Velma & Shaggy Costume Tutorial // DIY

*I LOVE HALLOWEEN!! For more costume ideas and my DIY (and money saving) tips and tricks check out this post! It includes links to all my other DIY costumes as well! Happy Haunting! XO - Alexandra*

HAPPY OCTOBER FRIENDS! :) - get ready for nothing but festive fall and Halloween posts coming your way! #sorrynotsorry

Last Halloween KC and I dressed up like Velma and Shaggy from Scooby Doo. It followed pretty much all of my criteria in coming up with a clever and inexpensive costume... read those 5 tips here.

Anyhow, these costumes were so fun and easy, I wanted to share a quick DIY and few costume-specific tips for you. :)

We pulled off each costume under $35!

Items needed:

Orange Turtleneck Sweater - might I suggest the thrift store?
Red Skirt - preferably pleated, or something with a little bit of a flare at the hem
Orange knee socks
Red Shoes
Square black framed glasses
Short brown wig with bangs

Extras:

A black magnifying glass
A map
A notebook and pencil - for clues, obvs.

Variations and Notes:

Don't worry too much about the hues of orange and red... just try to make them match throughout your outfit. My orange was more of a deep hue, and my red was kind of a rusty color. But that's not a problem so long as you make it consistent from head to toe.

Downside:

Holy cow, turtlenecks and bulky sweaters are NOT very flattering when you're busty. :( But you could definitely do a light weight sweater or long sleeved tee.

Items Needed:

Brown pants (these sweet sweet pants were in the Target Junior section, but they were stretchy so I knew they would fit KC and not be uncomfortable. What a trooper that guy... )
Bright Green Shirt - preferably baggy. Another good thrift store item!
Brown Shoes
Shaggy Hair

Extras:

A sandwich or a jar of pickles :P

Variations and Notes:

Because we needed a baggy shirt, we found this one at goodwill... but it was HUGE and hella long! So we did the good ol' duct tape him trick that I did on my Poison Ivy costume years ago. Classic. Works every time. :)

So there you have it, a quick and easy costume pair for your Halloween inspiration! 

What are you hoping to be for Halloween this year?

What has been your favorite Halloween costume over the years?

More Halloween Costume Tutorials: Cruella de Vil, Natasha & Boris from Rocky & Bullwinkle, and Poison Ivy. 

Happy Haunting!

XO,

Alexandra

5 Steps to an AMAZING (& Cheap!) Halloween Costume

Oh, Halloween. Such a fun holiday. We all love to dream up costume ideas, and wander through the Target seasonal section looking for the perfect thing don't we?

Whether you are going out, staying in, or throwing your own party, dressing up is half the fun of Halloween. (for me anyway!)

But if you are anything like me, you have really good intentions... and really not-so-good follow through. You end up with an almost awesome costume.

Well, in the past few years I've had a lot of practice coming up with a great costume, quickly, and inexpensively. So I thought I would share some tips!

Read on grasshoppers. (ewwww... grasshoppers...)

1) Pick a Character/Person That is Iconic, but that Won't Require You to Buy a Ton of Things

For example, a costume that takes a relatively solid colored dress + a few accessories is ideal. Especially if those things are inexpensive and/or you will wear them again. Be wary of picking a character that might be too generic. For example, if you want to be Ms. Scarlet from Clue.... you probably need more than a red dress. Follow advice for #2 however, and you've got a recognizable costume.

2) Props & Details Are Everything


What does your costume have to have to be recognizable? For example, being Holly Golightly in the men's shirt with the eye mask, is not convincing without the eye mask. You might as well be Risky Business Tom Cruise. Spend the money to DIY the eye mask or just buy it. You'll be glad that you did. To carry over the example from #1 Ms. Scarlet is just a girl in a red dress, until you give her a a murder weapon, like a rope as a prop. When KC and I were Natasha and Boris we carried around a fake old fashioned looking bomb and a wanted poster that KC drew. Those things cost maybe $5 and took so little time to come up with. This topic leads me to #3....

3) Just Buy the Wig (or Pick Someone Who Has Your Hair!)

