Just because he doesn't want to date you doesn't mean he doesn't like you...

Let me clear this whole misunderstanding up...
It's very typical that when a girl has feelings for a guy, and he makes some sort of comment that "He isn't looking for a relationship" we tend to take it totally the wrong way by assuming it means he doesn't want us in his life at all.   I know I know, but that's not what the books say...but sometimes the books aren't always right.   It's actually healthy for people that don't have time for relationships to actually avoid them, especially when they are focusing on career goals, financial situations, or something else in their life.   Of course, they want to reap the benefits of a relationship and that's why often times we end up "hooking up" with people we hope want more, when they really just want that benefit. If you are cool with that, then go for it,  but think about this.. if a guy truly doesn't have some sort of feelings for you and enjoy your company, why would he even want to associate with you to hook up, unless of course you are his fantasy girl with looks or sexual chemistry.  

photo by Supermariolxpt	via PhotoRee

 Sometimes a guy will want to enjoy your company without having to discuss a relationship, but keep this in mind...if he truly is developing feelings for you, they will continue to come out and eventually you may be able to move forward with that.  You can't help the inevitable. Embrace it... Embrace the fact that you can hang out with someone that you really get along with and whose company you enjoy, but you don't have to worry about all of the other drama right away.


Make your priorities things like your job, your financial situation, your friendships with your girlfriends, and your health & fitness.  Let a guy just be a supplement to that, ALWAYS! And once you can conquer that (I'll cover that topic more over the next month or so) you will hardly be affected by a guys decision to not want to start a serious relationship with you... I Promise!

My New Verizon iPhone5 & the BEST Customer Service EVER!!!

So for the past (almost) 2 years, I've had an HTC Thunderbolt from Verizon.  I was skeptical to get the iPhone when Verizon first came out with it, just in case there were bugs, etc.   Well,  fast forward to now....  ever since August I've been frustrated to tears over my Thunderbolt.  Maybe it's just bad luck, I donno, but it was to the point that my flash on my camera didn't work, the touch screen lagged, the power button stopped working, if I held the phone in my hand and bumped the side of the screen it would reset the phone, and plenty more things. It was BAD!  It really did not help my anxiety. 

Now, I have a Macbook Pro so it makes more sense for me to get an iPhone because they are more compatible with each other, but the only thing I was afraid of was the expensive phone, mixed with a ton of fees and plan changes and data usage, etc, etc, etc.  Ahhhh!!

So I happened to tweet about some frustrations about my phone and that I couldn't wait to switch to the iPhone5, and that's when Verizon AL tweeted me, offering to help me upgrade (even though it was a week early, we could get started) and find the best deal.  Right away I was floored.  I NEVER have had a cell phone company or store ever reach out to me like that.  

After a few phone calls with Shawn from the Verizon store, my iPhone5 was on it's way to my house.  It was super easy to get my options set up.  I wasn't poked or prodded into saying yes to anything I didn't want.  I didn't need unlimited data and I like the minutes I have.  I wanted insurance and I got it.  Simple as THAT!  I got it on a Thursday and called the store to have it activated.  They were waiting on my call so when the phone rang, they saw my number and instead of "Hello" I was met by "Ready for your new phone?!"!  I was so happy. 

Honestly, if you need help with your plan or it's time to upgrade... I HIGHLY HIGHLY HIGHLY recommend contacting Shawn or any of the great folks that work with him by reaching out via Twitter, Facebook, or their website.   You can even tell them that Ellen sent you!

4 Great Gift Ideas For Your Man on Valentine's Day

Here are 4 great ideas for your boyfriend this year on Valentine's Day!

photo by clvrmnky	via PhotoRee

1.Anything Beer Related 
A Beer of the month club membership is an amazing gift that he'll thank you for every month.  Also there are some make your own beer kits available at various stores.  

photo by mtr79	via PhotoRee

2. Very Nice Underwear and Socks
It's something that men rarely buy for themselves, hence why they have underwear and socks that are tattered and torn.  Go all out and get him some name brand underwear and some super comfortable athletic socks.  Make sure you also let him know you LOVE how he looks in them!

photo by limowreck666	via PhotoRee

3. Tickets to his favorite comedian's show or his favorite band's concert
  Use Ticketmaster.com as a good start, and you get bonus points if the tickets are for him AND a friend (if you don't like the comedian or band.) It's a good way to show that you encourage him to spend time with his friends!

photo by 顔なし	via PhotoRee

4. A Gift Card to a Video Game Store
This is a great way to show him you respect his hobby.  Guys always assume we aren't fond of video games and the time they spend on them.  This is a great reminder that you are a great girlfriend!

