My new favorite tee

Today's fashion trend tuesday is simply a photo showing me sporting my new favorite tee. Everyone needs a favorite tee, and as of my birthday this past Saturday, this is it:

I mentioned this tee in last week's post and told you all I'd post a picture of me FINALLY getting to wear it. While the photo isn't the most flattering it is proof that for once I didn't return something Nathan gave me as a gift. (I did exchange the chef's knife he bought me, but more on that in a later post when I document the surprise birthday party Nathan managed to pull off for my big 3-5.)

By the way, if you don't get why this tee is so perfect for me and so funny, let me know and I'll explain it to you...after I've given you a hard time for not getting it. Now that I've shared with you my favorite tee, I'd love to know yours! Do you have a favorite t-shirt you'd wash and wear every day if you could? Do share! --Emily

Busted on my birthday

Actually, my birthday isn't until this Saturday and no, I haven't done anything wrong but I was trying to come up with something fun yet quick I could post for today's fashion trend tuesday. (Fun because it's been seriously NOT fun unpacking this house and quick because I'm figuratively and literally cross-eyed every night due to sheer exhaustion from said unpacking.) The one thing that immediately came to mind is the totally awesome t-shirt Nathan bought me for my birthday:


The tee is from BustedTees, which has some dang hilarious stuff (though you may want to check it out when the kids aren't around...a few might warrant some unwanted explanations). The tee is here but I'm not allowed to wear it until Saturday even though I keep reminding Nathan I prefer to celebrate my birthday all month week long.

If you know me well then you know this is the perfect t-shirt for me. I tend to be a grammar/spelling/chocolate (wait, how did that last one get in there?) snob. I get a good laugh when I discover a misspelled word someplace like a news headline or caption. That doesn't mean I don't have my fair share of typos; when it comes to blog posts on this site (or emails to friends or Facebook status updates or tweets) I'm a bit less concerned.

Once I finally get to wear my new tee I'll be sure and have Nathan snap a photo for a follow-up post. It will be proof that for once I didn't return something my husband bought me! --Emily

P.S. By the way, I enjoy freelance work like writing press releases, editing blog posts, etc. so if you or anyone you know would like some help crossing their T's and dotting their I's, let me know! emihill{at}gmail{dot}com

Created by Chicks-- a must-visit, must-bookmark, must-subscribe-to blog!

Quinn Curtis, my very good friend and partner in crime (okay, partner in planning the Moms Who Make It conference), just started a new blog appropriately and awesomely named CreatedByChicks. I absolutely LOVE the name; it's sassy with a lot of style thrown into the mix. And because it's been forever since we've had a fashion trend tuesday, I thought it more than appropriate to feature it today.

CreatedByChicks is brand, spankin' new so you'll want to check back and watch as it takes on a life of its own. I'm so totally sure it will since Quinn, the woman behind CreatedByMom.com, is behind it!

I’m just a chick who really digs celebrating creativity, especially creative chicks. I think the world needs more creativity. It gives us life & happiness to be creative, don’t you think?

That's the new blog in a nutshell, but a very concise, very creative nutshell. Her first post features beautiful headbands by kaang--the Lesley Flower headband is TO DIE FOR! Have your own fabulous creations and designs? You'll want to join the CreatedByChicks community by uploading pics of your "creative endeavors" to the CreatedByChicks Flickr group.

I am so excited about CreatedByChicks I can hardly stand it! I am anticipating it becoming one of the biggest, if not THE biggest, fashion blogs for crafty, creative women entrepreneurs, so check back regularly as she builds the site and adds a subscription option. You'll definitely want to catch this blog's updates! --Emily

Made By Survivors: Give a truly meaningful gift this Mother's Day

I am all for sparkly things and two-pound boxes full of dark chocolate come Mother's Day, but what really sets my heart aflutter is a gift that gives back. I don't think we give these gifts often enough, and so this Mother's Day I want you to really think before buying that slow cooker or Kitchen Aid mixer. They may help support your position as the "favorite" in the family but do they support a more worthy cause like fighting human trafficking and modern-day slavery?

