Vases and Vignettes’

I hit my usual Goodwill because I was feeling my place was looking a bit drab.  I’d spent days inside sick and gotten so tired of looking at my house, I thought I might be able to find some spice to liven things up.  I didn’t get lucky with that, but had a blast with my mother trying to put together pretty vase arrangements.

A single blue vase would make a great centerpiece on a glass dinner table, or outside on a patio.  It is about 6.00, or a Nautical Conch shell, which would add well to any vignette.

Speaking of vignettes, since I wasn’t having luck finding colors that fit my scheme, we started to just put together vases, glasses and pretty items.  I actually felt like I was on Home Design Television!

The first vignette is a great set with a blue and white theme. Glasses with a pitcher, classic color combination makes everything so nice and crisp.  Gives a country kitchen some down home flair.

Pink is always a fun color and one popularly used in the Great Depression.  This little arrangement would look so sweet on a shelf in the living room or in an armoire.

My favorite vignette which I wanted to take home but it didn’t fit my color theme was this fabulous flaming burnt orange arrangement with a splash of blue. It really reminds me of Red Rocks with the blue sky.  This actually would be a fantastic arrangement outside on a patio near a front door or near some kind of water.

One interesting find was a series of Norman Rockwell decorative plates.  There were many unique different kinds and makes for fabulous plate collector memorabilia. The plates go for 8.00 each and I think I counted about 15 different kinds.  I know these would sell for much more in New York City.

One of the tallest pieces of glass that I’ve seen was this bottle that once held alcohol.  I believe it was close to 5 feet tall. This would be great to put a tapered candle in and put near a fireplace and let the wax drip down the sides to give it great patina.  What a fun creative gift to give, and it’s 3.00.

More White – Post Memorial Day Goodies!

There is nothing like owning a nice fresh crisp white shirt, pants, skirt, shorts, and or capris.  No matter how you look at it, white is a staple in all wardrobes.  It is a must have.  Now that Memorial Day has come and gone (even though they say that rule doesn’t really apply anymore) the time is right for white!  The only problem is, white stains easily. All the more reason to have some extra whites in your wardrobe for those times when you need a replacement.

The search for white was not difficult at Goodwill.  I found pristine whites, looking brand new, just waiting for their new owner! It was a difficult choice, with many runner ups, but below are the winners.  You can be the lucky new owner of one of these lovelies, as they are being held for a few days.

“Pick me!  pick me!”, said the white long sleeved cotton shirt.  “I’m light, beautiful, gathered ever so slightly at the waist area, size small, and am $6.00.  I promise I will match everything and look good both tucked in pants or worn over leggings. I am X2 clothing!”

“What about me, said the soft, tissue T size medium…I’m pretty and light and can be worn over and under items of clothing.  I’m soft knit and pack  Deasily.  I’m $5.00!”

“Hey! Over here”, said the pretty mini.  “I’m a lovely size 10  flirty skirt that any woman will love! Don’t be late, I plan to move quickly!  Check out my little bow!  I’m a mere $4.00.”

“Wait, do not forget about me”, said the little capris…”look at my little pink stitching and my pink button, and just a little pink on the pockets.  I am irresistible and a very average size 7.  I’m $6.00 and the perfect fit for you!”

Regardless of what you choose, the time is right for white at Denver Goodwill!

What to do on a Friday night when you need downtime?

It has been a very long time since I’ve had a night to myself, let alone a Friday night!  I have been so busy trying to fit everything in with the time constraints of 24 hours a day. When my mind is racing after a long week and I need to slow down, I don’t like to just sit on the couch, nope! I go to my favorite shopping spot, Goodwill!

I head down, already starting to relax and daydream about the treasures I might find.  Friday night is a perfect time to go shopping, there aren’t a ton of people in the store and it’s a nice time to walk the aisles freely.  I of course immediately zone into the women’s clothing section, where there are all kinds of new summer clothes.  Since I’ve got a vacation was coming up, this is a perfect time to look for some small necessities and a few fun items.

