Sound familiar?

I have a friend who once had a closet full of summer dresses — with the tags still on.

We women spend so much on clothing, and yet how much of our wardrobe do we actually use on a regular basis? Thinking of how much waste is in our closets (ok, in my closet alone) makes me cringe.

According to thredUP, a new San Francisco, California-based startup, the average woman only wears 20% of her wardrobe, and yet we spend more than $1000 per year on brand new clothing.

thredUP hopes to help ease the pain on our wallets while also saving the environment a bit by offering an online store to buy and sell gently used clothing and accessories for kids, women, and men for up to 80% the retail price.

thredUP claims to offer “practically new, amazingly awesome clothing.” If you are selling clothes, you mail them to thredUP in one of their free CleanOut bags. Then thredUP will carefully inspect your clothing and pay you up to 40% of resale value up front. If you are buying, you will be looking at mostly brand name consigned clothing and some great prices. They ship quickly too! You can read more about how it all works on their website.

I had the opportunity to try out an order and was pleased with what we received. I ordered:

The clothes came in good condition, although did have that used-clothing smell (not as bad as Goodwill, but not without that scent either).

My daughter loved her Carter’s skirt:

The Gymboree skort arrived also in great condition. The swimsuit cover up, however, was definitely not in amazing condition… but it’s about what you would expect a used swimsuit cover up to look like.  It will work just fine for all intents and purposes.

My Ann Taylor top turned out to really be made of lightweight jersey sweater material, so I would call it more of a sweater than a shirt as it was listed. I LOVE it, though, and it was in great condition.

My favorite piece is the Banana Republic black and white plaid scarf, which was in excellent condition. I can see wearing this scarf all the time — it goes with so many outfits and can be worn in several different ways.

All in all, I was happy with the clothing that we ordered. The prices are reasonable and similar to what you might pay in a brick & mortar consignment shop. You might find a t-shirt for $3.49 and another for $19.99, based on the brand and the condition. It is a bit of a gamble for consumers right now because there aren’t detailed descriptions of the items (material, sizing info, etc), so you’re ordering mainly based on the images. The kind folks working with thredUP told me that they are planning more improvements and additions to the site and ordering process, so it will be exciting to see what new features are added.

I would suggest trying out thredUP — I love that it’s helping bring quality consignment clothing to people in areas that might not have quality consignment stores locally. I like that it’s a way to sell your gently used brand name clothes without the hassle of having to deal with bids and shipping to several different locations; thredUP takes care of all of the shipping and selling for you. For busy mom entrepreneurs, I can see it being such a time and money saver; I, for one, personally do more online shopping for my family than I do in-person shopping, merely because I am way too busy with work and kid responsibilities during the day.

If you’d like to try it out, I am SO excited to offer a special code just for YOU, my awesome readers!!

SPECIAL DISCOUNT CODE FOR URBAN BLISS LIFE READERS:
save 20% off your first purchase from thredUP, with code URBANBLISS (valid through June 7th at 11:59PM PST). 

What do you think of the thredUP concept? Have you ordered from them, and if so, what did you think? I’d love to hear from you! 

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Disclosure: thredUP gave me the opportunity to purchase up to $25 of items complimentary for the purpose of this review. Any remaining amount spent was on my own dime, and as always, all opinions here are my own. You may read my full disclosure clause online.

The running bug has hit, and I’m lining up future races.

While I do want to work on my time, one exciting run coming up nationwide has less to do with time and more to do with FUN… and you know I’m all about the FUN and finding BLISS! Enter The Color Run, AKA the Happiest 5K on the Planet.

The Color Run is an un-timed 5-kilometer race where runners don white and get sprayed at each mile marker with big ol’ puffy clouds of color.

The Color Run is happening in more than 100 cities around the United States. YOU have the chance to win a FREE registration to The Color Run in any city that is not sold out by entering the Urban Bliss Color Run 5K Giveaway. You have several opportunities to enter to win via the Rafflecopter giveaway form below.

ALSO: if you don’t want to wait to see if you won, and to ensure your spot in your local race before it sells out, Urban Bliss Life readers get $5 off your online registration with code COLOR5OFF. Important note: this code will only work in cities that are NOT already sold out.

You will want to register for The Color Run 5K race ASAP because these events do sell out quickly in many cities! Click here to find The Color Run nearest you.

Health. Happiness. FUN. Color. Smiles.

Their ads say “Join the Party!” and we all know: I love me a good party. Who am I to say no to the Happiest 5K on the Planet?

I’m all in. Are YOU?

If you’re in Portland and want to join our team, look for team name “Rainbow Unicorn Magic” Go Team RUM!

