jacket weather

I'm enjoying the warmth and color of this jacket that I bought at a thrift store last year.  The brown/gray/black buttons make it work with my brown t-shirt and black skirt.  Gold necklace and belt add a little brightness to this subdued outfit.

well-heeled

I realized I DO have a fashion post in me....sort of.  One of my favorite fashion blogs is Vintage Vixen.  This gorgeous lady is creative, daring, frugal, innovative, and (most importantly) kind.  She has an eye for vintage clothes and accessories.  In yesterday's post she explained that she buys at low enough prices that she is able to sell her clothes on ebay.  She also said about every two weeks, she spends a day repairing zippers, hems, and tears etc.

Today's
silhouette

When I read that she pays her local cobbler 2.50 pounds to reheel shoes, I was a little jealous.  (But then, I'm not sure how British pounds and American dollars actually compare.)

Remember my $.30 brown shoes?  After two wearings, I realized one of the heels was gone.  So it was off to the shoe repair shop.  It's been awhile since I've had a pair of shoes in the shop.  At the price I buy my shoes, it sometimes makes more sense to get rid of them and buy another pair for $1-3.

I really liked the comfort of these particular shoes, and considering my meager investment in them,  I reluctantly paid the $9 plus tax price to have them reheeled.  My husband picked them up Tuesday.

What's the price for reheeling in YOUR town?

a taste of home (style)

My wardrobe selections have been rather boring lately.  I have not given up posting my daily fashion choices permanently...just for a week or two.

Meanwhile, I'm thrilled to have found these two white pitchers to add to my white pitcher collection.  They were at my favorite thrift store this week.  (That's a photo of my paternal grandparents in the back.)

Many of the pitchers sit behind the windows of this golden oak cabinet--one of the earlier pieces we acquired in our married life.  It was (literally) found in pieces and rebuilt by my husband.  It has survived many cross-country moves and found a place in the many homes in which we have lived.

On top of the cabinet currently:  

A swan and crow, two pieces of my Pfalsgraph pottery 

& a white Christmas poinsettia. 

populating my creches

I feel rather fortunate to have acquired these 4 nativity figures sculpted by Dr. Tom Clark.  His bio is VERY interesting!  He is well-known for his "Woodspirits", forest-dwelling gnomes.  Since these are the only four pieces that I have, I wonder if someone who collects Clark might be interested in adding them to their collection...

If I still have Mary, Joseph, Casper and Balthazer at Christmas time, they will be added to my miscellaneous nativity figures that people my creches.

what's new here?

Black denim jeans & vest - from thrift store to closet shelves...

What's new is this triple strand necklace.  It was in a $.25 see-through bag of jewelry that I bought recently at a church rummage sale--MAINLY because I thought I saw an (genuine) ivory necklace.

I haven't tested the ivory necklace yet.  It's a little primitive, but I'm optimistic.  I was going to throw this necklace away but decided it was worth keeping.  It has one silver strand and two off-white.

not much, but something

A view into our library/music room - with me, wearing grey skirt, black shirt, black suede shoes, and gold belt.  All thrifted.  I've been too busy outside to post outfits lately... Can you see one of my dollhouses over my right shoulder?  The chandelier is one I found for $5 at a thrift store.  My husband hung it to replace the blah light fixture that came with the house.

my new denim

Black velvet is my new denim!  At least temporarily.   

It's comfortable & versatile.  

Here with a powder blue tee shirt.
Maybe I'll throw on my black denim vest before I leave the house.

Last night while my husband watched football,  I covered an empty match box with wall paper remnants (cut out part of the design for the ends).  I used mod podge to fasten it and applied a coat to top it off.  Then I placed two pumpkin pie spice candles in it to give to a friend when she comes for tea this morning.  Hope she likes it!

 I think a few of you were wondering what I'd do with my recently acquired "flower frogs".  Well, I MIGHT use this one to hold recipes.  I've also seen them holding photos or Victorian postcards or calling cards...

 This type (below) can be used to hold pens and pencils -- or simply as a paperweight.

What are you repurposing or creating this week?

simplicity

A lot goes into simplicity.

Choosing to say "No" to things, isn't easy.
What you keep out is as important as what you put in.

sorry no more

We "stumbled" on a church rummage sale this afternoon.  I've learned that if you're not there when the doors open (in this case, early this morning), you miss some of the "prime" merchandise! So, I was thrilled to find these four flower frogs.  They are all quite large - like maybe 4" diameters!  Things weren't priced at this particular sale.  Donations were the order of the day.

I used to have quite a collection of these.  Then one day I sold them at a garage sale.  I've been sorry ever since!  Now I'm Sorry No More.

Here I am - dressed and ready before dawn.  Today I speak on the subject of "Simplicity" at a Ladies' Event - 2 sessions.

