a GIVEAWAY and the look book for the Fall Fashionista event!


Ju-Ju-Be Lookbook Giveaway Prizes:  Packabee, BeFabulous in Earth Leather, BetterBe

Welcome to the Fall Fashionista Events Lookbook  and Lookbook Giveaway!



In this Lookbook, you will get a SNEAK PEEK at all the prizes that are being sponsored by all 108 blogs for this year’s Fashionista Event, hosted by Still Blonde after all these Years and Modly Chic. Event is co-hosted by K Squared Glamour.  OH WOW!  Can you hardly wait to see all the great prizes in this year’s event?

Ju-Ju-Be Smart Bags for Smart People


Ju-Ju-Be is our Lookbook sponsor for the Fall Fashionista Events Giveaway 2013!  They have provided us with three of their darling bags. The winner of each bag will be able to choose their colors.   Up for grabs is the  PackABe , the  BeFabulous in Earth Leather, and the BetterBe.  Let’s take a look at these beautiful bags that can be used as everyday totes or high end diaper/parent bags. Watch this video as Susan, the owner of Ju-Ju-Be Bags describes these amazing bags with a presentation of the BetterBe

Just a few amazing features of a Ju-Ju-Be Bag



  • Detachable and adjustable messenger strap

  • Messenger strap has a memory foam shoulder pad with a grippy textile underneath … no more straps sliding off your shoulders

  • Gusseted mommy pocket with extra long scrunchy key clip, sunglass case, lipstick loops, and pen loop

  • 2 exterior insulated bottle pockets … with Thinsulate™ by 3M™. Keep it warm? Keep it cold? Sure!

  • Picture pocket to keep photos handy when bragging to friends

  • Crumb Drains™ … bye-bye mess!

  • Memory foam changing pad included … nice ‘n’ comfy, super cushy

  • Teflon® … fabric protector helps repel stains

  • Agion® … natural antimicrobial treatment inhibits and reduces the growth of odor-causing bacteria, mold, and mildew

  • Metal Hardware … we don’t trust any of the cheap plastic stuff

  • Light-Colored Linings … you can actually see what’s inside; it’s not just a big black hole in there

  • Machine Washable … air dry

Now, for the Fall Fashionista Lookbook


The Fall Fashionista Lookbook features many of the sponsors for the Main Event and for individual blogs.  Our Main Event Prizes total $1000. Coupons.com is sponsoring $300 of our Main Event Prize.  They want you to know that in addition to their amazing coupons, they also have coupon codes to use when shopping online.
More sponsors will be added everyday, so be sure to check back and make a list of your favorite products and bloggers. You will then be ready for the Fall Fashionista Events Giveaway which takes place Oct. 3-9.  Take the day off work and don’t miss this event!

a Rafflecopter giveaway

fall fashionista giveaway - - a little sneak peek ;)

Anything with "giveaway" in the post title has to be good, right!?!?

From October 3rd thru October 9th you have the opportunity to enter numerous giveaways hosted by various bloggers!




This year, I'm participating and guess what is being given away.....yup, some Stella & Dot!
$125 worth to be exact!



1 winner will take home a gift certificate worth $125 to be redeemed on the fabulous accessories company!

There are other prizes too....



Prize #1 Coupons.com will be providing $300 Pay Pal Cash to Main Event entrants.  They want to make sure you know that they are not just a coupon site, they also have great shopping deals all through the year as well.  Check out their ever-changing shopping codes page  that is PACKED with shopping deals.  Also, they have an incredible Coupons.com blog  which summarizes their hottest deals for the week.  Be sure to follow along!
Prize #2 — $100 black and white diamond necklace by Rarities: Fine Jewelry with Carol Brodie.
Prize #3 — $400 Mountain Khaki gift certificate
Prize #4 — $189 Ju-Ju-Be Be Prepared Bag in Black and Silver

This event will boast $26,000+ in prizes from all the blogs combined! There is a LookBook launching September 24th, that will have a giveaway AND a sneak at all the prizes up for grabs during this event!

tamra's OC wedding, finale

What did you think of Tamra's wedding??? I thought it was beautiful!! I loved the decor, though a bit over the top at times, I thought it was gorgeous! Loved the floating cake idea :)

This scene at The Pretty Kitty cracked me up! MattyB actually watched this episode with me. I had to endure through his commentary :/ he can't stand these shows.


This necklace is the Fiona Bib by Stella & Dot!


It took me awhile to figure it out....but it appears that Tamra is wearing it flipped with the pave' side down.

There's versatility for ya ;)


Oh, Gretchen....I do really like her. I may be the only one, but I like her.

So these earrings are not Stella & Dot, but we have 2 pairs that look identical!



Want to know how you can get FREE Stella & Dot accessories!? 
Host a trunk show.
Seriously, it's that easy.
Email me, let's chat ;)

tamra's OC wedding, epi 2

I think it's safe to say that Tamra loves her Toy Burch jewelry, and that Heather loves her Chanel jewelry. Yes, I'm jealous.

