Collage your business plan - brilliant!

This is the most brilliant idea from Jennifer Lee of Right Brain Business Plan. Totally takes the scariness out of making your business plan. Basically, you could just cut out your dreams and goals as you see them in magazines or illustrations from where you find them, and glue it all together in a nice little story book. I'm totally going to do this for my business plan because the act of cutting things out and arranging them on a page with rubber cement lends a whole new perspective.

Jamelia for Tony&Guy Model.Me

One good thing about being with the in-laws over the holidays in Central Massachusetts is that there is not much to except read magazines and eat cookies*. While perusing British ELLE, I came across this ad for Toni&Guy's Model.Me line of hair care products represented by top models Erin O'Conner, Helena Christensen and pop singer Jamelia. Each woman has a range of products catering to specific hair needs.

I don't know much about Jamelia aside from the fact that some people call her the British Beyonce and that her song "Superstar" was my jam for about two weeks several years ago. I have nothing against the woman but two things stick out here.

First, why isn't a actual model in Jamelia's place? And second, why are the only Black women we see in "mainstream" haircare ads usually sporting industrial weaves? Now, I know that a good weave requires a lot of care but seriously, what is up with this? It's like the companies are saying, "See! We haven't left you poor black women out of our campaign! You too can have healthy manageable hair, provided that you are wearing someone else's." It just seems silly to me.

I'm also bugged that everyone in the media seems to think that singers and rappers are always the go-to girls for ad campaigns and films when there are plenty of actual black models and actresses waiting in the wings. I admire any woman who can make a career in either of these industries without succumbing to bitterness or the allure of too much fried food.

Happy Holidays!

I just wanted to wish everyone a pleasant and peaceful holiday. Right now I am in the middle of nowhere in Massachusetts with next to no Internet access so I won't be updating until the New Year.

Wedding Scouting in Maine

Ok, so this is the very late post on the wedding scout in Maine in October. It was peak season with the leaves, a little chilly, and very crisp. Nothing is in stone yet, deposits have to be put, and a few wrinkles still need to be ironed.

This is from a walking bridge after the scout. It's pretty, so I included it.


This would be the location for the ceremony. On the left is a little corner of the house, and to the right is a yard that is owned by the neighbors, who are graciously letting us get married there. We will give them lots of champagne and cake.


This is Lurie, our caterer/coordinator extraordinaire. We're in the driveway of our house, thinking out tents, no tents, the ceremony, and walking across the street to a little club house to have the reception.


This is the clubhouse that is across the street. Inside, there is a large room with a stage, like when you were in elementary school. The catch is, this clubhouse closes up by the time we're using it, so we would have to empty out the stuff and put it...I don't remember where it's going. It's these details that I tune out on. But Lurie knows.


This is David sneaking into the clubhouse. Since it closes, it's locked, except for the windows.


Gerdy came in to check everything out. These wooden tables are one of those things we have to move out. But, those tables are traditionally used for clam bakes, which we are having the night before, but not with those tables.


This is the cove behind the clubhouse. Usually there are boats parked there, and they would be for The Day, which means only one thing...mini boat rides!! If people get board, or are waiting for a mini boat ride, they could walk down a little dock that you can't see in the picture, bring their lines of string to bait, and drop into the water, and fish for crabs.


This is in the fishing town, just up the road. This is the place where I proposed to him. It was drizzling that day, so this gets to be a nice picture of that place, but without the rain, and with the moon. In case you missed it, David proposed to me later and totally out did me.


Getting a little artsy here. This is the fishing town in the review mirror of David's car.


Now that you've seen the setting, let's think hair. I'm thinking loosely swooped up. I might have been delusional this day, but it's a start.

Cute David and his funny haircut

Now that it's Christmas, and I'm home in Cleveland, I'm allowing myself to sit in front of a movie (Just Like Heaven) with my mom, and I find that the computer is on my lap, so maybe the unblogged blog posts will pour out when I didn't make time before!

So here is the first: David got a haircut the other day, and he came home, very proud of it. These are these $8 haircuts he gets from these immigrant men from Lithuania, Uganda, The Czech Republic. Usually they make him military. This time, the guy didn't really cut the top, expect in random places...



But let's look at this picture: isn't David cute? This is a walking bridge next to a covered bridge in Brunswick, Maine, when we were scouting it for the wedding...which is coming up in a next post!

