Happy Holidays Contest Winner!

Thank you to everyone who entered the holiday giveaway. The winner of the $50 Target card was #176, Emma! Congrats, and hope you enjoy it!

The Holiday Spirits

One of my favorite parts of the holiday season is going to parties and getting to try new wintery cocktails. These are some of my absolute favorites. Eat, drink, and be merry!

Candy Cane Martini

• 3 oz. vanilla vodka
• 3 oz. clear creme de cacao
• 2 oz. peppermint schnapps

Mix all ingredients in a cocktail shaker with ice. Strain into 2 martnini glasses. Garnish with a mini candy cane or peppermint candy.

The Grinch

• 2 oz. Midori
• 1/2 oz. lemon juice
• 1 tsp. simple syrup

Mix all ingredients in a cocktail shaker with ice; shake well. Strain into a cocktail glass and garnish with a Marischino cherry.

Classic Eggnog

6 eggs

1 (14 oz.) can sweetened condensed milk

1 tsp. vanilla extract

1 quart milk

1/3 pint heavy whipping cream

1 pinch ground nutmeg

1 pinch salt

Beat eggs; mix in condensed milk, vanilla, quart of milk and salt. Beat the whipping cream until soft peaks form. Fold in to egg and milk mixture and sprinkle with nutmeg. Serve chilled.

*Add 1 1/2 cups dark rum before serving to make it even more “festive”

Hot Apple Pie Cocktail

• 1 gallon apple juice
• 1 gallon apple cider
• 4 cups sugar
• 6-8 cinnamon sticks
• 1 quart Everclear (or 180 proof vodka)

Mix juice, cider, sugar, and cinnamon sticks in large pot. Bring to a boil and simmer for about 45 minutes. Once completely cooled. add everclear. Can be reheated to serve warm.

*Watch out, this one is so tasty you might forget to drink in moderation! This works great in a Crock pot.

What are your favorite winter drinks?

Happy Holidays Giveaway

It’s that special time of the year where we all run around like crazy trying to find the perfect gifts, the perfect decorations, and everything else to make this year’s celebration perfect. Some people live for this, and others (like moi) just want it all out of the way so we can actually sit back and relax and enjoy the festivities. Yeah, like that ever gets to happen. Most people tend to forget about themselves this time of year. It’s not neccessarily a bad thing; it’s great to put others first. But everyone needs a little me time, and it’s nice to buy a little something new for yourself. That’s why I’m giving away a $50 Target gift card for you to spend on yourself. Of course, I’ll never know if you decide you can’t resist using it on someone else, but do what you wish with it.

To enter, please comment on this post with something great you’ve found so far this holiday season- a great deal, an awesome new product, a really special gift you’re giving someone, anything!

Extra entries (for every extra entry post a new comment):

3 entries – Subscribe to this blog via email

1 entry – Follow me on Twitter @jsoldham (leave your username)

1 entry, 1x each day – Tweet about this:

Enter to win a $50 Target card at The Fresh Cut @jsoldham #giveaway http://bit.ly/dQSUaW Ends 12/15

5 entries – Blog about this giveaway and link back to this post

5 entries – Add The Fresh Cut to your blog roll

2 entries – Add this giveaway to any giveaway site or link-up

1 entry each – Leave a thoughtful comment on any other post

Contest ends December 15, 2010. Winner will be contacted via email. You will have 48 hours to claim your prize. US & Canada only.  Winner chosen through random.org. This is not a sponsored post.

Happy Holidays! 



Ulta Cyber Monday Deals

Ulta is offering a free deluxe sample bag with any $35 purchase (choose from three) today only. Other offers include: 

• $3.50 off a $10 purchase (code: 45800)
• Free Shipping on orders of $35 or more (code: 512213)
• Buy 2 Get 2 free Ulta brand  products
• $19.99 Pretty & Polished 74 pc Collection (these are a great $20 gift for teen girls and young women)
• Free glass candle holders with any $30 fragrance purchase
• Free beaded evening bag with $15 purchase of select Revlon Cosmetics
• Free 2 oz Pure Grace bath and shower cream with any philosophy fragrance or bath purchase
• Free 10 Day sample of bare Minerals Orignal SPF 15 or Matte foundation with any Bare Escentuals purchase
• Free quilted tote with any $30 Studio Gear purchase
• Buy 2, get 1 free on Essie and China Glaze nail polishes
• Buy 1, get 1 50% Nicole by OPI nail laqcuer

… and more! Click here to check out all special offers.

Target Cyber Monday/Cyber Week Deals

Target has some pretty sweet deals going on right now, and you don’t even have to go out into the holiday craziness for them! Free shipping on orders (most items included) over $50!