Made By Survivors is part of The Emancipation Network (TEN), an international organization that "[helps] survivors of slavery rebuild their lives after rescue from slavery, with sustainable income, education and help reintegrating into society. [They] work to prevent slavery in high risk communities such as red light and refugee communities, by creating jobs for adults and through volunteer trips and donations to our shelter partners for rescue, school fees, emergency needs and reintegration."

The Emancipation Network imports and sells a wonderful collection of beautiful handmade products created by survivors of slavery and persons at risk of being trafficked into slavery. Made By Survivors is where you can find these handcrafted products, from jewelry, handbags and clothing to paper products, home decor and fun children's items such as the Butterfly Purse pictured at left.

I love the Silver and Stone Necklace and these whimsical Recycled Rice Bag 3-Pocket Wallets! Though the selection isn't as huge as what you might find elsewhere online, I dare you to find a cause more worthy of your support. You can still give sparkly things for Mother's Day--they'll just have greater meaning this year.

For more the full line of Made By Survivors products, visit TEN's online store. To learn more about TEN and how they are "fighting slavery with empowerment" please visit The Emancipation Network site. --Emily

Britney Spears before & after

Actually, it's more like "Britney Spears before and after...four kids, a haircut and no Photoshop." The latest veto challenge from MomDot's America's Next Top Blogger fits right in with a fashion trend Tuesday:

As MomDot is a major Brit Brit fan, we want you to dress up like Britney Spears…You can be the bald one, the Baby one more Time, the Circus Britney…whatever you want.

I'll take Britney picture submissions till 10am central time via my EMAIL and then let the site VOTE who makes the best Britney as the winner. So get creative…hold signs, get your kids involved (maybe your DH is K-Fed?), and come up with your most creative Britney you can muster.

So which Britney did I channel? The only one I felt comfortable enough posting for the virtual world to see!

A few disclaimers about the photo:

• It was after 1:00 a.m. in the morning when I decided to actually participate in this challenge.
• I have lots of young Facebook "friends" and had to keep it PG rated.
• Being that it was after 1:00 a.m., everyone was asleep so my "photographer" was a self-timer on the camera, which sat on the piano bench aimed at our living room couch.
• I don't have long, blonde hair or a long, blonde wig (though my DH might like that...hmmm...may have to look into purchasing one)
• My false eyelashes kept falling off...self-adhesive? Whatever!
• Three words: no professional makeup artist.
  
• The batteries in the camera were dead (Doré, I totally feel your ANTB pain!), every set I tried from each of the remotes was dead; I finally found one set of charged batteries after a dozen "you've got to be freakin' kidding me's."
  
• I have birthed four children and am most likely twice Britney's age when she took her photo.

That being said, here is the final photo I submitted to the challenge. (It looked a lot better at 3:00 a.m.) By the time I had it cropped and played around with some effects (in a program I am still learning) it was 3:00 a.m. I sent Trisha the photo and got ready for bed only to remain awake for at least another half an hour. DH was up around 6:00 a.m. for work. Needless to say if I took that photo this morning the bags under my eyes would match the heavy black eyeliner on my lids! But hey, I did it!

Click here to view all the Britney Spears look-alike photos from the challenge. It's definitely worth your time...you'll be ROTFL, promise! --Emily

Kandee the make-up artist: a treat for makeup junkies everywhere!

I may not be a makeup junkie like my good friend Becky (she needs a separate carry-on for her makeup bag) but I do love learning about the latest trends when it comes to skin care and makeup application.

I recently stumbled upon Kandee Johnson and her blog, kandee the make-up artist, from Tammy over at A Mom in Red High Heels. She featured one of her past YouTube videos in a post around Valentine's Day and I've been a subscriber to Kandee's blog ever since. She features everything from how to create specific looks (all natural, 80's glam rock, Audrey Hepburn, Angelina Jolie...the list goes on) and her favorite skin care products (St. Tropez Everyday Face self tanner is one of them) to her top choices in makeup lines and colors and even how to design your own off-the-shoulder t-shirt. She'll even let you see what's inside her purse!

I love her latest how-to video, "Teeth so white you gotta wear shades..." It gives a surprisingly simple technique for whitening your teeth without those annoying strips (I can never remember to wear mine more than a couple days) or paying the high price of custom trays from your dentist. I'm not going to spoil the fun--you'll have to watch and learn for yourself!

