Awesome ULTA Deal!

$88 in free make up?  Yes, please.  OK, I know the $88 price tag is a bit inflated, but still, I really like ULTA brand make up so I was happy to get anything for free.

I've started using their mineral make-up, it's really good and almost half the price of Bare Minerals.  I needed some more when I saw this deal and got so excited.  I was gonna get free stuff for buying things that I already needed. I made a trip to the store, and I got the ULTA mineral finishing powder and an eyeshadow for $21 and then used their $3.50 off coupon.  So for $17.50  I got 17 pieces.  The bag is cute too!

On top of getting a lot of make-up for a little money there was a card in the bag that provides a link to take a survey about the products.  When you take the survey you get a coupon that's at least worth $5. 

Here's a breakdown of what's in the bag:
-lip gloss duo that I will never use:  womp womp :(
-lipstick that I will never use, because I don't have the guts, not because I don't like it:  dislike
-mirror compact that I will never use, well maybe never:  OK
-4 make up brushes, 2 of which I will use:  like
-nail polish that I will use:  really like
-full sized blush that I will use: YAY!
-full size volumizing mascara:  LOVE
-2 eyeliner duos in colors I will absolutely use:  LOVE!!!
-2 eyeshadow quads in colors I will absolutely use (their eyeshadow does not crease either!):  DOUBLE LOVE

This deal lasts until March 12, or (probably?) until supplied last.

After a year of searching....NEW LAMPS!

Why are lamps so dang expensive!?  I searched and searched my usual spots for inexpensive lamps before I stumbled on these at Wal-Mart (of all places).  When I say I searched and searched, I mean it took me about a year to find lamps at a reasonable price.  Every floor lamp I saw at places like T.J. Maxx and Homegoods was about $80 and up, and I needed two of them so that was not gonna fly.

This is kind of what I was looking for, but with a much smaller price tag

Chelsea Floor Lamp $125

We had been using lamps that were given to us as a wedding present.  I picked them out almost five years ago.  It was a pretty good deal too, three lamps in a box for 100 bucks.  In the last year or two, though I've really started to love plain drum shades.  I could have just changed out the shades on my old lamps, but I didn't think it would look good with the scrolly details below the bulb.

Old lamp

This is what I ended up finding at Wal-Mart.

The lamp comes with a shade that I'm not crazy about, but for a $40 base I figured I could dump the shade it came with and find an cheap drum shade.  Wal-Mart's Canopy line has drum shades for $15 (Target's 14" drum shades are $20).  For a little more than $110, less than the price of my inspiration, I was able to get two floor lamps to light up my living room.

To offset the cost of the new lamps, I sold the two table lamps from my old "lamps in a box" set and a ladder bookcase that had been in the corner where the new lamp is now.  I ended up getting $40 for the pair of lamps and $50 for the bookcase.  So really....it's like I got two floor lamps for $20.

ALSO...check out these cute percale weave sheets from Wal-Mart's Better Homes & Garden's line.

Easing Back Into Blogging

I'm so excited to be re-joining the blog community!  My life has changed so much since I stopped blogging on Cheap Thrills in February 2010 after my son was born.  To reflect those changes I'm broadening the scope of this blog.  I plan on covering interior decorating as well as everything else that goes along with keeping a home together.  And of course I'm going to try and do it all with as little money as possible....ready, set, GO!

The three of us celebrating James first birthday.

P.S. Since I'm still teaching, I'm not going to be able to post consistently, but I'm hoping to post at least every other day.