Savvy Suburban Supermom

I've changed my name to The Savvy Supermom

2009-03-25T04:29:00.004-05:00

WE'VE MOVED!

It is after much thought that I have changed my name to The Savvy Supermom. Why you ask? Well, after a couple months now of talking to friends and acquaintances about my blog and having to repeat "Savvy Suburban Supermom" several times, I realized that although the alliteration is clever, it's just too many words! So I shortened it, and well the truth is that The Savvy Supermom isn't just found in Suburbia, she's EVERYWHERE.

I hope you'll keep up with me as I make the transition. I've already transferred all my posts to the The Savvy Supermom and from now on I will be posting there. Savvy Suburban Supermom will still stay up with it's archives but when I eventually make the transition to the domain name (www.thesavvysupermom.com) make sure you add "THE" in front of the name, you know, like The Pioneer Woman (whom I adore). For now, please go ahead and check out my new home and bookmark the new site, or if want to be emailed for updates at the new site just go ahead and click here.

Stay Savvy Y'all!

Savvy Outfit of the Day $52 - Fossil Patent Purse & Michael Kors Cool

2009-03-24T10:56:00.001-05:00

I've find that in the in-between weather pairing a bright light weight blouse with jeans or even khaki's kicks things up a notch. It's just as easy to throw on as a sweatshirt and jeans, just better looking.

This Sunday we were running terribly late for church so I threw on jeans instead of looking for a skirt or a pair of slacks. It's not that our church is formal, tons of people wear jeans, but I don't always get a chance to be out and about so many people during the week so I sometimes like kicking up a notch on Sunday because...well...because I can!

The Breakdown.
DKNY jeans (FREE Plato's Closet exchange/ARP $50), Michael Kors suede & bronze leather belt ($2 thrift store/ARP $50), Apt. 9 shirt ($5 thrift store/ARP $40), gold Nine West leather kitten heels ($5 Kohl's/ARP $60), Fossil patent leather purse ($40 eBay/ARP $180).

Grand Total: $52
Approximate Retail Price: $380
Savvy Savings: $328

Anyway, I ran out of the house in this and my husband commented several times that day that he liked this outfit on me so I took note, and when I went on my buying spree on Sunday afternoon I bought two shirts along the same vein. All the shirts are machine washable and because they are either crinkly or a poly-blend I don't have to iron them! Woo-hoo!

Stay Savvy Y'all!

Savvy Outfit of the Day - $60 Lucky Brand & Browns

2009-03-23T11:37:00.000-05:00

What a weekend! I think we spent the whole of it outside in front of our house. Whether it was tending to the lawn and garden or just sitting on the grass with several of our other neighbors just talking and watching the kids play, it was truly lovely. Of course I did get a chance to visit Goodwill for a couple hours on Sunday (seriously, I love wandering around and I always try on the clothes so it was a good two hours). Make sure you check out that post, I detail how I got about $800 worth of clothing for just $37.

This savvy little outfit was actually from Friday, but I was having way too much fun outside this weekend to come in and post (sorry Y'all!). Although it was sunny outside, it was a little chilly with the wind, not that I'm complaining, it's better than the snow up north.

The Breakdown.
Sunny Leigh cotton jacket ($12 Macy's/ARP $70 ), Maurice skirt ($4 thrift store new with tags/ARP $24), Franco Sarto suede boots (birthday gift/ARP $150), Lucky Brand red suede & patent purse ($44 Belk's/ARP $190).

Grand Total: $60
Approximate Retail Price: $434
Savvy Savings: $374

Savvy Shopping - $37 buys $785 worth of clothing!

2009-03-23T09:29:00.015-05:00

This weekend I took a break and ran out to the local thrift store for a couple hours. I say "a couple hours" because I was there for about 2 hours. I like perusing all the sections, chatting with the employees, and I always try on clothes. I would venture to say I tried on at least 30 pieces of clothing, of which I ended up with 10 items (technically 11 since 1 of the pieces was a twin set).

Besides 1/2 off several of the items because they were one of the colors of the day, a fellow customer offered me the use of her discount card which gave me an additional 20% off my entire purchase bringing my total to $36.57. Mathematically speaking that means each piece averaged about $3.30.

The Breakdown.
Gap sweater set - $3/ARP $60
Tracy Reese dress - $8/ARP $250
Ann Taylor black & white striped shirt $2.15/ARP $60
Apt. 9 stripped shirt - $4.29/ARP $40
Levi's long denim skirt (new with tags still on it) - $4/ARP $40
Diesel plum colored jacket - $4/ARP $200
SLB turquoise green blue shirt - $4.29/ARP $30
Lena Gabriel New York long black skirt - $4/ARP $75
Totes leopard umbrella (new with tags) - $2/ARP $10
Blue satin Chinese shirt - $4.29/ARP $20

Grand Total: $37
Approximate Retail Price: $785
Savvy Savings: $748

What I love is that the cardigan from the twin set matches two of the shirts I bought perfectly, as well as the dress, which is why I bought it. I am NOT the kind of woman that wears strapless dress. As a D-cup girl, I just don't feel comfortable doing that, however, with a cardigan and in this color, it just looked beautiful when I tried it on. In other words, I would have missed a great outfit if I had just passed up the dress just because it was strapless. Besides, when I looked up Tracy Reese, her dresses run from $200-$400. You can get them on eBay for $100 and up, but for the most part, a comparable dress today would cost about $300. EEK!

The Diesel jacket is just cool. I would have never paid $200 for a plum colored jacket but for $4 I found something that is a little trendy and different from what everyone else is wearing. Like the Diesel jacket, the long denim Levi's skirt and even the bright colored shirts are not necessarily "classics", but at prices like these just wearing them a handful of times more than pays for it, after which time I can either a) go to Plato's Closet for an exchange when it's more fashion forward b) sell it on eBay (like the Tracy Reese dress or Diesel jacket) or c) donate it and get a tax write-off. In each case I end up either making money or breaking even.

I can't wait to wear the bright blue Chinese satin shirt with a black pencil skirt for a party or even a date night. It's definitely not a "practical" piece, but it's a fun one for sure. The little Totes umbrella was on my "be on the lookout list" because I wanted a new one to put in the car glove compartment for those sudden Spring showers since the kids broke all the other ones because I wasn't willing to pay $10 for one.

All-in-all it was a very successful shopping day. I figure with the clothes I bought I can make at least 20 new outfits with what I already have in my closet, which means I'll be going through my closet today and tomorrow so I can take some to Plato's Closet and donate some to the AMVETS which has a truck coming by our neighborhood tomorrow. I'll let you know how the Plato's Closet trip goes!

Till then Stay Savvy!

Savvy Outfit of the Day - $20 Angela Adams

2009-03-19T14:45:00.003-05:00

I wore this cute Angela Adams tote yesterday. I found it at the thrift store and was drawn to the pattern and colors. Angela Adams' work is viewed as part of the urban design movement. She started with textiles, rugs, tiles, more home design items, but she dabbles in clothes and bags as well.

In my opinion she gives a bit of a modern edge to retro designs and colors. So while this outfit may not be "urban" (I mean, c'mon, there's a rosette on the sweater) I'd like to think the addition of the purse keeps this outfit from looking boring in its basic-ness. In truth the bag is more pink than true red, but I think the nuances of color work well rather than a perfect matchy-matchy look, and well, it holds a lot. Great for a mom on the go. I would have used this for a diaper bag if had been around when the Superstars were in diapers!

The Breakdown.
Kenneth Cole faux wrap sweater ($6 thrift store/ARP $150 ), white tank top ($3 For Love 21/ARP $3), DKNY jeans (FREE Plato's Closet because of trade-ins/ARP $50), Franco Sarto brown leather heels ($5 thrift store/ARP $90), Angela Adams tote ($6 thrift store/ARP $85).

Grand Total: $20
Approximate Retail Price: $378
Savvy Savings: $358

Savvy Outfit of the Day - $23 Easy, Breezy J.Crew

2009-03-18T17:10:00.009-05:00

Talk about incredible weather! It's a balmy, breezy 72 degrees outside. The Superstars spent a good portion of the day outside today. With my in-laws here I figured we could skip a day of school this week and enjoy the weather, because it still may end up snowing here before Spring hits. That's just Music City for ya'.

The Breakdown.
Merona white cotton cardigan ($5 Target/ARP $23 ), white lace tank ($4 Rave/ARP $4), Spiegel denim skirt ($4 thrift store/ARP $29), tan leather J.Crew heels ($4 thrift store/ARP $150), Angela Adams purse ($6 thrift store/ARP $85).

Grand Total: $23
Approximate Retail Price: $291
Savvy Savings: $268

Like any Supermom, sometimes the easiest thing to wear is the thing you didn't put away last time,and well, like my jeans, denim skirts don't always end up in the laundry hamper after wearing it once. After all, I may have only done a quick trip to the grocery store after a day of PJs in the house, and then really, do you HAVE to wash the entire outfit just because you wore it?

This skirt was folded nicely at the end of my bed on our bench (the reason why I didn't hang it up escapes me right now, but I'm sure it was, uh, a good one) I grabbed it for today even though I had just worn it Sunday. But you good folks won't hold that against me, will you?

Stay Savvy Y'all!

Savvy Outfit of the Day - $27 St. Patrick's Day Green

2009-03-17T11:53:00.007-05:00

Funny enough, after my warning about St. Patrick's day it took me a bit to find an outfit. I should have saved last week's outfit for today! However, it was a good opportunity to mix-and-match, an essential savvy skill needed to make the most of your clothing!

The Breakdown.
Liz Claiborne skirt ($4 thrift store/ARP $60 ), Rave lace tank ($4 Rave/ARP $4), Baccini denim jacket ($9 TJ Maxx/ARP $40), diba cuffed "suede" boots ($10 thrift store/ARP $150), Ripani leather purse (FREE Plato's Closet trade-in/ARP $400)

Grand Total: $27
Approximate Retail Price: $654
Savvy Savings: $627

St. Patrick's Day Fun Facts - Who is Maewyn Succat?

2009-03-17T00:54:00.000-05:00

Because we homeschool we studied up a little on St. Patrick to find out what we were celebrating. Thanks to Wikipedia and the world wide web here are a few little facts we dug up that you can use to WOW your friends.

1. Maewyn Succat is the "real" name of the Saint we call Patrick today. He took the name Patricius (latin for well-born) upon becoming a Priest. He died on March 17, 460 AD.

2. Patrick wasn't actually Irish. He was born in Scotland. In his youth he was taken to Ireland by raiders and it is said he prayed every day during his captivity. He escaped back to Scotland only to hear the voice of the Irish say "Come back and walk among us" in his dreams which he did.

3. Blue, not green, was the original favored color of Ireland; the Coat of arms of Ireland, the Irish Presidential Standard, the Ancient Colours of Ireland as well as the Royal coat of arms of the United Kingdom representing Northern Ireland all prominently feature blue. The change to green most occurred around the 1750's where wearing a shamrock represented nationalism or Roman Catholic faith.

4. The actual phrase "wearing of the Green" most likely comes from a Irish street ballad dating to 1798 (anonymously penned) about the Irish Rebellion of 1798. Green was the color of the Society of the United Irishmen. Wearing a shamrock in the hat was a sign of rebellion.

5. St. Patrick used a shamrock to explain the concept of the Trinity (3 persons in 1) to the people of Ireland.

To end today's little lesson, here's an Irish Prayer in honor of St. Patrick:

May God give you...
For every storm, a rainbow,
For every tear, a smile,
For every care, a promise,
And a blessing in each trial.
For every problem life sends,
A faithful friend to share,
For every sigh, a sweet song,
And an answer for each prayer.

Here's hoping the answer is "yes".

Savvy Outfit of the Day - $40 Lucky Me - Lucky Brand

2009-03-15T22:07:00.007-05:00

Lucky me, it's getting warmer again so I'm making the transition with skirts and long-sleeve shirts. I've worn this cotton sweater before in a more winter outfit and I'm happy to say that it works as a transitional piece.

The Breakdown.
Merona argyle sweater ($6 thrift store/ARP $25), Spiegel denim skirt ($4 thrift store/ARP $29), white tank top (Rave $3/ARP $3), Lucky Brand Vintage Inspired purse ($24 thrift store/ARP $200), Cherokee leather slides ($3 thrift store/ARP $20)

Grand Total: $40
Approximate Retail Price: $277
Savvy Savings: $237

This week in Music City we are looking at hitting the 70's again so I'll be breaking out more skirts. I can't wait!

Just a reminder, this week is St. Patrick's Day so think GREEN if you have kids (or adult friends that act like kids) 'cause you know they'll use any excuse to pinch an adult and I, for one, am not about to give them one!

Savvy Outfit of the Day $38 - Ripani Purse & Diesel Boots

2009-03-13T15:21:00.001-05:00

Cold weather is here in Music City.....brrrr! I know y'all up North have it so much colder than we do here, but it was 80 degrees on Monday and by the end of the week it was in the 30's! It's suppose to warm up in the next few days so till then we're layering around here.

The Breakdown.
Old Navy cords ($4 thrift store/ARP $30), Vibe suede jacket ($13 eBay/ARP $50), blue Mossimo cotton sweater ($5 Target/ARP $17), white tank top ($3 For Love 21/ARP $3), Ripani leather purse (FREE - trade in from Plato's Closet/ARP $400), Diesel boots ($5 thrift store/ARP $200), suede cap ($8 Plato's Closet/ARP $10).

Grand Total: $38
Approximate Retail Price: $710
Savvy Savings: $672

I had never heard of Ripani handbags before finding it at Plato's Closet, but it is gorgeous. The leather is soft and supple, and I'm guessing by the size and quality that it probably retailed for more than $400. That said it was only $30 at Plato's Closet and I had a 20% off coupon which would have put it at $26, which I would have paid out of pocket had the clothes I brought in for "trade" not given me $45 in spending money that day. I put the rest of the money in the bank to save for another day of savvy spending.

Washington Post - Probable Carcinogens Found in Baby Toiletries

2009-03-13T09:37:00.010-05:00

Today in the Washington Post an article went to print talking about the trace amounts of two chemicals that are believed to cause cancer found in some baby shampoos and lotions (Johnson & Johnson and Baby Magic are two brands cited). Not one to overreact, I wonder about the media's tendency to put focus on something that is really quite minor even as I am kind of glad to see that we don't have to worry about even trace elements when using the 365 line of toiletries for our family. That said, I (and dare I say millions of moms) have used their products in the past and I'm thinking that the genetic lineage of cancer in my family will probably have more affect in my children's lives than using Johnson & Johnson's baby shampoo ever will.

Probable Carcinogens Found in Baby Toiletries

By Lyndsey Layton
Washington Post Staff Writer
Friday, March 13, 2009; Page A04

More than half the baby shampoo, lotion and other infant care products analyzed by a health advocacy group were found to contain trace amounts of two chemicals that are believed to cause cancer, the organization said yesterday.

Some of the biggest names on the market, including Johnson & Johnson Baby Shampoo and Baby Magic lotion, tested positive for 1,4-dioxane or formaldehyde, or both, the nonprofit Campaign for Safe Cosmetics reported.

The chemicals, which the Environmental Protection Agency has characterized as probable carcinogens, are not intentionally added to the products and are not listed among ingredients on labels. Instead, they appear to be byproducts of the manufacturing process. Formaldehyde is created when other chemicals in the product break down over time, while 1,4-dioxane is formed when foaming agents are combined with ethylene oxide or similar petrochemicals.

The organization tested 48 baby bath products such as bubble bath and shampoo. Of those, 32 contained trace amounts of 1,4-dioxane and 23 contained small amounts of formaldehyde. Seventeen tested positive for both chemicals.
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"Our intention is not to alarm parents, but to inform parents that products that claim to be gentle and pure are contaminated with carcinogens, which is completely unnecessary," said Stacy Malkan, a spokeswoman for the Campaign for Safe Cosmetics, which is calling for the government to more strictly regulate personal care products such as shampoo, lotion and makeup.

Companies that manufacture and sell the products tested by the group stressed that they comply with government standards.

"The FDA and other government agencies around the world consider these trace levels safe, and all our products meet or exceed the regulatory requirements in every country where they are sold," Johnson & Johnson said in a statement. "We are disappointed that the Campaign for Safe Cosmetics has inaccurately characterized the safety of our products, misrepresented the overwhelming consensus of scientists and government agencies that review the safety of ingredients, and unnecessarily alarmed parents."

The European Union has banned 1,4-dioxane as an ingredient in personal care products, but the Food and Drug Administration has not established a safe limit for the chemical in shampoo, lotion and other toiletries. It maintains that the trace amounts found in those products are not harmful.

A 1982 study by the FDA showed that 1,4-dioxane can penetrate human skin when used in lotion.

Health advocates argue, however, that federal regulators have not considered the cumulative effect of chemicals in personal care products.

"The levels we've found are relatively low, and the industry often says there's just a little bit of carcinogen in my product," Malkan said. "The problem is, we're finding a little bit of carcinogen in many products. Many of these products are used every day, so we've got repeated and frequent exposure to these low levels of chemicals. They're not the safest and purest products, and parents ought to know that."

In addition, government studies have not examined the effect of chemical exposure on the particular vulnerabilities of infants and children, whose bodies are still developing, the advocates said.

Several Democratic lawmakers said the report is evidence that the nation's chemical regulation system needs to be changed.

"The fact that we are bathing our kids in products contaminated with carcinogens shows how woefully out of date our cosmetics laws are and how urgently they need to be updated," said Rep. Jan Schakowsky (Ill.). "The science has moved forward; now the FDA needs to catch up and be given the authority to protect the health of Americans."

Sen. Dianne Feinstein (Calif.) called the findings "horrifying" and said she intends to introduce legislation that would require stronger oversight of the cosmetics industry.

The report can be found at http://www.safecosmetics.org/toxictub.

Whole Food Value Meals - A Healthy Meal for $15

2009-03-11T23:30:00.005-05:00

Truthfully, the more I cook the less inclined I am to want to go out to dinner. Like my taste in clothing, I like expensive food. Give me a choice of where to eat and it's going to be sushi or somewhere that has fresh fish or great steak. I cook pretty well so most middle of the road places just don't seem to be worth the price they are asking when I know I can make something so much better at home. It's not even worth NOT cleaning dishes, which of course leaves me in a bind. What if I don't want to cook?

We do like places like Baja Fresh or El Pollo Loco (sigh, wish we had one here in Music City) and even pizza at a local pizzeria every once in a while, but what I have found works great is Whole Foods dinners. For just $15 you get a large entree, side item and dinner salad for a family of 4. They change up the choices regularly so it's a GREAT way to have a healthy meal that just requires heating up. I even keep the containers they come in and re-use them when making dinners for friends having babies or are sick.

Last night I watched a commercial touting a bucket of chicken feeding a family of 5 for just $3 a person - while its a better deal (marginally) financially, I'll let y'all guess which is healthier. I've got nothing against a bucket meal if it's done every once in a great while, but if it's a weekly thing, why not try a Whole Food Value meal one of those weeks. It's a simple switch that your body will thank you for in the long run.

Savvy Outfit of the Day - $27 Gruffalo Green & Bronze

2009-03-11T00:58:00.008-05:00

Yesterday was a breezy 80 degrees here in Music City. The Superstars and I had a wonderful day out and about our fair city. It started with a field-trip to the Tennessee Performing Arts Center (TPAC) to watch The Gruffalo a cute play adapted from a picture book written by Julia Donaldson and illustrated by Axel Scheffler.

We walked around the Tennessee State Museum for an hour after the performance since the museum is free and in the same building beneath the theater. By then it was lunch so we headed to one of my old single-day's haunt, SATCO (San Antonio Taco Company) and ate out on the deck after which we walked around the grounds of the church where my husband and I were married. From a 3500 year old mummy to chips & queso, all in all we had a fun-filled day full of new experiences as well as a reminder of why I love homeschooling so much.

This beautiful green outfit fit the day to a T and I was thankful to squeeze it in before the cold front moves in to give us 40 degrees and rain today.

The Breakdown.
Green cotton Mossimo Sweater ($5 Target/ARP $18), white tank ($3 For Love 21/ARP $3), green leaves Liz Clairborne skirt new with tags ($4 thrift store/ARP $60), Enzo Angiolini bronze leather shoes ($5 thrift store/ARP $80), bronze leather Banana Republic hobo ($10 eBay/ARP $150).

Grand Total: $27
Approximate Retail Price: $311
Savvy Savings: $284

Once this cold front moves on you'll be seeing me in more skirts as the weather warms up. I was never really one for skirts growing up a tomboy and all, but the hot humid summers here in Music City have convinced me that skirts are very practical and cool, not to mention SO much more flattering on me than shorts and most capris.

Savvy Outfit of the Day - $67 Sunny Days & Sigrid Olsen

2009-03-09T09:05:00.018-05:00

There's a saying here in Music City that goes something like this, "Welcome to Nashville! If you don't like the weather, wait a minute." It's our way of saying that the weather here can be kind of crazy.

For example, last weekend we had several inches of snow which had all the kids out in layers of clothing on inner tubes & sleds. This weekend it was in the mid-70's. Of course the change in weather is wreaking havoc on everyone's sinuses but I can't say any of us would trade the warm weather for it.

This was a transitional outfit that helped weather the change from freezing to warm a couple days ago. It was what I wore to feel a little less "poufy" and bloated; a lovely combination of that-time-of-month and sinus-blech.

The Breakdown.
Merona cotton knit shirt ($6 thrift store/ARP $25), Sunny Leigh skirt ($4 thrift store/ARP $70), Mossimo sweater/shrug ($7 Target/ARP $35), Franco Sarto suede boots (birthday gift!/ARP $150), Sigrid Olsen purse ($50 eBay/ARP $190).

Grand Total: $67
Approximate Retail Price: $470
Savvy Savings: $403

I bought this Sigrid Olsen purse on eBay after a girlfriend of mine found one at the thrift store. Of course she got a much better deal on it than I did (I think she paid $14) but what drew me to her purse was the gorgeous leather and the fun bright satin interior that Olsen used on her line of handbags. Unfortunately Liz Claiborne discontinued the Sigrid Olsen brand and closed all the stores in mid-2008.

The good news is you can still you can find lots of her purses on eBay. As an interesting aside, Liz Claiborne also holds the Kate Spade, Lucky Brand and Juicy Couture brands.

Stay Savvy Y'all!

Food, Glorious Food: Raising Kids Who Try Anything!

