I love the ombre look and have done it several times. I saw the pin from Glitter, She Wrote with instructions on a plastic wrap marble look and since I already had an appointment today, I thought I would try this out. It is always hard for me to pick a color, but pink is my favorite so I decided to go with that for my base.

I started with two coats of pink and waited approximately 6 minutes for them to dry. Six minutes was not long enough, and I immediately smudged my nail trying to cut the plastic wrap. Luckily, I was going to add a messy color on top, so I didn't have to bother with fixing it, and you can't even see where that error was. Finally, a technique works even if you have smudges and dings!

Continue reading How to paint ombre nails with plastic wrap marble

Continue reading The Go-To Person

Relationships fall apart because no one knows how to be faithful anymore nor do they know how to be committed. It’s pretty sad because any relationship I see someone has cheated or both have cheated. I know cheating may happen, but when it happens more then once, obviously you shouldn’t be with that person and should probably break up before it causes more hurt then happiness

Honestly when I look at the relationships and marriages around me, it makes me not want to ever get married or get in a relationship, but then I see how happy my parents are after being married for 35 years and altogether 40 years. They are still completely in love it makes me sick—not literally. I also look at my sister and my brother-in-law who have been together for seven years I believe they are still in love. I have hope when I look at them, but I still have a hard time trusting anyone because I have seen what goes on in my friends relationships with cheating, and honestly I am not so sure I will ever be able to trust anyone.

Continue reading Broken Marriages and Relationships

Many people would use those words towards me and at the time no one wants to hear it. People just need to grieve at their own pace because sometimes heartbreak takes longer then someone else’s heart to heal. The worse also is when people constantly remind you, you were never in a relationship with this person so why are you so hurt and how can you love someone. You don’t need to be in a relationship to fall in love, especially when you hang with the person constantly and get to know them on a emotional level.

Continue reading Everything Happens for a Reason…

Remember that first kiss? That first feeling you got? Not your first general kiss that didn’t mean anything, but your first kiss with someone you loved and cared about. The feelings you get from kissing are sometimes unexplainable, but that first meaningful kiss, you never want to stop.  But good things always come to an end right?

I have kissed a decent amount of people, but I have only gotten that feeling that is always shown on TV or read in fairy tales - your heart flutters and you can’t breathe because the person you are kissing takes your breath away - only one time. Kissing is an extremely important process in a growing relationship and shouldn’t be taken lightly as it is nowadays. Kissing should be taken into more consideration then sex sometimes because kissing is where it really starts.  Kissing should always mean something.

Continue reading The importance of the first kiss

I was talking to my friend the other day and the conversation we were having was why do girls always go for bad boys that treat them less then crap. I actually wish I knew the answer to that. From friends’ experience as well as my own, I have realized a lot of us girls go for the guys that don’t treat us well or just don’t want relationships in general. Whether or not we state that we don’t want a relationship and just want someone to have fun, as well as the comfort of having someone without the title, we don’t mean it.

Continue reading Why Do Girls Go for the Bad Boys?

Can guys and girls be just friends? That is a question I have asked myself for years, and even though I have many guy friends I still ask myself that one particular question. I ask it because anytime I hang out with a guy all the time someone expects me to be dating the guy when I’m not. I have a few very close friends that I don’t have any emotional feelings for they are just someone that is there for me, and that I can rely on whenever I need someone or something.

Continue reading Can Guys and Girls Be Just Friends?

Why do people think cheating is okay? I don’t get it. Cheating isn’t okay and never will be okay. If you are in a relationship with someone it’s because you are committing yourself to one person. Sure, being boyfriend/girlfriend doesn’t mean you are married, but it is still a commitment, so why cheat? And if you are married, you especially shouldn’t cheat! Marriage is committing your life to one person and that’s how it should be. Obviously.

Continue reading Why cheating is never okay

Continue reading Why are men and women so different in the getting over process?

Relationships are hard as it is with the title and actual work, but without the title it is perhaps even more difficult. Not having the “boyfriend/girlfriend” status, one is stuck as to what the rules are or if there are even rules at all. I’ve never been in an actual relationship-relationships, but I have always been in the “fake” relationships where you go out with a guy, hang out with him all the time, et cetera; basically a relationship without the title and without the sincere caring and commitment that’s involved.

