Purple Animals and Panda Winners

PURPLE ANIMAL

Can you name one?

Yeah...the ideas weren't flowing over here, either. Or maybe you are the purple species pimp and you can name some right off the top of your head! If you are like me, and couldn't really muster many, check out this list from Grape Friends: Ten amazing purple animals.

Though purple might not naturally occur in the wild (especially paired with leopard, tiger fur and denim), it looks pretty good when mixed, if you ask me! Naturally this outfit was thrifted entirely (believe it or not I bought this vintage white and purple sleeveless shift from the 60's for FIFTY CENTS!) with the exception of the shoes. Even the sunglasses are vintage and picked up for a buck. Also...

CONGRATS TO MARIE, CONTEST WINNER!

Marie was the final winner of the May Days jewelry giveaway. She won the panda earrings featured in last week's blog by commenting. :)

See you soon for another scarf tutorial and some rummage and thrift highlights!

The Right Side of the Tracks

The Right Side of the Tracks

Ahh, the cliché splendor of the railroad tracks. But, you know, they still evoke that contemplative feeling. Standing on them at almost sunset to snap these pictures rendered me peaceful and pensive. Not a soul was in sight; the weather was perfect.

The outfit (much of which is thrifted, of course!)

--Gap vest (a gift) shown here and here

-My great grandmother's vintage bracelet shown here

-Owl pendant shown here

I was happy to bust out my Chuck Taylor high tops. You absolutely must, on occasion. The gold clutch you see is from the 1950s and was 25 cents at a yard sale. The best part was the backstory; the woman who sold it to me claimed her grandmother wore the clutch on her 50th anniversary dinner with her grandfather. :)

Finally—it’s a picture of me smiling with my teeth! I know, it’s weird next to all of the closed mouth smiling I’ve been doing. If you are a regular reader of my blog than you likely may know that stepping in front of the camera to put together outfits has helped me deal with some of the body image issues I have; constantly struggling (to no avail) to change my shape and size. Though I’m moving to a healthier place with all of that mumbo-jumbo, it’s no secret to those who know me in real life know that I SHOULD have had braces as a child. Alas, my family couldn’t afford it at the time, and my crooked smile was always something I wished I could change about myself.

I’m never ashamed of my smile in person—I love smiling. But for some reason, seeing the crooked eye teeth in my grin in photos was a little too much for me. I’ve since decided that I’m coming clean and I plan to throw at least a few of my imperfect smiles in each week…

Dress up a hat with a vintage scarf, or a scarf and a pin!

This hat, a white straw trilby hat, was ONE DOLLAR, from Dollar Tree. I purchased it, along with an identical navy blue one, last month! To make it extra special, I took a lovely gold vintage scarf from Hope’s Outlet and wrapped it around the base, tying it into a knot and then pinning the loose ends with a vintage gold pin. I love the way this turned out.

In fact, I love it so much that I’m a little sad to see this golden scarf with beautiful floral embroidery go. If you don’t pick it up from the Hope’s Outlet located on Glade St. in Muskegon this week, I may come back to fetch it myself!

Get the scarf for yourself at the Glade St. Hope's Outlet location, as early as Saturday by 2 p.m.!

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Hope's Outlet Thrift Stores are located at:

2424 Glade St., Muskegon, MI 49444

1974 E Sherman Blvd, Muskegon, MI 49444

1100 Washington Ave, Grand Haven, MI 49417

Find Hope's Outlet on Facebook!

Dreaming in denim and roses...

Denim…floral….thrifted.

I don’t wear denim very often, honestly…but I felt like it was time to pick up a new jean jacket! I bought it for five dollars, which truthfully felt like a lot to me because I’m SO DARN CHEAP…but what can I say, it fit perfectly!

It’s funny how things cycle. We reinvent ourselves yet move in patterns. Years ago I really couldn’t be bothered to look at anything with a floral print for more than a few moments and I don’t think I cared much for pleats. I’d like to think of myself as a fairly free thinking individual but no matter how I tout the anti-establishmentarian’s horn (say that five times fast!) I end up being impacted by the trends of fashion, and this navy blue pleated skirt with a rose pattern instantly caught my eye. I think it looks very cute with the jean jacket and polka dot top (seen here in a a pleated maxi skirt outfit post). Naturally, it was thrifted along with the shirt, and the fun panda earrings you see are a giveaway item that was in the jewelry box gift from my uncle! They are so kitschy cute. I almost…don’t want to give them to you. Haha! J

Answer this question to win the earrings below (and don’t forget to leave your user name so I can announce the randomly drawn winner this weekend!):

How has your fashion sense changed—what are you wearing these days that would have surprised the “old” you?

