librarian tells all

Peachy Keen Paint for a Light and Bright Bedroom

noreply@blogger.com (Jen) — Tue, 21 May 2013 18:02:00 +0000

Oh hi, Internet! I've been neglecting my blog in favor of, you know, actually doing stuff. And when I'm not running around, I'm looking at pictures of warm, peachy colored bedrooms. Our bedroom is the only room in our place that gets very little natural light. Right now it's painted gray, and it looks like a well-upholstered dungeon.... not good. I'd like to go back to something like the room's former design: Black furniture, black and white textiles, and color on the walls. I need a paint color that's light, bright, and warm, and I'm leaning toward a very pale peach.

Adorable Home

Love Inspire Create

Avant Garde Design

Better Homes and Gardens

What do you think?

So what, you may ask, have I been doing when I haven't been poring over paint colors? I had such a full weekend, I feel like I'm only now stopping to catch my breath! On Friday I dropped in at a friend's birthday party, then went out and danced at QDP with awesome people. On Saturday I helped two of my favorite people in the world move into a new house, and then was treated to Rosepepper and Jeni's ice cream as a reward for my efforts. And on Sunday, Keith and I introduced our families to each other over dinner in Chattanooga.

His parents, my parents, and his Mom's parents all met for cocktails and dinner at the Easy Bistro, which is incredibly gorgeous and swank and just OMG look at it. It's in an old building that was once a Coca-Cola Bottling plant, and it has so much Art Deco charm. The sexy black walls... the chartreuse banquette... WOW! When we were there, the tables were festooned with gorgeous arrangements featuring peonies and calla lilies. Oh, and we witnessed a proposal! So much love is in the air, y'all.

The whole point of this dinner was for us to introduce our families, but we ran into a storm on the way there and arrived last. I was afraid we'd walk in and our parents would be awkwardly eyeing each other and it would be horrible. Instead, I felt like we were crashing their cocktail party. We walked in, and they'd obviously been talking a while and they liked each other. I was so happy to see Keith's parents and grandparents, too. Big hugs all around, no awkwardness, and lots of smiles.

Halfway through dinner, I looked around and thought All of these people are here because Keith and I fell in love. These people are going to be related to each other because one night we both went to the 5 Spot and started talking... and never stopped talking. A little crush became something something big and life-changing. It's a humbling, joyful thing to see that our relationship has the power to change other people's lives, too. It makes my stomach drop, like I'm on a roller coaster.

And then I had to break the spell by saying to Keith, "They're all here because of us. We have the powerrrrr!" in a supervillain voice. But still... Love is a big deal.

May 2013 Ipsy Bag: Spring Fling

noreply@blogger.com (Jen) — Thu, 16 May 2013 17:47:00 +0000

For those of you just tuning in, Ipsy is a beauty subscription service. For $10 a month, Ipsy sends 4 - 5 surprise beauty products to your door in a cute cosmetics bag. They even mail it in a shiny hot pink envelope! Seeing that envelope in my mailbox always makes me dance around like a little kid. If you don't want to get in a beauty rut, Ipsy is for you.

It's Ipsy bag time again! I'm not a fan of their new shipping partnership with DHL: It took 6 days for my bag to go from North Carolina to Nashville. What, are they shipping it by sedated land tortoise? But all was forgiven when I received my bag. This month it's chock full of fancy full-size products! And they're almost all to my taste, because this month Ipsy started using our beauty quiz results to customize our bags. Everyone received a full size Zoya nail polish, a yaby concealer, a Mirabella lipstick OR a Juice Beauty lip gloss, plus two random items chosen just for you. And some users got a bonus Urban Decay eye shadow! Here's what I got:

Full size yaby Concealer Refill in Buff - $4.85
Full size Zoya Nail Polish in GeiGei- $8.00
Full size Mirabella Colour Sheers Lipstick in Posy- $22.00
Full size Pacifica Perfume Roll-On in Tahitian Gardenia- $12.00
Anastasia Mini Clear Brow Gel - $6.68
(full size is $22.00 for 7.93 mL)
Full size Urban Decay Moondust eyeshadow in Space Cowboy - $20.00
(special gift for active members/content creators)

TOTAL VALUE: $73.53 (HOLY SHIT!)
Ipsy Price: $10.00

I'm so excited that I got a full size Pacifica Perfume! Pacifica doesn't use any phthalates, nitro-musks, or benzene. The Tahitian Gardenia scent is almost overpoweringly sweet and heavy when it's wet, but it dries down to a subtle, citrusy floral scent that's perfect for spring. It's feminine in a classy, old-school way. Some Ipsy users complained that it smells like old ladies, but I disagree. It's probably more sophisticated than the scents those girls usually wear, though. This is not a bubble-gummy, fruity scent for a young girl, and I like that. The packaging is pretty, too!

I was skeptical about the yaby concealer. How would they give us the right colors? But Buff blends well, and it's a perfect match for my skin. I used it yesterday on my undereye circles, and I like the result. Ipsy is still ironing out the customization thing: On the forums, many African-American women said they received Buff, too. And pale Irish girls got Pecan, the darkest shade. But I can vouch for the product's quality--it's good.

I wanted to try a clear brow gel, and it's like Ipsy read my mind. I have long, unruly eyebrow hairs that do what they want, damnit. The Anastasia Clear Brow Gel holds my brows in place without looking heavy or unnatural, and I like that. When I wear it, though, I can feel it. I become distractingly aware of my eyebrows in a way that is weird. I like the way it looks, but it's going to take some getting used to. Still, I'm glad to have this for bad eyebrow days. Yes, I have those. Don't look at me like that!

The Mirabella Colour Sheers lipstick applies like a lipstick, looks like a stain (think BeneTint), and feels like a super-buttery lip balm. It's made with mango butter, and it made my semi-chapped lips look smooth and healthy--major win! The color looks very dark and bright in the tube, but it's sheer, so I like the way it looks on my face. This is an item I never would've bought, because I would have expected it to be garish, so I'm so glad Ipsy sent it to me!

I wanted to try the Zoya polish because it's free of formaldehyde, formaldehyde resin, toluene, camphor, and dibutyl phthalate. Can you pronounce that? Me neither. Anyway, I thought a less toxic nail polish might dry slowly, but this dried even faster than the polish I got in last month's bag. Unfortunately, though, the sparkly baby pink polish makes me feel like Tinkerbell. It's childish; I'd have preferred the mint green or sky blue polish that other users received. But I like the formula, and now I know that Zoya is a brand to look for.

Finally, let's talk about the Urban Decay Moondust eye shadow. IT'S A SHOWSTOPPER. When I swatched it on my hand, I looked like I'd rubbed up against a disco ball. It's a neutral, champagne colored shadow jam packed with silver glitter. It's definitely not for every day, but the neutral color can be used with practically any wild eye look. Ipsy sent it with a note that said, "Thank you for being an active member of the Ipsy community. Because we appreciate the content you create and share to inspire and help members of the Ipsy community, please enjoy this brand new product from Urban Decay as a bonus in your May Glam Bag." Bloggers, take note: If you subscribe, Ipsy will show you extra love!

If you subscribe to Ipsy, what did you get this month? Do you think they customized the bag well?

Right This Second: Cool Songs, Gatsby and Art Deco Sparkle, and Toys for People Who Love Making Lists.

noreply@blogger.com (Jen) — Mon, 13 May 2013 11:30:00 +0000

New York City watercolor print by SketchAway on etsy

Right now I'm crazy about the New York Rooftop Party station on Songza. It has a lot of my old favorites... Lou Reed, David Bowie, the Velvet Underground, and Yo La Tengo seamlessly mixed in with newer bands like Phoenix, Passion Pit, Divine Fits, and Alabama Shakes. Alabama Shakes were a strange choice for this mix, but no matter. Every time I hear them, I think of that magical month in 2011 when they played in Nashville, like, a dozen times. I caught almost every one of those shows. I love them!

Rhinestone Headpiece by ShopElizabethPerry on Etsy

Who isn't inspired by the 1920s right now?! I saw The Great Gatsby on Friday, and I loved the music, lush costumes, and over the top set design. As much as I appreciate historically accurate art deco design, I did love Baz Luhrman's outrageously orchid festooned, bodaciously bedazzled re-imagining of flapper style. This headband looks like something straight out of Gatsby!

Also. During the scene where Jay showers Daisy with his clothing and it begins to look like rainbow confetti, was anyone else reminded of the scene in Spring Breakers where James Franco crows, "I have shorts in every color!!" Um, yeah. I started laughing uncontrollably because for a brief moment I imagined Leo with a big nasty grill.

Antique French Game Board Print from inkpainter on Etsy

If you've ever watched someone play video games for hours and days and years and thought If he improved himself in real life as much as he improves his character, he'd be a super-fit millionaire Ph.D by now, then you've probably wished there was a way to turn real life into an RPG. Now someone has done it! In the last two months, I've become completely addicted to HabitRPG.

You simply enter in the things you want to do on a regular basis, like take vitamins or read a book for half an hour or work out for an hour. You also enter things you don't want to do, like eat junk food. You can set tasks to be done every day, or only on certain days of the week. When you do the awesome stuff, you check if off your list, earn points, and eventually level up. When you do the less awesome stuff--be honest!--you lose health. At the end of the day, you also lose points for the healthy tasks you didn't complete. You can enter one-time chores on a separate list, and earn points when you complete those, too.

For an obsessive list-maker like me, it adds an element of fun to my daily chore list. I'm using the principles I learned in the book Switch: How to Change When Change Is Hard to make difficult tasks easier to complete: I'm breaking each job down into very small, specific tasks. For example, "clean the bathroom," can sound overwhelming, and it doesn't provide much direction. It's better to break the job down into specific tasks, like clean the bathroom mirror, wipe down the vanity, put fresh towels out, etc. And it works! I'm beginning to develop better habits. My bathroom has never been so clean, my laundry pile has never been so small, and I haven't forgotten to take my vitamins in weeks.

