516VINTAGE Update // Our First 'Picking' Experience

I think I've mentioned before that I am not a very good talker when it comes to talking deals at garage sales & flea markets.  I just find the good stuff & Zach makes the offers.  We're a good team.

Well on Saturday we ran into a nice, yet a little terrifying but totally awesome lady who ran a fruit stand slash yard sale thing.  When we walked up, we were greeted by a terrifying Doberman who actually turned out to be the sweetest & well trained dog.  (Big dogs scare me to death!)  After some digging around, we found some cool stuff.  Then Zach got to talking.  Usually I tense up & pretend I'm not listening during this because I always feel pushy when trying to negotiate & Zach is always so confident.

We discovered that she has a lot of things she's getting ready to set out in the spring from her mother's estate.  After a failed attempt at a preview, Zach asked if there were any other places we should check out while we're in town.  She told us of a garage across the street owned by one of her friends full of junk.  Zach lit up & I got nervous.  Did I really want to dig around in someone else's junk? Would this really be helpful? We don't know these guys?  But Zach got the contact, we went to get lunch, then Zach got a call saying that the guy was home & would open the garage.

After donning our work gloves & me sweating out of nervousness, we pulled into the parking lot of an old gas station/storage unit for this family.  I was afraid we were going to find loads of dumb stuff...but we actually found some cool stuff (some of which I haven't photographed yet!):

This pretty cool Dachshund planter type deal.  I think it would look great as an herb planter or as a desk organizer.  I was so tempted to keep it for myself!  It's currently in the vintage shop.

A groovy mushroom wall hanging that seems to be made of some sort of foam.  It's 3D & the detail is really cool.  I cleaned it up a bit & the yellow just popped!  I listed it today too along with another wall hanging here.

We also found a wonderful Poloarid Land Camera in great condition even though the case was torn to shreds!  Unfortunately the photos of that are still on my card! I guess I didn't take them off!  I'll show ya later.  We found a lovely milk glass lamp & Zach picked up a cool set of shot glasses in a little case, too.

Then we hit up the Goodwill because the person we asked said that they usually have cool stuff with good character.  Since the town seemed small, we trusted that she knew what junk her neighbors would be getting rid of.  While we dont' usually buy up things from thrift stores, sometimes we pop in to see if we can find any unique stuff.

We found a solitary Merry Mushroom Mug from Sears & were sad to see that no other Merry Mushroom items were present.  But he's a good little guy to replace a broken one or just to have a single cup of coffee.  Lots of Mushroom stuff in the shop!

And these diner style mugs that I want to drink shakes out of everyday were found at the Goodwill.  Since we like story telling & memories, it's rather hard to justify things from the thrift store unless they are super unique.  To me, thrift stores are the retail store of vintage.  They're fine for everyday items & I buy things for my own collection but the real gems come from digging & talking to people!

I guess you could say our first Picking Experience was a success & I'm more open to the opportunity now.  I did open up & converse more about our brand and our venture with the fruit stand lady to see if that would help open any leads.....and I didn't feel too uncomfortable after it.  But I still don't think I could do the haggling & negotiating!

Have you ever been Picking? Where do you find little gems for your collections?

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Sum Up Sunday #55

Yesterday the room mate & I took advantage of the lovely weather to go by an antique mall we always forget about.  We were on the hunt for props/displays for our fair tables in the future & we just plain old love to go antiquing.  I am so happy that I have friends & a boyfriend who are totally into digging around thrift stores, flea markets, antique stores, etc.  It's so great to have nothing to do & decide to roll up on a cool place with a little bit of spare change.

Since Zach always finds me cool things I knew I had to find him a few nifty things while I was out.  You'll see this in his guest post thrift tip later this month, but he collects old bottles of poison, old radios/electronics, & books.  Since I don't know anything about electronics or what books he's really on the hunt for I decided to keep my eye out for some interesting bottles.  I found two bottles for him: one of holy water & one that was filled with what we think is ammonia and is recommended for those who have fainted.  They are pretty nifty.  I'll be sure to take a better picture because I know he'll want to include them in is Thrift Tip post!

