Guys don't make passes at girls who wear glasses? No way!!

I've been wearing glasses off and on since I was in my early 20's. Off and on has slowly become more "on" than off. I was always near-sighted, but usually wore my glasses  just for seeing distance and night driving. Well nowwww, as I've gotten a wee bit older, I can no longer see up close either! Because I wasn't thrilled with the concept of bi-focals, I decided to keep my prescription glasses as they were for distance, and pick up some reading glasses.

"Some", as in more than one....

Reading glasses can be a fun way to update a look (and read the fine print in newspapers...). I found some really cute ones on a site called Peepers and even ordered a pair for my boyfriend, who has also been fighting his aging eyes (must be why he still sees me as young and beautiful!). He loves them and looks sooo handsome in them. He thinks glasses are incredibly hot and give the impression of a smart, savvy and sexy woman.


I think a lot of men find glasses sexy. Well maybe not these..

But look at these cuties!

Reading glasses can be found both online and in various drugstores and department stores for between $10 and $20. I think it is a great, inexpensive way to add to your own sense of style. I mean, everyone's doing it...

So if your favorite books and magazines are giving you blurry vision and a headache, maybe some low-level readers would be a way to not only see better, but look sophisticated and fashion-forward.

All eyes on you. Go for it!

 

 

 

 

 

Put a Wreath on it!

I decided this Christmas I needed a new wreath for our front door. I have an old one that I got a zillion years ago, and figured it was time to usher in a new one. Unfortunately the ones I liked were all VERY expensive. So I decided I could make my own wreath for less-so much less, in fact, I made two!!!

For the first one, I took an old grapevine wreath I had sitting around (you can buy them for about $6 at Michaels craft store) that I'd spray painted gold. I'm not much into gold anymore, so I re-painted it in silver...

Once it was dry, I used my trusty glue gun (I'm a horrible seamstress but can do pretty much anything with a glue gun!) and glued on some glittery beaded garland and small decorative ornaments (purchased at Michaels for less than $10 altogether-everything is on sale there of course). This is how it turned out...

 

 

 

It didn't even take that much time. I decided to put this one inside the house, since its been below zero outside around here lately and I wasn't sure how well the beads and such would hold up. Since it was a pretty quick craft project, I decided to make ANOTHER wreath!

For this one, I took a plain green wreath (Michaels $3.99) and decided to make use of all the kids ornaments that they've made over the years. We used to have a "kids tree" but don't have space for it anymore, and my kids are getting older now, so they don't clamor to have "their" ornaments on the tree. All of these ornaments, made with loving little hands, are important to me and I wanted to show them off again. So I glued them onto the wreath, with some plain white ornaments as accents:

I was really happy with the results, I think it turned out very fun and festive, and looks beautiful on my front door! Such an easy way to recycle ornaments that don't make their way to the tree anymore, and to preserve something very precious to me.

I'd forgotten how much I enjoy doing crafty stuff, and got so much enjoyment out of making these! Don't be afraid to break out that glue gun and make one for your door too!

Happy Holidays!

Happy Holidays Sephora Style!

With Christmas looming and stocking stuffers needing to be stuffed, I decided to check out Sephora and see what might be on sale. Here's all the goodies I found:

I spent a little over $50 (I always do, because anything over 50 is free shipping!) and got a very nice assortment, some of which were FREE.

What I ordered:

Sephora Collection Harmony lip gloss
Ultra Vinyl lip pencil (already using this and I absolutely LOVE it)
Sephora by OPI blasted nail polish
Stila Style in Seoul Travel Palette (another one I'm using now, the best colors and pigment ever!)
Benefit "They're Real" mascara (I used 100 of my Sephora points to get this and it is awesome)
Too Faced Glamour to Go Spun Sugar Edition
Sephora by OPI makeup pouch, which was chock full of samples of perfumes, makeup and cologne
Three other perfume samples (I love to keep these on hand for travel) that were my free samples with purchase.

My order came in less than a week, which means there is still time for YOU to place an order with them too. Remember to always take a look at their free sample section, because you get three free with every order. Also look at their promo page, because there are always free samples available by using a promo code at check out!

