Go Green for Earth Day

I found this bag on Etsy.com at TheWren store (or search for coffee bag) just in time for Earth Day. Bags don't get much greener, or cooler looking, than this - check it out. Made in Cape Town from a recycled jute coffee sack, with organic hemp lining, environmentally dyed, sewn with pure cotton thread, from a farm that is FAIR TRADE - and as a bonus - bag closes with a handmade wood button made from Poplar wood. Can't you imagine yourself traveling both near and afar with this great market bag? My favorite are the one's with the elephants - I need to keep an eye out for those - definitely on my wish list.

Price of this Tygr Luxe Infatuation Item - $54 - $68.

London Fog - Weather or Not

I honestly never knew London Fog made anything but raincoats until Oprah featured one of their purses a few months ago. Ever since I've been checking out their website periodically and I found the attached fabulous change purse. I love patent leather items since they always look new and wear like iron. This is on sale now and will be gone shortly.


This Tygr Luxe Infatuation - available at londonfog.com $19.99.

Baby your Legs for Summer!

I love to use products designed for babies whenever possible since they are gentle and usually smell sweet. Burt's Bees Apricot Baby Oil is no exception. I've been using this for years on my legs during the summer. Your skin will have a nice sheen and the smell of apricot will catch your attention from time to time throughout the day. Go ahead and baby your legs this summer!

Price of this Tygr Luxe Item - $7.00

Need Some Daily Inspiration?

Delias Thompson of Atlanta features her sterling silver custom jewelry on Etsy.com. I have ordered several bracelets from Delias and they are all spectacularly gorgeous. Last year for Valentine's Day I asked my husband to write some thoughts down so I could have them inscribed on a bracelet. Let's just say he misunderstood my instructions and wrote 3 bracelets worth of lovely thoughts. I didn't have the heart to tell him he wrote too much - so now I have three fabulous bracelets, secretly inscribed. Only he and I know the words are there and I wear them every day. Have a loved one write some special words for you - or have your favorite poem or saying close to you always. Happy Wearing!

Price of this Tygr Luxe Item - $48.00 for 1-sided inscription or $58.00 for 2-sided inscription.

Make your Personal Correspondence Stand Out - Literally

I ordered these letterpress mini-notes from Dingbat on Etsy.com. They are absolutely gorgeous and came with mini-lopes perfect for gift giving. Dingbat is a perfect example of the revival of letterpress printing. Once considered out touch once modern printing arrived, letterpress stationery has undergone a drastic revival in the past 10 -15 years and is now considered high-end and unique. Letterpress printing gives dimension to the design or wording of the printing actually pressing the design into the paper. Many modern brides dream of using letterpress printed wedding invitations. Try these out - for the price (or less) of those mass-produced gift tags - choose letterpress instead and make a lasting impression on your gift recipient.

Price of this Tygr Luxe Item is $8.00.

Built - a Luxurious Way to Tote what Sustains You!

Built NY's motto is Love Your Stuff! and their lunch bags make it easy to do. Recently featured in Parenting Magazine, Money Magazine and Bon Appétit Magazine their lunch bags make it easy to be stylish while toting your food. Neoprene material contributes to a really tough yet very soft bag that can stand up to the everyday grind. I've had mine for over 6 months and it still looks and feels like new. These are machine washable and drip dry. Safety tested - rest assured no lead in these bags. Put an end to buying brown bags or making do with whatever you can scrounge up. These bags keep food cool or warm for 4 hours - I find myself using mine on the weekend too for snacks and drinks. This is a company that has managed to mesh design with function to equal an everyday luxurious treat!

Price of this Tygr Luxe Item - $22.00

James Bond Cool Lipstick

I initially bought this lipstick from Avon for a fundraiser and now I'm hooked. This lipstick reminds me of a cool gadget from a Bond movie - silver with no separate cap, just a slide and a cover which can be opened single handed with one fluid motion . The price is right for this too - currently on sale at Avon.com. I love the Natural Glisten shade and plan to order a couple as these are Limited Edition Colors. Avon has joined the 21st century - you can now order online and have it delivered to your local Avon representative at no additional cost - check it out at Avon.com.

