Olay versus Origins - Skin Care Contest

When I was a teenager, my Mom spent the family budget on skin care.  We ate beans, meatloaf with too much filler, and Poke Salad that we picked out of the woods...but Mom had her skin care.  Period.  And it was Bonne Belle 10-O-Six and a myriad of other products that kept her skin dewey and flexible until the day she passed to heaven.

Every night, she would quietly bring her Bonne Belle, cotton puffs, and moisterizers from the tiny bathroom that served the whole house, and place them on the coffee table.  Sitting on the sofa, she would begin her regimen in front of the TV.  I can still remember the fragrance of that cleansing lotion, and see her serene face as she moved through one of her favorite routines of the day.  After she was finished, she would offer her sweetly cleaned and moisterized face up for a good night kiss, and the feel of her skin when I leaned in to her was like rose petals. 

When she died, she still had one of the most beautiful facial skins I have ever seen...small pores, moist, and peachy.  Somehow, I didn't copy that regimen, and my facial skin has suffered sorely from too much sun, too little cleansing, and general lack of care.  Until I turned 50 and got a new driver's license photo - and started with Olay products.

Then I discovered Origins on a Christmas shopping trip for my staff, and instantly and forever was hooked on their Ginger Souffle for a body moisterizer:

 This, Girl Friends, is about all you will ever need to feel pampered, even if you can't afford anything else.  The delicate fragrance transports you to Tahiti, and makes you think you are in a sarong with a flower lei wrapped around your long flowing tresses...

In a place that looks like this:

Images from Link

Once I was introduced to Origins, I began my foray into more expensive skin care.  I didn't take the total plunge into one specific brand until last Winter - it was the perfect time, since Origins had a great intro program in place that included free facials, a foot massage, and a make-over for free.  I came out of there with glowing skin, happy feet and over $350.00 of products.

They sent me home with a hand-written regimen, and this:

I know.  You are thinking, What Is All This Stuff??

I was assured by my Origins advisor that I did, indeed, need all of them, because they were designed to work together.  I did leave one behind, over her strenuous objections.  Over the months, the Make A Difference Toner has become one of my favorite routines of the day...maybe nostalgia for Mom?

But the rest of the products?

After 5 months, I saw no difference in puffiness, age spots, eye wrinkles, or overall improvements in my skin.  If anything, it felt a little irritated, too greasy,  and more fractious than usual.  I simply had too much product.

I'm sorry, Origins.  Because I do love your Ginger Souffle.

As their products were depleted, I turned back to my old standard: Olay.

Love these cleansing cloths for when I'm in a hurry.





But this is my fave cleanser: Their Age Defying Classic Cleanser just makes my skin feel good and clean, without drying it out - I feel smooth and refreshed after rinsing.  I follow this with Origins Make A Difference Toner, which zings my skin and sets the stage for moisturizer:

I use both of these, one for night and the other for day.  Doesn't matter which way.  I worried that I wasn't getting all the product out with the pump, but when I actually took the Total Effects jar apart when I hit bottom, I have to say I was truly at the bottom.  Not enough left for even one more slather.


Bottom line, Olay is MUCH less expensive and I don't have to fend off the hard sell that always comes when I walk into an Origins store.  Not as special to purchase my skin products in a grocery store, but less combative.  And my skin is happy.  Fine lines are reduced, but age spots aren't - but  then Origins didn't reduce those, either. 


Just goes to show, Don't Put Your Unshielded Face In The Sun.  If you are over 50, here is the proof:  raise your arm over your head and look at the skin on the underside, just before the arm pit.  Smooth and silky, right?  And no brown spots.  That's because it hasn't been in the sun.  That could have been your facial skin...  I'm off to shower and do my sit ups!

Loosing Weight With My New Gravy

I have to admit to a particular love for gravy and sauces.  Which helped pack an extra 25 pounds onto my small frame.  But I am here to announce my New Favorite Gravy, that is Good on Everything, and has only 35 calories in a half cup.

Mexican Salsa Verde!  Even Husband likes it, and slathers it on chicken or fish with abandon.

