MarieLynn Boutique, which features upscale, handmade items for babies and children, is currently offering 15% to 20% off some of its most popular items during its Spring Clearance Sale. The quilted, monogrammable Red and Black Diaper Bag (shown above), which normally sells for $37, is on sale for just $27. Other items included in the sale include burp cloths for $3.50 and wipes cases for $5. Check out all of the beautiful, upscale handmade items on sale at MarieLynnBoutique.com.

As the mother of three children, I’m no stranger to hand and footprint kits, but until now I had never encountered anything like this product from Little Reminders. While most kits come with a big bag of powdered plaster which you must mix and shape, Little Reminders modeling compound arrives ready for use. All you have to do is roll it out a tiny bit. My oldest daughter, who just turned 10, enjoyed taking responsibility for this aspect of the project, while my three year old continues to enjoy playing with the little wooden rolling pin that came with the kit. All I had to do was press our little one’s foot into the compound.  Since it isn’t wet, there is no mess to clean up afterwards.

After making a print, you simply package the print according to directions, select frame and matting colors, provide your child’s name and age or other personalization, and ship everything back to the company.  They create a 3-D ceramic keepsake that is beautifully-framed. We chose a dark wood frame and pink matting, and the finished product looks stunning in our daughter’s nursery.

This product may cost more than others on the market, but the end result is a world apart. I would highly recommend it based both on its ease of use and its high-quality look. You can purchase a single print kit for $59, or add additional hand or footprints for a slightly higher price. You can see all of the options and purchase a kit at baby-handprints.com. This would also make a wonderful gift for grandparents.

I definitely enjoy decking my children out in the latest in upscale baby clothes (that’s our newest addition in the photo, wearing a Baby Lulu favorite).  I am glad to say, however, that I have been able to get great deals on many of these items.  Here are a few of my favorite tips for getting good prices on upscale goods:

1)Don’t be afraid of thrift stores! I know a lot of people who refuse to shop at stores such as Goodwill.  People mistakenly believe that they are full of dirty and unusable goods.  I have found that this isn’t the case at all.  For example, where I live, Goodwill receives tons of new items from local Target stores.  Last year, when a friend of mine was pregnant with her first child, I stumbled upon a brand new, still in the box, Peg Perego stroller that retails for over $200 for $30.  I found a new Bundle Me for another friend for less than $10. I’ve also found high-end boutique clothes that are new with tags. A few of my favorite finds include a new Baby Lulu dress and a new Catimini one piece baby outfit.  Sure you have to look a bit, but that is half of the fun!

2)Shop ebay, but shop carefully.  Too many people assume that if it is on ebay, it is a good deal.  I have often found, when shopping ebay for kids clothes, that favorite brands such as Baby Lulu are selling for higher prices on ebay than they are in online stores.  Add in often inflated shipping costs, and you may find that you are actually losing money by buying on ebay.  Especially if the item is new, I recommend doing a google search before buying to make sure there aren’t better prices out there.  Also, while most ebay sellers are good and honest people, there are scammers out there.  I once paid for a rather expensive boutique dress for my daughter and never received it.  The seller dragged things out just long enough that I no longer had any recourse through ebay.  I definitely learned a lesson from that transaction! You can quickly find all of a user’s negative and neutral feedback by visiting toolhaus.org and typing in the user ID–it saves you from wading through pages and pages of feedback to find what you really need to know.

3)Search for discount/coupon codes when shopping online.  Have you ever noticed the “enter coupon code” box while checking out online and wished you had one?  It is easy to skip over, but stores put them there for a reason–in other words, they do issue such codes.  Although they aren’t always easy to find, and don’t always work, I have found it is always wise to do a quick google search with the store’s name and “coupon (or discount) code” before you finalize your purchase. Another site which offers coupons and discount codes for many online stores is RetailMeNot.com. You will sometimes be able to save a percentage off or receive free shipping, etc.

4)Make friends with Craigslist.  Craigslist.com is a great way to find great deals on items for sale in your community.  You don’t have the added trouble of waiting for an auction to end, and you don’t have to worry that you won’t receive and item you have paid for when you deal in person. I bought a gently-used Peg Perego twin stroller for $200 (retail is roughly $600) this summer, and we absolutely love it.  You often find many new items on craigslist as well.  People want to get rid of them and often sell them at substantial discounts.  As long as you know an item’s worth and have done your research, you can’t go wrong.

5)Know the best sources for your favorite brands.  I like a lot of Ralph Lauren’s line for infants, but the retail prices are a bit steep.  I have found that one of the best sources for these clothes is T.J. Maxx (or Marshalls).  I once bought an adorable plaid skirt for my oldest daughter for back to school at T.J. Maxx for $20.  The very next day I saw it at the Polo Outlet where it was selling for almost twice as much.  While you might assume that an outlet price would be the best one, in this case, it wasn’t even close.