Free Style

Do you ever just flat out score a deal for.....FREE??  I mean totally, absolutely free?  I recently was driving my Soccer carpool and decided to drop by a thrift store while the girls were at practice.  Uptown Cheapskate has been in our community for a couple of years and I originally thought they were a little pricey for "traded" or "exchanged" goods.  On this particular morning I decided to give it a go again to see what I might find.  

I tried on a few dresses that I like but once I saw the Dry Clean Only tags I decided to leave them behind.  The item has to really be special for me to take on Dry cleaning.  I factor this in when I am thrifting because it could possibly add up to paying full retail if it's worn frequently.  As I was about to leave the store I noticed a beautiful resin bangle that will be perfect for Maxis in the Spring and Summer months!!  I quickly remembered that I had a credit and I produced it from my wallet and what do you think happened?  Yep, the total I paid was $0!!

 The moral to this story???  It pays to keep checking your favorite thrift and resale shops because you never know what lies in store(really)for you on any given day.  I always keep any discounts, credits or coupons(Goodwill) in my wallet for those spontaneous stops.  When you donate to Goodwill you get a 10% coupon to use toward purchasing.  You can also earn points every time you shop.  It pays to be prepared and to shop resale!!

How about you?

 What have you scored for free or nearly free lately?

Dressed to Thrill

I ran by my local Goodwill the other day just to check in and what did I find?  A treasure of a dress that was perfect for my date night happening later on that evening.  I grabbed this dress and ran right to the fitting room to try on and I was so elated that it fit just right.  I barely had it on and already had accessorized it in my head.  Do you do that too?  Identify an article of clothing and immediately have it accessorized from jewelry to footwear in a matter of seconds?  Well, I knew that since the print was so bold, I would keep the jewelry simple and I could not wait to wear my "Christmas" boots and leggings to round everything out.  I also could have worn jeans with this, but decided otherwise on the leggings. 

Express dress-Goodwill, Belt/old-Target, Leggings/old-Target, Boots-Sam Edelman/Penny
Bracelets-Mine/Jewel Kade

My Christmas gift from Hubby

Yes, my sewing nook is coming together...another post to come.

Oh, in case you were wondering who took my pictures?  My favorite photographer was willing and able to help Mommy out.  Thanks, K!

 See, you don't always have to run out and pay full retail.  Thrifting takes time, but on occasion there is a jewel in the rough waiting to be plucked right away.  My husband and I went to a birthday party held at a favorite local restaurant in town and had the best time.  I highly recommend you dine here if you are ever in town.  I can not begin to tell you how many compliments I received from ladies I knew and ones I never met. 

 This dress will be on repeat and I might try to stretch it into Spring a bit.  Any suggestions on how I can style it going forward?

Fashion Item Friday!

Clothing Swap

Warning this post is lengthy!!


I can not believe that I actually got the opportunity to participate in a local clothing swap!!  I joined my local chapter of Meet Up back in January looking to meet and mingle with fellow bloggers, thrifters and clothing swap enthusiasts.  I missed the last clothing swap held a few months back and was so elated to have the chance to make this one.  I decided I needed a refresher course in the art of swapping so, I enlisted the advice of  Thriftanista in the City!!  Whew, was she a big help to me!  Thanks, Troy for your sage advice and support.

I just did a mini purge/donate right before the swap, so I had to sort of scramble to find things that I wanted to share.  I gathered things of course that were clean and in great condition.  I ironed and hung all of my items so that they would be attractive to the participants at the swap.

I ventured out to the swap location and managed to get lost on the way(poor directions), only to arrive to no parking!!  I had to illegally park in a neighboring restaurant!! Shh, I tiptoed around the corner to the bar where the swap was being held as fast as I could with clothes in tow!!

It looked a bit helter skelter as I approached and I had to remind myself to keep an open mind about appearances.  Well, I stepped up and the lady immediately took my $1 fee and began checking for the 10 item limit and then accused me of only having 8 because another volunteer swooped in and took 2 of my items into the swap!!  I had to stand my ground and insist that I brought 10 not 8!!  The volunteer returned and confirmed that I had in fact brought 10 items!! Whew, I am glad that got cleared up, because I know I can count higher than 10??!!  Still reminding myself to keep my mind open.

I was then invited to go in and shop/swap for 10 items and  check out and anything less than 10 would be $3 per item!!  Well, what a dark, hot and steamy little spot we had to swap in!!  It was crowded and hard to move around people and racks!!  There was not a mirror in sight!!  So, I was sort of on a roll and then....screech....the waiting and stare downs began!!  We were waiting for more items to come in and waiting and waiting, in this hot box of death!!!!  Ok, very dramatic but it is the South in August, in the middle of the day with only 1 ceiling fan barely rotating for a million women looking for the perfect dress, etc.

I decided that all I needed was 3 more items and I was out of there.  It got to the point that I just grabbed clothing to upcycle for sewing projects.  I had to pick through torn, dirty garments while watching my clean and pressed items go to happy homes.

I made a fast exit after gathering all my items, dead set on getting to sunshine and fresh air!! Oh, I made it to the check out and not a second too soon.  The volunteer checking me out was very nice and happy to give me a flyer for the next swap in a few weeks!! I sure hope they have a mirror and at least one more ceiling fan for all of us sweaty, swappers!!

So, what do you think about my finds?  Can you tell which ones might be reswapped? Used for sewing projects? Go to my daughters?  Re gifted?

upcycled

Too big-upcycled fabric

for my girls

Bracelet is great, shoes too big-reswap!

For my girls

Will be given as a gift

Thrifty Thursday

I have to be honest with you all!!  I have not had much success at my local Thrifts/Resale Shops lately.  I know, I know, what is up??  Well, this all changed last week after dropping my daughter off at practice.  I stopped by a Goodwill that I have not been to in a while and scored a few goodies!!  I was so excited to "stumble" upon some awesome finds!!  This is why it is so important to check, recheck and try different locations, since you never know what you will come away with.  Exercising a little patience goes a long way!!  Have you shopped any Resale shops lately?

If so, what have you purchased?

A denim jacket for my girls and a few dresses for me.  Stay tuned for a style post.

Golden/Link up with Young Heart

Thrift finds....

$3.99

I hit the jackpot the other day at the Thrift Store/Goodwill.  I have been meaning to try the Community Thrift
Store for some time, but due to timing, distance I have been unable to make it.  I usually make the Goodwill rounds because there are 3 in my 5-12 mile radius.  My little field trip was well worth the effort.  I got to the store and immediately spotted these beautiful Pebbled leather, gold J. Crew Driving Mocs!!  I noticed that they were my size, but did not try them on until much later.  Oh my!! These were meant for me and I can not fathom why they were in the store.  Did the original owner not wear them? Not like them?  Any way, they are all MINE!!!! Can you tell these are my favorite item from my haul?  I will list the other items from the store and Goodwill later in the post.  I have worn these shoes 2 times already.  My kids just laughed at my eagerness to wear them.  

American Eagle Tunic-$2.99

Our Local Team-.99

$3.99-For my daughter /Soccer

Talbot's Knit blazer-needs a bit of TLC-$2.99

Goodwill-$3.99

$3.99-Goodwill

For my daughter-$3.99 Goodwill

For my oldest daughter-$3.99 Goodwill

$3.99

All this lovely thrifted goodness totaled:$38.89 for 11 pieces for my kids and myself.
  *Sorry Babe, as you read this know that I tried, but failed to score anything for you this time.
I am linking up with Wendy at her Weekly Thrift post here.