A Splash of Art: Wine and Paint Event at The Vineyard at Hershey

Who knew that wine and painting could be so fun.  Maybe because it's relaxing, or maybe even because the wine gives you courage when you start doubting your artistic abilities.  Whatever it is, I had a blast at The Vineyard at Hershey when they hosted a wine and painting event with A Splash of Art. 

Wineing and Painting!

Me and Daniela with our matching BFF necklaces!

Me and my best friend Daniela arrived at the event and got to try several different wines!  I had to let her sample my favorites so she could fall in love with them as much as I did! Shortly after, it was time to head upstairs and choose a seat.  Our easels, canvas, paint, brushes, and apron were already sitting out for us.  We listened to the instructions that the artist gave and followed along with her. 

Painting was so much easier than I thought it would be because we had step by step guidance along the way and since the painting was broken down into steps and sections.

I was so proud of my completed painting and was super excited to see what everyone else's looked like!

It was a great atmosphere and I had such a fabulous time.  I can't wait to attend another session.  If you want to attend a painting event, be sure to check out the schedule of events on the website for A Splash of Art so you can register!

PicturesonGold.com Review & *Giveaway* Ends 2/4

If you love Photo Jewelry, you will love the Photo Lockets especially Valentine's Day Lockets then look no further than PicturesonGold.com!   They have a huge selection of lockets that you can customize with a black or white or color photo of your choice and you can even choose what it says on the inside.   This is a great Valentine's Day gift idea! 

I received a heart locket that I chose to have engraved with the date me and my best friend met!!  I love this because being single, we both turn to each other for a lot of stuff!   I love this necklace and how beautiful the engraving is on it.  The etched picture is so gorgeous and looks like an actual photo!!   

Be sure to check PicturesonGold.com out on Facebook, Twitter, and Pinterest. 
One winner will get a customized locket of their own!!!

a Rafflecopter giveaway

*Giveaway* Win 2 Tickets to ValenWine's Day in Wine Country at The Vineyard at Hershey

Do you have plans for Valentine's Day yet?   Good!  Because on Saturday and Sunday, February 9 and 10, 2012, from 11 a.m. to 5 p.m., Hershey Harrisburg Wine Country's 15 wineries are participating in ValenWine's Day!   Both days, you can visit your choice of wineries (whether it's 1 or 15) of the 15 participating ones.    Not only will you get to enjoy hand-crafted wines paired with chocolates from around the world but you will also get 10% off wine purchases and receive a complimentary souvenir glass.   

The Vineyard at Hershey is participating and that's a great place to start your tour especially if you live in the area!! 

Participating wineries include...
Armstrong Valley Vineyard & Winery
Buddy Boy Vineyard & Winery
Cullari Vineyards & Winery
Hummingbird Ridge Winery
Hunters Valley Winery
Moon Dancer Winery
Mount Hope Winery
Nissley Vineyards (Winery Location)
Red Shale Ridge Vineyards
Tamanend Winery
The Vineyard at Grandview
The Vineyard at Hershey
West Hanover Winery


And any guests who visit 5 or more wineries that weekend will be entered into a drawing for a Wine Country excursion with Premiere One limousine!


 Tickets are $7.50 per person or $10 for a couple.  Designated Driver tickets are free of course!!


To purchase tickets visit http://hhwcvalentines.eventbrite.com/
OR
Enter to win 2 free tickets below! (It's super easy!!!)

Here's How to Enter:

1. Like The Vineyard at Hershey on Facebook here.
2. Leave a comment on this post with your name and email address.


Bonus Entry: (must complete the main entry first)
1. Follow The Vineyard at Hershey on Twitter here.
2. Leave a comment on this post with your Twitter name.

