There’s a new tab on the Splendicity home page…

Take a minute and check it out!

The new Splendicity community is all about reader participation - and we want you to join in too.  All of the Splendicity bloggers are there, sharing our passion for fashion… and beauty… and celebrities… and design…

We’ve got several different categories you can check out from fashion & shopping, celebrity style - even makeup tips.

Got a question?  Ask us!  Join in the discussions, learn something new and have fun

image: Splendicity

Just look at this fabulous handbag by Brahmin Leather Works! Isn’t she lovely? It’s called the Jacqueline and wouldn’t it look just divine on your shoulder? Yes? Well, it could happen because we’re giving away this awesome handbag as part of Spendicity’s March Madness event.

The Jacqueline is shown here in Smoke Melbourne, a fabulous colour that will go with virtually any outfit. This is a great bag for work or play   This bag features two shoulder straps with a 12″ drop, a magnetic closure, an interior zippered pocket,  two organizer pockets along with a pen loop and a keyclip to attach your keys.  The dimensions are: 14″ H x 21″ W x 5.5″ D

Here’s how you can win this fantastic Brahmin handbag:

Leave a comment in this post with your name, email address and answer the following question, “What is your current favourite handbag and why?”

That’s it! Contest ends today March 28, 2009 at 11:59PST sharp!  Please make sure to read the contest rules before entering. Good luck!
(Image: Brahmin Leather Works)

The lucky winner of Splendicity’s Glamorous March Madness Giveaway is  ANGELA PALMER who said

“Many years ago we had no money. Hubby was used to buying extravagant gifts and would never buy what you asked for because then it wouldn’t be a surprise.  All I wanted was a cheap black purse and a new pillow.  He bought me a cheap black purse and a new pillow.  I had never been happier.”

She won this amazing prize package of the following products.

Bath and Body Works Headache Relief Instant Aromatherapy ($10.00)
Bath and Body Works Liplicious Lipgloss Sheer in Pineapple ($6)
California Baby’s Calendula Cream ($12.99)
Davines MOMO Shampoo & Conditioner ($19.50 – $22.00)
Foot Petals Heart Tip Toes ($6.95)
Glowology The Balm ($24.00)
Snog Lip Balm ($3.50).
Switchflops
Bath and Body Works True Blue Spa Shea Cashmere Foot Cream ($15.00)

Congratulations to Amanda!  I contact you shortly for your mailing address. Or if you’re reading this, please email me at star.stevenson [at] gmail.com with your information.

Thank you everyone for entering! Don’t forget to come back every day for your chance to win glamorous prizes.

First off, I want to say how much I enjoyed reading all the comments (159 in all!) in the Mimi Kim Jewelry contest the other day. I loved all the stories and the sweet anecdotes!

After a random drawing, the very lucky winner of the Petite Freshwater Pearl Necklace is:  JOANNA SMITH who said…

” My most treasured piece of jewelry is an oval gold locket given to me by my grandmother.  She wore it everyday since she was 16 years old when she fled Greece and took a boat by herself to Ellis Island carrying nothing with her but the clothes on her back and a loaf of bread.  She landed in NYC speaking no English, alone in a strange country and had to start her life from scratch.  She wore this locket for over 60 years and it represents her strength, perseverance, love and faith and how she overcame so many obstacles throughout her life. I wear the locket now and plan to give it to my daughter in a few years when she is old enough to understand all that it represents.  “

Mimi Kim Jewlery Peacock Heart Shaped Pearl Necklace

Congratulations Joanna! I will be emailing you shortly for your shipping information (or if you’re reading this, please email me with your info at star.stevenson [ at ] gmail.com). Enjoy your pretty new necklace!

Thank you everyone for participating! Don’t forget to check out Splendicity’s March Madness calendar where every day this month you can enter to win yet another fabulous prize!

Here at Splendicity we love to hold contests and give away prizes. To celebrate the re-launch of our fun, fabulous and feminine new look, we are giving away cool prizes every day this month! It’s our very own version of March Madness! You’re in for a treat because the prize today is an assortment of fabulous goodies.

Bath and Body Works Headache Relief Instant Aromatherapy ($10.00) Roll this on for relief. Studies have shown Peppermint essential oil has tension-relieving effects that can ease headaches and Geranium essential oil is known to soothe and help you relax.

Bath and Body Works Liplicious Lipgloss Sheer in Pineapple ($6) Fun and fashion for your lips. Liplicious glosses deliver the perfect combination of color, mouth-watering flavor and high-glistening shine. An absolute must-have accessory for lips!

