deb said no

Tuesday Tidbits

CELEBRITY TIDBITS

Bitch, please. UGH! [IDLYITW]

I didn't think I could possibly love Mila Kunis more (because I've thought about this often....?).  Apparently, I was wrong. [Celebitchy]

I haven't read Breaking Dawn, but I have heard a lot about this scene. To avd, sbb, and hoodie: "Bung!" [Perez Hilton]

Dear Kesha: It's never a good sign when I'm looking at your outfit and thinking, "Snooki did it better." [WWTDD]

Anne Hathaway = Rrrrrowwwwwrrr! (well, in that first picture) [GoFugYourself]

STYLISH TIDBITS

Want this dress. [The Glamourai]

What's cutest: her outfit, her puppy, or her boyfriend? [Keiko Lynn]

Awesome boots, but how the eff do you walk in them?! [Fashion Toast]

Stylish hostess gifts. [Dans Mon Boudoir]

Blast from the past: Sherilynn Fenn for D&G (in 1991). [Boheme Noir]

VIDEO TIDBITS

Best part of the movie Girls Just Wanna Have fun? 0:42.  Best.  Reaction.  Ever.

Speaking of Shannen Doherty...

This might be the worst remake of any song ever.  I can't decide whether it's laughably terrible or just plain old terrible.

SONG OF THE WEEK

Whip my Hair by Willow Smith
I'm totally late to the party on this one given that I listened to it for the first time today, but I'm in love with it now. I was worried that my hair was too short to whip, but apparently it doesn't matter if it's long or short.  Good to know.

Want to contribute a link to Tuesday Tidbits? Shoot me an email.
PS: To those who sent me links last week, I apologize that some of them didn't get included, but I haven't had a chance to take a look at all of them yet.  In the coming weeks, I promise! 

Christmas at debsaidno

Hey there,

No regularly scheduled post tonight... because I'm working on a Christmas feature that will be unveiled on Wednesday! It's pretty dorky (obviously - it's me, and it's Christmas), but I'm pretty excited about it.

In the meantime, please enjoy my newly festive banner.

Cheers,

Julie

Holiday Gift Guide ($20 or less)

You don't need to spend a fortune to find great stuff for friends and family this holiday season. To prove my point, I've put together some great holiday gift finds, all for $20 or less.  I also made sure that every item on this this was either available in Canada, or could be ordered online and shipped to Canada.  Unless otherwise noted, all prices are in Canadian dollars.

(All image sources listed below) 

From L to R:

Coast to Coaster (Set of 6) - $15.99 (USD) from Modcloth
Spiral Tights - $17 from American Apparel
A Christmas Story - $12.99 (or 2 for $20) from HMV
Floral Scarf - $14.50 from Old Navy
Calling Bird Ornaments (Set of 4) - $19.99 from Chapters
Grateful Earrings - $16 (USD) from The Ardent Sparrow
Posh Paw-Berry Mittens - $19.99 (USD) from Modcloth
Trauma Center: Second Opinion - $12 from Game Stop
Leafing Town Necklace - $14.99 (USD) from Modcloth
Rocketfish Dual Charger - $19.99 from Best Buy
Pearl Drop Necklace - $15 (USD) from Anoriginal Jewelry
Bubby's Matryoshkas Measuring Cups - $14.99 (USD) from Modcloth
The Hunger Games - $9.99 from Chapters
Opaque Pantyhose - $17 from American Apparel
Unisex Knee-High Socks - $12 from American Apparel
Marine Antoinette Pendant - $18 (USD) from Untamed Menagerie
Steel Magnolias Ring - $12 (USD) from The Ardent Sparrow
Nail Polish (3 pack) - $18 from American Apparel

Happy shopping!

PS: Only one month left til Christmas!

Tuesday Tidbits

I'm trying something new with my tidbits this week.  Like the change?  Hate it?  Let me know in the comments!

 

CELEBRITY TIDBITS

The Situation did an abstinence PSA. With Bristol Palin. [Celebitchy]

In other Jersey Shore news, Angelina (aka "dirty little hamster") has a rap song, and it's even worse than I expected. Don't say I didn't warn you... [IDLYITW]

I did not see this coming.  Well, except the bit about Lindsay getting fired.  [EW]

A hilarious look at how Jessica Simpson's love life and (bad) fashion choices coincide. [The Cut]

 

STYLISH TIDBITS

Love these placecards.  [Cupcakes and Cashmere]

I think I might have to try this 30 for 30 remix challenge. Check out her guide (for only 4 bucks!) to how to effectively remix your own wardrobe. [Kendi Everyday]

Great winged liner tutorial. [Keiko Lynn]

Only she could pull of sequined leggings. [The Glamourai]

Jennifer Aniston's awesome on-set wardorbe. [Lainey]

Dress + pockets = genius. [FYVB]

 

VIDEO TIDBITS

This "X-rated" parody Harry Potter trailer makes me laugh so hard I cry. "Most people vomit their first time."

