The Gardener's Cottage

the worlds fluffiest vegan pancakes*

2012-01-28T06:09:00.000-08:00

hello everyone!

i rarely post on saturdays so what a surprise.

i'm up early for a day of hiking in palm springs where it is going to be sunny and 74 degrees today. i wanted to share this great pancake recipe with you before i go.

so while you are out running errands today you can get the ingredients and make them for your family on sunday morning.

i follow the recipe exactly.

i swiped the recipe from here.

they are so good and so easy.

they are truly fluffy.

they are truly yummy.

oh and btw, quite a few of you have asked about my wardrobe now that i've lost weight.

i'm cleaning out my closet and selling some things on ebay.

here is the link for that.

i'll be adding things all week.

don't hesitate to email me if you have questions about anything.

wishing you a most beautiful weekend.

*no animals were harmed making these delicious pancakes.

janet

what i ate*

2012-01-25T12:55:00.000-08:00

quite a few of you asked for a sample of what i eat each day.

so here is what a typical day of eating looks like for me.

steel cut oatmeal with...

apples

dried cranberries

walnuts

brown sugar

also, toast and tea

garden lettuces
oranges
avocados
kidney beans
chopped jalapeno
walnuts
trader joes goddess dressing

brown rice

trader joes baked tofu, sauteed in a tiny bit of vegetable oil - Absolutely Delish!

organic broccoli

organic mushrooms

for dessert i will usually have fresh fruit with some soy yogurt, a homemade cookie or dark chocolate.

i hope this helps those of you who asked.

thank you to everyone who commented on my last post.

i learn so much from you.

*no animals were harmed making any of these dishes.

xo
janet

how i lost 15 lbs

2012-01-18T05:56:00.000-08:00

boy has this post been hard to write.
weight issues are so personal.
i was receiving a lot of emails asking if i had lost weight and so i decided to share this with you.

i know right off that a lot of you are going to say that i didn't need to lose weight.
but i thought i did...and so i did.
i emphasize that this is my story because i am not an expert on dieting, in fact this is the first time i have actually been on a restrictive diet.
but what i did worked for me and maybe it can work for you.

four years ago, when i turned 50, i was 5'6 and weighed 120 lbs. i was a confirmed vegan and pretty much ate what i pleased and was not bothered by the fact that i had gained a pound or two. fast forward to six months ago at my most recent check up i measured 5'5 and was now 130 lbs. i was shrinking and growing at the same time. i hated how i felt in my jeans. skirts were hard to button and tight and i was looking to size up again. despite my vegan diet, my energy level was dropping and the dreaded middle age spread that everyone says is inevitable was upon me. tabitha wrote a very interesting and funny post last month on the way women's waists have gotten larger over the last 60 years. and you know what? it was happening to me. you can read her post here.

i really didn't want the middle age spread and so i took this as a challenge, and you know how i feel about challenges.

so the first thing i did was make up my mind to lose 5 lbs. for 3 days straight i wrote down every single thing i ate and figured out just how many calories i was eating in a day. this was a huge eye opener for me. i had no idea that i was consuming so many empty calories. remember oreos and potato chips are vegan.

i had slipped into a pattern of eating when i was anxious, bored, breathing and maybe even sleeping.

next i educated myself about calories. you have to eat 3500 calories in order to gain 1 lb. so i figured that if i could cut out just 500 calories a day, i could start losing a pound a week and that sounded sensible to me. so i looked at my diet that i had written down and was able to see just what needed to be cut out. i will tell you that the first week was awful. i was starving! i started substituting some low calorie snacks for when i was hungry but that wasn't enough. i couldn't stop thinking about food, i was obsessed with it. i had to get busy to take my mind off eating. i started taking an afternoon walk and would even fabricate errands to run just to keep me busy.

i also wanted to keep my diet in alignment with my values of compassion, health and eating local.
this little tool, sustainable table,
is invaluable for that. all i have to do is enter the area of the country i'm in and bam...a whole list of vegetables and fruits that are in season in my area appear. this made menu planning much easier and it continues to inspire me to want to eat fresh everyday.

another thing i needed to do was to slow down my eating. by the time meal time came around i was pretty much starving and the urge to wolf down my food was overwhelming. i started by concentrating on each bite and taking a drink of water between bites too.
i think this is called mindfulness.

oh and btw, i cut out all alcohol and switched to sparkling water at dinner.

and i made sure that we used our small dinner plates that measure 8" across instead of the newer 11" dinner plates. this way the plates looked super full instead of skimpy, which believe it or not was comforting.

by the 4th week my system was adjusting and my energy was beginning to return. that's when i decided to really get crazy and ramp up my exercise routine that had served me pretty well in the past that was obviously inadequate now. so i threw in an extra mile in my morning walk, bringing that to 3, and added a strenuous 2 mile hike in the afternoon and i just generally became more active. i started becoming aware of just how much i was sitting, so i'd grab a rake and go rake up leaves or sweep down the driveway.

i'd do anything to keep moving.

i learned a lot of these tips from
my calorie counter
i signed up online and they send me all kinds of great tips and information.

so it's 6 months later and i'm still 5'5 but now i weigh 115 lbs instead of 130 lbs. i never, ever thought i'd weigh this again. it feels great and being lighter makes all the sports i play a lot more fun and a lot easier. we just got back from vacation and i skied 7 days straight. i couldn't even do that in my 20's.

clothes fit better and i honestly feel younger.

and with all the extra physical activity, i'm sleeping a lot better too, which is an amazing benefit.

so in a nutshell i...

found out exactly how much i was eating

figured out how to cut 500 calories a day

stepped up my exercise program and activities

ate local, fresh vegan foods

slowed down my eating

ate off smaller plates

as you can see, nothing is revolutionary here.
i ate less and moved more.

lovingkindness to you all.

xo
janet

xo

janet

old things

2012-01-13T11:37:00.000-08:00

so here are a bunch of old things.

1. me

2. my pendleton

3. the belt

4. the boots

5. the handbag

a few of you wanted to know about this bag.

i got it at a junk store in the desert.

a super good looking version of ralph lauren sold it to me.

really, you should see him.

it's a genuine gucci with loads of patina and style

it was $40.

also, here is my old hair.

you can see it is getting pretty gray.

those are ralph lauren collection sunglasses.

alex gave them to me.

it pays to have people in the right places.

next post...my weight loss, if you are interested.

this weekend just may be fabulous.

janet

$10 outfit challenge #6

2012-01-08T12:04:00.000-08:00

hello everyone.

i'm feeling that heavenly combination of physical exhaustion and being so refreshed. that happens after skiing 7 days straight.

i had very little internet access so i'm way behind in my blog reading.

i'm going to try and catch up today.

i know you asked quite a few questions in my last post and i promise to answer them this week.

but first...

on my way to the market to load up on fresh veggies and tofu i stopped at a yardsale and broke out of my ralph lauren self, channeled vix and bought this beautiful, maxi dress from the 60's or early 70's for $1.

i fell in love with it the minute i saw it. i had a bikini in a similar print when dinosaurs roamed the earth or when i was about 14.

the lady i bought it from couldn't believe i wanted it.

i'm fairly certain i have a split personality when it comes to style.

on one hand i adore my herringbone jackets and on the other i have a hard time resisting bright, cheerful kate spade-like colors.

dress - $1
sunglasses - .99
total - $1.99

i wish you all a wonderful week. i plan to be my best. you in?

xo
janet

fast and furious

2012-01-03T07:15:00.000-08:00

i'm away skiing and have limited internet access so i have to type fast and i'm probably not going to make much sense. but here it goes anyway.

first of all happy new year to you. you are all an amazing group of people and this blog would not exist without you. long story short...i love you all.

ok, yesterday while in the market at this ski resort i noticed the most beautiful, older woman shopping. she stood out because most people here dress in puffy parkas and uggs which makes sense b/c it is cold. anyway, around the corner comes this gorgeous woman wearing the most beautiful long cardigan. i wound up following her down a few aisles checking her out. i finally went up to her and asked who made her cardigan thinking for sure it was something like prada or some other high end nonsense and she smiled and said...forever 21.

so here it is for $45.

so if you want to look elegant and attract stalkers in the market, order one.

my new years resolutions.

1. stop sneaking into movies.

those are two movie tickets in larry's hand.

it was hard to do but i did it.

2. stop cursing. no grandmother should curse as much as i do.

this is going to be way hard for me.

whoever said giving sweaters is a bad idea for christmas gifts was wrong b/c i got this leopard sweater for christmas and i love it.

ok so while i'm connected i'm going to catch up on as many blogs as i can.

see you soon and i hope this made sense b/c i'm not going to waste time and proofread it.

janet

a christmas eve house tour

2011-12-24T10:36:00.000-08:00

i don't think i've ever spent so little time getting my house ready for christmas.
and yet i love the way everything looks.

our fake tree escaped the donation bin again and is decorated with my old christmas postcards and fresh magnolia leaves from the garden.

santa dropped by and left me this ottoman.

thank you santa.

turns out he shops here.

if you've been reading my blog for awhile, you know how long i've been bemoaning my big leather ottoman. i bought it back when i was clueless to the cruelty inflicted on animals to create fashionable goods for us. i actually had no idea that cows were raised just for their hides.
i thought they used the hides from cows slaughtered for food.
when i became a vegan and learned the truth it just made me sad as it sat in my living room.

it was snatched up on craigslist in a day.
i don't know if you can tell by the picture, but the new ottoman has casters!
so english, so delightful.

a view from the front door

total decorating time, 10 minutes flat.

as this season of high expectations comes to a peak tonight,
i hope you all have the best christmas you can.
some of us are missing loved ones, some are facing financial problems or health problems. if you need it, you have my permission to be kind to yourself.
as with all holidays i will try to be on my best behavior and not kill anyone.
no one has a perfect life.
and as a very good friend always reminds me...nobody has it all.
it's just one day for goodness sakes and we will all live through it.
tonight i will go to midnight mass and express my deepest gratitude for all i have and all i don't have.

