Space-y?

      Friday night I went to a space themed dance party in the soon to be demolished old HQ for a local charity. Since it was space themed, and I love an excuse to dress in theme,  I was all ready to get together a cheap and easy alien outfit. Ideally if money and time had been no object I would have worn some sort of galaxy print dress/clothing item like this one rocked by Bronny of Fat Aus, alas time and money were a factor. So, my main inspiration was Karen Walker's 2012 Sunglasses ad. I saw them on Pinterest a few months ago and immediately thought they'd be a perfect inspiration since I don't own any overtly space-y items. I figured I'd get or make some antenna, wear some over-sized sunglasses and a white T-shirt with a black skirt and call it a day.

Karen Walker 2012 Sunglasses Ads;  Image Via Miss Mondo

Unfortunately I woke up Friday feeling all kids of icky and had no desire to go to Party City and see if they had any antenna or try and make some of my own. Fortunately by the time the party was starting I felt a lot better and did end up going, but since I didn't have any antenna I went with plan B.

OK so I couldn't resist to add a little "space" to my pictures too.

Dress:Thrift  Necklace:ASOS  Tights:Target  Boots:Gifted

So, I wore my grey dress that's kind of space-y (in that it's grey?) and then accessorized. I ended up wearing my gold ASOS collar necklace with it because it seemed more space-y. I also went with boots since I was planning to dance a lot and didn't really feel like wearing flats. I think the boots were a good idea since it made the outfit a bit more casual and they were perfect to dance in. When I got there most people really weren't in costume. All that planning for nothing! But there were a few people dressed up,  notably two people who made impressive cardboard robot outfits that kind of reminded me of  Pokemon (sorry no pictures). I probably could have gone a lot more casual, since most people were wearing jeans, but I don't think I looked out of place. Anyway it was a good time and reminder that I need to go out dancing more!
                                                                

These are few of my favorite things (this week)

1.  This easy and delicious crock pot chicken taco recipe. 

It's so easy and you have tacos for days, delicious days. Pinterest has become one of my go-to recipe sites.

2. This tortilla soup recipe from Delightfully Tacky. 

image via Delightfully Tacky

If you get sick of eating tacos you can take that meat and make this delicious soup. Oh. My. God. It's so good! You get a delicious mouthful with each yummy bite.

3. Murder to Excellence by Jay Z and Kanye.

 I finally downloaded The Throne by Jay Z and Kanye a couple weeks ago and this is definitely one of my favorite song from it.

4. Pencil skirt inspiration. 

 via Adore Vintage 

Via Karla's Closet

I got a cute purple pencil skirt last year and have only worn it once, so I've been harvesting pencil skirt inspiration from blogs I follow and Pinterest. The two above and this one are my favorites so far.

Western-y

Top and Skirt: Thrifted Tights & Belt: Target  Boots: Gifted Necklace: Stella and Dot (gifted)

          As much as I love this skirt I haven't worn it as much as I'd like.  I got it at the end of August last year and when I figured out a good outfit for it (posted here) I just repeated it until temperatures turned colder. I hadn't bothered to really think up any new outfits for the skirt until I thrifted this shirt and was thinking of different things I could pair it with.  Anyway I really like this outfit, if you couldn't tell. I've figured out that the more I like an outfit the more pictures I add to a post. Anyway this is also the first time I've worn my stella and dot necklace. I'm not really sure why I haven't worn it more, but you'll definitely be seeing it more in the future.  I was hoping to wear this outfit sans tights, but the weather here is still a bit dreary. It rained most of the past week and temps have varied from mild to downright cold. I decided I didn't want to wait any longer and threw on the tights. 

