BellaSugar

FABTV: Madonna "Cherish"

FabSugar — Sat, 12 Jul 2008 13:34:33 PDT

Madonna is a frequent visitor on FABTV but never has she been so upbeat than in this sing-a-long song. I love how Madonna manages to be sensual and not overtly sexual in her wet shirtdress and boy cut. While the mermen's glistening bodies are nice, my favorite bits are Madonna hamming it up for the camera. She looks like she's having so much fun rolling around in the waves and flirting with us. No surprise this black-and-white video was directed by Herb Ritts, who also directed my favorite Janet Jackson video. It's Summer Fabbies? Cherish the joy.

Matters-of-the-Heart Makeup

BellaSugar — Wed, 12 Sep 2007 12:59:15 PDT

Sometimes it's all about first impressions. Just like a name can make a guy more attractive, it can also add allure to your makeup. If cosmetics are considered art, then it's correct to think that they elicit emotion. For those of you who have been tagged by Cupid's arrow, here are three products you'll be sure to fall madly in love with.

La Bella Donna Mineral Light Lip Color in Beloved ($22) is a sweet and seductive high pigment natural looking pink lipstick that contains vitamin C and sun protection. It also keep lips smooth, supple and smooch-able.

For two more matters-of-the-heart makeup products,

read more MAC LIpstick in Cherish ($14) is a soft muted peachy-beige satin lipstick that feels super-creamy on your lips. It looks best with a neutral lip liner and dab of silvery gloss right in the center of your lower lip.
Clinique Colour Surge Eye Shadow Duo in Be Mine ($17.50) is an intense, yet lightweight eye shadow duo containing taupe and a light pink shade.

8 Love Resolutions We Can Actually Keep

Lizzie Fuhr — Tue, 03 Jan 2012 08:01:50 PST

The new year inspires a sense of renewal in everyone; with this fresh start comes the notorious concept of New Year's resolutions. While I'm all for putting pen to paper to map out your goals for the year, half the time we feel more guilty about not keeping our resolutions than we feel inspired during the process of writing them down. With that said, setting goals in your love life that are attainable can bring a lot to your outlook on relationships. Whether you're single or seeing someone, here are eight loving resolutions that can actually stick for 2012.

If you're in a relationship. . .

Practice random acts of relationship kindness. Sometimes we can get so wrapped up in our work obligations and other distractions that we forget about the people who love us the most. No need to make a big deal about these things to your partner. Simply go out and buy their favorite candy, cook up their most loved meal, or put on a little something sexy just because.
Make a point for quality time. If you're living together, coexisting in the same space can feel safe and secure, but be sure to also try to get out and do some activities together that can enjoy together. Go for a long hike. Check out some local film festivals. Take a cooking class. Planning these special activities together will strengthen your relationship and show your partner that you care.
Update your family and friends on the good stuff too. We all have a tendency to call the people who love us to vent about our relationships and what's going wrong. Make a point to tell your support network about the positive things going on in your relationship also. It will make things easier for you and your partner in the long run when you spend time with your crew. And I know there's nothing that makes my family happier than when I tell them how sweet and good things are going.
Do more double dates. If you and your beau feel like you're spending all your time together, it's probably because you are. Mix things up by socializing with other couples or going out with a big crew. Bringing others into the equation should only make you cherish your relationship more.

If you're single. . .

Stop getting hung up on a bad prospect. Don't waste too much time on someone just because they look good on paper. When you feel it you know. Just because someone is nice or handsome doesn't mean that they're necessarily the right match for you. I'm all about giving everyone a shot. But if you go on a date and you're not into it, the next time he calls, put on your big girl pants and say you're just not interested.
Rethink your dealbreakers. If I had a penny for every time I heard a girl talk about the six-foot rule, I would be a very rich lady. Yes, tall is nice, but there are so many other things that you need to consider in order to build a lasting relationship. Instead of focusing on how he looks, how much money he makes, etc., focus on how he makes you feel and how he treats other people. This is way more telling of how a guy will act in a relationship than how much dough he has in his bank account.
Be cool with where you are. Above all else, if you have any single dating resolution for 2012, I urge you to be comfortable and confident with where you are at. Fixating on lack will only bring more lack to your dating life. Recognizing that you're exactly where you need to be will only make you more confident, secure, and therefore sexy to a potential suitor. And all those people who say, "It happens when you least expect it." They're not lying.
Challenge yourself and try something new. If you feel like you're in a dating rut, stop complaining and put yourself out there. Maybe you've shied away from getting set up on a blind date or the concept of online dating in general, but a new year means a new you. Trying new things with an open mind can only help your dating life.

