adventures in gilding

Last week, I went to the mall to return some stuff. As I was leaving, I passed by Kirkland's, which I generally despise. I could see this from outside the store: My mind immediately went to this post about silver leaf I had read over at Little Green Notebook. Aha! I would silver leaf my bargain basement find! I took a photo and sent it to my mom, who was confused about what I was doing but who said that I should go for it. As I was on the phone, this rogue man wandered up and started opening the drawers in front of me. Luckily a salesperson let him know he couldn't buy it because I was going to.

When I got home, I looked online for gilding supplies and ordered the tools and goods I'd need from GildedPlanet.com. I chose to get aluminum leaf because of the price. In 5ish days, my order arrived. Pretty! Here's the brush. To get the piece ready, I covered the stenciled areas with two coats of charcoal eggshell paint. I didn't worry too much about covering the stencils too well because I knew that the silver leaf would go on top. You can see another project back there. I'm painting my grandma's old curio cabinet. It's like Santa's workshop - only with less of a work ethic. And a fondness for Coors Light. After the paint dried overnight, I covered the whole thing with the sizing and waited an hour for it to cure. Or dry. Or whatever it does.

Then I started to gild. And it was a damn mess. I definitely don't recommend doing this indoors. Between the fumes from the sizing and the metallic flakes flying everywhere, it's not a neat project. You can't do it outside either - those thin sheets of aluminum would fly everywhere. This is what it looked like when I got done and cleaned it up a bit. I left the finish kind of rough, mostly because of my inexperience. But if anyone asks, I meant for it to be that way. I left the piece alone overnight and then painted it with a layer of poly. I need the durability. I took off the old knobs and replaced them with old glass knobs I found in my grandma's basement a few years ago. I like them, but I think something dark might go better. But I'll probably keep them as they're sentimental. And here's the finished product.

I'll be honest - I'm not loving it where it is. Right now, it's underneath the wall-mounted TV in our bedroom, but it can't be centered because of the bathroom door that swings to the left. The TV is already mounted to the wall, so it's certainly not moving! I think it'll get moved somewhere else. But I do like it and it was an interesting project! And I have 2/3 of my book of aluminum leaf left, so I will have to find other things to fancy up. Another table? A photo frame? The husband's Mac Book Pro? Hmmm......

curtain call

Over the weekend the husband installed shades and new curtains for our bedroom! I'm quite excited. They were expensive but so worth it. There is, however, one small problem - they weren't at all expensive! Did I fool you?! Well, if not... just humor me. We had new windows installed recently, which meant that I had to buy new window shades. The old windows had Roman shades mounted inside the frame of the window, which is pretty standard. For the new windows, I wanted to mount any window coverings outside the window. As it turns out, windows are expensive and I'm not drilling anything into them. Or if I do, it's going to be for good.

So I started looking. I ordered Roman shades that I was kind of indifferent about and the husband didn't like them. I had to get something though - I had sheets put up as makeshift curtains, which were oh-so klassy. I finally decided to go with a roller shade that has a scalloped border and curtains. The roller shades are cordless and black out, and I can always replace then when I find something else. The curtains are from.... Wal Mart, as are the curtain rods.

I have to say, the curtains are pretty nice. They look like silk, though they're polyester, and from a distance you really can't tell. The only part I don't like is that the edges aren't sewn with much precision. But I kind of rolled them under and it's fine. For $20, I'm impressed. I'm rarely a Wal Mart shopper, but they do have a lot of cute things. I can't get over how bright that place is though. I need sunglasses to go in. At least they have a website where I can avoid the burning glare.

After I strung the panels up and put the curtains in place, the husband remarked "it looks like grown ups live here!" So I guess that's it - we're grown ups. We've got curtains. From Wal Mart.

hopping on the weight watchers (band)wagon

I joined Weight Watchers Online yesterday. The decision to do so wasn't easy - I had been thinking about it for awhile - mostly because I didn't want to turn into a calorie-counting crazy lady. But I have to do something and I can't commit to working out as much as I'd like. And I think the crazy lady thing is just my paranoia.

So far, it's going well. I haven't checked out the entire website but I've been searching for things I normally eat to check their point values. And I found their mobile site, so I entered my lunch via my Blackberry and it was ridiculously easy. Kind of fun, actually.

