Loving Lately (home edition) and the very first Photo of the Week

Here are a few bargain buys I've picked up for my humble abode recently...


I found these owl bookends at Barnes & Noble this weekend and at $12.95 ($11.65 for members which, of course, I am) could not resist. I love owls and this color will go spectacularly in my apartment.




Isn't this just darling? I purchased the monogram decal from an Etsy shop for $7.50 (including shipping). I then stuck it on an 'ice bucket' that cost $2.99 at Party City. The result is a great storage piece that looks like it cost more than $11! I'm thinking about ordering more decals - what an easy way to personalize something! The seller is great to work with and ships the stickers immediately!




Here's the debut, first ever Photo of the Week! I thought it might be fun to share a silly picture of myself from the week prior. In this photo, I'm in what I like to call, 'dessert heaven'. I am enjoying the remains of Lemon-Blackberry Shortcake at Blue Smoke. This was one of the best desserts I've had in a long, long time. My top is from the Gap and my earrings are Stella & Dot. (And as you can see, these photos will not be glamourous or flattering. They will be geared more towards making you laugh.)

New features on JGIWC

Photo of the week Every Monday, I will post a fun photo of myself from the prior week.

What is JGIWC wearing today? I will report this via Twitter. Figured I better make good on my blog name!

More giveaways I would ideally like to host monthly giveaways, but I'd hate to keep a promise that I can't keep. If you would like to sponsor a JGIWC giveaway, please email me here!

What other things would you like to see on JGIWC?

AND THE WINNER IS...

(Courtesy of Random.org)

Min: 1
Max: 65
Result: 5

CONGRATULATIONS TO SARAH OF A LIFE MORE EXCITING!

Readers, I wish I could send you all something. Please stay tuned for another giveaway in the near future and keep entering!

Wishes for a wonderful weekend!

Giveaway Update

Please submit your entry for my Self Tan Giveaway by midnight. I will be drawing the winner tomorrow morning. Originally I said that I would draw at noon, but I will be out for the day by then.

The goodies are all packed and ready to go. Please check back tomorrow to see if you've won, and if so, please send me an email with your address.

Have a happy, preppy, morally correct Thursday!

Fall- it's catching!

Let's all say it together now, "I'm ready for Fall". Okay, perhaps you aren't, but I sure am! Summer is normally my favorite season but the weather in New York City the past few months has been nothing short of disappointing. I'm over it. Onto the next.

I wandered into J. Crew today to try on the Winnie Coat.


Fits a bit awkwardly, no? I'm wearing a size 4 in this photo, which is what I normally take at J. Crew. A sales associate advised me to take it off, put a sweater on, and put the coat back on, but I could already tell that there was ample room for something underneath. The bottom is a bit hexagonal, which was unexpected. Yellow is my favorite color and this is a beautiful piece, I'm just not sure.

Fall fashion is always a favorite of mine, but this season I've decided I'm going to make my own trends happen, included but not limited to:

1. Ballet chic. I love all styles associated with ballet. I love buns and ribbons and wrap sweaters and ballet slippers. I recently purchased a pair of light pink tights and am looking forward to pairing it with a wrap and bow flats. Will it work? We will see.

2. Leather pants. That's right. I want a new pair and I want to make them work with a white ruffled top and black stilettos. I have a very distinct image in my mind from my adolescence. Me, in black leather pants and a low cut sweater, getting into the backseat of my boyfriend's mom's Lexus. His eyes widened and his jaw dropped, but he was silent. I didn't realize it then, but I was really taking a risk. Love em or hate em, you'll always surprise people when you wear leather pants. Why oh why didn't I keep them? They were a size 2. Let's all take a moment and mourn in silence for the loss of my hot high school bod. Sigh.

Preppy Paper

Here are some more swap photos I have received!


Love this. Wonder where it was purchased from.




Classic choice.




My gal pal JTW received this from one of my very best buddies, MMM.



When it comes to personalized paper products for moi, these are a few of my favorite things.


I've mentioned this before, but I must mention it again. I LOVE this PSA from Expressionery. I use it every day and love the fact that people know exactly who they've received mail from the moment they the envelope or package!




I have these gift enclosures from Embossed Graphics and just love them.