I'm filling up the stockings on my fireplace Sephora-style, and I think all my little elves will be very happy!!

Here's a toast with some yummy spiked eggnog! Happy Sephora Holiday!

Birchbox November

I got my sample pack from Birchbox last week and it was a pretty good one this month!

Masqueology Revitalizing Eye gel masks: This is a pack of gel masks that go under the eyes and are supposed to de-puff and brighten your eye area. I haven't tried them yet but we are leaving to the East Coast next week and figure it will be a great time to see if they can actually "brighten" my tired airline eyes!

MCMC Fragrance Phoenix: I tried this and its actually a very nice fragrance. Based out of Brooklyn, MCMC has created a lovely and feminine scent that I would definitely use.

One Love Organics Aromatic Body Serum: As many of you know, I have a love-hate thing going on with the craze of oils that have invaded the beauty market. This little gem, however, had me at Aromatic! It smells SO good! And it absorbs into my incredibly dry, northern skin like nobody's biz! Its a good size container too, which is always nice in a sample.

Stila All Over Shimmer Liquid Luminizer: I have several of these glittery fluids and honestly-I don't use them much. I think I'll pass this one along in someone's Christmas stocking....

Masqueology Cleanse and 7D Moisture Cream: I tried both of these. The cleanser is foamy and my skin doesn't do well with foamy cleansers.  The lotion is nice, but I don't know if I'd ever purchase either. I didn't hate them, but didn't really love them either.

Thats it for this month's Birchbox. Remember, you too can get these fun little monthly goodie boxes! Just go to Birchbox and sign up, its only $10 a month and you can try out their newest products! Birchbox also offers excellent online information, tutorials and sales!

Next time, I'll blog about my upcoming trip to Philly and NYC!

Happy Holidays to all!

The Long and the Short of it...

So as many of you know, I decided to make a change in my appearance a few weeks ago. After years of long-ish hair, like this.....

I cut several inches off and now it looks like this:

I have to say, I'm loving short hair much more than I thought I would. I think I have always had a bit of a misconception that cutting off my long hair meant I was getting "old", no longer having the flowing locks of youth.

But the reality is, I have received MANY more compliments on my hair than I ever did when it was long, and most of my friends and family said that shorter hair actually makes me look younger and more carefree (my dad even said it makes me look thinner, lol!)

I'm still kind of figuring out how to style my hair and which products work best, but every day I love it a little more. I'm really glad I did this, and for me, its a reminder about not being afraid to take a chance once in awhile-even the little things can make us feel better about ourselves and give us a boost!

I'm off to start the Thanksgiving prep! This weekend I'll try to post about our Thanksgiving celebration and all the goodies we ate (and maybe give some post-turkey day workout tips...we are ALL gonna need 'em....)

Happy Thanksgiving to all my readers. Hugs.

Two Great Drugstore Finds!

I had to share these two new beauties I came across at good old Target....

This is from Maybelline, their Eye Studio collection:

The color is "Mocha Mirage" and I absolutely LOVE it! Such a pretty shade, metallic but not screaming metallic, and the highlighter/lid shade blends into a really pretty peach color.

And this is from Rimmel-

Their Glam Eyes line in "Smokey Brun" is another really pretty palette with suprisingly good pigment for a $5.00 eyeshadow quad!

While I will probably always be a Sephora girl at heart, I do enjoy finding a good drugstore bargain. And I especially enjoy being able to share it, because when I'm out shopping its sometimes hard to know which items are good and which are lame. Its always great to get other opinions!

Off to the day job, those of you who aren't working today should go see what kind of fun stuff YOU can find at Target!

Favorite makeup tips and tricks!

As I was getting ready for work the other day, I started thinking about all the little makeup tricks I use. Things I've learned, either from magazines, friends, family or simple trial and error. I thought it would be fun to share some of them here, even though many of you may use the same tricks and its nothing earth shattering!

