A Lesson Learned @TxSC: The Business Cards I Wish I'd Had but Didn't [Part 2]

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In part 1, I discussed the types of cards that I personally found the most helpful for remembering fellow TxSC participants. Now let's brainstorm on some visual aids to memory and design some cards with me as the guinea pig. 


First, your important information. This can all go on the back side, maybe with a graphic from your blog.

most likely the graphic will have to be B+W. oops.

Make sure your card has:
Your name
Your blog URL
Your twitter handle
Bonus points for: instagram handle, Facebook page, etc
And make sure it's easy to read! NO SCRIPT FONTS PLEASE!!!

The front is where the fun stuff happens...  Remember, my focus here is on cards with your picture on it...
Here are some questions to ask yourself to get inspired... (I had more questions but realized they went outside my "visual of self" criteria and better served a card with a less specific purpose -- I'll add them at the very end without visuals, maybe you can use some of the ideas)
Disclaimer - most of my samples here I did quickly at 72dpi. Don't zoom the images!

Do you post Outfit of the Day photos? No brainer!

Do you have a certain accessory that is a signature look?

Me, in my gigantic glasses
photo credit: Shimelle

note: you will be seeing a lot of that squiggle print background
in my samples below. just warning you!

or my handful of rings --
my hand over my keyboard is a good "blogger" cue

Do you blog about a certain thing?

I do crazy pattern mixing.
If I know for sure I'm wearing a certain outfit,
I could put that mix on the card
(very limited use!)

Does your blog have a unique stylistic thing or special kinds of posts?

I've got my SpyGirl sketches that are also self portraits

there's the self portrait that is my Blogger avatar

Do you have a DIY you might be wearing or that you are known for?
Can you give mini-visuals of the steps?

not mine, not entire image -- source

Do you sell a product? Will you be wearing a sample?

my scarf design I'm pimping

Maybe you have less visuals and more writing? A headshot and your tag line perhaps?

(if you zoom this, it will look pixellated. just warning you)
tag line is legible on my header at top!

Keep in mind -- fashion and beauty bloggers are primarily visual people. They will remember you by what you were wearing, your fabulous shoes, your amazing earrings, your incredible hair style, your style in general, etc, etc.
Help them remember you!

MOO Cards let you do 50 different designs so you could have an array to fan out for someone to choose... let your imagination run wild!

We were given an offer of 50 free cards prior to the conference.
So what did my cards look like for TxSC?










(drumroll)













hint...

this is what I was doing in my motel room at 5pm Friday night of the conference

voila! >cue awkward silence<

yes, they are the size of a 1 x 3" mailing label

DIY! Information FAIL! (do I at least get points for the QR code?)

What happened, Anne the SpyGirl?
I froze. I procrastinated. I had too many choices. I waited until the last minute. Was I the only person that handed out a weird sized thing (not even card stock) with raggedy edges? Did that make mine memorable? Ha - it certainly became a topic of conversation during card swapping.
Next time I'll do better, I promise myself. I'll start working on them NOW! [I vowed in March]

Did I? No.
At least I'd written this out so that now I'm under a deadline, I won't forget anything important!
When I get them all uploaded, I'll post my designs. That'll be Part 3!
To be continued...


ps: more questions/themes -

Do you blog about a certain thing?
I've been working on a 365 photo project. Maybe one of those images?

Maybe one of your Instagrams, one that you're really proud of or one that got a lot of likes or comments?

A trend board?

A "favorite things" visual?

Something from your Pose app?

Did I miss something?

America's Car Museum Set To Open in May 2012 / Tacoma Washington

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Tacoma Washington...It has been announced that the LeMay Automobile Museum will open in May 2012. The museum has been under construction since 2010. Museum president David Madeira projects 425,000  visitors per year and expects the museum to have about a $34 million impact for the Tacoma area economy. The museum occupies a nine acre campus next to the Tacoma Dome and is 165,000 square feet in size. Called America's Car Museum, this venue will should be an excellent new stop for vintage auto enthusiasts. Included will be a lecture hall, gift shop, restoration shops and a banquet hall. The museum will be a perfect setting for corporate and club events. Whether you're an vintage car enthusiast or not, you're sure to have a fun and informative time at America's Car Museum. It makes a great addition to your northwest vacation planner.

