3.31.2010

The Spending Hiatus -- Week Eight (!)



A few of the things I already own and love (dearly) -- from top: my beloved taika ittala dishes, a white dress I bought late last spring and can't wait to bust out this year, bryan's table and a groovy cement birdbath found by my genius friend achlee that I use as a centerpiece...

Well friends we have reached the end, crossed the finish line, we're done, finis.

Tomorrow is the official end of the Spending Hiatus (for me at least... some of you might be following a different schedule), and I'm feeling pretty darn good about the whole enterprise. I'm not sure I'm ready to bust out a full assessment of this year's hiatus, as I'm still processing, but I can say for sure that I'm glad I did it and would do it again. So there you have it for now...

I was good in this final week, making only one necessary purchase in the form of new yoga pants, as my old ones have a hole in the, well...rear region. Despite the fact that I'm not so much into the "exercising", I do go on a lot of neighborhood bike rides with the girlies (we have a hilly neighborhood, so bonus points, no?), and I wear yoga pants on these little jaunts. (I bike in my flip flops in case your wondering given the whole lack of tennis shoe situation -- I know, I know.)

I can't very well go riding around my neighborhood with my bum hanging out, right?

So the new yoga pants were a necessity. And the big accomplishment here friends was walking into the Gap for said yoga pants and walking out with nothing else. Just the yoga pants. No bag even...I jammed them in my purse. No fuss, no muss, giving me confidence that I'm not going to go completely off the wagon and embark on spend-fest 2010 come midnight tonight.

I feel ready (I think) to go out into the world of responsible, mindful shopping.

So how was this final (for some of you) week for you guys? Are you ready for this bad boy to be over?

28 comments:

mrs boo radley said...

Great white dress!
I love that you stuffed the pants in your purse.
We've carried over our "nothing new in nine" to 2o1o for the most part, except this morning Boo Rad informed me that my desk lamp doesn't work...
So I took a lamp from our bedroom and put it on my desk.
I think it will be okay!

Unknown said...

hah!! I do my "excersising" and hiking in flip flops too :) It drives my husband crazy...congrats on a well done spending hiatus!

Ashley V said...

Is that white dress from the Gap? I love it! I searched everywhere for it last year and they were sold out of my size (forgot to check online).

So ready to shop! Thanks for all the support and all the posts during the spending hiatus!

Anonymous said...

That cabinet in your third picture - it's probably vintage, right? It's exactly what I'm looking for to put in our dining room and I can't find a thing I like.

Joslyn said...

Ashley -- yep the gap...i know it's one of my faves for sure.

Kelly -- it is vintage...from a shop in Dallas years ago. you should try craigslist!

We Blog Artists said...

Beautiful Dress...and yeah, I wasn't folling the spending Hiatus but perhaps I should try it one of these days...we have our Mamas and Chicks Show coming up very soon...so it'll have to wait until after that!
HUGS
Char

Laura said...

yay another dallas blogger! I love your blog! pretty stuff

Shayna said...

Oh, that dress is so sweet...and that table!

We got 4 of the Iitala bowls for a wedding gift...so pretty. And what, pray tell, is that sitting on those plates?

Spending hiatus was good this week. I almost caved in for a pair of perfect shoes but then stashed the amount of $$ in my savings account with the promise I could buy them if I still want them in 2 weeks. Will power. Yes.

Rachel said...

Love your dress! And yay for the successful hiatus! We're doing 12 weeks this year, so still have a bit to go and I already have a carefully edited little list of purchases that will need to be made.

Yoga pants are essential, btw.

meezo said...

prepping for spring break this week has left my wallet empty and my gut with an ache. it's amazing how yuck it feels to start spending after you've tried to be good for awhile. congrats to you! i enjoyed this little project.

Anna/Quilted Giraffe said...

That chocolate torte in the first photo looks AMAZING! Recipe? Pretty please?

Joslyn said...

anna -- i will try and rustle up the recipe for you...it's a dark chocolate, orange, almond torte that my best friend brought to a holiday celebration at my house a couple of years ago. seriously the best. dessert. ever.

shayna -- brilliant strategy on the shoes!

nichole said...

Very cool! I love following along with your spending hiatuses. I spend nothing except for those plane tickets. ;)

katie said...

so i can't say that march was very successful for me in regards to the shopping ban, so i think i'm going to continue it through april and hopefully get back to how well i did in february. a few too many dresses, lattes, and running gear were purchased over the past 31 one days.

Engracia said...

Congratulations Joslyn, it is such a brilliant idea I have enjoyed travelling on this journey with you although I feel I could do better than I have so I'm extending it until the end of April.
Love that dress by the way.
Cheers
Engracia

Stephanie said...

I am feeling the itch to buy a couple of things though I do feel super empowered by this exercise. I blogged about it yesterday and already have carts "full" online. Hate that, though I will definitely be doing this again.

Alix said...

Now you have to hunt down that ring you gave up. I'm sure it's waiting for you somewhere!

Fern and Feather said...

as a fellow spending hiatus-er I must worn you that everything is brighter, more beautiful and more tempting then ever before + if you were good at rationalizing before, watch out you will surprise yourself by your own train of thought ;)

Mrs.French said...

proud of you girlie..you are such an inspiration...one day...xo t

Anna/Quilted Giraffe said...

Joslyn-- that sounds AMAZING!!! I'd love it if you could rustle up the recipe :-)

That Girl in Pearls said...

I am obsessed with white dresses... that one is SO adorable. Seriously, GAP has some great stuff!!

Beatriz.
thatgirlinpearls.com

Gabrielle of Design Mom said...

Congratulations, Joslyn! I've been following along on your hiatus journey and am so impressed with your self discipline. Yay!

Wendy said...

Add me to the list of people begging for the recipe, please!

Amanda said...

well done with the non spending! you look gorgeous in your white dress.
love your blogger's favourites series. :)

iheartkiwi said...

so impressed with your willpower throughout the entire spending hiatus!

i think my favorite part of this whole experience was re-discovering what i already own! i'm so glad i participated. bonus: i'm not feeling the urge to go on a shopping bender. i am actually in the process of cleaning out my closet! it feels really great to donate things i don't absolutely love.

Jane Flanagan said...

I think I'm going to keep going! It's been so good for me in many ways. I'm sure I'll start to break it more often, but I'd rather stay in the hiatus mindframe than out of it for now! Thanks for doing this. It's been so inspirational.

M said...

I would love to join next year's spending hiatus - if there will be one :-) And I absolutely love your white dress :-)

Aron said...

That last table is so great!