100 days of Thrift check in - Day 6

Hey would you look at that! I have a post to write! In all seriousness though it has been quite a busy week, lots of long days in the office leave me in a mood to do utterly nothing when I get home. In fact the boy has bitched me out since he cooked more then I did this week, though two of those nights were merely me asking him to cook, and then eating scrambled eggs around 8 when I decided I had waited long enough.

So how has the challenge been coming along? Well it is day six today and it's only early morning. So far I've found this weekend to be quite easy to get through, but that's because it's too hot to leave the house. During the week I had issues, I bought lunch more then I brought it, I'm just not used to having to having to prepare something to bring in. Leftovers are great and all but in this house they're normally snapped up by the boy, and even then we're moving offices in less then a fortnight, so I had to have last meals at some of my favourite places. I am going to be very, very sad when dumplings are no longer within walking distance.

I made a gift for my latest Niece/Nephew who is due in a few weeks, My sister is being a pain and won't let on the gender, We have a theory it's a boy though as her husband is way too happy for it to be another girl. Mind you, the gift is incredibly cute, and so easy to whip up, I bought the kit from Voodoo Rabbit over a year ago, and it was about time I used it. The results are rather cute.

Dr. Seuss Rattle Toy Cube

What I spent:
Dumplings - $10
Pizza - $10 (Boss shouted a beer to go with it)
Japanese Donburi: $12

What's in the kitty:
$60

Lessons learnt?
Plan ahead for lunch. No really, 8:00 am when you're already running late is not the time to scrounge around the cupboard.
Going through old project piles can yield surprising results.

Keep an eye out! We're going to be running a competition early next week and I'd hate for you to miss it!

100 days of Thrift Challenge

Yeah, you read right, Birdette has overdone it! I've decided it's time to do something a little more serious to try and clean up my financial situation and while things are not dire, they're certainly not improving. You know when you get to the stage of I'm-flat-broke-but-don't-remember-what-I-spent-it-all-on-AGAIN you need an intervention.

"Boring! Why on earth would I keep reading? Isn't this blog all about shopping??" I hear ya. However this won't change the content of Bought by Birdette all that much as I don't plan on restricting my window shopping! There should actually be more content then usual as I'll be reporting back on my progress and posting about the things that I've been tempted to break on and my progress towards my goal.

So what exactly does this entail? I will begin this Payday, Tuesday the 8th of January and conclude on April 18. Here are the ground rules I've decided on.

Allowed Purchases:

• Gifts (Birthdays etc, and I do recall a wedding coming up later this month)
• Materials to make Gifts
• Materials to complete any craft/DIY projects I've already started, nothing from scratch
• Necessary toiletries (shampoo, toothpaste etc)
• Magazines (Hey, a girl still needs her past-times  I won't be buying any more then my usual amount I still won't admit to ...)
• One Haircut, but no blow-drying
• Groceries (food, cleaning products, but nothing too extravagant, I do not need to buy a box of pricey icecreams)
• Medication and doctors if required
• Rent and bills
• Bus tickets
• Limited entertainment, one date night/movie per fortnight to keep from going insane.

Grey Areas:

• Makeup (Colour make up is banned, but Foundation, Concealer, Moisturiser type products and Hair removal etc are only allowed if completely out)
• Lunch is to be brought from home, can only be bought in unusual circumstances (working out of office, left in the fridge etc)
• Beauty services are banned, but one massage per month is allowed if required
• Laybys are allowed if I find something I truly cannot live without, to be fully purchased at end of 100 days.
• Takeaways are still allowed, but only once a fortnight
• Giftcards and vouchers may be used. I will have my birthday during this Challenge
• I have been hunting a Buffet sidetable for months, If I find the perfect one second hand or on special, challenge be damned
• For the sake of keeping up appearances, purchases for things like friend's parties and the odd after work drink are allowed, but to be kept to a minimum
• Should I choose to sell anything while on this challenge, money garnered from that can be spent.
• Blog necessities, I'm talking things like business cards and tech support are allowed, purchases to write about are not.

