One of the most endearing things I’ve read about all week (yes, it’s been that kind of week) is this Stuck at Prom contest that is currently being run by Duck brand tape. They are offering a $3000 scholarship to the best prom outfits worn by a high school couple (darn, I guess I don’t qualify, oh well). Contestants must enter as a couple and create their outfits entirely of duct tape, and while Duck brand does not specify what brand of duct tape, I have a feeling they were hoping the kids would use theirs.

While the contest is already over, today is the last day to vote on your favorite couple. And while I don’t usually condone activities that are a bit wasteful and not totally eco-friendly (40 rolls of duct tape is a lot of plastic and glue), I don’t think this is necessarily a waste. The creativity of the teens really shines through and I definitely think this type of talent is worth supporting. Parsons, watch out — your next round of Seventh Avenue designers are here!

Vote on your favorite Duct Tape Prom Couple

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I’m usually a wine drinker and have an amazing collection of wine stemware . Martinis I love but have been admittedly a bit intimidated to buy glasses for one of my favorite cocktails.  They just all seem so… well, big and clunky. But I think I’m in love - because I’ve just discovered this totally cool, totally avant-garde glassware. I mean, who says that you have to drink martinis from thin-stemmed, delicate glassware? I’ve known folks to down martinis in Dixie plastic cups. But I digress, these New Age Thick-Stemmed Martini Glasses I’ve just discovered shatter the thin-stemmed martini glass myth by boasting thick, elegant, frosted glass bases. Each one of the 4-glass New Age Martini Glass set has a slightly different design. Each set of 4 are only about 35 bucks. They look like you spent a fortune, hold about 6 ounces of Martini and are totally dishwasher-safe. Guess what my signature wedding gift is this year? James Bond, drink your heart out.

Shop New Age Thick Stemmed Martini Glasses now

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I’m a sucker for anything convenient. And doesn’t require water. So when these two products–Rene Furter Naturia Dry Shampoo and Skyn Iceland Glacial Cleansing Cloths–came across my desk, I knew that they were right up my alley. You see, both can be tossed in a tote bag and used whenever and where ever (I’m talking about even in the car) you feel the urge to clean off your face or wash your hair.

The dry shampoo is exactly what you think–a refreshing way to give your hair a clean look and scent–when you can’t make the time for a full-on wash or aren’t anywhere near a shower (like camping, perhaps?).  The absorbent clay powder soaks up grease, adds lift and gives hair a nice texture, while not feeling sticky or dirty. It’s also loaded with essential oils that leave behind a squeaky-clean, you-just-washed-and-dried-your-hair fragrance.

For face, these cleansing cloths aren’t like your average wipe. They actually are foaming, activated by rubbing the sides of the cloth together, so you know you’re getting a good deep down kind of clean. Once you apply it on your face, it takes off all the dirt, grime, makeup and oil that might be clogging your pores, and the natural extracts  refresh and soothe stressed skin.  They’re infused with Icelandic glacial waters that are pure and gentle, which are excellent for all types of skin, including sensitive.

The bottom line? I’m packing these two little goodies into my purse, and making them part of my go-to beauty booty–perfect for travel (both are carry-on bag approved), day trips and anytime I need a good fresh clean feeling.

I’ve been listening to Michael Jackson all day. Not only was he my hero as a child of the 80s growing up (along with being everyone else’s), but his song “Black and White” totally changed my young adult life in that I finally felt like a conversation about racial equality in entertainment was starting — I loved the part where he danced next to the Indian Bharat Natyam dancer. That’s only part of the reason I, along with the rest of the world is so affected by his death, or as John Mayer so eloquently Tweeted about it, “A major strand of our cultural DNA has left us.”

While this week has been tough for entertainment, it’s been booming for music retail. As I write this blog right now, Michael’s 25th Anniversary Thriller album remains at the top of Amazon.com’s music bestseller list, followed by Off the Wall, Bad, Michael Jackson: The Ultimate Collection, and the list goes on and on. Not the Transformers 2 soundtrack, not the new Green Day album — just our beloved King of Pop’s classic chart-topper filled albums.

And that’s no surprise — after all, Thriller is the best selling album of all time with all 10 of its tracks making Billboard’s Top 100 list. Now fans are reported to be scrambling to hold onto something from Michael whether it be an album, music videos, or even the books he’s written — his autobiography Moon Walk, his essays in Dancing with a Dream, or Moonwalker: The Storybook, the children’s story he wrote.

Michael Jackson’s albums have climbed to the top of Apple’s “Top Albums” list, the search for his name has devastated the internet world, dominating Twitter and Google and practically breaking both sites, and his page on Wikipedia has been viewed more than a million times in the last 2 days, not to mention it’s undergoing an editing war — just take a look at its editing history.