see you next year.

xo
janet

delivering jam clothes

2011-12-21T19:57:00.000-08:00

in case you were wondering,
this is what i wore to deliver my jam today.

that's a lot of ralph lauren ruffles there.

my friend steve just won a contest for best christmas tree.

those judges were smart b/c his tree is awesome.

go see the whole contest at

the adventures of tartanscot

i went to payless to pick up my red satin vegan kitten heels and they were too big.

so now i've got to start the whole ordering thing all over again and i'm not sure i'm up to that.

i'll be back as soon as i have something good to say.

janet

christmas goodies

2011-12-20T13:55:00.000-08:00

tomorrow i will be delivering my Christmas gifts to my neighbors.

assorted jams...fig, peach, apricot and strawberry.

i made them during the summer while you were probably having fun at the beach.

i'm linking to

ethical fashion bloggers diy

MERRY CHRISTMAS EVERYONE!

janet

a corner of christmas

2011-12-16T19:41:00.000-08:00

my charming neighbor dropped this beautiful poinsettia off today and i thought, holy cow, it's getting close to christmas.

actually i still have 9 days left.

seriously, i've been enjoying myself by being a bystander and reading all the posts on
my
beautiful bloggers list.

it's been nice watching you all decorate and bake and go a little nuts.
you guys are good.

i could get used to this though.
it's way easier reading blogs than writing one.

i'm so excited to see just what is in store for me this weekend.

aren't you?

xo
janet

things this vegan would love for christmas...hint, hint

2011-12-09T06:45:00.000-08:00

vegan red satin pumps

payless - under $20

i love everything about these red satin pumps

can you just imagine all the fun outfits they would go with?

vegan black oxford pump

ok, i have to admit, i already bought these!

when they first arrived i thought they looked a bit el cheapo but i've since changed my mind.

they are so soft and comfy and go with practically everything i own.

under $30

vegan leopard wedge

aren't these adorable?

payless - under $20

kayce hughes ruffle blouse

i've been wanting this white ruffle blouse for some time now.

i would wear it with jeans and those oxfords and leopard wedges.

or how about skinny black pants and the red satin pumps?

american apparel red fleece cape

$65

i tried this cape on in the store and fell in love with it.

i can't decide which i like better, the red one pictured here

or the navy blue one.

both are warm and absolutely adorable on.

perfect for a chilly stroll.

flannel cotton scarf

$28

this american apparel 100% cotton flannel scarf is incredibly soft.

i got one for larry but plan to steal it on a regular basis.

so there you go, isn't this list so cute?

i continue to wish you the most happy, healthy and compassionate

christmas ever.

janet

the vegan stoner

2011-12-07T05:29:00.000-08:00

this is quite possibily the coolest, easiest vegan cooking site i've ever seen.

thanks for hooking me up steve.

these people prove that being vegan is easy and they do it in a truly delightful and fresh way.

do something wonderful for yourself, the animals and the earth this christmas!

check out the vegan stoner here.

xo
janet

an ivy league makeover

2011-12-04T14:33:00.000-08:00

this is karen's dining room when i started. very beautiful but it just needed a few things to help tie it into the rest of the house.

this is a shot from midway up the stairs to show the relationship between the entry, living room and dining room.

this was the dining room on thanksgiving.

you can see the small changes that were made.

a seagrass rug, new chandelier and i had a print framed that they purchased while visiting their sons on the east coast.

coral and blue and white

i set the table using karen's french countryside dinnerware, linen napkins and fresh magnolia leaves scattered. the candlesticks were hers, i just painted them all black.

standing in the entry - looking left

the view from the dining room.

working on this house has been such a joy to me.

karen is an amazing woman and so fun to work with.

this was not a big decorating job, really just clearing clutter and moving things around.

this is the family room.

again, a beautiful room that just need decluttering and a few extra touches.

the large sofa sectional is from crate and barrel.

all i did was organize the bookcase and switch things around a little.

i created this little reading corner for karen with things she already had.

all i purchased was the lamp, throw and had a large mat cut for the frame she already had to fit any 8x10 photo she wanted.

she chose a darling christmas photo of her sons when they were little boys.

she can easily switch the photo out seasonally or whenever she feels like it.

and finally her bedroom.

this bedroom had so much potential because the view of the golf course and mountains is just spectacular.

we squeaked out a makeover of the room with barely any money left in the budget.

but i just love the results.

the duvet cover was found at an estate sale for $20.

the lamps are from target and i believe they were $50 or $60 each.

the pillow shams were on clearance at pottery barn.

the nightstands were found at an estate sale.

the nightstands had been in a fire but they were made really well so def worth saving.

they cleaned up just fine so i painted the outsides white and the insides a deep marine blue.

the mirror is from marshalls.

this is the little sitting area off the bedroom

karen's husband bruce painted all the walls to match the blue that karen loves.

an ikea loveseat, throw and yardsale table and basket tray make the room useable.

the floorlamp is from target.

i also helped pull 2 guest rooms together but lost the before pictures when i lost my hardrive.

in those rooms i used what she had and just fluffed them up with new shams and lamps.

so that is it. karen's house is done.

i hope you all have enjoyed seeing the progress as much as i had making it.

like i said it was a joy.

thank you all for your amazing comments regarding the sequins and chambray shirt.

i promise to wear it every which way you suggested!

thanks so much, i am truly blessed to have the best commenters in the world!

janet

sequins and chambray

2011-11-29T14:53:00.000-08:00

j. crew

before i met DANI and TABITHA, i was what you call crewless.
i really knew nothing about j. crew.

but these two elegant ladies know j. crew like the back of their hands.
their wardrobes are simply stunning, so i began looking around j. crew's website to see if i could find any ideas i could steal for a couple of festive events that are planned for the holiday season.
that's when i found the above outfit.
sequins and chambray got my attention.

i just so happen to have a leopard-print sequined dress from 1986.
what can i say, dynasty was the #1 show in america.
it was made by lillie rubin, the fancy resortwear company that was founded in 1946.

here it is in all its 1986 glory

and here it is tied at the waist with a chambray shirt

and here i am imitating a disco ball.

so what do you think?
with or without chambray shirt.
i'm leaning towards with.
don't hold back.

an ivy league mom - the entryway

2011-11-22T15:29:00.000-08:00

the entry before

karen's number one complaint about her house was that she felt it was schizophrenic. she loved the east coast/cape cod look but was overwhelmed when it came time to make decisions for her own home. the first time i walked into karen's house and saw this sweeping staircase, i knew exactly what to do. it is really beautiful and as many of you have noted, the house had a great start. hardwood floors, beautiful light and gorgeous views. like a lot of people do (me included) when decorating their home, she got side-tracked because she likes a lot of different looks. i helped her define the look she wanted and set out to create it as best i could on a small budget. i basically just organized and reused what she had and introduced a few small touches here and there. this entryway table is a good example. it is a pretty table but had been faux-painted with olive branches and seemed out of place to me. the accessories were nice but i thought the space could easily be improved upon. so i painted the table black and brought in a few accessories.

this is the entryway today.

the table is now black and with the addition of a pottery barn lantern, a large silver tray, a seashell and a vase filled with beach grasses i think it looks so classic and simple.

this may well be my favorite part of the house.

the photo wall which tells the story of her son's lives and culminates with their framed acceptance letters to yale and princeton.
how cool is that?

wishing you all a gentle, peaceful thanksgiving.

xo
janet

sweaters and football

2011-11-20T08:00:00.000-08:00

today we are watching football with friends so i have to get dressed.

i think this is perfect and cozy for such a day.

someone is going to have to pry these boots off me when i die b/c i wear them everywhere with everything.

it's ridiculous.

some people have a problem with wearing second hand shoes and i understand that.

when i get a new pair of old shoes i wipe the insides with rubbing alcohol and let them dry.

and if the footbed is just awful, then i buy a new comfy one.

dr. scholls makes them and target sells really nice ones.

they run about $5-7 which is usually more than i paid for the shoes.

also, if the shoes are a little too tight, you can generously spray the insides with hairspray and quickly put on a thick pair of socks and squeeze your foot in and walk around for a bit.

the shoes will stretch out and conform perfectly to your foot.

and while i'm here why don't i answer all the questions about karen's house?

1. the sconces are from pottery barn

2. the sofa is an ektorp from ikea, the slipcover is sold separately.

i think they are perfect for rooms that don't get tons of use, like karen's living room.

