Guest Post: My-Cliffnotes

I have another great one for y'all today. Tabitha of  My-Cliffnotes  is one of my daily reads. I usually leave her blog laughing and near tears. She's hilarious, unfiltered, and just generally awesome. And she has a really cute fiance who I don't mind seeing every now and again. It makes me beyond sad she's on the west coast, but we will meet one day perhaps... Anyways. I love her antics. Please go visit her. Oh and ask for an update on the nub.

Hello Blue Dog Belle friends!

My name is Tabitha, and I blog over at My-Cliffnotes.

Do you see the Kangaroos?

As you've heard the gorg Emily is studying away for the LSAT. Smart people, whatev.

My Twin has taken the LSAT; and all I know is that this test is an all day event and you have to bring your pencils and ish in a clear baggy. I can only assume they all leave with cramped hands and exhausted minds.

No wonder Lawyers drink after work.

But you're not here to read my ramblings about smart people, you're here for some fun.

So I thought I'd share with you my favorite Blue Dog Belle's.

Blue

I do love the color blue, especially Colbalt.

Like this dress

From Nordstrom

And Greece, I always think of the color blue, do you?

Uncool Blue

Blueballs, now I don't know firsthand, but I've heard these suckers blow, pun intended.

.

Dog!

Who doesn't like dogs?

I could look at pup pictures all day and melt over and over.

I die love them.

Uncool Dogs

Little barking rat bastards that pee everywhere, you know them I know you do!

Belles

This girl for sure!!

This post would  never end if I tagged all the beautiful bloggers out there.

Ashley hit the mark with this post

You're all fab!

Uncool Belles

Drug addicts, rapists, murders, child abusers, and anything else that will only hurt people.

You're ugly, really freaking ugly.

A cheer: "U G L Y, you ain't got no alibi, you ugly, hey hey you ugly"

Some more about me; because I'd love to be friends.

I've dated Anderson Cooper...in my head

I'm Engaged to a hot baldie named M.
If you haven't dated a bald man before, I suggest trying one out, they're fab.

I could eat popcorn for every meal, but I don't because even though being swollen and fat would make me happy, M would leave me, and we can't have that.

I'm in the process of planning a wedding. By in the process I mean we're at a venue standstill.

I've been to Iraq and Afghanistan.

I'm an awkward height, 5'6.5", not short but not tall.

I have a HUGE head. Not even joking.

See...

I don't like peas or mushrooms. They're gross, they will always be gross.

One goal in blogging is to make people laugh, even if only for a second.

I don't like the ocean, you can't trust water, you just can't.

Come say hi!
Blog
Twitter
Instagram @tabadoo
Phone number

xoxo

{Beauty Tuesday} Mascara and Lipgloss Swap Reveal!

I've been wanting to do a swap for a while now, and when I saw Tara, Meg and Holly's plan for a Mascara and Gloss swap I knew I'd found one to break the ice! I was paired with the wonderful Jennifer of Dexter Morgan's Mama and OMG y'all did she spoil me.

Can y'all even believe her? I looked at most of the other swaps, and I have to say, I have pretty much the best partner EVER! 

For the actual makeup she sent me: Almay One Coat Thickening  Mascara,  a Maybelline Volum'express Mega Plush, a beautiful Almay trio for blue eyes, a gorgeous Revlon Colorburst gloss in Sizzle Canicule, and EOS balm in summer fruit, a Almay purple eyeliner, some gorgeous coral nail polish from Maybelline in Orange Fix. I mean seriously. Stop it. Made my week.

THEN she threw in a perfect little two pouch makeup bag from Sonia Kashuk, pink tubler, some gum! An adorable little red notebook that says "She makes the day brighter. She leaves a little sparkle wherever she goes." How cute is that? Plus a few hair ties (you can never have enough), an adorable little light up compact in leopard print, the latest issue of people, and a fun bath bomb. 

I mean really. I don't know what to do with myself. I love all of this! Thank you again Jennifer!

Guest Post: Lawfully Wedded Wife Feat. AP_Peach

Hello Blue Dog Belle readers! I'm an old friend of the Belle and am super excited to have the pleasure of guest posting for her today. I'm currently entering my final year of law school, and I keep myself sane by blogging about food and healthy living over at Lawfully Wedded Wife. Any time I get to see Emily is a treat and it has become one of my favorite pastimes to cook for her and my other girlfriends. The two of us also share a mutual obsession with makeup and all things beauty.

