First Thrifting Haul of 2017!

I first tried to vlog this haul.

That did not go well. It was hard to see the clothes and I rambled way too much. I'm just going to do it the regular way, OK?

The details - I went to my favorite doggie-kitty store. I didn't get an itemized receipt but I paid about $17.50 for everything you see below. I only bought things for me and not the kid (I hesitated and considered a really nice Hanna piece but she has some Hanna outfits she got for the holidays that she hasn't even tried on yet so I left it). I was looking for "professional" type clothing to wear to a new job I'm about to start (yay!). And my favorite piece that I found is at the end...

Plain black Gap long-sleeved cotton shirt. Because I can never have too many of these.

Plain black button down shirt from Dress Barn. No gapping in the buttons! It fit well and I thought it would make me look work appropriate.

A surprise- this is Daisy Fuentes (is that Kohls?) and it's really really cute on. It's soft and comfy but not t-shirty. Yes that's a word.

Sarah Jessica Parker "Bitten" jacket! I grabbed this at the last minute and I really like how it fits. I think it will fancy up a plain t-shirt. I also sort of think it goes with the gray pants (below).

All work and no play make me a dull lady. Of COURSE I bought this Hello Kitty t-shirt.

Dress pants from the Gap. One thing I liked a lot about these is that they aren't as aggressively wide-legged as it seems a lot of dress pants are nowadays. I feel lost and elephanty if the legs are too wide.

Hard to take a picture of this, and Photoshop was no help in fixing it, but it's a black A-line skirt that reminds me of another one that I already own (but this one is longer and thus work appropriate, I think).

Last and FAVORITE find. A BODEN cardigan! The thrift store has a habit of marking up clothing they think is "fancy" or "valuable." Sometimes it's very silly, and they apparently don't know about Boden. It fits so nicely and it's so cute (though it needs a good wash - the sleeves are a bit limp right now). YAY!

BODEN FTW!

Plans for this blog in 2017

I have moved some of my deeper, more personal writing away to another place, but I still want to use this blog for my catchall randomness. I went thrifting and didn't catalog it here and it felt....wrong! (I wear the brown hoodie sweater from my last thrifting post nearly daily by the way.)

I've been obsessed with Costco for years and a few months ago I FINALLY got a membership as part of a deal from some Mommy Blog Network thing. I paid $110 for the Executive Membership, and I got back $40 in gift cards plus four coupons. I used two of them - a free pizza ($10) and $3 off berries (I think that made the basket of blackberries about 50 cents). Plus, by all accounts I'll be getting back at least $55 thanks to choosing the Executive level. (At the rate I spend money there - plus I take friends and their purchases count toward my 2% cash back - I don't think it will be a problem.) It was a really great deal as far as I'm concerned. I use Mint for budgeting and it shows me that this really has saved us money on groceries and household goods. Also now I eat a LOT of apples. Mmmm. Apples.

ANYHOODLE.

I plan to put some of my Costco rambles here because I like reading about it elsewhere so maybe someone else ALSO likes reading about it. And I'm determined to do at least one haul video in the near future. Remember when I made thrifting haul vlogs before that was a thing? REMEMBER? I'll do it again for Costco. And maybe thrifting too. Maybe I can even monetize it and become rich. Uh, well, or just....do it for fun.

I also will be back here to ramble about other shit as I feel.

I'm still making buttons. I'm still looking for a full-time job. I'm still around.

Here's hoping 2017 is marginally better than 2016?

A Few Thrifted Finds - August 10, 2016

Oh sweet, dear, neglected blog, I am so sorry I haven't been around.

I am actually working on creating a Big Grown Up Type Blog with actual open-hearted posts and a design that isn't just a basic template and all that jazz.

But in the meantime, at least I have a place to keep a catalog of the things I buy at thrift stores, yes? Yes.

I hadn't been in a while - not since the last blog post - and I am trying really hard to only buy useful pieces that I will really wear. Thus I did NOT buy the beautiful cocktail dress. It was so satiny and lovely, with a little puff at the bottom. It was strapless. It....did not zip up in the back. "Why do you even need this?" asked Amy. "To wear to school pickup," I replied.

