FREE Give Away Alert! Bella Earth Natural Beauty Products Can Be Yours!!

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By Team BLAM

We are so happy to be able to do this FREE Give Away with Bella Earth Naturals!

Bella Earth sales all natural smoothies and natural products from 100% Shea butter, natural lotions , hand made soaps, natural hair products, body healing products, internal and external natural health products and much more. I love their tag line: Enjoy the natural you…inside and out.

Ms. Bella was generous enough to send me some of her items to sample which is great because I get to relay to you exactly what I think. My conclusion? Bella Earth Naturals are fabulous! So, ENTER THE GIVE AWAY & keep your fingers crossed and you may be the winner of some yummy feel good sweet-smelling all natural products very soon!

HOW TO ENTER THE GIVE AWAY:

1. FOLLOW US ON TWITTER @BLKLUVNMARRIAGE

2. FOLOW BELLA EARTH NATURALS ON TWITTER @MSBELLAEARTH

3. LEAVE A QUICK COMMENT BELOW ABOUT WHY YOU THINK IT’S IMPORTANT TO TAKE CARE OF OURSELVES…

…AND WA-LAH…YOU’VE ENTERED!

***YOU MAY ONLY ENTER ONCE***

WHAT DO YOU GET IN THE GIVE AWAY?

Bella’s BeNatural Basics to Kitchen Kreations Book

Have you ever wanted to make your own skin care products?

Are you whipping up something for your hair or body?

If You answered YES, you need Bella’s Basic to Kitchen Kreations. It has a lot of recipes (over 70) From Soapmaking, Body and Hair Care to Lip gloss and Dusting powder.

There is a Getting Started Section that talks about Natural vs Organic and what the FDA regulate as far as Bath and Body products.

It also goes over the different oils for the hair and essential oils that promotes growth and stimulation as well as Aroma Therapy.

This a easy read and has 107 pages.

You’re going to  LOVE it.

Sinful Chocolate All Natural Glycerin Soap

This soap is the ideal nourishing staple of any bathing routine, the lather leaves your skin feeling like silk and it smells good enough to eat!

All of Bella Earth soaps are made to order and they using the finest in ingredients!

100% Organic vegetable soap base. Glycerin is a natural humectant and will draw nature’s moisture continuously to your skin.

Shea butter, proven to smooth, renew and provides extra moisture while gently cleansing without drying or irritating the skin.

Silky Shea Butter, protects the skin against weather & aging often called Nature’s Botox .

No harsh detergents – just 100% Natural Glycerin Soap, Milk, Honey, Aloe, Natural Oils and Butters .

All of Bella Earth soaps are rich in moisturizing oils and butters for happier, healthier skin. You’re sure to love the thick, creamy lather of my soaps so much, that you’ll be back for more!

Bella Earth Glycerin Soap bar is particularly wonderful for shaving. Also works well as a facial soap and even a shampoo bar.

Each bar of soap is hand mixed and poured, and will never be exactly the same as any other bar.

Perfect for any type skin, but especially suited to normal and combination type skins.

While the ingredients should not cause any allergies or skin rashes, individual reactions may vary, please discontinue use immediately if such a reaction occurs.

Mango Tango Shea/Soy Body Butter


Shea Soy Body Butter is this seasons must have. It smells soooo good!

Made with Raw African Shea Butter, Soy Butter, and other exotic oils to nourishes, protects and seals the skin.

Absorbs completely to give your skin that incredibly soft and silky feel like no other!

This silky butter melts on contact and glides on to a powdered feel to moisturize your skin.

It is a big Hit this fall, one of Bella Earth’s biggest sellers. 4oz

GOOD LUCK BLAM FAM!!!!

Tyler Perry’s ‘For Better Or Worse’ Meets VERY Mixed Reviews. What Do You Think?

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By Aiyana Ma’at

Last night my hubby and I settled down to watch Tyler Perry’s newest sitcom ‘For Better Or For Worse’ and overall on a scale of 1 to 10 my husband and I both gave it a 5. Actually, I’m gonna go ahead and give it a 6.5 just because i’m biased–I like Tyler Perry and the efforts he always makes to bring a lesson to the screen. So, for that he gets an extra 1 and a half points from me.

