Here is a little of what Photographer Dan Bodenstein writes about the photo’s subject, Eartha the sea turtle:

I visited Eartha at the Loggerhead Marinelife Center in Juno Beach Florida. Eartha was very photogenic. She would swim right up to the glass in her tank as I positioned myself infront of it for a photograph.

As I moved from one area to another, Eartha would attempt to follow me from within her tank. She would often pop her head up to see me, then go to the glass and wait for me to appear. It seemed we had an instant bond. (Read More)

See more shots of Eartha as well as Dan’s other photos in the Naturocity Gallery. Also check out the new book all about Eartha.

Hey Bloggers! Would you like to own a copy of Rose Levy Beranbaum’s new cookbook Rose’s Heavenly Cakes?

If so, here’s all you have to do. Bake one of the cakes included in this post. Then, write a blog post about your baking experience and the cake you created. Feel free to include pictures, audio, videos or any other form of media you enjoy using in your post. BlogCatalog will then select 5 of the blog posts we enjoyed the most to share with our readers on our blog and in our February newsletter. And, we will randomly select one of these 5 bloggers to receive a free copy of Rose’s Heavenly Cakes.

To enter the contest, simply write your blog post. Then, submit it to us by leaving a comment below with a link to your post. Finally, be sure to include a link or trackback to BlogCatalog.com and SpruceTV.com in your post. All posts must be submitted by January 21, 2010 in order to be considered.

Here are the recipes you can bake. (Just open each link and either bookmark the page or print it out.):

Chocolate Velvet Fudge Cake:

Picture
Recipe Page 1
Recipe Page 2

Classic Carrot Cake with Dreamy Creamy White Chocolate Frosting:

Recipe Page 1 and Pic
Recipe Page 2
Recipe Page 3

If you have any questions regarding this contest or if you have any problem viewing or printing the recipes, email jason@blogcatalog [dot] com with any questions. Be sure title your email Cake Contest so it doesn’t get overlooked!

For a little information about Rose Levy Beranbaum and her new book check out this page on SpruceTV.com.

Oh, the red carpet. The stars, the fashion and the beauty – we love viewing all that luscious eye candy. But how does the average woman incorporate that hot, red carpet style into her own personal style? I had the opportunity to speak to Latoicha of Luxe Tips™ who offered some great tips on how to make red carpet makeup and beauty work for you.

Mad about “Mad Men”
Maybe you’re like me and don’t watch this highly-acclaimed A&E television show. But I’m sure you know all about the glamorous beauty. The fashion and style of this show have even inspired some gorgeous, retro style red carpet looks, and I asked Latoicha  how to create that dreamy, heavy, retro-glam eye.

“From my experience the trick to applying eyeliner perfectly is to apply it with a GREAT eyeliner brush,” advised Latoicha. “Sonia Kashuk’s Bent eyeliner brush is perfect! The bent shape of the brush allows the eyeliner to contour to the natural shape of the eye. The result is a perfect line.” Latoicha recommended using Gel eyeliner to create a thick but perfect line of eyeliner. “Gel eyeliner goes on super smooth and is so easy to apply.  You can easily create a thick or thin line,” she said. Her favorite is Lancome’s gel eyeliners. “They are of great quality and the eyeliner lasts forever,” she explained.

But, Latoicha was quick to add that you not to stop at the eyeliner. “In addition to using a great quality gel eyeliner and quality eyeliner brush, I also recommend wearing beautiful false eyelashes to create the perfect dreamy and heavy Retro Glam eye.,” Latoicha explained. “I love Revlon’s false eyelashes.  They come in so many different textures and lengths and they are super easy to apply.” Latoicha said that if you’re the kind of woman reluctant to apply her own false lashes, visit your local brow or hair salon and they can apply it for you. Great tip!

Glitter-razzi
Who doesn’t love to glow? But, is there such a thing as wearing too much glitter? According to Latoicha, the answer is yes. “I do think you can apply too much glitter.  Balance is everything when applying makeup!” she said. “If you are going to apply glitter, choose one area of your face you want to play up and go neutral with the rest of your makeup.” Latoicha recommended neutral tones to complement your glitter glow makeup. Stay away from a sequin or metallic outfit. “Let your makeup make a statement for you and choose an outfit that is neutral yet still very sexy and glam,” Latoicha clarified.

Bloody Haute
“Twilight” and “True Blood” have lured goth and vamp style out of the shadows and into the light of the mainstream. I think it’s hot, but I’m almost 40 and I wondered if someone my age can pull of such a mysterious style. “Any woman can pull off a goth-vamp look.  The trick is how much goth-vamp do you do at your age range,” said Latoicha. “I recommend a woman in her 40s to wear dark lipstick and dark nails, but go light, neutral, and matte with the eyeshadow and blush.  Remember, too much shimmer highlights fine lines and wrinkles.  I would call this look classy vamp,” she finished.

Younger women have more room to play up the look. “A woman in her 20s can go a bit more goth-vampy and still look sexy,” explained Latoicha. “She could wear the darker lips, lots of dark heavy black eyeliner, a bit more color with eyeshadow (not too much) and mascara.  This look is very vampy but still sexy!”

