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Uncommon Goods Gift Ideas, Product Review, and GIVEAWAY!

3/29/2012

 
Yesterday I posted about these porcelain tortoise and hare banks from Uncommon Goods that in my opinion would make a wonderful baby shower gift, and at $22-24 they are also a great deal!  Uncommon Goods is a wonderful source for gifts for everyone in the family and a very unique source for those expecting a little one on the way.  For more of their baby specific gifts, please click here.  And if you have an older child on your list to shop for, they have gifts for a variety of ages too.
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Uncommon Goods
is a great source for interesting and affordable items to fill your home, find unique baby gifts, and never seen before surprises for family and friends.

I recently received the People Towels and Repurposed Layered Wood Frame from Uncommon Goods to give a try in our new home.  Both of these products are attractive, functional, and sustainable.  I am all for beautiful things and high quality design, and when these things can be green and sustainable too then I'm even happier!

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People Towels, $16

I have to admit that I'm a repeat offender of the "paper towel club."  I use way too many of them and this has become both a financial and an environmental problem in our household!  Since getting these People Towels I have used them for everything from wiping down counters, drying my hands, and wiping out baby bottles.  These reusable towels are a great gift for yourself or any friend who has a paper towel problem like I used to!

I was also lucky enough to receive this beautiful and sustainable frame that is made from re-purposed wood...
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Repurposed Layer Wood Frame, $34

On the package of the frame it says, "It was the barn for the square dance on Saturday night / It was the front porch to rock on / The only thing worse than tearing  down an old building is not re-using the wood that created its beauty."  Can you think of a place that you have loved that had to be torn down or demolished?  I sure can...and I love the idea of the wood that housed so many lives and special moments being repurposed as a way to save those moments, our memories, in time.

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I decided to use this old wood frame to showcase a new beginning in my life - the walk down the aisle at our rehearsal, the day before our wedding.  Here it is on my bedside table.

And close up...
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Isn't it pretty?!

And Uncommon Goods is offering a $50 gift card to one lucky Living Luxe for Less Reader!  To enter this contest please comment below and let me know what Uncommon Goods product you would most like to receive as a gift!  You'll see my top choices for gifts below.  But please look for yourself to get started...

I will announce the lucky winner a week from today, April 5.

For extra entries in this contest you can also

1. Add UncommonGoods to your circle on Google Plus https://plus.google.com/117195462200193731090/
2. Tweet a link to a family page on Uncommon Goods with your favorite product (ie. gifts for baby, gifts for mom)
3.  Pin your favorite UncommonGoods product on Pinterest

Please let me know in the comments if you have done anything to earn an extra entry!

Here are a few other Uncommon Goods products that I think would make amazing unexpected gifts for less!  What is your favorite gift?  I can't wait to hear from you!!!
Uncommon GIfts from Uncommon Goods

Uncommon GIfts from Uncommon Goods by livingluxeforless featuring knot jewelry



An Uncommon Design!

3/28/2012

 
Check out this modern take on the piggy bank...a tortoise and a hare porcelain bank for those who are steady with their money.  And at just $22-$24 for each bank you can also plan on having plenty left over to save.  This would make an adorable and affordable baby shower gift!  And it's such a fresh twist on the traditional piggy bank. 

Want to know where you can find these reasonably priced and attractive animal banks? 

Stay tuned for tomorrow when I will fill you in on where to score these banks and offer a great giveaway!

Happy shopping...and saving!
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The Luxe Denim Look For Less This Spring!

3/28/2012

 
Since having a baby in August my weight has been so up and down with the weight that I put on from the baby and the weight I have taken off since she was born.  Now that I'm not working I find that I live in denim most days, but it has been hard for me to find a pair of jeans that fits with all this up and down weight change! 

And as much as I love my tried and true J Brand jeans, I can't afford to keep buying a new pair each month!

Enter the Always Skinny from the Gap...I just ordered this pair of jeans last week and I'm in love!  They have a great slim leg, but not too slim at the ankle...I never find it flattering when a pair of jeans is so skinny that I can barely fit my foot in them!  I also love that they have a little bit of stretch for comfort, but are not so stretchy that they will lose their shape the second time they are worn.  I find the super dark blue wash very flattering, and I love that I can by ankle length jeans at the Gap so that I don't need to pay $15 to have them shortened! 

And for $69 I would buy another pair in a few months if my size changes again!

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Have you found any affordable jeans that rival your designer favorites recently?

Master Bath Update!

3/26/2012

 
This weekend after much stalling I finally went ahead and bought all the remaining accessories for our master bath.  Before our move I was so excited to finally have a larger bathroom with two sinks, but once we moved in I had trouble deciding what to do with the space.  As we unpacked I needed some temporary storage, so I ended up putting out an old floral china dish to hold some of my miscellaneous beauty products.  This dish along with my desire to keep the space calm and relaxing inspired the eventual color scheme for the rest of the space. 

At the encouragement of my good friend Sarah from Matters of Style, we painted the bathroom Benjamin Moore White Dove and we could not be happier with this color selection.  The rest of the space is now beige, chocolate brown, and green.  I bought two of the Zig Zag Mats featured below in Wheat, one for each of our sinks, and then coordinating hand towels from Garnet Hill in Wheat.  Because I have so many monogrammed towels already, I decided to veer from tradition and go with a simple "HIS" and "HERS" personalization on the towels.

Besides adding one or two trays that I already own, and some simple white frames from the Christmas Tree Shops, the accessorizing of this space only cost $150!

