No Sew Weekender Tote!

Palmetto Goodwill — Wed, 22 May 2013 19:44:35 +0000

SME Original Designs

Perfect Time for a New Weekender!

Palmetto Goodwill — Tue, 21 May 2013 15:48:29 +0000

There are three important things about this coming weekend:

Monday is Memorial Day
If you’re into fashion rules, you can now wear an all white outfit without any fear of harassment
**It’s a three day weekend**

While Memorial Day is a time of remembrance for those who died for our country it also marks the start of many summer traditions; vacations, picnics, vacations, grueling heat, and vacations. Are you already packed, and ready for your mini-vacation this Memorial Day weekend?!

I can not stress enough how important it is to have a weekender as part of your luggage collection. The weekender bag is perfect for….you guessed it….weekend trips, offering just the amount of space you need for a few outfits and the essentials. It’s also versatile. I use my weekender ( which I have had for like 4 years) as a weekender for trips less than 1 week, and then for personal items only ( blow dryer, make up, etc.) on fortnight trips or more. And depending on the type of bag you purchase, it could also be used for visits to the pool or beach!

Best Weekenders for this weekend:

Popsugar hightlights the Banana Republic Ines weekender bag for its suave appearance. This classic duffel has two inner zip pockets, two slip pockets, a handle drop and an adjustable cross-body strap. I love!

Oprah.com recommends this ultra-soft, made from recycled goods, army chic tote.

Fodor’s Travel Intelligence loves the Wool Duffle by Filson. Filson is a well known and respected retailer of handsomely rugged attire and goods. You can be sure if you make a Filson purchase, you will be satisfied

for life.

Bon voyage!

Brit

Weekend DIY Project: What’s Your Sign

Palmetto Goodwill — Tue, 21 May 2013 01:59:24 +0000

Last week during my weekly trip to Goodwill, I found a wooden sign. I have been brainstorming ideas on what to do with all of our leftover fence wood (we have a ton!), and some wooden signs were definitely on the list of items to create… So why did I go ahead and buy the wooden sign at Goodwill?

Well… because it already had the hanging equipment attached to the back of it; it was only $1.91; I am a little apprehensive to start digging through the fence wood; it was only $1.91; and I had a completely finished project to redo (I’m much more confident in other people’s handywork until I have done it a few times myself). Plus, it just feels good making a purchase at Goodwill. Because a purchase means that you are helping to empower those in your community, you are helping to divert goods out of your landfills and you are making wallet-friendly purchases – so many wins! But, I digress.

With two 3-year old girls at home, we hear quite a bit of whining (mostly from Dad…), so I can definitely relate to the message! But, I would prefer a more positive messages in the house. And since this was going to go in the girls surf/beach-style room, I thought “Make Waves” was a perfect saying for them. (I know, I’m just asking for it…).

This is actually one of those projects that turned out pretty close to what I had imagined in my head.

1. I cleaned the wood and then sanded it down.

2. I wanted to keep the wood grains showing, so I gave it a white-wash. I mixed half paint, half water and brushed it on going with the grain. It took 3 coats to get a good white.

3. Dafont.com is my favorite free font website. I downloaded my font and printed out the words, along with an image of a simple, repeating ocean wave. Cut them in strips to fit on the board. I actually wasn’t too happy with the spacing in the word “WAVES”, so I chopped it a bit.

4. Remember elementary art class? Did you ever do the pencil tracing trick? Well, it totally worked for this project. I rubbed pencil marks on the backside of the paper and then put the pencil marks to the board. I then traced over the letters so that the pencil on the back marked the boards. I did the same to the waves and I had a perfect template to work from.

5. I chose orange and teal for complimentary colors, plus they reminded me of the beach at sunset/sunrise… my favorite time. I mixed an orange together using my acrylic primaries and painted the “sky” portion of the letters with a small brush. I was having a good day for staying in the lines.

6. Once the orange was dry, I went the easy route and pulled out a teal paint pen I used on a previous project. While it didn’t have the fine tip that the brush did for the corners, it was so much easier to use! I think fine tip markers would have worked as well!

I am very happy with the final project, but it just didn’t seem quite right in the girls’ room. It took me a minute to realize that this was the perfect gift for my sister-in-law! She recently received her Masters of Education from the University of Florida (colors: blue and orange) and she loves the beach and to surf! And since she’s becoming a teacher, these words have special meaning to her in a variety of ways! It is totally her sign. Can’t wait to give this one away!

What’s your sign?
Jen

Things We “Like” Thursday

Palmetto Goodwill — Thu, 16 May 2013 16:03:40 +0000

Myrtle Beach is synonymous with bikers. So its only natural that they would have the largest Biker event in the State of South Carolina! If you’re in the Grand Strand Area and into biking, there’s only three days left of this much anticipated yearly event.

More information here!

White Jeans: To Bleach or Not to Bleach

Palmetto Goodwill — Wed, 15 May 2013 13:37:43 +0000

cottonandcurls.com

If you’re in the market for a pair of white jeans, but don’t feel like dishing out the $$ to buy new ones, and you happen to have either: a pair of old blue jeans or $5.49 to spend on Goodwill jeans…break out the bleach.

To be honest, most of my experiences with bleach + fabric have been pretty bad, typically due to accidental spilling of bleach resulting in one of the largest annoyance of homemaking…bleach spots. That stuff is powerful!