Now, are you ready to hit the red carpet, or how about just a fun night out on the town? Keep Latoicha’s tips handy and stay up to date with every thing beauty and luxe at Luxe Tips.

Whether you’re planning on hitting the town, throwing a party, or just enjoying a quiet evening with family and friends, we have put together a few blogs that will help you prepare for your 2009 New Year’s Eve festivities.

Hey Ladies

New Year’s Eve parties give all of us an excuse to get dressed up and get a little wild. Earlier in the week LollieShopping gave the ladies some tips on looking glamorous for the occasion in her post Looking Chic For New Year’s Eve. Here, you’ll find links to blogs that will show you where to find affordable NYE dresses, where to find eco-friendly fashion and where to find something special and sparkly for your year-end celebration.

For the Fellas

Most guys probably need a little more help than the ladies when it comes to looking good (i.e. Queer Eye for the Straight Guy). So, I’ve thrown together an assortment of blogs that can give you some NYE attire ideas and assist you in ringing in the new year in style. The first one just sounds like the obvious place to start. The Men’s Fashion Bible hits on everything from clothes to accessories and from everyday fashion to celebrity style. For instance, maybe this year you’ll be doing some casual clubbing. They’ve got you covered. Maybe you’re looking for a smarter look? Well, then check out their geek chic ideas. Or, maybe this is the year you bring your sexy back. Yup, they can even help with this.

Another site where you can get some fashion inspiration is The Urban Gentleman. Their Winter 09/10 Style Guide can help you find a good look whether your looking for something conservative, edgy or classic. If you need even more specific help, posts like the Guide to Dress Shirt Collars can assist you in finding the look that best suits you. And, if you just need help finding something to add a little extra sizzle to your outfit, well then from fedoras to pocket squares the accessories page has got you covered.

Feelin’ Bubbly

Champagne is a necessary part of any good NYE celebration. For advice on picking the best bubbly, head to a place where they love champagne. We Love Champagne is a regularly updated blog that provides readers with reviews as well as information about the people and the Houses currently putting out superior bubbly. If you need a little help picking out the best bottle for this year’s celebration, We Love Champagne is a great place to start.

Get Cookin’

Throwing a NYE party? Having some close friends and family over to celebrate? If so, then I’m sure you’ll be needing to feed them. This year, forget chips and dips. I say “go big or get out of the kitchen!” Actually, I don’t really ever say that, but it sounded good.

If you need a little help getting inspired to cook or you’re just looking for some new recipes, I suggest checking out Inspired Taste. Here you’ll find recipes for delicious appetizers like baked wonton cups and marinated swordfish skewers, main course ideas like Guiness burgers and chicken enchiladas, and dessert recipes like roasted pears or swirled chocolate bark. My favorite part of this site is the large pictures. Trust me…if you’re not hungry when you click through to this site, there’s a good chance you will be once you see these pictures.

Update: I forgot to mention that HalfHourMeals.com is my favorite place on the web to find recipes and some really great foodie bloggers too. Whether you’re looking for appetizers, main dishes, desserts–or any other course for that matter, their recipes section will definitely have what you’re looking for.

Hair o’ the Dog

Finally, just because we know some of you are going to be hurtin come New Year’s Day, we found some info on hangover cures. Check out Just A Guy Thing to find which of the 4 most popular hangover cures works best.

In some recent discussions I have had, I have noticed an opinion–mainly amongst non-bloggers and non-Facebookers–that these digital realms are dominated by young people. While this is not a total misconception, it is also not entirely true.

Take a look at Facebook’s user statistics from the past year or so, and you’ll see that while the largest percentage of the participants are younger than Boomers, users over 45 are steadily making up a larger percentage of their overall users. Blogger statistics from that same time period show bloggers over 45 outnumbering their younger counterparts approximately 6 to 1.

FACEBOOK:

If you look at the user stats for Facebook between September 2008 and October 2009, you will see that the majority of their users are between the ages of 18 and 25. Yet, even though that demographic grows over time, it constitutes less and less of Facebook’s total users. In contrast to their drop in percentage of overall users, the number and overall percentage of  45+ users grows during this same time period.

9.18.08 (stats via insidefacebook.com)

• 33 million US users FB
• 17,120,760 between 18-25 (52%)
• 518,200 between 55-65 (2%)
• 925,840 btw 45-54 (3%)
• over 26 (33%)

2.2.09 (stats via insidefacebook.com)

• 45.3 million US users
• 19,319,820 btw 18-25 (43%)
• 1,228,660 btw 55-65 (3%)
• 2,275, 960 btw 45-54 (5%)
• Over 26 (45%)

10.1.09 (stats via insidefacebook.com)

• 88.3 million US users
• 23,892,740 btw 18-25 (29%)
• 5,560,080 btw 55-65 (7%)
• 10,126,860btw 45-54 (12%)
• over 25 (61%)

The growth of 45+ users was slow from late 2008 to early 2009. Users between 45-54 grew 2% during this time and users between 55-56 grew only 1% . Yet over the following 8 months, these same groups saw much larger increases of 7% and 4% respectively. As of 2.2.09, www.insidefacebook.com reported that the demographic group with the largest amount of growth was women over 55. This group grew by 175.3% over the previous 4 months.

