New Year's Resolution

Posted on December 31, 2008 by Diana

money

(photo by me)

Since I’m in graduate school, I’ve mainly been living off of my student loans. That means that I get most of my money in a big chunk in the beginning of the semester. This has revealed some of my poor money habits to me. It’s very easy when you have $4000 of your student loan left to justify lots of shopping (I need nice clothes for when I enter the work world, right?). But then when it gets to the end of the semester, I suddenly realize that I’ve used up all my loan, and still have to wait til mid-January before I get my next one. All this has helped me to see that I am somewhat addicted to shopping, and that I need to come up with a plan for next semester so that I will actually be in control of my money while still purchasing a few choice items that I may actually need.

Here’s my resolution plan:

Step 1: Use a list of basic essentials to keep my shopping focused. I’m using Sally’s list as a starting point, then customizing it to my own needs. This way, I’m buying things that will be more versatile than say, a crazy printed dress that goes with nothing else in my wardrobe.

Step 2: Create a budget. This is also re-learning basic money management for me. The plan right now is to immediately budget the necessities that occur regularly, and then determine what I have left per month for non-necessities and stick to that limit. So I will have a set amount each month that I can spend on non-essentials. If I find a $100 pair of shoes one month, then I have to cut back in other areas of spending, like cosmetics and entertainment. If I get my hair cut and colored, then I might have to buy less clothing. Etc, etc. I’m still continuing my Fluevog plan as well to encourage sewing and crafting to earn more towards clothes. However, I have to make sure that what I spend stays within my budget.

I realize that this might not be enough structure for me, so at the end of each month I will re-evaluate my budget and figure out what I can do to improve it.

Fluevog Update: I have “earned” enough money for the Fluevogs, but I’m waiting a little longer (probably til my birthday in February, which is when the next Fluevog sale should happen) before I actually purchase them. I want to be a bit more responsible with my money before shelling out $250 on a pair of shoes.

Step 3: Buy items because you really love them, not because you have a coupon/ it’s on sale. I have a bad habit of buying things that I’m not really crazy about simply because I have a coupon for the store. If it’s not something that I totally love, why should I be spending my money on it?

Hopefully, with these strategies, I can be a bit more responsible with my money, and a bit more prepared for entering the “real world” of full time work come next August.

Etsy Love: "Romantical" things

Posted on December 30, 2008 by Diana

One of my close friends in high school made up the word “romantical”, and I have always liked it because it takes some serious like romance and makes it a bit more fun. With that in mind, these are some feminine, romantical things I have loved lately on Etsy.

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Dahlia Porcelain Earrings in Periwinkle

Sofia Masri

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Lone Amethyst Stackable

Tre Anelli

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Recycled Poppy Pin Set

Foundling

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Heart Connection Bangles

Kira Ferrer

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Pure – Necklace

June Designs

Christmas loot!

Posted on December 29, 2008 by Diana

Don’t worry, I’m not going to bore you with huge long lists of random stuff. Most of my presents were small and simple, but there’s a few particular items I got that I’m very excited about.

I always prepare an Amazon wish list for Christmas and my birthday, so most of my gifts tend to be books. I really want to get more into sewing and eventually designing my own clothes, so this year I focused on sewing reference books to help me polish my skills. Check these out:

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The top book is obviously not actually a sewing book, rather it is The Lucky Guide to Mastering Any Style. I like to have inspiration around, and this book is excellent for it. The Sew Everything Workshop and Sew U both deal with the basics of garment sewing. Some of this will be repetitious for me, but I’ve mostly learned to sew by reading and interpreting patterns, so I like having books that will give me a thorough review of the basics as well as take me to the next level. Sew U Home Stretch deals specifically with sergers and knit fabrics, which is an area of sewing that I’m particularly weak in. I’m really looking forward to using these books as a “student” of garment sewing. I’ve been so fed up with a lot of what I’ve been finding in stores lately, so I’m excited about making and customizing my wardrobe.

I also got a lovely pair of Florida perfect shoes.

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Yes, they are Crocs Mary Janes. I realize that Crocs can be as controversial as Uggs in the style world, but hear me out. One, I always wear the Mary Jane style. I think that these look more feminine and less “garden clogish” than the regular Crocs. Two, these are my uber-casual shoes, on the same level as flip-flops. Trips to the beach, the park, Busch Gardens, running weekend errands, around the house, etc. I don’t wear these to work. But they are uber comfy and I enjoy wearing them. I think even Crocs can be stylish if you enjoy wearing them and feel confident in them (and recognize when casual is and is not appropriate).

I hope everyone else had a wonderful holiday!

More to come soon…

Posted on December 27, 2008 by Diana

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(photo by me)

The holidays have had me moving at a break-neck pace. Even though I had this whole week off from work, I’m totally exhausted. Visiting and going out with family from out of town, handling the horrors of last minute Christmas shopping, recognizing my lack of control with money, ingesting large amounts of rich food, sugary sweets and wine, having odd sleep hours, etc, have all taken their toll on me. I’m spending the next few days simply recuperating. There will be new posts starting pretty soon, including some tutorials on scarf and necklace layering. For now, I simply want to curl up in a chair, knit and watch television.

