Travel Zoo.com

No, no animals involved.

My cousin Kim tipped me off to this website last year and yesterday I cashed in!

It takes seconds to go to travelzoo.com and sign up and immediately, you begin receiving update emails about travel discount deals that have just been announced. There are hotels and theater tickets as well as true cheap airline tickets (January round trip to San Diego: $275 including all fees and taxes!).

Who says you can't afford to get away? Go to the Zoo!

Sample Sale 2!

Please Join us for the annual Ananda Design & Jenny Yoo Christmas sample sale!

Invite Your family & friends...

What: 50-80% off luxurious cashmere sweaters, scarves and jackets. Embellished and embroidered wraps perfect for the holidays....Evening dresses for holiday parties...

When: This Monday & Tuesday Dec. 7th & 8th

From 11:00-7:00 pm

Where: 132 West 36th Street (between Broadway & 7th), 9th Floor

Woot

Wow. What?

Woot.com, that's what!

Leave it to my brother to fill me in about this website that is the originator of One Day, One Deal. Every midnight (central) they post one product for a drastically discounted price until it sells out or until the next Midnight. Today features a refurbished Cuisinart SmartPower Duet blender and Food Processor for $32.99 dollars.

Woa.

But the best part? All Shipping and Handling = $5.

Well, why not Woot?

Actor Crafts

ActorCrafts is here, just in time to start your holiday shopping!

Shop for jewelry, clothing, and gifts this Saturday November 21st at the Holy Cross School (332 W. 43rd St. between 8th and 9th Ave.). It's all designed and created by New York City actors (it's good to multi-task!) and the festive sale never disappoints!

Shop between the hours of 10:00am and 6:00pm.

T-Shirts Re-Mix

T-Shirts. One symbol we'll leave behind as our legacy, punctuating our lives with events and eventually fill up the bottom of our drawers in faded piles of our history.

According to the PBS documentary, T-Shirt Travels, literally tons of our discarded clothing is shipped overseas to Africa where their sale has put the local clothing manufacturing out of business. In this striking documentary, African children were shown wearing oversized t-shirts depicting M-TV and brands of beer. It made me think that there must be a way to reuse and recycle our T-Shirts in a less destructive way.

In my previous post, Your Own Gypsy Robe, I wrote about a way that I can still wear my Show T-Shirts.

But now, new (and often overpriced) t-shirts have the look of old, worn favorites so why not make your old, worn favorites into wearable fashion? Or take your husband's/boyfriend's/brother's old white t-shirts and dye them to the color you want? (See you earlier post, Do or Dye)

The first example pictured is a North Shore Animal Shelter t-shirt that we got when we adopted Maya. This was the easiest fix as it was a size Medium and I shortened the sleeves (cut at an angle with the longest part at the top of the shoulder), cut out the neck, and then cut off the hem and turned it into a belt. One of the best things about t-shirt material is that it doesn't fray, even when washed. This means hems are optional.

To make an oversized shirt into a more form fitting tee, cut off the sleeves right at the hem. Leave the bottom hem, neck, and sleeve hems intact. Then take a shirt that you like the fit of and lay it over your favorite. (see photo below) Fold the sleeves in along their hem and cut along one side of the old t-shirt about an inch outside of the line of the t-shirt on top. Fold it in half and cut the other side to match. Shorten the sleeves by cutting parallel to and in from the cut that was the seam. Make the bottom part of the sleeve the shortest. Pin the newest sleeve cut right sides together to the shoulders (over the shoulder seam) and sew (the most difficult step). Then turn the bodice right sides together and stitch up the new side seams, making sure that hems match.

Now you have remaining fabric that can be used to create your very own design. Shown here is a leaf design that I hand sewed diagonally across a purple tee, a t-shirt that my husband was getting rid of that I dyed yellow, used the above process to make it more fitted, and created a long wrap-tie from the remaining material, and my favorite, a self-dyed tee (red) that I made into a fitted tank, skipping the sleeve step, and then machine-sewed the remaining material in a design on the front and shoulders. (rock and roll under a black pinstripe sportscoat)

Now cutting up your old t-shirts isn't reserved to the fringed and beaded looks of the early 90's (Yikes! What were we thinking?). With a little imagination and minor abilities with a needle and thread, the sky's the limit.

Coat Sale Question

Leenya -

Would it be possible for me to navigate the salvation army coat sale
with a bambino strapped to my chest in a carrier?

Signed,
Seriously-in-need-of-a-"new"-warm-coat

Dear Seriously-in-need-of-a-"new"-warm-coat,

I have seen kids at the Salvation Army Coat Sale, though never strapped to a shopper, though as long as you don't have any other accoutrements (ie. purse, coat, other shopping bags) and if you bring a foldable grocery cart (aka Granny Cart), you should be okay. I'm guessing there's a smaller window of time for you to hunt for treasures and a bigger challenge in trying on the coats, but I'd say try it anyway! Then head upstairs to find kids/baby clothes...

Leenya

Get your own!

Just letting you know that I'm LOVING my new fur/suede reversible vest and swing faux leopard! Don't be jealous, get your own!

Go this Saturday, November 7th at 9:30 am to the next Salvation Army Coat Sale of the season (check out my previous posts...)

Coat Sale Redux

BAD NEWS: You may have missed a great coat sale at the Salvation Army this last Saturday.

But two close friends, hundreds of New Yorkers, and I didn't!

Kevin and Sarah of We Click Photography and Kevin Fox Photography are spending more time in the Great White North and wanted to stock up on winter coats so they met me there early, following all of my advice (Except for bringing their own cart. Difficult on a motorcycle...).

I knew I was only looking for a fur vest (to pair with skinny jeans and a blousy top with long necklaces and high boots) so my pile of coats at checkout paled in comparison to theirs. But how could Sarah resist 2 long embroidered suede jackets, a hooded shearling, a thoroughly hip skin colored short fitted car coat with a long collar, an adorable shearling vest, and two coats for Kevin to replace decade-old favorites? She couldn't. And she didn't!

Some highlights of the morning:

Leenya: Wow! This is a gorgeous coat, but with purple and green embroidery, I don't know if Sarah will go for it.

