Beauty Alert!!

Okay, this is pretty exciting: I just got my first Blog Swag!!!

To start at the beginning:

Since I had been in my house for so long with bunion surgery, I thought it was the perfect time to grow out my overplucked brows. Since I was starting to get out in public more and more, I decided that it was the perfect time to visit Stacya Silverman to get my brows done. She not only gave me lower-maintenance brows, but told me just where to pluck them to keep them looking thicker and natural. Check out my amazing After photo. Well, I don't look so awesome, but my brows do...

I was trying to get Paris into the photo so that she would distract people from my house-wear and funky hair.

Yaaay! Stacya was so quick and pleasant to talk to. She also has an awesome dog who was in her office. He was like a giant version of my dog, Paris:

Paris enjoys collecting squeaker toys

Awwww, isn't she so cute???? Stacya's dog is just as cute and sweet, but eight-times bigger than Paris. Or twenty times bigger, when you count his thick fur.

Anyway, I mentioned my humble little blog to Stacya and told her it was about pretty things (and ugly bunion surgery), and gave me some of these pretty things:

image from the Beauty Alert online store

They are called Beauty Alert!® and they are sets of stickers that help you to keep track of the "age" of your makeup and skin care products. You probably know that your cosmetics have a limited shelf life due to bacteria buildup, and products like sunscreen decrease in effectivity over time. Savvy users will keep track of this. I am ashamed to say that I never have kept great track, and I used to just change out my mascara out every month so I wouldn't lose track of how old they were.

Stacya and her friend Alissa heard about women sticking ugly pieces of tape on their beautiful cosmetics to record the date of their opening. While they knew this was a good idea for the sake of having clean and effective beauty products, they were appalled at the idea of marring their beauty products with pieces of tape. As they say, necessity is the mother of invention, and the pair created Beauty Alert! labels. They are a pretty way of knowing the birthdate of your products.

Since I have had to become more budget-conscious lately, I can't replace my Mary Kay mascara every month, and I am not sure of the birth date of my current tube of mascara. I think that tomorrow I'll start a new tube, and I am sure you know what I'll be using to keep track of its age this time!

Stupid computer

My computer charging cord stopped working. Hope I can get another one soon...

Musings on an iPhone

Sorry to not post for a few days. I felt kind of Blah the past week. Actually, I think that my real problem was that I was uninspired to write, due to the fact that I kept going to bed before midnight, which is when my creative juices seem to flow the most.

Well, your lives can now resume, because I had a back up post that I pray will not bore you too much.

Since this blog is about- among other topics- stuff that I love, here are a few thoughts and advice that I have on one of my favorite possessions: My iPhone.

• Don't give your iPhone to small children. I know this is tempting. Kids are cute, and they become even cuter when dancing to say, Lady Gaga playing on your iPhone. But I can tell you from experience, THEY MIGHT THROW YOUR IPHONE IN THE TOILET. So, maybe just let them listen and not touch.

• If you are stupid enough to give your iPhone to a little one, Don't put a silicone cover on the iPhone. Why, you ask? Because those covers have the same feel as bath toys. Know what some kids like to do with their bath toys? THEY LIKE THROWING THEM IN THE TOILET.

• iPhones are surprisingly water-hardy. After my nephew threw mine in the toilet, I let it dry out for a few days (inside of a ziplock bag of rice, on top of our warm cable box). Three days later - good as new, minus a warranty.

• iPhones are a gateway drug. If you get an iPhone, the chances increase exponentially that you will become addicted to: facebook, TMZ, Huffington Post, weatherbug, Gilt Group, I am T-Pain, and your entire phone in general. If your phone becomes unavailable to you, you will experience withdrawls. Which is a great reason to not allow small children to throw it in, say, a toilet.

• Try to not facebook on your iPhone in bed. It might wake your spouse up, and they will probably start worrying that one day you'll check facebook while you are....ahem - you know what-ing.

• iPhones are great for chronicling life. Not the greatest picture quality, but since you are addicted to it, you'll always have it on you. Like right after bunion surgery.

• iPhones can help you lose weight. It worked - I used the "My Fitness Pal" application to record my calorie intake and lost 7 pounds in two months - and four weeks of that was while I was sitting on my butt because of my foot surgery! It's not my metabolism, people - we eat and drink a LOT more calories than we think we do.

I think that is all today for the wonders of the iPhone. Until next time, when I will reveal a blogging milestone...

