~*This Calls for Celebration!*~

I wasn't real thrilled at first, but I am happy to say, "fall fever" is finally starting to kick in! Still, I am sad to say goodbye to summer.

Saying goodbye to summer is always sad. I don't know why that is? It seems to be the hardest to say goodbye to. Maybe it's because a lot of kids are going off to college and all of my best memories are from summer. I have lots of great memories from all seasons, but summer is special.

If you are planning an end of the summer get-together, you might consider having these delightful Strawberry Vodka Chillers at your bash or cookout. I don't know the source unfortunately, so I don't have a recipe, but you can try to look it up and see if you can find it. If you do, I'd love to know! 

I haven't tried this cocktail myself, but it does sound refreshing! 

And they are so pretty!

~Q & A~

Have any big end of the summer plans coming up?

Skylar's Top 10 Pins will 
debut tomorrow!

You Might Also Like:

(What does your dream office look like?)

(Take a look at these beauties!)

(Find out what's to come this fall!)

~skylarmagazine.sarah@gmail.com-Facebook-Twitter-Pinterest~

This is for the Solocosmo giveaway!

There are 3 winners!

And they are......

-1-

-2-

-3-

I have sent a notification with instructions to each of you!

~Thank You~

Thank you all for participating in this giveaway!

If you didn't win you should 

go enter this one...

~skylarmagazine.sarah@gmail.com-Facebook-Twitter-Pinterest~

Sorry guys! I fell asleep for a second...so I thought. I fell asleep at about 11ish and when I woke up it was 12:45!

So...here is the first winner announcement of the day!

This is for the Emarie Creations assorted charms giveaway. The winner will receive this assortment of 10 polymer clay charms...

And the prize goes to.........

A notification with instructions has been sent to your email address!

~Thank You~

Thank you to all of you who participated in this giveaway!

If you didn't win you can 

always enter this one...

There will be 2 winners! Each gets a bar of soap 

and a lip butter. Winners choice!

~skylarmagazine.sarah@gmail.com-Facebook-Twitter-Pinterest~

~skylarmagazine.sarah@gmail.com-Facebook-Twitter-Pinterest~

    Skylar wasn't just made for me to write about the people, places, and things I love to write about. It's not just a place for me to vent about subjects that are important to me. It is an outlet. A place for people to express themselves and also to inspire each other. You get to talk and write about what you love too!

I always envisioned having a staff. A team of writers, editors, researchers, reporters, artists, etc. I am on a pretty tight budget these days, so I am unable to pay on a regular basis, but I try to when I can, and there are perks. 
I hope that people will still consider giving this opportunity a chance, just for the chance to be part of the experience. 

If you have your own blog, this could be a chance for you to not only be part of a wonderful experience, but also a chance to grow your community and boost your blog.

I'm looking for bloggers, experienced and aspiring, who would like to join my staff! 

These bloggers would be responsible for providing posts and other content for the blog. I try to keep it updated daily with lots of content, but I haven't been getting as much done as I normally would. It would be great to have other bloggers to help keep it updated. 

You don't have to blog daily, but you can if you want to. You can blog pretty much whenever you want. I just ask that you contribute at least once or twice a month. If you can do more, that would be even better! Once a week or every other week would be great! If you want to blog daily you are more than welcome, or you can even blog multiple times a day if you want.

We cover just about every subject. We are an eclectic magazine so pretty much anything goes! 

Anything to do with fashion and beauty, home and garden, lifestyle, cooking and baking, parties, events and special occasions, holidays, arts, crafts, DIY, entertainment, Hollywood, vintage, decor, pets, family, friendship, mom and baby...the whole nine yards!. 

We've even covered classic cars!

I try to stay away from touchy subjects that might be too political. I don't want to upset the readers. I've been known to blog about serious issues that are near and dear to me. There are subjects and causes I am very passionate about such as eating disorders, learning disabilities, things that bother me about Hollywood and the fashion industry, and I absolutely love and support children! 

I think it's good to vent and get things off your chest once in a while. I just try to pick topics that are more neutral, things I think most people can agree on. Not everyone will, but most of the serious stuff I write about has to do with common sense. Not politics or religion! You don't have to be a Christian or a Catholic to know right from wrong or to love and want to help and protect children.

