Dottie Angel Challenge Complete...or is it?

I have a lot of new readers since this time last year, so to enlighten those of you who are new last year at this time I decided to embark on a challenge of the "utmost kind". I discovered a challenge over on the blog Dottie Angel! I was amazed at her blog when I read it and I must admit that I frequent her lovely blog often. I love the clean simplicity of it and it makes me sincerely jealous that I do not live in the Northwest because they clearly have better thrift stores. However, the challenge was to purchase only handmade or secondhand items for my closet or my home for one year! 

I will be honest, at first when I saw the challenge my first thought was "no problem, finances are tight and I can't really buy anything new anyway." So, I embarked on this challenge. I am very proud to say that I completed this challenge with only 2 new items received this year...both were shoes. And, I must add, in the challenge it is said that what others gift to you does not count. My husband bought me a pair of sneakers from Target on clearance for $8 for my birthday and for Christmas he bought me my ever coveted running shoes (price not necessary to list). Both, however, were gifts. 

Now, to get to the important part of this challenge. I had times when I simply couldn't wait for the challenge to be over so I could buy myself something new. Now, this challenge for me ends in 2 days. I started it February 1, 2011 and this challenge has transformed my life. Thank you Tif!  I did not think that it would change me in the way it has, because now I can no longer buy new items. I am so used to seeing my lovely thrift store purchase prices and I can't bring myself to do it. 

I just want to recap with you some of my favorite purchases this past year....

This set I bought for .99 cents! 

Tahari shoes for $5~yes please!

Some lovely vintage sheets and a casserole dish....LOVE!

This shelf stores all of my thread for my quilting! 

Vintage Pyrex!! Need I say more!

And some cute rain boots...these go fishing too around these parts!

I have to admit, these finds were fabulous! But I love what I have in my closet and I can't wait to find more great grabs! My husband asked me if I would be happy with $100 to go shopping at Kohl's I said, "If I had $100 I would take it to the thrift store and I could replace my entire closet!" he just smiled. Yep, I think I have changed..... 1 outfit from the department store or a whole new closet from the thrift store...for me, that's a no brainer!

I am going to keep going on this challenge! Want to join me?

Have a Fabulous Day!!

in search of PYREX....

i went out yesterday in search of PYREX to FOUR local thrift stores and, sadly found nothing! however, i found this lovely casserole dish that looks like PYREX but is really FIRE KING and is similar. i bought it anyway because i just loved the simple design on the side and i think it will look fabulous on my table with some yummy dinner bubbling inside.

i DID however find some REALLY cute vintage sheets.....which i am collecting to make a vintage sheet quilt with......what do you think?  i just loved these two patterns and i have washed them and tucked them away for now.

i thought a couple pillow covers or even a bag would be fun in these patterns.....the possiblities are endless!

what have you done with vintage sheets? i need more ideas!

all i want to do is sew...

i'm trying to get in the mood, for the fourth time today, to read through my biology lessons. ugh. i tell you, there is a reason i am into english, writing and art. 

anyhow, i am starting today with two new challenges.  this is my first day of the dottie angel challenge, where i pledge to only buy handmade or thrifted items for my house and my closet.  i did have a spectacular find today at a local thrift store....

these were new and still in the box....the best part of it all was it only cost me .99 cents!  now....i'm in search for another set or two...time to change out the old dishes and get something new and fresh, with smaller portion sizes. i love that these bowls and plates are smaller so we won't fill up the plates to capacity each time and over eat.

the next challenge is a craft a day in february.  i decided to do this because i have my dqs10 quilt to finish up, my last two bees that are being neglected tremendously, my old red barn quilt along 9, my urban home goods swap, a quilt that needs to be quilted and three others that need assembling and finishing off. and to top it off, i need to finish assembling my tutorial quilt. **phew** just makes me tired thinking about it.

my three neglected quilts that need assembly.

my dqs10 ready to quilt.

my gorgeous OZ pinwheel quilt waiting for quilting. still not sure if i want to keep the backing fabric to make a skirt and just do a kona solid for the back. decisions decisions..probably why it's not quilted yet.

the rest of my orbc round 9 waiting for the finishing touches.

these two combos will be for my urban home swap..i'm going to make little storage bins...the tutorial is here. aren't they cute?

this beauty is for my tutorial for this quilt that i promised to make.

on top of it all...i have to study for biology and political science...the last of my generals before the fun stuff! wish me luck.  what are you up to this month? and this year?

the dottie angel challenge

this morning i was checking out some blogs and came across the cutest blog i have seen in months! i found this challenge that she posted (in Sept. 09) but i want to do it too! so i am ready for the challenge...want to know more? i am pledging to only buy handcrafted or secondhand goods for my house and my own closet for 365 days. i have to say that i just love this idea and i think it will make this year very exciting. i love the eclectic look and since my house is lacking in style now is a great time to start. i am starting on February 1st just to make it easy to remember. head on over to see dottie angel and tell me what you think.  want to join me?