So it’s here already! I leave first thing in the morning for San Diego to meet up with Super Wife Jenny for a fabulous girls weekend and our first BlogHer adventure. Unfortunately, with as crazy as life has been- me with a new job and Jenny with a new baby AND a freshly broken leg, our pre-planning has sort of taken the back seat. So, our plan is to arrive and sort of wing it. We have RSVP’ed to the Instead Softcup party (anyone else joining us??), so at least there’s that! We’re hoping to catch the expo hall and People’s Party tomorrow and then just figure it out from there. Next year, we’ll be sure to dedicate a lot more time to laying out our schedule and getting in on good parties

I’d love love love to connect with any readers! Please comment here or twitter me @MoreThanHeels. Keep an eye out for pictures and tales of our adventures at our very first BlogHer!

Maybe it’s because as a little girl I was convinced that the big, glistening crystal chandelier over my grandmother’s dining room table was made of diamonds. Maybe it’s because I live in Arizona and we all have to have ceiling fans. Whatever the reason, I’ve become obsessed with gorgeous, ornate hanging light fixtures. I’ve especially been fixated on the idea of a hanging chandelier as bedside lighting (swoon!)… but here is a roundup of some of my favorite chandeliers.

bedside chandelier

Shabby Chic Chandelier / Upcycled From Brass by AntiqueFarmHouse

Tranquility II - by sheriscrystals

Too Hot For Words Pink and Black 3-Bulb Lighting Chandelier by ShabulousCreations

Claire de Lune Chandelier BIG by accentcph

White French Crystal Chandelier with Pink / Rosalin Distressed by TheShabbyBoutique

Scarlet Red Chandelier Night Light by ShabulousCreations

Seaside Collection Shabby Sea Blue Scroll Candle Chandelier by ShabulousCreations

Romantic Cottage Crystal Chandelier by sheriscrystals

With my new job taking up so much time, I absolutely appreciate recipes that are quick, easy or able to be made ahead. These days I’m much less Martha and way more Sandra Lee. A twitter friend posted about “cake mix cookies” the other day, and I was instantly intrigued. Turns out, they’re not only ridiculously easy, they’re absolutely delish. Plus, I only dirtied one bowl and my mixing spoon. I’m already fantasizing about the combinations of cake mix and mix-ins… rainbow chip and sprinkles… red velvet with white chocolate chips… white cake and butterscotch morsels… The possibilities are endless!

1 yellow or white box cake mix (yellow is better)
1/2 c. oil
2 eggs
1 c. chocolate chips
1 c. nuts

Mix cake mix, oil and eggs until smooth. Fold in chocolate chips and nuts (or whatever other tasty fixins you feel like). Bake at 350 for 10-12 min. Don’t overbake- take them out of the oven when they don’t look completely done. Let sit on the pan for at least 10 more minutes to finish cooking.

You may have heard of ShoeDazzle- a service that after a brief questionare, a team of personal stylists selects shoes that- based on your style profile- you’re sure to love. All for a tempting and affordable price of only $39.99. I’m a lover of bargains in the name of fashion, so I signed up, answered the questions and the next day had my very own shoedazzle showroom. My first pick was the ‘Lucia’ suggested to me by Kim Kardashian. The heel looked dangerously high, but the 1″ platform made me a little more comfortable with the idea. Plus, I had just heard how splashes of neon on shoes were totally in right now, so I was sold.

Shipping is free, and only took about five days from the time I clicked “purchase” to the time i found the box on my doorstep. Unboxing them was an experience in itself. I was already excited for my sexy new shoes, and it only grew as I opened the brown cardboard box exposing a flashy, fun hot pink box inside. I slid it open revealing a matching pink dust bag and a fabulous pair of heels. My boyfriend and I took a look at them, inspecting the craftsmanship and at first glances everything seemed very well constructed. Probably some of the best I’d seen for a shoe in that price range. I tried them on, and they were very true to size. Perfect fit.

Cautiously, I waited to wear them until I had a day at work where I wasn’t going to be on my feet too much. I am happy to report that I wore them comfortably all day, and they only started to become ouchy when I made a last minute stop at the supermarket after work and paced the hard concrete grocery aisles for over an hour.

I did have to return the second pair due to it not fitting properly. They were true to size, but the ankle strap wasn’t quite tight enough for my liking. They didn’t feel quite as sturdy as the first pair, but I definitely liked them enough to keep had the ankle strap fit better. They supply a prepaid return label which easily affixes to the box the shoes come in. I dropped it off at UPS about 7 days ago and haven’t seen a credit on my account, but am not expecting to for probably a few more days.

Overall, I’m very pleased with ShoeDazzle. I don’t know that I’ll purchase every month, but I do know if I see a pair I can’t live without, I feel perfectly comfortable buying.

For the record, this is NOT a sponsored post and I have not received any compensation for it from ShoeDazzle or anyone else.

