Louis Vuitton Jeweled Canvas Wedge!

Sweet! Price - $1585

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Bey's Easter Look! Notable? Or No, No, No?

I had a short conversation about this look on twitter yesterday. I am a little on the fence about it. I think it's cute, LOVE the Loubie mules, but its something more Christmasee then Easterie about it.

Then again I am not all into the traditional color rules, relative to Holidays. If it looks good and you like it, I love it.

So, overall I score it at an 8.

What do you think?

Photo Source: NecoleBitchie.com
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Break The Weather With Crochet!

In the midwest Indianapolis area, we haven't had a good run of warm, non-element dampened days. But if you would like to push the weather to cooperate with us instead of us always having to cooperate with the weather, I have a pair of awesome Hippie Chick Crocheted Flat Sandal by Frederick's of Hollywood. The shoe is available in white and black. Price - $36

Product Source: Joi Linds

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1 Thing That I Love To See On A Man!

I absolutely love to see boat shoes on a guy with the right outfit! I actually love to wear boat shoes myself. Lol! They are comfortable and practically go with anything in the summer.

This pair of boat shoes is of the Nautica brand via kicksonfire.com.

Nautica Hyannis Boat Shoe
Dark Carafe/White
$74.99

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Fellas Spice Up Your Chest Life!!

Gentlemen, I have found a very easy way to make your chest more attractive to the ladies. And this method, does not require the gym, playing more basketball or fu'tbol or even waxing or cutting your taco meat. It does require that you spend a little cold cash, but the price is well worth it.

Spice up your chest life and your wardrobe with these Rocksmith New Money tees in either lime or yellow for $30 each. Visit got Sole sneaker boutique in Broad Ripple, Indianapolis at:

6243 N College Ave
Indianapolis, IN 46220

to cop these tees or place a phone order to 317-466-1173.

ENJOY!!

The Shake Behind McDonalds Hiring Day!!

For the original article visit this link.

 

McDonald's Corp. went on the offense Tuesday against critics who complain that it's a lousy place to work.

The world's largest hamburger chain held its first National Hiring Day and was awarded with a strong response from job seekers. Thousands showed up at restaurants nationwide to apply for jobs mixing shakes and serving Happy Meals. The company planned to hire 50,000 new workers in one day, boosting its staff by about 7 percent.

McDonald's painted the event as a boon for an economy where more than 13 million Americans are looking for work. But the real purpose, industry experts said, is that McDonald's needs to portray itself as a decent employer.

That will be a challenge for a company whose name is often synonymous with "you-want-fries-with-that" jokes. "McJob" even has a place in The Oxford English Dictionary, defined as "an unstimulating, low-paid job with few prospects."

But to people who need work, any stigma is beside the point.

Managers at a McDonald's in Cincinnati said a dozen or so applicants had lined up by 7 a.m., an hour before the restaurant planned to start interviews. By 10 a.m., the store had interviewed 100 people and had 25 more waiting.

Tiwian Irby, 28, was hoping for a full-time job and wasn't particular about what it would entail. He said he'd had trouble finding regular work since getting laid off from his construction job two years ago.

"A job is a job to me," said Irby, a father of three. "I'll take whatever is available."

McDonald's and other fast-food chains, once an entry point into the work force for teenagers, appear to be turning into an employer of more adults, a legacy of the recession, industry watchers said. The average age of a fast-food worker is 29.5, up from 22 in 2000, according to the U.S. Census Bureau.

Danitra Barnett, McDonald's U.S. vice president of human resources, said she couldn't specify what proportion of the 50,000 new jobs will be full-time, or what they will pay. About 90 percent of McDonald's restaurants are owned by franchisees, and the company doesn't control what they offer in wages or benefits. Barnett said most franchisees pay more than minimum wage, which is $7.25-an-hour nationally.

$7.25 an hour would amount to about $15,000 a year for a full-time worker, according to government formulas.

McDonald's said it and its franchisees will spend an additional $518 million in the coming year because of Tuesday's hiring. That amounts to just over $10,000 per new employee.

Spokeswoman Danya Proud said the company preferred to focus on the net economic benefit of the new hiring, including the money that employees will spend in their local economies.