A cool transistor radio I didn't end up grabbing.

Katie found two great shelves for her pottery & I found a great shutter display for jewelry.  I am really excited about attempting to do this handmade, self employed journey here.  I've been working on a press kit, I just made up my About page on etsy, added a new banner to my artist website...but there always is something more to do.  I think I need to keep this post in mind when thinking about balance.  I seem to always be getting swept up in it which can sometimes be a bad thing!

Today we'll be setting up separate booths for the Second Sundays Fair in Williamsburg & I am excited :) :)

After we went antiquing we headed over to JoAnn's to pick up some more necklace displays & then grabbed some yummy frozen yogurt at sweet frog.

I have to say that ice cream/frozen yogurt has to be one of my all time favorite things to eat.  I love it durring the summer.  I get so excited thinking about all the yummy toppings! Another place I can't wait to visit this summer is Rita's.  Oh my yumminess!

And for good measure, here's the sign as we left the antique mall, good old southern charm:

What did you do this weekend?

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Sum Up Sunday // Bits & Pieces

This week seemed to be a busy week for me.  I feel like I didn't do anything but it took so much energy to get through the week.  I think it's because at the beginning of the week, after I announced the blogging 101 ebook project, I used all day Monday to start writing the intro & the first section.  Since I've given myself a month per section timeline, I really want to stick to it & be able to have time to revise it all before I am satisfied.  So Monday night I was up until probably 1am writing away, which made me tired on Tuesday for work & pottery.  Then I was tired on Wednesday because I couldn't nap on Tuesday & was up talking with Zach.  Wednesday evening I had kitchen band, and the cycle just kept going all week.  Any way, some photos of this week according to my phone:

Zach's been doing a lot of Garage Sale hopping these past few weeks & I can't believe the things he finds sometimes! He always has the keenest eye.  He's also really good a haggling...I get to embarrassed.  So far I've gotten from him: this train case like my pink one for $5, a typewriter above & below for $5, a decanter for $3, some other tiny luggage things for $3.  He's found so much already including an old apothecary set.  I am thinking we need to open up our own vintage shop but I know that I'll probably just hoard everything!

All of this stuff above is from Friday & Saturday's trip out

I also sat & made some last minute business cards for an art show today.  The Kid Made Modern line at Target is super cute & I knew I had to get my hands on some of that tape.  So when I needed to make some business cards (so much for my branding mission right?) I felt inspired to pick some up.  A tutorial is coming soo, too!

I have only a little bit of pottery left since my aunts & grandma bought it all up when I showed it to them, so I decided to bust out the jewelry & start making more.  Jewelry is a fun past time for me but I've never had much success with it in the shop.  I think I need to try to get into more brick & mortar shops & should have submitted things to the Honeybean when I had a chance!!!  I spent a lot of Friday night making earrings, pricing things, and making up packaging.  Here's a sneak peak into that:

I hope that a lot of pieces sell! Momma needs some new supplies & to invest back into the business!!! C'mon sales!

I also mastered keeping my hair curled.  I was so proud!  My first attempt made me look like the mom from That 70's show.  It was super crazy looking!  But for the Beer Fest on Saturday I achieved a beautiful curly head of hair :) 

I am so excited to have a head full of curls.  It takes a bit of time in the morning but I am loving it.  At first  I was using a mini flat iron to do flat iron curls but they weren't full enough so I got a cheapo 3/4 of an inch curling iron from target.  It was about 10 bucks & I love it!  I can't wait to keep on keeping on.

I also want to say thanks so much for commenting on the Blogging 101 ebook post and the Blogging Positively post.  I appreciate your input, feed back, concerns, etc.  I really like being able to interact with you all.  It makes my day!  I read every comment and love everyone!!  Y'all rock!  Some of the feed back from the Blogging 101 ebook post are going to be made into Boost Your Blog posts here on the blog.  But Each comment will be addressed in the book as well!

