Steals, Deals, and Emails

I love a good deal.... which means that I receive  a lot of emails every day advertising various "one day deals." I think this trend started with Groupon, but now it's totally out of control.

That being said, I've snagged a lot of wonderful things through these deals, and thought you might want to know about a few of these. Hopefully you'll know of things I haven't found yet, as well! I'm starting with the ones I LOVE....

Pick Your Plum

I LOVE this site. I have ordered quite a few items from here and am always ultra impressed with the quality.  This is well worth the daily email, but beware that items often sell out quickly!

GroopDealz

This is my new FAVORITE -- all "boutique" deals. Everything is super cute and really affordable. I actually have a hard time controlling myself with this site, so be warned! If you're only going to sign up for one deal email, this is the one I would do.

Zulily

Zulily is cute baby, kid, and maternity stuff. I signed up because I can often find great baby gifts for friends - I'm not ordering anything for myself quite yet! Their stuff is flat out adorable. If you're a mom, this one is a must see.

Very Jane

This is my very favorite new site - I want literally everything on it, and I think their prices are really good. I'm generally not impressed if things cost more than $20, and these prices seem like a total STEAL.

Plum District

Another site with a lot of kid stuff, this is supposedly "for moms, by moms." They have a lot of grown-up stuff too, which is why I subscribe. They have national deals, which are usually pretty good, and also deals localized to your city.  I don't order things often from here, but I have snagged a few good deals.

Groupon

I still get Groupon emails, and I also get the "Groupon Goods" and the "Getaways." Verdict? I bought tons of Groupons when it first started. I bought my first one in 2012 just a few days ago (cheese making class for two for $19? Yes, please!).

We've never bought a getaway or a good, but I know people who have. Just waiting on the right one I guess.


Bottom line - it's quite a few emails, but I think it's worth it. I can open them quickly, scan for anything good, and then delete if I don't find anything, which is what I do more often than not. That being said, I have snagged some DEALS and am generally looking for things for people I will need gifts for in the near future.

Are there any really great deal sites I'm missing? I am always especially interested in the "cute stuff" sites!

Please know that I wasn't compensated at all for this post, but I did include referral codes for sites if any apply. These are my honest opinions.

Lots for lunch!

I pack my lunch almost every day. You know I'm cheap, so I like that I save money when I pack my lunch, and I tend to eat healthier too.

A few weeks ago I ordered a new lunch box. You've probably seen it on Pinterest - it's called the Easy Lunch Box and I'm officially obsessed.

My order came with four containers and a cooler pack, which perfectly fits two coolers and an ice pack. I don't even put my lunch in the fridge - it just sits under my desk until lunch time and it's still perfectly cold. It was only $20, and it came with a bunch of stuff.

I think the best way to explain it to you is to let my past few weeks of lunches speak for themselves. I pack two containers every day - one is snacks / mini meals (usually one in the morning and one in the afternoon) and the other is my lunch.

Leftover calzone, carrot sticks, granola thin

Strawberries, pretzels, knock off goldfish that were disgusting

Leftover pork roast, smashed potatoes, fruit snacks

Carrot sticks, string cheese and triscuits, granola thins

Tortilla chips, avocado chicken salad, carrot sticks

English muffin pizza (for the toaster oven at work), carrot sticks, strawberries

Pretzels, weight watchers string cheese (it's yummy), dark chocolate almonds, grapes

Leftover tacos, fruit snacks, grapes

Pretzels, carrot sticks, apples with caramel

Buffalo chicken eggrolls with ranch (more on that later), caprese pasta salad, raw asparagus

I've never really liked the actual packing of my lunch, but it's fun to do it when you have little compartments to fill. They are deceivingly big - and will help you with portion size. The individual bags of baby carrots fit exactly into the mid-sized compartment, which means you can buy a big bag and portion accordingly. One serving of goldfish crackers fits perfectly into the small compartment.

This would be perfect for kids going to school, too, but I love it as a grown up going to work! I didn't get anything for writing this post -- I just seriously love the lunch box. You can visit their website if you want to get one for yourself!

Do you have any ideas for other things I can have in my lunch?

Ohmygosh. Did you know about this??

I just discovered this site on Pinterest, and I am freaking out. Did you guys know about this? If you did, and you didn't tell me, we are in a huge fight.

Save-on-Crafts.com.

I just paid $30 for 5 yards. Oh. My. Goodness.