Emily is practically a member of our family so it's no surprise that she and my sister Ashley are friends too. They are actually BIRTHDAY TWINS (my sister just turned nine) so it makes sense that they get along so well! Fashion/beauty blogging is not exactly within my comfort zone (I blog about pancakes and brownies! :) ) so I decided to seek the assistance of the little sis for this post. She's an aspiring fashion designer and definitely knows her clothes. Her favorite summer trend is maxi dresses and she wants to tell you all about it. Take it away, Ashley!

The pink maxi dress that Ashley wears during most of the video is from the Epic Threads line at Macy's. But her favorite maxi dress is this blue and green one with a matching shrug from the Brasil children's collection (also at Macy's).

She paired it with a set of silver bangles and a turquoise wrap bracelet that we made ourselves using this great Youtube tutorial from one of my favorite beauty gurus.

For shoes she picked this pair of pink and metallic sandals from Stride Rite.

And on her lips she's wearing a little Revlon Lip Butter in Peach Parfait. She's a allowed to wear a little makeup for special occasions like this one. ;)

Thanks for reading everyone! I hope that you all come visit us at my blog for some great recipes and other fun!

-Lauren

My Life lately

found these on Pinterest. Had to Share. Have a great saturday y'all. These describe my life to a T.

{Friday Cocktail} Irish Iced Coffee

I've been drinking a lot of coffee lately. So much that I've started brewing a cup at night, and letting it sit in the microwave so it's ready to go first thing in the morning. I've recently added decaf to my routine. Nights I have LSAT class I make at least 2 maybe even three cups of decaf. I don't know if it's the slight trace of caffeine or the idea of drinking coffee that helps keep me up more... but whatever it is, it's working. 

Obviously I have coffee on the brain. So when I started to brainstorm ideas for this week's Friday cocktail I had to do something coffee based. clearly. This week I have a pretty traditional Irish iced coffee. Nothing fancy, because "we don't got time for dat" *is it lame to still quote that youtube video? I don't care. I'm doing it anyways.

 

Ingredients

• Lots of ice
• 6 oz. cold coffee (could be semi warm, just not hot. You are not trying to melt the ice)
• 3 oz. Irish Cream Liqueur
• Tbsp. Creamer (I'm obsessed with fat free half and half--- I just discovered its existence)
• Sugar to taste (whatever sweetener you like is fine), for me there is enough sweetness in the bailey's to cover it.

Directions

 Combine sweetener and your cool coffee until completely dissolved. Then add the Irish Cream Liqueur and Creamer, stir until combined. Pour over ice. Enjoy

This is so easy and so good. All the creaminess makes it a real treat, but if you use the fat free half and half, omit the sugar, etc. It's really not very sinful. You can get fancy and add chocolate or a dash of cinnamon, or try topping it with a heaping dollop of whipped cream. This would be great for the end of a long dinner party, to sip on and chat. Plus other than brewing the coffee there's hardly any work involved.

If you have any questions about this or any other cocktail recipe please send me an email. Also, I'm always looking to make blog friends so if you ever want to guest post your own Friday Cocktail, let me know, I'd be happy to get you on the schedule.

Have a great weekend loves! I'm hopefully going to see these ladies and not spend all weekend with my nose in an lsat book.

Current Kate Spade Cravings

Y'all. OMG. I got this lovely little email from Kate Spade announcing their new arrivals for August. and I. AM. OBSESSED. I need everything they make. I don't really know when I became that girl but I'm kind of okay with it. I spent about 30 minutes perusing the site, and I now need a much bigger shopping budget. One day perhaps. one day. But TODAY I can dream. So here's what I would buy, if I could afford to shop with no consequences. Enjoy.

kate spade | diagonal stripes iphone 4 case

kate spade | corinne 

kate spade | harrison street lacey

kate spade | vanessa top

kate spade | plaza athenee drop earrings

kate spade | garance dore dianne trench

kate spade | alme dress

kate spade | jada dress

kate spade | primrose  hill nisha

Clearly I am obsessed with teal, gold orange and polka dots. the folks at kate spade are hitting the mark right now. Seriously. What do you think of the newest additions to the shop? What are you craving for your closet? 

Guest Post: The Gilded Peach

I've got another great one for you today. Margaret from The Gilded Peach is one of my favorite bloggers out there. I love her because she's from Atlanta, she has an awesome eye for decor, and she's just pretty awesome. Get excited....

Hello lovely BDB readers! My name is Margaret and I, like you, am an avid reader of Emily's blog. Isn't she groovy? I wanted to talk to you all a little bit about a movie I stumbled across.

