Summer Style: Ikat

Ikat, aka that strange kind of Aztec looking print, has become very popular for this season. Now, we had never even heard of Ikat until recently, but from what we understand it is not really the print, but the method of weaving. Ikat is created using a process very similar to tie dying by tying off bundles of fabric and then dying them.  The process creates these patterns and they can be done in one color or, more often, many colors. These days it's kind of hard to pull off tie dye, but an Ikat print can give you similar blurred lines and a carefree look in a way that is still totally sophisticated.

1. Scoop | 2. Modcloth | 3. Lord & Taylor | 4. Macy's |

5. J. Crew | 6. Anthropologie | 7. Bloomingdale's| 8. Banana Republic | 

XOXO

Jen & Saira

Color Day: Born this Way

So, Jen had a whole color day post for today dedicated to the 4th of July and celebrating Independence day.  But, something so monumental happened this weekend that we feel the need express ourselves and therefore the stars and stripes and patriotic things will have to take a back seat for the time being.  That being said, today we are celebrating civil rights and equality. Congratulations to the LGBT community and the great state of New York for passing the marriage equality bill giving same sex couples the same marital rights as heterosexual couples. Let's keep up that momentum!

New York Marriage Equality Rainbow Pride Board

1. Wedding Wire | 2. Short Cake | 3. Green Wedding Shoes | 4. Brides | 5. funkyshique |

6. Green Wedding Shoes | 7. Pamela Fugate | 8. jesswitaj | 9. Brides | 10. Wedding Decoration Ideas |

11. Kaboodle | 12. Brides | 13. Brooklyn Bride | 

PS: Unusually Fine is giving away engagement sessions to couples who donate at least $400 to Freedom to Marry!  Be sure to check it out!

XOXO

Jen & Saira

Start! Walking Paths

Since moving back, I have been doing research on getting involved with the local chapters of my favorite charities. In getting reacquainted with the American Heart Association’s website, I came across a new initiative they are putting together to make it easy and fun for people on the go to fit exercise into their everyday lives.

There are Start! Walking Paths popping up all around the country, and they are so easy to find! The AHA has created an app for both the iPhone and the Android that makes it easy to find a path near you. If you can’t find one, you can create your own and document it so others can follow in your footsteps.  Such a fun new way to get healthy & make it fun for kids to do it too!

http://www.startwalkingnow.org/start_walking_paths.jsp

Ashley Smith

Bridal Shower Theme: A Day in Paris

We recently saw Midnight in Paris (which is excellent, by the way) and Bridesmaids, and are feeling very inspired by le mode de vie français. A Parisian bridal shower theme can be quirky and fun or classy and elegant, depending on your mood (and more importantly, your bride's style). We're thinking Paris in the 20s, although you can go with any era your heart desires -- Marie Antoinette is a crowd favorite. You can impose a dress code (berets and stripes or pearls and lace), serve champagne and macarons (or cheese and wine),  blast some Edith Piaf, and create a beautiful and romantic atmosphere. 

1. Invitations: Your invitations will vary depending on your theme. You can go for vintage, sophisticated, fun, or feminine. Choose wisely, as your guests will look to the invitation to guide their fashion choices.

1. Zazzle | 2. Paper Candee | 3.  Curiouser and Curiouser | 4. Minted | 5. Words and Eggs 

2. Decorations: French style decor is usually in four color themes: (1) French flirty poodle (think pink, black and white; (2) très chic (think cream and black); (3) vive la France (red, white and blue); or (4) vintage Paris (warm, varying hues). So take your pick!

1. Wedding Bee | 2. Elizabeth Anne | 3. The Slightly Obsessive Bride | 4. Laissez Fair | 5. Anthropologie | 

6. Project Wedding | 7. Hostess Blog | 8. Curious Prints |

3. Food: The best thing about a French themed wedding is the food! Practically all the best stuff is French, and you can make it as high or low brow as you see fit (i.e. caviar v. french fries).

1. Om Sweet Om | 2. Maison Ladurée | 3.  Vive le Cheese  | 4. La Maison du Chocolat | 5.  i like granola

4. Favors: We love vintage French anything, so finding favors should be a breeze! You can always give edible items, such as French chocolates and macarons, or go for smaller trinkets. Whatever you choose, we guarantee your guests will love it.

