Great Deals!

I am a big fan of Groupon. It is a website that sends out a daily deal for things near where you live. Recent group-ons that I took advantage of include:

• $25 for $50 at a local greenhouse
• $75 for a family photo shoot, including 1 hour of photography and 20 images on CD with printing rights!!
• $20 for $40 at a local trendy restaurant for brunch
• $10 for 3 games of laser tag

Groupons only come weekdays and are only good if enough people commit to buy. They often have deals for spas, golf outings, and eating out (everything from gourmet restaurants to ice cream parlors!) They cover many areas of the country, and are expanding all over. If you haven't tried it, I recommend it! Here is a link to join up (full disclosure - I get $10 of groupon bucks if you sign up through my link!):

http://www.groupon.com/r/uu404290

Getting great deals on stuff I want - that's what works for me! For more works for me ideas, visit We Are That Family!

Give the Girl the Right Shoes, and She can Conquer the World!

That quote is attributed to Bette Midler, and I live by it. I kinda have a shoe thing. In fact, it has gotten so nuts that I am now collecting artwork of shoes. Oh yeah. DH has allowed me to hang them in my shoe closet. I think he doesn't want to think about the fact that I own them (or the shoes either).

My current pair of shoes are these beauties. Aren't they amazing? They were HAND-PAINTED for ME! I found a cool shop on Etsy where she paints on all kinds of things - including shoes. They are reasonably priced too. She will custom make them for you in whatever size. I cannot tell you how many compliments I have received on these.

Modern and Funky (and even functional!)

I am in the process of working on the new bedroom for the girls. We are moving them from their cramped bedroom to our old bedroom which is nearly 2x the size and has 2 closets. So, in working on planning ideas, I have been watching Craigslist to see if I can find any cheap desks or finds for their new room (much more to come on the room soon!). I have used Craigslist successfully two times in the last 8 months - first to buy this great piece, and then to sell concert tickets a week ago. It really is great. Anyway.

While I was there I saw an ad for a Frank Ghery chair. Frank Ghery is an architect who is known for modern, funky buildings including this cool hotel, and the cool Disney Concert Hall in LA.


Anyway, someone on Craigslist was selling a Ghery chair for $100. I checked and the cheapest I could find it was $790 online. hmm.. Now I do not need this chair. At all. I wasn't even looking for an outdoor chair. But man, it is cool looking.

So last night I finally went to see it. and LOVED it. So..here it is in my yard. Probably not its final home, but at least its there. Cool, huh?

Budget Fashion

I have spoken before about my love for Goodwill and consignment shopping. Well, over at Balancing Beauty and Bedlam, they proposed a challenge to show your stuff. So here we go. This is a $10.99 dress from Goodwill, and some $14.75 shoes from Loemann's clearance. Gotta love it!

The Budget Fashionista shows off more of her finds, here! Check it out!

I've Got a Crush On You

I admit it...I love Michelle Obama. Really, I do. I really can't understand why she is not my best friend!

Seriously though, I am obsessed with her fashion sense. With the exception of her inaugural night dress (which i HATED) - I love everything she wears. I also love her arms and am working to get something like them (in my dreams). Since she has become First Lady, I now own probably 6 cardigans in various colors and sleeve length. I also own the dress she wore on the cover of Essence. I covet all her cool brooches and pins, and have tried to wear more stuff like that on a regular basis. I also just bought the book Michelle Style, with pictures and descriptions of her iconic looks. I regularly read http://www.mrs-o.org/.

I love everything she stands for and supports too, but this is just focusing on the clothes. I have yet to see her in person here in DC..but I have high hopes. Just call me a lazy stalker.

Good Vibrations

What is it about certain items of clothes that make you feel powerful? I have a couple items that I just love, and when I wear them, I feel I could do anything. Currently, it is my bright red short trench coat from H&M. I bought it at 50% off for $30. Even my kids love it.
Same goes for my black wrap dress. It fits great and I feel like a million bucks in it (I think it was $25 from overstock.com). I have a few pairs of shoes that do it too - especially a few pairs of very high heels.

