The Gingerbread Blog

W O R E // Vintage Blouses and Blazers

2013-06-18T22:14:00.000-07:00

I'm about to bring a vintage blazer and blouse all up in your busNAS!
Say that 10 times fast!
I'm bringing you two thrifted outfits from the past few weeks that I haven't been able to post because well, life has been all sorts of crazy.
The kids are officially on summer vacation and gosh darn it I forgot how exhausting it is to entertain them 24-7. You also have to take into consideration that I have two kids with 6 years between them. So one wants to watch National Geographic on TV and the other wants to see the latest episode of Good Luck Charlie.
Try to mediate THAT conversation.
Yikes.
One kid loves the beach and the other is afraid there will be a tsunami.
I couldn't even make this stuff up if I tried.
It's really my life.
I'm also trying to keep up with my etsy shop and the blog. . .
Can you say "momma needs an iced coffee and cupcake"
Perhaps a stiff drink.
But nonetheless I aim to please and I do love writing these "wore posts", linking up and then seeing what everyone else is wearing.

I thrifted this black blazer from my local Salvation Army for $3.
Every Monday and Wednesday they slash the prices on clothes so low I feel guilty walking out the door with a vintage dress for $2.
But you know I do!
I love mixing casual pieces of clothing like a t-shirt with a formal blazer. Somehow the outfit looks comfortable yet dressy.

Blazer: Thrifted
T-shirt: Walmart
Necklace: Made by me, you can find the tutorial HERE
Jeans: Kohls
Flats: Gifted

Now that I'm really looking at this picture I'm fairly certain I bought this vintage blouse from the same Salvation Army. I'm clearly their #1 customer, and yes, they know me by name and don't ask to see my drivers licence when I pay with my debit card.
Hey. . . I really love vintage.

Blouse: Thrifted
Jeans: Target
Sandals: Target
Nail Polish: OPI
Cuff bracelet: sTuck in the coop

Do you wear and love vintage as much as I do. . .
I'm always looking for new friends to make and new blogs to read.
Leave your blog address in the comments section and I'll be sure to stop by and say "hello".
Or if you want to meet up for iced coffee and cupcakes.
Just sayin.
xoxo

Why You Should ADOPT A Pet

2013-06-18T08:04:00.001-07:00

There are so many important and heartfelt reasons why you should adopt a pet instead of purchasing one from a pet store or breeder. With that said, I respect the right to choose, so if you don't agree with my opinion, I'll still respect yours.

Let's still be friends.

Our family recently lost our 14 year old rescued Siberian Husky "Miranda".

You can read more about that here.

My boys really want another dog, so we are slowly thinking about adopting again.

We rescued Miranda from an animal shelter about 9 years ago after going back and forth about whether or not I wanted to purchase a puppy or rescue one from an animal shelter. My heart was telling me to rescue but I was super nervous about bringing a dog into our family without knowing where they came from.

I was convinced as soon as I brought it home it would go for my jugular.

I'm not even kidding, I'm super paranoid.

Which brings me to the first reason to adopt.

#1 // Just because a dog is at a shelter doesn't mean there is something wrong with it.

Mirandas' previous owners literally dropped her off at the shelter and left. She was 5 five years old and they left no past information. We didn't know if she had experience with animals or kids, but after lots of prayers I decided to take a leap of faith.

There are so many reasons why animals are at the shelter.

Sometimes the animals get loose and get turned into the shelter, owners can abandon them or sometimes people need to move and can't take their pets with them.

None of these reasons are the animals fault.

Animal shelters will "test" the temperament of each dog or cat to make sure they are "adoptable", they would never willingly put an animal up for adoption that was aggressive.

#2 // You can find any breed or age of dog you want at a shelter.

I have seen every breed and age of dog from a newborn puppy to senior dog. You can find mutts to pure bred Yorkie puppies. You may have to be patient and check often, but it will pay off. Some shelters have websites where they post photos and descriptions of adoptable pets. This way you can check from home and it's super easy.

#3 // Most shelters have a policy where if an animal doesn't "fit" into your family you can return them.

I know that sounds super insensitive, but what if you bring a dog home and something happens?

What if doesn't acclimate to your other animals?

These are reasons to take a pet back.

In my opinion, rescuing a pet should work for both you and the pet. So if you are unhappy and resentful it's not fair to the animal to keep it when another family may be a better fit.

With that said, you should always research dog breeds to make sure you are making smart choices for your family. Don't just drive down to a shelter on a whim, it will bite you in the butt.

