Candace Rose

Interview: Summer Fashion & Beauty Tips with Jenn Falik

I recently spoke with style and beauty expert, Jenn Falik to discuss the latest trends in fashion and must have beauty essentials for summer. From wavy beach inspired hair to seventies cork sandals, Jenn has the latest scoop to keep you looking hot for summer!

 

Jenn Falik - JennFalik.com

 

Candace Rose: What are the biggest trends for summer?

Jenn Falik: "Well, first with fashion, the first thing you're doing is shedding all those winter heavy layers and you're showing a little skin with tank tops and shorts, so you want to make sure that your skin looks good and Dove has a new visiblecare renewing wash that within one week you're going to see visibly more beautiful skin. Use it everyday and you'll get the results. It has the highest concentration of Nutrium moisture across the entire Dove portfolio and that's what really improves the look of your skin, smooths it out and makes it super soft to the touch. What's great is this product has a rich, creamy lather when you use it in the shower whereas a lot of body washes I find you want results from them but they wash right down the drain. This really thickens up on your skin so you can get that really great moisturizing benefit but still feel nice and super clean and it's under $8 at the drugstore, so we like a good beauty bargain."

 

Dove VisibleCare Renewing Creme Body Wash - Amazon

 

 

CR: How about in terms of makeup and hair?

JF: "Well, color trends for this season with fashion it's all about brights, so because we're going so bright with our clothing this time around, we're not going as bright with the nails. Last summer it was those bright purples and pinks and yellows and oranges. This time around it's a little more neutral, so Essie who is always sort of the leader in picking what nail colors every woman needs to be wearing - she's come out with 'A French Affair' collection. It's very feminine - pastels, neutrals; nice opaque finishes, works perfectly with '70s looks or the bright looks because it doesn't compete. My favorite is French Affair which is nice, classic, creamy pink. It's a great shade and $8 a bottle. You don't want to put on a nail polish that depending on what you wear can completely clash on any given day, so this keeps it nice and clean and simple and effortless."

 

Essie Spring 2011 - French Affair Polish - Amazon

 

CR: Do you have any tips for ladies on the go?

JF: "Ladies on the go- you want multitasking, easy to use beauty products. If you want to just get a quick all over glow on your face, Physicians Formula has a great bronze booster, glow boosting sun stones. Take this bronzer, just kind of whip up a brush inside and brush it right on your cheeks. You get instant glow, but over time it's going to gradually enhance your skins natural tan and it's soft and skinny and has skin care benefits in there. So for women on the go your bronzer's also giving your skin a little bit of a treat as well and this is $15 at the drugstore. Women on the go will love this next tip because because summer hair is all about beachy waves which means you don't have to spend an hour under the blow dryer trying to get your hair perfectly straight; instead get a product like this, this is the Catwalk Session Series Sea Salt Spray. It's got natural sea salt in there and it's going to give your hair a nice flexible hold, a little body and definition. When your hair is wet after the shower, just spritz a little of this on, scrunch it up or maybe twist a few waves. I'm wearing it today and it's just going to give you perfect undone beachy waves that look effortless and are semi-effortless compared to other things we do to our hair. It has a really nice scent too, it's got a tobacco flower scent that's just nice and warm and sexy for summer; and it's $20 at CatwalkbyTigi.com or at salons. That's a perfect, effortless hair tip for the summer season."

 

Tigi Stores - Session Series Salt Spray - Tigi Stores

 

CR: When it comes to fashion, what are the trends we'll be seeing this summer?

JF: "The two biggest fashion trends for the summer - first up is '70s inspiration and it's seventies in a much more literal way then in seasons past. We're actually seeing crocheted vests and bell bottoms and giant, huge wedges with the cork soles and then we're also seeing on the other end of the spectrum brights and not just one bright but two or three brights at a time to get that color block effect. Whether it's a bright emerald green skirt and a coral top and a bright blue shoe, we're seeing women really experimenting with color in ways that we haven't in seasons past."

 

A Candace Rose Favorite....

Tory Burch - 'Leslie' Cork Wedge Sandal (Sienna) - Nordstrom

 

CR: Where can we go for more information?

JF: "For more information you can go to lifeminute.tv or you can find more of my fashion and beauty favorites on my blog which is blog.JennFalik.com."

Interview: Shape Magazine's Style Director & Beauty Expert Jacqui Stafford

I recently spoke with Shape Magazine's Style Director and Beauty Expert, Jacqui Stafford on the latest and greatest beauty tips for brides and grooms just in time for their special day! 