Continue reading Fake relationships stink!

Ladies, my head is exploding. I’ve just spent the last 20 minutes on the Neiman Marcus website, and there is, for the next three days (online only), an extra 30% off sale items! I’m talking scoring designer clothes, shoes, and handbags for RIDICULOUS prices. Like this NM Exclusive ruffled-neck blouse, originally $145, now $26. How perfect for the office is this? I could go on, but frankly, as I said, my head is exploding. I’m off to search for any Visa gift cards I may have hanging around. Enjoy, and let me know what you find!

So, yesterday on Gilt, I’m trolling around, looking for deals, no real intention of buying. And THEN I see the Quasar Baby Blue. Now, at first glance it looked like a shower head to me. Or something a dentist would use. I was unsure. Then I read that it’s a device that uses blue light to target the sebaceous glands on the face, killing the bacteria that causes acne. So I’m intrigued. I Google reviews. Sure enough, people like this thing. It seems to work. And for a girl like me who (1) has battled her skin for her entire post-pubescent life, (2) has bought countless items from late-night informercials, and (3) just has hope that something will work as promised, darn it, it was a perfect storm. Plus, Gilt has never disappointed me. So I winced, paid $250 (on sale from $350—hooray!), and am now anxiously awaiting its arrival at my door. I’ll tell my husband it cost $25. Just kidding—sort of. Anyway, I’ll keep you all posted!

Your turn: What’s the most indulgent/expensive/ridiculous beauty product you’ve ever bought? Did it work? Share!

Okay, that’s kind of an unfair question. After all (in most cases… hehe) the relationship is as different as could be. Perhaps I should rephrase: To whom do you show more courtesy and consideration: your boss or your spouse?

The question is one I’ve vaguely had in mind for a few days, ever since I decided to multitask by using my lunch hour get my cardio in via taking the dog for a jog. I also took along my Bluetooth headset just in case any clients called. Instead, it was my husband who called, and I tried valiantly to have a decent conversation while keeping my pace through the home stretch. Eventually, he griped, “I can’t hear a thing you’re saying with all that wind. Just call me later.” Before hanging up, he added, sort of incredulously, “You wouldn’t actually talk to a client like this, would you?”

Continue reading Who do you treat better: your boss or your spouse?

In another month or so, summer’s heat and bright colors will begin their annual fade to autumn’s darker, richer hues. To get you through the transition, look no further than the luscious hybrid between magenta and violet: fuchsia.

Why it works: Fuchsia is still bright and sexy enough for summer dresses and stilettos but has the depth and maturity to pair with your early fall jackets and bags. When hunting down shades, draw inspiration from the beautiful stain that raspberries leave on your fingers. Or just try the following:

Continue reading Fall’s Hottest Color Does Triple Beauty Duty: Lips, Cheeks, Nails

Designer Deal

I love Nanette Lepore for her unabashedly feminine pieces (ruffled tops, floral trench coats, beautiful embellishments), and this dress is no exception. Lepore’s “Kaleidescope” dress, originally $375, is being sold at Neiman Marcus for $187. With its ruffles, sweetheart neckline, and off-the-shoulder straps, it’s reminiscent of the 80s in all the right ways, with a softer, much more modern touch. Love!

Look-alike Steal

All right, ladies, how about this adorable dress from Forever 21? Like the Nanette Lepore piece, this one features a ruffled hem, 1-inch shoulder straps on a sweetheart neckline, and a sweet floral pattern. Snap on a pair of flat silver shoes, let your hair down, and you’re ready for a Saturday afternoon shopping! Oh—and did I mention it’s only $22.80? Enjoy!

Designer Deal

I’ve had my eye on these beautiful Oscar de la Renta sandals for a few weeks now. I like that they’re both glamorous and whimsical, as perfect for a night on the town as they are for the ideal picnic in my mind: crisp sauvignon blanc, caprese salad, and a flowy chiffon skirt. (Notice I say “in my mind”—there’s no such thing as an ideal picnic in 100+ degree weather!) Regularly $825, these sandals are 45% off at Neiman Marcus for price tag of $371. A worthy splurge, if you ask me!