Enter to win a free Color Run race registration to any Color Run city in 2013 that is not already sold out. Deadline to enter: 11:59 pm Pacific Time Monday May 20, 2013. 

a Rafflecopter giveaway

Packaging is simple, beautiful, elegant in its sparseness. Handcrafted is the norm, not the fad.

Nationwide stylish home furnishing store West Elm aims to bring the little corner store back to life in a corner of each of their stores with their new MARKET.

How awesome is this red refrigerator? I love it!

West Elm prides itself on collaborating closely with artisans for its MARKET collection, artisans like the Schmidt Brothers, who come from a long line of pioneers in the food world. Their 14-piece milled steel set with magnetic revolving wood block is a creative solution for keeping knives sharp, handy, and looking beautiful on your countertop.

From homekeeping to hardware, from outdoor goods to kitchen goods, in West Elm’s MARKET, you’ll find lovely, unique gifts, decor, appliances, furniture and lighting, and more. It’s a simply sweet collection that compliments the store’s clean, modern, interchangeable designs.

The beautifully packaged sauces and spice rubs from Stuart & Co are some of my favorites in the MARKET collection.

To view the entire MARKET collection, visit www.WestElm.com or stop by your local West Elm store.

There’s so much pressure with Mother’s Day, isn’t there? Similar to birthdays and other holidays where we place so much pressure on those around us, even if unknowingly, with our grand expectations. If there’s one thing I’ve learned about running my own business for almost 8 years and being a mom for 9 years, it’s that the difference between my happiness and my misery is often in my own expectations.

So for Mother’s Day this year, I gave myself the gift of a challenge — a challenge thousands across the country took up as well. Yesterday, instead of sleeping in and hoping for the traditional breakfast in bed, my awesome family got up early, and headed to the Run Like a Mother race in Portland, Oregon.

The day before, my daughter made signs for me. She was so excited. At the race site, they had a sign-making station for the kids so she made a new one (I mean, what 6-year-old girl can resist those shiny heart stickers and colorful pens?)

On Mother’s Day morning, I ran my first 5K from start to finish. My feet didn’t stop. The bullhorn sounded and my two little feet just kept going. I did it. I ran a 5K in 32:39 at a pace of 10:31 per minute. I was the 192nd runner to cross the finish line out of 492 people. I ran a mile per minute faster than my average training time.

BOOM. Take that, turning-40-next-year.

If you’ve never run a race, I have to say it’s a bit of a weird experience. Running on a track or even a trail for 3.1 miles during training doesn’t fully prepare you for what it’s really like running in a huge crowd of other runners, on roads you’ve never run on before. There’s something that kicked in once the bullhorn sounded. I’m goal-oriented, so even though my original goal was just to cross the finish line and not worry one bit about my time, within 5 minutes I had randomly decided that I would try to keep pace with a 10-minute or so mile. Where the heck that came from, I have no idea, but the little voice in my head told me to go for that goal, so I went for it. I had my phone with me and had started my Nike running app so I could check my pace throughout. The night before, I set my race playlist.

In hindsight, I probably should have run a few times beforehand with my race day playlist, but it amazingly turned out to be perfect. I wasn’t big on running with music during training, but music is what got me through that crowd on race day. Solsbury Hill gently rocked me into the race, the Beastie Boys, Jay-Z, and Garbage got my legs pumping faster and kept me going for the middle, and Because We Can from the Moulin Rouge soundtrack fueled my legs to move faster in the home stretch and brought me through to the finish line.

Just as I wrote last week about the unexpected ugly truths that running has brought out, yesterday as I came out on the other side of that race, I got to see some unexpected beautiful side effects. At lunch, my mom said that watching me out there made her think about her own health — and she told me she would walk Run Like a Mother next year. My daughter told me she wants to run the kids’ 1-mile race. They gave me the gift of their love and support; unknowingly, I gave them the gift of “I can do that too.”

Let’s be honest, mamas: sometimes we need someone else to give us that gift. Sometimes, as strong as we are, as fiercely independent as we are, we also need others to lift us up, to support us, to show us the way, to keep us going, to push us forward where we might instead just stand still.

That’s what I have to thank the awesome team at Run Like a Mother for: the welcoming vibe, the gentle nudging, the kind support, the smiles that speak a thousand “you can do it”s and “you did it!”s are just what this mama needed. When I crossed that finish line, I didn’t do it alone: I crossed it with Anne & Jenifer (pictured below with me post-race), Shagun, Colleen, Holly, Dannell, and all of the other amazing women who trained with me. I crossed that line with all of their constant support pushing me forward and I am ever so grateful for each of them.

