The Fashionista & Baby

Why does time pass by so quickly as you approach 40? All those years I spent as a young girl, anticipating and eagerly awaiting my time to turn, what some have deemed, the legal age of 18 (I really wanted to be a contestant on the Love Connection). No matter how fast I wanted 18 to come, it took its sweet time before finally bestowing its false gift of adulthood upon me. If I knew then what I know today, I would not have been so concerned about getting older; instead, I would have taken full advantage of my youthful years, relishing in the uninhibited freedom those precious years carried. Time is a precious commodity that you cannot get back once it has passed, and oh, man does it move swiftly. I honestly cannot tell you where the time went, especially when I look at how fast Mademoiselle is growing. Now a precocious two-year-old, Mademoiselle acts more like a teenager than a toddler. Just last night I caught Mademoiselle holding a small mirror in one hand while trying remove a patch of dry skin from her bottom lip with the other. A few minutes later, Mademoiselle went to the bathroom, put a little Vaseline on her index finger, and applied it to her tiny lips to soothe the dryness. It was the cutest thing to watch.

I think it is great that my little girl is becoming more self-sufficient. I love that she insists on carrying her own belongings in a purse or backpack, and since she is now toilet trained, alas, I am free from toting around a diaper bag. Like those years when I impatiently waited to turn 18, I could not wait for those days of carrying a stylish clutch or handbag to return. Surprisingly, now that the opportunity has come, I find myself with a rather perplexing dilemma, a purse conundrum so to speak. Perhaps it has a lot to do with the fact that I have not carried a purse in a little over two years. Oddly, I feel somewhat attached to the old diaper bag that does not match a single thing in my closet; I feel weird walking out of the house without it even when Mademoiselle is not with me. I forget the most important necessities when I attempt to carry a regular handbag, which often leaves me in a bind; yet I feel stupid with a diaper bag on my shoulder without a baby in my arms or in a stroller. Could my attachment to Mademoiselle’s diaper bag signify a harsh reality that I am unconsciously avoiding? What is the harsh reality I am avoiding? It is the reality that Mademoiselle is no longer a baby. I know I need to come to the realization that I cannot capture time in a bottle. Mademoiselle is growing up rather I like it or not.

Now I’m wondering what quick fix is going to rectify my current situation since facing the reality of my daughter growing up will not happen overnight. Maybe... Just maybe I need to feel the adrenaline rush of buying a super cute, fabulously funky new purse that will rekindle that old love that seems to have been lost. I need a clutch or tote that will reconnect all the fashion wires that have been disconnected by the chaotic parenting world of raising two boys and one fearless, wild girl child.

The Fashion Quick Fix 

My favorite accessory shop for unique accessory finds, Tres Jolie's Luxe Fur Clutch, pictured above. 

Tory Burch French Resin Clutch

 Lips Tote

Holiday Gift Alert

Tres Jolie's Gold Bracelets with Turquiose and Eye of the Tiger

Combine this uniquely packaged towel with your favorite skincare or face products to create an adorable gift.

Tory Burch Kid Tunic

Given the current state of our economy and the uncertainty of its ability to bounce back in a year or two, many are making preparations to ride the wave of this economic crisis by reevaluating how they spend their hard earned dollars. I know I have. I have been clipping coupons, spending a lot of time at free events, shopping around for the best bargains, and so forth. I have also been spending time trying to distinguish between the very fine line of needs and wants. I figured that spending over $20 for lotion was definitely a want; not necessarily a need. Surely I could find a less expensive, high quality lotion that would moisturize my body just as well; so I thought.

And so for a very brief moment in time, I experimented with a few different brands of lotion in hopes of finding one that could be my new favorite at a reasonable price. But I realized that there are some things you just can’t skimp on when I felt the ash creeping back on my skin after 20 minutes of applying the lotion and the cheap smell that seemed to linger in air. My skin needed a drink after that debacle so I quickly declared that enough was enough and went back to what I knew best: L’Occitane’s rich, silky Olive Luminous Body Cream, my skin instantly felt soft and well moisturized. I realize that I'm going to have to look for other ways to save money, and cutting corners on skincare is not an option.

My other favorites include:

Product Body's Whipped Shea Butter

Body Time's Vitamin A,D & E Moisturizer

For those times when I'm in a hurry and I don't have the extra time to spare I use Lush's King of Skin when I'm in the shower because there is no need to apply a body cream after you get out of the shower.

Holiday Gift Alert:

This season give a Fresh, sweet gift

Sugar Social

Sugar Affair

When I contemplate the 15 years you have spent on this earth thus far, gracing the world with your kind personality and charming smile, I marvel at the young man you are becoming. You are such an intelligent and thoughtful person, which is why others, including me, love being around you. Because of your potential, I am excited about all the promises and hope the future is holding at will call for you. I must not fail to remind you once again that I believe in you and in your ability to succeed and triumph over adversity. Happy Birthday, Beniy!

My heart is filled with so much love for you,

Mom

Yeah. I thought it was a joke too. However, after checking the website I was delightfully surprised to find that the e-mail, sent by my mother-in-law, informing me that E.L.F is currently selling makeup items and makeup tools for just $1 is true. YES, GIRL, ONE DOLLAR! So, I had to stop what I was doing to write a quick post to let you know about this opportunity to save big.

Apparently, Nordstrom bought E.L.F.; as a result, they are repackaging the line to reflect the Nordstrom brand, which is why they are trying to get rid of the old stuff for dirt cheap. They are also selling body butter for $4, makeup cases for $15, etc. This is a good time to stock up on lipgloss and makeup brushes. Use the coupon code CAROLINA for an additional savings of $7.50 when you spend $15 or more.

Although I checked Elf's website to see if it was true that makeup was being sold for $1, I did not verify at least two other sources before posting this information because I'm on vacation, which is why I was in a rush to get this posted. But, thanks to Tamara for bringing up the fraud issue. Here is a statement from Nordstrom:

Customer Alert - eyeslipsface.com

We have learned that some of our customers received e-mails from an unauthorized and unknown source regarding the website eyeslipsface.com. We want you to know that Nordstrom and Nordstrom.com are not affiliated with eyeslipsface.com or the e.l.f. product line, nor with any e-mail regarding that website or product line. Nordstrom does not sell e.l.f. products.

In general, you should always use caution and verify the authenticity of any website before providing information over the Internet. Also be aware of e-mails from unknown sources as they may contain a link to a fraudulent website specifically set up to capture and fraudulently use personal or account information. These websites are sometimes called "mirror" sites and may give the appearance of the true website.

Please know that Nordstrom would not ask for your account information through e-mail communication. If you receive an e-mail asking for any personal or account information appearing to be from Nordstrom, or is claiming affiliation with Nordstrom, please forward the information to onlinefraud@nordstrom.com or call us at 1-888-282-6060

I'm still on vacation. I will return to blogging in a week and a half. Until then...live glamorously.

Tracci

My favorite jewelry store in Los Angeles, Tres Jolie, has some of the jewelry that was featured in the movie Sex in the City.

Flat oval hoops worn by Miranda Hobbes.

Flower ring worn by Samatha in the auction scene.

Jennifer Hudson's character held this cute key chain in the movie.

Visit Tres Jolie for other pieces featured in the movie.