Swanky Sweepin' Volume 31

Daily:

Trip to Disney World for 4  26 winners, ends 5/27

Single:

His and hers bikes  Ends 4/30

A dinner with the President and George Clooney  So strange. Ends 4/30 by 9pm Pacific

Trip to Mexico, AMEX gift card, plus BCBG gift card!  Other prizes too, ends 5/1

12 handbags  Ends 5/11

Smell like Mariah Carey  50 winners, ends 5/21

Disney cruise  A winner a day, ends 5/14

2013 Mustang  Ends 9/15

Free gas for a year  for your free Mustang, 10 winners, ends 5/20

Marc Jacobs sunglasses  10 winners, ends 5/31. Do no subscribe.

Image:  Concept art by Mary Blair for Cinderella, 1950 

Natural House Review and Giveaway!

 

I recently stumbled upon Natural House while perusing the Internet one day looking for non-toxic cleaning supplies. Natural House offers simply designed, natural household cleaning products with equally simple but cute names (Flushy, Trashy, and Sinky). They are as you would imagine for the toilet, your trash can, and sink. I just find out, and was a little too excited about it, that they now make three other products, Moppy, Surfy, and Glassy. You can find more information here and a short, fun and informative video below.

Initially I wrote to Natural House to inquire about possibly sampling their products as they are only available online (here or here) for the time being, and to let them know that I would happily review their products on our blog to help spread the word to a very "different" type of audience they may not normally reach. Yes, I referred to you, our readers as "different", deal with it. They were kind enough to send me a 30 day supply to use and review, and are also offering one of our lucky readers their own 30 day supply.

Simple Skincare Review

Recently, the lovely people at Simple Skincare sent me some products to try out and review. Simple is a popular brand in the UK that is now available here in the U.S., in 2011 they were counted as the #1 facial skincare range. You go, Simple Skincare! The Simple line of products can be used by all skin types, but it was specifically for sensitive skin. There are no dyes, artificial perfumes or harsh irritants, the entire line is hypoallergenic, non-comedogenic and pH balanced.

Put it on: Depeche Mode's Blue Dress

Hey girl.

Throwback time! I can't deny it, the older I get and the more and more distant the wannabe goth 15 year-old me becomes, the more creepy I notice Depeche Mode's lyrics to be. Although still a not-so-guilty favorite of mine, the clarity of adulthood has made it impossible to ignore all the carnal lust and fetishizing (and um, more than a few mentions of fifteen year olds) that my beloved DM exquisitely broods about. That being said, I still think Depeche Mode has made some of the sexiest music out there and their 1990 song "Blue Dress" from the album Violator is as sexy as it gets. Maybe that makes me a creep too? I'm OK with that.

“Blue Dress” is a sweet, kinky little song about a woman who becomes even more painfully desirable when wearing a certain, special dress. To me, this dress is understated and far from overtly sexy but becomes a focal point of desire because of the fine creature that it covers. It's the little things that matter sometimes in this big world and this song is about just that. Here are my picks for dresses that may do the same, all under $50! Blue isn’t a color I picture of when I think about a sexy dress, but that just may be exactly why these dresses work. 

Clockwise: Urban Outfitters $39, ASOS $45.45
ASOS $31.81, Go Jane $34

Extreme Cash Giveaway May

Bloggers!  The Whoreders are once again teaming up with Extreme Cash Giveaway for their May cash bonanza. They're one of the most popular monthly giveaways, and will boost your numbers while giving your readers great opportunities to win big prizes. Sign up for the Extreme Cash Giveaway here and be sure to say that Whoreders referred you!

To our lovely fans, this is big news for you too! Once the contest begins, you'll be able to enter for the big prize. We'll give you all the details as the contest start date nears, and will keep our fingers, eyes and toes crossed for you!

Dope Jello Poke Cupcakes

I threw a 1990s party on Saturday. I know you're jealous and you should be. I've been busy for weeks but I really wanted to make some homemade cupcakes for the event, so I picked up a box of lemon cake mix, a jar of Pillsbury Pink Lemonade frosting, and... a box of cherry Jell-O.

Say whaaaa?

They ended up being so tasty I have to tell you about them so you can make some of your own and have a party in your mouth.

