Consignment Ramblings

Doesn't Shelby look adorable in her "new to me" consignment sale dress? I think it was $3! 

This past week, I shopped the Oak Grove consignment sale. It's hard to believe, but this was my fourth year shopping the sale and it's one of the things I look forward to every season. I also sell items in the sale, so it's always nice to practically trade old stuff for new stuff! Although organizing, tagging and dropping off your items takes a bit of work, it's always worth it, to me. Here are just some of the many reasons I think consignment and recyling is so worth it:

• It's wallet friendly! Like I said above, I practically break even on the amount of stuff I sell with the amount of stuff I buy! It's the ultimate trading program and I can replace Shelby's wardrobe twice a year (spring/summer and fall/winter...kids grow so fast and they're a different size from one year to the next) for practically nothing. Or if I didn't spend much or buy anything at all, it's money in my pocket! 
• It's a great way to have a well-dressed kid for less! I've bought like-new brand name items from quality brands like Lilly Pulitzer, Ralph Lauren, Hannah Andersson, Boden and Tea Collection for a fraction of their retail price. I admit it...I like cute kid's clothes! Which brings me to...
• Your purchases have been "road tested!" If that dress, bike or toy still looks great and works after one (or two or three!) kids have used it, you know you're purchasing a quality product. Our consignment sale is pretty strict about screening items so most of what you're shopping for looks great and functions. It's a much better shopping experience than sifting through racks at a Goodwill store trying to find one hidden gem. 
• Tame the toy monster! Rotating out some toys every six months is wonderful both your playroom and your kid's curiosity. I can't tell you how good it feels to purge excess toys and know someone else can enjoy them. Plus, adding in some new toys and books to your mix keeps your kids from getting bored with the same old stuff. I'll sometimes buy some toys and books and then introduce a new one every month or so to keep things interesting. 
• It's earth friendly! Consignment shopping is the ultimate in local recycling. Just think of the hundreds of thousands of items that stay in the community, getting used over and over again and won't end up in a landfill. Plus, everything you buy at consignment is just one less thing that's manufactured overseas, shipped across the globe and taking up space in a big box store. 
• It benefits your local community! Consignment sales are often hosted by local churches and preschool programs as a fundraiser for the school. They receive a cut of the sales to improve their schools and you get a cut of the money back in your wallet. It's a win-win! 

After shopping so many consignment sales for Shelby, I thought to myself, "what about me?" I've had so much fun bargain hunting for Shelby, I wanted to try it for myself. Recently, I've been purchasing a lot of my clothing from eBay and local consignment and upscale resale stores. My favorite local resale shops are the ones run by Wellspring Living. Check them out here. I also have to give a shout out to my friend's new website Your Town Consignment, which is a directory of local consignment, thrift and vintage stores. It's mostly Athens and Georgia-based right now, but will be expanding in the future. 

I have received lots of compliments on my thrifted wardrobe and wanted to share some of my thrift / eBay shopping tips here. Some people have hang ups about used clothes, but once you discover the thrill and fun of consignment shopping, you might change your mind! 

• When thrift shopping, try it on. If it doesn't fit, it's not a deal. 
• Check the clothes for rips, pilling, stains etc. If its not in perfect condition, it's also not a deal. However, if something is an easy fix, like sewing on a missing button or repairing a hem, it might be worth it if you really like it. 
• I like to shop for work, dressy or nicer clothes only. Dressier clothes often don't get as much wear as things like jeans and knits, so you can often find things that have only been worn a couple of times and dry cleaned. Which brings me to...
• Dry cleaning is your friend. Freshly lauder and dry clean it ... and it's like "new to you!" 
• Look for quality fabrics. I tend to stick to nicer fabrics only - wool, silk, 100% cotton, etc. because I know there are less issues with pilling, shrinking and general wear and tear. I've found some absolutely gorgeous silk dresses and wool blazers for next to nothing. You might never go back to polyester again! Which brings me to...
• Stick with the classics. Trends come and go, but a perfect camel blazer or plaid skirt will last forever. If you find a great classic piece in a thrift shop, you know it's stood the trend test! Fast fashion will become a thing of the past and you might never step foot in Forever 21 again! Which is not to say I won't still buy the occasional trendy item, but it's usually just an inexpensive accessory to compliment something classic. But how many times have you cleaned out your closet and ended up with huge bag of T-shirts from Old Navy and some super trendy "what was I thinking" purchases destined for the donation pile? You'll spend less in the long run with classics. 

