The Perfect Spring Outfit {pt. 2}

I finally got this outfit put together! It took some time for my new bag to arrive and to hunt down the perfect shoes, but I wore it this week! And just in time too, it's getting too hot for pants.

From the actual outfit, I got the necklace from Forever21 and the bag from Fabric & Handle.

I found a pair of black skinny jeans at Goodwill for $7 and already had a white T with a sequined pocket that I got on clearance at Old Navy for probably around $10.

And the shoes! I so so so so so loooooove those Anthro oxfords and would still love to get them someday, but I don't have $150 to spend on a pair of shoes. But I do have $35 to spend on these:

ModCloth

Not bad, eh? And I totally love them! They are comfortable and a good color. I've already worn them multiple times and had to keep myself from wearing them again today.

So I am pretty proud of myself for building a $373.80 outfit for less than $100 and getting some pieces that I am very happy with and hope will last for awhile!

Vintage Lamps

Right now I am dreaming about a giant ice cream cone, a swirly dress, and buying up secondhand items for a tiny little apartment in an artsy, small town.

In the mean time, I'll clean up these 2 vintage lamps I got at Goodwill this week.

This 60s desk lamp is so cool! It works and is a really awesome avocado green! The only down side is the first joint is a little loose, so it takes some finagling to get it to stay. I'm hoping I can tighten it up. I only paid $2.99 for it!

I love the power options switch!

This hobnail, milk glass lamp is so sweet and for $5, I just couldn't resist! I can't wait to find (or make) a shade to match!

My Breakfast on Monday

My parents went on a trip and brought home 2 bags of walnuts! We are a pretty nutty family - in more ways than one! - and I was excited about this! I was also excited that we had apples...I'm thinking muffins!

My mom eats gluten free and a lot of our food is too, so I made GF muffins using Pamela's baking mix and added cinnamon, nutmeg, allspice, and clove to the recipe. Mmm.

Once they were done, I added a generous tab of my favorite salted butter and poured a fresh cup of coffee. I also used my favorite $3 Goodwill dessert/tea plate! I think if I hadn't used salted butter I would have wanted a little salt in the mix, but I'm a saltaholic so maybe it's just me. :)

What a fun, autumn-y breakfast!

Fall Wardrobe

**I had this post ready to go, and then realized it was coming right after my "Abundance" post. I love clothes and the thrill of finding a smokin' deal, but who I am doesn't come from my clothes. And I know that who I am comes from who God says I am, and that blows my mind. So just a clarification, cause this post could look pretty ironic without this disclaimer.**

For the last few days, I have been staring into my closet with no hope of inspiration. This time of year is so hard! I'm looking forward to fall clothes and closed toed shoes. Cardigans and jeans and layering! But it's still over 100 degrees out. (correction-high 90s) I'm torn between "this may be the last time this year I can wear these sandals/dress/skirt" and "I can't wait to wear these boots/tights/sweater."

Besides what I already own, I'm hoping to add to my fall wardrobe (and hopefully for crazy thrift store cheap!):

a high waisted grey pleated skirt. (totally inspired by this outfit on ModCloth's blog)
an colorful embellished navy cardi. (same inspiration)
tall patterned socks.
new tights (I am very clumsy and tights don't really last more than a season with me!).
something purple. (weird, purple is my least favorite color)

Also loving:

 

Breezy Polkas from Anthropologie

  

 Oleander also from Anthropologie

 

 Rainbow Trellis (can you believe how pretty that is?!) 

Anthro prices are way out of my budget, but it's still fun to dream. :)

The Unread Library

When it comes to books, I have very little willpower. I love everything about them: the covers, the pages, the words, the fonts, how a book from the 50s or 60s looks nothing like a modern one, and of course, the actual stories. Getting lost in a book is a lifeline for me. A refuge from the world, from things that drain me, and from technology. It is ironic to me that technology and media are part of my top five favorite things to do, and also my current livelihood, and yet I love leaving it behind for a world of ink and paper.

