Sunny Boots December 13, 2009

I have had a crush on these boots since the beginning of the summer and my love affair has not wavered.  These beauties are the Sunny knee boot in Banana by Frye.  I love everything about them, from the unexpected color to the cuff at the knee, to the almond shaped toes, to the tiny wedges on the heel.  The color helps these boots transition through the seasons.  The “Sunny” color is perfect for summer, with flowy dresses and skirts.  In the winter, they can brighten up your look over jeans or tights.  These sold out quickly, so good places to check are Amazon and eBay.

More Beats for Your Buck December 11, 2009

Let’s face it, my paycheck doesn’t entirely support my music and shopping habits.  So I had to get a little creative.  There are tons of places to find free songs and deals on  mp3 downloads.  As I’m sure most of you know, Zune Marketplace and iTunes have a free song and/or music video every week.  They are released every Tuesday with the rest of the new music, movies, and tv shows.  An even better resource I’ve found is Amazon.com.  Go to mp3 downloads, and click on “Special Deals”.  There is a free song every day, and an mp3 album of the day that ranges in price from $1.99 to $3.99 for the full album.

If you don’t check everyday, be sure to check on Tuesdays.  Lately, the mp3 album of the day has been a new release.  I scored Leona Lewis’s Echo and 30 Seconds to Mars’ This Is War for $3.99 each the day they were released.  That can save me up to $10 per brand new album.  Trust me, this is one kind of math you will enjoy.  I call it shopping math.

Amazon also has tons of free sampler albums that range from mainstream pop to indie and global labels.  Its a great way to try out new sounds and new artists.

http://www.amazon.com/MP3-Deals/b/ref=sv_dmusic_3?ie=UTF8&node=678551011

Urban Outfitters is another unlikely resource for new artists and free music.  Every few months they put out a new Listen Playlist.  You can see the list of songs on the Urban Outfitters website, and get a code to download all 25 songs on iTunes for free.

And as if Starbucks wasn’t a fantastic place already, they also offer one free song or music video each week.  Check near the register for a stack of cards with the “Pick of the Week”.  On the back is a code to download the song or video for free on iTunes.  You can also view the songs Starbucks has recommended on iTunes, which is another great place to find new music.  This is where I first heard of great artists like Mayer Hawthorne.