California Baby’s Calendula Cream ($12.99) - Hydrates and heals stinging, chapped skin. The cream treats itchy eczema, perioral dermatitis and other skin sensitivities and calms the complexion and restores cell rejuvenation when used as an overnight cream. Key Ingredient: Calendula (pot marigold) which is considered to be “Nature’s First Aid.”

Davines MOMO Shampoo & Conditioner ($19.50 – $22.00). Transform dry, dehydrated hair with shampoo enriched with sweet almond protein to moisturize, protect and condition. The rich conditioner contains Vitamin B5 and bull thistle oil to hydrate and jojoba oil to protect. www.davines.com

Foot Petals Heart Tip Toes ($6.95) – Foot Petals’ signature Tip Toe style in a unique pink, heart shape. Place under the ball of the foot to relieve pressure and support feet in high heels.

Glowology The Balm ($24.00) - A must-have moisturizer for the driest skin. Created to pamper the tough, rough, dry skin, The Balm contains a blend of organic and natural ingredients to soothe and saturate dry skin. Sinfully rich organic shea butter creates the perfect base for this intensive hand and foot cream. Organic sunflower oil softens and moisturizes the skin while a blend of bilberry, lemon, orange, sugar cane and sugar maple extracts provides a natural source of alpha-hydroxy acids that gently exfoliate rough skin.

Snog Lip Balm ($3.50). Named for a slang British term for kissing, Snog is the perfect way to get super soft, sexy lips in just seconds. It’s smaller than most lip balms and tiny enough to fit in your teeniest pocket!

Switchflops give you the freedom to express your individuality with unlimited interchangeable options. Each strap in your collection is like a whole new pair of shoes for a fraction of the cost and a fraction of the closet space. With its innovative Velcro strap design, Switchflops lets you instantly customize your look. They cost: $35 for LuLu; $39 for Taylor; $49 for Lilly; $12 for each additional strap. These would be great for spring!

Bath and Body Works True Blue Spa Shea Cashmere Foot Cream ($15.00) - An indulgent skin softener. Wraps feet in a soothing cashmere blanket, leaving skin soft and comforted. A revolutionary combination of moisturizing African Shea Butter and luxurious Mongolian Cashmere Extract soothes and softens even the most tired, rough feet.

If you win, you’ll receive ALL of the above! That’s a total prize value of $136! I suppose you’d like to know how to enter, yes? Well, all you have to do is leave your name, email address and answer this question, “What was the best gift you ever received?”.

That’s it! This contest ends tonight, March 20th, 2009 at 11:59pm sharp! Don’t miss out on this awesome prize package. You can give these to your loved ones or keep them them all for yourself. Good luck everyone!

(Images: Bath and Body Works, Foot Petals, Switchflops, Davines, Snog, Glowology, California Baby)

In honor of the launch of Splendicity, we’re hosting a different contest every day!  You can check out all of the amazing contests here

Today’s marvelous goodies are four pieces of jewelry from Jeweled Blossoms (you can also visit their Etsy site here).  Jeweled Blossoms creates handmade jewelry with a feminine, romantic feel, using semi-precious stones, pearls, sterling silver and gold.

The first piece of jewelry for the contest is the “The Art of Feminity“, a tiny Lily of the Valley charm, accented with a faceted white topaz drop:

“Gratitude” earrings are fresh water pearl coins, on sterling silver ear hooks:

The matching “Gratitude” necklace, “a single lustrous pearl dangling simply and elegantly”:

The “Breath of Fresh Air” lariat necklace features a faceted Labradorite drop on a sterling silver chain:

To enter the contest, all you need to do is leave comment on this post, explaining what you like most about the new Splendicity.

The contest will run until tonight, March 16th at 11:59pm.  The winner will be chosen randomly and contacted by email.

Good luck!

images: Jeweled Blossoms

As we usher in the new year, we take a look back at the Best and Worst of 2008, along with a look ahead to 2009. From all the Splendicity bloggers, here are some of our favorite (and not so favorite) things from the world of beauty and fashion.

Tracy at Hot Mama Daily tells you about the top 5 Hot Mama moments of 2008 and her top 5 favorites beauty products too. She also clues you in on the worst hot messes of the year.

Dexie rounds out the year with her round-up lists at Style It Less, including under $100 looks, celebrity looks for less and her own personal bargain looks.

