Tag Archives: shopping

Progress

Posted on January 26, 2013 | Leave a comment

This weather. I can’t really take it anymore. The sub-zero cold snap has really got me down. I’m cold to my bones most days, and even my wool socks aren’t able to protect my toes from feeling frostbitten. Everyone seems a little on edge that there’s currently no end in sight for this arctic air.

I’m trying my best to be positive, despite the weather. After going back through my blog, I realized that my 2013 goals post was a little downer for my tastes – full of stress and agitation. I am keeping my nose to the grindstone on my goals, and so far, I’m trudging through the cold and accomplishing a lot while maintaining a positive attitude.

1-26-13 updateImage found here

Here’s the progress I’ve made:

  • Fitness: I quit my gym! Even though it was only $10 a month, I just didn’t see the value anymore. The last time I went was over a month ago, and I left feeling… icky. Not because of my workout, but because of the atmosphere. Even before the New Year’s resolution-ers came in I was getting bad vibes. I feel like I’ve hit my stride with yoga classes (going 3-6 times a week), lifting weights at home, and once it’s nice out I’d love to get back into walking more. I’ve also been good about drinking more water and tea – I’ve been hooked on Yogi “Bedtime” Tea and making my own apple cider vinegar “tea” a couple times a day.
  • Financial: I paid off my credit card, contributed to a 401K for the first time (With a 9% match! Holy buckets!), AND opened up a Roth IRA account. I have my sub-savings accounts all set up for automatic withdrawal, and charted on my Excel spreadsheet for the entire year. I feel solid in my financial house. I’m so lucky! Not sure I’m in any position to purchase a couch, but I’ll just keep waiting and saving.
  • Relationships: Pete and I went on a date to see jazz legend Dave Holland and his quintet last night. Pete cooked us a delicious stir fry for dinner, I made cookies for dessert, we got all dressed up and enjoyed amazing music from some of the most talented jazz musicians playing and touring today. Today I’m going on a girl’s day-date with my mom, auntie, sister, and cousin. I’m looking forward to thrifting and catching up with some of my favorite people.
  • Home and Hobbies: Well, I’m definitely blogging more regularly (three days off will do that to a person), and lighting candles every night. I’m going to brainstorm a few DIY projects, because I’m feeling a creative itch. I’m going to make it a goal to either read or create something over the next two weeks instead of watching Netflix every night.
  • Work Life: I’m getting caught up at work after feeling like I was falling behind. I really hated feeling so down on myself. I was anxious and SUPER stressed out about work both before and after the holidays. I resented going into work and not accomplishing a single thing on my to-do list. I’ve since voiced my concern with my supervisors, sorted out my project priorities, and talked through a plan of attack. I feel much more calm and in control. I’m actually looking forward to quite a few of these projects, like our upcoming brochure design.

I hope you’re having a good weekend. Mine’s been in progress since Wednesday night, and I feel awfully lucky and pretty darn happy about it!

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Home Body

Posted on January 25, 2013 | 1 Comment

Thanks for all of the kind words about my new (consumer) debt free life. I’ve gotta admit that it’s a pretty nice feeling. I went back through my PocketMoney app the other day and saw that this is the first time in a LONG time that I’ve gone over a month without putting some kind of purchase on my credit card. Even during times of massive debt-repayment, I’d get a little too ahead of myself and pay down more than my budget could handle. Which meant I’d go back to putting purchases on my card because I didn’t have the cash in my checking account to cover it. Crazy, right? Yikes I’m glad that is over (for now).

But now that I have some spare cash that would’ve normally gone toward debt, I’m a bit tempted to acquire a few things for around the house that I’ve been putting off. Mainly, a new couch and some other pretty decorative things. The couch isn’t a SUPER serious need, but we’re currently living with a loveseat I inherited from my parents’ basement. It’s a nice piece of furniture, don’t get me wrong, but it’s a little cramped – me and my 6’1″ boyfriend can’t even sit on it together. Bummertown.

So to combat my restless ways until I can actually afford some of these wants, I’ve been pinning. Lots. It never hurts to look, right?1-25-13-house*All of these pictures came from my Pin board

The couches in this collage are gorgeous. They’re from Thrive Furniture, and are kind of my dream mid-century style couches. However, they’re a little bit out of my budget (like $1000 over). I showed them to Pete, and although he thinks they’re spendy, he agrees that they’re pretty sweet looking and seem to be nice quality. However, I’m still hemming-and-hawwing (sp?) over them. I probably won’t go through with a purchase, even though I have some fabric samples being sent to me in the mail, not to mention a 15% off coupon code from the manufacturer. Oh well. Good things come to those who wait. I’ll just keep waiting, pinning, thrift store shopping, and DIY-ing projects in the meantime.