The giveaway will end on Monday, February 4th and will be chosen via Random.org.  I will announce a winner on Tuesday.

Pawbox Review

Pawbox is a monthly subscription program for you and your pet that sends out a monthly box full of goodies including toys, treats, and health supplies.  It's a great way to get new goodies each month without having to break the bank at the pet store, plus who ISN'T excited about receiving surprises in the mail!?


Inside this Pawbox was the following:

Simple Green BIO DOG:
THis stuff is great because it gets rid of stains and odors and you can use it on almost any surface such as carpets, rugs, upholstery, and even your dog's bed.  I used it on troublesome areas where my dogs have had accidents and they tend to repeat the accidents.  Since using it, there have been no more accidents!

My Doggy Bite Cookies:
My dogs absolutely loved these.  They are all natural treats made from high quality ingredients so they promote good coat and nails and overall good doggy health!!

Pegetables: 
This was too cute because it was a little corn on the cob shaped dental dog chew that's made from natural ingredients and gives your dog the benefits of real vegetables.  Grace snatched this up and enjoyed it the rest of the night!

Fingerbrushes:
These are a necessity in my home and it's great to have more of them.  It makes brushing my dog's teeth much easier and they have better breath!

Toy of the Month:
The Toy of the Month was a tennis ball with a rope through it and my dogs enjoyed playing with it for hours on end!  Tug of war is so cute to watch when it comes to Chihuahuas!!!

Pawbox is only $10 a month and that includes shipping.  It's also a great gift idea!!!

Is it REALLY normal to text each other 24/7?!

photo by herby_fr	via PhotoRee

Okay, so I got to thinking the other day....after talking with a friend about someone who went almost a whole day without texting them after they had been texting on and off all day the few days before.   When you bring up a situation like that everyone automatically tends to chime in and say "He's not into you!"  And that could be the case, but at the age of 25 or older, most of us have an apartment or house to take care of, kids and/or pets to care for, a workout routine, a full time job, and overall a busy life.    There's not always endless hours to text back and forth all day, after all - what is left to talk about???     

So now this begs the question...Is it REALLY normal to text each other all day?  

photo by ☻mrhappy☻	via PhotoRee

Remember in your parent's day.....Well, how can you forget, mine always chime in "In my day we didn't have text messaging.  We had a phone, and we'd call twice a week when we weren't at school or working.  We weren't up each others behind the whole time and we didn't become dependent on waiting for each other's call, we all had lives." 

That is a very good point.  These days, if we aren't checking our messages on Facebook, we are looking at our tweets, our instagram feeds, our email, and our phone for missed calls and texts.  But if the guy you are talking to is a true gentleman, he'll maybe check in with you once a day right?   So then why does it matter how many minutes have passed since he last texted you?   And wouldn't you rather have a guy that wants to see you (not just text you), respects you, and is genuinely interested in face to face interaction and conversation with you?

This is why I feel some women have so much confusion trying to see the real signs of a guy being interested in them.   Technology makes it almost a requirement to be talking or communicating 24/7.   And actually, I'll give you this little piece of advice ladies, some of my longest and best relationships, involved texting only a couple times a day if that!   

Just something to think about! 

Outfit of the Day: Red Black & Grey

Yes, the sun was in my eyes, but I was quite proud to show off my red jeans!  I love them and they make every outfit pop.   I just chose black and grey on top to tone down the rest of my look!!

What I Wore:
Boots - Marshalls
Jeans - Marshalls
Cami - Express
Grey Top - Express

Outfit of the Day: Red Jeans

I finally found a pair of red jeans that I had been looking for all Summer and Fall!!  I'm so glad, and I paired it with a blouse and my ebay-find, a black vest!!

So What I Wore:
Jeans - Marshalls
Boots - Marshalls
Shirt - TJ Maxx
Vest - Ebay

How to Break Up the RIGHT Way - A MUST READ!