Look-alike Steals

These Vince Camuto sandals are nude suede instead of cork—which means they’ll go straight into fall when paired with plum-colored tights. The acrylic jewels are also beautiful, rich colors: autumnal orange, lovely gray-blue, and deep amethyst. Reduced from $120 to $43.20, do I even need to say how great a deal they are at Dillards??

If you like the look without the embellishment, try these Steve Madden sandals, featuring a cork platform and heel and nude patent leather. Originally $99.95, they’re being sold on stevemadden.com for only $39.98. A great option to lengthen the legs with your summer dresses and skirts—and who doesn’t want that?

Enjoy—and let me know if you snag one of these deals!

In the last, oh, say five years, I’ve gone from swearing American Eagle was the only brand I’d ever love to seeking out designer clothing and accessories for their quality, workmanship, and lasting value. (Oh, and because they’re preeeeetty.) But one thing that hasn’t changed is that I still will not buy goods that have the designer’s name splashed all over them. Monogram purses, for example? So not my thing. Even if I admire the shape and quality of some Louis Vuitton bags (like the Speedy, above), I won’t buy them if they’re covered in the signature LV. And why would I want a belt stamped all over with the Coach logo and featuring a buckle spelling, what else, Coach? To me, these are gratuitous status symbols, and that’s not why I shop designer.

Granted, I know there’s a threshold—a line dividing classic from tacky. But that line is much thinner to me than it is to, I think, a lot of people. And don’t get me wrong: My little pet peeve can get pretty annoying. Because plenty of designers I really like, such as Marc Jacobs, sneak their name onto the most innocuous places, like the buttons on a blouse. Buttons! Or this otherwise perfect daytime Miss Sixty purse that I would totally buy if it didn’t have MISS SIXTY right in front. See it? Sure, it’s small, discreet, and perfectly tasteful, but it’s there. For things like this, I know my distaste is silly, but I can’t help it.

Am I alone in my abhorrence of designer name-flaunting? I’d actually love to hear from people who disagree with me—please share why!

Designer Deal

I’m loving this vintage Miriam Haskell baroque pearl, boxchain, and rhinestone necklace—a gorgeous piece that evokes the feeling of pulling a forgotten treasure from your stylish grandmother’s jewelry box. Haskell is known for stunning, hand-crafted jewelry, and is also the powerhouse behind department store jewelry lines O Oscar (by Oscar de la Renta) and Kenneth Cole. Similar designs are priced on her site for $700, but you can find this necklace at rubylane.com for $325.

Look-alike Steals:

We have two look-alike steals today! The first is this Betsey Johnson long, five-strand necklace with faux pearls, gold tone, and crystal accents. We all know Betsey Johnson for her bright, offbeat, always feminine and joyful clothing line that isn’t entirely wearable for a lot of women. This necklace, however, is very wearable—and adorable. Even better, it’s 20% off on Zappos for a total of $103.

Now, check out this Kenneth Jay Lane piece for
QVC. A couple of obvious differences: We’re working with a gunmetal finish here and a bit of a shorter length—the nine strands fall around 20”. I love Kenneth Jay Lane for his affordable but still high-end, feminine, and unique designs. This is no exception. Retailed at $95, the necklace is on sale at QVC for $69.50.

Happy shopping!

Designer Deal

With woven leather in a gorgeous sky blue, this Bottega Veneta handbag measures approximately 5"W by 3"H. In other words, it’s the perfect night-out size, but its color also makes it appropriate for day—think summery dresses and fabulous neutral heels, the perfect brunch date outfit (I want it soooo badly!). The bag also features brass chains measuring 38” long but which can be shortened to 22”; a flap closure; fully lined zippered back compartment; and two interior compartments. The designer name is stamped on in the inside. Despite its summery texture, I’d use this bag through fall and winter as a fresh contrast to richer (colored) clothing. Retailed at $602, this bag that I’m quite obviously lusting after is being sold on efashionhouse.com for $299. However, add the code OFF20 at checkout for 20% off the sale price. Then add the code OFF10 for an additional 10% off. You’re left with $215.28, and FedEx ground shipping is free. Oh, and the bag also comes in tan and red—take your pick.