Here's how you make it:

Take 6 Tomatillos

Husk them and rinse in cool water - their skin is a little sticky.  Cut them in half and drop them in a saucepan.  Add 3 Garlic Cloves that you've smashed and peeled, 2 or 3 jalapenos that you have sliced open and removed the seeds and ribs from.

Some recipes call for Serrano Peppers, but I love the zip from jalapenos...

Just crush and peel the garlic

No need to chop anything, you are going to put all this in a blender in a few minutes.

Rough chop and toss in half of a big Vidalia Onion

Add water to cover and put on stove - bring to a boil, then turn it down and simmer for about 12 minutes, or until Tomatillos are tender.  Drain the mixture and set aside to cool down a little.

Chop the stems off a bunch of Cilantro, cut the bunch in half, and get your blender or food processor out.  Put the slightly cooled mixture in the blender along with the Cilantro and a good pinch or two of sea salt.  Blend until chunky-smooth, and pour it out into a bowl.  That's it!  Let it sit for an hour (overnight is even better) to allow flavors to develop, and then go to it.

I promise you, your mouth will be pleasantly surprised - it is a little tart, is piquant from the jalapenos,  and has a subtle garlic back-flavor that complements everything we've put it on. Even on the forbidden (but once a month treat) of grilled red meat!

Enjoy with a vengeance, because even if you ate a whole cup, it is only 70 calories!

I'm going to make another batch while I wait for FedEx to arrive with my new/new/new Spoonflower Color Map.  Third time HAS to be the charm...

Weight Loss Without Diets and Gyms

I have learned so much in the past 8 weeks about weight loss with no stress, no hunger.  What I am carving in stone is this:  As Long As You eat Fresh Veggies, Fresh Fruits, Fish, Chicken, drink Water, and Get Tons of Outdoor Exercise...you will lose weight.  Period.  Simple, so simple.  No diet plans, no gym.  Just common sense.

Walking up Kennesaw Mountain - photo Atlanta Outdoor Club.

After spending a couple of weeks on the road, I realized how hard it is to maintain a sensible eating plan at fast food joints.  But I figured out, early on, to just order the burger or whatever sandwich in the drive through - with NO MAYO -  and before digging in you just ditch the buns.  That means you are left with meat, lettuce, tomato, pickles and cheese.  Washed down with a crisp unsweetened tea or water

 (NO DIET SODA or ARTIFICIALLY FLAVORED DRINKS...ARE YOU CRAZY?)

 and small fries, you are happy to pull away and back onto the Interstate.  You have had french fries, for goodness sakes!

If you get the munchies, have a bag of crisp celery sticks or baby carrots at hand, and gobble them down.  They're crunchy, good for you, and almost calorie-free.

And you know that when you get to your destination, you will be presented with, or cook something like this:

Seared Salmon on a bed of spinach - photo courtesy Whole Foods

and this:

courtesy Honey and Spice

And This:

Photo: Grgich Hills.

With all this yummy goodness to be had, guilt-free, why would you eat any other way?


Here are (again) the Secret Instructions to avoid having to wear a Faja:

Drink a lot of  good clean water.

Avoid highly processed foods.  That means no Lean Cuisine, for instance.  Pack your refrigerator and Counter Top Baskets with Fresh Vegetables and Fruits.

Eat Fish or Chicken, and very little red meat.  A boiled egg three times a week.


Keep dried fruit and pungent cheese on hand to punch up your salads or for a snack. 


Never Drink Sodas or Artificially Flavored Drinks of Any Kind.


Get outside and get active.  Challenge yourself physically. 


Be aware of what you are putting in your mouth - you know what I mean.


Get yourself some digital scales -$10.00 at CVS- and weigh yourself every morning.


You will LOVE how your new body feels, and since you have been so sensible about it all, go buy yourself some new shoes and paint your toenails...

My new favorite shoes...


                               Yellow Box Shoes

got 'em On Sale at Belk's...$21.00!  And yes,     you know I got more than one pair...

Happy Weekend!