My eBay shopping tips:

• Know your brands, know your sizes. With online shopping, you don't get the benefit of being able to try it on before you buy, and many times items are non-returnable. Only shop brands that you are confident you know what size you wear, and you're confident that their sizing is consistent. For example, I consistently have good luck with brands like J. Crew, Lilly Pulitzer and Banana Republic because I know what size I wear, and how it will wear on me. I usually buy things that are more forgiving, like dresses or tops and stay away from trickier items like pants. 
• Look for keywords like "new" and "NWT" (new with tags). You won't believe how many brand new items are for sale.
• Keep a watch list and bookmark your favorites. The eBay mobile app is wonderful - it allows you to easily bookmark your favorite searches, compile a watch list of things you're interested in, and more. 
• Get good at bidding. There's an art and a science to bidding and it's thrilling to win an auction and get a good deal! There are plenty of articles and resources online about bidding and I am certainly not an expert, but I will say to try not to bid on something until as close as the auction end time as possible! But not everything is auction-style bidding -there are plenty of more low-stress "buy it now" options as well. 
• Always pay promptly and leave good feedback. Practicing good eBay etiquette is key!
• You win some, you lose some. Don't be devastated if you lose an auction - there will always be another one! Similarly, don't be bummed if something you bought ends up not working out. You can always resell it! I've had just as much fun selling things as I have had buying. 

What are you thoughts? Do you buy things via consignment or eBay? What are your tips and tricks to finding good deals? 

Fall Recipes

In this week's CSA, we received apples, collards, eggplants, tomatoes, peppers and a butternut squash. This apple crumble deserves a special call out - it was DELICIOUS!! I had some leftover heavy cream from the butternut squash soup I made, so I whipped up some homemade whipped cream to go on top and it was so good! The recipes I used this week are below if you're interested. This week, I tried to do almost my cooking for the week on Sunday, so I didn't have to rush around and do as much prep during the week. It worked out pretty well, although I was in the kitchen for quite a while on Sunday! I made the apple crisp Monday night and I still have to make the eggplant one night this week. 

Recipe Links:

Apple Crisp  - so delicious. I will definitely be making this again. Great for when you want the taste of apple pie without the hassle of rolling out crust. I loved the crumbly topping on this and found it was still very plentiful, even though I halved the recipe because I had less apples than it called for. 

Whipped Cream - no real recipe, just combine whipping cream, a dash of vanilla and confectioners sugar in a chilled metal bowl and whip at low speed until stiff peaks form. 

Collard Greens -serve with cornbread

Eggplant Parmesan

Stuffed Peppers - I used an old recipe I got from a friend and I can't find it online. It's basically hollowed out peppers stuffed with browned Italian sausage, navy beans, cheese and marinara sauce, topped with more cheese and baked. 

Butternut Squash Soup - this was delicious! Like fall in a bowl! I could eat this every day, in fact, I HAVE! The addition of honey, ginger and some spices like cinnamon and nutmeg make this soup almost dessert-like. 

Adventures in Roswell

Last week Shelby and I had a fun afternoon exploring historic Roswell and working on a little project for work. More about that later, but we loved downtown Roswell! It was so cute and filled with adorable cafes and restaurants with sidewalk dining. We stopped in a cute market called Roswell Provisions that sold wine, coffee, pastries, gelato and all kinds of yummies. It was fun to have a special weekday day with my girl!

Girl's Beach Weekend

Last weekend, two of my college girlfriends and I went on a little beach getaway! It was so wonderful to leave our regular responsibilities behind for a few days and enjoy long days of relaxation, good conversation, board games and good food!

Recipe of the Week

This week I made lady peas with salt pork and rice. It was sort of a twist on the traditional southern black eyed peas and ham recipe. We gobbled up this delicious meal before I even got a chance to take a picture of it! Get the recipe here, or below. 

• 1/4 lb salt pork, rinsed and patted dry

• 1 medium onion, finely chopped

• 2 garlic cloves, finely chopped

• 3 cups shelled fresh lady peas 

• 3 cups water

• 1/4 cup thinly sliced scallion greens

Cut off and discard any skin from salt pork, then cut salt pork into 1/3-inch pieces. Cook in a 3-quart heavy saucepan over moderate heat, stirring occasionally, until most of fat is rendered and pork is golden and crisp, 6 to 8 minutes. Transfer pork with a slotted spoon to paper towels to drain.

