8 Beautifully Frugal Valentine's Day Projects

Valentine's Day is just around the corner and one of my favorite things to share here on the Goodwill Tips Blog is frugal ways to celebrate the holidays using items from your local Goodwill Store. You may have thought last year's DIY Valentine's Day Projects post couldn't be topped, but I think today's projects are going to rival all that I shared last year. The best part is that they are both beautiful AND frugal- a total win for my wallet and my home!

Let's get started with this year's featured projects!

DIY Valentines Day Bow Tie

I am a total girly-girl so I am absolutely dying over this adorable Valentine's Day bow tie on Plan B. You only need a few craft supplies and a men's necktie to create this look. If a pink tie hasn't been donated to the store, look for a red tie or anything in those festive red & pink colors. Pair this with a lacy blouse and your best boyfriend blazer for a cute night on the town.

If you can't locate a bow tie, hunt for a red, pink, or white blouse and try my frugal DIY Rosette Necklace for an adorable addition to your favorite jewelry pieces.

DIY Coffee Cup Wrappers

I love a good free printable and am madly in love for these Valentine's Day cup wrappers. Travel mugs are something that I often see in abundance at our local Goodwill. How sweet would this thrifted gift be with a little lovable printable on the outside and filled with their favorite coffee for someone you love, heading off their morning commute? In my mind, the ultimate sign of love is a cup of coffee, don't you agree? Grab this free coffee sleeve printable from Eat Drink Chic today!

DIY Sequined Heart Shoe Accents

Last month we talked about how easy it is to make your own sparkled set of shoes from a pair of Goodwill shoes. To take this a step further towards Valentine's Day festivity, check out this easy sequined heart shoe accent you can make from At The Picket Fence. I know I have one adorable little girl who would absolutely love this heart accent and it would be a fun & inexpensive craft we could do together too!

DIY Coloring Page Valentine's Day Printables

I am all about free printables for celebrating the holidays and am madly in love with this, "I Love Everything About You," printable from Tried & True for a couple of different reasons. Besides this printable being free, it is actually a coloring page that you can fill in with your own favorite colors or you can have your kids do for a fun Valentine's Day activity.

Just pick up a frame or clipboard for displaying these, from your Goodwill store, and you will have something beautiful to decorate a wall, mantle, or nightstand.

DIY LOVE Planter

One donated item that I always can easily find at my Goodwill store is an abundance of white mugs. When I see these, I immediately snap them up because there is so much you can do with these $.25 wonders.

If you are looking for a fun way to add a little festivity to your home, add a LOVE splash by using one of those mugs as an adorable planter for the Valentine's Day season. Not only is this a cute addition to your home, but would make a fantastic last-minute gift for someone you love! Check out Lacquer & Linen and this easy tutorial for this fun DIY LOVE planter!

DIY Big Bow Pillowcases

Although I don't sew, I know many of you do, and I truly admire you! For those of our readers that do have the sewing gene (you, lucky people, you!) here is a fun tutorial from raegun ramblings for how to create your very own DIY Big Bow Pillowcases to add a little festivity to your home. 

To create these, visit your local Goodwill Store and purchase linens, sheets,  or the largest shirts you can find in your favorite festive colors. Use this material to create your own pillowcase covers for Valentine's Day.

DIY Valentine's Day Centerpiece

If you are looking to add a little festivity to your dinner table or mantle, you will love this easy project created from a little vinyl and any type of glass item/jar that you can find at your local Goodwill store.  

One Artsy Mama offers this free downloadable heart image that you can use to create your own vinyl masterpiece for your table. Fill your jar with festive conversation hearts and you have a fun & frugal centerpiece that you can use every year!

DIY Heart Sleeve Detail

I have been known to wear my heart on my sleeve so this project is perfect for a girl like me! Just visit your local Goodwill for a shirt, cardigan, or sweater you can add your heartfelt detail on  and use these easy directions from hey love designs for creating an easy felt detail to your sweater.

This would be a fun one for a little girl in your life too and takes minimal sewing skills (yay, for those of us that dropped out of sewing school!) to make this sweet little project!

Happy Valentine's Day, everyone!

The Little White Dress

We've all heard of the LITTLE BLACK DRESS or the LBD.  But what is the LWD?  A Wedding Dress!  Let's be honest ladies, what we will wear on our wedding day is something we've all thought about since we were little girls. This is one element of your Big Day that can quickly consume your wedding celebration budget.  What if I told you I have a solution?


Drum Roll Please.....  You are cordially invited to attend:


The Little White Dress - Dream Weddings & Events on a Budget!



This one-of-a-kind event will feature vendors, speakers, and fashion shows.  Basically everything you need to create your dream wedding or event on a budget!

Stay tuned to this blog for more details and information as the date gets closer.  I can't wait to share with you some of the WOW details of this event.  For now...get out your calendar and mark out March 1, 2014!  You will be busy planning your dream wedding or event!

GET THE JOB…AND KEEP IT!

This past week I had the pleasure to provide a workshop at the Community Career Center at the new Warsaw Goodwill Store. 

The workshop I provided was for people looking for work. YOUR FIRST IMPRESSION MATTERS! What you wear and how you greet someone could be the ultimate decision in you getting your dream job. Over the years, I have worked with numerous corporations and hiring professionals and they all tell me the same thing: when 2 candidates appear to have equal qualifications for an open position, the hiring decision comes down to first impressions.

Here are some tips for you as you start this New Year with a resolve to get your dream job! It all starts with the interview...

Traditional, conservative attire is always best. Showing your personality through overly creative clothing might be misinterpreted; it could also be taken as a sign of disrespect. To dress nicely, in a clean, pressed suit (or trouser with a jacket) is saying “I respect this company, the interviewer and the process to get this job”.

A handshake can start off an interview in a great way…or not. Think about how many times someone has shaken your hand and it left you wondering if your hand was broken…or worse, reaching for the hand sanitizer! Men, don’t shake a woman’s hand like you are greeting the queen (the finger shake). Shake it like you would another man. Ladies, offer a firm “web-to-web” handshake to your potential supervisor. And of course, be sure your hands are clean before you go into the interview. If you are one who gets sweaty palms when you get nervous, washing your hands when you get to the office can counteract this (even if only for a few minutes), allowing you time to shake hands and get to the interview office. Spraying an unscented antiperspirant on your palms can also temporarily help.

Finally, a word about tattoos and piercings. In today’s world, so many of us have tattoos and piercings (in other places than our ears). Although these kinds of things are seen as an expression of personal style and are very accepted socially, in a business environment these kinds of “accessories” are not appropriate. There are many reasons for this, but primarily it is because they are distracting. It is hard for the interviewer to concentrate on what you are saying if they are trying to see what your tattoo says. Also, in some industries showing tattoos and piercings may be against corporate attire policies (or health code regulations). For the interview, put a band aid over the tattoo (or cover with clothing), and remove your piercings.

Good luck on your job search!

 

IMAGE CREDITS: 

http://www.bubblews.com

http://www.nadinemuller.org

http://champperformance.com

http://www.goodwill-ni.org

FREE Dress for Success Workshop Next Week!

If one of your New Year's goals is to FASHION a new career, then plan on attending the Dress for Success Workshop at the new Warsaw Community Career Center next week!
Our Fashion Guru, Kathy Friend, will offer helpful and practical advice on things you need to know before your next job interview.  Learn the importance of first impressions, and the key non-verbal advantages you can use to get the job and keep the job.
Join us at the Goodwill Community Career Center on Tuesday, January 21st from 1:30 pm - 2:30 pm.  The Career Center is located at 751 Anchorage Point Drive in Warsaw, Indiana.