adventures in bargain hunting

I'm always a sucker for a good deal and am always searching the clearance and sale racks in hopes to find something awesome that fits into my budget! The other day I found one heck of a sweet deal and am so thrilled in fact - that I'd love to share it with you. Take a look - a nice, simple, soft, racer back teal tank top:

How pleasant! I figured it would be a great work out top for the spring/summer and even more so when I saw that it was moisture wicking. Now to check on that clearance price....

What is this!? A mistake perhaps? It can't possibly me marked down from $12.95 to a mere 47 cents can it? How is it that no one has picked this baby up!? Don't get too excited Kate. It is just a tank top. They may be practically giving it away...and you've found the golden moisture wicking egg in the masses of rejected ill-fitting pieces, but it's just a shirt right?  I managed to keep my calm and cool exterior and continued my bargain hunting and decided I'd tempt fate and just see what it came to at the till and then decide if I'd buy it or not.  I tempted...

...and I won. Heck - I even got to use my additional 30% off e-coupon to make that an even better bargoon! Oh my! Now that I've used up all my deal finding luck for the year I'll be sure to never find something quite as spectacular again, but it was one heck of an exciting thrill ride! Yeah! What's the best bargain you've found lately? 

Deal Dress

This past December you may recall that I took a trip with Fraser's family to Vegas. We had such a great time on our mini vacation and we're both full of pleasant memories from the trip. While we were there we got a chance go visit some outlet malls which was a whole new experience for me, and extra exciting to snap up some deals! 

One of the last shops we popped into was a Fossil outlet where I bought a beautiful silk scarf and tried on a few dresses. It was extra memorable since I couldn't figure out where I was supposed to try on the items I picked and confused the heck out of the staff asking for "the change rooms".  Both the employees thought I was looking for coin change not a room to change in and gave me quite the looks. Apparently Americans call change rooms "fitting rooms" and once we cleared that up I got to try on the dresses! At last! I really fell for a gorgeous green and turquoise number that had been marked down from $140 to $65! Unfortunately it was a wee bit too snug on the bum and I wasn't about to bring home a dress I loved but couldn't actually fit into. Alas.

Well! - as it so happens, I spotted the same Fossil dress last week while shopping with Heather! It was hidden among the racks of dresses at The Patch and was even the right size! Oh my! Time to give it another try - and the verdict? It fit this time! My bum has magically shrunk over the last few months and the once too snug dress was just calling to me - and for a mere $20! Hooray! Needless to say...I brought it home:

Yeah! Got to love getting a once $140 dress for a seventh of the price and it is just perfect for working into spring and summer! I love the simple shape and stunning colour combination and can't wait to wear this beauty all the time! Hooray! I love landing a great deal and am extra thrilled that I didn't pick this up last December. It's funny how these things work out for the best in the end. What's the last big deal you've found?  

sewin' up a storm

With spring weather peeking around the corner I've decided to make a wee dent in my "to mend" pile and turn some of my thrift store long sleeves blouses into shorter sleeve ones! Apparently that stack of clothes is much larger than I remembered because once I started digging through it I found six shirts to crop and hem! Even though the sunshine was not on my side for this picture, I thought I'd show them off anyways because I am all about celebrating progress and actually finishing some craft projects! Check them out:

Hooray! I must say I am a big fan of how shortening the sleeves on something really transforms the look of the blouse and love being able to control how long I'd like my short sleeves! As you can tell, I am quite fond of the "almost elbow length" sleeve and am also keen on rolling up a hem or two. Nothing like a little modesty and arm coverage to finish up an outfit! Now to bring on the (mild) heat and whip these freshly sewn babies out into the spring sunshine! Woo hoo! 

Definitely on the "to sew" list!

Although I am the shortest one in my family (at 5'7ish), I certainly seem to have myself a pair of long legs. I've inherited my mom's short torso and extra long femurs which can make clothing shopping extra challenging when you're looking for coverage! I can't imagine what ladies who are even taller than me manage to find skirts and dresses without having their bum cheeks poke out with today's extra short fashions! Well - problem solved thanks to the wonderful invention of a skirt extending slip like this one:

(source)

Oh why didn't I think of that? Throw a nice neutral layer of lace or two under there and bam! Proper coverage achieved! What a concept! I'm certainly adding this to my must sew list and with my sore hands I may cheat a smidge and just add some trim to a store bought slip! Oh! What a plan! What do you think? What would the best colour be for all around skirt and dress extending and matching potential? 

