Welcome to my first giveaway! It's nothing too exciting, just some fun stuff that I found at the Rack for a steal :) I'm including two Nordstrom makeup kits that retailed for $14.95 each and a pair of Free Press pair of earrings that were $17.97. Look to the right to enter :)
I often stockpile cheap odds and ends for gifts. Let's flip them over so you can see what I spent on these...
 |
| $3.97 total LOL! |
The kits are brand new and unopened - the packages aren't perfect but I figured someone would get a kick out of them :) I just wanted to thank my fans and show my appreciation. It means a lot to me when I have a stranger approach me and/or message me that they are enjoying my blog. It's nice to know I'm not just talking to myself here LOL.
I decided to try Rafflecopter to help set it up but they aren't so helpful with customer support (no way of calling them or live chatting and when they respond via email all they do is send you a link instead of answering your questions) so if it's not set up correctly please bear with me.
Giveaway end Tuesday (June 17th) at midnight EST when one lucky winner will be chosen. Open to anyone with a US mailing address (I'm not shipping internationally at this time). Good luck! Tell your friends :)
***********
Last week my husband went to Costa Rica for a conference (Sunday night thru Friday) and left me solo with the kids. I don't know how single moms do it. I'm exhausted. Add a busy couple of weekends and a crazy week ahead of me and I'm taking it slow today. And when I say slow I mean get my blog up, do a double workout (because I was too tired yesterday), finish several loads of laundry, b
uy new shades and and install them in 3 rooms, build 2-3 storage units, pick up the kids, do homework, put them to bed and
get some cooking and cleaning done for the upcoming Jewish holiday of Shevuot that starts Tuesday night. Did I mention I'm hosting TWO birthday parties this upcoming Sunday and I have not even started planning yet? Ugh. (Just crossed out everything I didn't get to do...)
My husband was told by the kids to bring back souvenirs. He returned with these cute wooden frogs that "croak" when you rub them with the stick and some animal puzzles - all big hits. Note that some pieces are missing already.
Maybe I shouldn't be complaining but this is what I got.
 |
| Why? |
When I saw it I told him "You know, this sh@t is going on Instagram." (I didn't.) I think my husband who has known me for almost 15 years has confused me with a 12 year old girl. In his defense the jewelry set was free - he won it in an raffle at his conference. It's supposedly made by local women artisans who are given the pieces and they put them together to sell them and support their families. I'll be giving my 'gifts' to my more age appropriate 5 and 7 year olds. Actually, I bet my 9 year old son would really like the bag.
***********
Back to last week. Sunday we drove out to Poconos (almost 2 hours each way) to spend the day with friends and their vacation home. The kids had fun by "painting" our car with bubbles (that now has pollen stuck to it) and graffited up the cabin walls. Luckily the hosts have kids too so they were good sports.
On Memorial Day was the first day without DH so I took the kids to the local street fair for some fun and food. If you follow me I'm sure you saw this one of Instagram or Facebook. My littlest monster cracks me up :) Both my girls have this
Next 'I Love Shopping' shirt. It actually suits my 7 year old more than my 5 year old but it was the only clean red, white and blue top I could in her that day.
During the week, I woke up early to work out, make lunches, feed and dress the kids, and drive them to school. Good thing I'm a morning person. Nighttime was hard though. But as long I was up and out early I did a little thrifting :)
On Tuesday thriftday I went to my favorite place and it seems someone my size dumped all their boots LOL. I even passed on a couple pairs and took just my favorites. I also found a beautiful blazer - and I'm a sucker for toppers. A good coat/jacket/blazer can make an outfit.
Clockwise from left to right - $13 Aquatalia waterproof suede boots
(retail for $500), $15 Anni Kuan blazer, $20 Cole Haan Nike Air patent
leather waterproof boots (retail $200) & $10 Minnetonka shearling
booties ($90). The blazer has an interesting textured material - it
seems all her stuff is made in NYC with imported fabric. It reminds me
of a wet peacock LOL but I couldn't leave it because it's so different.
 |
| Closeup of blazer |
It's been a really long time since I hit a Salvation Army. On Wednesday I stopped in for Family Day, when they have 50% off all clothing and shoes, except for the latest color (their sales tags are coded by color). I got my sister a couple dresses for $3.50 and $4 each. It isn't often I find cute plus-size stuff :)
 |
| I think I need a better camera. Please ignore all the spots from the flash. |
I know I swore I would stop buying clothing that would never fit me but I spotted this $400 Jovovich-Hawk (by actress
Milla Jovovich and Carmen Hawk) size 2 'Iggy' dress for $2.50 and I couldn't help myself.
Here you can see the version with white (instead of brown) on Victoria Bekham and Milla herself.
 |
| Who wore it better? |
For $2.50 I also got this American Apparel convertible skirt/dress. It was supposed to be for my niece but I decided to keep it :)
And last but not least I found this cute Arden B. jacket for four bucks. Again, I probably didn't need it but I'll revisit it in the fall when it's time for jackets again.
***********
Slowish week at the Rack. I got my sister a cute top for $10 and this dress for $15. The dress is a size too big but it's wearable - I actually wore it Saturday night to my SIL's birthday party with a pair of Stuart Weitzman wedge espadrilles ($5 Nordstrom Rack) and my new Rebecca Minkoff Tokyo pouch I got a few weeks ago. I took a few selfies but the lighting was so bad that nothing came out :(
 |
| Check out the pockets :) |
Then there is my new Donna Karan suit. And I'm not talking DKNY!
I've been keeping an eye on all the Donna Karan stuff lately but
it's usually $400-$800 a piece at the Rack. Got this $2,545 jacket and skirt for
$99.90!!! I think they were supposed to sell it as separates but they
had a sensor attaching both pieces and she rang up the tag on the jacket
(skirt didn't have a price tag just a Donna Karan tag). They had the
matching top but it was too small and priced at over $100 so I left
it.
 |
| Check out the amazing seaming inside the jacket :) |
 |
| $1695 is the price for just the jacket - the skirt retailed for $850 = total $2,545. Scanned for just $99.90!!! |
 |
| High-waisted skirt with asymmetrical details. |
Best find was this $298 Trouve leather jacket for $19.90. I'm posting the sku so you can try to locate one but I had them track it that day in every color and every size but this came up as the last one in the company.
 |
| Love! |
***********
And that's all folks! I still have to workout (I didn't cross that off the list because I refuse to skip it) and see if I can build my units. I got a bunch of these in different sizes for 50% off at Target last week. I love cubbies instead of drawers. It's easier to just dump all the socks in one bin, undies in another...I got several sizes and colors for all over the house. I'm going to see what I can use and return the rest. The smaller ones were around $10 and the most expensive one I got (not pictured) was a 12 cube unit for $36.
Don't forget to enter my giveaway :)
-Shoppinggal
