Miss Shops-a-lot

Spring!

2010-04-08T07:51:00.000-07:00

Now that spring is here, I'm (finally) inspired to blog again. I thought I'd (re)start by sharing my spring essentials list. Here are the things I'm going to be wearing lots this season - it's all about the accessories!

Ballet flats: I've been on the lookout for the perfect pair of casual, go-with-everything ballet flats for a while now, and I found a great pair at Gap a few weeks ago. They're metallic pewter, a great basic colour, and they're super soft leather. They're perfect with jeans, capris, bermuda shorts and skirts.

Cross-body bag: This is on my shopping list. I'm looking for something that will hold my essentials (phone, wallet, keys sunglasses and lipgloss) but that's about it. My kids are finaly getting big enough that I don't have to carry enough supplies for a small army at all times! It's still nice to have your hands free, though, so the cross-body trend appeals to my practical side too. I'm thinking a fun colour for spring/summer - maybe green? We'll see what I find!

Something floral: It's a big trend this season so I should have lots of choices. I don't think I want anything too flowy or sweet - it's not really "me" and I like the contrast of the floral pattern with a more structured style.

"Statement" jewellery: I've always been a big fan of what's being called the "statement" necklace. It's usually something colourful, chunky, and distinctive, the kind of piece that can make a basic outfit sing. I don't change my earrings often (I wear simple diamond studs pretty much all the time, partly because they're simple and sophisticated but also because I'm lazy and they go with everything) so I like to add colour and interest to my outfits with funky necklaces. That's why I was attracted to Stella & Dot, a gorgeous line of statement-type jewellery that's been getting tons of attention in the fashion world lately. I was just thinking of adding a few of their pieces to my collection, but then I thought of all the ladies I know who would love their stuff too, and I decided to become a Stella & Dot stylist! The best part (other than the beautiful jewellery) is that everything is kept really casual and fun. I'm really excited to start!

Stress Free Holiday Shopping Guide

2009-12-07T06:43:00.001-08:00

Chances are the only trouble you’re having with your kids’ wish lists this year is deciding what not to buy. But what about kooky Aunt Mildred, the kids’ teachers, or even your Dad (who truly needs nothing)? And even if you knew exactly what to buy each person on your list, how do we yummy mummies find the time and energy to run all over town tracking everything down before the big day?

I love shopping and I love gift-giving, but I’m definitely not one of those people who has all their shopping done (and wrapped) months ahead of time. Nope, I’ve been right there with the rest of you fighting for the last parking spot on December 24 and wandering the mall praying for inspiration. Along the way, I’ve learned a few things. Here are my top dos and don’ts for getting it all done and finding awesome gifts, stress free:

DO shop online. This is pretty self-explanatory: no lineups, home delivery, and the option to shop in your bathrobe in the middle of the night. Some of my favourite gifty sites are: GoneShopping.com, LeeValley.com, MEC.ca, Chapters.Indigo.ca (check out the toy section) and MastermindToys.com, where gift wrapping is always free!

DO hit the mall on a Saturday night. Most malls offer extended shopping hours in December, and around here Saturday nights are crowd free. Get a sitter and make it a date night!

DO involve your family. When I’m stumped for a gift idea, I ask my five year old what he thinks. He often comes up with something perfect. Try it, you might be surprised! Or send your partner out to take care of things like gift cards for the teachers and bottles of wine for hostess gifts. Check!

DO check out Etsy.com for unique homemade gifts. You’ll find gorgeous one-of-a-kind jewellery, home decor, accessories and more. Warning: this site can be highly addictive.

DO pick up a few inexpensive and pretty tree ornaments – they make great hostess gifts or a little something special to go along with a gift card for a teacher. I love Pier 1’s ornament selection.

DO try something that gives all year long. You can get subscriptions to just about anything these days. Magazines are the obvious choice, but movie-lovers might enjoy Zip.ca’s DVD rental service and oenophiles are sure to love a wine-of-the-month club membership from WinerytoHome.ca.

DON’T feel pressured to buy just one big gift when a few smaller gifts can be equally great, especially if you’ve got a theme. You can even make the wrapping a part of the gift – think a “green” themed gift wrapped in a handy reusable shopping bag.