2009-03-06T08:54:00.002-06:00

I realize that as a mother of a 6 and 4 year old, I'm still very new to this parenting journey. I'm beginning to think that we will only truly know what good parents we were when the kids are 30. Till then I waiver between wondering what power we really have to help the Superstars become upstanding human beings and what things really have nothing to do with our "failures" in parenting, but are battles they will fight in some form or fashion for the rest of their lives by virtue of their personality. One of the battles that I hope we help them win is the one of good healthful eating habits.

I talked with my Mom the other night about the phenomenon of kids eating habits. My kids pretty much eat whatever we eat. They love raw veggies including broccoli, bell peppers and cauliflower, all types of fruits, baked fish, clams, beef, chicken, pretty much anything we put before them. They eat Indian food, sushi (they love smoked eel), Italian, German, Korean, Thai, and will try most things at least once - the catch being, if Mom and Dad eat it too.

And it's with that I had an "AHA" moment, because if we've heard it once, we've heard it a thousand times, "It's not what you say but what you do." When I searched on line about how to fixing food for kids I see tons of lists suggesting WHAT to feed them, HOW TO disguise good foods in "fun" foods and WHAT a balanced diet looks like. What I rarely see is the kids' point of view - and I don't mean "How does your kid FEEL about what they are eating?" but "What do your kids see YOU do?"

Do you fix your kids macaroni and cheese for dinner and eat something totally different with your spouse? Do you ask them to eat their veggies because "it's good for you" then push your own vegetables to the side? Guess what? They totally notice (yeah, that's a throw back to my So. Cal. upbringing...totally, Dude!).

Kids seek the approval of their parents. Goodness, at 40 I still want to know that my Mom & Dad think I'm smart, a good parent and a self-assured woman! How much more do our children look to us to help us make sense of this crazy world we live in?

What you as a parent think about food, defined by what you fix for your meals and theirs, how you serve it (on the fly or sit down meals), and the choices you make when you eat out, are viewed by your children as "the food laws" or "that's just what we do when it comes to food in our lives."

The other day when Daddy was out of town we ate sushi. I watched Superstar #1 close her eyes and relish the taste of the sushi she ate with a sigh. What 6 year old does that? Uh, mine, because I realized that I often do the same thing when I eat something I love. She was just mimicking me. Now just because my daughter enjoys sushi does not make me a better mom by ANY stretch of the imagination, it just shows the power we have as parents to help mold our children's view of food.

And for that I have MY parents to thank. My Dad, a Japanese-American soldier, met my Mom in a disco in a small fishing village in northern Germany back in the sixties and was the first to introduce her to Habachi-grilled steak and prime rib. My Dad, in turn, ate my Oma's (grandmother's) traditional German food with gusto and asked for seconds. A few short years later my Mom & Dad moved back to my Dad's hometown, the colorful and diverse melting pot of Honolulu, Hawaii.

My Mom dove into the various ethnic cuisines with relish learning how to prepare Japanese, Chinese, Portuguese, Korean and Hawaiian dishes from the numerous family potlucks that define much of Island life. If the way to a man's heart is through his stomach, my Mom came, saw and conquered so proficiently that she earned "props" from my Dad's side of the family as well. Food has always been an adventure, a way to get to know people and cultures better, and I hope we are teaching the Superstars the same.

If you're not there and don't want to be, well, then there's not a whole lot I can say to convince you that eating healthy, even small choices to be healthier (choosing the apple dippers without the caramel versus fries with the McDonald's kid meals) and helping your kids make those decisions has a long term positive outcome on the longevity of your child's life (and yours!). Your children are less likely to deal with excessive weight or tiredness. They will be healthier, and you're less likely to deal with drama of sugar highs and crashes.

If you want to be there, but it's overwhelming, don't worry! It's not an overnight thing, but each little decision you make and talk to them about "No, Mommy/Daddy doesn't like spinach, but hey, Popeye did and it seemed to help him. Let's just try this together because it's good for us" is a step in the right direction. Because, let's face it, nothing is more endearing to a child when a parent shows that LIFE IS A JOURNEY and it's not about being right all the time, or doing the right thing all the time, but being willing to learn and grow.

The key is to find what works for YOU, your family and your shopping habits. Everyone has parameters within which they work. Maybe your child has food allergies, maybe your child hates everything but bread, maybe you don't have time to start something new because you're so overwhelmed with what you already have - just start where you are with baby steps.

In the coming weeks I hope to spend more time on savvy food savings and healthy (yummy!) eating not just for your Superstars but for you too! I'll be interviewing a sweet woman named Vui whom I met on one my trips to Whole Foods. Vui use to own a restaurant in Atlanta, Georgia and I can't wait to share some of her ideas and tips to cook and eat healthy with lots of flavor and fun.

Savvy Outfit of the Day - $21 Business Sassy

2009-03-04T22:52:00.009-06:00

Who knew that one day I would actually be excited about having to go to a meeting? I still remember the days when a meeting meant that I would be dragged away from the office to learn about the new work I would have to do while the other work was piling up on my desk waiting for me to get back!

A meeting was my opportunity to pull together a really professional (yet sassy) outfit and I loved it! It's always nice to be in a setting where your opinion is appreciated and considered with the utmost seriousness. As much as the Superstars love me, they aren't always as appreciative of my opinion on matters like, oh, the importance of a clean house and why math and reading really are important. Thankfully the meeting had nothing to do with any of that!

The Breakdown.
New York & Company argyle sweater ($6 thrift store/ARP $30), Nine West kitten heel leather boots ($8 thrift store/ARP $150), awesome Zara Basic pencil skirt ($4 thrift store/ARP $50), white tank top ($3 For Love 21/ARP $3), Coach Patent Leather Tote (FREE! A birthday gift from a dear friend).

Grand Total: $21
Approximate Retail Price: $233
Savvy Savings: $212

A search on the Zara name for the purpose of getting an approximate retail price yielded this nugget of information. It's a Spanish brand that started in 1975. According to Wikipedia: "It is claimed that Zara needs just two weeks to develop a new product and get it to stores, compared with a six-month industry average, and launches around 10,000 new designs each year. Zara has resisted the industry-wide trend towards transferring fast fashion production to low-cost countries. Perhaps its most unusual strategy was its policy of zero advertising; the company preferred to invest a percentage of revenues in opening new stores instead. Zara was described by Louis Vuitton fashion director Daniel Piette as "possibly the most innovative and devastating retailer in the world."

All I know is that I really like the skirt and it fits well.

So, yeah, I clean up pretty well, and the meeting went great. With the economy where it is, I'll take any little side project that allows me to put a little money away and get out of the house to look sassy!

Rejoice Ye' Costume Jewelry Lovers Who Have Nickel Allergies

2009-03-03T15:18:00.001-06:00

I'm not sure where along the way I discovered I had nickel allergies. I think I had my ears pierced when I was around 7-8 years old. I had gold studs put in and never had a problem. Birthdays and graduation brought more little silver or gold studs and everything was good.

When I struck out into the world on my own I soon realized that I couldn't wear costume jewelry. Well, I could, but it would be a matter of minutes before my ears started itching. If I continued I would end up with big, swollen puffy ears that would ooze all kinds of nasty stuff. Surgical steel was less irritating, but if I wore them longer than a day, the reaction was about the same. So what's a poor starving college student suppose to do???

Unfortunately I didn't really figure that out until a couple years ago.

When it comes to post earrings I wish I could say I found something incredibly easy, but I haven't. I've tried to coat the offending post with clear nail polish, which seemed only to lessen the eventual irritation but it really was a short term solution and didn't seem to be worth the hassle. Now I tend to stick with silver and gold for my posts because the truth is I can buy most basic "costume" sterling silver post earrings for less than $5 on eBay.

But when it comes to dangling earrings I have found something that works wonders. Jo-ann's carries this wonderful "Elegance" line, which comes in .925 Silver and 14K Gold. Now when I find a costume earring at a savvy price that I like I simply replace the french wire hook with a silver or gold hook and I'm good! For the most part I use the little watch-repair kit that I mentioned in an earlier post, but any small pair of pliers will work as well. It's a great fix at only $3.99 a package, and if you use Jo-ann's weekly 40% off coupon it's only $2.39 for enough hooks to fix 3-4 pairs of earrings.

Not only have I used these hooks to change costume jewelry posts out, but I've changed out vintage lever back earrings (one pair was given to me by my Tante years ago) too. I have also used them to "make" earrings out of other jewelry. For instance, an old 3 pearl necklace I bought on eBay, which just never quite looked right and was so inexpensive that it wasn't worth the hassle of sending it back to the seller was turned into a pair of earrings that I now wear quite often.

You can also buy the back posts of earrings in both silver and gold, which I have found helps mitigate the irritation if you choose to use clear nail polish on stud earrings.

As it stands now, Superstar #1 only shows signs of nickel allergies, which we discovered when she was just 6 months old. While changing her onesie one morning I noticed several little upraised red circles on her belly. My first thought (daughter of a German nurse) was ringworm, and I was a little concerned and confused on how my breast-fed, almost always at home with me, daughter could have ringworm.

It took me a few minutes before I realized that the bumps were an allergic reaction to the little silver snaps on the onesie that went up the front and middle! Needless to say I passed along all the silver snap items on to friends and really haven't noticed any reactions in Superstar #2 although given that nickel allergies run in the family on both sides, we'll probably stick to silver, gold or platinum for the girls if they ever get their ears pierced. Bummer, huh? I bet their future husband's will be thrilled to know they can only wear precious metals.

Really, when it comes to earrings I tend to stick with buying things that are either 925 silver or 14 K gold. A couple months back I bought a pair of Etienne Aigner earrings at Belk's for $6 that were elongated costume hoops, but with 14K gold posts so that I had the best of both worlds.

There are so many more jewelry options nowadays for those of us with nickel allergies, whether it's changing out the french wire or buying online at places like eBay. So remember, Shop Savvy Y'all!

There's No Place Like Home...

2009-03-02T20:30:00.002-06:00

Let me introduce you to Dorothy. Isn't she beautiful?

My friend and neighbor, Tisra, and her family have been in the adoption process for a girl from Taiwan for over 2 years now when out-of-the-blue there was Dorothy...in India. With the paperwork in the final phase and the date for picking her up being scheduled, Tisra and her family have devised a great way to raise the last of the money they need to pay for the adoption and bring her home.

If you have a minute check out their website here and for just a $10 donation, you will get a "ticket" that will be entered into a drawing for a whole slew of amazing prizes that have been donated to the Fadely's for the purpose of helping them Bring Dorothy Home Quickly. From a Wii Family pack to a professional camera and blog site set up as well as beautiful handmade items from friends at Etsy, there are wonderful prize packages to be won.

If you don't have the funds to contribute, then blog about it, put a blog button on your site and email your friends and you will be entered (up to a total of 3 entries) into their "Spread the Word" contest which features a GORGEOUS Coach leather Ergo purse and more as a prize.

Please take a moment, read their story and help them out if you can. Dorothy was just left at an orphanage, one of thousands of precious children without parents to love them. Please help Tisra and her family bring Dorothy home quickly!

Savvy Outfit of the Day - $54/$108 Presto Chango!

2009-03-01T22:06:00.017-06:00

Today's outfit of the day is a two-fer. It wasn't cold in the beginning of the day so I went out in just the pants and the sweater and felt just fine, but once the sun went down and I had to run out and to run out for a few things I had to make a change.

In my vanity I didn't want to put a dark purse against a dark jacket where the lack of contrast could end up making me look like a bigger lump so I quickly changed out the shoes and the purse and ran out.

The Breakdown #1.
Gap khakis ($5 thrift store/ARP $40), Mossimo pink polka dot sweater ($6 thrift store/ARP $25), off-white tank ($3 For Love 21/ARP $3), Coach Chelsea pebble-grained satchel ($90 eBay/ARP $360), bronze leather Anne Klein shoes ($4 thrift store/ARP $80).

Grand Total: $108
Approximate Retail Price: $508
Savvy Savings #1: $400

The Breakdown #2.
Gap khakis ($5 thrift store/ARP $40), Mossimo pink polka dot sweater ($6 thrift store/ARP $25), off-white tank ($3 For Love 21/ARP $3), Coach Wool Shoes ($20 thrift store, new/ARP $150), Gray Banana Republic Wool Coat ($14 eBay/ARP $200), Gap ivory leather purse ($6 thrift store/ARP $60).

Grand Total: $54
Approximate Retail Price: $478
Savvy Savings #2 : $424

Really, the only thing that changed between these two outfits are the accessories, but either way you look at it, savvy savings netted us about $400 in our pockets. And well, even if you would have never paid full price for any of these items, it's nice to know that you can spend $108/$54 to look $508/$478 good!

Shop Savvy Y'all!

Parenting Tip #2 - How to Dislodge a Bead up the Nose

2009-02-27T14:01:00.013-06:00

It's been a rough week here. Dearly Beloved has had a tough month with changes going on at work and recent test results saying he's got high cholesterol. Top this off with a missing wallet and let's just say it's been a little tense around here.

So imagine it's 5:30 p.m., (which is important to note since it's past normal doctor office hours) Superstar #1 runs down stairs laughing (yes, laughing) and yelling, "MOM, Sissy's got a bead stuck up her nose!"

I immediately turn off the stove and oven knowing Daddy might not get a home cooked meal tonight, and quickly walk upstairs to find Superstar #2 sitting sorrowfully on her bed. A look up her nose and no bead in sight meant a trip back downstairs for the otoscope and the subsequent realization that yes, it's up there good. Superstar #2 is sad but breathing just fine and seems to be in no imminent danger so I ask her to lie down on our bed while I make two phone calls.

The first is to Daddy, who had called about 10 minutes earlier to say he was on the way home.

"Ok, so it's not life-threatening ('cause you know that's where you gotta start to get their attention) but Superstar #2 has a bead up her nose and if we can't get this figured out we may have to visit the ER tonight."

I hear a heavy sigh at the other end of line. Translation: "Of course she does."

"I'm almost home," he said, and hung up the phone.

The second call was to my neighbor, Jen, who is a pediatric nurse. I went to voice mail so I reluctantly dialed the on-call doctor for our pediatrician's office and explained the situation.

His first words were, "There's a little trick for that..."

No sweeter six words could have been spoken to me at that moment, because "a little trick" meant we might not have to visit the ER tonight!

He continued, "If you plug the nostril on the opposite side of where the bead is stuck and then blow into her mouth, it should pop right out."

Grateful, I told him, "That sounds easy enough. If you hear from me again tonight, you'll know it didn't work, but if you don't hear from me again, I thank you in advance."

My husband walked in at that moment and I explained what the doctor said as we both walked over to Superstar #2 - who looks both worried and pathetic, but starts giggling nervously as we joke around about the impending "procedure."

I went first. Daughter of German nurse I'm always the first to jump into situations like this. Two unsuccessful attempts (lots more nervous laughter and a video cam) later, Daddy brings in the big lungs, I mean, big guns. All it takes is one blow and POP, out comes the bead. No, I will not be posting a video of the adventure.

So there you have it, a simple, non-evasive way to get a stuck bead out of a child's nose. Sure beats using a tweezer and holding their head still, and it definitely beats a visit to the ER or doctor's office.

My friend Jen, having seen my number come up on her phone called me back a short time later to make sure everything was ok. When I told her about the adventure, she said, "Yeah, we do that all the time in our offices. In fact, we had a kid in who had stuck a dime in their nose today." And so the procedure is even sanctioned and used in most pediatric offices. Who knew?

I do now, and so do you! So pass this along to your friends, it could save them a trip to the ER and maybe even a co-pay!

Savvy Outfit of the Day $14 - Via Spiga Sassy

2009-02-27T13:19:00.008-06:00

Today's outfit was thrown together just so we could go outside and play for a while. We had no errands to run after school so we didn't expect to be out in the big wide world, but playing out in the neighborhood usually means you'll be joined by at least 5 other kids and accompanying parents checking in on the action. Having not washed my hair, which sorely needed it, I donned a cap to hide the mess.

The Breakdown.
Mossimo terry cloth sweat jacket ($4 Target/ARP $22), white tank ($3 For Love 21/ARP $3), Red Camel denim skirt ($7 Belk's/ARP $30), Via Spiga "Scramble" suede wedge boots (FREE, Plato's Closet exchange - still they would have only been $12/ARP $270 ), olive suede hat (FREE Plato's Closet, new with tags, it was $8/ARP $10).

Grand Total: $13
Approximate Retail Price: $335
Savvy Savings: $322

Ok, so maybe I didn't have to wear such killer boots, but it sure elevated a denim skirt & terry cloth sweat jacket, no? Plus, I felt pretty sassy just watching the kids play and waving to the occasional car driving by!

Small Kitchen Appliances & Accessories Upgrade - Savvy Style

2009-02-26T12:09:00.045-06:00

I love Williams-Sonoma. I like wandering through the store (the Superstars love it as well since it sometimes means samples) and I love flipping through the catalog dreaming of the delicious meals I could make with their state-of-the-art equipment. It is, however, expensive!

One of the things that I've love about Savvy Shopping (and thrift stores in particular) is that it's been a great way to upgrade my small kitchen appliances and accessories in my attempts to make the perfect meal quickly and with little mess. Not that there was anything really wrong with the ones we had, but most were 10 years old (from our wedding gift registry) and some even predated our dating!

Other upgrades I wanted were luxury items that I didn't NEED to have for the average price for which they were selling. For example, I love my KitchenAide mixer and use it fairly regularly, but I still wouldn't have spend $180-$300 for one - good thing I found it at Goodwill for just $9.81! The following are more examples of finds in the last few years that have made (and one I WISH I had made). When all added up (including the $10 I MADE selling my old items on Craigslist) I spent about $46 for almost $1000 worth of kitchen supplies. SERIOUSLY!

Imperial Gray KitchenAide Proline Mixer

Paid: $10.00
Approximate Retail: $400+ (with extra bowl)
Savvy Savings: $390

I mention this amazing deal in my post How I Became A Thrift Store Maven but it bears mentioning again. I found this beautiful mixer including an extra bowl and all three standard attachments for $10. It was a little dusty, a little oily but worked perfectly. This is one of my all time favorite finds.

DeLonghi 4-slice Retro Toaster

Paid: $5
Approximate Retail: $110
Savvy Savings: $105

With 4 people in our family it's nice when the toast gets done all at the same time. I also love that this deLonghi is in the same stainless steel color that we use in the kitchen, although truthfully, we don't keep it on the counter...too many crumbs. As a bonus, I sold the old toaster oven for $10 on Craigslist.

ISI Stainless Steel Whip Creamer & Two Boxes of Cartridges

Paid: $10
Approximate Retail: $125
Savvy Savings: $115

Now I love whip cream as much as the next person...ok, maybe more. I had always heard that the ISI whip creamer was fabulous and well, all the people that use it on The Food Channel seemed to be in love with it as well. So when I found this beauty NEW and in the box with two FULL packages of N2O cartridges I was chomping at the bit to find out how much they wanted for it since it had no price tag. The woman behind the counter had no idea about it so she just said "How about $9.99." To which I practically yelled, "SOLD!"
Now, I knew they were expensive, but I didn't know HOW expensive. When I checked it out at Williams-Sonoma the Creamer itself runs $100 and each cartridge box is about $12. Believe it or not, we use this often. I add a touch of vanilla extract to the container and it makes incredible whip cream, and so much healthier than Redi-whip. I've heard you can add liquor to the cream to make an awesome addition to desserts.

Moulinex Food Processor

Paid: $8
Approximate Retail: $130
Savvy Savings: $122

I found this the same day that I found the Proline KitchenAid mixer and was giddy with delight. The food processor with blender attachment and all the extras was BRAND NEW IN THE BOX and had never been used. I've since disposed of the box, but it's a beauty! While Moulinex may not be a brand that many people here recognize, it is made by a French manufacturer but I have no idea how it ended up here in the US, maybe by way of a French-Canadian who moved to Music City to become a country music star? I've heard crazier things!

Oster Hand Held Immersion Blender

Paid: $2
Approximate Retail: $25
Savvy Savings: $23

Immersion blenders are great for pureeing soups in the pot and dechunking chunky spaghetti sauce (something I do from time to time since Beloved doesn't like it when I make the spaghetti sauce too chunky, something about the texture bothers him...hey, it's one of his only quirks so I roll with it!). No more dumping it into the food processor to smooth it and dumping it back into the pot and all the accompanying mess & frustration!

Wusthoff Wood Knife Block

Paid: $3
Approximate Retail: $40
Savvy Savings: $37

When Beloved and I got married 10 years ago we registered for a Wusthof knife block set, which at the time only came in maple and in black. About a year ago I happened upon this dark wood Wusthof block, sans knives, at Goodwill and immediately donated the other. It's a small purely aesthetic change for which I would have never paid $40.

Krups Fast Touch Coffee Mill

Paid: $3
Approximate Retail: $20
Savvy Savings: $17

They say fresh ground coffee beans yield the best coffee but it sure is messy, so I grind it at the store and keep it in an airtight container. We go through it so quickly that I don't concern myself with the atrition rate, but alas, my friend's who know about my coffee addiction had been giving me unground coffee beans as gifts. Problem solved when I found this new-in-the-box Krups coffee grinder with a price tag of $20 on top.

Starbucks Stainless Steel Vacuum Container

Paid: $6
Approximate Retail: $40
Savvy Savings: $34

Speaking about coffee...after reading The Joy of Coffee (yes there is a book by that name, and mighty informative as well!) I learned that you should NEVER leave coffee on the warmer after brewing. It grows bitter the longer it sits there. Upon this discovery I kept my eye out for a vacuum coffee canister and found this beautiful Starbucks Stainless Steel container for just $6, it still had the $39.99 price sticker on the bottom.

George Foreman Stainless Steel Grill

Paid: $5
Approximate Retail: $50
Savvy Savings: $45

I think we received a George Foreman grill from my Beloved's grandparents as a Christmas gift somewhere along the way. We LOVE the amazing grilled cheese sandwiches and "paninis" that we are able to grill on the counter top. Problem was that it was kind of small and could only grill one sandwich at a time. Imagine my delight when I found this larger size (which grills 2 sandwiches at a time) for just $5 at the thrift store. Not only does it match the other stainless, but has an adjustable digital timer and fits well under the counter. Again, I sold the old machine for $10 on Craiglist so I basically made money for trading up.

Le Creuset Yellow 9" Skillet (#23)

Paid: $4
Approximate Retail: $100
Savvy Savings: $96

Le Creuset started in 1925 and has been making the colorful enamel ware that symbolizes classic cooking. While beautiful, it is expensive AND heavy! My girlfriend has a whole set and though she loves cooking with it, once filled with water it can be difficult to handle. That said, I was delighted to find this little 9" skillet, perfectly seasoned and in good condition. I love the size which is still manageable for sauteing more than one item at a time on the stove, and well, for just $4 I was a very happy camper.

