What to Shop for in May: Get More for Less!

Ahh, it’s spring. The tulips are out, the dogwoods are blooming. Maybe it’s time to do a little spring cleaning. May is when you can discover deals on home maintenance items to get your home into ship-shape. Shake out those cobwebs! 

Or if you’d rather put off that spring cleaning, May is a great month to find good prices on jewelry too. 

This is the 6th post in a series of posts on how to get more for less. If you follow the retail sales calendar, you'll find the best bargains each month. In May to get value for your money look for deals on:

• Athletic Clothing and Shoes
• Home Maintenance Items for Spring Cleaning
• Furniture: Outdoor
• Jewelry
• Picnic and Barbecue Supplies: Mustard, Charcoal etc.
• Purses
• Silver
• Tires
• Watches
• White Sale: Linens, Towels

And remember the Mother’s Day and Memorial Day Sales.

Each month I'll preview the next month's sales. Look for my next blog post in the series,"What to Shop For in June: Get More for Less!" Check out: What to Shop for in April: Get More for Less! and 10 Shopping Tips: Get More for Less!

photo credit:

http://www.flickr.com/photos/29278394@N00/ / CC BY 2.0

Hair Accessories: The Look This Spring!

Hair accessories are a fresh and lovely look this spring. The headwrap (above) is such a pretty style. You'll really turn heads.

This headwrap has a Grecian feel to it...

Beaded Headwrap: $18.00 now $4.99

Cute with a pixie cut...

Metal Leaf Headband (color: Silver Thin Leaf): $18.00

Bows are a big trend...

Lace Bow Headwrap: $18.00 now $6.99

Sweet...

Set of 2 Sequin Braided Headwraps (Color: White): $20.00 now $4.99

A Bohemian look...

Macrame Braided Headwraps: $16.00

These butterfly bobbies are adorable...

Butterfly Bobbies: $12.00

Coffee and Dessert for Four: Fabulous Tableware Part 3

Time for coffee (tea for me) and dessert! We'll leave the dishes for later.


In my first two post in this series, Dinner for Four: Fabulous Tableware and Cocktail Hour for Four: Fabulous Tableware, I show you how to supplement your serving ware with a couple stylish pieces. When you have guests over you don't need to spend a lot of moola. Just a few accents will really freshen up your table.


My places to go are West Elm and CB2 for good prices and sensational looks.


So before we start, would you like one lump or two? Cream? sugar?

COFFEE HOUR AND OF COURSE, DESSERT (we can't forget that!)

The Menu

Coffee & Tea

Six-Minute Chocolate Cake*

fruit

*Note About the Six-Minute Cake. I love a chocolate dessert. I found this recipe in Moosewood Restaurant Cooks at Home. It's great because you can mix all the ingredients in the baking pan, and it's quick and easy. The Moosewood cookbook says that they first spotted the recipe in a 1976 House & Garden magazine. Which might explain why when I served it to my two aunties, one aunt was familiar with it. Also the recipe in my cookbook specifies unsweetened cocoa powder.

COFFEE AND DESSERT

These mugs are perfect for when you have guests. Quite unique...

Spoon Coffee Mug: $3.95 each or 4 for $15.80

Colorful dessert plates...

Dessert Plates: $2.95-$3.95

Here is another possibility... these would go great with the PATCH serveware I mentioned in PART 1.

Plates: Sold in sets of 4: $14-$18

Check my first two blogposts for Dinner and Drinks.


Now you're ready to have that party!

Cocktail Hour for Four: Fabulous Tableware! Part 2

In my last blog post I set the table for a relaxed dinner party for four. You don't have to spend a fortune to pull off a winning look. Now we'll tackle cocktail hour.  I'll start off by bringing out the drinks on this lovely tray. The tray complements the PATCH dinner party serveware from West Elm I mentioned in my last post. Cheers!

COCKTAIL HOUR

The Menu:

Drinks

Marcona Almonds

Roasted Red Pepper and Walnut Spread with Pita Bread

Olives
(and I recommend Hors d'Oeuvres by Gillian Duffy for more appetizer ideas)

We'll find everything we need at affordable prices by dropping in at CB2 and West Elm. Are you ready for a chic cocktail hour, let's go!

Okay, these handblown glasses with the lovely colors go in the cart...

Old-Fashioned Glasses: $3.95 each

These too...

Tumblers: $3.95 each

Or if you're serving bubbly, the prices on these elegant handblown flutes are just too good to pass up...

Champagne Flutes: $2.95 each

And of course a bowl or two for snacks... I recommend filling one of the bowls with Spanish marcona almonds... 

Snack Bowls: $10.95-$19.95

Okay, now a little plate for appetizers... these are great with a ring so you can balance your drink and a snack too!

Finger-food plate (set of 10): $9.95


And you're set!


Check out my last blog post Dinner for Four: Fabulous Tableware! to see what's for dinner. And look for my next piece, Coffee Hour!

Dinner For Four: Fabulous Tableware! Part 1

I love to set a nice table when I have people over for dinner. Sometimes with just a few additional tableware pieces, like these stylish (above) NYC PATCH ceramic serveware pieces, you can really jazz up your get-together. And you don't have to break the bank.


Now that the weather is getting warm, er... hot even, with recent 90 degree temperatures in the NYC Metropolitan area, my thoughts are turning to entertaining.


A relaxed, and fun dinner for four perhaps?

The Dinner Menu:

Moroccan Chicken from The New Basics Cookbook by the authors of Silver Palate

Couscous

Carrots with Mint

Salad

White Wine

First we'll set the table... then in the next 2 posts I'll feature Cocktail Hour and Dessert and Coffee Time!


Let's go shopping.


We'll start at CB2, the sister store of Crate and Barrel, with its emphasis on affordable modern design. Then we'll check in at West Elm, a store focusing on contemporary home decor. We can mix and match pieces from both shops. With little effort you can really showcase your food. You'll make your guests feel extra special.

THE DINNER TABLE

Love these natural bamboo mats!

Tiki Placemats: $3.95 each

I fell for this tableware with its organic look

Petal Green Dinnerware: $2.95-$5.95

These napkins will look fabulous with the green dinnerware!

Rustle Napkin: $3.95 each

Stemless wine and water glasses are so unique...

Stemless Glasses: $1.95-$2.50


And in the center of the table, don't forget flowers. I love a big round vase dripping with tulips...

 Put them right in here!

Bowl Vase: $14.95

  I buy a ton of tealight candles and put them everywhere! It looks so pretty!

Tealight Candles: 50 for $7.95


Remember to check back in for Cocktail Hour and Dessert!

Ruffles For Spring and Summer: Be A Girly-Girl

I'm feeling a little girly-girl. I'm mad for ruffles this spring and summer.


WhatsWear says ruffles retook the runway and, "were presented in all shapes and sizes." Chloe, Marc Jacobs, Burberry and D&G all showed ruffles in their collections.


Today's ruffles are not big puffy things, they are more sophisticated.


You'll find me in ruffles too. I bought a cream colored cardigan and a pink tee with ruffles. Just lovely.


I picked out some clothing and accessories with ruffles for you.


Now you can channel your inner girly-girl, too.

More Newport News...

illustration credit: noemi manalang: http://www.flickr.com/photos/92119253@N00/ / CC BY 2.0