How To Make Jewelry Holders!

If tangled necklaces and mismatched earrings are the bane of your existence, then these are the projects for you!

Chocolate Box Jewelry Holder:
Eat the chocolates. That's it! Use the cubbies of a decorative chocolate box to hold rings, earrings, pins, and all other forms of treasured knick-knacks. Enjoy. :)



Tree Branch Jewelry Holder:
Gather one or more small sturdy twigs, the more branches on them the better. Spray paint them a cool color like black, white, silver, or leave them plain for a more natural look. Gel a pretty vase and fill it with small stones or sand, something to hold the branches in place. Pour into vase and arrange twigs in vase as desired. Great for hanging necklaces, bracelets and dangly earrings!
Mesh Earring Hanger:
Get a pane of mesh window screen (can be purchaced at home improvement stores like Lowe's or OSH) and a decorative picture frame and cut mesh to slightly larger than the open space of the frame. Tape screen securely to the back of the frame (you could also use small thumbtacks).Get creative and add any other embellishments that you might like: paint, glitter, flowers, sequins, whatever your heart desires! :) Have fun hanging your gorgeous earrings and pins.
Hand Jewelry Holder:
You will need one latex glove (like the kind doctors wear) and plaster of paris mix (you can purchace this at a craft store like Michael's). Prepare plaster of paris mix according to package directions and pour into the glove. Carefully use a couple clothes pins to hang the glove securely from some kind of suspended rope. Do not disturb the glove until the time the instructions indicate it is dry. When dry, carefully peel the glove from the hand. Decorate the hand with any kind of paint or designs you like, and when its completely dry, have fun displaying your rings and bracelets!

I hope you have enjoyed my design tips. Keep checking back for more! XXX :)

Most Recent Major Scores!

For those of you who may have actually read my blog a few months ago when I first began it, I am soo sorry I haven't kept up with regular posts. I became busy with other things, some important and some not, but my blogging fell by the wayside. Such is life. But my bargain hunting passion is always in the back of my mind, so I would like to share a few of my most recent fabulous finds with you, the devoted few. Hope you enjoy hearing about good deals as much as I enjoy finding them! May this inspire you to go out and track down some of your own. :)

Goodwill:

These fab sequined Converse retail for $40-50 new in stores, but because I just happened to shop on a shoe sale day at the Goodwill, I got them in like new condition for $3.60. Can you believe it!

Maxi dresses are usually super flattering, and this teriffic specimen, originally from Target, is no exception. New with tags, my thrifty self paid $2.00 as opposed to the $29.99 I would have paid had I shopped retail (shudder).

The perfect fit in a sweater can make all the difference in crafting a gorgeous, well put together outfit, and this Mossimo v neck has just the right amount of softness and stretch to give it that sublime quality. Retailing for $19.99, I of course paid $2.95, tags still on and everything!

One of my most recent favorite pieces is a white v neck tee with a black attatched chain necklace similar to the one above. It's a great going out top and at just $2.95, the price is certainly right!

A staple of any wardrobe, a gauzey, drapey tee for layering is every fashionista's must have. I love that the exellent one I just acquired cost less than $3.00.

Swapping:

For the trade of a couple of dresses I no longer wear, I am excitedly awaiting the arrival of these two gorgeous items: a leather quilted bag and a drapey t shirt dress. Can't wait!

I seem to have an addiction to Chanel earrings (who am I kidding, Chanel anything!), but even though I may never be able to afford the real thing these pearl and silver replicas were a fabulous swap that look chic and classy.

One of my favorite scores, I have worn this floral cardigan several times since recieving it and it has the perfect sihlouette to mask my flaws and highlight my, ahem, assets... Anyway, this item is beautiful and totally worth the price of postage.