DON’T go overboard with the gift cards. I like them for stocking stuffers (e.g. iTunes, Starbucks) but for those closest to me I really like to try to give them something to unwrap.

DON’T cheat and ask people what they want. Surprises are more fun!

DON’T shop too early. It may sound like a good idea to get your holiday shopping out of the way in the summer, but it’s never worked out very well for me. Either I forget what I’ve bought and end up with extra gifts, can’t remember where I’ve stashed things, or I find something better and can’t return what I bought earlier since it’s been too long. Unless you’ve got to ship to Timbuktu, start in November at the earliest. Trust me.

And above all, DON’T stress! It really is the thought that counts.

Happy holidays!

Attention shoe-aholics

2009-12-03T10:47:00.000-08:00

I'm juggling about 50 million things right now, but I had to pop in and post about Aldo's fabulous Thursday's Thrill promotions. Every Thursday, they offer one mens and one ladies shoe or boot for an amazing price. A couple of weeks ago they featured tall leather boots, regular $180, for around $55! Today I bought the husband (hi, honey!) a pair of new shoes for $35.

If you need new shoes (or just love new shoes) it's worth signing up for their email list and checking out what's on special each Thursday. They offer free shipping and hassle-free returns at any Aldo store, so what have you got to lose?

Once upon a time...

2009-11-18T08:33:00.001-08:00

Once upon a time, in a land far, far away, there lived a boy and a girl. After spending every possible minute in each other's company for almost a year, the boy and girl found an apartment and moved into it together. This apartment was not overly large, but even so, the boy and girl needed some furniture to make into a home.

Being young and living in central Ottawa, they spent a lot of time in the Byward Market and regularly drooled over the offerings at Phillip Van Leeuwen furniture. It was there that they made their first major joint purchase - a very large, very comfortable camel coloured couch with massive striped throw cushions.

This story, of course, is about me and my hubby, and the very same couch that is still anchoring our family room, 11 years, 3 houses, 2 dogs and 2 kids later. It's been the scene of many hours of tv watching, afternoon naps, and family snuggles. In fact, hubby came home from his business trip last night to find the little guy and I asleep at opposite ends of the couch where we had been watching the hockey game. It's looking a little faded but otherwise is still in amazing condition after daily use.

We're actually shopping for some new furniture right now, for our living and dining rooms. When we made the decision last week to decorate these rooms, I got a little overexcited and went directly to UsedOttawa.com to post our perfectly good but not exactly stylish couch and coffee table for sale. I had over 20 replies to my ad in 5 hours, and the next day they were sold to the person who responded mere minutes after my ad was posted. Unfortunately, this leaves me with an empty front room (where the kids are currently enjoying the large expanse of free floor space).

We are hosting a holiday party in a few weeks and of course, custom order furniture takes much, much longer than that to arrive. Sigh. We I have been tempted to buy cheaper, in-stock furniture so that our guests will have a place to sit at the party, but that would mean compromising on both style and quality. I don't need something that's going to last forever - after all, I'm sure we'll want to update our decor again someday - but I also don't want something that's going to sag and pill after the first use. I want something that is going to give us many years of enjoyment, like our family room couch. I think we're going to wait for the right furniture, and I'm thinking of hanging a disco ball for the party and making the living room into a dance floor ;-)

Strangely, I was perusing the paper this morning and noticed an ad for Phillip Van Leeuwen's renovation sale, and then a few hours later I received a notification that @PVLFurniture was following me on Twitter. I think it's a sign!

Free shippping at Lululemon.com (no expiry!)

2009-11-15T18:17:00.000-08:00

This just in! I came home to excellent news in my Twitter feed: Lululemon has just announced that their complimentary shipping promotion is now here to stay. And I'm pretty flattered that they actually notified me directly via Twitter, how cool is that?

You had me at 30% off

2009-11-14T17:08:00.000-08:00

I'm sure I don't need to tell anyone that this weekend there is a coupon for 30% off everything at Gap, Old Navy and Banana Republic. Just in case, though, here's a link (it ends tomorrow, so you've still got time!)