If you are going to spend money on your costume, this is often the place to do it. It seems silly, when will you wear it again, right? Well, Lucy just isn't Lucy without the vintage styled red updo, believe me we tried it. We just looked like us, dressed up, and mildly vintage. Daenerys isn't Daenerys without the braided flowing blonde mane. Often times these wigs are $20, in the grand scheme of things, it's not too much. Heck, Target has some for $10 this year! You can always plan future costumes around a wig you bought a previous year. Poison Ivy's red hair could easily become Ariel's in future years. Plus, that fake hair dye never looks good, and just gets on everything else. amIright? And, it's more fun because you will look and feel different,  more in character! It's especially easy to foot the bill for a wig when you do #4...

4) Thrift, Borrow & Repurpose the Bulk of Your Costume

If you are sticking with my #1 suggestion, this part shouldn't be too difficult. Elsa? Blue dress. Cruella? Red dress. Figure out what clothing you'll need, and rummage through your closet. Old formal dresses work well for costumes! Don't have it? Check with a friend or family member. Don't have time for that? Go to the thrift store. Goodwill and The Salvation Army have dresses for $5-10, in every color and size. This is also a great place to find weird shoes you don't want to spend the money on, handbags, and other quirky accessories. For Cruella, I thrifted my red dress, used red heels that I bought for my Poison Ivy costume, a camisole and jewelry I already had. I only had to buy my wig, and a few inexpensive accessories. I thrifted my Poison Ivy AND Natasha dresses from Goodwill too. None of them were more than $10!

5) Make It Work & DIY Your Heart Out

What happens when you find something that mostly fits the bill? Get crafty. I decided to be Poison Ivy the night before a costume party one year. I found the wig, I found the shoes and fishnets, ivy was easy to come by... the dress was the most important part. I stumbled upon a dark green dress at Goodwill that was perfect but it was REALLY long. I tried it on, it fit like a glove.... but again, so long. I have absolutely no sewing skills, but I knew the dress could be utilized. I took it to my dorm, put it on and had KC cut the bottom of the skirt off (a little longer than I wanted it). Then I turned the dress inside out, folded the bottom edge up and made a duct tape hem. It took about 5 minutes and it did the trick. The dress was perfect. Moral of the story: if you think something will work, put in a teeny bit of work. You can do it, and it will be worth it. :)

The biggest thing is to remember to have fun. Pick a character that you want to be. Then get creative, it will come together, and there is certainly no reason to spend hundreds of dollars!

I'm working on updating some of these tutorials but I'm going to put in these links anyhow:

Poison Ivy Costume DIY
Cruella De Vil Costume DIY
Natasha and Boris Costume DIY
Velma and Shaggy from Scooby Doo Costume DIY
(not yet a tutorial) Little Red Riding Hood and Big Bad Wolf
(not yet a tutorial) Professors Snape and Trelawney
(not yet a tutorial) Garden Gnomes

What have been your favorite Halloween costumes? How did you pull them off?

What are you planning to be this year? Or is it a secret?

XO,

Alexandra

DIY Wall Collage (On a Budget!) // Labor Day Weekend Project

Looking for a project for your long weekend? Everyone loves a good wall collage, here are my tips and tricks for creating one that is beautiful and balanced.

For YEARS I have been getting blog and Instagram complements on this wall collage. I am always super flattered, partially because I have never posted a picture of the collage by itself. It's always in the background. So, I have decided to give a little tutorial and some tips on making your collage look balanced, but  not matchy-matchy.

This is a detailed post, hopefully that will give you guys specific ideas, inspiration, and steps to take. :) 

Ready?

Time:

A few hours, really as long as you'd like.

Supplies:

A roll of craft paper or old wrapping paper
Scissors
A pencil
Items you might want to hang on the wall
Frames you may want to use
Double sided, acid free, scrapbooking adhesive squares - or something similar
Nails - and any other hanging supplies, (more on this below)
A hammer
A cup of coffee - or whatever you prefer
A good playlist

Getting Started:

Start collecting paper if you don't already have a stack. Postcards, artists prints, magazine pages, small paintings, caricatures, maps, photos, etc. Anything that YOU like would make great wall art.

