{Giveaway} Earrings from Diana Warner New York

What’s that you say?  You need some fab new earrings to go with your fall wardrobe?  Well here’s your opportunity.  The lovely gals at Diana Warner New York have generously given us a pair of their Greer earrings ($78 value) to give to a lucky fan of Pretty Indy…all you have to do is like the Diana Warner Facebook page and tell them why you deserve such a treat.  Because they are made with mixed metals, the Greer earrings would go with any outfit – making them one of your most versatile, go-to accessories.

A little about DWNY – her pieces are passionately handcrafted and add instant style and polish to any outfit; no wonder they have been spotted on Gossip Girl as well as on numerous celebs.  Can’t swing by their adorable boutique in NYC?  We’ve got you covered.  Simply contact Cassie at cassiedwny@gmail.com to host a DWNY trunk show in your home and be eligible for hostess discounts and credits.

One last but very important detail – DWNY is also offering readers of Pretty Indy a very special discount…take 20% off when you shop online and use PRETTYINDY when you check out.  This offer is good through November 1 – perfect for holiday shopping (and we won’t tell if you get yourself a little somethin’ somethin’).

xo.

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{Review + Giveaway} Marmalade Hills

I wouldn’t be honest if I said that receiving samples to test and review is not a perk of Pretty Indy.  While I truly have been fortunate and have not tried anything I seriously did not enjoy, once in a while a line comes my way that kind of knocks my socks off, if you will.  Marmalade Hills is one such example.  You can imagine my delight when I received a package full of fun samples ranging from facial care to delicious smelling soaps to fabulous body scrubs and lotions.  There are so many positive things to say about this line that I’m fairly certain I won’t quite cover it in this blog post, but I will do my best – and hang with me, we’ve got a fun giveaway waiting for you at the end.

Let’s start with my personal favorites – the facial goodies.  I truly wasn’t expecting to love the face care as much as I have as I’ve been pretty loyal to my Fresh Soy Facial Cleanser, but I loved the facial cleanser from  Marmalade Hills.  It actually has a very similar feel to the Fresh Soy that I’ve been using – a gel that lightly foams and leaves skin so soft.  It also smells amazing, like freshly squeezed oranges.  After cleansing before bed, I tried the Glow Facial Serum which truly impressed.  Not only did I feel like I had just returned home from the spa, but my skin felt amazingly soft and smooth the next morning – not to mention looking refreshed as well.  Being pregnant, my skin definitely has different needs and this oil is just what the doctor ordered.  I have found that I really look forward to my night-time cleansing routine and go to bed feeling so relaxed!  At $18 for .5 ounces, this is a steal – superstar ingredients like argan oil (a Josie Maran favorite), vitamin E, and other nourishing oils make your skin feel baby soft.  Marmalade Hill’s makeup remover smells similar to the facial wash and is very effective at removing the day’s dirt and grime; followed by the facial wash and oil, your skin will feel and look fabulous.

I was also sent a deliciously scented Zesty Cranberry Body Bar – perfect at this time of year!  The mixture of citrus scents is super energizing and serves as a great way to start the day.  The bar contains nourishing oils and vitamin E to further moisturize the skin, leaving you perfectly clean and feeling soft.  Last and certainly not least, the bath and body starter set was part of my package of samples and I found this to be a great way to, well, sample multiple products from Marmalade Hills.  From Chocolate Royale Sugar Body Polish (oh yes) to Goji Berry Plum Silky Body Wash, this sampler pack contains all you need to pamper yourself.  If you’re new to this line, this would be a fun way to go.

As much as I adore these products for the amazing scents and spa-like experience they bring into my home, I absolutely love the fact that they are natural and utilize only the most nourishing ingredients for every body and face.  When you check out their website, you will see that there is a plethora of products to choose from, including hand-made, small-batch soaps, baby care, body care, facial care, haircare, and foot care (I’ve got my eyes on you, mint softening foot soak).

