thrifted – Preciously Paired

Shared Boy/Girl Nursery | Preciously Paired

Shared Boy/Girl Nursery on a Small Budget

posted in baby, crafts, decor, diy, home, inspiration, kids, lifestyle, money saving tips, thrifted by Sara on June 22, 2015

Today is officially my due date, and still no baby. Now that the date has come and almost gone I’m not quite sure what to do with myself! With no date to look forward too or end in sight, it’s just a big waiting game now. But the good news is that both me and the baby are healthy and feeling good. I actually feel really good and energetic, so I thought I’d put this extra time to good use; starting first with the shared nursery reveal that I’ve been promising for weeks!

Currently my husband is in the middle of graduate school, so needless to say we are still living the “poor college student” life. While we live in a small apartment and on a very meager income, I never let that stop me from making my home a beautiful place where we can relax and enjoy being. And believe it or not, it doesn’t require a lot of money or time to do so. In fact, this whole nursery makeover only cost me a grand total of $180! This included both the kid’s bedding and most of the room decor (I already had all of the furniture pieces).

I’ll admit that putting together a cohesive space for baby boy and a toddler girl was rather difficult considering there were many limitations, but in the end it somehow just came together and I’m really in the love with it!

Here is a little break down of everything in the room:

Crib – From Walmart which I already had from baby #1

Twin bed – A “hand-me-down” from when I was a girl

Dresser – Bought at a garage sale several years ago

Vintage Baby Quilts – Both baby quilts I made myself using this simple patter by Yoyomama Disigns. I made my daughter’s quilt several years ago when she was a baby and loved the design so much that I decided to make baby brother one as well!

Crib Sheet – Target

Crib Skirt – Made by me using this simple tutorial by Oleander and Palm

Pom Pom Comforter – Made by me. I first fell in love with this pom pom comforter from PB Teen, but I didn’t have anywhere near $169 in my budget for it. However, I was able to make one up for nearly an eighth of the cost. I simple bought a down comforter from Target ($20) and sewed on some pom poms I made up myself.

Twin Sheets – Kohl’s (got on sale for $15!)

Quilted Pillow – Made by me using scraps from my daughter’s quilt and an old pillow I had on hand

Cloud Pillow – Made by me (tutorial coming soon)

Wooden Rocking Horse – Thrifted

Wire Book Baskets – Large one (Thrifted), 2 smaller ones (Walmart). I gave each a coat of spray paint and then mounted them to the wall using cable hooks which I got from Home Depot.

Rug – Thrifted

Alphabet Print – Free printable from Mr. Printables (I got the frame from Goodwill and spray painted it with some leftover paint I had from the wire baskets)

Sweet Dreams Print – Free printable from This Little Street

Hopefully my next post with include a sweet new baby, but for now I hope you enjoyed a view of this cute nursery! Can’t wait till our little guy can enjoy it too!

XOXO,

Sara

Eyelet Skirt Refashion: Dress or Blouse?

posted in thrifted, Wardrobe Basics, women's fashion by Sara on March 16, 2015

Since adding “refashioned” looks to our shop, we’ve been continuously planning and searching for more great new styles! I find myself thrift shopping at least once a week, trying to find those diamonds in the rough– pieces that have quality fabric, a good skeleton, and loads of potential! Last week while I was searching for such treasure, I found this gorgeous eyelet scalloped skirt. Immediately my mind started swirling with all the possibilities. Unfortunately, we just can’t make up our minds so we thought we leave it up to you to decide.

We love the idea of summery dress that is versatile and easy to wear, while still giving you all the feminine details with the beautiful scalloped edges. Or, you all know how we love versatility in our wardrobe, so we thought a pretty blouse would be just the thing! You could pair it with pants or a skirt, and layer it with different pieces to wear year-round.

So what’s your vote; dress or blouse?

We’d love your feedback!

Preciously Paired Shop Sneak Peak: Clothes for the everyday woman

Shop Update: Clothing for the Everyday Woman {Plus a Sneak Peak}

posted in shop, thrifted, women's fashion by Sara on February 25, 2015

During my first trimester of pregnancy, I literally sat on the couch and did nothing but the bare minimum of what life, and taking care of a toddler, required of me. However, all that sitting around did give me a lot of time to ponder and reflect on a lot of things– our shop especially.

Moment of truth:

The color block skirt holds such a special place in my heart as it is the first design I drew up and saw through to production. It is beautiful product, and I feel in awe at the wonderful reviews it has received by the many who have purchased it.

However, in the midst of all the time I had to ponder and reflect (when I wasn’t sleeping or feeling absolutely miserable) I started asking myself if it were someone else selling the color block skirt, would I buy it? As much as I would wish I could, being a stay-at-home mother of 1, soon to be 2, and a wife seeing her husband through graduate school on a modest income, I can honestly say that at this point in my life I would not.

In making this discovery, I suddenly realized that I have been largely overlooking the many other woman out there who are in a situation similar to my own—great admirers of beautiful things, but without the means to justify actually purchasing them.

