{Goodwill > Target}

If you know me at all, you are aware of the fact that I'm a bit obsessed with Target and midcentury design.

So when I saw this lamp on our last Target trip I fell in love.

But not with the $65.99 price tag. I refuse to pay that for a Target lamp, or a Target anything for that matter. Target is for clearance deals, the dollar spot, and cheap popcorn.

So the lamp stayed on the shelf.

Fast forward a week, perusing the aisles at my local Goodwill, I spotted this!

Sure it was more than a bit dingy and the shade wasn't the right scale, but otherwise it was perfection. 

And $6.99. 

So I brought it home, spiffed it up with a fresh coat of white paint, added a shade I already had hanging out in our laundry room, and voila!

I wish the details are more visible in this photo, but you can see them in the before. I'm in love with the texture and pattern on the base, and that wood makes me drool. So good. 

Is there anything better than a fantastic thrifted find? I think not.

Have you scored any awesome thrifted deals lately? Show me! Oh, and if you want more tips on Goodwill shopping, check out my 5 Rules for Scoring Big at Goodwill!

XO,

{what's in my bag}

This shop is part of a social shopper marketing insight campaign with Pollinate Media Group™ and U by Kotex but all my opinions are my own. #pmedia #UbKKmart  http://my-disclosur.es/OBsstV

It is pretty much a standing joke with my family and friends that I always carry a huge handbag.

I need something that can carry not only the essentials, but also my drawing pad and markers, snacks, work materials and sometimes my water bottle. Not to mention random stuff for the boys.

My current bag is one of my best ever thrifting finds...

...this lovely Fossil tote.

The pattern is so whimsical and fun, and matches my new Hobby Lobby pillow quite nicely, don't ya think?

It is also super roomy which is just how I like it. Lots of pockets and places for all of my "necessities."

Wanna see what's in there?

First of all, let's be honest. This is what was left after I threw away the random receipts, gum and chocolate wrappers, and other miscellaneous trash.

1. Shop Zeeuh coffee cozy
2. Bliss lemon + sage body butter {this stuff smells sooo good and is great on dry hands}
3. Doublemint gum...my hands down favorite.
4. Dove dark chocolates. These are a MUST have.
5. Business cards from moo.com in a cute holder from Moxie Mandie
6. Nine West wallet...a TJ Maxx find.
7. C.O. Bigelow lipgloss from Bath and Body Works
8. Cute owl pouch {can't remember the shop}
9. U by Kotex pads and tampons
10. Drawing pad and markers in my Orla Kiely pouch

Now I may joke about the chocolates being a necessity, but one thing in that list surely is. 

Yep...those things.

I honestly never thought about seeking out colorful "that time of the month" products, but these from U by Kotex are pretty darn cute. 

Can I call tampons cute? 

What the heck...I just did. 

The wrappers are my favorite colors. I mean come on...I'll take anything I can get to add some fun to that time of the month. 

I shopped for these UbK products at Kmart and was happy to find out that you can use their new Shop Your Way program to save $3 on a purchase of 2 UbK items. 

You can sign up for Shop Your Way here!

What about you...do you look for fun feminine products? What necessities do you carry in your bag?

XO,

{playing dress up}

I'm going to ignore the fact that it is SNOWING outside right now, and focus on the fact that tomorrow it is going to be 50 degrees, so I'm declaring spring is here! 

And in honor of this momentous occasion, I've been having some fun with color. I have two new-ish orange sweaters that I paired this past week with two different springy colors.

The first was this Lucky brand open weave sweater I found on clearance at TJ Maxx...

I paired it with a sheer yellow button down I bought on Instagram and really love how springy it feels...and how different it is for me. I never wear this much color, especially these two colors. And the white polka dots on the top are so fun! 

Last week I scored this slouchy light-weight orange sweater at Goodwill...

See the pockets? Love little details like that. 

Yesterday I paired it with a light turquoise top from TJ Maxx...

This sweater is super comfy and perfect for this in-between seasons weather. I am so excited for spring colors and lighter-weight clothing!

Do you have orange pieces in your wardrobe? What color do you like to pair it with?