My New Addiction.

Well it's official - I'm addicted to buying reasonably priced vintage dresses off Etsy.  With all the bargain hunters and thrift shopping sharks that apparently snap up all the deals at every thrift shop here in Victoria, I've turned to internet shopping to fill the void. I was a little hesitant starting out with online used clothing shopping since I really like being able to feel fabric, inspect potential flaws, and (or course) try things on!  But with the ease of the internet at my fingertips (usually on my phone when I'm laying in bed not sleeping) I started to browse and soon enough found so many gems I just couldn't say no to! Oh my!  Looks like I'd much rather let someone else sift through the (usually stale and smelly) isles of second hand shops and pay a bit extra for them to be shipped right to my door. Heck - it even means I get more mail! Hooray!  

Since I haven't managed to snap any pleasant pictures of me sporting my new (to me) duds  I thought I'd share my new three favourite online vintage shops with you (in no particular order) and you can catch a glimpse of pieces I snagged too! Yay! Let's go:

1) Tiny Yellow Bird - A fun and cheery shop full of unique pieces and bargain buys.  I bought two dresses from Lily on my first go and fell in love their classic, schoolmarm style.  Plus grey and blue are both neutrals so it was a gentle step into working some new outfits into my wardrobe. How convenient! 

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2) Yessiree Petunia Vintage - Lesley has the most fabulous online shop stocked full of amazing (and reasonable!) dresses and accessories to drool over! I first popped by her blog (link) when she left a comment here and although I've been a loyal reader who loves hearing about her real life vintage peddling (out of an adorable little vintage trailer called Matilda) I have no idea why I had never checked out her shop! It is well worth a browse and so far I've been a repeat polka dot dress purchaser thanks to Lesley Jean!

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3) Superstition Vintage - Another amazing vintage etsy shop full of wonderful handpicked and loved items that don't break the bank. Much like the other two shops, this one updates regularly so it's worth it to check back in and see what's new! Adrian does an amazing job getting a range of products in a range of sizes and so far I've places two orders with her to get a summery light teal shirt dress and a fall worthy midi skirt.

(source)

Just in case I haven't convinced you on how sweet it is to buy vintage online here are a few more reasons I used to rationalize my purchasing (and apparently another list):

1 ) Unlike pants and trousers, dresses are easier to make fit. They're usually a little forgiving  when it comes to flab fluctuations and are great for pear shaped ladies like me!

2) All of my purchases turned out to be cheaper than if I had attempted to make them on my own. Not to mention how much grief and sewing I saved myself (well...I guess I did mention that...)

3) Older dresses are longer! I'm not sure when current clothing shops will learn that some of us out there prefer frocks that cover the knees (and my entire bum in some cases), but until they do - preowned is the way to go!

4) Chances are you won't bump into someone sporting the same dress! Avoid being a cookie cutter clone and branch out into originality (kind of).

5) Instead of supporting giant fast fashion slave labour corporations you're buying from great ladies like these and helping reduce, reuse, and recycle some goods! Good for you!

Add in the points I already made above (shopping in bed, getting mail, and pre-sifted vintage gems) and I figure I've got myself convinced! Online shopping is the way to go! Now to try to limit myself and stick to budget...oh dear...

DIY Ric Rac Clutch!

Hooray! Spring is finally here and with the singing birds, sprouting flowers, and sunshine days come fun springy dresses! Since dresses and clutches go hand in hand (well...they do in my mind at least) it's time to whip up a fresh little pouch to celebrate! Yay! Lacking inspiration? How about this vintage inspired fat quarter tutorial from Sew Mama Sew:

source

Oh I'm in love! It looks super simple to make (always an added bonus) and looks just darling with the little flower and ric rac trim. In fact - I might modify this one a smidge and skip the sewn flower for a homemade pin or thrifted brooch. Sounds great to me! Now to find a good fat quarter of fabric to make this out of...hmm...what do you think?