 

Style Director for Shape Magazine, Jacqui Stafford

 

Candace Rose: With the royal wedding upon us, do you have any beauty tips for brides (and grooms) preparing for their own wedding?

Jacqui Stafford: "Not all of us are lucky enough to be marrying a prince, so we want to make sure that we can do this all within our budget. I've got some great products, some of my favorite products. 

    So first of all if we're talking about hair, a lot of women go and have their pre-wedding hair consultation, that's going to involve a lot of styling products like mousses and gels. Even your own favorite shampoos and conditioners can cause build-up which means that you get lackluster hair. You don't get that bounce and shine and vitality, so here is one of my favorite products- (shown below) this is Neutrogena, this is the anti-residue shampoo. In just one use alone (you can use it as often as you want) will rid the hair of 95% of that dulling residue left by your styling products, so it restores your hair to manageability, you've got the natural shine again, exactly what you want for your big day. If you want to add some more moisture into your hair, you want to look for something like the Neutrogena Triple Moisture Deep Recovery Hair Mask, now you'll need to use this about once a week and it what it does is it restores moisture to your hair so you've got that moisturized hair, if you've colored your hair, (I color my hair) if your hair is dry and brittle this will add moisture back into your hair and the great thing about these Candace - great prices, under $15 and you can find them at your drugstore, so that's covering hair for the bid day.

 

Neutrogena anti-residue shampoo - Amazon

 

Neutrogena Triple Moisture Deep Recovery Hair Mask - Amazon

 

    Women always ask me about teeth - how can they get that great sparkly smile for those after wedding photographs and one of the products I like to recommend is this Rembrandt. It's deeply white, whitening toothpaste and whitening mouthwash, and what this does is remove the surface stains both inside and out. It uses the same enamel safe ingredients that dentists use and you're not having to pay those big prices because these are just $7 each and you can get them at Walgreens. So again, that's a great price to get a wonderful smile.

 

  Rembrandt Intense Stain Whitening Mint Toothpaste with Flouride - Walgreens

 

    When it comes to fashion so many people ask me about shapewear. They say how can I get look great in my dress but also look great on my honeymoon? Here is one of my favorites, this is a revolutionary Wacoal iPant. You can go and buy this product, you can get more information on their website: Wacoal-America.com and let me tell you about it -it's a seamless shapewear, a lot of women need shapewear for wearing under their dresses, medium control and really, really comfortable. I actually happened to be wearing one of these when I was at a benefit the other night with Elton John, it looked and felt so comfortable. I can personally attest to that. And what's so great about it is that it has these revolutionary properties in it that help reduce the appearance of cellulite, now who doesn't want that with proper use after 28 days? You can go to the website if you'd like more information about it, Wacoal-America.com.

 

  Wacoal iPant Anti-cellulite Long Leg Shaper Shapewear - Wacoal-America.com

 

    And then the last thing, Candace is about teeth. If you want to get your teeth looking a bit better and in better shape, perhaps then around the same time you might be planning where you want to have the reception; you've got a bit of time before the wedding, you want to think about maybe instead of having those bulky metal braces that look really unsightly, Invisalign is a great product because they're invisible liners that gradually move the teeth. They work exactly the same way as unsightly metal braces, they cost about the same and they're covered by most insurance, so it's a great option.

 

Invisalign Invisible Braces - Invisalign.com

 

    These are just a few of my favorite things that I brought with me to get in that royal wedding mood. And if you want more information you can go to News2Know.com

Celebrity Interview: David Tutera of My Fair Wedding on Planning A Royal Wedding On A Budget

I recently had the chance to speak with highly renowned party planner and host of My Fair Wedding on WE tv, David Tutera to discuss the royal wedding and offer tips on how everyday brides on a budget can plan the wedding of their dreams! 

David Tutera - DavidTutera.com

 

 

Candace Rose: With the royal wedding just a day away, what can brides on a budget do to ensure that their special day is spectacular?

David Tutera: "I think the biggest question is what is your budget? I think many girls worry that they don't have enough money to spend on their wedding to make it special. I'm hoping I can help, I've been doing this for several years and I really wanted to focus on finding ways to make it unique and memorable and I want to show you something great - I created a line together with Sears that is pretty spectacular. It's four collections, four very different collections based upon style, because to me every girl has a different sense of style as a bride. Go into Sears, we're going to help you, walk you through the process of understanding who you are as a bride. Everything here not only is beautiful to select but also affordable, so you feel like royalty without having a high budget to spend. You know the phrase 'something old, something new, something borrowed, something blue?' We'll I've got something blue for you, not towards the royal wedding, but inside every one of my rings is a genuine sapphire stone, so now you've got something blue to feel like you've got a little bit of royalty. It's affordable but most importantly it's unique, which is important."