I hope that I can actually make time to visit the gym, but when I get home at 7pm after a 12 hour day, it just isn't happening. But having accountability is proving to be a good motivator.

So, WW gurus, what are your favorite foods? If you've written a blog post about it, feel free to link via a comment!

makeup monday: keeping the crows away

I don't have wrinkles. Yet. And I'd like to keep it that way as long as possible.

So I use some lotions and potions designed to keep my face looking young and get me carded as long as possible. Here's my current product lineup:

• Olay Pro-X Wrinkle Smoothing Cream - I use this at night after washing my face. The texture is light and the smell is nice. I can't tell you for sure if it's working but I feel like it is.
• Olay Regenerist Anti-Aging Eye Roller - I use this at night along with the Pro-X and in the morning before my makeup. I love the roller pen! It feels cold and refreshing. It has some bad reviews on Olay's website but I have sensitive skin and have had no issues.
• DDF Ultra-Lite Oil-Free Moisturizing Dew - I use this in the morning as my moisturizer. It has anti-aging properties, but I mostly like it because it's light and doesn't have a scent to it. I only use this in the winter when I won't be in the sun.
• Kinerase products - I got this favorite set at Sephora and really like the lineup, especially the Under Eye Rescue and Extreme Lift Face. Unfortunately, the price is a little steep. But it's justifiable if they work and your face stays wrinkle-free.

So that's it - like most thing it's constantly changing. What's your favorite face/anti-aging item?

wearing skinny jeans if you're... not

I have a confession. I am a huge fan of flare leg jeans. The Gap Long & Leans have been my bff since... oh about 2003ish. Yeah, I know. 7 years. Thinking about it now, it seems a bit ridiculous. Even more ridiculous is that I still have my first pair. But anyway... that's not the point.

The point is that flare jeans aren't really hip anymore. Gap still sells them but... in the words of Clinton and Stacey from What Not to Wear, just because a store sells something doesn't mean that you should be buying it. Not to mention that at 5'1", flare leg jeans make me look... not so long or lean. I've tried more pricey options but I've never been really happy with the fit. Being short, I would rather find a shorter inseam off the rack than have them hemmed so that they keep the original look of the jean. Paige Premium Denim and Joe's Jeans both make petite sizes, both of which I've puchased, but neither of which I've been 100% happy with.

I've worn slim jeans before - as in tapered leg Guess brand jeans back in 1994ish. Oh, those were the days. But I hadn't touched anything aside from a flare for a good ten years. So when Gap introduced their new line of jeans a few months ago, I bit. I looked all of the different fits over at the store and tried on the Sexy Boot jeans. And they looked good! I bought two pairs and congratulated myself on my little push towards being halfway fashionable. Since then, I've seen more and more women in skinny jeans and wondered if I should even go there.

Because skinny jeans are skinny. And I'm... not. I'm not going to get into some 'I'm so fat' tirade, but even at my thinnest, I haven't really been skinny. I'm not built like that. I'm built like Rachel Ray and Kelly Clarkson, not Rachel Zoe and Kelly Wearstler. So why in the hell would I want skinny jeans?

I was curious. And as I saw women wearing leggings and even jeggings, I wondered if I should suck it up and at least try. I ordered the Real Straight jeans from Gap (can you tell I have a Gap Silver card that gives me free shipping?!) and waited. When I got them to the house, they sat for a few days before I tried them on. But when I did try them on, I was surprised. I didn't hate them, and I actually thought they were flattering. I've worn them twice since and on casual Friday at work, I even got some compliments.

So the moral of the story is - yes, Virginia, there are versions of skinny jeans you can wear that don't make you feel like the Goodyear blimp. It might be a for-real skinny jean, a jegging, or a straight leg style that's slim enough for you. Changing things up might even make you feel good. Especially with free shipping.

random ramblings - blog content, sharing your life, and being stalked by strangers

So, in writing content for this tiny blog, I have to keep a balance with how much I want to share all over the Internets. Some bloggers share everything, some go to great lengths to remain anonymous. Most are somewhere in between. I'm conflicted in how much I share for various reasons that most of you probably identify with: my job and employer, my friends and family, the husband, but also longevity - if I ever want something deleted, is it really deleted? Or will it lurk in virtual limbo forever?!

Not to mention that if you knew my name, you could find me in one Google 'I'm Feeling Lucky' search.

