Haiti

Watching the news tonite makes all your daily problems seem so small.  While I normally like to post happy or creative things I cannot ignore what is going on in Haiti.  So many people suddenly homeless, critically injured, and an estimated 1million dead.  It makes my simple and insipid problems just that.  I cannot stop thinking about a former coworker, Gloria, who's entire family lives in Haiti.  And while tonite as I sit here in my warm bed and watch fools on tv auditioning for American Idol there are people searching for their family members and friends.   So tonight dear bloggers and readers please hold your family a little closer and keep those far away in your thoughts.

Clarisonic

I am a self admitted Sephora-holic.  I love to peruse the aisles of glitter, brushes and perfumes and take home a glossy black bag with red tissue filled with potions to make me gorgeous!  This holiday I got a variety of gifts including two sephora gift cards and a visa one.  The possibilities are pretty much endless for a beauty addict like me.  But I decided on probably the best purchase I have made (to date) at Sephora.  I got a Clarisonic.

From the makers of the Sonicare toothbrush comes the facial cleansing wonder the Clarisonic.  I absolutely love the way my face feels. My skin is glowing and it exfoliates like a dream.  Really I don't know how I washed my face without it before.  The price point is a little steep ($149 for the Mia, and $249 for the full size)..and admittedly I wouldn't have purchased it if I didn't have the gift cards.   However, considering an average trip to Sephora for me costs at least $40 I have probably spent that price 10x over in the last year.  Especially since I just got my 500pt perk for being a Beauty Insider.  It wasn't the Kat von D eyeshadow pallet but something I kinda needed more, new OPI nailpolishes.  Everyone loves a 'free' gift...even if it cost me $500 in purchases to get it.

When I was in the store clutching my Mia before rushing to the register to pay I spoke with one of the 'beauty consultants' about the product.  She told me how my products would last longer on my face throughout the day, how more effective my moisturizers would be, and how overall I would love the way my skin looked.  And, well, she was right.  I have noticed a dramatic change in the way my makeup glides onto my face.  And how my skin is soft before I put on my moisturizer.

I would've posted a 'cute' photo of my Mia...but for Christmas I also got a new Macbook Pro and have yet to figure out how to upload photos to blogger with iPhoto.  So..as I experiment please bear with me.  
But while you're waiting check out the Mia you won't be disappointed!

Wishbook

When I was a kid every year we'd get the Sears Wishbook, until they stopped making it.  My sister and I would circle items that we just had to have for christmas.  And the rules were that we couldn't choose the same item.  So it was a race to see who could 'get' what.  I think my parents did it so they would know what to get us, but moreover it was just entertaining.  We'd spend hours just looking at the 20+ pages of Barbie bubble-gum-pink-paraphernalia hoping Santa was watching and knew exactly what we had circled in the wishbook.  Whether or not he was watching, circling items in the book became a big deal for both of us.

During college I worked for Sears in almost every department learning the many facets of the day to day operations of the store.  I no longer work there but received a small gift card from them this year due to a class action law suit.  Also this holiday I got a gift card to Sears from my grandma.  Now I am in a similar circumstance as with the wishbook.  I have over $400 to spend at Sears.  And their website, the digital version of the wishbook, has become the new place for me to 'circle' items I want by placing them into my shopping cart.

Circling all those toys when I was little was a fantasy.  Hoping that I would get maybe one of the large playsets was all I really wanted.  And I imagined if I had the money that I would buy all of them.  Well now I 'have the money' and I can't decide what to get.   I keep thinking 'practical', use it for new glasses in the optical department, or go 'indulgent' and get those $169 Ciao Bella Boots.

Off to peruse my wishbook.  Happy 2010 everyone!  May you have a safe and happy holiday and I'll see you in the new year.

2010 I await you...

I am making my resolutions list public this year.  Hopefully this will help me accomplish more by putting them out there for everyone in cyberspace to see.  Along with stringent non-fun things I will add in some spontaneous and creative goals for myself.

So here goes nothing....