This got me to thinking of how we could create a great product like the color block skirt for the everyday woman, that is also affordable.

In answer to this question we’d like to announce that starting in March (in addition to our custom listings) we will be selling ready-made, refashioned clothing. In our shop you will now find fashionable clothing for an affordable price, which have been recycled from thrifted clothes and fabrics. If you’ve been a follower of our blog, you’ve probably noticed that I have a great passion for refashioning old clothes into something new and modern. Please note that just because we are now selling refashioned clothing does not mean that we sacrifice the quality of our garments.

We already have a great selection of clothes waiting to go up in the shop and wanted to give you all a little sneak peak! I’m telling you guys, we have literally had to restrain ourselves from keeping these adorable clothes all for ourselves! We absolutely love what we’ve created and know you will too!

New items will start appearing in our shop starting March 2nd, so remember to keep checking back for all our newest additions. Each item is pre-made and ready to ship after purchase. If you see a style you love, but it’s not in your size be sure to let us know so we can keep our eye out for similar pieces.

We’ve also decided to start selling our popular Numbers Pouf which was featured in the Somerset Home magazine, also coming to the shop next month! Pick up one of these in our shop, or make one yourself following our step-by-step tutorial.

Are you guys pumped or what?!

** photo credit goes to the lovely and talented Janel Foster Photography! I know I’ve said it many times before, but you guys, she is A-M-A-Z-I-N-G and so fun to work with!

Easy Fur Vest Refashion

posted in baby, diy, fall, kids, money saving tips, sewing, thrifted by Sara on September 26, 2014

Maybe you’ve noticed, I’m kind of obsessed with fur vests. I’ve been searching high and low for a cute fur vest for Addie, but any thing I saw was $20 or more. Quite honestly I think $20 is a fairly decent price for a trendy article of clothing, but being on a strict budget it was definitely out of the question. Even to make one from scratch seemed to be rather spendy. Luckily Goodwill pulled through for me again, and I was able to find this sweater for only $4! It was a complete steal as it was in great condition and fully lined with fur. Really all I did was detached the fur inside from the sweater and add some lining to the wrong side of the fur. I used a silky smooth lining from an old skirt I had tucked away in my fabric stash…talk about thrifty! Now I just have to find one for me!

And can I just say how extremely difficult it is to photograph a 2 year old! I still have no idea how to work my DSLR camera and chasing around my daughter, baiting her to simply look at me, I probably looked like a crazy woman! It makes me chuckle just thinking about the onlookers passing by witnessing the whole fiasco. Next time I’ll gladly pay someone to do this kind of dirty work! Nonetheless, Hanna was able to work her magic to make my novice photography skill look it’s best.

Mint + Polka Dot Pleated Skirt Refashion

posted in diy, fall, sewing, sewing for women, thrifted, women's fashion by Sara on September 15, 2014

With all the sewing I did leading up to opening our shop and with the orders I have done since, I haven’t had any time to sew for myself. As much as I love sewing lovely things for others to enjoy, I also truly enjoy making lovely things to keep for myself.

Having recently quit my day job we seem to be getting by just fine, but our budget is tight… which is tough for a girl who ~~likes~~ loves clothes. I’ve been fighting every impulse in my body not to go out and buy some of the latest fall trends! But a tight budget does not hold me back from adding new pieces to my wardrobe. My solution: sew them myself.

This pretty little pleated skirt I refashioned from a dress I found at Goodwill for just $9! As I got halfway through ripping the dress apart I realized I forgot to take a “before” picture, but trust me when I say it was hideous. It was straight out of the 80’s with giant shoulder pads, lace trim, puff sleeves, and a very unflattering silhouette. Really, the only good thing about it was the fabric.

The dress had a very full skirt so that is the part I used. After separating the skirt from the bodice I pinned pleats in the fabric. Now if you want to get specific with this part you can but I just eyeballed the pleats to fit my waist. I then attached the skirt to my waistband, added the zipper, and then hemmed the bottom. One tip I will give about making a great skirt: use interfacing in the waistband! I’ve made plenty of skirts now to know you do not want to go without it, especially if you carry a little bit of weight in you mid-section like I do. Adding interfacing to the backside of you waistband with give it a cleaner look and sturdier feel. No wrinkling and bending.

I simply adore how it turned out! Don’t you?

In other news, since quitting my day job I’ve absolutely loved being home full-time with my 2 year old, but WOW has it been an adjustment! I forgot how completely tiring and (I’ll be honest) a little lonely it can be. I’ve come to really realize how important good friendships are; and being relatively new to my area, close friends are still quite few. My husband is quite honestly my best friend, but would I be wrong in saying that sometimes a girl just needs another girl? No! We women and mothers thrive on the support and friendship of other women. When I was first married I might not have agreed, but now I find it absolutely vital. However, sometimes it is hard for me to reach out to other women for help because it seems like a sign of weakness; or maybe they might actually find out that I’m not super woman like they appear to be. Sometimes I feel I may be rejected. Sometimes it just feels easier to stay at home and tell myself I can do it without them.

