You Know That a Song You Are Hearing Was Made in the 80's If...

• There is a very distinct sound of cowbell.
• There is a fake phone call in the middle of the song. I mean seriously, if a song is two minutes long, couldn't you have asked her to hold on the line while you finished singing!
• Extremely long guitar solos, I am talking the ones that make the song go on for ten minutes.
• The singer calls out the name of each instrument. I guess in the 80's they didn't have enough faith in the listener to know that we knew the difference between guitars and drums.
• The words legit or go-go can be found in the chorus.
• The songs mention calling you on the phone and hoping that you are home to get the call. In the dark ages of the 80's there were no cell phones. If you were lucky you had the fancy push button phone instead of the yellow rotary phone!
• You can tell just from listening to the song that the singer was wearing the half shaved head do, crazy eye shadow, 5 million bracelets and short shorts, (this includes the male singers as well).

Week Two Winner Is....

Congratulations Lexa Levine! You are the winner in week two of "Have You Seen This Etsy Shop?" and have won the lovely earrings from Angel Heart Beads and Design!

Thank you all so much for entering the contest and if you didn't win this week, don't worry there is another one lined up starting next Tuesday.

Thank you to Tracey at Angel Heart Beads and Design for offering your shop up for this feature. It was a pleasure to learn about your beautiful shop and I wish you continued success!

Another Hilarious Episode

Chelsea Handler has put together a group of the people that are often on the round table portion of her show. The special, Comedians of Chelsea Lately, will have another edition tonight on E! at 9:30pm (central).

In the video above you will see a small portion of Heather McDonald's skit from last week. All of the comedians on Chelsea Handler's show are hilarious, but Heather is my favorite. If you get to watch a repeat of the first night of Comedians of Chelsea Lately, you will love her Drew Barrymore and Celine Dion impressions! They are so spot on that I am sure even Drew and Celine couldn't help but laugh themselves!

Have You Seen This Etsy Shop?

Angel Heart Beads and Design is a jewelry shop dedicated to creating beautiful pieces for all price points and tastes. Owned and operated by Tracey and her fiance Robert, Angel Heart Beads and Design is getting great exposure lately by being featured in Bead Trends Magazine and as the official jewelry designer of up and coming country singer Nikki Britt.

Allow me to share with you just a few of the beautiful things you will find here:

September

On The Rocks

Judy Garland

Dream

Angel Heart Beads and Design welcomes custom orders. They can also adjust the sizes of most of their necklaces and bracelets. Feel free to send them a convo if you see something you would like to have the size adjusted on.

Free Shipping is being offered for all purchases mailed to the United States and Canada for all finished pieces in the shop (this does not apply to supplies and is limited to standard upsp rates).

Any express mail or rush delivery will be an additional charge.

Last week our contest was a huge success and I know this week we have you all equally excited! Angel Heart Beads and Design have been awesome enough to design a pair of earrings to be featured and given away to one of you!

"Autumn" are a vintage inspired jade color acrylic focal bead capped with both brass and copper filigree, topped with a amber color swarovski crystal, and dangle from gold tone ear wires. They measure approximately 1" over all.

From now until Friday at noon,(central time zone), make a comment on this post about Angel Heart Beads and Design and you will have one entry in the drawing for the "Autumn" earrings. If you are a follower on Joy De Vivre you will get an additional entry.

Don't forget to check back Friday afternoon! You may have a confetti party going on this week!

As Long As I Don't Look Like Ross...

On my continued quest to get my pearly whites perfect, I went to get fitted for my bleaching trays! I can't wait to get them back next Saturday. After years of BriteSmile and Crest Whitestrips I figured in the long run it was cheaper to just get the trays.

My goal, though, is to NOT look like Ross from Friends! What a classic episode that is! No matter how many times I see it I still chuckle!

And the Winner Is...

Congratulations!

"Have You Seen This Etsy Shop?" was a great success in its first week! Thank you so much to Lena at Nigatsu Bebe for being the very first store to participate! I wish you continued success in your great Etsy shop Lena!

Thank you to everyone who entered the accompanied contest. Don't forget this is a new weekly feature! Every Tuesday there will be a new Etsy shop for you all to get acquainted with and great giveaways.

Hello!

