Venus & Serena Cover New York Times Magazine..

via StyleBlazer: Olympic medal winners Venus and Serena Williams stand proud on the new cover of The New York Times Magazine. The close sisters talk about their love of tennis, growing up in Compton, their often elusive father (who was their coach) and their path to becoming champions. In photos taken by Times photographer Damon Winter, the ladies wore sports bras and other athletic wear the young women look incredible strong and proud (as they should be) of all their accomplishments. Look for them in the Sunday issue of the magazine.

Beyonce Sings "I Was Here" at World Humanitarian Day.

After a few days of pre-release buzz and endorsements from the likes of Justin Bieber and Lady Gaga, Beyonce's new video for "I Was Here" has dropped. The video was filmed at the United Nations in support of World Humanitarian Day and heralds a drive to send 1 billion messages of hope around the world. A rep for the singer had told the Associated Press that Jay-Z, Coldplay's Chris Martin, Michelle Obama, Bieber, Shakira and Gwyneth Paltrow had signed on to participate.

Janelle Monae is the New Face of CoverGirl...

Janelle Monáe is the latest gorgeous face to grace the glossies of CoverGirl's advertisement campaigns, joining the likes of P!nk, Taylor Swift, Drew Barrymore, Sofia Vergara and Ellen DeGeneres. "I believe it's time that women truly owned their superpowers and used their beauty and strength to change the world around them," said Monáe in a statement. "One of my core values is to help redefine what it means to be a strong and beautiful woman in the music and fashion worlds and to empower the wonderful things that make us unique." She added, "Becoming a CoverGirl is truly an honor and a gift. It opens up a new platform for me to inspire women to feel stronger, braver and more beautiful inside and out." Superpowers aside, Monáe is the perfect star to encourage women to be artistic and embrace their own unique types of beauty.  [via Billboard]

Hip Hop Idris Elba? YES Please ;)

People know Idris Elba as an actor and a pretty bar of dark chocolate, but some people don't know much about his music career and his DJ background. Watch his latest collaboration above... 

U.S. Men's & Women's Basketball Teams Win GOLD...

Congratulations to all of them. And I tell you what, the United States dominated these 2012 Olympic Games in London... gonna get myself some USA Olympic gear so I can represent too...

My DIY Floral Pants...

I never wanted a pair of floral pants. At least I thought I didn't. Then the floral pants trend exploded all over Spring 2011 and 2012 and then I started to see cool pics of regular people wearing them all over Pinterest (like here and here) and I said to myself, "self, that's a pretty cool look that you just might be able to pull off." My sis-in-law gave me the (thrifted) dress that I used to make the pants back in 2009 to see if I could make a costume for my niece for something she was in, well that ended up not happening (my niece went with something else) but I still had the size 22 dress. It's been in my pile of fabric until recently when I was inspired to dig it out to attempt a pair of skinny pants. I had already re-drafted a pattern by removing the darts (blah) and tapering the legs (remember these?) I tweaked the pattern just a bit more to make these floral pants, but the pants are basically the same. I'd love to know what ya'll think! But FYI, I already love them :)

U.S. Women SMASH the World Record in 4x100 Meter Relay

From left Allyson Felix, Carmelita Jeter, Bianca Knight and Tianna Madison celebrate with an American flag after winning the women's 4x100m relay final. Watch these incredible women destroy the previous world record HERE.

U.S. Women's Soccer Take Olympic Gold...

Hope Solo found herself enveloped in a group hug at the final whistle. Abby Wambach ran to join the fun in a celebration that unleashed a year of bottled-up frustration. The U.S. women's soccer team won its third straight Olympic gold medal Thursday, beating Japan 2-1 in a rematch of last year's World Cup final and avenging the most painful loss in its history. Carli Lloyd scored early in both halves, Solo leaped and dived to make saves, and the entire roster found the redemption it had been seeking since that penalty kick shootout loss in Germany last summer. Congrats to them!  Continue reading this HERE.

Kerri Walsh & Misty May-Treanor Win Olympic Gold in Beach Volleyball...

via HuffPo: Playing in the Summer Games together for the last time, the twice-defending champions extended their unbeaten streak to 21 in a row – through Athens, Beijing and now London – by defeating Jennifer Kessy and April Ross 21-16, 21-16 in an all-American final on Wednesday night.