There are days, as I'm sure most of you identify with, that you wish you could write a funny story or gripe about something. The hilarity of real life is sometimes funnier than what you could dream up. Seriously. If you would go to the Wal Mart closest to my house I'm certain you'd agree. But almost all of those times I write something on the edge of being too personal, I end up hitting the backspace key because I'm just too on the fence about the consequences. I mean, there probably wouldn't be any but what if there would be?

So far, the worst consequence to speaking your mind on other blogs appears to be the negative comments that come along with putting yourself out there. I'm all for your right to an opinion and having a debate, but hiding behind 'anonymous' with nasty comments? Come on now. Certainly you're all familiar with Google Analytics by now, right? Anonymous is not ever really anonymous.

I think what it boils down to is that you shouldn't write anything you wouldn't say to someone in real life. That's probably a good rule to follow. Although if you heard me talk in real life, you'd probably be surprised at the amount of profanity I spew into conversation. I curse like a sailor. Maybe the internet is a good filter. Maybe.

makeup monday: urban decay

Shortly before Christmas I treated myself to Urban Decay's Hall of Fame Kit via Sephora. I really wanted the primer potion, but the kit seemed to be a great value (at $29) so I got it instead. I unpacked the goods when they arrived and happily used the products. I really like everything, aside from the Pocket Rocket lip gloss. I don't like the color or the stickiness. But the eye pencil, lipstick, and mascara are all great. I took them on our trip to Florida and their size was perfect for traveling.

The primer potion is one of the best primers out there, and if you do some research you'll find that many agree. I really like it and use it every day.

So why am I telling you this? First, because it's a great value, and secondly, I like the products. But ALSO because I saw in Ulta's Sunday ad that they are carrying it for $18! It's confusing because Sephora has the "only at Sephora" logo next to it, but obviously looking at the descriptions, it's the exact same kit. Perhaps Sephora will lower their price - we'll see. But if you like the items and need some new eye primer, head to Ulta and save yourself $11.

indoor blooms: sprouting bulbs inside

Last year, the husband and I picked up a 4-pack of bulbs at Costco, complete with vases and little plastic stand things. After the bulbs had sprouted and were past their prime, I clipped the shoots and dried the bulbs, and put them into a paper bag in our laundry room. And promptly forgot about them.

This year, after seeing this blog post from the Centsational Girl (whose blog rocks and you should add to your Google Reader immediately), I decided to get out the bulbs and see if they would grow. And to my surprise, two of the little bulbs had sprouted! A good sign, indeed.

I rinsed of the bulbs and got out the vases, and stuck them in the plastic things, and put them on our mantle. Note that I didn't store them in the cold or anything like you're supposed to... and it still worked. They started to sprout and grow! Nature always amazes me that way. Here are the growing bulbs in our house. The cabinet is the Faulkner Library Cabinet from C&B if you're curious.
And here is the progress so far...

They are growing more and more every day - and the best part - they're effectively free because I just reused everything from last year. Quite a deal!

the end for max factor

This morning, I got an email from drugstore.com with the subject "Stock up on Max Factor before it's gone‏." I thought that was rather strange so I opened it and found this:

Stock up before it's gone?! What are they talking about?

A visit to maxfactor.com confirmed that they are closing up shop (at least in the US) and referred users to try CoverGirl cosmetics. Although I'm not a huge Max Factor junkie, they are an American company and have been in business for a long time. And I used to be a HUGE fan of the 2000 Calorie waterproof mascara. It was my go-to mascara in high school, along with the pan-stick makeup.

Sad, Max Factor. I'll miss you! To stock up, click here or visit your local drugstore. I might do some shopping just for nostalgia...

makeup monday: covergirl smokyshadowblast

One of my goals from last fall was to look more put-together. Better makeup, more variety, and more professional. Less looking rough and tumbled. I've been amassing goodies from Sephora and the drugstore and have some winners, along with some losers.

I saw an ad for CoverGirl smokyshadowblast (yes, the name is lumped all together on the website) with the lovely Drew Barrymore and was intrigued. Two shades of shadow on one stick?! And I could use the darker one as an eyeliner to get a smoky eye? Sweet!

I had to search to find these. My Walgreen's and CVS didn't have them in yet but Target did on an endcap. I picked up Purple Plume and Citrus Flair. Bronze Fire and Silver Sky were already sold out, so I took what I could get. They were $7.29 each at my local Tar-jay.