3. i am not going into the decorating business b/c i'm not a decorator but i would love to do organizing b/c i am an organizer.

janet

this, that & the other thing

2011-11-18T08:00:00.000-08:00

well yes, where have i been? busy that's where. busy is something i usually don't do but lately i have been helping a friend organize and simplify her house on a teeny tiny budget. it has been a great deal of fun for me but b/c we are on a tight budget, it does take a lot of time looking for deals and losing my hardrive has made it worse because i lost all the pictures i had taken of her house. luckily i had downloaded most of the befores onto blogger so they were saved.

also, i will not be cooking this thanksgiving so i thought i'd give you this definitive list of things for creating a compassionate thanksgiving in your home. or here is my menu from last year. and if you are overwhelmed by the idea of a complicated table setting, don't be, you can see mine from last year, right here. and if the stress of the holidays is mounting, you can read this and know you are not alone.

so here is a peek inside karen's living room and also a peek at one of the outfits i'm putting together for the holiday season.

enjoy your weekend, you know i will. have a happy, peaceful thanksgiving and lets all do the next right thing, shall we?

xo
janet

karens living room before

after

karen has 2 sons and one just graduated from princeton and the other from yale.
i know.

sequins and chambray
i know.

dear sunday

2011-11-13T10:36:00.000-08:00

photo from last fall

dear sunday,

i love everything about you.
from your perfect timing
to way you help ease me into a new week.

what would i do without you?
leisurely lunches
guiltless naps
not to mention...

football

pendleton blankets

a walk in the park

roasted butternut squash soup

bread baking in the oven

bottle the above...

and i swear it could make men lay down their guns and stop wars.

janet

mens style

2011-11-11T06:05:00.000-08:00

so far my hardrive has not been recoverd.

this picture was taken with larry's camera last weekend and we just remembered that we had it.

yay, one picture! don't ask about the date stamp on it, we're old but not that old.

anyway i thought i'd use it to talk a little about men style.

is there anyone else out there who has trouble getting their spouse to wear something besides levi's?

larry could care less about fashion.

if you want to talk skis or ice axes then he's your man.

he doesn't own a suit or even a sportscoat.

i've been working on a sportscoat for about 10 yrs now and i may as well give up.

everytime we are in a store and he tries one on he adopts an english accent and starts calling me lovey.

so the plan was to get him to look as good as possible in a pair of levi's.

getting him to switch from 501's to a slimmer fit was sneaky but it worked.

he's wearing...

american apparel vintage green t shirt

american apparel black thermal

levi 514's

clarks desert boots

see i had one photo, cropped it and now i have 2. i'm a genius.

so have a lovely weekend all you gorgeous people.

and go talk your man into some slim jeans.

janet

$10 challenge #5

2011-11-09T05:41:00.000-08:00

workshirt - $5 (thriftshop)

skinny jeans - $3 (salvation army)

pedro garcia brogues - free

belt - .25

total - $8.25

last night i lost the hardrive on my computer.

i live with a computer programmer and yet i never backed up my files.

this means that i lost every single picture that was stored on my computer.

every single picture i took of my soon to be 5 year old grandaughter stella. gone.

2 years of taking pictures for my blog.

everything is gone. and i don't know if you noticed, but i was on a roll.

i'm on larry's computer right now.

i'm pretty much freaking out right now.

but while i'm here and i no longer have any pictures to post i'd like to take a moment to

thank you.

thank you so much for all your sweet, kind comments, over 9000! thank you for all your suggestions and compliments.

thank you for always coming back to read the nonsense i write.

thank you from the bottom of my heart for being such an amazing group of people that read this blog.

i never in a million years ever thought anyone would read what i had to say and i cannot fully express my gratitude to you all for supporting me.

this blog would be nothing without you.

thanks again and i hope to be back soon.

janet

bamboo curtain rods

2011-11-07T06:13:00.000-08:00

we have a lot of bamboo growing around here. normally i say it is the bane of my existence. it's the invasive kind and if we turn our back on it for more than a minute there is a good chance it would take over the house, it grows that fast. but last year while thinning it out, i noticed that there was a small amount of black bamboo growing amongst all the green. larry cut a few stalks of it and we set it aside and forgot about it. this past week i was inspired by JOAN'S curtain rods in her bedroom of her amazing house in new hampshire. her beautiful home was recently featured in renovation style magazine. joan is the kind of woman that exudes style and grace and it comes through in her decorating. so i thought...if it's good enough for joanie then it's good enough for me. so we measured, cut and stained it. i used the existing hardware and just laid the bamboo (which is hard as a rock) right into the brackets. this is the result. it wasn't easy to get good photographs of the curtain rods b/c of the lanterns and space. but i tried my best. the photos really are awful but i hope you get the idea. it really isn't the kind of thing that hits you over the head when you walk in the room. i'd say it's a subtle detail. i'm still wondering what to do about finials, if anything.

despite these awful photos i'm linking to nita's

mod mix monday

have a great week you guys.

janet

$10 challenge #4

2011-11-06T10:59:00.000-08:00

and just like that...the sun came out.

yesterday, the weather was spectacular!

this dress - probably one of my favorite finds ever.

when i found this dress, it had never been worn before. it had the original sales tag from weinstocks department store (i believe a dept store in northern california) on it with the price snipped off like it had been a gift.

it must have been hanging in someones closet for at least 20 years. it hurt me to cut the tag off.

sleeveless, lightweight wool gabardine, made in the usa.

perfection.

little black dress - $4 (assistance league thriftshop)

hue tights - $1 (marshalls)

bandolino kitten heels - $3 (thriftshop)

sunglasses - .99 - (.99 store)

total - $8.99

i think you get the idea that these kinds of posts could go on forever,

so i'll stop now.

but here is my advice for buying second-hand...

no matter what it is you are needing/looking for - with a little time, you will find it for just a dollar or two. patience is key.

i used to shop at yardsales and thriftshops for junk for the house and would always bypass the clothing, big mistake. there is a veritble ocean of gorgeous, high-end clothing out there.

don't rule out clothing that doesn't fit perfectly, almost everything can be tailored, esp if it is high quality. so that means, do not rule out the mens section. i have found so many great things hidden in there. belts, vests, jackets, shirts, sweaters.

and of course if you are a man - omg, lucky you. the mens section is brimming with great things.

not long ago alex bought a filson jacket in mint condition. he paid $4 for it and it is currently on their website for over $300.

shop off-season. right now at my goodwill, all sleeveless tops are 1/2 off.

that means about $1.50 a top. think next season, think classic looks.

go often.

people are always cleaning out their closets and decluttering (i am.)

people get rid of things for so many reasons like weight gain or loss.

that's why there is often current, awesome things there.

i find things all the time that are in stores now.

shopping second-hand is right up there with being vegan.

it is so good for the earth and for people too.

the goodwill, salvation army and many independent thriftshops help so many people get back on their feet. last year around this time, alex and i were shopping in the salvation army when a man who was down on his luck came in looking for warm clothing. the store employee's sprang into action and got him a warm coat and sweaters and a hot lunch. they got him foods easy to eat and carry in his backpack. alex and i stood in awe as they helped this gentleman.

he was so thankful.

i don't know about you but nothing like this ever happened when i shopped at nordstrom.

janet

$10 challenge #3

2011-11-05T05:46:00.000-07:00

california finally got the message that summer is over and it rained yesterday.

larry took these pictures just before it started.

it was cold and gray out.

just like my hair!

omg - it is looking so gray.
it's freaking me out.

yikes.

my grandaughter stella calls her pj's comfys. i felt like i was in my comfys all day.

ralph lauren-like made in usa skirt - $2 (salvation army)

black long sleeve t shirt boys section - $2 (salvation army)

pedro garcia brogues - free

scarf - borrowed from larry

total - $4

xo
janet

$10 challenge #2

2011-11-03T05:50:00.000-07:00

when i saw this ralph lauren blue label, made in the usa, houndstooth skirt in the assistance league thriftshop...
i almost fainted...for reals.

$4 - for reals

ralph lauren skirt - $4

boys thermal, ripped so i cut the sleeves off - .25 (yardsale)

hue tights - $1 (marshalls)

pedro garcia brogues - free (story here)

old belt - .25 (estate sale)

total - $5.50

$10 challenge #1

2011-11-01T15:20:00.000-07:00

while reading a favorite blog of mine, vintage vixen, one of vix's readers challenged her to post an entire outfit for under 5 pounds and she did so w/o hesitation. you can see vix's outfit HERE. there is so much to love about vix. besides being a vegetarian, her inspiring personal style and committment to it is a joy to read about. she lives a very frugal but very full and fun life in jolly old england. i am so jealous of her seamstress skills because she can whip up an outfit out of an old curtain panel in a couple of hours. you must go visit her and say hello. it will make your day - i promise.

so on to my challenge. i decided to see if i could put an outfit together for under $10 and i was quite surprised that i had quite a few options. so for the next few days that's what i'll be doing, posting my cheapest of cheapest outfits! aren't you excited?

up first is an outfit that proves that you can find really great classic clothing at yardsales and thriftshops.

details of outfit

ann taylor silk blouse - .25 (yardsale)

banana republic camel, wool, fully lined skirt - .25 (yardsale)

hue tights - $1 (marshalls)

bandolino kitten heels - $3 (thriftshop)

old bag (not me!) - $3 (rose bowl)

necklace - .50 (yardsale)

total - $8

janet

fair trade

2011-10-27T13:28:00.000-07:00

october is national fair trade product month so i thought i'd tell you the things i buy and use regularly that are fair trade items. first of all, coffee. i don't drink much coffee but larry does and he loves this trader joes fair trade brand. it smells delicious every morning when he brews a pot and helps lure me out of bed. i also love making my vegan chocolate pudding using fair trade chocolate. blended with coconut milk, it is a sinfully rich and creamy dessert. you can find the recipe here. fair trade usa is an organization that helps small, independent farmers throughout the world bring their products to our table. by purchasing fair trade products you in turn help communities build schools and help small farms and families to sustain themselves. it's an easy and ethical way to shop.

with THIS easy facebook application you can find stores in your area that sell fair trade products and you, yourself can add products to their list, thereby spreading the kindness.
share their link with your facebook friends and help a lot of deserving people!

xo
janet

how i got off milk

2011-10-25T06:59:00.000-07:00

let me just say that before becoming a vegan, I LOVED MILK.

i thought milk was the perfect food. i always envisioned happy cows chilling in pastures and being milked by some maid or someone else just as sweet.

and boy was i wrong.

the life of a dairy cow in the united states is one of the saddest things i know of.

in order for a cow to produce milk, it has to be pregnant and so dairy cows are constantly being impregnated. when they do give birth they are not allowed to bond with their baby at all. the baby is removed right away and mommy is back on the milk machine.

baby's fate is not very good if baby is a male.

most likely sold as veal if it lives long enough to make it to auction.

mommy is back on the milk machine and given large amounts of antibiotics and hormones to keep that milk flowing. so much so that her udder is hugely out of proportion to her size and her legs are bowed just to support it. her back aches and i'm sure her heart is broken wondering where her baby is. tests taken after a cow gives birth and her baby is removed show that stress hormones are running rampant through her body.

after all she is a mommy.

so much for the happy dairy farm of my imagination.

so this is what i drink now.