There will also be a three and one-half acre site to be used from everything from vintage car shows to drive-in movies to concerts. The museum project is certainly quite impressive and took years to come about. The museum has announced that plans are to expand beyond American automobile to British, Italian and others. The museums donors were critical in making this project succeed. Harold LeMay's wife, Nancy LeMay donated $15 million and the City of Tacoma donated land estimated to be worth $17 million. AAA of Washington was the largest corporate donor with a $1.6 million contribution. Additional major donors included State Farm Insurance, The News Tribune, Boeing and Bonhams. A project of this size would not have been possible without the high level of community support the LeMay organization obtained.

The museum is expected to display about 500 cars which is an enormous collection. There will also be a clubhouse available for automobile clubs. When open, the America's Car Museum will be the world's largest in terms of square footage and number of cars on display.

There are certainly many excellent vintage car museums across the United States. The LeMay Museum is probably the largest project of this type ever attempted in the U.S. This vintage and classic car museum will certainly attract visitors and tourist from around the world.

Automobile museum enthusiasts will also be interested in a few other events scheduled around the country. The Classic Car Club of America announces their Experience to take place June 1-3, 2012 at the Classic Car Club of America Museum in Hickory Corners, Michigan. The theme for the 2012 event is all foreign automobiles through 1965. No Club affiliation is required to participate for the Sunday Experience Concours.

The Wellborn MuscleCar Museum announces their show to be held October 11-13, 2012. The museum celebrated it's 40th anniversary in 2011. The Wellborn MuscleCar Museum is located at 24 Broad Street in Alexander City Alabama.

The very well known Petersen Automobile Museum in Los Angeles is exhibiting "Sculptures in Motion, Masterpieces of Italian Design" , February 2012 to February 2013. Sculpture in Motion: Masterpieces of Italian Design will explore the many ways in which Italian coach builders and manufacturers have contributed to the evolution of the automobile. The Petersen Automobile Museum is located at 6060 Wilshire Blvd, Los Angeles California.

Willys Jeep

The Kemp Auto Museum will host the Fifth Annual Big Truck Day on June 10, 2012.  With over 40 trucks on display, thousands converge on the museum’s 14,000 square-foot plaza to enjoy great live music, big trucks and entertainment for all ages. The Kemp Auto Museum is located in Chesterfield Missouri, just twenty minutes west of St. Louis. The event is free and open to the public.

You will find the following links to a few of our vintage and classic car museum articles interesting.
A Western Trip to the classic car Museums. Also, The classic car museum in Endee New Mexico.

Hopefully you can fit in a few of these great museum stops and events into your vacation or weekend trip planner.

(Photos are from author's private collection)

Nevada City California / A Western Road Trip to the Sierra Nevada's

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When your California vacation includes an exploration of the historic gold mining towns along California's Highway 49, Nevada City is a stop you surely want to add to your trip planner. Nevada City California has long been a popular tourist destination for a variety of reasons. One is that the town is tucked into the scenic Sierra Nevada Mountains not far north of both Auburn and Grass Valley, two other great gold mining tour stops. Another is the rich history you can experience. Nevada City CA history includes both the large mining operations which was the first reason for it's existence and also the colorful characters who inhabited the town during it's heydays.

Nevada City California

Today, the entire downtown district of Nevada City is a National Historic Landmark. Just strolling through town is one of the fun things to do that are free. The entire downtown area of Nevada City California is like one large museum. Tourists enjoy quality restaurants, comfortable and quite unique lodgings and a variety of fine shops, boutiques, galleries and museums. While you can tour Nevada City in one day, you'll have no trouble finding enough great historic sites to make your stay a multi-day excursion.

