My Very Favorite Fall Fashion Accessories

Vintage enamel heart necklace with flowers and scalloped edges. $8 from Impact Thrift.

Fall is my favorite time of the year for fashion and fashionable accessories. The summer is too hot to accessorize much beyond a pair of earrings and some shades. In the winter, we're too buried beneath our layers to even notice the finely-tuned details of accessorizing. The spring holds some possibilities. But for me, it's all about the fall. So when I saw this fabulous vintage necklace at the Feasterville Impact for $10...I snatched it up. (A find made better by the fact that I had a coupon that knocked it down to $8). Thrift score!

Electric blue Olivia + Joy satchel. $12 from Salvation Army. 

Let it be known that I have a considerable collection of bags, backpacks, purses, and totes---all of which I put to good use. But there's nothing in my closet remotely close to this brilliant blue bag. It's in brand new condition, with just the right shock of color to spruce up any fall ensemble. And what's more? It's an Olivia + Joy---a designer that easily retails between $60-$110 new. Thank you, Salvation Army. 

Gold & brown toned wrap belt. 25 cents from the Goodwill Outlet. 

In all honesty, I'm not sure how much this belt cost. Salvaged from one of the many totes of the Goodwill Outlet in Bellmawr, NJ I can only guesstimate that at 99 cents/pound, this lightweight vinyl belt couldn't be more than a quarter. Its golden hue pairs perfectly with several of my fall tunics. And if you keep your eyes peeled, you might just see it in action when I post a little thrifted fashion photo spread that I've been working on! 

Leopard print infinity scarf. $5 from Payless/Cat eye sunglasses. $12 from Target. 

And because it's just an unlikely occurrence that you can find everything your heart desires solely from the thrift store, I've decided to include two fall staples in my list of favorite accessories. Not thrifted, but loved all the same---I almost always throw on an infinity scarf and a pair of shades before heading out the door. Browns and beiges, these are my go-to fall colors, if you couldn't already tell. 

Love letter 'n' envelope earrings, handmade by yours truly. 

 It's not fall unless I've made some sort of wearable craft and these precious love letter 'n' envelope earrings are too-cute to not make the list. Using a printer, Grafix shrink film, a few bits from a jewelry kit, and Mod Podge as a sealant, I fashioned myself a new accessory from vintage ephemera. 

It's not thrifted, but crafted. And I love, love, love them. 

By the by...you can win a pair of vintage envelope stud earrings and much, much more from my Vintage & Craft Giveaway in honor of the Let's Go Thrifting 5th Blogiversary.   

There are just 6 days left to enter before the big winner is announced on November 1st. So get those entries in today for your chance to win these adorable earrings, a copy of American Junk, vintage Eden prints, craft supplies, and more! 

Hazelnut coffee with fat-free, dairy-free french vanilla cream. $1.97 from Wawa.

And the most important accessory of all? It's the one that gets me through the day--- the deliciously cheap caffeine fix. And for those outside of the tri-state area of PA, NJ, and DE...those poor souls who don't know what a Wawa is: I weep for you. Sipping on 24 oz of coffee during a photo shoot, while working on a blog post, or en route to my next thrift trip is perfection. It's hot. It's sweet. And for under $2, it's best coffee around without a doubt. 

So with my coffee in hand, I'm off. I'm grabbing my satchel and shades, and I'm hitting the thrift---where if I'm lucky I'll find even more fall fashion accessories to feature in a later post. 

'Til next time, thrifters! 

The 5th Blogiversary Vintage & Craft Giveaway

Just some of the loot up for grabs!

As some of you may have read from my last post, I celebrated my 5th blogiversary on October 5th. And it was delectable, thanks in large part to my sister's too-cute cake to celebrate the occasion.

And to continue the celebration as promised, this is the official giveaway. Using the Rafflecopter widget below, one lucky reader will win:

• A copy of American Junk by Mary Randolph Carter
• Two vintage framed Eden lithograph prints circa 1960
• Two sets of vintage buttons
• A small mystery bag of craft supplies
• A pair of handmade vintage inspired earrings 

First let me just say that this book is a must-have for any thrifter/flea marketer/antique hunter. The visuals will inspire you to think creatively with your decor and interior design. And it's just a fun little collection of enviable junk.  

