Post Vacation Projects...

As well as planning a vacation trip I am also planning DIY time around the home.  There are some projects I want to tackle just because it's "time".  When I first painted this dining room wall I had already tried 3 different colours and projects before I settled on this warm red (Behr Fox Fire which is no longer made).  It just made me happy and to be honest, it still does.  But I'm ready for something new.  This colour has been up for 10 years and I think that's long enough to love and enjoy a colour.  Then again...it might end up staying.  I'm not sure I'll be able to just "wash it away'.

The main floor is a large "L" and the front of the house is all windows which face north.  I had settled on Benjamin Moore's "Dijon"  (Dijon 193).  It's a warm gold yellow and looks wonderful in both daylight and night light.  More than the red I am very tired of the yellow.  I've been feeling for months now that I want something more neutral so that I can incorporate other colours into the rooms.

I'm leaning towards Benjamin Moore's Bennington Gray as my neutral...a neutral with some colour (more like a cafe au lait) according to Curbly.com, whose author also says that Bennington Gray responds well to warm colours...as in the colour on the dining room wall.  I had been contemplating a darker brown for the dining room wall and adding some wainscotting to the bottom of the wall, painted in a lighter contrasting colour.  Decisions, decisions.  For now I will begin with the other walls in the Bennington Gray and make all other decisions from that point.

(image from curbly.com)

The painting I will do myself...I thoroughly enjoy the process of stirring the paint, applying the paint and watching the transformation take place.  As well, I find painting to be relaxing, calming and therapeutic.

After the painting or during the painting, will come the bathroom renovation.   This house was built in 1962 and this is the original bathroom.  In all it's "gory glory".  It seems that as soon as we made the decision to have the bathroom completely redone, the room decided it had had enough and decided to fall apart.  Tiles falling and giving way.  It's been a treat!  Knowing that it won't be this way much longer fills me with joy.

No decisions have been made as to design, colour or textures but that's coming.  I've been scouting around on pinterest and on other design sites.  I've been buying magazines and borrowing materials from the library and putting together what I would like the ideal bathroom to be.  This work will be done by those who know what they are doing...plumbers, electricians, builders...this isn't one I have any desire to tackle on my own.  I'll even let them do the painting once I have chosen a colour scheme.   One benefit to joining the gym is that while this shower is out of commission for the weeks the renovation will take I do have the use of the shower at the gym.  Even more reason to be motivated to get to the gym.

It most definitely will NOT have counter tops that look like this below...1960 called and it wants the entire bathroom back.  Even if it's in pieces, it will go with my blessing.

I would also like to take a moment to thank each of you who left a comment with your thoughts about blogging and blogging etiquette.  I love putting a question out to you and having the feedback of your thoughts.  This was obviously a topic that many of you had very definite feelings about and I appreciate how each of you respond to the blogs you read and how you approach what you do with your own blogs.

Packing Light...

(image found on pinterest.com originally from travelista.com)

I found this great list for travel packing on pinterest.  Are you on pinterest, the drug of choice for those who wish to be addicted?  Someone I adore sent me an invitation and it's hopeless.  I could be lost there for hours.  I have a few invitations left and I'm happy to share them.  If you think you'd be interested, let me know by email and I'll send you one.

I leave on Saturday for parts south.  It will be a two week driving trip with a few stops to sleep, a few stops to shop and a few stops to catch my breath and spend time with besties.

As ever when I travel I tend to take "too much".  I think I'll want this and need that, and maybe I should include this because I might feel in the mood for that colour and wait, if I'm taking "that", then I'll certainly need "this".  And so it goes and the suitcase is stuffed.

When I'm away I always look for "new" things.  I think I'll add to my wardrobe or my art supplies or things for the house.  Tough to do when you are flying, but I'll be driving and there is lots of space for shopping in the back of the vehicle.  Some of the clothing will likely be worn and added to my suitcase so it is nice to have that room.  Even so, this time, for 2 weeks, I decided I wanted to try and condense things, to keep it simple and to stay within a colour palette.

I'm going to try this, keeping within the groupings and see if I can put together a compact suitcase that will offer me options for dressing each day.  To that end I found a great blouse yesterday at Winners that will be making the trip (it actually looks like the one in the top row!) -- it will roll easily and creasing won't be an issue.   Sure, hotel rooms have irons and ironing boards.  But this is a "vacation" and there's not a hope in ... there's just not a hope that I am going to iron.  The blouse can be worn dressy or it can be casual and that's always a plus.  So maybe this time I'll get it down to a fine art.  I hope so because I've got a longer trip that will require flight coming up in late spring and I'm definitely going to want room for goodies to come home with me then.

My biggest problem will be footwear...but I've already decided.  Take a few...and buy more as I go.  Works for me.

Rights and Expectations...

(image found on google.com)

I read something the other day and it's been on my mind since I read it.  I've been tossing it around in my thoughts to come to a decision or a conclusion as to how I feel about this subject and where I would say I make my stand.

Blogging is an interesting and beneficial practice.  It allows us to share our thoughts, our feelings and parts of our lives with others.  It allows us to meet people from all over the world and to build relationships and friendships that we would not otherwise have had.

Here is what happened.  A blogger who is also a well known and highly respected (as well as very successful) artisan wrote a very lengthy post on her blog.  It began as a process of the author's feelings and her thinking on a subject and quickly evolved into a diatribe more than a rant.  It was extremely lengthy and there was a point where the author said she considered deleting some of it but decided she needed to say these things.  She admitted that she had posted like this in the past and been "blasted" for it but it was important for her to speak her feelings.  I am not going to link to the blog or the post in question.  That would be more like gossip and rubber necking and that's not what I am intending.  It has made me think and I would like to know how other people feel about this.

In this blog post, there was much talk of those who read this particular blog, people who read and never comment and people who ask frequently how something is done.  In short, the author was tired and fed up with being asked these questions and was letting people know that in future if she continues to blog, anything she wishes to share about process with her readers will be included in the blog post.  People who read and comment on this particular blog were attacked and made to feel that they were out of line in asking these questions.  The author's point was that she was very busy, took time out of her busy life to create her pieces, to photograph and edit them and then to sit down and  blog and if she was going to continue blogging, then things would have to change.  The tone of the post was somewhat whiney and poor me.  It smacked slightly of her own self importance and that her time was more important than anyone else's.  It may not have been intended to read that way but as you know, quite often with written communication what you intend can differ from what is interpreted.

The response to the post was a lot of people saying positive things and to a degree fawning over the author and her right to feel the way she does.   There were only a few who disagreed with her words and her finger pointing and attack as they felt it to be, and called her on it.  Basically they had very valid and well expressed comments about what she had done, their interpretation as to "why" it was done and that they would no longer read.  I didn't get the impression that these people were guilty of ever asking a question but nevertheless they were insulted as readers of the blog.  As you will imagine that caused further outrage by readers who left more comments in support of the author. 

