Happy Birthday, Bee!

Please forgive me for not making a post today. My best friend Brooke is visiting from California. We have been best friends for a long time, and in many ways she feels more like a sister to me than just a girl I'm friends with. And what's really exciting is that we are expecting our first babies within DAYS of each other!

Brooke's dress: Target, sandals: Old Navy. My dress: Ross, sandals: courtesy of Pac Sun.

I'm due on October 19th and she's due on the 25th. It's been amazing going through this experience with her. Today is her birthday, and for her birthday she came out to Austin for a Texas vacation.

Today we went to Ikea and the Round Rock Outlets (by the way, I've decided, officially, that I'm not a fan of outlet malls). This evening, we had a joint maternity session with Vivian's Muse. Our poses were hilarious (there were lots of pickles, cupcakes, and ice cream involved), so I'll be sure to post some shots once we get the final proofs back. We ended the day at Hut's Hamburgers and now we're just vegging out on the couch watching "Pee-wee's Big Adventure", which I have never seen before (yay, Netflix instant queue!).

Thanks for letting me spend some time with her. She's here until Tuesday, but I'll be back to my regular blogging schedule tomorrow!

I predict I'm going to be providing a lot of shoes to shoeless children.

C'mon, TOMS! You've got to be kidding me! I can't keep up! I logged into my Formspring today, and someone asked:

"what are your favorite pair of toms right now on their site?!"

I was going to say the red striped calypso wedges because I own them and they are wonderful, but I decided to take a quick browse through the site. Lo and behold, TOMS just outdid themselves. Behold the new canvas wedges:
Unlike the other ones with the summery espadrille bottoms, these canvas covered wedges will be perfect for the fall! I am swooning over the cranberry ones but I'm also quite taken by the midnight ones. I can just imaging them with a pair of ankle socks and a flouncy skirt. Aren't they fantastic?

By the way, that $5 off SUMMER5 promo code only works for one more day. I hate to pressure you to do on the whim purchases, but you've got to get a move on if you want to take a few bucks off!

For every pair of TOMS purchased, a needy child without shoes is provided with a pair of (regular, non-wedge) TOMS. Their one for one campaign is what made me love this company in the first place. Their new styles are keeping me hooked!

[note: TOMS is an affiliate partner of Adored Austin because I love them!]

Smashion: the secret is OUT

Have you ever found out about something really awesome that not a lot of people know about, yet? This just happened to me with Smashion.com. It's like eBay but way easier to use and solely focused on clothes and accessories. I have been poring through the site on the prowl for (what else?) animal jewelry!

1. lucky elephant necklace (as seen on Alexa Chung)- $40
2. vintage owl pendent (almost identical to mine!)- $12
3. vintage koi brooch (waiting on the seller to tell me how big it is!)- $15
4. F21 elephant ring (sadly too small for me)- $3

Like in any online marketplace, there is a wide range of prices and tastes. In terms of value, there's some really great stuff mixed in (among the things I really like: this shop, these vintage dresses in this shop, this body suit and these shoes) , but sadly, a lot of this stuff has been on the market for over 100 days! I have to conclude that the secret's not out about this site, yet, but GOSH! It should be!

I read and re-read the marketplace agreement, and GET THIS: there are no listing fees for anything. WHAT?! I thought this was a little too good to be true, so earlier today I emailed Vanessa, the marketing manager of Smashion and asked point blank (verbatim): "What's the catch? No listing fees? No additional buying fees? How do y'all make money?" Nonplussed, she wrote back just two hours later and said:

"We have no catch, regarding fees or anything. Our no-fees service is what separates us from our competition and acts as our main point of difference. Also, we are currently not focusing on profiting, as we believe in order to profit, we must first have established brand loyalty and a loyal user base. Please don't hesitate to ask me any more questions!"

I must be having a pessimistic/ skeptic day, and I thought, "There's GOT to be a catch! Maybe it's extremely difficult to buy something." So then I created an account (which was very easy) and bought this skirt:
Totally easy transaction. Everything has to go through PayPal, and payment is required immediately. This is all super standard, so that wasn't the catch.

