$1 Finds and Vanity + Vintage Feature

Before I get to today's post, I wanted to give you a quick update about my blog.  I've bought my domain name (!) and I am in the process of moving my blog from blogger to a self-hosted wordpress.org site.  My new web address is http://www.thriftygirlvintage.com.  It will take a day or two to get the site up and running but after I'm done when you click on any of my links you'll be sent to my new address so there should be no changes for my readers.  I will keep you updated here on this post.  Thanks so much for being a reader of Thrifty Girl Vintage!

Okay...first off I was thrilled to be included in FASHION TALES' Vanity + Vintage #8 *Special Issue* !  This issue was all about vintage accessories and Madison featured a photo of me with my vintage white wicker purse.  You can click on the link to see all the featured bloggers and I think you'll enjoy checking out Madison's blog if you're not already familiar with her.

Vintage white wicker purse, $4.

I have been doing posts of Goodwill and thrift store finds on Wednesdays so today I thought I would change it up and do a post on only $1 stores.

Most of us have these only $1 stores in our towns.  There are the big chains like Dollar Tree and then there are the locally owned ones.  The one I frequent most is locally owned and has lots of jewelry.  Check out different stores to see which ones carry the type of items you are looking for because they all differ in the stock they carry.  Here's what I found recently...first the necklaces:

A vintage inspired look.

Pale blue shells.

Rocks and stones.

Natural colored shells.

I went on a sunglasses buying spree and snapped up several pairs for the regular price of one.

My go-to black pair.

Panama Jack.

Red aviators.

Gloria Vanderbilt.

Gray.

Brown.

And of course, every item featured today cost $1.  Only $1 Stores are also great resources for candles, frames, gifts and gift bags, cards and hair accessories.  Do you frequent only $1 stores?  If you do, what sort of items do you usually buy there?

There's a Bunny in Here Somewhere!

Our bunny population has dwindled over the years, but we still see the occasional rabbit playing in the yard.  I have a suspicion they live somewhere hidden within this blackberry bush.

Blackberry Blooms

Denim Floral Pin

Beaded Sandals

I'm almost ready to do the move to my own website.  I've read the tutorials and bought my domain name. I'm excited.  There are a few steps to take in the process and I will keep you posted on my progress.  I appreciate each and every one of my readers and I'm taking all the steps slowly and accurately so I can be sure and bring each of you with me!  You could be spending your time doing anything else but I am glad you are spending it with me.

What I'm Wearing:
Floral dress, $2, local thrift store
Denim vest, $2.50, Goodwill
Beaded sandals, $5, Family Dollar
Denim floral pin, free with coupon, J.C.Penneys

Total cost of outfit:  $9.50

Inspiration Monday: Sparkles and Denim

It's inspiration monday time at two birds.  This week's inspiration is Brooklyn Decker in a shirt and skirt combo.  It's a simple pairing so we've got a lot of room for creativity.

Brooklyn has on a chambray shirt, cute silver sparkly skirt, wide black belt and round toe ankle banded pumps.  What she doesn't have on is any jewelry or accessories.  Time to check out my closet for possible looks.

I like this simple uncluttered look.  What do you think?

What I'm Wearing: 


Denim shirt, $20, Target
Yellow, white and silver skirt, $24, Fashion Bug
Silver belt, $1.50, Goodwill
Silver "Judy Jetson" shoes, $10, Show Show

Total cost of outfit:  $55.50

FBFF: Red, white and blue and packing tips for you!

I was planning on doing a post on what I pack for vacation when Katy Rose of Modly Chic sent us the June questions for Fashion Beauty Friend Friday.  This week's questions ask what's in those bags we're packing! 

1.      When it comes to packing for vacation what’s your mantra?  My mantra is, "How many things can I stuff in this?"  I pack my clothes in a rolling suitcase because it's so much easier to handle.  I think in terms of one casual outfit per day plus one or two nice evening out looks since most of our vacations are family oriented.  I also take one more outfit than I think I'm going to need.  If you were to sit with me at a restaurant you would understand why I do this.  That was a joke...sort of.

See that spot on my skirt...I accidentally splashed water on myself right before my photo shoot.

2.      What are your must packs?  I've covered my clothes in the previous question so now I'll tell you about what I call my "carry-on bag" even though the only place I'm carrying it on is the car.  This is the fun bag to pack because it contains all my entertainment.  I've become quite addicted to my netbook so it's definitely coming with me.  Same for my DSLR camera.  I use these two items every day of my life.  I would not want to travel without reading material.  I always pack my Bible, a couple of magazines and a couple of books.  We like to play Madlibs in the car, so in it goes.  Same for cell phone, Ipod, journal, pens, gum and peppermints.

3.      What are you happy to leave behind?  Not much, actually.  I'm kind of like Donnatella Versace in that I like to bring plenty of stuff because you never know what you might need or want. 

Unless it's the middle of summer, I always pack a light sweater or jacket.

4.      Any packing secrets that help you get everything into one suitcase?  I often roll instead of fold because there's fewer wrinkles when you roll plus you can stick things in all those little crevices in the corners of your suitcase.

