Thursday Tea Time - Lifetime Tea Time

Big Tea Bag!

"My goodness, that's a big bag of tea!" said hubby at Costco.  Definitely eye catching in color and price - $9.97  And size - Costco-sized one POUND bag!  (Item #1011004)

I had never heard of nor seen Tiesta Tea before.  But the cool name - Fireberry, flavor combination and the fact it was caffeine free and immunity building helped make the decision to toss it into the cart.

Bright Life Jacket Yellow
 -it's big enough  could also be used as a flotation device!

Ingredients:  Hibiscus, elderberries, currant, rooibos, sweet blackberry leaves, candied cranberries, rosehip, rose petals and natural flavors.

I brewed it for just a little under 5 minutes and added a teaspoon of honey.

Good honey, too!

Another, whoops! Take the picture before drinking it all!

It turned into a beautiful color and was actually quite good.   I will definitely try it iced.

Every Day In May - May 31 - Eggs

An egg shortage?  According to the sign at Whataburger, yes.  So I went to Costco and bought a carton of 18 eggs and paid a dollar more than usual.  Last year there was a shortage of peanut butter, also with a corresponding increase in price.  The year before, chocolate.   What will it be next year?

Palm Beach State of Crazy Mind

I'm surprised they didn't grab this!
Probably because it looked more like a garden hedge instead of palm tree!
Seriously Target? You had 15 exclusive print designs...

Monday morning, this was all that was left of the heralded Lilly Pulitzer for Target collection.  Excuse me, #LillyForTarget
By Tuesday, the sign was taken down.
The hashtag still lives on to taunt.

The mug set caught my eye, albeit a bit pricey at $30, still could have been cool.  And being able to display on the counter next to the Keurig?  Bonus!  Move over bag of Trader Joe's Classic Potato Chips (*which might I add are the yummiest chips ever?!)

*If I had the Nosie Posey scarf
I could have
sang its praises better

Early imprinting

Or the head/hat/purse/totebag/hand-holding-singing scarf.  I do so love my scarves.

The $35 set of four plates?  Honestly, I have enough mismatched plates as it is.  Lilly and I are very on-trend!  On second thought, $35 spent at Costco for yet another dinnerware box of 4 place settings of two sizes of dishes, bowls and 4 not-quite-as-Lilly-colorful mugs included would probably be a fiscally sounder purchase.  Runners-up for consideration might be a lipstick or a nail polish for the "Funsies Under $10 category, Alex."

The print designs are pretty and colorful, but not all dead-giveaway Lilly-ish.   So I'm not crying myself to sleep over the missed spending opportunity.

I certainly would not have been dragging the hammock set through the parking lot!  But obviously,  people did.  (Thank you to those thinking they would not have put that past me)

Target should know by now their special designer collections will be popular and in high demand, and should plan ahead to have enough merchandise stocked and available, instead of fueling the frenzy of crazy.

Sigh.  Was it silky, too?  Please don't tell me.

What could taste better on these plates?!

Nice design kudos!

Pulitzer Prized Pink?

Squeee!

I am an easy touch for cool packaging!
(A special shout out to the Jenna Hipp nail polish in "Ooh La Latte")

Special Saturday treat from hubby - the QOR Earth Colors palette!  It has six 5 ml watercolor tubes in this cool tin.  The colors are Raw Umber (Natural), Indigo, Sap Green, Venetian Red, Transparent Brown Oxide and Naples Yellow.   I'm looking forward to giving them a swirl.

Kudos to QOR for making easy-to-read labels and easy-to-identify color
(take note Winsor Newton with your new tube labeling!)

I bet you could also use the left side/lid as a palette, too!
(And the right side - that plastic holder is removable.)

P.S.  You can find the Jenna Hipp nail polishes at Costco.  $7.99 (they had a $2 instant rebate a few weeks ago) to $9.99 for a set of 8, along with a bonus nail file.  I really like them, they don't chip and come in cool colors.  My left thumb (actually all my fingernails) was polished in "Ooh La Latte" - kind of a pretty purple gray*  from "The New Moderns" collection.

