Another year older...

There are SO many places out there that give away "freebies" or discounts on your actual birthday or for your entire "birthday month"!  


Here are just a few of the Birthday Bonuses that I know of (most of which I try to cash in on each year--I mean, why not, right??!)

SHOPPING (clothing):  

Hot Mama -sign up (in store) to receive emails (along with earning points towards rewards) and receive an email good for $25 off a $100 or more purchase one time during the month of your birthday

BCBG -make sure your info is in their computer system & receive a postcard good for 20% off your purchases all month long, as many times as you want to shop!

Anthropologie -again, sign up & receive 15% off a purchase (online or in store) during the month of your birthday

Victoria's Secret -sign up for emails, receive $10 off one purchase anytime during your birthday month

GAP -if you have a GapCard (Gap Visa)-receive an email that gives you 25% off on your birthday or within 30 days of your birthday (one time use)

Old Navy -sign up for emails & receive "birthday treat"

Piperlime -sign up for emails & receive an email for $15 off a purchase of $60 or more

Ann Taylor & Ann Taylor LOFT -sign up for emails, receive email for $15 off one purchase during the month of your birthday

DSW -make sure you are a part of their rewards program, $10 coupon to use the month of your birthday

Often times, finding a company's Facebook page is a great way to learn about deals & coupons & even find out about new merchandise before it hits the stores!

COFFEE:

Caribou Coffee -sign up for emails & receive a free drink ON your birthday

Starbucks -get a "rewards card" & you'll receive a free drink or food ON your birthday




FOOD:

Noodles & Co. -sign up for the noodle emails (noodlegrams) & receive one free noodle bowl any day during the month of your birthday

Benihana -sign up & receive a free $30 gift certificate to use during the month of your birthday

*Many restaurants often offer a free dessert for birthdays-all you have to do is just ask!!!




TO DO:
Just about any VFW or location that offers BINGO will allow you to play FREE on your birthday! All you have to do is ask!  =)

$14 or $20 off BINGO at Mystic Lake Casino.

Brunswick Bowling = free game of bowling.



Here are two other blogs/sites with even longer lists of Birthday Freebies to check out: 
site 1, site 2!

....and here's the Star Tribune's list of Free Food on Your Birthday from 2009.

CHEERS to you whenever you turn another year older! 

....here's to hoping it's your best year yet!!!

Thanksgiving & Black Friday

I have been travelling over Thanksgiving for the last 2 years, thus I'm a bit out of the loop with the whole Black Friday shopping....I'm honestly slightly disappointed in how many shops/stores are opening earlier and earlier ON Thanksgiving Day -WHAT??!!  Isn't this a time to be thankful for what you HAVE, not race around & fight crowds to buy even more?

So, first & foremost, 

HAPPY THANKSGIVING! 

I am SO thankful for my wonderful husband and the greatest family & friends anyone could ask for!

This year I will be celebrating up North in Duluth and the only plan I have for Black Friday is hitting up the Smartwool sale for some fabulous wool socks & possibly a pair of slippers or if I'm lucky enough a warm sweater for my hubby.

I just can't imagine dealing with the crazy crowds just to "score some deals" -which are often not even all that great....  My suggestion is to check out what's happening ONLINE, as many sales are starting NOW, and then support your LOCAL boutiques on Small Business Saturday!

There are a TON of "sales" and deals happening, and I completely understand how great it is to SAVE $$ on anything....especially as we approach "the season of giving." Thus, here are a few of the sales that I might checkout at some point in the next few days:

One of my favorite local boutiques, Houndstooth, will be having a FABULOUS sale on Black Friday -one that you really don't want to miss....2 locations, one in Savage & one in Eden Prairie.

Nelle handbags has FREE shipping & 20% off her gorgeous handbags from November 22-26, use code: HOLIDAY

Hot Mama = 15% off EVERYTHING storewide NOW until November 25 (in stores & online)

Shopbop is offering up to 35% off with code: BIGEVENT12

25% off & free ship on everything at Madewell code: TREAT

Get 25% off your purchase at J. Crew with code: COLOR25

J.Crew Factory- 40% off of everything! Plus 15% off when you spend $100 or more!  

Club Monaco has an extra 30% off sale items

Up to 50% off at Nordstrom (Um, hello sale on Equipment blouses!)

Bloomingdales- Up to 50% off and $25 off every $200 you spend

30% off sale items at DVF with code: HOLIDAYSALE

Last Call by Neiman Marcus- extra 40% off everything including clearance!

Steve Madden- 25% off plus free shipping with code: GIVE25

Happy Shopping!  ....and of course, enjoy the time spent with family & friends! 

GIVE THANKS for all you have!

Award

Within the world of blogging, there are so many ways to recognize and promote other blogs that you read or bloggers you know. Along with that, there are also blog awards!

I am lucky enough to share that I have been nominated/honored with an award from a fellow blogger, Heidi of Skinny Jeans & Yoga Pants. Heidi & I have never met, but we both work for the local company Hot Mama & share a love of fashion!  THANKS HEIDI!