XO,

{hello friday}

This week has been one for the record books.

The temps have dipped down under zero most days. Not typical for around here. We're used to cold winters but this is taking it to a whole other, very cold, level.

And on Tuesday I got some mail that I had been waiting for that could be a game changer for me...

You know its a big deal when my hubby doesn't even complain about taking my picture. :)

I wish I could share more details right now, but all I can say is that FedEx envelope held something so exciting for me that I keep going back and forth between ridiculous excitement, grateful tears, and the usual human response of "this is too good to be true". 

I'm sharing this with you all because you have been some of my biggest cheerleaders. You've been with me for years...through my early scrapbooking days, the birth of my boys, my random DIY adventures, and most recently my transformation into an artist. 

And I promise I'll share more fun details when I can..so hang in there with me, OK? :) 

Until then, here are a few more photos from my week...

Working on a custom order "one little word" doodle...

You can order your own here.

Watching the boys cook with their Gigi...

Documenting the every day stuff....like laundry...

Playing legos while enjoying the sunset view from our front window...

Finding some treasures at Goodwill and TJ Maxx...

You can see how I wore the pants here.

Keeping up with workouts...

Working on some new pieces with a dreamcatcher theme...

Working on homework...

Landon isn't asleep, I promise. :)

Getting some inspiration from this book...

And trying to stay warm...

What did your week look like?

XO,

{playing dress up}

Happy Wednesday friends!

It is FREEZING here in Indiana but I managed to get gussied up yesterday. 

{just for you} 

I found some great deep turquoise cords on clearance at TJ Maxx on Monday so I just had to wear them...

And see that Fossil bag?! 

$20 at Goodwill. I kid you not. 

The thrifting Gods were looking down on me majorly. 

So here is how I styled my new cords...

The grey top and scarf are also from TJ's...earrings from Kohl's, thrifted sweater, and boots my go-to's from Ebay. They are lined and the warmest thing I have in these near zero temps. 

I haven't switched over to the bag yet {even though I'm dying to!} because it doesn't have a cross-body strap and wearing a shoulder bag with a winter coat is one of the most annoying things. Right? 

Ahhh I'm dreaming of non-coat weather so much right now. 

Actually the 40's would work for me. A high of 14 just isn't cutting it.

What have you been wearing this week?

XO,

{fashionably flexible with HP + Intel}

If there is one thing I love about fashion, it is finding pieces that I can use in many different ways in my wardrobe.

Whether it be a statement necklace, a flattering dress, or a classic chambray shirt, a flexible wardrobe staple can really be a girl's best friend. Today I'm going to share with you some of my favorite fashionably flexible items, as well as an exciting contest from HP + Intel and Project Runway. {my FAVORITE reality shows ever by the way!}

Let's start with my favorite statement necklace. It was thrifted and I love the color, chunky beads, and how versatile it is...

Next is my favorite dress from Kohl's. I love the bold peacock pattern, mix of my favorite colors, and the fit is super flattering. Oh, and it was $5 on clearance!

And finally, a piece that I've come to rely on a few times a week because it is so versatile...and was also thrifted...my chambray shirt...

I don't know what I would do without these and a few other flexible, staple pieces in my wardrobe. They take a lot of the fuss out of getting dressed in the morning.

Another great place to find ideas for a flexible wardrobe is Pinterest, and HP + Intel + Project Runway are hosting a Pin Your Style contest!

Just like Project Runway contestants show off their personal fashion every week, HP + Intel want you to Pin Your Style. It’s simple: create chic boards inspired by the weekly themes, then vote for your favorites for a chance to win fabulous HP notebooks with Intel® processors and more.

Want to participate?
Pin a photo of the HP Envy x2 with Intel Inside® via the Pin It button on the Pin Your Style contest page. Then, build a board that represents that week's theme. Check out the weekly Pinsetter images on the site for inspiration.

Submit your board's URL into the site to enter. Then, share your board with friends to earn the most votes!

Win prizes like an HP Envy x2 with Intel Inside® and a gift card to bring your style to life by getting the top votes for your board.

Do you have a favorite, flexible piece in your wardrobe? Tell me about it in the comments! Better yet, link to a photo or a blog post about it!

