For Lack of Something Better To Say......

My outfit for today:
Rebecca Taylor top- $12.99 consignment
Dylan George jeans- $FREE (gift)


Johnny Was top- $2.99 Salvation Army
Wrangler jeans- $17.00 Buffalo Exchange
Vintage Frye boots- $5.99 St. Vincent De Paul thrift



Gucci top- $5.99 Union Gospel Mission thrift
Skirt- $8.00 (I beleive) 2000 Roses
Chloe shoes- $250 Milan Station )Hong Kong)



DO you ever have those moments when you just don't have a lot to talk about??? Apparently, this is where I am right now!! Getting back into the swing of things with school has been difficult, although I have to say that not having to hear, "MOM....I'm bored" continuously sure is fabulous!!!





I hit my local CVS yesterday to check out their 90% of sale. I can't remember if I have mentioned this before, but every Sunday there is an endcap at CVS which had been discounted to 90% off. I can't tell you the wonderful unnecessary crap that I have picked up for next to nothing. It all depends on what they put out that day, but I have gotten makeup for $.50, face creams for $1.00-$2.00, medicine for under $1.00....and on and on and on.......Yesterday they also had all of their summer merchandise marked to 75% off. There were some amazing deals to be found. Fake crocs for $2.00, toys for $dirt cheap.00, and all sorts of stuff that you never knew you needed until it was 75% off! Apparently I am vying for the good deals at my local CVS with a lady named Nancy. My favorite cashier told me that she also comes in every Sunday morning to try to score great cheap stuff. It has me wondering if I should be there when they unlock the doors?? This is every CVS in Dallas (as far as I know)......and it is possible that it is nationwide, as well.









I am going to post photos of some good deals I have found as of recent....or just anything interesting that I have saved in my computer!!

You know you are old when.....

You meet the Dallas Cowboys Cheerleaders, and get called ma'am!!! How utterly depressing!!! Yesterday after taking my kids for a swim....we went to the locker room, and to my surprise.....the whole Cowboys cheerleader squad was there! Of course...they were all beautiful and had been made up for a photo shoot that was taking place, and I had been sitting outside by the pool fully dressed and had sweat stains on my shirt....and generally looked like spilt shit....but the icing on the cake was when I asked one of them a question, and she (ever so sweetly) said, "yes, ma'am"!!!! UUUHHHhhhhgggggg......are you kidding me?????!!!! I know she was being polite....but I was very sad about the whole thing!!! My girls on the other hand were thrilled to get autographs and were awestruck by seeing the whole group of them together in close proximity!

Oh....and if you head to Macy's for tax-free shopping....they have a mass of shoes for 75% off....and very cute ones! I didn't get anything (although I was sorely tempted), not did I see what was offered in any of the other departments....but there were plenty of darling shoes for under $20!

If anyone has any nice comments to boost my morale...bring 'em on!!!

A Walk Down Memory Lane And a Stop In The Local Goodwill

Last weekend the family was loaded up for a short but sweet roadtrip to Shreveport, Louisiana for a family wedding. The packing process took a week, as this was a BIG Southern wedding, with all of the trimmings! Two days, three parties, and one wedding + 3 kids and one husband (although he was responsible for himself), left me with a LONG list of clothes to pack and the joy at being able to wear some of my more beautiful things! Nothing makes me happier than a good packing list. I can spend weeks honing it to perfection, until I have the perfect outfit for any occasion and nothing extra! I never over pack, and neither would you if you spent three weeks on your packing list!!! My kids looked wonderful, and I am so thankful for my husbands Father, who used to adore buying my girls beautiful dresses that I would never even have considered spending the big bucks on!! A few of their things were purchased second-hand, and my son looked gorgeous in his recently thrifted formalwear!