NOVEM. This movie is about nine college students and the incredible trip they take to a secluded recording studio. They record their original music, drink, smoke doobies, and let you in on their truest feelings and thoughts in the process. Not only is this incredible movie inspiring and a "one of a kind" but it was also worked on by the post production company I work for. So, if you are ever in the mood to watch something a little bit different than the mainstream blockbusters you see at the movie theater, check out Novem.

So why am I rambling about some random movie that most people haven't heard much about? The fashion, of course! When most people think about their favorite era of fashion they automatically go to the 20's, 30's, 40's, 50's, or 60's. I appreciate all of the curve-hugging pencil skirts, flapper dresses with intricate lace and beading, and the ever-classic loafer but I have to admit that my soft spot lies with the 70's.

Call me a hippie born in the wrong decade but I love a good pair of bell bottoms or a cropped halter. Now don't get me wrong- I wouldn't be caught dead in either of those, considering my body type (it would be like stuffing a 10 pound sausage into a 5 pound casing.). Today's fashion is such a great mix of so many trends from decades across the board and if you look closely you can see so much that was directly influenced by the 70's.

 

 

 

High waisted jean shorts are so on trend right now and are a direct throwback to the 70's.

 

 

 

Over-sized sunglasses were mandatory, as they are today.

 

 

 

And you can't forget the tie dye that is popping up everywhere from hair dye to cakes, shirts, bedding, and more!

 

Whether you are a hippie at heart or prefer the high waisted glam sports shorts, you have to pay your respects to this absolutely unique moment in fashion. May you live on forever.

 

Thank you Emily for letting me take over your fabulous blog for a moment. Hopefully I can come back again soon to write more to your beautiful followers! If you want to read more of my insanity hop on over to The Gilded Peach and soak it all in!

 

Hugs and Peaches- Margaret

Thank you Margaret! Don't y'all love her? Please be sure to go visit!

{Beauty Tuesday} What's in Alissa's Makeup Bag?

For this installation of {Beauty Tuesday} I have the fabulous Alissa of Feeling Good taking us on a tour of what's in her makeup bag. If you're not familiar with Alissa, she's a DC area fashion blogger, who is clearly destined for big things. She has great style. She's one of those fashion bloggers who takes risks, but never seems to look bad. After reading her posts I'm often left thinking I would have never thought of that, but it looks so good! Anyways, you need to go visit her. Please show her some love.

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Hi fashionable friends! First of all let me just start this post by saying thank you to Emily for asking me to guest post today. I’m glad to help while she gets her study on. (Big props for that, girl!)

When I told Em I’d write about anything, she suggested showing what’s in my makeup bag. I loved the idea because that’s not something my readers get to see on my blog. It’s fresh (as they say in the news biz) and I dig it. I know y’all are itching to see what’s in my bag, baby – so here it is!

Full disclosure: I definitely cleaned out my Vera Bradley makeup bag before taking any pictures. It had some makeup remnants and needed to be pretty for its debut. In the aerial view, you can see I don’t have that much makeup, and I don’t use much of it either. I’m usually an eye shadow, mascara and lip-gloss kind of girl all year (but with this heat, I haven’t been wearing any). So let’s break it all down!

I do own foundation and it comes in handy when I’m doing work in front of the camera. This CoverGirl Trublend Whipped Foundation is the best kind that works for my skin. It’s the perfect color for my pale complexion and I like the silky whipped texture. Set in place with light NYCpowder, which I’ve had for a long time, obviously... but it never lets me down! Another favorite: Maybelline DreamMousse Blush aka the best blush ever in my humble opinion. Also light and a peachy-pink color that gives my cheeks a glow.

One item I do have a ridiculous amount of: eye shadow. I love the purple Rimmel London to accent my brown eyes. Underneath that sits my three Arbonne eye shadow compacts – which holds about 12 eye shadow colors each. (In my defense, my Grandma, Mom and Aunt used to sell Arbonne so I have quite the array of products.)

Sticking with the eyes, one item that doesn’t usually stay the same for me is mascara. The crazy-coupon-clipping person in me buys whatever tube of mascara I have a coupon for. (There are always coupons in the Sunday newspaper for mascara). This month, it’s Covergirl Lash Blast Volume inblack, which I like. However, I have found my go-to eyeliners: Arbonne in “Hepburn” and the classic black in Almay.

