Who doesn't love a good bargain? HomeGoods stores promise "Unique Home Decor and Affordable Home Funishings." I decided to put them to the test. Can $100 buy a makeover for a home office? Is it possible to be penny pinching and posh? Almost.
OK, so I went over budget a teensy bit. Here's what I picked up at Homegoods for $100.96:
Ceramic and Lucite Lamp with Shade {$49.99}
White Lacquer Stack File Box {$19.99}
Blue Lacquer and Chrome Hinged Desktop Box {$24.99}
Crystal Frame {$5.99}
I was impressed at how many coordinating colors and patterns were on offer, and how the store's layout made it easy to locate pieces that work with each other. You don't have to downsize your style to match your budget. With a frugal attitude and discerning eye, you can find the right pieces to cheer up almost any workspace without breaking the bank.
I had so many questions about the Skecher Shape-ups I purchased as part of the Ross Dress for Less Challenge, that I thought it warranted it's own post. I've been wearing toning shoes for a few years now and am happy to report that they've not only come a long way in looks, but they seem to be more effective than ever. I've been wearing 3 styles lately, from 2 different manufacturers. Here are my thoughts on all of them:
Reebok Easytone "Go Outside" Training Shoe
1. Reebok Women's EasyTone Go Outside Training Shoe OK, I admit it, I bought these simply because they were so much cuter than the Skecher Shapeups! But after much wearing I can tell you that they are SUPER bouncy and comfortable. They retail for pretty much the same price as Skecher Shapeups (around $100) and you can also find them at Ross or on Amazon for much less. The big difference between these and the Skechers is that, after a full day of wearing the Reeboks, I really feel the toning primarily in my legs. I especially feel the back of my thighs getting a workout with these shoes (hope that's not TMI). I love them but find them too tiring to wear 2 days in a row, considering the amount of walking I typically do in a day (at least 3 miles). I think that's a good thing, though!
Reebok Easytone Flip Sandal
2. Reebok Women's EasyTone Flip Sandal I don't know about you, but there are days I just don't want to wear lace-up shoes! I LOVE these flipflops, also from the Reebok Easytone line. The ones I have are black with a cute pink sole and bottom. I bought these over other brands (Skecher and Fitflops, namely) not only because they were WAY more flattering, but also because they were more comfortable. I found the Skecher and Fitflop version to feel much more stiff and clunky than the Reeboks, which have the same bouncy sole as the Easytone "Go Outside" trainers. Like the lace-up version, I feel the toning primarily in my legs, but the toning is a little more gentle. I can wear these sandals 2 days in a row without any fatigue. Again, at $60 retail, they are competitively priced with other brands and you can easily find them for less on Amazon or (if you're lucky enough to find them!) at your local Ross.
Skecher Shapeups!
3. Skechers Women's Shape Ups - Fitness Sneaker While I feel, like many of you probably do, that these are the least "cute" of all the toning shoes, I must concede that they are by far the most effective. When I wear these shoes I not only feel toning going on in my legs, like with the Easytone shoes, but also in my glutes and abs. These are also extremely comfortable, enough for me to wear all day long with a great deal of walking. I try not to wear them 2 days in a row, though, just so I can also wear the Easytone. They retail for around $100, but I found mine at Ross for $40. You can also find them on Amazon for around $60, or even less depending on the style.
If I could only have one toning shoe? It would still be the Skecher Shapeups. I had one of the first versions of this shoe (which I think I bought for $70?) and this version, though more expensive, is WAY more comfortable and provides better toning.
I hope that was useful-I really love my toning shoes and highly recommend them in general. There are a lot of great brands and styles out there, but these were the ones that worked best for me.
Happy Walking!
Wishing you love with extra cheese- Nacho Mama
Disclosure: The Skecher Shapeups mentioned in this post were gifted to me by Ross, the other shoes were purchased by me. The above is my honest opinion.
Please excuse the shaky camerawork! My kids were being extra noisy so I had to escape to my bedroom balcony. Believe me, I know, it's SUPER shaky! :)
I mean it-THANK YOU all so much for your support, your kind words and especially all the wonderful things you share here! And extra gracias to Kathy, The Crafty Chica, for helping me see why I needed a facebook page. I'm taking her online publicity course (click HERE for details) which I believe you can still get in on if you're interested!
You can click the "Like" button at the top of my sidebar or visit my NEW FACEBOOK PAGE by clicking HERE!
