Author: Jessica Holmes

Christmas dinner part II: food

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Since this holiday event is over a month old, I’ll keep this post sweet + short. . . . . . «This $5 sticker chalkboard helps us prepare our menu, and gives guests a chance to drool before anything hits the table. . . . . «We got this rotisserie appliance from Dan’s grandparents. With a bit of salt and pepper, and lemon slices placed just under the skin, the taste is unbelievable. This is a nice device for parties during cold winters, to add a bit of warmth to the kitchen, and a focal point for your guests. . . . . . «We found this CuisineArt slow cooker for $20 at The Youth Ranch downtown a week before Christmas, an $80+ savings from the original MSRP. Inside, is a slow cooked lamb shank. Mmmmm…. . . . . . . . . «The food was great, and Dan did most of the cooking. Thanks Dan. . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . …

Christmas dinner part I: decor

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This week: food. And decor that goes with food. Because I have been eating quite a lot of quite delicious food lately and have been feeling only slightly guilty about it because after all it is Christmas and my birthday and Tuesday and I’m only 20 pounds over my goal weight and mmm…cheese (burp). So…I’ll start with Christmas dinner, focusing first on decor. Dan and I hosted for our families because (a) we adore hosting dinner parties and things, though I’m sure Dan would use a manlier word. He likes to man host because the planning and preparation of the food is a challenging puzzle and he loves puzzles. I love it because I think like a hostess. Especially when I decorate. I like to think about how someone would feel walking into and mingling around my rooms. I call this step in decor and fashion the “walk into it” test. Turn around, imagine you’re a stranger (a momentary disassociation), walk out and walk back into the room (or into the mirror). See what your eye …

Outfit of the Day: Jan 02 10

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My fashion interpretation of a quirky and optimistic Sunday. Bright, hip and comfortable–with glasses. Outfit Breakdown: JohnPaulRichard shirt: $10 (MSRP $38 from Macy’s) [Blank] stretch jeans: $5 (from LUX) Outfit Total: $15 Accessories Breakdown: Gold bird necklace: $22.50 (from Antique World Mall) Steel earrings: $3.25 (from downtown Idaho Youth Ranch) Vintage costume bracelet: $1 (from Antique World Mall) Gold/copper/silver bracelet: permanently borrowed from sister Merrell fleece-lined boots: $15 (MSRP $80, from REI garage sale) Accessories Total: $41.75 Total: $56.75 In a life lived well, time is of the essence. The Cheep life might seem like it takes an inordinate amount of time. But it doesn’t have to. Part of being successful in Cheep is planning ahead and preparing. So keep tabs on your closet weak points and know your Cheep hot spots. Examples: The “50-75% off the lowest marked sale price” racks at Macy’s, or the half off rack outside of LUX downtown. When you have an errand to run, park strategically so that you can pass by the Cheep hot spots. Then do a quick skim for the screamingest …

Outfit of the day: Dec. 31 10

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I think on New Years Eve, you should pick an outfit like you do for a bride. Something old, something new, something borrowed, something blue. Because that, in essence, is life. Your outfit should represent what you loved about the past year, and what you want to project going forward. Outfit Breakdown: Mac & Jac silk dress: $12 (MSRP: $100, from Macy’s) Nylons: $1 (from Grocery Outlet) Leg Warmers: $2 (from Grocery Outlet) Accessories Breakdown: Kenneth Cole Reaction circle necklace: $5 (from Antique World Mall) Gold chain: $1 (from Antique World Mall) Terner watch: $2.50 (from downtown Idaho Youth Ranch) Peacock bracelet: $5 (from Albuquerque Buffalo Exchange) Gold/copper/silver bracelet (borrowed semi-permanently from Julia Holmes) Frye Boots black clogs: $22 (MSRP: $160+,from LUX) Total Cost: $50.50 For good Cheep finds at Macy’s, look for the signs that say “50%-75% off the lowest marketed sale price”. These racks contain steals. This dress is silk, and quirky, and one of my favorite Cheep finds of 2010. Cheers to you, something old. I also tip my hat to my birth decade, the 80s, …

Outfit of the Day: Dec. 30 10

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Today, I thought I’d showcase another look from Re-Style (the department thrift store run by Northwest Animal Companions) that would work well for work. It’s business/casual, baby. Outfit Breakdown: Liz Clairborne top: $2.50 (from Re-Style) Maxime pants: $10 (from LUX) Alfani jacket (picture 2): $6.99 (from Re-Style) Accessories Breakdown: Necklace: $7.50 (from Antique World Mall) Frye Boots black clogs: $22 (original MSRP $160+, from LUX) Total Cost: $48.99. Cheep! I said it yesterday, and I’ll say it again, it is no easy task locating the Cheep finds in warehouse-sized thrift stores like Re-Style. That’s why I have 5 quick rules, almost like a Cheep checklist, that keeps me on the fast path. 1. Fabric. If it’s faded, or fugly, or polyester (for the most part), it’s dead to you. Nothing will save bad fabric. If you wear something faded, you look faded. Veto. I prefer cotton, wool, silk and other natural fibers. 2. Style. Is it fashionable? At least in some fashion? Does it fit your fashion word? (For the uninitiated, chose a word to sum up your own personal …

Outfit of the Day: Dec. 29 10

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Happy birthday Amanda Mae. Tonight: a casual evening out with friends, pizza and beer, as we celebrate the  waning days of one person’s 20s, and the waxing waistline of my own 30s. This sweater is totally rad. (Yes, I was born in the 80s.) I bought it at Re-Style, a thrift department store run by Northwest Animal Companions. It took me awhile to sort the wheat from the chaff here, but the Cheep fashion finds were totally worth it. DKNY pants. Liz Clairborne jacket. A vintage navy blue polyester jumpsuit. Yes, please. I bought this sweater because of an episode on Project Runway. One designer, Andy, did this fabric detail on the shoulder and arms of a dress that looked all warrior and hot. Fashion ideas comes from everywhere, see. Even reality TV. The jeans have two zippers that angle down the pocket lines in the front. They have a 70s feel, and serve to hold in this gut that will need to be addressed as soon as the leftovers are gone. The belt is …

Wall plates

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Beige craplastic switch plates, the universal standard in suburbs everywhere, should and can be replaced cheap. It’s a subtle switchover that makes a big difference, and ties in or highlights certain features of your decor, like the metallic in the room, or the color of wood. All of the below wall plates cost from FREE to $2.

Outfit of the Day – Dec. 18 2010

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Sparkly. I believe in dressing for the exact mood and tone of the day. This Saturday, I heard Dan promote the Idaho Ho Ho album at the Vista Moxie Java, and then went to a holiday party (thanks FlukenBrady). Outfit Breakdown: Caron Chicago (Vintage) dress: $12 (from LUX) Calvin Klein silk belt: Free with Cheep dress (from LUX) Total outfit cost: $12 Accessories Breakdown: Eileen Aigner black half boots: $20 (from Ross) Kenneth Cole Reaction circle necklace: $5 (from Antique World Mall) Vintage faux pearl ball earrings: $1 (from Antique World Mall) Total accessories cost: $26 Cheep! This dress sparkles in person. The belt buckles in the back with 5 hook-and-eyes, and ties in the front. I could have done a full bow, but the one-sided bow covers up my burgeoning Christmas belly better, and looks a little less smaltzy. Side notes: a) I rode my bike in the snow in the dress and the bottom material is so thick you don’t really need stockings. b) I’ve seen Lt. Maria LaGuerta on Dexter wear this necklace on more …