How is it that clothes can give you that feeling more than anything else?

More Bargain Shopping

Since I have been losing weight, my clothes have stopped fitting. Not a bad problem to have - except I don't want to spend a lot of money on the step down clothes, so until I figure out where I am going to stay, I want to wait to buy clothes. So what to do? I have had lots of luck at Marshalls, TJ Maxx and Ross. But my best deals have been at Goodwill. yes! Goodwill!

I have found 3 suits so far at Goodwill - two for $10 each and one for $5!! And I have gotten great compliments on them from people at work. These are nice suits (one Anne Taylor, one Calvin Klein, other I can't remember). I have spent more to dry clean these suits than it cost to purchase them!!!

I have learned you may have to go to a few Goodwills to find the "good" ones - and it is still very hit or miss. But for those types of bargains it is definitely worth giving it a shot, I think!

Shoe Fetish

I love shoes. Really I do. I think part of the reason is that regardless of how my diet is going - my shoes always fit. Recently I have had some luck finding some really cute cheap shoes. This pair I got for $17 in the clearance rack at DSW. I had gone in trying to find purple shoes, as I have recently found myself wearing a lot of purple (I have no idea why). Anyway, I first found a few pairs that were patent leather kind of burgundy. They would work, but not exactly what I wanted. I was carrying them around and after 30 minutes, decided to try the discount rack in the back. And there they were - really cute shoes with several shades of purple, black, and a nice heel. And they fit! Woo hoo! Here they are:


I get more compliments on these shoes. Seriously - every time I wear them 3-5 people tell me how much they love them. I love a bargain that makes a statement!

Valentine Day Gift Ideas

So if you are looking for something to get your wife/girlfriend/partner for Valentine's day - I have the perfect thing. I don't know if any husbands (other than my DH) read this blog, but here we are. I already have this, so DH is off the hook. But ladies - buying it for yourself works too!

Mommy Tags (well that is what I call them)- these are great necklaces with the names of your kids on them. Love mine, wear it alot, and very reasonably priced. Hop on over to Lisa Leonard. http://lisaleonardonline.com/


Another great one are these - I LOVE these. They are really cute necklaces, and my girls love em. Got them new ones for Valentine's day. Also got them for many little girls I know - so if I know you IRL, check with me before you buy! These are DIRT CHEAP too, and so CUTE! visit the girlie shop at http://fourgirlieshop.blogspot.com/

That's what I got for now!

Yes Dear, Welcome to the 21st Century

So I finally have used Craig's List. I am a HUGE freecycle fan, but have never used Craig's list before. I have looked at it, but never participated.

Well, last night I bit the bullet and bought something. Last year when we did our addition, we added this big open window between our kitchen and great room. I love it, but the problem is we used to have a large pot rack hanging on the wall that now has the window. So for the last year all of our pots and pans have just been hanging out on our countertops. And it drives me CRAZY!!!! After all the cooking/baking I have been doing in the last 2 weeks, I had had it! So I went on Craig's list and started looking at buffets. Actually I started with Crate and Barrel and Pottery Barn, but wasn't prepared to spend $1500 to get what I wanted. Yesterday on Craig's list someone was selling this:

Actually they were selling it along with a dining set, that I do not need/want. So I emailed the guy and asked if he would sell just the buffet. He said yes, for $100. $100!!!!! It is not the right color wood for my dining room (which is all dark wood), but for $100 I couldn't turn it down.

I went to get it last night. This sucker weighed a ton! The guy helped me carry it out, but I seriously thought I was stretching my arms from the weight. I called DH on the way home and told him I could NOT help get it in the house. Luckily our neighbors were still up.

It works great. Holds my pots and pans perfectly with extra space. I am so happy. I wish it was darker wood - but love the pattern. Would I lose that if I stained it? Or would the lighter parts stay lighter? Any suggestions? I guess I could also tape off the different squares. Hmm..

