Monday, October 24, 2011

What's new?

Well, like most bloggers out there, I'm not very good.  The simple task of updating random readers about my daily, weekly, or monthly endeavors is more difficult that it seems.  I digress... so what's new?

Jimmy and I moved into "the city" and now reside in the SOMA neighborhood.  Its actually very convient!  I enjoy being able to walk to the downtown shopping areas and have found some wondering shopping areas.

I'm still not in love with my job.  I like that I still get to work with kids, but having to deal with parking, meetings, increases in caseloads without any relief, and being sick has worn me down.  I like consistency in my life and I also like to know 100% what is expected from me... I don't have either right now.

I made some pumpkin cupcakes today and I think they're quite delicious! You can look up some recipes on LauraintheKitchen.com or at LauraVitaleKitchen on youtube.

Also, I tried out a new trick to clean my makeup brushes.  Pour a little rubbing alcohol into a small cup.  Swirl your brushes into the alcohol and then gently wipe clean with a clean dry towel.  The alcohol helps strip away the makeup and bacteria but also dries a million times faster than soap and water.  I usually NEVER clean my brushes because I'm lazy and impatient.  This is simple and fast.  It works.  For a video demo look up gossmakeupartist on youtube.com.

Anyways, I hope everyone is doing well.  I'm looking forward to the holidays so I can visit my wonderful family and friends!!!

Tuesday, July 26, 2011

July Favorites

Since its almost the end of July I though I would post some items that I've been using this month that I think are great.  Here they are in no particular order:

1) Revlon Peach Smoothie Scented Nail Enamel $5
I just bought this nail polish and tried it this afternoon.  I was skeptical at the store whether or not the polish would smell good but the color was so pretty I thought it was worth a try.  The color is a very light pastel coral with tiny gold flecks.  Amazingly the scent was very pleasing as well!  The color payout is okay.  I needed at least 3 layers to make it fully opaque without any streaks showing.

2) Sonia Kashuk Blending Sponge

The pink egg on the left is the Beauty Blender and the blue misshaped egg is the Sonia Kashuk Blending Sponge.  The Beauty Blender is about $20 while the Sonia Kashuk is about $10.  Quite a price difference for very similar results.  Before diving in and paying full price for the Beauty Blender I wanted to see if I would like the "airbrush" results that are promised from these sponge.  I opted for the more economical sponge and I'm obsessed with the results!  These sponges are best used when dampened. By blotting the sponge in your foundation you can stipple your makeup on with a seamless effect.  The first day I tried the Sonia Kashuk sponge I wore drugstore Maybelline makeup and one of the first things anyone said to me that day was that my skin was flawless.  My skin is NOT flawless.  I have adult acne, scars, and skin discoloration.  To have someone tell me that they love how my skin loves and assume its not b/c of makeup feels wonderful!  Although I love the Sonia Kashuk sponge I do want to try the Beauty Blender.  Its been reviewed many times and most reviewers say that the texture and consistency of the Beauty Blender can not be replicated by any other imitation sponge. 

3) Olay ProX Spin Brush $30

This little spin brush is awesome.  Its a very economical alternative to the Clarisonic Mia or DDF spin brush.  Its more closely related to the DDF due to the fact that both devises spin, but the price difference is drastically different.  The DDF can cost upwards of $90 while the Olay ProX is only $30.  Refills for the replaceable brush heads are also much more affordable via Olay.  After just one use of the Olay ProX my skin was noticeably softer and I feel that it has helped keep my skin clearer as well.  I was very interested in buying the Clarisonic and or DDF but I'm completely satisfied with this product I now have no desire to spend excessive money on the more expensive versions.  On a side note I did see a knock off Clarisonic face brush at TJMaxx - it was a similar shape and look with the sonic cleaning feature.  I thought about buying it but then realized that finding a replacement head for it would be near to impossible.  Keep that in mind when you make a decision for high price items.  If replacement parts are super expensive you may want to try a cheaper route, but if the cheaper route does not offer any replacement parts you may be better off with something more expensive. 


4) L'Oreal Deep Cream Facial Cleanser $5-8

I've tried two out of the four facial cleanser shown above.  The first facial cleanser I tried was the pink one.  I actually hated it when I first tried it due to the intense smell but after giving it a second chance I love it.  The whole reason why I bought the cleanser in the first place was due to the pink scrubby thing... which is really nice.  The cream cleanser works really well at taking off makeup and there's a nice tingly feeling afterwards.  The green cleanser however SUCKS!!! I pretty much made this decision when I realized there was makeup junked up my my ProX cleanser after washing my face with the green cleanser.  I then tried washing off the makeup with more green cleanser ... over and over and over again. The makeup would NOT come off.  I tried my pink cleanser with the ProX in the shower the next day and discovered that the pink face cleanser was actually striping the makeup off the ProX.  So if the green "face wash" can't clean makeup from the ProX then how much makeup is being left on my skin?  Gross!

