The other day, we passed a garage sale on the way home. We didn't stop, but I kept it in mind. Later that evening, the baby needed to get outside for a walk - well, I needed to get outside for a walk, so the baby had to come! And we just happened to walk right to that garage sale. Happy.
I got a brand-new, complete with tag, no scratches or any sign of use, pink Nalgene bottle, like this one (retails for $10.99).
I also got a sealed tin of Harney & Sons peppermint herbal tea (retails for $5.99).
I dug through a box of baby clothes labeled $0.50 an item (woot!) and got a matching set of microfleece pants and a half-zip pullover in solid navy blue for Joshua to wear this fall and winter (full price is $34, on sale for about $19).
And now, I'm sure you're wanting to know how much I paid for this haul (about $51, full price), and I'll tell you.
Two. Dollars.
Yes!
A blessing :)
Anyone want to come over for tea?
Showing posts with label shopping. Show all posts
Showing posts with label shopping. Show all posts
Friday, August 16, 2013
Wednesday, May 8, 2013
thrifting again!
Saturday morning was Joshua's first yard sale trip with his Mommy! We met up with Meg, who blogs over here. She invited us to check out the community-wide yard sale event just a few miles from our new home, and there were so many great things!
It was difficult to find parking, but we succeeded in finding a space for our big SUV. I set up the stroller, plopped Joshua in, put his sun hat on his head, and headed out!
The neighborhood was so beautiful, with nicely planned gardens, well-kept homes, and friendly people. There were so many great sales, too! I spent a whopping five dollars. Here's the breakdown:
Two dollars for...
...a belly band (for my next pregnancy... not anytime too soon!) in black. Similar ones retail for about $18, and you can see how it's used here. The one I borrowed from my friend, Sarah, allowed me to wear my non-maternity pants for all of my pregnancy. Yes, maternity pants were more comfortable at about 8 months and following, but I could still wear the non-maternity jeans, and it felt GREAT.
One dollar for...
...a gently used Nalgene On-The-Go bottle in a vivid lime green. Sanitized in my dishwasher, and bam! About $10 saved.
One dollar for...
...two, count 'em, two, Pyrex refrigerator dishes, like this blue one. That would have set me back about $10 each at an antique store. Now I have three blue and one aqua, and I'm only missing one lid. I also have two small dishes - one red, one pink - and two large yellow dishes. Yay!
One dollar for...
...an adorable nautical romper, a lot like this one, for my baby boy. He wore it that very day to a friend's first birthday party!
And that, my friends, is five dollars well-spent. A modest guess of how much I saved off of retail prices? About $60.
To add to the fun, I had been to one of my favorite thrift shops earlier in the week with my sweet baby. He enjoyed his nap in the Ergo carrier while I enjoyed some thrifting...that's a win-win situation. I found him a little fisherman's floppy sun hat (similar to this, for $20), a set of about 120 colored blocks, similar to these (about $20), and six children's picture books, including a Pat the Bunny ABC book, a Baby Einstein book, a Priddy book, a beautifully illustrated Max Lucado children's story, and a book of Bible stories. It just happened to be 25% off everything day, so the blocks came to $7.50, the books were just $4, and the hat was $4. Amount saved instead of purchasing brand new? About $80.
Oh! And just this past Monday, Stephanie and I took our boys to Once Upon a Child, where we found adorable little shoes and summer clothes for them. It's so easy to overspend there, and I did spend more than I meant to spend. Alas, it was all for good deals and for things my baby can use all summer. Hooray for thrifting! Hooray for friends! Hooray for sisters!
And thanks be to God for the many ways he has blessed us. We have so much more than we need, and I am grateful.
It was difficult to find parking, but we succeeded in finding a space for our big SUV. I set up the stroller, plopped Joshua in, put his sun hat on his head, and headed out!
The neighborhood was so beautiful, with nicely planned gardens, well-kept homes, and friendly people. There were so many great sales, too! I spent a whopping five dollars. Here's the breakdown:
Two dollars for...
...a belly band (for my next pregnancy... not anytime too soon!) in black. Similar ones retail for about $18, and you can see how it's used here. The one I borrowed from my friend, Sarah, allowed me to wear my non-maternity pants for all of my pregnancy. Yes, maternity pants were more comfortable at about 8 months and following, but I could still wear the non-maternity jeans, and it felt GREAT.
One dollar for...
...a gently used Nalgene On-The-Go bottle in a vivid lime green. Sanitized in my dishwasher, and bam! About $10 saved.
One dollar for...
...two, count 'em, two, Pyrex refrigerator dishes, like this blue one. That would have set me back about $10 each at an antique store. Now I have three blue and one aqua, and I'm only missing one lid. I also have two small dishes - one red, one pink - and two large yellow dishes. Yay!
One dollar for...
...an adorable nautical romper, a lot like this one, for my baby boy. He wore it that very day to a friend's first birthday party!
And that, my friends, is five dollars well-spent. A modest guess of how much I saved off of retail prices? About $60.
To add to the fun, I had been to one of my favorite thrift shops earlier in the week with my sweet baby. He enjoyed his nap in the Ergo carrier while I enjoyed some thrifting...that's a win-win situation. I found him a little fisherman's floppy sun hat (similar to this, for $20), a set of about 120 colored blocks, similar to these (about $20), and six children's picture books, including a Pat the Bunny ABC book, a Baby Einstein book, a Priddy book, a beautifully illustrated Max Lucado children's story, and a book of Bible stories. It just happened to be 25% off everything day, so the blocks came to $7.50, the books were just $4, and the hat was $4. Amount saved instead of purchasing brand new? About $80.