The missing laugh track was a little awkward and there were scenes that were a little corny (like when Angela and Marcus’s baby’s mama fought and then made up 2 minutes later) And, the fact that they fought in the first place was a little off-putting (and stereotypical). But, while the make-up scene was corny I give Tyler big kudos for what his intention appears to be. It seems as though he wants us to actually learn something from that scene….like the fact that it is so important for children in blended families to see the adults getting along. I also like the fact that Tyler’s trying to show accomplished successful and well-off African Americans (Angela and Marcus’s house was the bomb-diggity).

So, In case you missed it, in a nutshell ‘For Better Or For Worse’ follows the ups and downs of a couple trying to make their marriage work.

Michael Jai White plays Marcus, an ex-football player turned sports commentator. Tasha Smith stars as Marcus’s wife, the edgy and outspoken Angela.

I’ve read that every show will leave viewers with life a changing message, which has become a standard of the Tyler Perry brands of television entertainment.

According to TBS, “Viewers will experience a fresh approach to the traditional sitcom format that will provide all the elements of well-crafted storytelling and the raw intrigue of reality TV.”

Here’s what some folks on Twitter had to say:

Just a little bit of overacting in parts, but decent enough. #ForBetterOrWorse

#ForBetterOrWorse …..I’m loving this new @TylerPerry series , he is great at what he does , & it’s pure success every time.

Watching #ForBetterOrWorse and I keep waiting on the “laugh track” to play but this show doesn’t have one… #awkward.

What’s the difference between this new Tyler Perry show #forbetterorworse and that bet show recently on dating??

Just watched the new TP show #ForBetterOrWorse…its horrible! And it doesn’t have that “laughing concept thingy” either

Sure hope @tylerperry’s new show #Forbetterorworse gets “BETTER” in the coming weeks cause the first two episodes were awful!!!

Their house is gaudy. #forbetterorworse

Love #forbetterorworse …great show:-)


Is this a sitcom or a stage play? I’m confused… #TylerPerry #ForBetterorWorse” lmao good?


So are the shows #MeetTheBrowns #HouseOfPayne & #ForBetterOrWorse apart of the same group of friends, just different shows? @tylerperry

Tyler Perry New Show #ForBetterOrWorse Isn’t What I Thought It Was Gonna Be


Looks like i’ll be watching #ForBetterorWorse every week (:

that show #ForBetterorWorse is Tyler Perry’s best show, but it’s the worst show ever. LOL. did y’all see it?


Seriously! Seriously! @tylerperry #ForBetterorWorse, instant hit… Genius.

These grown women are fighting. #ForBetterorWorse

Just home from work, watching @TylerPerry’s #ForBetterOrWorse…..I mean I’m SOLD off the opening shower scene. (O_o) LOL

#forbetterorworse was a 30 min waste of my life. -_-

They have on some baaaddd dresses #ForBetterOrWorse

I didn’t like #ForBetterorWorse. Won’t be watching this one! Got to Do better!

I love #TylerPerry’s #ForBetterOrWorse. If you love #WhyDidIGetMarried & #WhyDidIGetMarriedToo, watch this show. I love #AngelaAndMarcus!

stop speaking negative about #ForBetterOrWorse if you don’t think you like it TURN THE CHANNEL.


Allright BLAM Fam: Add your opinion. Did you see it? What do you think?

Tyler Perry Writes Open Letter To Fans About His Decision To Cast Kim Kardashian In New Movie ‘The Marriage Counselor’

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By Aiyana Ma’at

I know the 2 words Tyler Perry  generate different feelings for different folks. Some folks love him and his work while others…not so much. Well, you probably know by now that he is casting the ultra famous (for what I’m not really sure….) Kim Kardashian in his newest movie “The Marriage Counselor”.

Well, there are a whole lot of folks who are upset about it. Truthfully, I don’t really know why. Is it because she’s not black? That seems so….shallow. Is it because she’s not a bona fide actress? I can understand that a little more but I don’t recall other non-official actors catching as much hell as Kim’s been recently. Is it because of the foolishness she was recently involved in with her crazy 10 second marriage? I really want to know so if you’re one of the people who was or is really upset about it–leave a comment with your thoughts and also let us know if Tyler’s letter to his fans makes a difference in what you think after reading it. Check out the letter below:

