A Touch of Paris For Ya

Paris themed wall art, 1.99

Yes, 1.99. The lady at the register even made a comment when checking me out. Maybe a price tag got mixed somewhere, who knows, but that’s what it said. And that’s what I paid.

I’ve always loved European/Paris themed art to hang on my walls. Can’t ever have enough of that relaxed and easy way of life influence that they seem to foster over there. And we have some big bare spaces to fill in my living room, so I knew this would work, at least for the time being.

When thrifting, people usually think of and go straight to clothing, but it’s good to remember not to underestimate the home goods section. Many practical and/or just decorative items can be found there for, of course, great prices.

I have gotten dishes, glasses, tupperware pots and pans, lamps, a toaster…you name it I have probably gotten it there. For a fraction of the cost I would pay at a first hand retail store. I love saving money.

Now, if I wasn’t posting this post from my phone and could share more than one picture, I would show you the wonderful chili I made the other night, in a large skillet I purchased a year ago at Goodwill for 1.99. It has served me and my stomach very well. Many a wonderful food creation it has aided into being:)

So remember home goods next time you make a trip or stop!

Happy thrifting, living, and eating:)

Repurposed old drawers,, the definition of being thrifty

Ok so this isn’t exactly reusing paper towels, but it still saves some money and looks cute.

I don’t know how I stumbled upon this idea, or if I searched it out, but I indeed had two extra drawers hanging around I didn’t need, and guess what, it turns out they’re are bountiful ways to repurpose drawers (just check Pinterest!). One of these ways being stacking them- after removing the knobs on the lower drawer of course (optional to remove them on the top) and turning them into a shelf. Voila. What was two old drawers, is now a useful, chic, repurposed, environmentally friendly book, picture and snack holder.

K, you caught me. There was a snack on the top shelf where the cross stands in the picture.

I took the snack out for the picture, trying to act proper and like I don’t snack I’m bed. It was chex mix if you must know. The generic kind. Does the trick still.

I had one of the drawers hanging on my wall as a hanging shadow box type shelf, very cute, but I have since rearranged my room, for the fourth and hopefully last time since arriving in this abode, and this works better now than the shelf. And I hated to have the drawers separated like that.

Right now I don’t have them attached with glue or anything, but it’s pretty secure just sitting pretty on top of each other like that.

Happy being thrifty, what have you repurposed lately? Could be clothes, furniture…your children…

-Jaime 🙂

Paisley Coasters Anyone?

These were my bonus item this morning.

I went specifically to get some low cost polos for a new job I am starting tomorrow (yay!) teaching lovely (I hope) 4 year old pre-kindergartners in a suburb south of Nashville.

We have a uniform. Cue tears.

I’ll be fine…really….really….I’ll be fine…

but anywho, I need to bring polo t-shirts in to get the logo printed on, and so of course, I went to Goodwill. I did attempt another thrift store first that was closer, and found nothing.

Why do I stray?

But I found 3 excellent condition in perfect preschool colors- white, navy, and light brown polo shirts at Goodwill.

I also got just my size city fit khaki trousers, second part of said uniform, for $4.49.

$15 total new uniform expenditure.

Could be worse. Much worse to be honest.

Add on $4 to that for 2 lovely paisley covered ceramic coasters (at .49 each) and a maroon wrap knit sweater ($3!!!). Casualties of going into Goodwill. You’re just gonna find SOMETHING for yourself.

That you MUST buy.

Lastly, not as exciting, but I got a ziplock brand plastic container with lid, the perfect size for a large salad, which I plan on bringing for lunch day 1, for .99. Gotta inspire healthy eating in those kidlings :).

I can’t wait to set my first drink down on one of these babies, which will be soda and/or juice for my mom’s reading purposes, and most likely a glass of red wine for the rest of y’all. One less water ring in the world.

Goodwill once again did not disappoint.

Happy thrifting and living.

