Thursday, September 29, 2011

Frugal Fridays: Surviving the Four Month X-Mas

Carol of the Malls
(To the Tune of "O Tannenbaum")

Oh, Christmas Tree! Oh, Christmas Tree!
Why are you out so early?
My bathing suits aren't packed away?
Why are you out so early?

We're still a month till Halloween;
I've no int'rest in boughs of green!

Oh, Christmas Tree! Oh, Christmas Tree!
Why are you out so early?

Oh, Christmas Tree! Oh, Christmas Tree!
Why are you out so early?
We've hit a hundred 'grees today;
Why are you out so early?

Two aisles away are pumpkins fine;
Next week, I guess, come Valentines?

Oh, Christmas Tree! Oh, Christmas Tree!
You're out too freakin' early!!!!

Yeah, I know. I haven't even decided on a Halloween costume, yet, and the Christmas decorations are already decking the retail halls. As a former mall employee, I resigned myself to this "tradition" many, many moons ago. Still, it never fails to surprise me. Oh, well. Whatcha gonna do?

I tell you what I'm going to do! I'm going to give in, start my Christmas shopping early, and make darned sure I actually use the shopping rewards programs I'm signed up for! I'm in MyPoints for online shopping and love it, but there are so many others you can choose from, like Ebates or Extrabux. It's also important to remember to use your loyalty cards, like Sephora Beauty Insider, Smashbox Pretty Points, Starbucks, Lenny's Sub Shop, CVS, PetSmart, Staples, and Big Lots (and that's just from going through my wallet--there are tons more out there. Just look where you shop), and check to see if your credit cards--or even debit cards--offer rewards.

Like it or not, Christmas is here, it's expensive, and every little bit helps. Good luck!

Exit Through the Cosmetics Counter

*Please note: While Adorable Napalm appreciates art in all forms, this site does not advocate illegal activities of any sort. Please don't go spray paint stuff on your neighbor's garage. Thank you.
A few months ago, I had the pleasure of seeing Exit Through the Gift Shop, the documentary (mockumentary? Who knows?) by mysterious street artist, Banksy. If you've never had the opportunity to view some of the artist's satirical work, do yourself a favor and Google him NOW. His pieces are at once hysterical and thought provoking. Here's one that I particularly enjoyed:

Photo Credit: Banksy.co.uk
Chances are, I'll never have enough money to own a Banksy, and will just have to be content with viewing the random pieces of street art I've seen around town (yes! He came to my town! At some point! I have no idea when! I'm very easily excited!) until the property owners paint over them.

If you're as interested in street art as I am (or if you just like cool stuff), MAC has come out with a new line of Street Art-inspired cosmetics, Art of Powder. Here's the Street Art Eyeshadow, a blend of pinks, gold, and lavender:
Photo Credit: maccosmetics.com
There's also a highlighter and bronzer that are equally nifty. All three products are priced at $38 each, which is a little steep, but a lot less expensive than an original Banksy...or the fine for spraying your own art, come to think of it. MacCosmetics.com

Wednesday, September 28, 2011

I Need the Doctor! Stat!



This weekend marks the end of the latest Doctor Who series, and what better way to wrap up another year of traveling with Amy, Rory, River, and the good Doctor than by viewing the show through the eyes of some incredibly talented, crafty fans? All items featured in this post are available at Etsy, and are hand-crafted by fellow Whovians. Geronimo!!
 
First up, this so-cute-I-could-squeeze-him-to-bits 11th Doctor-inspired smartphone case. The bow tie and tweed jacket are spot-on, and I literally squeed at the messy hair. Too.Freaking.Cute!
 
11th Dr.  who inspired cell phone case, iphone sleeve, phone cozy
Photo Credit (This and All): Etsy. Links go to artists' pages.
I want this necklace. Any family or friends who read this: Think Christmas, please. I would use it on the door to my recording booth at work, and have it show anytime I had to step out. Kind of like an "Out To Lunch" sign that only a handful of my coworkers would get. 
 
Doctor Who - The New Companion Necklace
 
This little bracelet tickles me. It's one of my favorite quotes from the Neil Gaiman-penned "The Doctor's Wife" episode. The artist has other quotes available, as well. You know, in case you don't want to make the uninitiated nervous. (It says: Biting's excellent! It's like kissing, only there's a winner.")
 
Doctor Who - Biting's Excellent
I'm a sucker for a good poster, and this is a darn good poster. There are several in the series, each based on particular episodes throughout the run of the show. I'm partiularly fond of "Victory of the Daleks" and "The Girl In the Fireplace", as well the above example. 
 
Doctor Who Poster: The Girl Who Waited - 11"x17" Science Fiction Art Print
If you know of any good Who artwork--or any other really well-done pop culture pieces--let me know, please. I love featuring artists on this blog, and hopefully drawing some attention to their talents. Thanks! 
 

Tuesday, September 27, 2011

It's Halloween! You Know, For Kids?

