Dress Like A Princess: The Wonder Of Kate

Once upon a time, commoners had no hope of dressing like royalty. Class lines were very well defined. Farmers and the merchants in town didn't wear velvet, purple or golden crowns. You could tell, just with a glance, who rode the royal steed, and who cleaned up after them.

Until Diana.

When 19 year old Diana Spencer burst onto the scene in the early 80's, you could tell that change was in the air. Sure, she wore her share of designer originals and priceless jewels, but she also picked gorgeous stuff right off the racks. Whatever fashion missteps she made as a new bride, she learned from and went on to become one of the premier icons of the 20th century.

The media couldn't get enough of her. Every outfit was fully documented in the press. Sure, she goofed every now and then, but more times than not, her wardrobe was breathtaking, and it came with a promise: you could dress like Diana, too.

When she died in August 1997, the world lost someone unlike anyone we'd ever known. She encompassed so many areas of life, and still today, there's a giant hole where Diana once ruled in our lives and hearts. Not just in fashion, but in compassion, in mothering, and in working the press.

I think Diana would be beyond thrilled with the choice her son William made in a wife. Dear Kate Middleton seems to embody the image Diana pioneered back when royalty was untouchable.

Beautiful, athletic, warm and possessing the common touch Diana had with the crowds that came to see her, Kate has taken her predessor's goals a bit further. She is more careful in her dealings with the press, and she hardly makes a mistake. The royal family has learned their lesson and is more protective of Kate than they were with Diana. An added bonus: William and Kate are truly in love. They dated for years and made sure marriage was the right next step. As far as I can tell, there's no Camilla waiting the wings :P

Aside from the gorgeous custom made gowns Kate has worn for lavish functions, her daily wardrobe is one we normal folks can emulate. Take a look at the pictures above: there's no reason these outfits couldn't be duplicated with budget friendly pieces. Even from a thrift store! Kate's whole persona says classy, yet accessible.

Another endearing Kate-trait: she re-wears clothes! It's not unheard of for a dress worn 5 years before to crop up again for another function, this time reworked with different jewelry, hat and accessories. She even swaps clothes with her equally gorgeous and fashionable mum and sis. She also mixes high-low, meaning those priceless earrings from Queen Elizabeth might be worn with a cute dress she bought online from a store like Zara and Topshop. Sounds like..........us?

I admit it, I have as big a girl crush on Kate that I did on Diana. There's something irresistable about a woman who strives to looks as polished as possible, yet also has interests outside herself and her clothes. Getting ready in the morning, checking it all out before you leave to make sure everything's perfect, and then forgetting yourself as you walk out that door so you can do your best and serve others.

That's my idea of a princess :)

Cubic Zirconia: Go Hard Or Go Home

A piece of good cubic zirconia jewelry is da bomb. If you make sure it looks as close to a real diamond as possible, you can snow everyone. Sometimes even a jeweler.

When I was a teenager, I liked my jewelry dainty. Precious little rings, earrings and bracelets were my forte. I also weighed 115 pounds, so anything larger might have sunk me. Lauren Conrad jewelry at Kohl's reminds me very much of my early jewelry. Very cute......but SMALL.

The older I get, the more I like the bigger stuff. I have yet to reach Elizabeth Taylor/Hope Diamond proportions, but I'm not ruling it out for my golden years. Hey, why wear the stuff if no one can see it. I wear my jewelry for ME, but it's nice to have bling that knocks you over every once in a while. Especially when you need a new prescription in your glasses.

I looked at this ring for a very long time before I bought it. It's from Palm Beach Jewelry, and of course it's not real. It's not even real gold. Almost 5 carats of CZ on that sucker. I would look at it and drool, and then X out the web page. While I was attracted to all the pretty bling, there was a big part of me that thought wearing this would make me fit right in with the blue haired little old ladies with oxygen tanks I used to see playing nickel slots in Vegas.

Finally one day, I decided to go for it. I'm awfully glad I did. It's so purdy and looks good on my hand. The gold even looks real. I know I'm not fooling anyone......I DO work in a lawnmower shop, after all.

But I sure dress the place up now :)

The Best Stepmom Ever

Kathy with her daddy and Bailey Boo <3

No one starts out life saying, 'I can't wait to be divorced, remarried and a stepparent.' Those things aren't life's sought after events. Regardless, statistics show that it's an occurrence more and more of us experience.

How we deal with it is truly a mark of our character. You can become a stepparent and be just plain awful. Make sure your kids get treated differently than your 'steps.' Do everything you can to put a wedge between your own children and THEIR stepparent, so that no positive thing that person does ever gets acknowledged. Ignore your spouse's children. Criticize their every move. Be down right abusive. Sound farfetched? Really? Seen any Lifetime movies lately?