 

David Tutera for Sears image via DavidTutera.com
Rings available for purchase at Sears.com

CR: What are the latest trends in bridal wear and accessories?

DT: "Well, accessorizing your wedding is so important and again here's a budget friendly bit of advice, it's what you do and how you execute your detail. Telling your story, your personality as a bride is crucial to making your wedding different. I created a craft line at Jo-Ann's crafts because I wanted girls to be able to go in, find ways to execute their wedding with uniqueness from your bouquet to your invitations; to even the back of your shoes; to your favors; to your tabletop accessories. These are ways to have fun, create a statement and feel really unique and special. I worry that with the royal wedding, girls are going to look at this as 'oh my gosh I don't have enough money to do the things that I want to do, that's why with Sears and Jo-Ann's, I've found ways to give them affordability, give them style with not having to spend a lot of money. That to me is important. It isn't about how much you spend, it's how you focus your attention and how you create detail." 

 

David Tutera - JoAnn.com

CR: What are the first steps brides should take when it comes to planning their wedding?

DT: "Well, one of the very first steps they need to do, they need to treat this more like a puzzle- figure out the elements by realizing how much money you have to spend, then you execute it by figuring out how many guests you can afford to invite, then you take the puzzle and then you figure out all the pieces of the puzzle and how much each vendor is going to cost and then you can hire your vendors based upon what's affordable to you. A lot of girls that get engaged, they run to the computer and they start ordering things that they don't necessarily need. You can go to Sears.com or Joann.com and find these details but don't put the cart before the horse. You need the ring first before you begin the plans."

CR: Is there one thing brides should splurge on or can everything be done on a budget?

DT: "Everything can be done on a budget, it's a matter of executing the budget for what you need. Obviously food is going to cost more money than favors, obviously the entertainment will cost more money than the cake but you need to educate yourself first; but understand what things will wind up costing you before you move forward."

CR: Where can we go for more information?

DT: "You can go to Sears.com or in stores at Sears or in store at Jo-Ann's or JoAnn.com and have fun, enjoy the process, find wonderful sparkle on your finger and great details at your wedding and I promise you something - all girls can feel like a royal princess."

On My List Wednesday

I'm loving these boho inspired pieces just in time for warmer temps...which I hope are on their way!!! I'm so ready for summer, how about you?

 

My fav for the week!

Edelweiss Shift Dress (White) - Anthropologie

 

Twelfth Street By Cynthia Vincent  - Full Length Cami Waisted Dress - Shop Planet Blue

Blu Moon - Ruffle Short Jumper - Shop Planet Blue

 

Blue Life - Exile Tank (Purple) - Shop Planet Blue

Beyond Vintage - Eyelet Top - Shop Planet Blue

 

Wildfox - Friday Night Shorts - Shop Planet Blue

Born Gypsy - Abalone Horn Necklace - Shop Planet Blue

Katie Costello - The Rose 3 Set Bangles (Gold) - Shop Planet Blue

Interview: Earth Day Tips with Green Lifestyle Expert, TV Host & Author, Sara Snow

Earlier in the week I spoke with renowned Green Lifestyle Expert, Television Host and Author, Sara Snow on greening your life in time for Earth day. From beauty products, nutrition supplements and products for your entire family, Sara has it all and more! 

 

Green Lifestyle Expert, Discovery Health Host "Get Fresh with Sara Snow"

 

Candace Rose: With Earth Day fast approaching, what are some ways the average person can become more eco-friendly?

Sara Snow: "Well, there's so many things that the average person can do which is so exciting. It's not about all or nothing, it's about the simple steps that you can take one one of the very simple things that we can do that kind of seems like a no-brainer is shop online. You actually can help protect the environment by doing this because instead of running around town to find all of your different products and run your different errands by getting online. You can save the environment about a pound of co2 emissions for every single mile that you don't drive, so you're actually helping to protect the environment, save yourself some time and save money on gas. Let's be honest, gas is so expensive today and with shipping at $4.99 at TheNaturalStore.com, you can have everything shipped to you for $4.99 which is like a gallon and a half of gas. You'll waste through that really quickly, but the other really exciting thing I think about this website is at TheNaturalStore.com everything has been vetted against green and natural practices, so you know that you are logging on, you're finding a set of products (which is if you've seen the website) in a lot of different categories. They have a ton of different products available, so everything that you need to live a natural, eco-friendly life, brands that you can trust and all at one place. As someone who has lived this way my entire life it's really reassuring to me to know that I can just get online, order up what I need and it'll be sent to my house and I'll have it within a couple days."