Cyber Monday Deals (today only)

HP Photosmart Plus e-All-in-One Printer – Black

$99.99 (reg $149.99)

Wii Fit Plus with Biggest Loser Challenge Fitness Bundle

$129.99 (reg $164.98)

Diary of a Wimpy Kid Box of Books

$22.40 (reg $56)

Mockingjay by Suzanne Collins hardcover (fabulous tween-teen book series)

$7.20 (reg 17.99)

House: Season One 6 Disc Set

$16.99 (reg 59.98)

Various Snuggies (including university)

$11.24-14.99 (reg $14.99-19.99)

Merona Reversible Puffer Vest (assorted colors)

$7.50 (reg $15)

Mossimo Supply Co. Juniors Flannel Shirt (assorted styles)

$8 (reg $15)

Cyber Week Deals (Ends 12/04)

Canon PowerShot A3100 IS 12MP Digital Camera with 4x Optical Zoom (available in blue, red, and silver)

$89.99, regularly $159.99 (I love PowerShots, and I ordered this one for my mom.)

Free shipping on all LEGO! (Psst! Creationary is THE game to get this year)

I’m Back!

Between Halloween, a giant birthday party to plan, Thanksgiving, and vacation, I have barely had time to get on the computer the past couple of months. I’m back though! Who would have thought that of all the holidays to plan for, Christmas would be the easiest? I have most of my shopping done except for those few hard-to-but-for family members. I have decorations out (not up). I scored some great deals on Black Friday and now Cyber Monday (even though it seems most places are extending most of their deals throughout the week this year). And I don’t have to go anywhere. That’s right. No plane rides or day trips to visit family and friends. I get to stay at home and enjoy it all.

To mark my return, I’ll be hosting my first ever giveaway on this blog. Look out for it within the next few days!

Don’t you want to have Lovely Jubblies?

On my last excursion to the local LUSH shop at Macy’s, I picked up my usual bath bombs, shampoo, and what I now know is the best cream made for your chest ever: Lovely Jubblies. I thought I had no need for a breast cream yet (and I probably don’t) but when I opened the pot ans smelled it, I had to get it. It has a fairly strong floral scent, mostly jasmine. The texture is very silky, and not so oily as some LUSH creams can be. It is a little bit thinner than I like, but a lot goes a long way. It has tiger lily in it, which is supposed to tighten everything up, and I’ve noticed a little bit of a difference. I’ve been using it on my chest, neck, and face. I have oily and acne-prone skin, and it makes a great light moisturizer at night.

At $24.95 for 3.5 oz, the price is a little high, but like most LUSH products it lasts a long time. I’ll definitely be buying this one again.

P.S. : My favorite, the Dark Angels facial cleanser is back, and my face is so clear right now. It’s charcoal based with black sugar in it so you can really scrub your face clean while the charcoal absorbs oil. It’s a little messy and I’ve never cared for the smell, but it works so well I can’t really complain about that.

Did I just *buy* a CD?

For this first time since at  least 2004, I bought a CD. Yes, an actual physical piece of media. What kind of music is amazing enough to make me forgo just downloading it and adding it to my iPod? Hurley by Weezer. Honestly, the music isn’t the amazing part. It’s a decent album with some good tracks, but it’s not the best of the year. It’s the album cover: a picture of Jorge Garcia, better known as Hugo “Hurley” Reyes on the sadly ended television show LOST.

Yep, it’s just an up-close shot of the big and loveable Hurley. Who could resist?

Hurley is about on par with Raditude, maybe better. “Time Flies” is probably my favorite, and it’s very different from the rest of the album. “Smart Girls” is a really fun song that contrasts the totally overdone “sexy girl” songs. So check it out, even if you just download it.

Au Revoir, Summer!

The 21st marked the official end of summer. It’s not like you’d actually feel it here in Houston, though. The forecast is predicting highs in the 90’s until at least the end of the month. I see stores putting out their late fall and early winter apparel already, taunting me with the fact that I won’t get to wear any of themfor months. So I’ll dream about buying this totally cute military style coat while knowing I wouldn’t get enough chances to wear it to justify actually getting it. Oh well, at least I’ll still be able to wear all the summer stuff that’s on clearance now until damn near Christmas.

Merona for Target coupons

Check your October magazine issues for $5 off  $25 Merona coupons. Some of the magazines that have them are Real Simple, Oprah, Women’s Health, and Family Circle. People had one last week I believe too. Merona has some good deals this week such as $15 boot-cut jeans for women and $17 button-down shirts for men. I stocked up on basic long sleeve tees and a cute polka dot cardigan!

You can also use the code TGTME526 for online orders. (Expires 12/15/10)