Contest Winner and 16 Ways Scarf Tutorial #5:Statement with brooch!

It’s as simple as pinning…

And that's how you do it! All I did to achieve this look was take a longer, sheer, rectangular purple scarf from Hope's Outlet in Muskegon, Michigan and arrange it doubled around the neck, tying it in a loose, pretzel like knot. I then pinned the ends together with a cute brooch!

This look is easy to do with any size scarf and the right accent pin. Personally I think it looks more put together than the casual "tie" of a hankerchief or scarf around the neck, and I prefer the weight of it as well. It looks like a statement necklace in a way.

Find a scarf and try it out yourself!

DON'T FORGET, YOU CAN WIN THIS SCARF TODAY!

Also, congrats!

To Nicole, the winner of this last week's bracelet in the vintage jewelry giveaway posts. .

Enjoy!

Would you like to have this scarf and brooch?

It can be yours! It is waiting at the Hope's Outlet on 1974 Sherman in Muskegon. Take a thrifting trip (they are open until 6 p.m. tonight and tomorrow) and ask for the purple giveaway scarf from Thrift Trick.

Enjoy!

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Hope's Outlet Thrift Stores are located at:

2424 Glade St., Muskegon, MI 49444

1974 E Sherman Blvd, Muskegon, MI 49444

1100 Washington Ave, Grand Haven, MI 49417

Find Hope's Outlet on Facebook!

May Days Jewelry Giveaway! 3 Step Polka

Polka with me!

I love red. I love polka dots. I love cropped jackets.

Best three out of three!

This is such a fun and flattering outfit. I’ve remixed this striped Gap tee SO many times. My best girlfriend bought it for me for just a few dollars on clearance a few years ago and I’ll probably wear it until it falls apart.

If you don’t already have a black and white striped shirt in your wardrobe, you NEED one! You absolutely MUST have one! Try thrifting one…I see them all the time. They look so amazing with solids, prints, and denim. I highly suggest throwing one under a cropped jacket or blazer of any style or print and watching your look come together effortlessly!

Of course, this cute as a button cropped red polka dot shirt with blousy collar was thrifted, from Value Land in Muskegon, Michigan! I’m guessing it was probably from the 80’s but is definitely vintage. It was perfect with the leopard print wedges (loving this purchase from Overstock...they are very comfortable and versatile--find them here!) and also this little black and grey Ralph Lauren tote that I found at another Church thrift store in Grand Haven, Michigan for one dollar.

TIP FOR THE PLUS SIZE LADIES OUT THERE:

A cropped jacket over a longer tshirt with jeans is a very slimming look. If you have a pear shape, and larger bottom and thighs, DON'T miss any opportunity to showcase the smaller waist with a belt or cropped jacket. This is a very flattering look for you!

The vintage metal bracelet I’m wearing is a Thrift Trick Maydays giveaway item!

It is shown next to the vintage Timex watch in the accessories picture and on my wrist next to the watch in the photo shoot. The cool thing is that the underside, though the same silver metal, is textured, so you could wear it inside out for a change of pace! It looks to be from the 60's era and has a neat angular shape.

Just answer this question to win:

What is your favorite polka dot item of clothing? What do you wear it with?

Please don't forget to include a user name with your comment. Make sure to check back with me for the winner this Thursday!

Royal Blue Truth.

Royal Blue Truth

Today was Mother’s Day, and I enjoyed spending it with my family. The weather was a gift in itself; it was an absolutely gorgeous day from start to finish with perfect temperatures and blue skies. The biggest present by far, though, was the reason why I’m allowed to celebrate this glorious day in the first place: my precious son.

Even though he is merely five, I find that he teaches me valuable life lessons and offers me profound perspectives quite frequently.

It’s no secret that my blog has been therapeutic for me in terms of coming to grips with—and embracing—my physical body (no matter the constant battle to change it). A very wise friend of mine once said, “You are the only person who can’t SEE yourself.” The idea is that those who love me, and quantify my life with caring and companionship—well, they really SEE me, more than I am able to see myself at times.

My son is no exception. He has no concept of physical self-loathing or bodily judgment at this point, and often exclaims happily from the backseat of the car on the way to school, “I love myself, mom”. The proclamation is music to my ears, yet it is bittersweet; how easy it is for him to embrace himself wholly, and how hard it is for me.