Also on the Harry Potter theme, check out Potter Puppet Pals: Wizard Swears and Potter Puppet Pals: Banana Phone. PS: Your grandmother is a blast-ended skank!

I think I might have linked to this before, but Kittens Inspired By Kittens never gets old.

Pretty sure this is what the Miley Cyrus Show would look like. Plus: Anne Hathaway's Katie Holmes is spot-on.

It probably makes me a bad person that I find the entire Christmas Shoes franchise so hilarious.  This fan-made video is no exception.

 

SONG OF THE WEEK

Willie Nelson ft. Nora Jones - Baby It's Cold Outside. 
Truth: I love pretty much every rendition of this song.

 

Have a video or musical recommendation for an upcoming Tuesday Tidbits?  Send me a link via email!

 

Christmas Is All Around Me

Today was Christmas decorating day!  My parents and I have had a tradition since I got my own apartment (and since they gave me my tree one year as an early Christmas gift!).  They come over and help me decorate one week, then I help them the following weekend.

Ready for a peek inside my newly-decorated apartment?

I got that wreath a few years ago from Michaels (where you can find some sweet deals on Christmas decorations, FYI) and my neighbours still comment on it every year.

Because I don't have a chimney, these stockings have been hung my my desk with care. That little one there is Maury's. I think I'll just fill it with balled-up wrapping paper on boxing day. He'd probably like that just as well as a real gift...

I got the idea for this from the Holly Jolly house tour my mom and I went on last weekend.  I bought an enormous container of red Christmas ornaments from Canadian Tire (for a great price, in case you're looking to buy ornaments in bulk) and just hung them on the light fixture.  It looked kind of unfinished, so I added a random string of garland that I found at the bottom of the box of decorations.

Easiest Christmas centrepiece ever. I had some ornaments left over from the light fixture, so I stuck them in the vase, then put the wreath around it. If it took longer than 10 seconds, it was only because I was singing and dancing to Christmas tunes at the same time.

Last but definitely not least, the Christmas tree.

I know a lot of people like to have matching ornaments on their tree (a houseguest once even commented to me that she felt mismatched ornaments are "generally tacky"...), but I love them. Each ornament has a story. Like the dated (as in, they have the year on them - not that they're out of style) ones my grandmother bought me every year, or the gorgeous ornament Meredith bought me a couple years ago. It usually takes my mom and I quite a while to hang the ornaments because we stop to reminisce so often.

Has anyone else already decorated for Christmas, or am I just a bit of a nerd? What holiday traditions does your family have?

Rude people make me a sad panda

[Image Source]

Guys... what's wrong with people?

One of my friends from the office - let's call her "Lucy" - told me a horrible story the other day.  She was walking down the hall when another (female) coworker stopped to ask her a question.  That question. The one that (I thought) every woman knows you never ask.

"Lucy... are you pregnant?"

Now, just so we're clear, Lucy's an average-sized woman.  Not scrawny, but most definitely not overweight in the slightest.  Average. Even if she were overweight, this question still wouldn't have been appropriate, but Lucy's average size makes the question even more unbelievable.

I encountered similar stupidity a few months back at the hands of a sales clerk.  As she rang me through, she asked if I was expecting. Horrified, I told her (in as bitchy a tone as I could muster) that I was decidedly not expecting... and she didn't even apologize!  Instead, she told me that she had asked her sister-in-law the same question a few weeks back, and that her sister-in-law was very upset with her.  Yeah, no sh*t, lady!

In case you're ever unsure as to whether or not you can make a comment about someone's possible pregnancy, I've put together a handy decision tree to help you out.

 

See?  Couldn't be easier. If there's any doubt: Keep. Your. Mouth. Shut.

After Lucy's run-in with the rude coworker, we made a list of the other rude personal questions we hate being asked:

• "When are you going to meet a nice boy and settle down?"
• "Why are you still single?"
• "Why aren't you two married yet?"
• "Why aren't you pregnant?"
• "Why don't you have kids yet?"

For all these questions there are so many possible answers - none of which are anyone's business. And I hate the implied judgement that there's something wrong with being single/unmarried/childless. Isn't it possible that someone might be single by choice? Or not want children?

Is it because we now put so much of our lives online that people feel comfortable questioning us (and imposing their judgements) on some of the most personal aspects of our lives? Or has it always been like this?

Sigh.  End rant.