What did you do this weekend?  Anything fun?

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Monthly Thrift Tip // Scrutinize

In April's Newsletter (be sure to sign up!), the second thrift tip was mentioned.  This post on Scrutinizing gives you some handy tips to keep in mind on your thrifting adventures.  Wanna contribute? Share your thrifty tips & finds with Five Sixteenths through a guest post!  Read the guidelines here & shoot me an email!

If you are an avid thrifter, putting things back after you've filled your cart may be hard for you.  It's hard for me to put down something that I know is awesome.

Lest we end up on an episode of hoarders, there's something we need to talk about: Do You Need It?

When I go through a thrift store, I look for the familiar things I like to collect.  This includes train cases & bags & suitcases, gnomes & other knick knacks, vintage bedding, clothes & shoes.  Those are pretty broad categories, right?  More than asking the crucial 'do I need it?' question, I ask myself these questions when looking at an item:

Is it unique? // If it's something I haven't seen before it gets automatically put in the I must buy it category.  For example, the suitcase set below has been something I've been searching for for a while.  I'd seen them on etsy & around the web but I'd never discovered a set myself.  I paid a bit more for the set, but I realized that my hunt for them was well worth the price tag.  They were super unique & something I'd never seen before in my thrifting trips.  If it's something that is super common & you may be able to find it cheaper you probably don't need it.

How much is it? // So it's unique but making sure the item is worth the price is important.  Consider how much you've paid for similar items before.  Those suitcases were $35 for the 3 (I guess that's a good price but it was a bit more than I wanted to pay).  Since they were unique & I hadn't seen them before in my own hunt I bought them.  I am also on the hunt for train cases because they can carry & store a load of things.  The first one I bought (the orange one below) was around $5.  The pink one was $9 while we were in Michigan.  I'd seen other unique colored ones for upwards of $15 and if you check out etsy you'll be guaranteed to pay a lot for a cool color.  (I am still on the hunt for a white one!)  Since I got a bright orange one for so cheap I wasn't too willing to go much higher on another one, so $9 was around the right price + the $9 one had a tray, something I'd been looking for in another case.  I'd also found a smaller overnight suitcase for around $3.  Unless this suitcase is crazy unique, I am not willing to pay too much more than I've paid before.

Quality Evaluation // Evaluate the smell, the condition, etc & compare it to the price.  So the set of sheets is lovely but the flat sheet has a horrible stain: probably a no go.  Are you using it as sheets or for fabric: maybe a go.  Make sure the price reflects the condition.  I usually use sheets for sheets although there has been the occasional curtain made, so I evaluate sheets on their intended purpose.  As for those suitcases above, the outer one is a bit more sun damaged & is missing a zipper pull, the inside suitcases were in good condition & honestly I'd probably use those more for weekend trips (see the next tip) so I thought the over all quality was good for the price (though I've never encountered a set before so I don't really know what a good price is..)

Will it be used? // Sometimes it would be cool just to have a whole bunch of things that are awesome!  Unfortunately usually we don't have room for all of these things.  When checking out those suitcases above, I evaluated the quality & then thought will I use these? Since I do like to go on little weekend trips to visit friends or family, the smaller better quality inside cases would get more use.  The same with train cases: I will probably use the one with the tray more & it doubles as a display piece.  The orange one can be used for decorative storage in a craft room I hope to eventually have!

After going through all of these questions, I then decide if it's the right piece for me.  I've learned that thrifting starts out as a past time but if you get serious about it you may end up under a pile of stuff.  Once you've refined your taste make sure you scrutinize & are picking up the best quality stuff for your collections.

These tips also go for things you are looking for.  Need a side table that you don't want to pay a gillion dollars for?  Keep an eye out on your thrifting adventures & evaluate it with the tips above.

check out more thrift tips here & don't forget about the newsletter!

What do you collect? How do you make sure you arrive home with quality pieces?