Kevin: You never know. Some people's "loud" are a belly dancer's "blah". (Sarah is a fabulicious belly dancer)

Kooky Mirror Hogging Lady: Oh, you again! Just buy the coat! How much can it be? $25? Just buy it!

Leenya: I know, but do you think it actually works on me? I mean, do I really need a medium length fake leopard swing coat? (answer: yes, I did.)

GOOD NEWS: There's another one Saturday November 7th at 9am!

Recession Special Wine Club

Here it is, folks! A wine club for those of us who keep going back to the wine store and grabbing the same affordable favorites. And they deliver!

Ted discovered Bacchus, a wine store on the upper West Side, that for $17.99 (plus tax) a month will deliver two different bottles of wine to your door! (check how far they will deliver...)

Last night, they delivered a bottle of Indaba Merlot (already a favorite!) and a 2006 Rock River Zinfadel, which we have yet to try.

So good to know we can branch out with out cashing out!

2 NY Night Out for Two: Less than $80 Each

We are all on tight budgets right now, but we still have to go out on the town every once in a while.

My husband and I recently dined at two New York restaurants, one old and one new, and we didn't spend over $80 for either.

After one appetizer (split) and two entrees and a glass and a half of wine each, we hadn't felt we'd splurged, but we still felt spoiled!

The first was Trattoria Spaghetto in the West Village (232 Bleecker St. near the W. 4th Street ACE stop). It's cash only at this New York staple that has been at this corner location at least since I was doing a show at the Minetta Lane Theater 13 years ago. There is outdoor seating in good weather, the pasta tastes homemade, and there is a lobster entree for $20!

The second is Pio Pio. Though the location we went to is their newest (43rd St. and 10th), there are other places where you can taste this Peruvian Cuisine in a fun atmosphere with good service. Specializing in grilled chicken (surprisingly mild in spiciness), entrees come in generous portions and are meant to be shared. With large potent pitchers of delicious sangria, it is a fabulous place to bring your next group or family gathering.

Bon appetite!

FIRST COAT SALE (of the season)!

Yes! It's coming! Just in time for you to replace coats that you've purged during your Fall Clothes trade out!

The Salvation Army Coat Sale! Dum Dum da Dum! (It should have a theme song...)

On Saturday, October 10th, at 9am, head to the Salvation Army on 46th Street between 10th and 11th Avenues in New York City and read my previous post about tips and suggestions to make your shopping spree the most successful.

Coats to look for this fall:

• short leather car coats
• fur or faux fur vests
• oversized black 80's trenches to belt
• fitted blazers to wear with jeans

See you at 8:30am!

(pictured here: me staying somewhat warm and dry in the freezing rain of Boston, all because of my Salvation Army puffy coat that I bought 3 seasons ago!)

Yay! Fall Clothes!

Does anyone else love fall? Or am I the only one who catches the "Back To School" bug and look for any opportunity to lay out your clothes for the next day?

Well, nerd or not, it is time (or perhaps past time) to put away your summer clothes and get out your yummy sweaters and boots.

And, it's the perfect time to take stock of what you should keep and what you should throw away. In 2008, I wrote to a follower that we know as On The Verge Of Being Lady Godiva with tips about updating your wardrobe the Ren Girl way (of course). Check it out toe help you get motivated (and focused). Let me emphasize to that post that before you store your tank tops and short shorts, make sure they've been washed/cleaned to avoid any yellowing or odors.

It can all seem overwhelming at first, but before you know it, you're honing your style, focusing your identity, and finding excuses to go thrifting (with your list of needs, of course!).

Happy Fall!

Block Sale Rain Date

DUE TO THE WEATHER, THE MPTA BLOCK SALE IS CANCELED FOR TOMORROW

RAIN DATE NEXT SATURDAY SEPT. 19

SAME TIME

SAME PLACE

Sorry for any inconvenience.

BLOCK SALE HOTLINE 212-560-0995

Martini Madness

Sometimes life calls for martinis.

Our close friend, Penny, needed a party and it was time to step up!

But who can afford expensive vodka these days? And who wants to suffer through the bite of the cheap stuff?

Luckily, Penny did her homework. Several sites on line claimed that by filtering inexpensive vodka (Smirnoff, Svedka) through a Brita water filter, it would taste like the upscale vodkas. But somebody had to test it and Penny, her friends Ken and Barry, and I were willing to do the dirty work. You have to sacrifice for science.

First, we tried a bit of the cheaper Vodka before filtering. Though not completely unpleasant, faces puckered. Then, we filtered it through the Brita filter (takes a bit longer than water) and took more sips. We all agreed it was smoother, had less bite, and tasted more "expensive" than the unfiltered!

Eureka!

We guessed that it would be worth it to keep a separate Brita filter for just that purpose.

Then I enlisted my husband (the martini master) to make them (note: shower heavily with kisses and praises all night.)

Pictured Above: Three Kit Kat Girls (Vykky, Heather, and me) celebrating Penny's Birthday with martinis!

Block Long Garage Sale!

This Saturday, September 12th, between 9am and 5pm!

43rd Street between 9th and 10th Ave.!

Dozens of different stoop sales in one block all at the same time! Treasures galore!

See you there!

(Can you tell I'm a bit excited?)

Recycling in Urbanopolis

If Suspended Cirque can create an entire costume plot for their Aerial multi-media Circus at Galapagos out of reused, recycled, and found items, we can all find ways to incorporate such creativity into our own daily lives.

I'm playing violin as the character of the dying Phoenix in their spectacle Urbanopolis this weekend (to sold out shows!) and I am amazed each days at the attention to detail that Joshua Dean has put into his costume design (FYI he is also the co-creater, director and a lead performer/aerialist/dancer). Using newspaper, feathers, toille over exaggerated hoop skirts, Suspended Cirque incorporates leotards and mixes and matches from previous shows to create new looks. They bring renaissance living to a new level!

I just play the violin...

Brokelyn

The name of this blog says it all!

I heard about it on NY1 and it's all about having fun while spending less. Sound familiar?

Check it out (brokelyn.com) and me know what you find...