            I wore this last Friday to go to an estate sale and attend possibly the most awkward Mary Kay Party ever. The estate sale had a lot of cool mid century chairs, but by the time I got there they were all gone. I did get the cool 50's snack set and a small Pyrex bowl I mentioned in the previous post. The one thing that can kind of suck about Estate sales is that if you see something cool, unless you get up at the crack of dawn and get in line early, it'll probably be gone by the time you get there. Antique dealers and people who make a living re-selling items are quick to wake up early and get some of the most desirable pieces. Since I don't have my own place, only have limited space, have limited funds and am not a morning person I generally don't get up and wait in line at estate sales. I have gotten up earlier for an estate sale but it was the second day (50% off day) and we had been there the day before and knew the items we wanted would still be there the next day for cheaper. I suppose if I really saw something I couldn't live without I may get up early to go to a sale but for now I sleep in and wait and see what's left. If what I wanted is gone it's OK, it saves me some money. 

Thrift/Estate Sale Haul

       One of my New Years resolutions was to read more, I'm even trying to do the 50/365 challenge this year (read 50 books by the end of the year) so I've been going to the library a lot more recently. Since I've been going out randomly during the week to return or pick up books from the library, I decided to visit some thrift stores while I'm out and about. I don't expect to buy things and mostly just browse to see if I can find anything cool during the week. I haven't really found anything amazing yet but I have found a few good things. I did though find a semi-cool mid century side board but it seemed cheap-ish so I passed on it and then I saw it on a local vintage re-seller's facebook page. I'm not sure if I regret it. It did seem cheapish, it didn't have a lot of storage, but it was kind of cool. I dunno next time I find some cool furniture I'll definitely be thinking about it more. Anyway here are some of the things I've found in the last few weeks from thrift stores and estate sales.

      One of the pretty sweet things I found recently was this Green Wheat Pyrex dish. Though I didn't find the cradle or lid it originally came with, It's probably my favorite Pyrex find so far. It's a little scratched and isn't exactly mint, but it's so pretty! Now I just have to find the lid and cradle it originally came with.

           
            I also found some cute vintage shoes! I don't have any qualms about buying shoes from a thrift store, I'm not much of a germ-a-phoebe and as long as they're in good shape I'm willing to buy. The only problem is there seems to be a lot fewer shoes at thrift stores in my size. So far I've only found two pairs of shoes (these included) at a thrift store. This can be kind of annoying since I've found some designer shoes, mostly Salvatore Feragamo, in thrift stores but they've all been too big. Anyway I found these nude (vinatge?) pointy toe shoes a couple weeks ago and kind of love them. The pointy toe classic pumps have been all over the runways of late, and I really like the way they look. They have a nice classic silhouette and the heel isn't too high so I can wear them more often.
  

       I've also found some good things at Estate sales. I had seen this snack set at another estate sale a couple months ago but it was gone when I got there. So, when I saw that this snack set was still available at a recent estate sale I had to get it. I like the cool retro floral design on it. I think the "flowers" kind of look like a certain weed though, which is fitting since I bought it on 4/20.

At the same estate sale I found this Early American small Pyrex mixing bowl.

That's all for now. Until next time, Happy Thrifts!


 

Dot-ing it and Dot-ing it and Dot-ing it well

Photo bombed by Tang yet again

Top & Pants : Thrifted Cardigan: Vintage Boots: Gifted

        The weather has gotten colder in recent weeks, well not really "cold" as it's normal temps for April, cold in the sense that we had highs in the 70's just a few weeks ago. Anyway this "cold" snap has allowed me to show you some of the cold weather outfits I didn't have the chance to Blog earlier this year. I'd been dying to debut this outfit for a while, I conceived of it while watching the Nate Berkus show last year. Nate had a fashion-y person on who put together an outfit using camel and polka-dots. While watching I though hey I have something like that! Unfortunately my lovely polka-dot shirt is a tad bit short and I was in need of high waisted jeans to pull off the look. Luckily I thrifted these pants a couple months ago and was finally able to live out my outfit in real life. I have to admit I'm pretty happy with how the outfit turned out. I got the top a year or so ago but haven't really been able to wear it. It's a bit short and it kind of has a peplum at the bottom. The shortness of the shirt means that the peplum hits at a rather unflattering place, on the tummy. So the best ways I've found to wear it is tucked in or under a cardigan/blazer. Despite it's limitations I'm still in love with the shirt and will be wearing it a lot more this summer. I know you're probably sick to death of this cardigan but I love it, so I can't help adding it to outfits when it's cold. It's a perfect neutral color and it's cashmere so it's incredibly soft and warm. Every time I wear it I think I need to add more cashmere to my wardrobe. Anyway  I'll try and do more outfits without the cardigan and if that doesn't work I obviously won't be sporting this cardi in the summer. 

