158.4!!

I have done nothing to support my weight loss.

I have no right to be depressed that my weight stays the same.

I have not been exercising or even walking the dog.

The only thing is that I gave up fast food for Lent. I had decided to give up fast food and replace it with walking the dog, but so far, all I’ve been able to do is give up the fast food. It’s been rough. I crave onion rings and French fries and Whoppers and pastrami burgers.

All.

The.

Time.

My poor co-workers who have to listen to me moan and cry “when is Easter?”

The other day I was pondering to myself whether I could go longer without the stuff. It’s not like I feel any better, but I surely could do without the expense of it all. I’m also not looking forward to how my body will react when I go back to eating that junk. I know that I will feel awwwwwful.

I haven’t given up junk food. I still eat like crap, but I’ve cut down considerably on the Dr. Pepper, and managed to keep cut back, so that’s good.

I hadn’t noticed a difference in my life, but when I stepped on the scale this morning, the heavens opened and choirs of angels reigned down on me.

I now have more motivation to take the dog out and stay away from greasy fast food.

We’ll see….

O.P.I. Lincoln Park After Dark

O.P.I. Lincoln Park After Dark

One day I'll go to New York City and actually know what Lincoln Park really looks like after dark.

For now, I'll settle with this super dark almost black wine colour.

This is the third in "The Darks" series.

We had snow on Tuesday, but it's shorts weather today. Mother Nature is trying to spring Spring on me sooner than I'm ready. I may not be able to get through all my dark colours before the flowers bloom.

Lady Grey 159.8

Grey Tights

I bought this dress as Costco on the day before Thanksgiving while in line. Its super comfy, but shows every line and bump. One needs SERIOUS shapewear in order to wear it.

I got the tights the same day as the dress, but at the grocery store. I was just looking to see if I could find some grey tights that I liked, and found these. I love them so much and think they are darling. Unfortunately, this dress is the only thing I own that they go with.

New favourite Steve Maddens and lip colour is the 24 hour Maybelline lip colour in "Constant Cabernet". No one in my family likes this lipstick but me. I care not because the scale registered at below 160 today!!

Wrangler shirt

Country School Teacher

We travelled to Calgary, Alberta, Canada for a family vacation and went to the Calgary Stampede. I had never spent much time on the east side of the Rockies. It was very beautiful and we had a lovely time. I had also never been to the Calgary Stampede before. I’m not much of a cowgirl.

My husband is descended from cowboys, and it is therefore in his blood. He has passed this on to our two sons. Since we were going to one of the most famous rodeos in the world, my darling husband deemed it necessary that we “cowboy up” for our trip to the Stampede. Boots and hats were procured, Wranglers fitted, belt buckles polished… you name it.

I wore my black Fluevog cowboy boots.

John Fluevog opened a store in Calgary right before the Stampede and created an amazing cowboy boot for the occasion. Had I the money, I would have purchased a pair. I am saving for these very boots. They are so beautiful. 

Being a more suburban slash city girl at heart, as mentioned, I’m not much of a country girl. Also previously mentioned, my husband is kind of a country boy (even though he grew up in the suburbs like me). My husband tends to be a purist about things, so in order to get geared up for the Stampede, he dragged us to several country/farm supply stores.

Living in Utah, those places are plentiful.

I tend to try to find beauty in everything wherever I go. Instead of turning my nose up at all the country cowgirl stuff, I actually found two shirts and a belt that I love.

I am also not opposed to the country lifestyle, or cowboys/cowgirls in general, and I don’t think that they’re all hicks, but you know… I don’t particularly go nuts for Wrangler butts.

That being said, this is a Wrangler Vintage shirt. One of the ones I referred to that I found. It is comfortable, well made, and I totally love it. It borders on looking like one of those plaid flannel shirts we were all so enamoured with in 1991 that happen to be back in style.

I love this shirt and wish I had more just like it.

I’m also wearing my Uncle Colin’s old sweater vest (from the seventies), a necklace my husband bought for me at the Emery town Pioneer Day celebration, my black skirt, hose and slingbacks. I like to think of this look as a throw back to the Olde country school teacher type look.

Maybelline long wear lipstick

I am not much of a lipstick wearer. The reasons why are plentiful:

1) My lips peel constantly, so I am forever chewing on my lips, thus wearing off the lipstick.

2) I don’t have much occasion to spend in front of the mirror, so when I’m out in public, I like to just wear lipgloss, then I don’t have to worry about my lipstick being half worn off.

3) I have big lips. To quote my friend Tristann, “We big lipped girls don’t like to attract too much attention to our mouths”. That’s not exactly completely the case, I’m mostly too lazy to be constantly maintaining my lip colour.