Hubby and I were at the mall today to drop off a dress at the tailor, and we had to walk by Banana to get there. I casually mentioned that I had the 30% off coupon in my purse (printed off just in case I was at the mall) and did he want to go in and see if he saw anything he liked? You can see where this is going. I zeroed in on a sweater I'd been eyeing and sought his opinion. He loved it, so I decided to try it on. On the way to the changeroom, I fell in love with two more sweaters and took them in to try too. One (thankfully) didn't flatter, but the other two fit like they were made for me. I couldn't decide which I liked better, and neither could hubby. I told him he was supposed to say, "Just buy both!" but he made me choose.

I picked the original sweater (light grey with a deep cowl neck) but I can't stop thinking about the second one. It's teal with a shawl collar and would add a lovely punch of colour to my wardrobe. When we got home, I was taking my new sweater out of the bag and noticed a little piece of red paper. What's this? Coupons for 40% off a single item for each of the next three Wednesdays? Teal sweater, here I come!

I've said it before, and I'll say it again: I'm a sucker for good marketing.

They picked me!

2009-11-10T17:09:00.000-08:00

Remember when I posted about the Tassimo Twitter giveaway? All my groveling finally paid off. In 7-10 days, I am going to be the proud and grateful owner of a shiny new Tassimo coffee machine. Eeeee! I can't wait to try all the different drinks and see what all the buzz is about. The best part is that I was forced to really get engaged in Twitter, and it's really ~~addictive~~ fun learning how to use social media effectively.

I'm all legit

2009-11-10T06:33:00.000-08:00

Last night I purchased a domain name, this morning I set it all up, and effective immediately you should be able to access my blog at www.missshopsalot.ca!

My top 3 picks for fall

2009-10-31T10:41:00.000-07:00

In the past two months I've picked up several new items to add to my fall wardrobe. Now that I've had a few weeks to work them into my rotation, I thought I'd share my top picks for the season, in case anyone's looking for a little closet renewal and needs some ideas.

1. My long cardigan: Definitely my #1 new piece. It's lightweight, warm, comfortable, and seemingly goes with everything. I've worn it uber-casual with jeans, a t and sneakers, and I've dressed it up with some long beads and heels. Mine's navy, which incidentally is my new favourite neutral. So far I've paired it with grey, purple, and kelly green, and felt all were lovely combos. I picked it up at Jacob Connexion for $49 (and I'm thinking of going back for another one...shhh).

2. My everyday necklace: I'm a huge fan of chunky and distinctive costume jewellery when I'm getting dressed up for work or a night on the town, but right now I'm not working outside my home and nights out are few and far between. I'm all casual, all the time these days. I was feeling like my jeans and a sweater "uniform" needed a little something extra, so I found a pretty white gold chain with a small flower charm. It even has a little diamond. I've been wearing it almost every day and I love how it adds a little sparkle to my outfits, even when I'm just doing nursery school drop offs or running out to the grocery store. I got it at Overstock.com for around $100. They ship to Canada and give you a total price quote that includes duties and taxes so you know exactly what you'll be paying (I love when U.S. retailers do this).

3. My black velvet blazer: Like I said, I'm not getting dressed up too often these days, but whenever I do I can pretty much guarantee I'll be wearing this blazer. It fits like a glove and really pulls together pretty much any ensemble. I've worn it with my dark trouser jeans but I think it will go with my denim pencil skirt and some of my dresses too. I tried it on at the Calvin Klein outlet when we were shopping in New York State last month, and instantly knew I had to have it.

Now that I'm all set for fall, time to make my wish list for winter shopping. Cozy turtleneck, anyone?

Rumours...

2009-10-28T11:48:00.000-07:00

Just heard a rumour that H&M is opening in Ottawa! Unfortunately, if it's true that it will be at Place D'Orleans, it will be about as far from me as you can get and still be in the same city. East enders, you may be seeing a lot more of me!

Free shipping at lululemon.com

2009-10-16T09:01:00.000-07:00

Until November 15, get free shipping on all purchases at Lululemon.com. Yay!

