First things first: I would like to address a couple of things from the comments about yesterday’s how to paint a washing machine post.

A) Holy Polka Dot Washer Love! I figured a couple of you would think it was cool, but you guys were Henrietta’s biggest fans! I definitely want to see pics from those of you who go for it!

B) I 100% agree with those who suggested that I paint Helena (that would be the dryer) in teal polka-dots. But I can’t until I find out whether painting her would in any way void the warranty. Obviously, paint wouldn’t affect her ability to function, but sometimes if you sneeze too hard on a machine, it voids the warranty, so I’m not touching Helena until I know for sure that she will be fixed for free should she have issues (and she’s a girl, so let’s face it: issues are probably inevitable).

OOOOkay.

So…Round 1 of The 30 Minute Goodwill Challenge was such a big hit that I decided to test my skills to see if I could possibly tempt thrifting lightning to strike twice.

And you know what?

It might not have set my hair on fire or given me my own magnetic force field, but I felt at least enough of a zap to get my arm-hairs to stand on end (or maybe that was just my reaction to finding dried gum under the handle of my shopping cart).

This time, I was accompanied only by my makes-everybody-smile-and-gasp-in-ecstasy-at-her-cuteness-everywhere-she-goes daughter, Miss Adelaide Elizabeth.

Believe me when I say I’m super broken up about the fact that I was robbed of the opportunity to—yet again—utter the words: “Ez, tell Simon that if he doesn’t wipe his own bottom and get it out here NOW, I’m gonna have to swat it”…only to have Ezra turn around, take two steps away from me and bellow my warning VERBATIM across the 50 yards that still remained between him and the men’s bathroom.

Because when you say the word “bottom” in conjunction with the word “wipe” and threaten such a potentially volatile punishment as “swatting,” then you’re super-eager to have your 5-year-old, who inherited your, um, healthy lungs, repeat it to the world.

Good times.

(By the way, very few things stress me out more than having to enter a public men’s bathroom to retrieve my epically slow, refuses-to-be-rushed middle child, but I’ve had to do it no less than 6 times in the last three months, and I now get a nervous tic every time I hear the word “urinal.” All trips to that dreaded domain have been banned indefinitely, At least for Simon. Even the words, “men’s bathroom,” have been deleted from all acceptable everyday conversation. Unless his eyeballs are yellow, we’re holding it…all of us…forever).

Umm…where was I?

Oh, yes.

Shopping with only Della = a special kind of heaven on earth (to be surpassed only by shopping alone or with friends).

So, the pickings were a bit slim this time around, and I didn’t take a lot of progress shots, so let’s just get right to the oh-so-pretty dressing room pics, shall we?

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Shirt: Forever 21, Jacket: Old Navy, Skirt: ??, Shoes: Chinese Laundry

I remembered to charge the battery for the good camera this time…the better to see the grimy floors, m’dear.

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Hello, veiny feet.

Shirt: ???, Skirt: GAP, Shoes: Merona

If I were still teaching high school Spanish, I would totally have bought this outfit. Comfy, dressy, and modest without being stuffy.

Me Likey.

 

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Sweater: GAP, Jeans: Cruel Girl, Shoes: Chinese Laundry, Trench: Old Navy, NWT

So…did you notice a theme at all?

If you answered “the color orange”…

Ding, ding, ding!

Treat yourself to a cookie because you’re a smart one!

I would never ever (ever) have pictured myself waving pom poms for Team Orange (and, honestly, as I picture it now, I’m a little disconcerted by the mental image of my waving pom poms at all), but I’m finding myself drawn to it more and more.

Especially when I’m trying to find three separate outfits in 30 minutes, and the only decent stuff around seems to be in various shades of anaranjado (one of the most fun words to say in the Spanish language, I think).

I only bought the pieces that you see in Option 3, since practically every item in Option 1 had something not quite right about the fit, and Option 2 would have required me to go back to teaching, which ain’t happening.

And I wore Option 3 last night to dinner with a friend.

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I don’t wear pink very often, but who could pass up a brand new Old Navy trench in the perfect shade of Pepto Bismol  (is there such a thing?) for $3 out of pocket (I had some exchanges, which is why it came out so cheap).

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Sweater: $4, Jeans: $4, Shoes: $3, Trench: $3

TOTAL: $14

I did a late night Walmart run after dinner, and as I was loading my basket full of yogurt and Swiss cheese (we like dairy), I noticed an adorable girl and her equally precious daughter eyeing me. Before I had time to wonder if my fly was down, she said, “You are cute as a button,” and pointed her finger from the top of my head to my toes.

I grinned like a fool and said, “THANK you! You’re nice!”

But, y’all. It took everything in my power not to fist-pump and holler, “I GOT EVERYTHING I’M WEARING FROM GOODWILL IN LESS THAN 30 MINUTES!!!!”

