Redecorate a Room Without Breaking the Bank

Since I started blogging, one of the areas where I have been the most inspired is home design. I love the way furniture, color, patterns and eclectic pieces can come together to make the most beautiful room. I always thought that rooms needed to be pretty matchy-matchy to look good, but my eyes have really been opened by interior design blogs. We are planning to move in the next 6 months, so lately I have been paying attention to rooms that I love so that I can remember them as I plan what our next house will look like. I know that I want it to have color and simplicity while still maintaining a home-y feel. 

In the meantime, while we are still living in our current house I wanted to incorporate a few of my favorite design trends. We can’t afford to do anything major right now since we aren’t planning to live here long-term, but by adding a few things here and there we can change the look of a room at a decent price!

Using the above picture, let’s look at a few quick things you can do to change a room. 

Framed Wallpaper – $44.98

This is a newer trend that has become popular recently for several reasons. First of all, it’s a lot cheaper than nice framed artwork. It’s also pretty simple: find some wallpaper that you love and put it in a frame. The picture above shows a pretty large piece, but you can also do several smaller frames of wallpaper and make a gallery wall. The nice thing is that you can customize it as much as you want and switch it easily any time that you need a change!

Flowers – $19.99

Fresh flowers not only add pops of color to a room; they smell amazing, too! Flowers placed around a room can really add to the design of the room by bringing the color scheme together and adding visual interest to a room. If you aren’t into fresh flowers or think they’ll cost too much long-term, artificial flowers can be just as pretty and they last a lot longer. Try to use flowers in contrasting colors from the furniture and accents in the room so that they will really pop!

Chandelier – $250

Okay, so this one seems a little pricier, but a change in the lighting fixture can drastically change the mood and design of a room. It’s definitely worth the splurge. A chandelier makes everything look modern and put together. It’s also a major piece of eye candy in the room and really draws the eye upward. It doesn’t have to be super fancy and made of crystal. I found an antler chandelier that my husband would just love. Remind me not to show him…I don’t really want that in my house! : ) Try to find coupons to help lower the price. 

Colorful Pillows – $29.99

This is the easiest one of all to do. Buy a few new pillows and the room will be completely transformed before your eyes. The key is to look for pillows in bright colors or with unique patterns. They don’t all have to match, just make sure they bring together colors in the room! The picture above has 4 different colors of pillows, yet they all work together to complete the look and feel of the room. My favorite pillows right now are the chevron pattern. I just can’t get enough of them!

Those are just a few less-expensive ways to design a room. These have been great for us in our home. Since we are planning to move, we don’t want to put a lot of money back into the house by redoing floors or painting walls. Artwork and pillows have really helped us to add color and interest to our rooms. 

Do y’all have any cheap tricks to design a room? Share with us in the comments below!

Eat Free Pancakes *and* Support Charity? WIN!

For the seventh year in a row, IHOP is celebrating National Pancake Day by giving customers a free shortstack of pancakes! And in return they kindly ask that you make a small donation to charity. Doesn’t a hot, fluffy stack of pancakes smothered in melted butter and syrup sound good on this crisp February day? Well for today only you can satisfy that craving for FREE!

Not like poor Chilly Willy. All he wanted was a stack of pancakes with butter and syrup…and more butter…and more syrup…and more butter. (Let’s be honest, we’ve all been there.) But mean ol’ Smedley wanted to charge him an arm and a leg!



Well you don’t have to worry about paying a penny for pancakes, at least not today. So why not take the family out for pancakes today and give a little to charity at the same time? It’s a win-win for everyone! Just be sure there’s enough butter and syrup available.

IHOP's National Pancake Day Celebration

Image Credit: Wylio.com

This Week’s Printable Coupons 2/27/12

You’ll march into next month with more money after the savings you’ll find in this week’s Printable Coupons.  Offers from Dole, Johnson’s, Totino’s, and Schick offer up to $2 off in coupons you can print or have delivered automatically to your store loyalty card.  

