These are a few of my favorite things ♫...

So, since I'm one of the new kids around here, I thought I'd tell you a little about me ^_^. I'll spare you a song about it (sorry, Julie Andrews!) and instead break it down in a little list (because I love those, too!).

♥ Rose scented body products! Roses are my favorite flower and one of my favorite smells of all time. I haven't found the perfect rose perfume yet, but some of my favorite products are: Dr. Bronner's hemp soap in rose, Lush's "A Ring of Roses" Buttercream soap, and Smith's Rosebud Salve.

♥ Expensive chocolate. Now, regular grocery store cheap stuff works in an emergency, but I have to admit I'm a bit of snob when it comes to chocolate and would much prefer to get the good stuff. My favorite is Godiva, but a close second is a local company called Malley's Chocolates. I actually worked there a few years ago. It opened in the '40s (you used to have to wear white gloves to get in!), is totally decked out in girly pink roses, and girls who work there are still required to wear skirts. Except of course, when you are the Easter bunny...






























(That's my mom on the left!)

♥ Dance Dance Revolution. Yes, I'll admit it - I am definitely a geek. A dancing geek. I used to play with my friends obsessively in high school, but only occasionally now when I'm due for a bit of exercise! It's actually sort of how my current boyfriend and I met. He's way better than me and plays in a lot of tournaments.

♥ Little House books. Intended for ages 8-12, I know, I know. But lately I've just wanted to let my brain melt into a simple series and indulge my nostalgic tendencies. These stories paint such lovely little old timey pictures in my head, I often find myself daydreaming about these places...























♥ Nail polish. Since I wear a uniform at work, I like to paint my nails to give myself a little boost. I only do it every once and awhile, and I think it's kind of therapeutic to paint a few coats! Some of my favorites are, from left to right: Essie's Blanc, You Don't Know Jacques by OPI, For Audrey by China Glaze (about as close to Tiffany's as I'll ever get!), Basket Case by O'rly (which I was inspired to buy because of miss Piksi's photo!), and Monsooner or Later by OPI (I was trying to match the orangey red color from the 1997 movie "Lolita"!)


















♥ Sailor Moon! I used to tape this show every day when I came home from middle school. I actually really identify with the main character, who is supposed to be kind of lazy and flaky but ultimately "triumphs over evil!" ...You know what I mean. I have the first two (and best, in my opinion) seasons on my computer, which I watch whenever the mood strikes. I actually had a toy scepter that I kept for a long time before deciding to put on Ebay. It sold for over $100, but it still breaks my heart a little!
















Anyway, hope that was a little interesting for you! Don't forget to check back here tomorrow to see who won the giveaway!

Surviving First Love

'70s Coral floral dress: thrifted
Caramel cut out heels: thrifted
Matching H&M bag: thrifted
First Love brooch: Lee Meszaros

Ok so first of all, I know it isn't nice to play favorites with your dresses, they're practically children! But...if I had to choose. I think coral is a flattering color on EVERYONE, and even though it makes me a little monotonous and predictable - I love florals! And of course an elastic waist is a chubby gal's best friend. So...here she is, in all her coral, floral glory.

I wore this to observe a (painfully!) early morning high school math course for my college course I'm taking this summer. Let's just say I'm not a morning person, nor a math person. Trying to be an optimist though - free lesson reviews? At any rate I wanted to look modest/simple for this occasion. I've decided this is all there is for me for "business casual" from now on. Dress pants, crisp blouses - such a drag! So I'm making an effort to make sure I never have to wear that stuff again :P!




































As for the pin - yes, let's talk about the pin! Kindly given to me by Lee Meszaros, which by the way you have ONE day left to enter her contest, girlies! I really had a special reason for choosing this particular merit badge. It is for "surviving first love," and let me tell you - I freakin' earned this thing! I dated my first boyfriend on and off all through high school and even a bit after. It was actually a very retro (is that the right word?) romance. We met at the yearly city carnival and I had my first kiss in front of the lemonade stand.

Almost right away (he was a senior, I a sophomore) he joined the military. It was sad, but looking back I find the letter writing and "distance makes the heart grow fonder" stuff naive and sweet.

Unfortunately he turned out to be a cheating scoundrel of a thing and I'm happy to think about him only as a memory :P To this day I find myself amazed that my first love is over! And with age comes wisdom in these matters...mostly.


























