Haircut Reveal

Prior to my cut, most days, I would put my hair into a bun.  To be honest, I went days without even brushing it, because no one saw it anyway and having knotty hair helped it stay in the bun better.  The bun wasn't even intricate.  I would just swirl my hair tight and place an elastic around it.  One of my students told me last school year that I "wasted my hair" because I never did it.  She was right.  When I went in for my haircut appointment, I had two options.  The first I had been getting the past few times I got my hair cut.  And the second was an option I have been tempted to do for about a year.

The hairdresser asked me "What are we doing today?"  I replied I really wasn't sure and showed her my options.  I talked it out loud and said that I really want to look polished and presentable and with long hair I had a proven record of just not doing it.  Decision made. The only thing that has stopped me from chopping before was I still wanted to appear attractive and I know men love long hair.  Considering I am not in the business of impressing anyone at the moment, (think wife chop, but different) I went with my gut.  CHOPPED.

Before

During

My pony tail after.  I initially took it to donate it, but I really may try to sell it.  I am in the process of trying to buy a house, so any extra income helps.  Plus I haven't heard great things about Locks of Love.  If it's too much work to sell it, then I will donate it.  

This is the photo I used to surprise people that initially told me not to cut it lol.  I have to say, being a virgo, I like pleasing others, but going against their judgement was pretty exciting and adventurous for me.  

As of now, this pic got 79 likes on my FB page! Wow - I am lucky if I usually get 12 likes on a photo.

My kitten cat even agrees that this is a good cut for mama.  All-in-all I feel great about the cut.  I feel feminine and in charge.  I feel 100% presentable instead of 90% like before.  I am glad I listened to my own inner voice and followed what I thought would be a good decision for me.  I may be complaining next week, but I doubt it.  And if I am, I can go get extensions put in, or I can wait for it to grow back.  It's just hair, after all!  But now mine matches my personality better than before.  

 I also may have went out to get a few new pieces to match my profesh cut. I didn't initially plan on posting these photos or else I would have been more conscious of how the finished photo looked.

Army Green Max Jacket $49.99; Beige Cardigan $24.99; White blouse with black embroidery $24.99 all from TJ Maxx.  They were all more expensive than I would usually be willing to spend, but considering these are outfit completers and I was specifically looking for these items, it was worth the money.  See my post on Back to School Shopping and my post on Planned Pencil Skirt Outfits where I can use these items to enhance/complete those looks. The shoes (below) are Lucky Brand Nude Sandals with a slight wedge for $18.00 (clearance) at Marshalls.  Total: $118.00

Back-to-School Outfit Planning: Pencil Skirts

Knowing next week is the first week of school, I am trying to prepare myself by taking pictures of outfit ideas from my closet.  This is a method that may be helpful for you too!  Pinning ideas is great, but if you don't know what you have hanging in your closet, you're going to be stuck in a rut.

It's usually hot in my classroom so I chose to pair lots of sleeveless/short sleeve blouses with pencil skirts. If it gets cooler, I can throw on a jacket or cardigan. I will likely be wearing these outfits with either nude or black ballet flats from H&M, but could wear heels with all of these outfits. 

Zambia Skirt from Banana Republic

I chose pops of color instead of typical black or white.

Crochet Overlay Loft Pencil Skirt

I chose neutral tones with stripes and a neon coral blouse.

Beige Bondage Skirt from H&M

I chose jewel toned blouses to contrast the light beige tone.

Quilted Loft Pencil Skirt

I usually match this skirt with a black top and wear it in the winter time, but this pop of color will make it refreshing for late summer/early fall. 

And of course I'll be wearing these outfits with my ShapeWear to really feel good about my presentation.

Quick and Easy Lunches for Work

I can plan and pin and buy the items I need to make a lunch all I want, but will lunch actually be made religiously every day? No way!  

For whatever reason, sometimes lunch doesn't make it out the door and by noon, or in my case 11:18 a.m., people are ready to spend the last of their money hiding in their wallets just to buy the kids' lunch consisting of a cheeseburger bun, a slice of cheese, a few scrapings of turkey, 1 tomato slice, and some skimpy white lettuce - plus a side of a fruit (the tiniest apple that is more berry sized than apple sized) and a small carton of milk.  Because lettuce and milk blend wonderfully in stomachs.  Oh I forgot to mention how the lunch is a mere $4.75.  