What Would Leenya Sell on iTunes?

Why, her own album of original songs entitled "phoenix", of course!

Get Your Feet Wet

Chad's in town!

So I had an excuse to go shopping!

It was a Sunday, so Salvation Army Stores were all closed, but that didn't stop us. We headed to Chelsea to visit some great thrift and resale shops, both raising money for some amazing charities.

And, I kept thinking, though the prices are slightly higher than at Sally's and the Good Will, they would be great places for those who are intimidated by thrift shopping but want to get their feet wet.

Our first stop was Housing Works at 173 W. 17th St. (note various locations all over the city) and the clothes and shoes are in excellent condition in general but the star here is the furniture. If you're furnishing your first apartment (or want to replace your worn-out Ikea starters with unique stylish pieces), start here! Couches, bureaus, prints, dishes, all in excellent condition and often designer. The money raised from

donations and sales go to help victims of HIV and AIDS.

Our next stop was right across the street at the Angel Street Thrift Shop, also raising money to fight HIV/AIDS as well as substance abuse and mental illness. Their collection of clothing was much more extensive and also organized in a way that would seem much less overwhelming to a thrifting novice. Again, some designer clothes and shoes, all in excellent condition. I found an amazing black Zara dress shirt for Ted for $11.00. In general, prices were similar to Housing Works.

Since we were so close, we headed too 6th Ave. and upstairs to T.J. Maxx and Filene's Basement where I found some wardrobe staples for my hubby and as we made our way back uptown, we happened on two sample sales, one was even Dolce and Gabbana! Prices cut by 85 % sounded amazing, until we couldn't find a price tag for less than $490.00! Some gowns were still priced at $8,900.00, the price of a good used car. We quickly realized that we knew something that the sample sale shoppers didn't know, that true bargain treasure is found only in our resale shops!

As we walked, we talked about the value of reusing and recycling and how it is the future of our economy.

What a day! Quality time with my best friend, saving the world, and shopping, all at the same time!

Free Summer Fun

If you find yourself hanging around New York this summer, never fear! Free events are here... especially along the Hudson River! Music, Dance, and even Movies are happening on the piers along the Westside of Manhattan. Go to www.hudsonriverpark.org for a complete guide to your summer schedule.

Poor Man's Pate

If any of you are lucky enough to have a killer recipe for meat-loaf (or have a husband who has a killer recipe and sorry, mine won't give his up!), make one up the day before the party and refrigerate it. Before the party, slice it thin and serve with gourmet mustard and tiny gherkins. It's as good as pate, I think, and ends up being the most popular hors d'oeuvre at the party!

Good Ass Jeans

Does this sound familiar to anyone?

You finally complete your wardrobe with the perfect ass jeans (you know, the ones that make your ass look great) and the style changes, ie. boot cut to skinny jeans 3 years ago. Now you have all these jeans that fit great, but are out of style (see the explanation of perceived obscelescence in thestoryofstuff.com).

Don't throw them away! I've converted at least three pairs into skinny jeans myself, some hand sewing and some on a machine. Follow these easy steps to update your favorite jeans to the fun summer skinny must have (rips in the knees and worn out thigh fronts are back, fyi).

• Turn your jeans inside out and try them on. Using pins, straight or safety, pin along the seam that is the simplest (usually the one along the outside of the leg), making sure that the flap that is created is as flat as you can make it. Usually, start about mid-thigh. Don't pin them too tight. The fit all the way down the leg should mimic the fit around the hips.

• Take them off and lay them flat on the floor. Repin, adding more pins to complete and straighten out the line that you will sew. Make sure that the seam is as flat as it can be.
• Sew along your this line, either by hand (a backstitch can work) or by machine.
• You can trim the jeans close to the seam, but you'd never have the option to go back to the way they were and why not stay ahead of planned obscelecence? It doesn't make that much difference to cut off your options, so to speak...
• Turn your jeans right side out and wear with your favorite thongs or stacked heels and tank tops!

For more photos and instructions, check out Wickepedia on this subject or cutoutandkeep.net a website full of craft tutorials.

Shhhhh, Don't Tell Anyone!

I've just always wanted to write that in a public forum!  How could it not get your attention?

But seriously, don't tell anyone...

..who doesn't read this blog!

I'm talking Chili Thai, the tiny little hole in the wall on 9th Ave. between 48th and 49th!

I've blogged about it before in a previous post entitled Poll, but my husband and I just had a date there tonight and I had to write about it again!

I mean, who doesn't want delicious, fresh tasting, creatively presented fusion food at an amazingly low price?  If you didn't, you probably wouldn't be reading this.

For a grand total of $29.95 (not incluuding tip), Ted and I ordered the appetizer sampler (included the best chicken satay we'd tasted in a long while as well as magical melt in your mouth shrimp dumplings) and then our favorite salad (which would make the perfect lunch, I tell you!) called Yum Neua that has marinated beef thinly sliced atop mint and crisp lettuce, and then split the chicken Green Curry (humongous portions) served with sticky white rice.   

You can order Thai beer from them now, but without a liquor license (a thing to look for in a restaurant, if you're a Renaissance Girl!) they allow you to go next door and buy your own bottle of wine for $10 or less (see my post about wines for under $10) and they bring you glasses and an opener.  So okay, it was $46 at the end of the experience, but if you know how to get more for your value in New York City, you'd better email me now!  

Tips before you go:

• It's often crowded, and I haven't had much luck with reservations in the past so have patience.
• The bathrooms are in the back, THROUGH the kitchen.  But it is always very clean, once you get there.
• Go hungry.

Other favorites:

• Duck Empanadas (their  signature creation)
• Massaman Curry (all curries come with a choice of chicken, pork, beef, tofu, or seafood
• Pad Thai
• Delicious desserts including Mango Dumplings, Mango with Sticky Rice, and you'll never believe that I haven't yet ventured to try the Bananas in Golden Pouch, but that's next on my list!

Go.  Eat.  

And don't tell anyone!

Headshots: Practically Free!

Dilemma:  You got a new haircut but can't afford new headshots.  

Solution:  Go to Ben Strothmann for a $75 quickie!  