Today there was a follow up post from the author who had expected there to be some backlash and was quite happy for those who wanted to leave to go and if they were reading the post, she bid them goodbye.  I did not post a comment on either of the blog posts.  Are we as commenters not permitted to say when we disagree or feel slighted or hurt?  Are we just to read and leave and say nothing?  Do we accept that whoever the author of the blog is, has the final say?  These questions have been swirling in my head.

Our blogs are our own personal space to journal and to write in the way that fits with our personality.  If they aren't why write them?  Why not use your own voice and be who you are rather than creating a journal space and using a voice you want others to think you possess?  We are free to talk about any topic or subject that appeals to us or has meaning.  When we read other blogs we decide if your voice or my voice or the next voice is one that resonates or makes us think or makes us laugh or teaches us something and in some cases we just read to admire art or photography or any of the visuals.  From there we decide if we wish to become a regular reader of that blog.

What our blog is not, in my opinion, is a personal journal.  A personal journal is one in which you write your thoughts but have no intention of sharing with anyone else.  You are only writing to and for yourself.  When you journal on a blog, as soon as you have hit "publish" you are now available for anyone with access to a computer or an ipad or any other technical device that accesses the internet to read your words.  You are publishing just as you would any other periodical.  You are out in the wide world and what you have written has hopefully been written with a mass market readership in mind.  If you do not wish comments on your thoughts, you have the option of turning off the comments on a blog.  If you leave the comments open then you are open to other thoughts by those who read what you write.  And you might not always like the comments because other people might not agree with you, have a different opinion or viewpoint or just be contrary.  We have the option of deleting negative comments.  I see the sense in doing that if the comments are hurtful, spiteful or insulting and not on topic.  If they are on topic, then isn't it part of the blogging experience?

You may not agree with my thinking.  You may feel that a blog is one's personal right to maintain any way that suits.  My question to you is what rights and expectations do we have as bloggers once we have hit that "publish" button?

The One Where I Talk About Honouring...

(a journal page created by yours truly)

There are many aspects of blogging that I enjoy but one that I always appreciate is the feedback on posts.  It's not about the fact that I then know people are reading what I'm thinking, what I'm saying or sharing (although lets face it, that is rather nice!), it's the realization that what I might be feeling, or you might be feeling has been felt by others.  It allows us to connect and from that connection and sharing comes other ideas and other ways to look at a particular situation...that we might otherwise not have considered.  That's what happened with yesterday's post about creating art journals.

The responses made me smile, nod my head and say a very big "YES" to each and every one.  I came away feeling a renewed sense of peace and joy about being creative and what that means to me.    You can read all of the comments here, but one theme that was common was that by taking classes about art journalling we do come away with other aspects of art that are used in other mediums.  Bottom line...nothing is lost in taking classes in subjects in which we have no true interest or true calling.  We can't know that until we try (or in my case, try, and try, and try...).

I cross-posted this on facebook and this comment from my friend Marsha sums it up quite well:

"Being an artist is truly a journey of evolution . . . sampling, tasting, and casting off the old as we continue the search for what makes our individual hearts sing."

Even if you aren't an artist I think this is a universal truth.  When we try new things at any time in our life it opens a window to new opportunities, new ideas, and expanding our minds.  Whether it's trying out a new genre of book (I'm starting a fantasy novel by Patricia Kennealy and fantasy is not an area I would normally venture and I'm keeping an open mind, which is hard because I had already decided that fantasy is silly -- there is hope that I will be proven wrong), a new type of food or wearing a colour you are normally not drawn to.  You won't know how you feel about something until you've tried it.

The fact that I persevered with art journalling as long as I did simply tells me that I love the process or creating the pages.  As you can see by the example above, I do enjoy playing with paints, textures and colours.  It's the actual writing on top of them that I don't enjoy.  I realized from the comments yesterday that I'm not alone in that.  So I now know that I enjoy creating backgrounds and using them for collage.  I remember how much I like working with colour and design.  I know that I prefer to keep my words in a separate place and I recognize, acknowledge and accept that my most comfortable form of communication is with the written word.


Cathy talked about admiration of other people's art journals.  About the fact that she would like to create something similar and there is a large truth in that for many of us.  We see what someone else can do and we want to be able to make that, to create that as well.  But much of the time, that is not to be because that is the other person's gift and all we are meant to do is enjoy and appreciate it.  Kim, on my facebook page, called that "honouring" and I can't think of a more beautiful and humble way to speak our admiration.


The comment that I believe sums it up for all of us is the one left by Susan,

"Dance to your own sweet tune, in the end it is the only one that sounds just right."

Isn't that the truth to every single aspect of our lives? No matter what you do, how you find pleasure in life or how you express to the world who you are...make it your own dance.  Allow others to honour you.

As for me, I'm off to find some paper clay this weekend.  I'm taking a class on making Santos dolls.  No idea what mine will look like, but I'm eager to try my hands at this.

It's a heavy, rainy day and meant to be this way for the duration, turning to light snow sometime during the night.  We haven't seen the sun for a few days so I picked up some yellow tulips yesterday.  They were in the "sale" bucket and were looking a little bedraggled.  Looked to me like they needed to be loved on so home they came and brightly they sit in a jug by the window.  This poor wee one broke before it even made it to the water.  But I could still see the beauty in it's final moments.

Whatever you do this weekend, make it a good one...and find a tune you can dance to.

I Think I've Got It...

(image from Stampington.com)

When I have a revelation of sorts it can take over my thinking at warp speed.  I mean, here I am, it's 3:30 a.m. and I am blogging about art journals.  I'd rather be sleeping, but I am not, and as this is just something I am going through, a phase in my life, I'm going with it.  No longer thinking about it or stressing about it.  It is what it is.  And it will pass.  But on to art journals.

This is something that I have attempted numerous times.  I've bought journals and I've made journals.  I've read magazines about art journaling and some of my dearest friends create the most beautiful art journals.

I've taken courses specifically about art journaling and lately, many of the courses I've been taking have art journaling as a component.  But why do other courses include art journals?  Those who enjoy creating in art journals find the benefit and find a creative outlet that speaks to their nature and their ability to tell their story with images and words.  I see the beauty in being able to do that.  Sadly, I do not seem to be able to do both at the same time.

I start journals and then abandon them like flotsam left floating at the edge of the sea.  Each time I begin a new one I think and I truly believe that this one will be the one I finish.  This time I will embrace this art form and discover what it is I keep trying to find when I open a journal and prepare to let the creative juices flow.

