Moving Right Along....

I've been a very busy lady this week so far, job interviews, (Thank God! :) I guess actually walking in a resume pays was a good thing) graphic projects, Pinterest trials for the blog and so much more.


And yet still feeling good. I'm glad this week is going quickly though, it seems like all of January has just moved so very slow. Which then again it always does move slow for me, I never have anything going on in that month. Nope, February is when my year always starts to really kick off.

Sex And The City The Tween Years? AnnaSophia Robb Plays a Young Carrie And I've Been Living Under A Rock

Photo credit: cwtv.com

You know, I usually think of myself as pretty up-to-date on whats going on in the world around me. I'm a long time subscriber of countless news/current event channels and since I'm on the computer more hours than I sleep I've always believed myself to be very cultured in whats popular. I'm "Pop-cultured" if you will.

Turns out. Maybe not so much. Because I have obviously been hibernating underneath the largest rock formation in the nation. I must be, how else would I have missed the fact the the CW network has begun to air episodes of a Sex and The City prequel starring the little girl from that sad movie "bridge to tissue town."




Its called "The Carrie Diaries" and maybe you could just pretend you didn't know about this too so I won't feel so awful. No? Yeah, didn't think so. However, if this little tid bit some how managed to skip past me than I know that there are at least a few people that haven't heard about it yet. So this posts for you fellow under-rock dwellers, here's to being so hip we don't even know whats going on.

The synopsis goes as follows, and I'm quoting from the actual website here:

A Must See: Kayla Brown Designs

My new title header! 

Ok, I know I've posted a great deal this week but I just had to share this. Most of you who've been visiting for awhile now have probably noticed the changes that I've been making over the last few months to the overall style of the blog. I've tried to keep things fresh and I've really been searching for the right look.




And I've come a little ways since I started with just a plain header and background. But yet, the artist in me hasn't ever been satisfied until lately when I did a more complete overhaul and arrived at the present day format, which I hope you like because I love it.

The one thing that's bugged my though is my title banner, while I liked it enough to keep it, I always felt like it was a little bit of a Hodge podge-not to mention a little guilt inducing (I made it out of Google pictures that I couldn't find any owners to ask permission of)-and so I would gaze at it critically, not really knowing what to do until last night.

Summer In January: Pinterest, You Got Me Again!

Photo Credit: Pinterest.com

I've gone and done it. I've let Pinterest get me all in a tizzy and this time is the worst. Due to massive amounts of sea-side inspired pin exposure,  I am now longing for summer in the worst way. It's barely been a month since New Years, and I am already itching for my swimsuit and beach towel.

I do this every year. Only this time its magnified because with just one quick search I am engrossed in a palm tree shaded, sun soaked, water filled world that has me yearning for lemonades and the smell of Coppertone and Hawian Tropic. The unusually hot weather we had a week ago didn't help either.




It was  79 degrees. In the dead middle of January. And I was enjoying it. Oh yes, I was taking out my tank tops and rolling up my crop pants and contemplating laying out in my backyard before some last minute rain swept through and brought the bitter cold once again. Now, in the South, when we say cold we mean like 40 degrees. 30 is freezing, and if it drops to 29 or below we're declaring we're in the new ice age.

Look Who's Country: Pop Princess Miley Cyrus Out Croons Country Wannabe Taylor Swift

Photos from taylorswift.com and mileycyrus.com
I do not own anything

*I DO NOT claim any rights to photos all photos are the copyrighted property of their owners*


I am about to do something I thought I would never do. Well, really its more than one thing, but the sheer fact that this has even come to my attention is just baffling to me. Not only am I about to write about Miley Cyrus and Taylor Swift, but I am actually going to tout Cyrus a little and  put the word "Country" in the same sentences with their names.






First off, let me just say that if you are a fan of these entertainers than this is probably not a post you'd want to read-Taylor Swift fans especially. So feel free to go back to watching slideshows on YouTube. I've never been a fan of either singer, and here's why: whatever talent that they might actually possess, has always been buried under to much glitterized-photo shopped and auto-tuned mumbo-jumbo to actually be called real music.

I mean, if that's what you're into, then that's fine. And if that's the image Cyrus and Swift are aiming to project then that's ok too. I can always change the dial on my radio if I don't want to listen. You just can't fault somebody for doing what they love. Even if what they love is synthesized-dub-step-recycled 80's junk. But what has always rubbed me the wrong way is the constant insistence by each artist, that what they put out is quality music that belongs in a certain genre. And Taylor Swift-deemed  "wholesome" and "original"  and winner of countless awards-is in my opinion, a WAY WORSE offender than Miley Cyrus.

The Shy Applicant: What's Proper Manners When Looking For Work?

I do not own the rights to this image. 

Being raised in the south means that, from birth, you are indoctrinated with manners. You learn not to talk with your mouth full, to open doors for people, to let the elderly adults be first in line at family dinners. You are practically steeped in politeness. If your first four words were "Daddy, Mama, Yes sir, and No mam" than you probably grew up south of the Mason Dixon and you know what I am talking about.



Some of my earliest memories are made up of mama teaching us "how to act." We were expected to act with grace and dignity on a daily basis but the expectations were especially high when we were "going off." I can remember standing beside my siblings as mama went down the line setting hair bows straight, making sure buttons were in place and gently drilling into us the proper conduct.

We were to say "Yes mam" and "No sir," please, thank you, and stay close by. We were never to interrupt or take or do anything without asking first. And we obeyed because if we didn't we would have gotten our little tushes spanked and brought shame upon ourselves and our mama. And as kind and loving as our mama was, she commanded respect and we behaved not out of fear but because we would have rather eaten salad for a week than disappointed mama in public.

