Fashion Forward

Lately, I’ve seen this photo popping up around the web:

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and was happy to find an article on Shine from Yahoo! about these futuristic heels. Designed by Polly Verity, I hope this model didn’t have to catwalk in them. I would also be concerned about my poor toes falling out the sides.

The article/slide show also showcases eco-friendly shoes from Stockholm designers Naim Josefi & Souzan Youssouf that are made from only one material. And the Mojito shoe is like Birkenstocks, except not:

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Designed by British architect Julian Hakes, the shoe molds to your foot. I’m a big fan of Rainbow sandals which similarly conform to accommodate the unique arch in each wearer’s foot. I’d definitely try these on, but maybe just wear them around the house. For now, I think we’re all safe in our pumps, flats, and flip-flops. Have you seen other futuristic fashion taking over?

Cheers,

Jenna Kate

Wow

I wanted to share a few fun links today from across the web. The first is an interesting event blog called The Pink Toast. You can read about Danielle’s Bat Mitzvah in 5 installments, but here’s a sneak peak:

I can only imagine what this 13-year-old will grow up thinking about her wedding. I wish there was a way to check back in 10 or 15 yaers from now…

On to our next link, The Knotty Bride posted up a brief article on lingerie which was mildly inspiring. Alison led me to a great new online shop asos from the UK. They have dresses from £15 to £250 (about $30 – $500) I did find this cute jersey dress I’d love to have for the holidays:

and at £26, it’s not at a bad price either. And along with this great jumpsuit (which doesn’t look like a jumpsuit at all):

at £50, I’d sure make my British friends proud for at least stepping away from my pearls and cardis.

And of course, last night’s Emmy Awards has people talking fashion. This Oscar de la Renta on Lea Michele from GLEE made me a little giddy and Emily Blunt’s flowing Christian Dior one-shoulder dress wished I had my other half around to float around in a bedsheet pretending to be a Grecian goddess. InStyle of course has a great gallery up of photos from the red carpet.

Hopefully this has give you a bit of inspiration for a happy Monday!

Cheers,

Jenna Kate

Weekly Newscap 8/20

It’s been a few weeks since we’ve had a newscap, so here are the gems from the office this week:

Monday: A very international news day. In Australia, an Aboriginal elder led police to…the wrong body? While in France, those vertically challenged can now serve on the police force. While on the home front, a 78 year old man takes a historic roller coaster ride and a poor bear cub is released from getting his head stuck inside the cookie jar.

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Tuesday: The South was busy over the weekend. A skateboarding priest was converting the masses over the weekend, while a Mississippi woman got a different haircut than she asked for: a bald patch. Meanwhile, an Alabama man got his missing high school ring back after 14 years. It’s no laughing matter in North Carolina, a man was arrested for laughing in court and later found with three grams of cocaine.

Wednesday: Animal day. A pair of zebras took a stroll around Northern California, even swimming in a local pool. A Python was removed from duty – guaring a stash of cocaine in Rome. And a group of humboldt penguins spent the afternoon chasing a butterfly in Philly:

And in real news, women were yet again suffraging. Or well, suffraging for the right not to suffrage.

Thursday: Kids all over the world are flashing ATM users? And the Canadians are thinking like the Italians: use black bears to guard marijuana crops. The Huffington Post also claimed ‘Bears are the Best’ with this great slideshow, and Sarah Palin issued her list of ‘Mama Grizzlies,’ while simultaneously shocking us all with her stupidity.

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Today: The job seeker advice I received on Monday won’t come in handy after all (I didn’t get the job), and I fully plan on popping a whole bottle of Merlot. And the recycling the bottle so it doesn’t end up in the growing Atlantic Ocean Garbage Patch. And seriously, check your eggs to see if they match this recall by the USDA.

Happy Friday!

Cheers,

Jenna Kate

U.S. News & World Report: 15 Free Things

I love finding good articles to share again, and normally I’m a fan of paraphrasing. But this one is just too good, so it’s going on in its entirety. I did add a few photos to make things more interesting. Please leave comments with other things you should be getting for free, and good freebie websites to use!  

15 Things You Shouldn’t Be Paying For

by Phil Taylor, Thursday August 19, 2010

provided by US News & World Report

So much money and energy is wasted on things we could get for free. If you’re into new, shiny things and collecting stuff, this is not for you. But if you want less clutter in your life and want to keep more of your money, then check out these 15 things you shouldn’t be paying for.

Basic Computer Software – Thinking of purchasing a new computer? Think twice before you fork over the funds for a bunch of extra software. There are some great alternatives to the name brand software programs. The most notable is OpenOffice, the open-source alternative to those other guys. It’s completely free and files can be exported in compatible formats.

