Jocelyn

Interesting Links

April 7, 2014 Leave a Comment

Monday was off to a slightly optimistic start. The weather seems to be brightening up (just a bit) and we seem to be heading towards warmer temps. I will keep my fingers crossed. I thought Here are a few gems I recently found and some questions I’m pondering.

Should the Breast Pump Be More Advanced?

Ergo vs. Baby Bjorn?

What is the one word that should never follow I LOVE YOU?

Humor is a form of mental exercise.

Children and their favorite toys.

Anatomy of a Tumblr.

Top 10 Books on Simplicity because Spring Cleaning always inspires me to simplify, simplify, simplify.

Self-imposed deadlines don’t help, should I do away with my To-Do list?

Have a great week and I will be back soon!

Filed Under: Uncategorized

Untouched

March 28, 2014 Leave a Comment

Nigella on the cover of UK Vogue bare faced and beautiful.

Hayden Panettiere, tattoos and all.

In an age of Photoshop frenzy, we can’t pick up a magazine without seeing a star airbrushed to the point of being unrecognizable. Why do editors feel the need to create these false images? Why do they want to promote this idea of perfection that only perpetuates depression among the millions of women who DON’T look anything like the images they see in magazines? They do it for exactly the same reason we do. Take a look at your Facebook or Instagram pages. Are these pictures true examples of you on a day-to-day basis or are they the glorified version of perfection that you hope to achieve? I am just as guilty. I post dozens of pictures of my son looking like this, a sweet and content baby boy.

When life with a 3-month-old looks more like this…

Now, as his mother, I find that BOTH pictures are equally adorable. How could I not!? Look at that little hand in the meltdown photo? And the line across the bridge of his nose? He’s perfect! But I don’t share those pictures as readily. I show the glossy ones. The ones that you send out in Christmas cards and birth announcements. But why do we live such Photoshopped lives? Why don’t we share the real pictures? Are we afraid of the truth? Are we afraid that people will judge, that they won’t be impressed? I applaud VOGUE UK and BRIDES Magazine for letting these women shine in all their untouched glory. Maybe, just maybe, I’ll start sharing some of the “real” photos from now on.

Filed Under: Baby, Beauty

The Day My Son Won the Snowstorm

March 22, 2014 Leave a Comment

About a month ago I posted a picture to Facebook of my attempt to prepare my son for the wintry world. He was only a few weeks old and I was so worried about the cold weather that I may have overestimated the number of layers needed to keep his tiny body warm. After looking at the picture, I realized that I had turned into the mother in A Christmas Story who bundles her son up so tightly that he resembles a marshmallow. The minute I put it up on Facebook dozens of friends either liked or commented on the silliness of the photo as well as their same predicament in overprotective parenting. Although, how overprotective can you be when your baby has only been in the world for a matter of weeks? I stand behind my protectiveness and I would do it again in a heartbeat. The funny side of the story is that an editor at Redbook Magazine had seen the photo in my feed and contacted me about running the picture on their website with the caption, “Adorably Bundled-Up Baby Wins the Snowstorm.” Of course they could!

How could you not photograph and share this image? But here’s the thing about new motherhood, especially in the digital age. The minute I hit “post” on this picture, I worried. Of course, it is in my nature to worry about pretty much everything, now add in a newborn baby and I’m a bit of a mess. But I worried about the comments, the critiques, the negative statements. They can range anywhere from, “I never post photos of my kids online,” to “Why would you put your child in that position, in those clothes, with that pacifier?” etc. It can be anything. Critics are everywhere. Normally, I can handle anything and let it gracefully roll off my back, but when you are a new mother (or a mother in general), your emotions change. You become fiercely protective and also abundantly vulnerable.