Love, love, love everything at Preppy Cards and have since college. However, it's several years later and I still can't seem to afford any of this. Oh well. A girl can dream (in pink and green).

JGIWC Self Tan Giveaway!

Since the last giveaway was such a hit, I've decided to host another one!

I have another St. Tropez brozing lotion and another pair of the Talbots flip flops. I was going to keep these goods for myself, but have decided to give them away to another lucky reader! I've added a few other of my favorite beauty items (Kiss My Face Sliced Peach lip balm, Aveeno moisturizer, Essie nail polish in Spaghetti Strap and Johnson & Johnson Baby Wash) to create a "Self Tan" themed package.

Please leave a comment to enter. I will draw a winner at noon on Friday, August 28.

GOOD LUCK!

Ten things you may not know about me.

I'm borrowing this from my pal MCW. Hope she doesn't mind!

One. Friends of mine used to think that I'd be the first to get married, but I think I will be one of if not the very last. That is, if someone is actually crazy enough to ask me to marry him!

Two. I plan to live in Texas again at some point in my life, even if it's only for a short time.

Three. I am really looking forward to being a mom someday. I want my girls to have Southern, Waspy names (Savannah Blanche/Tegan Avery) and my boys to have traditional Judaic names (Zachary Ezekiel/Joshua Andrew - what my name would have been if I was a boy!)

Four. Days when I don't have Starbucks never seem quite right.

Five. I often feel more comfortable and confident without makeup than I do with it.

Six. I never really 'got' beer until recently. Never understood why people loved it so much. I toured the Anheuser Busch factory in St. Louis last month, and tasted beer fresh from the tap. It was amazing. I now love Bud Light. There is currently a six pack of bottles AND a six pack of tall boys in my fridge.

Seven. One day, I'd like to write a fiction piece about a girl and her dating adventures with some of my own experiences tied into the story. The good, the bad, and the very ugly. I won't use real names. Hey, you date a writer - you take a chance!

Eight. I would love to disappear to Europe for a few weeks and spend my days writing at outdoor cafes.

Nine. I have a hard time telling people when they have disappointed me.

Ten. I think that after 24 years, I'm finally okay with who I am. I'm not beautiful or brilliant, but I'm real and I'm fun. And 95% of the time, that's enough for me.

Loving lately

The Cupcake Stop. There I am, ordering Oreo Crumbs. (Oreos are baked into the batter. So good.)




The famous wild Maine blueberry pancakes at Clinton St. Baking Company. I've been wanting a plate long before Neil Kleinberg won on Throwdown. Truly the best pancakes I've ever had, and only one other comes close - the wheatgerm and banana pancakes at The Serving Spoon in Sarasota, Florida. I enjoyed the above fare today at brunch with...




...my pretty little sister.




The Sorority Shimmering Body Lotion from Not Soap, Radio. Smells and looks incredible. (Uh oh, look whose headin' up the parade. Booya.)




My Bloom Flower Necklace from Stella & Dot. (Paired it with an Anna Sui top. Cut my head off because I don't like the way my face looks.)

So lucky to be loving you

I just arrived home from Julie & Julia, which may have been the most inspiring film I've ever seen, to two letters and gifts from sorority sisters. I am sitting here, sobbing out of joy and thanks for the wonderful women in my life. Thank you, thank you, thank you. All of you.

Pillow Shams & Monograms

I want to share photos that gals who participated in my Monogram Swap have sent me!



Lilly-esque bag that my pal DHF got from one of my bestest friends, SNR.




Neat, unique print that Happy For This Moment received from Horse, Hound, and Home.




Kute Kappa tote my sweet sorority sister LMD got from another sweet sorority sister CBS.




My new pillow cases and sham, courtesy of the talented and wonderful Monograms & Mayhem. Isn't it fabulous?



Want to share photos of your goodies? Send them to me!

Dot Dot, what a girl I got!

I apologize for the unannounced hiatus! I was busy at the end of last week preparing for the jewelry trunk show I hosted, which was a raging success!

Stella & Dot is a wonderful company that makes jewelry available exclusively through trunk shows and stylists. I met a stylist not long ago and we agreed that co-hosting a party would be a great idea! It was this past Thursday evening at my apartment, and out of the 16 girls that attended, 13 left with beautiful new jewelry.

Here are some photos from the event.