April Birchbox

It's Birchbox time again! This month the theme is "Natural Wonders", is stocked with products inspired by nature. So there are skincare goodies made with natural ingredients, nail polish that uses healthier alternatives, and perfume with natural and earthly notes. Perfect timing for spring, when everyone gets the urge to clean up, throw out yuckiness and charge into the season renewed and refreshed.

Let's take a peek inside...

Trendy Mommy Tuesdays vol. 6

Inspiration: Coachella Mamas

Coachella is an annual 6 day (2 consecutive weekends) music festival in Indio, California. I have never had the time, or the money to attend. Now that I have the money, I also have a 1.5 children so it really isn't practical for me. This means I love vicariously through magazine articles, radio broadcasts, and my freaky-deeky, carefree, party crazy friends.

Although I may not be able to attend, there are plenty of moms that go including celebrities. Coachella is about partying and music, but in the celebrity world it is also about fashion. I picked out a few of my favorite that attended Coachella 2012 and broke down their outfits for us average Joe's.

Celebrity Baby Scoop

Alicia Silverstone & her 11 mo old son Bear Blu rockin' out.

Swanky Sweepin' Volume 30

Unlimited:
Grilled Cheese kit  3 winners, ends 5/11

Daily:
Trip to Comic-Con  or one of 2 i Pads, ends 5/15

Donuts for a year  100 winners, 1,000 other prizes, ends 6/23

Single:
Perfume  50 winners, ends 5/31, do not subscribe

DKNY sunglasses  10 winners, ends 5/31

2012 Camaro  Ends 8/11

$3000  or one of 100 $192 Visa gift cards, ends 9/1 (enter at bottom of page)

Glowing Skin set  40 winners, ends 6/4

A Virgin's hair  Ends 4/29

$50 of gas  30 winners, ends 4/27

A free funeral  Yes. They will give you $5,000 now if you agree to put their website address on your headstone when you die. 3 winners, ends 6/1

Photo: "Levina Mann" from the Thanatos Archive

Earth Day Deals

Hey y'all, here are some Earth Day specials & deals going on this weekend! Feel free to add more in the comment section below. If I find anymore exciting ones, I will update this list accordingly, thank you !

Disney Store: Bring in five plastic grocery bags Sunday, April 22nd, 2012, and get a free reusable bag from Disney.

Jo-Ann Fabric & Craft- The first 50 customers at every Jo-Ann store will receive a free tote bag on Sunday 4/22

Kate Quinn Organics Online Retailer: All dresses (children's clothing) are on sale for $20 thru April 22 in honor of earth day.

Michaels: Earth Day Make-It Take-It Tote bag. 4/22, 1-3 PM, ages 3 & up.

Origins: Get a full-size facial cleanser when you bring any old cleanser (even an empty container) in to Origins on Sunday, April 22nd, 2012. Read details and get the coupon.

Pottery Barn Kids: Bring the kids to Pottery Barn Kids on 4/21 or 44/22to participate in fun activities and get a free packet of sunflower seeds.

Starbucks: Bring your travel mug into Starbucks on Earth Day and we’ll give you a free brewed coffee or tea to say thanks for doing your part.

The Body Shop: All hemp products 4 for $20 ! Ends today (This is technically for 4/20 but same difference, right?)

Target: Get a free reusable bag Sunday, April 22nd, 2012, from guest services.

Vapur: Enter code GMA to unlock amazing 50%-60% off select items now thru 4/22!

ZOYA: Earth Day ZOYA nail polish exchange is back! "Exchange your old, unwanted nail color from April 21, 2012 - April 22, 2012 (11:59PM EST) for toxin-free ZOYA nail polish. You only pay $4 per bottle plus shipping and handling fees."

Cheap Thrills: Orange You Glad it's Cheap Thrills Friday?

This warm weather continues to work its charm on me, and this week I was inspired by a classic warm weather treat, the Orange Creamsicle. How does that translate into Cheap Thrills? Pretty easily! I thought I'd stick to clothes, but was surprised how easily it led me to accessories, beauty products and household items.

Orange is a major color and will definitely stand out, so get ready for some attention when you're wearing it. And don't worry, I tried to cover all levels of orange, from head to toe, to just small touches for lovely burst of color. Come see what I have for you this time...

Tuxedo Nails

It's been a while since I did a nail post, and what better reason to do one than to celebrate classy ladies? Zooey Deschanel sported these uber cute tuxedo print nails at the Golden Globes this year and I haven't had a fun yet classy event to rock them to.

