Some Recent Thrift Scores

As I attempt to get myself back in the blogging game, I figured a thrift score/haul post was in order as it simply requires photographing items and not remaking them before photographing them ;). Here's a look at just some of the items I've thrifted through November and this past week!

One word sums up my thrifting luck lately: SHOES!!!

From left to right: not thrifted but bought when clearance was an extra 50% off at UO, these vintage style leather heels are comfy and only cost me $10!!!, men's italian leather shoes that are just my size and super fly at $12, fugly men's winter boots in my size at $6 (who cares what they look like if they're functional!!! ), and these lovely brown tall leather boots are like new and cost $20!

Today, I picked up these next four items.

A 'toy' dish rack that I'll use for notions or jewelry ($2), a softie homemade Christmas tree ($2), a fleece ear warmer for my son ($1), and a button-up shirt with a fun print ($4) TBR (to be refashioned).

Now, the tree's bows are in poor shape and a couple are missing, so I figure I'll use these miniature ornaments I picked up for a total of $.50 earlier this week to replace the bows!

I also picked up a bag of little angels at $1 for four and may use one as the new tree topper for this softie tree :).

I'll share more later on about my Christmas decor this year, almost all of which is thrifted or hand-me-down!!! Hope you enjoyed seeing some of my recent scores...have you found any treasures lately??? I'd love to hear about them...

Peace,
Andrea

Quick 'Fix' Friday: Cleaning Thrifted Shoes

I LOVE THRIFTING!!! I am also notorious for stating the obvious;). Thrifting is like a great treasure hunt that requires time, effort, and a love of sifting through every.single.item. in order to find the gems. That's right up my alley! I guess the not-so-glamorous side of thrifting is cleaning and disinfecting the items you decide to bring home...yes, I called thrifting glamorous ;). Take, for example, these very dirty, but oh-so-comfortable, black leather boots. Combat style, and made in Canada! Hey Canada :). These were in desperate need of a good cleaning, but for $2 I knew that I'd be up for the challenge. 

I grabbed my supplies first:

• dirty boots
• saddle soap
• soft cloth/towel

First, it's a good idea to brush off any bits of dirt or dust that'll come off easily. Then, remove your laces. {I did a quick rub on the front of my boot before removing my laces just to give you an idea of how dirty these really were.} Next, dampen your cloth and rub across the saddle soap to work up a bit of lather (not suds, but essentially you're working it into your cloth). Then have at it! Rub all over your leather boots/shoes making sure to reach all of the creases and cracks. Once you've given them a good rub, you can find a clean spot on your cloth and wipe away any excess soap while buffing your shoes for a bit of shine/luster.

Here's a look at mine after the cleaning...dirty rag and all! The leather came out so pretty and is super soft/pliable (I told you they were uber comfortable). Ready for wear!

And the obligatory side-by-side shot ;). Much better.

To disinfect them, I used a pretty basic method: mixing a bit of water with hydrogen peroxide and spraying the insides. I then let them air out and dry completely. Some people prefer to use a mixture of bleach and water (just be careful not to get this on the outside of the shoes), or Lysol disinfectant, or putting them in the freezer for 24 hours to kill the germs. Pick your poison...just make sure you do it! Now, as is true with this next pair of shoes, replacing/using insoles can also go a long way in removing any unwanted germs. The boots' insoles needed to replaced and thankfully I scored 3 sets at the thrift store brand new! Granted, they were brand new in the package circa 1995, but hey, they work like a charm ;). 

I found these Minnetonka moccasins at a community swap (free!) two days after almost buying a pair exactly like this (but new) at Urban Outfitters for $20. For reals. They were similarly in need of a new insole after going through the disinfecting process. But I also felt they could benefit from a little makeover as well. 

I'm not a big fan of fringe. First, I shortened the ties to get rid of the nasty dirty bits. Then I trimmed straight across the fringe to even it out. Hmmm, not sold.

So, then I gave them another trim with a rounded 'peter-pan collar' inspired look. I tried tying the ties a couple of different ways. Which do you prefer?

Now, those free mocs are soooo much better! And with the new insoles, they are even more comfy to wear. I have to say, I am not completely sold on this after look and may mess around with these a bit more...paint, maybe? We'll see :).

So, the next time you bring a pair of thrifted shoes home, you know how to disinfect and clean them up! This quick 'fix' takes only a few minutes and can really make a huge difference to your feet :).

Happy Refashioning!
Peace,
Andrea

Doilies + Shoes = Perfection!

I found these green shoes at a Goodwill when home visiting in MI. I loved the color but whenever I put them on I felt like they stood out too much, and not in a good way. So, they were not getting any use. I've seen some sandals with a lace front and leather straps that got me thinking about remaking these shoes, so with the help of a gorgeous thrifted doily, I got to work!

First, I wasn't sure which to use, but once I decided, it was a matter of choosing the best layout, hand stitching the doily in place...

and trimming off the excess!

I trimmed them a little closer, then stitched some bias binding along the bottom edge to secure the doily and give a more finished look. Oh, and I trimmed off the lil bits sticking out, too.

Well, this got me thinking of another pair of similar shoes that could use a facelift. I grabbed two of these four doilies I'd thrifted (they were more stiff), fabric glue (the strong stuff) and got to work!

The main issue was the backs that'd gotten scuffed. First I used the glue to repair those areas...then applied the largest part of each doily to the front.

The bits I trimmed off went on the backs, which you'll see in a second ;).

Here are a few shots of each pair in action.

The backs!

I chose a vintage lace pleated slip/skirt with a white cotton slip underneath, a knotted gray T, and coral and green jewelry to style them.

