MARY ROKS

Listening to Warpaint as I contemplate all the ways I'm about to wear my new Jeffrey Campbell shoes!!! Yes, I know, these are from the fall 2010 collection. Ask me if I care! I have been stalking these shoes since last September and I had to buy them before they were gone forever! This is probably not a good example of dealing with shopaholicness...But in my self-defense, I have refrained from hitting up the shopping mall for a long time now. And besides, since I've been stalking these shoes from site to site for months now, I deserve to indugle myself, right?...RIGHT?...hello? o___0

All images from Sole Struk. And yeah, 7? So not my shoe size... 



I need these clothes from NEED Supply Co.

Being the responsible individual that I am I decided to plan out a fake budget based around the hourly wages I'm currently collecting, just to see if a little budgeting would allow me to be able to move out anytime in the near future. I used some pretty basic budgeting percentages from a random website that I can't remember. A basic budget breakdown can be found below:

30% Housing

10% Utilities and other housing expenditures (including renters insurance)
15% Food (at home and away)
10% Transportation (including car loan)
10% Debt repayment (student loans and credit cards)
10% Saving
5% Clothing
5% Entertainment
5% Car insurance and miscellaneous personal expenses

Yeah...Do you see the 5% allotted for clothing? 5%?! No, I can't handle that! I refuse. I have wishlists that need purchasing people!!! One of them being my wishlist at Need Supply Co. I'm currently accepting donations to the Mademoiselle RVA clothing fund =)

Oh yeah, if it wasn't obvious, all photos are from the NEED Supply website (except the first one of course)

Silver Lining Decor

Silver Lining Decor is an adorable shop I found on Etsy, manned by Richmond native Rachel Quint. Silver Lining Decor features one of a kind handmade pieces made from vintage findings including earrings, necklaces, bobby pins, sweater guards, and vintage housewares. Rachel was gracious enough to take a few moments out of her day to answer some of my questions.

How did you get started making jewelry?

I am a child of the 80's so of course my jewelry venture started with the ever-popular friendship bracelets! Eventually my asthetic evolved and over the years I continued making jewelry. I did take a break from it during high school and college. When I started my Etsy shop, Silver Lining Decor, my intention was to actually sell vintage homegoods and fun finds, but I jewelry was always in the back of my mind. I started with a few pieces and just kept going from there.

Share your inspirations.

I love everything vintage: quirky, colorful, romantic, chippy, and old. I get my inspiration from the vintage pieces I find while antiquing. I love the idea of finding something another woman loved and wore many years ago, and turning it into something a modern girl would enjoy wearing now.

What 3 things can you not live without?

I cannot live without my husband, my family(including kitties), and color!! I know color is not technically a "thing" but it is what makes me happy. Beige scares me! I think you can clearly see that in my jewelry designs! I can't really think of a material posession that I couldn't live without if I had to.

 

Without giving away any particular secrets, is there a certain process that you use in creating your jewelry? Such as specific metals/indegredients that you like to utilize?

I can't say that there is a "process". Sometimes when I am out looking for new pieces I can imagine what I will do with it and what it will look like when it's done, and other times I have no idea what it will eventually turn into! Sometimes I will hold onto a piece for a while before it ever becomes anything, I just have to wait for the perfect combination!

Favorite RVA relaxation spot?

My family has a farm that has been in the family for generations. It is no longer a working farm, but when I was younger there were horses and cows. I loved it! There's nothing like waking up in the morning and jumping into a field full of horses. Most everything around it now has been developed, but it still stands as a beautiful piece of property and is my favorite place in Richmond.

Future business plans?

My profession is Interior Design, however I love making my jewelry. I would really like to expand my business and reach out to more ladies who would also enjoy wearing my items, which would include other local and online boutiques. Etsy has been the most amazing thing to be a part of. It has allowed me to reach out to so many amazing people, as well as other incredible talents. I have had so many great opportunities come to me through Etsy.

There are currently boutiques in New York, Kentucky, and Singapore who carry Rachel's jewelry, and she is working on reaching out to local Richmond boutiques as well. In the upcoming months select designs will also be sold through Shop Ruche. Be sure to check out some of Rachecl's pieces in the December issue of Richmond Bride!

You can visit Silver Lining Decor at Etsy to shop today.

10 Signs You're a Raging Shopaholic

1. The first place you go after getting your paycheck is to the mall: I’m learning to budget more and more. But when I got my first job that paid me over minimum wage, I went crazy for the first few months. I bought just about everything my little heart desired, only to realize that I still didn’t have things I needed. I was just getting caught up in the moment. Big mistake!

2. Window shopping is never just window shopping: “Oh yeah, I’m just gonna take a little peek,” you tell your friends, “I won’t buy anything.” 45 minutes later you’re standing outside the shop with less cash and a shopping bag in your hand. Just say no...

3. The word “sale” sends you running in a mad dash to the sales rack: Just because something’s on sale doesn’t mean you NEED it. I cannot stress this enough to myself. Sure you can find plenty of great steals for your wardrobe. But why buy something that you wouldn’t want to buy if it wasn’t on sale?

4. A sinking feeling fills your tummy when you realize you’ve bought another pair of shoes: Ever made a purchase and felt your heart drop a little when you walk out the store? Yeah…that’s your GUILT squeezing your heart because you bought another pair of shoes to collect dust in the fashion graveyard that is your room!

5. There’s nowhere to put all of your clothes and your bedroom has become a closet: In all honesty, my closet has spilled out of the tiny space it was allotted and morphed into my entire room. I have clothes hanging from my canopy bed! Major party foul.

6. Somehow you managed to meet your shopping quota for the week, yet you still missed your bill payment: This has happened to me once, and I will never let it happen again. Missing a bill payment to go shopping is absolutely unacceptable. And we all know it. So don’t let this happen to you! This is a problem that I’m going to assume college kids may deal with the most. Keep track of when your credit card payments are due.

7. You hide your shopping buys from your parents/roomies/ partner: If you find yourself stuffing your new finds into your huge purse before going into the house, you may have a problem. You have now become a clothes smuggler. Doesn’t that sound ridiculous? That’s because it is.

8. The adrenaline starts pumping and your heart goes thump just from online browsing: I’m not going to lie. I’ve spent hours online browsing site to site, saving pictures in powerpoint documents, and making ridiculously large wishlists. Somehow I never end up buying the things on them though...

9. You buy multiple items over again in different colors: Sometimes it’s good to have staple items such as basic tees and cardigans in a few different colors, but why buy something that you already have? You’re just throwing money out the door instead of really building a strong wardrobe.

10. Every time you shop you tell yourself you just need a few more tops to make your wardrobe complete: In actuality you can never have enough clothes. You can buy every staple item, every accessory, and every statement piece you want for a month and you’ll still want more and more! The desire to have new clothes and new ways to represent your personality can become insatiable, but only if you let it!

* The Battle Begins...

I’ve created this list to help myself and any other shopaholics out there suffering from the same mistakes I myself make. Before my next shopping trip, I’m doing to take stock of what I have in my wardrobe. Any staple items I have missing will take priority. Only then will I allow myself to buy more shoes and accessories. If you are having the same problem with your wardrobe I suggest you do the same. I guarantee you'll feel much better about your wardrobe once you've got all the essentials!