Surtex 2012 and The National Stationery Show - Without Me

Last year, I went to New York and walked the Surtex 2011 Show.  Along with the National Stationery Show, which runs concurrently, all in the Javits Center.  I so wanted to get into the Surface Design business, and knew that if I was going to do it, Surtex may be the best way to get myself on the radar screen. 

This enormous surface design Trade Show is almost overwhelming in visual texture and artistic talent.  After deciding that not only was I not ready to exhibit my surface designs amongst such power, I also decided at the last minute that I wasn't going to go walk the 2012 show either.  I simply needed to sit down and get back to work.

So I did.

I knew that the best way to put myself into the real world of surface design was to start submitting artwork again, and turn up the pressure by entering design contests with deadlines and rules - like predetermined palettes and subject matter.  The best place to do that is at Spoonflower - they work very hard on their weekly contests.

My Groovy Kitchen Collection, shown above, came from a Palette Restricted competition with a subject matter of Retro, Kitchen Related.  Didn't take long to figure out the palette we were given was from the 1970's...almost straight out of Judy Chicago's Dinner Party opening banners!

Here's another new collection that sprang from the subject matter of Motorcycles - which had to be included or be the starting point of the design:

I was a little worried by the palette I had selected, until I opened one of my favorite blogs this morning - The Adventures of Tartanscot, written by Scott Meacham Wood, and saw these images:

So there you go.  I'm remembering now that when you are in your studio, you have to jump into a swiftly moving river and not fight the current.  Once you do that, you wind up at a place not even on the map.

Which is Exactly Where I Want To Be!

I'm off to do my sit-ups.  Have a Lovely Day...

Weight Loss, Your New Body, and Fajas

See This?

And This?

And Her?

What all these images have in common, besides hair extensions and gorgeous good looks are Fajas.

In case you don't already know, a Faja is a support garment that was initially manufactured and worn after liposuction or other plastic surgery in South America - potentially the plastic surgery capital of the world.   According to the NY Times this morning, Fajas have started creeping out of South America and are becoming explosively popular in America, especially among Latino women.  And Caucasian women.  And Asian women.  And so on.  One of the major manufacturers out of Columbia said their exports increased 47% last year.

Why am I showing you this?  Because, when you loose weight rather rapidly, and you are over ...ahem... 50, let's say, you are left with loose skin.  Especially in your tummy region.  So while you are doing your sit-ups every morning, and walking Every Day to tighten and tone your New Body, you may be getting impatient with how your previously stretched skin isn't snapping back quickly enough for you.

Enter the Faja.

A Faja is like Spanx on steriods.  Take a look at this one, recommended for after pregnancy:

It includes a derriere enhancer, so you can look like J Lo.  You have to source out the hair extensions yourself...I hear they are very uncomfortable to install.

In case you want to shop around, here is a link to a Faja Boutique in Miami...

Happy Shopping!  They have a sale running right now, and I may run into you there...

All photos, except for Jennifer Lopez, came from their website.

Thanks, Mom

My older brother posted our Mom's photo on his Facebook page today.  I was startled, because for an instant, I thought I was looking at myself from a much earlier time...

Somehow, I never saw that resemblance before, although people said I looked just like her when I was younger.  Which always made me mad, because I was young and she was old, for goodness sakes.  My gracious.  Now I wish I could go back and visit with her, and find out how she styled that hair-do.  And tell her how pretty she was;  how vastly talented; and how very much I appreciate the gifts she passed on to me.

 

Thanks, Mom.

Loosing Weight and Finding...My Ribs!

Good Heavens.  In the single-minded quest for a waist, I forgot about what else would emerge from the excessive Real Estate I was hauling around.  My ribs!  I had forgotten how the bottom of a rib cage felt - you know, those bones that get slowly buried under progressive layers of lard as one eats oneself into oblivion.

  I have my waistline in my sights now, and I'm still not hungry.  This is amazingly easy, and I'm ashamed now when I think of all that fried chicken, macaroni and cheese, pinto beans and cornbread, and especially those fried pork chops (my favorite) that I ate with such abandon...

This morning, I'm having a big bowl of Blueberries, eating them with my fingers two by two (better that way) along with a side of Sesame Melba Toast that I've quickly bronzed in my counter top oven.  It's warm and crunchy, and makes both my nose and my mouth happy.

