Gorjana Giveaway!

Are you guys so excited that I'm doing another Gorjana Giveaway?  I am!!!

They are so generous to let me do this again (I did one in July as well) and not-so-shockingly I've chosen to giveaway TWO Graham Leather Studded Wrap bracelets.  TWO winners! 

For those of you not familiar with Gorjana, it's a beautiful jewelry line out of Laguna Beach, California that delicately balances contemporary trends and timeless elegance.  I own many pieces from Gorjana (I carried the line at bop/shopbop.com) and continually wear all of it!

Part of my Gorjana collection (and what should be part of yours) are the Graham Leather Studded Wrap Bracelets.  They go with everything and look amazing layered with your other bracelets - I pair mine with a silver David Yurman cuff I got for my 30th birthday as well as a gold bracelet that was once my Gram's.  The mixed metals plus the leather wrap are perfection together.

Here are some of my favorite colors:

Pear

Metallic Indigo

Black Exotic

Tan Sparkle

Bone

How to enter?

1st Entry: Make sure you're a Mascara Meets Matchbox follower, and then leave a post on my blog as to what your favorite piece of jewelry is by Gorjana.  It does NOT have to be the wrap bracelet.......it could be anything!

2nd Entry: Become a follower of Mascara Meets Matchbox on Facebook, then leave a post there about the same thing (your fav piece by Gorjana).  No need to post again on my blog - I'll see your post on FB as your 2nd entry.

3rd Entry:  Blog about my contest on YOUR blog, then leave me a comment on this blog, telling me what your blog is and where to find your post.  That sounds confusing, but it's really not.  ;-)


Contest starts today and ends NEXT Wednesday, May 4th at Midnight.  Get your entries in by then.  Winners will be chosen via random.org and announced on the 5th!

Good luck!!!

Sun sun sunny scottsdale

Not this past weekend but the weekend before, my husband and I took our first little jaunt away from BOTH kids since Gemma was born in July.  And boy did we need it!!!

When we got home, Grandma (who was watching the kids for us) said, Griffin does NOT stop talking does he?  I need a break from the constant conversation!  I thought - you said it, sister!  Sometimes at the end of the day with these two I just want to cocoon up with some bad reality TV and my laptop and nothing else.  Maybe a dog or two on my lap.

As usual, I have digressed......

So we went to Scottsdale, stayed at the Canyon Suites at the Phoenician, had a wonderfully relaxing time, and decided that we MUST return very soon.  Maybe with kids.  The Canyon Suites was perfect for kiddos - lots of room and very chill.  And even though we all like to take kids on gigantic fabulous Disney vacations, at the root of it all they really want to is to go somewhere new and play with Mommy and Daddy - undivided attention, right?


Here are some pics of our trip  -  be prepared for the unexciting (which is exactly what I wanted!).

Going out to dinner - note the fabulous Gorjana purse...

Joe relaxing - in the shade.  I don't get it.  When you're in Chicago most of the year, stay in the sun on vacation!

Look at those cabanas!  Amazing - they had sinks and everything one might need for an entire day by the pool.

Cheesing for the camera.

A lot of what I did at the pool......lazing around.

Out to dinner with good friend Lyndsey who has the good sense to live in such a great place.

Alone time with a magazine.  Heaven.

Had to share......

I had THE WORST experience in a store today I have ever had in my life.  IN MY LIFE.

If you live in the Chicago area, in particular the Winnetka/Hubbard Woods area, DO NOT, I repeat DO NOT shop at Beat Street for your kids.

Here's the review I just posted on Yelp and on Google reviews:

DO NOT SHOP HERE. I had the worst experience upon walking into a toy store that I think Ive ever had at any store in my entire 33 years. I have two small children and wandered in there today for the first time to browse around. i just moved to Deerfield this summer and work mostly as a stay at home mom but part time I am an outside sales rep for a couple of swim lines and a bag line. When I walked in there today I had just had an appointment with a store a couple of doors down from her, and I had a couple of large bags with me (containing the items I was showing to the other store). As soon as I walked in the owner said "Those are big bags for someone who's only doing some shopping." Wow! And nice to see you too! Immediately I said - "oh, I am a sales rep for a couple of women's lines and I was just next door at a shop." She then said that they don't allow 'cold-callers' in their store. I said, "I'm not cold calling you, I don't sell children's things. I"m just here to look around, I have two small kids of my own." She said: "Sure you do, get out." Seriously, I have NEVER been spoken to like that in my life upon walking into a store. So again, I thought, surely she must have misunderstood me. I re-iterated that I don't carry childrens stuff and that I simply wanted to check out the store. She continued to tell me to 'Leave, get out. Don't come back." Finally I decided that this woman was clearly not going to listen to me and at that point I was so incredibly offended that yes - I would do as she was telling me - and I would leave. But before I did I made sure to tell her that I am nothing more than a mom & consumer who lives in Deerfield and that I will make sure to tell all of my friends NEVER TO SET FOOT in her store after our exchange. To which she said - "I don't care, get out of my store, just GET OUT." There was a younger guy in the back of the store doing stock work who had his jaw on the floor during most of our exchange - I feel bad that he works for this horrible woman. And honestly I hope that someday she figures out that life is too short to treat people so terribly. I was so upset and horrified upon leaving - tears were in my eyes. Don't subject yourself to this, there are PLENTY of other great toy stores nearby.

