How adorable a blog swap??!!!

Oh my goodness how awesome is this?? Country Girl, City Life is having a blog swap! What is that you ask (which is what I did cause I never heard of one)?

How this is going to Work

Before signing up, you are agreeing to:

• Put together a great package for your swap buddy

• Communicate with me and your buddy

• Keep the contents of the package around $30 excluding shipping

• Send your packages out on time

• Grab my swap button, blog about this swap, and link it up to the Mr. Linky

Head on over to her page to sign and get some ideas for your packages! I already have some fabulous pink ideas forming you can be sure a headband will be in there!

Your Daily Polyvore

Tea Party - by pinksmoke0320 on Polyvore.com

Betsey's Dream House

I guess it's not really too much of a surprise that Betsey Johnson is one of my favorite designers. I have loved her clothes and accessories since the first time I laid eyes on them I just haven't always been able to afford the price tags. I do always make sure I watch her runway shows on Style.com. So of course I had to post the fabulous Miss Johnson's pink palace apartment in Greenwich Village. I know that it is somewhat like living inside of a Pepto Bismal bottle but I love the mixture of vintage and modern and how decadent everything is. Sadly, it was put on the market for 3.6 million and has been sold unfortunately not to me:o(

“Buy what you love. Forget the trends – what’s in & what’s out. Even if the item is a crazy little bra or hotpants, it’s important to love it for what it is.”— Betsey Johnson

The Preppy Polka Dot Giveaway!!

Check out this adorable giveaway from The Preppy Polka Dot!

Super easy to be entered...all you need to do is go to her blog and comment in that post what color & font you would choose for your very own set of Vinyl Monogram Decals! Then to enter a second time just make a post on your own blog to let everyone else know to go enter. Just let her know in the comment you are doing so. Good Luck! I chose #9 in hot pink *shocker*

Good Morning to the Fashion Fabulous!

Just when I thought "uggghhh it's Monday" Richard from New Dolloian sent me this fabulous link to LOOKBOOK. Which I spent the next 20 minutes with my mouth slightly ajar (maybe drooling a little) staring at the screen enjoying fabulous style from people all over the world! Check out Camilla above a graphic design student from Norway, I just love how effortless her style seems and girlfriend can rock a full bang like no one else! Loves the shoes and if anyone can let me know where they are from... hopefully not just a little shop in Norway. Ahh if you have a second check out this site cause you won't be disappointed it really is a cool peek into how the rest of the world defines style.

Thanks again Richard you are my new Australian best friend! Please check out his blog as well cause it's pretty awesome.

Sexy sexy...

Gracias again RachelSmiles

Now the rules:
List 5 things that sexy about myself and pass it on...
1. My dimples
2. My sense of humor
3. My ability to trip over anything, even things non-existent to the eye and still laugh at myself.
4. My shoes - the higher the better
5. My eyes - large with tons of lashes

Well that was fun and not too hard:o) Check out these sexy ladies...
1. Attractive Nuisance
2. Miss Eve
3. April's Wonderland
4. Love Maegan
5. That is all

A very gracious pink thank you!

Even though i'm really new to this whole blogging thing I have been tagged with 2 awards and I am feeling pretty proud today!

The first comes from Nicole at It is what it is

The rules:List 7 things that you love, and then pass the award on to 7 bloggers that you love! Be sure to tag them and let them know that they have won. You can copy the picture of the award and paste it on your sideboard letting the whole world know...you are Kreativ

1. Family - Now I consider not only my immediate family but also some of my best friends in this category. They are there for me no matter what and honestly it's completely cliche' but I would be nothing without them. Most people say they have the best family in the world but they are liars because I do:o)

2. Pups - I have always been a doggie person, if I am having a bad day all it takes is for me to see one walking down the street and it puts a little smile on my face. I currently have Miss Maizey Monroe (shihpom), Rockstar (Yorkie) and Piper (Min Pin) they all live together at my Momma's house because they would take over my small apartment like a wild pack.

3. Laughter - It's my hobby. I love making people laugh and if someone can make me laugh then that makes them fabulous.

4. Marilyn Monroe - Not only because she looks beautiful in pictures but because her life is pretty fascinating and I love learning more. My apartment is somewhat of a shrine to her. My dream is to one day own something of hers which judging from the last auction would be crazy expensive!

5. Shoes - there really isn't much to say here cause you all should get this one. My only walk-in closet is devoted to shoes and I keep the light on in there all the time so I can always see them. It's the simple things in life that make you the happiest! I feel sorry for people who think they are just things that cover your feet.

6. Wine - especially Pino Grigio it's delicious and makes you feel mellow and giggly which is my most happiest state of mind ever.