Forget that noise and prep your classroom now with quick and filling "I forgot my lunch" lunches for those days that are bound to happen.

To microwave:

• Edamame (if you are lucky enough to have access to a freezer) I recommend the frozen bag from Trader Joes: quick to heat up and pre-salted.
• Ramen Noodles (not just the cup of noodles, but the actual packets work too.  Will just need a bowl/mug and spoon).
• Regular Soup (a classic and perhaps an obvious choice, but I didn't want to leave it off the list)
• Popcorn

Things to eat with Saltines/Ritz/Wheat Thins/Etc:

• Tuna in a bag/ Tuna in a can (will need a can opener)
• Jar of Peanut Butter/Nutella/Cookie Butter
• Soup (from above)

Pre-Made Tuna Salad

Other Snacks:

• Assorted Nuts
• Trail Mix (Mix with popcorn?)
• Olives (might sound weird, but I could eat a whole can of black olives like chips)
• Fruit Strips

Final Lunch Tip:

At the end of school last year, I found that once I went grocery shopping, it was worth it to divy things up into ziploc bags so that all I had to do in the morning was grab and go.  For example, I bought nuts from Trader Joes and made an assorted nut mix and divided it up and had the bags ready to go in a bowl on my counter.  I also cut up cheese into sections and bagged them, so that all I had to do was grab a bag of crackers too.  Some other fun ideas for lunch that really aren't that crazy to pack are shrimp cocktail and mini kabobs with pickles, olives, cheese, pepperoni, tomatoes, etc.

Importance of ShapeWear

Lose weight in a matter of minutes! 

See what a difference a pair of high-waisted control top underwear can do for your entire outfit.  If you're like me and don't like the way your stomach looks in fitted clothing, invest in a couple pairs of these control top underwear.  It helps you "lose weight." I got mine for $7.99 for the 2 of them at TJ Maxx.  Some of these clothing items are part of my Back-to-School Teacher Clothes Guide.  

Back to School Shopping 2014

I have a love/hate relationship with this time of the year.  I love it because it is still summer and it is time to buy some new clothes to update my wardrobe for the new school year ahead.  I hate it because this is the time of the year where summer is winding down which means school starts soon.  Plus as much as I love gaining new pieces for my closet, I hate losing the money out of my pocket.  I try to find a balance and buy sale items that I know I can wear lots of different ways.  Also, use Pinterest as a tool to find inspirational ideas to transform your new pieces into entire outfits.  Follow me here.

Black and White Leopard Print Pants

From Marshalls for $24.99

Seems kind of bold for work, right?  Wrong! Look below at the inspiration photos I found:

Inspiration Photos with shirts tucked in.

Inspiration Photos with shirts un-tucked.

Navy, Pink, and Cream Stripe Dress

J. Crew Factory Valued at $118 bought for $37.21 including shipping

Final Sale - bought in size 14 (based on their sizing chart), but it's way too big.  I need to get it altered.  I bought it with PayPal money, so it's kind of like it was free anyway.  

Inspiration for this dress was J from Jseverydayfashion.com

Will probably look nice with a bright pink cardigan or wrap for the fall and spring when the weather is cooler.

Dark Olive Green Suburst Sheath Ivanka Trump Dress

From TJ Maxx $49.99

I bought this dress to wear to a wedding, but I will also be able to wear it to school.

I will wear this with gold strappy heels to the wedding, and will wear with nude ballet flats or nude wedges to school.  You could buy this from Lord and Taylor for full price at $134.00 in the color black... or you could go check your local TJ Maxx.

Zambia Pencil Skirt

Banana Republic Factory $37.21 (including shipping) SOLD OUT

Here are some inspiration photos for how I can wear this black and white skirt.

Alyx Neutral and Orange Striped Dress

JCPenney $16.99 SOLD OUT

I actually bought this before the end of the school year, but I never wore it yet.

I could easily wear this dress into the fall with a pair of black stockings and a cardigan.

