L.S.O.B from S. Weymouth

Hi Everyone,
How are ya, good I'm sure. Last night at work the full moon was in full bloom. So many nasty customers, I was ready to jump over the counter and get right back in their faces. Then I thought maybe we should start keeping Valium, Alcohol to give them to calm down. One women wanted to call the media on us because our computer rang up a couple of prices wrong on her. I was at the point I wanted to hand her a gun and say why don't you just put yourself out of your misery now LOL! Another earthquake, Anyone feeling Armageddon. To much suffering going on around the world, it breaks my heart. The Body Combat class kicked my ass when I started it this week, but I love, its kickboxing but with Japanese style fighting. I feel better and better all the time. Especially not smoking. I give you a lot of credit Henry for doing it cold turkey. I would not have been able to quit without the patch and the e stick. My friend at work told me they have a booth at the South Shore Plaza that sells e cigarettes. So if you live local and are trying to quit you can get them there instead of online. The best part of quitting is I am not spending three thousand dollars a year to slowly kill myself. Insane the cost of cigarettes today. So I went to the plaza on Friday to get an extra stick to charge while I use one. Even though I don't need it as much it is good to have a back up. They only sold the starter pack, so back online I go. So while I was there and had the day off I got myself a salad and sat in the food court. I couldn't believe how many people around me were speaking another language. It got me thinking how much my world has changed and how fast it has gone by so far. My girlfriends and I use to hop on a bus in South Weymouth were we grew up and head over to the plaza to pick up boys! During that time you could smoke in the plaza, so we would ask the cute ones for a light. I don't recall ever having a boyfriend from there but who remembers everything from their childhood, not me. And back in that day just about everyone spoke English. Then I decided to go to the Blue Hills Cemetery down the street. My Mom and Dad are buried there and so is my Mother in Law. They are literally around the corner from each other. I thought I would clean off their gravestones from the long winter. When I got there, there was a service going on. Seeing them all standing under the tent brought back the pain of that heart wrenching day when you have to say goodbye knowing you will never physically see them again. One thing I have learned about grief is it comes upon you when you least expect it. It can be a simple scent that your mother wore, or a Scally hat someone is wearing like your Dad did. It never really ends, and it can be 23 yrs later or months apart to weeks or days. For the first time in my life I got on my knees at my parents resting place and the memory of that last day with each of them came over me, the rain bothered me none as my face was already wet. I have always just stood there said a prayer and headed back out. Maybe this is growth, not keeping the grief inside as much as I have in the past. One too many lights are out for me in Braintree. As I went home I took the back roads through South Weymouth to take a so called trip down memory lane. Oh there is the field behind Shell that me and my friends hung out in all the time. We took many acid trips there, smoked a lot of pot, drank a shitload. Then if you were lucky enough to have a boyfriend or girlfriend we would go to our so called "Chambers" for some alone time. Those were the days my friends. And now you know why I am like I am LOL! We were also lucky enough to get good chase from the cops every now and again. I Drove by my childhood home. The new owners have redone it and it looks beautiful even though it always looked beautiful to me. The dead end street I grew up on now looks so little, yet it was so huge when I was a child. There were some painful memories I recalled of friends lost to accidents, suicides. I am lucky enough to still have one of my best friends growing up there Tommy living here in Kingston with me and our children go to school together. I realize each and every experience there and here now in my life has made me the sum total of who I am today. And I like myself so far. I look forward to adding to that sum as I travel along my journey. Speaking of kicking ass, Lisa Marie Presley, Queen of Cool in my book. I love how she whales out at the end of this video. I feel the same way about my losses.
Thanks for visiting my blog,
Have a great day,
Janet :)

Lisa Marie Presley - Lights Out - Watch more Music Videos at Vodpod.

My First Giveaway! - The Beauty Blender

I started my blog Jan 1 2010, and since then I have been amazed at the amount of support and encouragement that I receive from readers each and every day. You all are truly amazing, and I have met some really cool people along the way!

Yesterday I reached 100 followers, so I thought it only fitting to commemorate the support by offering a giveaway!

Weapon numero uno in my makeup kit is my Beauty Blender! Like I said in my last makeup tut, I get an airbrushed, natural, dewy look when I use it to apply my foundation. I am so pleased with the BB, I decided to offer it in my first giveaway. One lucky reader will receive her very own Beauty Blender [new of course] to add to her styling arsenal!

