Wednesday, December 12, 2012

Unearthed.



 


i talked my daughter into a December 
beach photo shoot


for TenThings' 
new collection of one-of-a-kind necklaces.
i thought it would be freezing, like in the 50's, 
but it turned out to be a beautiful, warm, sunny day.
perfect for a bikini, 
a wrap sweater and a layer of jewels, 
the more the better.











Friday, December 7, 2012

can't believe we are nearing the end of another year...and soon it will be 2013.  
this past year has been a year of many changes and lots of learning.


on the home front, 
my children needed me more than ever, and, 
while they are teenagers, their life choices and challenges, 
required me to be fully present in their lives. 
not that it hasn't always been that way, but as they grow, 
you think, maybe, that will ease up and the need won't be as great, 
but, i find it is even more so.

so this past year was about juggling. 
somethings came into view in a huge way
{like a family trip to maui we had been talking about for 15 years}, 
while other things deserved more attention than they received
{the growth of my business and creativity}
this coming year, hopefully, will be more about balance.


with respect to my children, that means, guiding them, but letting them make their own decisions, within reason. being a teenager, i think, is a very tough time of your life these days and being the parent of teenagers, is no where near as easy as i had imagined. i am totally grateful for them and can't imagine a life without them. they are my everything.



with respect to my family, my mom plays a huge role in my everyday. although, we don't see each other every day, maybe just a few times per month. we speak almost daily and i find myself regularly thinking about her well being. my nieces are also a huge part of my daily thoughts. thank goodness for Instagram. i feel connected to them in a small way each day, even though they are two hours away. their posts light up my day. i did see them more this past year. super happy about that and enjoyed the closeness my mom and i share. i can truly tell her anything.

with respect to my business, gratitude is the first thing that comes to my mind. while, i am always learning, i find that this past year has been one of finding my self in my craft. i truly love what i do and feel as if i am meant to create. it's what my gift is, so to speak. i wasn't near as creative as i needed to be this past year, more managing, not as much creating. 
my head is full of ideas to put in place for 2013. i'm looking forward to the adventure.

with respect to my spirituality, i feel strongly connected to my yoga practice, so much so that i seriously considered teacher training, but sidetracked it when other family matters surfaced that required my attention. i didn't practice as much as i planned to. it always seems to be the first thing to drop off the schedule when life gets crazy, which is funny, because that's exactly when i need it the most. i learned how to meditate this year, well in the last few months, by learned, i mean, i finally stopped making 'to do lists' while meditating and now, just gently bring my mind back to focusing on nothing. extremely hard for someone like me to do, but the reward is huge. again, someone like me is exactly the type of person who benefits from a still mind. i pray every day. God answers my prayers. this i know for sure. 


 with respect to aging gracefully, this year was a work in progress. i realized that i am in control of the thoughts i choose about myself and where i am. i'm not 'young' anymore. i still feel really young, but i am determined to love who i am and to share the idea that being older does not mean you are no longer beautiful. i love the way European women view aging and i have adopted their mindset [another challenge}, even though i live in Southern California, where being young and beautiful seems to be the ultimate goal for all. for me, being happy with myself, wrinkles and all, and spreading love is what makes me feel beautiful.


with respect to friends, unfortunately i didn't spend enough time with the friends that live close. but i made many new friendships via Instagram, that somehow fit in perfectly into my crazy, busy life. very grateful for them.

with respect to love, i am a lucky girl. i have so much love in my life. love from my animals, love from my children, love from my friends and family and an overall love surrounding my little world. 
i am grateful every day to be in a loving relationship, 
that gets better everyday, going on close to 25 years now.


so, i'm excited about 2013 and ever so grateful for the lessons learned in 2012.


Thursday, December 6, 2012

mr. chocolate.

excuse my absence...busy time of year, for all, including me. 

have you heard of Mr. Chocolate? well, he's a
French Master Pastry chef from New York that is delightful to listen to 
{google him on youtube}, 
he makes the most delicious chocolates. 
i was thrilled when i saw him on the Food Network 
sharing his recipes for chocolate covered cereal for holiday gifts.



i purchased the cereal, milk and dark chocolate chips 
and the cellophane bags and stickers.

i'm not real confident on the 'tempering' process, but
we'll be making chocolate covered cereal gifts
this weekend. need to get a candy thermometer first
and find my patience. {tempering = patience not skill}.

recipe here. photos here.



