busygirl

how about a pretty giveaway?

 Do you remember this headband of yore that I made one snowy afternoon while I was supposed to be organizing and purging my fabric stash?

 

Well, I've made a dozen different ones since then, but this color combination is still my favorite.  And so I took some time away from my bad reality TV watching self, to make a duplicate one to give away to one of you!  Yes you.  Because you're all lovely and I have a blog crush on at least twelve of you and counting :)

So, to enter for a chance to win this navy, grey and mustard rosette headband please leave a comment for each item below that you complete (note: must have valid email address to enter!):

1. tell me, if you could pick any three colors for a rosette headband, what would you pick?

2. follow www.busygirlblog.com via a method of your choosing!

3. follow me on twitter, leave your handle in the comment (I'm @busygirlnicole)

4. blog or tweet about this giveaway!

Winner to be picked and announced at 12pm EST on Friday, April 6th!  Hurry and enter :)  Also, while I have you here, check out my blog crush Sarah's travel photography giveaway!

my new baby, uh, camera bag.

Okay, so not a baby.  More like a purse.  Or a camera bag.  Or both.  It's a hybrid and it's fabulous!

While I love my SlingShot 202 AW, it definitely isn't an everyday camera bag.  Actually it kind of screams 'I have an expensive camera and lots of stuff in here'.  Which is not what I want people to know when I'm out and about.  So sadly, my camera stays at home for most of our adventures, which definitely does not sit well with me.

But I did it.  I finally saved up to buy a Jo Totes bag.  And even though I debated a bit between the Epiphanie Clover and the Jo Totes Rose, I had to go back to my original love, the Rose.

So meet, the newest member of my purse collection - my Jo Totes Rose camera bag in Pewter!

 
LOVE.  Absolutely love.  And it wasn't outrageously expensive - only $102 total with the cost/tax/shipping. 

So let's talk more about this beaut, shall we?

First of all, it's huge, but not all that bulky - see? I can easily haul it around.

 
It easily fits a DSLR, external flash and another lens, but I usually just have my camera and external flash with me, so there's room for other items such as my wallet, notebook, etc.  It's made of water-resistant faux leather that has a vintage feel.  And it comes in nine different colors- but I went with the pewter grey since it would basically go with anything I wear.  Maybe my next bag will be colorful? (My husband is shaking his head at me as he reads this).  There are five adjustable 1/2 inch foam pads that you can move around to suit your needs.  And the entire bag is lined with foam for safe storage.  It even comes with a matching crossbody strap!

 
And did I mention the dog loves it too?  He's either impressed that he's the same size or jealous that I'm taking photos of the bag instead of him because he wouldn't move away.

 
So there's my new love.  I toted it around this entire weekend at my brother's wedding and was thrilled to have my camera with me to capture the rehearsal dinner and our pampering appointments.

Want to read about a few other bags I considered?  Hop on over here!

look book: dead of winter.

Yes, I'm boring some days.  Actually most days since my life consists of a 7-4 job, tending to the dog's every whim and squeezing in several volleyball leagues.  But thus is life in Cleveland.  In the winter.  I cannot wait for spring to well, spring, so we can start exploring again.  That and I'm so uninspired by taking photos in my apartment.  I pretty much stand there and say, ok, here's what I'm wearing.  I think my head looks funny from the shadows.  The outdoor ones are much more fun, exciting and fresh! 

 
black tee - target, grey boyfriend vest - charlotte russe, skinny jeans - arden b, black fuggs - target

And even when we get teased with a warm day (by warm, I mean 50 degrees people, wahoo!), there's still slush covering every inch of the pavement.  So while running errands the other day I insisted on short sleeves (and covered with a jacket for outside) as a nod to the acceptably warm day.

What you don't see are my fuggs (from tar-jay) protecting my feet from the sludge outside.  Sigh, chant with me now, out like a lamb, out like a lamb.  Come on March, pull through for me here!

What you also don't know is that I dyed my hair the other night.  A monthly process as my dirty blonde hair doesn't really go with those insanely black eyebrows of mine.  In an effort to keep everything matchy-matchy I usually spring for a medium ash brown coloring every three or four week.  This time, I tried out a different dye than my norm, the Garnier Herbashine.  The verdict?  IN LOVE with my hair color.  Seriously.  It couldn't be more perfect. 

