A couple of weeks ago, I announced a great giveaway for this Travel Accessory Bag:

Yesterday, my very handsome “assistant” drew names of ladies who entered and chose a winner:

Congratulations, Jessica Bishop of Nashville, Tennessee!  Please send me your mailing address and I will get this out to you!

Thank you to everyone who entered – stay tuned for more giveaways coming soon!

You can read the details of the giveaway and the comments by clicking here:  Travel Accessory Bag Giveaway

Just this past Spring, we had to put down our beloved dog, Velvet. I got Velvet as a puppy 16 years ago.  I was married once before, very briefly, and I got Velvet after my first husband unexpectedly ended our marriage.  She brought me a lot of comfort over the years, and got me through what was probably the most difficult thing I have experienced in my adult life.  Without her, I can’t imagine what my life would have been like through that difficult time.  As time passed, both Velvet and I fell in love with my husband, Corkey, and she became best friends and guardian to our son, Gabe.  Check out her sweet face…

We still have one dog named Princess.  She is 14 years old.  When she is gone, we will get another dog that will hopefully be the same kind of longtime friend to my son, Gabe that both Velvet and Princess have been.  I can’t imagine our family without a pet!

Did you know that medical studies show that pets lower our anxiety and blood pressure while boosting immunity?  Americans own around 77.5 million dogs and 93.6 million cats.  We create Twitter accounts for them and Facebook Profiles, put them in ridiculous pet clothes and carry them in tote bags with us everywhere we go.  We love our pets – and in return, they provide us with unconditional love and laughter.

Pet Finder is a great website dedicated to pet adoptions and educating people on how to be a good owner.

Are you a pet owner?  Tell me about your pet in the comments below.

If you are not a pet owner, what are you waiting for? It’s time to add a pet to your family, whether you are a single gal, or you have a house full of children.  They will bring you a lot of joy.

Amy Lynn Larwig is a professional Make Up Artist out of Nashville, Tennessee.  She is a very savvy and approachable professional and I am so pleased she will be contributing bi-monthly posts on all things beauty.  Enjoy her contributions to the blog, check out her crazy good website at www.amylynnlarwig.com  and follow her on Twitter:  @amylynnlarwig.

Photo by: Kristyn Hogan

The best place to start the discussion of beauty is probably with skin health. When your skin isn’t healthy, makeup can only go so far, and it affects your overall look. But with all the products available, each making their own set of too good to be true claims, it is hard to know what works. The truth is, skin care is very much a personal choice. Something that works terrific for me may be terrible for you. Here are some tips for finding the right skin care line for your needs.

- Wash your face EVERY night! I know you’ve heard this since you were 12, but I still talk to women in their 30s who don’t wash their makeup off at night. While you sleep, your body is regenerating. And that includes your skin. Keeping makeup on suffocates it, not allowing your skin to renew itself. Results: congested pores, breakouts, dullness

- Skin care is used every day, twice per day. So make sure you choose a line that you feel comfortable with the ingredients. Our skin is very absorbent, so the chemicals in your wash/toner/moisturizer/serums/night creams/eye creams/zit creams are soaked up daily and make their way through your blood stream. Visit Cosmetics Database to learn about the harmful chemicals found in our daily cosmetics. Use your best judgment when shopping and trying to sort through the ingredient list. Results: healthy skin without the worry of possible long term risks

- Learn about your skin. Just because you have breakouts, doesn’t mean you are oily. A zit zapping line may be too harsh. So make sure you pay attention to the way your skin behaves and look for products that address your specific concerns. Results: skin care that addresses your skin’s individual needs.

- Don’t believe the hype. All the anti aging, wrinkle plumping, line filling banter that covers the TV and magazines is bologna. Instead look for products that promise clean, nourished skin. If anti aging is a big concern for you, work on that from the inside out with diet and exercise and keep skin moisturized. Results: No disappointments or wasted money from failed wrinkle erasers.

- Always purchase from a line that has a good return policy. Much of skin care is trial and error, so keeping a product that doesn’t work for you or that causes you irritation is a waste of money. Most cosmetic companies will accept your return product if it isn’t a great fit. Results: No risk. If you hate it, bring it back.

