Friday Link Love and Lovelies

Oh boy, do I ever need a vacation!  I only have TWO WEEKS left before my thesis defense and things are not moving along as smoothly as I had hoped...I guess they call that life and to deal with it!  I am more than just a little nervous about this if you haven't noticed from my last 89 posts about being stressed out.  I promise to be more upbeat here in a week or two!

Anyway, I am looking forward to celebrating Sissyteef's birthday this weekend at a local Chinese food restaurant called the Mandarin.  It's apparently world-famous!  Today marks an exciting shift for her as she moves away from one job and towards another adventure!  Hope you have a nice and relaxing weekend!

~ Getting a short hair itch...!

~ Mental vacation to any of these beaches.

~ These kind of things make me ever so sad I'm gluten free...

~ Would you drink a cocktail with a marshmallow?  I would!

~ How fun!

~ Oh, to be a farmer in Scotland sounds so amazing sometimes!

~ Annnnd you're welcome.

xo.

On Setting Boundaries...

I know we've broached this subject before, but I thought it was important to revisit.  Mostly because I am realizing how guilty women are made to feel when they say "no."

Please correct me if I'm wrong, but do we women start policing each other and how much we've sacrificed with our jobs, families, and relationships?  I feel this, "Well, I did it so you should have to now," mentality permeating my everyday life!  I know I sound naive, but I've had the privilege to work in some relatively martyr-free environments in my day...and I think it spoiled me!

So how do I draw my proverbial line in the sand without seeming like a laze or unambitious?  Is there any happy ground?  I feel (many, not all, of course) men are given respect when they say something conflicts with their schedule, but a rationale must be given from a woman.  What gives and how do we fix it?

Wishes Wednesday: Cute Sweaters!

If you know me, you know my obsession with Madewell.  They have consistently classic and sweet styles that I can see myself wearing for years.  Their new lightweight sweaters are killing me they are so cute!

I mean, come on!

French Pharmacy Finds

One of the things I am still kicking myself over is not taking any time to explore a few French pharmacies while Shug and I were in Paris.  Yes, yes, we spent our days filled to the brim with fun and red wine, but I love exploring drug stores in different countries to see what beauty products they have to offer!

Luckily, Amazon is making the world smaller in a much better way!  I have a few staples I use religiously now that come straight from the aisles of a French pharmacy.  The first find is the amazingly moisturizing Ducray Ictayne Creme.  It is non-comedogenic and sooooo nice for parched winter skin.  I usually slather this on at night over a serum to wake up to soft and super-moisturized skin.

Music Monday: Grimes

 

I'm sure you've heard of Grimes.  

She hails from Canada and makes all of her own beats and music.

She's also totally cray...which is often paired with genius in some form,

so I'm pretty ok with that.

This song can't not get stuck in your head.  Just watch!

Here's to a Monday that flies by!

xo

Friday Link Love and Lovelies

Just look at that stinker, Tucker.  He may be the smartest dog I've ever met!  He's also the most mischievous...He's always nosing Ruby out of her snuggle spot and opening the bathroom door when you are trying to pee.  He also gets really bent out of shape when Shug shows me any physical affection.  He whines and grumbles even at at hug!  He's a stinker, I told you!

This weekend has me held up working on my thesis defense.  I am literally locking myself in my house until it is completed!  So wish this prisoner some luck AND motivation!

Here's some lovelies for your weekend, I hope you aren't locked in like me!

~ The cutest 500 square foot apartment...for a family of 4!

~ Say it isn't so...Dewy-4-Lyfe.

~ French pharmacy must-haves.

~ Would you be brave enough to wear this?!

~ I'm having REAL trouble with Rory Gilmore marrying Pete Campbell.

~ I'd use these baskets year-round!

~ Speaking of Easter, these natural dye eggs are amazing!

xo

What I've Been Loving Lately...

I've been wearing this arrow necklace nonstop since the holidays!

This chambray shirt has a cute little star print that I've been rocking under a cardigan for clinic days.

I have been living off of this Sweet Rose Tulsi tea.  It's relaxing and apparently has amazing antioxidant powers!

What has been on heavy rotation for you, lately?

Wishes Wednesday

This wishes Wednesday has something that I just received for my birthday from Shug...and a plea for the next six weeks to fly by.  Never in my life have I wanted the clock to tick more quickly.  In six weeks I will be done with school!

This Hello sweatshirt is soooo soft and I see myself wearing it with skinny jeans now and maybe with some white cutoffs with the sleeves rolled up in the cooler months of summer.  OKAY!  Now, hurry on up, summer!

About Girls

Have you been watching HBO's Girls?

All I can say about the season finale is...wow.  But "wow" in the kind of way your friend would say to you after you did something monumentally dumb...in the cafeteria...in front of the whole school.  *If you aren't caught up, I'd advise to skip this post from here on out!*

First of all, I grew up on the weekly escapades of the four friends in Sex and the City.  I was a teenager when I started "learning" about what being in your 30s was all about.  Not only was Sex and the City a total fantasy world, it never got really ugly.  Yes, the characters had to deal with some serious stuff, but these issues were always handled in next season's Balenciaga and a great coat of lip gloss.  Girls is the antithesis of Sex and the City.  The camera never wavers from these girls, even when all you can do is look away yourself.