5) TOMS Red Bimini Youth Classics $38


So I actually bought these in the youth size.  Its a lot more affordable and you still get the One for One deal.  Little side note.  I have a pair of 7.5 women's pair that fit a little big and I bought these in a size Youth 6 that is a lot big.  I probably should have ordered a size 5 or 5.5 youth.  
  

Another little Anthropologie Haul

I love me some Anthropologie!  And I LOVE it when they have some stuff on sale that I want to buy.  I recently had a tough day at work so I treated myself to a little shopping.  I found so many cute items for a good deal!!!






Perennial Awakening Blouse

(Originally $138, Sale $39.95)

I love this shirt so much.  I've actually been keeping my eye on it for over 2 months.  It was recently on sale for $69.95, but at that price I still thought it was too expensive.  The nice thing about this shirt is that it fits more like a tunic for me so I have the option of wearing it as a shirt with skinny jeans or with a slip as a dress.  Its a great length for a petite girl!






Lacy Turning Cami 


Originally $34.00, Now $ 9.95

This is a nice cami to own if you want something that is just a little bit dressier than the average tanktop.  Although I think this was meant to be worn to bed its opaque enough to wear in public.  Its made of a nice soft silky knit that very flattering on.  I paired it with the cardigan I purchased below. 






Billowing Stitches Cardigan

(Originally $118.00, Now $29.95)


I bought this specifically for the fickle summer weather in the bay area.  This is a very light weight knit/crochet cardigan.  Its much to baggy to be worn alone so I paired it with a thick black belt. 





Van Wrinkle Sweater
Originally:  $118, Now: $9.98!!!

I almost fell over when I saw the price on this sweater.  I LOVE IT.  Its so unique and quirky... exactly the type of item I look for at Anthropologie.  Its sales like this that make me an Anthroholic. 





Cerro Bonete Top

(Originally $58.00, Now $29.95)

This is another quirky top, may not be everyone's taste.  I'm still on the fence but I've worn it once already. 





Daughters Of The Liberation Dark Denim High Waist Trouser

(Originally $98.00, Now $29.95)

I got a crazy good deal on these jeans.  BTW, this is a shot of the back of the jeans.  Anywho, I had to return a shirt I bought in the wrong size that happened to be $29.95.  Well I wanted to get a pair of Joes Jean Trousers that were on sale but unfortunately they did not have them in my size.  I found these jeans priced $59.95.  I tried them on, a little snug but they have an incredible amount of stretch to them so I'm sure they'll stretch out easily. Imagine how stunned I was when they rang up $29.95 at the register.  I only had to pay $0.08 due to the tax difference... but basically I got a pair of jeans for the price of a shirt.  Yowza! 




Valotta Lilly Barrette

$15

This was not on sale but I could not pass it up.  








Plait & Pleat Skirt

(Originally: $78.00, Now: $19.95)This is a fairly standard white skirt but it has some nice details.  With pockets and a removable woven belt its fairly functional.  The length is very flattering as well.  






Summer Grasses Belt

(Originally: $52.00, Now: $9.95)
This belt as a nice yellow hue and is very flattering with cardigans and sweaters. 


Happy Shopping Friends!  Always check out the SALE section at your local Anthropologie for hidden gems.   New items go on sale every Tuesday.





Thursday, June 30, 2011

Cutting corners to save some money can lead to disaster.

So Jimmy and moved to California over a month ago and its been one thing after another in regards to finances.  Most of the stress was due to the fact that I was not able to find a job.

Well, I've been meaning to get my dogs groomed for awhile now.  I got a few price quotes and was having a hard time shelling out another $120 (tip not included!) to get the dogs gussied up.  With our finances so tight I didn't know what to do.  So I had a brilliant idea while I was at Wal-mart.  For the great price of $10 I was able to get a pair of clippers.  "I'll do it myself".

$400 later after an emergency vet visit I realized the $10 cost of the clippers was just a deposit for my nightmare.

Everyone is okay.  Eden got what I think is razor burn to her private... and she was not happy about it.  Its been several days and she's almost 100% back to normal... although I think she's learned how to work us now for treats.




So $400 + $10 + 2 sleepless nights + 1 very upset puppy + 2 very upset puppy parents = a lesson well learned.  $120 to get two shih tzu groomed is a damn good deal.


Monday, June 20, 2011

MY FAVORITE SHOES!!!

I'm so excited!!! My favorite flats are back in stock at Forever21.com.  I purchased a pair several months ago and after wearing it every day for 3 months I basically broke my shoes in half.  I've been stalking the Forever21 website praying that my shoes would return... finally they have!!!!

If you have big fat feet like me you'll love these shoes.  They're super comfortable but cute!  I actually bought 4 pairs in case these new ones fall apart again.  No joke... 4 pairs, but at $15 per pair it wasn't too bad.

