Save some Cash on Glasses - Buy them Online

This IS NOT a sponsored post. You see, I have the Medical Card, and while I am grateful for the medical care and eye care that it provides, one on the Medical Card rarely has much choice when it comes to glasses at the Optometrist. And while my Optometrist offers a discount on non-Medicaid approved frames for those that want to look a bit more stylish, glasses are still above $100 dollars and thus out of our price range.

Imagine my happiness when I learned that one can obtain glasses at steeply discounted prices online. All you need is your lens prescription and you are off to the races. I decided to go with EyeBuyDirect, but there are any number of places that you can buy from such as Frames Direct which has a huge selection of designer frames, 39 Dollar Glasses where glasses start at, you guessed it, $39, and Glasses Market.

There were a TON of styles to choose from but the sites make the work easier by letting you narrow down choices by shape, size, color, plastic, metal, etc, fully rimmed, rimless, etc, and price. They all have a tool where you can upload a picture (or use one of their models, which doesn't seem all that helpful to me) and "try on" different glasses. Here's my photo of the glasses I chose:

They are called "Cad" and with shipping and a new customer discount cost me just above $30.00. Thirty Dollars! You will have to add more for features like anti-glare, UV protection, transition lenses, ultra-thin, bifocals, etc., but the prices are still less that I have ever paid out of pocket for a pair of glasses (for the record, I had corrective eye surgery in 1998, when I was considered legally blind. I know how much ultra thin lenses with funky prisms, etc, cost. After I had William, my vision got blurry again, thus the new need for glasses).

I'm supposed to get the glasses in about 14 days. I'll let you know more about them when I actually get them. Thus far, however, the process has been easy and fun, and at prices like these, why not buy several different pairs and have an eye glasses wardrobe? More to come!

Recherche

- of studied refinement or elegance; sought out with care

Shabby Apple: Gorgeous Dresses built to Flatter

In the midst of all of the craziness of last week, I received a package that I was SO excited to get. I have been a fan of Shabby Apple for a long time and often find myself window shopping on their website, oohing and aahing over their dresses. Shabby Apple is an online clothing shop specializing in vintage inspired dresses that cover in all of the right places while being chic and flattering. There is no need for camis, safety pins, or stretch shorts to maintain modesty; these dresses are made to hide what needs to be hidden while maintaining style and sexiness. It goes without saying that when I was contacted about reviewing one of their dresses I jumped.

One thing I love about the website is their Fit To Flatter tool which analyzes your figure and selects dresses which would flatter it. After answering a few questions I was given a large list of dresses to choose from, all of which I loved.

I decided on the “Frida K”. I have been eying it for a while, and was excited when it was one of my figure-flattering suggestions. Let me start by saying that the quality of this dress is superb. Anywhere that there is the remote possibility that a seam would show there is a French seam. The material is high quality and durable. This is a dress that is built to last.

And the fit! Va-va-voom!!! I am a Reubenesque woman who is quite busty and usually wear a size 16 or a XL. The dress was described as fitting loosely; I ordered a L. It fit in all of the right places better than any dress I have tried on in a long time. I was instantly transformed into the minxy Christina Hendrix version of myself, ready to take on Dan Draper and then attend the swank cocktail party after church. This dress is appropriate for work, dressy occasions, dates, and is modest enough to wear to weddings, church, etc. It would be difficult to dress down (although Shabby Apple offers plenty of dresses that fit into this category, too, as well as a great selection of aprons, swim suits, athletic wear, and accessories).

This gorgeous number ("Antiquated") is lace lined with stretch acetate.

I wore the “Frida K” to the funeral showing and I can't tell you how many compliments I got. I even caught a group of well dressed high school girls dissecting what I was wearing (accessories were my mom's vintage star burst broach and a pair of black pointy kitten heels) and received a big thumbs up. A dress that can take you from a funeral to cocktails to a hot date is a rare find, but the “Frida K” has it all. When I return to work, I fully intend to buy a large portion of my wardrobe from Shabby Apple. The prices are right, the styles are timeless, the quality superb.

The "Truman" is stylish, sophisticated, and easy to wear

Right now Shabby Apple is offering a 10% discount to Dropped Stitches readers. Shop from the site and at checkout enter code “droppedstitches10off“. Offer good through 6/26/11.