 

TheNaturalStore.com

 

CR: How about when it comes to health care and supplements, do you have any recommendations?

SS: "Yeah, TheNaturalStore.com carries this really great line called New Chapter. They're vitamins and supplements, they have specific formulations and then just the general multivitamins - very high quality food based ingredients. They have an omega fish oil that's made from Alaskan salmon that is great, I take it every single day. They have multivitamins like a one a day for men, prenatal for women. They actually have an energy supplement that can help give you energy throughout the day and also a calm multivitamin that can help instill a sense of calm in you throughout the day also." 

CR: Shopping for vitamins, especially omega 3's and multivitamins can be difficult, is there a certain mg (milligram) people should be looking for?

SS: "Well, it totally varies depending on who you are, how old you are, if you are a male or a female and what specifically you're looking at. You'll take a lot more milligrams when it comes to something like a vitamin d then something else. So it's very specific to who you are but of course if you go to a company like New Chapter they have their recommendations. They're formulated in a very careful way so you know that it's a product that you can trust will be healthy for you, but that's one of the great things also about shopping online - if you go to TheNaturalStore.com you've got a little bit of time to take to research the different brands or to make your decision. I think often times when we just go to the supermarket to buy something like a multivitamin we've got just two minutes and then we need to be in the dairy aisle and need to be back in our cars so we can go pick up the kids from school or something and so you get in that panic mode where you're faced with all these different vitamins and you don't quite have the tools at hand to make an intelligent decision. Shopping online and going somewhere like TheNaturalStore.com where you know that these products have all been tested and tried against a certain set of standards gives people a certain reassurance that I think is really good."

 

New Chapter WholeMega Omega Rich Fish Oil Softgels - TheNaturalStore.com

 

CR: Shopping for beauty products can be hectic, it's hard to decipher between what's good for your skin and what isn't. What should we be looking for?

SS: "Well, there's certain harmful ingredients that you want to try to avoid - things like parabens, synthetic fragrance, thiolates, things like that. There are different certifications that you can look at also. One of the lines that they carry on TheNaturalStore.com is called Organic Wear and this is a really, really great brand. It's eco-certified which means they not only paid attention to the ingredients that go into the product but also to the packaging. All the packaging for Organic Wear is recyclable which is kind of just a cool bonus. You can throw it all in your recycling bin, the ingredients are natural in origin. And then on top of that, you know because we are ladies we want to feel pretty for the spring and the summer - they've got your beautiful lip glosses and your mascaras that really perform, they do the job, but they're also better for our skin and better for the environment. Another line for that, also is this Weleda line. They have an adult line that I've used on my body for a number of years and then they also have a children's line that is delicate enough for a baby's skin. They have a face cream for babies that I use on my daughter's cheeks in the winter time when they become a little chapped. They have a diaper care cream that I use on her all the time. They even have a natural toothpaste, so it's just a natural line that you can trust. The ingredients that go into the Weleda products are biodynamically farmed which is beyond organics, so again it's a product that is doing your body good and not causing your body harm and then also helping to protect the environment as well." 

 

Weleda Baby Calendula Face Cream - TheNaturalStore.com

CR: Speaking of babies, what are your favorite items for baby and family?

SS: "Well, there are so many different areas and that's the cool thing when you think about for babies. They need baby food and you want to pick a baby food that is made with organic foods, definitely. It's important to pay attention to organic foods when it comes to your kids. So there are great products out there, look for organic foods for your baby. Look for those natural skin care products that are free of things like parabens and synthetic fragrances. Look for toys that are free from bpas and phthalates. So if they're a plastic toy that they are bpa free toy, if it's a bath toy or something that's soft to make sure that it's phthalate free. If it's a wooden toy to make sure it was painted without any lead-based paints and if you go online say for example to TheNaturalStore.com you'll find all of those products right there in one place. It saves so much time and so much energy, so you don't have to bounce all over town trying to find these different products. 

On My List Wednesday

Happy Wednesday! Are you ready for Easter???? Only a few days away!

