This and That For Thursday!

    

I think this might be the longest I have gone without blogging. I have to be honest here, and say I feel as if I have written about everything at least once or twice, or maybe even three times. 

I want to stay current and fresh in my life as well as in my writing. So you might need to help me out a bit and give me a comment, or an email to let me know if you have a subject you would like me to write about. I would really appreciate it. 

After all, YOU my dear readers are why I write. I don't advertise on my blog so it is just you and me. I am my own boss and you and your comments are my paycheck!!!

So what have I been up too lately? A whole lot of relaxing and enjoying the summer or last week was spent staying in the nice cool house and out of the heat blast we had.

Our roses are in their second bloom so I am bringing in some fresh cut flowers from our garden and also from the grocery store. It is my weekly treat to get roses.

I figured something out this week. When my roses begin to look like they are going to fade, I get another 5 days out of them by putting them in a close clump with a rubber band and putting them in a vase with an added touch of some fern.

I was waiting for a couple of summer tops to go on sale and this was the week of sales around the internet so I ordered two that I had pinned on my pinboard shopping list....

 via 50% off right now!

This first one is from Jcrew outlet and it reminds me of my childhood. I wore lots of plaids in those days and this one just makes me happy. It has all my colors in it so I am going to have fun with this one!!

 I will show you all some different color combo's in a later post. This fits true to size if you were wondering, maybe a little on the larger size so if you are in between sizes order down a size.

 via 50% off right now!

I have had this one pinned for quite awhile and have been keeping my eye on it. I love when I get sale alerts!! 

It is a very dark navy and the fringe on the bottom is made out of the same fabric as the top. It moves with every movement I make and makes me feel like when I was a little girl and wore a twirly dress. Remember doing that? Nothing like twirling. 

This is a dress up, dress-down top, so I am going to have lots of fun with it. This also fits very true to size so order your current size. I will do an upcoming post on how I plan on wearing this and the other top.

Next we have been spending some time shooing Mr. Peter Rabbit from our yard. As cute as he is, I don't want him to eat the flowers. If he sticks to not digging and only eating the grass he can stay, but you and I know that is not going to happen, too many juicy green things in my yard to eat.

I am not sure if I shared with you all that our 5 little birds flew the nest and did not even say good bye. Oh what fun we had watching them grow and test out their flapping wings. A true pleasure and they can come back anytime. OH!! We do have another nest in our tree out back, but we can't see inside it only the bottom, but it is nice to know we have more baby birds on their way. This time little yellow finches.

Yesterday I was sooooo excited because our new light fixture arrived. It has been on a backorder for almost 3 months and was not due in until July 21st so it is almost a month early. If you don't remember it here is a picture and trust me when I say, it is even more beautiful in person. Love the elegant matte finish and the sparkle of the glass bowl, which weighs a ton....

Brighton Brass pendant from Robert Abbey. 15% off right now!

I will do a post on the install of this beauty!! Hopefully sooner than later, of course that depends on my handy-dandy hubby's mood. He is a mood worker just like me!!!

Last but not least I spent about an hour at CVS getting this and thats and spending way more than I realized, but I found a new lip balm stick that I love for summer. It is a really pretty watermelon color and glides on like butter,plus it is sheer and looks moist like I already put on a lip gloss, This will be great for my beach bag when I go to the pool this year.

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It's covergirl jumbo lip perfection balm in the color cherry twist. I was told by a reader that rite aid has them on sale right now. I am going to go and check out more colors I love the creaminess of this product. Let's face it I LOVE lipsticks and lip glosses.

One more thing, Hubby just called me to look out the window in the backyard, now we have two squirrels and a dove eating under the tree. Oh dear we have become a little animal playground!!!

 

 

What Do I Want To Look Like?

   

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I discovered a new-to-me  fashion blog the other day, Brenda Kinsel. I loved the philosophy of this lady and enjoyed perusing her blog and reading what she had to say. 

In one of her post she posed a question that she felt many women have, or at least need to ask themselves,

"What do I want to look like?"

It sounds like a pretty simple question when you look at it for face value, but if you start thinking about it, it becomes a bit deeper.

 Of course our first answer will be about our weight, our age, our shape, our height, but I am talking about what do you want to look at right now, where you are age or weight does not count. We must always strive to look the best we can.

I have always said there is nothing worse than feeling over weight and frumpy.

We have all had this question at different times in our lives. I was talking to someone in her early 40's recently and she was starting to address this question.

20' and 30's

Over the decades I remember thinking about this question especially in my 30's when we all still have our cute figures and great skin, but we realize we are no longer teenagers of even in our 20s any more and feel the push and pull of how to dress like a grown-up without looking like our Mom's or worse yet Nana's even though I am a very proud Grammy.

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 The 40's and 50's

By time I was in my 40s I felt confident of who I was and how I wanted to look, but then the 50's came and lovely menopause, which without me realizing it changed my mood, my body, and perception of who I was, and how I wanted to look.

