Day 101: Sing It Roy... "It's Ooooover"

To quote Roy Orbison (for those of you that know him): “It’s Over”.

What a yummy spread!

Saturday was High Tea Party Day and actually Day 101! Myself plus 12 guests (many of which hadn’t really met before) had a lovely time chatting, eating yummy cupcakes, slices and sandwiches whilst having a gander at the ‘showroom’ of my 100 items up for sale. At 12pm the champagne was popped (Passion Pop no less, obviously a classy affair!) and the auction began, off to a flying start and oh so much fun!

Leah and I flaunting our auction skills!

Accessories...

The Dining Room/ Showroom

I really need a rolley-rack next time

When the festivities came to an end I only had 4 items that I couldn’t sell that are off to the charity bin and $350 cold hard cash for Red Cross! And you know what: I don’t miss them. I don’t miss any of my 100 items. I feel cleansed…

The pur-chasers!

Such bargains for sale!

I did bid for one of my own items though (and won for $10!) but some things are just too hard to part with… and it was for charity (thus conscious is clear)!

So that’s it. I am really actually going to miss this process (although it almost killed me in the first two months) of writing and challenging myself in a new behaviour that I am proud of. When sitting around in the aftermath of the tea party on Saturday a few friends stayed behind to help clean up and we were chatting about the challenge and about how it had changed their perspectives on impulse shopping too. I was proud as punch! I really had no idea that I had influenced my friends in this way.

I have definitely changed for the better. Let’s not get crazy and think that I’m going to move to Nimbin and never shop again though! Borrowing my mother’s underpants was a low point and I will absolutely be shopping for things I actually need and for the occasional fashion treat just not in the way a sugar junkie would hoe into a death-by-chocolate cake, that’s all.

I would like to thank you all for reading this life experiment of mine and for very kindly saying that you enjoy it! I do promise to start up another blog soon and will be in touch. Mwah! Goodbye for now and enjoy shopping sustainably and sensibly! Well… not all the time x

Jim counting all bids

Red Cross cash-o-la!

Jim in his newly bought scarf and sunnies

Liz and Kate with their passion pop

Kate and some accessories for sale

Courtney and Kate... "What will we buy next"...

Sammy and Carissa pre-purchase!

Day 97: Birthday Blah Blah Blah...

Ok so yes, 'twas the celebration of the day of my birth on Tuesday... Blah blah blah. I've really bored everyone enough with this already. I just wanted to share this little story with you in regards to my special day. I did turn 30 (again, enough already Monique! I'm sorry, I know you know) so I half felt incredibly special and half felt incredibly dull. The night before I panicked slightly, thinking: Ah I'm so dull! I have grey roots! I need my hair done with a dramatic cut - I'll go short!- and a dramatic colour - I'll go bleach blonde!- and I need a blowdry and style and will look like Rachel Taylor! I need to look beautiful tomorrow!!

Rachel Taylor in this month's Vogue.
And noooo as you can see I didn't buy the mag! Just lusted over the pics of Rach
here and then googled and downloaded them at home.

I just want her hair! Is that too much to ask?!

I obsessed and frantically looked online for salons to call in the morning. I had a breakfast date at 9.30am so got distracted and couldn't make my appointment call  (which I'd been waiting to do since 5am that morning) because I was running late to brekky. Flummoxed I went to my friends place and begged him to do my hair and make me feel like a special birthday girl. The funny thing is that as soon as he said he would, my anxiety subsided. It's that crazy need and want making me all nuts again about the silliest thing!


God being a girl is tough!


Anyway, my lesson to myself (and maybe others!) for the day is: Don't freak out. We don't all have friends that are make-up or hair artists but seriously we are all beautiful and to be honest, if our teens and twenties weren't for learning how to spruce ourselves to the best of our ability in any situation, who knows WHAT they were for. 


Sure, we all need maintenance from time to time (as per hairy gorilla post) but I guarantee as soon as you go out and meet the friends or whomever you are going out to see, you'll forget all about what you were worrying about solo at home. 

See... not too shabby... and the vintage poster I got
for a pressie made me cry and ruined my make-up anyway!

Day 96: Psycho Flop, But Cull Success!

Summer Wardrobe... See combined
they still aren't all THAT big...?!

