Category Archives: announcements

home sweet home

Welcome to my shiny new home, friends! Grab a cup of tea, sit back, relax and have a look around. I hope you’ll love SMC’s fancy facelift as much as I do. I think it’s so much more calm and soothing, and that’s just the kind of place I want to be these days.

A few things you might notice:

  • Getting social: It’s so much easier to find me on social media now, what with those fancy buttons up top and below each post. It’s true – I’m everywhere. Pinterest, Instagram, Twitter…and yes, even Facebook. If you like me here, you’ll love me without a filter.
  • Shop SMC: In case you’re not getting enough retail therapy from me already, allow me to present your own personal SMC shopping extravaganza. Every time I see something I love, it’s going straight into the Shop, so you can always check out my latest obsessions and nab them before they’re gone. Fair warning: it’s pretty addictive.
  • PDX Picks: I get requests all the time from readers coming to visit Portland, hoping for a few tips on my favorite spots in town. I also get questions from locals about some of those pesky little insider finds that take forever to sleuth out. Now, if you need the 411 on anything Portland, just head to this page, and I’ll fill you in!

That beautiful new masthead comes to you care of the phenomenal woman behind Clark & Co., who deserves a Nobel Peace Prize for her patience, talent and enthusiasm. And the new site design? My brilliant hubs did that. I have no words for his amazingness, except to say that he is a trooper and a genius. And looks pretty darn cute in a polo shirt.

So, tell me…what do you think? I’m on pins and needles!

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announcing the 2012 iVillage holiday challenge!

I know, believe me. It feels much, much too soon. But for all of you eager beavers who are ready to start talking turkey (and Santa, and the Holiday Armadillo), it’s time to sign up for the iVillage Get Organized for the Holidays challenge, which – incredibly – starts next week! Once again, I’m their resident shopping and style expert, which is infinitely flattering (you should see the company I’m keeping this year).

So, what will you get from me that you won’t get here at SMC? My foolproof packing list, for one thing. Thanksgiving prep tips galore. My Black Friday strategy. My top 5 gifts that work for absolutely anyone, any time. Zillions of (okay, about 15) DIY gift ideas. A few pretty awesome holiday party tips. Basically everything you need to get through the holidays without ending up looking like a frazzled Cathy cartoon by December 26.

Join up, and you’ll have an email in your inbox every day for the next few weeks that’s actually productive and helpful. Imagine!

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oh, sandy

{Satellite image of Hurricane Sandy, via NASA}

My email inbox is eerily quiet this morning, missing all of its usual hustle and bustle from my PR friends, readers and even stores. And I’ve spent most of the last 12 hours glued to the news to watch out for all of my friends and readers on the East Coast.

Somehow, shopping doesn’t seem like the thing today. Instead, perhaps we can all send a little something to the Red Cross (text the word REDCROSS to 90999 to make a $10 donation, or go online to do more), or make a phone call to check on a friend.

Don’t worry, I’ll have plenty of distracting fun for you tomorrow. But for now, please stay safe, friends.

 

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fashion’s night out (and a few steals)!

Fashion’s Night Out tote, $50

Welcome to Fashion’s Night Out, friends! As usual, I’m blue as a pair of overdyed jeans about not being in NYC to celebrate, but luckily most major cities (and even a fair share of minor ones) are hosting great FNO events these days.

To find out what’s going on in your neck of the woods, check out the official FNO website, which links to all of the cities participating. In Portland, for example, most of the downtown retail shops are hosting special in-store events (free booze is often involved) and the Downtown Business Alliance is teaming up with all of the most fashion-forward stores in town to put on a fashion show in Director’s Park, which is always stellar. Also, swag bags! A minimum purchase gets you free parking and loads of awesome goodies – I got a sneak peek, and it’s pretty fab (think free eats, discounts at some of my favorite shops and free parking for the night!). If you see me out and about tonight, come say hi!

Or, if you’re a lazy homebody, fret not – plenty of Fashion’s Night In awesomeness happening too. The one-night-only discount codes are starting to roll into my inbox already, so check back here periodically today and I’ll update the list with all of the best! And of course, if you find a goodie, share it in the comments – shopping should always be a team sport.

  • London Sole: Finally splurge on those ballet flats you’ve been coveting. Use code FNO from 4-8 pm (EST) for a very rare 15% discount.
  • LAMade: One of my all-time favorite tee brands is offering 30% off, plus a free tee & free shipping with orders over $150. Use code FNOLA.
  • Kate Spade: Extra markdowns in a “Surprise Sale” happening today only.

So, tell me…are you headed out to partake of the FNO excitement tonight?

 

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help wanted!

{The glamorous life of a blogger}

Friends, I’m looking for a few new contributors to lend a hand here at SMC. Don’t fret, I’m not going anywhere. But I have an exciting (but busy) fall coming up, and I want to make sure I still have plenty of stylish goodness to share with you all. Plus, I thought after six years (!), you might be ready for a new face or two around here.

Rather than head out into Blogland and nab a few transitory guest posters, I said to myself: Self, who better than my wonderfully talented and stylish readers to join the SMC team?

If you’re wild about the idea (or you have a wildly talented friend to refer), just send me an email {editor at shoppingsmycardio dot com} with three things:

  1. A little about you. Who you are, why you’re awesome, and what makes you want to blog? Bonus points if you know Photoshop or a bit of HTML, but neither are a must.
  2. Your pitch. Your fantastic idea (or ideas) for a recurring guest column. As you know, we cast a pretty wide net here at SMC HQ, so be creative!
  3. A way I can see your writing. I don’t care if it’s your blog or your 8th grade term paper, I just want to make sure you know the difference between your and you’re. If you don’t have a sample, email me…we’ll figure something out.

Will you get rich? No. But you’ll get a pretty wonderful readership to talk to, a place to build an online writing portfolio, and a seriously grateful editor determined to help you out in any way I can. Also, occasional swag.

Please, please do not pitch in the comments – I’m nowhere near organized enough to keep track of that. But love and praise are, as always, more than welcome. And heck, if you have ideas for a column someone else should write, definitely share – sometimes ideas and writers just need to meet.

I’d like all of your ideas by Monday, August 6. Can’t wait to hear from you, friends!

xox,
B

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