The Clairsonic Mia at Sephora

Enter Spa Scotta – the event they hosted at the spa, featuring Clairsonic products, a genius and delightful experience. The well catered event offered “Shellac” manicures (a new favorite) and goodie bags stuffed with Clairsonic products – including the popular Mia cleansing brush and the new Opal.  Of course, this was my opportunity to try it. How could I not?! The induction charging base alone gave me the itch to tinker with it.

♣♣♣

After a long day at work, and then a busy puppy class, I felt grimy and over-tired. I’m not necessarily the best at cleansing before bed – read: I like to use baby wipes or the Neutrogena makeup removal wipes before hopping straight into bed.  Without even a rinse.  Or a cleansing toner.  And sometimes, without even moisturizing!   I know somewhere, someone is cursing me for this bad habit right now.

Instead of my usual regime, I rinsed my face off, squeezed some of the “sentsitive skin polish” onto the brush and set to work. First stop, forehead until the gadget beeps. Second stop, nose and chin, third stop cheeks. After a minute, it was done. Seriously – one minute. It clicked off and I looked at the thing, muttering “Really? Is that IT?”   Out of sheer disbelief I hit the little button again and I heard an audible giggle at my expense coming from a certain Mister somebody, in the other room.

After the second minute of cleansing – following the same three steps – I rinsed the brush and my face. I looked into the mirror hoping for some excellent results, and to my dismay my skin didn’t look noticeably different.  It did, however, feel a LOT softer. I made Mister feel my face and he agreed, and we turned in for the night.  I lay there in bed thinking about the little brush – softness is good for skin like mine with a touch of rosacea and it didn’t seem overly harsh on my skin.  Intrigued, I couldn’t wait to try it again.

I used it in the shower the next morning with about the same results.

A few days later, I noticed my skin was fairly smooth.  I still have my same-sized pores and they don’t seem to have shrunk; however they are less noticeable.  They seem to look lighter.  The same improvement showed after another week.  It’s not that my pores are shrinking but they look less “dirty”  there are fewer noticeable blackheads (something we all battle), though I still break out in one or two spots.  What’s remarkable is the incredible softness and tautness my skin has.  Ever the skeptic I continued to use the brush 2-3 times a week.

I feel like I’m not seeing a lot of improvement in skin tone – I’m still fairly ruddy, being freckled and fair.  My pore size is definitely not diminished – and I think I read somewhere that you can’t actually shrink your pores, but you can make them less noticeable with a good cleaning.  On that note, the brush is an amazing cleanser – after a long night of sweating my makeup off at Hollyhood, the Mia is the trick to a decent cleanse before bed.  The sensitive skin polish seems just right for my skin type and though I still do break out occasionally, the occurrence is much less noticeable than it was before I started using the Mia.  Overall?  I’m impressed.  And what about the retail price of a Clairsonic + brushes + polish?  If you don’t have the cash, a microfiber cloth and a gentle cleanser is your next best bet.  I’m overjoyed at the chance to try the Clairsonic products thanks to Spa Scotta.

For skincare tips or to read about the newest Clairsonic products, you can bop over to Clairsonic’s “Sonic Chatter” blog… And rest assured that even though this little goodie was free, I do reserve the right to an honest review.

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From their summer 2010 lookbook:

Your orbit string art poncho & savoy pant - Wear it to northwest art openings at Jam Fest galleries (Like Cullom Gallery) while waxing poetic on Hiroshige’s influence on impressionist art

Flaming heart tank & denim legging - Wear it to work with a boyfriend blazer to battle the difference between the AC in your office and the blazing summer heat.

Pointelle leggings & bullet cami - Wear it on date night, while you’re sipping mojitos and watching the sun set on Alki.

Asymmetrical wrap, flame skirt & pointelle leggings - Wear it to your friend’s Friday shindig at Golden Gardens – because the beach is the best place to picnic and people watch.

The Day Dress - Wear it to that afternoon wedding because it’s both sleek and daytime-casual.

Can you tell I’m enamored?  Also, how do I fill my closet with all these things?  Their website offers a bundle of stores who carry the line including Clementine in West Seattle and a quick list of online retailers.   In fact, Tobi is carrying this hoodie that would be perfect for our strange Seattle weather:

And check out what others are saying about the line.  What do you think, ladies? Love it?