So…are you ready for the best part?  The fabulous people at Marmalade Hills (out of Michigan, gotta love our neighbor) want to give you some goodies.  Simply head to their Facebook page after taking a peek at the Marmalade Hills website and answer the following question: Which Marmalade Hills product would make a perfect holiday gift?  While you’re at it, follow them on twitter and sign up for their newsletter.  If you don’t have Facebook, leave your answer as a comment on this page.  Marmalade Hills will be giving away 3 different sets of products – good luck!

xoxo.

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Kimmie’s Pre-Weekend Pretty-Up: Football Chic

I love football.  I love tailgating, I love making game-day snacks, and I love kicking the butts of every guy in my fantasy league.  Even if you’re not a crazypants football fan like I am, chances are your husband/boyfriend/best guy friend is NFL-obsessed.  Like it or not, nothing screams “fall” quite like football, Sundays in front of the TV, and team colors.  The good news: team pride isn’t just for the boys anymore, and there’s a bundle of adorable products out there to prove it.  Here’s my mini-guide to looking fan-tastic (but still girly) on game day.

Jerseys: Only a few years ago, the NFL adhered to one rule when it came to women’s clothes: Shrink it and pink it.  We were stuck with boy-shaped, bright pink jerseys with rhinestones glued all over the place.  Thankfully, we’ve moved past those days and there’s finally NFL gear made for the ladies…so I can get rid of my extra-large kid-sized jersey and move on to better, cuter things.  Check out the selection on sites like FansEdge and NFL Shop – Colts gear has been on sale lately!  If you’re looking for an even bigger bargain, hit up eBay – warehouses sell brand new jerseys with teensy-tiny flaws for ridiculous prices (we’re talking 20 bucks for an 80-dollar jersey)!

Girly Outerwear: Much like jerseys, sweatshirts and fleeces used to only be available in men’s sizes, leaving me virtually swimming around in a size “small” sweatshirt that wasn’t remotely the right shape.  Enter the women’s outerwear line at NFL Shop.  The adorable selection is designed in actual team colors (ahem, no pink) and is designed to be perfectly, sportily form-fitting.  Get your fuzzy football fan on with a super-plush fleece or cutesy sweatshirt.  NFL sweats are even available at Victoria’s Secret!  Not only will you be supporting your team in comfy style, but you’ll become extra-irresistibly-snuggly to the superfan dude in your life. Win-win!

Other Gameday Cuteness: Alright, you’ll never see me carrying a football-themed purse, but there’s a ton of adorable accessories out there for all you football-loving ladies. When game day rolls around, you’ll find my butt planted in front of the television, with one eye on my fantasy league stats and the other on whatever game I can find to watch…but that doesn’t mean I won’t be looking team-spirited and cute!  Check out the stuff you might not think of, like a fleecy scarf with a hidden pocket for tickets – or mini bottles of game-day libation – and Colts team color nail polish.  And at the end of a cold fall day, is there anything cuter than a pair of Colts earmuffs?  I think not.

Gear up, ladies!  How do you celebrate game day?

Cheers,

@KimmieTrubiro

Kimmie’s Pre-Weekend Pretty-Up: 4 [Cheapie] Things I’ll Never Stop Buying

If you open my bathroom closet, you’ll most likely be hit by an avalanche of beauty products.  From drugstore to boutique, there’s nothing I love more than trying a new brand, product or seasonal collection.  I even have my own “sample section,” where I store hundreds of travel-sized products.  While I adore luxury brands, there are several lower-priced items that I simply can’t replace with high-end picks.  Here are four of my faves – you’ll never see me give up on these little beauty gems!

Powder-ific: Yeah, yeah, I love my Bare Minerals products…seriously, who doesn’t?  But I seem to go through them faster than I can justify spending 20 bucks each time I need a new powder.  Enter Maybelline Mineral Power Powder Foundation.  It has built-in SPF and blends amazingly well – especially when you consider the fact that it comes in a larger size than Bare Minerals and costs less than half as much!  I keep coming back to this powder foundation for easy-peasy light-to-medium coverage.

