#wndu

Every now and again I feel the need to talk about something other than beauty and fashion. I feel like I should offer advice on something other than what color to wear and how to look thinner. Well...today is your lucky day!   This morning I appeared on the WNDU Morning Show and offered some last minute Valentine gift ideas.  Get your shopping list ready - there's something for everyone!

   SHOPPING INFO: There is a new trend out therhttps://www.blogger.com/blogger.g?blogID=9117951317629263763#editor/target=post;postID=3329607560768169457e, and it’s called GALentine. Why wait for some guy to ask you out, or sit home alone?  Go out with your girlfriends, and show them how much they mean to you. I love this idea.  There may be someone in your circle of friends who is going through a hard time. Show them that you support them with a stackable ring. Image your friend who is fighting breast cancer, opening a gift of a beautiful pink ring at dinner...and then all of your friends gathered at the table hold up their hand wearing the same ring. AWESOMENESS!

Stackable rings – JR Fox $30 - $80

FOR THE LOVE OF FASHION

with the purchase of a gift certificate of at least $300, you will get an amazing lunch, info at lunch about defining your signature style, AND a certified style expert to help you shop. Great idea for your wife OR go in on a gift certificate with a few friends, and make it a girls day!

·         Private fashion luncheon $300 and up – Judee’s Boutique

·        Or a Love Mom bracelet from a new boutique. Charm bracelets are always a great idea because going forward, you don't have to think of a gift...just add a charm!

 ·         New’ charm bracelet - $50 - $100 JR Fox

 ·        Or a Love Mom bracelet from a new boutique.

·         Love Mom bracelet Be https://www.blogger.com/blogger.g?blogID=9117951317629263763#editor/target=post;postID=3329607560768169457Beautiful With Grace Boutique

  MADE WITH LOVE CALENDAR

 Nothing says I love you more than something DIY. This is a 6x6 scrapbook page holder, that I made into a calendar.  The plastic sleeves and the holder were about $12 from the craft store. Great for a husband or Dad!

  Custom hand made calendar - $12 ish from craft stores

GOODIE BAGS

For teachers? These little bags are about $5 for 4 of them from Michael's craft store.  Fill them with goodies from the Dollar Store, and include a note why you think that person is special.  I found this note pad that has you fill out why you love someone - something like this would be a perfect compliment to the Goody Bags.  The note pad was $5 from Barnes and Noble.

LOVE TO READ

When I have no idea what to get someone, I always think BOOKS!  Consider a limited special edition of a classic romance novel. 

  Love Books - $10 - $35 Barnes and Noble

TRADITIONS

Crate traditions with your family so next year you don't have to think about what to get!  In out family, we always get a pair of PJs and one box of candy. This time of year cozy PJs are on clearance.  Found these at Target for $12.

PJs - $10-$12 Target

Is your tradition flowers?  Add a gold dipped rose  - that is something she will have forever. 

Gold dipped roses - $90 JR Fox

If you are the guy who like to get something blingy for your gal, go the extra mile this year, and present it to her on top (or with) a gourmet cupcake.

This morning I was on WNDU TV sharing information about the Little White Dress expo event in Mishawaka tomorrow.  This one of a kind event will feature fashion shows with wedding attire from Goodwill.  All of the vendors will offer tips on how to plan your dream wedding on a budget! Here is a link to info on the event:  Little White Dress Here are some other tips for saving your budget while planning your dream wedding:  Before You Start

·        What parts of the wedding are important to you? Focus on those and find ways to save money on the rest.

·        Hire A wedding planner.  Professionals can save you money because of the relationships and business they already give to vendors.  They also have years of creativity planning weddings and can offer alternatives to save you money that you might never have thought of.

Invitations

·        There are hundreds of great, professional and classy options to print at home.  This can save a ton of money.

·        Guest List = omit kids. If the number of co-workers you have seems to be significant, eliminate all work relationships.  Keep the numbers down for your wedding party as well: Fewer attendants means less money spent on bouquets, boutonnieres, presents, and transportation.

Attire

·        Your Dress: Plan on reselling your dress, look for a vintage beauty from a consignment shop or thrift store. Buy a dress from a thrift store and have it custom tailored into something perfect for you.

·        Your Shoes: Buy shoes that you'll wear again after the wedding -- something you likely won't do with white heels. Make your shoes the “something blue”, or coordinate your stilettos with the color theme of your wedding party.

·        Men can wear a nice suit and avoid renting a tux.

Flowers

·        Use what is in season, and the same flower throughout the event.  Choose a flower that is large (you won’t have to buy as many)

·        Cutting out the middleman by calling on a grower will allow you to source flowers for.   Look for farms or related associations; for example if you want gerbera daisies, google search and call the American gerbera daisies Society and ask for a local grower. 

The Wedding Event

·        An officiant can add to your bottom line by hundreds of dollars. Have a friend become your officiant. Universal Life Church (ulchq.com) and Esoteric Interfaith Church (northern way.org) are two organizations that "ordain" laypeople so they can officiate weddings, which most of the 50 states will recognize. Be sure to check the laws in the state you will be getting married to be sure this meets with local criteria.

·        Schedule the wedding in off-peak times. You might be able to save 20-30% by scheduling your wedding in non-wedding-peak months.  Have to be on a Saturday?  For a destination wedding, every day feels like a Saturday!  Or consider a Sunday afternoon or Friday night.