There is a famous quote by Elizabeth Stone that having child is to “decide forever to have your heart go walking around outside your body” and nothing could be more accurate. I’m quite literally obsessed with my son and it is both beautiful and terrifying. It’s a love I have never known before and one that I absolutely cherish. But I also want to share his life (and what I am profoundly learning from his life) with others. I want to be the voice I was looking for when I found out I was pregnant, when I found out I was having a boy (panic!), when I delivered my son (36 hours of crippling contractions) and when I started thinking about when I was ready for more babies (about one minute after looking at his face – it’s true what they say about Mommy Amnesia). I’m a writer. The best way for me to understand my life, my world, my thoughts and my feelings is to write it out. Never before have my words felt so important and so heavily weighted in my heart. My son changed my life, he made me braver, he made me a mother and maybe, quite possibly, he’s made me a writer. So I’m going to start sharing my thoughts, feelings, lessons learned here in this online space. Yes I’m opening myself up to criticism and comments. But I’m also putting myself and my thoughts out there and maybe helping another young, confused, scared, lost mother at the same time. I’m documenting my life and my son’s life. I’m writing it out and therefore trusting my thoughts and words to express such a significant and sacred part of my life. To me, that seems much more important in the long run than any criticism I could ever receive. Yes, my heart is walking around outside of my body but hopefully he’ll be doing it in something ridiculously adorable.

Because I am keeping in mind the fact that I always want details from other mothers (specific details), I got this Teddy Bear Snowsuit at OldNavy. Their prices are fantastic for baby clothes. The speed with which children grow out of their clothing is unbelievably fast and not very conducive to spending a lot. For example, Grayson wore this pale blue Teddy Bear Snowsuit approximately two times. But at least I documented it so it can live on forever. That’s $15 well spent in my estimation.

Filed Under: Baby Tagged With: Bravery, Fears, Old Navy, Redbook

Oprah’s Book Club

January 16, 2014 Leave a Comment

What I’m reading:

THE INVENTION OF WINGS by Sue Monk Kidd

Oprah’s Book Club 2.0 – pick #3

I just started reading Sue Monk Kidd’s acclaimed novel, The Invention of Wings because it was selected as the latest pick for Oprah’s phenomenal book club. As I’ve discussed before, I am extremely passionate about reading and anyone who promotes reading with the gusto and fervor that Oprah Winfrey does, always has my support. So I read her selections religiously. And what I find when I read a book club selection is that I’m not just reading it for the story or the characters or the writing, I’m reading it for the life lessons. I believe that we learn so much from reading. We learn who we are, what we love, what we hate. We discover our fears and we challenge our beliefs. Reading is life’s classroom.

I also feel that books come to you at certain times in your life for specific reasons. Fate brings a book into your hands and turns the pages. In the latest issue of Oprah Magazine, Oprah writes about The Invention of Wings as a book that “heightened my sense of what it meant to be a woman – slave or free.” She talks about all of the “unsung heroines who played a role in getting us to where we are.” As I mentioned in my earlier post, I have just welcomed my first child into the world and it has changed everything. It has changed the way I view a woman’s life, a mother’s love, family and the future. Now I look at my actions as lessons to teach my son. I want to show him how to be a good person, how to be brave and strong and hopeful and optimistic. Strength and bravery above all else because this life will test you and challenge you and bring obstacles at every turn.

Kidd explains the inspiration behind the stories she writes,”I’m always captivated by stories of women who find a way to be daring – misbehaving women.” She continues, “I was interested in how my characters could invent their own freedom, their own voices in the world – their wings.” I have found that in many ways life (and the people you meet throughout your journey) can sometimes try and push you into the “normal” and “accepted” way of life. Follow the pack, do what everyone is doing, obey the rules. But sometimes this doesn’t feel right, it doesn’t sit well in your heart. You yearn to break free and live a life of your own design. To be daring, to misbehave, is often condemned even if it is what your heart desires. As Steve Jobs once said, “Here’s to the crazy ones, the misfits, the rebels, the troublemakers, the round pegs in the square holes…the ones who see things differently — they’re not fond of rules…You can quote them, disagree with them, glorify or vilify them, but the only thing you can’t do is ignore them because they change things…they push the human race forward, and while some may see them as the crazy ones, we see genius, because the ones who are crazy enough to think that they can change the world, are the ones who do.” What I am learning is that we are going to find times in our life when we have to rebel, we have to break the rules and be “crazy” enough to change the status quo.

