Archive for August, 2007

Happy Monday Glossy Ones!

SOJOURNER’S TRUTH (Source)

Sojourner Truth gave her famous “Ain’t I a Woman?” speech at the 1851 Women’s Rights Convention in Akron, Ohio. (The women’s rights movement grew in large part out of the anti-slavery movement.) No formal record of the speech exists, but Frances Gage, an abolitionist and president of the Convention, recounted Truth’s words.

Several ministers attended the second day of the Woman’s Rights Convention, and were not shy in voicing their opinion of man’s superiority over women. One claimed “superior intellect”, one spoke of the “manhood of Christ,” and still another referred to the “sin of our first mother.”

Suddenly, Sojourner Truth rose from her seat in the corner of the church.

“For God’s sake, Mrs.Gage, don’t let her speak!” half a dozen women whispered loudly, fearing that their cause would be mixed up with Abolition.

Sojourner walked to the podium and slowly took off her sunbonnet. Her six-foot frame towered over the audience. She began to speak in her deep, resonant voice: “Well, children, where there is so much racket, there must be something out of kilter, I think between the Negroes of the South and the women of the North – all talking about rights – the white men will be in a fix pretty soon. But what’s all this talking about?”

Sojourner pointed to one of the ministers. “That man over there says that women need to be helped into carriages, and lifted over ditches, and to have the best place everywhere. Nobody helps me any best place. And ain’t I a woman?”

Sojourner raised herself to her full height. “Look at me! Look at my arm.” She bared her right arm and flexed her powerful muscles. “I have plowed, I have planted and I have gathered into barns. And no man could head me. And ain’t I a woman?”

“I could work as much, and eat as much as man – when I could get it – and bear the lash as well! And ain’t I a woman? I have borne children and seen most of them sold into slavery, and when I cried out with a mother’s grief, none but Jesus heard me. And ain’t I a woman?”

The women in the audience began to cheer wildly.

MONDAY MEDLEY

I love “Bad Habit” from Destiny Child’s “Destiny Fulfilled” cd.  This song can speak to all our bad habits!  Sing Kelly! 

BTW, as of August 9th, Ms. Kelly stands at 161,600 albums sold.  Ouch!

DESIGNER SPOTLIGHT

Sensual Element and I got together last week to catch up.  We had the best food at Chili’s and then we hit Target and Old Navy to walk it off.   Old Navy has a LOT of cute items on sale.  While bopping to Rhianna, we saw such tops.  Check out this adorable top Sen bought me for my birthday:

Sen is holding it until my birthday – nine days and counting until I can wear this adorable top!  It comes in white too.

Old Navy has a lot of cute pieces – you will find up to 3X mixed in with all their selections.  They have a area of their site dedicated speficially to Plus Sizes.  Here are some cute pieces:

LIP GLOSS

From time to time, I will share a mini review of what lip glosses I have purchased.

Black Radiance Radiant Lip Gloss

Color = Radiant Red

Ounces/Price/Location = 0.2 ounces for $2.48 at Wal-Mart ($2.99 on Walgreens.com)

Applicator = Angled “Doe Foot” Brush

Sticky? = Yes

Shimmer? = Yes

Coverage = Sheer, Subtle Color - Medium Coverage when Layered

Purchase A Second Tube?= No

Try Different Colors? = Yes

Thoughts = I would recommend this shine for work because it is an understated, sheer gloss.  I would not recommend this for a night out because it does not provide full coverage.  Based on the cost, a good purcahse if you are trying gloss or a different color for the first time.

STEVE AND BARRY’S SHOES

I did a post about the Starbury gym shoes for women a few weeks ago.  My Mom and I were at the mall last week, so we went in to check them out.  I tried on these gym shoes……

….and they are SO cute!  Loved them!  So I am strolling through the store, box in hand, when I see my Mom looking at sandals by Bitten, Sarah Jessica Parker’s line.  I had no idea Bitten had shoes!  Why, oh why did I see a pair of must have sandals!  This is the best picture I could find of them.

The pair I will be searching for this week are red with a red metallic trim.  Bitten has a turquoise pair with silver trim – adorable.  So I put the gym shoes back in hopes of finding the sandals!

