Fabulous Friday

Today, I'm participating in the Fabulous Friday fun (click HERE or on the button above to read more). This came along at the perfect time because A) I'm fresh out of stories to share and B)If I'm not sharing stories about my Drew, I don't know if there's anything else I'd rather be talking about than SHOPPING!!!!

Shopping is more than a hobby for me: it's therapy, it's sport, it's culture, it's cheap entertainment (ok, hubby might disagree on that one).

So, I'm compiling a list of some of my favorite places to shop, and why I love shopping there. Enjoy! Please feel free to leave comments about your favorite shopping experiences (and whether you agree or disagree with some of my picks!).

1. Ann Taylor Loft. Sure, I fell in love with Ann Taylor, proper, first. But who doesn't love the AT look for a little bit less? I always go straight to the back of the store for the sale racks. They always have a HUGE selection of sale items, and their pant sizes run a bit large. Can't tell you how much it means when you know you shouldn't be able to fit in those Size 6's anymore, but they still slide on at the Loft!



2. IKEA. I've written about this store before. And my "like" for this modern, clean-lined furniture/accessories store borders on an unhealthy obsession. So that I don't lose my train of thought and spend the next hour wistfully walking you through the aisles of IKEA, I'll move on. (But before I do... I have to share my latest "Favorites". We bought these brightly colored plates ($1.99 for package of 6) and utensils ($1.99 for 18 pieces) on our most recent excursion. Drew is almost tempted to eat some veggies when I serve him his dinner these days!



3. DSW (Designer Shoe Warehouse). Wait. Did you catch that? Building the size of a warehouse. Full of Designer Shoes. I want to dance when I think about this store. And they'd probably have the perfect dancing shoes...


4. Sam Moon. I've never actually purchased anything from this online jewelry trader. But it's one of my frequent stops when I'm daydreaming about jewelry (What? You don't daydream about jewelry??). I really need to purchase something, because this look for $18? I'm just not sure you can beat it:


5. Uniquely Monogrammed. One of my friends is responsible for all the adorable, irresistable goodness found here. Her dresses have been the objects of my affections for several years, but I had no girls to buy them for. I'm already warning my hubby that I see many monogrammed dresses and too-cute hairbows in our very near future. Check out her blog here or on my sidebar for all the latest product offerings!

6. Kookie Krums. Another personal friend, Janet, owns a wonderful cookie boutique in downtown Dunedin (just a few short miles from where I live). She's exceptionally talented and makes delicious AND beautiful cookies. Individually packaged, they are PERFECT favors for wedding and baby showers. And in the festive bouquets, they make wonderful gifts for teachers, get-well wishes, and any other celebration you can think of. Because, c'mon, who doesn't love cookies? (Oh, and the Kookie Blog is a great way to get to know the lady behind all the cookie goodness!)

Let me know if you decide to head over to Danielle's blog and play along! I would love to know where your shopping dreams come true!

Have a FABULOUS FRIDAY!