How I Know God Loves Me

Long winter coat, by GEORGE, $24.99.

He leaves coats like this right where I will find them while perusing the throw pillows (see last post about my new throw pillow and frame obsession).

It was love at first sight.

And wear.

I’ve never had a cute patterned winter coat like this and I don’t think I could find a more perfect one.

Pillows, Lamps, Pillows, Pillows

Wonderful awesome throw pillow- Goodwill- $2.99

Original store- unknown- Price- $30 +

Most likely guess- Heaven

Brown Lamp, Goodwill- $7.99.  Normally- $35 +

Savings- 75-90% 🙂

It may be a clue to how house decorating obsessed I am when my boyfriend’s response to me asking him what I could maybe buy on Black Friday, or Cyber Monday, is, “I don’t know, throw pillows?”.

Yeah….

That obsessed.

A few weeks ago I found 4 GREAT pillows (one of them being the green one holding up my newest love in the picture above) at Ross Dress for Less (don’t know where I’d be without that store- or what I or my home would be wearing, other than Goodwill) a few weeks ago.  And I swear they changed my entire apartment.

Well, technically, they kind of did.  I live in a studio, so my living room is my apartment 🙂  Anywho, I don’t really need more than those 4- two pillows per couch seems to be enough, but that doesn’t stop me from looking at the throw pillow section when perusing the aisles of Goodwill.

And hence finding the above treasure.

For $2.99.

Unheard of.  Pillows like this at boutique shops here in Nashville- exactly like this one- re easily $30-$40.

Easilly.

No one will know the difference between my Goodwill one, and those boutique ones.

Unless I tell them.

Which I will.

You know, just basing on history and how I act on a daily basis.

I’m a proud Goodwill bargain shopper and I want EVERYONE to know it.

And be jealous.

maybe not the second part, not that, but that does seem to be a by product when I get something for about 90% less than what most people pay.

human nature.

Happy thrifting, living and decorating,

jaime ❤

Trash to Treasure- Frame Style Wall Display- San Francisco!

Clockwise- Lombardy St, Golden Gate, Pacific, Volkswagen on San Fran Street

I started with these:

Five un-matching, but otherwise in good condition, frames from Goodwill.

At .99 a piece!

How can you beat that….

if only they were somewhat coordinated…

Spraypaint!

Enter handy can of gray spraypaint that I got at a yard sale for .25 last Spring, or for about $3 at your local dollar store.

And voila- matching frame display for my wall.

I couldn’t bring myself to spray the white one- it was just so pretty, and white goes with anything anyway….

Now before I had graduated all the way to a full frame display set, I began with just one:

Weeds on the Pacific Ocean at Night, Northern California- September 2013

This lovely number.

The detail is so pretty, but the color- to me- was not so much.

It was that gold that you find a lot at thrift stores that just isn’t so up to date looking any more.

I love the way this turned out so much, that I went and found some more, which are all the ones displayed in the first few pictures.

Now just to prove this frame thing is my new obsession- I made my third trip for cheap frames, as well as a spray paint reinforcement, last night.  The frames turned out to be duds (the glass wouldn’t fit back in after removing it), but I got a frame that I have been looking for for a certain set of prints I took in San Francisco last year:

My “Feet on Streets” grouping.

I’ve been searching for a set of four frame like this to put my fun pictures of my feet with the street names.

In San Francisco, the street names are carved into the sidewalk all fun like this, and I fancied taking pictures of my feet whenever I found myself stopped at one.  And I thought a framed grouping might be a nice memory of my walks around San Fran.  I have several more to fill that last empty slot, I just need to get em printed!

And lo and behold, a year later, for 1.50 at Goodwill, I found just the one.

I couldn’t be more happy with how it turned out.  And I immediately texted the girlfriend I made the trip with my results, and she happens to be in San Fran again right now visiting her sweet seester.

Frames, frames, frames!  So pictorally happy right now, thanks to Goodwill.

Do you shop the home section at Goodwill too?