The above image of Blueberries is courtesy of  Science Daily, which posted this article about how they may reduce Belly Fat.  And balance out your glucose levels, among other things.  Besides that, they are Yummy.

When eaten atop a bowl of steel cut oats, you have pretty much cleared your arteries, lowered your glucose levels, brought your cholesterol under control, and basically saved your own life.  With every warm, delicious bite.  I'm eating these oats at least a couple times a week for breakfast, always topped with fruit.

Since I'm so fascinated by what happened when I quit eating myself to death, I've been looking around for an occasional low-cholesterol substitute for the chicken breast I normally eat every day for lunch.  And discovered that Lentils are a great way to get protein without cholesterol.  Lentils are fast cooking, unlike other dried beans, and simply delicious.

Although fairly high in carbohydrates, they are also high in fiber so you feel full for hours.  A whole cup of lentils has about 225 calories and is packed with folic acid, iron, calcium and magnesium.  That's a chemical way of saying they are Very Good For You.  I'm adding these to the menu at least twice a week, cooked in  chicken broth that has had all the fat skimmed off, and punched up with onions, jalapenos, and a sprinkle of chopped cilantro on top.  Yum, yum!

Now.  These two - oats and beans - are high in carbs, which can add bulk to your belly, but they're good for you.  This is where the rule of Being Aware of What You Eat comes into play.  If you've had oats at breakfast, don't have beans at lunch that day.  Simple.

I'm going to send you over to Tish Jett's Blog for some marvelous advice on how to conquer - getting raw, here - Bloat!  You'll want to roam around her site for awhile; she has great advice on all manner of things that are germane to all of us who are over...40.  Or 50.  Or...

How To Lose Weight And Find Your Waist

If you are totally disgusted with yourself and your Bread Butt and Pasta Belly, then read on...you can escape your pudgy little self and actually start to discover something that feels like a waist.  Remember waists?

I absolutely adore Horrockses dresses from the 1950's - the lines of the dresses demanded waists, but still allowed a soft plumpness in the shoulders and hips.  The dress above is one of my favorites, and not least because the fabric features small plates of...food.  I am a die-hard foodie, always have been.  But even if I won a Horrockses dress in the lottery, I couldn't wear it because right now, I don't actually have a waist.

But I am getting it back.

I'm 5'2", and until 2005, enjoyed a fast metabolism and petite little figure.  But then I moved to Coastal North Carolina and opened a fabric store in downtown Shallotte.  When I emerged from unpacking 700 bolts of fabric and started looking around for a place to eat lunch, my heart began to sink.  There was nothing, absolutely nothing that even closely resembled what I was accustomed to eating.  No Latino/South American, no Thai or Indonesian, no Greek or NY Deli style food in sight.  Everything except for The Purple Onion was Southern Cooking, buffet style.  Eat all you want.  And I did.  It was fast and cheap. 

I went from 115 pounds to 140 pounds in seven years.  Then I sold the store and moved back to Atlanta, and literally dove into the international food scene.  I was ravenous.

Last month, we went to Washington DC and I caught a glimpse of myself in a store window.  Wait.  That couldn't be me, could it??  It was.

As soon as we got back to Atlanta, I pulled our old electric steamer out of the cabinet and headed to the Farmer's Market.  And in the first week, I lost 8 pounds.  This morning, I was at 128, down 12 pounds from a month ago.  It wasn't hard at all, and I'm starting to wear belts again for the first time in years.  I can't believe that by simply changing the way I was eating, my body instantly started to return to itself. 

This is what I'm doing:

First, foremost, and last,  I'm adhering to the Calories In, Calories Out rule of thumb.  I try to never eat more in one day than I can burn up before I go to bed.  And, I started walking every day for an hour.

I Cut out white stuff.  Like white rice, white potatoes, pasta, refined sugar, breads.  And I cut down on salt.  I started drinking a lot more clear water - once I was hydrated again, my body quit hoarding fluid and started to flush it out.  I had forgotten that little trick!

