Shopping: Start fans young with St. Louis Cardinals picture books
How many days until spring season begins for the St. Louis Cardinals? The team opens the Grapefruit League with a game against the Miami Marlins in Jupiter, Fla., on March 3. I bring that up because you can never start too young training future baseball fans. Ben’s in downtown Belleville has a sweet collection of Cards’ merchandise, from banners and light-switch plates to children’s picture books. “How Fredbird Became a Redbird” is $14.95. Two smaller books, “Cardinals 101” (a primer on the game and Cards’ history) and “Cardinals ABC” are each $11.95.
HGTV stars visit KC show
For anyone who is a fan of HGTV’s “Fixer Upper” and its stars Chip and Joanna Gaines, they are returning to the Greater Kansas City Home Show in March for the second year. The wildly popular house-redo couple from Waco, Texas, will appear March 19 and 20 at the Kansas City Convention Center’s Bartle Hall. Plan your trip now because that’s as close to St. Louis as the couple will get to talk about their show in person.
The Kansas City Star also noted that the couple launched a furniture line called Magnolia Home in January and they’re working on a book that will come out in October. See their website magnoliamarket.com for shopping, blog posts and series updates.
The Greater Kansas City Home Show is presented by the Home Builders Association of Greater Kansas City. Ticket info isn’t available yet; check kchba.org for updates.
Get your jars
Marshall’s in Fairview Heights has a nice selection of glass jars just right for spices, specialty salts, vinegars, buttons, paper clips — whatever is small and needs to be contained in one place. The sets of four jars ($3.99 to $4.99 a set) have colored lids and come in five sizes and/or shapes.
‘Frozen’ tents are hot
At neighboring Ross for Less in Fairview Heights, indoor winter play just got to be more fun with pop-up Disney’s “Frozen” play tents. It takes seconds to set up the soft-sided Camp N Play ($8.99, elsewhere $19.99) or the Hide N Play ($12.99, elsewhere $24.99). Both have images of the sister princesses on the them. They offer a place for kids to hang out and play, and let parents easily close them and put them away.
A deal on kids clothes
On a more practical note about children, Sears has half off all its Carter’s clothing for newborns, infants and toddlers. The sale runs through Saturday.
Lipstick on a stool
It was hard to miss the lipstick-red molded bar stools at TJ Maxx in Fairview Heights. You’ll find the two red ones and two white ones, each just $34.99 and with adjustable heights. An unusual Valentine’s Day gift?
Heat is on at Kmart
Kmart in West Belleville has a sale on the Craftsman workshop electric heater, $39.99. It has an adjustable thermostat, can be tilted and has a padded carrying handle. It’s compact, too. Price is good through Saturday.
You need this mug
If you’re klutzy like I am, it’s dangerous to keep a cup of anything liquid on my desk. A spill on a keyboard would have our IT people howling! Might I suggest the Mighty Mug? It looks like a regular travel mug, but has a unique super-grip bottom that sticks to whatever you set it down on. You can jostle it and it won’t turn over. But pick it straight up and take a drink. I haven’t been able to find it for sale in the metro-east, so go to themightymug.com to buy in several sizes, shapes and colors ($14.99 to $24.99) and get a 20 percent discount for sharing your email address with the company. Plus, you’ll see a video on the BPA-free mug’s remarkable ability to not turn over. Pretty amazing.
This story was originally published January 28, 2016 at 4:28 AM with the headline "Shopping: Start fans young with St. Louis Cardinals picture books."