Earrings of the Day - Aeropostale Chandelier Style

I love chandelier style earrings. These Aerpostale are definitely sparkly statement pieces for your ears. Some prefer to save this type of bold style of earrings for evening wear or dressy occasions. I throw caution to the wind when I accessorize and wear any type of jewelry I own anytime I want to. LOL!

The simple lightweight plastic beads surrounded by the pale gold-tone setting with french wire hooks put these earrings in my more "classic" category of my jewelry collection. They go with every single thing in my wardrobe whether dressed up or very casual. I am the kind of girl to wear these earrings out on a date and also wear them with a sweatshirt while running errands. I try to not let my vast "faux bling" collection gather dust and instead be well used often.

My attitude of not restricting myself when it come to what and when I wear my costume jewelry pieces comes from having such a huge varied collection. I don't want to have wasted time and definitely not my money therefore I make a point of wearing something different everyday.

This is an extreme close up view courtesy of my Canon Poweshot A2300 HD that I got at a pawn shop for $20 something dollars. It is a very easy to use point and shoot camera. The A2300 HD is an older Canon model but I also brought the more recent Canon Powershot ELPH 170IS camera.

Now we get to the  markdown sales price part of my blog post. I purchased the earrings for $2.99 with an extra percentage off. A very small price for a very pretty piece of fun jewelry.

The earrings from the back. Very simple. I was impressed with the quality of the earring: no obvious glue showing, assembled very well with decent materials. I love very inexpensive jewelry but I really hate bad quality and poorly made costume jewelry.

No I would not pay $11.00 the regular price for these earrings. I am always shocked at the markup on the prices of costume jewelry. It is totally worth it to wait patiently for things to go on sale.

 You might not be able to find these exact pair of earrings at Aeropostale but you might find something similar.

Here is a post about a pair of chandelier earrings from Express.

Thank you for reading my post!

Thomasina

My First Tommy Bahama Necklace Purchase and Review

I have walked into the Tommy Bahama store in Crabtree Valley Mall for years wishing I could afford their beautiful beach themed jewelry. Usually it is very much out of my bargain budget of how much I will pay for costume jewelry. The prices can range from $50.00 and up.

In January, I was on a trip to Myrtle Beach, SC and I stopped into the Tangers Outlet that has a Tommy Bahama Outlet store. The outlet store was having a 50% off sale Wow! I was lucky to be in the right place at the right time. Interesting fact about the regular Tommy Bahama stores: They do NOT do markdowns.


This amazing bib style necklace is a statement piece composed of very shiny gold tone and rhinestone sprinkled sea life pendants. The pendants in the shapes of pieces of coral, shells, round shapes with the imprint of sand (?) and other random faux pearls and plastic beads.

It is a little over 18 inches long stretched out. The center pendant (the shell) is an inch long. The extender is 3 inches long with a crystal bead at the end.  Near the lobster clasp is a tiny tag with the initials TB.

This is a back view of the necklace with the clear faceted plastic bead. Side note: My necklace stand is not covered in lint. It is actually the sun reflecting off the velvet cloth on the stand. So annoying. LOL!

I really love this necklace. I will get a LOT of wear out of it. The quality of the piece is impressive. I don't think the gold tone will faint or turn. The rhinestones have a lot of sparkle and are attached very securely. The pendants have a lot of detail and dimension.

A couple of  close up views of the pendants. It is gorgeous! Definitely a standout piece in my collection.

There are only two downsides to the necklace: it is slightly heavy on the neck after wearing it for a while and the pendant do jingle jangle a bit when you move around.  While this is not very annoying, it is a lesson learned from here out to shake a necklace to hear if it will be noisy and feel how comfortable the weight will be around the neck.

I could not believe I was finally able to buy something from this expensive "resort wear and beach home lifestyle" store. This necklace was in an end of the season markdown at a Tommy Bahama outlet store. You might not find this exact piece but I have a link to the store's website at the beginning of this post.

There is no way I would pay $68.00 for a piece of costume jewelry. I was lucky to get this 50% off plus tax. Yes I think the necklace is worth the sale piece. I love the quality and the design of Tommy Bahama jewelry but I am can find similar pieces Versona.  Tommy Bahama is a bit better quality, designs and materials but the price is not what I am willing to pay.

I love it when I get jewelry bags with the purchase of jewelry. Anything that will help me keep my vast jewelry collection organized is appreciated. It was just a thin cloth drawstring bag.

Finally this is a back view of the necklace. It has a nice good quality gold tone finish.

My inner mermaid was definitely drawn to this beach themed jewelry. I am inspired to see if I could make a necklace like this from pieces I can gather from the beach and craft stores.

I have not only a beautiful statement necklace, I have a source of inspiration.


Please let me know what you think of this necklace.

thomasinawords@gmail.com

@ThomasinaWords - Twitter


 Thank you so much for reading my post.


Thomasina

Life is Mermazing!

I LOVE  this mermazing mermaid cosmetic or travel bag. I was walking around H&M and spotted this zippered pouch was just thrown across a rack.

The beautiful sparkly glitter turquoise color and fish scale pattern caught my eye and you know I LOVE that it has a mermaid themed design.

