With gas at over $4 a gallon…..it’s good to be able to window shop from home.

Swivel Barstools

We have been on the hunt for barstools since we got here.  We saw these in the store last week and when I went online today I found that the store’s website has a deal on the PAIR versus buying them individually.

We were watching a movie recently and my yobo commented on how nice their comforter was.  It was a nice, luxurious down comforter with soft sheets.  I could tell just by looking at it.  My head popped up after his comment……..I took that as approval to upgrade the bedroom!    I found this at Nordstrom’s and love it because I can blend it with anything……it matches the current color of the walls AND the color I eventually want to paint them.  I’m going to fill it with the Westin Heavenly Bed Duvet Insert.  I stayed at a Westin in California back in January and fell in love with the bedding line.  I haven’t found pillows that I like yet but I’ve had some great success with TJ Maxx in the past.  Can’t online window shop at the Maxx though.

Since I’m at Nordie’s, I wanted to see about the email I got announcing the availability to pre-order the new plus size velour set from Juicy Couture’s Fall 2008 Trunk Show.  See when I got the email I said “When did Juicy start doing plus size?”  According to the website……November 13, 2008.  Ain’t that something!  I like velour sets……running errands on weekends, lounging around the house, playing with kids….they’re great for anything. LOL

SPEAKING OF FALL….Let me tell y’all how this works.  Hassa is NEVER going to look across the dining room table at me and say “you should go get yourself a new handbag….you deserve something pretty.”  Shiiiiiiiiiiiiiiiiiiiiiiiiiiiiiiiiiiiiiiiiit.  Not even if I paid him.  As a matter of fact he looks at most of my bags with disdain.  He claims that they’re too big and full of nothing useful.  He thinks I should carry everything in pockets. LOL  BUT, there are times when if you listen real carefully…..what he’s saying is…..GET A NEW BAG.   Just listen carefully.  For example, the one I’m carrying now we got earlier this summer at a festival.  We were walking past the vendor and we both spotted it.  He said, “That’s a different one.  I don’t see anything like it.”  What I heard was, “That bag is unique.  You should get it!”  And we walked away with it.  THANK YOU YOBO! 

That’s how it works.  There is another festival this weekend and he has already been talking about the bags that will be there.  So I already know that he thinks I need a new fall bag.  Cause that’s how it works.

Signature Stripe

We saw this one and he liked it.  Did he say he liked it?  Of course not!  But my sister in law decided not to get it and he later said “She should have gotten that bag.”  BINGO!  That means he likes it.    (See how this works?)

Last quarter of 2007, Melette and I decided to both try Philosophy skincare products. She truly loves hers. She said that it makes her skin glow and I’m pretty sure the health of her skin is also improving.

For Melette, Philosophy is a wonderful product and she will enjoy other items in the product line. As a matter of fact, TJ sent her a Philosophy gift set for her birthday…..loves it.

My experience was greatly different though. The Hope in a Jar broke my skin out in a ridiculous manner….in the cheek area. I kept with the regimen for approximately 2 weeks and it got continuously worse. So I packed it up and returned it.

Kudos to the customer service commitment of Sephora. My experience in returning the product has truly made me a loyal fan. At that point I decided to stick with my Oil of Olay facial cleanser and moisturizer. I’m happy with them and my skin is quite nice.

My next experiment was Bare Minerals by Bare Escentuals (at Sephora of course). The variety of shades is amazing and wonderful for all of us….because there is nothing worse (for me) than having a sales person try to figure out whether to give me the brown side of the case or show me the tan line without appearing to be racially insensitive. I proudly held my picture up to the computer screen and decided that of the TWELVE options, Medium Tan was for me and I ordered my starter kit.

Do I like it? No. I LOVE IT! We’ve all seen the commercials and know the line “Swirl, Tap, Buff”. Trust me when I say that there’s nothing more to it. You follow those exact directions for a fabulous result. The starter kit includes:

• Two shades of bareMinerals SPF 15 Foundation to ensure the perfect match. (Size: 0.06 oz)
• bareVitamins Skin Rev-er Upper: can be applied daily before applying bareMinerals to rev up your skin
• Mineral Veil: provides a translucent finishing touch to your makeup, infusing it with softness and adding a flawless finish. (Size: 0.06 oz)
• Warmth All Over Face Color: add an instant sun-kissed glow to skin where the sun would naturally touch. (Size: 0.06 oz)
• Flawless Application Brush
• Full Coverage Kabuki Brush
• Maximum Coverage Concealer Brush

Can I just tell you that the Warmth All Over is my absolute favorite. It gives me that sun kissed glow that I want and adds a little touch of cocoa to my skin color. I look less pale and I love it!

I’ll be honest and admit that when I first applied it I was unimpressed….but then I stepped away from the mirror and came back…WOW! I was beautiful!  TJ and I both use this product and we took a picture at the Space Needle last weekend that looked so good that I told the cashier to leave it up on the screen and she’d sell more.  My skin photographs great in this makeup.  It feels so light and natural and that’s exactly how I look….natural.  I love it.  Add to it a nice bronze shadow and iridescent gold gloss and I look gorgeous.

I haven’t decided yet if it will replace my MAC completely but for this upcoming summer……I’m all about my Bare Minerals natural look.  I can’t wait to try other products in this line.