So here's the skinny; Leave a simple comment on what your definition of true beauty is, and I will use a random number generator to pick a winner [you must be a subscriber though]!

On Monday, I will announce a winner! Simple enough eh? I definitely forecast more giveaways in my future :-)

Yes There is an App for that too!

Hi Everyone,
Happy Friday! What a nasty drive home from work last night. It was down pouring here yesterday. I was glad to get home in time to watch the ice skating competition. As the rain and wind whipped all around the house It brought my mom back to me as we always watched this together. I got a new hairdresser that I met at Target. I loved her Blonde hair color so I asked her who does her hair, come to find out she owns a salon. So I went there Wednesday to get rid of my some of the red in my hair. When I was sitting in the chair waiting as you do for the color to take she gave me some magazines to read. So I was reading Cosmopolitan, wow they have some hot stuff in there LOL! I was reading along and when she came to check my color I almost jumped out of the chair. I felt like a husband who had gotten caught watching a porn flick. We laughed and she said I know you feel like you shouldn't be reading it in public. Then I found this App, OMG just when you think you've seen it all there is more,more, more. When I was leaving all the ladies were up front so I showed them this app. They were all laughing and starting saying things like Wow, OMG, is it $1.99 a position? if so we could all pitch in to get them! It is only $1.99 to own it, so let me tell ya there was a lot of downloading going on in Norwell on Wednesday. You can get it on iTunes. If you download it I hope it helps to make your weekend a little more interesting! Oh and of course it has gotten great reviews. Now if someone out there could tell me how to get it from iTunes to my droid I would appreciate it, I don't think my kids would like me asking them for help with this LOL! If not I am sure eventually I will figure it out. iTunes help was not much help. I thought where it is Friday I would post a couple more funny videos to watch. Any excuse to laugh right? I loved the Eliot Spitzer skit. I heard recently that if you laugh about 20 minutes a day it is similar to a cardio workout. Laughter is good for the heart in more ways then one.
Thanks for visiting my blog,
Take Care,
Janet :)

I could not find a good one with no subtitles,but it is still fun to watch.


Your wife's old yoga teacher is in town LMAO! I love Ashton Kutcher

Interview with Jane Carter of The Jane Carter Solution

Recently I had the pleasure of interviewing Jane Carter, creator of the Jane Carter Solution. Jane's down to earth demeanor was like a breath of fresh air in this superficial industry; and her extensive knowledge of hair, and product formulation was impressive to say the least. Jane definitely knows her stuff, as she is a veteran stylist who immersed herself in numerous formulation chemistry classes, and stands by her philosophy that we shouldn't over complicate hair care.



MTM: What inspired you to start the Jane Carter Line?
JC: There were two reasons; I started the line about ten years ago while I was working as a stylist. I owned my own salon at the time, and I was also doing the hair show circuit as a Color Educator almost every weekend. During that time, I was also a Director of Education over at Avlon [they make relaxer]. Due to working around hair care products regularly, I developed an allergy. It was from that point that I couldn't work around any products that contained alcohol, dimethicone, petroleum, and mineral oil. Those four ingredients were in every single product line that I used.

My clients ran the full gamut from high-lift blonds, to clients with locks, extremely curly hair, and everything in between. Because of my diverse clientele, I could never find a product line that addressed the needs of every consumer. I would find myself taking two products from this line, and one product from another line, just to give my clients an at-home regimen.

I took an Essential Oil course, and from that point I developed my first product, which was the Hair Nourishing Serum. This product was made from vitamins and pure essential oils, and I as well as my clients was mesmerized at how well those natural ingredients worked [which led to them requesting to purchase the serum]. Even my clients that had extremely coarse hair, or hair that couldn't go a week beyond when they were supposed to relax without experiencing breakage, had instant results. All of a sudden it was almost like different hair, this was the first time I used a product that produced those types of results on extremely coarse hair. I knew other finishing products were needed [leave-ins, sculpting lotions etc], and a full product line seemed like the next step.

"Ultimately, we really wanted to create a product line for everyone that was completely plant derived, and wasn't harmful to your body"

MTM: What is the philosophy behind The Jane Carter Solution?