The most important reason to adopt a pet from a shelter or rescue is because their is a need. These sweet animals are just waiting for a forever home. Most are just strays who became loose and never found their way back home. They may be trained, housebroken and perfect for your family.
I implore you to consider what you have to offer to a rescue animal.
You will be surprised what a wonderful experience it can be.

A Lovely Land of Nod Grand Opening // What I Brought Home

2013-06-04T21:46:00.000-07:00

“This post is part of a social shopper marketing insight campaign with Pollinate Media Group® and Land of Nod, but all my opinions are my own. #PMedia #NODinCA http://cmp.ly/3/8vNxcO.”

Let's preface this post by stating that The Land of Nod gets me so excited that I almost posted a vlog. I felt perhaps the only way to accurately express my enthusiasm for this store may be achieved by large hand gestures, excited facial expressions and my large eyes conveying my emotions.

But then I remembered what a disaster my first vlog was and went back to my initial plan to write a post.

Just know that if The Land of Nod were a person, they would totally get me. We would immediately be best friends and finish each others sentences.

You complete me.

Pictured above are a few snapshots I took with my phone during the grand opening preview.

I was immediatly drawn to the vintage inspired toys and artwork, which are great when you want to add a touch of vintage to your home but not break the bank on an actual 30 year old item.

They are totally affordable and accessable.

The prints for the canvas storage bins are amazing.

Although most of the design in The Land of Nod consists of bold patterns and colors I was surprised to see a feminine room design. More vintage inspiration with a glass bead chandelier and book accents while incorporating a geometric shaped lamp and modern furniture design.
Always such a great balance.

Chalkboard, check.
Vintage books, check.
Pennant banner, check.

Oodles and oodles of artwork to choose from.
I'm partial to any form of typography, but that zebra head is pretty darn cute.

Yes, of course there was a photobooth.
And my shenanigans know no bounds.

I came home with several items, but my favorite is the large metal letter "O" I hung on my gallery wall. I also bought the lime green letter "O" pillow.
Do you see a theme here?

I will definitely be visiting their South Coast Plaza store again. Their are so many more things I have on my "must have" list.

As a rule I don't take on any sponsored posts I don't feel represents my style or the readers of Gingerbread.

I have always loved The Land of Nod, but shopped online, it was a totally different experience seeing everything in person.
If you live in Southern California I recommend you do the same, the Land of Nod is now open at the South Coast Plaza (3333 Bristol St., Costa Mesa, CA 92626)
If you live elsewhere check out their website here.
Or connect through their:
Facebook | Twitter | Pinterest

Maybe they can be your best friend to.
Happy Shopping!

Beautiful Beaches and Babies // A Week in Review

2013-06-03T08:58:00.000-07:00

My cup has literally runneth over in ever way.

I can hardly believe so many wonderful things could happen in 5 days.

Let's back that thang up and rewind.

Tuesday:

My first born graduated from elementary school, which means I can now officially complain about how time is a jerk.

It really is.
Kaleb looked so incredibly handsome in a tie, it seems unbelievable that he used to need me for the smallest everyday tasks like getting dressed and brushing his teeth. Although he still needs me now, it's in a very different way.

Wednesday:

My youngest son graduated from Kindergarten, and those ceremonies are always fantastic. They literally wore a cap and gown, it was adorable.

Time = jerk

Thursday:

My brother in law welcomed a sweet baby boy Jesse James (pictured below on the right).

Wait for it. . .

Friday:

Then my sister in law delivered a handsome Kassius Antonio (pictured below on the left)!

Can you believe it?

Brother and sister having babies within 24 hours!

Eeeek!!!

We drove to San Diego to visit Jesse and decided to work in a beach day. Our local weather was a hot 100 degrees, and who wants to rush home to that?

Might as well just camp out and stay inland all day.

Although it was cloudy and a bit chilly the boys had no trouble splashing in the water and running a muck.

How do kids play in cold water?

Crazy.

So much sand.

In his hair.

That took forever to scrub out, but he had fun, so it was worth it.

Little sand covered little boy feet.

And brotherly conversations.

Kids running and running up and down the beach.

Adults just sittin' around and watching.

My thoughts of this week are both happy and bittersweet.

I had to come to terms with the fact that my boys are growing up. No matter how hard I hold on things still change.

I really need to ease up a bit and enjoy their accomplishments, because I just may miss out on the good stuff.

You know?

I didn't cry at either graduations, which really surprised my family. But I did come home and have full on panic attack after my eldest sons' ceremony. Watching him say goodbye to elementary school was way too much for me to handle.

