Body Image

 

I wanted to let you in on a conversation I had the other day with a couple of my friends.

AJ recently returned from his week at Burning Man. He was telling Shannon and me about the people he met and the things he saw. He mentioned something about seeing a woman freely romp around in her birthday suit while twirling silk streamers in the wind. “She was Beautiful” he said. Shanny and I laughed at the mental image of running naked in a sea of strangers. I got to thinking... that lady must have had extremely high self-esteem, or she may have just been extremely high, or both -- it comes with the territory of Burning Man I guess. Now don't get me wrong, by no means am I recommending frolicking naked to improve your self-esteem; not a good idea. Public nudity also happens to be illegal ha-ha. I was merely admiring her personal confidence -- girl has hutzpah!

I believe that a large percentage of women these days lack confidence and have a weak perception of their own body image.

Margarita Tartakovsky, MS, author of Weightless, gives some helpful advice.

Things Every Woman Should Think About:

It’s not easy living in today’s thin-is-in society. Thanks to trashy weeklies, skinny celebrities and flashy ads, slowly but surely – the media and our surroundings chip away at our body image. Self doubt creeps in and many women begin to wonder... Am I thin enough, pretty enough etc. Whatever the case maybe, reversing our thought process and developing a positive body image takes time.

1. Consider the impact. Take some time to reflect on how your body image has affected other areas of your life. How does your body image affect your relationships, your work, and overall self-image? Does it prevent you from accomplishing professional goals? And if you have children, consider the message you are sending them about their own self-image. Does your little girl hear you complain about your weight or appearance? What might she think about her own?

2. See the whole you. Many of us rarely look at ourselves as a whole person. We pick apart our bodies and nit-pick at every supposed flaw. Instead, empower yourself to see the entire you.  (Make a list of ten things that you love about yourself…internally and externally)

3. Change your mentality. Our society values a slim silhouette, smooth skin and perfect features, oftentimes at the cost of health. But when we change our mindset, we empower ourselves to pursue good self-care. In fact, it becomes a beautiful cycle: focus on being healthy, and do things that help you feel better about yourself. When you’re taking care of yourself, your mood improves and you look healthier.

4. Focus on strong female role models. Nowadays, we turn to actresses for our outward inspiration – how we dress, what we look like, whose arms, legs and lips we want. Instead, think about the many accomplished, strong women from history and today. What woman do you admire for her accomplishments, strength, character, resolve?

“Women of substance help us remember what really counts: the inner self, values, beliefs, morals, and the ability to love. With this insight, we may gradually see our entire female experience differently.”-Dr. Maine

The change can start with you.

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Victorian Cottage

I've seen pictures of this cute little cottage for months now. Here is the story  by the New York Times of how this fairytale came about.

I can't wait for our house to be done! Ms. Foster you have inspired me!

This is a very special sort of dream house: the Victorian Ms. Foster has wanted since she was a teenager on Long Island and her middle-class family lost their home. It is a house that is as soul-satisfying as it was when she first imagined it as a 15-year-old, even with the ups and downs that grown-up life brings.

“My refuge,” she calls it.

After Ms. and Mr. Foster sold their Farm house, they found this wooded property, with the trailer and cabin, for $46,000. Ms. Foster, seeing the hunting cabin on the hill, knew it could be her dream house.

The cabin was then a 9-by-10-foot box with a peaked roof, five small windows and a sleeping loft over a small porch supported by tree trunks. Ms. Foster began work on it as soon as time and money allowed, in July 2009.

With her saw, Ms. Foster cut out spaces for windows. She found a tin ceiling on Craigslist for $200, and a wooden mantelpiece in High Falls for about $350. Many of the faded white book jackets came from Beth Neumann, at TatteredVintage.

Armed with a crowbar, hammer and electrical saw, she removed the front of the cabin and extended the floor and porch, using salvaged floorboards. She framed out the porch and found columns, a screen door and hardware at New York Salvage.