Lately there have been a lot of new followers to Joy De Vivre! Thank you to all of you who have just found my blog and to all of my great bloggy friends who have been here for some time. I thought now would be a great time to reintroduce myself and some of the cast of characters that you will often see here! me

The Boy-Gabriel, my hubby

The little boy-our fuzzy son Barkley

Ten Things You May Not Know About Me

1. I work for a medical device company full time. We make an implant and it is very ironic that I work there since I am terrified of blood, doctors and hospitals and can not even watch the video of our device actually getting implanted.
2. Gabriel also works with me. Most people wonder how I can work with my hubby, but I find it nice to have someone with me that I know I can talk to when I really have some juicy gossip or just need to vent.
3. I am going to school for interior design. I am one class away from graduating, but unfortunately I have been waiting for that one class to be offered for a year.
4. I am an only child. The only sister I had was Tina, our border collie that we had for 16 years.
5. I love to travel. I think the only real way to learn about a place is to go there and explore.
6. If I could meet anyone in the world, that I have not met yet, it would be Dolly Parton. I think she is super cute, fun and can make fun of herself.
7. My other role model is Diane Sawyer. She is so smart and pretty, but can still hold her own against the guys on TV.
8. I would be most happy in a loft in a big city with a view of beautiful skyscrapers. Don't get me wrong, I love my house now, but I would be perfectly fine without the yard, the lizards, the frogs, etc. Lord forbid the day I see a snake out there, because that will be the day I end up with a FOR SALE sign in the driveway. Just for the record, I live in the suburbs just outside of Houston. I made it sound like I live in the middle of the country which is not the case.
9. I LOVE music. Going to concerts is one of my most favorite things to do with for fun. I have a very eclectic taste in music. I love everything from disco,(how can the word boogie not make you smile), pop, 80's hair bands and everything in between.
10. I think life is given to us to have fun with it! I try not to ever put off doing anything if I can do it now. My mom always tells me I am going to kill myself trying to have too much fun.:)
    
    

Have You Seen This Etsy Shop?

Today is the first of a new weekly feature on Joy De Vivre. With so many great shops on Etsy, it is often hard to see them all. Being someone with a shop of my own I realize how important it is to get your info out there. I am here to do my patriotic duty of giving you all places to spend your money to get the economy turned around!

Now for the first ever edition of "Have You Seen This Etsy Shop?":

Nigatsu Bebe is a jewellery and accessories shop. Lena, Nigatsu Bebe's owner, named her shop after her cat Bebe. I must say she is doing her feline friend proud by giving a third of all of the profits from her shop to no-kill shelters.

Here are some of the great finds from Nigatsu Bebe:

Autumn Leaves Earrings



Breathe the Life of Summer's Death

Custom orders are also available by contacting Lena.

A great shop and a great cause, what else could you ask for? A great giveaway of course!

For the next three days make a quick comment about Nigatsu Bebe and you will be entered to win this adorable soft yarn pony flower ponytail elastic. Lena will custom make it in your choice of colors. Sign up as a follower on Joy De Vivre and your name will be entered twice!

Make sure to come back on Friday to see who our first winner will be!

Is the Internet Negatively Affecting Our Relationships?

The other morning on a local radio station they did a segment on the danger that sites like Facebook and Myspace pose to married couples. They sited a survey that stated 40 % of the couples coming in for counseling gave online networks as the main source of conflict in their marriage. With all of the new ways to get in touch with old friends, have the boundaries of appropriateness been blurred? When is the line crossed when chatting with people online?



In my opinion, for what it is worth, it is perfectly acceptable for people to be friends with those of the opposite sex. However, there are times when it could be leading you down a slippery slope. Here are some things that you may want to avoid:



1. We have all heard it before, but it doesn't hurt to reiterate-Don't engage in any conversation that you would not engage in in front of your significant other.



2. Don't spend the majority of your time free time online. If you are spending hours upon hours on Facebook you are obviously taking time away from people who are actually living with you.



3. Don't get caught up in the classic- the grass is always greener syndrome. Sure someone may look even cuter on their profile than they did back in high school. Maybe they have aged well or have a great job, but if they were a jerk years ago, chances are that will still resurface given time.



4. Do not, I repeat, do not friend request an ex that you have never completely gotten over. I personally noticed this the other day. Someone I know had a fiance once that they never really got over. It was one of those situations where the parents didn't approve so they just broke it off to make others happy. This person eventually got married to someone else, but never really treated her the way he treated the first fiance. I was rather shocked when I saw her, fiance #1, on his Facebook page reminiscing everyday about old times. It was also a little sad that his wife was nowhere to be found on said page.



Are these behaviors perfectly innocent? Possibly. However with so many people losing their jobs, children to raise, the always present in law issues and countless other problems is it really worth adding another potential source of conflict to the mix? Keeping in touch with family and friends can be a great thing, but making sure you have appropriate lines drawn when you are on the internet will likely save you trouble down the line.

Coldwater Creek-Glambassador Promo

For anyone who shops at Coldwater Creek I have a coupon code to pass along. The Glamour Glambassador program has teamed up with Coldwater Creek to offer the Glambassadors and their friends, this means all of you, a coupon code worth $25 off a purchase of $100. Just use the code GLM2216 now through 9/15 at checkout.

Happy shopping!

http://www.coldwatercreek.com/

Avoid Heatstroke and Just Bring the Outdoors In

August is that time of the year that you know you should be outside enjoying the summer, but it is often just too hot to do so. How, you may ask, can you enjoy the out of doors without risking heatstroke when the temperatures outside are boiling? Bring the outdoors in! You can easily accomplish this task by checking out some of these great shops below:

This is the Sunshine Poppy Garden from Love Art Works. Not only will this vase brighten your day, but the proceeds will help brighten someone else's as well. The proceeds from the sale of Sunshine Poppy Garden are also going to a great cause-The American Cancer Society.




