Makeup 4 Eva

My Mom and I made a trip to Sephora last weekend to check out Make Up for Ever.  It’s a really bad name for a company that makes some surprisingly good products.  My Mom chose the HD Invisible Cover Foundation and the HD Microfinish Powder.  No, these products do not cause your facial flaws to show up in high definition.  They actually smooth you out so that if you happen to be filmed by a high definition camera you’ll look flawless.  John McCain could have really used these products during the presidential election.  He looked very scary in high def.  I actually reverted to low def to watch the debates because I couldn’t focus on whhat he was saying while watching him in high def.  Anyway, while my Mom was checking out makeup I was busy checking out the totally insane false eyelash line by M4E.  It is CRAZY!!!  Normally I’d say these lashes should be reserved for supermodels and street walkers, however NYE is the perfect time to go a bit wacky with your lashes.  They are $14 each.  I love the ones with the little feathers on the end.  A perfect inexpensive way to dress up an otherwise not so festive dress for a big night out.  Happy New Year!

New Fake Sugar

I have a really terrible sweet tooth, terrible!  I think nothing of putting 3 splendas in my coffee in the morning.  I always sneak them in myself instead of asking the friendly coffee fixers at the coffee shop to do it because I just can’t say “three splendas” out loud!  So I guess I do think something of it.  If splenda turns out to be harmful to humans, I am defintiely going to be one of the first casualties.  In order to cut down on the splenda I often use agave nectar, and Babymouse generally gets that instead of sugar.  But the problem with agave nectar is that while it is easy on your blood sugar it has just as many calories as regular old sugar, not that cool when you are dieting.

 So I bought a box of this “Truvia” the other day and have been eating it out of hand (sad but true).  It is made from Stevia and some sort of sugar alchohol, and has no calories.  I have been trying to like stevia for years now but it tastes so terrible it once made me cry.  Truvia tastes like stevia before the awful aftertaste kicks in.  Being a crack food detective I researched this product for about 6 minutes and discovered that Truvia is actually partially owned by Coke, and the table sweetener is just a precursor to a million other products to be sweetened with Truvia (like coke), which they couldn’t roll out yet because they didn’t have FDA approval to use it as a food additive (which I think they did get last week).

 Anywho, despite my pet peeve of fake words made of parts of real words (True Stevia), and the fact that the only ”further information” about the ”natural flavors” that are added to Truvia on the website is: “natural flavors are used to bring out the best of our natural sweetness, like pepper or salt would be used to heighten the taste of a meal.”   (wow those natural flavors must be something very, very terrible), and that they are picking a fight with my friend splenda “Our sweetener is more than splendid.  It’s natural.”,  I give Truvia a big thumbs up for being very sweet and having a real granular sugar-like texture.  Today I had ONE splenda and one truvia in my coffee and it was quite delicious and not embarrassing at all.

Hayden-Harnett for Target

Has everyone seen the new Hayden-Harnett for Target line? Its soooo nice looking. Yes, I know that PVC is the enemy when it comes to handbags but these are just so beautiful and affordable! They would be perfect for a mother of a small child because spills would wipe off so easily. Also great for Vegans! Why is it that all of the Target designer lines are going the PVC route? I’d gladly pay an additional $10 for real leather. Its just not that much more. The hobo bag shown above is $39.99. If you just can’t stand the thought of PVC, they also have a few cute canvas bags. Or you could pick up this adorable umbrella for $22.99.

Belk Boots

These boots from the Kristin Davis collection at Belk are only $85!  Which wouldn’t be a big deal except they are made of real live leather (or real dead leather).  I had never heard of Belk’s until CityMouse pointed out the Kristin Davis collection a while back.  It seems to be the southern Macys?  Or the southern JCPenney, I can’t really tell.  Anyway Charlotte is “my” character on SATC, althoughI can’t say I am real loyal fan of the show.  It took my husband being away, a rainstorm AND the flu for me to finally order that movie on Demand.  And I know most of the show is the clothes, but I find many of Carrie’s outfits to be way contrived, is that blasphemy?   I would say my dream wardrobe would be half Carrie half Charlotte, and apparently this line is Charlotte-inspired, who knew.  The Carrie half will have to wait until I win the lottery. 