- Give it time. Using something one time and not seeing results doesn’t justify bringing it back and exchanging for something else. Allow your skin to adjust to the new products for at least 2 weeks. Unless you have a serious irritation or allergy, give the treatments time to do their thing. Results: you really learn how the product works and see its maximum power.

All work and no play makes Jeannine a very, very dull girl.  I learned this the hard way about a year ago.  Busier than I had ever been since starting my company, I was on the verge of burnout.  I was really having difficulty making decisions, I was irritable and becoming resentful of work.   Never mind that I finally had the workload I had been waiting for, I was overwhelmed.  Even though I loved the work I was doing, in my mind, it was keeping me from spending time with family and doing other things I enjoyed.  I felt empty, not unlike when I became a new mother.  You know that feeling when you just don’t have any more of yourself to give?  Yeah, that’s it.  In reality, I needed to step away from the work and refuel.

 Joan Allen as Georgia O’Keefe in the biopic movie of the artist.

"Of all human activities, creativity comes closest to providing the fulfillment we all hope to get in our lives," –Mihaly Csikszentmihalyi

It took me two weeks after I had “unplugged” to realize that the demands of my business were killing my creativity, and in return, my work had become pure drudgery.  I had lost my creative mojo – what’s a girl to do?  My solution was to get lost in volumes of fashion magazines and read fashion blogs until my eyes were crossed.  The result?  The Stylish Planner – yes this blog you are reading now is a result of some serious soul searching and diving back into a passion that I had forgotten.  I still experience burnout from time to time, though not on the same level as before.  Here are some tips for finding your creative mojo:

1)  Change your scenery.  Work from your favorite coffee shop, park or even your front porch.  The new sights and sounds will invigorate you.  In an article entitled, Working in a Cubicle or Cube-kill?, Joey Reiman talks about literally thinking outside of the “box” – or stepping away from your workspace in order to foster creativity.  Our work environments, no matter how lovely, can actually stifle our creativity.  He also names several places where we sometimes do our best thinking, a few of which might surprise you.

2)  Take a long weekend.  Whether or not you are able to get out of town matters less than actually taking the time away from your work.  Turn your phone off, shut down the computer and leave it that way.  You’ll be surprise at what your mind works out on its own just because your freed up some “space” in your brain.

3)  Pick up that forgotten hobby.  It doesn’t need to relate in any way to what you currently do, in fact, the less your hobby has to do with your work, sometimes the better.  Play the guitar, work on your scrapbooks, paint or sculpt.  Pursuing creative passions creates a sense of fulfillment that we don’t usually experience in our everyday work.

4)  Work it out:  Go for a brisk walk, run, or pull out your favorite exercise video.  An increased heart rate clears the mind and gets the creative juices flowing.

5)  Journal:  While making the effort to physically step away from your workspace, you may find that your mind is not cooperating.  Keep a journal nearby and write out your thoughts and ideas to your hearts content.  This way you won’t forget what you were thinking about, and there is something therapeutic about writing it all out and I find clarity in having my thoughts down on paper.  But don’t allow yourself to act on your ideas until Monday or the return from vacation, etc.  Trust me – the end result will turn out better when you give yourself the time to think things through carefully and weigh your options.  Bonus:  depending on what you do in your work and how your blog is structured, your journal entries could serve as future blog posts if they are relevant to your work!

In an interview at Princeton University, Albert Einstein was asked how he spent his day. He responded that 20 percent of his time was spent teaching his students, and 80 percent was spent looking out his window.  Here’s to the dreamer in all of us, and to fueling our creativity!

Jen Wooster-McBride is owner and CEO of J. Lauren Events in Columbus, Ohio.  If you haven’t already, check out her featured planner style profile and get to know her a little better.  Jen is a regular contributor to The Stylish Planner on the topic of Petite fashion, you will definitely enjoy her posts!

3 Layering Tips for Petites

The cool weather last week had me giddy for autumn.  Then the 90+ degree weather this week….makes me even more excited that cold weather is right around the corner.  I am ready to put away the summer clothes in favor of warm sweaters and fabulous boots.  But alas we are not quite there yet. Layering is great way to transition between your cold and warm weather wardrobes but for petites it can be a bit more challenging.  It is too easy to be lost in a sea of clothes.

