Another look for less (home)

I've been on the hunt for a well-priced conversation set for my patio.  Here is one I found at Macy's from Beacon Hill for $2399.

Lo and behold, I stumbled upon this one from Martha Stewart's collection for Home Depot yesterday, when I got an alert that the price had dropped. Here it is:

And here it is all dolled up & accessorized outside:

Total price? $299!  I love finding deals like this.

Birthday wishlist starts with quality denim

It's that time of year again when I start to combine spring fever with birthday wishes. I made a rule about ten years ago that I could not buy any spring items until March 1st, regardless of how badly I want to be rescued from a dreary winter day in January or February.  I'd bought way too many items that sat unused for months in my closet and went on sale before I could ever wear them.
Besides, March is my birthday month so I usually give myself a little spree/spring pick-me-up each year.
This birthday is a special one of sorts because it is the last one before I become a mom.  I'm so looking forward to motherhood and sharing every birthday I can from now on with my lovely daughter.  I have hardly bought any clothes for myself since I found out I was pregnant, mostly because I do not want to spend money on maternity clothes I might never use again, and also because my budget is tighter than ever.
I did however decide that I will treat myself to a couple of things for my birthday.  I'm thinking a new outfit - head to toe: sunglasses, a top, a pair of jeans, a pair of camel sandals and a tote bag.  I've got my eye on a pair of sunglasses and I found the best deal on a pair of dark wide-legged jeans. I can only hope they fit after the birth, but I'm almost positive they will.
Here they are:

 

They were exactly what I was looking for - normal waist, wide leg, dark wash, and Prada to boot. Did I mention I snagged the last pair, in my size, 60% off? ;)

These will truly be a classic piece that's on trend right now but will withstand the test of time.

Hope they are every bit as lovely as they look online. 

Great outlet deals 02/13

I'm not a huge outlet shopping fan at all. As a matter of fact, I hardly ever go, despite the fact that for years I lived ten minutes away from one that people would drive hours to visit.  However, I do have a dear friend who loves going there and begs me to take her there when we visit.  So I put up with the horrible parking in exchange for hanging out with her and must admit we usually have a pretty good time and find some great deals.  That said, I am pretty sure my new favorite outlet store is Kate Spade. 
My most recent scores this weekend were a beautiful black cowhide wristlet, regularly $135 for $27! Wow! I plan on throwing this in my larger tote bags.  I also scored a nice gift set of their new fragrance, Twirl.  It includes a 3.4 oz eau de parfum spray, with matching body lotion and shower gel. It's a $150 value, on sale still for $90 at Bloomingdales.  I bought it for less than $25! What a deal!

 

Other than that, we hit the Coach outlet (didn't see anything exciting except a pair of sunglasses that I didn't end up getting but might go back for - the Maddie in taupe for $63 - worth it or not?). I did buy a cute pair of charcoal yoga pants at the gap outlet for <$11 and a bunch of cute baby clothes for my little bean.  All in all, a good couple of hours :)   

The Look for Less (for home)

I've had plans to set up a little home office where I can work on my laptop, print as needed, and stay organized, while still having access to the tv, a window, etc. So, I've been looking for a desk that doesn't look so much like a desk.  I fell in love with Crate and Barrel's Incognito Desk. 

It's small enough to suit my needs (in this digital age, I don't like to keep a lot of hard copies of anything - and I already have filing cabinets). When closed, it looks like a lovely cabinet.
The only thing holding me back was the price: $999 + tax + delivery.  I have been looking for a suitable alternative for a couple of months, and voila, guess what the wonderful people at Interior Express have come up with, the Ferron Computer Desk:

It is essentially identical for get this, $149!  That's about 85% less than crate & barrel's version.
Love it!