Tip #11 Try Something Super Quick and Easy

I have a habit of sometimes taking on very long and challenging projects. My wonderful husband and I are in the middle of a (not so wonderful) first time home purchase. So since that has taken up a lot of my time and emotional energy I decided to do a super quick and easy graphic tee project.



I actually don't have very many graphic tees and am always always always looking for a way to bring more navy, white, and neon pink into my life. I did this top one evening and it was dry the next day.



First, I remembered a plain white t-shirt in my closet and cut off the collar and sleeve stitching.





Secondly, I free-handed a makeshift stencil and cut it out. I'd seen a "birdie" shirt earlier that day at Target which gave me the inspiration...but mine ended up being totally different.




I then traced the stencil onto the shirt with colored pencils.



Lastly, I painted in the lines with acrylic paint I had. It's super important to place something between the two layers of the t-shirt or the color will bleed through onto the back of the shirt.

I ended up spending a grand total of no moneys. Which was perfect because I'm trying to buy a condo. It's nice to have something in my life that is super quick and easy...and cheap!

Tip # 10 You Can Always Resell or Gift It

I've come by some very cool things in all my days of shopping, cheap and dirty style.

No, I'm not a tiny person. This is a giant backpack! One of thee coolest items I've laid eyes on.

But some of them haven't been exactly "me" or didn't quite fit right. Sadly, I did resell a perfect pair of polka dot J.Crew shorts and an amazing vintage clutch. But not so sadly, I made back my money and could continue my adventures. Also, there is certain joy to finding something not-for-you and gifting it!

These grey jeans were gifted to moi after Jacqui (friend and genius blogger) found them at a thrift store AND wore them a while. For penny pinchers this is the circle of life at it's finest. And yeah this outfit is head to toe second hand. Please take a moment to enjoy the owls on the undershirt, freakin’ owls, amIright?!

I did mention Jacqui was a genius blogger. I'm currently reading the last book she reviewed (and you should too). It's funny, when people ask if I have a favorite genre of books it's hard not to say, "The one's Jacqui recommends."

Tip #9 Ask Me What I Can Do With This Pile of Old Sheets.

Wash them! That is what I can do with a pile of old dirty sheets. Wash them is boiling lava-hot water.

*Seriously, wash anything you get second hand.

 And then….make-a-super-cute-circle-skirt-with-polka-dot-ribbon-on-the-hem-and- SPINNNNNNNN! 

This was my first attempt at a circle skirt! And as you can see there is a pile of sheets (from the thrift store that were about two bucks a pop.) So, I have a feeling you may be seeing some more skirts in future tips.

Bah! How freakin' cute is this polka dot ribbon?!

Tip # 8 You Can Always Alter

I wish you could have seen this Frump-tastic ankle-length dress in all of her bleach spotted glory. I swear I’ll start taking "before" pics. Instead I chopped her at the knees and added a simple sash. Happy Endings are not just for fairy tales, this is real life people. 

I'm pretty proud of the ribbon that goes around the waist. I don't know how to sew button holes (yet) so I improvised by sewing on snaps and hiding them with buttons.

And after a day of eating deep fried rodeo food I'm so thankful I made it adjustable.

Tip #7 Never Throw Away Your Favorite Old T-Shirt

Because you may have bought it the summer you lived in Germany, taking care of kids on an army base, whose parents were away at war. And it may have been one of the most challenging experiences you ever had, but you grew as a person, grew in your faith because you actually had to rely on God, and grew in your love of adventure and traveling. That may have happened to you. So even when that shirt is faded and gets holes beyond repair, you shouldn’t throw it away.

I was about to crop this pic so you could see past me in the shirt but I realized the man in the background is my now amazing husband! This picture was taken years before I would have even considered him a friend.

You should cut it out. Iron it to some interfacing. And sew it to the back of a cozy zip up hoodie so you can still wear it 8 years later. 

Also, what kind of thrifter would I be if I didn’t tell you we even got the dog second hand, or “rescued” as some people say. 

Tip #6 Bleach Be Gone.

I don’t usually mind stains in clothing. Which is good because most of my clothes are secondhand. With a stain, I can wash something, cover it with a patch, or add a design to the fabric to hide it. But a bleach spot can be a lil’ stinker. I never usually know what to do and if I spot one (pun intended) while shopping, I usually just put the item back…but not this time!

I love this oversized comfy sweater and bought it in spite of a bleach spot front and center. I ended up doing a reverse appliqué without even knowing what “reverse appliqué” was. 

I took an old black t-shirt and ironed it to some interfacing. I pinned this behind the sweatshirt and put an eagle design on the front. I then tediously sewed around the entire eagle design. First, by hand so I would have lines and then by machine so it would hold up well. Next, I tediously cut out the eagle shape from the original sweatshirt, taking the bleach spot with it! Bleach be gone!

The intention of this post was “how to defeat a silly bleach spot” but after seeing how much of my time I spent it should be “how a bleach spot defeated a silly girl.” If I’m perfectly honest, I only wear this top to lounge around my home in the winter.

Tip #5 Sometimes a Cheap and Dirty Hobby Can Make You Some Quick and Easy Money.

A huge incentive for me finally getting around to trying the chalk art you saw in Tip #4 was the fact that I had already agreed to do some actual chalk art for a local Bread Company. A friend of mine who works there knows I love doing just this sort of thing.

Before I got started on this 10ft by 6ft board...

 And after I finished it...

You should seriously check out Great Harvest Bread Co. in Evanston. Their hot sandwiches, scones, and apple scrapple bread are amazing!