When it comes to makeup application some of us have two left hands. Kandee can give you a few tips and tricks to fix that problem all while helping you get a dazzling white smile! --Emily

The Voice of Mom: Tide Loads of Hope

I love when I can combine fashion with supporting a worthy cause, and thanks to a recent post from The Voice of Mom, I get to do that today! I had no idea Tide had a campaign called "Tide Loads of Hope," which "helps in the aftermath of a natural disaster by providing clean clothes and a sense of comfort to families in need."

Tide has partnered with Feeding America and the campaign travels to disaster-affected neighborhoods with either or trucks or vans providing families with free mobile laundry service. Who knew laundry was going mobile? What a great concept! From The Voice of Mom's post: "To date, Tide Loads of Hope has washed more than 35,000 loads of laundry for over 20,000 families. Most importantly, the Tide Loads of Hope program means [they’re] equipped to take action whenever and wherever there is a need in our country."

Here's where the cause ties into our fashion trend tuesday. You can support Tide Loads of Hope by purchasing one of their cool vintage tees. The tees come in four colors (red, green, blue and yellow) and both women's and men's styles. They are only $20, which is a small price to pay for a cool t-shirt and a cool cause. All profits go to support families affected by disaster.

To read more about the Tide Loads of Hope trucks and vans and the cool things they're doing, check out "Buy a Shirt, Help a Cause: Tide Loads of Hope" from The Voice of Mom. To purchase your own vintage Tide tee, visit the Tide Loads of Hope T-shirt page here. Nothing like some good, clean fun tees to kick of spring! --Emily

Photo from The Voice of Mom.

Time to pass the georgie tees torch

I tried to come up with some lighthearted introduction to today's post but just couldn't do it. Not that it's a sad subject--it's actually a rather exciting one for us, and in a way relates to a fashion trend tuesday post. The good news is LeShan and I both have a few new projects in the works. The bad news is in order to make these new endeavors happen, we will be moving on from georgie tees, selling the company we have built over the past three (almost four) years.

You will find a mini post about all of this on a couple of our favorite sites and we didn't want it to take you by surprise. It's already up on A Mom in Red High Heels and a similar mention will soon be seen on the Mom 4 Life blog, Boutique Cafe and The Lily Pad. Here's how our friend Tammy is helping us spread the word--her post, "Own It: Your Own Maternity & Infant T-Shirt Line," made me smile:

Moms, one of my favorite maternity t-shirt lines, is for sale! georgie tees™ is designed to add humor–and kick!–to this amazing thing we call motherhood! georgie tees™ brings you freshly baked style in infant & maternity apparel. LeShan and Emily, the moms behind the biz, have both been interviewed right here on A Mom in Red High Heels!

If you’ve ever thought of owning your own business in the maternity/infant fashion industry, this business is definitely worth looking into!

LeShan and Emily, the women behind georgie tees, are looking for a mom or moms who are interested in owning their own business and who would be a perfect fit for their company. LeShan and Emily have spent over three years building their business and as much as they’d love to continue, both women have new projects they are working on and entrepreneurial husbands who could use their wives’ help to grow their own businesses.

Even with all the multitasking these women do, they can’t make time for everything in their busy schedules! They have built a strong foundation for georgie tees and are excited to see it grow under new ownership. If you or someone you know might be interested in georgie tees, you can email LeShan and Emily at bizinfo[at]georgietees[dot]com for more information.

We appreciate everyone who is helping spread the word. We aren't in a hurry; we're all about making sure the new owners will be a great fit for the company (i.e. we hope they have a good sense of humor!). For more information you can email us at bizinfo@georgietees.com. Until the sale is final (and probably for a little while after) we will continue to pour our hearts and souls into our baby company...it's what mompreneurs do! --Emily

Denim goes "deal of the day"

I'm either a member or an RSS subscriber of a few "deal of the day" sites, including Mockstar Baby, The Mini Social, Rue La La and Babysteals.com. I recently discovered a new one and it's all about denim--I think I'm in heaven!

Citizen Blues is a new face on the deal scene. Though Citizen Blues, like other sites, provides customers with authentic designer clothing at a fraction of the price, the site only features one product a day. Short and sweet and to the point, perfect for those who don't have the time to shop.