This is a picture of the back view of the pouch. It is tall about the length of my hand and could probably hold about four midsized product containers. The price was $4.99. It is made from vinyl. Not too thin material so it should hold up to a bit of wear and tear.

As I was standing in line at H&M, I saw a small black  purse sized umbrella for $7.99. The hunt for a new full sized umbrella was a lot more difficult than it should have been. I finally found one at Kmart. I will keep the bigger umbrella in my car and take the small black one in my purse or work tote bag ( I got from H&M a while back and it has been an amazing purchase for $10.00).

In October, a H&M will be opening in my local mall, I am so excited. One thing I love about H&M is I can find clothes I can wear to work not just trendy things for going out to a club. I cannot wait!

Here is a previous post about H&M.

Thank you for reading!

Thomasina





 

H &M Rhinestone Ring and Tips For Bargin Shopping

Rhinestone ring from H&M. A bargain for just $3.00! This picture does not do this ring justice - the rhinestones have a LOT of sparkle. The ring is actually well made too.

 

 

Hello! Long time no see. I have missed talking to everyone so much. A lot has happened in the last couple of months. New job (Praise God!) busy schedule, and computer problems. But I got through it all (wiser and stronger) and now I'm back on schedule.

 

 

 

Three dollars is so much better than the $7.95 regular price. LOL!

 

I ALWAYS go straight to the back of the store to the sales and clearance racks or shelves when I go into any store every time I go shopping. You never know what wonderful things you will find. Early in the day is best most of the time before things are picked over but I have found things late at night that were a new mark down or a return.

 

Take the time to go through everything on the display. Sometimes stuff is buried because the rack is messy or buried on purpose because someone is coming back for it later.

 

I don't like paying regular price for anything so I don't mind making the effort to watch something go down in price before I buy it. Especially since so much of the clothing and accessories are made of cheap materials anyway.

 

What are some of your bargain tips? Comment below.

 

Thanks for reading!

 

Thomasina

 

Mermaid Standing In The Bright Sunlight

 

These pictures are a much better view of the Mermaid statue I got a little while back from The Christmas Tree Shops in this post.

 

 

 

 

She is a beauty. I think she has a very serene peaceful smile.

 

 

 

Nice details with the shells entwined in her long hair.



 

This is a back view of the pieces. Honestly I am really not a fan of the "distressed" chipped away look. I wish it was a solid white finish.

 

 

 

 

Side view. She is about a bit over a foot tall.

 

 

 

Closeup of her tail scales. In my previous post, you can see the iridescent effect on the inside of the clam shell better in those pictures.

 

 

Back view of the clam shell on a coral reef. Tiny clam shells and even a pretty pearl in front of the base.

 

 

Close up of the base.

 

 

 

I got really lucky to walk into The Christmas Tree Shops store and find this gorgeous mermaid. None of the mermaid pieces they had displayed since have been remotely as nice as this one.

 

It was so exciting to add this to my tiny mermaid collection. Usually I never see mermaid things when I am shopping so this was a great find.

 

Thank you for reading!

 

Thomasina

 

 

Necklace Of The Day Rue21 Charm Necklace

I love a bargain especially when I shop for costume  jewelry. Rue 21 has weekly markdowns on their clothes and accessories.  

Today's necklace is a double chain multimedia  charm necklace. I got this fun piece for only $2.00. 

A close up picture of the heart and turquiose bead. 

This necklace reminds me of  the charm bracelets that I make from odds and ends of  I take apart or broken pieces of    

jewelry. 

I can imagine each individual charm as having a story or meaning.

Have fun with your accessories. Take them apart and create your own unique piece.

Another post about a necklace is here.

Thank you for reading my post!

Thomasina

Necklace Of The Day - Pale Turquoise Flowers

Pale turquoise plastic bead three pendant necklace with rhinestone accents and on a goldtone chain. Lobster claw closure.

I often find the best marked down prices on costume jewelry at Rue 21. This statement piece was only $2.00. Love this!  I could not make this necklace myself for $2.00. The materials alone would be a lot more than $2.00.

Nicely designed piece with a good weigh to it. The color reminds of the color palettes from the 1960s.

Thank you for reading!

Thomasina

The Beach Fixes Everything

Hello Everyone!

Spring is almost here and I am so happy. It was a very long and cold winter. Warm temps and the  bright sunshine are a very welcome change.

I saw these signs in Marshall's the other day. "The Beach Fixes Everything" is the story of my life. I have always felt relaxed, calm, zen, creative, and focused when I am at the beach. 

There is something soothing and awe inspiring about looking out across that endless span of water.

A plan for a roadtrip to the beach is in the works. I cannot wait.

When I saw these cute beach themed signs, I thought they would look great in my home office but I know I can definitely made them myself. 

A very easy DIY: 

a piece of wood or thick paper, draw with a light pencil the lettering, two paint colors or markers and presto you have this sign for free or a lot less than the $7 to $10 dollars they were priced at.

Thank you for reading my blogpost.