Here are our top 3 tips and tricks:

1.  Transition Your Sundress- Dresses are so versatile but petites should avoid this turtleneck under the dress look I see everywhere this season, it adds too much weight.  Instead take your favorite sundress and add tights, booties and a shrunken blazer or leather jacket.

Me Too ‘Latria 14′ Bootie via Nordstrom &

Alice & Olivia Cropped Leather Jacket at Bergdorf Goodman

2.  Lighten Up- When layering tees and cardigans stick with tissue tees and tanks to reduce bulk.

J Crew Tissue Tee

3.  Scarves and pashminas are great for layering but the heavy fabric and long length can make them a bit overwhelming.  Opt for the lightweight shorter scarves of summer over your warm winter textiles.

Missoni Zig Zag Scarf from Nordstrom

NOTE FROM JEANNINE:  I really adore Lisa Zachery. She made me feel instantly like a friend  when we first met.  She is so easy to talk with, and within moments, I could see that we have lots in common.  She is an amazingly talented stationery designer and a great networker – you know, one of those people that has a knack for putting others together to collaborate on something.  I know you will enjoy reading her style profile today.  Once you do, follow her on Twitter at @Createmepapered and make the time to say hello – you’ll be glad you did!

This post was previously published in June, 2010.

NOTE from Jeannine:  I’m really excited to have Mary Dann-McNamee as a guest contributor today on The Stylish Planner.  In addition to sharing her actual wedding wisdom with us, Mary has also generously offered to contribute an autographed copy of her book, Wedding Wisdom for a giveaway to one lucky winner!  Winning is easy, just read Mary’s post today and leave a comment below.  One winner will be randomly selected to receive an autographed copy of Wedding Wisdom.  Enjoy!

As one of the most sought-after wedding planners in Southern California, Mary Dann-McNamee has been responsible for creative and compassionate wedding and event planning since 1991.  Mary holds a Masters Degree in Clinical Psychology with an emphasis in Marriage and Family Therapy.  Her passion for the industry has led her down many paths, including becoming a contributing writer for the following magazines: Inside Weddings & Ceremony.  She has a been the on-air talent for the nationally syndicated television show "Whose Wedding Is It Anyway?" as well as WE Network’s “Platinum Weddings".  Dann-McNamee is a notable speaker, mentor and career counselor to event professionals world-wide.  She launched her gifts and stationery line, which includes, The Mary Dann Collection: Gratitude Notes and custom created "Wedding Wands".  Mary has also produced two DVD’s: "The Wedding Planner Path" and the "The Balanced Planner” and is the co-author of the newly released book "Wedding Wisdom".  Check out Mary’s website at: www.marydann.com and follow her on twitter: @marydann

Habits to start in order to stay balanced!

-Know that you “make or create time” it does not come knocking at your door.  Avoid saying “I don’t have time”.  The truth is you have not created the time.

-If a task takes longer than 30 minutes, put it in your calendar to make time to have it completed.

-Practice finding at least 20 gifts throughout your day. Gift of getting home safely, gift of a new prospect call, gift a new idea, gift of a positive email you did not expect, etc.

-Decrease the negative remarks and “self-talk” to oneself.  Stop telling yourself your short falls.  Start highlighting your positive choices.

-BREATHE with purpose. Inhale with a mantra of “I Love you” and exhale with the mantra of “Thank you”.

Leave your comment here to be placed in the random drawing for Mary’s book, Wedding Wisdom.

This post was previously published on March 2, 2010.

Note from Jeannine:  Today’s post is from our wonderful guest contributor, NaShara Mitchell.  NaShara is the Owner & Creative Director of Ready to Blush, Your Wellness & Beauty Concierge.  Based out of Indianapolis, Indiana, NaShara is our Beauty & Wellness expert, contributing twice monthly on topics written with wedding and event planners in mind.  NaShara founded Ready to Blush in 2002 as a personal aesthetics company.  Services offered by Blush are a starting point to enhance, empower, and educate women, focusing on both inner and outer health, wellness, and beauty.  NaShara is a wonderful asset to The Stylish Planner and is such a pleasure to work with.  If you haven’t met NaShara yet, you should make plans to meet her at Eventology 2010, in Indianapolis in April.  Please enjoy this installment from NaShara!