I came into my second marriage determined to abolish the word 'step.' I preferred to look at my husband's children and family as 'bonuses.' Some of them warmed to that and we have great relationships. A few notable standouts refused to acknowledge us in the same way, and like I said, it's a mark of their character, or lack thereof. Their loss, basically. We're a fun trio, Brendan, Claire and I :)

A year after I married Michael, my former husband married Kathy. I honestly didn't know what to expect. I wasn't surprised she was younger than me, or that they had met at work. What I WAS surprised at was the warm, wonderful woman she was.

Kathy truly loved Brendan and Claire just like I did. Every weekend they spent with her allowed them to experience something fun. Claire especially came home on Sunday nights with bags of goodies Kathy had either made for her, or bought, or gifted from her own closet. Claire's first Coach bag came from Kathy, along with gorgeous clothing, jewelry, and make up. All of Claire's prom and dance ensembles have benefitted from Kathy's jewelry making and shopping savvy. She made sure Brendan and Claire had their own bedrooms and their favorite snacks. She cooked huge meals to celebrate their birthdays. They got to go to a beach resort in Michigan several times, and experience fishing and jet skiing. She made a huge financial sacrifice and took B&C to see Paul McCartney! Claire also got to see 'Wicked,' have her hair colored red for the first time, and enjoy pedicures. Brendan got gifts relating to all his interests, and still wears the 'Napoleon Dynamite' and 'My Name Is Earl' pajama pants.

It wasn't just the kids she spoiled. When she got to know me, I got birthday and Christmas presents. She made me beautiful beaded bracelets. She bought me a really cool Tinkerbell mug on a trip to Chicago. She sent home delicious leftovers when the kids visited on holidays. We even got her superb homemade candies from their wedding.

Her love extended beyond the material. She introduced the kids to fun movies. One Christmas they each got their own copy of 'The Goonies.' Their love of reading was encouraged, since Kathy enjoys reading too. She made sure her family welcomed Brendan and Claire and made them feel at home. Claire's first birthday with Kathy was celebrated at the Michigan resort, complete with a big party and 'Happy Birthday Claire!' on the resort's sign.

Lest you think life's circumstances helped Kathy be so generous......that's a negative. Oftentimes those weekends were full of early teenage angst, as both Brendan and Claire were dealing with their own way of handling the divorce and remarriage. Sometimes you can do everything in your power to make things ok, and they still aren't. Kathy was also having health issues that limited her ability to travel and do all the things she desperately wanted to do with the kids. I didn't even get to meet her in person until 2012. She and my ex had been married for almost 6 years by that time. That's ok; I knew by then she was a fabulous person with a huge heart. She inspired almost everyone around her to be a better person.

My constant prayer is that Kathy will get the blessings she so richly deserves. This past weekend, we traveled to her house to get a car my former husband is loaning Brendan as he looks for a new job. She spent the afternoon making jewelry for both Claire and I while we visited and loved on her 4 little doggies. Claire once again left with several bags full of 'Kathy-Love.' It just doesn't matter what circumstances life is throwing at Kathy: she still shares everything she has.

Even writing this blog post doesn't seem enough to showcase a special lady. For all the times she went above and beyond even though she didn't get the props she richly deserved from two fragile 'bonus kids,' for the prayers and sleepless nights she experienced as a result of being a 'bonus' mama; for the years she struggled physically yet made sure everyone around her got taken care of.....I just want to say how much she's appreciated and loved. Kathy, at least in my mind, is the best stepmom ever, and the example everyone should strive for. You never once let any insecurity or personal feelings get in the way of making sure Brendan and Claire were loved.

Kathy is the gold standard for a 'bonus' mom <3

Friday's Fabulous $5 Find

I got a $5 charm bracelet from Palm Beach Jewelry. The picture and the description said it was a 'moon and sun' charm bracelet. I love the moon! I love the sun! So, I ordered the bracelet.

I was delighted when it arrived, as the yellow gold looked real. The moon and sun were great! Only problem? There were also THREE (count 'em) hokey looking cherub charms. I was beginning to understand why the bracelet was $5 :P

Hmmm. What were my options?

1.) Wear the bracelet as is. Um, no. Mama doesn't wear cherubs.

2.) Take the 3 cherubs OFF the bracelet. Good idea, except now it looked kind of.........empty.

3.) Find some other charms to replace them

Good idea! I raided my jewelry box and found the perfect 3 charms.

Picture #1 is the charm Michael bought me the first Mother's Day we were married.

Picture #2 is the charm Brendan and Claire's father bought me my very FIRST Mother's Day. That thing has been on many chains and, as an added bonus, both kids teethed on it. Awwww.

