My Fall 2013 Value Village 50% Off Scores

It's 50% off day at Value Village again. "Its the most wonderful time of the year"...haha- I realize that Staples has claimed that song, but...oh well....




This morning I texted my friend Leanne, and she, her sister-in-law who was visiting, and I rushed over to get there as close to 9am as possible.


I reminded them to wear their 'thrifting outfits' and so, when it was time to try on all of the clothing we had grabbed off of the racks, we didn't need to wait in the HUGE lineups for the waiting rooms. It pays to follow my blog folks. ;)


Leanne's sister-in-law, Lana, found a few great pieces and Leanne picked up some great tops and a couple things for back-to-school for her son. As well, she snapped up some FABULOUS shelving.


I found some great back-to-school items for my son that is going into grade 1 (!!!!!????), and some great pieces for myself.







Here are the back-to-school clothes first:

This 'Super Hero' shirt went on as soon as we got home. As did the Wolverine claws ($4.99). Now- I am fully aware that these MAY actually be 'Freddy Kruger' claws- but around here, they magically turn this little guy into Wolverine.


Side note: My 2-yr-old had an enormous tantrum because HE didn't get any claws (even though I picked up a 'Hulk' mask for him for $1.99), so I made him some claws out of construction paper and duct tape. Now the 2 of them are fighting over the duct tape claws. Seriously????

For ALL of these clothing items, minus my littlest's rubber boots (which were $3) cost me only $27.30 including tax!

That is- 3 pairs of jeans, 2 button up shirts, a sweater, a reversible hoodie (which kind of counts as 2 hoodies. no??),  2 pairs of pj's, a long-sleeved tee and a pair of rubber boots for those rainy days! 

I'd say that's an amazing deal, indeed.

Now, for MY scores:

I am absolutely in LOVE with this sweater. It just screams "ME", And it only cost me $3!!

These super-cute, skinny green pants were only $3, as well.

I can wear both of these black dresses for doing hair for weddings. Snapped up each one for $6.50. Happiness.






Well, that's all for today's post, friends. Hope you still have enough time to run to the closest Value Village near you. If you do- let me know what scores you found!!




Blessings.

Stumbled Onto A Thrift Center On The Way To 'Fiddler'...

What's better than a day out with the sister? A day out with the sister seeing my favourite musical- Fiddler On The Roof- at the Festival Theatre in Stratford ON.

What is better than that?? Spying a sign for a Thrift Centre from the highway...I know, it's a gift...

You can see by my expression that I was pretty darn excited to find this place. My sister picked up a couple of purses and a necklace. I found an umbrella for the boys, a package of miscellaneous thank-you notes, and tried to find a dress for a wedding that I'm attending this weekend.

The dresses that I tried on were OK, but there wasn't anything that I really loved.  The dresses were $8 each. Which- is a good price- but I could probably find something at Plato's Closet for the same price, and it would probably be more current. (I left my leggings on for speed in the changing room- there was a long line!) 

I did snap up this skirt for $4. It looks a wee bit dowdy in this photo, though. Haha

Then, we were off to see Fiddler On The Roof. It was AMAZING. I definitely recommend it. I wasn't sure that it could live up to the film, and I would know- I've seen it ABOUT a million times and know every word to every song- but they did a spectacular job. 

Enjoying an intermission wine on the terrace. Lovely.

Tunic- $1 Bibles For Missions Thrift Shop

Tank- $5.99 Value Village

Leggings- Cast-off from friend= FREE

 In front of the Festival Theatre.

Sister's dress- $12.99 Value Village

Necklace/ My bracelet- Just One- World Changing Jewelry



(She learns from the best! Haha)



More on my sister's thrifting finds here.



So, to recap, great day with the sister, fabulous time at the Thrift Centre, and AMAZING show at the Festival Theatre. Sigh. Life is good.



Thanks for stopping in friends.



Blessings.

Want to Buy Canadian, But Not Sure Where To Start??

You are probably starting to hear everywhere that we must return to buying from Canadian-owned companies to support our lagging economy. 

Maybe you've made to decision for yourself to support Canadian companies with your hard-earned money. 

But now you wonder "How do I actually FIND any?"

