Couple of Crumbs

Crumbistas: A Sneak Peek of May

We’re going to lay the cards on the table. Okay, the credit/debit cards. We love to shop. A lot. Too much. Whatever. Basically, a good amount of our weekday chit-chat include the exchanging of many links, and the urging of “yes you should definitely buy that” or the honest “what the hell are you thinking?” So it’s no surprise that we’ve been toying with the idea of doing a fashion-themed series for awhile. But the whole being anonymous thing has posed some difficulty. Why would any readers be inclined to listen to us if they can’t actually SEE us in the clothes? (We are even careful about WHERE we photograph in our separate homes.) But hey we love clothes and fashion, and we are never two to shy away from a challenge! And if Hello Monkey Face can do it, so can we! (For the record, we still don’t know how we are going to accomplish this…)

To set the series up, we decided to share our last shopping purchases. So here’s a little preview:

Red Velvet: The last thing I bought was a pair of nude flats from Nine West. I saw them about a month ago but decided not to buy them because I was trying to be “good”. I couldn’t stop thinking about them though and how comfortable they were (super important when you’re walking around the city!). Plus I’m really loving the nude look for shoes, so I caved in this past weekend and scooped them up. Cute right? Next on my list, a pair of nude/blush-colored sandals! (Since it seems that summer is finally right around the corner!)

Funfetti: Funnily enough, my latest purchase has been a pair of shoes as well. (Go figure; we totally share a brain sometimes!) I go through flats like no one else’s business because 1) I walk a lot and 2) I don’t like to change my shoes when I get to work (even from rain boots to flats… this can lead to tragedy and I never seem to learn!). I’ve been on the lookout for a new pair of black flats since the last pair I bought were too big (but still way cute). The last time I wore them, they kept flopping off my feet, trying to commute suicide in city traffic. Not a fun walk that day at all. Don’t laugh at me but I headed to Payless on my lunch break yesterday and found a cute pair of black, patent flats (since it was BOGO, I got a 5 dollar belt with it - score!) I have to say some of my longest lasting shoes are from Payless, Target (10 bucks), and Steve & Barry (Sarah Jessica Parker’s Bitten line for 8 bucks). Hey, at least this pair fits!

Be sure to check back next week when we give you a look at our closets and compile a list of our must-haves. In the meantime, happy weekend everyone!

* * *

Ahem. Because we totally forgot about Throwback Thursday (again), here’s a compilation of a some of the fashion-related blogs we’ve written in the past:

• A Perfect Skirt - Funfetti buys a skirt (exciting, I know)
• A Dress - One of Red Velvet’s favorite buys
• Photo Blog: All Dolled Up - A look at Funfetti’s dresses
• Bag Lady - Red Velvet can’t say no to a bag
• Wear Me Out - Funfetti’s fashion history

Guest Post Galore

Because we so love the gals who have written blogs on Couple of Crumbs, we wanted to feature them today just in case you’ve missed them! While these ladies are all so wonderfully different, they are also also honest, thorough, and talented writers. (As well as strong women!) We hope you enjoy their thoughts and styles as much as we do!

S’more is a chocolate loving cupcake who dreams of becoming a high school English teacher. She’ll read anything with a YA (Young Adult) stamp on it and loves everything having to do with Disney. She sometimes finds it hard to balance her adult life with her adolescent interests, but prefers to swing it as merely being “young at heart.”

• TV Show Time Machine: The Wonder Years
• Mood Music w/Red Velvet

Lemon Drop is the kind of cupcake who “feels it all,” as the artist Feist would say. Whether its a tv show, song, or a beautiful piece of writing, she loves seeing true honesty in all forms. She is married to her best friend and has a fun, yet stubborn little girl. She has taken the opportunity to stay at home with her daughter, which requires her to find a balance between personal time and her responsibilities around her home. She has a passion for cooking with natural, whole foods and dreams of one day opening a whole food cafe where she can share her joy of being healthy and happy.

• On Feeling Lovely

Maple Bacon is a 20-something New Jerseyan dropped awkwardly in Indianapolis. She’s crazy about pugs, her chef husband, and all things inappropriate. When Maple Bacon isn’t consuming delicious cupcakes, she can be found blogging as kjpugs at Ordinary in Indiana.

• Cupcake Capers

Guest Post: Cupcake Capers

Introducing our newest guest blogger, Maple Bacon!

Maple Bacon is a 20-something New Jerseyan dropped awkwardly in Indianapolis. She’s crazy about pugs, her chef husband, and all things inappropriate. When Maple Bacon isn’t consuming delicious cupcakes, she can be found blogging as kjpugs at Ordinary in Indiana.

Cupcakes are important to me. Because they’re delicious. And pretty. And individually portioned. But also, because they funded my prom dress and nearly got me in big trouble. Oh don’t worry - there’s a story.

A few months before high school graduation, I had saved up for my prom and graduation expenses, quit my after-school job, and was living the life. I had budgeted $150 for a prom dress, but was sure I’d find something less expensive. Then I made the mistake of stepping foot in a Jessica McClintock shop. Oh dear. I was shopping with my prom date - a fun and fashionable gay man that I sang in show choir with - and we happened upon a gorgeously poofy dress. Drop waist, rhinestone accents, and tulle skirt. The sample was only in white but they had the most gorgeous color also available to order- yellow. Belle from Beauty and the Beast yellow. As I tried on the white sample, a lady asked us if we were going to prom or getting married. Squeeee! I knew I needed the dress. Only problem? It was $261. For as long as I live, I’ll remember that number!

Afterwards, I showed my dad the dress online, and asked him to buy it for me. He said he would and I squealed. But finished his sentence with “as long as you get it in white so you can wear it for your wedding, and I never have to buy you another dress again.”

Yea, my parents weren’t paying for a cent of it.

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Throwback Thursday

Funfetti: Usually I would be inclined to choose one of Red Velvet’s masterpieces but I think I need a reminder of the changes I have to make in my life.

I think the right lesson would have been cutting up the cards and showing me how to divide up my paychecks into a savings and checking account. You would think for an honor roll student, I would know to do these things. But I didn’t. Credit card debt does not just happen to stupid people. I am responsible in many aspects of my life, but this was just not one of them.

Here’s my Full Disclosure.

P.S. I really hope you read RV’s I am not a bank. It’s one of my new favorites.

I am not a bank

By: Red Velvet

It’s been over five years since I’ve graduated from college and from a purely professional standpoint, I’m doing pretty well.  Stable job, I have the respect of my coworkers, good salary.  It’s not perfect but it’s good enough (for now).  

So that being said and considering I still live at home, you’d think I’d have a lot of money saved.  

Think again. (Sigh.)

Recently, I took a long, hard look at my bank accounts (with the help of Mint, my new favorite budgeting app!) and I really haven’t saved as much as I should’ve.  Don’t get me wrong - I do have money set aside and I’m not suffering from credit card debt but still, I should be saving a lot more.  So where is my money going?! I know it’s not all shopping.  So I started to break it down.  

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