Vinotemp Wine Fridge (a.k.a. The One That Got Away)

Goodwill Price: $20
Approximate Retail Price: $175
Savvy Savings Missed: $155

Alas, there are times when some other Savvy Shopper gets to an incredible piece before I do and this is one of the few times I was green with envy. So much so I had to take a picture and show y'all. Sigh. I was sick to my stomach on missing this deal!

I think sometimes people think of thrift store shopping only when it comes to clothing, which admittedly fills over half the store, but look what I could have missed if I hadn't checked the rest of the store. So next time you go thrifting, make sure you check out the appliances & kitchenware section. You never know what you might find.

Oh, and don't be discouraged if you don't find anything like this your first time checking, these pieces have been collected over the last 3 years so it's not a sure thing, but since I never planned on upgrading on these items at retail price, they were definitely happy finds.

Coming up soon, updating your dinnerware savvy style!

Shop Savvy Y'all!

Savvy Outfit of the Day - $81 Wearing & Saving Green!

2009-02-25T07:49:00.008-06:00

I love this color green. It makes me happy on the gray dreary days we've been having here in Music City. So imagine how happy I was when I found it at Dillard's for $24 (marked down from $50)? Imagine how much happier I was when the sales associate gave me an additional 15% off because the button was falling off!

The Breakdown.
LAL green cropped jacket ($22 Dillard's/ARP $50), white tank (Rave $4/ARP $4), B. Laguna jeans ($15 Macy's/APR $50), Coach Bibi boots ($20 Plato's Closet/APR $250), Black "patent"/pu hobo Linea Rosetti ($20 TJMaxx/ARP $60).

Grand Total: $81
Approximate Retail Price: $414
Savvy Savings: $333

Just so you know, I'm still working on the Savvy Savings on each outfit but have been sidetracked working on the philosophy behind Savvy Outfits of the Day. So without further ado - here it is or you can scroll down a bit and read it. I posted it right before this one.

Shop Savvy Y'all!

The Philosphy Behind the Savvy Outfit of the Day

2009-02-24T22:10:00.003-06:00

Have you ever thought about how much it costs to look and feel good? Think of your favorite outfit; the one you can't wait to wear, the one you feel good wearing. Now think about how much each individual piece cost: the top, the bottom, the shoes and the purse and add it all up. Now think of what you normally wear on a day-to-day basis and do the same thing. Was one outfit more expensive than the other? How do you feel about yourself in the "favorite outfit" versus your day-to-day wear?

That concept is what spurred the Savvy Outfit of the Day section. I am a stay-at-home (homeschooling) mother of two girls, 4 and 6 who lives in a southern Nashville, Tennessee suburb. I don't have daily out-of-the-house obligations that mean I have to dress up, though I occasionally have a meeting for the contract public relations work as well as studio sessions for voice over work I fit in where time permits. Thanks to Savvy Shopping, how I dress on those days is not that different from what I dress in to run to the grocery store.

How much time I spend on my Savvy Outfits of the Day
I can get dressed and out the door with make-up and clothing in about 15-20 minutes (well, maybe more like 25-30 since part of that time is spent corralling the Superstars as well). I need a half-hour if a shower is involved. I choose my clothes via the Oral-B Method. In other words, during the 2 minutes it takes for my sonic toothbrush to signal it's time to stop brushing I stand in front of my closet and figure out what I'm going to wear...unless it's been one of those PJ mornings where I won't be getting out till much later and I need to brush my teeth before then. (Can you say, "Coffee breath"?) All that to say, I don't spend a lot of time planning or picking out outfits or (heaven forbid) ironing them for that matter.

Brand Name/Designer Clothing, Shoes & Handbags
I like to wear certain brand name clothes because a) they fit my body shape better, b) they are well made, c) wash and wear well and/or d) it's so inexpensive that I'm willing to try a new look or follow a particular trend to "mix it up a little" . I shy away from dry-cleaning because of the cost involved, though I do have some dry-cleaning items in my closet. I do not wear certain brands to try and impress people, because truth is that you can only impress some of the people some of the time, but you can learn to dress to be happy with yourself all the time.

Off Brands
From time to time I also wear brands that I had never heard of before and some from places like Wal-Mart. Savvy Shopping is about finding what looks good on you, no matter who made it or where it came from. I don't have a high-profile job or associate with groups of people who know the latest season of style and clothing and judge your work or worth by what you are wearing. That said, I have attended $250 plate benefits, corporate meetings and award shows in thrift store finds. In the end Savvy Shopping is not about trying to impress anyone, it's about being wise with my money without sacrificing quality and fit. It's also very green.

Gently Pre-Owned
I don't have a problem with wearing someone else's cast-offs (underwear non-withstanding). To me it's like a new car (which I have never owned) in that it's a depreciating asset. I'd rather let the "first owner" take the initial financial hit. That said, I do buy things new, just not at full cost or at least I very rarely do. For the record, I have no problem with people that buy new and retail all the time. I just happen to be one of those people given 3 black sweaters in a price-tag-free test will invariably pick the most expensive one. I do have champagne tastes on a beer budget, that's where Savvy Shopping comes in.

The Average I Spend on Clothing (per piece price)

Clothing - shirts, sweaters, pant, jeans, skirts, etc.
Generally $10 or less, up to $20 if I really like. One of my favorite sweaters is a $130 Tahari that I bought on sale for $21...with a gift card...and I hesitated. Yes, I'm that cheap.

Outerwear/Coats
Generally $30 or less. In my closet I have a Burberry Cashmere-blend coat, a Kenneth Cole long black leather jacket, a DKNY trench coat and JCrew long wool coat. Each cost less than $25.

Shoes
Generally $10 or less, up to $30 if I really like them. I do love shoes. Fat-day jeans or thin-day jeans, pregnant or recovering, shoes ALWAYS fit! I have Pradas, Ferragamos, several pairs of Coach, UGGs, Diesel, BCBG and more. They were all under $30.

Purses
The majority of my handbags were $10 or less. $50 and under for a handful of bags and I think just one that was around $100. Overall, I prefer leather bags because they last longer with minimal care - Coach, Scarlett Blake (by B. Makowsky), Kate Spade and Lucky Brand are some of my favorite finds due to the high quality of leather used in their making, which means they generally retail for anywhere between $100-$400 dollars - of course I don't spend that much! The most I've EVER spent on a purse was $180 on a Louis Vuitton Cerises Speedy. It's a limited edition that is now retired. The only way I justified my purchase is that I could sell it for AT LEAST 2x that amount. Last I checked on eBay they run from $400-$1000. It was truly a splurge item for me.

Approximate Retail Price and Savvy Savings Total
With each Savvy Outfit of the Day I list what I paid for the item, where I found them, the approximate cost at retail and the amount of savvy savings involved. For items that were purchased new at retail or new with tags at the thrift store I list the MSRP found on the tag. For items that are pre-owned with no tag I estimate using online pricing. If I am unsure of the exact style or season of an item I err to the side of UNDERestimating based on what is currently out there and the average cost of buying that item new at authorized retailers (versus consignment stores or eBay). For instance, I know that American Eagle cords can go for $60 but that the store runs fairly regular sales where you can get them for $30 and $40.

My Hope
I do realize that most people do not buy full retail price so they might be able to say they bought something on sale at the store for less than the ARP I have listed, and for that I salute them! I show each outfit and the prices in the hopes of showing people what you can get for your money on a regular basis without having to compromise on style or quality of clothing. I would estimate that about 80% of my wardrobe is thrifted. Does that number surprise you? I would have been before I started Shoppy Savvy.

As a result of our throw-away, gotta-have-it-now culture thrift stores and consignment stores like Plato's Closet are teaming with barely used items. I find new-with-tags clothing and shoes for me and my family ALL THE TIME. Remember those shoes you just had to have and realized after you wore them once that they were just way too small? Or how about the jeans that you swore you would fit into next year after the Boot Camp you were attending and it turns out they were too big? Those end up at the thrift store and Savvy Shoppers like me are eternally grateful to you!

Final Word
To quote my post on Savvy Thrift Store Shopping Tips (because I think it bears repeating): "In the end it's all just "stuff"...One woman's "so last season" is another woman's "OMG, look what I just found!" but the truth is that today's great discovery usually gives way to a newer and greater discovery in a relatively short amount of time, regardless of whether it came from a high-end department store or a thrift store. There are very few women I know that will regularly carry the same bag for 10 years, much less 1 or 2 - even the women who own Louis Vuitton's that WILL last long enough to pass them down to their daughters. Fashion changes, styles change and WE change.

That's what I love best about Savvy Shopping. I have the freedom to change my style whether it's because of preference OR weight and not feel guilty about it. We all already do it to varying degrees, whether we are trying to figure out what our style is or what our 'end weight' is going to be. That being the case, we might as well do it with a bit of savvy shopping. Don't wait until you reach your ideal weight or find "who" you are stylistically in order to buy clothes that look good on you NOW. It will eventually change anyway. Take a little time and little money and find some great clothes. You will be happier for it."

I mean, who doesn't love a bargain?

Shop Savvy Y'all!

Attention Nashville Belk Shoe Shoppers

2009-02-24T09:14:00.005-06:00

Ok Ladies, this weekend I bought two beautiful pairs of shoes at Belk's and the sale is still going on, so if you're in Music City, rush on down. They had a long table stacked about 4 boxes high in each shoe size so there's plenty of deals to be had on everything from Coach to Juicy Couture and more.

New to my ever-expanding collection of shoes is the Sofft Patent Leather Gillian in Dark Red and a pair of black Enzo Angiolini pumps in patent and suede named Totiana. A quick search online at Zappos and you can buy the Soffts for $100 and the Enzos for $80 (regularly $90). I paid $25 for the Sofft's and $9 for the Enzos. Let's see that's $180-$35=$145 in savings.

Yes, sdmittedly $25 is on the high-end of my shoe limit, but the Soffts are beautiful. Even my husband said he liked them, and my Beloved is not one to notice what shoe I am wearing.

All together now..."I feel pretty, oh so pretty..." or should I sing, "I feel savvy, oh so savvy..."

Savvy Outfit of the Day - $63 B. Moss & B. Makowsky

2009-02-23T09:04:00.000-06:00

Hope y'all had a great weekend this weekend! If you've noticed, I changed things up a bit in the last couple days. I'm using a new template for the blog and have added a slide show of Savvy Outfits of the Day (I'm hoping to also add a Thrift Store Score slide show soon as well.)

Speaking of Savvy Outfits of the Day...today's outfit is an attempt to break out of my traditional color box. I'm not sure what it is about this color combination, but I really like it. In the past I would have worn a black purse with this (you know, match the shoes to the purse), but as Stacie & Clinton remind us from time to time, they don't have to match - and I think I'm beginning to see the fun freedom in that option.

As a side note, this Scarlett Blake purse is part of a short run line by the makers of B. Makowsky and it shows in the gorgeous leather. I first got hooked on these bags when I found one at the thrift store for $7. A cursory search online yielded this gem of a fact, the line is under Van Zeeland, Inc. as in Kathy Van Zeeland (you know, Kathy purses). Kathy Van Zeeland happens to be married to...Bruce Makowsky! Also under Van Zeeland, Inc. is Tignanello, another line of handbags known for excellent quality and leather.

Now B. Moss (no relation to B. Makowsky) has since closed due to bankruptcy. I visited the store a few times when I was in the mall but it was a little more conservative and well, expensive, for my taste. I did however visit when they were in clearance mode and bought this simple, classic sweater for $10.

The Breakdown.
B. Moss black button cardigan ($10 B. Moss/ARP $40), goldenrod tank ($3 For Love 21/ARP $3), green Old Navy stretch cords ($5 thrift store/ARP $30), Scarlett Blake brown leather handbag ($25 eBay/ARP $200), Coach signature Bibi boots ($20 Plato's Closet/ARP $250).

Grand Total: $63
Approximate Retail Cost: $523
Savvy Savings: $460

So, I've been doing these Savvy Outfits of the Day and somewhere along the way I realized that some of the true power of savvy shopping is lost by not giving an estimate on the money saved. That said, I think I'm going to start trying put in an ARP (Approximate Retail Price) on each item as well as a Savvy Savings number on each Savvy Outfit of the Day. If I can't remember the exact price, I'll err to the side of underestimating rather than overestimating. I'll even try to go back and add these numbers to the older posts as well. It might take a while but for you, it's worth it!

Till then stay Savvy!

Size is just another number.

2009-02-20T09:55:00.000-06:00

It's funny, my husband is a 32x31 pant size and a 17x32/33 in dress shirts. ALWAYS. It doesn't matter who the designer is or what season it may be, I can buy pants and shirts in those sizes and outside of color or pattern preferences I know it's going to work. Not so for women.

I'm not sure what has happened in the last decade when it comes to women's sizes. When did it become so...arbitrary?

According to various sources, Marilyn Monroe at her sveltest was about 5'5 1/2" and weighed 118lbs. Her measurements were approximately 35-22-35. She was a 36D. Did you know that it is said she wore a size 12 in a dress and a size 8 in pants, a far cry from the size 0, 2 and 4's that today's celebrities pride themselves in wearing.

But really, does it matter what the number is? Isn't the point that we want to look good in what we wear regardless of size?

A friend of mine use to work in the shoe department at Nordstrom and he said he would order extra boxes of size 7 because women would come in swearing that they were that size when they were most obviously not. His solution? "Yes, Ma'am, the box here says 7, try this on and see if it works." Anything for a sale, right?

What is it about the numbers we use to define ourselves that can make us so happy or conversely, sad, when they are not in line with what we believe they should be? Too many times we get hung up on a number - whether it's a salary ideal, a weight ideal or a clothing size. But it's just a number and when it comes to clothing (and really, LIFE in general) the number doesn't matter.

As my dear friend, Jennifer commented brilliantly on my New Year's Post:

...remember that the best clothing lies. It lies for you - makes your bum smaller (Hi Clinton!) or your legs longer, or balances your giant shoulders by nipping in at the waist. The trick is to find the right lie, the one that works best for you.

I love the empire waist tops but I look at least thirty pounds heavier in them. That's also a lie, just not a lie I want to tell! And skirts? Why show off my thick ankles? I want jeans that lie for me and tell a different story.

Jennifer is an art director for a magazine who has styled models as well as magazine pages. And she's absolutely right. Looking good is about discovering what works best for YOUR body type. I'm busty at 5'4" and a 36D. My waist, however is not a size 22 like Marilyn Monroe's and so I wear good bras (another post in the future) and clothes that accentuate the smallest part of my upper body so that I show the world that I actually do have a waist under "the girls". That may sound like a "duh" moment, but it took me years to figure this out, but once I did, I routinely heard people asking me if I had lost weight.

So today I look for what fits me, regardless of the size. I have everything from XS to XL shirts in my closet, but really, who cares what the tag says if I look and feel good about myself? A skirt in a recent Savvy Outfit of the Day is a size 10. I generally wear 4's, but look what I would have missed if I didn't try it on just because of the number on the tag.

The place we need to get is one where we are happy with where we are NOW not where we MIGHT be someday, and I think it's a life-long lesson. From as far back as I can remember, I have tried, not always successfully, to find peace and a measure of joy in the moment instead of wishing I was somewhere or someone else. It's an ideal to which to aspire because the reality is that I only have the power to affect right now. Sure I can (and should) make plans for the future, but that can all change in a moment's notice.

Corny as it may be, I've heard it said, "Yesterday is history. Tomorrow a mystery. Today is a gift. That's why it's called 'present."

So go out there ye Savvy Women and seize the present!

Savvy Outfit of the Day - $77 Coat, Coach & BCBG

2009-02-19T22:34:00.000-06:00

This outfit was thrown together when I realized I actually had to get out of my PJ's and into the "real world" yesterday. I had promised my husband that I would drop off his clothes at the dry cleaners, and since that means I don't have to iron (for only $1.29 they launder and starch his shirts and that's a price I'm willing to pay NOT to iron...perish the thought!) I quickly threw this on and ran. Of course that may be why the orange in the scarf and the rose/orange in the sweater don't totally match. That said, I kind of like it!

The Breakdown.
BCBG Sweater (part of a twin set that I scored for $6 at the thrift store/ARP $125), a white tank top ($3 For Love 21/ARP $3), dark blue Old Navy cords ($5 thrift store/ARP $30), BCBG brown buckle leather pumps ($8 thrift store/ARP $150), Scarlett Blake leather purse ($25 eBay/ARP $200), Q.U.E. wool coat ($15 thrift store/APR $50), Coach wool scarf ($15 eBay/ARP $75).

Grand Savvy Total: $77
Approximate Retail Cost: $633
Savvy Savings: $556

Not sure where Q.U.E. is sold, but this coat is really lovely. The fitted shape is nice and the edges of the arm sleeves have leather piping, not to mention leather on the inside of the first 5 inches. Technically it was one of my Christmas gifts (yes, for Christmas I actually ask for things like eBay or Goodwill gift cards) but I figured I'd leave the cost in the breakdown today to give a better idea of how inexpensive it is to find good coats at the thrift store.

Many Goodwill coats are "white tag" items, which means they will only go 50% off when there is a half-off Saturday (usually the first Saturday of the month). Still some coats are colored tags which means they are subject to the normal color-of-the-day discounts. Sure, I have gotten good coats for $.99 but the really good ones don't usually make it to discount days because they are snapped up pretty quickly.

Going Au Naturale Savvy Style

2009-02-19T12:18:00.000-06:00

About two years ago what started as a little itchy spot on my leg, turned into a widespread bump-fest on my body. Little by little dry, red, angry patches spread out everywhere on my body except on my face, and in my discomfort and pain, my vanity was spared. I was not however, spared sleepless nights with burning, oozing sores all over my body. Thank God for friends and family who still loved me in the midst of being grossed-out.

Initially thought to be psoriasis by one doctor, it turned out to be lichen planus, a skin condition that affects about 2 percent of the population and has no known cure. Doctors aren't sure what causes it or what makes it go away. Some people battle with it for the rest of their lives. I've been clear about a year now except for a couple spots that just don't seem to want to go away, but doctors say once it appears, there's always a chance it will come back.

A year's worth of trying steroids, topically and finally internally (I'm not a big fan of medication, yes, daughter of a GERMAN nurse), light therapy (a.k.a. tanning beds), the removal of all my silver fillings and FINALLY, a case of flat-on-your-back-for-3-full-days-flu and it went away, almost as quickly as it started. That said the incident was bad enough to warrant me looking into healthier ways and more organic ways to eat and well, live.

That said, I have come to discover in my "old age" that I am not a person of extremes. There are no major causes I believe in (other than savvy shopping that is). I try to eat healthy, eating as little processed foods as possible, drinking mainly water, but still partaking of things like one cup of coffee and flavored creamer a day and even dessert.

I run around after the kids, maybe take a walk to the park and occasionally pull out the exercise tape, but I am not a 5 day a week in the gym sort of person. I believe that we should do as much as possible to be good stewards of this world we live in so we try to recycle as best we can but do not have separation bins in the garage. Goodness, my thrift store wardrobe is one of the greenest things I do! But see, what I mean? We do a little about a lot of things, but aren't really gung-ho about ONE thing.

Thus, when it comes to organic foods and body care products, while I understand the benefit of it and believe it's something worthy to which I should aspire, it's expensive! Still, with my bout of lichen planus and two growing Superstars I figured I should try to apply my savvy saving talents toward switching to as much organic or hormone free products as possible...without breaking the budget and changing up everything. Thankfully, my husband, who was recently "diagnosed" with high cholesterol, agreed, which always make household directional changes easier. You know, CEO and COO being in agreement and all.

The first thing I decided to work with was skincare items or things that touched our skin on a regular basis: shampoo, conditioner, lotion and body wash. We now use Whole Foods 365 line, and for $10 you can get three large 32 oz. bottles of any of their scents (including unscented) natural body products. They last a long time and so far so good! Everyone's hair is squeaky clean and shiny. The lotion is nice and thick and absorbs well. And though I love the smell of the lavender version, something in it irritates Superstar #1's skin so we've had to move to the unscented version. Superstar #1 has sensitive skin and has nickel allergies (like her Mom, her aunt and great grandmother!).

For an extra special treat Trader Joe's carries great natural salt and sugar body rubs, something I enjoy in the shower that helps keep my skin moisturized and smooth. They have several different scents not only in the scrubs but in their lotion and body wash lines as well. The scrub is just $6 and is truly wonderful. Hey, if I'm going to get a 10 minute shower break, it's gonna be a luxurious one if at all possible!

As for hair products, I use Aveda gel for my hair. It generally costs $15 at the salon when I get my quarterly hair cut. I have found it for around $10 on eBay but it's a hit or miss there, luckily a little goes a long way and one bottle lasts me about 6 months.

Now, I'm going to be honest. I'm still working on a natural way to keep the gray hair at bay. I've used henna in the past and it works fairly well but it sure is messy. Still, having sparingly used over-the-counter dyes before, which are also messy, the henna is a lot healthier - even though I know the dyes won't kill me. It's one of those "choose your battle" type of things for me. At the moment I am considering experimenting with a natural way to eliminate gray formula I found on line: boiling sage and rosemary and then letting the mixture stay in your hair 10 minutes before washing your hair and it helps slowly take the gray out. I'll let you know how that goes!

As for face products, I talk a little about it with my post on my switch to mineral make up and the deal I found on the product on eBay. I admit that I still use Oil of Olay Regenerist for my face care. I'm not ready to switch over to all-natural or organic in that arena yet since it works so well for my skin.

The last thing I'm going to mention in this post is laundry detergent. We switched over the Costco Environmentally Friendly Laundry Detergent, which is not only good for the environment, but also our budget at just $12 for 100 loads worth of washing. It's also rated HE, which is what is recommended for my front-load washing machine. It may not be the greenest or the most natural thing out there, but it's a good money-saving item that puts on a path to more natural products.

That's it for today. I'll let you know as I find more items on this path toward more natural living. If you have savvy and simple hints on how to go more natural with body care products, let me know. You know, the kinds of tips that involve saving time and money in the process!

I'm going to post more on healthy food and snack options later. With growing kids who need snacks at least 2x a day, we're always looking for quick, convenient and healthy ways to keep ~~them from getting cranky~~ their energy up!

