Cozy Earth Brushed Bamboo Midi Dress

The brushed bamboo midi dress by Cozy Earth is very wearable. Made of 70% bamboo viscose, 26% acrylic and 4% spandex, many of us would likely get our $105 - $128 worth of wear out of it due to its comfort, style and versatility. So yes, we could think of it as an investment piece, but if you don’t wish to spend as much, there are a number of visual matches on the internet for less.

The fit and quality of the Cozy Earth dress is a surer bet over its lookalikes, and at times I've paid the piper for the certainty of a worthwhile classic piece of clothing. Sometimes we take a risk to spend less and at other we don't! 

Another consideration is when you get it right, you just need the one dress. What I like about the Cozy Earth brand of this dress is the cut is spot on -- not too boxy, showy or sexy! The side splits for flexibility are not too high. The dress is feminine and not at all baggy.

The decision is: Do you spend $105 - $128 (depending on color) for a dress if it's "just right?” There is a spin the wheel discount on Cozy Earth’s website requring you to sign up for emails to make pulling the trigger less painful.

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You Save With Home Goods For the Back To College Crowd

All photos and items courtesy of Walmart 

A way to save money is to learn when to pay for top of the line quality verses settling for cheaper good enough quality. Good enough quality should never fall apart by using it, but you’re not paying for one of a kind design, or pricey features when inexpensive options work just as well or sometimes better because you don’t have to baby the item. You or your kids can use it with abandoned. If broken, it hurts less to replace the article. Moreover, a trick of interior decorators to save money is to mix high with low end home goods.

A great time of the year to find bargains is when retailers such as Walmart and Target start to sell Home Goods for the Back to College Crowd. Playful  colors or designs at attractive prices are often offered. Do you need new kitchen, living room, or bathroom auxilliary items? Examples include: towels or washcloths; pots or pans or kitchen tools; a reading lamp, or small clock or flower pots or book ends or organizing baskets. Grab them off the shelves starting in August.

My blog is unsponsored but I think Walmart has some super cute, good enough quality home goods that are also durable. The selection is wide and fabulous at Target too, but Target is always a few dollars higher than Walmart. Both offer decent quality without emptying your wallet! 

Who uses bone china or Waterford drinking glasses nowadays? Certainly not the younger generation nor folks with children or grandchildren. The Back To College Crowd offerings look nice in a home and are priced to sell out!

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Old Navy For Jeans and Cotton & Linen

Old Navy is the place to go for casual smart attire for less than elsewhere, and recently the retailer has really stepped up its game. Take a look at how many styles and shades of jeans, it offers! An absolute steal as its back to school sales are on! You couldn’t match the $15 price tag if you bought the denim then cut and sticked a pair together yourself!

I’m also loving Old Navy’s array of cotton and linen summer dresses of different skirt lengths -- mini, midi or maxi -- that can be dressed up or down. To boot, there are a few rayon or rayon crepe fabrics, which are wrinkle-free and cool to wear on hot summer days. Each style comes in several colors or patterns. Many have pockets!

Of course, you can still find what Old Navy has always sold since opening its doors in 1994 ... 👕🎽👕 t-shirts 👕🎽👕... in crew necks, v-necks, boat necks, sleeveless, short sleeves, or long sleeves. All your summer essentials without breaking the bank!👗

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DIY Moisturizing Rose Body Cream

Photo and website here

I’m not into perfume, but I like the clean smell of botanicals in soap, lotions, and creams, therefore it’s what I buy. Sometimes it’s also fun to make your own. If we know how, unlike one trick ponies, we can buy, or make our own cream and lotions. As you likely already know the difference between cream and lotion is the water content. I leave mine as cream. Add a bit of water, a little at a time until you get a thinner consistency if you wish. I don’t add water since the DIY cream melts right into my skin.

Essential oils are beneficial to the skin but are too strong without mixing them with a carrier oil (like almond oil, coconut oil, grapeseed oil, jojoba oil, or rosehip oil among others). 

Here’s an easy homemade moisturizing lotion/cream to make. Right now I’m hooked on the smell of roses but your favorite essential oil (such as the ever popular lavender or jasmine or freesia) could be substituted:

DIY Rose Moisturizing Lotion/Cream🌹

Ingredients:

8 oz Shea Butter

4 oz Coconut Oil (I only buy the food grade one.)