Picture #3 is a tiny Black Hills gold charm my sweet mama bought me for Christmas one year. Like my first Mother's Day charm, that thing has seen a lot of 'chain' time.

All 3 of these charms had logged far too much 'solitary' in my jewelry box. I had often wished for a charm bracelet on which I could display them.

Thanks to the removal of a few ugly cherubs, I got my wish :)

A 17 yr old Girl Puts Things In Perspective

You're buying your kid WHAT?!

Last night, Claire found she had a Thespian meeting this morning at 8am, in town at Tim Horton's. I told her I could get her there on my way to work, but she'd need to find a ride home. Most of her friends have their own cars (shocker). After texting 5 friends, she did indeed find a ride home. Whew.

This scenario plays out an awful lot at our house. I work, and I do the best I can making sure Claire has a ride to and from her many extracurricular activities. Sometimes, I just can't do it. 9 times out of 10, she has a friend who can do her a solid and take/bring her home. I also go out of my way to return the favor.

I have posted before about our house rule regarding cars. If you have a job, and save up enough money, you may buy and have your own car. You will also be paying for your own gas. Nothing makes a kid mature faster than making them responsible for their own bills. They also take better care of their stuff.

I know Claire has friends who have been given a car because they must share responsibility for picking up siblings and running errands for the household. That is a great arrangement. Again, the kid is learning that life is a two way street, and in order to get the things they want, they must in turn help out for the good of the others at home.

When Brendan started working, he was able to graduate from a Trac Fone to a real cell with a real cell plan. That's also the way we roll at our house. I'm not responsible for making sure my kids have the top of the line phone. Because Brendan learned this early, he is very punctual paying his bills. He also saved up his money and bought his first car. He bought his own gas, and paid his own car insurance. Nothing gives you a reality check faster than having these responsibilities.

Because Claire is very involved with school, she knows she probably won't be able to work during her senior year. So, unless some benevolent relative or friend comes bearing a vehicle (haha), she will be buying her first car with graduation money. Waiting is hard, but she's come to terms with it.

How? Frankly, I don't know. It is so hard to maintain perspective when you are surrounded by friends who have parents that give their kids EVERYTHING. Her high school parking lot is filled with kids' cars. A lot of her classmates take for granted they will given a car and insurance when they get their license. They also take for granted Mom and Dad will be there with their credit card for top of the line clothing, prom dresses, spring break vacations, and concerts. None of these are bad by themselves, but if a kid knows he can whine and apply the guilt to get what he wants? THAT'S bad.

So last night, when we were discussing Claire's ride options, I made a comment about her being the only one needing to find transportation because everyone else had a car. Her response? 'I would rather have the kind of relationship I have with you, than a car. A lot of my friends don't have good relationships with their parents.'

You can't buy a good relationship with your daughter by plunking down a credit card <3

A Little Zen: DIY Bead Bracelet

It's a ton of fun at our house right now. Both kids have broken up with their significant others. I'm facing surgery for 'woman stuff.' I have a call into my doctor to see if she'll prescribe a diuretic for the 7 pounds of water weight I put on in the past 2 days. Michael twisted his knee somehow and has been hobbling since the weekend. All we need is a hearse and we could be The Munsters.

I don't put any stock in Eastern prayer beads, but there IS something soothing about stroking a smooth stone when you're agitated. I can see the attraction. This bracelet I put together last weekend strikes me as very zen and centering.

The aqua beads came from a bracelet I purchased at Goodwill for 50 cents. Attached to a tired piece of stretchy string, I loved the color and wanted desperately to make something with the beads. I had to put it aside until genius struck.

That hit a couple months later, when I bought a necklace on a leather cord from Goodwill for $1. I don't wear that style of necklace, but the rectangular lilac bead and it's buddies were so pretty, I knew I could use them on another jewelry project.

Voila! They look fabulous hanging from the (restrung) aqua bead bracelet! To my mind, it conjures up incense and tinkling bells and........peace.

I may need to wear this bracelet 24/7. Until things settle down at home :)

Your Wedding YOUR Way.......Without Living On Mac & Cheese!

Hey YOU!! Yes YOU!! You with the remote control in your hot little hand, and the box of tissues in the other. You're watching a 'Say Yes To The Dress' marathon and you're crying because you can't afford that $$$ gown!!

As much fun as is it to watch that show (?), it sends all kinds of wrong messages to prospective brides, not to mention the general public. Mainly, if you don't spend thousands on a designer gown, your wedding will be awful and, your potential for marital bliss? Bumpkus.

COME. ON.

If we didn't have these programs to stunt our creative growth and turn our brains to jello, we might actually plan a wedding with a style all our own, and that didn't bankrupt us. It would be beautiful, and meaningful. Not some eye popping, bank breaking monstrosity.

