• “The Lucky Guide to Mastering Any Style.” This follow up to the “Lucky Shopping Manual” is a must-have for those who know how to dress and those who don’t. Recommended retail price is $30 but you can find it on sale for less than $20.

• Boston sports ware. Forget the extra large jerseys and unflattering sweatshirts. Head to Bob’s Stores or Walmart to pick up Red Sox and Patriots gear that isn’t made to fit a large man. The best part is many of the items also come in pink. You’ll have to head to the store’s for the apparel though, since neither store offers the items online.

• Stemless wine glasses. So much better than their fragile stemmed counterparts, they look good and provide a sturdier foundation. This set is made from recycled windshield glass and sells for $22 for a set of two.

• I love shoes tote or cosmetic bag from Payless. They are $19.99 and $12.99 respectively and oh, so cute. Choose from black or tan in this style or check out one of the many other designs.

• The World Domination Tour All Access Backstage Beauty Collection from Two Faced at Sephora. If your fashionista loves makeup, this is a great deal. There’s $150 worth of makeup packed into a stylish jewelry box type case. And at $34, it’s a steal.

• Chickies Cleavage Coverage. A genius idea, this top turns a low cut shirt into work wear. They retail for $33 each.

• A mix CD of fashion related songs. “Apple Bottom Jeans” by T-Pain, RuPaul’s “Supermodel,” “Dress You Up in My Love,” by Madonna and “Diamonds are a Girl’s Best Friend” (there are several versions to choose from on this one) would make for a very interesting compilation.

And for those of you who need to buy for tech junkies, check out Tech Stop in the Thursday Telegraph on Dec. 11 for some gift ideas that are reasonably priced.

The store (OK, it’s really just a quaint shop) is located in a single room of the church, at 19 Central St., with overflow items placed in the hall. You will be greeted warmly when you enter and the women working are more than eager to help you with items or just chat.

Don’t let the size of the shop fool you though. The racks are filled with must-have work-to-weekend wear that’s in good shape.

Often, when I shop at thrift stores, I find an item I love only to discover a hidden stain or tear. Not so here. I found at least five blouses and a couple of skirts and all were in great shape.

The blouses were my main focus. I have a hard time finding a button down that fits in the chest, back and arms and isn’t swimming around my waist. Not so here. There was a large selection of tie-neck blouses, and I also found one with slightly puffed sleeves that gave me breathing room but still fit properly. And at $1, they were a steal.

The best part about blouses is you can dress them up for work or pair them with jeans and a sweater for a more casual look on the weekends.

Unfortunately, the only thing I was able to purchase on this trip was a skirt for $1.50 because I forgot that I had spent my cash the night before.

The only downfall is that the shop is only open Thursdays from 10 a.m.-2 p.m. and the second Saturday of each month from 10 a.m.-2 p.m. as well.

I definitely plan on going back, for the prices - pants are $1.50 and dresses $3 and the rest are posted on signs around the room - and for the selection.

Now, if only we could get them to open on more days.

Other guests at the spa include Silpada silversmith Sheila Clegg, Southern Living at Home and Purple Platypus embroidered children’s clothing.

The open house will also feature free microdermabrasion treatments and a raffle. The spa is also asking visitors to bring non-perishable food item to donate to the local food pantry.

If you schedule an appointment at the open house, you will receive a 15 percent discount, or 25 percent for those who bring three friends.

The spa is in Harris Pond Plaza, 32 Daniel Webster Highway, Merrimack.
For more information, call 882-9334.

Shelley Osborne, owner of www.vintagejewelryonline.com, will give a presentation on vintage costume jewelry, including what makes pieces valuable, strategies on buying and how to keep your pieces looking like new. She will also give a mini history of costume jewelry throughout the eras.

The event is free.

The church is at 303 Route 101 in Amherst. Call Mindy Burns at 424-0799 for more information.

Each time I find one I think could be “the one,” I see an ad in a magazine and am off to try another one. The only thing I buy more often than new mascaras is lip gloss (but that’s another entry).

Sephora may put an end to all my wishy-washy buying though with a package of 10 mascara minis for $35.

The Lash Stash includes Smashbox Bionic Mascara; Sephora Atomic Volume Mascara; Vincent Longo The Curl Mascara; Tarte Lights, Camera, Lashes 4-in-1 Mascara; Too Faced Lash Injection Pin Point Mascara; Make Up For Ever Smoky Lash Mascara; Urban decay Big Fatty Mascara; DuWop Lash Venom Mascara; Korres Deep Colour Mascara; and Cargo Texas Lash Mascara. The sizes range from 0.10 oz. to 0.32 oz.

If this doesn’t sound like a good deal to you than here are a few others to try that are proven to work:

• Diorshow. While it’s slightly pricey retailing for about $24, this mascara is constantly among the list of winners in magazines and among makeup artists and has drawn a cult following.

• Great Lash Mascara. This mascara by Maybelline gives a more natural look but is also frequently listed as one of the top products among the beauty industry. It usually retails for less than $5. Pick up a bottle in blue to make your eyes look brighter after a night out on the town.

• LashExact. CoverGirl got the formula right with this mascara. No clumps, long, beautiful, thick lashes and easy to wash off. Yes, I originally purchased it for it’s pink packaging but this is definitely a mascara that I could make part of my every day routine. It sells for around $7 or $8.

Two more on my to try list:

• Exact Eyelights Eye-Brightening Mascara. This new formula from Covergirl claims to make eyes four times brighter by using light-reflecting metallics and a hint of tint.

