Book Review; Visual Marketing

Recently I got my hands on Visual Marketing; 99 proven ways for small businesses to market with images and design by David Langton and Anita Campbell, I was super excited to tear in! I read through the whole thing in three days, took lots of notes and walked away inspired and full of ideas.

The book covered a wide range of businesses and products most of which won't be even closely related to yours or mine but you'll be able to take these tips and apply them to your business no sweat!

The book is very well organized, each example includes "why it works",  "success metrics" and a "takeaway tip". The takeaway tip, to me, was by far the most insightful. It's basically a summary of what each example was about, I used it to get an idea of what I might be reading about in each example before starting.


One drawback I did find was that all the examples are in black and white, which kind of seems kind of silly. It's not very visually appealing at all. But since the examples really packed a punch I was able to look past that.

All in all, it's a great book that definitely left me inspired. I can't wait to try some of the techniques I found in the book!
xoxo


Disclaimer; this book was provided to me to review by the author, but the opinions expressed are solely my own. also meaning if it sucked I would honestly tell you so! ;)

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Book Review; Visual Marketing

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Jo Totes "Betsy" camera bag review

I'm sure by now most everyone knows that there are stylish alternatives to those boring black camera bags. But thorough reviews are few and far between. So I'd like to show you a little bit more about Jo Tote's newest camera bag, Betsy and tell you why I love it so much!


First, lets have a little over view with the help from the bag's description. Betsy is made from top quality faux leather, comes with three adjustable interior pads, two straps (cross body and shoulder) and a removable shoulder pad. Betsy comes in three colors - black, chocolate and mustard.

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This bag is the perfect size! It easily holds my Instax Mini 7s, an extra package of film, a 18-50mm lens, and my Canon 60D with my go-to lens, the 50mm 1.4, attached. These are the few things that are ALWAYS in a camera bag, no matter what. I'm sure I could fit more if I rearranged but this is all I really need to carry. (I'm trying to quit carrying more than I need, sore backs are no fun!) Even with all these things that bag is still pretty light, and doesn't hurt my shoulder.


The bag closes with a zipper and flap. I normally don't zip it so I can easily and quickly access my camera. The flap doesn't have any time of closure but doesn't have any problems staying shut either.

The Betsy has quite a few pockets, which might be one of my favorite features (I love pockets!)There are two pockets on the front of the bag. They have hidden magnetic closures and are very secure. In the left one I've been keeping my macro filters, and in the right one my iphone and camera remote.



 The flap has a pocket as well. At first I was a little baffled as to what I might keep in it but I've come to find it's perfect to keep my instax photos in while I'm out and about.


Finally, the back has a big pocket which is the perfect size for an iPad (both the newer and older version) but since my iPad rarely leaves my desk (I mainly use it to watch movies on) I use this pocket for chapstick, money, my mushroom hunting permit and other random things that normally float around in a purse.

Overall, I HIGHLY recommend this bag and Jo Totes. It's absolutely perfect - stylish, comfortable, and best of all it keeps my camera safe and sound, which is the utmost important thing when choosing a camera bag.

I also own the Millie (which you can see me wearing here) and since getting them I haven't used my purse once while going out - I'm always carrying one of my Jo Totes camera bags. It's perfect because as I'm sure I've mentioned before I pretty shy about taking photos in public and now that I always have my camera with me it's getting easier for me to snap photos in public. It's also really nice to be wearing a camera bag that doesn't scream "look at me, I'm holding thousands of dollars worth of equipment!" like I feel like a black one sporting the word "canon" does.

If anyone else has any other questions just let me know!
xoxo!
ps. for a better idea of the size of the bag you can see me wearing it in this post.

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Book Recommendation / Review : Geek Love

I have a new book to recommend to you today! (see the last one here) But this time it's a novel.

Let me preface by telling you this : I AM THE PICKIEST READER EVER. No joke. In high school I read a lot because I was bored. Extra time in class? You could find me reading. Study hall? You could find me reading. On the bus? You could find me reading. I read a lot of serial killer books (loooved Helter Skelter!), Hunter S. Thompson and biographies on Kurt Cobain. (I have literally read every book written in English about him/Nirvana). But somewhere along the line I got picky.  I now find it really hard to get interested in a book. If it isn't weird, gory or shocking - I'm not interested.

I discovered Geek Love by Katherine Dunn by finding it in a book of lists. It was in a list titled "Top Ten Disturbing Books" along side a few books from my very favorite author Chuck Palahniuk. I immediately ran over to find it, and read the back. It peeked my interest but not enough for me to buy it right away. Eventually I got desperate enough for a good book that I went back and bought it. After getting started I tore through the book, completely engrossed and intrigued.