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Jonathan Adler Matches $5.00
Walrus Brown Toothbrush Holder $4.99
Walrus Brown Canister $4.99
Jonathan Adler Lacquer Bath Tray $28.99
Zig Zag Reversible Bath Mat $38
Walrus Brown Waste Can $9.99
Caldrea Hand Soap in store from Target $9.99
Caldrea Hand Lotion in store from Target $9.99

Please stay tuned for more luxe for less posts this week...I have an exciting GIVEAWAY coming later in the week!

Get a Mail and Tablet Coastal Living Subscription for Less!

3/24/2012

 
This weekend Mamasource is offering a great deal on one of my favorite magazines - Coastal Living.  The interiors featured in Coastal Living are always stunning, and would work in a variety of settings, not just the coast!

One of my favorite interiors was featured in this magazine a few years ago - an open air villa in Round Hill, Jamaica designed by Meg Braff.
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Coastal Living

Through March 27 you can get a mail AND tablet subscription of Coastal Living for just $10!  While I love my paper magazines, it's always fun having them on my tablet too for when I am away from home and for the extra interactive features.

Just click here for more details!

What I'm Drinking This Weekend...A Medium Bodied Balanced White for $15!

3/23/2012

 
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I always enjoy a nice cool glass of white wine, but sometimes I feel like Goldilocks in that it is hard for me to find a white that is "just right."  Some Pinot Grigios are too watery for my taste, Sauvignon Blancs too tart, and Chardonnays too heavy.  That is why I was ecstatic when I discovered the Albarino grape many years ago when I became friends with someone from Galicia, the province in Spain where the Albarino grape grows.

Albarinos have more body than a Pinot Grigio, but are not as oaky or heavy as a Chardonnay.  They are fruity and zesty, and pair well with seafood.  And because of their balanced character Albarinos can also stand well on their on as an aperitif when you want to enjoy a glass of wine without food.  (which I do every now and then!)

This past weekend I purchased the 2010 La Cana Albarino from Stew Leonard's Wine Shop for $14.99.  This wine is fruity with lemon and mineral flavors, and has a nice medium body as the wine is partially fermented in barrels and aged sur lie.  If you can't find this wine locally for less than $15 you can purchase it online here for $16.99.  In my opinion this is still a good deal as it is being sold for $19 elsewhere.

For more information on the Albarino varietal, check out this informative article on the Albarino grape from Food and Wine.

What do you plan on drinking this weekend?

When The Princess Steps Out, We Watch!

3/21/2012

 
Last week the colored denim trend got even bigger when Kate Middleton stepped out in J Brand's 811 Twill Skinny Jeans in Tangerine.  Since then she has been all over the press in her cute skinny coral jeans.  No matter what she wears this princess just seems to always get it right!  And I love how she wore the jeans in two separate looks in the same day, showing how one pair of denim can be both sporty and chic depending on how you accessorize it.

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Image via Instyle

The princess has definitely inspired me to give the coral/tangerine denim look a try, and if I can get a hold of a similar pair of jeans in this orangey hue I plan on wearing them with one of my blue and white striped sailor tees this spring.

But denim is definitely not the only thing that looks good in TANGERINE! 

Here are a few of my favorite home and fashion items in tangerine and coral for the warmer months ahead!
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1. Custom Stationary $14    2. Lola Earring $46
3. Dark Coral Jean $69       4. Chevron Wastebasket $65
5. Orange Necklace $38      6. Rainy Day Flat $58
7. OPI Polish $8                     8. Xhilaration Body Dress $19.99
9. Coral Fedora $12.99     10. Bondi Bag $75
11. Stripe Tee $29.95         12. Pouf Ottoman $79

Do you have your eye on anything TANGERINE this spring?

Alexis Bittar for Less

3/20/2012

 
Alexis Bittar is one of my favorite jewelry designers.  His designs are bright and daring, and any of his pieces can take an outfit as simple as a black dress and elevate it to evening status instantly.

According to his website, Bittar started selling his jewelry on the street in Soho on the corner of Prince and Greene.  He says that when he first started selling his jewelry on this corner in Soho which is now packed with jewelry vendors, that there were only a few vendors selling their wares at the time.  Bittar was eventually spotted by a buyer from Bergdorf Goodman, and as they say the rest is history.

This month from March 9 to April 13, People Style Watch has offered 20% off at Alexis Bittar to all readers.  Just enter the code PEOPLEMAG at checkout for a discount on all full price jewelry, excluding the Curiosities collection.  This is a great deal to get a discount on a beautiful line of jewelry that rarely goes on sale!

Here are a few of my favorite current designs by Bittar...
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Modernist Gold Gem Encrusted Bangle $325
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Crystal Encrusted Imi. Turquoise Ring $295
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Modernist Gold Link Earring $195

And if even with 20% off these jewels are still out of your price range, check out this new bangle from Banana Republic...it definitely lends a similar upscale modernist look for less!

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Two Tone Enamel Bangle, Banana Republic $35

25% Off at The Gap Today!

3/16/2012

 
If you are interested in picking up the adorable green Gap dress I wrote about yesterday, or one of the colorblock umbrellas I wrote about this morning than make sure to use the code GAPGIFT to get 25% off today!

And while you are shopping check out this cute Gap look for spring...these red pants retail for only $49!
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Spring Showers Bring...

3/16/2012

 
Lots of excuses to splurge on luxe but less umbrellas all for $25 or less!
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Women's Printed Umbrella, Old Navy $10
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Women's Printed Umbrella, Old Navy $10
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Colorblock Umbrella, Gap $24.95
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Colorblock Umbrella, Gap $24.95

And then to keep your feet dry, how about a pair of rain resistant flats from J.Crew for less than $60!
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Happy shopping and stay dry this weekend!
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