Beauty Asylum

Sneak Peek: shoot with Lemon Chic Photography in the art filled town of Decatur, GA.

From blood oranges to rice bran oil, everyone loves Dr. Oz.

"what helps with red, sensitive skin? Even flushes easily with stress, embarrassment, changes in temperature (hot or cold), wind, exercise, sunlight, and certain food or drink triggers such as wine or spicy food. When your skin flushes, it causes a vicious cycle of inflammation that creates more redness and acne-like papules. It can even coarsen your skin and make your pores more noticeable."

Mix one cup of full-fat cottage cheese with a quarter-cup of minced pineapple and apply it like a mask for 10 minutes a day, twice a week for one month. The milk fat in the cottage cheese will moisturize and heal your skin. Use cool washcloth soaked in green tea over the mask to soothe your skin. Also drape a green-tea soaked cloth over your eyes for a relaxing 10-minute rest.

Sorry I've been neglecting the blog lately.

It's not that I lack things to write or share with you guys.  Having two little stunners around here makes for a hard time especially the peace of mind factor. 

For those of you that may not know.. I stay at home with my two kids, currently.  The cost of childcare is one expensive expense.  So I have found great joy of staying home with the kids during the week.  It's not easy.  I'm really trying to embrace this moment many women would be/are content with living.  It gets hard because I know for me to feel 'successful' means to carry out the single mom state of mind that I've seen growing up.

"Learn to appreciate the place you are at in life. Once you are thankful for your blessings then the universe will be open for you to proceed in life."

Inspiring quotes make me rethink an area in my life and then it grabs me like a breath of fresh air.  I don't just click the like button and move on.  I want to incorporate this in my daily life even though it may be a difficult task to over come. 

Being at home has allowed me to embrace my creative side.  I've painted just about every room in this house along with every shelf and piece of wood I can put my hands on.  I've always been told creative minds get bored easily ;)  I find myself starting one project; like painting the living room (started this when I was 6 mo pregnant) but not quite finishing it.  Kind of like not taking the last bite of that hamburger you quickly devour. The living room project received one coat of paint on the walls before the paint, brush, and roller were thoughtlessly discarded. The task of moving everything back to it's place was followed by the eagerness to see how it looked!  After I got the look I was going for I move onto the project unwilling to attempt at a second coat of paint.  Needless to say there has yet to be a second coat of paint to make it up on the living room wall.

The bedroom project has been the most recent project for me. It has been a happy transformation.  I've had this beautiful dark blue color called, Bungalow Blue. With this color came the urge to paint one wall in our room.  Of course I went with it and slapped up one coat. Before I could add the second coat I had to make sure the color would look right. So, I added the curtains, wall hangings, and I swapped out the comforter.  Before I knew it everything had its place and it looked too good to take it all down and add a second coat. Today, two months later, I finished the second coat of paint in our bedroom.  It sucked but I finished it!

Our bedroom has to be one of my favorite places in the house.  It serves as a place I can come to and relax.  It also has a lot of meaning for me.  My grandfather recently passed last year. For the longest time I've tried to get him to give up my grandmothers picture of Marilyn Monroe.  I remember I would playfully give him a hard time about hanging onto it but he would not budge. On the night stand next to my bed I also have my grandmothers jewelry box I played in as a kid.  When I first opened it I found the charm bracelet she got me when I was little. Those things make me happy when I see them.

Today I had a little retail therapy. This morning I started off at Marshall's and later ended up in front of the computer snatching up a deal from one of my favorite contemporary websites. I've always been a sucker for well tailored clothes and a nice wedge. Matt Bernson won me over on my summer time "love" sandal. The price was even better than the trend at $36! I also picked up a BCBG maxi to flatter the post baby curves. OPI polish in "My Chihuahua Bites" and "Pink Flamenco".