Friends of mine have taken advantage of this amazing NYC bargain and walked away with some great results!

(pictured above: portrait above of  The Chalks by Ben Strothmann)  

The Story of Stuff

Go ahead, call me the Queen of Cheap, but I'm not too stubborn to constantly reevaluate my methods of saving money.  

This video has a heavy message but one that is urgent, I feel and it just might mean that some of my suggestions about inexpensive shopping (ie. 99Cent stores, Conway, etc.) should be obsolete.  It  might mean spending a bit more money on something that was produced locally and that isn't disposable in nature.  It means that buying second hand (reusing as well as recycling) and repairing rather than disposing are still key. 

Go to The Story of Stuff for some pretty amazing myth busting.

An "I'll Always Remember This" Moment

Who says moving, history making entertainment is only for the rich?

It's been a crazy month, with travel and some amazing performances, hence my long hiatus from blogging.  But this last Saturday was an "I'll Always Remember This" moment.

I performed at Symphony Space in Wall to Wall Broadway with the likes of Donna Murphy, Rebecca Luker, Martha Plympton, Liz Calloway, , Michael Cerveris, Terrence Mann, Raul Esparza, Julie Wilson, and many more, all with an orchestra conduced by Paul Gemignani.  

Now I perform regularly at Symphony Space with the Thalia Follies, a Political Satire group, so I'd heard of Isaiah Sheffer's Wall to Wall concerts (Wall to Wall Sondheim, Wall to Wall Stravinsky, Wall to Wall Mozart, etc.).  They last 12 hours and are completely FREE to the public and feature educational interviews as well as dozens of amazing performers.   But when Isaiah asked me to sing the duet, "If I Loved You" from Carousel with Gregg Edelman to end the first half of the orchestra section in the evening and then to sing Cunegonde in "Make Your Garden Grow" from Candide with Alex Gemignani as Candide, I couldn't have been more honored.

What is wonderful about this free concert is that you can come and go as your schedule (and saturation point) allows and the program is varied, with obscure works as well as favorites, old and new.  Even Sheldon Harnick (who signed my sheet music of "Tell Me I Look Nice"!) wrote and PERFORMED a rap with Lin-Manuel Miranda (composer of "In the Heights")!   

Pictured above are Kathryn Markey & Mary Brienza (aka The Chalks!) who performed some obscure but hilarious comic songs with me earlier in the evening  so while I  should have been posting about this last week so that everyone could experience this wonderful New York bargain, I was literally downloading and memorizing three songs I'd never heard before in a matter of days. It's also worth mentioning that Kathryn and I both found these dresses at The Salvation Army and my shoes were Payless (This season!  Go!  Now!).  I wore a dress and shoes in the earlier segment (I was there for eleven hours.  Whew!) that I had bought last week with my friend Chad in a resale shop in Seattle (Crossroads in Capitol Hill.  Very cool!).  Always the Renaissance Girls...

When you hear about a Wall to Wall Symphony Space concert again, go!  You just might have an "I'll Always Remember This" moment.

Unscripted

In my line of work, I often find myself swimming in scrap paper.  Scripts, sides (portions of scripts you print out to prepare for an audition), sheet music, old resumes, and even pads of understudy inserts seem to pile up quickly.  

But there's another side...  Literally!  Don't just throw it into the recycle bin.  Yet.  

First, create a place to drop these documents of communications past.  Then use it to print up your next mapquest directions, etc.  We're talking a lot of dollars saved each years.  

We're talking a lot of trees (and energy) saved each year.

Then, of course, when both sides have been used, RECYCLE!

Leenya's Secret

Okay, I don't mean to keep bringing up Conway, but they have the cutest lingerie right now!  Matching bras and panties for so much less than Vickie's Secrets and about the same quality (Sorry, Vicky!).  

While you're at the one on Broadway just above 34th Street and Macy's (West Side),  keep going around corners and up and down stairs for bargains on bedding, kids and babies clothes, beauty products, and cute tops for under $10.  

Tips before you go:

• There are no dressing rooms.  Know your size and when in doubt, buy a size larger.  Unlike Gap and Banana Republic, sizes run SMALL in this store. 
• Don't go when you're in a hurry.  Lines are long.
• With the exception of lingerie, you CAN exchange and return if you keep the receipt.
• Stay Zen.  This is not the palace of pleasant customer service.  By any stretch.
• Look for inexpensive T-Shirts for design and painting projects.  Buy two so you can mess up.

Maya and Leenya's Potluck Bitch and Swap

In a cozy New York apartment, combine a dozen great friends and coworkers,

...delicious homemade baked goods and nosh, a great mix of wines under $10 (see earlier post),

...bags and bags of gently used clothes, shoes, and accessories, 

...one kooky host who LOVES putting together new outfits for no money,

...one fuzzy cohost,

...and mix! 

RESULTS:

• closet purged of never-worn-clothes
  
• fabulous new items to spruce up wardrobe
  
• new friends
  
• donations to the Salvation Army or Goodwill
  
• lots and lots of fun and laughs
  

money spent:  $10 for the wine + a few dollars for snacks

Write about yours!

No Foolin!

No straps!

Just in time for spring and summer backless styles, Conway has a version of the backless silicone adhesive bra on sale right now (Secret Style brand) for $6.99!  I was prepared to spend upwards of $30 to be able to wear the cute backless tops my cousin gave me for my birthday and found this bra on a recent trip to one of my favorite midtown bargain stores.  Simply buy the letter that corresponds to your cup size and follow the instructions to stick it on!

I admit I did spend $30, but it included three cute ruffle tops and a pair of leggings as well!

Stay tuned for a new post about my recent Bitch and Swap...

HopStop.com

Some people take their alternative forms of transportation very seriously.

Like my Dad for instance.

But has anyone else noticed how Mapquest directions favor automobile drivers?  You can attain directions for trips via mass transportation, but as I found out, many details are omitted that can leave you stranded waiting for buses with limited schedules or underestimated walking times.  

For those of us who spend most of our commuting time on mass transportation, walking, or biking (or biking and canoeing), HopStop.com is the answer!