"I like to feel sexy. I know my husband thinks I'm sexy. I think he is too. But I don't go out half-naked with 'sex' written across my back."--Catherine Zeta-Jones 
 
Okay, I'm going to get a little bit ranty today, and I'm not even going to attempt to apologize for it. This weekend, I found myself on a mission that left me frustrated, angry, and, quite frankly, insulted. I think you probably know where this is going. My Mission: find a Halloween costume. Current Mission Status: Failed.
 
In an earlier blog, I posted that I was going to attempt to put together a Doctor Who Amy Pond "Kissogram" (cutesy police officer) cosplay outfit. It consisted of a long-sleeved white blouse, checkered ascot, black mini-skirt, black stockings, sensible shoes, and a swat vest. I was good up until I got to swat vest, and that's where the whole thing became just way too darn expensive and more trouble than it was worth. Maybe if another trip to Comic-Con comes up I'll give it another go, but it was too much hassle for Candy Duty. I figured I'd pick up a costume at one of the local party supply/Halloween shops and call it a day. 
 
As I said, I'm going to be handing out candy to the urchins, so I decided to look in the pretty witch/Disney Princess/superhero sections. The yard will be kind of scary, so I wanted to choose something fairly non-threatening so that tiny Tinkerbelles and Thomas the Tank Engines wouldn't be too afraid to take their treats. I had a Little Red Riding Hood costume from a few years ago, but it was more on the "sassy" (*industry term for "sexy") side, with a shorter skirt and lower neckline than I thought appropriate for dealing with little kids. It was fine for the party I wore it to, but there's a time and a place for everything.
 
So...this weekend, I marched to the seasonal section of the party supply chain, gazed up at the wall o' costumes, and realized almost instantaneously that I had a serious problem. You see, not only could I not find anything appropriate to wear around children, I had a hard time finding anything that wouldn't get me arrested! I enjoy a mini-skirt as much as the next girl (see: Amy costume), but a few costumes didn't even bother with skirts...or pants...or tops, in some cases. My trip to the actual Halloween store wasn't any better, either. I thought that with more inventory would come more selection. I was wrong. I looked at costumes with bandeau tops, corsets with garters, and a couple that were shirts that came down just far enough to cover your butt. Maybe. If you don't sit down or have to bend over for anything. By the way, these were not the costumes from lingerie companies, or the brands that specialize in "sassy" costumes. These were the mainstream pretty witch, Disney Princess, and superhero costumes. I have to say, a little piece of my childhood died when I saw a Belle "ballgown" with garters and thigh highs, and I only thought that my Little Red Riding Hood costume was "sassy". I saw one with a ripped midriff and teeny-tiny belt of a skirt that made me want to hug my mid-thigh length dress. There was a "sassy" Hermione. That's wrong on so many levels, I can't even begin. Thomas dubbed a couple of the outfits "for indoor use only", if you catch his drift. Both of us were just flabbergasted.
 
Now, I would be remiss not to mention the few costumes that weren't completely skanky. There was the nun costume--although that is also available in a "sassy" version--a few ill-fitting, Morticia Addams-esque, black sheaths, and the one non-"sassy" pretty witch costume I could find. It was utterly shapeless, and I could have used it as a tent. 
 
By the time I threw in the towel, I was beyond dejected. Was I just overly prudish? I didn't think so. I've worn theatrical costumes that covered less. I also believe in dressing for your body type, so I normally try to wear clothes that show off my curves and waistline. That said, it's important to dress for the occasion. Were this a party, then yeah, I might be more inclined to pull out my Little Red Riding Hood costume (not that other...thing). However, this is for kids, so that would be inappropriate...ARGH!!!!!!!!! 
 
I thought, "I must be in the minority, because there's nothing!" Then I realized what really bugged me: What if I'm not? There is no choice. If you want to dress in a "sassy" style, then by all means, go right ahead. Just allow me the opportunity to dress in something that is comfortable to me, as well. Right now, that's not a possibility. Who knows if I'm in the minority. There could be way more girls who hate this "sassy" trend than like it, but we don't know because the only costumes available are "sassy". At this point, the only options are go "sassy" or go home. And I got mad.
 
Then something caught my attention--a very pretty, late-twenties blonde with a cute figure, absolutely laying into a party supply store employee:
 
"All of these are skanky! Don't you have anything that isn't completely slutty?"
 
The employee (male) tried to counter with, "most girls like to dress like that for Halloween," which went over about as well as you'd think.
 
The thing is, the employee had nothing to suggest to our young lady, other than she might have more luck online (where you can't try anything on), and to keep pointing out that most girls like to dress up like sluts for Halloween. I piped in to let the girl know that I was in the same boat she was, then we both left empty-handed. Later, I went online to see the rest of the selection, and was just as let down. There is more stuff to choose from, but it's more of the same. Unless you want a $150 theatrical quality costume, you're pretty much stuck with "sassy". I just want to know, which came first: the stereotype that girls use Halloween as an opportunity to dress slutty, or the reality that those are the only women's Halloween costumes available?

Saturday, September 24, 2011

Okay, So It's Frugal Saturday. My Bad.

*Editor's Note: This was written for yesterday. I swear. Um...yeah...sorry 'bout that. 
 
