Eats + drinks

Here are some of my recent eats / drinks... Not in any particular order

DRINKS 

*Green juice... Aka 1 scoop organic greens powder + 1 cup simply orange... Blended in my trusty (old, worn out) blender bottle... Can't even taste the greens! On a day where I thought that popcorn + cheese n crackers would suffice for my meals.. Needed my greens 

*Iced Vietnamese coffee w/ boba ... Delish!! How have I never tried this before?! From a local frozen yogurt place (owned by a Vietnamese family)... A much needed pick-me-up for an otherwise less-than-great day! Pretty sweet for me AKA not something I would drink super often but a yummy treat nonetheless!

EATS

Dinner out at Outback for the hubs bday... 

*Baked potato w butter & sour cream + firecracker salmon + side of coconut shrimp. This was eaten after a few bites (ok maybe more than a few) of the bloomin' onion, several bites of bread w butta + a few bites of the hubs Caesar salad! De-lish! 

*Half of the salmon filet + 2 coconut shrimp were made into lunch the next day.. Salmon mixed w cream chz + liquid smoke and served w corn chips to make a salmon salad of sorts. Coconut shrimp served cold w duck sauce .. Yum!

*Jasons deli for lunch.. En route home from Biloxi. I got the salad bar (spring mix + spinach + bean salad + lots of raw veggies + goat cheese + sunflower seeds + roasted red pepper hummus as a dressing) and vegetarian vegetable soup (crackers crushed on top)!! Plus a few bites of the hubs chips + salsa and a few little mini garlic toasts. The hubs had a chicken caesar wrap. We both gave it a thumbs up! Everything is organic and delicious! I haven't been to a Jason's deli in quite a while. Wish we had one where we live! 

Other than these few interesting meals, I have been eating lots of peanut butter toast, sippin' lots of green smoothies, chuggin' coffee (and water) per usual, munchin' on nachos, chowin' down on chocolate (in any form), and noshin' on popcorn w parmesan while binge-watching Netflix. Back to the grind on Monday. And my regularly scheduled eating habits, I hope! 

That's it for now folks!

Until next time

~Jules

(Somewhat) recent OOTDs + pinned it spinned it

So... Has it REALLY been over 4 months since I've blogged. Oops.

Soooo much has happened in these few months that this blog has been the last thing on my mind.

But I'm back!

Thought I would share some of my recent outfits. I post outfits pretty often (at least a few days a week) on my Instagram (@julestheghoul) but thought I would give a little more detail about a few.

I love IG. I love fashion. I love all my IG fashionistas I have met along the way. And I loooove style challenges. I try to follow as many as I can (not every day, but when I can).. But I have been loving the #pinneditspinnedit hashtag that two of my IG friends Jamie (@jro1583) & Amy (@aem8168) created - follow them if you aren't already!

They pick pins for every weekday for us to spin (some people follow them to a T; some people add their own fun touch)... And it is addicting!! I love seeing what everyone comes up with. It's inspiration for sure... Or shall I say, "pinspiration"😉

I must add, also, that since the majority of my closet (90% or more) is thrifted.. I also follow the hashtag #pinneditthriftedit with another super fashionable & thrifty IG friend Andrea (@keepinitthrifty) - another girl you just MUST follow!

Ok! Enough rambling y'all... Here goes!

* this spin was one I was looking forward to since I saw the prompt! Love the color scheme. Plus I just knew I had the perfect pieces to make it work! With my own spin of course..

top: GAP embellished tee, thrifted $3

skirt: J.Crew, thrifted $4

cardi: Target, clearance, less than $5

leggings: WM special 

flats: Payless, $7 or something cheap like that!

earrings: sorrelli studs, gift from the hubs💓

TOTAL PRICE: about $20

This was another pin I loved! But of course I loved my spin even more! What can I say, I love my pattern mixing!

striped top: Target clearance, less than $5

orange gingham top: J.Crew factory, thrifted $4 

black skinny jeans: Kohls, clearance, less than $10

leopard loafers(J.Crew inspired): Target clearance, less than $10

bubble necklace: Cato, $3 or so

earrings: World Market, less than $5

TOTAL COST: less than $40

I love love LOVED the colors of this spin. Just loved! And I knew I could recreate it easily!

