November 30, 2007

Magical Rainy Day Schedule.

Today was actually a rainy day here in Phoenix. These days are so rare it's ridiculous, so when they present themselves, I take full advantage. I stayed inside all day working on projects, wrapping gifts, doing crafts and writing out x-mas cards. I had candles burning, ate soup for lunch and sipped hot herbal tea while hanging out in my comfies all day long...it was heaven. The rain fell from the sky all day. I sat by the window and watched with delight as the tips of tree branches dripped into puddles, and passing cars sprayed water on the sidewalk. There is something about the rain that makes me stop rushing and just be.

November 29, 2007

Apron Strings.

I'm sitting here in a computer trance at 11:30 pm obsessing over this apron....

Is this not adorable?!? Unfortunately, it's sold out at the moment. I'll just have to wait and see if the obsession remains when it's finally in...

Beauty Review.


I thought I'd share something I've been learning a lot about lately, and hopefully enlighten those of you ,who care, about what is actually in a lot of our beauty products. I am obviously not a health care professional. I do care a lot about health and wellness, therefore read and research whenever possible. Here is some interesting data:

  • Unlike (most of the) food and drugs we ingest, the cosmetic industry requires NO pre-market safety tests, monitoring, or labeling. That’s right companies can put virtually ANY ingredient into personal care products.

  • The European Union has made major advances in the regulation of cosmetics in the past several years and has banned the use of substances classified as carcinogenic, mutagenic or toxic for reproduction in cosmetic products. Unfortunately, the US hasn’t yet followed in these footsteps!
Here's some food for thought:
  • The average consumer uses between 15-25 personal care products per day! Many of those products contain hundreds of dangerous synthetic chemical compounds.

  • The largest organ in our body is our skin. What you put on your body, you literally absorb!

  • Chemicals like parabens, which are synthetic preservatives found in shampoos, make-up foundations, shaving gels and even food, have a chemical structure similar to estrogen which interferes with production of the body’s natural hormones and more importantly, contains potential links to cancer. Parabens are absorbed through intact skin and from the gastrointestinal tract and blood.

  • U.K. researchers found measurable concentrations of six different parabens in 20 human breast tumors. The study highlights on the potential link between products containing parabens and increased breast cancer risk.

  • Look for words like methylparaben or propylparaben in the ingredients of beauty products. Also, any personal care product that says "EU compliant", which means European Union compliant, is pretty safe to use.

Much more information can be found on The Campaign for Safe Cosmetics website with sections on lead in lipsticks, etc. There is also a cosmetics database site, run by an environmental working group, that allows you to search any beauty product and see their rating on its safety based on ingredients. I use this a lot! I also, now try to buy all my beauty products at Whole Foods. They have a great section with everything from nail polish and face powder, to lotion and shampoo/conditioner.

Whew! I know that was pretty long...I wanted to make sure to give you all the information I had. I think it's so important to be aware of our own health, and what we are doing to hinder it or contribute to it. It's a shame that we have to be our own advocates, since their are so many loopholes in the FDA right now. Little changes everyday can make a big difference in the long run!

November 26, 2007

The Classics.

The other day while having my hair colored at the salon, I picked up a Harpers Bazaar and came across a list of "classics". I thought that I'd share them, since I absolutely agree...


I love everything on this list...but will have to continue dreaming of an Hermes Birkin or Kelly bag, since they start at about $7500. I will probably, also, never own Louis Vuitton luggage - given the price and the fact that I kick and beat my luggage while traveling. I will, however, try and hold out for a classic watch one day. Meanwhile I am going to clean out my closet and try to get back to the classics. No matter what you wear, I believe that:

"Great style happens when a bit of attitude meets a lot of confidence."


-Natalie Massenet, founder of net-a-porter.com



The luckiest dog alive.

As I passed the couch, carrying armloads of laundry, I caught a glimpse of Brooks in just another moment of his lovely little life. There he was wrapped up in a blanket on a cloudy, cold morning...I hope he knows how lucky he is.
Of course, after I snapped a photo, he looked up...
got annoyed and turned away.
Yup...luckiest dog in the world.

November 24, 2007

Downtown.

Well, Thanksgiving is over and the Christmas holidays are officially upon us. I vowed not to indulge in the black Friday madness at the malls, but did hit a few downtown spots. First, Keri, Kaylie, Kendall and I headed to downtown Mesa to have lunch and hit some of the adorable shops down there. Here is our favorite little shop, appropriately called, domestic bliss.

Then, I met J. over in downtown Scottsdale and we went to the mix which is a new collection of shops all under one building along the canal. It's was pretty interesting...J. loved it because it was bustling with Scottsdaleites. I think I'm partial to the charm of domestic bliss and company in downtown mesa. Oh well...something for everyone. Now, I am off the do more shopping!

November 22, 2007

Happy Thanksgiving


I hope everyone has a wonderful Thanksgiving...

November 21, 2007

Oh Rats!

My mom used to always say "Oh Rats!" when something didn't go her way...I thought it was hilarious. Now, we actually have rats in our attic and it's anything but hilarious! We started to hear scratching Monday night around 11:00 pm and then last night again. I have a HUGE rodent phobia and have been edgy ever since the first scratch. Unfortunately in the area where we live, they are a problem. A nice man came over this morning and set traps all over the roof so we can catch that no good, dirty RAT! Here's hoping...

November 20, 2007

Here we go...

Well, I am finally starting a blog...and I am quite excited about it. I love reading other's blogs and thought it would be fun to add my own little touch to this vast blogland. Stay tuned for fun and interesting posts...