“I can feel the voices of all those who yearned to be heard, to leave their marks, to say, ‘I existed.'” Don’t we all want to prove we existed? Don’t we question what marks we will leave behind? Nevermore is this more evident then when you have a child. You want to know that what you have done for them, the life you have helped them create, will be lasting, that your memory and the memories you create will live on. That you will teach them to be strong and good. That you will show them how to find happiness. That you will help them leave their marks as you have learned to leave your own.

“The Invention of Wings is an open door, an invitation to see ourselves and our history in a way that allows us to heal even more,” said Oprah in the January issue of Oprah Magazine. I want to see myself more clearly. I want to step through that open door and learn from every moment of my life. I want to get my hands dirty with life and see the beauty of all that has happened to me and all that will happen.

So I am beginning my journey into motherhood, my journey into a new year, with a new book, The Invention of Wings. I want to see how its lessons can be applied to my life. I want to see if I can find similarities within the pages of this book and relate to them on a personal level. I am excited to take part in this book club and to continue to apply the lessons from books I read to the life I am living. We are all living a shared experience and literature helps highlight our similarities. There are a number of books I am looking forward to reading over the coming months (The Goldfinch and The Signature of All Things, to name a few) and I’m looking forward to relating my literary journey here, with others. Read along with me. Voice your opinions. Speak your mind. And feel free to throw out some recommendations. This blog is my journal, my space for sorting out my thoughts, learning about myself, showing my gratitude and allowing my curiosity for life to run wild.

Filed Under: Oprah Project Tagged With: oprah's book club, sue monk kidd, the invention of wings

A New Year

January 15, 2014 2 Comments

And my life has been forever changed.

Stay tuned for a new direction for this blog.

There will be many ways in which it will stay the same. I will still talk about things I love, inspirational thoughts and quotes, motivational ideas, and plenty of gratitude.

But now it will also include lots of things I’m learning at this stage of my life, the stage of new motherhood….and the fact that even typing the word “motherhood” and referring to myself makes me start to cry. (Of course, that’s probably hormonal due to the fact that I only gave birth two weeks ago).

I’m thanking you in advance for joining me on this journey and I’m inviting you to throw out any ideas, advice, suggestions and thoughts. My home is your home.

This is my home.

Filed Under: Uncategorized

This is my letter to the world…

December 16, 2013 Leave a Comment

“This is my letter to the world.” ~Emily Dickinson

I have recently started reading Simple Abundance by Sarah Ban Breathnach and am overwhelmed by the amount of insight and inspiration this woman provides in her book. I can see why it was such a breakthrough hit when it came out, endorsed by Oprah herself, and continues to sell incredibly well. It is laid out like a diary, with entries corresponding to every single day of the year. It starts on January 1st and goes straight through December 31st providing short, inspirational anecdotes for every date. I decided to start with December 9th, the day I found the book in a pile of old books in my house, and I found it beautifully poignant and appropriate.

December 9th

The Christmas Letter

The advice that followed was so appropriate at this time of year. The entry began by focusing on a woman who writes a Christmas letter in which she documents the perfection of her family and the beauty of her life, essentially making everyone feel miserable and powerlessness within the confines of their own less than stellar lives. Simple Abundance came out in 1995, long before the days of Facebook and Instagram where people can now document the perfection of their lives on a daily basis. They don’t even have to write anything, they can simply post edited images of perfection. So how can we turn this frustration into action? How can we begin to feel good about our lives? By recognizing everything we have done, the obstacles and the joys, and find gratitude in those moments. I love the idea of writing down our own private letters where we explore the “exciting safari of the self and Spirit,” that we have experienced this year as well as looking forward with hope and optimism for the year to come.

This year, we’ll write a letter of our own. We’ll write about our exciting safari of the self and Spirit. …We’ll write about the tiny changes that have made a great difference in how we approach our daily round. Then we’ll write another letter, dated this time next year, in which we’ll describe how our dreams came true. In it, we’ll outline our glorious ideal lives in detail — exactly what we’re doing, how we’re doing it, who’s doing it with us. But we’ll write these two letters in our discovery journals only; they’re for our eyes alone. Because this is not merely our letter to the world, this will be our letter to the Universe. What we’re really doing is setting down our New Year’s aspirations in concrete form.