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Shopping Spreeeee

Posted on July 20, 2012 | 1 Comment

I think I’m going to take out a loan. Not really. But I definitely feel like I could right now. Why? To go shopping, duh. Makes me feel really materialistic, but oh well. I’ve had the kind of week that could easily be remedied with some retail therapy.

That, and I think I’m getting a better idea of what my style is these days. And I actually think Pinterest has helped me out by being able to see everything I like in one place. In fact, all of these fun pieces are from my “Get In My Closet” pinboard.


1 / 2 / 3 / 4 / 5

These items are each a little quirky in their colors and patterns, but I’m finding more and more that I’m drawn to very basic silhouettes with something that makes it POP here and there. All of the items I have listed above are from this weird website… I can’t quite tell if they manufacture cheapo “made in China” polyester things that are awful for the environment, or if they’re actually of good quality. I have reason to believe that they are the former, which means I probably won’t be purchasing any of these anytime soon. That, and I have a weird phobia/thing about buying clothing online. But I do like the look of all of them and the color they’d bring to my closet. So oh well, a girl can dream (and be on the hunt for similar items)!

Also, I used some tips from the recent Pugly Pixel post. The moment I saw it, I was drawn in. Mostly because this is exactly how I crop collage elements when I’m making art. Neat-o, right?!

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good stuff

Posted on March 15, 2012 | Leave a comment

Good stuff’s been going down around here. For pulling quite a few long days at work, my energy level is high and I really can’t complain. I credit a lot of it to the sun shining and my uptick in running over the last few weeks. I am by no means fast, but I am trying to put those miles away, one by one. I plan to hit 20+ miles by Saturday – it’s nice enough outside right now, which I think will give me the push to meet my goal.

Today was great because I was able to leave work a bit early. Tomorrow I’ll be there extra long working two matinee performances and a dinner/evening show. I even GET to give the curtain speech tomorrow because the boss-man can’t make it due to a prior commitment. I’m not too nervous (yet), so wish me luck that I don’t fall down, puke, or forget to thank someone important. Eeep! Anyway, where was I?

Oh, I left early to run errands and wound up having a lovely afternoon. First stop was Goodwill, but I think I’m there too often because I didn’t see anything new. That’s rough… Next I stopped at TJMaxx in hopes of purchasing a new swimsuit (how ambitious was I?!) but instead found a beautiful retro-inspired wiggle dress for $15, a yummy green-tea scented candle, and a shiny new coffee mug. Last stop was Target, where I picked up a new nail polish and scored on a bundle of colorful tights for just $2 a pair. I can’t believe they’re clearance-ing them out! I’m not quite ready to bare my legs, even though the air is probably warm enough to warrant it. I just won’t go there. I’m practically see-through!

Saw this while out and about. Best vanity plates! OMG BBQ!
Smells like heaven

When I got home, Pete told me about some exciting news regarding the projects he’s been working on. I’m very proud of how hard he works and that he’s finally getting recognized for his talents and the massive amount of time and heart he puts into his work. He spent a bit of this afternoon finishing up a different project while I drank coffee, read blogs, and painted my nails. Ha – he’s so hard working and I chose to slack off. Typical. Afterward we celebrated at our favorite restaurant, Bravo Burritos. The weather was perfect, so we opted to dine al fresco, facing the parking lot. Very romantic.

And now I’m back home plotting my evening run on the treadmill. I totally missed sneaking one in while it was gorgeous out – I just couldn’t because that Bravos really fills you up! In other news, I’ve had some good luck thrifting lately, but I think that warrants its own post. I’ll be back soon with some (hopefully) non-Instagrammed pictures for your viewing pleasure.

Enjoy the weekend!
I can’t believe tomorrow’s already Friday!

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weekend recap

Posted on March 4, 2012 | 5 Comments

Hello all! I had a pretty busy, yet relaxing weekend. It didn’t seem like I did much, but now that I’m typing, it all kind of came back to me. It looks like I actually did get quite a bit done!