The above picture is from the recent wedding of the daughter of a dear friend. Valerie is a nonconformist, but she had a truly lovely wedding. She and her girls picked out their own white sundresses. Each got exactly what they wanted, in a style that flattered their shape, and knew they could wear it again. None of the dresses retailed for over $50. Valerie's only guideline for the shoes was that they be white. Each girl got the style that they favored. No teetering on sky high heels if they preferred flats. No stilettos if they'd rather have a wedge heel.

The cardigans were from Old Navy. Regularly priced at $15, one girl got hers on sale for $12. The bride's lime green cardigan matched the groom's tie and vest. The bridesmaids wore navy.

Simple. Classic. Beautiful. Brad and Valerie were married at an inn on Mackinac Island, Michigan, and the attire matched the easy going but elegant vibe. The guys all wore vests and white shirts with ties.

I was thrilled when I saw the wedding pictures. It warms my heart when someone has the good sense to follow their instincts. I know Brad and Valerie will be very happy looking back on their special day for years to come.

Now, am I against big blow out weddings and wedding dresses with miles of satin and tulle? NO! The message I want to send is LIVE WITHIN YOUR MEANS. Don't have a huge wedding if you have no hope of ever paying it off. In turn, don't have a simple wedding in a field if your heart is set on a big bash. You should know by now that your life is only limited by your creativity, not your checkbook. Plan ahead, do your homework. Surprise yourself and others when you do wonders with far less than they might expect.

Congratulations Brad and Valerie!!

The Columbus Dispatch Goes Poppin' Tags!!

Last Saturday's edition of the Columbus Dispatch (our lovely hometown paper), featured a story where they gave 3 of their interns each $20, and instructions on buying a specific outfit at a thrift store. One's outfit was OSU, one was Date Night, and the other was Business.

Now, for me, this would be a no brainer. I could possibly get 2 (3?) outfits for $20. Yet, I must digress. Now is the time where I remind myself that ours is a society that bows at the feet of The Real Housewives of The OC (and assorted cities), so I'll be kind.

I'm sure for a lot of Dispatch readers, this was a totally new concept. A whole outfit for $20? You mean 'Thrift Shop' isn't just a catchy song? Wow!

So, how did the interns do?

Well, as you can see from the first picture, they look totally presentable. The young man found Banana Republic chinos ($6.74 at Ohio Thrift), a Chaps button down ($$7.99 at Ohio Thrift, which I find a little pricy), and a nice tie (#3.99 at, you guessed it). I have never shopped at Ohio Thrift, and I find their prices a bit higher than Goodwill. There, you can find comparable button downs for $3.29, and ties for $1.50. I had been debating over whether or not to visit that store, but I think I'll continue to stick close to home.

The Date Night ensemble was a little less. Cute $6.99 dress from Goodwill, and since the young woman could wear children's sizes in shoes, she scored a great pair of boots for $1.99. She also ventured down High St. to one of Claire and my favorite resale stores, Rag-O-Rama, for a cute necklace at only $6.50.

The OSU outfit proved to be the hardest one to assemble. I can speak from first hand experience that it is VERY hard to find good quality OSU geat at thrift stores, as most folks wear theirs until it falls off their body. We're a devoted lot. This intern had to go to SEVEN stores before she was able to find the jeans ($4.99, Goodwill), crossbody bag ($2.99, also GW), grey sweatshirt ($2.99, Ohio Thrift), Homage T-shirt ($4, Clothes Mentor), and Block O pin (.99, Ohio Thrift). I think she did a good job, and would totally have made the trips she did, in order to put together a fine outfit for a fall afternoon at the 'Shoe.

Now, what's my take on their results?

The Date Night wins, in my opinion. She did a great job of finding something classy for the least amount of money, and the necklace was an added bonus, although if she'd been able to find that at a true thrift store instead of Rag O Rama, she might have only paid $2 at the most. No big deal. Besides, Rag O Rama is FUN to visit.

The OSU outfit was great, too. It can be frustrating to a new thrifter to shop second hand with an item in mind, and so her seven trips (without giving up, kudos!) aren't surprising. Most people might have just chalked one up to experience and headed to Kohl's or (shudder) Easton.........

Now, as for our buddy in his business attire. He didn't want to go anywhere else but one store, and wanted to get the outfit on his lunch hour, so he did all right. Those brands he got are pricy (personally, I can't afford to sneeze in Banana Republic), and he paid far less than their retail.

I wonder if these interns will view this assignment as something they want to experience again? I didn't get that vibe from the article.....but at least, the Dispatch highlighted resale shopping, for one brief, shining moment.

All because of a song :)

Wanna Look Young? Don't Wear Heavy Earrings!

Here's an example of GOOD ear sag. Awwwww.