I'll be ordering these... IMMEDIATELY.

Wouldn't these be cool to make signs??

Go there, now. I promise you won't be sorry!!!

A present for me

We went to Target this weekend because Zac wanted a new polo shirt. He is insanely picky when it comes to clothes (and most things. But in a good way?) and he loves these - so he now owns eight of them.

Anyway, I digress. While we were there, I picked out a fun new nail polish color (stone grey - so trendy) and also came across this beautiful thing:

It's a notebook. The most beautiful notebook I had ever seen and it was like I immediately knew I'd been missing it for my whole life. And if you know me well, you'll know that I'm (sadly) not exaggerating here.

I've been on the lookout for a notebook that could be my everything. It's separate from my calendar, but where I can keep everything important in once place. Lists, meeting notes, ideas, etc. And this baby might just be it.

It's not moleskin, but it has a similar look. The cover is a really thick cardboard, but it seems pretty sturdy. The pages lie flat for it being so thick.

All the pages are blank and lined. My big dilemma was whether I wanted to divide it into sections for various things (home, work, blog, etc.), but ultimately I decided I'll just go chronologically and see how that goes.

Do you have a notebook or system like this? How do you use it? Is there something awesome that I'm missing that would be awesome? 

And yes, I'm that kid who was beyond excited to go school suppy shopping each fall. But if you read this blog and we're at least online friends, I'm pretty sure you were too!

I got a serger!!!!

You'll have to excuse the zillions of exclamation points that this post will include, because...

I GOT A SERGER!!!!

I am so excited. I have no idea how to use it, but I love it. I can already tell. I mentioned this briefly a few weeks ago, but you would have had to be reading pretty closely to find it. How many of you actually read that closely? It's okay - you don't hurt my feelings!

My mom's friend Judy wanted to get rid of her serger because she wasn't using it, and she let me have it for a steal. She's the best. Like, the best, best, best, best, best.

You'll have to forgive me while I spend the next few days (weeks? Months? Years?) learning how to use it... anyone have any great serger wisdom to share, or sites or tutorials that will help me learn to use it?

Just Put it in my Dropbox

I always am excited to learn about a cool online tool, and I wanted to share a few I've found recently:

Dropbox is the most awesome thing I've found in awhile. It is an online storage tool that lets you access your files from anywhere. You just install the software on your computer, choose which files you want to share, and then voila! You can access them anywhere!

You can access your files online via the dropbox website, or you can download an app for your phone or iPad that lets you view files that way. I use this ALL the time... I'm at a meeting and I need to access a document for work, and I can just quickly pull it up on my phone. Awesome.

If this isn't the coolest thing since sliced bread, I don't know what is. How often have you been meeting someone for something (dinner, coffee, meeting, etc.) and tried to figure out somewhere in the middle? Use this website to make that process a breeze! Pop in both addresses and a keyword for where you want to meet (ie: coffee) and voila - a meeting place!

Note: I was not compensated by either of these companies, I just think they are great online tools that you might want to use, also!

Oh how I love Ebates

I know I've told you about my love for Ebates.com before, but my love has grown since then. Because I just got an email telling me my quarterly check is in the mail. For $34. Of free money. Because I used Ebates before I bought stuff that I was already going to buy anyway.

If you haven't signed up yet, here's how it works. You go to Ebates.com before you buy something online. Check to see if the place you are going to make your purchase is part of Ebates - chances are, they will be. Just click through to the store from Ebates, and make your purchase. You'll get a percentage of your purchase back, and often perks like free shipping or other coupons.

Every quarter, you'll get a big ol' check of free money rewarding you for purchases that you were making anyway. Amazing!! I became a member last year, and so far I've earned $75. That isn't anything to laugh at.

So... if you want to start using Ebates, just click here! The hardest part is training yourself to check their site before making a purchase online!

Look - a Nook!

I just realized that I never told you about one of my very favorite Christmas presents - a Nook!! I had mentioned to Zac a few times that I thought they were super cool, and that if someone gave me one I would love it, but I'd probably never buy one for myself. I'm a BOOK person... but I could be persuaded otherwise, right?

He passed that message along to my favorite future in-laws and I was totally surprised to open one on Christmas Day!

Ohmygoodness this thing is SO cool!  And it is exactly like I thought it would be - I totally love it and use it all the time. 

My favorite things about it?