Because I worked both nights this weekend at the Paramount, Pete and I had a Saturday day-date at our favorite place in the world – Bravo Burritos! If you’ve never been (which I’m guessing a huge majority of people who read this have not) please make it a goal of yours to get there. We both ate smothered burritos, which is a deviation from our normal fare. My personal faves are the chicken verde super burrito and the vegetarian smothered. Holy yum.


I spent a little time shopping this weekend, too. I hit up Old Navy, which for me is kind of weird. I haven’t set foot in that store in years and years, but for some reason… I think I saw a cute printed shirt somewhere online and was inspired to go? Anyway, the store was so bright and full of fun, trendy prints for spring. Not usually my thing to buy mass-produced trendy stuff, but eh. I couldn’t pass up this bird-print silky blouse.

And of course, I made the compulsory stop at Goodwill to atone for my big-box retailer outing. The place was overrun with screaming children and poorly managed carts getting in the way of everything. Let’s just say I wasn’t feeling very patient. But I found a set of dishes I really liked, but did not purchase. The pattern of the stoneware reminds me of my Grandma Mar’s dishes from her old house. A call to my sisters: Maim, Maddie, do you agree with me or remember? Or am I just crazy?


Today I found out my hair is still JUST long enough to curl, so I had fun with that, too. I also bought new nail polish and had to give it a go. The basecoat is a neat matte polish, but I covered it up with a new sparkle topcoat. Kind of pointless to use a matte underneath a glossy coat, but oh well. I feel pretty fancy now!


Pete drove to the Twin Cities for rehearsal this afternoon, so Leo and I spent some time hanging out around the house. I discovered a row of Thin Mints in the freezer (I think we stashed them to prevent ourselves from scarfing them down) and had a delish afternoon snack (not the whole row, don’t worry!). Leo has been a lunatic pawing at the back door to go outside, so I’ve obliged him with little 3-minute breaks. It’s about all he can take before he’s jumping up and down at the door to come back inside.

I spent the rest of my weekend watching silly movies, working out, and setting up a painting studio in our vacant downstairs bathroom. Yes, I’ll paint soon enough! Having a semi-permanent setup is half the battle. It needed to be somewhere I could get messy and leave things set up without the cat getting into it. Luckily, we never use the downstairs bathroom, and it has linoleum floors and a closeable door. Now I just need to figure out what to paint – I’ll keep you updated on my progress!

How was your weekend?

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Look Who’s Not a Grinch!

Posted on December 9, 2011 | 2 Comments

Hey hey! I went out and bought myself some Christmas spirit. Actually, I had the afternoon off (took some flex time because I worked a BUNCH last weekend) so I started my Christmas shopping. And whaddya know? I bought a Christmas tree!


I actually love it because it fits perfectly in our place. Not too big, and small enough to set up on our credenza out of the way of the cat. Red is kind of a recurring theme in our house, so the tacky factor of an “off” color Christmas tree just works in our house. And yes, I sat my butt down and physically STRUNG POPCORN. That, my friends, is a greasy mess. Don’t use buttered popcorn if you attempt making garlands. Promise me that, okay? You’ll save yourself a lot of hassle and mess if you just use air popped white popcorn. That, and your living room won’t smell like butter for the next three weeks. Live and learn, right? I also added some felt stars and a glitter bird that I found thrifting this afternoon. I hope to find some neat (perhaps vintage) ornaments soon, too!

I also managed to do another thing I recently said I wouldn’t do in a recent post: buy another bird picture! Eep! So what happened? Well, I ran into a really wonderful thrift store this afternoon looking for gifts for everyone on my list BUT me, and lo and behold, a rare bird in perfect condition – feathers, frame, everything! I had to have it! And it was only $12, which was really a steal. So now he’s chilling with the rest of the flock in my office. When will I learn?

So all in all I had a lovely afternoon off of work. Crossed a few people off of my shopping list, and finally got into the Christmas spirit. Now it’s just sizing up my budget one more time, and I think that with possibly one more big day of shopping that I’ll be all done. Wish me luck!

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Day Off – Right On!

Posted on October 19, 2011 | 3 Comments

Yesterday I took the day off, which was amazing. There’s something different about days off during the week. I felt like I got a ton more done. I was still in “work mode,” but it was “work for ME mode.”

I had time to do laundry, make a tasty recipe, run to the consignment store to sell some clothes, and hit the thrift store. I also got a haircut and drove home to see my family. Phew! While home, I took a cardio class with my mom and auntie, and stopped to see my grandparents and their new cat, Princess Phoebe. She came with that ridiculous name, but isn’t she purdy? She makes my grandparents really happy – it’s so cute!