Oh! And just this past Monday, Stephanie and I took our boys to Once Upon a Child, where we found adorable little shoes and summer clothes for them. It's so easy to overspend there, and I did spend more than I meant to spend. Alas, it was all for good deals and for things my baby can use all summer. Hooray for thrifting! Hooray for friends! Hooray for sisters!
And thanks be to God for the many ways he has blessed us. We have so much more than we need, and I am grateful.
Sunday, July 29, 2012
refashion
use it up,
wear it out,
make it do,
or do without.
For much of my life, this has been the theme. Buying new was the lesser choice when there was a thrift store, and repurposing or reusing was more highly esteemed than spending hard-earned cash. Garage sale-ing was an event! Even my little brother, according to my mom's anecdote, wouldn't wear the new clothes that Nanny bought for him because, "these can't be mine;" he was used to our brother's broken-in hand-me-downs.This attitude has come in handy in these first four years of my married life, as we have very little in the way of extra pennies.
I've come to love thrifting, creating-from-thrifted-stuff, plain-old-creating, and finding new uses for stuff. For instance, there's a cotton tablecloth covering a mismatched armchair, rather than me paying close to $90 for a new slipcover. There's my full-length mirror that my parents found at a garage sale, whose adjustable angle is held in place by a ribbon tied across the bottom of the oval frame. (you can see that ingenuity in the picture below) There's a ribbon tied to my pull-on overhead light fixture so that I can reach it. There's a clip-on desk lamp above my apartment kitchen sink instead of built-in under-cabinet lighting. I'm currently using a couple of picnic baskets, one on top of the other (neither of them new), to make a night stand for my side of the bed. So many of my clothes are second hand that it feels special, even extravagant, to buy something brand-new. I love vintage dishes, for more reasons than just because they can be less expensive to buy.
Not that I don't recognize quality, or want really nice things. I treasure the beautiful jewelry from my grandmother, the china I got for wedding presents, and my J. Crew jeans (second hand, of course). It would be awesome to have under-cabinet lighting in the kitchen, matching new furniture that's my style, and all of the latest fashionable clothing. It would be really convenient to have a light switch for that pull-on light by my dresser.
But that's not where we are right now. Right now, we find the best things we can at the best prices we can - even if it's not the most convenient. We wait for the right thing to come at the right price, sometimes to my husband's chagrin. Sometimes he does want me to just buy it new. :o)
All of this to say: I've done it again!
Back in May, at the end-of-year community free swap, I got a really soft J. Crew t-shirt in a men's size medium, much like this one. It's a nice, light blue color, with a couple of stains - a bleach stain on the v-neck, and a small stain on the shoulder. I was pretty sure hubby wouldn't want it, so tonight, I cut it up...
...and now, it's an XS flutter-sleeve maternity shirt! Hooray!
First, I folded it in half down the middle - sleeves together, and the v-neck matching up in the front. I lined it up with another one of my v-neck shirts that's nicely fitted around the bust, and cut a bit off of the sides, including cutting off the sleeves. I then cut the excess fabric off the sleeves, and cut off the hem on the sleeves. I sewed up the sides of the shirt, re-attached the sleeves (backwards, though, so that they'd be fluttery), and ta-da! I have a new shirt.
wear it out,
make it do,
or do without.
For much of my life, this has been the theme. Buying new was the lesser choice when there was a thrift store, and repurposing or reusing was more highly esteemed than spending hard-earned cash. Garage sale-ing was an event! Even my little brother, according to my mom's anecdote, wouldn't wear the new clothes that Nanny bought for him because, "these can't be mine;" he was used to our brother's broken-in hand-me-downs.This attitude has come in handy in these first four years of my married life, as we have very little in the way of extra pennies.
I've come to love thrifting, creating-from-thrifted-stuff, plain-old-creating, and finding new uses for stuff. For instance, there's a cotton tablecloth covering a mismatched armchair, rather than me paying close to $90 for a new slipcover. There's my full-length mirror that my parents found at a garage sale, whose adjustable angle is held in place by a ribbon tied across the bottom of the oval frame. (you can see that ingenuity in the picture below) There's a ribbon tied to my pull-on overhead light fixture so that I can reach it. There's a clip-on desk lamp above my apartment kitchen sink instead of built-in under-cabinet lighting. I'm currently using a couple of picnic baskets, one on top of the other (neither of them new), to make a night stand for my side of the bed. So many of my clothes are second hand that it feels special, even extravagant, to buy something brand-new. I love vintage dishes, for more reasons than just because they can be less expensive to buy.
Not that I don't recognize quality, or want really nice things. I treasure the beautiful jewelry from my grandmother, the china I got for wedding presents, and my J. Crew jeans (second hand, of course). It would be awesome to have under-cabinet lighting in the kitchen, matching new furniture that's my style, and all of the latest fashionable clothing. It would be really convenient to have a light switch for that pull-on light by my dresser.
But that's not where we are right now. Right now, we find the best things we can at the best prices we can - even if it's not the most convenient. We wait for the right thing to come at the right price, sometimes to my husband's chagrin. Sometimes he does want me to just buy it new. :o)
All of this to say: I've done it again!