In contrast, Facebook users between 18-25 saw their numbers drop 9% between September 2008 and February 2009; they then saw their numbers drop an additional 14% by October 2009. The numbers clearly show that while Facebook is still primarily comprised of users between the ages of 18-25, more and more older users are joining the network.  In fact, take a look at all users over 26 and you’ll see a jump from only 33% of all users in 2008, to 61% of all users in late 2009.

BLOGGERS:

As a group, bloggers are older than Facebook users. Compared to making up 52% of all Facebook users in 2008, 18-24 year-olds made up only 13% of bloggers at that time. This is still more that the 8% of bloggers over 55, but less that the 15% of bloggers who are between 45-54.

In 2009, 45+ bloggers took over even more of the blogosphere. Users between 18-24 dropped to 7% while at the same time bloggers over 55 increased to 18%, a 10% increase over the previous year’s numbers. The number of bloggers between 45-54 also jumped. Their ranks swelled by 6% to make up 21% of all bloggers.

While slightly younger users (those between 25-44) dominate the blogosphere making up 64% of all bloggers in 2008 and 53% of all bloggers in 2009, 45+ bloggers are steadily gaining ground.

*All blogger stats were taken from Technorati’s State of the Blogosphere reports from 2008 and 2009.

BLOGS:

Since the number of boomers in the blogosphere is on the increase, it is no surprise to find a plethora of blogs for and by boomers listed on BlogCatalog. If you’d like to see the whole list, you can go to the Boomers category page. If browsing through the 271 Boomer blogs is too much for you, we’ve picked a few samples for you to check out. We hope you think they’re as groovy as we do! Peace.

Great Adaptations: From Suzanna’s About page…”I’ve been in publishing in one form or another for over 30 years. The one thing I can tell you is that now, today, is the most amazing time to be connecting to the world, sharing your own life experiences, and using your creativity to build the life you really want.”

Psychedelic Hippie Fashion: Forget those boring suits you’ve been wearing to work all these years. Revisit the time when your wardrobe was dominated by bell bottoms, tie dyes and paisley.

Set Free In Mexico: This blog tells the story of a Minnesota couple that took their jobs and shoved them at the tender ages of 55 and 54 and escaped to Mexico with little money and no income and somehow they stick.

Baby Boomer Journey: This is a commentary and resource on how to deal with the people and things we encounter on a daily basis. The posts on this blog may not be politically correct but they are brutally open and honest.

Tech and the Baby Boomer: “In this blog I talk about my own problems with social networking sites and gadgets. I hope my fumbling entertains other boomers and possibly provides some feedback for manufacturers and site developers to use.”

New Year’s Eve is a great reason to dress up, get glam and look hot. But, if you still haven’t decided on what to wear or how to wear it, get your inspiration from these stylish blog posts and prepare to celebrate the beginning of a new year in style and on trend.

Keep the Change
Want to look good and save money? Read “New Year’s Eve Party Dresses on a Budget” on the blog Twenty2 and see six sweet dresses $60 and under, including a one-shoulder sequin dress from Forever 21 that’s only $15. Additionally, you should also read Beauty and the Budget’s “New Year’s Eve Dresses Under $100” to view a ShopStyle slide show of pretty party dresses.

Resolve to Save the Earth
Start the new year off right by wearing an Eco-friendly dress. Check out Chic by Nature’s blog post  ”Put Your Party Dress On” for three awesome options.

Sparkle!
Sequin apparel and accessories are a hot fashion trend right now. And nothing says “party” more than a sexy sequin dress.  Read SheGlam’s blog post “Sequin Dresses for New Year’s Eve” for a shimmer of inspiration.

]]> http://blog.blogcatalog.com/spotlight/looking-chic-for-new-years-eve/feed/ 0 http://blog.blogcatalog.com/spotlight/looking-chic-for-new-years-eve/ http://feedproxy.google.com/~r/theblogcatalogblog/~3/hyO8d0-maew/ http://blog.blogcatalog.com/spotlight/and-so-this-is-christmas/#comments Wed, 23 Dec 2009 20:30:54 +0000 Jason Teitelman http://blog.blogcatalog.com/?p=1832

It’s Christmas time and that means bloggers are putting up Christmas-themed posts. We asked Austin to go through BlogCatalog and find some “recommended reading” for the holiday season. Here’s what he came up with:

And So This Is Christmas: Christmas means different things to everyone. For some it’s about spending time with family, for others it’s about a holiday, for others it’s about presents, for other’s it’s about celebrating the original story of Christmas. And for some, it may even be a time that reminds them of their loneliness.

A Christmas Story: When my sister and I were little girls my father brought us a Christmas present that has become the stuff of family lore. It was an Olde English Sheep Dog named Greta, purchased from the pet department at Harrods and transported back to us in Florida in the cockpit of a Pan Am 747 where my father was serving as the engineer.

Santa Claus Does Not Forget: Christmas morning came, and Bertie was up at dawn to see what was in his stocking. His mother kept away from him as long as she could, for she knew what Santa Claus had done… (Story by M.A. Haley)

Japan loves KFC for Christmas: Many people have interesting traditions during Christmas…Take for example, Japan…They love KFC chicken for Christmas dinner…If you dont believe me, check the following article, with videos!