Nevada City in many respects was like other gold rush towns. It had it's customary three dozen bars, it's gambling houses and it's theaters. Like most of the other gold towns, Nevada City merely started out as a camp and as it's mining fortunes grew, so did the camp. Eventually, the camp became a town. The city today has a population of about 3,000. In 1850, just one year after it's settlement, there were 10,000 people living there. In fact, in the general election of 1856 there were 2,082 ballots cast in Nevada City. This was exceeded in the state of California only by Sacramento and San Francisco. The town was incorporated in 1856 and the word "City" was added to it's name. This helped differentiate it from the nearby Territory of Nevada.

Nevada Theatre

One interesting historic site while touring Nevada City, and there are many, is the old Nevada Theatre. The Nevada Theatre, established in 1865, is California’s oldest original-use theater. It is still in use today. It's history of performances tell a lot about just how old this theater building is. Over it's nearly 150 years, the Nevada Theatre hosted performances by Mark Twain to Motley Crue and the Second City comedy troupe.
In the old days, in addition to Mark Twain who spent a great deal of time in the gold country, noted performers included Edwin Booth, older brother of John Wilkes booth. It was in Nevada City that Edwin Booth first acted the role of Iago, the villain of Shakespeare’s tragedy “Othello.” For years to come, Booth was recognized as the foremost tragedian of the American stage. Another very notable actress of the 1800's who performed at the Nevada Theatre was Lotta Crabtree from nearby Grass Valley. Lotta went on to become the first entertainer millionaire. Yet, another performer who was seen on the stage in Nevada City was Jack London who resided in the north San Francisco Bay area.

Nevada City Firehouse No. 1

While exploring Nevada City you will want to add a stop at the old Firehouse No. 1 MuseumThis firehouse was built in 1861 and it housed the Nevada Hose Co. No. 1 from 1861 all the way to 1938. Everything from horse drawn wagons to modern fire engines rolled out of this fire house. The fire house is located at 215 Main Street. The Nevada County Historical Society established this same building as its first museum, the Firehouse No. 1, in 1947.

The National Hotel is listed on the National Register of Historic Places. Out of all the old hotels in Nevada City, the National Hotel is the most historic. Prior to being named the National Hotel, the structure opened in August of 1856 under the name of "Bicknell Block". The Bicknell Block housed just about everything of major importance during the early days. The stagecoach stop, post office and telegraph office. This hotel is considered one of the oldest hotels west of the Rocky Mountains that has been in continuous operation. When you step inside it's like a trip back to the Victorian era. The hotel is the site of California Historic Landmark No. 899 and is the most noted of the old hotels in the California gold country.

National Hotel, Nevada City

When you tour Nevada City make certain to walk inside the National Hotel. You'll see Victorian era furnishings and decor throughout. Wall coverings and carpeting as well as numerous artifacts give the National Hotel the look of a Victorian museum. As you can imagine, the National Hotel is still very popular as a place to stay with visitors to Nevada City. The national Hotel offers comfortable lodging in an old-fashioned setting. The hotel includes forty-two rooms and a Victorian dining room. The location is right in the heart of downtown Nevada City.

Being such a historic city as it is, Nevada City California is filled with historic buildings. Another pictured here is the Kidd-Knox Building, shown below. The first structure was built in 1850. It was a two story frame building. It originally house a theater and a reading room on the second floor. That structure was destroyed in the great fire of 1856 and was replaced with a two story brick building. Fires ravaged several gold mining era towns. The first structures built throughout the California gold region were built from wood. Effective fire fighting equipment was absent during the towns very first years and when fire destroyed much of Nevada City and other nearby towns, brick became the building material of choice. Today, you see many of these original brick buildings still standing.

Two additional related Western Trips articles are about the Grass Valley California gold mining town and the story of Sutters Fort in Sacramento.