1. | The Ticket Kitchen 2. Cafe Press  | 3. Okio B Designs | 4. Not on the High Street  | 5. my dog and i 

5. Attire: Needless to say, French attire is basically anything flirty and sexy. Of course, you may want to pay up the stripes and the accessories, and opt for more or less color depending on the specific theme. Just remember to wear it with attitude!

1. Bhldn | 2. Mod Cloth | 3.  Anthropologie  | 4. Adele Marie | 5. Top Shop

Gros bisous!

XOXO

Jen & Saira

Mattress Ride

If you were walking by this guy’s little business and saw his signs, would you follow them? I am not sure what a mattress ride is, other than the horizontal mambo, therefore many people might show some interest. However, once they see the raggedy mattresses they might change their minds.

Bac Lieu

YOUR VOICE IS NEEDED

Bring Home the Bac Lieu Orphans

My heart breaks for these children & their forever families! 3 years ago, Halle-Grace & 44 other children were in a very similar situation. PLEASE take a minute to sign the below petition. You can also immediately send emails to your elected officials. There's POWER in numbers! Please don’t stop there; I encourage you to call your Congressman, email his constituent leader and his office in Washington, DC!

I’m almost positive that I was the most annoying individual on the planet 3 years ago for members of the USCIS/DOS in Washington, DC…but my tiny miracle was languishing in an orphanage a world away and NO one had answers for me or the other families with children in Tuyen Quang, Vietnam (TQ).

It took a movement  and the HOT HENS (my adoption support group) to bring home the TQ 44…one of those angels you know as Halle-Grace! I know one of the mothers who’s little boy has been waiting in Bac Lieu for his forever family for more than 2 years!!!! WHY? No one has answers? Again, this sounds way too familiar! It’s horrific, incredibly sad, and a shame to say the least! Can you begin to imagine the heartbreak?  I can tell you from experience, it is beyond heartbreaking! Gabriel and many others remain institutionalized!

If you are reading this and you don’t know all of the details of our adoption journey, you probably think, “Wow, she’s outspoken”! Please know I am extremely passionate about this issue and I know the torture these families are enduring…in our case, we never received an answer! To fight for your child’s life, sometimes you must be “outspoken”!  In August of 2008, I left the country to adopt Halle-Grace via Vietnamese law and wait the process out in Vietnam until our  USCIS/DOS decided to answer questions and take action.

Not all families have the option to move to a third world country for an indefinite time! I am asking you to please join me in helping these waiting children and their families in any way you can. I cannot begin to express my sincere appreciation and gratitude to US Congressman Patrick McHenry! He made our adoption journey a “personal” issue and he lead us through the storm! He made sure Halle-Grace and I were back on US soil well before the 2 years I was told I would live in her birth country! The Congressman scheduled a visit to meet Miss Magic (probably to witness for himself, “who is this crazy lady who fled the country”) haha! In all seriousness, he is a remarkable leader who truly cares!

Love will make you do things you never thought possible. Halle-Grace was abandoned at birth, and there was never a question in my mind…she would NOT be abandoned again! Regardless of what I had to do.  

I encourage you and ask you to please show your support! Be a part of this mission…you can help build families through the miracle of adoption! On behalf of the waiting children and their forever families, THANK YOU for your time and action in advance.   

http://www.petition2congress.com/4665/bring-home-bac-lieu-orphans/

Shannon Devine

The longest snake in the world

The official Communist Party newspaper in China is claimed the snake was one of two enormous boas found by workers clearing forest for a new road outside Guping city, Jiangxi province.

They apparently woke up the sleeping snakes during attempts to bulldoze a huge mound of earth.

“On the third dig, the operator found there was blood amongst the soil, and with a further dig, a dying snake appeared,” said the post.

“At the same time, another gold colored giant boa appeared with its mouth wide open. The driver was paralyzed with fear, while the other workers ran for their lives.

“By the time the workers came back, the wounded boa had died, while the other snake had disappeared. The bulldozer operator was so sick that he couldn’t even stand up.”

The post claimed that the digger driver was so traumatized that he suffered a heart attack on his way to hospital and later died.

The dead snake was 55ft (16.7m) long, weighed 300kg and was estimated to be 140 years old, according to the post.  