Can you even imagine???

Praise the Lord for a few ounces of self-control.

P.S. The theme for 5 Things Thursday is ♫ Happy Music ♫ (as in: the kind that makes you…)

P.P.S. We’re having a discussion about what to name my dishwasher over on our Facebook page. Feel free to weigh in!

Linking up with The Pleated Poppy.

The CSI project ~ Menu Plan Monday ~ C.R.A.F.T.  ~ The Southern Institute ~ Making the World Cuter ~ Thrify Décor Chick ~ Metamorphosis Monday ~ Sumo Sweet Stuff ~ Gunny Sack ~ Singing Three Little Birds ~DIY Homes Sweet Home ~ Dittle Dattle ~ 1929 Charmer ~ Everything Under the Moon  ~ ModMix Monday ~ Sew Stylish ~ Coastal Charm ~ Under the Table and Dreaming

Tuesday ~ Get Your Craft ~ Tip Junkie ~ Blackberry Vine ~ Crafty Confessions ~ Me & my Boys ~ A Bowl Full of Lemons ~ Home Stories A-Z ~ My Uncommon Slice of Suberbia  ~ Carolyn’s Homework ~ Sugar Bee Crafts ~ House of Grace ~ Passionately Artisitc ~ My World Made by Hand ~ Uncommon Designs ~ Trendy Treehouse

Wednesday ~ Blue Cricket Design ~ Somedays Crafts ~ Sew Much Ado ~ Sew Woodsy ~ Handy Man, Crafty Woman ~ Savvy Southern Style ~ {Primp} ~ Midweek Fiesta ~ Rae Gun Ramblings ~ Polkadots On Parade ~ Lollipop Cards ~ JAQS Studio ~ Let Birdz Fly ~ Let Birdz Fly ~ My Girlish Whims

Thursday ~ Transformation Thursdays ~ Somewhat simple ~ Show off your stuff ~ House of Hepworths ~ Delightful Order ~ My Simple Home Life ~ The Frugal Girls ~ Thrifty Thursday ~ DIY Diva Thursday ~ Tablescape Thursday ~ No Minimalists Here ~ Crafty, Scrappy, Happy ~ Thrifty Decorating ~ Between U and Me ~ 36th Avenue

Friday ~ The Shabby nest  ~ Show and Tell Friday ~ Finding Fabulous ~ I’m Loving it ~ Simply Sweet Home ~ Whipper Berry ~ Chic on a Shoestring decorating ~ Spunky Junky ~ Delicate Construction ~ Homemaker in Heels ~ Family Ever After~ French Country Cottage ~ Common Ground ~ Young And Crafty ~ At the Picket Fence ~ Fingerprints on the Fridge ~ Miss Mustard Seed ~ Addicted to Decorating ~Bacon Time with The Hungry Hypo ~ Making Lemonade ~ I Can’t Stop Crafting ~ Over the Big Moon ~ Shabby Art ~ Answer is Chocolate

Saturday ~ I heart nap time- Sundae Scoop ~ Tatertots and Jello ~ Be different Act Normal ~ Funky Junk ~ 2805 ~ Making Lemonade Blog ~I am Along for the Ride  ~ Lolly Jane

Sundays ~ Homemaker on a Dime ~ Sunday’s Best

0 Comments

  1. I LOVE this challenge. You look fantastic and if I’d been able to get my entire outfit from Goodwill in less than 30 minutes I think I’d get a T-shirt made and brag about it forever.

  2. PS- I have an award I’m passing on to you, keep a lookout for the post tomorrow (I still haven’t finished writing it, I’m having more fun checking out everyone else’s stuff!)

  3. WOW.. Love those colors and outfits.. You look amazing in all of them.. I am amazed by the prices and my those shoes are amazing.. Love orange and pink..
    Thanks for linking up!

  4. I absolutely love your outfit and ability to pick it out in under 30 minutes…kudos to you! My question is how do you keep your hair so hip and fresh looking? Is it naturally curly or do you use product for those bouncy curls? You can email me and let me know your beauty secret frazzledrazzlern@gmail.com if you want.
    Thanks,
    Rachel

  5. Super cute style-great finds! I always love it when I can find something great to wear at thrift store-you pull it off really well!

  6. That is self control indeed!! I would have blurted it out for all of Wal-Mart to hear! Love the outfits almost as much as reading about your middle child;)

  7. Sheesh, this is only my second post of yours to read, and I gotta say, my friends over at http://www.defrumpme.com are gonna LOVE you, just like I do! You’re terrific! What a fun idea, and yeah, I’m totally with you on the multiple children shopping – aaagggghhhh!!!

  8. I love your outfit! What a fun challenge! I love the pink jacket! I found some white pants at a thrift store on Wednesday and dyed them. OH my gosh, what a fun time.