I have a hardback copy and flip through it often enough that I came to think---Hey, I should give away a copy to a reader in my next giveaway. 

Button, button. Who's got the button? 

Aren't these vintage Le Chic buttons darling? 5 small aqua buttons, and three larger coral buttons...for your crafting pleasure.  

A burlap sack full of fun!

And lastly, a handmade pair of earrings based on a vintage envelope design---just adorable. Annnnddddd a small burlap bag of some of my favorite crafting supplies for you to make something special of your own. 

Wait. Let's take a closer look at those earrings. 

Aaaaaaaddorrrrable.

I love the faded text and discoloration. It's a tried and true vintage envelope, shrunk way way down using the magic of Grafix Shrink Film.

All of these fabulous items can be won with this easy-entry drawing. The contest will close on October 31st, with the lucky winner being announced November 1st. Good luck...and thank you for making these last five year of thrift-blogging a blast. 

a Rafflecopter giveaway

Let's Get Crafting: A Wicker Shelf Makeover

Back in April, I was fortunate to attend the Bagels and Bargains event at Impact Thrift. I won a $25 gift certificate and brought home this cream-colored wicker shelf, among other vintage goodies....for free!

Freshly inspired by the event hostess, Denise Sabia of The Painted Home blog, I embarked on my very first DIY craft makeover.

So how did I transform this very basic, bland shelf into a display piece and functional homage to foreign travel?

First, I hit the Home Depot for the supplies...a plastic tarp to protect my lawn, an all-purpose indoor/outdoor primer and a can of the brightest, boldest pop of color I could think of. For this project, I went with Rust-oleum Deep Blue in a gloss finish.

It wasn't long before I learned that the elements were not my friends. Come rainclouds, wind and high pollen...nothing wanted to cooperate on a schedule that worked for me. But finally, after finding the ideal time for priming and two coats of spray paint, I was ready to take my wicker shelf to the next level.

And the next level involved recycled maps, Mod Podge, ribbon and more than a bit of patience. 

My main takeaway in making a decoupage from my beloved maps of Japan is this: The thinner the paper, the least amount of Mod Podge needed. I  just went Mod Podge mad, slapping that  wacky adhesive all over the place. This made it  quite difficult to get the creases and wrinkles rolled flat. 

So, if you're a first-time decoupage DIY-er like I was, go light on the Mod Podge. Let it dry between layers and just roll on. 

Literally, roll on. You should have seen how messy my first attempt was prior to busting out the sponge roller.  But with the time and the patience, I made it work. 

I even made the bold decision to add some sparkle to the top of the piece, after  decoupaging two heart-shaped maps of the Tokyo metro line. I sealed the secondhand deal with Mod Podge High Gloss Acrylic spray, and stopped to admire the finished product. 

It didn't take long for me to realize that the entire project, step-by-step, was a true learning process. Mistakes were made, ones that I made a mental note not to repeat in the future if I can help it. Case in point, the Mod Podge mess.  But don't let me dissuade you from venturing on your own thrift DIY makeover. Plan out a project. Gather the supplies and get to it! It really can be a fun process once you get your hands dirty with all the paper scraps, glue and glitter. 

In the end I really love how this project came together. It's bright, colorful and it reminds me of a time when I felt most adventurous in my life. 

It's not perfect. But, hey. It's me. 

Tools Used:
Rust-oleaum Primer
Rust-oleum Gloss Spray Paint in Deep Blue
Sponge Applicators and brushes
Ruler
Fabric scissors
Exacto Knife
Sparkle Mod Podge
Mod Podge Gloss
Mod Podge High Gloss Acrylic Sealer
Mod Podge heart stencil
5/8" black ribbon with white trim
Recycled maps of Japan
And of course...
**Safety goggles, gloves and ventilated face mask for painting**

What craft project are you planning? 

Stepping Into Spring...Sort Of

Spring has officially sprung. While the sun has been shining,  the contradictory chill in the air is quite deceiving. I'm not convinced that this whole spring thing isn't a total sham. 