I've chosen to wear my $.50 brown cowl neck sweater & $.50 black velvet skirt.  The brown shoes cost me $.30!   I feel appropriately simple & reasonably attractive in my "browns and black".

Jewelry?  A simple gold chain necklace and two unmatched gold hoop earrings.

(Yes.  I see the disarray in my living room.)

holiday style

Click on the picture above for the scoop on THIS Thrifty Style!

I purchased the two strands of orange lights two years ago 
at an After-Halloween clearance sale ($.74@).
I stored them so well that I found them only a few days ago!
(Organized storage is another whole subject!)

  

With so much excitement going on around our house,

I'm keeping today's outfit simple.

(No comments necessary.)

the aftermath of success

After some positive comments about THIS look (and feeling a little more confidence in myself), I checked out the hosiery department while I was grocery shopping earlier this week.  Imagine my delight when I found a sale--Buy 1/Get 1 Free!

Not only that, but these 3-Way lightbulbs were drastically reduced!  We seem to run out of them quite a bit.  One or the other setting wears out before the others...(do YOU have that problem?)

For some reason, I am having difficulty letting go of the old-time lightbulbs, so finding 6 of these 3-Ways provides me with a few years of security.

 

I'm not a shop-o-holic. But when I go to get groceries, I make a round of the entire store with an eye to "specials".  I have my "route" and it doesn't take me long.   I like to stock up when I see a GOOD sale, and I am disciplined enough not to buy something just because it's a good deal--usually.  

Examples of what I wait for GOOD sales to stock up on are: deodorant, shampoo, shaving cream, men's razor blades, toilet paper, paper towels (occasionally), trash bags, coffee, rice, sugar, flour, peanut butter, and  Shredded Wheat cereal.

dreamin' and doin'

Dreamin' and doin' today so that in the near future I can wear stretchy tops like this without displaying the extra padding I've been carrying lately!  I DO enjoy its color...The outfit is simple enough to carry me through errands including:  a haircut, library visit, purchasing a new (inexpensive watch) and some serious study to prepare for a speaking engagement this weekend.  All thrifted - including the shoes which I've not worn much.

An additional chore awaits me 

and THIS photo is a good indicator!

Read more HERE.

the price was right...

sea shells/star fish

I'm not sure ANYTHING else is...

Well, maybe the buttons.

simple shower "senterpieces"

 Above: the tables decorated...

 ...with a triangular construction of alphabet puzzle pieces topped with a balloon and streamers.

 With the leftover pieces, we created a mini-tower for the corner of the refreshment table.

I got the idea while walking the aisles of Meijer looking for inspiration. 

The Puzzle Mat will be my gift to the baby.

$1.30

We went out of state to thrift today!  (Actually, we don't live so far from the OH state line.)  There is a thrift store that is open for very unusual and limited hours.  Fridays from 11:00 - 7:00  are some of them.  The prices are amazing!  I got this sweater/top for $.50. I also bought a black velvet skirt with an interesting "cut".  It's airing out on the clothesline as I write.

I plan to wear this brown sweater with the black skirt.  I'll also wear these SUPER comfortable shoes that were only $.30!!!  I think it will make an appropriate outfit to speak at a Ladies' Day event on the topic of simplicity a week from tomorrow.

denim jacket season

Just returned from a short walk to mail a  bill payment.  Paused for this picture on our front porch...

...these hooks are behind a door near our front entrance...

It's denim jacket time!

monday meanderings

 Another light weight wool jacket...This one goes well with my blue denim capris--worn with black long-sleeved Tee and a turquoise pendant necklace.

I found these two plastic pumpkins and the table runner while looking for something else!  The runner fits nicely on my newly refinished table and the colors match the chair seats.  (I'd totally forgotten that I had these item..)  I made the white ceramic pumpkin at a ceramic shop last year about this time.  I'm SO glad I made it white.  White pumpkins are my favorites.

After a couple of meetings this morning, I prepared and combined the ingredients for hamburger soup (mostly vegetables).  It's cooking on the stovetop right now - creating a WONDERFUL scent in the whole house!  It is a huge recipe, so I plan to run some to a friend who is in pain with a pinched nerve.  It's a beautiful day here--just a bit cool.

another mission accomplished

 I've posted it everywhere else -- so I might as well include it here!  For the full story, go to my

MAIN BLOG.

Suffice it to say here that I found the fabric (all of it, plus enough to do one more seat and maybe a small pillow) at my favorite thrift store on Saturday for $1.

autumn wear/ware/where!

The morning chill gives me a perfect reason to bring out this light-weight wool jacket.  It is one of my favorites!  Comfortable and well-cut...

 This day is the epitome of autumn....I celebrate by placing these gourds on a plant stand on our front steps! My clothes and plant stand were all thrift store purchases. 

The gourds were gifts from a friend.