That'll teach me

2009-10-15T15:17:00.000-07:00

Like any self-respecting 30-something wanna-be blogger these days, I have a Twitter account. I love reading what those I follow have to say, but I rarely feel I have anything of interest to share. Boy, do I wish I'd been tweeting more - enough to land on the radar of the folks at Tassimo Canada, who gave away HUNDREDS of free Tassimo coffee makers last week to random prolific tweeters. Wow, what a score! Colour me jealous. As a coffee lover (ahem, addict) and free stuff lover (who isn't?) I'm really bummed that I missed it, but I have no one to blame but myself.

So what have I been doing while I've been off not getting awesome freebies, not tweeting, and obviously not blogging? Shopping, of course! And at the outlets, no less.

In mid-September, our good friends joined us for a kid-free weekend getaway in Syracuse. Men golfed, women shopped. All of us ate and drank and slept lots. I had two destinations in mind for shopping: Waterloo Premium Outlets, and of course, Target.

Before we left, a friend mentioned we should sign up for the VIP club on the Premium Outlets website. Good advice - we were able to get coupons for extra discounts at most of the stores. My best deal was a boatload of little girl clothes at the Carters outlet for $135 - 2 pairs of pants, 2 leggings, 2 dresses, a sweater vest, 5 long sleeved shirts and 2 pairs of jammies. I also snagged new dressy heels for $50 at Nine West, a gorgeous silk wrap dress at Banana Republic, and a fun date night outfit at Calvin Klein.

Of course, I meant to write a much more detailed post about the outlet shopping extravaganza when we got back. Now that I've seen what happens when you neglect your online presence (Tassimo, are you sure you can't find just one more to give away???) I will strive for more regular updates!

The purge

2009-08-11T11:51:00.000-07:00

This time of year puts me in a purging mood, more so than any other season. I'm not a New Year's Resolution kinda gal, nor does the arrival of spring typically drive me to de-clutter. Maybe it's the cool weather lurking around the corner, but "back-to-school" equals "get rid of stuff" at our house!

Once my daughter was born, I realized I had no need for the tubs of boy clothes I'd been saving just in case #2 was a boy. Time to unload. I had great success selling groups of like-sized clothes on www.usedottawa.com, and also went the consignment route for some stuff that didn't sell online. I even found a buyer who has a son a few years younger than mine, who has contacted me several times since we first connected to see if I was ready to part with the next size up. What could be easier?

I took advantage of some quiet time last week to sort through some bins of fall clothes. I'm off to the consignment store this week with a box of awesome maternity, baby boy and baby girl stuff. Can't wait to see how much I make! Hey, a girl has to fund her shopping habit somehow, right? Selling gently used kids clothes is an easy way to help someone else have stylish kids, while helping add to your family's new clothing budget.

Shoes! Shoes!

2009-07-31T07:08:00.000-07:00

SoftMoc has some great deals on kids shoes right now - Stride Rites for $25. I picked up a couple of pairs in the next size up in hopes they'll fit if we take a winter vacation to somewhere warm (Florida and Barbados are being tossed around right now).

There are also some great clearance deals on casual shoes for grown ups, too.

Shipping is free to your local SoftMoc store. Try the coupon code VEN2 at checkout for 15% off your order.

I guess it runs in the family

2009-07-31T06:56:00.000-07:00

Yesterday I was upstairs brushing my teeth while my little guy watched some morning cartoons. "Mom? Mom! I want this! I paused it so you can see," he hollered from the bottom of the stairs. (Thank goodness for PVRs.) I was expecting another toy to add to the ever-growing 5th birthday wish list, but when I got to the tv, there, frozen on the screen, was....the Slap Chop. Yes, he had fallen prey to an info-mercial. And the best part: "Look Mom - it's the same guy that does the Sham Wow!"

I have to admit, the Slap Chop does look pretty cool...

I want...

2009-07-29T07:44:00.000-07:00

...this:

That is all.

Gap/Banana Republic/Old Navy 30% off coupon

2009-07-27T11:59:00.001-07:00

In case you're not on their email list, here's the link to the coupon for 30% off all purchases from July 30 - August 2.