The trouble is, the juices don't flow.  They squirt out in spurts.  My muse doesn't stretch this far and I hit a roadblock, admittedly one of my own making.  I've thought that maybe I need a smaller journal, or maybe it's really that I need a bigger journal.  No, maybe I need to use more pencil and less paint, but that's not it so it must be more paint and less paper, less gel medium, less words...less something.

And it finally hit me.  I don't enjoy it.  I really don't like it.  It's not my thing and it's never going to be my thing.  And that's okay.  Because there are so many other mediums in art and creativity that might be my thing.  Do you know I've been at this for 3 years??  And it's taken me this long to finally see the light??  Hello....wanting to do something and continuing to try to do something is admirable.  But when the rest of you is saying "give it a rest, would you please??" you would think the message would come in loud and clear.  You would think it wouldn't take plenty of money on classes and supplies and numerous attempts to feel the muse dance to the beat.

So that's it.  I surrender.  I'm moving on.  My muse needs another partner and a tune it can dance to.

What do you find yourself doing over and over and over again...even though the result is never as satisfying as you hoped?

12 Years...

I'm in a reminiscing mood today, thinking about the past and the people and remembering.  I wouldn't say that I'm sad or melancholy but I am feeling love and a tender ache.  It never really goes away.  Once you have loved someone that love is real and true and deep.  It isn't something that you can just shut off because the person you have loved is no longer with you.

The little one in the chair with me up there.  She's no longer with us.  She left 12 years ago, quietly, suddenly and by herself.  If anything makes me sad about her death I would say it is that...that she was alone.  But knowing my sister Arlene, although she feared being alone when the time came she would have wanted it that way.  She would have known that I would be the one to find her and I would be the one to take care of things.  That was my role you see.  Big sister, the big sister who could do anything in her little sister's eyes.  The one who could take a problem and fix it or make a bad day better.

Believe me we had our moments.  We were sisters after all.  But underneath the every day and the bad moods or the arguments or the frustrations we might have felt with one another, there was always love.  Straight up, unconditional love.  And we shared laughter....much laughter and many, many good times.

I look at the photograph and even at such a young age I can see that she was preparing to leave me.  She needed me and she looked up to me but always she was ready to go first.   And I'm okay with that now.  I wasn't for a long time.

Arlene was bright and she had her moments of true happiness.  In her later years she had more moments of unhappiness and sadness and a life perhaps not working out the way she had planned.  But it was a good life.  Isn't that true of many of us?  She was a typical younger sister and she would tell you that I was a typical older sister.  Typical or not, we were sisters.  We are still sisters.

I think of 12 years passing and I wonder where that time has gone.  I think of the things that have happened in the world and happened in my world, my children's worlds and know how amazed she would be at changes and things that have happened.  As for the sadness in the world, that I am glad she was never aware of.  She had a beautiful sensitivity and felt things oh so deeply and upset herself over things she could not control.

Arlene left us much too early and much too young.  She left holes in too many hearts but we keep that space available for her alone.  No one else will ever be able to fill that spot...Arlene's name is permanently etched and there will always be room for love.

If I can tell you one thing today it would be this.  If there is someone in your life that you don't see often anymore, for whatever reason, tell them that you love them.  Give a hug if they are physically close to you.  Just touch base.  Because we really never know when that last conversation might in fact BE the last one we ever have.

Working on Those Bat Wings...

(shoulder press image from fitness.dna.net)

So, here's the scoop.  I used one of these yesterday.  Oh yes I did.  As well as something for my chest, and something for the bat wings under my arms and the leg press.  I also used the treadmill and the stationary bike and I put myself through my paces.  The kinesiologist was there and he did see me working myself into a sweat so he knows his sales pitch didn't turn me off my goal.  I rather thought that was a small victory for me.  And I felt for the women I saw being given assessments and hoped that they had as much courage as me to say "I'll wait thank you, until I see how I go."   Back tomorrow for more.  As long as I'm happy doing what I'm doing I see myself continuing with this.  Walking on the treadmill didn't give me a headache as I usually get when I take a walk around the neighbourhood...no hard pavement to pound.  And I impressed myself by turning up the speed.  Mind you, at one point my finger slipped and I could feel the sidewalk moving out from underneath me.  Shades of Lucy & Ethel in the chocolate factory...but I quickly corrected and carried on.

As for Elizabeth and Darcy and P.D. James bringing a murder to Pemberley...I finished the book.  Barely.  And worst of all, I had worked out the ending long before I got there. Always a disappointment to me when that happens.  Usually with P.D. James I never "get" the "whodunit" until she reveals because she has a lovely knack of throwing curves. I had read negative reviews of "Death Comes to Pemberley" and had heard from other people that they didn't like it, but I really needed to read it myself.  When I took it back to the library yesterday I was talking about it with my favourite librarian and she hadn't even been able to get past the first few chapters.  In a word, the book was flat.  I admire P.D. James and her work.  And I admire her for attempting to think as Jane Austen would but that it is a difficult task, one that many others have tried and not succeeded with.  Would I recommend it to anyone?  No.  But I always believe that readers need to make their own judgements.  

I'll soon be starting Amy Chua's, "Battle Hymn of the Tiger Mother", another book that has had some less than stellar reviews.  However, I was reading a blog the other day and the author said that she had seen Amy Chua interviewed on television and it gave her a different perspective on the book.  She read it and thoroughly enjoyed it.  I thought I'd give it a read myself.   Do you read a book if the reviews have been negative or do you try it for yourself?

A Minute on the Lips...

(image from beautyhowtos.com)

Applying lipstick over the valleys and crevices of your at one time smooth lips isn't an attractive look.  Those lines appear whether you are puckering up or just smiling.  One of the tell tale signs of aging.  But they don't have to be there or be strikingly evident.

Lip wrinkles occur due to aging, sun exposure, genetics, lack of hydration (especially in the colder, drier, winter months), thinning and smoking.  This condition can be minimized and done without the aid of injecting toxins into the lips.  Even if I could afford botox, it's not something I would ever consider.

I do have this issue...I lick my lips and I bite my lips and that doesn't help with the issue of dryness.  I know for myself that I need more water.  Drinking 8 glasses of water per day would be an excellent addition to my daily routine but I never seem to stick with it.