Kidd-Knox Building

Many people today travel to Nevada City  for weekend getaways. Unique bed and breakfast inns, wine tasting rooms, art galleries and world class restaurants are among the attractions. Because of Nevada City's elevation in the Sierra Nevada's, fall colors that abound with the cooler temperatures and this is another reason why a fall weekend trip to gold country is a lot of fun.

One of the things that visitors to the California gold country soon realize is all of the fun things to do that are free. Nevada City California is one of a string of old California gold mining towns that bring history to life. Nevada City CA is located about 65 miles northeast of Sacramento. The drive is about one hour and twenty minutes.

California Route 49 and Route 20 offer a scenic detour to Interstate 80 while driving between Reno Nevada and Sacramento California. The driving route can be accessed from the west at Auburn California which is directly on Interstate 80. Accessing this route from the east, look for either the Yuba Pass or Emigrant Gap exits high up in the Sierras. Driving distance from Emigrant Gap to Nevada City is about 32 miles and takes about forty minutes to drive. If time allows, this detour is great fun and takes you through very scenic Sierra Nevada country as well as through the old gold mining towns of  Nevada City and Grass Valley California. It's a scenic alternate route well worth the extra time. (Photos are from author's private collection)

Frontier Firearms and Antique Guns During the 1800's

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When you travel around the western United States and visit historic sites and frontier museums, invariably you find exhibits of frontier firearms and antique guns that played a role in the country's westward expansion. The American frontier during a good part of the 1800's could be considered a dangerous place and one's firearms were an important piece of equipment, many times kept at arms reach. Today, many of these same firearms might be referred to as antique guns.

Colt .38 at Fort Sumner Museum

When you travel throughout the western United States you'll come across many of these sites. The vast majority of these frontier guns are the real thing, not replicas. In fact, some of these individual firearms have quite a bit of history tied to them. For instance, at the Kit Carson Home and Museum in Taos New Mexico, you'll view a double barrel shot gun on display that reportedly was owned by Kit Carson himself.

Kit Carson's rifles on display in Taos, New Mexico

The two frontier firearms shown below were once owned by frontier legend Kit Carson. The gun at the top is a double barrel shotgun. The rifle shown below the shotgun is a Spencer carbine.
The Spencer carbine was used first by the U.S. Navy and then adopted by the U.S. Army. The rifle was used extensively during the American Civil War. The Spencer rifle could shoot twenty rounds per minute and was considered very reliable under combat conditions. The only real complaint mentioned by it's users was that it emitted a lot of smoke and could make viewing the enemy a bit difficult. Regardless, the Spencer rifle gave the Union forces a good advantage over the Confederates. An interesting side note about the Spencer is that the company actually went out of business in 1869 through a merger but ammunition for it's firearms was manufactured right up until about 1920.

The antique gun photo shown at the top of the page is of a Colt .38 caliber that is on display at the Fort Sumner Museum in Fort Sumner New Mexico. This weapon supposedly was the firearm of choice for none other than Billy the Kid. As you may know, Billy met his end at Fort Sumner at the hands of Sheriff Pat Garrett.

The Colt revolver pistol represented a turning point in the frontier west. Probably the most written about account of the Colt revolver involved it's use with the Texas Rangers. Texas had been the scene of countless Comanche raids on frontier settlements as early as the 1820's. The Comanches were considered by almost all as being very effective fighters. Some believe even more effective than the Apaches to the west. Single shot firearms were difficult to use against these fast moving warriors. Texas Ranger Jack Hays had proven the usefulness of the six shot Colt while encountering a far superior force of Comanches in what would be called the Battle of Bandera Pass in the year 1841.

1843 Colt .44 revolver reproduction

His fifty Rangers held off a force of near 1,000 warriors  due to the Colt repeating fire pistol. From that point forward, the Texas Rangers had the advantage over the Comanches.

