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

Healthy Eating Makes Me Happy

Not exactly gourmet food photography…I’ll admit…but it is my lunch and that counts for something right?  I thought so.  So clearly it has been awhile since this blog has seen a post…my apologies.  And the longer it goes without one, the more amazing I feel the next post needs to be, and then anxiety gets the best of me and nothing proceeds to be posted.  For awhile.  Then I decided, you know what, every post is amazing, so I will proceed with sharing this most amazing lunch container that has changed my life in every way possible.

Okay, maybe that’s a slight exaggeration, but it has made bringing dipping and spreading sauces, such as peanut butter, hummus, guacamole, you name it, along with me to work for lunch/snacks much easier.  All for .99.  Goodwill is amazing.

As you can see here, I have a lovely assortment of homemade albacore tuna (so worth the extra .30-.50 over just regular non albacore tuna- who knows what albacore even means anyway?? I don’t at all, but it does taste good), moving on, which I mixed with about a T. of olive oil mayonnaise (much less fat and calories for those health food eaters), a little Dijon mustard, and some pepper.  Does the trick.  The trick being feeding me.  I also made some guacamole- a little extra ripe avocado, garlic salt and lime juice mashed up together in a happy conglomeration, and then filled the rest with these amazing pretzel chip things to use for dipping.  How cute and healthy and fun.  I like to be able to describe my food and myself using the same words- I think I succeeded here.

Eating healthy makes me very happy.  And anything that makes it easier for me to eat healthy, like this container, does the very same.

I got this container several months ago, and have never looked back.  Except to praise the Goodwill gods responsible that day for bringing us together and it into my lunch eating sauce dipping life.

Goodwill is so much more than great clothes and accessories!  Make sure to check out the kitchen ware on your next visit!

Happy thrifting and living,

❤ Jaime

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:)

My Sanctuary- with $4.49 Tiled Garden Table

tiled garden table, Half-off for $4.49

This is my front porch.

Lovely place, wouldn’t you say?

I agree.

However, I haven’t hung out here much since I moved here July 1.  I don’t know why.

But I was at Goodwill this past Saturday- I stopped in for half-off day (which takes place the first Saturday of every month in my area- make sure you check your local Goodwill specials as everywhere is different!!)  It’s usually pretty crazy, but they staff it well so that it doesn’t take too long once you get in line, and I found this awesome tiled garden table.

It was priced at $8.99, so I got it for half at $4.49.  Not bad at all.

I love the bright, fun tile pattern.

As soon as I got home, I put it on my porch, and immediately sat out there with a glass of wine and a homemade harvest salad (bleu cheese, apples, almonds and mushrooms and a raspberry vinaigrette dressing)  It was as good as it sounds, yes.

And I sat out there again yesterday.

I guess all my porch needed was a table.

And I am loving it.  Somehow theres just enought shade, that even in 90+ degree hotness, I still feel okay out there for a little bit.  Maybe the table is a little magical too.  Maybe.

That’s Goodwill for ya.  Showing ya things you never knew you always needed.  For less.

-Jaime

Live the life you’ve always dreamed.  Go ahead

staycation and Goodwill to the rescue

I had a little staycation/vacation or what have you this past weekend, it was so nice.

I have to agree with the joy of baking that there is something so nice about just being away.  even if it isn’t that far.  even if it is just 25 minutes.

Ben was house and dog sitting for his friend only 25 minutes outside of Nashville in a suburb called hermitage, and I went and stayed there saturday night after work through to Sunday.

either of us could have very easily gone home early in the day Sunday as his friends would be home that night, and the dog would be fine.  but we decided to stay.  my dog was there.  they could have some quality dog play time.  and we could have some quality ben jaime time.

we started our staycation (that word just really never gets old) by shopping at the local grocery store (something you totally do on vacation) for stuff for our pancake breakfast extravaganza.  strawberries, blueberries, snickers, peaches, bananas….i know, we’re pretty impressive eaters.

peaches n’ cream with blueberries and strawberries baked in.

(don’t worry….you can follow me on instagram @jaimen84! do it!)

our inspiration for this pancake breakfast was this restaurant we love called the Pfunky Griddle in the Berry Hill area of Nashville.  there is a griddle in the middle. of the table.  kind of like a do it yourself breakfast hibachi, and you get to pick your own toppings and make your own pancakes!  They entrust you with a big spatula of your own and everything!

they shouldn’t entrust Ben.  he flops it everytime.  luckily he has me to come to the rescue.  he and i have found i am a great flopper.

I have pictures!

my spatula, his spatula.  our griddle.  now we don’t have to fight.

