Show Off Those Gladiators

Don't put your gladiator sandals away yet!  I know it's October (going on November) but the temperatures have been mild (and I have some beloved followers on the West Coast...love to you all!) and if you're anything like me you want to keep your feet from suffocating in shoes and socks for as long as possible.  The look I'm loving:  skinny jeans with a tank and light blazer or sweater finished off with gladiator sandals.  Wear it just right by cuffing your jeans about 2" to, in the words of Kris Wulff fashion consultant to the Product Muse, "show off the fancy fancy part of your sandals around your ankles."  How about that for genius!

Missing My Blogging???

I realize I haven't been blogging as much as I should lately.  There's a very good reason for that, though.  See, I have the holidays on my mind as I'm sure many of you do as well.  It's always this time of year when nothing really catches my eye because my eyes are thinking of others. 

This year my focus is going to be on gifts that are less stuff that takes up space and more so things that can be enjoyed and/or experienced.  Over the next couple months I will blog about some gift ideas I come across but don't blame me if I don't recommend too many things...I don't want to give any of my surprises away to those on my Good List :o).

Oh, and don't forget, you can always count on Amazon to find the perfect gifts for everyone on your list!

No Ammonia, No Peroxide=Stunning Permanent Color

I saw this Bigen "just mix with water" powder permanent hair color in a magazine last week.  First thing I did, sent a text to my wonderful hair girl, April, asking if I could bring my own color to my next visit.  Always up for a challenge or willing to check out something new, April agreed.  Well, last night was my hair appointment.  For starters, the powder had NO chemical smell.  In fact, it smelled like shampoo.  I'm guessing it was the chemicals that always made my head itch for a few days after each coloring but today I'm completely itch free.  My hair is softer, shinier, and richer with color than ever.  If you have brown hair (or gray) I definitely recommend this hair color.  It even comes in semi-permanent for those of you who just want to wash out some of your gray instead of eradicate all of it like me.  Pick your perfect shade at Bigen.

Don't Just Sit There...

Almost four years now at my current office job.  This is my first job EVER that has me sitting almost the whole day.  Sure I walk the length of a football field several times throughout the day, but it's not the same as dancing all night serving drinks or babysitting or running around a showroom or a retail store.  Not to mention I drive to work now instead of taking transportation and walking like in Chicago.  So you can imagine how excited I was when I opened up my Women's Health Magazine and saw Isokinetics, Inc. Standard Pedal Exerciser.  Seriously, for less than $20 you can pedal (complete with resistance) at your desk!  I'm so getting this!!!!!!!!!!!!

"Hydra-Concentrated Facial Cream"

What I NEED now! Kris just turned the heat on at home and that familiar dry heat has been the straw that broke the camel's back. My skin is dry but not but IS. This is the excuse I needed to buy Benefit Cosmetic's Total Moisture Facial Cream. That and the fact my current, inexpensive moisturizer seems to be discontinued.  As usual, I received samples from this line (deluxe size) from a Sephora order a while back and took them with me on a trip.  I loved it.  It's super creaming and hydrating.  Luxurious!  Also fantastic and on my "to get eventually" list is Benefit Cosmetic's It's Potent! Eye Cream and Triple Performing Facial Emulsion SPF 15.  Emulsion?!  That word just screams "it works, it works!"  The retro packaging just entices me more :o).

Best Hand Lotion EVER!

Lotion is notorious for being slimy but it's the price we must pay for soft, itch free, crack free hands.  Or is it?  For years I've been using, and turning people on to, Jack Black's Industrial Strength Hand Healer.  "But it's Jack Black," some girls will say, "isn't it for guys?"  Does it really matter?  Nope.  This non-greasy, vegan, eucalyptus and vitamin packed lotion is the best for chapped and cracked hands and problem spots.

Also great for you and your guy (Kris may not say he loves it but always lets me know when we're out), Jack Black's Face Buff Energizing Scrub.  The menthol cools and invigorates and the scrub removes dirt and dead skin.  Your guy will love how easy and close his shave is after a once over with this wash.

And when you finally have it all ...

It's no small thing that the first tenet of Buddhism acknowledges the existence of suffering. Following this, the remaining 3 tenets concern the causes of suffering, how to mitigate its effects and suffering's eventual end.

Having dumped this weighty subject on the table for your consideration of where's-she-going- with-this, I would suggest that 'shopping' is a pretty important antidote to various degrees of human suffering. In fact 'shopping' is the basic hunter/gatherer instinct updated. So, for such a critical task, is it not fitting to elevate the very considered practise of 'shopping' to the level of art form? I believe so.