Applying mascara:

I'm always on the lookout for the newest, greatest mascara (honestly, the cheaper brands like Maybelline or NYC are some of the BEST!). When I put on mascara, I always always curl my eyelashes first-I have long lashes that are straight as a stick. Then before I apply, when I'm putting on my dusting of my favorite Jane Iredale mineral powder, I brush just a touch across my eyelashes. Just a tiny bit (you don't want to get it in your eye). You can buy actual eyelash powder for the same thing, but really the powder serves the EXACT same purpose. Why spend extra money if you don't have to? The powder gives a bit of additional thickness to your lashes when you put on mascara.

I also always start with the upper lashes, putting the brush as close to the base of the lashes as I can, and kind of wriggling it a little bit to set the mascara on the base of my lashes before I sweep upwards. I put one coat on, let it dry, then put another coat on the upper lashes and a light coat on the lower lashes. If I'm feeling extra glam, I do THREE coats!

Foundation

I don't like the heavy look and feel of foundation, but I do need to cover up those age spots (ugh!) and fine lines. I prefer a tinted moisturizer instead. There are a lot of good ones out there, Clinique is my favorite. To make it even lighter, since I also use a light dusting of mineral powder as a finish, I mix it with my daily moisturizer. This provides even coverage without any weird facepaint looking sheen.

Nails

I like to paint my nails but I am not the most patient person in the world so waiting for them to dry is like...well its like watching paint dry!

I buy quick dry polishes when I can find them. I also have been known to apply polish right before  I walk out the door (coat, boots everything on before you do this. And purse over shoulder!) Then it dries while I'm driving to whereever I'm going. Sometimes the air vents in the car speed this process along.

I'm sure I have other little tricks that I can't think of right now. And I'm sure YOU have some too! What are your little makeup secrets? What do you do to streamline your own regime?

Next time, I'll talk about this:

Me before:

Me now:

After much thought and consideration, I decided I was ready for a change and cut off all my hair! I am loving it, but it takes awhile to get used to short hair! Anyway, more on that later....

Wanderlust

I remember when I was about 9 years old, the neighborhood we lived in was right under the airport's flight pattern. Every day, I watched sleek jet planes fly overhead. I always wondered where those planes were going, who was on them, and hoped someday I could be going somewhere too.

Maybe those jet planes are what spawned my desire to travel and see the world. Or maybe its genetic-my family members are all travelers. Both of my brothers have traveled extensively. One even made Colombia, South America his permanent home. The other takes at least 1-2 big trips a year (he and his wife leave for New Zealand next week) and several small ones. My dad just got back from Italy and Greece. My mom, who doesn't travel quite as much as she used to, drove her motorhome out and around the country last year. My grandparents were, perhaps, the most adventurous travelers of all. Legend has it, my grandfather, who was both a private pilot and an ironworker by trade, felt he would be most likely to get a job in one of two places-Alaska or Australia. He and my grandmother flipped a coin to decide where they would go. So chances are, my wanderlust has a decidedly genetic component!

I just got back from Hawaii...

Which isn't, I suppose, all THAT exotic. Those of us who live up here in the North often venture off to the islands to warm up our bones a bit.

I was lucky enough to make a career in the airline industry for many years, and was afforded the opportunity to see places such as London, Ireland, France, Italy, Denmark, Japan and Thailand. A weekend trip to Mexico was not unheard of back in those days, with me and my other single girlfriends jaunting off at a moment's notice. I also was able to see much of the U.S., from one coast to the other and all the heartland in between.

My travels slowed for awhile, with children in school and not so much time and even less money (even airline employees, with their flight perks, have to pay for hotel rooms, food and rental cars!) but I'm finding myself back in the swing of things and planning trips right and left. Part of it is finding a job I love that affords me not only a decent income, but more importantly a LOT of paid  time off. For me, that far outweighs any monetary compensation. Our next adventure will be Philidelphia and New York in December, which will fulfill my dream of visiting New York City during the holidays and seeing that big tree at Rockefeller center! So exciting. Other trips are in the works, like a jaunt somewhere in February (somewhere warm but we haven't decided yet) and I'm hoping to chaparone my son's school trip to Puerto Rico in May. I'm proud to say both my kids have done their share of traveling too, and my son seems to have inherited the wanderlust my side of the family was born to.

