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.

Review: Eye Cream

I love products. Especially eye care products. You see, I suffer from the malady called "dark undereye circles." Yes. It's true. :(

Since I have zero qualms about trying something new, especially something in a well-done commercial, I picked up a tiny little bottle of this stuff at the grocery store. I did think to myself, "For eighteen bucks at a GROCERY store, this stuff had better work!" And guess what? It did. No one has been more amazed than me. I didn't think it would.

I use this lightweight gel-like cream each morning after I wash my face and before I put on all of my layers of Obagi stuff and makeup. It perks up my eye area and does make a difference on my circles. Best $18 I've spent in a long time.

Obagi, Day 28

Well, I've been at this for about 4 weeks now. There have been some days here and there where I skipped the Retin-A or used regular moisturizer instead of the skin bleaching and exfoliating creams, but for the most part, I've been extremely faithful to the program.

Drumroll please...

The fine lines around my eyes diminsh more and more each day.

The little acne scars that I only recently created (like, WTF??? I'm in my 30s! I should know better!) are becoming less visible as my skin regenerates.

My overall complexion is brighter.

One of my friends told me last week that my skin "glowed" and I wasn't even wearing makeup.

I'm still not posting a picture yet. Not until I've gone through at least two more weeks. Then y'all can have the before and after shots.

Obagi, Day Eleven

Well folks, it's day 11. My face is so red and itchy and peeling that I can hardly stand it. But then I look at my right eye... And I notice the visible lack of surface lines. The crow's feet have all but disappeared on that side. So has the line that goes from my nose to my mouth. But only on the right side. My left crow's feet and mouth line are both still intact (GRR!), but they are a bit less visible.

If a person can tough out the peeling and redness, the results will speak for themselves. The true test for me will be going back to the office on Monday, peeling face and all...

One thing on my list is now checked off...

And I didn't even have to win the lottery!

Dr Pop gave me the above bag for Christmas. While technically, it's a tote bag and a bit too obnoxious to carry around all the time as a purse, I haven't been able to help myself. So I'm THAT girl now... The one who, with one turn to look back at something can take out people like bowling pins. It's so awesome!

Obagi, Day Four

Well, the Retin-A has turned my face red, and it, combined with the Exfoderm product have made my face begin to peel in earnest.

It would be much harder to deal with in the summer. It's annoying, but I know that the end result will be worth it as my skin begins to regenerate.

Revisiting Nail Polish

So folks, here, I told y'all about Sally Hanson's Diamond Strength "No Chip" nail color. I believe my exact words were: "New Favorite Nail Polish"

Right.

Let me begin by saying that while my toenails haven't been without nail polish on them in, like, YEARS, I can count about three times since my three year old son was born that I actually polished my fingernails.

Because this stuff was so great on my toes (and still is great there), I decided to give it a whirl on my fingernails (it was Christmas, after all, and I wanted to be festive).

Day 1: Fine. Looks good.
Day 2: One nail has chipped. It could be my application. No big deal.
Day 3: All but three nails have chipped.
Day 4: All nails have a chip or five.
Day 5: I'm going out and don't have time to re-do my nails, so I apply another coat on top of my nails. BIG mistake. Three coats of polish apparently turn it into some soft and waxy, never-quite-dry sludge. After three hours, it still wasn't hard. Or dry. So I took it off.

I don't want to give up completely on this stuff, so I will try it again on my fingernails. I still love it on my toes, too, so I'm sort of 50/50 on it right now. I'll let you know if I have a better experience the second time around.

Obagi

A few years ago, I went through the entire Obagi regimen (www.obagi.com) for about four months. My love for all things Obagi culminated in a partial Blue Peel (I didn't turn blue because they didn't go all the way with it). Honestly, my skin never looked better than it did at that moment in time. I went without any kind of foundation for almost two weeks and there were no fine lines at my eyes or around my mouth. I just had this amazing, clear, perfect, smooth skin.

So what do I do? That's right. I start using something else right away. I found a system that combines the ONLY approved and proven anti-wrinkle, skin lightening products (Retin-A and hydroquinone), loved it, saw results, and decided to quit. Brilliant.