Have you played it? I'd like to talk to someone else who is using HabitRPG to see what kind of things other people use it for!

Handmade Felt Wedding Bouquets Look Like a Fondant Confectionery Dream Come True!

noreply@blogger.com (Jen) — Wed, 08 May 2013 17:54:00 +0000

Here's a little preview of my wedding flowers! I took on a huge project when I decided to make all of my wedding flowers by hand, but I absolutely love it. I've made about 60 flowers so far. The more I make, the prettier they get. My maid of honor says they remind her of frosting or some other edible confection. Mmm, that's exactly the look I'm going for! It's been so much fun to come up with my own designs.

You probably recognize the rosebuds and chrysanthemums. They're fairly standard felt flowers, and they're very quick and easy to make. I use them as filler, and they make up about 2./3 of the bouquet. The real showstoppers are the heart daisy and pansy. They take longer to make, but they're very special. The loose petals on the pansy give the bouquets a touchable, unstructured look. And the petals on the heart daisy are so full and lush--each flower has 16 hand-cut petals! The lazy daisy is another filler flower, and the crazy daisy is a good way to use small scraps of leftover felt. I don't make many of those, but a few in each bouquet gives the bouquets more variety.

Best of all, when it's all done, my wedding flowers will cost $200. I ordered a 10 yard bolt of ivory colored eco felt on Etsy for $106. I bought another 2 yards of colored wool blend felt for accents from TaDaa Studio Felt for $23.50. Then I bought 432 pieces of floral stem wire from Save On Crafts for $37. I'll probably buy more stems before I finish the project. The bridesmaid bouquet pictured here contains about 25 flowers. I have 6 bridesmaids and 20 tables to decorate, so I definitely have my work cut out for me. Luckily, I have 5 months to do it all, so I'm not worried.

I do wish the eco felt wasn't so fake. It's made of recycled soda bottles, and the texture is like a thin sheet of fiberglass. Is isn't opaque, and it doesn't keep its shape well. Worst of all, thousands of tiny plastic fibers get into the air when I cut it. I probably shouldn't have worked on this while I had bronchitis! I set up an air filter next to my workspace, though, and that helps improve the air quality. The wool-blend felt from TaDaa Studios, on the other hand, is so luxurious. It's thick, soft, easy to sculpt into whatever shape I want, and it doesn't shed nasty fibers into the air. The eco felt was so cheap, but If I could do it over again, I'd consider splurging on a big bolt of wool-blend felt.

Overall, though, I love them. This bouquet isn't finished; I'm going to make a fabric collar and wrap the stem in the same fabric. I'll use leftovers from the fabric we're using to make table runners, to keep the look cohesive. But I just couldn't wait to share! What do you think?

Mood Boards: Gray, Aqua, and Cherry Red! Vintage Meets Modern in an Open Floor Plan. Let's DIY.

noreply@blogger.com (Jen) — Mon, 06 May 2013 12:30:00 +0000

My friends Wayne and Elizabeth asked me to help them come up with a cohesive design concept for their first home. Umm, what's my favorite thing to do? Of course I was glad to help! They have an open downstairs floor plan with the living room and dining room/kitchen joined together as one big, open space. They want the two spaces to flow and look good together. Elizabeth likes a casual, bright, vintage-meets-modern look that's heavy on thrifting and DIY, so it was a lot of fun to make a design concept for them. The first board shows their starting point:

They have...

Vividly red cherry hardwood floors--can I say that I am so jealous of their gorgeous floors?!
A fireplace with a slate tile surround, which they intend to keep as-is
A super-cool vintage TV that they DIY'd to make into a storage piece. I love that thing.
Elizabeth just bought sleek, simple gray panels on the bay window in the living room.
They just painted the kitchen and dining room a beautiful gray: Cathedral Gray by Behr.

They need...

A paint color for the living room that won't clash with the gray in the dining room and kitchen
A sofa, rug, and entertainment center in the living room
To either DIY their existing dining furniture into something they like, or find a new dining set
A light fixture over the dining table
A non-stuffy way to store and display their wedding china in the dining area

Elizabeth and Wayne are warm, fun-loving, and not afraid of a little color. I wanted to make a design concept as vibrant and fun as they are. For living room paint, I selected Cool Jazz by Behr because I love the way the aqua pops against the red hardwood floor. Don't those colors come alive together? Then I came up with some fun sofa/rug combos for them. The gray/blue/cream options are safe, and the red/orange options are a little wild. I don't think they can go wrong with any of these!

The dining room concept gives them a chance to do some DIY. Their current dining table is a beautiful, heavy round pedestal table, but it has a very dark finish. A coat of white paint would brighten it up and help it match everything else. Thrifted chairs painted in the leftover paint used on the living room walls would look fun and tie the two rooms together. Finally, a thrifted brass chandelier + a few coats of red spray paint = AWESOME. The Habitat for Humanity thrift store always has brass chandeliers just like the one pictured. It would be such an easy and satisfying weekend project. Finally, Elizabeth is interested in using ladder style shelves to display her dishes by the dining table, and I love the idea.

Elizabeth and Wayne, I hope you like these ideas. And if any other friends want a moodboard, let me know! It was so nice to have something to do besides work on wedding plans. I spent most of Saturday working on our wedding website. The RSVP function is a bitch, and it took me hours to make it work. By the time I was done, I wanted to poke my eyes out if that meant I'd never have to see that page again! Even though wedding planning is a lot of work, we had a good weekend.

On Friday night, we saw The Black Keys and Flaming Lips. The show was good, but the pre-show dinner was spectacular. We ate before the show at the Patron Platinum Club in Bridgestone Arena. You guys, it was so swank. The restaurant has a private entrance, so we didn't wait in line. They served a fancy buffet style dinner, with southern themed dishes made to match the night's show. The service was incredible, and when I walked through the restaurant the staff flattened themselves against the wall and made after you gestures like I was Kate Middleton or something. Then they made me a fancy drink to go and I was like Do we have to leave please please can I live here forever? See? That's a good weekend!

Why HELLO, Lovely Felt Flower Brooch.

noreply@blogger.com (Jen) — Fri, 03 May 2013 19:05:00 +0000

After almost two weeks of coughing, I've finally kicked the Evil Bronchitis of Doom. A few days ago I simply decided I was so over being sick, and that was the turning point. Coincidence, or mind over matter? At any rate, I'm relieved to finally feel human again.

While I was sick, I spent most of my time sipping tea, watching Once Upon a Time, and making felt flowers. At our wedding I want to have lots of felt flowers similar to those created my Muncle Fred Art on etsy. Since I have more free time than money, I'm making my own flowers, and they look really good!

While I was at it, I made this brooch, too. It's gotten so many compliments at work, and it was super easy. I just made 3 small flowers using these instructions, glued them to a felt circle with a few leaves from a sprig of fake flowers, and glued a pin back onto the whole shebang. Voilà!

I'm looking forward to a full weekend: Tonight we're seeing the Flaming Lips and Black Keys. Saturday we're working on our super secret project. And on Sunday we're going to a backyard barbecue to celebrate a friend's birthday. What are you doing this weekend?

Infographic Save the Date with a Timeline and Venn Diagram: Let's Tell 'Em When We're Getting Hitched!

noreply@blogger.com (Jen) — Wed, 01 May 2013 12:30:00 +0000

Stop the presses! Hold the phone! Look at this! Our friend Stefanie designed our infographic style Save the Date, and words can't even describe how much I love it. She chose such playful fonts. They really make our story come alive! Keith and I had so much fun reminiscing about our most special times together... and the Man With the Coat story.* We made a list of events and sent them to Stefanie. Then Stefanie helped us edit our timeline to make it more cohesive and give it broader appeal. Because it's not about us, really. I want everyone else to enjoy it, too!

It's going to be on a postcard, and the back of the card lists the wedding location and date: October 5, 2013.

HOW amazing is Stefanie?!?!?!

* I was gobsmacked-smitten I felt when I first saw The Man With the Coat at Exit/In, but over the next 9 months, his face became a hazy blur. All I remembered were the butterflies in my gut, the coat, and a shaggy haircut. I pined over The Man With the Coat all spring and summer, then started dating Keith in the fall. One night Keith showed up at my house wearing the coat, and my jaw dropped. He didn't have the same hair as The Man With the Coat... But was it him? I casually brought up the show where I first spied him. Yep, Keith was there. I casually brought up haircuts. Over the summer, Keith had cut his hair short for job interviews. I'D BEEN DATING THE MAN WITH THE COAT FOR A MONTH! I am so having a wedding portrait done wearing my bridal gown and that coat.

Wedding Inspiration: White Flowers, Twinkling Lights, Mercury Glass, and Apothecary Jars. Or, In Which I Talk About NOT Talking About Weddings Too Much, and then Talk About Nothing But Weddings Anyway.

noreply@blogger.com (Jen) — Thu, 25 Apr 2013 17:45:00 +0000

Hi! Remember me? It's been a while. I realize that my upcoming wedding is a LOT more interesting to me than it is to everyone else. I don't want to be that girl who mindlessly babbles about chiavari chairs, menus, centerpieces, and mermaid versus ballgown silhouettes while everyone gives her the side-eye. I used to work with that girl. She sucked!

What librarian's wedding would be complete without a few books thrown into the centerpieces? Source

I'm trying not to bore y'all with wedding stuff, and as a result, I've dropped off the face of the earth. To stay sane and not entirely wedding obsessed, I started a knitting project and a redecorating project, but they're not ready to be revealed. And to top it off, I've been fighting a nasty case of bronchitis since Sunday!