So THEN I wondered if it was difficult to list something. I signed up to be a seller (again, there were no fees. The only requirement was a valid PayPal address and you have to give 'em your real address). Within two minutes of signing up for a seller's profile, I was verified and I listed this necklace (as previously seen here):

Again, incredibly easy! In fact, it was easier than posting a Craigslist ad! And unlike eBay or Etsy, there are no fees to list things, you can add up to five photos, and the listing stays up until the item sells or I can delete it or suspend it at any time before it sells.

I can't figure out the catch, so I guess Vanessa is right. There is none! Hopefully more people will start using Smashion. I'll do part two of my review after my new (to me) skirt arrives and after (or if?) my necklace sells. I have high hopes that this is just the internet's best kept secret and once the secret is out, Smashion will be hopping!

[note: I did not receive any compensation or merchandise for this review. I just wanted to spread the news!]

[update: Smashion.com may come on as an August Adored Austin partner. Just wanted to have some transparency here and give y'all a heads up!]

This weekend: fashion events in Austin

This weekend there are three, count 'em, three fashion happenings going on in Austin:

Featuring fashions by Austin based designers Linda Asaf, Rachelle Briton, and Margarito Alonzo, this is the YWA's huge foundation fundraiser, and this is their sixth anniversary fashion show. Tickets start at $40, but you can try to win a pair on do512.com.


Want the chance to stomp the runway in Austin Fashion Week alongside the models up for Austin Fashion Week awards? If you're tall enough and old enough, attend Saturday's open call. No portfolio necessary.


Lovely Austin has moved to a newer, bigger location! Come check out designer, consigned fashion and home decor as well as clothes and accessories by local designers. Live music and free Lonestar beer! RSVP on Facebook.

Are you pregnant or did you just have a lot of brisket?

Sorry for such a late posting tonight! I was busy redoing the video blog that went with yesterday's Hana Elite Flat Iron Review. That post has been updated with a video review/ tutorial and some new photos, so if you wanna, check it out.

Tonight was the last night that Hub's dad and step-mom and brother are in town. They've been working so hard at laying our new wood floors that we took a drive out to Driftwood, Texas to have dinner at the super famous Salt Lick BBQ. Get ready for an onslaught of photos! I had never been there before, and this place is truly Texas.




Who's the idiot who wore a white dress to a BBQ place?


date: 27 July 2010
occasion: first trip to The Salt Lick BBQ!
dress: Jovovich-Hawk via a clothing swap (seen here pre-pregnancy)
vest: Ross (the back was the selling point for me!)
under dress: courtesy of Threadsence (added length)
owl necklace: courtesy of Threadsence (feeding the animal jewelry fervor!)
sandals: Volcom courtesy of PacSun's Spring Break Crew

[regarding "courtesy of items on Adored Austin"]

My husband, the vegetarian, decides to be a carnivore for the evening!

My plate of Texas goodies: brisket (I asked for a burnt end per the recommendation of the dude on Man vs. Food), turkey, sausage, potato salad, baked beans, coleslaw, bread, pickles, and a whole grilled jalapeño with a bottle of Big Red.

Um, where did my food go?! (I was the only person who cleaned their plate that night!)

Not sure if this is mainly Baby or mainly BBQ!
The Salt Lick truly is a famous Texas experience. I don't know if I'll go back any time soon (it's a 50 minute drive from my house) but I'm pretty sure I ate enough to last me the next year or so, though. As for my white dress? Despite my mass mastication, I managed to keep it spotless. Go, me!

Comment of the Day: haha! the first thing i thought when i saw your outfit was "oh no! white and bbq!?" then i read the next line...too funny! love me some bbq...but i'm a kansas city girl all the way. go sauce! -jdavissquared

Winner: A Box For My Treasure

[music sampled: Box by Tokyo Police Club]

Thank you to everyone who entered and acted as my guinea pigs for trying out an embedded form for my giveaways instead of public comments. I like this better, so I think that's how I'm going to do my giveaways form here on out.