Related posts:

1. Heart of the Nile
2. Style Vs. Fashion: Links à la Mode
3. New Top

Fashion History, Doing it Yourself, and Breaking Stereotypes

Edited by: Marie Denee of The Curvy Fashionista

My first week editing the Links a`la Mode and it was such a pleasure to peruse the latest jewels from the blogosphere! Imagine viewing the history of fashion through the lens of a exhibition or a syllabus of what you wish was taught. How about taking inspiration from the latest Jeffery Campbell shoe and tricking out your own for less? Better yet, let’s talk about the “nude” trend and its color classification, and while we are at it, let’s question the newest movement in advertising campaigns: Unretouched and real beauty- a breakthrough or a publicity stunt? From fashion tips, finds, and favorite things, this week’s links a`la mode will satiate your hunger for full frontal fashion!

Links à la Mode: June 24th

• Bay Area Style File Shoptalk: Stript Wax Bar
• Bonne Vie Is “nude” a problem? Or just a color palette?
• Fashion Butter How to deal with the girls (dressing a larger chest)
• Fasshonaburu looks back at the fashion rules she set for herself at the beginning of the year to see how’s she’s done following them
• Fish Tank Fashion Are “unretouched” and “real beauty” advertising campaigns just a publicity stunt?
• Grit and Glamour Photography for the Amateur, Stagefright-Afflicted Blogger
• Hello Beauty have a new makeup lesson video with the Bobbi Brown Beach Collection and Treatment Lip Shines on hello beauty! The lesson is by Bobbi Brown education executive Katrina Rau.
• Intrinsically Florrie From 50s swimwear to an 18th century duchess’s wardrobe; a look at her college’s fashion exhibition
• Living Embellished Take a course in Fashion History…you know, what you always wished your college offered!
• Lovely & Lavish With the help of a stylish scarf you can transform an everyday getup into a chic outfit, Lovely & Lavish explores this season’s best accessory!
• Meowsk Dressing for the playground, reminiscent of recess.
• Miss Jones and Me Shares a Few of her Favorite Things
• Miss Vinyl Ahoy DIY Jeffrey Campbell Tick shoes for under $20!
• Profresh Style Combining prints & textures
• Retro Chick Frock love: Hot picks from the world of reproduction vintage
• Simply Luxurious Summer items to add to your wardrobe
• Stylish Thought Everyone Loves a Quirky Girl: Examining quirky style and women who dress the part
• The Coveted Under the Sea, Closeup view of Cynthia Rowley’s Resort 2011 Collection
• The Curvy Fashionista The opening of Full Figured Fashion Week NYC 2010
• Wicked Whimsy How to build up a versatile & comfortable array of shoes
• Tog and Trappings Les flâneurie: How observation of life can inspire creativity

Related posts:

1. Style Vs. Fashion: Links à la Mode
2. Links à la Mode: Beyond Fashion
3. Links à la Mode : The Heavyweights

Recently I came across this site that offers a way to “work the room in disguise”.  It’s a ring, that you can whip out when you’re feeling too many unwanted advances at the bar, or that you can tuck away when you want to flirt.  They offer tees too for the less subtle message (and for ladies who wanted to pre-order, they had a Clairsonic giveaway in the works) – “I do …. not want your number.”  Their site says,

Who says being engaged is all that? The biggest upside is being left alone, once people spot a ring on your left hand. Whether you’re trying to dodge dodgy dudes at the bar, heading to a reunion or visiting your nagging grandmother, slip on your Ms.Taken ring and act as if. It says committed, without the commitment.

And bling it is, sporting a 2 ct Australian Crystal on a stainless steel band.  It’s sure to catch the eye of that eligible schmo trying to talk you up at the bar.

Their site is both cheeky and hilarious, showing pictures of undesirables, offering quotes – “overheard at the club”, and it begs the question – do we need the faux bling to keep douchebags away?  Is a simple “no” really good enough?

Your thoughts?  What do you think of the Ms. Taken campaign?

