Black Friday Haul 2013!

My Mom and I tackled the stores yesterday bright and early at 7 am! We were wimps compared to the hard core shoppers who started at 8 pm Thanksgiving night and didn't stop till sunset Friday night. Its funny, the US is really the only country that celebrates Black Friday and makes it such a big deal. I feel for the other countries who don't get to partake. It really is a great way to get your Christmas shopping done and all the while potentially saving you a boat load of money! 

I get that its not everyone's cup of tea to get up bright and early after stuffing yourself silly the day before. But my Mom and I love it, and make a tradition of doing it every year. I have no doubt we will continue our tradition until we are little old ladies. We may need wheel chairs by then, but that won't stop us from shopping till we drop {maybe literally}!

So here are all the fun things I found after a tiring 5 hours of shopping! I included links to the ones I could and gave the sale price, regular price, and store I purchased it at. 

Here we go!

1. Maybelline Baby Lips Balm// 2. Maybelline Baby Lips Balm// 3. Candy Store Brand Iphone Case

4. F21 Necklace// 5. F21 Necklace// 6. F21 Bracelet// 7. F21 Nail Polish// 8.Boyfriend Watch// 9. LC Bracelet// 10. Not on the website// 11. Not on target website// 12. Jewelry Organizer// 13. LC Jeans// 14. Eos// 15. Nivea Creme//

16. Not on Kohls website, similar: Beauty Sponge// 

-Details on all the items below-

The Beauty Finds

-The baby lips were buy one get one 1/2 half! ULTA {currently in stores/online, the deal is online not sure about if it apply's in stores}

-The Nivea creme was only 97 cents! TARGET {currently in stores/online and at that price}

-The blending sponge was only $5! KOHLS {I think it was just a Black Friday deal but I could be wrong}

-Eos lotion & lip balm duo $5! TARGET {currently in stores/online and at that price}

 The Jewelry Finds

-Forever 21 Chain Link Necklace $8! {currently in stores/online and at that price}

-Forever 21 Blue Necklace $6! {currently in stores/online and at that price}

-Forever 21 Dainty Gold Bracelet $2! {currently in stores/online and at that price}

- F21 Nude Polish $3! {currently in stores/online and at that price}

-Merona Boyfriend Watch {Which I'm obsessed with!} $20! TARGET {currently in stores/online and at that price}

-LC Bracelet $7! Reg. $14 KOHLS {currently in stores/online but not at sale price}

-Jewelry Holder {pictured above} $11! Reg. $30 KOHLS {currently in stores/online but not at sale price}

The Clothing Finds

-Xhilaration sweater with beaded shoulder (only) $10!! Reg. $23 TARGET {I would guess its still in stores, but I'm not positive. It's not online}

-Francesca's Dress $14!! Reg. $50 purchased at Plato's Closet {item not in stores or online}

-LC Lauren Conrad Jeggings $25!! Reg. $50 {item in stores and online, at an even better price online at $17!}

Isn't this the coolest case!! For one, it's tie-dye and it's soft and jelly feeling and it holds important things like ID's & Debit/Credit Cards! And it was only $5!!! That's alota good things about 1 case. You won't believe where I got it, ULTA! Yea the makeup store ULTA. I had no idea they sold cases, but hey what do I know! I couldn't find it on their website, but definitely check out the store if you have your heart set on having matching cases with me ;)

Most of these gifts will be wrapped up and placed under the tree, buts it's ok because only 25 days to go!!!

What great Black Friday deals did you score??

27 Dresses {Garage Sale Haul!}

Does anyone remember that fun chick flick movie with my gurrrl Katherine Heigl and the hottie Mc. Hot Stuff

James Marsden.

Jeez, just look into those eyes.

Oh, hi James.

I'm Natalie.

I have needs, I need you.

Hmmm, I guess he didn't hear me... Ok back to my point, if you haven't seen 27 Dresses it's a movie about a girl who has {yep you guessed it} 27 Dresses! They're bridesmaid dresses from all the weddings she's been apart of, that she just can't part with.



Ok, no I don't have a closet somewhere filled with olds bridesmaids dresses.