My Winter Wardrobe

Well the hunt for the Psycho Culler continued today, to no avail. I invited over an apparent zealous culler, but she uncharacteristically agreed with my reasoning (and begging and pleading… no swear words were used I promise). We agreed that I could contribute cd’s to make up my final numbers. 

So, it is done. 

100 items pulled from my belongings on the eve of my birthday. Said "Culler" though, won’t make my high tea so pre-purchased goods today! At least it gave me an opportunity to lay out all my goods. It doesn’t look like 100 things does it? 

I love each and every one of these little pieces of me, but it’s time to let go and send them to other loving homes that will get more wear out of them.

My book of CD's up for sale

All of my 100 items!

Day 95: Psycho Culler Qu'est-ce Que C'est

I have never indulged or more appropriately committed to self-harm, in the form of getting a personal trainer. I don’t take kindly to being told what to do under physical duress. I haven’t ever tried having one, but the need to scream “F*&k Off!!!!” to over-energised bunnies that are aerobics and spin class instructors tells me I might not fair well working with someone one-on-one in physical activity.

The same goes with being pushed to cull my wardrobe possessions.

I have been so good (I think) cutting 66 items out already and that is after moving house 10 times in my adult life (and 3 of those moves were interstate where I really had to cull!). But with the possibility of not being able to live up to my challenge of selling 100 items I need help. I need A Culler. A Psycho Culler. I asked my husband to help (thinking he would revel in the task) but he was a dud culler! He didn’t think I should get rid of any more items! Hopeless. Let the hunt for the Psycho Culler begin.

Day 91: It's Expensive Being A Gorilla!!

I'm a waxer. I wax arms (I have hairy arms, an inherited trait from a hungarian/spanish great grandmother) 3/4 leg, brows, lip (another wonderful inheritance and a secret only my beautician and I used to keep) and of course like many I travel to brazil from time to time. But during this challenge, let's just say I've been...ahem...less groomed. So when I was told late Tuesday my hubby and I had been asked to pose for the cover of a local free monthly mag that embodies style (also called 'Style') my exhilaration was soon flooded with panic as I realized I had some serious grooming requirements. My frenzied purchase mentality that I thought I'd shaken having worked on it for the past 3 months suddenly was back with vengeance... I needed LEGS WAXED! BIKINI WAXED! My BODY waxed! A hair TREATMENT! MANICURE! PEDICURE! A new FACE!!!!!!!

Whoh, whoh, whooooooh.... I had to ease up. 

I did get my brows and lip organically waxed (I granted this as essential. I don't think they'll be going for a Frida Kahlo look somehow) but grabbed my old trusty razor for the legs (it's not like I'm doing a swim shoot) and did my own nails. My hair remains a frizzy dry mess, but I'm not a model and I'm sure the pro's on site can make it work... Or bump us from the cover.

All in all I'm proud that once again I had a little triumph and didn't go to town, purchasing unnecessarily to gain glamour status. We'll see if anyone notices.

Day 90: The Invite

Invite picture. Cute huh?

My high tea is coming. The date is near being set. So, I sent out a pre-invite today because as I wrote to my invitee's there isn't much point having a charity auction of my goods if it is only going to be me to attend. With the left picture sent (not home made but a borrowed image from online, but that's not to say my scones won't look as good!) I got some numbers back and it's a go. 

 
Now the difficult thing will be to not overspend in this experiment because let's be honest, buying for a party (especially one with cupcakes and yummy things) can easily turn into a monster event with (not so terrible) left overs. Thift and environment will be front of mind for this, but how to make a good party result? www.reuseit.com was a good site to visit, but this picnic set was just under $20. Good for me in my handbag to eat my lunch with at work, but not good on the thrift scales when I'm hoping for 20 people to attend. Scrap that.


www.greenmuze.com has cute ideas but no where to purchase party items. I think I'll have to go with the good ol' ceramics and after party clean up. I do have some cute tea cups and china... The rest I'll have to borrow and all food items will be home made so less plastic use at least!

Day 89: See Some Of My 100 Items For Sale!

I have been up since 4.30am. Not loving that to start with, but it does help me to get on top of the day. One of my list of things to do this morning was to write my blog. I have my topic, so may as well smash it out. So when I thought I would write about my 100 items that I need to sell this morning (before my challenge is up) it occurred to me that I should probably check how many items I have accumulated for my up and coming high tea for selling 100 items day. I only had 50 items. 50! It looked like there were close to 100 and I was only half way! So for the next hour and a half I scavenged my home to find any possible fashion pieces that I no longer should hold onto.