JC: We feel we have a social responsibility to put products on the market that perform well with really good ingredients. One of the tag lines that we use is 'Hair Care for Humanity', meaning you should really be able prescribe 4-6 of the same products to anyone who walks through your door no matter their hair type. I really oppose the fact that we fit into a category, because we don't. I believe that hair is hair, and it isn't really that complicated. Ultimately, we really wanted to create a product line for everyone that was completely plant derived, and wasn't harmful to your body.

"The number one reason for hair loss in women is inflammation. If you have a dry, itching, or flaking scalp, that is inflammation and there is a potential for some hair loss."

JANE ON THE USE OF PETROLEUM: The residual effects of using petroleum regularly on your scalp is pretty scary. Petroleum has a large molecule, and it creates somewhat of a moisture barrier. So if you use products that contain petroleum on your scalp, [especially one that is dry or flaking] and you perspire, you now have a moisture barrier with dead skin, which is a prime breeding ground for bacteria. The number one reason for hair loss in women is inflammation. If you have a dry, itching, or flaking scalp, that is inflammation and there is a potential for some hair loss.
I formulated a product called Scalp Renew which is a pre shampoo treatment formulated with pure vitamins and essential oils that helps cleanse, and exfoliate the scalp. Scalp Renew contains Lavender Oil, which soothes the scalp, eliminates dead skin, and gently cleanses the follicle of sebum. A pre shampoo is necessary because shampoo is water-soluble, therefore shampoo will not melt sebum or dislodge toxins from your follicle. I sent my clients whom had scalp conditions home with Scalp Renew, as well as our Revitalizing Leave-In to moisturize their scalp twice daily, and their scalp conditions disappeared. Scalp Renew is also good for people who have eczema as well! Instead of using synthetic products to cover up problematic issues, we really need to deal with them holistically.

MTM: What tips do you have for women who are transitioning out of a relaxer, and what products from Jane Carter do you recommend?

JC: Our Hair Nourishing Cream is a good product to use on your regrowth if you are going to continue to flat iron your hair during the transition process. Hair Nourishing Cream can also be used as a good detangler post conditioner, which is also important because hair is very fragile near the line of demarcation, so having a good detangler on hand is essential.
Misting the Revitalizing Leave-In a few times during flat ironing is also good for women who are transitioning, because it cuts down on the amount of heat needed to get the hair straight. A lot of times women experience hair that has been "relaxed" due to excessive heat from flat ironing.

MTM: What do you think about the "natural hair movement"? Do you think natural hair is more of a trend or a lifestyle?

JC: I don't think it is a trend; I feel that once you wear your hair natural, you will never relax your hair again. You have the ease of being able to wear it smooth, or wear it natural, so I think it is the best of both worlds. As you evolve, and use more natural things on your body and on your hair, then you start to read labels a little bit more and you start to pay attention; it is definitely a lifestyle. Natural products have a higher vibration than synthetic products, so ultimately you feel better when you put natural things on, and in your body.


JANE ON NATURAL INGREDIENTS: I truly think the molecule in natural ingredients were all designed in perfect order, and I believe that there are vitamins, herbs, and oils really have the ability to heal. I think that with being designed in perfect order, that the natural place for us to look would be the earth. To me it just seems like a given, we don't have to man-make things, as there is a reason why natural products are more effective. They're just more expensive which is why most cosmetic companies tend to formulate with synthetic ingredients.

MTM: I hear Jane Carter will soon be available in Target stores, can you tell me more about that?
JC: We are taking part in a 90-day test with Target, and it is a really big deal for us because it really increases our distribution power by giving us the opportunity to get our products to more consumers.

JANE ON THE NEW CURL DEFINING CREAM: The product is designed to reduce shrinkage, lock in the curl, and it won't take your hair forever to dry. This curl cream is formulated with essential oils, more importantly there aren't plastic polymers in this product so it doesn't flake, and it dries really clean. We work very closely with Certified Organic Essential Oil Labs, which ensures that we don't get a grower that uses pesticides, because that is very important.

MTM: What can we expect from the Jane Carter line in the future?

