Blah,Blah,Blahg

33 SHADES OF GREEN

I am completely obsessed with home tours and even better getting a peek into an individual's creative space. Even better still?  Seeing one of my downloads FRAMED in a creative space?  Sublime. 

LOGO LOVE

This is one of the sweetest logo's of all time...

ADOPT A FRENCHIE

We adopted our Frenchie and have not been the same since.  She is naughty, she is stubborn, she is scared of dogs (cats, birds and some leaves), she gnaws on her paws incessantly and eats so fast that she vomits, she passes gas audibly and snores but she loves us with all her Frenchie heart and that is why we stick by her.  I thought I would post some Frenchies that need to be adopted since people always ask me about Bella and where we got her.  If you have the time patience (and some money saved up) I highly suggest adopting one. I say have some money saved because the vet bills have not been light (skin problems, hip problems etc.). I no longer have money for cute shoes or handbags but what I have in exchange is priceless...

This fellow here needs a home, how can you resist?

{to adopt me click here}

This lil' lady is on the petite side, she needs someone to give her kisses on a regular basis:

{take me home}

MAIRA KALMAN::AN INTRODUCTION

Maira Kalman is another find that I have been keeping from you. She's MY find I say, even though she is prolific and works with a small publication called the NY Times. I really don't know what craziness goes through my thick head that I think I can keep these finds from the world when they are already out and about. I am like that kid that thinks if I close my eyes you won't be able to see me.  I am a genius, that much is obvious. Well, enough, I will share Maira with you, she is another illustrator that I revere (it seems I am always obsessed with some illustrator/artist or other). Maira has a sharp wit to compliment her effortless illustrations and I adore her hand lettering. Maira illustrated the grammar tome 'Elements of Style', a book that should be familiar with most anyone that has ever taken an English class in the U.S. and to those writers out there that most likely have a well thumbed copy on their desks. I want this book badly, maybe my grammar will even improve if I get my paws on a copy.

Of course Kate Spade loves her as well, (I told you Kate is great). Oh yeah, she's done a couple of cover illustrations for that magazine The New Yorker, are you familiar with that?  Only at the doctor's office? And your parent's house? Me too (I jest). I highly recommend you stop by the New York Times blog and read her illustrated + narrated columns/stories, they are magnificent. Just telling you about her work has made me feel smarter, now imagine how you will feel when you tell your friends and family that you 'discovered' the most delightful illustrator + writer on the New York Times blog?  Go on now Maira is waiting for you.

GEORGE

Everyone always ask me why I named my little girl dog George. It's very hard to explain this to people that did not grow up on Bugs Bunny cartoons like myself. Thanks to Andree my very dedicated cyber pen pal and link sharer extraordinaire  I can now show you the episode which moved me to name my white 'bunny' dog George. I do hope this clarifies that I am not totally off my rocker and that contrary to the Fancy's belief I actually do have a sense of humor.

GOODY SPIN PIN::A REVIEW

I have mentioned many times about being easily influenced, when it comes to actually purchasing something it's a lot harder for me to part with my hard earned cash.  Thankfully the internet allows me to be as neurotic as possible and I can spend countless hours reading reviews, looking up how-to video's and the like until I feel that yes this just may be worth my while (this does not apply to Etsy as I feel somehow justified in my purchases helping another young business person out). So, back to the purchase.  I had been hearing about Goody's new Simple Styles offering and especially these 'Spin Pins' (shown above), I really, really didn't think they would work as I have been duped before by hair accessory companies (yes I am talking about you Bumpits).  The premise is simple, throw your hair in a loose bun and then twist these puppies in, to remove twist the opposite direction. I know what you are thinking, 'I can do that with bobby pins or a hair elastic', well the kicker here is the pins actually stay in your hair.  Go figure?  Really did it take hair accessory technology this long to invent this? All the way to the 21st century? I am speechless.  I am both elated and pissed. I am elated because it's so easy to throw my hair up in a decent hair-do for work or to walk the girls.  I am pissed that my hair has had to endure all these years without my new beloved Spin Pins. Well, I guess as the adage goes, better late than never. Do you have any hair accessory secrets you want to share with ol' Miss B.?

T.G.I.F.

 

Andree my email 'pen pal' sent this to me this morning and it made me smile brightly.  It's a perfect photo of how I feel that it's Friday and also that I get to announce the winner  winner's of the giveaway!  WINNERS (Yes, plural!!!).  My friends at Chronicle Books were super excited that you all were so open to posting 'rad photo's and making a mention of the mini-goals pad that they are giving everyone that entered a pad.  Yes everyone!  Being the dum dum that I am I didn't know how to close the comments but everyone before Truly Smitten (and Truly Smitten) will be winning a pad. I do believe that Chronicle has a little more treats in store for those that want to do a little more 'work' but I am not sure what that is yet.  Just the word on the street....