My fridge is loaded at all times with Fresh Vegetables, Tofu, Eggs, Crisp Salad Greens, and Blueberries.  For protein, I eat only Chicken or Fish.  No Red Meat.   

Image from Easy Recipe Collection.

Image from Megabeth.net

I steam Broccoli Florets, or any of my veggies, just until fork tender, sprinkle with a little sea salt and drizzle with Extra Virgin Olive Oil...the real dark  green, expensive stuff.  Yum, yum.  

Image from Baby Food 101.

Rough chopped cabbage is exquisitely sweet when steamed - I take it out of the steamer just as it is getting tender, and then either serve with sea salt and that yummy drizzle of Extra Virgin Olive Oil or...

My other favorite condiment:

For lunch, I always eat tons of steamed veggies and boiled or roasted Chicken Breast meat...and I never get hungry.  For dinner, Grilled Salmon or Shrimp over a bed of Baby Salad Greens or Spinach, punched up with dried Cranberries, fresh Pineapple chunks, a toss of Gorgonzola crumbles, and anything else lurking in the salad bin.  I use a LOT of fresh herbs and seasonings...fresh ginger, basil, thyme, cracked black pepper, etc.  If it is full flavored, my mouth is happy!

Now that I've got you interested, just let me just throw this in...one whole cup of steamed Broccoli has 40 calories.  One cup of Cauliflower has 28.  Yes, 28.  The Cabbage?  31.  Squash has a whopping 30 calories.  And the yummy diced Sweet Potato that would be forbidden on a fad diet has about 170 in a whole cup, and trust me, you won't eat a whole cup. 

The absolutely essential Extra Virgin Olive Oil adds about 120 calories per tablespoon.

These are the rules if you want to find your waist:

Remember:  Calories in, Calories out.

You have to walk or do something physical every day.

You have to drink lots of water.

You have to get real about what you are eating.  Every day.

Go get a Digital Scale and weigh yourself Every Day.

Get enough sleep.

And once a week, eat something out of bounds...like a Grilled Salmon BLT with French Fries - it will trick your metabolism and rev it up.

Don't eat a bite after 8:00 P.M. if you can possibly help it.

And have those 2 glasses of wine every night-you've earned it!

Azalea Heaven

The Azaleas in our yard are fabulous this year; perhaps because of the mild Winter, or maybe they decided at the annual Azalea Conference that they haven't done such a good job lately, and needed to be looking Really Fly this year to avoid being replaced with Oleanders.  Or Camellias.  

The blooms are so luscious and thick that they look like bright blankets...

When I run my hand across the blooms, they are silky and juicy feeling.  Makes me want to get a big spoon and eat them up.

Our normally shady, plain walkway to the side door now looks simply Royal:

And the front of our house has a ruched collar of tightly scrunched blooms.

They are so glorious that it is hard to spend any time inside, where I need to be working.  I've decided it is okay to roam endlessly around the yard...they have absolutely nailed it this year, and if I don't gulp them down with my eyes and heart, then all their efforts would go unnoticed, for crying out loud. 

Think I'll go on out and take another look...

Dinner with President Obama

Last weekend, we went up to Washington, DC to participate in a rally.  And ran head on into the President of the United States of America!

His motorcade came pouring out of the Rose Garden side of the White House, and we were astounded at the power and depth of the entourage.

He has an amazing amount of people helping him to move safely around the world, and we got a glimpse of that.  Even my husband was impressed, and that is hard to do.  One of the more chilling vehicles was this one:

It came right behind a standard box ambulance, and we were told later that it was "additional support".  I guess Kennedy's assassination taught the Oval Office a lot about exposure of the President to the masses.  See that guy right at the steps in black, with his back to the street?  There were dozens of them, and they meant business.  No playing.  Get Off The Street!  Now! 

That's the ambulance that would whisk him away on the left.  And the suits walking in a line across the street are the Press Corps.  If you know DC, you know that this is the Hotel Washington, and that meant that the President, who was giving a reception for the Irish Prime Minister, only went one block from the White House.  With his entire support group. 