I normally wear shoe sizes from 7-8, I bought a size 8 in these and they fit well.

Run, don't walk to your nearest Forever21 or go online and buy a pair!!!!



Leatherette Eyelet Flats
$14.80



After I've worn the soles out:

Sunday, June 19, 2011

Shopping Nightmare

Have you ever been shopping and felt like everyone else was out to get you?  Some days every single person that passes me drives me nuts!!!  We went shopping at the outlets yesterday and I definitely was getting irritated by some dummies.




 You can generally find the following shoppers:

1) The Inconsiderate Shopper: This shopper often will position their shopping cart or bags in the way.  They know you're there, they see you, yet they won't move until they're done shopping.


2) The Oblivious Shopper: This shopper often will stand in the middle of the isle looking around aimlessly.  They're generally very apologetic when they finally realize that they've inconvenience you but it takes them awhile to figure it out.  In this category I would also lump in the families that love to walk down the aisle side by side, thus blocking the entire aisle.  There is no passing these families as they don't understand the concept of a single file line.

3) The Aggressive Shopper: This shopper is one of the worst.  They will literally grab items from underneath your hand, use their shopping cart or baby carriage to nudge you away from the items they want to get to.  I hate these shoppers.

4) The Hoverer: This shopper likes to shop way too close to other people.  They are borderline aggressive but have enough dignity to wait until you're done.  Unfortunately they like to wait while standing only inches away.


5) The Bored Boyfriend/Husband: I feel for these guys.  They somehow end up shopping with their significant other and are required to stand by close.  These guys sometime end up being the Oblivious Shopper.  Its so annoying to want to go through a rack of clothing but not being able to because some guy has parked himself firmly against that rack so he can check the score of a football game.


6) The Wild Kids: Oh geez.  I know some people won't like this label but hear me out.  If your kids don't want to be at the store, listen to them.  Screaming kids make a shopping experience for them, yourself, and other shoppers a nightmare.  Have a family member or friend babysit them or do online shopping.  ALSO... PLEASE PLEASE PLEASE keep an eye on your kids.  Its completely inappropriate to allow your kids to tear apart a department store just because they're board.  Also, please know where your child is at all times.  I know, they have minds of their own, and they love to run around and hide, but there are A LOT of creeps out there.  It freaks me out when I see a kid walk away from their parents and no one notices.

7) The Line Stopper: Okay, this shopper usually has a ton of items they want to purchase but there's something wrong with each item.  Maybe there's a price tag missing on one, a stain on the other, they want to know if there is a size available in this style, yadda yadda yadda.  People, a lot of this stuff can be addressed before going to the checkout line.  Many stores will handle issues with clothing via their sales associates scattered throughout the store or even in customer service/dressing room.  Only get in line for the checkout when you are ready to check out.

Thursday, June 16, 2011

Anti Gravity/ Zero Gravity Lounge Chairs

Jimmy and I just purchased a pair of Anti Gravity Lounge Chairs at BigLots.  At $38 each it was a steal!  These usually average around $50 per chair.


These chairs are super comfortable as they recline back extraordinarily far.  These would be great along a pool and for tanning.  The only drawback for sunbathing is that even when fully reclined the chair still has an ergonomic fit (there is a slight flexion at the hip and knee joints).  If you tried to lay on your stomach to tan your backside you would have to be pretty flexible.  

Check out these other versions of the anti gravity chair:



Tuesday, June 14, 2011

Wish List


Here are some items that I think are purchase worthy:

1) ZUCA luggage:  $285
For the avid traveler this suitcase is made to keep you organized and on the cusp of fashion.  The steel frame is strong enough to withstand your weight if you need to sit on it while waiting for your flight or taxi to come.  The fabric insert can be customized with a variety of patterns, thus making finding your luggage on the baggage carousel much easier!  There are also small compartments available that will separate your clothes, toiletries, and shoes to keep you super organized and to keep your items clean!  I would love one of these bad boys but the price tag is a little too steep for someone that doesn't travel!  


2) F150 CrewCab XTL (Price varies by year and features)
This is more for Jimmy than me but I approve of this truck.  The selling feature of this truck for us are the fold up rear seats.  Instead of the back of the seat folding down the actual seat portion folds up.  This is great if you need to fit items in the back seat area. 

3) TOMS shoes ($58 for the Crochet, $58 for the Bimini Stitchouts @ TOMSSHOES.com)
TOMS shoes are definitely an acquired taste.  I personally love them because once you wear them in they're the most comfortable pair of shoes you'll own.  I recently wore a hole in my only pair :(  These are two new styles they have out now that I think are super cute.  The big selling point to these shoes is the One for One promise.  TOMS shoes promises that for ever pair of TOMS that is purchased a pair of shoes will be given to a child in need.  This is a great concept, but to be honest for $60 you can probably do more than just give a child a pair of cheap shoes... just saying. 

