A Visit from Shannon Vannatter and GIVEAWAY!

I’ve loved clothes and shoes for as long as I can remember. As a child, I paid close attention to what women wore and dreamed of how I would dress when I grew up. But I’m very thrifty.

I used to say if I had the money and somewhere to go, I’d dress like a modest Dolly Parton. Over the years, I decided it doesn’t take that much money and I do have somewhere to go—church. 

Over the years, I’ve accumulated a large wardrobe, but most items I found on sale, Goodwill, or consignment stores. I rarely pay full price and usually only when I have a gift card, so it’s not my money I’m spending.

I consistently wear lace skirts, blingly jewelry, and organza blouses to church. And shoes. I have heels to match most of my outfits. My theory—why just have white and black when you can have red, yellow, pink, aqua, orange, and peach.

When my husband answered the call to preach, my style of dress didn’t change. I’m probably the only preacher’s wife who wears high-heeled leopard skin boots to church, but I gotta be me. Besides, the ladies from the church bought them for me. In a round about way.

Several years ago, the church ladies learned that Catos is my favorite store. Every year since, they’ve gotten me a Catos gift card for Christmas. Even with the gift card, I usually shop off the clearance rack. Unless I find something I really, really like.

Most of my shoes come from Payless Shoe Source and Catos, usually off the clearance rack. My jewelry comes from $1 Jewelry Galore and a local store, Linda’s collectibles. Most of Linda’s jewelry is from $1.25 to $2.50.

I did get out of control once. Y’all probably think I still am, but I’m really not. Before I got published, a speaker at writer’s conference encourage us to reward ourselves when something good happens with our writing. When I got my first writing contract, I rewarded myself with a pair of shoes. Then after I got through my first round of edits, when my first book released, second, and so on.

Six books later, I had shoes running out my ears. I stopped, but went through the same cycle with jewelry. Same result. Anymore, when I need a reward, I eat a ice cream sundae. I only buy shoes or jewelry if I get a new outfit and don’t have that color. Or if an old pair of shoes wears out. When I have a dress or shoes I no longer want, I donate them to our local Rotary club. Every year, they gather clothing for kids who can’t afford to go to prom.

Yes, I have thousands of dollars in clothes, shoes, and jewelry. But if I’d paid full price for the lot of it, it would be tens of thousands. When someone compliments me on my aqua pumps, it’s the highlight of my day when I get to tell them I only paid $7.00 for them.

I’ve included pictures of a few of my favorite finds.

The thistle organza blouse came from Catos after Christmas clearance several years ago. It’s my favorite color and I only paid $10.00. It was originally marked $39.95. The off white lace skirt was $12.00 at a consignment store and I got a black one too. They still had the tags on them—$ 65.00 each.

I paid full price for the bronze shimmery sweater. But at Catos, full price is only $27.95 and I used the gift card the wonderful ladies from church got me this year. The leopard boots were another Cato’s find the ladies bought me. They were originally $39.95. I got them on clearance for $19.95.

I used the Christmas money my parents gave me a few years ago to buy the shoe organizers. I stacked three of them to hold my collection in our walk-in closet. My husband got me the jewelry armoire for Christmas one year. When my necklaces outgrew it, he found me a spinning tie rack at a flea market.

So lets hear from you. Answer any question below for a chance to win a print copy of my latest release, Rodeo Family:

Are you a bargain shopper?

Do you have a favorite store?

Do you have any ideas to share for organizing jewelry or shoes?

TORI EATON IS READY TO START OVER 

She's beginning a new chapter in Aubrey, Texas, away from her abusive ex-boyfriend. As she picks up the pieces of her broken life, Tori's surprised at the helping hand the church's new song director, Brant McConnell, offers her, and at the warm emotions he inspires.

Brant is drawn to Tori. And as their friendship grows, so do his feelings for her. But Tori is still hounded by her past, and the walls she's built around her heart are high. Can he convince the wounded beauty that he's exactly the kind of man she needs—and deserves?

Central Arkansas author, Shannon Taylor Vannatter is a stay-at-home mom/pastor’s wife. She lives in a town with a population of around 100, if you count a few cows. Vannatter won the Inspirational Readers Choice Award in the short contemporary category, The 18^th Annual Heartsong Awards 3rd Favorite New Author and #1 Contemporary Award.

Her ten titles are with Heartsong Presents and she’s contracted for five more. Her books are available at christianbook.com, barnesandnoble.com, amazon.com, harlequin.com, and barbourbooks.com. Learn more about Shannon and her books at http://shannonvannatter.com and check out her real life romance blog at http://shannonvannatter.com/blog/.

Connect with her on Facebook: http://facebook.com/shannontaylorvannatter, Goodreads: https://www.goodreads.com/user/show/29672798-shannon-vannatter, Pinterest: http://www.pinterest.com/stvannatter/, and Twitter: @stvauthor.