Bluuuuuuuf. I feel horrible. I feel the worst anyone has ever felt. I'm whining. I admit it, at least. This is happening. It's in my head, and if I were to speak, you would clap your hands over your ears and flee. I would not blame you! Flee! Flee while you still have the chance! I'm not even sick. I am merely having Monthly Issues. Wherein my Girl Parts are causing Full-Body Malaise, Troubles, Low Moods, and So Forth. I am typically only mildly troubled by such matters, so this is unusual, which is a good thing (for everyone else) because I really cannot take much more of this. My ARMS ache.
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This, since 2004!
Alice Bradley — Finslippy9 Feb 2012 | 9:03 am -
And that’s why I can’t get any work done. That and the fact that Doctor Who is on.
TheBloggess.com9 Feb 2012 | 10:13 amA picture of my (previously abandoned) office immediately after I start blogging: All the cats in the house, present and fucking shit up. Each trying to typing as soon as I type. Sitting on the escape key. Screechy cat fights erupt behind computer within seconds of a good idea. UNWORKABLE. And that’s why I’m not working for the rest of the week. Because none of these cats understands how important my job is. And also because I really want to watch Doctor Who. And because I’m tired and sort of whiney. And because I’m going to see my parents for a few days so I… -
Steve Jobs F.B.I. File Reveals Portrait of Ambitious, Tech-Savvy Guy
The Latest from VanityFair.com9 Feb 2012 | 10:08 am -
Old Navy Giveaway
Design Mom9 Feb 2012 | 6:26 amGet ready for a giant giveaway today — Old Navy is offering a $500 gift certificate! That’s right. $500!! I think the huge prize is a perfect match for the huge Kids & Baby Sale going on right now. Have I ever told you I love shopping end-of-season sales? It’s true. In fact, if we were chatting about how to extend our children’s wardrobes, I would tell you my best 3 pieces of advice are: 1) embrace hand-me-downs — both your own, and bags full from the neighbors, 2) keep your eyes peeled for unisex options, and 3) shop end of season sales. I think the sales are my… -
The Most Pinteresting Woman In The World
Chicken Fried Therapy14 Jan 2012 | 10:31 am[by Chick] First it was blogging, then Facebook, followed by Twitter and Instagram. But now it seems Pinterest is the hot new social media sensation whereby I currently derive one hundred percent of my self-worth and daily fulfillment. And I’ve only been on it for two and a half days. If you aren't familiar with Pinterest, it’s a website where you can “pin” pictures of anything and everything that tickles your fancy…clothes, food, art, home decor, exotic hotels, motivational signs, books, films, etc. You organize your pins onto themed boards to keep track. For those of us who used…
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Alice Bradley — Finslippy
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This, since 2004!
9 Feb 2012 | 9:03 amBluuuuuuuf. I feel horrible. I feel the worst anyone has ever felt. I'm whining. I admit it, at least. This is happening. It's in my head, and if I were to speak, you would clap your hands over your ears and flee. I would not blame you! Flee! Flee while you still have the chance! I'm not even sick. I am merely having Monthly Issues. Wherein my Girl Parts are causing Full-Body Malaise, Troubles, Low Moods, and So Forth. I am typically only mildly troubled by such matters, so this is unusual, which is a good thing (for everyone else) because I really cannot take much more of this. My ARMS ache. -
May I Gently Suggest, #3
5 Feb 2012 | 7:25 pmWelcome to Gentle Suggestions. Joshilyn Jackson is a master. I didn't know this for far too long. I've enjoyed her blog for a while, I figured she was an entertaining writer and I should check out her novels--and then I did and then I read them all and I was so tired and hungry and amazed. This one may be her best yet. I have to warn you, if you think you can read a couple of chapters before you go to bed, you are incorrect. You'll get sucked in and then it will be dawn. Julia's Child is, simply, a delightful romp. In fact I used the phrase "delightful romp" in the blurb I was asked to… -
Open letter to our downstairs neighbors, in anticipation of the Super Bowl
31 Jan 2012 | 7:56 amDear neighbors: By and large you are a lovely couple to live above. I remain grateful that you tolerate my child's occasional bouts of "dancing" (repeatedly throwing himself on the floor) and that you seem to be happy, well-adjusted, and not abusing each other. Sure, you like throwing parties, but as long as the racket is celebratory and does not leave us wondering if we should call the police, we say: carry on with your crazy young lives! But once football season fell upon us, I have grown increasingly puzzled by your behavior during games. (Matches? Bouts? What are these things… -
So, hmm.
27 Jan 2012 | 9:43 amHere is a picture for you. I made it! (Thank you, all, for your thoughtful and 99.9% non-hurtful responses to my last post. It's been difficult to respond to all the comments or emails, I'm a little overwhelmed, and I'm feeling the need to hermitize--is that a word? that's not a word--for a bit. I'm just going to get into my blanket fort, over here. Which is not to shut you guys up. Let the conversation continue! I'm just going to maybe read Cute Overload for a while, as I do, while re-contemplating daily psychotherapy.) I always take a photo of something I want to draw and then sketch it at… -
On being an object, and then not being an object
25 Jan 2012 | 4:09 pmI keep trying to write this post, and every time I'm taken aback at how angry I am, how very furious, and I don't want that, I want to be positive and have fun and entertain. But oh, there's something I want to say, so I try again, and I'm back to being furious. Well. I've literally been at this post for a year and it never gets any funnier or lighter, but I keep wanting to write it; I have to write it; I have to be done with it. So here we go. A year ago I was at a family event and a few of my mom's friends--older women all--were expressing amazement that I would let my hair go gray. One of…
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TheBloggess.com
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And that’s why I can’t get any work done. That and the fact that Doctor Who is on.
9 Feb 2012 | 10:13 amA picture of my (previously abandoned) office immediately after I start blogging: All the cats in the house, present and fucking shit up. Each trying to typing as soon as I type. Sitting on the escape key. Screechy cat fights erupt behind computer within seconds of a good idea. UNWORKABLE. And that’s why I’m not working for the rest of the week. Because none of these cats understands how important my job is. And also because I really want to watch Doctor Who. And because I’m tired and sort of whiney. And because I’m going to see my parents for a few days so I… -
Robot tigers or Robobcats? I’m leaning toward the latter simply because they’d be easier to put in your carry-on luggage.
7 Feb 2012 | 6:25 amVictor: One day I’m going to finish my robot tigers and we will rule the world. me: It’d be easier if you just took over the world with real tigers. Victor: Robot tigers are scarier than real tigers. me: No. Real tigers are scarier because they’re unpredictable. Victor: My robot tigers have a random setting. me: Like a shuffle function on an iPod? Victor: Exactly. me: That is way scarier. Victor: Plus they could beat you at chess. me: Well, not me specifically. I’m pretty damn good at chess. Victor: Not as good as a robot tiger. me: Live tigers are… -
This candle-stick needs an intervention.
4 Feb 2012 | 6:46 pmConversation I had with a shopkeeper at a resale shop today: me: Can you go any lower on the candle-holder in the back room? her: No, it’s in really good shape. me: Yes, but looks like it has erectile dysfunction. her: Oh. Well, it gets hot in here in the summer. But the candelabra is still very nice. me: It looks like it’s very disappointed to see me, and possibly needs to be medicated. her: Um…? me: I think your candlestick holder is clinical depressed. her: What? me: I think I need to have an intervention. With your candle-holder. her: … me: I… -
UPDATED X 2: Lost in translation
1 Feb 2012 | 4:29 pmVictor: What are you doing? me: Making stuff for my store. It helps me break my writer’s block. Victor: Who’s gonna buy a mug that says “I love to go down”? Are you making mugs for hookers again? me: What? I don’t have a mug that says that. Victor: Uh, yeah, you do. It’s right there. me: That’s a guy on a slide. It means “I love slides.” Because I do. Because they’re whimsical. The fuck, Victor? Not everything is about sex. Victor: That’s not a slide. It’s an escalator. That’s the… -
The end. And the beginning
31 Jan 2012 | 12:26 pmI know I said I was going to give away five red ball gowns as part of the #travelingreddress project, but I am a tremendous liar who can’t be trusted. That’s why instead today I’ll be mailing out nine red ball dresses to women around the world. The tenth will be just as beautiful, but will be smaller and hopefully a bit more magical, as it will be going to Alice: Amazing pictures already pouring in from women across the globe in their red dresses. In fact, some have improvised using just a few yards of material to make amazing portraits. Ball gowns are flying across the…
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The Latest from VanityFair.com
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Steve Jobs F.B.I. File Reveals Portrait of Ambitious, Tech-Savvy Guy
9 Feb 2012 | 10:08 am -
HOLLYWOOD 2012: Brad Pitt and Bennett Miller (Part Two)
9 Feb 2012 | 9:01 amKrista Smith talks with Moneyball star Brad Pitt and director Bennett Miller about the accuracy of the business of baseball as portrayed in the film, and Jonah Hill as superhero, actor, and houseguest. -
"Let Love Rule" (Justice Remix) - Lenny Kravitz
9 Feb 2012 | 9:01 am"Let Love Rule" (Justice Remix) - Lenny Kravitz -
Hollywood 2012: Olivia Munn, Part 1
9 Feb 2012 | 9:01 amOlivia Munn opens up to Krista Smith about making out with Channing Tatum, male strippers, and Jon Stewart’s choice of underwear. Plus, behind the scenes at her V.F. photo shoot with Williams & Hirakawa. -
HOLLYWOOD 2012: Brad Pitt and Bennett Miller (Part One)
9 Feb 2012 | 9:01 amKrista Smith talks with Moneyball star Brad Pitt and director Bennett Miller about the themes of the film, its long road to the big screen, and the thrill of seeing it connect with audiences.