Here are my favorites for the week. Hope you have a great day! XO

 

Miu Miu - Cashmere and silk-blend sweater -Net-A-Porter

 

Stella McCartney - Floral-cutout cotton tank - Net-A-Porter

 

Vince - Sequin-embellished crepe top - Net-A-Porter

 

Vivienne Westwood Anglomania - Dione Jersey Top - Net-A-Porter

 

Lanvin - Pleated washed-satin one-shoulder top - Net-A-Porter

 

Citizens of Humanity - Ava low-rise straight-leg jeans - Net-A-Porter

T by Alexander Wang - Classic jersey tank dress - Net-A-Porter

 

Moschino Cheap and Chic - Stretch-cotton shift dress - Net-A-Porter

 

Rosantica - 24-karat gold-plated jasper and citrine bracelet - Net-A-Porter

Ippolita - 18-karat gold bronze turquoise drop earrings - Net-A-Porter

Theyskens' Theory - Sequin-embellished clutch - Net-A-Porter

 

DIANE VON FURSTENBERG - Opal leather wedge sandals - Net-A-Porter

Valentino - Chain-strap scalloped snakeskin pumps - Net-A-Porter

Interview: Jeff Yeager The Ultimate Cheapskate Savings Challenge

 Last week I had the chance to speak with the one and only "Ultimate Cheapskate," Jeff Yeager about the third annual AARP Savings Challenge he's hosting until the end of the month, which is open to anyone age 18 and up. If you're a self proclaimed cheapskate be sure to enter to win, as they're awarding the top three winners with some fabulous prizes! 

 

Jeff Yeager "The Ultimate Cheapskate" - UltimateCheapskate.com

 

Candace Rose: Can you tell us about the AARP Savings Challenge please?

Jeff Yeager: "You know I'm 'The Ultimate Cheapskate', I'm hosting something called the AARP Savings Challenge, which is the third annual savings challenge. If you go to the website AARP.org/savingschallenge, it tells you all about it. What is it's a month long contest. It runs through the end of April inviting people to share their best money saving tips with other people interested in pinching their pennies. Every week we have a different challenge asking for your best tip on a given subject. Last week it was how to save money on gas. Every week we have a weekly winner where you might win a prize and then at the end of the contest, April 30th we declare three overall winners including a top prize of a $2,000 gift card to the top winner. So it's a chance to perhaps win some money by showing people how to save money."

 

 

AARP Savings Challenge 

 

CR: What are your favorite money saving tips, especially for those of us trying to stick to a budget?

JY: "On the Savings Challenge we have believe it or not nearly 4,000 penny pinchers like myself sharing their tips. I like to think it's the largest online gathering of cheapskates in the history of the internet, so it's not just my tips but it's also all these other peoples tips as well. But there are a lot of things that people don't think about. I mentioned saving money on gas and we're all concerned about that as gas prices are edging up. The other week we ran a savings challenge about that and one of the tips we discussed was try taking a full glass of water or a cup full of water and keeping it all times in the cup holder next to your steering wheel. Make a little game out of trying to drive down the road without spilling any of that water. It'll make you more fuel efficient and a safe driver. You know when you think about it, when you drive too fast you're going to spill some water. If you have a jack rabbit start you'll spill some water or brake too fast. The U.S. Department of Energy says that in essence you could lower the cost of a gallon of gas by as much as a buck per gallon just by being a more fuel efficient, less aggressive driver in the ways I just described."

 

CR: Is it easy to sign up?

JY: "It's very easy and again it's open to people of any age. In order to be eligible for the prizes you need to be at least 18 years of age, you don't need to be an AARP member, it's very easy to register and I guarantee you there's a lot of cheap talk going on the in the Savings Challenge.

     The challenge currently is simply tell us about the best deal you ever got and we're hearing great stories from people who found a priceless object at a yard sale for next to nothing or maybe haggled for a better price. Next weeks challenge is going to be about the environmental mantra 'reduce, reuse, recycle' as sort of a salute to Earth week. We're asking people for their favorite creative reuses for things that people throw away everyday. For instance you'll find on the Savings Challenge articles about how to repurpose everything from old pantyhose to eggshells to soda bottles. So it's all about that reuse part of the environmentalist mantra reduce, reuse, recycle."

Lenora Dame Jewelry Coupon Code

Good Saturday to ya! Can you believe Mom's day is less than a month away? This year is flying by! With jewelry usually at the very top of every woman's list, here's something to make your mama smile - jewelry designer, Lenora Dame is offering 40% off with coupon code "Mother" from now until April 25th!

 

Happy Shopping!

Lenora Dame Jewelry

 

 

Love this necklace!!!

Lenora Dame - Jewelry - Bohemian Necklaces - ARCTIC CHILL NECKLACE

Interview: Planning the Perfect Easter Celebration with Ceci Carmichael

Yesterday I had the privilege of speaking with Chef and Television Host, Ceci Carmichael on how to plan the perfect Easter festivities. From coloring eggs to planning an amazing meal, Ceci has it all and more! 