I want a sweetheart table! Source

So I'm going to share our wedding planning progress, because a )I'm so damn excited about it, and b) I don't have much else to tell you. And if you don't like it, I recommend checking out what Lladybird is sewing or what funny thing Kimmie has to say today or Karen's amazing house-flipping project. Let the wedding talk (and inspiration images) begin!

Mercury glass, white flowers, and white candles! Source

Last week I met Jim, the owner of Chef's Market, to do a food tasting and plan a menu. He does a lot of weddings, and his professionalism and experience are so reassuring--not to mention his enthusiasm for a lakeside October wedding! He rhapsodized about the one other lakeside wedding he's done in a way that made me feel really special and creative, as if I'd invented the damn lake myself. Working with Jim will make a bride-to-be walk away saying Why yes, I am completely amazing! How lovely of you to notice!

Distinctive linens! White flowers! And oh my god, that chandelier! Source

Since the wedding decor is to my taste, I wanted our menu to reflect Keith's tastes. I told Jim that Keith is a Texan who loves beef brisket and Nashville style hot chicken. Jim helped us craft the perfect menu and even offered to invent a new Hot Chicken Bite appetizer just for us. He was gleefully rubbing his hands together, like Yay I get to experiment with food! He loves what he does, and I loved everything I tasted. Any bride who chooses Chef's Market is in good hands.

I absolutely love love assemblages of vintage stuff.
This is how I incorporate my beloved phrenology head into our wedding! Source

Jim recommended Liberty Party Rental, so we met with them the following morning to choose tents, linens, tables, chairs, china, glassware, and flatware. Working with one company = Paying just one delivery fee. Here's an important thing to be aware of when choosing a party rental vendor: All of them charge a "Breakage fee" because guess what Captain Obvious, stuff might break. Some of them charge a redundant "Replacement fee" to replace anything that actually breaks. That is a total rip off and you should avoid those companies.

These natural elements would be perfect at the lake. Source

Liberty Party Rental isn't a rip off, and playing in their showroom was possibly the highlight of my week. We played Table Dress-Up! We took our favorite linens, china, and glassware, and set the table to see how it would all look together. And then we did it again, and again, and again. Tablescapes are just decorating on a smaller scale, y'all. The only thing that didn't impress me was the linen: I practically grew up in fabric stores, and I have very specific ideas about how fabric should look and feel. Mom agreed, and we decided she'd make custom runners that we'll place atop basic ivory tablecloths.

I'm not crazy about the barn setting or dark chairs, but I love the tablecloth.
It's very similar to the fabric I chose for our custom table runners. Source

We found the perfect fabric for the runners at Jo-Ann Fabrics on Monday, It's a super-swanky home dec fabric, but it's 50% off right now, so we're placing an order for massive quantities of it. Like, enough to smother an elephant. I ordered 10 yards of ivory felt, too, for making flowers. Soon it will be time for the fun part: Making the flowers and collecting the bell jars, apothecary jars, candles, candle holders, antique oddities, and vintage books that I'll use to dress the tables!!!

No wedding of mine would be complete without apothecary jars. Source

In between all of this crazy wedding stuff, Keith has been so supportive, creative, and funny. I feel closer to him than ever. He's full of inspiration right now for his own projects--think electromagnets, electrons moving through vacuums, and using centirugal force to... wait, it's not patented yet! I need to stop right there! But he's brilliant, and I love what he's working on. Best of all, I get it, and I like talking about it. I even gave him a few of the ideas he's incorporated into this project, and I'm proud of that. We bounce ideas off each other every night while weaving lots of quotes from Idiocracy into every conversation... And while I cough uncontrollably. I really want to kick this bronchitis soon!

P.S. MY VEIL ARRIVED YESTERDAY! I picked it up after work and wore it around the house for an hour before Keith got home because veils are really, really flattering, dammit. I want to wear it all the time. I was all, "Keith, want to see my veil?" NO HE DOES NOT WANT TO SEE IT. He's superstitious about NOT seeing my wedding gear before the big day. It's pretty cute.

April 2013 Ipsy Bag: Pretty in Pink

noreply@blogger.com (Jen) — Tue, 23 Apr 2013 16:35:00 +0000

For those of you just tuning in, Ipsy is a beauty subscription service. For $10 a month, Ipsy sends 4 - 5 surprise beauty products to your door in a cute cosmetics bag. They even mail it all in a sparkly pink envelope! Seeing that envelope in my mailbox always makes me jump up and down like a little kid. If you like trying new things, Ipsy is for you.

Last month's Ipsy bag was a big disappointment, but the Pretty in Pink bag completely makes up for it. This is my favorite bag so far! I've been rocking the blushing bride-to-be look with flushed cheeks, full hair, and a bit of subtle shimmer, so I like everything in this bag. And two of this month's items are full size! It's a great value, too: It's worth three and a half times what I paid for it.

Sation Nail Polish (full size): $5.00

Be a Bombshell blush in Beach Please (full size): $16.00

MICABeauty Cosmetics eyeshadow in Earth (2.0 gram deluxe sample): $11.96

Big Sexy Hair Powder Play (0.07 oz sample): $2.11

TOTAL VALUE: $35.07

But is this stuff any good? Oh yeah.

The Sation Nail Polish is a slightly thin formula that goes on sheer, but 3 coats build up to create an opaque, Pepto Bismol pink nail. It's not my favorite color, but it's a fun springtime novelty. I'm impressed by the polish's durability. With a topcoat, it looked perfect for four days. That's practically unheard of for me! It's versatile, too, since it can be worn sheer or not.

I loved the Be a Bombshell lip gloss in my first Ipsy bag, and the blush is just as good. It's INSANELY bright pink, but a very light dusting of it looks great on the skin. It's already become part of my daily beauty routine; I've worn it every day since I received my bag. A little goes a long way, so this will last a long time! This brand is quickly becoming a new favorite of mine.

The MICABeauty eyeshadow is a loose pink mineral powder with a gold sheen. It's very fine, and it creates a subtle but noticeable shimmer that looks good on the eyes or as a highlight on the cheekbones. This is classy shimmer, not stripper shimmer. It will make you glow!

As much as I like the other items, the Big Sexy Hair Powder Play is probably my favorite item... mostly because I can't figure out how it works. It fascinates me! When I sprinkle it into the roots of my hair, flip my head over, and mess it up, the powder solidifies to invisibly support my hair. It's like having a spidersilk-thin skeleton supporting your roots. My hair stands up just enough to give it body, but not enough to make it look weird. When dry shampoo leaves me with flat hair, this stuff fixes it. I'll buy a full size bottle when this runs out.

There are two unusual things about this month's bag that are worth mentioning:

1. Ipsy started using DHL to ship their bags this month, and my bag arrived much later than usual. I'm not too concerned about that, because hey, the bag arrived. But that's a thing that happened.

2. I didn't receive the cute pink and white bag that other subscribers received this month. As you can see, my things came in a blue, green, and white bag. Ipsy sent a note saying the original bag manufactured for me "didn't match Ipsy's high quality standards," so they sent me a substitute, and I'll receive the pink and white bag next month. I don't care, because I'm not really into the bags anyway. I'm all about the makeup! If I could choose to forego bags altogether and receive more makeup, I would.

That concludes this month's Ipsy bag review. I heard other subscribers received different eye shadow and hair products. What did you get? Did you like it?

Beaches, Leis, Mai Tais and Mickey Mouse... We're Taking a Disney Hawai'ian Honeymoon!

noreply@blogger.com (Jen) — Tue, 16 Apr 2013 12:30:00 +0000

Aulani Resort Beach ... Can I go there NOW? Please?

Keith booked our Hawai'i honeymoon on Sunday afternoon. His parents offered us some of their Disney Vacation Club points as a wedding present so we can stay at Aulani, a Disney Resort on O'ahu. UM YES PLEASE OMG THANK YOU! My future in-laws are the nicest. I'm excited because O'ahu is next to Kauai, where they filmed Jurassic Park. We're going island hopping and dinosaur hunting! Okay, time to gank pictures of Aulani and Hawai'ian beaches for your viewing pleasure.

Whoa.

It was surreal to listen to Keith planning the practicalities: "We'd like to be there one full week. No, I think we'd like to fly out the morning after the wedding. Jen's last name won't be legally changed yet, so let's let's book it with her maiden name." Keith's mom really wanted to give me their last name on the travel documents--she said she's just so excited that I'm joining their family. When Keith told me that, I nearly cried!

Kauai! I can't wait to hike a volcano.

Want to know something strange?

On Sunday night, I felt unexpectedly sad while browsing through a wedding planning/vendor guide booklet. Each two-page spread featured a real wedding and promoted the venues, caterers, photographers, and planners that brought the event together. I looked at each page and thought No, I don't need that. No, I've already chosen my photographer. No, that Botanical Garden is beautiful but I don't need a venue anymore. I didn't understand... why was it making me so sad?! I felt like I was about to cry, and it was weird.

Oahu isn't too shabby, either!

I'm the oldest of three girls, and I grew up in a family that encouraged a lot of wedding talk. When we'd walk past a jewelry store, Mom would encourage us to look in the windows and pick our favorite rings. When we'd visit a beautiful place, Mom would always say things like, "Maybe one of you girls will get married here," or "Wouldn't this be a nice place to have a reception?" And this was when we were eight years old.

Aulani at night

Usually we'd roll our eyes at her and laugh. But in the same way that it's fun to plan an outfit for a party or create a decorating scheme for a room, it was fun to think about what we might want to do for our weddings someday. It was girlish daydreaming, full of what if? Anything was possible, and any pretty picture in a magazine represented something that I might do or make for myself someday. But now that time is gone. I'm not a girl daydreaming about what my wedding might be like someday. Now I'm a woman who knows what my wedding will be like, because it's happening in six months and I've booked half the vendors. I was sad because I enjoyed that time of hopeful daydreaming, and it's over now.

Aulani has horseback riding!!! YESSSSSSS!