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Design Mom
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Old Navy Giveaway
9 Feb 2012 | 6:26 amGet ready for a giant giveaway today — Old Navy is offering a $500 gift certificate! That’s right. $500!! I think the huge prize is a perfect match for the huge Kids & Baby Sale going on right now. Have I ever told you I love shopping end-of-season sales? It’s true. In fact, if we were chatting about how to extend our children’s wardrobes, I would tell you my best 3 pieces of advice are: 1) embrace hand-me-downs — both your own, and bags full from the neighbors, 2) keep your eyes peeled for unisex options, and 3) shop end of season sales. I think the sales are my… -
DIY: You Blow Me Away Valentines
9 Feb 2012 | 3:24 amDIY project contributed by Deb Averett. —– Here’s a super easy, super festive valentine that’s perfect for handing out to classmates. Good for both boys and girls — and it’s candy-free! All you need to do is pick up some festive party blowers and package them with the You Blow Me Away printout, and you’re good to go. For those of you who are really in the mood to get your craft on, you can make your own party blowers — using pretty paper you picked out yourself! I’ve included a full tutorial with lots of photos and clear instructions below. Custom… -
Love Letters
9 Feb 2012 | 2:26 amHere’s an idea for Valentine’s Day — or any old time you’re feeling romantic. If you happen to have exquisite thoughts to share with your love, but not-so-exquisite handwriting, Bryn Chernoff is your girl. For a few hundred dollars, she’ll transform your most heartfelt words into a drop dead gorgeous letter, inked on Italian stationery and sealed with wax. Totally confidential and totally lovely, don’t you think? It takes Bryn a few weeks, so if you don’t have time to wait, you could also find a friend with gorgeous penmanship. : ) P.S. Get to know the… -
Self-Driving Cars
8 Feb 2012 | 7:30 amOh man! Did you guys read this article in Wired Magazine about cars that drive themselves? I started the article thinking: No way, the whole idea scares me. But by the end, I was thinking: How have I lived without self-driving cars for all these years? Not even kidding — I’m kind of geeking out about it! If you read it, I’d love to hear what you think. -
Pretties for Your Girlies
8 Feb 2012 | 3:37 amWhen I was growing up, my father would always give flowers to his four daughters on Valentine’s Day (flowers for Mom too, of course!). Nothing fancy. Often just a single rose or carnation. But I loved it! It made me feel loved and acknowledged — especially during those years when I was longing for, but not receiving, a love note from a particular boy at school. I really like the idea of small, simple tokens of affection and I thought this series of 24 pretty projects would be perfect for anyone who wants to give a sweet nothing to her daughter this year. How about you? Did your…
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Chicken Fried Therapy
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The Most Pinteresting Woman In The World
14 Jan 2012 | 10:31 am[by Chick] First it was blogging, then Facebook, followed by Twitter and Instagram. But now it seems Pinterest is the hot new social media sensation whereby I currently derive one hundred percent of my self-worth and daily fulfillment. And I’ve only been on it for two and a half days. If you aren't familiar with Pinterest, it’s a website where you can “pin” pictures of anything and everything that tickles your fancy…clothes, food, art, home decor, exotic hotels, motivational signs, books, films, etc. You organize your pins onto themed boards to keep track. For those of us who used… -
Very Superstitious
13 Jan 2012 | 5:40 am[By Legally Blonde] Today is Friday the 13th, a day when adults who were scarred by watching the Friday the 13th movies at an impressionable age will be looking around every corner for Freddy Krueger. And superstitious individuals will be on edge all day waiting for bad things to happen, things that would never happen if it were instead Friday the 12th or 14th. I have spent years trying to wean myself off all the superstitions I learned growing up. I’m sure most of you are familiar with certain of these -- step on a crack, break your mother’s back. Find a penny, pick it up, all… -
As Usual, My Resolutions Read More Like True Confessions
3 Jan 2012 | 6:37 am[by Chick] Like so many people starting a new year, I have a new batch of news years resolutions! Okay, who are we kidding? Many of them aren’t “new”, just repackaged and recycled with a regurgitated sense of hope that I just might achieve them. But really, this is my year, I swear. Here are just twelve of my goals for two thousand twelve. Some we’ve seen before, some are new… 1. Dive deep into the colored jean trend by buying at least one new color each month. I don’t want to miss this. I’ve already got a head start with some pale pink ones I bought on sale last August, plus… -
She Was a Day Tripper
11 Nov 2011 | 5:49 pmDue to circumstances beyond my control, I had to make a day trip to California on Tuesday. I was scheduled to give a presentation that afternoon in Monterey and had to get back for an important event on Wednesday afternoon. SO, my day started bright and early to get to the airport for my 8:25 flight. Only when I got to the airport at 7:30, I realized my flight was actually leaving at 8:05. I have the drive to the airport, parking, security and getting to the gate down like a science, so making the flight with 20 fewer minutes was definitely going to be a challenge. Determined not to miss my… -
Crockpot Virgin
7 Oct 2011 | 10:43 amI have never used a crockpot – or any other off-brand slow cooker – in my entire life. Until last night. I can’t tell you how exciting it was to break into this strange new world of dump-n-dash cuisine. I love it! I started with a simple barbecue chicken “recipe”. Basically I just smothered chicken in Stubb’s BBQ sauce and went on my merry way. I have to say…delish! The house smelled unbelievable and it was beyond easy. The drumsticks were better than the boneless chicken breasts, but all in all, a mighty success and a whole new world has opened up before my eyes. In one swift…
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chookooloonks blog
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solo business lunch: té house of tea
8 Feb 2012 | 10:01 pmWhen I gave notice at my last job, a lot of people naturally asked me what my plans were, and when I told them that I was planning on working for myself, they were incredulous. "You?!" they would invariably respond. "I don't see it. You're such a social person. You're totally going to miss being around people every day. You're going to go completely mental." Well, it's three years later, and I have to tell you: I don't miss going to an office at all. (Related: I don't think I'm as extraverted as most people believe.) That said, every now and then I do… -
random thoughts: the entryway
7 Feb 2012 | 10:00 pmFive years ago (almost to the day, actually!), Marcus and I were preparing to move from Trinidad to Houston, and we were in the throes of house-buying. Actually, Marcus was in the throes of changing jobs and employers, so I was the one charged with buying the house. "I don't care what you choose," Marcus said. "It just has to have an entryway.""What are you talking about?" I responded, not understanding. "Of course it's going to have an entryway. How else would you get into the house?""No, not a doorway," he explained. "An entryway. Like a… -
the happiness advantage
6 Feb 2012 | 10:00 pmLife is really, really hard. I don't say this flippantly: life is tough. There are people who are out of work. People who are working, but still struggle to make ends meet. People who are dealing with health issues, or the health issues of their loved ones. People who have lost people who are important to them. There is no doubt: life is really, really hard. I say this because I know that there are some who feel that I'm a Pollyanna, sunny-side-of-the-street type, who lives in a constant state of denial; or worse, leads some sort of… -
rainy days and sundays
5 Feb 2012 | 5:49 pmIt's been really rainy all weekend long -- a situation which I suppose should be disappointing, but in fact, was just what we needed. Marcus, Alex and I holed up at home for the entire 48 hours: I journaled, Alex was introduced to Bugs Bunny and Daffy Duck (thus completing her animation education, I'm thinking), and Marcus played Skyrim for a shocking number of hours (men and their toys, man). It was positively heavenly. I was also able to a considerable amount of web surfing as well (because I'm productive like that). Here are some amazing things I… -
hasselblad friday: roll #5 (my first fuji roll; also, alleluia, i believe i've found the right film)
2 Feb 2012 | 10:00 pmI love this chapel with a white-hot passion. See that dark opening in the front white wall? That's the entrance. Doesn't it look like a giant white curtain is being peeled back for you to slip into the nave? (The chapel was designed by Philip Johnson. Of course.) Last week, as I was coming off of my Klaus-ish mood, I decided to take a little break and wander over to the University of St. Thomas. I hadn't been there in about 2-1/2 years, but I remembered that my last experience walking the labyrinth there was very peaceful, and peaceful was something that I was…
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Mighty Goods: Shopping Blog
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House of Harlow 1960 Feather Locket
7 Feb 2012 | 1:00 pmThis necklace from House of Harlow 1960 is a stunner. Flip open the shiny black faux cabochon framed by golden feathers, and you’ll find a locket. Now, whose photo will you keep hidden? -
Dog Pod
7 Feb 2012 | 12:00 pmIf he is indeed mans best friend, don’t make him lounge on the floor like some common animal. Puppies deserve furniture, too! Treat your dog to some sleek comfort with this modern dog pod that is attractive enough to suit your decor and comfy enough for Mr. Quiggley to snooze in. -
Stretch Pink Flower Ring
7 Feb 2012 | 10:00 amIs winter still behaving like winter in your neck of the woods? Brighten your day with a color block combo of hot pink and bright orange. Pair this cheerful daisy ring with, well, just about anything that needs a bit of cheer. -
Dock Tray
7 Feb 2012 | 8:40 amA solid oak tray provides endless storage and display possibilities for your most beloved apparatus. Use it horizontally, vertically, whatever suits your needs. Pack it up safe and sound when you’re done…as if that is ever going to happen. -
Michael Kors Hamilton Tote
7 Feb 2012 | 7:00 amIf you’re not willing to shell out for a big-time bag, this casual tote from Michael Kors might make you smile. Printed with a trompe l’oeil print, this cotton-canvas tote is only pretending to be fancy, and is completely charming because of it. Perfect for carrying books, running errands and shopping, and schlepping in style.
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doobleh-vay
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tell everyone
8 Feb 2012 | 11:23 amLittle Alouette can make you anything. -
::valentines candy for baby::
4 Feb 2012 | 5:57 amshop -
This was my little softie as a child. Handmade Love.
1 Feb 2012 | 7:42 amand now Scout loves it. -
need a gift? I have an amazing shopkeeper. Her name is Piper. Meet her.