Are you setting any resolutions this year? Share them in the comments below!

Holiday Gift Guide: Gifts Under $100 For Studio Apartment Dwellers

Anna Monette Roberts — Thu, 22 Dec 2011 09:23:59 PST

Rather than gifting your friend or loved one something unnecessary that takes up precious space in their small living arrangement, opt for a gift, perfectly sized for their studio quarters, which they will be sure to cherish. Click through to see some beautiful and practical gifts for the studio apartment dwellers in your life.

Gift Guide: 10 Charitable Gifts For Architecture, Design, and Home Enthusiasts

Elka Karl — Wed, 21 Dec 2011 04:00:08 PST

If you're still searching for a passable gift for a friend or family member who seems to have everything she needs, put down that credit card for a moment and consider giving a charitable gift instead. There are amazing charities and non-profit organizations out there doing great work, which could definitely use your charitable gift this year.
For friends and family members who appreciate charitable gifts and have a deep love for causes related to design, architecture, and home, here are 10 gifts they'll be sure to cherish. (These gifts are tax-deductible, too, so you can feel good about your holiday giving and feel good about your taxes.) Of course, this is only a tiny fraction of the charities that need your support. If none of these seem to fit your gifting agenda, make sure to check out charities in your area, too!

Located in Boston, The Food Project turns abandoned urban lots into productive farms that make nutritious fresh produce available in former food deserts. Around 40 percent of the food grown is donated to hunger relief organizations and homeless shelters, or sold at below-market rates at farmers' markets.
The Cooper-Hewitt, National Design Museum is the United States' only museum completely dedicated to historic and contemporary design. With over 250,000 objects, the Museum holds the largest design collection in the country. Contribute with a gift amount or a membership.
Berkeley's Ecology Center is a public resource for reliable information, tools, hands-on training, referrals, strategies, infrastructure, and models for sustainable living.
Architecture For Humanity strives to create a more sustainable future through its network of more than 50,000 professionals who lend their time and expertise to help bring design, construction, and development services where they are most critically needed across the world.
The National Coalition For Homeless Veterans provides advice and assistance to policymakers, Congress and the federal agencies involved with homeless veteran issues and service providers with the goal of ending homelessness among veterans.
The National Housing Law Project is a law and advocacy center dedicated to housing justice for the poor. For over 40 years, NHLP has used the law to increase and preserve the supply of decent affordable housing, to improve existing housing conditions, including physical conditions and management practices, to expand and enforce low-income tenants' and homeowners' rights, and to increase opportunities for racial and ethnic minorities.
Habitat For Humanity helps to provide home ownership opportunities through the building of safe, energy efficient, and stable homes, in partnership with the potential home owners through its "sweat equity" program. Habitat For Humanity seeks to "eliminate poverty housing and homelessness from the world and to make decent shelter a matter of conscience and action."
The American Folk Art Museum is devoted to the preservation, conservation, and interpretation of traditional folk art and creative expressions of contemporary self-taught artists from the United States and abroad.
West Oakland's City Slicker Farms has been working to create food justice and improve the environment in West Oakland since 2001 through a series of gardens, workshops, and related projects for the community.
The Good Shepherd Center in Los Angeles helps homeless women rebuild their lives so they and their children will experience a brighter future. Through housing, employment and other supportive services, we offer women hope and the opportunity to achieve independence.

Do you have a favorite cause or charity that you give to each year? Leave the name and link in the comments below.