In Senate testimony last year, McDonald's said that about 75 percent of employees at company-owned restaurants are part-time, averaging 18 hours a week. Restaurant employees tend to stay an average of 17 months, HR chief Rich Floersch testified in December.

But McDonald's also touts how its jobs can grow into bigger opportunities. According to the company, 30 percent of its executives started in restaurants, as well as more than 70 percent of restaurant managers.

Salaried managers for company-owned restaurants can make between about $32,000 and $50,000 annually, Proud said.

That's slightly less than elementary school teachers, who average $53,150, according to the Bureau of Labor Statistics. It's more than bank tellers, at $24,780. The average annual salary in the U.S. is $43,460.

McDonald's CEO Jim Skinner made $9.7 million last year.

Cortney Gatewood, 16, was looking for part-time work at a Cincinnati McDonald's on Tuesday. She said she wanted to save for college and didn't hesitate to consider the fast-food chain.

"I think it's a good place to work," Gatewood said. "I come here almost every day to eat anyway."

Though the 50,000 jobs are new, McDonald's usually staffs up for summer anyway, and it's constantly gaining and losing employees. It added 50,000 new workers in April last year, so Tuesday's blitz amounts to typical hiring, albeit compressed into a day.

With 14,000 U.S. restaurants, Tuesday's planned additions amount to about three or four new employees per restaurant -- the amount that each store is probably usually looking for anyway, said Sara Senatore, an analyst at Sanford C. Bernstein.

For Richmond, Va., area franchisee Sue Durlak, National Hiring Day was an opportunity to expand the applicant pool for her 10 restaurants, and maybe even find someone who can follow in her footsteps.

She started part-time in 1982 while working as a middle-school health teacher in Illinois to supplement her income. She has since worked her way up to owning several locations.

"I do look at anyone who applies, as well as the rest of my team, as the potential as a lifer," Durlak said.

McDonald's is expected to release the final hiring count next week.

AP Business Writers Dan Sewell in Cincinnati and Michael Felberbaum in Richmond, Va., contributed.

Article Source: Associated Press via Yahoo Finance

Bag Poppin'!!

For those of you who do not know, I am a quality good fanatic! I used to consider myself a luxury good lover, but all things that I like do not have to be in the "actual" luxury goods category, but they do have to possess those qualities. And at times I have found very good buys that have great quality, but the brand name is not particularly listed on the "luxury good" list, it is most often un-noted, as an under the radar brand. Anyway, I have 2 bags that I would like to show you. 1 of the brands is considered luxury goods and the other one, is considered good quality. No matter how you slice it, all things of good quality I love.

Pour La Victoire Fuschia Leather "Twiggy" Round Crossbody Bag
Retail $155, Bluefly Price $93

YSL Flame leather "Lucky Chyc" two tone tote
Retail $1195, Bluefly Price $956

Throwback Pic of Jay-Z and Swizz Beats!!

Swizz Beats tweeted out this picture last night of him and the Hov from back in the day! How old skool is this?

I love it! I wish those two continued success.

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Janet Jackson's Simple And Chic Look!!

Janet Jackson had a book signing yesterday for her book "TRUE YOU: A Guide To Finding and Loving Yourself" in West Hollywood. The hard-cover price is $15.45, available via this link and the soft cover costs, $10.88. From the reviews that I read on amazon.com it looks as if Janet Jackson has written a pretty good self-help book.

Today, I would like to highlight Janet Jackson's attire and her no nonsense makeup look that she wore for the book signing yesterday. Janet really went with the K.I.S.S. (Keep It Simple Silly) Method when it came to her outfit. Black fitted denim, a black short-sleeve tee, a simple black and silver vest, with black, leather knee-high wedge heel boots. I think that her look was simple and very chic.

Janet Jackson's Photos Courtesy of wireimage.com

A Letter To The President - From Russell Simmons! Don't Forget About The Poor!

I just discovered this wonderful, heart felt, motivating letter to President Obama from Russell Simmons about the growing amounts of poor people and how this subject is not a current priority in Washington.