I was holding on like a ninja.

Ninja status.

I suppose my new job in all this is to learn how to let go while they learn how to grow up.
xoxo

I Never Thought.

2013-05-25T09:20:00.000-07:00

I never thought I would miss dog hair all over the house.
Or last minute trips to the pet store for Glucosamine vitamins,
Or shoving those said vitamins down her throat every night so she wouldn't limp the next day,
Or saving my grocery store bags for picking up poop when Kaleb walked her at night,
Or her incessant howling and talking when I just wanted her to be quiet,
Or how she would always sneak upstairs to pee in Dylan's room if I wasn't watching her,
Or how I had to pull out all my Geraniums in the front yard because she would eat them and throw up all over the garage.

I never thought I would so desperately miss all of those things.
Ever.
She was old, and there were times that I let my mind wander and prepare to what life would be like without her.
I thought that all the things listed above would be inconveniences I would be relieved to not be burdened with anymore.
I mean, who wants all of those responsibilities. . .
I was such a fool.

I was a fool because during the 9 years we had her I never really realized how vital she was to the core of our family.
How much I really loved her.

I never thought we would be woken in the middle of the night by her screams downstairs,
only to watch her take her last few breaths as we ran to the couch.
Her favorite place to sleep.

I never thought I would see my son so upset he would curse God, so confused and angry by seeing his beloved pet taken from him.
My parenting skills were tested that night.

I never thought I would feel relieved to pick up her ashes from the animal hospital,
because then she would be home again where she belongs.

So many things I never thought about.
And I'm not sure there was any way I could have.
Who's to say what little bits of her my heart would hold on to.

I had never intended to write a blog post about Miranda passing away, let alone hitting the publish button for you to read.
I felt it was a part of me that needed to be shared.
I know with time my heart will heal, and I'll be left with the funny stories about her that made our family laugh every day.
She was wonderful, is wonderful.

W O R E // Vintage Dresses and Flower Headbands

2013-05-21T23:52:00.001-07:00

Some of my favorite things are wrapped up in this post like a pretty little package.

All worn in two outfits in the beautiful Nevada desert.

The hubs and I dropped the boys off at my inlaws last weekend so we could drive to Vegas for my cousins' wedding.

Think sodas, chips and The Eagles and Zac Brown Band playing on an Ipod touch for 4 hours.

Pretty amazing, especially since we NEVER get.away.

Ever.

We were like newlyweds, only having been married for almost 10 years.

We laughed, joked and the hubs even stopped off somewhere (who really knows) to take some photos of my outfit.

I really loved this outfit, Minnetonkas are my favorite!

Blouse: Vintage

Jeans: Really old Levi's

Boots: Minnetonkas (thrifted)

Headband: Savy

After we arrived in Vegas we met up with my family and headed to the wedding.

FYI: I lurve weddings, I get all sappy and girly and want to hold my husbands hand.

I also love vintage dresses, but oddly enoughly have a really hard time finding any. You would think with all the thrifting I do I would have several, but in reality I only have a handful.

I had to get a picture with my gorgeous sister, who decided to wear 3 inch heeled shoes just to make me look all short, even though I'm 5'8.

So yes, I am standing on my tipping toes.

Dress: Vintage

Shoes: Kenneth Cole

Nails: OPI polish (my personal favorite brand)

While thrifting in Vegas I found another pair of Minnetonkas and may have snatched them from the rack like a crazy person. If you're in Vegas look up Epic Thrift, they definitely lived up to their name.

Swoon.

Our weekend away was amazing, and we came home refueled and refocused.

Getting to wear my vintage lovelies was just the icing on the cake.

Finding "My Mod" at The Land of Nod

2013-05-20T07:32:00.000-07:00

Mixing different decorating styles is my favorite.

I'm a little bit country, and a little bit rock and roll.

Wait, scratch that.

I'm a little bit modern and a little bit vintage.

Yep. . .that sounds better.

Finding a balance between old and new is a passion and goal I strive for when decorating any room of my home.

I love hanging an old vintage chippy paint mirror over an armchair that screams with bold and bright patterns.

Both items are totally different but compliment each other in a great way.

Balance is key.

If you're looking to find "your Mod" take a look at The Land of Nod's website. They offer a great harmony between classically styled interiors with modern design.

You can shop furniture, decor and housewares.

Here are a few lovely accents I found while browsing through their website.

I'm swooning over these "vintage inspired" metal chairs

and the modern typography on these canvas bins.

They need to come home with me.

And they now CAN!

