Vintage Valentine

Here's the card...

Vintage Valentine's Day Card by A Punkin Card Company

Here are the trimmings...

Raffia Flower Tags by Garden22DesignStudio's

Here's the gift...

Rinoculous Study No. 22 print by Kristine Noel

Light as a Feather

Kerry Washington attends the 2nd Annual ESSENCE Black Women In Hollywood Luncheon at the Beverly Hills Hotel on February 19, 2009 in Beverly Hills, California.

Jennifer Lopez arrives at American Music Awards after-party on November 22, 2009.

Iman attends the The 2009 Women of the Year hosted by Glamour Magazine at Carnegie Hall on November 9, 2009 in New York City.

Rihanna makes a guest appearance on Norwegian TV show 'Skavlan' on January 21, 2010 in Oslo, Norway.

If you want to stand out form the crowd this Spring, feathers are the way forward. Nothing says, "I'm a fashion risk-taker" like a whispy, feather-tiered skirt or dress. The ladies above are already in the know. Whether it's conservative chic like Kerry Washington or abstract rebellion a la Rihanna, there are a myriad of ways to wear feathers. My favorite inspiration is from Jennifer Lopez. Turn up the glamour by pairing a feather skirt with a sequin corset for extra va va voom!

My Picks!

Left to right: Haute Hippie Elongated Feather Vest, $347.50, www.shopbop.com; Sue Wong Strapless Dress with Ostrich Feathers, $518, www.nordstrom.com; Plunging Feather Dress, $530, www.neimanmarcus.com; Haute Hippie Genuine Ostrich Feather Minidress, $394.90, www.nordstrom.com

Left to right: Feather Mini Skirt by Lia Kes, $199, www.calypso-celle.com; Laser Cut Feather Skirt by Rare, $118, www.topshop.com; Vero Moda Feather Skirt, $67.99, www.asos.com; ASOS Black Feather Skirt, $110.48, www.asos.com

Left to right: ASOS Nude Feather Clutch, $42.49, www.asos.com; ASOS Black Feather Clutch, $42.49, www.asos.com

Feathers are best done in neutral colors like nude, black and white. This look won't come cheap so be prepared to spend some money, but it'll be worth it. There's nothing worse than cheap looking feathers. Try online stores like ASOS, ShopBop and Topshop for more economically friendly items. I have the black feather clutch from ASOS and wherever I wear it I always get a barrage of compliments. Finish a "feathered" look with gold accessories and sky-high pumps.

Photo shoot for Harvey's

I styled a photo shoot today for Harvey's (you know them, they make bags out of seatbelts!) with all of my Salvage Life vintage clothes. The crew was great, the food was good and I think the photos are going to look fab. Here are a few quick pics I took with my blackberry just to give you a sneak peak.

A Gift Tailored to Your Valentine

Ladies, if you want a pampering gift for your guy this Valentine's this is the one! J.Hilburn custom clothier has some really amazing high quality menswear for an absolute steal! Lucky for us, they were kind enough to offer some special Valentine's deals just for Houston's Weekly Chic readers. Yippie! Here they are...

The Ladies Man Package

A pair of J.Hilburn Cuff links, custom shirt fitting, and a 30 minute Très Chic style consultation.
$119 (regular price $199)

The Wardrobe Starter Package
Includes $150 J.Hilburn gift card, complimentary polo ($59 value), a custom shirt fitting & 30 minute Très Chic style consultation.
$150 (regular price $240)

OR $20 off your first J.Hilburn order
(above packages not included)

Contact me (beth@trend-fashion-today.com) for details...

Kourtney Kardashian Speaks Out About Fake OK Mag Cover

The new issue of OK magazine claims to have an exclusive on Kourtney Kardashian’s “body after baby,” but the package might not be as exclusive as the magazine proclaims — and Kardashian might not be as slim as she appears on its cover.

 The reality TV star contends she never spoke to OK for the cover story, which quotes her as well as her friends and stepfather, Bruce Jenner. “They doctored and Photoshopped my body to make it look like I have already lost all the weight, which I have not,” Kardashian told WWD. She also spoke out to her Twitter followers: “One of those weeklies got it wrong again…they didn’t have an exclusive with me. And I gained 40 pounds while pregs, not 26...But thanks!”