Last Friday I found a few staples, such as a white tank top that could be used for just about any occasion, and a white long-sleeved Nike knit shirt. As I’ve been saying all week, white shirts are a wonderful accessory because they are extremely versatile with your wardrobe.  The problem is that because the shirts are white, they are prone to staining, and if you are anything like me, I cycle through white shirts because I seem to spill a lot.  No stains on these shirts, they look hardly worn, and are $3.99 each.  The Nike shirt alone would be worth about $40.00!

I also found a black  shirt perfect for going out to dinner, and I have to say I am loving this one shoulder trend!  Because it only cost $4.00, it was a safe purchase, even if this trend only lasts a season or two.

The color of Granny Smith Apple is very popular this season.  I found the fanciest sweater that makes a perfect and dressy/casual/business cover up!  This will become a staple and will travel with me in my next few trips outside Colorado.

I came home, satisfied and calm. Now that’s what I call relaxation!

Splash of White, Touch of Color

White is a great color to accessorize with, or it can be a phenomenal basic. Basically, white works with everything!

It can be difficult to find white belts for the spring and summer season, but at Goodwill this weekend, there were a few choice white belts hidden within the vast number of belts of all kinds.  I found a nice leather belt with a fun, colorful buckle, as well as a gorgeous white patent leather belt you could use to dress up any outfit. How cute are these?

A white belt is great, but a crisp, white shirt is a classic that will never go out of style. Nothing brightens up a white shirt like a nice, colorful scarf. Scarves are a great travel accessory, because they take up very little space and can change the look and feel of an outfit easily. They can also add a touch of class to an outfit and keep you warm on cooler evenings. Plus, this is an increasingly trendy look for any city girl.

Below, you will see a white long-sleeve button down shirt with a black, long linen scarf.  Even Elvis would like this classic match with very basic colors! With the snappy little clutch, you’ll be looking chic!

Second, the knit t-shirt can be dressed up with a nice bright red orange silk mesh scarf. This trendy splash of color will add spice to any white outfit, creating a clean and timeless look.

Third is the same long-sleeved shirt, but with a more formal scarf (and pocketbook).  This can be worn for going out and gives this a unique look.   Matched with a silver industrial purse, you have a complete outfit that can be worn with jeans, tuxedo pants, or even a mini skirt.

Finally, I found a brown and black sheath scarf that looks adorable over this white button down.  A matching bejeweled silver purse gives a fun look that can be worn just about anywhere.

The time is right for White!

White is very nice.  It is versatile and goes with everything, it seems.  This week, I will be spotlighting the color white.

White staples are a classic and I’ll talk about those later this week, but for today I want to talk about some fun, different types of items I’ve found in white.

First, an eye grabbing felt cowgirl hat.  How did it stay so clean?  It looks in perfect condition and I’m positive the moment I set it down it was snatched up by a hungry Colorado girl.  Look how gorgeous this is!  It hugs your head perfectly and the cute curls on the sides keep you from looking like you should be on a ranch rustlin’ grub.  Very stylish, and from what I know, these hats go for about $100, so this $20 hat is a downright steal!

This weekend, I also found white accessory pillows with sleep phrases stitched in German verbiage (the only one I could understand was Guten Nacht, which means goodnight).  These are fancy and hand stitched pillows, perfectly white, perfectly cottage material, and covered up properly.  I know someone put a lot of love and hard work into these…

I also snagged a beautiful high-end white shower curtain at Goodwill this weekend.  I had somehow gotten hair dye on my old white shower curtain and I needed a replacement.  At $4, this is a steal compared to the $25 I paid for the one that will now need to be recycled.

I found some great workout shirts in pristine shape, white with some pretty splashes of colors to them.  One shirt was even unused!  I think it is very hard to find good workout clothes, they usually end up being over worn and not in good enough shape to donate or recycle.

To go along with the workout shirts, I found some great shorts as well.  The Mossimo pair was small and had not been worn.  The other pair has cute stitching and were fairly short in length.  Probably a pair best fitted for a teenager.

This was not only a fun search, but one that I was able to reach my goal a few times over! Check out your local Goodwill for the latest trends in white.