Beauty and fashion and go hand-in-hand. But more often than not, women have more interest in one over the other. I know fashion, but keeping updated with the latest beauty trends is something I always need help with. I turn to magazines, my favorite beauty retailers and, of course, beauty bloggers for assistance. And one beauty blogger we should all be relying on for the latest on beauty is LeeLee and her blog Oh.Em.Gee. Blog.

I recently got in touch with LeeLee who was more than happy to share her insight and knowledge about selecting the right lipstick and upcoming beauty trends.

LollieShopping: What are your top three favorite red lipsticks and why?

Oh.Em.Gee. Blog:

1. Lancome Lipstick, Color Design Pout-a-Porter in Behnaz – I was lucky enough to get a hold of one of these amazing tubes through the sheer dumb luck of a friend and I have to say that the hype surrounding Behnaz was definitely worth it. I think it’s as close to the “perfect” red as you can get. It doesn’t go too far in either the blue or orange direction, so from what I can see it would be flattering on just about everyone. It’s matte, but not drying, the pigment is great, and I haven’t had any experience with it feathering (even when I’m too lazy to use liner) so, it’s just fabulous all around.
2. Nars Lipstick, Flaming Dust – This one is a really interesting formula. It starts off more like a stain than a lipstick. The shade is a very pinky-red and it’s so great for summer. The first swipe is really sheer and will leave you looking like you’ve been lazing around, eating a cherry popsicle. The more you layer it, the more opaque it becomes. It’s definitely really bright after a few layers, so I don’t think it’s for the faint of heart, but if you’re just starting out on your red lipstick search, I think this is a good way to ease into it. The texture is pretty matte, but it’s not drying at all and I haven’t had any issues with the staying power.
3. Illamasqua Lipstick Maneater – This one is BRIGHT. No, really, really bright. This is actually a recent purchase for me and it’s already at the top of my red list. Like Behnaz, this one is in the medium red category – not too cool or warm. It’s super-pigmented and the staying power is like no other. I actually had to do quite a bit of work to get this off at the end of the night, but I think that’s the mark of a great red lipstick. You don’t ever have to worry that you’ll end up with the dreaded “ring” mouth (where the color fades away everywhere except the outer lines of your lips) and it can definitely withstand a night out (or a day of running around). This one is matte, too, and because of the staying power I would definitely use a lip balm underneath. The only retouching I do for this is whatever lip gloss I decide to put on top.

LollieShopping: Do you have tips for finding the right shade of red lipstick for one’s skintone?

Oh.Em.Gee. Blog: I think this is a really tough question since there are so many ways to get a good idea of what shades will look better on you. Undertones, tooth color, hair color, whether you look better in gold or silver…. Honestly? My only real tip is: TRY IT ON. I don’t think there is any other real way to do it. Based on your individual coloring there will, of course, be shades that are more flattering than others, but if you stick to all the “rules” you could be missing out on amazing colors. I’ve actually taken some of those “find out which shade will fit you best” quizzes online, and most of them tell me to get warm, orangy tones… BAD IDEA. I look awful in orangy-anything. I really only wear medium reds (the ones that don’t go toward either side of the blue-orange scale) and the pinky-blue-undertoned reds that are usually recommended for people with a cool complexion. I don’t know, I’m sure there is some merit to those typical tips, but I really think you should just try it on. Especially since it’s rare that a color looks the same on your lips as it does in the tube, or even on your hand.

When you try it and you look in the mirror and feel sexy and beautiful then you’ve found the right color, undertones be damned.

LollieShopping: What’s your favorite fall/winter beauty trend?

Oh.Em.Gee. Blog: Metallic smokey eyes, without a doubt. I always love metallics, but the ones that have come out this year just make me happy (like the Bobbi Brown Chrome collection)! I like that metallics are universally flattering (as is a smokey eye) and you can make this look go as subtle or intense as you want. Also, the big return to liquid liner cat eyes and structured waves that remind me of Old Hollywood that we’ve seen all over the runways (and red carpets) are favorites of mine as well.

LollieShopping: What spring beauty trend are you looking forward to?

Oh.Em.Gee. Blog: Oh my gosh, by Spring I will be so ready to get away from pale skin and dark colors! I’m really looking forward to sun-kissed skin and  candy-colored lip gloss. Also, all the lovely spring colored eyeshadows are a great way to add a little color without going overboard. I especially love lilac on the eyes for spring.

LollieShopping: What do you recommend as the best way to keep one’s beauty products organized?

Oh.Em.Gee. Blog: I’m a little bit OCD when it comes to my product organization. My friends joke that I could open a Sephora from my bathroom. They’re probably not wrong about that! I have four drawers dedicated to makeup, plus three shelves worth of skin products. I never use makeup bags unless it’s for traveling. I hate not being able to see what exactly is inside of them without having to open them. Instead, for shallow drawers I use standard flatware trays, like this one from Target: Lipper International Bamboo Flatware Organizer. These trays are fabulous for organizing brushes, eye and lip liners, etc.