I'm probably going to ignite a firestorm of protest here, but I've watched 'Two and a Half Men.' Yes, the show is totally inappropriate. However, one episode really cemented for me a huge OCD issue of mine: saggy earlobes.

Charlie Harper, the drunken 40 something sleazebag star, confesses to his brother Alan that he prefers his women with young looking earlobes. Older women, he protests, have saggy, draggy lobes that give away their age. Of course, Alan thinks Charlie is an idiot (again). To base whom he dates on the state of their lobes? PREPOSTEROUS!!

Let's stop right there. Do you know where Charlie is coming from? Have you seen a woman wearing earrings so heavy her lobes look like two stretched out pieces of gum? How about someone wearing NO earrings, but their pierced holes are super huge from years of wearing heavy earrings?

I AM very cautious of this happening to me. When I was younger, and my lobes were fresh and full of life (and cartilege), I wore everything, and I even slept in earrings. I had no idea I might be stretching those holes a bit. I even had multpile piercings.

A funny (well, not so funny) thing happened when I turned forty. My stud earrings seemed to point south when I wore them. I found I needed the earring backs with the big, plastic disks. They center the earring and make them upright once again. All of a sudden, I became VERY self conscious of my lobes. I took out all but two piercings. I was vigilant about the weight of the earrings I wore. If I happened to wear a heavy pair one day, I made sure to wear a tiny pair (or none at all) the next. Thankfully, all this extra care has paid off, and my lobes look pretty good, if this old lady does say so herself.

I preach this to Claire all the time. We actually know a girl in her mid 20's who has the saggiest ear holes ever, due to constant wearing of gigantic, heavy hoops. Unless she has surgery (and yes, they do 'ear-tightening' surgery), she'll never recover her once resilient lobes.

I have enough of an issue with health insurance, so I can guarantee I won't EVER have enough money to have ear lobe surgery. Hence, my vigilence. It's better to prevent than repair, anyway......well, as much as possible.

Just recently, I saw an interview on TV conducted by Barbara Walters. I was horrified to see she was wearing earrings so heavy her lobes drooped noticeably. As the interview progressed, I found myself wondering why, with Ms. Walters' money and all the fashion consultants and stylists at her disposal......did NO ONE ELSE notice the lobes but me?

Thus concludes today's PSA. You're welcome :)

Style Mag Fashion For The Real World

I've posted on here before, that I LOVE InStyle magazine. Fashion for the masses! When I was growing up, all we had was VOGUE. Seriously, can you pick up a Vogue and see what the average woman wears? Nope. Don't even get me started on the weirdness.

When InStyle came out, they provided a format that was easily readable, with tutorials on how to wear clothing like the stars. Suddenly, Jane Q. Public could rock a fabulous bag just like Kate Hudson. Well, at least one that LOOKED like Kate's.

That's where 'vision' comes back to the forefront. It would be very easy to pick up an InStyle, check out the prices listed for the fashions in their pages, and get hopelessly discouraged. I want a chambray shirt, but I don't want to pay $75! Yet, that's what InStyle lists on this particular page I've posted.

We need to read magazines like InStyle as a GUIDE, not a Bible. This particular page lists what fashion editors wear at the moment. Black skinnies, sky high suede heels, that fabulous chambray shirt, gold cuffs. Now, taking that as a GUIDE, you can rip out the page and take it to your favorite, discount store or thrift shop. I recently picked up a great chambray denim BASS shirt from Goodwill for (you guessed it) $3.29. I can wear that thing in at least a dozen ways, and i LOVE it. Bonus? It DIDN'T cost $75.

My favorite InStyle section is where they take 3 InStyle employees, give them each a monthly budget for 3 months (usually $100, $500 and $1000), and then post their wardrobe finds each month. I find it fascinating to see what those 'in the know' consider fashion must haves. It's REALLY cool to see what the employee on the low end of the budget totem pole gets for their buck. Who knew Forever 21 finds could mix so well with high end designers?

I don't spend my days obsessing over InStyle. It IS my favorite bathroom reading. Everything in moderation, right?

Sending Them On Their Way.........With The Bare Essentials

My (recently turned) 21 yr old son, Brendan, is leaving me in 3 weeks. Moving on to bigger and better things 9 hours away, in Columbia, South Carolina. He's never lived away from home before, and he's using his dad's Malibu to move, so taking furniture is out of the question. Friends are giving him some furniture when he gets there, but what he takes from home? Not a whole bunch.

As a lot of kids his age, he's a computer guy, so of course the bulk of his personal effects are a couple computers and monitors. A TV. A DVD player. A record player, that we got him for Christmas two years ago. His clothes and shoes. Pillows and blankets.