The following methods for removing dry skin and wrinkles from the lips at home include:

 Method 1

 You Will Need:

• Gentle Exfoliating Cleanser
• Soft Cloth
• Vitamin E Oil
• Rich Moisturizer
• Lip Balm with Sunscreen
• Water

 Instructions

• It is important to remove the dead skin from your lips, as from the other parts of the body. So, go ahead and wash your lips using the exfoliating cleanser. However, do not put too much pressure, as it can result in chapped lips. Exfoliation will immediately make your lip wrinkles appear shallow.
• Rub Vitamin E oil on the wrinkled area of your skin. Also, apply the oil to the area around your lips. Vitamin E is very effective in making the wrinkled area smooth once again.
• Use a rich moisturizer to moisturize your lips. Follow it up with a sunscreen lip balm. This will help to hydrate the skin cells, make your lips plump and also erase the lip wrinkles in no time at all. Moisturizing also protects your skin from environmental damage.

Method 2

 

You Will Need:

• Papaya
• Honey
• Toothbrush
• Natural Oils (coconut/vitamin E/jojoba oil)
• Cinnamon
• Lip Balm with Sunscreen

 Instructions

• Mix mashed papaya and a small amount of honey to make a lip paste. Papayas are great in making the lips plumper. They will temporarily fill the wrinkles by bringing the blood to the surface of your lips. Apply the paste on your lips and allow it to dry. Rinse it off with water.
• Brush your lips gently with a soft toothbrush, to increase blood circulation and remove the dead skin cells.
• Mix a pinch of cinnamon into natural oils and apply it on your lips. This works well to hydrate your lips and keeps them wrinkle free as well. Cinnamon also increases blood circulation.
• Apply a lip balm on your lips, the one that contains suncreen as well.

Additional Tips

• Take care to drink plenty of water. Have at least 8-10 glasses of water in a day. It not only hydrates your skin, but also keeps your lips in a good shape. Plenty of water will help you avoid and even eliminate lip wrinkles fast.
• Whenever you venture outside or into strong sunlight, make sure that you leave the house only after applying a lip balm with sunscreen in it. It will help to prevent lip sunburn, age spots, skin and wrinkles.

Softer and smoother isn't just about looking good when you apply lipstick.  It's about how you feel about yourself...treating yourself well.  Self care is important at every age.  I'm definitely going to try these ideas.  Heading south for a few weeks means I'd like to be ready for sun, wind and other elements.  Fingers crossed there will be sun!

Austen Meets James...

(image from google.com)

70 pages into this one...

The murder has now occurred...

Not sure how I'm feeling about it...

Love the writing of Jane Austen...

Love the writing of P.D. James, especially the Inspector Dalgleish books...

But I'm not sure I'm ready for those two worlds to collide...

I give full marks to Ms. James for attempting this...

And I'm enjoying it more than I did the Darcys becoming one with the zombies (my imagination just doesn't have the capacity or the elasticity to go that far)...I actually gave up on that before I'd finished one chapter...

But now the Darcys are involved with murder...will they be the next Nick and Nora?  Hammett is deceased so I see no Regency Man series about to sprout...

I'll just have to keep going and hope that the elements of both authors remain intact so that the marriage of the two doesn't end in me filing for divorce from both of them...

...things I'm thinking...

It's mighty cold out there today...even inside I'm hearing the furnace come on more often.  So I'm sitting here on my bed, wrapped in my warm pjs and a robe, with socks on to keep my feet warm, sipping on my first coffee of the day.  It's a nice big, round mug...but I wish it was more like a bowl.  It feels like it's a day for a bowl of coffee.

I'll be off later to collect a child who is feeling under the weather...a cold coming on so he told me when we chatted last night.  First time being sick while away from home and I think a little tlc is what is needed.  I didn't offer for him to come home, I waited to see what he would do.  Called me an hour ago and would I please come and get him.  I think he already knew the answer to that.

I believe he is emotionally tired as much as his body is tired.  This young man has issues around death (as do many of us), and he's been hit with death 3 times in the last 2 months....first his grandmother which wasn't unexpected and she was quite elderly, but it is still loss.  Just before Christmas the mother of one of his friends since grade 7 passed away.  This week the father of his roommate passed away unexpectedly and it means the young man is flying home to the UK for a week.  Even when we are not directly involved in the death, the passing of life, the realization that it could happen closer to home and when there has been so much of it can be emotionally fatiguing.    I think he also needs to just "see" me and be in my presence.  He nearly lost me 6 years ago when he was 13.  You don't forget those moments.  And for me?  I need him to see me, to hug me to touch me and to remember that I am still here and I am in a good place.  Cancer doesn't just disappear.  Cancer leaves scars that we can see but it leaves scars that we cannot see that can be much worse, because they are hidden and it becomes easy to forget that they are there.

I'm reminding myself with everything that I am undertaking this year that it doesn't all have to be done at once.  That I don't have to push to complete and accomplish.  That some things I will start and not finish because they won't be "right" and I'll move on to the next thing which is what I was meant to do in the first place.

I'm thinking of holidays and planning a vacation.  I'm thinking of the beach and how much my soul is craving water time.  I'll have water on the Gulf in Florida, and water on the Atlantic when I'm on Tybee Island and at Myrtle Beach.

(image of Tybee Island from Beaufortcountynow.com)

I'm thinking of girl time and how much fun we're going to have.  I'll have one day with this friend and then I'll have about 3 days with this friend and this friend and how excited I am about the good times and memories we are going to create.

And I'm thinking that it doesn't matter how cold it is here today or if there is going to be snow or if I get to the gym or if I write in my journal or if I clean the bathroom or if I make it into my studio...because I am here.  And I am ever so grateful that I am.

And just as I typed that last sentence the sun burst out from behind the clouds.  Oh Yeah,  I gotta a feeling it's going to be a good day.

The One Where the Gym Sends Me Spinning...

(image from greatist.com)

That would be me today if I looked like that in workout gear...if I wore something like that, my back fat would pop out through the holes and you'd find my photo plastered over those horrible "look how they dress to go to Walmart" pages...but I digress before I even begin...

I don't have enough hands to hold ice packs to the parts of my body that hurt today.  I have muscles aching that I didn't even know I had.  Am I stiff?  Oh just a little.  Am I sore?  Oh hellz yes!!!

The fitness expert who worked with me (not only is he a fitness trainer he is a kinesiologist and in a previous life he was probably a henchman during the Spanish Inquisition, never mind young enough to be my son) was very nice and very helpful.  He talked with me about my goals and my commitment to exercise.  Now, given that I was not a sporty kid nor am I sporty adult, and that I detested phys. ed. class, I'm not sure where I would put my commitment to fitness on a scale of 0-10.  But I do want to do this.  I want to do it correctly and while I am doing it I want to enjoy it.  I don't think that's too much to ask of myself.