You'll recognize many of the designer labels and Citizen Blues offers them for at least 50% off the retail price. It's a good thing they only feature one product at a time or I may max out my credit card in one visit! With a counter for each size you'll know just how many are left; you can judge if you have time to run an errand or if you better place your order immediately before your size is gone.

These days steals and deals on designer labels are more fashionable than ever, so this fashion trend tuesday be sure to add Citizen Blues to your high-style RSS feed. --Emily

Saving money is more stylish than ever!

In today's economy it's all about saving money. Fortunately I've never been a full-price shopper so buying things on sale, and especially clearance, comes naturally. Sometimes it takes a bit of patience while you wait for that must-have sweater to go on sale. And once in a while I experience the pain of disappointment when the skirt I want is sold out by the time I am ready to buy it. But I get over it quickly as I look for the next great deal. That's not to say you shouldn't pay full price for a high-quality wardrobe staple (or a fabulous and comfy pair of heels), but most of the time paying full price is just plain silly.

Fortunately for us a lot of retailers are cutting prices more often and by a higher percentage as they too feel the crunch of the economy. I swear Old Navy, Gap, Gymboree, Esprit, The Children's Place and many others are sending me more emails than ever about special sales and markdowns. Anyone else noticing their Inbox filling up rather quickly? In the spirit of saving and on this fashion trend tuesday, I thought I'd share my recent budget-friendly purchases. (Just don't tell my husband; he doesn't know about all of these...yet.)

Victoria's Secret Hooded Pajama set (Not exactly what my husband had in mind and for some reason it doesn't look that sexy on a normal person like me...)

$19.99 regularly $39.50

Victoria's Secret Empire-Waist Wool Coat (This isn't the exact coat; perhaps they've already sold out. Mine is a similar style but hip length.)

$99 regulary $148 (mine was $65 regularly about $125)






New James Jeans via ebay (I love ebay for designer denim. Just make sure you go by measurements--waist, rise, inseam--and not size!)

$19.98 regularly $100+


Anthropologie Frosted Sigh Blouse (I justified this purchase because I had a $20 gift card--thanks, Bri!)

$59.95 regularly $118

Have you found any great deals in the past few weeks? Do you have any favorite websites and/or blogs you watch for upcoming deals and specials? We'd love to know! --Emily

cheeky & swank: the perfect combination

I much prefer doing a take it off tuesday than a fashion trend tuesday. Exercise and fitness is much more my thing than the latest styles and trends but since my brownie, bread and Oreo diet isn't having the desired effects I'm not feeling the fitness thing this week. What I am feeling is super cute styles for parents and baby, and that's what Cheeky & Swank is all about!

Cheeky & Swank, a company "for cheeky kids & swank parents," has something for everyone, from bibs and burp cloths for baby to stylish tees and bags for moms and dads. One of my favorite items is their Magna-Bib. Kind of sounds like a superhero, doesn't it? And it just might be with its high-temperature, special magnets hidden in the neck. The magnetic closure means no scratchy Velcro and no snagged tights coming out of washer or dryer. Velcro is probably my least favorite. The tie-on bib is a step above because it stays secure but it can be quite the battle trying to tie it on a very hungry, very squirmy baby. I love the idea of a bib with a magnetic closure. Thank you, Cheeky & Swank!

Beyond bibs the company also has a beautiful collection of blankets, burp cloths and slings. And let's not forget about those swank parents! I absolutely love their Blushing Bird and Madame Butterfly tees for Mom and Owl messenger bag. Their tees for Dad are pretty cool too (the V-Dub long-sleeve is my fave). Oh, and I forgot to mention their cute line of apparel for kids. I just might have to purchase the Miss Peacock smocked top for my little girl. So sweet!

In our house being cheeky will either get you in trouble (those over the age of 8) or make Mom & Dad laugh (those under the age of 4). And style has nothing to do with it. If you're looking for that perfect combination you'll want to check out Cheeky & Swank. They've got it down perfectly! --Emily

the giving tee

You've heard of Shel Silverstein's The Giving Tree but have you heard of Tiny Revolutionary's The Giving Tee? I doubt it's as well known as the aforementioned book yet it has just as strong an impact, if not more, on society. Why? Because The Giving Tee supports a variety of worthy causes.