Fan Fridays // Thrifty Finds

Since Zach & I got back from Michigan I've been dying to take pictures of my fave finds yet!  Unfortunately with my 9-5 office job moving offices, I've been so tired every night this week to even think about photographs!

I am so glad I found a man that love thrifting & antiquing.  The only problem? Zach likes 20's-40's and I like 50's-70's.  In order to see what our future house may look like, we often go through furniture aisles while antiquing (& in general) and ask each other what we like.  When we find something we agree on, we make a note because 9 out of 10 times we won't agree! I've found myself taking pictures of things in stores that I like that I think he may like....so far no luck!

Some fave thrift finds from around the web this week:

This cute little doggy holder thing that miss Kaylah found at an Estate Sale! I need one of these for my office! Gah, I can not stand the cuteness.  Peep the whole post to find the rest of the awesomeness!

These awesome salt & pepper shakers on My Paper Crane.  My room mate in college used to collect S&P shakers.  Every time I see a pair I think of her.  (Hello Nance-pants!)

This super rad DIY by mr. Kate on Hello Giggles.  Totally take some thrift store bags & spruce 'em up.  Did you know the secret is acetone?? I totally have some bags that I need to do this too.  If I only had the time :(

In other news (news I am not a fan of) I got ripped off getting my car inspected the other day.  My lovely boyfriend was so kind enough to take my car while I was at work.  He told me when I got home it was $72 bucks!  They said I had lights out & things here & there they needed to replace.......needless to say, I don't really believe them! Oh well, it's all done now...

I'd like to know what states in the US have a state inspection required each year.  Virginia is the only one I've heard of!

What are you loving this Friday? 

Thrift Tip // Go & Go Often

If you subscribe to the newsletter you'll have seen a new little monthly feature about thrifting tips.  Thrifting is a great past time for a load of people & I often seen some streamlined thrifting godesses around the blogisphere.  It takes time to hone your eye for the things you are looking for but only going & going often will help you develop your skills.

Like playing the piano or throwing a pot, practice makes perfect.  If you can work a quick thrift trip a few times a week you'll develop your skills like a pro!

This month's Thrift Tip is to Go & Go Often.  Going as much as you can not only means training your eyes but alos means you will find much, much more.

Lunch Time Escape // if you have an hour lunch like I do, it might be beneficial to hit up your fave thrift store over your break.  I've found great things over the course of a lunch time that makes it totally worth it.  Like this sewing kit!

Going with a short time frame helps to keep you on track.  You can make a loop around to see if anything catchs your eye.  If it does, snatch it up! That's what happened with the sewing box.  If you have a shorter time frame, you'll be focused on making the most of your time.

Go against your better judgement & just go! // Think you might not have time to get to the store but want to stop by anyway? Treat it the same as a lunch time get away & take a minute to sneak out.  Make sure to set a time frame (longer than your lunch, I'd say, but shorter than a normal thrift trip for yourself) I usually try to hit a few thrift stores in a day so I'll make a day of thrifting.  I encountered this 'better judgement' tip when I knew I shouldn't be buying too much -for the spending or the fact that I'll have more junk treasures- & found a poloaroid camera.

If you have a money limit, want to be cautious on your spending, or just don't need to buy more things make sure on these 'better judgement' trips you are actively scrutinizing the things you pick up.  If the purse is awesome but you already have a vintage snap closure navy blue purse (personal experience here) it's probably not worth it to buy another.  I nearly walked out of the store with nothing before spotting the poloaroid that put me right around my price range & only at 3 items.

This time, just going ahead & popping by paid off.

Make it a social thing // If you have friends who like to thrift it may help in going more often to have a standing thrift date.  It might take a while to break in a good thrift buddy but once you find one you'll find twice as much.  Katie (my room mate) & I are stealth thrifting machines.  We have two different tastes but we always seem to find things for each other.  If you get to be a well oiled thrifting pair you may be able to go more often.

