superdumb supervillain: 01/01/2014 - 02/01/2014
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Sunday, January 26, 2014

A Visit to Shoe Carnival

I was asked to be a part of a team to support a consumer insights campaign for Shoe Carnival. I have been compensated by Ignite Social Media for Shoe Carnival. All views are my own.

I was asked to visit Shoe Carnival this weekend and check out their Shoe Perks reward program. As the wise supermodel Naomi Campbell once said, "shoes never make you feel fat or ugly." I heartily concur. It's not hard to get me to shop for shoes. 

Situated between an office supply retailer and a liquor store in a busy strip mall, my local Shoe Carnival is only a few miles from my home. Roo accompanied me on my excursion, in the hopes that I would buy her some new shoes, too.


The front of the store is filled with super crazy deals and low prices. It's easy to find your size in the stacks of boxes.


Moving back deeper into the store, you find more brand name bargains. Roo's been pretty obsessed with the newly hip Sperry Topsiders. I tried some on and discovered that they are still not me, some twenty odd years later.


Roo wanted to try EVERYTHING on. Seriously. My nine year old has outgrown the kids department. Yikes! We tried on mommy-daughter Croc jellies. Yes, more '80s fashion redux. Can you tell whose feet are whose?



There were a ton of cute bootie options. I seriously considered getting a pair of these Blowfish hidden wedges. And then my pesky daughter reminded me that I have the same style in almost exactly the same color. "But they're twill and these are tweed!" I argued. And then Roo gave me THE LOOK. So I pouted.


I thought these tooled leather clogs were pretty cool but not my style. Still, can't beat that price.


So then we got into the athletic shoes and I admitted to myself that I probably needed a new pair. There are a staggering number of choices, in prices ranging from super cheap through moderately pricey but still a good deal. I don't think I saw anything over $80, even for the newest, flashiest kicks. Roo liked all of the ones with bizarro spring soles and tie dyed neon colorways. I was a bit overwhelmed and tried on half a dozen pairs.


While I was debating over sizes and styles of newfangled sneakers, Roo was thrilled to discover a basketball cage. She shot some hoops while I considered the value of aerated soles and thermal foam insoles. 


It was kind of hard to resist the manager who kept touting a limited time boot sale over the store intercom but I held firm to my quest and ended up picking  a pair of Adidas that were $20 off the marked price. They were such a good deal that I let Roo pick out a pair of New Balance that were on super clearance for $25 and some multicolored socks. She was excited about the Spin to Win wheel by the registers, where you can get an additional discount or free prize. 


Another way Shoe Carnival helps to save money is their Shoe Perks Reward Club. You earn points for every purchase and when you accrue 200 points, you receive a $10 off reward certificate to use in store. I can imagine they add up fast, especially since you get 50 free points just for signing up!


Learn more about Shoe Carnival by liking them on Facebook and following them on Twitter and Pinterest. You can also check out a day in the life of my new sneakers on Instagram








Wednesday, January 22, 2014

Sunday, January 19, 2014

Funny or Die - The Board Game - Giveaway

The website Funny or Die is well known for their video spoofs, short films and all-around hilarity. But did you know that Hasbro is joining forces with Funny or Die to bring you the ultimate in caption craziness with a Funny or Die board game? It's true – now Now you can now bring all the moderately inappropriate fun into your home, to create comedy gold with your friends and family!



The goal is to one-up your opponents by matching outrageous photos and captions to create the best ultimate LOL combo. Players vote to decide which is the funniest and which one must “die.” It's an epic combination of charades, go fish, making fun of people at the mall, and whatever your favorite board game is. (Except for Monopoly because it really isn't much like that at all.)

One caveat- make sure the little ones are in bed before you break out the new Funny or Die board game. Some of the images and captions are a bit racy for youngsters.

If you'd like to win a copy, leave a comment with your favorite board game or Funny or Die video below! Enter by January 21st for your chance to win.





In accordance to the FTC Guidelines and the WOMMA Code of Ethics, I am disclosing that I received a sample to facilitate this review and the giveaway prize is being providedNo compensation was provided. All opinions are, as usual, entirely my own.

