Discovering Kiehl’s

Kiehl’s has opened a small shop within a large department store in my town. According to a recent article in our local paper, this area has such a large number of online sales of the Kiehl’s brand, that after much research, the company decided to open a shop here. Not a store so much, but a "mini boutique," a little larger than your average beauty counter. It’s an interesting concept and when I saw it recently, it certainly stands out among the Clinique and Estee Lauder kiosks of the world.

But, here’s my confession: I’ve never tried any of the Kiehl’s products. Yes, I feel like the country mouse in saying that. It’s been around forever (apparently since 1851), it’s a favorite of celebrities, and many of the products have a reasonable price tag. So, where have I been??

I’m tempted now more than ever to jump on the Kiehl’s bandwagon, since apparently everyone and their brother in the tri-state area are buying this product. So, blogger friends, are any of you users of Kiehl’s products and, if so, what would you recommend? I’m always on the look-out for a good moisturizing lotion and I hear their Cream de Corps body cream is top notch. Or perhaps I should try the Heat Protective Silk-Straightening Cream, since I spend just about every morning straightening the wave out of my hair.

I’ve long been an Aveda fan, but I’m open to new products, so if anyone has opinions to share on the Kiehl’s line, would love to hear it!
Image courtesy of Kiehl's

Let the Frenzy Begin

And so it begins...the frenzy of the holidays is upon us. Are you ready?

I'm ordering our Christmas cards from Tiny Prints today (our scanner was on the fritz, so I'm behind the eight ball this year). They have the cutest designs and it's great how you can drop in the photos, change colors if needed and order matching return address labels. Oh-so-convenient!

Hope everyone had a great Thanksgiving. We had a good time at Churchill Downs, although it's tough chasing a two-year-old throughout the suites at the racetrack. Probably not the best place for a child that age, although there were lots of little ones all over the place. Which explains the large number of mommies with wine in hand.

I enjoyed taking naps the last few days, seeing friends at a dinner party Saturday night and putting out the Christmas decorations (a few at least). Of course, the holidays are not complete without an appliance malfunction, so the plumber will be visiting our house today (pipes in the kitchen backing up - not good).

Enjoy your online shopping if you are partaking in Cyber Monday madness!
Image courtesy of Tiny Prints

Happy Thanksgiving!

Tomorrow is Thanksgiving Day, and many of us will be gathering with family and friends to give thanks for our good fortune and enjoy delicious meals. As I look back on this last year, I have much for which to be grateful: a loving husband; beautiful, smart and healthy children; a nice home; a good job – the list goes on and on.

All of us know people, though, who have struggled this past year and they’ll be in our thoughts and prayers tomorrow. I think of our dear friend who was diagnosed with brain cancer last year at this time – he recently had a setback when he suffered a seizure. I often think of him, his wife and sons. I just hope that life will improve for them and this coming year will bring better health and a return to normalcy, as best as can be expected. I give thanks that he’s out of the hospital and will be spending Thanksgiving at home with his family.

Enjoy this special time with your loved ones, eat some turkey and pumpkin pie and get some rest. The Christmas season will hit us like a brick on Friday and we’ll need all of the strength we have to survive!

Cheers!
Image courtesy of Martha Stewart Living

Pretty Baubles

So, what do you think about the costume jewelry craze featuring large beads, faux pearls and such, tied with grosgrain ribbon? I’ve seen it everywhere, from J. Crew to Stella & Dot. In fact, when searching for a pair of jeans at Ann Taylor Loft (BTW, I FINALLY found a pair – for a petite girl who is fighting the pear shape, jean shopping is a miserable experience. But, that’s an entire blog entry unto itself.), I couldn’t resist buying a necklace that featured large green, glass baubles with a black ribbon. It’s pretty bold for me, so we’ll see if I chicken out and take it back. But, I tend to be a sucker for pretty, shiny things, hence the spontaneous purchase. Of course, once I buy into a fad, it's a guarantee that it has reached its peak and will soon die out.

But, that aside, I think it's fun during the holidays to break out jewelry and accessories that makes a statement. We decorate trees, why not decorate ourselves a little bit with the sparkles and the trinkles? (Yes, I'm channeling Eloise at the Plaza - been reading that to my daughter lately.) So, for Thanksgiving and the upcoming holiday celebrations, will you be donning any bold baubles? If so, what are you wearing and how are you styling it?

Only one more day of work, kids. Can't wait for the long weekend.
Images courtesy of Ann Taylor Loft, J. Crew and Stella & Dot

Fitz & Frannie Giveaway

Looking for the perfect gift for the preppy gal in your life? How about a pair of earrings from Fitz & Frannie? How about two? Fitz & Frannie is running a special where you can buy two pair of earrings for $30 and receive free shipping. The code at check-out is PREPPY.

Then, beginning Nov. 27 – Black Friday – for every order of silk knot earrings placed through their Web site, http://www.fitzandfrannie.com/, a free pair of earrings will be given away to a lucky winner each week. That gets me in the holiday spirit!

These earrings add a fun touch to any outfit, whether you’re donning the pink and green to top off your preppiest of outfits or sporting your school colors at the big game (Honey, I’ll take the blue & white in time for the next UK game, please!), the knots are a traditional “twist” on everyday jewelry.

A Little Twinkle for the Holidays

With the holidays come parties, get-togethers and plenty of social occasions. It’s always fun to wear a festive outfit during these times to get in the spirit of the season and sparkle a bit. I want to find a new sweater that I can wear with slacks or a skirt during the holidays, but something that’s unique and not your run-of-the-mill holiday wear (nothing adorned with Santas, wreathes, bells, etc.).

Anthropologie has some great sweaters. And, of course, J. Crew is featuring a number of sequined cardigans, often paired with jeans or khakis to demonstrate how versatile you can be with the ‘bling.’ Sometimes I like their accessories even more than their actual clothes; just pair a fabulous beaded necklace with a solid color sweater, or a brooch that really pops, and that could make an outfit.

So, dear readers, what do you recommend for holiday attire this year? Any special retailers, outfits or other frocks/accessories you would recommend? Would love to hear about it!

It’s finally Friday, kids! Have fun this weekend. My big plans? I just hope to get a nap at some point.
Images courtesy of J.Crew, Anthropologie

Divine Design

I’ve always been an Home & Garden Television (HGTV) and Food Network junkie. Some of the shows on those networks entrance me and I can’t break away. One of my favorite designers on HGTV is Candice Olsen from “Divine Design.” I’ve always said that if I ever win the lottery, I’m flying Candice, Chico and the entire crew down from Canada to decorate my house.

Anyhoo, we’re in the process of lining up some painting projects for our house, including our dining room. The dining room features wallpaper from when we purchased the house and while I’ve been able to live with it, it’s time to update. So, I started thinking about potential colors and I kept returning to robin’s egg blue. I love that color and I think combined with a crisp white trim, it could make for a gorgeous room. Then, in looking for inspiration online, I thought, “What would Candice do?” I came across a photo of a dining room make-over she performed and fell in love with it (see image above). The color scheme, the fabrics, the lighting – classic Candice.

So, any other HGTV junkies out there? What’s your favorite program?