2 oz Sweet Almond Oil

10 drops of Rose Essential Oil

1 teaspoon Vitamin E (It gives the cream a longer shelf life.)

Directions:

1) Melt the shea butter and coconut oil in a microwave slowly for 20 seconds at a time to liquify the solids. I bought a glass jar (the one on the left from Home Goods) to use in the microwave uncovered, but you can use any microwave safe container if you don’t have a suitable jar. You could also use a double boiler on a stovetop.

2) After the shea butter and coconut oil melts, remove and let it cool slightly.

3) Stir in the almond oil and rose (or your favorite) essential oil and the vitamin E.

4) My cream/lotion is already in its jar. If you use a separate container, pour the mixture into a sealable container and let the liquid solidify. Screw on the top to seal. Yes, you can put it in your refrigerator for 20 - 30 minutes to speed up the process, but set a timer so you don’t leave it in there.

I bought high quality essential oils from T.J. Maxx, and I bought rose, peppermint and tea tree essential oils from a brand that Amazon and Walmart sells called HIQILI that seems to be of good quality. HIQILI’s website is very transparent and lists from where its essential oils are sourced (The rose oil from Bulgaria, the peppermint oil from India and the tea tree oil from Australia). From time to time, T.J. Maxx also carries shea butter and carrier oils for less than elsewhere. If you’re willing to make the initial investment you can make a lot of rich moisturizing lotion or cream without much effort for the buck!🌹

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Enjoy the Vibes of Vienna Blood

I like the German Art that arose from 1900 - 1930. Called German Expressionism, it is characterized by vibrant colors (often moody blues), exaggerated forms (at times drawn with heavy lines) and an interest in spiritual and psychological themes. In 1905 in Dresen a group of artists formed called The Bridge (Die Brücke), including Ernest Ludwig Kirchner, Karl Schmidt-Rottluff, and Erich Heckel, while in 1911 in Munich another loose association of painters formed including Wassily Kandinsky and Franz Marc.

Ernst Ludwig Kirchner

A guilty pleasure television show I've watched for 4 seasons takes place in the early 1900s Austria. It is based on the Liebermann Papers novels by author Frank Tallis. One of the reasons I enjoy the drama is (you guessed it!) it takes place during the years of German Expressionism. Every Sunday I go back in time and spend the episode in cosmopolitan Vienna before the occurrences of World War I, the Anschluss of Austria and Nazi Germany, or World War II. 

Vienna Blood follows Max Liebermann, a doctor and student of Sigmund Freud (played by British actor Matthew Beard), as he helps Police Inspector Oskar Reinhardt (played by Austrian actor Jürgen Maurer) solve murders. Max is from a prominent liberal Jewish family living in Leopoldstadt while Oskar, a lapsed Catholic, works at the district’s police station. Over the course of the series the two men develop a trust and friendship which anchors the show.

As viewers watch the series, Vienna is a sophisticated thriving multi-cultural center. However, the audience knows what’s coming! You can’t help but to think of how 30 years into the future will change the city and effect the lives of Max’s idyllic family who are likable supporting characters. Every once in a while you get a hint of the antisemitism and extremism that are brewing underneath the surface of Viennese society.

Portrait of Adele Block by Gustav Klimt

If you too like the period, be sure to visit The Neue Galerie New York which is dedicated to early 20th century German and Austrian art. Established in 2001, the museum was the brainchild of art dealer Serge Sabarsky and philanthropist Ronald S. Lauder. Its pricey Modern-Art Deco styled Cafè Sabarsky is inspired by Viennese cafès. I have yet to eat there but have been told the wiener schnitzel is delicious. 

Also be sure to bing-watch the 4 seasons of the joint British/Austrian produced PBS series on PBS’s website. The production of Vienna Blood has covered the 7 Liebermann novels and seems to have ended. Sorry to see it go!🎨🎭😱

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Pearls Courtesy of the Qatar Museums

Made in 1800, I couldn’t find any history on it. Who made it? Who owned it? Can anyone solve the mystery?