T-skirt Tutorial

I am all about the jersey cotton! There's nothing like a soft, breathable material that expands with you (very important for any of us with a gluten intolerance) and feels like you're in pjs! I'm pretty sure the inspiration for almost all of my outfits is "how cute can I look while still being unbelievably comfortable?" and my wide range of jersey pieces fits that bill perfectly. Well, when I saw that fashion blogger Out of Order, put up a tutorial on how to make a skirt out of a t-shirt I jumped all over it! Take a peek:


Isn't it cute? Simple instructions, cute (and comfortable) end product, and no hemming in sight! Perfect! Looks like I will be keeping my eyes peeled for a nice coloured t-shirt big enough to cover my bum and then get sewing! I think this skirt would be extra adorable with a nice tucked in v neck shirt, flats, and (of course) oodles of accessories! Heck - even throw a clutch in there for good measure and you're set! What do you think? Anyone want to make a t-skirt with me?

Fold Over Clutches for all!

After having an influx of payments in my PayPal account I thought I'd treat myself to a little etsy shopping. This quickly lead me directly to Bookhou's shop and this lovely silkscreened fold over clutch made it right into my online shopping cart:


I totally love the contrast of the prints used and the amazing colours and linen (I am a sucker for linens...). When it arrived it was even more spectacular than I had imagined and it went directly into weekly use! The fold over pattern is surprisingly fun since you can fit a fair bit in the pouch (like my hefty change purse and phone) and it still folds into a nice little non shoulder hurting bag! What fun!

Well - as you can imagine, I thought it was be fun to make another fold over clutch (perhaps with some of my Smoking Lily printed scraps?) and Fab Handmade has the perfect tutorial for doing so! Check it out:


Alright - so it may not be quite as impressive as the warm lighting in Bookhou's image - but it is pretty close! This bag looks super simple to make and I love the inside pockets from the DIY! Looks like I've got another project on the crafty to do list. What do you think? Craving a fold over clutch?

This is happening...

I really like I Still Love You (ISLY)'s sewing tutorials and upcycled clothes projects. Melissa makes the funnest pieces and her instructions make me think they are tutorials I might actually be able to master. Since I've been struggling finding clothes that fit my ever expanding body I think her flat gathered elastic skirt looks perfect:


Isn't it cute? Although I am sure it would look a bit different on my larger and curvier body, I think it would be great! Maybe with a nice v neck t-shirt and pulled up as more of a high waisted version? Yup! I'm sold! Now I just need to finish up the craft projects I've got on the go now and get fabric shopping! I may even try to custom dye some elastic like they did in this Make tutorial (link)! What do you think?

Road Trip: Got Craft?

This past weekend Fraser and I decided to take a wee trip to Vancouver to attend what we've heard is the best craft show of the year: Got Craft?! Fraser's parents ended up being at the coast with conferences so we made what was originally going to be a one day excursion into a bit longer of a trip! Yay! We ferried across to the mainland Saturday, met up with Fraser's wonderful parents, and stayed in night in Richmond! We woke up to a fantastic Sunday - just look at that sunrise:


Even though I was awake at 4am (that's what I get for switching my schedules to early mornings), I tried my best to enjoy a restful morning and by 8am I was all jersey cottoned up for the show:


I certainly can't get enough of no waistbands! With the lovely suggestion from Rebecca (of we are large people), I layered up with double tights, a slip, undershirt, and cardigan and my once summery dark purple dress was winter ready! And boy is my hair ever getting long! I guess that's what happens when you don't get a haircut in 6 months. After a nice visit with Fraser's family we were off to East Van for the craft show! Although this picture doesn't quite show how packed it was, trust me, it was busy:


Got Craft turned out to be a super fun little show full of super amazing artisans! I picked up a few little things I couldn't pass up, and got loads of ideas for craft displays and supply sources! Fraser even got himself something so it was fun for all! They had a DIY table where you got to make your own felt bow which is an extra dose of fun for the day - and although I'm not into line ups, they had some fun giveaways to spice it up just a dash more! Then it was back to the ferry (and some more crib games) for the trip home and end to a lovely weekend! OoO! And now I'm almost finished up my xmas shopping! How did you spend your weekend? Prepared for the holidays yet?

Teacher's Pet Giveaway

I was totally the teacher's pet growing up. Perhaps it was the realisation that by behaving, like the perfect child my parents raised *cough* I was given (near) free reign.

The moral of my story is that Elle Apparel is having a giveaway for this Teacher's Pet Skirt!

Just look at its stripes, and pleats, and navy, and knee length! The skirt is from Shabby Apple which is a delightful online clothing shop. I browse its items often, but never actually buy anything. (This thanks to Canadian customs and high shipping costs.)

Be sure to read the whole post for full details (and extra ways to win)!

So, what are you waiting for?

