July 2011

7.29.2011

grapefruit and avocado salad*

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.

7.25.2011

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

7.20.2011

my new moisturizer

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

7.14.2011

orange marmalade

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.

try something new today, ok?

janet

7.12.2011

ralph and fred

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

7.08.2011

how to make a schoolboy blazer

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

7.04.2011

happy independence day

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

7.01.2011

blue and white

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

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