Aly gives you the beauty ingredient forecast and what’s in and what’s out in hair for 2009 at eBeautyDaily. She also chimes in with Lemon Drop’s worst fashion trends of 2008 at Shopaholics Daily along with hair trends for 2009 and worst celebrity hairstyles of 2008 at Style Her Hair.

Liberty provides her top 5 beauty finds and top 10 beauty tips of 2008 at Teen Style Lounge.

Chloe talks about her favorite jewelry of 2008 at Gleaming Things and favorite fashion picks at Her Accessories.

Julie points out the worst dresses celebrities of 2008 at Snarkstress.

Ashley discusses her top 10 most luxurious items of 2008 at The Latest Luxe.

Mary Jo makes her top 10 beauty & style resolutions for 2009 at The List Maven.

Beth tells you the top 10 must-have beauty products of the year at Aging Fabulous.

Shannon provides her list of top 10 best makeup products of 2008 at Makeup Minute.

Rachel talks about her 2009 New Year’s skin resolutions at Skin Principles.

Kori shows you the worst shoe trends of 2008 at Shoe Blitz and the best and worst fashion Trends of 2008 at Shopaholics Daily.

image: Stock.xchg

The Beauty & Style channel’s very own Lara The List Maven snagged an exclusive interview with socialite Paris Hilton!

The full interview is coming soon - but you’re going to want to check out the contest that Lara is running…

I thought that in honor of the interview, I’d pick some of my favorite shoes from Paris Hilton’s new collection.   I have to admit, I was surprised by how stylish and wearable her shoes are -I’d definitely wear some of them.

Let’s begin with the “Tiffany” boot:

Clean, elegant lines - and that patent leather toe cap adds a nice little kick of sex appeal… without looking slutty!  Totally wearable with a great skirt or skinny jeans.

While I’m normally not a huge fan of booties, I’m slowly coming around and I love the rich color of the “Palms” bootie:

The detailing and the chunky buckle elevate this bootie into a stylish accessory!  Also available in purple or black suede and gray leather.

Got a dressy event but just can’t deal with high heels?  The “Chino” comes to the rescue:

The metallic leather makes them suitable for more formal occasions and the bow keeps them feminine - keep dancing past midnight!

images: Zappos

You may know that I also write two blogs for b5media’s Lifestyle’s channel, Tangled Thread and my new baby, The Doggy Blog.  I wanted to share what the bloggers in the Lifestyle’s channel have been up to lately…

This year bloggers from around b5media’s Lifestyles, Health and Wellness channels are giving readers a special surprise. We’ve created a virtual mall to help ease the anxiety of shopping for those on your Christmas list who may be a little more difficult to buy for.

Stop by Kettle and Cup and select your favorite hot beverage, kick back and browse this years Holiday Gift Guide Shopping Extravaganza.

Cherie from Career and Kids has the perfect list for the business woman/working parent.

Mary Emma from One Book Two Book shares a suggest shopping list for the avid reader and artist on your list.

Everyone knows what to get a jewelry lover - but do you know what to get one who loves to make jewelry? Cyndi at Jewelry and Beading has the answer!

Cherie at Diabetes Notes shares gift ideas to keep those visions of sugar plum fairies dancing for the diabetics on your list.

Chloe at The Doggy Blog shares an adorable wish list as written to Santa Paws.

Christine at Mad Cropper knows how to please those who are crazy about scrapbooking during the holiday season.

Quilters anyone? This unique craft makes for the tougher shopping experience - but that’s so yesterday considering we have a pro in our corner. Let Mary Emma at Quilting and Patchwork help you pick out the perfect gift.

Angela from Breastfeeding 1-2-3 provides a list of gifts for the breastfeeding mother on your list.

So maybe giving kitchen appliances isn’t the best idea - but what about a cool and unique Cooking Gadget? I’d say your bound to surprise the cook on your list with something from Cyndi’s list.

Peggy at Lively Women has put together a list of gift ideas for the health conscious female on your list.

Christine at Our One Heart shares tips and gift ideas to keep that Bride-to-Be happy during the Christmas season.

Tracee at BlogFabulous has put together an amazing store displaying gift ideas for the woman’s woman.

Christmas is for everyone and shopping for an Alzheimer’s patients can present a challenge - allow Mary Emma at Alzheimer’s Notes helps you overcome that challenge and get on to the joys of the season.

Have someone who might be looking to become a little more organized in the new year? Let Jennifer at Declutter It help you give the gift of time and organization.

Do you have a fabric-aholic or a needlehead on your Christmas list? Don’t get them the same old boring sing-song gift - let Chloe at Tangled Thread help you pick the perfect gift.