1. Save more money
    -after cleaning, and cleaning, and cleaning up stuff today I see how bad an addiction to shopping that I truly have.  I have known  this for a while, but with two family weddings in 2010, both out of state, I'd like to be able to afford more than just food and hotel rooms.

2. Save more money (that isn't for vacations), and (gulp) set a realistic budget.
    -One that allows me to still indulge in my daily starbucks fix but limits my visits to Anthro and Sephora.
 
3. Do at least one craft project a month and post it online.
    -To satisfy my creativity and need for self expression through a paper medium.

4.  Recommit to losing weight
     -In 2009 I lost almost 30lbs, and in 2010 I want to lose another 30.

5. Use my annual passes!
     - I have annual passes to Disneyland and the San Diego Zoo and I will set up plans to use them in 2010!

6. Take dance classes and meet new people!
     -My friend L and I are going to make good on this promise in 2010!  Latin American Dance here we come!

7. Post on my blog regularly.
     -enough said. ;)

8.  Plan regular vacations and time off from work to recharge.
     -Possible destinations, LA for a long weekend, Vegas for, well, just for Vegas and all that it brings, Hawaii, because I've never been.

9.  Explore my hometown!
     -Try a new restaurant, explore a different part of the city, or just take my camera out and shoot the unexpected.

10.  Take my car in for regular car washes and treat it right.
     -I know how stupid this one sounds, but really the last car I drove, I ran it into the ground.  Rarely washed, rarely cleaned.  For the biggest purchase in my life so far I should take care of it beyond scheduled routine maintenance.

This list is unfinished...but hopefully I will accomplish most if not all of them.  Its a fresh year for new adventures...nothing ventured nothing gained.

Christmas is coming the geese are getting fat....

Yes, they are getting pretty plump..and thus I have neglected my blog.  I decided on my commute home tonight that on my 'resolutions' list for 2010 would involve this little space on the internet I call mine.  I really enjoy expressing my creativity to the few people that might stumble upon this site.  Musing about my favorite music, shopping excursions and crafty expressions is something that I would love to expand upon in the new year. I realize that this will require some dedication...and maybe even some 'planned posts'.  But in the end I will have a creative outlet that lets me reach the masses...however few they may be.  You never know my blog could end up with its own book, like Pioneer Woman, or even a movie like Julie and Julia.  But even if my blog only expands to a readership of 6 close friends I will be happy.  

For now, please enjoy this photostream of Christmas decor from my home to yours.  May you enjoy a joyful holiday filled with family, friends, and geese...er..turkey!  Merry Christmas and a Prosperous New Year!!!

Update

Now that November is almost over (and I only have two work days left this month...be jealous!) I figured that I'd include a small photostream of november occurences so it appears that I wasn't just avoiding blogging. 

Out of Town Bags -- Food Labels

(San Diego skyline stamp is from Paper Tales in Pt. Loma)

Bridal Bouquet

Place Settings at the Wedding & My Bridesmaid Bouquet

Sparkler send-off at the end of the night

Minnie!!

The one of very few video games that I am good at.

One of the many reasons to visit Disneyland at the Holidays!

Hopefully December brings as much excitement and fun as November did!  And more Charger wins!!!

Have an exceptional Thanksgiving and I'll see you in December!

Unexpected Haitus

Hello out there!  Yes its me and I didn't forget about you.  Its just that I have been super busy with getting ready for our out of town guests and wedding stuff for my sister.  So I will post soon about the current events in my life and the creative ones. 

Current Projects:
1. Out of town bags for family, including a handmade 'fyi' book with our cell numbers, a thank you and directions to local attractions.
2. Designing and assembling the 'time capsules' for my sisters non-traditional guest book table.  I still need to create the forms (the easy part) and the labels that wrap around the canisters (the hard part). And create the instruction form for guests to follow.
3. Baking cookies and packaging them into ziploc baggies for the oot bags and labeling with the custom labels I made for their stuff.  yes.. I did need 'another' element to make the food 'personal'. 


While doing these projects I hope to document the process to share the ideas with you.  For now I leave you with a sneak peak at the covers of the 'fyi' books.  I have such a busy but exciting weekend and subsequent week ahead.  Off to create!