Back in May, at the end-of-year community free swap, I got a really soft J. Crew t-shirt in a men's size medium, much like this one. It's a nice, light blue color, with a couple of stains - a bleach stain on the v-neck, and a small stain on the shoulder. I was pretty sure hubby wouldn't want it, so tonight, I cut it up...
...and now, it's an XS flutter-sleeve maternity shirt! Hooray!
Tuesday, July 10, 2012
thrifting in a new place
Hello, blogworld! It has been entirely too long. Let's get to the thrifting though, okay?
Hubby and I have been living here in the city for a little over a month, now, and I've Found Some Thrift Stores. This is capital. It's especially lovely, because a whole bunch of these thrift stores are all in a row and across the street from each other! This means I can have an entire afternoon of thrifting if I want it...and if the wallet allows.
Anyway, I wanted to share some of my findings!
Here is a little Linnea made of clothes! I got the swingy, super-soft white top (MODA) and maternity shorts (Ann Taylor LOFT) for $7. It was half-off-everything day!
This cute navy skirt by J. Crew is made of a rugged cotton, and only cost $5! Love.
This black button-down shirt is from Gap, and was only $5. Hooray for half-off day!
I've also recently acquired a pair of swim trunks for the hubby that look almost brand new ($5), and yellow empire waist top for me ($5) that I'm currently wearing.
Do you know how hard it is to resist buying baby clothes? I want to wait until we know Baby's gender, and even then, I think I'll wait to really go all-out until after Baby is born! Hooray for thrifting.
Hubby and I have been living here in the city for a little over a month, now, and I've Found Some Thrift Stores. This is capital. It's especially lovely, because a whole bunch of these thrift stores are all in a row and across the street from each other! This means I can have an entire afternoon of thrifting if I want it...and if the wallet allows.
Anyway, I wanted to share some of my findings!
I've also recently acquired a pair of swim trunks for the hubby that look almost brand new ($5), and yellow empire waist top for me ($5) that I'm currently wearing.
Do you know how hard it is to resist buying baby clothes? I want to wait until we know Baby's gender, and even then, I think I'll wait to really go all-out until after Baby is born! Hooray for thrifting.
Sunday, March 25, 2012
hunting and thrifting
On that note, Hubby and I went apartment hunting this weekend. We saw four that had topped our list, and quickly crossed off the first one. The pictures completely hid the fact that it had been inhabited for nine years by heavy smokers, and did little to show that it was so tiny. No, and no. Scratched from our list.
The second place was a little bit too far into the city for me - it's across from a medical building and some little shops, on a busy street - but it was absolutely gorgeously remodeled. Hardwood floors, soft, sea glass colors on the walls, stainless appliances and glass tile in the kitchen, beautiful light fixtures, new double shower in the bathroom... it was a little small, and the price is a bit high for the amount of space, but that place is sittin' pretty at #2 on our list.
The third place we saw is a three-bedroom half-house in a nice residential area. There's sunlight coming in every window, hardwood floors in the first level, three carpeted bedrooms, a claw-foot tub in the bathroom, and a great attic and basement space. It's wonderful - #1 on our list, for sure! We're hoping and praying that our application shines in the sea of applications the leasing company will view.
The fourth place we visited is a second floor one-bedroom apartment with original hardwood floors and neat details. However, the kitchen and hallway are extremely tiny! I don't know how we'll get furniture in that space. Also, there's no dishwasher. Possible deal-breaker. It's a good deal, so that's at #3 on our list.
Tomorrow, Hubby will visit a fifth place: another two-bedroom apartment in an 1880's (restored) mansion. Lovely paint and updates, from what I've seen! And the landlord seemed really friendly on the phone. And the laundry is free.
Today, we went to church as usual, and did our regular grocery run. Little blessings included the surprise of ham being on sale - yay! Post-grocery trip, we went to the local thrift store for some dress pants for Hubby. He scored a pair of almost new, olive-green Dockers for $7, and a pair of Banana Republic khakis for $11. Sweet!
Friday, January 6, 2012
more vintage sheets!
My mom and my sister came to visit me yesterday! It was a lovely, full day - tea party, cupcakes, lunch, shopping, puzzle-ing, dinner - with many hugs in between. I'm so glad they came!
In our shopping adventures, we went thrifting (of course). I got an almost-new fleece half-zip pullover by Columbia, and I picked up two vintage sheets. Surprise!
Both twin-size sheets are my favorite No-Iron Percale, 50% cotton, 50% polyester. I'm seeing a couple of aprons for my sisters-in-law, maybe a crib-sized baby blanket (quilted, perhaps? I've been wanting to try...), possibly a summery skirt for me - but right now, they look like happy tablecloths draped across my table!
Norah seems to approve of the $2.99 price tag. The other sheet was just $1.50. So great - I couldn't buy the amount of fabric for that little, and I love it!
I also had a little time this week to do some sewing. My sewing machine was fixed, thanks to my husband's aunt and mother, who took it to a reputable shop in their area. I made a little something to thank my MIL:
...a sleep mask.
It has fleece on the back, with this pretty black-and-white toile on the front.
Do you think she'll like it? I hope so!
In our shopping adventures, we went thrifting (of course). I got an almost-new fleece half-zip pullover by Columbia, and I picked up two vintage sheets. Surprise!
Norah seems to approve of the $2.99 price tag. The other sheet was just $1.50. So great - I couldn't buy the amount of fabric for that little, and I love it!
