Tan in a Tube... or Two

Don't think I've ever just posted a link to someone else's blog post before. This one just seemed too good ... and too timely... not to share. :)

http://thecreativityexchange.blogspot.com/2011/05/recipe-for-best-self-tanning-lotion.html

Since I've been offering advice about cute beach clothing and hair lately, I feel compelled to pass along this little tip. (Can't have you going to the beach in your sweet little tunic dress and your sun kissed locks looking like the Stay Puff Marshmallow Woman.) Anyway, check this out... I plan to and I'll report back. Four days 'til the weekend! :)

Ahhh... Summer Clothes

Hello beautiful thing,
maybe you could save my life
In just a glance,
down here on magic street
Loves a fool's dance
And I ain't got much sense,
but I still got my feet

The girls in their summer clothes
In the cool of the evening light
The girls in their summer clothes,
pass me by

The girls in their summer clothes
In the cool of the evening light
The girls in their summer clothes,
pass me by - Bruce Springsteen

Apparently Bruce isn't the only one who ain't got much sense when he sees girls in their summer clothes. Let almost any man catch a glimse of a happy, care-free gal in a fun, batik-y print and watch the results....

Today I discovered some particularly fetching - and affordable - summer clothing and I felt the need to pass the information along. Five words.... Calypso St Barth's for Target. Calypso is a island nymph best known for captivating and waylaying Odysseus in Homer's Odyssey. I'm guessing that as an island nypth/temptress, Calypso wasn't always wearing a lot of clothing. I'm also guessing that her island didn't have a Target. No matter....I still find the line aptly named. (If a goddess-type was looking for the perfect outfit to wear to a beachside candlelight dinner with her dashing, distractable royal beau, I feel certain a number of these adorable outfits would fit the bill.)

There are times when it makes sense to save up and purchase a really well - constructed dress or pair of pants and there are times when it makes sense to swing by Target.

I mentioned a while back that I'm enjoying my beach hair. I can't think of anything better to pair that beach hair with than the lovely aqua, belted, fan print tunic dress featured on the front page of the Sea Collection link. Isn't it just the cutest thing? It doesn't really look substantial enough to be worn as a "real" dress, but I think it would make a great beach coverup. I already know which sandals I'd wear with it too.

Anyway, just wanted to pass this along. If you're looking for affordable duds to take with you to the beach this summer, you might want to check this out. Sadly, most of us don't live on a remote island and we aren't cavorting with any handsome traveling Kings. The upside of that is that most of us do live near and can afford to shop at Target.

Step 1 to looking and feeling fab this summer: Stop by Hot Heads Step 2: Stop by Target (There's one right down the street from Hot Heads.) Step #3: Get on I-4 going either direction and drive until you hit a beach. Five more days to the weekend! :) Have a great week!

Letting My Hair Down

Thought I'd share a song I'm kind of loving lately. Hopefully you've already heard it. If not, you MUST check it out. It's Andy Grammer's Keep Your Head Up. (The video is pretty entertaining too! Rainn Wilson from the Office makes an appearance. Seems I am incapable of looking at Rainn Wilson without laughing. :)

I heard a little of the back story of Keep Your Head Up, so I know the song almost wrote itself after a particuarly rough day. I find that's often when I'm at my most creative as well. It's the perpetual silver lining for me. I love the promise of Andy's story too... and of JK Rowlings'.... I love hearing how people who were down and out thought and created their way into a different life. I love that the idea that something that could dramatically alter my life could just pop into my head at any given time.

I've been waiting on the sunset
Bills on my mindset
I can get deny theyre getting high
Higher than my income
My income's breadcrumbs
I've been trying to survive

The glow that the sun gives
Right around sunset
Helps me realize
This is just a journey
Drop your worries
You are gonna turn out fine
Oh, you'll turn out fine
Fine, oh, you'll turn out fine

But you gotta keep your head up, oh,
And you can let your hair down, eh
You gotta keep your head up, oh,
And you can let your hair down, eh

I know it's hard, know its hard,
To remember sometimes,
But you gotta keep your head up, oh,
And you can let your hair down, eh.

I've got my hands in my pockets,
Kickin these rocks
Its kinda hard to watch this life go by.
I'm buyin in the skeptics,
Skeptics mess with, the confidence in my eyes

I'm seeing all the angles, starts to get tangled
I start to comprimise
My life and the purpose
Is it all worth it,
Am I gonna turn out fine?
Oh, you'll turn out fine
Fine, oh, you'll turn out fine

But you gotta keep your head up, oh,
And you can let your hair down, eh
You gotta keep your head up, oh,
And you can let your hair down, eh

I know it's hard, know its hard,
To remember sometimes,
But you gotta keep your head up, oh,
And you can let your hair down, eh.

Only rainbows after rain
The sun will always come again.
Its a circle, circling,
Around again, it comes around again

Only rainbows after rain
The sun will always come again
Its a circle, circling,
Around again, it comes around,

But you gotta keep your head up, oh,
And you can let your hair down, eh
You gotta keep your head up, oh,
And you can let your hair down, eh

I know it's hard, know its hard
To remember sometimes,
But you gotta keep your head up, oh,
And you can let your hair down, eh

Keep your head up, oh,
And you can let your hair down, eh.
Keep your head up, oh,
And you can let your hair down, eh.
Keep your head up, oh,
And you can let your hair down

Have a wonderful Saturday! :)

The Power of Pink....

