Champagne taste on a beer budget

What can I say, I've always had champagne taste on a beer budget.  I've always been drawn to designer labels and love looking closely at the details of high quality fabrics/leather and the craft of great stitching .  But the catcher is that haven't been always able to afford them. While I do occasionally splurge on designer shoes/handbags and find myself whipping out the ole Amex card at Neiman Marcus, I pretty much limit myself to shopping the sale racks or discount stores (hello, Target!) or driving to the nearest factory store outlets (J. Crew/Banana Republic/Ann Taylor/BCBG).  I also rely heavily on knock offs to get the designer look I love.

Here are a few websites that I love to shop at to get a designer look but at a "mommy budget" price:

http://www.six-star-replica.com/
At Six-Star-Replica, you can get very good quality Louis Vuitton, Gucci, Burrberry, and even Hermes handbags and accessories for a fraction of the cost.  I recently got an LV wallet that has fooled everyone.  The items do come from overseas and I've never had an issue with my package being stuck in customs.

www.facebook.com/accessoryauctions
Many online auctions are opening up on Facebook. From accessories, to baby items, to custom made furniture...Facebook auctions are the new hippest way to shop.  Accessory Auctions carry many of the designer inspired accessories you love and prices are often lower than $30.  Lots of Tory Burch, MK, J Crew and David Yurman inspired pieces to choose from.  And the competition of the auction really gets your adrenaline pumping. :)

http://www.thelimited.com/
Every working girl likes The Limited.  They carry great looking suits that don't feel stuffy or boxy.  Many of their summer suit collection comes with jackets with short sleeves that are great for blistering hot days and still look so professional.  If you sign up for their email notifications, you often get coupons for 50% off regular prices items and you are notified of sales before they start!  I don't think I've ever paid full price for anything at The Limited.

http://www.target.com/
I wanted to mention Target.com b/c I get many compliments on dresses I wear and you can only find them on Target's website. Target has a large selection of women's dresses that are online only.  They also have tons of boots online (of course, this is for Fall) that are not sold in stores.  And if you spend over $50 at Target on select items you get free shipping.  Target is also teaming up with Neiman Marcus this holiday season.  Judith Leiber, Marchesa, Lela Rose, Alice + Olivia, DFV, Marc Jacobs, and many others are designing collections exclusively for Target.  Get Ready!!  I feel this will attract another Missoni type shopping frenzy.  Hopefully, Target will be prepared!!


http://www.ruelala.com/
You can get some really good deals at Rue La La if you subscribe to their online shopping.  And its not just clothes...I once got a Cuisinart stir fry pan that retailed for $120 for $30.  What a steal!!

Home Goods
LOVE this place...I'm addicted!!  If you've ever been to Home Goods then you know what I'm talking about.  You find stuff in this store you never even knew you wanted.  They have a great baby/kids section to decorate and organize your child's room.  I found some beautiful Ralph Lauren down throw pillow for our living room for $20 each!  They look great on my couch and I don't have to worry about my child or our dog ruining them up b/c they have a removable cover that I can throw in the machine. And since I didn't spend a ton of money on them its not a big deal if I need to chunk them.

http://www.plumdistrict.com/
This website reminds me a a Groupon or Living Social type website.  The difference is that Plum District was created by moms for moms!  It has really great coupons.  You have to subscribe and "buy the deal" that you are interested....you then receive an emailed voucher to redeem what you've purchased.  They have vouchers for 50% anything from spray tans, waxing, home improvements, maid services, even baby sitters.  Great for moms!!

There are many many more websites but these are the ones I frequent the most!!  Happy Shopping!

Hugs,
Katie






Splurge - Tory Burch Patent Sandals



LV Wallet from Six Star Replica - only $89!!



Gucci tote from Six Star Replica - $200 (I've had this one for about 5 years)



Tory Burch inspired necklace from Accessory Auctions on Facebook.  Love this!!



Nutella Banana Muffins and a blog stalker

Yes, I'm a blog stalker.  I follow many blogs but there is one in particular that I'm border line sick obsessed with and have spent hours looking at over and over.  I found this blogger from a picture that was posted on Pinterest.  The blog page is www.thelondoner.me/
All I know is that this bloggers name is Rose, she lives in the UK, and I want to be her!!  She's gorgeous, stylish, and a Kate Middleton look-alike.  And to top it all off, she's a foodie....which I love!!  You guys have got to check out her blog! 
So, she posted a recipe last week for Nutella Banana Muffins.  I LOVE baking Banana Muffins so this was right up my alley.  I switched up her recipe just a little and OMG, these things are heavenly!!  Something I was not aware of was how horrendously bad Nutella is for you.  The commercials always make it sound so healthy.....this stuff has PALM OIL in it and is full of fat and calories....so not healthy. But, it's damn good!! 

