Think ahead
I have to give props to Mr. KatyShops…my computer loves me again! Now I have to write a quick post before I am off to work. I have been working hard on my Father’s Day segment and I have to share a few things with you.
For my Dad’s birthday in January I sent him a Chicago deep dish pizza from Lou Malnati’s. I just received their catalog and it is awesome! I have to tell you my Dad really loved his pizza! They also have cheesecake, ribs, sausage, etc. Yummy! Great Father’s Day idea!
I have heard so much about the Big Green Egg that I am totally intrigued! Has anyone tried one? It looks like it would make a great Father’s Day gift!
I feature a lot of Mother’s Jewelry. How about those Dads? Look at the Daddy tag…
The Helmet MP3 player. Need I say more?
Okay , I have to be honest…I have some really cool Father’s Day stuff that I am going to feature on the radio. I just thought this stuff was cool too! Not to mention that I have been locked out of my computer for two days!!! Let me know what you are going to get your Dad…I would love to find out! Happy Monday!
My computer hates me.
I am sorry for this really lame post. I truly believe that my computer hates me. It literally took 20 minutes for me to get into my blog! Because of that fact, I will not have a post today…I can’t even imaging how long it would take for me to link sites and pictures to this post! Mr. KatyShops is not home – he is the computer guy for the katyshops household. Maybe if I just rest the ol’ e-machine for a while it will decide to function again. Please keep your fingers crossed for me…I hope to share the good shopping word with you again tomorrow. Have a nice Sunday (I’m going to go make mean faces at my computer)!
Sale Alert
Sorry for posting so late this morning. I was out late at the opening of the new Saddle Rack Saloon last night. What a blast! If you live in the Atlanta area you should go. We enjoyed the music of Kyle Jennings & Rhett Akins. Very fun!
This is a big one folks….40% off clearance at Bloomingdales! Enter code APR40 at checkout. I spent a lot of time looking over this sale. They have clearance in every department. Even Kitchen Aid mixers! Yay, you know how much I love the clearance rack…now I can sift through it at home.
Old favorites
Do you ever sit back and remember favorite things? A movie, book, food or fashion item? They say everything comes back…but you know its always different. The other day I caught myself quoting a line from the book The Lord of the Flies. I’m not exactly sure how the quote actually goes but this is what I remember “sucks to your asmar”. Does anyone else remember this? Then I remembered one of my favorite books that I read in Highschool – Catcher in the Rye. You remember Holden Caufield don’t you? I loved that book. “ It’s really too bad that so much crumby stuff is a lot of fun sometimes. ” ~J.D. Salinger, The Catcher in the Rye, Chapter 9
Remember how everyone used to wear the collar up on their shirt (circa 1980′s)? You don’t see that very often anymore. Salmon Cove thinks we should all start doing it again. They make their shirts with a cute little salmon that shows when you put the collar up. I don’t know if I am comfortable with this trend again.
I had this big red 1976 Caprice Classic convertable with white faux leather interior. It looked like this one.
Well thinking about that old car somehow jarred my memory and made me remember Starsky and Hutch. I was definitely into Starsky, my sister Amy – she was a Hutch girl all the way. You can actually buy DVDs of the original series! Here is a famous Starsky quote “In Bay City, when you cross the line, your nuts are mine.”
My next random thought led me to Garanimals. Do you remember the clothing that you matched up by animals? What a clever way to make sure your toddler doesn’t look dorky. You can still buy them!
Oh yeah, don’t forget the Brady Bunch! “When it’s time to change, you’ve got to rearrange, Who you are and what you’re gonna be” I can so remember that song! I bet you are humming it right now. You can order a CD of Brady songs! I’m putting that on my Birthday list! “Pork chops and applesauce.”-Peter
Wow, now all kinds of memories are coming back…perms, twinkies, docksiders, Tang, Whitesnake, make it stop!!!!
