun and cute.

I know what John would say.... "You hipster".  Ah well, sometimes I just don't listen to John. :)

And I love love LOVE this photo of Amy Poehler that I found on Girls with Glasses!!  Super cute website by the way, you must check it out. 

Now I just have to figure out a way to get myself a new pair!  Hmmmm.... 
PS - for the record - a lot of boys DO make passes at girls that wear glasses (and think they look super cute in 'em)!

Cutie-Cute Girlies (Happy Friday to YOU!)

I randomly came across a section in Emma Jane Nation today where she talked about headscarves / bandanas & how they're coming back in style.  I thought the pictures of the girls were SO cute, that I started looking for pics of cute rockabilly girls!  

I've always loved the rockabilly style.  I kind of pull it off sometimes, but most of the time I just don't have the time and patience (it usually includes wearing heels a lot, dresses, and taking a lot of time with hair / makeup).  I can make the effort from time to time, but not ALL the time (and I really admire the girls that can work it 24/7.  Although maybe that's vanity, and not a good thing.  Whatever.  Not thinking about it.  Cute girls!  Yay!)

Bonus part though - if you have lazy days, you can still pull off the rockabilly look with a quick up-do and a bandanna.  Although, will someone PLEASE tell me how to get the darn thing to stay on your head and not slide back halfway through the day?  I have not figured that out yet.  Same with keeping bright red lipstick on for more than 1 hour.  Ah well. 

So enjoy all of the lovely lady pictures!!  I'll be back with my own pictures next week. :)  Maybe I'll do a cute boy rockabilly post too.  'Cause those are nice to look at too! 

 I think this one is my favorite - so cute!  I also totally own that clock in the background!

 I just love this girl's wispy bangs.

 I love love love LOVE her glasses.  I must find a pair just like them!! 

HAVE A GREAT (super cute) WEEKEND!!! :)

All photos from either Emma Jane Nation's blog, or www.weheartit.com.