The Cheap Diva

Free Up Your Weekends

Weekends are supposed to be a break from work.  For a lot of women the arrival of the weekend just means an endless to do list of unpaid work, not leisurely relaxation.  Here are a few tips to reclaim some of your weekend time.

Incorporate the kinds of chores you are saving for the weekend into your daily routine.  Instead of tackling cleaning the entire house at once, wipe down counters after mealtime, spray nontoxic shower cleaner, like the Scour Off Heavy Duty Paste from Shaklee , in the shower 20 minutes before taking a shower.  When putting away laundry or other things, pick up a few unwanted items from your closet or rooms to put in a trash bag by the garage door to be donated to a thrift store after at least one sack is full.

Make the most of your TV time.    Gather the materials needed to complete a fairly simple task, like writing out bills or doing light housework, in the TV room.  During the introduction and commercial breaks, turn down the TV and work on that task during the commercial break.  That's about 15 minutes of task work completed for every hour of television.  If you are watching a reality show where entertainment comes from seeing the outcome, just watch the last half o the show and spend the rest of your time doing something more productive.

Hire someone else for tasks that don't cost a lot.  Is hiring the neighborhood kid to mow your lawn really that more expensive than buying and maintaining a lawnmower?  Spend a little to free up hours of  precious weekend time.

Try to get more errands done after work or during your lunch break so when the weekend come you can finally give yourself a break!

Seaside Scents

Summertime is the perfect time to lighten up not only the scent you wear, but also the scents in your home.  Scents that bring to mind the ocean lend a more relaxed vacation like vibe to a room.  Since it's too hot to burn scented candles, try reed diffusers to add scent to a room.

This San Miguel Ocean Mist Mother of Pearl Reed Diffuser for $19.99  is covered in a mosaic of light colored pieces that work with the lighter feel of the scent.

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The one drawback to the Sunrise Global Ocean Breeze Reed Fragrance Diffuser for $19.99 is that the distinctive color combination of the bottle limits the types of decor it would complement.  If you love the scent but not the bottle, remove the top from an empty glass perfume bottle put the scented oil and reed diffusers in the perfume bottle.

Save Money with a Beauty Mitt

Various beauty articles have emphasized the importance of gently exfoliate the skin at least twice a week.  Shedding dead skin cell make the application of self tanner, sun screen or moisturizer more effective.   While I get the logic behind exfoliating, I don't like watching my money literally go down the drain with traditional wash off lotion based exfoliants.  Microfiber face and body mitts, like the one by Aquis pictured here,  use a terrycloth like texture to exfoliate with no other product needed.  The cloths can be washed repeatedly so they don't have to be replaced regularly like an empty bottles of lotion.  So now I can save money while prepping my skin for self tanning products that I hope will make me resemble a bronzed goddess, not a pumpkin.

How Not tot Look Fat Book Review

With the fashion book How Not to Look Fat by Danica Lo, the author offers fashion advice that works for just about any budget.  She doesn't insist women mush invest in cashmere sweaters to be stylish the way some other unrealistic fashion books do.   I found the often irreverent tone of the book How not to Look Fat as refreshing as the fact that this book is written by a former plus size model, not a size 4 fashion editor.  Her advice on dressing slim is covers a pretty broad range of topics for such a small book, including which necklines are the most flattering along with how to use scarves for stylish camouflage, to the most flattering haircuts for full figured women, and makeup tricks to slim the face.  Looking slimmer is not just about clothes and makeup.  She also talks about the slimming effects of good posture (good news for those of us who would rather stand up straight than try to squeeze into a girdle), how to pose for a picture and how to avoid waking up bloated.  In other words, she offers real world advice on not looking like a frump.

You've Got Mail!

Sometimes junk mail makes me laugh.  Like the time I received a check in the mail from a company for about $5.00.  The catch was that if I cashed the check I would automatically be signed up for fees and services costing about $89.00!  I did not cash the check.  What I did was start thinking about the real costs of junk mail.  It costs valuable time to go through it all, it opens you up to identity theft, credit card offers especially, and a lot of trees are wasted just so cynical consumers like me can roll their eyes at the latest junk mail come on before feeding anything with our name and address on it to the shredder.

