Fun Giveaways!!

In celebration of her birthday, Flip Flops & Pearls is hosing tons of giveaways!!! First of all, if you are not following her, you must stop by and then start following. Secondly, make sure to wish her a very Happy Birthday. And have fun with all of her giveaways!

Sunday Inspiration

"For if you forgive men when they sin against you, your heavenly Father will also forgive you."

Matthew 6:14

"And when you stand praying, if you hold anything against anyone, forgive him, so that your Father in heaven may forgive you your sins."

Mark 11: 25

"I ask you to forgive your brothers the sins and wrongs they committed in treating you so badly."

Genesis 50:17

Feeling Better (A Little)

So, I mentioned last night that I'm feeling a bit under the weather. I have the whole head, nose and throat thing going on-yuck! Hubby convinced me to call in and get a sub for school this morning, which I did rather reluctantly. I had just woken up from nap number two of the day, when my phone began to ring. Surprisingly, it was my (key) sis, Kara! Though I sound awful, I answered the phone. Very glad that I did! Kara has the cutest Tory Burch shirt that I fell in love with; actually Bryan saw a picture of her wearing it and commented on how much he liked it. All that being said, she and I, without any luck, have scoured places to try and find it. She happened into a store today and there it was on big time sale!! Here is a picture of my adorable sis in the shirt! By the way, she has an amazing blog about Northwest Arkansas. (So proud of her!!) Click here to view it. Thanks Kara for making me feel a little better!

Your Handbag-Part 2

If you did not read yesterday's post, please make sure to read that first!

The Power Mom
Price: $295
The leather shopper was made for working moms. She "needs room to keep all her necessities in place while running around in between meetings and playdates," says Minkoff. Its wearer likes labels, says Collins, "but doesn't need to show them." Schelter adds that its price makes it "still a treat."


The Pantsuit Executive
Price: $1,150
A leather handbag from a luxury house such as Mulberry completes the no-nonsense executive's professional look. "With the power women of today, they want to be taken seriously," Zoe says. "They also want to look fashion-forward." Schelter: "It is very easy to put files and a laptop in here."

The Party Girl
Price: $295
A crossbody bag that doubles as a clutch screams "work hard, play harder." The owner is "still young enough to go out at night after work," says Schelter.

The Early Adopter
Price: $825
A purse designed by an of-the-moment fashion darling suggests the wearer isn't referring to real machinery when talking about hardware. "This bag doesn't have a lot of functionality," says Zoe. "You make it work because you love it." Adds Collins, "People think she's on the cutting edge."

The Hoarder
Price: $395
Massive oversize bags show "that maybe you're not as focused as you need to be because you can't edit what's in your handbag," says Schelter. "If you go to a job interview with a bag the size of your body filled with crap, they're going to be a little nervous," says Zoe. Collins agrees: "She is kind of a mess."

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Your Handbag-Part 1

I found this article, written by Meredith Stebbins, in the Bloomberg Businessweek and thought I would pass it along to let you know what your purse is saying about you. Today I will give you the first five, tomorrow the second five. Enjoy!

Your Handbag, Your Self

To assess a lady's character, look no further than the handbag she carries to work. "It is an absolute indicator of who they are and what their style is," says Rachel Zoe, celebrity stylist and entrepreneur. Since a purse's size and shape isn't limiting like a pair of skinny jeans, a bag is an easy way for a woman to express herself -- especially in the workplace. "For the majority of women, the handbag is the most important part of the outfit because it doesn't have to do with your body type," says Kate Schelter, a New York-based stylist and brand consultant. Perhaps that's why the global luxury handbag and accessories market is about $24 billion, according to Coach CEO Lew Frankfort.

Whether it's an oversize carryall or structured satchel, a bag's details -- right down to the buckle -- reveal clues about its owner. Not to mention that "how you wear the bag is just as important as the bag itself," adds Schelter. Slinging it across your body sends a different signal than nestling it on the crux of your arm. Having your assistant tote it for you says something, too.

In order to decode the language of work-bag-speak, Bloomberg Businessweek called on a panel of fashion experts, including Zoe; Schelter; International Best-Dressed List Hall of Fame honoree Amy Fine Collins; and handbag designer Rebecca Minkoff. Next time you're in the elevator, think twice about rifling around that mammoth hobo for your ID badge: You're giving off a disorganized vibe.

The Eternal Prepster
Price: $135
A woman who totes Longchamp's classic Le Pliage canvas bag to the office is conservative and traditional, yet secretly relishes carrying a status symbol. "She is wearing plaids and pearls," says Zoe. Adds Minkoff, the owner is "practical and loves a bag where she can carry all her essentials at once."



The Upwardly Mobile Do-Gooder
Price: $60
The legions of young urbanites who cart around burlap bags designed by FEED, a philanthropic organization whose mission is to curb global hunger, are "obviously concerned about the world and the environment," says Zoe. She's "a little crunchy but brand-aware," adds Collins.