And I may have stretched the truth a wee bit in the title of this post, but I just thought 27 dresses was the cutest title for this dress extravaganza of mine, you'll see why...

I bought 12 dresses this past weekend, all on the same day, at the same place, each for the exact same price...

Lets rewind for a sec, so my Mom and I have a sort of secret passion and hobby that we love to do every weekend we get the chance. GARAGE SALING! My Grandmother would drag my Mom and Aunt out the door every weekend when they were little. My mom hated it then, but she learned to love it. Eventually she picked up on my Grandmothers tactics and when I was old enough to go, I became the one she was dragging out of the house. I admit, it took me a while to get the hang of and actually like this hobby of ours {I'm talkin' 10 years people}.
But now I'm hooked.

Most Saturdays now, Mom and I our out of the house by 8:30 a.m.,we swing by Starbucks to get Coffees and then check out our favorite streets and neighborhoods to track down those to-die-for sales.
This past Saturday we did our normal routine, except we started at 11, later than normal for us {so if you're not an early bird, this post proves that you can still find GREAT sales at later times of the day}. We went to our first neighborhood of the day, right around the corner from us and BAAMMM 2 garage sale signs! We find it, park, scope it out and determines it looks half decent. So we stroll up, say hi to the lady and look around. My eyes were immediately drawn to a cute dress hanging on a clothing rack. I pulled it out, held it up to myself, and concluded it would fit great, then I found another dress, and another, and 9 more after that...
Just to clarify, I'm not talkin' cheapo dresses here, the brands I bought included Gap, Anthropologie, Target, American Rag, Love Fire and more!
I came across a gold mine of dresses!!
I was ecstatic.



I picked out all the ones I liked and then some, then told the lady I'd take em all. I bought 12 dresses for $3 each + an athropologie top for a dolla {plus tax, why she charged tax I still don't know} all for a grand total of $40 {aka A STEAL!}
Granted, that may sound like a ridiculous amount for a garage sale and It did kind of shock me because I've never shelled out that much money at one garage sale but sometimes you just hit the jackpot and have to go for it!

And all the stuff I got was worth every penny.

And of course I had to model all of the dresses for you! I started off with my favorites and then the rest go in no particular order.

My absolute favorite dress of all! Comfy, colorful, flattering, and has a back cutout = perfection.
Brand: Online Boutique love, FiRE
Estimated Retail Price: $48



My second favorite! Again, so comfy, fun colorful print, and has sleeve cutouts.
Brand: love, FiRE
Estimated Retail Price: $48

Cream classic vintage dress with pearl neck detailing.

Brand: Trixxi

Estimated Retail Price: $30

Pink salmon colored dress with unique straps.
Brand: Soul Harmony Energy
Estimated Retail Price: $15 

Black high low dress with v-cut back.

Brand: Target Merona

Estimated Retail Price: $30

Fall colored T-shirt dress
Brand: American Rag
Estimated Retail Price: $50
 

Peach colored summer dress
Brand: Gap
Estimated Retail Price: $40

Red and blue nautical dress with buttons

Brand: Xhilaration

Estimated Retail Price: $15

 

 Green and dark blue striped beach cover up dress

Brand: Merona

Estimated Retail Price: $15

 

Unique tie-dye beachy maxi dress

Brand: Yoyo 5

Estimated Retail Price: $30

Red, white, and blue striped flowy dress

Brand: Jack.

Estimated Retail Price: $40

Black and white patterned halter dress with cutout.

Brand: Maiya

Estimated Retail Price: $20

Grand Total Of Estimated Retail Prices: $381

Saved: $341!!!!!

So for anyone who thought you couldn't find good stuff at garage sales, you've been proven wrong my friend.

 This is what people don't understand, garage sales aren't all creepy and filled with disgusting loads of crap. Yes, we run into a bad sale once in a while, but the majority of them have treasures you would not believe! And not ONE of the dresses I bought had stains, holes, or marks. All looked brand new. There are treasure out there to be found!
And If you think buying pre-owned clothes is weird you're annoying then you've obviously never shopped at Plato's Closet or Thread Up.
Mmmhmmm.

If you're a fellow garage saler, tell me one of your best garage sale finds! Or if you're not, tell me which dress you liked the best!!