This is the perfect time to start writing these letters, filling up our “discovery journals” with dreams and aspirations, hopes and plans. Life is not perfect. Life is full of obstacles, moments that knock us off our feet or leave us gasping for air. No one is immune to these unfortunate twists, even the “perfect” woman with the “perfect” Christmas letter.

Remember that your family and friends don’t live edited lives. You needn’t either.

I will be writing these letters in my discovery journal and seeing how they play out over the following year. I look forward to hearing from anyone who has similar plans. I hope you will join me on my own “safari of the self and Spirit.”

Filed Under: Daily Moxie

Brahms Mount Cotton Throw

December 6, 2013 Leave a Comment

I just love these Cotton Herringbone Throws from Brahms Mount. They are a beautifully classic staple for your home…and so cozy!

According to their website, Brahms Mount weaves textiles with a signature American look and soft, luxurious hand. Classically beautiful, wonderfully comfortable and grounded in the authentic character and centuries-old textile tradition of Maine, their products have been capturing hearts since the company was founded in 1983.

Their blankets, throws and linen towels are woven on antique shuttle looms by local artisans in their mill in Monmouth, Maine. To achieve such vibrant colors, they use specially engineered yarns spun from the finest natural fibers and colorfast, eco-friendly dyes. The pieces come off the loom feeling clean and untreated, rich and resilient.

Brahms Mount carries on Maine’s textile tradition and they are proud to use machines and methods that have stood the test of time – and still produce the best quality available. But most of all, they’re proud to play a role in keeping American manufacturing alive and well. This information was all found on the Brahms Mount website. I have no affiliation with the company and have received nothing from them in exchange for this post. I just really, really like the blankets and think they would make an excellent present for a loved one during the holiday season.

Filed Under: shopping Tagged With: Brahms Mount

Getting Ready for the Holidays!

December 5, 2013 Leave a Comment

Sometimes you just really need cheerful things around you during the holidays. They brighten your mood and inspire you to stay hopeful, festive, and optimistic. Every year when you bring out those boxes of decorations it becomes a journey down memory lane. We have decorations that belonged to our parents, those that were given to us as gifts during special times and those that just make us happy. That’s what the holidays are all about, finding joy and gratitude on a daily basis.

This year I bought this adorable Chip & Dip plate from Shop Glitzy Glam and it truly succeeded in brightening my day (a day that happens to be particularly gloomy, grey, and rainy). Can’t wait to have friends and family over and celebrate this beautiful season!

Filed Under: holidays

Desk Drawer Clean-Up

September 6, 2013 Leave a Comment

This weekend was a bit on the rainy side and so I decided to tackle a few small projects around the house. One of them that was high on my list was the organization of my desk drawers. Now I know they don’t look terribly messy, just sort of like a catch all. The major problem being that because they are so shallow and so small, if they are filled to capacity in a disorganized manner than they are rendered essentially useless. Cleaning can sometimes feel like a daunting task but if you take it in little steps, you can make real progress over short periods of time. Without further ado, here are the before and after shots of my desk drawer (there are two drawers so stay tuned for the reveal of the cleaned and organized second drawer).

BEFORE:

AFTER:

As you can see, it was the use of clear, acrylic boxes from The Container Store (that I purchased over six months ago and have been waiting to use). It’s amazing how a small space became so completely useful when I organized it and designated homes for all of my most used items. I know that everyone says “Spring Cleaning” is so popular but I find that I do my best “Spring Cleaning” in the fall. Can’t wait to share more of my adventures with you.

What do you find to be the hardest spots in your house to keep organized?

