About

Hi, I'm Christina. D&OC was created in January 2009 while I was in between jobs, feeling bored and restless and looking for a new hobby. Most importantly though, I was broke (hence the name 'Down and Out') and struggling to find a blog that would recommend reasonably priced goods that I could afford. Instead of continually looking to find a blog that spoke to my budget, I decided to create one.

I'm not a coupon cutter (call me lazy), I'm not an adamant clearance sale shopper, and I have no desire to spend my money on cheap, poorly made products. I am, however, someone that wants to live within my means while supporting independent labels and companies that seek to raise the standards of budget-friendly design. That doesn't mean I don't love the occasional splurge though, because I do!

While D&OC features a lot of things you can buy, it's also a place to gather inspiration from art, photography, and interior design. We may not all agree on what's "affordable" or what's worth spending our money on, but I definitely think we can agree that inspiration and beauty are worth finding, discussing, and appreciating.

I have an art degree but work in the field of research administration. I'm married to a wonderful guy formally known on the blog as "B" and we have two monstrous adorable dogs, Kya and Bella. We recently moved from the cozy college town of Athens, GA to Raleigh, NC. When I'm not working or blogging I love scouring vintage shops, shopping online for handmade goodies, playing with my camera(s), and reading any book I can get my hands on.

I love to hear from readers because without you, this whole blogging thing would be quite boring.  Your comments and feedback mean so much!  Feel free to contact me for submissions, feedback, questions, or just to say "hi."

Find me on instagram / twitter / tumblr