Price of this Tygr Luxe Feature Item - $5.99 as of post date

Flameworks Body Mist - Un- Mist-akably Fabulous!

Flameworks products sell on Etsy.com. Their body mist is available in 55 different fragrances - my favorite so far is Acorns and Black Oak. Each mister contains 8 ml - enough for approximately 100 mists! This is a great inexpensive way to treat yourself, without the large investment of high end perfumes. Have fun discovering your signature scent!

Price of this Tygr Luxe Item - $5.50 (including shipping)

The Classic Moleskine is back - with Flash!

Are you like many, trying to simplify your life and get more organized - all the while - not spending loads of money? While in Barnes & Noble recently I noticed these cute Moleskines ( mol-a-skeen'-a) the other day. Moleskine is the legendary notebook that has been used to capture thoughts, dreams and sketches by such great artists and writers as Van Gogh, Picasso and Ernest Hemingway. Originally a small French bookbinder supplied these books to Parisian bookshops frequented by the international avant-garde. However in 1986, the last manufacturer of Moleskines, a family operation of Tours, closed the doors. Thankfully in 1998 a small Milianese publisher brought them back for the world to use not only to organize but to hold drawings and dreams. The set I purchased contained two books of coordinating colors. These are perfect to pop in your purse or briefcase and let's all face it - sometimes paper is just easier and more convenient than your blackberry or iphone. Offering acid-free paper with 56 detachable pages.

Price of this Tygr Luxe Item - 2 books - $5.95.

A Little Hawaiian Punch

I recently purchased a custom stamp from FORYOU off Etsy.com. My stamp is the same design as the one in the picture and I simply love it! Customized stamps are a wonderful way to show your exquisite sense of style in your personal correspondence and on the packages you ship. This Etsy seller is located in the beautiful state of Hawaii and you will note many of their stamps have a slightly "Hawaiian" flair. This seller was very prompt with sending a proof and extremely pleasant to deal with.

Price of this Tygr Luxe Item is $24.95.

You've come a long way baby!!!

If you need some spring in your step - you should check out Payless Shoes. Payless is the place to shop for a cute spring or summer splurge that looks high end, yet doesn't break the bank. This is not the Payless you remember from your childhood. Various runway designers, such as Abaete, alice + olivia, and Lela Rose have designed shoes and purses for Payless which are very modern and edgy. I have always experienced stellar customer service and returns are accepted without question. Several of my most favorite winter shoes came from P S , my code name for Payless Shoes. Unlike some reasonably priced shoe sellers, I have always found their shoes to be very comfortable.

Happy shoe shopping - I hope to pick up this pair of sandals this weekend!

Price of this Tygr Luxe item - $19.99.

Bath Sheets?

I heard about these a year or so ago and finally decided to splurge and buy two of these from Restoration Hardware. The reason I waited so long is I was afraid my other bath towels would immediately develop an inferiority complex - and let's just say - they have officially requested I arrange counseling for them. I have used these towels nearly exclusively since they arrived. They are huge - measuring a massive 40" by 70". They are constructed of 100% cotton terry toweling from Turkey and feature 802 grams per square meter. Restoration Hardware claims they are exceptionally soft and long-lasting. I certainly hope so!

Price of this Tygr Luxe Item - $48.00 from Restoration Hardware - please note - as of the date of this post - currently some colors are 30% off.

