Style is where the bag is

I am loving the "War" bag from Beckel Canvas, $65. My only issue I do not need another another bag. See the full line at beckelcanvas.com.

Cushion the Blow

So when I decided to remove the carpet out of the boys playroom and replace it with those interlocking foam mats I did an hours worth of research that someone else should benefit from...

#1. Stay clear of the kiddie mats that have the shapes, alphabet or number cut outs. They are a pain in the ass. The letters and numbers never stay in and it makes it even harder to clean.



#2. There are different thicknesses. I vote for 5/8". That should be the thinnest you go other wise you are wasting your money.

#3. Do your homework. There are a lot of companies out there selling these mats for home gym and playrooms...there for there are a lot of different prices for the same product.

WHO WON?

Softtiles.com

WHY DID THEY WIN?

a. The foam tiles did not come in prepacked sets. Meaning I could order as many as I wanted. Greatmats.com required me to buy the tiles in packs of 20. I needed 25 tiles so that would have forced me to buy a ton I did not need.

b. 2X2 size. The larger 2x2" size is the way to go. They cover more ground and stay together better.

c. Color Selection: They had a great color selection and really nice examples in their photo gallery.

d. Arrival: I ordered on a Monday and they were at my house by Friday night.

WHAT I WISH I WOULD HAVE KNOW:

a. I misordered the edge pieces. By the way...don't skip ordering the edge pieces. They are $1/ea and make a huge difference in how the mat looks. Make sure you order correctly.



b. I also misordered the tiles. Instead of a full checkerboard I have an extra brown tile creating a brown plus in the middle. I thought I ordered correctly so I can't figure out what I would have done differently or I might have been shipped one mat that is the wrong color. Not sure.

BUMMER:
The biggest issue I have with this product...not the company is that no one had a great selection of colors and thicknesses with free shipping. Sears did have free shipping but the mats only came in blue and black...meathead gym colors that is. The shipping on this cost me $30.00.


NOT COMPETITIVE:
Wondermat.com: This company had the highest prices of all for the exact same product.

OVERALL:
I am glad I did my homework and the product from softtiles.com is great. To cover a 10x10 space was 25 2x2" squares with edging ended up being a little over $200.00

Act Cheap

I have come across some decent cheap sites lately and I need to make a running list...( I apologize in advance that i can't get this to format properly to save my life.)

Venus.com: Mostly Cheesy item, think Real House Wives of California, but there are some good one offs in there.



WorldMarket.com: you have to dig but there are some gems in there for outdoor / indoor house stuff.I am totally crushing on this outdoor pouf.













Tonicliving.com: extremely great pillows. Think mod palm beach. Small selection but really affordable.










Spool72.com: it is Little House on the Prairie Meets Etsy but doesn't look like you made it yourself clothing and accessories.






gr8gear.com: If the owners of this site are reading this...know I mean this with love. Invest in quality photography of your product. If Country Living Magazine did not feature this blanket no normal non military, non bunker, compound building person would visit let alone order from you guys. I however will be back for the Swiss Army Blanket with its sweet price tag of $18.99."Oscar Mike."

Spring Chicks

The cutest cupcake variation I saw seen yet! These will be on my table on Sunday.
Click here for the recipe

I just got a great little scoop that I wanted to share with all the moms out there...

Buzz Marketing Group just put out a great opportunity for high school and college students to make money and build their resumes. They are scouring the country for the just the right brand ambassadors for their new client (which is totally hush, hush right now). The opportunity even includes a Brand 101 weekend experience- all expenses paid in Philadelphia this summer. And did I mentioned this is a paid job? Up to at least $750. There are a limited number of spots for these sought after opportunities with Buzz so don't delay.
Know a high school or college student that would be interested? Have them take this survey to qualify:

http://www.zoomerang.com/Survey/WEB22C8XXLCJPL

Who is Buzz?
Buzz Markeitng Group is in the business of finding out what teens what. The very thought makes my head spin but since the founder Tina Wells started her company at 16 she knows exactly how important the teen opinion is and how to get it for her fortune 500 clietns. Flash forward a few years later and the company is still leading the pack and being dubbed the "teen whisper" of the marketing industry.

Have you rubbed oatmeal on your kids today?

Over a giant cup of mocha hazelnut coffee at Parc I got the low down today of how to cure your little ones dry skin for dermatologist that is about to launch her own all natural skin line. My oldest gets patches on his legs and arms so my Pediticrian prescribed a steroid. This worked in the beginning but has failed to be the long term answer. I asked our expert what I can do and this is what she told me:

She said that steroid that I am putting on my little one is all wrong. First start with A&D ointment which can be found in your local CVS or Grocery store.

Once you get a handle on the situation Aveeno Baby products are what she recommends for keeping the dry skin blues from coming back. I threw a bunch of Aveeno products in my shopping cart at the grocery store tonight from the calming bath soak to the eczema therapy lotions. The boys and I are all stocked up and will be ready to show off our baby smooth skin by the time we hit the beach.

P.S. The little secret I can't wait to try: She also recommended taking regular oatmeal, putting it a pair of stocking and using that as a little scrub brush in the bath. Works miracles she said.

Is that Natalie Portman...no its you!

This weekend I was "brunching" at PARC in Rittenhouse with the rest of the world. A few friends were discussing their gown options for the Young Friends of the Art Museum Winter Gala when one girl said: "I like my dress but it is a little mother of the bride." Record scratch, siren, 5 alarm! Whoa. Who buys a dress with the understanding that it makes them look like MOB? We have to take back our busy lives people. Philly already suffers greatly from a lack of style. The overall average is constanting being dragged down by the numerous fashion design students trying to out crap each other with their creative misguided creations. Oy Vey kiddies, stop hurting my eyes, get a mirror and listen up.

This event combined with a purging of my personal closet made RenttheRunway.com all the more attractive when it popped up in my inbox. I love my closet. I have some real gems in there but I also love to keep my assortment fresh. This means that most my special occasion dresses get worn once maybe twice if I am lucky. This equals great memories and wasted cash.
Rent the Runway lovingly pimps over the top expensive numbers for your event without the commitment and high credit card bill. Why not rent a $700 dress for $200 or $1,200 number for $150? I know what you are thinking...I can find a great dress for $200. EHHH wrong. Good dresses go for at least $350 and up these days. Believe me I wish I was wrong but sadly these are the times we are in. A decent frock is gonna cost a decent wage. And for you single girls a good dress is the difference in snagging an investment banker type vs. an accountant type. I think you can do the math on that one for yourself. How it Works

Not sure where to start...Rent the Runway treats you right. They sort their wares by size, color, event, price, designer...etc. And for those of you that have to shop with a gaggle of girls that come with a gaggle of opinions they have you covered. Ripped from the fashion head lines they provide you with style and trend boards. Which will serve you 10 times better then that yappy girlfriend with the crappy boyfriend stories. Tell her to leave it to the reality TV stars and get her act together.


What was that you said...in a pinch with an important event rapidly approaching...don't pile your posse in the car and head for the mall. Check out their Available this Weekend section.

So for those of us that have events with the same crowd over and over again and have to rotate the options constantly don't get new friends get Rent the Runway. Let them hate you and leave them wondering how the *bleep you are affording all these Legers, Ferrettis and Proenza Schoulers. Is that Natalie Portman...oh no its you! Just tell them you got a raise for being freaking awesome and it will be our little secret.

xoxo
Philadelphia Mama