The cover photo features Kardashian posing with her baby, Mason, a shot taken seven days after his birth by Albert Michael of StarTraksPhoto.com. The cover image has been touched up to make Kardashian appear thinner on OK’s cover than in the original photo, which first appeared as part of the Jan. 11 issue of Life & Style.

It also seems that OK has built the lower half of Kardashian’s body for its cover, as the original images were cropped at the belly. An OK spokesman declined comment. Just another dramatic day in the life of a Kardashian.

I'm not really a fan of Kourtney, but I'm glad she spoke out. It's not normal, no matter what Hollywood says, for someone to have lost all their baby weight within a few weeks of giving birth. And those celebs who do so are doing it at the expense of spending time with their new babies.
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Fisher Price i-Glide Cradle n Swing

Since this is my third decade of parenting, I remember when baby swings were large noisy things that you had to constantly wind. Baby gear has progressed by leaps and bounds in the last ten years, and don't get me started on what I had to deal with in the early nineties.

The Fisher Price i-Glide is a million times better than what I had back then.  The seat can be used to swing from head to toe or side to side like a cradle. The iGlide has a two reclining positions and six different speeds. It will also play eight different little songs. But trust me, by the time your baby outgrows the swing you will never want to hear any of them again. But the best part is that you can plug it directly into an AC socket, so no more bothersome cranking.

2nd Annual Wiener Races

Oh my, this has made my year.

2nd Annual Wiener Races

February, 13th 2010

wiener race, costume contest, and all the sloppy kisses you can handle

(all breeds welcome to attend & enter costume contest)

Sweetie have a sweet tooth?

Mmmmm...the Dessert Gallery just posted some photos of their Valentine's treats. These are far and away the most perfect Valentine's gifts for virtually everybody on your Vday list (Mom, Dad, sister, brother, husband, wife, girlfriend, boyfriend, anybody!). Are you kidding me with how gorgeous these are? Almost too beautiful to eat...almost.

Way Out Cut-Out Cookies

Long stem chocolate-dipped strawberries

Heart-shaped Dessert For Two

Fanci-Pants Cupcakes (the name alone makes me love them)

Olive Barn

Have you visited the online eco-friendly garden oasis that is the Olive Barn? They offer a mix of chic eco home decor and super cute gifts for green thumbs! These blown glass vases are definitely inspiring my first purchase, as those birdies must eventually come live with me at my house.

NEW Items!!!

Three new cozy winter coats in the shop now...

Caylee Anthony 25 January

Casey Anthony, the young Florida mother awaiting trial in the death of her daughter, Caylee, pleaded guilty Monday to check fraud and was sentenced to time served.
Anthony admitted stealing a checkbook from a friend, Amy Huizenga, and writing four checks worth nearly $650. She wiped tears from her eyes as she spoke briefly in court.
"I just wanted to let everyone know that I'm sorry for what I did," she said. "I take complete and full responsibility for my actions, and I'd like to apologize to Amy. I wish I'd been a better friend.
Attorney Jose Baez asked the court to give Anthony credit for time served and place her on probation in the check case. The judge agreed that Anthony already has spent more time in jail than any sentence she could receive in the check case.
Anthony has made full restitution, Baez said. Before her arrest, she had no prior criminal record, he added.

The guilty plea means Anthony now has six felony convictions on her record. Her arrest in the check case came during a highly-publicized police investigation into the disappearance of her daughter, Caylee.

Anthony has pleaded not guilty to murder in the death of her 2-year-old daughter, Caylee.
The toddler's skeletal remains were discovered December 11, 2008, six months after she disappeared. The remains were bagged and partially buried in a swampy, vacant lot, and duct tape covered the child's mouth.
Police released documents last year showing they believed that Caylee was killed within days of the time she was last seen and that her body was in the trunk of her mother's car for "a period of time."
Authorities have said that the cause of Caylee's death is homicide by undetermined means.

Anthony's parents, George and Cindy Anthony, were present in court for the plea. George Anthony waved to his daughter as she was led from the courtroom.
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Brangelina Not Splitting

While reports are swirling that Brad Pitt and Angelina Jolie are headed for a split, multiple sources close to the family tell PEOPLE that the rumors are false.

"Everything is fine" with the couple, who are parents to six kids, a source says.

Another source says the split reports, which were first published in a British tabloid, are "totally false."