Here’s a look at some of the coupons available this week!

 

 

PRINT & SAVE ON THESE PRODUCTS NOW!

 

                                                                            

    $1 off Emerald Breakfast on the Go!                $1 off any Dole Salad Blend or Kit

 

 

                                         

 

          $1 off 5 Totino’s Party Pizza                 75¢ off any Chock full o’Nuts product


 

                                       

               $2 off Alka Seltzer Plus                     $1 off any L’Oreal Paris skincare item   

 

 

                                        

 

             $1 off People Magazine                         $1 off Dial for Men Body Wash

 

 

                                                

 

             $1 off Schick Hydro Razor                       75¢ off Johnson’s Baby Lotion 

 

 

WHAT COUPONS ARE YOU SEARCHING FOR?

TELL US IN THE COMMENTS BELOW AND

MAYBE WE CAN HELP YOU FIND THEM!

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Free Lorax Storytime at Target This Saturday

The new 3D movie “The Lorax” hits theaters on Dr. Seuss’ birthday, March 2nd, and this Saturday, Target stores nationwide will be hosting a special event to celebrate. Kids will enjoy a live book reading of the classic Seuss children’s book, and will also receive a free goody bag, participate in fun activities, and more! The event is free and kicks off at 9 a.m., February 25.

Need to brush up on your Once-lers, Thneeds, and Truffula Trees? Scoop up Seuss books now on sale at Target.com. Select books like The Cat in the Hat and Green Eggs and Ham are 2 for $10, while books like Horton Hears a Who and If I Ran the Zoo are 2 for $20. They’ll ship free with your Target REDcard, or when you spend $50 or more.

 Click here to locate a Target near you!

 Image Credit: Fandango.com and Amazon.com

Color Rage – Terrific Color Trends Worth Investing In

With all of the color trends I’ve seen lately it’s hard to know whether I want to invest in them just a little or a lot. Usually I get one to two trendy items of clothing depending on what I like and I also base my decision to go with the trend or not on whether I think it is going to stick around for very long. Right now there are some fun and colorful trends that I absolutely adore. But who knows if they will be here for long. I think a few of these will definitely stick around come spring and summer – which are the seasons I’m looking forward to wearing these trendy clothing staples!

Colored Jeans

The neon and bright colors are going strong right now and even though I love bright colors in general, I have a hard time wearing them because I consider them really flashy and out there. However, I think I wouldn’t mind wearing some pink or blue pants paired with a basic tee. In fact I already bought a pair of blue jeans (literally turquoise blue,) and now I think I need a pair of pink jeans, like theSouthpole Colored Jeans to the right.

Joe’s Jeans in particular are a hot commodity. They come in literally 50 different colors and all of their colors are amazing! I definitely plan on trying on a pair of jeans fromJoe’s. However, I need to go to a department store to do this because it is super hard for me to make sure a pair of colored jeans fit unless I try them on first. If they fit then I’ll definitely be investing in a colored pair or two!

If you’re into the pastels as opposed to the neon colors, amazing brands like Free People have jeans that have lighter shades. In fact, Free People has a pair of Cropped Skinny Colored Denim Green (looks like a mint green) right now for a great price – $88.

Colored Hair and Tips

Along with colored jeans and pants comes colored hair. We’re seeing colored tips in long hair and brightly colored short hair too. The colors involve pink, blue, green, and more. Now, for people like myself who don’t have long enough hair to invest in this trend but think that occassional colored hair would be fun, there’s a solution. It’s called Manic Panic Dye Hard – Dry Hard Temorary Hair Color Styling Gel.

This means that you don’t have to permanently dye your hair pink or blue like Katy Perry. Instead, you can have temporary colored locks without the permanent color damage (or enhancement depending on your view of this trend.)

I happen to love the colored locked and tips, but I’m not about to sacrifice my hair because we all know bright colors or pastels would be hard to get out. But – I think it would be fun to invest in some colored hair gel and find shades of green, purple, and pink, don’t you? Plus, keep in mind that this hair gel is only $7! For temporary colored hair this is pretty cool if you ask me.