To save time and a few trees you can register free online at dmachoice.org to be removed from junk mail lists.  To stop pre approved credit card or insurance offers and reduce your chances of identity theft go to optoutprescreen.com or call 888-567-8688.  If catalogs are a shopping weakness or just a nuisance, contact catalogchoice.org to stop the flow of unwanted catalogs. 

One of the most annoying junk mail promotions I have seen is the fake friend promotion.  Someone send what appears to be a copy of a newspaper article about a product  with a hand written note addressing the recipient by their first name with a personal note about how the sender thought of you when they found out about this product.  What appears to be a photocopied article sent by a caring friend (a friend with a questionable or nonexistant return address) is actually a mass produced brochure sent out by a complete stranger plugging the product in the article.  If you want to keep your money and lose a "friend" contact dmachoice.org today!

Picnic Perfect Pics

For me the only thing more exciting that finding stylish stuff is finding stylish stuff that works in real life.   Take this Picnic Living Leesport 2 in 1 Insulated Cooler Tote for $19.98 for example.  If the pretty colors aren't enough to give you a sunny disposition, the practical design is divided it into two sections, an insulated section for food and a water resistant section for wet bathing suits, towels or anything else you want to throw in there and they threw in the dishes you see here at no extra cost.

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The perfect traveling companion for outdoor picnics, concerts or the beach is this Picnic Cushion and Blanket Set for $20.28.  The polyester fabric covering the four cushions is mildew and water repellant.  The blanket has straps sewn into it so it can be folded into a sort of tote for carrying the cusions.

Unless you are Martha Stewart, outdoor gatherings are not an excuse to break out the fine china.  This Cynthia Rowley Salad Set with Cutleries for $4.99 (available at Target stores, not online) keeps things fun and practical with bright colored utensils that fit into the lid of the container.  It's the perfect container any kind of salad.

The Cheap Diva Cleans Up Her Act, Doing Housework with Style

Housework is often though of as ugly business but it doesn‘t have to be. You are after all trying to make you home more attractive, why not make yourself more attractive at the same time?

The first step to tackling housework with style is to dress the part. Unless you are working with harsh chemicals or bleaching agents, you don’t have to dress in garage sale rejects. A outfit consisting of a properly fitting T-shirt, stretch Capri pants and ballet flats is comfortable enough to work in and cute enough to answer the door in. The deliveryman does not need to know what you look like at your frumpiest.

While cleaning the kitchen rub some olive oil mixed with a few drops of essential oil on hands before putting on rubber gloves. The heat helps absorb oil. Incorporating exercise moves, like squats and lunges while reaching down or vacuuming, stretching when dusting helps you keep in shape while keeping your home in tip top shape. While cleaning the bathroom, apply a conditioning treatment to you hair and wrap hair in a towel. Clean the bathtub and bathroom for the amount of time the hair treatment is supposed to be in and then take a shower, rinsing away bathtub cleaner and treatment out of hair.  Read the rest of this article.

The Right Bras for Summer Tops

When I was a sales associate many years and many dead end jobs ago, I advised women on what to wear.  The most common question I heard was "What kind of bra do I wear with this?"   It's still a good question.  Considering the variety of necklines that don't work with a regular bra,  I decided to address the issue. 

One option is a convertible bra, like the Victoria's Secret 100-way Strapless convertible bra starting at $50.00 that has 44 tiny slits to attach the straps in ways that would work with any neckline.

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For the stylish woman who understand that visible bra straps are eternally tacky no matter what fashion editors are saying, the smooth lines of this Defining Moments Strapless bra for $31.00 by Lilyette provides the  discreet support of a T-shirt bra without the straps.  This is perfect for and top or dress that has skinny straps to skinny for even the thinnest bra straps or no straps at all.

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Sometimes all you need to change are your straps, not the whole bra.  Clear bra straps can be found in plenty of lingerie departments.  These straps work under semi sheer fabrics or fabrics with holes in the design, like eyelet,  that would reveal regular straps.  For the woman who wants a slightly wider strap than the typical clear strap, Fashion Forms has come out with Full Figure Invisible Bra Straps for $8.50

Facing the Sun

While there are sunscreens for the face that can fake a tan and make up products that contain SPF's of 15 or more, sometimes all I want from a sunscreen is that it protects me from the sun!   Coppertone Oil Free Sunsceen Lotion for faces offers UVA and UVB protection with a SPF of 30.  It's not greasy, it won't clog pores and it can be found at mass ratailers.  When I go outside I can face the sun without feeling like I have anything at all on my face, except a smug smile that comes from knowing I won't look like a shriveled old prune before my time.