Well, you could check out FLARE's article- Made In Canada,  10 Homegrown Fashion And Beauty Brands, OR you could simply continue reading here, since I posted them all here for you. :)

Green Beaver

This family business was founded in 2002 by the science-brained husband-and-wife duo Alain Ménard and biochemist Karen Clark. The pair drew inspiration from their newborn son, and his affinity for eating bath bubbles, to develop a range of personal care products free of all harmful chemicals. Green Beaver makes it a priority to use Canadian-grown, certified organic ingredients whenever possible, and its Ecocert-certified Hawkesbury, Ont., production facility strives for complete transparency with its genuine open-door policy. Available at natural health stores across Canada.

(***This is a favourite line in my home. We've been using Green Beaver in my home for a few years now. The shampoos/conditioners are oh-so-yummy smelling and my 5-yr-old will ONLY brush his teeth with the green-apple-flavoured, flouride-free toothpaste. Definite thumbs up from THIS household***)

Birds of North America

Ryerson University alumna Hayley Gibson established her self-described vintage-classic womenswear line Birds of North America in 2007, featuring covetable frocks, high-waisted trousers and blouses fit for the ultimate cool-girl-about-town. Being both designed and manufactured in Montreal since day one has allowed Gibson to maintain complete control over the production process and ensure worker rights are always in check. Now available at more than 30 independent boutiques across North America.

(**** Pop-up Shop at White Elephant, 133 James St N Hamilton, ON****)

Judith & Charles

Power couple Charles Le Pierrès and Judith Richardson began their women’s clothing business under the name Teenflo some 20 years ago and rebranded as Judith & Charles in 2009. Their desire for quality control, consistency and shorter lead times is what keeps them producing locally (mainly within Ontario). The brand imports luxury fabrics from Europe and Japan to produce its über-wearable collection of tailored separates and versatile dresses. Available at Judith & Charles stores in New York City, Toronto, Montreal, Ottawa, Calgary and Vancouver

Rapp Eyewear

Founded by Mel Rapp 30 years ago, this family affair that began as Rapp Optical, a high-end eyewear shop in Toronto, has since expanded to Rapp Eyewear with the addition of a local fabrication facility. This allowed the company to begin designing, producing and globally distributing its own line of avant-garde, limited-edition, hand-crafted frames—an endeavour that launched in 2006 after years of planning—that are recognizable by the brand’s distinct combination of titanium and acetate. Available at select optical stores worldwide. 

VAWK

Sunny Fong was the obvious winner of Project Runway Canada in 2009, which helped catapult his luxury ready-to-wear line, vawk.ca (est. 2004), into the national spotlight. The designed- and handcrafted-in-Canada brand, known for its impeccable construction and sophisticated femininity, has since become a regular fixture at Toronto Fashion Week and has even been sported on such high-profile red carpets as the Cannes International Film Festival, TIFF and the Grammy Awards. Available at The Room at The Bay in Toronto and Vancouver, with an online shop coming soon.

Bare Love Beauty

Founder Rebecca Cook developed her three-product skin care line in Ottawa in 2012, hoping to take her beloved beauty oil to the next level. With the development of her uniquely buttery “firm oil” formula for body, face and hair—with eye and lip products set to launch in the fall—she’s done just that. The products are manufactured in Montreal, with environmental sustainability and all-natural ingredients remaining as the brand’s non-negotiables. Available online at barelovebeauty.com, ebeauty.ca and dermstore.com, and in select stores and Moksha Yoga studios nationwide.

Naked and Famous

For Naked and Famous founder Brandon Svarc, producing his jeans locally is a no-brainer. Since his family has been in the denim business in Montreal for more than 65 years, he feels it’s his duty to keep the tradition alive. His five-year-old company sets itself apart from competition by sourcing raw, untreated denim from Japan and opposing the industry status quo by shunning celebrity endorsements and offering high-quality jeans at a reasonable price. Available at luxury boutiques in more than 30 countries worldwide, including Barneys New York.

Consonant Skincare

After suffering from a slew of skin problems in his 20s and unexpectedly finding relief through the homemade concoctions of a colleague, Bill Baker launched Consonant Skincare in 2008 with the goal of producing an assortment of healthy, fragrance-free and innovative products that weren’t readily available at the time. With a stand-alone store in downtown Toronto and production out of Thornhill, Ont., this award-winning company continues to value its Canadian home base, even sourcing its packaging and raw materials in-country. Available at 2479 Yonge St. in Toronto, select boutiques across Canada and online at consonantskincare.com.