Also big thanks to Judith, the owner of A Box For My Treasure for doing such a generous giveaway. If you didn't win, no worries. A Box For My Treasure is incredibly reasonably priced with shipping from Ireland to the U.S. that's under three bucks! Look at this precious deer necklace she just posted!

I seriously can't handle the cuteness!

note: A Box For My Treasure is an Adored Austin in-kind partner.

Giveaway: Hana Elite Flat Iron courtesy of Misikko

Update: winner announced!

If you have not read my review of my Misikko Hana Elite flat iron, check it out when you get the chance. I even updated it with a video review/ tutorial! If you have seen it, you know that I was very impressed with my new little flat iron and that I'm super excited to be able to give one away to a very lucky Adored Austin reader.
The embedded form seems to work best for giveaways (instead of leaving comments), so let's try that again. Here's what you have to do to win:
1. Check out Misikko either online, on Facebook, or follow them on Twitter. Sign up for their newsletter for exclusive discounts and promotions (optional).
2. Double check to make sure you're following Adored Austin either on Google Reader, Blog Lovin', Networked Blogs (fb app), or simply like Adored Austin on Facebook.
3. By midnight Texas time this Sunday, August 1st, fill out this form:

EDIT: 1 August 2010: form has been deleted. Entry period has ended. Winner announced!

Good luck, everyone! I'll draw the winner Monday night, on August 2nd. This contest is open to everyone, worldwide, so long as you have not won an Adored Austin drawing in the past. No need to retweet or repost or any of that madness for extra entries. Please, only one entry per person.

P.S.
UPDATE [27 July 2010]: My buddy Clare at Between Laundry Days is giving one away on her blog, too! Check out her review (she has hair that is totally different than mine) and enter her drawing to increase your chances of winning!

*note: After the winner has been announced, I delete all your information from my inbox and server to ensure your privacy. I will never share your email address with others without your permission. Those who have opted in for the Misikko newsletter have the option of unsubscribing at any time.

Review: Hana Elite Flat Iron courtesy of Misikko

I've been saying for a while that I really should start doing cute stuff with my hair. The fine folks over at Misikko read my mind (or my blog) and sent me a Hana Elite 1'' flat iron as a gift to review a couple weeks ago.

This was quite exciting for me on a couple different levels:
1. I am on my fifth Conair straightening iron in five years, and although I rarely use mine, I fear that it's on it's last leg because (again) it doesn't get very hot and I can't tell a big difference when I use it,
2. Camille, who I see for my hair trims at Birds, recently straightened my hair with a 1'' flat iron, and I was enamored with the results, and
3. When I first moved to Austin in 2006, I was in desperate need of headshots quickly, so I did what any rational aspiring actress would do: I went to the mall and got Glamour Shots. Don't laugh! Okay. Laugh. But my hair turned out awesome, and it was curled (yes, curled!) with a straightening iron, and I've been trying to replicate this ever since with no luck.

I love my hair here. My face? Not so much!
I found my Glamour Shots proof sheet this morning:

Okay. NOW you can laugh. Is it just me or do I look like I'm in a wheelchair in the far right photo in the second row?

Ahem! Now that you've got your giggles out, let's move on to the review, shall we?

[music sampled: "The Girl I Love She Got Long Black Wavy Hair" by Led Zeppelin]

Verdict:
Your hair, more often than not, is a vital accessory to your ensemble. Why not treat it with kindness? Yes, the Hana Elite is pricey, but for me, I've spent the same amount on five now defunct and damage inducing lower cost alternatives. I have been in the market for a similarly priced Chi Flat Iron (which Misikko also sells), so the $229 price tag did not phase me. However, I do want to tell you that before I received my Hana Elite, I personally emailed John, the Mikkiso company owner and asked, "$229 is a lot of money for a hair appliance. Why should I buy a Hana Elite over a Chi?" His honest answer and quick response helped me to decide to allow them to send me one for review. Misikko owner John wrote:

As far as the price goes, the Hana Elite has an above average price tag because it's an above average product! So many flat irons say they're ceramic. They are actually ceramic coated. The Hana Elite and the FHI Runway are the only flat irons in the world with a pure, 100% ceramic plate. This is so good for your hair, Indiana, it really can't even be compared to other irons. The girls in our office swear by their Elites! And FYI, the Runway sells for over $400!