Free Ways to Promote Your Blog

Whether you are blogging for money or just for fun,  there is one thing every blogger wants, more readers!  There are plenty of ways to increase traffic to you blog without spending money.  Here are a few of my favorites.

Write an article for a web site or blog that that has a large readership.  Find a web site or blog that focuses on the type of topics that you write about on your own blog.  When you find a good match, look for the advertising page for this web site or blog.  The advertising page should tell you two things, the average number of readers per month, and that they have enough traffic to their web site or blog to make advertisers want to spend their money there.  In other words, this is not a blog read only by the author's mother and a few close friends.  Web sites or blogs that accept articles should have their criteria outlined for the kinds of articles they accept.  Submit articles only after reading their criteria and making sure they provide links to their author's blogs and that you are not giving up all rights to your content.  I had an article published on one web site and the traffic to my blog increased about 800% the day the article came out!  Read the rest of this article.

Save Money on Mother's Day

This Mother's Day, give mom what she really wants, a break!  Skip the knick knacks and other gifts that clutter up her home and instead save some cash by volunteering certain services, like helping her organize the basement,  clean up or cook a meal for her that she can freeze and eat later at her convenience.

A budget friendly gift would be a blank scrapbook or photo album.  You could turn it into a mother daughter project by taking that pile of photographs she hasn't touched and helping her create a scrapbook so you can enjoy the pictures and the creative process of creating a scrapbook together.

A smart way to save money is to partner up with mom.  Some business give discounts when you refer someone else to them or bring another person along when you use those services.  Take and eat businesses,  where you prepare a meal at the business location and freeze it for a later time, sometimes have special meal offers like buy one meal and get a discount on the second.  Think about the services you use or want to use and see what kind of deal they can give you.  If this isn't feasible,  you can get her a gift certificate to a beauty school, where she will get more for her money than a fancy salon.  Do mothers mind that you take such a penny pinching approach to gift giving?  Of course not, if you think I know how to stretch a buck, you should meet my mother!

Is Your Ipod Ready for Summer?

  For a stylish alternative to those plastic ear phones that are often paired with Ipods, try the Palmetto Speaker Neck Pillow for $39.00 from Pottery Barn.  This neck pillow has hidden speakers that can be plugged into an Ipod.  Perfect for those lazy days of summer when you want to tune into your music while tuning out the rest of the world.

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For anyone who would rather spend $34.99 than spend their time trying to salvage a water logged iPod,  there is the Drypod Waterproof iPod Case.  This handy little case is perfect for the beach or the pool.  Water proof ear phones are sold separately.

Looking for a few summer tunes to add to your play list?  Check out Vacation by the Go Go's,  Holiday by Madonna and Pocketful of Sunshine by Natasha Bedingfield for a little mental vacation.

A Shorts Story

Sure you could stick with your safe boring khaki shorts for summer, but with so many cute wearable styles out there you don't have to.  These printed apt. 9 Leaf Cora Shorts for $16.99 from Kohls can be adjusted for length.  The colors and scale of the print are perfect for anyone who is hesistant to spash a bold print across their bottom.  The subdued print proves that you can wear a printed pair of shorts without looking like you wallpapered your butt.

   

Technically these Gilligan & O'Malley Eyelet Shorts for $7.99 are sold as sleepwear, but having witnessed everything from slippers to pajama bottoms being worn in public, I don't think wearing these outside the house would turn too many heads as long as you keep two things in mind.  Your underwear needs to be seamless and it needs to be close to your skin color.

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Plaid shorts can be tricky to wear.  If they are done badly you will look like a badly dressed golfer with a big butt.  The most flattering patterns tend to be ones that use different colors from the same color family, like the cool aquas and blues of these  Croft & Barrow Plaid Bermuda Shorts for $14.99 from Kohls, or go for a plaid in a smaller scale.