I spotted no Stella & Dot - but in case you were loving anything you saw, here are some alternatives ;)

So during the cha cha lessons, Tamra had on some prominent chandeliers.
These were really reminiscent to our Seychelles earrings

Available in Pink:

 and available in Blue:






Tamra kept rocking these large statement necklaces....





So naturally, here are some alternatives:







tamra's OC wedding, epi 1

I have been late posting this - - but better late than never ;)

While I am still bummed over Gretchen & Tamra not being BFF's anymore, I was excited to see how her wedding details unfolded.

Tamra rocked some Stella & Dot - which made me even more excited!

So I doubt that this is S&D, but the necklace that Tamra is wearing in this scene 
looks just like the Pippa


 And then Tamra was rocking this ring....
which I'm sure is not S&D, but it looks super close to our Camilla Ring,
(which is probably a fraction of the price of hers) :)


And during her meeting with her wedding planner, she was definitely wearing S&D!


Her necklace is not, but her bracelet is!

The bracelet is the Petra



Here's an alternative to her necklace, the Palladian



time is not always on my side....

Sometimes people look at me bewildered, wondering how on earth "i do what i do". I don't think I'm super woman by any means....but thought I'd share what my normal day looks like when I work from home with BittyBeau.

6:45am I roll out of bed in time to see MattyB off to work. No hashbrowns, eggs, & biscuits, but he does get a kiss from someone with some gnarly morning breath!

7am I have my OJ and vitamins that MattyB leaves out for me :) I forget to take pills. (Hi, I have a baby!); and then I settle in at my desk to get some work done before the mini human wakes up.

7:30am This may be pushed to another time of the day - but normally if BittyBeau is following his normal routine, he's not awake yet. So I get in a 10 minute workout - normally just a fast paced circuit centered around upper body or lower body. Then I have a little breakfast.

From 7:45am to 8:45am I normally get in work for both my FT job & my fashion business.

The mini human wakes up anywhere from 8:45am to 9:30am - and then we start "our routine". He normally has all my attention until about 11am. I will take a phone call during that time, but I'm not doing any "focused work".

Normally around 11am to 11:30am he starts getting super fussy, which is the cue for his morning nap. Kiddo loves to sleep!

When he goes down for his morning nap, depending on my workload, I will do a 30 minute workout and then work. If work is crazy, I will just work until he wakes up.

He normally is up by 12:30pm to eat lunch & play. This is where everything is just tossed in the air & depends on his mood. We do lunch and play....and then normally I settle him into his UFC fighting ring while I try to clean the house & do some chores. Ya know, the whole Betty Homemaker thing.

If this is a normal day, he will go down for a nap around 3pm or 3:30pm. During that nap I'll either catch up on a missed workout, work, or clean some more. I may eat lunch if I haven't already eaten. Or if I have a trunk show that night, I'll pack up my supplies, maybe SHOWER, or whatever else I need to get done for that day!

I have found that I'm less stressed out the more that I keep a schedule. Beau seems to be more cooperative as well :) He does have his days where he wakes up at 6am, or doesn't want to nap. Those days are more difficult to get anything accomplished, obviously. But more or less, making sure that my attitude is in check is really the key. When things don't go as I planned, I try to just go with the flow....but it's definitely a hard lesson to learn!

I have noticed though that when I have a solid hour, hour & a half, to do things before he gets up, it really helps my day! Especially when I am able to use that time for me....like a workout, doing my Bible study, etc. Work really doesn't get crazy until around 10am....so I am lucky in that respect :)

I think I'll do more of these style posts - because time management is a constant battle for me, and I'm sure for a ton of you! Saying "I don't have time" for something, is normally just an excuse. Time is relative to what you want to invest in - if you want to be healthier, than saying you don't have time for working out, really isn't an option. You have to schedule it & make an appointment with yourself. Once things turn into priorities, & time is set aside each day / week, then they become habits. Habits (good habits) are what lead to success.

12 years....


In some cases, talking about the past is not healthy for you, nor your audience. In other cases, it could be a time for growth and reflection.

I haven't done this before - but think back to September 11, 2001.
Where were you - when you got the horrible, gut wrenching, news of the attack on the twin towers?
How did you feel? 
What were your first thoughts?

I was in my first semester at USF - on my way to Pre-Calculus (ha, what a joke!). At the time I didn't listen to the radio in the car, I would just pop in a cd - - I detested talk radio.

I pull on campus, park, walk 5 miles to the building (in the snow, uphill....lol) and get to my classroom. There was some commotion in the building next door - I didn't think anything of it. Our scheduled class time comes & goes, and the professor never showed up. So those of us sitting there like tools got up & followed the commotion.

The building next door had a group of people standing around watching the live news cast of what was going on in NYC. My tummy sank, and I thought I was going to puke.

