TONITE'S SHOW: "BEAUTY TALK" with MUA, ALEXANDRA BUTLER

www.bagladiesradio.com/listenwww.bagladiesradio.com/listen 

Known amongst her youtube fans as, "AlexandraBond", this artist "made" with a degree in Industrial Engineering and former Product Specialist for MAC, knows her stuff and excels above the norm. Alexandra's varied background has left a "beauty mark" on the industry and has enabled her to work with a vast array of celebrity clientele and national networks and shows.

Particularly known for her blending techniques and varied use of color, Alexandra is lending a voice to our most popular segment, "Beauty Talk" during which we dish on everything from techniques and trends to brand building and getting your foot in the door.

Follow along on Twitter @bagladies for extra off-air commentary. And for an on-air shout out and to have your beauty and biz questions answered live by Alexandra, tweet with #BagLadiesLIVE attached.

Listen LIVE online or call-in and listen @ 347.327.9510 

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For #BagLadiesLIVE segments, showtimes and more, visit www.bagladiesradio.com. Click to follow me on IG and Twitter @ bagladies.

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"WEAR IT WITH CONFIDENCE": WHAT I SAID AT INT'L NATURAL HAIR MEETUP DAY (#INHMD) ...

Me and the FAB ladies on the panel

There's no denying the strong sense of community that exists amongst women who wear their hair natural and the thirst for info. on everything from products and treatments to maintenance and styles. The shift in the market is totally evident by the number of bloggers publishing content entirely dedicated to natural hair. Independent brands tapping into the natural hair niche. And mainstream brands clearly recognize the value as they are catering more and more and introducing products specifically targeting the natural hair community. And thus, International Natural Hair Meetup Day (#INHMD). #INHMD, is an annual one day event that takes place across the country and brings women together to network and share stories about their natural hair journey, techniques, products and more.

I was extended an invitation to participate in the #INHMD DC stop this weekend. Hosted by DC based Koils By Nature, I was both flattered and humbled to sit amongst a panel of fabulous women including celebrity natural hairstylist, Felicia Leatherwood, and lend a voice to my own personal journey being natural. I had a far less dramatic story than some but the response from the audience was awesome! My theme, "wear it with confidence." Click "play" to listen to my response about how natural hair is responded to in the workplace. You can share the "dish byte" too and please provide me your feedback. I'd LOVE to read it.

Upon showing up and awaiting my turn to "dish". Where's the mic?

The awesome spirit that she is! Pamela Jenkins, Owner of Koils By Nature

#INHMD Founder, Adeea Rogers

The vendors stole my discipline and kinky-tees.com got the best of me #ShoppingConfessions

One of the highlights of the day was meeting Celeb Natural Hairstylist, Felicia Leatherwood. Coming soon to the airwaves of #BagLadiesLIVE for sure! 

For more pics from the awesome time had at #INHMD, check me on Instagram for #BagLadiesLIVE Weekend Edition @ bagladies.
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For #BagLadiesLIVE segments, showtimes and more, visit www.bagladiesradio.com. Click to follow me on IG and Twitter @ bagladies.

Catch up on the dish you missed by going to www.bagladiesradio.com/listen. Scroll down to OnDemand and press play.

#INHMD IS IN DC TOMORROW AND I'M SPEAKING!!

#INHMD is hitting the #DMV! And I'm speaking on a panel alongside Celebrity Natural Hairstylist, Felicia Leatherwood! The International Natural Hair Meetup Day, in it's second year, is an annual one-day event to bring women together to both network and share their natural hair journey which of course includes "dish" about styles, products and techniques. Such as what I will be talking about amongst the panel. "Beauty Talk" is my most popular #BagLadiesLIVE segment so gimme a mic and surround me with women who love to "dish" all things fashion and beauty and I'm in heaven! 
This weekend's DC stop is hosted by Koils by Nature. The event is from 11-4p at the Holiday Inn Alexandria located at 2460 Eisenhower Avenue Alexandria, VA. For more details, visit www.inhmd.com. And for tix, purchase now at inhmddmv.eventbrite.com!!

See you there!
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For #BagLadiesLIVE segments, showtimes and more, visit www.bagladiesradio.com. Click to follow me on IG and Twitter @ bagladies.