Click on your city and like in Mapquest, enter your starting and destination address or intersection, time of travel, and walking/transfer preference.  It gives you estimated travel time as well as information you didn't think you'd need!  

Though so far, your canoeing destination still might be "off the map".

Mea Culpa?

I have heard nervous news anchors and economists cite  cuts in consumerism as a possible downfall for the worldwide economy.   Should we feel guilty for being thrifty?  

I just left a comment (in response to some fear mongering comments) on beingfrugal.net that I wanted to  share here:

It makes me feel safer that we are all talking about economy and politics now!  Discourse is good for all of us.  

For what it's worth, my thoughts about the recent economic downturn are this:  We shouldn't feel guilty for being frugal.  

American hasn't always had an economy that was based on oil and product consumption.  There was even a time it was based on slavery and tobacco and rum trading and thank God, we eventually, slowly changed.  Change is possible, especially if we are all willing to dive into what we're afraid of.  

And let's face it:  Less consumption, and responsible consumption, is probably a Hell of a lot better for  the environment as well.  

My two cents (and that's still a bargain!)

Our ability to fill up our lives with unnecessary products shouldn't make up our worth as human beings.  There, I said it!  Let's forgive and move forward.

Extreme Cheapskates

Not that we needed it, but a recent article featured on Yahoo News is giving us thrifty folk some affirmation.

"If you can't make money, then you can spend less-- and that's the equivalent of making more money."

Other blogs about saving money were listed, including neverpayretailagain.net and beingfrugal.net.   You don't have to be extreme, but it's good to know that in our search to live well on a budget, we're not alone.

National Bitch and Swap Month

You read it first here.

I'm declaring March a national Bitch and Swap Month.

So the economy is bad and our incomes seem smaller in comparison with our outgoes.  We can't go shopping at every whim but let's face it:  Sprucing up and changing our our wardrobes could help lift our spirits.  

Here's your job:

1. Pull everything out of your closet and do a purge (read the first part of my post to Lady Godiva about purging)
2. Fill a bag with clothes, shoes, purses, accessories, jewelry that you would otherwise donate to a thrift store.
3. Invite your girl friends over and have them bring a favorite snack and drink (remember to refer to my favorite wine under ten dollars post).
4. When they arrive, everyone piles their clothes in the middle of the room and dives in.  Have a space for trying things on, mirrors.  
5. Have a blast!
6. Take the leftovers to the thrift store in the morning.
7. Leave your comments after this post and tell me how yours went!  Can't wait to hear what amazing one-of-a-kind items you've been looking for your whole life that you added to your wardrobe!
   

P.S.  Thanks to my friend Garrett for inspiring this fabulous idea!

It's in the Bag

We need some new habits.

We need to save money.

We need to save money by not buying plastic bags.

There are too many plastic bags in the world.  We have grown to expect them, count on them, but they are made of petroleum and are filling up land fills around our country.  

Now it's about making a new habit of carrying cloth bags or reused bags  when we shop.

It's about not buying bags if at all if possible.  We get them free everywhere anyway, sometimes even if we ask to NOT get one.  Grocery bags can hold our trash.  If we need a zip reclosable bag, we can reuse bags that saved from products we've already consumed (tortillas, etc.).  

The only person in my household who gets brand new bags is my dog and they are the bio degradable kind, for cleaning up after her on the street.   That's right, she's spoiled!

We can save money AND save the world at the same time!

   

Wedding Wildflowers

If you have started your wedding planning, then you've already discovered that there is a magic word that will automatically quadruple any price quote:  "Wedding"

But if you're like me, you don't feel comfortable lying.  Or at least you're just really bad at it.  

Either way, there are ways to cut costs and you can choose all of them or just some.  No doubt, you've started to prioritize about what you don't want to skimp on.  

Now I love flowers and greens, but with our limited budget, I decided early on that I was not going to hire a florist.  At all.  With a July wedding in the Poconos, I knew that there would be enough foliage in the natural setting that we had chosen.  

First, I obsessed.  Every time we were driving around near our location, I noted flowers:   Where they grew wild, which ones fit our color palate (cranberry and butter yellow) and kept a look out for interesting textures, all growing in fields and along roadsides (never someone's garden! Hello!).  There were so many varieties, some I'd never noticed before.

Next, I gathered some and made my first practice bouquet.  It was not only beautiful and simple, but seemed to reflect the setting we'd chosen much more than store bought roses.   

Then, I gathered my Renaissance Girls.  

When shopping for other decor, I found the perfect cranberry velvet ribbon and my magical sister-in-law Marie (who also decorated the arbor, pictured here) bought artificial berries that represented the wild blueberries that Ted and I often pick together (We decided real blueberries could stain...).

The day before the wedding, I put three oversized vases with water, two pairs of garden shears,  and my friend Elizabeth (now on tour in Xanadu.  Hi, Elizabeth!) into the car and drove around the countryside to the places I'd remembered had the flowers I liked.  We spent about an hour filling the vases with ferns, tiny daisies, and 

beautiful wild flowers.  Then we put them in the cool basement where they stayed fresh overnight.  

The next day, Marie arranged most of the flowers into vases for the reception and Elizabeth and I created the bouquet that I would carry down the aisle and tied it with the ribbon.  It was a perfect compliment for my antique home-made linen wedding dress and Ted's pinstripe grey suit.  

Now,  some people want to hire a florist and avoid  this extra work, but in the end, picking and arranging flowers with my girls was an incredibly wonderful way to spend the morning before my wedding.

And let's face it.  So was knowing that I saved thousands of dollars.  

(Wedding Photography by WeClick.com)

Framed

Do you have stacks of interesting prints, artwork, or old photos and sad, empty walls? 

  You're not alone.  Frames are expensive!  And who knows how to make mats and cut frames to size?  Not me.  But you can get creative (and get rid of the stacks).