Your Credit Report — You don’t have to pay for your credit report. You could sign up for one of the free credit monitoring services online to get a quick look at your credit report. You just have to remember to cancel the service before the end of the free trial. Or you could do one better and visit www.annualcreditreport.com, the only truly free place to see all three of your credit reports for free once a year.

Cell Phone — The service plan may be expensive, but the phone itself doesn’t have to cost a thing. Most major carriers will give you a free phone, even a free smart phone, with a two-year contract.

Books – There’s a cool place in your town that’s renting out books for free: the library. Remember that place? Stop by and put your favorite book on reserve. And if you don’t feel like getting out, visit www.paperbackswap.com and find your books there (small shipping fees apply).

Water — Besides the monthly utility bill, there’s no reason to shell out $1 for every bottle of water you drink. Bottled water is so last decade anyway. We’re over it, and into tap, filters, and reusable water bottles. It’s cheaper for you and better for the environment.

Credit Card — With as many credit cards as there are available on the market today, it’s easy to avoid a credit card with an annual fee. Unless you’re dead set on a particular perk that a fee card brings, skip the annual fee card and pocket that money yourself.

Debt Reduction Help — Speaking of credit cards, if you’re in over your head with credit card help, there are many free sources you can turn to for help with your debt. No one is going to be able to magically wipe away your debts, but there is help out there that will set you up on a debt reduction plan you can handle. Start with a visit to the National Foundation for Credit Counseling.

Basic Tax Preparation — If your tax situation isn’t that complicated, then you should probably be preparing your own tax return using one of the many free online services. It’s now common for e-filing to be free as well with many services. You won’t even need a stamp.

The News – Leave it to a blogger to try and kill off traditional print. I’m not anti-newspaper. I just don’t find them practical anymore. Skip the daily .50 cents and get your news online. And for you dedicated coupon clippers, you can get most of your Sunday coupons online now too.

Budgeting Tools – There are many budgeting tools (both online and desktop) that offer up the service for free. Don’t ask me how they do this, but who cares. If you’re looking to rein in some of your spending, the good news is you can do it for free.

Pets — This is a controversial one, I know. But there are likely many pets down at your local animal shelter that could use just as much love as the pure-bred types. There may be a small fee due to the shelter for shots and basic care, but you’ll have your pet home without paying a mini-fortune.

Shipping — If you like to buy online, you probably use coupons to get a percentage off of your purchase. Take your skills to the next level and look for coupons or promotion codes that offer free shipping. If in doubt, visit a site like www.freeshipping.org.

Checking Account — Isn’t it nice when a bank takes your money, lends it out to earn money, and then has the audacity to charge you for the service? What a joke. Checking should be free. If yours isn’t free then move to one of the many banks that offers a checking account for free. And the same can be said for ATM fees, teller fees, and checks.

DVD Rentals – Did you know that you can rent DVDs from RedBox locations for $1 a night? And better yet, if you use one of the coupon codes from www.insideredbox.com you can avoid the $1 charge. Free DVD rentals! Most libraries now have free DVD rental as well.

Exercise — Skip the expensive gym memberships. Visit your local park for a walk or run. Do basic push-up and sit-up programs in your living room. Rent a workout DVD from the library. There are many free workout programs you can download online as well.

Photo source, source, source, source, source, source, source.

Some other great articles cited on Yahoo! Personal Finance:  Why Spending Less Can Make You Happier by Stephanie Rosenbloom and  Get Out of Debt the Right Way by Laura Rowley. More from USNews.com includes: 8 Painless Ways to Save Money,  20 Things You Should Never Buy Used, and  5 Ways Spending Money Makes You Fat.

Can you think of other things you should be getting for free? Leave your suggestions in the comments below, along with any other freebie sites you recommend!

Cheers,

Jenna Kate

Love is in the Air?

This summer has definitely been a big one for romance. In June, a classmate of mine Andrea got married in Greensboro, and yesterday Southern Weddings posted photos of her wedding shot by Abigail Seymour. I love the classic monogram:

and these adorable Elon cupcakes:

and who could resist these traditional North Carolina favors: Krispy Kreme doughnuts in adorable boxes reading “Glazed and delicious from the new Mr. & Mrs.” So precious!

Next to their cute favor boxes, I just had to leave this great photo of Andrea throwing her bouquet. Check out more photos in the Southern Weddings post and on Abigail Seymour’s blog. Congratulations! I can’t wait to borrow some of your fabulous ideas!

In July, Adam and I went to Jake & Kim’s wedding down in Durham. You saw a photo peek here, and here’s a snapshot of me and Adam all dressed to the nines:

and I snagged this adorable photo of the happy couple off Facebook (all my pictures were blurry thanks to the ambient low lighting and my point & shoot camera) thanks to Brian Mullins Photography:

There are some amazing shots up on Brian’s blog! I love how you can see the reflection of Kim and Jake in the piano. So classic! And to top it all off, the next day, Adam proposed in the Duke Gardens!