the Downtown Skinny

I"m always on the lookout for great jeans that are not 'Mom' jeans persay, but jeans that a Mommy can wear and do all the things you might do with young kids.  Bending over to pick little people/toys/food/cups etc up can get a little tricky with my low rise jeans of yesteryear.

Therefore I was so happy to find the Downtown Skinny jeans at J. Crew a couple of weeks ago.  They are a great medium wash that goes with everything, doesn't get too stretched out (but stretches just enough) and the length was perfect for flats or heels!  Yahoo!  Zero alterations!  AND.......the rise was perfect.  I intentionally wore them for a whole day with the kids (kind of shocking for me not to be in Lulu Lemon while around the house) and not once did my Hanky Pankys peek out.  

I hear there's a new darker wash in the store (a little bird over at the Apparently Obsessed blog told me) that I just may have to check out this weekend........

What are your favorite Mommy-friendly jeans?

Swimsuit Giveaway!!!

Need a new suit for yourself or your little one?

Head over to Scout - A Mom's Guide to Stylish Living and enter her Stella Cove Giveaway!  

Stella Cove is a beautiful line of swimwear based out of Europe that caters to Moms and kids alike!  Check it out on their website:  www.stellacove.com.  

Contest ends Monday so click HERE now to enter!

Fashion Police: Hair Do or Don't?

I was watching the Today show yesterday and there was a segment on 'Hot Hair Trends.' Of course I had to know what these trends are (even though my haircut/style hasn't changed since I was born, ha) and I attempted to listen to this segment between my loud happy screaming 9 month old and my loud dinosaur-growling 3 year old.  Morning TV relaxing time isn't what it used to be.

Moving along......the trends noted were:

Hair Tinsel

and Hair Jewelry

Let's discuss.  

My thoughts (and just my opinion, I am open to ALL opinions on this!) is that I really like the hair jewelry a la Kim Kardashian.  Being a long haired girl, it's fun to try new things and I think it looks great how she's wearing it - a simple beautiful pulled back ponytail, simple black dress, and the highlight is on her hair.  

Onto the hair tinsel (which I first saw on one of the Real Housewives of Beverly Hills), I'm not as big of a fan.  I sort of think that it looks good on Beyonce, but I sort of think it belongs on girls under age 10.

Shazam!  

Gemma is 9 months

Got some new pics done of Miss Gemma Grace - I can't believe she's 9 months old already.  It has FLOWN!  

This little lady's sweetness has changed me forever, much the way my little man did in his first year.  I know all Moms say this but I can't believe they're mine and I feel like the luckiest woman in the world to be blessed with these two.  

So without further ado......Gemma Grace.  Pictures by Ali Stone (Chicago-Madison based).

All about brights

What is making me happy when I open up a magazine of late are all of the brightly colored clothing and jewelry I keep seeing!  So so so fun!  It totally reminds me of my neon phase, circa 1990/1991 I think, when biking pants and splash painted tee shirts were THE thing.  And I, always the slave to fashion, submitted.  I would have to consult old photos, but I think I had a HOT pair of neon green biker shorts I wore A LOT and maybe a pink pair?  Mom, do you remember?  

Anyway...........here are some things that I'd don right now - and if I do, hopefully I don't date myself via my choices like I did back then!

Tory Burch Neon Studded Logo Cuff

Tory Burch Foundation Studded Cuff

Gorjana Thompson Large Wallet

Julie Dillon Strapless Maxi Dress

Yarnz Multicolored Cheetah Scarf

J Crew Vintage V Neck Tee (I have this, looks GREAT with skinnies!)

Need a great everyday bag?

I get asked this a lot by friends and family - 'What is a great everyday bag?'  'Do you have a go-to brand or something you'd recommend?'  My answer is usually - 'I know one when I see one.'

There are so many handbag designers out there but it's shockingly hard to find the perfect bag, right?  I am always on the lookout and trust me, I have amassed quite a collection of handbags.

I came across this little beauty on Shopbop last week and thought I should share.  This bag is season less, would match with anything you're wearing, and looks like it would carry a lot of your wares - without being too heavy, since it's made of nylon.

It's not crazy expensive, but if you read this blog, you know how I calculate the cost per wear.........and at $365 that means it's $1/day.  That's really a steal....  ;-)

Tory Burch Tierney Satchel