Gift Guide: 9 Decorating Books For Design Lovers

Elka Karl — Tue, 20 Dec 2011 05:00:36 PST

2011 was a great year for interior design books, and my coffee table was jam-packed with reading material all year long. Here are nine of my favorites, all published in 2011, that will be sure to please the design enthusiasts among your friends and family.

One of my top picks this year is The Perfectly Imperfect Home by Deborah Needleman. Former founding editor in chief of Domino magazine Needleman takes readers through the basic steps for creating a comfortable, stylish, and relaxing home. I love her philosophy of embracing the imperfect and quirky - and having faith in your individual sense of style.

On the other end of the spectrum, celebrity decorator Martyn Lawrence-Bullard's Live, Love & Decorate gives you a detailed behind-the-curtains look at the decor of celebrities including Cher, Elton John, and Ozzy Osbourne. Bullard's stories about decorating for his clients are, to quote the man himself, "delicious," as is this yummy book.

Finally, if you haven't purchased Grace Bonney's fantastic Design Sponge at Home yet, pick up a copy for yourself and a friend - you'll be glad you did. Chock-full of great ideas, gorgeous pictures, and accessible design, this is a book that you'll cherish for years to come.

Shop the rest of my favorite picks by clicking on each book cover.

How to Have an Old-Fashioned, Fun, and Frugal Christmas

LearnVest — Fri, 09 Dec 2011 00:15:49 PST

We're thrilled to present this smart LearnVest story here on Savvy!

Ray-Bans aren't the only piece of the past worth revisiting.

There are also old-school photos, discreetly boozy drinks and Judy Garland. Let's go ahead and combine all three: It's Retro Christmas.

This year, we're planning to enjoy what we call "Retro Christmas": A return to holidays past, when the season was about togetherness rather than excess gifts, affection rather than perfection.

Although scaling down our celebrations means spending less money, that's not the point.

We’ve put together our plan for making this year special . . . and focused on elegance, simplicity and genuine holiday spirit. In the end, our goal is to spend time with the people we care about. Of course, while we call this "Retro Christmas," you can adjust most of our tips for whatever winter holidays you celebrate (except maybe for our advice on ornamenting your tree).

Here's to Christmas in sepia!

Gift as a Group

To make gift-giving as meaningful as possible, concentrate on quality rather than quantity. So, instead of buying something just because you need to get a gift, get one that you know will be cherished, even if that means going in with a group of family or friends.

One easy aid is Share a Gift, a website that allows people to make donations toward a communal gift. It uses PayPal and organizes money better than the usual cash collection.

Read on for more tips for a retro Christmas.

Gifts to Show Some Love to Your Sister

Annie Scudder — Wed, 07 Dec 2011 11:00:03 PST

Shopping for a sister can be just like shopping for a best friend. You likely know her style and preferences inside and out and can find a gift that you know she'll cherish - or at least use! But if you want to show your sister some extra love and how important she is to you this year, you can give her one of these handmade pieces from Etsy that represent the bond sisters have. From playful wall art to creative takes on friendship necklaces, here are 10 gifts to consider giving your sister this holiday season.

Glee-ful Highlights From Episode "Hold On to Sixteen"

Becky Kirsch — Wed, 07 Dec 2011 10:59:28 PST

Trouty Mouth is back in town, and just in time for Sectionals on Glee this week. The showdowns are abundant, as the Troubletones and New Directions square off for top honors, and Quinn and Shelby have yet another faceoff about Beth's future.

Not only is it good to see Sam again (though I didn't think I'd be seeing so much of him), the episode also nicely ties up some loose ends that should make fans happy before the imminent Winter hiatus. Let's break down the high notes and low notes when you

Gift Guide: Thoughtful Holiday Gifts For 2012 Brides

CasaSugar — Thu, 01 Dec 2011 06:00:56 PST

For those brides-to-be, the holidays can be an especially sweet time. There's a fab ring to show off to relatives and friends, memories to cherish with the fiancé, and an exciting last-holiday-as-an-unmarried lady feeling to celebrate. Gifts for the 2012 bride-to-be should reflect on her changing status, and perhaps offer some couple-oriented tasteful gifts to recognize her upcoming nuptials. Take a look at my favorite finds.