When I told Keith how I felt, he was so encouraging and sweet: "Now the adventure begins! We'll just have to plan more special things. More vacations and parties and things we can look forward to doing together." Is he a gem, or what? Still, I think it's going to take me a minute to get over this. Did anyone else feel this way when they got married? Was it bittersweet to let go of all the pretty possibilities you didn't choose and all the fairytale what ifs?

When is a Fairy Tale a Sci-Fi Time Travel Novel? When It's Beauty by Sheri S. Tepper!

noreply@blogger.com (Jen) — Mon, 15 Apr 2013 12:30:00 +0000

I often wonder why some books rise above others and become paragons of their genres and part of the literary canon, while other equally engaging stories are read, loved, awarded, and then all but forgotten by the literati. Beauty by Sheri S. Tepper, originally published in 1991, sheds some light on the phenomenon: Beauty is an imaginative story that marries classic fairy tales, time travel, faerie myth, environmentalism, and feminism. Keith and his mother both love this book, and I read it at their behest. It's an engaging story, but it often loses its focus and is encumbered by ham-fisted political diatribes. It's a shame; I think a more tightly edited version of Beauty could have become a timeless piece of literature.

The title character is born in the 13th century to a French Duke and a beautiful fairy who abandons the family soon after Beauty's birth. The reader quickly surmises that Beauty is known to most of us in the 21st century as Sleeping Beauty. But our protagonist neatly sidesteps her somnolent fate and goes on a quest to find her mother. Meanwhile, the rest of her household are in the throes of a deep, enchanted sleep.

Beauty experiences events that inspired classic fairy tales, and the differences between the Disney stories and Beauty's experiences are often very funny. The grim events Beauty witnesses in the future are sobering, and Tepper's take on the Faerie world is by turns chilling. Tepper's talent is obvious; a lesser writer couldn't make the reader feel so deeply.

But Tepper often interrupts her story to beat the reader about the head with a variety of themes: Ugliness is steadily replacing beauty in our world as species die out and natural settings are destroyed! True. Authors who write horror stories bring another kind of ugliness into the world (I'm not entirely sold on that point)! Rape is bad! Thank you, Captain Obvious.

I wish Tepper had narrowed her focus to just one theme. As it stands, the story lacks cohesion. And once Tepper chose a single theme, I would have liked for Tepper to show, rather than scream, this theme. A bit of subtlety and restraint go a long way with such screamingly obvious topics!

Despite the lack of focus and clumsy political rants, I like this book. I fell deeply into the worlds Tepper builds, and I admire the dexterous means by which she connects these worlds into a smooth, convincing story. Unlike many Goodreads readers, I had no trouble keeping track of characters, times, or places. Each one has such unique characteristics, it's easy to remember who is who! When I finished the story, I felt like I was leaving friends behind. Read this book for the new version of old fairy tales, and please forgive it for its lack of subtlety.

Here Comes the Bridal Librarian: I Bought My Wedding Dress! I Wonder If It Will Look Good with a Cardigan?

noreply@blogger.com (Jen) — Thu, 11 Apr 2013 17:36:00 +0000

I bought my wedding dress on Monday, and once it's had some minor alterations, it's going to be perfect. It's surreal; I can't believe I found my dress in just one day! To be honest, I wasn't terribly thrilled about wedding dress shopping. I expected it would be a lot like swimsuit shopping: Everything would make my boobs look weird, I wouldn't find anything ideal, and eventually I'd settle for something that was less horrible than the others. Isn't that sad?

So I approached dress shopping with grim military precision: I pinned dozens of dresses I like and listed the precise qualities I like about them. Then I made a separate list of the cuts and styles that are most flattering on me (with this book in one hand and a measuring tape in the other, you can't go wrong). Then I Venn Diagrammed the two lists to come up with the criteria that would create The Perfect Jen Dress. OCD much? Um, yeah. *grin* These dresses were my inspiration.

Onyx Gown from BHLDN: Tulle ballgown skirt! Tiny waist and embellished bodice! STRAPS!

I wanted a big ballgown style dress with a tulle skirt, lots of embellishment on top, and straps or sleeves. I went to the dress shop armed with this list of criteria. Since one of my criteria was NO STRAPLESS DRESSES, I did not go to the dress shop armed with a strapless bra. BIG MISTAKE.

Aspen Gown by San Patrick: Tulle Ballgown! Cap Sleeves! Sweetheart neckline!

My mother and I visited a well-known Brentwood bridal boutique that carries big name designers. Almost all the dresses were strapless. In a cruel twist of fate, the strapless dresses fit my other design criteria regarding silhouette, embellishment, etc. But the non-strapless dresses did not meet any of my other criteria. They were all mermaid style dresses. BUMMER! The proprietress assured me that she could add sleeves and straps to any dress I liked, so I began trying on the strapless tulle ballgowns. With my big vintage style, full-coverage, non-strapless bra. Awkward.

Artico Gown by San Patrick: Tulle Ballgown! Embellished Bodice! Not Strapless!

She didn't offer me any other undergarments, and each time I stepped out of the dressing room, I looked and felt like an idiot. The entire shop was the size of my living room, and it was crowded with prom shoppers. They all stared in horror at my grandma bra. It was creeping out of the ballgowns like it was trying to eat my chest. I stepped onto the platform, and the proprietress asked how high my wedding heels would be. I said, "Oh, I'm wearing flats." She clutched imaginary pearls and said, "OH!" This shop was making me feel like a freak. It was time to go.

Parker Gown by David Tutera for Mon Cheri: Tulle ballgown! Not strapless! Are we sensing a trend?

I mouthed "Get me out of here!" to my mother. She followed me to the dressing room and offered me Xanax. WTF?!?!?! Oh, Mom. Mom, Mom, Mom. Pills are not the answer! I told her, "I don't need drugs. I need a dress store that doesn't make me feel like a weirdo." We left and looked for another place to try on dresses.

I didn't really want to go to David's Bridal, because I'd heard their quality isn't great and that their salesladies act like high-pressure used car salesmen. But all the other boutiques were closed on Monday, so we went there just to look. We stealthily slipped by the front desk while the salesladies were distracted by other customers, congratulated ourselves on our sneakiness, and started greedily pawing through their dresses. Without any salespeople hovering over me, dress shopping was a lot more fun!

Casablanca Bridal 2091 Gown: Tulle ballgown! Straps! Pretty belt!

They had more non-strapless styles than I expected, and a dizzying mix of high and low quality dresses. But I found half a dozen dresses made of good quality fabric that fit my criteria. Armed with proper undergarments, I began playing dress-up. The sixth dress I tried was The One. Ohmygoodness, was it ever The One! When I stepped out of the dressing room, my mother made a hilariously emotional face. I loved what I saw in the mirror. Other shoppers came over to admire me. I felt like a peacock and a princess and a celebrity rolled into a single poofy white tulle package.

Wedding Gown by Orkalia: Sparkly tulle! Long sleeves! Embellished bodice! MY FAVORITE.

I preened for about 45 minutes. I examined it closely, asked questions about some minor details that I'll change, and had it bustled. I chatted with my dad on the phone: "You found a three foot long snake skin in the basement? COOL! Hey, guess what I found? My wedding dress! But enough about that. What kind of snake do you think it is?" I tried the dress on in a larger size to see what that might look like, but the size 8 was perfect. My mother took a dozen pictures and sent them to my sisters. I bought the dress and a mantilla style veil, and I'm so glad I don't have to think about it anymore! Now I can start focusing on the reception decor, woo-hoo!

Kate Spade's About Town Dinnerware Is So Cute, It Will Make You Play with Your Food.

noreply@blogger.com (Jen) — Wed, 10 Apr 2013 12:30:00 +0000

I'm dipping my toes into the super-weird-for-me world of wedding registries. It's so strange to look at nice things and think Hey, that's something we might like to have instead of my usual Hey, I really like that but let's get real. It's not on clearance and I already have salt and pepper shakers. I wasn't excited about registeries, but that changed when I realized a) I'm not registering for fancy china because we are not fancy china people, and b) At some point in time, kitchenware become kind of awesome looking! Wouldn't it be impossible to resist playing with your food if you had all this cute stuff in your kitchen?

Kate Spade About Town dinnerware collection

This stuff evokes so many childhood memories. At first glance, it makes me remember Fisher Price Little People and Matchbox cars and the gritty urban look of the old '70s and early '80s Sesame Street. But when I look closer, I think of 1950s illustrations and Funny Face. Can't you imagine a tiny stick figure Audrey Hepburn gadding about this little cityscape with her perky ponytail defying gravity? Oh, I just love these!

WOULDJA LOOK AT THE PRECIOUS HOT DOG VENDOR.

The zigzagging fire escape makes my geometric-line-loving heart flutter.

TOYS! THESE ARE TOYS, I TELL YOU!

The fun stuff is meant to coordinate with this Lenox tableware set. I like the accessories best, though!

They're fun, but they're not cheap, so I'm reluctant to ask my friends and family to buy these as gifts. At $20 apiece, the mugs are the cheapest items in the collection, and a very large part of my brain screams Do you know how many mugs a person could buy at Goodwill for $20?! But aren't they fun to look at? Let's look. And look. And look. *sigh*

Oh yeah, and you guys? I bought my wedding dress on Monday. But more about that later!

The Library Wedding That Will Never Be

noreply@blogger.com (Jen) — Mon, 08 Apr 2013 12:30:00 +0000

Wedding planning is going so well, it seems unreal. We've chosen our photographer and caterer and venue, picked some colors, started making a wedding website, met with the friend who is designing our Save the Dates to discuss the design, and oh yeah, we set a date!!! We're getting married on October 5, 2013. When we decided to tie the knot at the lake house, we knew we'd either have to do it in October, or wait until next spring. But spring is too rainy, and summer is too hot, and fall of 2014 is too far away. So seven months from now, I'll be a married woman. WOW.

