MMMH: Long Overdue Color Blocking

Sorry for the late post today!
Mr. Wonderful and I spent this past weekend with my family and it's throwing me off a bit.

BUT,
it was such a good time. :)

The whole reason for the visit was because my mom wanted a family picture.

The planning of it went something like this:

Mom: I've been thinking about maybe talking to everyone to see if we could have a family portrait done.  What do you think?

Me:  Okay, sure.  When were you thinking?

Mom:  Hmmm... I don't know.  Maybe in a month or so?

Me:  That sounds good.  Just let me know and we'll try to be there.

2 minutes later...

Mom:  The picture is going to be two weeks from today at 3pm!  Tell Mr. Wonderful he has to take off work!

Me:  Um, okay... I'll let him know, but I can't guarantee he'll be able to.

Mom (who has suddenly adopted The Hulk's voice):  He HAS to take off work.  Two weeks from today.  3pm.  You WILL be there.  (and now back to regular sweet mom voice) EEE!  I'm so excited!!!

::Smiles::

Lemme 'splain.

We hadn't had a family picture taken since I was in junior high... 

and I'm 26 now.

 My brother, who lives out in D.C., also came back for it.

 It was the first time he's been home in two years.

Needless to say, we were all thinking my mom would definitely want us to somehow color coordinate.  I mean, this picture was sorta kinda a HUGE deal right??!!

WRONG.

She just wanted the memory of us all together.

'Cuz she's amazing like that. :)

What's weird though, without planning anything, we all actually ended up color coordinating anyway.  LOVE my family. :)

On Repeat at Radio Amy

Parachute - Something to Believe In

Because they're awesome.

Have a great weekend everyone!!!

TTT: The Cart Wars

Photo from versacart.com

...The cart...

Thrift store tool debated for centuries.


Okay, well maybe not centuries, but at least a few years maybe??
Hmmm....

Anywho.

There's an issue.
A Battle Royale, if you will, between...

Dun, Dun, DUUUUUN!!!!

The Carters and the No-Carters


On the side of the Carters you have:

• Sir Handsfree, who provides the ability to continue delving into uncharted spaces with both hands in order to discover hidden treasures.
• Apothecary Large Quantity,  who enables large amounts of items to be claimed.
• Prince Still Feel Your Arms, who... is pretty self-explanatory I think.

On the side of the No-Carters you have:

• Squire Takes-up Space, who frequently demonstrates excellent personal space invasion tactics.
• Sir Might B. Taken, a thief who has no problem raiding your cart while you're in the dressing room or have your back turned.
• Lord Over Budget, who denies you the ability to properly estimate the total cost of your items due to cart stockpiling.

So, young thrifter,

only one question remains...

Which side are you on?

WIWW: Simple Pleasures and Photo-tastic-ness

As a style blogger, professional quality outfit photos are a must.

Hmm... Apparently I didn't get that memo.

FACT: I have a major tendency towards all things awkward.
Example:  I made my niece's birthday cake this past weekend and thought it would be fun to include cake balls with the cake itself.  No big deal.  Well, about two-thirds of the way through the drive to her party, I noticed the sunlight had started to cause some issues with condensation.  I, of course, being the wonderfully naive person I am, proceeded to exclaim, "Oh no!  My balls are sweating!"
.
.
.
Yep.
Needless to say, after that, my face matched my hair color and Mister Wonderful didn't stop laughing for the rest of the trip.


My awkwardness is actually a quality I'm pretty proud of, but in this blog's case, it makes things... difficult.  Instead of the lovely professional-style outfit photos most style bloggers post, I typically end up with something more along the lines of this:

Oh well.
At least my pups take pretty great pictures. :)

Outfit Details:

• Hair Bow:  Self-Made
• Cardigan:  Thrifted (originally from H&M)
• "Superior Hog Handling" Graphic Tee:  Thrifted
• Skinny Jeans:  Target
• Black & White Polka Dot Flats:  Walmart

TT: How to ..um... do something

Three weeks in and I'm already slacking.

I know, I know.  I'm sorry.

"But, but, but.... why?" you ask?