Colored Accessories

Don’t stop with colored jeans and locks! There’s still many more colored accessories to explore. This includes colored handbags, colored jewelry, and even colored shoes. If you accessorize these items correctly for an outfit, you’ll create a bold and beautiful style. For example, Coach has some amazingly bright and gorgeous handbags out right now that tell us that spring is on its way. You’ll also find other fun handbags by Michael Kors, Fossil, and more. There’s also colored shoes by Jessica Simpson and lovelynecklaces that bring the perfect pop of color to your outfit.

The color rage is everywhere right now and I’ll definitely be investing in some of these fun colored trends. It will bring a perfect pop of personality to my outfits! It will bring color and personality to your ensembles too.


Today’s JoeShopping post was written by Featured Blogger OceanDreams, a.k.a. Sierra. Sierra is an ocean dreamer who is a freelance writer, blogger and fashion addict. Some of her additional interests include excercising near the ocean, shopping, interior design, social media, Disneyland and more. You can catch Sierra on her blog Ocean Dreams and you can find her on Twitter at @oceandreams4u.

 

 

Put Your Best Face Forward

I’m just going to go ahead and admit it: I am a little bit obsessive when it comes to taking care of my face. My husband would probably say a LOT obsessive. I can’t help it, though. It feels SO good to have a clean, fresh face…and a face that is (mostly) acne free!

I try to avoid touching my face during the day, especially if my hands aren’t clean. I work in a hospital, so I definitely don’t want those germs on my face. I wash my face every morning and every night before bed. My morning routine is just a quick way to get the nightly grime off. I take the most time at night, making sure to get all of my makeup off. My husband knows that he better not touch my face once my nightly routine is completed. Yeah, it’s that serious. : )

I use several products that I adore, so I’m going to share a few with y’all today. Now I understand that y’all don’t have to be quite as obsessive as I am, but hey, who doesn’t love a clean, smooth face?

Read along for a few of my favorite products. Then be sure to comment and share your favorites with me!

 

Makeup Remover Wipes - $6.49

Neutrogena is my favorite brand for makeup remover wipes. They have several versions (like calming or moisturizing) and I have tried and loved them all. My favorite is the moisturizing wipes because I tend to have dry skin. My best friend uses Clean and Clear makeup remover wipes and she swears that they are the best. No matter what brand, the most important thing is getting all the makeup off so that your face is clean and your pores are unclogged. 

(Target coupons)

 

Astringent - $4.16

I use an astringent in the morning to take off the nightly dirt and oil that somehow always manages to appear on my face. I love the fresh, tingly feeling that it provides. Also, I like to make sure that my face is clean before I load it up with makeup again. (Boys, y’all are so lucky to not have the makeup issues!) Make sure to get a gentle astringent if you have sensitive skin. I use an oil-eliminatingtype from Neutrogena. 

(Buy.com coupons)

 

Moisturizer - $5.49

This is a big one that everyone tends to forget: moisturizer. It’s so important to keep our faces nourished and healthy. It’s not just for women, either…men need to use it, too. Cetaphil is one of my favorite moisturizers because it is gentle on skin and doesn’t burn like some lotions do. Clinique also has a lotion that I love because it fixes my dry skin with one application. It’s a little more pricey, but worth it if you have super dry skin. 

(Drugstore.com coupons)

 

SPF - $14.97

I may sound like your dermatologist here (or your mother), but I have to say it: everyone should wear SPF daily! Even if you work indoors, you still get exposure to the sun by going back and forth to your car or by walking to lunch, so we should all protect ourselves every day. It’s worth the little bit of extra money to prevent skin cancer. I use Cetaphil’s facial moisturizer with SPF 50 on my fair skin. It keeps me covered and doesn’t leave my face oily.