My favorite Giving Tee has "This shirt saved a life" emblazoned on the front. The tee is the result of Tiny Revolutionary's partnership with Africa Aid. The shirt truly is a life saver. When you purchase a "This shirt saved a life" tee, $20 is donated directly to Africa Aid to fund a child in their school lunch program in the Buduburam Refugee Settlement in Ghana for an entire year. Yes, an entire year. The design is printed on a super soft 100% cotton vintage black tee with non-toxic inks. Each tee includes an inside print explaining the program and is hand-numbered before it's shipped so it's truly one of a kind.

Tiny Revolutionary has two other Giving Tees, both just as cool as their "This shirt saved a life." "No guitar left behind" helps provide music education and instruments to homeless and underprivileged kids in the Chicago area through Rock for Kids. "Where there is love, there is life" helps caregivers learn techniques that improve their ability to nurture a child's social, cognitive and physical development through Hands to Hearts International.

Giving Tees cost from $34 to $40, but $10 to $20 of that goes directly to a charitable foundation. (I can't say the same for my latest Esprit t-shirt purchase.) Tiny Revolutionary is giving you an easy way to support a worthy cause, something that's always in style and even more so in today's economy. Make your next apparel purchase your most fashionable one yet. --Emily

decor8: because fashion isn't just about you

Most of our fashion trend tuesdays have been all about the latest clothing and accessories. I can't recall the last time we featured a site or brand focused on making your little world as fashionable as your little one (or you). So today I have an especially stylish treat for you, a blog dedicated to delicious decor aptly named decor8.

decor 8, a blog with "fresh finds for hip spaces," first launched three years ago. The site offers its readers everything from "decorating ideas, interiors and independent art and design to inspiration for "living a more fulfilling, creative life." decor8 is updated daily with product reviews, interviews, home tours, do-it-yourself projects and even reader discounts and contests. Who doesn't love a good contest almost as much as a great sofa?

The woman behind decor8 is Holly Becker, a writer and interior design consultant with one foot in New Hampshire and the other in Germany. By living in both places she is able to bring readers the latest finds (shows, shops and studios) from Europe to the U.S. Holly is a regular contributor to Real Simple, Domino, and the Boston Globe’s Style & Art section. You can also read Holly's ideas and insight on Real Simple’s Home & Organizing blog.

With a woman such as Holly behind decor8 you have a style mixed with some serious substance. In other words, she knows what she's talking about and when she talks about something called Big Cartel, you listen (see "Big Cartel Shop Roundup"). Why else do I love this site? Because decor8 reminds me of my good friend LeShan. With her eye fashion and style and talent for design she could write for the blog. Me? I am better off reading it. --Emily

stop digging through your jewelry!

For Christmas I received the most perfect pair of earrings from my good friend LeShan. She knows me so well! (I hope you bought a pair for yourself, babe!) The good news is I absolutely love them. The bad news is they're going to get lost amidst the ocean of earrings that is my jewelry box. Even though I've separated the dangly earrings from the posts it takes me a good five minutes to find a matching pair. The same goes for finding my favorite bracelet, and we won't even talk about the tangled mess that is my necklace collection.

That's why today's fashion trend tuesday features a simple yet stylish organizer for your jewelry--or at least for your favorites. The Petite Magnolia Jewelry Tree from Wrapables.com displays your necklaces and earrings on its branches. Plus it's much more decor friendly than using tiny picture nails in your closet to hang your necklaces! Standing 11 inches high, the Petite Magnolia Jewelry Tree comes in both silver and red, and right now it's on sale for 50% off! Let the post-Christmas shopping continue! (You'll need to shop for some new earrings and a bracelet or two, too...) --Emily

The Mini Social: designer duds for mom & baby up to 60% off

These days a lot more people are finding they have champagne tastes on beer budgets, especially when it comes to clothing. In a recent fashion trend tuessday post I featured Mockstar Baby, a site offering a daily steal on hip and edgy clothing for little ones. Today I have another one for you, The Mini Social.