Love, B

Feety X-Rays

I just had my last appointment post-op for four weeks. They took x-rays of my feet and my Dr. said that they are basically healed. Want to see x-rays of my feet? Okay. Here they are.

The side-by-sides are before and afters. Can you see how much they had to re-position that first metatarsal? My feet have been "re-arranged," as my husband says. They shaved off a bit of the "bunion" part too, but most of the bunion was actually part of that metatarsal bone that was supposed to be there, just in a different position...

I love that I have hardware in my feet. Is that weird? And no, they will not set off metal detectors. The screws are countersunk into my bone. The big, dark screw is stainless steel (I think) and the lighter screws and plate are titanium. I used to buy airplane parts with titanium, and from what I remember, that stuff is expensive! Which, I guess, explains my $400 bill for "implants" from the surgery. Ha. Sounds like I had a b**b job in my feet. Implants.

My husband thinks that it looks like the building projects he used to do as a kid, with the screws going every which way, lol! But I know they are all put in that way for a reason.

One week from tomorrow I get to start wearing regular(ish) shoes! "Regular" meaning really supportive athletic shoes, which I normally wear only while doing athletic things. At least they are less conspicuous than these:

But apparently I will still "want"/need to wear these a lot at first. Which means all of my outings will be strictly limited to short stints of nearly no-walking.

Alice in Wonderland, or....SPARKLES!!!

I love sparkles. Look at these nail polishes, inspired by the new Alice in Wonderland movie. Is it possible to want to see the movie MORE because of these nail polishes?? I think it is.

All images in this post come from here.

Do these sparkles remind you of something. Maybe, I dunno....sixth grade? Well, me too. And guess what? Still love them. Or, I guess, love them again.

LET'S GET 'EM!

I literally get butterflies in my stummy for these. Is that sad? Does that mean I really do have a shopping problem? If so, I am okay with that. A few extra thrills via nail polish never hurt anyone.

In related news, I really do want to see the new Alice movie. If not for the nail polishes, then for the fact that one of my favorite actresses is in the movie.

I love you, Anne Hathaway!

This causes me to seriously consider going platinum blond when my hair gets too many white hairs to not-dye it. But I think my hair might turn orange and fall out before it gets to this shade. Rat attack. :-(

Can't wait to see you in the movie, Annie. I will be wearing my new nail polish.

Love, B

Foster Dog - Apolo the Italian Greyhound

You may not know this, but I like to be a foster home for rescue dogs that are waiting to be adopted. To do this I work with Ginger's Pet Rescue. You can read more about the organization here.

In short, Ginger's is a non-profit that saves dogs from shelters that are about to euthanize the dogs.

My latest little rescue is Apolo:


He is a teeny Italian Greyhound. Isn't he so cute? Actually, that picture doesn't quite do him justice. I have a feeling he might be around for a while, but only because of my pickiness for a good home for him.

After reading up on Italian Greyhounds I realized that I need to be very picky about Apolo's new home. Because along with the pro's of owning Apolo (super cute, affectionate, adorable, soft soft fur that doesn't shed a lot, playful, really cuddly), there are some... I don't want to say they are "Con's." But there are some High Maintenance points to owning Italian Greyhounds:

• IG's have pretty much zero body fat, so they need little coats and sweaters in cold weather. They have such fine, thin fur, and are tiny skinny little things. Just think about going outside today with no clothes on. Brrrrr! So they are good for people like me, who love putting clothing on dogs.

• IG's are (supposedly) hard to potty train. I don't know if this is true yet. We have had Apolo have an accident in our house in the two days we have had him. But really, we should not have left him alone out of his cage. People say they are hard to potty train because they don't like to go out in inclement weather, so they will go in the house. I think this is where the coat or sweater comes in. Would you want to go wee or poo outside, naked, in the rain or snow? Me neither. A coat or sweater would help. Although I still wouldn't want to go outside, but dogs can't use toilets, so I guess being warmer is the next best thing for dogs.

• IG's may need more money set aside in the vet bill fund. They are a fairly healthy breed, but a problem these little skinnies have is leg breaks. IG's apparently have the same disorder that my Pomeranian, Paris, has. This, shall we say, lack of brain capacity causes them to think they can jump from great heights and be A.O.K. As you can imagine, this can result in leg breaks. Leg breaks can also occur in regular playing activity, so if you are considering adopting an IG, keep in mind a leg break on these guys can cost up to $3,000 or $4,000.
  