One Man Job // Going by yourself to your favorite haunts may help you cover more ground.  Complete opposite of the previous tip right?  Going with friends is great because you'll make plans to go & have some good friends to chat with.  Going alone, especially if you have something specific in mind, will be a tremendous help.

We all develop our own thrfiting style.  I prefer to go mostly with my sister, my mom, & my room mate.  I feel like I have to give some people a show when we go thrifting, especially if they've never gone before. I am not kidding when I say you have to break in your thrifitng buddy.  You have a job to do (hit up the most stores & find what you are looking for) & it's hard to break in a new buddy if you are in a time crunch.

How do you thrift? Do you have any thrifting rules you follow?

Thrifted Finds // Polaroid Camera

First, I am no expert on cameras.  Second, I love thrifing.  Third, I've always wanted a polaroid camera that is cool.  I am an amateur camera collector.

While home this past week with my family, I popped into my favorite thrift store against my better judgement.  After picking up a skirt, putting down 3 purses, & grabbing an ascot type deal, I spotted this camera in the case.  I snatched it up!

The case is not that awesome but I think I might use it for my DSLR with a simpler tutorial I found on Pinterest.  I am not quite sure if it works, there was some film in it, but I know it was ruined from years of being in the camera.  It may have a light leak, who knows.  There is a flash but it is by far busted.  I just think it's a great prop & decor piece.

Also, I am incredibly sad that picnik is shutting down! I can't believe I never used the cinemascope effect before (which is what I used on this photo!!)  Does anyone have any suggestions for really simple photo editors like picnik? I do all my blog stuff there! I mean all of it.  Every button, banner, link, image, everything! I have photoshop elements but I am not quite sure how to use it & I don't want to have to learn something new :(

What have you thrifted lately? Are you sad about Picnik?

Dorm Dec Wednesdays // Great & Real House Tour

I am always inspired by people who live in eclectic & totally DIYed/thrifted homes.  It's hard living in a place with other people especially when we each have different views on home decor.  I may have mentioned it before, but my room mate & I are oh-so-totally different when it comes to home decor.  I am totally kitsch/glam/knick-knack/tacky/vintage & she is miss match-the-curtains-to-the-couch-and-the-pillows-too let's-not-have-too-many-colors-going-on-here.  My boyfriend is also this way.  If we ever end up in a house together (waayyy down the line, I might add) I don't know what I am going to do.

In college, my room mate's loved my eclectic boho-chic kitschy style.  I've seen that growing up & moving out doesn't really jive with my home decor choices.  My room is a burst of crazy (yet perfectly cohesive & oh-so moe-licious) while in the common rooms of the house I have to sneak in some toned down pieces of mine.  Little do they know that the brushed gold 12" gnome I just bought will be gracing the living room's presence shortly!

Also, I think I've made up too many words.

While perusing the oh so lovely YouTube, I came upon this great house tour by Mr. Kate.  Not only is she a DIY diva, she just happens to have a totally chic & affordable home.  Hell, she has a totally chic & affordable lifestyle!

Peep the video to see how cool she is:




I love how she mentions that she loves cheap clothes because I live off of Thrift stores, Clearance, Forever21, etc.  Your life can be so sweet even on the cheap!

What are your fave parts of your home? Do you have trouble decorating your home?

P.S. It's also my mother's birthday today!  And mine is tomorrow! I'll be 24.

What I Wore // 10-03-11

For the life of me I can not take outfit photos! They all stink! I think sometimes they come out slightly better on my iPhone than my DSLR.  I feel like an idiot when it comes to taking outfit photos because any other shot is gorgeous with my DSLR but self portraits? No way!

Anyway, here is the most adorable dress I've thrifted so far:

I mean look at that collar! The bottom corner shot are some pillow cases I thrifted for my October Bed

(which I haven't put together since some of the sheets are still hanging up to dry! Hopefully I'll get it made up soon!)