You know Kate probably didn't even finish reading this post before she entered!

artisan's market - vol. III

I've been so excited and inspired with my blog redesign that I had almost forgotten to tell you all about my third week of selling at the Artisan's Market! It's better late than never right? After a few weeks of non-summery stormy rainy weather the beautiful cloudless sunny day I woke up to on Saturday was a nice surprise. Gaglardi Square (the location of the market) really seemed to benefit from all that wetness too because the garden was super lush and wonderful! Take a peek:


Boy do I ever wish I had the time/money/skill to make such a wonderful garden. Just look at the rows of huge flowers:


Okay, so the gorgeous day might have had something to do with how lovely the square was looking, but it truly is worth a stop if you have the means. As for my booth, this week I was located right by the entrance. I have been really pleased with how the set up has been working so I didn't do any changes to the layout. I really enjoyed how much my items popped in the sun too:


One thing I did decide to change up this week was my footwear. At the last market I wore some little black mary jane flats that (although adorable and darling to look at) are not the most supportive footwear for 6 solid hours on your feet. My sad old lady joints definitely approve of the $14 joe fresh canvas lace ups I bought a few weeks back during one of Superstore's "no tax" sales:


I really love the summery colour they are and I certainly can't pass up a deal! After suffering from the backlash of kidney stones and a hospital visit I went for the lazy "what's on top of the clean laundry pile" look with a plain white t-shirt and some $7 capris I got on the Smart Set sale rack (I told you I like bargains):


Throw in some staple Kate accessories (my leather fossil watch, homemade polymer clay geometric painted pendant, and gold cube "happy common law" earrings) and there is one last minute outfit! I was super comfortable though and the shoes were nice and supportive on the rock hard dirt patch I was standing on all morning.

Although the sales weren't as awesome as last week (but still better than my first show), I was pretty pleased with how the day went. I did have a few battles with the wind - which is a common flaw in outdoor markets for me and my table of light weight goods. The cabochon stud earrings and rings continue to be a crowd favourite and I love all the wonderful comments and feedback I get on my wares! The glass tile pendants and rings still haven't been a big hit (which is a shame since I think they are so awesome) but maybe next week will be a little more lucrative. My embroidered coffee sleeves were a hit once again meaning I have the painful dilemma of whether or not I should remake more for my next show. Sure they sell well, showcase my stitching skills, are useful and interesting - but they are such a time consuming pain in the butt to make! Hmm...what do you think? Should I suck it up and remake some? Luckily I've got a little while to decide since I'm off this weekend and am back at the market the next two weekends after that! Then time for me to frantically pack up everything and move to the coast! Whew! Now to fit in a little more summertime crafting while I still can! What do you think I should work on?

DIY skirts

As usual (or at least the trend so far this year) I was beat after another Artisan's Market yesterday that instead of spilling the details on the day, I'll share a different project with you - this time about skirts!

I'm a skirt addict. Sure pants have there place in my wardrobe, but I have a special soft spot for a nice knee length number with a pair of flats! I think this guest post from Kayla over at Clothed Much says it best. You may think those jeans are the most comfortable thing around but try on a nice breezy restriction free skirt on and you'll soon change your opinion! I personally have a hard time finding anything other than jersey cotton skirts that fit me in the shop but luckily (dun dun dun!) the internet comes to my rescue with a whole slew of wonderful skirt tutorials! Let's check out my top three I'm drooling over:

1. Sew a full gathered skirt from Gertie's New Blog for Better Sewing:


This two step tutorial takes you through the steps of creating your own pattern and turning it into one amazing skirt! Although I'm sure the zipper from their instructions may be a bit of a challenge for the sewing impaired there are loads of images with the DIY and room for alteration!

2. Very Simple Skirt Tutorial from Sweet Verbena:


Similar to the "if you can sew a straight line you can make this" skirt video I posted about a few days ago, this pattern looks easy-peasy! Grab some fabric you love (or two pieces in this case) cut it into a huge rectangle and throw some elastic on there! No zippers, hook and eyes, or buttons required! The super soft jersey fabric in this tutorials also leaves less bulk around the waste (easily concealed by a belt) and no need for hemming! Double win!

3. Striped and Gathered Skirt from Say Yes to Hoboken:


Even though you'd think I'd want to keep horizontal striped far away from my already pear shaped bottom half, this striped skirt is just too charming to resist! I love the classic shape and lines this skirt creates and is only a five step process! I also really enjoy how she made the piece using Ikea fabric too. Who doesn't love Ikea?