On Saturday after our perfectly lovely wedding day brunch, my husband was anxious to try his hand at the blackjack tables. I used to love to gamble...now I can't stand losing $$$. Even $5 lost is $5 that could have been something fabulous! I decided to drive my kids to Ruston (about an hour away), which is the town where I grew up. I haven't been there in 20 years, and it was like I never left! Everything was where it was supposed to be. I am not sure why I was expecting a HUGE change, but nonetheless...I was not disappointed with what I found. My kids did a stellar job of acting interested as I pointed out the playground at the school where I went to elementary, the donut shop where my Mom used to take me, the house I grew up in, etc.... and I truly love them for that!

Unfortunately, my daughters feet started to really bother her (which gave me the answer as to why someone would donate such a beautiful pair of unworn children's shoes to the Salvation Army). I just happened to be passing the Ruston hub of shopping excitement, which included a Goodwill store. I have to be honest, I was not thrilled at the prospect of the treasures within! Small town, no big stores....probably going to be a bunch of junk. Unfortunately, my daughter needed a pair of shoes and quickly!! I swear I feel like I have a honing device on my head which enables me to sniff out the best stuff....and separate it from the crap instantly. I was in that Goodwill for only a few moments and found a vintage Gucci purse for $.99. It may happen to smell a bit mildewy, but nothing that a little bit of febreeze can't fix!! I have cleaned it and plan on making it my new makeup bag! I felt really bad about "location profiling", and from this day forward plan on being an equal opportunity shopper!! Ruston had some good stuff....I recommend stopping into a small town thrift shop near you....there are treasures waiting within that the locals cannot appreciate!

And speaking of appreciate....I will share my clothes from the wedding. Hope you enjoy....

Harkham maxi dress- $4.99

Brown satin top- $6.00 Maria's Closet, Cavalli skirt $50 bought in Hong Kong

Elie Tahari dress- $60 Clothes Circuit ($10 for me after using my coupons!)

Getting Crafty With it!!!

There is a quote, "necessity is the mother of invention" that rarely applies to me.....but sometimes I have had to get crafty to get what I want!!

For example....a few years ago I wanted a blingy, bling cell phone something awful! I refused to even think about paying the $100-$200 that a service would charge me to make my phone look like something that 'Lil Kim would carry, so one day armed with some tweezers, and a few bags of Swarovski crystals in varying sizes, I put on a movie and spent three hours making my phone so fancy that it was promptly stolen!! I did certainly enjoy it while it lasted though, and had many comments on its beauty!

I was recently at Buffalo Exchange (I am sure you are all sick of hearing about BE), where I had purchased my husband a pair of jeans as a gift! I still had some store credit left, and was feeling really proud of myself that I was able to leave the store with the credit intact. As I passed by the bag stand next to the door, I saw a gorgeous, but filthy bag just calling out to me! When I reached out to touch it, the leather was like butter. I glimpsed at the tag inside, and to my delight....it was a Bottega Veneta...and for $25!!! Oh, but the problem of the dirty and dingy leather....what to do??? I debated for about 3 seconds before deciding that I would break out my Tarrago #18 leather dye, and give this baby a new life! It took me not long at all to take this bag from funky to fabulous, and I was feeling very proud of my accomplishment until m daughter told me, "oooohhhh, can I have this bag when I grow up? It looks like the Buxton Organizer". I will provide a link for the Buxton organizer so you can see why I might feel a little bummed out!! Anyway....my plan is to add some chains or studs or something to give it a little rock n' roll appeal and separate it from its buxton counterpart!!

Moral of my story is...don't be afraid to play with what you have. There are endless possibilities to change things and make them your own.

If any of you have any creations of your own....I would love to hear about them!!

https://www.buxtonbag.com/flare/next

DEAL ALERT!!!!

I was at Salvation Army on Inwood/Harry Hines last night purchasing some books, when I was completely sidetracked by the case at the register. I had to blink and rub my eyes, because behind the glass was a slew of NEW shoes. Christian Louboutin, Prada, Michael Kors, Tory Burch, and more....Priced between $59.99 and $189.99, they are not the best deal to be had, but not so shabby either!!! Definitely worth checking out if you have feet!!!

