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Tuesday, August 04, 2009

Sometimes being a blogger isn't easy. I know that in the course of a week I will find myself tinkering with html, css and various other bits and scripts to develop my blog and explore new possibilities for marketing.

The problem with this approach is that you cannot do everything yourself. There aren't enough hours in the day and logically, it isn't an effective use of your time. You can't be expected to learn flash, html, css and javascript just so you can insert one element into your blog. Something I have learned in the last few years of blogging is that it's quicker and easier to hire someone else to do some code, a presentation or a flash element that will come out looking professional. This will also free you up to do what it is you do best - blogging. If you spend all your time coding and tinkering, you won't be focusing your time on writing quality blog posts.

The consensus among the blogosphere's notable bloggers is that video is the big selling point. If you are marketing your own or affiliate products and wish to capture the reader's attention, video is often the most effective way to communicate your ideas.
















Whether you are branching out into Corporate Video, DVD production or creating a sales pitch to present to visitors to your blog or site, you can create a much better impression with a professional touch. You wouldn't run a real estate website and feature a youtube bumpy, fuzzy amateur video as your selling point. You can make your site instantly interactive and create a deeper interest as well as standing out from the rest of the websites. Richter Studios have been creating corporate videos for over 10 years and have a proven record for making sales for their clients.



Brought to you by Richter Studios.

Monday, August 03, 2009















What is it with womens' clothing sizes? I watched "The Devil Wears Prada" last night, an enjoyable film that pokes fun at the fashion industry. Despite the obvious satire, I was still appalled at the main character being ridiculed for her "large" dress size. The "offending" size was 6. As far as I can tell, the Australian equivalent to a 6 is a 10 or perhaps an 8. The average size of a model in Australia is size 8-10. They are often 5' 8" to 6' however there is no way on God's Green Earth that a size 10 or a size 8 is "big". Not even a little bit. Unless perhaps you are three foot nothing.

Later on in the film the main character is applauded for her "weight" loss to a size 4. She was small at the beginning of the film. The man who applauded her weight loss was not slim, nor did he have any hair of note. Again, the film uncovers rather than celebrates this obvious double standard, but it does make me wonder when things are going to change.

This begs the question: Why is it that women are applauded for getting smaller? The sizes in the US are insane. In Australia, sizes 0 and 00 are the sizes you buy for your newborn baby. In the US, these are the sizes that women must aspire to for their adult lives. It makes no sense. Are we to be the incredible shrinking women? Will we get approval only when we resemble little girls? Or is the size 0 more sinister, indicating that women will get the ultimate approval when they disappear altogether?























Wednesday, July 15, 2009













The Spring 2010 collections will be featured at fashion week in New York 10-17 September 2009. This is undoubtedly one of the most prestigious events in the fashion calendar. I love following the latest fashion designers and many of the newest and hottest fashions are featured in the "Let's Go Shopping!" section of my blog. Spending a week in New York to see the latest fashions in New York would be a fashion bloggers dream.


The upcoming fashions are sorted by designer and appear with their scheduled times of appearance. The website also features previous seasons by designer such as the fall 2008 collection:













And of course famous guests will be making their appearances. My personal faves, the Williams sisters from the 2008 show:









Looking stunning, as usual.

You can register to volunteer at Mercedes-Benz Fashion Week Spring/Summer collections using the "volunteer" link on the front page. Some of the duties include runway preparation, ushering, backstage set up and assistance, gift bag assembly and maintaining the information desk. All resumes must be received by July 19th so there is little time to waste if you want to attend in a volunteer capacity.

As a model I volunteered as a dresser for the Australian Designer Collections in Melbourne. It was a lot of fun and I got to dress Bridget Hall. We ended up drinking a lot of champagne and smoking ciggies but she still managed to get out on the runway. But that's another story...

If you are lucky enough to score an invite to the shows in Fashion Week (the event is by invitiation only), you will no doubt be needing New York Vacation Rentals for your accommodation needs. The invites are sent out to celebrities, members of the fashion industry, fashion press, and internet based fashion press, which I presume includes some bloggers.

Sounds like fun! I wonder if Bruno will be there?...

Monday, July 13, 2009

And the winner is... (drumroll)

























The winner of the lovely Augusta Judson oriental rug is Tammi from Ohio!