The Man in Black - Finding Contentment

2009-02-18T09:50:00.000-06:00

My plane trip to live in Nashville back in January 1991 was spent in deep conversation with the man sitting next to me. I was 21, and he said he was 26 but the little broken blood vessels on his face and the aimless, sad air about him spoke of someone who had walked through some difficulties already in his young life. We talked about music a little. He was listening to Bob Marley on a cassette tape. Whew, there's a throw-back, right?

Anyway, we got pretty deep spiritually. I grew up experimenting with New Age and some transcendental meditation (sans drugs), nothing too deep and more spiritual than religious. Filled with an inexplicable longing, I spent a good part of my teenage years studying some of the world's major religions trying to figure out how life worked; Shintoism, Buddhism, Daoism, Hinduism, and more. In my sophomore year of college while studying abroad in Germany, I decided it was time to study the Bible. After all, Christianity is one of the world's major religions, right? We talked about all those thing, about life, God, brokeness, alcoholism and more on the five hour flight to Music City, USA.

As the plane landed, my new friend, John, told me he wanted to introduce me to his parents. He added in an odd voice, "Just don't look at their faces."

I thought it a strange request, but I agreed and we walked into the concourse together chatting till we got to the baggage claim where we walked up to a couple. I don't remember much other than the man, tall and lanky, was dressed all in black and she, standing close by his side, was dressed in a denim skirt and shirt with long black hair. We talked for just a moment or two. I told them that they had a good son and that I really enjoyed my conversation with him. They seemed guarded, but polite, as if they weren't sure what to make of what I had said.

I walked back to the group of other record label employees that had also been on the plane and waited for my baggage. They all stared at me. Finally, one of them asked, "Don't you know who that was?" Naive southern California girl that I was, I shook my head.

"That was the man in black, Johnny Cash."

I laugh to think that I still didn't know who he was, but John and I had exchanged phone numbers on the plane and over the next year kept in touch some. He helped me get my car to the shop when it died and cruised sans power down Old Hickory Boulevard late one night. We spent some time talking on the phone, but our lives drifted apart. I never talked to his parents again, but I know that John Carter Cash found peace in his life. Nashville is still a small town in some ways. We have some mutual acquaintances but have never seemed to bump into each other again. I suspect we will someday, that's just how Nashville is.

Over the years I have since come to appreciate Johnny Cash and his story. It made me understand John Carter Cash and the sadness I encountered that day on the plane. I mourned with the rest of the Music City (and the world) when June Carter Cash died and when Johnny Cash, her soulmate, died just four months later.

I wasn't a fan of country music when I first got here, but the 90's were the hey-day of country music and I got swept up into it. It wasn't "hick-ish" like I thought. It was simple, sweet, and sometimes, incredibly powerful. I was sitting in a small barn with a couple dozen other people when Tim McGraw sang "It's Your Love" to Faith Hill at a local benefit for one of the first times with tears in his eyes. She was glowing and pregnant at the time.

Country music has always had an element of being thankful and a sense of contentment that seems to be lacking in many of the other forms of music today which seem to thrive on angst or lust - not that there is anything wrong with those things, they exist in this crazy world we live in today. But to quote Epicurus a Greek philosopher who lived from 341-270 BC, "Do not spoil what you have by desiring what you have not; remember that what you now have was once among the things you only hoped for."

When I was a teenager I hoped to find peace and purpose in this life while trying to graduate from high school. When I was in my early twenties I hoped to graduate college and go on to work in the music industry. When I was in my mid-twenties I hoped I would find a smart, handsome, humble man with whom to share my life and who would love me as I am. In my thirties I hoped we would have healthy, happy children together. And somewhere in the midst of all that I hoped we could afford a house and cars that ran. All those things I had hoped for, the big things in life, I have today.

Sure there are things I still desire. I hope to take my kids to Hawaii to visit their 90+ year old Great-Grandmother and to visit where I went to Kindergarten. I hope to take them to Germany to see where I was born and to travel beyond the borders of the United States. I hope to learn another language. I hope to one day start a business with my husband. I hope to lose these last five pounds...

But even if I never do those things, I want to be thankful for what I do have - which is a roof over my head, food on the table (enough that I'm carrying an extra five pounds), two healthy and happy children, a husband who loves me and a Mom and Dad and Sister whom I love dearly and who love me back. I am a blessed woman, and heaven forbid I loose sight of that in my desire for world travel, a smaller waist size, a clean house, and a little more money after the bills are paid.

What do you have today that you once only hoped for?

Savvy Outfit of the Day - $137 Chelsea Chic & Free People Fuzzy

2009-02-17T16:15:00.000-06:00

Back when I was in the music industry, black and jeans seemed to be the unofficial dress code for most events ranging from casual on up (outside of award shows, and well, sometimes even then). Black is slimming, everyone says and though looking skinny wasn't my main goal, there was something comforting about what I thought to be a classic color combination.

A couple kids and a dozen episodes of What Not to Wear later and I have learned to embrace color. When wearing it in a shirt, it's a great way to add a little life to jeans, still a wardrobe staple in my book. The brick red color of this Free People sweater and the way this vintage asymmetrical jacket matches added a bit of life to what was a gray, dreary day.

The Breakdown.
Free People sweater ($6 thrift store/ARP $100), off-white tank top ($3 For Love 21/ARP $3), B. Laguna jeans ($15 Macy's/ARP $50), BCBG leather shoes ($8 thrift store/ARP $150), vintage Bromleigh New York coat ($15 thrift store/ARP $40) and Coach Pebbled Leather Chelsea handbag ($90 eBay/$360).

Grand Total: $137
Approximate Retail Cost: $703
Savvy Savings: $566

The Coach was definitely on the high end of what I will spend on a purse, but the leather is really incredible and the bag originally retails for $360 so I figured it was a good deal. I actually sold a couple of my other purses on eBay to pay for it, and to keep my collection confined to my closet (and not take over the guest bedroom closet). It works out pretty well and keeps me from breaking the budget.

Vintage is another great source of one-of-a-kind style. This coat in particular has an asymmetrical button line, which kind of threw me off at first. Now I enjoy the funky aspect it adds, without being too funky. I gave it an ARP (Approximate Retail Price) of $40 because that's a good average on eBay vintage coats, shipping being at least $10-12 of the total of $40.

So what if all I did was go to Library & Craft Time and the Mall today? Outside of one terrifying moment when Superstar #2 got bright blue foam paint on my jacket (which thankfully washed out even as I kept repeating to myself "it was only $15, it was only $15...") I felt fabulous and funky at forty. Don'tcha just love alliteration?

Goodwill Hunting - A NY Times Magazine Article

2009-02-16T12:21:00.000-06:00

Goodwill ROCKS! Really, of all the thrift stores I shop, I consistently find the best items and deals at Goodwill. Thanks to my dear friend, Jen, for passing along this great article that ran last year in the NY Times.

GOODWILL HUNTING
By Rob Walker
Published: October 31, 2008

In the first eight months of 2008, sales at Goodwill stores in the United States and Canada increased by 7 percent over the same period last year. While that obviously runs counter to trends being reported by most retailers these days, it’s hard to say whether it counts as good news that more people are evidently buying secondhand goods. After all, many of us probably don’t think of Goodwill in terms of retail; we think of it in terms of charity.

But operators of some Goodwill stores have been making efforts to prod us to think a little differently, or perhaps more expansively, about the brand — and quite possibly the present economic gloom has primed us to be more open to that idea. Washington-area Goodwills, for instance, promote their stores with Webcast fashion shows as well as a popular blog, dcgoodwillfashions.blogspot.com, which highlights great bargain finds at their shops. Goodwill Industries of Central Indiana has commissioned advertising for its stores that emphasizes pleasurable bargain hunting at least as much as altruism. Goodwill Industries in the San Francisco area has worked with the Joe Boxer founder, Nicholas Graham, on the creation of a line of new clothes made out of discarded items, under the name William Good.

The more than 2,200 retail stores (counting international locations) bearing the Goodwill name all follow certain guidelines set down by Goodwill Industries International. But the management and operation of those stores are decentralized: there are 168 North American “member agencies,” each rooted to a particular geographic area. This means that donations stay within a particular region; it also means that stores in different areas can pursue different promotional strategies. Goodwill Industries of Central Indiana, for instance, was operating 23 stores in Indianapolis and surrounding areas in 1996, when its management decided to take the unusual step of hiring an advertising agency as a way to increase sales, says Cindy Graham, the vice president of marketing. Young & Laramore, an Indianapolis agency, helped devise the campaign to position Goodwill stores less as charity and more as discount retail. This meant changing the perception of potential shoppers who might think of Goodwill as a place where poor people bought castoffs, not as a competitor to Wal-Mart.

Since then, Young & Laramore helped create two dozen TV spots, mostly lighthearted and upbeat and often featuring an amiable young guy in a Goodwill uniform. The Goodwill Guy picks through donations bearing brand names like Ralph Lauren and Donna Karan or tells the “scary story” of the woman who missed out on the perfect bolero jacket because she didn’t buy it on the spot. In some of the ads, the Goodwill Guy presents more traditional charitable messages about how your donations help those less fortunate, but always with a light tone. Perhaps the most cunning of the ads combines these ideas, making a case that shopping (at a Goodwill store, anyway) is in and of itself an act of charity.

Today, Goodwill Industries of Central Indiana has expanded to 40 locations, and its store revenues have grown apace — 2007 sales were around $45 million, up 17 percent from 2006. Graham says area population growth, improved customer service and careful management have been factors, too. But, she figures, “the advertising is a big part of the increased sales.” And elements of the Central Indiana campaign have been used by Goodwills in 72 other markets in the United States and Canada, according to Ann Beriault of Young & Laramore.

Goodwill Industries of Greater Washington has taken a different approach but with similar goals. For the past few years, it has organized a Fashion of Goodwill runway show and Webcast featuring models in outfits plucked from its stores (and subsequently auctioned off). Last year, the retail marketing manager Em Hall took on the role of D.C. Goodwill Fashionista, whose engaging thrifter blogging about discoveries in that region’s nine stores attracted attention and even won her an invitation to blog from New York’s Fashion Week.

None of this is to suggest that the nonprofit is backing away from its altruistic mission. The charity says that 84 percent of its total revenues go toward job training and placement and other programs. Even so, these efforts suggest an element of the Goodwill idea that is not simply about good will but also, to be blunt, about how there’s something good in it for you.

No matter where you shop when it comes to thrift stores, it truly is a green way to dress yourself and your home. On the other hand, the extra bonus that Goodwill provides is that you are helping others find job placement. Having shopped at Goodwill for years now, I have come to know many of the employees and their personal stories: from men and women migrating to this country legally (one friend having walked through several countries to escape from Sudan) and some rebuilding their employment after bad choices made in their youth, these are good people who need another chance. Goodwill provides it for them. I've seen employees move up in the workplace, earn degrees and one become a pharmacist.

So go and shop Goodwill!

Savvy Outfit of the Day - $44 Here's to Hot Kiss(es)

2009-02-13T11:53:00.000-06:00

Today's outfit was a mini celebration for the warmer weather we are having. It's a touch of Spring in February, and while in California it wasn't unusual to have warmer weather, it's a little dicey here in Music City where it can range from 70 degree to freezing.

The Breakdown.
Hot Kiss Jacket (free from Plato's Closet - I exchanged clothes/ARP $30), white tank (For Love 21 $2.50), B. Laguna jeans ($15 Belk's/ARP $50), Anne Marino black leather wedge ($8 Parisians/ARP $70 ), The Sak Reyes ECO Crochet Tote crocheted green purse ($17 Dillard's/ARP $90), silver leather belt ($1.50 thrift store/ARP $20).

Grand Total: $44.00
Approximate Retail Cost: $263
Savvy Savings: $216

Ancient Chinese Secret...

2009-02-10T11:46:00.000-06:00

No, it's not a new and improve laundry stain remover, but this wonderful little saying I found on my Good Earth, Earl Grey teabag this morning.

Flowers leave some of their fragrance in the hand
that bestows them.

Savvy Outfit of the Day - $23 Banana Republic Beautiful

2009-02-09T20:38:00.000-06:00

Banana Republic is one of those stores that I could probably spend all my money in. I love their classic styles & cuts in everything: their jeans, skirts, tops, jackets, purses, shoes and accessories. I didn't realize till I did The Breakdown that most of these pieces are from Banana Republic, but I felt pretty pulled together and for $23, I felt pretty savvy too.

In truth, this skirt has been sitting in my closet for a while waiting for a warm enough day to wear. And well, Mommy needed to put something nice on because she was tired of the late nights, the hives breakouts and the several days of ALL-DAY-PJs that represented last week.

The Breakdown.
Banana Republic skirt ($4 thrift store/ARP $60), Banana Republic black sweater ($6 thrift store/ARP $80), white tank top ($3 For Love 21/ARP $3), Banana Republic suede & leather hobo ($10 thrift store/ARP $200), Franco Sarto suede boots (birthday gift from my sister/ARP $150).

Grand Total: $23
Approximate Retail Price: $493
Savvy Savings: $470

I love these boots. Even my conservative suit-and-tie brother-in-law admitted they were pretty hot when my sister and I stumbled upon them on our Christmas Gift Shopping Trip. I call them fierce, and truth is that I've had women stop me to ask me about them. They are comfortable and just wearing them makes me happy. I'm easy that way.

This Banana Republic purse represents my first great purse find at the thrift store, and is one of the reason I started taking thrift store shopping more seriously. I think I petted it all the way home the day I bought it. It's lovely and that it matches the boots is just bonus.

Shaking Things Up Savvy Style

2009-02-05T06:56:00.000-06:00

So, it's been a week! Turns out Superstar #2 had something that caused hives. Nothing major and yet three nights last week, around 9 o'clock she's complained about itching all over and next thing you know, she's breaking out in hives! As the daughter of a nurse, I tend not to freak out right away, and yet it's NEVER fun to see your child in distress, but a dose of Benadryl stopped the itching and allowed her to go back to sleep in each case.

We went to the Dr after having spoken to the on-call physician the first night it happened. I was pretty sure it was an allergic reaction, but wanted to be sure, and hey, that's why we have a Dr, right? I explained that there has been nothing out of the usual with her diet, no new detergents, no new soaps. Nothing except a tiny drop of a new hand lotion I had gotten, which I have since put away and would therefore not account for the other bouts we experienced. The Dr said that it could be a virus and that it could mean the hives cropping up here and there in the next few days but not to worry. Sigh. What can you do but worry a little and pray a lot!

Then Superstar #1, not to be left out, had a Dr's visit (on a separate day) for this crusty yucky stuff in her eyes. It wasn't conjunctivitis, but has since come and gone with no explanation. The Dr said it was probably drainage from her recent cold and since her ears and lungs looked/sounded clear, she was just fine. At any rate, between the mom-on-call and the mom-on-the-go-with-a-meeting and helping my neighbor by watching her 3 children one day, my week was gone before I knew it. During that time, however, I have been plotting and planning my return and so, without any further ado....

Today's topic - SHAKES!

So my husband, while not an unhealthy eater, has never been one for breakfast. And really, when he gets busy at work, he has been known to skip lunch. Of course, I keep telling him that doing that only puts your body into survival mode and can cause your metabolism to slow, but what do I (daughter of a German nurse who use to MAKE plain yogurt and mix it with wheat germ for breakfast as well as roommate & bestfriend to a woman who earned a degree in nutrition in college) know? I'm just his wife.

At any rate, I stopped nagging long ago since it doesn't help anyone, and he really had been trying with breakfast shakes in the morning using some supplements from Whole Foods and frozen fruit. I had used our big blender but found myself getting resentful for cleaning the durn thing every morning. I mean, yes, I want my husband to be healthy but he seemed to "need" my help making the shakes or he wouldn't do them (could it be because cleaning the blender afterward was such a pain????).

I solved that dilemma in savvy style a week ago when I bought a "magic bullet" type of mini-blender at Macy's. Belle Cucina is the brand name, and whereas the Magic Bullet runs around $79 retail, this runs $49 retail. It was on special for $19! The great thing is that I put all the "stuff" into the container at night (powder, fish oil, yogurt, frozen fruit, etc.) and he just pulls that out in the morning and sticks it in the nice small blender and Voila! A healthy, DELICIOUS shake and VERY easy to clean. It has to taste good or my husband will not drink it. He could be dying and he would not drink it. Me, on the other hand, will stomach just about anything if it's good/healthy for me. That's what happens when you are the daughter of a German nurse.

The blender comes with several cups, in 2 different sizes and with different attachments (a rim for easy drinking, a shaker top, a cover, etc.). "A shake top?" you ask. While I didn't buy it for this reason, you can grate things like cheese in this little guy too! In fact, the other night I did use the mini-blender to make a Shrimp & Feta dinner; first to chop the parsley and secondly to dice the diced tomatoes a little smaller. It was easier to use AND clean than my KitchenAide mini-chopper.

From what I understand, this thing makes a MEAN Mudslide too. I'll let you know once it gets warmer outside!

Savvy Outfit of the Day - $48 Steve Madden & Winter White

2009-01-31T09:04:00.000-06:00

Today's outfit of the day is variation of something I wore a couple weeks back. Yes, I do wear my clothes more than once! I went to a 'hood party that night and though it was just at a neighbor's house down the street, I wanted to dress up a little more than jeans without being over-the-top.

The Breakdown:
Old Navy puff & fur coat (thrift store $15/ARP $40), Banana Republic argyle sweater ($6 thrift store/ARP $70), turquoise tank ($3 For Love 21/ARP $3), winter white American Eagle cords ($5 thrift store/ARP $40), Steve Madden white leather boots ($7 thrift store/ARP $100 ), cashmere pashmina ($6 hospital sale/ARP $10), MAXXimum leather & suede purse ($6 thrift store/ARP $75).

Grand Total: $48
Approximate Retail Price: $338
Savvy Savings: $290

I LOVE the Steve Madden boots! Using What Not to Wear rules and continuing the white of of the cords to the point of the boots, helps to make my legs look longer, and what woman doesn't want to have longer looking legs? And even though white can be a rough color to wear with children running around, the cord material is more resilient and I love the fact that I don't have to iron it. Really, worse case scenario is if the pants get stained, and then I only spent $5 on it so I didn't waste my money. I've had these pants for over a year now and they're still going strong!

Savvy Outfit of the Day - $27 Rafe Retro & a mini Rant

2009-01-27T21:40:00.000-06:00

Today's outfit is another one of those questionable What Not to Wear moments. Can one wear a full length sweater and have it NOT look like a robe? I think maybe, just maybe.

I found this gem at a thrift store for $10 and I've gotten so many compliments. Of course after watching enough WNTW I know that's not always a sure sign that you've hit a home run. Although I will say that one woman hung out of her car to compliment me as I was walking with the Superstars in a parking lot! The jacket is by Kenji Natural, which I had never heard of before, but it fits well and it sure is cozy (I did NOT say "comfortable").

The Breakdown.
Kenji Natural full length sweater jacket ($10 thrift store/ARP $40), black Banana Republic wool turtleneck ($4 thrift store/ARP $50), winter white American Eagle cords ($5 thrift store/ARP $40), black Nine West leather boots ($8 thrift store/ARP $150), Rafe for Target black "patent leather" purse (trade with a friend/ARP $50).

Grand Total: $27
Approximate Retail Price: $330
Savvy Savings: $303

I'm not sure this is What TO Wear, but what good is the freedom savvy shopping brings if you can't try something new without breaking the bank? I felt good wearing this. And well, at 40 I've finally decided that there's a small part of me (growing bigger every day) that just doesn't care what other people think.

Of course I don't mean that in a bad way, but if the 30's taught me anything, it's that no matter how "decently" I think I dress for a stay-at-home mom who sometimes stays in her PJs all day long, there will be someone out there who does it better...and for less money. Conversely there will be someone who spends more money and feels superior for it because it's new, improved, more stylish or more eco-friendly and you know what? It's ok!

In life there will always be someone who is prettier, richer, smarter, funnier, thinner, or all around more together than I am, but no one has it all together and no matter what strong points we think we can boast in, there's another area of our life that is sorely in need of work. We're ALL that way. It's part of being human. It's what makes us U-nique and sometimes U-nusual, but overall it's about being U, flaws and all (sorry, kinda cheesy but I like the alliteration).

So to quote Ms. Frizzle in The Magic School Bus (can you tell I have an elementary school child?) "Take chances, make mistakes, get messy!" And even as that statement makes me cringe (I'm German and we're tidy, organized people!) I get it, and there's a lot of freedom in that statement. I hope you see that too.

Savvy Consignment Store Score - Betsey Johnson

2009-01-27T20:12:00.000-06:00

Oh how I love Plato's Closet. It's the place I bring the clothes I no longer wear and they give me money (if it's not too "old" or "dated"). I always look around while they check out my clothes to see if there's any savvy shopping bargains, and today there was!

Behold, my new Betsey Johnson charm bracelet watch. Now, I do have several nice watches. As you can guess, I find them at the thrift store and sometimes on clearance in retails stores. I thought this would make a nice little addition to my collection. Considering it retailed for $150 and I got it for a mere $9 ($14 with a 40% off coupon for bringing clothes in) I think this counts as a SCORE!

The watch was too big for my wrist and needed links taken out. Anyone who has done that before knows it costs about $10. Having bought several watches at thrift stores before, I had invested $10 last year and bought a watch repair kit on eBay. In it I have all the tools to take out links and, ha, ha, change out batteries! I was able to take out the links I needed no problem at all. I've also used it for sunglasses, toys, and other teeny things.

Unfortunately the battery was also rundown, and I didn't think I would be able to take the backing off this watch without scratching it (some backs are easier to take off than others), so I scrolled down through the "coupon" section of our local coupon site (for my Savvy Nashville Suburban Friends check it out here) and printed up a coupon for a $4.99 battery change; that's battery and labor so I didn't have to take the time to figure out what size battery it needed and where to get one.

Anyway, $15 later I am the owner of a cute, working Betsey Johnson watch! Of course, TECHNICALLY I spent only $5 since I traded in clothes and didn't spend a single dime of my own money!

Savvy Outfit of the Day - $41 Green Goes Brown!

2009-01-26T21:54:00.000-06:00

Today's outfit was really fun for me. I love the browns of this vintage jacket I found over 10 years ago when I was still single. I bought it at a thrift store (of course!) and it came with matching pants. Talk about a sort of zoot suit look! I love the jacket and I'm always excited when I can find a new outfit to wear with it.

The Breakdown.
American Eagle khaki cords ($5 thrift store/ARP $40), New York & Company geometric gauze print shirt ($4 thrift store/ARP $30), Ann Taylor Sweater ($4 thrift store/ARP $40), bronze Gianni Bini boots ($6 thrift store/ARP $75), Banana Republic suede & leather hobo ($10 thrift store/ARP $200), vintage wool long striped coat ($12 thrift store/ARP $40).