Slip/Shapewear

TJ Maxx $16.99

This is the most important purchase I made.  This slip/shapewear will allow me to wear all my dresses that could use a little smoothing underneath.  If you only have a little bit of money to spend for the new school year, I highly recommend putting your money towards shapewear.  It will allow you to wear all your old items confidently instead of buying more things that you still may not be happy with.  

Shapewear Underwear (Black and Nude)

TJ Maxx $7.99

Again, this is the most important purchase that will allow me to wear all my pencil skirts with a smooth finish.

Total Spent: $191.37 all together; $174.38 not counting the Alyx Dress; $137.17 not counting the Alyx Dress or the J. Crew Factory Dress.  

What's left?  Beige Cardigan, Basic White Tee, Maroon/Wine Colored Jeans, Army Green Canvas Vest

Coming soon: The importance of Shape Wear with examples  Done - Check it out.

How to Make a Gift Basket

One of my co-workers (and friend) invited me to her and her husband's house warming party.  They bought a beautiful home and have been working so hard on updating it and making it their own.  I was very excited to see their touches and celebrate a happy time with them... but being in the process of trying to buy my own home leaves me in a position where buying a housewarming gift wouldn't have been easy (smart) to do.  But of course I didn't want to go empty handed either.  I figured I would use one of my hobbies, couponing, to help with their gift.  And to package their home good products all together, I would use some recycled materials around my apartment.  

About the products:  I coupon and get products for as close to free as I possibly can... so these products were easy for me to come by and I knew they could help others who were settling into a home.  

When I first moved out into my own apartment, my mom gave me a bag of products with soap, deodorant, and medicine, just to name a few.  I loved that she did this because after just spending all my money on a mattress & box spring, security deposit, and first month's rent... I was left with pretty much nothing.  It was nice to know I didn't have to spend any more money for a little while by using the products my mom gave me.  

To make sure I still have a savings account once I buy a new home, I ended up spending only approx.  $5 (price break down below) on this House Warming gift.  It was all part of my stockpile. Plus I gave a bottle of wine, because when in doubt about gifting gas x to a friend, bring a bottle of wine. 

Step 1: Find an appropriately sized cardboard box from a recent online purchase.

Step 2: Use a razor blade the score the box flaps form the inside and outside.  Don't use your pocket knife to do this unless you can't find your razor blade.  I know someone who would be very angry with me for dulling my knife for this project lol.  

Step 3: Once your flaps are scored, with a little tug, the flap should come right off.

Step 5: Lay out your wrapping paper and cut a big enough piece to cover the edges of your box.  I got my wrapping paper from Home Goods.  Go to Marshalls, TJ Maxx, or Home Goods for really trendy (and affordable) gift wrap!

Step 6:  I ended up cutting the wrapping paper into a cross shape + but I ended up with corners revealed... which I didn't mind so much... but I thought afterwards that I should have not cut the wrapping paper flesh with the side of the box; I should have made the cuts a bit wider on two of the sides so that the paper would overlap and would conceal the edges.  Seems obvious, but I didn't think of it at the time.  

Step 7: Tape down your paper.

Step 8: Use a scrap piece of wrapping paper to cover the bottom of the box.  

Step 9:  Add your products.  I started by adding my bigger and taller products towards the back of the "basket" and added the packing paper the box came with to provide some elevation for the other products to settle into.  

At this point, I was still able to see the brown packing paper in the front left corner and next to the dove soap... so I needed to fix that.  

I fixed it by adding a sponge and laying the Dove soap on its side.   

Here is an estimated cost per item:

Purex $1

Bath and Body Works Hand Soap $3

Febreze Candle $1

Dawn Soap $.20

Sponge (from 6 pack from Dollar Tree) $.16

Dove Soap $.50

Deodorants Free

Mouthwash Free

Toothpaste Free

Gas X Made me about $2 cash for every 3 boxes (which is why I have so much of it)

Interested in couponing (and other money saving tips)?  Follow me on insta @chrasscoupons

You, too, can make something like this... all you need is a box, wrapping paper, and a theme!  Tools, Hair Products, Scent Basket, Stationary Basket, Back-to-school, etc.