Luscious Lashes: I have a mild obsession with trying new mascaras – I think it has something to do with all the promises they make: longer lashes, fuller lashes, curlier lashes, mascaras that actually grow lashes.  I’m on a constant mission to debunk all these seemingly too-good-to-be-true pledges.  After trying hundreds (literally) of mascaras, I keep coming back to one: L’Oreal Double Extend Beauty Tubes.  For around 10 dollars, you get a lash lengthening under-coat and a volumizing and lengthening mascara that stays put…forever.

Lip Service: My SPF lip balm go-to has always been Fresh Sugar Lip Balm in its original flavor.  So silky, so smooth, so luxurious…and so expensive.  Imagine my surprise when I found an SPF-packed balm that has a summery taste, sun protection, and costs 85 percent less!  Eos Lip Sphere in SPF 15 Lemon Drop is a real – and rare – beauty steal.  Cute package?  Check.  Sunscreen?  Check.  Super-moisturizing and yummy?  Check.  And my favorite feature: it doesn’t taste like sunscreen.  I have a stockpile of these in my linen closet – they’re that good.

Squeaky Clean: There are hundreds – maybe thousands – of facial cleansers out there.  They run the gamut from cheapie to luxe, and they all promise different results.  I’ve been using the Neutrogena Transparent Facial Cleansing Bar since I was 11 years old.  It’s a classic and I won’t ever change!  This 3-buck bar removes makeup, cleanses deep into pores and leaves skin soft and blemish-free…and works better than any expensive cleanser I’ve tried.  It’s a little old-school to haul a bar of face soap around, I’ll admit it – but with superstar results and a super-low price tag, this will be in my beauty arsenal forever.

Do you have a tried-and-true beauty staple?  Share with us!

Cheers,

@KimmieTrubiro

{Snappening Guest Post} How to fall in love with fall wedding décor? Customize for your venue!

Ah. Nothing better than crisp air, vibrant leaves and beautiful homes or landmarks that seem even more picturesque against a colorful fall backdrop. If Autumn is your favorite season here in Indianapolis, we certainly don’t blame you—Mother Nature supplies so much natural beauty! What better time for a wedding?

For autumn lovers like you, there’s no better season to highlight the natural beauty of your Indianapolis wedding venue. Whether indoors or out, each venue has its own character and natural charm.

2011’s fall wedding décor trends are all about accentuating a venue’s natural assets—from grandiose staircases to outdoor gazebos, all Indianapolis venues provide new opportunity for stunning wedding décor. Consider some fall wedding décor trends customized for everything your wedding venue has to offer.

Columns

Most traditional columns have a flat top, an ideal canvas to show off fall’s newest floral trends! Our favorites? Dahlias, chocolate-brown roses, chocolate-brown cosmos, fern curls and dusty millers. The how-to:

• Arrange bursting flowers on top of a column and allow them to drape down the sides. Consider laying a spengeri fern below your floral arrangement to drape down the sides as well.
• For a softer, wispier look, weave tulle and ribbon down the side of the column instead of greenery.

• Add twinkle lights to your floral arrangement for an added touch of elegance. White lights are preferable as they add that cozy fall / winter feel.

Archways

Whether you say your vows under an archway, walk under one to enter the reception venue or create one yourself, this architectural element is ideal for photo-ops.

• Add to the rustic ambience of fall by covering an existing archway with greenery and twinkle lights. Plumose – a long, draping greenery – is fairly inexpensive and covers an archway quickly.
• If you prefer not to cover an archway, utilize free standing plants or flowers on either end. Doubling up is also an attractive option for framing a doorway. Set up perfect photo-ops where guests might not expect!
• Twinkle lights are a trend that never seems to go out of season—but don’t they sound nice paired with the rich colors of autumn? For a simple but timeless look, wrap one strand around the arch. Keep things understated (and avoid the holiday or prom look!) by keeping it to a single strand.

