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Screen Actor’s Guild Awards This Sunday!

Posted on January 27, 2012

Looks like the nominees are in and the show is set to air this Sunday for the Screen Actor’s Guild Awards!

Although I admit that I haven’t seen enough of the movies to know exactly who should win, I definitely have my opinions. How refreshing to see someone like Melissa McCarthy being nominated for the hilarious movie “Bridesmaids”! The fun thing about SAG Awards is that it’s actors voting for actors. The political stuff that you tend to see in other award ceremonies goes out the window.

What will the celebs wear? Will the red carpet be filled with loads of luscious, red lips? How many of the women will be in nude or white dresses? After watching the red carpet trends during The Golden Globes it’s exciting to see what the stylists will come up with for a new twist!

Instead of having a category called “Best Picture”, the SAG Awards actually has the actor’s peers deciding which film has the best CAST. Who are you voting for this weekend?

Outstanding Performance by a Cast in a Motion Picture:

THE ARTIST (The Weinstein Company)

BRIDESMAIDS (Universal Pictures)

THE DESCENDANTS (Fox Searchlight Pictures)

THE HELP (DreamWorks Pictures / Touchstone Pictures)

MIDNIGHT IN PARIS (Sony Pictures Classics)

Outstanding Performance by a Male Actor in a Leading Role
DEMIÁN BICHIR / Carlos Galindo – “A BETTER LIFE” (Summit Entertainment)
GEORGE CLOONEY / Matt King – “THE DESCENDANTS” (Fox Searchlight Pictures)
LEONARDO DiCAPRIO / J. Edgar Hoover – “J. EDGAR” (Warner Bros. Pictures)
JEAN DUJARDIN / George – “THE ARTIST” (The Weinstein Company)
BRAD PITT / Billy Beane – “MONEYBALL” (Columbia Pictures)

Outstanding Performance by a Female Actor in a Leading Role
GLENN CLOSE / Albert Nobbs – “ALBERT NOBBS” (Roadside Attractions)
VIOLA DAVIS / Aibileen Clark – “THE HELP” (DreamWorks Pictures / Touchstone Pictures)
MERYL STREEP / Margaret Thatcher – “THE IRON LADY” (The Weinstein Company)
TILDA SWINTON / Eva – “WE NEED TO TALK ABOUT KEVIN” (Oscilloscope Laboratories)
MICHELLE WILLIAMS / Marilyn Monroe – “MY WEEK WITH MARILYN” (The Weinstein Company)

photo found at favim.com

Search for the Perfect Bridal Shoe

Posted on January 27, 2012

Getting all glammed up for her wedding is every bride’s ultimate fantasy come true. A wedding is the biggest opportunity in a bride’s life to transform into a combination of a fairy princess and an A-list celebrity on the red carpet all rolled into one fabulous look.

She wants to look fabulous from head to toe. But let’s face it, the toes have it. Every fashionista bride is on the hunt for the perfect shoe. In fact, she just might become obsessed with finding the perfect shoe.

I call this the bridal shoe fetish, and of course it’s a perfectly understandable condition. No matter your shape or size. No matter how much you can’t rationalize spending a small fortune on a high-end designer gown. If you’re a shoe lover, dropping a few hundred on drop-dead amazing shoes is no sweat.

Here’s the thing. Some people mistakenly think the shoes you wear under your gown aren’t important because nobody will see them. Not true. First of all, you’ll see them. That’s what’s most important, right? You know how you have a better day when you’re wearing delicious shoes? Well, this is the one of the most important days of her life. Shoes matter. Shoes always matter.

Besides, they’ll be in your photos, guests will be scoping them out, and good shoes are more comfortable and trustworthy than cheap ones (you don’t want to break a heel!).

If you have a bridal shoe fetish, you’re not alone. Here are a few quick tips for selecting the best shoes. Followed, of course, by some luscious eye candy for you.

1. You should be able to walk. Duh, but I’m saying… you should be able to walk confidently. There’s nothing cute about a grown woman teetering around in heels like a girl playing dress up. You want to be able to walk down the aisle with grace, focused on your hubby-to-be, not your achy feet.

2. Have a backup plan. No matter how comfy your shoes are, remember that you’ll be on your feet all day. No need to prance around the dance floor in your stockings or bare feet. This is your chance to buy another pair of cute shoes – flats, flip flops. It’s all good. Just make sure they’re cute!

3. Consider your dress. Your shoes and your dress should make sense together. Of course make sure the dress is the right length with the heel you choose. But also make sure the styles are aligned to create a coherent look. The general rule of thumb: fancy dress – simple shoe / simple dress – fancy shoe. Plus, embellishments and fabrics should coordinate.

4. Make sure they match. See to it that the white in your dress matches the white in your shoes. Not all whites are created equal. If the whites don’t match, it can make your shoes or your dress look dingy or yellowed. When shoe shopping,

5. Or not. If you wish to express your wild side or personal sense of style, sometimes your shoes are just the place. If you think you can get away with a bold color, go for it.

Giuseppe Zanotti

Kate Spade

Badgley Mischka

So, do you have a bridal shoe fetish? I’d love to see what you’ve found online. Post a link to your fave bridal shoes below.

Monograms Aren’t What They Used to Be

Posted on January 27, 2012

If you are looking for fun and stylish ways to jazz up your décor, invitations, menu cards, or other stationary, consider using monograms. This one here is from allenpeters.blogspot.com

I know what you might be thinking: “Tell me something my grandmother didn’t already tell me, Marley.”

Monograms have been around a long time. Ancient Greeks, royals throughout the ages, and anyone going for a classic traditional look in more recent times have used monograms.