So what does the image of "ceramic coating" conjure up? To me, I see that coating peeling off after a year or two of use. What is the use of investing hundreds of dollars in an iron which is bound to break in one or two years?

Don't get me wrong - not all ceramic coated irons are equal. Some are really well made. Others are not. You have to be careful about brands - I recommend Hana, Corioliss, and FHI as great investment brands.

Additionally, he mentioned in his initial email that the company is family owned and he and his mother personally do the packaging themselves. And, gosh, do they go all out!

A rose and a candle? I'm getting date night started off right by having awesome hair and by setting the mood!

I can attest to the fact that my hair is shinier, smoother, and that it looks healthier after I used the Hana Elite with the shine shield. This iron triumphs over my cheap-o flat iron and even bests the one Camille used on me at Birds. With a two-year, all inclusive warranty and tons of extras, I think it's a good deal. My hair certainly looks better than my Glamour Shots, and better yet? The style lasts 48 hours without hair spray, even though I have the kind of hair that doesn't usually hold a style. The Hana Elite straightens in a flash, it curls, and it smooths. When I travel, I can leave my hot rollers and curling iron at home and just take this little guy. This may have just become the MVP of all of my hair appliances.

But you know what? You do not have to take my word for it, because one of you will win the same Hana Elite 1'' flat iron and Hana Shine Shield courtesy of Misikko. This is a $244 prize (when on sale), so I'm very excited to be able to give this prize pack away on Adored Austin. To enter, GO HERE.

UPDATE [27 July 2010]: My buddy Clare at Between Laundry Days is giving one away on her blog, too! Check out her review (she has hair that is totally different than mine) and enter her drawing to increase your chances of winning!

Please note: I was not paid to do this review nor was I required to do the review and/ or to give it a positive review. Please see my post regarding "courtesy of items on Adored Austin".

Comment of the Day: "Saw that pic of you sitting down and thought "that's an awkward looking pose" but then just about fell out of my chair with a laugh when you referred to it as looking like you're in a wheelchair. TOO FUNNY. :)" -Sara

I owe you three posts today and this is not one of them.

Oh, no she did NOT just post a stock image!
Oh, yes she did!

It's Monday and I've been kicked out of my little office while the new wood floor cures. In fact, Hubs is imploring me to go to a coffee shop to get away from the renovation dust. I am hard at work in my bedroom, trying to crank out two videos for you as well as announcing a new giveaway for Giveaway Mondays! Things are taking a little longer than expected, but everything should be uploaded and posted by tonight! Thanks for your patience, y'all!

P.S.
In the meantime, check out these things:
1. Wikifashion.com. For the last three days Adored Austin was the front page/ featured article. It's strange to me that I have a wiki page, but whatevs. Anyone can create one, so if you haven't done one for your site yet, you should scoot over there and do one.
2. Austin Spark. I know it''s sorta meta-- an Austin blog about Austin bloggers, but again, some weirdo is being featured on there (please disregard the typos. They're not mine, I swear!), and
3. A good article by Miss Vinyl Ahoy about whether or not Forever 21 is promoting teenage pregnancy with their new maternity line. Someone got in some good, good quotes! Holla!

Love (Austin): Stop Motion

I'm going to spend a good amount of today returning emails, commenting on blogs I lurk on, and cleaning up the house for Hub's family who is coming in from Atlanta tonight. In the meantime, check out this adorable stop motion film that Hubs and I shot Thursday with Brian, who owns Kureious (we're the first :37):
The project is called "Love (Austin)". Our portion was shot at the pedestrian bridge over Town Lake. I think it's lovely because it features three things I love: Austin, my tummy, and Hubs!