The food and drink.




The goods and my pretty little sister.




With some of the party guests!




My beautiful sorority sisters and I.



I will take photos of my jewelry when it arrives. I highly suggest hosting one of these parties in your town. What's better than jewels and girlfriends?

JGIWC's latest beauty bargain buys

I've bought a few products lately and decided to share my thoughts on them since beauty products have proved to be a hit on this blog before!



Kiss My Face Tinted Moisturizer. I was using a Bobbi Brown TM previously, but saw this and decided to pick it up in a pinch. I like the KMF products that I have used in the past and I find this to go on smoothly and provide a nice coverage. My one gripe with this is that it only has a SPF of 8. I paid $8.49, which is about a fifth of the cost of the Bobbi Brown. (Another KMF product I like? The Organic Lip Balm in Sliced Peach. No other lip balm has ever smelled this good.)




Dove Daily Moisture Therapy Replenishing Mist. My hair can be my best friend or my worst enemy. I must admit that I'm normally a bit snobby about hair care, only buying higher-end brands, but I have always believed in Dove's mission and products. I have thick, unruly Jewish hair that often needs to be quenched. This does the trick. I will say that my hair looks the tiniest bit greasy right after spraying, but that quickly seems to disappear.




Organix Coconut Milk Split Ends Mender. I read a review of this in Lucky several months ago and have been searching for it ever since. I finally found it at the drugstore within Bed Bath & Beyond. I must say that my hair is noticeably softer. I'm not entirely sure if that's the purpose of the product, but it works for me. I think it's going to take a bit more time before I notice a difference in my split ends.




Lush Lemony Flutter Cuticle Butter. I discovered Lush ten years ago while traveling in Europe and have loved it ever since. I recently added this product to my manicure ritual. I also use it on my alligator-like elbows. Wah wah.



Hold onto your hats, readers - I'm hosting another beauty-based giveaway before month's end!

JGIWC's Guide to Spray Tanning

Lately, I've gotten several inquiries about spray tanning so I've decided to post my own guide. Yes, I spray tan and I'm proud of it! I have extremely sensitive skin and just cannot bask in the sun for hours. I got sun poisoning last summer and it was absolutely awful. Promise me that if you're a sun god or goddess, you'll wear tons of SPF and a hat!

I've been spray tanning for years and feel as though I've got this activity down for a science. Will you use a booth or have a person airbrush you? I've done both. In Winter Park, FL there is a great place called Tan 310. They had an airbrush tan membership - $99 a month for unlimited sprays. I was in heaven. I was there every four days in my bikini bottoms. Look how dark my feet were!



Boy, I sure do miss that membership. Deal of a century. Now, I have a membership for an airbrush booth. I buy them in bundles. The booth I use is California Tan. I have tried Mystic Tan several times and I must say that I prefer this.

The prep and the aftermath for either of these methods are basically the same.

Make sure to use a good exfoliant beforehand. I find liquid exfoliants to be a bit messy. I use Lush Buffy Body Butter. This smells great and makes skin incredibly soft. Do not moisturize after your shower. The last thing that should've touched your skin is the exfoliant.

Wear dark, loose clothes to your session. I used to have an oversized black pocket tee that was my 'tan tee'. If there is any chance of rain, bring a hoodie, long pants, and an umbrella. Water should not touch your body until at least six hours after your session! (Hand washing is fine.)

If a person is spraying you, make sure to wear what makes you comfortable - otherwise you may fidget, which leads to an uneven tan. I suggest a dark bikini, and there should be disposable underwear at your appointment for you to use. I've always had girls spraying me and have never once felt uncomfortable.

If you're using a booth, you will likely have a room with a lock on the door. You'll be the only one in there. Make sure to wear a shower cap and apply barrier cream (they should supply this) on your fingernails and toenails. I also always put a bit on my nose!

In the initial shower after your treatment, some of the color will wash off. Use a soap-free body wash. I use Johnson & Johnson Baby Wash in the yellow bottle. It's cheap and it smells great. I also had a black towel that was my 'tan towel'. Don't use white!

Your color should last five days to a week, depending on the treatment. Moisturizing after every shower will help keep your tan in tact. I like Fresh Sugar Lemon Body Lotion.