Happy thrifting and living,

Jaime ❤

I Know Where All the Good Stuff Is

Vintage (shoulder pads and errrything) ‘Big Armpit’ Pink and Grey Flower Sweater- Sooo Comfy!!!- $5.99

(excuse the mess that I am- I’m gonna be wearing it post gym house lounging, so why not show y’all that??  No need to put on fronts here)

Target by Mossimo medium weight knit sweater- $5.99

Mossimo at Target Colorful knit medium weight sweater- $5.99

Sweaters holding hands, priceless.

While checking out with these great goods- the female cashier, about my age, said,

“You got all the good sweaters!  I’m not even gonna bother looking now, cause I know where they all are.”

True.

Sad for you, but true.  My gain is your loss…err….sorry!

And I always thought by working there, they had first dibs.  Apparently they still can’t get by me:)  She was right, I did find all the good sweaters that day.  And have worn each one already.

I’d have to say my favorite is the actual vintage flower sweatshirt.  I swear you could walk into mass chaos that is Forever 21 and come out with a look alike attempt remake of this, for more, but what’s better than having the real thing?:)

The other two sweaters are great for what they are, but they aren’t 30 plus years old.

Coincidentally (or not???) all the bedding in this picture is Goodwill as well.  The lovely quilt, as well as the fun throw pillows you see.  These were not purchased on this trip, but at several of many other Goodwill trips.  All the pillows were 2.99 or under.  Love them. Two of them are reversible- so its like two in one:)  Making ’em even cheaper!!

Thanks for stopping by and checking out my goods!!

Happy living and thrifting,

Jaime ❤

Sweater Vests Are Still In, Right?

At least one like this?  Yes.

Sweater Vest- Brand/Name/Tag- none (love having items with no brand or tag), but it really speaks for itself- price- not remembered, but no more than 5.99, and most likely less.  I rarely pay full price, even at Goodwill.

Its a talent.

Awesome Gold Pendant Necklace- 2.99, years and years ago….

This necklace would most absolutely likely go in my would be Goodwill “Hall of Fame”, which would include items purchased that have stood the test of time, and are now wonderful staples in my wonderful wardrobe.

AKA I’d be LOST without them.

I have a good feeling about the sweater the necklace is now adorning making it to the big leagues as well.  But time will tell.

I am having thoughts of doing a Hall Of Fame post, with all my favoritest staplest items I have collected over years past, but that will take much work and thought I’m sure, so we will see about it.  But the thought of sharing all my favoritest Goodwill staple items does excite me quite a bit, as they are all very exciting and wonderful!

Back to the sweater vest- it is warm and comfy and cozy and cute- as if all that wasn’t evident in my bathroom photo shoot pictures.  And perfect for the sudden winter, and first snow fall this morning, that has befallen Nashville.

I love it over this long sleeve neutral brown V-neck tee…and under that necklace!

On the unviewed bottom, I have dark wash skinny jeans and almost knee high dark brown boots.  Lots of neutrality, but the different shades of neutrality provide enough excitement so as to keep it from the realms of being boring.

A great find, from a great store with a great cause!

Happy Jaime.

Not so happy that I am studying and doing homework in it, but I’ll survive.

Happy thrifting and living,

Jaime ❤

The Little Orange Skirt That Could in TN

Burnt (that magic descriptor I love 🙂 Orange Quilted Skirt, .99, Merona, at Goodwill- yes, .99!!!!

It was the one and only time I didn’t pay attention to what the .99 color of the day was; I was too focused on the half off color (I know, seems backwards).  So when I got to the register and she said .99 I ’bout flipped out and actually asked why.  The color she said. duh.  I’ll take it.  Still. As I was.  Continue, thanks, here’s a dollar.  Bye.

I really don’t know sometimes how things make it through weeks of not being bought in order to be .99 or half off.  That means this lovely inperfectconditionorangefallskirtwithtwocutebuttonpocketsonthefronthatlooksoincrediblygoodwithtightsandilovetights (breath!) 🙂

made it through 4 weeks- minimum- of not being bought.

I can’t believe it but I did put an end to it.

I got to wear it for the first time about a month after bringing it home, to a writing session with my one and only cosongwriter.  We decided to meet at his place since my roommate would be home stifling our imaginations and creativity, among other things 🙂 (kidding, she is very nice and just an innocent bystander of my trying to be funny)  Boy was I glad at that decision.  He was staying out in Whites Creek, which I discovered a few months earlier is a beautiful peaceful quiet area of town, with farmland and trails and trees and old shacks and barns.  Most outskirts of the city are quite pretty, but Whites Creek especially, I mean you can just tell by the name.  So I drove through winding roads and passed a new boutique that I made sure to stop in on my way back (also duh) and took a detour on the way home where I took these fun pictures.