Everyone is asking me, "What are your wedding colors? What is your wedding going to look like?" Well. I'm keeping it a secret for now, but I can tell you one thing: As much as I love libraries, it won't look like this. *sigh*

I've been lurking Style Me Pretty and Green Wedding Shoes since Keith moved in last year. They've given me a lot of good ideas... But too many ideas. Above all, I want a cohesive design concept. I knew I couldn't have mason jar cocktails and DIY centerpieces and a suitcase card holder and a brooch bouquet without looking like Pinterest threw up on our wedding. And come hell or high water, I want my brooch bouquet!

I figured I can either have it all, or I can have cohesive, simple elegance. Sign me up for elegance! To rein myself in, I came up with two completely different design concepts and made a mood board for each. When I finished the boards, I let Keith make the final decision. The library mood board did NOT make the cut. I only mourned for about 3 seconds. I love the dark, moody colors of leather-bound books, but it would've been hard to make this look work at outdoors, next to the water. And I reeeeeeeeally love the board he chose!

Can I tell you something funny? Before he even looked at the mood boards, he asked, "Will these ideas allow me to wear a charcoal gray suit with pale blue accents? Because that would look good with my eyes." Hahahahaha! WHAT MAN ASKS THAT?! My future husband, that's who.

He's kinda cute. I think I'll marry him.

The weekend flew by. We saw Ponychase and Photo Ops and a ton of our friends at The Basement on Friday night. I was up by 7:30 the next morning to go to the library and work at an Arbor Day event. I was there until 5:00, got badly sunburned, and fell into a sunburn coma as soon as I got home. But wait, it gets better! On Sunday, Keith and I enjoyed a delicious brunch hosted by two of my favorite ladies, where the above photo was taken. Keith and I had massages at Adagio and sushi at Zumi, and then went to Fort Houston to work together on an exciting project that I'm not ready to unveil here yet. Will someone pinch me? Aside from the sunburn, life is perfect.

Why Should Girls Have All the Fun? Let's Put Engagement Rings On Our Men. MAN-GAGEMENT RINGS!

noreply@blogger.com (Jen) — Thu, 04 Apr 2013 18:08:00 +0000

Keith isn't the only one who put a ring on it! Look at Keith's badass new, practical, useful engagement ring/gadget:

But I'm getting ahead of myself: It all started with the Spice Girls. No, really. My Anglophilia began with a high school David Bowie obsession that quickly grew to include Brit rock in general, and then British writers and slang, and finally even stupid British pop culture. I bought British teen mags by the armful because I loved the biting gossip. One of those gossip columns claimed that David Beckham proposed to Posh Spice, and then she turned the tables by pulling out a custom-made men's ring and saying, "Girl power! Will you marry me?" I was in awe of this maneuver. I swore that someday I'd pull a similar move.

Fast forward to 2009. Keith told me soon after we started dating that he wanted to wear an engagement ring someday. I thought Oh my God, he really IS perfect for me! With visions of Posh and Becks dancing in my head, I held in my glee and teased him about being a shopaholic. He said, "No, I want to wear a ring because I don't think it's fair for women to wear a symbol of their commitment while the men walk around looking single until the wedding day. I want to show everyone my commitment, too." My heart melted.

Fast forward to 2013. When it came time to think about rings, Keith wasn't much help in choosing one for himself. I didn't want to give him one that looked like a wedding band, since he'd get one of those later. He identified a lot of things he didn't like, but nothing he did like. His favorite thing at A.J. Martin was this Etruscan revival bracelet. I told him I wouldn't mind giving him a nontraditional token of engagement, but there was no way I could afford this. Also, can you imagine him wearing this to the office every day? *grin*

Sure, honey! A woman's bracelet can totally be your manly engagement ring! Except I don't have $4,800.

I wanted to give him something special and uncommon, just like him, so I turned to etsy. I found plain men's bands adorned with meteorite and dinosaur bone (AWESOME!), but they looked like wedding bands. I found signet rings, which Keith doesn't like, and genuine ancient Viking rings which are SO FREAKIN' COOL but weren't made in Keith's size. People were smaller back then! I was getting frustrated, and then I finally found Bruce Boone's shop.

As soon as I saw the utility ring, I knew it was right: It's a gadget and a conversation piece. It's useful and practical. It was made with lasers! And it's unusual enough that he doesn't know anyone else who has one. It's pretty much everything he loves. It's certainly nontraditional, and since there really aren't any traditions in place for men's engagement rings, who cares? I gave it to him on Tuesday, and he loves it.

There's something satisfying about looking at his hand and seeing it there. I think to myself, I did that. I put that ring there. Go me! Now I see why Keith keeps looking at my hand so proudly. It's fun to put a ring on it! I'm so curious to know... Has anyone else traded engagement rings with a man? Did he expect it? And if not, what did he think of it?

Sugar 'n Spice Voxbox from Influenster

noreply@blogger.com (Jen) — Wed, 03 Apr 2013 05:29:00 +0000

A few months ago, I heard about Influenster from Jana, who blogs at Button Munch. Basically, you create a profile, write some product reviews, and if they like what they see, they send you a box full of free stuff to try out and review. Um, they had me at free! I signed up in December, played with it a bit, and then forgot about it. A few weeks ago, I got a message saying I'd "qualified" to receive a box. Cue the fistpumps!

Soon after, I came home from work and found a super-random box of stuff from Colgate, Vaseline, belVita, Dickinson's Original Witch Hazel, and NECTRESSE sitting on my doorstep. Keith and I opened it together and marveled at the odd assortment. Want to know what was good, what was not so good, and what brought back random memories of the Smooze from the My Little Pony Movie? Read on!

And hey, I have four Influenster invitations, so if you want one, leave me a comment with your e-mail address.

The Vaseline Spray & Go Moisturizer was obviously invented by someone who's never cleaned a bathroom. Some guy in Product Development was like, "Hey, I bet ladies want to save 3 seconds in the morning by spraying on their lotion before they rub it in, instead of slathering it on by hand! Nevermind that they'll spend 5 minutes scrubbing misfired lotion spritz off the walls and floor." It's just not possible to make sure that every last microdroplet of lotion ends up on your skin. I wouldn't be opposed to using this in the shower, except the slippery lotion fallout would create a falling hazard. No thanks, Vaseline. I'll stick to regular lotion.

Colgate did better. For ergonomic reasons, the Colgate Optic White Toothbrush is superior to all other toothbrushes, including the fancy Sonicare ones that purport to be like a Maserati for your mouth. If a Sonicare is a Maserati, then the Colgate toothbrush is a time-travelling DeLorean with Cillian Murphy riding shotgun. Toothbrush win!

The Colgate Optic White Toothpaste is toothpaste, period. I don't buy in to the idea that fancy toothpaste is better than cheap toothpaste. Read any toothpaste box; the active ingredient is sodium flouride. The rest is flavor and texture. Let's move on.

Finally, the Colgate Optic White Mouthwash doesn't have alcohol, so it isn't drying and it doesn't burn. It does have peroxide. The peroxide gives it a clean taste that's kind of pleasant, if a bit medicinal. BUT. BUT. BUT. The peroxide foams up like mad and chokes you with its medicinal cleanliness! Who remembers the Smooze from the My Little Pony Movie? I felt like I was being strangled by Smooze! No good, Colgate. I had to use half the recommended amount to prevent the Smoozing sensation.

Nothing can stop the Smooze.

Oh, belVita Breakfast Biscuit. You taste good! I was so excited to receive hard little British cookies that call themselves biscuits, no joke. They make me feel like I should don a cameo and shirtwaist for high tea. Each belVita packet contains four flat, oblong multi-grain wafers that taste like graham crackers with very little sugar. We eat a lot of Clif Bars around here, but I prefer the subtle flavor of these, and the fact that they don't make crumbs all over me. I'll actually buy these for those days when I'm running around like a madwoman and need portable food.

"Please pass the belVita, Josephine." Library of Congress

The Dickinson's Witch Hazel Towelettes Oil Controlling Towelettes were my surprise favorite. I didn't even try them until I'd had the box almost a week. That was about ten days ago, and I already don't know what I'd do without them. Have you tried those awful silicone-based products that claim to make you look less shiny, but actually clog your pores and break you out like mad? Yeah, these won't do that. These are moist towelettes soaked with a witch hazel toner. They feel cool and fresh. ~~Keith hates the smell.~~ They smell like vodka (and contain 14% grain alcohol). And they've completely eliminated my need for powder. Three days after I started using them, I stopped using my BB primer, too. I have no plans to ever stop using these little gems.

The makers of Nectresse sweetener play a little bait and switch game with you. They're all, "LOOK! It's sweet because of MONKFRUIT! Monkfruit is just REALLY sweet and we don't know why it doesn't have calories, okay?" But if you actually read the ingredient list, the first ingredient is a sugar alcohol called erythritol. What's a sugar alcohol, you ask? "They are hydrogenated carbohydrates which keeps the body from recognizing them as carbohydrates." Umm... that's weird. Erythritol gives Nectresse much of its sweetness, all of its bitter aftertaste, and its ability to EFF UP YOUR DIGESTIVE SYSTEM if you're sensitive to sugar alcohols. Erythritol is supposed to be less, um, irritating than other sugar alcohols, but it didn't treat me well. If you're really that worried about getting fat, I say just drink your coffee black!

That concludes my Influenster review. Go buy some Dickinson's towelettes, already. They're excellent! Gee, I feel influential.

Disclaimer: I received these products complimentary from Influenster for testing purposes. All opinions are my own.