Am I the only one with these fears when it comes to making new friends?

Unfortunately this has been my attitude this week. There is something about being close to “that-time-of-the-month” that makes me a depressive recluse. Time to bust out of my shell and make some friends, ones that go beyond acquaintances. Any advice or tips?

Linked to: http://www.shoppingmycloset.com/switch-style-wednesday-13/, http://stylelixir.com/2014/09/face-serums-review.html; http://www.delineateyourdwelling.com/2014/09/link-it-or-lump-it-party-56.html; http://dcinstyle.com/stripes-denim-linkup/; http://elizabethjoandesigns.com/2014/09/designs-time-28/; http://www.mabeyshemadeit.com/tell-tuesday-42/

Pottery Barn Knock-Off: Seagrass Headboard

posted in decor, diy, home, thrifted, tutorial by Hanna on July 22, 2014

One of the first rooms I wanted to put together upon moving into our new house was the guest room. It’s located in the basement, which is actually perfect as it gives guest their own space and is on the opposite end of the house where the kids are not. However, it’s a little dark down there and the green walls sure don’t help. In my effort to try and fix up the guest room without immediately painting the walls (although it’s something I still want to do) I started looking for other ways to brighten up the room and make it more cozy and relaxing.

In my search I stumbled upon THIS Seagrass Headboard from Pottery Barn’s. I thought the texture and color of the seagrass would go great against the green walls of the guest room, giving it that natural feel, but that $340 price tag didn’t seem so “natural” for me to spend! So in my attempt to be crafty and save some money I started to look for some way to do many own. I came up with this DIY seagrass headboard using a seagrass rug I found on Craigslist. The whole headboard cast me just under $75 to make!

The supplies:

– 4’x8’x3/4″ MDF board or OSB

(Use whatever is cheapest. We found ours in the clearance bin at Home Depot.)

– Seagrass rug

– King size quilt batting: Thick

– staple gun and staples

(I would recommend getting some longer staples when doing the rug since it’s so thick)

– jigsaw

– heavy duty hanging hooks or 1×3’s for the legs cut at desired height.

I’ll be honest in saying that there would be a few things that I would do differently if I did this project over again or maybe that’s just the perfectionist talking in me. All in all though I’m happy with how the headboard turned out!

I still have a few more projects for the guest room before I call it “complete” including painting it, a dresser redo and some more wall art. For now, it still gives our guests a nice place to sleep!

Linked To:

Share your Fun Creations – From Dream To Reality #127

http://www.bravenewhome.com/diyers-link-party-10/

http://www.tinysidekick.com/makers-link-party-27/

http://theblissfulbee.com/work-it-wednesday-no-57/

http://lifeinvelvet.com/2014/07/thursday-style-link-party-30/

Outdoor Summer Dinner Party

posted in crafts, decor, diy, holidays, inspiration, party, thrifted, tutorial by Hanna on July 9, 2014

Besides blogging, one of our favorite things to do together is to host a great party full of delicious food, good company, and fun decorations. Since we bought our house last fall, I’ve been itching to throw an outdoor party on our spacious deck. With Sara and her family here visiting, and with it being our one year blog anniversary, we decided to throw a little outdoor summer party to celebrate. Usually we have things planned out several weeks in advanced, but besides our dinner menu everything else came together last minute.

You might be wondering how we managed to pull this off with such a limited budget in such little time? Honesty, we were quite amazed ourselves, but in the end we were very pleased with the turnout. It was the perfect combination of fun and classy. The key to throwing together a nice dinner table layout with limited time and money is being creative and resourceful. Everything you see on the table, besides the white flower centerpieces and the aqua colored plates, were things we already owned that we used or re-purposed.

I think what really made the table, were the fun ikat patterned chargers. And would you have guessed that we made them for under $2 a piece?! About a year ago Sara found a bunch of these gold charges at Goodwill for $1. They have truly been a great purchase as we have used them at several other occasions. For this outdoor summer party we wanted something a little more bright and playful, so we purchased some wrapping paper to cover them with. Below is a simple tutorial on how we did it.

First, trace around the charger on the back side of your wrapping paper, then cut it out. Make sure to cut the circle about 1/2 inch bigger than the actually size the of the plate. Since you only see the outside edge of the plate we decided to only cover the edges, in which case we measured and cut out the middle as well.

Second. use spray adhesive to bond the paper to the plate.

Flip the plate over and spray the excess paper with glue, then fold over to the underside of the plate.

Lastly, spray a clear acrylic coating or sealant over the top for added durability and protection from food and water.

Allow each plate to dry before using, then add these fun new chargers to your table setting for some added color and interest.

Linked To:

http://theblissfulbee.com/work-it-wednesday-no-55/

Share your Fun Creations – From Dream To Reality #125

http://www.bravenewhome.com/diyers-link-party-8/

http://www.gingersnapcrafts.com/2014/07/wow-me-wednesday-162.html

http://elizabethjoandesigns.com/2014/07/designs-time-no-18/

http://gracelangdon.blogspot.com/2014/07/making-monday-49.html

Category: thrifted