Secondhand Fashion Week: Day 3 - Ribbons and Flowers

I decided to try to take my own pictures today, which was an interesting experience without a tripod. I tried to take some pictures outside, but that didn't turn out so well, so I went inside and propped the camera up on my ironing board. I managed to get a few usable shots, but overall I think I definitely prefer having someone else take my picture (ie, torturing my husband by getting him to take way too many pictures).

Today I am wearing what is probably my favorite secondhand find - embroidered crop pants (actually I think they're supposed to be capris, but they're more like crop length on me because I'm short, I mean, fun-sized) that I bought while I was in Missouri visiting friends. I got to use my friend Julie's mom's employee discount to get them half-price!

I am wearing...
Top by goodclothes, secondhand from my sister-in-law Jen (free)
Pants by New York & Company, $3.50 from a consignment shop
Organdy hair ribbon, salvaged from a shower gift (I think... can't remember exactly but I know I didn't buy it and it was previously used on something else, thus definitely secondhand!)

Liberty is wearing...
Onesie top and pants by Carter's, about $1 from eBay (I bought this in a lot with several other clothes, so it didn't have an exact price)
Mary Jane socks by Trumpette, $2 for 6 pairs from a consignment sale
Organdy hair ribbon, cut from the same piece as my ribbon

Visit AmandaBeth Online to learn more about this fashion event!

Secondhand Fashion Week: Day 2 - Sweet Serenade

My Day 2 outfit was supposed to have been actually photographed on Day 2, but we ran out of time before Eddie had to leave for work and then he ended up having to work late and by the time he got home, Liberty was asleep. So I had to wait until today, Day 3, to actually get the pictures. Then I didn't have enough time to get my actual Day 3 clothes photographed, so later I'm going to experiment with taking them myself. (And did I mention we don't own a tripod? We do have tons of books though, so maybe I can make a tower...)

Anyway, my Day 2 outfit includes an accessory that is also secondhand - earrings! I rarely get used earrings... in fact I don't think I've ever bought any, but I do have a few pairs that were given to me. I actually forgot that I had this pair until I was digging through my jewelry trying to find something to match my top. So, once again, Secondhand Fashion Week has helped me rediscover something that I had forgotten about!

My photos also feature a few (non-wearable) secondhand items. My piano was given to me by my wonderful mother-in-law and the picture (a Sandy Lynam Clough) hanging over the piano was purchased on eBay.

I am wearing...
Pink top/attached blouse by Carolyn Taylor Essentials, secondhand from my sister-in-law Jen (free)
Jeans by Land's End, secondhand from my mom (free)
Pink & silver earrings, secondhand from my friend Laura (free)

Liberty is wearing...
Top by Jumping Beans, $1.50 from a garage sale
Cordoroy pants by Sonoma, $1.50 from a garage sale
Ballet-style shoes by Disney Classic Pooh, 50 cents from a garage sale

Liberty's top, pants, and shoes all came from the same garage sale. I love the outfit so much that it's what she wore for her 6 month portrait!

Visit AmandaBeth Online to learn more about this fashion event!

Secondhand Fashion Week: Day 1 - A Dollar or Less

Today Liberty and I are both wearing clothes that cost a dollar or less. My black top is something that my husband Eddie bought for me at a garage sale while I was pregnant with Liberty. Because I couldn't wear it at the time, I stuck it in a pile of clothes and forgot about it... until now. I was so pleased to realize that it actually fits quite well now that I have a waistline again! Though it's a simple, comfy top it has a few details that transform it into more than just a basic black top - the sleeves flare at the end and the v-neck is accented with lace, sequins, and tiny beads.

I am wearing...
Shirt/faux white cami by ??? (tags cut out), 10 cents from a garage sale
Jeans by Levi's, secondhand from my mom (free)

Liberty is wearing...
Jumper and shirt by Cherokee Baby, $1 from a garage sale
Mary Jane socks by Trumpette, $2 for 6 pairs from a consignment sale

When I found those adorable shoe-socks at a kids consignment sale, I thought the concept was genius but I had no idea how great of a deal I was actually getting. Later I discovered that these retail for over $25 (for a set of 6) new!

Visit AmandaBeth Online to learn more about this fashion event!

Are you a frugal fashionista?

This week, I've been looking through my clothes and trying to pair together my cutest secondhand pieces of clothing because my friend Amanda over at AmandaBeth Online is hosting a Secondhand Fashion Week beginning this Sunday. This will be my first time participating in one of her blog events and I can't wait. At first I wondered if I had enough clothes to pull it off since even though I'm pretty frugal, I buy more from clearance racks than from secondhand stores. Plus since I've spent much of my married life either pregnant or recovering from being pregnant (ie, unable to wear my regular clothes), I haven't been acquiring that many clothes lately if you exclude the maternity ones. But after taking a look through my closet, I decided that the challenge to work with what I have should be fun! Plus, much of my precious daughter Liberty's wardrobe has been purchased from garage and consignment sales, so I'm thrilled to be able to include my very own "live paper doll" in this event! After all, what's the point of having a little girl if you can't play dress up with her every now and then?

So how frugal is your wardrobe? Please check out AmandaBeth Online and consider joining in this event. Also be sure to explore the site for some great fashion inspiration!

If left to chance...

...I am convinced that all second-borns would not survive. I'm serious.

I realized this today as I was eating lunch with Peter. He was sitting in his high chair and Liberty was next to him in the exer-saucer. Lunch, which was leftover cheesy chicken casserole, was going quite well. There I was, at the table enjoying my food and the sound of the children making each other laugh. I thought that the way they interacted with one another was so cute! Then I heard Peter say, "Here's one for you." Oh. Not so cute anymore. I jumped up from my chair as he was reaching down to give Liberty a piece of chicken. Disaster averted. But no, I then realized that apparently he had already been covertly sharing his meal with her since there appeared to be something in her mouth. Upon further probing it turned out to be not just one something, but two pieces of chicken that she was happily gnawing on. She had been sucking all the cream cheese/cheddar sauce off the chicken... so much for no dairy until she turned one! Lesson learned: do not put the baby within reach of the toddler during mealtimes.

So yes, this leads me to formulate a theory that I have long suspected: if left to chance, all older children would innocently kill or irreparably harm their younger siblings. Clearly the universe does not operate at random; if you want proof that there is a sovereign God, there you have it.

Census 2010

So we got our census form in the mail a few days ago. I even knew to expect it this week, because guess what? Last week, the government actually mailed us a letter to tell us that it would be arriving in about a week. I kid you not. When I got that letter, before opening it, I thought, "This looks kind of small to be a census form." But what did I know - I had never seen one before. Turns out I was correct in thinking that it was too small, since all it contained was the herald letter which basically told me to look for the census form in a week and then stressed the importance of filling out and returning it promptly. I get why they want to make sure we fill it out and return it... I just don't understand why that couldn't have been emphasized in the same envelope that the census form arrived it. Actually, it was talked about with the form too, so really my question is, why the need to do it twice? And this is in addition to the $2.5-million census ad they ran during the SuperBowl. Is the population that stupid that we need it pounded into us over and over again, or do they really think these efforts are going to convince the fringe radicals who won't fill it out anyway?