trader joes almond milk.

it is delicious, creamy and

kind.

it is good for you

and for cows.

buy it.

janet

fall from here

2011-10-21T10:36:00.000-07:00

my neighbors carriage house

images from my home and neighborhood

enjoy and have a badass weekend.

janet

hydrangeas in my garden

b j longo antiques

downtown redlands empty trainstation

redlands will link up to the metrolink system in 2014 making a trip to downtown los angeles and easy 1 hour trip.

pumpkins in front of trader joes

dried hydrangeas in my bathroom

saturday

2011-10-15T07:52:00.000-07:00

well hello. looks like saturday showed up Again. how very nice of it. okay, i don't have much to report around here. the weather has been crazy beautiful which induces a lot of laziness in me when it comes to blogging. i've been taking the opportunity to declutter the basement and my closet and i'm thinking about becoming a minimalist. but if i became one then what would i do? just a thought.

number one question asked of me this week? yes, my hair is still going gray. is gray spelled with an a or an e? either way, i have not touched a bottle of haircolor. my next haircut is approaching and i know you guys have questions about my hair so ask me the particulars and i will pass them on to shane. he's the hunk that cuts my hair now. erin is off being a real life rock star.

next question is where do i keep my vacuum? in the basement we have a shopvac that gets drug upstairs every few weeks. riveting, i know.

i loved all your low cal snack ideas. olives are one of my fave snacks too. 2 olives only have 15 calories. isn't that weird b/c olive oil is pretty fattening. 2 olives and a bud select - 70 calories.

that picture of the house up top there? i thought i'd show you the biggest downside of this little cottage. back in 1890 when it was built as the gardener's house, they wanted it as far away from the big house as possible (why, do gardeners smell or something?) so they put it right on the property line. i guess they never thought that big houses would one day be built on small lots and so now i have this huge house that looks down on mine. things could be worse, i could live in that huge house.

it is obvious i have nothing great to say but this lady does. i'm in awe of her. slim told me about her friend hollye who writes the amazing blog brookside buzz. she talks about fbc (fucking breast cancer) and sl's (silver linings) and gives boob reports. i read her everyday b/c she brightens mine.

go say hello and be amazed too.

blogger is messing with me big time this morning but i'm not going to let it bother me b/c it is SATURDAY!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!

janet

low calorie vegan snacks*

2011-10-11T14:20:00.000-07:00

if you're interested in calories
these are some of my favorite low calorie vegan snacks.

if not, eat cake.

celery sticks soaked in v8. i cut the celery in slices and soak them overnight in a glass of v8 juice. the celery soaks up the v8 and tastes damn good. about 20 calories

popcorn. low in calories, high in fiber. i pop my own, so about 45 calories a cup.

half a cup of strawberries with 2 T soy yogurt. about 50 calories.

half a cup of unsweetened applesauce, 50 calories.

half cup chocolate soymilk, 2-3 ice cubes, 1/2 ripe banana. blend until smooth like a shake. about 100 calories.

your turn.

*no animals were harmed making these snacks

xo
janet

finally fall

2011-10-08T06:14:00.000-07:00

it's official, fall has finally arrived in southern california. if you are interested, you can see what i wore last year right here. this year's theme is not a whole lot different. my emphasis is on comfort, affordability, practicality and style. i'm only posting this one outfit today mainly because i'm short on time and also because you'll see it's very versatile. you can substitute a sweater or any other shirt for a whole new look. did my last post inspire anyone to declutter? i picked up all the pieces for my fall/winter wardrobe at yardsales and thriftshops throughout the summer because people were decluttering. off season is where the bargains are. this is a great time to be looking for sandals and pretty summer dresses.. i've been waiting for a few months to wear these clothes so it's kind of exciting!

the mainstays of my wardrobe will be my herringbone jacket and these vintage boots. i won them on ebay on a day it was 102 degrees out, not what you'd call boot shopping weather. they were made by marshall field and company sometime in the 60's. i paid $40 for them and they fit me perfectly. i plan to wear the living daylights out of them. that is now 2 pairs of boots i've gotten from ebay that fit me perfectly. how lucky can i get?

i'm wearing american apparel thick leggings. are you shocked? i sorta am. be sure to weigh in on this.

apparently there are lots of rules about wearing leggings.

you can read some of them here.

i was in trader joes yesterday and a woman came up to me and said, "those boots are beyond fabulous!" i agree with her!

make sure your rear end is covered!

but if you are not comfortable you can put a longer jacket on. i found this j. crew chino coat at the goodwill for $6. it too, is in perfect condition.

thank you saturday for showing up just in the nick of time.

janet

on clutter and finances

2011-10-01T08:13:00.000-07:00

yesterday morning i went to an estate sale here in town and as i turned onto the street of the sale, i realized that i knew the person who was having the sale. i soon learned that she is losing her house. she said she was fine but i was not. it shook me up and i'm still shook up. i have a few friends who are going through this exact same thing. it is so sad and brought back memories. in 2009 just after renovating this place the economy came crashing down and larry's business took a terrible hit and things got very scary for us too. we were lucky and his business recovered. as i wandered through the estate sale i was struck by the amount of stuff that was for sale. i'm not talking about normal stuffed closets here, but a scary amount of stuff. hundreds, if not thousands of boxes stacked as high as me filled the house, garage and yard. it was overwhelming and it made me want to become a minimalist on the spot. it reminded me that there is a delicate balance between enough and too much.  and in todays world that balance can be hard to maintain. the glossy magazines and beautiful blogs featuring so many new and pretty things can make you want more than you need. at least that's the effect they have on me. i began to wonder about about how the pursuit of more stuff can actually put our homes at risk, or when is enough, enough?

our own financial life is quite simple now but it hasn't always been this way. we used to live in a big house and the desire to fill it was just as big.  i get a lot of emails asking how we simplified and the answer is that it took a big desire to change and a dose of courage to follow through with that change. our new desire is to live as simply and cheaply as possible. because neither one of us makes a big salary, if we don't have the money, we don't buy it. we don't have credit cards, car payments, cell phones or cable tv. we can afford these things but we just don't want to live that way any longer. we know that to keep things this simple we have to be vigilant and not slip back into the way the media says we should be living. we have a small house with a small mortgage, which also means small utility bills. shopping in big box stores and department stores makes me feel uneasy, i'm much more at home in yardsales and thriftshops. if i do waiver and purchase something from a big store, i always suffer from severe guilt, so i try to keep those experiences to a minimum. and you can say what you want about a vegan diet, but one thing for certain is, it is cheap!  eating out is kept to a minimum mostly because getting good vegan food is hard around here or anywhere for that matter. all my skincare and cosmetics are free or next to free because that is my line of work. i always trade services for haircuts and facials. our preferred way of travel involves a tent and sleeping bag. this past week was spent under the stars of the eastern sierras and it was breathtakingly beautiful. something that can't be experienced in a hotel room. if we do stay in a hotel it is always heavily discounted through travelzoo.  earlier this year after a string of car problems, larry decided to give up his car for a week and ride his bike everywhere. well that week has turned into 6 months now and i doubt he'll ever go back. he's lost 15 lbs and says he feels better than ever. larry is also the craigslist guru. when the house or cars needs repairs that is the first place he looks. i know this lifestyle isn't for everyone and some days i wonder if we were crazy to change our life so radically but most days i'm quite content and so very grateful to be living this way.

so what is your take on clutter and finances? do you think the two are related?  do you know anyone going through the agony of losing their home?

have a wonderful weekend and i'm excited because the temperatures here are supposed to be cooling and i can't wait to share my thrifty fall wardrobe picks!

janet

flowers and vintage mix

2011-09-26T17:14:00.000-07:00

please excuse my tardiness and my over-exposed picture.

when jane and nita throw a party you know i try my best to be on time.

so pardon me for being late.

are you allowed to attend two parties at the same time? i hope so because that is what i'm doing.

i've got gorgeous green hydrangeas freshly dried from my garden and they are on a very old solid maple dresser that i bought about 20 years ago for $8. my boys have always used it and it's been every color in the rainbow and had more stickers on it than i could count. it's kind of sentimental to me when i think back to all the times i yelled at them to pick their clothes up off the floor and put them away. which they rarely did btw.

that's an alabaster bird feeder that holds my vintage turquoise and the lamp looks old but it is new from urban outfitters. the vintage clock and the newish little picture frame holding a picture of stella completes the arrangement.

you may recognize this fabric and think i'm overdoing it and normally i'd probably agree with you except in this case because in this case...i LOVE this fabric.

now that i've said it out loud and have it throughout my house i'll probably be sick of it by next week. i sure hope not.

so i think (and you can correct me nita if i'm wrong) that by mixing the vintage pieces with the fresh flowers and the new pottery barn headboard that this is a mod vintage mix!

did i ever tell you that i got my pottery barn sofa and this headboard from our american express rewards points? i did and it only took 20 years.

mod vintage life

small but charming

have a great big beautiful week you guys.

the september issue

2011-09-15T11:02:00.000-07:00

fair warning, this is a long post and full of obnoxious pictures of myself and my wardrobe. so if you are not interested in project 333 this would be a good time to click that button. i do it all the time so don't feel bad.