Engagement Ring Shopping in Nashville: My Gorgeous Ring Came from a Shop that Sells Squirrel Underpants. And I'm Totally OK with That.

noreply@blogger.com (Jen) — Tue, 02 Apr 2013 12:30:00 +0000

A lot of people have asked about my ring, so here's a post dedicated to engagement bling. Let's all look at big shiny rings, woooo! I have a lot of friends who might be shopping for rings in the next year or so (you know who you are... wink!), and they also like intricate, antique-inspired designs with filagree, milgrain, and maybe some colorful side stones. I'm hoping this info will help all you cute vintage-loving Nashville lovebirds.

On our second date, Keith asked me if I like garnets, because his family was willing to pass down his great-grandma's garnet engagement ring to the right girl. Yeah, we both knew kind of quickly that we're meant to be. I never saw it, but I loved the idea of having a sentimental family ring. I was sad when Keith found out that the ring isn't in usable condition.

Antique garnets are so lovely. This ring is from the 1840s!

Since his great-grandma's ring wouldn't work, I decided I wanted a ring that either is antique or looks antique, and doesn't have any bad karma attached. Keith did so well: My ring is an antique reproduction setting by J.C. Blackburn, purchased from A.J. Martin, with a conflict-free center stone from Blue Nile. Since the stone came from Blue Nile, I named her Cleopatra. I call her Miss Cleo for short. Yes, it's silly. No, I don't care!

Miss Cleo's professional headshot

Our ring buying odyssey began in November at Genesis Diamonds. It was so intimidating! A security guard buzzed us in, and the saleswomen immediately separated me and Keith. They're really good at what they do: In just a moment they sized me up and decided the quirky saleswoman with the blue-black bobbed hair would click best with me. She steered me to a dazzling display of antique style engagement rings by Saturn Jewels, set with monstrous full-carat center stones, and encouraged me to try them all on at once and look at my hands in a mirror.

I tried on this Saturn Jewels ring at Genesis and kept thinking they do know I'm a
normal human being and not a movie star, right? Why are they letting me wear this?!

While I was getting caught up in the sparkly fantasy, another saleswoman steered Keith to the other side of the store, where she asked him a lot of personal financial questions. What did he do for a living? How much was he looking to spend? How much could he put down up front? To hear him tell it, it was like an interrogation! I left with the same feeling I have when I leave Disney World: It was fun, but it wasn't real. We're casual and quirky, and we didn't feel completely comfortable at Genesis.

That's NOT to say that they're a bad store. They have incredible quality, a broad selection, and their salespeople are very good at quickly understanding you and steering you toward designers that fit your taste. If you have a very large budget, or you feel comfortable in formal settings, I definitely recommend them. And if you don't have the hugest budget, the Genesis Designs line of ring settings is a great value compared to their designer rings. But they don't show you these straight off. You have to know about them and ask! I only learned about them later, after we'd visited the store.

This setting from Genesis Designs is $895 (price does not include the center stone).
I love this setting, and it was one of the better values we found while we shopped.

In December, we visited Walton's Jewelry in downtown Franklin. A good friend's engagement ring came from Walton's, so I was excited to go there. Walton's treated my friend's husband well, and her ring is beautiful. Unfortunately, we happened to visit Walton's during the most popular engagement month of the year, so the selection was picked over. OOPS. Umm... why didn't we think of that before?!

Antiques are in short supply. Antique rings that fit your taste are probably even more rare. I'd advise people looking for an antique ring to start looking very early, and visit the shops often. Also, don't do what we did and visit Walton's during a Franklin street festival! The store was mobbed, and the staff didn't have time to talk with us. I still think Walton's is awesome, but we didn't find what we were looking for because we didn't plan that shopping trip well.

A rockin' rock from Walton's Antique & Estate Jewelry in downtown Franklin, Tennessee.

Later that month, Keith bought a diamond from Blue Nile. That's something he did on his own, so I can't say much about it. I do know that their website offers a LOT of information for people who want to learn about the qualities by which diamonds are evaluated and priced. Have you ever heard of flourescence? Some diamonds glow on their own. What kind of awesome sci-fi shit is that?! Blue Nile's search features are easy to work with, too. As a librarian, I LOVE a good search interface. They have a huge inventory of rocks, and you can search by cut quality, price, color, clarity, and size to easily narrow down the selection. I love Miss Cleo, so I have nothing bad to say about Blue Nile.

At that point, we needed a setting. I found A.J. Martin online when I searched for "antique engagement ring settings Nashville." When we opened the door to the store, the owner's adorable little dog jumped up on me. I turned to Keith and said, "This place is our style!" A.J. Martin is crazy awesome, y'all. They carry a mix of antique jewelry, antique reproductions, costume jewelry, and hilarious random stuff like zombie statues, the Jesus Shaves mug, and squirrel underpants. Why? Because FUN!

THAT'S NUTS! Protect the world from squirrel nudity!!

Despite all that, the quirkiest thing about this place is the owner. She's like the Soup Nazi, but for jewelry. She greeted us with a sarcastic, "Oh! More lovebirds!" We stayed in her shop for about half an hour. During that time she lit up a cigarette while she stood behind the counter, gave us impeccable service and lots of personal advice, told us she was sick of us and that we should go home, ignored other customers so she could give us all her attention, and told me I wasn't allowed to buy a particular setting I kind of liked because another one was just "so much better." She cracked me up. I want to invite her to a party, just to see what she does.

Another example of JC Blackburn's work. Those sapphire side stones! That filagree! The milgrain! LOVE.

I quickly decided I wanted an antique reproduction setting by J.C. Blackburn. She was all, "My friend Julio makes those! He's so good. You can't buy these settings here in the case; they're just for show. Julio will make a setting that exactly fits your diamond and your finger. He'll scale the entire setting so it fits the size of your rock and doesn't make it look too big or too little." I was sold! I picked out a few settings I really loved, showed them to Keith, and put the decision in his hands. I wanted to have a ring I like, but I also wanted to let him make the final decision. I wanted to be surprised!

This is one of the rings I put on my very short "yes I'd wear that forever" list.

Then we waited and waited and waited. Fine custom-made jewelry takes time. Keith ordered the setting in January, and two months passed before he had the finished ring in his hands. It took longer than usual because he ordered the ring so close to Valentines' Day, and because the Chinese New Year delayed the shipping of precious metal from China. We plan to be together for the rest of our lives, so in the grand scheme of things, that's not a big deal to us. But if you're planning a proposal, and you want to time it so it coincides with a holiday or anniversary, this is good information to have, right?

When the ring was finally ready, it was perfect. Enough said. Have I mentioned that I'm really, really happy? Okay, but enough about me and my ring shopping reminisces. I hope this helps info anyone who's shopping for an antique or vintage style ring in Nashville. Do any of you have good jewelry shopping tips, or funny stories about when you got your engagement ring? I want to know! Let's tell stories!

“My soul is full of longing for the secret of the sea, and the heart of the great ocean sends a thrilling pulse through me.”

noreply@blogger.com (Jen) — Thu, 28 Mar 2013 12:30:00 +0000

Okay, so Keith put a ring on it and made me his Beyonce. Woo-hoo! It looks like we're throwing together a big ol' wedding shindig in seven months. Am I crazy? Maybe. I'm neck deep in wedding planning. In less than a week, we did all this: Date narrowed down to a specific month! Venue acquired!* Caterer chosen!** Guest list made! My mother is the conductor of this wedding train, and I'm so grateful for her help. She's been Mother of the Bride before, and she knows the ropes. We wouldn't be this far without her. Thanks, Mom! And thanks to Erin, for getting hitched first!

But right now wedding planning isn't nearly as interesting as these gorgeous dishes. Oh my goodness, would you look at these?! It's like a nautical cabinet of curiosities came to life and walked into the middle of your dinner table while singing "Under the Sea." They remind me of everything I like about vintage botanical prints and biology illustrations. And they really make me crave shrimp cocktail!

Wait for it...

IT'S A COCKTAIL SHAKER!

This is the part I can't believe: They're from Pottery Barn! I never liked PB very much, but now I'm going to have to keep an eye on their tableware. This sea-themed stuff is too weird and fun to ignore! Can you imagine your table crowded with all these pretties?

*My father is charging me a nickel to get married at his place. It's a pretty flexible venue as far as dates go, since no other couples are lining up to use it. :D

** It was an easy choice: Almost two years ago, Keith tasted food from this place and said, "When we get married, we're having them cater!"

Um, You Guys? I Kind of Have Big News.

noreply@blogger.com (Jen) — Mon, 25 Mar 2013 12:30:00 +0000

WE'RE GETTING MARRIED!!! Keith proposed on Thursday night, and naturally, I said yes. Well, the truth is that I nodded a lot, cried, and gleefully danced around the room. I think I forgot how to talk for a little while. When I remembered how to talk, I saw this crazy-beautiful thing, and I was rendered speechless all over again! Being engaged is so fantastic, I think it calls for a list.

Jen's 100% Subjective List of Great Things About Being Engaged:

When Keith first said, "My beautiful fiancée," I heard "My beautiful Beyonce." Now he's calling me his Beyonce all the time, and I think it's hilarious.
You get to talk to the people who you love but rarely see because there is too much time or distance between you. I've received congratulations from my best friend in fourth grade, my favorite college professor, and cousins I only get to see once every few years.
Keith's mom called me her future daughter. I needed Kleenex for that one.
I got to actually talk on the phone with both of my sisters, even the one who lives in Hong Kong. I don't get to do that nearly often enough.
I get to turn around and pop the question to my favorite ladies: "Will you be my bridesmaid?"
We can be as romantic-loveydovey-sentimental as we want.
Those Who Have Gone Before Us, the married people we know, share in the excitement by telling their own stories of how they got engaged. I've loved hearing these stories from my coworkers and learning more about them.
A wedding is a really good excuse to fire up the glue gun and constantly do craft projects for the next 6 months/8 months/year/no, we haven't set a date yet.
CAKE TASTING!!!

