What's better than shoes on sale? Shoes with Dr. Scholl's® For Her High Heel Insoles!

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There is nothing I love more than a good bargain, so imagine my glee when I found some on trend, mint green snakeskin heels for sale at half price, and then the sales clerk noted that were an ADDITIONAL half off that price. (They are even further marked down online, though they were out of my size.) Of course, the drawback with any new pair of shoes is the break-in period, where stiff leather and inflexible soles can really do a number on your tootsies. Thanks to the Influenster SunKissed VoxBox program, however, I had a brand new pair of Dr. Scholl's for Her High Heel Insoles to try out. Nirvana! While it can't cure the back-of-the-heel rubbing, it made the shoes very comfortable - I wore them around the office for 9 hours without slipping them off in favor of my usual flats (shh, I can't be the only one who keeps a spare under the desk, right?) I've already bought a couple more pairs, hoping to not just ease the break-in period on new shoes, but also spiff up some shoes whose insoles have seen better days. If you've tried them, let me know what you think!

NYC New York Color lip gloss review

My husband, bless his heart, is not always the best at stuffing stockings, so I generally take it upon myself to to treat myself to a few goodies just in case! This year I was lucky enough to win one of Influensters Holiday VoxBoxes - a small box full of free samples and tasty treats to try.

First up for review: NYC New York Color Liquid Lipshine. I confess, whily I'm a thriftygrrl at heart, I don't skimp on makeup - a variety of Clinique, Aveda, and Bare Escentuals lip glosses are stashed around my house in purses and coat pockets. So, I was admittedly skeptical about a drugstore brand, especially one so cheap ($2.49!!) Happily, the gloss had good pigmentation and was not too sticky - it really felt comparable to my pricier products. According to the package, it also has Vitamin E to provide shine and a moisturizing feel. The formula is non-sticky, super shiny & soft. Available in 10 on-trend shades from neutral nudes, to berries & fuchsias. I've never paid attention to the brand before, but since trying it out, I've spotted displays at CVS and Target. Visit newyorkcolor.com to check out all shades and fun products from New York Color!

Tokidoki - like a makeup Happy Meal for moms

Ok, first let me admit I got this cute Tokidoki eyeshadow palette free from the Vogue Influencer Network, but it was something I'd been mulling since I first saw it mentioned in a Sephora beauty insiders email months ago promoting the launch of the Tokidoki line.


The palette is much larger than I expected (think lunchbox, not compact, in width!), the colors very wearable, and the characters are adorable. The set also comes with a sheet of Tokidoki themed magnets which I suppose would look perfectly on-trend in a high school locker. Mine however were seized unceremoniously by a 3-yr-old with a single "Mine!" On the plus side, the tin (once empty) will be the perfect on-the-go play-set for him to keep the magnets - I'm thinking long car rides, chilling in a shopping cart, waiting at the Doctor's office. Brilliant!

So, if anyone from Tokidoki stumbles across this, consider a new marketing angle - it's essentially a makeup Happy Meal for moms, complete with a toy inside for my kiddo. It'd be much more easier to justify trips to Sephora if I explained I was just toy shopping...

The Best Daily Deals in Washington, D.C.: $20 Amazon.com Gift Card

The Best Daily Deals in Washington, D.C.: $20 Amazon.com Gift Card

Emerging from hibernation

Ok, so winter is when we're all supposed to hibernate, but I've been inspired to dust off the cobwebs of my blog. After all, winter is when we hunker down inside with a cozy blanket, a steamy mug of something delicious and a good book, right? Chronicle books is my favorite source - seriously, from sumptuous cookbooks to quirky crafts, adorable kids' books and pop culture bibles - they really have something for everyone, especially me!

To celebrate the revival of my blog (ok, really, to celebrate the holidays) Chronicle is giving a blogger and one lucky reader their wishlist of up to $500. I already own dozens of Chronicle titles, so you'd think it'd be tough to choose that many more, but with great new titles coming out every month, it was really easy! So here's what I'd choose:

Treats to make for family and friends

Flour, Spectacular Recipes from Boston's Flour Bakery ($35)

All Cakes Considered ($24.95)

Field Guide to Candy ($15.95)

Field Guide to Produce ($15.95)

Brittles, Barks and Bonbons ($16.95)

Pretty Pantry Gifts ($19.95)

Kids in the Holiday Kitchen ($16.95)

The Commonsense Kitchen ($35)

Summertime Treats ($14.95)

Valentine Treats ($14.95)

Other good reads just for me:

Craft Pack (the cute "Softies" and "Lotta Simple Sewing") ($31.95)

Edie: Girl on Fire ($29.95)

Between the Bridge and the River ($13.95)

For my husband (shhh...):

Craft Inc. Business Planner ($16.95)

Complete Worst Case Scenario Survival Guide: Man Skills ($24.95)

Lennon Legend ($40)

Fun stuff for my son:

Worst Case Scenario Guide: Junior Edition (9.95)

Crafty Collection ($50)

Edible Schoolyard ($24.95)

Other Goose ($19.99)

City Walks With Kids: New York ($14.95)

Eric Carle's Dream Snow Pop-up Advent Calendar ($10.99)

hopelessly out of date

Well, this sure has been an active blog, right? I swear, I'm working on finding the time!

We're in the 3rd trimester!

Those who know me well know that I'm a procrastinator, which is why I never started one of those pregnancy week-by-week journals (and honestly, after months of morning sickness, I really didn't have too many happy memories to record apart from those beautiful ultrasounds!) Now that we're in the home stretch, however, I feel like I'm finally ready to start recording for posterity the highlights of our venture into parenthood! Our little boy is expected right before Christmas, and I can't WAIT! For those of you that haven't seen the evolution of my belly, my first few posts will chronicle our journey thus far. Later posts will pick up from this point on, and we'll even try to maintain the page after he arrives so those far away grandparents can say up-to-date on our family's latest adventures.