I did a few machines, he MADE me do push ups and he MADE me plank!!  Now if God wanted me to be a table he'd have made me out of wood.  But I did it -- or I tried to do it and my whole body was screaming at me "what the hellz do you think you are doing woman??" but I stuck it until I could stick it no more.  I did have some issues with squats and lunges because of my left knee which is in very bad shape but the young man did show me other ways I could do those exercises without hurting myself.  I liked the bike thingy...you can watch tv while you peddle!  And I didn't mind the leg lift machine where I could lift 40 lbs.  for 10 reps each.  Didn't get on a treadmill because he says I need more weight work than cardio to achieve what I need to achieve.  Hmmm.

So at the end of the session where I walk on legs made of jelly and felt like the floor and I could get pretty cozy for just a little while, he sat me down and talked about a personal trainer.  Which I knew was coming and was going to be part of the assessment even though no one even mentioned it when I said "sure" to having the assessment upon signing up for the gym.  The cost?  Astronomical.  Am I worth it?  Sure I am.  But do I want it?  No I do not.

At least not yet.  I want to try the different things and see how I go.  I'm out of shape.  I haven't exercised since I can't remember the exact date in 2011.  I don't want to go to boot camp with a personal trainer.  I want to see how I go and see how I feel and like it before I say "okay, let's get it on" with fitness.  It cost quite a bit to join the gym.  And the personal trainer is double what it cost me to join.  I'll do this.  But I'm taking a page from Frank's book and I'll do it my way until I'm more comfortable going to the gym and making that commitment to be there 3-4 times a week.  I know myself well enough by now to know that someone holding me to a pace they've set is going to turn me off...I'd rather take that risk once I'm established, not from day one.

I could use a good massage right now...sadly my massage therapist doesn't work today...hopefully I can get an appointment tomorrow.  In the meantime I've got a heating pad, hot water bottle, arnica gel and a bathtub that will be calling my name filled with epsom salts!!

Power to being fit and healthy!!!  Ssshhh...I'm trying to drown out the noise my muscles are making....

I Started Young...

Another night of insomnia.  I slept well the night before but tonight...not so much.  So I'm up and I'm working at making myself tired enough to close my eyes and "let go".  I do have a lot of things on my mind and hopefully by writing some of these thoughts that will help me to "let go".

It seems I have this "issue" with letting go of myself.  It's as if I'm holding on tightly and what...I'm afraid to fall asleep?  I don't think that's it.  That I'm afraid I might "miss" something?  Well, that might be a little closer to the mark.

When I was a child I had huge issues with getting to sleep.  Sometimes I would get up, go down the stairs and tell my mother that I couldn't sleep.  I might have been 3 or 4 at the time.  She grew weary of trying to encourage me to sleep so she told me that she'd give me a "pill".  Can you imagine?  It makes me laugh to think of it.  The "pill" was white and it was little and it came in a bottle.  I'd ask if she really thought it would work and after being assured, I would take the pill with some water and off I'd go and amazingly I'd fall asleep.  I didn't need "my" pill every night but it came to the point that when I couldn't sleep I'd just go and tell her I needed my pill.  She started this exercise and she had to go along, otherwise I'm sure she worried I'd be up all night or worse, she would have to come clean and tell me that the pill really didn't "do" anything.  I was learning about placebos even before I knew there was such a thing!  I outgrew that phase and learned later, many years later that "my pill" was in fact a saccharin tablet.  Oh the horror!  The damage that I'm sure was done to my little body by ingesting saccharin!  And how gullible that I believed this sugar substitute had magic powers!

 (image found on etsy from Undoneelectic)

One of the things that would keep me awake at that stage of my life was the fear that things might happen and I wouldn't know about it.  I worried about fire as many young children do, or I worried that something might happen to one of my parents while I slept.  I'd think about something my parents might be doing without me or watching something on tv without me.  I worried myself awake.

I think on some level I have reverted to that 3 year old self who won't let go or can't let go in case something happens.  Something "good".  Even something well, not so good.  I think letting go is something I am going to have to retrain myself to do.

Now, I wonder where I could find a saccharin tablet???

Creativity and Inspiration...

I'm taking Jeanne Oliver's e-course "Creatively Made" and I knew I was hooked after last week.  This week is the 2nd of 4 weeks and I can clearly and honestly say that this is one of the best online courses I have ever taken.  And I've taken quite a few.  It would not only be in my top 5, I would have to say that it ranks as the #1 e-course I have ever taken.

It isn't just about the art.  The art is the icing on the cake and the techniques that Jeanne is sharing have been quite good.  Some that I already knew, some that I did not.  Given that the experience level for this course will range from some people who have never dabbled in or tried their hand at mixed media art and some who do nothing but mixed media, Jeanne is keeping things easy but interesting and showing detailed videos of how she goes through her process.

What I have come to look forward to are the inspirational videos that Jeanne shares each week.  Aside from the videos that Jeanne prepares to talk about the topic of the week and the art videos to be watched, there are other artists who have videoed their responses to specific questions that Jeanne asked, they share their studio space and they share something of themselves.  Quite a few of these artists I already know from reading their blogs or taking e-courses with them.  Some of these artists are new to me and so not only am I learning something about these women and their art I am discovering new people and new ways to look at what creativity IS.

There is a wholesomeness to Jeanne Oliver that shines through her videos.  She is honest, graceful and funny.  As Jeanne sits in her big mustard yellow chair, sipping from her swimming pool of a coffee mug (looks gigantic on screen), you can't help but feel that you are the only one sitting with her, listening to her speak and share her thoughts, ideas and inspirations.  It's like being told a wonderful story and waiting for the next chapter.

I know that the course is closed now but I do hope that Jeanne will offer the Creatively Made course again in the future.  It is well worth the money (reasonably priced as well) and I guarantee that you will feel you have learned more than some techniques to do with creativity...you will come away feeling blessed and nurtured and cherished.  You will feel that life as a whole has much to offer...and that you have so much within yourself to offer the world.  And you can't wait to get out there and do it.

As for these vintage books...this is as far as I have come with any creativity from the class.  I managed to find 3 vintage books on the weekend and have begun taking them apart to work on creating vintage journals.  There is no rush with this and they will be made and I'll share them when they are finished.  For now, it's enough that I have a warm feeling of goodness and joy filling my heart and my mind.  And I'm rather sad that I need to wait another week before the 3rd session is posted.  I just have to keep telling myself that patience is a virtue and the wait will be worth it!  Imagine how I'll feel when the course is over!!!

Layers of Bold Style...

                                  (image scanned from the December 2011 issue of Country Living - British Edition)

I enjoy the British Edition of Country Living so much more than the North American version.  I love the photography, the articles and the general mood the magazine evokes.

When I was reading the December 2011 issue a few weeks ago I stopped full on this article about illustrator Flora Daneman (pictured above).  I was immediately drawn to her sense of style and her casual attitude about dressing, of mixing fabric and pattern and coming up with an outfit that is glamorous but also functional.  Someone who pairs a vintage dress with utility boots, and layers clothing to make an impact epitomizes a style that appeals to me.