The risk you take with swapping/shopping clothing on line is that it you may fall in love with an item, and then upon arrival, it (sigh) may not fit. Such was the case with this one-size-too-small dress. But look at it, it's incredible! So rather than get rid of a bnwt trade that I love, maybe it will be a good inspiration to lose a couple pounds, no? :)

I tend to gravitate towards flowing, drapey silhouettes, and this great rock tee (new with tags, no less) adds an extra shot of cool to an otherwise feminine, ethereal look. I have worn it several times and always feel great in it!

I'm not usually one to buy into trends, and I would say this is no exception. IJUSTLOVEOWLS! So naturally I swapped for this super cute owl necklace, to go with my owl earrings, and my owl top, and... :)

If it is possible to fall in love with a set of bangles, I have done so! These bangles were the jewelry equivalent to the soundtrack of my summer. Multiple <3's!

When a cardigan is the perfect blend of softness and style, it looks like this. 'Nuff said!

Online & Retail Scores:

Let's do a little comparison here for a moment. On the left we have a lovely pair of turquoise aviators from Forever 21. How much would you be willing to pay for them? $10? $20? Try $1.50! On the right, a very similar pair of sunnies by D & G at Nordstrom retailing for, gulp, $135! Now try to guess which pair I own, it's a no-brainer!

Sometimes an item is worth paying full retail price for, if it's inexpensive to begin with! This wonderful little $15 Forver 21 dress was an indulgence I allowed myself, and because I love creating new outfits around it, it will work out to just a few cents per wear!

To round out the finds at Forever 21, these whimsical knot earrings for only $1.50!

By shopping a sale at Kohl's and using a $10 off coupon, I was able to get this fab dress and belt combo for less than $1! As you can see, it looks great on! Coupon shopping at Kohl's and JC Penney's has proved especially fruitful. I by using $10-15 off coupons I have gotten several items for just a few cents each. Definately worth signing up for mailing lists and searching the papers.

My Next Conquest:

I love the look of a lot of Victoria's Secret clothing line, but I rarely buy anything from there when it seems so overpriced. However, a few days ago I recieved a random catalogue, and while flipping through it, the first thing I saw was, yep, the $10 off coupon. So I began browsing on line and settled on the heavenly Lovespell body wash for $10 it will be free except the shipping. But it gets even better. While I was browsing, I saw this great offer. Here's the link, it's not as dirt cheap as I usually shop, but still a relatively good deal. http://pink.victoriassecret.com/?vspromo=pn_bottom_pn_offer_free_yoga_panty_and_10_off_bra_111004

Hope you enjoyed this blog, folks! I will try to squeeze in time for more, I swear! If you would like to help motivate me, feel free to share your comments, and don't forget to follow. :)

More Amazing Deals!

Eeeek! Today I am super psyched because I've been finding so many awesome deals the past few weeks. I would like to share some of them with you to let you know that you too can get incredible things at rock bottom prices!

Thrift Bargains

This gorgeous brand new with tags dress was originally from Charlotte Russe. I got it for $3.50! I can't wait for a special occasion to wear it!

I scored these brand new Liz Claibourne dress slacks for $4.00!

I cannot wait to wear my new $5.00 Chanel style handbag!

An incredible roomy leather carpet bag for only $8.00! This is my new go-to bag!

This $10 gold wolven satchel will work equally great for the office or the beach and is roomy enough for anything you could possibly need to carry!

Swap Scores

These gorgeous Chanel style earrings and the following items were all acquired from swapping items and the cost of postage. These were less than $8. I get complements whenever I wear these glam earrings!

This lovely top originally retailed for nearly $80 and I got it for less than $20. With flutter sleeves and a cutout back, it looks so romantic on!

This fab H&M top looks so gorgeous on and was only $11.50!



Yes, you can even swap for books! Instyle Magazine's Style 101 has so many great ideas!

I am excitedly anticipating the arrival of the following items!

I absolutely love the style of this gorgeous rose print sweatshirt! Perfect for those chilly first days of spring.



I've been looking for a pair of red flats for ages! These will be perfect, if they fit.

I love the style of this great Jane Norman top!

This lacy blue tank will be perfect for the upcoming sunny California weather I'm waiting for!

Not Just For Women!

