Local BlogHer MeetUp

Saturday, I went to a local BlogHer event to meet some nearby bloggers. What a fun afternoon! Here's a quick rundown and some of my favorite blogs from the event:

I was met at the door by Janice Newell Bissex, one of the women behind a fantastic healthy eating/cooking and recipe site called "Meal Makeover Moms." She's got a very professional-looking site and even her own radio show. She'll stay on my radar for sure!

Next, I met the wife of a man who was representing the "BlogHim" demographic and has a blog called "Daddy Scratches" (www.daddyscratches.com). Yes, my mind went to the gutter immediately at the thought of his blog's name, but apparently it's a reference to his scratchy face when he doesn't shave - a kid thing.

While munching on fruit salad and mingling with fellow bloggers, I heard that there was someone named "The Coupon Goddess" in the other room. She was someone I definitely had to meet.

I made a beeline for the sun porch and planted myself at a table of bloggers, including The Coupon Goddess.

Melanie, as she's known IRL is a SAHM mother of 4, who puts Coupon Mom to shame in terms of the amount of mind-blowing deals she gets each week. Her blog is primarily a journal of how and what she saves.

A typical day out for her can include spending $31.35 and saving $341.19. Seriously. She ends up getting a lot of stuff for free, but it doesn't sit in her basement, gathering dust. She supports an entire troop of soldiers in Iraq and sends them boxes of goodies each week.

She's one of these women that you just have to stop and admire. Four kids, gorgeous and polished, and she also makes this phenomenal savings sound so easy.

Some quotes from her yesterday:
"I haven't paid for a cleaning product in over 10 years."
"I actually earned $400 by shopping at the grocery store last week."

She even answered difficult questions like how to save on Kosher food and how to save on organic vegetables and meats. Watch her space. I think she's got huge potential.

Her site again is: www.thecoupongoddess.blogspot.com

Two other women at the table who have great blogs include Susan, who writes a completely charming "travel blog" that's not always about far-flung destinations (www.transienttravels.com) and Megan, who has a fun shopping blog (www.agirlmustshop.com).

I hope to get to meet all of them again soon. And,who knows? Maybe we can even work together one of these days...

Great Savings and Deals to choose from

Choose from the really great deals and start saving now.

With tips from "Threads," you can craft like a pro!

I am not a crafty person. Not remotely. This has always been a great disappointment to my mother, who's an expert seamstress, exquisite drapery-maker, a whiz with a needle and thread. I, on the other hand, use scotch tape to hem my skirts.

But... I aspire to be crafty. And when I flip through Threads Magazine, I actually get inspired. Sometimes, I even feel like I can make some of their (simpler) projects.

If you want to jump on the ever-so-hip and trendy bandwagon of crafting, Threads isn't a bad place. Hey, if nothing else, you might just learn how to hem properly or sew a button. I'm working on it.

Plus, if I could do my own alterations, think of how much money I could save on tailoring!

Don't know what to make for dinner tonight?

Betty Crocker, the ultimate housewife go-to-resource, has a modern solution to an age-old question: "What's for dinner tonight?"

Just because you're a SAHM doesn't mean you're Julia Child too, right?

These emails are great. I'm definitely "creativity-challenged" when it comes to cooking and when I need help, Betty's got my back. To sign up to get recipes and coupons emailed straight to your inbox, go here.