Last Minute Pageant Prep

I remember this time last year, I was working out every day and going over and over my list of what to pack. I’m sure a lot of you girls are the same way! I want to share just a few bits of advice for preparing as we get so close to pageant week! 

1.      Eat Healthy

a.       I know the fitness competition is a big part of the score, but getting in shape should never include starving yourself! Eating healthy is a good way to make sure you are in good physical and mental condition for the non-stop week in Chicago!

2.      Get Organized

a.       There is a lot that goes into being a State Queen and Miss International. It’s important to be able to stay organized throughout your reign, and it is especially important for being in Chicago. If you’ve looked at the schedule, you’ll see we are going, going, going all the time! It will create a lot less stress for you if you organize your outfits and time to meet with your family and friends while you’re there!

3.      Don’t Forget…

a.       If you are like me, you have made a list of what to bring with you on your trip. A few things that I was glad someone told me to bring with me last year are: shoe inserts (thanks to my wonderful director!) because my feet were worn out, a jacket for the hotel, and snacks for the hotel room!

I’m sure you are excited to get to Chicago and meet the other contestants, but make sure you are doing all you can to promote the pageant and spread the word about your platform! Can’t wait to see y’all in Chicago! Only a few more weeks!

Ashley Smith 

The 50 Most Googled Women on the Web

According to Coed Magazine, which compiled a list for the 50 Most Popular Women on the Web, Lady Gaga is the most popular woman online based on Google searches and statistics.

Who would have thought that Justin Bieber will be included in the list of 50 most popular women on the Internet. Among the 50 most talked about women in Internet Justin Bieber is on the list and is making the number 2 on the list. Well, nobody can deny its popularity, and I think there’s something to say about his fame, if it can really add to the list of best looking women.

#50 Blake Lively - 47,800,000 Results


#49 Marilyn Monroe - 47,900,000 Results


#48 Cheryl Cole - 49,700,000 Results


#47 Carrie Underwood - 50,500,000 Results


#46 Kelly Clarkson - 51,400,000 Results


#45 Hillary Clinton - 51,400,000 Results


#44 Scarlett Johansson - 52,700,000 Results


#43 Michelle Obama - 52,900,000 Results


#42 Natalie Portman - 53,100,000 Results


#41 Nicole Scherzinger - 56,400,000 Results


#40 Penélope Cruz - 57,200,000 Results


#39 Chelsea Handler - 57,800,000 Results


#38 Hilary Duff - 58,500,000 Results


#37 Ciara - 58,800,000 Results


#36 Ke$ha - 61,600,000 Results


#35 Kylie Minogue - 62,700,000 Results


#34 Vanessa Hudgens - 62,400,000 Results


#33 Emma Watson - 67,500,000 Results


#32 Jessica Simpson - 69,100,000 Results


#31 Kristen Stewart - 71,300,000 Results


#30 Jennifer Aniston - 71,400,000 Results


#29 Ashley Tisdale - 71,600,000 Results


#28 Fergie - 73,700,000 Results


#27 Jessica Alba - 79,500,000 Results


#26 Kate Middleton - 81,300,000 Results


#25 Sarah Palin - 90,100,000 Results


#24 Mariah Carey - 107,000,000 Results


#23 Christina Aguilera - 111,000,000 Results


#22 Megan Fox - 118,000,000 Results


#21 Oprah Winfrey - 124,000,000 Results


#20 Angelina Jolie - 134,000,000 Results


#19 Paris Hilton - 145,000,000 Results


#18 Taylor Swift - 159,000,000 Results


#17 Lindsay Lohan - 173,000,000 Results


#16 Avril Lavigne - 175,000,000 Results


#15 Adele - 177,000,000 Results


#14 Selena Gomez - 179,000,000 Results


#13 Beyonce - 195,000,000 Results


#12 Miley Cyrus - 207,000,000 Results


#11 Jennifer Lopez - 214,000,000 Results


#10 Madonna - 230,000,000 Results


#9 Kim Kardashian - 232,000,000 Results


#8 Shakira - 239,000,000 Results


#7 Katy Perry - 263,000,000 Results


#6 Britney Spears - 277,000,000 Results


#5 Nicki Minaj - 296,000,000 Results


#4 Cher - 340,000,000 Results


#3 Rihanna - 384,000,000 Results


#2 Justin Bieber - 496,000,000 Results


#1 Lady Gaga - 578,000,000 Results