A Lotta Links

Happy Saturday!  The long awaited Thakoon for Target line debuted today!!!  Technically the line was set to launch tomorrow but its up right now.  Finally, all of my hours stalking the Target website have paid off.  This line is full of green and blue goodness.  It is a resort line so it really makes me wish I was going on vacation somewhere tropical but alas I am not so whatever I buy will be hanging out in the back of my closet until June.  Speaking of someplce tropical, check out this amazing home I spotted over at Desire to Inspire.  I bet whoever lives here can wear the new Thakoon line year round, and they can probably afford the non-Target line.

Continue reading »

Do You Need a Couch?

I don’t think you could do much better than this cream colored hemp shelterback sofa from West Elm, and it is on sale for $959, AND there is an additional 40% off sale items in store only for the next few days, which means it somewhere in the vicinity of 600$.  Sorry, I’m really terrible at doing math in my head.  And also on paper.  But I know that is a really great deal!  I like the shape of this couch, it would look good from behind with the clean high back. 

Thanks, Santa

Dear Santa,

Thank you very much for the orange and pink Tory Burch Zig Zag Scarf.  I tried to find it online to show my friends but I see that its sold out.  Future Mr. CityMouse did mention to me that you can still get Tory’s scarves at the brick and mortar Saks and they’re even on sale (a crazy good sale I’ve heard).  I’m glad your sleigh was able to make the stop at my local Saks.  I did not realize that they have a chimney!  In case anyone else had my scarf of their list, I also really like this similar Portolano Chevron Scarf for Saks.com for $35.96.  Next year I’d really like world peace (and a pair of Louboutins).

Merry Christmas to all and to all a good night!

CityMouse

Merry Christmas!

Drum side table, $159, West Elm.  Piped floor pillows, $89 for 3, Restoration Hardware Baby and Child.  Michael Jordan a-leaping: Limited Edition Nike Air Jordan XX3 Premiers, one BILLION dollars, eccentric sneaker collecting millionaires only.  Dancing Hula Lady doll, $8.95.  Fresh Milk soap, Sephora, $13.  Swan Silhouette, $13 on Etsy including black frame and ribbon hanger.  Carved wood Goose Egg, $26 on Etsy.   Gold Ring with lemon jade stone, $99 at JCrew.  Set of four Calling Birds dessert plates, $49, the Fat Finch.  Hen kitchen timer, 10$ at Anthropologie.  Turtle pull knobs, 14$, anthropologie.  A pair of preserved topiary trees, starting at 300$.  Partridge stationary, 12$ on Etsy

Crazy Sale at Neiman Marcus

I am normally a huge poopoo-er of Neiman Marcus.  I can’t afford anything in the store and they also refuse to take debit cards.  Actually, the only cards they do accept are their own card and Diner’s Club.  I didn’t even realize that the Diner’s Club card still existed.  I am sure Telly Savalas is the only person who still carries that card.  Right now Neimans is having a CRAZY online sale and their website is both debit and credit friendly.  And on top of that, all sale items are now an additional 40% off.  The only problem is that things are flying off the shelves so if you see something you want you cannot hesitate.  Hesitation is a sign of weakness in the world of crazy designer sales.  Sorry for the tee tiny pictures.  Neiman Marcus has a flash sight, grrrr.  The White + Warren Rosette Sweater is $90.  The cashmere cardigan is $117.  This adorable Nanette Lepore LBD was originally $305, it was marked down to $198 and now with the crazy sale its only $118.  That dark purple Vince Sweater Coat is now $219.

Ok, You Got Me

Normally I want nothing to do with Crew Cuts, it just seems way too expensive to me, and some items are just too much like teeny versions of grown up clothes - I know that is appealing to some extent, but shrinking a tweed blazer and calling it 129$ doesn’t seem right to me. 

Some of you may have noticed, however, that JCrew is having a sale.  A never-ending, always changing, constant e-mailing, brain swelling code proliferating sale (if you are unaware of this, I suggest you check your spam filter- they have seriously been sending about 12 emails a day!).  And now, it seems, Crew Cuts has finally been discounted to the point that I can give it another look.  And as it turns out this line is adorable when cast in the lovely pink light of 60% off!  This shirt is $14.99, and this velvet ruffle jacket is $49, although I’m sure there is an extra % off coupon code available in the spam filter.