7. Cooking - I just started a couple years ago and I love it. My Momma is the best cook and I just wanted to make food like her. Something about creating a delicious meal for the people you love is the most satisfying. I love taking care of people and this is a great way.

Here's my kreativ 7:

1. Nina @ On being Nina

2. ParisPink @ The Pink Polka Dot

3. Taryn @ Love, Taryn

4. Rachel @ Miss Musing

5. Alabama Redhead

6. RachelSmiles @ It's the little things that make me smile

7. A bit of pink heaven

A 1940s daydream...

I just re~watched Katy Perry's Thinking of You video for the umpteenth time because I can not get over the fashion. When I first heard the song on the radio I thought it was pretty but that was until I saw the video and became obsessed. Set in the 1940s it invokes a time period of pin curls, pill box hats and satin gloves. Don't get me wrong I am all for the women's movement - Solidarity Sister - but the girly girl inside me longs to live in a time where women were hyper-feminine and a t-strap heel was worn to vacuum. I know I know you don't have to tell me how ridiculous that sounds just enjoy the beautiful pictures!

Here is the cover of Vogue from April 1940

"The Vogue woman is instructed on how to handle welcoming back her husband home for leave from the war: "He likes to spend some evenings quietly at home; comfortable chairs; easy, idle talk. You in a dress with a sweeping feminine skirt and gentle colours: Worth's dinner dress – the skirt in linen, plaided blue, pink and magenta; the bodice in lilac angora discreetly banded with amethyst stones and sequins."

Casual window shopping....

draw a seam on the back of your legs to give the appearance of wearing stockings.

Ahh structured overcoats and capes....

A different hat for everyday of the week...

I would happily wear all of this everyday....

just to get a kiss like this.

Alright enough daydreaming i'm gonna go change a tire and my oil then drive back to my apartment that I pay for all by myself cause i'm a strong independent woman!!!

To Twitter or Not to Twitter?

Whenever anyone asks me if i'm on Twitter I always say the same thing, "like anyone cares when I run to Target?". However, this article on CNN (nope i'm not really that fancy that I read CNN.com actually I heard about it on the radio this morning and googled it if you must know) made me stop and think for a little bit. Surgeons are now starting to send tweets from the operating room?! The chief resident Dr. Craig Rogers at Henry Ford Hospital in Detroit was preparing for an operation to remove a cancerous tumor from his patient's kidney by twittering. The whole point of this? To allow medical students and the curious alike to receive up to the minute updates about the surgery. In this case the surgery was a risky one and the doctor wanted to spread the word that the tumor could be removed without actually taking out the whole kidney.

"We're trying to use this as a way to get the word out," Rogers said.

Another fellow blogger MckMama uses Twitter to give updates about her beautiful baby boy Stellan who is often in the hospital because his little heart suffers from SVT - Supra Ventricular Tachycardia (really high heart rate). It enables everyone to get the same update without her actually having to contact people personally and take her away from Stellan who, if you saw his little face you wouldn't be able to be away from either.

So when you put it this way, I guess Twitter is pretty awesome huh?

While mouth~breathing...

Rainy Afternoon - by pinksmoke0320 on Polyvore.com

Yup I think it's perfectly normal to include a fantasy outfit while fantasizing about Edward Cullen.

Can't say if i'd mind....

As with all things celebrity gossip... you must take this with a grain of salt and a shot of tequila:o). Apparently the rumor on the set of New Moon - oh excuse me The Twilight Saga: New Moon - is that Robert Pattison stinks and not in a late to set, forget his lines kinda way. More of a greasy hair, dirty clothes and cigarette butt kind of odor. I guess this isn't really news for some since the way he showed up at press for Twilight was very homeless chic. The real question i'm asking is... does it even matter? With a face like that i'd gladly breathe through my mouth - yup I said it!

Polyvore Love

Cocktails with the Girls - by pinksmoke0320 on Polyvore.com

Oh if everyday was lived in a polyvore world... I would always look fabulous!

This is what i'm talking about...

I received one of my weekly emails from Glamour Magazine today and I came across an article about the fabulous Miss Blair Waldorf from Gossip Girl fame, featuring one of her many fabulous headbands. It was the created by Jennifer Behr (Blair's picture was a little small so I included the model from the website) and while I think they are all exquisite there is just one major problem... the vintage gold knot headwrap is $225!!! Seriously??!! Granted the rest of the article goes on to say how you can make one by yourself at home by going to the craftstore and buying ribbon... but then that's it no other help. I get that Gossip Girl takes place in a world where money is no object and an 16 year old can sit at the finest bars and enjoy herself a dirty martini without so much as a doubletake but still. The other beautiful creation is encrusted crystals on chiffon and retails for a mere $595!!

