Urban Dweller Meals

So I have bitten the proverbial bullet. I have started a business. I am (as of today) a personal chef. I have created a second blog to serve this company. I love to cook and I know that I cook well. I hope plenty of busy people get to enjoy my food. While I am supper excited and I am happily terrified. Wish me luck!

Online bargains

If there is one thing I love, it's a good bargain! One tip I can give you is to join the email list for all the stores you frequent. This can be a lot of stores, if like me, you find yourself in a constant state of commerce. So You could even set up a separate email account just for this purpose. Free shipping coupons galore and special deals abound for those in the know. If you are saving for a big purchase (like furniture) wait until a great coupon or sale. You will also be notified of that sale well in advance. Happy hunting!

Double trouble.

I found this years ago when I was pregnant with H and just thought it would be the sweetest baby gift for twins. But then again, I think it would be great for any number of children, as long as there is someone to sit on the other end. Seesaws are the cat's pajamas. At $60 I am calling this a bargain!

Wild thing, you make my heart sing.

As I have 2 little girls, of course want a little boy. We all want what we don't have, eh? So being the planner that I am, I have been thinking of nursery designs for some time. I hate the look that happens when you buy a "set". It is so forced, not creative, too "matchy matchy". So I look to bring together a room by a central idea. With the upcoming release of the movie, I thought Where the Wild Things Are would translate into a fantastic nursery. It not only has the characters from the book, but also a forest type theme, as the book took place in ... the forest.

Where the wild things are by urbandwellermom on Polyvore.com

I went w/ an apple green, white, grey, and brown scheme. The boat mobile reminds me of the boat Max took to find the mythical place. There many stuffed animals of the characters and I would love to see them on a white wooden shelf w/ books. The wall decals make it more woody for me and the lamps keep it sweet. BTW: I only buy lamps and furniture for a child's room, that I would use in the rest of the house. I think it helps them to grow up with it. Also be on the look out for tribute art. Look at places like ebay and etsy. I like the twiggy bedding too. Did you know you can buy fabric and take it to some dry cleaners and they can make bedding for you? You can! And to finish it off there are beige walls (to let the green and grey pop) and a gauzy drape (it reminded me of the sails from the boat or a tent in the woods). Do you like it?

Calling all crafters!

No matter what your preferred medium of crafting, here is a blog for you! Every entry is a project (most of which are free btw). From knitting, to sewing, to needlepoint and crochet, it never fails to inspire. I adore it. I am swooning over the Charlie Harper needlepoint designs currently. The perfect blend of traditional and modern, which is exactly my style, transitional. I have a deep love of mid-century modern, but my fondness for traditional pieces is undeniable. Go. Visit. Enjoy.

Sounds naughty, but it's not.

One of my favorite places to shop is a clothing store called H&M. It's incredibly affordable and the design cannot be beat. Often there are high end designers collections at prices well below their usual price point. Jimmy Choo is the next to design for them in November! Unfortunately they do not participate in e-commerce yet in the U.S. but I am hopeful that will change as they have started in northern Europe already. They carry clothing for adults children and baby. We are talking baby shoes for $7 and adult sweaters for $25! If you are lucky enough to have an H&M store near you I highly suggest visiting! Check the website for a location near you!

Outfit of the Day

I love this dress. It's a t shirt dress from American Apparel. They sell all sorts of clothing basics from t shirts to swimsuits to leggings, all at great prices!

Day by urbandwellermom featuring American Apparel

Christmas shopping in September?

One of my bargain strategies is to shop really early for the holidays. This gives me the ability to shop around for the best price and is much more budget friendly than spending all the money in December. I personally don't love the idea of forcing two babies to endure holidays shoppers either. I try to do a little here and there and shop online when I can. This is one of my favorite toy shops online as they carry just about every toy I can imagine. Target also is a great place to start and their wallet friendly small items make great stocking stuffers.

image via pickapoppy

Babylegs!!!

One of my favorite products for the munchkins! Babylegs are an urban dwellers best friend! They are simply leg warmers that cover from ankle to hip. Why these are so useful is because they function as pants while allowing much less invasive diaper changes. Great for for the middle of the night! They protect sensitive knees during crawling as well. And as your child gets a little older they can be worn on the arms under a tee-shirt to make the look and warmth of layers without the bulk. I love ours! They come in a zillion colors and patterns and even in organic! At about $12 a pair I call them a bargain!

Chillin' at the crib

What item out here is more synonymous with babies than the crib?

After going through a disaster crib the first time around I did major research for E's vessel to Slumberland. Here is the conclusion! The Jenny Lind Crib by Delta. It is available at Babies R Us and also on their website. The crib is moronically simple to put together, requiring no tools whatsoever. It is gender neutral and can be used for modern or traditional decor. The reviews are fantastic and plentiful! Many reviewers make a point to say the crib had been used for all of their children. Conviently the product changes to a toddler bed as well! Priced at just $130 I call it a bargain!

image via Babies R Us

Double the fun!

This is the new stroller we bought. We love it! The seats can face each, or either direction, and are approved up to 40 pounds. The sunshades are huge and the girls seem really comfortable. The seats have to come off to fold down the stroller and it is a little heavy, but it is a double here folks! I wanted one that was not a side by side as I want to continue shopping, but either child can sit in either seat. Test drive one if you are in the market! At $210 I'm calling it a bargain.

image via Babies R Us