Soft prezels are a weakness of mine. It takes a great amount of restraint to avoid the booths at the mall. I have to pinch my nose to avoid the mouth-watering smell and chant “carbs and fat… carbs and fat… carbs and fat.”

Even still, it doesn’t always work. I give in to the soft, sodium laden, cheesy knots more often than I should.

Making something at home, at least you know what goes in it. Plus, you can do like me- make a huge batch, eat one or two, and then give the rest away immediately so you can’t eat them all. I made this for the first time years ago, and it’s always a crowd pleaser. Add an egg wash if you want the traditional shiny look.

Soft Pretzel Recipe
1 tsp active dry yeast
Pinch of sugar
1/3 cup warm water
1 1/4 cups all-purpose flour
2 tbsp white sugar
1/2 tsp salt
1 tbsp canola oil

3 tbsp baking soda
1 cup hot water (as hot as your tap can get)
Sea salt

Dissolve yeast into water with a pinch of sugar, let stand 10 minutes, until the mixture is creamy colored. Mix the yeast mixture with flour, sugar, salt and canola oil, and knead until combined (a few minutes, not even 5… I used my dough hook on the good ol’ kitchenaid). Let the dough rise in a greased bowl until doubled in size, about 1 hour.

Preheat the oven to 425 degrees. When the dough has risen, pinch off a handful and roll it out into a long strand. Set aside. Repeat with the rest of the dough, about 6 times. Once all the strands are rolled out, pick up the first one and stretch it out again (the gluten will have relaxed and it should stretch further now).

Twist it into a pretzel shape and place it on a baking sheet lined with silipat or cooking spray. Repeat with the rest of the strands.

Dissolve baking soda into hot water and stir until dissolved. Quickly dip each rolled pretzel into the mixture and place it back on the baking sheet. Sprinkle all the pretzels with sea salt, to your preference. Bake for about 8 minutes, until pretzels have browned.

The recipe above only made for about 4-6 smaller pretzels, so I immediately made a second double batch. I encourage you to do the same!!!

It’s no secret we’re into getting a good deal at More Than Heels.  I’ve been spending a lot of my time looking at daily deals since the savings tend to be deeper (at least 50%) compared to coupons which typically range between 10-40%.

But that’s not to say that I’d turn down a good coupon.

Mobile Phones and Coupons

Several retailers and restaurants have developed mobile phone applications that you can download onto your phone to get coupons virtually.

What kind of phone works?

Any smart-phone, most typically on iPhones, Android and Windows phones. I use an Android based phone and Molly uses an iPhone.

Here are some of my favorite money saving Android applications:

• Key Ring- This product allows you to store all your loyalty cards (you know those pesky cards that clutter up your key chain or purse) on your phone. In addition, some stores and restaurants have special deals for people who use this application.
• Target- There are two pieces to this mobile application: 1) A text message update for store discounts and coupons and 2) access to a mobile version of their weekly ad.
• Best Buy- Very similar to Target in that here are two pieces to this mobile application: 1) A text message update for store discounts and coupons and 2) access to a mobile version of their weekly ad.
• The Coupons App- This one aggregates discount codes from major retailers to use when you’re shopping online.

There have to be thousands out there. Do you recommend any?

So I have to admit, I’m feeling a bit like a badass right now. I just got done cooking, bagging, labeling and freezing about two weeks worth of food. Not only that, but the dishes are done and the laundry is folded.  With my busy new job I have been seriously lacking in the kitchen, and my bank account is feeling the burn from all the nights eating out. Today I got a ton of groceries (to the tune of about $130) and decided to whip up some meals that I can easily freeze and then reheat later in the week. Of course, I turned to google to learn more about this, and found that “OAWC” and “OAMC” (once a week cooking and once a month cooking, respectively) are in full swing on the blogosphere.

I learned quite a bit in my research and after tonight’s blazing success, I think I’ll be doing this much more often. I really didn’t take that much longer than one really involved dinner. Financially, this is an awesome concept that allows you to buy and cook in bulk to really stretch your dollars.

If absolutely nothing else, I’m just happy to have more free time in the evening and be able to have a tasty meal to cook up on a busy night!

Here were my choices for easy freeze dinner dishes:

*Lasagna (enough for two nights)

*Enchiladas (enough for two nights)

*Chicken Meatballs (to be reheated and tossed with red sauce over spaghetti noodles)

*Sloppy Joes

*Veggie coconut curry

*Teryiaki Chicken breasts (to be served over rice with broccoli)

*Slow cooker chicken breasts

What are some of your favorite make-ahead meals? I need lots more recipes!

My absence in posting lately ties directly into this topic- I just started a new job and was away for training. Have you ever had to fly to another city or state for work? A convention or sales meeting maybe? Personally, I was so excited the first time I had to fly on business. I remember being a little girl and seeing jet setting ladies in skirt suits in the airports and wishing to someday be one myself. While I have had to on several occasions with past jobs, it’s going to be a big part of this new one! I’m definitely stoked to have more traveling on my horizon.

