I first spotted these candles in Rachel Ray’s magazine a month or so ago and thought they would be so much fun for a birthday party or New Year’s Eve.
I am terrified of fireworks, but love sparklers! Who wouldn’t want to celebrate 30 or any other age with these swanky candles on top of your cake?
Two of my favorite blogs are devoted to Anthropologie: Anthroholic and Effortless Anthropologie. And let me tell you, these gals know their stuff! They offer reviews, gorgeous pictures, sale alerts, and styling options. I went shopping at Anthropologie the other day and have to say that I was surprised at how impressed I was - especially at this time of year. Of course, everything I fell in love with was regular priced even though they were offering 25% off all sale items. Here a few things I tried on (some even made it home with me!).
Easy-Peasy Blazer, $98.00 (feels like a sweatshirt and fits great!)
Je Ne Sais Scarf Tee, $58.00 (available in several colors)
Flower Vendor Top, $78.00
Soft-Structured Dress, $148.00
Garden Garnish Kimono Top, $168.00
Geometry in Motion Skirt, $78.00
I was reading an article online today about organizing yourself for the new year. Their advice was to Sort, Toss/Recycle/Donate, and make a maintenance schedule. Not a bad idea to schedule, but somehow I never get around to those….
I don’t have too much on my agenda for tomorrow, so I thought that it might be a good idea to get my closets organized before heading back to work. I did the linen closet and laundry room today and will move on to the kids’ closets and (hopefully mine) tomorrow. Jack is outgrowing his clothes daily and I need to decide what I want to keep, donate, or toss. I was at Ikea yesterday and found some great organizing tools that I think I need to incorporate…
Hanger for scarves, ties, necklaces, belts…
Sorry I have been MIA lately. I have been busy buying last minute gifts, attending wonderful holiday parties, catching up with friends while I am on break from work, and enjoying sleeping in! I hope you all have a wonderful holiday and I will be back in the swing of things soon!
card from Tiny Prints
Lately, I have been drinking lots of smoothies. They fill me up in the morning and after drinking one, make me feel a whole lot better about myself than my standard diet coke does! We are usually racing around in the mornings and sometimes I have to do without due to the time crunch. When I was shopping at the grocery store a few weeks ago, I spotted this in the freezer section:
Want to surprise your kids by capturing a picture of Santa in your home? Capture the Magic allows you to do so by uploading a photo of your home to their website and dragging a picture of Santa into your picture.
Here is a picture of Santa in our den ready to unload all of the toys.
There are hundreds of different Santa images to choose from and you can adjust the size and contrast once he is in the photo. I did this whole thing in about two minutes.
To create your own picture, just click here and follow these three easy steps:
For $9.95, you get three photos credits that do not expire. It might be fun to add this to your family traditions. Leave the camera out before going to bed on Christmas Eve and tell your kids that you have set a motion detector on it. Then you can all be amazed when the picture is opened Christmas morning!
Even though I wrote a post last week about teacher gifts, up until today I did not have mine purchased. Unfortunately, I was hit this week with a terrible bug that kept me in bed for most of the week. I didn’t even turn my computer on for two days and haven’t checked Facebook even longer than that!!
Since my house is a wreck, my body is still recovering, and I temporarily misplaced my wallet (it was found tonight at HEB!), I resorted to the standard gift card. And, contrary to my earlier post, I did not have a clever gift to go along with it.
Fortunately, the ever so crafty girls at One Charming Party posted this quick and clever snow globe idea. I would post pictures of mine, but I can guarantee theirs look much better and I am still waiting for the glue to dry.
For the full tutorial, click here.
This is one of the coolest things I have ever seen for kids. Santa sends your child an email containing a personal message. Not only does Santa speak your kid’s name, he also gives information about your child such as eye color, hair color, and city and state where you live. One of my friends introduced this to me last year and Charlie was even more excited to see it again this year.
The way it works is simple. Click Portable North Pole for the link. Fill in a short questionnaire about your child. Then, wait for the magic to appear in your inbox.
I have hyperlinked the picture with the message that I created for Charlie so that you can preview it before you do it for your child.
If the link doesn’t work, click here.
Every morning when I check my email, I am always excited to see what deals of the day can be found from certain online discount services that I subscribe to. I have been wanting to share these with you for awhile. The other day, when I was checking one of my favorite blogs, Pepper Design Blog, I saw that they must have had the same idea! Below are the discount resources that I frequent with the addition of one from Morgan. Also at the end of the post, you will find valuable shopping tips from Pepper Design Blog via The Knot.
Groupon is a great program where local businesses offer a HUGE discount each day for subscribers. You may find yourself saving 90% on spa services, or 50% at a restaurant or favorite clothing store (like Nordstrom Rack!!)
Gilt selects a new group of designers daily with crazy discounts off of clothing, shoes and even vacations.