Natural Crochet Women's Classic

Red Bimini Women's Stitchouts

4) Hamilton Beach Toastation 2 in 1 Toaster and Oven ($39.00 at Walmart.com)
This is just so cute!  I love the bright red color.  

This Hamilton Beach 2-Slice Toastation is the perfect compact two-in-one appliance. The top slot functions as a traditional two slice toaster, while the lower portion serves as mini toaster oven that is large enough to fit two 16" pizza slices. The one and a half inch top slot fits thick breads and bagels. The oven comes with a removable crumb tray for easy cleaning and auto shutoff for added convenience and safety. The electronic toast shade and oven temperature controls provide consistent performance making this product the perfect addition to any kitchen.




Monday, June 13, 2011

Oxiclean



I just wanted to do a quick review at how pleased I am with OxiClean.  I used this product to get some stains of out of some items I bought during a thrift store haul.  Surprising I was able to get 80% of a very old and large ink stain out of a dress - the other 20% required rubbing alcohol.  I was also able to get an old stain from a beaded purse using OxiClean and bleach.

I believe I purchased a small tub of OxiClean (pictured above) from Wal-Mart for approximately $4, which is well worth it as a little goes a long way.

A small piece of advise.  If you plan on using the OxiClean for spot removal you are going to want to use a squirt bottle rather than a spray bottle.  I attempted to use a spray bottle but the power from the OxiClean has rather large grains and does not dissolve completely.  This causes the spray bottle to clog up easily.

Saturday, June 4, 2011

Craigslist and Thrift store Jackpot!

DING      DING      DING

That's the sound of me hitting the jackpot with Craigslist.  We were finally able to score a nice dining set off of Craigslist.  Normally I would consider a dining room set low priority but after trying to eat soup on a low kitchen counter I bumped it up to high priority.  I had been stalking the CL ads for about a week now and had a few leads that never amounted to anything.  One lead however popped up again on CL. This time I had Jimmy make an offer as my first low ball offer did not go so well.  Luckily we were able to score a practically brand new 5 piece dining set for $150.  That's crazy!!!

The couple we bought the dining set from is a very young and nice asian couple.  They had originally moved from the East coast to the West coast and are now moving overseas.  They took care of their stuff!  They used plastic saran wrap and seat cushion covers over the seat cushions as well as a table cloth for the table top.  The wife was also every meticulous about putting the original styrofoam corner covers back on the table for our move.  So all in all I think we got a dining set that could easily go for $500 retail for $150.  A savings of $350.

Craigslist Dining Set $150

Our next shopping spree started off as a bust.  I had googled some "vintage" stores in the bay area and found two that I though was promising.  The first one we pulled up to was lame.  We took a 5 min stroll through the tinny tiny store and then left.

The second store had some gems.  I found two clutches/purses and a shoe rack.  (I'm not going to post a picture of the shoe rack b/c that's boring.  I did get it for $2 though!)  One of the purses I bought is a beautiful white beaded vintage item.  Unfortunately there are some noticeable stains in the front.  The stains appear to be coffee or some sort of liquid stain.  I'm going to try OxiClean or bleach on it.  For $3.00 its worth a shot.

Vintage cloth clutch $3.50

Vintage Beaded Purse $3.00 (needs some stain removal)

Our next stop was the Goodwill down the street from where we live.  I actually found a ton of stuff I was thinking about buying but had to edit what I took due to not having a shopping cart :-p.  I found another purse/clutch that I thought was cute.

Black Beaded Purse/Clutch $6

The next two things from Goodwill are clothing items. I've had good luck in the past finding nice designer items for dirt cheap.  Today I found a French Connection tunic for $7.99.  Initially I thought $7.99 for a simple white tunic was a little pricy but it was so cute.  Then I noticed that the original tags were still on it and I was pretty surprised at what the retail price was.  Originally $118.00 on sale $89.99.  Obviously someone had purchased this in hopes of wearing it some day, but never got around to it.  Bonus for me!  A NEW shirt for $7.99 is reasonable.

French Connection Tunic $7.99

Next I found this awesome blazer from Ralph Lauren.  Its a brown linen material and fits like a glove.  I paid $9.99 for it and I googled a similar jacket and found it for $189.00.  I got this jacket for less than sales tax!  lol.

LAUREN by Ralph Lauren Blazer $9.99

Here's a picture of the overall shopping haul today:



Oh yeah.  I also got my California drivers license today.  I had no idea I was channeling a retro look when I took my picture that day.  What's up with the hair??? lol.


Well that's all for now.  I've finally gotten out of my funk.  Shopping helps especially when I get good deals :-)  Hopefully I will be able to apply for jobs soon and I'll be spending MY money :-)