Grand Total: $42
Approximate Retail Price: $425
Savvy Savings: $383

So Green goes Brown - what does it all mean? Well, what's more green than recycling? Everything in today's outfit is from the thrift store - woo-hoo! Who knew green could look so good?

Attention Target Shoppers!

2009-01-25T15:46:00.000-06:00

My girlfriend, Shannon, just sent this blog link to me. It's called Attention Target Shoppers and this lovely lady has made it her mission to let us other savvy shoppers when the big markdowns and sales are going on at Target. Remember when I said that Target will eventually mark down their overstocked Christmas toys to 75% but I wasn't sure when? She's the go-to lady on that. If you love Target (and their sales) as much as I do, you'll need to bookmark this blog...and mine of course!

Superstars' Savvy Outfits of the Day - $15 & $11 Gymboree & Gap

2009-01-24T08:14:00.000-06:00

So I figure after all this time it's only fair to give the Superstars their due when it comes to children's savvy fashion. They had a great time posing (as you can tell from the hand on the hips thing going on...guess they have been watching Mom even when they don't listen to her).

When it comes to savvy savings on children's clothes, it's amazingly easy. Since I got to a thrift store usually 3-4 times a month I always stop at the children's section to do a quick-through. At Goodwill the children's clothing from baby to 2 years is $1.99 and from 2 years to about 4/5 (sometimes 6X depending on who's doing the tagging) is just $2.49. Then after that 6x/7 and up to adults is $3.49 a piece. Shoes for the little ones are usually $1.99 to $3.99 sometimes higher if they realize it's a good brand name or if it's boots. Older kids run $$2.99 to maybe $5.99.

The Superstars are on the low side of the growth curve and so I've not had to worry about them outgrowing things too quickly but even if they did, for just $10-$20 for a full outfit (shirt, pants, shoes and sometimes jacket) it's not going to break the bank. Yes, shoes & underwear are always bought new...as if!?

Superstar #1 Breakdown
Cherokee black cotton jacket (Target $3.50), Cherokee raspberry polka-dot shirt/dress ($3 Target), black tights ($3 Walmart), Hello Kitty purse ($2 thrift store), black patent leather Gap loafers ($3 thrift store). Grand Total: $14.50

Superstar #2 Breakdown
Gymboree cord jacket ($2.50 thrift store), Children's Place cord skirt ($2.50 thrift store), Cherokee long sleeve shirt (part of 2 piece $1.75 outfit at Target so let's say $1.40), brown tights ($3 K-Mart with coupon), black Circo shoes (Target $3.50). Grand Total: $10.90

As a note although I do respect the idea of quality made clothes, I'm not sure there is anything so different between a $40 shirt from a Gymboree store and a $7 shirt from Target that's going to really "pay-off" in the long run. Goodness when kids are young you are lucky if they wear it for one whole year, even luckier if it fits the next kid(s) in line! That said, if you have the money then by all means, do it! Me, personally, I would just rather take the extra $30 I save and go out for lunch or a movie with the Superstars.

Really, they don't care when they are young and if you make too much of it when they are young, they are going to remember and push for it when they are teenagers. Been to an Abercrombie youth store lately? My goodness, the prices are more than what I would spend for myself!

Anyway, do check your local thrift store or consignment store and always remember to cruise the sale racks at your local Target, Walmart and even mall stores. You never know what you might find!

Savvy Outfit of the Day - $47 Raspberry & Tignanello

2009-01-23T01:29:00.001-06:00

There's nothing like a bright coat to chase away the winter grays...I told you it was pretty stunning, didn't I? I never would have bought a raspberry colored coat as my main coat, but I found this brand new with tags coat at the thrift store for just $15 I couldn't refuse. Isn't the inside lining gorgeous?

The rest of this outfit is pretty boring, but then all I did was run around a bit today so the coat stayed on the whole time; of course we couldn't have the outfit steal any attention away from the coat now could we? Wouldn't you know at my first stop a woman commented on how beautiful it was. No, I didn't tell her it was from the thrift store! I only tell you, my close friends such need-to-know details like that!

The Breakdown.
Raspberry Koret coat ($15 thrift store), black v-neck The Limited sweater ($3 thrift store), white lace edged tank ($4 Rave), Banana Republic jeans ($10 eBay), black patent leather Bandolino kitten heel pumps ($8 brand new at TJ Maxx), Tignanello black leather purse ($7 thrift store - I saw it at Macy's in the fall for $90!). Grand Total: $47

So take it from me and my raspberry coat, be daring today and if you happen to be out looking for clothes, try on something daring and different from the things to which you normally gravitate, you never know what you might find.

Shop Savvy!

Savvy Outfit of the Day - $31 J Crew Cool

2009-01-21T17:40:00.000-06:00

Ever have one of those days when you just want to sit in the house all day long in your PJs? Yeah, I had one of those yesterday, but I had to get some eBay items I sold into the mail so I pulled together this outfit that reflected my mood...gray, oh, with a hint of red of course because I'm still alive and kicking, by golly!

The Breakdown
No Boundaries graphite graphic T ($10 Walmart/ARP $10), American Eagle Cream cords ($5 thrift store/ARP $40), lace tank top ($4 Rave/ARP $4), David Aaron suede kitten heels ($4 thrift store/ARP $50 David Aaron is owned by Steve Madden), JCrew thinsulate gray wool coat ($8 thrift store/ARP $150 ), Johnstons of Elgin scarf (a gift from my Tante in Germany over 10 years ago), red patent leather Coach gallery tote (a birthday present from a dear friend).

Grand Total: $31
Approximate Retail Cost: $254 (not including the Coach or scarf since they were gifts)
Savvy Savings: $223

I found this top when I was shopping at Walmart for household items. I thought it was pretty cute for just a casual top, and at $10, not a bad price either. It reminds me a little of Juicy Couture and some of those more trendy looking brands (I use to be in the music industry so it's ok if I go funky now and again). Like Clinton Kelly says, just keep the trend to one part of the outfit if you're a little "older" so that you don't look like you are trying too hard. At 40, I don't want to look like I'm trying too hard but I'm not ready for Golden Girls polyester!

Cream colored pants and a classic like this JCrew coat keep this from looking too casual. It would be easy to change the purse for a black purse and change the scarf to red and have a different outwear look. The gray coat is very versatile and although rather neutral in and of itself, great to pair with pink, red, blue, etc., and well, $8 for JCrew coat can't be beat.

So, a red purse. Who would have thought a red purse could be so versatile. I wear it all the time! The funny thing is that this comes from a woman who never really carried a purse regularly till after I had Superstar #1 at the tender age of 33 (Yeah, I hear you gasping out there). I told you I was a tomboy growing up! Seriously, I'm thinking back and not a single purse stands out in my mind. I don't even remember what I did, though I vaguely remember using a wallet and sometimes stuffing money and my license into my back pocket.

Once kids, and all their STUFF came along, that chapter of my life shut rather soundly and yet another wonderful world opened up to me. The world of purses! It started out when I decided somewhere around the second child that A) I didn't need to carry around SO much stuff, a couple diapers & wipes would do and B) if this stage of carrying extra stuff was going to last for a couple years, why not carry the extra stuff in just a purse?

Thankfully the thrift store was my "laboratory" which allowed me to try different purses without breaking the bank. With the help of eBay (and the selling off of purses that didn't work as well for me), I was able to slowly start a collection of purses that were not only useful but FUN. I like how I can "dress up" an outfit like this one, with a pop of color. Any number of black leather purses would have been fine with this outfit, but the red is a nice surprise that stands out a little more and I love it.

On a side note, I do have several different wallets as well, but I find that changing over from one purse to another is enough changing for me. I do occasionally swap one out when the clash between purse and wallet is too much, but for the most part I'm not organized enough to do so on a regular basis.

Changing purses is easy. I generally have but a few things to switch over: wallet (a gorgeous Kate Landry electric blue patent leather wallet I got at Dillard's last year for $8), make-up bag (a cute studded Coach wristlet I found at the thrift store for $6 last summer), cell phone, and MP3 player. Sure I may collect a few things along the way or throw in the antibacterial wipes for the Superstars when the purse is big enough to do so, but for the most part, that's it. Changing purses has been a great way to keep me organized as well.

One last note for the day, another great thing about savvy shopping is that I've gotten a chance to try things I wouldn't ordinarily try. For instance, the bright blue Kate Landry wallet. Had it not been $8 I would not have bought it. It's now my favorite. I get tons of compliments on it from teenager cashiers on up to people as old as me and older (ha, ha, ha), and it's easy to clean, a definite plus in my world with Superstars!

Thrfit Store Score - Michael Kors & Timberland

2009-01-20T09:05:00.000-06:00

So the Superstars and I decided to make a quick stop at the thrift store and boy did I score a couple of great finds - a gorgeous pair of Michael Kors black suede & leather pumps for $3.99. I have a pencil skirt that I can't wait to wear with it...when it gets warmer around here. BRRRRR - it's COLD in Music City. Judging by the Zappo's $379 original price tag of the Alison pumps from Michael's "Michael Kors" line (as opposed to MICHAEL by Michael Kors and KORS by Michael Kors...anyone else confused?), I think I scored a pretty sweet deal!

Of course I could wear the yummy Timberland Monogram Wedge Boots that I found last week for just $8 since it IS so cold. Originally $150 these boots look brand new as well.

The Superstars found a Magic Treehouse book, a new Swan Lake coloring book and two readers today so we all went home happy campers for less than $10 (not counting last week's Timberlands :)

Repeat after me, "Oh how I love Savvy Shopping!"

Savvy Outfit of the Day - $47 Pretty in Pink Coach

2009-01-19T12:38:00.000-06:00

I didn't start wearing pink until sometime after Superstar #2 was born. It's not that I had anything against the color, I just grew up as a tomboy so I guess I never really embraced my feminine side. I was more at home in sweats & t-shirts running from soccer practice to volleyball practice and then to the football training room (I used to help tape up the players and help with injury recovery/physical therapy on the side). Not to say that I didn't have more feminine friends. I did, and some of them wore big ole bows in their hair that matched our uniforms. I just didn't.

ANYWAY - all that to say, I am falling in love with pink...in moderation. I love using it as an accent color like in this outfit where, yes, I am wearing jeans. But per What Not to Wear rules, they are a nice dark even wash and look dressy even though they are "just jeans".

The Breakdown.
B. Laguna jeans (Macy's sale $15), white tank (Rave $4), white cotton Old Navy long sleeve ($4 thrift store, new), Ann Marino black leather wedge ($8 Parisians), Pink Signature Coach clip purse ($10 thrift store), pink cashmere scarf ($6 hospital sale). Grand Total: $47

You know, I did find a pink Coach signature hat at a local thrift store (for $15) so I could have worn that as well, but it felt a little over-the-top and too matchy-matchy for my taste so here it is, sans hat. It's easy to see that with just a change in accessory color I could have a whole new outfit, but it would have to be bright in order to have the same impact, wearing black or brown accessories would be a little boring. Yellow, orange, green or red would be other good colors to pop this outfit.

Savvy Outfit of the Day - $59 Casual Coach Style

2009-01-18T10:35:00.000-06:00

Yeah! No jeans today. Today's casual outfit is inspired by my beautiful neighbor who is a NIA (no-impact aerobics), yoga and strip-fit instructor. She has the cutest casual outfits that are comfortable to boot!

The Breakdown.
Yoga Mossimo pants ($4 Target sale), black lace tank ($4 Rave), Joan & David ballet flats ($4 thrift store), Coach signature hobo purse ($43 eBay), Michael Stars blue top ($4 thrift store). Grand Total: $59

I can't tell you how much I love yoga pants. I can wear them to work out at the gym and then if I have to run somewhere in a hurry and don't have to shower there, I can throw a simple top over it and I look a step above presentable!

Yoga pants were a God-send when I was pregnant and that period after the baby when the pre-pregnancy clothes still don't fit. As long as you wash them in cold water and hang dry them, they will stay nice and dark and will always look better than sweats...especially those velour track suit sweats. But then that's just me! As much as I think some of Juicy Couture's clothing and accessories are cool, you will NEVER catch me in a pair of pants that read "JUICY" on the butt.

Superstar Savvy Decorating Tips for Kids' Rooms - Part I

2009-01-15T12:29:00.001-06:00

Today I thought I would share how I used savvy savings to decorate the Superstars' rooms. I'm sure you won't be surprised to hear that some of it was decorated with thrift store finds. Since this post turned out to be pretty long I thought I would break it into Part I and Part II. Today's half will focus on Superstar #1's room which we did for about $600 total.

SUPERSTAR #1's Bedroom

We decorated Superstar #1's room when she turned 2 and we had to transition her out of the crib to make room for Superstar #2. She turns 7 in a couple months and outside of a change in the dresser (from a free one to a bought one) it's lasted almost 5 years now. I like the fact that you really can't tell how old/young the child is that lives here. A few changes and we could make this a guest room very easily.

Furniture Breakdown - $483
The bed was the most expensive item in this room, but we bought it through a buying club we belong to called Direct Buy and ended up with a $1200 day bed for $450. IKEA has a comparable bed that we considered (not quite as sturdy, but looks very similar for $400) but the IKEA version has pull-out drawers whereas the one we bought has a pull out bed which is perfect for both sleepovers or if we have lots of guests in the house and the Superstars have to bunk together. I don't see us replacing it any time soon.

The chest of drawers was a purchase from the thrift store last year. It was $15 and brown. I brought it home and painted it with white semi-gloss, put the old knobs back on and voila! The bedside wicker table was $8 at the thrift store. The matching trash can was from...a trash pile left on the side of the road. I sanitized it and sprayed it with another coat of spray paint ($1 a can at Walmart) and it's perfect. The toy chest was from IKEA, bare wood, for $10. I painted it and that's where all the extra stuffed animals are stored.

Bedding & Curtain Breakdown - $70
($85 for the option to change out when she wants)
All that cute kid's bedding can be EXPENSIVE! We found that IKEA was the cheapest, well made items that looked really good. We timed our trips to IKEA as part of a family vacation to visit the family in California or St. Louis (then drove up to Chicago). I envy all you out there who have an IKEA nearby.

The duvet cover & pillow case was a set and cost $20. Each European pillow with sham was less than $10 a piece. The duvet itself was around $20 (hypo-allergenic). The sheer cotton window panels were $20 ($10 a set and I needed 2 sets for the 3 panels). The matching fabric fringe at the top of each panel was the pillow case from the duvet set taken apart and sewn on by me. The hardware to hang the curtains was $10 at IKEA.

The red standard pillowcase was bought during our 2007 Christmas trip to California to see my folks. We bought both girls a matching duvet/pillow set on sale for $15 a set. Superstar #1 had been wanting to update her room and so we bought one for her so she could switch back and forth as she wanted. It's as easy as pulling it out of the linen closet when we pull the dirty ones off. Isn't it amazing what a change it is, just for $15? When everything else is pretty basic, you can change the whole look of a room for very little money. I think blue, greens & reds would be another great color combination in this room, so that if we had a boy, it would work just as well without painting.

Art, Accessories & Lighting - $42
Last but not least the art and accessories. We bought the "M" & "B" letters at TJMaxx for $4 a piece. The butterfly was from my mom but I have seen them for less than $5 a piece at various places from Target to Party City. They're seasonal so you can't always find them but they sure are cute.

The rug was $16 at IKEA, a little surprise that my husband brought home from a work trip to California. I LOVE the pop of color it brings to the room and how it keeps the room from becoming too girly/fru-fru. It also hides the permanent ink spot that was there when we bought the house.

The wicker mirror over the drawers is actually mine from when I was a child. It was one of the things my Mom & Dad let me have as I went to college (it was brown back then, $1 can of spray paint changed that). There's a good chance that one of the girls will take it with them to college someday. The tall mirror behind her door was a curbside find. Actually a friend of mine was leaving town and had a pile on the front porch she was throwing away. It was dark brown and now it's white.

My husband and I bought the hanging star lamp with a gift card we received for our wedding over 10 years ago. It was originally bronze, a reminder of the huge star lanterns that hung up in the restaurant in Playa del Carmen where we had a wonderful dinner one night during our honeymoon and hung up in the living room for a long time. When Superstar #1 was born we painted it white and it has been hers ever since. It was a great "night light" back then for her as a baby and she still uses it now. The main light in her room was a horrible builder's grade see-through glass globe (BLECH!). I found a nondescript white flushlamp for $12 at Lowe's.

The ballerina picture over the night stand was a $5 buy at TJMaxx. The lamp, was another friend's "we're throwing all this out if you want any of it", and the fairy hook that she can hang her bathrobe & pajamas on was .99 new at the thrift store. I wanted to put it behind the door, but she wouldn't have that. Thank goodness the robe matches her room. You laugh, but it would catch my eye and bug me every time I entered the room!

One Last Word...
So that's it for Superstar #1's room. I hope you all know that as I share these things it's not to say "this is how you should decorate your room" because I know that we all have different tastes and styles. I definitely don't share it with you because I feel like I am on the cutting edge of decorating.

I just wanted to share that with a little time, creativity and patience, you can have a room that looks pulled together without a lot of cost. I have friends that LOVE Pottery Barn and surf Craigslist and eBay looking for the set they want and save a ton of money doing it, but I've never been beholden to any particular look so I'm fine mixing and matching. It's more eclectic and more organic in the sense that it's not so "matchy-matchy". It's also more forgiving with experiments where you can add and take away pieces as the children grow, without changing or throwing off the whole room's look.

I don't have any examples of it here, but garage sales are also GREAT places to find accessories and sometimes incredible deals on furniture. I remember my girlfriend buying a gorgeous hand painted Bassett armoire for her daughter's room for just $75. Another girlfriend bought a boy's car bed for $50. The deals are there it's just a seasonal thing around here. We don't have as many of them around when the weather is freezing.

Tomorrow's post - Superstar #2's room. It's kind of in transition at this point, having been thrown together rather haphazardly over the last 2 years. It's the second child thing. I was too busy to put as much thought into it and without another child on the way, it was easier to let some things slide. Bless her heart, we just got rid of her changing table/dresser this summer.

Superstar Savvy Decorating Tips for Kids' Rooms - Part II

2009-01-15T09:13:00.000-06:00

Yesterday I shared what went into decorating Superstar #1's room and today it's time for Superstar #2. As I mentioned yesterday, it's in a bit in a transition. Even as I take the pictures I realize what a large blank wall she has by her bed and since I never found anything I really liked, it stayed that way. Due to this and great deals, this room came together for a Grand Total of $183.

We've been talking about changing the room up a bit by buying a new "bed". Right now her headboard is a piece of plywood with padding and Dora fabric which we got for free, against which a pop-up trundle bed is pushed. We're not sure what we're going to do and yet, it's not a priority so we're not really in any hurry. I do, however, look forward to getting rid of the Dora stuff!

Superstar's #2 Room

Superstar #2's room is a perfect example of what I think the two most important aspects of savvy savings in general are: 1) be patient and 2) be willing to compromise. Although I am someone who really thrives with order or at least the appearance thereof, I am willing to leave empty spaces and wait until I find what I want at the price I want it. I also don't really go into decorating thinking I HAVE to have a certain item. The room kind of evolves as it goes. There's a lot less stress that way as well. Kids for the most part, don't care as much as we do about such things.

I admit, I am not a theme kind of person. I didn't want a Disney Princess Room or a Dora room, but I found several Dora items for so cheap or free that I've "embraced it" for this season (from 2 to 4 years old) because I knew that it wouldn't be that way forever AND because I knew I could recoup the cost by selling off the Dora's things when we made the change. The point being that it was what made itself available at the time for a price I was willing to pay, and my daughter loved it. She's the one who has recently said she is ready to change things, so we'll see what makes itself available as we start to look!

Furniture Breakdown - $52
The bed was actually the least expensive part of this room. We got the headboard for free from a friend of ours whose daughter loved Dora too. The bedframe itself is a pop-up trundle from a thrift store where it was $17, but with a frequent buyer card discount ($10 off for your 10th purchase of $10 or more) it was just $7.

The Dora cubby holder was a surprise find at Big Lots for $15. It use to hold board books (before we did the built-ins for the bonus room) and now we use it to hold various extra animals & dress up clothes or whatever little bits of stuff that doesn't need to be all over the floor.

The dresser was a thrift store find for $20. It too was dark brown but after a couple coats of white semi-gloss paint it and $10 worth of hardware (I had the single knobs on hand and bought 6 cup pulls on eBay for $1.39 each) I have a great dresser that Superstar #2 can reach all the drawers and pick out/put away all her clothes herself.

The hamper was a thrift store find for $5. It was already white so no painting required there. The Dora sofa was a $5 thrift store find. The cover is removable so we sanitized and then washed everything before we used it. It folds out to a bed and she's actually had a "sleep over" in her sister's room using it.

Bedding & Curtains Breakdown - $63
The duvet cover is the same as Superstar #1's "alternative" set. It was $15 for the cover and pillowcase at IKEA. The duvet itself was $20 at IKEA. The bedskirt was $2 at the thrift store. The two shams match her sisters but are flipped over to showcase the pink polka dot side (versus the red/green/pink gingham showcased in her sister's room). With the pillow insert they were about $10 a piece.

The curtains are my favorite and part of what we'll use to build on as we move forward. They were given to me by my friend. They are Pottery Barn and I love them. They were, however, a little too short for my taste. I always hang my curtains nearer to the ceiling in order to give the appearance of a taller room. My friend also gave me the little "cafe curtains" that matched in pink gingham, and I just sewed them onto the bottom in order to give it the height I wanted. The wood rod & hardware was $8 at Big Lots.

Art, Accessories & Lighting - $57
The three pictures above the dresser wasn't really a planned thing. I bought them at the 90% off after Valentines day sale at Target for a total of $8. Having said that, I like the pop of color they bring which helps to tie in the red in the duvet covers. They are fun and simple pieces that can not only be used in her room, but should we changed things around in her sister's room, matches that color scheme as well. The Dora lamp was a gift from Nana & Pappy and with the little twist switch on the cord, something she can turn on and off very easily.

The three pictures in her hang-out corner (formerly the reading corner) and the one on the left of the curtains were Dollar Tree frames (4 at $1 each) then I used a yard of $1 a yard fabric from Walmart to create a pink polka dot mat showcasing some fun 8x10 pictures of the Superstars. The little fairy that holds her bathrobe & pajamas matches her sisters and came from the thrift store for $1.

