1. People are having BABIES

2. People are getting MARRIED!

Not always in that order but you get my drift.. I am being a little dramatic while making this statement, but it seems like every other week I am shopping for a new wedding gift. Let me tell you, sometimes that can be very difficult! No, I’m not speaking of the cost and my pocketbook, though it is true, one must keep control of costs when buying so many gifts. No, I’m just speaking of buying gifts for people (usually family) that I might not know so well. What do you buy for cousin Erin (who you haven’t seen since 7th grade) and her new husband (who you only met briefly last Thanksgiving)?

There are a couple of rules of thumb when purchasing wedding gifts. Methods to insure that your gift is appreciated and not secretly despised. Here we go:

1. Money - Yes you can just give them money. Didn’t you see The Godfather? Just slip the bride an envelop of cold hard cash. It isn’t as tacky as you might think. It’s old school, and you probably will feel like a true player as you do it.

2. Use the registry - We all know at least one person who went a little crazy and registered for something outrageous like $100 toothbrush holder. However, if the registry lists gifts within your price range, choose something from the list. The couple will be thrilled to get exactly what they asked for.

3. When using the registry, try to complete a set - If you see that someone has already bought a place setting off the registry, buy a second one. If the casual dishes are filling up but no one has bought a formal setting, stick with the pack. One setting of formal dishes isn’t going to get a lot of use.

4. Always include a gift receipt - In spite of the best of intentions, duplicates happen when it comes to wedding gifts. (My sister received three fondue sets.) Resist the urge to think, “if I don’t include a gift receipt they’ll have to keep mine.” Remember that it’s a gift and it’s supposed to be about the bride and groom. A gift receipt is a simple way to ensure that your gift won’t go to waste.

5. Consider a gift card - This achieves much the same as the cash envelope option. If you’re traveling to the wedding, are unsure what to get, have budget concerns or simply want to be practical, buy a gift card for the store the couple is registered with. You can’t go wrong with that. Gift cards don’t break, are always the right color and they guarantee the perfect gift every time. Best of all, they’re really easy to wrap.

Now if you are really insistent on purchasing off the registry, I really advise at the very least shopping in a “safe zone”. Meaning buying from a store where all of the stuff is pretty classy, and almost everyone likes it. A good option is Pottery Barn. We have some very nice Pottery Barn coupons available, and there is a whole section on their website dedicated to wedding gift special. Here are a few of the highlights that I enjoyed:

Square Decanter Vintage styling. Handblown glass fitted with a round glass stopper. $25.00

Bedford Digital Photo Station Offers modern technology and organization in one. The 3.5″ Digital Frame can store up to 40 photos, and the top surface can be used to hold electronic devices while recharging. Smart feature includes a power strip with 3 plugs available for plugging in the frame, a camera and other portable electronics. Enjoy a sideshow of favorite photos while charging your camera and other electronics. The Digital Photo Station, the newest addition to our Bedford Smart Technology collection is designed to integrate technology seamlessly into daily life. $119.00

Bill Organizer This hand-finished organizer holds paperwork and has a numbered slot for each day of the month. $59.00 

Just to get your creative juices flowing let me run through a list of all the effects you can achieve through a mirrored world:

• Long, oval mirrors allow a short room to appear taller.
• Wide mirrors allow a small room to appear wider.
• Floor-to-ceiling or wall-to-wall mirrors can double the size of a room!
• When hung parallel to a window or a light fixture, mirrors can double the natural brightness in a room. They can also double a window’s attractive view.
• In a dark closet or basement, a mirror can act as a window by attracting the small amount of light that is available.
• Mirrors with frames can add visual, architectural appeal. Frames are available in wood, molded polyurethane, metal, plastic, eco-friendly bamboo and just about anything.
• Hanging mirrors can fill an empty wall, and floor mirrors can fill an empty corner.
• Mirrors are easy to clean and almost always appear like-new.
• According to feng shui decorating, mirrors are the symbol of water and can calm or rejuvenate a room. Depending on your mirror placement, mirrors will improve health and family in the East, wealth in the Southeast and career in the North.
• Make sure the mirror’s placement allows it to reflect something that you wouldn’t mind seeing twice. Opt for a nice window view over a bathroom or cluttered closet view.

While on this line of thought, I decided to peruse the offerings West Elm have available, to see what sort of accent pieces I may be able to add to my own home. West Elm is an upscale retail furniture company that has a wide range of accesories for contemporary home design.

Convex Nova Wall Art

This is a modern, industrial take on a design that was pretty popular during the early 70’s. You know what they say, style ideas always cycle back around. In raw iron with a convex mirror, front and center. $129

Essex Mirror

I was looking at a later era Dali self portrait yesterday where each area of his face was cut up into different size panels. I really, really like it and thought about it all afternoon. It appears I could achieve the same effect with a mirror. Oh mirrors! Will your wonders never cease? $299

Do you like what you see? Can’t wait to get started on your next home design project? Find your West Elm Coupons here and go have fun!