Monday, October 29, 2012

beauty from the inside out.

an ongoing study on aging beautifully.

i do yoga regularly, take a boatload of supplements, eat very healthy {vegetarian who eats fish}
and am obsessed with skin care and skin care products. i am always wanting to learn about the latest developments in health and skincare and above all, what really works.

i have three health gurus that i go to for answers, Dr. Oz, Dr. Weil and Dr. Perricone.


i've read Dr. Perricone's books before, but a renewed interest in Dr. Perricone 
came about when i started to notice that stress was taking a toll on my face. 
i knew i had to make a change. i think all of his books are worth reading, 
but i especially like The Wrinkle Cure and The Perricone Prescription.

i admit, i am not one to follow a diet or instructions, or a recipe word for word...basically, 
i take what works for me and apply it. so, i'll be honest when i say, 
i am not following Dr. Perricone's advice, exactly, rather, 
taking his suggestions and making just a few changes.
having said that, the few changes i've made over the past few days 
have made a huge difference 
in the feel and appearance of my skin, 
so if you are the type that follows the rules
i can't imagine what type of results you might get.



here are a few things i've learned from Dr. Perricone:

eat protein first
drink less coffee, or better yet, give it up
eat salmon many times a week
find the best regimen for your skin type and concerns
use a face product containing DMAE
avoid sugar and high-glycemic foods
eat cantaloupe and anti-oxidant rich berries.
drink lots of spring water, 64 oz per day
exercise
use sunscreen after moisturizer
get lots of sleep


so, here's what i implemented the last few days;

i reduced my coffee to one cup a day 
{can't seem to get to 11:00 am without a killer headache without the coffee}.
started drinking lots of water, 6 8oz bottles per day.
started eating protein first at every meal, 
a handful of almonds, a glass of keefir, oatmeal before fruit, 
and lots of salmon. 
i ate salmon and tuna six times over the course of three days.
i ate avocado and a high-fiber, high protein grainy bread.
added lots of anti-oxidant berries and cantaloupe to my daily diet.
i reduced, but did not eliminate my desserts. 
i still had pumpkin pie, original Pink Berry with fruit 
and a few pieces of dark chocolate, 
oh, and a Heath Bar {it's Halloween time}.

and

i started using a DMAE serum for my face and neck.

Results:

i don't have an 'after' photo, but in three days,
my skin truly looks noticeably more supple and has a healthy glow to it.

i am really pleased with the change. i think i had been drinking too much tea, 
not enough water and not enough of the correct fatty acids needed for hydrated skin.

i'm excited. this is doable for me. drinking lots of water, 
eating protein first and eating so much fish are the hardest things, 
oh, and of course, trying not to eat cookies and bread,
but i am thrilled with the results so, 
i'll keep trying to work these miracle changes into my lifestyle. 

has anyone else tried these changes or do you notice anything special 
when you make changes in your diet?

Friday, October 19, 2012

humans of new york.

i haven't been to new york yet {wish that wasn't true, but it is}
but, everyday, i take a little trip there, 
so to speak, by visiting one of my daily reads.








i think the photographer, Brandon, is brilliant. 

i can't really do him justice by writing, 
so i will leave the links here and above for you.
if you haven't seen his work, 
grab a cup of tea and set aside a few minutes to 
visit new york today.

Thursday, October 18, 2012

Wednesday, October 17, 2012

maui bound.



normally with the end of sumer and the start of fall, 
i would be really excited for things like
oversized sweaters, skinny jeans, boots, 
pumpkin bread, chai lattes, crumb top apple pie,
grilled brie and pear sandwiches, tomato soup...fall things,

but this year it's different, we're going to Maui before the end of the year. 
i picked up a few new swimsuits,

 
some shorts, a dress 
and a new pair of Havianas for the trip.


i'm thrilled to be going with my family for a much needed vacation.
so stoked to take my camera, i wasn't into photography 
when we were there last, 
i was into having babies. 


we haven't been to Maui
in 16 years, 
do you know of any 
cool spots to eat, 
shop, 
things to do?


we want to do what
Maui locals do, 
not tourist-y things.