Details

Smock Dress :: Thrifted

Cardigan & Belt :: JCP Clearance

Tights :: I don't remember (whoops!)

Scarf :: Thrifted

Not seen :: My new fave & thrifted clogs!

(check out Susannabean's tutorial. Sponsor Maryam from Pamplemousse1983 styled her's on Instagram!)

It is a plain ol' denim jumper looking thing.  A cute little smock dress with the most lovely collar.  I fell in love when I found it at Good Will.  I am so happy that I am able to add functional pieces to my wardrobe.  I've always said I wanted a wardrobe that was 50% or higher thrifted items.

This was the first real day of Fall here in my little place.  I even wore a jacket this morning! I can't believe how chilly it's gotten & am so happy that it has because now I can bust out the slippers & hot cocoa.

It's the beginning of the three best months of the year!

What do you do to celebrate the coming of cooler months?

Any little dances or decor you get excited to break out?

What I Wore // 9.9.2011

Let me just say that an iPhone really helps blogging.  I can take ok quality pictures, I can mess around with photos, I can make collages.....it just freaking rocks.  In fact, I would venture to say it is probably worth the average bill (even though I pay way less since I am on a family plan, thanks gramma!).

Technology is super stinking great! You know what else is super stinking great? It's the Freakin' Weekend baby! I have a busy one at that.

Here's what I wore on Friday

This photo is made from an image of a security envelope & lined paper.  I was thinking about all the patterns  in my office today.  I am on a quest to find more!

Nearly everything in my outfit was thrifted! I meant to grab a nice silk scarf on my way out of the door but it didn't make it.  So I am sans one thrifted item that would have made it more thrifty!

bag :: thrifted

dress :: thrifted (vintage!)

shoes :: thrifted

watch & cardigan :: target

ring :: icing

belt :: JCP clearance (from another dress)

Can you believe this dress has such cute pockets?  It has such cute everything.  I nearly cried when I found it.  I also bought another blue dress, two skirts, & loads of scarves. Perhaps tonight or in the near future there may be a haul vlog/post.  Thrifting is the best!

The bag is big enough to hold my laptop & has 2 zip compartments.  I am hoping to start teaching more classes at the school I work at so I am excited to have a bag that I may be able to carry things back & forth in.

This weekend will be super busy! I need an oil change, I am going to move more stuff.  It's just going to all around be crazy.

What are you going to be up to? 

Are you going thrifting, perhaps? Share your finds with me!

What I Wore // 9.8.11

Today was a quazi busy day at the office.  I had new student paperwork to put away, had to contact a few people interested, had to type up some documents, fold some brochures, make some appointments, change some ink.  It was a typical Office Management day.

I really like my job as a secretary/office manager/admin assistant.  It is fun, it's not too hard, I get to meet interesting people, I get to learn things, I get to make things, I get to have my own desk.  That last part is really important!

Having a desk is like a status symbol.  It means you've made it.  While I agree that 'making it' has it's own meaning for others, I really like office work.  Working in an office makes me feel important to the grand scheme of things....also, I can be creative with out pressure outside of work & I can separate what I like to do from what I have to do.

Going to work is fun & totally different from what I'd like to do.  I like to have a job where I don't really have to think about work because I like to blog, crochet, run my shop....I like to do other things that worry about work all the time.  I've worked my fair share of shitty jobs & I am very thankful for the one I have.

I like to ascribe to the view that one should be able to have a job he likes & be able to live off of that.  I will continue to feel this way, I hope, for a long time.  Optimism is good for the soul.

At any rate, here is what I wore today:

Shoes :: Khol's Clearance

Shirt :: JCP Clearance

Cardigan :: H&M

Necklace :: Grandmothers

Bracelets :: Italy & Claire's

Earrings :: Claire's

Ring :: Icing

Jeans :: F21 Plus

Speaking of jobs, I recently tried to get back to working at Icing/Claire's & am having the hardest luck.  They need me, they don't need me, They need me....who knows!  I went in for an interview the other day & she said she had to hire an assistant.  C'mon! I love working there, hire me!  I mentioned the holidays are coming & that I'd love to be considered.  We'll see how it goes......

