The Cheap Diva

A World of Great Prices on Outdoor Entertaining Items

World Market is like Peir 1 Imports on steriods. The selection is huge and the prices are small. World Market is a great place to shop for cheap outdoor entertaining pieces.

For a more stylish and eco friendly alternative to paper plates, try these organic, one use biodegradable plates.  A Set of 8 sells for $4.99 to $8.99.

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Turn your patio table into a work of art with this Gauguin Garden Striped Round Tablecloth on sale for $22.49. This colorful tablecloth is the perfect complement to just about any color dishes, especially white.

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Drinks are served! This bold two tone Melamine Tray on sale for $10.49 is the perfect tray for serving up something cool and refreshing. The cut out handles ont the colorful tray make it easy to transport dishes from kitchen to the patio without spilling a drop. Durable malamine is easy to keep clean, simply wipe off as needed.

 

Get $10.00 Cash Back Coupon at Kohls

I love shopping at Kohl's becuase they always have great sales on stylish stuff I wouldn't be embarrassed to be seen in public in. Through July 2, Kohl's sweetens the deal by offering a $10.00 cash coupon for every $50.00 you spend. You can stock up on everyday essentials and buy fun stuff for summer like this Croft and Barrow Fit for You Animal Swimwear for $19.99 a piece.

 

These colorful and comfortable Henna Sandals are on sale for $14.99

This Palm Leaf Beach Towel on sale for $11.25 provides some sophisticated tropical style to any water filled destination, from a sandy beach to a community pool.

Outlast Lip Stain Goes the Distance

I have a love/hate relationship with Covergirl Outlast Lip Stain... mostly hate.  I normally wear creamy lip sticks, so it came as a bit of a shock to apply a lip product that looks and feels like I am dragging a Sharpie magic marker across my lips.  I don't believe a beauty product should look or feel like a common office supply product. The lip stain feels dry, which is the bad news. The good news is that this Outlast lip stain really does last, sticking to my lips like superglue for hours on end. I compensated for the dryness of the lip stain by applying it, waiting for it to dry they applying a sheer lip gloss over it. It's one of those products I will use up because I hate to waist money, but I wouldn't buy it again.

 

Party with the KC Glam Squad

If you live in the Kansas metro area and you love makeovers, don't miss the KC Glam Squad big reveal on June 23rd at Wine Flights bar in Olathe. The event combines the talents of professional wardrobe consultant Anna McConnel and beauty expert Julie Hengel who make over a local gal from head to toe and reveal the fabulous results at a makeover party.

Stylish Thong Shoes for Under $40.00!

  The difference between a stylish thong sandal and a flip flop is simple.  A stylish thong is something you wear to a nice bistro or fancy beach resort when you want to look casual yet chic. A cheap flip flop is something you wear to clean out the garage or walking around a public pool.

These thong style sandals are all too beautiful to wear for cleaning out the garage, so find some  fun and fabulous places to go this summer where you can show off your style!

Bring some bohemian glamour to your summer look with these INC International Concepts Shoes, Gina Sandals on sale for $39.99. The aqua top is embellished with sparkling rhinestones for an effortless glamour look.

 

You don't have to strut around in painful high heels to look sexy. The stylish skinny straps, peek a boo hardware  and luxe golden shine of this barely there Impo Shoes, Bing Sandals on sale for $39.99 proves that a flat shoe can look sexy.

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Sometimes flat falls a bit too flat. When you want a thicker more comfortable heel but you don't want to sacrifice style, try this beaded and rhinestone embellished Kenneth Cole Reaction Shoe Super Glam Sandal on sale for $39.98. The pewter color is a fabulous neutral for summer and they are designed for comfort as well as style.

 

 

 

 

 

 

Cheap and Colorful Outdoor Dishes

Enjoy picnics and patio parties in style with these cheap and chic outdoor dishes. Outdoor dishes are often made of durable plastic or acrylic material so they look great without the stress of worrying about one of them being easily broken.

Colorful stripes are a hot trend this summer. This Bobby Flay Striped Canvas collection on sale for $4.99 to 14.99 features so many fun colors that you could easily pair it with just about and bright solid color glasses or bowl and somehow it would all coordinate beautifully.

 

Bring a bit of sunshine to your picnic or patio even on cloudy days with this Bobby Flay Striped Orange Canvas Collection on sale for $4.99 to $4.79. The bold and simple design offers a stylish alternative to ugly paper plates.

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The slightly irregular pattern of this bright Bobby Flay Mosaic Collection on sale for $4.19 to $14.99 looks like a more relaxed version of the crisp summer stripe pattern and brings a more casual vibe to the table.