In recent weeks, it's been business as usual for the busy couple – movie shoots, family outings, charity work – and several observers say they saw nothing amiss.

On Jan. 2, Pitt, 46, and Jolie, 34, shared a romantic dinner for two at the French restaurant Le Perigord. "You could tell they wanted to spend time alone and didn't want to be bothered by anybody else," says a source. "It was wonderful to see a couple so much in love."

With filming wrapped, the two headed back to Los Angeles to work on pre-production for their upcoming movies: Jolie's The Tourist and Pitt's Lost City of Z. On Jan. 16, Pitt took their eldest son, Maddox, on a boys' trip to the New Orleans Saints' playoff game, while Jolie was spotted grocery shopping and dropping by an Apple Store in L.A. with daughters Zahara and Shiloh.

In the last few days, Jolie reportedly jetted to New York City for a Vanity Fair photo shoot, while Pitt stayed in L.A. to participate in friend George Clooney’s Hope for Haiti Now telethon. (Both Pitt and Jolie made major donations to the relief effort.) Pitt didn’t attend Saturday's Screen Actors Guild Awards, where his Inglourious Basterds picked up the award for best ensemble cast.

Ever since the National Enquirer broke the news of John Edwards' affair, the tabloids have a little more crediblity, but I questioned the report when I read that he was leaving her because she was crazy but leaving the kids in her care. It just made no sense. I have no problem believing that he would leave her, but the kid thing seemed too stupid to be credible.
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Barbie Basics

We were toy shopping this weekend when we passed the doll aisle and something dressed in black caught my eye. I stopped and went back to have a look. I was surprised to find it was a Barbie doll. I don't spend much time looking at dolls, I have boys. And most Barbies remind me of surgically enhanced porn stars. But these dolls looked and were dressed like sophisticated women.

Barbie Basics Model #005

Barbie Basics Model #009

It's a black Barbie with a real black nose. What a shock!

Barbie Basics Model #010

Barbie Basics Model #012

4Moms MamaRoo Bouncer

The revolutionary baby bouncer by 4Moms, the Mamaroo, is available for preorder on several websites. But the bouncer didn't make its 20 January release date. I've even seen information that the release date could be as late as mid-April. But it looks like the price will still be $199.99

Organizing Vice

Everybody has an organizing vice. An organizing vice is that one thing (or group of things) that you love so very much, parting with the excess is always difficult. For the clothes horse, it's the outdated frocks and shoes they swear they will wear again. For the mom's, it's the baby clothes and artwork that are full of memories. For me, it is magazines.
Who knows why. It's just paper..mostly ads..I realize that. I'm not sure where my love of magazines comes from (thanks Mom), but I do know that it is always hard for me to say goodbye. Gorgeous pictures, delicious recipes, and tons of information I'm sure that I'll reference again. Sometimes I do, sometimes I don't, but for the special publications I do keep, I need a pretty way to store them. Etsy has some fun ideas...



How cool is this coffee table?

Happy Anniversary Hello-Lucky!

On my way home from jury duty today I dropped by Hello-Lucky in the Heights. If you haven't had a chance to bop in, put it on your to-do list for 2010. It is one of the prettiest little boutique gems hiding in Houston.

Tomorrow, (Saturday) January 23rd they will be celebrating their 2nd Anniversary from 6-9pm. There will be a fashion show, drinks, music..the whole shebang. And ladies, if you need a unique V-Day gift for your man friend, you will find something perfect at this place (or on their website.)

Pregnancy Pact

Lifetime Television is selling the movie "ThePregnancy Pact" as inspired by a true story. I just wonder if they will be portraying the part of the story where the whole "pregnancy pact" was shown to be false.


In case you don't remember the media coverage of the original story I will try to sum it up. During the 2007-2008 school year Gloucester High School in Massachusetts had a baby boom. The girls were turning up left and right to take pregnancy tests at the nurses office. Some of them were even disappointed by negative tests. Well, the principal, Joseph Sullivan, went to the press and said that the girls had made a pact to all get pregnant together. What he didn't say is that a lot of girls didn't have access to birth control, and that the end of the sex ed class they were encouraged to use the school daycare. What kind of message does that send to young girls. Many of the girls were also socially isolated and lacked a meaningful relationship with their families. The nearest women's clinic was more than 20 miles away. Which is a huge distance when you are 14 and without a car. The school nurse and medical director tried to get the school to prescribe birth control without parental consent, but they were driven from their jobs. The school couldn't even commit to teach the federally approved and funded abstinence only curriculum. A group of teenagers who don't have birth control and whose parents aren't passing on their values are exactly the group of teenagers you expect to have a baby boom.