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Photo courtesy of : www.skype.com

Get Ready for Your Close-up!

Q. I have a my first meeting coming up with a client via Skype Video. Should I treat it any differently from an in-person interview? I mean I know I should treat it like we are together, because we are, but I am not sure if I need to do something different with my makeup?

A. Thanks to technological advances, green initiatives, and just sheer convenience, conducting meetings increasingly via Skype or other videoconference technology. You are right on target to treat a videoconference like any other business meeting, because the client really can see everything. Your face takes center stage, so let’s make sure it’s ready for your close-up.

The key is to make sure you look polished, fresh and alert. Cameras, varying computer screens types and resolutions and room lighting can easily wash you out so it is important to wear makeup, if only a little powder and lip color. If your makeup personality is all out glam, all the time, by all means, go glam. If your personality is a little more subdued, that’s ok too. Your client is expecting you, not the latest smoky-eye trend. Your everyday look will read well on your client’s computer as long as you shy away from bronzers and eye shadows that have large amounts of glitter or frost. They reflect light and can become distractions to your client.

If you are talking numbers or intricate details and want to make sure your client concentrates on your mouth for added emphasis and understanding, add a little more color to the lips. Avoid a lip gloss that is too shiny because the vividness of color may be lost in transmission but the shine may serve as a counter-productive distraction. Want to build trust or soften the blow of sharing difficult or unanticipated information? Highlight your eyes with a light eye shadow, mascara and eyeliner so your client is drawn to them. If you have dark circles from fatigue or heredity, be sure to blend in a quality concealer to the area. (Blusher:: Tired? Besides concealer to cover dark circles, add a creamy white eyeliner to the lower lash line to make the whites of your eyes appear brighter.)

Your eyebrows are another key to maintaining a polished and fresh look. Eyebrows serve to frame your face and can instantly add freshness and openness when properly arched. (Blusher:: In between brow appointments? Tweeze or blend in skin-tone concealer to cover the stray hairs can help fool the eye into thinking your brows are properly arched.)

Your clothing and room in which you conduct your videoconference can also influence the vividness of your complexion and makeup on camera. If you choose to wear a solid color white or black shirt, don’t be afraid to add a little color via accessories in order to avoid the Casper the friendly ghost effect. White wall, white shirt, eeeek! The room should be well lit. If you use an overhead light or the natural lighting from a window, position yourself so that the lighting does not create shadows across your face. Another way to avoid shadows or darkness is to make sure your webcam or laptop is positioned at eyelevel. The stack of magazines that you may not have had time to read can really come in handy when adjusting your laptop or camera to avoid the unflattering consequences of a camera and client positioned to look up at you.

The easiest way to be sure you are prepared and ready for your videoconference meeting, have a test run with an honest friend. Good Luck!

Questions are always welcome at ask@readytoblush.com.

This post was previously published in January, 2010.

t’s official.  My emergency kit has reached celebrity status.  Emma E-Kit (she likes to be called “Em”) was recently “discovered” by Atlanta Occasions Magazine  Publisher, Heather Vreeland, and featured on Page 18 of the current issue.  Heather wrote a great article about items that wedding planners include in their kits.  To supplement that information, I have included a detailed list below of the items I include, as well as a few funny stories from times when I have needed to access the e-kit items.  Enjoy!

For my wedding planning company, FAVOR Events, we use a large Caboodle Pro Cosmetics Case for our Emergency Kit. It retails for about $40. It is professional looking and easy to organize. We especially like that when opened, we can easily see all the contents.  We carry it with us everywhere on the wedding day, ultimately parking it in a nearby storage closet or behind the bar area at the reception.