Now.  See the snipers on the roof?  There were locked and loaded, with binoculars and very large guns.  And see the Presidential Limo right in the middle of this picture??  Yes.

  After being safely blocked from the public by two square blocks, tons of Secret Service men,  snipers on the roof, and what looked like the entire Washington DC police force, we were allowed to walk down the side street right beside his entourage after we told the Secret Service man that we had a reservation in the "blocked zone", and could we please walk there?  They were about the nicest men I ever met - they understood two Senior Citizens wanting to go to dinner...however, they had steel cold eyes.  Never saw such a combination before.  Those men would slice you down in a second.  No remorse.

Here is Husband, sauntering down the street, right into the Bulls-Eye of the snipers.  "Come on", he said.  "This is the way to the restaurant".  Worst headache of the security team.  See them up on the roof?  Those two vertical hash marks above his right shoulder?  I closed my eyes and followed.  He's my husband, and he will keep me safe, right??  

I couldn't help it.  I took shots of the Limo when we got to the corner, although the cop with the hat had eyes that were boring into me as if to say, "Give me a complete break!".

We turned the corner to our restaurant, Old Ebbitt Grill (what else?) and husband, for God's sake, spotted a bench, and said, "Here, let's sit down and watch".  

Understand this:  the bench he wanted to lounge on was in No Man's Land, in a street stripped bare of bystanders, with only Secret Service Men, Cops, Snipers, and the Presidential Limo on it.  And us.  And he wants to sit down and watch???  I turned to look at the hundreds of people cordoned off by yellow crime tape about a block away, turned back to him, and hissed, "MOVE IT!" And slid inside the restaurant door without looking to see if he was following.  Thankfully, he was.

When we entered the restaurant, a little hush fell over the crowd peering through the windows at the action.  Husband stepped up to the hostess and announced our presence, and we were immediately whisked to a table, past all the people who were waiting for their reserved tables to be freed up, and who turned as one to look at us as we passed by.

Husband, who was by now imbued with the power of Capitol Hill, enjoyed his meal immensely.  And enlivened by our brush with power, so did I.

Building the American Dream, One Dollar At A Time

It seems ages ago that I stumbled upon one of the best Fusion Sushi Chefs I'd ever eaten with...he was tucked into a corner of a steak house in tiny little Shallotte, North Carolina.

I didn't get to eat with him too often, as I had already begun to shift my home base back to Atlanta from the North Carolina Coast.  But every time I got the chance, I went to partake of his amazing creations, and was always delighted with the nuances he was able to pack into the simplest of dishes.

After moving back to Atlanta, I would occasionally check in to his Facebook Page, just to see the pictures of his newest creations, wishing that I could reach through the screen with my chopsticks...  this is one that he titled "Rainbows Aren't Just in The Sky":

Yum Yum.

He was fond of serving in Soup Spoons, and I was always delighted to see his artistic talents applied to another lovely offering.  Like this one~

He was hard, hard working; he had to drive down from Wilmington every day to attend to his tiny Sushi Bar tucked into the corner of the steakhouse.  About an 85 mile commute, round-trip.  He didn't have any way to cook in his little corner, so he had to dash to the back of the building to the restaurant kitchen in order to make his hot dishes.  You'd see him running back and forth, never loosing his graceful demeanor while serving up his exquisite dishes.

Like his Hamachi Kama, rubbed with Lemon Grass and Ginger...

 A couple of weeks ago, I got a little tap on the shoulder from Chef Mark.  He is striking out on his own, and trying valiantly to open his own little restaurant in Wilmington, NC.  And true to Mark's form, he is firm about having a Sustainable Sushi Restaurant.  As in, being responsible to the planet, and the oceans that provide us with all this fabulous food.

He is trying to raise some opening capital on Indiegogo, and amazingly enough, is having a slow go of it.  My amazement is that with all the folks who swooned over his skills, he's far from his fairly moderate goal of $5,000.00.  I hope you will give this guy a little boost and show your belief in hard work and the American Dream by donating anything you can to his effort.  And then, give yourself a pat on the back for helping sponsor someone who refuses to just go collect unemployment.

It is the original American Dream...with an Asian twist!