Patches of Petals

 

 

Adding to my collection of flowy pants with this pair from Johnny Was. This Winefred style is currently sold out, but this pattern also comes in a jogger style, a dress, and a few blouses. Whenever there is a print that I like in multiple pieces, I try to choose what I know I would wear most and/or how many ways I can restyle it. I've already come up with 3 outfits with these, and pairing it with my Rose Apothecary shirt is the first one I will show. Since the base of these colorful pants is black, this graphic tee worked great and I can definitely see Alexis in these pants! Once these got marked down online, I waited until Johnny Was had an additional % off sale (it was 30% recently) to snag them. I have always loved patchwork prints and as an added bonus, these reminded me of another pattern I love..... granny square!

Winefred Pants - Johnny Was

Rose Apothecary Tee - TJ Maxx ($7.99)

Vera Want Sunglasses - Kohl's

Sandals - Anthropologie (old)

 

Tile Remix

Already remixing this tile printing skirt from earlier this month....... This blue/white embroidered top I have had for several years goes great with it! This look called for a belt. I wore a different sandal style, same sunglasses, and then this cute beaded headband I recently picked up at Target matched perfectly in lieu of necklaces! I also remembered this mural that featured a blue/white vase. When I got there this morning, there were already several cars parked in the lot so I was only able to take photos in a small portion (but below is a pic of the full mural with an empty lot). Since purchasing this skirt, I keep seeing tile printed clothing so it must be trending right now!

Tiled Midi Skirt - Anthropologie

Embroidered Top - World Market (old)

Universal Thread Headband - Target

Sunglasses - Target

Belt - Kohls

 

Get The Look For Less : Side Hustle?

I've posted many of these deals already, as I wear them, but thought I would group them (and some new ones you'll see me in soon) all together as I am doing a bit of brainstorming. If you've followed me for a long time, you know that I am no stranger to a side hustle to my full time job. When I started this blog, it was to show my handmade jewelry - which I sold at art shows and Etsy - while also publishing projects in jewelry magazines. This time period, I feel, was the height of handmade jewelry and blogging..... before other social media platforms came along to compete with blogging and put magazines out of business. It could also be super competitive within the industry, and I remember starting to design things that I thought would "sell" or get selected to be published, all the while hoping my designs didn't look too much like someone else's, which started to take the fun out of it. I really do miss a lot of aspects of it though.

Fast forward a few years, when my friend and I decided to split a booth rental at a local antique shop. We LOVED thrifting to find things to sell, as well as offering handmade things. We did that for about a year until life and kids took over more and more of our free time.

So now, here I am feeling the itch of doing something again. Should I rent a booth again somewhere? If so, could I incorporate my passion for fashion into it? Should I buy up good designer deals when I see them and resell them for a small profit? I know people have done this on eBay and Poshmark for a long time. Or, would it be possible to be a personal shopper and make money at it? Until I decide, enjoy these finds (will provide links when I can)!

The first 4 items are from TJ Maxx. This $99 dress for $19.99

 This $172 dress for $39.99 (Wrap dress by same brand online)

These $125 sneakers for $29.99

 These $89.95 loafers for $12.99

 

 Up next, we have some Walmart finds. I have never owned a pair of Tevas, but they are apparently trendy again along with all of the other footwear of my high school years (Birkenstocks, Vans, Doc Martins, etc....). I thought this multicolored pair was cute, especially for $9.98. And then when I got home and looked them up, I saw the real deal is $50!

You can find Birkenstock dupes at almost any store, but they are usually the traditional 2 strap design. Walmart, however, does get into some of the other styles. Last year, they were selling the big buckle Madrid (I couldn't find any in store, so I ended up buying the real deal which I couldn't be happier about because I LOVE them and wear them all the time). This year, I saw a dupe of the big buckle Siena there! Real deal retails for $140, so you can't beat $14.98! Gold is a neutral that will go with most anything, but I do have quite a few pieces of clothing with gold in them that I am planning on wearing these with.

Most stores are also carrying basic tiered dresses again for $30 or less. Target, Walmart, and pictured below is the same eyelet trimmed one I bought last year at Meijer. Last year, they only had black but this year they have black and this pretty blue color. When I saw them, they were on sale for $18. Last year, I had a blast doing a DIY bleach tie dye job on one of my solid colored ones, so keep that in mind too with these prices! I am sort of itching to do that again.....

Jack & Avery Dress

Jack & Avery Dress

 

Sorbet Stripes

I ran into Target for some groceries yesterday, and couldn't avoid seeing this dress on display front and center! The colors of these stripes did me in - you almost have to see them in person to really appreciate the washed pastel and earthy tones. Cotton, tiered, with pockets, $30. Normally reaching for my denim jacket, I was glad to pull out this cropped olive utility jacket that I've had for years and the neutral sandals are from Target last year. This dress has adjustable spaghetti straps for hotter temps, and I'll run through my usual spiel here of the various styling ideas: belted, worn over a tee for a 90's look, other jackets or cardigans over it, a button up chambray over it tied at the waist..... by now, you know the drill! Oh, and if you want a matching family look, there are pieces for your kiddos in this same fabric! In the link below for the dress, just scroll down and it will show you the rest of the collection.