I love it when my husband can benefit from my fab finds! These are a couple items I'm especially proud of!

This beautiful tie was my Valentine's gift to him! Only $2.99, shhhh!

I can't wait to give him this incredible vintage Beatles wallet I swapped for! The best part: its from England!

I sincerely hope you readers are enjoying my posts! I have not had any comments or emails yet, but I would really love to hear some of your thoughts. Let me know what kinds of bargains are important to you!

Money Saving iPhone Apps!

If you have ever researched electronics, you would know that iPhones would not be considered cheap. Costing between $200 and $500 an iPhone is obviously a luxury rather than a necessity; but if you are fortunate enough to be able to afford one, or make it a goal to save up for one, it can do so many incredible things, including things that can help you save money! Iphones and iPads have lots of great apps available, many of which you can download for free, that can give you rewards, coupons, shopping tips and many other helpful resources all at your fingertips! The following is a list of categories of some of my favorite apps for saving money.

Rewards Apps:

Rewards apps are quite possibly my favorite type of app! You basically can earn rewards points to put towards amazing prizes like gift cards to stores!

My favorite rewards app: Shopkick! You use it by earning "kickbucks" by doing things like checking into different store locations and scanning barcodes of products in those locations. As you accumulate kickbucks, you can then redeem them for prizes like giftcards to Best Buy, Target, American Eagle, Coach, and so much more! For more info about how the app works, visit http://www.shopkick.com/app.html

Another great rewards app: Killer Apps! This app is an app to promote other apps. When you download other recommended apps, you earn points towards an itunes gift card, and can eventually earn a $100 dollar gift card!

Gotta Love Stickybits! Another great app where you scan barcodes of products to earn points for fabulous prizes! Get more info at: http://www.stickybits.com/



Coupon Apps:

There are dozens of fab apps that organize links for coupons, but these are a couple of my faves!

Coupons.com is one of the best coupon websites, and its app organizes them all conveniently on your iPhone! What's not to love? http://www.coupons.com/

I also love http://www.couponsherpa.com/!

Free App Finders:

Want to discover more awesome free apps, but aren't sure where to begin? Hey, there's an app for that! :)

My favorite free app finder: AppFree! It updates daily with apps that have gone on sale or become free!

Another great one: App Miner.



Fashion & Shopping Apps:

There are some brilliant apps out there that are great tools for fashion and shopping. Some help you show off pics of your own personal style, and others show you where to find the best deals on great items, but one thing's for sure; you will find them deliciously addicting!

My favorite new app for showing off my outfits is Pose. You can take pics of your fab scores or great outfits and submit them for feedback by other viewers and even link them to Facebook and Twitter! Great for broadcasting your personal style!



A great outfit styling tool, i-style will have you ravaging your closet and snapping pics of every item, so you can compile your morning outfits before you ever crawl out of bed!

If you would love to create your own virtual outfits, models and runway shows, Runway is the app for you!

For all the fans of Lucky magazine and Lucky.com; yes they do have an app and it can help you score amazing deals!

Apps On The Go:

Out and about and suddenly find yourself looking for the cheapest gas price or the best hotel rates? Have we got apps for you!

GasBuddy is my favorite app for finding the best gas prices. It uses gps to instantly find the best deals in your area!

For finding great deals on all things travel related, you can't go wrong with The Kayak app! For its great online deals visit http://www.kayak.com/.

Barcode Scanners:

One type of app that can instantly help you save mone while shopping is an app that can scan barcodes of products and give you a list of prices, both online and in stores near you, so you can go with the most inexpensive one!

I LOVE Redlaser! Check it out on http://redlaser.com/

A teriffic app that takes things one step further: Goodguide! Not only can you compare prices, but you can find out the impact that product makes on the environment! Best shopping app EVER! For more info, visit http://www.goodguide.com/about/mobile.

I certainly hope you find that these apps and websites are helpful and have saved you a ton of dough! If I've missed any of your faves, please let me know! I'd love to try them out!