Fabulously Frugal Dolly

Yes, it’s my shop, and now, you can get a fabulous extra bonus gift just for being a nifty little darling and reading this blog. Tell me you’re fabulously frugal and I’ll throw some fabulously fun stuff in with ANY order. I’ve got a section of dollar items, so my fellow bargain divas can get some sewing and crafting supplies on the cheap. I’ll keep posting fun stuff into the ‘WTF? Just a Buck!’ clearance as long as I have more stuff that I need- and I’m always finding more. All sorts of items for just one stinking dollar, like the dollar store, but much better because it’s fabulously fun treasures from my marvelous stash of oddities and whatsits. Twenty-plus years as a collector of things, ten years of dealing in vintage wares, and many many fun things for you.

Yes, it’s aisle upon aisle of serums and cremes that you’ve got no clue what to do with, but look deeper- they’ve got everything.  My favorite beauty supply shop is in the Detroit area, if you’re around Cherry Hill and Inkster rd in Inkster, MI, stop in and get some goodies.

There’s a million different beauty supply shops, certain chain stores calling themselves beauty supply shops are really just make-up counters gone wild.  Find an independently owned one, they’ve got the good stuff.  Some of the best prices on specialty hosiery can be found in the beauty supply, I just recently picked up three different colors of fencenet mesh stockings, very very cybergoth, for two dollars a pair.  Other great goth finds include black lipliner, which does the finest job as a thick, heavy eyeliner, and an amazing array of nail vanishes, top quality stuff, mostly around three bucks.  There’s lso the potential for great falls and hairpieces for the crafty amongst us, instructions abound (with my own guide coming soon!).  For under twenty bucks, I can walk out of the beauty supply with several pairs of stockings, some earrings and makeup, it’s not an every week type of shopping trip though.  Your shop of choice might include a selection of clothing, lingerie and handbags, some do, they’re great places.  Another bargain is in the perfume oils and incences, generally any major fragrance is available in knock-off form, some closer than others, alongside some other scents.  I’ve not run into too many standard brands, but a few sniffs should lead you to a fresh new scent for well under ten dollars.  No one needs to know you aren’t on a first name basis at the macy’s perfume counter, if you like a perk-up during the day find a fancy little purse bottle to hide the secret source.
Jewelry can be a gamble.  Be warned, sensitive ears will not react well to the ten-for-a-dollar hoops, no matter how cute they are.  Don’t plan on the baubles lasting, if it looks fabulous for a few nights out, that’s what it’s for and that’s why it’s soo cheap.  Hair clips can vary greatly as well, though a number of the ones I’ve gotten from the beauty supply shops have been markedly nicer than those sold at mass merchadise or ‘bigbox’ stores.

As I live a short distance from an outlet mall, I’m headed there for some of the early bird bargains- I’m staying up late in order to do so.  Hey, it’s still on sale if you chugged a pot of coffee in your jammies rather than sleeping, and I’ve got some leftover pie to go with it.  Nothing particular to shop FOR, but for once, I’m not working retail at the holidays, I’m going to wallow in it.  Fellow bargain darlings, you know where the local sales are, you’ve been stalking them online for weeks now, don’t try playing naive about it.  I’ll be the one wandering aimless getting in the way, because that’s just how excited I am to have anything going on in the area late at night that doesn’t involve drunken fools.  Sure, there’s a possibility of children, but any parent who drags a tot shopping at four am is someone I want to get a look at.  It’s time to get ready, I know the magical hours between drunken bar crowd shoppers and soccer-mom coffee klatch gone wild fieldtrips, I’m not sharing it publicly, so talk up your favorite sales folks and find out for next year- or work through one to learn your local mall.