The only help Ms. Foster required from her husband was setting the columns and rafter over the porchFurnishings, which had to be carried across a shaky bridge over the stream and then up the steep hill, posed a challenge. So what appears to be a short, fat love seat is really a lightweight wicker sofa from Ikea, plumped up with pillows and embroidered Ralph Lauren pillowcases. Ms. Foster built the china closet using scrap wood and French doors she found at a yard sale.

Was she ecstatic when it was completed?

“Yeah,” Ms. Foster said. “I was. I remember the night I finished as clear as a bell: It was November 1st. I was listening to Rush at very high volume over and over, it was freezing cold, I was starting to paint and the moon was out. I looked up at the moon, twirling, with my arms out. I was ready to cry.”

Finally, it was time to go back down the hill and across the stream to the trailer, where her husband came through the door with a surprise: freshly baked rolls, still warm from the oven. He placed them in a basket and put them, with a bucket of margarine and cups of green tea, on the coffee table.

Good job Ms. Foster! Dreams can come true.

Pictures: Pinterest

Crazy Weather

Southern California has been experiencing some strange weather. For the past few days it has been well into the 90's on the coast and 110 or so further inland. At 7:20AM I awoke to howling winds and booming thunder. Soon after, a torrential downpour of rain and hail fell from the dark sky. Our rain gutters were rendered useless...they filled up and spilled over the edge.
Hmmmmm?

What's up with this weather?

Too much fun. Keep it up Mother Nature…please bring snow to Orange County.

I grabbed my camera and snapped a few pictures of this rare event.

Old Hollywood

James Dean and Elizabeth Taylor

Audrey Hepburn 

Marylin Monroe and Sammy Davis Jr.

Audrey Hepburn

Audrey Hepburn and Fred Astaire

Marilyn Monroe

Grace Kelly

Gene Kelly and Betsy Blair

 James Dean and Elizabeth Taylor

Grace Kelly

Marilyn Monroe

Grace Kelly

Louis Armstrong and Grace Kelly

Marilyn Monroe and Jane Russell

Audrey Hepburn

 Grace Kelly

Grace Kelly

Paul Newman

Pictures: Pinterest

DIY: How to Fix Broken Eyeshadow

For those of you ladies who have ever dropped your eyeshadow, you'll appreciate this DIY. I found this great step-by-step guide for repairing shattered shadow on petitelefant! Don't throw it away! You can save your shadow with this easy tip! Click HERE

Caramel Fudge Turtle Cookies

Ingredients:

1 pouch Betty Crocker Sugar Cookie Mix

Butter and egg called for in the cookie mix

2 tablespoons all-purpose flour

20 caramels, unwrapped

1 tablespoon milk

1 cup hot fudge topping

36 Pecan halves

Directions:

Make cookie dough as directed on package, stirring in the 2 Tbsp of flour. Roll dough into 1-inch balls; place about 2 inches apart on an ungreased cookie sheet (I would recommend using a silpat mat to avoid sticking). Bake at 375°F 11 to 12 minutes or until set. Cool 1 minute; place cookies on cooling rack.

Melt caramels and milk in a double boiler, stirring, until caramels are melted. Dip one side of each cookie at an angle into caramel mixture to coat top half. If caramel thickens, add up to 1 teaspoon additional milk.

Spread about 1 teaspoon fudge topping on top of each cookie. Place pecan half on topping. Let stand about 15 minutes until toppings are set.

*Here is another option if you think the caramel dipping is too challenging. Just drizzle a spoonful into the middle of your cookie.

This recipe is an altered version of oodlekadoodleprimitives.

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Bourbon Chocolate Milkshake

An Adult Milkshake. Yesss Please!
Easy and amazing!

2 oz. bourbon
2 oz. chocolate syrup
1 cup vanilla ice cream

Combine all ingredients in a blender and blend until smooth. *Add a bit of milk if the shake is too thick.

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