Got Football/Soccer?

You know how your SO tells you stories about the good old days? You kinda look at him like, "Sure you were a phenomenal basketball player." Or, "Yeah! I believe you that you hung out with so and so." We all know how men love to embellish to impress their ladies. The thing is with my SO, the stories all turn out to be true. He told me how great he was in college playing ball until he blew out his knee. I gave him that "yeah, right" look - then I had to pick my jaw up off the ground the first time I actually saw him play. He told me stories about the music industry and I kinda believed him. Then he would come over with pictures from video shoots or rough cuts of songs from huge stars after he left the studio. I then just took him at his word with his stories.

One day he told me about his childhood homeboys that played soccer...or football, as we call it in the islands. Two brothers, from Jamaica, that were amazing at football. The SO got that glint in his eye as he started his story and I have to admit: old habits die hard. I thought what craziness is he about to tell me now? And then he hit me with it. One of the brothers, he said, had started a clothing line. Yeah, right! A Jamaican football player had a clothing line? I had so many questions. (My immediate thought was that we had to support the business venture but I had to know how good it really was.) And so the questions began. What kind of clothing line? Did he carry women's clothing? Did he carry children's clothes? Was there a storefront? Did he ship? Did the SO have any pieces? Was there a website? In the usual SO manner, there were a whole lot of I don't know's, I think so's, I'll have to ask him's and the infamous blank stare. He did know that it was football based and it was called Futbolr (though he didn't know the exact spelling at the time.) Without the correct spelling and any pieces in the SO's closet for me to inspect, Futbolr quickly left my short shopping list.

About three months later, a package arrived for the SO. Inside was the hottest pull-over hoodie I had ever seen in my life. I wanted one. He quickly put it on and the front was emblazoned with "Futbolr." I. Was. Jealous. Where as mine? It was so soft, cozy and warm. I couldn't stop touching it and could not hide my jealousy. When I asked where was my hoodie, the SO laughed and said they didn't make them for women. I didn't find it funny and quickly went to the website with the correct spelling in hand. What his childhood homeboy was gonna do was make me something!!! No such luck. Not only had they not had hoodies in my size, all the women's stuff was sold out in my size. I was so depressed. I quickly got an attitude every time I saw the SO in his hoodie or anything else that he got from Futbolr. (I'm an only child. I understand that I have issues.) Anywho, I would check the website from time to time but my size would always be gone in items I wanted.

As luck would have it, this year when I asked the Sun what kind of birthday party he wanted, he said he wanted a soccer party. He was turning three, so I made sure to ask him several times over the course of two months. His answer was always the same. It was decided. A football party it would be. Of course, on the top of my To Do List was the wardrobe for my little family. I went online to www.Futbolr.com and put in an order for the Sun, the SO and myself. I got the package and was elated.

Here's the thing that I haven't mentioned yet: I am one of the women that just so happens to be little enough to wear children's clothing. While perusing the children's section of Futbolr I noticed there was not a single shred of pink! Not even a little a little peep of pink. Good stuff. Now there was pink in the women's section but you can't win every battle against pink - then I wouldn't have a blog! I now can say that I am the proud owner of women's and children's pieces from Futbolr. I am not a huge football fan, but I am a sports fan. We love the pieces that we have. I dress up my pieces, as well, with heels just as easily as I wear them with sneakers. The quality is amazing. I have not had a problem with any shrinkage or color fading after washing (I do use premium, all green detergents). I love the logo and designs. And I feel that there is a special surprise on each shirt that I have received because there has also been a logo or design on the backs of the shirts not shown on the site. Allow me to show you a small sample of Futbolr!

This first piece is from the women's line. It is so clever that I had to have it. Ladies that are into martial arts, boxing, mixed martial arts can appreciate it as well! It is on sale at this very moment for $16, but that will end on 7/8/12. Hurry!

Now for an example of  a children's item that I purchased in XL. It happens to be my favorite because it is red, white and black - the colors of the Trinidadian flag. Check out the screen on the back. I love it! It is also 20% off until 7/8/12!