Congratulations to Tammi, CSNRugs will be sending out your beautiful rug shortly, enjoy!!

I had a lot of fun with this competition. Thanks to all who entered and keep an eye out for more giveaways coming up!


Draw courtesy of pickrandom.


Wednesday, July 08, 2009

Holiday! Celebrate!! I have had that song in my head this morning and I can't understand why. Perhaps it's because I-NEED-A-HOLIDAY!! It's bitterly cold here, I'm sure I am getting vitamin D deficient from lack of sunlight and well, I just need to get away.

So where would I like to go? Hmm. That's pretty easy for me. I'm a beach person. I'm also a luxury and comfort person - that is, you won't catch me in a tent or a caravan park for nuts. Why? I like amenities. Baths, showers, extra robes, hot chocolate and cable tv. Don't judge me, that's just the way I roll. And... I'm a golf person. Anyone who has read my blog knows that. Actually a golf nut is more to the point.














What kind of a place ticks all the boxes? Myrtle Beach Accommodation - the average high for Myrtle Beach in July is around 91F (33C) and average low is 71F (22C). The Myrtle Beach Accommodations overlook the sea and the beach is only a short shuffle away. But the big drawcard for me would be the golf courses - Robert Trent Jones, Greg Norman, Jack Nicklaus and Arnold Palmer have, amongst notable others, contributed to the design of the Myrtle Beach golf courses. Tidewater golf course (also known as the "Pebble Beach of the East") would be my pick for a round. Myrtle Beach Hotels have a number of golf packages that include rooms, green fees and breakfast. Heaven!!




Brought to you by Horizon Myrtle Beach
I was vee-eery tired last night, having only had approximately two hours each night for the last three nights. In my sleepy half-eyes open half-eyes closed state I started to notice the political commentator speaking on the current affairs program on the ABC (or was it SBS? I can't remember). My attention zoned in, not on the man himself or what he was saying, but the desk behind him. On the desk was the cutest thing - a mouse pad that looked like an afghan rug. I wasn't actually sure if these things existed or if tiredness had got the better of me and I had started hallucinating.

Not so:

Ta da!!














Pictured are Antique Red Afghan, Lori-Pambak and Turkoman Bokhara styles. They look so perfect on those dark wood Sherlock Holmes-type desks.





Tuesday, July 07, 2009

Belt buckles tell a lot about one's individuality. They can display political leanings, sport affiliations, music tastes and technology interests. Take for example these Star Wars classic belt buckle and one of the most endearing characters of these movies, R2D2.














These belt buckles just might make a perfect addition to my new geek chic look. We all love Star Wars, it's just that us nerds are comfortable enough in ourselves to admit it. It's okay to let out the inner nerd. It's good for you. If you don't, you could be sublimating the inner geek by pumping too much iron or getting insecure and injecting collagen every four hours.
But I digress.










Pewter Cassette Belt Buckle

I love cassettes and if you're anything like me, you probably miss them a bit. Why not commemorate the humble tape and give it the recognition it deserves - with an antique pewter plated cassette belt buckle.








AC/DC Belt Buckle
What more could you want? It's Australian, rock and well ...roll.

But you could also go for anything from The Ramones to Misfits, The Clash to Pink Floyd,

Or you could cross over between belt buckle genres. If you can't decide whether you want Bling, Rock or perhaps you want some Pirates of the Caribbean Love...

The answer?










A skull and crossbones belt buckle covered with four hundred black authentic Swarovski crystals. Of course!!

With any purchase of a belt buckle, there is also a bundled selection of belts available at an exceptional discount. There are so many belt buckles to choose from that you may find yourself overwhelmed by the choices. My pick?














Pinky!
The loveable but deadly nemesis of Pac Man. And of course Ms Pac Man. I love this buckle, I love the look, the cuteness, everything.

My only suggestion would be to make a reversible version in blue to represent the moment when Pac Man eats the power pill and renders Inky, Binky, Pinky and Clyde defenseless and flashing... hooo boy, am I showing my nerd stripes now. I think I'll go lie down now and listen to the soothing sounds of a computer tape screeching.

Sunday, July 05, 2009


Just a quick reminder for my US and Canada readers to enter the CSNRugs giveaway to win this beautiful rug.

