Spring (Shoe) Fever

OMG shoes.

There are a few things that Spring gets me thinking about: new dresses, Cadbury eggs, The Rite of Spring (seriously, that's my jam), getting outside more, drinking more iced coffee, and this year...shoes. I may have mentioned this before, but I'm not a really a shoe person..or am I? I usually find a pair or two that I like and (unlike clothing) I wear them in rotation until they are beyond weathered and the soles start to fall off. Anyone else do this? For some reason though, this Spring I have been really thinking about new shoe styles that I want to try out during this renewed vernal season. I even had an embarrassing Carrie Bradshaw moment that consisted of stopping and peering into a storefront window on Broadway one day to peep the consumer eye candy. I blame the media! I mean really, who the bloody hell am I? While I can't answer that, I can show you what I have narrowed down to be three essential pairs of shoes for Spring that I want to eventually get my grubby paws on - both high and lower versions (of course!).

The Everyday Platform

Left: Steve Madden, $89 Right: Forever 21, $26.80

Target Easter Basket Fillers

Whether you are religious or simply a lover of candy, or perhaps a mixture of both like myself, Easter is just around the corner. Growing up, my parents always hid mine and my siblings baskets all around the house and we had to hunt for them on Easter morning. It is one of my favorite memories. I remember Easter always being lazy and full of delicious candy.

Now that I have my own child, I want to make her Easter mornings just as fun and memorable. It doesn't help that I have competition from the sweet (on the verge of creepy) old man who lives down the street who puts together a kiddie corner in our neighborhood with treasures, candy, hair clips etc. He even goes so far as to make "Easter Bunny footprints" with flour... Needless to say, I am on the hunt for awesome fillers for her Easter basket this year, simply to out-do him...oh and because I love her too!

Check out my list below of some awesome deals going on Target, but don't forget to also stop in at your local 99 cent store and/or Dollar Tree! Now, back to the Target deals...

March Birchbox

There was a slight delay in my Birchbox this month, do you think they were just messing with me because it was my birthday? Well... the real reason may be that there were two box options to choose from this month, the regular March shipment or the special Teen Vogue box. I'm not exaggerating when I say that I spent about 20 minutes staring at my email, trying to decide which one I wanted. Because I faced turning another year older this month, I went with the Teen Vogue box to make myself feel younger. Let's see if it worked...

Trendy Mommy Tuesdays vol. 3

Inspiration: Gwen Stefani

Gwennie Gwen Gwen stepped out two weekends ago to our local Knott's Berry Farm with her boys Kingston & Zuma. I can't believe she is forty-freaking-two! She looks amazing !

You can get a similar grey tank at Urban Outfitters for $16 and black jeggings at Loehmann's for an amazing deal of $24.99 for Romeo & Juliet Couture Jeggings!

As for the accessories, you can find a similar cute wool with felt trim Bowler's hat at ASOS for $35.81 or a woven polyester version for the slightly lower price of $29 at Urban Outfitters. The printed scarf can be found for a sale price of $24.43 at Express. The sunglasses are a little more tricky - there are tons of similar version that are very expensive, I could only find a similar shape (but sadly, not the same color) like these cuties available at TopShop.

UPDATE!!! I found a super cute pair of almost identical glasses to Gwen's at Fred Flare on sale!

Swanky Sweepin' Volume 26

Daily:

Notebooks and headphones over a thousand winners, ends 4/30

New Balance Athletic shoes 50 winners, ends 4/15

Trip to Comic-Con to go to the Game of Thrones panel 100 other prizes, ends 4/16

Jiggling Jello!

I have a new fascination with vintage jello molds. Tacky, yes, but awesome in a retro way. I'm not gonna lie, part of me wants to make some nasty lookin' salmon mousse or a strange veggie "loaf" made with gelatin - but I won't. For now, anyway.

So, I picked up two at a local thrift store for a grand total of $3 and instantly started making plans, one of which will be saved for a later post.

Since it's Mad Men/60s week and they loved their jello molds - it's the perfect time to bust one out. And bust a move. Just kidding, I don't dance. Since I'm a lush, I decided the gelatin to be molded should be a popular 1960s cocktail, Salty Dog. Ingredients: Grapefruit juice and vodka with a salted rim.

Last Minute Target Post !!!

Greenwich Diva shows us that even The First Lady shops at Target!