Lastly, I will leave you with a picture of the Sun from his birthday party. Ignore the crazy look on his face. He was anxious to get to his cake! The shirt that he is wearing is still available and also on sale until 7/8/12. Until you here from me again, go visit www.Futbolr.com for all your non pink soccer/football fashion must haves for your little divas (and dudes, too this time!). They even have a onesie! I really enjoy this website, which should be evident since I have never written about one particular site. I check it all the time with great anticipation for new items. The service is wonderful and the owner is now a personal friend in my head. We still have never met, but he has contributed to the SO's stories all being true. Thanks for giving me something to write about! I can't wait to see this company grow larger and larger and.....

It's Spring Again

Spring is coming! How do I know this? I know this because I'll be losing an hour of sleep this weekend. Usually, this upsets me. I love sleeping. It's totally underrated. But for some reason this year, I'm looking forward to it. I'll be leaving work when it's still light out. I can ride my bike with my sun. I will have time to take him to the park. We can even get to the beach for a walk. Yay Spring!

Spring also means incredible sales on all things winter. All you have to do is guesstimate what size your princess/you will be next winter. But there are always sales. You can get spring/summer gear now for great prices. Spring/summer merchandise has been out for a while now, so there are deals out there to be had for our young divas. Allow me to demonstrate - the only way a Wahoo can!

Can't you just picture this outfit on your little girl? I know I could - if I had a daughter.  The prices are going to knock you out.  The entire ensemble, from head to toe, can be yours starting at $39! The Hello Kitty College Team Tee is from Old Navy and is currently on sale for $10. There are other teams available. UVA! Go 'hoos, go! (Did I type that out loud?)The French-Terry Pocket Shorts and the Ruffled Jersey Skort are also from Old Navy and are $4 and $6, respectively. The Converse Chuck Tayler All Star OX Shoe is $25 on Amazon (Converse Kids's CONVERSE CHUCK TAYLOR ALL STAR YTHS OXFORD BASKETBALL SHOES 12 (NAVY)).

This is perfect to kick off the spring season. Get out there and search for deals for the upcoming season! They're waiting to be found. And believe it or not - they come in other colors besides pink. I know, I know. It's shocking. That's why I'm here to walk you through the process. And as usual, I'll be tweeting all the non pink deals I find along the way.Let's do it!

Allow Me to Re-introduce Myself

I'm back, folks! I have not forgotten about my blog. I took some time to focus on the pancreatic cancer cause - and I was very focused. But there happens to be lots of pink everywhere. It came out in groves for Christmas. I was surrounded by pink in every kind of store. The toy store sent me running for the hills! There was just so much pink. And sadly, I have a confession: I actually bought a bunch of pink Hello Kitty items for my little cousin. I wish you could see my face as I type this. I'm disgusted with myself. There were other colors, but they didn't look right. Alas, there is a happiness and satisfaction in giving. My niece was very happy and now I'm smiling.

So, what's next? Valentine's Day! Mind you, this is not a holiday I celebrate in the traditional way. My mother made sure that I had a valentine every Valentine's Day - and she was the best valentine a girl could have. I got Godiva chocolate with the annual Godiva teddy bear, touching cards and lots of hugs and kisses. I grew up thinking it was a mommy/baby holiday. Can you imagine how happy my boyfriends were? To this day, I get valentine gifts from my mother. (The ones that come in blue boxes are my favorite!) In turn, I use Valentine's Day to show my love for my nieces and nephew and now my Sun. It's harder to find items for the boys, because everything is red or pink. Boys are usually less picky, but my Sun has declared that red and pink are for girls. I didn't teach him that, by the way.

With this thought in mind, I'll be looking for the perfect non pink gifts for the little loves of our lives. Wish me luck.  Valentine's Day will be here before you know it. Are you following me on Twitter? Get to it! I tweet shopping pics!

September 24, 2011

You know how you see something in a store and you want it but it costs too much so you leave it there?  You spend the next few weeks/months dreaming of when the price will go down enough so that you can get it - secretly thanking God that you no longer live in NYC so no one really knows it's from four seasons ago by the time you get it!  I kinda love that feeling!  I had that feeling when I was doing the whole "Deal of the Day" thing on my twitter page.  Even though I don't have a daughter, the feeling still hit me. 