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Kurt Cobain by Scott Fife

One of the most effective exhibits in the Kurt exhibition is not the larger-than-life and somewhat morbid rendition of Cobain’s cranium, by Scott Fife (2006). It was fairly impressive and haunting; with large bloodshot eyes staring through you, off into space. It also wasn’t Jordan Kantor’s Untitled (2006), a painstaking collaged rendition of crime scene photos – “perpetuating an air of mystery.” Truly, one of the most striking pieces may not be linked to Kurt at all, in that it could be anybody’s séance – Cobain, Morrison, Hendrix.

Standing Wave Séance by Hadley and Maxwell (2010) was one of the most effective pieces at the exhibit, giving the viewer a chance to enter the “pathos of Cobain’s disembodied voice” both “celebrated and destroyed by the same crowd”. It’s a conspicuous exhibit – fiberboard walls, padded with egg crate on the outside give the artwork a sort of humble appeal. Walking into the piece takes the viewer to a whole different level. A feedback loop plays through the mounted speakers next to a red Fender amp, and a microphone is the central focus, set on top of duct taped mats. This is the artist’s world, lit by a solitary bare bulb. Around the room, the viewer might find a number of artifacts, origami boxes and an accordion cut matchbook could have been a way to relieve the tension before recording or before a show. All these things represent a larger lifestyle, a lonely ascent from a “normal” reality. Clinging to that reality and to a sense of normalcy – taped to the mic stand – sits a lonely wisp of a plant in a plastic cup might suggest the artist’s rise towards the light, towards stardom and fame. The lonely little plant also suggests a wish to stay grounded. As the viewer circles the sound room, the roar of a crowd rises, replacing the feedback loop. The pressure is on, to tune up, to play a show, to impress crowds. Standing behind the mic, the viewer has a glimpse towards the gritty and well-known photos of Cobain crashing into the drum kit behind him at the Rijn. Kurt looks dazed as onlookers stand back and watch. The entire effect of the tiny sound room is haunting, even giving the viewer a sort of trapped feeling – the room is a little too small, too dark. In the background, beyond the room this exhibit stands in, Nirvana’s music floats through the rest of the exhibit with a note of tragedy.

Banks Violette - Lines of Wreckage (Love Songs for Assholes #2)

While many of the pieces in the exhibit are striking – including Banks Violette’s heavy-handed graphite work, some of the pieces seem trite and forced. They’re there as if to say “I want to ride this wave of stellar death.” What’s fashionable in art will always be copied whether through subject or technique and the topic of Cobain’s early demise is definitely still a sore subject.

Slater Bradley’s Marijuana (2004) is one such piece – taking on an air of textbook simplicity and attempting to grab the viewer’s attention through the title. It’s the kind of artwork we’d see taped to a dorm room wall, not from an artist who can get himself into the SAM with pieces like Silver I Love You So Much it Makes Me Sick (2008). It feels forced, showing off the covers of three different magazines, including High Times and Rolling Stone with the same photo of Cobain plastered across the front. The title and the subject matter show an obvious drug reference, but with all the triteness of an illogical connection between marijuana and premature celebrity expiration. It reads almost like a drug-free commercial, where marijuana is the gateway to Cobain’s death. Were the piece titled something different – Heroin, maybe – the connection would be believable. The main focus of the piece – noted from the placard on the wall is that Kurt’s face is used a number of times in different ways, with the only cannabis reference being the magazines featured. Sitting next to Silver, Marijuana definitely shows the gap in Bradley’s evolution as an artist.

Overall, the Kurt exhibit is melancholy, especially if you skip the derisive affront to Cobain’s fan base through Bradley’s elementary rendition of the passing of a rock legend. More so than not, the exhibit will leave you with a sense of loss, and loneliness representing the inner world of someone so tortured.