Southern California has a new Land of Nod store opening at South Coast Plaza on May 31st!

During the grand opening you can enter giveaways and pick up some free goodies for those who head out early.

You can also enter a giveaway hosted by The Land of Nod called "Win A Room Sweepstakes."

The Land of Nod Win a Room Sweepstakes runs from now until 11:59 PM CT June 17, 2013.

GRAND PRIZE AND APPROXIMATE RETAIL VALUE: One (1) Grand Prize is available to be won. The Grand Prize winner will receive a Room designed by The Land of Nod, including:

(1) Design consultation with The Land of Nod design team.

(2) Room makeover with selected product from The Land of Nod.

(3) Feature in The Land of Nod Real Families section of an upcoming Catalog.

Total ARV of the Grand Prize is $4,000.

If you're in need of inspiration check out The Land of Nod on

Twitter // Facebook // Pinterest

Then stop by their website and store to find "you're Mod at Nod."

Happy decorating!

“This post is part of a social shopper marketing insight campaign with Pollinate Media Group® and Land of Nod, but all my opinions are my own. #PMedia #NODinCA http://cmp.ly/3/8vNxcO.”

Be Summer Ready with a $50 Shabby Apple Giveaway!

2013-05-17T07:33:00.000-07:00

Summer is waiting around the corner just waiting to be had!

Long days are made to be enjoyed wearing sandals and wide brimmed hats.
I have officially stored my sweaters and scarves in a tote under my bed.
And I couldn't be more excited.
Yessssss.

You can enter to win a $50 credit to Shabby Apple!

Shabby Apple is a vintage clothing line that is simply swoon-worthy.

Here are a few of my favorite items you can find on their website right now!

This giveaway will be open from today until May 24th, and is open to U.S. residents only.
Go check out their website and "pin" your favorites.
Summer awaits!

a Rafflecopter giveaway

W O R E // Wedges and an Anchor Necklace

2013-05-14T12:30:00.000-07:00

What an emotional week.

Full of both ups and down that I still haven't fully processed.

Mother's Day was beyond amazing. We did nothing in particular besides enjoy family time and feed our face. Sitting down and breaking bread with my boys filled my heart in a way I can not explain.

The past few days have been abnormally hot and dry, try 106 degrees.

I shall from this point live in sandals and tank tops.

Tank: Target

Skirt: Thrifted

Sandals: Target

Necklace: Sassy Lemonade

I had a blast attending the Elevate Conference this past weekend.

I enjoyed meeting new friends and connecting with old ones that I hadn't seen in ages.

Tee: Walmart

Sweater: The Loft

Jeans: Lauren Conrad

Wedges: Target

Nail Polish: OPI

My youngest son had a field trip to a local farm on my husbands' birthday. So of course we all milked some cows and watched out for cow patties together.

Obviously.

Headband: World Market

Tee & Jeans: The same as above :)

Shoes: Thrifted Converse

The peaks of this week were unbelievable, and the pits are some that I'm not yet able to write about, although I know soon I will.

I'm hoping your Mother's Day was spent either being pampered and adored and/or doing the same for the lady in your life.

Happy Tuesday.

xoxo

Make Your Own Photo Luggage Tags

2013-05-10T13:20:00.002-07:00

I'm reposting this tutorial because, would you believe, my mom wants these tags made again for Mother's Day! If you have not put a gift together for your mom or special lady in your life I HIGHLY recommend heading to your local copy store and making these.

It only takes about 15 minutes!

They're a great conversation starter when you are on business trips and will make you smile when if you are away from home missing your family.

Tie one on your carry-on, backpack and luggage.

First I took the kids to take pictures and then loaded them into Photobucket and added the "come home soon" message. I saved a few photos on a zip drive and went to Kinko's. I printed 4x6 photos on their machine and cut them to size on their paper cutter. Did you know they have an entire luggage tag section at Kinko's? You just put your photo inside and place in the mini laminating machine. This took 5 minutes!

Swoon.

You can write your info on the back of the luggage tag before you laminate it or write on the plastic with a Sharpie. So easy.

I love having things that are personalized, and I'm not going to lie, I have every intention of going back to make a few for myself!

april

xoxo

W O R E // Vintage Pumps

2013-05-07T16:59:00.001-07:00

It's my opinion that finding a pair of vintage pumps that are actually comfortable and in in halfway descent condition are only equal to finding a leprechaun on St.Patricks Day.

For real.

Every pair of pumps I find are comfy because they have already been worn in and scuffed up.

I generally end up buying brand new shoes that are vintage inspired, which are super easy to come by with vintage being so trendy right now.