         I wore this outfit to go pick up a copy of The Hunger Games from the library and check out some thrift stores. I finally got a super savers card, I tried to do it earlier but my printer wasn't cooperating that day. Anyway I go to savers regularly so I might as well receive some of the benefits that go with the super savers card. I still haven't seen the Hunger Games movie, but plan to soon. I just started the book, it's a pretty easy read and think I'll finish it soon. Oh and you may have noticed I got new glasses! I got these from Coastal Contacts. I wish the plastic part on top was a tad thicker but I like them.  I would definitely recommend Coastal, they have cute cheap glasses and if you order for the first time with them and put in the code FIRSTPAIRFREE they'll give you a huge discount. My order also came speedily (in just a couple days) and shipping was free! I like that now I have more options with my eye-wear. I can wear my old glasses, these new ones or go with contacts whenever I want to change up my look.

New Additions: Meet Oliver

He's a total nip fiend.

And as you can see, he's a total ham.

        A couple months ago this guy waltzed through our front door and shook things up. I'd seen him roaming around the brick ledge of our house from time to time, then a couple days later my mom almost hit him while he was eating out of a McDonald's bag in the middle of the street. She brought him in the house and there he's stayed ever since. He was a little tough to love in the beginning because he wasn't neutered and was cray-zy. But he was very sweet when he wasn't in a hormonal craze, so we got him fixed and now he's perrrfect. The only problem is our other cats aren't real fond of him, he's an attention hog, but I think they'll warm up to him in no time. Anyway this is Oliver, the pleasure's all his.

Happy Easter!!

Image via Google Images

  

Have a Happy Easter!!!

     And an even better  50% off Easter candy Monday!!

Pyradical

   
       Since venturing in to the wide world of Pyrex and other retro cookware (but mostly Pyrex) I've been amazed at the wealth of knowledge available through blogs on the subject. For example I know of five blogs devoted solely to Pyrex. It's nice for research purposes, most of the work is done for you, but still a bit odd. Every time I visit one such site I imagine a person out in the world with and encyclopedic knowledge of all things Pyrex. Said person is like half human half Pyrex fact spewing robot, they can spot Pyrex from a mile away and bark out it's model number in a nano second. Kind of like that 80's show Small wonder, except the person only knows about retro cookery.
        Anyway I went to the second day on an estate sale last Sunday that had pictures of two pieces of Pyrex online. One was a small pink one that I was more interested in but was gone by the time we go there, the other was the piece above. I actually kind of like the piece it looks oddly good in our living room and it strays a bit from the traditional Pyrex designs. I got it for 3 bucks and that included it's shmancy warmer, score. After that we tried to find a thrift store we had passed earlier to no avail and then went to a thrift store we knew how to get to. I got a few tops there and vintage jacket/sweater. A pretty good thrift day. I'm definitely going to go back to visit the two thrift store we saw near the estate sale. Thrift stores in the suburbs/ outer metro can be gold mines.