 

 

So those are a few of my facial “big guns.” I use the same routine every day and I am pretty loyal to my products. Try a bunch of brands out until you find something that works for you. We all have different skin and it will react to brands and products differently. I definitely tend to stick with Neutrogena, but my husband supports Clean and Clear products all the way. 

The most important thing is simply taking care of your skin so that it will be healthy and age nicely. We all want to look good as we grow old, right? : )


Do you have any facial products that you love? Feel free to share with us in the comments below!


 

Today’s JoeShopping post was written by Featured Blogger MackeyMadnessMegan is a full-time registered nurse and part-time blogger who enjoys spending time with her husband and their three (large) puppies. She also enjoys reading, crafting, spending time with God and shopping for great deals. Visit Megan at her blog Mackey Madness and find her on Twitter at @Mackeymadness.

 


Kids Week at the Intrepid or My Day With Chewbacca

Me and my new BFF!

Yesterday was Presidents’ Day, my new favorite holiday. And in keeping with American traditions of honoring people by not working, most schools are off this entire week.

So my wife and I celebrated by taking our two boys to the Intrepid Sea, Air and Space Museum down in Manhattan. This former aircraft carrier is now a full-fledged museum. You can learn the history of this great ship, as well as take a tour of the command center and even walk through a real submarine that was used during the Cold War. (Talk about sardines!) On the hangar deck, there’s dozens of real jets, planes and helicopters to see. Oh, and this summer the Space Shuttle Enterprise is coming! It’s actually pretty darn cool for a museum.

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Pretty in Pink Fashion

Victoria’s Secret has an entire clothing line dedicated to it. Molly Ringwald starred in a pretty movie about it. Why, there’s even a singer named after the color. We’re talking pink. And there are just so many wonderfully pinkalicious fashions out there, it makes us all warm and fuzzy inside. Here’s a look at some of our favorites: 

 

Victoria’s Secret Pink Cut-off Hoodie

$44.50 at VictoriasSecret.com

Whether you’re lounging around the house or throwing it on to run errands, stay warm in this pink cotton hoodie. It features Victoria’s Secret PINK logo graphics on both the back and front.


 

 

AG Adriano Goldschmied Stilt Cigarette Leg Jeans

$159.00 at Piperlime.com

Actress Rachel Bilson loves these jeans and we do, too! They combine the two hottest trends right now: colorful skinny jeans and neons!


 

Hello Kitty Pink Tee

$16.94 at OldNavy.com

Hello Kitty says hello to pink with this officially licensed t-shirt. Available exclusively at Old Navy.



Rebecca Minkoff Neon Lizard Mini MAC Bag

$195.00 at Shopbop.com

Rebecca Minkoff updates her popular MAC handbags for spring with bold, bright colors. This electric pink version is accessorized with silver hardware on the outside and leopard print lining on the inside.


 

Tarte LipSurgence Natural Lip Luster in Adored

$24 at Sephora.com

Even your pucker needs a little pink! Tarte’s best-selling LipSurgence formula moisturizes and adds just a little pop of color for the perfect springtime pout.


 

Silence & Noise Boyfriend Blazer 

$78.00 at UrbanOutfitters.com

Whether you choose to wear it casual or dressy, your outfit will get a punch of cool color with this top-selling blazer from Urban Outfitters. 


Steve Madden Traisie Pumps

$79.95 at Zappos.com

Sorry, Elvis, we prefer pink suede shoes! Give your outfit a kick of pink with these 5″ platform pumps.


 

Women’s Smocked Chiffon Dresses

$32.94 at OldNavy.com

The flowy, pink chiffon material and fluttery sleeves make this the perfect dress for spring.


 

OPI Nicki Minaj Collection Pink Friday Nail Polish

$8.50 at Amazon.com

As cool as the hip hop/pop singer herself, this new, limited-edition bubblegum pink nail polish was created for the Nicki Minaj collection by OPI.


 

Short Sleeve Cowl-Neck Sweater

$46.95 at NYandCompany.com

Available in two shades of pink (Tropical Punch or Sleek Pink) this soft, feminine sweater features a drapey neckline and a twist knot on each sleeve.