This morning, he woke me in bed to say, “Good morning, my beautiful mama”. I can’t think of a better way to start my day. It isn’t his compliment that enriches my life, it is knowing that his definition of beauty has nothing to do with pretty dresses or shades of lipstick, numbers on the scale or trim waistlines. There isn’t anyone to impress here, anyhow, or any gains to be made through insincere flattery.

As his wide blue eyes meet mine I know that he SEES me, and the real "stuff" of me, even in my pajamas and curlers, and that it has nothing to do with the dress size I wear or how put together I am.

He only sees ME—the essence of me--and it gives me hope that one day, I might see myself.

Thank you for that, my darling Emmett.

It is an honor to be your mother.

This outfit, along with accessories, was 100% thrifted for less than $15.00.

In case you are wondering, the scarf I am wearing in today's outfit post IS a part of the 16 ways scarf tutorial AND a giveaway item from Hope's Outlet! I will be giving this scarf away this week with another blog post that covers more on belting with vintage scarfs....See you then!

Paisley of the Valley

i love paisley…and lily of the valley.

Today I wandered around my yard collecting flowers (my daily springtime routine) and I noticed that, here in Michigan, lilacs haven't fared too well--particularly purple ones! I do love the white, but it has been my experience that they don't last as long in water. Any kind of lilac does smell lovely, though...but it's hard to beat the amazing scent of Lily of the Valley. Even the smallest bouquet is so fragrant.

Across the street from my house, there is an abandoned lot that is chock full of wild flowers, perennials and beautiful trees. Each year I wade through the tall grass to the fields of Lily of the Valley, and even though I'm a touch afraid of what might be residing in the amazing blanket of white bells and delicate green leaves, I have the strongest urge to lie down and just breathe it in for hours. Inevitably I wonder about the person who took the time to plant the first lilies that proliferated abundantly afterward; who trimmed the lilacs and folded in the daffodil bulbs? It has been nothing but an empty field for over 10 years, but it is clear that someone once lived there, as evidenced by a hidden foundational slab of pavement and few other relics.

Despite wanting to nap in the flowers, this year, I'm discovering that the wonderful sights and smells of spring are rendering me itchy-eyed, stuffy, and practically asthmatic. Doh! Why are allergies so strange and cryptic in their sudden appearance? Spring time never bothered me before. Oh well...I'll take the histamine production in lieu of missing out on the splendor of colorful rebirth this time of year.

Speaking of colorful, I decided to wear one of my favorite vintage paisley dresses today (seen here before!) with a cornflower blue cardigan, light blue suede ballet slippers, and my favorite vintage beads from Grandma Zelma (featured with this chai recipe this year). This outfit was 100% thrifted with the exception of the family heirloom.

CONTEST WINNERS! And...Sixteen Ways Scarf Tutorial #4..."Animal Instincts"

Way #4: Repurpose A Vintage Scarf:

Recover an old bangle bracelet!

But first…

Congrats to leanders_mom! (Comment #3) on winning the vintage necklace featured in my last blog through a random drawing! I will ship your prize tomorrow! :)

I've always got old things lying around waiting to be repurposed. This wide silver bangle (painted plastic) shown above was the perfect surface for a recover with a fun animal print scarf! (Thrifted from Hope's Outlet!)

First I trimmed the scarf loosely to the dimensions of the bracelet, which varied in width. I knew I would need to adjust after gluing because the material is so sheer and stretchy, so I wasn't too exact with this, being that it was darn near impossible to make a perfect pattern of the bangle because of its variation.

Next I painted with fabric glue--any brand will do.

I covered the entire surface with a brush.

I fitted the sheer scarf strip over the bangle and allowed it to get slightly tacky.

Once it was slightly tacky and I was sure of placement, I trimmed the scarf a little thinner than all the way to the edges. I did this because I knew the fabric would fray slightly upon being cut, and I wanted the inside surface of the bangle to be smooth. Allowing a bit of edge allowed me to cover the slight fray with extra fabric glue, for a smooth outer edge.

Here's how it turned out! I really thought it was very cute.

You could be the lucky reader to stop by Hope's Outlet on at 1974 Sherman in Muskegon, MI to win this scarf covered bracelet! Just ask for it!

Have a wonderful afternoon...sneak a thrifting trip in!

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Hope's Outlet Thrift Stores are located at:

2424 Glade St., Muskegon, MI 49444

1974 E Sherman Blvd, Muskegon, MI 49444

1100 Washington Ave, Grand Haven, MI 49417

Find Hope's Outlet on Facebook!