Winner of Preserve Products!

Congratulations to Dina Gagne of Leominster who won containers, bowls, etc. from Massachusetts based Preserve Products (valued at $45).

We are giving away another one of these stylish gift packs in January, just visit "Enter our Contests" on the home page of our Web site.

Old Sturbridge Village: Twelve Nights of Christmas

Bonnie Mousseau won two free tickets (worth $28/both) for Old Sturbridge Village's "Twelve Nights of Christmas" Dec. 17 - 20 from 4 - 9 p.m.
Join our facebook page if you'd like to stay updated on freebies (posted several times per week). Just search " baystateparent Magazine."

Tell us when you were a multitasker diva or disaster! Win FREE Lee jeans.

Tell us about a time when you were a mutlitasking diva or a multitasking disaster.
Send your stories to bspcontest@baystateparent.com by November 1st!

Free Dora Live Tickets on Thursday, May 7 and Friday, May 8

Late-Breaking Reader Prize:
If you'd like to receive free Dora the Explorer Live tickets at Boston Opera House, for Thursday, May 7 at 2 p.m. and Friday, May 8 at 7 p.m., let us know via e-mail:
editor@baystateparent. We can mail them to you tomorrow.
Carrie Wattu, editor
413.265.1202

closet contest: Jennifer Rudsit of Shrewsbury

Meet A Stand-Out Mom who Entered our Contest Facelift Contest:


Jennifer Rudsit of Shrewsbury

"When I read your story about good wardrobe bones, I thought to myself....mine definitely have osteoporosis! My name is Jen Rudsit and I am a single mom to an adorable 4 1/2-year-old little girl, Lauren. I am proud to say that I bought my first house in Shrewsbury , MA a year and a half ago and have been pretty poor since then! I am a high school creative writing teacher at Algonquin Regional High School .



My wardrobe, while extensive, is full of mix and match separates, usually bought on sale. I find that these days I am shopping more at Home Depot than Macy’s! I have a lot of clothes, a mix of classic pieces and trendy, and an EXTENSIVE flip flop collection, which does me very little good in the frigid tundra of Shrewsbury in January. However, I find that every morning is a struggle in deciding what to wear. I feel like I have purchased SO MANY mix and match pieces that absolutely nothing goes together any longer. My job doesn’t require formal business attire, but I’d like to look more 'put together' than I do, and not like the weekend soccer mom that I have become now that my daughter is beginning to find her own niche (she loves soccer!). I definitely want my weekend attire to stay weekend, and look a little more polished during the work week."

Closet Contest

The winner of the baystateparent Closet Facelift from Alisa Neely at Scout, valued at $375, is Erika McDonald of Maynard.

Congratulations Erika!!! Meet Erika here as well as some of the fabulous moms who wrote to us.

Erika is mom to 19-month-old Anna and the assistant director of admissions for Harvard Kennedy School, the graduate school for public policy at Harvard University.

She writes:

"I was lucky enough to take a 10 month leave of absence from my job. Needless to say, when I went back to work in September of 2008, my non-maternity wardrobe was tired-looking. In fact, I hadn't worn non-maternity professional clothes in almost two years!

Every morning I lose a battle with my closet because my work wardrobe is either bordering on out of style, or doesn't fit quite right. I have to rotate two suits, while trying to mix in some other pieces to try to create 'dressier' outfits. It's the sad truth that your body never does return to the exact shape it was before baby. Items are either baggy where they shouldn't be, tight around the waist or too short. I have bought a few items, but money is tight since I'm back to work part-time.

I would love to rediscover some key, timeless pieces in my own closet that can be re-purposed, and learn how to select sweaters, shirts or pants that match the existing wardrobe I own."

baystateparent hopes to share Erika's closet facelift with you in a future issue.