Well because if I didn't do this, I'd most likely have written a tutorial on something like "The Top 10 Ways To Avoid Committing a Violent Crime During Your Aunt Flow's Visit" kind of post and we all know things could get pretty ugly with that soooo....

Here are my top 4 ('cuz I gotta be different like that) favorite DIY projects out there at the moment:

1. Terrariums (aka plants that even I would have a hard time killing.)

Photo via National Geographic Kids

 Mister Wonderful and I watched a segment about terrariums on CBS Sunday Morning a few weeks back and I have been obsessed ever since.  I love the idea of being able to bring the outdoors in without having to have a green thumb. :)

2. Recycled Light Bulb Hot Air Balloons

Photo via Dollar Store Crafts

How cute are these??!!  I don't have any munchkins of my own yet, but these would definitely need to be hanging from the ceiling in their room if I did. :)

3. S'more Teacher Appreciation Bags

Photo from Dollhouse Bake Shoppe

Mr. Wonderful is a middle school teacher so I'm always on the lookout for fun and simple ways to let him know how amazing he is.  He likes to take s'mores up a notch, so I'd just need to switch out the Hershey's for some Reese's and he'd be one happy man.

4. Repurposed T-shirt Pillows

Photo from Better Homes & Gardens

If you haven't noticed by now, you probably will soon, but I love me some random sayings tees.  And the possibility of making them into cozy household items just makes me smile.

MMMH.: Simple Pleasures

Recipe for a Happy Amy:

• 1 Mister Wonderful
• 2 sweet black lab mix pups
• 1 cup of coffee (with a bit of milk and sugar)
• 1 (or one hundred) slice(s) of Marie Callender's Razzleberry Pie
• 1 blanket

Place ingredients on couch. 

Add some Paul Simon to taste.

Mister Wonderful and I attempted a movie date on Friday night...


But first we were late (I always take longer than I plan for, one would think I would plan for that).
Then, we were drenched in rain as we made the trip through the parking lot.
And finally, the fancy automated ticket seller machine refused to take our money.


So we walked our happy little water-soaked selves back through the rain to the car and began our half an hour journey over to the video store - all the while belting out various totally boss songs from the 80's.

Soo much better. :)

"Sometimes things fall apart so better things can fall together."
-Marilyn Monroe

Friday's Food For Thought

Have a wonderful weekend everyone! :)

Thrift Tip Thursday: "CHECK" Yourself Before You Wreck Yourself

"Yeah, I don't think the shirt is supposed to fit like that.  Pretty sure Mr. Gadget must have worn that last."

Don't become the subject of this thrifting-gone-bad conversation.

Always CHECK yourself before you wreck yourself.

C.are Instructions
-Always check the care instructions on a garment before you buy it.  If you're not willing to do what it says, pass it up.  In my case, no matter how cheap the price, I'm positive I'm not going to wanna to shell out the extra dough necessary to have something dry cleaned so I pass.

H.oles
-I know what you're thinking.  "Duh Amy."  But holes can be tricky lil' buggers - especially the small ones, so keep a watchful eye.

E.rror(s) in Seaming
-Unless you're looking at something that's deliberately high/low style, most items should have the same length in the front as they do in the back.  If it doesn't fit properly in the store, odds are it won't at home either... no matter how many times you iron it.

C.olor
-Always do a once over to check for stains, fading, makeup smudges, etc.  If you're unsure, hold it up to the light to get a better look.

K.ind of material
-This step is part personal preference, part quality check.  You want to make sure it won't pill or unravel or wrinkle too easily.  Basically, just ask yourself, will that fabric work for my lifestyle?  If the answer is yes, then awesome, you just scored a new top, dress, skirt, etc.!  But if the answer if no, then pass.  But it's only $3 you say!?  Don't care, you won't wear it so it'll be a waste of $3.

What I'm Wearing Wednesday

Outfit Details:

• Leather Headband - Broken, but re-purposed bracelet from Joyce Meyer Women's Conference 2011
• Feather Earrings - Self Made (check them out in My Shop)
• Dress - Thrifted
• Sandals - Target

Tutorial Tuesday: Good as Gold

I hate throwing things away.
Granted, I'm not exactly to hoarder status yet, but you could certainly classify me as a Pack-rat.