 

Ceci Carmichael

Candace Rose: Easter morning can be very stressful, what are some tips on easing anxiety levels? 

Ceci Carmichael: "Well, what I think happens to a lot of people is they wait till the last possible minute to get everything they need for their party. As simple as it sounds, plan ahead. Get as much done ahead of time as you can, starting like two weeks out. Start your lists, figure out what you want for your menu and then a week out start picking up stuff. If you say oh I need napkins, I need this, pick them up as you need them and I think that saving things until the last minute is one of the most stressful things ever. Ever. Bar none."

CR: What can we do to whip up a great Easter brunch without spending all morning in the kitchen?

CC: "Well, I think the key to cooking for me - I'm a chef, I can make complicated meals. I don't want to, I want to make them as simple as possible and there's a lot of great products out there that help you sort of simplify and streamline your menu. One of my favorites, my new favorites is Jimmy Dean Hearty Sausage Crumbles. They're fully cooked, ready to go for your recipes. They're ready in minutes and they were voted 2011 product of the year by 60,000 consumers, so I'm on the right track loving these things. Here I've got a recipe which is so easy to make, it's called a "sausage and egg brunch braid." It takes about 30 minutes, it looks like it takes about two hours. Basically it's just pizza dough, sausage crumbles, egg, peppers and put it in the oven for 30 minutes and you are done. It's a great appetizer for a brunch with salad- really delicious. Go to JimmyDean.com. If you want more recipes, that's a good one to know."

 

Jimmy Dean

 

CR: Do you have any tips on egg coloring?

CC: "Yeah, I do. I don't know about you but that's one of my favorite parts about Easter and spring is decorating eggs. I think it's a great way to get everybody, the whole family involved and for me it's not Easter until you've your PAAS Easter egg decorating kits. I've been doing it since I was a kid with PAAS. They've actually been around for 130 years if you can imagine that. That's a long time. I don't know how they do it but every year they come up with new ideas and new kits. Really, how do they do it? This year they have a really great ones. They've got a basket buddy and a pirate princess and a wild wheels. So there's something for everybody - for little boys, girls, grownups. I really like this one myself. If you go to PAASEasterEggs.com you can get really good decorating ideas.These are available at major retailers across the country and everything you need is right in the box, so it's one stop shopping. It's really terrific. And also while on subject of your eggs, a lot of people; some people this has been a tradition for years, other people this is new to them. If you take Heinz All Natural White Vinegar, put it in your egg wash it really makes the colors pop. It makes it really, really vivid. I don't know how it works, it's fabulous though. If you put the vinegar in the water when you're boiling your eggs, it keeps them from cracking and makes it easier to peel at the end. If you go to HeinzVinegar.com you'll get a lot of good ideas and tips from there as well."

 

CR: How about meal ideas? Do you have any suggestions for the perfect Easter dinner?

CC: "Well, I think you know anything goes. Like I said this wonderful brunch bread is a great idea with a salad but you can have a variety of things, and again JimmyDean.com has great recipe ideas from everything from appetizers to salads to brunches to everything. Keep it simple and the key is to spend time with friends, not in the kitchen sweating and laboring over your dishes."

CR: How about spring entertaining ideas, what are your favorites?

CC: "Well, I think that Easter to me is a time of honoring old traditions and sort of making up new traditions,  so for me on Easter day it's a good idea to collaborate with your family and friends and come up with some new ideas for games. You've got all these wonderful Easter eggs, you might as well put them to use - you know the old egg and spoon race, but there's also so many other things. I think last year my family, we had an egg fashion show. There's a lot of fun, new ideas you can do. Really it is about being with your family and enjoying yourself."

CR: Where can we go for more information?

CC: "Go to News2Know.com and (everything here) there's links to all these websites as well as other information."

Interview: NY Opera Singer Hallie Neill and Mrs. North Carolina Dawn Brinkley on Cervical Dystonia & Blepharospasm

 

Yesterday I had the pleasure of speaking with New York Opera Singer, Hallie Neill and Mrs. North Carolina, Dawn Brinkley on the topic of cervical dystonia and blepharospasm and how these conditions can be treated.

 

From left - New York Opera Singer, Hallie Neill and Mrs. North Carolina, Dawn Brinkley

 

Candace Rose: Dawn, what are cervical dystonia and blepharospasm?

Dawn Brinkley: "Cervical dystonia is a rare neurological condition. Characteristics of cervical dystonia include muscle spasms, involuntary head movement and posturing. When you have it, you may not know what it is. Unfortunately because it's so rare it takes several doctors before you find that right cure or diagnosis. Blepharospasm is the involuntary muscle spasms of the eyelids affecting the eyes."