While I was home, I loaded up the boyfriend’s car with furniture my auntie was holding for me. Two book shelves, a large mirror, a rolling cart, and a neat new lampshade. She also let me take home this sweet little tsotchke. Kind of like an early version of a bobblehead, she sits on a base that makes her body and head rock back and forth. Did I mention she’s a family heirloom? My great-grandma (Nanny) gave her to my thrifty auntie, and my auntie thought I’d appreciate her (which I do!). I put her on a shelf right above my new desk in my office so I can see her all the time. I think she looks a little Dutch. What should I name her?

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Lots of thrifts and one gift

Posted on September 14, 2011 | 9 Comments

Sorry for the somewhat rant-y post yesterday. The group got a lot of media attention, and I was very happy to see many comments on articles that aligned with what I thought. Those kids be crazy, and that’s all there is to it.

Anyway, on a lighter note (especially for my wallet – zing!) I’ve been hitting the good ‘ol Goodwill lately. I walked away with some pretty great finds! Check them out!

All of the pics above were finds from last night. I’ve slowly been collecting a few more things to make our house (with all of its extra space) a bit more homey. I hope to use the rag rug in my new office/fancy-clothes-closet/craft/reading room. The Pyrex was just $1 (!), and I’d like to plan out some blog posts on my new dry-erase calendar board because I’ve definitely been slacking in that department lately…

not weird, right?

I also scored on FIVE midi-length skirts at the Goodwill in Rogers last weekend. I was in shock at what an incredible vintage dress and skirt selection they had at this particular store. That, and it was 50% off blue tags. Woo woo! Three of these are flowy and pleated, and the pink and raspberry colored ones are more pencil-like in fit. I really like the look of midi-skirts, but I think I got some really puzzled looks when I wore one to a family function the other night. Oh well. They just don’t get it… right? I usually wear them high waisted and belted. I wish I took a pic today. Well, the pic on the left is an older picture of a skirt with a similar silhouette. I hope it doesn’t come across as too granny or 1980s school teacher. Hmm…

I also snagged a red peacoat at Goodwill and the plaid wool cape (!) at a local garage sale. I don’t necessarily know where I’d wear a cape, but I’ve heard they’re making a comeback, so I’ll try to put it to good use.

And then there’s this beauty from Goodwill. I had to put a little extra cash into acquiring it ($30 bucks at Goodwill is kind of a lot for me), but I’m glad I did. This chair has perfect features: a nice curve to the back, carved wooden legs, no icky skirting, nice nail-tack trim, and all of the buttons from the tufts are still hangin’ on tight! And that print! And the color! You can’t pass up upholstered furniture in that kind of condition. It’s like a sin or something.

Oh, and lastly, here’s a little guy I’m so giddy over. This dude was a gift from my momma while she was out thrifting this last weekend. He’s holding some kind of succulent I just received from my co-worker. I think about 90% of the plants in my house are from this particular co-worker. Apparently her plants keep growing too fast so I randomly get all of her cuttings and transplants. Hey, can’t complain!

Well, my thrifty haunts are all in seasonal transition points, which I think are the best times to shop. They’re looking to clear out some space for more holiday-oriented items, and I’ll gladly take things off of their hands for a deep discount! Have you found any good finds at the thrifts lately? Link them up in the comments! Happy hunting!

 

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Put a Bird On It!

Posted on June 12, 2011 | 9 Comments

Friday was the STC area Art Crawl. The evening event runs up and down the main street in STC, and different establishments host different local artists and serve appetizers and tastes of wine.  I love attending the crawls, but last night I worked a studio reception (serving those said tastes of wine) at the theater/visual arts center I hold part time hours at. However, due to the popularity of the event we quickly ran out of food and wine samples. So with nothing to serve, I was free to roam the crawl!

I stopped in at a few places along the route and was VERY tempted to buy some really great art. Some really great EXPENSIVE art. My wallet screamed otherwise. Being a recent postgrad sucks sometimes. Especially because I WANT to help support artists and our local arts scene. Anyway, as I meandered I casually popped in at Bumbledee’s (previously mentioned HERE). It was pretty packed but through the crowd, I happened upon a rare gem: a fine example of Mexican Feathercraft.

