I am not a crafty person. All those cute Pinterest DIY projects my friends post on Facebook? I’d rather have a root canal than attempt any of them. The facts that (a) I have no patience, and (b) hate following instructions, doesn’t help. I tell you all this by way of introduction of the greatest crafts project I have ever (successfully!) completed.

I hemmed a skirt, you guys. With my own two hands. It’s okay, go head: let those ooh and aahs out, I’ll wait.

Ok, I’m kidding. About the magnitude of my accomplishment, not the hemming part. I really did do that. It’s, like, Sewing 101 stuff but I’m still ridiculously pleased with myself. Remember, no crafty bone in my body and all. When I saw this vintage, homemade skirt at Value Village, I fell in love with the print. (Of course. What’s new?) But the length was very “sister wife”, which is not the vibe I’m going for. I knew a hem job was in order, but I also knew that I didn’t want to pay $20 or more to have it done professionally. So, I decided to take my chances and give it the old DIY try.

I think it turned out pretty good considering that: (a) I followed exactly zero instructions, and (b) I eyeballed the length. Needless to say, don’t try this at home, kids. I ended up looking at the way the original hem was hand-stitched, and did my best to approximate it. My stitching is pretty crappy, but the way this hem is done, you don’t see any of it on the outside. I also decided to add two belt loops, because I felt like the skirt could benefit from being belted to add more waist definition. I improvised on that part of the project, and the end result probably shows it, but the print is busy enough to hide those “sins” pretty well.

As for the rest of the outfit … it was a no-brainer. I loved how the belt and cardigan picked up the coppery tones in the print – and I’m not usually a fan of brown. The layers let me wear my denim jacket in (almost) mid-October, which is perhaps the biggest accomplishment of all. #WinterIsComing #ButNotYet

Happy Thanksgiving, fellow Canadians! Hope you enjoyed a wonderful weekend with family and loved ones.

In recognition of the fact that a lot of us are still recovering from our turkey comas, a post full of photos and minimal words seemed like a safe bet. So, I hope you’ll enjoy this (mostly visual) recap of my recent thrifting adventures.

I had to chance to make an impromptu stop at the Red Deer Value Village, and that’s the kind of chance I don’t pass up. I had all of 10 minutes to spend in there, but I still found a few gems, like this Talbots skirt (and the next two dresses below). I was tempted but ultimately decided to pass – not quite my style.

Ditto with this BB Dakota sweater dress. But how cute would this be for the holidays?

This, on the other hand, was right up my alley – so much so that I have one already hanging in my closet. I hope that, after my visit, some stylish Red Deer resident gave this dress a new home.

Also from the Red Deer VV, these pumps broke my heart. I’ve been looking for a pair of navy (low) heels forEVAH … too bad these were a size too small. *sob*

This vest had all kinds of preppy potential, but I just didn’t see myself wearing it.

Funny story: I actually had this dress about 10 years ago, only in a different colorway. Ahh, memories. It was such a weird fit, then and now.

Cute but (a) not quite my style, and (b) definitely not my size.

This dress was an “almost” for me. It had a really cool back:

… but it was, sadly, just a tad too big. My last experience with alterations at the tailor ran on the expensive side, so I’m not buying any more things that require significant work.

Not my style, but cute. Also fairly reasonably priced, considering that VV lives to jack up its prices on BCBG and BCBGeneration pieces.

Also cute but (a) too “young”, (b) too short, and (c) probably too small.

Pink Tartan is one of the few Canadian designer brands that has stuck around for a while. I’ve worn their pieces before and liked them a lot. Too bad this skirt was too tight.

I loved the colour of this hunter green Jacob dress, but the 100% poly killed it for me. Also it was too casual for work, and too dressy for my usual weekend needs. I’m sure it will find a good home, though.

“Jeez, Adina” you’re probably thinking by now, “do you ever actually buy anything in these thrift stores or what?” Well, wouldn’t you know, after a few weeks of busts, I finally did.

An Armani Collezioni blazer for $3.50? How could I not? It’s too big for me but I’m giving it to a friend.

This home-made/vintage skirt looks pretty Little House On The Prairie right now, but I adore the print, and I think I can handle a simple hem job on my own. For $3.50, it’s a DIY no-brainer.

I probably didn’t need this Vero Moda dress, but it was cute and fit nicely and it was only $14. The end.

And there you have it – another epic(ally long) thrifting post. I can’t wait to hear about your amazing thrifting scores – hit me up in the comments.