Rules of the Sisterhood of the World Bloggers Award

• All recipients need to thank the giver
• Post 7 things about yourself
• Pass the award on to 7 other bloggers of their choice and let them know that they have been nominated.
• Include the logo of the award in a post or on your blog

7 Random Facts about "One Firey Fashionista:"

1. YES, we know that "Firey" is spelled wrong! (correct spelling = fiery), but after creating the blog/email addresses, etc we didn't want to go backwards & change it all....and we kinda liked the idea of it looking more like "Fire-y"!!

2. I teach Junior High Science (11 years & counting), and I LOVE it (most days)! Whenever I tell anyone what I do I usually get the response, "Oh, you're a saint." or "Wow-good for you."  It's really not that bad!!  If it was, I'd have moved on by now!

3. I LOVE my red (curly) hair and I've honestly never hated it! Even though Anne of Green Gables was a favorite of mine-I never tried to dye my hair black or despise being called "Red".....It's a unique feature, along with my freckles, that I love & embrace!

4. I married the Man of my dreams....and I met him online! ...on a free dating site no less...I couldn't have picked a better guy(actually he "picked" me) -I'm the luckiest girl in the world!!

5. I love to draw/paint/etc....though it's been years since I've touched a paint brush! =(  
I started painting while living in LA at the studio where my older sister works, Mission Renaissance, and I LOVED it....would love to have one of these studios here in MN so I could have an "excuse" to start painting again!!!

6. I am a family girl. I LOVE my sisters....we are each only 2 years apart & it couldn't be better-they are my best friends & the people I go to first with anything (well, except my hubby). It was great sharing a house with the 2 of them = 3 closets worth of clothes!

7. I love vintage/antiques/etc...if I could live in another time period it'd be the 1920s. I LOVE the flapper-style from the 20s (as well as the decor/furniture). I wish there were more excuses to dress up in costume, as that's always the era (or really any type of pin-up style) that I love to style & wear!

7 Blogs I love:

I have my list of blogs I regularly read off to the right posted on my blog permanently, so I tried to find other blogs I've recently stumbled upon or blogs of local MN fashionistas!

1. For All Things Lovely -just found this blog after reading my November issue of Lucky mag...love her style!

2. realiabyjen -Jen, the designer/creator of the fabulous jewelry I usually am wearing every day has also started blogging-right through her website-check it out (if you haven't already)!

3. J's Everyday Fashion -love her style inspiration photos that she shares along side how she created a similar look!

4. M loves M -another blogger named MARA!

5. Apartment 34 -style for yourself & your home = lifestyle blog-love it!

6. Hello Fashion -a great personal style blog

7. Sidewalk Ready -personal style blog written by a girl in Michigan

Of course I could probably continue on and on with this list, as my "bookmarks" go much beyond a list of 7, but I'll stop here. 
A great way to find more blogs is to check the "favorites" lists on the blogs that you already read, love & follow (such as mine just here to the right).
It's how I stumbled upon many that I read & follow!! Happy blog-reading!

Just one more thing to leave you with...I have stumbled upon this quote several times in many different places & just had to share. It always makes me think...

Cashmere

speaking of Quality....
...when you think of a piece of clothing that is of high quality, you probably think of something that feels fabulous to the touch, wears well, keeps its shape, and will last forever.

As the weather is slowly cooling down, and we near the start of my favorite season, Autumn, it's almost time to pull out those favorite sweaters.

One type of sweater that screams quality to me is a cashmere sweater. Sure, there are many sweaters out there that boast that they are a "cashmere sweater" ....only to reveal on their tags that they contain a mere 5% cashmere. 
What I'm talking about is a 100% pure cashmere sweater.

What exactly IS cashmere?
Cashmere is a type of wool that comes from the neck of the Cashmere goat. There is actually a Cashmere & Camel Hair Institute that aims to promote pure products.
According to this institute, found at cashmere.org, 

Cashmere is luxurious and fashionable and is also a durable and practical investment. Cashmere travels well and doesn’t wrinkle. It offers great insulation; is warm in the winter and cool in the spring. Cashmere is long lasting; it actually becomes softer with age and rarely pills after being worn and washed. It should last a lifetime.

Thus, choosing to invest in a cashmere item is choosing a quality piece that will last - a lifetime. Check out the above website for more commonly asked questions, information, and care for your cashmere.

One piece of info that this site confirmed for me was how to care for your cashmere knits/sweaters. You should NOT dry clean them. You should use a gentle detergent, or even a cashmere soap-JCrew sells some, and hand wash your cashmere sweaters. This will keep them in better shape than sending them off to the dry-cleaners, and it's much less expensive!!

There are several places to find cashmere items here in the Twin Cities. JCrew is one place that carries cashmere. 


I am loving this polka-dot version. Classic yet fun.
...and if you don't love this burgundy color, even though it is "the color of the season," there are several other color combinations to fall in love with. I honestly have a hard time deciding which one is my favorite!

Thanks to my time spent working in retail, I have discovered a "new" line of sweaters & knits: Autumn Cashmere. This brand is by no means "new," as they have been around since 1993, but new to me, as I have never seen or touched these fabulous knits before.

Their sweaters are fabulous, and mostly 100% cashmere, with some that are cashmere blends, but are appropriately labeled.

Hot Mama is carrying several styles this fall, as is Nordstrom, and a local St. Paul boutique Stephanie's.


Will you be adding a new cashmere piece to your wardrobe this fall?