cardi: J.Crew, thrifted $2.50

polka dot blouse: Forever21, yard sale $3

corduroy skinnies: Forever21, free with giftcard

scarf: Target clearance, less than $5

shoes: Dolce Vita for Target, thrifted, less than $5

TOTAL COST: less than $20

I love this pin so much!! I have a houndstooth skirt and a mint sweater that would allow me to spin this pin perfectly.. But I decided to mix it up a little bit & flip-flop the colors!

black top: Ross, clearance $2

cashmere scarf: thrifted $2

houndstooth coat: thrifted, less than $5

mint skinnies: J.Crew factory, thrifted, less than $5

black flats: Payless, $7 or so

necklace: Burlington, $4

earrings: World Market, less than $5

purse: Rebecca Minkoff via Thred up, $30 (!!!)

TOTAL COST: less than $65 including this fab purse... Crazy!!

And here's another outfit that wasn't part of the pinned it spinned it challenge... Just for fun!!

This was an outfit from a recent trip to Biloxi. The cardi + shoes were both finds from the trip! I came back with much more than I packed. Luckily we drove.

polka dot top: mIlitary BX, clearance, less than $10

ruffle cardi: J.Crew factory, thrifted $2

olive skinny jeans: Target, clearance, less than $15

sneaks: Coach brand, via Marshalls clearance, $25

studs: Juicy Couture for Kohls, clearance, less than $10

TOTAL COST: Less than $65

Hope you all enjoyed the pinspiration! And thrift-spiration! Until next time...

Xoxo 

~Jules

What I'm loving

Here are some things I'm loving lately! 

Kombucha- always a love, especially the GT's brand! My favorite is a tie between gingerade and lavender, but sometimes nothing beats the original! (excuse my messy car...oops!)

I'm a coffee girl through & through, but chai is #2! This pumpkin spice chai from Tazo is delish! With some milk or almond milk, umm...yes please! Bring on all things pumpkin!!!

These minnetonka mocs I ordered from thred up came in the other day! I'm a minnetonka fan & have been for years! When I saw these ones with peace signs on them, I caved! And for less than $10 shipped, how could I say no?? 

Netflix!! (let's talk about the weird new logo for a second though...not a fan!) The hubs and I have been big Netflix fans for a long time, but recently we have been binge watching a few shows! We are watching Once upon a time right now, LOVE IT! And I've been watching the Killing when I'm home alone! Both such great shows!! NO SPOILERS PLEASE!!! 

And here are some things I have been crushing on!! I sent the links to T...hint hint! Maybe they will find themselves on my doorstep soon....never know!

It's no secret I'm a big coffee/tea drinker...but I've got to drink in style! I love love love mugs! I have 2 whole cupboards slam full. I saw this one and died...another dog mug, I think yes!!

On the topic of dogs (duh, when am I not on that topic?)...I love all of these magnets! My car has a bunch of stickers/magnets on it...but I think I need more! Heck yes!! 

This tee from Very Jane - one of my fav flash sale sites! Love this...totally one of my mottos!! 

So....What have y'all been loving?!!!

Til next time friends!

-Jules :)

Recents OOTDs & deets

Haven't blogged in a good while, so thought I'd get back on the bandwagon & share some of my recent outfits! Keep reading if you're interested in that kinda thing 😊

-These jeans are thrifted Abercombie. I found two in my size that day & I love love love them. These were $5.99.

-This floral ruffle blouse is also a thrift find. I passed it up a few times before deciding it was fate & buying it (once it was half off of course). It was $2.99.

-These rosette wedges were a birthday gift from my mom. They are from Kohls. They are super comfy & not to mention cute! Winner winner.

-This necklace is from a Burlington Coat Factory. I also bought a bracelet set that matches - but only wear it together when I feel "matchy matchy" - which isn't often!😉 Haha, it was $4.99.

-These J brand jeans are one of my favorite thrifted finds ever! They are super comfy & fit me like a glove. The best part? They cost me $5 (the same ones go for 200+ retail) 

-This flowy top is also a thrifted find. I got it a few years ago & I don't know why I don't wear it more - I totally should!