• 4 Day Lash Stain. OK, so this one by Tarte is a little longer lasting than I would typically use but it’s supposed to keep lashes darker for up to four days (hence the name). It wouldn’t cut much time out of the morning routine, but it does seem like it would be less harsh on your lashes during your cleaning routine. It sells for about $18.

The annual Shop Til You Drop event in Bedford has switched venues this year but it is still full of local vendors with plenty of products for gifts or for yourself.

The shopping begins at 9 a.m. Saturday, Nov. 8, and goes until 3 p.m. at the Bedford High School Commons, 47B Nashua Road, Bedford.

There will be more than 40 vendors. Here’s a few to visit:

Jewelry

• CN2K, handmade jewelry and gifts.
• Silpada Designs, makers of .925 sterling silver jewelry accented with stones & natural materials.
• Jersey Jewels, dichroic glass handmade jewelry in sterling silver.
• Joanne Katherine Designs, homemade jewelry using Swarovski crystals, Czech glass beads, Vintage beads, ethnic beads, gemstones, freshwater pearls and sterling silver.
• Artesanias Argentinas, handmade glass jewelry.

Beauty

• Skindulgence, offering professional skin care.
• The Pink Sapphire Beauty Boutique, featuring many favorites in the makeup field.
• Arbonne International, Swiss skin care products.

Clothes

• Wise Women Design, featuring hand-crafted mini-scarves.
• Mamachix, featuring purses, totes, cell holders, headbands, belts, baby bibs, wipes cases and burp clothes.
• alli b.’s tees & accessories, with tees for hip moms, Ame & Lulu Golf /Tennis accessories, luggage tags and travel bags.

Banana Republic and Goodwill Industries have teamed up to put that old coat to use, and they’ll even give you a bonus for the donation.

Bring your old coat or sweater to any Banana Republic location - there is one in the Pheasant Lane Mall - and you will receive a 30 percent off coupon to use on most regular priced items at the store.

The offer runs through Oct. 26.

The event will be at the Sky Meadow Country Club in Nashua from 11:30 a.m.-3 p.m. and will feature items from JUNZ Boutique in Nashua and Alapage in Bedford. Cassandra Salon & Spa in Nashua will do the models hair and makeup.

Other features at the event include live and silent auctions and a raffle for a seven-day vacation in Punta Gorda, Fla., or a day at Cassandra Salon. Tickets can be purchased for $20.

The proceeds from this event will benefit Home Health & Hospice Care’s hospice programs and the Community Hospice House, including services for those who do not have insurance or cannot afford to pay.

For more information or to buy ticketss, call Home Health & Hospice at 882-2941 or visit www.hhhc.org. Tickets are $50 each.

According to the Susan G. Komen for the Cure Web site, in 2008 182,460 new cases of invasive breast cancer will be detected in women and an estimated 40,480 women will die from breast cancer.

With these dismal statistics, it’s nice to know that you can make a difference, just by shopping. So check out these sites and products to help do your part to find a cure.

The Pink Ribbon Shop has a ton of items to dress up your style and a portion of all proceeds are donated to breast cancer organizations.

Check out the charms for your bracelet or necklace, including this one for $3.95.

Or pick up a sharp looking compact like this one for $26.95.

A must have for those who travel, this kit from Ms. & Mrs. would make a great gift. It includes a brush with a mirror, hair spray, clear elastics, earring backs, pain reliever, deodorant wipes and tampons among a slew of other products. The kit costs $20 and 10 percent of the proceeds are donated to The Breast Cancer Research Foundation.

For the third year, Guess is donating 20 percent of the money from sales of its pink ribbon awareness watch, with a guaranteed minimum donation of $25,000. The watch costs $115.

Edressme has a slew of cute dresses and coats and will donate 15 percent to the Cure The Global Breast Cancer Movement. This jacket’s a little pricey but super cute.

So do some good this month, it could help someone dear to you or someone you don’t know, but either way, we all benefit.

Over the years it has formed some business relationships that are turning out to be very good for designs.

It’s relationship with American Eagle, Champion and several New York designers, including alice + olivia, has turned out a must have fall collection of shoes.

Several of my co-workers have been raving about the selection and many of us have made our way down to the store to make some purchases.

Here are a few on our must have list:

The Madison Button Ankle Boot

Pair them with
skinny jeans,
flowy dresses
or just about
anything
else in your
wardrobe.
These go with
everything.

Koko Gilley Pump

It’s retro
inspired
and looks
great at
the office
with print
tights and
a knee-length
skirt.

Rivington Ankle Boot

A little trashy
and way sexy,
pair them with
your miniskirt
for a night out
on the town or
with a pair of
jeans for a casual
weekend.

Jana Peep Toe Mary Jane

Dress them
up or
dress them
down (or
use them
to dress
down an
outfit. I did
this recently
for a casual
fall wedding.)

And you can’t go wrong with also picking up a new purse to go with your new shoes.

Try one of these for fall:

Sheri Full Foldover Wallet

Try it in purple,
which is the hot color
around my office
at the moment.
You can use
it for a night out
on the town or use it
as a wallet in your work
bag and alone for happy
hour after work.

Marissa Satchel

For a more
practical day
look. I like the
retro color.
It reminds me of
something my
mom would have
used in the ’70s
except for much cuter.

I Love Shoes Tote

For trips to
the grocery store,
the mall or
wherever you need
a tote bag. Be
proud to spread
your love for shoes
because they love
you, too.