TO ENTER:

Method (1)
Leave a comment on this post - remember to include your email address so I can contact you if you win!

Method (2)
Subscribe to this blog. You will be automatically entered into the draw.


More details on competition in the original post.






Thursday, July 02, 2009

I have been in an accessories mood of late. Scarves, bags and nifty little goodies that look good and also serve a function.

Such as this Lulu vanity case for £34











Measurements: 25cm x 15cm x 15cm - comes with mirror and various pockets for keeping your cosmetic odds and ends.

Plus, I have been on the hunt for some quality shoes. My beautiful leather boots served me so well, up until the day I couldn't get the zipper to open and basically had to yank them off my feet, causing quite a bit of pain and frustration. So, the long and short of it is - I need new shoes. Preferably ones without zippers.


My pick - Vintage brown biker boots for £22














These are stylish, I love the colour and they don't appear to have a zip. Heaven.

For some reason, I don't know if it's due to the release of Bruno (I'm sure it isn't!) I have become more interested in the latest fashion trends. Perhaps it's wishful thinking on my part from watching the good weather at Wimbledon and lamenting the freezing conditions here in Melbourne, I have hit on the latest fashion trends for spring.

I am enjoying the slow phasing out of the stovepipe/skinny jeans. They really don't look flattering on many people, unless of course you are Kate Moss or a praying mantis!! The new look is flared jeans and I particularly love these Republic crafted skinny flare jeans for £29















Flares allow for boots, Doc Martens and other such sensible shoes. They also provide a nice balance to the figure and make legs look more elegant.

As you may already know, I like to trawl through the endless shopping sites and search for incredible bargains to expose to my readers. Shopwiki allows a search of around 30,000 shopping sites for bargains, and may become part of my daily searches for undiscovered gems.





Brought to you by ShopWiki.co.uk

Wednesday, July 01, 2009





Case Logic 15.4" Messenger Bag

Stylish, functional and available in green, blue, grey and charcoal.
Today's price $34.99







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Monday, June 29, 2009

Last minute deals ending 29 June 2009. (US time)


ViewSonic 22"Widescreen LCD Monitor
42% off
This monitor is marked down from $295 to $169. Shipping is free for a short time so... you might want to get in quick to take advantage of this offer.














SanDisk 4GB Memory Stick PRO Duo
77% off
This deal is incredible - normal price $79.99 - you can buy it today for $17.77
















Iomega 500GB Prestige Desktop USB 2.0 External Hard Drive
This external hard drive is usually priced around $99 - this one is marked down to $69.
















Apple iPod 30GB
$399 is the usual price - today $99.99



Thursday, June 25, 2009

This may be your lucky day - I was recently contacted by CSNRugs to host this incredible giveaway to win a FREE RUG from CSNRugs for all my US and Canada readers!!

What fun! I was also excited as I was asked by CSNRugs to choose the rug for the giveaway!!

This will be heaps more fun for the lucky winner who gets the rug for doing something as simple as (1) subscribing to my blog or (2) by leaving a comment. Read on...

After much deliberation browsing through the huge selection of area rugs, outdoor rugs and accent rugs I settled on this beautiful and elegant oriental rug as the GRAND PRIZE for one lucky reader:


Surya - Augusta Judson Woven Oriental Rug

























The rug is a classic oriental style, strong and stylish, bold and decorative.

Features:
  • Machine-woven in Egypt of 100% heat-set polypropylene
  • Absorbs the wear and tear of everyday use
  • Makes a fashion statement in any room
  • Primarily black with burgundy border and beige and green accents
  • Size: 2' 2" x 4' 6"


Here is a comment from one customer about Augusta Judson Woven Oriental Rug:

"This rug is the perfect piece for our entry. The colors are vibrant and it goes well with the tile in our entry and with the wood doors and railings in our entry. We are extremely pleased with this rug. It also is a beautiful compliment to other decorative accessories in our home. Love it!!"*

*Courtesy of CSNRugs reviews section


If you think this rug would look good as an entry rug, in your study, living room, bedroom, or some other special place you have in mind, make sure you enter - it's simple to enter and the winner could be you!!


TO ENTER:

Method (1)
Leave a comment on this post - remember to include your email address so I can contact you if you win!