Look-alike Steal

With vintage appeal, the deeper color on this vintage Walborg woven purse will make it more versatile than the Bottega Veneta clutch (for some) come winter. Its dimensions are about 8"W by 5.5"H, and it also features a brass chain shoulder strap. The one-compartment interior is lined in black vinyl, and the bag also has a small gold-lined open slip pocket. But the kicker? It’s being sold for only $35 at retrodesignerdeals.com. In lieu of the real thing, seems like a no-brainer to me!

I’d love to hear your thoughts on today’s deals—and take requests for future ones. I have to admit, all modesty aside: I’m a wizard at bargain-shopping. Enjoy!

Paris Hilton takes the cheesy way out
Paris Hilton has broken up with boyfriend Doug Reinhardt.  Or rather, Hilton’s publicist has.  The heiress decided to take the tacky road and reportedly had her publicist end the relationship. And then released an official statement to People magazine.

Hey, at least she didn’t dump him on Twitter.

Michael Lohan okay with Daughter’s reconciliation for now
Seems like Lilo’s dad Michael is okay with her getting back with Sam Ronson.

Bet that’s a load off her mind.

Pete Doherty arrested
Sometime musician and constant coke head Pete Doherty has been arrested for DUI and drug possession in Gloucester, England. This follows last Friday’s arrest in Switzerland for doing heroin on a plane.

You going for some kind of record, Pete?  Why not try staying sober for more than a day?

Alba without a spine
Jessica Alba was caught on camera plastering shark posters all over Oklahmoa city as part of a protest of some kind of protest.  Shortly after the actress issued a formal apology.

“I got involved in something I should have had no part of. I realize that I should have used better judgment, and I regret not thinking things through before I made a spontaneous and ill-advised decision to let myself get involved with the people behind this campaign.”

Way to protest, Jessica. For a second there I thought you were more than an actress whose main concern his how much money she makes.  My bad.

Alright, folks, ready for a little controversy? On second thought, what I’m about to write shouldn’t be controversial. It should be a that’s-ridiculous-and-disgusting-and-offensive-to-good-fathers-and-functional-daughters-everywhere no-brainer.

So tonight, as I’m driving home from nearly exerting myself to death on my bike, I hear this situation on the radio: A father, right here in my humble town, is encouraging his 18-year-old daughter to be an “adult film starlet.” Yes. As in porn star. Here’s how this went down. Apparently this

dad had his old college buddy—and thriving porn star friend—over to dinner. This friend sees the 18-year-old daughter and tells her father that she’s “smokin’ hot.” Not conventionally gorgeous like Jenna Jameson, he adds, but she could easily fit among the top 25 of today’s porn stars. He wanted to sign her right there on the spot. For $400,000 a year. And Daddy says? Hell yes!

Well, okay, I guess he didn’t say hell yes. He brought it up with his daughter, who was “taken aback” by the suggestion. Um, yeah! If my dad approached me after dinner with his raunchy-ass friend and said, “Hey, Kate—Bob thinks you’ve got the stuff”—a.k.a. T&A—“to be a hot porn star. Wanna give it a go? You’ve got my support.” I’d be like, WTF? My dad thinks I’m a ho.

And the kicker. Apparently the girl’s mother—who is still married to the father, mind you—knows nothing about any of this. She has no idea that her husband, who held their baby girl in his arms after she was born, is encouraging said baby girl to be everybody’s “baby girl.” Yes. That’ll be a fun conversation. “Hey, hon, how would you feel about Margaret being renamed Crystal and starring in Back Door Beauties XXIIIII?” If I were the wife, I’d be packing my bags and my daughter and getting the hell outta there!

Am I being completely close-minded here? Is this actually the act of a loving and supporting father who wants his daughter to be financially and sexually liberated? Or is this

guy just absolutely in-effing-sane? How would you react if you were the daughter or the wife in this situation? I’d love your opinions!

Oh… and as a fun little add-on, my husband just told me about a dad who SWORDED HIS SON for not moving out. Sworded. As in like, stabbed with a sword that he just happened to have hidden under the living room couch. Well, yeah. Isn’t that where everyone keeps their swords? The son’s okay. The dad’s effing nuts. What’s wrong with parents these days???

So it’s okay to let your daughter star as a topless stripper in her video as long as her boobies don’t show?  That’s what, Rule #2 of how to be a great Dad?