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"INSTANT REPLAY" ON TOMORROW'S #BAGLADIESLIVE

I love each and every show however why certain shows are a fave, varies. It could be the personality of the featured guest, the topic of conversation, the "dish" itself, a hilarious quote ...I could go on. And then there was "INSTANT REPLAY." "INSTANT REPLAY" is being introduced as per Bag Ladies Radio OnDemand feature which allows you to listen to all previously aired Bag Ladies shows, 24/7. Have you noticed tweets/posts regarding the fact that even if you miss Bag Ladies live, you don't have to throw up your hands and sulk. All you need do is catch up OnDemand. After a show airs live, it becomes immediately available OnDemand at bagladiesradio.com/listen or as I recently announced, on iTunes! You can literally listen whenever you want. And if you are on iTunes, you can subscribe to the show and be automatically notified when shows are made available and listen from wherever, whenever.

"INSTANT REPLAY" on #BagLadiesLIVE is straight to the point. It's a condensed version of a previously aired segment, the main "dish", that is a fave replayed just for you and your listening pleasure. Upon opening the show and sharing with you the "chosen" show and why it's a fave, "INSTANT REPLAY."

Tune in tomorrow, 7:30p EST @ bagladiesradio.com/listen for this month's "INSTANT REPLAY." Moving forward, "INSTANT REPLAY" will be added to the line up every month.
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For #BagLadiesLIVE segments, showtimes and more, visit www.bagladiesradio.com. Click to follow me on IG and Twitter @ bagladies.

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I THOUGHT IT WAS MY DAY ...

"The Throwdown"

This pic is totally indicative of how I spent Mother's Day ...Throwing down in the kitchen. How on a

My lil' ones and I after church. I love my BFF for this dress. 

day that is supposed to be "my own", did I get tasked with cooking???! Additionally, I was a babysitter. Of course not as it applies to my own three but my brother, who relieved the Mother of his three and came over so they could hang out with my three ...Proceeded to make a b-line to my basement and crash leaving me to watch over 6 lil' ones (my brother and I both have twins + 1). But what can I say, he surprised me in the morning with a touching card ...And he accompanied me to church. My oldest who is 8 played the role of the oldest well. I was so impressed, I gave her an even bigger kiss and hug before bedtime and thanked her for looking out for not just her younger brother and sister but her cousins too. She was my second pair of eyes while I was trying to avoid burning the grub. As I watched while slaving away in the kitchen, the kids playing and frolicking in the yard, I was touched by how close they are and how well they get along and play with no care in the world. It was very nostalgic and reminded me of how my cousins and I used to do the same. When younger it seems like no biggie for family to come together but upon becoming an adult with kids of my own, I realize how much effort it actually requires. It's so easy to become consumed by everyday living, family can sometimes be put on the back-burner.

"The Cousins" My brother and I both have twins + 1

Although, I might've preferred to kick my feet up and be pampered on "my day", all was well and I had a great day and realized as I was "throwing down" in the kitchen, that I'm becoming more and more like my Mommy every day. Who knew I could get as excited as I was yesterday over new-found recipes and a full cooked meal??! I did that! Who knew?

The menu consisted of mini meat-loaf, cornbread, fried cabbage and mashed potatoes. The kids devoured it in no time flat and proceeded to ask for seconds. My Mom asked about leftovers after her and my Dad returned from a late brunch. I told her, "ask your grand kids." My brother eventually wandered upstairs half-sleep to find that the kids were well fed and fine. He betta be glad I saved him a plate. How did you spend your Mother's Day??

For #BagLadiesLIVE segments, showtimes and more, visit www.bagladiesradio.com. Click to follow me on IG and Twitter @ bagladies.

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ANY EXCUSE FOR A #MOMSNITEOUT IS A GOOD EXCUSE!

I in the stripes and Ericka and Kacey from poshmumsy.com and Yvonne and her pet "Tory" from pinkdollhouse.org 

Why not? A lil' leg for a nite out.

A Mommy of three myself, any excuse for a nite out is a good one. I was turned onto National Mom's Nite Out by blogger bud Keri Henderson, Editor of
adivastateofmind.com.

#MomsNiteOut is basically a celebration of "Mommyhood" with national events across the country. The kids were with their Dad so why not? Yesterday's event held at The Fashion Centre at Pentagon City and hosted by the DC based event planning firm, District Fete had a hefty social media presence and included a fashion show, makeovers, store savings, and swag free goodies. I reconnected with a couple blogger buds and met some new buds of whom I had previously connected with via Instagram but hadn't had the pleasure of meeting until yesterday.

Being as though the event took place at one of my fave local shopping destinations, I certainly didn't leave empty handed. But this post is not meant to be another "shopping confessions" so I will keep the goods to myself. Your best chance of sneaking a peek, is following me on Instagram @ bagladies.