Start collecting frames, if you don't already have a stack. I occasionally pick one up at a store, but usually I get mine at a thrift store like Goodwill or The Salvation Army. They are usually between $1 and $5. Cheap. Plus you can find a good selection of sizes/shapes/colors/textures there. I only purchased 6 of the frames in this collage from non-thrift-store sources.

Designing Your Collage:

Gather the materials that you are considering using, (frames, paper pieces, canvases, mirrors, plates, anything you love and want to put on your wall). If you are anything like me, you will have way too many options for the collage. That's ok, it allows you to test things out and find the best fit. :)

Pick the space that you want to use for your collage. We had a big empty section in our wall, so we decided to use that. Take a roll of paper (we used craft paper from the gift wrap section at Target) and roll it out until it is the approximate length of the space that you want to fill with your collage. If you want to cover more height than the paper allows, feel free to cut two strips and tape them together to get the correct height.

Lay your piece of paper on the floor, this will be your canvas. You'll need this later.

Now start looking through your items that you want to hang:

• Are there any paper pieces that go really well with one of your frames? If so, test them out, put them inside and take a look at them. Don't worry about placement yet. Look at things that are the right sizes, shapes, and colors. If necessary you can mat things to make them fit in your frames.
• Are you noticing any color themes? We often gravitate toward similar colors and palettes. I didn't notice at all until I started narrowing my choices down that I had a lot of green and gold throughout my collage. 
• Similarly, are there any items that just look completely off in your pile? Set those aside, but don't rule them out quite yet. The variation in items can make it look interesting, but you don't want those things distracting you as you think.
• Are there any "problem children" in the bunch? Anything that is torn, broken, needs repair, a special hanging solution, or a coat of paint? Don't write those items off either! The plate I used in this collage was $0.49 at The Salvation Army, it has a small chip on the edge, I picked up a plate hanger for $2 at Michael's that hides the chip perfectly. Easy peasy. The Georgia O'Keeffe still life is framed in a clear glass frame that was actually meant to go in a table top holder. I've never used it that way, but it doesn't have a hanging mechanism. The answer? Command velcro strips. Those things are MAGIC. 

After you have matched up your items, put aside the possible "no's" for later, made  list of ways to fix up the "problem children", etc. It is time to start working on placement for your collage. Don't worry, nothing is set in stone, it's time to play! 

Set the items that you want to use on your sheet of paper, these are most likely going to remain in your collage (though they don't have to!).

Look at the shapes, sizes, and colors of your objects:

• Are they all the same size? 
• Do they all have the same orientation? (vertical/horizontal)
• Do they all have the same thickness of frame?
• Look at the colors in the papers and frames again, what are you noticing?

Ideally, you will have a mix of sizes, shapes, colors, and frame thicknesses. But you will also be noticing some themes too. With mine, I noticed the repetition of gold and green, and that initially most of my frames were pretty thick. 

Go back to your "maybe" items, you know that pile you set aside earlier? Look at it with a new perspective, you have an idea of what you are looking for now. 

• Fill in those gaps. For mine I needed to add some thinner frames, and more frames/pictures that could be hung vertically. I had too many horizontal ones. 
• Does anything in your "maybe" pile have some of your repeating colors in it? I picked out a few pieces that had golds and greens in them that I hadn't noticed before. Now they really fit with my other choices. 
• Are you noticing any themes within your "maybe" pile that you are still loving? I had several modern black and white pieces that I thought really clashed with the magical greens and golds, and old fashioned styles. But when I noticed that I had several items that were all black and white, I decided to pull them into my collage and try them out. It turned out that they didn't clash with the other items but made the spread more eclectic and balanced in it's own way.