Pink foam hair roller necklace in argentium sterling silver by NJ metalsmith and art professor, Jill Baker Gower

When I was a little girl, my Dad used to take us places on Saturdays in order to give my Mom a little break. Often we did something fun, like spend the afternoon at the playground or go out for ice cream. Every now and then, however, he would drag us somewhere horrible, somewhere like a furniture store or a hardware store or ….worse...SEARS! I hated all of the “Dad stores”, but I really hated Sears. Those washing machine and lawn mower salesmen from Sears could’ve outfilibustered the most determined Washington polititian. They just droned on and on and on about the most insignificant things.

One Saturday afternoon, Dad came into my room and announced that we would be leaving for Sears in a half an hour. Of course, I wanted no part of this. I considered my options. A temper tantrum was sure to result in a lecture, a spanking or an early bed time. Plus, it wouldn't have worked! A faked illness would've caused me to spend the rest of the afternoon in bed. I wracked my brain for a way out and I kept coming up short, until it hit me. My Dad absolutely hated it when women wore curlers out in public. He thought it was so vulgar and always wondered aloud at the irony of anyone trying to beautify herself by going out in public looking so awful.

I pulled out my plastic pink weapons and got to work. When he walked back in, I was sitting pretty as you please with rolled hair and wet bubble gum - colored fingernails. I told him my curlers would need to stay in for at least another hour, but sweetly volunteered to put a scarf over them when we went out. I knew he would be appauled by this suggestion and I hedged a bet that he wouldn’t know that I would know this. I felt pretty confident that he wouldn’t risk hurting my feelings by questioning the appropriateness of the scarf. Since I normally rode bikes, made mud pies and climbed trees, Dad didn’t want to be responsible for cutting short one of my first forays into womanhood. At the same time, he didn’t want to run into someone from the office with his daughter looking like one of the tacky women from the convenient store.

How did he resolve his delima? He did exactly what I expected he would do. He cancelled our shopping trip. It was quite the rush. I did feel a little badly about using my feminine wiles for evil… especially with my Dad, but since I decided we were both better off at having spent two less hours of our lives in the appliance section of Sears, I got over it.

Important lesson from the story: Great hair should be left to the professionals. :)Hot Heads 407-671-0480 (Were you looking for something a little deeper? Oh, alright... how about this...? As women, we don't often recognize the power that lies within. Today, be creative and look for a different way around all of the pesky obstacles in your life. Also, if you're lucky enough - as I am - to still have your Dad around, call him and apologize for the myriad of ways you put him through his paces when you were growing up. Happy Tuesday!

I'm Betting On....

... a great cut next time I go to Hot Heads. Happy Derby Day! :)

A Royal Mess....

Think fashion doesn't matter? I give you exhibit A... (No, I didn't come up with this idea, but I have to admit, I was entertained by it. For the record, my friend, Cindy, called this the minute these two came on screen the other morning. I was thinking Dr. Suess, but she was all over the wicked stepsisters comparison.)



Anyway, the princesses are young and I don't want to hurt their feelings. In case they happen to stumble across my blog :), I wanted to share a hopeful thought: Girls, remember, there was a time when Britney Spears was on the cover of every magazine in print sporting a crew cut and wielding an umbrella and she seems to be recovering quite nicely. Don't let one REALLY (correction REALLY, REALLY! :) bad fashion choice ruin your lives. Go to the mall. Drop some cash on a couple of cute outfits. Embrace the fact that you're young, beautiful and well connected and move on.

While I'm being catty... What on earth died on Merideth Vieira's head the other morning? I know she's a busy woman and probably didn't have much time to shop, but really.... That's the best she could do? I'm guessing that when rushing from the set of Who Wants To Be A Millionaire? to Today Show headquarters, she sideswiped a squirrel, threw it on her head, and decided to save time and go straight to the airport. That is the only possible explanation for the fact that someone with her resources would go on camera in front of millions in that get up. I was hoping to post a picture of the hat, just in case you missed it, but alas, I am unable to locate a copy. Perhaps, the family of the dead animal refused to sign the waiver. Just a thought.... :)

For the record, I love Meredith Vieira and I thought almost everyone else looked gorgeous the other morning... especially the bride! So many women got it so right. It was as if someone put Easter morning, a pitcher of mint julips, a box of crayolas, all of the ribbon at Martha Stewart Living Omnimedia, the kiss shaped street lights in Hershey, PA and the sun itself in a giant blender. It was a sight to behold and I loved every minute of it.

Surely one of these days the reality of my life is going to make me stop being such an incurable romantic. Kind of hope not though. :) Hope you enjoyed the romance, pomp and in some cases spectacle Friday as much as I did. Have a great week! <3 The HHG

Want to make sure you're looking regal for any upcoming weddings you need to attend this summer? Pick up the phone! 407-671-0480. :)