POETRY

from Thank You, Lord

by Maya Angelou (Part 1 of 2)

Thank you, Lord

I want to thank you, Lord

For life and all that’s in it.

Thank You for the day

And for the hour and for the minute.

I know many are gone,

I’m still living on,

I want to thank You.

I went to sleep last night

And I arose with the dawn,

I know that there are others

Who’re still sleeping on.

They’ve gone away,

You’ve let me stay.

I want to thank You.

If it is possible, as far as it depends on you, live at peace with everyone.

Romans 12:18 NIV

 Wishing You a Peaceful Week,

~ J.R.

Since we are Pumps and Gloss, let’s talk about sexy shoes today!

Now, we are not going to talk about stripper shoes! Check out Chris Rock’s take on clear heels….

Today, we present our picks for shoes to make your man do a double take. A sexy shoe will always have a heel because heels make our legs longer and provides a leaner stance. According to Love To Know Shoes, there are many great reasons to wear high heel shoes:

• The height of the heel alters the wearer’s center of balance, creating a walk that makes the hips sway and the bottom protrude
• The shape of the shoe elongates the legs, making legs appear longer and leaner
• The foot is arched sexily
• The wearer looks taller and slimmer, creating an air of confidence and sophistication, which, in itself, is sexy

Frederick’s of Hollywood has some really hot sandals on sale right now.  I simply love metallic looks!

I saw these at Target recently and thought how they look so much like the 9West “Wisteria” shoe.  Jessica Simpson has a similiar design out too.  All in all, a sexy shoe!

When I told my P&G Ladies what topic I was doing today, they excitedly wanted to share their picks.  Check out Sensual Element’s picks….

Sen loves Aldo shoes!

Sen picked these Baby Phat boots, which goes to show that a boot can be just as sexy as a shoe.

Mix Maven picked out fab boots too.  Check out this one from Victoria’s Secret. You will turn heads all day in these….

For you Ladies who like to do it big, Mix has us checking out these Christian Louboutin boots…

 

I found that JCPenny is even providing the quintessential sexy shoe for the home….

Get your lingerie and stroll in the room with these on – you will have his full attention.

Check out Ashanti’s new song with Nelly called “Switch” – this should be the official anthem for sexy shoes!

“My Two Inches Is Everyday,

Three Inches, Its Party Time,

Four Inches Is When I’m Feelin Naughty And I’m Gettin’ Mine”

There are SO many shoes we could list here, but you get the idea. Nothing sets off an outfit – bedroom attired included – like a sexy shoe (or boot)!

~ J.R. a.k.a. Hot Stuff (on Fridays! LOL!)

Time to go back to the 1990s with our pick jams from that decade!

 Mix Maven takes us back with SWV’s “Weak.”  Mix notes that “‘Weak’ is the quintessential R&B Love Song of the ’90s.  I still need to learn all the words.” 

Joyful Radiance loves Mary J. Blige.  Her favorite Mary song is “My Life.”   Joy shares, “It is really hard to just pick one Mary song (I just have to mention Seven Days), but this one stands the test of time.” 

Sensual Element loves Blackstreet.  One of her all time favorite songs is “Before I Let You Go.”  This was before David Hollister left to do his own thing. 

One Thursday, Mr. Maven and I were listening to NPR’s Fresh Air. I had not listened to NPR in awhile (not including listening to “This American Life”, Podcasts of “Wait, Wait Don’t Tell Me” and “Car Talk” or dodging “A Prairie Home Companion.” Why that show is 2 hours long is beyond me!!)

On this day, I learned about the parody singing duo (comprised of Bret McKenzie and Jemaine Clement) from New Zealand, Flight of the Conchords (FotC). Jemaine reminds me of Al Franken (SNL alum, writer, former radio talk show how host, and currently running for US Senate in Minnesota.) So if someone ever decides to make a Al Franken biopic, Jemaine should be a shoo-in for the lead role.

I had never of them prior to the airing of this show. FotC’s sound is reminiscent of the BeeGees, Dancehall Reggae singers, Soul singers for the 60s and 70s, because they like to talk over the music and do crazy vocal acrobatics. Of course, Terry Gross had to play samples of their songs. I dissolved into laughter as Jemaine sang the lead and Bret sang the background vocals.