Anyway, I have finally joined the rest of the universe and embraced Craig's list. Great first experience.

Still Alive

So I caught a horrible cold on the trip back from MA from Thanksgiving. We had a great Thanksgiving visit with my Dad. Dad and DH played bridge a few times at the National Bridge Tournament that just happened to be in Boston while we were there. We went to see Plymouth Rock and Mayflower II after K went on and on about the story of the first Thanksgiving and the Pilgrims coming over to Plymouth Rock. So we were actually educational. I joined the crazy mobs on Black Friday morning. I hadn't planned to, but couldn't sleep all night and found myself wide awake at 5am, so I figured - what the heck. I am now done Christmas shopping for the kids. Oh yeah!

I have pretty much been a slouch since Sunday. I went to work on Monday, stayed in bed all day yesterday, and am back at work today. I feel like I am on the mend, but will be much happier when I am well.

On the plus side, this is helping with my weight loss. I started the carb-deplete cycle of my diet plan again this week, and being sick I am not even hungry!

Grocery Shopping Fun

Grocery shopping with the kids almost always means "the cookie store" aka Harris Teeter. My kids will do anything for one of the free cookies they give away so we nearly always go there. But this week a Giant near our house got the "scan it" program. Has anyone else tried this? Its fun!

Basically when you go in the store you scan your "bonus card" and they give you a scanning gun. Then you scan your groceries as you put them directly in your grocery bags in your cart. Then we you checkout you just hand the scanner to the clerk - and don't even unload your groceries. You can then give coupons or whatever and you are done. So COOL! It was fun and efficient.

Apparently people will be randomly selected to check their individual grocery bags - but every once in a while that wouldn't be bad. I loved doing it, and I think it was faster.

I recommend you check it out!!

Shoes, shoes, glorious shoes

I LOVE shoes. Really. I think shoes can totally make an outfit. Some of my favorite shoes are bright colors that I usually have no more than one outfit they work with. Currently I adore my teal sling back pumps. Coolest thing is that I had an hour to kill on the way to give a presentation. I ran into a DSW looking for teal pumps. And there they were - in my size! LOVE THEM! I also adore my suede faux-crocodile pink pumps. Currently I have nothing to wear them with, but I love them just the same. I also love my shiny merlot patent-leather pumps that kill my feet. They look so awesome...I just need to be sitting down.

When we were building our addition last year, one of my criteria was that I never wanted to want for closets again. So, our bedroom looks like a cross. It started as a square, but all four corners are used. One is our awesome master bathroom with huge shower. The other three are closets!!! And two are mine. Here is my favorite thing in my big closet - my shoe shelf. Not all my shoes are in there yet, but I LOVE it. I feel like I am in a shoe store when I go in there in the morning to pick out my shoes for the day.

My favorite place to buy shoes - Endless.com. Great shoes, good deals, and free overnight shipping. Free returns too. Couldn't recommend more.

I LOVE Free Shipping

I do a lot of Internet shopping. I never have time to get to an actual mall or store so the Internet is my savior. With all that shopping, shipping can get expensive. Ahhh...the joys of Amazon Prime. I LOVE it. I pay $79 a year, and get FREE TWO-DAY shipping on LOTS of stuff. Amazon groceries, books, cds, movies, etc etc etc! I use it for EVERYTHING. And if I need it asap, $3.99 for overnight shipping. It has bailed me out so many times when I am late with a birthday or other gift - boom $3.99 it is there. I just love it! It's what works for me!

Is this cool or what?

So I was in the drugstore picking up Orajel a few nights ago (poor Big Man is getting his molars), and saw this product. Oh my gosh - what genius! It is a nail polish brush/pen. You open it give it a few pushes, and nail polish comes out on the end of the brush, and you just apply. I tried it last night and it was AWESOME! So easy to use, and dried likity split. I used a very light color, and it came out fine. Not sure how it would work with a darker color, but this thing is great!

