Cosmetic tattooing

As a blond, I constantly struggle with my makeup, especially my eyebrows. You can barely see them. One brow is so blond that it blends in with my face and the other just stops half way across the top of my eye. For years I have had to color them in with powder. I don't use a pencil because I don't know how and it looks ridiculous.

Everyday brings a different brow shape. Sometimes, I look happy...too happy, sometimes I look sad or even mad.

This frustration has me considering eyebrow tattooing. Cosmetic Eyebrow Tattooing is done the same way as regular tattooing. A tattoo gun, which automatically dispenses inks to the area to be tattooed, is used for the procedure. The inks, which are delivered below the skin, are made of iron oxide or titanium dioxide pigments.

I wonder however, about the long term affects. As I get older and my brow drops a little, won't the tattoo separate from my nature brow? How weird would that be? I suppose that is a question I would have to ask the doctors. And, since cosmetic tattooing is considered to be somewhat artistic, I would have to find a specialist who is certified by the American Academy of Micropigmentation and oh yeah, I would have to pay them $400 and $600 an hour. So, moving on.

Yesterday I found a website called eyebrowz that offers stencils. Check out how it works below......

......and at $14.95 plus $2.99 for shipping this seems to make much more sense for me.

Unplugging your refrigerator?

What a great weekend here on the east coast. I got so much accomplished. I relaxed by the pool, hung out with friends, cleaned the house and finally got to make that dent in the carbon footprint I have been talking about.

The New York Times reported awhile back that a small, but growing, segment of the US population is choosing to ditch the fridge permanently. The carbon savings, not to mention the savings on the electricity bill are not necessarily huge, but some feel this is just the next thing on the long list of climate-saving actions like buying a Prius or changing to compact fluorescent light bulbs.

How Does it Work?

They are using small coolers, filled with plastic water bottles and keep a tiny fridge around for freezing the water bottles and for a few odds and ends. As the anti-fridge movement is growing, websites are being created to share tips on food prep and storage, as well as, ways to still keep your food cold.

Those already using a bean and grain diet, are able to get away without a fridge at all and have an easier time making the jump while others are trying the seasonal foods and more fresh food route.

How Much Energy Does a Fridge Use?

A standard Energy Star fridge uses about "380-kilowatts a year - less than a standard clothes dryer - and costs a homeowner $40 a year, or about 11 cents a day." Downgrading to a smaller, mini-fridge only saves about $6 a year.

Something like this sure takes a lot of preparation and if you ask me, a bit of a sacrifice while not reaping that much of a savings. I understand the need to reduce our carbon foot print. Really, I do and I totally agree that if we all took small steps, but I for one, can't commit to losing the fridge.

So, for now unplugging the second fridge in the basement is going to have to be good enough.

Remember, the difference is all in the baby steps.

Beach Book Swap

I was reading my Better Homes and Gardens magazine yesterday and came across this really cool idea.

The article started off talking about a "beach book." You know the ones you blow through while on vacation when you haven't read any other books all year, but suddenly have the time during vacations and holidays. I have those books. They are not normally books I want to hang on to nor will ever read again, but they were good and I hate to get rid of them.

BHG's fun solution is a beach-book swap. They recommend inviting friends over for cocktails and appetizers and asking them to bring their easy-to-read paperbacks. You then arrange these books on the table, so that everyone has a chance to browse through them and stock up on some new material. Sounds fun!

If you'd rather not have people over or don't want to admit you read trashy paperbacks, you can join an online book club like paperbackswap.com, where you earn credits by sending your used books to people who request them. You then redeem the credits to order whatever books you want to spend quality "sand time" with next.

Change of plans

I know I said I was going to blog about cellulite all week, but it's depressing me and honestly it's boring! So, I am pulling rank and changing the subject. Can you pull rank on yourself?

Yesterday was Hannah's 9th birthday (my baby). It's a tradition in our family to take the kids to dinner on their actual birthday, so they feel like they did something on their actual birth date. This usual hold them over until we can find a day when all family members converge on our house for a big celebration.

Hannah chose Friendly's for her birthday dinner. While we were there we met Ms. CT. She was there helping the Vietnam veterans raise money. I am not sure of the connection between the two, other than she probably has to do good things and since 10% of everything spent went to the vets, I would say that was a good thing.