 

 

 

 

 

 

Watch Your Favorites Shows for Free and Cut the Cable

I have saved thousands of dollars over the years by simply not having cable TV, ever! I refuse to pay top dollar to watch the few shows that I am really interested in watching. If I want to see a certain show I just wait for it to come out on DVD and I just buy the DVD for that one show.  Now there are even cheaper ways to indulge in must see TV without spending money on cable or DVDs.  You can watch TV programs for free at hulu.com and tv.com or sign up for a cheap service  like Netflix. Being the cheap couch potato that I am, I'm more likely to use the free services than Netflix, but if you watch a lot of movies as well as regular TV shows, Netflix is worth checking out.

 

Cheap Bags Make Organizing Easy

My dream handbag doesn't have a designer name.  My fantasy handbag would be one that allows me to find my stuff quickly so I don't feel like I am on a treasure hunt every time I try to find a pen.  I haven't found that dream purse yet, but I have found some terrific organizing solutions at containerstore.com.

The problem with large tote bags is that they hold so much they turn into a dumping ground for your stuff and soon you can't find a thing.  This Mia Zippered Tote for $24.99  offers plenty of storage but features so many pockets you can find your stuff quickly and easily.

 

 

When packing for a trip it's easy to forget an essential beauty item. I love the transparent pockets on this Capri Hanging Cosmetic Bag for $14.99 that allow me to see at a glance what has been packed so I don't overlook packing my favorite shampoo and have to settle for what I can find on the trip (bad shampoo that makes every vacation day a bad hair day).

 

 

 

 

  For the serious beauty queen who does not know the meaning of traveling light, I recommend this Capri Train Case for $12.99. The chic train casse features a large main compartment and a smaller top compartment. The top compartment has a handy a mirror for quick touch up and elastic loops for storing regular size makeup brushes.

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

Swimsuit Season by the Book

Swimsuit season is in full swing and frankly I would rather read about the history of swimsuits that try to squeeze my not exactly supermodel size body into one. The Swimsuit, A fashion history from 1920's Biarritz and the birth of the bikini to sportswear styles and catwalk trends provides a fun and fascinating look at the history of swimsuits. This stylish book is packed with fashion pictures that tell the story of how this once utilitarian item became such a high fashion item.

Get Beautiful Deals at ULTA

ULTA's fabulous cosmetics sale came in the nick of time. My favorite lipsticks are just about gone and soon I will be left with lipstick colors that are either painfully dull or circus clown bright.  ULTA has many different types of products on sale, including skin care items and hair styling tools, but the deal that has my inner beauty addict really excited is their Buy 1 get 1 50% off Sale  on popular brands such as L'Oreal, Cover Girl, Maybelline, and Eco Tools cosmetic brushes.  My favorite strategy for shopping at ULTA is to buy stuff on sale and add one of their coupons to the purchase for an even better deal.

Save Big at the Summer Book Sale

I was so eager to attend the Johnson County Library summer book sale at Metcalf South Shopping Center at 9635 metcalf, Overland Park KS that I accidentally showed up a week early! I got the dates mixed up and showed up at an empty mall, ooops. The correct date for the library book sale is June 8-11,2011, Wednesday-Friday 10:00 a.m.-9:00p.m. and Saturday 10:00 a.m. to 3:00 p.m. A summer book sale offers a great chance to build you own library.  Sometimes I find real gems at these book sales, and other times I just walk away with a few cheap paperbacks, but I never walk away empty handed. To find out when your local library is having their own book sale sign up for their newsletter or check out their web site.

Lighten Up with Chic Lanterns from Z Gallerie

The mysterious glow from a stylish lantern can make casual get together on the porch feel a bit more special, as if flipping on the glaring overhead porch light just wasn't fabulous enough for your guests.  Here are a few lanterns from Z Gallerie that I love for their stylish looks as well as their great prices.

A good way to escape suburbia, at least style wise, is to include a few exotic props in your outdoor decor.  These Casablanca Lanterns are on sale for $4.99 to $39.99.

 

These hand crafted silver Tunis Lanterns on sale for $14.99 to $39.99 are like exotic pieces of jewelry that emit a soft glow and casts intricate patterns on nearby walls. On a more practical note, silver goes with everything so you can switch up your color scheme from rich Morracan reds to beautiful Calypso blues without changing lantern styles.

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Bring a major dose of glamour to the great outdoors with these sparkling Bling Huricane candleholders for $49.95 and $99.95. The dazzling crystal candleholders offer a practical alternative to hanging a crystal chandelier outside.