I think I might get this - I tried it on at Banana Republic yesterday and loved it but couldn't justify the price...

The anniversary

2009-07-10T07:01:00.000-07:00

I highly, highly recommend everything about our whirlwind getaway to Prince Edward County last weekend. Except maybe for the whirlwind part - a couple of extra days would have been good. Next time, maybe!

In summary:

Buddha Dog, Picton - So fun! We stopped for lunch when we arrived on Saturday, and the lineup was out the door. We custom-designed a few dogs from their myriad gourmet sauces and local artisan cheeses, complemented by a bottle of black cherry Pop Shoppe soda (blast from the past!) and a yummy maple tart. This meal gave us the energy boost we needed for an afternoon of wine tasting.

Sandbanks Estate Winery - Our first wineriy stop, highly recommended to us by a fellow wine lover and PEC veteran. We scooped a few bottles of the Baco Noir, Reisling, and dessert wine. The wine was great, the staff were lovely, but overall this winery lacked the "character" of some of the others we visited later.

By Chadsey's Cairns - What a lovely, peaceful spot. As you drive up to the parking area, you pass an old graveyard, perfect for wandering. The wine tasting room is a converted small farm building, with a stunning deck overlooking the vineyard. Across from the tasting room is a larger barn with huge double doors opening out towards a spectacular view of the lake, complete with two Muskoka chairs. We enjoyed the Pinot Noir here and grabbed a bottle to go.

The Grange - Off the beaten path on a back road, this winery has a stunning converted barn tasting area. Hubby fell in love with one of their premium wines, and we picked up a bottle from their Trumpour's Mill line too. This would be an amazing wedding venue.

The Inn at Huff Estates - This is where we stayed the night. We booked one of their premium rooms, which offered a king size bed, sitting area, double sided fireplace, and private patio overlooking the vineyard. Our package included a $100 voucher for dinner at our choice of restaurants, a taxi to and from dinner, and complimentary breakfast the next morning. When we arrived we dropped off our bags and headed up to their tasting room to pick up a bottle of wine. We also got a cheese tray for two featuring the amazingly delicious Fifth Town artisan cheese, and went back to our room for a little pre-dinner drink and snack.

The Waring House - We enjoyed our dinner at the Waring House. Our server, Jeremy, was a treat. Hubby had beef, I had duck. Overall good, but nothing really stood out for us here.

Norman Hardie - Possibly my favourite winery. We picked up a delicious bottle of their Reserve Pinot Noir and signed up for their mailing list to be notified when they need volunteers for their harvest. You can join them, work in the fields for the day, then they put on a dinner and party for everyone. How fun! We were also pleased to discover that their wines are carried by several Ottawa restaurants, including Beckta and Play.

The County Cider Company - Our last stop. We needed a bite to eat before we headed home, and this place was perfection. They have an outdoor patio overlooking their vineyard, with a stunning view of the lake in the distance. It was a perfect sunny day, ideal for sipping peach cider and munching on their homemade burger topped with the yummy Fifth Town goat cheese.

There will definitely be a next time for this trip.

Giving up shopping

2009-07-06T08:58:00.000-07:00

No, not me - it's these two ladies over at 365 Fashion Rehab. I'll admit the idea has a lot of merit for the shopping obsessed, and maybe resonates with me a little more than usual right now, given a recent decision we've made that will significantly reduce our income for the next little while.

Their rules are pretty restrictive: for one year, no purchasing of clothes, shoes, accessories, makeup, home decor items. If they receive gifts from the aforementioned categories, they can't use them until the year is up.

I'll definitely be following their experience with this challenge. It also got me thinking a little more about how I can curb my shopping habit. I'm still mulling it over, but I just may have a little challenge for myself.

Pedicures and weekend getaways

2009-07-03T09:21:00.000-07:00

Hubby and I are celebrating 9 (!!!) years of wedded bliss next week. To mark the occasion, I booked us a night at the Inn at Huff Estates in Prince Edward County - Ontario's hottest new tourist region and mecca for wine lovers (that would be us!) My good friend Erica has often raved about Huff Estates, so we can't wait to get there and experience it for ourselves. We've been counting the days until this getaway since I booked it in March, and it's finally here! We're out the door as soon as my parents report for child-minding duty tomorrow morning.