I'm momentarily breaking out of the Mad Men theme we have going on this week in the name of Savings! I planned out a "little" Target trip for after work today. By "little", I mean hopefully under $100. I didn't have really high hopes because I'm a sucker for a coupon on things I don't need, simply because there is a coupon for it. Coupons are the reason for and the bane of my existence. Anyhow, I digress...Back to the Target trip.

Rarely do i get so excited that I run home and tell you guys that you need to go out NOW and buy all this useful but not needed junk that I just bought, but today is one of those days.

BABY:

Aquaphor Baby 2 in 1 Shampoo & Conditioner $5. 35

On Sale for $4.92

Use $1/1 printable coupon

$1/1 Target printable coupon

Final Price $2.92 each !

Cheap Thrills: Mad Men Style

After a very long hiatus, Mad Men is back! Even if you're not a fan of the show, you're probably aware of the effect it's had on pop culture and fashion. The style seen on the show has popularized the retro trend in the mainstream, and you can see its influence everywhere. Whether you want to go full on Mad Men retro, or just add touches of the look here and there, you can easily get what you need without doing major damage to your budget.

To celebrate the kick off of season 5, we're going to do some Man Men inspired looks for ladies this week on Cheap Thrills. Don't think it's all about one look either! We're focusing on three of the main female characters, each one with a style all her own. Settle back with your martinis and enjoy the show...

Mad Men Stylin'

The 60s craze continues this week with some retro hair and makeup inspired by the return of Mad Men. Instead of trying to choose one of the characters on the show, I went with the 60s feel that was based on the Bridgitte Bardot Makeover featured on The Hairpin. This look is about big hair, major lashes and oodles of eyeliner.  I stocked up on supplies that I didn't have at home: fresh lashes, lash adhesive, teasing comb, styling foam (a soft, squishy Bump-It), Beyond the Zone Volume Powder and strong hairspray. I was able to find everything at Sally's Beauty and Walgreens, no time machine needed. I've never done hair this big before, my hair doesn't want to be teased! If this big hair novice can do this, anyone can, really. Ready to see the transformation?

Easy and (Mad) Men Approved Hors D'oeuvres

Food from the 1960's gets a bad rap because, well, for the most part, it's just bad. We're talking overly wrought recipes made with bland, over processed ingredients (canned cocktail weenies, anyone?), strange combinations of foods that aren't popular anymore for a reason, and an ungodly ubiquitous little something called an aspic (shudder). So when I pondered what I wanted to to do for Mad Men week on this here blog (besides go out for a mid-week martini lunch), I was just a little cautious when I cracked open my vintage (copyright 1963) Better Homes and Gardens cookbooks. Despite exhaustingly hauling these books with my book collection move after move (sorry mom and dad and everyone else who has ever helped me move), I've never had a desire to make even one of the recipes. I figured it was time to give them another chance. As I remembered, lots of unsavory usual suspects were there: Limas and Franks, Surprise Meat Slices, Tomato Soup Dressing, and Baked Prune Whip - these are all very real recipes. On her good days, these are the dinners that pre-divorce Betty Draper was setting out for Don. Scary stuff, right?

Etsy Treasury: Mad (Men) House

I love the modern, almost sci-fi look of Mid Century interior design. Orbs, abstract shapes, earth tones, and atomic starbursts, ooo.

Here's another Etsy Treasury full of 1960s housewares and beauty accessories, all for $50 and under: Mad (Men) House

Mad Men Inspired Home & Office Decor

This week is Mad Men week. The 2 hour season premiere is this Sunday at 9/8c on AMC. I've been sitting here doing my research on all things Mad Men and all things 60's so I won't be as mercilessly mocked by my fellow Whoreders for not knowing what the hell they are talking about.

In my new found opinion, you can't really go wrong with 60's inspired anything. Everything was amazing from their clothes, to their makeup, to their drinks. My new obsession however, is 60's decor!

Here are a few of my finds for a Mad Men inspired office.

Trendy Mommy Tuesdays vol. 2 Mad Men Edition

Inspiration: January Jones (Betty Draper Francis on Mad Men)

In light of this week being "Mad Men Week", I am dedicating this post to January Jones as a mother on and off the show Mad Men. Vanessa will cover in detail her fashion on the show, so I of course will cover her fashion in real life. She recently stepped out with her son Xander in this cute ensemble.

Here is a similar shirt down to the stripes and lace for only $7 and there are a slew of cute lacy striped tops on YesStyle also. Here is another version of a laceback shirt for only $11. If you can't find a shirt you like, make your own! Don't forget to throw on a pair of dark jeans (which are a splurge at $70, but I LOVE Gap jeans) and shnazzy aviator's for $7 to pull this look together!