The 1843 Colt revolver .44 shown left is on display at the California State Railroad Museum located in Old Town Sacramento California.

Another interesting stop is down in Fort Stockton Texas where among other exhibits is a Sharps 1874 Sporting Rifle. The Sharps Rifle was the gun that most believed was responsible for the decimation of the bison herds on the western plains.The Sharps Sporting Rifles were well known for their accuracy over very long distances. This was the firearm that played a big part in the second Battle of Adobe Walls in the Texas Panhandle. The breech loading Sharps rifles made their debut in 1848 and were designed by Christian Sharps. By the year 1874, Sharps rifles were so popular for their distance and accuracy that they were employed by many armies around the world. The second rifle from the top in the photo below is a 1874 Sharps Sporting Rifle. This display can be seen at the Fort Stockton Museum. The museum is located on the grounds of the former Fort Stockton at the town of Fort Stockton in southwest Texas. If your travels take you on Interstate 10 between San Antonio and El Paso Texas, adding a stop to this museum on your trip planner is well worth it.

1874 Sharps Sporting Rifle

You could make the argument that there were possibly four firearms that had a real significant impact on history during the 1800's. The first might be the Colt revolver mentioned above. The second would be the Spencer repeating shot rifles. The third might be considered the various Sharps rifles that not only, and unfortunately, decimated the buffalo herds but, because of their long range, proved effective against Indian attack, and the fourth might be the Gatling Gun and it's redesigned Battery Gun. All four of these firearms were involved in history changing events.

The Gatling Gun is well known for it's rapid firing capability. You would call it an early machine-gun. The concept of a rapid firing gun went back into the eighteenth century but lack of adequate engineering prevented it's realization. The Gatling Gun is known for it's multi-barrel design which rotated. The rotation of the barrels helped keep the gun cool during rapid firing. The first models required someone to crank the gun to turn the barrels. Firing output could reach some two-hundred rounds a minute which was incredible at the time.

1875 Gatling Battery Gun

The early ammunition was gravity fed using no belts. The Gatling Gun was first used in combat during the Civil War and was used right through the Spanish American War. The Gatling Gun and all it's versions were discontinued by the U.S. military in 1911.

The Gatling Gun shown in the photo at right is a 1875 version. The display shown here is at the California State Military Museum located in Old Town Sacramento California. This museum officially opened in 1991 and is the official military museum for the state of California. This museum features over 33,000 artifacts including a very large selection of vintage firearms, official flags and uniforms and a unique collection of old Spanish military equipment. In addition to this it offers a well stocked library. There are many things to do in Old Town Sacramento and a visit to this museum is certainly one of them.

When you're vacationing in the western U.S. you'll find many vintage firearms on display at a variety of historic sites. In many cases these firearms have been donated or loaned to the museum by people who have acquired these guns by having them passed down through the generations.The historic sites and museums mentioned in this article are only a few of the many out there in the western United States.

As a side note, today, many people purchase vintage gun kits such as the Sharps models. Sharps kits are now produced by at least two manufacturers from Montana. There are also many firms that buy and sell vintage rifles and pistols such as Colt's and Winchester's. There's a large market of vintage gun collectors and we're fortunate to have many of these classic firearms on display at hundreds of museums spread across the U.S. Each one of these vintage firearms come with a bit of history attached to it.

(Photos are from author's private collection)

Chuck & Sean's Trivia: The answers for 09.02.07

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EVERY SUNDAY NIGHT down at the 331 Club in Northeast Minneapolis, writer Chuck Terhark and musician Sean McPherson throwdown on some kickass trivia, and The Bottle Gang is proud to sponsor it. Starting this week, we'll be posting the questions and answers from last week's trivia for ONE WEEK ONLY, so study up and learn from your mistakes.