Oh, and I'm so excited to tell you that Aya has been sweet enough to honor my blog with an award! I was very flattered to have my name among some of my favorite bloggers that she also awarded! Thanks a million, doll ^_^!












So I will pass this on to a few blogs I adore: Left Hand Endeavor, Thrift Candy, and Mamushka Marie. Yay, go forth and be awarded and stuff xD!

Thrifting 101

Here are two skirts I've thrifted for myself recently ^_^. The floral one on the left only just fits, and I happen to be eating a piece of coconut/pistachio/pineapple cake (my mom's specialty!) and I know I'm not helping matters! The one on the right was actually difficult to photograph (do excuse the wrinkles :P) but I love the color/pattern. I'll probably end up wearing both of these with boring white tshirts, but... we'll see.

So I was thinking about thrifting and all the little things I've learned through my adventures and I decided to write them down for you! Whether you're a novice or a thrift-spert or somewhere in between, I hope they help!

1. Learn to be selective. Only buy it if it’s amazing. Don’t just go around buying things willy-nilly because it’s vintage. A lot of vintage things are just plain ugly, and don’t get any more attractive just because they’re vintage!

2. Check carefully for damages. I learned this the hard way! There were a few times I brought home what I thought was the perfect find, only to discover it had stains, a botched hem, or some sort of tear (usually in the armpit!). There are things that can be mended, but if it’s in terrible shape, unfortunately it may just be best left behind, pennies saved for something else.

3. If you DO buy something that needs fixing up, make sure that you know how to do it, or at the very least, that you will find some way to do it. If you can’t stand sewing (like me!) the chances are that these projects are just going to pile up and be a waste of money in the end. But if you enjoy sewing and can make the time, by all means have at it!

4. Have a routine. I try to go the same thrift store at least once or twice a week. I’ve tried to go more frequently, but it’s easy to get frustrated when there’s barely anything new. Unless your store has a “new items” section, I think it’s better when there’s a little time between visits, because a week or so gives them enough time to put out new items. A good thing to do is ask when new things are put up, too!

5. Don’t always disregard sections that seem unappealing. We have a “Sportswear” section at my store that I tend to avoid, but occasionally I’ve found a vintage cardigan or blouse in there. Also check out the sleepwear section, since some of those housedresses can make really great cotton-y summer frocks!

6. Keep finding more stores. If you have the means - travel! I’ve often made it a day trip to visit several towns within an hour or two away. It’s nice to get away and refreshing to see new people and places. Here’s what I do when planning a thrift trip:

a. Use yellowpages.com to find stores around your area. You can also go to the official goodwill and salvation army sites for locations.

b. Use mapquest or a map to determine what the best route is - what makes the most sense driving-wise.

c. CALL BEFOREHAND. There is usually a telephone number in the listing, I highly recommend calling in advance to find out their hours, or if they are even still operating.

d. Don’t be afraid to ask for directions, and bring tools to help you navigate. Personally I have a little swiss army knife with a compass on it that’s helped immensely!

7. Haggle. I wouldn’t be my father’s daughter if I didn’t try to bargain with someone! If something has a hole, missing buttons, or any other damage, at least try to get a small discount. Or if you’re buying a lot of things. Most times, people are willing to take 10-50% off if you point these things out. This ain’t Macy’s, ladies!

8. Find out when they have sales going on. The Salvation Army stores in my area have their biggest sale on Wednesdays. A lot of times stores will have flyers that tell you what colors/items are discounted on what days - just ask if they have one!

9. Be friendly with the staff. Employees who recognize you might be willing to show you some of the more interesting items or even share their discount with you. Now, don't try to make friends just to get a discount! But it always helps to be nice and show appreciation, no matter where you are or what you're doing.




























I also thrifted this amazing vintage coral wallet and a lavender Stanley thermos. The wallet is in pristine condition, it even still has the original pen inside. It also has the owner's original last check in there! Apparently its come all the way from St. Louis, Missouri to be with me. The thermos will be nice in the winter time, and oh how I love feminine housewares!

Anyway, if you're determined to be a smart thrifter, you should also check out:

1. Rhiannon of Liebemarlene's 10 thrifting tips via Mademoiselle Robot
2. Rachael of The Life Aesthetic's second hand shopping guide
3. Diana of Painfully Hips' thrifting pointers
4. and Aya of Strawberry Koi's thrifting video!

