My First Blog Giveaway - Win $80 Gift Certificate to CSNStores.com

Exciting stuff!

I'm doing my first giveaway on A Life Fulfilled — I'm giving away a $80 gift certificate to CSNstores.com!

CSN is a network of 200+ retailers that offers a wide variety of items. Looking for a coffee table? Nifty cooking gadgets? Fitness and workout gear? Luggage? Other furniture and interior decor accessories? CSN covers all these areas and more. Seriously - they have tons of stuff. They also pride themselves on competitive prices (you guys know how much I appreciate a deal).

This is a simple giveaway*. Simply comment on this post with a link or explanation of something you would buy from CSNstores.com if you won the gift certificate. Be sure to include your e-mail address so I can contact you if you win. I will draw a winner at random on Sunday, September 26 at 9pm.

Here are some things I would buy if I won (and at these prices, I could buy more than one thing).

5-piece Ginsu knife set (the steak knives we registered for are awful and I would love to get some different/better ones). These have great reviews. $14.99.

Shoes... need I say more? These Diba snakeskin material boots would be killer to wear under or over jeans this fall and winter. $68.

Who can say no to a sassy apron? And if you're as clumsy as I am, you'll appreciate this shielding your clothes from renegade spaghetti sauce. $29.99.

If you read my other blog, you know I have been globe/map crazy lately. I'm ga-gah over this one for $49.50.

You can't go wrong with stemless wine glasses. (Harder to break, easy to wash in the dishwasher.) Set of 8 for $34.99.

Good luck! You could keep the winnings for yourself (I would!) or use 'em toward Christmas (not a bad idea either!).

(*Giveaway is open to U.S. and Canadian readers only. If you're a Canadian reader, international shipping rates may apply to your purchase).

The White T-shirt Onesie: The Results

Here's where it started:

Dressing room at Goodwill

Sporty Spice

As you know by now, I took this gem home with me.

My goal: turn this oversized cotton wrestler outfit into a ready-to-wear romper. Maybe distressed military green (olive)?

I started by cuffing the shorts and taking in the waist a little at a time (didn't want to carve it slim behind repair). I also had to find a way to shorten the body just a bit (or so I thought...) so I took up the straps just about an inch and and a half. I thought that would be easier than cutting the torso in half horizontally and shortening it that way).

I was hoping this mild crotch bunchedness was temporary.

A little more fitted.

From there, I played with RIT dye for the first time. My RIT dye virginity became immediately apparent.

I used about half a pack of brown powder and half a pack of dark green powder in about a gallon of water (in a pot on the stove). I set the timer for 30 minutes. After one minute, I realized I put WAY too much dye into the water bath. Whoops. My garment was a funky shade of dark greenish black. That's not the look I was going for.

Then I spent the better part of the afternoon rinsing (and repeating) my "project" to get some of that dye out! Two hours and 15 rinse, boiling and repeats and an hour of spinning in the clothes dryer later, I had a grey-ish green rumple of cotton.

Voila!

Okay, maybe not the grand reveal I was hoping for — but the husband agrees it's at least a little better than retarded.

These are my Diba sandals paired with a Limited blazer (care of Goodwill) and long strand necklaces from Express (care of Maria) and from Dots.

You can tell more in this picture than the previous... the fabric pulling around the "bottom half" of my garment is no bueno. Crotch pull. I think they refer to this in the animal kingdom as "camel toe."

I think we can safely say this will make a BEAUTIFUL painting romper or sleeping romper or swimsuit cover-up romper. Not so a much Saturday-night-out romper.

In trying to "tailor" this thing, I made it a little too fitted — so it's grabby in some areas. In retrospect, much of the trimming and hemming wasn't necessary.

But I'll let you in on another little secret...

I bought two of these beauties... Second time's a charm?

Summer Safari

Yesterday I mentioned that I picked up a sweet (and brand spankin' new!) men's GAP button-up in olive green.

I didn't put together the outfit in time for What I Wore's reader challenge post — but here's my attempt at a Safari-Chic:

Can't wait to get a nicer camera!