Once you have taken a new look at everything, start placing them on your paper. Here are some tips to get you started:

• Put frames of the same size and shape opposite from each other. You'll notice in my collage, most of my bigger frames are around the edges, and they are never lined up directly next to one another.
• Spread items of similar colors out as you go across your paper. In mine I had a lot of green and turquoise pops, I started at one corner and tried to place them across the page.
• Mix in your secondary color schemes. The ones from the "maybe" pile that you still love. For me it was the black and white. Our caricature was the largest piece, and the other two were pretty small. I played around with their placement but ultimately ended up spreading them across the page as well. 
• Put similar frame thicknesses and colors apart from each other. I actually have the same frame in there twice. The thick brown one at the bottom right and left. I changed the orientation of one, and made sure it was across from the other one. The gold top center frame is a similar thickness, so it balanced them out well in the top middle. 
• Put smaller items toward the bottom or edges. Small items can fit well anywhere, but I like them around the edges because they can balance out the shape of the collage without looking too out of place. We put most of our small pieces at the bottom.
• Have fun! There is no one right way to do this! You can change it around as much as you want. Even as time goes by on the wall. :)

Hanging it up:

• Once you love the way your collage looks, and it is ON your paper, trace around the edges of your frames. It's ok if some things go slightly off your paper, just trace the part that touches.
• Once you have done all the frames, step back and take a picture to help you remember what was where.  
• As you take each item off your paper, you can also write a note in it's place to note what was where.
• After you have finished all of your tracing and labeling, tape your piece of paper to the spot on the wall where you want your collage to go.
• One by one, look at the back of each item, and find where the nail will rest, and where it should go based on your tracing on the paper. Carefully nail each item in. For items that don't have a picture hook on the back, get creative. Our canvases are just sitting on the nails. The clear frame with the Georgia O'Keeffe that I mentioned above has command velcro strips attached to it. You can't see them because they are behind the picture. The frame at the top that looks like twigs is meant for a table top, but the nail fit in between the twigs and hangs just fine. You'll figure it out! 
• Once all items have been nailed into the wall, carefully cut or rip away the craft paper. I found it much easier to hang one large piece of paper straight than to do the other version of this where you tape each individual shape up on the wall before nailing. Please recycle. :) 
• Enjoy your amazing new wall collage!

What I Spent & Money Saving Tips:

Since I tend to collect paper, especially when we travel, I only had to purchase one item to go in a frame, the mat behind the "Better Lawns and Gardens" picture. It was $2 at Goodwill. I attached the picture to it with scrapbooking squares.

Similarly, I had a bunch of frames, so I didn't need to purchase any. Again, thrift stores are a great place to find these items! Especially on a budget. If I bought all of these frames at a thrift store, I think it would have cost between $25 and $30. SUPER CHEAP. :) Another option is estate sales, garage sales, and auctions where you can often get a flat of old frames, some with pictures in them for a small fee.

I spent $14 on this project, which means even if you had to purchase some frames or post cards, etc. it would still be an inexpensive project. :) 

I hope this tutorial answers some questions for you guys on the process, and how to design it. I hope it inspires you to create a collage that reflects you in your own space too. :) 

Please feel free to ask questions below!

Have you ever made a wall collage? 

What is your favorite home DIY you have tried?

Thank you for reading!

XO,

Alexandra

DIY // A Little White Paint Goes A Long Way // Upcycling Wooden Items

Every time I go to a thrift store, I find a handful of items that just need a tweak.

You know, the dress that needs hemmed, the lampshade that needs recovered, the jewelry that needs repaired.... and a lot of it... . gets forgotten (at least for a little while). It gets tucked in a drawer, or stuck in a box. But other times I end up with quirky little wooden, plastic, or metal items that can be easily painted, and therefore given new life.

One of my favorite projects so far has been this wooden owl. Before... it looked very dated. I nearly passed it by upon first glance. But with a little wash, and a few coats of white paint. It is so much more modern looking.

Materials:

Wooden Object to Paint
Washcloth with water and a tiny bit of mild detergent
Acrylic Craft Paint, Acrylic Painter's Paint, or Latex Wall Paint
A Paint Brush
A Drop Cloth or Paper to cover your surface

1) Gently wash your object with your washcloth. Don't use too much soap. Make sure to get the washcloth in between in any grooves or crevasses where dust or dirt might be hiding! Let air dry.

2) Place a drop cloth or newspaper on your work surface to catch drips. Get out your object, and begin painting a thin layer over entire surface. If it is easier to place your object on one side, paint the layer on just that side, then alternate sides as you add layers of paint (make sure they are dry before you add another layer!).

3) Continue painting on thin layers, letting dry in between coats, until the object is covered. You might like a faint, white washed look on your object or a completely solid painted look.

