Jeans

I remembered something!

Ok – I LOVE shopping at Thrift Stores. Also consignment shops, but Thrift Stores really have my heart and mind. And I buy used clothing almost exclusively (socks…underwear….).

I have many reasons, including: I don’t like spending lots of money on things, especially clothes; I believe in reuse and try to live that belief; I like the search and the find!; and more…

But.

I don’t know if it is really working out for me on all fronts. I did just score a great fall jacket from the Goodwill Outlet (giant tables of random clothes and things to sort through), and I find board books in great condition for 47¢ for Abraham on a regular basis. But…the Butt. I need a good pair of jeans and I can’t find them.

I’ve been thinking that maybe it is worth it to spend the money on a pair (or two? now I’m getting really indulgent) of jeans that fit me and that I really like. I’ve probably spent as much money on mediocre jeans as I could have on a pair that actually fit. And the time I’ve spent searching…

And I don’t like the idea of buying clothing brand new, especially when there are so many decent pairs of jeans at Goodwill, waiting for me to hem/belt/wear with a big shirt so no one sees my butt crack when I sit on the floor. But I will wear them to the end. I have a pair that I bought new in 2005. Still wearing them, faded and with holes in the knees. Maybe next summer they will be shorts.

I mentioned this to my mom (who loves shopping) and she was delighted. She even offered to go with me and buy me a pair.

Not big, dramatic, life-changing stuff here, but it feels like an adult thing to do. To spend money on the right thing rather than being thrifty and trying to make the wrong thing work. And for me, that is a big deal. I’m an adult. Thank, Jeans.

Crafting Again

Hooray! I finally made something (besides a baby, that’s a pretty creative act)!

pocket/loop travel blanket for Abraham

I have several (like 50) projects bookmarked, many for baby, some for me or others, and I made this little blanket for Abraham. It turned out to be very cute, yet sophisticated (for a baby blanket…).

no, abraham is not reading Ibsen (his books are upstairs and i needed a stand in)

The tutorial is easy to follow if you want to make your own. It is basically a blanket with little pockets and loops around the edges. You can place books or whatever in the pockets and link toys to the loops. There are also velcro tabs that you can use to strangle Sophie the Giraffe.

We are traveling by plane to Pensacola in July to see the family, and I thought this would be handy to have to keep his things together. Practical, practical!

loopies!

PS – I used a baby blanket we had around the house for the back (it’s blue, I forgot to photograph it), 50% off fabric for the front of the blanket, and ribbon I had at home or bought with a coupon from the fabric store. So it was pretty thrifty too!

Thrifty

I’m pretty thrifty. Being married, with two step children, a dog, and a baby due in January has made me a little thrifty-er. Life is expensive, and it is easy to get carried away buying all the stuff we “need.”

I found an online group discount site called Groupon (get it?!). It looks like they’ve recently added Reading, PA to the list and I joined to 1) see if there are in fact good discounts that I can use on things I ordinarily buy, and 2) high five them for adding Reading to the list in the first place.

The trick is, of course, going to be not buying things just because they are on sale. I’m pretty good about this, but if cupcakes come up on the list, that will probably count as something I need.

PS – if you live in Reading, there is also the Just Between Friends sale this weekend. I was there yesterday, volunteering, to gain early admittance to snatch up all the tiny boy clothes. They have baby clothes and things up to teen clothes (maybe not teen things). Lots of really nice things, very inexpensively priced!

Baby Bag

I don’t know what else to call it.

I was at Goodwill, scoping out the maternity pants (none for me) and children’s coats (score for Nathan) when I found the treasure I’d been looking for, the answer to my questions, the winter wonderland dream-coat.

It will be cuter with a baby inside.

It sort of looks like a dementor with that empty hood. Ick.

Even with the barely bearable heat of summer, I was beginning to ponder how we would take home our little bundle of baby in the early part of January in PA. I looked for some things online, but spending $60 on a baby winter coat seemed a little ridiculous.

And then, Goodwill shined the light. It is warm and cozy, hooded, hand-covered, red and blue (not too masculine or feminine), and BEST OF ALL, it has a little slit cut out to buckle the critter in the carseat.

SAFE AND WARM!? For only $5! It is almost too good be true.

This reaffirms my love of Goodwill. And, I reluctantly admit that I am excited about baby clothes.

Let the baby-insanity begin continue.

Baby Yoga Clothes vs. My Better Judgement

Obviously my child will practice yoga. That’s part of its karma. But does it really need this to do it?

Even a baby can’t change my allegiance to Goodwill. I almost went Infant Clothes Happy on Sunday when I went to Goodwill and they had 40% off baby clothes with your Shop and Save Card (of course I have one). I can only imagine I will have more opportunities to buy baby clothes at ridiculously cheap prices. And it makes me feel good – of course our child will have new things, but just not every new thing.

And I know it is premature, but I hope if you want to get the Raspberry a baby gift, it will not be an over-priced (though at least on sale) yoga outfit (though the comedy of it is pretty great). Perhaps something you make, or loved for your own children, or that is really useful…

XO

PS – My obsession with shopping at thrift stores is not meant to offend ANYONE who likes buying new things. Nor do I judge you at all. In some ways I am jealous, in some ways I am not. My Goodwill shopping grew from necessity and the love of the hunt. And how awesome is it to get 3 books and 2 shirts and a dress (a new dress!) for $14?! And to discover something new because it was the only maternity ____ they had (I have really expanded my approach to dressing as a result).

PPS – I’m not wearing maternity clothes yet. Just stocking up because the selection at Goodwill is limited but changes regularly.