Completely banned:

• Coloured make up, no shadows, no lippys, I have more then enough
• Clothes! This will be the hardest thing to stop buying, I'm always finding things I want to add to my wardrobe, so this ban will hopefully make me see what I already have and use it to the fullest!
• Accessories
• Books. My only exception to this is the yearly Lifeline Bookfest and that's only because it's yearly and for charity
• Stationery
• Pretty much everything that hasn't already been mentioned. Items from the grey area and banned list are what generally bleed a hole in my wallet, I'm sure I'll think of some stuff to add to the grey area over time

So I couldn't possibly do all of this without some sort of goal and reward in sight could I? This is where I'll have a problem again as I've always been an instant gratification type of person. For every day that I survive the challenge I will be putting $10 into a savings account, to be used for reward at the end. Considering I normally give myself a pretty generous budget of just under $400 per fortnight to spend on whatever -and still usually blow it- this will still give me an extra boost to pay off my credit card debt as well as provide an ample incentive to stick to my budget.

So hopefully that's everything covered, Feel free to join me in my endeavours  and if you do decide to do something similar, Let me know. I'd love to see how others are going, I actually found the inspiration to do this from fellow bloggers so keep in touch too!

Day of the Dead - Incoming Mexican Fashion

Using the momentum from both the Novelty and Tribal pattern trends, what I'm loving coming into stores now are the cute Day of the Dead style fashions. Prettied up sculls, intensely bright colours, intricate patterns, crochet and crisp whites are all hallmarks of this style, but this time around the colours are more subdued and easier to work into your everyday wardrobe. Think deeper, muted and more natural tones with a polite pop of neon or pastel. Try a cute crochet top with your favourite shorts, some candy coloured skull jewels, or an Aztec patterned scarf for a subtle take or go all out with a printed bodycon dress.

Crochet Front Tank / Forever New

Aztec Patterned Skirt / Ally

Crochet Hem Shorts / Ally

Printed Bodycon Dress / Dotti

Mexican Space Shirt Holdall Handbag / Topshop

Nail Rock Strips / ASOS

Skull Mish Mash Bracelet Set  / Diva

Aztec Sequin Clutch  / ASOS

If you want some more inspiration, (or even a good movie to watch this weekend) I highly recommend you check out the Frida biographical movie from a few years ago staring Salma Hayek. It's a little unnerving to watch her sport more facial hair then my boyfriend but the movie blew me away.

Are you getting into this trend? How are you wearing it?

Bought! Asos Haul January 2013

Well more of a mini haul really. Asos is another must do destination in the sales as the prices that normally can't be beaten get even better. Here's what I picked up.

This aqua peplum top fits like a dream and hides any bumps with it's gorgeous Ponte fabric. The trousers are also awesome, they're linen blend so they're comfy as in Australia's blazing hot summers, and they also have a cute feature waistband.

Asos Linen Peg Pants

A Wear Bow Peplum Top

I couldn't say no to some cute accessories too. I love the little musician cat and mouse, I finally have a pair of cats eye sunnies that suit me, and the pillbox hat is something out of the ordinary in this day and age but I don't think they should be! They're gorgeous worn with an up-do and add an air of elegance.

Asos Cameo Earring Set

Catarzi Pillbox hat (Other colours available!)

Pieces Esther Sunglasses

Diva and Lovisa Hauls Boxing Day 2012

I'm glad to say that there are sales that I can always rely on to help me ensure that I don't overdo it on Christmas, Who really wants to be lying around with a throbbing head at home when there's shopping to be had? I may have been a day late to the party this year due to being out of town (and range!) for the holidays, but Diva and Lovisa are yet to disappoint. With everything on sale under $8 I picked up this haul from Diva for the teensy price of $68.

Staple heart studs to suit any other jewels I have on and cute articulated owls

Superhero matching cuffs, I could get them engraved but I think I'm satisfied wearing them with a hi-lo skirt and boots

Cute bangles in pastels and black

Rose Gold Torque, ethnic inspired necklace and statement choker

On top of the above I also picked up this bundle from Lovisa for around $40

Sweet bow and owl brooches, and perfect Deco style hairpins

Darling heart earrings and more Deco inspired earrings

I can't really escape my favourite staples of owls and hearts when there are such cute earrings in store, but what I'm really glad to pick up are the Deco inspired jewel bargains. The Deco trend is set to explode this year thanks to Baz Luhrmann's adaptation of The Great Gatsby. Not to mention period dramas lighting up our lounge rooms such as Boardwalk Empire and Downton Abbey giving us beautiful examples of Deco fashion inspiration to introduce to our wardrobes.

Did you take a look at Diva or Lovisa in your post Christmas shopping trip? What did you pick up?