My pre-trip "to do" list for the week included giving some attention to my toes, which were sporting chipped nail polish from I-can't-remember-how-many weeks ago. Right on cue, an email arrived in my inbox from Au Naturel, the spa at the Brookstreet Hotel in Kanata. They were offering a Canada Day (week?) special on an express pedicure. Sign me up! I treated myself last night and my toes are now pretty in OPI's new OPI on Collins Ave , a bright, summery coral-orange shade. If you sign up for Au Naturel's newsletters, you too will receive notice of special promotions and insider deals like this express pedicure special.

Next week: Watch for a review of our weekend, likely including more than a few wine purchases...

Annoyed with the LCBO

2009-06-29T11:06:00.000-07:00

No, this is not about last week's threatened strike. On a recent dinner out with my girlfriends, we stumbled upon a yummy white wine - Ironstone Obsession "Symphony". It is fruity and flowery, a perfect summer wine. Anyhow, it's listed as being available (59 bottles worth) at a certain LCBO location in west Ottawa. I trekked over there at lunch today, but couldn't find it on the shelves. A friendly LCBO employee noticed my aimless wandering and asked if he could help. He knew exactly the wine I was talking about, but apparently his manager has been meaning to update the database because they actually don't have it anymore. Grr. To his credit, he offered a somewhat useful suggestion: call the toll free LCBO customer service line and they'll be able to tell me when the next release of this wine will be. OK, that's nice, but what about addressing your inventory procedures so customers don't waste time looking for something that is not available?

On the bright side, I snagged a copy of the latest issue of the often-elusive Food & Drink magazine.

Shopping slump

2009-06-24T06:28:00.000-07:00

I haven't purchased anything interesting lately, nor have I come across any great deals to share. I didn't even get out to stock up my wine rack before the expected LCBO strike (which, thankfully, didn't happen yet). Hopefully it's just a little slump! Today I'm hitting the mall but I'll be shopping on my employer's dime. Our Chairman is finishing his term with us this year and we are looking for a piece of art to give him as a parting gift. We've been tipped off that Koyman Galleries at the Rideau Centre has a few painings that would suit his taste, so we're off to check them out. Buying art for someone else is always tricky, but if you get it right it can be such an amazing gift. I know for us, we'd love to have more original art in our home but it's something that always gets pushed to the bottom of the long and never-ending shopping list.

As an aside, any gestating readers should definitely check out the sale at Isabella Oliver. I've heard rave reviews about this stylish line of maternity clothes. Sadly they weren't around when I was pregnant, so I can't vouch for the clothing first hand, but it's worth a look when there's a sale as most items are a bit on the pricey side.

I am a marketer's dream

2009-04-17T07:33:00.000-07:00

So, I imagine that when marketing types dream up strategies for reaching customers online, their ideal sequence of events goes something like this:

1. Customer signs up for email list.
2. Customer receives email notification re: new product in store.
3. Customer goes directly to store, finds item, and buys it.

Yep, that's me, the ideal customer. I got an email from Lululemon the other day featuring a new item called the "Pulse Wrap":

I thought it was cute and I'm always in the market for stylish casual wear, so I dropped in to my local Lulu to check it out. Wow, do I love this top. It's so soft and stretchy, it feels like wearing nothing at all. Most comfortable thing ever. And flattering, to boot. I bought it. I am a happy Lulu customer.

Calling all Lululemon fans

2009-06-11T07:02:00.000-07:00

Be sure to keep an eye on Lululemon's Loot section of their online store. If you're a Lulu-lover like me, you'll know that sales are rare, but this makes it a little easier to score a discount on your fave Lulu gear. I might have ordered a couple of things yesterday...

Clinique bonus at Holt Renfrew

2009-06-08T11:43:00.000-07:00

Check out this awesome Clinique bonus at Holt Renfrew. From now to June 14, 2009, spend $35 or more and get a bonus gift worth $90.