Gaudy

I love big, gaudy rings. Above is my collection. I bought all but one--which was a gift--and paid no more than $8 for any of them. I think they are fun, feminine and create interest. Plus, I personally think any hand can pull them off. Target has a huge collection of them, but I also see them just about everywhere. My favorites have the stretchy one-size-fits-all kind of band.

Want The Shiny Hair?

My hair has a bent toward haystack dryness and brittleness. I have to be progressive about it, or the locks look dull...like they might snap right off. My hairdresser (and friend), Debbie pointed me toward this:

Real Control

Intense Renewal

I would have never bought this on my own, because the name "Real Control" doesn't make me think of moisture. However, I bought it under her recommendation, and wow, does it work. You can use it once a week and leave it on for up to 15 minutes, before rinsing out. After I use it, it's like someone else's hair is on my head. Smooth, soft and silky. I would call myself Rapunzel, if it weren't for the fact that I sport a short pixie cut. Anywhoo...

I will say that this stuff is a little pricey for a bargain shopper such as myself ($20ish), but used once a week, it lasts forever, so it's totally worth it.

It's All About dafont

I love downloading fonts to my computer. A font can make all the difference really. But I will admit, I am one of those that will look at a handout or flier and be able to name which font was used. Little weird and obsessive, but anywhoo...

I use dafont.com to find FREE fonts. I have a Mac (her name is Cali) and downloading fonts to my computer is seriously easy. I haven't tried it using a PC but I would imagine it's equally simple. (someone let me know if that's not the case.)

Here is a screen cap of dafont.com. You scroll through the fonts and press the download button on the right side of the screen when you find one you want. It should then magically appear in your list of fonts!

Here are some examples of fonts I have downloaded.

It's fun, it's free. Need I say more?

meaningful, whimsical

Kelly Rae Roberts calls herself: artist. author. possiblitarian.

Her art dazzles me and stirs me. I can't get enough of it's whimsey, girlie-ness, and playfulness that mingles perfectly with meaning and truth. See for yourself...

She sells these canvas prints, among other things, such as stationary and laptop skins.

I have a magnetic bookmark that I absolutely cherish, that says "She was on a journey back to her wings."

And I own a print my BF gave me that hangs in my office.

Check out this amazing artist. I dare you not to fall in love.

No More Losing Your Place

Even though these have probably existed for eleventy billion years, I only recently discovered the awesomeness that is magnetic bookmarks. I often have my nose buried in a book. Equally true is the fact that I often drop the book that I am reading in the bathtub. I'm not sure why I am so careless, but because of said carelessness, my (traditional) bookmarks fall out and I lose my place.

Magnetic bookmarks have saved the day. If you've never seen one, basically two magnets sandwich the page you are one (see below).

I have a super-precious one I got at KK's Craft Mall, made by Kelly Rae Roberts:

I also bought some butterfly bookmarks at Barnes and Noble:

Though I haven't gone there yet, I am thinking this type of bookmark would be easy to make using this:

and some cute cardstock paper cut into long rectangles folded in half.