Many people I know wonder whats so great about travel. They find it stressful, scary, and not very fun. They aren't intrigued by exotic food, and don't see anything exciting about being lost in a city where no one speaks their language. For me, the immersion into another world gives me a bigger thrill than I can articulate. To see, really see, how other people live. All of it-even the not so pretty parts. To see some of the wonders of the world, from Michaelangelo's David to the Eiffel Tower. To watch people, people so like us and yet not like us, going through their everyday lives, working and loving and raising families-I think that gives a perspective that makes for a more well-rounded person. I don't have prejudice because I know that we are ALL human, no matter where we live or what we do, no matter our religion, sexual identity or political leanings. At the end of the day, its just people.

Even if you aren't excited at the thought of seeing exotic lands, I urge you to step just a little outside your comfort zone. Take that trip. Cross off that bucket list. See it. See it all.

Outfit of the day!

I went shopping the other day at Nordstrom. I was on a misson for winter boots, and this time I was determined to get some good, warm (fashionable!) boots. I have a pair of sorrels that are very cute, but they are also kind of bulky and well, they just don't go with all my outfits!

I thought I'd splurge and get some Uggs, just the traditional "short" style. Nothing too crazy. Then I saw these.....

They're Uggs alright, super pretty and warm! And they were a lot more money than I'd planned to spend. But once I tried them on, I was lost and the regular Uggs just weren't going to work anymore! I justified it by telling myself I don't buy high-dollar items often, really almost never! I shop a lot at Target, Old Navy, JcPenney, etc. (as anyone who reads my blog knows!)

Here are the boots with my outfit yesterday!

True to my word, the jeans were on sale at Nordstrom for about $60 and I bought them at least five years ago. The top was about $20, purchased at some random little shop in Seattle, and the sweater is from good ol' Fred Meyer on sale for 40 percent off which made it about $23!

I like the sweater because its warm, loose and really goes with anything:

Oooh and take a look at my phone cover!!! I got it at the ABC Store in Hawaii believe it or not!! I love it!

I tried to get a closer pic of the sweater so you can see the detailing of the buttons, super cute-

Eh, can't see them that well. Just take my word for it, they're cute!

Speaking of Hawaii, next week I'll talk about my latest vacation and why I can't shake the travel bug I seem to have been born with!

In the meantime, break out your sweaters and cutest boots, it looks like winter is breathing down our necks up here in the north!

Latest Birchbox!

I just got back from vacation (more on that later) and I am attempting to rectify my recent lame lack of blogging! Lets start with an overview of September's Birch Box goodies!

This month featured the following items:

Benefit Foaming clean facial wash and refined finish facial polish. I haven't tried these yet, not sure about the "foaming" aspect of the wash. Nice size samples though and Benefit usually has good products. If I like them, I will blog about them separately!

Color Club nail polish in a funky dark gray shade. I LOVE it. This is a custom color that was designed specifically for Birchbox.

Dr. Jart Another BB cream. Eh.

Kate Spade sample of Twirl perfume. A personal fave of mine right now and I happen to have a big ol' bottle of it on hand! Remember, perfume samples are excellent to take along when you travel! Easy and portable and you don't have to worry about getting a big bottle of perfume through security or risk it breaking in your luggage (oh my!)

twistband hair tie. Okay this is cute, but really? Its just an elastic-y ribbon with a knot tied in it. Its a fun sample but I dont think I'd buy it.

Band Aid Cynthia Rowley dress up band aids. These are super fun!! If you have to wear a band aid, it should be one as stylish as these!

Thats it for this month's Birchbox. Remember, if you want to get monthly treats from Birchbox too, go to their website and sign up. Its $10 a month and you get awesome samples (some closer to full size) making it well-worth the $. Birchbox also has tons of great tutorials on their websites and regular discounts and specials.

Taking Chances

I am not an adrenaline junkie. I don't find the idea of jumping off a cliff or out of a plane exhilarating. I don't like the rush that comes with being scared. Some people love it, get off on it in some way-that is so NOT me. Rather than finding it exciting, adrenaline makes me nauseous and light-headed with fear. Definitely not my thing.