Thomasina

A Bracelet That Will Become A Necklace

Bracelet from Versona - green glass beads between two goldtone chains

If you have been reading my blog for a while, you know I love a bargin especially when it comes to costume jewelry.

I got this pretty bracelet for only $1.99. 

Another reason I love markdown price is that I make jewelry and I know I could not make this piece for such a small amount of money. The materials alone would cost more than just two dollars.

Why am I turning a bracelet I really like into a necklace? Because the green glass beads scratched my skin when I wore it. The beads are faceted and the points are sharp.

I was so bummed. This was the first time in all my years of wearing costume jewelry that this has ever happened. This was also the first time I've had a problem with Versona jewelry.

No problem. I will turn costume jewelry "lemons" into lemonade by attaching two separate pieces of chain to either side of the bracelet after removing the clasp. 

An instant "necklace" made from pieces of goldtone chain I recycled from old broken necklaces. The stones will not touch my bare skin so the scratchy problem will be solved. 

Lesson learned: Try on and really feel surfaces of the piece to see if it will feel smooth and comfortable if it will be worn on bare skin.

Have you had trouble with any costume jewelry purchases lately? I want to hear your stories. Please comment below.

Thanks for reading my blogpost.

Thomasina

Believe You Can And You're Halfway There

 

Bracelet - silver tone metal rhinestones in the word "Believe" on a black elastic cord.

Love this saying on the display card of a $1.00 bracelet I got from Rue 21 today. 

Believe you can and you are halfway there. This is so true. If you don't think you can do something, you won't. 

Not believing in a goal will cause you to consciously or unconsciously put up obstacles to reaching that goal.

Believing is making the effort to do the hard work to move forward. Believing is pushing through rejection to get to the next step to reaching your dream.

I am glad I just happened to go into Rue 21 to browse their sale section. Who knew I would leave with a cute rhinestone bracelet and words of encouragement.

It felt good to get out of the house after the ice storm melted a bit.  I had a bit of cabin fever. 

The sunlight shining on the ice covered bare branches is beautiful.

My Alias season 4 is intriguing to watch - learning geography and some vocabulary.  More on that in an upcoming post.

Take care, stay warm and be safe.

Thomasina

Used Book Mini Haul

I was out and about exploring when I drove by a thrift shop I had not been browsed in a while. 

Not letting the weird old stuff cleaned with cleaning liquids smell deter me, I found some book treasures. My grand total for this haul is $2.41. 

Always stop and browse at the odd thrift store, you never know what you will find.

Journal for 25 cents. I could not resist this for obvious reason. My name starts with a "T" so this was meant to be. I get excited when I find the letter T in a font I like. 

This will be a great reference book for when I am writing my mermaid novel. Lots of big detailed colorful pictures of sealife and underwater environments. 

When I find things that are connected to the beach, ocean or mermaid art,  I always feel encouraged to continue writing my mermaid action novel, mermaid children's book and creating mermaid art. 

Individuals - Portraits from the Gap Collection 

I love photography books because there is so much inspiration. Whoa! I just flipped to the back of the book and found a CD!  That made the $1.08 (regular price  was $35.00) an even better deal. Cool!

This book has lots of portraits of celebrities from the 1980s, 90s and early 2000s. It's cool seeing these people in their prime. I have been facinated by how some people who are famous age gracefully and some do not.

So that's my quick used book haul. I will give more indepth reviews later.

Thank you for reading my post. 

Thomasina

Express Jewelry Clearance Haul

Here are the items I was lucky enough to find on the almost non existent jewelry clearance sale rack at Express.

Maybe this is a once a year event but their jewelry rarely goes on any type of sale or markdown much less at clearance prices. 

I love the dainty elegant sparkly bracelets and earrings I got. Express has beautiful good quality costume jewelry but it is very overpriced. Everything was priced at $5.99 and then 50% off. 

Gold tone with rhinestones circle black cord with gold beads bracelet. 

Love the gold beads. They add an extra finishing touch. 

This is a very tiny letter "T" goldtone with rhinestones chain bracelet. 

A goldtone rhinestone very small star bracelet with a sky blue cord with gold accent beads. 

This "V" goldtone rhinestone gold chain necklace looks so much better when I put it on. I was kinda unsure about the design of the piece in the store but loved the price. 

I am so glad I got it. "Goes with anything"   simple tiny sized necklace. I love my big statement necklaces but this is a nice change.

Love this infinity or the number 8 necklace. My favorite symbol and number. Anyone remember the School House Rock song with the little girl skating on the pond? Love the song!

The last piece is a faceted plastic bead bracelet with a beautiful thin rhinestone cross.

Part of the cool thing about buying jewelry at Express is getting your purchases put into these mess drawstring small bags. 

Another nice "display" item is the actual card the jewelry is attached to. It is a thick paper that feels like suede.

Of course this nice packaging adds to the high regular price of the items.

It was so exciting after browsing in Express for ages to finally be able to buy something. 

Express jewelry is made from very good quality materials. Love the design of most   of the jewelry but it is usually way out of my price range.

Thank you for reading my blogpost.

Thomasina

If you have questions or comments, you can also email me at Thomasina8@gmail.com