But monograms are not what they used to be. Modern fonts create fun and unexpected finds in today’s available monograms. For a moment, let’s forget the three erect initials, one bigger than the rest, and the scrolling curly letters. Go for bold and expressive styles to bring a touch of unexpected artistic whimsy to your event.

Monograms are intended to engrave a recognizable signature, so why not use a monogram to show off signature style instead?

Here are some examples of fun monograms for inspiration:

Elephannie for Etsy’s Fun Monogram:

LW Design‘s modern monograms:

While a preppier monogram will never go out of style, keep your eye out and your options open when it comes to selecting a monogram to use. You can always have your monogram custom designed.

How to Get Your Dream Wedding Dress for a Steal

Posted on January 27, 2012

So many ladies out there are just beginning their search for the perfect gown. This one pictured here comes from Alfred Angelo for Disney Bridal.

A dream wedding dress can often be one of the biggest line items on your wedding budget. Ever since you were a little girl and dreamed of your wedding day, you pictured yourself in a beautiful wedding dress. As you grew up and realized dream wedding dresses were also expensive wedding dresses – sometimes costing more than your car – the dream didn’t go away, did it?

The truth is, even though your absolute dream designer wedding gown might seem out of reach, there are creative ways to get what you want. If your heart is set on a designer wedding dress, but your budget is cramping your style, here are some tips for you:

Trunk Shows and Sample Sales

Trunk shows and sample sales do not offer bargain basement pricing, but you can find a beautiful designer dress for a much more reasonable price. Search online and keep your eyes peeled for local trunk shows and sample sales as well as those happening in nearby cities. It’s worth a road trip to save some significant money.

Renting

Many brides scoff at the idea of renting. Don’t want to wear a dress someone else has worn? What, are you afraid of cooties? Besides, it’s possible you will be the first person to wear a particular dress. Want to pass your dress along to your daughter? How many of your friends wanted to wear their mother’s gown from the 70s? Of course in an ideal world, you wouldn’t have to consider renting, but the reality is your dress is going to be worn for a few hours and then put in storage for eternity.

Go Digital

Going into a bridal shop and trying on dresses is a right of passage for any bride, but these days you just might find your dream dress online. Ebay and reputable online sellers usually offer more affordable pricing. Not all of the dresses on Ebay are used. You might be buying from a middleman or from a bride who changed her mind and bought another dress. Shopping online can be a fantastic way to find a great deal.

Browse Local Consignment Stores

Who knows how the dress got there? Maybe the wedding was called off. Maybe she realized she wanted to recoup a fraction of her investment. The good news is it’s there, for your budget friendly pleasure. You never know what treasures will await you, so it is certainly worth giving it a shot.

Sponsorship

Yes. This is controversial and some people will consider it tacky, but if you really want that dream wedding dress, having your wedding sponsored by an up and coming designer or local bridal boutique might be an option worth considering.

The bottom line is it’s your wedding, and only you (and maybe your parents) are responsible for the bottom line. Nobody will know what you spent on your dress if you get it for a steal. Would you rather get creative and use one of these methods to get a dream dress or wear a cheaply made dress that doesn’t even resemble your dream?

Academy Awards Party Time!

Posted on January 25, 2012

The nominees for the 84th Academy Awards have been announced and your VIP pass seems to have gotten lost in the mail. Now what? Why not plan your own rock-star fabulous soiree fit for even the most high-maintenance A-Lister? Let The Party Goddess! show you how to enjoy the show in the best seat in town! You’ll have your friends clamoring for a front row seat at your house in no time flat!

TIPS:

* Involve your guests. Have your guests come dressed as their favorite actor or actress and turn it into a “Best Dressed” contest and award them with a mini trophy at the end! Pass out ballots and have your guests cast their votes prior to the Awards ceremony. Offer a fun gift to all the winners and a Grand Prize to the person who gets the most categories.

* Go glam! Deck out your house with glamorous props and pieces! Have guests enter via red carpet. Buy a large piece of red fabric and center at the entrance to your house. Decorate your house by placing items such as award trophy statuettes, director’s clipboards, movie reels and Hollywood stars throughout the space.

* Paparazzi! Enlist the kids as paparazzi. Keep the kids occupied at the party by letting them take pictures of the guests. It’s fun to include a life-size celebrity standup that guests can take pictures with. After the event you can upload your digital party pics to Flickr, Facebook, Shutterfly etc. to share with your family and friends!

* Trick out your bar. If you really want your bar to shine in the limelight, try stacking champagne flutes into a pyramid to act as a bar backdrop. Have fun naming the drinks after nominated actors, actresses and TV shows!

* Name that Host! With such a controversy over the host’s for this year’s Academy Awards, why not play a trivia game about the various hosts over the years! During commercial breaks ask your friends some witty and fun questions. Add a little twist and anytime someone answers incorrectly they have to take a drink!

RANDOM ACADEMY AWARDS FACTS & FIGURES:

* The first Academy Awards were presented on May 16, 1929.

* The official name of the golden statue is the Academy Award of Merit.

* The late Walt Disney leads the pack with 59 nominations and 26 awards.

* After many years of being held on Mondays at 9:00 p.m. Eastern/6:00 p.m Pacific, in 1999 the ceremonies were moved to Sundays at 8:30 p.m. Eastern/5:30 p.m. Pacific.

* During the first ten years of the Academy Awards’ existence, Oscar winners’ names were handed to newspapers at 11pm on award night. One year, the LA Times announced the award winners before the Academy actually gave them out. Since then, the awards have been sealed in envelopes.