I also had a little time this week to do some sewing. My sewing machine was fixed, thanks to my husband's aunt and mother, who took it to a reputable shop in their area. I made a little something to thank my MIL:
Do you think she'll like it? I hope so!
Wednesday, October 19, 2011
and today at grad school
And today at grad school, I used a power tool!!
Well, just an electric screwdriver, but it was cool. We just got a new Wenger folder cabinet for the choir folders, and I had to readjust the height of the shelves to accommodate our binders. This meant eight screws and Linnea wielding a bright orange Black & Decker screwdriver. Awesome. It brought a wee bit of self-sufficient happy to my day.
In other news, I also bought a $13 t-shirt for $5 at the campus store, followed soon thereafter by the news that my $60 parking ticket had been reduced to $5. Win.
I ate a quick lunch, accompanied for an hour, and went to class... finding out that I most certainly have an A for this half of the semester. Sweetness.
There's a tree on campus that has some strange looking fruit that looks like an overgrown cherry with bumps all over it. I have since discovered that it's a Kousa Dogwood, and the fruit is edible! It tastes like a peach with a really weird texture. It's a soft, fleshy orange color on the inside, and the skin is reddish orange. Cool!
Many reasons for happy. So many more than what's here. I'm blessed!
Well, just an electric screwdriver, but it was cool. We just got a new Wenger folder cabinet for the choir folders, and I had to readjust the height of the shelves to accommodate our binders. This meant eight screws and Linnea wielding a bright orange Black & Decker screwdriver. Awesome. It brought a wee bit of self-sufficient happy to my day.
In other news, I also bought a $13 t-shirt for $5 at the campus store, followed soon thereafter by the news that my $60 parking ticket had been reduced to $5. Win.
I ate a quick lunch, accompanied for an hour, and went to class... finding out that I most certainly have an A for this half of the semester. Sweetness.
There's a tree on campus that has some strange looking fruit that looks like an overgrown cherry with bumps all over it. I have since discovered that it's a Kousa Dogwood, and the fruit is edible! It tastes like a peach with a really weird texture. It's a soft, fleshy orange color on the inside, and the skin is reddish orange. Cool!
Many reasons for happy. So many more than what's here. I'm blessed!
Wednesday, August 3, 2011
this thrifty weekend
This weekend, I was able to spend a couple days with my parents, and it just happened to be the weekend that my little hometown has their annual garage sale day. Sweet! I walked around town for a couple hours, and scored a bunch of great stuff, all for under $15 (that's all I had in my wallet!)
Later in the day, my mom, sister-in-law, and I went shopping in a nearby city, where there's a great store called Clothes Mentor. I found absolutely no clothes for me this time, but I did get two pairs of Clark's shoes, at only $12 and $14 a pair! Sweet! One pair is the perfect shade of brown, for which I've been searching for a long time now. The other is black, and will work so well for choir this coming year. Hooray!! Thus ended the fabulously thrifty weekend.
- a pretty vintage fitted sheet for a double-size bed - $1
- a red Pyrex mixing bowl - $3
- two mini muffin pans at 50 cents each - one for me, one for my sister-in-law. She also found a great new pair of Teva sandals for just $20.
- an antique glass knife - great for cutting tomatoes, and $4
- two larger Pyrex yellow square bowls - $2.50
- a vintage Christmas tablecloth - free! from my aunt
- a vintage white-on-white tablecloth with lilies of the valley on it - free, from my aunt
- a vintage white-on-white tablecloth with polka dots - free, from my mom
- a metal canister with roses on it - 50 cents. This now holds my tea bags that formerly had no home.
Later in the day, my mom, sister-in-law, and I went shopping in a nearby city, where there's a great store called Clothes Mentor. I found absolutely no clothes for me this time, but I did get two pairs of Clark's shoes, at only $12 and $14 a pair! Sweet! One pair is the perfect shade of brown, for which I've been searching for a long time now. The other is black, and will work so well for choir this coming year. Hooray!! Thus ended the fabulously thrifty weekend.
Wednesday, July 27, 2011
fifteen dollars
Today I spent a few hours just for me… at the thrift shop, of course! I dropped off a rather large bag of donations, got a receipt, and started the hunt. Today was “WOW! Wednesday”, which meant that absolutely everything in the store was 50% off the marked price. A blessing! I loaded my arms full of awesome stuff, considered buying a stack of these, even though they’re not exactly the same as mine. The stack of seven saucers was a tempting price, but I passed them up. I really just want to find more dishes that match mine, not coordinate. I also tried a pair of Naturalizer sandals, but they just weren't right. There's also a lampshade that I may go back to buy another day.
But I digress.
After forking over a mere $15, this is the loot:
A yellow cotton swaddle blanket (50 cents - similar ones are about $11) with pristine Velcro for future baby Burrs (not in the near future, mind you); a stack of organic cotton yarn at fifty cents each (retails for about $5 a skein); a 1970's double sixes wood dominoes set with dragons on the back (50 cents - sells for about $13), polka dot swim shorts from Target (about $9); nylon polka dot shopping bag (that’s the rectangular pouch on the striped shirt); a gray/purple cotton American Eagle cami (similar ones are about $25); a New York & Company striped dress shirt (similar - $30); a leather-look purse (Chateau brand) with a cute bow; and a sleeveless shirt from the Gap – light aqua with white polka dots. Probably about $150 of merchandise for 10% of the original price. That's okay by me!
Happy.
But I digress.