Filed Under: Organization Tagged With: the container store

Day One and Already in Love

September 5, 2013 Leave a Comment

Last night I used these wipes to take off my makeup and I LOVED them! I loved the smell because it was very fresh and very clean without smelling like a makeup remover or too perfume-like. The scent was absolutely perfect. The texture was soft with a few raised nubs to give you that deep cleaning feel. Another pet peeve I have about the cleansing towelettes is that they tend to either dry out quickly or be too wet. These Target Up & Up cloths were just right! (I feel a little like Goldilocks with this review but trust me, I’ve tried them all and this is by far my favorite). They were definitely on the low end when it comes to pricing (much cheaper than the name brand towelettes and twice as effective).

I bought the thirty pack and considering I only needed one towelette to remove all my makeup (typically I use at least two and I don’t even wear that much makeup) and that only added to my love of this product. So a BIG thanks to Organized Jen for turning me onto these great towelettes! I will definitely be purchasing these again!

Filed Under: Beauty Tagged With: target

A Trip to Target

September 4, 2013 Leave a Comment

Today was a TARGET day! I have had a growing list of things to buy because I a) needed them, b) desperately wanted to try them, or c) stumbled upon them at the store and therefore bought them.

Up & Up (Target Brand) Makeup Removing Towelettes. I’ve heard great things about these cleansing cloths from one of my favorite bloggers, Organized Jen. So of course, I just had to try them out for myself.

Burt’s Bees Lemon Butter Cuticle Cream. This cream smells AMAZING but even better, it works! I’ve been using it before bed for the past few nights and have become completely obsessed. Applying it at night is as routine as putting on my lip balm.

Aveeno Active Naturals Positively Smooth. Never used this shave gel but it sounds really good, it’s gotten awards from Allure and it claims to help you shave less and contains soy so it sounds pretty perfect. Plus I really like the Aveeno line of products. They seem to be a good fit for my skin and are very natural and appropriate for sensitive skin. (I adore their Eczema Therapy Moisturizing Cream and have gone through plenty of bottles of this cream…and my skin thanks me).

Schick Quattro Razor. Another new item for me. I’ve never used the Schick razors before because I have been a BIC Soleil devotee for years and years so I’m excited to try out a new razor. (It’s the little things that matter, right?)

EOS Lip Balm. This lip balm (in pretty much any flavor) is tied with Burt’s Bees for my favorite lip balm of all time. I like the shape and it’s always easy to spot in my purse, plus there was a sale on 4-packs at Target. Couldn’t resist!

So that sums up my trip to Target. I will check back in with my verdict on these products. I also recently placed an order for a few Origins skin care products and I’m waiting for them to arrive. A post to come! Also, I’m hoping to get to The Container Store this weekend. We will have to wait and see if it comes to fruition. In the meantime, I’m building my list of “Must Buy Items” so if anyone has any suggestions, please let me know. I’m still a newbie at The Container Store.

Oh! I almost forgot my absolute favorite purchase from today’s trip. My Circo Love ‘n Nature Owl Pillow! She’s sitting on my desk chair as I type this brightening up my office. I think a Daily Moxie office mascot has finally arrived.

Filed Under: shopping Tagged With: Aveeno, burt's bees, eos, origins, schick, target, the container store

Duck Tape Flowers

July 26, 2013 Leave a Comment

Duct Tape Flowers are a relatively new craft that seem to be growing in popularity. I was first introduced to them by my 10-year-old niece, Piper. I asked Piper if she would demonstrate the art of the Duct Tape Flower for Daily Moxie. This post is entirely produced by Piper. I think I might have to make her a regular contributor to the site!

Enjoy Piper’s tutorial on the Duct Tape Flower!

Step 1 choose the colors you want and pencil

Step 2 wrap the petals shown in picture #2

Step 3 Keep wrapping each color until you reach the size you like

Extras: Glue a sequin or pompom on the eraser(middle of the flower). Also you can make a bee to glue on from a wood bead and a pipe cleaner.

