2016 Oscar Nominations Dress Challenge

It's that time of year again and YEAR 6 with this contest! I need help finding a dress for Oscar Nominations morning on January 14, 2016.  It's early again this year and we are going to have to do this over the Christmas break. Remember though, the winner gets a $25 gift certificate to the store of their choice. For those of you that are new to this challenge, YOU get to chose the dress that I wear for a one of Hollywood's biggest events. 

Here are some guidelines:

1.  It is not a red carpet event: I am looking for a dress that is simple, classic and understated.  Think of a DVF wrap dress or a Jackie O. sheath.  I am short (5' 3"), so I want to show off my legs versus lots of cleavage (which I don't have anyway) to give the illusion of height.  I love shoes, so I want to pick something hot and sassy from my shoe wardrobe.  One note:  Even though I want a dress to show off my legs, please no so-short-I-can-see-your-hoo-ha dresses.  The Oscar Nominations are a very conservative event, so I'd like to keep it that way.

2.  I will be working at 5AM PT that day: I want a dress that is easy, comfortable and not fussy.  I hate pulling and tugging at my dress while I am working. Also, I LOVE pockets!

3.  I like color: It looks great on camera and adds brightness to my face.  Please avoid red or crazy patterns because they have a tendency to moray on camera. I've done two blues, two purples and a hot pink, so maybe a green, orange or yellow this year?

4.  The budget is important.  Let's keep the dress under $250 and it has to be available online in sizes 0 or 2. 

Here are the winners from 2011-2015 to give you an idea of what has won in the past:

For more information on the winning dresses from 2011-2015 click here, here, here, here and here.


2015:  Dress by Eliza J


2014: Dress by Eliza J.


2013: Dress by ModCloth


2012:  Dress by Aqua


2011: Dress by Banana Republic


Are you up for the challenge? 

The Rules:

1. Find me a dress by Monday, January 4 at 11:59 p.m. PST. It must be available online. So post the link in the comments below with your contact info.

2.  The dress must be available in the U.S., but international contestants are welcome to join us for this contest. 

3.  Two finalists will be announced on Tuesday, January 5 and the winner will be announced on Thursday, January 14.

4.  Winner will receive a $25 gift certificate to the store of their choice.


If you have any questions, post in the comments below.  Ready, get set, shop!

Bigotry Is Not a Christian Value

Bigotry is not a Christian value.
Christ did not say, "Kill the motherfuckers!"
No matter which translation you prefer.

Christianity is easy to explain:
Love, forgiveness, charity, kindness.
Do these things and your World is free
Because you have freed
Your mind,
Your heart,
Your soul.

Christianity is not always easy to do.

Practice what Christ preached,
Not what the men on your cable television channel urge,
Not what the false Christians in your Facebook feed urge.
Hate is easy,
That's why so much of it fills our world.

Find love, forgiveness, charity, kindness
In your mind,
In your heart,
In your soul.

Bigotry is not a Christian value.
Hate is not a Christian value.
Violence is not a Christian value.
Selfishness is not a Christian value.

Christ did not say, "Those people deserve to die."
Christ did not say, "Bomb them into the Stone Age."
Christ did not say, "Buy more guns."
Christ did not say, "Shut your doors.
Leave them by the side of the road.
To starve."

Love, forgiveness, charity, kindness
Free your mind,
Free your heart,
Free your soul.

Free your World.

Peace. Shalom. Salaam.


--John Magee

Be Brave, America

Be brave, America
When they say fear
The World.

Be Christian, America
When they say hate
in Christ's name.

Be courageous, America
When they say cower
Behind stony walls.

Be generous, America
When they say hoard
Your treasure.

Be kind, America
When they say close
Your heart.

Be just, America
When they say
Kill them all.

Be hopeful, America
When they say despair
Of the future.

Be great, America
When they say your time
Has passed.

Be strong, America
When they say you are too weak to be
Brave
Christian
Courageous
Generous
Kind
Just
Hopeful.

Great.

In the face of death and hate and fear
Be brave, America.

We can do this.

--John Magee

Product Review: Keranique Volumizing Shampoo and Conditioner

It's time for another beauty review with iFabbo and this month it's Keranique's Volumizing Shampoo and Conditioner. It's been awhile since I've done a product review since my last one for T3Micro Twirl 360 Motion Sensing Styling Iron was not my favorite. I was ready for a product that really worked, especially since I have hair that is constantly styled with heat and product on a daily basis.

Here's what I thought of the product:

Description of Product via Keranique:
The foundation for thicker, fuller looking hair. The Clean & Condition Set is specially formulated to gently clean and stimulate the scalp to nourish and rejuvenate the hair follicles.

Benefits:
Clean & Condition Set is the foundation for thicker, fuller looking hair.

Scalp Stimulating Shampoo for Thinning Hair:

• Retains shine.
• Provides combability, detangling & smoothing without weighing the hair down.
• Removes build-up.
• Protects against cuticle damage.
• Healthy way of keeping hair fuller and thicker looking.

Volumizing Keratin Conditioner for Thinning Hair:

• Conditions and volumizes fine hair.
• Improves manageability, combability, detangling & conditioning without weighing the hair down.
• No heavy, waxy feeling on the hair nor scalp.
• Adds body and volume.
• Improves hair strength and provides anti-breakage protection.