4) Let dry completely and admire.

What do you think?

What are some of your favorite DIYs for the home?

Would you like to see more DIYs in this space?

Thank you for reading!

XO,

Alexandra

Polka Dotted, Lack of Spots

Hi everyone! I hope that you had a lovely weekend and Valentine's Day. 

We went to IKEA (with about 1,000 other Kansascitians...) and then to see The Princess Bride at a local old theater. We ended the night with Keira Knightly's P&P. (KC picked again, such a keeper!) It was a really fun day! :) We also made each other some fun Valentine's/Gifts. But I'll have to share all of that later this week.

This week's linkup with The Creative Closet has the theme polka dots. Upon seeing this I opened my closet to see a sad lack of polka dots. I think I must have some hiding in tubs of clothes somewhere... it is beyond time to clean out all of the stuff I have packed up!

What I did find were a few polka dotted scarves, so I went with that. :)

I also shared this look on Instagram for a fun challenge called #StyleMeFeb with @hilaryrushford , it really has me stretching my wardrobe! :)

Blazer: FXXI, $24 - Old

Tee: FXXI, $7 - Old

Skinnies: TJMaxx, $16 - Old

Ankle Booties: TJMaxx, $35

Scarf: Target, $15 - Old

Glasses: Peepers, NOLA boutique, $20

Outfit Total: $117

Recent Total: $55

Luckily, I went to the thrift store over the weekend, for the first time in months, and I found two cute polka dotted blouses ($4 & $2), so the polka dot void has been filled! 

What type of holes do you have in your wardrobe?

XO,

Alexandra

My Funny Valentine's Outfit // It's Not Actually Funny...

Valentine's Day is Saturday, and if you couldn't tell I'm a little bit excited.

This week I am linking up a Valentine's Day look with the girls from the Creative Closet.

I wanted to chose something pretty, and in Valentine's hues, but nothing too formal or fancy.

I decided to pair this thrifted red blazer with a creamy lace tee for a girly but structured look. I chose dark wash skinnies, cuffed above the ankle, and tan ankle booties to round it off.

I think this is an outfit that I would be comfortable in on many different types of Valentine's dates. A girl's night, Chinese food & bowling, a movie and ice cream...

Tee: $20?, TJMaxx, Old - similar

Blazer: $6, Goodwill - similar

Skinnies: $16, TJMaxx, Old

Ankle Booties: $35, TJMaxx - similar
Earrings: Dillard's, $20?, OLD - similar 1 & 2
Clutch: VS Pink, $20, Old - similar

Total: $97
Recent Total: $41

What are you hoping to do this Valentine's Day?

Netflix and Ice Cream is 100% an acceptable answer... and sounds pretty darn good to me! :)

Like this? Check out my V-day mani here. 

XO,

Alexandra

Cruella De Vil Costume Tutorial // DIY

*I LOVE HALLOWEEN!! For more costume ideas and my DIY (and money saving) tips and tricks check out this post! It includes links to all my other DIY costumes as well! Happy Haunting! XO - Alexandra*

It's that time of year again! Time to think of a creative (often last minute!) costume for Halloween. Last year I resolved to decide on and pull off a costume in advance of Halloween... but the week of I was scrambling around again trying to pull together a costume.

Luckily, Cruella De Vil is just the costume for a last minute decider (like me)! 

Read on for some DIY inspiration and variations, and see how I pulled off this entire look for just $70 (but you could do it for less!). 

First off, why do we love Cruella?

She's mean (cruel is in her name after all), she's pushy, she blows smoke in everyone's faces and she wants to skin a bunch of puppies for a coat! What's to love there? - Nothing. But, sometimes the most ridiculous (and awful) characters are the most iconic. Cruella is fashionable and unmistakable amongst other villains. The black and white hair alone makes us think of no one else.

So, how to we nail down her style? -first, by taking a look at her portrayal in the movie versions of 101 Dalmations (yes, it was a book first!).