The match started with nearby Big Ben pealing the hour and ended with the "Star-Spangled Banner" rising from the iconic venue in the Prime Minister's backyard, just down the Mall from the royal residence at Buckingham Palace. Playing on Henry VIII's former jousting tiltyard, with the current Prince Harry in the crowd, Walsh Jennings and May-Treanor continued their reign as champions of the beach. 

 "It's insane. It doesn't feel like it's real," Walsh Jennings said. "I told Misty when we were getting our medals: 'If I wake up tomorrow and we have to replay this match, I'm going to be furious.' Because it feels like I'm in a dream. 

 "It truly feels surreal and it didn't feel like that the first two times for whatever reason. But this, it's almost too good to be true." Dominating the sport for three Olympiads, Walsh Jennings and May-Treanor have won every match they've ever played at the Summer Games and lost just one of 43 sets. 

No one had ever won even two beach volleyball gold medals before the Americans won their second straight in Beijing. No woman had ever won three Olympic beach volleyball medals of any kind.

U.S. Sprinter Allyson Felix Wins Olympic Gold...

U.S. track star Allyson Felix finally put behind her the disappointments of losing the 200-meter races at the 2004 and 2008 Olympics by taking the gold in dominating fashion on August 8 at the London Games. Felix powered her way past the rest of the field in her best event, crossing the finish line in a superb time of 21.88 seconds for the Olympic title. Congratulations to her!

U.S. Sprinter Sanya Richards Ross Wins GOLD in 400m

via Sports Illustrated: She did it. Nearly banging elbows with runners on both sides of her - and with the defending champion making up ground on the outside - Sanya Richards-Ross got stronger, not weaker, this time over the last 100 meters. She surged to the finish, won by about a body's length and punched her fist when she crossed the line in 49.55 seconds Sunday night to give the U.S. its first track and field gold medal of the London Olympics. "I just kept saying, 'You can do this, you can do this,"' Richards-Ross said. "I just dug really deep and I'm very happy." Continue reading about this HERE.

Pink is the New Face of CoverGirl...

Pink is the latest star to join CoverGirl's roster of A-list celebrity spokeswoman, which includes Queen Latifah, Drew Barrymore, Ellen DeGeneres, Taylor Swift and Sofia Vergara. 
 "With the signing of Pink, COVERGIRL is celebrating 'Beauty with an Edge' and who better to deliver that message than someone who embodies art and attitude," the makeup brand said in a release. "Pink and COVERGIRL are looking to inspire women to celebrate their individuality and never settle for a single beauty standard."
Congrats to her!

Happy Birthday President Obama!

Happy Birthday to our distinguished 44th President, President Barack Obama who was born on August 4, 1961 IN HAWAII. Happy 51st Mr. President :)

Serena Williams Wins Olympic GOLD.

via Essence: Serena Williams has just made Olympic history at Wimbledon this morning, earning her first Olympics singles gold medal. After going up against Maria Sharapova in the women’s Tennis finals, Williams dominated the game finishing off her formidable opponent with a winning score of 6-0, 6-1. 
 Williams served three aces in the opening game and broke Sharapova’s service in the second. It was a huge win for Williams, who by taking home the gold medal, earned a career Golden Slam. She’s only the second woman in history to do so. 
 Williams can add the gold medal to her 14 Grand Slam singles championships, the most of any active woman. Since she lost to Sharapova at the Wimbledon final in 2004, Williams has now beaten her a whopping eight consecutive times.

Gabby Douglas Makes the Kellogg's Cereal Box...

U.S. Olympic Gold Medalist Gabby Douglas

You did your thing girl...

CONGRATS To Gabby Douglas Olympic GOLD MEDALIST!

Gymnast Gabby Douglas made history Thursday, winning the most coveted color of all, Olympic gold. Douglas, 16, became the first African-American, the first woman of color, to win the women's all-around title. CONGRATULATIONS!

Gabby Douglas Joins Team USA's All-Around Gymnastics Champions, Mary Lou Retton, Carly Patterson and Nastia Liukin