And sadly, some of the items I keep aren't even things that have nostalgic value.
I mean, I feel bad getting rid of toilet paper rolls.
I know, I know.  That's crazy.
But for me, each time I toss something, I have these "Toy Story 3" moments.  Like the items I'm getting rid of are sitting in some dark, clammy corner of a bin wondering why I don't need them anymore.

OR (one of my more frequent and less crazy thoughts) that a few days will pass and I'll think of something I could have used the item for, but,
WAN, 
WAN, 
WAAAAAA!
stupid me threw it out.

It's a vicious cycle.

But not today!
Today I figured out just what to do with an empty cereal box and a left over piece of scrapbook paper!
Here's what you'll need:

Haha!  Two seemingly useless items down!  Only about a hundred more to go! :)

*Tip: Try coating your earrings with outdoor ModPodge.  It will make them a bit more durable and add a nice shine.

My Monday Must Haves: Go with the Flow-naturale

With all of the GORGEOUS sunshine days we've been having lately, I feel like it's high time I channel my inner hippie and pay Mother Nature some much due respect.




But before I do anything, I need to announce the winners from last week's Custom Jewelry Giveaway!!!
 
BRUMMMMMMMMMMMMMMMMM (that's my drumroll impression of course) 


The winners are....


1. Marianne
and
2. Nancy


Congratulations ladies!  Shoot me an email and we'll get started on planning your custom pieces!  I can't wait! :)








Okay, back to Flowerchild Amy mode.

Pardon me while I go hug some trees. :)

Smile! It's Friday!

Clip from "New Girl" on FOX.

 

:)

Have a great weekend everybody!

Thrift Tip Thursday

Be Prepared:
5 Items to Put in Your Thrift Kit

See?  Even though I'm a girl I know the motto.
I was a boyscout once... well sort of. 
My dad was a troop leader when my bother was in scouts and I actually just got to participate on occasion...

BUT I did earn a badge (earned? given out of pity? Eh, makes no difference) so that makes it official right??

Either way, the same rule applies to thrifting.
And I prepare by bringing my handy dandy thrift kit anytime I go.

1. A list of items you're on the lookout for.
 Think of it as your grocery list of clothes.  The first time you go can be overwhelming and having a list can help narrow down your search.  A word of caution though: you can't go in expecting to come out with everything on your list.  Sometimes thrifting takes patience.  Some days you'll find armfuls, others you walk out with nadda.  That's okay, just keep the list with you for direction and you'll be sure to cross it off soon.

2. A pair of booties.
I'm not talking about you and your friends' groovin' to "Ms. New Booty" around the store... although I'm preaching to the choir 'cuz I've been known to shake it to The Jackson's "Blame It On The Boogie" while shopping on occasion. :)
I mean those little pantyhose booties they have at most shoe stores.   I can never seem to find a trash can at the store, so they usually just end up at the bottom of my purse - which works out well because most thrift stores don't have booties available if you're interested in trying on shoes. 

3. A belt.
I am an intense wear-er of skirts and dresses with belts, so I tend to stash one of my elastic waist belts in my purse for when I'm in the dressing room.  The belts easily help me determine if fabric will bunch up, if the belt won't stay in the correct spot, or if a belt is not the right style for the skirt/dress.  

4. A rewards card.
Interestingly enough, there are quite a few thrift stores with rewards programs be it student discounts, senior discounts, colored tag discounts, or actual rewards cards.  Last week, I received $2 off my purchase because of the reward points I had racked up making my $8 purchase of 2 shirts, a skirt and a pair of shoes that much more of a steal.  Check with the cashiers about possible rewards, sign-up and then keep the card with you.

And finally,  

5. A positive attitude.
Obviously, this won't fit in a nice compact container, but you should still pack it.  Thrifting is all about the hunt and unfortunately, sometimes pieces elude you.  If you don't find the item right away, think in terms of Barney Stinson and make it a "Challenge accepted".  It'll make that moment when you do find it all the sweeter.