• I don't know if all male IG's do this, but Apolo pees on himself. Um... yeah. He lifts his leg to wee and hits his chest, or his front legs, or both! He can't really help it because his chest and legs are...well... they are just exactly in the line of fire. It's funny, but then you have to wipe off his legs and chest every time he goes wee. It's not hard to do though - he is very compliant with the post-wee wipe-offs. But I have found that this requires a new sweater every time Apolo goes out for a wee. I admit that sometimes I skip the sweater, except at night and earlier in the morning. The good news: Apolo still goes outside for his bathroom stuff, even when it is cold and he doesn't have a sweater. **UPDATE: Apolo is doing a lot better at potty training, and I found that a doggy belly band keeps him from weeing on himself, and he really doesn't mind it! Yay!

Anyway, that's your Italian Greyhound tutorial for the day. If you are interested in adopting one of these dogs, I suggest you go to the American Kennel Club and read up on the breed. Maybe also Wiki the breed for additional info (really, you should do this when considering adopting any breed).

At first I though Apolo would be boring and only cute to look at. Turns out that he has a cute little personality, too. See the video below of him getting really excited for me to sit on the couch.



If you think you might be the perfect home for Apolo, please look at the Ginger's Pet Rescue website (linked above).

Have a great night!

Love, B

Pretty Things - I wish I wasn't so tall.

Things I can't wear:

JCrew.com Gunmetal Matelassé Dress

I could so wear this to work with a snappy little jacket (I work in a dressy office). And then wear it out that night to...something. I would make up an event and go to that. Assuming I live in a city where people actually DRESS UP once in a while, for goodness sake (i.e. not Seattle). Note: this does not come in tall sizes.

Piperlime.com - Parker Back Bow Dress

Pretty color. LOVE this color. What? Not Impressed? That is because you haven't seen the back.

Angels actually just sang in my heart for the back of this dress. Too bad it's not a tall size, so it probably wouldn't cover my booty. That is not an acceptable look, unless you are Lady Gaga.

Piperlime.com - Tucker the Dress

This is somewhat of a departure from what I would usually wear, but I love this fun print. The cut of the dress looks really comfortable, yet feminine. I am sad because the little belt would be closer to my bra than my actual waist. :-(

Piperlime.com - Millier Ruffle Jacket

Love this color, and I'm super big on ruffles right now. And everyone knows I love me a jacket. I would have to actually try it on, but my Spidey Sense tells me this jacket won't be long enough. I know cropped jackets are cute, blah blah. But I think this one IS already cropped. And jackets don't look cropped on me - they look too short.

Everyone thinks that because I am 5'10" and skinny it is super easy to pull off clothes. It's not. Because there are like, five (not necessarily affordable) brands that make cute clothes that fit me. Clothes are not cute when your tummy is showing, and the waist of the clothes is up around your ribcage (and it's not supposed to be).

Anyway, I will stop complaining and show you pretty things that anyone can wear.

JCrew.com - Majesty Stone Cocktail Ring

I do love a giant cocktail ring, even if it's fake. I love giant not-fake cocktail rings even more. Oh, maybe not just anyone can wear this...sorry if you don't have fingers. I guess that would probably mean you can't wear this. Maybe put it on a cute necklace chain? YES!!! Problem solved. :-)

And speaking of necklaces,

JCrew.com - Crystal Corona Necklace

FUN!!!!! I am really into statement pieces right now. I think because I have such a limited selection of affordable, well-fitting clothes, and these accessories can really punch up an outfit for less money than say, an intricately detailed J. Crew top.

Note to J.Crew: I love you for making great-quality, tall clothes, but your prices force me to build up my closet veeeerrrry sloooowly, even when the clothes are on sale.

Love, B

Boston Countdown

Since I have such a smarty-pants husband, we are moving to Boston this year so that he can get 2 (more) masters degrees at MIT. I am excited to move somewhere else - I have never lived further than 20 miles from where I was born and raised! Crazy, right?

Anyway, I am looking forward to a new town, and am having dreams of living in a nice apartment. Or a decent one. My current and last homes are/were tear-downs that don't get upgraded at all. As long as they are in working condition, the landlord won't put any money into them.

I became a painting fiend in both my old and current places. I repainted ALL 430 square feet of my last apartment, including the closets, shelves, rails, and the ceilings. Then we painted almost all of our current place. I only stopped at the bathroom because our lease is only 10 months total, so it wasn't worth the work (in my opinion).