The plot (quoted from Geek Love's wikipedia page);
"The novel is the story of a traveling carnival run by Aloysius "Al" Binewski and his wife "Crystal" Lil. When the business begins to fail, the couple devise an idea to breed their own freak show, using various drugs and radioactive material to alter the genes of their children. The results are Arturo ("Arty"), a boy with flippers for hands and feet; Electra ("Elly") and Iphigenia ("Iphy"), Siamese Twins; Olympia ("Oly"), a hunchbacked albino dwarf; and Fortunato ("Chick"), the normal-looking baby of the family who has telekinetic powers.
Oly tells the story of her family in the form of a novel written for her daughter Miranda."


Sounds completely ridiculous right? That's because it is, but in the best way. Katherine Dunn has such a way with words and you will be able to picture each character perfectly right down to the smallest details. The way the characters all looked (perhaps even felt?) to me was so incredibly vivid.

It's been about a month since I finished the book but I really did want to blog about just in case someone is in the same picky book reader boat as me and has trouble finding things to get lost in. (plus I can't get it off my mind!) If at least one person reads this post and goes "oh my gosh, that is so my style of book" - because it's certainly not a book for everyone - I will be one happy little kitten!


I liked it so much it even earned a spot on my special shelf next to all my Chuck Palahniuk books. ;)

You can find Geek Love here! If you read it let me know what you think! that is if you're not totally freaked out by the whole plot to begin with! ;)
xoxo

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Book Recommendation / Review : Geek Love

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Sally Hansen Nail Strips...

Since I initially posted my thoughts on the Sally Hansen Nail Strips I've bought more of them, tried another brand and learned a few things, so consider this a little update!


Sally Hansen Salon Effects - Check It Out

Sally Hansen Salon Effects - Fly With Me

Sally Hansen Salon Effects - Cut it out. (Sorry, I couldn't find a link to this one, but you can find it on ebay)

Sally Hansen Salon Effects - Girl Flower

I'm still head over heels in love, I love having super fancy nails and being able to do them myself (because I am not the kind of girl to get a manicure...) But I did realize that once you open the little container they're in (each box comes with two) that you have to use them. You can't cheat and save them for later. I tried to re-use some from the same little container as I used a week previous and they were hard. There was no possible way to apply them.  But as long as you don't have really long or really wide nails then you should still get two full applications from the box (if you do like I did and use the excess from one nail on another nail).

Over the last few weeks I've realized just how long these suckers can stay on too! The last photo above was taken after wearing the strips for 5 days! They still look pretty good if I do say so myself. It took 13 days before they started look bad enough that I wanted to change them. (That's gotta be a record for the longest I've ever not painted my nails!)

Despite my love for those, I'm still cheap so in the search for something more affordable I tried Broadway Nail's version. They were half the price and I could immediately tell why. I found them much harder to apply, and they almost immediately started showing signs of wear despite numerous top coats.


Other than the cheaper cost the only other good thing about these ones was that they don't come in an air tight container so you can use the one pack for as long as your heart desires if you're only putting them on a few fingernails like I do.

Another issue I found with the broadway nails ones were that when they began to wear they come off all in one piece. The Sally Hansen ones chip (not badly either, just a little bit at the tip after about a week) while these peeled off like a sticker. I guess the easy removal might come in handy if you change your nail color very often... But for me that was a huge turn-off.

So did anyone else try them? What did you think? I know Sephora has a brand too but they're mighty expensive, has anyone tried those ones?
xoxo!

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Sally Hansen Nail Strips...

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Eyes Lips Face

In addition to shoes [!!!], I've become a bit more obsessed with makeup and nail polish. I mean, I've always liked makeup, don't get me wrong. But I was never really really into it. I'd find a blush or eyeliner that I liked and I'd simply stick with it. I ran out of Nars Orgasm blush and never felt like driving back to Franklin to pick up a $30 compact so I opted for someone's suggestion of Candid Coral blush by ELF. Amazingly it was $3 at Target! I actually really liked it so I continued to use it. It took me about 6 months go to through one little compact. Afterwards I found myself curious about the quality of the rest of the ELF line as someone inquired if I had tried some other things. Before moving out of Spring Hill I decided to run by Target and stock up on eyeshadows, blushes, lipsticks, etc. Then once I got settled in here I found a 50% coupon code for the lipsticks! I quickly ordered a whole bunch of them as well as some nail polish. The pictures below don't do my little collection justice, but I wanted to share my feelings toward this company on the blog because I've been pleasantly surprised!

I'm a firm believer in splurging on great primer, foundation, and any products that you just truly truly love. (Bare Minerals foundation, Fresh Minerals and Smashbox primer, and MAC Fluidline eyeliner in my case!). But what about the other stuff? I've loved their lipsticks so far! At prices between $1 and $5 ($2.50 on sale!), they've been so great! My favorite shade thus far is a tie between Party Pink and Rosy Raisin. [Those are in the "Mineral Lipsticks" section!]. I've also loved the bronzer! It gives me a nice pinch of color to welcome in Spring. I'm a naturally pale gal but it's not dirty looking on my skintone.