Bottom line: I can't wait to marry Keith, and it's really fun to have everyone else sharing the joy!

A lot of people are asking how he proposed...

On Thursday night, I left the library later than usual. I called Keith, chatted about my day, told him for the millionth time how much I like working at my library, and mentioned that I really wanted to have leftovers for dinner. He was kind of cagey about that, and I laughed because he never wants leftovers. I didn't suspect a thing. When I got home, he met me at the door and gave me a big hug and kiss. He was still dressed up in his work clothes at 8:30, and he looked even nicer than usual. I still didn't suspect a thing. But when I walked into our house and saw this... I knew! I walked around the table as slowly as I could. I wanted to savor the moment.

He hid the ring in a rose at the very back of the bouquet. I didn't get a good look at it, but when I saw that a ring was there, I turned toward Keith and smiled expectantly. He launched into a really sweet, touching, and funny speech that ended with The Question. At first he made me laugh, but by the time he was finished I was crying so much that I fogged up my glasses! I was completely speechless, but I managed to nod, hug him, and do a happy dance.

I asked him to put the ring on my hand. When I saw it, I let out a guttural cry of disbelief. I probably sounded like an elephant! But Keith didn't mind; he was so proud of it. Then he took me back in his arms, and we giggled while we listed all the words to describe our new situation: "Engaged. Affianced. Intended. Betrothed. No, wait, I think 'betrothed' means the parents arranged the marriage." When he called me his bride to be, I cried all over again!

Finally, I said, "I guess tonight is too special for leftovers, hmm?" He told me to go put on something pretty, and he'd take me out. I was feeling sentimental, so I put on the sweater I was wearing the night we met. Aww. Then we went to Mafoiza's to celebrate with champagne and a big Piccolo Morsi platter... pretty much my favorite thing, ever!

Keith's proposal was perfect for me. I'm so glad he asked at home, because crying in public would've been embarrassing. This way, I could cry and we could both dance around and be the cheesy, silly pair that we are without feeling self-conscious or being annoying to anyone else. Keith understands me so well, and I feel so lucky to be marrying him! Right now we don't have a date, or a venue, or anything planned. All I know is that I'm going to marry the right person, and I feel so lucky, happy, and proud to be his future wife.

Google, You Have Made Mr. Darcy Very Sad.

noreply@blogger.com (Jen) — Thu, 21 Mar 2013 12:30:00 +0000

If you're like me and you start your day with coffee and your favorite blogs, then you've probably already heard that Google is closing down Google Reader and Google Friend Connect. That's how practically all of us connect to our favorite blogs, and I'm pretty bummed about it. Google, what are you thinking?! The good news is that the impending demise of GFC forced me to start using Bloglovin'. And I'm lovin' it.

At first glance Bloglovin' is just like Google Reader, but prettier and less cluttered.You add a blog to your list, and every time the blog is updated, the new post is added to your feed. Once you mark a post as "read," it's removed from your feed. And of course, if you're pressed for time and you only want to focus on specific blogs *cough* Vixen Vintage and Sea Field & Tribe *cough* then you can just pick them from the sidebar.

But here are the awesome things that almost made my brain explode: You can click on your favorite blog's profile and see a list of similar blogs. Once you've discovered and started following those, a single click on the sidebar lets you see a list of the most popular posts and/or blogs at the moment. Because blogging is totally a high school popularity contest, amirite?

When you tire of the prom queens and you want to see the coolest band kids, you can change "popular" to "up and coming" and then sort that list by specific types of blogs and/or what part of the world the blogger hails from and ohmygod, I love this so much. Naturally, I immediately looked the the top home decor blogs from the U.K. I mean, duh I'm Jen and what else would I do? Of course, you can also find the best French food blogs, or the hottest up and coming Germany photography blogs, or Australian film blogs, or whatever else your heart desires.

Most of you are probably already big fans of Bloglovin'. If you're already a fan of Bloglovin', rock on and click this! If you've never tried it... click it, then make a profile and play around a while! I think you'll like it.

Either way, click? Oh yeah. Just one little click. You know you want to!

My Happy Room: Mid Century Furniture, Gray Walls, Dinosaurs and Apothecary Jars, and Lots of Sunshine

noreply@blogger.com (Jen) — Wed, 20 Mar 2013 12:30:00 +0000

I've recently made some small changes to the living room, and I'm so pleased: Two weekends ago, I got a new Mid Century end table. And last month, I got rid of the ultra-modern rug. The dogs mistook it for a toilet one too many times, and I was relieved to see it go. *hee hee* I bought it five years ago, before I'd grown into my style, and it didn't really work with the things I accumulated later. Now the mix of fun little oddities and open, uncluttered space make me happy.

Since Keith and all his stuff moved in, I've been reluctant to add ANYTHING new to our place. But when I saw this little end table on Pre to Post Modern's Facebook page a few weeks ago, I got excited. I've been looking for a wooden mid-century end table with a medium-dark finish for a few years now. For far too long, everything I found was either blonde wood, or laminate, or just too darn expensive. I visited the shop, measured the table, and it was exactly the same height as the sofa. I knew I had to have it! Isn't it cute? I like those long, gently curved drawer handles and the pretty wood grain.

The only marking I can find on it is a paper label in the top drawer that says Kent's for Contemporary, but I believe that's a store label, not a manufacturer's label. Apparently that was a store in St. Louis that also sold Milo Baughman... ooh la la! But it's okay that I didn't find any maker's marks, because I was looking for a table, not a museum piece. I'm just glad to have a smaller end table! The previous one was much too large for the space, too tall to comfortably use while sitting on the sofa, and it was black with a glass top. I hate glass top tables! At my house, they always look dirty.

If you want to see the before, check it out under the cut. It's not pretty!

The old table didn't fit with the rest of the furniture at all, and it had a bigger footprint than I liked. See how it jutted out toward the blue chair? That corner was crowded. And the patterned rug had a lot of personality, but it was so busy and dirty. I loved it for four years, but I don't miss it now. The room could use a rug, I know I know I know! But as long as we're living with the dogs in such a small space, I don't think it's a good idea to put a rug in the main room. They'll just tear it up.

But hey, while I have your attention, what kind of rugs do you dog owners find to be most pet-proof? All advice is welcome!

Book Review: Starters by Lissa Price Has Old People Who Run Like Fast Zombies and Teenage Body Banks. Whoa.

noreply@blogger.com (Jen) — Tue, 19 Mar 2013 12:30:00 +0000

Starters by Lissa Price is a weird book.

Remember the fast zombies in 28 Days Later?

No? You were too busy admiring Cillian Murphy? Me, too.

Ok, so replace "fast zombies" with "fast scary old people."

Then add the words "body bank," "rental," and "assassination."

Now you understand the premise.

Callie Woodland is living in a post-apocalyptic nightmare. Less than two years ago, germ warfare wiped out everyone in America between the ages of 20 and 60. In the blink of an eye, she and her brother Tyler became orphans and squatters, fighting for survival in an abandoned building where kids, also known as Starters, will literally kill each other for a cookie. Meanwhile, old people, aka Enders, are villains who violently round up children and force them to live in awful institutions and do the manual labor that keeps their society running. Why do old people become monsters the moment all the kids lose their parents? Beats me. That's one of the major problems with this story. It just doesn't make sense for geriatric folks to suddenly turn on young people.

It's illegal for kids to work. But Callie's brother has a wasting disease, and the only way she can get enough money to care for him is to rent her body to an illegal company called Prime Destinations. At Prime Destinations, old people have their consciousness temporarily implanted in young bodies so they can ski, swim, horseback ride, and do all the other healthy, wholesome things that women do in commercials for feminine hygiene products. Okay, I'm kidding, but it's pretty weird. Presumably, it's all very PG. *cough* Yeah, right. *cough*

Here's my question: If old people can run fast enough to chase down teenagers and work as carhops on roller skates (No, I didn't make that up), why do they need to rent young bodies to do this stuff? That's another major problem with this book.

Callie gets a makeover, has a creepy implant put into her head, and then she's ready for rental. Three rentals will give her enough money to buy medicine and maybe even a home for her and Tyler. Callie's first two rentals go smoothly, but she regains consciousness during her last rental. So Callie pretends to be an old woman in a young body, because she's afraid Prime Destinations won't pay her if they know her rental has gone awry.

Once Callie gets her bearings, she learns that she's being rented by a wealthy old woman named Helena. Callie drives Helena's jaw-droppingly expensive cars, sleeps in Helena's luxurious Beverly Hills mansion... and finds Helena's gun. Helena intends to use Callie's body to murder a Senator! But as Callie learns more, we learn that Helena might not be the villain: Prime Destinations is more evil than Callie ever suspected, and the murder Helena planned could bring them down. Meanwhile, Callie is falling for her target's grandson, Blake. Drama? Drama!

My expectations for this book were low, but the world building is surprisingly good. Lissa Price creates a complete dystopian culture with its own lexicon and social conventions. I quickly became immersed in it, and it's always a good feeling to tumble head over feet into a book. And there are some surprising twists at the end. YA lit rarely surprises me, so good job on that!

Unfortunately, though, Starters is an action movie put on paper. Readers tend to either love or hate that sort of pacing, and I fall into the latter group. I prefer more introspection. A deep look at the ethics of body rental or extensive deliberation about Helena's plan would've pleased me more.

But if you liked the Sookie Stackhouse novels, and you enjoy dystopias more than vampires, you'll probably like Starters and its sequels. The action doesn't stop, and as long as you don't think about it, it's a heck of a lot of fun. The moment you actually think about it, it all unravels. Just don't think about it, okay?

Now let's all look at a picture of Cillian Murphy looking gorgeous, shall we?

Oh yes. We shall! Hellooooo, cheekbones!