Some people HATE Retin-A with a passion. It's too harsh, it makes the skin peel, the face turn red, blah, blah, blah... Of course it does and it is harsh. We all would like there to be a miracle product out there that doesn't have TEMPORARY side effects, but, well, there isn't one. And Retin-A is about as miraculous as it gets. Yes. There is redness and peeling. But you get through it. And results are noticable.

Almost three years after the first time I tried Obagi, I'm going to do it again. I'm also going to post before and after pictures for the world (or just my three readers) to see. I started on the products Tuesday morning, but forgot to take a photo. Last night, I had a petite facial and a microdermabrasion (an in-office one, NOT an at-home one... DON'T get me started on my feelings about THOSE) to sort of prepare myself for the coming weeks... I then came home and had Dr Pop take the most unflattering and horrible photo of my make-up free face. I'm still debating on waiting to post the picture until I have an "after" shot. :)

I've found religion...*

True Religion, that is...

Neiman Marcus has these and others out on their site right now.

The cut and fit is flattering. It has a slender leg without being a "skinny" jean, and the stitching detail on the pocket is just right and not over the top.

Add 'em to my wish list!

Need a last-minute gift for the lady in your life?

This Bracelet Is Stunning

Hey, Santa...

Will you please destroy all copies of Madonna's version of Santa Baby? If I hear it again, I may smash something...

What's wrong with Eartha Kitt's version, anyway?

Oh, and by the way, Judy Garland did a MUCH better job at singing Have Yourself A Merry Little Christmas than ANYONE ELSE. So why on earth isn't her version getting more airplay?

The Christmas List

Okay... So I'm making this because Dr Pop is insisting... Aside from the items on my "wish lists" below, I have a few more trinkets that I wouldn't mind calling my own. ;-)

From Sak's:
These bracelets

This purse

These makeup brushes

Or this tunic

From Nordstrom's:
These cashmere lounge pants

This Vera Wang chemise

This sweater jacket

Those are some ideas, but what I keep telling him, and what I really, truly mean with all my heart is that I will treasure ANY gift he chooses for me as long as it is something that comes directly from his heart.

And that's the truth. It's not what you get from people this season in terms of "stuff," but rather what you give of yourself. The more joy you can spread, at any time of year, not just Christmas, the more joy you will receive.

Wish List, continued...

So, let's say I win the lottery and go on the below shopping spree... I'm going to need something pretty to haul the purchases home... What better than the Porsche Cayenne S Titanium Edition? That's what I thought. As an added bonus, it's RED!

A girl can dream... Which reminds me, I need to buy a lottery ticket today.

Wish List...

If I won the lottery, after sectioning a large chunk off into savings/investments, buying a house, and giving rather substantial gifts to my family and friends, but before the vacation, I would go on a shopping spree and buy the following items:

The tote bag.

Cartier Pasha C Unisex watch with the pink face. The better to tell time with, my dear.

Christopher Blue jeans. They seem to have such a flattering fit!

This outfit by "Just Cavalli" or something similar.

These need no explanation.

The Jimmy Choo boots I so covet.

Dressing up for the holidays

Yeah, yeah, I know. What, in fact, DO I know about fashion? Not a thing except what I like and what is tacky.

Folks, we know it's Christmas. We see it everywhere, we hear it everywhere, and there are currently TWO radio stations in the Greater Austin Area playing Christmas music 24/7. That being said, when you are interested in showing your holiday spirit, it is truly not necessary to do so by wearing the Santa earrings, Christmas tree watch, and reindeer sweater.

If you are headed to an event this holiday season, there are ways to look festive without wearing ornaments from your tree. Ladies, a pair of black velvet pants or a black velvet skirt, paired with either a metallic or deep burgundy or emerald blouse or sweater is always a classic. Not feeling quite festive enough? Well, you can always try a sparkling and dangling crystal earring. So much more classic. Use your imagination and be creative. There are more ways to spell festive than simply going with the cheesy aspect of it all.

Samsung Blackjack

Coolest. Phone. Ever.

I actually blogged last night from a bar with this phone. I want one. Maybe. I'm torn between this, the LG Chocolate Bar phone, and the Krazr. This thing, though, isn't much bigger than Dr Pop's old Razr phone.

You know, I remember when my brother and I got our own phone line in our house and it was the biggest deal ever. My, how things have changed.