Here are some things to remember when traveling on business.

Check the weather forecast. My most recent trip was to Denver, and I left 100 degree Phoenix. I had to go out of my way to dig out some jackets and long sleeved tops. Be cognizant that the weather could call for a very different wardrobe than the place that you’re leaving. I always wear one of my jackets on the plane so I can fold it and use it as a blanket or even a pillow in a  pinch- plus it leaves more room in my suitcase.

Pack appropriately. What is your occasion? A fancy sales conference? A small company gathering? Team building? Don’t be afraid to ask the expectations for dress code. I had my suits pressed and in garment bags ready to go when I finally just emailed the district manager only to find out that business casual with one day of jeans was perfectly fine. Use dry cleaning bags to layer between your clothes to minimize wrinkles, and a portable steamer can be a lifesaver. Keeping small things like underwear and accessories in ziplock bags helps keep you organized, even when the contents of your bag get shaken.

Scope the area. Business trips don’t always come with a rental car. When you’re on foot, utilize services like google maps and yelp.com to see what’s close by and don’t be afraid to hoof it (provided you’re not in an awful part of town). Knowing where your nearest grocery store or Walgreens will come in handy. Just put your address into google maps and click on “search nearby”. Then, you can search for keywords like “grocery store” or “restaurant” or whatever it is you’re seeking out. You’ll see what places are closest to you and how to get there.

Hydrate! Changes in temperature, humidity and elevation can make your body go a little wacky. Drink lots of water and get lots of rest.

Don’t forget creature comforts. Knowing that hotel coffee is always pretty foul, I packed a box of Starbucks Via and some powdered coffeemate creamer. The coffee pot in the room furnished me with hot water and I enjoyed a tasty cup every morning, without a) breaking the bank or b) compromising taste. Packing slippers or ultra comfy PJ’s can make you feel more at home in your hotel.

Utilize mobile aps and deal sites. Free aps like Yelp, GrubHub and UrbanSpoon can help you scope out tasty local eats, but also try daily deal sites like Groupon, LivingSocial and Moolala for local deals. Hey- why not get a massage or some fro-yo while you’re in town? Some of these are better planned in advance, so start looking out for deals in your destination a few weeks out.

A few months ago, my family and I relocated from Arizona to Texas. My husband works from home and I work away from home. With our changed working circumstances, he now does most of the grocery shopping.

He and I shop very differently. Traditionally, I’ve adopted a “European” approach to grocery shopping, going to the store more frequently to pick up items for the evenings dinner.

He on the other-hand, loves to bulk shop. If you can get it in quantities of 10 or more, he’s on it.

Over the months since our move, I’ve noticed the “look” of items in our pantry start to change. Most notably, the brightly colored yellow Cheerio’s boxes are all now white and blue generic “honey-o” boxes.

Most store brand products cost 30-50% less than premium brands, they’re certainly worth a try. Compare labels before you buy to see how different ingredients really are.

Here are some generics we’ve been happy with:

Baby Formula- Baby Formula is a tightly regulated product. Unless you little one has specific dietary needs, there is little difference in formulas. We switched from Similac to Costco’s Kirkland’s brand.

Cereal- I’m referencing the Cheerio’s switch. We like the Wal-mart store brand.

Hot Sauce- We’re all over the board on this one. Sometimes we go generic (we like HEB’s store brand), sometimes we go speciality, we don’t have a lot of loyalty here.

Artificial Sweetener- I don’t know why I’d ever buy name brand again.

Your turn…anything you’ve made a switch over to?

Nothing like looking at the clock and realizing you have a meeting in 30 minutes and you still need to shower and make it there. That happened to me this week. I needed to meet a contractor at the office very early in the morning so they could get in and out before the rest of the office started their day.

I had to, had to shower. Which meant that lots had to be sacrificed to get there on time. Here’s my progression of getting ready at the office: Don’t tell anyone, but I think I’m getting wrinkles under my eyes.

Opt to dress up, not down: Consider wearing a dress, I love having at least a simple black jersey dress or neutral print ready to go. If the weather is cooler, pair it with a pair of boots and in the summer a cool pair of wedge heels.

Simple make-up: For me my make up essentials are brow liner, mascara and lip gloss. I have sample sizes of these items in a little make up bag in my purse. It’s helpful to have them hand too for mid-day touch ups.

Don’t look in the mirror: It never fails, when I’m in a hurry is when all those little insecurity whispers start to get a little louder. I’ll take a few peeks, but the minute I start to analyze is the minute I start to try on everything in the closet.

Know where you put your keys: This is me, the pot, calling the kettle black. Try to put your purse and keys down in the same spot every day. That way when you’re running out the door, you don’t waste precious minutes trying to find your car keys.