Filed Under: Crafts Tagged With: piper

The Daily Moxie Box reviews Birchbox

July 16, 2013 Leave a Comment

Welcome to our new on-going feature: The Daily Moxie Box. Monthly subscription boxes seem to be all the rage right now. So we’ve decided to take some of the guess work out of your purchasing decision and help you decide which boxes are worth the monthly fee. We will review some of the top boxes out there, post pics and give you an idea of what you get in each box. Are some of them worth the monthly fees, which range anywhere from $15 to $50 dollars a month, or are you better off going to a department store and getting free samples on your own? Let us break it down for you!

Our first box is the one that seemed to start it all Birchbox!

When Birchbox first came out, the samples were incredible. A great size, unusual variety and different boxes for different people. Lately the Daily Moxie ladies have been a little underwhelmed with the samples. (Are we getting bigger or are the samples getting smaller?)

Here’s a look at July’s box:

Here’s a list of what you get:

b.right Moisturizing Collection by Benefit Cosmetics (full-size $30-40)

Curly Keeper by Curly Hair Solutions by Jonathan Torch (full-size $10)

CC Cream Broad Spectrum SPF 40 by purminerals (full-size $38)

Ceramidin Cream by Dr. Jart (full-size $48)

Birchbox Exclusive Colorfully patterned Bobby Pins – set of six ($5)

You also get a card that gives you the chance at getting a deluxe mini whenever you purchase a full size Benefit product or spend 25+ at the Birchbox Bonus shop.

Our thoughts:

While we’ve seen better boxes from Birchbox, we will stick with them a while longer. Some of the more jam-packed boxes make up for the slightly sparse ones. They’ve introduced us to lots of products we’ve never heard of (Hello, Jouer!) and they always have a whimsical flair to the packaging. Another bonus is if you leave a review on the Birchbox website about the samples you’ve received, you can rack up a bunch of points towards your next purchase. And you can’t go wrong at 15 bucks a month.

Moxie Box Grade: B (for Birchbox)

Stay tuned for more subscription box reviews at our newest feature: The Daily Moxie Box!

Filed Under: Beauty, Daily Moxie Box, Gifts, style, Tips & Techniques Tagged With: Birchbox

Lush for Summer

July 10, 2013 Leave a Comment

Okay, so I haven’t made it over to the LUSH store yet and now I’m kicking myself for not doing it sooner because how cute is this Beach Box? I only discovered it after visiting the Lush website. God knows I love a gift basket because of all the goodies you get to discover. This box gives me that same feeling! They are all “Beach” related which I adore!

Here’s the description of what comes in this box directly from the website.

Ocean Salt face and body scrub sets skin aglow with a mix of salt grains. These blast away layers of skin, like waves crashing across shore. Your skin is awakened with vodka-infused citrus juices; this is a cocktail that’s actually good for your skin! An added dash of seaweed absolute, an essential oil extracted from – you guessed it, seaweed! The pure absolute is a valuable boost of minerals and vitamins for freshly emerging skin.

For all-over sudsy lather, hang ten with Sea Vegetable soap for your body. It’s like washing in a cresting wave, carrying a salty, kelp-laced froth to renew and drench skin in minerals. Lime and lavender essential oils dance in the surf too, and leave a gentle perfume across the skin so you won’t smell like an old buoy! Imagine if Venus changed her half-shell into an outdoor shower… this is what the scent-sation would be.

Hair gets added lift-off from the salt texturizing Seanik shampoo bar, a life-preserver for beachy hair. It also offers a nice dose of minerals for sun-drenched scalps! Nori bits mingle with a rich marine emulsion of Irish Moss seaweed. Doubling up on seaweed means added conditioning in the lather, root to tip.

For even more of a boost, or just mermaid-hair in look, feel and scent (another potent Siren’s call), spritz your locks with Sea Spray, which does double duty as a perfume as well as styling hair mist. Sea Spray offers hold, mixed into a lovely seawater and seaweed emulsion – so it’s a hair spray that offers a TON of minerals to your style, too.

And while prevention is always the best cure for sunburns, (really, all sorts of summer skin and hair needs), it never hurts to have Dream Cream around! Relief comes in basking skin in our time-tested mix of essential oils (lavender, rose, chamomile, tea tree) mixed into inflammation-calming oatmilk. Oatmilk is one of the most calming and basic of skin ingredients for times like these, and each pot contains a whopping helping of this cozy porridge for suffering skin.

