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July’s Bucket List!

With the kids off at camp, my husband and I have the whole month to ourselves. Before leaving, eleven year old Emma and nine year old Sam told us they’d make a list of things we should choose from for the month that they’ll be gone. Since I’m still waiting for those first camp letters with those suggestions it looks like I’ll have to come up with some ideas of my own.

EAT: I plan on experimenting with lots of new recipes. Pinterest (click here to see mine) gives me tons of amazing ideas, very high on this list is Lobster Rolls! Since I’m not sure if a trip to Maine or Cape Cod is on the agenda this summer it’s high time I mastered the making of a great lobster roll myself and who better to teach me than Martha. Click here for her recipe. If they turn out great you just might get an invite!

PRIMP: Classic and understated elegance is one thing (okay…maybe two) but every now and then you need to push the beauty envelope. I’ve already told you about my low-key manicures, but at a Jamberry Nail event last week I was so taken with their nail wraps that I’ll be taking a different approach this season. They’re non-toxic, inexpensive, easy to do and come in over 250 designs–the hardest part is choosing! Click here to see styles.

LIVE: I plan on having lots of play dates. Yesterday Eric and I hopped on our bikes and indulged in a fun, meandering, wind-in-our-hair sort of ride. (I promise, next time I’ll wear a helmet!) No clock-watching, no schedule…just playing like we’re kids again. It’s too easy to get caught up in the day to day minutia of life…Make time for play!

 

Best Reason for Waterproof Mascara? Camp!

It feels like yesterday that I was dropping Emma and Sam off at preschool. While the other kids sobbed and screamed clinging to  legs, my kiddos ran right into the thick of things checking out toys, the teacher and all the new faces. If at first I felt that something was amiss, the teachers stepped in and I was quickly assured that I had obviously done something right, my children were confident and secure–they’d thrive! A few years removed from this incident and I’m left wondering what those other parents were told. No doubt it was something to make them feel equally comforted. Even though it feels like it to me, it wasn’t yesterday that I was dropping them off at preschool. A few days ago they graduated from 5th and 3rd grades and in less than a week they’re headed to sleep away camp for the very first time.

Though Emma and Sam are overjoyed at the thought of a month away from home to swim, hike, learn to waterski, sign up for sports and activities, be in a band, a play and participate in color war, I’m having a much harder time. They’re looking forward to meeting new friends and telling stories around a camp fire, I’m thinking about how quiet the house will be.

In all fairness, I knew this day was coming. My husband was a camper from the age of seven practically until he went off to college. When we were dating he actually took me to see his camp! He has lifelong friends from those long-ago summers and one of his old bunkmates even officiated at our wedding so it was only a matter of time. I do know they’ll have the time of their lives, but I sure wish I had some words of wisdom from those teachers now. One thing I do have is waterproof mascara…I have a feeling I’ll be needing it!

I love L’Oreal Voluminous Waterproof Mascara, $7.99 at ulta.com. It gives me gorgeous lashes that won’t smudge or smear, no matter how many tears may fall.

xoxoNancy

(photo courtesy of www.shopping.com)

 

 

 

 

 

A Posthumous Letter to my Dad…on Father’s Day

Dear Dad,

This is a hard one…it’s the first year that I won’t get to personally hand you a Father’s Day card and tell you how much I love you and give you a big hug and wish you a happy father’s day. You won’t be at the family barbecue and you won’t be saying that my cake is the best you’ve ever tasted. If I was giving you a card I’d tell you how thankful I am for all you’ve taught me, like…

  • family is everything.
  • make friends from all different walks of life–it’s what makes life interesting.
  • a little beef jerky can fix anything.
  • the importance of hard work and even harder play.
  • never chase a bet.
  • it’s nice to reminisce–the good old days really were good days.
  • there’s nothing better than bagels & lox for Sunday brunch.
  • keep learning.
  • always make room at the table when a friend stops by.
  • there are do-ers and there are talk-ers. Be a do-er.
  • treat everyone with respect, regardless of their station in life.
  • help when you can.
  • don’t let others drag you down.
  • life is too short…even when you live to be 85!