I was selected for this opportunity as a member of Clever Girls Collective, and the content and opinions expressed here are all my own.

{5 rules for scoring big at Goodwill}

One of my newest loves is thrift shopping, and I've really been enjoying the thrill of hunting for treasure at Goodwill. I used to think that it was pointless to look at Goodwill for clothing, and that the home section was just about as useless. But recently I started shopping there with a new perspective and a new list of rules, and I've been so excited with what I've found.

I thought it would be fun to put together my 5 rules for scoring big at Goodwill to help you get the best out of your thrifting adventures as well!

 

1. Have an open mind + a mental list

Of course I always go thrift shopping with an open mind, but there is usually at least one item of clothing or accessory for our home that I've been looking for. So I always look with those things in mind. If you don't have a lot of time to shop, this helps you to speed through the racks a bit quicker.

For example, the last time I went to Goodwill I remembered that I really wanted to find a tan corduroy skirt, so when I got to the skirt aisle I headed straight for the tans/browns {#2 talks about taking advantage of Goodwill's color coding} and immediately my eyes zeroed in on a tan corduroy number. It was a size 10 from the Gap. Sometimes a 10 is too tight on me but I tried it on anyway and it was a perfect fit!

{I also found this great Kohl's top}

One thing I've learned from trying on thrifted clothes is that you really can't discount something because it isn't the size your normally wear. Most things have been washed/dried so they might have shrunk. Also...a piece might be juniors which means you'll need a larger size, and different brands all run differently. If it looks like it might even possibly fit, try it on!

2. Take advantage of color coding

I really love how Goodwill has their clothing color coded. This helps tremendously, especially when you have a certain item/color in mind. Lately I've been searching for a mustard colored top so every time I go in, I make sure to check that section. I almost always skip over the bright reds because I just don't look good in that color. You can save SO much time by skipping the color sections you have no interest in and focusing on your favorites.

3. Zone in on quality + pattern

One of my best tips for zooming through the clothing racks at Goodwill is skipping over things that are too worn. At our Goodwill, probably 75% of the clothes are faded, pilly, and overall just old and too worn to be worth taking a second look. So when I'm looking through the clothing racks, I quickly scan over each piece, passing over anything that looks worn, faded, stretched out, or just isn't a color/pattern that appeals to me.

When I see a piece that looks like a high quality fabric, a trendy/modern pattern, an appealing color, or if I notice a name brand tag that appeals to me, those are the pieces I pull off of the rack to give them a once over. One great example of this rule is this cardigan I snagged a few months ago...

One of my best Goodwill finds to date.

It fits in with the tribal print pattern that is so trendy right now, but instead of spending $50+ on a cardigan, I only handed over $4 and some change.

Two things that made this cardigan stand out to me on the rack were: 1. the high quality of the knit {no pills/snags}, and 2. the tribal print. It did have dated buttons, but I knew that was something I could easily switch out, which I did right away for just a few dollars...

4. Look for multiples

source

Most Goodwill stores carry clearances items from stores like Target, and they usually have multiples of the same items. One quick way to find these brand new with tags pieces in the clothing section is to look for more than one of the same piece together on the rack. Since almost all Goodwill clothing pieces are one of a kind, you know when you see multiples of the same top or pants that they are probably brand new.

The same goes for the housewares section. The last time I visited our Goodwill I noticed a shelf full of the same trendy looking vase. Sure enough...they were brand new pieces from Target. So keep your eyes open for multiples!

5. Search high and low

In the housewares section, things can get a bit messy. I know in our Goodwill, there is no rhyme or reason for how things are displayed in some of the aisles. The Target plates that I recently found above were shoved on the top and bottom shelves and buried under a bunch of other random things. I gasped out loud when I found them...I had been coveting this stuff at Target but hadn't purchased anything so these were a really fun find. So when it comes to the housewares, It can really pay off to look through everything. 

So if you haven't shopped at Goodwill before, I hope these rules and my experiences have motivated you to give it a shot.

Or, are you a veteran thrift shopper? What is your best thrifting tip? Please share in the comments!