Top photo: Celebuzz

It's Mad Men Week at Whoreders!

Even if you don't watch the show, you have to admit... the fashion on Mad Men is top notch and drool-worthy. Classy, sleek lines, red lips, done up hair, and emphasis on the curves while still being lady-like. Sigh.

Season 5 of the show premieres on March 25th and we Whoreders decided to have a Mad Men inspired week - all things 1960s!

Let's get started with a new Etsy treasury list, Mad Men and Sexy "Skirts". All items are $40 and under!

Photo: Joan Holloway on Mad Men, AMC

Swanky Sweepin' Volume 25

Unlimited:

Nail strip set 250 winners, ends 4/30

Single:

Gorjana shopping spree 60 winners, ends 4/30

Trip to Chile 2 winners, recipe contest, ends 6/30

Japonesque brush set 10 winners, ends 4/14

$100 spa gift card 15 winners, ends 4/9, do not subscribe

24 piece nail polish set 131 winners, ends 4/30

A year of movies for you and a friend Ends 3/28

$100 2 winners a day, ends 4/1

Oscar-look outfit Email entry, ends 3/21

$1000 shopping spree at Topshop Ends 3/27

Kindle Fire and The Hunger Games trilogy 12 winners, ends 3/25

Photo: The Hunger Games

Product Review: Garnier Miracle Skin Perfector B.B. Cream

 

We Whoreders love BzzAgent, and are always excited when new campaigns come out and we get to take part. I was chomping at the bit for one campaign in particular, the Garnier Miracle Skin Perfector B.B. Cream. I am obsessed with B.B. Creams at the moment and have been using them regularly for the past few weeks. I was lucky enough to be chosen for the campaign and received a BzzKit from BzzAgent, which included a full size tube for me to try and give report back on. 

Before we dive in, let me explain what B.B. creams are to those who aren't familiar with it. It's short for "beauty balm" or "blemish balm", and in my own technical terms, a super-duper tinted moisturizer. It's an all-in-one product that's a serum, moisturizer, sunscreen, primer and sheer foundation all rolled into one. Can you see why I'm so amped to try it? One product can take the place of all those, meaning you're saving time and money, that's what Whoreders love best!

My New Oldie but Goodie...and Butter

Like I'd imagine most women with blood in their veins, a pair of fallopian tubes, and atleast a moderate interest in food, I've always wanted a pretty new stand up mixer. Which part of this desire is practicality and which part pure girly consumerism, I can't be entirely sure. Whatever the case is, I have not yet been able to justify being able to bake enough from scratch to want to shell out $300 for one these housewive's wet dreams. However, wanting to get more creative in the kitchen, I recently picked up this girl from Ebay. She is a $20 and change (including shipping!) vintage 1940's Sunbeam mixer, complete with a few attachments and two very lovely original milk glass bowls (my favorite part). I'll admit, she isn't the most polished thing, but like me running late to work on a Monday morning, she sure gets the job done. I think I'll keep her.

Cheap Gardening: Planters and Soil

If you need a bunch of pots or just have a large area of ground to fill with rich soil... the cost can add up very quickly. Let's explore some ways to get what you need for cheap!

Planters:

Be creative! Check garage sales and thrift stores for not only regular planters, but anything that can be used as a planter! Just make sure you can drill holes on the bottom of the container for better drainage. If you don't care about the way the planter looks you can even use jars, jugs, and just about anything else laying around the house! Just keep in mind, plastic or metal containers will not "breathe" as well as pottery or wood, and some plants will need a decent sized pot to grow in.

Gotta Have It

Thanks to Pinterest, I keep seeing all these brilliant and gorgeous things in every category. Some are totally of my reach, like the perfectly decorated luxury apartments. But there are also cool things that are perfectly within my reach (and budget) - and I thought, why not share them with everyone on Whoreders? Ta-da! Welcome to our new feature, Gotta Have it!

So here's my first offering, the lipstick organizer from The Container Store - available in two sizes. How genius is this? Why don't I have one already?! There are two sizes, 12 or 24, and they're only $3.99 and $7.99, respectively. There's also a bamboo version in the 24 tube size for $12.99,

You can put your lipsticks on display like a museum installation, like I will do. Or, if you're still clinging to a modicum of sanity, they'll fit perfectly into a drawer for safe keeping. Feed your lust for lipstick and get organized for less than $13, it's perfect!

