Fab Finds – Where to get Lookalike Altuzarra Shoes
As a mom, you find that your shopping sprees revolve around your children, especially if you have a little princess (‘cuz who can resist tiny baby girl fashions?) What used to be my shoe budget has gone towards toddler outfits and accessories too cute to pass up! So when mommy (finally) does get to go shoe shopping, getting the look for less is top of mind. So here are some examples of how you can update your shoe wardrobe on a budget. I’m going to focus my attention on Altuzarra shoes since that brand is my current obsession
You may have noticed that revised gladiators are all the rage these days. By that I mean, instead of just seeing the up-the-calf, wind-up lace shoes, you’re seeing shorter revised versions where they lace up the front of the foot and/or just up the ankle. I love this style for its edginess and wearability. These are far more versatile than the traditional gladiators. While I do love the designer high-end ones on the left by Atuazarra, the Forever Link shoes ‘black Ryann Ankle Strap flats are the same look at Zulily for a fraction of the price.
I have a weakness for heels. My heart skipped a beat when I saw these stunning fringe Altuzarra sandals at Saks. Aren’t these just so FUN? I’d build an entire outfit based around these shoes. But who am I kidding? I’m not about to fork over nearly $800 for a pair of red heels.
With a little bit of searching, I was able to find these Steve Madden lookalikes on one of my favorite online destinations, Asos.com!
Another festive Altuzarra shoe that caught my eye were these pom pom sandals. The pom pom trend is HUGE. It’s everywhere from hats to purses, to keychains and shoes. I just couldn’t believe how similar this pair on Ebay was!
Of course, if you wanted to get crafty, I imagine that this wouldn’t be too hard to DIY with a glue gun too…
So there you have it! Fashionista fab finds! What will you do with all your saved money?
After having taken her Easter photos last year and having been challenged by my husband with the question of what I’m going to do with these print outs, I came up with the idea of putting them to use by displaying them at a future bunny themed birthday party! With that in mind, I immediately went shopping the day after Easter to snag all the party decor at 80-90%off. (I have to work within a budget, ya know)! From there, I scoured the web to find the perfect crafty, DIY, and fashion details buying everything at wholesale prices, and scoring amazing finds from the Target dollar bins. After having waited months to see it all come together, you can imagine my excitement finally getting to set it all up!
2. Post Easter or bunny themed photos of the guest of honor. We all like to marvel how much kids have grown during a birthday party so why not post pictures within the party’s theme? Last year for Juliet’s 
3. Bunny cut outs. There are so many ways to incorporate a decorative bunny as part of the party’s decor. I used enlarged bunny felts, bunny shaped-sandwiches, and bunny footprints leading up to the party’s entrance. For more ideas, check out my 
4. Offer bunny – themed entertainment for the kids. There was a coloring and sticker station, bunny book reading area, bunny game, a bunny and easter egg decorating area, bunny stuffed animals to play with and an Easter bunny to take pictures with at our party for instance. All were toddler-friendly activities that parents could help out with or not! (Note how easily a borrowed Bugs Bunny costume can easily be converted into an Easter bunny with a simple felt add-on)?
5. Encourage Easter animal adoption! A fun way for me to greet each guest at the door was to welcome them with the opportunity to adopt a pet of their choice. Cabbage Patch Kid Style, they were given a certificate of adoption after getting to name their new pet.
6. Host an Easter egg hunt! Juliet helped me fill a whopping 200 Easter eggs. (Child labor laws don’t apply in my home)! And the kids really seemed to have fun with this. I loved it as a parent because the public Easter egg hunts in NYC are always overcrowded which means long lines, toddlers getting trampled, and the big kids getting to the eggs before the little ones have a fair chance at finding them. Our private rooftop park gave them the exclusive opportunity to enjoy a leisurely hunt (ehem during a light drizzly snow day the day before Spring)!
The Easter eggs were filled with everything from egg-shaped chocolates to toys to coins and googly-eyed bunny stickers!
I think I smiled ear to ear the whole time being surrounded by all these cuties!
I liken planning this party to giving birth. It took 10 months of research, planning, buying, and preparing, and then intense laboring culminating in estatic celebration with post-op type recovery and bed rest in the end. Phew! I don’t think I’ve ever worked so hard on any one event, simply because I’m a one-mom production company. But come load-in and setup, I did have a little help from friends! Thanks Roniescia, Janell, Stacie and even John and Juliet! Read on about my tips for 