Welcome to another installment of Frugal Friday! Today's hot tip isn't just a Friday thing, but can actually be used any and every day of the week, until the sale runs out. Now, I have no clue when that'll be, so I wouldn't sit on this too long, if you know what I mean. I've been searching the site high and low for an end date, and just can't seem to find one anywhere. If any of you run across it, I'd be much obliged if you'd comment here and share with the rest of the class.
 
Anyhoo, I've been so busy rambling, I haven't said what the deal is, and I'm so sorry! The Body Shop is holding a semi-annual Skin Care event, and all skin care and makeup items (excluding sets) are Buy 2 Get 1 Free, or Buy 3 Get 2 Free! That is a fantastic deal, ya'll.

If you're a regular Body Shop-per, you could potentially save a lot of money with this deal. Some of these items are well into the $20 range, so if you already use, say, the Natrulift collection in your skin care routine, you could pick up your usual Firming Day Cream, Firming Night Cream, and Firming Serum for $102, and be able to get your routine Refreshing Roll-On Eye Gel and even give a Shimmer Cubes eyeshadow palette a shot ($26 and $22, respectively--a $48 value) for FREE! Obviously, you can make up your own combination. I just went with some of the more expensive items to demonstrate the savings.
 
Again, this is mainly for folks who either use Body Shop products regularly, or were already planning to try out the brand. I mean, it's not really saving money if you weren't going to spend it to begin with. All in all, though, if you need to stock up, now's the time to do it. Happy Shopping!

Thursday, September 22, 2011

Bring the Magic Home (Or Don't)


Photo Credit: Amazon


If you're itching to finally own all of the Harry Potter movies, you can now pre-order a bare bones collection at Amazon for $89.99. That's $50 off MSRP, for the record. It's a Blu-ray collection, with all eight films and their previously released special features. The official release date is November 11th. If this is your first time buying any of the films, it's not a bad deal. IHowever, if you're just dying for new material, you might want to hold off for a bit. Nothing's been announced, but I wouldn't be the least bit surprised if there's a fancy-schmancy special edition collection on the horizon. (Standard Definition is also available for $64.99.)

Wednesday, September 21, 2011

That's HOW Much?: A Rant


I ran across this article from Cracked today: 5 Absurdly Expensive Pieces of Junk Food. To start with, I just giggled at the thought of someone paying over a hundred bucks for Ramen. I mean, really? The stuff costs about a quarter, tops, at the grocery store. Even if you fancy it up a bit with a pretty bowl or floral garnish, you're still coming out lightyears ahead by making it at home. But then, my jaw dropped. 

Photo Credit: The Consumerist
$25,000 for hot chocolate. I kid thee not. That's more expensive than my car, which I'm nowhere close to paying off, but at least it serves a purpose. $25,000 would cover the costs of two and a half productions of The Night Shift. It's about a fifth of a small house, or, depending on the school, a good chunk of a college education. Spending that much money on dessert is criminal. I can't even justify for a wedding proposal, since $25,000 could pay for the ring, a lovely wedding with reception, darn nice honeymoon, and maybe have enough left over for the down payment on a cute little condo. I don't care that it consists of 28 different cocoas, expensive truffles, and enough edible gold to fill a mouth full of cavities this much sugar could create. It's little consolation that you get to keep the gold and diamond accented bowl and spoon, or the jeweled bracelet "surprise" in the bottom of the frozen confection. It's a waste of money. Seriously, if you have $25,000 that you just don't want anymore, I'm sure that St. Jude's Children's Hospital or the Ronald McDonald House, or any number of other worthy causes would be more than happy to relieve you of your "burden".
 
(If you want to make your own fancy frozen hot chocolate, Paula Deen has a yummy and easy recipe on Food Network. You could even use the high end, spicy Wicked hot chocolate mix and chocolate bar from my old boss, Jacques Torres, and still not even make a dent in that gilded concoction's price tag.) 
 
Believe it or not, though, that's not the item that made me mad. I mean, yes, it's wasteful. It's downright unconscionable to spend that kind of money on, essentially, a hoity-toity granita. But (and this is a big but), anyone who does knows what they're doing. There's a two-week lead time, so reservations are required, and it's twenty-five freaking thousand dollars! If you drop that much on impulse buys, then...well, you probably have enough money to be able to drop that much on an impulse buy.
 
Anyway, the thing that just really ticked me off was the pack of luxury ice "cubes". Each "cube" runs about $5, is perfectly spherical, and made from purified water. Now, I get the spherical thing; they don't melt as quickly, and they look really cool (pardon the pun), but really? $5 for an ice cube? That you could make yourself with a bottle of water and a $16 tray from the Museum of Modern Art (make 4, and you've saved four bucks)? Let's do a little hypothetical math, shall we? Say you had a party with fifteen guests (that's a good-sized party). Each guest had three drinks. That's 45 drinks. If each drink had just one ice cube, you're looking at $225 on ice cubes alone. That's $225 that could have been reallocated to better booze, more food, or maybe even a DJ or live band. Or, God forbid, just left in the bank. If I had a nickle for every ice cube I've used--just this week--my finances would be in much better shape. Now, think if each cube had cost you a fiver?
 
Some people just have more money than sense.
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