Inexpensive and portable netbooks appeal to a wide audience, from businesspeople who travel frequently, to kids and home users looking for a small laptop to carry from room to room, to book-laden students who spend long hours on campus. It’s easy enough to tell a netbook from other laptops, but the differences between one netbook and the next are getting fewer and fewer. They generally have 8-to-10-inch widescreens and lack built-in optical drives. None have full-size keyboards—they usually range from 89 percent to 93 percent of full size—so expect a more cramped typing experience than with a mainstream laptop.You will find an abundance of USB ports, a webcam, a card reader, and built-in Wi-Fi. Some even have bonus features like ExpressCard slots, Bluetooth, and options for cellular modems. Most every netbook has adopted the Intel Atom platform, made up of the Atom processor, integrated graphics, and 512MB to 1GB of RAM.

I noticed a very good special the Dell is offering this morning concerning netbooks. Dell Coupon Codes that offer 15% off on Dell Mini 10 and Mini 10v netbooks priced over $459. Just enter code ?$HD8SFZQW2GBQ at checkout and you’re golden.

The Mini 10 and Mini 10v come in a few different flavors, but all of them offer everything you want in a mobile companion and more. They may be small, but you’ll be surprised by all the fun features packed inside.

Dell Mini 10v Like most netbooks these days the 10v comes with the Intel Atom processor and the Windows XP operating system. It weighs in at 2.5 pounds with a 10.1 inch glossy LED display and a keyboard that is 92% the size of a regular laptop. It comes standard with 1GB of RAM and you have the option of a 160GB SATA harddrive or a 16GB Solid State. Prices for the Mini 10v can be as low as $299.

Dell Mini 10 This is the more deluxe cousin. They do share some commonalities such as the Atom processor, 1GB of Ram and Windows XP. The weight is basically the same with the Mini 10 weighing in at just one ounce heavier at 2.6 pounds. The screen size is the same 10.1 inches, however with the Mini 10 you ave the option of upgrading the resolution to HD. With the Mini 10 you have your choice between 250GB SATA harddrive or a 64 GB Solid State. The Mini 10 also offers GPS! Now that is a nice option. Prices for the Mini 10 start at $349

There are times when I am at other stores, looking for clothing staples that I would normally buy from Gap, and I decided to purchase elsewhere because I perceive that I just found a really good deal. Often times I get the product home and I am disappointed with something. The feel, quality or fit. I find myself saying at these times “I should have just gone to the Gap”. I’m serious, I’m not making this up. This happened just last week when I purchased some underwear from a well know big box store.

These are the undershirts I know, love and should have purchased:

Ribbed Tank

I haven’t always been a fan of the ribbed tank undershirt, but in the past five years or so I have become an utter convert. In fact, these days if I’m caught without I feel rather incomplete (for lack of a better term). These are soft and always feel right, the others I bought last week felt…well rather cheap. The ribbed tanks from Gap come in black, grey and white. You get them in packs of two for $19.50.

On the topic of essentials, here is another: the t shirt. Same basic story. I always am very happy with the basic t’s I buy at the Gap. However when I purchase elsewhere I am often not. I need to learn my lesson.

Best Crewneck

On the website, in the product description they call these the “perfect T” and I daresay it might be true. I just love these things and no other t shirt in my closet seems to compare. They come in a whole multitude of colors, with some of the colors being heavily discounted. The price range currently spans from just $3.99 to $18.00. Though let me tell you, even at full retail price these shirts are more than worth it.

Yesterday I wrote about how picky I am about the jeans I wear. It’s true, I totally am. But do you know which jeans in my closet are my all time favorites? You guessed it, the ones I bought from the Gap.

Selvage Standard Fit (rigid denim wash) jeans

I love these jeans. These are made from Japanese raw denim that are designed to form to your body. They look and feel really good and I can’t give them high enough marks. Currently on sale for $69.00!

Are you feeling me internet-land? Find your Gap Coupons here, and never again finish your shopping venture feeling disappointed.

Choosing the best look for your shape and style is easy. If you want a pair of straight-leg jeans but you’ve got muscular thighs, try the best of both worlds. If you’re slightly on the muscular or heavyweight side straight legged but in a slightly more relaxed fit is a good option. If you’re a slim but medium-height guy, then don’t go for extremes. You may be able to pull off a super-slim fit, but it won’t necessarily flatter. Go for an average slim cut, and leave the ankle-stranglers for the models.

A true variable with jeans is that the styles really do vary over the years. Sadly though, jeans often outlive those trends. Denim is tough by nature and if you don’t wear them everyday those pants can last for years and years. That doesn’t mean you should cart out those hot acid wash you bought twenty years ago, just because they are still in good shape however. Silhouettes and washes have changed quite a bit, and it behooves you to try and stay ahead of the game. Refresh, refresh, refresh. Don’t allow yourself to fall into a fashion time warp. This is a huge danger for all of us as we get older, keep your wits about you. In my humble opinion nothing shows a person’s age more than to jump headlong into this trap.