Classic Cruella from the (beloved!) 1961 cartoon version of 101 Dalmations is always dressed in the same slinky black dress, oversized fur coat, pointed shoes, red gloves and (furry) handbag. She's got crazy hair, gray skin, yellow eyes, dramatic makeup, an evil laugh, and green smoke constantly pouring out of her cigarette. If you pay close attention, you will also notice the slit in her dress, the panty hose, and the jade jewelry.

Glenn Close in the 1996 and 2000 live action movie versions of 101 (and 102) Dalmations took Cruella to the next level by varying her ensembles throughout the films. You will find Close in fur, feathers, hats, capes, cloaks... every animal print. But ALWAYS over the top. Keeping closely to the color scheme of black, white, and red. Close opted to look a little more like an eccentric woman of high fashion than a graying corpse. She didn't look like her skin was dying, her eyes were not yellow. Instead, she showed off a very fair complexion taking cues from the original Cruella's exaggerated makeup. While her hair is always black and white, her wigs varied throughout the film, which is great for people searching for a costume wig! --Anything black and white goes!

So how do you achieve so much, at last minute for this costume? -- follow this formula, and you can't go wrong!

Cruella's look, (while over-the-top) is very easy to achieve with these basic items: A black and white wig, faux fur, a slinky dress, heels, fancy jewelry, and some animal print. Luckily, these are things are easy to come by, relatively inexpensive, and best of all: can often be found in your own closet!

In depth detail & variations:

The Dress: To start pick out any slinky dress in black, white or red that hits about knee length. Most women own an LBD of some sort--I chose red because I ended up finding the perfect dress for me at the thrift store! If you use a black or white dress, just remember to use red accessories.

The Shoes: Pair the dress with heels (or pointed toe flats!) again in black, white, or red work well. -- And again, most women own some basic dressy shoe! I already had the red heels from my Poison Ivy costume a few years ago! --this is also a great place to add animal print or snake skin!

'Fur': Top the dress and shoes off with some sort of fake fur accent, a convincing fake fur coat is hard to find and kind of expensive. Luckily, the 'fur' look has been fairly trendy, so finding 'fur' scarves, hats, gloves, vests etc. isn't too difficult. It's certainly something that you could own already, but if you end up purchasing something try to make sure that you can wear it again. I found this 'fur' infinity scarf at Target for $25 last year, which also looks really nice with winter sweaters! Twisting and draping it a little allowed me to wear it as more of a shawl for this costume, which is much more 'glamorous' looking.

Jewelry: Cruella is certainly a lady of luxury, so finding oversized costume jewelry is a must. I happened to have a ($2) flapper-length string of fake pearls from a party a few years back, so that worked perfectly in this case. However, diamond-y statement jewelry can also fit the bill! If you are wearing black or white, this could also be a time to throw in a pop of red! Really anything goes here!

Animal Print: It doesn't hurt to throw in animal print for good measure. I chose to do this in my handbag mostly because I already had this bag.... but animal print isn't hard to come by. You could probably find a cartfull of animal print at the thrift store that would work if you don't have something already. You could also do this in the print of your shoes, leopard print or snake skin print would also work well!

The Wig: The wig is probably something that you don't currently have in your closet... (I'm just guessing here...) so just see what you can find! I found this one at a local costume store for just $20. There are many options online and in stores, just find what works for you. I loved the price of this one, but not the style (it is actually 3/4 black in the back and 1/4 white in the front, not quite right), so I used bobby pins and hair spray to 'style' it into a Glenn Close Cruella-esque style. -Just have fun with it!

Want to take your costume to the next level? Including some of these extra items can really add to the illusion. - and I bet you own at least one of them!

If you would like to make your Cruella look more detailed, adding one or more of these items can create that depth in your ensemble. Most of these items and their variations are very inexpensive! Be creative! 

Gloves: Long silky gloves are a fun (and inexpensive!) way to make your costume look more glamorous. I purchased my white pair for just $10 at a costume store. Depending on the color of your dress this is another item that would work in either black, white, or red. Red is especially great if you are wearing a black or white dress and shoes. --Bonus: these can be worn with other costumes later!

Cigarette Holder: A cigarette holder is an easy and extremely inexpensive item you could add to your costume. I purchased mine for just $2 at the costume store. -- This could also be used with several other costumes later, like a flapper or Holly Golightly. 