Whereas Superstar #1 has a star lamp, Superstar #2 has a chandelier in her room. I bought it at Target on sale for $20 and just added the beaded lampshades which I found at Lowe's for $4 a piece. We put the light on a dimmer ($8 extra) and it adds a special touch to her room that I know she'll still love when she's older. Who knows, the Superstars may decide to switch their lamps too at some point.

Final Words
I hope if anything these last two days have been encouraging, whether it's to say "We did a WHOLE lot better than that for our kids rooms" or just to say "Hey, it's ok not to have it all together!" Work with what you've got, change things out from other rooms, dig in the attic and see what might work if you just add a coat of paint.

Other places to check that are great for savvy savings for decorating kid's rooms:

Craigslist
People are constantly listing furniture, and there are always a bunch of kid's items. Sometimes they even give things away for FREE! I've seen twin bed frames for less than $20. You can make a custom headboard with just a board from Lowe's, padding from Jo-ann's and your choice of fabric (and a staple gun). I did one for our Master Bedroom that I'll share in another post soon.

Garage Sales
Granted it's a little cold outside, but some people are still having them. There are definite deals to be had at garage sales. Get there early though since furniture is usually the first to go. Garage sales are also great for getting artwork for cheap as well as those little extras like bins, baskets, hampers, and lamps.

Consignment Stores
The stores near our house always have furniture of some sort and they always have artwork. Sometimes it's new and you still pay a premium, othertimes they have odds and ends, like bookcases that are still cheaper than running to Target and getting the Closetmaid version.

Consigment Sales
Like the consignment store you are buying a used item, usually. Items tend to be priced less than consignment stores since it's only an event lasting a couple days. This is another great place to find artwork, bedding and furniture. If you sell at the consignment sale you'll get first dibs by being able to buy the day before the sale opens to the public.

These are just a few of the ideas on where to build a savvy kids room with style. More than anything, have fun with it - It's a kids room!

Savvy Outfit of the Day - $63 Lucky Brand & Frye Boot Cool

2009-01-14T23:14:00.001-06:00

Wow, you all are a tough crowd! Too many jeans lately?

Sigh. You're right. I've really just been in a jean mood. It's been cold and gray outside and I've been very, very lazy. In fact, there have been some days when I have stayed in my PJs before heading out well AFTER noon. You ever have days like that?

How about if I kick it up a notch? Would it help if I went out in a jeans SKIRT? I mean, it technically a "jean skirt", but it's a skirt so that's gotta merit some brownie points, right?

The Breakdown.
Flirty Blues denim skirt ($4 thrift store), lace brown tank top ($4 Rave), brown tights ($4 Walmart), Old Navy cord jacket ($6 thrift store), red cashmere pashmina ($6 hospital sale), Lucky Brand vintage inspired purse ($24 thrift store), Frye lace up boots ($15 shoe outlet). Grand Total: $63

So my dear Savvy Friends, I promise I will try to do better and wear my cords and other non-jean pants again. I will try!!!!

Superstar Savvy Savings for Children's Clothing

2009-01-14T14:18:00.000-06:00

I've spent a lot of time chronicling adult clothing, now it's time to give the Superstars their due. As you might have guessed, the majority of their clothing comes from the thrift store. While I have shopped consignment stores, consignment sales, eBay, and retail and outlet stores, time and again I consistently find the best and the cheapest items at the thrift store. BUT that doesn't mean that deals can't be found elsewhere. The key to my savvy shopping for kids is to realize that I don't "have" to have any particular clothing so bad that it's worth paying a premium.

CONSIGNMENT STORES

PROS: Organized retail store atmosphere where you don't have to dig for gently used children's items for a fraction of retail. You can "trade-up".
CONS: Not as good a deal as thrift store.

Consignment stores are great places to find gently used and some new children's items: clothing, toys, books, children's furniture, hair ribbons, jewelry and even maternity clothes. Parents bring in their clothing and the store will either sell it for them or buy the clothes and then turn around and sell it. Some stores will even sell local handmade items such as bows, smocked items, bibs, personalized diaper bags, etc.

I occasionally shop consignment stores but I mainly use them to sell off the Superstars' clothes after they have outgrown them and there are no local consignment sales (see below) for a while. I usually make at least what I spent for the clothes since I buy things so cheap, but either way I find I get more bang for my buck by going to the thrift store. Jeans at consignment stores generally run from $5-$15. Jeans at the thrift store for kids up to pre-teens are $2.50 - $3.50.

CONSIGNMENT SALES

PROS: Greater percentage of profit than consignment stores. Great assortment of furniture and larger baby items for cheap. If you sell items at the sale you get to shop before the public. The profits made by the organization holding the sale usually gets the other portion of the profits (goes to a good cause).
CONS: Seasonal. More work on your part, and although you can get some deals, since the other mom's prices the items, they can be more expensive than buying those items on sale at retail (and definitely more than thrifting).

Better than consignment stores are consignment sales, and if you live somewhere like I do, they are regular seasonal occurrences. We even have a website that keeps track of all the consignment sales in Tennessee.

Like consignment stores someone else does the work of selling your clothes by providing you space and an "audience" for a percentage of the sales. Most of the sales I have participated in gave me 70% of the profit, while they kept 30%. The best sales I've been a part of are churches, who in turn use the money they make for things like youth programs, international and national mission work and even for building playgrounds.

You can sell pretty much buy and sell any child's item at these types of sales. It's a great way to get rid of unused clothing, shoes, duplicate birthday toys, bikes, books, high chairs, computer games, etc. The last sale I made $150 and the church that held the sale made $35,000 for a playground.

EBAY

PROS: Precision shopping from the comfort of your home.
CONS: Not as great a bargain as thrift or sometimes even retail sales. You need eBay/PayPal account. You can't examine the item you are buying. May not be returnable (depends on seller's policy, although if the seller was misleading, PayPal offers a process by which you can get your money back).

Children's clothes on eBay can be a bargain, especially if you are looking for a particular item or a particular name brand. I have resorted to eBay when I was looking for a character piece of clothing for the Superstars birthday. Other than that I am not beholden to any particular brand name so I'm pretty content with what I buy at the thrift store.

That said, I was able to buy a Dora bathing suit for my youngest last season (which she wanted and needed) for less than $10 and it was delivered straight to my door. Mommy ROCKS!

DISCOUNT RETAIL STORES (TJMaxx, Marshall's, Ross, Nordstrom's Rack, etc.)

PROS: Retail store atmosphere. Return Policy.
CONS: Average prices are generally more than thrift or consignment. Not always a good selection of the size you need. Quality isn't always the greatest.

With the advent of discount stores like TJMaxx, Ross and Marshall's, there are tons of places to buy brand name clothing at discounted prices. Marshall's has a particularly good shoe department for children and I have seen Merrells and Stride Rite shoes for at least half retail prices. I also regularly find Ralph Lauren clothing at these stores for less than $20, still more than what I generally pay since I have found tons of Ralph Lauren at the thrift store (including new with tags) but it's a great place to buy gifts for showers, birthdays, Christmas, etc. when the recipient may not be as thrilled with a thrift store purchase as I am.

The great thing about these places and that they too have end of the season sales where their prices get even lower. I recently went to a shower where I spent just $2 for a beautiful pink Ralph Lauren pique cotton onesie and $2 for a two pieces cotton summer dress & bloomers that I gave as a gift.

OUTLET STORES

PROS: Retail store atmosphere. Quality name brands at better than retail prices. Return Policy.
CONS: Average prices still more than thrfit store or consignment. Not as readily available, even in larger cities.

Outlet stores are also a good source of children's clothes especially if you favor a particular name brand; Ralph Lauren, Carter's, Children's Place, Gymboree, etc. but for me it means making a trip somewhere, even in a larger city like Nashville. And if I want to do that I have to do it during the week with the Superstars or on the weekends when Dad can watch them, since he hates shopping.

When the Superstars were younger I use to shop the end-of-the-season sale at Children's Place Outlet where everything I bought was under $5.00, most pieces were $1.99 and $2.99. My youngest is STILL wearing some of these items and will next summer. When she is finished with them I will probably end up consigning them at one of the sales and making back what I paid (if not more) 4 years and 2 kids after buying them. Woo-hoo, that's how I like to ROLL....

THRIFT STORES

PROS: Consistently the cheapest way to buy kid's clothes.
CONS: Going through racks of clothes that are only separated by large year gaps. Usually worn, rarely new.

Of course you know that this is my favorite of all places to buy kid's clothing. I guess I'm of the mentality if the thrift store is good enough for mom it's good enough for the kids, and really, they aren't as gentle on their clothes as I am. It just never made much sense to me to buy expensive clothes for the kids when A) the outgrow them so quickly and B) they can tear them up in just one play date or 5 minutes outside.

Of course I am spoiled, I live in an area where people donate Gucci and Prada, so the kids clothes selection can be great. I have bought tons of clothes that were new with tags including: TEA, Rare Edition, Ralph Lauren, Strasburg, Gymboree, Gap, and tons of fancy boutique brand names with smocking and lace (not too many since I'm not that fancy).

Even though some of the clothes can have stains (and I have bought items that I was able to get the stains out) there are just as many that are barely worn. Kids can grow like weeds and it's not uncommon for them to wear something a couple times before they've outgrown it, especially if they are going through a growth spurt. Sometimes the Superstars have skipped over certain sizes in a growth spurt.

Thrifting is hands down the best way to find cheap clothes for me. I don't mind the digging to get the great deals. Just last week I bought Superstar #1 a Kangol youth hat in soft fuzzy gray for $1.50. I can't tell you how many compliments she's gotten in it.

CRAIGSLIST

PROS: Cheap and sometimes FREE. Shopping from your computer.
CONS: Meeting up to get it from someone you don't know. You don't know till you meet them whether or not the clothes are in good wearable condition. First come, first serve.

Craigslist is like the ultimate 24/7 garage sale. I have friends who swear by it when it comes to children's clothing. Just today I went online and saw a woman advertising 10 pieces of Gymboree clothing most brand new with tags on them for $15, so you definitely can get deals. Like the thrift store it's limited to what people are listing. You may not find the size or the brand names or condition you want for the price you are willing to pay.

The only reason why I don't use Craigslist as often is because the best deals aren't always nearby in the sizes I need. That said, when it is, the deals are great because people are just happy to get rid of it and get some money for it rather than giving it the thrift store...which of course, I am always happy when they do.

RETAIL & BOUTIQUE STORES

PROS: Excellent name brand quality in a retail atmostphere. Usually great customer service and a return policy. End of season sales can mean thrift store prices for brand new name brand items.
CONS: Most expensive of all options.

It's a huge category, but I lump the likes of Target, Kohl's, Macy's, Nordstrom, Gymboree, Jack & Janie, and all the Mom & Pop boutique stores into this category because they are what I like to call "full retail" stores. Their stores are the first line after the clothing leaves the manufacturer. Although I rarely pay full retail I still scan the sale racks of major department stores and mall stores and even boutiques during prime sale times - i.e. end of the season. It's then that you can snag up terrific deals anywhere from 30% to 90% off.

Like my recent trip to Target that netted me $70 of clothes for $14 which is about 80% off retail. Even the boutique store down the road runs 70% off sales at the end of the season when you can get high-end smocked items for those who like to dress their children fancier or just for fancy occasions. Since I buy all those at the thrift store when y'all are done with them, I'm thankful you donate them when you're done!

A FEW LAST WORDS

Children outgrow clothes so quickly that it never made much sense to me to spend a lot of money for it. As for "well-made", yes, I don't want my kids to wear something a couple times and have it ripping at the seams, but I just can't see spending $50 on a child's piece of clothing that will last MAYBE a year, more if you can pass it to a younger sibling. Of course I want the Superstars to look presentable, but reality is that all it takes is one meal and not only may "presentable" be out the window, but so might the outfit depending on the damage done.

As I always say, "If a 2-year-old looks messy or is wearing mismatched clothes, she's TWO. She has an excuse. It's harder to explain when it's the 22, 32 or 42 year mother who looks that way." I'm beginning to think some Moms wear their mismatched or ill-fitted clothes as a sort of badge-of-honor, an outward sign of the inherent difficulties of martyrdom...I mean, motherhood. At the same time, others may use their perfect appearance as an outward sign that they have it all together. Neither choice is to be commended or more highly regarded.

Ultimately it's about finding balance in your own life where both you and your children are taken care of and feel good about yourselves. Alas, it's much easier for children than Moms, but our children learn those kind of things from us and we are laying the groundwork for what kind of adult they will be someday.

RUN Don't Walk to Target....

2009-01-13T16:08:00.001-06:00

I had something to return to Target. I timed it to be there today, Tuesday, in particular since that's the day they mark down children's clothing. Imagine my surprise to find that all the Clearance clothing (hanging up) was an additional 30% - not only children's but adults as well. Apparently they are overstocked for the Christmas season and they are trying to get it all moved out before the Spring items go into stores. Not every Target in the US is doing it, so call ahead if you're not sure if your Target is like ours and has a lot of overstock. If they do, get on over there NOW!

I got $70.49 worth of children's clothing for $13.59. The Superstars love wearing matching outfits from time to time so I got two sets of matching shirts, one sweater and two dresses - seven pieces of clothing total. That's even better than the thrift store - and brand new to boot. Talk about Savvy Savings!

Savvy Outfit of the Day- $35 Cashmere & Kate Spade

2009-01-12T08:14:00.000-06:00

Can you tell I'm in love with argyle these days? I found this beautiful Banana Republic argyle sweater last week at the thrift store and had to buy it because of the color. A couple of red carpets ago I remember noticing several dark haired celebrities wearing this lovely shade of blue and thinking, "I could wear that color!"

This sweater lends itself to several combination due to the different blues in the pattern. I pulled from one of those blues (the turquoise) and used a cashmere pashmina that I had found last year at the thrift store for this outfit, but I've already paired this sweater with a blue tank and off-white cords for the next time I wear it.

The Breakdown.
Banana Republic argyle sweater ($6 thrift store), off-white tank top ($4 Rave), Express X2 Jeans ($4 thrift store), cashmere pashmina ($1.50 thrift store), Kate Spade black leather handbag ($10 thrift store) and the only retail store item bought, Ann Marino black leather wedge ($8 Parisians). Grand Total: $33.50

One of the things you may have noticed is my recent use of scarves & pashminas. These are great ways to add pops of color and keep warm on those in-between days that we seem to have a lot of here in Music City during the winter. I love it because it's like having a warm blanket wrapped around you and well, they are quite stylish. They are also a rather cheap accessory, especially when found at the thrift store. Goodwill tends to mark them at $1.50-1.99 so finding a cashmere one in this gorgeous blue just made my day and I actually look for ways to wear it.

Next up on the savvy savings calendar is a blog on children's savvy clothing savings...

SUPER Savvy Outfit of the Day - $17

2009-01-07T21:38:00.000-06:00

Today's outfit is brought to you by the thrift store, Big Lots, Plato's Closet and Parisian's. Yup, Big Lots. Did you know they sell clothes?

As for the sweater, I LOVE it. The black and white graphic print is classic and adds a bit of fun to "just jeans." The bright red of the purse is the perfect POP of color needed to keep this outfit from being too monochromatic.

The Breakdown.
i.e sweater (thrift store $6), Jockey lace-edged tank top ($3 Big Lots), Ann Marino black leather wedge (Parisian's $8), Buffalo Bitton jeans (Plato's Closet - free with exchange of old clothes), Coach red patent leather Gallery Tote (free, birthday gift), The Limited scarf/shawl (free birthday gift). Grand Total: $17

Woo-hoo! I think this is my lowest total to date! Of course, it all hinges on the gifts, but hey, that still counts!

So Big Lots, yeah, they do have clothes. I can't say I've ever bought any jeans or shirts there, but I have bought things like this Jockey for Her lace edged tank-top, Gold Toe socks for the family, cotton pajamas, and even Jockey work out bras! I recently found some high-end Joseph Abboud men's boxers for $4 a pair (they normally run for $20 a pair). As a note, they carry some very cute babies' clothing, usually Carters and Target brand overstocks. GREAT for baby showers.

That's the great thing about Big Lots is that they make a business of selling overstocked items for major retail stores, so it's another link in the chain of moving clothes and creating less waste. If it doesn't sell at Big Lots the items will most likely end up at a salvage store for their next stop.

Hmm, looking at this picture I realize that I need to hem the jeans just a tad bit, they bunch a bit on the bottom...oops!

One Woman's Trash(can) is Another Woman's Treasure

2009-01-07T17:36:00.000-06:00

I never set out to buy stainless steel trashcans. It's not that I don't think they're cool. My kitchen has stainless steel appliances so I do gravitate to that style, but our trash can is under the sink so I don't really need one that looks nice. And well, they are so expensive, and for what? TRASH.

But now, thanks to the thrift store, I have not just one but three stainless steel trashcans; not one of them was over $10 and not one of them is in my kitchen.

I've got one in my bonus room near the computer where I work. I've got another in the laundry room, which is off the garage (great for throwing dryer lint and whatever may have been in their pockets) and another in my garage that we use on the deck during the summer when we have neighborhood parties and use for all the trash that the Superstars seem to want to accumulate in the van.

I LOVE my trashcans and would not have so many if I hadn't found them so cheap. You never know what you can find at your local thrift store so stop by TODAY!

Savvy Outfit of the Day - $77 Stylin' in Argyle

2009-01-06T09:04:00.001-06:00

I don't have much yellow in my wardrobe. I'm half-Japanese and that means I have a more olive/yellow skin-tone, so wearing the color can make me look sallow and sickly. Still, although this color alone on me may not be ideal, if paired with a dark overcoat, it becomes a nice pop of color and a way for me to enjoy a color that I really do love. And well, argyle is so "in" right now too. Argyle was really "in" during the 80's when I was in high school. It came after the rainbow sweater phase...

The Breakdown.
Merona argyle sweater (thrift store $6/ARP $25), X2 Express Jeans ($4 thrift store/ARP $60), white tank ($2.50 For Love 21/ARP $3), Gianni Bini bronze boots ($6 thrift store/ARP $100), Banana Republic leather purse ($41 eBay/ARP $200), Style & Co. brown wool coat ($17 Macy's sale/ARP $130).

Grand Total: $77
Approximate Retail Price: $518
Savvy Savings: $441

Wow, I'm always surprised when my Grand Total is that high! Of course, it's because $41 of it is a purse and $17 is the jacket, but considering that the purse retailed for about $200 and the jacket was originally $130, I think it's safe to say that $76.50 is MUCH better than $300+...and that's just using retail for those two items. Add the other items at retail and the total would be over $500.

If that's not savvy shopping then I don't know what is!

Savvy Outfit of the Day $58 - Free People Funky

2009-01-04T22:12:00.001-06:00

Today's outfit may not follow the What Not to Wear rules. I'm not totally sure. In one way the bold print of this shirt really may walk into a room before I do and while it is not the most slimming I absolutely love the colors.

I purposefully kept the accessories low key so that it didn't look like a modified version of the Golden Girls (big and bold). Free People is one of those brands that I like because it pays attention to colors and textures in less-than-traditional ways without being too Bohemian, though I'm sure just a change of accessories could make this more "boho".

The Breakdown.
The lovely Free People sweater ($6 brand new at the thrift store), The Limited Drew Jeans ($5 TJ Maxx), Giani Bernini bronze boots ($6 thrift store), and my favorite Banana Republic leather purse ($41 eBay). Grand Total: $58

Again with the bronze color for shoes...I love it! The boots worn with dark blue jeans don't "jump" out at you so it really reads as a neutral, and the pointed toe with a bit of a heel keeps the outfit from screaming HIPPIE! Though looking at the pictures, it looks like these jeans are almost tapered. They are most assuredly NOT! However, I almost think a wider trouser leg might have worked a bit better in keeping the overall balance of the outfit. I'll have to try that, as you know this will not be the last time I wear this sweater.

So I'm sorry Clinton Kelly if this was a flagrant violation of The Rules. I just can't help but love this shirt. I hope you can forgive me. At least I didn't say I was wearing it because it was so "comfortable"...

Ringing in the 2009 New Year with Clinton Kelly!

2009-01-01T22:43:00.000-06:00

HAPPY NEW YEAR my Savvy Friends!!

Several of you have asked me to share more on my "consultation" with Clinton Kelly a couple months back, and though he couldn't make it to the little New Year's soiree we had here in the 'hood, I figured we could celebrate in spirit with him by raising our right hand and solemnly swearing to uphold Savvy Shopping & Saving habits in 2009.

Admittedly my original blog about Clinton was a little shorter than what I had first imagined. I don't know what came over me. I'm usually a pretty good photographer when it comes to candid quick snaps, I'm half Japanese after all, but not this time!

Maybe it was his 6'4" tall frame and sparkly blue-eyes that stunned the camera, maybe it was his sassy comments about tapered mom-jeans, or maybe it was his gushing compliments to us moms (he spent a week at his sister's house with his nephews and was exhausted) or maybe it was just a bad camera day - you know, like a bad hair day? Whatever it was I have but a couple more pictures of my stylist to share with you with a couple more fun tidbits from the "consultation".

One of the funnier moments of the evening is when he answered a question from a stay-at-home mom. What was she wearing, you ask? A gray frumpy sweatshirt, white t-shirt, jeans and tennis shoes. Her excuse for not wearing something better was that all she did was take her kids to preschool, as if that was going to win brownie points with him. The funny thing is that Clinton pointed it out, "But you knew you were coming HERE and you wore THAT?" Of course we all laughed. I mean, c'mon, you are just setting yourself up for ridicule by Clinton if you come wearing a sweatshirt and baggy jeans and tennis shoes!

Then he pulled this little woman on stage. Again, what was she thinking coming to see Clinton Kelly wearing THIS? You can tell she was laughing at his little zingy comments. The great thing is that he ended by telling her that though the green t-shirt she was wearing looked a little worn, the color looked really good on her.

This is what I love about what he and Stacie London do with What Not to Wear. They build people up. You can honestly tell that Clinton feels that women deserve to treat themselves better by wearing clothes that make the most of what they have. It's never about being a size 0 - it's about looking good in whatever size you wear NOW.

Clinton shared that he started in advertising before the fashion industry and that the women you see in magazines are not "real". They are images created by a whole team of experts whose sole job is to make the product or idea they are selling PERFECT. He went on about how it's one person's sole job to not only airbrush out any wrinkles but even pores. Teeth are whitened & straightened, waistlines made smaller, breasts made larger until the person no longer looks real. He went on to say that these are not the images we should be using to compare ourselves against because the model in the original picture doesn't even look that good in real life...and she knows it!