For deeper drawers, you can’t beat Ikea’s organizer baskets. They’re tall, but fold-able, baskets that are perfect for lipsticks, eyeshadows, foundations, blushes, and pretty much whatever you want to put there. The baskets keep your drawers from getting all powdery and dirty (as mine tend to, if I don’t put anything between them and the makeup) and both the trays and the baskets make it really easy to just pull anything out of the drawer. You can even grab the whole tray or basket if you need to dig through something. Perfect all around!

Site Of The Day:

So, in case you’ve been living in a cave in Turkmenistan for the past day and haven’t heard the news, BlogCatalog has been named the Site of the Day by Top Site Tally. In recognition of this award, we have prepared a few words:

BlogCatalog: We’d just like to say thank you first and foremost to our families for standing behind us no matter what, and…

Kanye: BlogCatalog, I’m really happy for ya and I’m a let ya finish, but Facebook has one of the best websites of all time.

BlogCatalog: Uh, thanks to Top Site Tally and all of our amazing members.

Changes To Our Site:

There are many changes underway at BlogCatalog. First, you may have noticed the new holiday theme on the home page courtesy of Oscar (TN9Design). That’s his little holiday gift to all of you out there in cyberspace. He is also working on a host of other design changes that will will make navigating the site easier and will make the ads on our site less intrusive. Overall, the changes are estimated to increase the sites level of usability by over 400% (these figures are based on a quite biased survey of approximately 2 BlogCatalog employees).

Dan (thegoodknife) has also been working like a mad man in order to improve the user experience on BlogCatalog. His changes may not be quite as apparent to the everyday user as the upcoming design changes, but they are vital to improving the BlogCatalog experience. You see when BogCatalog was acquired, there were tons of bugs in the source code. Since Dan got his hands on the site, he has been meticulously combing through that code, making updates, removing the bugs and moving it all over to a new framework. So, now the BC source code is comprised entirely of Dan’s original code. This means that all the code is now super clean and streamlined. For the users that means things should run a bit faster and account updates should happen a bit quicker too. If– as they say–time is money, then Dan just saved you about $ .35 while you read this post. Tell him thank you the next time you bump into him. He’ll like that!

Popular Blogging Discussions: Find out more about one of these topics or share a piece of sage advice.

Is Wordpress Better Than Blogger?

Complying With FTC Disclosure Rules

How to Generate More Blog Traffic

I have to say it always makes my day when I see @jaybetee or @BlogCatalog pop up on someone’s #FollowFriday list on Twitter. Being the skeptic that I am, however, I have to wonder if making it on to various #FollowFriday lists has any real impact when it comes to gaining more Twitter followers. Except for when I first started using Twitter, I don’t think I have ever added anyone from a #FollowFriday list.

So I am wondering am I the weird one? Do you regularly start following people your Twitter contacts recommend on their #FollowFriday lists? Or, is #FollowFriday more of an effective way of letting people you already follow know that you dig their tweets? Or, a little of both? I’d love to hear what the bloggers think about #FollowFriday and how you use personally utilize this hash tag.

If a picture is worth a thousand words, then a photo blog is worth a few million at the very least. Photo blogs are widely used by amateur and professional photographers, travel bloggers, artists and many others as an easy way to share their work with millions of viewers worldwide. Attractive, contemporary and often minimalistic blog themes are used to frame the shots and make them stand out on the page.

The BlogCatalog directory is full of stunningly beautiful photo blogs. To show you what we mean, we had Austin compile a list of a few favorites. Check out his favs below and hop over to http://www.blogcatalog.com/directory/art/photography/ for a list of all the photo blogs on BlogCatalog.

 

The Estetic of Senses:A photoblog by two bloggers from Belgium. Featuring a collection of regularly updated personal photography of nature, architecture, artistic nudes, and other scenes from the Belgium area.
 

Here’s a little shopping secret for you: when you sign up for sale email alerts, you know about hot fashion sales before everyone else does. Rather than sign up to receive the email newsletters of various retailers and wind up with many emails in your inbox, you can instead sign up for sale alerts through a third party provider and receive the bargain information of all your favorite retailers in one email. Best of all, the service is FREE.

There are two top services that provide great fashion sale information: Shop It To Me and ShopStyle. At Shop It To Me, the service locates your favorite brands on sale in your specific size. Just create a profile at Shop It To Me and select your favorite brands, retailers and your sizes. You then receive daily or weekly (depending on your preference) Shop It To Me Salemail which lists the sales of your favorite brands and designers in your specific size. So, let’s say you love Diane von Furstenberg, as I do, then when a DVF dress in your size suddenly goes on sale at Nordstrom, you receive an email from Shop It To Me Salemail. Pretty cool, huh? My Shop It To Me Salemails have led to some awesome bargains including Diane von Furstenberg, Custo Barcelona, MICHAEL by Michael Kors, Marc by Marc Jacobs and Free People. See the sample Salemail below.

ShopStyle is a wonderful fashion search engine. Sorry, Google, but when I’m shopping for a cute pencil skirt, I type “pencil skirt” into ShopStyle’s search engine and get way more awesome options. But if what you seek are sales, then you must sign up for ShopStyle Sale Alerts. As is the case with Shop It To Me, you have to set up a profile including your favorite brands and sizes. Then set your email preferences and you’re good to go. My personal Sale Alerts bargain finds include Juicy Couture and Betsey Johnson. Check out the Sale Alert email example below.