So what about you? Are you going to Run Like a Mother next year? I hope you do. And if you do, wherever you are, I will be cheering you on. Because I know that if I could do it, so can you.

I hope you all had a fabulous Mother’s Day!!

Today I’d like to give a special thanks to the amazing individuals who have taught my two children so far in elementary school: Julie Inberg, Stephanie Steele, Tina Madarieta, and David Sammond. It truly does take a village to raise children, and my husband and I are over-the-moon pleased with the amazing village of teachers we have been blessed to have in our children’s lives. They care so much about our kids, and go above and beyond. I am in awe of what teachers do each day, each night, before and after school, and throughout the entire year. THANK YOU, teachers, for your amazing service to the future of our world. You make a difference every day. You truly do.

Please help me in celebrating both Teacher Appreciation Week and Mother’s Day by honoring and thanking the women below who bravely guide classes full of elementary school kids each day and then go home to raise their own wonderful children at night. I am honored to have the opportunity to share their stories with you.

Julie Inberg

Stephanie Steele

 

Tina Madarieta

Do YOU have a teacher who is also a mom that you would like to celebrate as we wrap up Teacher Appreciation Week and head into Mother’s Day weekend? Feel free to leave a comment below thanking them! They deserve some public appreciation, don’t you think?  

EXTRA CREDIT:

About Donna Beck

More Competition for Donna

Grilled Tillamook Sharp Cheddar with Ham, Spiced Apple Bacon Compote & Maple Butter

]]> http://www.urbanblisslife.com/2013/05/09/donna-becks-famous-grilled-tillamook-cheese-sandwich-recipe/feed/ 0 http://www.urbanblisslife.com/2013/05/08/wonder-woman-wednesday-cindy-cooper/ http://www.urbanblisslife.com/2013/05/08/wonder-woman-wednesday-cindy-cooper/#comments Wed, 08 May 2013 15:00:16 +0000 Marlynn Jayme Schotland http://www.urbanblisslife.com/?p=8859 I love that this week I get to feature so many great entrepreneurial moms (and on Friday: teacher moms!) as we lead up to Mother’s Day!

Today’s Wonder Woman is Cindy Cooper, Co-founder and Director, Portland State University Impact Entrepreneurs, and mom to a five-year-old. Cindy and I first met on the Advisory Board for Mercy Corps NW Women’s Business Center. Her passion and commitment to helping social entrepreneurs is clear and most importantly, she gets things done. The PSU Impact Entrepreneurs group she founded is truly impressive.

Thanks for being such a Wonder Woman, Cindy!

Brief description of your biz

Impact Entrepreneurs offers educational programs designed to unleash the power of business for social impact. Working with local and global partners, community members, students, and faculty, Impact Entrepreneurs delivers programs to strengthen social impact organizations, replicate successful social enterprises, build entrepreneurial leaders and catalyze social innovation for a more just and sustainable world.

What inspired you to start your biz?

Most people wish for a world with fewer problems. We want our children to be happy. We want the magic of life to go on. I believe business is one of the most powerful forces at our disposal for good or bad, and that we can and must steer business toward generating less harm and more positive outcomes for all of us.

A lot of people want to do something to make an impact, but don’t know where to start. Or they have started, and want to reach new heights. There is a growing movement of people who are demonstrating these possibilities, and I was inspired to enable and equip others to join.

What’s the biggest moment of business bliss that you’ve experienced so far?

This is a really hard question. I find it hard to narrow it down to one moment. Seeing people discover new possibilities within themselves is often a big source of my bliss.

What motivates you to keep going, to succeed in your business?

The desire to make a difference and the belief that it can be done.

What’s your current favorite product/service that your biz offers & why? 

The Elevating Impact Summit. We want to fill the Gerding Theater with people who are daring to make an impact, regardless of age and where they work. I’m looking forward to the event because I love learning from people who combine passion with practical, hard-nosed problem-solving to get things done. This is the largest and most complex event we have attempted, so I also like it for the challenge.

What’s one thing that has helped you maintain some sanity in the quest for work/life balance?

I’m an underachiever when it comes to the quest for balance. I’m trying to get better at it by focusing on who I’m willing to let down least, for the long-haul.

What is one piece of advice that you have for other women pursuing their passions? 

Perfection is the enemy of progress.

What’s the best way people can connect with you?

http://www.pdx.edu/impactentrepreneurs

Chicago-based pastry chef/restaurateur and entrepreneur, Malika Ameen is also an amazing single mom to three young boys (ages 3, 6, and 8). Her love of unique flavor combinations, fascination with spice and attention to detail began in a food-focused home where family dinners were prepared from scratch each day. In early 2010, Ameen was chosen as a featured  ‘cheftestant’ on Bravo’s premiere season of “Top Chef: Just Desserts.”