This is more my thing....

Which is why you will usually find me on the beach rather than surfing, riding the teacups rather than plummeting in the Tower of Terror, and watching 50 First Dates over Nightmare on Elm Street.

Being uninterested in those kind of thrills doesn't mean, however, that I don't take risks. There are all kinds of risk-takers. There are all kinds of chances in life. I know people who have stayed in the same job for 30 years, even though they hated it, because seeing what else the world might have to offer was just too scary. I've known people who stay in 30 year relationships, no matter how terrible, for the same reason. People who are so afraid of change, they stagnate their lives rather than live them.

I am afraid of heights. I am afraid of deep water. I am afraid of sharks, open closet doors and roller coasters that go upside down. I am not afraid of change, chances and risking my heart. Change is sometimes the scariest thing of all, but I have managed to embrace it over the years and make it something exciting rather than something to fear. I've changed jobs, lost love, moved, traveled, explored, cried, felt defeated and yet always managed to drag myself back up and look forward to whatever tomorrow might bring. Because the scariest thing to me is the words "I wish I'd..." at the end of it all. I want to be able to say "Yes, I did it. I did the things I wanted to do. I lived."

Watching people who love extreme sports, crazy stunts and launching themselves off things is amazing to me- I wonder where they get the courage. Yet I've had those same people tell me I'm brave or crazy (or maybe both) in some of the chances I've taken in my life.

I will never be willing to jump off a real cliff-even if I'm being chased by a pack of crazed lemmings! But I am willing to jump off the cliffs of our every day lives. The cliffs that we jump off when we start something new, step out of our emotional comfort zone, or trust someone to love us. Its probably the closest I will ever come to an adrenaline rush, the rush of having someone tell you they will love you forever, and believing it.

Maybe its not skydiving. But I'll take it.

Nu Shooz!!!

Okay, so anyone who recognizes the spelling of my title as being the same as a popular 80's "one hit wonder" band....well you are officially as old as me!!!

Anyway...I indulged in some new running shoes today!

These are Asics, my favorite brand. The style is Gel Nimbus 14, which are almost the same as the Gel Nimbus 13s I've been wearing all summer. These are a little more structured, a little more support. Perfect for fall trail running and managing winter snow and ice.

I really wanted pink running shoes. But I tried these on and they were so comfy, and I found myself really liking the bright blue and neon green! Fun colors to brighten up what looks like another longggg winter.

I've been running for about 14 years now, in varying degrees of seriousness. Okay, I've never been "serious". My goal when I compete in a race is to finish-and hopefully not finish last. Thats pretty much it! But thats okay, and thats what I love about running. The only real race is with yourself. Its great for weight control, its great for your heart ( I recently had to go get a stress test/treadmill test and the doctor said he was fairly sure I'm not going to die from a heart attack!) and most importantly, great for your soul.

I'm an outside runner. I will run on a treadmill if that is my only option, but I hate it. I'd rather be outside. Even if its 10 degrees and I'm slipping around and falling in snow berms, there is nothing like breathing in the great outdoors while running. I'm a much better person when I run, calmer, easier to be around, less stressed. I feel better about my body, feel better in my head. Studies have shown that regular, consistant exercise can have the same effect on us as antidepressents. I believe it.

Go get some new pretty shoes and maybe try out a run on your nearby bike path or trail. You'll feel good, look cute in your new shoes, and who knows-you might find a lifelong passion in covering ground, sweating and feeling accomplished when its all said and done.

New shoes also make you run MUCH faster, did you know that? Try it and you'll see!!

Whats your Groupon??

I'm not afraid to say it, I'm a bit of a Groupon junkie. And maybe just a teeny bit of a LivingSocial junkie too, although I don't partake of their deals quite as often as I do Groupon.

My favorite Groupons are the beauty deals (duh!). Some of the deals I've gotten in the past include mani-pedi combos, facials, massages, haircuts, etc.

I love facials, but don't always love the 100+ dollar price tag. So Groupon has been my savior when it comes to facials.