This stone ware copper and turquoise vase from Marielle Macville Ceramics. It is a beautiful example of her artifacts collection and is fully functional as a vase.






What a great way to display all of your outdoor finds! The Buckets....Whats at your windowsill...
from ArzuMusa are made entirely from polymer clay.

The moss terrarium No. 139 from Made by Mavis is made from slow growing moss and other tiny plants. You will not need a green thumb for this mini garden as it requires little care and pretty much takes care of itself.

This post is straight from http://designstyleguide.blogspot.com/ that I write for once a month. There are many great artists and designers there for all of your home design needs. Feel free to check it out if you need any design inspiration.

Happy Anniversary and a Call to Help a Great Cause

Today is the 5Th anniversary of the day we brought Barkley home from the SPCA. I would just like to take this time to remind anyone out there that may be looking for a pet for your home to check out the SPCA and other local animal shelters. So many people go to breeders to get their dogs and while many are reputable, there are lots of them that are not. The shelters often have many different types animals and many breeds. Try not to be so caught up in getting a purebred if you are on the look for a pup and go into your search with an open mind. In the end it isn't about the papers that a dog has, but seeing that happy little tail wag when you walk in the door at night!

Here is a link to the ASPCA for anyone who may want to check it out and possibly find a location near you: http://www.aspca.org/

Happy anniversary my Bark! Has anyone else out there adopted from a shelter? I would love to see links to your cuties, please share!

Weekend Recap-Visting Dallas

Hi everyone! I hope you had a great weekend! I have been out of town and am just now having a chance to update here.

We just got home from Dallas. Here is where I would insert the music from the TV show if I knew how to do that type of thing! Mental note-buy Blogging for Dummies so I can figure out how to add cute music. Anyway, back to the weekend talk.

We stayed at the Hyatt Regency in downtown. It was in a great centralized location. Yeah for Hyatt points as well which helped me to get one of the nights free. With the economy the way it is a freebie is always a good thing!


Friday we walked around downtown. I have been to Dallas several times, but have not spent as much time there as I have in most of the other larger Texas cities, like Austin and San Antonio. While being in a place you don't know quite as well leads to seeing new things, it also drives me crazy to not know directions. Thank God for Tom Tom!

We visited the site where JFK was shot outside of the Texas School Book Depository. Walking into the depository was very surreal knowing that the Lee Harvey Oswald once walked in that very building with a mission to complete. Such a sad history in that small block!

Later that night we met up with our friends Pam and Bill and had a chance to meet their beautiful children. I don't know why I didn't get some pictures for my blog while out that night, but we went to a cool place close by our hotel. Great friends, great food and a funny piano guy=a great Friday night!

Saturday we went to Cruefest 2. While I really enjoyed the lineup much more last year for the first Cruefest, I still had a great time. We were fortunate enough to have front row in the pit. I always laugh at the girls who come in at the last minute and think that they are going to bully their way into the very front. I had to prove to one girl that while I may have been a third of her size I am very determined! After trying to squeeze me out of my spot for about twenty minutes she finally gave up! Good riddance!

Sunday was not very eventful. We just drove back home trying to stay awake from the night before. Are we getting too old for seven hour concerts? Hmm.. I most certainly hope not! ;)

I Have Never Used the Word "Howdy" and Other Texan Stereotypes Debunked

When traveling outside of my home state I have been asked some of the craziest things about Texas. I suppose since most of the world has seen images from western movies and the sitcom Dallas, Texas has a reputation for being a wild west of sorts. Growing up in Houston, the fourth largest city in the country, I never experienced anything out of a western movie. Below are some other stereotypes that do not fit the average Texan:

• We do not all have oil wells in our backyards. I wish we did as I would be much wealthier!



• We do not have huge Texas hair. In fact, with the humidity here I am not sure how girls could get their hair to stand up that far off of their scalp. Mine usually falls flat after I step a foot out the door.

• Not all Texans have a country accent. In fact, many of the larger cities are such melting pots for many cultures so rarely do you find someone that sounds like the Texas people who are portrayed on television.

• We do not all own cows. In fact, I don't even eat beef.

• On the subject of cows, I also hate the rodeo as I think it is very inhumane. Everything from the calf scramble to the bull riding is so cruel in my opinion.
  


• Not everyone here wears cowboy boots and hats. I have never in my life owned either.

Texas has many more things to offer than the cowboy lifestyle. From world known cities like Houston and Dallas to the awesome weirdness that is Austin there is something here for everyone.

Happy Birthday Gabriel!

Not only is he the person in many silly pictures in my blog, he is also my hubby for those of you who may be new here. He is turning 34 today! Happy Birthday buddy!