Reader Giveaway: Sonia Kashuk Makeup Bag

Hello readers! It's time here for another reader giveaway as a little expression of thanks to all of you who read my blog. If you're a fan of Sonia Kashuk - as I am - you know that every year around this time she puts out a collection to benefit the Breast Cancer Research Foundation. As a breast cancer survivor, Sonia is commited to donating 15% of the purchase price of each of the items in her "Pink Collection" to support BCRF’s mission to prevent and find a cure in our lifetime. You can view her latest "Shop Pink, Do More" collection on Target.com.

This giveaway is for the small cosmetics pouch (shown) in a punchy pink floral print. It's brand new, without tags; I bought it last year along with several other of her "pink" items, but never got around to using it. To win, all you have to do is leave a comment here along with your email address by Saturday, Sept. 4th. This giveaway is limited to U.S. residents only, and the winner (picked at random) will be announced on Sunday, Sept. 5th.

No more "Pick of the Week"...

Regular readers of this blog know that almost every Sunday, my post consists of my "Pick of the Week" - one great buy from Target's Weekly Ad in the Sunday newspaper. Well, as of today I'm suspending this weekly feature, for a couple of reasons....

1) I'd like to take Sundays off ;-)

2) Target has made it impossible for me to continue a "Pick of the Week" because of the increased difficulty in accessing their online Weekly Ad. We don't get a local Sunday paper anymore, which means I have to look at the Weekly Ad on Target's web site. That's been hard enough, since half the time Target's site lags and doesn't even have the new ad up by Sunday morning. And now, Target is pushing a new thing called "My Target Weekly", which makes me think that the old format of their Weekly Ad is gone for good. My Target Weekly is positioned as "the deals you want, the way you want them". Supposedly, this customization will "help you get only the deals you care about", and you can "get notified by text or email" when your "favorite items are on sale." However, for me part of the appeal of the Weekly Ad was to browse through all the offerings Target had on sale that week.

3) On top of all that, the "My Target Weekly" feature is currently broken on Target's web site. I cannot access it from either their web site nor from my email, where I got a notification with a link to the new feature. I keep getting Error Reference #97.e67a81d8.1283092539.1fd64a2.

I'm hoping that Target will still print their Weekly Ad, so that I can at least browse at it in the store. They always post one near the store entrance, and also I believe if you ask at the Customer Service Desk they will give you a printed copy (if they have extras available).

UPDATE: It looks like Target has finally fixed the errors on their web page. I'm still not interested in a customized "My Weekly Ad", but it looks like they do still have a "Page View Version" of the full ad for those of us (like me!) who prefer to see all the pages.

Early Review: Temple St. Clair for Target

Today while browsing my local Target store I noticed they had put out a few - maybe 5-6 pieces - of the new Temple St. Clair for Target jewelry collection. The line isn't officially slated to hit stores and Target.com until tomorrow, but at my store they had just started to load the jewelry case with the goods. And I can tell you that I was drooling over each and every piece I saw, especially the ring shown here. The pieces look even better in person, and the quality and shine of the gems is fantasic. I'll definitely be heading back tomorrow to do some shopping!

Target Launches Electronics Trade-in Program

Target is joining many other electronics retailers in offering a way to trade in old electronics for store credit. The Target Electronics Trade-In will allow consumers to trade in old electronics devices and receive credit towards any Target purchase. Guests can bring their new or used iPhones, iPods, cell phones and video games into stores that feature Target Mobile Centers and receive credit good for any purchase at Target. Guests can receive amounts from a few dollars up to more than $200 per item depending on the product and its condition. The in-store program launched in Northern California on August 24, will rollout to additional stores in September, and then be available in approximately 850 stores nationwide by the end of the year.

In addition to the new in-store Target Electronics Trade-In program, guests can also trade in used electronics and DVDs at Target.com in exchange for a Target GiftCard. Target.com has partnered with NextWorth for the online gadget recyling program. You can find all the details at target.nextworth.com.

More Starbucks to open in Target stores

MSN.money is reporting that Starbucks has seized upon a new expansion idea -- one that removes any real-estate risk. Forget the responsibility from a stand-alone location. Why not just plant more mini-cafes in Target stores?

The coffee chain plans to open more "licensed stores" than company-owned stores next year, The Wall Street Journal reports. These licensed cafes are important to the company because they serve a dual purpose. In addition to selling coffee, the cafes point shoppers to the growing number of Starbucks-branded products on store aisles.

Encouraged by the success of its Via instant coffee (which I blogged about back in October) Starbucks wants to ramp up the number of products it sells at supermarkets and other stores. Via sales have topped $100 million in the U.S., according to the Journal.

Taylor Swift hearts Target

Check out this adorable picture that Taylor Swift posted on Twitter! Taylor and other A-list starts like John Legend, Keith Urban, and Enrique Iglesias added some star power to Target's annual national company meeting yesterday. It was there that Taylor schmoozed with Bullseye, the company's miniature bull terrier mascot. Decked out in Target's signature colors of red and white, Taylor gave Bullseye a kiss and Tweeted to her fans, "Performing at the Target National Meeting in Minneapolis has it's perks. :)"

Double-Take: Banana Republic vs. Merona

It’s time for another double-take, and this time we take on a key Fall trend: animal prints. They’re not for everyone, but in small doses – like a classic ballet flat – they can add instant style to an otherwise ho-hum outfit.

Now one of the leopard ballet flats shown here is by Banana Republic, and will set you back almost $100. The other is by Merona, and at just $19.99 is 1/5 the cost of the BR ones. Can you guess which is which? The answer is below in the comments section.