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So when my class was asked to view the Fleeting Beauty exhibit at the Seattle Asian Art Museum, I was thrilled – especially because our tour of the museum was with none other than the exhibit’s collectors, Mary and Allan Kollar.  Fleeting, it is – each print depicts the ‘Floating World’, a culture surrounding the licensed red-light district in Edo.  There are scenes from kabuki theaters, tea houses and of course, brothels.  Each print depicts a number of lifestyles; courtesans, lovers, samurai, geisha, actors and Chonin – the townsmen who frequented this world.  For a little over 200 years, the society thrived and lives on through the bold lines, intricate detail, and color.  The color itself is fleeting too – Allan, the collector, mentioned that it was rare to see some of the colors in the prints; some of the pinks, and vibrant greens would have faded away to grays and tans.  Many of the reds have turned to black – the prints themselves are as fleeting as the world they embody.  He mentioned that once the exhibit is over, the prints won’t even be the same as they were the day they were hung.  That fact alone strikes a chord with anyone viewing these prints – everything about them embodies the floating world, from the figures in them to the disappearing color.

Kollar says that we’re lucky in that we have at least two pieces in the collection that we absolutely should not have, including Hokusai’s “Red Fuji” and this work:

The Great Wave off Kanagawa, Hokusai’s most famous print, the first in the series 36 Views of Mount Fuji.

It was there, in majestic blues, Hokusai’s most famous print; in fact, probably the most well known woodblock print.  It hung, almost suspended in time – the real thing on a wall at the Asian Art museum.   The most amazing part was that you could see the oarsmen in each boat as they fight the swell – man versus nature.  There they were, struggling, tiny layers of lines laid down – all the layers stacked on top of one another – and it wasn’t a far stretch to imagine all the time that went into creating the print – between the designer, the carver, the artist, the publisher.

The following print, Kollar mentioned, would have at least 8 plates, colors stacked on top of one another.

“Plum Garden,” Utagawa Hiroshige, 1856-’58.

These prints were important in many areas of life: in fashion, they depict characters in haute couture – fashion guides driving the popular mode of dress.  In fact, designers would copy the artists renderings to bring the à la mode to life.  The fashions of courtesans were copied onto print and Japanese women learned to copy hairstyles, mode of dress, and poses.

The prints often satirized the cultural norms, showing humor in the glamorous lifestyle – a tongue in cheek commentary.  Many of the prints were somewhat erotic and were produced for erotic catalogues – a robe here, a smile there, hands here – but whose hands are they?  At times the prints are sweet and serene, busy and frenetic or highly sexually charged.  There’s so much depth in each print that is only seen through careful consideration.  It was humbling to see the detail in each artwork – there, in true form, like no artisan has been able to produce since.

“Courtesan Seated Smoking With an Adolescent Client,” Kitagawa Utamaro, 1799

The exhibition is impressive, and the background behind it is fascinating.  In time, the color will be washed away as was the fleeting beauty of Edo itself.

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3. A Picture of Beauty

Image from "My culture is not a trend" on Tumblr - the girl on the right? guh! *shudders*

Michelle of Wicked Whimsy and I had this conversation a few months back and we affirmed our stance that when you’re going to borrow “looks” you should at least know what you’re borrowing – know why your look is significant to a culture, so that you can respectfully represent that people/symbol/culture.  Know that there are things that would totally piss people off if you just wore it around like nobody’s business.

So what does that mean when it comes to headdresses?  (I love this image because it displays the significant item with such taste – it’s about the item, not the human figure wearing it.)

From My Culture is Not a Trend

This?  This is the first thing you think of when talking about feather headdresses.  This is a War Bonnet.  Stop and think for a minute about the implications of that name…

From Native Languages.org:

Warbonnets (or war bonnets) are the impressive feather headdresses commonly seen in Western movies and TV shows. Although warbonnets are the best-known type of Indian headdress today, they were actually only worn by a dozen or so Indian tribes in the Great Plains region […]

Warbonnets were important ceremonial regalia worn only by chiefs and warriors. Also, only men wore warbonnets. (Women sometimes went to war in some Plains Indian tribes, and there were even some female chiefs, but they never wore these masculine headdresses.)

In the 1800′s, Native American men from other tribes sometimes began to wear Plains-style warbonnets. Partially this was because of the American tourist industry, which expected Native Americans to look a certain way. Partially it was because many Native American tribes were forced to move to Oklahoma and other Indian territories during this time in history, so tribes that used to live far apart began adopting customs from their new neighbors. In most cases, the feather warbonnet did not have the same significance among the new tribes that adopted it. For them, it was a matter of fashion or a general symbol of authority. But for the Plains Indian tribes, feather warbonnets were a sacred display of a man’s honor and courage, and each feather told a story. Eagle feathers are still sometimes awarded to Plains Indians who serve in the military or do other brave deeds today.