I would not call any of these identity crisis, but it might be considered a wardrobe crisis. Here I am in my late 60's, which just blows my mind. and I am in the decision mode again.

"What do I want to look like!?"

It is helpful when you find a stylish lady that writes a fashion blog that has the same taste in clothing as you do, but personally I really don't find many that seem to have my same aesthetics.

Sometimes it is not that we don't know our style, but we just can't find it out in the market place anymore.

 Sure we can find just about anything if price is no object, but let's face it, for most of us, price is an object that we have to be concerned about.

I have deemed my style as a grown-up-classic- preppy style . I love classic clothing with pretty silhouettes. 

 Color is my friend and I wear it often. 

My favorite prints are gingham and stripes in the winter I love a good plaid. If I find a shoe with a tassel on it I am a happy girl and that was before tassels became on trend. Sometimes I feel as if I should have been born on the east coast as far as design and my dress. People that know me have actually told me that.

Finding "YOUR" Style

Finding one's own style is not an easy job especially when the media seems to dictate so much of what we should and should not wear.

 What I loved about Brenda Kinsel's blog was how she works with her clients as a stylist to find out what works for them, and even pushes them gently out of their comfort zone to try new and different things.

I don't necessarily dress like Brenda, she has her very own style, but I do agree with her approach to dressing and the way she thinks.

Know Your Silhouette!

As far as shapes, colors and patterns I am very set on those. Where I have issues is finding them in the market place when so much of what is out there is, well, shall I say,  NOT me!!

I am not Bohemian, nor do I want to bare my shoulders and let's face it that is what is in vogue this season.  

In trying to find what works for us we must be brutally honest with ourselves. I have some personal guidelines for myself that I have found to be helpful over the years.......

1. If I wore it the last time it was in style, I probably should not be wearing it this go around. We all know what goes around comes around again in fashion and decor for that matter. 

For instance right now the styles are so reminiscent of the 70-80s. I was in my 20's and 30s so I should not be wearing what I wore back then and to be honest those two decades were hard for me to find styles I liked.

2. Stay in tuned to your body shape and what silhouette looks best on you. I have an hour glass shape and the big billowy tops that are so on trend right now are not the right shape for me. 

I need tops that follow the lines of  my upper silhouette more closely. I have, shall we say, sturdy legs, so if I wear a billowy top I become shapeless and can visually gain 10 lbs, not good for someone who is already over weight.

3. Try new things when trying on clothing. I read once to try at least 6 pieces that you would never think would look good on you. You might be surprised. Trust me I have had some good private laughs in dressing rooms doing this and once in awhile there is a surprise, but at this point in my life I am pretty in tuned with what works for my body.

4. Just because it is in style NOW does not mean you have to wear it.

5. If you are wearing on-trend pieces make sure you are not wearing them head to toe, making you look like Trendzilla! You don't want to look like you are trying too hard.

6. When wearing a statement piece make sure it is the star, do not wear several statement pieces at a time. For instance if I am wearing a statement necklace I will keep my ensemble more reserved and classic.

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7. Don't be afraid of color wear it boldly and proudly. I do wear color and mix it up all the time. Color makes me happy.

8. Wear a color close to my face that you know is a good color for you. We all have colors that we love and that we get compliments on. Those are YOUR colors wear them proudly and close to your face. White or cream will always brighten up your face as well.

9. Your best accessory is always going to be a smile, it beats out any accessory or makeup.

10. Be who you are, no one can do it better than YOU! Be the best YOU where you are right now!!!

Be sure and go over to Brenda's blog and read some of her post, she recently did two post on 10 Fashion tips for women over 60. I found them helpful for women of all ages.

 

 

My Dad

   

 I wrote this four years ago and nothing has changed about how I feel about my Dad, nor will it...........

My Dad! I can hardly think of him without getting big tears in my eyes. He is no longer with us, he died at a very young age (47). The tears I shed are sometimes for sadness, but other times for joy.

He was a man among men as far as I was concerned. We were raised to pretty much think he could walk on water. 

I actually thought I was going to marry him until I turned 10yrs old, and I found out that was not done.

On my actual wedding day after he walked me down the aisle he sat down, and took out his hanky and boo-hooed, my Mom had to console him.

 

I wish the pictures were in color, he had the most amazing sparkly blue eyes.

I remember how hard my Dad worked and what a wonderful provider he was for his family.What I remember above all was how much he loved his family. 

Daddy spoke with his eyes, they could laugh without making a sound. He had the most beautiful twinkly blue eyes.

I would love to watch my Dad look at my Mom, and her look back at him. Not a word was spoken, but you knew without a doubt  they loved each other. 

That gives a child so much security to see how their parents love each other and boy did my parents love each other.

My Dad made me feel loved, and protected. I knew Daddy would fix it if anything would go wrong. I knew I was beautiful in his eyes.

 

He put a penny in my shoe and helped me with my garter.

I remember when my oldest son had his daughter (who is the most precious little girl alive) I watched as he leaned over the isolette, and he bowed his head. 