Otherwise, I am going thrifting tonight.  Hoping I can find some jewels out there.  I am thinking of adding some other items to the shop when I release some in Mid September (it's approaching!!) & I am heading out to thrift to try my had at what I am thinking.

Which reminds me, I need to share somethings on my Thrift List that I've found!

What I Wore :: Office Style 8/19

So don't make fun of me....but the lighting in the bathroom at my office is the best lighting ever.  Now if only I could not be in a bathroom taking these pictures.  The blue walls are too cute & I love them behind me.

This is what I wore this past Friday to work.  Friday's are pretty slow around these parts & often times to pass the day I will look at other blogs or find little bits to organize.  When I first started here I organized everything in a day so I knew where everything was.  I went through all the student folders & made checklists, familiarized my self with names, & hunted around for a little to do & done box I could use.

In the next weeks I created a new catalog for the school, created a new brochure, & I just finished up teaching a resume class.  I've had a blast.  I love being able to dress cute for the office.

Students are usually in and out Monday - Thursday but there aren't any classes on Fridays so I finish up all the work I didn't get to do during the week.  Some days here there is absolutely nothing to do.  Other days I am swamped.  Some days 5pm can't get here fast enough (mainly Fridays) & other days I am leaving at 5.15 because I had no idea what the time was.

Its been a fun-tastic ride & I can't wait to keep on keeping on.

Cropped Sweater & Tank :: TJ Maxx

Belt :: JCP Dress

Shoes & Skirt :: Thrifted

Ring & Earrings :: Claire's

Bracelets :: Italy, Claire's, Handmade

Watch :: Target

My fave part about this outfit is the skirt.  These type of quasi maxi skirts really tickle my fancy.  All of my skirts are like this.  I love the way they make my shape look & for the most part I think they make me look more pear shaped. If I have to describe my shape I would say triangle.  Sometimes if I wear straight legged or skinny jeans I just look like a triangle.  My shoulders are very wide & then all the proportions just shrink from there.  So if I wear shoulder pads & skinny jeans a geometry student can find my area I am sure.

On a side note, I think I am going to try to get some new glasses.  I've had these for over 4 years because I can't afford new pairs but perhaps my budgeted spending for shopping will go toward some new glasses.  I will probably order them online since I know you can get them totally cheap.  I also want (there's that word again...) some Rx sunglasses.  My contacts just aren't working with my eyes any more but I still want to look super fly.

Anyway, enjoy your weekend!

Dorm Dec Wednesdays: Dressing Table Done

So the only thing that seems to be organized besides the cabinet with all the coffee, cream, sugar, mugs & travel cups in this house is my dresser.

I still have a lot of stuff at my parent's house, nothing is on the walls, cords & boxes are everywhere.  It makes me dizzy!!!

It has been like this (dizzying) but now these boxes have been emptied & their contents scattered

 about the house in places we think things should go.

The only thing I've seemed to really organize is my dresser.

It is a perfect example of frugal living, too

see my new watch (the large faced one) - score from Target!

The jewelry box under a stack of bracelets is from Anthropologie.

The Buddha statue & tray under the change are from Urban.

Carved linoleum blocks & honeysuckle and lemongrass candles from walmart.

Two large placemats keep the dresser top clean from make up, etc.

mirror from Big Lots 

Can you tell I've been in love with Instagram?  I love that my phone can directly upload things.  Its better than blogging!! I have also started a tumblr for that same reason - so I can capture life as it happens - like a visual diary.  You can find the link in the right side bar under Life In Pictures

My dresser is ages old & I recently changed the knobs on it.  I have loads of little trays, dishes, holders, what-have-you holding all my little bitties.  Some from thrift stores, one from a ceramic artist, somethings I got as gifts or sale scores from to retail names!

Do you have a dressing table? How do you organize it?