Happy thrifting :D!

Coupon!

Just popping in to announce the 20% Independence Day sale over at the shop! I'll also be adding several low-priced items tomorrow and early this week (along with those shoes I promised!) so there are several good deals going on if you want to take a look ^_^. That's all for now, but I promise a real post tomorrow, pinky swear! (Forgive me for skipping Fat Love Friday too, won't you? I've been a bad blogger but I'll make it up to you, you'll see!)

Hope everyone's having a great weekend :D Only a week 'til fireworks and delicious BBQ!

Garden Love & Luck

Clover print dress: thrifted
Leather faded color block purse: Wilson's, thrifted
Nude netted wedges: Naturalizer, thrifted

I'm not that crazy about this outfit unfortunately :P But it's been so hot lately and I was determined to get out of my cutoffs and tshirts, and the only other garment that was going to stand up to the heat was this breezy dress. I thrifted it the other day when the boyfriend and I went to a new thrift store (which is amazing in itself, since he usually hates shopping!). I wore this to my work to take my boss a farewell gift and wish him luck. Hopefully the clovers wore off on him! He was great, I'll really miss him!





































The wedges I'm pretty excited about, considering they are a Wide size, which is hard to come by! Plus I'm pretty obsessed with nude shoes right now.






















































The new Salvation Army we found definitely climbed to the top of my list because I found a ton of really great shoes! I spent a lot of the afternoon photographing them today, so expect them to trickle into the shop this weekend and early next week. While I was taking pictures, I snapped a few shots of some of our garden. My parents collect turtle statues, some sort of romantic thing between the two of them? Which I think is pretty corny, but very, very sweet.
























































































I've decided to try my luck on Ebay, and perhaps shift a few things from Etsy to there eventually as an experiment. But for the moment I'm giving it a try with my favorite find of the shoe haul. The listing is up and ready to go, so bid before they're gone ;)! Click to view the listing!






























P.S. Does anyone have trouble viewing my blog? I looked at it on a different computer and it's all out of alignment and such...help ; ;!?

P.P.S. Only a few more days left for the Lee Meszaros giveaway! Hurry and enter before it's over!

Girl of a Different Color

'80s Blue roses dress: thrifted
Cherry saddle bag: thrifted
Crazy '80s patchwork heels: thrifted
Gold bow + chain earrings: handmade, gift.

I told you I was feeling inspired by the ladies I posted about on Friday :D! It was really warm today (okay, only about 80 something, but for us northern folk that's pretty hot after 6 months or so of cold!) and I was really digging bright sunny colors. Last week I posted about how I was going garage sale-ing, but unfortunately they ended up being mostly baby clothes, stuffed animals, and knick knacks. Don't you hate that? Ah well. It's kind of interesting going through peoples' things though, one guy's sale told me he was a little dirty (huge Playboy collection), Pro-Life (pin badges), and a veteran (military wares). I was a little embarrassed sorting through his things!

So after I gave up on those, I headed to my trusty thrift store and found this outfit (except the bag, which I thrifted a couple months ago a few miles east of here). I was really trying to do something different so I hope it turned out okay!

It's so weird, the 1980's are probably my least favorite decade as far as fashion goes, but somehow my latest closet additions are all from that era! Tis a mystery... I also wore an '80s skirt the other night for a friend's birthday dinner, but it rained practically a monsoon and I was in a hurry so I will try to recreate it and post it here later in the week :).

I was also sushi-crazed this weekend! So much so that I had it twice. One of my favorite things to do is sit in a quiet sushi restaraunt and read a nice girly, smut novel (aka the Charlaine Harris series). The first plate is from a place called Sumo Boy. It's pretty cheap and the service is excellent! I just tried the second one today at a joint called Young's, and if I may be so bold, should tell you it is the best on Earth. I ate it while I sat through a huge traffic jam and was happy as a clam!
























































Yum! Anyway, happy Monday, hope you all have a great week!

Fat Love Friday #2

I really have to refrain from sticking every plus gal I find on here(and hallelujah I’ve found so many!) in order to keep it at two per week to give them the attention they deserve. I hadn’t intended to pick two people who are on the same wavelength, but don’t they look great together!? They look like they should be friends ^_^.


















































First is Nicole of Fashion Forestry, or perhaps you know her on Flickr as lecondevetement. Nicole lives with her (hunky, dare I say!) French husband in San Fransisco where she goes to school for fashion design (obviously!). First of all, I’m having trouble finding words for her style. She’s like…like… a beautifully wrapped Christmas present or something! Layer by layer she just gets better :D Talk about personal style! If I put her outfits on, I'd probably look a mess, but on her she is over and over again a mixture of fun and class. Do I even have to point out the attention to detail?!

























