DIY - CHALKBOARD

One thing I really wanted in my kitchen was a chalkboard. So while we were buying paint for the rooms, I also got a little can of chalkboard paint and a wooden board. I painted a total of 3 times until the chalkboard had the perfect look.

I let it dry over night and now it hangs in our kitchen. This morning I took the time to write on it for the first time. I'm not big into lettering (yet) but I feel like it turned out great for my first try. The quote is a perfect match for all that is coming next.

HOME SWEET HOME

October is here and that means Russ and I got to move into our apartment. After all the traveling, living with parents, finding an apartment, waiting for acceptance letters, learning german, meeting up with old and new friends and enjoying each others company we have found our home. It is a small, centrally located apartment on the first floor over a shop. My sister actually works in the shop and helped us find this gem. We had a lot of help from family and friends in making this place our own. There is still a lot to do but for the moment Russ and I enjoy staying in our own place. We cook something new every night and have already made a chalkboard for the kitchen (posts will follow soon). We feel even closer to each other seeing as it is only the two of us, we spend our days talking, unpacking, having breakfast/lunch/dinner at our new table, and enjoying life. It feels like home already. I couldn't wish for anything more. I am happy.

The Big Move - Buying Souvenirs

I have probably mentioned that Russell and I are moving to Germany. Since I have only four weeks left, I decided to blog about it. I am currently putting together boxes that need to be shipped. We decided that we will only ship things that we really can't live without and get everything else once we are in Germany. So far I have packed a bunch of Mason Jars, to use as glasses and cute candy storage, some little nicknack, books, our favorite big fluffy towels, and framed pictures. We bought a bunch of winter clothes for Russell, since he has never really been in the snow, growing up and living in Cali all his life.

Now I am trying to find some cute souvenirs for our new apartment. I have always been the person who wanted to ship home furniture from France, bought a carpet in Morocco, and had more antiques in her suitcase than clothes when leaving Greece. This time is, of course, no different. I am taking all my vintage treasures and I am currently trying to find the perfect California souvenir. If you have any ideas or tips let me know. It'll be SO appreciated!

I already have a poster of the San Francisco public transport system, which I absolutely love. I ordered it online from LinePosters.com.

Other than that I am also planning to make my own California dish towel. I want to include all the places we visited and have special memories from...

Anything else I absolutely have to bring to Germany from California?

Vintage, Consignment, and Donation Stores

I am still working on organizing my wardrobe, and while I was at it, I decided to drop off some of my clothes at a local consignment store as well as the GoodWill. It is no secret that I love to shop vintage, and the best place to do that is at vintage or consignment stores. They cater to all tastes and help the community -  what could be wrong with that?

Before I share some of my favorite stores with you, here some tips and guidelines for selling your clothes:


First and most importantly, a consignment store will not always take all of your clothes. Always check their website or ask in store what items they are currently looking for. Usually you can go by:

- What's in season right now?
- Do I have any good pieces for the upcoming season?
- Is the item clean and in good condition?
- If the buyer decided to pass on some of your pieces, don't take it personally.

I usually bring one large bag filled with everything that meets the criteria above and let them evaluate it. After they decided on what they are interested in I trade in the clothes for store credit or pieces I like from their store and drop the rest off at the GoodWill. Some of my favorite stores are these:


Buffalo Exchange: 
Today, this Vintage & Used Clothing store can be found in 17 states and various cities within each state. The first BE opened its doors in 1974 in Tuscon Arizona and is still there today. Buffalo Exchange is not your typical consignment store, it is a lot quicker. Items range from $3 up and this store is an awesome alternative to find vintage clothing as well as last season's jeans that you didn't want to pay $150 for. BE is also very involved in charity and the environment. Check out if they are anywhere around you and what they do to give back to the community.

Wasteland: 
Located on Haight Street in San Francisco and several locations in and around Los Angeles, these stores are very specific to their location. They buy from you according to their clientele and their demand. I have never actually sold to them, but I do love to shop at Wasteland. The variety of new, designer, and vintage pieces is incredible and I have never walked out of that store without buying something. Most of the time I skip the new and designer pieces since they are usually out of my budget. Their vintage pieces however are reasonably priced and fun. My last buy was a 1990 flower dress that looked like a dress I used to own as a child. A big plus: If you don't live close to either SanFran or L.A. you can visit their online shop and take a look around.

Love at Second Sight:
Love at Second Sight is located in Westlake Village. I like them because the carry everything from H&M and Forever21 to Marc Jacobs and Prada. You can find great bargains and trade in your old clothes for new (to you) pieces. This store is a traditional consignment store, where you can trade in for cash or store credit or put your clothes up for consignment. With cash and store credit you have something in hand right away, if you decided to use the consignment option you get paid, after your pieces actually sold. I always love the store credit option, because it allows me to trade in clothes that I no longer wear for some new pieces. Especially this month, where I'm trying not to buy new clothes, trade-ins were so convenient. I went in with a bag of clothes I decided I no longer wanted and traded them in for a cute Marc Jacobs Peplum shirt and an Alexander Wang tank top-dress. The items they decided not to take on, I dropped off at the local GoodWill.


GoodWill:
The GoodWill is all over the United States and in fact the world. It is the GoodWill's Mission to "enhance the dignity and quality of life of individuals and families by strengthening communities, eliminating barriers to opportunity, and helping people in need reach their full potential through learning and the power of work."

The GoodWill is not only about donating clothes, you can donate everything from clothes over furniture to your old car. So if you want to help people in need, take some clothes over to your closest GoodWill. And while you are doing something good, you can actually profit from it. Did you know you can actually claim tax deductions for donating to the GoodWill? Check it out here.

Plus, if you shop at the GoodWill you support training and job placement for people with disabilities and other disadvantages. Besides that, there are many other people the GoodWill supports, with different activities, donations, and volunteer work, such as, Immigrants, Seniors, People with a Criminal Background, Veterans and Military Families, and the Youth.

Please, the next time you are thinking about bringing something to a consignment store, think about the GoodWill, you might not receive financial reimbursement, but you will always be greeted with a smile and a heart felt thank you!

If you want to, you can share your favorite vintage, consignment, and donation stores with me in a comment below.