Radio Thursday – Mother’s Day Gifts
What do I love more than shopping? I love being a mom & I love my mom. I had such a great time picking out Mother’s Day presents – the hard part was deciding which ones to feature this week. Here is what I decided:
- Staxx Rings – These ring sets are amazing! This is a “stackable” ring that uses different designs, metals, stones and shapes to create a truly unique ring. The kits contains a stainless base, 4-5 stacks of interchangeable pieces, and two toppers. This allows the wearer to design a ring to fit her own personal style! You can create a new ring everyday! Sometimes I like to sit and play with my ring set, creating all kinds of different looks. The kits range from $85 – $169, while individual assembled rings range from $36-$86 – not bad for a unique ring that shows your style! Even the box the kit comes in is adorable – please visit her site and take a look. A perfect Mother’s Day gift!
- Bath Junkie – This store is like build-a-bear for adults! You pick your product, mix in the scent (that you create yourself), and choose your color. It is so much fun! I visited the Douglasville, GA location with my two daughters – we stayed over 2 hours and had a blast! We made body butter, body wash, salt scrub, household spray, body spray, acne wash, liquid powder and much more. From there we scented each product at their scent bar which has over 200 scents. I even made a signature KatyShops scent that combines linen, pear, and sweat pea! After we scented the products we got to pick what color we wanted each item to be. My girls stirred, smelled, and smiled the whole time. What a great gift for any mom – a gift certificate to Bath Junkie! The owner of the Arbor Place Mall store (Patrice) was so helpful – the girls loved her. Please visit their website and look at all that they have to offer – then find a location near you and take your Mom! Or just go buy her a gift there, it is so much fun!
- Yankee Girl Designs – This is a handmade birds nest with colored pearl eggs (that match the birthstones of your children) on a sterling chain. Absolutely beautiful! I wear mine all of the time and still get compliments on it. Get this…its only $34!
- Lexie Barnes Bags – She makes these fabulous bags that are very functional! I received the Lady B bag from her knit collection. She actually has an entire selection of bags just for knitters! What a clever gift for a mom that knits! Even if your mom doesn’t knit, Lexie Barnes has a bag that will impress her!
- Amy Kathryn Handbags – What mom doesn’t want to carry a funky & unique handbag? Amy Kathryn bags are amazing! You get the benefit of carrying around a very hip & unique purse without the high price tag. I have the Dahlia handbag and absolutely love it! This bag is only $84 – which is very good for a high quality, unique handbag. They have a huge celebrity following and have been written up in many high style magazines. Imagine that, a high class handbag that won’t break the bank!
- Spa Lux Slippers – The ultimate slipper! Treat your mom today to the best slipper out there. Let me tell you…these slippers are soft, comfortable, and sturdy! I have the pink pair and always come in the door and put them on. Sometimes I actually think about putting them on while I am driving home! They look & feel great.
free wed.
Its that time of the week again…freebies! I don’t have a ton of stuff because I have been busy preparing for the radio segment this week. I am going to be featuring some really cool Mother’s Day gifts on tomorrows show. I can’t wait to share them with you! I digress… back to the free stuff:
Winnie will be soooo happy – I have lots of dog freebies today! The Goodlife will give you a 4lb bag of dog or cat food. Pedigree will give you a coupon for a free can of dog food. Iams will give you some free food too. I have never even thought of buying Cesar dog food, I’ll give it a try too.
Okay, enough of the dog food! Here is a little something for the human race. Free smoothie from Smoothie King! Want to keep your brain sharp? AARP will give you a CD of games to keep you sharp! Call me old fashioned but I prefer to do my crossword & suduko puzzles from my newspaper. No more flakes! Head & Shoulders solves that problem. Is anyone else intrigued by the Olay derma-pod? I’m gonna try it out.
Thats all for today…please come back tomorrow to look at my awesome Mother’s Day gifts!
6.7 More Days of Spring Weather Left
It finally looks like everyone is having nice weather. No more excuses not to get out and get exercise. Here in Georgia I’m guessing we have about 6.7 days until summer hits us hard. I am going to make the most of my 6.7 days in the nice Spring weather. Here are some ideas:
- Strollometer – This is a really nifty gadget…it is like a pedometer for your stroller – clever! It will even give you the temperature! Now you won’t feel so bad about not exercising at the end of a busy day with your kids – you probably logged some serious miles! On sale for $39.95.
- Tu Fin – Check out this fun new sport…its like nordic walking on water! You have to visit their website to get all of the details. Looks like fun!