 
BUT, the stench, yes I said stench, of the hair dye was more than I could take.  I had to wash my hair three times to get it smelling normal again.  But, I love my hair color.  Was it worth it?

look book: showered with love

  

 dress - forever 21, tights - new york & company, flats (not pictured) - target

I went shopping for the first time since Christmas!  I know, you're amazed at my self-restraint.  But I did let myself peruse the mall the other weekend and came home with this lovely Sunday Morning dress, from Forever 21 of all places.  I haven't even stopped in there for a while, but figured it was worth a quick look.  And while I'm trying to not buy any clothes in 2011 (gasp), I couldn't help but snag this for a mere $13.50! 

It's the perfect mix of winter and spring with the floral print on a black background.  Paired with tights in a snowstorm.  And easy to wear in the summer with sandals.  I figured it was worth the small investment.  And it was my pick to wear to the lovely bridal tea we threw for my FSIL this past Sunday. 

look book: red all over

Every week I post an outfit I wore over at All Things Chic along with the other contributors, but I thought I might post my outfit here as well from now on...kind of a record of random outfits throughout the year.  Or my own personal attempt to prove to myself that I do wear the same stuff over and over again, maybe I should spend some time cleaning my closet out?

 
 cardigan - old navy, dress - target, tights - new york & company, booties (not pictured) - charlotte russe

I felt blah since I'm coming down with a cold.  I felt dreary because well, it's winter in Cleveland.  Dreary is the norm.  I felt frustrated because my hair would neither straighten nor curl, but rather formed some sort of limp, wavy mess on my head.  And so you have it.  The colors, the tights, the braided hair.  But it was Valentine's Day and in an effort to get into the spirit without looking all rah-rah-look-at-me-I'm-wearing-red, I painted my nails cherry red and swiped on my favorite bright NARS lips.

Bright lips do make everything better.  I smiled every time I saw myself in the mirror.  There's something so theraputic about a splash of color on a muted background.

Too bad hubby wasn't around so I could leave bright red kiss marks on his cheeks! ::snicker::

a fashionable venture.

Remember how I was writing for bStylish a little bit ago?  Well, that's long gone because...

Melissa (of bStylish) and Jo-Lynne (of Chic Critque) have merged their sites (and contributors) to become a one-stop shop for all things fashion, beauty, home and more at www.allthingschic.net

 
Check it out, leave some love, comment on my weekly outfit and all my other insights.  And be sure to check out the bazillion giveaways for launch week including Zappos, HauteLook, Studio Jewel, Therapon Skin Care, Miraclebody jeans and so much more!

Oh and don't mind the weird characters dust  here and there.  It's a bit of a work in progress, but it will get there! 

fashion friday: dying for color.

Confession: I dye my hair.

SHOCK.

Okay.  It's not that shocking.  Especially since about 70% of women in the US dye their hair regularly, whether to cover grey, achieve a new look or to boost their natural color.  Me?  Well, I was um, blessed, with dirty blonde hair and practically black eyebrows.  Yeah, pretty strange.

So to keep everything look a bit more matchy matchy, I dye my hair about every 5 or 6 weeks.  Which is somewhat of a pain, because it takes about 30 minutes start to finish.  But I always love how my hair looks freshly dyed and full of color.  Since I dye my hair so frequently, I use semi-permanent dye that doesn't penetrate the hair shaft quite as much, so the damage is minimal.  As for color?  Well, darker brown for one thing.  But the shade is the tricky part and one that I mix up frequently.

A few quick tests to see if you're warm or cold toned is a good place to start. 

1) Look at the veins on your wrist.  If they appear blue you are cool toned (that's me!).  If they have a bit of a greenish tint, you are warm toned.

2) Take an inventory of your closet and what color clothing suits you best.  Do you look great in blue, black and green (cool toned) or red, orange and yellow (warm toned)?

3) Take a look at your eye color.  Warm brown, hazel and green eyes tend to indicate you are warm toned.  While greyish, blue would suggest cool toned.

Obviously these are all subjective tests.  It's really a personal preference of hair colors, but these are a good place to start if you're just starting to consider hair dying.  It might help reduce the number of 'oopsie' dye jobs (we've ALL had em...)

Me personally?  I'm straight up cool tones.  And since I tend to look good in ash colors that don't have brassy undertones, my usual hair color of choice is a deep ash brown.  I try to stay away from hair dyes with red undertones.

But if you have a warm skin tone, shades with names like honey, copper and golden are perfect for you. 

As for choosing your brand of hair dye, well, I personally use Clairol Natural Instincts, but based on your hair type, length and desired color, other brands might be a better fit for you. 