I love the way she marries every era in an outfit, whether it be a '60s print and '40s hat, or '80s shoes and her own current design (via the top left photo).























I have to admit, she's slowly but surely influencing my style, as after I sorted through her photos I became determined to accessorize more and take more risks!


















































Here we have the lovely Canadian lady, Cynara, most well known on Flickr as piningforthemoon, but also the Livejournal stitchtowhere. You should seriously take a look at her livejournal, first of all, because I love me a gal who can talk fat politics. Her sassy-ness radiates from the inside out! I'm absolutely in love with her dresses and if I didn't admire her, I might be tempted to steal them...somehow D:






























She has such a funky retro vibe, if I were to meet her on the street she'd seem like someone I could approach with ease. I love her use of prints and punchy colors, and I'm definitely on the hunt for one of those veil fascinator hair gizmos and some fancy gloves
























Another prime example of taking all the fashion (and makeup! oh, how i dream of trying red lipstick) risks I feel I can't, and proving that I just ought to give them a try :D!

Random Tidbits

Today was a really random day! I got my fall semester's tuition in order, listed some things in the shop, packed items to be shipped tomorrow, etc. My boyfriend and I went to get a good ole American lunch today at a place called Scooter's Dawg House, which has an adorable mural inside and a license plate wall and all kinds of fun stuff in there! Not to mention a hot dog and fry lunch only costs you $3.58!

Not quite warm enough, but we're getting there!

I actually have more exciting things coming up that I can't wait to show you... Another giveaway, a DIY project, a dress and swimsuit came in the mail (but they need a little tweaking first), reviews, and so on! I'm also going to a ton of garage sales and a combo church rummage + bake sale tomorrow, so hopefully I find some great stuff. Oh, and I have not one, but TWO occasions where I need to dress to the nines this weekend, so that'll be fun (and a little nerve-wracking)! But for now feel free to check out what's new in the shop and come back tomorrow to see who got featured on Fat Love Friday ;)!

P.S. Don't forget to enter the Lee Meszaros giveaway, the deadline will be here sooner than you think!

P.P.S. In case you were curious, I wasn't quick enough to get the dress I was admiring from Estate Sale. Alas, some things are just not meant to be I s'pose!

Girly & Thrifty

80s Country Club-esque dress: Thrifted
Vintage straw bag: Thrifted
Dusty pink flats: Thrifted
Gold locket: Ebay

Gosh, I don't know what happened to today! I meant to put another load of things into the store but somehow the day got away from me. After I ran my errands, I went to my favorite Salvos (I may just dedicate an entire post to this shop, it's a treasure trove!) and thrifted this outfit. I feel a little charity brunch and church girl in this but it was one of the warmest days we've had in June so far so I decided to just go with the girlie-ness.

Our first rose of the year!

After thrifting I came home and went on a bike ride with my mom down to this little field in our neighborhood to feed the deer. Usually they're clustered around there at dusk, but they weren't out today so we just left them the apples we brought (I might've been a little too scared if they were close anyway!)



The thrifting fairies must have been with me today (haha sorry that's a dorky habit, this constant mention of "the thrift fairy" or "the gas prices fairy" etc!) because I found three pairs of shoes :D! Which is awesome because my shoe collection is really quite pathetic these days. The gray ones are the only vintage (and they have little heels! the other two are flats) and the brand is called "Outdorables," how cute is that?

And lastly, this adorable straw bag! I was going to put it into the shop (sorry x_x!) but amazingly it fit all of my necessities. I've no idea what era it's from, so if you know I'm really quite curious!

Anyway, not much else to tell you about except to expect a shop update in the next day or two. Speaking of Etsy, there is a dress in Anja's shop that she's supposed to put in there soon, and I'm watching for it like a hawk, praying it's in my size! If it is, I can't wait to get it and show it to you :D! Wish me luck!

Lee Meszaros Merit Badge Giveaway!