i'm a couple of weeks ahead of myself here but courtney's project 333 comes to an end on oct 1st. i thought i'd share with you what i've learned about myself while being involved with it. i've said this before but the best thing about the project has been that i discovered my personal style. because i've always loved fashion i've always thought i had a little style. the problem with my style was that i was all over the map. i often bought clothes for a life that i thought i wanted to be living instead of the one i actually was living. the result was a closet full of clothing and only a few pieces that i actually wore on an everyday basis. by narrowing down the contents to 33 items there really isn't room for impractical choices. and since moving to this place with only one small closet, space is definitely an issue too. and so now that the project is over for me (you can still participate) i don't think i will limit my wardrobe to only 33 items permanently, but 40 or 50 sounds very reasonable to me. and the idea of applying a random number to your possessions without any purpose is silly. because of project 333 i now know what works for me and what doesn't. for instance i adore levi's and button down shirts. during the fall and winter i reached for these items over and over. jeans and a shirt paired with a herringbone jacket is my kind of heaven because this outfit truly fits my lifestyle. when spring came around i would wear my white levi's and i still found myself reaching for a chambray shirt to go with it. then when summer was in full swing i switched to shorts but i really found myself wanting to wear lightweight summery dresses. that is something i will correct this year. more dresses! i definitely made some shopping mistakes but not as many as i used to and overall i'm extremely happy with my purchases. my biggest mistakes were in this order...the red saltwater sandals. they are definitely cute but honestly do not look good on my feet. they are new leather and that bothers me quite a bit. next would be the few cheap tops i bought for the spring. you can see them here. i just never reached for them and i don't know why so i can't explain it.

just in case you were wondering, my usual first step when shopping is to start in the second hand shops. i'm fortunate that we have so many good ones in redlands. then i try to buy natural fiber clothing that is american made or compassionately made. and if i had to sum up my style in a few words it would be...levi's, herringbone, vintage leather goods, pretty dresses and vintage turquoise. that's me and i'm not sure i could have said that so succinctly prior to this project.

and i cannot emphasize enough what seeing myself in actual photographs has done for me either. i highly recommend it. even if you don't have a blog get someone to snap a few pics of yourself in your favorite outfits. it's a real eye opener. i really need to do a separate post on this subject.

well now we are at the obnoxious part of the post. here are some of my favorites that i wore over and over and over and over and over.

errands, hanging out, movies, baling hay. perfecto.

ditto

there isn't a thing about this outfit that i don't adore.

i wore this kayce hughes dress constantly last spring and now into early fall without tights.

i LOVE it.

this outfit couldn't be more me.

remember this el cheapo jacket from forever 21? i felt so guilty b/c it was made in china.
well, the truth is i wore it to death in the spring and it is none the worse for wear. not a thread out of place.

chambray, denim and a vintage handbag.

kill me now.

yes, well what can you say about a $2 maxi skirt that i wore everywhere. honestly, it was getting embarrassing.

and this rrl shirt and vintage bandanna, a gift from alex that i adore. that kid knows me.

and one of the kayce hughes dresses i just bought. so me.

are you still with me?
are you sick to death yet?

how about what didn't work?

love the look but the shirt was too thick and heavy for my climate.

i bought this kate spade dress for the upcoming reunion and loved it but it was too sheer and needed dry cleaning. ebay.

returned this also. it's longer than the kayce hughes dresses but there just wasn't any movement to the dress or something of that nature. anyway, i wasn't comfortable in it.

i think there are a few more that didn't work for me but i'm afraid if i post another picture of myself i'll vomit.

so that's it for project 333. i hope that all i've learned sticks with me, i hope to never wander around a department store again aimlessly looking for something to buy just because a advertising agency told me to. target, i'm talking to you!

those missoni flats are on ebay for $140.

that is stupid. why not save for the real thing?

janet

ps - i rarely watch tv but i'm up all night (click to watch the trailer)which airs tonight and stars christina applegate and will arnett.

i'll be away from my computer for a few days so i want to wish you an early happy, amazing weekend.

let's all squeeze every last drop out of summer that we can!

the endless summer

2011-09-09T06:13:00.000-07:00

well then, that subtle scent of fall i told you about last week? it is long gone.
that's what i get for even mentioning the word herringbone in september.

luckily for me while in san diego kayce hughes had quite the clearance sale. i was purchasing these dresses for next summer but because of this ridiculous heat i'm getting to enjoy them now. are you familiar with kayce's clothes? they have such a classic american sensibility to them and they are so comfortable. if fall ever gets here all i have to do is put a cardigan on and these dresses will be good to go just about anywhere. plus, everything is machine washable which makes them such easy, everyday clothes. i was beyond thrilled when these arrived and i realized they had pockets. yay for pockets! if project 333 has taught me anything, it's that dresses rule in the summer. i only had 1 dress on my summer list of 33 and i'm fixing that now.

kayce is the mom to seven children. yes, you read that right. why or better yet, how she is not in the looney bin is beyond me. in addition to that she also runs and is the designer of her own clothing company.
she's talented, gorgeous, has amazing employees who are genuinely nice and i better stop now because i'm starting to hate her.

i wore this dress last night to a meeting and a gentleman said, "that's a cute dress janet, you look like you are wearing a tablecloth."
well now.

kayce hughes sleeveless evy dress
julie lorusso fabulous pearl bracelet

round sunglasses (99 cent store)
copy kate bag (hanging in there like a champ)

naturalizer sandals (goodwill $5)

it is duly noted that this dress is a bit short for a woman of 53. i don't know if it is the generous cut paired with the pockets or just the sizzling temps but the shorter length does not bother me nor my cameraman.

ok, on to dress #2

sleeveless evy dress in plaid

i love it!

pop over here now to see kayce's fall line. it's pretty fabulous.

raise your hand if you're happy it's friday.
xo
janet

herringbone and figs

2011-09-02T06:34:00.000-07:00

well yes, here we are in september. i've obviously survived the sun and sharks and am quite rested. although nothing about travel, even local travel is restful to me. it's always go, go, go.

like a lot of people, fall is my favorite season. here in southern california it is a very subtle season but delightful just the same. currently we are still firmly ensconced in summer but little hints of fall are in the air. you can smell it and feel it. i'm looking forward to next month because it will be the end of one full year of taking part in project 333. time sure flies when you are counting clothes. i've learned so much and will share more about that in a later post when...i'm done counting clothes.

figs, figs, figs

i've also been making fig jam. again, delightful.

i use this recipe. i use the whole fig, skin included. who knew that most of the skin would dissolve during cooking and the part that doesn't tastes just like the figs.
oh mother nature you just kill me.

herringbone jackets, fig jam - it's really starting to subtly feel like fall to me.

here's wishing you all a most delightful weekend.

xo
janet

pillow talk

2011-08-27T08:34:00.000-07:00

happy saturday everyone. we are off for a wonderful few days in san diego. i cannot wait to get there. the temperatures here in redlands have been hovering in the 100's for the last few days with quite a bit of humidity too. rare for us, thankfully. but before i leave i want to share with you the completed pillows for my living room. i absolutely love them. for the last week i may have been quiet here on my blog but i've been cursing like a sailor while hunched over my sewing machine. i am not a seamstress nor will i ever be. i find sewing to be completely maddening. if you do sew and enjoy it i really envy you. i do have a little fabric left over and i'm going to make a pillow for the bedroom but it will be very basic with an envelope back. no welting, no zippers - ever again!

just as a reminder...what the dining room looks like (like you could ever forget) because when you enter the front door you are standing in one relatively big room that makes up the dining room to the right and the living room to the left.

i hope you likey.
i'm off and hopefully i will not be burned to a crisp or eaten by a great white shark.

see you soon. xo janet

stacked luggage

2011-08-19T06:17:00.000-07:00

i love this photo

and this one too.

steve is doing it.

i think when an image speaks to you it is only polite to answer.

i've been trying to figure out where to put my turntable so that it is easily accessible.
it looks like a little suitcase so...

how about on a stack of vintage luggage?

and the luggage can hold the albums!

i'm not hating this.

yet.

have a beautiful weekend and above all...
be yourself

janet

joining nita and her awesome mod mix monday.

the view from my kitchen sink

2011-08-12T06:21:00.000-07:00

this is the first house i've ever lived in that does not have a window over the sink. i really miss that because i spend an inordinate amount of time standing at the kitchen sink. being vegan means i rarely put down a knife because i chop a mountain of fresh fruit and vegetables every day, all day long.

but leslie, aka the hostess, asked for a picture of my kitchen sink view and i gladly obliged. after all she is the most polite blogger i've ever met. nothing against the rest of you guys, but she really is.

up close and Boring.

looking to the left, a little more exciting because i can see my new drapes.

slightly behind me, to the left.

a close up of this little bamboo shelf from the 1890's. and those peacock salt and pepper shakers, my very first purchase from an antique store.

i purchased this little bookcase/shelf from the same antiques dealer that i got the wicker table from that is in the dining room. lovely pat closed her beautiful shop which was so sad but what a day it was for shopping. something along the lines of disneyland for adults.

ok, now over my right shoulder.

this gateleg table is very, very old and was handed down to me. which sounds so much nicer than the truth, which is that it was given to me by a woman that my dad dated after he and my mom divorced. shortly after she gave it to me, he broke up with her. see, handed down sounds so much nicer.

and my favorite view...slightly to my right, where i can keep an eye on him.

hopefully a beautiful view is in store for you this weekend.

we are going bowling saturday night with a bunch of friends so no such luck for us!

edited note: HERE is a peek inside the pantry

janet

i am in love with...

