Friday Favorites

I love these piggie place cards! 

Check out this chance to win a Chanel Black Caviar Maxi Flap Bag!

Oh my, and this contest is for a Tiffany Decanter and two Holland and Sherry Glasses - so chic!

Crazy about this statement necklace.

We loved visiting the Christmas at the White House exhibit!

You need these the next time you watch a football game!

Everyone needs a tartan cape!

I've gotten so many comments on these chairs that were in my One Room Challenge! Love them!

Ugly Ornament Contest

This is serious. I know you have one (or maybe two or three).  You know those ornaments you see when you are out shopping or flipping through a holiday catalogue and you think to yourself "Really? "  I certainly have a collection of them because I have a little thing with my dear friend every year when we try to find the most random ornaments we can find and give them to each other.  So far, she has given me a reindeer who is also a fairy (I know...) and an ornament of an RV.  I have something special in store for her this year because I found a six by six inch ornament of a beetle that is painted to look like a lady bug.  Yes...someone actually thought it would be a good idea to manufacture that in bulk!
I got so excited to show off my ugly ornaments that I jumped at the chance to play along with the Moggit girls who have declared December 1st Ugly Ornament Day!  To show off  yours or just view others, sign up to follow the Moggit girls on Twitter and get ready to laugh!

Win Wednesday - French Impressions

Dallas author and interior designer, Betty Lou Phillips, is one of my favorites!  She is so charming, talented and gracious.  Her interior design firm, Interiors by BLP, is in demand all over the world and her new book, French Impressions, is her tenth interior design book!  Amazing!  


Each page of French Impressions is more beautiful than the next.  The photographs are gorgeous and give great interior design ideas for everything from a grand dining room to a kitchen pantry.  Every detail of a home, from the laundry room to the closet, should have beautiful decor and her ideas and inspirations are fantastic.  


You can get your copy of French Impressions at a book signing event at Neiman Marcus Downtown on Thursday, October 14 anytime between 1-3.


Betty Lou also shares tips on living like the French!  She shares all sorts of tips for dinner party etiquette all from a uniquely French perspective.  


She writes:


-Be aware of the 15 minute rule. If asked to arrive at 8, appear exactly 15 minutes after the appointed hour.  do not arrive any earlier or more than five minutes later.


-It is unacceptable to apply lipstick at the table.  In fact, it simply is NOT done.  French women are united in the belief that "a woman must never put on lipstick in public; one does that in private."  "She must never let anyone witness her grooming in public."


-Do not cut salad; fold a leaf with the fork or the help of a small piece of bread.  It is rare that leaves are large or unwieldy, since most hostesses see to that.


-Some Parisians say it is a supreme compliment to the hostess for a guest ask for recipe; but do so later, not at table.


-If asked to pass the salt, pass only the salt, not the salt and pepper.  Here, the two are inseparable but not in France.  Since salt has superstitious connotations, place it within easy reach rather than handing it directly to the person. 


-Between courses hands must rest on the table, not in one's lap.  


-Try a portion of every course.  Unless allergic to a food being served, it is a faux pas not to do so. 


To win a copy of French Impressions,
-Sign up for our newsletter
-Follow me on Twitter
-Like me on Facebook
-become a follower of this blog
-or leave a comment on this blog!


The winner will be announced on Friday so check back to see if it is you!  Good Luck!

Win Wednesday - Bulgari Beauty!

One of our precious readers, Wendy, wrote in to me last week to ask me about the extra plastic lid that comes in all of the jars of beauty creams she is addicted to purchasing.  She wants to know why it is there, what it is for and if she should keep it on there!  To be honest, I had the same questions so I turned to my friends at BVLGARI who have developed the most amazing skin care line using their BVLGARI Gem Essence complex which uses fine and precious stones to help the skin resist external stresses.  It is  like putting all of the positive energies of gemstones on to your skin!  Can you think of anything more luxurious?  Here is what they had to say about the plastic lids in their products:


  “The plastic disks are on the jars of our skincare products to prevent contamination. Once the jar is opened, since it is not a pump, the plastic disk provides an element of protection.”

Sounds like a good answer to me!  I like anything that prevents contamination!  I like to keep my lids with my products because it makes me feel like there is a little bit of extra protection.  I hope that answers you question Wendy!

In addition to their helpful insight, our generous friends at BVLGARI have also put a special skin care treat aside in their Dallas boutique for one lucky reader!  

There are four ways that you can win.  For each of these, your name will be entered into the drawing one time.  Here is what you can do to enter:

-Follow our blog.

-Follow us on Facebook

-Follow us on Twitter http://twitter.com/KimberlyWhitman

-or leave a comment on this blog entry!  

Our winner will be announced here on Friday!   I have been using these products myself and I can't resist telling you how amazing they are.  There is something so special about opening the amazing BVLGARI jars with lids modeled after their signature jewelery pieces and then the fragrance of the products takes over and makes you fell like you are getting an incredible facial in a luxurious spa.  The best part, though, is the way your skin glows after you use the products.  Trust me, this is one big prize you don't want to miss! Good Luck!

Join Me for Fashion's Night Out

Have you always dreamed of being a stylist?  Are your friends always telling you that you have a knack for fashion?  If so, this is your chance to break into the business!

Neiman Marcus NorthPark 

with

FD Luxe

invites you to

Fashion's Night Out

Friday, September 10th from 6 to 10PM

7PM Fashion Presentation

I will join a panel of celebrity judges that includes Jacquelin Sewell, Jason Sheeler of FD Luxe, and Dallas Maverick, Jason Terry to determine who has what it takes to style with the best!

Here is the deal:

FD Luxe and Neiman Marcus NorthPark are looking for the next great stylist in the area.  Enter to win your chance to style a runway show during Fashion's Night Out, Friday September 10th at NM NorthPark.    Three Style Guests will be chosen and one lucky Style Guest will be selected by our panel.  

Here is the cool part:

The Winner will receive the opportunity to assist the styling of an upcoming section of FD Luxe as well as a prize package of a $500.00 Gift Certificate from NM NorthPark!

To enter please submit two photographs of how you would style the fall 2010 trends from Neiman Marcus as well as a paragraph on why you should be selected.  

Send the following to RSVPNorthPark@NeimanMarcus.com or NM Northpark  Attn: Fashion's Night Out-PR  400 Northpark Center  Dallas, Texas  75225

Full Name

Contact Phone Number

email address

and 

100 words:  Why you think you can STYLE? 

two images of your style point-of-view before Monday, August 30th

Finalists will be notified Thursday, September 2nd by phone.