Building a Wardrobe

Having a wardrobe that looks good and fits well is an important part of business life. A few years ago it might have been OK to wear almost anything to the office and get away with it. The economy was rolling, money easy, jobs seemed to be easy to find. Not anymore. Looking good with a polished, sophisticated look gets the interview and the call back. It might be easy to put on a tee shirt but a dress or suit that fits well says "I am a professional who takes my job seriously." Finding the right clothes can be difficult and when found can cost a fortune. Sewing your own is a reasonable way to cut costs and still look good. Here are some good patterns that can build a wardrobe that looks professional and still be fashion forward. Now, the beauty of this pattern, Butterick 5188, is a dress that can go from daytime office to date night with different fabric. Cute and stylish, sleeveless it would wonderful on a evening cruise. Add the jacket or shrug to keep the night chill off your arms. Perfect! Change the fabric a little and the evening cocktail dress is now just right for the office or lunch with friends. So many choices from just one pattern! Butterick 4295 is definitely for cooler weather but why stick to sweats when you can look polished and cozy at the same time? With pants, jacket, sweater, and skirt you can make a coordinating wardrobe that will keep you warm and looking good. Both of these patterns, and many more get-ahead-in-business patterns, are available in the GoofingOff.etsy.com and GoofingOff.Artfire.com shops.

Coupons, Freebies, and Saving Money

For those who haven't figured it out yet, I like to shop. Not only do I like to shop, I like to save money while shopping, and before I forget, get freebies. I figure, I have to buy some things, so I might as well save as many little Lincolns as possible. With that in mind, I thought I would post some of my favorite links to saving those little Lincolns, and maybe a buck or two. Oh yeah, before I forget, there is usually freebies offered, too. Let's face it, there is just something special about getting something in the mail for nothing. It's like Christmas all the time! Yippee! And I am all about free. So here goes. These are some super good sites with links to save a buck. Some give coupons, others tell you what's on sale where, and, just look. You'll see what I mean. Too cool to pass up. The fabuLESS Never Pay Retail Again Daily Deal Digest Here's the link: http://neverpayretailagain.blogspot.com/ This one is my fave. Links to whatever is on sale in my neck of the woods (FL) but some all-over-the-country stuff, too. ConsumerQueen.com http://www.consumerqueen.com/ Not bad. Always new stuff to check out. Red Plum http://www.redplum.com/Default.aspx Lots of stuff. Lots of coupons. They're the folks that put the coupons in the Sunday papers. Need I say more? Here's a site I just found (I don't want to say new because it probably isn't). My Baton Rouge Mommy http://www.mybatonrougemommy.com/ Lots of coupons and links. I'm sure most folks have favorites of their own. Share them. We all need to save a buck with this economy. OK, there you go. Go forth and save money!!

Weddings in these economic hard times.

I have heard a lot on the news about the hard times people are having right now because of the economy. It is hard out there right now, people are being laid off and there are job freezes making it harder to find a job. In spite of this, there are those who are optimistic (I'm one of them) and in love. Lovers tie the knot no matter what the economy does but how they celebrate is different. I've been a thrifty person all my life so I thought it might be a good idea to give some advice to those planning a wedding without breaking the bank. I am making this a series because there is so much to be said. The first installment will be buying the ring.