I'm no Spring chicken, and my Fibromyalsia leaves me with crazy aches and pains.

I found these black pumps at the Salvation Army for a buck, yes I wrote one dollar, and am SHOCKED at how comfy they are.

I wore this snazzy outfit to a baby shower last weekend and came home with no blisters or backaches.
Kinda unheard of for me.

Tee: Walmart

Skirt: Vintage

Shoes: Vintage

All together this outfit was $8!

I have renewed hope that I can find more dress shoes that are in good condition and be comfy.

I won't be so quick to walk by the shoe department while at the thrift store.

Shame on me I know!

Apparently they aren't an urban legend.

A Birthday //Bash// via Vons Birthday Bundle

2013-05-07T07:00:00.000-07:00

As a parent I constantly place myself last, letting the kids choose where we eat on Friday night, what board games we play and eating Coldstone ice cream when it's common knowledge that Thrifty's ice cream is way better.

It just goes along with the territory. Most of the time I don't even realize I'm doing it.
Which is totally O.K.
But on my birthday I get to make guilt free choices like choosing the cupcake flavor I want to bake for my birthday, and even putting strawberries on top insead of sprinkles.
Imagine my 5 year olds' surprise!

Although any reason I tell Dylan we are going to bake I get this reaction:

Right now until May 21st visit your local Vons, Safeway or Pavilions store to take advantage of their "Birthday Bundle" promotion.

For $5 you can purchase:

// Cake mix

// Frosting

// 24 pack of candles

// 2 two-liter bottles of participating soda

* Look for a display similar one set up behind Dylan

The boys and I went straight home to start baking and decorating our treats.

I'm partial to presentation, the boys are focused on the sweets, so we kinda made the perfect team.

After the table was set and the cupcakes were cooled and iced the boys sang Happy Birthday and even helped me blow out the candles.

Truth be told he jumped the gun and blew out the candle before I even realized the flame was out.

Such a sneakster.

So we sang again.

The cupcakes were delish, and yes I had three. Don't judge.

I know I say this every year, but THIS year was the best birthday.

I feel like the older I get the happier I am.

I can enjoy one day of choosing the cupcake flavor and eat Coldstone the rest of the year.

Life just keeps getting better, with more reasons to celebrate.

What would you celebrate?

“This shop is part of a social shopper marketing insight campaign with Pollinate Media Group® and SAFEWAY but all my opinions are my own. #pmedia #BirthdayBundle http://cmp.ly/3/8vNxcO.”

Sweet Saturday Link Party V.77

2013-05-03T16:52:00.000-07:00

Happy Friday!

The winner of the $100 ModCloth giveaway is Kristelle M!

Please email me your addy so I can get your your credit!

Welcome to Sweet Saturday, where you can link your creative projects, meet friends and find inspiration.

Here are the features from last week:

Board and Batten Tutorial

By: The Turquoise Home

Peanut Butter Bird Treats

By: Pint Sized Treats

Grilled Garlic Shrimp Recipe

By: Joyful Healthy Eats

DIY Robe Bracelets

By: Made in a Day

Here are the details:

* Please link up your crafty, yummy or DIY post, not your blog address.

Features will be posted on next weeks' Sweet Saturday.* I "pin" each feature *HERE* on my Pinterest page specially made for features.

Happy Crafting!

Picture Perfect Polyvore Link Party // Latin Inspiration

2013-05-01T16:23:00.001-07:00

Welcome to Picture Perfect Polyvore!
Polyvore is a website that allows you to virtually search for current trends and brands all on one website, and then arrange them into neatly organized sets.
It's super easy, fun, and around here, I like to share my Polyvore at the beginning of every month.
Come have a glass of tea and link up your current inspiration!

<a href="http://www.thegingerbreadblog.com/"><img src="<a href="http://www.thegingerbreadblog.com/"><img src="http://i1130.photobucket.com/albums/m538/gingerbreadgirlblog/banner%20winner/The_Gingerbread_Blog/picture_perfect_polyvore_link_party_button_zps0dc72489.jpg" /></a>;

A few weeks ago my mom and mother-in-law told my husband and I that they were gifting us a 5 day cruise to Ensenada, Mexico for our 10 year anniversary.

Picture me in shock.

Jaw hitting the floor.

My husband and I used to drive down past the border (we live in Southern California) when we first started dating.

I was 19, he was 25, and we would have the most wonderful adventures finding our way through Rosarito and Puerto Nuevo.

We even spent our honeymoon in a small hotel in the same area.