CR: Statistics show that 50% of patients experience symptoms for more than a year prior to being diagnosed, why do you think this is?

DB: "So little information."

CR: Hallie, can you tell us more about the "Make Your Mark" campaign please?

Hallie Neill: "Yes, the Make Your Mark campaign is designed to inspire people living with chronic conditions like cervical dystonia or blepharospasm. It also raises awareness and it shares some wonderfully inspirational stories about people who are living with these conditions."

 

Make Your Mark Campaign 

 

CR: Can these conditions be treated?

DB: "Yes. Actually, Candace my protocol right now and each person has to find that customized treatment plan with their physician. For me I use Xeomin, which you can find more information at Xeomin.com. It's an injectable along with other treatments. Part of my plan would include massage therapy, physical therapy to keep the muscles supple and palpable, and a positive attitude is really the number one asset in my toolbox."

CR: Do you have any words of advice for those struggling with these conditions?

 

New York Opera Singer, Hallie Neill

HN: "Yes, I would say probably the best advice is to visit our website, MakeYourMarkCampaign.com where you can feel inspired. We encourage people to share their own creative expression. As a professional Opera Singer I have found a great tool in continuously staying creative and expressing myself - it's healing, it's inspirational and it definitely impacts how I feel about myself and how I feel physically. We all have a mark we can make creatively, whether singing or poetry or painting or cooking and you'll read more about those stories at the website."

 

Mrs. North Carolina, Dawn Brinkley

 

DB: "And for myself, I had never been in a beauty pageant and the one thing you don't want to do having this condition is be judged but I wanted to do it to show other patients that live with this condition that this is not life ending. This is a defining moment, turn the page, let's go to the next chapter and be inspired. Inspire others as I'm inspired by Hallie. I'm so glad I met her and I'm so eager to see who all comes to the Make Your Mark campaign, so we can compare our stories collectively, because it's a healing process."

 

 

 

 

On My List Wednesday

Happy Wednesday! This week's items are all from Revolve Clothing. I can't believe how much I love this site, it's quickly becoming my favorite online shopping destination! One word of advice, if there's something you absolutely love, purchase it right away as they sell out quick! 

 

Hope you have a fabulous day! xo

 

BAILEY 44 - Till The Field Top in Ash - Revolve Clothing

 

BAILEY 44 - Green Thumb Top in Storm - Revolve Clothing

 

BAILEY 44 - Sunday Best Top in Ash - Revolve Clothing

 

JOE'S JEANS - Visionaire Trouser in Leah - Revolve Clothing

MARC BY MARC JACOBS - Edie Eyelet Dress in Normandy Blue - Revolve Clothing

Loving this black strapless cut-out dress!

DAVID LERNER - Cutout Strapless Dress in Black - Revolve Clothing

 

HEARTLOOM - Kyoko Silk Georgette Skirt in Indigo - Revolve Clothing

Aren't these wedges great? Love them paired with the HEARTLOOM skirt above!

The Shoe by Joe's - Lynn Cut out Wedge in Taupe (also available in Black) - Revolve Clothing

 

And last but not least, I'm loving this swimsuit in one of my absolute favorite colors!

L*SPACE - Beverly Bandeau in Dark Teal - Revolve Clothing

Celebrity Interview: The World's First Eco-Model, Summer Rayne Oakes

On Friday I had the opportunity of speaking with Summer Rayne Oakes who is considered by many as “The World’s First Eco-Model." She recently teamed up with Aveeno for their "Be An Active Natural" project and was kind enough to discuss that and give tips on how to green up your community and those around you. 

 

Summer Rayne Oakes

Candace Rose: Can you tell us about the pop-up forest event in Times Square?

Summer Rayne Oakes: "Yeah, absolutely. I partnered with Aveeno's "Be An Active Natural Campaign" and we created a pop-up forest in the middle of Times Square which is kind of crazy but we did it for two reasons - one is Aveeno is donating the trees to "The Million Trees Campaign" (MillionTreesNYC) in New York City to be planted all throughout New York and then two is really teach people how small changes can make a difference. They went through the forest and they got to learn how much carbons, certain trees were taking out of the atmosphere if they grew into maturity and then even at the end of the forest walk they could go to the Aveeno facebook page, make a pledge to make a small difference in their environment and actually get rewarded in the process. It was a fun experience all the way around."

 

MillionTreesNYC - Press Release Watch
 

CR: How can people outside of New York get involved?

