Thank you Kate Spade!

Where do you stand on stripes and dots?
Love them or hate them?

Navy and white
Black and white
Red and white...dots or stripes I love them all.

I spied this Kate Spade dotty tote at Nicholas Randall in Oak Bay.

It took me all of two seconds to decide that it was coming home with me!

Kate Spade shopping tote

rolls up and fits in a pocket or a purse.

Black and white which goes with everything I own!

It's lightweight yet very strong.

Tested to hold 44 pounds.

I plan to take this when I go shopping as it is so much nicer than most plastic bags.

My good old Kate Spade IPhone case.

Here the colours are reversed...

black on white instead of white on black.

I'd like to think that they are related.

Cousins perhaps?

Kate must love pink...

her labels and tags and accents are often pink.

I had my brows tinted this week.

One of the down sides of having a thyroid problem is that one's brows thin and frequently completely disappear.

The esthetician suggested that I use some brow powder...

she showed me how it looked and it is super easy so I bought the wee kit.

It will last for years as a little goes a long way.

You can see my brows are defined and darker.

My hair here looks messy as I have just returned from a wild and windy seaside walk.

Banana Republic striped top that I have had for ages...it's big on me but I still love it and wear it often.

Seeing stripes?

I bought this early in January with some Xmas money and it was on sale.

Say yes to the dress!

Cannot wait for some warmer weather as I plan to wear this a lot.

Loving the zipper detail on the back.

More stripes...

I wear this boating in the summer...

it is made of velour and so cozy.

Styling stripes with a French flair just by adding a silk scarf.

Black and white are made for each other...

Hermes scarf

nary a dotted or striped one in my collection.

I wear this one more than the rest.

Shown here with a Barbour vest and Banana Republic top.

Kate Spade quilted handbag...

in it's 3rd or 4th season and still going strong.

Hush Puppies boots are old as the hills...

still getting their share of wear.

Reading this post I realize that it has been rather scattered...

a little bit of this and that.

It has been a busy day with lots of fresh air and walking and I realize that I must be tired.

So it's off to bed for the Hostess.

Thank you for stopping by and spending some time reading The Humble Bungalow Blog

until next time...

Be Well.

Skincare Tonics ~ Caudalie

Perhaps I have been living under a rock but until Christmas day I had never heard of the fabulous French skin care line Caudalie. My son and his gorgeous wife gave me a Caudalie gift package that was made up of make up remover cleansing water, Beauty Elixir, hand and nail cream, anti-oxidant lip conditioner and divine oil.
I am over the moon with these exquisite potions.

Caudalie products are made without the use of harsh chemicals.

Sephora carry their line of products and you can read the reviews online.

They are very popular and come highly recommended by skin care guru's.

I've been test driving these new products and am very happy with the results.

I am particularly excited about the Divine oil.

(you can see the telltale signs of rosacea on my cheeks)

I went to my Yoga class without any foundation just a quick swipe of mascara and some pink lip butter.

Feeding one's face is as much about nutrition and hydration as it is about product.

Janet at The Gardener's Cottage swears by Olive oil and she is an esthetician.

I love her blog, she eats vegan and posts many wonderful recipes as well as her thrifty thoughts on shopping.

I'd love to meet up with her someday.

Here's my power packed Kale Salad.

It is my go to lunch these days.

Full of anti-oxidants and vitamins.

~ ~ ~

Humble Bungalow Kale Salad

Wash and spin kale dry in a salad spinner.

Cut out the big inner rib and tear into bite size pieces.

Put into a large salad bowl with sliced peppers, shaved carrots, cucumber cubes, a handful of dried cranberries, 

1/3 cup chopped pecans and 1/2 cup goat feta cheese.

Toss with healthy dressing.

~ ~ ~

Healthy Dressing

In a blender mix

1/4 cup each sesame seeds, tahini

1/2 cup olive oil

2/3 cup lemon juice and grated rind of 1 lemon

1 cup water

1 large garlic clove

pinch of sea salt

sliver of fresh ginger grated

1/4 cup of honey

Process until smooth store in fridge and dress serving size portions of Kale salad.