Unfortunately soon after we were married it became very unsafe to travel into Mexico. We ran the risk of getting mugged, pulled over by the police or worse.

We haven't been back since, and I have so missed those adventures.

This trip is such a blessing. I can't think of a better way to celebrate our 10 years together.

Our cruise will be docked in Mexico for an entire day, which I think is perfectly safe as long as we stay within the tourist area.

I am beyond excited to walk the streets, shop, eat fish tacos and have a beer with my hubby.

Here are a few items that have inspired me lately.

Latin Inspiration by the-gingerbread-blog featuring a bracelet bangle

The colors alone are to die for.
I will be bringing back an obnoxiously large amount of things home.
I must find a leather purse and sandals. The end.
Perhaps I should bring an empty bag, you know, just in case.
But mostly I'll be bring home memories, which are always more important.

Wore // Maxi Dress and Cheetah Cardigan

2013-04-30T22:01:00.001-07:00

I have an ever present feeling that Spring in Southern California will be especially short this year and give way to a scorching summer.

This past weekend hit almost 90 degrees!

That's pretty darn hot people.

Dressing for warm weather is great, for me at least, so digging out my tank tops and sandals are making me a very happy girl.

Although on day pictured below the clouds lingered until noon, so I had a cardigan layered over my tee-shirt.

Cardigan: GAP (thrifted)

Tee: Walmart

Necklace: Thrifted

Jeans: Target

Shoes: TOMS

I love wearing a maxi dress on a day when I feel blah. I can essentially hide under a large piece of fabric.

Maxi dress: Roxy
Flip Flops: Reef
Cuff bracelet: Thrifted
Coin bracelet: Bought in Chinatown

We have a serious photobomb offense right here, but with such a cute face who could be mad. . .

Skirt: vintage
Tee: Walmart
Necklace: Vintage
Sandals: Target

How's the weather in your neck of the woods. . .
Is it tank top weather or are you still rockin your boots and scarves?

Sweet Saturday Link Party V.76

2013-04-26T16:30:00.000-07:00

Happy Friday!

If you haven't entered to win the April giveaway you should, you could win a $100 gift card to ModCloth!

And you can check out a few other lovely ladies who are co-hosting the giveaway.

Swoon.

Welcome to Sweet Saturday, where you can link your creative projects, meet friends and find inspiration.

Here are a few features from last week:

Living Room Reveal

By: The Turquoise Home

Turkey Bacon and Spinach Frittata Recipe

By: Joyful Healthy Eats

Crochet Lamp Shade Makeover

By: Estrea Chikitu

Spray Painted Door Mat Tutorial

By: Two Ten Designs

Here are the details:

* Please link up your crafty, yummy or DIY post, not your blog address.

Features will be posted on next weeks' Sweet Saturday.* I "pin" each feature *HERE* on my Pinterest page specially made for features.

Happy Crafting!

Win a $100 Gift Card to ModCloth // April Group Giveaway

2013-04-24T07:00:00.000-07:00

Happy Wednesday!
Today's gonna be awesome because you get to enter this rad giveaway.
To ModCloth!
I know, it's my favorite online shop to.
Just take a breath to ponder what you could order with $100. That's like an entire outfit!
Yep.
Here are a few of my favorites, all super vintage inspired of course!

I'm collaborating with a few sweeties for this months' giveaway, and I'm sure you'll want to check them out.

sew chatty // antlers and roses // delightful deets // polkadots and lemonade
fairly fabulous // the blue eyed owl // blueberrys blog

This giveaway will run from now until May 1st.
The winners' entry will be validated, so please play fair.

a Rafflecopter giveaway

Good luck!

W o r e // Rompers and Vintage Skirts

2013-04-23T09:37:00.001-07:00

I wore a piece of clothing I thought I would NEVER wear.

A romper.

I know, I'm 33.

I came across this grey romper while thrifting last week and I seriously hesitated buying it, but it was a buck, and I thought I would give it a try.

I have to say that the brand is New York and Company, so it's cut more "womanly", I don't think I could have pulled off a romper from Old Navy, who fits their clothes to more of a juniors body type.

I've had 2 kids people, these aren't "juniors size" hips.

Well as you can see I ate my words of "I'll never wear a romper." I loved the look and fit, and actually got several compliments the day I wore it.

Score one for the romper.

Romper: Thrifted (New York and Company)

Necklace: Thrifted

Sandals: Target

If you follow me on Instagram (@gingerbreadblog) you know that even though I'm 5'8 I have SUPER small feet (size 6) and can wear shoes from the kids department. Don't get too jealous, I'm super clumsy and fall all the time.