In 2018 The Museums of Qatar put together an exhibition called “Pearls: Treasures From the Seas and the Rivers.” that opened at the State Historical Museum in Moscow as a cultural exchange. It featured a collection of over 100 pieces of pearl jewelry and artifacts from the Arabian Gulf, Europe and Asia. The traveling exhibit showcased the history and cultural significance of pearls with emphasis on their role in Qatar’s history, which was once a major center for pearl diving and trade. The show highlighted pearl fishing techniques and the artistry of pearl jewelry from different cultures and eras. Online media called it "one of the finest collections of pearl jewelry ever assembled.”

I'll show you a few pieces that caught my eye. 

Above 👆is a diamond brooch centered by a cushion shaped rare pink diamond with a gorgeous drop pearl. Breathtakingly beautiful, it is mounted in gold. ©1800

A tiara designed by Koechert was made in 1913 of gold, silver, diamonds and pearls for Archduchess Marie Valerie, the youngest child of Emperor Franz Joseph and Empress Elizabeth (Sisi) of Austria.

The Rosebery tiara was designed in London by Garrard in 1878 for Hannah Rothchild upon her marriage to the Earl of Rosebery, making her Countess Rosebery. It has large diamonds and natural Pacific Ocean Pearls. 

Tiffany designed the above chrysanthemum brooch, one of several, with freshwater pearls from Mississippi in 1880.

 

The wide V-shaped broach is believed to have once belonged to Empress Maria Theresa who ruled Austria from 1740-1780. Set in gold, its 40+ natural round and pear shaped pearls come from the Persian Gulf.

The Millennium Necklace and Earrings Set was designed by Cartier in Paris in 2000. It is made of natural Pacific Ocean pearls and sizable emeralds. The center emerald was carved in 17th century India.

̊⋆❀ 🐚𓇼 ˖°̊⋆❀ 🐚𓇼 ˖°̊⋆❀ 🐚𓇼 ˖°̊⋆❀ 🐚𓇼 ˖°̊⋆❀ 🐚𓇼 ˖°̊⋆

Close up view of the Pearl Carpet of Baroda

Although the famed Pearl Carpet of Baroda wasn’t in the 2018 exhibit (no mention that it was), it is a centerpiece in the National Museum of Qatar's permanent collection. The opulent carpet was commissioned by Khande Rao Gaekward, the Maharaja (governor) of Baroda, in 1865. It has over 1.5 million Basra pearls, diamonds, sapphires, emeralds, and rubies. The gemstones are embroidered onto a deerskin and silk backing. The Maharaja had it made to cover the tomb of the Prophet in Medina, but then couldn’t part with it, so it stayed in his family until 2009 when it sold at auction.

Pearls are timeless and elegant! What a magnificent show for the lucky folks who saw it! The 1st brooch might be my favorite piece, if forced, forced, forced to choose, even though we don’t really wear brooches anymore. The brooch's pink diamond and pink drop pearl are flawless and gorgeous! Which one is your favorite?𓆉🐌🐚🦀

If you wish to learn more about pearls click the 1st link, below.⚪

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5 Homemade Bug Killers That Work

Photo: Etsy

My New York City apartment spoils me! I don’t have a bug problem. But when I visit the suburbs -- a house with side-and-back-yards and a garage -- I notice all kinds of critters try to move into the house! Recently I learned how to kill some of them:

1) Ants - Mix 1/2 teaspoon borax with 8 teaspoons of powdered sugar and enough water to dissolve, turning it into a paste. Repurpose empty yogurt cups or any empty container about the size of a cup, leaving the solution in the rooms where ants are spotted (usually in a kitchen or bathroom). The worker ants will take the bait back to the Queen of the colony. Pow, dead!💥🔫💨 I had no idea ants came into a house!

2) Wasps and hornets - They try to build nests on porch ceilings and structures. Vinegar and water chases them away, only to return. Wasps are very persistent. Spray those unwelcome pests with a mix of dish soap and water. The soap disrupts a wasp’s exoskeleton. Pow, gone!💥🔫💨

3) Lizards, spiders, and mice - While a family member’s garage door was up, I saw a lazard run inside and hide! We left the garage door partially open for a couple of hours hoping Mr. Lizard would try to escape back outside, but we didn’t see it. Next we sprayed clean rags with undiluted peppermint essential oil to leave inside the garage. What’s more, according to Home Depot and Reader’s Digest, you can mix 20 drops of peppermint essential oil into a 32-ounce spray bottle filled with water to deter spiders by spraying around your house in corners, near entrances, and along floorboards. Mice I hope never to see but the remedy to deter them from entering a garage is the same as lizards and spiders. Pow, no trespassing!💥🔫💨