Method (2)
Subscribe to this blog. You will be automatically entered into the draw.


Good Luck!!!

Wednesday, June 24, 2009



I always thought "Strong as Steel" was a Tina Arena song. ...and I just said that out loud.

It turns out that Strong as Steel is also a nutty infomercial about exercising in your kitchen using nothing but GE kitchen appliances. Note: This is not serious!! It has a disclaimer mentioning that lawyers have advised them to put a warning not to try this at home. It is, however, one of the funniest infomercials I have seen for a while. I have written a few posts poking fun at infomercials recently. I can't really do a lot to top this one, it pokes fun at itself. And you've got to love that. It's really quite silly and quite clever.

I mean seriously. Where else would you find Oven Squats, Dishwasher Lunges, and Refrigerator Curls?



Watch the video here:






"Do you find that your butt gets just a little bit bigger every time you go to the kitchen?"

*snicker!!* Gold!!

My exercise routine in the kitchen sometimes includes gonking my hand between the water filter and the refrigerator door and hopping about for a bit. And cupboard head butts - I do them whenever I forget to shut the overhead storage area. I wonder if "toaster presses" count? Er... probably not.

The release of the exercise DVD/parody cleverly coincides with a stainless steel upgrade promotion where you can buy GE appliances finished in steel for the same price as white, black or bisque. Plus you can enter a competition here to win a holiday to a number of destinations including Brussels - Belgium, Bilbao - Spain, LA, NY and Seattle. Where would I be going? Duh! Seattle of course!! You can enter the competition without needing to make a purchase.

Strong as steel, baby.




Monday, June 22, 2009













Acer TravelMate 3290 14.1'' Laptop Core 2 Duo, 1GB Ram, 80GB HD

This deal caught my eye today - for those looking for an inexpensive laptop, this refurbished 1GB RAM / 80GB HD provides the opportunity for big savings. My personal laptop came from DealsDirect and I was thrilled with the service and the laptop itself.

Today's price is $699 and suggested retail price is around $1400. You might need to hurry, though - this deal begins at 11:23PM Sun 21/06/2009 AEST and will end at 11:59PM Mon 22/06/2009 AEST.




You might also be interested in this offer, it seems that the guys at SurveyDollar are now paying people to take surveys. They are offering two special free bonuses including a copy of "Project Payday" and if you sign up now you can get instant unlimited access to a list of paid survey companies.

Monday, June 15, 2009

Sadistic Gift File #1 - Gong Alarm Clock















Gong Alarm Clock

Yeah. Like waking up in the morning isn't traumatic enough.

It really is that special present for the person you really hate. Instead of getting up the courage to tell them outright, you prefer to torture them on a daily basis, so the first thing they will think of in the morning is you. And creative ways of disposing of a clock... or a body...

"Be awakened with great fanfare, as is fitting for one of your stature and position. A tiny servant to your morning experience lets loose at a time of your choosing; loud "gong" is set by an easy-to- use digital clock"

In fact my "stature" and "position" will be as such:

Supine.

Fist smash.

Supine.

Position: head buried in pillow hopefully dreaming about Kung Fu.




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Wednesday, June 10, 2009

What do you get for the kid/adult/nutbag who has everything?

Why a Racing Grannies set of course!!


















Racing Grannies

Two high-octane octogenarians rev up their wheelchairs and spin around the 10-piece track; individual controls keep the action going. Requires four AA batteries (not included). Plastic. Grannies are 3¼"H; assembled track is 15½" x 25½".

I really don't know why I want this on my wish list. Probably because it's completely bonkers.

The people at What on Earth have struck gold here. Whoever thought of this idea is a genius. I would like to shake their hand and peer into their magnificent brain for a while. Racing Grannies. How do you think of something like that? Without non-prescription drugs?


technorati tags:

You might also be interested in this offer, it seems that the guys at SurveyDollar are now paying people to take surveys. They are offering two special free bonuses including a copy of "Project Payday" and if you sign up now you can get instant unlimited access to a list of paid survey companies.
I have scoured the edges of the earth for a simple, straightforward black cardigan. Do you think it was easy? Noooo.

They come with ruffles. Or shiny buttons, or beads, or frilly bits that hang asymetrically. Or those half-cardigans that make you wonder if you've actually got it on. And in this weather (5 dang degrees last night!!) you want to make sure you're rugged up and warm.