I think that Lifetime has seen the success of the MTV shows "16 and Pregnant" and "Teen Moms" and is trying to jump on the ratings train by scaring the crap out of parents. We need to decide our position on birth control as parents and then lovingly drill that position into our children's heads. That's how teen pregnancy is prevented.


Here is a link to the original Time Magazine coverage that started the whole firestorm. And the movie will be shown on Lifetime, Saturday at 9pm and with encores at the same time on Sunday and Monday.

Don't worry, I'm not...

Ok, so I cut the last post off a bit abruptly. I had people calling me and asking if I was moving or pregnant. Please people! Jeff and I have chosen a challenging resolution for 2010. We are going to attempt to refrain from buying anything NEW for the whole year. There are some exclusions:

food
toiletries
necessary paper goods
cleaning supplies
underwear
diapers/wipes
medical and safety supplies

This is not a vow and nothing is going to happen to us if we don't follow it, but I want to see if it is possible to really live a "Salvage Life". I want to practice what I preach.

I am sure this will evolve along the way, I am already thinking that I need to add "items that help you salvage other items" to the list.

Wish me luck!

Farrah From MTVs Teen Moms Beaten By Mother

One of the young mothers from the MTV reality show "Teen Mom" was allegedly choked and then hit by her 54-year-old mom this weekend -- and mom is now facing domestic violence charges.

The Council Bluffs Police Department in Iowa tells TMZ Debra Danielson -- the mother of 18-year-old "Teen Mom" Farrah Abraham -- was arrested at around 1 PM on Saturday for suspicion of domestic abuse/serious assault.

According to cops, Farrah and Debra started arguing over childcare issues when Debra allegedly threw an MTV shirt at her daughter ... which landed "on or near" Farrah's baby, who started crying.

That's when Farrah claims she went off on her mother -- who then grabbed Farrah by the throat. Farrah told cops she pushed her mother's hand away from her throat, causing her mother to strike her on the right side of her head and mouth.

In the report, officers say they observed multiple cuts on the right side of Farrah's lips.

I would be angry if my mother threw something and it hit my baby. But this probably wouldn't have happened if Debra had put her foot down over the childcare issues a long time ago. She lets Farrah walk all over her. They just should have stopped babysitting while Farrah went out. She would have learned to stay at home. Farrah thinks she is entitled to everything her parents do for her. Yes, her mother has anger issues, remember when she slapped her upside her head in the car, but I'm surprised this didn't happen a long time ago. I wonder what Farrah will do without her parents' money.

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John Edwards Finally Admits Paternity

John Edwards has finally stopped being shady and admitted her fathered Frances Quinn, the daughter of his former mistress Rielle Hunter. Instead of doing the correct thing and just admitting the truth when the whole sorted tale first came out, he lied. In a decade or so little Frances is going to have to read all his denials and it will probably just lead to problems. Isn't it bad enough that she will have to grow up with the knowledge that she was the child of an affair.

Edwards said of the whole sorted situation, "To all those I have disappointed and hurt, these words will never be enough, but I am truly sorry," Edwards said in his statement on Thursday.
"I will do everything in my power to provide her with the love and support she deserves," he said of his daughter. "I have been able to spend time with her during the past year and trust that future efforts to show her the love and affection she deserves can be done privately and in peace."


Of course his coming clean may have something to do with the fact that he may be facing a federal grand jury investigation into whether or not he gave Rielle Hunter hush money out of campaign funds. The information about the baby's paternity would have probably been leaked during that process.

And it doesn't help that with every passing day Frances looks more like John.

Lucky You!

Angie is the winner of the Bad Ass Texan Gift Certificate Giveaway! Thanks everyone for the lovely entries! It was fabulous hearing from so many proud Texans/Tejas fans! Have a wondrous Wednesday!! -B

For the Music Lover...

As requested, I've started tracking down some hot Valentine's presents for your dudes. I thought some of you might have a musician in your house like I do, and if so, he will go ga-ga for these.