Bismarck Clothing Haul

It's only been a couple of weeks since our trip to Bismarck, ND but it already seems like a lifetime ago.  Why is it that the build up to a vacation lasts for months but the well rested feeling afterwards only lasts a few days?  Luckily the clothes that I purchased on the trip remind me every day that the trip in fact did happen, and that at one time I was well rested.

With spring here (hopefully for good this time) and summer on it's way (maybe) I needed to refresh my wardrobe with some new items.  With my weight loss over the past year I don't have a single item of summer clothing that actually fits me so I had to start from scratch.  I like buying pieces that are versatile and can be mixed and matched to make tons of outfits without having to spend a fortune.  I also don't like spending a ton on each item, partly because I'm cheap, and partly because I'm at home with a busy little boy every day and $100 shirts get just as dirty and beat up as $5 ones at the end of the day.

Let's start with the outfit I'm wearing.  I picked up this pair of distressed Rock Star skinny jeans, vintage neon pink t-shirt, and black tami (under the t-shirt) from Old Navy.  I never thought I would be a skinny jean kind of girl until I finally tried a pair on; now it's basically all I wear.  I'm a HUGE fan of the Old Navy tami (cami/tank top) because they are thin and form fitting enough to layer but they are thick enough to wear alone.  Being a on the smaller chest size I also love that the arm a little more on the form fitting side because the arm holes aren't so large that your bra hangs out.  The shoes and belt I picked up at Target, and I'm in love with both of them.  If you're in the process of losing weight I highly recommend a belt like this because it adjusts to any size without having to worry about pesky holes or buying a new belt every few months.  The shoes are super comfortable and I've already been able to get a ton of wear out of them.

I also picked up three more tami's in hot pink, mint green and a soft blue color.  I'm sure they will all get a ton of wear once the weather gets warmer.  Anyone that has known me for any length of time with tell you that the last color they would ever associate with me would be pink, let alone hot pink.  That being said I seem to be on a pink spree!  It's hard to tell but these Rock Star skinny jeans, also from Old Navy, are a super light pink color.  Or at least they were.  It seems to me that when I washed them the pink either bled out or something blue bled in because they seem to be more white than pink now.  Regardless, I still like them; even if they aren't always practical around Roman.  I fell in love with this neon pink striped shirt for two reasons; 1. it's super fun and pink, and 2. it's the very first piece of clothing I ever, in my life, remember buying in a MEDIUM!  I just about passed out when I tried on the large and it was too big.  Granted it might just be the cut of the shirt but I'll take it!

While on my high from buying my first medium I decided to check out this super cute store called Vanity in the Kirkwood Mall.  These is exactly the type of store that I would normally glace into but never dream on going into before I lost the weight.  When I first went in I didn't think there was a hope I'd find anything that would fit me and was quite honestly just looking at accessories.  That is until I saw these pants!  These palazzo pants had such an awesome print that I just had to try them on.  The best part?  They have a wide, stretchy waste band similar to yoga pants so they are super comfortable.  I don't normally like to wear pants in the summer because it's just too hot but these are thin and flowy enough that they will be perfect for the days that aren't screaming hot.  Once I realised I fit into these pants I really started to look at the items in the store.  I've always wanted a denim vest but always found I looked like a football player.  This one is shorter in the back and well tailored so there isn't a bunch of excess fabric which avoids the football player look.  This vest paired with a white t-shirt and the palazzo pants is a killer outfit that I can't wait to wear more often!  Last I picked up a plaid button up shirt.  I have a few shirts like this but this is made from a thinner fabric which makes it easier to wear in the spring/summer and has a super unique color pallet, at least for my closet.  This will also be a great piece to have once fall swings around again.

 

 

This shirt I found at Target, and quite honestly I bought it just because I have never seen anything like it in my life.  Think about it, when was the last time you saw a shirt with a badminton birdie pattern on it?  Probably never right?  When I showed it to John he immediately started to laugh so I knew I had to own it.  I don't normally that your buying clothes based solely on the fact that your husband laughed at you, but this time I made an exception.  As you can tell this first pair of shoes is already getting a lot of wear.  I picked these up in the Kirkwood Mall and I love them!  These canvas espadrilles get dirty pretty quickly, but a little soap and scrubbing with a toothbrush has them back to new in no time.  Obviously the weather isn't quite ready for these sandals but I'm excited to get to wear them.  I found them at Shoe Carnival and I love the gold detail around the ankle strap.  It almost reminds me of something Roman, which is really why I bought them.

 

So that is the beginning of my summer wardrobe that I found in Bismarck.  Obviously I'll need a few more pieces to get myself through summer, but this is a great start for me.  Now I just have to wait for the warm weather!!

Bismarck Planner Supplies Haul

When we decided to take a trip down to Bismarck, ND one of the first things on my "to find" list was planner supplies!  Granted I can buy this type of thing at home but I always see such cute supplies on blog/YouTube hauls that I really want to try and get my hands on some of them.  Plus the prices in the States can't be beat!  Without further ado, here is what I found!