So after a wonderful childhood spent tutored in the polite-never speak unless spoken to-way of doing things it is sometimes hard for me to get a handle on this fast pace world we live in. Tonight my sweetheart suggested that I pay a visit to one of the companies I have applied to and as he put it, "just drop in and say hello, let them put a face to a name."

7 Thing’s I Found/Like/Love: 1940’s Edition

E’llo ladies and gents… I've been on a 40’s kick right here lately. I’m pretty sure it’s because I saw the trailer for Gangster Squad, starring Emma Stone, Sean Penn, and Ryan Gosling among others, the other day when sweetheart and I went to see Jack Reacher (which wasn't half-bad-Tom Cruise’s craziness aside of course.)

I love Emma Stone as an actress so when I saw her all decked out in her femme fatale gowns with hair that would make Veronica green with envy, I was inspired and so started yet another mini-fascination. I have lots of those.

I see a color, a shoe, read a book, what-have-ya and I research the heck out of it, maybe make a purchase, and just drool over whatever it is in general.

That is until the next thing comes along and the old muse gets neatly tucked away into my archive folders. From time to time I like to go back and revisit my old fascination collections and gaze upon them fondly, maybe re-try a hair style etc. But that’s enough of that. On to the List!

1. This picture. This is what started this whole thing. I can’t help it, darn it. I just love how glamorous this look is. Why on earth was I not born with my mother’s hair color? Why?

2. This hair. Let the attempts begin…

3. This dress. It’s Dior and literally from the 1940’s, so the chances of it being in my closet are not even remotely possible. I did find a 40’s style-ish dress via Modcloth that would be a more…probable…option.

Kiss Proof: Finding The Right Lipstain

January still has some days to go and the world is already preparing for Valentines Day, I think the early prep is a little overkill for such a hallmark holiday, but we will leave my love/hate relationship with V-day out of this for now.

The real reason I'm writing today, is to share my long hunted for make-up finds.My lipstain collection to be exact. I had always heard about lipstain in magazines an on television but I had never had the guts to try it until this past summer.

I very rarely watch TV anymore, but I just happened to catch a Revlon commercial featuring Jessica Biel pushing Just Bitten Lipstain. And my interest was peaked. The sweetheart doesn't like it when I wear lipstick or gloss because it never stays put, and smudges when he leans in for a smooch.

And I can't say I blame the guy, is hard to look all Rockstar-manly playing a show with your girl's lipstick on your face. He says while it looks awesome on me, its just not his shade. And since I love my lip colors and my sweethearts kisses I was looking for a good compromise. So I went to Wal-Greens and picked out my first lipstain.

I wanted something that leaned towards the darker side of things, but wasn't feeling a true red, so I went with the color above. It's called "Twilight" and I was, surprisingly pleased with it. Pros: The brush tip lets out a smooth flow of ink, and the color was only a little darker than the sticker. Cons:

Review: Five Stars For Les Misérables

I claim no rights or ownership to images.

I finally got to see Le Miz. A friend and I went to see it yesterday and I have effectively been reduced to a pathetic ball of crying girly-ness which I will not recover from for at least three or four days-if ever. It's like the worst kind of *book hangover you could ever imagine.

45 minutes in and we were already bawling. It has definitely made my list of top movies for 2012 and my personal favorite list for the rest of my born days. Now, if the mere thought of musicals based on  extremely-wonderfully long classic literature is enough to make you gag than continue reading no further. You will have no use of this information anyway.



I've only, shameful to say, read through half of the book. And I lost the copy that I had but nevertheless, I was eagerly awaiting this movie's release sense I saw Ann Hathaway in the trailer. After seeing that I quickly looked up the film and learned of the other cast and my excitement only grew. Then came the holidays and between traveling with the Sweetheart and everything, time for three hour movies was non-existent so here I am, a couple weeks late, but boy am I glad I saw this in the theater.

For those that haven't seen the film, stop reading and go see it before I give stuff away. I highly recommend it-regardless of what some critics say and it's totally worth the money in my opinion but don't take my word for it-go see yourself!

*I claim no rights or ownership to any images presented in this post whatsoever.*

Up For Hire: Searching In The Unprofessional Job Market

Along with a million other people, I have found myself searching for a job. A woman cannot live on Blogger alone and so I've been scouring every job listing website, newspaper, and employment ad I could find, and I've stumbled across a few leads that I am really interested in.

But on the flip side, I've also had to comb through some of the most unprofessional *gawm you have ever seen in your life. 

Countless job listings that have such little information that you wonder why they bothered to post it in the first place, listings without phone numbers/e-mails/addresses or any contact information in general, and my pet peeve of the century: job postings without the name of the company hiring. 

Vague job descriptions, no mentions of what the expected hours would be,  "DO NOT CALL" notices, and misleading titles are also common. Here's an example from myrtlebeachonline.com:  

Notice that the title says "Sale Representative," however the fine print makes it clear that they are searching for  someone with an "Active SC Real Estate License"-so basically, they need an in house Realtor. They do get points for a full description of the company, however, their contact information leaves something to be desired. A web address is all that is provided, which will lead you to a phone number/address. So a great deal of information which says very little. Frustrating to say the least. 

Another example is worse:

Sparkles or Vanilla?

Another Friday night and its just me, my Pinterest board, and I, 'cause sweetheart has rehearsals...

I was a little on the bored side, so I edited this picture from the families New Years Eve bash
<-------------------------- pretty huh? I think it turned out rather nice :)



I love Friday nights. And no matter what kind of day  I had, I always want to dress up and go out. Anybody else ever feel that way?

Unfortunately, the number of ...::{"sparkly"}::.... Friday nights in my life is much lower than the normal, unsparkley, quite hued one.