No matter where you live, or what seashore (even imaginary) you enjoy, a LUSH Beach Box is the perfect summer fling to enjoy now. When you’re done, it stashes other summer essentials or memories of your sand-swept escapades. We’re sure there are many crafty uses you’ll come up with!

Get it while it’s here – before the wave of Summer 2013 carries your chance out to sea!

This seems like a lot of product for $30! And even though this sounds like a commercial for Lush, I am in no way being paid for this endorsement. I haven’t even tried their products yet, so who knows, I may not love Lush the way I think I will.

Filed Under: Beauty Tagged With: lush

Daily Summer Skincare Routine

July 9, 2013 Leave a Comment

During the hot summer days, I like to switch up my skincare routine and make things a little more oily/breakout focused. Summer is hot and sticky and I think your cleansing routine should help you battle these elements. Lately I am loving three products from Dermalogica. The special cleansing gel, multi-active toner and active moist moisturizer. I first read about them in Maria Menounos’ book, The Everygirl’s Guide to Life. Apparently Maria is a huge fan of the Dermalogica line of products and her skin always looks great!
I’m going to give these products a few weeks of testing and see if they meet (or exceed) my expectations. I will keep you posted.

Filed Under: Beauty Tagged With: dermalogica

Caudalie

July 8, 2013 Leave a Comment

Yesterday I wrote about my desire to test out LUSH products, most specifically the Buffy Body Butter. Well, today I am kind of crushing on the Caudalie Beauty Elixir. The website says that it is “inspired by the “elixir of youth” used by Queen Isabelle of Hungary and that it smoothes features, tightens pores and gives a burst of radiance to the complexion. Ideal for those who’d like a burst of radiance and a vibrant complexion resulting in an instant refreshing sensation. Perfect for smokers and for men after shaving.”

I know from frequent consultations at my local Sephora that Caudalie is a very natural skincare line that prides itself on being sensitive to skin and very effective. I am adding this to my list of products to splurge on in the very near future.

Filed Under: Beauty Tagged With: caudalie, Sephora

Lush?

July 7, 2013 1 Comment

I have never tried any LUSH products. Every time I walk by the store at my local mall, I am enamored by the scents swirling from within its walls but I have never made a purchase. I’ve read about these products on many websites and the devoted following should be enough to convince me but I worry about skin sensitivity because the products are so fragrant. I worry they will stir up a reaction in my skin. But I have to say I’m very tempted to make the leap and try out one of their products. The Buffy Body Butter is looking particularly intriguing and I am very close to making it mine!

Here’s the description straight from the LUSH website.

Massage our Buffy body butter all over your wet skin in the bath or shower to make you softer and smooth to the touch, paying special attention to your backside. We add ground rice, almonds and beans to Buffy to act as exfoliants; the rough textures eliminate lumps and bumps and sloughs away dry skin cells to reveal brighter, fresher looking skin. Rinse off the exfoliating bits and pat yourself dry. There’s no need for body lotion after a Buffy slaying session, because the cocoa and shea butters keep your skin beautifully smooth, moisturized and soft to the touch.

So what do you think? Should I give it a shot? Has anyone had any reactions to the LUSH products? Let me know.

Filed Under: Beauty Tagged With: lush

Loving Anthropologie

July 7, 2013 Leave a Comment

Sometimes it’s just as much fun to window shop online as it is in the mall. I love Anthropologie for their home decor and accessories. They also have a great selection of stationery and gift books. Whenever I go into an Anthropologie store, I have to leave with some little trinket from my visit. I just adore this Milk Bottle Measuring Cup in the shape of an old fashioned milk bottle. How cute is this? And what a smart way to keep your measuring cups all secure in one place!

And because I am desk obsessed, I am also coveting the Ceramic Pencil Cup and Note Holders. They are so simple but eye-catching. A great gift idea.