All in all, a great day. Oh, and we did finish our two uncomplete songs.  Work was done in the midst of all this looking good.

I’ve gotta be honest though, I’m sure you’re waiting for the triumphant engine that could like story about what this skirt overcame, but, I don’t really know what this skirt could or couldn’t, or was or wasn’t, doing.  Or how it was kept from doing so.  Also, it’s not really all that small.

I just really liked the way that title sounded, and so I used it.

It does do a good job looking good, keeping me warm, and helping me hang out in the fields of Tennessee for a bit.  However it didn’t really have a load of obstacles to keep it from doing that.  It’s had a pretty easy life, to tell the truth.  At least since I’ve owned it.  I can’t speak for its previous caretakers.

Just pointing out another way this title doesn’t really apply.

At all.

But I like it.  🙂

As well as the skirt.  And can’t wait to take it on more adventures.

The end.

Love you all, happy thrifting and living,

Jaime ❤

Dream….about mugs from Goodwill and other things…

Orange ceramic mug, textured, .99

I love tea bags with inspirational messages on their strings.

And I love cheap cute mugs at Goodwill for .99.

“Dream”

I don’t usually need a reminder to do said dreaming, but it is always nice that the encouragement is out there.

Dream, dream big dreams and dream things that only you would.  And work towards it.  Give it to the world and see what happens.

Sorry I don’t have a picture of the whole mug on here, I just wanted to snap this inspiration and post it on instagram (@findbeautyinallthings) but I will maybe do a post with all the cute mugs (like 5 or so of them…?) that I have obtained from Goodwill, and that I love drinking out warm things out of, and eating cold things….cold creamy things…ice cream.  I’m talking about ice cream 🙂

This tea was chamomile lavender.  Quite nice, but not as good as I thought it would be, but I added a little skinny girl agave sweetener and then it was just right.

I’m trying to be better about drinking things like tea instead of maybe soda, beer, or coffee…but never instead of wine, never that.

Happy thrifting and living,

❤ Jaime

**BORDEAUX by Anthropologie!** Wearing it right.

BORDEAUX at Anthropologie striped oversized shirt, Goodwill, $4.49.  Retail….heavens more than that. 1/5 my paycheck.  We’ll just stop there.

(Being represented on my left shoulder is also the great leather satchel purse I got on very recent trip as well for $7.99, and was also in my last post)

So I have really good taste in clothes.  Even when I’m not trying.  I’m sorry I just do!

Haha.  Kidding aside, I am constantly sometimes impressed when I pick up a shirt that is seemingly a no namer (a brand I, Jaime Nelson, do not recognize) to me, but I still notice something special about it, and it ends up being a great label like Anthropologie.  And this happened not once, but TWICE, on my trip last week.  I also sometimes try and play a fun game and of trying to guess the label before I look at it.  This can be harder than just recognizing whether its a quality brand or not.  In this post I am sharing one of those picks with you:)

At first, this shirt seemed to me just like a simple over sized, heavy weight, striped shirt, with cheap frills and lace at the bottom.  But on closer inspection, I was like, you know what, this is actually kind of cool.  And then I turned it over!

Small lace train to help cover and simultaneously prettify my booty?!  Sold!

I was right.  I looked up BORDEAUX, the lettering on the tag, and wouldn’t you know its a brand that is sold at the glorious incomparable bank account draining Anthropologie.  (Sorry, Anthro, y’all are a LEETLE pricey)

I wore this shirt the next night, and also to work the following Friday.  Possible to bed in between that.  I like it.

Reviews have been mixed.

When I told my boyfriend, “I got this shirt at Goodwill the other night!” he said “Yeah, it looks like something you would wear.  Interesting.’

Hmm.

Not exactly a compliment, more just stating a fact…as I WAS in fact wearing it at the time of said comment, but since I’m so in love with myself, I take it like one 🙂

It’s a great shirt, and my fashionable self WOULD wear it, he is correct.