2011-08-08T05:59:00.000-07:00

my new drapes.

i never play the lottery but i always tell my friends that if i ever won the lottery the first thing i would do would be to buy gorgeous drapes.

well guess what? i did not win the lottery.

but i did sell a ton of stuff on ebay and i made enough to order these drapes.

nob hill from pottery barn.
they are described as a chinoiserie pattern of irises, peonies and orange blossoms.

to some of you, spending $600 on drapes is not a lot.

to me it is a small fortune.

but they were worth every last penny.

they are perfect - for me.

they are linen and lined!

do you notice the wall sconces?

i've had these antique iron sconces (i paid a whopping $2 for both) for a long time and think they now look perfect here.

the colors and texture of the linen make me want to cry with joy. i really can't believe they are mine.
we were out grocery shopping yesterday and i told larry we had to hurry up to get home so i could stare at my drapes.
i swear i said that.
and i meant it.

i'm linking this post to nita's mod vintage life today.
i hope that it's ok because i'm not sure there is anything mod about these.

i'm working on pillows for the sofa on the other side of the room.
when i'm done i'll post them too.

have an absolutely beautiful week.

xo
janet

pink and gray

2011-08-05T11:03:00.000-07:00

have you seen the caftan from emersonmade? take a look right here. i love emerson, i first discovered her right after i started my own blog. i wrote about her here in august of 2009. she is irresistable and so is her clothing line. well i fell in love with her caftan but it was out of my price range. so i went looking around and found this pink and gray one at world market for $29.99, not as classy but not bad. i originally thought i would just wear it to the beach and around the house but i've worn it a bunch of times out in public, which now that i've seen pictures of myself in it may have been a mistake, but oh well. the pictures really do not do it justice. it is so pretty and made of the softest cotton from india. i feel a litte bohemian in it or like mrs roper (from 3's company) depending on my mood. i would love nothing better than to wear caftans everyday and never leave my garden.

and speaking of gray...here's an update on that situation.

it's coming in all gray and wiry.
lovely.

i have no idea if i'll be able to do this or not but i'm going to try.

so apparently it's friday...

oh hell yes.

janet

missing beauty

2011-08-04T08:05:00.000-07:00

i apologize for neglecting this blog and yours. i have been really busy, which is so unlike me. i have been selling on ebay like a madwoman. i've made enough money to purchase some drapes for the living room and i cannot wait to get them and see if i love them as much as i think i'm going to. i've also been sewing which is also very unlike me. the other day a gang of us girls took melinda shopping for a dress for her 40th high school reunion. needless to say we had a blast and she is going to look stunning in her royal blue maxi dress with a great big turquoise necklace. she really took my breath away. she is undergoing chemo and her serenity is mind-blowing.

the other day i happened upon this article/short story, have you read it? i hope you take a moment to read it. i sprinkled a few pictures of the garden in between.

Washington, DC Metro Station on a cold January morning in 2007.

The man with a violin played six Bach pieces for about 45 minutes. During that time approx. 2 thousand people went through the station, most of them on their way to work. After 3 minutes a middle aged man noticed there was a musician playing. He slowed his pace and stopped for a few seconds and then hurried to meet his schedule. 4 minutes later: The violinist received his first dollar: a woman threw the money in the hat and, without stopping, continued to walk. 6 minutes: A young man leaned against the wall to listen to him, then looked at his watch and started to walk again. 10 minutes: A 3-year old boy stopped but his mother tugged him along hurriedly. The kid stopped to look at the violinist again, but the mother pushed hard and the child continued to walk, turning his head all the time.

This action was repeated by several other children.. Every parent, without exception, forced their children to move on quickly.. 45 minutes: The musician played continuously. Only 6 people stopped and listened for a short while. About 20 gave money but continued to walk at their normal pace. The man collected a total of $32. 1 hour: He finished playing and silence took over. No one noticed. No one applauded, nor was there any recognition. No one knew this, but the violinist was Joshua Bell, one of the greatest musicians in the world. He played one of the most intricate pieces ever written, with a violin worth $3.5 million dollars. Two days before Joshua Bell sold out a theater in Boston where the seats averaged $100.

This is a true story. Joshua Bell playing incognito in the metro station was organized by the Washington Post as part of a social experiment about perception, taste and people’s priorities. The questions raised: *In a common place environment at an inappropriate hour, do we perceive beauty? Do we stop to appreciate it? Do we recognize talent in an unexpected context? One possible conclusion reached from this experiment could be this: If we do not have a moment to stop and listen to one of the best musicians in the world, playing some of the finest music ever written, with one of the most beautiful instruments ever made. How many other things are we missing?

janet

grapefruit and avocado salad*

2011-07-29T05:33:00.000-07:00

this delicious, refreshing little salad is ina's recipe. the only thing i added was a tiny bit of agave because i didn't have ruby red grapefruits which are sweeter than mine.

i served this salad as a small plate before the main course which was this salad.

i thought maybe that was too much salad but no one complained, out loud at least.
i have nice friends.

let's all have an amazing weekend.
all we have to do is decide to.

xo
janet

*of course no animals were harmed making this salad.

hydrangeas

2011-07-25T05:25:00.000-07:00

it's flowers in the house with jane and her small but charming blog.
i told jane i'd be joining because i don't really have much else to report these days.
i love these hydrangeas and they are blooming quite well in my garden but i'm hesitant to cut them for fear of interrupting next years bloom. so i snipped 3 blossoms that were hiding and placed them in a water glass.
like i said, there's not much going on here unless watching hair turn grey is your thing.
if that's the case, you'd be thrilled.

xo
janet

my new moisturizer

2011-07-20T06:13:00.000-07:00

about a month ago, a reader sent me a link the video, the story of cosmetics. it's about all the awful things that are in our cosmetics and skincare products. you can watch the video here. anyway, i thanked her and jokingly said that maybe we should all just use olive oil on our skin. so i did. well, first i googled it and found out that lots of people do this with olive oil. so for the last month after every shower or bath, while my skin is still wet (this is important) i put on olive oil. then i lightly towel dry and my skin has never, ever, ever been this soft. and i have really, really dry skin. ask larry, all day long i can't stop stroking my arms and saying...feel this!

so the reason this is working so well is because olive oil is high in polyphenols. These are antioxidants that help stop free radical damage. Free radicals damage cells and lead to aging skin and sometimes disease. polyphenols are also thought to have anti-inflammatory properties.

olive oil as a moisturizer is also effective in part because of its fatty acids. They along with vitamin a, e and k nourish skin when consumed and when applied topically. squalene is a natural organic compound used in cosmetics as a moisturizer. it is normally taken from the liver of sharks, but it is also found in olive oil, a more environmentally friendly and compassionate source. squalene helps to regulate sebum which is produced by the sebaceous glands in our skin and is secreted through our pores. It forms a coating on the skin that acts as a barrier, inhibits the growth of micro-organisms and lubricates our skin and hair. and yes, i've also been using it as a deep conditioner once a week on my hair.

and don't get me started on just how inexpensive this is as a moisturizer. when i think of the thousands of dollars i've spent on skincare products...

i am going to start experimenting and trying it on my face and i'll report back. and don't worry about smelling like a salad because you won't. the scent is very, very light and dissipates by the time you are dried off.
so give it a try and see you can't keep your hands off yourself too.

xo
janet

orange marmalade

2011-07-14T09:24:00.000-07:00

this past weekend a friend of mine taught me to make jam. we made peach, apricot and strawberry. why did i think making jam was so difficult? it's not. it is easy and a lot of fun. my imagination was running wild while we followed the recipes. so yesterday i decided to try making orange marmalade. we still have tons of oranges here in the grove so why not? i basically followed this recipe and added cinnamon and the peel. it's hard to describe just how good it came out. here is a photo of it slathered on a slice of homemade bread that is fresh out of the oven. turns out miss kitty-cat made orange marmalade this weekend for the first time too.

try something new today, ok?

janet

ralph and fred

2011-07-12T05:56:00.000-07:00

ralph lauren collection $2995

ralph lauren collection $2399

i really love these ralph lauren handbags, who wouldn't?

they were inspired by native american indians.

i recently found this authentic fred harvey handbag at an estate sale for $30. and the matching wallet for $5. i couldn't believe my eyes when i spotted it. fred harvey is credited for creating the first restaurant chain in america. he employed native americans to make handbags and jewelry to sell to his customers. so while ralph's handbags were inspired by, this handbag was made by a real native american indian sometime during the 1930's or 1940's.

once in awhile i get lucky.

janet

how to make a schoolboy blazer

2011-07-08T06:10:00.000-07:00

i have been wanting this blazer or one like it for awhile now. lightweight enough to wear in the spring and fall, before and after herringbone season. the easiest way would be to order one from j. crew. this one is $188 before taxes and shipping. the second easiest way would be to buy an actual schoolboy blazer from a store or even a thriftstore. i have not been able to find one though and i've been looking for months. i guess the hardest way to get one would be the way i did.

i came across a 1980's jones of ny womens blazer in my local thriftstore. i actually found it in the mens section. it was made in the usa and is a wool/silk gabardine blend. its regular price was $2 but because it was monday all clothing was marked down to $1. so i bought it and i took it to my tailor and asked him if he could do what i wanted, which was basically shrink it. to hem it and shorten the sleeves was going to be about $50. that was a good price because he told me the blazer was of exceptional quality. i told him i would think about it and get back to him. well i did go home and think about it and i decided to live dangerously and wash it in cold water to see if it would shrink. and it did, perfectly.

so here is my $1 version...

even though my heart skipped a beat when i closed the washing machine door, i figured i'd only be out a dollar. i'm glad i did it though because now i know it can be done. the jacket shrunk approximately 4 inches in the sleeves and 4 inches overall in length. the rest of the jacket maintained its shape. i air-dried it and put it on while damp to help with shaping it.

i realize that this is not identical to the ones on the market, but it is close enough for me, especially for the price.

have a wonderful weekend and don't do anything too dangerous.

xo

janet

happy independence day

2011-07-04T10:50:00.000-07:00

hello everyone. how is your 4th going? it is super hot here. i picked some red roses from the garden and couldn't resist taking a few pictures.

larry is working his way through hawaii

i'm making a peach crisp

and watermelon sangria.
recipe

the roses are loving this sunshine

my blues drying on the line

my $12 gap sandals finally gave out and i've replaced them with these saltwater sandals. does anyone remember these? my kids all wore them when they were little and now apparently they make them in adult sizes. i really love them, they are so comfortable.

wishing you and your families a happy 4th

blue and white

2011-07-01T06:54:00.000-07:00

rrl white shirt

indigo shorts - target

the lazy days of summer have hit me. have they hit you?

all i want to do is go barefoot.

rrl white shirt
linen maxi skirt (salvation army $2)

tank top - target

linen skirt - banana republic

turquoise cuffs

and while i am literally as white as a ghost, click here for a fascinating story on the history of the sun tan.

lands end canvas sailor t

on sale now here for $14.99

there were a couple of questions re project 333.