 

Naturally Clean Hair

Regular shampoos have all sorts of chemicals, including sulfates that may ultimately do more damage than good for your hair and the planet.   I recently purchased Bio Infusion Organics Brilliant Shine Shampoo at Wallgreens as part of an effort to have cleaner hair and a cleaner planet. 

The organic shampoo is infused with celendula and lemongrass and has a subtle citrus/herbal scent to it.  In spite of the name, my hair did not have a blindingly brilliant shine to it after using the product.  This is a good thing.  If my hair had been shiny that would have meant the shampoo was depositing a layer of  conditioner or some other product that I don't want deposited on my hair every time I wash it.  I  would rather condition my hair once in a while as it needs it than have a continual build up of product every time I wash my hair.  The shampoo simply did what shampoo is supposed to do,  clean hair without stripping it of its natural oils and without leaving anything behind except healthy hair.

Unloading Unwanted Furniture

Whether you are upgrading from the cheap off the shelf  "some assembly required" to "real" furniture, or just getting rid of something that no longer fits your taste and lifestyle, there is something liberating about getting rid of furniture.  Before kicking that painfully ugly oversized chair you inherited from a relative with less taste than you to the curb, consider your options for making money off the thing.  Ebay is one of the worst places to sell furniture in general due to the high shipping costs involved.  Unless you are selling a highly collectible piece of furniture where the shipping cost is of little concern to the buyer,  skip eBay altogether.    For the kind of almost disposable, particle board, student dorm quality furniture that has seen better days, you can wait for a neighborhood garage sale where neighbors pool their stuff together and sell everything at one person's home instead of having separate garage sales and add your stuff to the mix, or you can donate it to a thrift store.  In general,  the less the piece is worth, the less effort you should put into getting rid of it.  For good quality furniture in good condition,  say a solid wood dresser,  create a blog for free if you don't have one, on blogger and post sharp pictures of the piece from a couple of angles with the price you want to sell the piece for, the type of payment youy accept (cash is best)  and your google email address that is different from your personal address.  After this is done, post an ad on craigslist.com directing readers to your blog page.  Seeing the item before buying it allows the buyer to feel more confident that they know what they are buying.  The buyer can email you to arrange a pick up time and location for the item.  Another option is to sell the item through a furniture consignment store or post notices on college bulletin boards announcing that you have furniture to sell.  May and August are good times to sell furniture, since that's when a lot of people are moving. 

Will Work for Food Party

Sometimes it seems like a to do list is nothing more than an endless stream of thankless tasks that just get replaced by more thankless tasks when one task is accomplished.  Instead of whining your way through a time consuming task, why not turn that task into a social occassion?  Pick a task, like organizing the basement , planting flowers or painting a room, that can be done with simple instructions and without a lot of heavy labor.  Get organized, plan an easy to fix meal and invite a small group of friends over for a "Will work for food party".  Explain what the purpose of the party is and how much time will be spent on the task on the invitation.  For example,  you can say on the invitation that organizing of your closets will be from 10:00-12:00 followed by a lunch of salads and sandwiches.  Pick a task that can be completed within a few hours or get as much done within a set time period and finish up later after the party is over.    Thank everyone for their time and efforts, and if you want to be a truly gracious host volunteer your time when one of your guests decides to have their own "Will work for food" party.    

Phoning It In

One reason rooms always look so perfect in glossy decorating magazines is because  telephones are edited out before the picture goes into the magazine.  Looking at modern telephones it's easy to see why they don't make it into the magazines.  The typical telephone looks like an overly complicated remote control perched on a piece of cheap plastic with even more glowing buttons. 

Telephones should reflect the style of the objects around them.  If you have an end table with photographs in silver picture frames, find a telephone with silver in it, like this GE Designer Series Phone in Estate Black for $39.99 to expand on the theme.

If the style of furniture the phone is surrounded by is traditional, look for telephones in retro styles that mimic traditional telephone styles and downplay their modern features by hiding the numbered keypad out of sight hidden in the handle for example.  Shop around for a phone the same way you would shop around for the perfect piece of furniture,  with an eye toward function and a vision of how the piece will work with the overall theme and feel of the room. 