So, which is better and which sale alert service should you sign up for? My most sincere advice is to sign up for both. While some of the selection overlaps, I have found that the two services offer a sale selection with more differences than similarities. If you truly want a vast amount of sale information and bargain finds, then you would do best to sign up for both Shop It To Me and ShopStyle. You won’t regret it, and you’ll find your wardrobe growing and growing with great designer bargain discoveries while still saving money.

Scrolling through the BC Blog Directory the other day, I happened to stumble across the graffiti blogs section. Until that point, I didn’t even know there was a graffiti blog section in the directory. Being quite curious about the section I managed to overlook until this point, I went in and discovered many cool blogs showcasing examples of vibrant street art from around the world. I recruited some other members of the BC team to help me take a look through all of the graffiti blogs and put together a sampling of a few that we think are worth sharing. The blogs below highlight the work of street artists in the United States, Peru, Germany, Belgium, England, France, and Israel to name a few. Take a look and let us know what you think.

ArsTreets: A gallery of the art in the Parisian streets…”The Outside Culture, The Magic EveryDayLife, Your Museum…”

Graffiti on Trains: This site gives you what it promises…graffiti on trains. A collection of photos from around Belgium.

West German Street Art: Germans can create some wicked street art. This site is a great photo chronicle of the art created there.

Street Art In the City of Tel Aviv: A poignant blend of street art photographs and poetry.

Jason Rubacky: It’s all about graffiti here. A collection of videos and photos showing pieces from across the globe as well as reviews of painting supplies.

The Crooked: A site that share lots of street art images and aims to start some discussions on the current state of things as they begin the journey to being a legitimate street art institution. 

Manchester Graffiti: A mix of graffiti, hip hop and culture from Manchester, UK.

Vandalog: Everything street art, and nothing not street art. Vandalog has interviews with street artists and gallery owners, info on print releases, reviews of exhibitions, and much more.

Mutando Urbano: A blog from Peru about urban art and artistic expressions in the streets.

On November 17, 13,200 bloggers from across the globe participated in BloggersUnite: Fight For Preemies. Their posts about the rising rates of premature births raised the awareness of approximately 3 million readers. Through a mix of sobering facts, statistics and moving personal accounts, these bloggers poignantly illustrated the impact premature births have on both the individuals involved and on our society as a whole.

Thanks to all who were involved, the Fight For Preemies ranked as the top event on BloggersUnite before and during the event with a total of 495 registered participants (approximately 3.8% of total participants). The March of Dimes saw the percentage of blog posts in which they were mentioned double on the event date, and Fight For Preemies was mentioned nearly 5 times as much on November 17th as it was in the month leading up to the event.

BlogCatalog and BloggersUnite want to thank each and every blogger who participated in this event. Thank you for taking the time to make a difference. Thank you for sharing your stories; they moved us more than you can imagine. Below are a few of the posts BloggersUnite and The March of Dimes felt deserved recognition for truly capturing the spirit of this event:

Love My Lily: “Having a preemie means having to say goodbye to a lot of things that most first time parents take for granted…” http://lovemylily.blogspot.com/2009/11/prematurity-awareness-day.html

Baby Tea Leaves: “I learned something that day. I learned that even though we forget so much, that some memories will never ever lessen. They will remain as vivid as the day we experience them.” http://babytealeaves.blogspot.com/2009/11/post-that-almost-wasnt.html

Sophie’s Journey: “Nonetheless, every night we were there, we noticed another couple who spent hours and hours sitting next to their baby’s crib, reading to him from Harry Potter. They never missed a night. Their dedication was incredible.” http://sophiejourney.blogspot.com/2009/11/prematurity-awareness-month.html

Mothers Who Write: “He knows her better than I do. I have a baby too ticklish to touch and Ididn’t even know. I feel like crying, but don’t want to cry here. “Take me back,” I say. “I’m ready to go.” http://motherswhowrite.blogspot.com/2009/11/fight-for-preemies.html

Life And Times of the McTripletts: “I could give you some statistics about how many babies are born early each year, how much it costs families and businesses, what percentage of babies die from complications, the average time spent in the hospital, the percentages of these babies who have life-long complications… but to ME – those are just numbers. The statistic “1 in 8 babies is born prematurely” wouldn’t have ever meant anything to me… unless that 1 baby was mine.” http://themctriplets.blogspot.com/2009/11/prematurity-awareness-day.html

Sayer’s Journey: “Aidan spent 66 days in the NICU. Aidan lived and thrived in the NICU thanks to many doctors, nurses, specialists and research done to help babies born too soon. Aidan came home a month before he was even supposed to be born.” http://sayersjourney.blogspot.com/2009/11/prematurity-awareness-day.html

Our Stork Got Lost: “I definitely wasn’t prepared for the feelings of guilt, sadness, jealousy, anger, confusion, and fear that I would feel just because Max and Wes were born prematurely.” http://ourstorkgotlost.com/2009/11/blogging-for-preemies-a-mommys-point-of-view

As of December 1, 2009, new FTC guidelines went into effect requiring bloggers to disclose any time they are compensated for endorsing or reviewing products or services. Bloggers should now be disclosing any time they receive payment, free products or services, or perks in return for a post on their blogs. Also any relationship with a company or organization that can be viewed as creating a conflict of interest should be disclosed. It is also a good idea to add disclosures to any past posts that still receive a decent amount of traffic.