1. I read more! I am a huge reader, but when I don't have a book to read, I don't read. And sometimes it takes me awhile to find another book. No longer the case - as soon as I decide what to read next, I am reading it five seconds later.
2. I can get books from the library. Our library is investing in a ton of new e-books, and with the Nook, I can borrow e-books and don't have to buy them.
3. Same with friends with Nooks - we can share books! If you have one, let me know!
4. It's a space saver. I can take multiple books with me without filling a bag. I can take thousands of books on vacation and just carry this little guy.
5. It has crossword puzzles and sudoku puzzles on it. Fun!
6. It is unbelievably easy to read. I thought it might take awhile to adjust to it, but it didn't. Love it!
7. I don't have to find a place to store books that I don't really want to keep forever - but I can still buy books that I do want to keep forever.

Have you made the switch to an e-reader yet? Do you have any suggestions for books that I should read next? I just finished The Girl with the Dragon Tattoo series, and loved Water for Elephants too!

My favorite things

I took the day off from work today to run some errands and get some sewing done. You'll get to see the results soon, but in the meantime, I caught Oprah's "Favorite Things" episode today, and it got me thinking about MY favorite things!

NARS Smudge Proof Eyeshadow Base

I got a sample of this from Sephora and immediately purchased the full size tube. It is awesome!! You just put it on before your eyeshadow and 12 hours later, it will look like you just applied it. Love it - and makes wearing decent eyeshadow worth it since it stays on all day!

The Bounce Dryer Bar

You already know that I'm a lazy chore doer, and you may also know that Zac is notorious for forgetting one step in the laundry process. Sometimes this is soap, sometimes this is fabric softener.  The dryer bar is fantastic - it lasts for months and you never need to worry about remembering fabric softener! Plus, it smells amazing, and my clothes come out feeling fresh, and not with that nasty residue that some fabric softeners leave.

EBATES

I've professed my love for Ebates before, but if you online shop and you like free money, Ebates will make you very happy! You get rebates for things that you were already going to buy online, and sometimes they have additional perks, like free shipping.  You can visit Ebates now and sign up for free! We're getting $30 back already this quarter!

For Better: The Science of a Good Marriage

A friend recommended this book, and I'm really enjoying it. It's a good balance of science and decent writing, and it's nice to read statistics and mark yourself above average!

I Want a Hippopotamus for Christmas

If this doesn't make you happy, what does?!? And along those lines...

The STRAIGHT NO CHASER Christmas Albums

These are the only CDs I've bought since high school - SO worth it!! Amazing acapella voices and fun new twists on classic songs. Love it!

What are your favorite things?? Did I forget something wonderful?? I'm linking up to 320 Sycamore where you can learn about other people's favorite things!

Can we talk about ebates one more time?

I know I've mentioned this before, but I just have to bring it up again, especially with the holidays looming just around the corner.

If you're already using them, ebates.com is a website that rewards you for making online purchases but giving you cash back. You just get to the website you were already going to by clicking the link, and then depending on the store, you get a % cash back.

You guys, I just checked my account, and this year I've gotten $48.00 back. As in checks in my mail for money. For purchases I was already going to buy anything.

I swear there's no catch - it's just awesome. If you haven't signed up yet, do it - just click HERE! Oh... and don't forget to use it when you buy things online!

Cracker Barrel Inspiration

I snapped these pictures a few months ago while we were at Cracker Barrel. They have the cutest stuff there, and most of it looks pretty easy to DIY.

Cute idea for an appliquéd t-shirt or dress, maybe?

I'm not good at painting, but I could probably make something like this.Or some of our vinyl supplying friends could create something that we could just buy, instead?

This is my very favorite!!!!

And, because this picture was also taken at Cracker Barrel, a look at how Matt was passing the time while we waited for a table:

If that doesn't inspire you to create, I don't know what will!

Amazing Homegoods Find

I absolutely adore Homegoods. It's like the three housewares aisles of TJ Maxx (which are always the best) but an entire store. Fabulous.

I've always gotten great stuff at Homegoods - baskets, fancy olive oils, candles, notecards, towels, pillows - you name it. But yesterday I got the most amazing thing EVER.

This is a "You are special" plate. I know what you're thinking... not really my usual style, right? But, my mom has this exact same plate and you get to eat from it when it's your birthday.  And my gramma has the exact same plate too.

Cool, right??