Here is my Look at Mommy version of Nutella Banana Muffins:

Preheat oven to 350

1 cup room temperature butter (use real butter - not margarine sticks)
1 cup sugar
2 eggs
3 very ripe bananas
2 cups flour
1 tsp baking soda
1 tsp vanilla
4 tbsp Nutella


First Step:
With a hand mixer, blend the butter and sugar

Then add eggs and bananas

Then add flour, baking soda, and vanilla (I add the flour in 1/2 cup increments to make blending easier)

This is what your batter should look like

Here is my little helper!  He was fascinated by the taste of this lemon!

Line a muffin pan with liners and being to scoop the batter into the cups (I like using my ice cream scoop)

After all cups are filled, insert a glob of Nutella on the top of banana batter (I used one of Fisher's baby spoons)

Using a tooth pick, swirl the Nutella on top of the batter

Bake at 350 for 15 minutes - Enjoy!!!

The Windy City!

A few weeks ago I took my very first vacation away from baby boy.  It was hard to leave him but I knew that a short trip would be good for my soul.  And mama needed a break!!  So, off to Chicago I went!


Why Chicago, you ask?  My BFF, Lesley, just moved up there last November and I was dying to see her face.  She had a few weeks carved out when her house was going to be child and husband free so I jumped on this rare occasion.  (Her hubby and children were going to exotic Africa - so cool!!). The thought of sleeping in, drinking coffee in the morning with my BFF, watching our favorite 90210 episodes without interruption, and just simply doing nothing are a mothers dream come true. And this is exactly what we did!!!  :)


Ok, so we weren't total bums during my stay.  We ventured into the city on a Friday afternoon and became tourist.  The weather was perfect.....warm summer breeze with a slight overcast shielding us from the sun. (Just want to add that the day before it was so hot we were dripping sweat all over our backyard dinner).
We decided that our first stop would be Navy Pier by lake.  I had no idea Lake Michigan was so pretty. Being a native Texan when I think of a lake my first thought is "eww, gross" but this lake was like an ocean.  Blue and choppy.....and seemed to have no end.   With the sound of seagulls along the pier I felt like I was in a beach town.  We shopped for souvenirs, got a caricature drawn (which looked NOTHING like us), I inhaled Garretts popcorn (OMG, yummy!), took a boat tour, drank a Horny Goat drink at Billy Goat Tavern, and tried to hop on a carousel without paying (we chickened out...so not like us!).  We then headed over to Millennium Park to see The Bean.  Not really sure about the history behind it but this thing is pretty cool!!  We took our picture in the reflection (which is a tourist must!) and laid underneath.  We drove past the Magnificent Mile with very much reminded me of the streets of London. Next stop was Buckingham Fountain.  There is the cutest little cafe right by the fountain where we indulged in some sweet desserts.  We also saw the Crown Fountain which is in the middle of the city and it spouts out water from a digital face.  I LOVED this fountain.  Everyone was running around in the water (which was ice cold) having a great time. 
We skipped the Sears Tower and the John Hancock Building b/c both Les and I are not to keen on high places.  Did you know the Hancock Building sways as much as 6 feet from left to right.....no, thank you - PASS!! 

It was time to leave the city and head back to Lesley's house.  Driving through city I realize how much I love it in Chicago and felt very sad to leave.  Such a beautiful place!! 

Can't wait for my next visit and to see my sweet bestie!! 

Hugs,
Katie




Me and my bestie - Lesley!  Love her to pieces!!

 


Me by Lake Michigan!





Me and Lesley  - BFF's!





The Bean!



Reflection in The Bean




 

The Plaza - Great place for date night




Buckingham Fountain



About to take a boat tour.



Bean reflection



Crown Fountain





My first blog

So, I've decided to start my own blog spot.  Obviously!  I read/follow at least 20 different blogs and I always think to myself "I could do this" and today is the day I start. 

First of all, I want to explain the thought behind the title of my blog page.  Look at Mommy.  I feel like I must say this phrase 100 times a week as I'm constantly taking photo's of my precious son and when I'm pointing my camera at him I say " look at mommy".  Also, I think I'm a pretty cool mom!!  I can do it all!  So, yeah, LOOK AT MOMMY!! And I want the world to look at all the mommy's out there.  Look at us raising children, taking care of the house, going to work (some of us), making sure bills are paid, looking fabulous (or at least trying) and doing this on very little sleep.  Mom's rock and we deserve attention!!

Don't worry, the entire blog is not going to be just about motherhood.  I also want to blog about fashion, books, movies, food, places, friends, family and more!! 

Here's my first picture.  This is my little family.  Fisher (my son) was about a week old when this photo was taken and Cassidy (he's my main squeeze and my child's father) was sporting his rockin beard!

I promise more fun post will follow!

Hugs,
Katie