As I mentioned in my review of Legoland, I'm a sucker for anything with a "theme." I love theme restaurants; seafood places with plastic lobster-choked fishnets hanging across the ceiling and "Buoys" and "Gulls" signs on the restrooms. I LOVE theme hotels-I get giddy the moment I step onto the Vegas strip! I especially adore theme parties!
My hubby & I spent our honeymoon at The Madonna Inn-QUEEN of theme! photo via Wikipedia
So I thought it might be fun to share few theme party ideas here from time to time-hope you don't mind!
One of my favorite theme parties I ever threw was a baby shower for my sister, who is the HUGEST Golden Girls fan I've ever met. Even though she was under 13 when the show originally aired, she nevertheless caught every single episode and knows most of them by heart. When my husband and I were first dating, he was totally baffled by her love for this show. I remember him having this conversation with my then-15-year-old sister:
HIM: Why do you love that show so much, anyway? What's the deal?
SIS: I'd just like to be like them when I'm their age! Sharing cheesecake and telling stories to each other in the middle of the night...
HIM: Um, so....you'd like to be widowed?
SIS: (dreamily) Yeah....or divorced!
Don't worry, she grew up to marry perfectly lovely man! And when we found out she was expecting, I immediately knew what the theme of her shower would be. :)
Got a Golden Girls fan in your life? Here's how to throw a shindig that'd make Blanche Deveraux beg for an invite!
DADE COUNTY DECOR
FIRST: The invitations! I went to faceinhole.com and found a Golden Girls template. Popped my sister's face in Rue Mclanahan's place and voila! The perfect invite.
SECOND: I hit my local fabric store and picked up a few yards of "Miami-Nice" fabric (see above). I can't sew a stitch, but my mom was kind enough to whip up table cloth for my buffet and a runner for my coffee table. Thanks Mom!
THIRD: I filled my home with vases of Birds of Paradise and palm fronds. Now I live in Southern California where these things are literally right outside my door, but if you live somewhere where tropical flora is scarce you can easily find some fabulous fakes at your local craft store.
FOURTH: Never forget that, as the hostess, YOU are the most important decorative element of your party! I served my guests and moderated the games in my FABULOUS Shady Pines apron, which I found at cafepress.com.
MIAMI MENU
(All the food and drinks had printed placards letting the guests know what they were in for!)
FOOD:
-Miami Mixed Salad
-Rose's nutty Scandinavian Meatballs (served in the crockpot)
-Dorothy's Brooklyn Sausage and Peppers
-Sofia's Dinner Rolls (Just like they served at Shady Pines, Ma!)
And for DESSERT~
-Blanche's Georgia Peach Pie a la Mode
and, of course,
CHEESECAKE!!
(my favorite is the New York-Style Cheesecake from Trader Joe's, in the blue box)
DRINKI-POOS:
-Rue McLemonade
-Iced Tea Arthur
-Betty White Sangria*
-Estelle Wetty (Ice Water)
*I realize some consider it poor taste to serve alcohol at a baby shower, but this was a party for 35 and I think you simply can't expect that many women to get along without wine (especially if they're related to me) but that's just a personal quirk!
GOLDEN GAMES
-We played the standard baby shower games (cut the string to what you think is the preggo's circumference, find the safety pins in a dish of rice, etc.)
-We also played Golden Girls TRIVIA! This was the hit of the party. I was shocked at how well those ladies knew their Golden Girls!
The prizes all had an 80s theme: A bottle of Reunite (to be served "on ice"), a Rubik's Cube, Calgon, etc.
SOUNDTRACK SUGGESTIONS
-"Conga" by Miami Sound Machine
-The theme to Miami Vice
-"Cheesecake" by Louis Armstrong
-"Bosom Buddies" from the movie Mame-sung by Bea Arthur and Lucille Ball
-For that matter, the theme from Bosom Buddies
-The theme from The Golden Girls
and so on.
Getting some ideas for your own theme party? Got a brother who can't live without MacGyver? Was your mom despondent when they canceled The Love Boat? Got a cousin who knows all the words to the theme from The Facts of Life? Make their YEAR with a party based on their TV-land faves!
Wishing you love with extra CHEESECAKE! Nacho Mama
PS-here's my favorites Golden Girls moment EVER! If this doesn't make you laugh, I'm not sure we can be friends. (OK we can-but no theme party for you.) Enjoy!