Q - kelley from the polished pebble asked what about running shoes and workout wear?

A - kelley, lucky for you workout wear does not count in your 33 items.

Q - marissa asked how i handle my laundry with only 33 items?

A - i do laundry once a week and that works fine for me.

Q - madge asked about bridging the seasons and how i deal with that?

A - i have 2 separate set of clothes (spring/summer and fall/winter) b/c it gets really hot here in the summer and pretty chilly in the winter.

i wonder what's in store for us all this weekend?
happy 4th.

xo
janet

my summer 33

2011-06-24T06:21:00.000-07:00

i really wanted to have lots of pictures to go with this post, but i don't.

project 333

i'm in the last phase now of a year long project that helped me to declutter my wardrobe and in so doing, define my style. it has been a huge eye-opener for me. i no longer aimlessly walk the aisles of stores looking for random pieces of clothing to buy. i no longer suffer through a day of wearing the wrong thing. and i no longer stand in front of my closet shouting that i have nothing to wear. these are all really great reasons to try project 333. i will tell you that there is no way i'll ever get my entire wardrobe down to 33 pieces. well, i shouldn't say never. but a more realistic goal for me will be to have about 50 items of clothing and then a reasonable assortment of accessories. this number will vary for each person but for me that is where i think i'm going to end up. but you never know, right?

so here is my summer list of 33

white levi's

white shorts

white linen skirt

chambray maxi skirt

indigo shorts

khaki skirt

black eyelet skirt

sleeveless linen dress

chambray shirt

white shirt

sleeveless white shirt

red and white picnic shirt

white peasant top

black peasant top
2 silk patterned tops

sailor top

black polo

black tank top

3 pr sandals

copykate bag

navajo bag

2 turquoise cuffs

2 pearl bracelets

2 scarves

2 skinny belts

i hope to get pictures of actual outfits up next week.
if you have any questions about the project, ask away. i'll answer them in that post.

in the meantime..

it's really ok to believe you are beautiful.

xo
janet

a fresh start

2011-06-23T07:22:00.000-07:00

i have read and re-read every comment left on my last

post and to say i'm blown away would be an understatement. i honestly had no idea that anyone cared that much about this mediocre blog. and while i'm at it i'd like to define what i mean when i use the term mediocre. to me mediocre means ordinary everyday objects. this perfectly describes my life, my style, my blog. i'm just an ordinary person. i'm not well-travelled or well anything for that matter.

i like making things like bread from scratch. building gardens and creating homes with very little. i love saving money. i don't like clutter.

i consider myself a vegan even though i do have a handful of animal products in my home.

i will always try to buy leather second hand over newly made in china vinyl products.

i make mistakes all the time and i'm learning new things about myself everyday.

i do strive to be consistent - but i'm far from perfect.

thank you from the bottom of my heart for all the kind words and mostly thank you for reminding me just what it is i love. the internet if full of outstanding, beautifully written and photographed blogs by very talented people and it's hard not to become envious or feel less than while reading them. your comments and emails remind me to stay true to myself.

this past weekend i was walking past a yardsale and saw this old camping stool. i fell in love with its simplicity, color and its fifty cent price tag. i carried it home and it's living here with me now. my tall black boots are always filthy this time of year so they are on the porch. oh and you will notice that the white curtains are back in the living room. change is hard for me.

i hope (key word is hope) to post my project 333 summer list tomorrow.

you are all so lovely - thank you again.

hello

2011-06-17T06:12:00.000-07:00

thank you for all your prayers and good wishes for melinda.
the word inspiration gets thrown around blogs a lot. she truly is an inspiration to me.
i am in awe of her grace and serenity
thank you all again.

~

i have a lot on my mind right now. like i'm thinking of going gray. i'm not fooling anyone with coloring my hair, so why bother? and i also wanted you to know that i still have not seen the hangover 2 but i did see midnight in paris instead and LOVED it. i am no longer running in the morning but have returned to my long, fast walk and prefer that. i never did eat cheese that weekend that i thought i would. also, i'm thinking that the gardener's cottage has run its course. next month it will be 2 and lets face it, you've seen every square inch of this place and there really isn't anything else to share here. there are so many beautiful blogs out there that do a much better job at interiors, cooking and gardening. i have started another blog that is a pared-down version of this one. but i have not decided what to do with it yet.
i'll keep you posted.

i swear this was a crisp outfit when i put it on but by the end of yesterday this is what it looked like.

this is a double rl white shirt that is on loan from alex. some women borrow their daughters clothing but i borrow my sons. plus an old gap khaki skirt with some red tennis shoes.

i'm adding 2 T of ground flaxseed to my bread and the texture and taste it adds is amazing.

look what came in the mail yesterday. i cried when i opened it. it is the beautiful sketch that patricia van essche drew of my house. she matted it in black and now i need to find an old bamboo frame for it.
thank you patricia - you are amazing.

a shot of the living room with the toile drapes.

and the bedroom with the white drapes that were in the living room.

i've had this linen duvet cover from pottery barn for years and have never used it before this.

be gentle this weekend.
you never know what people are really going through.

xo
janet

hayfever

2011-06-06T06:07:00.000-07:00

it's flower's in the house monday again over at small but charming. instead of flowers, i have hayfever. i've never had hayfever before and i hope i never have it again. i can't even look at a flower, tree or shrub without sneezing. so while there is a riot going on outside there are no flowers inside. but i do have these 2 fake topiaries. i get a few questions about them now and again so this is a good time to answer. i got these about 4 years ago at pottery barn. i walked in the store to look at linens and 10 minutes later i walked out with these. i had never seen them in a catalog or in the store since. they were pricey, i think $75 each but i loved them. they are really well made and it appears to be freeze dried moss and real sticks that make up the base.

so much to say

2011-06-03T06:21:00.000-07:00

here she goes again...

recently while in pasadena at the kate spade store i fell in love with this little straw hat. i was not crazy about the little sunglass feature, because what do you do if you want to put your real sunglasses there? but the size and shape were perfect. it is $75, which i guess is not bad for kate but since i'm ~~cheap~~ clever, i knew if i was patient i could find something close.

and i did

at target now on sale for $10

i like it even better than the kate hat because this one is crushable/packable and it kinda goes with this.

the view from the house with the toile drapes is so pretty right now.

do you find yourself sitting and just staring at views in your house and then try to capture them on film and they never come out like you hope? 'tis the story of my life.

this garden is having a party right now

and it should because this is what it looked like when we moved in.

ok, what else?

asparagus is very cheap right now.

add a little white wine to your bechamel sauce and have a party b/c no animals were harmed making this pasta.

also, have you heard about the movie, forks over knives?

you can watch the trailer here.

eat plants and be healthy!

esp. important to watch if you are new parents

90% wool, 10% cashmere gray herringbone jacket

i'm cleaning out my closet and i'm learning to sell on ebay. it's so fun, it's like having my own little store.

and because there is nothing i like more than spreading love...

3 new blogs i have recently discovered and cannot get enough of.

seriously excellent blogs

aj barnes

an apple a day

tomboy style

be sweet to someone this weekend

janet

tuesday

2011-05-31T06:36:00.000-07:00

there is so much going on in a lot of my favorite blogs and the fact that i still cannot comment is making me crazy. what is up with this? am i the only one experiencing this?

kirstin of the fabulous faux fucshia fame is losing sleep and writing seething emails to her government officials in australia because of the inhumane treatment of cattle being sold to indonesia. you can read about it here on her blog and get seething mad too. maybe one day all this madness can stop and we can treat all animals the way they should be treated, with love and care. k.d. lang said it best..."why do we treat some animals like pets and others like dinner?" why indeed.

tabitha at bourbon and pearls wants to know what we won't wear which i think is such a fabulous question. i'd love to leave a comment on her blog but i'm unable to. so i'll tell you here that i won't wear skimpy clothing or big clunky platform shoes. i won't wear a lot of things that i used to love because my body is changing. things that used to be here are now there and well it's just sad so i'm embracing my tomboy self more than ever, with red lipstick of course.

here's a picture of the front of the house that i took yesterday. also, alex came over yesterday and told me it would be a damn travesty if i paint the house white. a damn travesty. out of the corner of my eye i saw larry smiling.

today

2011-05-27T15:04:00.000-07:00

this has been the weirdest week. i'm still unable to comment on most all blogs i read. when i'm stressed, as i am over melinda, i usually clean or organize. today i switched the drapes from my bedroom to the dining room/living room. i'm not sure if i like it or not but it is different. i also put the parsons chairs in the basement and pulled out these antique frenchy type chairs that i got at an estate sale a long time ago. again, i don't know if they look right but it is different. i'm thinking about eating some goat cheese this weekend because of a recipe i came across. i'll let you know if i do. last weekend i saw the movie bridesmaids and loved it and this weekend i will see hangover 2 and report back. i mowed the lawn today with the push mower and squeezed about 20 thousand oranges into fresh juice. that's all i've got.

have a good one.

