Getting An Eyeful

I've always liked thick fluttery lashes. In fact, I've often been accussed of batting my eyes maybe a little too much. The one make-up item I would not want to do without is mascara. But I haven't ever played too much with fake eyelashes. They just seemed too regular, too close to how my actual lashes look so I didn't see the point.

But in the past few years we've been seeing more and more "fun" lashes. Lashes that aren't suppossed to look real but are just adorable in their fakeness.

I blame Shrinkle for my obsession with over-the-top feather lashes. I got these pink ones from her store last year.



I also got them in black too. Plus, Miss Shrinkle is a tempting model too. How you could not want to imitate her adorable-ness.





Susie Bubble got the uber-cool Viktor & Rolf paperclip eyelashes herself (I'm hoping to track down a pair for a very modern look I'd like to try). Sadly we don't have a Lash Bar in my town, but they do have a good selection of their lashes on the site so I went on a ordered myself up a few pairs - nothing tame here. We like the crazy ones!

I did get the Lash Repair as well as the adhesive so they would go on properly.



These are about as subtle as I wanted to get - the Black Velvet Feather lashes. They look almost subtle here, right?



Nope! Big and feathery! I was just playing around with them when I got them home on Friday. I can't wait to do a real run with them.



Then we get into the really fun ones - the Premium Velvet Feather lashes made of wispy brown feathers.





They're huge! And match my hair color...



I love them. Now I just have to try and apply them properly. Do you think they would be too much for wearing to work?

Key to My Heart

I have this love for quirky little jewelry pieces, especially necklaces that could have deeper secret meanings.



While browsing on the Creatures of Comfort site tonight, I saw this adorable Keyhole necklace. You see a lot of necklaces with keys but I think this piece could have more meanings. Do you have a secret? Are you a secret garden unto yourself? Are you keeping a secret for someone else?

Or, like Alice, did you slip through the keyhole into another secret world of your own making?

Pink. Sparkly. Cupcake.

I want this.



I think the picture speaks for itself.

I'll say no more. I'm overwhelmed.

*sigh*

Bad Trade for Beads

Apparently Stella McCartney is still under the delusion that bead are really really valuable.

Stella! The Dutch really didn't get Manhattan for $24 in trade beads and neither can you!

Look at this necklace, currently on sale at Net-a-Porter. It's originally priced at $285. Dollars.




Let's go to the close-up to see how ridiculous that is...



Those are regular old seed beads. And not that many of them. And not in a very intricate pattern. Just strings of seed beads attached to a ribbon. I could go to Michael's and get the materials for this necklace to the tune of about $20.

I had this in mind when I went to Target yesterday. And while I wasn't actively looking for jewelry, they had a ton of really cute pieces that would go well with the ethnic/safari style. I bought two necklaces, two bracelets and a carved wood ring. I need to take more photos, but here's what I'm wearing today.

This necklace had a ton of strands of bronze-y brown beads in graduating layers.



I really liked this woven bangle and it goes perfectly with the dress I'm wearing today.



It's kind of hard to tell, but this is a carved wooden wring. The top is a beveled rectangle and it has a great spotted pattern. Plus it's large enough to make a statement but not overly showy. Plus it's pretty comfortable.



The other necklace was a long black and tan beaded necklace and a tan multi-beaded stretch bracelet. I'll be wearing them soon I'm sure.

What's great is that there are literally TONS of pieces on line (although I couldn't find the ones I bought) and they are all very inexpensive. My necklaces were around $15 each and the ring and bracelets were $8.

So, again, Stella must have lost her mind with this one.

Golden Butter and Caramel

I know I keep saying I'm not a huge collector of sunglasses, but I did work in the corporate offices of Sunglass Hut for a time, so I guess I'm predisposed to appreciate them.

I love the color of these Lilly Pulitzer sunglasses made from a lovely golden horn.



They'd be great paired with the Michael Kors watch, which I also love and still want.

Weak and Strong

I've always wished that I had long delicate fingers with long nail beds that look perfect even with short nails. Nails that you can wear dark polish and it looks elegant.

But no. I have small hands and short fingers with equally short nail beds. What's worse, I used to bite my nails as a child. And even though I've broken that habit, my nails still suck. They're very weak. They tend to get a split about halfway down and below the quick. Basically pretty terrible.

But lately they've been holding they're own and not completely breaking off. Hooray! Now, they're not all strong and sturdy like a friend of mine in high school (hers were like iron. I was so jealous.) but, they're still here.

And look! They look pretty decent for once.



The only thing that I've ever used that has really helped to keep them sturdy enough to grow is Nailtiques. I don't use it every day now like it says, but it helps to get them going. Once they are long enough, it helps just to take care of them. Keep them polished, file any rough spots so they don't catch anywhere. Be aware of how your hands move and don't knock your hands around.



All of those things have contributed to this change, I'm sure. But I think there is one other big thing that has helped....



Yes, yellow rubber gloves. Okay, they don't need to be yellow (mine are currently blue) but, I know these have kept my nails intact. I don't do the dishes all of the time but when I do I wear these. I wear a pair when cleaning too. We know how soft nails can get when immersed in water, especially hot enough to clean the dishes, and mine don't need any encouragement to be weak.

I've been wearing these for a month or so and since I added them to the routine I've seen an amazing change.

If you have weak, soft or brittle nails, this simple addition could make a difference.