Universal Thread Dress - Target

 

Tiles & Pottery Shards

 When I saw this tile print skirt at Anthropologie, I was in love. I have always loved colorful tiles and dreamed of having them in my home (I guess the right project hasn't come along.... yet). I recently got a chunky charmy chain necklace from Buru that matched great, but then with the predominant blue & white patterns I thought back to my pottery shard necklace which dates back about 20 years! I love how these look layered and kept the rest of the outfit simple with a white tee and denim jacket. It felt great to be wearing my Birkenstock big buckle Madrids again! The fabric on this skirt gathers at the center of the waist and has a slit - on the website this was shown on the front and I did not like the look of that. Put it on backwards and we have a winner! Those details look great on the backside!

Okay, so in my past life I made and sold jewelry. You might remember the pottery shard necklace trend from about 20 years ago. When it exploded, it was hard to find the pendants to create with, but I finally snagged some. Even after the trend died down, I knew I was going to continue to love these pieces (clearly, here we are in 2021) as I feel they are classic boho. The pic below is a few pieces I photographed for the ole blog here in 2011 (including the necklace I am wearing today).

In 2012, I took the blue/white pendant off (easy to interchange into different necklaces with jump rings) to create this necklace around a dress I had gotten at Anthropologie (the Beach Treasures dress). The photographic print showed beach glass, driftwood, shells and pottery.

Tiled Midi Skirt - Anthropologie

Matching Tiled Shirt (if you want separates that match, or you like a shirt more than a skirt)

Charm Necklace - BURU

Peacock Plaid

During a recent trip to Walmart, I found this cute plaid linen henley ($12.98) and a peacock beach towel ($12.92) that ironically matches! I was not looking for beach towels (even though ours have seen better days) but since it was on an end cap I couldn't miss it. I paired this easy sleeveless popover with existing items I had...... my usual jeans and flats...... a long duster that I was able to shed my midday since we've been getting Summer-like weather...... a rhinestone necklace I DIY painted years ago........ and a feather headband. I will link any items I can below!

Time and Tru Sleeveless Henley Popover - Walmart

Better Homes & Garden Oversized Beach Towel - Walmart

Peacock Feather Headband - Namjosh

Elizabeth & James High Rise Skinny Ankle Jeans - Kohls

Universal Threads Flats - Target

 

Fav Colors

I think it's safe to say that shades of seafoam/teal are my favorite colors. I am drawn to them time and time again, and when I look around my closet I have so many pieces in these tones. I even built our family picture outfits around these colors last Summer. So when I saw this top at Target recently, I grabbed it for $20. It is made of the same super soft gauzy material as the brown tiered dress I bought there this season too since it is the same brand. A nice tunic style with puff sleeves in an ombre (or dip dye - whatever you like to call it) pattern. Thrown over my typical "uniform" of high rise jeans, go to flats, and big sunglasses. I've had this statement necklace that matched perfectly for years...... I haven't worn it in a while, so I was glad to pull it out again!

Universal Thread Blouse - Target

 

March Reads

 March was a month of heartwarming recommendations from friends with a dystopian type read mixed in.

Firefly Lane, by: Kristin Hannah

I have loved the books I have read by Kristin, and this one was no different. My friend Lisa gave me this copy and I wanted to read it before I watched the show on Netflix (which I still need to do). Two girls who could not be more different come together as friends in their teens, and the book spans through three decades of their lives set in the Seattle area (I enjoy books set there). A fun, but heartbreaking read as one of them becomes terminally ill.

Fly Away, by: Kristin Hannah

I borrowed this sequel to Firefly Lane from the library....... of course I needed to know how the story continued after Kate's passing. Her best friend and family spiral after the loss, and this got pretty dark at times, but I was happy with how this all came together after investing so much in these characters!

Inspection, by: Josh Malerman

After loving Bird Box and it's sequel Malorie, Josh is an author I will always be interested to read. I picked this hardcover up on the $5.97 table at Meijer. Josh is a Michigan native, so this story too was set in the state I live in and even referenced Milwaukee, WI which is near where I grew up. It details a community of boys - 26 to be exact (one for every letter of the alphabet) - who have lived in a tower in the middle of the woods since birth. Their D.A.D. started this "experiment" by getting babies from unfit parents, and believed that raising them without their knowledge of the opposite sex would make them the most academically superior humans on the planet. The opposite sex only leads to distractions and confusing emotions. But, as the boys reach puberty, they begin to question things and one of the staff in the tower does something that only encourages this. One boy in particular eventually learns of a second tower - of all girls - who have been living the same lies. Very original idea that made for a creepy read.

Miss Julia Speaks Her Mind, by: Ann B. Ross

My friend Andrea gifted me this first book in the series. Set in the South, Miss Julia is a proper church going member of society. She is left widowed unexpectedly and as she works through her grief with the whole town watching, a stranger shows up on her doorstep with a child fathered by her late husband that she knew nothing about. Over the next several days, she ends up becoming endeared to this mistress and child as she helps them through their problems all while learning to speak up for herself and not worry about what anyone else thinks.

Books to TV Shows

I mentioned that I'm meaning to watch Firefly Lane. I also want to watch Behind Her Eyes and Hillbilly Elegy, both of which I read a few years ago. Shows that I've been watching and are in mid-season are Big Sky (based on The Highway by CJ Box) and Clarice (expanding on Silence of the Lambs). Looking forward to The Handmaids Tale starting up the end of April...... are there any that I am missing?