Finally, to pull the whole look together: lipstick!! I have a whole bag of lipsticks and glosses, so I pulled my favorites: Sephora Sugar, NARS Schiap, RevlonCoralberry, Mac Dazzleglass inSugarrimmed and Revlon Just Bittenin Passion. I keep these five in heavy rotation, especially throughout the summer. From lip tint (Sephora) to gloss (Mac) and bold colors (NARS, Revlon) my lips are covered!

I hope you enjoyed discovering what’s in my makeup bag! If you’d like to see what’s in my closet, hop on over to my blog, where it’s all about Feeling Good! :) And thanks a bunch to Emily again for having me today on BDB!

Guest Post: Once in a Blue Room

I have a theory... Girls named Emily are pretty much awesome. I want to introduce you to someone who definitely supports my hypothesis. Meet Emily from Once in a Blue Room

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Hi everyone, Emily here from Once in a Blue Room!  I'm thrilled to be filling in for a fellow Emily while she gets ready for the LSAT. Today I thought I'd share a little inspiration from one of my favorite Rothko paintings.  I'm currently obsessed with color blocking, so Rothko's bold hues are right up my alley!  Orange and pink are always a fun combo, especially as we transition from summer to fall.

 fashion: top, misslefridge. maxi, vince camuto. necklace, juicy couture. decor: striped throw, kira-cph.  chair, wayfair. pillow, one kings lane.  orange/white vase, jill rosenwald. orange/pink vase, jonathan adler. 

Again, a big thanks to Emily for having me today! Stop by and say hi sometime at Once in a Blue Room; I love meeting new friends & fellow bloggers! xoxo Emily Fitzgerald

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I mean seriously, how much do you love this? I'm a relatively new follower of Emily's but she has quickly become one of my must reads! Make sure you go give her some love.

I sure hope so.

{Friday Cocktail} Tinto de Verano

Hi folks.

Did you miss me? I've certainly missed y'all! I can't believe how much blogging has become a part of my life... two days away and I'm itching to come back. I've had a crazy week at work, as we've been hosting a conference, but it's over now! woohoo! So I decided to take a half day yesterday to "take a practice LSAT." Best decision ever. I had gotten 4 hours of sleep the night before, so when I got home at noon I decided to take a quick nap before I started the test. Three hours later I was still asleep and decided to postpone the test until Saturday. OMG. I can't even tell y'all how nice it was to catch up on life. I did a few loads of laundry, cleaned up the kitchen, watched a ton of Olympic coverage ( I'm full on team Phelps), and drank a few alcoholic beverages while cleaning out my Google reader.

Now, on to one of my favorite cocktails. I don't know that I've talked about the fact I studied abroad in Spain in 2008, but I did. and it was AWESOME. I met some of my best friends there, and had the experience of a lifetime. I'm sure y'all are all familiar with Sangria, a Spanish wine punch with fruit and hard liquor. I love Sangria, but it can be really heavy and sweet, and y'all know I don't have time for a hangover. However, I can still get my fruity wine fix,  have you heard of Tinto de Verano? This is a much lighter wine cocktail that they enjoy all over Spain. It's super easy to whip together, and always a crowd pleaser.

Ingredients 

• Your favorite red wine (try a Tempranillo, Pinot Noir or a Beaujolais Nouveau)
• Citrus Soda (traditionally Fanta Limon or Gaseosa, but try Fresca or Sprite if you can't anything else)
• Ice
• Lemon slice

Directions

Pour 4 oz. Red Wine over ice. Top with soda, add a lemon wedge. Enjoy

Doesn't get much easier than that. You'll thank me later. Have a great weekend ladies!!! I have some fabulous guest posts coming up next week, so be sure to check back!

xoxo, EP

Guest Post: Forever81

Today I have another great guest post for y'all. I met Jaime of Forever81 on my first blog brunch. We both started our blogs around the same time and for similar reasons, so I instantly fell in love. I hope y'all love her too.

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Hi, I'm Jamie! I write a fashion and lifestyle blog called Forever81, where I focus on classic, ladylike styles with my own modern twist.  Today I am here on Blue Dog Belle because Emily is busy studying for the LSAT, so I thought in honor of her studies I would put together a little "geek chic" look. 