Ben finding out this is a ‘make your own food’ restaurant.  give him a second to let it sink in.  apparently when i said its a ‘make your own pancake’ place, he thought i meant ‘its a restaurant just like any other, don’t be excited about this.’

me, fresh out of bed and ready to play.  oh look at that, that little number i have on is one of my favorite floor length maxi dresses from goodwill.  those stripes all the way down.  go ahead and picture it.  $7.99 last year on charlotte pike.

 

one of our yummy concoctions.  banana m&m.  we are never going to be the same.

and that, my friends, is the Pfunky Griddle.

i know.

  after we finished our version of Pfunky Griddle, i happily remembered that I have my friend’s key for her hotel room and outdoor poooooool (vacation!!!) about ten minutes away.  perfect next move as it was sunny and beautiful out.

problem- I had no bathing suit with me on this unplanned staycation 😦

Luckily, this is the same house I mentioned in my last post that happens to be just 5 glorious minutes away from a huge area Goodwill.

problem solved.

any excuse, right?  Ben knows.

So I said I’d be right back and hopped in the car to go find a bathing suit for CHEAP!

I knew on Sundays they had the prior color of the week on sale for just .99, as well as the new color of the week at half off.  Between the two colors I should be able to get out wtih a crazy cheap suit in hand.  On Sunday that was green and orange, so I kept my eyes glued for those hues and those hues only, and steered clear of any impostors. I wasn’t out to make a fashion statement, just not to spend a lot of money and to not be wearing a bra and underwear at a hotel pool.

Who am I kidding? I’m always out to make a fashion statement:).

I think I did alright.

This is what I found for my day of fun in the sun:

Tommy Hilfiger bikini top, $2.13 at half off.

Target bikini bottom, rouched sides, .99.

$3.14 total for my emergency swim wear for the day.  Who’s a Goodwill pro?  I’m a Goodwill pro.

I almost got this very first suit I picked up, for .99:

 

cute wrap enclosure on the side.

to make the quickest goodwill trip on record, but I couldn’t have that.

i couldn’t get the very first suit.  i needed to be gone and make ben wait for at least a little bit longer, and it’s hard to go back to a one piece after all those years of tummy freedom in a bikini.  i felt so emprisioned.  i do love that pattern though…

This is me putting it to use with a Cayman Jack margarita drink of choice in hand.

the bottom half of my raft is covered in cup holders.  pretty cool.  i would love to see the day I put all twelve of them to use at once- one, maybe two is all I can really see needing, but i won’t rule it out.

i’ll agree with that.

token drink leg pool picture.  gotta love em.

hand crafted and delicious.  i know, i need a pedicure.  it’s on the list.  but with so much pool sitting to do…i don’t really see how it’s gonna get done.

When buying this drink on the way to the pool at the gas station, I had it in mind to get a Bud Light Strawberrita.  but when I saw this can sporting a “no artificial ingredients, pure agave syrup, fresh lime juice and cane sugar” label on it, i had to change my story.  it may have as well have had an arrow pointing to it with a neon sign saying,

“Jaime, anything you could ever want in a drink for sitting by the pool is right here———->”

Cayman Jack knows the way to my heart.

Then I looked at the Bud Light version and saw in the same spot on the can, “contains artificial ingredients.”  bud light, you really know how to say the wrong thing sometimes.

I’m pretty sure we both passed out in the sun for at least a little bit by the pool that day.  Me while in the pool and on my raft island, him in his chaise lounge on the deck.  Success.  Staycation.

Until next time!  Happy thrifting and living!

love you all,

jaime

Have you all had any succcesful staycations this year?  Aren’t they sometimes so much more relaxing than traveling far and wide?

Has Goodwill saved you in an emergency clothing or other situation and gotten you out for cheap?

Gold Goblets and Bloody Mary’s

As I mentioned in my last post, I moved across town yesterday. It was probably my easiest and smoothest move to date. I’m getting REALLY good at it.

Everyone knows how you tempt people to help you move right? Promising them your never ending friendship, love and devotion. Ok, maybe not. Maybe it’s more along the lines of food and drinks… Now I never like to be the typical human, so instead of beer and pizza- which, trust me, I can and do enjoy the heck out of every now and then- I decided on Bloody Mary’s and brunch type items.

Now my friend brought some vodka as well (now that is a good friend- helps you move AND brings liquor…she’s a keeper) and she brought citron vodka. We decided to use that instead of the regular vodka for the Mary’s, and it was a great decision. It added a little kick, I squeezed some lime in as well, swirled it with a celery stick and drank away.

And we drank them out of these two awesome gold spotted goblets I purchased more than one year ago, but less than two (that’s about as exact as I can get) at Goodwill. I tell ya, they make darned good Bloody Mary glasses.