Bloggers will also get to do spotlights and special features on other bloggers and also Etsy shops. You also get to keep up on and write about our models and whatever we have going on at Skylar. 

I'm always trying to engage my readers, I try to encourage them to participate, but people can be shy and they are still getting to know us. While, I am going to continue to do this, I'm trying out a new approach that 
I think might work also. As a blogger you will get to do it too.

You can also write for the What's New column, and get to contribute to our Wordless Wednesday posts, and Pins of the Day. And, you also might get the opportunity to do reviews and giveaways for various sponsors.

The Perks

*If you have your own blog and blog for Skylar on the side, you will get to have your ad on our sidebar for free. You will also get to spotlight yourself and your blog and can give yourself shout outs and media mentions, but the other bloggers. or I might want to spotlight you, or give you shout outs. I want to give you the chance to promote yourself, but I think it is important for us to support each other as well.

*You also will be listed on the staff page. This page will include your name, the name and link to your blog and your social media links as well.

*The same goes for Etsy sellers. You will get to have your ad on my blog for as long as you are with Skylar. You will get to be in the spotlight and will be listed in the sponsor directory and also our staff directory.

*If you host a blog hop, you will get to post it here on Skylar so you can get more link ups!  And, you can also post your own giveaways that you have going on at your blog, so you can get more entries.

*Although I am not able to do this on a regular basis, I do offer pay when I can, and I also give other rewards from time to time to models, staff and contributors.

*This is a chance for you to get to meet some cool new people and make some new friends! The friendships that have stemmed from this whole experience is the best part! Sara, Tabbie, Kaylah, and a few others I have met over the years, have become my friends. We still keep in touch after all these years. We may not talk every day, but we try to catch up when we can. 

There are some other perks that I would rather not discuss on the blog and there are also some perks in the works that you will have to look forward to.

Criteria

I'm looking for hard working, dedicated individuals who can contribute posts and other content at least once or twice a month, but I would love to find people who can blog more often. Although it is not mandatory, it would be great to have some individuals who can blog daily, possibly multiple times a day. Everyone has different schedules, but I'm pretty flexible.

I'm looking for creative thinkers and creative writers, fashion lovers and fashionistas, artists, crafters, DIYers, decorators, people who love to cook and bake, party and event planners, people who are into beauty related subjects such as makeup and hair, skin care, manicures and pedicures. 

People who have knowledge about various subjects. I'd love to work with bloggers who actually do their own projects and want to share them with our readers. 

You don't have to be an expert, you can just share your admiration towards something or someone. I am looking for both admirers and creators.

I'm looking for go-getters! I want to work with people who think outside of the box. Inspiration is everywhere, it's not just on the Internet. I want people who will go out and find inspiration in the community. The internet is a good resource I encourage these bloggers to use Pinterest and other social networks and the "blog world" to research and communicate with people.

It's good to have people from different parts of the world, because each place is different from the other. You have your own shops and boutiques, restaurants, hotels, clubs and bars, and other features that our readers might want to know about. Just in case they decide they want to visit. 

You don't have to go out into the community, but if you can that is a plus! If you would prefer to do your research, and want to just communicate with bloggers and others via the Internet, that's fine as long as the content you provide is good quality.

You don't have to be perfect or even experienced in blogging in order to do this, but I do want the content to be good quality. I don't mind a few or more typos...Lord knows I have made plenty of them! It happens and I'm pretty lenient about it. However, I do ask that you proofread, use spell check, use your best judgment and think before you blog!

If you do have experience that's always nice too!

Rules and Requirements

There really aren't too many rules, but there are a few...

1. You have to be at least 18 in order to do this.

2. I ask that you communicate with me on a weekly basis. Try to join in on our discussions that we have on our staff blog and page.

3. NO BAD ATTITUDES! I have experienced working with a few diva's in the past and it was not fun...let me tell you! Me and divas do not mix! All they want to do is cause drama and they can be so demanding! I love when suggestions are offered to me, I will listen to you as long as you are nice and understand that this is my baby! I have to be the one to decide what's best and what's not.

Those are really the only rules I can think of right now. I will always make sure you are aware of any new policies or guidelines.