Today is 295 days without you and not a day goes by that I don’t think of you and miss you. I will always love you and I will always remember. xoxoNancy

The Bar Scene

Product Review: Lather Vanilla Bean & Shea Soap, $8, available at lather.com.

My name is Nancy and I’m an addict…addicted to soap that is. I’ve yet to meet a bar that didn’t make me want to put it right up to my nose and sniff it. Or immediately rush home, rip off my clothes and step into the shower with it. Over the years, I’m sure I’ve had well over a thousand bars of soap in my stash, some used to freshen drawers and closets, some used as party favors, and of course the majority used to shower and bathe. I just can’t help myself and really, do I need to?

Lately I’d been eyeing one sitting near the top of the pile. Lather Vanilla Bean & Shea Soap is said to work well for all skin types, but is ideal for normal to dry skin thanks to an olive oil base with added shea butter to soothe and soften.  It also contains organic vanilla bean powder to gently exfoliate skin as well as vanilla and lemon essential oils for a warm, happy scent.

Lather Vanilla Bean & Shea Soap  is even better than I expected! After wetting it under the warm spray, it lathered nicely and smelled delicious, but what really got my attention was the vanilla bean powder which you could actually feel–it was grainy to the touch. I rubbed it all over my body, being gentle on the more sensitive areas and using a more vigorous approach on others.

This soap smells amazing and my skin feels fresh, clean, soft, smooth and moisturized. I highly recommend it! Treat yourself, help the world! For every olive oil soap sold, LATHER with donate the equivalent of five bars of soap to Clean The World, a non-profit organization that recycles and distributes soap around the world to people in need.

 

 

Flutter Bys!

I’ve got bugs and insects on the brain thanks to the thousands of cicadas I’m left to dodge daily–they blanket the sidewalks and street during my morning run. Creepy crawlies are most definitely not my thing, but butterflies that flutter by…they can hang around me any day, any way. Unfortunately their season is short-lived, which is why I’m drawn to anything with a butterfly on it. If you like papillons (and who doesn’t!) I know you’ll love these:

Butterfly Book Plates, $10 for 5 at bespokecustomgifts.com. Some books are keepers! If you lend out your favorites the way I do, I highly recommend you write your name inside…or  better yet, attach a personalized book plate to the inside cover so there will be no mistaking ownership. Know an avid reader or recent grad? These gorgeous butterfly book plates make the best gift when paired with a book. At only $10 for a set of 5, I plan on stocking up!

Museum Quality Insects Collection – Butterflies, $2229 at theevolutionstore.com. I’ve been eyeing this (and dropping major hints) for years! If I ever have a few $thousand lying around that isn’t earmarked for bills, the college-fund or a family vacation, this is the first thing I’ll buy!

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Beach Babes!

A few days ago, I got 4-5 inches cut off my hair. It’s still below my shoulders, but what a difference…my dry, fried ends are gone! My daily use of a flat-iron got me in trouble. I know that summer is extra hard on your hair–the sun, chlorine and weather-induced over styling can all take a toll. My plan? To avoid heat appliances as much as possible and use a weekly deep conditioning treatment.

If I’m going to stick to this less is more approach with styling I need an option besides pulling it back in a ponytail or putting it up in a top-knot, neither of which will make me a slave to a blow-dryer. For hair inspiration I looked to Gisele, Sienna Miller and Alexa Chung, all modern style icons and all known to sport variations of the beachy wave style. No matter what length your hair, the key to pulling off this subtle “non-styled” style is long layers.

  1. Begin with freshly washed and conditioned hair.
  2. Apply your product. Use a texturizing cream or sea spray for fine, straight hair, a styling lotion for medium, straight or slightly wavy hair and styling cream for thick, wavy to curly hair. To do, rub a bit of product in hands, from palm to fingertips and take random sections (choose slightly different widths) and cover each section from root to end as you twist it. This look is all about separation and this is how you get it.
  3. Air dry or use a diffuser to keep the wave or curl intact and don’t touch. When completely dry, loosen a bit with fingers.
  4. Spritz with a light-hold hairspray if desired.