However, my mom's Mumbley-Mumble Birthday is tomorrow and I wanted to do something fun on my nails to pay homage to her day of birth and the classy lady that she is. What better way to celebrate the lady who pushed me out of her va-jay-jay than Tuxedo Nails ? Excuse my (almost) bad language, but my Mommy is one down-ass, fancy...Lady ( I can't bring myself to type Bitc*and mom in the same sentence even at age 27)!

Is there anything that screams "CLASSY" more than painting little tuxedos on your nails?!? What's that you say? There are better ways, and classy people don't scream? Well eff you, this is as classy as I get!

That being said, here is my short, easy tutorial on how to do Tuxedo Nails:

Beauty Bar's Sample Society

To celebrate Spa Week, we're gonna bring you a little extra beauty courtesy of Beauty Bar's Sample Society. You all know I'm obsessed with Birchbox, and I've become suspicious of copycats, but I think Sample Society is a winner. If you're familiar with Birchbox, you'll know how the basics of Sample Society work, but there are a few differences. First off, Sample Society is $15 per month. For those $15 you get 5 samples from high end brands, a code for $15 off a purchase of $50 or more that includes at least one item from your box (code is good for 60 days!), expert beauty advice that comes with each box, and a one-year subscription to Allure magazine.

For the time being, there are no personalized boxes, everyone gets the same one every month. You can cancel at any time, and there's an easy to use website dashboard where you can make changes to your account, review your boxes and browse other goodies available from Beauty Bar.

And now for the question of the (Spa) week, what's in the box....?

Trendy Mommy Tuesdays vol. 5

So I know I missed posting last week, but last week was a whirlwind of cray-cray-ness. Not only was work (my "real" job) extremely busy, but every single negative, un-cute pregnancy symptom that you can imagine decided to pop up all at once. I was not feeling too "trendy" so to speak...

As my own fetus has decided to make it's presence known by protruding from my torso a la Spaceballs status, (okay, okay, so not that extreme, but is competing with my chest for biggest protrusion from my body), I find it harder and harder to find cute things to wear or to feel pretty and/or normal. What's a hormonal preggo to do? I do as most do, I look to unattainable celebrity looks and hunt down a similar outfit for much cheaper and share my findings with you!

Inspiration: Kourtney Kardashian

Picture from RealityTea

Most of you already have an opinion of the Kardashian Klan, and that's fine. I always pretend I don't love them, but secretly I watch all their shows whenever I can and I also read all legitimate publications (trash magazine articles) that I can about them. However, this article isn't about my love for Kourtney or her family, it's just about really cute clothes.

I am really loving the color of her dress, it's like a fun poppy-orange color. I think it's perfect for Spring/Summer! After perusing the Internet machine for some time, I found a few maternity and/or flowy dresses in a similar fun color, all at a relatively (relative to who is spending the money) decent price point.

ASOS Belted Dress $63
ASOS Lace Dress w/ Buttons $41
Mar Kimono Dress $47
And it's not only the color that makes this dress fun and flattering most baby bumps, it's the pleats, yeah I said something positive about pleats,so sue me. Just so you can see that I'm not completely crazy, here are a couple of pleated dresses that I love for maternity-wear!
Merona Smock Dress $30
Motherhood Pleated Dress $40
Donna Morgan Pleated Dress $130 (Yikes!)
Max & Cleo Pleated Dress $90

And last but not least, we can't forget a cute pair of shoes to go with the dress! Of course Kourtney, being Kourtney (do you like how we are on a first name basis?), and a Kardashian to boot, chooses to wear pumps while pregnant. While cute, they can be impractical for most women as she seems to be a rare "magical pregnancy unicorn" so I'm making sure to include Wonder Woman options (heels) and Charlotte options (Wedges) as well.
Steve Madden Pumps $80 Nine West Devike Pump $40 Gabriella Rocha Pumps $38


Fergalicioius Wedges $45 Ed Hardy Marion Wedge $43 Charlotte Russe Canvas Wedge $33
So that's it for this week's edition of Trendy Mommy, and I hope you all enjoyed it! If you have any ideas for future articles or have a mommy you want featured, shoot me a message or leave a comment below or on our FB page!

