Thrifty and Shameless Finds: Vol 1

Hello my loves!

I am soooo excited to be blogging once again. I've had a million and one things going on but all of it brought me back to my first love of writing (blogging). I've been battling with myself about what direction I wanted to take with the blog-beating my brain up because I felt that I should choose one thing and focus on it but then I decided against that because my life is so diverse-hence the reason this is a lifestyle blog. 

In case you all didn't know, I've been running an online boutique for upwards of a year now. My shop, Miss Rockwells Racks, specializes in bringing you your favorite name brands and designers for a fraction of the cost. Currently I'm on Instagram as well as Facebook. I also sell on Vinted, Poshmark, and Ebay. I'm truly passionate about fashion and I do believe that I find good enough deals wherein I'm able to offer my customers a great price while still making a decent profit for myself. 

Once a week I want to dedicate a post to the exciting things that I've found/sold in the shop. And that is why I'm so excited to be blogging again today. 

For the first couple of installments I will be posting old things that have been in the shop just to give you an idea of my style and the types of things I like to look for when I shop. I tend to focus on the more trendy, smaller size items just because there are already so many vintage sellers out there already. Trendy sells too-maybe not as fast as larger sized, more unique pieces but it sells all the same. 

I thought this Roxy brand colorblock sundress was everything. It was brand new with tags and a size XL. The cutouts on the back and sides instantly drew me in. It sold less than 24 hours after it was posted.  Only $22. 

I originally purchased this romper for myself. See how I styled it here. As you can see, I'm a sucker for prints and details. This ruffle sleeve had me at hello. This baby sat in the shop for quite some time before it sold on Vinted for $15. 

These wedges are so different. They were an online return at one of my favorite places to source so I got them for a steal. They sold less than an hour after I posted them in The Frugal Stop Shop. $22

I had these new Ralph Lauren gingham rain boots in inventory for over a year before they sold. I just knew that people would jump all over these but they didn't. They were a size 6 so maybe that's why it took so long for them to go. Nevertheless, they finally went for $35 on Vinted. 

Lastly, this bow front gingham cocktail dress had me swooning. Surprisingly this also sat in inventory for over a year before someone on Vinted grabbed it up. Only $15.

That concludes Vol 1 of my favorites thus far. 

Please feel free to visit the shop, like and follow on Facebook and Instagram, and stay tuned for awesome deals and daily updates.

My inventory gets posted first on Ebay, then I move on to Instagram, Vinted, and FB groups. I usually post new things on Sunday and Thursday give or take a day or two. 

If you have specific styling questions or concerns leave them in the comments section or email me directly at missrockwellsracks@gmail.com.

I look forward to hearing from you and I hope to fulfill your styling needs somewhere in the near future. 

I hope you enjoyed my segment. 

Thanks for reading.

XOXOXOXO

Savin' Maven: How To Save Money on Family Portraits

Happy Monday my loves. 

I hope each of you had a great weekend. 

Mine was pretty awesome. I spent Saturday shopping with my Mom and on Sunday my honey and I went on an outing with our little Peanut to get family photos taken. They came out great! I can't wait to pick up the finished product.

I'm such a picture fanatic however, I'm always surprised at just how costly professional photos are. Like what exactly are they charging you for? 

I've noticed some downright outrageous sitting fees since I began getting professional photos done for my lil man. Seriously though, must these companies charge a full fee for a child who hasn't even reached 2 months old.  Clearly this has to be against the law.

I've honestly seen families stray far away from the traditional family photos in the recent years all because they are way too expensive. A lot of people have even taken it upon themselves to create their own photo shoots. In a world where Instagram is so popular almost everyone has become a photographer. Once I feel more comfortable with the settings on my 'big girl' camera I will definitely experiment more with snapping my own portraits. However, for those of us who love the cheesy poses and backgrounds at our local studios, there must be a way to lower the cost of these portraits. 

How, you ask?

You guessed it.....

Coupons!!!

I literally used to toss these picture coupons right in the garbage until my lil man came along. These things are lifesavers! They're like paper gold!! One of these coupons lowered the cost our Christmas photos by 70%!

Who wouldn't want to save 70%.?

Another great thing to do would be to sign up or register on photo sites such as Tinyprints and/or Vistaprint. If you place frequent orders with any of the online sites you sign up on they will automatically send you special offers and discounts in the mail.

