5 Must-Have Clothing Basics from Target

I love Target!!! You feel the same, right?!
Over time I have found a few clothing items from Target that have become staples for me. Like, I have multiples of them in different colors. And I use them on a weekly basis.
You can't beat the price and I have been really impressed with the quality of the items.

Here are my 5 favorite staples from Target:

 Mossimo Crew Neck Tee
$9 (but I have seen as low as $5 during sales)
I have tried many t-shirts from Target and these are by fay my favorite. They are fitted but not too tight. The length is long but not too long. Everything seems juuust right on these shirts. I'm planing on adding more colors.

 Denizen Essential Stretch Skinny Jeans
$27.99 (look out for sales and coupons)
I haven't had a whole lot of luck with jeans at Target. This girl needs some stretch and I can't seem to find that in a lot of the jeans Target carries. But these, streeeetch! My mom and I actually picked up the light pair together. And we loved them so much we ordered the second pair online in a darker wash. I'd love to see some more styles/washes of these come out.

 Mossimo Full Length Leggings 
$8 (and sometimes on sale for $5)
Website only shows the capri style but I always purchase the full length. 
I have purchased so many pairs of these leggings. As you can see, right now I have 4 pair. One pair are the ones I paint in (see the splatters?). Another pair has holes all in them that I continue to wear to bed because they are so comfy. They are the perfect thickness and the waist band isn't annoying.

Merona Ultimate Long Sleeve Tees
$10 (and can go on-sale as low as $6)
Love the fit of these in both the crew neck and the v-neck...and I don't normally do v-neck tees. Nice fit and light enough to layer with in the winter and wear to the office in the summer.

Merona Favorite Tank
$10 (and on-sale for as low as $5)
And obviously #1 on my list...these tank tops! To wear to bed, to layer under other shirts, to wear by themselves, love them! They are smooth (no ribbing), they have some stretch to them. come in so many colors every season and are so versatile. They are also long enough on me but not ultra long.

Do you have any favorites from Target that you have bought multiples of?

Cole Haan Sunglasses + 4 Tips for Shopping for Sunglasses

I was on a mission to find a nice pair of sunglasses but
I just wasn't going to pay a lot of money.
I'm too afraid of loosing them or breaking them. But I really needed to upgrade from the $5, crooked, peeling sunglasses I was currently wearing. 

So off to T.J. Maxx I went on this mission. I'm really happy with my find, a pair of Cole Haan aviator style sunglasses that retailed for $98. I walked out paying $16.99 for them.

A few tips from my search on scoring higher end sunglasses at a great price:

1. Look at every pair: I went shopping by myself and took the time to look at every pair of sunglasses on the three displays. I wanted to make sure I didn't miss any good finds.

2. Know your brands: There are plenty of sunglasses from brands like Jessica Simpson, Nine West and  Betsey Johnson. And while those are nice brands, their sunglasses aren't super great quality.

3. Google Search: If you are unsure of where a brand stands on quality, whip out your phone really quick and Google them to see what their sunglasses sell for. That's what I did for a pair of Seven for All Mankind sunglasses. I knew the brand was higher end but I didn't know where their sunglasses ranked...I did a little Google search and saw they retailed for around $80-$90 dollars.

4. "Retail for $34+" means better quality: This is specifically something I noticed at T.J. Maxx. I realized that all of the brands that were higher end or better quality stated on the tag that the retail price was $34+. This could be a quick guide to help you narrow down your picks.

There you have it. Just a few tips for scoring some higher quality sunglasses at a great price!
Most sunglasses are priced around $12.99 and with just a little bit of patience you can easily spend a few dollars more for a much high quality pair of shades!

P.S. This was not sponsored by T.J. Maxx. I just think this is a great, budget friendly place to shop for quality sunglasses.

Do you have any favorite places to grab sunglasses? Or any tips on how you save money when on the hunt for new shades?

Home Decor: Giving an Empty Corner Some Love

Sorry for the radio silence around here! I've been trying to avoid having to say that...but I know I'm breaking blogging rule #1. Blog consistently! I was doing a great job there for a while and then life just started to interrupt. And what it all boiled down to was that I have to take care of life first and then I can do some blogging. Honestly, I have to think that way in order to not go CRAZY!
Here's to hoping I can get a bit more consistent again!