Two fashion-forward moms are behind The Mini Social so you know it's going to be stylish yet simple and tailored toward moms like us. The Mini Social is an invitation-only site that features the latest designer clothing and accessories for mom and baby at up to 60% off. The site "hosts" two or more designer "socials" a week; I've already stopped by for the baby star social, while umi, Kayce Hughes and Nest Organics are going on right now. Think of it as your online exclusive sample sale!

The Mini Social isn't just about great deals on the hottest styles. A portion of the proceeds are donated to several charities, including the United States Fund for UNICEF and Shoe4Africa. I love it when my shopping does someone else some good!

See for yourself what The Mini Social is all about by signing up and visiting the latest designer socials. Refer a friend and receive a $10 credit when she places her first order! --Emily

Tees for Change: inspiring, organic, & eco-friendly

I. Love. T-shirts. And that's probably the understatement of the year. My favorite outfit is a comfy pair of jeans and a super comfy tee, except in winter when it's a comfy pair of jeans and one comfy tee layered over another. I love it when I find a new line of tees like the PeaceLoveMom tees I reviewed on Boutique Cafe a few weeks ago.

Today's fashion trend tuesday features Tees for Change, a company I heard about only last week but wish I'd heard about sooner. Their line of eco-friendly t-shirts are not only super comfortable but stylishly simple and foster positive thinking with statements like "chase dreams," "practice kindness" and "live passionately." For babies my favorite is "dream big." They offer five different styles, from organic cotton fine jersey tees to bamboo raglan sleeves. All are super comfy and their styles appear to have a really flattering fit.

The tees from Tees for Change are all fair trade and made under sweatshop-free conditions from 100% organic cotton in the U.S. or 70% bamboo/30% organic cotton in Turkey. Just as cool as their eco-friendly fabrics is their commitment to giving back. Tees for Change has partnered with Trees for the Future and plants a tree for every tee purchased. (Trees for the Future plants trees in Asia, Latin America and Africa.)

With inspiring messages and an inspiring story, how can you not want your own Tees for Change t-shirt? I'd have purchased one by now but I'm having a hard time deciding which inspiring message is my favorite. Good thing I have a few pairs of comfy jeans just in case I need to buy more than one!

Right now Tees for Change is offering customers a free organic cotton tank with a purchase of $50 or more and they have $4.95 flat-rate shipping! Tees for Change make a great gift for friends and family, and you'll be giving back to the environment too. 'Tis the season to give, so give some 100% organic inspiration! --Emily

'tis the season for leg warmers

I'm probably going to date myself on today's fashion trend tuesday by telling you I remember wearing pink leg warmers in the 6th grade. They were so totally cool layered over my jeans. I think I even had a pair of striped ones. (I also had a Flashdance-type sweatshirt, but we won't go there...) Leg warmers haven't been in style since the 80's, but thanks to BabyLegs, they're now a fashionable must-have accessory for your little one--and they're not just for girls anymore (or for kids)!

Many of you already know about BabyLegs, but for those who don't, the idea for BabyLegs started when a mom wanted to keep her diaper-free daughter's legs warm while she was healing from bad rashes. Her impromptu creation allowed the rash to heal and had a few other positive side effects: they made diaper changes quick and easy; kept her knees protected while crawling; and provided sun protection. After moms continued to ask her about her daughter's little leg warmers, she began selling her invention out of a diaper bag. Not suprisingly, the popularity of BabyLegs spread quickly and these fashionable leg warmers can now be found in over 50 countries.

Looking at the fashionable designs, you can see why BabyLegs are so popular. From rainbow stripes to classic colors to red-hot flames, there's a style to suit every personality. (The Bones style would have been perfect for Halloween!) My favorites are the Pink Flame, Vine (organic), and the Lollipop (super soft). Believe me, it was hard to narrow it down to three for this review!

If you think the styles seem endless, the ways you can wear BabyLegs are too. Sure, you can put them on your little one as he crawls around the house, but you can also cover up his legs while in a front carrier or his arms so he can wear his favorite short-sleeve hero t-shirt even in chilly weather. Teens and adults are also getting into BabyLegs. They wear them over shin guards to show their true colors, over their arms for warmth, or simply as a fashion statement.

You can purchase BabyLegs directly from the site or from a variety of online boutiques. You can also find them at Target (another great excuse to hit Target this week). A pair runs about $12 though you can find some styles on sale for around $10. --Emily

is your baby a Mockstar Baby?