These coupons and discounts will allow me to get tons of portraits of my little one at a fraction of the cost. That means we will be in the studio at least once a month. Because every holiday is like a special event in my family-especially when there is a new baby involved! 

What are some things your family does to save money on portraits?

I can't wait to hear from you!

And remember, think about how much money you can save before tossing the next batch of picture coupons that appear in your mailbox!

Thanks for reading.

XOXOXOXO

Valentine's Day Gift Guide: For Him

Hello and Happy Tuesday my loves.

I know the day is about over but I wanted to post anyways-having a newborn has my schedule all thrown off therefore I just post when I can. Gone are the days when I continuously beat myself up about not posting at a certain time of the day, 3-4 days a week.  It's my blog and I make the rules; which means I'll post when the mood strikes-even if it's past normal business/blogging hours.

I can't believe that Valentine's Day is right around the corner y'all! I mean, didn't the new year just begin!?

Valentine's Day happens to be one of my most favored holidays. I love love and the opportunity to celebrate it. Most of all I love the aspect of giving my special someone, something special. Any opportunity to shop is my kinda day!!!

So what do you get your man this year? Especially when he already has everything. Here are a few practical and inexpensive gifts that any man would enjoy-even if he does have everything-on Cupid's day.

Valentine's Day Gift Guide: For Him by sherockwell on Polyvore

A SWISS ARMY KNIFE will get him out of a jam in a flash. It can open beer and/or wine bottles when he's hanging out with the fellas for All Star night and it's easy accessibility provides convenience for the man on the go.

The TOOL KIT...what man doesn't need a tool kit? This one speaks for itself because it can benefit you as well. Remember that broken hinge on the door? Yeah ladies, this is possibly the best gift on the list.

A UNIVERSAL REMOTE will easily provide comfort and quietness within the home on those days when PMS has gotten the best of you. 

The CHARGING STATION is perfect for the tech savvy guy. He can charge all of his gadgets at once with this and can furthermore stop using the excuse that his phone was dead when you attempted to contact him to remind him of the eggs you needed from the grocery store. 

Lastly, the ELECTRIC SHAVER will keep him looking and feeling his best. Because after all, who wants an unkempt man?

I hope this list provided you with some new and exciting ideas that you hadn't already thought of. I love compiling lists like this because it makes it that much easier for me to shop for gifts. Please come back and visit the blog tomorrow as I will be teaming up with Target again to discuss love and offer one of you a $25 gift card that will help lower the cost of your Valentine's Day shopping bill.

Have anything else to add to list?

Lemme know in the comments below...

My Kind Of Holiday: Black Friday Shopping

***This post is sponsored by Target but all opinions and views are my own***

One of my most favorite parts about the holidays is the shopping that goes along with it. I love gifting and I love giving.
This year's Black Friday was incredibly different because most stores actually opened up on Thursday, which was a complete bummer because those of us who are serious about our Black Friday shopping more than likely left our families early to be able to make it to our store of choice before the lines got too out of hand. 
I had my game plan figured out way in advance. I've been a loyal Target Black Friday shopper for the past 3 years now, this year being no different. 
I had my mind set on a brand new TV, which by visiting their Black Friday ad, I saw they were having a great doorbuster deal on. I even went so far as to map out my exact route once in the store so that I could be in and out and on to my next deal within a decent time frame.

The store wasn't scheduled to open until 8PM on Thursday evening so I figured if I got in line by 5PM I would be fine. Seeing how Thanksgiving dinner began at 3PM, I couldn't fathom leaving my family any earlier than that. 
Being that I am in my 9th month of pregnancy, I made sure to take a lawn chair, blanket, and earmuffs that were able to hook up to my phone so that I could listen to my favorite music and be semi-comfortable while waiting in line. 
When I initially arrived in the parking lot I saw that there weren't many cars nor were there many people standing in line. Awesome!!! I'm gonna be able to get in and out of the store in no time-TV in tow!!!
NEGATIVE!!!!!
About 30 minutes after waiting in the line, an associate came through to notify us that they had handed out all of the tickets for the TVs and that we should no longer waste our time in line because all 24 of them had been accounted for. 
Though I think it was very nice of her to notify us so that we wouldn't stand helplessly in line for hours, I'm very disappointed in Target for not having more of this advertised doorbuster in stock. I mean at least 50 would have been a more reasonable number. So now, not only am I frustrated with the fact that I lost out on valuable family time, I have to get my pregnant self up and search for another TV deal because unlike Walmart, Target did not offer an 'in stock guarantee'.
This Black Friday was a total bust for me-totally NOT #MyKindofHoliday.