Crosley 302 Wall Phone - Red $43.70

Loosen Up with Trendy Tank Tops

Few items of clothing are more unforgiving than arm baring thin ribbed clingy tank tops .  Luckily the trendiest tanks this spring take a more relaxed approach with looser cuts that often feature gathering or pleating at the neckline. 

This apt. 9 Batik Trapeze Tank from Kohls for $30.00 gathers at the neckline and skims the body for a relaxed look that isn't sloppy.  I also like the balance between the fun bright aqua color and the slimming more sophisticated black.

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Take a cue from the model wearing this A.N.A. Beaded Slubbed Knit Tank starting at $17.99 from J C Penny and skip the necklace when the neckline is embellished.  Wearing dramatic earrings with similar beads as the ones featured on the neckline of the tank top complements the neckline without competing for attention.

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The simple yet elegant cut of this silky rayon blend Jersey-knit tunic tank for$24.00 from Newport News makes this one tank top that could easily transition from day to evening just by changing a few accessories or pairing it with a dressier bottom. 

.The The simple yet elegant cut and silky rayon/spandex fabric of this The The simple yet elegant cut and silky rayon/spandex fabric of this The The simple yet elegant cut and silky rayon/spandex fabric of this The The simple yet elegant cut and silky rayon/spandex fabric of this

Lipsticks that Last

While I love to pamper my pout with lip sticks and glosses that plump, shimmer, shine and do just about everything else a lip gloss can do,  sometimes all I want from my lip color is that is lasts.  L'Oreal has a line of products called HIP that last like crazy.  While nothing lasts forever, the liquid lipcolor lasts a lot longer than an ordinary lip gloss and it's not as shiny as a regular lip gloss either.  So you get the texture of a gloss with the longer lasting effects of a lip stick.  The price for the HIP gloss is about $12.00 at mass retailers so wait for a sale on this one.

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Covergirl Tru Shine lip stick actually does stick around for a while.  The formula doesn't feel dry like other lip sticks so that's another plus.  On the minus side, the color selection is limited and the colors that are available include shades very few women look good in.  Tru Shine can be found at mass retailers for about $7.00.

Save Money at Going Out of Business Sales

Going out of business may be sad for the retailer going through it , but it's a happy occasion for savvy shoppers eager to snap up great deals.  One way to find out about going out of business sales is to read the business section of the paper.  I found out that a slow housing market is resulting in furniture stores going out of business, so now is a great time to shop for furniture.  Hitting the local strip malls and your favorite stores frequently also increases your odds of snapping up the good stuff before it disappears.   Going out of business means that all sales are final, so carry cash and if you are buying electronics,  have the sales associate plug the item in to an electrical outlet to make sure it works before you buy it.

The signs may be screaming "Going out of business!" and "Everything must go!"  but you still need to pay attention to price and quality just like you would any other sale.   I attended one going out of business sale at a furniture store that was deeply disappointing.  The original prices were so inflated and the quality of the merchandise so poor that even at 70% off I refused to buy anything and walked away empty handed.  Some going out of business sales start their markdowns off at a measly 20% off which is not much of a sale as far as I am concerned.

Don't limit your shopping at a going out of business sale to the regular merchandise.  I once purchased a beautiful Art Deco mannequin head at a going out of business sale for a womens clothing store.  I now display the piece on a pedestal like a sculpture.  Other items to keep your eyes open for are tables, display and shelving units that could be used at home and dress forms that can be used as home decor items.

Join the Club!

Over the years I have joined a variety of clubs in a never ending effort to acquire something resembling a social life.  I keep joining clubs for several reasons.  While one on one friendships require two people to coordinated their schedule on a fairly regular basis to get together,  which is near impossible for many over committed women, clubs only require a certain amount of people who joined the club be present at any given gathering.  In other words, going out and having fun is not dependent on one other person being available.

Joining a club often means not having to nod politely when someone is talking about things of no interest to you while secretly plotting your escape from the conversation.  Clubs are usually based on some sort of common interest so you get to focus on and talk about something that is of interest to you.

I get to meet new people and learn new things.  Not only do I learn about whatever the club is focused on, I also find out where to eat, shop and find a decent mechanic from people who will give me an honest opinion.