5 early warning signs of ovarian cancer

2011-05-25T11:59:00.000-07:00

The most common signs include bloating, pelvic or abdominal pain, trouble eating or feeling full quickly, and urinary symptoms, such as the need to go urgently or frequently. my friend melinda had all these symptoms in one weeks time. she also had shortness of breath, which is what led her to urgent care.

read more about this silent killer...here.

melinda had a complete hysterectomy yesterday and is doing well. she will begin chemo in about 2 weeks.

also, blogger is not allowing me to make comments on anyone's blogs which is frustrating.

roses for melinda

2011-05-22T07:54:00.000-07:00

yesterday i learned that my dear friend has ovarian cancer. i'm saddened beyond words.

these roses are for her.

yoga garden before and after

2011-05-20T07:56:00.000-07:00

this is what the entrance to the yoga garden looked like when we got here.

this is what it looks like now. it obviously just needed a lot of water.

looking straight on into the garden, then.

and now. the perimeter of this garden is pretty much covered in bamboo, the invasive kind. it's totally private in here now.

looking left into the pretty carport

and now, lots of ivy, heavenly bamboo and hawthorne came to life with water.

looking down to the path that leads to the rose garden

and now, lots of ivy and bergonia and you can see a fountain/pond that henry built that we have yet to revive.

looking down the path to the rose garden

same path. this couple looking for easter eggs.

a huge pepper tree that old henry had strung with outdoor speakers so he could garden to music.

and now, this pepper tree is pretty much the showpiece of this garden.

so basically all this garden area needed was a lot of water and containing (if there is such a thing) of bamboo and ivy.

have a great weekend amigos.

janet

she loves ralph lauren

2011-05-18T07:18:00.000-07:00

this morning i woke up and had 5 emails from friends and readers of this blog telling me that ralph will be on oprah today. i already knew that but it touched me that you guys know how much i love ralph. i threw together a few of my favorite ralph looks as a tribute to him. i wish i was interviewing him at the double rl ranch today, i think we'd get along great.

making bread*

2011-05-16T12:50:00.000-07:00

i need to do a whole post on this bread recipe because of the questions and emails i got. and i realized while going over the original recipe in the ny times, that i have a couple of shortcuts that make this insanely good and easy bread even easier.

so here is the original recipe

no knead bread

and this is how i make it, i stick to the recipe but skip the wrapping the dough in a towel part. i'm sure there is a reason to do this but it's messy and it comes out just fine w/o that step.
so in the evening i combine...

2 c whole wheat flour and 1 cup white flour (or any combo i feel like that = 3 c)
1/4 t yeast
1 1/2 t real salt - not kosher
1 5/8 c water

i mix this up in a big bowl and put a towel over it and forget about it.

the next morning, after 15 hours or so i punch it down a couple of times and fold it over itself 3 or 4 times cover it with the towel again and let it rest another 2 hours.

1/2 hr before i'm going to bake it i put my baking dish (i use a le creuset casserole) in a 450 degree oven to heat.

after 1/2 hour i plop the mixture in, cover it and bake for 1/2 hr and then remove the lid and decide if it needs more baking by looking at the color. sometimes it's done and sometimes it needs a couple more minutes.

that's it. over the weekend we priced homemade artisan breads and they were $4-5 a loaf.

depending on where you get your ingredients this bread costs between 20-50 cents a loaf.
plus you know exactly what's in it and it is so GOOD.

*no animals were harmed making this bread

i'm starving - spicy asian slaw*

2011-05-14T11:03:00.000-07:00

spicy asian slaw salad

i was sitting around the other day starving for a crunchy salad. i went on-line and found 2 or 3 different recipes that sounded good and that i had the basic ingredients for. i combined the recipes and came up with this and now i'm addicted to it. it is deeeeelish and good enough to serve to company.

i'm really watching my budget now because i want my house painted white and i need that awning too. so this is how it goes...

4 c shredded cabbage (i used half red and green)

1 c shredded carrot

2 T chopped cilantro

1/2 c peanuts

1/2 c dried cranberries

~dressing~

in a medium sized mixing bowl wisk...

3 T peanut butter

3 T rice wine vinegar (wisk these 2 together really well first until they are completly combined)

1 T sesame seed oil (i honestly think you could get away w/using vegetable oil)

1 T soy sauce

2 T agave syrup
1/2 - 1 t red pepper flakes
1/2 t ground ginger

and how about some fresh baked bread to go with...

ever since meg from minimalist woman told me about this easy recipe i have been making my own. this bread is so easy and it is delicious. there are only 4 ingredients - flour, 1/4 t yeast, water and salt. and no kneading. all you need is time and since i have way more time than money, it's perfect for me. it costs less than 50 cents a loaf to make.

*no animals were harmed making these dishes

alex bought me this 70's silk blouse for mothers day and i thought i'd share it with you.

have a pretty weekend
xo
janet

fresh white - pve

2011-05-09T06:20:00.000-07:00

for 3 years i have spent countless hours wondering what this cottage would look like painted white. and when i say countless, i mean countless. the debate in my head has driven me to countless headaches too. i wrote a post about it here where tara dillard gave me excellent advice.

i love red, the cottage has been red for at least 45-50 years. so everyone knows this house as the little red cottage in the park. redlands thrives on history and does not like change. but from the moment i laid eyes on this house, i wanted to paint it white.

well they better prepare themselves because i won this gorgeous sketch from

patricia van essche

and my mind is made up. to see her vision of my cottage is a dream come true.

I LOVE IT

i love everything about it, the color, the zippy awning, the way the landscape stands out.

patricia sent me the sketch yesterday morning and i immediately made it my screensaver. sorry jack. i stared at it all day long. it's funny because now i know exactly what colors to use inside. it has such a great ralph lauren look to it. while larry is glad that jack is off my screen, he's worried about just who is going to do the painting, as in him.

thank you so much patricia for helping bring a dream come true.

what do you think?

janet

potato, mushroom, spinach enchiladas* and other stuff

2011-05-05T06:28:00.000-07:00

this is a super easy enchilada recipe and i can slip mushrooms in and larry doesn't mind.

here's how i make them...

i microwave a large potato and while it's cooking i saute sliced mushrooms with a bunch of spinach. then i add the cooked, diced potatoes and season the mixture with chili powder, salt, pepper and red pepper flakes. then i add about a cup of green enchilada sauce and let it reduce a bit.

in a separate pan i quickly heat the corn tortillas in vegetable oil one at a time. i pour some enchilada sauce in the bottom of a baking pan and put a dollop of the mixture into each tortilla and roll them up. after they are all lined up in the baking pan i pour the rest of the green sauce over the top and pop them into the oven until they are crunchy and brown. this is not an exact science. you can substitute vegetables, beans or rice, whatever you have on hand will taste good with the green sauce and baked.

i normally garnish the top with avocado slices or guacamole but i forgot to add it before i took the picture.

a spinach and orange salad compliments it really well.

happy cinco de mayo!

*no animals were harmed making these enchiladas

larry took this photo of me saturday before a picnic.

i was inspired by this photo...

i wonder if ron galella took this?

i just watched the movie

smash the camera

which is all about him and his relentless stalking of jackie and other celebrities. you can love him or hate him but without him we wouldn't have many of the gorgeous photos of jackie that we all love.

the movie is available on netflix instant watch.

i thought it was fascinating.

in case you were wondering...

the roses are still doing their thang.

janet

fresh ideas

2011-05-02T06:26:00.000-07:00

last week larry decided to give up his car for a week. and so i did too. we have walked and biked everywhere. you see so much more when you are out of the car, houses and gardens i've never even noticed. work is only a mile away for me and larry works out of our home but he is biking 14 miles to the gym and back each morning which i think is nuts but he thinks it's great. we start week 2 today.

and

jule lorusso and her husband matt will be donating over $2000 to the japan relief fund. isn't that exciting? thank you to everyone who participated in their incredibly kind offer. she told me more readers of this blog ordered jewelry than any other. you guys are so awesome.

and

today i will be starting my third week of sofa to 5k running program. i first heard about it from paula. it's officially called couch to 5k but i prefer the term sofa. read all about it here and join me, summer is coming you know. how awesome would it be to say...yeah, i run 3 miles each morning. and how good would that feel? yesterday was the first day i saw any progress and now i'm so excited i can hardly sit still.

and

also, i've been reading the blog zero waste. check it out here. at first i thought this was something i would not be able to do, but i've reconsidered and am making every attempt to cut down on our waste. instead of thinking recycle we are now first thinking refuse. walking through the market with thoughts on packaging is an eye opener. we are being less lazy about composting. check out this list of

75 things you can compost.

and

i fell in love with this frosting method last week. i found it on the lovely blog called yummy mummy. you can frost an entire cake like this. pop over and just take a look, marina's looks 100x better, such a fresh idea and so gorgeous and easy. you'll never frost a cake any other way. my frosting was not very stiff and i still love the way they came out.

do you have any fresh ideas for living this spring?

janet

when is a dress too short?

2011-04-29T06:42:00.000-07:00

linen dress for summer

let's discuss...

how short is too short?

at what age do we quit showing our knees?

i think this dress is too short. larry does not.

it is hot here in the summer.

i wear shorts that show my knees. is that wrong too?

what are the rules? and do we need to follow them?

janet

a compassionate medicine cabinet*

2011-04-27T06:29:00.000-07:00

i get quite a few questions regarding storage in my bathroom, or lack thereof i should say. i have a small medicine cabinet and that has to do the trick.

if you are so inclined, you can read my post here on 6 steps to beautiful skin.

the only thing that has changed since i wrote it is that now i'm 53 instead of 52.

this is what it looks like inside.
i learned somewhere along the way while downsizing, that immediate available storage should be used for things you use everyday. this cabinet is small and i don't want it cluttered up with things i rarely use,
so i don't.

here's a close-up of my daily products. a lot of you ask about my skincare products.

my sunscreen is missing b/c it was sitting on the porch when i took these pictures.

most of you know that i'm an esthetician so here's a little confession...

i hardly ever use the serum that goes with the green science moisturizer.

this is really dumb of me because i'm getting old and i need all the help i can get.

and the worse part is, i chastise my clients for not using it.

that's chakra #4 - one of my favorite scents

the heart chakra

symbol of sympathy, empathy and love

and my make-up.

i have a very complicated makeup strategy,

mascara and red lipstick.

occasionally i wear eye shadow.

i don't wear foundation, but if you do i'm cool with that - just don't wear too much of it and take it off at night please.

those are little vials of aveda personal blend perfume, each one is custom made for you. they run about $20 each. the great thing about them is they contain no fixatives or extenders which basically mean that people cannot smell you coming and going. you have to get close to smell it.

i love that.

*no animals were harmed making any of these products.

even the nail varnish made by sparitual is vegan