The Look for Less: West Elm vs. Project62

I love the look of an upholstered bench in an entryway or at the foot of a bed. Here are two great examples... you could opt for the one shown on top by West Elm, which will set you back $499 in the fabric shown. Or you could save a lot of dough by choosing the option on the bottom by Project62 (at Target) which is just $149.99.

Target.com: 15% off sitewide, today only

It's here, readers! For today only, almost everything on Target.com is 15% off. While a few exclusions do apply (details here) this sale does extend to Target's popular home collab Hearth & Hand with Magnolia. 

Tamra Judge goes Black Friday shopping at empty Target...

I meant to post this the other day... Tamra Judge had an unusual time shopping on Friday morning, when she found herself at a very empty Target.

According to People Magazine, the 50-year-old Real Housewives of Orange County star was anticipating to battle the Black Friday crowds as she hit the chain store for some early morning doorbusters — the first time she’s ever participated in the annual shopping craze.

Instead, Judge’s Target store in Rancho Santa Margarita, California, was vacant. “Hmmm not what I expected,” Judge wrote in the caption of an Instagram video showing the empty aisels. “First time ever Black Friday shopping. I was so excited to fight the crowds!”

“I got up for this, the crowds!” she said sarcastically in the video. “Target? Not too many crowds.”

Today Only: $25 off your $75 Purchase in Target's Wondershop

If you've been putting off buying your holiday lights or ornaments, you might want to head over to Target today to save some dough. Today only (Sunday, Nov. 26) you can save $25 when you spend $75 on select Wondershop items including lights, trees, ornaments, stockings, gift wrap, ribbons and more. This offer is good both in stores and online.

Target's Cyber Week Deals

Did you shop at Tar-shay last evening or this morning? I did not; I stayed cozy inside and shopped online, where Target has a ton of doorbuster deals for Black Friday. And they're going to continue the online sales into next week with their "Cyber Week Deals". As shown on this chart, Target will run different deals each day. I personally plan to shop the beauty & cosmetics sale on Wednesday, as well as the Thursday boot sale.

What about you, readers? What deals (if any) are you finding at The Bullseye this season?

Happy Thanksgiving to All!

Happy Thanksgiving, dear readers! My mantra this holiday is "be kind", as reflected in sweet little lumbar pillow from Project62 at Target - regularly $16.99 but on sale now for just $11.89.

And as a reminder: Target opens on Thanksgiving Day at 6 p.m. through midnight, and then re-opens on Black Friday at 6 a.m.

Fab Find: Faux Snowballs

This find made me smile! In the Dollar Aisle at Target, I found these faux snowballs, perfect for an indoor snowball fight with the kids. Just $3 for a set of 10 fluffy orbs.

The Look for Less: Crate & Barrel vs. Hearth & Hand

Kudos to reader Cotton Candy for this lookalike find! I guess "tree collars" are the new thing to adorn your Christmas tree vs. the traditional tree skirt. Now you could shell out almost $70 for the galvanized zinc one from Crate & Barrel (shown here on top). Or, you could save some dough and get the Hearth & Hand's version (at Target, shown on bottom) for just $34.99.

Fab Find: Bottle Brush Tress

For the last couple of years, these bottle brush trees have been trending everywhere at Christmastime - from Neiman-Marcus to Cost Plus to Etsy. Now Target's Dollar Aisle has their own version in several different sizes. As shown here, you can get two 6" trees for $1, or four 3" trees or six tiny 1-2" trees for $1. They also have larger (I'm guessing 8"?) trees in pretty pastel pink tones for just $1 each.

The Look for Less: Magnolia Market vs. Hearth & Hand

Earlier this week I posted my review of Target's new Hearth & Hand with Magnolia collection, commenting that several items are quite similar to products on the Magnolia Market website. Case in point: on the left is Magnolia Market's Brass Bell ornament for $8. And on the right is Hearth & Hand's version (at Target) which is both cheaper (at just $4.99) but also cuter IMO with the year monogram.

Target's Big Weekend Sale...

Starting this weekend - Nov. 11 and 12 - Target is kicking off a series of Weekend Deals that’ll have you saving big on everything you need for the holidays, both in stores and on Target.com. These weekend deals will continue throughout November and December.

First up - in preparation for Thanksgiving - Target is serving up delicious deals that’ll make cooking and entertaining a breeze. It's their biggest sale of the year on kitchen appliances and essentials: Saturday and Sunday, Nov. 11-12, take 25% off all kitchen appliances, including brands like KitchenAid and Cuisinart and 15% off Thanksgiving prep essentials from disposable tableware to dish soap, paper towels, tin foil, and more. If you're shopping in stores, you'll need a coupon for the kitchen appliances offer, which can be found in the Target app or by texting KITCHEN to TARGET (827438). The Thanksgiving essentials discount will be applied automatically.

New at Target: Wit & Delight's Holiday Pet Line

Kate Arends, the blogger, tastemaker and designer behind Wit & Delight, has already created everything from barware to entertaining fare for Target. Now she's put her focus on a new holiday pet line that's paws-itively adorable. This too-cute collection of pet beds, bowls, PJs, bandanas and more is available exclusively at Target, just in time for the holidays. Decked out in this festive gear, your pet’s sure to steal the spotlight of any family photo, holiday party or any old wintery day.

Wit & Delight Pets, starting at just $4.99, is available in stores and here on Target.com.

Tuesday's Rant: Target's Shrinking Jewelry & Accessories Department

On Tuesdays I sometimes 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 I want to rant about Target's Jewelry and Accessories Department, or lack thereof.