4) Weevils - I read that sometimes weevils are already in the flour, rice and pasta we bring home from the supermarket. I aways put these foods in my freezer for several days to kill their eggs or lava before putting them in airtight containers in my cupboard. I toss in bay leaves for good measure. Pow, no worries!💥🔫💨

5) In Manhattan, our building has an exterminator come in every week to spray areas or apartments where roaches are seen. If a tenant sees a roach, we let the super know and the exterminator sets traps and monitors the area.

According to Lowe’s, baking soda mixed with sugar or baking soda sprinkled over an onion left out overnight for roaches to ingest produces carbon dioxide gas that builds up in their digestive tract to kill them. In an emergency, it’s good to know, however a roach infestation calls for a professional treatment. Pow, slain!💥🔫💨

In Manhattan I’m mostly spared from encounters with critters who have spindly legs and an attitude! The city sprays parks. Our building is proactive with pest control visits. Also, there is more concrete than grass, trees and plants. A trip to the suburbs reminds me how I like being spoiled! Out in the burbs residents must become highly effective killing machines to survive! Stay out of the house vermin🕷🐜🐁 or pow!!!💥🔫💨 

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Rita Fox Makes Pineapple Soup

All Photos: Rita Fox

I publish more recipes over the summer than the rest of the year likely because of the fresh produce available and social events that happen during the long extended daylight hours. It makes many of us want to try new recipes! When my friend, Rita, sent me her mouthwatering photos of a batch of her Pineapple Soup, I asked if I could share them on THE SAVVY SHOPPER, and she said yes!
             

The recipe comes from a cookbook, “Taste of Home Best Church Supper Recipes" Rita picked up from a church yard sale.

Ms. Rita Fox has made other appearances on THE SAVVY SHOPPER because she’s a great cook, baker and is multi-talented!

Looking for an entertaining summer read? Rita is a romance writer with fans all over the world. Connect with author, Kally Masters, on FB. What’s more, she has published a winning cookbook of family recipes. I highly recommend checking it out too.

 

For the record, I've never heard of a fruit soup. What a healthy and versatile recipe! An ideal way to use ripe fruit, turn it into a refreshing drink (virgin or alcoholic ... you don’t have to tell), or a delicious summer dessert!

Rita made a big batch of her pineapple soup as easy nutrition for her 94-year-old mother. With her mother’s large family of adult children, in-laws and grandchildren ... and a 93 degree F summer day, I bet real money, it will not last long!🍍

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State Fair Blue Ribbon Desserts

Click to enlarge or go here for the digital edition and source.

During the summer outdoor parties, pot lot dinners and barbecues give us many opportunities to try new recipes or taste what others bring. 

In summer my parents always took me to the State Fair, an activity I can’t get to living in Manhattan. New York’s State Fair is held near Syracuse, New York in the town of Geddes on the shores of Onondaga Lake. Many Manhattanites (including me) don’t own cars, and I wouldn’t rent a car to drive to an area I don’t know. Where would I park it?

Freddy

Nonetheless as a child, attending the State Fair in my hometown in summer holds fun memories for me. This city girl loved the opportunity to eat corn dogs and cotton candy; see and pet farm animals; check out exhibitor and vendor booths: and sometimes talk to local celebrities. Once my Mother surprised her 10 year old nephew and me (aged 8) by bidding on a Singer Sewing Machine. For the outdoor auction, children stood in the front of the crowd so we could see. We were oblivious to who won the sewing machine until my Mom cut through the crowd to claim it. This total surprise thrilled us both! 

BTW: Nowadays you’d never let kids step away from you. My Father used to let me go into the woman’s bathroom by myself as he waited outside the door! Much younger we went into a stall in the men’s bathroom. Thank God and good people, I never had a bad experience.😌

Back in the day, my Mom didn’t enter cake or pie baking contests but they are a big part of every State Fair. Above👆 are 3 Blue Ribbon Winners from Texas, South Dakota, and Indiana. Before the summer ends, I aim to make them all starting with the toasted coconut pecan pie. 

Have you ever attended a State Fair? Which dessert appeals to you the most?

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