After spending too much time in YA lit land, I've finally finished the last of the YA books on my nightstand and returned to the world of Books for Grown Folks. If you're tired of YA reviews... Yeah, me too! I'm currently reading Beauty by Sherri S. Tepper. Do you have any recommendations for my next book after that?

eShakti Dresses: Bespoke Frocks are Made of Awesome

noreply@blogger.com (Jen) — Mon, 18 Mar 2013 12:30:00 +0000

Have you ever found a dress that would be perfect for you if it had sleeves, or a shorter hemline, or a different neckline? Me too! I'm 5'4, right on the cutoff between petite and not petite, so finding dresses in the right length is a challenge. I like for dresses to hit just above my kneecaps. Petite dresses are always too short, and regular sizes are too long. Never mind my penchant for sleeves and V-necks! If you can't find dresses that are quite what you're looking for, either, look no further... Shop at eShakti!

When eShakti contacted me recently and asked if I'd like to review a dress, I was ridiculously excited. I might have danced around the room yelling, "I've made it in the blogging world! WOOOO!" Then I composed myself and wrote back all businesslike, "Yes, that would be lovely. I'll take the Fit and Flare Poplin Shirtdress in black, thank you. Please customize it to my exact measurements. They are as follows... Oh, and I'd like the hemline to hit just above the knee, not below the knee. And please make my dress with regular short sleeves, not elasticized sleeves."

Yeah, I was being totally picky. But that's the whole point of eShakti: They make the dress to your exact specifications so it will fit you and your preferences perfectly. If your narrow shoulders or unusual hip to waist ratio make it difficult to find dresses that fit, eShakti will make you a very, very happy shopper.

When my dress arrived, I was so excited. I love the length and sleeves, and it's fun to style this solid black dress with bright accessories. The bust and underbust measurements are perfect. And the subtle smocking at the waistband gently nips the waist in nice and tight, just the way I like. I do wish they had asked for my torso measurement, because the waistband hits directly under the bust, and the dress isn't meant to have an empire waist. Nevertheless, I like the overall fit.

There's just one caveat: The fabric is a little heavy, and the skirt is HUGE. I'm including this picture so you can see how much fabric went into the skirt. It's kind of princessy and fun, but it's all gathered together at the waist, with pleats that create extra bulk at the waistline. The good news, though, is that it looks AMAZING with a crinoline. I wore this dress with a hot pink crinoline peeking out from underneath it for a dinner date a few weeks ago, and it was an absolute showstopper. Like, my dress and I barely fit through the door, but it was SO PRETTY. The hostess and servers all stopped me to compliment it as we were leaving. I liked that a lot.

I'd love to try another eShakti dress made with a lighter fabric. You should try one, too! This little green number, this yellow flowered corset style sundress, this adorable seafoam green dress with little red cats, this black and white dress with little rabbits, and this sundress with tiny hearts and a mustard yellow skirt are some of my favorite offerings in their shop now. And right now, new customers can get a $25 off coupon code! I so wish I was eligible. Have you ever ordered from eShakti? What did you think?

Disclosure: I received a sample dress to review and; keep, but I was not financially compensated for this post. All opinions on this product are my own. No frontin', y'all.

Once Upon a Time She Lived Happily Ever After: Why Do I Like These Insanely Girly Rooms?

noreply@blogger.com (Jen) — Fri, 15 Mar 2013 18:30:00 +0000

Maybe it's because I've been watching Once Upon a Time. Maybe it's because I've had to blend my things with Keith's, and now I'm craving a more girly style just becuase I can't have it. But right now I'm so drawn to over the top, girly, glamourpuss rooms that are nothing like my usual style. Crystal chandeliers, heavy floral patterns, velvet and fringe and gauze and throw pillows everywhere? YES, YES, YES! I don't know what's come over me. This is the kind of stuff I loved when I was 14 years old, and I thought I'd grown out of it.

When I was a kid, I desperately wanted a purple velvet sofa. I guess some things never change? Source

It's heavy, florid, and totally glamorous. It's not at all my usual style, but isn't it compelling? Source

I'm surprised by how much I like this purple paint. And look at the tiny backsplash! Charming. Source

This dark, moody fairy tale of a bedroom is kind of creepy. I think that's why I like it!

I never, ever would've thought to install shimmering tile in a striped pattern, but I love the effect. Source

Ohmygosh, I could read in here forever! Source

Yeah, when I was a freshman in high school I wanted my bedroom to have a shabby, decayed Victorian look, as if Miss Havisham had been languishing in there for fifty years. I had chipped English porcelain teacups filled with dried rose petals, dusty mauve walls with a textured faux finish (shudder), a fringed gold brocade coverlet, a desk decoupaged with Victorian paper Valentine ephemera, and collections of antique oddities littering every surface. I promise I'm not going to become a junk collector anytime soon, but I suppose my taste for that kind of thing has been slumbering in me all along. Watch out, Keith!

What inspired you this week?

March 2013 Ipsy Bag: Ipsy, We Need To Talk.

noreply@blogger.com (Jen) — Thu, 14 Mar 2013 12:30:00 +0000

My March Ipsy bag arrived on Tuesday, and I'm a little confused by it. For those of you who haven't heard of Ipsy, it's a beauty subscription service. For $10.00 a month, Ipsy sends you 4 - 5 surprise beauty products in a cute cosmetic bag. Often, you get real winners that make you fistpump like a champ. Josie Maran Argan Oil and Urban Decay eyeliner? WIN! But sometimes, you get a bag that just leaves you scratching your head. This was one of those months. WTF, Ipsy?!

None of this stuff totally sucked. Okay, I'm lying. Receiving an empty compact made out of cardboard totally sucks. If I want to carry an empty compact, I'll carry one of the compacts I bought during that weird 7th grade phase where I collected vintage makeup compacts from antique stores. They're like little works of art, I tell you! But I digress. The cardboard compact is stupid. And I'm a little leery of the wipes, because they're chock full of parabens. On the whole, this bag just doesn't have the WOW factor that other bags have had. Or the dollar value. Check it out:

Juice Beauty Hydrating Mist, 1.0 oz.: $3.26

(a full size bottle is $22.00 for 6.75 oz.)

LA Fresh Travel Lite Makeup Remover Wipes, 8 per pack: $1.99

Two Yaby eyeshadow pots in Seashell and Azalea Petal: $6.58

Empty Glam RX Palette: $3.00

(I'm guessing on the price; they don't actually sell empty palettes. But a larger palette with four makeups is $16.50)

Total Value: $14.83

Ipsy Cost: $10.00

IPSY, YOU'VE SPOILED ME. The other bags I've received have been worth at least $39, so this is underwhelming.

Want to know more about the individual items?

I was pretty excited about the Juice Beauty Hydrating Mist, because I've been wanting to try this brand. They focus on organic ingredients and clinical results--two things I can get behind! They don't use parabens, petroleum, pesticides, propylene or butylene glycols, phthalates, sulphates, PEGs, TEA, DEA, GMO, silicones, artificial dyes, or fragrances. I've been using the mist liberally for two days, and in these two days, my clogged pores have cleared up. Nice! There's just one thing: It smells VERY strongly of tea roses. And tea roses kind of smell like old ladies. I want to get used to good, natural smells instead of fake perfumes, so I'm trying to adjust to the scent. Keith says it doesn't bother him,* but I think I smell like grandmas.

I'd never heard of Yaby Cosmetics Eyeshadow, but I'm always game to try new colors on my eyes. These colors are subtle enough for the library, so I wore them to work today. At first, I had trouble building up to the color I wanted. I thought the pigment was too thin, and I was disappointed. If you're having that problem with YABY, I have to words for you: WET APPLICATION. When I applied these wet, they looked fantastic and stayed put ALL DAY without any fading or creasing. I like them!

I'm leery of the LA Fresh Travel Lite Makeup Remover Wipes, but don't blame LA Fresh. I don't like to use any wipes on my face! I think wipes are too scratchy, and they sting. But I wanted to try these at least once, so I used them to remove my makeup before I went to the gym last night. I looked like a lobster afterward! I don't think these are for me. I'll probably put these in my car and use them to wipe my hands after emptying the recycling bins.

Now let's talk about how much I hate the GlamRX Palette. This empty compact is about the size of a credit card. It's made out of cardboard and it has a magnetized interior that can hold tiny pots of makeup. That would be great if I regularly bought tiny loose pots of makeup, except OH WAIT I NEVER DO THAT. Some annoying Mary Sunshines on the Ipsy forums were like, "Don't hate on this! It's SO USEFUL for holding bobby pins and crap when you go out!" When I go out, I usually keep my bobby pins in my hair, so I'm still not impressed. The worst part is that GlamRX sells an ingenious version of this with four small makeups for $16.50. If they'd sent that, I would've been SO HAPPY. It's like they're teasing me!

Finally, I can't talk about this month's Ipsy bag without discussing the bag itself... Because it's cute. It's really, really damn cute. Anchors, rope, and crisp stripes? I'm likely to use this as a clutch! Still, I wish they would give us the option of NOT getting a bag. Right now I have four little Ipsy makeup bags cluttering up my bathroom, and they're getting annoying. I'm just going to end up sending them to Goodwill, and it seems wasteful. I'd rather NOT get a bag, and receive more/nicer beauty products instead.

I'm not going to unsubscribe because of one disappointing bag, but I hope next month's bag is better. I've been observing the Ipsy forums for a while now, and I think I've figured out the magic formula that makes a perfect bag. Here's the thing about the Ipsy bag concept: When we open the bag, we want to be immediately WOWed. And it's the lip products, nail polish, and fancy brand names do that for us. So each month, I'd like to see ONE big brand name like Tarte, BeneFit, Bare Minerals, etc. In addition, I'd like to see one lip product OR one nail polish in each bag. The December 2012 and January 2013 bags followed that formula, with great success. I can haz lip gloss?!

* Actually, Keith said he can only smell the wine I'm drinking right now!