After forking over a mere $15, this is the loot:
A yellow cotton swaddle blanket (50 cents - similar ones are about $11) with pristine Velcro for future baby Burrs (not in the near future, mind you); a stack of organic cotton yarn at fifty cents each (retails for about $5 a skein); a 1970's double sixes wood dominoes set with dragons on the back (50 cents - sells for about $13), polka dot swim shorts from Target (about $9); nylon polka dot shopping bag (that’s the rectangular pouch on the striped shirt); a gray/purple cotton American Eagle cami (similar ones are about $25); a New York & Company striped dress shirt (similar - $30); a leather-look purse (Chateau brand) with a cute bow; and a sleeveless shirt from the Gap – light aqua with white polka dots. Probably about $150 of merchandise for 10% of the original price. That's okay by me!
Happy.
Thursday, June 23, 2011
thrifting again!
It has been a happy week of thrifing and finding-in-my-parents'-basement! Here are the spoils:
vintage Pyrex:
Refrigerator dishes (no lids, though)
medium blue 1.5 pint
small pink 1.5 cup
small red 1.5 cup - from my mom
large yellow 1.5 quart
large 1940's yellow mixing bowl
large covered yellow square bowl with four small yellow square bowls, which belonged to my Nanny. It's called a "hostess oven-and-table set." Looks like 1950's or so.
Glass:
a flower frog like this
a crystal dish from my great-grandmother, Alice
two large blue Ball "perfect mason" jars
one small blue Ball "perfect mason" jar
one small blue Atlas jar
Wood:
an old Canada Dry crate - will soon hold magazines and/or mail at my house. from Mom.
Metal:
80's trendy orange bundt pan - from my mom, with a beloved recipe.
Linen:
blue/turquoise/yellow/green vintage twin size sheet from my mom
hand embroidered white and pink floral tablecloth - needs some laundering, but so cute!
Paper:
a Jane Austen novel that looks brand new.
And the total cost for my thrifting adventure? $19.45 ...win.
Sunday, June 5, 2011
favorite.
I love Kohl's. They have the best customer service I've ever encountered, and a great return policy. Three examples:
1. They allow returns of any merchandise for any reason, even without the tag attached. This came in handy when I purchased an adorable Chaps Ralph Lauren purse. I owned it for a good two months, and then the handle began to fall apart. I initially exchanged it for the same one, thinking it was a fluke, but the same thing happened again. I hung onto the bag for about six months, and couldn't bear it anymore. Kohl's returned it for my full purchase price, since I had my receipt. Awesome.
2. They will return even holiday merchandise. I received some holiday stuff that just was not my style, and it was definitely already past that holiday...they took it back and gave me a gift card. No questions asked.
3. Their online customer service is excellent. I called today to get a shipping address changed, and the associate answered the phone within a minute. In a short five minute call, the issue was resolved. No hold music, no funky transfers between associates - just speedy, helpful customer service.
Other reasons I love Kohl's are as follows:
1. Cute decorating stuff. I have so many picture frames from here, photo albums and a few adorable holiday items - a table runner, placemats, ornaments, candles, dishtowels...
2. Quality basics - love their opaque tights and dress socks.
3. Comfy sheets. I have a nice Wamsutta set from here, as well as a Jumping Beans jersey fabric set.
4. Their juniors t-shirts are priced so reasonably.
5. Great sales, great coupons, great discounts. There was one time that I purchased a jewelry set for more than 50% off the original price, plus a coupon discount.
6. Speaking of that, they have a lot of cute costume jewelry, and some nicer stuff. I have a pair of pearl earrings from there which I adore.
7. Kohl's cash promos.
8. Reasonably priced jeans for the hubby, and bargain brand-name sneakers ($36!) for me.
9. Clean bathrooms and fitting rooms.
10. Great accessory section.
11. Gift cards that don't expire.
Love. Anyone want to go shopping?
1. They allow returns of any merchandise for any reason, even without the tag attached. This came in handy when I purchased an adorable Chaps Ralph Lauren purse. I owned it for a good two months, and then the handle began to fall apart. I initially exchanged it for the same one, thinking it was a fluke, but the same thing happened again. I hung onto the bag for about six months, and couldn't bear it anymore. Kohl's returned it for my full purchase price, since I had my receipt. Awesome.
2. They will return even holiday merchandise. I received some holiday stuff that just was not my style, and it was definitely already past that holiday...they took it back and gave me a gift card. No questions asked.
3. Their online customer service is excellent. I called today to get a shipping address changed, and the associate answered the phone within a minute. In a short five minute call, the issue was resolved. No hold music, no funky transfers between associates - just speedy, helpful customer service.
Other reasons I love Kohl's are as follows:
1. Cute decorating stuff. I have so many picture frames from here, photo albums and a few adorable holiday items - a table runner, placemats, ornaments, candles, dishtowels...
2. Quality basics - love their opaque tights and dress socks.
3. Comfy sheets. I have a nice Wamsutta set from here, as well as a Jumping Beans jersey fabric set.
4. Their juniors t-shirts are priced so reasonably.
5. Great sales, great coupons, great discounts. There was one time that I purchased a jewelry set for more than 50% off the original price, plus a coupon discount.
6. Speaking of that, they have a lot of cute costume jewelry, and some nicer stuff. I have a pair of pearl earrings from there which I adore.
7. Kohl's cash promos.
8. Reasonably priced jeans for the hubby, and bargain brand-name sneakers ($36!) for me.
9. Clean bathrooms and fitting rooms.
10. Great accessory section.
11. Gift cards that don't expire.
Love. Anyone want to go shopping?