4) I do, sometimes, worry about drawing too much attention to my mouth for fear it's not properly made up. It’s constantly moving what with the talking and chewing and drinking water, so I can never be quite sure how the state of my lip colour is fairing.

Big Mouth

I tend to stick with neutral colours that don’t show that they have faded or worn off. I also tend to stick with lipgloss so that it’s easy to reapply without a mirror.

When I worked in retail in the early 90’s, I wore red lipstick every day. There were mirrors on the walls, in the dressing room area, and in our stock room. I was always able to monitor the state of my lips, and re-application was completely within my grasp, so wearing a non-neutral was totally do-able. Now that I sit at a desk all day, I don’t have that luxury.

In the mid 90’s, long wearing lipstick became very popular. I tried several brands, but all were very drying and my already dry and peeling lips became ESPECIALLY extra dry and peeling lips.

Earlier this winter, I was able to have some rare me time and went shopping. I wandered in to a store called Ulta. It’s like stepping inside a Sephora. The minute I opened the door, choirs of angels sang out, the light descended and I was floating on a cloud. I just had to stand there for a minute and take in the awe of it all. It was like being welcomed home.

I was looking for a mauve coloured lipstick and a chocolate colour. I happened to pick up this 24 hour lip colour. Since it was a deal, I didn’t feel guilty about wasting my money on something that didn’t work out. The mauve colour is more of a dark wine, and the chocolate is more mocha, but that’s okay, the colours both look good and I’m so pleased with this product.

Maybelline Super Stay 24-hour Color lip colour in Consant Cocoa

I wore the wine colour to Thanksgiving knowing that I would have access to a mirror and be able to ensure that I wasn’t committing any lipstick worn off crimes. The colour DID. NOT. BUDGE. Thanksgiving is the ultimate test for a long wearing lip colour, wouldn’t you think? I didn’t take it off that night (too tired, stop gasping, Mum, sometimes I go to bed without washing my face – it’s okay, I’m still a good person). The next morning, the lip colour was exactly where it was supposed to be. No smudging, nothing. It was like I had just put it on.

The way it works is that there are two ends. One with the colour, the other with a moisturizing lip balm. You paint on the colour, let it dry, then put the lip balm over top. I love it because I can re-apply the lip balm as much as I want without ruining the lip colour. My lips stay moisturized, and my colour stays put. I. LOVE. IT.

The one trick is to make sure that your lips are sufficiently exfoliated, dried off, and naked. I am in the habit of wearing lip balm under my lipstick and one cannot apply the colour with anything on one’s lips or the colour won’t take nor will it apply smoothely.

I have never been more pleased with a lip colour in my life. I am so happy that I ran across it.

Finally! My Favourite Shoes!

I have two kinds of favourite shoes; ones that are my favourites for all time and eternity that I’ve owned for a million years, sent to the shoe repair several times, and will die if they ever fall apart, and shoes that are recently purchased that are my "new favourites".

These shoes are "new favourites". I’m certain I will love them for a long time and that they will turn into the first category of favourite shoes, but right now they are of my newest purchases. I wear them about once a week. I love, love, love, love, LOVE them. Did I mention that I love them? Well, I love them.

Steve Madden 4” black suede platforms that I bought at Marshall’s for forty bucks.

They make me six feet tall. I love it when I’m wearing them and someone walks into my office to ask me a question and I stand up to walk to the filing cabinet or wherever, and I keep on standing up and their eyes go up, up and uuuuup. “Those are some shoes!” is the average comment. I am known for my shoes around the office.

I have them paired with black tights, for the monochromatic look that I love, my “new favourite” black and grey tweed skirt (also bought for cheap at Marshall’s), and my very favourite black v-neck silk and cashmere sweater (bought online for super cheap too).

The sweater deserves a special mention because it is the one that I crave to wear. I look forward to winter so that I can wear this sweater. It is so cozy. I SUPER love this sweater.

The sassy pose is in part thanks to my darling husband who took the photo. He was being all particular about the light and where I should stand, so by the time he took the photo, I was so DONE with taking the dumb photo that I decided to be a snot. Also, I had initially given the camera to The Photographer to take the picture when my darling husband had to butt in and take over, so my sweet first born son was sitting on the stairs sulking and I’m such a Mama Bear that it bothers me when my boy is upset.

Sassy pose

Suede Steve Maddens

The Darks

Despite the 4 inches of snow that we’ve received in the last two days, Spring is just around the corner. I can feel it. It’s coming.

The reason why I know is because I get horribly depressed this time of year.