Feathers: Including feathers is another way to add extravagance and exaggeration to your costume. Glenn Close's Cruella De Vil often wears feathers, both in addition to and instead of animal print. So, think of this as an alternative if you'd like! Feathers could be purchased at a craft store and added to existing pieces (like a handbag). Or you could purchase an item such as a hat, handbag, boa, earrings etc. with feathers to complete the look. I happened to have this fun little hat (that I'd never worn), and it ended up being the perfect occasion to wear it! 

Tights: Cruella is often wearing panty hose or tights. Adding a cheap pair of fishnets or sheer black tights can be an easy way to amp up the glamour. But feel free to be creative! Black lace, two toned, poka dotted, lined etc. would all be great options!

Lipstick: Lastly, adding some red lipstick finishes off any Cruella costume. You probably already have some, but if you don't it is inexpensive, easy to come by, and can be fun to play around with for your everyday looks. Pair it with a smoky eye and bold blush for that over-the-top Cruella look.

Just $70?!? 

(and it looks a heck of a lot better than these more expensive options- which can't be worn again!)

Really the only non-reusable piece is the wig. That is pretty much a Cruella-only item. But for $20 that's really ok with me!

What do you guys think? 

I hope that this post helps you create a Cruella De Vil costume that both looks good, and is easy on the wallet! 

What has been your favorite DIY Costume?

XO,

Alexandra 

April Showers Bring May Flowers // Ladyface Inspired

Happy May Everyone!

I guess I forgot to say that in the last few posts. I hope that everyone is having a lovely spring so far!

As I have mentioned Kansas has flown straight to summer... it's been in the high 80's- low 90's pretty consistently. Sigh. 

This is an outfit that I put together for a spring birthday party. We were going to wish KC's little second cousin a happy 1st (and Golden!) birthday and I wanted something sweet and simple. 

As soon as I put it on I instantly felt like lovely Becca over at Ladyface blog! This is sort of her signature look.. and it is so great on her! I think I kinda pulled it off here...? 

The best part is that both the top and the skirt are from Goodwill & in great condition! 

Blouse: Ann Taylor via Goodwill, $4!

Skirt: H&M via Goodwill, $5!

Flats: Payless, $15 - BOGO Price

Outfit Total: $24!

I hit the jackpot one day in February at our local Goodwill and ended up with 4 Skirts, 2 Dresses, 2 Cardigans and 3 Blouses that I love and fit well. I have very few skirts and dresses in my wardrobe these days, so it was awesome to find so many pieces for spring and summer at such a low price! The skirt from my last fashion post, here is also from this haul as well as this dress! :)

Have you found any amazing deals this spring? I would love to hear about them! 

XO,

Alexandra

I Wish I Was a Librarian.... So I Could Wear This Outfit To Work...

It's somewhat still winter/spring transition time here in Kansas. Sadly we seem to get Winter, Slightly Warmer Rainy Winter and then go straight to summer. :( 

All the same, here is another seasonal transition outfit that I really love. 

Earrings: World Market, $7 - old

Necklace: Francesca's, $26 - old

Tee: Aerie, $10? - old

Cardigan: F21, $13.80 - old

Skirt: Loft via Goodwill, $5!

Flats: Payless $15 - BOGO price - old

Outfit Total: $76.80 

... another outfit primarily made up of older pieces! wooohoo!...

I have always been a huge fan of cardigans, and this navy one gets a lot of play time in my wardrobe! 

I love the contrast with this skirt, but how it ties together to brighten up a warmer look! Plus I think it's kind of fun that it isn't entirely a floral print... it's kind of water color inspired. It's a little less intense and a little more creative.

If only I worked somewhere I could wear this during the week.... like a library... #preschoolprobs

Though, wouldn't it be great to work in a library regardless? Let's be honest.

What do you guys think?

Have you scored any quality pieces of clothing at a local thrift store recently?

What are your favorite winter to spring transition pieces?

XO,

Alexandra 

Junk Bonanza & Minneapolis // Day 2 // April 2014

We decided after a late night of playing board games, sleeping in would be nice. So we all took our time getting up and around the next day before we headed out to Shakopee for day two at Junk Bonanza. (See Day One here!)

