A Peek in My Purse

Back at the end of January, I found a perfect black purse on clearance at Old Navy that I had to have. It literally goes with everything.

See? Perfect.

To be perfectly honest, I just cleaned it out because, like most women, my purse becomes a black hole of everything I decide to throw in there.

I have a few things that I always keep with me however:

 1. Wallet. My very messy wallet. Contents include old receipts, the warranty for my microwave (oops?), some cash, a debit card, Starbucks card, checks, insurance card, and all the normal stuff.

2. My May Book: Being a nurse, my work schedule is never the same, so I always keep this handy to check what days I work & what I have going on. Also to keep track of when bills are due because I am horrible at remembering!

3. Keys, duh! This gets me into my apartment, my mailbox, my storage unit, and my bike lock.

4. A book. Currently about to read "Until the Next Time" by Kevin Fox. I usually keep this around for when I'm working because there's always a little bit of down time.

5. LIP GLOSS. Literally this whole zip case is full of movie & concert stubs and about a billion different lip makeup.

6. Glasses. Because I am blind, I always carry a pair of glasses handy. Because if I'm ordering something at a coffee shop or need to see something, I'm most definitely going to need these.

7. Rescue Mask. I am a nurse after all.

What's in your purse? And please tell me yours is messy like mine.

This post is a collaboration with Credit Card Insider.

Save Your Way to a New Wardrobe

 Please welcome to the blog Morgan. She's going to help you learn how to save money for big wish-list items!

Spring is finally here, and it’s without a doubt one of my favorite times of the year for fashion. It always a mood lifter to refresh your wardrobe, add in some short sleeves and bright colors. But it doesn’t help when you set your sights on that perfect pair of sandals, but the price is sort of (ok, way out) of your budget. Don’t feel you need to give up on an item just because the price isn’t right. In most cases, a cheaper but similar option rarely takes away the longing for the real thing. Recently, I’ve learned a few tricks that have helped me save money for luxury purchases. Saving can actually be a fun challenge and the best part is the reward at the end. Easy money-saving methods like these can take that designer handbag from the shelf to the crook of your arm before you know it.

Why pay at all?

Whenever possible, make use of free goods and services. The money you save will quickly add up. For example, in lieu of buying a new book or movie, visit your local library and borrow entertainment for free. Instead of paying for gas, try walking or biking whenever possible. Your wallet and your waistline will certainly thank you. There are actually quite a few free things you may not be aware of. I found this useful and surprising list of free stuff that really helped me save money. With so many items available for free, you’ll be able to put valuable money aside for your latest treasure. 

Cut down on the cost of groceries

It’s amazing how much money I spend on groceries and other necessity items per month. I’ve learned that taking a little time for bargain-hunting saves a ton of money. While clipping coupons is useful, it can be extremely time consuming and hard to keep track of what coupons you have. Shopular is a great app that delivers coupons right to your phone, tracks how long they are usable, and even alerts you of sales when you are near one of the participating stores! For even more savings, I’ve made use of purchasing gift cards at a discount where you can buy them lower and then use their full value. By combining these frugal techniques, your savings will pile up!

Work on the side

Cutting down on costs is always helpful, but sometimes adding extra income will do the trick. If your regular paycheck doesn’t cut it for designer duds, consider taking on some side work. You can use nights and weekends to do services around your neighborhood, such as mowing lawns, shoveling snow, or other helpful tasks. I’m a huge dog lover, so I’ve made extra cash in the past by walking and caring for dogs on the weekends. I have a lot of fun dog sitting my new furry friends and earn money at the same time. Advertising my services is made simple online, and I’ve found a lot of new clients. You’d be surprised how easy it is to earn money in your off-time. Just be creative!

Make a plan

The best way to ensure you’ll save money is to make a clear plan for your savings. Make a pact with yourself such as to not spend any five-dollar bills and instead put them aside in a jar. This wacky idea can end up saving you hundreds of dollars in a year with little to no effort. Also, an excel spreadsheet will help streamline your savings, as well as track spending and progress toward your goal. This way, you’ll stay on track without any guesswork.