30 Jan 2012 | 8:30 amPiper owns a cool shop. She has nice taste + cool sense of what it means to gift well. Go visit her. Tell her I said Holla! -
*Creating a Voice for your Company with Amy Turn Sharp*
29 Jan 2012 | 12:49 pmCreating a Voice for your Company with Amy Turn SharpThe gorgeous folks over at ETSY TEAM COLUMBUS are hosting me for a nice evening chat about creating a voice for your company!2/1/12 400 W. Rich Street. 6:30 pm They said some nice things about me here:Amy Turn Sharp is the wood queen of Little Alouette in Columbus, Ohio. She is also the maven or the diva if you will, of writing and connecting with customers! Amy will join us to talk about ways to connect with your customers, network and add value to your product as you learn how to sell yourself as an artist and as a business…
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Wallpaper* News Feed
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Artist's palate: Donatella Versace
9 Feb 2012 | 12:57 pmMuse, critic, designer, entrepreneur, company saviour and first lady of fashion, Donatella Versace may have tempered the sex and theatricality of the family brand a little, but there's still glamour galore in her output and appearance. Her favourite dish of pasta and caviar -
A timeline of Prada and OMA / AMO catwalk collaborations
9 Feb 2012 | 11:05 amPrada and Dutch architect Rem Koolhaas have been collaborating for a decade, and whilst the best-known fruits of the partnership are probably their innovative architectural endeavours – think Seoul’s Transformer project and the Prada Epicenter in New York – those on the inside track have, for the past eight years or so, been exposed to another side of the creative partnership. Koolhaas, his Rotterdam-based design studio OMA and the AMO think tank, have, since January 2004, collaborated with the Italian house on Prada's catwalk shows. Adapting the expansive interior space… -
Nicolas Le Moigne exhibition at Gallery Libby Sellers, London
8 Feb 2012 | 1:14 pmIf there were a visual equivalent of a double entendre, the work of Nicolas Le Moigne would define it. The Swiss designer goes to incredible lengths to make his designs seem at once greater and less than the sum of their parts. His meticulously crafted cast-off concrete stools for Eternit, for example, have the lowbrow appearance of compacted rubbish. His simple spool table is elevated like art on a podium. Most compelling, perhaps, is his 'Reflecting Ring', the diamond in which faces a mirror that makes it look twice its size and value. Le Moigne's talent for trompe l'oeil… -
Book: The Table of Power 2, by Jacqueline Hassink
6 Feb 2012 | 12:41 pmIn 1996 when Jacqueline Hassink first published 'The Table of Power', her photo-essays of the boardrooms of Europe's largest industrial multinationals, she was just 27 and the world was a very different place. It was a landmark project, the first time most of these rooms had ever been seen by the general public. In the spring of 2009, with the world already in the grip of financial crisis, the Dutch-born, New York-based artist decided to take another look at Europe's economic landscape through its boardrooms, and to see how boardroom design, revenue and employee numbers in… -
'The nature of things' at Artists' House, UK
3 Feb 2012 | 11:56 amIt's been just over ten years since London architect Stephen Marshall built Artists' House, the contemporary cottage on the grounds of the New Art Centre in Wiltshire and a modern foil for the grand 1804 mansion and Orangery at Roche Court. Originally conceived as a residence for artists putting in long days in the sculpture park, it was repurposed a few years ago by curator Sarah Griffin for the centre's first design exhibition. This weekend Griffin will launch a second design show, which features work by three Britain-based artists - a juxtapostion of domestic household items with…
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Shutter Sisters
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intimacy
9 Feb 2012 | 9:42 amThe thing I remember loving the most about my years as a portrait photographer was the ability to capture moments rarely noticed by anyone else. Moments of connection, family life, love, laughter. I made it my mission to seek out the nuances that often got overlooked; the things, that when distilled through my lens felt like magic. Of all the wonderful things I've been privileged to witness, the ones I feel most honored to share have been the moments of intimacy. The pauses in between the expected shots. The quick glance, the exhale,… -
fulfilled
8 Feb 2012 | 12:00 am“A hundred years from now it will not matter what my bank account was, the sort of house I lived in, or the kind of car I drove...but the world may be different because I was important in the life of a child.” - Forest E. Witcraft One goal of our new homeschooling adventure with our youngest son was to cultivate his love of science. Allowing him to guide the curriculum is proving to be exciting. While working on mathematics, spelling, reading, we are also exploring microbiology, chemistry, geography, photography, roman numerals, and Latin... all chosen by him. The… -
me. you. us.
7 Feb 2012 | 8:02 am"Above all else, it is about leaving a mark that I existed.I was here... I was hungry. I was defeated. I was happy. I was sad.I had an idea and I had a good purpose, and that is why I made works of art."- Felix Gonzalez-Torres Why do we take the photos we take? Do you have a story to share? -
i love to jump
6 Feb 2012 | 2:03 am1. jump, it's my birthday, 2. jump, 3. jump, 4. 193/365 - i just like to jump, 5. 132/365 - bench monday - autumn sunshine, 6. bluebells! I love to jump and leap... I'm often drawn to take a jump shot if the location excites me... it almost demands it. Do you like jump? have you tried it? I know that it's not everyone's cup of tea. But if you're tempted, why not have a go? Here's how I do it - Place your camera, aligning the framing you want... fix your focus point... set to self-timer... move into position... and only jump when you see the countdown finishing, and just before the shutter… -
served
5 Feb 2012 | 12:00 amMorning, noon, night, we are fortunate to have some kind of bounty on our tables. Whether it's a home cooked meal, a late night snack or a glorious night out where the food is graciously prepared and served with a smile, there's something about food that not only satisfies hunger (or thirst!) but also serves as instant subject matter for the next quick pic. I have never before captured so many table shots as I do now that I have taken up mobile phone photography. It's as if I just can't help myself. And why should I? Creative bursts come in the most unlikely…
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NYT > Movies
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The Carpetbagger: Black Fire Hydrants, O.C.D Costumes and Other Tricks of the Craft Categories
9 Feb 2012 | 11:28 amThe fire hydrant was painted black in "The Artist" while the makeup artist for "Albert Nobbs" studies the wrinkles of everyone he comes across. More on the tricks of the trade of nominees in the so-called craft categories at the Academy Awards. -
The Carpetbagger: Oscar Nominees in the Crafts Categories
9 Feb 2012 | 10:52 amThe craft professions behind the movies — costume design, art direction and makeup — get a moment in the spotlight too. -
Arts & Leisure: ‘Carrie,’ a Huge Stage Flop, Is Reinvented by MCC Theater
9 Feb 2012 | 10:23 amOne of Broadway’s greatest flops, “Carrie” is being dressed up, and toned down, for another onstage dance. -
MOVIES: From the Monstrous to the Subtle
9 Feb 2012 | 10:20 amMelena Ryzik visits Matthew Mungle, an Oscar-winning makeup artist, at his studio in North Hollywood to discuss his work transforming women into men in “Albert Nobbs.” -
The Carpetbagger: My Oscar Picks: Tabatha Coffey
9 Feb 2012 | 9:57 amTabatha Coffey of “Tabatha Takes Over” on Bravo shares her picks for the Oscar.
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Cool Mom Picks
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Betsey Johnson. Now making...cupcakes?
9 Feb 2012 | 11:00 amJust in time for fashion week, one of our favorite local cupcake bakeries is getting all dolled up for the occasion from one of our favorite designers and we couldn't be more excited. Seems like pink cupcakes are the new black. -
Star Wars in 3D gives everyone a chance to see it on the big screen
9 Feb 2012 | 8:00 amMy seven-year-old can tell you whose lightsaber is purple (Mace Windu) and what sound a Droideka makes (em! em!), but he's never been able to sit in a movie theater and see one of his beloved Star Wars movies on the big screen. Until now. -
Some of the best Valentine's gifts for kids - and a red-hot scooter giveaway
9 Feb 2012 | 7:00 amFor years we've been putting together some of the best ideas for Valentines gifts for kids. So instead of making you do the work, we've dug through our archives for some of our favorite kids' Valentines gift ideas that you can still order in time for the holiday. -
That doll? My kid made that. Sort of.
9 Feb 2012 | 3:00 amI spent a good portion of my childhood coloring, drawing and creating and was very proud of what my mother assured me was some serious talent. I can't even imagine how excited I would have been if she then had one of my creations turned into a doll from my very own artwork. -
Motivational posters that don't suck
8 Feb 2012 | 11:00 amWhen your friends and family use the Facebook to share only their children's premature accomplishments, their own wildly Photoshopped portraits, and pictures of themselves with your imaginary boyfriend, John Krasinski, , it's easy to feel jealous.
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Momversation
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Volunteering At School: Do You Buck Up Or Bow Out?
6 Feb 2012 | 1:00 amIf you have school aged kids, you're probably very familiar with being asked to volunteer at school. So which camp are you in? Are you one of the moms who helps out in whatever way you can or do you ignore requests to lend a hand and just assume someone else will take care of it? -
Dannon Oikos | The Tease
5 Feb 2012 | 6:00 amWatch the Dannon Oikos ad from the Big Game featuring John Stamos. For more info on Oikos, visit Facebook.com/Oikos -
Would You Take Your SON To Get His Ears Pierced?
3 Feb 2012 | 1:00 amIf your 13 year old son asked you to take him to the mall to get his ears pierced, would you have to stop and think about your answer? Would you worry about judgement from other moms, teachers and family members? If it's okay for your daughter...why not your son? -
Mean Joe Greene + Amy Sedaris Downy Super Bowl Sunday Commercial
2 Feb 2012 | 8:18 amDowny remakes a classic Super Bowl commercial starring Amy Sedaris and Mean Joe Green. Take our survey for a chance to win $1000! -
Dinner & Dessert Flavor
1 Feb 2012 | 2:32 pmIn this episode of "Celebrating Life's Flavors", Chef and entertaining guru, Pace Webb from tasteofpace.com, talks about how she fell in love with cooking and how food inspires her. Watch Pace as she shows us her tips and tricks for cooking delicious dinner party food that your guests will remember.