I tried calling my parents. I don't remember where my mom was, but my dad was en route to Daytona Beach, FL to handle some business. The cell phone towers were jammed so I was not able to make any calls. By this point I had made it back to my car - clearly all classes were cancelled for the day.

On the car ride home, I turned on the radio. At the very point of turning it on, an interview was taking place with someone that had been in one of the towers. They explained how terrible the sight was....especially seeing handicap people stuck, with nowhere to go and no one helping them. I lost it.

You can ready why HERE but ultimately, I have a younger brother who is physically disabled.

So in utter distress, after not being able to reach my parents, I called his middle school and told them I was coming by to pick him up. They tried reassuring me that he was fine....but I was not having it. I drove to his school and signed him out for the day. 

When we finally got home from my emotional outburst and impulsive act, my mom was there. This is where everything starts getting fuzzy again, but I remember falling to the floor and sobbing as I explained to her my reasoning for signing him out....all the people left to die because no one helped them & they were not physically capable of helping themselves.

It's odd the memories that stick with you. This day was a huge one for me, for you, and for our nation. I think it's okay to recall where we were, what we felt, what we saw. I don't think that this is a case where we should "forget the past & move on". I want Beau to know exactly what Matt & I encountered that day. We lived history.

To those of you that have a birthday today, HAPPY BIRTHDAY!!! Or if you're celebrating another momentous occasion, I do not mean to take away from it :) 

things to do in orlando....not involving the mouse

I'm a big Disney fan & want to take Beau like NOW. MattyB is more realistic & gets me thinking normally, in that, Beau is still too young to really grasp the whole concept. So, during our weekend getaway to Otown - we did non-Disney things.

There's definitely plenty to do!

First up, so many eateries! We did Hash House A Go Go & Benihana's. I do NOT recommend both in the same day.




Beau LOVED Benihana's!!!



Hash House A Go Go was a ton of food. There was a fun tractor in the front --- so photo opp!





Next, outlet shopping! You have a great selection of outlets in Orlando. If there's a store you love, chances are good that there's an outlet for it! We hit up the Premium Outlets located by Bass Pro, right off International Drive. MattyB wanted the UnderArmour outlet, and I hit up Gymboree's outlet for Bitty Beau.

We headed to Nordstrom Rack after that ;) Normally I'm a proponent for doing all things NOT found at home. Tampa has a Nordstrom Rack so, I consider that to be the one exception. Every Nordstrom Rack has totally different offerings. This one happened to have some Trina Turk which I had not seen at ours.

We waited for the sun to go down & took Beau down to the pool for a bit. Hotels with amenities are great! Ours had 2 pool areas, and an indoor one! It also had a great fitness center and an arcade area. If you're paying to stay, might as well get every last dime out of that dollar.

Summer time is always screwy in this area. We are still in hurricane season....and it literally rains nearly every afternoon. So you really always need a Plan B if you're vacationing here during summer.

a weekend getaway

This past weekend we took a little vacay to Otown (Orlando). No Disney :( just some relaxation.

We had a 2 bedroom, 2 bath condo with a full kitchen & pull out couch.

Here are some pics of the crib:






Off the sitting area, there was a sliding glass door onto a very spacious balcony overlooking the lake.


Bitty Beau thoroughly enjoyed the sliding glass door. Who needs Mickey when you have a door that slides AND you can see through???

Here is the floorpan for the unit:





Both rooms were super spacious, had their own bathroom and a little sitting area. The only difference was that one was a master which I had a ginormous bathroom - oh and a king bed.

Bitty Beau thoroughly enjoyed the garden tub as well.




Both rooms had doors like this....



In room entertainment for a toddler! He kept pushing doors apart, and then back together.

The accommodations were great! The resort is called The Fountains - and it's pretty centrally located. It's not "Disney property" but it's close enough to the Lake Buena Vista area without all the traffic.

trend report for fall

Attending our annual conference back in July, I heard from the design team the top trends for fall. Luckily for you - they are trends that can carry well from summer to fall to winter.

Trend #1: Cobalt Blue / Peacock Tones




The lovely Peacock Necklace paired with a cobalt top



 
Midnight Bloom scarf (black & white scarf with a cobalt trim)
 


 

 


Trend #2: Animal Prints

The Madison Tech Bag - this has become a quick fav of mine!
It's so chic & classic being all black, but it has a muted flair with all these leopard accents!!
 
 
 
 
 
 
The How Does She Do It bag in painted zebra
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
The Kahlo bracelet - love, love, LOVE!
 
 
 
 
 
The Tessa Fringe necklace
 
 
 
The Renegade bracelet
 
 
 
 

 
 
 
 
 
 
The Portia bracelet

The Moxie bracelet

Ipad case (also available for the mini ipad)










Trend #5: Stack it On


Layering necklaces:
 
 
 
 

 
 
 
 
 
Stacking bracelets: 
 
 


 
Stacking rings:



So which trend will you try?!?