Saturday, Brendan and I went shopping for some needed household items. The doting mama in me wanted desperately to buy him everything I saw........everything that fit MY vision of what he needed to start life by himself. I can't go with him, I can't help get him settled, so there's a fierce feeling of wanting everything to be ok, a touch of home.

Taking a deep breath, I realized Brendan's kitchen needs are very small, at least right now. The kid eats Ramen, so I got him a teapot. He loves to make fried egg sandwiches, so I got him a skillet for the stove, and a spatula. His favorite glasses here at home are the huge plastic ones in candy colors the grocery store sells every spring with their barbeque accesories. He's being given plates and silverware, so at this stage of life? He's set.

I told Brendan my gifts come with an added bonus: when he get the job of his dreams and makes more money, he has my permission to buy new stuff. I won't be hurt when the teapot (it's decorated with flowers) gets replaced by an industrially streamlined model. That's more Brendan's speed, anyway. My stuff is just to get him to that point. He can get the 10 piece nonstick cookware set when he's ready to set the world on fire as the next Rachael Ray :P

My gifts also came from Goodwil (except for the plastic drinking glasses: they're brand new). I've been taking Brendan thrift shopping since he was 2, but it was still an eye opener for him, when he realized how much you can buy second hand. Music to a financially struggling young man's ears. I told him to always, ALWAYS check thrift stores and the dollar store first, when he needs something. Why pay more than you have to, especially when you don't have it to begin with? He's receiving bath towels, kitchen towels, hot pads and a bath rug as gifts (brand new), but you can also find fabulous deals on linens second hand.

I won't have a cow should Brendan accidently burn out the water in the teakettle; it can be replaced. I might have an issue if I'd gone competely nuts and outfitted him in top of the line, brand new household goods for his first place. Lots of parents do that, ya know. As with everything else, we need to quit being heliocopters. How else will they learn?

Buying these items for Brendan doesn't make his impending move any easier on ol' mom. I am going to miss him very much.

But.......his kitchen will be propertly equipped XD

Skechers Tone Ups Flip Flops: Update

Hardcore readers of my blog (admit it, you exist) will remember how I happened upon a brand new pair of Skechers Tone Ups flip flops at Goodwill several months ago. I was excited, especially since these were $3.29 and they run new at least $50. I was eager to see if they were comfortable, worked my legs as advertised, and made a difference in my plantar fascitis.

Well, meh. My personal FYI is: save your money. I definitely gave them a trial run in all sorts of conditions, and I honestly didn't see one bit of difference between these and my regular pair of old flippy-flops from Kohl's. In fact, these were too big and ungainly for me. I have a real issue with wide strap sandals, as I think (on me, anyway) they say 'Old Lady' like nobody's business. I'm also tall, and the huge base on these suckers made me uncomfortably taller. I like wearing heels, but these? Not so much.

They didn't hurt my feet at all, but they felt a bit heavy when I walked. I didn't get a workout.

So, I am very glad I got these at a thrift store, and back they will go! I know I have heard several people say they found them very uncomfortable. I guess it's one of those things I had to experience for myself.

Now, give me a pair of Havaianas ANY day! THAT'S a flip flop!

How To Avoid Thrifting Mistakes

Lest I come across as too smug and sure of myself, today I'd like to tell you about my thrifting boo-boos. Yes, there have been quite a few. I tend to learn life lessons when I screw up, so I guess my mistakes haven't been in vain! Maybe by letting you know how I'VE screwed up, you can avoid the same :)

First of all: I am always preaching the concept of TRYING ON YOUR CLOTHING PICKS BEFORE YOU BUY THEM! This was my number one issue with thrifting for YEARS.....nay, any store, for that matter. I didn't want to take the time to try on clothing. I am not someone who views shopping as something to leisurely take up my day, and so for a loooong time I viewed trying on clothing as an unnecessary step. However, there came a day when I was tired of the unworn clothing taking up my closet and my donation bags, and so I learned to buck up and try stuff on. Immediately, my shopping errors cleared up about 75%. Why I couldn't learn this simple trick 1 million clothing purchases ago is beyond me..........

Next: once you buy an item of clothing, perform a 'trial run' around the house. Wear that shirt or jeans as you go about your daily household business. Same goes for (ESPECIALLY) shoes. At my Goodwill, they will accept returns in 5 days with the tag still attached, so this means I must perform my 'trail run' within that time frame, or I'll be stuck with an item I can't return, and will have to just donate back. Last week, I wore a pair of beautiful satin flip flops with gorgeous beaded detail to breakfast out. I hadn't worn them before, so halfway through my trip to the buffet, one of the straps broke, and my flip just flopped. I looked a bit like little Forrest Gump limping my way through the buffet line......as my husband lovingly pointed out :P. Not two weeks before THAT, I wore a lovely pair of brown, leather slides to church, and because I'd not performed a trial run (you see I'm fairly new to this), I had no idea I would develop painful blisters on each foot as a result. Both pairs of shoes were bought at least a month ago, so I can't return them (the flip flops were thrown away). If you buy sneakers, wear them for a walk around your neighborhood. If you buy heels, take a few trips up and down the stairs. Sometimes the connecting disk that attaches the strap on a flip flop to the base can hurt like anything on the bottom of your foot. Again, you'd know this if you wore them for a few miles while you vaccuum.