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How to Change the World
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Raising Money: What Not to Say and What Not to Believe #OfficeandGuyK
20 Jan 2012 | 10:46 amOver the past two weeks via my partnership with Microsoft and Office Web Apps, I’ve provided templates of models for you to create enchanting PowerPoint pitches, Word business plans, and Excel financial models. They are all available for you to download from my SkyDrive account. I hope these documents and blog posts help you save a boatload of time and increase the quality of your efforts.I leave you with two sets of top ten lies: one of entrepreneurs and one of investors so that you know what not to say and what not to believe. Top Ten Lies of Entrepreneurs “Our projections are… -
Design a Sam Adams beer
20 Jan 2012 | 8:24 amNow this is a fun project. I’m helping Sam Adams “tap” the knowledge of beer drinkers and crowd source its next brew. Join the party by getting the app and designing your beer: The final brew will be released in Austin in the first week of March. #sponsored -
How to Create an Enchanting Financial Forecast #OfficeandGuyK
17 Jan 2012 | 1:52 pmThis is the third post in my Microsoft partnership, and it’s all about numbers. The topic is crafting your financial forecast to include in your pitch. Bill Reichert, my partner at Garage Technology Ventures, created an Excel model and wrote this blog post. There’s a lesson in this too: Get the best person for the job. His grasp of financial models and how to present them exceeds mine by two orders of magnitude. The Purpose of Financial Projections When it comes to financial projections, there are two types of entrepreneurs: first, the “visionary entrepreneur” who… -
How to Create an Enchanting Business Plan #OfficeandGuyK
12 Jan 2012 | 8:16 amHere is the second post in my series about planning, pitching, and launching a new business venture. In partnership with Microsoft and Office Web Apps, I’ve created a Word document that outlines a good business plan. It’s saved to my SkyDrive folder here. Feel free to download it and use it as inspiration. And if you’re working with a partner, you can use the free Word Web App to stay in sync. I provided the PowerPoint document before the Word document because a good business plan is an elaboration of a good pitch as opposed to a good pitch being a distillation of good business plan. -
How to Create an Enchanting Pitch #OfficeandGuyK
9 Jan 2012 | 8:01 amWelcome to the first in a series of blog posts I’ll be doing as part of a partnership with Microsoft and Office Web Apps. Over the next two weeks, I’ll cover everything a budding entrepreneur needs to turn an idea into an enchanting investment opportunity—from the perfect pitch to a killer business plan to financial forecasts. I’m going to start with a little dissertation on creating effective PowerPoint pitches for your company. I embedded the sample deck for you to click through by using the PowerPoint Web App. When you’re ready to get started, you can download the…
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Sweetney
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Field Trips and Activist Shopping
9 Feb 2012 | 7:14 amToday, Charlie’s chaperoning The Kid’s field trip to a Baltimore historic site (it’s his day off). I’m still in bed when I get the first picture on my cell phone:They’re going to roast and eat him, aren’t they?In other Today-news, I somehow managed (with Laid Off Dad‘s help) to organize a “Shop-In” in support of JCPenney standing up to those Million Moms crazies. Basically, since voting with your dollars is all anyone understands anymore, what we’re organizing is a show of economic backing for companies like JCPenney –… -
“It’s okay to be someone else now.”
8 Feb 2012 | 9:52 amI think about this a lot. About what’s happened, and where I’ve been. And who I’ve become.I am not the same woman who started writing here in 2004. And I am not the same woman I was on June 19th, 2009, the day before everything changed.But who remains the same, anyway? And is that necessarily a virtue — sameness?Over the past few years I’ve experienced types and degrees of pain I never knew existed or wanted to know existed. I’ve also experienced the joy and exhilaration of finally living in truth, of reconciling honestly with myself about my choices and my… -
Required Reading for February 8th, 2012
8 Feb 2012 | 6:00 amThe Awesome Animated Gifs Series: Cats – Prepare to lose an hour. In a good way.Beardo – I vote no on proposition Beardo.(365) Days of Tumblr – Graphic designer Aaron Christopher Judd started a project called “365 Days of Tumblr” where he’d post a new image and quote every day for one year. The results are inspiring.The Divorce Tourniquet: First Aid for the Freshly Wounded – There are no words for how hard I love this post. Just go read it.M.I.A. Shouldn’t Have Apologized – Agreed in full.Amy Turn Sharp – a poem a day for a year #38… -
New Music: St. Vincent, “Cheerleader”
8 Feb 2012 | 4:49 amLove this video – a statement about the destructive repercussions of objectifying women – as much as the song. New Music: St. Vincent, “Cheerleader” is a post from Sweetney. © 2012 Sweetney.com. All rights reserved. -
A Month of Love: On Love and Money
7 Feb 2012 | 7:44 amJust three years ago, I was a full-time stay-at-home mom. I had no real job or income, and I hadn’t worked outside the home in any proper sense in almost ten years.Saying that just boggles my mind, on many levels.That I’ve been able, in three short years, to take what was then a hobby – all of this blogging stuff – and so rapidly turn it into something vaguely resembling a viable career is kind of astonishing. Time travel back to late 2008 and you’ll find that the sum total of my income from blogging then amounted to maybe enough to cover groceries every week.
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PR Couture: Fashion PR, Marketing & Social Media
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The Goods: Win a Pair of Industry Publicity’s Favorite PR Girl Work Pants
7 Feb 2012 | 7:47 amWhen Industry Publicity sent me over a pitch about their client Tribal Sportswear’s perfect-for-work pants, all priced under $75 and available in sizes 2-18, I immediately saw them as a fashion PR girl essential. But rather than just cover the pants, I asked the fashion PR and marketing firm to share which of the brand’s four styles are employee favorites. One thing is clear: while it may be winter in NYC, both PR Coordinator Mirta and Fashion Assistant Katelyn clearly have a taste for tangerine! Check out their fabulous fashion collages below. Mirta Carbajal, PR Coordinator… -
New York Fashion PR Jobs: Full-Time Fashion & Beauty AAE, Beauty PR Intern
5 Feb 2012 | 9:24 pmDesperately seeking your next fashion PR superstar? $25 per listing for a targeted applicant pool and tons of social promotion! Assistant Account Executive, ODA PR, NYC ODA PR, a fashion, accessories & lifestyle PR firm with fashion, accessory, beauty and lifestyle clients such as Badgley Mischka, RAOUL RTW & Accessories, Pink Tartan, BLUES by kyky, Ramy Brook, and Jane Post, are searching for a driven, outgoing, & passionate Assistant Account Executive. You’ll be responsible for: Creating pitches in Photoshop Making Cision lists Phone calls to editors Pitching editors and… -
Fashion PR Fridays: Fashion, PR & Marketing Links 2.3.12
3 Feb 2012 | 7:58 amWaiting to receive your invitation to Pinterest? It might just be one of the best moves you make for you and your brand. (via Social Media Today) Rent the Runway is opening its first ever pop up shop and hopes to be a new hit destination both online and in store for those looking to get beautified for a special event. (via PR Newswire) The CFDA/Vogue Fashion Fund has a new webisodes series featuring a contest to win their design scholarship. This isn’t your average fashion competition series and it even gives you the inside scoop on what goes on in the usually closed judging sessions.
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The Budget Fashionista
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From the WTF Files: Yankee Launch a Fragrance for Women
9 Feb 2012 | 7:04 amThe Budget Fashionista - Women's Budget Fashion, Style Advice, Designer Coupons We just received word that a New York Yankees "fragrance" is being launched at the end of Feb. According to the invite, the line of fragrances for both men and women were "inspired by baseball's most legendary... [[ This is a content summary only. Visit my website for full links, other content, and more! ]] -
How To Tie A Head Wrap
9 Feb 2012 | 4:00 amThe Budget Fashionista - Women's Budget Fashion, Style Advice, Designer Coupons Style.com We’ve been obsessed with head wraps for quite some time. They are the best accessory for hiding a bad hair day or adding some color to your outfit when you have to quickly run an errand. Now, however,... [[ This is a content summary only. Visit my website for full links, other content, and more! ]] -
6 Perfect Pumps for V-day from Nine West
8 Feb 2012 | 9:00 pmThe Budget Fashionista - Women's Budget Fashion, Style Advice, Designer Coupons The Deal: 6 Perfect Pumps for Vday from Nine West! The Lowdown: V-day’s fast approaching, and while we don’t mind nabbing a dress that showcases the latest and greatest trend for a dime at our favorite bargain... [[ This is a content summary only. Visit my website for full links, other content, and more! ]] -
Send this to Your Boyfriend, Husband, “Special Friend:” What You REALLY want for Valentine’s Day
8 Feb 2012 | 4:00 amThe Budget Fashionista - Women's Budget Fashion, Style Advice, Designer Coupons Concerned about your Valentine’s Day Gift? Don’t worry, TBF drafted letters for you to send to your beaus to help them in their quest for a truly excellent Valentine’s Day gift. Just copy and send! Dear XXX (insert... [[ This is a content summary only. Visit my website for full links, other content, and more! ]]
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What Would Tyler Durden Do
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Orlando Bloom is weird
9 Feb 2012 | 12:24 pmOrlando Bloom and Miranda Kerr are in Australia today, and she’s in a bikini drinking champagne in a hot tub with some other random girls who are also in bikinis, and he’s holding a naked babies penis up to his face. He must really really like that babies penis. -
Reese Witherspoon is fan friendly
9 Feb 2012 | 10:58 am‘This Means War’ had it’s big fancy premiere last night in Hollywood, and not only did Reese Witherspoon stop and sign tons if autographs for the fans, but she more or less showed them her tits too. Because some actors are actually friendly. Lindsay Lohan came along after that and gave one of [...] -
Arnold and Stallone had surgery together
9 Feb 2012 | 9:39 amArnold Schwarzenegger went on his WhoSay page last night, because apparently he has one of those, and posted this picture with the caption: “After all the action, stunts & physical abuse shooting The Expendables 2 and The Last Stand, it was time for a little tune up on my shoulder. Look who was coincidentally waiting [...] -
Kylie Bisutti should open her bible, read Matthew 25:14
9 Feb 2012 | 8:47 amKylie Bisutti won the Victoria’s Secret Model Search in 2009 when she was just 19, but now she’s decided she shouldn’t model bikinis and lingerie anymore because she’s religious, and somehow that means her husband is the only one who should see the sides of her tits. “I just started becoming more uncomfortable with [...] -
Selena Gomez is a good person
8 Feb 2012 | 4:38 pmIf there was ever a story about Lindsay Lohan visiting a stranger in a hospital, it would probably be because she was trying to buy oxycontin, so Selena Gomez deserves a lot of credit for quietly visiting Hana Hwang, a 13-year-old fan who is stricken with progeria (the fatal genetic condition that causes children [...]
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The Superficial - Because You're Ugly
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Halle Berry Seems Reasonable
9 Feb 2012 | 12:25 pmWhen we last left Halle Berry she was in the middle of making it look like Gabriel Aubry assaulted their nanny so she could strip him of visitation rights which absolutely no one bought including the judge. Since then there’s been a legal circus that’s so far resulted in their daughter Nahla being ordered to Read More ... -
Kris Jenner: The New Face Of Lube
9 Feb 2012 | 11:00 amAnd of course she’s holding a penguin. The most vagina-looking bird of them all… When Kris Jenner decided to use all that whoring around she did behind Robert Kardashian‘s back to shill her new book and lay the groundwork for outing Khloe as a bastard on cable television, I didn’t even stop to think there Read More ... -
Reese Witherspoon Wants Another Baby – AHA!