It's all in the angles!

I am excited that strangers have been asking me when I'm due. From the side I may look like I'm about to pop:
From the front? Meh. Not so much:

date: 22 July 2010
occasion: watching Joanie's baby, possibly hitting up Ladies who Lunch, and The Bleet-Up tonight.
tank: Calvin Klein (via Costco!)
skirt: F21
oxfords: courtesy of a Lulus giftcard that I won
belt: Buffalo Exchange, new merch
penguin necklace: gift from my friend Pam (available at ModCloth)

This penguin necklace is too cute! It's my first piece of animal jewelry that features both a mama and a baby! No doubt this will be in heavy rotation from here on out. Pam, a long time Adored Austin reader and friend, is a jewelry aficionado. (In fact, she and her partner Mark hand make silver and gold jewelry themselves). She and I have a common love for whimsical animal jewelry. She sends me great links all the time, pointing me toward awesome critters. She saw this penguin (that I somehow missed!), scooped it up, and sent it to me and Baby Adams. Thank you, Pam! As always, good find!

Guest post on The Searched and Found

I did a guest post yesterday on The Searched and Found:

The Searched and Found is a new blog that specifically showcases Etsy shops. Chaucee, who runs S&F in addition to her own self-style blog, asked me to put together an outfit from Etsy for their weekly feature "What I Would Wear Wednesdays". I was more than happy to oblige (and yes, I included a piece of animal jewelry). To see my picks, go here.

Watch out, Threadsence! I may live in this dress!

Now this is what I'm talking about! Here's a perfect example of a cute, non-maternity dress that works for both pregnancy and for those who, um, aren't knocked up:



date: 21 July 2010
occasion: birthing class
dress: courtesy of Threadsence
necklace: courtesy of Accessorize
old flip flops: Macy's

I did not think it was possible, but dear Jen assured me that it was: I outgrew my maternity shorts, and I still have three more months to go! WHAT THE WHAT?! That's one reason why I was so thankful to get this dress in the mail yesterday courtesy of the sweet people over at Threadsence. I love it. It's comfortable, the straps are removable and can be uncrossed in the back, and it's a size large. This dress is going to get so much mileage that Progressive Auto Insurance is going to want to take out a policy on it!

By the way, I've been thinking a lot about what you may think of "courtesy of" items on self-style blogs. I am acutely aware that out of my last seven outfits, six have had a "courtesy of" or a gift item incorporated. I did want to address that, but I didn't want to do that unless that sort of thing matters to you or piques your curiosity at all. To read what I have to say regarding "courtesy of" items on Adored Austin, please take a moment to read this and/ or weigh in HERE: Regarding "Courtesy Of" Items on Adored Austin.

The Adams family gets crafty!

I really love napping, but on the flip side of the coin, I really like being busy, too. These last few days, Hubs and I have been extremely busy. Per the advice of my sewing instructor, I am trying to sew a little something every day. Since Friday I have done a tote bag (in class), refashioned a thrift store dress, and I made an apron and cloth napkins!

As this apron is only my third sewing project, EVER, this is the first time that I have ever followed a pattern. Wow. That paper is THIN! I used some scrap fabric left over from an art project I did five years ago, and it turned out great! (Please forgive my make-up free face and messy house. I snapped this photo at midnight last night).

I made these cloth napkins from a tutorial on So Sew Something, my friend Robie's blog. I even incorporated the zigzag finishing stitch! Hubs was impressed that I knocked six eighteen inch napkins out in about 30 minutes. I was pretty pleased, too!

Lest you think Adored Austin is going to become a sewing blog, I also made some address labels using a computer, not a sewing machine. I used to pay an Etsy seller in Singapore for my address labels, but no more! I bought some round label stickers from Staples and made 400 for the price I usually pay for 50!