Maui favorites?


all bikinis Victoria's Secret.
hat billabong.
sandals havianas.
 hawaiian honey image here.


Tuesday, October 9, 2012

love who you are.

an ongoing study in loving who you are.

today's post is a collection of inspiring quotes 
on aging beautifully,
turns out, we can all age beautifully,
the power is in your mind.


i love lauren hutton! i love the way she makes me feel about myself.
i can relate to her coloring, her hair, her gap. 
i love that she is aging gracefully.
she will forever be my role model. 
above image via here.




On wardrobe essentials: "Always have a navy blazer. 
White pants, tan pants, navy or black pants—whatever looks good on you. 
Well-made T-shirts in long and short sleeves. 
And a good pair of black heels and camel-colored oxfords. 
If you can afford to, get high-quality classics so you can wear them forever and ever."

 On basic black: "It wipes me out. I can't wear it. Not everything works for everybody."

 On biker chic: "Motorcycle clothes need to be thicker. 
When you're going fast on the highway, you don't want to leave skin behind."

 On accessorizing: "I have small bones, so I can't wear big jewelry. 
The jewelry ends up walking around. I want Lauren walking around."

 On developing a signature look: "When I first came to New York, 
my favorite outfit was a pair of aqua terry cloth shorts and a men's maroon mohair sweater. 
All I'm saying is that you couldn't have been dumber than me. 
Finding your look isn't complicated if you go in without being frightened. 
Notice what people are complimenting you on. 
Experiment with new things once in a while, 
but have your tried-and-true pieces that work."


photo shoot with mary kate and ashley.

"I just try to do my best to look good—get enough sleep, stay healthy, 
have fun with makeup—then forget about it! 
If you obsess about your looks, it kills your spirit."
Lauren Hutton
{my inspiration for aging beautifully}

lauren hutton images via here.



"No, I don't do anything to look younger; this is one battle that you will lose eventually. 
It is more becoming to accept the unique characteristics that come with age. 
Women who stay true to themselves are always more interesting and beautiful to me, 
women like Frida Kahlo, Georgia O'Keeffe and Anna Magnani—
women who have style, chic, allure and elegance. 
They didn't submit to any standard of beauty—they defined it." 

"I always encourage women to let their individuality show by not covering up 
what they perceive as flaws. When I see a woman with the natural wrinkles 
of time on her face, I do not see the wrinkles at all, but when I see a 
woman trying to cover them up with too much foundation or concealer, 
all I see are her wrinkles. Instead of looking in the mirror and asking, 
"What's wrong with me?" use makeup to highlight your uniqueness, 
not to hide and correct." 

Isabella Rossellini 
{a stunning example of a natural beauty}

isabella image via here.


"Looking fresh and rested. When are you the most beautiful? 
When you're on vacation. The trick is to discipline yourself to 
get enough sleep and find ways to handle your stress in your everyday life too. 
If you're well-rested instead of sleep deprived, you'll take years off your face. 
When I need to pick myself up, I do three things. I dab yellow-based concealer 
under my eyes with my fingers and set it with a powder puff. 
Then I apply a slightly brighter blush than my usual one to look like I'm flushed. 
And I spritz on fragrance as an energizer."

                           "Worrying constantly about their looks. I believe in being low maintenance. 
As a matter of fact, I don't often look at myself in the mirror. 
It's not that I don't have the time—I simply don't have the inclination. 
Most of us look better when we don't know what we look like anyway.
The best thing to do before a party, for instance, is take a deep breath and tell yourself, 
"Okay, I am going to have a great time." And then don't look in a mirror all night. 
It works better than running to the ladies' room every half hour and fixing your makeup."

"Oh, and drink a lot of water all day long. When I forget to drink water, I look so much older!"

"It is too easy to go so far that you lose any character in your face. 
What I would recommend, though, is having your teeth whitened. 
It's amazing. It totally lightens up your face and you look years younger." 

Bobbi Brown
{a beautiful 'love who you are' role model}

image of bobbi via here.

quotes via oprah.com.