Did you earn the feathers in your headdress?  I know that’s a loaded question to ask, but did you think of that when you purchased that little sweatshop-made gem at Urban Outfitters (of all places)?  And as Michelle noted: “…as far as “ceremonial” items go, not all Natives even have access to these cultural relics any more, due to the poverty within the community.  This makes it especially douchey for UO to do cheap, appropriating knock offs.”  I concur!  And Michelle brought to mind a good point from the Threadbared article:

“So while it’s great that you can walk around feeling like hot shit in your feathered headband, there are many Native Americans still too ashamed or afraid to even discuss their ethnicities or cultures with their children. “

On a contrary note, I have respect for the girl who builds her headdress herself – and I wonder if that’s just being contradictory.  The Warbonnet clearly irks me… but can I really blame the girl who makes her own feather headband?  Hell, I enjoy sticking a feather or two in my hair and heading out to a party.  And are feathers in your hair only representative of indigenous people?  I think using the headdress that looks like a warbonnet – with dipped feathers and all – for all intents and purposes is appropriating something that’s culturally significant.  Pairing it with warpaint is incredibly more ridiculous (I’m talking to you, girls who dress like this for their Myspace pictures)!

From My Culture is Not a Trend

When you look at the meaning there:

The Indian headband is also well-known from movies and other popular images of Native Americans. However, this style of headband was typically only used by a few tribes of the northeast Woodlands. Usually the headband consisted of a finger-woven or beaded deerskin strip with tribal designs on it. This band was then tied around the brow with a feather or two tucked through the back. Not only eagle feathers but turkey, hawk, egret, and crane feathers were also used for Woodland Indian headbands.

Unlike many of the Native American headdresses… both men and women wore headbands, which were not associated with war. The number and type of feather did not usually have special symbolic meaning, though in a few tribes that bordered the Plains eagle feathers were reserved for warriors. For the most part, Woodland Indian head bands were worn for their beauty, and were often decorated with intricate patterns, wampum, beads, and quillwork.

Here, you’re not taking the honor that you may not have earned and turning it into your next hipster party gag.  And where do we draw the line between honoring a culture and oppressing them?  As Ashe Mischief pondered: “and in theory, if I wore one, albeit a sparkly one, how do we know I’m not saying, I’m a modern leader among my tribe?”  To make one yourself – using colors and decor significant to your human experience – is that truly taboo?  In my opinion, if you make yourself a headband to wear feathers in your hair, you’ve earned it (though I still advise against using the warbonnet as a point of cultural significance – I don’t dress like Geisha for shits and giggles, or an evening out and I definitely don’t wear a Ganesha mask to dress-up parties) – but I think that if you didn’t bead that shit yourself (therefore putting your own cultural story into it), or obtain it from someone who made it as cultural memorabilia to celebrate their heritage, stealing cultural symbols is basically as taboo as buying counterfeit bags and slanging them as the real thing.  We all know it’s cooler to DIY anyhow.

Michelle says:

I found extending appropriation to some items a little odd. In a few posts about appropriation I’ve seen it extended to items like bone jewelry, which presents a bit of a conundrum for me…

Something like bone jewelry has existed in a huge variety of cultures over the years, not all of them Native American. Wearing bone or other bits of animals (for lack of a better term!) has a long history …

As the above, previously referenced commenter put it:

“Dressing up as “a Native American” furthers the already popular notion that they aren’t real, diverse, complex human beings.”

I remember a conversation with my dad about the Atlanta Braves – he didn’t see the name as an issue because the team played well and wanted to show their honor and proud, fighting-spirit.  Where does that differ from wearing a headband with a feather in it?  A warbonnet? Does the meaning of the item/word/idea have relevance in making that distinction between appropriate and culturally insensitive It seems as if we’re picking and choosing – but it comes down to not picking and choosing.  Lumping all these unique cultures into one denies their uniqueness.  Dressing with influence from indigenous people is different than dressing like a “Native American”.  Pairing war paint with that pretty feathered headband tells me you don’t know your ass from the cultural history of your country.  It’s hard to know whether or not you understand the significance of what you’re wearing unless you show up looking like a Drugstore Indian (and for the life of me, I can’t find you a good image.  I’ll take a picture of the one on the ave, posthaste).  Your stereotypes are often obvious.