Swanky Sweepin' Volume 29

Daily:

$50,000 or one of over 100 instant win prizes! Ends 6/30

Get a beach body $1,000 grand prize, 50 winners of workout kits, ends 5/20

Single:

L'Occitane skincare set Ends 6/4

Orchids and haircare 50 winners, ends 4/25

$500 Karmaloop credit Ends 4/30

Super cute record player Two winners, ends 4/23

Long Fog beach tote 10 winners, ends 5/31

Clarisonic 5 winners, ends 4/18

A week's worth of shoes Ends 4/22

$1,000 Urban Outfitters card Ends 4/16

Cakesicle maker 5 winners, ends 4/20

A year supply of Garnier BB Cream 50 winners, ends 5/7

Mini Cooper Ends 6/30

$1500 or one of 100 beach totes full of beauty products, ends 6/11

Trip to NYC for a Madonna concert Ends 5/7

SpAHHHHH Week

Dear ladies of the U S of A,

Tomorrow starts Spa Week! What is that, you say? From the 16th to the 22nd a bunch of local spas are offering various treatments for only $50 each!

Check this website for more information and search for deals nearby!

Gotta Have It: Zit Zappin Serum

It's happened to all of us, usually right before a big date or the night before you're going to take your new ID picture. Sometimes you can cover it up with makeup magic, side swept bangs, mourning veil or a band-aid (my favorite technique in junior high) - but if none of these tricks work, you might have to pull out the big guns. I'm talking about all those countless cleansers, serums, scrubs, balms and voodoo rituals we've all heard about and tried. Let's be honest, there's no one sure-fire pimple fix. What works for one person, might not do a thing for another, and your bff's favorite solution might turn your skin into dragon scales.

But before we all sink into a Debbie Downer moment, let's remember that the only way you'll find something that works is by keeping your eyes and ears open for new things to try. That's what I've got for you today, something that actually cleared up two spots on my face overnight, literally.

*cue choir of angels singing*

Say hello to Juice Beauty's Blemish Clearing Serum! I got it in a Birchbox a few months ago, and at the time I was lucky enough to be clear skinned and fresh faced, so I wasn't able to see its full power. But Aunt Flow brought me a special surprise and gave me, not one, but two(!) different kinds of pimples last week. One was a small white-tipped little devil on my cheek, and the other was a scarlet monster on the side of my nose. After I stopped crying hysterically, I remembered that I had a lil' tube of this stuff in my sample treasure box. I applied a little on each spot after washing my face, and hoped for the best.

Now, if I were a smart person, I probably would have taken a photo of the "before". But... I'm not, and I didn't. But I swear on a stack of Vogues that my skin cleared up overnight. The smaller one shrank to almost nothing, it disappeared completely after applying makeup. Big red vanished completely. Guys, I'm not joking, this thing looked like a mosquito bite on the side of my nose, and it was GONE the next morning.


I've gotten a couple of Juice Beauty products from Birchbox, and I've been totally impressed. The products are available online on their website, and from Birchbox. It's also sold at Whole Foods and other small boutiques/spas, click here to find a location near you. 


He-Man Picture from Cheezburgers

Vintage Spring Dresses for Lesses

I feel pretty, oh so pretty.

There is no better time of the year to rock a new vintage dress than Springtime, when bulky coats are a thing of the past but it's still cool enough to wear polyester and not sweat your brains out. Am I right or am I right? That's why my gal Heather and I put together this Etsy Treasury full of cheery frocks in all sizes and for around $25 or less. We also threw a romper in for only the most daring and fabulous ladies out there. Stripes, florals, polka dots, and nautical, oh my! 

Check out Vintage Spring Dresses for Lesses on Etsy.

 Top image: Westside Story

Swanky Sweepin' Volume 28

Daily:

Entertainment set or one of 5 year-long memberships to a bacon of the month club. WHAT. Other prizes as well. Ends 6/30

Date night with money and Nivea products. Daily winners. Ends 12/31

1958 Cadillac Ends 6/4

Cheap Thrills: Beach Blanket Bingo

Even a doom and gloom goth like me can't help but get excited for warmer weather. Under all this black clothing, I am a California girl at heart. Spring is here, and we have to prepare for all those sunny days ahead! Since I'm still in a retro mood, I turned to my favorite beachy icon, Gidget, for inspiration. The original Gidget was played by Sandra Dee, but thanks to endless reruns on TV, I fell in love with Sally Field's portrayal. Not surprisingly, my favorite episode was when Gidget joined a spooky band (Gidget and the Gories) and went full Goth.