We have all had it, at least once, I know I have.  The guy you are with totally handles the break up in the wrong manner.  No respect or decency to you, and he has no experience with this in the past so how can you blame him I guess.

photo by Ivars Krutainis	via PhotoRee

Well, I put together this little guide to breaking up that can go for both men and women.  But I’m directing it more at men! LOL

1.       Do it in person.   A text message or email or even Facebook message is just so distant that it stings even more than saying it in person does.  When you break things off in person, it gives the other party a chance to express their emotions to you and let you see how they feel.  If they can’t get that off their chest, how are they ever supposed to come to terms with the break up? 

2.       Don’t avoid them.  Yes, sometimes out of sight out of mind is okay, but often times your ex will try to get ahold of you to talk a bit more and just get some closure.  Maybe they have questions and need answers, regardless, you OWE it to them to listen and to not take the easy way out by just ignoring them and moving on with your life.

3.       Don’t flaunt a new flame, hot girl friend, or single life status in their face.  Give it AT LEAST 2 weeks before you start the “So happy to be single” posts or the online flirting.  I mean, come on, all that does is make us feel as if the entire relationship meant nothing to you and you aren’t affected by it.  

4.       Choose your words carefully.  Write down all your feelings, rather than just say them  in the heat of the moment.  The person you just dumped is especially vulnerable so anything you say the wrong way will be brutal and devastating. 

5.       Let them say whatever they want.  If your ex wants to scream how evil you are to your face, that’s fine… just know that this is a normal reaction to being dumped and you need to just stand there and take it.  Now, don’t stand there and take any physical abuse but just know that it’s normal to be called a plethora of bad names!

6.       Before the break up, start distancing yourself.  This makes it less hard to adjust for the person who is left behind.  Say that for a few weeks you are thinking of ending the relationship, start to hang out with your friends more, separating your life from your boyfriend/girlfriends, etc.  We can take hints and our instinct goes off that tells us something might be off.  Smart people will adapt to that and start distancing themselves as well.  

7.       Do not divulge all the intimate details of the breakup to anyone right away.  Maybe a close guy friend but definitely not a close girlfriend (if you are a guy).   Let it all sink in with your ex for about a day or two before you begin talking about it.  

8.       Don’t take pictures down or anything yet, just let them be the one to do it because it’s very therapeutic.  While it helps you to not be reminded of the guilt you may feel for the being the one to initiate the breakup, you already got the relief of doing it.  Now let them get relief from removing reminders of you from their home, Facebook, etc.

9.       Don’t try to be friendly with their friends.  Their friends are their support group.  Don’t steal them from us!! Just let us talk to them and break the news.  You have your own friends that you had BEFORE the relationship so stick with them. 

10.   Never say to your ex directly “I’m so much happier now”.  It’s just THE WORST.  So don’t!!

Outfit of the Day: Purple and Plaid

 I absolutely love this look because it's relaxed yet chic.  I used the purple color in the plaid shirt to complement my purple skinny jeans and a black cami underneath the shirt helped all the colors pop!

So What I Wore:
Boots - Guess from Marshalls
Pants - Old Navy
Cami - Express
Shirt - Ali & Kris

Participate in Love Notes with Twin Tree Healing #TTH #26ActsofKindness

This weekend, Twin Tree Healing, started by 2 sisters, Ali & Greta Hotmer, would like to celebrate the idea of love and kindness by asking everyone to participate in this event!  On January 19th & 20th you are invited to pass out Love Notes.  You can make your own or print out ones from their website: www.twintreehealing.com/acts_of_kindness

Everyone is encouraged to take pictures and videos of themselves spreading the love.  Upload your pictures/videos with the hashtags #TTH and #26ActsofKindness on Twitter, Instragram, Facebook, and any other social media platform you can think of!! The idea behind this was inspired by those lost at Sandy Hook.  This is a great way to honor their lives and embrace love, by continuing to spread unlimited Random Acts of Kindness. This should NEVER stop! Check out the video above.  And check back next week to see pics of me spreading the love! Be sure to follow me on Facebook, Twitter, and Instagram so you can see me post my kind acts over the weekend!

Here's a link to the Facebook Event.

