Best Colorado Deals:

Dedicated to independent shoppers and retailers

Direct to you from Janet Simons, author of The Colorado Smart Shopper and veteran Rocky Mountain News shopping columnist.

Get sassy for spring

Sassy Stuff, www.shopsassystuff.com, Denver entrepreneur Lisa Riley’s traveling discount boutique, will join Two Jewelry Sisters for a spring shopping spree 1 to 8 p.m. Thursday, March 25, at Paper Wares, 7475 E. Arapahoe Road, Englewood, 303-850-0520. Sassy Stuff will be discounting clothing, purses and other accessories (including selected new-for-spring merchandise) by 10 percent to 50 percent, and nothing in the inventory goes for more than $64.50.

Ritz offers sale with a twist

Catch the 12th anniversary celebration sale through Saturday, March 27, at Puttin’ on the Ritz women’s consignment, 1446 S. Colorado Blvd., 303-759-4398,www.puttinontheritzboutique.com. All but a few select items (furs, gold jewelry) are priced at an additional 12 percent off current discounts of up to 50 percent. But don’t expect to just waltz in and shop. Expect to twist in – owner Pat Jackson wants to see shoppers do the twist before she’ll make good on the 12 percent discount.

Have a brush with greatness

Some of the world’s finest artist brushes are on sale from Thursday, March 25, through Sunday, April 4, at Kozo Fine Art Materials, 10 E. Ellsworth Ave., 303-733-2730,www.kozofineartmaterials.com. Shop owner and paper artisan Patricia Branstead is discounting her entire stock, including Windsor-Newton, DaVinci and Princeton. Existing inventory will be reduced by 20 percent to 50 percent, and new displays will be 30 percent off. If you’re not sure how to tell whether a brush is right for you, attend a discussion on brush selection at the store at 1 p.m., Saturday, March 27.

Olympian sale continues

In response to popular demand, XP Apparel is extending its pennies-on-the-dollar sale of jackets, vests, T-shirts, hooded sweatshirts, ball caps and many other items of apparel imprinted or embroidered with logos of various summer and winter Olympic games. The XP warehouse outlet will be open for public shopping from 9 a.m. to 3 p.m., Friday, March 26, and Saturday, March 27. And, once the snow melts, it also will be open from 9 a.m. to 2 p.m. Monday through Thursday.

Want a free $10 gift card? Here’s how

To promote its new Cherry Creek North e-newsletter, News from the North, the Cherry Creek North Merchant Association is offering a $10 gift card to anyone who signs up to receive the new bimonthly blast of CCN news, events and offers. To get on the list, go to www.cherrycreeknorth.com, click where it says “Click Here for $10 Gift Card,” and follow the instructions.

Prom dresses, $10 to $20

All prom dresses are either $10 or $20 at the prom dress sale being run by students at Aurora’s Smoky Hill High School with the help of radio station HOT  107.1 and under the leadership of  senior Kaylee Inhulsen. The sale is 10 a.m. to 3 p.m. Saturday, March 27, at the Piney Creek Clubhouse, 5800 S. Joplin Way, Centennial. For more information, go to www.hot1071denver.com.

Outdoor dining? Just keep believing

A sure harbinger of spring is the sale of Barlow Tyrie leisure and garden furniture at Birdsall & Co., 1540 S. Broadway, 303-722-2535, www.birdsallgarden.com. During the 19th annual sale, through Sunday, March 28, Colorado's only authorized Barlow Tyrie dealer is offering the pieces at the same prices that interior designers and landscapers pay, 30 percent less than Birdsall’s regular price. The sale also includes 20 percent discounts on stone fountains, lanterns, basins and other garden items from Stone Forest and discounts of up to 50 percent on other items throughout the store.

Spring toys on sale at Kazoo

All puzzles and Playmobil toys are 20 percent off, Siku toy trucks and cars are buy two, get one free, and wooden Quadrilla marble runs are 30 percent off through March 31 at Kazoo & Co. Toys, 2930 E. Second Ave., 303-322-0973. Use the old Tattered Cover garage or the garage behind Mici’s Restaurant and get your ticket validated at Kazoo for free parking. (And remember, all parking in Cherry Creek North is free on Sundays.)

Spring brings beautiful junk, bazaar sale

•JeffCo Action Center Beautiful Junk Sale, 7 to 8:30 a.m. Friday, March 26, early bird shopping, admission $20; 8:30 a.m. to 4 p.m. Friday, March 26 and Saturday, March 27, admission $2. Jefferson County Fairgrounds Exhibit Hall, 303-237-7704, www.jeffcoac.org. Thousands of household items, clothing, jewelry displayed across 10,500 feet of exhibit space. All proceeds benefit Jeffco Action Center, a human-services nonprofit organization.

•Highlands Ranch Community Association Spring Bazaar, 9 a.m. to 5 p.m. Saturday, March 27, admission free. Eastridge Recreation Center 9568 S. University Blvd., Highlands Ranch, 303-791-2500, HRCAonline.org. Wide variety of handcrafted and commercial goods, including candles, dolls, jewelry, scrapbooking supplies.

Got kids?

•Third Annual Momporium showcasing products from local mom-owned businesses, 10 a.m. to 9 a.m., Saturday, March 27, at Aspen Grove, 7301 S. Santa Fe Drive, Suite 712, Littleton. Children’s activities are scheduled throughout the day, and the first 100 families will receive goody bags. For a schedule and more information, visitwww.mommymeeting.com.

•Darling Doubles Kids’ Stuff Sale, 8 to 11 a.m. Saturday, March 27, admission, $1, Al Lesser Building, Adams County Fairgrounds, 9755 Henderson Road, Brighton,Darlingdoubles.org. Thousands of items from 100 sellers, including children’s clothing size preemie and up, equipment, bedding, toys, books and more.

Spread the word about the great deals you’ve found at locally owned retailers by sending an e-mail to Janet@bestcoloradodeals.com, and go to theBestColoradoDeals.com Web site to subscribe to the Best Colorado Deals newsletter. And don’t forget to catch her featured deals each Friday on Channel 9’s 4 p.m. news!