I come from Vancouver, British Columbia, Canada and I consider that city to be the most perfect place on earth. Spring comes somewhat early, usually February, in my hometown. The crocuses and daffodils come up, and the cherry blossoms bloom. Vancouver is a beautiful city, but in Spring it’s a sight to behold. Suddenly, the rain doesn’t seem so cold and the air is oh so much fresher.

Having lived in the Vancouver area the first twenty-five years of my life, something in my brain just clicks in February to tell me that it’s time for Spring.

Spring doesn’t come so early here in Utah (remember the four inches of snow I just described?) When I go outside and get beat in the face with the bone-chilling cold, but my brain expects it to be Spring, it’s a major downer.

The other thing that depresses me about the weather in Utah, is that we are not eased into Summer like on the West Coast. One day it’s ski jackets, then two weeks of mild, tulipy, blossoms, then BAM! The hot hot heat of summer for 6 months. (I’m exaggerating for artistic purposes, but you get my drift)

I’m completely sick of my winter clothes, but not totally. I love my sweaters and boots and hats and gloves and scarves. I love wearing dark colours and with all the sun and heat that is a Utah summer, that’s mostly impossible.

I have decided to ring out the Winter season by going through all my dark coloured nail polish. In this post I showed the black manicure. I am going to go lighter with each post, so here is chocolate brown. It’s O.P.I. Espresso your style. I specifically bought it when I dressed up as a UPS driver for Halloween, but I love dark chocolate (the colour AND the treat) so it goes with just about everything I wear.

O.P.I. Espresso yourself plus Dewey's little toe toes

Reasons why I’m “red”

I do not have a definable hair colour. When I was a kid, it was blonde. Now, it’s not blonde, it’s not brown, it’s bleah. It used to frustrate me when I was in high school, because if I said I had blonde hair, people would say, “no it’s not, it’s brown”. If I would say I had brown hair, people would say, “no it’s not, it’s blonde”. -Undefinable hair colour.

I would do my mum’s Frost ‘n’ Tips for her and I would beg her to let me colour my hair so that I could have a definable hair colour, and she would never let me. She would tell me I had a beautiful natural colour and that once I started colouring it I would ruin the roots and destroy my natural colour.

About this time, temporary or wash-out hair colour came out. Since this was not permanent colour, and not bleaching, my mum permitted me to use that type of dye. I started experimenting with various shades from Auburn to Chestnut to Kohl black, but the auburns were my favourites.

From the time I was in Grade ten on, I have been experimenting with hair colour.

I had a boyfriend who once told me, “anyone can go blonde, not everyone can go darker”. He was trying to talk me out of highlights and trying to get me to go dark brown. I went dark brown and loved it.

When I was a kid and had blonde hair, I had blue eyes. When I went through puberty, my hair went darker and my eyes turned green. Blondes have blue eyes, brunettes have brown eyes, and redheads have green eyes. That’s how I thought as a kid. Doesn’t make sense, but that’s the way it was supposed to be to the child in me.

I have always identified with redheads in fiction:
Anne Shirley (of Green Gables)
Molly Ringwald’s characters in every John Hughes film
Wilma Flintstone
Jane Jetson
Josie and the Pussycats
Daphne Blake (Scooby-Doo)
Edward Cullen
The little red-haired girl that Charlie Brown was in love with
Ariel

When Disney’s “The Little Mermaid” came out, the media was making a big deal about how there had never been a red-haired Disney Princess. I went to go see it with my boyfriend and his friend (They were in their early twenties and wearing leather jackets – it was ironic). When we were in line for tickets, I said something along the line of FINALLY the redheads are being represented! My boyfriend’s friend turned to me and said, “uh, you know that you’re not a redhead, right?”

I may not have natural red hair – I don’t have the freckles, or the fair skin, but I’m a redhead inside!!

Sweater Tights

I have been wearing sweater tights (also know as cable-knit tights) since I was a little girl.

There is something so lovely about sweater tights. First of all, they are warm. I hate having cold feet, but I like stylish shoes, so it’s hard to find a happy medium. Second, they remind me of my childhood in a good way. They also remind me of ballet lessons, but the reason why escapes me. Also, they last forever, no snagging running pantyhose that you just bought, and they run as soon as you put them on.

I served an LDS Mission in Lansing, Michigan. It gets so cold there in the winter. Sister Missionaries are required to wear skirts, so sweater tights were a definite must. (along with wool socks, long underwear, etc)

I have only two pair of sweater tights; a black pair and a cream pair. They are both leftover from my mission. I served my mission in 1993.

This morning had snow on the ground and I found it to be extra biting cold outside, so I opted for the choice of wearing sweater tights. GOOOD. Choice.

I stayed warm and cozy all day long. I paired them with my favourite black fake suede knee-high boots, black turtleneck and black skirt.

Black Sweater Tights