Round 1

1. Recently a baseball game between the Detroit Tigers and the New York Yankees resulted in a score of 0 to 16. Which team got 16? Detroit Tigers

2. What Seinfeld character said “you could throw a dart and find someone better than me” and also described himself as “steeped in gayness” in the same episode? George Castanza

3. Please name all seven counties in the Twin Cities seven county metro area? Anoka, Carver, Dakota, Hennepin, Ramsey, Scott, Washington

4. What are the O’s made of on the logo for the TV show Divorce Court? Wedding rings

5. What college was the crap show Felicity based on? New York University

6. Alberto Gonzales is a dipshit. Spell the dipshit’s last name? Gonzales

7. What state pays the most for redeeming used cans? Michigan, 10 cents

8. What state is Arlen Specter a senator from? Pennsylvania

9. What date and day of the week did the 35W bridge fall down on? Wednesday August 1, 2007

10. Mississippi is the fattest and poorest state in the United States. What pseudo Midwestern state is the slimmest state, with only 18% of the adult population being overweight? Colorado

11. Rupert Murdoch’s company bought the Wall Street Journal two weeks ago. What is the official name of the company that bought it? News Corp.

12. How many weeks does Billy Madison get to pass the tests for each grade in the amazing film, Billy Madison? 2 weeks

13. Who founded the Order of the Missionaries of Charity? Mother Teresa

14. Hurricane Felix is moving through the Carribean right now as we speak. What number Atlantic hurricane is Felix for this year? 6

15. Who is the first African-American Secretary of State? Colin Powell

Round 2

1. Was Saddam Hussein Sunni or Shia? Sunni

2. What was the 50th state to be joined into the Union? Hawaii

3. What year did Nixon unsuccessfully run for President? 1960

4. What is the capital of Egypt? Cairo

5. What was Bill Murray's character’s name in the Royal Tenenbaum's? Raleigh St. Clair

6. What is the name of the new head coach of the Gophers football team? Tim Brewster

7. What was Theodore Roosevelt doing in Minnesota when he first said “speak softly and carry a big stick” on September 2, 1901? Attending the Minnesota State Fair

8. Name one of the two closest bus routes that flank the 3-3-1 club. #17 & #11

9. Are the days on Mars longer or shorter than those on Earth? Longer, 24 hours 39 minutes

10. What is the total complement of genes in an organism or cell known as? Genome

11. Which gender is known as the homogametic sex in chromosomal studies? Women XX

12. What 2005 movie had the tagline, "the cure for the common man"? Hitch

13. Who is known as the father of geometry? Euclid

14. What type of Jewish bread is often used to make French toast in New York Diners? Challah

15. In 490 B.C. Pheidipides ran 26 miles, starting in Marathon to announce the Greeks success over the invading Persian. What city was he running to? Athens

Chuck & Sean's Trivia: The answers for 09.09.07

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Round 1


1. Who was the first woman to serve as a justice on the Supreme Court? Sandra Day O'Connor

2. What year of the Olympics were filmed in Nazi filmmaker Leni Riefenstahl's film Olympia Spiele? 1936

3. What is the first and last name of the character from that 70's show cast who is referred to as a "cocktail dad"? Red Forman

4. What is the highest waterfall on the Mississippi river? St. Anthony Falls

5. The rules of the very difficult and useless game golf is written jointly by two organizations, one in the U.S. and one in what country? Scotland

6. What rapper acted as the Mouse King in the Nutcracker at Baltimore's School for the Arts? 2pac

7. What Canadian-born architect, who designed a building in Minneapolis, also designed the trophy for the World Cup of Hockey? Frank Gehry

8. What month did Kurt Cobain die in in 1994? April

9. In 31 B.C. The Final War of the Roman Republic ended in the battle at Actium. Who won? Octavian, or Caesar

10. Billy Madison rises himself out of his hung-over pool side stupor at the beginning of the film Billy Madison when he realizes what special day it is. What day is it? Nudey Magazine Day