Looking at the room, I can tell that you.
Are the most beautiful girl in the…room.
(In the whole wide room).
And when you’re on the street, depending on the street.
I bet you are definitely in the top 3.
Good lookin girls on the street.
(Depending on the street.)

And then I heard,

You’re so beautiful.
You could be a waitress.
You’re so beautiful.
You could be a air hostess in the 60s.
You’re so beautiful.
You could be a part-time model.

Then I fell off my down-filled sofa, when I heard him sing this,

Cause you’re so beautiful…
Like a tree. Or a high class prostitute.
You’re so beautiful.
You could be a part time model.
But you’d probably still have to keep your normal job.

Check out the song in its entirety.

I have seen the pilot episode of “Flight of the Conchords,” I thought the show was funny, but awkward, at times.

I will definitely be checking out the rest of the episodes. I noticed that Sutton Foster, actress in the musical “The Drowsy Chaperone”, was in a few clips I saw. Maybe she will join the FotC in a song or two.

Here is another song I enjoy.

Keep Smiling,

Mix Maven

P.S.

Big ups to the Land of my Birth, Jamaica for celebrating 45 years of Independence from Great Britain on August 6. There is much work to be done, but with God’s help, hard work, perseverance, we can achieve more and continue to leave a positive imprint in the world.

Happy Monday Glossy Ones,

Starting today, I will be posting on Mondays instead of Wednesdays. To get your week kicked off right, there will be a bit of encouraging pieces and inspiration mixed with any and every thing for my Ladies!

SIX PRINCIPLES OF SUCCESS

• Do not be afraid to start.
• Dare to dream big.
• Do not be afraid to try something new.
• Take things one step at a time.
• Keep moving forward.
• The only thing that can stop you is you.

~ Pat Williams, Condensed from “Secrets from the Mountain” – from Lists to Live by – The Fourth Collection, 2002

MONDAY MELODY

“Golden” by Jill Scott is the kind of song you can wake up to each and every day! Jill inspires us to embrace our freedom and really live for the day.

GET IT MOVING!

For those of you who are looking for a workout routine, I HIGHLY suggest Donna Richardson’s “Sweating In The Spirit.” I purchased this DVD from WalMart a year ago and it is great! What makes it great?

• The exercise music is all original recordings by Gospel singers
• Appearances by Kirk Franklin (who will have you laughing), Shirley Murdock and Yolanda Adams
• There are three exericise routines – you can choose to do one, two or all three
• Easy to follow instructions

I also purchased Carmen Electra’s “Aerobic Striptease” DVD a year ago (Sen also did a piece on this DVD). If you want to feel sexy and get in shape, this is the DVD for you. The great things about this DVD is:

• There are three different reviews of the routine – the step by step, the walk through with verbal instructions, and the walk through with music only
• You will sweat! It is definitely a workout!
• Cute flirting tips if you are planning to do this routine for your sweetie

What I did not like – there is only the one routine! I wish the DVD was longer, but nevertheless, you will come away feeling energized.

DESIGNER SPOTLIGHT

I am a size 14 (some 12s) and while I think I am a “normal” size, designers these days consider me plus size. There are so many fab clothes out there, but designers just refuse to accommodate my “ethnicity” (a.k.a. my behind and “chesticles” as Mix would say). So I will share some of my favorite picks from designers who look out for us who are size 14 and higher.

I am a HUGE fan of denim, so the right pair of jeans is essential to me. Kimora Lee Simmons’ Baby Phat provides a great fit for me. Thin or thick, who doesn’t love a great pair of stretch jeans? With adorable tops and accessories galore, Baby Phat covers you from head to toe. You can also find great Baby Phat plus size pieces in T.J. Maxx and Marshall’s.

WHERE IS THE LOVE FOR KELLY ROWLAND?

According to SOHH.com, as of Thursday, August 2nd, Kelly Rowland has sold 151,900 copies of “Ms. Kelly.” I went to Target to purcahse “Ms. Kelly” the week it came out and every copy was gone! As I received my rain check, I thought how great for Kelly. Check out Kelly’s official website to hear a sample of her album. My favorite is “Come Back!”