We include the following items in our kit at all times:

· Scissors

· Bic candle lighters

· Trial size men’s deodorant

· Trial size ladies deodorant (clear)

· Floral tape in narrow and wide sizes

· Lint roller

· Trial size hair spray

· Hairbrush

· Mirror

· Kleenex

· Tums

· Shout wipes

· Deck of playing cards (for bored groomsmen)

· Baby wipes

· Mosquito Repellant Wipes

· Masking tape

· Ibuprofen

· Sudafed (good to give to people when they have been stung – can really decrease swelling if taken immediately after sting)

· Pepto Bismol

· Cough Drops

· Medical Tape

· Antibiotic ointment (used for burns, bug bites, small cuts and scrapes)

· Gauze

· Various size Band Aids

· Bobby pins

· Hair barrettes

· Emory Boards

· Dental Floss

· White chalk (can be used on bride’s dress to cover dirt and stains – test on underside of dress first!)

· Narrow black satin ribbon

· Floral pins in black and pearl

· Gum/Tic-Tacs

· Knitting needles and darning needles of various sizes (used when bride’s dress has satin buttons with loop closures)

· Rubber bands

· Safety Pins

· 2 Trial size sewing kits with black, navy, white and ivory thread

· Spool of thread to match bridesmaids dresses

· Stay put fashion tape

· Extra garter (for garter toss)

· Small Swiss army multi-tool that includes knife, bottle opener, corkscrew, Phillips head and flathead screwdriver

· Double AA batteries

· Sandpaper (for slippery new shoe bottoms)

· Earring Backs (both for earrings and to put on the pins used on guys boutonnieres’

· Fabric softener sheets (used for static cling)

· Small flask of whiskey (to calm the nerves of anxious grooms or Father-of-the-bride – NOTE: make sure they have recently had something to eat, and encourage them to only have a sip!  See funny stories below.)

· Panty liners and tampons

· Pens and pencils

· Black Sharpie markers

· Smelling salts

· Epi (epinephrine) pens in Adult and Junior strengths

Each wedding is different from the last, so we really try to evaluate if any additional items are needed for each client.

Funny stories:

I had a bride that was dead set against the garter toss. After she loosened up at the reception, however, her sorority sisters chided her into doing it after all after I said that I had an extra in my kit.  The photos of the toss were some of the best of all the photos because it was so out of character for the bride – everyone was laughing so much!  I was thrilled to be able to accommodate her last minute change of mind.

I had a groom once that was obviously completely in love with his bride to be. However, just before he was to take his place for the ceremony, I noticed he looked completely green. I pulled him aside, asked if he was alright, only to notice he was shaking like a leaf. He insisted that he was just nervous about being the center of attention in front of all the guests, and said he wished he would have had a drink earlier. At the time I didn’t keep a flask in my kit, but the ceremony and reception were taking place at an event facility, so I was able to get the bartender to fix him a quick drink. Soon after that incident, I added the flask to my kit. Low and behold a few weeks later, I had an anxious father of the bride and was able to offer him some “liquid courage”. He was very appreciative.

At another wedding, where the groomsmen wore only vests, a guy was bleeding under his vest from the floral pin on the boutonnière. He had been trying to withstand the pain because “he didn’t want to mess up the flowers”. I happened to think of the earring backs that I keep in my kit and we affixed one of those to the floral pin. Now, I frequently use these on boutonnieres’ and have used them on bouquets as well.

And my personal favorite…Once I was in a hallway near the restrooms, squatting down to pull something from my fully opened kit.  Along comes a lady with the cutest little boy who said, “Look, Mom! That lady is a CSI!!”

What funny stories can you share about your emergency kit?  Any really off the wall items you include that other planners should be aware of?  Please share your stories and tips with us!!

So glad it’s Friday, and not just for the usual reasons.  We are headed out for a end of summer beach trip to Hilton Head, SC.  My little man is out of school for Fall Break, and sun and sand is heaven on earth to us.  One last summer soiree for us until Fall arrives, I am so pumped!

So, I thought it would be great if The Stylish Planner readers could share in my pure joy about getting out of town.  While shopping for a few things for the trip, I picked up an extra one of these:

This is the cutest accessory bag I’ve seen in a while.  It has a zippered compartment for your flat iron and two compartments for your jewelry or make up.  Don’t you just love the Tiffany Blue graphic print? 

I’d love to know – what is your favorite fall fashion piece?  I will draw one name from all the comments to select one winner.  Contest ends next Wednesday at midnight.

While I am away next week, I hope you will enjoy some reposts of all my favorite Stylish Planner posts.  Happy weekend everyone – see you soon!