Here's the handful of things I did buy:

Favorite find, right up front, won't make you wait. I love a good furry collar. This is warm, soft, squishy, and will be great when it's fall in Georgia in....December. I think it was $2.50?

Just look at that fuzz!

Plain black T-shirt with foofy bit on the front, impossible to photograph. Will look great under a blazer. $2?

Plain and basic pink T-shirt. $2?

LOVE this skirt. LOVE IT. It's got a touch of wool in it but LOOKS like wool (yet washable). It's very school girl cuteness. Very me in the 90s, actually. Will look great with my boots and tights. $2?

Shorts for the kid for either now or next summer, depending on what fits. Gap! $1.25.

Cherokee jeans that also may fit her now or later, not sure, haven't tried yet. $1.25.

Suuuuuupppperrrrr cute elephant shirt for her to wear with leggings. She says she likes it, win! $1.25.

Short and sweet, TYFYT.

Thrifting post thrifting post thrifting pooooooost!

I almost forgot to post all of my thrifted goodies this time.

I mean, don't be sad, I obviously remembered!

Today is Friday but I went thrifting on Wednesday at my favorite little charity shop. I didn't want to buy or spend a lot, and I stuck to that. When I was in the fitting room, I did a lot of "Does this actually spark joy?" and "It's cute but if it was full price, would I really buy it or am I just being suckered into buying something ill-fitting that will hang in my closet forever just because it's $2?" and you'll see that it worked - I put back a cute dress that didn't hang right, a ridiculous short skirt, and several other items that just were not-quite-right. Instead I focused on buying my kid clothes.

I bought three things for me. The skirt was $2, the shirts were $1.50 I think. (I've misplaced the receipt but do you really care?)

Black squishy skirt like so many before it, but SHORTER. Super comfy.

Plaid shirt intended to be over a tank top, knotted jauntily, as if I understand fashion.

I LOVE this shirt and have actually already worn it out. It has a lovely cowl neck and makes me feel dressed up even though it's just a t-shirt. It's Banana Republic. It's a weensy bit short but works with the right pants (or skirt?).

Then the rest is stuff for the kid. Everything was either 75 cents or $1.25, depending on size and also, apparently, the mood of the cashier....

Pretty sure this skirt was brand new and never worn. And yes....my kid actually doesn't really wear skirts. But it was just so perfect and pretty and I couldn't leave it behind. I just sold a TON of her clothes at a consignment sale and have room in her closet for the "someday" stuff again so I gave in. Or maybe I'll resell it. Not sure. Children's Place. Adorable.

Circo shorts in the same size as the OTHER Circo shorts we bought new at Target this season. Husband isn't sure about the length, I thought they weren't too bad for a hot day. She hasn't tried them on yet though....

Another "someday" purchase - Old Navy jeans in a size that probably fits other kids her age but won't fit her for eons. They still have the pull tabs inside though so maybe soon.

Sparkly Crazy 8 t-shirt that she proclaimed she loves already.

Children's Place shirt, also too cute to leave behind, will be for fall.

Basic Circo shirt but hey, sparkly heart! Cute!

Gymboree hoodie in great condition, fits her, will be a nice summer jacket for camp.

Small Thrifting Post with One Major Score - March 6, 2016

On Friday I took a mental health day with Amy. We went to two thrift stores - favorite-of-all-time doggy kitty store and new intriguing religious-based shop that recently moved and reopened a bit bigger and better organized.

I didn't get much and I put a lot back (trying to keep the KonMari Spark Joy concept in the back of my mind - I have also, over the past month, purged 50 books - a tiny fraction of what I need to do but a start! - and started filling a garbage bag with clothing I don't wear/don't like/don't need/doesn't fit).  Somehow I unfortunately still wound up with a piece of clothing that needs work - but also one of my top ten favorite thrifted items of all time.