POETRY – The Comforter by Emily King

I fought the tears and ran outside

From human eye I’d try to hide

But there are eyes that always see

He ever watches over me

And so He sent a gentle breeze

to kiss my cheek and comfort me.

~ From Bedside Prayers by June Cotner, 1997

JOY’S SHOE PICK

I LOVE this Marc Fisher shoe! The “Arve” is $89.00 at Macy’s and on Amazon. I am seeing a lot of grey for the Fall….now if I could only find a grey Coach to match.

From the fullness of His grace, we have received one blessing after another.

~John 1:16 NIV

Have a Joy-Filled Week!

Joyful Radiance

Recently there was a study that compiled a list of 237 reasons why people have sex; in this study researchers found that men and women have sex mostly for the same motivation. 

Remember the saying Men are from Mars and Women are from Venus?  Well according to this study, men and women are basically thinking the same language…SEX…

Here are the top ten reasons from Men and Women…

Men’s top 10 reasons:

1. I was attracted to the person.

2. It feels good.

3. I wanted to experience physical pleasure.

4. It’s fun.

5. I wanted to show my affection to the person.

6. I was sexually aroused and wanted the release.

7. I was “horny.”

8. I wanted to express my love for the person.

9. I wanted to achieve an orgasm.

10. I wanted to please my partner.

Women’s top 10 reasons:

1. I was attracted to the person.

2. I wanted to experience physical pleasure.

3. It feels good.

4. I wanted to show my affection to the person.

5. I wanted to express my love for the person.

6. I was sexually aroused and wanted the release.

7. I was “horny.”

8. It’s fun.

9. I realized I was in love.

10. I was “in the heat of the moment.”

Here are the bottom five from Men and Women…

Men’s bottom 5 reasons:

1. The person offered to give me drugs for doing it.

2. I wanted to give someone else a sexually transmitted disease.

3. I wanted to punish myself.

4. I wanted to break up my relationship.

5. I wanted to get a job.

Women’s bottom 5 reasons:

1. I wanted to give someone else a sexually transmitted disease.

2. Someone offered me money to do it.

3. I wanted to get a raise.

4. It was an initiation rite to a club or organization.

5. I wanted to get a job.

I can agree with top ten reasons, but I certainly cannot identify with the bottom five.  “To give someone a sexually transmitted disease” is so horrible, I can’t stomach it.

I was a bit surprised that the top three reasons for women were all physical based responses, versus emotional responses.  We typically have to feel some type of love or affection to have sex, but we all know of instances when this is not necessarily true!   Mix Maven wonders how many women had to perform sexual acts to join a club or organization (assuming the organization was not gang-related.) 

The number 10 item for men is “I wanted to please my partner.”  Where are these men hiding?!

If you are interested in learning more about the study click on this link:  http://homepage.psy.utexas.edu/Homepage/Group/BussLAB/pdffiles/why%20humans%20have%20sex%202007.pdf

Sensual Element

A message from The Budget Fashionista

Greetings everyone,

This August, The Budget Fashionista fashion blog is launching weekend contests, featuring prize packages worth over $500 in value. Starting the weekend of August 3rd, visitors who leave a comment on the blog from 12:01am Friday to 11:59pm Sunday, as well as their email addresses, will be automatically entered to win that weekend’s contest.

Here’s some of the great contests we have planned:
- A Dooney & Burke Travel Bag filled with the latest releases from hot indie label Defend music, tons of beauty products, and lots of othergoodies
- Two $250 gift certificates to accessories store Angela Moore
- A bra wardrobe from Playtex

To enter, visit The Budget Fashionista.com every weekend in August.

The ladies of Pumps and Gloss wish all participants the best of fortune.

Affordability at its best! 

Speaking of “Counting Up The Cost,” The New York Knicks’ Stephon Marbury started a line of $14.99 gym shoes for men within the past year.  Called the “Starbury,” the shoes are sold exclusively at Steve and Barry’s and a Women’s line has recently been added.

     This is a PU leather shoe for $14.99!

Stylish gym shoes for $14.99?  I am all over it!  Check out the whole collection at Starbury.com.  I will be at Steve and Barry’s picking out a pair for myself and my Mom very soon!

~J.R.