Merry Christmas & Happy Holidays!

Posted on December 24, 2008 by Diana

I’m about to rush out the door to start visiting family, so here’s a quick post of holiday cheer!

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I made some homemade peppermint bark yesterday. Squee! I also baked tons of cookies and brownies to give to the fam.

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I made some knitted star ornaments from an Elizabeth Zimmermann pattern to go on each container of cookies. I also knitted a toy ball for one of the nephews (the others are getting books).

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Merry Christmas and Happy Holidays to all!

Money slips so easily through your fingers

Posted on December 23, 2008 by Diana

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(photo by me)

I had a very unpleasant realization about money yesterday: I have lost my ability to control how I spend. I started off this semester with a $4000 student loan and a bi-weekly paycheck from my graduate assistantship. As of today, I have only about $100 in my bank account. Total. And about $10 left on my credit card. How did I let this happen? I have discovered a weakness I have: when there is more money in my account, I spend more than I normally would. Some things that I buy I may really need, like a nice pair of shoes for work. And yet, I really didn’t need so many clothes and whatever that I used up my entire loan.

I had tried to create a spending and crafting plan to save money for a pair of Fluevogs last month. According to that plan, I have hypothetically saved $300 towards my Fluevogs. And yet, when they went on sale last week for $200, I didn’t have that much money in my account. So, while the plan sounded like a good idea, it needs some tweaking. Because even though the idea was to knit, sew and alter stuff so that I wouldn’t shop as much, I still went shopping every time I had a paycheck. Even this week, when I realized how tight my money was, I couldn’t resist utilizing some coupons for Express and some extra money I had received for some photography work. Couple that with the fact that I wasn’t paying attention to what payments had gone through on my account, and I overdrafted. My bank account has overdraft protection, so I wasn’t penalized, but still.

My realization is that I have to learn to manage my money again. I will be posting more about my plan around New Year’s, since my resolution is to learn how to control my spending. I’m going to set up a budget so that I can make it through the semester and I’m going to tweak my spending/crafting plan so that I can actually save money for essential wardrobe items. I’m going to learn to think through my purchases more carefully instead of rushing to the mall every time I get a ten dollar off coupon. I’ve developed an addiction to buying clothes, and I have to learn to control that before I go completely broke.

Daily Outfit: Bright and bold

Posted on December 22, 2008 by Diana

This outfit revolved around the blue top. It had been sitting in the back of my closet for awhile because the front was longer than the back, so it looked like a maternity top. I used the rolled hem on my serger to make it all one length, and it’s so much more flattering now. I paired it with simple black and grey with green accents in the purse and bangle.

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Minimalist Cardigan: handknit by me
Blouse: Avon
Camisole: Old Navy
Pants: Express Editors
Shoes: Clarks Marillas
Purse: Easy Spirit
Bangle: Vintage
Necklace: Kira Ferrer

Handknit mitts…

Posted on December 20, 2008 by Diana

just in time for a Florida heat wave. Oh well. My office is always freezing, so I’m sure I’ll use them there.

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Pattern: Endpaper Mitts

Yarn: Reynolds Soft Sea Wool

These were SO much fun to knit. Two color knitting is not as difficult as it may seem, so if you’re a knitter, give it a try. I think that these are some of my most professional looking handknits so far. The quality of the yarn is good and the nice, neutral colors will go with everything.

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Pattern: Dashing Mitts

Yarn: RYC Cashsoft Aran

These were also fun to knit, and they are super warm. The yarn is a yummy cashmere and merino blend (same as my cardigan). The cables were simple to do, and add a nice accent.

Daily Outfit: Black & White looks good with color

Posted on December 19, 2008 by Diana

I actually didn’t intend to have two posts in a row talking about how great black and white are together. It just happened. Just goes to show what a classic combination it is. The important thing when combining black and white is to add at least a pop of color somewhere. I can’t stand looking monochrome.

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Top: Target
Cardigan: Cherokee
Jeans: Express
Shoes: Clarks Marillas
Scarf: Thrifted
Purse: Easy Spirit
Bangle: Thrifted

I continue to be amazed at just how much I love this green leather purse. I bought it on a whim while shopping with my mom. I really wasn’t sure if I would ever use a green purse, I just thought it was gorgeous and that I had to have it. It has become one of my go-to purses, and I love how it livens up an outfit. The cardigan was a recent purchase at a new consignment shop in town. I’m not completely crazy about it, because the fiber is acrylic and it’s a bit small on me. But it was only $3, and I love me some purple, so I decided to get it anyhow. Eventually, I’ll knit a cardigan in this shade, but store-bought works for now.

Etsy Love: Black and White Jewelry

Posted on December 18, 2008 by Diana

Black and white are two colors that you can almost never go wrong with (especially when you add red into the mix). These are some lovely black and white items that I’ve stumbled upon lately on Etsy.

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