The Lady Who Luxes
Price: $1,030
A ladylike Louis Vuitton bag is the standard arm candy of a woman who has feminine -- and expensive -- taste. "This woman is a label freak," Collins says. Adds Zoe: "She has a job, but she may not need the money." Minkoff notes: "You'll never find her outside her house without the 'It' heels."

The Multitasker
Price: $595
A young gal who wears many hats in addition to her 9-to-5 job favors an expandable bag with many pockets. "She was voted Most Likely to Succeed in high school," Collins says. "She's a little bit safe in her dress, but in a cute way." The purpose of her tote "is to allow her to be hands-free," says Minkoff.

The Brooklyner
Price: $258
A vibrant print bag is the sign of a city-dwelling hipster who doesn't care about dress codes. "She isn't too worried about her bag matching her shoes matching her belt matching her outfit," says Zoe. "It's for the style blogger," says Schelter. Collins adds: "She doesn't get her hair blown straight."

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Pink and Green Thursday-Home Makeovers

Upon the arrival today of my Coastal Living, I quickly scanned the magazine and found the perfect article to feature today. Unfortunately, it is not up online yet, so it will have to wait until next week. So...I found these while browsing Southern Living's website. They have an article entitled "95 Amazing Home Makeovers." The three that I am featuring are pink or green, to go along with Pink Preppy Lilly Lover's Pink and Green Thursday.

Before

After

Before

After

Before

After

Hopefully everyone has had a nice day and stayed warm! I'm a bit under the weather. Surely the chicken soup and hot tea I am having tonight will help!

Wordless Wednesday-Olivia Palermo

Olivia Palermo in Tibi

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Giveaway Winner

Thank you so much to those who participated in my first giveaway! The unfamiliar object that is used in the kitchen is a coffee knock box, also known as a knocker. I received this as a present from my father for my birthday. There was absolutely no need for me to have to act shocked, since I really had no earthly idea what it was. I would take my coffee grounds out each day and slam, slam, slam and slam them into the compost bucket. Problem solved with a knocker! I am not sure where mine came from (since it was a gift), but you can see other knockers here and here.

The winner of the "What is This?" giveaway is Little Miss Can't Be Wrong!! Congrats on winning some Starbucks coffee and Caramel Sauce. The sauce looks yummy!

XOXO,
Hannah

Giveaway Reminder

Don't forget that my "What Is This?" giveaway is ending tonight at midnight. I will draw a name tomorrow. Out of all of my followers only 5 have left comments! Click here to go to the giveaway.

I have had a very busy past 24 hours. I have lots to write about and pictures to upload. It will probably happen tomorrow, since I just walked in the door. I hope everyone has enjoyed their weekend!

XOXO

Online Sales

Most of you are familiar with the revolutionary invitation-only online sample sale websites that have popped up in the past few years. Depending on the website, a person can find anything from a Breville cappuccino maker to Tory Burch Revas. These websites offer the items that we want/need at huge discounts, for limited times. My favorite three websites are Ruelala, Gilt and Hautelook.

Ruelala is the site that I have used the most. Though I enjoy using all three, I somehow find myself using this one more. It offers a wide variety of boutiques for your shopping pleasure. For all of you Lilly Pulitzer fans, tomorrow is a huge Lilly sale on Rue! Right now you can find Born shoes, Rotary Watches and Betsey Johnson. SPANX Swim and Ellen Tracy start today. Along with Lilly Pulitzer, STEVEN by Steve Madden and a Sunday Night Styleathon start tomorrow. For your invite, click here.

Gilt is a very high-end sample sale site. It offers luxury that most of us could only dream of affording. You're in luck, because now you can afford it! I have found great Tibi clothing deals on here. Right now they are offering Seven for All Mankind, Invicta Watches, Leifsdottir, Marni, Kelsi Dagger, plus more. Upcoming events include Vintage Fashion Prints, Dana Davis, Ski Apparel, Geren Ford and Valentino Pret-A-Porter. Click here for an invite to Gilt.

Hautelook offers discounts under six categories: Women, Men, Kids, Living, Beauty and Giveaways. I always adore their children's clothing! Currently they are offering Twelfth Street by Cynthia Vincent, Puella, Shutterfly, Laundry by Shelli Segal, plus a wide variety of others. Upcoming events include HarperCollins Children's Books, Free People, Paige Premium Denim, and a Color Me Stylish Handbag Event. For an invite to Hautelook, click here.

Happy Shopping!! XOXO

Over the Top

Ok, so these officially have pushed me over the tippy-toppy edge (as an adorable 3-year-old once called it). I've seriously been craving Tibi this week. Doesn't that sound just awful? I should not subject myself to the pain caused by looking over the new items listed on the Tibi website or pining over the new sale items added to Shopstyle. Then these little babies popped onto the market. Do you think they might satisfy my Tibi droolings of the day? Tibi playing cards-who would have thought?!?