And it was a great way to end a day of moving. Sitting chatting with a new friend (New friend. Helping move. Removing the myth that moving day helpers are reserved for family members and people you have blackmail quality information on. I tell ya they just don’t make em like that anymore) over a late afternoon homemade citrus Bloody Mary in my new kitchen.

NY&Co. Embroidered Tunic (& bubbles)

NY&Co. Gold embroidered tan linen tunic top, $4.49.

I wore it to work today where I:

watched these kids (and a few more) and passed some of the time with bubble fun.

Then I came home and enjoyed this:

All in my Goodwill/NY&Co. tunic.

Also enjoyed was a red pepper with eggplant spread that was not captured because my camera is too full

I eat well, my friends, I eat well.  Thanks to regular trips to Trader Joe’s.

Love that place so much.  I don’t know what I would do without it.

Have to cook?

Let’s not joke about that.

Nothing like a little focaccia bread dipped in rosemary and thyme olive oil….nothing.  and not spending $30 or more out at an Italian Restaurant just to get it before the meal.  Priceless.

I also recieved exactly two compliments on this shirt today while at the school!

I like to include compliments I recieve because they are always so surprised after when I tell them the item is from Goodwill!  Although, the cat is out of the bag…now people are surprised when I am wearing something from a first hand store, and not the other way around.  I now feel redundant letting them know where I purchased my beautiful, amazing item.

It was a great day…can’t wait to do it again.

-Jaime

Youth has no age -Pablo Picasso

Valentine’s Day Surprise and Cheesecake

Disclaimer: This find IS NOT my own.

K, I’m glad we got that out of the way.

But it was given to me by the One who was half responsible for making me aka my MOM.  So it counts.  And it’s hanging in my room now too along with my other lovely things.

My mom (and anyone else who talks to me for five minutes) knows that I love flowers and music.  Not necessarily in that order.  Safe to say 3/4 of my clothing probably have flowers on it, as well as my hoome decor.  I am not ashamed or scared to admit that fact.  Yes, I am also 29 years old.  Not six or seven like the kids in the classroom that I work in.  I think it would be safe to say I would have been a ‘flower’ child had I lived in that decade.  Well, maybe.  I’m not so sure about the lifestyle, just the title.

Anyway, I digress.  In addition to flowers, I love music.  I have played piano since I was 5, and sang for even longer.  Suffice to say it is beyond my passion, and I just spent three years in Nashville trying to make it my career.  Another self plug- you can hear a couple of my songs at www.reverbnation.com/jaimenelson.  I hope you enjoy.

So the mother of all mothers saw this frame, while looking for Valentine’s gifts for my wonderful nieces and nephew, her grandchildren (crazy how I made that connection, huh???I know) and added it to her pile to leave waiting for me Valentine’s Day morning.

What a lady.  Who needs a boyfriend?

Well, that may be a stretch…I take that back.  I would like one.  For sure.

I really do love this canvas though, so pretty.

And I just realized, it has a THIRD thing that I love.  Fancy writing in a foreign language (French??).  Making me have absolutely no idea what it is saying, but I can only assume it is something beautiful and heartwarming.

It could be saying, “you suck” for all I know.

But it sure looks nice.

I hope you all had a beautiful Valentine’s Day.  I assume you are all the type of people that don’t get hung up on the fact of having or not having a ‘boyfriend’ to share the day with.  There are so many wonderful types of love in the world to celebrate on such a day to be depressed over not having just one specific kind.

Make yourself a cake,

as I did, and move on.  How can you be sad with this in your life???

Looks delicious, right??  Well, it was.  Raspberry white chocolate cheesecake with chocolate wafer crust.  All of those words should not be in the same title.  Too much goodness.  But its not.  It’s heavenly and perfect.

Here is the ‘quick’ recipe:

Crust:

2 cups chocolate cookie crushed mixed with 6 T melted buttteerrrrrr yummm

Raspberry swirl:

2 T cornstarch, 2 T sugar, 1/2 water, and 10 oz frozen raspberries brought to a boil together in a saucepan for 5 minutes until thick.

White chocolate mix:

Melt 2 cups white chocolate chips with 1/2 cup half and half or heavy cream etc in a double boiler

Cheesecake!!!!:

3 packages cream cheese softened, 3 eggs, 1/2 cup sugar.  Mix this with a blender on high speed, then mix in the white chocolate mixture.

Layer the cream cheese mixture over the crust with 3 drops of 1 T. each of the raspberry swirl twice and then swirl it with a knife all pretty like.