The main focus for the blogger should be transparency. Tom Chernaik, one of the developers of http://CMP.ly (Comply), has had several discussions directly with the FTC. In a phone conversation yesterday, Tom told me that “what the FTC has said is that they’re not looking to go after bloggers. What they want is for people to comply and be transparent and to be open about what they’re doing.” He stated that most of the burden will fall on advertisers. They will be responsible for “lead[ing] the discussion about disclosure…and having a monitoring plan in place to monitor those disclosures as they occur.”

This does not mean that bloggers are without responsibility. Although the FTC may focus mainly on advertisers, bloggers are still required to include disclosures on their blogs and can be fined if they don’t include them. Because many bloggers are confused about what they will be required to include on their blogs, CMP.ly is making it easy for bloggers to include disclosures. By creating a free account at CMP.ly you will have access to six standard disclosures and a custom disclosure that can be pasted into your post. If you feel like taking a more relaxed approach to the whole disclosure issue, humorous illustrated disclosures can be found at Louis Gray’s blog. Whatever path you take, just be transparent and you should be OK.

Times are tough, and shoppers are cutting back. But, that doesn’t mean consumers have stopped their holiday shopping all together. Americans are still giving and getting presents. In today’s economy, being able to give the “right” gift can be a challenge, especially if the recipient is a high-maintenance, fashion-loving, trend-setting diva (that’s a lot of hyphens). Being that I fit that description, I must share with you some tips and tricks for satisfying the designer demands of your favorite fashionista while sticking to your Walmart budget.

Speaking of Walmart, did you know you can buy designer fashion at this often chastised mass market? Norma Kamali has been designing since the 60s and is known for being innovative and creating functional, yet fashionable, pieces that can often be worn in various ways and in various settings. One of her most classic designs is the puffy sleeping bag coat, which is now available at Walmart for only $28. Her collection for Walmart even includes organic pieces. The entire collection ranges from a mere $4 to $28, so you can definitely find something stylish and inexpensive.

Norma Kamali for Walmart. Image from Walmart.com.

Of course, you must be familiar with Target’s success with showcasing designer fashion. Currently at Target, you can find the Anna Sui for Target collection (price range: $20.98 – $104.98), Carlos Falchi for Target (handbag price range: $19.99 to $49.99) and Anna Sheffield for Target (jewelry price range: $13.99 – $34.99).

Anna Sheffield® for Target® Charm Bracelet. Image from Target.com.

Kohl’s currently features a line from reality star turned designer Lauren Conrad. Named LC Lauren Conrad, the line includes jeans, leggings, tops and even pretty party dresses. Styles are trendy without being too young and junior-ish, so even the mature fashionista will appreciate the designs. Prices range from $13.99 – $44.99.

LC Lauren Conrad Shaker Cardigan and Asymmetrical Dress. Both images from Kohls.com.

This week, @TonyBerkman and @AngieAlaniz are out of the office and that means Rocky and Ariela, the office pugs, are gone too. While the office isn’t quite the same without our trusty pugs–it is quieter and smells a whole lot better–it does give us a chance to appreciate a new addition to the BlogCatalog office.

Tom Wilkinfish is a little fish in a little bowl, and he is often overlooked by everyone other than his friend and caretaker, @ithinkdancan. Until now, that is. Tom now has his own twitter page so that everyone around the world can keep up to date with everything that happens in his little 6×4 inch world. It’s pretty riveting stuff that you will not want to miss…if you’re into swimming and breakfast pellets. You can follow Tom at http://twitter.com/tomwilkinfish and we’ll be sure to check in with him now and again and keep you up to date on the word from the tank.

Sometimes it can be cumbersome to update your status on Twitter, Facebook and Linkedin by having to visit the individual sites.

Your readers want to stay connected to you in various ways and some prefer different outlets.  You have to make sure that if you create a social media stream for your users to follow you, then you need to continue to use it so you don’t lose your reader’s interest.

I am a part-time blogger since I am also a full-time stay at home mom and involved in various organizations.  Even though I am considered a “stay at home mom,” it seems like we are never at home!  So staying connected in different outlets took a lot effort, but not any longer with HootSuite.

HootSuite
HootSuite is first and foremost a Twitter toolbox that has received rave reviews for many of its features.  HootSuite was recommended by many probloggers at BlogWorld 2009, so I decided it was worth trying out and I have never looked back.

Some of its features I love include:

• Easily RT, DM and Reply by selecting the username and the appropriate icons
• Ability to schedule updates
• Shorten a URL quickly and easily
• Provides analytics to track links clicked
• View the conversation for @replies

Other Features I Haven’t Tried:

• Ability to Manage Multiple Twitter Accounts
• Feed RSS to Twitter automatically
• Import Existing Lists and Create Lists
• Easily upload photos and documents

HootSuite Works with Facebook, Linkedin, and Ping.fm
HootSuite updated its application at the end of November to allow you to provide current and scheduled status updates on Facebook, Linkedin, Ping.fm, and Twitter.