A unique venue with multiple options? The Grand Hall in the Crown Plaza Hotel in Historic Union Station has spectacular appeal with its unique arches and columns.

Outdoor Gazebos

Many Indianapolis venues are lucky enough to have beautiful outdoor gazebos—and they’re not just for spring weddings anymore! And what better backdrop than fall foliage for breathtaking wedding photos?

• As most gazebos are painted white, decorate with bright fall color (red, gold, deep purple perhaps) so that it really pops.  Silky fabric is an ideal option as it will blow a little bit in the wind and stand out against the fall leaves.
• If your gazebo overlooks a spectacular location, less is more. Even just a few flowers will pack a punch (without being overwhelming! against a truly breathtaking landscape.

The Country Club of Indianapolis’s outdoor gazebo presents a gorgeous backdrop for your ceremony or stunning photo-ops!

Staircases

Whether indoor or outdoor, a properly decorated staircase can add to the beauty of your wedding day. If it’s outside, keep it a little more understated in lieu of all the fall foliage.

• For a small set of stairs where the railing is no longer than a yard, very loosely wind a short length of tulle or chiffon and then bunch bright roses at either end. Make the flowers pop by choosing a rich, unexpected color like orange or brown.
• One of the newest fall décor trends? An orange and yellow material called sinamay mesh. It’s a rough-feeling mesh made of banana leaf and dyed in bright colors. It has a beautiful effect when twined along railings or banisters. Combine it with dried decor branches to add even more life to the room.

The Scottish Rite Cathedral’s grandiose staircase is an ideal option for wedding décor that feels straight out of a fairy tale.

The key to beautiful fall wedding décor is customizing to your surroundings! To find your perfect Indianapolis wedding venue, visit Snappening today. Happy planning!

###

Crystal Grave is the president and CEO of Snappening, LLC. To see more fun event planning ideas, check out 1,600+ Indianapolis event venues, browse 80+ Indianapolis event planners or check out more information, visit www.snappening.com.

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The Average Joe: The Forearm Shiver

In football, there’s a move called the Forearm Shiver in which players use their forearms to deliver a hard blow to an opposing player. In fashion, I use the term Forearm Shiver to describe my reaction to short-sleeved dress shirts.

And if your man’s exposing his forearms to the rest of the world, while walking around in a so-called dress shirt, your fashion sense should be shivering too.

Now I don’t want to appear too callous about this subject. I definitely feel for the guy who designed the short-sleeved dress shirt. I mean, he obviously had some very unfortunate perspiration issues around his wrists and elbows that he was trying to resolve. And maybe that’s your man’s problem too? But that’s still no reason for him to ever be caught in a short-sleeved dress shirt.

Why? Two names: Don Draper and Dwight Schrute. Which one do you want your man to emulate? Exactly.

So how do we fix this issue? First, we must define “short-sleeved dress shirt.” After all, it’s not all short-sleeved shirts that I’m opposed to…I’m no anti-sleevite! But in my rulebook, suitable short-sleeved shirts have three or less buttons at the upper placket, and all shirts with more than three buttons better have full-length sleeves. I know, I know…some of you are wondering, “But what about short-sleeved plaid or linen shirts that have buttons from the placket to the lower hem?” And to that, I personally say the same rule applies, and you won’t catch me in any such thing.

Secondly, if your man has short-sleeved dress shirts hanging in his closet, it’s imperative that you remove them from his collection. And fortunately, now’s the perfect time of year to do it! While he’s layering up for fall and winter, you can easily rummage through his wardrobe and discard of these disasters. Chances are, he won’t even notice they’re missing come spring!

So on behalf of Indy, we thank you for forearm shivering short-sleeved dress shirts out of our city!

— AJ
(Email your column ideas to averagejoe.pi@gmail.com or tweet me @AverageJoePI)

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