That's about all I have left to report, though one little tidbit I didn't share and it was from our last "consultation". Clinton pointed out that women have a terrible habit of being very vocal about what they hate about their body. He doesn't think we should ever talk about ourselves in that manner. Sure everyone has different challenges or areas of their body that they have a harder time dressing. When asked what his was, he said that he has a big butt. Seriously!

Now, both times I saw him he was wearing a sports coat which he says he uses to cover it up. Well, I can't say that I was spent a lot of time looking at his butt (I'm a mom of two little girls, c'mon!) but from what I can tell it's just one of those things that's not "perfect" in proportion in the eyes of a man who works in the fashion industry. Still, it was nice to hear that even the "pretty people" have their own issues and imperfections. It's what makes us a part of the human race.

So as you make your way into 2009 I will leave you with this picture that I found on Clinton's website taken by Brian Winckler. It's Cowboy Clinton, and it made this Nashville Girl (by way of Southern California) laugh. I mean, there's even penguins! And you know how I feel about penguins, especially Madagascar penguins. Till we meet again, Shop Savvy Y'all and...HAPPY NEW YEAR!

Savvy Outfit of the Day - $29 Delicious DKNY too!

2008-12-30T21:44:00.000-06:00

Today's savvy outfit is brought to you by the thrift store, TJMaxx and Belk's. This is casual and definitely comfortable given the stretch on these jeans! Although looking back at my savvy outfit from just the other day, I can't believe how much dressier this one looks JUST because of the dark wash of the jeans. Dang if Clinton Kelly & Stacy London aren't right once again!

The overall cost of today's outfit is so much less as well given the cost of the overcoat and the purse of the other day so I guess it's not THAT bad, but still! It's amazing how the "extras" can really change the grand total!

The Breakdown.
Ann Taylor brown sweater ($4 thrift store), Sunny Leigh printed button up shirt ($8 Belk's), The Limited blackwash Drew Jeans ($5 TJMaxx), yummy chocolate DKNY leather & suede purse ($8 thrift store), Anne Klein bronze shoes ($4 thrift store). Grand Total: $29

In the last year I have found that I like wearing a collared shirt under a v-neck sweater. It breaks it up a bit and the layering helps in cooler weather. This Sunny Leigh shirt is machine washable too so I'm not spending money at the dry cleaners, which ruins the whole saving time & money thing, you know?

You can't really tell from the main picture, but the shoes are a deep bronze color, more of a brown with a touch of sheen. The thought of wearing bronze shoes never occurred to me until recently when I realized that I can dress rather monochromatic at times and the extra sheen adds a subtlety that keeps the outfit from looking too boring. The sheen also helps when trying to wear different browns together and/or if want to wear them with black.

Like I said, I'm not looking for any fashion award, but I hope what I wear doesn't scream I'm-a-stay-at-home-mom-who-homeschools-her-kids-so-I-don't-have-time-for-myself. The haggard look in my eyes should say that loud and clear...ha, ha, just kidding!

Target Sales 75% Off Christmas 2008

2008-12-30T17:12:00.001-06:00

Just wanted to give you Gals & Guys a heads-up. Target just went 75% off of their Christmas stuff today. Some of the toys are 30% off and the Dollar Section is 50%. I did pretty well today, as far as not spending a bunch of money although I admit having a full cart that slowly diminished as I thought through what I really needed versus "kinda wanted". Even though it's a great price, these kind of things are more of a luxury than a necessity.

I got away with spending $3 on some white rope light that I plan on using on the railing of my deck. The great thing about this 25 foot light is that it can be used on top of your kitchen cabinets to add a nice "glow". Plug them in and use one of those "outdoor switches" and you can turn them on with just a touch of a button. I'll do a blog on that sometime soon too. It's awesome!

Speaking of light, I'm telling you, if you want lights or lawn decorations, now is the time to get them. At 75% off they won't last long. I was in the store for about an hour and it was a MADHOUSE! A fun madhouse, but still!

The Dollar Section (now 2 for a $1) was where I scored a bunch of things for Superstar #1's birthday gift bags. When did that start, by the way? I thought the birthday girl was the only one who got things and now my kids get sent away with a bag full of goodies for showing up. That never happened to me as a kid, but given the price I was able to load up on 4 packs that can be divided into separate bags making it even more cost effective and fun. I wish I knew when it would be 75% so I could get them for a quarter each!

I stayed away from toys as I know that in a couple weeks Target will put those extra toys up for 75% off. Last year I used it as a time to buy Birthday Gifts for the year. I'm not kidding! The Dollar Section will also go 75% in the coming weeks. When all that happens I will try to give y'all the heads-up on that because who can't use a little "rewards" for their kids or their kid's classrooms for a quarter a piece?

In the end it was a successful trip to Target. I didn't spend more than $20 and walked away with some things I wanted (the rope lighting) and two beautiful red glass Christmas Trees for a dear Friend of mine who collects red glass. The woman in front of me in line said that the same type of trees were $50 in the Partylite catalogue recently.

Have fun out there, but remember, be savvy about the money you spend. A deal is not a deal if you really can't use it or if it breaks your budget.

How I Spent my Christmas Vacation...

2008-12-29T13:40:00.000-06:00

What is it with Holiday vacations? Why can't I be content to sit on my butt and enjoy a cup of good cheer? Why is my idea of a "relaxing" vacation seem to entail tools and/or noxious chemicals? And WHY on earth do I have such a willing accomplice in my Beloved? Isn't it his job to keep me from going nuts with the cleaning and organizing as is inherent in my German/Japanese DNA?

So, what did I do? I helped my husband put shelves in our attic. Well, they're not technically shelves, but large 4'x8' pieces of OSB (oriented strand board) we had the fine fellows at Lowe's cut in half to fit on the cross beams of the attic. I confess, this was definitely not one of my most favorite projects Being doubled over in the attic is never fun, and NEVER for hours at a time, but this project sure was one of the most practical, and the end result speaks for itself.

You see, before we just stacked things on the studs of the floor of the attic, which in turn flattened all the lovely insulation that is suppose to help keep the house warm/cool. This method of storage also made walking along the center aisle and trying to get to items while not hitting your head on the studs extremely frustrating.

My Beloved was the one who realized that all we needed to do was lay down a board where the crossbeams "crossed" so to speak, and voila, instant shelf! Though the project was relatively easy and could be done alone by a strong man or woman, it is much easier with two people given the size of the boards you end up using. As for tools, we could have done the whole thing with just a tape measure but we decided to increase the storage space by nailing a 2x4 across a couple studs to create another shelf on another part of the attic that didn't have the crossbeams that we could just set boards down upon.

See how we basically just laid down the piece of wood where the cross beams crossed? And because we had an extra small piece from somewhere in the garage, we did a double tier on one side, which although narrow, is perfect for the suitcases of which we have an enormous selection apparently!

Voila! I think what amazes me is that we spent about $25 and about 2 hours on this project (getting the boards, moving stuff, etc.) and just look at the final result. It's beautiful...sniff, sniff...who knew a clean attic would move me so?

Project Breakdown
Three 7/16" x 4' x 8' OSB Boards ($17), box of nails ($3), One 2' x 4' ($3). Grand Total: $23 End Result: PRICELESS!

My husband said it would have actually cost less than $20 for the whole project if we hadn't needed to replace the floor boards going down the middle of the attic. They were started to give way and since neither one of us wanted to go through the second story dry wall ceiling, we decided to spend the extra $6 for another piece of OSB which pushed it over $20.

A few extra notes on this project. You don't have to use OSB, you can use any sort of plywood providing that it's sturdy enough to bear the weight you intend to load on to it. I'm sure the MDF (medium density fiberboard) would work but it's more expensive and it would weigh a TON.

Also, make sure you get the folks at Lowe's or Home Depot to cut the boards: it makes it easier to carry home (we have one of the smaller vans, an MPV and it was easy to bring home) and unless you have a table saw, it is a pain in the behind to cut yourself. And really why do it when there's no charge to have someone else do it for you?

What if you don't have the same cross beam set up we do because of the architectural style of your home? You can always do what we did for the Christmas tree area on the other side of the attic. This is where the extra 2'x4' we nailed to the vertical pieces studs in the attic and then used that to rest another piece of OSB upon. I think we added a nail here and there for extra stability.

Remember I told you we had two big Christmas trees now? Since we actually use our garage for the cars and we have no outside shed of any sort, into the attic they went. In addition to the tree shelf we pounded in a few long nails into the boards and it's the perfect place to hang all my wreaths for next year where they don't bend out of shape.

This is a VERY easy project that not only helps organizationally and spatially, but it also helps to improve resale value. First because it makes things look more organized, and second, lessens the appearance of cramming SO much stuff in the attic that the potential buyers think "There must not be enough storage in the house!" You laugh, but I hear it time and again on Designed to Sell a great show to watch because it will give you tons ideas of how to make your home look great for a fraction of the cost.

Now all we have to do is get some more insulation to fill up the mushed down insulation from my previous storage methods. I want to make it as nice & puffy and energy saving as possible. Luckily we have a neighbor who specializes in that kind of stuff so you know I will be savvy in that too!

It's such a simple thing, but making the most out of what you have is the savviest way to save. Thanks to my husband's ingenuity our attic is now a source of pride rather than frustration.

Savvy Outfit of the Day $86 - Coach & Outerwear

2008-12-29T09:07:00.001-06:00

So, I realize that as we head into winter, the outfits get more expensive, usually by virtue of the addition of outerwear, but I do want to make sure I include it as it shows that you can get great outerwear at a fraction of the price if you hit the thrift store and/or sales at the major department stores.

That said, today's savvy outfit of the day is brought to you by the thrift store, Dillard's, Target, and eBay. Admittedly the jeans are lighter than what I usually wear, but I have found that I've put on a few pounds over the summer and combined with my lack of desire to squeeze into any jean that doesn't have some sort of stretch in it, this is what I came up with. Of course, just changing the jeans into cords would have made this outfit more "dressy" but I was in a casual mood today.

The Breakdown.
Armani Exchange jeans ($4 thrift store), Mossimo black sweater ($5 Target), Joan & David patent & leather ballet flats ($4 thrift store), Coach Bleecker handbag ($48 eBay), Hayden & Harnett leather tassel on Coach bag ($8 eBay), I.N Studio jacket ($17 Dillard's sale). Grand Total: $86

Once again a little nod to my stylist Clinton Kelly as he continues to tout the ballet flats as a great way to dress up a casual outfit. I LOVE these little flats from Circa, Joan & David! The patent leather detail on the from and back and even the bow (and I am NOT a bow person) is understated but still a little dressy, and for $4 I couldn't resist such a wardrobe staple.

This handbag from Coach was also a little more expensive, but it's a classic that will last for years. As with all my handbags, I pay a price that I know I can recoup should I ever tire of it and want to re-sell it on eBay. It's the best way I know to keep from overspending when it comes to purses/shoes/whatever your particular fancy may be, though it's not a bad rule of thumb to use when considering any items that are trendy. Of course, even if it is a staple item, like this black coat, I like the idea of being able to sell it for what I paid if it's at all possible!

The other thing that I added to this outfit was the tassel on the purse. Hayden Harnett sells them and they are clip-ons. I use this particular tassel on several different purses as a way to dress them up a little or change the look. If you look at the high end Prada and Gucci purses, you'll see that some have a great tassel on it, I thought it would be fun to buy a clip-on and use it to dress up several purses. I've also used them on zip-up purses that have small pulls. It makes opening up a zipped purse easier if you've got a lot of stuff to carry or a kid to hold on to.

These tassels retail for $32 on the Hayden Harnett website. I bought it on eBay. Actually I paid $18 for one, but since they didn't have the color I wanted the seller threw in an extra free tassel so I kind of look at it like paying $9 each.

In the end, as I share these day-to-day outfits, I hope y'all know that they are by no means the most fashion forward of wardrobes, even though sometimes I try to be a little trendy. I really wear these clothes when I run out to the store with the girls to by groceries, though I may not get them on till after noon when the homeschooling stuff is finished.

I just think it's naive to think that how you present yourself doesn't affect the way that people perceive you or how you feel about yourself. If putting on a Target sale-rack sweater and ballet flats means you look more together and you feel more sassy than in an oversized sweatshirt & tennis shoes when you go to Walmart for groceries then why not? With savvy shopping it no longer becomes an issue of cost.

Contact Me

2008-12-23T17:45:00.003-06:00

Buying Mineral Make-up & Skin Care Items Savvy-Style

2008-12-20T15:35:00.001-06:00

I don't know about you, but it seems like all my "products" run out at the same time. It started about two weeks ago, I noticed that I was almost out of my foundation mineral powder and my eye liner, not to mention low on my daily moisturizer. I'm always on the look out for my favorite products in the store, whether Kroger, Target or Walmart. I even check Big Lots since they will buy out drug store lots for dirt cheap (I always check out the expiration date). But if I get near the end of a product I turn to eBay.

Oil of Olay Regenerist
I started using the Oil of Olay Regenerist line about 2 years ago after noticing the changes in my Mom's skin. She's 6o-something. It began with the Daily Moisturizer and the Serum, something I decided to jump into when I found them on sale at Target. Apparently the company was changing something on the packaging and they were getting rid of their $18-$25 products for $3.24 each. I bought several bottles of each, including the eye serum. Two years later I am still a fan and rarely (once-twice a year) suffer any breakouts. This from a woman who has a little bit of scarring on my temples from my teenage acne days.

That said, I hate paying full price for it. Costco is still $27 which is a decent price given that it's the industrial size, but I have to say that I've been able to buy the Defense Regenerating Lotion (the one with sunscreen) for less than $10 on eBay including shipping. The least I've paid for it is $5. Considering it runs $17-21 at Target and places like Walgreens and Kroger, it's a whole lot cheaper and like I always say, even better when I don't have to leave the house to get it. The same is true for any of the Regenerist line on eBay, including the Daily Regenerating Serum.

MAC Eye Liner Gel - Blacklight
Next I needed some black gel eyeliner. I had bought it a the Mac counter but only because the guy behind the counter taught me how to do "cat-eyes" and I figured it was the nice thing to do. Having a friend who once worked cosmetics I can't help but do that, it's like paying them for the time and expertise.

If I remember right, it cost about $15. Now that I was almost out and decided the cat eye look was something I wanted to continue, I went online on eBay and found that I really wasn't going to get it for that much less, and in some cases the seller wanted more than what I paid in the store. So, I went with an alternative, Loreal HIP Color Truth. It has a similar enough consistency and I got two containers of it for $13, and each one was twice the size of the Mac container.

Mineral Makeup
Last but not least I needed more mineral foundation. Now my girlfriend works at Bare Escentuals in the mall and though I like the product, it's really just so much more than I am wanting to spend. Thankfully I found a brand on eBay that is comparable to Bare Escentuals, at least what thousands of buyers on eBay have said about it, and I love it. Joelle Cosmetics is the eBay store and though she has her own website, it's less expensive on eBay by a couple dollars.

I bought a "starter pack" for about $40 and received two shades of foundation powder (light, medium), a finishing powder (veil), shine reduction powder, a nighttime skin renewal treatment, blush, bronzer, both green and yellow color correctors, a concealor powder, 3 eye shadow colors, a large kabuki brush, earth a small/mini kabuki brush and 6 other brushes. I bought that back at the beginning of June, and I'm just now having to buy more foundation and veil. It cost me $14 for one (1) 30 gram sifters of foundation and one (1) 30 gram sifter of veil. Since the first sifter contained 20 grams I imagine this will last me a good long time!

Not all mineral makeup is created equal as those amazing Bare Escentual infomercials say, and it's true with Joelle products. I tried a mineral makeup alternative years ago when it first came out. Maybe Physician's Formula? Whatever it was it irritated my skin, a subtle burn with slight redness. Turns out my skin was reacting to bismuth oxychloride a filler used in lesser mineral brands that is a less expensive alternative to zinc which provides a sheen/glow. Joelle products DO NOT contain it.

I've never had a problem with the product and I love the coverage it gives without looking like I've caked-on make up. Here's the list of benefits Joelle provides, it's better explains why I love this makeup so much.

FDA Sun Block Rating of SPF 20 (due to the high Titanium & Zinc content)
No BISMUTH OXICHLORIDE in the Foundation Base. It is shiny, and can be irritating to sensitive skin types. Simply mica, titanium dioxide,zinc oxide,and iron oxides.
Non-comedogenic, will not block pores. Free of oils, silicones and waxes.
No allergy risk. Minerals are inert with no activity
SPF 20- Broad-spectrum UVB, UVA & URA protection
Anti-inflammatory, helps to calm and soothe irritated skin
Very water resistant rating by an approved FDA lab
Complete, flawless coverage for skin conditions like acne, rosacea and redness following treatments like chemical peels and laser resurfacing
Contains no fillers like talc , rice powders, flours
Composed of inert minerals that CANNOT support bacteria
Environmentally aware and NOT tested on animals

I've used my own make-up and skincare products as an example of how much you can save by looking to eBay for your needs. Do a quick search today and see what you find. Just keep in mind, the more time you have to a) watch auctions and b) watch new product listings, the better price you are going to get. If you're in a hurry, use the Buy It Now option and you'll still save money. If you can check for it every couple of days, you may get an even better deal by winning an auction. I paid $7.99 total for my Regenerist Lotion but if I had been checking a couple days back, I could have gotten it for $5.99. Yes, $7.99 versus $18 is good, but $5.99 is even better!

Now that I'm all stocked up on my face products, I'm ready for my close-up!

Savvy Outfit of the Day - $40

2008-12-20T12:08:00.000-06:00

Today's outfit is thanks to Target, Belk's, For Love 21, Rave, and the thrift store. It's a simple, weekend look that means me and the family are out to see the movies! The Tale of Despereaux is on the agenda; having read it for homeschool we are so excited to see it, although I am already explaining that books don't always translate to the silver screen the way they play out in our mind's eye. That said, I can't wait!

The Breakdown.
Purple Mossimo shirt (Target sale $5), white tank top (Rave $4), Red Camel denim skirt ($7 Belk's sale), Gray/Black tights (For Love 21 $6), Leg Warmer Leather Boots ($8 thrift store), Kate Spade purse ($10 thrift store). Grand Total: $40

Ok, so the boats are rather cool, aren't they? I have no idea what the brand name is, I looked everywhere and couldn't find it, although the 37 size on the bottom means they must be European. Suffice to say the bottom part of the foot is a leather boot and the top is warm scrunchy knit. Yes, it's trendy, so I tried to keep the rest of the outfit classic.

A Clinton Kelly tip in fact. I just turned 40 so trying to follow the trends can make one look I'm trying to hard to look young, so Clinton says pick one thing trendy but make sure the rest of the outfit is more classic. Voila!

More Savvy Holiday Savings

2008-12-18T00:49:00.000-06:00

Please forgive me my Savvy Friends! Between a new job (a little PR consulting on the side), sickness, my FORTIETH birthday (did I really type that?!) and an unusual amount of business travel by my Beloved I've been totally neglecting you all! But fear not, there is yet time to Shop Savvy this Holiday season!

Outside of the stress of parties, birthdays (my own and the youngest Superstar's, whose we celebrate New Years Day) I do love the Christmas season. I love it especially now that we're in a place where it actually snows (versus my Southern California upbringing). The cold weather adds to the whole ambiance of the season.

That said, if we're "lucky" it may snow 10 inches a year. Because of this, Nashvillians are ill-equipped for the white stuff. We have only 3 snow plows in our county just south of the city and you can bet that the milk and bread will be stripped from the shelves should there be any sort of television or radio forecast where the word "snow" is mentioned. It's crazy, but I love it.

I also love decorating the outside of our house. Truth be told, we're pretty low-key and simple but always savvy.

The Breakdown.
The wreaths we use are almost 10 years old now. I originally bought them at Jo-ann's for $4 a piece and when we moved to a larger home, I bought some garland for $1 a pack to make them a little bit bigger to fit the scale of the house. The red velvet bows were $1 each at The Dollar General Store. I used another package of garland to frame the door and used a $1.99 end-of-season Kroger large light bulb strand to light it up. The plastic snowflakes were $1 each at The Dollar Tree. The 3 sets of bush lights were $2 each, an end-of-the-season Walmart buy, and the red ball Christmas Tree was a $10 find at the thrift store. In all, it's enough to be festive, but simple enough that it takes about 1/2 hour to put everything up and tear it all down.

Next up, a few of my favorite Christmas tips to help make the season savvy and bright.

Suction Cups - I can't begin to tell you how much I love these suckers...ha, ha, ha, get it? Suckers? Ahem...I found a bag of them for $4.99 at the thrift store a couple years back. At the time I hesitated buying them because A) I wasn't sure if they really worked and B) it seemed an awful lot of money (I know I'm cheap) for plastic. Now I am SOOOOO thankful I got them. They are PERFECT for hanging wreaths on outdoor windows, front storm doors and indoor mirrors.

Being the clean-lined person I am, I love that the wreaths seem to just magically stay in place without any extra stuff hanging out and around. And they are strong suckers too! We've been through ice storms with these babies on our windows and the wreaths don't fall off.

I had previously used the itty-bitty suction cups to hang the outdoor wreaths. It took two, one on each window pane, with fishing line between to hang them up. Yes, a pain, but I gotta tell you, they still worked. The big ones are the best though since you need only one. All you have to do is hang out the window a second, stick it on, push the hook down to lock it in place and put the wreath up. No ladders and it's easy to do without feeling like you're going to fall out of the window.

Now that I am using the big suction cups outside, I used the mini-suction cups in a new way to add a some color to one of our mirrors in our living room. It's a simple & nice touch that doesn't leave marks on the surface you use and it took about 5 minutes to gather old cast offs from previous projects to just stick on the mirror. As for price, the large suction cups run about $5 a two pack at Walmart, but I did find a 16 pack on eBay right now, $20, including shipping. Truthfully, I haven't priced the little ones lately, but I'm sure you can get a pack of 5-10 of them at Walmart and even Target for about $5.

LED flicker tea lights & candles. Another great thing to have around the Holiday season or really, anytime of the year. I started using them in jack-o-lanterns at Halloween and I've been in love with them ever since.

This year I decided to use them in a wrought iron Christmas candle holder that I had bought years ago at the thrift store and use to use on my living room armoire. Back then I put the string lights I used on the garland decorating the candle holder, but this year I wanted to use it someplace else, our front foyer, which incidently does not have a convenient outlet to plug in lights.