Now if you read one of my first few posts then you would know that I have started to focus my creative nature on creating a headband line. I started it mainly because I have loved the recent trend of embellished headbands but not the price tag (that was when I was annoyed at Urban Outfitters for making it $40... that's barely the tax for the ones above!) and i'm pretty sure a lot of people are with me on this one. Please stay tuned in the upcoming weeks because I will have them featured here and am going to be creating my own Etsy shop! I have found some really cute things and want to keep it all majorly affordable $10 to $15 each. I'm even going to attempt the "Blair Waldorf" above so let me know what you think.

I Love You, Man

Just got back from seeing I Love You, Man with Paul Rudd and Jason Segel and I really loved it. Granted, I am very partial to Paul Rudd just because I love how awkward and funny he is but everyone ended up being really funny. If you live under a rock and havent seen the preview then head on over to youtube and watch it right now. Everyone should absolutely go see this movie to at least hear Lou Ferrigno talk cause it sounds like he has marbles in his mouth... hysterical!

A big thank you!!

A big gracias to everyone for all the birthday wishes yesterday!!! Ugh now I must go prepare myself for another celebration tonight even though the room is still spinning a little:o) Hope everyone has a fabulous Saturday!

Daily Maizey

Rule #1- One should never take a picture of a lady while she's eating.

26 years!!!

Yay Happy Birthday to me!!

Jeez what did the color pink do to you???

I'm climbing back on my soapbox right now after reading an article on Feministing.com - don't ask me how I found that site - from BBC News about the effects of pink on little girls?!?!?

Sue Palmer, author of Toxic Childhood, says the "total obsession" with pink stunts girls' personalities. "I am very worried about it. You can't find girls over the age of three who aren't obsessed with the colour. It's under their skin from a very early age and severely limits choices, and decisions.
"We have got to get something done about the effect marketeers are having. We are creating little fluffy pink princess, an image of girliness, that is very specific and which some girls don't want to go along with, but due to overwhelming peer pressure, are having to conform to."
The article goes on to overlook what I think are the important issues underlying this question. What we really need to talk about, which is demonstrated by the pink example, is how our society constantly polices gender roles. This policing starts at a young age and color preferences are just one of many examples we could use. While the article makes the point that exposure to pink itself is not going to seriously change a girl's life, what bigger differences underlie this superficial examples? We treat boys and girls differently in so many ways, many of which we don't even perceive. The cumulative effect of all these slight behavioral and social differences are what really has an impact on both genders, and continues to reinforce ideas about gender difference.

First things first - what is wrong creating a little fluffy pink princess or an image of girliness?? Oh jeez girls wear pink and boys wear blue but guess what if my little boy was like "Mom I wanna rock a pink t-shirt today!" then i'd say "That's pretty badass of you son go right ahead!". If more parents didn't make an issue about then I doubt the kids would either let's not get crazy and blame the color pink, feministing.com.

Is this really neccessary?

In Fort Collins, CO students at the Bauder Elementary School have been introduced to a new way of improving posture and attention - excercise stability balls. The idea behind is that when students are practicing strengthening their cores this helps them concentrate on their work and remain focused.

"The whole theory with the brain is that when your body's engaged, your brain's engaged," Tiffany Miller (a teacher at the school) said. "I call it actively sitting. They're maybe moving their legs a little, wiggling some. But their upper body, they're focused on writing, on the teacher. It really works."

Ok I get the idea behind this and it really makes sense however, whatever happened to kids sitting right in their chair because the teacher said so? Actively sitting??!! Isn't that just another way of saying you can't control some students so you stick them on a rubber ball so they'll pay attention?

Granted I don't have children but sitting in such close range at work with so many Momma's I have heard many a story about the new rules for kids. The other day my friend was telling me how she wasn't allowed to bring cupcakes into school for her daughters birthday because it's an unhealthy snack and that she could bring carrot sticks or pretzels. Seriously?! I used to love coming into my classroom on my birthday carrying my munchkins box like a purse! Who wants to celebrate their birthday with a carrot stick? Another woman has a 5 year old daughter with a cell phone... who is she calling?? I couldn't even reach the house phone when I was five and I doubt that was a coincidence! Another says that kids aren't allowed to play tag in recess anymore because they aren't allowed to touch each other or invade their personal space. If we didn't play tag when I was in school we would've kick-balled ourselves crazy!