One of the best places to find a club to join is meetup.com.  They list clubs of every type for countries around the world.  If you don't find a club that interests you, you can promote your own club on meetup.com for a small monthly fee.  Another place to find local clubs is local publications, library bulletin boards, and retail stores. If you are interested in knitting for example,  ask the cashiers at the local yarn store if they are aware of any clubs in your area.  There are plenty of clubs out there, so keep looking until you find one that you enjoy being a part of.

Buying Home Decor Items on eBay

Ebay is the ultimate treasure hunt.  The trick is to separate the trash from the treasure.  When shopping for home decor items there are certain things to look out for on eBay.  Always pay attention to the wording.  Something listed as "retro" or "vintage style" may be a copy of a vintage item.  There is nothing wrong with a copy, there is just no reason to pay the same price for a recently produced item that can be produced in unlimited quantities as opposed to a real vintage item where quantities are limited.

Another thing to look out for is alterations that have been made to the item.  I once found a vintage camera in blue that I thought was some sort of extremely rare limited edition made by the company until I read the description and found out the seller took a common vintage camera and painted it.  Because it was not a rare item it was  not as valuable as a limited item produced by the company.

For three dimensional objects the seller should show pictures of the objects from different sides.  If they don't, email them and ask for more pictures before bidding.  Not everything in the picture is always included in the sale.  The person selling a decorative plate might show a plate stand in the picture just for the purpose of photographing the plate.  Pictures can also give a misleading impression of size.  Those sculptures that look so dramatic in the picture can turn into dinky little knick knacks when you receive them and open the box.  Get measurements and read the sellers description completely before making a bid.

Ebay is not the best place to shop for furniture since shipping and handling fees can get very expensive,  but it is great for home decor items that you won't find at the local mall.

Skirting the Issue

One of the prettiest most wearable trends for spring is the A-line skirt.  A-line skirts combine freedom of movement with a hint of subtle flirtatiousness.  These skirts should always be worn with a streamlined to to balance out the fuller silhouette of the bottom.

Isaac Mizrahi for Target Floral Eyelet Skirt for $24.99 comes in several colors.  This bright colored skirt would also work with tops in chocolate brown or a coral color the same intensity as the color of the skirt.

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The design of this Worthington Pleated print Skirt for $29.99 shows how opposites can balance out each other.  The  dull shade of tan that makes up the background of the print and the dark band of color at the hem counterbalance the brightness of the pinks and reds in the pattern.  The horizontal stripes at the hem are a sharp contrast to the flowing dynamic floral pattern on the skirt.  What could have been a mess of a design is actually a study in harmonious contrasts.

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This Butterfly Skirt for $39.99 could easily veer into frump or fashion victom territory if not worn correctly.  A simple black shirt looks sophisticated and picks up the embroidered pattern.  A bit of a heel, like a solid black wedge or a strappy shoe with some substance, like the ones in the middle picture, would keep the skirt looking flirty and not frumpy, unlike the unflattering sporty flats shown in the picture.

Message in a Bottle

Kimora Lee Simmons has just come out with a perfume called Fabulosity that comes in a bottle shaped like a giant solitaire diamond!  While other perfume bottles bore me with their predictable ball or box shaped silhouettes, this one practically screams glamour!   For better deals on perfume, shop Scentiment.com or wait until the holidays when gift sets are being promoted.  If you love the bottle more that the perfume inside,  you can buy empty perfume bottles on eBay for a fraction of the cost of a filled one.

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Jean Paul Gaultier Classique eau de toilette comes in the original style shown her along with hand painted limited edition more expensive versions.  For those crafty gals out there, you can create your own one of a kind bottle for a lot less with glass paint, or glue on beads, lace or fabric .

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A bottle of Rapture Purse Spray for $19.50 is far to pretty to be hidden away in a purse.  The small rounded bottle fits in the palm of the hand like a smooth stone so it is as much a pleasure to hold as it is to look at.  The warm rich scent is wonderful also.