     These thrifty tips will help you reach your luxury purchase goal, without any guilt from over-spending. The challenge of saving money can be thrilling, so don’t feel weighed down by the prospect of extra frugality. In the end, you may find yourself subliminally bargain-hunting from here on out!

Morgan is a fashion-lover, part-time blogger, philanthropist, and wanna-be extreme couponer. She loves to share great fashion finds and the occasional entertaining ramble on her blog at http://www.graygabbana.com/ !

 

Frost Yourself

Diamonds are a girls best friend, am I right?

Believe it or not, I used to hate wearing jewelery when I was a teen. Now? I love a few pieces here and there. And I LOVE anything sparkly!

When Anjolee offered me an opportunity to try out one of their gorgeous custom-made pieces, I couldn't resist. They definitely did not disappoint. I chose the tennis bracelet style and it is exactly as pretty as I thought it would look.

Of course, I received cubic zirconia in my bracelet because diamonds are crazy expensive, but when you order your custom design, they use real diamonds. The order came in a shiny box that will be great for keeping it in perfect condition.

They have a ton of jewelery designs to choose from: tennis bracelets, birthstone bracelets, rings, necklaces. All beautiful.

 The bracelet went great with my classic look I was rockin' for Easter. It will be easy to dress this bracelet up or down and I'm excited to wear it again!

Top: Target // Jeans: JCPenney // Shoes c/o Jessica London // Scarf: Kohls // Bracelet c/o Anjolee

Classy & Sassy

A few weeks ago, I was asked if I would like to review a pair of shoes from Jessica London's Comfortview line. Being that I love anything fashion and shoe-related, I couldn't say no to the offer. I had been looking into buying a new pair of "dressy" comfortable shoes for awhile now and I found the perfect pair that I could dress up and still wear casually with a pair of jeans.

I ended up choosing the Libby Flat by Comfortview in Black.

These shoes fit perfectly and are so comfortable. During my sophomore year of college, I wore a pair of flats to class and they rubbed right into the back part of my ankle. I still have a scar there. It hurt so bad and ever since then, I'm really picky about how my flats fit. I usually stay away from them because they rub and it hurts. These are the one pair that I feel totally comfortable wearing barefoot.

I decided to put together a look that would fit well with spring weather (even though it's snowing as a write this!) and be super girly, but classy - something I would feel comfortable shopping in.

 Top: Target // Jeans: JCPenney // Shoes: Jessica London

These shoes even come in leopard print! How fun!
Have a wonderful Monday and I hope you're able to wear a Spring outfit today! I'll be wearing scrubs :)

 

If My Blog Were an Outfit...

I guess I could pick a pair of scrubs for my "blog outfit". Given that I'm a nurse and everything. But nah. I'm more than just a nurse.

My outfit would be cute and girly, but still simple and fun. I had to include something tribal to match the sort of "theme" my blog has. I chose similar colors to my blog too.

I'm a little bit country so cowboy boots were a no-brainer. 

Blog Outfit by breannamf featuring cowgirl boots

Doesn't this look so fun?

By the way, there is probably going to be a lack of posting through the rest of March. I'm in the process of trying to get everything packed up and moved (I move-in on March 29th). Plus, that last weekend in March, I won't have internet access except for my phone (that will definitely be a challenge!).

I'll keep y'all updated though! I might do some sort of a moving/packing post next week.

Spring Break Fashion

It's almost March, guys! You know what that means? Spring Break!

Okay, well, at least it is for all you students and teachers. But that doesn't mean the rest of us can't dream up awesome plans! And what's more important than staying fashionable throughout all your fun activities?

Most of the clothing items featured are from One Stop Plus with accessories from Forever 21 & Old Navy. I've listed the items along with the price and store beneath each outfit.

Day of Shopping

My favorite! Every time my sister comes home from college, we always have to plan a day of shopping at our favorite stores. And no matter what city I visit, I always end up having to make a shopping trip. I absolutely adore this tribal print kimono!

Top: Old Navy - $15 // Kimono: Forever 21 - $20 // Jeans: One Stop Plus - $49 // Wedges: Forever 21 - $33

Sight-seeing

What's Spring Break without a little bit of touristy fun? Comfortable shoes are key! Plus a big bag to stick all your goodies in. These leggings are actually a skull print (and I don't like skulls), but it's so hard to tell from a distance!