But I would like to ask my readers, right now, it should be a priority shouldn't it? Do you as a member of this society, feel the increase of costs in daily needs such as gas, food, and routine health services, while salaries have been on freeze for at least 2-4 years or longer at some businesses and corporations? What are our means to cope with rising costs? Get more jobs, that are not readily available or what are other options?

Please read the letter below from Russell Simmons to President Obama and remember that we are the nation that the government should stand up for, what can we do to mobilize and let our voices be heard?

The music mogul Russell Simmons has written a long letter to President Barack Obama in which he urges the world leader to remember the poor.

The letter, which appears on the Huffington Post website, reads:

Dear Mr. President,

I listened to your speech last week at Rev. Al Sharpton's National Action Network's 20th anniversary dinner, talking among friends and close supporters. This was an annual African American dinner, a very important one. While I know that any Democrat would have fulfilled their promise to come back if they had won the '08 election, I also know the significance, and the special burden it poses on you, as the first African American President, at the same time.

Still, I woke up the next day feeling uneasy, not because you didn't take issues of direct significance to the black community head-on -- like the fact that one in three black children go to jail once in their lifetime or that black people have an unemployment rate double the amount of white people -- but because nowhere in your deep and thoughtful remarks did you talk about the elephant in the room that affects ALL Americans, irrespective of color: the growing ranks of poor Americans, Americans struggling not just to meet their mortgage payments but to eat, sleep under a roof, educate their kids and pay their basic bills.

As a passionate advocate of yours since I joined your campaign in 2008, there is something you need to hear: in trying to soar above party politics, you risk forgetting your most important commitment to inclusion and empowerment. As you prepare for your speech to the nation tomorrow night, I write this letter to you as a friend and strong advocate.

The rich are already at the table, as are the Democrats, the Republicans, the Tea Party and the unions, the business interests and the moneyed interests. The poor can't afford for you to forget about them, and you cannot afford it either. Of all Americans, the poor are not just the real victims of this recession; they are the victims of a thirty year campaign of smear and neglect, to strengthen the rich on the backs of the rest of America in the dim and ultimately futile fantasy that the rich getting richer will somehow "trickle down."

Well, it hasn't trickled down. While middle class wages have declined in the face of unparalleled wealth and technology creation since the 1980's, the poverty rate in our country is the highest it has been in 51 years. That takes us to the early 1960's. Shame on all of us who otherwise take pride in the achievements of this rich and powerful nation.

If you don't put the poor at the heart of your policies for the next two years, with the interests aligned in favor of the rich, too many of the middle class will join them in their suffering. That is the "trickle up" of poverty that has impoverished nations with unfair concentrations of wealth at the top. That is what destroys great nations.

After the devastating financial meltdown of 2008 -- which came from the orgy of gambling by the richest among us -- and the generational recession that it wrought and now the agenda of cuts on the backs of the neediest in America, we are the precipice of losing the very fabric that makes us strong.

A few months ago, I was sitting in the church pew during the beautiful celebration of the life of one of my heroes, and one of yours, Kennedy's adviser and architect of so many policies of inclusion and empowerment, the great Sargent Shriver. It was Sargent Shriver who influenced and encouraged President Lyndon B. Johnson to declare a war on poverty in America in 1964.

The service for Mr. Shriver was deeply moving, yet there was a noticeable absence. The First Lady, President Clinton, Secretary Clinton, Oprah, Bono, Gov. Schwarzenegger and too many other celebrities, politicians and well-wishers to mention were all there, and you were around the corner at the White House. We needed you there to seize that moment to renew Mr. Shriver's dream and address our nation with a stirring speech reminding us of your campaign vows and life-long commitment to fight a war on the illness of poverty that afflicts our country, and that more and more Americans are falling into.

If we do not attack this problem with the same zeal with which we are talking about the national debt, the narrative in Washington will continue going in the direction of more misery and more poverty on the horizon, more needless suffering, young minds lost and greatness denied. Why? Because we've let the moneyed interests that gambled with the economy and came to you for bailouts paint the narrative that the poor, not they, are to blame.