If you've got a Target in your area, be sure to swing by and see if they have an ELF section in their cosmetics department! It's definitely worth a shot! Even if you end up hating it, chances are highly likely that you will have spent under $5!

Now through the 28th: Buy one item, get the 2nd for 50% off! Use the code PRESHALF on orders of $20 or more! 


I'm thinking about placing another order simply because the coupon code is so good! Hooray!







Have you ever used ELF Cosmetics? What are your thoughts? Worth the price? Better than you expected? What products are your favorite?

PS; This post is in no way, shape or form sponsored by or affiliated with Eyes Lips Face Cosmetics! I purchased these items with my own money. This is solely my personal opinion and I decided to do this post and review simply on my own account! I just like to share fun new products when I come across something fantastic.

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Eyes Lips Face

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Mail Call

One of my absolute favorite times of day is around 11am when USPS comes around (we have the nicest postal guy ever!) and then around 1:30pm when UPS comes knocking (he's equally as nice!). I love love love receiving mail. Whether it's a product of a rad blog reader, penpal or my late night shopping binges, it's so exciting to open the door, see a package, then rip the box to shreds. It's like Christmas on a weekday! I've been getting more mail than usual lately (and my debit card is on fire!), but I was the recipient of 2 rad packages earlier this month that I'm excited to share!

Up first is a package from Erin of Sunshine and Carousels! She makes pretty handmade hair pieces and accessories, and I'm always donning one of her headbands it seems! She's one of my sponsors this month so she sent over 4 pretty headbands, including a black replacement for the one she sent be back in.. October? Yow! She just launched her Spring 2011 collection yesterday so be sure to pop over and check them out! They're comfy headbands that don't give me headaches (win!) and they come in the prettiest of colors! She also has things like earrings, too! Swing by and tell her you're visiting from LCH!








Then I had a little package that I had been looking forward to for about 2 months! BudgetGadgets gave me my choice of item from their shop and they're also offering up a discount code for all of you! I perused the site and looked at their suggestion of a watch, but since I usually steer clear of jewelry I opted for the Lips Phone! Mike makes fun of me so so so much for my choice I couldn't help it! I know it's cheesy and somewhat juvenile for a 20-something to want a big red lips phone, but I felt like it was the perfect blend of Cher from Clueless and Clarissa from Clarissa Explains It All! Tell me you don't see it! I dare you! It's sitting pretty up on our sidetable in our room and it looks perfect! If you're interested in snagging up some wholesale-priced items then be sure to check out Budget Gadgets and use the coupon code 'honeybeeinthecity5off' for a 5% discount! Doesn't sound like much, but check out those prices! It's not even needed! 






And finally.. something I got just today! I did a blog redesign for Somer earlier this month and she was so sweet and appreciative that she knit this little pretty up for me (with a bow!) and sent it my way just to say thank you! How sweet is that?! After the storms last night the weather took a turn for the cold so I'm glad I'll get to wear it at least once before Spring comes! The bold blue color is something I totally lack in my wardrobe so now I'm glad I'll have something to build around! Thanks Somer! (This is her Etsy if you're interested!)



*Excuse my blah-ness in these photos! When at home I live with my hair in a messy high bun, little-to-no-makeup, and a DRUG FREE hoodie haha Oh, and furry pink slippers! Ahh! 

Do you like receiving things in the mail? Do you have penpals? What's the most exciting thing you've received lately?! Usually I just get bills and more bills!

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Mail Call

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Come On, Spring!

Today's weather was definitely a breath of fresh air. The high was originally only supposed to be 46 but we're sitting at 55 right now and I couldn't be happier! The sun is about to go down though so I'm sure it'll be dipping a little cooler. Mike and I need to go get our walk on before that happens! Work last night was exhausting. We were so busy but that's good because it means 1) good money and 2) the time goes by much quicker. I hope tonight is as lucrative as last night! We ventured out to town to take these photos but I wasn't totally feeling the outfit and both Mike and I were in sort of a funk today. Nothing really to cause it, but we both weren't feeling 100% percent. Still I wanted to show you some goodies I've received in the mail lately!




This dress is one I think I bought around this time last year. Maybe even earlier! I only remember wearing it once or twice so I decided to bring it from my dusty closet and show it some light. The reason I didn't wear it is because I had misplaced the tiny red belt that went with it and nothing really kept the balance as well. But it has been resurrected! Can you notice the mud on the sides of my wedges? Being the graceful gal that I am, I totally almost ate pavement after tripping in a rather large muddy hole... Whoops! Anyway, it's from Charlotte Russe and the cardigan/tights are both from Target. The wedges are Dolce Vita for Target and the headband is courtesy of my sponsor Sunshine and Carousels!