At work on Friday I also got no, “That is a great shirt!” “Where did you get that top?” “HOW are you so cool and stylish and lovely all around?”

Ok, the last one maybe is a stretch, but the first two while possible, did not occur either.  Still doesn’t mean it isn’t great.

Half the key to fashion is choosing and being confident in what you love because it shows, and people admire that confidence when they see it.

One of the best fashion accessories is confidence.  And jewelry.  Of any kind.

I also documented, for my thousands hundreds of followers on Instagram (@findbeautyinallthings) how I felt while I was wearing it.  And now I will share that with you.

Turn your eyes to the left half.

Yes.  Death.

The right is what I really wanted to represent, so I posted both.  Compromise.

I may have had a laterthannecessarymoremanhattansthannecessary night the evening before.  And my 30 year old self felt it the next day.  But it was worth it.  My roommate had just gotten back the night before after being away for 3 weeks after breaking her leg, and I she needed a night out.

We went to Eastland Café, a GREAT restaurant near me that has one of the best rated happy hours in town, and the sister restaurant of where she works.  This was followed by going to her restaurant to see on of the hostesses perform some music that night.

Nashville!  She was good.

Coulda stopped at the happy hour…but didn’t, and then proceeded to take a well deserved nap during my break the next day.

And that is the story of that shirt thus far…I’m sure it has many more adventures ahead.

Don’t you love finding awesome expensive brands for less and then wearing them no matter what people may think??

I do.

Happy thrifting and living,

Jaime ❤

Leather Satchel, $7.99- Sunday Trip

This purse really speaks for itself.  I almost didn’t get it because of a dark little scuff on the front, but caught a glimpse of it while waiting in line to purchase a frame, and its strength and beauty took me away once more, so I snatched it up for good.

It is clearly real leather, great detailing and just quality work, you can tell.  For $7.99 I feel its a great price. It will also fit in well with the laid back, muted style of Nashville.  Understated, but still expensive looking.  Its about quality and functionality.

The leather also seems an appropriate choice for the coming colder winter month, although I hate to think about them.  Fall forever, please?  Thanks.

I got this trip on my first trip with my new boyfriend, I told him it was a step in our relationship, coming to Goodwill with me.  I don’t go with just anyone:)  Well, that’s not true, I would go with any and everyone who wanted to go to Goodwill, but its still a special time for me no matter what.  I saw something that caught my eye as soon as we walked in (a scarf…but they priced it at 8.99- are you kidding?? Is it Armani??  Not everything Goodwill does pleases or makes sense to me), so I said, bye, see you in a few, smiled and walked to the woman’s department.

He came back in a short bit, not long enough, but I’ll oblige, with a ‘new’ science fiction book for 1.99.  He is trying to get back into reading after the excitement I had over my last book, Henry and Clara, and our subsequent trip to Mary Lincoln’s house in Lexington, KY.  He’s a science fiction more than historical fiction type, I’ll allow it.

Altogether a successful tip, bonding and shopping combinado.

I’ll include a few other pictures of what we did that day…  I had a Sunday off of work for once and so we were able to spend pretty much the entire day together, doing mostly a bunch of nothing…and it was nice.

We started with a trip to the quite local <two walking blocks away> coffee shop so I could do a homework assignment, and was immediately greeted by a string quartet when I walked in: (have I mentioned I love heart adore Nashville?)

I was worried it may be too distracting, but it turned out just fine.

I was also pleasantly surprised to see they have QUITE the brunch menu items on Sunday from 10-2 (I was in luck- it was right around 12:00)

We got the eggs benedict casserole, smoked gouda grits, and the vegetarian biscuits with mushroom gravy ( I am a sucker for mushrooms).  It was all delicious.

<Grant’s hand making an appearance in the upper left corner>

as you can see.  I love Nashville and my neighborhood.  Which is why I pay what I do to live in a basement apartment with minimal windows, but maximal area enjoyment 🙂

Sunday funday indeed.

Thanks for stopping by, happy thrifting and living!