Modern Furniture for a Much Needed Makeover

The nasty carpeting has finally been pulled up in my former dining room and I have what is essentially a blank slate for William's future toy room (when I last wrote about this, the room was to be his bedroom, but we decided to have him share a room with his big brother and create a space for toys, coloring books, crafts, and learning).

I've been thinking that it would be great to decorate with a bit of a Mid-Century Modern vibe to echo the architecture of the house. And I turned to All Modern, a branch of the wonderful CSN, for aome fabulous Modern Furniture to and set to dreaming.

Right now, there is a coach style lamp that hangs down too low into the space. I Love the George Kovacs Bling Bling Pendant. It has all of the clean lines that I'm looking for at the reasonable price of $200.

The walls will be a very pale blue grey and the floor is going to be painted brown. The room will need and area rug and the Soho Blue and Brown Accent Rug by JoJo Designs fits the bill, should hide toddler stains well, and comes in at the great price of $34.99.

These Eames Storage Units by Herman Miller are fantastic! They address the storage needs of a kid's playroom, have classic lines, and can grow with William. Herman Miller also offers a matching desk, and both the desk and storage units can be bought in all blond or dark wood. Starting at $449.

The Arper Catifa 53 Four Leg Stackable Chair is available in White, Light, Black, and Sand with a frame of Brushed or Stainless Steel. Better yet, it is made of Polypropylene, aka amazingly easy to clean stuff for a kid's room. The chair comes in a set of four only, but is priced amazingly well at $244. I think they'd look great in a dining area as well (and my dining chairs are on their last creaky legs.

Right now you can share in the love as CSN is giving me the opportunity to give away $40 to any of it's wonderful stores. To enter, leave a comment telling me what you'd love to have in your home from All Modern.

For a second entry, become a subscriber to my blog and let me know in a separate comment. If you are already a subscriber, just leave a comment letting me know that you are.

If you blog about the giveaway, you'll get another entry (just let me know in another comment). If you Twitter about it, you'll get another (you can use the following entry: $40 CNS Giveaway at Dropped Stitches! http://tinyurl.com/4f2vzld )

You have until Wednesday, February 9th to enter the giveaway. Good luck!

Fantasy Christmas List

My friend Relyn posted her fantasy Christmas list yesterday and I am copying her! You know I want peace and love and all that stuff; this is going to be a totally self-indulgent list of fantasy items that I really love.

A Rose Festooned Cottage

This one would do

The Inside of which is a Perfect Shabby Chic Paradise

Whoever designed this can do my house!

Surrounding the House

an amazing, lush, English garden

Inside the Garden

this amazing garden room

And in the back 40

this incredible field which looks like this the entire growing season

And while we're at it

I wouldn't turn down this Cartier Love Bracelet

or this hot pink, lizard Hermes Birkin.

And that's my fantasy!

Jumping on the Bandwagon

So I'm jumping on the Polyvore bandwagon and creating a look that is very me. It's full of fantasy items (doubt I'll ever get the Cartier Love Bracelet or spend $310 on a scarf), but it's fun to dream.

Boho Chic by Erin Wallace featuring stiletto heel shoes

So all of you fashiony types, get thee to Polyvore and play! Release your inner fashion editor; you might just find yourself lost in Polyvore land!

Sponsor Love and Thanks!

I'd like to thank my two new sponsors. Make sure you check out their wonderful blogs

Kendra Kantor is an art journalist who does amazing work. My favorite posts are the Color Inspirations, where she takes gorgeous photos and pulls the predominate colors out of them; great for artists, quilters, knitters, home decor, and the list goes on. When I saw her page initially, I told her that we have similar aesthetic tastes, so if you like this blog, you're going to find a new one to like in Like A Bird.

Kamika Krafts is one of the coolest fashion blogs I've run into in a long time (come on, look at her button - she's cool!). She is starting her own journal project (but it's a bit different than Sandra's!) and has many other art journal projects from the past, gives some great styling advice(love), features cool music (love), photography (which is great and fun), and tutorials (yes, tutorials!). She's also got a great Flickr photostream and fun Tweets, but to read those, you have to check out her cool page!