  9. You’re comments about your daughter yelling your instructions to your son had me rolling. I have a 5 year old son who is a similar problem for me…my mother took him into a uni-sex bathroom not long ago and got busy looking at her hair in the mirror when she turned around JUST in time to see him getting ready to SIT on the urinal! He’d never seen one before and when my mom told him it was for boys to use, he took her at her word and prepared to deposit his # 2 in it. I had to laugh, after I’d made sure she’d sanitized anything that had come within a foot of the urinal. And as for the whole “wiping himself” thing…that will happen one of these days, right: please tell me it is so!
    As for your outfits, I soooo wished I looked that good trying on things in the Good Will. That pink coat was so perfect for me…why can’t I ever find one? It looks perfect on you though!

  10. I LOVE going through used clothes. Seriously! I always find the cutest stuff and I have no shame because I find the awesomest stuff. I always get compliments too. I’m glad that I found someone as cool as me to wear used clothes 😉

  11. Great outfits!!!!! Unfortunately our goodwill doesn’t get the cute brands that you find!!!!! I will keep searching though.The good news is that I find furniture to makeover but I still have to search and search!!!!! I love the pink jacket !!!!!

  12. LOVE it! Once again, you’ve inspired me to hit up my local goodwill! Those shoes? That trench? LOVE!

    Thanks so much for linking up!! Your posts never fail to make me smile!

    I’m bragging about you on FB right now 😉

  13. I luv your pink and orange Goodwill shopping haul!!! Adorable! Having boys makes you appreciate being a girl…especially when it comes to public bathrooms!!!

  14. Cute as a button – definitely. If you ever get sick of your outfit, let me know! 😉 (Although I’m not certain that it would fit! lol)

  15. Ahh…you are cute as a button! I was reading this post thinking I want to be friends with you. Nice work at Goodwill. I need to work on my thrifting skills.

  16. Your GW is amazing! I’m kinda jealous of those shoes and the pink trench – too cute! I did score some JCrew khakis and a Banana Republic skirt recently…not too shabby, huh? 🙂

  17. You make me smile. (and I love the pink / orange combination … maybe I could wear orange on my feet but I know I cannot wear it anywhere near my face)

  18. Will you please go shopping with me? I’m no good at picking stuff off the rack that looks flattering on me. Actually, I probably need to workout with you first and lose 10 pounds. Love option #3 and love the price tag!

  19. Ok, orange looks pretty amazing on you! Isn’t it fun when you find a new colour that looks great that you wouldn’t have expected to? Orange and I had that discovery shortly after I got married (back when I was still dressing in workout clothes like a teenager…oh wait, I was a teenager!) I don’t have anything orange at the moment, but I should keep my eyes out for it since it is the 2012 colour of the year! I love those orange shoes!

  20. That’s such a bummer that there are no good shoes at your GW. Honestly, there are two that I frequent the most, and the smaller-town one near me has OODLES of awesome shoes, and the bigger one has nothing…that I ever find.

    Honestly, I think I’m the only one with anything close to my taste in clothes that shops at the smaller GW, which is how I manage to score such awesome deals all the time!

    Maybe it’s luck, but I’ll take it! : )

  21. I LOVE pink and orange together. You look great.

    And I don’t understand how your GW has such great shoes. My GW is great but it does not have cute new or practically new shoes…ever.

    Peace,
    Edie

  22. I have never been more happy that you bought outfit 3… I thought I was going to jump a plane and come see you…and say WHY DIDN’T YOU GET THE ORANGE SHOES AND PINK COAT AND THAT CUTE SWEATER!!!! Luckily…I don’t have to and now have more money to thrift! Thanks

  23. You’re the second blogger I’ve said this to today – orange is SO your color!!! And oddly enough, it’s the one day I’m also in orange. We must all be in the mood for some sunshiney goodness.

    Love your finds. Outfit 3 was definitely the right one to splurge on.

  24. What!? Your GW let’s you make exchanges!!! Im jealous…although, not being able to make exchanges does make me make better choices at my GW. Probably best for me, since I can get a little carried away telling myself I’m going alter so many great items, when they truthfully sit in my ‘fix-it” basket for months!

    Chloe (9) and I loved number 3! I love the pink trench too and the Orange CL shoes.

    –Katie
    @ Creatively Living

  25. AWESOME outfit!!! That was my fav as I was reading through!!! Also you have inspired me to hit up goodwill and take your 30 minute challenge:-) Isn’t it the best when someone compliments an outfit and all of it was goodwill??? BTW have I told you lately how much I just love your blog? Well, I do!!!!

  26. I am amazed again!! I never seem to get so lucky. I have a hard time with finding bottoms that fit at GW. Anyways, I love the orange, love the pink, everything looms fabulous! And you are cute as a button!!

    Wendymacdesigns.com

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