Spots Available

There are 10 spots available, but I want to make sure I find the right people for the job. I'm going to keep my options open. It's going to start out being like an audition or an internship. If I think you are a good match for Skylar, I will invite you to be part of our staff. I'll continue to do that until those 10 spots are filled.

Sign Up

If you are interested in this opportunity, you can either contact me by email or my other social networks, or you can leave a comment with your email address and I will get in touch with you.


You Might Also Like:

(Not sure if you want to be part of the staff? You can always guest blog!)

(If you are new to Skylar you can go here to learn more about it!)

Current Giveaways:

(1 day left!)

(1 day left on this one also!)

~skylarmagazine.sarah@gmail.com-Facebook-Twitter-Pinterest~

What if this was your home...

(kroger.com)

So, I love home decor! I love looking at all the beautiful homes and decorating ideas I get from Pinterest. There are so many! It can get to be a little overwhelming at times. I'm not all that into HGTV, though I do love the magazine!

Last weekend, a show came on and I really enjoyed it! I do not know the name of it! Sorry. Anyway...there were these people who had turned these places you would likely never think of, into amazing homes! 

One couple lived in an old market, another lived in an abandoned grocery store. It was gigantic! I think they added onto it, but just imagine living in what use to be Food Lion or Kroger. I know...it's hard to picture isn't it?

There was even a couple who turned an old fire station into their home! It was awesome! If you have not watched it, I urge you to do so! I wish I could tell you the name of it or when it comes on. It's usually on during the weekends. It was on in the afternoon last Saturday. Between 2 pm and 4 pm. But yeah, It really is inspiring.

Can you imagine turning  a gas station or a bank into a beautiful luxurious home?

Do any of you know what show I'm talking about? 

If you have seen it, I'd love to hear your thoughts. 

~skylarmagazine.sarah@gmail.com-Facebook-Twitter-Pinterest~

Okay, so it's not really wordless, 

but it's very inspiring and this little 

girl is sooo ADORABLE!

Good Job Mom!

Link Up:

Come over to Sakura Haruka and link up your Wordless Wednesday post! It's fun!

~skylarmagazine.sarah@gmail.com-Facebook-Twitter-Pinterest~

Skylar Magazine: Sponsor Us

There is a new ad size available!

Button size 100 x 100 is now available for $3.00!

Oh and just a reminder, our sale is still going on! It will end on the 30th!

We can also swap!

This opportunity is for small and button sizes!

If you want to swap use one of the following promo codes at check out:

Small 300 x 100 Promo Code: SWAP

Button size 100 x 100 Promo Code: Ad SWAP

NOTE: Currently, both small and button size ads are $3.00. After the ad sale ends the price for small ads will change, but button size will stay at $3.00.

Skylar Magazine: Sponsor Us: I know this is a lot of information, but it's all very important. I really hope you will take the time to read the whole thing, even th...

Skylar Magazine: Sponsor Directory

Come check out our new sponsors!

Skylar Magazine: Sponsor Directory: Welcome to Skylar's sponsor directory!  

I f you have a few minutes, you should definitely visit our

sponsor's Etsy shops to see ...

If you haven't entered this giveaway yet, be sure to do so! Tanya is giving away some awesome prizes! You definitely do not want to miss out on that! 

I've noticed there are 37 entries so far, but there are only 3 comments. Commenting is a mandatory entry method! Make sure you don't skip that step, otherwise you won't be qualified to win the prize!

You might also want to enter our other giveaways. Please see my right sidebar to see what we've got going on right now!

~skylarmagazine.sarah@gmail.com-Facebook-Twitter-Pinterest~

(Photo 1: -source-/Photo 2: -source-.)

~skylarmagazine.sarah@gmail.com-Facebook-Twitter-Pinterest~

What does your dream office look like? 

First things first! ...If you aren't following me on Pinterest, please do! I will follow you back! 

If you are following and I haven't followed back yet, I apologize! I am working on getting caught up on that. So, please bare with me! Thank you for your patience!

And... if you create a pinboard for Skylar Magazine, you will be entered into our Bi-Monthly Prize Drawing. This is worth 8 entries! I'll be doing the first drawing at the end of September!

You can use this pinboard for all of our fun Pinterest activities. It's not mandatory. You don't have to have a Skylar board to participate, but you will get 8 entries for doing it! 