9 Feb 2012 | 10:20 amFor those of you just joining the site, I spent most of the summer trying to prove Reese Witherspoon is pregnant only to eventually give up and accuse her of getting an abortion, so trust me when I say the whole thing was very professional. Except here she is telling Us Weekly she wants another Read More ... -
Miranda Kerr’s In A Bikini, Clearly Hates Jesus
9 Feb 2012 | 9:17 amBecause a woman’s body is her husband’s property – After two years of bringing in sweet Victoria’s Secret checks, of course. – here’s the godless Jezebel Miranda Kerr flaunting her carnal treasures in Australia so that men may become filled with lust and spill their seed upon the ground thus fertilizing Satan’s subterranean army which Read More ... -
Kylie Jenner Tweets Photo of Khloe Kardashian With Her Real Dad, Pretends It’s A Joke
9 Feb 2012 | 8:07 amYesterday Kris Jenner thought it’d be an hilarious idea to make Kylie tweet the above photo of Khloe Kardashian with Alex Roldan the man who couldn’t more obviously be her real dad if he pulled somebody’s arms out of his socket when he loses a game goddammit my penis is lonely. Anyway, Kylie also included Read More ...
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dooce® main feed
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Beggar
9 Feb 2012 | 8:41 amSugar booger just wants some treats. I told her, of course. Right after you fix mama a hot dog. click image above to see the photo on dooce.comby dooce in Daily Photo© Armstrong Media, LLC. All rights reserved. Originally published by Heather B. Armstrong for dooce.com as Beggar. This post cannot be republished without express written permission. -
"It's only time, it will go by"
8 Feb 2012 | 3:46 pmI've currently got a chunk of panic in my throat, but I can see the end of the day over there. Listen to this with me. by dooce in Daily© Armstrong Media, LLC. All rights reserved. Originally published by Heather B. Armstrong for dooce.com as "It's only time, it will go by". This post cannot be republished without express written permission. -
Chuck, the bad influence
8 Feb 2012 | 12:13 pm"Want you tie them round MY neck." click image above to see the photo on dooce.comby dooce in Daily Chuck© Armstrong Media, LLC. All rights reserved. Originally published by Heather B. Armstrong for dooce.com as Chuck, the bad influence. This post cannot be republished without express written permission. -
Compass
8 Feb 2012 | 8:23 amThe scenery in Salt Lake is spectacular, yes, but it's also a built in navigation system. You always know which way is north because of your position next to the mountains. If that still confuses you, I will gladly never be a passenger in your car. click image above to see the photo on dooce.comby dooce in Daily Photo© Armstrong Media, LLC. All rights reserved. Originally published by Heather B. Armstrong for dooce.com as Compass. This post cannot be republished without express written permission. -
Classy
8 Feb 2012 | 7:54 amThis may be my favorite Cami ever. Sun-drenched perfection. Fur collar jacket: vintage (I REPEAT: VINTAGE) Dress & boots & necklace & sunglasses: thrifted Belt: H&M Purse: vintage Dooney & Bourke (You can find Cami here. Photos by Billy Concha.) click image above to see the photo on dooce.comby dooce in Daily Style© Armstrong Media, LLC. All rights reserved. Originally published by Heather B. Armstrong for dooce.com as Classy. This post cannot be republished without express written permission.
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iambossy.com
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Face Off
6 Feb 2012 | 5:58 pmRecently Bossy went to a Skincare Specialist, which is not the same as a Dermatologist, because Bossy did that too. The difference is: one has built a career attending to all of the latest clinical techniques and procedures associated with elasticity, longevity, and rejuvenation — and one is a skin doctor. Bossy’s skin has never given her much trouble, but as she ages — and this is strange — her skin gets old. And so Bossy was looking for advice regarding the most effective management routine given her limited resources. After analyzing Bossy’s skin along with… -
Yet Another Little Known Fact
5 Feb 2012 | 12:48 pmThis is Bossy dancing down yet another Soul Train Line at a blog conference in Chicago five years ago. -
Thank You Don Cornelius
5 Feb 2012 | 12:43 pmWhen Bossy was a girl she never missed an episode of Soul Train, a music variety show featuring R&B, soul, funk, disco, gospel, dunk, fosgel, and risco. The series was created in 1971 by its first host and executive producer, Don Cornelius. It wasn’t so much the fashion Bossy tuned in to see, or even the first glimpse of unknown artists who would later become huge. Plain and simple, Bossy watched Soul Train because she loved the Soul Train line. For those who aren’t familiar with a Soul Train Line because your solar capsule just landed on Neptune — or you are pleasingly… -
Yet Another Little Known Fact
31 Jan 2012 | 6:55 pmThis is the sink in the break room at Bossy’s office after, oh, twenty minutes. Caffeine drives the economy. -
Childhood Fears Real And Imagined But Mostly Real
31 Jan 2012 | 6:46 pmWhen Bossy was a girl she was told you could never look in the direction of anyone welding because your eyes would burn. So basically Bossy spent her childhood navigating a cityscape of blowtorches, terrified even the smallest amount of peeking would result in the riotous downfall of civilization. Or Bossy’s retina in flames, whichever came first. But then Bossy saw this: And Bossy began to think along the lines of: If Jennifer Beals can dominate a blowtorch maybe Bossy could sneak a very small look. Also in Bossy’s childhood, she was told if she stared at a full moon on a…
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Better Living Through Design
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Indie Pendant
9 Feb 2012 | 7:53 amLess than a week until February 14th. Do you have something for your Valentine? The Indie Pendant is a hand-made, satin brass pendant which you can customize with a special date, your loved one’s name, or anything else, up to sixteen characters. -
B&B Italia Leather Sectional Sofa by Afra Scarpa
9 Feb 2012 | 7:37 amI’m obsessing over 1970′s vintage leather right now, and mainly this arose out of living with a man who is allergic to my cat. My wool Bottoni sofa is a virtual sponge for cat dander, and my poor boyfriend can’t take it any longer. We looked at new leather–but if you buy a high quality piece it will cost about as much as a car. So, on to Ebay I went. I scored a cool 70′s Italian leather piece from B&B Italia for a song. There are similar listings on auction sites for around $8500, but if you’re not in a hurry, you can wait it out and get a good price… -
Noir Pendant Lamp
9 Feb 2012 | 7:18 amThe Noir Pendant lamp, which is a powdercoated black matte metal shade with a beech wood cap has a weighty, architectural look to it. With its large scale, the fixture would be most suited as an anchor for a dining table or perhaps a kitchen island. -
Rustic Storage Console
8 Feb 2012 | 7:09 amI’ve been looking for a table for my entry for things like mail, keys and other remnants from a long day of work. At the time, I wasn’t able to find anything, so I had something made by a local craftsman for under $300. It’s a nice sturdy piece, but it doesn’t have drawers, and that would definitely keep that area tidier than it is looking now. This piece by WestElm is actually almost exactly the same size, but it has the drawers that I’m now wishing my custom console had. Constructed from solid mango wood, the piece has a nice muted look. -
Review: Ari Marcopoulos Incase Camera Bag
8 Feb 2012 | 6:42 amI’ve finally found the perfect bag for both day-to-day commuting and air travel. Here are a few of the things I love about it: 1. Interior side pocket fits both my MacBook Air & Kindle perfectly. 2. Exterior side pocket allows for easy and secure access to wallet, keys, phone. 3. Comes with a waterproof cover(!) 4. It’s a perfect carry-on sized bag. 5. Side handle makes it easy to pull in and out from under airplane seats 6. Bag interior lined with soft material to keep all your gadgets scratch-free. 7. Configureable interior compartments with velcro dividers–perfect…
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OMSH
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Furniture? You’ve got to be kidding me.
14 Jan 2012 | 6:51 pmSo remember how I said it was mine and Jeff’s 17th wedding anniversary? In today’s “modern” marriage climate, I tend to think seventeen years is a pretty big, hairy deal. This naturally led me to consider what exactly it was that I should be awarded* for 17 years (or rather 20, if we count dating time) with this man. A quick Google search turns up Wikipedia’s advice for what to “gift” after 17 years of marriage. If the title of this post hasn’t completely given it away (which I imagine it has/did), the answer is FURNITURE. Seriously people? Who… -
17 Years
12 Jan 2012 | 11:59 amJanuary 14, 2012 marks 17 years married to Jeff. The photo above is framed in our bathroom. It was taken at his Basic Training graduation in Ft. Benning, GA, at the start of 2001. I love it. I was so happy to see him after all the weeks we were apart. More time apart was coming, but we reveled in those few hours we had together before he was shipped off to Ft. Sam Houston for AIT. And when I say reveled, I mean we kicked his mom (who flew in with me to see the graduation) out of the hotel room and got busy. The note, “You are my everything” is one of many love notes I’ve… -
An Event Apart ’11, San Francisco
13 Dec 2011 | 10:54 amAs a web designer I have long enjoyed the genius behind the crew at A List Apart. Their passion for standards-based web design is the foundation for An Event Apart (AEA), the two-day conferences that take place all over the United States. As they so clearly state, “If you care about code as well as content, usability as well as design, An Event Apart is the conference you’ve been waiting for.” It has taken a couple of years, and a dip into my savings, but I finally took the jump and purchased my conference ticket to the AEA San Francisco show, along with the extra third-day… -
My Cake School
22 Oct 2011 | 10:04 pmIf you have a sweet tooth and/or a love for cake decorating you will really enjoy the redesign of Melissa Diamond’s My Cake School. When Melissa came to me to redesign her site, she knew she wanted to update the look and branding, but her biggest concern was for her growing membership; she wanted to make the site more user-friendly and navigable. Melissa needed a more effective way to manage a large, growing community of subscribed members. She wanted to make it easier for them to share, interact and participate. This included the My Cake School subscription based forums, the 100+ cake… -
What Will We Do Today
13 Oct 2011 | 8:28 pmWhen I received Jill Hart’s first email I knew I had to work with her. She wrote, “I need a design, I need it fresh, I need it organized, I need ideas…” Let me assure you, while I agree she did need to freshen up her design, she was very organized and if there ever was a woman full of ideas, Jill is that woman. A bit of correspondence and a couple of phone calls later and we were on our way toward Jill’s vision. First, let me say the upbeat tone was quickly set by illustrator Brenda Ponnay. Brenda created Jill’s main header and several little illos that…
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Design*Sponge
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upholstery basics: boxed ottoman
9 Feb 2012 | 10:00 amThe last time we met, we got out our sewing machines and tackled boxed cushions. I have a feeling your pets (and you) have recently found a comfy and fashionable place to perch. So what better way to finesse our sewing skills than to try, try again. I found this stout coffee table at a thrift store and thought it would look so much better with some padding and this great geo fabric by Lulu DK. With the skills we learned last month, a little elbow grease and a staple gun, this table went from stodgy to stylish in a few short hours. — Amanda Read the full how-to after the jump! -
before & after: embroidered wardrobe
9 Feb 2012 | 9:00 amI recently re-watched the film Objectified, and this time around, I found myself inspired by Dutch designer Hella Jongerius, particularly when she said that what interests her most as a designer is how to bring identity and character to something that is produced industrially. You can see this vision so clearly in her work; she brings a humanistic, hand-crafted touch to all her designs, including the pieces available en masse at IKEA. It’s not surprising that people are so drawn to her designs and those little details that speak to our experience of culture and memory, delighting our… -
before & after: painted pattern floor
9 Feb 2012 | 8:00 amWhen floors are in bad condition and refinishing or renovating seems out of the question, people often try to downplay their floors by painting them a neutral color or hiding them under various rugs. However, I’m becoming increasingly convinced that if you can find a pattern or color you really love, the best cure for a mediocre floor can be a bold, eye-catching treatment instead. Take this pretty patterned-floor project by Carrie of Lovely Etc., for example. Carrie ripped up the old, gross carpet in her living and dining rooms to find a plywood subfloor. She originally planned to paint… -
d*s radio: feedback + suggestions?