There was a shirt that I just loved but I thought the price was insane. I mean it wasn't like Gucci prices but it was more than I would pay for a shirt for myself, much less for my pretend daughter!  And I didn't love it, love it - but I thought it was unique enough to make a cute outfit.  I would see it every day while looking for deals to post on twitter.  But it wasn't unique enough to be $77!  That's right - $77!  Then it would go on sale for $60 or $45.  These prices are still way too high for a shirt for my pretend daughter - though it may be perfect for some of you and your real daughters.   Anywho, it's finally on sale at a price that I can stomach.  So here I am to put this twill shirt (that is perfect for fall) together with a couple of things that I hope someone out there gets for their daughter or niece or goddaughter or cousin...you get the picture!

The offending article of clothing is this Splendid Girls' Military Twill Shirt.

As you can see, it has a very slight and cute military flair.  Maybe I like it because it reminds me of my brother and our troops or maybe I just love the simplicity of it.  When I saw this shirt, I saw versatility.  It can be worn open over a cami with a pair of jeans and sneakers or half tucked in a pair of skinny jeans with your fave pair of boots.  For the sale price of $27.72 at bloomingdales.com, it will pay for itself in the many different ways it can be worn.

I also envision this shirt with a super cute denim skirt and cream leggings with ballet flats or boots.  A pair of shorts would work, too - as long as the shirt is left open/partially open with a cami - and some simple sneakers (like Converse or Vans).  Here are a couple of options to go with this minor obsession of mine:

Of course I prefer the olive colored cargo shorts over the navy ones from Levi's.  The denim skirt is also by Levi's and they both can be found at macys.com.  They are $11.99 and $17.99, respectively and are for girls sizes 7-16.  Have fun with this one. There are so many ways to wear it!  I may even get it in a 14 or 16 and rock it myself!

Hair Bows & Clips

So I spent the month of August experimenting with a "Deal of the Night" on Twitter.  It was interesting but I'm kinda glad it's over.  Now I can just shoot out deals when I find them without the pressure of finding an uber sale item everyday.  But I did find some great items and ran across a lot of blog topic ideas - so it opened up some new avenues for me! 

My topic today is one of the first ideas I got from looking for daily deals.

The ex nanny and her baby girl are here visiting for a while.  The ex nanny told me she couldn't find any hair bows that were cute and not pink in the stores in her area.  I figured it really couldn't be that hard to search for some hair bows for baby girl.  So I hit a few stores and searched on line on a quest for cute hair bows.  I found some really ugly bows and clips that cost too much money.  And I found some really cute bows and clips that cost way too much money!  I checked a few store websites and even craft sites.  I even  hit up hair stores in areas a chick like me shouldn't venture into!  I really just couldn't believe how much people were charging for baby hair accessories.  There was just no deal to be found for quality or quantity.

My mind immediately went back to my craft foundation - thanks to my wonderful grandmother.  She taught me how to loom, crochet, knit, sew, use a latch hook and do needlepoint.  I hope I didn't leave anything out!  We were a busy little duo when it came to crafting!  So I drew  upon my background and decided that I would just make hair bows and clips for baby girl.  How hard could it be?  With a little research I was sure that I could get it on and poppin!

So I researched and found a lot of people already make and sell hair bows and clips for babies and little girls.  Once again, I found some really cute clips, but the prices were really crazy to me!  Seriously, how much could ribbon and glue cost?  If you know where to find a bargain - not that much!!!  I spent about a week doing research before purchasing the tools I needed to make hair accessories for baby girl.  I found that choosing ribbon took up most of my time.  There are so many different designs and they can get pricey.  Getting ribbon will be just like any other purchase I make - I'll be waiting for it to go on sale/clearance!  

I set up my hair bow/clip station this morning and started creating.  I have a non slip technique for baby girl's newborn hair.  They stay in place no matter how much she wriggles around.  I can't wait to start experimenting with more designs and ideas.  I even tried my hand at a bow holder!  Check out my pics!  What do you think?  Should I open up shop and start selling these little things?  I know for a fact my prices would be less than the ones I found on craft and selling sites.  New side hustle, perhaps?

Baby Girl is Here!

This is just a few quick lines in honor of the ex nanny finally being able to hold baby girl in her arms!!!  She made her debut a few hours ago.  I don't have all the particulars yet but I am so proud of them both.  I finally found a layette for baby girl to travel home in!  I can't wait to see her in it! 