JANE: Well, I want to continue to serve my purpose here. I really like the idea of being able to be a resource, dispel myths, and just be available in my community. I went to Atlanta a few weeks ago to meet with a Facebook Group, and it was about 80 of us on a Sunday having a dialogue on natural hair. I am not really a foo-foo kind of girl so it really took me a while to find my space as a product manufacturer, but I prefer that type of environment over that of the shallow stuffy department store cosmetic counters -

To find out more about The Jane Carter Solution, click here! -

Review of Jane Carter's products coming soon :-)

Roll Me Away Edited

Hi Everyone,
I hope you are doing well, I am doing great. I hope you got to view Wendy's song. I haven't listened to it more than once or twice since the day of her funeral. It instantly makes me cry because it is so her spirit, so brave and fearless. Women killed by Killer what? Come again news people? Killer Whale has killed before?? Ya let's just all jump in the water with him, seriously I don't get people. God forgive me but, it should have been euthanized after the first death. Happy Birthday Donna. Where I can't see you today I wanted you to know I am thinking of you. My gift to you today is one of a warm memory. I hope listening to this song brings you a smile and your Dad back to you. I think of you and your Dad every time I hear Bob Seger. Donna and I share a common bond of knowing the pain of losing our Parents the same way, both too young and both by terminal diseases. Both our Fathers died suddenly without a chance to say goodbye. Our mothers suffered until they died. Donna's mother was much to young as well. It was hard to choose a song, I forget how much I loved his music back in my teen years. I had to go to iTunes and download some of his songs, I can't stop listening to this song today!! I choose this one because you are a bike rider even though it shows a biker, people know Donna is nothing like this girl. Who knows maybe someday I will learn to ride Pete's bike and we could ride together. I just don't know if I can be as brave as you!! If Bob comes around let me know I will go to the show with ya. Wouldn't it be nice if we all could just roll away when the spirit comes over us:) I would love ya to join me in a Zumba class. It is so fun and in the beginning you just do the best you can so there is no need to worry about keeping up. They have a family Zumba on Saturdays that a lot of mom's take their daughters to. Let me know if you want to join me sometime. Today I am taking my first kickboxing class before work, can't wait to feel like I am kicking ass LOL!. I hope you have a great day, you deserve it!!
Miss ya much,
Janet :)

5 Minute Face - The Pictorial

I Used:

MAC Primer

Makeup Forever Face & Body Makeup in color 44

MAC Eyebrow Pencil in Spiked

Benefit Brow Zing [Powder] in Medium

Benefit Bad Gal Mascara

MAC Loverush Blush

Nars Giza Lipgloss

Apply primer to face, I use a foundation brush to ensure even coverage

Apply liquid foundation - I use the Beauty Blender, it gives a dewy, airbrushed look!

Just stipple the foundation on using the larger portion of the beauty blender.

With light strokes, draw a line underneath your brow following your natural arch. I normally go a bit darker at night.

Fill in brows with eyebrow powder

Now add two coats of mascara to top and bottom lashes

I add blush to the middle part of my cheeks first

I also add blush to the "apples" of my cheeks

Add gloss, and you are good to go!

A Few of My Pieces

 

I received a few emails & comments from some of my readers inquiring about my profession. I am a Jewelry Designer based in Los Angeles, and do mostly custom work. Last week, I promised some of you that I would post a few pieces; well here they are! All jewelry is handmade by me using 14K gold materials, and semi precious stones! I hope you enjoy :-)

DIY Statement Bib Necklace | The most potent muse of all is our own inner child – Stephen Nachmanovitch

These necklaces are everywhere! I decided to try my hand at one last night, and was pleased at how it turned out. - You can really substitute a lot of these materials if you like! Be creative, as the possibilities are endless!

Gather your materials! You will need:
Scissors
Pins
Trim
Satin Cord
One Scrap Piece of Fabric - Front
Contrast Scrap Piece of Fabric - Back
2 Connector Pieces
Beads [Optional]
Applique's
Fray Check
Fusible Webbing [For attaching trim]
Sewing Machine - [Or needle & thread for hand sewing]

Start off by sketching your pattern onto a piece of paper - Sketch one side only

Fold paper in half, then cut out online outside. You should get a mirror image of the pattern.

Cut out the pattern

Take the two pieces of material and pin them RIGHT SIDE TOGETHER. Then pin the pattern on top. Once pinned, cut out pattern.