I received this sweet little cowl scarf in the mail the other day and I had to take advantage of the early-day 40 degree temperatures to show it to you. It's supposed to get up to the low 60s this week and I don't think I could stand wearing a scarf or coat! I love the color and feel of this scarf! It's neat because it's been crocheted in a way that I've never seen. Huge loops and it gives it a honeycomb effect. I love it. Tiffany was kind enough to send one my way so even if I don't get a lot of use out of it now that it's starting to warm up I will definitely wear it next winter! If you're interested in seeing some of her stuff, venture over to her Etsy!







Another package of goodies showed up last week and inside were a plethora of vegan pigment eyeshadows from Mallory at MINNA! I'm not an eyeshadow girl by any means. In high school I would don bright and bold colors from MAC but ever since I've definitely played it down. Mainly because I don't know how to apply it worth crud! You probably can't tell too much in the pictures above but I was wearing Rose Water, layered and blended with Iced and then Doll House as a highlight on the inner corners. We tried getting some photos of my eyes but they all turned out pretty lame because I didn't have any eyeshadow primer on hand! Instead you get to see my goodies! I'll admit it'll take me a while to muster up the courage to wear the brighter looks such as Rouge, Royal and Coby, but I'm planning on it! Above are my top 5 picks of ones I need to get my hands on! From L-R is: Waters, Money, Pollen, Sassy and Softy! Love! If you're interested you can check out MINNA Cosmetics on Etsy! You can snag up the Valentine's set or order samples (as seen in the little baggies) of some colors to try out! Such a great price for quite a bit of product! I love the way they're packaged, too. So professional! And they're FDA approved!

Anywhoo! Mike and I are going to go chill out for a little bit and try to decide on some Valentine's Day plans! Last year we spent it on a mini-roadtrip vacation in the mountains but with our upcoming week-long roadtrip in a couple of weeks we opted against it this year! I was really sad but I didn't want another camel bite incident! Yikes! Happy Saturday, y'all! xo

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Come On, Spring!

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Love Love Love!

Eeeep! I'm in looooove!



 Not gonna lie, when I first saw these Sally Hansen Salon Effects nail polish strips I thought they were really lame. Why would you buy them for $8.50 when you can just paint your nails with a bottle of similar nail polish for under that price and get you'd more than one application?! Buuuut then I saw the designs - flowers, hounds tooth and butterflies. Yes please!

So I bought one pack, the flowers! They went on so super easy and held up really well. I'm pretty rough on my nails so I'm really impressed.  I wore them for 7 days, they actually would have lasted longer but I was getting bored with my nails and decided to switch it up. There was no chipping at all just a little bit of wear on the tip. They looked completely amazing for being on that long!

 In each pack there are 16 strips so you can find the perfect fit for your nails. In order to make them last I decided to just put one on my accent nail which I always paint a different color. But the strips are super long so I was able to do my accent nail plus a second with the "scrap" from the one strip.


I still think the idea of buying the ones that are plain, or just glittery is mighty silly but I'm crazy about the ones with patterns! I've already bought three other designs (butterflies, hounds tooth and black and white flowers) that I'm dying to try. I'll make sure to post pictures and share my experience with those when I wear them as well.

I tried to find them on amazon so I could share a link but they're not avaliable yet. You can find them at WalMart and most drug stores.

xoxo
PS. Just thought I should mention I have no affiliation with Sally Hansen, I just really really love this product and wanted to share the joy! :)

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Love Love Love!

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2010: A Review

I've been fashion blogging for a year and a half now and I have to say that 2010 was quite amazing. Here is a look back at my favorite sartorial moments from each month...


A shoot on a bridge up north; a frigid frolic in a stream where I almost fell over.


A romp through the spooky up-north woods in my outdoorsy gear; a wintry walk with my mom's scarf.


An iconic photo of Wellie & me that went crazy viral; a warm March day and a Gosford Park inspired shoot.


Spring sprung with a little floral romper; my favorite boardwalk with the sun beating down.


My birthday month- gorgeous Charlevoix lighthouse; a pretty vintage dress from the Salvation Army.


One year blogging- the ModCloth Lulu Letty dress; a ride with Millicent.


Saddle shoes and an old school house; an easy summertime look.


I couldn't wait for fall inspired looks- frontier style; a duck hunt sweater.


A hippie love dress; a harvest picnic with Dear Creatures.


Two absolute favorites- preppy classics; graveyard sunsets.


Three weeks of red hair- the 70s in 2010; last ride with Millie.


2nd Annual Holiday Looks Series- florals in winter; gun proud Bonnie.
...Thank You So Much to all my incredibly fantastic readers, both old and new, and all my amazing sponsors! Without you, my blog would not exist! Here's to another amazing year!

Happy New Year!

Yours,

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2010: A Review

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