Stretch Your Dollars With a New Wardrobe

I just discovered the most fabulous book today!  New Dress A Day:  The Ultimate DIY Guide to Creating Fashion Dos from Thrift-Store Don'ts by Marisa Lynch is a great resource to teach you how to find items at the thrift store and re-vamp them to make cute "new" pieces for your wardrobe.  With just a few well-placed stitches and some creativity, you can update an outdated castoff and make it into something flirty, fun and very comtemporary.   This book is handy, because it teaches you how to "ace" sewing basics and create DIY designer look-alikes.  There are several very clever ideas in this book, including how to make accessories like a garter belt from an old wedding dress, and suggestions for creating a stunning strapless dress from an old bridesmaid dress.  The book includes colored before-and-after photos, sidebars and sewing tips.  This book is a wonderful way to make your wardrobe dollars stretch by remaking flea market/ thrift store finds into something fabulous!

Halloween is Not Just for Kids!

The creepy, crawly, Halloween season is fast approaching! If you’ve been invited to a party and can’t quite figure out what costume to wear, do not fear. The library has plenty of books that can help you find the perfect outfit. Halloween: A Grown-up’s Guide to Creative Costumes, Devilish Décor and Fabulous Festivities by Joanne O’Sullivan is a great book that can help you create fabulous adult costumes with a small amount of effort. This book contains directions to create costumes designed just for adults; you'll find everything from a sublime dancing queen to a fierce samurai warrior. It also includes suggestions for creating the right atmosphere for your home and yard with decorations that range from eek to chic. I especially enjoyed the “tried and true” projects that demonstrated transformations of old favorites -- jack-o'lanterns -- as well as yard figures, window and mantel treatments, and seasonal tableaus. In my opinion, why should you settle for an ordinary Halloween party that centers around apple bobbing or taffy pulling? Go for something more sophisticated and pick one of three themes with full party plans that guide you every step of the way, from the invitations to the activities. This book proves that Halloween bewitchment appeals to adults, too!