So, I have had a corner of our living room that has remained bare. It really needed a little love and this past weekend...it finally happened!
It all started when I walked by this chair and saw that it was on clearance! I have seen it a few times in Target and always thought the pattern was so pretty. (But at the original price of $179.99...it was not going to happen.) The chair was marked at $89, I used a $10 Target Home coupon and my Target debit card. I walked out of the store paying $76 plus tax for this chair!

Target Threshold Chair

The following day we decided to swing by Ross to see if we could find a little side table.
We found this one which was exactly what I had in mind. A small, metal cut-out side table.
 It was marked down to $27.99.

The ballerina statue was another find this weekend from a re-sale shop downtown for $10.

I decided I also wanted to add a basket for our blankets to make the area fill a little cozier.
This basket was our other Ross find, on clearance for $13.99. At first I was thinking a big wicker basket but I loved the details on this one! It's metal with a canvas insert and thick rope handles.

The horse bookends were yet another find from a re-sale shop downtown this past weekend, $30 for the pair.

Here is how it all looks together.  Just a few things made a big difference in the feel of the entire living room! This was just what it needed. The total on everything for this corner was $128 plus tax. Under the original price of the chair!

Ross Side Table: similar, similar
Threshold Chair: Target
Ross Basket: similar, similar
Ballerina Stature: similar
Horse Bookends (from above): similar

Have you done any small home updates recently? Score any great deals on furniture?
I'm trying to convince my husband that our next project is making over an old dresser.

Shopping Haul: Target, Old Navy, J.C Penney + Macys

Good Morning! Hope you are making it through the week. :)

I've done a little bit of clothes shopping over the past few weeks. I've had some things on my wishlist and there just so happened to be some great deals and coupons out there. And you know with Memorial Day coming up there will be only more temptation to snag some more things from my existing wishlist!
So, sharing my recent finds and deals here today!

Macy's

Shirt $12.74 (Orig. $24)  // Tommy Hilfiger Shorts (similar) $16 (Orig. $50 ) 

Purchased during the Friends and Family sale, so this was with an extra 24% off the marked price.

Shirt $12.74 (Orig. $24) // (same shorts)

Old Navy

Dress $19.95 (Orig. $24.94)

This dress was under $15 online but not that price in-store. They would not price match. Bummer!

J.C Penney

Waikiki Shirt $1.99 (Orig. $14) // LA Shirt $1.99 (Orig. $14) 

Used a $10 of $10 purchase coupon with this purchase.

Target
Shorts $15 (Orig. $19.99)// Dress $5 (Orig. $19.99)
Apparel was Buy One Get One half off. I also used a $5 off $25 apparel purchase coupon.

Have shopped any sales lately? Which stores had the best sales and finds?

5 Tips for Shopping for a Baby Shower

Good Morning! I hope you had a great weekend.
We hosted dinner for family that was in town on Friday, painted our kitchen on Saturday and did some grocery shopping on Sunday.
I took off last week from posting to give myself a wee little bit of extra breathing room.
I'm back today to share some of my tips for shopping for a baby shower.
We just attended a shower last weekend for friends of ours who are having twins. I thought this would be a good example to use to give some tips on how to save or get the most for your money when shopping, if you aren't just purchasing one large gift.

First I'm showing you what I purchased to create this basket. I really wanted to tie a bow with ribbon around the basket but needless to say I ran out of time. I did pad it with a little tissue paper and I think it came out pretty cute!

Ross Dress for Less
Basket $5.99 // Infant Nike Socks $4.99 // Trucks Book $2.99
Pacifiers $2.99 // Pacifier Clips $2.99 / Burp Clothes $6.99
Infant Beanies $2.99 // Baby Toys $ 3.99 & $4.99 // Bottle Brush $2.49

Dollar Tree

Snack Cups w/ Lids // Outlet Plugs

Sleepy Monster & Giggle Monster Board Books

Target
Wipe Warmer $26.99 // Faucet Cover $7.99
Saline Nose Drops $3.69 + 10% off w/ Cartwheel App
Infants Acetaminophen $4.02 (clearance price) // Pampers $8.99 - $1.50 coupon

5 TIPS FOR SHOPPING FOR A BABY SHOWER

1. Book as a Card: Don't buy a baby shower card. Instead, purchase a book and write a little something on the inside cover. You can buy a book for as low as a $1 from the dollar store or Target's Dollar Spot or spend a few bucks more at places like Ross or T.J. Maxx. Instead of something to throw away, they now have a keepsake book with a special note to their little baby. I actually requested this for my baby shower and I love opening up the books to find those special notes.