What I am wearing today had me wondering if I am either a super hottie, or if the homeless men in my neck of the woods just aren't used to seeing a gal in a miniskirt!!! While i was at .99 Only (this should be the big clue right here), I was approached by a man who told me he had been maced the night before. I believed him because his eyes were streaming tears and he looked absolutely miserable!! I offered to buy him some water, but he said he would rather have beer!!! I would probably rather have beer too if I were him. Anyway...as I was walking off, he said to me, "Thanks anyway, and you look really nice today!" I have to tell you that the compliment really meant something. If a person in great pain and blind from chemicals can appreciate your outfit, then it must really be something!!

Susana Monaco shirt- @$10 second-hand store

Elie Tahari skirt- $35 bought in Hong Kong

Cerre shoes- $25 DSW

My tussle wth a RABID varmint!!!

Just yesterday I was walking my darling dog, when my son noticed that our bushes were rustling. At first, I assumed he was imagining things, as every time that he would ask me to look, there was nothing to see! He continued to prod the bushes in hopes of eliciting movement from the unknown species within. At one point, I said, "dude....I am going to laugh my a$$ off if something jumps out at you"!! That is the type of Mother that I am....perfectly able to find amusement in my children getting attacked by wild animals!!! I should have known that Murphy's Law would apply in this situation, as it does in every other aspect of my life. I bent down to inspect the bushes, thinking that perhaps it was a stray kitten or baby bird....and my son poked a stick in the other side of the bush at the same moment. Out jumped a squirrel....right at me!!! My kids found much joy in my scream of horror as this beady eyed little monster rushed straight at me! At the last second, it veered off course and headed up the nearest tree....but not before I had to eat my words, and my son and his friend enjoyed a good laugh at my expense.

Now that I have mentioned my sons friend..I would like to further investigate that relationship! This little boy,Jose, is the son of Eddie. Eddie is the Godsend who is fixing the gaping hole in our ceiling. I was diligently working in the bag store a few days ago, when my kids called to tell me that there was a new leak in our TV room. Our building suffers from many leaks, so I was instructing them to place another bucket under the dripping water when I heard cracking noises and a heck of a lot of screaming! I ran out the door, as quickly as my 4 inch heels would allow (pretty fast under the circumstances), as I thought the ceiling had collapsed on my precious children. When I arrived upstairs, the ceiling HAD collapsed, but luckily no offspring were pinned beneath the rubble! Hence...the arrival of Eddie! Eddie is the equivalent of $8.00 Manolo Blahnik shoes....an unbelievable bargain! He is fixing our roof, and the hole in the ceiling, start to finish for under $400. So if you live in the DFW area, and need an amazing handyman, that works well under pressure and the vigilant attention of 5 children...Eddie is your man!

Now on to the clothes....today I am wearing a shirt from my favorite designer and my favorite store. Pucci has been around for decades, and never seems to go out of style. My Mother was a fan of Pucci in the 60's, and although she could not afford to buy any of the designers clothes, she did purchase a Pucci paperdress. When I asked for elaboration on this, I was told that Pucci made a line of dresses from paper, that were printed with his designs, but were much more affordable! What I wouldn't give for that dress today! I have been obsessed with Pucci for about 10 years. I never thought that I would actually own any, so it is to my delight that I have built quite a collection while shopping second-hand. The shirt I am wearing today was purchased at Buffalo Exchange. God....I love that store!! I don't even think that you could find Pucci at Salvation Army for $12, but that is what I paid for this cutie t-shirt. I have also bought a Pucci skirt at Buffalo Exchange, and a few scarves. I know it is a complete blessing if I happen upon the odd Pucci item at Buffalo Exchange, but I will take my blessings and count them. I am going to include some pictures of my other Pucci items (at lease the ones that are stored on my computer). I hope you enjoy......

My outfit for today:

Pucci t-shirt $12 Buffalo Exchange

Levi's- belong to my son

Prada shoes-$50 Ebay