Keeps for several weeks in the fridge.

Shake well or stir before serving.

I make this ahead and keep on hand for quick lunches.

(My sister uses this dressing as a marinade for chicken)

Good nutrition, plenty of water, a good night's sleep, exercise, and reduced stress all play a role in health.

  Our skin seems to reflect some of our bad habits or negligence.

Think of it as your calling card.

We have all met women who radiate beauty and good health.

 Their devotion to exercise and nutrition seem to be the ticket.

This has been very evident with quite a few women I have met at The Hemma Yoga Studio.

Most are well into their 70's and the instructors who radiate calm and peace tell me they are vegan or vegetarians.

I've gone back to Yoga because I had noticed some stiffness in my neck and joints.

Flexibility is something that we lose as we age if we don't keep stretching we lose it.

Walking is great but not enough.

After 75 minutes of Hatha Yoga at the studio I feel so much calmer and surprisingly rested.

On the days that I go to Yoga I sleep much deeper and longer than the days that I don't go.

Better than any medicine, Yoga has far reaching benefits.

You don't need to go to the studio to practise Yoga.

You can cocoon and go through the poses on your Yoga mat in the comfort and privacy of your own home.

I have tried to practise at home but my cats will not leave me alone.

Something is rather fishy... it's my Yoga mat.

I lay my mat out in the hobby room on the shag carpet.

Someone has been trying to catch a fish!

Whoever it was had very sharp claws...

and it happened so fast.

I was in the Warrior pose and obviously not doing a very good job defending my territory.

I suppose I'll need to find another mat at some point.

 The gals at the studio are still laughing about my cats trying to catch the fish.

They smirk everytime I unfurl it and I do smile when I catch them looking.

It might just be another connection...so be it.

~ ~ ~

"It's been my experience that the longer I do yoga, the more I want to know, the more I am able to understand and the less judgmental I am."

~ Ali MacGraw ~

Let's hope the week ahead will unfold like a beautiful butterfly...

who knows what we might uncover.

Black Friday, OOTD and a blog anniversary.

It's BLACK FRIDAY.
This is a black post so if you are looking for colour you'll be disappointed!

In Canada, shopping Black Friday is relatively new, but for our neighbours to the south it is the kickoff for the season of holiday shopping. Stores open early and there are sales galore.
It sounds quite crazy when people camp out or stand in line for hours waiting for the stores to open...
I suppose it is no different than standing in line to get tickets to see Bruce Springsteen and I seem to recall doing that many years ago.

I was able to take part in a little bit of Black Friday shopping but it was only Thursday!
The shop I was in was having a "black friday sale" and all black garments were 25% off!

Black Giacca coat with feminine details.

OOTD

Chillax coat

DKNY jeans

Franco Sarto loafers

Burberry scarf

Adrienne of La Vie Quotidienne mentioned how much she liked the Benefit mascara 

with it's new wand.

 This mascara was also the best seller at Sephora so I decided to take her advice and give this a test drive.

There should be four candles alight...

you may ask why.

Let's pretend this is cake shall we?

The Humble Bungalow Blog is celebrating a four year anniversary today.

The blogging journey has been full of surprises.

Writing has opened up many opportunities for growth.

Who knew that through blogging that I would forge new friendships near and far.

The Humble Bungalow Blog has become a part of my everyday routine....

whether I am thinking about a future post or taking a picture of something beautiful.

The blog material is never far from my mind.

 I think I look more closely at everything around me than I ever did before.

Often it is the ordinary and simple things that inspire my posts.

I plan to keep blogging as long as I have something to say.

I hope that you will be interested enough in what I have to say to stop by...

To those who read my blog and comment I am very grateful.

Thank you.

Hostess

XO

Revlon Red Velvet...

Have you noticed how many magazines have articles on choosing the right red lipstick?
Red seems to be in vogue this season.

When I regularly went to the Aveda salon to have my hair cut the stylist would always offer to refresh my lipstick after my cut and colour. It was a wonderful opportunity to try a new shade without having to parade in front of all and sundry at the make up counter. Frequently I would treat myself to a tube of the shade that my stylist would recommend, but that was a few years ago and I now go to a salon that sell Bumble and Bumble hair products but no cosmetics of any kind.