Pour off all but about 1 tablespoon fat from saucepan, then cook onion in fat over moderate heat, stirring, until softened, about 4 minutes. Add garlic and cook, stirring, 1 minute.

Stir in peas and water and simmer, uncovered, until tender, 30 to 35 minutes. Stir in scallions and salt and pepper to taste.

Serve peas over rice and sprinkle with salt pork.

Nature Walk

The other night we ran into our neighbors out with their girls on a nature walk, so the next evening, Shelby requested to go on a nature walk of her own! AKA - collecting leaves, sticks, berries, flowers and whatever else we find into a bucket! 

CSA Goodies of the Week

Some of this week's CSA meals included... 

Mustard greens with Italian Sausage. Get the recipe here.

Delicata squash with rosemary, sage and cider glaze. Get the recipe here.

Athens Weekend

Scott and I got a special treat last weekend - a weekend in Athens with old college friends! Our favorite band from college, Dayroom, was playing a special reunion show in Athens and we all got together again to see them. It was a great night and fun to reminisce about "good old days" which held slightly less responsibility.... it took some coordination to find babysitters for kids, book hotel rooms, etc. Quite the change from college! It was fun to have a special night out and we all had a great time. 

Dinner together at a fancy French restaurant ... we were definitely not doing this in college! 

Moules frites... YUM! 

They sounded better than ever! 

Breakfast at The Mayflower the next day. 

Beautiful and deserted downtown Athens on a Sunday morning. 

Simple Watermelon Salad

This week's CSA goody was a watermelon, mint and feta salad. No recipe - just chop your watermelon, sprinkle with feta and some torn mint and drizzle with honey. I got the mint from my neighbor... you can't get more local than that! Some recipes are more savory and call for balsamic dressing or onions, so adjust to your liking. You can't go wrong! 

CSA Goodies

I recently signed up for a CSA (community supported agriculture) delivery service. It's basically a box of fresh, organic and local produce that is delivered to a drop off point near you every week. The farm I am using - Riverview Farms - has a drop off point at Shelby's after school church. I could not turn down the convenience factor and decided to give it a try. 

We have really been enjoying it! I signed up to pick up a box every other week for ten weeks. The box costs $27 and I have been surprised at the abundance and variety of what we receive. For our family of three, we've been able to use up the produce in a two week span - I think getting it weekly would be too much for us. 

Here is just some of the food I prepared from our first box - I made a tomato pie, delicata squash puree, fried okra and a tomato and cucumber salad. I also made a potato salad (as a side to burgers we grilled) and spaghetti squash with homemade tomato sauce. 

Our second box had two eggplants and more tomatoes so I made oven baked eggplant parmesan with fresh tomato sauce. Get the recipe here. We also got another spaghetti squash, more potatoes and a watermelon. I am making a watermelon, mint and feta salad later this week.

I have enjoyed everything I've made with the produce and it's given me so many new cooking ideas. The CSA provides recipe ideas and I also look up recipe ideas online. The contents of the box vary from week to week depending on what is ripe and in season, and it's been a lot of fun to try new recipes and shake us out of our dinner routine! I'd recommend it to anyone! 

Braves Game

On Sunday of Labor Day weekend, we were given some last minute tickets to a Braves home game. Shelby was a little bit tired and hot (this weekend was so humid) but she still had a good time. It was a fun way to wrap up a long holiday weekend. On Saturday I went to the Georgia game with a friend while Scott and Shelby attended the Dragon Con parade. Dragon Con is a big sci fi and fantasy convention that happens every year and the parade is basically a huge costume parade with every kind of character imaginable. Shelby saw multiple Disney princesses, Tinkerbells and super heroes so she was in heaven! On Monday, we just relaxed at the pool for one last time before it closes for the season. 

Running the bases in the kid's area. 

Staying chill despite the heat. 

Shelby gives the game a thumbs up. 

Doing the tomahawk chop. 

She loved these giant baseballs. 

The Little Desk

Shelby is doing her homework at a little desk that belonged to my grandmother and was made by my great grandfather. It's made in part from depression-era Surplus Relief Commodity crates - you can see the printing on the inside of the drawers. Children in our family have played with this desk for generations (my grandma wrote her name on the inside of one of the drawers)  and I'm glad Shelby is the fourth generation to enjoy it!