With jewelry or purses, I take my 'trial run' before I even leave the store. I see how the strap on a purse falls on my body when I have it on my shoulder, and I size up my reflection to make sure the bag is right for my body type. I'm a curvy girl, so a tiny shoulder purse is gonna get lost. Same for a tiny clutch. I need to see what it looks like before I'll make that investment. With jewelry, I try on a necklace in front of a mirror to see what kind of neckline it needs, or if it's too short (or too long) for my neck or body type. Choker type necklaces or chains long enough to jump rope with need not come home with me. You know my issues with bracelets.......I'll wear them around the store to see if it's comfortable, and falls where it's supposed to on my wrist. Earrings need to be LIGHT. There are too many pairs of earrings that get donated due to ear strain. It pays to know this BEFORE you buy. If it's a ring, wearing it around the store to see if it annoyingly flips around, or cuts off way too much circulation, is a great money saver.

How about scarves? Well, how do you wear them? If you like a small, square scarf to tie around your neck, choker fashion, then you need a small, square scarf. Don't buy a small scarf if you (like me) wear pashima length to loosely drape. Another mistake of mine.......I'd fall in love with a pattern, only to get the silly thing home and find it was way too little.

When you buy an item for someone who isn't with you at the time, have them try it on the minute you get home. Don't hang it up in their closet to languish for months. I have repeated this time after time with my kids. I DID have a lovely exception to that rule this past week. When cleaning out Claire's closet, I happened across a fabulous, strapless LBD that I'd bought her a few months ago. She tried it on and WOW! Curvy pin up girl! The only issue was that there was a small tear at the base of the zipper, but we will have our girl Lucinda take care of that for us. I wish this experience was the norm, but it's not.

The ugly truth about thrift shops is: things are donated when something is wrong with them. To that end, we need to make sure what we buy works for US, or else we'll end up donating that item for the same reason.

Ain't nobody got time for that.

Jade Bracelet Duo & PATIENCE!!!

Forgive my shadow on the above pictures :P

Years ago, I bought the lovely jade bangle bracelet pictured in #1. I had admired the jade bracelets my nail technicians wore through the years. I especially liked that they were always form fitting, not huge. With my tiny wrists, bangle bracelet width is a big concern.

Web browsing on jewelry sites and Ebay produced enough knowledge to know I was looking at a fairly large amount of scratch to obtain the jade bracelet of my dreams. Like, more than my thriftnerd heart was willing to pay. I resigned myself to either never finding one or someday (SOMEDAY!) happening across one second hand.

Well, guess what? I found one at Plato's Closet. Not only was it jade, and $5, but it has a lovely patch of mottled brown, which to my mind makes it that much lovelier. And......it fits perfectly. Just enough 'bangle' for interest, and it won't fall off my hand :)

Now that I had the jade bangle, I ran into a new problem: green doesn't go with everything! I had to get creative with what I wore to incorporate that beautiful seafoam color. Pairing it with gold bangles worked sometimes, but I just wasn't getting the wear out of my beloved bangle I had envisioned. So, every now and then I was able to add it to a look, but it logged much more 'jewelry box' time than I would have liked.

Yesterday, I took Claire to Goodwill to get some 'Slaughter' clothing. She's going to church camp next week, and Slaughter is the game they play in a huge pit of mud. Since it's beyond messy, bringing two sets of clothing that can be immediately trashed is recommended. Usually we keep a bag through the year to stash ragged clothing, especially for Slaughter (we even keep old bras), but this year Claire didn't have anything, so we needed to buy some trash!

While we were shopping, low and behold, i found the above beaded, jade bracelet. It fits PERFECTLY, and the jade is complimentary to my beloved jade bangle. VOILA! I'm wearing the beaded bracelet today with my watch. I'm tickled pink (green?).

I guess the moral of THIS blog is: if you love something, but it doesn't go with anything, hold onto it! You never know when you're going to run across something that will be a perfect match :)

Bracelets That Look Good Enough To Eat!!

I've found out something interesting in my jewelry making and re-purposing projects.......sometimes a necklace looks totally wrong, but as a bracelet? Perfect. This has happened a lot lately.

