i'm so wishy washy.

guess who's bi-zack? well kinda.

i couldn't stay away from you lovelies too long. tumblr doesn't seem to crave my blogging urge. i loved it for the first week like a kid loves a new toy. then suddenly it wasn't too exciting anymore. i felt ... disconnected.

but the time off was good. i brainstormed mentally to the point of exhaustion. and from it God revealed my new direction. i'm working on a new biz endeavor and will be letting you in on it shortly. new website and new blog to follow.

i'm stoked.

so stick around for a while. it's going down. basement.

ttys.

her steeze: amanda from done n done.

as soon as i stumbled upon amanda's blog, i knew i wanted to feature her on my wednesday post series, her steeze. i explained to her that i've become a make-up junkie this past year and although i keep it kinda simple, i love to marvel over the fun looks that she comes up with. she truly treats the face like artwork, drawing inspiration from all kinds of things (like cupcakes and watermelons and zodiacs) and people (like rihanna and raquel reed). very cool to look at.

"i would love to do lady gaga's makeup ..." -amanda

inspiration: rihanna's rude boy video

who?
amanda. i'm 22 years old and i am an international relations student at malmö university here in sweden. i will soon become a student at seville university in spain. i'm going as an exchange student and i am so nervous about studying abroad! i take my studies very seriously. i wanna be somebody! i am also a make up and beauty addict. i love everything that has to do with make up, art, and products for my hair.

inspiration: taurus zodiac

where?
i woud love to say from everywhere and anywhere. i was born in costa rica. when i was 9 my parents moved to herzegovina and then when i was 15, we moved to sweden. i guess this is why i love to travel. i'm a traveler.

who or what inspires your passion for make-up?

well, i get my inspiration from things that i see: magazines, art , music videos, people, nature. i've always been really creative ever since i was a little girl - painting, doing make up, and being creative is like a de-stresser for me. in other words, my personal therapy.

inspiration: ankara fabric

your style can be described as?

random. i mix different styles and trends. i'm not a fashion victim but i do love to follow trends.

the biggest make-up no-no is:

when people use way too much blush or too much of anything .

you're stuck for a whole week with only two make-up items. they are:

liquid eyeliner and mascara.

you have the chance of a lifetime to make up a celeb's face. you choose:

i would love to do lady gaga's make up. she has a crazy side just like me and i think she would understand my crazy unconventional designs.

inspiration: the tropics

she's such a vibrant thing ... (in my q-tip voice).

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her steeze: camille from peaceimages.

dope. flyy. that's just 2 of the words of endearment that came to mind when i found camille's peaceimages jewelry site. i mean, check it:

brass africa ring, hand-wrapped in various fabrics, $39.50

the hotness. i knew you'd agree. there's more where that came from and i wasn't going to keep all the heat to myself. peep her steeze:

who?

camille is a double pisces - libra, afro-havin' sun baby from cali!

how long have you been designing jewelry?
i started designing jewelry 2 years ago after i suddenly felt empowered to fix my broken baubles that were collecting dust in my jewelry box. after spending a few bucks on tools, i had completely resuscitated my entire accessory collection. i took parts off of some things, added them to others, and my destiny was staring me in the face. why can't i create for others?

what inspires you/your collection?
i am inspired by nature; the seeds, the fruit, the colors, the textures, the life! erykah badu most inspires me to incorporate everything into my art. my flaws, my ignorance, my humility, my imagination, my beliefs, my experiences. that's just what her music is... and we all love and admire her FOR it. i'm inspired by struggle; the struggle of being a woman.. a Black woman; the struggles my people have experienced for centuries. when people wear my jewelry, i want them to feel like it's telling a story of something they've experienced..

i also try to create jewelry that transcends trends. i want you to still rock my things for years to come, and maybe even pass them onto your babies!

if you could have a glass of wine with anyone, dead or alive, who would it be?
wow.. that's tough to narrow down. i would have a glass of wine with frida kahlo. she endured so much pain in her lifetime; a cheating husband, failing health, miscarriage... and still, she had this amazing wit and ability to light up a room! she took her pain from her soul, put it in her hands, and was able to paint it. it prevented her pain from running her. that type of perspective, one can only pray for! she was a very strong person.

your stranded on an island with only 3 items. what are they?
waterproof matches, my dog, and a knife. lol..

future plans?
live a comfortable life where my future kids and husband have medical care, growing my own food, traveling the world on a modest budget, continuing to enjoy the freedom of working for myself.

my favorite style icon?
badu. definitely. she made it cool to rock a headwrap on the red carpet with a gown. she is amazing. one day she's in 5" ysl pumps and an a-line dress, the next, a simple tube dress, with huge pieces of jewelry as the focus, and an afro wig. she knows no limits. she plays with different hairstyles and colors, and allows her inner beauty to shine. what she wears complements her beauty. she always seems so free in what she wears. never uncomfortable. style is defined by you ...

my style can be described as?
i never used to think i had style. it was never really something i thought about. i guess it's something you develop over time.
i like to feel stylish, sexy and comfortable all at once; i feel most empowered when i can find the balance between affordable, chic and comfy :)
i like to blend my relaxed, tropical cali roots with the fashion-forward style you experience in big cities like ny, chi, or la. i shop at thrift stores and marshall's a lot, and i try to purchase things that won't ever go out of style.

you open up your favorite magazine and are stoked to find ____ rocking your pieces ...
badu! it'll happen. mark my words :)

no doubt sis. dig your energy.

shop camille's site here, check out her blogspot and tumblr here and here, tweet her here.