Wednesday, June 1, 2011
thrifting
Thrifting is one of my favorite things. Here are this weekend's successes:
Cleats for the hubby ($5), a new game ($1), four glass-covered Ball jars ($1 for four), a string trimmer (not pictured, but $10), a Christmas gift for my mother-in-law (also not pictured - haha), Pyrex refrigerator dishes ($12 for two!), blue glass vase ($5), and two rhinestone pins ($4).
A closeup of my new refrigerator dishes.
I'm already using the yellow dish to make lime jello today!
the pretty pins! Do you have any ideas for how I might use them? I'm thinking they might make a great decorative clasp on a small purse...
Cleats for the hubby ($5), a new game ($1), four glass-covered Ball jars ($1 for four), a string trimmer (not pictured, but $10), a Christmas gift for my mother-in-law (also not pictured - haha), Pyrex refrigerator dishes ($12 for two!), blue glass vase ($5), and two rhinestone pins ($4).
A closeup of my new refrigerator dishes.I'm already using the yellow dish to make lime jello today!
the pretty pins! Do you have any ideas for how I might use them? I'm thinking they might make a great decorative clasp on a small purse...
Monday, May 23, 2011
epic shoe saga sequel
The world's most subtle torture device: high heeled shoes.
They masquerade as innocent, pretty little things that match cute dresses and play up the shapeliness of one's legs and backside.
Enter: the beautiful, sunny, perfectly warm May wedding day.
Everything was just lovely, with pink and yellow roses here and there, a beautiful blue sky, trees in bloom, and bright green grass everywhere. A gorgeous stone and stained glass church, lace and delicate details, and a beaming bride and groom.
I knew the shoes were going to be painful, but I figured I had planned well enough with my backup shoes (the Nina shoes I mentioned). I didn't even wear the pink peep-toes unless it was absolutely necessary, going barefoot all over the cold-stone-floor church hallways in the hour before the ceremony. I promise that I had a good breakfast, including fiber, tea (no caffeine), milk, orange juice, and a full bottle of water. I even snacked on cherries and cheddar cheese chunks with the bridesmaids. All was well, until about the ten minutes into the (very beautiful and meaningful) service.
I began to feel too warm (in a strapless cotton dress with no nylons and my hair in an updo? give me a break. I've done choir concerts in heavy velvet robes in 90 degree Florida weather. This should be cake). I noticed that the hot-glued ribbon handle of my bouquet was feeling tacky, and my feet really hurt. Grin and bear it, I said to myself. I can't draw attention and ruin my brother's very special first-kiss day. Breathing, bending my knees, shifting my weight, considering taking the shoes off and shrinking four inches...
And then it hit me. I was nauseous, and I do believe it got a little bit darker in the church. No, maybe that was my vision. This is how I feel most mornings on the pill. This is what happens before I faint, if I don't do something to prevent it. So I leaned my left hand on the conveniently placed altar rail, whispered to my sister-in-law that I was dizzy, and I knelt down. Well played, my mind whispered. Very smooth. I then sat down, tucking my knees to the side and looking rather ladylike. I breathed and breathed but couldn't shake the nausea. Then they were praying to bless the exchange of rings and vows. I turned around to the bride's Grandma Lou, who had a water bottle with a sport top. I squeezed three gulps of water into my mouth and began to recover.
I must recover enough to walk back up the aisle with a smile on my face and looking graceful in these dumb shoes on my handsome husband's arm. Be strong, Linnea.
So I continued to sit on the very nice, dark red velvet cushion, which was pleasantly close to the smooth terra-cotta colored, cool-to-the-touch square tiles on the floor. I flipped open the hymnal to join in the final song of the service, singing just one of the four verses. From memory, because I love that song. I looked over at my Grandma, who tried to tell me that I should just take the shoes off. I tried to tell her that I was okay. Ha.
I stood up to join the recessional, and was successful in leaving the church without falling. Hubby didn't even know that I had begun to feel bad, and picked me up in a big bear hug when we got to the back of the church (very sweet).
I actually did feel okay for a while, until we had to stand in the sun for pictures. For one of the casual shots, I had to squat down because I didn't feel good, but the photographer thought that was genius and asked another bridesmaid to do the same thing. I felt slightly less awkward. I downed an entire bottle of water in one shot.
At the first free moment, I took my shoes off and ran to the bathroom. Still not feeling better. We had a couple more pictures after that, and then about 30 minutes of free time. I had more cherries, lots more water, and a comfy seat in the corner of a firm-cushioned tan suede couch. Still dizzy.
I switched to my black Nina shoes, which were much more comfortable. I began to feel better after we ate some food at the reception, and even enjoyed dancing and more pictures. I was very social for a Linnea, for whom it is difficult to be so surrounded by people.
The whole wedding was simply lovely, and my brother and new sister-in-law seem very happy.
But alas, my feet. They beg of you to take away these cute shoes so that I don't ever have to bear the torture again! :o)
They masquerade as innocent, pretty little things that match cute dresses and play up the shapeliness of one's legs and backside.
Enter: the beautiful, sunny, perfectly warm May wedding day.
Everything was just lovely, with pink and yellow roses here and there, a beautiful blue sky, trees in bloom, and bright green grass everywhere. A gorgeous stone and stained glass church, lace and delicate details, and a beaming bride and groom.
