Friday, November 28, 2008

let the crafting begin

Sure, I haven’t finished the laundry I started last week. I also haven’t changed the oil in my car, or dealt with the large pile of recycling taking up a whole corner of my apartment. But I have kept up on “Chuck,“ “House,“ “Fringe,“ “Bones,“ “Ugly Betty,“ “Grey’s,“ “South Park,“ and the new season of “24.“

Instead of roaming downtown, Target, and Fashion Square for hours trying to find the perfect gifts for everyone, I’m hitting Michaels for craft supplies and kicking back for some multitasking in front of the TV. This week’s project: Victorian-inspired paper ornaments from Martha Stewart Crafts. The kit takes out the painful process of cutting and scoring the paper, and even comes with a supercute glue pen. The directions aren’t foolproof, but even my first ornament turned out nice enough to give to someone other than my parents. These ornaments are also incredibly easy on the budget; with coupon one kit of 20 set me back just under $10. And that’s really what the holidays should be about anyway, investing time and love for the people you care about, not a whole paycheck.

Available at Michaels and marthastewartcrafts.com. Photo from Martha Stewart Crafts.

Thursday, November 20, 2008

denim rising

Raise your hand if you’re sick of unflattering denim trends! The stiff acid wash of the 80s was unfortunate in and of itself, let alone when combined with booty-flattening back pockets, pooch-accentuating tight, high waist, and relaxed fit down to a tapered leg. Not that the 90s were any better, unless you were a size 2 there was no escaping the muffin top and plumber’s booty created by scandalously low rises.

Faced with the choice between mom jeans which add 10 pounds to my figure or juniors denim which fits like too-tight sausage casing, I wore the same pair of long discontinued American Eagle boot cut until they wore to shreds, the dark rinse long faded to a truly authentic grungy vintage light blue.

Today I bit the bullet and headed over to Judy B’s for the agony of buying new jeans. But it looks like the denim gods are finally hearing our prayers. Many premium denim brands are offering trendy super high waisted jeans which fit at the natural waist, but many also have a reasonable rise with a flattering tailored leg in a variety of rinses. I picked up these high waist boot cut jeans from Seven for All Mankind with a 9” rise in the front and a generous 14” in the back - I’ll never worry about showing my panties again, but from the front they look like any other pair of jeans (read: no pooch!). Finally, a trend worth keeping around.

Thursday, November 20, 2008

oil purpose

I’ve spent years chasing skincare ingredients to soothe my troubled skin. Beta hydroxy acid, salicylic acid, green tea extract, vitamin c, oatmeal, even mushroom extracts, in a range of oil-free and super creamy formulas.

With one last prayer for a miracle I ordered a bottle of Argan Oil from Josie Maran Cosmetics. I figured if complex formulas weren’t doing the job, trying one ingredient is worth a shot - especially one packed with vitamin E and fatty acids. Plus, the oil is from Morocco and Moroccans have great skin, right?

Not only is this one of the best facial moisturizers I’ve ever used, it’s also fantastic as a leave-in conditioner for hair. It seems counter-intuitive to put oil on oily/breakout prone skin, but four drops twice a day keeps my skin beautifully moisturized with not a clogged pore in sight. My skin is soft and smooth with only the occasional breakout, and not a hint of irritation. Four drops spread through damp hair keeps it soft and frizz-free, even after blowdrying. Instead of schlepping a bag of moisturizers to the gym, I now have one elegant bottle. And once I use up the drawers of hair and skin products at home, this baby is it. My fingers are crossed for an Argan Oil-infused body butter - then I can do away with that embarassingly large collection of products, too. While $48 seems steep, this 2 oz bottle is sure to last for months. Available at josiemarancosmetics.com and sephora.com.

Sunday, November 16, 2008

Still One Day Left of the Artisans Studio Tour

The 14th Annual Artisans Studio Tour got off to a great start, despite the rain and windy weather yesterday. Seventeen art studios have opened their doors for the public to immerse themselves in the local talent and unique styles - ranging from jewelry, hand printed goods, pottery, furniture restoration, etc.

Besides the variety of artistic creativity, each studio has a massive spread of appetizing treats from multiple area businesses. There are also two opportunities to win shopping credits by just stamping your Passport card at each studio that your visit - $50 - or by visiting nine or more studios - $300. (Details are listed on the Passport card; available at any of the studios)

There is still one more day to get out around town to see some of the amazing work the artists craft and create. Stop by any of the studios between 10 a.m. and 5 p.m. Be sure to check the directions provided on the Artisans Studio Tour brochure, which is posted on the Artisans Studio Tour website, and follow the ACV signs. Enjoy!

Friday, November 14, 2008

get ready for Virginia Fashion Week

In the words of Cynthia Schroeder, “who doesn’t love a good catwalk?“

So don’t miss the Virginia Fashion Week runway show on Monday, Nov. 17 at 7 p.m. at Spring Street boutique on the downtown mall. Admission is a $5 donation to the Spring Street Foundation for Cats and Dogs, This is the first year Charlottesville will be a part of the action, and thanks to Schroeder’s hard work it should be a great event.

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