I opened the Purple Plume and used it after applying the Urban Decay Eyeshadow Primer Potion and CoverGirl's lashblast volume blasting waterproof mascara in very black to continue my CoverGirl theme.

And then I took photos of eyes up close and scared myself. I don't know how you makeup experts do it. I won't be posting them on the internets anytime soon. And I promptly tweezed my eyebrows. Seriously.

The end result? Eh. I love the idea in theory but in practice, the creaminess creates really bad creasing, even after an hour or so. And that's using a good primer! My eyes looked nothing like the Drew Barrymore ads and I ended up adding a black kajal liner to the mix. I'm going to try the Citrus Flair one and see if I like that better. But in the meantime, I wouldn't really recommend them. The reviews on CoverGirl's website echo my sentiments, so I don't think I'm alone in my complaints. If you've tried them, let me know!

No one sent me any free stuff - I paid for it all myself. But if you want to redeem yourself, CoverGirl, come on down! And yes, my opinions are my own and all that. In the unlikely event that anyone ever sends me anything, you all will be the first to know. Really. The husband doesn't give a darn about my makeup addiction. Can't say I blame him!

finding a cute laptop bag that's not made for a boy

For a couple of months, I've been on the hunt for an acceptable laptop bag. My old version, purchased on impulse (by need!) from TJ Maxx was made of vinyl and started to show its cheapness. And one of the straps eventually split in two. Klassy. And don't get me started on the bag that came with my work laptop from Dell. Seriously? A dorky male wouldn't even be caught with that thing. Not to mention that it lacks a shoulder strap, making it hard to carry. Ick.

My qualifications? Black leather, big enough to hold my 15.4" laptop, and preferrably in a tote style. I started my search with Coach, because they specialize in leather goods and I wanted a basic leather bag. Easy, right? Nope. Nothing good. Next, onto Levenger. I have a portfolio with my initials from them that looks fabulous and surely, they have basic leather bags, right?! Eh. Nothing that stood out.

So the search was on. If you're looking for a nice bag, there is a light at the end of the tunnel. It might take you awhile to get there - but there are places out there that sell nice, cute bags. They just don't pop up in a Google search easily! Here are a few I found that I thought I'd share:

Theresa Kathryn

They look like purses but are laptop friendly. The pricetags are a little steep, but I'm sure the quality backs it up. Many of them are made of leather.

Kerri Mack

These bags are trendy but still good for work, depending on your profession. They're available at Best Buy and other mass retailers. Some of them are a bit Kathy Von Zeeland-esque, which is not my style. None were made of leather that I looked at closely.

Careerbags.com

This site has a variety of designers that run the gamut from PVC to leather with a wide variety of prices. Great place to start your search.

Coakley

These bags are made by a woman-owned company (woo woo!) and there is obviously a ton of thought put into them. I especially like the feature in some of the bags that open on the bag to stick over your roller-bag handle (visit the site for photos - great idea!). But sadly, the main fabric is not leather (trim only) so I had to keep looking. But Coakley was my second choice.

1154 LILL
These bags met none of my criteria but they're cute as a button. Sadly, their bags big enough for a laptop don't have a built in sleeve, which was something I really needed. And no leather. But so cute!

FranklinCovey

You've probably heard this name before, and it makes you think of boring businessmen and day planners. At least, it does for me. The husband and I visited the store in the mall and I found this beauty:

CUTE BLACK LEATHER BAG THAT HOLDS MY LAPTOP?! AND ISN'T UGLY?! SCORE!!! It does lack a full tote strap, but has a longer handle and a shoulder strap. I thought about it but the husband convinced me that I should buy it and return it if I changed my mind. So I did. When I got home, being the smart shopper that I am, I checked the website to see if there were any sales or coupon codes to make it less expensive.

And there were! Gah! So I bought it AGAIN (clicking through Ebates to get my 6% cash back, thankyouverymuch) and will end up paying $15ish dollars less, not including the cash back. The 'regular price' in the store was $220 and online it's $199, go figure. I understand when things are priced differently online than in-store but when the regular price is different, that's kind of strange.

So my laptop search is over and I'm sure the husband is glad I'm not complaining about it anymore. Who would have thought a good laptop bag would be so hard to find?!