When you're at a yard sale, antique shop, or thrift shop, look for fabulous worn old frames with or without paintings or prints.  They don't have to be the exact right size or have glass intact.  I had a stack of amazing black and white photographs that my Grandfather took on his travels in the 1950's.  I found this amazing collection of old frames at a yard sale (all for about $20) and added them to a few I had already acquired over the years.  I don't recommend cutting the photos to fit the frames, but in this photo, you can tell I got creative with how they stay in the frames (strings, even leaving the backing visible).  Notice they are all different, but have a similar color palate (gold, earth tones, and terra cotta).  The black and white travel theme helps make them a unified collection as well.  

Once you get your prints in the frames, lay them out on the floor first and experiment with different arrangements.  Put the most striking pieces at eye level and in the center of your wall and then think creative cluster, not spreading out to fill the wall.  

Don't let your walls be sad!  It's time to frame.

Little Money, Big Joy

One of my photographers, Sarah Sloboda, has a blog about Optimism called The University of Sarah.  Check out her post,  Little Money, Big Joy  that is all about living well on less.  

Who couldn't use a little optimism right now?

First Renaissance Lady

My husband and I recently visited the John F. Kennedy Presidential Library and Museum and were re-inspired by all the policies he put into effect and the way he motivated people to do good in many different ways.   His early writings contemplating justice and questioning the status quo were the most moving to me.

But as I walked the halls and saw video footage that I'd never seen before, I was equally enthralled by Jacqueline Bouvier Kennedy, who has always seemed to me overshadowed by her husband's charisma, acting out the role of the perfect wife.  It was a room in the library dedicated to her that I first learned that she was  an artist and cartoonist and a few samples of her scrapbooks and diaries showed her adorable caricatures expressing such joy.  One even depicted how her husband had to wash  his socks in the sink of the hotel he was staying at while he was on the campaign trail!  Looking at her drawings, I felt like I knew her, suddenly, in a way I hadn't before.  

Though she most likely never had to scrape together an income in the same way as those who make their living in art, she expressed, created, and treated life as an adventure.  

 And looked great doing it.  

Here's to you, Jackie!

 

Do... or Dye!

Sick of your clothes?

Or did you find the perfect blouse but it comes in only white or off-white?

Here's the answer.  

Don't pass them over.  Dye them!

A box of RIT Dye or Tintex Fabric Dye (available at most drug stores, grocery stores, or everything stores like Target), costs less than three dollars.  The only tricky thing is finding a large enough pot in which to dye your clothes without dying your kitchen at the same time!  Once you've tackled that obstacle, you will be surprised by the possibilities!

The dress pictured here (bought at a thrift store in Washington State) was a strange 80's bright blue that I knew I'd never wear.  After dying it in a vat of Wine colored Tintex (and adding a beaded belt high up on the natural waist), it became this amazing purple that had a wonderful sheen to it.  At the same time in the same batch, I dipped dingy slips that I've since worn to weddings, for performances, and as a raspberry sundress on a summer day.  Great tip:  Favorite used-to-be-white t-shirts can be salvaged and given a new life by dying them.

For the truly adventurous, try mixing and matching colors.  In general, it works like water colors and the color wheel:  blue and yellow make green, red and blue make purple, yellow and red make orange etc.  but it's definitely not an exact science, which I sort of love!

When it comes to dying, fabrics are like men.  If they're synthetic and fake (polyester and spandex) the love won't stick (color will be light and inconsistent).  Natural weaves (cotton, wool, nylon, silk, rayon), however, fall quickly and deeply and a tumble in high heat (the dryer) will set them forever.

Follow directions on the box and go ahead and choose a bunch of stuff in your house to dye at one time.  Why not see how color can spruce up your life... and for a mere three dollars?

My Ikea Hack

Most people don't guess it, but about fifty percent of the furniture in our New York apartment is from Ikea. 

The reason people don't guess it is that our style isn't ultra-modern with geographic shapes and bright solid colors, typical to the European apartment look.  

One of my favorite pieces of furniture is our computer desk, which I fondly call "the office" because it can be closed off to hide our computer and files when we don't want to be reminded of work.  

Now, Ikea makes a desk that fits this description (ALVE), but it angles out from a corner and in our apartment, it would reduce the amount of room for our dining room chairs.  Plus, we wanted to customize it in our own way.

My husband and I bought the LEKSVIK armoir instead for $299, $100 less than the computer desk.  It only comes with one movable shelf, but he easily cut two other boards down to fit and then attached the rolling computer keyboard shelf that I think is available in the IVAR shelving line (for about $30) under the shelf that was included.  Below, we set a drawer unit that I already had that provides two storage drawers and a surface on top on for additional storage. 

The computer monitor and speakers are on the main shelf with the printer one shelf above.   Any of the magazine files that Ikea sells are better than a file cabinet in my opinion and hanging inside our LEKSVIK armoir door is a basket caddy that I found at a yard sale and attached with screws.  It holds our pencils, pens, and other utensils.  Phones and lights are easily attached inside and with the doors closed, you can almost forget about the trappings of the twenty-first century.  

Until you feel compelled to share your Ikea hack with other like-minded re-mixers and stay up all night posting about it!  

Check out ikeahacker for more fabulous ideas...

Ancient Renaissance Girl Secret: Dryel

Because I'm such a do-it-yourself girl, when I found out there was a way to dryclean-it-yourself, I was singing the Hallelujah Chorus.  

Okay, I do that a lot anyway.

I could write a little commercial for Dryel, but I'll send you to their site instead.  For ten dollars, you get a bag (reusable so you can just buy the refill cleaner sheets next time), stain remover kit, and enough dry cleaner sheets for 16 to 20 articles of clothing.  I use it all the time and there really are only a few things you'll still have to save for the professionals:

• delicate silks
  
• antique clothing
  
• furs and fake furs
  

Otherwise, 20 minutes in a low setting of your dryer and then hanging the garment on a hanger gets you clean smelling, relatively wrinkle-free dry clean only clothing.  

Hallelujah!

Scent Sense

• Are you allowed to bring liquids onto planes yet?  
  
• Where in the &%$#@$% did you put those zip lock bags to protect the rest of the content of your carry-on? 
  
• How can I take a break from my usual cologne without spending fifty dollars or more?

Easy:  When you're flipping through magazines or catalogues, grab the folded paper samples and throw them in with your travel sized toiletries.  They barely take up any room and they certainly won't spill.  Plus when you CAN afford a new scent, you might already have a new favorite!