What I love about the photo I used is the pairing of floral and tribal.  Tweed and leather and opaque tights to pull it all together.  A chunky necklace works...anything too delicate would be lost and make no sense.

The feel here is feminine yet workable, layered but it looks light.

This is not a style for everyone and many would not like it.  I do.  It makes me feel bold and risky...to step out of the usual solid colours and embrace pattern.  My last two purchases were a black short sleeved cardigan and a blue denim jacket.  I'm not being risky enough -- that's me, continuing to play it safe.  I'll tape this page to my wall/mood board/vision board as a reminder to break free of my limiting style.

Perhaps I'll add a black and white animal print floral brooch to the cardy....that'll be sure to wake it up!

It's About Variety...

Without a long term goal for any project I find myself wilting and losing interest along the way.  Exercise and fitness has been right up there in my top 5 of lacking in long term goals.  Maybe that's why this time around, signing my name to a membership contract felt more empowering.  I do have a long term goal with this ... it's more than just a commitment to myself...it's about being able to get the most out of each day and making a commitment to my family, to be the "best" of me there is to be.

Heart disease is the #1 killer of women and heart disease runs rampantly through my genetics like weeds in a beautiful garden.  If  you don't want weeds in your garden, strangling the life out of the soil and the goodness there for the flowers you've planted, you tend the garden.  That's my visualization for getting fit and staying fit.  Pulling out the weeds, like I pull out those nasty old lady hairs that grow on my chin.  I didn't invite those either, I've made it clear they are not welcome but damn, they just keep coming back!  What's with that anyway??

There is risk involved with this experience.  Sure, there is a risk that I might have a heart attack...my body might go into spastic shock at being put through it's paces.  But I'm talking about other risks...injury certainly given that I do not possess the grace of a gazelle and might fall off the treadmill (it could happen!)...but more than that, the risk to be "seen".  The risk of entering a space I know really very little about and putting myself into a public forum where others might look at me and judge me.  I'm not a size 2 or 4 like some of the women might be.  I am not going out to buy "fancy" work out clothes so I'll wear comfort -- yoga pants, t-shirts, a sports bra but I won't be buying lulu or her ilk.  The thing is, I'm prepared and ready to risk being seen as the woman I am, at the age I am.  I look good, I am not sloppy and I am always pulled together.  I'm not going there to be judged or to be in competition with anyone else.  And what I really know, deep down where it matters...there really won't be anyone looking at me or judging me...the others will be too busy doing their own thing and quite honestly most people don't care about what others are doing...we give ourselves way too much "importance" when we allow ourselves to fall into that trap.  And the worry about being judged?  Something like that is what keeps us from trying in the first place.

What I will treat myself to is a new pair of shoes...these ones have covered some miles.  I used to walk every day, faithfully, covering ground in my neighbourhood and I stopped.  Because I got tired of seeing the same things over and over.  I know that there won't be much new to see while I walk on a treadmill but I won't be just walking...there is a rowing machine and an elliptical machine.  There are weights and pulleys and "things".  It's variety and I think one of the reasons exercise can become stale is that if you have no variety but do the same thing over and over and over...it becomes too easy to lose interest.

Now later today I think I'll go and look for some new shoes....and perhaps a bathing suit for that hot tub!

Working On It...

(image found on google.com)

Yesterday I took the plunge.  In my ongoing commitment to overall health and well being I signed up for a membership at a local gym.  It's not the first time I've had a gym membership but I hope and intend for it to be the last...with the exception of renewing the commitment each year.

The last time I belonged to a gym I signed up for the classes and the use of the pool and hot tub.  I went with a friend and we fully expected that we would encourage one another to make use of the membership and it went swimmingly (pun totally intended) for a few months.  We tried some of the classes and I liked ones that she did not.  She liked ones that I did not.  But we both enjoyed the pool and the hot tub (with the exception of those women who decided that hot tub time meant it was like their personal bathtub at home and that meant being fully exposed and naked) and tried to make it a weekly or twice weekly, three times a week if we were lucky, experience.  And then life did it's thing and she was busy with this or I was busy with that and somehow the membership lapsed and we did nothing about renewing.  

My son has been going to the gym regularly now since November and he has high praise for the facility.  It's close to home and I like the sound of what the gym comprised.  We went yesterday and his presence meant not only that I would stick to my guns and do this, but it enabled me to get a better price on the membership and there's no turning your nose up at that!  Incentives are always and much appreciated!  This membership gives me both use of the equipment and all the classes they run, as well as the pool and the hot tub and praise hosanna, the hot tub is MIXED so there will be no (and there had better not be) any nekkid hot tub time!

I have an assessment with a personal trainer set for Monday morning.  I don't want a personal trainer but this service is offered so that you can meet with the kiniesiologist and he will help you plan what machines will be best for what you hope to accomplish.  From there on, I plan to be a regular.   And most surprisingly, especially to myself, I am actually looking forward to this.

What DO I hope to accomplish?  Better overall health.  Lose some of this menopausal weight that my estrogen left behind.  And sleep better.  I know that exercise and being fit make a lot of difference in many areas of life.  That and the fact that I worked my ass off to stay alive after breast cancer...I hardly think I want to sit around and give heart disease a personal invitation.

What commitment have you made to yourself recently?

A Collaboration of Beautiful Minds & Images...

By now you have noticed this "new" look to my blog.  How many incarnations is this?  I've lost count, but I do know -- this one is the one.  This is the one that will stay for a long time because you see I am finally satisfied.

This is the year of change for me in a number of ways and changing my blog and my banner is just one part of the risk I am getting ready to take.

I'd been scouting around trying to create the look I wanted and couldn't do it myself.  I couldn't come up with the exact pieces to make this work.  I could see it in my mind but was stumbling in the dark to get to the place I wanted to be.

And then I remembered that Caroline at Constantly Evolving creates blog banners using her evocative and artistic photography, so I sent her a message and explained what it was that I wanted.  Do you know how difficult it is to have something you can see in a hazy distance floating around in your mind and then try and explain that to someone who is going to do the design for you?  I knew I had found the right connection when Caroline told me she thought she knew exactly what I was talking about.  

Imagine my delight when the first version of the blog banner was sent to me and there was only one small change I wanted to make.  I explained what I wanted in my very broad terms and within hours Caroline had come back to me with just the very thing I was hoping for.  There are elements in this banner that speak to me on a personal level and the photographs speak to me on so many other levels.

I'm so pleased with this collaboration, although I have to be honest.  Caroline did all the work. I simply had the idea and uploaded the finished product to my blog.