Winterize Your Wardrobe Without Buying a Whole New Wardrobe

Rather than going out and buying all new additions to your wardrobe for the colder weather, make some smaller purchases that will allow you to utilize your fall and spring (and even summer) wardrobe.

1. Scarves

photo by Mmm...Fiber!	via PhotoRee

Get several fashion scarves in different colors and use them to add warmth to your neck when wearing a lower cut top.  This means you can wear a thin Spring or Fall top and just add the scarf.  Scarves are an easy to wear accessory and there are so many different ways to wrap and tie them. 

2.  Layering

photo by brookesb	via PhotoRee

If you have an open knit Fall or Spring sweater, simply throw on a cami underneath.    You can also utilize blazers and jackets (leather, tweed, etc.) to help keep you warm and give you a more Winter appropriate look.

3. Boots and boot socks

photo by mezone	via PhotoRee

The beauty of boots and boot socks is that they keep your legs and ankles warm AND they look amazing.  Also, if your boots are long enough you can sometimes wear capris or shorter pants underneath that don't actually come the whole way to your ankles.  Who would know?!

Outfit of the Day: Mint and Grey

I decided to use the ever so trendy minty green and combine it with a black blouse rather than a white one.  Grey jeans helped make the mint green pop and I also added a zipper bracelet from Romwe!!

So What I Wore:
Sweater - Old Navy
Blouse - Romwe
Bracelet - Romwe
Jeans - Marc Allison
Boots - MUDD

My Sentimental Quilt from Project Repat

It's a common problem for many of us fashionistas.... we simply have too many tshirts with silly, sentimental, or fun graphics on them.  It's a waste to throw them out, and sometimes you wonder if anyone else would ever want them if you donated them.  Well, that's where Project Repat comes into play.  Project Repat allows you to preserve your tshirt memories by sending you a tiny box that contains instructions and an envelope inside that you can put your shirts in and send back to them.  They then make a quilt out of your shirts, using the images and logos from them. 

There are many options for different sizes of quilts.  Depending on the size you want and whether you want it double sided, or one sided with fleece, they specify the number of shirts they need from you.  Project Repat is 100% American and they create jobs and products in the US, so this should make you feel pretty good about what you are about to do with them.

I selected to get a 5x4blanket with fleece on the back.  I was even able to select the color fleece I wanted.  I had to submit about 20 shirts to Project Repat.   But before I tell you how it went let me tell you about the shirts I sent it.  Several years ago I lost my very very very best friend ever.  She was like a sister to me and my life literally has not been the same since I lost her.  Everyday is somewhat of a struggle to get through life without her. Well, I had many shirts from her that were given to me after she passed, and some I had from what she gave me over the years.  Often, she'd let me borrow a shirt or sweatshirt then later tell me to keep it.  It was very very very hard for me to actually let these go.  They had been sitting in a box in my room forever.  I even had them in plastic bags to preserve her smell.  I decided to keep just a few shirts still so I'll have her smell, but I had to part with these.  After 2 days of forcing myself to send them in, I did it.  I even submitted a note that said what part of each shirt to use.

After a few weeks I received my blanket in the mail.  I was very pleased with how people from Project Repat kept me up to date on the status of my order and when it was shipped.  The shirts I sent in meant so much to me so the worst thing would have been to have no idea where they currently were. 
  
I can not believe how gorgeous my quilt was when I got it.  I literally began yelling and shouting.  I was so excited and so shocked at how well everything was put together, even better than I had imagined it. It's so so soft to the touch and the fleece is amazing and it's great to wrap around myself as I walk around the house, watch movies, or just to hang over the foot of my bed.  I was so touched by how everything was done so carefully.  They were able to stretch parts (see pictures above) where the fabric was bunched, cinched, sewn, or hemmed and make it in to the perfect square. This is one of my most prized posessions now and I can't even begin to explain the sentimental value behind it.  Someday I may display it on my wall but for now I like cuddling with it whenever I am in a sad mood, miss my friend, or just tired and need a nap. 

And guess what, there is now a Groupon code for Project Repat. It's 50% off! It won't be around forever so claim the code now!