Vasanti Cosmetics

Pinki Gosal and sisters Priti and Monal Patel found their niche in the expansive beauty industry by setting out to fill a void they discovered first hand for an ethnically inclusive line suitable for a diverse range of skin tones. Launched in Toronto in 1999, what began as three basic products has since grown into a vast array of more than 150 skin care and cosmetics offerings that continue to be manufactured within Canada. Sold at select Shoppers Drug Mart and Rexall locations and online at amazon.com, well.ca, ebeauty.ca, sears.ca and vasanticosmetics.com.

Bite Beauty

Founded four years ago by former perfumer Susanne Langmuir, it’s no surprise that this rapidly growing lip care company is a perpetual beauty editor favourite. Not only does Bite Beauty offer a vibrant range of chemical-free, statement-making lipstick and nourishing lip care—with organic, food-grade ingredients making it truly good enough to eat—but all of its products and packaging are hand made in the company’s own Toronto lab by its 51-person staff. Available in 300 Sephora stores throughout North America and online at sephora.com. 

If you have made the decision to buy Canadian, I applaud you. If you have made the decision to buy from local companies right in the city where you live- even better!

If we can support our local vendors, we will breathe life into our cities, cut down on pollution (from shipping goods from the other side of the earth), and perhaps cut down on the death-inflicting, cost-cutting measures taking place in Third-World countries.

If you live in Hamilton, here are some of MY favourite local vendors.

Peace friends.

Let me know if you have any favourite Canadian companies that YOU love to support!

Friends Who Thrift Together: My Sister, Emily

I am going to to start a new section entitled: "Friends Who Thrift Together..Stay together". Now, I am not saying that in order to stay friends with someone, you MUST thrift together....but it DOES help. 




It is just such a fun (and budget-friendly) way to spend an hour or two with people you enjoy. You can laugh at the ridiculousness of some outfits, drool over the fabulous finds and just enjoy the company of one another.

I don't really remember when my younger sister, Emily, started thrifting.

I don't think we ever went thrift shopping together in Thunder Bay while I lived there.

I only remember thrifting with her in the last couple of years. Even so- she is a great bargain shopper, and when it came time to look for some dresses for a bachelorette party- she headed straight for Plato's Closet.

Plato's Closet is fabulous if you:

*Are in high school

*Are a bar-star

*Like to find name brand items at discount prices

Plato's Closet is a great consignment store- and they recently opened a shop on the Hamilton Mountain! They will only buy clothing that is either name brand or in season, so you know that you will find something awesome when you go. I found this cute lace tank there just before I went to Madrid for only $3:

My sister's Plato's Closet picks:

These dresses are super cute on her. And all for only $8 each!

The strappy sandals she found are Elie Tahari and she bought them for $20. But they are regularly upwards of $200!!


You can also check out Plato's Closet's website for their Style Blog or Customer's Plato's Closet Stories. Great ideas there, friends.




There really is nothing better for me than to be thrift shopping with people I love. Then, I can pull out great finds for them too! Double the rush! 



If you are looking for a friend to go thrifting with- I'm your girl! Just say the word. Who knows? You might even end up on my blog! ;)



Blessings.

Hot For Fall- Leopard Print

I have mentioned before, I am a recent convert to animal print. Previously, I thought that if I wore it, it would make me look like a cougar.

But one day, I decided to head out in a leopard-printed sweater that I have owned forever, and fell in love with it all over again.

According to Flare, leopard print will be very BIG this fall. Here are some great ideas that they gave for adding some of this trend to your wardrobe:

Add a touch of "wild" to your wardrobe with some animal print booties, sunglasses or even an umbrella.

Cute dress ideas. I LOVE the sheer dress- top middle.

More ideas for taking part in this trend other than adding clothing items. Add some gloves, a scarf or a funky phone case. 

Shoes are a great way to add animal print to your wardrobe. on the feet, this print becomes a neutral and goes with everything! Check out Talize or Value Village for some if you're a thrifter.

If you are loving this wild trend, why not add a blouse or blazer to your closet. If it fits well, animal print is a great investment, as it seems to get big every couple years or so.  

I just love that these pieces seem to have more of a bohemian-feel to them (my inner-hippie approves) and less of an 80's-glam-wear-it-with-black-leather feel. 

And this is one of my favourite looks ever, from Pinterest:

 Animal print cardi paired with cobalt blue denim and knee-high boots. Perfection.

What do you think, friends? Will this be a trend that you take part in?

If so, don't forget to check out your local thrift shops to find some pieces. Not only will you save some money, but you'll help the earth, AND you won't have the same animal print item as every woman in your workplace.

Peace.