But finally my quest was er... quonquered.

Here it is in all its splendour:





















I spotted it on Ebay and had to have it. The auction ended in 9 days and I couldn't wait that long. I contacted the seller and said "if you put a buy it now price of $20 on that cardy I'll pay for it straight away." I wasn't sure if that tactic would work but I tried anyway. No sooner had I sent the message and the "buy it now $20" sign was up. I snapped it up and couldn't be happier. It is soooo warm.


P.S. Unrelated rant: The new Firefox sucks. Nothings works on it. Grrrr. I'm going back to the old one on oldapps.com




Thursday, June 04, 2009

Since winning my laptop in the DealsDirect Australian Bloggers competition, I have been researching prepaid wireless dongles on Ebay for what seems like a millennia.

Finally I decided on Optus, as the reliability and coverage is reported to be better than the other networks. I had witnessed others struggling with their various network's connections, suffering dropouts, and finally taking up creative swearing. I had to be vigilant.











I found an Optus USB slimline modem (dongle) on Ebay for $100 - not bad, considering they are $200 new plus $30 for a new SIM card.

Now, I have always considered myself to be quite adept with computers, having used them since I was around seven years old, perhaps earlier. I learned to program in basic, connect networks, install and configure operating systems on PC and Mac. I later learned HTML, completed a course in CSS and enjoy tinkering with code and other such nerdy pursuits.

The USB dongle instructions couldn't be simpler:

1. Put SIM card in USB dongle.

2. Insert USB dongle into computer. Wait around 7-10 minutes as the dongle automatically installs itself. The wonders of modern technology.

3. Click on the icon and press "Connect".

Now lets be fair. Even a monkey could probably work out how to do this after a bit of trial and error. But do you think I could get the dang thing to work? Nooooooo.

So I called Optus telephone support with all the enthusiasm of a heretic at a Spanish Inquisition party.

"Hello, Optus, how can I help you?"

The line was bad and I could tell I had called somewhere in the vicinity of Mumbai.

"Um, yes. I've installed the USB dongle and that's all fine but it won't connect. It keeps saying 'SIM card not recognised', I can't work out the problem."

So for the next twenty minutes we go through a number of avenues, SIM card set up, SIM card activation, password this and identification number that.

She suddenly stopped and I could hear her thinking.

"Uh, have you installed the SIM card properly?"

"Yes. Well, I think so anyway. Hang on let me check."

My heart rose as my nerd cred sank.

I looked at the dongle.

Pulled out the SIM card.

Checked the gold connection points.

They were on the wrong side.

Super nerd had inserted the SIM card upside down.

"How is that now?" she asked.

"Er, yeah. It works. Er... perfectly. Wow, that's great. Thanks."

"Have I been any help to you today?" She asked hopefully.

For the first time in my life was able to say yes.





Monday, May 25, 2009

I have been rather unwell of late, which means I have been watching a large amount of TV. In my half-stupor, I have been transfixed, unable to gather up the energy to change the channel - hence my exposure to another informercial.

The "Snuggie".

The Snuggie is amazing. It can keep you warm while providing arm holes so you can (quote / unquote) "move your arms".

Yeah. So can a jumper.

Or a blanket. But according to the infomercial, blankets can apparently "slip and slide". And when you're wearing a blanket and you try to reach for something, your hands are "trapped inside". Really? I was not aware of that. Maybe some people actually do spend a lot of time trapped inside slippery blankets that grip tighter than a strait jacket. It's probably more common than I think.

















Here's his holiness now, enjoying a well-earned rest and a snack. Oh no, wait. It's a Snuggie. Papal fashion must be in.


















Of course one size fits all. It's a big, shapeless, weird-assed robe.

Note to couples: if anyone sees you wearing this thing they will most likely assume you have joined some whacko religious cult. What they probably won't say to your face is that you look kind of... well... deranged.


















Wait a moment. Did they just say "outdoors"? Fine. Just fine. It's just that if your neighbour pops his head over the fence he'll be off calling the police, explaining that members of the Spanish Inquisition are holding a revival in your backyard...



















No. Please. Come on. They're wearing these things outside. In public.
At sporting events. Where there are other people.
Oh, the humanity.


