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her steeze: patrice williams from living fly on a dime.

i come across some flyy chicks throughout my internet travels so it was only right to reinstate the sgmotw series. this time around it's simply called her steeze. these ladies are on the move, ambitious and of course sui generis. i am inspired and motivated by their drive and think their worthy of becoming friends in my head (in my wendy williams voice). as was the case with ms. patrice williams of living fly on a dime. peep her steeze ...

"i feel style should be truly individual ..." -patrice

who?
patrice williams. i'm a writer, reporter and blogger behind living fly on a dime.

what you do?
i have a background in journalism and have written fashion and lifestyle stories for instyle, essence, cosmogirl and aol black voices. last september i started living fly on a dime, where i give readers the daily dish on how to live a fabulous life for less. i post 5 days a week so that means devising interesting ideas as well as doing online research.

what inspired me to start living fly on a dime?
after being laid off from my job at a fashion magazine, i was a bit unsure of what i wanted to do. i love living in nyc but the city is so expensive. i was determined to live a fly lifestyle and enjoy everything the city had to offer, even though i was completely broke. my friends were always impressed with my budget tips (finding cheap airfare, buying designer items from thrift stores, etc), so i figured i'd start a blog where i share my tips with everyone and let people know you don't have to drop tons of cash to lead a fulfilling life.

future plans?
i want to keep growing the living fly on a dime brand and eventually turn the blog into a show where i travel to different cities and show people how they can "live fly on a dime" by visiting local thrift stores or affordable, but great restaurants. i also want to keep building my portfolio as a writer. my dream is to have a byline in gq.

your style can be described as?
casual chic. i love casual items like skinny jeans or a dressy tee, but i jazz them up with a pair of sky high heels or a big statement necklace. i'm a true girly girl, but i don't like looking too over the top.

favorite style icon?
don't have one. i love certain celebs' style (jennifer lopez and rihanna) but i don't have a single icon that i really look to or admire. i feel style should be extremely individual and when people focus on what others are wearing too much, you lose your individual flair.

if you could have a glass of wine with anyone, dead or alive, who would it be?
it would have to be donny hathaway. i think he's the greatest r&b artist that ever lived and yet so underrated and unknown by many non-r&b fans. it wasn't until my senior year of college that a professor introduced me to donny and since then i've been hooked. his music is soulful and at times, absolutely heartbreaking.

your stranded on an island with only 3 items. what are they?
1. a massive supply of coconut oil. it's natural and one of the most multi-purpose beauty products (great for skin and hair). 2. native son. i could read that book forever. richard wright's words just get better each time around. 3. twinkies. they're my guilty pleasure and i'm sure i'd need something to cheer me up over the fact that i'm stranded on an island. :)

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her steeze: janique from hergoodybag.com.

like you, i appreciate a fabulous blog. it takes me about a second to know if i want to add a blog to my reading list. as was the case when i stumbled upon ms. janique's her goody bag blog. hot fashion and beauty features + lifestyle posts without a negative format, don't expect just a cut and paste type of writer. peep her steeze ...

"i am not too much into trends ... " -janique

who?
janique. honest. fun. loving. creative. intelligent. competitive. driven. opinionated. stylish. outgoing. that's pretty much me in a nut-shell.

what you do?
for my day job (the one that pays the bills) i am a full time english teacher, but i am also a fashion writer/blogger. through my blog i help people "look good. feel great. live better."

where?
i was born and raised in brooklyn, ny and so i write and blog from a ny perspective.

what inspired you to start your hergoodybag.com blog?
i was actually encouraged by my older brother to start a blog. he's always felt i had an interesting perspective, especially when it came to fashion, so i decided to share that perspective with the world. i also started the blog because i felt there were a surplus of high-end fashion blogs and gossip celebrity blogs that were negative. her goody bag shows practical fashionable living without the negativity.

future plans?
i am working on taking HGB to the next level and i am in the process of starting my own image consulting/personal shopping company. so be on the look out for that!

your style can be described as?

classic with an edgy twist. i am not too much into trends, i prefer mixing classic pieces that will never go out of style with the season's "must have" item.

favorite style icon?
victoria beckham for her confidence and boldness. michelle obama for her classic style. and rihanna for her edginess and ability to make almost anything look like a million bucks!

if you could have a martini with anyone, dead or alive, who would it be?
it would have to be michelle obama. she is awesome!

your stranded on an island with only 3 items. what are they?
Bible, lip balm/gloss, journal & pen (i guess i cheated a little because i listed 4).

p.s.

you definitely want to tune in for thirsty thursdays where she posts a delicious big girl drink (like the peach margarita - yum) along with a complementary outfit. love it. why didn't i think of that?

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