I've been able to get some great facials for well under $100. In fact, I'm scheduled for a facial/massage combo next week-and I only paid $60 for it!!! Nice!!

I was looking through all the Groupons I've used, and in addition to tons of beauty deals, I've grabbed a few great restaurant Groupons, as well as kid activity discounts on things like horseback riding, indoor water park tickets and local shows.

I've only had two bad Groupon experiences. One was a Groupon I purchased for a cut and color at a salon. I've been "between" stylists for over a year now (my stylist retired after a horrible injury while playing hockey-yep, us winter girls are hard core!) and thought it would be a great opportunity to try a new salon. I made my appointment a day before an event I was attending (because I'm brave like that). Unfortunately, the salon owner/stylist called me the day before and cancelled on me. First I was told she had birthday plans that day. Then I was told she was having surgery. Funny how the story kept changing, and I probably wouldn't have been so upset if they hadn't tried to shine me on. I find people trying to lie to me hugely insulting. Luckily, Groupon is AWEsome about crediting your account if you have a problem with any of the services you purchase. So I got a credit to my account, vowed to never go to THAT salon again, and happily used my credit for a Groupon elsewhere.

My other bad experience was with a facial. The girl I scheduled with was so nice, and I felt like she was doing an excellent job. She was doing so well, in fact, that I decided to ask her if she'd wax my brows too. She did and they looked awesome. Until later that night....

 My eyes would not stop hurting, and I thought initially it just must be normal pain from the wax. Then in the morning when I woke up, my eyes were horribly swollen and raw. The skin around my eyebrows had come off with the wax! I don't really know if it was the wax she used, if I had a bad reaction to the products she used on me, or what. And she seemed very nice and knowledgable. I didn't get an email address for her or I probably would have sent her a copy of this picture. Needless to say, I'd be hesitant to return.

Overall though, my Groupon experiences have been excellent! I love getting good deals, but even better, I love the chance to explore different places, new shops and giving my dollars to local businesses.

Oh and speaking of giving your dollars-don't be a crappy Groupon tipper! Remember that Groupon users are supposed to tip on the full price of the service. So if you get a $100 haircut for $50, you tip a minimum of 15 percent on $100! Right? Right!

More and more merchants are using Groupon as a way to grow their business, and it can be a very savvy way for both business owners and consumers to branch out. Businesses can get a whole new client base, and those clients can enjoy a new salon service or find that perfect esthetician!

Get your Groupon. Groups of you, grouping. Oh I could go on and on....

 

 

Latest and Greatest from Sephora

I decided I needed a little Sephora love the other day, so I hopped online and did some shopping! Here's what I got....

For a grand total of just under $60, I received my favorite Clinique Moisture Surge tinted moisturizer, Smashbox eyeshadow quad in "Hazel", Jose Maran cleansing oil and moisturizer, Algenist firming lotion (used 100 of my Sephora points for this), and the usual three free samples that Sephora always includes--Benefits Hello Flawless Brightening makeup, Lacoste cologne and Bumble and Bumble conditioner.
I love this eyeshadow quad~

It was also on sale, I think for $10. A great deal! Smashbox always has great colors, good pigment and goes on evenly.

My only thumbs down was the Jose Maran cleanser and lotion. This is one of the new-ish fads, oil cleanser from Argan oil. I have very dry skin so I thought it would be good. Not so good. It was super super oily, felt weird on my skin and didnt rinse clean. Oh and it got in my eyes and did not remove my eye makeup well. I like a cleanser that is all in one with cleansing and removing eye makeup. I don't have the time or inclination to remove makeup separately. I do like the moisturizer, its a little heavy but for my dry skin it works. If you have any kind of combination skin, I would not recommend it.

Sephora always offers free shipping over $50, three free samples with every order, and you accumulate points that you can save for bigger items or use to try new stuff! They have really good sales and weekly specials too! I've always had the best customer service from them as well, which is huge to me. Go check them out!

Sad days.....

It's been awhile since I've blogged. I just haven't felt up to it, and honestly time constraints have been hellish at my house lately.