 

Rayon Ruffle Tank

$24.95 at Gap.com

This jellybean pink tank from the Gap gets even girlier with a ruffle neckline and delicate spaghetti straps.


Ray-Ban Aviator Sunglasses in Crystal Rose

$159.00 at Shopbop.com

You’ll see everything through rose-colored glasses with these classic aviator Ray-Bans, which feature a gold frame and crystal rose lenses.


 

AE Twill Favorite Shortie

$29.50 at AE.com

There’s one thing these cotton twill short shorts aren’t short of: pink!

 

What’s your favorite pink to wear? Tell us below!

Love-ly Good Reads for Valentine’s Day

Today’s official JoeShopping Blog post was written by Featured Blogger OceanDreams.

Valentine’s Day is here! What are your plans? If you don’t have plans why not read a good book? This is exactly what I plan on doing since my love is far away. We celebrated this day of love prior to me leaving California though, so I’m not too sad. Plus – in all honestly I’m not a huge fan of going out on the actual day February 14th. It’s usually very busy and hard to find a restaurant if you don’t plan ahead. Which, by the way, we’re bad at doing because my love and I are very spontaneous.

Here are some books that I have read that I consider highly romantic, sweet, and just all around good love stories. Yes – I think guys would like them too. So pull out your inner romantic side, sit by the fire, and read a nice, romantic book for Valentine’s Day.


P.S. I Love You $10

Yes, I admit this book is a tad sad, but it’s a grand love story between a man and a woman named Holly and Gerry. Without revealing too much, read and be healed along with Holly as she grieves over a loved one and learns to find herself and even laugh through the pain. Plus it has plenty of romance! Did you know that this book was made into a movie? Buy P.S. I Love You on DVD after reading the very well written book.

 

 The Lucky One – $15 – $25

I admit I haven’t read this book yet, but the author himself is enough cause to read this book! Nicholas Sparks never ceases to amaze us with his wonderful novels. This particular book is about a man who almost dies but feels his “lucky” picture of a young woman saves him. He journeys to find this young woman and the rest is history. This book is also slated to come out on the big screen. Find out more about The Lucky One (starring Zac Efron btw) on Internet Movie Database.



The Thorn Birds $10

If you haven’t read The Thorn Birds I beg you to do so. This is a heartwrenching and extremely well written book about a love story between a young woman in Australia and a priest. We learn about their heartache and love for generations in this book. It this doesn’t pull at your heart strings I don’t know what will. My mom and I LOVE watching this mini series, which by the way, have you seen the mini series?! One of my favorites. Ever.


Where The Heart Is - $10

Another outstanding read that you might have heard of is Where The Heart Is. This is a sweet story about a woman who gets pregnant, finds herself, and finds love in the most unexpected places. This is yet another book that turned into a great film. If you haven’t seen the movie watch Natalie Portman and Ashley Judd before they got even bigger in the film industry.

 

Open$10 – $25

If you’re a fan of autobiographies and inspirational literature, this book is for you. Guys – I think you would love this book. This is one of the best books I’ve ever read. I have incredible respect for Andre Agassi, tennis champ. Andre gives us a glimpse of his life and how he handled challenges along the way. If you’re wondering what this has to do with Valentine’s Day, keep reading. The book really gets even more inspiring when we learn about his marriage with Brooke Shields and his current love Steffi Graf’s relationship.

Great Coupons for Books: Borders coupons and BookCloseOuts.com coupons


I would encourage you to put a few of these books (if not all of them) on your need-to-read list. Not only are they great books to read starting on Valentine’s Day, but they’re great beyond Valentine’s Day. Cuddle up next your loved one and read a good book that will make you want to fall in love all over again.


