It is very hard to find decent and inexpensive dresses in the stores nowadays. I was looking in Goodwill for a few canning jars and came across these "new to us" dresses...
This bright yellow dress has a red smocked waist and is made by Copper Key. The Bonnie Jean pale green dress is made of linen and has a sheer overlay.
It also comes with this sheer "jacket" with tiny purple flowers sewn on the inside.
A blue and white gingham dress with yellow and white daisies and this red floral Cornelloki (April Cornell) dress might be my favorite!
I love the smocked bodice!
Grace was the most excited about this blue and white sailor dress. She has been watching for one for several years now! This one is made of light corduroy and will be nice in the fall too.
The last dress we found is another Cornelloki. It is made of very thin cotton that has embroidered flower clusters all over it.
There is a slip underneath with ruffled trim.
A few of these dresses will fit Grace for two summers and then on to Emily for a few more. The best part though is that each dress was just $2.99!!
Ok, on to the lemonade! The recipe comes from the Gooseberry Patch "Simple Country Pleasures."
Old-Fashioned Lemonade
4 lemons
3/4 cup sugar
4 cups cold water
Cut lemons into thin slices, remove seeds. Place slices in a large non metal bowl; sprinkle with sugar and let stand 10 minutes. Press lemons with the back of a spoon to extract juice.
I actually got out my potato masher and gave them all a good squeeze. I got way more juice that I usually do just squeezing lemons into a pitcher.
Transfer mixture to a pitcher and add water. Stir and then remove lemons. (I left in a few slices.) Serve over ice.
I hope you all are staying cool on this hot July day!
That looks so refreshing. I can just picture the girls in their new desses, sitting on the back patio, drinking this fine lemonade and fanning their little selves with the church bulletin, declaring, "My but it is hot out today" in their very BEST southern twang.
ReplyDeleteI have quite an imagination don't you think?
Oooh, I'm going to try this, thank you!
ReplyDeleteAnd I'm so sorry about Jack.....)o:
Fantastic idea for squeezing lemons. I'll be sure to pick up a bunch when I go to the grocery store next.
ReplyDeleteThanks for the detail pictures of those dresses! I was wanting to see them. I love the plaid and floral fabric on the smocked dress! Wow! They are all so pretty. All the sheers, and pretty flowers added... I bet the girls will be wearing them constantly. :)
Oh, I was *wanting* to go to Goodwill today myself!
ReplyDeleteWhat a lovely selection you found. I think I like the red dress the best too... but the sailor dress is awfully charming! Do try to get some pictures of them in their dresses. :)
The lemonade looks wonderful too!
I love your selection of dresses! We used to get hand me downs of the April Cornell dresses and they were wonderful - I miss the friend who gave them to us, but that's all part of moving, I guess! I made that recipe for lemonade once - thanks for reminding me how good it is!
ReplyDeleteThe dresses are beautiful perfect for the summer heat. I love the sailor one also too cute!
ReplyDeleteThe lemonade looks wonderful. I have 4 lemons right now so I think I will go and give it a try! Thanks for the recipe!
What beautiful dresses you found. I've been fortunate to be able to find many (well, too many) dresses for munchkin at thrift stores. I'm sure as she gets older it will be more difficult.
ReplyDeleteI love fresh lemonade. I'll have to give this a try next time I pick up some lemons. Yum!
Goodwill is my favorite place to shop! You made some great finds. I love the gingham dress, too. The lemonade sounds delicious. I'll have to try it.
ReplyDeleteHello dear Kelli:-) I'm now back from my trip and playing catch up with everyone! I so enjoyed reading all of your posts that I had missed...how very sad, though, about the baby bird:-( You certainly were very lucky in finding all these beautiful dresses at Goodwill...it's so amazing what people get rid of!! As for the lemonage recipe, I've copied it down...nothing like homemade lemonade:-) xoxo
ReplyDeleteThat sounds so good. (isn't that the neatest book?!)
ReplyDeleteThe dresses are all so pretty- doesn't it feel great to get a good deal like that! I have an April Cornell dress from a thrift shop and I just love it.
The lemonade looks so refreshing!
ReplyDeleteCongratulations on your finds.:)
Great deal on some great dresses. The leomonade sounds good.
ReplyDeleteSusan
Finally!! Someone who loves Goodwill as much as I do! I am always finding Goodwill finds and when I lost weight that is how I made it thru so many wardrobe size changes! Most my kids clothing I buy from there too!! Something about us Texas gals! LOL!! -kriss
ReplyDeleteBeautiful dresses-the sailor one is my favorite too. Have to try the lemonade recipe-sounds really yummy.
ReplyDeleteI love the beautiful detailing on those dresses! A real bargain at $2.99! The lemonade looks delish and refreshing :)
ReplyDeletehugs!
Cute dresses! You will have to post pictures of the girls wearing them.
ReplyDeleteOh I love the dresses. You sure got a good deal!
ReplyDeleteThose dresses are darling and what a bargain!!
ReplyDeleteWhile I was reading your lemonade recipe, my mouth started tingling and it felt like I was eating a lemon. Too funny.