We wanted breakfast so we decided to stop at a little diner in Shakopee called Wampach's. It seemed like one of those local joints that has been around forever and serves homestyle food. The signs were all originals and set the tone for a fun breakfast.

Inside, the place was partially kept in (what I am guessing) is it's original decor, but with some added paintings and mirrors from Bed, Bath and Beyond. In the corner I noticed a few vintage photos of the restaurant, printed in black and white and framed nicely. I think that it would make it more inviting and fun if the whole restaurant was decorated that way with other memorabilia from the town. I love that kind of vintage, historic feel in a restaurant!

We all ordered breakfast of one kind or another and it was all very good! I was especially impressed by the pancakes! Which is not my typical favorite breakfast food! I don't think there was anything that wasn't good. Plus you've got to love a place that has a dish of Dum Dums at the register! The flavor I wanted was gone so the waiter told me 'we've got the whole bag!' which in a Northern accent comes out more like 'behg'. I really enjoy the Northern accent, I think it's really charming in a homey sort of way. :)

After we finished breakfast we went out to Canterbury Park to do a second day of treasure hunting. I think the first room was quickly overwhelming for Emy & Matthew, but once we got through some more and stopped for a frozen yogurt break it was a bit more relaxed!

I was so excited about my sprinkle cone, I couldn't even hold still for the picture! haha :)

We stopped by a booth called ReUSE Minnesota where they had a book making project you could do. They took pieces of old file folders, old book pages, maps, stickers, nails, twigs, glue etc. to make some really cute little books. Emy & Matthew, KC and I each made one. 

What do you think?

I had a mental list going of things that I was eyeing the day before and through the current day that I debated between before we left. One thing I decided to go back for was gone, oh well.

But I ended up with an adorable vintage black handbag (It's an obsession!) with these gorgeous rhinestones around the clasp, at $24 it was a little more than I usually pay... but for the detail I couldn't pass it up!

I also purchased a whimsical little gnome planter from my favorite springy booth! I think he's really pretty cute! And since it was the last day of the Bonanza I got him for 20% off! :) 

And on the way out I picked up a silk scarf I had been eyeing the day before and a music box from the same place. The woman at the booth tried to convince me the day before to purchase the scarf, but it had a few stains (I think that would come out) and a very small hole, I wasn't up for paying $10 or $8 (what she offered to lower it to), but luckily it (along with the music box) were both on the half price table the last day! Score!

I also found a fun little page from a book with lions on it that I want to frame for a friend!

Emy also got a vintage black bag, twins. :) And together they got some cute little bird baking soda cards.

Overall I think I did pretty well! I got some really neat things, some at sale prices and I can't wait to do projects with them and incorporate them into our home!

I think focusing on only buying things that were really unique, I couldn't find again, or were just perfect for some reason or another helped to keep me from over-spending and ending up with things that were just ok. It was a good system and something new and different to do together and with our friends. Thank you Flea Market Style / Ki Nassauer and Junk Bonanza for the free tickets! I will definitely be back in the future... and hopefully ordering one of your sold out shirts! :)

After the Bonanza, we went back to Emy & Matthews to rest before heading out to dinner. We decided to go to Cosetta, an Italian Eatery in St. Paul. It was sort of a cafeteria/food court/deli style setting with lots of tables upstairs. It was really nice, and it was very fun to try so many different types of food!

After that we went into their dessert room.... what. a. dream! The cases were just gorgeous! Filled with everything from Canoli to Macarons & Biscotti to Tarts.

I couldn't decide... so I got a bunch of macarons and a mini raspberry tart (which ended up being my breakfast the next day! :) ). 

It was all extremely delicious! I highly recommend this restaurant whether for dinner or just dessert! 

Thank you Emy & Matthew for hosting us and for being terrific tour guides and eating companions. We were so glad to catch up with you and spend a fun weekend together! :) 

Then we drove back to Kansas... straight into a storm.

Did you miss Day One? Post here.

What have you found thrifting recently?

What are your favorite cities to visit? 

Always happy to have travel recommendations, feel free to leave them in the comments! :) 

XOXO,

Alexandra