If you’d love to dress your little one like the rock star she is but aren’t willing to sell your front-row Timberlake tickets to do so, then Mockstar Baby is your backstage pass to rockin' baby clothes at a nosebleed-seat price.

Mockstar Baby, which offers "random deals at a chaotic pace," is similar to the popular site Steep and Cheap. If you're not familiar with Steep and Cheap, the concept is this: the site features one fabulous deal at a time until the inventory (often very limited) sells out. As soon as one deal is gone, another one is listed immediately. This happens 24/7 at a break-neck pace. From Hurley tees ($11 instead of $18) to Roxy hoodies (I was too slow to miss this deal--dang!), the deals are fast and furious--and fabulous!

If you find your day already filled to online capacity with Twitter, Facebook and actual work, Mockstar Baby's got you covered with their Get the Poop desktop alert. Simply download the alert and you'll receive instant alerts as soon as new products are available. If you're MIA for a while you can even find out which new products you missed. I'm not sure I need this feature--I hate hearing about what I've missed! Like when my friends went to The Police concert at Usana Ampitheater and all I got were some dumb Facebook photos...But I digress (as usual)...

Mockstar Baby also has a blog, and though it's a fun read--especially for parents who remember the first X Games--their audience is parents of infants and toddlers. They might want to rethink their recent post:

... It’s time to break out the hoodies and beanies to battle the pre-snow mornings…oh hell ya!! Got a bitchen hoody or jacket to hang on your kids? If not…we’ll hook you up!

Kind of reminds me of those 40-something moms who are trying so desperately to dress and act like their teenage daughters. But if they're determined to keep their blog's rock-star edge they could at least spell "bitchin'" correctly. ;)

Blog aside, Mockstar Baby is not just another passing fad like high-waist pants (I seriously hope this is a very quickly passing fad...). This up-and-coming site is your ticket to sweet clothes at a super sweet price. Now all you have to worry about are the groupies your new mockstar baby is sure to attract! --Emily

Polyvore let's you mix & match to your heart's content

Even though fashion trend tuesday is usually LeShan's department I'm going to attempting one today only because the site speaks for itself. Though creativity in fashion isn't my cup of tea I might be able to brew a pot or two after playing around on Polyvore.

I first heard about Polyvore from Lena's Notebook. The site uses a unique web application that lets you mix and match images from the web. You can create full outfits from head to toe, new ideas for your living room or any collage that suits your fancy. Apparently it's highly addictive, or so the site claims and so I've gathered from Lena. (I love her To Do list!) The stats are impressive. Since the site launched in February, 2007:

• 1.4 million unique visitors per month
• 300,000 registered users
• 2.2 million sets created
• 2.3 million products

I played around a little bit on Polyvore this evening and am hooked. I started by choosing a background and immediately fell in love with the ones from aliciabock.com. Here is my first attempt. Now keep in mind I am very left brained so this isn't the coolest set you'll find on Polyvore:



If we're lucky LeShan will discover Polyvore and then we can all be seriously impressed! I admit it, I could spend a lot of time on the site but will sign off for now. One thing that's really awesome is you can check out featured sets like this one and it details every item (name and from where it came). In fact, I just checked my set above and the site had already broken it down with links to purchase the items pictured. SO COOL!

If you're like me and need a little help when it comes to creaticity in fashion, check out Polyvore's blog. I am loving the Scooby Doo Halloween costume ideas! The blog also has great fashion tips such as what to wear with argyle and how to accessorize high-waisted skirts. Fashion lovers, beware and be well rested. You'll be mixing and matching for hours on end. Have fun! --Emily

Amy Quarry giveaway from The Apronista!

Okay, so this isn't a totally unselfish post about a giveaway since I get a third entry by blogging about it on freshly baked, but do you see the apron? And can you blame me? I've since visited Amy Quarry's Etsy store and fallen in love with not only her aprons (love the Mellow Yellow and Grey) but her "toddler dresses and "warmies" as well. You'll want to browse Amy Quarry's entire line at Sustainable Style by Amy Quarry.

But before you do that, visit The Apronista and comment on her original post about the giveaway to win the Black, Red and White apron you see here. Good luck! --Emily