Six dollars and a trip to The Dollar Tree later I ended up with 4 glass mosaic candle holders and 4 LED tealights ($1 for a two-pack). The mosaic is just opaque enough that it hides the fact that the flickering light is a battery powered contraption versus a candle. It looks pretty realistic, enough so that Superstar #1 keeps sticking her hand in the holders "just to make sure". As for the extra decorating "stuff" around the base of the candle holder - that was some of what I pulled off the wreath I bought and re-purposed for my bathroom!

I used the same technique for a couple of candle sconces in our dining room, one of which is right next to the curtains. For obvious reasons I've not lit the candles and yet given the dark color of the walls, the extra flickering light would add a nice touch. A trip to Kirkland's and two $5.99 candles later I have led pillar candles that look real. The manufacturer even "melted" the sides unevenly and added wax drips so that it looks like a real candle. The vanilla scent is another nice touch. They even come with two "levels" of flicker, one dimmer than the other. Other than the fact that it takes 4 double AA batteries, these guys should last for years as I only use them when we are in the dining room or have guest over.

Having looked on eBay, Walmart, Target, Kohl's and other places I can say that Kirkland's are the cheapest and they look the best.

Stocking stuffers ala eBay. Have I told you HOW much I love eBay? I recently sat through the Magic Worm presentation at the mall and almost walked away with two worms for $20. Seriously. I almost forked over $20 for two little pieces of fuzz and that was their idea of a discount from the $12 for 1. I quickly came to my sense and went home immediately and found the Magic Worm Fuzzle for $2.99 a piece with FREE SHIPPING on eBay. This little guys are going to be stocking stuffers from Santa...since he works in the mall and knows exactly where to get them (as Superstar 1 was quick to point out).

As for my Beloved, he wants some of those slim-line earmuffs that fit behind the head. An off-handed comment about how he thought $15 on sale seemed too much issued with a "if you find them cheaper somewhere can you get them for me?" led me to eBay. I snagged these guys for $3.98 including shipping. Dad's stocking will now have something in it so that he doesn't feel left out should the girls and I have full stockings.

The BEST thing about these little things is that they will come directly to me in the mail - no running to the mall, or 10 different stores, frantically searching for the best price...especially when I'm hauling the kids with me, especially when it's snowing outside, especially when I would rather sit at home with a nice cup of coffee sitting at the computer talking to you guys instead.

Costco Photo Christmas Cards. Last but not least, I love Christmas cards that have pictures. I love getting them and seeing the smiling faces of my friends and family, and I can only hope they feel the same way when I send them out. I usually try to snap a picture of the girls in front of the Christmas tree or some other Christmas-y setting, but I did not have time this year!

Thanks to Costco it didn't take a lot of time or money to put together one of the cutest cards I've seen. Costco unveiled larger and multi-photo cards this year. Using a few of the pictures I had taken throughout the year I finished them in about 15 minutes on my computer and picked them up within 48 hours, complete with silver foil "lined" envelopes. Fifty cards were just $14.99.

So my Friends, I hope you will forgive me lack of blogging. Thank you for encouraging me to write more, some of you have even asked me more about my "consultation" with Clinton Kelly. I promise to post more on that plus a picture or two I took that night. I recently watched a slew of What Not to Wear episodes that I had DVR'd on TV and was reminded all over again about how adorable that man is and how thankful I am for his and Stacie's advice.

Till we meet again, Stay Savvy!

Thrift Store & Trash Can Holiday Decorating

2008-12-04T13:13:00.000-06:00

Yeah, that's right, I wrote it. THRIFT STORE & TRASH CAN holiday decorating. And I want you to know I'm not talking cheap chintzy decor, but beautiful accents that make a house a warm, cozy home while giving you a warm fuzzy feeling because of the money you save.

I'm not an over-the-top person. I like clean lines, simplicity and color. I don't want a bunch of extra knick-knacks all over that I have to clean and I don't have time to change out pillows every time the seasons change. So when it comes to Holiday decorating, I want cheap, easy, but beautiful things in key areas to herald in the season. My main colors for Christmas have always been red/burgundy and gold and I have used the same "stuff" to decorate for years now. This year, however, I tried my hand at some silver and some color!

Recently after scanning through one of those home decorating magazines and seeing all the lovely pictures of wreaths over mirrors, I decided I "needed" one for my bathroom for Christmas, but since I didn't want to spend a lot on a luxury item, I went to the thrift store to see what I could find. I was amazed by how many wreaths there were and all for $1.99. I grabbed one that was closest to the size I needed. It was actually pretty nice but it didn't match the colors of my bathroom so I reluctantly took it apart and put the pieces aside so I could use those later for something else.

Then I dropped by the Dollar Tree and for an additional $4 worth of "stuff" and voila, a custom made mirror wreath for $6! I just love the way it brings the Holiday spirit into a room that is often overlooked in Holiday decorating. Seeing as we will be having my birthday party here in the house in just a couple weeks, I figure as long as the guests are "taking care of business" they should enjoy the view, right? As my Realtor friend says, "The bathroom is the one room that your friends will sit with nothing to do but look at your decorating." Can't say I ever thought of it that way before, but it makes sense to me.

As for my trash can find. I guess it wasn't technically a trash can find, though I have dumpster dived with great success before. This was an castoff of a moving neighbor. She had a HUGE pile of things she was going to get rid of and said I was more than welcome to help myself. I took this wreath and continued my wreath on mirror trend in our dining room. I still haven't finished decorating this little area. I'd love to find a red table runner or something to add a splash of color, but since I'll be using this area for serving drinks during the party, I'm hesitant to spend too much time on something I'll just have to take off and find a place to hide it come party time.

Be resourceful when it comes to Holiday decorating. A couple years back I wouldn't have thought of the thrift store as my first stop. I would have caught a deal at Jo-ann's with a coupon and been quite happy, but who doesn't like saving a little money around Christmas-time?

The Dollar Tree and places like that are perfect for little extra things to decorate with, especially shiny plastic ornaments that look like glass, not only are they cheap but they are also kid-friendly! If you need larger sizes or more assortment, check out Big Lots. Our home is FILLED with tons of the plastic red and gold ornaments, hung off mirrors, the trees, the fireplace, light fixtures - you name it. The great thing about it is that the consistent colors it brings a sense of cohesiveness to the whole home.

But when all is said and done, the best Savvy Saving Tip is patience. If money is truly tight,make do with what you have now and wait till the after Christmas sales to buy items for next year when things are 75% off or more. Earlier this year I bought a $300 dollar K-Mart Martha Stewart tree for $22 - so what if it was February and it went straight up into the attic? Combine that with the Martha Stewart burgundy tree skirt I found for $2, I was one happy camper! (Alas, since my husband has allergies, we have to have a fake tree and burn pine scented candles or oil.) For less than the price of a one-time real tree, we are set for a LONG, LONG time.

Truth is, the tree before that was a $19.99 salvage store tree I bought when we first moved into this house. I went to Walmart and bought $1 a yard fabric to drape around the base for a skirt, I didn't know how to sew at the time, but no one could tell. It may have taken me 10 years of marriage to buy a "new" tree, but the family and I have never cared nor noticed a difference.

You know, I could have probably sold my original tree on Craigslist for $20 and almost broke even in price with the new one I bought, but now I have another tree upstairs in the bonus room and we all LOVE it.

Notice the red "tree skirt"? That's the $1 a yard draped fabric I mentioned earlier. And all those brightly colored ornaments? $13 total at Big Lots with an extra $8 spent on colored lights (the tree is pre-lit but half the tree doesn't light up so with the encouragement of the Superstars I went for color this year!) The star, however, was a splurge at $10. It's LED and it changes color....OOooooooo. The cheapest comparable one I could find on eBay was $25 so I didn't feel too bad. $31 for a "whole new tree" for upstairs works for me!

Whatever you decide to do (or not do) when it comes to Holiday decorating, try not to stress out too much. Like The Nesting Place blog I like to visit says "It doesn't have to be perfect to be beautiful." Life is not perfect and our homes will never be if you happen to have another person in your life, whether it's a spouse, a significant other, live-in parents and especially children. Love is messy, but isn't it worth it?

Savvy Outfit of the Day - $56

2008-12-04T07:20:00.000-06:00

Today's outfit is a combination that is a bit different for me. I gravitate toward solid color pairings, but when I had my "consultation" with my stylist Clinton Kelly he put together an outfit that used a bright geometric pattern worn under a coat. As someone who is 5'4" I would be considered petite and usually shy away from such bold patterns, because as Clinton says, "You don't want your outfit to walk into the room before you do."

So I'm happy to say that this works, and it's really basic for something that stands out without shouting out "I'M HERE!" As we head toward Christmas I find I use my red coat more. Guess I'm feeling pretty festive now that all my decorating is finished. More on that in another post...

The Breakdown.
A. Byer multi-colored shirt (Macy's sale $11), American Rag black denim jeans (Macy's sale $14), Bromleigh vintage red wool peacoat ($8), Ann Marino leather black wedge ($8 Parisians - I've been wearing these a lot lately!), MAXX New York black patent purse ($15 eBay). Grand Total: $56

This is one of those outfits that are really easy to toss on. It' s comfortable and looks pulled together (but without all the work). So what if I am a mom with two kids 6 and under whose "fanciest" destination will be the supermarket today. I feel good and my husband thinks I look good!

Savvy Sexy Outfit of the Day $19

2008-11-30T00:31:00.000-06:00

Today's outfit is the same outfit as a couple weeks back but with maroon cords instead of camel colored cords. I actually think it looks better with the maroon.

The Breakdown.
Arden B. sweater ($5 thrift store), American Eagle maroon cords ($5 thrift store), off white tank ($4 Rave), Nine West brushed gold pumps ($5 Kohl's) and my favorite purse, a Coach patent red leather Gallery Tote (Birthday Gift!). Grand Total: $19

Last time I feature this ensemble I didn't get a back shot. This time I just had to show the sassy scoop-neck back. See there is a way to be sexy-mama without looking like a hoochie-mama!

How I Spent My Thanksgiving Vacation

2008-11-29T06:46:00.001-06:00

Ah, Thanksgiving; the preparation of the feast, the tidying of the house for guests, the smell of deadly cleaners wafting through the house...

I'm not sure why exactly this weekend turned into a cleaning-fest, maybe it was because I had a willing accomplice in my Beloved or maybe because there's a certain element in my life that feels out of control so I scurry around to make sure at least my home is order so I have some measure of sanity (can anyone out there relate?). Who knows, but for whatever reason we spent Thursday morning cleaning out the refrigerator, the pantry and the rest of the kitchen cabinets, Friday steam-cleaning the stairs and upstairs carpet and "rejuvenating" the wood floors in our foyer and steam-cleaning the second set of stairs on Saturday.

May I remind you that this was AFTER we had a house full of guests. No, we couldn't have done that BEFORE we had guests because, uh, we would have impressed our friends and family so much they would have felt uncomfortable at the blinding beauty of the stairs & wood floors. Yeah. That's it. I will say one thing, regardless of arguments of whether Saturday or Sunday is technically the Sabbath, we will be RESTING on Sunday!

As much as I jest, I have to say that the end result has been quite amazing. As I walk around our clean-floor home I am reminded again that a little savvyness (is that even a word?) applied to home maintenance can go a long way.

Carpet steam cleaner.
On this front we were lucky that our neighbor bought one from Costco recently for $189. With three kids, two dogs, two cats and two adults in their home, it has become a huge money saver for them. Before buying this gem I would estimate that she had her carpets cleaned about 3-4 times a year at about $200 a pop using a coupon. Now for the price of one cleaning she (and the rest of us neighbors) can steam clean anytime she wants!

Admittedly I don't know how using a steam cleaner can wear a carpet over time or if it destroys any warranties, but for those of us who live in homes with builder's grade carpet over 10 years old and have young children, the idea of spending just $189 for a carpet cleaner sure beats out spending THOUSANDS on new carpet. We moved into this house 5 years ago as the second owners and had always assumed we would get new carpet after the youngest Superstar was finished potty training. Now almost two years after that glorious occasion with the economy (and our budget) looking the way it does, it doesn't look like it's going to happen anytime soon. For you renters out there, it's also a great way to keep apartment/rental grade carpet looking good too!

The steam cleaner of today is a far cry from the ones you rent from the grocery store and they are so easy to use. Pull off the tank, fill with hot water and a bit of cleaning solution and voila, clean carpets. When finished, the carpet is still a little damp and takes about 1-2 hours to fully dry. We sent the Superstars to a neighbors house to play and everyone was happy. The stairs were the worst and as you can see, they cleaned up pretty well!

Remember, this is 10 year old carpet and the owners before us had 4 kids and a dog, but I think it will last us another 2-3 years if we're savvy!

Rejuvenating the Floor
You've seen the commercial on TV. Just apply this product and your floors will look brand new! I admit even as I was skeptical about the product there was a part of me that really just wanted to try it. When my friend said he used it in a house they were selling I knew that I had to give it a shot. Remember the builder's grade carpet? Well, we have builder's grade engineered plank wood floors in the foyer. Soon after moving in we ripped out all the carpet downstairs and replaced it with wood floors matching what was in the foyer.

Even though it was the same floor, there were obvious wear-and-tear differences. In an attempt to off-set those difference we added some floor rugs to help hide the wear and to keep it from wearing even more. All-in-all it's worked pretty well, but as of late, it has looked pretty sorry.

So we went and bought a bottle of Rejuvenate at the home improvement store. I would tell you which one, but I can't remember since we bought it TWO YEARS AGO. I mean, c'mon, you have a free hour or two and you want to...Rejuvenate the floors? Yeah, right. I don't know if I am the only one who does this, but sometimes I make things a whole lot more complicated and difficult in my mind and then just psyche myself up NOT to do a task. This was one of those times. Turns out it was totally easy - from start to finish it took about 1 hour.

First I used Bruce's Clean 'n' Strip which says it helps clean up wax build-up. I don't use wax on my floors, but I figured it would cut through any junk on them. Unfortunately the stuff was TOXIC. I used latex gloves and a dust mask and opened up the windows and it was still heady stuff. In fact, when I was finished, I rinsed out the cloth only to find that the cleaner dissolved the latex glove! EEK!

Then because of said glove-melting I was afraid that some chemical in the Bruce's would combine with the Rejuvenate and cause a noxious gas that would kill me so I washed the floors again with Murphy's Wood Soap. Thankfully that seemed to cut down the smell as well.

After the floor was dry I put a microfiber cloth on my Swiffer, poured a little bit of Rejuvenate on the floor and slowly spread it across like painting (once you cover the surface, move on, don't rub it in). It was the fastest and easiest part of the job. The best part is that the floors look AWESOME. If I remember right the Rejuvenate was maybe $15, the Bruce's floor cleaner $5 and the Murphy's was $1.50 so for less than $20 my floors look almost as good as the newer ones. You can see in the before picture some of the scratches on the wood, and it seems the wood looks darker in the second. And can you see the reflection of the front door in the floor????

So there you have it, what I did during my Thanksgiving vacation, because nothing says Thanksgiving like updating wood floors and steam-cleaning carpets! Can't imagine what we'll be able to accomplish during Christmas vacation...

Savvy Hippie Outfit of the Day - $75

2008-11-28T21:26:00.000-06:00

Sorry for the lack of blogging! My next blog "How I Spent My Thanksgiving Vacation" will explain exactly why I've been a little remiss. Just think "latex gloves, knee pads and a dust mask." Oh yeah, it was...uh...fun.

I wore this little outfit to express some of the things that I am most thankful for this Thanksgiving...friends, love, peace. The only things missing are "a good glass of red wine" and "a fresh cup of espresso" and oh yeah, "kids that always obey me the first time I ask them to do something."

Breakdown.
Today's outfit is thanks to the thrift store, Parisian's, eBay and for love 21. I was being kind of hippie cool today with this great stretch black embroidered jacket that I bought at the thrift store for $6. With a little stretch in the cord like material it fits nicely to show off curves. I put two $2.50 tanks from for love 21 (I saw them layered on the store mannequin and thought it looked great) under it for a pop of color. My $13 dollar Banana Republic jeans from eBay in a dark even wash, Ann Marino wedges $8 from Parisians and my lovely tobacco colored Coach hobo from eBay at $43 completes the look. You can tell I felt a little sassy, no? Grand Total: $75

Oh, and as a little "I told you so" and because I really do love you all I've added a picture where I didn't let the tanks do their divide-and-conquer trick (per my stylist Clinton Kelly) so you can see for yourself that my butt DOES look a bigger without this handy little trick. And since not every shirt, sweater, coat, etc. will be long enough, it's worth investing in some tank tops that will allow you to use this trick. With places like Rave and for love 21, it's easy to stock up on with out spending a lot of money. I mean, what's $2.50 to make your butt look smaller?

Savvy Outfit of the Day $36 - Michael Kors Purse

2008-11-24T09:08:00.000-06:00

Today's outfit comes to you from the thrift store and Parisians. Since it's getting cooler around here layering is the perfect way to stay warm outside and cool inside. I've been experimenting with different color combinations lately and found that I am using these maroon color cords much more than I thought I would.

The Breakdown.
Limited Jeans jacket ($5 thrift store), Old Navy white cotton gauze hoody ($4 thrift store), white tank top ($4 Rave), maroon American Eagle cords ($5 thrift store), multicolor scarf (FREE clothes exchange at Plato's Closet), Ann Marino black leather wedge ($8 Parisian's end of season sale), Michael Kors Hutton black leather hobo ($10 thrift store). Grand total: $36

A word about cords. To me, cords are like jeans. They comes in a variety of colors, and they are great wash and wear items. Khakis may be great for some people, but unless they have a touch of stretch in them to keep them from wrinkling I won't wear them because I am NOT an iron-er. My husband was in the military for a short stint and is definitely the better iron-er in the family. Truth is I don't particularly like to iron and can think of oh, about one million things I'd rather do than iron.

A Meeting with my Stylist...Clinton Kelly!

2008-11-20T21:33:00.000-06:00

Yes, that's right. My stylist Clinton Kelly was in town today and I got a chance to "catch up with him"...like the other 300 women that showed up at Macy's.

I saw Clinton last year and as before, he did not disappoint. He is as engaging and endearing in person as he is on the show and even cuter.

Clinton initially talked about his top 4 tips and here they are, a good reminder to all of us of What TO Wear.

1. Get a professional bra fitting - this one step will make your clothes look better. Ideally "the girls" should be in-between your shoulders and your elbows. Most forms used by designers follow the tween-shoulders-and-elbows proportion so clothes will most likely fit better if yours do too.

2. Shapewear is your friend - most of the women fitted on the show will be fitted with shapewear. It's a great way to hide underwear lines and bulges.

3. Tailoring is for everyone, not just men. Men just assume that they will have to get tailoring done when they buy a suit, and yet we women think it should fit off the rack. Whether it's shortening or lengthening pant or skirt hems, Clinton says that almost all the clothes on the show are tailored.

4. You gotta try on LOTS of clothes. Clinton says that they really do shop from store open to store close for two days for the What Not to Wear make-over person. With two full days of shopping they are happy if they come away with 7 full outfits. Did you catch that? SEVEN outfits for two whole days of shopping. So his sympathy for someone who tries on two pairs of pants and calls it quits is NIL.

As hard as it looks on television Clinton swears it's actually harder than what's shown. Every minute you see on TV takes about 1 hour worth of filming. So a 45 minute show has been edited down from 45 HOURS of filming. Still, in the midst of all the hard work, Clinton says it's rewarding to hear back from people who have been on the show of the promotions, raises and finding the love of their lives that have happened subsequent from their makeover.

He said a few of the trends this season are purple, short or modified trench coats and plaid. I was inspired enough to even buy a purple shirt, on clearance of course. Right now is a GREAT time to shop in department stores as they are getting rid of the last of the Fall items and looking toward Winter so if you're going out to shop, remember to Shop Savvy!

Savvy Outfit of the Day $74

2008-11-20T08:41:00.000-06:00

Today's outfit of the day should be a familiar color scheme. I wore something like this earlier this month. I just love this green with denim blue.

Hats have also become a new item in my wardrobe. I cut my hair 10 inches in October and have been having fun trying new things. Hats are a wonderful thing when you don't have time to wash your hair.

The Breakdown.
Old Navy, TJMaxx, Rave, eBay and the thrift store put together today's outfit. Green Old Navy sweater (on sale $8), white tank ($4 Rave), B.Laguna jeans (TJ Maxx $15), brown cable knit hat ($8 For Love 21), Coach signature hobo ($43 eBay), bronze Anne Klein heels ($4 thrift store). Grand Total: $70

A note on my Rave tank tops. If you notice, I have it sticking out in one picture and not in the other, oops! A funny thing about that. I initially took a picture from behind without the tank peeking out and ended up proving Clinton (my What Not to Wear stylist) absolutely right. It's a little trick called "Divide and Conquer" - divide your butt with a jacket, shirt, etc. and it makes your butt look SMALLER!

Now, admittedly, I don't have a large butt and yet it sure looked better with it divided. I would show you the picture where it wasn't divided by the tank so you could see for yourself but I hit "delete" on the camera and it disappeared...bum-mer...ha, ha, ha! Get it BUM-mer. Ok! Moving on...

The other thing I noticed, however, is that I look taller & longer in the picture without the divide by tank top, which shows me that I need to find a longer sweater so that I can divide & conquer the butt and still look long and lean.

Bialetti Bliss: Savvy Stove Top Espresso

2008-11-19T09:07:00.000-06:00

Ahhh the warm rich smell of fresh brewed espresso...even my kids love the smell. Thankfully they don't like the taste. Yes, I let them try it, crossing my fingers the entire time that they wouldn't like it and start bugging me about it for them, but I digress.

Whether it's a daily fix at Starbucks or a counter top high-tech espresso machine, good espresso can be a very expensive habit, but being the savvy sort of coffee-loving chick I am, I found a delightful product called a Bialetti, introduced to me last year by a dear friend.

What was new to me is something the Italians have been using for years. I believe it was invented in the 30's by a gentleman (Bialetti!) who figured you could use the same technology from washing machines for a stove-top espresso maker. He was right, and today it is used by thousands of Italians and has thankfully made it's way to America.

At about $20 this delightful invention will provide you with a wonderful rich dark brew that's about as close to espresso as you can get without buying one of those thousand dollar machines. Or you could get lucky and find one of these, like I did, for $3 at the thrift store!

Here's a quick how-to. It's so easy and tasty that my husband even likes making it!

Now you are ready to sit down and enjoy a great cup of espresso, or at least as close as you're going to get without going to Starbucks or buying one of those expensive machines!

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