Bullseye

 

 

Top, Pants, and Shoes: Target  Cardigan: Thrift (Thakoon for Target) Satchel: Thrift (originally Target)  Bracelets: gifted   Earrings: forever21

       Okay so enough lists lets get to the good stuff, I finally have an outfit post! Usually 99% of my outfit doesn't come from one store, but in this outfit I seem to be a walking billboard for Target. It's cool though I like Target, they're a Minnesota company (Target HQ is in downtown Minneapolis) and they donate big time to local thrift stores, so really I can't complain.
       I wore this Sunday to go to an estate sale and do some thrifting. After a week of cold weather and grey skies Sunday was sunny and warm, a welcome change. I had a whole outfit planned to wear that day but it was planned for a slightly colder day, so I changed it up a bit and went with this one. I bought the pants a couple weeks ago when the target gift card I got from my uncle for my birthday (last November) was finally burning a hole in my pocket. I didn't expect to find anything but actually came away with two really lovely things. I recently fell for the colored pant trend so when I saw these I knew I had to get them. They're supposed to be ankle length but since I'm a lowly 5'0 1/2  (5'1 if you like to round up) they're just regular pant length on me. A lot of times pants that are made ankle length or capri look terrible on me because they either have an odd hem at the bottom or make me look even shorter. Thankfully with the skinny leg on these pants they don't look odd on my short frame. The T-shirt is an oldie I got a couple years ago from Target that is really comfortable and slouchy. It wasn't really warm enough to go without a cardigan so I threw this Thakoon for Target cardi I thrifted a couple years ago on to keep warm. I accessorized with Forever 21 earrings and these pastel bracelets I got a million years ago from my grandma that now are on trend, go figure. Anyway I really like how the outfit turned out and you'll definitely be seeing more of these pants in future posts.

Summer Wishlist

Summer Wishlist by cleopatrajonez featuring a lace dress

With warmer weather, green grass and buds on trees I find myself pining for the long warm days of summer. Of course this also means dreaming up outfits for those warm summer days and nights. The list above is a collection of things I'm currently looking for in thrift stores, possibly DIY projects and some items I'm contemplating buying retail. This set is maxi free because I've recently acquired two maxi skirts, so they're no longer on the top of my look-for list. 

1. Lace dress. I haven't been sure whether or not to get a lace dress for awhile. Now I'm kind of sold on the idea and am on the look out for a cute lace dress.

2. A Cute pair of wedges. Though I have a pair of cute thrifted wedges I'm still on the lookout for a nice pair of strappy wedges. I'm also looking for some more flats since most of mine have seen better days.

3.  Retro inspired Glasses. Though I still love my current glasses I've been pining for a new pair for a while. I'm pretty into the retro inspired styles that are trendy at the moment. I figure since my current glasses are pretty classic I can go for a trendier look. At first I wanted a wayfarer but now I'm leaning towards the half-rim wayfarer-esque ones above. 

4. A cute and easy summer dress. I have a bunch of dresses but I'm always on the lookout for a fun flirty summer dress . Basically a dress that's light and breezy and works well from day to night. 

5. Black and white striped T. I've been looking for a while for a chunkier black and white striped T-shirt. I plan to pair it with my new maxi skirts for a cute and casual look. So far I've had no luck at the thrift store and am tempted to buy the one above from Zara. 

6. Collar. Collars have been trendy or awhile but for one reason or another I haven't acquired any clothes with collars or any detachable ones. I'm currently looking for a detachable one that tickles my fancy. I'd love to find a really cool vintage one or a cheap one. I've also seen some really cool peter pan collar DIY's that I might try as well.

7. Chambray button down. I've been looking for a chambray button down for the last month or so. This is another thing I plan to pair with my new maxi's. I've found some in thrift stores but none were perfect, so the search goes on. The one above is from Old Navy and I'm slightly tempted to buy it, but I still have that voice in the back of my head that knows I can find one for cheap at the thrift store. 

8. Colored Pants. I didn't jump on this trend when it emerged this fall but I'm now ready to embrace the look. I got some cobalt pants from Target that I love and now colored pants have made it onto my list of things to look for at the thrift store.