First engagement present...pearls

A gift appeared tonight from the family over a burger dinner from Rick's Cafe in Chagrin Falls. A beautiful long, 20's style double string of fresh water pearls and drop earrings designed by Jen Skirball. Aren't they lovely and fun? They can tie into a knot, double up, and drape. Perfect for black velvet and polkadotted tulle.

First engagement present...pearls, originally uploaded by KT Flicker.

Look at these pretty, pretty wedding cakes!

Can you die!? Do you wish you were getting married right now? And that she lived in your town (The Painted Cake bakes for NY and NJ)? Since our wedding will be in Maine, I don't think this cake can ship! Sigh. But seriously, I think these are some of the prettiest wedding cakes I've ever seen.

Modern Black and White


Enchanted Garden


There is lots more where these cakes came from.

Everyone needs some glitter mistletoe

Everyone needs some glitter mistletoe, originally uploaded by KT Flicker.

15 Years of M.A.C Viva Glam Spokesmodels

From left: RuPaul, Debbie Harry, Lisa Marie Presley, Shirley Manson, Pamela Anderson, Susan Rodriguez, Missy Elliot, Eve, Dita Von Teese, and Christina Aguilera.


I realize the maybe Mary J. Blige was too busy promoting her new CD to make the shoot but where is Lil' Kim? I know she wasn't busy.

Frozen popcicle trees for upcoming Noreastee

Frozen popcicle trees for upcoming Noreastee, originally uploaded by KT Flicker.

1969 - Black Models Grace Fashion Magazine Covers for the 1st Time

(L to R)

Jane Hoffman - Cosmo - June, 1969
Daphne Maxwell - Glamour - October, 1969*
Elizabeth of Toro - Harper's Bazaar - November, 1969
Jolie Jones - Madamoiselle - March, 1969

It's funny how much things change and how much they stay the same. I wonder what kind of future I would have imagined had I been coming of age in the late 1960s.

* Katiti Kironde was technically the first black wman to appear on the cover in August, 1968 but she was a college student and not a model.

Harper's Bazaar - Donyale Luna

Harper's Bazaar was the first US fashion magazine to feature the image of a Black woman on its cover in January 1965. The woman Donyale Luna, who was described as having "the tall strength and pride movement of a Masai warrior."

When she came onto the scene in the mid 1960's she was Fashion writer Bill Cunningham wrote:

The white model dominated fashion world is confronted by the first ethereal African queen image. Her body moves like a panther, her arms, the wings of an exotic bird, the long neck suggests a black trumpet swan...It is the birth of a new fashion era.

Although filled with the usual "exotic other" stereotypes, at the time this was mighty high praise for the model to receive in mainstream press. She would go onto to become the first model of African descent to appear on the cover of British Vogue.

It's unfortunate that the "new era" that Luna ushered forth didn't produce a long lasting career for the model herself as she was unable to escape her own personal demons.

Fresh Morning Skin Care

When the night comes, I'm so longing for my delicious bed with a Tempurpedic lining and alternative feather bed, that when it comes to exfoliating, then dabbing my face with my very favorite bar of earth - Fresh's Umbrian Clay Bar Treatment - I skip it! So mystery red bumps have started creeping up on my face.

Then, when I was raving to a new friend about the Umbrian bar, she raved back, telling me how whenever she gets a hint of a red dot on her face, she dabs a little Umbrian on it, and it vanishes. So when my regular red weirdness started appearing on my left cheek, I dabbed the Umbrian on it, and the first day it went down. The second day, even paler. Third day, gone.

But this time, I did it in the morning, right after the shower while drying my hair. I really didn't even have to put it on my whole face, although I couldn't resist because every time I use it my face is...fresh and glowing. I don't use foundation on my face, so this is working, where I have a super fresh face all day! And, it does make for good holiday gifts, because Fresh sells pretty little dishes, or you could find on an Etsy search for a dish, or a super cute dish that people found in Stylehive.com's search. I've given it for two years in a row, and I'm thinking of who can get it this year. Oh, and because it's a bar, it lasts for a really long time, as opposed to the tube version, which is easier, but you'll go through it faster. I used this to get rid of my 2-year old forehead bumps, and I still swear by it two years later.

Glamour Magazine Chats w/ Bethann Hardison

In the 1960s, Bethann Hardison was the first black girl working the showroom in the garment district.

A chance encounter with designer Willie Smith launched her modeling career and a few short years later she became one of the pioneering Black models walking the runways of New York and Paris.

