First the good news...

First the good news: Anna Sui is set to follow Alexander McQueen with a capsule collection for Target's Designer Collaborations series. Now for the bad news: her inspiration for the clothing? The four main female characters from TV's Gossip Girl. (no joke). Anna's line will debut on Sept. 13th, and will be available through Oct. 17th in about 250 select Target stores across the U.S.

Wednesday’s Rave: this cool color-coded calendar

Want a cool addition to your office to make it easy to stay on top of work deadlines, important dates, vacations, holidays and co-worker’s birthdays? Then Real Simple’s 18-month customizable wall calendar is just the ticket. It comes with colored labels in four different hues; assign each hue to a different employee, and everyone can stay aware of each others’ schedules. Available in 4 colors: pink, brown, light blue and orange. Best of all, it’s just $10.99 at Target stores or at target.com.

Tuesday's Rant: different Targets carrying different merchandise

Most Tuesdays I take the opportunity to rant about something I do not like about Target… because although I love ‘em to death, they ain’t perfect. Today's rant is about different Target stores carrying different merchandise. Sometimes this shows up in small ways, like one Target offering 6 colors of a Mossimo tank top whereas another store only has 2. And sometimes it's apparant when only select Targets offer Garden Center supplies, or certain Targets have a greater food and beverage selection than others. But what I don't get is when some Target stores flat out don't carry advertised designer lines. I first noticed this with Orla Kiely's houseware collection; only a couple of the Target stores in my area carried the line at all. Now with the current Loomstate for Target clothing collection, only one Target store I know of is carrying the women's line. None of the 3 stores I've been to is carrying the men's line (shown at left). Likewise, only the Target near my work is carrying the Ashley Paige swimwear line, and the spotty selection they have left has already been put on clearance!

I just don't get it; is Target simply ordering less merchandise so there's less to spread around in stores? Or are they trying to encourage us to shop the designer collections online from their website instead? Whatever the intent is, this trend by Target is annoying.

Target “popping up” in Chicago

Target is coming to the Magnificent Mile... but for only three days. The cheap-n-chic retailer plans to open a "pop-up" store later this week at 455 N. Michigan Ave., marking its debut on Chicago's famous shopping boulevard.

The temporary shop - called the Bullseye Bazaar - will operate May 7-9 in the space formerly occupied by the McCormick Freedom Museum adjacent to the Tribune Tower. Target will take over the first floor of the shuttered museum, showcasing a cross section of merchandise found in Target stores as well as offering a sneak peek at the Tracy Feith clothing collection before it hits stores. Shoppers also will get a look at furniture lines typically available only at Target.com as well as the Archer Farms private-label food line.

Now personally, I’m VERY bummed because I’m missing this event by just a matter of days. I need to travel to Chicago soon on business, but it’s the week after the Bullseye Bazaar. If there’s any readers from Chicago out there who decide to attend this, please write in and give us a report on how it was!

Pick of the Week

It's Pick of the Week time: each week I pick one great buy from Target's Weekly ad (in the Sunday newspaper) and highlight it here on my blog. This week's pick is also a public service announcement... because I don't want anyone to forget that Mother's Day is less than a week away (on Sunday, May 10th). Now Target has lots of great Mother's Day gifts on sale, but they also have a wide selection of Mother's Day cards starting at just 99-cents each. So while it's early in the week, and there's still enough time, why don't you pick one up for her and pop in in the mail? Unless, of course, you're actually spending Mother's Day with mom... and in that case, you can give her the card yourself ;-)

Review: the Target REDcard Visa

A reader asked me earlier this week whether I liked my Target REDcard and would recommend it. I do like it, and have never had a problem with it, so I guess I'd recommend it with the following caveats…

First off, to be clear: I have a Target Visa REDcard, which can be used anywhere Visa is accepted. Target also offers a standard REDcard which can only be used at Target stores and at Target.com. Frankly, I don’t see the point of this card, because it seems like you can get all the same perks from the Target Visa (without the restrictions of only being able to use it at Target).

As for the perks: the Target Visa credit card allows you to earn one point for every dollar spent at Target stores. You earn one point for every two dollars you spend on other purchases. Once you have accumulated 1,000 points, you’re given a certificate that entitles you to a 10% savings for a day's shopping at Target. You can only receive one certificate in a month, and unused points are rolled over. You can also enroll in Target's Pharmacy rewards program. Under this program, you earn a 10% savings certificate for a day's shopping at Target after you use your Target Visa credit card for the first pharmacy purchase. After that, every tenth purchase at Target Pharmacy will earn you a 10% savings certificate.

Also, for every dollar that you spend at Target, 1% will be donated to your designed K-12 school. For every dollar that you spend on non-target purchases, 0.50% will be donated instead. Target has donated over $246 million to this program since 1997, which is pretty cool.

Regarding fees and rates: the Target Red Card Visa has no annual fee. There are four APR rates, and the APR you get will depend on the issuers' assessment of your credit profile. The Target Visa uses the average daily balance method (including new purchases) of calculating balances and has a 25 day grace period if your previous is paid in full. You can read more specifics in the fine print on Target's web site.

So to sum it all up: the Target Red Card Visa appeals to the frequent Target shopper – like me – which is why I use it. But frankly, those of you who aren’t Target-Addicts like myself should consider other cards that either give cash back or offer other rewards. To be honest, with the recent credit crisis I can’t keep track of which company offers what, so I’d encourage you to do some research if you’re in the market for a new credit card.

DIY Project: custom Diaper Pouch

Sometimes it’s more frugal to combine store-bought products with some sewing finesse to create your own one-of-kind designs. Yes, you could buy a pre-made Diaper Pouch - also known as a Diaper Envelope - like this one from Target (shown). Or you could opt to make your own custom (and inexpensive) Diaper Pouch out of pre-made placemats instead. First, buy two cloth placemats in a color & pattern that best suits your tastes. Then, visit the JunkMailGems blog for complete DIY instructions (including diagrams) on how to make your very own Diaper Pouch.

PS: JunkMailGems found her placemats at Target on clearance for just $1.98 each!