Adorable!

I was doing a little blog surfing and came across The Grosgrain Garage. From there, I found a link to www.annetaintor.com. And all I can say is These are just so awesome!

I'm ordering some little things for myself from here for my birthday.

Obagi, Day 57

I'll admit that I've been a little lax in my skincare over the past several weeks. I'm really, really good in the morning, scrubbing my face, applying my Regenerist Eye Lifting Serum around my eyes, and my Obagi Clear and Exfoderm prior to putting on my makeup. But at night, I've been really, really bad. I've actually averaged about two or three nights per week of the Obagi Blender and the Retin-A. For someone who is trying to resurface her skin, well, this is a bad thing.

As my 33rd birthday is fast-approaching, I've decided to be totally faithful to the regimen for an entire week without rest. I started on Sunday morning with an AM dose of Retin-A. My skin today is peeling big-time and looks like I am slightly sunburned. This is good, though. Once I get through this week, I'm scheduling a microdermabrasion and will take a "mid-point" photo to compare my pre-Obagi face with what it is now.

The surface lines around my eyes and mouth are continuing their disappearing act and I am really loving that. Once I can make it through a full 3 months of this, I plan to schedule a partial blue peel (enough to make a difference, but not enough to turn me blue) as a reward. I cannot wait to get to that point.

While the things I describe may sound a bit harsh, this is all just part of it. We put our poor faces through so much! If we want to begin cellular regeneration, this is the price we pay. And at this point in my life, I really don't care if I have to peel a bit. The only person I care about impressing is my husband and he gets to see the transformation first hand.

Let's talk about ironing for a minute...

Actually, let's not. I hate to iron. H.A.T.E. it. With a passion. I don't quite know why I dislike it so much, but it probably has something to do with the fact that I am lazy. I don't mind doing laundry, but please don't make me iron. It's probably why I end up spending more on dry cleaning than I do on the clothes...

Until now. Now, I have found the perfect shirt. The non-iron cotton button-down shirt from Brooks Brothers. Take a look at it on the Brooks Brothers website.

Many people told me about this shirt. I decided to buy one to see what all the fuss was about. And all I can say is WOW! I washed and dried this shirt. When I pulled it out of the dryer, it was as though I'd picked it up from the cleaners! Even the crease on the sleeve was razor-sharp. Simply put, this shirt is amazing and I want more.

Dos and Don'ts

This is really more of a random thought than anything else...

I often wish that Glamour magazine would hire me to be a "Dos & Don'ts" contributing editor. I would have a month's worth of material each day... Mainly Don'ts, but still...

Like one of today's for instance... It's 36 degrees outside. She is wearing a black tank top, a beige crocheted short-sleeve tie-front sweater, skinny jeans, and stilletto faux-leather boots that come up over her jeans.

DON'T

Designer Fakes

Hmm... I've been toying with this post for about a month now because I am so torn on the issue.

Is it okay to buy fake designer goods such as Louis Vuitton handbags or Hermes scarves, etc?

On the one hand, if all the reports out there are to be believed, fake goods help fund terrorism and are created in sweatshops. Not only that, they are illegal in most parts of the world.

So okay. I get it. That fake Prada tote bag sitting in my closet is from the Devil.

On the other hand, there are so many fashion trends out there, and if one were to pick one and follow it, a girl could end up paying thousands of dollars for just a few little items. And unless your last name is Jolie-Pitt, Gates, or Beckham, you probably cannot afford to do that. The whole family to support thing kind of gets in the way.

It is my belief that the average woman likes to treat herself every now and then. If you're like me, you fantasize about the "treats" being that new Jimmy Choo purse that all the stars are carrying, but the reality is that you cannot justify the expense, so you go to Old Navy and pick up a track suit and cool tote bag on sale. There is nothing wrong with that. In fact, I believe that is the responsible thing to do. Spending money that could be better used for things like bills, groceries, and living expenses on a pair of shoes or a purse is NOT a good choice.

So every now and then the siren song of the fake bag/accessory beckons. And there in front of you is the brand new Chanel bag for $45. You have the magazine ad in front of you and it is identical to the naked eye. Sure the lining might be different or the leather might really be "pleather" but for $45, who cares? Right? And you find yourself writing a check...

So I come to the point of my post. If the siren song beckons and is too strong to resist, please, PLEASE take a little advice from me:

1) Remember that your purse is FAKE.
2) Enjoy it.
3) If someone asks about its authenticity, don't lie. Be proud of your bargain. It's likely that the person asking already knows and wants to know where you picked it up.
4) Do your homework. If you've never, EVER seen a magenta and orange striped Louis Vuitton, then your fake will stick out like a sore thumb.

I will say this, though... In my closet, I have a handful of fake purses that sit next to a handful of the real thing. I have experienced buyer's remorse on about half of my collection (real & fake). Don't buy something just to buy it and don't buy a name. I've used purses as an example, but we could be talking about scarves, jewelry, watches, you name it. Spend money carefully and when you hand out your cash (whether it's $20 or $2000), make sure it's on something you're going to ENJOY.