NOTE: Be sure to let me know in either a comment or by email, if you create a board so I can give you your entries!

Instructions ...So, now that you've done that, 

follow these instructions:

*1. Look on Pinterest or where ever you go to look for inspiration or Pinspiration, for your dream home offices. When you find the ones you like pin them to your Skylar board or whichever board you want to pin it to.  In the caption put: For Skylar or For Skylar Magazine.  You can pin up to 3 dream offices.

*2. After you have pinned your office, come back here to Skylar and leave a comment. Don't forget provide the link to your board or pin! You may also want to leave your email address in your comment also, in case I want to interview you. If you have your blog and other social networks linked on your Pinterest profile, I will visit, follow, etc. 

*3. If you want to, you can submit a picture of yourself to go along with your pins. Send whichever picture you want to have featured in the post to skylarmagazine.sarah@gmail.com along with the questionnaire below.  

FYI: you can have other people in the photo with you.

*~The Questionnaire~*

Your Name: 

Age: (optional)

  

Blog Name and Link:

-Social Media Links-

Facebook:

Twitter:

Pinterest:

Google +:

Instagram:

Bloglovin:

Other:

Why is this your dream office? What do you love so much about it? Is there anything you would change to make it more you? If so what would you change, add, remove, etc. and why? What makes this office "you" already?

Please, let me know if you have any questions.

Then What? ...I will go through and pick my top 10 favorite pins and I will rank them in order. 

The #1 pinner will get to choose his or her prize. The options are free ad space for 30 days or 10 entries into our bi-monthly prize drawing. 

The other 9 pinners will each get 5 entries into the bi-monthly prize drawing. 

All participant will be given 3 entries. 

The results will be posted next Sunday, 9/2, sometime 12:00-2:00 PM Eastern Standard Time!

Please let me know if you have any questions!

Happy Sunday Pinning and Good Luck!

You Might Also Like:

(Comment on the post and get 2 entries!)

(More Pinterest Fun!)

(Find out what's new with Skylar!)

~skylarmagazine.sarah@gmail.com-Facebook-Twitter-Pinterest~

(source)

Here it is! The home office of my dreams! It's nice and bright, it has tons of space and tons of storage! Storage is something I really need! 

It's so brilliantly organized and uncluttered! But, it doesn't have that un-lived in vibe, like some. I think it's because the brightness makes it so cheery and warm. It's got lots of personality! That is the kind of home office I would want to work in.

~Q & A~

How would you describe the home office of your dreams?

I have a fun activity coming up shortly!

Stay Tuned!

You Might Also Like:

(Here are more fabulous home offices for you to admire)

(Get ready for some fun this fall!)

(What's new with you?)

~skylarmagazine.sarah@gmail.com-Facebook-Twitter-Pinterest~

I love that I have my own models. I love working with them! However, it's not just about finding and working with models. I also want to find and work with designers and retailers.

I'm looking for Indie designers and retailers, designers and retailers struggling to make it into the fashion industry. I would love to work with shops and boutiques and would absolutely be thrilled to work with vintage retailers! 

I'm mostly searching for small to medium sized brands, you may or may not know of, from Etsy and other resources. However, I would be honored to work with big brands as well, if I was given the opportunity!

I've found that this has been the most challenging part of this whole process. Finding talented unheard of designers is not an easy task! I'm still so determined! I know they are out there somewhere! So, I'm just gonna keep lookin'.

Why is Wardrobe Important?

When Skylar was in print, the models didn't just model for the fashion related content. They were featured throughout the magazine in most of the content. They were featured in articles that covered various subjects such as, acne and other skincare related articles, dating, self-esteem issues, women's health issues -I did an article all about PMS-. I even did one about peeping Tom's. That was around the time when camera phones were on the rise and perves tried to invade our privacy.

So, aside from modeling the latest trends, models got to portray different characters and they would take pictures to go along with the content.


I want to start doing that again, but I want them to have more appropriate things to wear.

I don't expect their pictures to be high quality perfect pictures. I don't expect their makeup and hair to be perfect either. They aren't working with professionals, they don't all have top of the line cameras and I think we all know how hard it is to do our own makeup. I know if I were to try to copy one of my favorite starlets, it would be a disaster. I've tried many times and it never looks that good. I'm definitely no makeup guru, when it comes to applying it to my own face!