You hit the dress jackpot! Those dresses are all so adorable.
ReplyDeleteWe, too, love homemade lemonade. We still haven't had much rain here and every day is above 90 degrees and VERY humid. I'm looking forward to fall already!
I'd be thrilled with those thrift store dresses. They are all very pretty. The lemonade sounds yummy!
ReplyDeleteYou are an excellent shopper. You really know how to find great stuff inexpensively. Isn't it great when you do that?
ReplyDeleteThanks for the lemonade recipe. I had been wanting to have a recipe for real lemonade.
Julie
The lemonade looks so cool and refreshing! I may have to try it--It would be a healthy switch from the sweet tea we have been drinking.
ReplyDeleteThe dresses are lovely! What good bargains!
The lemonade looks really good! I am going to have to try it. Thanks for the recipe. :-D
ReplyDeleteOh you just have to love Goodwill !
ReplyDeleteThe lemonade looks like the recipe I use, except I use agave nectar in place of sugar.
Kelli,
ReplyDeleteGoodwill can be a fabulous place. When my son was growing faster than a weed, that was the place we shopped. He's 19 now and still shops there occasionally. Thanks for the lemonade recipe. How refreshing on a hot, sultry day.
Paula
They are all so cute. You certainly found quite a bargain.
ReplyDeleteHope you are having a blessed week.
Lyndy
The dresses are great! What wonderful finds!! Mmmmmm.......fresh squeezed lemonade!
ReplyDeleteLovely dresses ~ wonderful price! :o)
ReplyDeleteYour lemonade looks wonderful. We drink a *lot* of lemonade in the summertime.
Those are some great finds!!
ReplyDeleteGirl! You do find the neatest things! I love the dresses and that lemonade looks so delish!
ReplyDeleteI love the pale green dress and the girls dresses are so adorable!
ReplyDeleteI went to a local Salvation Army recently and found two skirts. One doesn't fit (yet). ;-)
Great dresses - and what better prices! I haven't made lemonade yet this year - I think we may do that this week!
ReplyDeleteI especially LOVE that new sailor dress! And what a bargain all those new dresses were!
ReplyDeleteI'll write lemons on my shopping list for tomorrow - I absolutely need to try out that recipe!
I have never made homemade lemonade, but will certainly have to try now, Kelli. The pictures make it look so very yummy. Just perfect for us Texas gals and this summer heat. Now if only I had a front porch to sit on while I drank it.
ReplyDeleteWhat a find on those dresses! I need to check out my Goodwill; I can find virtually no modest dresses for myself and perhaps I need to look there. Thank you for sharing!
Oh, the pitcher and the stemmed glass and the lemon slices make it all look wonderful and refreshing.
ReplyDeleteI LOVE the dresses. Looks like you had a banner day.
I love the Goodwill. I can't remember when the last time I bought a dress retail. I always get mine a thrift stores or make them my self.
ReplyDeleteI love gingham! that dress is right up my alley.
Stay cool!
What a blessing to find such beautiful dresses at such a fabulous price!!! I'd definitely consider them a gift from the Lord!!!!! :)
ReplyDeleteThe lemonade looks mouth-watering!! I LOVE lemon! Between this lemonade and Julieann's yellow cake with lemon icing, I don't know which to make first!!
His,
Mrs. U
I love the dresses! You are very thrifty!
ReplyDeletePotato masher neat idea!
I love the dresses. They are so beautiful and feminine.
ReplyDeleteI had my friend bring me home 4 lemons when she picked up her kids today! The lemonade is wonderful. It reminds me of a lemon shake up from the state fair! Thanks. And the dresses are awesome, too. I love Goodwill as well.
ReplyDeleteThose dresses are gorgeous and such good bargains. April Cornell is such a beautiful line of clothing. My daughter purchased a April Cornell dress to wear to her rehearsal dinner last summer. She was gorgeous in it and it was such a pretty yet modest dress.
ReplyDeleteLove your blog---
*smiles*
Kim
What wonderful dresses you have found! I used to have a business sewing similar dresses....more of a hobby really! So romantic!
ReplyDeleteWhat a find ~ April Cornell dresses ~ and they are so well made too!! I love the sailor dress, I had one when I was a girl, I think it was my favorite!
ReplyDeleteWhat great finds those dresses are. I agree that finding appropriate clothing these days is challenging. I wish there were some other styles available.
ReplyDeleteI wanted to meet you! Julie adores you and I see why now! Congratulations on your award!
ReplyDeleteI am sure it's ok with you if I go and read your blog. So far I am loving it, LOL
What lovely dresses you found - and there's nothing like homemade lemonade on a hot day is there? Not been much call for it here this summer!
ReplyDeleteI LOVE Gooseberry Patch! I have this very same cookbook in my collection, but I haven't tried the Lemonade recipe yet. Hmmm...even though it's cold outside I am thinking a cool glass of lemonade would be so tasty right now.
ReplyDeleteI love the dresses, you got some really pretty ones there.