Did you watch the Miss America pageant? Just half an hour ago, a new Miss America was crowned. Miss Virginia, Caressa Cameron! Read that Washington Post article for details!

The beautiful Ms. Cameron now joins a list of seven — now eight — African American Miss America winners in history. PBS offers a fascinating look back at African Americans and the Miss America Pageant.

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Shopaholics are SERIOUS about their business. When a hot store announces a sale, a dedicated shopaholic is the first one to tell all their friends. When an incredible new product launches, y’all are the first to know!

So my shopaholic bellas — put this on your radar. Tonight at 11 p.m. through 1 a.m. on 1/30 (and also 11am, 3pm, & 9pm ET that day), QVC is hosting Bare Escentuals sales and shows. Tune in, check em out, and shop it up!

But just in case you can’t wait and really-really want to get your BE on right this minute, I’ve got a giveaway for you! My first for the year!

The Bare Minerals Buxom Babes Winter Escapades Lip Color 4 piece set is everything you need for your lips to look ultra luscious. Four colors — Holly, Merry, Hope, and Joy, go far beyond the holidays and add glitter and glamour to your look whenever you want it.
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I’ve thrown a little shade at Barbara Millicent Roberts — better known as Barbie — over the years. But that isn’t because I don’t LOVE Barbie’s style and wish I too could have a pink Caddy, dream house, and a veritable battery of lucrative and fun occupations. I’ve just had a hard time finding a Barbie within my price range, who also has the kind of features and style a bella like me can truly relate to.

Which is why the just-launched Barbie Basics collection is giving me EVERYTHING right now.

Bellas, behold designer Philip Crangi’s one-of-a-kind Barbie doll. She is part of a collection of 12 fabulous dolls, who each are sporting their unique designer silhouette of the classic little black dress. Not to mention – these Barbies can be customized with “ultra-chic accessory packs, including shoes, scarfs, jewelry and more.” Oh. My.

My inner child has been awakened, and thankfully this LBD-loving Barbie Basics line is also for a fabulous cause!

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I continue to be amazed and impressed by my friend Luvvie. She’s co-founder of The Red Pump Project. She’s holding down one of the funniest corners of the internet at Awesomely Luvvie. She speaks her soul at Luvv Divine. She was just specially invited to be on a humor panel at BlogHer 2010 (OMG, that’s HUGE!) And she JUST started an online book club today called iRead, iLive. Someone tell me how she manages to find the time!

Luvvie is hilarious, but she is also very dedicated to the cause of AIDS awareness. Together with her equally fantawesome cofounder Karyn The Fabulous Giver, they’re trying to take The Red Pump Project to a whole ‘nother level.

And you can help!

500 in 50 is an initiative where bloggers can show recognition for March 10, National Women and Girls HIV Awareness Day.

“Leading up to March 10th, we’re asking bloggers to “Rock the Red Pump” widget on their sidebars to represent the strength and courage of women fighting HIV/AIDS or affected by the disease both directly and indirectly. Then on NWGHAAD, we would like you to embed the Red Pump Widget within a post with a short snippet of its significance, including some statistics about HIV/AIDS and its effect on women and girls.

Also, your blog will be linked on a post that will run on the following pages: The Red Pump homepage, Awesomely Luvvie and The Fabulous Giver on that day.”

So right now I’m telling you all about 500 in 50. This weekend I’m going to post a widget myself and be part of the movement! Want to join us and help to raise awareness? Click here to read more, and then send an email to rocktheredpump@theredpumpproject.com to get a widget of your own!

I can be astoundingly picky when it comes to photographs of myself. I. Love. This. Photo. It was taken by amazing photographer Dan Chen, for an upcoming project that I am SUPER excited about (but can’t share with y’all just yet, but I can’t wait to tell you about!)

BTW, I mentioned this fabulous top when I mentioned my Silhouettes blogger boutique — do you like it? If you do, click here to buy it, and click here to check out my blogger boutique!

Today I am honored and excited to share an interview I did with Renae of In Her Shoes. We touched on everything from the best advice my mother ever gave me, to an average day in my life, to my thoughts on life in Chicago. Click here to read it. And if you’re not savvy to In Her Shoes yet, click here to read this amazing, inspiring blog. And click here to follow Renae on Twitter! She is a GREAT person I am delighted to know.

Thank you SO much for the opportunity, Renae! I hope you like my interview, bellas!

The new album by Corinne Bailey Rae, The Sea, hits stores today! Click here to buy it — as you may expect, it is both lovely and amazing. Corinne taps into some deep emotions with her lyrics, but her vocals remain as restrained and sweet as ever. And I sincerely appreciate that about her. In the hands of a more histronic singer, this album would have been too much. As it is right now, it’s the kind of album that’s perfect for a Sunday morning, making a lovely brunch and puttering around the house as you feel the lyrics wash over you.

Corinne Bailey Rae “I’d Do It All Again”

Corinne Bailey Rae | MySpace Music Videos

I love the official video for I’d Do It All Again. It’s directed by Jamie Thraves, who is also responsible for one of my favorite music videos of all time — Just by Radiohead. I sincerely wish Corinne all the best with this album. To hear her speak more about her inspiration and new direction, check out her Walmart Soundcheck. Or even better, visit her official website.