-These wedges are apt 9 and they are also thrifted, from a few years ago.  Love 'em! 

-The necklace is a Forever 21 find from a few years ago! 

-This blouse is a super clearance find from Kohls! It was less than $5. They have the best sales!

-These black Bermuda shorts are thrifted Old Navy.

-These flats are from Payless - I think they were either $6 or $8...something crazy cheap like that!

-This necklace is a Target find from a few months ago. Had to have it!

-These earrings are from a local outlet store. They were a couple bucks.

-I thrifted this Dana Buchman top while on vacation in July. It was $2, I believe! I'm a sucker for pink - my favorite color 💗

-These manhattan chino shorts are thrifted New York & Company, from a few months ago. I got them on a half price day so they were $2.50!

-This cardigan is light pink, although it looks more cream-colored in this picture. I bought it at Forever 21 while I was in Vegas during the holidays last year. It was somewhere between 10-15 dollars, but I used a gift card.

-This tassel necklace was $5 at Walmart sometime this summer.

-These (old, worn out - but SO comfy) gray TOMS were a gift from the hubs last Christmas. 

-I had been eyeing this hot pink flamingo shirt since I first saw it at Target, but waited for it to go on sale and snagged it.  It was somewhere between 5-8 dollars.

-These J.Crew Bermuda shorts are a recent thrift find. I couldn't wait to wear them. They were $3.99.

-I have been searching for a pair of Clarks sandals with flower accents forever, but hadn't wanted to pay the retail price. I found these at a local outlet earlier this season at 70% off & snagged them - so glad I did!

-The necklace & earrings are both clearance finds from Target. They were both somewhere between 3-5 dollars each!

-This floral tunic/shirt was a thrift find from a few years ago - another one I hardly ever wear and I don't know why! It was somewhere between 2-4 dollars!

-These American Eagle Outfitters crop jeggings were about $30, on sale for $15, but I used a reward I had on my credit card so I got them for free! They are super flattering & comfy. One of my favorite (more affordable) denim brands.

-These Yellowbox flip flops were on sale for 30% off at Dillards earlier this year. I couldn't pass them up. I'm a sucker for bling.

-This floral crossbody purse is from Ross Dress for Less years ago. I think it was about $15.

-This heart necklace from Lia Sophia was a birthday gift from my Aunt. She always picks out the best jewelry pieces for me! 

Hope y'all enjoyed. Just showing you that it doesn't take a lot of $$ to look cute - you can totally dress fashionably (and unique) while on a budget! So go hit up a thrift store (or two), friends!

Til next time!

-Jules

Thrift store finds of the week

So.. I had a little bit of extra time on my hands this week. So naturally, I found myself at the thrift store. Thought y'all might wanna see what I got!

Goodwill

Goodwill is always hit or miss for me. I go there at least once a week, most weeks. This particular trip, I only found 2 things. Sometimes I find tons and sometimes I leave empty handed. Just depends on the day. 

Because I am totally lacking in the cardigan department {not} I picked up this blue ruffle cardigan from New York & Company. It was $4. I love it!!

I found this small, crossbody purse from the Sak {new with tags!} hiding in the back of all other purses. It was only $4! I was super happy about this because I like to change up my purse often & wear small crossbody purses a lot! 

Local consignment shop

So..I don't typically go for places labeled as "consignment" or "resale" shops because they are typically more that I am willing to spend. But there are a couple consignment stores in my area that have sales quite often. This one in particular has a $1 section. Everything I got on this trip was from that section. 

Ann Taylor Loft blouse with detailing around the collar. One of my absolute favorite brands. I couldn't believe this was only $1!

When I saw this sweater, I knew that I had to have it. I love the pattern! It's super lightweight and cozy--perfect for chilling at home or running errands.

 

Once again, something by Loft! I personally love love love these flip flops! Flowers on anything=love! I couldn't believe these were $1. They fit me perfectly!

Everything else that I got was bought for my mom. She is always asking me to pick stuff up for her because she doesn't have the "eye" like I do. Even though she is the one that got me into thrifting in the first place. 