Just do your research on the chemicals in the hair dye, follow the instructions EXACTLY and if at all concerned about sensitivity, do a test strip of hair before the whole dye job. 

fashion friday: let's talk hair, part 1.

I have a roundish, heart-shaped face.  Sigh.  If only I had that oval face that can pull off just about ANY look.  Oh well, I'm stuck with what the good Lord gave me, might as well work with it!

Figuring out the best types of cuts for your face shape is crucial to avoiding disastrous hair decisions.  Such as a blunt bob on a face like mine.  Let's just say I'd look more rollie-pollie than Victoria Beckham sleek.  Not sure what's a go and what to avoid?  Here's a cheat sheet with your celeb lookalikes!

Round: Think layered cuts below your chin or longer.  These elongate your face and make it look slimmer.  Keep the ends of your hair wispy like Cameron Diaz's style.  Avoid blunt, short cuts, these just empathize the roundness of your face. 

Square: Adding texture like Gwyneth does softens your angular features and creates a very feminine look.  Keep hair shoulder length or longer.  Avoid blunt, short cuts.

Oval: So coveted!  And versatile! Congrats, you can pretty much pull off any hairstyle. Long waves or a short angular bob, go for it!  If Jessica Alba can pull it off, you can too.

Long: You can pull off almost anything, although it's a good idea to avoid long, sleek styles that emphasize the shape of your face.  Instead opt for a chin length, layered bob.  Or if you love your hair long, make waves like Gisele.

Heart: I can't say I'm not completely in love with Reese's face shape and hair, especially her bangs...LOVE.  Keep the attention on your eyes by adding side-swept bangs.  Avoid blunt bangs and choppy layers.

Next week?  Let's tackle the hair dye situation.

fashion friday: splurging with confidence.

As I've grown older, I've become less of a bargain hunter (although who doesn't love a good sale?) and more of a splurger on those things I just love.  Especially when it comes to my clothing.  I would much rather have a gorgeous skirt I can wear again and again than four ehh-okay skirts that I might toss on in my scramble to get ready in the morning.  But then change my mind and throw on a go-to outfit instead.

This past year I managed to change my shopping mantra and cut down a TON on my clothing budget just by implementing three little rules:

1) If I wouldn't buy it at full price, I shouldn't buy it on sale.

2) If I can't think of three outfits I can make out of the piece (realistic outfits that I would wear to places I actually go to...no red carpet moments here) then I shouldn't buy it.

3) ALWAYS try on something before purchasing.  None of this: Oh I'll just get it and return it later.  Because I just never get around to returning things.

And it actually worked.  Instead of buying an armful of ill-fitting, just-okay shirts because they were on sale for only $14, I've instead bought a few shirts that were in the $40 range that I love, they fit wonderfully and I actually wear them all the time.

 

So, in celebration of my shopping success, I decided to apply this concept to my huge walk-in closet that was bursting at the seams.  I'd love to blame the fullness on my husband's obsession with coats (he has 27!) but I can't really look past the entire row of clothing I have hanging in there that just taunts me.  There's no need for one person to have so many clothes.  Particulary when my outfit of choice is sweatpants.

So on my day off Monday, I took EVERYTHING out of our closet and went through it.  If it had a tear, stain or was pilled, out it went.  If I couldn't think of three outfits to wear it with, out it went.  If it plain just didn't fit right, out it went.  I managed to pare down my closet to half a row, filled with clothes I actually like and will wear.  And although it was hard to see so much money spent on clothes go out the door (to Goodwill), it's so much easier to find everything when you don't have to dig through the filler items in your closet. 

If a piece doesn’t work, look at it this way: You paid for it once in cash, and now you’re paying for it in valuable closet space. If it’s not right for you, bite the bullet and let it go.

I love knowing that everything in my closet looks great on me and...there's room for some new purchases!  Of course, with our new money-saving plan, those purchases might be a bit fewer this year.  But it's nice to know that the new items will have plenty of space to hang.

Another tip?  We actually group our clothes together in the closet: for him: dress shirts, polos, tees.  For me: sweaters, pants, long-sleeves, short-sleeves, tanks.  And then within each category, everything is in rainbow color order.  So we can always find what we're looking for in a hurry.

gleeful peacock giveaway!

You all know how much I LOOOOOOVE headbands...and I know you love them too!  Remember this gem I won in a giveaway from Gleeful Peacock?

 

Well, I'm giving away a Gleeful Peacock headband on bStylish this week!

 

The giveaway ends THIS Thursday, the 23rd, so hurry and go enter!  All you have to do is leave a comment!