• Green, two-pocket Safari-style men's shirt (GAP via Goodwill - new - $5)
• Cream-colored cotton tank (Old Navy - $6)
• Off-white linen pants (Banana Republic via eBay - new - $12)
• Twigs necklace (gift from my girl Megan)
• The budget buster: Diba shoes ($58)... also seen here

The necklace:

I thought this necklace would be perfect for this outfit. It feels very African-inspired. While I call it a twig or pretzel stick necklace, it's actually some kind of very tough fiberglass-like material. 

Speaking of What I Wore's Safari challenge, I am so excited to be introduced to Seven Dollar Pants, a blog led by a dynamic Toronto duo. Christine (below) was the fave outfit of the What I Wore challenge. She called this outfit her "Zookeeper" look. I can tell these gals are going to be very inspiring! They're thrifty, creative and stylish: three of my favorite things.

-- Katy 

I Asked... and You Sent Me... Summer Shoes! (Audience Participation Friday)

Warning! You are leaving the typical <$50 zone! Earlier this week, I asked you all to send me pictures of your favorite new and/or summer shoes for Audience Participation Friday. And you sent me some great ones!

Here's what you gals wanted to share:

From Megan (Atlanta):

"These are ninewest. Purchased at some point in spring 2008 from tj maxx. I think I paid 25 for them and that was worththe investment by the end of the season. What you say these shoes look familiar? You may have seen them at your wedding they looked fab with your warm fall colors. Warning: they do not do well on flower petal covered decks. I almost fell walking down the aisle at your wedding more than once! Hahaha! Seriously they are a great pair of heels that are very wearable." - Megan

From Mb in D.C.:

"I was drawn to the sandals for their low price and comfortable appearance. I was nervous they'd look a little granny-ish, but once I put them on I knew I wouldn't leave the store without them. Not only are they the most comfortable heel ever...no seriously, EVER!...they have a simple, clean, Euro-vacay-resort look. A basic summer shoe that will go with almost anything in my closet...or suit case, seeing as how I bought them with an intent to travel." - Mb (Italian Shoemaker wedge found at DSW for $39)

From Lauren in Columbus, Georgia:

This pair of shoes is from the brand Restricted, it is a mint snake texture in a coral color. $50.00 from a local shop in Columbus, Georgia called Pursona. - Lauren

From Julia in Detroit, Michigan (excitement kept Julia from submitting just one photo):

"The first is a picture of my favorite summer shoes-my Manolo

Blahniks!! [Boyfriend] Patrick surprised me on my 27th birthday with a gift card

to Neiman Marcus. He said that I had to buy myself a pair of Manolos.

He remembered me talking about how every woman should have a pair and

the rest is birthday history. The greatest part of the gift was that

he sat with me while I tried on dozens of pairs to find the right one.

I love that they are nude so I can wear them with any fancy summer

outfit. I love them the most because Patrick understood, acknowledged

and indulged a huge vice of mine." - Julia

"This is of all my summer strappies that I get to strut around

in on a daily basis. I have a few more but that would have been silly

to pull them all out :)" - Julia

"Here's [my cat] Slinky's stilettos. She gets to strut
around in fabulous black heels no matter what the season. All the
kitties are jealous." - Julia

From my colleague Elizabeth (Atlanta):

Casual yet edgy summer sandals by Jessica Simpson ($59). Style is Ninja.

Elizabeth hasn't actually bought these yet... but she's promised me she has to. Angel platforms by Franco Sarto ($89).

From my former colleague Kathryn, who has some fierce shoes (Atlanta):

Fresh from the LA Neiman Marcus (the only Neiman to get this particular style in), these Christian Louboutin prive pumps are magical. (Here's a post by The Accessory Junkie about this particular pair of shoes).

And 'lil ole me, ALifeFulfilled... (Atlanta):

Here are the new ones I showed a sneak peak of on Monday. I am excited about the caramel color, the platformness (new adjective) and how they make my feet look especially feminine.

Sandals are Diba — found them at the cutest little shoes/clothes/jewelry/decor store in Panama City when I was there this past weekend. I can't decide if I should be mad at or grateful to my sister-in-law for introducing me to this place. ($58 on sale from $76) I like the shoes a lot and may have to explore getting more from this company. Lauren (a shoe collector I respect very much) tells me she has some Diba sandals she loves.

Don't they a little bit remind you of the (sold-out) Cynthia Vincent for Target wedges ($29.99) I've been lusting over? Would you believe they're selling on eBay for upwards of $120?