Top: Rugby Ralph Lauren (similar here)/Blazer: Ralph Lauren (similar here on sale)/Shorts: H&M (similar here)/Bag: Kate Spade (in tan here)/Shoes: Wanted (very similar)/Glasses:Urban Outfitters

Even though these glasses aren't necessary for my eyesight, sometimes we all just want to try to achieve that hot librarian (aka "geek chic") look, am I right?  This blouse was purchased during my Blair Waldorf phase (as were many a bow-adorned headband), and this classic navy blazer I've had for years and will probably have for many more. I hope you all enjoyed today's outfit - if you did, come visit me over on Forever81 sometime!  Thanks for having me Emily, and good luck on the LSAT!

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Great post Jaime! Thank you so much! Please be sure to go visit Jaime! 

Honey and Nutmeg

Happy Wednesday folks! I have an exciting guest post for y'all today, wohoo! Before that though, we have some business to get to.

We have a giveaway winner!

Congratulations to the lovely Emily of the pink elephant  I will be sending you an email shortly!

Now, on to my exciting visitor. Tracy of Honey and Nutmeg was one of the first followers of BDB, and I consider her one of my very best blog friends! Please show her some love!

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Hello Blue Dog Belle Readers! My name is Tracy and I blog over at Honey and Nutmeg. Emily is studying her behind off for the LSAT and asked me to throw a post together. I am a mid twenty something, domestic sweetheart who loves the beach, anything that sparkles, breaking a sweat at the gym, v-necks, animal print, and the color pink. I have an adorable dog named Leia who is the love of my life. I grew up in Connecticut, went to college in Massachusetts and moved to Worcester almost one year ago. I recently moved across town into a fantastic townhouse. I blog about anything and everything with a few recipes thrown in for good measure. I just celebrated 1 year being on the Weight Watchers diet and I have lost 45 pounds!

To give you a glimpse into who I am, I thought I would share what's in my bag.  My Michael Kors leather studded bag to be exact. I actually have this bag in silver too, it is my go to bag for the work week. 

1. My huge coach wallet that I keep the cards I do not use everyday. It also contains a matching check book. This was a gift from my ex-boyfriend.

2. Ray-ban aviators in brown. This is my 3rd pair of Ray-bans and I cannot imagine every owning another brand of sunglasses. 

3. Deodorant. Self explanatory.

4. Keys along with a Sigma Kappa bottle opener I have had since I pledged in Fall 2005!

5. Weight watchers calculator I bought with intention of using instead of paying for the monthly online access which I use with my iPhone. I still use the online version, I am scared to do anything different since I have had so much success. 

6. Hair ties, poppy pins, and little clips. I have to be able to throw my hair up at any moment.

7. Swiss army knife. This is actually an ex-boyfriend's I stumbled upon during the move. I threw it in my purse in case of emergencies.

8. My little make up bag filled with everything a girl could need including band aids, ibuprofen, eye drops, medication, triple antibiotic ointment, and some more hair ties.

9. My iPhone which sits pretty inside a leopard print with pink accent Kate Spade case.

10. My Vera Bradley wallet that hold my everyday cards, cash, and what I use when running errands since it's a wristlet.

11. Burt's Bees lip balm. I always have one within an arms reach.

I hope you enjoyed this post and will stop by Honey and Nutmeg sometime soon. Good luck studying Emily and thank you for asking me to guest post! What's in your bag?

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Thanks so much Tracy!!! I have the exact same Vera Bradley pattern!  Just another reason we are blog-mates. 

{Beauty Tuesday} Revlon Just Bitten Lip Stain

Okay, at this point I have a well  documented love of lip gloss. Here, here and here are some of my favorites. Well after a major haul at Ulta a few weeks ago I have a new favorite lip product (okay I actually have a few, but I'm only sharing one with y'all today)

Thanks to Birchbox, a few months ago I fell in love with the Tarte Lip Stains (again here), but I found a dupe, and I'm OBSESSED. 

Revlon Just Bitten Kissable Balm Stain

It's a jumbo pencil, that glides on. Tons of shine, moisturizing and super pigmented. What else could you want. 

I picked it up in this bright pink color... and let me tell you it's bright (in a great way)

Revlon Just Bitten in Sweet Heart

I'm a huge fan of a statement lip. I really think it balances your face, and allows you to go a little lighter on the eyes (which is nice for the office). 

Honestly, this lasts through multiple cups of coffee, and even lunch. 

It really is a stain, and in this color especially, it darkens as you leave it on.

My one complaint about the product (well all jumbo lip pencils really) is there is no way to sharpen it. Once you use up the initial half an inch or so  it's much wider, and doesn't allow for quite as much precision. 

But over all, I adore this product, and plan on picking up quite a few more shades. 

Have y'all tried it? Or any other lip products? I'd love to know!!!