Torrid, the popular plus-size clothing store, is once again holding its House of Dreams model search. If you missed the in-person entry weekend earlier this month, don’t worry; there’s still time to mail in an application. Finalists will receive a trip to Los Angeles to participate in an exclusive photo shoot and one winner will be chosen for a trip to New York and meetings with top models and influencers in the industry.

Lifetime’s “Drop Dead Diva” recently released a soundtrack CD of songs performed by the show’s stars, as well as music featured on the series. Star Brooke Elliott has a beautiful voice, and that’s been used to great effect on the CD (“Would I Lie To You”) as well as on the show, when her character Jane often breaks out into song.

Plus size models have gotten a lot of buzz lately, from spreads in V and Glamour, to Whitney Thompson winning “America’s Next Top Model” a few cycles back. So it seems that “Britain’s Next Top Model” judge Julien MacDonald was a little off the mark when he called plus size models “a joke” in an interview with Wales Online.

A woman walks around her home in bra and panties, looking sexy and beautiful. Her phone reminds her to of a lunch date, so she puts on a coat and walks out the door. Sounds like a scene you’d see any week on “Desperate Housewives” right? No, this is an ad for Lane Bryant’s Cacique lingerie line, and ABC (which airs “Housewives”) has decided it’s too sexy to show during “Dancing With the Stars.”

Talk about a great summer vacation. Enter a new sweepstakes from Lane Bryant and you could be jetting off to New York City for a shopping spree and night out on the town. The “Rock the Wardrobe” sweepstakes runs through June 17. Grand prize is a three-day, two-night trip to New York for you and a friend; a $1,000 shopping spree with a personal stylist; and a night out on the town.

There are several items in the news I’ve been wanting to talk about, but they’re mostly brief items that wouldn’t fill a whole blog post. So I’ve decided to post a roundup of recent information about the premiere of Drop Dead Diva Season 2; Niecy Nash on Dancing With the Stars; a plus-size line from singer Macy Gray; and a scholarship for those interested in plus size fashion.

Oscar nominee Gabourey Sidibe is such a breath of fresh air. In interviews, she’s charismatic and wickedly funny. She’s also dealt with issues related to her weight with enviable grace. Take, for instance, what she wore to the Oscars.

This week, Tyra Banks introduced us to Sheridan Watson, a gorgeous 17-year-old who was chosen the winner of Tyra’s Fiercely Real Teen Model Search for plus size teens. The New Jersey teenager wears a size 14 and proved her modeling skills through a competition showcased on Tyra’s talkshow. She and five other finalists competed in five areas

Niecy Nash, the curvy and gorgeous star of “Clean House” and “Reno 911,” is set to compete in the 10th season of ABC’s “Dancing With the Stars,” which debuts March 22. When the cast was announced on March 2, she sent out this excited Tweet: “Yep! It’s official! I will be on Dancing With The Stars!!! Omg!!!”

“Precious” star Gabourey Sidibe is looking gorgeous on the cover of this month’s Ebony magazine. The issue’s theme is image as it relates to African-Americans. In a behind-the-scenes video of the photo shoot, Gabby talks about the amazing opportunity she’s been given, and how she worked to keep the character of Precious true to the one presented in “Push.”