Clockwise from the top: 1. For being "fit as a fiddle," 2. for "getting back on the horse," 3. for being "quiet as a church mouse" 4. for "rolling with the punches" 5. for "going out on a limb."

Yes, that's right, it's Chicken Dinner Candybar's first giveaway! A generous Canadian Etsy artist by the name of Lee Meszaros has kindly allowed me to give away two of her adorable handmade merit badges. But this is no ordinary giveaway! 2 winners are going to win their own personal badges.

Here's what you have to do:


1. Come up with a slogan for a new badge! You know, a cute little cliche like your momma used to say. (Limit 3 per entry, please! And make sure you visit her shop to make sure it hasn't already been done ;) )


2. Leave it here in a comment, and if you don't have a blog don't forget to leave your e-mail.


That's it! The 2 most clever sayings will be made into a badge for two special ladies or gentlemen. So go ahead, get yourself some personalized free goods! Don't forget to visit her shop to see more of her awesome work.



Contest ends at 10pm Eastern time on June 30th. Winners will be announced July 1st. Good luck!!

Fat Love Friday #1

I've decided that Fridays are for loving on my fellow fat chicks, hurray! I'm not even going to go into a lecture about how the media, the fashion industry, and even the average Joe neglect or devalue plus size fashion. So I've created a place for them here :). But don't worry, I'm not leaving out the thin ladies either! I'm very inspired by many of them too and plan on sharing my favorites with you eventually! All in good time :P Speaking of the equality of all figures, remember how I mused about a giveaway in my last post? I'm setting one up that every size can enjoy, so stay tuned! Without further ado, I give you my Plus Picks o' the Week!

The first is the Parisian blogger, Stephanie of Big Beauty. Her style is like a modern day princess, with lavish jewelry and accessories and lots of sparkling embellishments. She must have a royal tailor too, because she has quite the knack for fit! All of her clothes hug her in the right places and show off what a full, feminine shape she has. Expensive and lady-like taste too, as I don't speak french but I'd recognize Chanel anywhere!


Like I said, she has such a regal quality to her. Her outfit photos are the picture of poise and grace, even the ones of her trying to be silly! Most of her blog is in French, but some of the posts are translated to English, but the pictures alone make it worth a visit!


Not to mention she has THE greatest shoe collection ever. Seriously!

































Next is Australian blogger Hayley of Fashion Hayley Hits Home. Is she not the most fashion forward person you know!? Most of her clothes are second hand and on sale, so not only are her outfits fabulous, they're budget conscious too. She actually works in the fashion world as a photographer and stylist, so it's safe to say she knows a thing or two about fashion. Like myself, she's also drawn inspiration from Japanese trends (she's even been there a few times, how jealous am I?)











































I actually find her style very easy to relate to. Florals, chunky jewelry, funky prints. I also love her hairstyle, and personally, I think it's become quite her signature.



















































You've gotta know you're doing something right when famous people start drawing you, right?

Want to be featured here? Don't be shy, give us a holler! Starry9oclocksky@yahoo.com

Nature Girl (Get it? "Nature Boy," David Bow-...er, yeah.)

"The greatest thing, you'll ever learn,
is just to love, and be loved in return."

Rustic vintage dress: Thrifted in Ashtabula, OH
Cranberry cardigan: Thrifted
Cognac ankle boots: Thrifted
Big chocolate bag: Christystudio on Etsy

Sorry I didn't get the bag in there properly! This is one of the best purses I've ever had, it's SO durable, holds all of my things, and was beautifully made. It's called "the Meredith" bag. Pretty name, no?



Stock photo from her shop.

I actually intended to take photos somewhere else today, but couldn't because of the rain, rats! But I have to admit I love it when it rains. I like everything about a good rain - the earthy smell, the sounds of it against the window, the way it saturates and amplifies the colors of everything. So today's outfit is inspired by a drenched landscape and just nature in general. I realized later that this inspiration found its way into my several things on my wishlist, too! Like...

From ShopAmbrosia.


From MinusOne.


From BajueBoutique.

From BetaBoutique.

From MothToAFlame.


From TheLovelyTeaspoon.

From Thrush.

From VintageRevolver.

From CraftyCrowVintage.

Ok, no more Etsy posts for awhile! I'm actually going to try out something I'd like to do as a weekly feature tomorrow, so we'll see how that goes. Also, I'm toying with the idea of a giveaway (like Keiko Lynn's!) at the end of June...what should I give away? :D