By your own admission, you were too busy "getting stuff done" to paint the narrative of the transformative presidents of both parties you respect so much. Where is that narrative now? Why don't Independents and Democrats and even thoughtful Republicans buy into the amazing accomplishments of your term so far: ­saving the economy, managing two wars you didn't get us into, health care reform, financial reform? Because the heart of your story is missing the hard crushing reality facing everyday Americans who could not only NOT afford the $1,000 to come to the National Action Network dinner, but had to wonder about the $2.50 subway ride uptown. The heart of your story is "the other America," ­the one that either is or is just about to be, poor. It may not poll well today ­but that is only because there is more to leading than "getting stuff done." And you are the only one who can lead.

When we talk about cutting, if we don't talk about reversing the unfair Bush tax cuts on people like me who get richer, it seems, just by breathing, if YOU don't personally challenge America day in and day out for a more balanced economy between rich and poor, between fair and unfair educational outcomes, and in favor of basic services while reforming entitlements, you risk the very passion that you will need -- in your constituents and in your own deeply compassionate heart -- to win today, forget the future.

My businesses have always benefited from giving a voice to those outside the mainstream who, through their creativity could change and then transform America: rappers, comedians, poets, designers, people who need a bank account, bloggers who use this very website on which this letter is posted, GlobalGrind.com, to talk to a new America, one that is multi-racial, tech-smart, inclusive and deeply compassionate. I have benefited from never wavering from my mission of giving a voice to those communities. You can't afford not to.

We have tough times ahead. Perilous times. Treacherous times. But it has to start with the victims, the poor, paying the least and the rich, who did so incredibly well, paying the lion's share of the hard sacrifices ahead. And for that fight, I will be at your side morning, noon and night.

Your Friend,

Russell Simmons

Hip-Hop Business Maven Mona Scott-Young Talks Running the Show!

The Back Enterprise has written a very informative and motivating piece on Mona Scott-Young the former Violator Management President and co-founder as well as the producer of the recent VH1 reality show hit Love & Hip-Hop. Read the interview below to be brought up to speed on what Mona is doing now and link here to go to the original piece.

 

If you've heard of Missy Elliott, Busta Rhymes, Maxwell or 50 Cent, then you've likely heard of Mona Scott-Young (or are at least familiar with her stellar career management skills). The former president and co-founder of Violator Management spent nearly two decades in partnership with longtime co-founder, Chris Lighty, but set sail on her own, establishing Monami Entertainment LLC in 2008. "I'd been with Violator for a very long time taking the company, I think, to great heights, but found that there were so many other areas I wanted to explore and dive into," says Scott-Young. Starting a boutique entertainment company that spans beyond artist management to television and film production was just the beginning. Her hard work and start-up investment of just less than $1 million is paying off with Monami Entertainment producing VH1's latest reality TV hit Love & Hip Hop, a show shadowing the lives of Chrissy Lampkin, fiancée of rapper Jim Jones; former G-Unit rapper Olivia; ex-wife of Swizz Beats, Mashonda; rapper Fabolous' girlfriend, Emily Bustamante, and up-and-coming recording artist, Somaya Reece.

 

BlackEnterprise.com spoke with the mother of two about how women should join forces to make it in a male-dominated entertainment business, the challenges of transitioning from a long-term business partnership to a solo venture and how Love & Hip Hop ultimately fits into her brand.

 

BlackEnterprise.com: Hip-hop is a very male-dominated genre and business, as can be said about the music business as a whole. How tough is it for women to make a name for themselves in this industry?

It's also getting a lot tougher to make a dent.  There are so many artists popping up, so many different areas that people are trying to break through.  There are a lot of men who are running those areas, so it's really hard for women to not only get into those areas, have an opportunity to do their thing and excel.  I'd like to see an opportunity created where women network in a way that creates more opportunities for them to give other women a lead in.

 

What are some networking tips that would lead to greater opportunities and greater connections for women?

It's important that we stop looking at each other as competitors and see each other as allies and resources.You see males being a lot more successful at that because they have a tendency to recognize how being in business with someone can help further their agenda as opposed to hoarding that business and not allowing someone else an opportunity to come in and actually help them broaden that opportunity or that situation.  What we need to do is kind of wrap our heads around the concept: the more we surround ourselves with other strong hard-working dynamic women, the bigger and better we make the opportunities that we're involved in.  There's enough for everyone to go around, as long as we think of it more as expanding our resources.