Her career in fashion didn't end when she stepped off the runway. Hardison founded Bethann Management in 1984 and was a charter member of The Black Girls Coalition, an organization determined to change the status quo in the fashion industry. In the article below, she talks briefly with Glamour Magazine about modeling agency biases.

Oliver inspecting cutting of sleep mask elastic

Oliver inspecting cutting of sleep mask elastic, originally uploaded by KT Flicker.

Crazy Mood Fabrics at Closing!

Crazy Mood Fabrics at Closing!, originally uploaded by KT Flicker.

Copy of Sleep Mask Re-Spun

The Katie James Sleep Mask is so great, and works so well, that even a Sleep Mask Skeptic has woken up on the right side of the bed, now that the Katie James Sleep Mask blocked all of the light from the previous night of sleeping.

This craftster has started her Christmas crafting and picked the Katie James Sleep Mask to copy and give to her niece-in-law, with Tiger printed fabric. Here's what she says about it:


"I personally have never liked sleep masks because a) they let light sneak up along the sides of the nose and so are pretty pointless and b) if I tighten them up so no light leaks in, I feel like I can't breath. So this one is cut of over the nose, and it works!"

More sleep masks in different styles coming soon, by the way. They are in production in Alabama as we speak.

Brooklynites! Holiday Shop at the Brooklyn Indie Market!

If you like shopping online for unique stuff, but would like some crisp December air whipping around your hair on the inspiring streets of Brooklyn, wonder own down to Smith Street for the Brooklyn Indie Market, which is full of all kinds of jewelry designers, clothing designers, iPod designers maybe, scarves, etc and etc. Check out the designers! Some of them are only available at this market, and trust me, you will not be disappointed. In fact, I think some Mistas have been shopping there...? Chime in if you have...Pictures are below, and directions with map are here.

www.flickr.com More of brooklynindiemarket's photos

Cute, right?

What do you think of this mini announcement card? It's how the save the date card will look, except that that card is like a mile long (9") with accommodations details on it, pointing to a website that doesn't exist yet. Look at our little lobster guy. He's our mascot. With a golf stick holding the hobo pack because men in both sides of the families are obsessed with golf. And if you're an Ohio State fan, you could look closely and see a little Brutus on the golf bag.



Wouldn't it be fun if all of the Mistas could come? So far, we've got a caterer, who is amazing, and the location still has winkles. The Ceremony has been ironed out, I think, so we still need the Reception, which is a club house literally across the street, to be smooth. I just got swatches for linens, and am going with a long Nutmeg linen with a striped ivory and sheer 'overlay.' Nutmeg napkins, and soft pink runners for the food table. Glasses and silverware still need to be ordered, I think.

Hey - maybe this should be a Christmas card! Yeah. I have to figure out how to print this. Hm. Maybe I'd have to edit it so that everyone doesn't think they are invited. Even though we want them all to come. But we have a limit of 150 people.

Oh dear. Mista Kelly W. says that I can't b/c 1. people who are invited will get 2 of the same thing, and 2. everyone will think they are invited. Hmmm.

Anyone Not Reading "She Does The City"?

Ha! I just skipped over to She Does The City, and you need to, too! First of all, the design is strangely explosive, and the content jumping off the screen to make me laugh.

Highlights from one little box on the home page:
Everytime I go to Harbord Bakery, I’m angered.
- 20 something woman rushing around laden with pastries
Succsexy
Submitted by Anonymous on November 29, 2007 - 11:06am.

"I am probably the most successful person in this room. Gimme two minutes and look what I've made" (on his napkin contraption).
- cute twenty something boy in a Yorkville Starbucks
Love and Marriage
Submitted by Anonymous on November 27, 2007 - 9:04am.

“I’ll give you a bj once I’m done watching the hills, kay?”
- Romantic married couple

Happy Etsy Mail Today

Happy Etsy Mail Today, originally uploaded by KT Flicker.

Etsy shippers can be so fast. Here's what I got today: black tags, which are 3 dimensional, are from Jenny O Designs, and I hope she adds more, because they are SO cute, and I am so jealous in the best way, that she makes them.

In the red bow(note cute packaging!), is the Reindeer Guest Soap from SoapyLove, and as promised, it smells like candy!

On the far right, is actually pressed vegitables from Paris...one of the gifts I bought myself...