11. What city and state did Michael Moore grow up in? Flint, Michigan

12. What is the name of the first published novel by Chuck Palahniuk? Fight Club

13. What country is Lesotho entirely surrounded by? South Africa

14. What rite of passage, when directly translated is known as: one to whom the commandments apply? bar or bat mitzvah

15. Author Madeleine L'Engle died on Friday. What was her most popular book? A Wrinkle in Time

Round 2

1. What is Peter Griffin's sole response to all questions when he is on a parody of Jeopardy on the "Brian: Portrait of a Dog" episode? Diarrhea

2. What major Southern city was occupied by the Union early in the Civil War and was thus spared the destruction that many Southern cities endured during the Civil War? New Orleans (wikipedia.org)

3. In what city did Jimi Hendrix die? London, England (wiki)

4. Name the four inner planets? Mercury, Venus, Earth, Mars

5. What is the most populuous city in Vietnam? Ho Chi Minh City

6. What are the names of the crash test dummies who are the mascots for the National Highway Traffic Safety Administration? Vince and Larry

7. Who was the lead role in the TV show Monk originally written for? Michael Richards

8. What movie did Kevin Spacey win his first Oscar for? The Usual Suspects

9. Hmong people's original homeland is the mountainous Southern region of what country? China

10. The U.N. recognizes 192 countries, but most scholars agree there are 194 countries in the world. One country missing is an island, and the other one is completely within the borders of another country, name both. Taiwan, Vatican City

11. What non-coastal Western state has the lowest median age in the United States with a median age of 28.5? Utah

12. Which county has a higher Asian population, Hennepin or Ramsey county? Ramsey

13. In rap slang, if someone is a crooked eye sipper what does that mean? they drink st. ives malt liquor

14. What living singer, born in 1940, is the only vocalist to win Grammy's in three separate categories, jazz, pop and R&B? Al Jarreau

15. What title, used in numerous fields, literally means "holding a place"? lieutenant

Music Round


Daughter – Pearl Jam
The Rat – The Walkmen
The Beatles – Being for the Benefit of Mr. Kite
50 Cent – 21 Questions
Death Cab for Cutie – Soul Meets Body

Breakfast at Tiffany's Blingo!

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As a sustainer in the Junior League, I love an opportunity when we can mingle with our active and provisional members. Blingo Bingo is one of our big annual fundraising events when many of us come together-usually around 300 women strong.

Women at each table dress according to a particular theme, which is usually fun and fancy or over-the-top with sequins or other "bling." Our day includes a lunch and an afternoon of playing bingo.

Our group of sustainers decided to channel our inner Audrey Hepburn and go with a Breakfast at Tiffany's theme.

Clad in black dresses, dripping in pearls and topped with tiaras, we were the cat's pajamas!

I recycled the tiara I wore in my wedding eight years ago and my stole was given to my mother on the evening of her debutante cotillion in the 1950s. She, in turn, passed it to me on the eve of my own cotillion during the 1980s.
I carried my Audrey Hepburn cigar box handbag for an added Tiffany touch.

Held at one of our local country clubs, nearly 300 blinged out women filled the room.

All were ready to nosh, chat and take on the Bingo boards.

My friend, Joyce, had very impressive nails to match the robin's egg colored Tiffany bags.

Clearly, her nails proved to be good luck because she walked away with a winning bingo card and a great prize!

A final prize was also given for the "most blinged out" attire.

It was quite a day and all of us had a great time playing dress up. Some of us are already brainstorming for next year's event and what we plan to wear...stay tuned.

rikki ragland,
the preppy debutante

Phi Mu's Lilly print

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My fraternity, Phi Mu, had our Lilly Pulitzer print revealed today!

The print represents our carnation pink & white colors, quatrefoil symbol and lion mascot, Sir Fidel. Lilly certainly captured Phi Mu to the fullest, including our Greek letters.Tomorrow is our Founder's Day celebration and you can imagine that all of us will be buzzing about our new print!

Rikki Ragland
the preppy debutante