Looks like I need to get fabric shopping and sewing! Or (more likely for my limited time schedule) thrift shopping for more fun skirts to work into my summer wardrobe! At last we're finally getting some summer heat around here so I had better soak it all in before fall hits us and it's back to loads of layers! Happy Sunday!

My kind of project!

I'm not sure about you, but any project boasting a one hour time frame is my kind of project! Can you only sew in a straight line? Perfect! Looks like it is time to make yourself an adorable new skirt:

Sewing in a Straight Line by Brett Bara – How to Sew a Skirt in One Hour from Rarebit Productions on Vimeo.

I am sort of enjoying the melody playing in the background of the video too! Time to find some cute fabric and get creating! Hurrah! Oh and Mom or Leslie - you should totally buy me that book for my bday (it's only a month away after all)...

Oh! I'll be back tomorrow to fill you all in with the details from my market adventures yesterday! Happy Sunday!

Bring on the ascot!

Being a big believer in simple staple clothing choices with bold accessories I'm sure you can guess how excited I was to see Here's Looking At Me Kid's ascot bow tutorial! Just look at how that one slice of fabric totally transformers her outfit:


Looks like ties don't need to be reserved just for males and this DIY offers an awesomely fabulous way to spiff up a plain outfit! How fun! I also like the option of an ascot over a full scarf since all that fabric can be unpleasant as the weather heats up. If you aren't totally sold just take a look at some pinteresting ascots:


Mmm! So many options! Looks like it's time for me to search my fabric stash for some suitable ascot bow making material! What do you think? Are you a bow fan?

Gold Tights Please!

Being a mostly easily influenced visual person, Pinterest (the website where you make internet pin boards of images) is beyond addicting for me. I spend most mornings flipping through the pages of drool-worthy projects and day dream about all the fun and interesting things I need to try! Whether it be a new delicious meal, fun DIY craft, budget decor or fashion idea I am hooked! Oh Pinterest - what did I do without you? Pinterest feeds into my obsessions with doilies, pom poms, mason jars, and chevron stripes and is very quickly convincing me that I need to get some gold tights! Just check out my favourite three pins showing them off:



Are you hooked? Don't they look amazing with navy and neutrals? Even though I'm a little frightened some yellow tights will make me look like I have jaundice (especially with my pale red-headed-ness), they do follow my "I love jewel tones" way of life and conveniently cover up my almost always bruised and cut up lower legs! Not sold yet? How about a few more images:


*Swoon!* Unfortunately my usual budget source for tights (go $2.95 pairs of Joe Fresh!) are not in stock for the summer months (darn that heat) and even if they were, they don't carry gold ones. I've tried finding some at other shops in town but no such luck yet! I almost resorted to online purchasing but my frugal ways just couldn't handle paying $12 shipping on $12 tights. Rats. Are you in love with gold tights too? No? Well...if you see some in your travels (especially comfy looking inexpensive ones for extra long legs) pick me up a pair. I promise I'll make it worth your while...

The search continues...

For the last few months I've been dying to find a nice gray pleated skirt. I figure it would be the perfect edition to my winter wardrobe allowing me to wear all those cute coloured tights I own (and never really wear) and the fun brown oxfords I bought in november (and also haven't worn yet...or even taken out of the box for that matter)! It would be nice and structured to go with the transition weather from winter to spring and would be knee length to cover my (almost always swollen and arthritic) knees (also conveniently avoiding any misinterpretation of trying to dress like a scantily clad school girl). Awesome! It's a classic style too just check out this vintage 1950's number wonderfully reworked into a modern outfit:


Heck! The other day when lindsay was making sure I am reading the sartorialist (which I do, not to worry) she showed me this spectacular outfit:


If the sartorialist has one it must be amazing! So far my searches has been a complete failure and living in a town with minimal shopping options I'm contemplating throwing in the towel. Then the other night I decided to pop in one of my all time favourite movies (bedknobs and broomsticks) and wham! There it is staring me in the face - yet another wonderfully perfect gray pleated skirt:


No wonder I've been craving one so badly! I think it is my subconscious telling me I need to be more like angela landsbury! My search motivation is renewed! I think I'll need to start combing the shelves at the thift stores to find this one but we'll see how that goes...Anyone have any gray pleated skirt finding tips for me?