I knew the shoes were going to be painful, but I figured I had planned well enough with my backup shoes (the Nina shoes I mentioned). I didn't even wear the pink peep-toes unless it was absolutely necessary, going barefoot all over the cold-stone-floor church hallways in the hour before the ceremony. I promise that I had a good breakfast, including fiber, tea (no caffeine), milk, orange juice, and a full bottle of water. I even snacked on cherries and cheddar cheese chunks with the bridesmaids. All was well, until about the ten minutes into the (very beautiful and meaningful) service.
I began to feel too warm (in a strapless cotton dress with no nylons and my hair in an updo? give me a break. I've done choir concerts in heavy velvet robes in 90 degree Florida weather. This should be cake). I noticed that the hot-glued ribbon handle of my bouquet was feeling tacky, and my feet really hurt. Grin and bear it, I said to myself. I can't draw attention and ruin my brother's very special first-kiss day. Breathing, bending my knees, shifting my weight, considering taking the shoes off and shrinking four inches...
And then it hit me. I was nauseous, and I do believe it got a little bit darker in the church. No, maybe that was my vision. This is how I feel most mornings on the pill. This is what happens before I faint, if I don't do something to prevent it. So I leaned my left hand on the conveniently placed altar rail, whispered to my sister-in-law that I was dizzy, and I knelt down. Well played, my mind whispered. Very smooth. I then sat down, tucking my knees to the side and looking rather ladylike. I breathed and breathed but couldn't shake the nausea. Then they were praying to bless the exchange of rings and vows. I turned around to the bride's Grandma Lou, who had a water bottle with a sport top. I squeezed three gulps of water into my mouth and began to recover.
I must recover enough to walk back up the aisle with a smile on my face and looking graceful in these dumb shoes on my handsome husband's arm. Be strong, Linnea.
So I continued to sit on the very nice, dark red velvet cushion, which was pleasantly close to the smooth terra-cotta colored, cool-to-the-touch square tiles on the floor. I flipped open the hymnal to join in the final song of the service, singing just one of the four verses. From memory, because I love that song. I looked over at my Grandma, who tried to tell me that I should just take the shoes off. I tried to tell her that I was okay. Ha.
I stood up to join the recessional, and was successful in leaving the church without falling. Hubby didn't even know that I had begun to feel bad, and picked me up in a big bear hug when we got to the back of the church (very sweet).
I actually did feel okay for a while, until we had to stand in the sun for pictures. For one of the casual shots, I had to squat down because I didn't feel good, but the photographer thought that was genius and asked another bridesmaid to do the same thing. I felt slightly less awkward. I downed an entire bottle of water in one shot.
At the first free moment, I took my shoes off and ran to the bathroom. Still not feeling better. We had a couple more pictures after that, and then about 30 minutes of free time. I had more cherries, lots more water, and a comfy seat in the corner of a firm-cushioned tan suede couch. Still dizzy.
I switched to my black Nina shoes, which were much more comfortable. I began to feel better after we ate some food at the reception, and even enjoyed dancing and more pictures. I was very social for a Linnea, for whom it is difficult to be so surrounded by people.
The whole wedding was simply lovely, and my brother and new sister-in-law seem very happy.
But alas, my feet. They beg of you to take away these cute shoes so that I don't ever have to bear the torture again! :o)
Tuesday, May 17, 2011
free to me!
remember how I mentioned that swap meet in my previous post? The one where everything was free? I donated some of my stuff, and picked up these awesome finds:
1.
Tommy Hilfiger boat shoes in plaid oilcloth, lined with canvas, rubber soles. They're almost ballet flat style - just feminine enough. Love! Can't believe I found my size (5.5). Similar shoes sell for $59 or more!
2. This one was a real surprise - I don't usually like Vera Bradley stuff, but this ID holder in "pinwheel pink" caught my eye. It was originally $12, but is on sale for $8. And for me, free.
3. A light blue wool cable-knit scarf and hat set. Beautiful! The scarf is a snuggly 9" wide and hangs to mid- thigh when I don't wrap it. Unbelievably, I'm actually wearing it comfortably right now because it's in the 40's here. In May. All sadness aside, I love it.
4. A cute red swingy tank top - shirred at the empire waist with wide straps that cross over in the back. It's made of cotton t-shirt material, so it will be super comfy for summer.
5. a wool sweater that I have already shrunk (on purpose!!) to use as a reinforcement for my hubby's wearing-thin boiled wool slippers. He loves those slippers - I'm going to try to extend their life.
6. new-ish cleats for my brother's golf game.
I would've stayed longer and dug for more, but Hubby was with me and was getting antsy. All in all, a total success. Yay!
1.
Tommy Hilfiger boat shoes in plaid oilcloth, lined with canvas, rubber soles. They're almost ballet flat style - just feminine enough. Love! Can't believe I found my size (5.5). Similar shoes sell for $59 or more!
2. This one was a real surprise - I don't usually like Vera Bradley stuff, but this ID holder in "pinwheel pink" caught my eye. It was originally $12, but is on sale for $8. And for me, free.
3. A light blue wool cable-knit scarf and hat set. Beautiful! The scarf is a snuggly 9" wide and hangs to mid- thigh when I don't wrap it. Unbelievably, I'm actually wearing it comfortably right now because it's in the 40's here. In May. All sadness aside, I love it.
4. A cute red swingy tank top - shirred at the empire waist with wide straps that cross over in the back. It's made of cotton t-shirt material, so it will be super comfy for summer.