I am excited to pair these with distressed denim and chambray, or leather...just for a bit of edge. Hope you love these as much as I do!!! They were so fun to do, and you could really make both pairs no-sew with a good fabric glue...just be mindful whether it dries clear or changes the color of your fabric, lace, trim, etc.

Here's the before and after of each!

I've got some more fun things lined up and will be sharing sneakpeeks on Instagram! Happy Refashioning!

Peace,

Andrea

Converse: Too Much Tongue?

So I'd bought these Converse on clearance at Marshall's around 2 years ago, and wore them once...and then they sat. That's never a good sign with shoes and especially not Converse, which are kinda my jam, when I want to throw a casual but cool element into a more girly/dressed up outfit. I also love them with boyfriend jeans and a T...or almost anytime at all, so yeah, they were grossly underused. But they had this tongue...

Now, it's kinda cool...I guess. Not so much for me, I decided. I don't want them to be so specific in what I'd be able to wear them with, the fold over tongue just isn't my thing. There is such a thing as too much tongue!

So, I chopped it off (in each shoe, of course).

And I tested out how it would look simply by layering the cutoff portion behind the remaining part...works for me!

Here's how it would look on the back.

I determined I'd need to shorten them about an inch more so that they'd be the perfect length.

Then I zigzagged around the edges, creating new, shorter tongues.

And now, they are just right :) I've actually been looking out for another pair of gray Converse to thrift or buy on clearance, but then thought, really? This is such an easy fix!!! Glad I came to my senses ;)

They still have the little snap button on the sides, which will stay as they are. And I haven't moved the label from the inside of the tongues, but I'll have to (as they scratch my feet a bit).

I can totally see this as a no-sew project if you've got a good fabric glue and fray check, too. Canvas shoes offer a lot of possibilities in the way of refashions: paint, markers, cutting away, blinging up, dyeing, bleaching...whatever you can dream up! Thanks for stopping by and Happy Refashioning!

Peace,
Andrea

#MMMay14: Day 1

Who here knows what #MMMay14 stands for? Me-Made May 2014!!! It's a month-long challenge to wear your handmade items: knit, crocheted, sewn, refashioned, etc. Hop on over to 'So, Zo...' to get the low-down if you are still kinda lost ;). It's my first year participating and I'm pretty excited to not only challenge myself but to be inspired by all of the creators out there who will be wearing their me-made items!

Confession: I JUST signed up for this challenge!!! (Well, that is, I did earlier this morning when I started writing this post...before my run, thrifting, shower, breakfast, (in that order) picking up son from preschool and the temper tantrum that followed.) Talk about last minute and having to come up with a pledge on the fly...but I picked a very doable pledge and hope to document daily as an added challenge. Here is my official pledge...

'I, Andrea of Little Did You Know (littledyknow.blogspot.com), sign up as a participant of Me-Made-May '14. I endeavour to wear 1 refashioned item each day, make 2 'from scratch' pieces for the month, and refashion 10 items for the duration of May 2014'

Apart from my 'official' pledge, I'm thinking I may add a weekly challenge for myself and share that here. I tend to wear some of my refashioned basics everyday (i.e. 'skinnified' jeans/pants), and others not as often, so it'll be a fun month of styling my closet full of refashions :).

To start off the month...

my reversible mini along with a thrifted gray t-shirt and thrifted moccasins. After a couple of cold, rainy, nasty days, we have warm weather and sunny skies. Nothing like a bright floral skirt and bare legs to get me feeling happy again :). Oh, and ignore my overflowing 'stash' suitcase...its an attention seeking little tart! But it may be time for some stash-busting projects. 

And what happened with the tantrum-throwing child, you may be wondering? Well, after having it out for a good long time...

he's rewarding my patience with a bit of peace and quiet ;) And I may just take a nap myself...or maybe I'll sew.

Peace,
Andrea

Thrifted OOTD: Going Green

I've been down with a stomach bug since my shoe refashion and am on the mend today, breathing fresh air and eating lots of chicken soup and crackers :). Perfect day for an outfit post, since I just don't have the energy for a new refashion.

The secondary brick on our building is gorgeous, I think. And it provides a great backdrop for photos! You'll see the front of the building in a later pic and its just not as appealing as the sides and back where all of these lovely rusty brown shades come together. Without further ado, here is my outfit of the day...

Awkward pic of me trying to get a shot of my braid & bun (good thing I cleaned my ears!)...love doing my hair
like this and there are lots of variations to try!

I went with a thrifted pair of Gap jeans that fit like a boyfriend jean, I guess, and have patches that I sewed in using gray thread and straight stitching back and forth in a random crisscross pattern. They aren't very visible at any distance, so I may use different blue shades to make them stand out a bit more. Why not make a repair a feature? I paid $5 max. My top is a refashion from a couple of months back: the green granny silk. Not sure what I paid for the original blouse, though my local thrift normally marks silk tops at $4 or $5...just depends on if I grabbed it during a half-off sale. My earrings are actually a gift from my sister in law and are sterling silver with a smooth mint/aqua stone and I love them...they are just my style. The shoes are also thrifted! duh ;) and cost me $4. I found them at a thrift store in MI when I was home visiting a couple of years ago (love thrifting with my sis whenever I get a chance to go home!).

There you have it! This is what I wore today out to the store to buy my chicken soup and crackers, then later to the library with my son once I'd regained a bit of strength, and as I write this cuddled up on the couch eating my toast with almond butter. Easy, comfy, and still pretty darn stylish!

Peace,
Andrea