 

Just When You Thought It Was Safe...

...to call your jean collection complete, there's a new "it" jean. 

And you guessed it:  It's really a retro jean.

The boyfriend jean has made it's way back into fashion at least two times that I can remember since 1979 and according to Daily Candy, one of my favorite fun fashion blogs, it's back!  Note the low pockets and not-really-baggy bagginess.  I call it a take on the modern skinny jean.

Because of it's "relaxed" and worn look, complete with rips if you like, you can bet I'm going to try to find a way to find old jeans and wear them in this new way.  I'll keep you posted...

The Wheels on the Bus Go Round and Round

Going to Boston, D.C., or Philly from NYC? 

Now I'm a Western Girl at heart, but one of the reasons I call the NorthEast my new love (I still love you, Rockies!) is mass transit.  You can do a lot of exploring without a car or a lot of cash.  

Getting from big city to big city is the easiest.  I still haven't heard a convincing reason to spend airline prices on the train (is it really that much cleaner or quieter?) and unless you have to travel more than 500 miles, by the time you get to the airport and through security, flying actually takes up more of your precious time (and dollars).  So what would Leenya do?

Leenya would take the bus, of course!

Most people know about buses that transport passengers every hour on the hour from Chinatown to Chinatown (Fung Wah and Lucky Star to name a few) but when I was working at the American Repertory Theatre in Cambridge, MA last spring, I had a chance to do some research.  Now the Megabus travels to more cities, but when it comes to reliability, professionalism, and cleanliness, I think the Bolt Bus is the best.  If you buy online, tickets are around $18.50 each way and you're guaranteed a seat.  Frequent travel earns you a free trip as well.   

After online checkout, you are given a street corner on which to wait but don't let that discourage you.  Arrive fifteen minutes ahead of your departure time and you'll join a group of mostly Harvard students and their rolling bags.  The driver of the humongous orange and black bus will call your reservation letters and you'll show what you printed up on your computer or a text that they sent to your cell phone and your photo ID.   Travel time during non-peak traffic hours is approximately 4.5 hours and you have a choice of departure points in New York.  And don't forget your laptop!  Free WiFi and even an electrical outlet await you. 

  Just know that if you want to travel late night, you'll have to check out the Chinatown bus that offers more travel times per day and is easier to just walk up with $20 dollars cash and buy a ticket.  Talk about flexibility...

Now I actually called a bus my home when I toured the continent as Eliza Doolittle in My Fair Lady.  I remember stumbling out of a different hotel at 6:00 am every morning and falling back to sleep on my familiar velour seat until we'd reached a diner somewhere in South Carolina or Saskatchewan.  I think there's still something about the winding of the wheels that lulls me to sleep.   

Now you have no excuse.  Adventure awaits!  Hop on the bus!

(Don't have money to hire a filmmaker for your first videos of your band?  What Would Leenya Do?  Leenya would make her own using iMovie on her Mac!  Enjoy the latest tour bus entertainment on the web:  The Chalk Talk Express Bus Cam)  

Ikea Hacker

My cousin Kim sent me this blog (Ikea Hacker).  People are really seeing things in a new way and exercising their creativity muscles!  I'm going to send in Ted's and my armoir/computer desk station,  all components bought at Ikea... 

Wedding Shopping

It's not too early.

In fact, it might be the tail end of the end of Holiday Clearances already so get out there!  

Things to look for now, 'cause you will wish you'd found them at a bargain price:

1. Strings of white tiny Christmas Lights (12 strands, depending on the size of the reception hall)  Ted's friends Greg and Chris made our hall look that much more festive the day of the wedding.  I felt like the stars had come down into our little celebration!
   
2. Various Ornaments that relate to your theme (Haven't chosen a theme yet?  It's time!).  If red, gold,  or green is one of your colors, the easier for you!
3. Plates, cups, napkins, utensils.  
4. Favors.
5. Faux Greenery, Garlands, and Wreaths.
6. Table runners and cloths.

Pictured above are the tiny glass love birds I found in bulk in an art store sale.  I used them as favors as birds are a theme in Ted's and my love of nature.  The sunflowers were made as curtain tye backs and I used them to enclose scrolled ceremony programs.  Our colors were cranberry and butter yellow.

All of the items you find at these post Holiday Sales can be used in a wedding without people knowing that they were meant for Christmas Decorations.  Use your imagination and the sky's the limit!

Myles of Style

I never watched Design Star, but one of the winners, Kim Myles, has her own show now on HGTV and she's my new hero.  

The show I caught yesterday had her making a very chic chandelier out of clear plastic Christmas balls.  She really explains how color and texture work.  I say yes.

Check out Myles of Style.

Operation Salon Amie

My friend Amy is the newest Renaissance Girl.  

She recently posted a message to her friends on Facebook that she had an audition that required an "updo".  Amy has had a cute short hairstyle for most of her life and not much experience with hairstyles.  In her message, she asked for advice, trying to avoid the cost of a professional stylist.  She got a lot of responses but I wrote back saying it would be fun to do her hair myself, just for fun!  I don't claim to be a professional, but I was in pageants in college (the Miss America Local and Stage Pageant.  Yikes.) and have always loved "playing beauty shop".  

So my point is, why not ask?  And why shouldn't we all support each other in this crazy business?  

Great idea, Amy!  Hope you got the job.

The Devil Wears Prada.

And Angels find more practical, affordable and creative ways to stay stylish.

I'm watching the movie for the first time tonight on TV (I know, as crime!) but can I just say that if Anne Hathaway is a size 6 I'll eat my shorts.  I got a bit tired of people telling her she was fat.  And if she is, it's only because she's five foot eleven.  And can I also say that size 4 is overrated.

Enough said.

Angels are definitely smarter.

Your Own Gypsy Robe

There is a tradition on Broadway.  

 Gypsy Robes are made up of scraps and pieces from and representing hundreds of Broadway Shows of yore.  The actor/singer/dancer in the chorus of each show that opens who has been in the most Broadway Shows gets to wear the Gypsy Robe with a scrap from her or his show most recently added.   