Part of the reason I haven't felt up to it is our family had to say goodbye to a very special part of our household. Our little dog, Bella, had to be put down. She was struggling with a heart condition and kidney failure, and at almost 14 years old, I couldn't bear to watch her go through the pain anymore.

Bella was a Brussels Griffon, a feisty little breed with a big dog attitude. She was a Christmas gift from my mom to my daughter, but ended up as more of a family dog. We all loved her dearly.

Bella and my Australian Cattle Dog, Trace, were best friends. We used to call them the Dynamic Duo. Where ever one went, the other followed. They were inseparable. Even at the end when she was grouchy and didn't want any of the other dogs near her, she and Trace would always sleep together on the dog beds. Bella was very brave when Trace was around, she would go after any big dog she saw-as long as she could run and hide behind Trace when they came at her!! He was her friend and protector, and even though they fought like human siblings sometimes, I can see how much he misses her.

Its hard to imagine how much space a little six pound dog can take up in a person's home and heart. Its hard to imagine life without her, and even though I still have three dogs, my house feels empty. Letting them go when its time is the most difficult part of pet ownership, and I strongly believe it is one of our biggest responsibilities. We hold onto them, perhaps for longer than we should, because WE can't bear to let them go. But we have to be able to see and hear what they are trying to tell us when they are tired, and they are ready.

I held Bella in my arms at the vet. I told her she had been a very good girl, that we loved her and we were so grateful to her for being a part of our lives. I told her it was okay to go, that she would be able to run again now, free of all the pain and suffering she'd gone through these last months. I know some people don't believe dogs go to heaven, but I have to believe it. Their little souls are so pure, so clean and light, how can they not?

I made a video of our Bella, just my way of saying goodbye and remembering her.....

The song, "Chasing Cars" by Snow Patrol, is a favorite of my sons, and he has always said he was pretty sure it was about a dog. So I thought it would be a fitting background song. We will miss our Bella bug, and we won't ever forget her. She was a wonderful addition to our family. Rest in Peace.

Always in our hearts. We love you.

Latest Birchbox

This month's Birchbox was a good one, with some unique goodies and full size treats!

I was happy to see Eyeko Skinny Liquid Eyeliner-full size and featuring a pen style applicator that makes it easy to get that cat-eye look. I am not so talented with the liquid eyeliner, but I'm excited to give this one a shot!

Harvey Prince "Hello" perfume sample-This has a blend of meyer lemon, white grapefruit and pink plumeria. I thought for sure I'd love it, since my fragrance choices usually have citrus or vanilla tones, but the plumeria was a bit overpowering.

Jouer Luminizing Moisture Tint-A nice little sample of tinted moisturizer. I have used various tinted moisturizers over the years, topped with a light touch of mineral powder. It works well, giving a finished look without the cakiness of too much heavy foundation and/or powders.

Color Club Blue-Ming polish-New nail polish is always fun, and I was quick to  try this one out:

I added a little "bling" to it (which promptly fell off while I was at work, oh well....). Turqoise and blue shades are super popular right now, and add pop to any outfit!

Earbuds-A pair of neon earbuds for your favorite playlist. I'll hang onto them, although I prefer the fancier ones that wrap around my ear, otherwise they just fall out when I run.

The other "extra" in the sample pack was listed as Tea Forte Mint tea on the card, but instead I got a sample Lara bar in Bananas Foster. It was yummy!

If you haven't checked out Birchbox yet, be sure to do so. For $10 a month, you get a box of goodies every month, which is a really good way to check out new products. Their website also offers tutorials, specials and other deals.

Fun Finds!

Last weekend I decided to check out Nordstrom's Anniversary sale. I had a gift card saved from my birthday and I hadn't been shopping for myself in awhile. I found some great deals, including this absolutely adorable jacket:

It was on sale for $50 in the Brass Plum. I was a little hesitant, because initially it looked to me like someone had re-purposed an old rug to make a coat. But I gave it a chance and tried it on (sometimes, you really HAVE to try stuff on, it looks so different on a person rather than a hanger!)