Machine sew material together [you can also hand sew]. Leave a 2 inch space in ONE corner. We will use this space to aid in turning the material inside out.

Here is my piece of fabric prior to turning it inside out.

Turn the fabric inside out, then press with an iron! Then hand sew the section that you left open.

This is a view of the back

Slide connector over piece of fabric

Use fusible webbing to secure the flap of material over the connector. [This is the point you will need your iron. Hold the iron over the area with the fusible web for about 20 seconds]

Turn piece over, and apply fusible webbing along end of piece. Place the trim on top. Iron.

This is what it should look like after attaching trim!

I decided to add a few beaded applique's instead of beads. I attached these using fusible webbing as well.

Take two pieces of satin cord and knot each piece around a connector. Trim excess cord around knot, use "fray check" to keep cord from fraying [you can also use super glue]

Make a knot [I added a bead for more of a decorative effect] on one end of the cord. On the other piece of the cord, make a loop. Trim excess cord, use "fray check" or super glue to keep cord from fraying.

When I Get Where I'm Going

Hi Everyone,
I hope you are doing well, I am doing good. I wanted to write this post tomorrow but I cannot stop thinking about Wendy tonight. On Wednesday my son in law Dana will turn 30. I love him so much, he is such a good husband and father. He was his mother's only son. They were so close that I could never put it in words. She was also very close to all of her children and grandchildren. When we first met we hit it off. To know Wendy was to love her. She believed in Angels like me and had them all over her house. She was also a survivor. She had cancer in her 40's and had to have Whipple surgery. Most people don't live after the surgery. She lived 5 yrs after that. How happy were Dana and Christa that she was there to dance at their wedding. She adored Christa as much as I adored Dana. We had so many happy times together in those few years. When Christa and Dana were expecting Briana me and Wendy were in our glory about what a beautiful grandchild we would have together. Then the cancer came back. She was on her death bed when Christa was due. Her doctor induced her so that Wendy could meet Briana before she passed away. They spent 24 hours together when Briana was a day old. Wendy knew she was there and said good job to Christa and Dana. When I went to say goodbye to Wendy I put an Angel stone in her hand and said I would give it to Briana when she is older so she knows to call on you when she is in need of guidance and protection. Last summer all of a sudden Briana started pointing at the Angels that Christa and Dana took from her house and she kept saying Mimmi. So I took that as a sign that she is her guardian Angel. I also promised Wendy on that day as well that I will take care of them and make sure they want or need nothing and I am doing that. I am trying hard to take better care of myself to be here for them as well. On Dana's birthday I will buy him his favorite cake, get him what he needs. Every night Briana kisses a picture of Wendy. She always looks at the wall to the picture of the two of you. Sometimes when I am playing with Bri in front of Dana I have to hide my tears, because it is so unfair that we are not doing it together and he does not have that with you like Christa has with me. At least Bri has your hair. So a part of you physically is here with her. I hope when you got to where you were going you only know true happiness and peace. I am a better person for having you and your family in my life. Miss you so, much, This is the song she picked to be played at her funeral.
Thanks for visiting my blog,
Take Care,
Janet :)

Sometimes Less is More - My Best Braid Out to Date

Today I attempted another braid out, and I must say I was quite pleased with the results. By using less products this time around, I was able to achieve hair that had a lot more sheen, body, and softness.

Here's what I did to get this look:

Clarified with L'anza Daily Clarifying Shampoo followed by Keracare Hydrating Detangling Shampoo

Conditioned with L'anza Nourishing Conditioner

Used Paul Mitchell The Conditioner [Leave-In]

Braided hair using Miss Jessie's Curly Pudding

Spritzed Oyin Handmade Juices & Berries on my hair after I finished all of the braids

This is the size of the braids, it generally takes me about 45 minutes to braid my entire head - I allowed my hair to dry for 6-8 hours prior to taking down the braids. To aid in the takedown process, I used a smidgen Afroveda Citrus Sunsilk Hair Oil.

This is what my hair looks like after I take the braids down. I haven't separated the "crinkles" at this point.

Another view of hair before separating

 Here's my hair after fluffing, and separating. As you can see, I have a lot more volume.