  

5.      Beach reading… what are you taking with you to read in the sand? I just grab up whatever I'm currently reading but I like a variety, too, so I take a fashion magazine, a home magazine, a fiction and a nonfiction book.  If I were leaving tomorrow I'd take British Vogue, Living, etc. ( I miss Domino; it was the best), Restoring Order (my nonfiction book on organizing I recently bought) and most likely a book of short stories.  There's no way I would read all these but I feel better just knowing they're there.

If you would like to be a part of Fashion Beauty Friend Friday just click on the link.  And check out Modly Chic while you're there and see how other bloggers answered this week's question.  If you are over forty and you'd like to be part of a Friday Blog Hop, then add your blog to the list on Never Growing Old and meet some new friends.  Have a great weekend!

What I'm wearing:
Bitten by Sarah Jessica Parker white trench, $10, Steve & Barry's
Stars and stripes top, $2.50, Goodwill
Denim skirt, $3, Goodwill
Red tennis shoes, $10, Target
Red and white polka dot purse, $3, Goodwill
Jute belt, $1.50, Goodwill

Total cost of outfit:  $30

A Painting I Never Forgot

Sometimes you see a color combination and it stays with you your whole life.  When I was in college, every year my mom and I would attend a craft fair in a nearby town.  One spring, as I was walking along the tree lined path that wound through all the venders, I saw a painting displayed on an easel and I fell in love with the colors.  It was an acrylic portrait of a woman and man sitting on a couch and it was painted in the secondary colors of orange, green and purple.  I wish I could have bought that picture, but $100 for a college student was a lot of cash.  I didn't get the painting, but I kept my love of orange, green and purple.  My OOTD uses orange and green.  Maybe next time I'll include all three?

This is OPI polish in Last Friday Night over Tammy Taylor polish in Breakfast at Tiffanys.

What I'm wearing:
Green Cardigan, $20, Target
Orange skirt, $4, Bargains & More (local thrift store)
Glass Bead Necklace, handmade by my mom
Beaded sandals, $5, Family Dollar

Total cost of Outfit:  $29

My Retail Therapy Day

About a week ago, I had to pick my husband up at the airport around 5:30.  I dropped my kids off at school at 8:00 am.  Take off the two hour drive and I had a full day to wander around stores and shop to my hearts content.  I came home with all kinds of good stuff!  My first stop was Target:

Target, $12.99.

Target, $12.99.

Target, $10.

e.l.f. cream eyeliners, $3 each.  Cover Girl mascara, I think around $6.

I've been into hats this spring so I popped the natural straw one into my buggy.  I couldn't resist getting the white version with the floral hatband, too.  Well, maybe I could have resisted but honestly I didn't try very hard at all!

Feathers are popular right now and I had been looking at all the different feathered headbands.  I liked this one because it has a nice feathery detail without being too over the top.

I had read about the Cover Girl Volume Exact Waterproof mascara on a blog so I gave it a try and I'm happy to report that I've had zero flaking or smearing.  I forgot which blog I read the tip on, so if it was you "thanks!"  and post your website in the comments section if you would like.

I've been wanting to try cream eyeliner and when I saw these in the e.l.f. makeup section I snatched them up in both black and brown since they were only $3 each.  So far, I've tried the brown and it stays in place all day.  The texture is very soft and creamy and easy to apply.

My next stop was Half Price Books.  I still love full price bookstores, but Half Price Books spoils you just like Goodwill and thrift stores spoil you regarding paying full price for clothes.  I found a paperback on a topic I'm in desperate need of:

Organization book from Half Price Books, $5.99

I haven't read it yet and as long as I don't misplace it in all my junk, I think it will be a great help.  Perhaps, this summer...

I wound my way over to the other side of town and went to Whole Foods.  I won't bore you with my food items, but I did browse the natural makeup aisle and finally treated myself to a shade I've been longing to buy for a while called "Dollhouse".  It was definitely a splurge.

Whole Foods, ZuZu lipstick in Dollhouse, $18.

Whole Foods is set in a shopping center that also houses Joseph-Beth Booksellers.  I spent quite some time here sitting on a comfortable couch skimming through some fashion books and a couple of biographies of Isabella Blow.  I 'm always attracted to the foreign fashion magazines and the ones I buy I keep just like I would a book I love.  I came away with the May issue of British Vogue.

Joseph Beth Booksellers, British Vogue, $10.99.

There was a beautiful and strange photo layout inside with a look I wanted to copy.  (Inspiration pages and post to follow in June).  My last stop was Goodwill:

Goodwill, Vintage wicker clutch, $3.

Goodwill, Vintage looking floral dress, $5.

Goodwill, Black, white and pink tie, $1.50.

Showing detail on tie.

You can blame me buying a tie on Megan and Nora at two birds.  Having to wear a tie in this post for one of their inspiration mondays got me interested in the look.

Goodwill, Fuzzy Peach Beret, $1.50.

For all I know this is a kid's hat but it was cute and it fits.

By the time I finished up at Goodwill it was time to head to the airport.  I had a beautiful sunshiny day to shop and I was pleased with my finds.  Do you enjoy spending a day shopping alone sometimes?