For more on #MomsNiteOut, visit momsniteout.com.
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For #BagLadiesLIVE segments, showtimes and more, visit www.bagladiesradio.com. Click to follow me on IG and Twitter @ bagladies.

Catch up on the dish you missed by going to www.bagladiesradio.com/listen. Scroll down to OnDemand and press play.

AN EXCLUSIVE BAG LADIES OFFER!

http://verandalane.com/radical-business-catalyst/ 

We all can use a lil' help from time to time especially when trying to define a starting point when making moves. Are you struggling with just that? Are you looking for someone to bounce ideas who can advise you how to fill in the holes and bridge the gaps? You may just need to consider getting "radical." My "machine drivah" as I affectionately refer, @RavenDelana has helped me map out a better structure when it comes to not just defining my goals for my show, Bag Ladies Radio but achieving them too. As she moderated this week's show and live tweeted on my behalf, she announced an exclusive offer:

"The Radical Biz Catalyst is a juicy three-part process where Raven will dive head first into your business and emerge with the strategy needed to create a RADICAL shift; then she'll arm you with the tools needed to execute that strategy like a champ. Whether you need help with online marketing, streamlining business processes or just embracing the "BIGNESS" of your business, Veranda Lane can help."

Speaking from first hand experience, "If you know like I know" ...For this exclusive and limited time offer, visit bit.ly/RadicalBiz
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For #BagLadiesLIVE segments, showtimes and more, visit www.bagladiesradio.com. Click to follow me on IG and Twitter @ bagladies.

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#BagLadiesLIVE: LAST NITE WAS A TESTIMONY!!

Last nite's #BeautyTalk: "The Biz Behind the Beauty", was more awesome than I could've imagined. "Beauty Talk" is the most popular segment on Bag Ladies Radio. I've had the privilege of dishing with some of the most fabulous and notable experts in the industry. And unless, I speak to a guest prior to air, I don't know what personality they bring to the show. I'm always pleasantly surprised when a guest "brings it." Such is what last nite's guests did. Featuring Celebrity MUA, Shon Michaux and Celebrity MUA/Hairstylist, Neema Ali. Managed by The Teknique Agency, both are known for their most recent work on VH1's Love and Hip Hop series. Not only did we (co-hosts, @babyshopa and @stylenbeautydoc too), dish on the experience of working in reality tv, but they lent a very candid perspective on how they achieved their present day status, the work to get where they are, standing out in the industry and moving forward. Myself and the #BagLadiesLIVE cast love to dish beauty so the show could've been an all-nighter. It's a wonder we weren't stomping and shouting "Hallelujah!" by the end of the show. Be on the "listen" for an exclusive offer just for you from my Marketing Director, aka "Machine Drivah", @ravendelana. 

Let me know your thoughts please on the show. Push "play" to listen OnDemand. Grab your notepad! Enjoy!

Oh, and P.S. - I had a "moment" at the top of the show where I went off on Kim Kardashian's lack of good "fashion" sense!!

Listen to internet radio with BAG LADIES on BlogTalkRadio

For #BagLadiesLIVE segments, showtimes and more, visit www.bagladiesradio.com. Click to follow me on IG and Twitter @ bagladies.

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"SO TELL ME WHATCHA WANT!": I NEED YOU AND YOUR FEEDBACK

Even though Bag Ladies is an established show, I'm constantly paying attention to the audience, my listeners to ensure that content "dish" is relevant and that I and the #BagLadiesLIVE cast lends a voice to the reality of you, your life and how you live it. It's not all about us and I NEVER take that for granted. I'm able to do what I do; the show exists because you tune in. If no listeners, no show. We wanna talk about what you wanna hear. So I'm always tweaking and making improvements in an effort to be better at what I do which is lending a voice to you ...Your experiences, your emotions, the highs and the lows, the joys and the woes and making Bag Ladies Radio the best that it can be. I leave my ❤   on the airwaves for you.
In order to do that better, I need your feedback. Please see the survey below. I wanna know what works best for you. What do you wanna hear me "dish" about? What time do you prefer? And what ideas do you have for show topics. Answer and you just might be selected to hangout on air amongst the #BagLadiesLIVE cast! Would you like that? Thank you!

Create your free online surveys with SurveyMonkey , the world's leading questionnaire tool.

For #BagLadiesLIVE segments, showtimes and more, visit www.bagladiesradio.com. Click to follow me on IG and Twitter @ bagladies.