DIY: At Home Samoa Bars

*Picture from Gluten Free Betsy

Apparently this week is Girl Scout's Week, where Girl Scouts everywhere sit back and reflect on their community service, and I sit back and reflect the delicious-ness that is Girl Scout Cookies. That being said, one can only buy so many boxes of cookies in good conscience. Not only are you painfully aware of how many you buy when the little girl pulls up to your house in a fully loaded wagon, but each box is $4 a piece!

Anyhow, me being pregnant with a hungry hungry husband, and a cookie crazy toddler at home, you can bet your ass I ordered a bunch of cookies. You can also bet your ass they are all gone and I refuse to go out and buy more...mainly out of shame.

So I decided to browse the Internet and find a cheap, easy, homemade version of my favorite Girl Scout cookies, Samoas aka Caramel DeLights. There are a lot of time consuming Samoa recipes floating around, but I stumbled upon an easy adaptation at the oh so yummy Baking Bites blog that better suits my impatient "I-Want-It-Now" personality.

Cashing out with Crowdtap

So you've heard me talk about my beloved Crowdtap before in our I'd Tap That article. Any company that gives me free stuff holds a special spot in my little greedy heart. That being said, I just want to remind you guys that Crowdtap is free to sign up and will never cost you anything out of pocket. All they ask of you is your honest opinion on products and companies.

You earn points on Crowdtap based on your answers to surveys & polls, as well as your participation in the discussions that are offered to you. Once you rack up so many points, you can cash them out for select gift cards, Crowdtap merch, or donate to charity. You used to be able to receive a check for your points, but recently Crowdtap has changed their rewards system. It is still a decent system as I just cashed out for the first time since I have been a member (about 8 months now), and I got $60 in Amazon credit. and still have some remaining points.

Baby Coupons, Discounts, and Offers

BeechNut- Sign up for e-mails and the company will send you helpful tips, tricks, and information along with coupons.

Earth's Best- Go here to print coupon without having to sign up for e-mails or you can also sign up for their e-mail program.

Trendy Mommy Tuesdays vol.1

Since this is my first Trendy Mommy Tuesdays article, I guess I should give a brief intro. I have had a severe case of the pregnancy blah's lately and I can't seem to get over it. I feel like if I looked better, I would feel better but I don't have a lot of time to put into my look as I'm constantly chasing my monster...err...daughter around. So like any young mother in the throes of fashion despair, I look to typically unattainable celebrity moms for inspiration. I try and find cute moms in their normal day to day look and attempt to put together their look for less.

Inspiration: Jessica Alba




This style is so simple, casual, and cute! But above all, it's easy and cheap! You can find a similar cardigan at Urban Outfitters for only $39 and you will get a lot of use out of it or Target has an even cheaper version of it for $20 (just not in Navy Blue). Knowing Jessica Alba and her love of skinny jeans, I'm betting that is what she is wearing. Old Navy sells some for $29.50 and they last forever!

Swanky Sweepin' Volume 24

Daily:

Trip to Ireland Ends 4/1

Cheap Thrills: Crazy for Curls

It never seems to fail, people with masses of curly hair always want a magic straightener and us folks with stick straight locks want a head full of wild curls. My latest obsession is trying to get my stubborn hair to cooperate with my desire for curly hair. I don't want 24/7 curls, just an day or two once in a while. Our very own Heather wrote a great article about rag curls, which inspired the latest experiment on my blog, Verbal Switchblade. That brings us to this week's edition of Cheap Thrills, where I explore what other tools could I find to fulfill my corkscrew fantasy. 

Disneyland on the Cheap

I went to Disneyland this past weekend and had so much fun! Usually I pay an arm and leg for the whole day, but I decided to try and do it on the cheap this time and see what happens. I know DIsneyland and cheap seem like oxymorons but here are my tips and tricks for cutting corners and still having fun.

Parking:

Parking costs you $15 and there really is no way around it. However, I do know that if you have any friends with Annual Passes, you can use their pass FOR PARKING ONLY, no questions asked! Do not try to get into the park with your friends Annual Pass or you will no longer be friends. The park will confiscate the pass, and you will have to buy a normal entry ticket as well. In short, you will look and feel like a total loser.

Cashing Out With MyPoints

MyPoints is a an online shopping rewards program. According to their website, "Through simple online purchases from hundreds of retailers within the MyPoints network, members earn rewards Points from every transaction made. Members can redeem their Points for gift cards, travel miles or cash back." There are many other ways that you can rack up points on this site including, but not limited to, participating in polls, surveys, and questionnaires. In addition to these purchases, you can get points from BzzAgent. Whenever you do surveys, complete a mission or "create Bzz" on BzzAgent, you get awarded Mypoints automatically!