 

You co-founded Violator Management, but later decided to part ways with your longtime business partner, Chris Lighty. What prompted you two to separate?

I ran [Violator] for 18 years and we did a lot of great work in the urban music space, having expanded in some other areas and dabbled in television, but there were a lot of other things that I wanted to explore. The decision was more one of growth and one of having spent a lot of time in one genre of music and in one space feeling that I wanted to spread my wings a bit and explore other opportunities for business growth but also for self-growth.

 

Coming from a longtime partnership,such as the one you had at Violator, what was your strategy in starting something on your own?

I just really wanted an opportunity to dig deeper into my own skill set and to explore what my personal limitations were, the things I'd always wanted to do. I set about really going after things that I had been interested in for a very long time, but really not having a chance to explore fully like television [and] production.

 

What were some of the challenges you faced initially with starting Monami Entertainment?  How did you overcome those challenges?

One of the biggest challenges was just stepping out on faith and believing in myself and knowing I could do this all over again. And not having the safety net of an established business to rely on, but, with that said, being able to rely on the relationships built over the years, the skills [and] having the clients that were willing to go along for the ride and take that leap of faith.

 

How did you come up with Love & Hip Hop?

Love & Hip Hop actually started out as a show about one of our clients, Jim Jones.  The original idea was to do a show following Jim, the rapper, and when we got around to shooting the pilot, Jim actually made what we call 'the anti-reality show.'  He was in a space where he didn't know if he wanted to be followed around by cameras and as much as VH1 loved that concept their audience had changed tremendously in the time that it took to get the pilot shot. It had become more female-focused.  We also found that Jim's girlfriend and his mother were very, very strong characters, so Jim Ackerman, the executive over at VH1, was great about really being committed to the show and to the concept and wanting to do something with Jim and his family.  We decided we were going to find some other dynamic women to surround them with in the cast and would build out an ensemble series.  That's how that came about.

 

What is your take on VH1 focusing a large portion of its shows on African American females with programming such as Basketball Wives and Football Wives?

You've got the fact that here is the opportunity to give some presence and a platform to the African American female experience, but I also think that how that experience is portrayed is something we have to be mindful of. The women I chose were all very good about opening up their lives and letting us see them at their rawest, most honest without putting on heirs or facades for the cameras.  That's not an easy thing to do.  Sometimes you don't have an opportunity to capture that when you're going after the kinds of things that make these reality shows work.

 

When talking about the first ladies of Love & Hip Hop, some viewers highlight how several of these women seem solely dependent on men. As a businesswoman, how does the show fit into your larger brand?

There's a very specific alignment to the show, the cast, and the women on the show and my own trajectory in this space. I came into this thing through hip-hop, and I navigated the world to kind of pursue the things that I was interested in and passionate about. It did provide opportunities for me. I don't know if I would be in entertainment at all were it not for hip-hop and my entry through that world.  As I got to know these women, I saw there was so much more to them then the men they dated.  They were their support systems. They were their backbone. They were in the trenches with them when they had nothing and they made a lot of sacrifices, as well that enabled their men to succeed and to get to where they were.

 

What can people expect from Monami in the future?

I have a couple of other shows in various stages of development. In film production and development, I have two projects I'm currently developing now.

Burberry's Virtual Store Opening In Beijing!!

Watch the Burberry virtual show at the new Beijing store on Vogue.com http://petitlien.fr/5g4n #burberry

Source: Vogue Paris
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Tuesday's High Fashion Juice!

Link in to Fashion Spot http://bit.ly/dXGhF5 for a great article about how Daphne Guinness will prepare for the MET Gala in the famed Barney's window. Get info on the MET Alexander McQueen tribute and how Dolce & Gabbana celebrated their legal win with Justin Bieber!

The above image is of Jessica Szohr wearing Versace to last years MET Gala.

Photo Source: Nymag.com

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Prince William and Kate's Guest List!