Music Monday: Warpaint

 

Warpaint.

Love them.

Here's to a good week!

xo

Friday Link Love and Lovelies

Well Spring Break sure flew by!  I got about 10% completed on my to-do list, too!  I'm not going to beat myself up over it because sometimes you just need to take a breather.  This is my last school break before graduation in a couple of months and I couldn't be more ready to finish up this program!

Spring Break sure was fun since I was able to hang out with Mummateef and Sissyteef!  We went to lunch at my favorite little Vietnamese place, Oh Mai.  If you get a chance you must try it!  Sissyteef wanted to stay for dinner she loved it so much!

This weekend I am hoping to work on my research, take more photos of inventory for WrenRetro, and go to barre class with Bestest Best.  What plans do you have for the weekend?

~ Cutest collection of raindrops.

~ LOVE this new blog.

~ Thoughts on these major ear cuffs?

~ Gonna make this and use it forever!

~ Famous writers' habits.

~ Love this banner...and the thought of a cake day!

~ Amazing, hypnotic miracle.

xo

Beauty Black Magic: Infotone Hydrating Mist

I feel like I may be going a little coocoolala.  I have been spraying plain old water on my face and I have been seeing some amazing results.  Like, results all sorts of potions and lotions couldn't really get a handle on in the past.

I have always been skeptical of the bottled waters sold for the face.  Evian and Avène have cult followings.  Both tout healing and wondrous properties like healing eczema or calming rosacea.  I once used a 100% pure water spray an esthetician forced on me a few years ago and the half-full bottle found its final resting place in the recycle bin.  I just didn't see any difference in my skin with this extra step.

Fast forward to a face that is super-stressed from school drama.  My skin is splotchy and red, with some stress breakouts, to boot.  I don't know what possessed me to order some Infotone Hydrating Mist (stress shop much?), but after about three weeks of using this everyday I have started to notice some great changes in my skin!  My tone has really evened out and become less red and my stress blemishes seem to be healing much more quickly.  I definitely didn't see these kind of results with the elixir that esthetician duped me into buying years ago, either.

So, here I go with the real coocoolala part....Infotone claims, "Each mister contains a non-toxic and 100% natural ceramic bead infused with Aistiva's patented BioT™ technology. BioT™ allows simple spring water to activate skin's natural healing ability resulting in clear, youthful, and glowing skin."  Erm, excuse me?  A magic bead that heals my skin with what?  Magic vibrations?  You also can refill the bottle for up to a year and this bead will apparently fuel the new water with the same magic.

I know.  I am rolling my eyes at myself!  But, damn, if that magic bead hasn't given me some better skin!  If the placebo effect is wrong in this case, I don't wanna be right.

Have you ever had a beauty product or ritual that you are convinced can't work, but does wonders for your skin?  I don't want to be alone in this, people!

Living on the Cheap with Celiac's Disease

Sometimes going to Whole Foods can be like a trip to Disney Land for a gluten-free gal such as myself.  These days there are endless options in the aisles of wheat-free fare...gluten-free burritos, ready-bake pizzas, cake mixes, even crackers that look like Ritz!  Almost ten years ago, when I first received my diagnosis, this kind of heaven was just a dream.

But heaven comes at a price...If you've perused the shelves at your local Whole Foods or organic market, gluten-free foods, especially the ready-to-eat kind, can be 5-10x as much as the wheat-enriched varieties.  This isn't an issue for some, but many if us have to be careful with our paychecks...I, for example, have the grad school monster eating up a hefty chunk of our resources.

I'm here to tell you that you can eat gluten-free and do it on the cheap.  But cheap come at a price, as well, and that's your time.  But if you have time on Sundays to prep a little food, you will have grab-and-go gluten-free options to last you the whole week!

Are you ready for some tips?  Here we go!

A Pop of Color

I used to think a strong red lip was just overkill.  I'd try to put on a red lip after a full face of makeup and look 10 years older!

As I become more educated in the dark arts of makeup, I have really started to embrace a pop of color on an almost makeup-free face!  I think that's the real secret: let your lips be the focal point and just conceal and add a little light mascara...no heavy duty makeup here!  I think leaving your cheeks blush-free can look so chic with a matte red lip.  Me saying going out without blush is similar to saying leaving the house without a shirt on, FYI.

Another huge issue is making sure the tone of your lipstick doesn't clash with your skin tone.  The whole cool tones with cool tones and warm tones with warm tones rules here.

Here are some of my favorite lipsticks that work well with most skin tones!

Music Monday: Sibylle Baier

 

Did daylight savings knock you for a loop?  

I know our phones and computers update automatically, so why can't our circadian rhythms get on board?

To ease into this early Monday, here's a new find of mine that I can't stop listening to.