I love the handmade look of these office accessories. They look like the type of thing you would pick up at a tiny shop that sells one-of-a-kind objects. I think that’s what I love most about Anthropologie, the uniqueness of their inventory. It makes shopping there such an enjoyable trip…even if you’re doing it online.

Filed Under: home decor Tagged With: Anthropologie

The Balance of Nature

June 18, 2013 Leave a Comment

Somehow I managed to finagle a spot in the shade to do my work. I temporarily moved my office to a wrought iron table on a gorgeous patio in the shade of an elm tree. The summer sun and beautiful breeze was just begging for me to immerse myself in nature and get out of the office bubble, if only for an afternoon. I can hear kids playing in the surf from where I sit and birds are singing a symphony for what feels like my ears only.

We get so caught up in the push and pull of life and work, the balance that so many people talk about but few actually achieve. Is there such thing as complete and total balance? Of course not! It’s never all or nothing. No one can be that structured, that precise, that diligent to make sure that each aspect and area of their life receives the appropriate amount of attention. We are human beings, not pie charts. We are living, breathing, fallible beings. Plans are not kept, schedules are broken and somewhere along the line something loses out. What we need to do is make sure that the thing that loses out most often is that which does not bring us pleasure. We need to err on the side of joy. Lean towards the joy, the happiness, the peace and the tranquility. Whatever gives us that nurturing of our soul and mind is what should always win out. Yes, this is difficult, tremendously so, but it is also imperative. I believe summer is a great equalizer. We may not have balance year round. We may spend too many hours in the office and then rush to put dinner on the table, finally squeezing in a television show or a chapter from a good book, if we’re lucky. But summer is a time when things slow down. Lazy days of summer were appropriately named. We need to give in to the beautiful sunshine beckoning to us from our windows and follow our hearts to the sea. We need to listen to the birds and join them in their symphony of joy.

UPDATE: Literally, the minute I finished typing this, a hummingbird landed next to my laptop. Do I need a better sign that I am completely in balance…for the moment?

Filed Under: happiness

Reflection

June 17, 2013 Leave a Comment

I would rather live in a world where my life is surrounded by mystery than live in a world so small that my mind could comprehend it.

– Harry Emerson Fosdick

I found this quote the other day on Lindsey Mead’s website, A DESIGN SO VAST. I visit her site frequently to read her beautiful and poignant musings on life, the sometimes melancholic ebb and flow of our daily existence. I loved this quote because it is calming, reassuring and allows me to see my often chaotic and confusing life as an exciting mystery to be understood. This is what I love about writing. A famous writer once said, “Everything is material,” and this is not only true but comforting. It allows you to open your eyes to the daily events, both good and bad, and try to decipher what can be gleaned from these experiences. What can you learn from a fight with a friend, a difficult client, an exhaustion that seems to overtake you? What can you learn from disappointment, heartbreak, fear and sadness? What can you learn from pure joy and exhilaration? Everything has something to teach. Everything. And it is up to us to use these moments. To pull everything we can from them. To suck the marrow out of life and get our hands dirty trying to understand each passing moment. Reflection is key to understanding and accepting the mystery of life. I love that my life is so big and complicated and complex that I find myself trying to understand the events and obstacles that surround me. I love that things aren’t easy, that my life has struggle, because when the beauty comes, when the peaceful, wonderful moments come, I absorb them fully. More than most. I never want that to change. I never want to stop reflecting on this beautiful, wild, complicated, mysterious life that I live. This unpredictable, sometimes upsetting, unbelievably beautiful and never boring life that I live.

Summer is just starting to settle and the days are stretching out before me. We have had so much rain, impossibly cold rain that makes me feel like we are still in the depths of winter. But then we have days like today, when the sun shines so brilliantly and the earth is warm and inviting. On days like this I look around and see that everything is in bloom. The peonies are blossoming with brilliant pinks, the leaves of my azalea bushes are tinged with flowers and the hydrangea buds are bursting at their seams. I take this time to reflect on all the rain we have had and recognize that without the rain, these flowers and blossoms and blooms and buds would not be possible. Without the rain, there would be no beauty.