9 Feb 2012 | 7:00 amImage above via Caren Alpert I’ve been dreaming about writing this post ever since I first stepped foot inside the Heritage Radio studios in Brooklyn. I can’t even describe how happy and lucky I feel to announce that this spring, I’ll be hosting my own radio show! It’s been almost nine years since I put down my headphones and left my radio station days behind me at William & Mary (where I hosted an embarrassing but fun jam band show every Friday), and not a day has gone by that I haven’t missed it. I’ve always felt comfortable in a radio booth, and I… -
d*s on pinterest!
9 Feb 2012 | 6:00 amLiving room image above via Emily Summers + Coleman Coker via Fauxology I’m excited to announce that D*S is branching out this week with two fun new projects. The first is the creation of a Design*Sponge page on Pinterest! Despite working online, I can be slow and skeptical about adopting new tech or social networking platforms. Just ask AC — it took me two years to get into Twitter, and now it’s a huge (and hugely enjoyable) part of my day-to-day life. Amy has been asking me to consider Pinterest for a while now (along with a lot of you reading), and I’ve been…
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ReadWriteWeb
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Hangout With the Scientists Looking for the God Particle
9 Feb 2012 | 11:57 amWant to hang out with the people who run the CMS? No, not the content management system. The Compact Muon Solenoid. It's one of the two big detectors at the Large Hadron Collider (LHC), the largest and highest-energy particle accelerator in the world. CERN physicist Dr. Albert De Roeck is hosting a Google+ Hangout tomorrow from inside the cavern where the experiment takes place, about 100 meters underneath Cessy, France. He'll explain the CMS experiment and take questions about the crazy frontiers of particle physics. Sponsor The CMS is one of the two general-purpose LHC experiments searching… -
Fabled Google Drive Won't Be Another Dropbox
9 Feb 2012 | 11:00 amThe Wall Street Journal has revived rumors about Google launching a cloud storage service called Drive. The comparison everybody wants to make is to Dropbox. The thinking is that Google will challenge everyone's favorite start-up by releasing a native desktop and mobile Drive app with the same syncing features Dropbox users know and love. Google Drive rumors have been around for many years, and they've always conformed to the understanding of "The Cloud" that has prevailed at the time. If it's not like Apple's iCloud, which is integrated into Apple's devices, then it must be like Dropbox,… -
[STUDY] 61% of Social Media Users Feel So Close To You
9 Feb 2012 | 10:30 amSometimes little things like a sweet comment on Facebook or a Twitter friend calling your tweet a "favorite" can really make a social networker bee's day. A new study from Pew finds that for the most part, adults are kind to each other on social media sites. In fact, 85% of adults say that most of the people they come across on social media are rather kind; only 5% say that people are "mostly unkind," which would imply rude or mean. An additional 5% say that it's all situational. On the whole, adults have positive experiences on social networking sites. A total 68% of SNS users had an… -
[Infographic] Mapping the Tools in the Mobile Development Ecosystem
9 Feb 2012 | 10:00 amThe mobile development ecosystem is a large, complicated space. There are innovative startups making tools for native and mobile Web apps along with large enterprise-grade companies that offer solutions from cloud support to frameworks and developer environments. For a mobile developer, it can be confusing to know where to turn and what to use to make the best app possible. Mobile "backend-as-a-service" startup Kinvey created a map for ReadWriteMobile to help developers understand the ecosystem. Kinvey brackets the mobile ecosystem between two primary pillars: the service providers and the… -
Harry Reid Wants a Bigger, Badder Version of SOPA/PIPA
9 Feb 2012 | 9:30 amSenate Majority Leader Harry Reid, D-Nev., still licking wounds from last week's defeat of the Protect IP Act and its House counterpart the Stop Online Piracy Act, is reportedly working on an even more sinister, Internet-regulating bill. Few details have been publicly disclosed about the latest push by legislative Democrats to expand executive-branch authority over the Internet, but the Daily Caller has pieced together publicly-available clues suggesting that Reid's newest bill is even broader than President Barack Obama's cybersecurity proposal. Sponsor Released last May, Obama's proposal…
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Mashable!
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Live LOLCats: Cheezburger Plans Grammy Awards Memes in Real Time
9 Feb 2012 | 12:35 pmI Can Has Cheezburger plans to turn the 54th Grammy Awards into a laughing matter by giving viewers an outlet to write funny captions for red carpet and ceremony photos. The “Live LOLing” event starts Sunday at 4 p.m. PT when Cheezburger’s ROFLrazzi site, Twitter profile and Facebook page will begin publishing Grammy images with humorous captions — in lolcat meme format. People can click “Recaption This” to plop their own witty text on the photos. Participants can then share their creations on their social networks. Cheezburger editor in chief Emily Huh… -
Popularity of an Article Can Be Predicted Before It’s Tweeted [VIDEO]
9 Feb 2012 | 12:24 pmHP Labs says it’s possible to know if your tweet will be a dud before you type the 140 characters. Researchers have developed a formula that predicts the number of times a news “article will be tweeted with surprising accuracy.” The researchers predicted tweet popularity with 84% accuracy based on ranking news articles by four criteria. In the new study called “The Pulse of News in Social Media: Forecasting Popularity, HP Labs used a statistical model to rate the popularity of 40,000 news articles published during nine days in August 2011. The statistical model… -
Yahoo’s New Visualization Beautifully Shows What’s Happening on the Web
9 Feb 2012 | 12:00 pmYahoo has launched a new webpage that visualizes what’s happening on the web in near real time — and it’s totally beautiful. The Content Optimization Relevance Engine (C.O.R.E.) HTML5 site hopes to show users the “behind the scenes” process Yahoo uses to match readers with content on their personalized homepage, using technology developed in a Yahoo research lab a few years ago. While Yahoo’s homepage used to be arranged by editors, it now uses an algorithm to match individual user preferences. “We can provide users with insights through the lens of… -
Who Really Invented the Web? Texas Trial Questions Tim Berners-Lee [VIDEO]
9 Feb 2012 | 11:48 amTim Berners-Lee, who is credited with inventing the World Wide Web, testified this week in a Texas courtroom against a company that claims it has a patent on the same technology. The man who claims to have the patent on the “interactive web” is Michael Doyle. His company, Eolas Technologies, has filed suit against many of the world’s biggest Internet companies — including Google and Yahoo — over the case. Doyle’s lawyers say the companies owe him millions in royalty payments for using such common functions as watching online video or search suggestions pop… -
Mass Effect 3 Gets iPad Version with Action-Packed ‘Infiltrator’ [PREVIEW]
9 Feb 2012 | 11:35 amMass Effect 3 is coming to an iPad near you in the form of Mass Effect Infiltrator, an iOS game aimed at expanding the game’s narrative and give players some mobile combat. Infiltrator isn’t a direct port of the latest Mass Effect game. Unlike its big brother, a sci-fi role-playing game known for its first-person shooter gameplay and massive, branching story-lines, Infiltrator is all about fighting. Mashable got a demo of the game played on an iPad and hooked up to a television at an EA showcase. The story follows a soldier called Randall Ezno as he travels the universe tracking…
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Cool Hunting
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TC+ BJ = 23 Art Intervention
9 Feb 2012 | 12:15 pmArtist Tofer Chin shrinks his trademark stalagmites for a set of rings befitting Bijules Artist Tofer Chin's signature stalagmites have taken many forms over the years—as massive installations popping off gallery walls and planted in parks, and as the geometric force breaking up mathematically-derived Op Art patterns in mind-bending paintings. But the LA-based artist's sharp expressions, on view in his current solo show "Totally", are about to receive a fashionable change-up from Bijules' NYC-based jewelry designer Jules Kim. For one night only, the collaborative duo will present "TC+… -
Eau Good
9 Feb 2012 | 9:00 amReusable water bottle incorporates traditional charcoal filtration From design powerhouse Black + Blum comes a stellar new alternative to wasteful disposable water bottles. Eau Good uses Binchō-tan, a traditional Japanese charcoal, to naturally filter tap water over the course of six hours. The plastic bottle has a small indent to hold the charcoal in place while drinking, and a simple squeeze releases the piece for replacement. Held in place with a metal ring, a natural cork stopper secures the opening. Sourced from sustainably harvested timber, the charcoal is created by burning the… -
CH Editions: Our Photo Safari With The Bushcamp Company and Pentax
9 Feb 2012 | 5:44 amTravel with Cool Hunting editors on a very special trip to Zambia's South Luanga National Park When we learned about The Bushcamp Company, the only safari operator in the southern part of Zambia's game-filled South Luanga National Park, we not only wanted to visit, we wanted to share it with our readers in a way that a story or video couldn't provide. We decided the best way to share the experience was to actually share the experience, and we are proud to announce our first CH Edition trip, which is available exclusively through Jetsetter. This trip of a lifetime combines adventure, education… -
Almond Water
8 Feb 2012 | 3:45 pmA nutty French refreshment from LA's Victoria's Kitchen A longstanding French tradition, almond water has been produced in small batches by nut lovers around the globe for hundreds of years. Bringing this all-natural treat to the masses is Victoria's Kitchen, a small, family-run company started by husband-and-wife duo David and Deborah Meniane to "honor the importance of family and traditions that are passed on from generation to generation." Loaded with the nutrients found naturally in almonds, the gluten-free beverage still uses Grandma Victoria's original recipe of water, natural almond… -
Vim Beget Jewelry
8 Feb 2012 | 1:36 pmThe one-man machine behind beautifully antiqued hand-woven accessories Seattle-based Vim Beget makes jewelry and accessories with a vaguely antique aesthetic, blurring the barrier between past and present. Each piece of burnished silver is finished with rusted steel, affording it its own unique look and feel—the upshot of hours spent in the hands of sole designer Billy Bartels. Deeply rooted in the process, Bartels believes a hands-on approach makes the the end result worthwhile, and cuts each link separately before hand weaving them into a chain for bracelets and necklaces. "It's a…