 Now I don't want any old crap in there, mostly because I'll be inviting my friends to purchase these items to then donate the money to Red Cross and I don't want to push my oldest-about-to-die grubby teeshirts and hagged clothing! No, they have to be desirable otherwise what is the point. So I'm now up to 66 items, with 44 to go. I've been through everything! My scarf, jewellery and shoe stashes are wiped myself out! I need a third party to get me to push out the final numbers. With my husband being joyous about my cleanout I know he can play hardball to get rid of beloved items so I'll go through everything again with him tonight.

I think it's different for girls though. We hold sentimental value to the items we hold onto. A prime example was a pair of wool Jigsaw trousers that I came across in my scavenger hunt this morning. These trousers are a size 12. I am a size 8. I bought them in London when I had the Heathrow-injection and have loved them ever since because of the memories that they hold. I've opted to keep them but... well, we'll see.

Day 88: Party Favours...

So: turning 30. I'm not going to spend the day in tears as I vividly remember my mum doing on her 30th birthday because I think now (as I thought then) that birthdays are to be celebrated. I don't love being the centre of attention, but a bit of b'day glory never goes astray! The one thing I cannot do this year (this year of all years! But really, I am proud of my cause) is buy a birthday frock.


A few fabulous friends have said "Just do it! It's one day and really, your challenge will be over-ish". But no, I'm going to stick to my guns and not pur-chase the chastised b'day get-up but purfriendchase (in a lending system). 


So if anyone has any offers....?

Day 87: A Little Less Poxy!

Maybe there is interior hope for me yet!
Maybe.

So these two pics are on the same
wall, running left to right.

Yes! I improved my look. It does look a little better when you stand back and appreciate the room as a whole, but hopefully you get the idea. Less is better than completely dag-o-rama, but again you can be the judge.

Day 87: Lusciously Using The Unused?... Or Just Plain Poxy?

Whilst always continuing to explore my shopping possibilities online a very stylish friend got me onto http://www.mylusciouslife.com. It is glorious. And let me tell you, you will be addicted. But luckily (for you and me) it mostly supplies ideas not temptations. Well, not directly at least.

Look, I’m not going to say the site sparked this idea (because I’ll be honest I adore interior design ideas but I’m hopeless with a capital H at executing them as you can see, comparing my photo with Luscious's) but I think subconsciously it made me think about using my otherwise unused fashion items as display pieces.

What you do you think of this new look for my spare bedroom? Cute or poxy?

The shoe is the very first Louboutin I laid my hands on. It was a sample that I worked with when I was an Assistant Accessories Buyer. The hat is my Oma’s (yes it is a man’s hat but she loves a good op-shop purchase and this was one of the millions that she had. I asked to borrow it and never returned it to her – Shhhhh!).

Day 86: Does Fashion Senility Come In Your 30's?

Admittedly I am just over 10 days away from turning 30, but I think today might be a sign of the days ahead. This morning I have discovered one of a possible two things about myself. Either; I enjoy the finer things in life (when I can afford to, or now plan and budget to...) alongside alternative more thrifty styles of shopping OR I am losing my touch and becoming in denial of being unfashionably fashion-senile. 


I am hoping my possible diagnosis is the first of these options. 


The reason for my self analysed quandary may you ask?... I think I am falling slightly in love with Australian label (usually reserved for an older demographic) Sussan. Yes: this goes with that has gotten under my skin this season!

$189.85

$199.85

Am I alone? Check these out! They are cool and very reasonable (all prices below include everything except for the shoes, which is a pity because I quite like those tan heels...):

$289.75

So this is the same jacket & tights combo
as the pic to the right soooo to achieve this look
(basically adding the top & necklace together)
would be an additional $99.85.
I thought that was pretty good?!

Obviously I don't work for Sussan's, so please don't think this is an ad. I am genuinely impressed (or insane, as we've covered). But SERIOUSLY these prices for the WHOLE outfit?!!! Jewellery, hosiery & handbags included? I feel slightly bad for snubbing them all these years... Am I wrong to no longer feel I don't belong in a Sussan world?