These pictures are terrible - I took them with my iPhone when I realized that the current setup of my DSLR wouldn't do for this set and I didn't have time to switch everything out this morning but I really wanted to get a post up for my own records. However, I now have a tripod and wireless remote (and nice flash that I need to learn) so my plan is to start posting pictures of me actually wearing the clothing. Maybe I'll even get to updating these pictures that way this week.

See what I mean? Bad pictures. But this is a black Gap dress that I loved because it is absolutely a "throw this on when it's really hot outside and look fancier than I feel" dress. I think it was $2.50?

This sweater SPARKED JOY. It's super soft and it fits me beautifully. But you can't really see anything in this picture, can you? It's a V-neck with a sort of cable going on. $1.50?
 

(Here, I took this with the DSLR really fast and while it's blurry, you can see the shape and detail of the sweater far better.)

Target-Levis (Denizen jeans). They claim to er, squish/hold you in or whatever. They were fine and I pretty much live in denim capris in the summer. I don't know - $1.50?

Argh. These are Levis capris and I really liked them. Amy pointed out that they were missing the buttons on the back pockets and I said eh, I wear long shirts so it won't show. What I just noticed is it's also missing a button on the front - it's a two-button closure. Again, a long shirt will probably hide it but if I'd noticed that one, I might've just put these back. Oh well. I'll make them work - I really do like how they fit.

Just a basic purple Gap t-shirt, NBD.

So that was all from doggy-kitty store and I think I spent $10 plus change - honestly, as I told the cashier, the least I've likely ever spent at that store. I was so well behaved, I'm telling you.

Then we hit the religious-based store because I wanted to look for frames for some of the prints I've had made and that store has a pretty good price on a pretty good frame selection. I didn't find any frames, and I was sort of aimlessly wandering when Amy pulled this out of the juniors-shirts section. And I screamed and I said "I don't care if it fits, I'm buying that." BUT I TRIED IT ON AND IT FITS.

It is a real Betsey Johnson babydoll dress! And it's older, based on what the tag looks like to me, and it is FANTASTIC. The empire waist hits me just right, at least as far as I'm concerned, and it twirls out a little bit and it just....it's fabulous. I love it. It's wrinkly and I think that for a change I'm not going to chance it with hand-washing, I'm really going to have it dry cleaned. (It is 100% rayon and my Googling tells me that I'll really be risking it if I wash it myself and I LIKE THIS TOO MUCH.) I convinced the cashier that it was more of a shirt than a dress (it's short and I actually really liked it over my skinny jeans and black boots and likely will wear it more as a long-shirt-with-leggings I think) so it was $2.50. AH! And I promise that I will get a picture of me wearing this - me in all my pink-and-orange-haired glory. I look very 90s Riot Grrl/Courtney Love I think. This is actually my second Betsey Johnson piece but my first is this weird lace overlay thing that I bought for a dollar as a joke. This. THIS I WILL WEAR.

Stay tuned for better pictures. Of me!

...Like this!

Thrifting Post AND Photos from Today: Day 28

As promised, LOTS of photos today to make up for the lack of photos yesterday.

Yesterday I went to three thrift stores but only bought things at one - the doggie/kitty awesome seekrit fabulous store. AND WAS IT EVER FABULOUS.

As always, I don't know the exact prices on most things, but when I know, I'll list them.

Not shown - until I can get it out of the dryer and take a pic - one pair of brown cords for the kid.

All pictures taken with the DSLR and tweaked in Photoshop, which is why there's no excuse for the poor quality of some of them, oops. I may update them in the future - I was overwhelmed today because I also just got a new iPhone 5S and was setting it up and settling into it, moving from Android to iOS (I'm pretty familiar with iOS already and the transferring of contact info was pretty easy, hooray). (I got a deal as far as I'm concerned - a new 5S for $150 added on to the $35/month unlimited service from Virgin Mobile that I've had for forever. UNLIMITED - and the data throttle threshold is so high I never reach it. Nice, eh?)

Plain green shirt - but it's J Crew so it's a good, STRONG plain green shirt.