Like all the time.

I do get to browse the kids department, which is really fun.

I found these brown sandals at Target last week.

White tee: Walmart

Purple Skinnies: Target

Sandals: Target

Necklace: Vintage (my grandmothers)

Let's talk vintage.

I have a big mushy heart love for vintage skirts.

I love the shape of this shirt and the row of big buttons that run down the front.

I wore this outfit to my sister-in-laws baby shower.

Tank: Target

Skirt: Vintage

Belt: Vintage

Necklace: A locket from when I was a little girl (so I guess that's vintage)

Sandals: Target

Thrifting is my favorite, I find at times that the items I buy force me to think outside the box and arrange outfits in ways that I normally wouldn't.
The fun is in the treasure hunt.
And then making those treasure work for you.

Thrifted Metal Tray Turned Chalboard Wecome Sign

2013-04-21T08:39:00.000-07:00

A few weeks ago I thrifted a large, round metal tray that had a bright vintage pattern on it. At the time I thought it would be perfect in my kitchen, but after I brought it home I decided otherwise. The poor tray sat in my craft closet waiting to be upcyced into some else.

Hence this chalkboard sign tutorial was born.

You will need:

* Metal tray

* Chalkboard paint

* Paint brush

* Twine

* Hot glue gun

You could really use any metal tray, sign or even a pizza sheet for this project. Any size and shape will do.

Paint your metal tray front and back with several coats until completely covered. I was surprised how many coats of paint I needed, I think it was 5.

Crazy.

I used twine to hang my welcome sign, a little hot glue does the trick to keep it secure.

Rub chalk all over the tray to give it a "used" look. Then draw your "welcome" text and your done.

Happy crafting.

Sweet Saturday Link Party V.75

2013-04-19T16:51:00.001-07:00

Notice anything different. . .

I've been working on a new blog design for a few weeks now, and I'm super excited that it's finally starting to come together!

All the bells and whistles are the same, but upgraded to a fresh look.

I even made a new link party button!

If you have an old blog button you may want to update it, cause this one is so darn cute!

Welcome to Sweet Saturday, where you can link your creative projects, meet friends and find inspiration.

DIY Vintage Tray

By: Gamorous Affordable Life

Perfect Cupcake Frosting

By: High Heels and Grills

Cosmo Recipe

By: Willamette Valley Wonder Woman

Colorful Living Room

By: Meeha Meeha

Chipotle Butter

By: Steak and Potatoes Kinda Gurl

Image Transfer Tray Makeover

By: Nifty Thrifty Things

Here are the details:

* Please link up your crafty, yummy or DIY post, not your blog address.

Features will be posted on next weeks' Sweet Saturday.* I "pin" each feature *HERE* on my Pinterest page specially made for features.

Happy Crafting!

Redesign Your Blog Series : Add a Background Color To Your Sidebar

2013-04-16T09:26:00.000-07:00

Adding a background color to your sidebar is a great way to add a pop of color to your blog. This tutorial is really easy and works with any blogger template. If you have a paid design you can try this code, but I'm not sure it will work, you may need to contact your blog designer.

Go into your blogger dashboard, open the template file, and click on the HTML button.

Look for the columns section of your code, it will look similar to this:

In order to add a background color I added the code:

background: #fcf6dc;

#fcf6dc was the color that matched my header image, and I also added it to the background of my blog buttons and labels so they would seamlessly mesh together.

You can find the tutorial for adding a background color to images *here*.

You need to add the "background: #fcf6dc;"

to your HTML code adding whatever color you choose. If you aren't sure what the color codes are you can start *here*.

After you change the column background color you may have a shadow around each image, if that's the case look for any "drop shadow" color codes in your columns or widgets section and change that to your new column code.

Always make sure to back up and your design before you attempt any changes and preview before you save.

It's really that simple.

Feel free to email me with any questions

at thegingerbreadblog (at) yahoo dot com.

Sweet Saturday Link Party V.74

2013-04-12T16:30:00.002-07:00

Welcome to Sweet Saturday, where you can link your creative projects, meet friends and find inspiration.

Here are the features from last week:

Summer Jumper

By: The Shaffer Sisters

Jalapeno Poppers Recipe

By: Lady Behind The Curtain

Using Rope To Repurpose Cans

By: Restoration Beauty

Living Room Update

By: Suburban Mama

Scarf Organizer Tutorial

By: The Crafty Scientist

Guava Berry Cake

By: Season of Treats

Here are the details:

* Please link up your crafty, yummy or DIY post, not your blog address.