I remember my first show T-Shirt.  I wore it with pride, created outfits around it, never dried it in the dryer.  

Fast forward __ years and umpteen shows and bands later and I had too many t-shirts crammed in the back of my drawers, most oversized and style-free.  What is a Broadway Diva to do?

Why, make his or her own Gypsy Robe, of course!

You can make a quilt, of course, but why not surround yourself with your memories while you're getting ready for your next show?  

This project is not for the faint of heart.  It takes hours and the guts to cut into your beloved t-shirts.  First, find a robe, new, one you own or at a resale shop.  Mine was a second hand terry cloth with a nice weight to it.  Notice I cut small shapes out of remaining t-shirt fabric to fill out the design. Leave plenty of fabric around each emblem to fold under in a hem and then pin on your robe, rearranging and pinning it until it looks right.  Handsew your theater history in place using a slip stitch.

Et voila!  Your own Gypsy Robe!  

Oh, and also, make sure you leave room for your next show t-shirt...

(pictured here is my gypsy robe  on the stage of the Barrymore during warmup with the cast of "Company")

It's a Girl! And another girl!

My friend  is having twins!  

And I was invited to the shower and I hadn't shopped yet.  I was about to log onto her registry, but then I thought, that's not What Leenya Would Do.  See what I've gotten myself into?

If you don't want to sew baby clothes from scratch (pretty fun as it's all in miniature!), find some simple white cotton onesies or p.j.s from a baby store.  You can even buy them in packages of multiples so if you mess up, you're okay!  Or if your friend is having twins, you can make 2 outfits!

There are so many ways to personalize your friend's baby clothes.  One of her friends painted onsies with the Actor's Equity Logo!  Fabric paint is pretty easy to use and set with heat.  You can make a stencil, sketch with pencil first, or just paint free hand.  (see my former post, Inspiration for more details)

I like the look of appliques of colorful t-shirt fabric swatches (shown here), hand-sewn in large visible contrasting thread.  Or just  use embroidery alone.  I made each little shirt slightly different.  It was fun to think of them wearing them as I stitched each flower.

Another idea is to give a gift certificate for baby sitting.  That's worth a night out for your parents-to-be and could be fun for you, too.

Like a Fox!

Creating a beauty regimen that you can stick to is important but with 1.5 ounces of overnight moisturizing anti-aging cream costing 16 dollars and counting, it can be expensive!  

I'm not a scientist, but consider me your guinea pig.  Also, note that though my skin tends to be on the dry side, it falls in the normal category.  

But here's the deal:  Looking as young as you can with clear skin is really important in my business and doing what I have had to do to make it a lifelong daily ritual has been key.

Here are the steps for two times a day (morning before makeup and before bed):

1. cleanse
   
2. tone
   
3. moisturize

Then, exfoliation is great once a week.  

Now some of these secrets sound unconventional if not downright weird, but I've tried them all to varying degrees of success.  And when I can afford to upgrade, I can usually find some reliable brands (L'Oreal and Oil of Olay anti-aging moisturizers) at Jack's 99c World.  But bear with me!

1. cleanse:  Try a generic version of Oil of Olay Daily Facials (available for dry, normal, or oily skin).  Make sure they're dry and you just add water.  If you cut each cleansing cloth into 4, it's plenty of surface area and they last four times as long!  I moisten and then wash, then rinse, then use it to rinse my face and there's minimal waste.
2. tone:  Buy a large bottle of witch hazel which is usually on the bottom shelf of First Aid products in a drug store or even a grocery store.  I apply this after the cleansing with cotton balls (make sure they're real cotton).  It takes off any remainder oils and closes the pores without drying.
3. moisturize: Daytime moisturizer, always an SPF of at least 15.  Period.  I find decent products at Jack's.  Or it could be in your foundation, but you can always add color to your face.  I know we used to lay out with baby oil slathered all over, but now you know daily SPf will keep the wrinkles away the longest. Next, think olden days Italy.  Women still use olive oil on their faces to keep their youthful beauty.  I actually read in The World's Best Kept Beauty Secrets by Diane Irons that hospitals have been using Crisco for years as an enexpensive but effective moisturizer.  It has a surprising amount of Vitamin E and absorbs better than anything like Vaseline.  People have called me crazy (like a fox!), but I have used it on and off for years before bed and it makes my skin so soft in the mornings.  I keep a separate tin in the fridge.  Buy the smallest one you can find.  For lips, elbows, and dry heels I swear by Bag Balm.  It was created for chapped teats on cows (I know, hilarious!) but farmers noticed how soft their own hands were after applying it and it has been a skin care secret for almost a century.  It contains Petrolatum, which doesn't clog pores like Petroleum (the key ingredient in Vaseline.  Bad.  No Vaseline.).  
4. exfoliate:  Masks are great and you can buy one for any skin type, but they are also very fun to make.  There are many listed in The World's Best Kept Beauty Secrets and it feels so good when you finally take one off!  The craziest one I've tried is Kitty Litter.  You have to buy the cheapest, one with absolutely no additives and when you just add water, it turns into a soft simple grey clay. I'm guessing it's the better for oilier skin types.   The downside is that it's very messy in application and in removal.  But why not try it in a bathtub?  And while you're there, take a couple tea bags with you;  real tea, not herbal, and place them moistened over your eyelids.  The tannic acid reduces swelling and it feels soothing to the eyes.   

As for makeup, there is an ever-changing variety at Jack's World, including expensive department store brands.  It's all discounted by at least 50 percent and I've always found it to be just as good as the full priced items.  Also, I don't know how long it's been since you've checked Avon out, but there are some cute and innovative new products and colors for very affordable prices.  I love their new liquid eyeshadows.  Much easier to apply when you're in a hurry.  You need to buy with a representative, but you can browse online.  My neighbor, Laurie, is a representative and if you note the product numbers, she can place an order for you and send it to you when it arrives.  Email me...

It's so easy to spend too much on beauty products.  Just walking into a drugstore is asking for trouble.  You are bombarded with so much advertising.  But stay focused!  

And stay foxy!