Jaime

How to Thrift and Not Get Frustrated

I follow these two lovely gals on Instagram at @onceuponathrift. They find great feminine pretty things all the time, honestly I have a food bit of old fashioned jealousy towards them…but that’s for another day.

But they give tips every now and then, most that I agree with and know, but one that I LOVED was to have patience and that things will not always be laid out for you.

It can seem, when you look at people like me, onceuponathrift, or other thrift bloggers that we just stumble upon this stuff easily and it’s right in front of our faces like it is when you see it.

We don’t. And it isn’t.

But then where would my therapy that I find in sifting through the endless racks, each item completely different.

You have to have patience. You have to sort through junk. It ain’t all pretty. While there are many treasures, and while someone’s trash can be another’s treasure, not everything at the thrift store is worth writing home…or to y’all…about:).

One thing I learned early on, and when I find the best stuff is when I do sort piece by piece through the racks. Touching and looking at each item, even the ones you don’t want to, because you never know what’s hiding in between. If you just glance, you’re not gonna find anything, most of the time at least. This may seem time consuming, because it isn’t all laid out for you like in a normal store, and this can cause people to say they ‘don’t have time for thrifting’ bla bla bla. But as I have said time and time again, this is no excuse, and isn’t really true. How often do you go shopping and spend 30-45 min and maybe not get a thing? I rarely spend more time than this (although I can!) at a thrift store, and pretty much always walk out with something great, at a great price.

Trust me, you can thrift. You just need patience, and a belief in yourself, just like pretty much anything good and worth it in life, wouldn’t you say? :). Coincidence? I think not.

And remember, it ain’t gonna be all laid out for you nice and pretty like you see it on the blogs…but soon enough it will be as easy as it looks.

Happy, and patient, thrifting.

Til next time,

Jaime

I realize it’s been a bit…

…since I last posted.  The thing is, it’s a catch 22, the longer I go without posting, the harder it is to post because I have so much  more to choose from to post about!

Post, post, post.

That and my computer is acting up.

The first reason sounds so much cooler.

But either way, whenever I go an amount of time without posting, it DOES NOT mean I am not Goodwill shopping. Rest assured.  I’m not sure that will ever be the state of my life.  I find way too much good stuff there.  (get that pun…?:)  I know y’all missed my cleverness.

I do have this great little photo shoot my friend Rion was nice enough to help out with about a month ago…:/, so I will share that for now.

(my photo:)

(another pic- all me)

location- The Stone Fox, restaurant/bar/music venue/awesomeness- Nashville, TN

Skirt: Goodwill, .99

Belt: T.J. Maxx, 12.99

Tee: T.J. Maxx, 5.99

Purse: Yard Sale, $5

Bracelet: Salvation Army, Tampa, $4

As you can see, I find bargains everywhere.  People’s yards… t.j. maxx… other thrift stores.  Always on the lookout, and ALWAYS benefiting.

I love it.

When buying the bracelet, I wasn’t positive it was ‘me’ because it is a little larger and overstated and flashy than I thought I liked.

I wore it out of the store, and I don’t think I took it off for three days:)  It has definitely come in handy since as well.

Thank you Salvation Army, Tampa Bay.  Thank you.  $4 well spent.

This was my first time wearing the skirt out, and I simply wore it running errands to prepare for my road trip from Nashville to Charleston for one of my good girlfriend’s weddings.  Happy day.  Happy weekend.

Lastly, I must mention the belt.  One of my favorite purchases from Marshall’s about two years ago, ever.  $12.99 also very well spent.  It is more versatile than I ever could have predicted, and definitely works with this outfit, in addition to many others.

I haven’t actualy been inside this Stone Fox yet, but I have friends that have, and can’t wait to go see a show or grab a drink there myself.  I now live half a mile away from this, on the same street, so I can’t imagine it will be very long before it happens.  yay.

Well, I am glad to be back, I will do my absolutely, positively best to not go so long again next time.

BUT, in the name of more excuses, I was on one vacation…and I moved sine we last spoke.

K, that’s all.

Happy thrifting and living,

keep it real,

-Jaime