Anyway, I loved it and I think it will be a perfect fall coat. I also found this sweater in the Brass Plum:

I had to take a closer photo so you could see the cool detailing. The buttons are really cute and it hangs very nicely. I think it was under $30 if I remember correctly....

I went downstairs to the "grownup ladies" section, a place I really don't shop often (it can be pretty spendy) but I was pleasantly surprised at the bargains there. I found a pair of charcoal slacks by Halogen for $50, regularly over $100. They are lined and cut well, perfect for work or any business-casual event. I didn't take a pic of those but I also found this pretty top!

The tank top underneath was mine already, The color is so pretty and its super soft. I hope it holds up when I wash it, maybe worth a trip to the dry cleaner....

Since I was already downtown, I went over to JcPenney's to see what they had. Since they have re-vamped their pricing (pretty much lowered prices all across the board, with monthly sales on the first and third Friday of the month) there are some great bargains there. I didn't get a pic of the fushia top I bought for $23, but my boyfriend loved it when I wore it to dinner the other night! I also found these necklace/earring sets, on sale for $5 each!!

I'm a huge fan of costume jewelry, I enjoy pieces that are unique and whimsical. I love real jewelry too of course, but I don't like to limit myself to one or two pieces-and thats about what I can afford when it comes to real jewelry!

I probably won't be able to go shopping for myself again for awhile, too busy with the day job and I'm getting ready to take my son school clothes shopping too! Maybe I will blog about fashion finds for back-to-school, and shopping with a 13 year old....

Product Hoarding...its a Problem

So my boyfriend and I have "officially" moved in together, after more than two years. He's been "almost" living here for awhile, but we finally decided to really make the move. Combining two households is never easy, and even worse is....sharing ONE bathroom. And not a very big bathroom. We don't even have double sinks!!!

Anyway, the poor guy doesn't even have a drawer to call his own yet. In the interest of making him feel like he's more than just an errant visitor, and sharing space together, I started looking at cleaning out the product accumulation in the bathroom. I didn't think I had much.....

 Then I started looking around....

Really, its just the average stuff any girl needs. Hair products, tools and cute clips and such....along with nail polishes, hygiene and medical supplies!

I really wanted to give him a drawer to call his own....

I'm just not sure what I can bear to part with!!! I get so many samples and fun products, and I really do like to try ALL of them! I don't like to throw things out, because you never know when you might need that trial size sample of Clinique makeup remover! Or a bright pink lipstick, a freebie in a gift with purchase, for some special event (nevermind that I don't wear pink lipstick, ever!)

I guess this weekend will be spent slowly going through all my beauty supplies and samples, trying to discard those items that are outdated, unusable, or just plain yucky.

Its not easy, letting go of some possible treasures. But considering the treasure I have in my wonderful guy, its so worth it. Besides, he already thinks I'm beautiful! Who needs beauty products (okay lets not get carried away!!!)

This weekend, I'll be hitting up the Nordstrom anniversary sale. I'll be sure to post about what kind of fun things I found. I guess I need think about tackling the hoarding problem that is my overstuffed, walk-in closet next.....sigh.

My favorite mineral makeup

A few years ago, I discovered a mineral makeup powder that I fell in love with. While I've tried a few others here and there, this is the one I keep coming back to. Jane Iredale Mineral Makeup is hands down the best of all the mineral makeups I've tried.

I order mine through Nordstrom. Our local store does not carry Jane Iredale, but they do offer it online. As you can see here, I am overdue to get more!

I like the "Suntan" shade, which goes well with my fair skin but is neither too light (my skin is fair, not translucent!) nor too dark.

Their items are kind of expensive, but last a very long time. I can get a good six months of use out of one compact. You can also order compact refills, which fit right into your compact case and are less expensive (and kinder to the environment) that getting a whole new compact every time.

Jane Iredale products all contain sun protection and don't use any talc fillers. I've ordered several different products over the years, from their concealer/primer (another great product!) to their hydration sprays (these are an awesome finish to the mineral makeup, I can't go without them!)

If you are looking for a long-lasting, excellent mineral makeup, I highly recommend the Jane Iredale line. You can order directly from the company website, or via Nordstrom and other fine retailers.

Enjoy!