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Spot Cool Stuff: Design
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Fingerprint Rings
8 Feb 2012 | 3:35 amHere’s a creative idea that’s part artsy, part CSI and all cool: fingerprint rings. That is, a ring with a fingerprint implanted into the metal. Each person’s fingerprint is unique. So incorporating the fingerprint of your special someone on an engagement ring or wedding band is a way of making the jewelry equally as unique. (Insert a pun about fingerprint rings possessing a “personal touch” here.) For such an unusual sounding idea, a surprising number of jewelers offer fingerprint rings. Here’s a rundown of our four favorites: brent & jess Master… -
2 Cool London Bookshelf Staircases
3 Feb 2012 | 11:11 amSpot Cool Stuff loves books. And we love creative staircases. So it isn’t surprising that we’re drawn to cool stuff at the confluence of both. Here’s a look at two unusual architectural designs that combine stairs with bookshelves. Has it happens, both are located in London. And neither has an owner that’s about to move their book collection to an Amazon Kindle anytime soon. Levitate Architects Bookshelf Staircase Private home, North London Necessity breeds innovation, they say. And that’s exactly how this cool bookshelf came about. The owners of a small 70… -
Cool—and Functional—Kitchenware from Architec
11 Dec 2011 | 4:30 pmDurable, environmentally friendly and cool looking. Those are the first three adjectives that come to mind when we think of Architec Housewares, one of Spot Cool Stuff’s favorite designers of cookware. What Architec’s hot pads, cutting boards and mixing bowls are best known for, though, are their non-slip properties. For cooks who have suffered our share of burns, cuts and spills this is no small thing. A look at our three favorite Architec items: Silicone HotGrip Architec’s HotGrips are so flexible and squishy that they provide almost the same tactile experience as grabbing… -
The Moses-Inspired Trench Bridge
1 Dec 2011 | 1:32 pmWhen at water level, you can’t really see the bridge that crosses a moat to the 17th-century Fort de Roovere. View it from a bit of elevation, though, and the bridge isn’t only visible but looks rather puzzling. That’s because the bridge—near the coastal town of Halsteren, Holland—doesn’t span over the water. And it doesn’t skim along the surface of the water. Instead, the bridge goes through the water. Looking at the bridge head on, the effect is quite striking. The water appears to part Red Sea-like. No wonder locals have nicknamed it the “Moses… -
THE Art Museum Book
1 Dec 2011 | 1:25 pmIf you could curate the ultimate art museum with an unlimited budget what works of art would you choose to display? A team of over 100 editors, art historians and archeologists spent more than a decade tackling that very question. The result of their collective research is displayed in an epic volume titled, appropriately, The Art Museum. Read the rest on our book review blog
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ReadWriteWeb
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Hangout With the Scientists Looking for the God Particle
9 Feb 2012 | 11:57 amWant to hang out with the people who run the CMS? No, not the content management system. The Compact Muon Solenoid. It's one of the two big detectors at the Large Hadron Collider (LHC), the largest and highest-energy particle accelerator in the world. CERN physicist Dr. Albert De Roeck is hosting a Google+ Hangout tomorrow from inside the cavern where the experiment takes place, about 100 meters underneath Cessy, France. He'll explain the CMS experiment and take questions about the crazy frontiers of particle physics. Sponsor The CMS is one of the two general-purpose LHC experiments searching… -
Fabled Google Drive Won't Be Another Dropbox
9 Feb 2012 | 11:00 amThe Wall Street Journal has revived rumors about Google launching a cloud storage service called Drive. The comparison everybody wants to make is to Dropbox. The thinking is that Google will challenge everyone's favorite start-up by releasing a native desktop and mobile Drive app with the same syncing features Dropbox users know and love. Google Drive rumors have been around for many years, and they've always conformed to the understanding of "The Cloud" that has prevailed at the time. If it's not like Apple's iCloud, which is integrated into Apple's devices, then it must be like Dropbox,… -
[STUDY] 61% of Social Media Users Feel So Close To You
9 Feb 2012 | 10:30 amSometimes little things like a sweet comment on Facebook or a Twitter friend calling your tweet a "favorite" can really make a social networker bee's day. A new study from Pew finds that for the most part, adults are kind to each other on social media sites. In fact, 85% of adults say that most of the people they come across on social media are rather kind; only 5% say that people are "mostly unkind," which would imply rude or mean. An additional 5% say that it's all situational. On the whole, adults have positive experiences on social networking sites. A total 68% of SNS users had an… -
[Infographic] Mapping the Tools in the Mobile Development Ecosystem
9 Feb 2012 | 10:00 amThe mobile development ecosystem is a large, complicated space. There are innovative startups making tools for native and mobile Web apps along with large enterprise-grade companies that offer solutions from cloud support to frameworks and developer environments. For a mobile developer, it can be confusing to know where to turn and what to use to make the best app possible. Mobile "backend-as-a-service" startup Kinvey created a map for ReadWriteMobile to help developers understand the ecosystem. Kinvey brackets the mobile ecosystem between two primary pillars: the service providers and the… -
Harry Reid Wants a Bigger, Badder Version of SOPA/PIPA
9 Feb 2012 | 9:30 amSenate Majority Leader Harry Reid, D-Nev., still licking wounds from last week's defeat of the Protect IP Act and its House counterpart the Stop Online Piracy Act, is reportedly working on an even more sinister, Internet-regulating bill. Few details have been publicly disclosed about the latest push by legislative Democrats to expand executive-branch authority over the Internet, but the Daily Caller has pieced together publicly-available clues suggesting that Reid's newest bill is even broader than President Barack Obama's cybersecurity proposal. Sponsor Released last May, Obama's proposal…
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Charlene Li
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New Report: “Make An App For That: Mobile Strategies For Retailers”
7 Feb 2012 | 10:16 amWhen it comes to shopping, I have a love/hate relationship with my iPhone. Some apps are actually helpful, letting me explore products or buy something immediate. But the vast majority of the retailer apps litter my screens, sitting unused after an initial, disappointing whirl. My frustration is reflected in the findings of my colleague Chris Silva‘s new report, entitled “Make An App For That: Mobile Strategies For Retailers“. Of particular value is that Chris pivots the report around two major strategies retails can use when it comes to mobile: Enrich: These strategies are… -
Jerry Yang’s departure signals a New Day for Yahoo!, the passing of an era for Tech
17 Jan 2012 | 4:30 pmMy first reaction to the news that Jerry Yang is leaving Yahoo! was that this was the passing of an era. I first met Jerry in 1994 when he was still a PhD student at Stanford, before he and David Filo left to run Yahoo! full time. Through bubbles and two economic downturns, Jerry has always been omnipresent in Silicon Valley. But all good things come to pass. With the arrival of Scott Thompson as the new CEO of Yahoo!, it makes sense that Scott be given a clean slate upon which to write the future of Yahoo!. This is very much the norm for incoming CEOs, where founders are asked to take a… -
Predictions Social Business in 2012, Part III: Transforming Your Organization
9 Jan 2012 | 10:26 amThis is the last of three posts I’m writing on predictions and priorities for Social Business in 2012. You can read the first and second prediction posts for more context. Prediction #3: Connected leaders and employees will create sustained competitive advantages through a culture of sharing. This year will see some companies pull ahead of others because they are able to collaborate, innovate and execute better and faster thanks to an ingrained culture of sharing. This is the year that companies get serious about investing in their internal social business capabilities, simply because it… -
Predictions for Social Business in 2012, Part II: Knowing Your Customer
3 Jan 2012 | 4:26 pmRather than simply make prognostications, I wanted to give actionable advice based on these trends. This is the second of my three predictions and priorities for Social Business in 2012 (read the first prediction). Prediction #2: Your customers want to be known. Your customers don’t merely want you to understand their needs or pain points. They want you to know them as individuals anywhere and anytime they engage with you. Companies sure know a lot about us, without knowing much. For example, I’m classified for marketing purposes as a Gen X, 35-45 years old, graduate degree holding, Real… -
Predictions and Priorities for Social Business in 2012 – Part I
2 Jan 2012 | 9:57 amMy pet peeve about the annual predictions ritual is that they lack context for action. It’s nice to know that tablets and big data are important — but what should you do about it? So here’s my attempt at not only forecasting but also to provide actions that companies should be prioritizing in 2012. The Process: I went through my speaking and client engagements in 2011 and looked at which topics and themes I kept referring to over and over again, especially toward the end of the year. I also analyzed which of the tweets from these events were most retweeted to verify where the heat…
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Church of the Customer Blog
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Playbooks and visual explanations
6 Feb 2012 | 8:30 amBy the time the New York Giants and the New England Patriots took the field Sunday for their Super Bowl matchup, the players on both teams had read, re-read and rehearsed their respective game playbooks dozens, if not hundreds of times. They'd studied each play via multiple diagrams and photographs, stats and descriptions of assignments for every player on the field. A playbook is an apt metaphor for any business team that needs concise, how-to plans to deal with the complexity of systems, processes and moving variables, especially with social business. Whether it's for one of the world's… -
People trust people
