Online sample sales

If you like nabbing up good buys on high-end brands, you're going to love the new online sample sale craze! I'm completely addicted to these little gems and check many of them every weekday for new sales on brands like Puma, Gucci, Vera Wang, and more (they also carry children's and men's brand as well as home decor)! Could I ever afford most of these brands without a little help? No. Would I be willing to try them with a little discount? Of course! Here are the main sites I check out each day:

HauteLook (click on the name to visit their site)
My favorite online sample sale spot! I’ve now made two purchases with them and am very happy with the company.

GoMatta Girls
Great finds, usually under $50!

GiltGroupe and GiltFuse
Gilt Groupe itself is a little too pricey for me. I just can't get excited about a Prada dress that normally retail for $1,500 and is now available for a mere $600! However, they have a new site, GiltFuse, that carries only items less than $150. Recent brands included Juicy Couture.

Not related to this great stores is the fact that I haven't exactly been posting on a regular schedule since the spring. This is not an accident. Mr. Bean and I moved cross country. He started studying for the bar exam and I started looking for a job, and now we're both working new jobs that keep us happy but busy. I had a lot of fun creating The Sweet Jelly Bean blog this spring and hope that you had just as good of a time reading it. I hope we can meet again before too long.

And the winner of the boardgame giveaway is...

Homemaker!! Congratulations! Thanks to everyone for playing. :-)

Huephoria - hand painted stemware and glass

HuePhoria artists Jen and Lisa first met at their daughters' preschool "Mom's Coffee" in 1998. They quickly found common interests: throwing parties (fun & spontaneous), painting everything (even toilet seats), and wanting to make some extra pocket change. After selling their hand painted goods at local fundraisers and through word of mouth, they were no longer able to keep up with demand.

In Fall of 2004, HuePhoria and has been having a "ball" ever since! Check out their website for some deliciously girly glasses, salt and pepper shakers, and ornaments!

GIVEAWAY: What's a Dame to Do? boardgame

NOTE: THIS GIVEAWAY HAS ENDED. THANK YOU FOR PARTICIPATING!

Last week I reviewed my last board game obsession, What's a Dame to Do? The mastermind behind this game, Games for Dames, has generously agreed to give away a copy of What’s a Dame to Do to one lucky reader! Here’s how to enter:

NOTE: You can enter multiple times using the methods below and will only have to post once. Just be sure and mention everything and don’t forget to leave a way for me to contact you if I can’t do so through your Blogger profile!

1 ENTRY: Leave a comment.

1 EXTRA ENTRY: Begin following this blog or mention that you already do so.

1 EXTRA ENTRY: Join The Sweet Jelly Bean’s page on Facebook. Please let me know if you do so by commenting on this post!

2 EXTRA ENTRIES: Mention this giveaway on your own blog and link baack to this post. Please let me know if you do so by commenting on this post!

This giveaway ends Monday, April 27, 2009, at 7pm PST. All eligible entries will be thrown into a bowl and a winner will be drawn. The winner will be announced here and contacted following the close of the contest. Good luck everyone!

PlumParty.com - gift ideas galore!

Whenever I'm stumped on what to get a friend, I head over to a site like Plum Party for some inspiration. They actually tout themselves as a party supply webstore, but I have found so many good ideas for stocking stuffers and last minute hostess gifts! Some of my favorites:

Peace, Love, Happiness Quick Change Watch, $21

Bag of Happiness Pocket Charms, $10

Tacoma Flower Box with 4 Plates, $16

AskGinka.com - your theme finder for parties, weddings, and more!

AskGinka.com includes hundreds of themes and ideas for just about any kind of shindig you can come up with, including weddings, bridal showers, birthday parties, showers, holiday parties, reunions, retirements, and more! Simply browse through her list of themes or select by topic (animals, flowers, historical eras, careers, etc.) and pick out something you’re interested in! Once you click on a theme, the site takes you to either a list of ideas relating to that theme or to at least one website that might provide you with party goods or thoughts.

Some of my favorites:

1920s/Art Deco/Roaring 20s Theme Wedding & Party Guide – complete with costume ideas, cake designs, and décor!

Fishing Party Guide – perfect for a guy’s birthday or retirement! Love the fishy string of lights!

Hydrangea Theme Wedding & Party Guide – great for wedding or shower ideas and more! The hydrangea themed little girl dresses are adorable!

What is your favorite theme?

Why moms are at risk for Internet addiction

By Rachel Mosteller, found on CNN.com (link below)

I was scrolling through family photos on my computer, admiring my two beautiful babies, when I spotted a disturbing trend: My laptop was open in almost all of the pictures. There's my daughter, at 8 months, playing at my feet while I typed away on the couch. There's me and my son, a year later, with the laptop at my side as I held him in my arms.

I'd heard about Internet addiction before, but always assumed it was something limited to socially challenged guys who played too much World of Warcraft. Now it seemed my Internet "habit" was slowly but surely crossing the line. Sometimes I found myself up into the wee hours of the morning, surfing the Web while my family slept. I read the news, kept up with friends, and looked up answers to endless questions. I wrote my personal blog and read dozens of others, just for something to do...

Continue reading this article on CNN.com here.

My $0.02: I'm not even a mother yet and I do feel that I have a mild addiction to the Internet. I've never done anything really crazy like call in sick so I could stay online for eight extra hours, but I do start getting antsy if I can't check my email, etc. What are your thoughts?