“I think many of you know that this is a very difficult time of year for me, so what I try to do is make sure that I’m working during this time. All I wanted to do was shoot a great film and try to keep my mind off the holiday grief that I have been experiencing for the past two years. I could not have imagined I’d be getting all these emails about Kim Kardashian. I HAVE SEEN THEM!! YOU HAVE BEEN HEARD!! …LOL. Now, may I say something? Can a brother get a word in?….LOL. Y’all gave me a new movie title, Tyler Perry’s “Diary of a Mad Black Woman Cause You Hired Kim Kardashian, Don’t Make Me Take Off My Earrings and Boycott Yo A**.”…LOL. Some of my ladies are upset. Ok, all jokes aside, can I have my say? Will you at least here me out? I was in a Mexican restaurant and the cutest little old woman stopped me and said, “I want to talk to you about KAR-DAT- CHA-NEM.” I said, “Ma’am?” She said, “What is wrong with you putting her in the lead role of your movie?” By the time I explained to her that she was not in the lead role and why I thought she should be in “The Marriage Counselor”, she said, “Oh, I see your point and I can’t wait to see the movie.” So, if you don’t mind, I’d like to share with you what I said to her then maybe you’ll see why I wanted her in the film. This movie is about a young lady named Judith (Jurnee Smolett), who grew up in the countryside of Virginia in a trailer park. She was raised in the church by her mother Sarah (Ella Joyce). Judith married her childhood sweetheart Brice (Lance Gross) and had the perfect life until she graduated college and went to work in the big city. After college, all she wanted to do was be a marriage counselor, but the only job she could find was working for a matchmaker named Janice (Vanessa Williams). Janice has several employees that work for her, including a woman named Ava (Kim Kardashian). Ava is constantly trying to influence Judith on everything from her shoes to her hair. Judith meets a man at work named Harley (Robbie Jones). Harley challenges everything in her life from her marriage to her husband to her faith. Meanwhile, Brice (Lance Gross), Judith’s husband works at a pharmacy owned by Mrs. Waco (Renee Taylor). Brice has just hired a coworker named Melinda (Brandy), who has some major demons that she is running from. In the end, the choices that both of these young women have made come crashing down on them and their lives will never be the same. I wish I could tell you more, but I don’t want to ruin it for you. After I finished writing this movie, I sat back and re-read it. Half way through my read, the gravity of what I had written hit me. I knew that this message was not only for my age group, but for all audiences, especially the youth. ESPECIALLY THE YOUTH!! YOUNG FOLKS NEED TO SEE THIS!!! And not just the young people that follow me, but the young people that are following other young people, as well. I wanted a younger cast, that’s why I put Jurnee in the lead and invited Lance Gross, Robbie Jones and Brandy. About two months ago, long before I even heard about Kim’s marriage or divorce, I was trying to finish up the casting. I said to one of my producers, “who else is out there that young people are looking up to?” One of my producers showed me pictures that his daughter had taken of several hundred kids lined up around the corner to get into a Kardashian store. They wanted to meet Kim. I thought, what better person! She literally has millions of young people following her. I thought and still do think, that it would be very responsible of her to be a part of this film. To have the young people that look up to her, see her in a film that is about, what happens in life when you make the wrong choices. Whether you’re aware of it or not, to be honest with you I wasn’t, millions of young people adore her and are following her every move. If one of those young people see this film and find the strength to live a better life and not go through what these characters went through in this movie, then we have all done what I feel I’m being led to do here. I hope you understand. I really do! And lastly, because I believe that my films speak from the inside out, why wouldn’t Kim Kardashian be invited into a film about Faith, Forgiveness and the healing power of God? What is wrong with that??”

Allright BLAM Fam, Weigh in..what do you think about this whole thing?

Aiyana Ma’at is the wife of Ayize Ma’at, mom of 4, and co-founder and owner of this website, BlackLoveAndMarriage.com, as well as PurposePusher.com. Aiyana is a Seeker, Motivator, Risk Taker, Explorer, & Overcomer. She is a self-described PurposePusher and does her best to live her life with self-awareness and intention. Some of her official titles include licensed psycho-therapist, certified marriage educator & relationship coach and speaker. She is clear that a part of the call on her life is to help bring insight and awareness to others so that they can “get out of their own way” and create the lives they want to have.

Ayize Interviews Ken Bevel, Co-Star Of The Hit Movie “Courageous”

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Sit back and enjoy a conversation I (Ayize Ma’at) had with the Co-Star of the hit movie “Courageous”, Ken Bevel. This movie has revived the dialogue across the country about fatherhood and it’s importance in developing healthy families and building strong communities. This movie was tight…with a CAPITAL “T” I thoroughly enjoyed it and was emotionally moved on many levels to examine myself and challenge myself not to be just a good father….but instead be a great father. If you haven’t seen the movie yet…GO CHECK IT OUT. It’s playing in theaters nationwide.