Unique gift ideas for the mixed media art lover on your list is what Cyndi from Layers Upon Layers has on display.

Have an aspiring to advanced chef on your list this year? Cyndi at Busy Family Meals has an extensive list to cover every stage of cooking from beginner to pro.

Eliza has pieced together a shop that covers mom, dad and baby at Babylune. Why leave anyone out?

Heather at The Food Bowl is taking care of pets and their people with a fun list that’s bound to connect you with the perfect gift.

Did someone say chocolate? Heather at Chocolate Bytes did! Our resident chocolate expert has put together sweetest gift shop you won’t want to miss.

Who says married couples are boring? Check out the letters to Santa as shared by Marc and Marye of Marriage Actually and see what might appeal to the married couple on your list.

Jennifer from Tree Hugging Family provides a wonderful list to help you go a little more green this holiday season.

Don’t forget about that single and dating friend or relative! We all know how difficult it can be to buy for them - Lucky for us we have Dating Dames and the Dames have the answers.

It’s never too early to start buying for your favorite gardener and Linette at Mother Earth’s Garden has a wonderful list to help you decide.

Have someone a little offbeat or kooky on your list this year? Let Jennifer of Offbeat Homes help you find the gift that’s spot on.

Linette at Play Library is haring the Best of Toys list this year - check out what’s hot and get to buying! We know how quick those hot toys sell out every year.

Have someone on your list who always hosts the best parties? Surprise that person with a unique gift as recommended by Linette at She Knows Parties!

Marcie from One Book Two Book and A Child Chosen shares a wonderful shopping list she’s broken down by age groups and hobbies.

Whether it’s tea or coffee you are looking for, Marye from Kettle and Cup has unique gift ideas that’s sure to add a little spice to your favorite hot beverage.

Haven’t figured out just how to shop for the junk lover and crafter on your list? Let Peggy from Junk Creation assist you with your selection.

Susan from Grounded Fitness has a little something for the health and fitness buff on your shopping list.

Liz at Health Bolt offers up a nifty gift idea list for everyone in the family - down to the computer geek.

Just what do you buy someone who’s crazy about genetics? Let our very own Grace Ilbay help you with that one at Genetics and Health

For those on your list who have a taste for wine and cocktails - check out Drinks After Dark and the shop full of gifts that Colleen has compiled that might just add to the element of surprise this year.

For the baker on your list - Marye from Baking Delights shares some of her personal favorites for her baking adventures in the kitchen. At a time when flavors, colors, aromas and tastes are at their peak, finding the perfect gift can be a bit of a challenge.

Eliza at She Knows Coupons has a fun list of items that will make any couponing mom jump with joy. The only thing that makes a coupon mom more excited than an awesome deal is doing it in an organized fashion.

And last but certainly not least, I’ve compiled a list of MomGadget Favorites - A Year in Review 2008 instead of a storefront for you to shop.

From all of us at Lifestyles - Health & Wellness

We wish you and yours a very Merry Christmas and a wonderful 2009!

Image credit: Stock.xchng

All around b5media’s Beauty & Style Channel, the Splendicity bloggers have put together some amazing holiday gift guides. Everything from makeup and skincare products to little black dresses and accessories, we have it all.

Let’s go shopping!

Beth at Aging Fabulous offers a selection of terrific beauty gifts.

SP shows you some terrific handbags at Banging Bags, fabulous stocking stuffers at Shopaholics Daily, and even more holiday gifts at Style Her Hair.

Nikki shows us some wonderful little black dresses at Celeb Look.

Gayla features some adorable gifts for your pets at Couture Critters.

Aly offers beauty products for holidays at eBeautyDaily.

Star shows us a selection of fabulous gifts for him and her at Glamour Gift Guide.

Chloe features jewelry gifts for family and friends at Gleaming Things, and offers The Twelve Days of Shopping Christmas Guide at Her Accessories.

Tracy has a not so secret wish list and her holiday gift guide at Hot Mama Daily.

Dexie’s jewelry gift guide for her lights up She Knows Best. And don’t miss out on her Under $100 Holiday Looks at Style It Less.

Kori offers fabulous shoes for every woman in your life at ShoeBlitz.

Colleen features wonderful spa and beauty gifts at Spa Beautifully.

Ashley invites you to indulge in luxury at The Latest Luxe.

Lara provides 8 top 8 lists of holiday gifts for everyone at The List Maven.

Happy Shopping!!