This t-shirt from Tommy Hilfiger is adorable! I love the detail at the top. Definitely my mom's style.

This shirt from the GAP. Love the colors. Plaid is always a win in my book. 

Lastly, I got her these belts. She accessories a lot with hats & belts. For $1 each, these were a definite steal! I love the one on the top, but thought she would get a lot of use out of it :) The bottom one is by Abercrombie. 

Hope y'all enjoyed!! 

~Jules

Frugal fashion (what I wore)

Here are some of my outfits from the past couple of weeks: pretty much everything was either thrifted, bought on sale or gifted. I don't remember the last time I bought something for full price. It's just not in my nature. 

Here is one of my work outfits from last week! 

Black tank- Pac Sun, clearance, old

Cardigan- Old Navy, thrifted (Goodwill)

Skirt- Fire Los Angeles, on clearance, old (Macys)

Flip flops- Yellowbox, 30% off sale recently (Dillards)

Necklace- Silpada, gift from my Aunt

Earrings- Target

This is what I wore on 4th of July to a family cook out.

Red top- Thrifted (Goodwill)

Skirt- Forever 21, thrifted (Goodwill)

Flip flops- Reef, bought at Sea World a couple years ago when my flip flops broke while I was walking around- one of my favorite pairs :)

Necklace- Bealls (discount fashion store) 

Here is an outfit I wore on church on Sunday (jeans since I was working in the nursery) :)

Polka dot top- Thrifted (Goodwill)

J. Brand jeans- Thrifted (Goodwill)

Sandals- Thrifted (local consignment shop)

Bow headband- Thrifted, several years ago (Goodwill)

This is what I wore to work today! 

Top- Kohls, clearance

Crop pants- Aeropostale, thrifted (Goodwill) --not a brand I usually go for, but they fit me perfectly and for a petite girl, I gotta take what I can get with pants--

Sandal wedges- Bday gift from my mom (Kohls) 

Necklace- old, not really sure where I got this...I have so much jewelry that sometimes I can't keep track :)

Do y'all like these kinds of posts? Would you be interested in thrift hauls or thrifting tips? Let me know!

~Jules :)

A ramble about quinoa

Soo...you know how you haven't gone to the grocery store in a while and you just kinda throw together a bunch of stuff that you have on hand? And it ends up being..like..the best thing ever? But then...when you just went grocery shopping, you look into your pantry & fridge and you think "What in the world can I make for dinner?" No? Well that happens to me. A lot. 

What ideas pop into my head first? Peanut butter and jelly. Grilled cheese. Annie's Mac n cheese. And then some nights I think..why don't we just eat popcorn for dinner? 

Ahem. Then I remember..I should probably fix a proper dinner for when The hubs because I'm pretty sure all he's had all day is Red Bull & maybe some cheese and crackers. And then I remind myself that I should stop being lazy. But I don't want to think up a recipe.

So...long story short (yeah right, the story is never short with me) my stand-bys end up being some sort of baked fish, a grain and some kind of veggie. And that brings me to what we had for dinner tonight.

I opened my pantry and saw this:

 

Which, by the way, I totally bought for nights like this. And because when I see quinoa, I buy it. Man I love that stuff. But a quinoa and rice blend? Yep. Two of my favorite things. Had to have it. 

This was super easy to throw together. It came in two parts: the quinoa/rice mixture. And a seasoning packet. I typically try to stray away from those pre-packed seasonings, but this one wasn't too bad & the ingredient list wasn't too long. So I gave it a try.

It was actually pretty good. The seasoning wasn't the best-maybe the flavor was not strong enough for my liking, but the flavor itself was good. But the hubs liked it more than I did. No complaints on his side. With 7 grams of protein a serving, I would definitely buy this again. Although I would like to try the other flavor next time: roasted red pepper & basil. That sounds more my style. Either way, good to have on hand for nights like this.

I served the quinoa blend with some baked salmon. (My favorite) and some cucumbers with feta cheese & some Mrs.Dash table blend. I'd say it was pretty delicious for little work on my part. 

Enough rambling on my part.

Hope you find this review helpful!

~Jules

P.S. What did you guys have for dinner?