Today's case in point: these adorable 'gumball' bracelets. They started life as a choker-type necklace from Walmart, that I bought a million years ago......or, at least when Claire was still in elementary school. I was attracted to the awesome colors (orange! turquoise!), but the fit? Ugh. Not flattering at all. Kind of a 'Wilma Flintstone' choker, although Wilma could rock the look, and Claire and I can't. Both of us tried valiantly, at least once a year, to wear this silly thing. Finally, both of us agreed it wasn't working.

Going through her clothing last Saturday, filling donations bags, Claire told me to take the necklace, too. Ordinarily I don't donate jewelry......I resell it to Plato's Closet. I always make money on my jewelry.

This time, however.....probably because I've gotten into remaking jewelry lately, I took the necklace and envisioned a couple really cute bracelets. I had just enough beads to make two......one with pink for Claire, one with my beloved orange for ME.

They are fabulous! I think they'd look super cute with a jeans jacket, the sleeves rolled up to 3/4 length. I wore mine yesterday to work with one of my big, orange rings, and the look was perfection.

I am very happy that inspiration struck, especially BEFORE I got rid of the necklace. Getting in the groove of recycling my jewelry has paid off repeatedly!

If you have a piece of costume jewelry you never wear, and you're thinking of donating it, unless you want to see if you can get $$$ for it at a consignment store, never be afraid of playing with it and taking it apart! These bracelets required nothing more than a pair of scissors and stretchy, beading string.

Wilma would approve :P

Donation Nation: Claire's Turn

Kinda looks like ours........minus the walker.........but wait a few years..........!!!

Just when I was patting myself on the back, thrilled that my own closet and drawers were all cleaned out and happy, it became time to clean out Claire's. Oy.

I had lulled myself into a false sense of pride, thinking because we had recently gone through all of Claire's pairs of shorts, that we had cleaned out the whole shebang. Nope, not even close. The mere fact that I was having a hard time hanging her clean clothes up in the closet should have been my first clue.

What started the whole thing? Claire had a date last night. She loves to wear dresses, and I remembered several were still in our guest room closet, having not made the spring pilgrimage to her room. When I went to get them, I found there were several large bags of donations on the floor of the closet, alone and forgotten. Grrrr........

In less than 1/2 hour, we managed to fill our upstairs hallway with piles of unwanted clothing and shoes. I quickly wrote everything down and had Brendan take the bags to the car. All Claire's hanging fall/winter clothing went into the guest room closet.......and order was restored to the kingdom. YAY!!

Now, once again, Claire can tell at a glance what she has to wear. No cramped racks or sad, lonely t-shirts lying on the floor. It's oddly satisfying.

I know it's time consuming, but it's necessary. You won't wear all your clothes or know what you have if you don't do this exercise, at least every season/weather change. It can be a suprising eye opener......like when we went through Claire's shorts? Usually we find she needs practically a new wardrobe. This year? She has 9 pairs she can still wear (and are still in style!).

It's always nice when your checkbook gets a break :)

A Beachy Bracelet Re-Do......Just In Time For Summer

When I remake a piece of jewelry, it's usually because I have a surplus of something on hand. Rarely do I go out and buy beads or other findings to make my new stuff. It liks making a stew out of leftover food you keep in the freezer......you wait until you have just the right amount of ingredients, and then you cook up something wonderful :)

I bought the unique pin (picture #1) from Goodwill. It's a piece of wood, with a painted scene of a girl on the beach, and below it hang three gold charms: a starfish, a sand dollar, and a shell. The charms caught my eye, and so I 'shelled' out $1 to buy it.

I have already mentioned the gold earrings with beautiful beads from Walmart. They are too heavy for me to wear as earrings, but they were $3 on the clearance rack, so I bought them, thinking the beads would make a gorgeous necklace or bracelet.

The gold chain (picture #3) was also $1 at Goodwill. It was at least 30 inches long, but I knew it was easily cut, with my wire cutter, and made shorter if needed.

All these items sat, while ideas for what to make with them percolated in my mind. Finally last Saturday, I decided to see what I could create. Off came the three charms (again, with the help of my wire cutter), as did the beads off the bottom of the earrings. That was an especially tedious job.

Originally, I beaded the three gold charms, along with the peach, turquoise and clear beads, onto the gold chain to create a necklace. It was a bit too fussy for me, so I cut it down into a bracelet. The final result pleases me very much. Simple but perfect for summer. Cost? $5. Fabulous!

The bracelet took me two Saturdays to complete. It helps that I could leave the bracelet, in it's unfinished state, on my computer desk. Then, I worked on it with tiny, free bits of time. Having to pack it all up in between would have been a huge bother.

Claire thinks it's Etsy-worthy. I love my girl <3