Believe it or not, we're expecting a bit of snow this afternoon here in Philadelphia. It's a pity too. I was just getting hyped for prepping my garden,  breaking a sweat on an afternoon power walk and scavenging through mounds of flea market treasures on Saturday mornings. 

I suppose I have some time to anticipate the spring weather I've so sorely missed. Perhaps this time would be best served considering a few things I'd like to accomplish this season.

• I will take more pleasure in the little things in life. A good cup of coffee, a smile from a stranger who passes me by, leisurely reading.
• Speaking of leisurely reading, I must make more space on my bookshelves for my list of to-reads that I hope to serendipitously find at the thrift. Time to donate! 
• I would really love to assemble a respectable spring wardrobe. While this will take time and patience in piecing together thrifted finds, I think I can make it happen.
• Make some kind of summer vacation plan happen. I am a fan of the budget vacation and would be happy with just a few day trips here and there. But my dream vacation would involve me and my likeminded friends in a VW minibus traversing the annals of roadside Americana. The biggest ball of string. Rundown wax museums from decades past. Hokey traveling carnivals. You get the picture.
• I am making it a point of cooking something nutritious every day. Too much of my so-called diet consists of boxed, bagged, frozen or canned convenience meals. And no matter how lean these foods claim to be, nothing beats something fresh and homemade. 

Believe me. I could make a list that could include all of the personal, if not completely trivial things that I need to do....but no one needs to know that I have to organize my sock drawer. So, I better get cracking. The impending warmth of spring will soon lure me outdoors, never to been seen in the workplace again. If only.

Oh, and as for enjoying the little things, I bet you are wondering what's going on with that photo. Isn't that just the sweetest? This was a DIY tabletop decor from the baby shower of a green-centric friend who had the thrifty idea to use tiny secondhand children's shoes as planters. So adorable! I had to bring one home as a souvenir. That's little and I enjoyed it greatly. Can I cross that off the list? 

What would put more spring into your step this season? 

The Totally 80’s Halloween Cartoon Craftacular!

The crisp air that begs for thrifted argyle sweaters. The horror movie marathons and mountains of miniature candy bars. Fall is my favorite time of year and my annual Halloween party is the highlight of the social calendar.

Now, I don't encourage guests spending big bucks on store-bought costumes. Instead, I encourage thrifty ideas and craft projects. Something like this, for instance.



Straight from the 80’s, it’s Rainbow Brite. Finding this DIY child's costume pattern, among other awesome miscellany to be documented later, was the start to a great day. And scoring this spectacular crafty find for a mere quarter got me thinking about the level of ambition I have reserved for that special night when you get to be someone else…someone who gets free candy.

And that someone I wanted to be for as long as I could remember was none other than Rainbow Brite. And while this thrift score is truly outrageous (Yeah, that was a Jem reference), last year I got my wish.




























That’s right. At 25 years old, I was Rainbow Brite. And it was a heavy workload for a novice crafter. The final product was an estimated 20+ hours of cutting, sewing, gluing and stuffing by hand. My boyfriend and blog co-creator (pictured above) did a lot of the labor too, with both of us working up until the Halloween afternoon just hours before our big bash.

Dan was so involved with the process, in fact, he almost didn’t have time for his own costume. But lo and behold, one day before the party we decided, “Hey, why not stick with the 80’s cartoon theme?”

And so it was. With tattered punk clothes from the nearest Goodwill, a purple mohawk
(yes, a real one), matching shades, chains and a string of ammo…Dan transformed…



…into Bebop, one of the airhead villains of the original Teenage Mutant Ninja Turtles cartoon!  It should be noted that Dan did have a plastic gun that never make it into the picture. He also fashioned a large metal ring for his nose. But it was too uncomfortable to wear all night.

In the end, our 80’s inspired crafted cartoon costumes were a big hit at the party, and a personal triumph, I think.
This year we have also opted for a DIY couples' costume, something a little more contemporary. But I can’t say anything else until after the big night. Don’t want to ruin the surprise!

Now who else out there has thrifted ‘n’ crafted themselves something special this Halloween?