Then in the last two weeks, I had two sorority sisters get engaged as well. Congratulation Lisa and Alison! You can read Alison’s adorable engagement story here. And to top it off, The Wedding Chicks are giving away customized DIY wedding invitations with this classic bicycle built for two design:

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Just enter in your info, pick your colors, and each file will be emailed to your address. Get your invitations here.

So all this romance has to make a girl wonder, is there more in the summer air than just humidity?

Cheers,

Jenna Kate

Employment Bonus

I’ve seen quite a bit going around lately not about people finding creative ways to get hired, but about using innovation to quit. Yesterday a Jet Blue flight attendant exited an argument with a passenger by using the safety evacuation slides. Needless to say, he won’t be coming back to work.

Today I saw a brilliant slideshow that a young assistant sent around to her office to quit:

Thanks to TheChive.com, the whole world can see Jenny’s witty quitting display of slides, proving her dedication to her job for over two years until her discourteous boss gave her thelast straw:

Then Jenny dutifully reminds us all that even the boss can have his or her own plans to increase productivity backfire: her boxx spent 19.7 hours a week playing Farmville as recorded by the office snitch program installed to monitor internet use.

While the last few years have definitely not been the best economically, for job seekers, or for homeowners, this is a great reminder to remember that a job is much more than just a job. The biggest difference between employees today and of previous generations, is we believe a job is something you should enjoy doing. You don’t work just to work – you shouldn’t suffer through the 40 hours a week you spend earning your living. And just like Jenny, you certainly shouldn’t put up with office abuse from your supervisors.

So thanks Jenny for giving us a reminder of what our generation stands for: living life to the fullest in every aspect.

Cheers,

Jenna Kate

Features: Novels and Photos

Thanks to TrèsSugar, I have two really fun features to share with you.

The first is their Summer Reading List: 20 Smart Chick-Lit Novels. I’ve read several of these titles including Lipstick Jungle, The Devil Wears Prada, and The Pact, and have had others on my must-read list for a while: Something Borrowed and Something Blue.

The great this about this list is the inclusion of less-well-known authors like Melissa Bank, Rita Ciresi, and Dixie Cash, so there are some new faces to befriend these last few days of summer.

TrèsSugar has also blessed us with this fantastic spread of film inspired Engagement Photo Shoots. Granted, two of my top five favorite movies of all time are included in this list: timeless romance from The Notebook, and tragic desire from Atonement.  Here are my favorite photos from the shoots as posted on TrèsSugar:

Atonement:

Up:

Breakfast at Tiffany’s:

The Notebook:

and Alice in Wonderland:

Have you seen other movie-inspired photo shoots? What other films do you think would make a great inspiration for engagement photos like these? Happy photo hunting!

Cheers,

Jenna Kate

5 Healthy Reasons to Pop a Cold One

I’m a good Southern girl and I drink beer. Today, MSN posted up a list of five reasons why it’s healthy to pop a nice cold beer. And I fully support this list.

Not only is this reason number one, but this is also a really good fact to know: beer helps prevent osteoporosis. I’m lactose intolerant, and have never had a drop of milk in my life. Maintaining a healthy level of calcium to prevent osteoporosis is hard. At least I know that drinking beer may be helping if only a little. The article recommends an ale or pale ale, but didn’t comment on if ‘light’ beers make a difference in their healthiness. Granted the experts recommend no more than two beers in a sitting, but I’ll still be sure to add a seasonal summer ale to my next grocery list.

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What’s your favorite seasonal beer? Do you agree with any of beer’s healthy traits?

Cheers,

Jenna Kate

Pluto and the Triceratops

I know this is a bit deviant from my normal posting, but I wanted to share some sad news. Two scientists from the University of the Rockies in Montana have ‘discovered’ that Triceratops may not have been a species, but rather a ‘child’ of the Torosaurus species.

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While this isn’t a major news item yet, places like The Huffington Post and Gizmodo have articles up about this new research. You may remember when a similar attack on childhood was made back in 2006 when scientists stripped poor Pluto of its planet status.

At least Pluto got its own verb according to the American Dialect Society. To pluto is to demote or devalue someone or something, as happened to the former planet Pluto when the General Assembly of the International Astronomical Union decided Pluto no longer met its definition of a planet. Read the Society’s Words of the Year 2006 packet here for other great new words.

Personally, the triceratops will always be one of my favorite dinosaurs. Even though Sarah was a pretty frisky character in The Land Before Time, she was just lonely for her family.

So here’s to you, triceratops, for entertaining kids everywhere and keeping them interested in science.

Cheers,

Jenna Kate

Where’s My Hotel?

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Can you find your hotel room? Check out this new eco-friendly tree resort in Sweden. Click here for the resort’s website for more photos and booking info.  I can’t wait to go with Adam!

Cheers,

Jenna Kate