Sibylle Baier was a folk singer in the early 1970s from Germany.  She decided to focus on raising her family after she moved to America.  When her son was grown, he took some of his mom's recordings and got them into the hands of Dinosaur Jr. and it was passed along for release.

She is has a quiet and still power to her voice that I just can't get enough of.

Hope you have a good week!

Friday Link Love and Lovelies

I have a funny secret: I have never used a curling iron on my hair until a couple of weeks ago!  I was scarred as a little kid when one of the girls in my 3rd grade class came to school with a burnt and blistered ear from curling her hair by herself.  It took me a good 20 years to muster up the courage to use a curling iron by myself!  Above is the not-so-great result of 30 minutes in the grips of fear.  My talents lie in other areas...like how many cupcakes consumed within a 24-hour time period.

This week marks the beginning of my last clinical rotation until graduation...I am so very scared and relieved that this educational journey is winding down.  I really should say winding UP, since I still have to finish my research, write my thesis, defend my thesis...............Let's not talk about this anymore, as the panic attack is setting in as I type!  Needless to say, my next few weeks (and weekends;( ) will be filled with the stuff of science-y insanity.

Here's a little escape if your weekend is going to be as busy as mine!

~ Those brows!

~ Love the pops of color in this serene house.

~ No kidding.  That's why you use the LED light!

~ Or these.  KIDDING.

~ Controversial! I love cream blush so I don't have to use a brush.

~ My hopes are still high for the hoverboard.

~ I'm going to make a big pot of this for the weekend!

xo

Dressing Your "Age"

I used to live for the makeover shows that dominated in the early aughts.  What Not to Wear and Queer Eye for the Straight Guy were a weekly ritual that would usually find we weeping and wiping my stuffy nose brought on by the sheer glory of a great sartorial transformation. 

I also remember just ticking over into my twenties and being very struck by the opening credits of WNTW where one fashion caution was "NO MINI SKIRTS OVER 35!"  At 20, this was no bigs...but into my 30s, it's another story.

WrenRetro Wednesday

Did you guys know that I run a vintage shop on Etsy?  I haven't been listing anything lately, but want to get the place up and running again soon!

I was wondering if you could help me out a little and answer a few questions about shopping for vintage online. 

• Do you like sites that have a model or just the clothes displayed on a hanger or dress form?  

• Do you like having styling ideas with the listing?  

• What online vintage shops are your favorite?

I have TONS of amazing inventory that needs to be freed!  So any and all feedback would be greatly appreciated!

xo

Guilty Pleasure #36728: Vanderpump Rules

A few weeks ago I had the infernal cold that has been going around Salt Lake City and hanging on for weeeeeeeeeks.  I even stayed home sick for a few days, which was a blessing and a curse after I depleted all of the OnDemand options our basic cable had to offer.

Vanderpump Rules is an off-shoot of the wildly popular (and much maligned) Real Housewives of Beverly Hills.  It stars my favorite housewife, Lisa Vanderpump and her swanky restaurant staff.  All of her staff are NOT there to work in the restaurant business, but to make it big as actors, singers, and mistresses.  The levels of dreckitude this show stoops to are unreal...and I love every horrible minute of it!

I grew up with the inception of reality tv - the first Real World was touching, scary and raw.   For better or for worse, I learned a lot about adult life from those first few seasons.  (Side note: The Real World is in its 27th season...how old do you feel??)  The scripted "reality" we now get to tune into almost every night of the week, on almost every channel isn't the same animal.

But darn-it if I don't love some of the fake and petty drama!  Are there any reality shows you are embarrassed to love?  The Bachelor has been a guilty pleasure to more than a few of my friends for years!

Music Monday: Menomena

 

On Saturday night/early Sunday morning, Shug and I were able to see one of our old faves at the Urban Lounge: Menomena.

The performance was great, as they always are, but Salt Lake City was poor Menomena's last stop on their American tour and they were bushed.  There were a few new band mates and some songs from their newest album and as I watched the show (and the innnnnnteresting crowd) I reflected on how much has changed since I first saw them play in 2007 in Chicago with my new boyfriend.

Friday Link Love and Lovelies

Ruby is finished with winter.  Come to think of it, so am I.  

She has taken to burrowing under the blankets and taking up residence...well, right in my crotch.  She looked so funny the other day I just had to document it!  She is the sweetest pup that could be, but when you try to move her or change positions once she's found her snuggle spot she grumbles!  So I just let the little princess set up where she likes!

It is starting to feel just the tiniest bit like spring around here.  Some brave little shards of crocuses are starting to poke up through the grimy snow and the days are starting to get longer.  Boy are we ready here in the 'Teef residence!

Are you doing anything fun this weekend?  Or are you just thinking of spring, like us?

~ This house is perfection.

~ This cute little hotel evokes the same look, in a pared down way!

~ Loved this post and I an SUCH a planner.

~ Need to master the art of this.

~ I may be brave enough to try to make these this weekend!

~ Or try this hair style!

~ Also, falling with grace.

Oh and one more thing...