   

As Advertised Promotions Mislead Customers

There are two rules I live by as a Cheap Diva.  Always pay attention to numbers and always read the fine print.  With "As Advertised" promotions you have to do both.  I was looking at an  advertisement promoting skin products.  The ad mentioned two specific types of body lotion that were on sale.  Then the ad went on to list other products by the same brand in the same paragraph that featured the sale items.  I went to the store expecting to get a sale price on a body wash that was mentioned in the advertisement.  The product display showed the sale prices for the two lotions mentioned in the ad as being on sale, but all the other products had an "As Advertised" promotional tag next to them with no mention of a discount or sale price.  This made me suspicious.  I look for a sale tag next to the item I wanted and saw only the "As Advertised" tag.  I realized that the only thing "As Advertised"  means is that the item or brand was mentioned in an advertisement.  The fact that the products were  in the same advertisement and the same brand as the sale items mentioned initially gave me the misleading impression that the items I wanted were on sale.  Not feeling particularly motivated to buy this item at regular price, and not feeling particularly motivated to allow myself to be tricked by misleading advertising, I put the item back and didn't buy it.   Remember, just because an item is being promoted does not mean it is on sale.  Look for a sign that states a specific discount off the regular price.  If a sign does not have the words "sale" or "clearance" in them the store could be promoting regularly priced items in a way that gives the impression that they are on sale.

Where to Go When You Want to Get Out of the House

It's April and there are rumors that there might be snow in the weekend forecast where I live!  I have avoided going completely stir crazy while waiting for better weather by plotting things to do to get out and have some fun.

One of the best places to find out what is going on locally is the library.  They often have local free publications that spotlight local attractions and events.  A local newspaper usually has some sort of entertainment feature covering everything from restaurants to theater to craft shows.  Read the online version of the newspaper if you want to save a few cents.

Community centers feature classes of all kinds at bargain prices.  Also check out the local community college for fun classes, student art shows, student fashion shows and theatrical productions.

To find out if anything related to your particular interest is going on just Google it.  Inside the Google search box type in "garden tours" and the name of the state you live in for example.  Another phrase to type in would be "visitor" followed by the name of your state.  This should bring up links to the official tourist page for your state that lists local attractions.  Type in "parks and recreation" again followed by your state name for even more resources.

I have never found one web site or publication that lists everything I would consider an entertaining diversion.   Finding things to do requires a certain resourcefulness, but it sure beats being bored.

Foliage Underfoot - Patio Rugs

There are certain design considerations to take into account when choosing an outdoor rug for the patio.  Outdoor rugs are probably not surrounded by a lot of decorative accessories because the attention is supposed to be more on the view.  Busy designs will distract from the view.   The three rugs that I feature here all have leaf motifs because that looks appropriate in an outdoor setting.  I also chose neutral rugs because they can act as a backdrop for bright accents like pillows and tablecloths.  Or you can do all neutrals on your patio to let nature be the focus of attention.   

Orion Stonebrook Indoor/Outdoor Area Rug $32.88-$59.88

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Maybe it's because I'm a chocoholic, but I envision this rug paired with brown fabrics for pillows and accents.

Seabreeze Patio Rug Collection $69.99-$179.99

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The almost animated style of this rugs brings to mind branches gently swaying in the breeze.  While the colors are neutral, the design itself is bold enough to work with bright solid color accents.

Flatweave Patio Rug- Black Leaves $59.99

   

Give Your Fashion Profile a Lift with Wedges

Skinny high heels are supposed to make you look slimmer.  In fact they do the opposite.  Legs actually look larger when contrasted against the skinniness of the heel!  That's why I love wedges.  A streamline wedge heel offers height without pain, they are easier to walk in than skinny heels and they look balanced with the body so they don't make your legs look fatter.

Bold jewels dramatically increase the glam factor on these Wild Rose Idea46 Wedges Gold for $34.99 (they also come in black, bronze, silver & black).

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Dark colors sometimes  make wedges look heavy.  These Layla Slides for $34.99 (also in white & black) avoid looking heavy by using cut outs in the heel and having an open buckle in the center of the shoe.  The overall effect is rich looking and light at the same time.

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In spite of the gems, these Apt 9 Luvvy Wedge Sandals for $29.99 (also in black) aren't limited to dressy outfits.  I can see these glamming up jeans, simple solid colored summer dresses or even a nice shorts outfit.