Ah, now the commercial is assuring us that the Snuggie is perfect for those drafty dorm rooms.

Yeah? Well they're about to get a whole lot draftier.

Take hormonal school leavers, add beer, add parties and add... a Snuggie? Wow.

What a great way to be on your own every Saturday night...

Repel guys...

...And girls...

And get a serious embarrassment complex leading to problems in interpersonal relationships later in life.

On the bright side, it gives you much more time to study...

So... if you want to embarrass your kids, look like a lost member of a goat-sacrificing cult, the Pope or even a member of the Spanish Inquisition, if being warm is far more important to you than looking like sensible human being, if you think looking hot in College is for squares... and you really don't want to find a partner...

ever...

Then what are you waiting for?

Call now...




Discover the alternative to expensive cable TV, no monthly charges and global access to 4500 channels. No hardware required. Stream HD channels directly from your laptop.

Wednesday, May 13, 2009












The idea behind the Australian Government's stimulus package is to increase the cash spent on Australian products, Australian businesses and in Australian communities. "Buy Local" is the catchcry.

According to the NineMSN Managing Money section:

  • A $900 bonus will be paid to taxpayers with taxable income up to and including $80,000.
  • A $600 bonus will be paid to taxpayers with income exceeding $80,000 to $90,000.
  • A $250 bonus will be paid to taxpayers with income exceeding $90,000 to and including $100,000.


Here are some ways you can spend your stimulus money while supporting the local economy:

Book a holiday within Australia.










This is one of the best ways to support the Australian economy. You will be supporting a number of businesses. If you travel by car, you will be supporting petrol stations, roadhouses and restaurants. And lets not forget pubs. The money from your holiday will go to bed & breakfast owners, motels, hotels, pubs and backpackers. If you travel by rail, you will be supporting the rail workers, ticket collectors, drivers and station masters. If you travel by plane, you will be supporting Australian captains, baggage handlers and stewards.

Photo courtesy MaxEphotos.


Local Restaurants and Pubs










This week I have passed a number of restaurants with empty tables and no activity whatsoever. If you want to help the local economy, go to a restaurant and enjoy your meal, knowing that the money goes towards the restaurant staff, owner and manager. Attend a local pub and have a counter meal. See a local band, thus supporting the live music community. In these times, it is a good idea to go out and let one's hair down once in a while.


The People in Your Neighbourhood






Look around your local main street or shopping precinct. You will find hairdressers, beauty salons, clothing shops, bookshops and cafes. Look in your local yellow pages guides. You will find carpenters, window glazers, mechanics, cleaners, gardeners and painters. Enlist some help around the house and help local businesses in the process.


Make Small Changes
















If you look around, you can find amazing local produce to replace the generic items you have been buying up until now. Australian made wines and cheeses, vegetables, eggs and delicacies. The Victoria Market has a great selection, or you could try South Melbourne, Chapel St or the equivalent in your state. Visit your local grocer, have fun finding the best produce from local growers. You will be reducing transport costs (good for the environment) and supporting Australian farmers.


Pay off your credit card

Some commentators scoff at this notion. I have two questions. One, what kind of an economy frowns on paying off debt and saving? Two, how did we get into this crisis in the first place? Irresponsible lending by greedy so-and-sos. Another thing that seems to have eluded the critics, if you spend your stimulus money on credit card debt, the bank gets the money. But then your finances are given more freedom. You can use the money you would have spent on credit card repayments on something nice like a road trip or at least a very large pub crawl.



And for those of you who say you don't want the stimulus money? Please donate to this blog using the paypal button and I will promise to spend it in the local community.







You might also be interested in this offer, it seems that the guys at MyShoppingJobs.com are now paying people to go shopping and giving away a bunch of free stuff as well. The Free E-Guide "Get Your Purchases Free" is now available for download.

Thursday, May 07, 2009





















Alabama plate CD holder


























Old West Soda Cap Belt
























Washington Fender Purse


Recycling has become chic and Eco Fashion is the new buzzword. Littlearth have created their items through recycling and reusing things that would otherwise have been thrown away. Perhaps this is the beginning of an exciting time in fashion and accessories. I hope that in the future, more designers follow Littlearth's lead.