Applying makeup properly, takes a lot of practice, patience, skill and if you want to achieve movie star looks, it requires coordination. They could almost make it an Olympic sport. 

The thing is though, the movie stars don't do their own makeup, they have people to do that for them. Us "commoners" don't have that privelege. Our makeup isn't going to be as flawless as Lea Michele's or Rachel McAdams'.


Fashion styling is mostly a choice. Now, being able to go out and buy new clothes when you want to, may not be an option and it can be a challenge trying to find the right fit for your figure or your height. 

Unlike the famous fashionista's, we don't all have the funds to have all or any of our garments hemmed or altered. Still, there are so many stylish options out there for you to wear! You don't have to spend a million bucks to look like a million bucks! 

You can find fashionable pieces at Target, or even thrift or consignment shops! You can find tons of great stuff in those places!

A few of the models are struggling and can't go out and buy new clothes as much as they would love to, but when they do finally get the chance, they have a hard time. They just aren't sure what to look for, to wear in their pictures. They are mostly use to just regular ol' jeans and tees. Sometimes the content calls for that, but I need for them to be more diverse. 

I want them to experiment more with clothes and accessories. They often end up buying things that really aren't appropriate for Skylar and they don't always shop or dress for the season. They haven't become "fashionista's" yet. Individuality is great, I want them to develop their own signature style. At the same time, they need to use good judgment. 

It's good to be a trendsetter, but that takes practice and common sense. There is more to being an individual and a trendsetter than just throwing on a bunch of mismatched garments, caking on the makeup and wearing lots of bling. While, I encourage the girls to be inventive with fashion, I also want them to model the hot trends. 

Some people like to set the trends, while others prefer to follow. There is nothing wrong with either one. Either way, people need inspiration, they want ideas. That's why many of us look to magazines and movie stars for guidance. I want them to show off their own personal styles, but they also need to be able to step outside of their comfort zone and model things they might not like or might not be what they would normally wear.

I would like to find designers and fashion companies who can provide wardrobe, jewelry, accessories, makeup and also hair and hygiene products for them to use and wear for our content.

Why Should You Do This?

This is a way for you to promote yourselves and your products. It would be a great way to bring more traffic to your site and it could potentially help increase sales. Just like the companies and blogs who sponsor monetarily, you will get ad space for 30 days and you will also get to be in the spotlight.

I'm getting ready to start a new feature next month where I will be introducing/spotlighting all of our sponsors. So, you would get to be featured in that as well.

Anytime your products are featured on a model and in any of our content, you will be given credit in the feature with links to your site or product pages provided and I will do a separate review on your company and those products. If you want you can also host a giveaway with your review and you can even just host a giveaway, and have them model your products, just for the giveaway.

So, it is an awesome promotional opportunity, for all of us... the business, the models and Skylar.

NOTE: The models do not live in the same state as me, they are all in different locations. When I need something modeled, I ship it out to them. I have made a promise to these girls, to keep them safe and their information private. 

Until I have gotten to know our sponsors and the models and I are both comfortable giving their addresses, whatever you want modeled will need to come to me first and then I will ship them to the models. 

Another reason I prefer to have them shipped to me first, is so I can look over what is sent to make sure it's appropriate. Some products can be misleading. They don't always look the same or as good in person.


It is not mandatory, but if there is any possible way you could help me out with shipping charges, I'd truly appreciate it! In exchange, anyone who helps with the shipping charges will receive an extra 30 days worth of ad space. Anything between $3.00-$10.00, depending on the size and the number of content would be great. When you sign up, I will provide more information about this option.

Sign Up!

If you are interested in this opportunity you can contact me via skylarmagazine.sarah@gmail.com with the following information:

Your Name:

Company Name and Link:

How many items you are sponsoring:

What items you will be sponsoring with links: (I want to make sure what you are providing is appropriate)

Details about your company and products, and the items you are sending to be modeled:

Donate Funds

Don't have goods to provide? You can still help! You can donate $5.00 to the models wardrobe and makeup fund anytime at the donate button located on the left sidebar, under the Emarie Creations Ad.

Other Sponsor Opportunities........

~skylarmagazine.sarah@gmail.com-Facebook-Twitter-Pinterest~