Beauty, Charm & Style

I remember when I first realized I needed to take better care of my face and skin.  When I was eight I just scrubbed my face in the tub and went about my day.  But when I was eleven, and a burgeoning woman, with puberty looming over my head, I realized I needed to step up my game.

Going strictly off my commercial watching and TEEN magazine advertisements, I decided makeup remover pads, astringent and my mom’s face lotion was the perfect skin care combination for me.

Following a good face scrub, I wiped the damp pad across my face and tossed the pad in the trash.  Then I soaked a cotton ball in astringent and spread the alcohol laced, sterile smelling potion all over my face.

And then my face began to burn. Beauty is pain, right?

I smoothed over some lotion and looked in a mirror and my face was RED!  Eek!

I ran downstairs, found my mom, she laughed at my red face and I instantly began to cry. After calming me down, she lathered on some super strong lotion and told me to go rest.

I canceled my very important evening plans of a pizza party and a sleep over, and hit the hay early that night, sulking all the way to slumber.

After a good night sleep, the lotion sank in and my when I awoke, my face was back to normal – more or less. It still took about another day to completely heal, but my skin is resilient and it returned to its normal, pre-pubescent state.

The important lessons learned here were that I have sensitive skin, I shouldn’t use alcohol-based products and that my face takes a long time to de-redden.  Luckily, I’ve come a long way since this red-faced revolution and have a better knowledge of what my face needs and what works well with my system.

My mother, my sister and myself (upper right) before I realized the importance of propper skin care.

Good Morning Readers!

Hard to believe it is the last week of July already.  Next week is August and that means back to school season.  I always love this time of year because of tax-free weekend and the great sales on school supplies.  You can never have too many highlighters.

This weeks brings one of my last ideas for summer dresses, a hot new serum for better skin, a natural mascara and an etiquette lesson that will make you sit up and listen – literally.

Talk to you in August (the only month without a national holiday)

Kisses,
Elizabeth

Oh summer, how I have missed you. The grass is greener, the sky is bluer and the sun is brighter.  Yeah, so bright I’m sporting SPF Billion.

And with summer time comes those wonderful local farmer’s markets.

A great way to buy fresh, local foods, farmer’s markets offer its shoppers a wide array of fruits, veggies, cheeses, flowers, breads, meats and fresh squeezed watermelon lemonade. Everyone should make an attempt to visit his or her local market at least once this season.

Lucky for me, every Wednesday the Austin Farmers Market is hosted in the park just a stone’s throw from my balcony. (No really, I could throw a stone at the market, and I throw like a girl)

Markets are great places to socialize, meet new people and hear great local music. Supporting a wonderful system of independent farmers and growers, you also get the opportunity to make good choices about the foods you eat.

Try seasonal fruits and veggies from local growers!

Yes, a Farmer’s Market can be intimidating.  Filled with crunchy hippies, some oddballs and organic crazed moms with baby strollers, a normal person like yourself may feel lost and helpless. Never fear.  Just remember these tips and try to have fun.

1. Not everything is sold at the market is organic, but a good deal is. The banner representing the farm will say if the food is organic, but f you still have questions, ask the folks working the booth.
2. Make a list before you arrive. Knowing that you need tomatoes, apples and basil will help you narrow your search through the many delicious booths.
3. Get to the market at the opening.  This is when leafy greens are at their best because they haven’t sat in the hot sun all day and not everything has been completely picked over.
4. Bring your own big shopping bag.  Make a statement with something handmade or just grab an old Trader Joe’s paper bag.
5. Try at least one new and mysterious food.  Maybe it turns out you LOVE kale. Plus the booth owners are usually great resources for ideas on how to prepare your new adventure food.

Fine your own local markets here, with Local Harvest.

Reader Rejoice!

New Kids on the Block was AMAZING! Old favorites were sung, yard long margaritas were consumed and I got to hang out with two of my dearest girlfriends as we bared the summer heat for the chance to hear, “Hanging Tough.”  Yes, we were on the younger end of the age spectrum, and yes, some ladies brought their children, but for a night, I was just a little girl again listening to my favorite band. Plus Joey is still so cute! (even baby#2 is on the way)

This week I am bringing you some healthy lifestyle blogs and a few great products to get your hands on this summer. An etiquette lesson is also coming this week on something we all deal with – SECRETS.

Enjoy this week and take some time for yourself and really try to medidate on how great life is.  Even if its 15 minutes wandering around the floral department at the grocery store – try to stop and smell some roses.

Kisses,
Elizabeth

I like art. I like to make art, to look at art, to learn art and to collect art.  But I am also poor.  Well, young 20s, with student loans, eating Ramen and heading back to graduate school. That doesn’t mean I don’t want to have great art decorating the walls of my house.

Birthe Piontek's "Untitled"

I certainly can’t afford to go to Christie’s Auction House and collect the fines pieces of art from around the globe, or even signed prints from the downtown galleries.  And with the economy is a state of emergency; I don’t have bundles of cash to throw around artists commissioning works of art and portraits of me riding a horse. This is why the Internet is so great, and why I love 20×200.

Run by NY gallery owner and art aficionado, Jen Beckman, 20×200 is an online gallery that sells limited edition prints and supports emerging artists and collectors. 20×200 makes art available for everyone offering 200 small, 20 medium and 2 large sized editions, ready to purchase online. Every single print is delivered with a certificate of authenticity numbered by the artist. Its art is legit.

Marcie Paper's Unititled #76

Having been a subscriber to the site for almost a year, I have only bought two prints, and I love them both.  Professionally framing each print, the two hang up in my house next the other bits of art I have collected over the years.  It’s a nice feeling to know I own art, as well as know I’m supporting a generation of young artists that will be greatly effected the economic crunch.

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