And Then She Lost Track

Ok, so prom was almost two months ago, and I never finished blogging about the $50 Prom Project. Suffice it to say that after more hours than any reasonably talented person should have to put into their work, it happened.
I made the dress.
I stayed in budget.
I looked amazing.
Here's a picture of me in the dress that was not taken at prom, because no one took pictures of me at prom, because it wasn't my prom.

Aren't I beautiful?
Of course I am.
My best friend was even pleasantly surprised that I didn't look as skanky as she thought I would since there was a corset involved. Everyone is very proud.

Using the Brushing Method

So, I went to WalMart not too long ago and bought a dog brush (Twitter followers know that I also bought 3,000 yards of string that same day). The thing is, I don't have a dog. In fact, I both fear and hate canines. So, why did I buy a dog brush?
Fuzzy stuff.
That's why.
See, I hate fun fur. It's like... evil. Real evil, not the fake evil that people joke about. This stuff is the real McCoy. I hate it. I tried to experiment with it last year, and now I curse its name to the fiery depths.
For the uninitiated (I don't know how you found this blog. Go away.)The idea is to make pretty fun fuzzy yarn creations. Let's be clear though.
This is what fun fur looks like to normal people:

This is what it looks like me:

Now, about three days after I bought, used, cursed, and hid my fun fur, I discovered another way to make fuzzy dolls. See, the technique is simple:
Step One: crochet your junk
Step Two: brush it furiously with a fully bristled dog comb.

The result? Beautifully bristled and fuzzy soot sprites from My Neighbor Totoro:

See that? SEE IT? IT'S BEAUTIFUL!!! (And no one had to go to therapy over it!)

And Then She Panicked

I didn't even spend that much money.
Really.
Almost none at all.
So why am I FREAKING OUT?
No reason.
Except...
Well...
I'm almost out of money.

This happened:
I checked, double checked, and triple checked the notions I needed according to the skirt pattern I'm using.
(This one, for those who care)
 

I needed a 1/2 in. ribbon, a zipper, a hook, and an eye.
I got the zipper and the ribbon from the craft store I work at, and I used my coupons (I've been collecting and I almost have enough to make a hamster nest so, yay).
Then I did something I don't ever recommend you do.
Ever.
I looked into my money envelope and I saw the single bill I have left in there.
Guys, the money?
It is tight.

Money Spent: $3.19
Money Left: $20.00
Coupons Used: 3

And Then She Felt Thwarted

You know that moment when you realize that your favorite fabric store has a coupon for 50% off any regular priced fabric item? It's a good feeling isn't it? Actually, seeing as that's pretty much the best deal this store is going to have ever, it's a pretty freakishly awesome feeling.
So naturally, I was really excited (especially because I'm doing so horribly with this whole sticking-to-the-budget thing). I mean, my coupon count is at one. One! My mother would be ashamed if she knew.
She's not going to know though because absolutely none of you are ever to speak of this anywhere but the comments section.
Understood?
Good.
Back to my story:
So I printed off my coupon (which is way more trouble than you will ever know, because the Hancock's sales ad refuses to be printed properly). I drove to the store (and by "I drove" I mean "my dad drove me" because SATAN DOLL HAS NOT RETURNED MY BILLFOLD). I walked inside, ignored several sales ads, and headed straight for the lining material. That was all I was buying today. Lining material.
Except guess what?
Those sales ads I ignored?
They were important.
Lining material was on sale.
Meaning it wasn't regular priced.
Meaning my coupon wouldn't work.
I mean, sure, it was 50% off, but still!
I felt betrayed.
Violated.
My personal liberties had been taken from me.
It was awful.
Also, now my coupon count looks exactly like it did last time.
Hate it.
 (Also, I bought 3 yards of the stuff. That way, I have enough for my skirt and my corset)

So here's the latest:
Money Spent: $5.26
Money Left: $23.19
Coupon Count: 1 

And Then She Began to Doubt Herself

So, I got an email from Joann's Fabric Store stating that I could take an additional 15% off of a sale-priced item. I was pretty sure this was perfect because the fabric I absolutely had to have for my skirt was already 40% off. That meant I was getting it for 55% off. I could not pass this up. I absolutely had to have this fabric. It was too perfect. It was everything I could ever want from material ever.
It was also really expensive.
I don't know how much you know about fabric, but Brocade tends to be one of the pricier ones. Regular price, this stuff runs about $9.99 a yard for the cheap stuff. I needed two yards and I needed to operate on a budget with this fabric.
Not convinced?
Look at this beautiful swatch I found on the Internet, because I don't have a camera right now:




I bought two yards of this for my skirt, and I love it.
Love. It.
We are getting married.
Invitations to follow.
(If you would like to buy your own fabric click here).