Shed Some Light on Your Beauty Routine

The only nice thing I can say about the harsh overhead lighting in my bathroom is that I can always tell if my wrinkle cream is working because the lighting highlights even the smallest creases.  If I had a choice I would apply makeup in natural light which is bright enough to apply makeup but not bright enough to exaggerate every flaw.  My second choice would be a mirror that is lighted on the sides for balanced even lighting without the shadows.   

The clever folks at Conair designed the Conair BE18LC Chrome Double Sided 5x Lighted Makeup Mirror for $57.99 with adjustable light settings to simulate day, evening, home or office lighting.  This is a great idea because makeup that looks understated for day can simply look washed out at night.  A word to the wise,  if you have a chance to look at yourself in a magnified mirror don't!  Your pores will look like pot holes and the rest of your face won't fare much better.

For the glamour gal on the go there is the Lentek Travel Vanity with Light for $29.99.  This portable vanity has lights on both sides of the mirror, a removable makeup case, places to store your makeup while traveling and it all folds together for easier packing.  Thus proving it is possible to be beautiful and practical at the same time.

Take Charge of Your Credit Cards

The less attention you pay to your credit card bills, the more you end up paying in the long run.  Here are just a few ways not paying enough attention to your credit card can cost you.

You have always have a certain amount of time to pay off the balance every month, so when the credit card company suddenly goes from giving you 30 days to pay off the balance to 20 days you don't notice and are charged with a hefty late fee.  Always pay attention to the date the card is due and send you money in at least two weeks before the credit card bill is due.

One credit card company I used had an annoying habit of  developing amnesia when it came to dropping certain fees.  I would sign up for a certain services offered by the credit card company that cost less than $5.00 a month, try it for a while, then when I decided I didn't need this service I notified the company to cancel the service.  I made a note of the date the fee was no longer supposed to show up on my card.  Over and over again the credit card company "forgot" to remove these fees by the appropriate date...read the rest of this article.

Shophaholics of the World Unite!

It's probably obvious from the fact that I write a style blog that I simply love shopping.  Luckily for my bank balance I enjoy window shopping as well as the kind of shopping that involves real money.  So where do I go to get my shopping fix online?  Read on and find out.

Amazon.com is great not only for the sheer volume of merchandise featured, but the fact that you can quickly compare prices from different sellers.  When I look at books I look at the Amazon price and then I look at the prices for the same book from independent sellers.  If the cost of the book plus shipping and handling is cheaper from an independent seller I go with them.  An interesting thing I have noticed on Amazon is that identical items sold from different merchants sell for different prices.  For example, Merchant A sells a clock item for $40.00.   Merchant B sells the same model of  clock by the same manufacturer for $30.00.   Merchant A really needs to pay a little more attention to the competition.

Shopstyle.com lets you shop for individual clothing pieces by price.  This is a real time saver for those of us who hate browsing endless items we can't afford just to find the occasional bargain priced gem.  They also act as a sort of online stylist putting  entire looks together for you.  There are sale announcements and you can keep track of things you love but aren't ready to buy with their "my stylebook" feature.  Even if you don't buy anything it's interesting to see what pieces they put together to create their outfits.

The motto for Shefinds.com is "We shop the web so you don't have to" and this pretty much sums up this blog.  They feature several fashion related articles a day ranging from off the wall finds to the eminently wearable to fashion articles.  Of course there are the obligatory sale updates for us shopaholics who love fashion but not enough to pay full price.

Light Up the Night With Chic Candle Holders

Outdoor candle holders filled with common insect repelling candles,  provide an elegant solution to the problem of enjoying a night on the patio uninterrupted by the disturbing sounds of a traditional bug zapper.

Hang this 2-piece decorative Handmade Outdoor Iron Candle holder for $24.88 from a sturdy tree branch or a shepard's hook found in lawn and garden areas of the store.

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These Floating White Blossom Lights - Set of 6 for $35.99 are designed to hold candles while floating in a bowl or pool.  To achieve a lovely floating effect without the water, place the candle holders on an aqua colored tablecloth and use sapphire blue or deeper aqua colored glasses with white or blue plates.   Using cool colors and serving cold drinks on hot nights will make you feel cooler and more relaxed.

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This Outdoor 6' Candle Screen for $41.96 has clear glass votive holders.  It's the candles in the picture that are red.  I like t