When I'm in between treatments or want a less expensive way to keep up my tan, I use Clinique Self Sun Body Daily Moisturizer.

I love sunless tanning. I feel sexiest with bronzed skin, no makeup, and messy hair. Follow all of my tips and you too will have sun-kissed skin that is, most importantly, healthy!

Brighton strikes again

Today's Preppy Pick is my new pair of earrings purchased in the Brighton store in Providence. Couldn't help it. They are SO Kappa.

Have a preppy Thursday!

And the winner is...

Before I draw and announce the winner, I just want to say how thrilled I am at the response that I got for this giveaway. So thrilled, in fact, that I will be hosting another giveaway before the month's end!

And now for my favorite and least favorite part... drawing a winner.

(Courtesy of random.org)
Min: 1
Max: 96
Result: 16

Comment #16 belongs to Pink Pearls and Muddy Sneakers! Congratulations!

Thanks to everyone for playing. Stay tuned for the next one.

My recessionista ways

You may remember that I wrote about being a recessionista many moons ago. Figure I may as well share how I've been one myself lately.

I think every savvy gal has a great recessionista tip to give and here's mine. I now do my own manicures.

That's right, I save ten dollars a week by painting my own nails. I use to scoff at this idea, but now I can't help but really appreciate having a steady hand. My advice is to invest in quality products. Here's what I use:



Sephora glass nail file. Run it under water after use and it's good as new.


Essie First Base base coat. Helps polish stay on the nail.



Essie Sugar Daddy nail polish. In my opinion - the best of all pale pinks and this is easy to paint onto the nail with no mistakes.



Essie Good To Go! top coat. Worth the ten bucks. Dries polish fast for those as fidgety as me!

The best part about this method is that when your nails chip two days after doing them, you can just start all over instead of waiting for your next trip to the salon! I will take a photo next time I do my nails to show you all how nice [I think] they look.

Also, I trekked over to Bed Bath & Beyond this morning. I used to absolutely abhor this store, but the one in NYC has a full drugstore inside. This also led to some good recessionista shopping. Once I try the products I got, I'll do a review.

One product I must show you now is my new Tervis Tumbler ice bucket.


Perfect for my beachy apartment. Tervis is actually headquartered right near the small Florida city my grandmother lives in. We had lots of tumblers when I was growing up, but one day one of the glitter-filled cups burst in the dishwasher and there were sparkles EVERYWHERE. My mother got rid of all of the tumblers right then and there. I must say, feels nice to have TT back in my life! The best part? I got it on sale for $19.99 - less than half of the original price!

SUPER SATURDAY GIVEAWAY!

Some of you long-time readers may remember that I attended Super Satur day last summer. Super Saturday is a fundraiser for the Ovarian Cancer Research Fund and essentially the biggest 'Garage Sale' in all of fashion. Over 200 prestigious designers come out and sell their items for deeply discounted prices.

This year, unfortunately, I was not able to attend Super Saturday. My parents, however, were there and came back to NYC with lots of surprises for yours truly, including the famous goodie bag.

This year I've decided to share my loot with one lucky reader. I have taken some of my favorite products and made a JGIWC-exclusive goodie bag, pictured below. (Click to enlarge.)



The contents:

Brooks Brothers New York eau de Parfum. I've never smelled this, but I am sure that like everything at BB, it's lovely.
St. Ives body polish. Be sure to use this prior to tanning.
One With Nature rose petal soap. Smells delightful.
L'Oreal EverPure shampoo and conditioner. Sulfate free!
Colgate Wisp in cinnamint. The box has four packets. These are perfect for your everyday handbag and travel!
Star Brite whitening toothpaste. I am a FIRM believer in designer toothpaste.
Tokyomilk Honey Blossom bon bon lip balm. I always see this at Anthropologie and think the packaging is so darling!
St. Tropez self tan bronzing lotion. Apply this after using the body polish!
Philosophy Amazing Grace body butter. One of my favorite scents of all time.
Essie South of the Hi'Way nail polish. Bat Mitzvah pink! A JGIWC must.
Talbots flower flip flops. There is a 20% coupon attached.

All of these goodies will be packaged in the below reusable shopping bag.



Because I will be on the road this week, the giveaway will begin today and will end Tuesday at noon, EST. To enter, simply leave a comment on this entry.

Good luck!