The ex nanny wanted a Ralph Lauren ensemble minus all pink.  I found this cute kimono pajama set in Dilliards after seeing it online several times.  I know it's summer and this outfit has long sleeves.  Being able to handle it before purchasing helped seal the deal.  I could see my hand through the super soft cotton fabric.  It is loose and breathable.  So it will work for summer temperatures on a newborn just leaving the hospital.  My color choices for this particular item were pink, blue and white.  They didn't have the newborn size in blue, so white won!  White is perfect for the angelic baby of the hour!  I got it on sale for $24. 

Here is a quick picture I took before sending it off to the new mommy!  I'll be back with a regular post soon - and don't forget to follow me on Twitter @NYNiapurple.  I'm trying out a deal of the day for the month of August.  Let me know what you think!

Just Add Sun!

There was a kind of nail polish that I loved back in my university days.  I believe it was Revlon that had the line of polish that came in many different colors that cracked up when you put it on to show the color underneath.  I loved it.  I used to buy all the bottles I could find because they kept stressing that it was a "limited" polish line.  It did go away and I missed it.  But now, thanks to OPI, it's back!  OPI brought the whole crackle nail polish concept back to the mainstream!  Sally Hansen also followed suit along with other companies.  Between the different companies, there are many different colors - black, navy, silver, gold, purple, green, red, grey.....I haven't seen it in pink yet.

I've shared My OPI Black Shatter polish with my nieces, the ex nanny and my cousins.  They all (ages 5 to 38) loved it!!!  It gives you a salon look without spending the salon money.  I use it at home for my mani and pedi.  I just change the colors up every week.  Sometimes I may just have one cracked nail on each hand or I mix it up with different underlying colors and cracked top colors.  It is a lot of fun and got me thinking about other polish lines that may exist that I could play with.  the curiosity led me to a special line by Del Sol.

Del Sol has color changing nail polish!  It isn't a mood polish like I originally thought when I saw it. Rather, you just add sun!  It goes on one color and then changes color when you step out into the sun.  I have found 24 different colors so far - mostly online.  It is awesome!  The color that I chose to experiment with was Heartbreaker.  It is a semi sheer sparkle red color that changes to a purple color in the sun.  I found my color at Walgreens for $2.99 in the state of Florida.  The options were limited in store.  I was surprised to find the additional colors that existed on Amazon.com. 

Now I have more options and ways to play with my at home mani/pedis each week.  I am now rocking Del Sol on my middle fingers and white polish with black crackle on the other fingers.  Fun stuff.  It keep my nails short because of my hobbies and they always look cute.  This is something for young, old and in between!  And here's a tip:  Check out the Amazon link. There are pink choices, too!  I chose this particular link because it shows all of the color options.  The price actually starts from 7.99.  This is something fun for yourself and/or the little diva in your life.  Try it!

July 22, 2011

So I had a not so great experience while shopping for a bicycle the other day.  I found a great purple one for myself, of course, but then we had to look at the toddler bikes because the sun would not have it any other way.  Can you guess what I saw while watching the SO push our sun up and down the aisles on a cute 12" blue and black bike with training wheels?  I know you know the answer!  PINK!  There was not one single toddler bike that didn't have pink on it in the entire store!  Not only were they all pink, but they either had flowers on them or a cute picture of a little blond girl.  If someone were shopping for toddler me, there'd be a problem.  No offense to flowers and little blond girls, but I wouldn't want either of them plastered all over my bike - especially if it were already pink.  I was never a fan of floral prints and I wasn't a little blond girl.  I remember that my neighbor and playmate was a little blond girl - but I wasn't - I wonder how she's doing?  Anyway, toddler me would rather have a blue bike with racing stripes or something on it.  I do know that non pink bikes exist for girls (I found a few online, just none that I loved).  I was just shocked that there weren't any in the huge store.  My toddler me's feelings were kinda hurt!  I decided to move on to another store to look for a couple of items for the house.  My new bike agenda would have to wait for another day.

My second stop of the day yielded a little better results.  After shopping for curtains in another huge store, I walked passed the newborn section on the way to the escalator.  I usually don't shop in this particular store because they are just not my style, but I did see something that caught my attention.  The blankets that they had to offer for girls were all pink - no surprise.  But they did have a wall display of items for baby girls that had another color showcased.  It was the only section for girls not dominated by pink.  I was pretty happy.  Not just because it was mostly purple, but because it wasn't all pink.  My day was kinda saved!  We have a long way to go but we're getting there!  I snapped a couple of pictures for your viewing pleasure.  Enjoy!