Top: One Stop Plus - $39 // Leggings: One Stop Plus - $35 // Boots: One Stop Plus - $65 // Bag: Forever 21 - $28

Night out

Everyone needs to let loose a little bit! And contrary to popular college belief, you don't need to dress in two little sheets of paper to be cute!

Dress: One Stop Plus - $69 // Booties: Forever 21 - $33 // Purse: Forever 21 - $15

Date night

Okay, so I won't be having date night more than likely, but how cute would this outfit be? And paired with a leather jacket if it's a little chilly? YES!

Top: One Stop Plus - $52 // Skirt: One Stop Plus - $36 // Heels: Forever 21 - $23 // Ring: Piperlime - $24

Beach

True story: I've never actually been to the ocean before, but a girl can dream.

Swimsuit: One Stop Plus - $69 // Flip-flops: Old Navy - $10 // Sunglasses: Anthropologie - $38 // Bag: Forever 21 - $4

 

Don't these outfits make you so excited for Spring? What's your favorite outfit?

Winter Fashion

I've taken a couple pictures of my outfits in the last few months, so I thought I would do a little "winter fashion" share.

Keep in mind that these pictures were either A.) taken inside which doesn't make for the best backdrop or B.) the one that was taken outside was back on Thanksgiving. You know, when the temperatures in Minnesota weren't -15. Seriously, winter just needs to STOP. Anyone from Nashville want to let me move in with them?

+ My favorite thing to do with fashion in the winter months is layering. This was especially key during college in Iowa when I'd have to walk 15 minutes in the frigid temps just to get to class and/or back home again.

 Sweater: Old Navy // Tank: Dots // Leggings: Avenue // Boots: Avenue (similar)

+ Sweaters are my kryptonite during winter. And spring for that matter. You can literally wear them with anything: dressy or casual. I got this big, chunky sweater from my mom for Christmas and I am obsessed.

 Sweater: Target // Shirt: Old Navy // Jeans: JCPenney (similar) // Boots: Avenue // Jewelery Stand (aka my award): Target

+ Since receiving my favorite boots for my birthday, I will find anything and everything that I can wear them with. My favorite is leggings and dresses. "In Minnesota?!", you may ask. YES! Surprisingly, it keeps me just as warm as if I were wearing jeans.

Sweater: Target // Dress: Target (similar) // Leggings: Avenue // Boots: Avenue

+ My newest thing is anything with leather accents. I believe Paige wrote a post about how she loved this fashion statement, too. It kind of makes me feel a little bad ass. I bought two (yes, TWO) pairs of ponte pants with leather panels down the side of the leg from Target. They are now my favorite pair of pants. If you haven't tried ponte pants, do it! They are similar to leggings in that they are stretchy and super comfy and form to your body shape, but they are a tad thicker than leggings, so you can wear them with a regular shirt instead of a dress or tunic.

 Sweater: Target // Peplum Shirt: Target // Ponte Pants: Target // Heeled Sneakers: Macy's

And may I just say everything in the above outfit was either a gift, on clearance, on sale, or purchased using a gift card!

+ You'll probably hate me for this, but I bought a pair of heeled sneakers because they looked so fun. Some people absolutely hate on these shoes and think they are so ugly. Yes, there are some that are hideous. But I love the pair I bought. They aren't as thin on the sole as some wedges, so they are super comfy and easy to walk in. And paired with the ponte pants? Watch out, baby!

BCBGeneration Anthony Wedge Sneakers in Black - Macy's

 + I normally love color, but lately I've been liking the black and white color palette. Maybe because it's winter? Maybe it's just a phase?

What are some of your favorite things about winter fashion?

Modcloth & Polyvore Outfit Challenge

Last week I was approached by Amy from Modcloth about participating in their Uniquely You campaign by creating a custom look featuring one of Modcloth's many dresses. I then got to pick whatever accessories to create a personalized outfit. 