In recent years, the slimmer, straight leg jean has made a huge comeback. Some jeans available will have simple straight legs all the way down from the knee to ankle, while there will be more than a hint of the ‘80s with taper leg jeans, too. With regards to washes, I am very partial to the raw look in a dark shade. Not black, but a deep blue, sans the heavy whiskering of seasons passed.

Standard in Mercer The classic straight leg has a basic rise and is slim and parallel from the knee to the leg opening. Mercer is a stretch fabrication in a super dark un-faded denim with no whiskers, abrasion or distress. Available from 7 For All Mankind for $174

THAYE 0088Z Made in Italy. Unwashed denim with a slim fit. Available from Diesel and on sale for $112, down from $160. 30% off!

{Capital E} Hesher Straight Jeans - Soaked Part of Levis {Capital E} line of handcrafted jeans, the Hesher is the collection’s straight-fit. The mid-rise hits slightly higher in back. Sewn and finished in the USA of premium Italian denim and trimmed with hand-stitched back-pocket arcuates. $158.

Yes buying nice designer jeans is not cheap, but I feel it’s one of those things in life in which a person doesn’t come out ahead when they skimp. You can be wise about your purchases though. Check out the sales and our online coupons. We have some great  7 For All Mankind Coupons to help start you on your search. Happy Hunting!

Receive a Free Black Tank from 7 For All Mankind Coupons - Enter Coupon Code GIFT4ME at checkout!

This has been a tough one. Oh we have found many that we simply drooled over, but the major sticking point has often been the price. Many of the sofas that we really liked, even on sale are going for somewhere between $1000-$2000. To be quite honest, with all the other items that we needed to acquire, and with a new baby almost here, we simply do not have that money to spend on a single item of furniture.

When searching for sofas in the sub-$1000 range we have run into yet another consistent problem. Simply put trying to find a piece that we both liked to look at and was of the highest quality within our price range. Many of the vital signs of quality (or lack thereof) can be obscured by the siren song of style: alluring upholstery, svelte arms, and come-hither cushions, all piled atop sexy bare, mid-century inspired legs I so adore.

A sofa is a big investment, an item we will no doubt have in our homes for at least 5 to 10 years, it behooves us to always buy the best quality we can afford.

• Frames should be made of kiln-dried hardwoods, with corners that are blocked, screwed, and glued.
• Springs should be connected to each other with eight ties and then tied to the frame and covered. This is known as eight-way-hand-tied spring construction.
• Run your hand across the back and make sure that it’s padded. A hollow back is a sign of poor construction.
• Cushions come in down-and-feather blends, foam, spring-down, and combinations of all of these. Each one has their pros and cons, but it’s really a matter of comfort. Sit down and see which you prefer. Keep in mind that down cushions will require frequent fluffing, while foam will spring back on its own.

Remember all of this information isn’t necessarily to be found on a website product description, or on the price tag in a show room. You will need to find a spec sheet or ask a salesman some very specific questions.

You will want to measure everything before you buy, and I mean everything.  Measure the doorways, staircases, elevator, and just about anything else you can think of. You will have wasted a lot of time, energy, and possibly money if you get it home and discover it doesn’t fit through the doorway.

Aside from color alone, make sure you put some thought into the fabric itself. A delicate silk or velvet won’t do if you have kids and pets roughhousing on the couch. If you’re the type to eat dinner while lounging on the chesterfield, a micro fiber will easily forgive spills.

The thoughts of sofas, and when and where we were going to purchase, ran heavily through my head as we wandered that Modernica sale last night. This morning as I opened my email I found several forwards from my wife form the Urban Outfitters website. I guess she was up in the wee hours investigating more furniture! We are so often on the same page, hahahaha. I was really excited to find how many beautiful pieces they had in our price range. These are our two favorites:

Night and Day Convertible Sofa (Toffee)

Stylish seating by night or by day. Mid-century inspired tweed sofa boasts structured lines and generous seating by day. By night, it converts to a comfortable bed. Clicks easily into three positions for sitting upright, lounging back or sleeping. Removable roll arm cushions; rich solid wood legs; clean and simple at the back.

Exclusive to Urban Outfitters. Only $588!

Solid Ash Bungalow Sofa 

We would be taking the decor in a slightly different direction if we chose this one. I’m comfortable with that however, something about this sofa grabs me. Clean, modern lines with a durable hardwood frame, constructed of solid ash. Inspired by a vintage thrift store find, the comfy seat and back are each just one big sectioned cushion - with removable covers for easy cleaning.

Exclusive to Urban Outfitters and on sale for $299 marked down from $575!

You can find your Urban Outfitters Coupon Codes here!