Melody staying catty
Looks like at least one Pussycat Dolls refuses to keep quiet about trouble within the group and is quite happy to keep her claws out.

Melody Thornton is once again bitching about fellow Doll Nicole saying, “Nicole’s always had extra things going on as opposed to the rest of us, but we have aspirations as well. It’s definitely a huge misconception that we are just chilling and happy to just be members of the group.”

So, does this mean that the band could be splitting up?  Noppers. Thorton also said, “I don’t think we’re breaking up any time soon. As long as this thing is moving, we’re all still here.”

In other words?  As long as people are dumb enough to buy their crappy music, they’ll be around.

Rocker in need of a walker
Prince is in need of a double hip replacement, but refuses due to religious beliefs.

Too bad your religion didn’t forbid wearing 9 inch heels, eh Prince?  Then maybe you wouldn’t need the surgery.

Adam Lambert announces he’s gay
Well, duh.

Well the countdown has begun! In six days my immediate family, all 16 of us, will arrive at Walt Disney World - the happiest place on Earth! To say that we are excited would be an understatement. We booked the trip last November. For the last seven months we have been pricing dining plans (we decided against), scheduling character dining (a princess lunch and a lunch with the Little Einsteins), booking appointments at the Bippity-Boppity Boutique (Monday afternoon), watching videos of all the rides via YouTube, planning our packing, and most importantly watching the promotional DVD every single Sunday after lunch (I am not exaggerating, we have watched it about 50 times). This will be my children’s first trip. We told them that as soon as my son was out of diapers we would go. Well he is now three years old and has been diaper-free for about nine months. My daughter (five-years-old) cannot wait to ride Space Mountain. I do not ride roller coasters for fear of literally falling right out, but I’m sure she’ll have a great time with her dad! Check back next week as I breakdown each day. It’s sure to be eventful!!!

I try to pride myself in being a cool “hip” mom (wait, do they say “hip” anymore), however I am having a little bit of trouble with the new technology-age vernacular. I guess my background of being an English teacher runs deeper than I thought, because the new verbs are causing me a lot of trouble. Example number one - texting. Every time I hear a group of kids talk about “texting” my grammatically correct nose twitches. A text is a noun or an adjective. They should say, “I sent you a text message.” And what about “friending” on MySpace and Facebook? Really? To an unknowledgeable observer the comment, “She friended me,” sounds absolutely ridiculous!!!  How about - She sent me a friend request? Oy! The ultimate in weird is “tweeting.” I don’t use Twitter, but the thought of telling someone that I just tweeted makes me laugh out loud - seriously!!! I suppose the gauntlet has now been thrown. Will I resist these crazy verbs or will I cave and join the crowd. Stay tuned!

Ah, it’s so nice to see all of her crazy stalking has paid off.

Impatient Pete
Pete Doherty was arrested in Geneva for heroine consumption during a plane trip from London.  It seems Pete shot up during the hour and forty minute flight.

You couldn’t have waited until you landed Pete? I’ve held pee in longer than that.

Nothin’ but a misstep
Poison’s Bret Michaels had a bit of a mishap at the Tony Awards.  After performing Nothin’ But a Good Time with the cast of Rock of Ages, Michaels walked offstage only to be taken out by a piece of scenery.

Seems he missed his mark. And judging by his hair and facelift, in more ways than one.

We’re tortured, why shouldn’t they be?
Looks like viewers aren’t the only ones being tortured by I’m a Celebrity …Get Me Out of Here!.  If Spencer Pratt is to be believed, he and wife Heidi were thrown into some kind of torture chamber where they had to spend 24 hours with only water, beans, rice and each other. 

Spencer emerged angry and Heidi came out throwing her guts up with a suspected stomach ulcer. 

24 hours alone with only your thoughts and Spencer will do that.