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HELP!! I'M KIM KARDASHIAN AND I HAVE NO GOOD "FASHION" SENSE!

So when tuned into my weekly show, #BagLadiesLIVE, you know that my cast and I "dish" about Kim Kardashian ALOT to the point where we have to tell ourselves enough about her already. The most recent on-air dish has been about her lack of good "fashion sense" since becoming "preggers." As myself and my cohost, Trina Smalls are Mommies, it's insulting that Kim can't make better choices and being in the fashion industry herself, I just expected better. And she has a great example of how to do it right in her sister Kourtney. Kourtney was totally adorable both pregnancies!
We've not been paying Kim any attention as of late. But alas, sometimes we can't I can't help myself. The image of Kim last nite on the red carpet at the #MetGala with her "I don't know what he is although she claims him her boyfriend", in tow made my jaw drop. The image of Kim on the carpet at the #MetGala Metropolitan Museum of Art "PUNK: Chaos to Couture" Exhibition, literally dressed from neck to fingertips!!! In a long-sleeve floral number by Riccardo Tisci, immediately made me refer back to one of my Grandmommy's comforters from back in the day. I wish I had a link to Riccardo but couldn't find much on him besides he's Kanye's friend.

My Tweets following "glimpsing" Kim Kardashian:

What in the world is #KimKardashian wearing? She looks like a back in the day flora print comforter from Grandma's. #MetGala
— Erin Martin(@BagLadies) May 7, 2013

Does anyone else but me realize #KimKardashian is preggers??? Who is she seeking fashion advice from today? #MiserableFail #MetGala
— Erin Martin(@BagLadies) May 7, 2013

Nobody stopped #KimKardashian before leaving the house in that? The car driver shouldn't even-a let her get out the car. #MetGala
— Erin Martin(@BagLadies) May 7, 2013

I think it's all a plot cause he should know better. He's punking her and gonna take that baby, his first born and run LOL! @stylish_in_dc
— Erin Martin(@BagLadies) May 7, 2013

Oh lawd, just realized #KimKardashian had shoes and gloves to match?!!!! I'm literally mimicking @luvvie's wall slide right now #MetGala
— Erin Martin(@BagLadies) May 7, 2013

BTW, here is a link to a dedicated Huffington Post piece about the #MetGala with pics galore: http://www.huffingtonpost.com/news/met-gala

Is Kim beyond help? What did you think of her outfit? And rumor has it Kim was banned from attending last year by Anna Wintour herself and the only reason she was granted admittance this year was because of Kanye West. After last nite, do you think she will ever be invited back again ...Ever?

For #BagLadiesLIVE segments, showtimes and more, visit www.bagladiesradio.com. Click to follow me on IG and Twitter @ bagladies.

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I WANT A GREEN THUMB!!

"Annuals" 

I want a green thumb!!! I have a yard again and since I ain't got no man (#TalesOfSingledom), that means any tending of the yard has to be done by moi. Upon moving over the Holidays, it was still cold so the yard required no maintenance. But now that warmer temps are on the horizon here, I have to crack the whip on myself. Upon getting the grass cut (I didn't do it) this weekend ...FINALLY, I realized there are some areas that are sparse and patchy. I want plush grass, rich in green color with beautiful flowers that you can walk in barefoot. I know right, in my dreams. Although I've previously failed miserably at trying to nurture my green thumb under my Mom's direction, I'm willing to try again. I've purchased some flowers to pot and I'm taking cues from a friend who knows this stuff.

 
I just learned Sunday what this contraption is on the left. I called it a "whatcha-macallit" but it's actually referred to as a spreader. Since this week is supposed to be all rain, I used the "spreader" to put down fertilizer yesterday morning which will help the grass grow ...Or so I'm told. And I'm less the task of having to water. Next will be lime and grass seeds. As much as I want a prettier yard and I do. I love checking boards on Pinterest and inspiring creativity. But the challenge will be committing myself to making it happen. I've challenged myself to do something at least twice a week to nurture my green thumb. Let's see how this goes. Perhaps you can hold me to it. Make me accountable? The proof will be in the visuals. Follow me on Instagram @ bagladies.
BTW, green thumb is defined as "a natural talent for growing plants."

Do you have a green thumb? Do you have any tips? How do you maintain your yard?

Oh, I need some FABULOUS gardening shoes. Suggestions?

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For #BagLadiesLIVE segments, showtimes and more, visit www.bagladiesradio.com. Click to follow me on IG and Twitter @ bagladies.

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