I went to the drug store with the idea in mind, of a new shade of red for the holiday season.
With the cosmetic clerk's help I tried on a dozen or so shades from a variety of brands.
I found one that I liked and she thought was perfect!

Guess what?
It's the same shade of red that I have been wearing for evening for the a couple of years!

I guess that just proves that often we don't always need to try to change what's not broken.

Do you have a favourite shade of red lipstick?

While I do not wear red garments I find that I can wear this red velvet shade by Revlon.

Worn here with my Banana Republic top...feeling just a wee bit French.

Hope that you are having a FUN weekend.

Hostess

XO

The No Make Up Look

Are you familiar with the "No Make Up Look?"
It is make up that looks like you only better!

Too much make up makes me feel like a clown!
I've never gone in for the thick pancake and pressed powders...

I want to use products that imbue a subtle, healthy result.

I've noticed that aging has changed my skin tone and elasticity so I need to use a lighter touch with all cosmetics and choose shades that flatter softly without screaming or drawing too much attention.
I also found that eye shadows can settle into the creases, that powder mineral based formulas seem to stay set and look fresh much longer.

Here is what I have in my make up bag:

I can "do my face" once it is cleansed and moisturized in under 10 minutes between sips of my morning tea.

I highly recommend having good lighting and a magnification mirror.
As a woman whose eyesight is rather dodgy without her specs I would be messing things up something dreadful if I cannot "see" what I am doing!

Bobbi Brown

Foundation

Bronzer and Blush

The foundation and bronzer are applied with brushes.

The cheek lip tint duo are done with clean fingers.

Eye pots are Mac and Pur

I always curl my lashes and mascara is a staple because my lashes are so fair that they virtually disappear.

On days when I am going out of the house, not just for my walk, I will use some liner and shadow.

Lining the upper eye only and using a very thin line.

Lavender Mourite, the eye pot on the right is great by itself for daytime.

For evening I'll add some of the darker Haux above the Lavender for a bit of a smokey eye effect.

Bobbi Brown Fresh Melon

Revlon Colorburst Lip Butters in Sugar Plum and Pink Truffle

for evening I wear a Revlon Colorburst Lip Butter in Red Velvet.

“Beauty, to me, is about being comfortable in your own skin. 

That, or a kick-ass red lipstick.” 

~ Gwyneth Paltrow ~

Enjoy your day and remember that Kindness Matters!

Hostess

XO

As an after thought....

My darling daughter gave me the most gorgeous vintage handbag!

 I will share it with you just as soon as I can.

The NZ meat pies were a huge success on Sunday evening.

I ate a piece and they tasted seriously delicious...lip smacking good.

OOTD ~ the basic black dress

The basic black dress has been my best friend throughout my recent weight loss experience.
I have been alternating wearing two Gilmour black dresses...one is to the knee and the other one you see here.

This Gilmour bamboo shift has been worn many many times in the past 4 months...
the fabric is cool and comfortable in the heat and the style is simple yet able to be worn for day or evening.

The hemline is slightly higher in the front ~ longer in the back

It is versatile enough to wear to the beach or to a BBQ...

when I am running errands I wear a summer weight cotton cardigan over top by Velvet.

The fabric is weighty and drapes beautifully as it skims the body.

I wore this OOTD out for lunch with Mother.

In this picture you can see why older women often wear scarves and turtle necks...

it's probably the reason Nora Ephron wrote her book...

I Feel Bad About My Neck.

 I miss her writing...

Seriously though, 

do we honestly believe that we are going to look the same as we did when we were in our 20's or 30's?

If we do I think we are kidding ourselves.

Either that or totally brainwashed by the advertising that we are bombarded with in almost every magazine...

baby boomers are the largest demographic group so you'd think the pendulum might shift sometime soon.

My grandmother was a wonderful woman filled with passion, wit and energy.

I never asked her, but I would be surprised if she looked in the mirror and lamented on her wrinkles and slack jaw.