Features will be posted on next weeks' Sweet Saturday.* I "pin" each feature *HERE* on my Pinterest page specially made for features.

Happy Crafting!

* I added a new mouseover feature to the photos for all my blog posts (tutorial here) so if you hover over a link thumbnail you'll see a Pinterest button, if you want to pin a link press that Pinterest button, if you just want to see the link press the link title.

Currently Loving

2013-04-11T15:17:00.002-07:00

There are so many things I'm diggin' right now! Spring is here and there is an influx of new craft trends, apparel catalogs and vintage lovelies that are just a feast for the eyes.

I'm loving any kind of non flowering plant. My general rule is if it flowers, it dies in the Orozco house.

I only have half a green thumb.

Check out my plants "pin board" *here*.

I love these mini Native American woven rugs.
I found this little lady at an estate sale a few days ago.

You can hang them as wall art or lay them out for decoration.
Perhaps on a side table used as a coaster. . .

I'm also diggin' flats, as in shoes. I've pretty much given up on any type of heal, and my feet thank me.

*These are thrifted vintage Liz Claiborne.
I'm also super clumsy, like I trip and fall all the time.
I'm 5'8 but I wear a size 6 shoe, not a very stable base right there. I also do this weird hunch over thing that I try to be conscious of, and when I wear heels of any kind I my posture resembles a very old woman.
Not pretty.

I recent bought these sandals from the kids section at Target, sadly they were just as expensive as the womens, but SUPER comfy, if you were a size 6 or 7 I reccomend checking out size 5 and 6 in the kids shoe department.

Let's talk about my ever growing vintage skirt collection. I keep buying them for my shop, but they somehow end up hanging in my closet. . .

Hmmmm, that's strange.

Such a sweet flowy, floral skirt has to be worn, even if it was too big for me and I pinned it tight.

I'm resourceful like that.

Cutting boards of any kind are amazing! If I see a vintage board it comes home with me. The end.

I would love to create some sort of wall collage in the dining room of cutting boards of different wood types, shapes and sizes.

You can see my cutting board "pin board" *here*.

Uggg I could go on forever!

What new Spring trends are you loving?

San Francisco in Photos // Part 2

2013-04-10T19:57:00.000-07:00

There are few vacation spots that make every member of the family happy, except for San Francisco.

Here are a few of our favorite moments.

All our favorite // Watching sea lions sun bath right off the pier.

These sea lions had the right idea. Pass the Hawaiian Tropic.

Dylan was in total shock at the number of them, he just crouched in a little boy squat staring. At one point he wanted to throw them some food, but I assured him they don't eat corn dogs.

Quite mesmerized, my little boy.

As the sea lions barked at each other, fighting over spots to sunbathe I stood with the other tourists thinking what a wonderful city San Francisco is.

The boys' favorite activity // The carousel and arcade.

For the first time they rode together, which made my momma heart swell.

And the food, don't even get me started! We inhaled clam chower in giant bread bowls and the kids were able gobble down sugar in mass quantities.

The boys don't really look very happy in this picture, but trust me, their irritation was because I made them stop eating their goodies long enough for me to take this photo.

My favorite // Shopping in Chinatown

Bustling. Always.

No matter what time of year this short stretch of street is packed with people.

I mean really, it doesn't get much better than drinking a boba tea while shopping for jewelry, slippers and cell phone cases.

I almost bought these snacks purley for the packaging. I'm a sucker for happy graphics and branding.

I can't tell you how many baskets upon baskets of jewelry there were.

Arm parties galore.

Yes I always buy the kids fireworks, it's pretty much like Christmas for them.

I bought a few of each, one was shaped like a chicken and had a balloon sticking out of it's butt. . . enough said.

Mother of year award right here.

We laughed, they cried at times, I gained 5 pounds from all the food and I spent way too much money.

Basically the perfect vacation.

Wore // Thrifted Vintage Sweater

2013-04-09T12:03:00.003-07:00

Do you wear vintage?

Do you love the feeling of hunting for a treasure that no one else has?

I LOVE thrifting for "new" items to work into my regular wardrobe.

Purses, belts, dresses, you name it, and I'll take it home.

Choosing your clothes can be as creative of an outlet as crafting up a pennant banner.

I found this striped, light weight sweater last weekend and I instantly fell in love. Maybe it's the pastel colors that scream Spring.

I layered a white tank underneath for coverage.

Paired with jeans and boots I was still comfy enough for errand running before the boys came home from school.

Swoon.