Okay, so since I am so dis-organized all you winner's are going to need to help a sister out.  If you won I will need you to send me an email with a mailing label attached. Wha?  Just send me a Word doc with your name + shipping info so I can just do some cutting, pasting and shipping.  You see Chronicle is awesome and all but I am more awesome.  I am going to be sending these off by my lonesome to the 40+ winners.  I am going to give a cut off date of Monday, July 19, 2010.  If you don't get your info by Monday evening then you forfeit your prize (heck I can't be waiting around all year for ya can I?)

For the extra booty that I have now I chose Wendy D. because I named my pup George after the Bugs Bunny cartoon and this seems to be a reference to that extraordinary episode.

Have a great weekend!!!

//photo by grant williams//

TODAY I WILL GET SOME STUFF DONE

I often wonder how I got so lucky with this lil' ol' Blahg of mine.  It serves no real purpose but makes me feel like I have a place to gab with my fave girlfriends. A place where you don't have to always be 'on' can be a little dumb and can freely talk about your superficial obsession such as shoes or mascara without being judged. I took the blogging class, I read the book, I am in branding/PR for heavens sake but this Blahg is not that place to be all 21 kinds of professional and try to make something of it.  I realized that after my fab blogging class.  It is what it is, perhaps another blog will follow a better format but for today this is my Blahg.

I mention the above because I am always surprised when quality companies reach out to me for reviews (Me? Have you read my Blahg? You could lose your job if I write about your product). Or when people want to advertise? Are you serious? I think your dollars would be well spent on a blog with focus.  So it was with great surprise when I was considering my whole -to-do' list schedule dilemma and I went to visit one of my fave illustrators Mary Kate McDevitt, that I stopped and laughed at myself.  Mary Kate breaks it down and makes you smile.  Please see Exhibit A:

Or perhaps Exhibit B:

 

Mary Kate's sweet take on what is usually an Everest-esque take of to-do lists makes me re-think all my inner insanity. So back to the surprise...Well, as I was thinking about how fabulous these boards were I had a mail delivery of what else? Mary Kate's new 'Mini Goals' notepad from Chronicle books! 100 pages of her amazing illustrations. I am giving one pad away today, yes today!  They are on pre-order at Chronicle Books but because you know me and I know you and it seems the folks at Chronicle haven't caught on that only a dozen people read this Blahg we are all good! 

So to enter to win I am going to ask a little much of you.  First whoever wins must be willing/be able to take some rad photo's of their prize (I was way too lazy to do this). Second the winner must be willing to post their win on either their blog, Facebook page or Twitter with a link back to Chronicle Books pre-order.  I know A LOT of work for a $10 prize but it's worth it, I promise. This little pad will get you accomplishing your goals in no time and just because I will throw in some other items that haven't been launched yet that you can write about, giveaway, keep or whatever. Chronicle did send me some nice booty of new releases so I think this $10 prize could very well double or triple or friple...

Good Luck!

OH HONEY!

Oh, how lovely is this honey-hued, patent leather bag from Kate Spade?  I have personally never spent any amount of money worth writing about on a bag or a pair of shoes, although I am crazy about both.  I want to buy a house way too badly (preferably one where I can have an old timey library that looks out over a garden--swoon) but I do love me some 'window' shopping.

L'OREAL NEW COLLAGEN MASCARA ROCKS

I wasn't sure if I should write another post about shopping, I didn't want to sound like a braggart or anything, like I'm big pimpin' now. Alas, the pull was too strong.  I had to write about this because if I didn't I would A) forget to do it at a later date and B) think I would be doing a dis-service by not mentioning it.

I bought the green bottled Revlon mascara first. I was swayed by the commercial of actress Jessica Biel wearing really long and full false eyelashes that claimed she got those 'lashes' by wearing Revlon's new formula or something along those lines.  I was sold.  I bought immediately (if not sooner). I know from being a certified mascara expert that the first use of mascara is usually not as good as subsequent efforts. I think it has something to do with the wand needing to hit the atmosphere and getting a little more 'thick' (technical terms).  So the first time I assume that my mascara won't be working to its full potential.  Well, this was no different, I had raccoon eyes by noon, no biggie the next wear would be different, right? Nope.  This mascara was HORRIBLE for me.  It neither made my lashes full nor long but did make me look as if I went to bed in it and didn't wash my face the next morning.  I was so disappointed that I actually took it back (something I would normally have been too lazy to do).  I exchanged it for the new L'Oreal collagen mascara--Whoa!  This mascara is AH-MAZING!  I look as if I have attached sea fans to my eye lids.  I love it!  It's not for everyone, it certainly is a powerful little blend and will not make you look natural.  If un-natural and bombshell are what you are looking for, this is the mascara for you...