Cartwheelin' with Target (+ a $1000 Target GiftCard® Giveaway!)

Today I’m doing a post with Target and their new Cartwheel app. Now I tend to use Target as my go-to for everything - cosmetics, check. Groceries, check. Project supplies, check. Clothes, check. You name it, I’ve gotten it at Target. There happens to be one right down the street from me, so instead of having major weekly hauls there, I just go when I need something. Like at 10pm when my printer cartridge bails (blerg, printer cartridge) or if I just want a medley of fro-yo, thank you notes, daily multi-vitamins, and holiday decorations, like you do.

Their new app called Cartwheel is an all-in-one coupon database that doesn’t involve any coupon clipping. Basically, you sort through the categories of items you’re shopping for (there are over 700 available offers that are constantly changing!), choose the Target coupons that you’re interested in, and then as easy as that, they’re all saved in your passbook.

Because they only work for in-store purchases, when you’re ready to check out, open the app, show the barcode that is unique to you to the checker, and then the savings are automatically deducted. You can access Cartwheel through your desktop or tablet as well and then print out your barcode and bring into the store to use if that’s an easier option!

For those coupon clippers (I’m so envious of you!) you can still use the app on top of the coupons you clip – just extra cash back!

I had my cooking club this week and needed to pick up ingredients for The Barefoot Contessa’s baked cinnamon donuts that I’m making (along with Mexican hot chocolate…images and post to come!). So I piled up a bunch of offers from flour to sugar and chocolate…

…and then flashed my barcode to the checker when I left. It really couldn’t have been any easier to save a little bit of change!

So let’s get down to the nitty gritty. Target is hosting a fab contest with all the participating blogs giving away a $1,000 Target GiftCard®! $1000, wahoo! Just let me know in the comments below what you’d spend your Target bucks on if you win? I'd love for the winner to be one of you guys, so leave a comment below and get in it to win it! I’d do a little necessities stocking up (contact solution, fo sho), then hit the accessories (I always find the cutest bags) section, before a quick stroll down the cosmetics aisle for a new hair dryer. That would just be on trip #1 :)

Contest runs until 2/28!!

Sweepstakes Rules:

No duplicate comments.

You may receive (2) total entries by selecting from the following entry methods:

Leave a comment in response to the sweepstakes prompt on this post

Tweet (public message) about this promotion; including exactly the following unique term in your tweet message: “#SweepstakesEntry”; and leave the URL to that tweet in a comment on this post

Blog about this promotion, including a disclosure that you are receiving a sweepstakes entry in exchange for writing the blog post, and leave the URL to that post in a comment on this post

For those with no Twitter or blog, read the official rules to learn about an alternate form of entry.

This giveaway is open to US Residents age 18 or older. Winner will be selected via random draw, and will be notified by e-mail. You have 72 hours to get back to me, otherwise a new winner will be selected.

The Official Rules are available here.

This sweepstakes runs from 1/30 - 2/28.

Be sure to visit the Target Cartwheel brand page on BlogHer.com where you can read other bloggers’ posts!

Remake: Red & White Striped Jumpsuit

One word: JUMPSUIT!!!

I was beyond in love with this piece and honestly, if it wasn't so tight in the crotch-al area (you gals know what I mean) I would have made this work. Unfortunately circulation was being cut off and it just wasn't meant to be.

There was a lot of fab going on in a Michael J. Fox/Back to the Future kinda way (look at those shoulders!!)...

...but the bottom portion had to get loosened up a bit. And by a bit, I mean completely!

To begin, I trimmed the pant legs to right above the knees.

Post trim, I needed to open up that crotch-al area!! I'm turning this into a skirt, so I began to remove all the stitches on the inseam.

Almost done!!

Once the bottom portion was completely opened I re-pieced together the front and the back, pinning a new seam down the front center...

...and one down the back. I went on a slight diagonal just to give a little more wiggle room :)

I stitched up my seams on the front and back of the piece...

...and then stitched a new hem.

My brand new piece is looking good!!!

I must say that by making that one major tweak, I'm highly in love with how the former jumpsuit looks now! I'm poppin' collars like a boss!!

I paired my new dress with some black BCBG heels and a vintage beaded purse to break up the red/white palette.

And even though the top portion still feels a bit retro, the pockets and cleaned up feel of the bottom give it a totally current look.

It's still warm here in Southern California, so my "winter" wardrobe has been a bit modified this season! This is a piece that I can't get enough of, so I'll be wearing it again soon. Perhaps when it actually hits 50 degrees I can add some stockings and a sweater?!?

Also, the zippered area in front makes this piece SO easy to get in and out of! Zipper > buttons, any day!!

Copycat: Hudson Brit Punk Jeans

I haven't done a fun denim DIY in a little while, so when I found these rocker jeans by Hudson I had to add them to the list!! I saw them being worn by Lucy Hale (Aria) on Pretty Little Liars (yes, I've started to get a little sucked in!) and the wheels started turning. (For those Pretty Little Liars fans, you can head over here to HelloGiggles to read the post with the full TV tie in!)

The actual jeans on Lucy are by Hudson and they’re an ode to the Union Jack flag, in a deconstructed way. It's Brit punk, fo sho, and I wanted to try my hand at remaking them!

The key to remaking this piece is the base....

...a pair of black jeans that can be bleached and re-dyed with red and blue shades to match the original piece.

Here’s a rundown of the supplies you’ll need:

1. Dye and dye remover/bleach – I grabbed a few shades of Rit Dye to match as well as their Dye Fixative, but I ended up going with some basic bleach as well)

2. Any sort of clips/clamps

3. Black Jeans (Forever 21 has perfect and cheap options here or Levi's has great skinny black options here as well)

*Not pictured:  rubber gloves. They are an awesome idea to keep your hands from getting covered in dye.

I began with a pair of black jeans that I had in my collection and created an accordion style fold (lengthwise) across each pant leg - it’s a basic gather and pinch fold. I'm wanting to create a striation with the dye to try to emulate the streaks in the original jeans, so instead of dipping the full pant in bleach, I'm trying to only have it cover smaller portions.

One the jeans were pinched, folded, and clipped...

...I began the dye removal in the kitchen.  I filled a pot with boiling water, the dye fixation liquid, and then bleach to make the process go a bit faster.

After I was happy with the amount of color removed, I dried the jeans and began to remove the clips to begin the dye adding process!

I grabbed dye in blue and red as well as some straws that are helpful in applying and blowing the dye to make streaks. (You can really use anything for this step - paintbrushes, q-tips, get creative!) If your pants are completely dry or depending on the kind of material that you're working with, the dye might not stick immediately. Feel free to add a little water - use a damp paper towel - to help make the dye really adhere.

After letting the dye sit and dry, I quickly gave them a rinse under cold water, and then tossed them into the dryer to set everything in place.

Post DIY, I have pants that totally match the original Hudson ones!

They have this rock star/Jackson Pollock-ish feel to them which makes me feel like Gwen Stefani!!

Such a fun way to add a little bit of flair to an old pair of jeans!!