Today’s official JoeShopping Blog post was written by Featured Blogger OceanDreams, a.k.a. Sierra. Sierra is an ocean dreamer who is a freelance writer, blogger and fashion addict. Some of her additional interests include excercising near the ocean, shopping, interior design, social media, Disneyland and more. You can catch Sierra on her blog Ocean Dreams and you can find her on Twitter at @oceandreams4u.

 

 


Spend Some Time Pampering Yourself This Valentine’s Day

This official JoeShopping Blog post was written by Featured Blogger MackeyMadness.

Today is the day: Happy Valentine’s Day! My favorite color is pink, so any holiday that revolves around it is one that leaves me feeling pretty giddy inside. Plus, all the hearts, chocolate and candy everywhere put me in a good mood, too. We usually celebrate by going out to dinner, but this year we are staying in and cooking a “pink and red” dinner. 

I know that some people say it’s silly to have one certain day to celebrate love, but I really don’t see anything wrong with making your love, family and friends feel special. We should really strive to do that every single day. 

Whether you are going out tonight, staying in, celebrating with your significant other or spending it with your best friends, I hope that you will take a little time to love on someone else that is equally important: yourself! A little extra love and care can work wonders on our bodies and minds. We all deserve it.

I’ve come up with a few ways to pamper yourself tonight (or sometime this week). Do these to get ready for your big date or even the next day to wind down and relax. Share these ideas with your significant other or your friends to make them even more fun. 

 

Take a bubble bath – $6.99

There really is nothing better than taking a hot bubble bath. It’s the perfect way to wind down and relax your body. A hot bath is known to release muscle tension, as well as soothe tired, aching feet. I like to turn on some music and light a few candles when I take a bath to set the mood. There are so many fun scented bubble baths, too, so be sure to experiment. One of my favorites smells like funnel cake. Yum!

(Buy.com coupons)

 

Paint your nails – $5.97

There is something about fresh painted nails that just makes me feel good. Since it’s Valentine’s Day, hot pink or red are great color choices. I tend to always have my nails painted pink. One of my favorite “trendy” colors right now is gray. Try it. I promise it looks amazing! Add a sparkly topcoat for a little extra sass. 

(Drugstore.com coupons)

 

 

Soothe your feet – $19.99

My mother in law just gave me one of these foot spas for Christmas and I have made very good use out of it. I’m on my feet all day at work and they definitely need some TLC every now and then. It’s a little like taking a bath and getting a foot massage at the same time. That sounds perfect, right? Be sure to get a good foot lotion to rub on after for extra moisture. Men can enjoy this, too! My husband enjoyed it, although he would probably not admit to that. : )

 

 

Try a facial – $7.14

I did my first at-home facial about two years ago and I have been hooked ever since. Burt’s Bees is one of my favorite brands (for anything) because it works and it never bothers my super sensitive skin. A facial rejuvenates tired skin and leaves your face feeling clean and refreshed. Try a chocolate facial mask for only $1.99. That’s the next one on my list to buy!

(Target coupons)

 

 

Curl up with a good book – $3.55

This one is a little more about pampering your mind. I love to read, but so often I find myself turning on the tv instead. Make it a point to spend some time with a favorite author. A book can stimulate your brain and increase your creativity, all while helping you escape to a fantasy world for a little while. Light a few candles to really set the pampering mood. Head to your local library and score some great reads for free while you’re at it!

 

 

 

 

 

Sometimes we get so busy with work and life that we forget to take time to take care of ourselves. I hope this list encourages you to do a few special things for yourself this week. We all deserve to be pampered a little bit every now and then. Even the simplest things can restore and rejuvenate us. 

While you’re at it, you can even use a few of these ideas for Valentine’s Day for your significant other (hint-hint: guys!). Women definitely love to feel special.

 

What do you do to pamper yourself? Tell us in the comments below.

Happy Valentine’s Day!


Megan is a full-time registered nurse and part-time blogger who enjoys spending time with her husband and their three (large) puppies. She also enjoys reading, crafting, spending time with God and shopping for great deals. Visit Megan at her blog Mackey Madness and find her on Twitter at @Mackeymadness.