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Thanks, Jenna for including my Linus the Cat card in your newest etsy treasury, For Ohio, By Ohio, From Ohio! I've talked about Jenna's cool jewelry on here before - we actually own a guitar string bracelet that rotates between my daughter and teenage guitar playing son (it is really so beautiful!). You aren't going to have to sell a kidney to afford her pieces, so please, help out a friend of mine and check out her etsy store!

And that reminds me! I have some new cards in the store including a really cool snowman and snowy garden angel - Christmas is around the bend - think about it!

Are you a Boho girl?

The giveaway is here. Go enter, then read some more!

As per my magazine-o-holic ways, I picked up the magazine Boho simply for the name. Then the love story began. Boho is a top-flight fashion magazine with an eco-friendly mission. This isn't The Clothing Utne Reader , it's Vogue gone carbon negative.

Boho is printed on 100% post-consumer recycled paper. It has a rating system for how green each of the products or services it covers are. And the products are beautiful. There is an emphasis on hand crafted goods (etsians are prominantly featured). The ads are for companies like Oxfam Africa and Earth Watch (and even they are pleasant on the eyes).

The fashion pictorials are amazing. Boho proves that eco-friendly, sustainable clothing isn't just about upcycling and scratchy linen. It is haute, chic, amazing stuff.

This issue of Boho was dedicated to Paris. Oui, svp. There are two (yes, two) articles about the macaron. Carol Gillott would be pleased. There was also a beautiful article on eco-luxury spas, and stories about Alexandra Cousteau and designer Bahar Shahpar.

Boho comes out 4 times a year. A subscription is $21.99, news stand price is $5.99. Go spend a few bucks. And fall in love.

Have a Hippie Day: Accessories

You all know by now that I love etsy. I think it is the best marketplace for artisans anywhere. I love trolling the site for things I want to buy (but, alas, often can't). I'm tempted to spend a bit of my paypal balance on these great accessories.

All of these items are offered by vendors that have shops full of beautiful items. If you like an item, check the shop; you're likely to find more to love.


These Damask earrings from Kim B. Designs are $38.00


or you can go for the Marrakesh Moroccan Filifree Earrings from Lucinda's Charms for $10.00


I absolutely love the 5 Medalions Necklace by jewelry designer Julie Gilliam. $28.00


Ayca creates beautiful crocheted shrugs and accessories. This scarf reminds me of a feather boa. So Janis! $35.00


This is the coolest little locket. Beads By Evelyn, $27.50


This bracelet is what I might be spending some money on. Silver Bead Bind bracelet, Brass Lady, $7.25


But then again, I could also stand wearing this Floral Vine leather wristband around. Art of Spirit Leatherworks, $18.00


Isn't this the coolest ring? Peace Ring by Esoterica Bazaar, $26.00


The Greatest fringe bag by marianagaby. $179.00


Or take a paisley trip with the Paisley Sage Shoulder Bag by Jilly Designs. $189.00

Besem Natural Scents makes palm/beeswax candles, natural soaps, body creams and scrubs.


The Old Hippie pillar smells of sandalwood and patchouli. $20.00

More Bloggy Goodness

292 posts! That's what I had to catch up on just from missing 2 days on my Google Reader! There are so many good blogs out there; here's a few that I love.

Meet Me At Mikes, a lovely, crafty site by Pip.

Bloom, which everyone loves. Camilla also publishes Montana Mornings with her friend, Sarah, and she's hosting a photo workshop that is FREE! I'm all in and so excited!

Gabrielle of Design Mom and Michelle of Pretty Mommy will keep you looking fashionable. Gabrielle also does posts on birth stories; she is currently expecting.

For the Francophile in you there is Paris Breakfasts and Lunch in Paris.

There are some absolutely beautiful Scandinavian blogs (two of which I can't read but are beautiful to look at). You must read Emmelines Blogg, Kay Loves Vintage, Cloudberry Knit, Ulrika Kullenburg, and mi-rachel.

And finally, for now, I want to mention a newish blog that is short, sweet, and looks at life's moments of Every Day Joy. She doesn't have a huge readership. Drop by and leave her a comment. You'll make her day!

I haven't really even mentioned all of the yarn blogs that I read (they are listed in my blog roll). You can't go wrong with any one of them.

All of these great pictures came up on We Heart It when I typed in "blog."