Pink waffle shirt that Amy said matches my hair, which....it does.

Hard-to-photograph black waffle shirt with 3/4 sleeves. LOVE.

Faux-vintage Star Wars shirt. The purple looks really good with my hair, don't care. Also it fits me well.

FAVORITE #1: FOX SWEATER. It's a little bit and a little boxy but it's SO CUTE with a tank top under it. Also soft.....ALSO FOX.

I did a little dance in the fitting room with this. It's also maybe a smidge big but way soft and so frilly and flowy and adorable.

Another impossible-to-photograph thing: A Guess sweater that is so fancy it has a little silver charm at the middle edge of the back of the collar. It's black and silver/gold sparkly. It has belt loops that I may clip off but I kind of like the idea of belting it. (The sweater goes below my hips in a cute way.) Update: It's this. Now I know what style belt to copy.

Plain dark blue T-shirt.

FAVORITE #2: LOOK AT THIS BELT. It was 50 cents. That buckle is giant and heavy. The belt itself is stamped leather and the buckle removes easily. I just...had to.

AND NOW THE BEST, MOST AMAZING FINDS OF THE DAY....

ARE YOU READY?

Boots!!!! IN MY SIZE. They look new - the soles are flawless. They are leather. They are a high-end brand. They are brown. They FIT. AND????? They were $4.50 for the pair. BUT WAIT!

MORE BOOTS! (I will...eventually take a better picture.) These are Clarks, black, leather, fit me, soft, comfy... ALSO $4.50 for the pair. PERFECTION.

Boots, fox sweater, sparkly black sweater, cute cardi, fancy belt, more more more....I spent about $30 TOTAL. WOOHOO!

More Thrifting More Thrifting Always More Thrifting - October 9, 2015

Yesterday was full of those little things that make it feel like the universe is messing with you.

My trip to see Amy was complicated by a "major" MARTA delay. I nearly turned back and went home but I decided to brave the drama and in the end it only delayed me by about 15-20 minutes, though that included the train stopping up on a trestle in the trees for about 10 minutes and my ensuing panic that we'd be stuck there FOREVER. Also, I was overcharged by one thing at the thrift store (I'm chalking it up to "awesome deals are still awesome.") and I broke my favorite sunglasses (I ducked into a store and bought a pair for $2 on BOGO clearance - Amy got a headband).

Anyway, I did go to my favorite thrift store despite protesting that I shouldn't, I didn't need anything, I really shouldn't go. And I spent too much - but I love everything I got, so it's OK, right?

I only know the prices of a few things and like I said, I was definitely charged for one phantom item but I can't figure out WHICH item (the receipt is confusing).

Braves!

Falcons!

Thrashers! (RIP)

I needed to represent nearly all the sports of Atlanta, apparently. The Thrashers sweatshirt is REALLY squishy and comfy.

Tahari

Tommy Hilfiger

The Hilfiger dress is adorable and way better than it looks on the hanger - plus it has pockets! And the Tahari dress made me feel fabulous. (Update: I sold the Tahari dress. It was too big.)

So hoodie - very very soft

I don't feel like retaking this picture but it's an amazing tan corduroy Bass skirt.

All shorts were 50 cents so I got these. Amy hated them, I liked how they fit and I'd gotten in a rut of either denim capris or skirts so...something different.

One "specially priced" shirt for the kid - $2.50 because it's Gymboree. It's very cute.

Favorite purchase I think, though I waffled. It's a BRAND NEW Lily Bloom crossbody purse. I had been searching for a new fall purse and this fit the bill. It's adorable and was $10. (Update: I carry this almost EVERY DAY.)

And finally...

Boden!

BODEN!

Two SUPER SUPER cute Boden pieces. I'm trying to sell the sweater immediately because it's the wrong color for me but is perfect otherwise. The skirt is a maybe - I love it but I'm not positive I'll wear it, so I might sell that too. I'm hoping to make back what I spent total (about $38) but even half that would be nice.

Yay thrifting!