I asked him later was he praying, and he told me , “I am a blessed man, I was thanking God!" I knew then and there that he was going to love his little girl just like my Dad loved me.

I told my son that day.....  

"You know you will be her first mirror. She will see herself through your eyes." 

Now how did I know that? Because I saw myself through my Dads eyes. I knew I was worth loving because he showed me unconditional love. 

So when it came time to choose a husband I knew without a doubt that I had  met the right one. 

We have been married over forty three years now. I fell in love with him when I was only sixteen yrs old so I have loved him for 47 years.

So you see because my Dad loved me like no one else could, and took such wonderful care of me, I have learned to expect the best in a man. 

In my opinion I got the best in the man that I have been married to for 43 years.

I guess in my heart I will always be Daddy’s little girl, I kind of like that. 

Even though he is no longer here to give me hugs he is with me in spirit, and his love will be with me forever. That is what I call a wonderful example of a Dad!!

 "Enjoy the Process" Of:

Telling the Dad's in your life  how special they are to YOU!!

Happy Father's Day to all the Dad's in My Life!!

 

 

My Daily Skincare Routine

   

 Finding the perfect skincare regime takes a lot of trial and error. Personally if it doesn't show some almost instant gratification I usually will toss it. However this last October I started a new regime after doing a lot of research and reading on this method.

My skin is aging, after all why wouldn't it, I AM!!! Seriously we can't stop the aging process but we can delay some of the results if we find the right products that work for our skin types.

Today I am going to show you what I use and what is working for me. I am using the Korean skincare method and products.

My morning routine starts with this....

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This is an oil cleanser that goes on as a balm and when you add water you get a nice creamy like foam. I love this stuff and it is on sale right now. They have one for all skin types. The oil helps dissolve any oil or sebum on our skin. I read that somewhere!!

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This is not a Korean product but it uses natural products and I love it. The smell alone would make me use this but it also cleanses my skin and leaves it very soft. In fact I just purchased 2 bottles for under $15 on Amazon as I am writing this!!

I never used toners before because they always seemed to have alcohol and dried my already dry skin out. I kept reading how important it was to use them to balance the ph of the skin so your skin would absorb the nutrients you are applying. Since I was so happy with the Korean products I asked for a suggestion for my skin type which tends to be dry and can be sensitive at times.

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There is nothing in this that will ever dry out your skin. It has Royal jelly and honey among other natural, botanical extracts deliver nutrition to the skin.

My friends that have tried this are SOLD on it and say it is their favorite product. I have to admit it is up there on my list but I have a favorite and it was actually the very first product in the Korean skincare product line.

This is an essence. According to what I have read it is another preparation product for the skin to recieve the nutrients, plus it also has nutrients in it. I love the way it makes my skin feel and the fragrance is so fresh. I think I could drink this stuff it smells so delicious.

 

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 You only use a few drops in the palm of your head and then gently tap it into the skin. I don't know what it is about this one product that feels so decadent and luxurious to my skin. It is like I gave my skin a big drink of clear mountain spring water. Can you tell I love it!? Plus I think it really adds to the moisture and glow of my skin and lets face it we all want that youthful  glow we once had.

It also comes in a travel size if you want to just try it first without getting the large bottle.

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At first this kind of grossed me out, but after reading more and more about it, I had to give it a try and I am glad I did. I am about to reorder this again. 

This can be used as a moisturizer but I use it under my moisturizer. This truly makes my skin softer and more subtle and I think it has diminished fine lines. In fact my hairdresser asked me what was I using on my skin because she noticed a huge difference in how healthy and moist my skin looked!!

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This product is an all natural product not Korean and I love it. I have very sensitive eyes and find it hard to find an eye cream that does not make my eyes weep. This does NOT make my eyes weep and it has caffeine in it which takes away puffiness and dark circles. This has been another repeat purchase for me.

Lastly is the moisturizer that I swear by and so do my friends that have tried it. You can actually see little beads of moisture on your skin when you first apply it. It does what a moisture cream should do and it is so inexpensive. I will have to admit because of the pricing I thought it could not be that good. Boy was I wrong, it is great and I am on my second bottle.

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Lastly I use a sunscreen when I am going out.

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Best sunscreen I have ever used on my face, light weight, light pleasant fragrance SPF 50/PA+++

 powerful broad spectrum UVA/UVB protection

I have never been a very faithful skincare gal other than cleansing and moisturizing, but I have to admit these steps feel so decadent and luxurious I actually look forward to using them. I have a few serums that I have tried and added to my routine and also some night time products. I will do a post on those later. None of these products are overly expensive and they last a good 6 months or more.

I never recommend anything that I have not found to be tried and true. I do try different products from time to time, but all of the above have been with me since October and I have repurchased most of them and will continue to use them.

WE can all learn from each other so leave a comment and tell us what you are using that has worked well for you!!! After all we are in this together ladies, lets be supportive!!! 

These are the two sites I have ordered from and have been very happy with customer service and products.......

PEACH AND LILY Use this code and get a discount ...

http://fbuy.me/fFLBp 

Soko Glam