After scouring the internet for bleaching tips and tricks, I found a large body of “fabric bleaching literature” explaining how bleach can be used to lighten ( duh) to various lighter shades of the original shade. Therefore, bleaching has a spectrum of lighter colors it can produce depending upon the original fabric color. So medium blue jeans can be bleached to light blue jeans to white jeans and all the shades in between!

Here are a 2 very helpful tutorials I found from bloggers who’ve successfully taken blue jeans to white jeans with bleach:

Gray to White- Bleaching Jeans ( as seen in the photo)

Bleaching 101

It appears that three factors make the difference between a successful bleach and a not-so-successful bleach:

Patience….Slow and steady. Don’t put too much bleach in at one time. Be sure to cut it with water. This may increase the amount of time it takes to successfully bleach the jeans white-but it lessens the chance of the bleach ruining the material
Quality….The jeans must be of good quality prior to bleaching. No holes, rips, or snags. And definitely no thin material. Bleach is powerful, and can/will eat away at fabric. ( Example A)
Space…Do not crowd jeans into a small bucket. When you bunch up jeans while bleaching, the bleach is not evenly distributed resulting in a tie dye effect ( Example B).

* I would be in a well ventilated area if I was bleaching anything- and of course, I’d keep it away from kids and pets!*

Have you ever taken blue jeans to white jeans using bleach? If so, any tips or tricks?

Brit

Wear it Now… White Pants

Palmetto Goodwill — Tue, 14 May 2013 15:09:29 +0000

White pants are an essential summer wardrobe item.

White pants offer a sophisticated alternative to the everyday blue jeans, and bring an elegant flare into the workplace. The look is perfect for any occasion, and size. A common misconception about white pants, or the color white in general, is that you can only wear it if you’re a size two. While you may need to pay more attention to the shape of white pants, and what they are accentuating in relation to your body ( as opposed to say a pair of black pants), the white pant look is achievable regardless of size!

If you’re curvy…..

Look for white pants that are high rise and straight leg( knee to calf is the same width). The high rise will help to offset curvy hips, while a straight leg style makes the leg line appear longer and therefore leaner. Avoid embellishments, and stick to minimal pants that focus on creating long lines.

If you’re slim….

Look for white pants that create curves. Go for a low rise, and skinny style. The low rise will hit right on the hip, contrasting your waist and hip line, while the “skinnies” help to create curves.

Keep in mind that regardless of pant color, fit is always key!

Brit

Weekend DIY Project: Thank Your Teacher

Palmetto Goodwill — Mon, 13 May 2013 21:46:31 +0000

This is the first year that my girls attended “school”. It was a pre-school program for 2-year olds but I was amazed at how much they learned and grew during this past year. Not only socially, but academically, as well. While I try to teach them new things everyday, I am NOT a teacher. I have no idea what is age-appropriate material and sometimes lack the patience necessary to follow through with a lesson.

I am amazed by teachers! It takes a lot to manage a classroom of 13 two or three year-olds while trying to actually get a message through to them all! So, as the school year is coming to a close, it is important to thank those teachers and show them that you appreciate their efforts. Of course, I think the best way to do that (and the kindest on your wallet) is to give them some homemade love.

Here are some ideas for DIY homemade gifts for your teacher. Click on the photo for the complete tutorial and don’t forget Goodwill as your source for frames, teacups, baskets, mason jars etc!

Now it’s time to start reseaching projects for kids for the summer! Agh!
Jen

Things We “Like” Thursday

Palmetto Goodwill — Thu, 09 May 2013 12:45:22 +0000

Today is Palmetto Goodwill’s Annual Shining Star Awards Banquet!

Come show your support to the many individuals who have overcome their barriers to employment, and are making successful strides in both life and the workplace!

Hope to see you there,

Brit

Mother’s Day on a Shoe String Budget

Palmetto Goodwill — Wed, 08 May 2013 19:48:48 +0000

Broke and giftless for Mother’s Day? No need to fret here are a few “cheap” Mother’s Day gift ideas:

Treat Mom like a Queen for Mother’s Day at the Myrtle Beach Medieval Times. Moms are free with the purchase of one full priced adult admission!

Fresh bouquets are beautiful for Mother’s Day, but also pricey. Opt for inexpensive, flowering potted plants. Or even make a potted plant gift bag, include ceramic pot, seedlings, soil, and a cute pair of gardening gloves!

Finally, make Mom a scrapbook. Invest in some nice card stock, find some old fun photos, and let your creativity free.

Sky’s Out Thighs Out

Palmetto Goodwill — Tue, 07 May 2013 18:29:37 +0000

Finally, the sun has broke through what seems like weeks of grey skies. Given the current sunny state, which may or may not last about an hour, I think its safe to say many people are counting down to summer ( official date of Friday, June 21st). And that means….summer fashion.

Now summer does have fashion ( at least a little), although sometimes it appears most people equate summer with one outfit: cutoffs, tank top, and flip-flops. But just in case you’re willing to step outside of this staple southern outfit, here are a few trends to test!

Marc Jacobs

Bold Graphics, Minimal Accessories

No, I’m not referring to Ed Hardy tees. Expect to see a lot of bold designs, with “loud” colors.

Chloe

Bermuda Shorts

No longer just for Grannie. Now in more colors and fabrics, Bermuda shorts can be dressed up or down. Expect to see them on the street and in the office.

Oscar de la Renta

Fluorescent

Aka neon, and you’ll see a lot of neon…shirts, skirts, pants and dresses. Avoid looking like a black light poster, and stick to one neon shade.

Brit