Tuesday, January 14, 2014

♥♥♥ For Your Valentine, the Beginning Reader

I am a huge fan of Toon Books and their commitment to instill children with a love of reading as well as a love of art and design. Too much stuff meant for kids in the bookstore is visually jarring and  just plain ugly. There's no reason why early readers should suffer through garish colors and dumbed-down storylines. They'll have enough visual disappointment in later life…


Thereza Rowe's ♥♥♥ (Hearts) looks like another Toon winner, with bold artwork in  a sophisticated palette. The story features foxes, sharks, chickens and kitty guards… and a quest for a lost heart. Beautiful enough to give to your grown-up Valentine, this book is perfect for beginning readers. 

Sunday, January 12, 2014

Red Carpet Beauty: Zooey Deschanel by Tarte

I love Zooey Deschanel's fresh, kinda retro style. She looked amazing at the Golden Globes, as usual. Here's how Tarte artist Jorjee Douglass created her makeup look.


“Zooey looks like a dream in her cream-colored dress, so I wanted to keep the eye very natural and clean, and make her lips pop.” –makeup artist Jorjee Douglass

complexion:

eyes:
  • To create a clean, fluttery eye, Jorjee used the be MATTEnificent colored clay eye & cheek palette. She started by smoothing “view from the taupe” up into her creases. Then she lightly blended “bronze horizon” from the sultry sunset Amazonian clay palette over top. To create soft lash definition, she lined her eyes with “don’t stand black” from the be MATTEnificent colored clay eye & cheek palette on her lower lashlines. 
  • Next, she coated her lashes with two layers of gifted Amazonian clay smart mascara.
  • She finished by defining her eyebrows with Amazonian clay waterproof brow mousse in taupe.

lips:


Saturday, January 04, 2014

OnePiece - Loungewear, Simplified

Have you heard of OnePiece?  It's the ORIGINAL adult onesie, kind of a fashionable cross between a snuggie/slanket and a flightsuit. Invented by three Norwegian guys who wanted a better outfit for chilling out in, OnePiece started out as a simple combination of slacker hoodie and sweatpants but blossomed into a streetwear phenomenon with oodles of prints and colors to choose from. They even have licensed gear from kid faves like One Direction and Angry Birds as well as a super snuggly Snow Patrol OnePiece.


I ordered my first OnePiece and it was waiting for me when I got home from California which was especially welcome since I was going from 80ºF SoCal sunshine to 14ºF Kansas slushland. I was impressed by the quick delivery: all the way from the Netherlands to the American heartland in 3 business days, smack dab in the middle of the holiday rush. 

I love the classic Lusekofte (not to be confused with Lutefisk, which is a whole 'nother kettle of fish) styles that mimic traditional Norwegian sweater patterns but opted for the more subdued Rigid Onesie in washed camo. It reminded me of the flightsuit I wore to my first concert in the '80s– Rick Springfield, no lie.

Roo demanded to try it on first. She was so excited, she stripped down in the middle of the kitchen to put it on!


OnePiece lets you completely zip up your hood, for some mobile sensory deprivation…


The true genius of OnePiece is the one-size-fits-all comfort. It "fits" Roo and would probably fit her 6'2" dad although he declined my offer to give it a try. It's roomy on me, too!


Okay, it's not necessarily the most flattering clothing style for my short, round shape but it is incredibly comfortable. And it has plenty of pockets for phones, remotes, etc. 


My husband is a particular fan of the double zippers, which give OnePiece kind of a Russ Meyer charm:

My one design suggestion would be that they make the zipper go all the way around your nethers, so you don't have to completely disrobe to pee. 

OnePiece is available for Men, Women, Kids and small dogs. My dogs were pretty bummed, it's true… Rocky and Stella would both look great in a doggie OnePiece! 

OnePiece Dog Style Onesie Camo Green

If you're still not super enthusiastic about the whole one-piece aspect of OnePiece, you'll be happy to know that they stock a range of slouchy casual separates that are just as chill as their namesake style. The Slacker Hood (ack! Hoodie dress, what could be more perfect?) and Kajsa tights pictured below are two pieces I am dying to try.

OnePiece Slacker Hood Black

Keep in touch with OnePiece!
OnePiece Facebook 
Twitter: @onepiece
Instagram: @onepiece
OnePiece Pinterest - Use hashtag #slackerslife to see OnePiece fans in action!


In accordance to the FTC Guidelines and the WOMMA Code of Ethics, I am disclosing that I received a sample to facilitate this reviewNo compensation was provided, although I might earn cash or credit if you buy something after clicking on one of the affiliate links. All opinions are, as usual, entirely my own.