I have been using this feature for about a week and it has not only saved me time from going to various sites, but it allows me to stay connected and be more active with my readers and friends.  Now I can update my status in Twitter, Facebook Fan Page, and my personal Facebook account with one application.

Will all updates go to all streams?
You can be selective in which stream you want your updates to be posted, so something that you would want to go to your personal Facebook update, won’t automatically be posted in all streams.  When you enter your status update, you select the icon for which stream(s) you want that to be posted in.  You can also update all of them with the same status.

Can you view your Facebook Friend’s updates from HootSuite?
Yes, and with pictures!  After you import your other social media streams (ex. Facebook) into HootSuite, you will see Tabs for the different streams.  Click on a tab and you can view the wall status updates of your friends and can make comments to their updates.  You can also rename, add, and delete tabs.

It Gets Even Better…
You can easily add your social media stream as a column in HootSuite so you can see your Twitter and Facebook info on the home screen.

The Downfall…
There isn’t an iPhone application for HootSuite yet.  If we could just get this awesome application on our iPhone then I would have no more excuses for not staying updated.

Do You HootSuite?
Just give HootSuite a shot if you haven’t already fallen in love with another Twitter Toolbox.  I have found that it saves me time and I love its organizational structure.  Hopefully you too will find it useful.  If it doesn’t work for you, then at least you have nothing to lose.

Twenty-one years after writing her award-winning book The Cake Bible, Rose Levy Beranbaum–a.k.a the “Diva of Desserts”–shares more amazing cake recipes in her new book Rose’s Heavenly Cakes. Featuring detailed directions and instructional photographs that guide readers step-by-step through her recipes, the book makes it easy for any home baker to create Rose’s mouth watering cakes. The book features butter and oil cakes, fluted-pan cakes, baby cakes, sponge cakes, and the bravest bakers can even attempt one of her wedding cakes!

In the spirit of the Julie and Julia project, Rose’s fans are baking every one of the cakes in Rose’s Heavenly Cakes and blogging about it at heavenlycakeplace.blogspot.com. Rose also has her own blog, Real Baking with Rose, where she shares her thoughts about baking, lists her upcoming appearances and has a complete list of all of her popular cookbooks.

Learn a little bit about baking a great cake by watching Rose’s video:

Click here for a larger version of the video.

Writing in an office environment can be difficult. Distractions are everywhere. I hear coworkers talking about the details of Tiger Woods’ alleged affair and I get distracted. They ask me a question about updating a profile on BlogCatalog and I get distracted. The UPS man shows up, asks for a signature and I get distracted. Even on the days when I find myself alone in the office, I still get pulled off track by the various tones emanating from my phone and computer alerting me to a new email, a new text message or an incoming call.

So, how does one eliminate all of the outside distracters and get back to the simple task of putting words down on a page? This is the question I asked myself at the beginning of the week, and after a few days I have come up with three tips. I have no illusions that these are ground breaking pieces of advice. In fact, writers have probably seen them expressed one way or another a thousand times. Still, even when one knows something already, it is nice to have a periodic reminder.

1. Schedule time to write when you know you will not be distracted. I usually get to the office between 8:30 am and 9:00 am in the morning. By that time, most of my coworkers are here too and so I come into an environment where there is already a lot of activity. By arriving between 6:30 am and 7:00 am, I give myself anywhere form an hour and a half to two hours of alone time when I can concentrate on my writing and nothing else.

2. Turn off your phone and any alert systems you have on your computer. I put my phone on silent, shut down my email program and turn off all my social media applications. I turn everything off completely because even if I don’t check my email or pick up the phone to see who is calling, just hearing the beep, buzz or ring can distract me from my thoughts. And, when you get knocked out of your writing groove, it can sometimes be hard to get it back.

3. Use a basic writing program. The first part of writing is getting your thoughts out on the page. So, pick a program that allows you to do just that without being distracted by spell-check and formatting errors; these can be fixed later.

This week I have been using Ommwriter, a new application for Macs developed by Herraitz Soto & Co. Recently launched in beta form, Ommwriter is “a simple text processor that firmly believes in making writing a pleasure once again, vindicating the close relationship between writer and paper.” Forget formatting, inline spell checking, hundreds of font choices. You’ll find none of that here. What you will find is a clean, simple application that allows you to focus on just one thing–putting your words onto the page. Ommwriter does have a few options. You can choose one of three backgrounds–a clean white page, a clean grey page or a minimalistic grey and white snow scene. There are also three font choices–serif, sans serif and script–and three font sizes. There are seven meditative soundtracks and seven different keyboard sounds from which to choose; or you can turn the sounds off and type in silence. For those of you looking for a meditative space in which to write all you really need is Ommwriter and pair of headphones and you’re there. For more information about the Ommwriter application you can go to: http://www.ommwriter.com/

Ommwriter (click the link to watch the full-size video on Vimeo.)