This week's dress was the Staple of Your Style Dress (which, like many of Modcloth's clothes, comes in plus size as well). The outfit I created with the help of Polyvore is:

All items by Modcloth. Dress // Tights // Shoes // Purse // Earrings
 

After seeing the dress, the first thing that popped into my head was retro cocktail party! I love the multi-colored polka dots on the dress and wanted to pick accessories that made them pop.

The round toe heels were the perfect match and, paired with some red lipstick and curls, would look stunning. The purse is small enough for just the necessities, still dressy, and match the blue polka dots. I also loved the subtle quirkiness of the Eiffel Tower earrings. Maybe they could be a conversation starter?

I had to pick tights to go with it because, c'mon, it's winter in Minnesota! You'd be downright silly not to wear tights with a dress.

This would also be the perfect Christmas or New Year's Eve ensemble!

If you've never heard of Modcloth, they sell unique clothing and accessories that are indie, vintage, and retro inspired. They ship internationally and have a ton of great deals going on. And for all my fellow plus size ladies, lots of their clothing options are available up to 4x. I highly encourage you to go check them out!

Thanksgiving Weekend: A Novel/Picture Book

I thought I'd give you a brief Thanksgiving weekend recap since I haven't blogged since last Tuesday.

Tuesday
My family and I went out to Ground Round for my belated birthday dinner and my sister and I went to Catching Fire that night. SO GOOD! What's even better is I still have my college ID and it doesn't list a graduation year or birthday or anything, so you betcha I use that sucker for all it's worth. Saving $2 on a movie included.

 Wednesday
 Last minute grocery shopping for Thanksgiving. Food prep and cooking. That's about it!

Thursday
We had a few of our extended family over to the house for Thanksgiving dinner. The rest of the cousins came over in the afternoon to visit.

 

Hannah and I had a mini photoshoot for a future fashion-y post. We may or may not have borrowed the abandoned neighbor house for some creative pictures...

 I also bought a ton of Black Friday stuff on Ulta.com that night. I still had a $50 gift card from a giveaway win + free shipping over $25 + $3 off in rewards = a steal! I'll be sharing my haul once I get it.

Friday
There was no crazy Thanksgiving night or early morning Black Friday shopping on our part! We woke up and took our time and went to Target around 9am. The place was no busier than a Saturday afternoon. Granted, a lot of the DVD sales were gone. But I did score some Gloria Jean Mudslide k-cups for $8!
We also had to hit up Old Navy since everything was 50% off. Now, that place was crazy! We stood in line to check out for probably 20 minutes? I know that's not very long compared to some. The line snaked around 3 times even though they had like 8 registers open. I really could have spent a good chunk of money in there. But I put a lot of clothes from there on my Christmas list for my mom, so I guess I had to leave her with some options!

I finally got this sweatshirt, which you may recall from my Birthday Wish List. It was only $10.99 on clearance. More expensive than online, but no shipping and handling fee!

 I also got these two cute tops for $8 and $6. There also is a strong chance small possibility that I am currently on the Old Navy site for Cyber Monday....This is why I need a well-paying job pronto!

We also put up our Christmas tree Friday afternoon. Not gonna lie, my sister did most of it. I just need to add my Luther ornaments!

Over the past few years, Hannah's made a red ornament with each family member's name on it. Unfortunately, if any more marriages or reproduction happens, they will need to provide their own red bulb. Hear that future husband?

Saturday
I woke up with a migraine. What a vibe killer. But I popped two Excedrin because there was no way I was missing Small Business Saturday at one of my favorite thrift shop's Size It Up. The whole store was 50% off. Moka also had all large drinks for the price of a small. That yummy peppermint mocha sure helped make my headache fade into a dull ache. Unfortunately, the only thing I found this time at Size It Up was a pair of grey opaque tights. But I needed new tights anyway and they were $2!
Simba and I hung out by the Christmas tree all afternoon watching the Law and Order: SVU "Olivia Benson Hair Marathon".

Sunday
I did nothing. Nada. Zip. Zilch. ZERO THINGS WERE DONE.

So now, please tell me the following:

1. What was the highlight of your Thanksgiving weekend?

2. What Black Friday deals did you score? And did you go out on Thanksgiving night?

3. Any Cyber Monday deals I should know about?

linking up with sami and syndal.