❤ Jaime

Some History in Lexington, KY at the Mary Todd Lincoln House, Thanks to Goodwill

DKNY Skinny jeans- $7.49, representin’ at the Mary Todd Lincoln house in Lexington, KY, Goodwill

Unpictured- “Henry and Clara”, a novel, .99, Goodwill in CT.

Who’s that sexy tourist in DKNY skinny blue jeans?  (hey, if you can’t pay yourself compliments, then who can?  I’m aware that question doesn’t make much sense)

It’s me.

I’m so excited about this picture and everything about it for one main reason- the reason I am where I am in this picture as well as the clothing in it are BOTH owed to Goodwill.  This picture is of me visiting the home of the late Mary Todd Lincoln, an experience I am so thankful to have had, but would never have happened if it hadn’t been for a novel called “Henry and Clara” that I picked up and couldn’t put back down at Goodwill last August.

Not only was the book amazing, but it thankfully broke my 1-2 year reading dry spell that I had sadly been on.  It was about Henry and Clara Rathbone, the two people sitting in the booth with Abraham Lincoln when he was assassinated by one John Wilkes Booth.  It is a gripping, tragic, controversial love story as well as informative historical recounting of those turbulent times in our country’s history that will have anyone who reads it gripped.  Who knew how interesting their stories were?  Well I am glad one person did and decided to write this amazing and informative novel, allowing me to look like a huge dork being excited about historical dead people when talking to friends about my life… So If you love History, Abraham Lincoln, or just looking at words on paper at all, you’ve GOT to give this one a try.

While the story is about Henry and Clara Rathbone, Abraham Lincoln and his wife Mary were not surprisingly large parts of the story as well, as there would be no book without them.  I always grow very close to the characters (er in this case…real people….?) in the books that I read.  So when I found out that Mary Todd Lincoln’s house, where she spent ages 14-22 of her life and visited later on with Abe, was in the very town of Lexington, KY that I happened to be visiting for a couple days, I was quite ecstatic.  I couldn’t wait to get there and stand on the very same ground that she had.

If she was alive, this may be considered stalking.  Lucky for me, she isn’t, so I’m safe for the moment.

I stood on the ground, and you can now view the excitement of that happening at your leisure in the picture I have posted above.

But without Goodwill, I wouldn’t know of Mary Todd, or be excited about her house in Lexington, KY, where I happened to be visiting.  And it would have been just another historical landmark on the side of the road I would have driven right by.

Assuming I was on that road for some other reason.  If not, I would have not even driven by it, but I didn’t know what else to say so I said “I would have just driven by.”

I also wouldn’t have had any pants on.

Well, that may be false.  I’m sure I would have put something on, but they wouldn’t have been these great DKNY skinny died blue jeans.

THE POINT IS- the reach of Goodwill knows no bounds in my life.  🙂  And I am so thankful for that.

I’m also sure the late First Lady would have appreciated my frugality at her residence.

Actually- I know that’s not true- the book talked of her great opulence in what she spent on her clothing and fashions, sometimes ridiculous amounts.

Look at me!  Look what I know about Abraham Lincoln’s wife’s dressing habits!  I’m so impressed.

(There I go again with the compliments.) I’ve gotten used to it.

They had tours at the house, but they were an hour long and we were on a time crunch, so we left sans tour and some history learning that may have happened, but most likely with a happier boyfriend.  He did not read the book, so I’m SURE did not share my excitement for this old wood structure on the side of the road that housed some people at some point.  I did read it, and so did share in my own excitement quite a bit.

Here are a few more pictures of the grounds, and the lovely sign saying, “this building is of importance- take note” outside.  Pictures are not allowed inside, so I obliged the rules and kept my finger clicking to the exterior.  The gardens were at least quite pretty though.

And there ya have it.  Thanks to Goodwill, I read this great book and found out about Mary Todd Lincoln, the controversial love story and lives of Henry and Clara Rathbone who were in the booth with Abe that night, and so much more.

Next on my list…Natchitoches, LA, the setting for Cane River, one of my favorite historical fiction novels about four generations of slavery and then early emancipation.  Its only just over 10 hours away…somehow I just haven’t gathered the courage or time to make that visit yet.  I’ll keep you posted….

….as I’m sure I’ll be wearing or using something Goodwill when the time arrives.

Happy thrifting and living,

❤ Jaime