I was checking my e-mail inbox and found a pretty interesting one. The nail biting habit seems to be on the rise in conjunction with the wonderful deadline ahead. Taxes!

Image Credit: Deviant Art User StealthScope

April 15 is biting at our heels. I usually leave my taxes undone until the beginning of April starts the clock in my head. It's almost like an action film where I have to hurry and detonate the bomb before it hits zero.

I got mine done. Remember if you still need to do your taxes, if an extension is needed, you'd be better off with an extension rather than a penalty! That's a lot of lipglosses and shoes you wouldn't be able to buy.

The question is though, do deadlines make your teeth chatter? Do you bite your nails in accordance with countdowns and D-Days? Fess up!

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Ello! Miss me much?

I am happy to say that I am feeling way better than I was the last time I was posting something on MOJ. I spent the last week downing bottle after bottle of Gatorade and was only too excited to get to eat flavorless crackers yesterday and honey wheat crackers today. I also ate a sandwich and kept it down today. Amazing right?! I'll spare you the gory details, but know that I am on the track to great health again. No idea what threw me off, but the upheavals surely put enough fear in my heart to look at all food with a side eye.

As I try to get back on schedule with everything, I thought the looming presence of spring was a great return topic. The weather in NY right now is pretty chilly, but nothing like when I was complaining about the snow harassing my hair and garments. The chill is around 60 degrees, which honestly, to me is almost perfect. Seventy degree weather with a breeze is my ideal weather channel (imagine if you had a remote and switched it up?!) so the fact that we aren't too far has me itching to try out some of the clothes I haven't paid much mind to, and get some new additions.

The weather specific trends have gone out the window, so anything goes. Cardigans and camisoles are ruling the closets without a duel in sight.The only thing I have to admit to passing judgement on is people going to double extremes. Boots with mini skirts or shorts are not cute. Are you warm up top and cold below?

Some items I am keeping an eye on (in several online shopping carts...) are totes with bows, flats with cute details, such as fun embellishments, cutouts, and embroidery/pattern (I'm a sucker for lace and bows in moderation). After witnessing some cute pearl accessories during fashion week, I am on the hunt for the perfect metal/gentle combination of pearl and metal chain for earrings. And of course, the bow tote. I have a thing for bows that I cannot explain. Perhaps it's because they're cute, or maybe because they're "girly," either way, look around my house and a quarter will show up with a bow at one end or other.

More Ciao Bella...

How have you been? Have any spring flings?

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Image Credit: DeviantArt user djmastawes

Cleanup on aisle four! You hear that in tv shows about accidents that happen in stores and such, but I have never been privy to such an experience. I have however, spent the last day walking around with a bucket by my side as my best friend and drinking only liquid in hopes of being able to keep it down.

I don't know if it was food, germs, or everything under some magical stomach flu umbrella, but something's got me, and it's got me good. So until I'm less dizzy and can eat a cracker or two, there will be limited yaya presence on the net. Sorry for the invonvenience!

Check out the older posts and drop me notes about which are your faves!
(p.s. People who rightfully deserve packages that they have yet to receive will be getting them before the end of the month.)

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I have been a little bit under the weather the last few days so I have been staying away from the computer and closer to the Ginger Ale and open windows. It's not that cool that I feel so odd on the best weather weekend so far, but I have managed to salvage the joy by thinking of a new blog feature for MOJ (I also went bowling on Friday!).

This new feature comes via inspiration from Karen, founder and author of the Makeup and Beauty Blog. Her 'which one was the best hairdo' poll is the reason why this one is coming up (click here for an example). To keep up with the theme of the site (see it yet?) You be the Judge will be a variety of photos of a celeb, letting you judge which lipcolor/haircolor/makeup style suits them best.

The inaugural celeb? Hayden Panettiere!

Fess up ladies and gents! You be the Judge, which lipcolor suits the cheerleader best?

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Sometimes I await album covers and photo shoots with more anticipation than product releases. Something about the creativity (or the assumption of such) and craftiness of putting everything together. It also means our favorite artists are coming out with something new, of course.

I have been a fan of Christina Aguilera for a long long time. I have always felt that she had a lot more personality and talent than a lot of other acts that go in and out of the revolving door of fame every fifteen minutes. I was happy for the gal when she got married and had a kid, but I needed her to put out some more music for me! (What anticipations! lol) The girl doesn't disappoint.

The new photos for her upcoming album Bionic and the first single have been released. I found these images courtesy of digital spy and hotcelebshome.

What do you think?

She has been doing a retro pinup-y look for a while now, and had long hair for her upcoming movie/musical Burlesque. I feel like this is the retro pinup with some attitude. I like it... and you?

How you liking it?