Ingredients:

Scalp Stimulating Shampoo for Thinning Hair
Water (Aqua), Disodium Laureth Sulfosuccinate, Sodium Lauryl Sulfoacetate, Sodium Cocoyl Isethionate, Lauramidopropyl Betaine, PEG-7 Glyceryl Cocoate, Sodium Lauroyl Sarcosinate, Decyl Glucoside, Polyquaternium-7, Polyquaternium-11, Panthenol, Disteareth-100 IPDI, lPanax Ginseng Root Extract, Glycerin, Mentha Piperita (Peppermint) Oil, Methoxy PEG/PPG-7/3 Aminopropyl Dimethicone, Menthol, Hydrolyzed Soy Protein, Sodium Lauroyl Oat Amino Acids, Hydrolyzed Vegetable Protein PG-Propyl Silanetriol, PEG-12 Dimethicone, Biotin, Guar Hydroxypropyltrimonium Chloride, Zea Mays (Corn) Starch, Zinc Gluconate, Ornithine HCl, Niacinamide, Hydrolyzed Ceratonia Siliqua Seed Extract, Glucosamine HCl, Calcium Pantothenate, Arginine, Citrulline, Arctium Majus Root Extract, Acetyl Tyrosine, Quaternium- 95, Dipropylene Glycol, Disodium EDTA, Propanediol, Citric Acid, Phenoxyethanol, Potassium Sorbate, Chlorphenesin, Methylisothiazolinone.

Volumizing Keratin Conditioner for Thinning Hair
Water (Aqua), Cetearyl Alcohol, Behentrimonium Chloride, Cetyl Alcohol, Isododecane, Cetrimonium Chloride, Quaternium 91, Polyquaternium-7, Polyquaternium-11, Panax Ginseng Root Extract, Panthenol, Glycerin, Mentha Piperita (Peppermint) Oil, Caprylic/Capric Triglyceride, PPG-3 Benzyl Ether Mryristate, Menthol, Methoxy PEG/PPG- 7/3 Aminopropyl Dimethicone, Hydrolyzed Vegetable Protein PG-Propyl Silanetriol, Guar Hydroxypropyltrimonium Chloride, Quaternium-95, PEG-12 Dimethicone, Hydrolyzed Keratin, Keratin, Stearamine Oxide, Biotin, Hydrolyzed Soy Protein, Amodimethicone, Hydrolyzed Ceratonia Siliqua Seed Extract, Octocrylene, Hydroxyethylcellulose, Butyl Methoxydibenzoylmethane, Sucrose Laurate, Inulin Lauryl Carbamate, Zinc Gluconate, Zea Mays (Corn) Starch, Ornithine HCl, Niacinamide, Glucosamine HCl, Citrulline, Calcium Pantothenate, Arginine, Arctium Majus Root Extract, Acetyl Tyrosine, Propanediol, Dipropylene Glycol, Citric Acid, Disodium EDTA, Phenoxyethanol, Benzyl Alcohol, Potassium Sorbate, Chlorphenesin, Methylisothiazolinone.

Does It Work?:
I was really happy with this product because it gets rid of all of the product in my hair, giving it a clean, tingling feeling. The stimulation of the scalp keeps my hair thick and healthy without the need for parabens or sulfates. It's even safe for color-treated hair. 

Cost: $49.95 for the set

Where Is It Sold?: You can find it at the Keranique website here: http://bit.ly/1fXnMbB and use the coupon code THICKER25 now through Dec. 31, 2015 for 25% off any Keranique purchase. 

Connect:
If you want to learn more about Keranique, visit their social media pages--
Facebook
Twitter
Instagram

Disclaimer: I was given a complimentary unit to review this product. Opinions are all my own. 

Final Sunset Cruise of 2015 (Short Version)

Usually I try to curate these little photoblog posts down to a reasonable batch of good pictures before posting them. But last night I posted an entry with a batch of 61 photos for our final sunset cruise of 2015. I'm not even the least bit sorry, since it was crazy nice outside yesterday: 75 degrees and sunny in early November in Michigan. I expect paging through the photos in that blog post to keep me warm through the approaching winter.

(And in my defense I did whittle that batch down from the 200+ pictures I took while we cruised.)

But here's a considerably more reasonably sized best-of batch from last night's cruise for normal people. Enjoy!

Final Sunset Cruise of 2015

It was an unbelievable 75 degrees and sunny on Tuesday, November 3. Since we had already scheduled the removal of our pontoon boat the next morning, this was our final sunset cruise of the year.

Come along for the ride

This is what the sunset looks like through Monique's rose-colored glasses:

 

Goodbye, West end of the lake. Goodbye, sunset.

Back at the dock our neighbor was burning a pile of branches out on the island.

Home again, home again.

It's been a fun and busy year of redecking and refitting the ol' Stealth Pontoon, so we didn't get it in the lake this year until mid-August. I'm glad we've had a nice long Fall to enjoy the lake.

See you in the Springtime, Stealth Pontoon. I've got more electrical doo-dads still waiting to be installed.