1 Feb 2012 | 12:27 pm[Click on chart to see larger version.] The latest edition of the Edelman Trust Barometer study just came out showing CEO's in the dog house when it comes to being trusted. Who do people trust? Academic and tech experts, sure. But the biggest movers in the study are "a person just like me" and "regular employee." Look at your 2012 marketing plan. Are you providing ways for your customers to get together in-person and online to encourage word of mouth? Are you showcasing your best employees in social media, at conferences, and at private events with customers? Source: 2012 Edelman… -
FedEx's apology: expertly delivered
21 Dec 2011 | 8:29 pmWe've seen this before: 1) company makes an egregious service mistake and is outed by a customer via a YouTube video, 2) video goes viral, 3) mainstream media picks up the story and amplifies it, 4) PR nightmare begins. This week's culprit is FedEx. A California FedEx driver is caught on a security-camera video flinging a package containing a computer monitor over the fence of a gated Southern California house. At no time does the driver attempt to ring the bell for delivery. Just a toss over the fence, and he jumps back into his truck. In two days, the video has over three million views. … -
The simplest definition of word of mouth marketing
28 Nov 2011 | 12:38 pmNice video from WOMMA on the basics of word of mouth marketing. Tweet -
14 new statistics about word of mouth marketing
17 Oct 2011 | 11:45 amThe Word of Mouth Marketing Association (WOMMA) has a neat infographic detailing the latest stats about word or mouth marketing, online and offline. Source: WOMMA Note: the WOMMA Summit is coming up November 16-18 in Las Vegas. It's a great conference to learn the latest WOM marketing techniques from leading brands and agencies. Tweet
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Brains On Fire Blog
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I Watched, I Purchased, My Problem was Solved
9 Feb 2012 | 6:42 amI recently remembered a story about advertising that worked wonders in introducing me to a product that I purchased and loved. Being somewhat of a music and technology nerd, I follow several blogs that keep pace with what’s happening in the industry. I can’t remember exactly where, but in browsing one of those sites a few years ago I ran across this marketing video from a company called Tune Up Media (1): They happened to be running a discount promotion at the time, so in an extremely rare instance for me, I acted on their message, went to the website, and purchased their product. -
Get Your WOM Notebook Ready… Chapter One: Believe
8 Feb 2012 | 6:30 amSo, here you are… a friend of WOM or maybe you are just starting to explore. Word of Mouth Marketing is a passion for me, and I’m lucky enough to have a career in it. But this didn’t happen by accident. My career took root organically, as a result of my belief in the power of WOM, not because I set out to do it. Back in 2001, Brains on Fire partnered with the Department of Health and Environmental Control of South Carolina. We were tasked with the challenge of tackling teen smoking in our state. If you are at all familiar with South Carolina, you probably know tobacco plays a… -
Airport Conversations and The Secret Sauce of Success
7 Feb 2012 | 6:59 amEvery once in awhile someone will ask me what I do for a living. These conversations usually occur in the kinds of places where strangers feel compelled to carry on polite chitchat. In line at the grocery store. Doctor’s office waiting rooms. Airplanes waiting to be cleared for take-off. When I tell people I am a writer, they often respond in the same way I imagine I would respond if someone told me they traveled with the circus or roadied for Def Leppard in the 80s. An incredulous mix of shock and awe, with undertones of questioning my sanity. “That’s…brave,” they… -
Inspiration.
6 Feb 2012 | 7:28 amThe Erics, looking for inspiration. Hello! Hope you’re excited about the week ahead of you. I am. About a year or so ago, I posted a blog asking YOU a simple question. And since I LOVED the answers and they all inspired me, I am asking again… I really need you guys today. I love writing. Think I have shared this before, but I believe writing inspires thinking and exploring and sharing. And thinking and exploring and sharing are good things. If you are reading this and hanging out with us, I have to believe you think we add value in your life. So, I have a question for you: If you… -
The Power of Kindness.
2 Feb 2012 | 8:30 amFresh flowers from Libby William’s Photoblog. The other day I got a note in the mail. The old fashion “ink on paper” kind. It started like this: Dearest Darling Robbin, Hmmmm. I have to tell you in the middle of my crazy, busy, over stimulated workday, those words stopped me dead in my tracks. I took a deep breath and smiled at the “over the top-ness” of this salutation. What came after that was nothing short of the kindest words anyone’s written to me in a long time. Just a couple of heartfelt observations mixed in with some wit and honesty. It was a nice gentle break from…
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Christine Tremoulet - Houston Texas Wedding Photographer - Boudoir Photography
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Not About A Wedding – but a Life Update!
30 Jan 2012 | 8:24 am8 years ago this month, my then soon-to-be-husband Mike & I put an offer on our first house. It was in Lakewood Forest, a neighborhood we chose for the older trees, close proximity to where I used to live to be least disruptive to my son’s life as we got married, and close to my parents. We loved that house. It was good to us. A nice quiet, peaceful neighborhood. Good schools. We had always wanted to live in the Heights; it just didn’t make sense at the time. 7 years later, we bought our house in the Heights after more years of dreaming about it (yay!) and put our first house… -
Houston Wedding Photography – The Best of 2011 – The First Quarter
3 Jan 2012 | 6:42 am2011 was a year full of wonderful Houston wedding photography that I was so very honored to document! When I realized that I just couldn’t fit everything I loved about 2011 into one post, I decided to break it up into several pieces. So now that Elaine & I have welcomed in 2012 with another New Year’s Eve wedding in Weimar, Texas with the fabulous Jill & Rick, I wanted to share some of my favorites from last year! Here we go with January, February and March 2011! This quarter was filled with couples having destination weddings – in Houston! They almost all came to… -
Bermuda Destination Wedding Photography – EricaLynn & Stephen (Part 3)
26 Oct 2011 | 3:51 pmAt last! At last! The moment had arrived for EricaLynn & Stephen’s destination wedding in Bermuda at the Fairmont Southampton! Kelly & I had checked out the property in advance, and had selected the perfect place for the reveal that EricaLynn & Stephen had chosen to do. What is the reveal? We take the groom off to a photogenic location, have him face away from the path, and then the bride walks up to him and he turns around to see her for the first time! I know, some people worry that it takes all the magic away from seeing her walk down the aisle to him – but it… -
Bermuda Destination Wedding – EricaLynn & Stephen (Part 2)
20 Oct 2011 | 4:28 pmThe weather for EricaLynn & Stephen’s wedding day was AMAZING! Oh goodness, Bermuda brought on the AWESOME. One of the many great things about the Fairmont Southampton is that they have their very own private beach which you can take a trolley down to from the hotel. One of my favorite things about photographing destination weddings is that everything is normally so compact, everyone is all together for the whole wedding. It just makes it more intimate and fun! Instead of celebrating for a few hours, it goes on for days! (Side note: if you read my post on my personal blog about the… -
Bermuda Destination Wedding – EricaLynn & Stephen (Part 1)
18 Oct 2011 | 1:34 pmBack in August I headed to Bermuda to photograph EricaLynn & Stephen’s destination wedding. It was such an amazing place! I’m so glad she invited me along to handle the destination wedding photography for her. Oh goodness, I can not say enough good things about Bermuda! Perfect setting for their wedding. You could just feel it as soon as you arrived on the island – you walk out the doors of the airport and you’re immediately greeted by the most incredible blue water you’ve ever seen. Our taxi driver that took us from the airport to the hotel, the Fairmont…
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LittlePurpleCow Photography: Moment of the Day
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Thoughts on Togetherness
2 Feb 2012 | 10:46 amI've been thinking a lot about the notion of what it means to be together. As individuals, we each have our own unique perspectives, beliefs, priorities, ideas, strengths, weaknesses, and values. When we are together, ideally we bring the essence of our individuality and blend it in equal parts. I grow and benefit from your individuality. You grow and benefit from mine. The sum of this blend has the power to shape each of us if we invite what's different, embrace what's new, and remain open to change. Students from Koseli School in Kathmandu, Nepal enjoy being together at recess. You can… -
Trajectory
1 Dec 2011 | 8:29 pmThe path described by a projectile flying or an object moving under the action of given forces. -
What You Can Not See
19 Jul 2011 | 11:09 amPinky making images of her home, Jadibuti slum, Kathmandu, Nepal Photography is much about exposing your view, but there's so much more going on beneath the surface. There's a complicated concoction of thoughts and feelings that drive the impulse to lift a camera to your eye, to compose the raw material of what's present, and to wait patiently for the proper moment of capture... when time and space sync and align. Teaching my eight photography students at Koseli School through my non-profit organization, Lens on Life, was such a thrill for me. I loved sharing the Art of iPhoneography and… -
Gratitude
1 Jun 2011 | 5:32 amJadibuti slum, Kathmandu, Nepal This is what it looks like when a grandmother of students from Koseli School expresses her gratitude to the woman who followed the quiet voice in her heart to create the school, Renu Shah Bagaria. As I process images and thoughts from our Lens on Life experience in Nepal to share with you, this moment reminds me that it's not enough to hear that voice. You have to let it guide you down crooked paths, over rough terrain, up steep inclines, through darkness, and into a light so bright it nearly consumes you. -
The Art of iPhoneography
30 Mar 2011 | 9:24 pmWe didn't expect to find a camel that day. The secret behind the magic of this moment was made possible by two iPhones. Spontaneous image opportunities most often occur when your serious camera is zipped up in the camera bag... at home. And while I can't provide quantitative statistics to support this statement, I do know that the increasing majority of my favorite documentary images have been produced by my iPhone simply because it is always with me.My latest book, The Art of iPhoneography: A Guide to Mobile Creativity just started shipping from Amazon this week. While I'm holding my breath,…
