Blush for the Holidays

I love Thanksgiving. What's not to love? It is the kickoff to the holidays and it centers around cooking and food. Whoopie! I usually get a severe case of post-Christmas blues on December 26th.  With Thanksgiving, much to my delight, the end only leads to more holiday happiness! Plus, I can finally listen to Christmas music since long ago I vowed to judge anyone that indulges before Turkey Day.

My mom and I are Turkey Day kitchen rock stars. We have the two day cook-a-thon down to a science. I thrive making our renowned recipes, doing dishes to the '80s Pandora station with my siblings and watching Elf while eating leftovers. I also used to hunt for a special outfit for the meal. While this year I am trying to "behave" financially and not buy anything new, it doesn't hurt to pretend! I am drawn to geometric patterns, nude shimmers, and a lot of blush tones for Thanksgiving 2013.

J.Crew pixie judhpur pant, J.Crew color block intarsia sweater, Tom Ford show me pink nail lacquer, Bobbi Brown lip gloss in buff, Bobbi Brown sequin shimmer brick eye palate, Kate Spade lynda rose gold pump, and Miss Dior eau de parfum

What are you planning on donning this Turkey Day?

A Few Things I'm Excited About

Spring Has Sprung in Cleve!

After busy season ends, there is always this period of a few weeks where the fact that free time is available again takes some major getting used to.  My first instinct to all invitations and suggested outings is "no"; however, then I remember I can have fun again.  I believe this period of reacquainting with my life has thrown off my blogging schedule.  Oh well, no point in feeling guilty about something I choose to do!

For my first blog post in a few weeks, I wanted to share a few things I am very excited about.  Nothing like me finding new products that I decide I need when I really should be saving my monies. I think spring does that to me - reinvention comes with restocking of the closet and beauty cabinet.

Clare Vivier Flat Clutch in Cobalt

My first new obsession is Clare Vivier handbags.  I treated myself to her flat clutch, which has been a staple among celebs for quite some time but appears to just be trickling down to girls like me in Cleveland.  Her goods are handcrafted entirely in L.A. and offers unique monogramming options, which keeps your handbag unique to you and in line with trends.  Her clean and simple designs suit my style to a "T" and I love the soft and buttery feel of the leather.  It took me a good five hours to decide what color to get.  Now I want a foldover clutch, the laptop size clutch, and the (out of my price range) large duffle in navy.  I just want to pack it up and take a trip.  Doesn't matter where... because I just want to pack it.

Dry Texturizer and Foundation Mist

My next new obsession is Oribe hair products.  For those of you that know me know that I try to get away with washing my hair twice a week.  Oribe's dry texturizing spray helps me get there while providing texture and volume options.  Also, the smell is to die for.  Oribe's foundation mist offers heat protection and helps dry hair faster, softer and sleeker.  I am ever on the hunt for ways to make my thin and stringy hair a bit more manageable and pretty... and I think I'm on to something.  Check out the company's website for some "how to" video tips.

Lastly, I am on a sock knitting kick.  I can't get enough of the Madelinetosh hand dyed sock yarn I chose for my first pair.  The colorways from this highly regarded company are mesmorizing.

I had to restart this sock multiple times due to some blunders: forgetting how to work the pattern, attempting to knit drunk and dropping stitches, turbulence on a plane causing me to mess up.  However, I think I'm on a roll now!  I sit at home after work and knit while watching Season 4 of Ally McBeal on Netflix.  Her quirkiness makes my quirkiness appear slightly tame.

Any new obsessions on your end?

A Few of My Fave Things - 1/10/13

My personality is one which forces me to strive to find the best of everything (for me, anyways).  I like knowing what works for me, because then I can always rely upon it.  This is true with cosmetics, stores, brand names, recipes, places, you name it.  They are essentially "Katy's fave things" (the word fave is used so I don't step on any copyright landmines).  Recently, I have found that when I share these fave things with people similar to myself, they truly appreciate being shown the way to the bandwagon upon which to jump.  Since busy season for us in public accounting began last week, I have been feeling a tad blue and run down.  Therefore, I decided this week's post should be uplifting and fun.  What could be more fun than writing about things I love?!

www.stylemint.com

Anyone who knows me is aware of my appreciation of Ashley Olsen and Mary Kate Olsen.  Laugh, scoff, roll your eyes... I don't care because I think they are fabulous.  Born business women, these peers of mine have transitioned through each phase of their lives in the spotlight with hardly a scratch and successful brands and companies to boot.  Their current fashion lines are spot on with my tastes season after season; however, I can only dream of affording items from The Row and only own Elizabeth and James if found on EBay or Gilt.  This is why I love StyleMint.  What started as an online subscription based t-shirt company has expanded to offer dresses, skirts, leggings, jeans, pants, jackets, sweaters, and (shortly) sunglasses!  Ashley and Mary-Kate are the figure heads of the brand and, per the website, are the head designers.  Every piece I've purchased from StyleMint has been of great quality and cutting edge style.  I love having a place to go for pieces that can go from the office to the weekend.  Most items start at just $30 with free shipping and new pieces are released each month.  Watch for my favorite: the mystery boxes!

www.masonpearson.com

I was not blessed with a good head of hair.  My hair is thin and there is a lot of it.  No matter how regularly I get trims and how much I avoid heat styling, my ends always look a little frazzled.  I have finally found my fave line of hair products (perhaps I will share in another post); however, what has me the most excited about my hair potential is a recent Christmas gift: a Mason Pearson boar bristle brush.  These puppies aren't cheap, but after a couple weeks of twice-daily brushing I am already noticing a difference in the look and feel of my hair.  The concept is that the boar bristles stimulate your scalp while distributing your natural oils evenly down the hair shaft leaving shiny healthy hair from root to tip.  I wash my hair only two to three times a week (it's healthier and saves you boat loads of time getting ready, I promise!) and this helps me stay fresh for longer.  I'm excited to see the results the longer I use it.  I'll keep everyone updated if my hair magically turns into Jennifer Aniston's!

www.jomalone.com

My last fave I am sharing is an oldie for me, but a goody.  I love perfumes and colognes.  I like changing my scent with my mood.  When I am feeling creative, classic, and in the mood for some high end quality, I always reach for my Jo Malone colognes.  Jo Malone began in London, was acquired in the late 1990's and expanded its lines and retailers ever since.  The newest spot to exercise your sniffer is Nordstrom.  Jo Malone specializes in "the art of fragrance combining" (its trademark).  The idea is for you to pick multiple colognes and combine them for a signature scent.  All in all, it convinces you to buy a plethora and have "play time" each time you get ready.  I am a "spicy" scent lover at heart, so one of my favorites is pomogranate noir.  I also love nectarine and honey blossom, black vetyver and cafe, red roses and grapefruit.  Don't even get me started on their bath oils and candles.  Blackberry and bay is the next on my "to buy" list.  A girl is to strive to own a bunch to mix and match with.  My problem?  I use them up before I justify buying another.  Sigh...

What are some things you can't live without?