2. Container as a Gift Bag: Instead of putting your gifts all in a gift bag, pick out a container that can be utilized by the parents. I purchased a nice basket with handles. This can be used for toys, extra clothes, etc. You can also use a large clear tote with a lid. These are great to also store extra clothes or even clothes the babies start to grow out of. A hamper would also be a fun way to package your gifts. Not only do these things act as your gift bags, they can be utilized afterwards and are an extra little gift.

3. Use Coupons and Apps: This might be a given but sometimes we don't plan as much when purchasing gifts. Figure out where you might shop and what you want to buy and look for coupons. Your traditional registry places like Buy Buy Baby and Babies R' Us put out store coupons. Places like Target have coupons for baby items on their website and discounts via the Cartwheel App.

4. Shop Outside of the Registry Store: Sure, it's easy to shop right off the registry. But sometimes you can get better deals and stretch your money by shopping outside of the store the parents are registered at. I looked up the two registries online and made notes of what was listed and hadn't been purchased yet. This way I could use that as a guide when shopping during my trips shown above.

5. Don't Just Buy from Off the Registry: OK, so if you are clueless about what new parents might need for a new little baby, stick to the list! But if you are a parent yourself, think of some of the things YOU really utilized. They might not be on their registry. The things we purchased that we knew we really utilized with our children that wasn't listed on their registry was the wipe warmer, faucet cover, saline drops, pacifier clips and the infants acetaminophen.

I hope these few tips help you out next time a baby shower is on your calendar! (Or even if you just know someone who is expecting.)

Recent Purchases + .10 cent digital prints

It's huuuuummmp day! Hope you are having a great week.

I just wanted to share a few recent purchases that I got great deals on....all at one of my favorite stores, T.J. Maxx. And as you can see by the red and yellow tags, I had good luck in the clearance sections this time.

Nicole Miller Frame @ T.J. Maxx: $6

Max Studio Frame @ T.J. Maxx: $3

 Giorgio Picino Italian Leather Sandals @ T.J. Maxx: $15

Mint Julips Lip Scrub @ LUSH: $9.95

This was actually a gift from my mom - I was dying to try it. So far, so good!

Tastes yum and makes my lips really soft. They tend to shed like a snake. :(

I also wanted to share that you can get a great deal on digital prints at CVS and Walgreens this week.

If you are anything like me (you have tons of photos on your phone and haven't printed anything in forever!), this is a great deal to start getting some of those pictures printed!

CVS: 4x6 digital prints are .13cents each. 50 print minimum.
Enter promo code: PRINT13. (Offer expires 2/14/15)
Walgreens:  4x6 digital prints are .10cents each. 75 print minimum.
Enter promo code: PRINTS2LOVE. (Offer expires 2/14/14)
 You can choose in-store pick-up at either store to save on shipping. 

Find any good deals to share? Got any pictures you need to print?

My First Pair of Booties

I've been loving all of the outfit pictures highlighting booties on Pinterest and on blogs

but have had a hard time finding the right pair for me. I've been a little picky

about the style and heel height.

I found these through someone's Instagram post and LOVED them

but just couldn't pay the $150+ price.

Naturalizer - Naya Fisher Booties

I received these booties from Target for Christmas but I found the heel odd

and uncomfortable so back they went. 

Sam & Libby- Marley Ankle Boot

Then I found these booties from Target and snatched them up!

They fit all of the requirements I was looking for and were such a good 

alternative to the Naturalizer bootie! They were $37.99 plus 20% off with a coupon from Target.com.

Mossimo - Hartley II Buckle Ankle Boot

Are you loving the booties? Do you own a pair or are you on the hunt?