·        Location, Location, Location!  Look at non-traditional settings; barns, a beautiful back yard, a park.

Reception

·        Time of the day of your wedding can save a ton of money.  Time your wedding around a meal time.  Then you can just serve refreshments as opposed to a full meal.

·        Theme: maybe a Tea party kind of feel. Simple, elegant and much less expensive

·        Alcohol can drive up the price of a reception like nothing else.  Only offer Signature cocktails rather than open bar.

·        Cake: one small beautiful cake and cut sheet cake for guests. Eliminate cake all together and serve donughts (tiered on a cake plate)

Photographer

·        Look for a photography club and invite them to shoot the wedding

·        See if your photographer will offer a CD with the photos rather than a book or prints

      Did you miss the segment this morning on WNDU?  Maybe you saw it and are wondering where to buy some of the ideas I shared for holiday gift giving.  Well...drum roll please...here is the list of where to buy! 

      JBar luxury soaps. $6.95 each – All handmade soaps are created in small batches using the cold process method. Ingredients are all 100% food grade vegetable oils, organic butters and sustainable ingredients. The cold process method keeps the glycerin in the final product, and each of the bars of soap have residual oils and butters remaining making the soapy lather creamy and moisturizing, not drying of your natural oils..  In a word, AMAZING!  I am obsessed.  Find out more store locations online at jbarsoap.com

      Wine Book - everyone always brings wine ton dinner parties.  Don’t be like everyone else!  Love the idea of the Wine Guide.  Not only is this an interesting read, even if you don’t love wine.  It is a great conversation starter at parties. $12.95 Barnes and Noble. 

  Everything is custom these days, why not a phone cover?  I love this idea for teenagers or even for employees who have corporate phones. You can choose from templates or design your own.  Upload your company logo or your picture.  There are several websites that offer this product.  These designs I got from Vista Print.  The pricing ranges from about $15 - $30.  Lead time is about a week – so order now in time for the holidays.

      Family Holiday Cook Book.  I got this idea from one of my Facebook friends, and I think it is a GREAT idea. As I get older, I miss all those holiday dinners with my grandmother.  No one can figure out how she made potato salad or what she did to beets to make them good.  Fill a photo album with family recipes.  All of those little things that are holiday meal traditions in your family.  I love this for someone in their 20’s just starting out, maybe newly weds.  Honestly I would love something like this from my Mom as a family keepsake.  

          For the person that seems to focus all their attention on their pet…buy a gift for the pet!  All things from PetSmart or PetCo

        Everyone has a sports fanatic in the family.  That guy who believes the holidays are all about watching the game on TV?  These books are a great gift for someone like that: 100 Things A ColtsFan Should Know $15 each from Barnes and Noble

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      I like to give whole family gifts rather than to get one little thing to every member of the family.  This is a family game theme gift.  Board game, card games, something kids can play in the car. This is a great gift if you are staying with someone over the holidays as a house guest.   Games range from $7-8 up to about $30,

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Love the idea of a custom brick.  Perfect for someone starting a new chapter in their life, new homeowner.  These bricks can be customized to say anything you want: address, a saying, name, date. FromMichiana Brick and Building Supply – around $100

            Costume jewelry can be fine jewelry pieces that make a bold statement. These are from JR Fox. 

    Complete Personal Shopping Experience: Keaton Row.  This is a new website where you can create a profile, choose to work with a personal stylist and ask them to create looks for you in your own personal Look Book.  The things that are in these outfits are available for purchase.  The items are from stores stylists shop at like Top Shop, Nordstrom and more. I am a partner stylist on this website, and it is really a great thing. Get a gift card from Keaton Row!    

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   Of-The-Month clubs.  Seems trite, but I love the idea of a gift that keeps on giving!  There are ‘of the month’ clubs for just about everything from beer to shoes and handbags. The best thing is that you can choose the level of gift you want to give: 3-months, 6-months or a year.  Most run in the range of $40-$50 a month.  Some to look into: Shoe Dazzle - you can get shoes, accessories or jewelry! 

      Or maybe a beer of the month club.  Great micro brews direct to your doorstep!

·        There are so many trendy sports programs out there now things to make you healthy.  This is a “best of the best” of all the newest, latest and greatest.  this is a great gift for anyone who is looking to turn over a new leaf in 2014.  Someone who has said they are committed to getting healthy.  Help them along the way with some great essentials!

           ADVOCARE - everything from Spark (a coffee replacement, and great energy boost), to CarbEase (something to help you break down the absorption of carbs), to the 24-Day Challenge that will detox your body and prepare it for serious weight-loss and exercise!  The best part of this company, is that you are hooked up with a health coach that will guide you and answer all of your questions.

       One of the greatest workouts out there now is the Insanity system.  Part of that 'Beachbody" package is the the T-25 workout. I will tell you those workouts WORK!  This program will also hook you up with a coach to help you and encourage you.  My personal coach with this system is Shelley Bullock - and let me tell you, she is AMAZING at encouraging me, and getting me to exercise on days I really don't want to. Shelley can also hook you up with Shakeology - a great meal replacement. 

IT Works - I know, you think this is crazy...a wrap that allows you to loose inches in 30-minutes.  Well, I will tell you it is all the rage, and you might not loose a ton of inches, or weight in 30-minutes...but you will see increased muscle tone.  Once a week while you are on your fitness kick...or right before vacation. You'll love it!

          And what workout would be complete without some great workout gear?  Lululemon is THE workout gear to get. 

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