Get a peek at Prince William & Kate Middleton's wedding guest list! http://eonli.ne/hwNBbM

Source: RedCarpet
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Matchy Matchy Done Righty, Righty!!!

Anne Hathaway does matchy matchy the right way. A purple and black adorned dress that fits Miss Annie, nicely, accompanied by purple and black, velvet and leather Gucci Malika sandals, topped with a touch of gold leather trim, matches together perfectly.

I am often not a fan of your apparel matching your shoes to a tee, without additional accessories that can break up the color flow, i.e, a belt, a handbag, a pair of glasses, or other accessories. But this Anne Hathaway look has won me over. And unless she's changed stylists recently I have give thanks to the Rachel of Zoe, for nailing it once again.

Gucci Malika Sandals - Price $995 *the color Anne is wearing call for details*

Excellent Addition? The quirky glasses!! Let's go Anne and Rachel!!!

Sale | Piperlime!

Of course, I have to tell my lovelies about another sale! Visit the link below to see products ranging from men and womens shoes, handbags, jewelry and more - All on SALE!

TML!

http://piperlime.gap.com/browse/division.do?cid=50364

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*New Music* Sade feat. Jay-Z The Moon and The Sky (Remix)

Sade featuring Jay-Z – The Moon and The Sky (Remix) http://bit.ly/gjZyJ7

Source: hypebeast.com

Sade Image Source: Thenoireffect.com

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Fashion Fact: Christian Louboutin!

Christian Louboutin's red sole heel is trademarked. How cool is that? So no more painting your heels red ladies, if you do, you may be sued for trademark infringement.

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Aldo Shoe Sale!!!

If you enjoy purchasing great product on sale or for a discount as much as I do, you definitely need to get online and take advantage of the Aldo Spring 50-70% OFF sale!!

 

All clearance tall boots are 50-70% off of the original price.

 

All womens clearance sandals, shoes and mens shoes are 50% off of the original price. 

 

And an extra 25% off on all mens clearance shoes and sandals.

 

Link here to go to the sale!!

WDWT? Cate Blanchett In Givenchy!

WDWT - What Did We Think?

While watching the 2011 Oscars Red Carpet, I don't believe that I actually got this dress at the time.

I thought the color scheme was great and the construction from the front was very unique, but I maybe was too critical of the design as a whole.

If you take a look yourself, you can see that the design is definitely a work of art and should be respected as such.

After reading the Instyle article, I found out how Cate felt about the dress. "People get so worried about dressing for other people, but you've got to wear what you like," Blanchett told InStyle.

"If people get it, they get it. If they don't, then it doesn't matter. There are so few houses that can afford to do couture, and since the red carpet is such a wonderful showcase, we should be celebrating that."

I decided Cate's statement is a very good explanation for wearing the Givenchy dress to the Oscars and it definitely changed my perspective of the dress.

Dear Notable stylistas, when given a platform do something with it and don't be afraid to utilize it. If you can't express yourself with a couture gown like this during a time like the Oscars when can you do it?

For more on this article follow the link: http://news.instyle.com/2011/04/06/cate-blanchett-2011-oscars-dress-givenchy-reaction/?xid=huffpo-cate-blanchett-oscars-2011

Image Source: Instyle via Huffington Post

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50% Sale at Grace Boutique!!

Get over here to Grace Boutique at Keystone at the Crossing and enjoy some of the great product they are selling for 50% off. They have some nice pieces.

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Rag & Bone Fav Look via ShopBop.com

I loooove this look from Rag & Bone via the vast retailer shopbop.com.

The Harley dress is colorful, form fitting, possesses a deep v back and a back zipper. This is BANGING for summer. The tassel belt is not included but is also Rag & Bone.

Dress - $575
Belt - $175

How do you feel about this dress?

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Mercedes Benz Fashion Week in Russia!!

Russian Fashion Week featured some highly structured, futuristic and creative pieces. What do you think about their pieces? Please comment.

Cover Girl Queen Collection Eyelash Curler!

Great Buy! I lucked up on a Cover Girl eyelash curler for $2 today! I can't wait to use it.

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