Savin' Maven Monday: Budget Style Tips

Happy Monday my loves!

I hope each of you had a very wonderful and productive weekend.

I was finally able to relax for a change-needless to say, I didn't post anything in the shop, I didn't do any fun DIY projects, and I didn't hang out with friends-just plain ole relaxation mode.

I really look forward to creating weekly DIY projects but this week I just didn't have the energy.

Since most of my readers look forward to my regular Monday posts, I figured I would fill this spot with 'Budget Style Tips' when I don't have a DIY project to post.

So here goes nothing....

Introducing....

This series will cover my shopping habits and tips, as well as answer shopping/style questions from you, my readers.

So get your questions ready and ask on! Go ahead, ask me anything.

Within this series, I'm also looking to feature some of my favorite budget fashionistas.

That means YOU!!!

If you have questions and/or you would just like to share your latest budget savvy OOTD, please feel free to email me at thriftyandshameless@gmail.com.

I look forward to getting your questions and submissions.

Thanks for reading.

XOXOXOXO



Savin' Maven Monday: Holiday Shopping Tips

Happy Monday my loves!

I hope all of you had an enjoyable weekend. I really got a lot of things done. I cleaned, took some items to Goodwill, added some super cute items to my shop, and, here's the kicker, I finally put my Christmas tree up! I know we're all of a week and a half away from the big day but hey, better late than never, right!?

Speaking of the big holiday, how many of you have finished shopping for gifts? I'm clearly soooo behind this year-I haven't even started yet!!! Is it just me, or do you all find that things are 100 times cuter when you're supposed to be shopping for someone other than yourself? And each time the cashier asks you if you've finished shopping your response goes a little like this-"I haven't even started yet" or "I'm supposed to be gift shopping now but I keep finding things for myself". 

If either of those responses are even remotely close to something that you have said over the past weekend then you're at the right blog! Today I want to share with you some holiday shopping tips that may, or may not, help you to curb those additional spending urges.

Make A List (Holiday Shopping Tip) by sherockwell featuring graphic tees

Make a list. This is true. I make a list for everything-outfit inspirations, goals, books to read, bills to pay, etc. Not only do lists help you keep everything organized but writing things down will make you accountable for them. So make a list of everyone you need to shop for.

Set a budget. This will vary depending on how many people are on your list. Once the budget is set you can divide that by how many people you have on your list. Be certain to keep in mind those people like mom, dad, or a significant other,  for whom you may spend a little bit extra.

Use reward cards. Shop at stores where you have "frequent flyer" rewards cards so that the money you are spending now will net you some type of reward in the future. For example, New York & Company gives out a $20 gift certificate to platinum card holders for every $200 spend on the card.

Take advantage of daily deal sites. Search sites like Groupon and Living Social for last minute deals that no one else will think of. This way your gift can be inexpensive AND unique.

Shop those clearance racks. Many stores are preparing for their winter/spring lines (crazy right) so lots of summer/fall items are marked down very cheap. Now is the perfect time to purchase coats and boots.

Price Match. This is especially true for toys and electronics. Visit stores like Target and Wal-Mart where you may be able to scratch a number of things off of your list in one visit. Don't forget to take the sale ad with you too.

Get creative. Dig into your personal stash of craft supplies to create hand made gifts such as picture frames and/or scrapbooks. Not only are these types of gifts more personable, but they save a ton of money and stress.

And there you have it. I hope these tips will be helpful to you during your shopping escapades. Let me know if you think of any additional tips that I may have left out.

I can't wait to hear from you!

Thanks for reading.

XOXOXOXOXO

Savin' Maven Monday: Black Friday Gone Bad

Happy Monday to you all!

I hope everyone had a great weekend!

Mine was full of leftovers, resting, relaxing, and more leftovers.OH! And I can't forget Black Friday shopping! 

So let me tell you guys...my original plan was to get myself a new TV this year during Black Friday. I mean I had been planning this trip since last year. Since I knew there was no chance in hell of me getting a huge TV into the car by myself, I enlisted the help of my 'ole faithful honey! He's so sweet! Might I add that I warned him ahead of time that we would be standing in line for a looong time-I'm talking the several hours type of long time. I even suggested that he just stay home and set his alarm for 5:30AMish, that way he could sleep in until I really needed him. He insisted that he wanted to stand in line with me. Again, such a sweetie!