It just makes me smile

Do you have an item of clothes or jewelry that every time you put it on, it makes you smile? There are some clothes I wear, that I just LOVE.


For example, my zebra print short trenchcoat. LOVE IT! Seriously. Every time I put it on, it makes me happy. Same with my pink suede fake-crocodile shoes. I mean, why on earth does one need pink suede fake-croc shoes??!! Because I love them, and they make me happy. I also have these bead rings that I love. When I wear them, they make me giggle.


I am sure that Oprah or the like would tell me I should only buy/wear clothes that make me feel like that. And that would be great. But thus far I can't say I can do that. But I do have some pieces that work. What do you wear that makes you happy?

Can't judge a book...

So I've had this personal little boycott of JC Penney going on for about the last 5 years. Why? I HATE their commercials. Over the last 5 years the majority of their commercials have revolved around the woman who needs to shop and the incompetent man at home who either can't take care of the house or can't take care of the kids without the woman. Really annoying, so I decided I just wouldn't shop there.

Fast forward to our house addition and ALL THOSE WINDOWS! I needed to get drapes and was having a very hard time finding ones that weren't $200/panel. I found these that I loved at JC Penney.com. I had a coupon, so I decided to end my personal boycott. Since then I couldn't be more pleased with my experiences. Although my drapes were on back order, they were very good at keeping me updated about when they would be coming. They arrived and were gorgeous. Then on black Friday I went there to buy my curtain rods for the same drapes. They had great ones on sale, I opened a credit card and got another 10% off, and the lovely saleswoman offered to group all my rods into bunches of $75 so I could use the stores $15 off $75 multiple times! I ended up getting them all for about 1/2 price! I was so psyched. About a week later I get a sweet note from the saleswoman thanking me for working with her - despite the fact that she knew I lived 400 miles away and wouldn't be back anytime soon!

A few days later I went to hang the drapes on the new rods, and I realized they had only sent me 14 when I ordered 16. I figured I was sunk since I they had been delivered about a month ago. But I called and they didn't question a thing. Refunded payment on the two that never arrived, and said they would charge it again when they shipped out the two.

I couldn't have asked for better customer service. I guess you never know!

Flowers for Those of Us with Purple Thumbs

So I love gardens, fresh cut flowers, the whole bit. But I am not a huge fan of gardening. I like planting stuff, but I HATE weeding. Hate it a lot. So I rarely do it. I will usually plant a bunch of stuff (bulbs in fall and some flowers in spring/summer), but I rarely weed. Now I have found an even easier way to plant, and I am so excited. Dutch Gardens catalog (and website) has biodegradable bulb trays. These are trays that come pre-loaded with bulbs of your choosing, and you just dig a big whole and put the whole shebang in there, cover it with dirt and water. They even have special ones made for big flower pots. This is so freaking brilliant. I cannot wait to try this. I haven't ordered them yet, because they are about to start landscaping my yard, so I'm afraid they would pull them up if I started, but I LOVE these. Actually I think I will buy one or two of the ones for pots and plant those. Then I can see if they work. Will keep you posted - I am so excited to try! I still doubt I'll weed, but I will probably plant lots more bulbs!

The JOYS of Internet Shopping

I LOVE Internet shopping. OK, I love shopping altogether. But Internet shopping makes it so easy for this busy mom (much to the chagrin of my busy husband). Here are a few site that I have been having fun with recently:

• ETSY - a cool site that sells all things homemade. Cute clothes, art, jewelry. Great search devices too!
• Piperlime - The new GAP shoe store. How can you not love these cute shoes??
• 1154 Lill Studio - These totally custom handbags are so cool. Haven't got one yet, but really want to!
• Knock Knock - cool office supplies
• DealTaker - Of course I check Deal Taker every day for the good buys out there!

What are your favorite shopping sites?