That being said, I have amassed an ever expanding library - primarily made up of thrifted and vintage books (because hey, I'm working with a budget!). I love perusing the shelves at Goodwill and Savers looking for a classic I've never read, a great cover to a book I already love, the occasional chance book that may end up being a keeper (or not), and anything in between. But lately, I've noticed I have a stack of books marked "to read" that grows faster than I can read them. I also realized that the money I'm pouring into this pile can be used for much more impact than my library. So I've committed to not buying another book until I read every last unread book. And the money I would normally spend is being put away (it's not much, but it's something) into a savings account for a yet-to-be-revealed project that will impact many lives.

All these thoughts had started stirring in my heart and head when I read a post on a blog I follow, Pancakes & French Fries, about The Unread Library. This post was a confirmation and encouragement to me, so I decided to follow suit with my progress. Here is My Unread Library; as I finish a book, I will update the list.

1. Aeneid, The | Virgil
2. Candide | Voltaire
3. Cannery Row | John Steinbeck
4. Christmas Carol, A | Charles Dickens
5. David Copperfield | Charles Dickens
6. Dombey & Son | Charles Dickens
7. Dubliners | James Joyce
8. Great Short Works of Herman Melville, The | Herman Melville
9. How to Read Literature Like a Professor | Thomas Foster
10. Kidnapped | Robert Louis Stevenson
11. Lady Susan | Jane Austen
12. Mansfield Park | Jane Austen
13. Moby Dick | Herman Melville
14. Moon is Down, The | John Steinbeck
15. Much Ado About Nothing | William Shakespeare
16. Nick Adams Stories, The | Ernest Hemingway
17. Oliver Twist | Charles Dickens
18. Othello | William Shakespeare
19. Painted Bird, The | Jerzy Kosinski
20. Pearl, The | John Steinbeck
21. Pilgrim's Progress, The | John Bunyan
22. Red Pony, The | John Steinbeck
23. Robinson Crusoe | Daniel Defore
24. Silmarillion, The | JRR Tolkien
25. Uncle Tom's Cabin | Harriet Beecher Stowe
26. War of the Worlds, The | HG Wells

And there you have it.

Tuesday Treasures

I blame my dad. Or maybe I blame his Italian grandparents. Either way, bargain hunting is in my blood and I love, love, love it.

Almost every Tuesday, I go in to work, then go to a small group Bible study, and then: Goodwill. Yippee skippee! :)

I've been wanting to be a better blogger and I realized that I could document the things I find on Tuesdays. And then when they get placed, hung up, painted, etc I can post those too. So without further ado.

This mirror was 7.99 but I had a 20% coupon so that makes it 6.40. I think I'll hang it next to my desk by my bookcase.

These Currier & Ives plates are missing winter, but I LOVED the colors and the subjects too. And at 1.99 a pop (1.59 with coupon) they were a steal.

Spring:

Summer:
Autumn:
This little guy is sooo cute! I want a boy like this in real life. :)


These hydrangeas came in a basket that I wasn't totally excited about, but I like them in this box. It's almost a hat box, but held a teapot I got for my birthday.


Don't you love this as a pencil cup? I've been wanting a sweet one for the office and I think this is just the ticket! 0.75!!

I've been slowly and surely collecting flower prints in goldy frames. I have 2 others: peonies, and geraniums. I am looking forward to putting them on the blank wall next to my bed. Hopefully, soon, I'll have a nice arrangement. 5.99 - %20 = 4.79


I also got this print (which is 16x20 and still in plastic) for 1.99 oh I mean 1.60! :) It may go with my others, if I find a frame for it. (you can't really see it but there is a tiny ladybug on one of the leaves!!)


My favorite part of Goodwill is going through the books and getting books to read for smokin prices! I love pretty books, but for 1.99 or less, I will go with a not as beautiful cover. Especially since I just want to read these ones. :)

Of course, one of those is definitely vintage and I love that my vintage children's book collection is slowly expanding!


And that little owl? Goodwill find a few months back. He may be my favorite find of all time. Such a cheeky little owl.


And there you have it. Today's Tuesday Treasures. :)