5. a wool sweater that I have already shrunk (on purpose!!) to use as a reinforcement for my hubby's wearing-thin boiled wool slippers. He loves those slippers - I'm going to try to extend their life.
6. new-ish cleats for my brother's golf game.
I would've stayed longer and dug for more, but Hubby was with me and was getting antsy. All in all, a total success. Yay!
Friday, April 22, 2011
dyed to match shoes: the epic saga
Possibly the most tedious wedding duty ever.
They are a clever idea and a pretty way to match the dresses, but really, who's going to wear those again?
I did try to convince the bride that we should all wear black shoes, or white shoes, since we all have those, and they definitely would look cute with watermelon pink dresses. But no.
But then I fell for this shoe at David's Bridal, the Marah style:
They are a clever idea and a pretty way to match the dresses, but really, who's going to wear those again?
I did try to convince the bride that we should all wear black shoes, or white shoes, since we all have those, and they definitely would look cute with watermelon pink dresses. But no.
So I initially decided that I would buy these shoes from Payless, and have them dyed at a store in Buffalo that my mother-in-law said was pretty great. 
The style is called Jackie, and it's available in a plain white satin that I could have dyed to be the correct color. I love it. However, it's $45, and I wasn't really sure about the cost of taking it somewhere to be dyed (probably another $15 or so). That sounded like a lot to me.But then I fell for this shoe at David's Bridal, the Marah style:
I really liked this shoe, and figured that I could trust David's to dye their shoe the correct color. It was $59 plus $5 shipping (still expensive) and I ordered my usual size (5.5) because the reviews seemed to indicate that would be fine. Unfortunately, the shoe was at least a whole size too big! My toes didn't even show in the "peep" toe area. At that point, the size 5 was sold out, and would probably have been too big. I was so frustrated! Their return policy is that any items ordered online can't be returned in store, and they don't pay return shipping or refund initial shipping. I was out $10 in shipping, all told.
I didn't have very many options left. I went with my mom to a bigger mall on one of my free weekends, and we stopped in at Payless. I still really liked the shoe, but couldn't guarantee that it would be shipped in time or that it would be the best option price-wise. We called Dyed to Match, and they had just closed for the day - seemed early for a Saturday! I was disappointed to be leaving the mall without ordering the shoes, and felt like I had wasted the day and the gas to get there, except for the pleasant time spent with my mom.
My next week of school was very busy, but I carved out time on Tuesday to get to Dyed to Match. This was it - buy and dye. I had to pick a shoe, purchase it right then, and go home so I could get back for my Tuesday night class. The clerk was very nice, and showed me to the sale room so that I could get the best deal. There was a whole shelf of shoes in my size, but most of them were in a distinctly 80's or 90's style. No thank you. Not for my $40-$50. I did find two shoes there that I thought might work, and sadly, both were 4" heels. Painful! I ended up choosing a $50 size 5 shoe with a peep toe and sling back:
Here they are. The color is a little brighter than in the photo, but I didn't want to blow out the contrast. The shoe seems like it's actually a little big, still, even though it's a half size smaller than what I usually wear! The sling back flips off my heel like it's a flip-flop sandal... I think I can manage, though. They do look nice. The funniest thing is that they're actually a part of the Unforgettable Moments line for Payless that I was looking at before.
And this is the saga of the dyeable shoe. I'll wear it once, for less than three hours, and then I'll switch to cute white sandals or flip flops, like these from Old Navy:
Super cute. I already have these metallic flip flops in silver and bronze from last year's sale, and white is always a welcome addition. Besides that, they come in size 5 and are bound to be a comfy switch after the 4" heels. Alternately, I could wear the black Nina heels I already have...
...the saga continues.
I didn't have very many options left. I went with my mom to a bigger mall on one of my free weekends, and we stopped in at Payless. I still really liked the shoe, but couldn't guarantee that it would be shipped in time or that it would be the best option price-wise. We called Dyed to Match, and they had just closed for the day - seemed early for a Saturday! I was disappointed to be leaving the mall without ordering the shoes, and felt like I had wasted the day and the gas to get there, except for the pleasant time spent with my mom.
My next week of school was very busy, but I carved out time on Tuesday to get to Dyed to Match. This was it - buy and dye. I had to pick a shoe, purchase it right then, and go home so I could get back for my Tuesday night class. The clerk was very nice, and showed me to the sale room so that I could get the best deal. There was a whole shelf of shoes in my size, but most of them were in a distinctly 80's or 90's style. No thank you. Not for my $40-$50. I did find two shoes there that I thought might work, and sadly, both were 4" heels. Painful! I ended up choosing a $50 size 5 shoe with a peep toe and sling back:
Here they are. The color is a little brighter than in the photo, but I didn't want to blow out the contrast. The shoe seems like it's actually a little big, still, even though it's a half size smaller than what I usually wear! The sling back flips off my heel like it's a flip-flop sandal... I think I can manage, though. They do look nice. The funniest thing is that they're actually a part of the Unforgettable Moments line for Payless that I was looking at before.And this is the saga of the dyeable shoe. I'll wear it once, for less than three hours, and then I'll switch to cute white sandals or flip flops, like these from Old Navy:
Super cute. I already have these metallic flip flops in silver and bronze from last year's sale, and white is always a welcome addition. Besides that, they come in size 5 and are bound to be a comfy switch after the 4" heels. Alternately, I could wear the black Nina heels I already have...
...the saga continues.
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