SRO: "You can go to facebook.com/aveeno and you could actually take a pledge or learn about certain green tips. For instance using more natural ingredients in your products and in your personal care products, that's an important thing. I actually work with Smart Essentials and they use active naturals like southern wood to help protect stressed skin and then also there's elements of all the gadgets that we have in our everyday life. We have computers, we have iPads, we have iPods, we have cellphones. When you're done with those, making sure that you recycle them as eWaste (electronic waste) and disposing of them properly because those heavy metals actually pollute our environments. Then there's the certain things that we can do that you've probably already heard but using a reusable bottle, that's a big one because if you don't trust your water at home you can always install a water filter. All of that money that we spend on buying all those plastic bottles not only take up hundreds of dollars each year but also dirty up and muddy up our landfills. Those are the small changes that you can do and those impacts add up in a big way."

 

Aveeno SMART ESSENTIALS Daily Detoxifying Scrub - Aveeno

CR: What are some small steps we can take to improve the communities we live in and those around us?

SRO: "Not all communities have a great way of disposing electronic waste, so if it's something that you could do or encourage within your community or at your recycling center I would highly encourage that or the simple things of being able to encourage your local supermarkets to have an alternative to plastic bags, just even volunteering at your recycling center or changing your light bulbs. These are the small things that you could do not only on an individual basis but being able to scale it up into your community. And of course you could always find out more and find out what we're doing here as well on facebook.com/aveeno. We have a lot of great tips that you could do individually and outside in your community and get rewarded in the process as well."

Easter Dresses for the Little Ladies!

 

Growing up I was obsessed with the perfect Easter dress! My mom and I would make a girls day of it and go shopping at the now defunct Weinstocks until I found "the one"! Ahhh memories. ;) With that being said, I did a little reminiscing and decided to make a list of my favorite Easter Sunday dresses for little chickadees! Be sure and shop early, you now have less than two weeks!

 

Sweet Heart Rose Floral Print Dress (Infant) - Nordstrom

Sweet Ivy - Rosette Trim Dress  in the color Lips (Infant) - Nordstrom

Burberry - Sleeveless Dress & Diaper Cover in Faded New Classic (Infant) - Nordstrom

 

LITTLE MARC JACOBS Dress in Grey Dawn (Toddlers)  - Nordstrom

 

Us Angels Tulle Ballerina Dress  (Infant, Toddler, Little Girl, Big Girl) - Nordstrom

 

CachCach 'Cupcake' Dress (Toddler) - Nordstrom

 

Iris & Ivy - Floral Organza Dress in Blue (Big Girls) - Nordstrom

 

Iris & Ivy - Flower Applique Dress in Pink (Big Girls) - Nordstrom

 

Us Angels - Empire Waist Flower Sash Dress - in Champagne (Infant, Toddler, Little Girls, Big Girls) - Nordstrom

 

Dorissa 'Molly' Gathered Sleeveless Little Girls Dress in Vintage Blue - Nordstrom

 

Iris & Ivy Burnout Organza Dress in Ecru (Little Girls) - Nordstrom

 

Blush by US Angels - Chiffon Ruffle Dress in Black (Big Girls) - Nordstrom

 

English Roses are pink.....

 

 

 

After spending a while in my mom's rose garden today, getting her new trellis up and the area accessorized (I can't wait to post pics) I thought I'd post these images that I took approximately three years ago. I can't believe the rose garden had so many blooms in mid April that year, I'm praying we'll see buds soon as I'm anxious to get my camera out! How about you? What are you eager to see this spring?

On My List Wednesday

Happy Wednesday! This week I am channeling my "casual chic" side! More like my lazy side but we won't go there! ;) I hope April has gotten off to a great start! XOXO

 

 

C&C California Triblend Tank Dress (Lake) - Revolve Clothing

 

C&C California Triblend Sweatshirt (Black) - Revolve Clothing

 

SPLENDID - Linen Melange Pullover in Navy - Revolve Clothing

 I have been in search of the perfect hoodie, I think this will do! GO GIANTS!!!

Majestic San Francisco Giants Ladies Black Beauty Full Zip Hoody - Lady Fanatics

 

7 For All Mankind - The Bell Bottom Jean - Saks.com

7 For All Mankind - Skinny Stretch Jeans - Saks.com

Tory Burch - Lurex and straw ballerina flats - Net-A-Porter

  Hunter - Regent Grosvenor embellished Wellington boots - Net-A-Porter

 

Extra Large Peacock Gong Earrings (Available in Silver & Gold) - TenThousandThings NYC

 

Persion Turquoise Pendant Necklace - TenThousandThings NYC

Giant Part Time Handbag (Black) - Balenciaga