One Kings Lane offers designer home decor and other gifts at a steal of a price.
Ruelala is similar to Gilt it’s a clothing, shoe & home decor online boutique with big discounts.
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A few additional money-saving tips from The Knot:
Give the Gift of…You Instead of scouring the (sale) rack for something your sister won’t hate, give friends and family members a coupon good for your time or skills. Maybe your sister and her husband get free babysitting, and your mother-in-law gets lunch (which she’ll probably relish a lot more than another scarf). If you’re an accountant, offer to do your parent’s taxes for free this year. You get the idea….
Time Yourself Newsflash: The longer you linger in a store, the more moola you’ll probably spend. To avoid impulse purchases, set a time limit before you hit up the mall to hunt for gifts.
Score Free Shipping Streamline the gift-giving process this year by shopping online. Most retailers will wrap and ship your presents for you, and they often offer free shipping during the holidays (find a list at FreeShipping.org).
Never Pay Retail Before you start your holiday shopping, check RetailMeNot.com or MyBargainBuddy.com (there are so many out there) to find promotions and deals for a wide variety of retailers, ranging from Best Buy and Pottery Barn to Gap. Found the perfect gift but it’s a little out of your price range? Register it at ShoppingNotes.com, and they’ll email you when it goes on sale. (When shopping online, always be sure to Google for a coupon code! Free shipping or 20% off is just a click away.)
Scan a Deal Too busy (or lazy) to comparison shop? Download the ShopSavvy or RedLaser app, and you can scan an item’s bar code to see what it costs at other stores and online. If you find a lower price, just ask the manager at your current locale to match it.
Finally, one of my own favorite secrets: Amazon and Google Shopping generally offer the best deals (or compare stores for you) so don’t forget to search both of those sites with your gift idea before purchasing!
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Thanks Morgan for sharing this with us! I am sure our wallets (and husbands) will thank you!
It is so hard to decide what to get your kid’s teacher each year. In the past, I have given a personalized mug, a bag, cosmetic case, etc. This year, I would like to try and think out of the box. Here are a few suggestions to help you get started.
1. A photo album (with pictures/drawings from the class)
2. Vintage silverware herb markers with culinary herb seeds
4. Crayon Vase filled with Flowers
Not digging the flowers, but this was the only image I could find! I think bright colored flowers would be more suitable. {source}
5. Cookie Dessert Bar for Teachers
6. Gift Card with Coordinating Treat
(other ideas include pedicure with bottle of nail polish, or tickets to a movie with a box of popcorn)
7. Tervis Tumbler filled with candy
8. Books for the Classroom Library
Check this book out…it really is AWESOME!
9. Teacher Supplies
10. Food!! (Along with the recipe)
Look who finally made it to our house tonight!!
We L-O-V-E LOVE the Elf on the Shelf at our house. Not only is the elf darling, but the book that comes along with it is pretty cute too! The elf “flies” off to the North Pole every night to report to Santa whether your child has been naughty or nice, The next day he appears in a different spot. Charlie enjoys looking for him each morning to see where he has landed.
The book asks the child to name their elf. Our creative genius Charlie aptly named his “Elf on the Shelf” when he was two. Each year I think that he will get a new name, but it has yet to happen. What are your elf names?
I have been a fan of Paper & Cake for awhile and yesterday while having some fun browsing Etsy during lunch, found the cutest holiday photo booth accessories. Photo booths are becoming increasing popular. Not only are they a great way to break the ice at any party, they also add some fun to your party pics! While Etsy offers props that are already assembled, these from Paper & Cake come in a downloadable file, hence giving you more for less (less money that is!) They would be a hit at either a kid’s party or an adult party.
For $9.95, the set includes a Santa hat and beard, Mrs. Claus spectacles, mustaches, lips, reindeer antlers, Rudolph’s nose, and banner. What a deal! Click here to purchase.
The perfect accessory to your holiday dress is a killer holiday clutch. Here are a few options for your parties this season.
Snake-embossed leather clutch, $119.00
Crinkle mirrored wristlet, $155.00
Velvet bow clutch (also available in gray and mustard), $198.00
Jewel Clutch, $29.95
Gray Feather Clutch (my favorite!), $44.82
I think it can be difficult to buy a gift for a good friend, relative, or coworker. Here are a few suggestions all under $50.
1. Layering Bracelets
Stella and Dot, $39
2. Roll Up Ballet Flats
Gap, $39.50
3. Return Address Stamp
Letter girl, $40.00
4. A Cozy Scarf
Anthropologie, $32.00
5. A Classic Book
Penguin Classics, $20.00
6. A Serving Tray
Dani Notes, $34.00
8. Sephora Beauty Kits
Nail Polish, $48.00
9. Statement Necklace
Chain Necklace, $48.00
10. Chic Desk Calendar
Dabney Lee, $25.00
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