*(Seriously, if I ordered a latte and it came out in that color, I would send it back.  But I love it in a nail polish!)
You can also my left thumb in Wednesday's Cards of Color.  And further testimony to its unchippedness, I polished my nails on Monday.

Just have fun. Smile. And keep putting on lipstick ~Diane Keaton

Costco in Sugar Land has clearanced-priced the Christian Dior Cannage Couture Collection All Over Makeup Palette - Item #775221.   (The retail price is $72!)

At first I was a little hesitant, because all you can see in the clamshell is the photo on the box, not the actual product.  But having gone to Sephora earlier and leaving disappointed, I thought I would give this a chance.  A couple new eyeshadows/blush/lipsticks would have cost more than this.

And I'm glad I did grab this.  I love all the colors, just perfect for Spring.  Nothing too flashy, just elegant colors.  To sum it all, it's just, pretty - and I feel pretty putting them on and facing the world.

I think it is designed to be a travel kit, but looks nice enough to leave on my vanity.  And when I do travel, I'm bringing this with me!

Bags of Love

Rolling in the Dough

My latest find from Costco - $19.99.  ( It also comes in gray)  That's usually the price for just the mat itself anywhere else.  The rolling pin is bonus.  

I can't wait to try them both.  I especially like the circle side to help me roll out my pie crust more accurately and evenly.  And maybe this will help encourage me to make cookie cutter cookies again. 

Worth Getting Up in the Morning!

This!! Yum!!

It's like a nutty Sugar Smacks, but without all the sugar smacking you.  A very generous - 1 cup! - filling serving has only 220 calories (add 40 calories with 4 ounces of skim milk).  It's nice to be able to finish reading the comics in the morning and still have cereal left!

7g total fat (1g saturated), 5mg sodium, 160mg potassium, 35g total carbohydrate, 3g fiber, 11g sugar, 5g protein.   I can hear my nutritionist cheer!  2% calcium, 8% iron -- all before adding milk.

Ingredients:  Rolled oats, puffed kamut, cane sugar, almonds, pecans, brown rice syrup, puffed spelt, puffed brown rice, canola oil, molasses, natural flavors, soy lecithin and mixed tocopherols for freshness.

Bonus:  There is a recipe on the side for Maple Peanut Butter Squares!

The 30 ounce box, with two bags, is only $7.55.   Next time I'm back at Costco, I'm grabbing another one.

2011/2012/2013 Poinsettias!

These were my poinsettias from Christmas 2011!  The remaining two from the Costco three-pack I bought November 2011.  I have never had much luck with keeping poinsettias alive through Christmas, much less until now.  I thought they were pretty much goners after that Christmas and just tossed them (pots in all) in the far right corner and side of my kitchen garden.  I was surprised to see tiny leaves reappear on the stalks in the spring and felt certain our drought would finish them off.  But no, they kept growing, roots now attached firmly to the garden dirt.  Our crazy temperature changes must have triggered the color change.

Mollie Makes - Sweet !!

How sweet indeed!  Costco has Issue Nineteen of Mollie Makes and the brand new Sweet magazine, which I hadn't hope of even finding here in the U.S.   And discounted to $8.39 and $12.59 respectively from  $11.99 and $17.99.  I also just received their Mollie Makes Christmas book from Amazon - Oh happy crafty day!

Mark it with a B -- Baking Books

Costco Two-fer!

