8/22/13 Thrift Store Haul!

Hey everyone!


I decided to do a mini thrift store haul today. I didnt buy a crazy amount of items, but I did manage to find 4 amazing pieces!

The first was a pair of

Signed Coro Aurora Borealis Clip On Earrings

The second came in a bundle and it was a steal!

 

a pair of vintage sterling screw back rhinestone, tear drop dangle earrings!

Thrift Store Treasures

Hey everyone!
A great way to feel that you've found a real gem for a great bargain is through thrift store hunting. I know, when people think of thrift stores they think of second hand garbage, but thats not the case all the time. Throughout the years I have found many great finds from such names as, Hermes Paris, Burberry London Fog and Cole Haan. I've even found amazing deals on cashmere scarfs and sweaters. The secret to finding these amazing finds is in the techniques and tools I use when im out shopping. Here in this blog entry ill be sharing with you my secrets to finding the meat of the thrift stores.
* TECHNIQUES / TOOLS *
- Be kind whenever possible (Its always good to make friends with a worker at the thrift shop, doing this will give you the benefits of finding out about new things that were just put onto the floor. Also the workers might get discounts and are able to hold items, if you are in good favor with them they might do you a favor!)
- Quality vs Big NAMES (Always first look at the quality of the items when your out hunting before you look at the brands, trying to find CHANEL specifically is hard and by looking for specific brands you could be limiting your chances of finding a DIOR. Look at the quality then look at its label, by doing this you might be in luck to find that the item your looking at might be a well known brand!)
-Use Value vs. Waste (While shopping lets say you find that nice 80's Armani Exchange dress, you are hesitant to buy it. Its a name brand so you quickly feel line snatching it up right? WRONG, regardless of the brand you must examine the style especially if its an older label from the brand, also the material and if its even your style and if its not then you should do your research on if you do resale on it and make money. Think before you buy!)
If its broke, dont fix it (looking at the condition of an item is important regardless if its used or new. A small hole can be fixed, but it also can grow bigger and lose threads I dont think can be fixed. If you find a treasure with too much damage and where you know the value of it might go down if you tamper with it, then its not worth it. Dont collect useless items that are already down in value because your losing more than you think!)
The real vs fake (One of the many problems with thrift store hunting is whether a certain brand is authentic. The one and only tool which can help spot the originals from the fakes is research. I suggest doing research of various brands, styles and materials and writing mini notes on a small portable notepad before venturing out to the stores. By doing this youll be able to shop with confidence that you really are getting a good deal and your moneys worth!)
Look for the classics (when thrift store shopping its always good to look for items that are always in season and timeless pieces. Also piece that might be vintage but iconic, i.e. jackie O glasses and the little black dress)
- Thank you for reading, I hope this blog has helped those who are fellow thrift hunters and inspired those who didnt think finding anything would be possible.

Hime Gyaru Bow

Hello, here is my hime gyaru bow tutorial where I will be showing the steps that I use when making a bow.

* First I will begin with the materials that I use.

Materials seen in the photos: thread, pearl beads, hot glue gun, fabric & lace.

Now the steps!!!
Step 1: Cut some fabric in the shape of a square and then take your glue gun and only glue the sides together.
                          

Step 2: Then take the half glued fabric and turn it inside out so that the uneven and glued edges wont show.

Step 3:  After folded, then take the edges that were not glued and fold them inwards and glue the inside of those folds then press and hold together.

Step 4: Then take a piece of thread and tie a knot around the middle of the folded fabric which should be in the shape of a square, by doing this, it will give you a bow shape.

Step 5: take finished bow and cut small pieced of lace and glue then to the edges of the bow.

Step 6: take the edges of the lace and cut off the fold and glue inward the edge pieces of the lace to give it more shape.

Step 7:  now you will take another piece of lace and do the same steps that were done in steps 1,2,3,4 and make another bow.

Step 8: Glue lace bow to the white fabric bow and then add a pearl bead to the middle to hide the thread.

Step 9: then take another piece of lace and make an even SMALLER bow with steps 1,2,3 and 4.

step 10: Then take a string of pearl beads or you can use a pearl bracelet/necklace and glue one end of the bracelet to the middle edge of the bow and the other edge you will then glue the smaller lace bow. Then add a small pearl bead in the middle of the lace bow to hide the thread.

Step 11: You will then to clean up your bow, you will take another piece of fabric and place it behind the bow, there you will carefully draw an outline of the shape of the bow. After that, you will take the fabric and cut out the shape of the bow you had drawn and then take that and hot glue it to the back of the bow, by doing this you are hiding all the glued lace pieces and giving your bow a more cleaned up look.

~ After you have completed that step, then you are finished. You are able to put more lace bows going down the pearl string of beads or more pearls and flowers, basically any other decoration if desired.

FINISHED BOW