 

The first item on my list was a laminating machine.  This one is by Scotch and I picked it up at Wal Mart.  The reason I wanted to get this in Bismarck is because it's only $20 there, where as it's $40 at home.  Even with the not so great exchange rate right now it was still a great deal to buy it down south.  I picked up 100 laminating pouches to go with it but didn't include them in the photos because they aren't very exciting.  I've used this to laminate the cover of my planner along with the dashboard and even my museum membership!  I have a feeling this machine will get a lot of use over time and it's super handy to have around the house. 

 

While we were at Hobby Lobby I picked up a couple packages of scrapbook paper to use in my planner.  This will be great for making note cards or I can glue strips onto the pages themselves as decoration.  I also found a cute pack of letters so I snapped them up.

 

I love these little packages of sticky notes that I picked up from the Dollar-Spot section in Target.  I tried looking for these in Target at home (before they closed) but never had any luck finding them in our store; so I was stoked when I found them there!

 

 

I also found these pretty pens and pencils at Target.  I was a little bummed that some of the pencils didn't have any lead in them, but considering they were $0.50 each I guess it isn't that big of a deal.  The pens I really like; they write great and are very comfortable to write with.

 

One of my new favorite stores is Joann Fabrics & Crafts.  I've been there before with my Mom but never paid much attention to what they had in the store.  This time I found all these adorable page flags, post it notes and washi tape.  I didn't have any thin washi in my collection so I picked up a good variety.  Plus at $0.50 a roll how can you go wrong!?  Oh, and another interesting development, Joann ships to Canada!!!

 

I wanted to find some Project Life type cards to use as note cards in my planner but they are so darn expensive at Michael's.  These cards I found at Hobby Lobby and because they were the store brand they were less expensive, plus they were on sale!  I honestly think we picked the perfect weekend to go to Hobby Lobby because everything I touched seemed to be on sale 50% off!

 

 

I almost forgot about this amazing tool!  This is a 1/8 hole punch that I use to punch holes in anything I want to add into my planner.  I looked at a similar punch at Michael's before we went to Bismarck and it was $21.  I found this at Hobby Lobby for $5!  I probably should have a bought a few but it feels pretty sturdy and I think it will last me a long time. 

 

The only downside to finding all this great stuff in Bismarck is that I can't run out and grab more!  Which John would probably say is a good thing.  I hear Target gets more sticky notes, pens and pencils with every season, so if you have the chance definitely hit up the Dollar-Spot and grab a few packages!  If you want to see how I've put some of these great supplies to use, check out my Plan With Me Post for April!

Planner Supplies - Dollar Tree

Recently this video popped up in my subscription box on YouTube.  I was in love with this planner from the moment I saw it, but I'll get into why I wanted a planner in another post when I show you my planner when I receive it!  I have been obsessing over my planner since the moment I ordered it.  So much so that I think John is starting to get sick of listening to me talk about it.  I decided to put my excitement to good use and take a trip to Dollar Tree and pick up some decorating supplies for my planner.  Here is what I found!

The first thing I wanted to look for was washi tape.  I have seen it at Wal Mart but I didn't want to pay $3 for one roll.  I want a pretty planner but I want it to be affordable!  I was surprised to find that I had hit the mother load of inexpensive washi tape!  They had a few packages of three different washi tapes and I picked up two of those, one with owls and the other with cupcakes, bunting and stars.  $1.25 for three washi tapes, how could I not!?  Then I saw the glitter and metallic washi tapes and it was game on.  I managed to control myself to just a few rolls but I have a feeling I will be back there soon to add to my collection.

 

 

Now these may look like headbands, which they are, but I plan to use them to hold my planner shut so the pages don't get mangled while it crashes around in my purse with all of Roman's snacks!  I'm sure at least one will end up being used as a headband though.

 

Of course you can't decorate a planner without stickers!  I will admit I didn't have high hopes for nice stickers from Dollar Tree because anytime I have stopped to look at the stickers they always seemed to be more for kids than adults.  Maybe that's because stickers are usually made for kids.... anywho, I was pleasantly surprised that I found a few sets that I really liked!  The long stickers will be great for making borders or highlighting special sections, and bows make everything pretty and girly so why not!



 

I had to do some hunting to find the next item but I did eventually find it on an isle end.  These oval stickers are actually chalk board stickers!  I thought they would be fun to cut down into different shapes and use in my planner.  I also picked up a pink chalk board marker to go with it, although they did have a variety of different colors.  Apparently you can even use these markers on glass and windows which is pretty neat.  I love a dual purpose product!  The clear pouch came in a package of two for $1.25 and I plan on using one for my smaller sheets of sticks, just to keep them a little more organized in my caddy (which I also picked up at Dollar Tree!).  These aren't the greatest quality and were already starting to fall apart when I took them out of the package.  Not a big deal for me.  Sometimes you get what you pay for at dollar stores.

 



 

So that is what I found on my recent trip to Dollar Tree!  If you've had luck finding some awesome planning supplies I'd love to know where you found yours!