If you haven't ever been to Caroline's blog it's well worth a look.  I guarantee you will be drawn in not just by her words but by the way she has of leaving visual footprints in your mind.  And if you need a blog banner?  I can only express my gratitude and high regard for Caroline's professional and personal attention to detail.

Thanks Caroline..did I tell you lately that you rock?? 

Ramble On....

There is a lot of this going on today -- I'd have known it even if I hadn't looked out the window or heard it banging on the shed outside.  My sinus cavities sent a warning around 2:00 a.m.  My arthritis, not to be left out, stiffened just a little more.  Snow.  We have seen very little of that this winter, and while it is early in the season, I know it will make an appearance.  I believe this rain is meant to turn to snow later today.  I'm not a snow lover, not since I was a child when there was something fun to do with it.  Who knows, the way I feel these days when it finally does snow I might make a fort and throw snowballs down the street or lay on the ground and make snow angels.  Do I really CARE what my neighbours think of my behaviour?  As long as I'm not running around the neighbourhood stark naked, I'm good with whatever they want to think.  It's none of their beeswax anyway!

I'm in the funks of January which seem to happen to me every year.  I don't think it's just the let down of the holidays being over and the sun being out less (we've been blessed with a good amount of sunshine this year so far), it's the upcoming anniversary of my sister's passing.  After 12 years I begin to know the signs of grief surfacing to remind me.  It's not a bad thing, in fact it's a very good thing.  I'm a little more mellow and a little more quiet and every year I feel myself stronger and stronger since the year 2000.  This year I'm sitting back a little shocked that it really is 12 years since she passed away.  Time is so sneaky.

Today is a pajama day -- nowhere I need to be, nothing I need to do, but I admit...after showering I did put on a sweat shirt and yoga pants  instead of the pjs.  Seemed a little pointless to get back into the pjs.  But I've put on no make up, just some moisturizer (got to keep that dry winter crocodile skin supple!) and I didn't blow dry my hair...just fluffed it with a towel and my fingers.

 The other night I made some of these.  The first time I'd tried, let alone made, a lemon drop martini.  It was tart and tangy and just right.  I did make some changes.  Grey Goose?  Yeah, I don't have that.  Oh it's lovely, but I'm not the type to spend the extra money on a brand name.  On wine perhaps.  Vodka?  No.  I don't move in those circles...but if I have too many of these I'm quite certain I'd be moving in circles.  I didn't have any triple sec either but I did have some cointreau...orange is orange is orange...and it was fine.

I think this afternoon it will just be some tea in a pretty cup and I'll watch some of my class videos.  The nice thing about online classes...it doesn't matter how you dress or if you shower. 

And thanks so much for all the comments about online classes and the frustration I've been feeling.  Nice to know that I am not the only one who finds the class support or forum pages filled with too much unnecessary information!

A New Day...

What does a new day bring?  After a full night of sleep (thank you for suggestions, comments, ideas and support!) and the errands that needed to be done in the morning, it brings me to exactly this place, this moment.

I'm taking a couple of online classes --- with Misty Mawn and Jeanne Oliver and I've been watching videos, reading content and absorbing.  There are some people in these classes who have jumped right in and begun to create and that's wonderful for them.  There are others, like myself, who haven't lifted a finger, who are taking this at the pace that "works" best...for me.

Both of these classes have online groups on facebook and that's an excellent place to share questions, work, thoughts and offer one another support.  However, I was beginning to feel overwhelmed with the incredibly large number of emails in my inbox, all to do with these two courses.  There are some people who post 3-5 times in a day (some actually more than that) with their works in progress.  One group in particular is beginning to frustrate me from the sheer volume.  It's due in part to the number of people participating in the class but it is also just the nature of some people, to seek constant praise or critique.

I've learned that online classes are no different from regular in class workshops because people are the same in either situation.  There are some students who are further ahead in skill than others...so you have the novice with the experienced who just wants to brush up on a technique or try something new.  The work is posted and the novice can feel inferior or less or discouraged from continuing.  Obviously if a more experienced artist takes the time to encourage a novice that can make a tremendous difference.  And then there are those who fall somewhere in the middle and it's been my experience that you hear very little from that group as they continue to work away and do what they love simply because they love doing it.

You have the students who constantly need/want/expect the teacher's input -- they are the ones always at the front of the room showing and asking and generally annoying the other students because their need is so great.  It happens online as well.  My inbox is evidence of that.  They don't post online because they are looking for serious critique and advice/opinion...they just want to say "see what I did!".  The only people who ever needed that or got that from me (and will continue to get that from me if they need it) are my children.  That frequent outpouring makes it harder to actually see the work of others, so time needs then to be spent on wading through all the facebook posts.  More power to those who want to constantly share but for me it is time consuming to say the least.

So I have turned off the notifications from facebook to my email.  I will only get the notices from my friends for specific reasons and I can continue with these courses at my pace without the other overwhelming distractions that happen.

Lots more on my mind...making some further changes to my blog and elsewhere and getting ready to take that BIG risk!  And yes, I am thoroughly enjoying both classes!

And I wonder why my brain has been on overdrive!!

Again? Really???

(image from care4healthy.com)

One of the things I notice most as I move up the ladder of years is the poor quality of my sleep.  Years ago I'd be in bed and sleeping by 10:00 or 10:30 p.m.  I was one of those people who, when my head hit the pillow, I would be asleep within 5 minutes. And I'd sleep through the night, with good, deep, quality sleep.  No longer.

Most nights I'm not turning out the light until after 11:30.  I know that I could stop reading and settle myself earlier and very likely I would get back into a new pattern.  Or would I?  I find that I enjoy this evening ritual of reading or making notes to myself as my "quiet" time, and yet it is costing me in more ways than just yawning during the day or feeling a little sluggish.  There are serious side effects to lack of decent sleep.  Weight gain, heart disease, diabetes...all of these can develop due to poor sleep habits.

Last night was another where I found myself tossing, turning and thinking.  I used most of my "go to" remedies of a warm bath, a cup of decaf herbal tea, reading something completely boring and finally I just needed to remain still, close my eyes and wait.  It was past 2:30 and probably closer to 3:00 a.m. before I finally "let go".  Quality sleep?  I doubt it.

Part of the problem is pain.  Post chemo I have developed a constant ache in my left hip.  I put that down to the taxol which does affect bones, muscles and joints while you are having the treatment.  Finding a comfortable position in which to sleep is often problematic.  Massage helps and I am overdue for that.  I use Arnica Gel which sometimes helps and sometimes just a heating pad will do the trick.  When the ache radiates to the small of my back I know I have let it go too long.

Hormones, or lack of hormones is also responsible.  In some ways I was fortunate that chemotherapy put me into early menopause...there was much to be celebrated in no longer needing to deal with feminine issues.  But lack of estrogen is being felt in many ways.  