Her no nonsense approach to life was an inspiration.

In her day she did not wear much make up...

 a bit of red lipstick, perhaps a light dust of face powder and a spritz of Yardley's lavender scent.

She was the wholesome soap and water kind of gal who used Noxema...

do you remember the blue jar and their signature scent?

(I think of her whenever I get a whiff of that scent.)

Look at the grey creeping in...

I like to think of them as tinsel highlights.

I've been keeping my hair bobbed quite short throughout this process.

I explained to my hairdresser that I did not want to look like a skunk as we transition to grey.

Having had my hair coloured for so many years I was not sure how much grey to expect...

 so far it's just a smattering here and there.

Still it is an obvious indicator of the aging process...

but it's an honest reflection of myself.

I am comfortable in my own skin.

It might have taken me a few years to get here but thankfully I have finally arrived.

 I will need to add some brighter shades to my winter wardrobe...

perhaps a plum or robin's egg blue cashmere cardigan 

to wear with jeans and the black pants in smaller sizes that I still need to buy.

I have been wearing softer lip colours 

(not the nude that they are showing on the runways though as I look positively ill wearing that shade!) 

I love the creamy texture of the Revlon Colourburst Lip Butters.

They are full of moisture and silky on the lips with a lovely assortment of colours.

The price is good too, a budget friendly basic.

I've been noticing a lot of DD or double denim in the stores and in magazines...

not too sure if I will embrace this trend 

as I can still hear my lovely daughter admonishing me when I wore it many years ago!

"Too matchy matchy Mom!"

Things that match top and bottom are what old ladies wear!

Her style expertise has stood me in good stead over the years and I appreciate her honesty.

Speaking of DD 

I think the cosmetic industry has taken on a new way of marketing their products...

rather like the alphabet mystery writer Sue Grafton.

 AA (anti-aging)

BB (beauty balm)

CC (colour correcting)

DD (dynamic do-all)

Do you think they are working on an EE cream?

I might suggest Excellent Epidermis...

If you are a cosmetics company executive please feel free to email me if you'd like to use my idea...

I am "retired" and living on a pension and I am in dire need of a new basic wardrobe...

Today it feels a bit like Fall is in the air so these LBD's will be far too chilly to wear much longer.

Hope that your week is off to a great start!

Hostess

The Hostess gets a makeover at Bobbi Brown...

Bobbi Brown is well known and respected when it comes to making the best of make up.
Not over doing it, but using a lighter hand to accent and emphasize your best features.

When Mr. HB and I were in Seattle on holiday I did something completely out of my comfort zone.
I sat at the Bobbi Brown counter at Nordstrom's and had a make over!
It was very early so thankfully the store was not too crowded.
"No unnecessary attention please and thank you!"

After watching the Lisa Eldridge videos I realized that I could use some help.
Choosing the shades that are complimentary to my skin tone is something that I have always struggled a bit with
also I knew that I needed a base colour on my face to cover my ruddiness from rosacea and yet I still wanted to add a healthy glow. The cosmetician was helpful and was able to achieve what I was looking for in a very short time.

My morning routine has got to be easy...

A trio of products and a foundation brush.

Porcelain Luminous Moisturizing Foundation

Fresh Melon Pot Rouge for Lips and Cheeks 

Antigua Illuminating Bronzing Powder

I am happy with the products how easy they are to work with and how the end result looks natural.

If you have never had a makeover do try one

they are free and you can take home samples

having someone impartial give you advice is much easier than you might think!

If you like the products after trying them then go back to the cosmetic counter and buy them.

I wore the foundation for a day before I decided it was right for me.

Thanks for stopping by and spending a little time out of your busy day.

Have you tried anything new lately?

I've got my nose buried in a new book by an author that I have just discovered...

she has penned a dozen books!

Santa Montefiore

Thanks to Julian Fellowes 

writer of Downton Abbey and Gosford Park...

His comment on the front cover made the sale and I am enjoying it

 it feels a bit like I just stepped inside a home like the one in Downton Abbey but with different characters.

What are you reading?