UNTIL.....

The time came for us to stand and wait. Mind you we get in line around 10:30PM-which is actually late by my watch; the TV that I wanted didn't go on sale until 5AM the next morning so to say we had a long wait was an understatement. Somewhere along the way the honey must have-he had to have-misunderstood the whole concept of Black Friday-the thrill, the crazy people, the deals, and ultimately the wait. As soon as we set foot in Wal-Mart the honey turned into SHOPZILLA-he began to become claustrophobic and frustrated telling me that Black Friday is overrated and that this is the dumbest thing he had ever seen. Of course he wouldn't get it-men never get it when it comes to shopping and getting great deals.  I had to keep reminding him that he agreed to brave the nonsense with me. That didn't work!

He began to have anxiety attacks to the point where he just suggested that I get a regular priced TV and let him pay the difference of 200 some odd dollars just so he wouldn't have to stand in line all night. With that being said, I got myself a regular priced TV only to get it all the way to my vehicle to find out that it wouldn't fit. Easy fix, right!? 

WRONG!

We took the TV out of the box and found that not only was it missing a remote and a base but also the power cords. I immediately demanded a refund. Needless to say by this time I was fuming, not willing to get back in line so I left without a TV this year. 

PISSED BEYOND BELIEF because my Black Friday had  now gone bad!!!

ALL WRONG!!

 I continued to tell myself that all hope was not lost, when I woke up the next morning and drove myself to the  nearest mall. I was in desperate need of some retail therapy. I was so happy to find that Forever 21 was offering an additional 50% off of their clearance merchandise. I rarely ever shop there because it's way too overwhelming for me and their regular clearance is usually nothing to call home about so I couldn't pass this up.

I got these 2 hats, a graphic tube top....

flared oxblood denim and short overalls...

for $23.61!!!

Next, I went to my favorite spot-where else but Target!

There I found several pairs of patterned skinnies for $7 each...

techie gloves B1G1 FREE...

Aztec inspired accessories...

miscellaneous items (including a travel journal, yay! I love journals)...

and these shoes for $9!

I spent about $55 in Target bringing my Black Friday shopping total to approximately $78!

Not bad at all. Not one Christmas gift purchased. Not one thing marked off of my Christmas list. I would feel bad but the shoes I just purchased make everything better.

How was your Black Friday experience?

What did you buy?

I can't wait to hear from you!

Thanks for reading!

XOXOXOXO

Savin' Maven Monday: This Week At New York & Co.

Well hello my loves....

I am soooo late today! I apologize but I've been having computer issues all day!

The honey downloaded some programs on my PC last night and I've been struggling ever since. It hit me around 6:30 this eve that maybe all I needed to do was restart the computer and then....BAM! It's been smooth sailing ever since. 

Just wanted to take a minute to share with you some awesome deals I found while shopping this past weekend.

If you've been following for a while, then you're well aware that besides Target, New York & Company happens to be my one of my favorite places to shop. I had some great coupons that expired today so here's what I found.

This fuchsia pink button up-it's like a rayon type material.

I fell in love with it because of the gold detailing around the cuffs and collar...

This mustard pencil skirt...the pleats in the front create a rouching effect and the split actually goes up to about mid thigh. Can we say sexy!? I actually got the blazer as well as the cropped pants in the same color so now I officially own a '3 piece suit'!

Oh and these buttons drive.me.crazy!

This hunter green bag. I'm so in love with it!

To make my day even better, I found hunter green suede pumps!

It was not my intention to pair these pieces together, however, as I was preparing to take the pics I realized how great these items actually look together. 

This would make for one helluva color blocked outfit!

Now....on to the good stuff!

I used 1 coupon worth $45 off of $90 (50% off) PLUS I had a $20 certificate that they sent me as part of their rewards program.

So my grand total was $31.33!!

I saved a total of $165.87!!

That's an 84% savings!!!

What do you think?

Did you find any good Veteran's Day sales out there?

I can't wait to hear from you.

Thanks for reading.

XOXOXOXO

Savin' Maven Monday: Harris Teeter Super Doubles-October

Hello and Happy Monday my loves!

I hope you all have had a fab weekend! Mine was spent resting up and recuperating from the crazy week that I've had.

Oh...and visiting Target(s)...