Tuesday Tidbits

I'm surprised it wasn't sponsored by Vlasic pickles. [Celebitchy]

Jessica's low-rent Mariah rip-off. [Gawker]

Prince William's off the market. [Lainey]

Easiest jewelry DIY ever. [What I Wore]

Wanna see what Christina Hendricks looks like as a 90's grunge teen? [Ellen]

"PARTY TIP: Used at the right time, a fistful of confetti can blow minds." [Keiko Lynn]

Well, this seems like a smart idea... [WWTDD]

She's unrecognizable without the panda eye makeup. [IDLYITW]

Song of the week: Shoop by Salt-N-Pepa. I dedicate this one to my friend Barb. What you wanna do? I don't know - what you wanna do?

 

Harry Potter and the Elegant Hermione

[Image Source]

It's almost here! The first part of the final installment of Harry Potter opens on Friday, and I cannot wait.  I've had a countdown with a couple friends since... well... maybe I don't want to admit how long we've been looking forward to this...

To celebrate, I've pulled together a few looks from the most stylish of the Potterites - Emma Watson.

Emma's approach to event dressing is simple, elegant, and demure - very different from many of her peers. Even when she had a little upskirt scandal, she handled it with class.  Not to mention she was actually wearing underwear.  Small victory for young Hollywood.

[Image Source]

This, friends and readers, is how to do a statement lip.  The rest of her face is neutral and glowing. Also, I have to admit that despite my initial reservations about this haircut, as it grows out a bit on her, it's kind of growing on me (completely lame pun intended). The only piece of this outfit that I'm not totally sure about is that bracelet/cuff.  The outfit would be perfection without it.

 
[Image Source]

This is probably my favourite red carpet look for Emma Watson.  Her hair is enviably shiny and bouncy, and that dress looks amazing on her (but really, when you're Emma Watson, what doesn't look amazing on you?). She lets her amazing dress take the focus by only wearing one small piece of jewelry - a ring on her right hand that you could very well miss if you aren't scrutinizing the photo as I am right now.  (What I can't miss? Potter's shiny suit.  What gives, Potter?)

[Image Source]

It sparkles, so I like it. I also like the belt/shoe combo.  I think without the belt, the shoes would have looked kind of random with the outfit, but the belt ties it all together nicely. Like me, Emma seems to opt for black shoes no matter what the occasion (I have an addiction), so I like to see how someone else can make it work.  You'll also notice that again she's letting the outfit speak for itself with only a minimal amount of jewelry.

[Image Source]

This is by far Emma's sexiest red carpet look.  Despite the uncharacteristic almost-up-to-her-lady-garden slit, Emma manages to keep from looking trampy with soft hair and makeup, along with a reasonable neckline.  While she has a little more jewelry here than some of her other outfits, you'll notice that the baubles are fairly conservative. And again: black purse to tie in the black shoes.  Well done.

[Image Source]

I know she got a lot of flack for this dress, but I quite like it.  And I don't think I'm just blinded by love for Hermione Granger: I think the shape suits her, and the combination of leather and lace and embroidery - while not totally conventional - kind of works. And of course, I can't help but pointing out... more black shoes!

So to recap, the Emma Watson rules of style appear to be:

1. Let your dress (and your pretty face!) be the center of attention. Keep accessories small and to a minimum.
2. If you're showing leg, keep the girls under wraps.
3. Black shoes go with anything... as long as you tie it in to the outfit with another black item.

P.S. This trailer gives me chills every time I watch it. Cannot.  Wait.

 

Top 10 Christmas Movies

 [Image Source]

Alright, guys.  I promise that my next post will not be Christmas-related.  But you see - today's a special day for me and two of my best friends. It's the start of our annual Christmas Movie EXTRAVAGANZA!

Here's how it works: in late October or early November, we compile a list of all of the Christmas movies we either own or would like to rent. We rank them as Must-See, Nice-To-Have or Optional.  We also add two or three new movies to the list every year, and remove the ones that bombed the previous year. Then, I (dork that I am) create a schedule for us.  We usually start at the beginning of November and go until December (yes, we have that many movies...).

In the four years we've done this, I've seen a lot of Christmas movies.  Click below to see a list of my top ten favourites!

Holly Jolly Festive Tour

 My Christmas Tree last year

I'm not the only Christmas nut in my family.  Every Christmas, my mom pulls out an astonishing number of musical and/or animatronic decorations. some of which she's purchased during her annual trip to the Holly Jolly Festive Tour.

This is the first year that I've gone with her (the friends she normally goes with were all otherwise occupied), and I'm so excited. If you're in the KW area, you should definitely check it out!

Holly Jolly Festive Tour
Admission: $15

November 13 & 14, 10 - 4

For more information, visit the IODE website!

And in case you think it's just my apartment that I decorate for Christmas... Think again! Doesn't Maury just look so pleased?

P.S. As you can tell by the Vignette effect and rounded corners, I'm having fun with picnik.  Check it out! And the poor photo-quality was due to bad photography, not picnik.  I take full blame.  Sorry!