And what might be some of the aesthetics of the 'shopping' artist ? Surely, at the top of the list, would be the art of balance ... does the value merit the cost, does the product deliver on the promise, and ultimately, does the object, for a reasonable amount of time, stave off our suffering / dissatisfaction with life. It is this last provision that propels the economies of the world.

Because my closets were bulging, storage containers stacked too high to be reached anymore,

and bare surfaces ... a mere memory, I began the process of breaking down the empire. It is from this place of betrayal that I now hold all objects-of-want to supreme standards ... like the vintage ocelot cape! But aside from that, most items I covet today are either intangible in nature, or ridiculously simple in relation to the comfort they provide. I hope to suggest some of these to you in the future, with a lot less build-up and a bit more substance. And to underscore the first and foremost of these prized additions to my life today, I type but 4 letters: YOGA. 'Shop' for a good teacher.

IMHO,

Meribe

Free Gift Cards!

Free gift cards of your choice!  Can this be true?  Yes, it is.  Just join MyPoints.

I found out about MyPoints this past Christmas.  My sister, Rachel, was telling me how her gift to this person was free and that gift card came from MyPoints and she was already close to earning another free gift card and blah, blah, blah.  I wanted in on the action.  Since then, I've received two CVS and two Amazon gift cards each for $25.

What's the catch?  No catch, really.  You sign up and fill out your profile (you get 60 points just for that).  Once that's complete you do your normal online shopping with one extra step, you go to your desired site through MyPoints.  For example, when I shop Sephora online I go to MyPoints and click on the Sephora link that says how many points I will earn per dollar I spend.  It's that simple.  you do your regular online spending (shopping, travel, etc.) and you earn points towards gift cards.  Is there junk mail involved?  Sure is, but almost all the emails you receive from them earns you 5 points or more.  I have no problem scrolling down to the bottom of an email and clicking a link if it means I'm that much closer to a free gift card!

So the next time you're about to make an online purchase or book flights and a car for your boss (yep, that would be me), sign up with MyPoints first.  You'll be on your way to free money in no time!

Red Carpet Ready Mask

First, you should know that I rotate several masks.  A deep cleaning clay mask, an antioxidant filled pore clearing peel mask, and this one, Nude Skincare's Miracle Mask http://www.sephora.com/browse/product.jhtml?id=P212426&categoryId=C18820.  How did I find out about this mask?  Samples from Sephora http://www.sephora.com/, of course!  Did I commit to the $62 (free shipping) sticker price immediately after one use?  No, but I would have if I didn't have so many samples of it and the other products in the Nude Skincare line.  I have to say, I love all the products but I don't really feel like shelling out all that cash so I decided I would get the item that REALLY makes an immediate difference.  In short, this mask is supposed to make your face radiant.  I used it Sunday night since I'd been feeling kind of blah (mind, body, face and all) and as always, it did wonders immediately but I went to bed and kind of forgot I had used it.  Well, last night when I washed my face I thought, "gee, my face looks really pretty"and kind of left it at that.  Then this morning I thought the same thing about my skin, then remembered I had used my Nude Skincare Miracle Mask.  You can check it out and read what it does and how it does it but what's important to me is that when I use it I feel like my skin looks like it just received some Hollywood facial.  I usually reserve the use of this mask for special occasions and travel.  Use it the morning after a flight for that much needed skin refreshing or in the morning before a family get together or a night out on the town.  I actually bought the bottle so I could save my samples for travel.

Just give it a try.  If you have a Sephora store near you all you have to do is ask for a sample.  If you live near me I'm happy to let you try mine.  You can also just go ahead and order it online from Sephora http://www.sephora.com/.  They have free returns if something doesn't work out so what do you have to lose!?

What I Want Now!

This past weekend really got me thinking about layering, and my new maxi dress was the perfect excuse to do so...plus I got to wear my beloved Three Dots http://www.shopthreedots.com/new-arrivals-at-ThreeDots-CID180.aspx?gclid=CKjCvtmJzasCFSoCQAod7UsY1Q jean shirt-esque jacket-ish blazer.  The problem with the denim top is that I don't own anything other than jeans in the way of bottoms.  No skirts.  No trousers.  Only jeans, and only blue jeans.  I'm the last person you're going to catch trying to pull off the Detroit Tuxedo look...even if it IS do-able.  The solution, feminine blazers.  I've been scouring the pages of my catalogs and favorite sites in search of the perfect fitting, priced, wearable colored blazer.  Today, Sundance Catalog http://www.sundancecatalog.com/home.do has me longing for a few but geez I wish they were on sale.

If you've come across any great blazers lately, please, please, please let me know!