Even if you're not a beach bunny, you'll still be needing some warm weather goodies for your spring and summer wardrobe. Grab the sunblock and take a gander at these Cheap Thrills...

Adventures in Iced Coffee

This is what working from home looks like. not. 

Truth: the only beverage that I love more than coffee is iced coffee. This year, it just so happens that the warmer weather has coincided with me working from home for the entire month of April. So far it's been no picnic (technology and I are barely on speaking terms right now) but one of the bright spots in my days of being glued to my computer desk (an old sewing machine table, not ideal but a girl manages) has been sipping on glorious home brewed iced coffee.

Now, I have tried various ways to make good iced coffee at home (including sticking the entire hot coffee carafe in the fridge like a lazy bum. not very tasty) but only recently am I finally happy with a method. Has anyone seen The Pioneer Woman on Food Network? Don't worry, no cool points lost if you haven't, I just watch my 'fair share' of TV if you will. I'm not sold on the show since I have very little in common with the blogger/domestic diva/dude ranch dwelling Ree Drummond and to be honest, her rich "down home" recipes border on diabetes-inducing Paula Deen territory. Plus, I'm so much more of an Anthony Bourdain/Travel Channel girl anyway.  However, I am loving me some of Ree's Perfect Iced Coffee. It's genius!

It's a beautiful thing.

What the Fluff.

I MADE MARSHMALLOWS.

They're actually very easy to make and they're oh-so-tasty.

Ingredients:

3 envelopes of unflavored gelatin
1 cup cold water
1 1/2 cups sugar
1 cup corn syrup
dash of salt
2 teaspoons vanilla extract

Powder:

Powdered sugar
Cornstarch

DIY Homemade Dog Food

Don't freak out, this is not completely a crazy dog lady past.  There is an element of cray-cray, but I promise I won't take you too far over the edge. A lot of people are being much more mindful about the food they eat, and that's something that is also carrying over to their pets. Pet food companies are advertising all natural product lines, and pet owners are more concerned with what they're feeding their furry bundles of joy. Some, including myself, have gone a step further and decided to make their own batches of food at home. It's not as crazy as you might think! You can control the quality of food your pet is eating, and it can save you a lot of money. Come on, follow me to crazy dog lady land...

Trendy Mommy Tuesdays: vol. 4

Inspiration: Elizabeth Banks

You didn't think this whole Hunger Games craziness would go buy without us even touching on the subject or the cast did you ? I shamefully admit that I have not read the books, nor have I seen the movie. All I know is that one of my favorite actresses is in it, Elizabeth Banks!

Anyhow, you don't often read about her in gossip mags or even see pictures of her out and about in the normal world. This rare picture is one of the most recent in the tabloids of her in a "lazy-chic" look. Here she is sans husband, child, and make-up but still a cutie!

Here is a very inexpensive version of her grey chunky knit cardigan (only $10!) from JCPennys. Remember to pair this sweater with a cute drop waist tunic ($30) from j. jill, and a pair of skinny jeans with room to cuff them of course, like these DC jeans at $21 from 6pm, or these at only $10.50 from forever21.

And of course, what is an outfit without accessories? Here is a cheaper version of her tan cross-body bag from American Rag at the low price of $26 from Macy's. You can find similar sunglasses at Kohl's for $15 and a classic straw fedora from Urban Outfitters at only $24.

As for the lace up boots, I found so many cute ones I just couldn't decide. Torrid has a brown faux leather pair on sale for $9.99, Tilly's has a lace up/zip up light brown pair on sale for $18, and these uber cute fabric pair from 6pm. I want them all!

Swanky Sweepin' Volume 27

Daily:

Trip to Seattle or one of 1,000 coffee tasting kits, ends 4/30

Single:

New Balance sneakers 30 winners, ends 4/15

Trip to Rio de Janeiro Ends 5/7

Porsche or cash option, ends 10/21

Trip to San Fran Ends 4/3

Macbook 3 winners, and 16 winners of smartphones, ends 5/1

Ford Fiesta Ends 11/11

Leather bag 2 winners, ends 4/3

$50 World Market gift card 19 winners, Pinterest contest, ends 4/6

Sausage for your sausage party. Ends 4/6