The first thing that happened a while ago was the elimination of the glass cases where the 'better jewelry' was kept behind the counter. Then the department started looking much like what you see here, with a dedicated space near the front of the store showcasing a variety of jewelry, watches, and sunglasses, seguewaying into the scarves and handbags nearby.

But now, this entire area has been transformed into what I call the "overflow cheap clothing section". When Summer was in full swing, I thought it was just a way to showcase seasonal clothing like maxi dresses and beach coverups. But now it's morphed into a hodgepodge of Junior-sized clothing with no cohesive theme. Meanwhile, the jewelry has been pushed over near the shoe department and has dwindled in size so much that now it looks like an afterthought. Likewise, the scarves/bags have less of a defined space, and are now more scattered within the women's clothing section. This follows Target's new merchandising strategy to employ "elevated, cross-merchandise product presentations" in order to "amplify Target’s exclusive style assortment across apparel and accessories, home, jewelry and beauty, encouraging guests to browse." However, I find it to be annoying. If I'm looking for a purse, I want to go to the handbag department; I don't want to hunt and peck among multiple departments to find one I like.

Target's Black Friday Ad...

Can't wait to check out Target's Black Friday deals? Well your wait is over, as Target posted their Black Friday Ad today.

Target's Black Friday Sale sale will include special offers on TVs, tablets, the Apple Watch Series 1, and Fitbit fitness trackers. For a rundown of the best electronic deals, check out this post from Consumer Reports. Target will also offer Black Friday shoppers who spend at least $50 in store or online a coupon for 20 percent off a follow-up trip to Target between Nov. 28 and Dec. 10.

This year, Target stores will open at 6 p.m. Thanksgiving night, close at midnight, then reopen at 6 a.m. on Black Friday. Target REDcard holders get access to the retailer’s deals on Nov. 22, while everyone else has to wait until Thanksgiving. The Black Friday deals are good through Nov. 25 in stores and on Target’s website.

My Review: Hearth and Hand With Magnolia

Unfortunately, I was battling a stomach bug (ugh!) over the weekend, so I didn't get to Target yesterday until mid-day. By that time, the frenzy over the new Hearth and Hand With Magnolia collection was in full swing. There were more than a dozen women buzzing around the huge-house display and grabbing things up left and right.

But this collab was different... first, the display itself - and the thoughtful way the goods were arranged - was much more like a high-end department store than a big-box retailer. While browsing, I felt like I was looking at merchandise at Williams-Sonoma or Crate & Barrel vs. Tar-jay. And the goods themselves seem well-made and well-designed. In fact, after going back last night and perusing the Home section of the Magnolia Market website, I found many similar items to the ones in the Target collab. In fact, I'll be doing a "Look for Less" post on that topic later this week.

The other difference with this collab - at least on launch day - was that there were dedicated Target employees around to help customers and ask if they needed anything. If an item they wanted wasn't out on the floor, the employees would look for them in the back or try to get them from another store. And if an item was depleted on the shelf - as the Christmas wreaths were - they were on hand with additional stock to replenish the supply.

Despite really liking this collection, I didn't buy anything. Don't get me wrong: there was a LOT to like, and if I had loads of $, I'd probably go crazy and buy a ton of the holiday decor and coordinating dishes. I may go back to the website and order a few things, although some choice items - like this glass and brass candle holder - is already sold out online and selling out fast in stores.  Overall I think this line is going to do very well, and I'm glad that Hearth & Hand is a long term partnership with Target and not just a one-time holiday thing.

The Look for Less: Sorel vs. Merona

Boot season is in full swing, but that doesn't mean you have to spend an arm and a leg to be fashionable. Case in point: you could buy the lace-up gray wedge booties by Sorel on the left for $250. Or you could get a super-similar look by Merona (at Target, shown on the right) for just $37.99.

Have you peeked behind the curtain yet?

A friend of mine texted me this pic earlier this week after seeing a Hearth and Hand display go up at her local Target store. She peeked behind the curtain at the goods to get this shot, but presumably the "big reveal" won't happen until launch day on Nov. 5th.

According to A Bullseye View, about 500 select stores will feature "a 12-foot-tall house structure decked out with the collection and designed to recreate that feeling of joy when family and friends gather in a home." At other Target stores, "guests will find the products in an elevated display with table settings and other product vignettes," which seems to be the case shown here. And at 100 special stores, Target has an extra surprise planned on launch day: a floral cart with stunning silk florals free of charge to guests, good while supplies last.

So how about it, readers? Have you seen a Hearth and Hand display go up at your store, and if so, have you peeked inside?

Target's looming clearance racks...

Back in August, I posted details from Target about their new brand A New Day, including the fact that the line would feature fresh pieces every month instead of quarterly, following the 'fast fashion' trend of competitors like J Crew and Zara. The problem is, I don't think the stuff is selling. Here's a shot from one of my local stores, in which I tried to capture all five clearance racks in the women's department. And there's actually a sixth clearance rack off to the side that's not pictured here. 

A good portion of the stuff on clearance was from A New Day, and I saw a lot of Who What Wear, too. WWW follows the same model as AND - by introducing new styles monthly - so if the stuff doesn't sell quickly, it needs to go on sale to make room for the new stuff constantly coming in. And from what I can tell, people just aren't buying it. I know I'm not shopping the women's department as often as I used to; the last thing I bought was this little black dress, and prior to that, I got a Merona sweater way back at the end of July. Between AND's cheap fabrics, WWW's crazy styles, and the abundance of velvet, I just haven't found anything at Target I like. How about you, readers? Are you liking Target's new looks, or are you passing on them like I am?