I finally have gotten to the point where I decided to cash out my points and get me some goodies. I really haven't put a ton of effort into MyPoints so I didn't expect much, but I ended up cashing out with two $10 Old Navy gift cards, and a $10 Barnes & Nobles gift card. These are the same as any other gift card, so you can use them in conjunction, with sales, deals, or coupons stretching your free money out even further!

If you do a lot of online shopping, I would advise shopping through MyPoints to get gift cards. If they don't offer any retailer rewards that you find appealing, remember that there is always e-bates which offers cash back on purchases from select retailers!

Cheap Gardening: Seeds and Plants

Hey, ya'll. It's time (at least for us Californians) to start thinking about planting gardens! Anyone can do it, even those who don't have a yard, and it's completely rewarding! I prefer plants of the edible kind, so I'm going to mostly cover information on those, but flowers are amazing, too!

For those of us who have planted gardens before, you know it can get kind of pricey to buy all things needed unless you just happen to have a perfect spot in the ground ready to go. My house is surrounded by a wood deck - it's nice, but there's not much ground we were able to use for plants, which meant buying a lot of containers and a ton of soil. Of course we also had to buy trees and other expensive rare plants because it can be a bit of an obsession. Let's just say I don't really want to think about how much money has been spent over the past year or two. In the process I have picked up some tips on how to get things done for cheap and even free.

Today we will start with plants and seeds.

Things You Didn't Know You Wanted: Medical Edition

A friend once told me that I've been to every website on the internet - twice. I took this as a compliment and even though it's far from the truth, I have been to ALOT of websites - many which have made me aware of things I didn't know existed and probably didn't need to know existed. From cute finds with animals that defy explanation (like this and this) to the much darker, disturbing side of the internets (I'll spare you those links. happy thoughts, people), it's a mixed bag of pleasure and pain this internet life of mine. I guess now is a good time to admit that medical supply websites are among the copious websites that I've had no right spending time on, but I definitely have. That's right, the same sites that sell pricey pink speculums and bed pans, is where I have found inspiration. C' mon, I've never claimed to be completely normal. Keeping that in mind, here are a few of my sweet, sweet finds:

Set of 5 Sundry Jars, QuickMedical $19.69

I was a little disappointed on a past doctor visit when I didn't see these ubiquitous fixtures displayed but I'm hoping doctor offices still use them because they are pretty darn cool. An entire set of five is under $20 and would be perfect for storing cotton balls and q-tips (or tongue depressors, if that's what you're into) in the bathroom. They also come in opaque white or fancy glass versions.

Swanky Sweepin' Volume 23

Daily:

Trip to Ireland and over 1,000 other instant prizes, ends 3/31

$2000 Saks gift card Ends 5/16

iPad 2 8 winners, ends 4/12

Hello Kitty popcorn maker Ends 4/13

Cheap Thrills: Graphic Artist

Spring is just around the corner, so for this week's edition of Cheap Thrills let's look ahead at some spring trends. We're going to do things a little differently this time, we'll look at some high end options and their more budget friendly counterparts.

Bright colors are an obvious spring trend, the weather starts to warm up and suddenly we're drawn to bold colors and big pops of color. But this spring we'll also see lots of graphic prints, in the form of abstract florals, modern geometric designs, and bold prints and patterns. These pattens don't have to be limited to your clothes, you can jump into the trend by looking for accessories with these fun patterns. It's an easy way to incorporate seasonal trends into your regular wardrobe. No need to spend big bucks to rock the latest style.

DIY Beauty: Body Scrub

Hello, Whoreders! For this edition of DIY Beauty we've brought in a very special guest Whoreder contributor, Kim. She's a good friend of ours and is known for her perfect poses (even when we're on a roller coaster) and her DIY beauty skills. She made us all an incredible scrub for Christmas, and we've all been raving about it ever since. I talked her into doing a guest post with us here, to share her knowledge and pass on the gift of soft, glowy skin to all of you. Take it away, Kim!

Rag Curlin'

For my recent trip to the Edwardian Ball I wanted old-fashioned, natural looking curls. Curling irons are great, but the spirals are just too uniform for me and my straight hair doesn't like keeping the shape for very long. By using an old technique and letting it dry rolled up, my hair not only looked natural and amazinnnggg, but it held all the way through the next day! The additional pros are that it's cheap/free (you can use rags, cut up old shirts, nylons, socks, or even paper bags!) and doesn't damage your hair!