First, of course - Cooking Light's newest book "Everyday Baking"
$15.99 (published price $24.95) ISBN 978-0-8487-3441-1

Next, "Betty Crocker Christmas Cookbook"
$11.99 (published price $19.95)
ISBN 978-0-470-874030-5

Besides my legendary Pavlovian response to anything Cooking Light, this book's recipes can be made in 30 minutes or less.  You've got quick breads, muffins, rolls & flatbreads, scones, biscuits, coffee cakes, cookies, cakes, pies, cobblers...  Doesn't the Cranberry Upside-Down Coffee Cake on page 176 sound good for when the bags of cranberries start appearing in the stores (I may even still have a bag in the freezer from last year, I better go check.  I don't think I want to wait to try it.)

And I've always favorited Betty Crocker..  I have several of her cookbooks, the basic ones which get updated every few years and she changes her hairstyle ones - Some of our favorites don't get carried over from edition to edition.  Of course, there are always new ones added!    But this book helps keep all good and yummy things holiday handy.  Appetizers, candy, bread, breakfast and main courses, desserts.  Even gifts from your kitchen and holiday decorations.

While I hate to push the season, I also like to prepare and plan.  We always try a couple new recipes each year.  I think I may find them in these books.

Sew Purple!

Check out this computerized sewing machine available at Costco right now -- the Brother XR1300 - for only $169.99 (Item #654242).  Not a bad deal at all!  (No, I did not get it - tempted, yes.)   Pretty, too with the light purple accent color.   Look at all the stitches you get - 8 buttonholes, plus a bartacking.  Mirror-imagining ability, too.  Lots of quilting and decorative stitches, pretty cross stitching ones, too -- some I don't even have my Viking Husqvarna 1100.  This would be a great regular machine or a back-up/class/traveling machine.  (Hmmm...)

Today's Costco Find

Ready, set, create!

Found at the Houston Galleria Costco this afternoon.  Priced to fly at only $4.97!  Score!

Costco has an app!

For the Android and iPhone/iPad!   I love to visit other Costcos to do some treasure-hunting.  Each store is different.  This will locate those stores, allow you to upload pictures for printing, shop online and see current warehouse offers, order prescriptions, and read The Costco Connection.  Even make a shopping list for you.  This is one of the better and more useful retail apps,

Costco has the new Threads!

September 2012 issue, No. 162 for $4.89 (regular price $6.99)

New Cooking Light Cookbook!

Like a moth to a light, I found the newest addition to Cooking Light's Fresh Food Fast series - Cooking Light Fresh Food Fast 24/7 (ISBN:  978-0-8487-3645-3)  Costco's price $15.49, publisher's price $24.95.
It had me at Page 75 - Cinnamon Apple Filled French Toast - only 335 calories! (And if you are doing carb counting like me, only 3 carb servings!)

Today's Costco Find!

Cemoi milk chocolate, from France! $11.99. So pretty!
Oh Costco, how you tempt us?! Easter isn't until April 8!
(I have hidden this in the pantry. . .)

TALL Yoga Pants at Costco!

Boot cut with a 35" inseam - sweet!
And only $19.99 ?!?! Sweetens the deal even further!
Black with waist bands of gray, and two stripe shades of purples, pinks and turquoise. (One table over has the matching jackets for $24.99!)
All colors reverse to solid black on the inside. There's a hidden pocket in the waistband, perfect to slip in your iPod. I also like the flattering off-side seaming. While I love my Lululemons, you can get four pair of these for the price of one, along with a vegan cookie and a coconut water.
Item #559035

New Stila Palette at Costco

Stila's "Ultimate Color Palette" includes cheek blushes (center) and lipglosses/lipsticks (top) in addition to all those eyeshadows; you also get 4 lipbrushes and 4 double-ended applicators for $19.99. Item #588718

Cooking Light Way To Bake

The latest offering from Cooking Light. It was just published October 4. And Costco's price is $18.99! (listed at $29.95) ISBN 0848734750

424 pages. Lots of tips and recipes, well worth the leap into your shopping cart. While some of the recipes look familiar, others seem new to me. Chai Latte Brownies? How did that escape me till now? And sometimes seeing the others reappear helps remind you to give them another try!
P.S. The pictures are delicious!