I am going to caution you though, don't bother with those wimpy 15% off sale-priced item coupons. Go for the gold and hold out until you get at least a 20% and if you can manage it get a 25%.I got one a week after I paid for my brocade, but I'm not letting it bother me because maybe the fabric wouldn't have been on sale by the time I got a decent coupon. This is almost a mantra by now...
Money Spent: $10.89

Money Left: $28.45
Coupons Used: 1

And Then There Was Less Money

So the theme for my friend's prom is 1700's. I don't know how the committee is spinning this, but I know how I'm spinning it...

My dress will be a combination of two things that I'm obsessed with:
1) Disney
2) Steampunk

Do you know what the best part is? My date likes the Steampunk idea so much she wants in. She was at the fabric store with her mom the other day looking for ideas (she's a total Otaku, so I'm sure there will be a little Oriental vibe thrown in for good measure).

Guess who else was at the fabric store recently?
If you guessed "That author of this blog" then congratulations you've done better than any contestant ever on What the Hell is That Supposed to Be? If you didn't, you're in good company.

Of course, you might actually have been in good company since the fabric section of Walmart doesn't necessarily mean I was in a fabric store. So why was I there? Why to get a pattern for my dress of course!
My dress comes in three parts:
1) Top
2) Bottom
3) Middle

 I basically just blew $10.66 on the middle.

I'm a little embarrassed to say that it wasn't even on the supplies to make the middle. It was just the pattern... (But Walmart had it for the cheapest and I needed it!!!)
Not convinced?
Feast your eyes!

So, I'm going to do a final tally and then leave you:
Money Spent: $10.66
Money Left: $39.34
Coupons Used: 0
I am so hopeless...

$50 Prom Challenge

I was going to make this a video series and put it on YouTube, so that my channel would have more than one video, but then I realized that out digital camera had no battery, Santa had failed to bring me a camcorder, and that filming on various Apple products belonging to my father is both difficult and obnoxious. Instead I'm just going to write about it, and hope that you find it just as entertaining (not likely...).
Two things led to the Challenge:
1) One of my best friends (and former prom date) asked me to prom.
2) I got $50 from my great grandmother for Christmas.

These things combined together and challenged me to see if I could attend prom for much less money than I managed my senior year of high school. I guess at this point I have to admit how much my parents spent on my prom:
There was the dress: $100 (This was back when JCPenny's still took coupons mind you)
Alterations for dress: $30 (The thing was made for eight foot ogre women.)
The shoes: $50
The fake nails: $5 (I have ugly crafter's nails)
The limo: $720 (None of us could drive past 10:30. True story)
Did I mention the intense emotional agony brought on by spending three months dress shopping with my mother??? Because that? Priceless.

All in all though I spent $905 dollars on prom (that I can remember, I feel like there's something I've forgotten. Probably therapy bills). This year though I am resolved to be a financially responsible and thrifty human being (which resembles an adult, but comes with cute shoes and a kick butt awesome prom dress). This means that I have to manage my finances carefully and the best way to do that is to actually use my money (unlike two years ago when my parents payed my prom tab).

A lot of these expenses are really easy to eliminate, because not only do my date and I possess actual driver's licenses, but also because I know things now (many valuable things, that I hadn't known before! Into the Woods? Anybody? No? Cool. You stink).
First let's talk about expenses I am getting rid of:
The limo (Date is driving. It's Her prom after all).
Fake nails (I spent the entire night unable to tie knots, and besides the glue ruined my actual nails for weeks).
Alterations on the dress (More on that in a second).

So what does that leave me with?
Shoes and a dress.
Although technically I could just wear my old prom shoes. They're only a little scuffed and unlike last time they're broken in. Unfortunately they also lack grip and the metal spike in the back of my right heel kinda sticks out the bottom. I did mention they were broken in right?

Right now though, I want to talk about the dress. A hundred dollars for something I wore once? (And hated. We might as well clear that up now). That is not happening. So here's the Challenge:
Spend $50 on the dress and make it something you will wear at least three times this year.

How am I going to accomplish that?
I'm not going to buy my dress.
That's right, I'm going to use my Christmas money to make a prom dress that will actually look good and function properly (Also, it will have sleeves. I am not dancing around with my elbows glued to my sides like a handicapped monkey. Not this time).
 
Now how am I going to keep it at $50 or less?
Coupons.
Lots and lots of coupons.
For example: Hobby Lobby, Michael's, JoAnn's, and Hancock's Fabrics all make  point of circulating 40% off  regular priced item coupons (Available in Sunday paper ads, websites, apps, you name it). Roughly once a month several of these companies even release 50% off coupons. In addition to that, joining their mailing list can gain you access to coupons ranging anywhere from 15%-25% off entire purchases including sale items.
I plan to take advantage of all of these things and maybe even make it out of this with a little pocket change left over.

This post got really long, really quick (Just kidding, it took me an hour to organize all these thoughts), so I'm going to stop here and the next time you hear from me I will have either spent money or made a doll (or found my billfold. I will totally tell you if Satan Doll surrenders).