Book Give Away! Love For Grown Ups: The Garter Brides’ Guide To Marrying For Life When You’ve Already Got A Life

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By Team BLAM

We’re very happy to announce that we’ve partnered with ICED Media and the authors of Love for Grown-Ups: The Garter Brides Guide to Marrying for Life When You’ve Already got a Life to give away a FREE copy of this wonderful relationship book that is full of advice from 3 women who found love and happiness after their 35th birthday.

Who are the Garter Brides? 3 women who got married after the age of 35  who have a lot to share about the difference between a mature marriage and one where you marry in your twenties. What we really appreciate about this book is that each of these women share what they know based on their own life experiences and those of women they’ve interviewed around the world.

Here’s an excerpt from the book with a little more on the Garter Brides:

It all started as many great adventures do, with girlfriends having dinner (i.e., drinks). Nina, Ann, and Pat were business colleagues and longtime friends, all over the age of thirty-five.  All had successful careers and were going on dates (approximately 9,000 of those by Pat alone, according to her), but none of them thought she’d get married.

But…

Six months later, Nina got married. Six month after that, Ann got married. Six months after that , Pat got married. Nina said, “At my age you wear a garter, but you don’t throw it.” She slipped it off and gave it to Ann, who wore it at her wedding. Ann then gave it to Pat, who wore it at her wedding. They named themselves the Garter Brides—and a new tradition was born.

Today, this good luck garter has been worn by girlfriends ranging in age from 38 to 57, and it has traveled—in a FedEx box all over the United States.

In the book, you’ll find great advice on the importance of staying in the dating game, how to blend family, friends, and kids, taking your romance to the next level, along with a host of other issues unique to “grown up” brides.

So, how do you enter? It’s simple.

1)Leave a comment below with one quality that is important to have when getting married at any age (i.e., flexibility or patience, etc.)

2)Follow us on Twitter @BlkLuvNMarriage and follow our friends @TheGarterBrides. Simple!

The Give Away will end Sunday, 9/18/2011 at 12 midnight and the lucky winner will be notified on Monday. Good Luck!

BLAM Movie Review Of Russ Parr’s “35 & Ticking”

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By Team BLAM

My husband and I recently had the opportunity to check out the independent film “35 & Ticking” by  radio personality and filmmaker Russ Parr. I must admit that as soon as we heard it was by Russ Parr we made a commitment to go and see it. #1 because it’s a movie that is centered around love, friendship, relationships, and family and #2 because when a person of color attempts to take a step into the unknown and make a part of their vision a reality we personally feel compelled to support the dreamer and the dream. I am so glad that Russ dared to dream and make this film. My husband and I bot enjoyed it and are happy to have been able to support it.

Set in a big urban city, the film features an all-star cast led by Kevin Hart, Nicole Ari Parker, Tamala Jones and Keith Robinson, as a group of close -knit friends in their mid-thirties who hear the clock ticking as they try to find lasting love. All the different relationship prototypes are represented; Cleavon (Hart), lovable, but clueless to the fact that his donating sperm does not constitute a real job; Zenobia (Parker), a successful TV news anchor in search of Mr. Right; Phil (Robinson) , a hard-working, blue-collar man struggling to raise two children alone after being abandoned by his wife, and Victoria (Jones), a woman desperate to have a child of her own in a doomed marriage.

This film receives the BLAM seal of approval because:

*The relationship dynamics depicted were real (trust us–we know) and reflected things that real life folks are struggling with every single day.

*While everyone didn’t perhaps resolve their issues in their “preferred” way–the issues were brought to genuine resolution and the movie ended with my feeling hopeful and happy about the “plight” of each person/couple.

*The film balanced just the right amount of humor and thought provoking content to make you laugh and say Hmmm at the same time.

Also, there was one particular part in the film that the average viewer might think is quite ordinary and not pause to think about but it spoke volumes to me. I’ll just say this: When Meagan Good’s character finds out that Kevin Hart’s character did not have the job he had eluded to early on in their relationship her response was golden. She didn’t go off, She didn’t drop him like a bad habit. She simply and lovingly challenged him to step up his game—and he did. Lots of lessons there…

We can’t take our hats off enough to Russ Parr over here at BLAM. We are just so proud of this accomplishment and wish him all the best as he travels his path in life. “35 And Ticking” is the most recent film released through AMC Theatres‘ innovative AMCi program for independent filmmakers. The film is also recipient of the African American Film Critics Association “Seal Of Approval” for its positive portrayal of African American images in cinema.