What I know is that we learn to compensate and we learn other ways of coping.  For tonight I think I'll try two things...getting to bed and turning out the light by 10:30 p.m. and perhaps an over the counter medicine that deals with nighttime pain relief.  

Turning my brain "off" when I get into bed with the lights off?  That's another story!!

It's About Fig...

(image found on google)

Last week I was reading one of the many fashion/style/life magazines that I enjoy browsing through (and yes, sometimes reading the articles...) and came across a piece about Jennifer Aniston.  It was a short question and answer of things Jen likes and what she uses.

One of the products Jennifer mentioned was Estee Lauder's Lip Pencil in Fig.  Apparently this is, and has been the actress's "go to" lip pencil for many years.  Her reason being...it goes with everything.

I love trying out what others recommend.  Sometimes I get lucky and it works for me as well, other times it's a waste of time and money.  Not in this case.  I'm really pleased with this pencil, probably one of the best I have used, and I agree with Jennifer...this colour does work with everything.  Until trying the Estee Lauder, I'd been using MAC Spice lip liner for years and it was great.  Until I tried this and saw the difference.

As we age our skin changes our hair changes and what once looked good on us can also change.  For me, going with the more pink toned Fig has been a less harsh look and a less pronounced look than the brown Spice.  The pencil glides on smoothly and there is no sharpening of the pencil required.  Twist and go.  The round tip on the pencil also means a soft outlining rather than the stark lines that can come with other pencils.

The pencil has a brush at the opposite end which stays in it's pointed shape and I love that.  You can use this brush with any brand of lipstick or gloss, wipe clean and you are ready to go again.  It means packing less in your make up bag with this multi use tool.

The package also comes with a refill pencil and refills are easily purchased at the Estee Lauder counter.   Cost?  I paid $23 US at Macy's in Buffalo and I expect this will last me for some time.  I generally use a lip pencil at least once per day. 

I enjoy talking about style, fashion and design and I enjoy sharing products I have found whether it is by design or by accident.  Perhaps I'll make this a regular weekly feature, a Style Monday section.  

A Winter Sunday Afternoon....

On a winter, Sunday afternoon...this is the only place I want to be...with a glass of red, a good book, or maybe a cup of tea and a magazine...just resting and enjoying the moments.

It's quiet when they go back to school...the routine changes and there is one less at the table...for awhile.  I wonder if he'll miss us, as much as we'll miss him....

Two Decades....

My youngest son is 20 today. Where have 2 decades gone? He himself told me yesterday that he finds it hard to come to grips with the fact that he is now 20. No longer a number in the teens, he is now really an adult.

I look at this picture of The Count holding the number 20 and remember when we would watch "Sesame Street" together. Counting the numbers and imitating the Count with his funny Transylvanian accent. This child was funny though. He knew the numbers and the alphabet before he started school but when you would ask him to recite the alphabet you'd get something like "a, b, c, d, 10, k, 1..." -- all jumbled up. I had some doubts about his mental state! But his teacher assured me he knew both and knew them well. Sums up this young man in many ways. He keeps much about himself and his life close to his chest and shares what he wants, when he wants. If he knows you want an answer but he's not really prepared to share very much, he'll tell you what he thinks you want to hear. It's taken me 20 years to come to grips with that. Clever kid!

Happy Birthday kiddo!

I'm Gonna Be A Regulah...

(image found on google)

Spent an overnight in Buffalo, New York with my oldest.  While I was away in early December, Christmas gifts were purchased (as per ideas and detailed information given to me by youngest) and duly given on the 25th.  Sadly we discovered that sizes in a few things were incorrect or correct sizes did not fit properly.  Which meant returns.  This is the nub of shopping over the border.  Great deals, great items, vast variety, stores that are not in Canada (yet ... Target for one makes it's debut in Ontario in spring 2013) all add to the "thrill" of over the border shopping.  Having to make returns...is not like driving to the local mall.  Plans are for me to be back in the US next month (I have been a frequent flier...what do you call that when you travel by car??) but it would be too late in some cases for exchange/return policies and of course youngest wanted to take any exchanges with him when he leaves for school again this Sunday.

Being away only 24 hours means spending only $50 to bring back into Canada.  I didn't worry about exchanges as that money had previously been spent but of course new purchases and keeping myself to under $50???  Challenge!!  But don't forget my word for 2012 is RISK.  You do the math!! 

I had wanted some perfume/eau de cologne for Christmas but being given a beautiful Mac Book Pro -- who needed perfume??  However, while away I thought I'd get a bottle.  Being gone less than 48 hours meant no duty free shopping either.  So off to Sephora for me.  I was thinking Chanel No. 5 which I haven't worn for a few years but I stopped at the Marc Jacobs display.  It was the packaging that caught my marketing trained eye.  The boxes for all of the Marc Jacobs scents are HUGE.  One of the staff came to help me choose and I went with the Daisy Eau So Fresh, which is a lighter scent than the Daisy itself.  I commented to the young woman about the size of the boxes...yes, he needs the space to accommodate those wild daisy tops on the bottles, but I commented to the woman that I wondered if Marc Jacobs himself is a "small" man.  She didn't know but thought that an interesting assumption.  A google search later that night in the hotel confirmed it -- Marc Jacobs is 5'6".  I'm not saying that he is over compensating for anything...I'm just noting that I psychologically connected the size of the box to the size of the man.  Valid or not, I thought it was interesting.  And for the record I love the packaging, the bottle and the scent.

There were a few other purchases.  A great faux leather jacket by INC in Macy's marked down and an additional 15% off.  The store clerk had assumed I was Canadian and did ask and suddenly I had this 15% discount.  I later learned from a friend here that if you show your Canadian ID at Macy's in the US you are given a 15% discount...Macy's loves Canadians and Canadians love Macy's.  To quote the mother played by Thelma Ritter in the original "Miracle on 34th Street" -- "I'll tell ya, I ain't done much shoppin' in Macy's but from now on I'm gonna be a regulah Macy's customah".

It's always lovely to stay in a hotel (especially one that offers Canadian Traveler deals at great prices!), eat in new places and just be away from the every day routine.  And then there is the crashing back to reality...but only for a short while as I gear up for my next getaway in early February.  This one has MUCH to look forward to!!!

It's Everywhere I Go...

I feel it in my fingers, I feel it in my toes....the Troggs are singing about love...I'm talking about excitement...that feeling that something is about to happen and you feel it from the top of your head to the tips of your toes.  Something that is happening around you but something that you are putting into the universe...a creation that is taking shape and how good it can make you feel.

It's written on the wind...

It's everywhere I go...

When?

                                              (words mine; digital image by Eena's Creations)