I love our place that we have now. I have always dreamed of living in this neighborhood, and I thoroughly enjoy not having neighbors filling my apartment with their second-hand smoke. We have a great yard, only one wall with neighbors, and that is only a smattering of the positives.

But my landlord won't upkeep this property, or let me improve it while he pays for updates. It's a shame.

So now I daydream about places that have wood trim that doesn't dandruff paint chips, don't have possible asbestos in the attic/ceiling, have heating systems that don't drown out the television, and have light flowing through most of the unit.

And the ultimate daydream - having a place that looks like this:

(all images from one of my favorite blogs of all time, Young House Love)

You can find the whole post from John and Sherry at YHL here. They go into detail about what they love in this place, including the gorgeous floor stencils. Floor stencils!!! I could SO do floor stencils in my current place - the wood has absolutely no sealant on it and the floors are just a lost cause. I die.

I am excited because we are planning on getting rid of a lot of our furniture for the move and starting fresh in Boston. I hope we have an outdoor space or a garage so that I can grab shabby stuff off of Craigslist and make them pretty with paint and such. My goal is to try and get somewhere close to this look.

I showed the YHL post to Rick, expecting him to say that the place was too girly, but he seemed to not mind it, not even the pink dining room! Of course, he was watching the Olympics, so I might have been kind of cheating on that one! ;-) I think it's one of those things where I'll just do what I want. As long as it is comfortable and I do it all on the cheap, I don't think Rick will care.

Even if this isn't your Dream Place, if you are nesting and/or love interior design and DIY projects, GO to John and Sherry's blog. It is what my little starter blog aspires to be someday.

They are a cute couple, great writers, and have awesome posts every day. They are currently putting together their nursery for their first baby. Even if you are not expecting, it's a great blog because it's not all-baby.

Anyway, what are your thoughts on my Dream Place? **Please don't shatter my dreams by telling me I'll never find that in Boston - I know this is very likely a lofty, unattainable dream for now.**Have you lived in or been to Boston? What do you like to do there, and what stores/bars/parks/neighborhoods do you love?

Oopsies

So, first one of my bandages started falling off on Sunday. I used some paper tape (because it is the kind I am not allergic to) to tape it back on. Then as I took off my socks today, the other bandage just came right off! I was worried for like, 2 seconds and then I rejoiced.

Fair warning for the rest of the post: It gets a little yucky, not in pictures, but in words.

So I took both bandages off and washed my feet (YAY!). Then I considered taping the old bandages back onto my feet, until I got a whiff of them, and that idea flew RIGHT out the window. I re-wrapped them with new bandages that I had lying around for a later date when I might need to pad my tender little feet. I don't think I did a too-shabby job.

Sorry, I had already put my socks on and didn't feel like taking my other sock off. :-)

I was pleased to see that my feet (without the bandages, of course) are becoming quite attractive! Even with the scars! I haven't had pretty feet ever, so that's just a little exciting for me. :-)

As an aside, I can now understand why they make me cover these things up - everything is peely and the scabs and dead skin on the incisions are loosening and I REALLY want to pick at them. I know, I am gross. I am a picker.

Anyway, my hubs chastised me for picking at the extremely loose scabs, warning me that if I did that they would scab more. I know that is true, but I don't want it to be. I want to pick at stuff. Harumph.

What? Don't even act like you wouldn't be tempted too.

**update: I called my dr office to see what they had to say. They said don't worry about it, this just means the swelling is going down very quickly. Yay! So I took off my homemade bandages and washed my feet again. Yippeee!!!!!

The (p)upside of being gimpy

Everyone thought I would go stir-crazy when I stayed (mostly) in my house for the 4 weeks that I was confined to a wheelchair. Everyone was wrong. There are a few reasons for my sanity staying intact:

1. Lovely friends and family coming over.

2. Lovely husband.

3. HGTV.

4. Lovely puppies.

Puppies are key to maintaining my sanity.

Here are just a few things I get to see/watch while at home:

Pups play-fighting

Puppies sleeping in funny positions:

Puppies snuggling with each other (the top puppy is my foster dog who just went to her new home!):

Puppies snuggling in their new bed:

And as I type this, I have one puppy twitching in her sleep right next to me, and another pup laying across my right arm, annoyed that my typing is disturbing her attempt to nap there.