Hannah had her picture taken with Ms. CT. That was pretty cool. The crown on Hannah's head is Ms. CT's Suffield crown (that is a town in CT where she lives) and the crown on her (Ms. CT's) head is her Connecticut crown.

She was really sweet, very pretty and older than we would have expected. While talking to her, I learned that she is 41-years old and has 3 teenagers! That is really cool! It seems that she beat out a whole bunch of girls in their 20's. I bet that didn't go over very well.

It just goes to show that even us old chicks, still got it! You go girl!

How to minimize cellulite's wrath

Diet and exercise can minimize the look of cellulite from the inside out. Exercise aids circulation and can minimally break up fat while certain foods improve circulation and strengthen skin.

Eat foods that help build collagen and elastin, like lean meats, eggs and whole grains. Raw fruits and veggies help with hydration and anti-oxidants, while good oils in black cod, almonds, flax seeds and walnuts help build skin cell walls. No time to cook? You can also take supplements to reap similar benefits.

Tomorrow I will tell you about a cream that actually works to help reduce the appearance of cellulite.

Cellulite 101

This week I plan to focus on cellulite and stretch marks. Two fun topics, right? I have both and have been researching various ways to get rid of both. Really diminish the look,not get rid of it because we know that is not possible, but researching a product that actually works to diminish it.

Cellulite, for the most part is genetically inherited. But cellulite starts with poor circulation. Circulation usually feeds the dermis (middle layer) of your skin to keep it strong -- but when circulation is poor (as in sedentary lifestyle, smoking, poor nutrition), the dermis becomes weak and it can't hold down the layer of fat below it. The fat layer then migrates into that middle layer of skin, creating that lumpy, cottage cheese look.


My research has shown that there is no cure for cellulite, but you can minimize the appearance of it. Stay tuned this week for more....

Fairy tale wedding...

I could start this post out by telling you a story about a bride, a groom and their fairy tale wedding, but I’d be lying.

Let me rewind. My family and I arrived at my nieces wedding on Saturday a little before the noon start. While waiting and mingling with the others, we heard that many of Lindsay and George’s guests were stranded by hurricane warnings on the East Coast and would be unable to make the wedding. My own brother and his family finally got a flight out of New York at 2am. Arriving to Florida somewhere around 5am and then after getting their luggage and car began their 1 ½ hour drive. They were exhausted, but they made it. How horrible for Lindsay and George to have so many people not with them on their special day. As it turns out, that would have been the good news. Keep reading...

The day was beautiful! Guests lined the two docks that lead to the gazebo where Lindsay and George would be married. The music began and in came the wedding party. First the parents of the groom, then the mother and brother of the bride followed by the beautiful bridesmaids and handsome groomsmen. Oh, to be young again. It was so romantic.

My eyes filled with tears as Dan (my brother-in-law) walked Lindsay down the isle. I couldn't help but think of my own children and how bittersweet this must be for parents. But, you couldn't have ask for a nicer day. The sun was shining, the sky was a perfect shade of blue with white puffy clouds and everyone looked so nice.

The ceremony moved quickly with Lindsay and George preparing to say their vows (my fave part). My throat began to choke up with excitement. This was it, the moment when our “little” Lindsay would become a wife and then….plunk. Yup. I said it, plunk. The wedding ring went right into the lake. I joined the other guests in a collective gasp. We all watched in disbelief as George hit the ground in a last ditch effort to grab the diamond wedding band. No one moved. As George slowly stood up with his head in his hands, I cried. We all just watched and waited. Without hesitating, Lindsay took George’s arm in her hands as if to say, it's okay, let’s just keep going. Just then her dad stepped forward and handed George his ring and the ceremony continued.

I was so proud of Lindsay and George. So many things could have happened at that point, but they went on, both with a smile on their face. Whether they were fake smiles or not, none of us will ever know, but if their strength together that day is a glimpse into their future, they are going to be just fine.

As my sister-in-law said afterwards, it was as if her dad had come to her rescue one last time. Not necessarily true however, her dad came to her rescue one more time when he had divers search the murky lake to find the ring and, that is just what they did.

Did I say this was NOT a fairy tale wedding? That is exactly what it was.

More pics of "our" fairly tale wedding.