Okay, so the reason this is a gem (to me) is because I collect these weird little birds. The first one I ever found was at Savers in STC. That first find was very quickly followed up by my second find at my local thrift store (they unfortunately don’t have a website). So with three birds in two unique frames, I had myself an odd little collection.
It wasn’t until I did a some digging that I realized these birds were actually a THING – so I bought a few more off of Etsy to round out my collection. The back of many of the hand-carved cedar frames have the history of Mexican Feathercraft on them. Here’s what one of the labels says:


Anyway, back to my night. I stopped in at Bumbledee’s, found this picture, and then ran into the shop owner. She said, “Oh, I love these birds! I have one hanging up at home!” I replied, “That’s really neat! I actually collect these. I have 6 of them hanging in my living room.” She said, “Oh neat.” And then turned away, because her shop was packed and her attention was needed elsewhere. So I ruminated on how cool it was to have found another bird, and kept browsing. All of a sudden, she was back! And she had THREE MORE feathercraft birds in her hands! She said, “I found these in my stash. These three aren’t as nice or colorful as the one you picked up. But since you collect them, I’ll give you a deal. How about these three for $3 a piece?” Um… YES! That means I got 4 new birds to add to my collection for less than $20. Truly a thrifting/collecting WIN.

So I now have TEN frames in my collection (and somewhere around 11-12 birds). They’re kind of weird, kind of granny, kind of kitschy, but I guess that’s why I like them. I like the feeling of collecting something old, rare, and unique.

I’m going to stop talking about my odd collection now, because I feel like I could talk about these things for a while. I love when people get excited about their collections, or explain why something is so sentimental or special to them. Do YOU collect anything? Any particular pieces or genres of art? Kitchenware? Vases? Furniture? Do share!!

*The title of the post is obviously referencing THIS. If you haven’t seen it, do yourself a favor. It’s so spot on (and makes me chuckle/feel kind of lame because I love birds) :)

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Thrifting FOR THE WIN!

Posted on June 1, 2011 | 2 Comments

I had a couple rather serendipitous thrifting finds this weekend. As you may (or may not) know, Goodwill and many other thrift stores have amazing Memorial Day sales. Goodwill was featuring “50% off all of their green, blue, yellow, and orange furniture tags. Not including red tags” – they announced it about 8 million times over the intercom while I was there so it’s now emblazoned in my brain.

Anyway, I scored two polka-dot tops, a tribal ikat-print summer dress, a red maxi skirt, a heavy-duty dart board, and a myriad of what my family of thrifters calls “smalls” (home decor furnishings, accessories, etc). All for about $25!

But I suppose you’re wondering WHY it was serendipitous… Well, I simply found things that either matched items I already had or were things I didn’t realize I had been coveting. Let me me explain:

NUMBER ONE:
I picked up this little baby fawn trinket (is it a planter? I think I might put a succulent inside) at Savers about a month ago. It was probably a dollar, and too cute to pass up. At Goodwill this weekend, I found the baby fawn’s MAMA DOE sitting by her lonesome on a shelf. This lovely lady cost me a mere $1.00 after my 50% off. How cute are the pair together? Definitely meant to be. After reading THIS timely Kyla Roma post, I think succulents are the way to go for this adorable pair.


NUMBER TWO:
I didn’t even realize this coincidence until today, which actually prompted me to write this post about thrifting serendipity. I really do believe in the adage that if you send things out into the universe, if only to make them known, they will come back to you in ways you might not fully understand. It’s really quite strange. *That might be overkill for what simply happens to be a coincidence, but I’ll just keep believing it, okay?

I added this cute little bird wall art to my etsy.com favorites on MAY 3 and then promptly forgot about it. It’s cute, but a little on the pricey side for such a small item. Here it is four weeks later, and I come across THE SAME cute little bird wall art at Goodwill. Cost to me? $.49!!! That’s crazy, right? I knew I liked it when I came across it at the store, but I didn’t realize it was THE EXACT SAME ITEM until I revisited my etsy favorites page this morning. I guess I can take it off of my list now, right? Or maybe keep it on and form a little flock of birds vignette in my house? Just too weird.
Have you ever come across things while shopping that you simply felt were “meant to be” ?? Isn’t that what makes shopping (especially thrifting) so much fun?!

*Also, I am BY NO MEANS advocating for NOT buying from etsy sellers or vintage dealers. Just noting how fun it is to find things you love on your own with a bit of luck. I send etsy seller tasticlife vintage lots of love!  They have some cute vintage pieces!

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