Halloween "Sweet Treats" from Eleni's Cookies

Trick or Treat! Give me something good to eat!

Well, here's your treat. 

Four adorable handmade sugar cookies from Eleni's in NYC. "Sweet Treats" for your sweet tooth.

One of my first stops whenever I'm at Manhattan's Chelsea Market is Eleni's. The store's impressive lineup of cookies changes with the season. You'll have a selection of cookies to choose from.

The cookies at Eleni's now have a fall theme. There are cookie squirrels, acorns and colorful leaves. Perfect for Thanksgiving. In the summer look for flip flops and Hawaiian shirts.

You can also pop into Eleni's for a buttercream cupcake! And I do!

So this Halloween don't give candy to those trick-or-treaters in your family. Put Eleni's cookies in their bag instead. (And save one for yourself!)

Eleni's: www.elenis.com/$19.50/75 Ninth Avenue @15th Street in the Chelsea Market, NYC

photo credit: Eleni's

I Heart: Tokyo Milk Soap

The packaging for the Tokyo Milk soap is beautiful.

The dainty dragonfly sparkles with gold dust.

I don't think I'm going to open it. I like to just look at it. I smell the Parfumerie Dei Fiori through the wrapper.

Exquisite.

I guess I've always been this way. I've bought books for their covers. I've fallen in love with a design on a t-shirt and I'm suddenly handing my credit card to the sales clerk. I still have my chocolate Easter Bunny preserved in a box. He's so adorable, I can't devour him.

When I was a kid, my family visited the National Zoo. I bought a huge sun-colored lollipop imprinted with one of the pandas. The lollipop sat in my bedroom gathering dust. This greatly annoyed my sister. She couldn't understand why I didn't eat it. She wanted it. She had finished her lollipop immediately after it was bought. I should have given it to her. I threw the panda lollipop away after I realized 5 years had passed. But the memory was more important to me than the taste. If I left it in the wrapper, then it was always there.

I smell the soap again.

Semplice: www.semplicehome.com/ $11.00 for an 8oz. bar/ The home design and gift store also sells Tokyo Milk perfumes. / 465 Bloomfield Avenue, Montclair, NJ

Accessories: Scarf it up!

I own so many scarves. I certainly don't need another.

That is until I went shopping last week. I spotted a scarf that looked like it should have a $200 price tag. I pulled it off the shelf.

The scarf is a luxurious green, speckled with yellow and blue yarn. I'd swear it was 100% mohair. I'd swear it was hand-made.

I am not at Bloomingdale's or Barney's, I am in a mall in Paramus, NJ, the king of shopping meccas.

The find spotted at: H&M.

The price: $17.95.

I scarfed it up and I'm sure glad.

H&M stores/$17.95/has matching beret and mittens

PINK PIGGY BANK: Fashion Under $10!

Photo: mconnors@Morguefile.com

THE PINK PIGGY is the first in a series to call attention to blogs that offer fashionable tips under $25.

Frugal Fashionista (I like to say that!) offers 10 stylish buys under $10.00!

Stila Make-up Madness

My goodness, a collection of 6 Stila foundation products for $18. You'll find this Limited Collection only at Sephora. A $40 value! Woo-hoo!

Stila's Made in Your Shade Foundation Wardrobe offers three different foundation wardrobe shades: light, medium and warm.

My foundation shade is medium and the collection contains: Convertible Color in Peony (.07 ounces), Natural Finish Oil-Free Makeup in Shade D (.17 oz), Hydrating Primer SPF 15 (.24 oz), Illuminating Tinted Moisturizer in Shade 01 (.24 oz), Sheer Color Tinted Moisturizer SPF 15 in Medium (.27 oz) and Illuminating Liquid Foundation in 50 Watts (.17 oz)

What a great idea. Now I can experiment with high-end makeup without a ridiculous investment. More brands should offer customers this option and it might inspire some new fans!

The Stila makeup line was created in 1994 by Jeanne Lobell, a makeup artist to the stars. All I really know about her is that she is married to the actor, Anthony Edwards. But what does it matter, the product speaks for itself.

The Stila display at Sephora is a pretty palette. Gorgeous, rich colors.

The environmentally-friendly packaging is cute-as-a-button.. I am drawn to the adorable mauve compact for the Dual Lip and Cheek Cream with its delicate floral drawings.

I feel very girly-girl.

Sephora/$18.00/http://www.sephora.com

Shopping Bag Style

Okay, I need one of these bags.

Is your purse anything like mine? Packed as full as for a month's trip to Paris? Some days you just can't fit anything else in there. Not a pair of sneakers, not a paperback and not even a skinny little file folder. And all you can find in the house to lug around your extra junk... er... stuff is a plastic supermarket bag. The one with the designer Stop & Shop label. That look really ruins your outfit.

Well, Old Navy solves that problem with these sophisticated 100% cotton totes. The store offers 5 different styles. They even come with a matching $10 umbrella. My favorite bag is the black and white one. But then again, I do love the birds.

You can even be eco-correct smart when you go to the supermarket to buy that baguette. So go ahead and tell everyone that you only paid $10 for the look. But then again, why?

I need one of these bags. But yeah, I really want one.

Old Navy: www.oldnavy.com/$10.00

Welcome Shoppers!

Hi!

I was born in Manhattan. Maybe that explains my shopping gene. I like cool, funky products that you don't find everywhere. I also like to see a little money in my bank account.

But if one must have a vice, shopping isn't too bad. Especially with fashionable finds under $25!

I'd love to hear from you. Share some of your fab finds; maybe I'll highlight them.

Perhaps we can go shopping together.

Annie

photo: Mary R. Vogt

@MorgueFile