With all this Michael Jackson craze, I’m tempted to go out and find some comfort in the part of my childhood that died along with MJ by purchasing an album or a music video DVD that I don’t have. But I’ve decided that I’m perfectly content to dig out my old glittery silver Michael Jackson glove belt and watch YouTube all day…

I’ve always secretly admired women who have neatly organized boxes of decor that they whip out like clockwork for every major holiday or occasion. They hang themed wreaths on the front door, adorn window sills and fireplace mantels with cute doodads and create amazing centerpieces for their tables.

Maybe it’s my Midwest roots, but decorating for special events makes me feel like life is one big party, punctuated by fun times with family and friends. Kind of like diving into a Norman Rockwell painting.

This year, we have family coming in town for the July 4th weekend. Unfortunately, I don’t have boxes of Americana waiting patiently in storage for the upcoming holiday. My style is decidedly “less is more,” and I like to keep clutter at bay. I usually opt to swap out accessories seasonally instead of adding extra kitsch. I poked around on SHOP.COM and found some pretty decorations that will look great next weekend and the rest of the summer. Check them out!

Rustic metal stars are a timeless accent for just about any living space.

Outdoor toss pillows cozy up any chair or bench. This whimsical red and white cushion would look as cute on a screened porch in July as it would for Christmas!

These campy metal lanterns shed new light on eco-friendly design. Made of recycled iron sheet packaging, they work with 3″x6″ candles for indoor or outdoor use.

Soften up a hard outdoor space with a weather-resistant outdoor rug. Blue and white are classic colors sure survive many summer parties.

It’s June and that means wedding season. Never mind the gloomy weather and the gloomy financial outlook in this country. Brides are still getting married and celebrating holy matrimony for better or for worse. One thing I’ve noticed is that the weddings I’ve been going to are so much more creative. Couples are making the most out of the money they spend on a wedding. It could be that budgets have shrunk and they are now becoming more practical with the money they DO have. Gone are the days of lavish wedding excess. I mean, why blow it all on a big to-do that only lasts a day when you have a lifetime together to worry about how to make ends meet?

An area that I have seen the most creativity and practicality is the wedding dress. This is one expense that I never really understood. How do you justify spending a small fortune on a piece of clothing that you will only wear once? Well, apparently, the Brides I know are finding these gorgeous ready-to-wear dresses that are not only amazingly beautiful but are also budget-friendly. Who knew? Here are some of my favorites:

 

First there were Tickle-Me-Elmos, then there were Webkinz – now, I think I’m going to have to go ahead and say that the cutest IT gadget is the Mimobot USB. Mimobot USBs are created by a company called Mimoco, who launched their “Designer Mimobot USB flash drives” in 2005. They’re a Boston design house that specializes in merging functional personal data storage devices with cool, contemporary characters and is a big player in the Art Toy underground movement.

Recently, Mimoco released their brand new Star Wars line of USB Flash Drives, and while I might usually balk at spending more than $15 on a flash drive, I gotta say, these are worth the spend. After all, who’s going to lose a Princess Leia flash drive, right?

Mimobot designer drives come in 1GB, 2GB, 4GB, and 8GB file sizes and in a variety of styles that range from the newly released Star Wars characters to the fashion brand Tokidoki for Mimobot. Check them out soon, Boba Fett is already sold out and Luke Skywalker and Darth Sidious are in low stock!

May the flash be with you!!

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A few weeks ago my son turned three. It was a momentous occasion because it signified the official end of the terrible twos which he had been experiencing since he was one. Anyways, we had a big party for him complete with a bike racetrack and a big boy cake.  I wanted to capture all this toddler mayhem on video .  But aside from my aging digital camera – I had nothing to capture these precious memories on. So I went ahead and splurged on a well-deserved mommy present – a Flip Video UltraHD Camcorder.

The Flip Video UltraHD launched in May 2009 and is the second generation of the Flip Ultra line, America’s number-one selling camcorder since its debut in 2007.  Now available in both high-definition and standard-resolution models, the new line offers everyday people (like me!) the easiest and most affordable way to capture and share high-quality video.

Not only is my Flip UltraHD a totally convenient, affordable and no-brainer way to capture video,  but it’s got cool features like a full two hours of recording capacity, a bright two-inch transflective screen for no-glare viewing even in direct sunlight, and an innovative AA rechargeable battery pack that can be conveniently recharged through the camera’s built-in USB arm. And the price is so nice at only about $199.99.

Like all Flip Video camcorders, the new Ultra line is pre-loaded with FlipShare™, the on-board software  that leads you seamlessly through the process of organizing, editing and sharing videos. You simply plug the built-in USB arm directly into any Mac or PC to begin sharing your videos immediately.  

Now if only raising a toddler was this easy!

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I have what they call: “hard to manage hair”. It’s curly, thick and unruly and I straighten it as much as possible to keep it looking tidy and kept. Yet the challenge has always been finding the right hair products to help me with my mission of controlling the curl. Needless to say, I’m always on the lookout for good hair goop. My quest is a fickle one and I fall in an out of love oh so easily. But this time, I think I found “the one”.