Stocking Stuffers! For Girls.

Here we go - the beginning of a stocking stuffer list for Christmas. Or really, for any day. Because we should have stockings every day, I think. Shoot. I might have to buy all of what I post! Resist. Resist. But you - you should buy.

SoapyLove - reindeer soap - $6.00
I have bought SoapyLove soap, and it is awesome. So pretty. It's amazing how pretty it is. And affordable


Jack and Jane Boutique
elephant magnets - $5.50



MyRockArt
square glass coffee mug magnets - $7.99


Katie James
cotton and french terrycloth burp cloths - $36/set (who is this lovely designer? oh, it's me ;)


Danskin
quality, cashmere, legwarmer - $125 (ok, that's a pricey stocking stuffer, but check out their other striped sweat pant legwarmer)


...more to come as I collect it...or send me some tips! Make a comment and I'll check it out.

Gross-esed Butterball Turkey Story Ever.

Warning: this Butterball turkey story is gross. I only tell it becuase I am a blogger, and no one else has written about it yet, not even Butterball. Apparently we need to spread good food awareness. Basically, no one should eat anything from Butterball.

So I was talking to Space Style about our Thanksgivings, and she told me about her friend's Butterball turkey. The turkey finished cooking, and her dad took it out and cut into it. When he cut into it, it fell in half. And deflated. It did not have any turkey breasts. They had people over, so served the turkey.

The next day, the dad called Butterball to complain. Butterball asked if there were any bugs in the turkey. The dad said no. Butterball asked if everyone had eaten the turkey. They had. Butterball said that they knew of a problem with (sigh) maggots. They asked the dad if he could bring over the turkey so that they could autopsy it. Autopsy it.

So. No more Butterball for anyone. Anyone.

Our turkey came from Bob's Turkey Farm in Boston, and it was blessed and killed hours before we picked it up. It had a good life. The farm may have a virtual tour or something so that you can see the environment.

Alek Wek for MAC Cosmetics STYLISTICS line

The cultivated new cool of 21st century hepcats. When it comes to style, design and hip, they're in the know...Culture's rarest and richest pearls. Smooth. Diamond-sharp. Supercool. There's glamour in the je ne sais quoi. Limited edition.

Hell gorgeous. I'm going to have to check out this holiday collection next time I go downtown. As flawless as she looks in this photo, I kind of wish it wasn't in black and white so that I could see the colors they used on her face. In addition to the usual shadows, brushes, lipcolor and powders, the collection also includes a perfume in a beautifully designed glass vial. Prices range from $20 (lipglass) to $75 (beaded clutch.) Ca-ching!

Purple Patterned Tool Box for Girls

It's at Brocade.com, and is quite girly. Of all the frilly girly tools I've seen, this screw driver at least looks like it would work for something. The hammer still looks too delicate.

KLS vs Macy's

NEW YORK, Nov. 25 (UPI) -- Macy's is suing Big Phat founder Kimora Lee Simmons for allegedly overcharging the department store for her line of beauty products.

Simmons declined to comment on accusations she spiked the price of her products and then refused to reimburse Macy's for the extra cost, the New York Post reported Sunday.

Simmons signed an agreement in September 2006 to provide Macy's with her beauty line, said the lawsuit filed last week in Manhattan Supreme Court.

Clearly Kimora was acting under the principals of Laws #1 and #8 from the "Work & Power" section of her lifestyle book Fabulosity:

Law #4: "Throw Away the Manual (or in this case the contract) and Find Your Own Way into Business"

Law #8: "Don't Let Other People Cash in on Your Game"

Bored wealthy housewives, unskilled children of famous people and mediocre pop stars create overpriced product lines all the time, why shouldn't Kimora get in on that action? After all times are tough right now and the tens of millions she probably got in her divorce settlement is not going to last forever people! I mean Macy's carries Coach bags and if that isn't some overpriced ish right there then I don't know what is. If Kimora wants Baby Phat to be an aspiration line then why shouldn't she aspire for more profits?

Now that The Man wants his money back Kimora should probably focus on this selection (taken from Law #6 section) to get out of this mess:

Law #6: "Activate your incredible female power to deal with adversity"

And if that doesn't work, maybe she could throw a couple dozen cases of Golden Goddess their way and call it even.

Blast from the Past: Beverly Johnson, Louise Vyent & Iman (1989) for Revlon

Source: Soulstyle/Omifan