Guest Blogger Thursday: Say Hello to Sami Jo!

Hey all you lovely readers! As Jennie mentioned last week, my name is Sami (Sami Jo) and I'm the Editor/Writer for Poor & Pretty, a culture blog about being broke but still having fun and looking great. I'm super stoked to be a guest blogger for Jennie, an amazing and inspiring woman.

Before I unleash some cool & crafty DIY's, tutorials, and money-saving tips on you over my next posts, let me tell you a little about myself. I'm 23, a Communications undergrad at UConn, I love making cupcakes and soap (and sometimes cupcake soap!), and I was named after Heather Locklear's character from Dynasty (thanks a lot, Mom). My friend Mish and I started Poor & Pretty last December when we observed that there wasn't really a blog/magazine that discussed crafts, fashion, and beauty for girls like us with low budgets. We also wanted to challenge ourselves to find really cool things to do and places to go in Connecticut as a way of showing that our little state is full of exciting possibilities.

In May, after Mish started working more and having less time to write, I took over the blog. As a budding environmentalist and soon-to-be-entrepreneur, I'm currently on a mission to reduce my consumer footprint and make (or buy locally) as much of my food, clothing, and cosmetics as I possibly can. This journey has sparked numerous tutorials on Poor & Pretty, such as how to make your own chai tea latte, DIY astringent, sugar scrub, hair bows, and other hair accessories. It's also lead me to writing about others who are joining the handmade movement, as evidenced by my Etsy Spotlight monthly posts. It has also made me discover some really neat places like Tisane, Truffles Bakery, and of course, the Jennie Fresa Beauty Library!

I look forward to writing more for Jennie, but please don't hesitate to e-mail me (sami [at] poorandpretty.com) in the meantime if you have any questions, comments, or suggestions about places I should visit, people to meet, or anything else about myself or Poor & Pretty!