Products to try: Ouidad Wave Create Sea Spray, $23 at ouidad.com, Kiehl’s Creme with Silk Groom, $18 at kiehls.com or Bumble and bumble Curl Conscious DefiningCreme, $29 at sephora.com

(photo courtesy of whowhatwear.com)

 

 

 

Look What I Found…Your New Summer Bag!

New season, best reason for a new bag!

For day, play and evening:

Sturdy leather on canvas with a nautical motif. Pottok Geoff McFetridge Canvas Tote in Charcoal Wales, $165, at pottokprints.com.

Boho vibe with leather trim, wool exterior and canvas interior. Mexican Bazaar, Blue Leather Tote, $105 at shoplatitude.com.

Envelope style straw bag with gold metallic threads woven throughout. Hat Attack Clutch, $78 at clubmonaco.com.

(photos courtesy of pottokprints.com, shoplatitude.com, clubmonaco.com)

Loud Mouth!

I love the  latest summer makeup look–a swipe of lip gloss and little else. For daytime stick to pale pinks, nudes and sheer coral glosses. For evening, go bold with orange, red, fuchsia or plum.

Glossy lips call for minimal makeup everywhere else. After moisturizing, cover up blemishes and circles with concealer or use a beauty balm if more all-over coverage is needed. Give eyes a touch of pale, neutral shadow and a coat or two of mascara on upper lashes only. Swipe on gloss and your done!

Three Favorites:

Girlactik Star Gloss in Orange Twist, $18 at girlactik.com. A long-lasting sheer apricot that works for all skin tones.

Clarins Crystal Lip Gel in Crystal Plum, $22 at macys.com. Glides on smoothly and has a wonderful blackcurrant fragrance.

Chanel Glossimer in Wild Rose, $29.50 at nordstrom.com. Super-shimmery and extra-shiny.

 

The Hot New BB Cream? A CC Cream!

The hot new BB Cream is a CC Cream!

Beauty Balms (aka BB Creams) have enjoyed their time in the spotlight thanks to multiple benefits of an all-in-one moisturizer, primer, sun protection and a light foundation. Color Correctors (aka CC Creams) are the latest take on this craze. Similar to the BB Cream they do all of the above but also address specific complexion concerns like dullness or discoloration while adding a bit more coverage. Both are lighter than your traditional foundation.

Your skin type, desired coverage and even the weather (dry vs. humid conditions) will all influence your preference.

BB & CC Beauty Tips:

  • Apply sunscreen before your BB or CC Cream to ensure you’re getting adequate sun protection.
  • Blend with your usual foundation when looking for more coverage.
  • If skin is oily, use it as a primer to help set your makeup. If skin is dry, mix in a little moisturizer for extra hydration.

To Try:

Smashbox Camera Ready CC Cream Broad Spectrum SPF30 , $42 at sephora.com

Ole Henrikson Perfect Truth CC Creme Broad Spectrum SPF30, $36, available at sephora.com

Urban Decay Naked Skin Beauty Balm Broad Spectrum SPF20, $34, available at sephora.com

 

Sole Searching…

I’ve done a bit of sole searching…for the perfect flat that is, and I think I’ve finally found it in Tieks by Gavrieli.

I’ve always loved the look of ballet flats, but have never found one with enough arch support and a comfort level that makes me want to wear them all day. Until now. Tieks by Gavrieli are made of fine Italian  leather, available in a slew of colors and patterns, have a non-skid blue rubber sole and are even designed to fold and fit in a purse. They’re not inexpensive, but sometimes you really do get what you pay for.

Here, the reasons they’re worth it:

  • Cushioned back so the heel never chafes.
  • Foldable, compact and lightweight so on your feet or in your purse they won’t weigh you down.
  • They’ll stretch and mold to your feet becoming so comfortable you won’t want to take them off!

Tieks by Gavrieli, prices start at $165, available at tieks.com.

(photo by Tieks by Gavrieli)

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