I made a giant design in Photoshop, then simply plugged it into the Avery 8293 online editor. It copies them 20 to a sheet, you put the label sheet in the printer, and bammo! Cute, round, address labels pop out for a fraction of the price of what you usually pay. Plus no waiting on shipping from half way around the globe!

Hubs has been bitten by the busy crafty bug, too, only I don't think he likes it when I call his massive home renovations "crafts" despite the fact that men who do such projects are called "craftsmen".Hub's family is driving in from Atlanta this weekend to help us put in a French door (on the left, yellow wall) for Hub's music room/ office. With the help of our sweet City Group, we ripped out the carpet so we can lay down some gorgeous pecan wood floors, too. I can't wait to see what the "after" result is!

Mmmm... minty green

One of my favorite colors is minty green. For the entire length of our marriage, our bedroom has been steel gray and minty green, and right now I have no desire to change that, ever! There's just something so relaxing and calming about that color. I don't own a lot of it to wear, so I was excited to receive this beautiful convertible dress from Made by Marcia in the mail yesterday:

date: 19 July 2010
occasion: lunch with my friend Carmen, followed by a Hobby Lobby outing
dress (as tunic): courtesy of Made By Marcia
shorts: Target, Liz Lange maternity
barrettes: courtesy of A Box for My Treasure
wedges: Target, Xhilaration

I love, love, love convertible style clothing! (I think that's been well documented over here, right?). Marcia's dresses can all be configured in a number of cute, flattering ways. Unlike the American Apparel convertible dresses, hers are made of lightweight, stretch fabric (similar to yoga pants), which seems a little more lux to me. No doubt I'll still be able to wear this garment even when I grow more giant in the next few months!

Speaking of growing giant, my sewing addiction has grown to insane proportions! I made a full apron yesterday, went to Hobby Lobby and got more fabric so I can make cloth napkins, and I just put in an order for a bolt of fabric from Michael Miller so I can sew more, more, more! Stitch Lab, you've created a monster!

Winner: Name this Dress and Win it from Peacock Plume

[music sampled: Sonic Bloom by Polyphonic Spree]

Thank you to everyone who entered and submitted names! Your creativity made it extremely hard to choose a winner. Congrats to the winner!

As a treat to everyone, Peacock Plume is offering a 15% discount to all Adored Austin readers with code ADOREDAUSTIN. With prices between F21 and ModCloth, I'm positive this new online shop will become one of your new favorites. This discount expires August 1st, so make sure to take a look around and shop ASAP. I flip for their shoes!

Giveaway: win whatever your heart desires from A Box For My Treasure

NOTE: Entry period has passed. Drawing will be done late Monday night. Thank you to everyone who entered!

I already introduced y'all to my newest partner: A Box For My Treasure. I have been living in my Madhatter's Tea Party necklace ever since it came in the mail, so how excited am I that the owner, Judith wants to do a giveaway on Adored Austin? Answer? Very!A Box for My Treasure is a line of handcrafted jewelry made in Ireland. It's whimsical, adorable, and (best of all) very affordable. Judith wants one lucky Adored Austin winner to choose anything from her shop. Yes, ANYTHING!I'm trying a form instead of comments this time (just to see if it works better for you and I), so here's what you have to do to win:

1. Visit A Box For My Treasure on Etsy and pick out what you'd get if you won the drawing.
2. Double check to make sure you're following Adored Austin either on Google Reader, Blog Lovin', Networked Blogs (fb app), or simply like Adored Austin on Facebook.
3. By midnight Texas time this Sunday, July 25th, fill out this form:

[EDIT: removed at 7/26/10, 1:10 a.m.]

Good luck, everyone! I'll draw the winner Monday night, on July 26th. This contest is open to everyone, worldwide, so long as you have not won an Adored Austin drawing in the past. No need to retweet or repost or any of that madness for extra entries. Please, only one entry per person.

*note: After the winner has been announced, I delete your information from my inbox and server to ensure your privacy. I will never share your email address with others without your permission.