Bake in a 9″ springform pan at 325 for 50-60 minutes.  Open the door and turn off the oven when it’s set on the edges and let it cool in the oven so the top doesn’t crack (too much).

Cool a couple hours and enjoooyyy!!!  I did.  It is delicious.

Lastly, I would like to give a shoutout to some viewers I had the other day all around the world:

The world is so big and yet so small!!  I love that no matter how far apart we are, and different cultures we live in, we share a similar bond and interest.

Happy thrifting and living!  Please share with me your finds and stories:)  I’d love to hear.

-Jaime

“Life is too short not to spend it smiling.”

A Pre-Christmas Dinner Get Together

This year, as my brother was scheduled to work on Christmas day in the ER where he is Physician’s Assistant, we decided to go out for dinner a couple nights beforehand instead so that I could see him while I was in town.  His wife Liz, and my older sister and her husband joined as well, and for our location we chose a new rooftop restauarant that just opened in my hometown.  First we tried the enclosed rooftop area, but it proved to be too loud and filled with bar guests, so we moved inside to where it was much quieter and conducive to conversation and where they luckily they had an open table.  There was no rooftop view, but we could hear ourselves talk and think.

What does this have to do with Goodwill?? you may ask.  Well, plenty.  Goodwill in fact, saved the evening.  Ok, maybe just my outfit.  But introduce me to a girl that would not equate a saved outfit with a saved evening, and I will not shop at Goodwill for a week.  I’m saying that would never happen:) 

So, back to the need for outfit saving.  In packing for Connecticut for ten days, I was bound to forget something.  The first item I realized I forgot (and I am only two days in, so I’m sure there are more to come…) (see Addendum A) was my favorite skinny leapord print belt that would pull my dinner outfit together.  What to do??  Surely not sacrifice a great outfit, and surely not spend close to $20 or more on a replacement belt!  Even at a discount store like T.J. Maxx it would be at least 12.99….

In steps my mother. 

“Go to Goodwill”, she says.  Now, my mother said this, but I assure you the thought would not have been far behind in my own head.  So down Main Street I drive, and into Goodwill I go (walking at this point, the driving did stop in the parking lot.  I get  excited, but I do still remember to park :-).  Straight to the belt rack I go, and am very satisfied to see the $3 sign I above it.  A perfect price point in my opinion.

After a mere five minutes of sorting throught them, I find two promising prospects (and one that had absolutly nothing to do with the outfit at hand, but was still very cute.  However I decided to pass on spending the extra $3- that’s one beer! as my friend Amy would say.  Wise words).  Both were skinny belts, one fake red leather, and one black with gold rimmed circles cut out along the length.  Neither would completely replace the forgotten belt, but at $3, I was able to buy both, have options and a red belt for some future outfit that would surely be in need.  

Here are the pictures you have been waiting for: 

Skinny Red Belt - $3

And to answer your question, yes, I really am always this beautiful.  Ask my mother:)

 

Black Studded belt- $3

The black one ended up winning out, so that I could coordinatingly wear my favorite new mauve tank top underneath. 

I realize that taking a picture from beneath is not the most attractive angle.  You’d have to ask my sister why she did this.  I love her, but I do doubt her love for me sometimes.  Just kidding =:0   I’m pretty sure she was just trying to get the best angle for the belt, but that doesn’t sound quite as dramatic.  And anyway, the picture also works because in the future you may begin to think of me as perfect, and this picture will be here as a reminder that although seemingly true, I am not in fact perfect.  Just almost. 

In case you were wondering, the dinner was a smashing success, as I’m not sure it would have been if my wrap cardigan had sat there flapping in the wind the entire time.  The indian spiced sweet potato tots were my favorite appetizer, and my for my entree I chose a wonderful teriyaki salmon with roasted brusselsprouts (yes, I do in fact LIKE brusselsprouts!! And I was never even force fed them as a child) and asparagus as my meal.  It was finished off with bread pudding, one of my all time favorite desserts (it may be a fact that I say this about all desserts- but is that really a lie???), complements of the owner, who I happened to go to highschool, middle school and elementary school with. 

That wraps it up for the night.  Again, I hope you all have a Merry and Bright Christmas day, filled with family, food, fashion and cheer….and, of course, Goodwill. 

Yours always,  Jaime

Addendum A:

Socks.  I forgot socks.  Average temp while I’m here you ask?  30-40 degrees.  Socks may have been a smart addition to my 43.5 pound suitcase.  (46.2 pounds according to Ben who carried it, but who’s really counting).  I think I owe him a beer because he guessed so close.  

Q: What is something you without fail ALWAYS forget to bring on vacation??

A: Toothbrush, which I remembered this time!! 

What about you?