YES that was plural. I swear they need to make me a brand ambassador or something. I can't get enough of that place. Maybe I will share some of my latest finds in this weeks volume of Friday Favorites.

Anyhow, I feel like I haven't posted in a month of Sundays!

Just wanted to share and break down my latest shopping trip with you all.

Once a month, Harris Teeter hosts a Super Double coupon event when they double all coupons up to $2 for a whole week. This is literally the only time that I shop there because they are otherwise way too expensive for my tiny pockets. 

Here's what I scored this past week...

Total before discounts and coupons --->$94.26

Total out of pocket --->$32.80

Total savings --->$61.46 (65% savings)

I used coupons for every item in the above picture except the Brach's candy and the Strawberries which were BOGO FREE. 

The only con to these type of sales and couponing in general is that there are rarely any coupons or awesomely great sales on meats, fruits, and vegetables. My theory is that if I can save in the area of snacks, processed foods, etc. then I can put that extra money towards the purchase of more of the aforementioned things. 

I also briefly stopped in Walmart to get some wine and found these...

Purchase 4 specially marked pizza boxes like this one..

And get $5 cash back through a mail-in rebate. 

Yes! I'll take it. 

That's just like getting 4 pizzas for less than 50 cents!

And you can't beat that with a stick!

Have you had any great shopping trips lately?

Do share!

Oh, and thanks for reading!

XOXOXOXO

Savin' Maven Monday: 4 Ways To Stretch Your Dollars

Happy Monday my loves....

I know, I know....I'm late!!

Please forgive me.

 This little thing called life has gotten in the way of my blogging.

Anyhow, just wanted to share this tidbit that I found in Ebony Magazine the other day...

found in the July 2011 edition of Ebony Magazine

I definitely follow all of the above listed rules-especially the one about purchasing generic brands!!

How many do you follow?

Better yet, in what ways do you stretch your dollars?

Can't wait to hear from you!

Thanks for reading.

XOXOXOXOXO

Champagne Taste, Corona Budget...

Well, it's Wednesday my loves. 

We are halfway through the work week and even closer to the weekend. I think that's grounds for celebration!

I hope your day has gotten off to a great start.

I actually wish that I could sleep in however, my body is so accustomed to waking up at a certain hour that I couldn't sleep in if I tried. Ugggghh....the irony!

Anyhow, it's due time for an outfit post.

A couple of days ago one of my readers emailed me about styling a denim jacket with a belt. First of all, I felt totally flattered that someone thought enough of my little 'ole style to ask me to create a post for them-that's loyalty and I appreciate it with everything in me.

So here's what I came up with.

I decided to try my hand at some pattern mixing as well because a great blogger friend of mine, Marion, is hosting a Trend of the Month challenge over at her spot. This month she's highlighting 

pattern mixing. Visit her here for some awesome inspiration. 

I've always been a little leary about mixing patterns out of pure fear of looking like a complete jacka*s! But I actually fell in love with how it turned out. 

I think the trick to this trade is to keep the colors somewhat complimentary. Upon first glance, I wanted to pair this floral skirt with black and white stripes only to find out that I had absolutely no black and white stripes in my closet. So I went for the next best thing-navy blue. It's dark enough and it compliments the orange just right. 

My absolute favorite thing about this 'fit is that it cost me little to nothing. If you haven't learned one thing about me yet-you will learn today that I shop smart, not expensive. Yes, I do have champagne taste on a Corona budget. I love good quality clothing as well as a huge quantity of clothing and I'm able to satisfy my champagne taste through my 'tunnel vision' type of mind set. That mind set includes staying away, far away from regular price, strictly shopping clearance and sale racks, and using coupons. 

Take this 'fit. 

**The $4.99 thrifted denim was originally a long sleeved jacket which I DIY'd into a vest. 

**The stripes-on clearance for 2 bucks at Target. 

**The belt-$1.97 from Old Navy

**Floral skirt-$9.99 from New York & Company (probably less after my coupon)

**Shoes-on clearance for $8.98 at Target

**Shades-$2 from Wet Seal

Approximately 30 bucks-head to toe!

Here's to pattern mixing, denim with belts, and creating the look for less!

What do you all think?

How do you go about creating your looks for less?

I can't wait to hear your answers.

Thanks for reading!

XOXOXOXOXO

Linked to:

YOLO Monday

MarionBerry Style

The Pleated Poppy

Thrifters Anonymous

Rolled Up Pretty

Work It Wednesday

Casual Friday