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I have purchased more nail polish than I care to admit but am sad to say that you won't be seing it for a really long time.See... what happened was Yaya was trying to experiment in the kitchen. Everything was going swell until the potato peeler made contact with my nail and sliced straight into my finger under it. Sounds pretty terrible, right? It was pretty awful. I tried to keep my nail as it was but it kept splitting into two halves and that was not cute at all. Just reading about it sucks, eh?


So while the time passes for my nails to grow (I had to chop them all down to as short as possible so that they'd grow at the same pace), check out the NOTDs I managed to photograph before my accident.

This brand, Soo was found in a beauty supply store in Brooklyn. The polish is pretty thick and the photo on the left with flash how the color looks in sunlight and the photo without flash on the right is how the polish looks indoors. It's super creamy and pigmented and costs... wait for it... $1.99. I snagged some other colors, but of course that will all have to wait.

I tried my best to find the polish company online but see no website and barely any mention. The color pictured is called Court. I will try to find out some more info for ya and let you know!

Any new polish colors in your life? (or nail disaster stories?)

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I haven't done a Misc Mondays post in a while, but while rummaging the internet this past weekend, I found the most appropriate Monday icebreaker. While as you may image, I lost the linkback for the image, I will be adding it here as soon as I find it.

In the meantime, take a look at the picture. I found it on a foreign site, so I have no idea where the image is from. Seems to be an art exhibit. (Look at me all unprepared for discussion lol)

The inspiring factor was that the image initially is of a pile of rubbish but that it comes together to form something pretty relevant. Two people leaning against each other. Made me think about how often people look at the same things and yet have so many different takes on what they saw. They say no one sees a cloud the same way (but as soon as you see something and start explaining it to someone, they see what you mean... right? I always see clouds make puppy shapes... just the dog lover in me I guess).

As I start my Monday off, I will try to take a second look at what goes on around me and the opportunities placed before me so that I may see things in more ways than one. I suggest you do too!

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Several seasons ago, ombre took over the trends. Sure, it was nowhere near the first time anyone heard of it, nor worn it, but practically all brands were on the ombre band wagon. It gave the customer a creative and versatile look, and not too many color patterns work that way in solid format. Ombre is above and beyond a solid color, and holds more weight than tye dye. Maybe it's just me, but it seems like it's more serious.

I feel like I look stinkin' fabulous in ombre garments and look forward to spring to break them out. During the fall, I have a beloved ombre leather jacket that blends from a khaki color to a smooth brown as if someone was melting caramel and milk chocolate together. Unless you have a crazy color combination, a light to dark fade will never go out of style in my book.

Which is why it was so disappointing for me to read an article in a magazine (lord if I could remember which one it was!) discussing the exit of ombre for Spring 2010. I vowed to be less fashionable, but rock the darn ombre. Trends are not laws and therefore serve only as suggestions. Am I right?!

So spill it. Is ombre rocking your socks? Do you condemn ombre, or is it still cool in your books? What trend has "gone out of fashion" that you refuse to let go (for now, or forever)? We don't judge at MOJ!

Image credits: Top Style.com Bottom Flypaper (Bluefly Blog)

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By my non-scientific count, the majority of the readers here are female. So it would behoove both you and I for me to share this information. You know our gift? Everybody has a different name for it. The monthly gift, code red, little friend, visitor, Aunt Flo, the red curse, etc. Any gentlemen reading? Not too worry - I won't be going in specifics. I'm talking about a fashionable and playful way to take care of business!

Now, I've said this before and I'll say it again. Certain things are completely shameless to me. My momma taught me no such thing. When the time of the month came? Shoot, I had to do what I had to do. None of the blushing and carrying a whole handbag to the bathroom. But no judgement here! To each their own. But why not a pretty and fashionable each and own? Enter Moxie. I've come to appreciate the Aussies. Spurred on by Nancy from the Informed Makeup Maven, I've started to realize all the Aussie in my life has been a pretty 1:1 ratio of fabulousness.

Moxie is a brand that gussies up what is the mundane and necessary. They are the equivalent of having Helloy Kitty band-aids. They put tampons, pads, and panti-liners in cute tins. The name stands for gals with attitude (does it not? check dictionary.com - courage, aggressiveness, nerve). I love a company that doesn't prey on females as weak victims (oh no - we bleed!), but rather as tough beauties with strength (we do it every month with perfect accessories to boot!). Check after the jump for the rest of the scoop.

More Liberty of London Designs...

Liberty of London seems to have taken over the US (and other countries of course...) in one swift move. We have their MAC collection (I'm obsessed with the limited edition designs on the white packaging!), and their Target collection. Cute tops and rain boots to accompany cute packaging and great makeup? I'm all over it! (My favorite purchase from the bunch is the Birds & Berries eyeshadow)

All these partnerships on their behalf opened my eyes up to the brand and now I'm avoiding the pain of my bank account and browsing their selection on Neiman Marcus and more. Do you like any of their new collections?

Do you have a favorite designer partnership?

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