Umm hello I used to play a game in elementary gym where we literally all stood in a circle and jumped over an empty plastic milk jug tied to a rope. If you didn't jump fast enough then it would wrap around your ankle and the rocks that were inside would come flying out. Yup a rock-filled milk jug in gym glass, we played with it and I remember loving it. Poor Mr. Wonderland (coolest gym teacher ever) wouldn't dream of pulling that jug out nowadays.

Sorry for my rant i'm done now.

Assault with a cat??

Remember Project Runway Season 5 "darling" Kenley Collins? Well she was just arrested for assault and criminal possession of a weapon!

It's gets funnier... Apparently the victim of the attack was her sleeping fiance' Zak Penley (featured above)! Lovely Kenley (loves the rhyming names) came home to her Brooklyn apartment on Tuesday morning and assaulted him with a computer, 3 apples and their CAT!! Not sure which one of these things was considered the weapon but it's safe to say the cat probably did a lot of scratching while it was flying by poor Penley's sleeping body.

According to court documents Kenley told Penley "You're lucky... it could've been a lot worse".

Upon being released from jail this morning Kenley's only words were,

"It was a miscommunication. Fights happen and that's that. There is no case.".

Hmm yeah I can understand that fights between loved ones can get out of hand but usually it's because both parties are awake! Also, it is NEVER ok to use your animals as weapons NEVER EVER EVER ok - the fact that I even had to make that clear is ridiculous in itself. I just can't believe that the creator of that beautiful hand painted dress above is also a psycho... well yeah I can I saw her all season. Girl can still rock an embellished headband like no other though. Guess the world will never know Mrs. Kenley Penley. *sigh*

Wise words from Miss DVF

So I watched the season finale of The City tonight and if you watched it then you know it was all about the breakup of Whitney and Jay (sorry if you haven't seen it yet but you had to see that one coming). So Whitney is at this huge DVF party to celebrate the Fall 09' runway show, and she is throwing herself a big ole' pity party and who comes up to give her some awesome advice??? Miss Diane von Furstenberg herself! Now I know the whole show is completely staged but I like to believe that aint no one telling DVF what to say. Here are her words...

" Absence is to love what wind is to fire

If it is small then the wind will blow it out

but if it is large then it will make it grow."

I'm pretty sure those are the exact words but it was a little hard with her accent. I just thought that was pretty awesome cause I love her. I wish I had some sort of DVF magic 8 ball that gave me all sorts of her advice.

Aww for the day

Just thought i'd take the time to introduce to you the queen of all fabulousness my fur baby Miss Maizey Monroe! She a shihpom (shih tzu pomeranian) and this is her the day I got her in November 07'. My friends and co-workers always enjoy a good Maizey picture so I thought all you puppy lovers out there would as well. Stay tuned for more photoshoots with her. Here is your aww for the day.

Umm What?!!

Here comes the "Um What?!" award for the day!!!

Seems that The New Jersey Board of Cosmetology and Hairstyling is considering banning Brazillian bikini waxes!! I guess it has always been illegal to perform them in New Jersey but they are now just getting around to enforcing it after 2 women reported being injured while having it done. Ouch just thinking about that injury!

Aetheticians and their clients alike are considerably upset by this news since it should obviously be each individual's choice. Now here is what I think about this... not only is this ridiculous but it also will not stop anyone from having it done. Chances are it would just stop the actual licensed professionals from performing them leaving people to go to some random person who thinks they are capable because they bought a wax pot.

Any Jersey girls bothered by this?

More important anyone know where I can find those pink sandals featured above??

For some reason (i'm not really sure why... could be that I didn't really like to share as child) I have a large pet peeve of wearing the same perfume as my friends. I mean if you're anything like me then you take your time picking a signature scent and then to have someone come along and go, "Oh you smell nice what is it?" and then they steal it?? Oh no no no! So for the past couple of years I have worn a fabulous perfume called Pink Sugar *shocker*. Now with it's sugary sweet smell it may not be for everyone some of its top notes include licorice, strawberry, cotton candy and vanilla so it can be a little strong if not applied correctly - I mean it a spray on the wrist and two on the neck and you're good to go for awhile but trust me it's lovely!

Anyways I came across this giftset on Sephora and it's called a carry-on set! After getting into a major fight with my ex-boyfriend at the airport 2 years ago for this very reason (how dare he want me to throw out a brand new bottle instead of just running the bag back down to the counter to check it??!!!). He ended up having to run the bag back because I refused, this is also the same guy who said I only needed 2 pairs of heels for a 4 day cruise (you can see why he's an ex)!!! I suggest this set for traveling it may just save you a fight at the security check and an embarassed guy running through the airport with a pink suitcase!

P.S. Why am I now deciding to let everyone know what perfume I wear??? May just have something to do with the fact that I recently found a new scent to love... nope won't tell!