- Fly a Kite – I love to fly kites…this cute little radish kite is adorable! Only $5!
- Retro Roller Skates – I love to skate! I would rather put on a pair of retro skates over roller blades anyday! There is nothing like the real thing!
- Bruce Balcony Grill – Another super clever idea! I love to grill out, but some people don’t have the patio/deck space to have a grill. Problem solved! What a space saver – I would have loved this in college!
Head outdoors and enjoy what is left of these nice spring temps!
Is it worth it?
I try out a lot of products. I love trying new things. Sometimes I find stuff that I just love and now can’t live without. Here are a few of my favorite items that I have posted about before:
- L’Oreal Sublime tanning wipes – I have been using these and getting so many compliments! They have a really nice color to them, go on super easy, and have no mess involved!
- Mrs. Meyers Cleaning Products – I use these all of the time! People walk into my house and ask what smells so good. My favorite products are the countertop spray, the window cleaner, and the room freshener! Try these out…they are wonderful! You can buy them online or at any Cost Plus World Market.
- Road ID – This really gives me peace of mind when I am out running by myself. Just knowing that I am wearing all of my contact information on my wrist makes me feel safe. My friends & family even wear them too now! My friend Jennifer picked one up for her 8 year old daughter to wear.
- Mommy Makeup – I received the 6 piece pretty n polished kit from the owner of the company(a professional makeup artist). Not only are the cosmetics awesome, but you get her detailed instructions on what to do with each item in the kit. She even includes a paint by number card! I have learned so much using this kit – its like having my own personal makeup artist. I have actually received many compliments on my makeup while using this kit. Don’t be turned off by the price tag ($120) – Remember this is all you need to do your entire face in a professional way! I will buy this kit again when I am out of product!
- Brugo Coffee Mug - I still think this is one clever product! A travel coffee mug that cools part of your drink down, while keeping the other part piping hot! I love using this mug. No more scalded tongue or wasted cold coffee!
I have many more products that I just use over & over again. I will share more with you in the future. Let me know what you just love to use – I would enjoy hearing from you!
Happy Earth Day
Happy Earth Day. What are you doing to celebrate? Riley & Mike are going to the elementary school to freshen up the school grounds. Maddie & I are going to a local festival to hand out free beachballs to advertise our summer Vacation Bible School program – Okay, thats not really an Earth Day event but it is community service! Why don’t you stop by Home Depot to celebrate Earth Day? Why Home Depot? Today they are giving away 1,000,000 Compact Fluorescent lightbulbs in celebration of Earth Day! While supplies last.
Have a Happy Earth Day!
For Allison…and all who cook
One of my faithful readers named Allison asked for some help finding great cooking sites and cool cooking items. I am here to help! I will admit that I am working on a radio segment that is going to include some really interesting cooking tools – I just can’t share the info yet. But let me share some other stuff with you:
StartCooking.com is a nice site for recipes. You can watch a video of the recipe being cooked. You can even download it to your ipod – very handy.
Buttermilk Press has an awesome blog. They have tons of great recipes as well as product reviews. This is a must read daily…there is always something new.
My mom’s favorite cooking blog is FayeFood. My mother and her sisters spent time with her in Tuscany learning all of her techniques and recipes. She has been a chef to many celebrities. For Christmas my parents gave me the FayeFood cookbook – it is one of my favorite cookbooks that I own (and I own many).
I love this little garlic peeler – maybe because it comes in such cool colors. I hate when I peel garlic and smell like it all day. This will fix that problem for only $6.95.
What could be better than a product invented by a mom? This sandwich cutter is pure genius! The crusts come off and the sandwich is cut into cute triangles. $4.99
My favorite go to girl for cooking (besides my daughter Riley) is always Rachael Ray. I have never met a RR recipe that didn’t taste good or was difficult to prepare. She has many cookbooks to choose from, but you can also visit her site for recipes. Riley and I had the pleasure of meeting her in December – she was so nice!
Allison, I hope this helps – I will keep my eyes open for anything else that might be helpful. Look for my cooking segment on Radio Thursday soon – I have some really cool stuff to show you!