In these current times of economic crisis I have a suggestion for moms and dads trying to come up with new toys for your kids. Go check your parents’ attics! Yesterday, my kids and I went to visit my mom and dad. Late in the afternoon I noticed that the kids were being very quiet upstairs. When I went up to check on them I was surprised at what I found. They had gotten into an old box of my brothers’ and my toys and found tons of things to play with!  My daughter had gotten out My Little Pony, Strawberry Shortcake, and even Barbies. My son had discovered my brothers’ endless supplies of Transformers and Teenage Mutant Ninja Turtles. They were having a blast. The thing they were excited about was that these were the same toys they play with at home, just older versions. Sure enough, retro-toys are back in style. Thanks Mattel, Hasbro, and whoever else thought to bring back the toys from the 80s. Even though my daughter couldn’t understand why Barbie was wearing leg warmers (hey they were cool in 1986) and the lead paint was chipping off Optimus Prime, they had hours of fun.

I’m calling it now: Opera gloves are the next summer It item. Maybe they’ll be refashioned from these inexplicable scarves.

What do you think? Do you buy the scarf-as-necklace trend? If so, tell the truth—are you dying under there??

Haven’t felt that way in awhile? Me neither. Which is why I’m loving this summer’s trend of clothes that are rich with cultural details: Navajo-inspired dresses and tunics with intricate, boldly colored embroidery; Indian-influenced statement earrings and cuffs; colors and embellishments and attitude straight from Mexico, Turkey, Africa—almost anywhere you can imagine.

Even if imagining is all you do this summer!

Well, last night marked a big night at our home - it was my daughter’s last t-ball game. For those of you who have not been inducted into the t-ball club, let me give you the Cliffs Notes version. T-ball is played by 5 & 6 year olds. In our city, there are approximately ten players on each team. When we go to a game, there are two innings. Each player bats. They can swing as many times as they want, there are no outs. We do not keep score. When the last batter is up, the umpire calls, “Last batter,” and the kid playing “pitcher” stands at home plate and tags any of the kids who were on base. When it is over the kids have absolutely no idea what they have done or who has won. It is INSANE!

My husband and father are vehemently against it (due to their competitive natures) and began “unofficially” keeping score during the second game. Needless to say, I was not sorry that the season was rounding to an end. All day long my daughter has gone on and on about how sad she was that the season was going to be over and how excited she was about her big game. At about 5:00 I went to her room to get out her uniform. It was gone!!! I couldn’t find it anywhere!!!  After fifteen minutes searching (with her pacing along behind me), I called my husband who was on a business trip in Miami. “Do you have any idea where her uniform is???” I shrieked into the phone. “Yes, it is in the trunk of your car,” he answered calmly. “But you drove my car to the AIRPORT!” I screamed (the airport is three hours away). “Hmmmm,” was his reply.

So I pasted on a fake toothy grin and called my daughter to the room. I asked her if she’d like to go eat pizza and go swimming tonight. “What about my game?” she replied suspiciously. “Um, your-uniform-is-in-the-car-at-the-airport-so-you-aren’t-going-to-play,” I rattled off as quickly as possible. “Thank goodness,” she answered, “I am so tired of pretending to have fun!” Then she skipped out of the room.

Well my spring 2010 just became wide open!

Well in T-minus 25 days and counting I will turn the big 3-0! Oh sure, I’ve been fed the whole 30 is the new 20 garbage, but bottomline is that anything that has to be “the new” anything else is just plain OLD. As I sit and try to come up with some positives about turning 30,  I am plagued yet again with the trendy mom debate.  Last week I was bathing suit shopping at Old Navy. After winning a tug-of-war battle with a blonde who looked like she might have a good left hook, I snatched up my cute orange bikini and headed to the dressing room to try it on.

After a quick look I decided it would do. I sashayed out of the fitting room just in time to see that cute blonde hand the same cute orange bikini to her fifteen year old DAUGHTER. My jaw dropped. There was no way that I, a mother of two, could possibly wear the same swimsuit as a girl with her learner’s permit. I tossed the bikini back on the shelf and began my search for a practical one piece tank suit. So here is my question, at what age do you start looking silly if you dress young?

You all know of those women that people whisper, “she’s too old to wear that”...or “she’s too old to have that hair cut”... When do you have to stop shopping at GAP and Old Navy and start shopping at… I don’t know….mom stores? While I am not particularly interested in being a trendsetter, I do like to look nice and cute, but appropriate. Will there come a time when all of the sudden cute clothes are not appealing to me? Will my brain suddenly decide that the knit vest with apples on it is exactly what I wanted to wear today?  I really don’t know how all of this works?  If anyone has any insight I would truly appreciate it!! Lol!