Soon after appearing on the show, Malika launched her own online pastry business, ByMDesserts, which specializes in couture cookies made with only the highest quality ingredients and unique flavor combinations.

I’m honored that Malika is sharing her recipe for Sticky Toffee Pudding with Urban Bliss Life readers. If you are looking for a special dessert for Mother’s Day, this one is sure to be a winner!

Print

Mother’s Day Delicious Dessert Recipe: Malika Ameen’s Sticky Toffee Pudding

Author: Malika Ameen’s

Recipe type: Dessert

Serves: 30-33 cakes

 

Ingredients

• Devonshire Cream Sorbet:
• 48 ounces Devonshire cream, at room temperature
• 3¼ cup simple syrup, cold
• ¼ cup lemon juice
• Toffee Sauce:
• 12 ounces butter
• 4½ cups heavy cream
• 4 vanilla beans, split
• 2 pounds plus 4 ounces crème fraiche
• 2 tablespoons vanilla extract
• Sticky Toffee Pudding:
• 13½ ounces dates, blanched, peeled, and chopped
• 2¼ cups water
• 1 tablespoon baking soda
• 1 tablespoon vanilla extract
• ¾ cup canola oil
• 1 pound plus 8 ounces all-purpose flour
• Pinch of salt
• 1 tablespoon baking powder
• 6 ounces butter
• 1 pound plus 2 ounces sugar
• 3 eggs
• To Assemble and Serve:
• Citrus segments
• Candied kumquats
• Candied orange dust

Instructions

1. For the Devonshire Cream Sorbet:
2. Whisk together Devonshire cream and syrup. Pulse in Robot Coupe, strain, and spin in ice cream machine according to manufacturer’s directions. Add lemon juice when sorbet is almost frozen.
3. For the Toffee Sauce:
4. In a saucepan combine butter, heavy cream, and vanilla beans. Bring to a boil and cook for 2 to 3 minutes. Remove pan from heat. Whisk in crème fraiche and vanilla extract.
5. For the Sticky Toffee Pudding:
6. Preheat oven to 325°F. Generously butter and flour 4-ounce molds. In a saucepan combine dates with water and bring to a boil. Remove from heat and immediately add baking soda and vanilla until mixture fizzles. Whisk in oil. Whisk together flour, salt and baking powder; set aside. Cream butter and sugar in a standing mixer with paddle attachment. Add eggs one at a time, making sure to scrape bowl in between additions. With mixer on low speed, add half of flour mixture using on and off turns, until just incorporated. Add all of date mixture and mix until combined. Transfer batter to a mixing bowl and whisk in remaining half of flour. Fill molds half-way with batter and place on half sheets. Bake with a low fan for 10 minutes. Turn pans and continue to bake an additional 3 to 4 minutes. Invert toffee pudding to remove from mold. Soak with 3 tablespoons of toffee sauce.
7. To Assemble and Serve
8. Reheat toffee pudding and serve with quenelle of Devonshire cream sorbet. Garnish with citrus segments, candied kumquats, and candied orange dust.

3.2.1652

Looking for more Top Chef-worthy recipes? Check out Malika’s website for delicious recipes such as her Ultimate S’mores Cookies with Smoked Sea Salt and Cider Braised Chicken.

In case you missed the sale last week, I still have a week’s worth of Teacher Appreciation Week printables in the shop for you to purchase.

I’m sensitive to the fact that if you are purchasing these this week, you likely will need them sooner rather than later, so I will send you the file(s) you purchase as soon as payment clears and as soon as I am near a computer and can do so, M-F between 9am and 5pm Pacific Time.

1. Teacher Appreciation Week Gift: Teacher Flashcards Printable PDF file ($6.95)

2. Teacher Appreciation Week Gift: Smart Cookie Gift Tag Printable PDF file ($3.95)

3. Teacher Appreciation Week Gift: Tea Bag Gift Tags Printable PDF file ($3.95)

4. Teacher Appreciation Week Gift: Teacher Poster Printable PDF file ($3.95)

5. Teacher Appreciation Week Gift: Candy Bar Wrapper Printable PDF file ($3.95)

Important notes:
* Please ensure that the email address attached to your PayPal account is a current email address that you check on a regular basis.
* If you do not receive the file within 24 hours, please first check your spam folder or junk mail folder. If you still do not see an email from Urban Bliss Media, please e-mail me directly at info -at- urbanblissmedia -dot-com.
* All designs are for personal use only. Any copying, altering, resale in whole or in parts of these original Urban Bliss designs are strictly prohibited by law.