Joy of Cooking

I bought this book for myself a couple years ago. I have the 75th Anniversary Edition. My Joy Book is starting to show wear and tear - true signs of a good cookbook. The story behind the cookbook is a fascinating one. A widow, Erma Rombauer, took her life savings and self-published the first Joy 75 years ago. Recently this book was named as one of the 150 most influential books of all time. Her family has maintained the cookbook over the years - this version involved her grandson. One of my family's favorite recipes is the Apple Crisp Dessert. Double the crust part of the recipe of you like your with extra crisp. A shortcut for this recipe is to use 2 cans of canned apples instead of fresh - don't worry - I won't tell. This is a fantastic recipe book for novices and pros alike. Need to know how to boil eggs? No problem. Want to create your own starter for sourdough bread - that's covered too! Want to know why unsalted butter is critical for those baking recipes - it's in here. Having said all that - if you're looking for large glossy pictures in your cookbook - this book is not for you. But if you're looking to create some fantastic food creations - give this one a try. I often give this cookbook for a wedding gift. Happy Joyful Cooking !!

Price for this Tygr Luxe feature - $24.50

Green EVA Modular Jewelry Organizers - The Container Store

I love The Container Store! If you have never been - visit with caution as this place is addictive. It brings out the organizer in nearly everyone, even my husband. I recently bought a couple items from their Green EVA Modular Jewelry Organizer collection and have absolutely no regrets. The texture of these is difficult to describe other than it is a cross between suede and foam and gently cradles your jewelry. My favorite is the component with the holes - no more tangled earrings and it just looks and feels cool!

The price for all three Tygr Luxe components featured above is $15.00.

Sweet Petula - Sweet Candles!!!

This is the first feature from one of my favorite websites - Etsy.com. Etsy is a gathering place for all those crafty people who were lost on ebay or out there on the web on their own. Most of my gift shopping for others and myself takes place on this site.
Sweet Petula, in addition to being on Etsy, also has a brick-and-mortar building in Seattle, Washington. These candles smell fantastic, burn clean and last over 80 hours. Gigantic is appropriate and these tins measure at least 4 inches across the top!!! Sweet P and Ginger Blossum are my favorite candle scents so far! Sweet Petula consistently has amazing smelling products with high end packaging all the while being reasonably priced.

Price of this Tygr Luxe item is $14.00.

Spring is Just Around The Bend

This is the time of year when I really crave fresh air, sunshine, flowers and warmer weather. Hopefully all the ice is behind us for the rest of the season. Much to my surprise when I visited Walmart the other day, I found they now carry Nicole OPI nail products. I found out about this line of OPI products a few years ago. Their philosophy is Respect the World - Respect Yourself and the products in the Nicole line are green with no DBP, Toluene, or Formaldehyde and the glass is recyclable! Now that I have a touch of Spring Fever, it's time to start painting fingers and toes again! I picked up "Star of the Party" a nice spring violet and "Believe It, Do It" a beautiful princess pink. Treat yourself for Valentine's Day to this reasonably priced luxury.

Cost of this Tygr Luxe Fav is $5 - 6

Mmmm....Chocolate

Just in time for Valentine's Day - the best chocolate I have ever had - Bridgewater Chocolate from Brookfield, Connecticut. Yes, I have had Godiva and Godiva cannot compete with Bridgewater. Elegant packaging, reasonably priced and best of all - absolutely delicious. I've ordered a box of their toffees to send to my husband for Valentine's Day - shhhh - please keep it a secret.

Cost of this Tgyr Luxe Item - 1/2 pound box of Toffee Candies - $27.00 including shipping

My New Favorite Lotion - Drenched in Pink - Fresh and Clean

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I ran across this at Bath & Body and have fallen in love with the fresh and clean smell - wow exactly how I would have described this scent. I'm hooked! This is a super rich and creamy lotion. If you are putting in your lotion warmer I would mix it with something less thick. I found that you can Drenched in Pink at Amazon. It seems to be sold out on most other sites, so I'm going to make this last.

Cost of this Tygr Luxe Fav - $15.99.

Cold Nights Call for Warm Lotion

After years of putting on ice cold lotion before turning in for the night, I finally found a product that gently warms your lotion making it nice and toasty. I purchased the Conair lotion warmer from ebay and have enjoyed its output immensely. The only down side is that it does not work with the thicker body cream lotions. Hope this small luxury helps to you to stay moisturized during the cold months.

Cost of this Tygr Luxe Item - $35.00