Where warbonnets – the headdress you picture when you think “TV Indians” – were important symbols, feather headbands were worn because they were pretty.  Think about it – just consider the reason that thing you want exists.  Whether it’s your red Doc Martens, your feather headdress or any other culturally borrowed item.

Related posts:

1. In Fashion: Cultural Appropriation vs Inspiration
2. Style Vs. Fashion: Links à la Mode
3. Never Nude?

It hasn’t been all buttercups and busy bees though – Mister and I found out kitty was terminally ill, and yesterday my little fuzzy love went for her final vet visit. It hurts a little to think she was so sad and scared and sick, but there’s also a peace in knowing that she’s not in pain or frightened anymore.  I wrote the impermanence post, as sort of a way to process my grief.

“We don’t know if they’ll be there tomorrow when we wake up. We don’t know if that sound they make when their soul purrs and sings is the last sound we’ll hear. This knowledge – in the back of our minds, in the far reaches of our hearts is what reminds us to love them now.”

This Thursday is more a reminder to love things – to take that moment of gratitude for being here.  I love the time I spent with my cat-monster.  I enjoy being a pet-person.  I made a TiLT list, because now is a good time to remember what I love.

I also love all those people around me who lent their ears, their sympathies and their love in such stressful times.  I love the medium that’s brought all of us together.  You guys, you’re awesome.

In other news, I love knowing the weekend is right around the corner – especially a weekend that involves good reads, good friends, organization (a little apartment therapy) and regeneration (hello, massages at Clear Awakening!).

I love how, when things seem a little bleak, life likes to drop gifts right in your lap.

The short list:

I definitely love retail therapy right now – Tarina T bracelets, Noir spike rings,etc.; I love paying for goodies straight out; Actually, I love having no debt, and paying for things like school straight out of pocket; I love the idea that we’re living in our means and saving for big splurges; I love watching my bank account grow as we save 1/3 of our monthly income (This candid financial talk was inspired by Ashe Mischief’s posts about finance);  I love that we can have these candid conversations about really important stuff and then talk about shoes 2 seconds later; I love art history/appreciation and being able to name ancient Egyptian art pieces while watching Nova (NERD ALERT!); I love Lapis Lazuli blue – especially in tee-shirts that fit just right; I love dreamily planning for the future while sitting in the sun on my deck; I love dance party plans, the Yeah Yeah Yeahs and record shopping; I love the promise of new days ahead…

What do you love?

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Isis Ring

Isis was a goddess in Ancient Egyptian religious beliefs, whose worship spread throughout the Greco-Roman world. She was worshiped as the ideal mother and wife as well as the matron of nature and magic. She was the friend of slaves, sinners, artisans, the downtrodden, as well as listening to the prayers of the wealthy, maidens, aristocrats and rulers. Isis is the Goddess of motherhood, magic and fertility.

The goddess Isis (the mother of Horus) was the first daughter of Geb, god of the Earth, and Nut, the goddess of the Overarching Sky, and was born on the fourth intercalary day. At some time Isis and Hathor had the same headdress. In later myths about Isis, she had a brother, Osiris, who became her husband, and she then was said to have conceived Horus. Isis was instrumental in the resurrection of Osiris when he was murdered by Set. Her magical skills restored his body to life after she gathered the body parts that had been strewn about the earth by Set. This myth became very important in later Egyptian religious beliefs.

Isis is also known as the goddess of simplicity, protector of the dead and goddess of children from whom all beginnings arose. In later myths, the Ancient Egyptians believed that the Nile River flooded every year because of her tears of sorrow for her dead husband, Osiris. This occurrence of his death and rebirth was relived each year through rituals. The worship of Isis eventually spread throughout the Greco-Roman world, continuing until the suppression ofpaganism in the Christian era.

Anubis Ring

Anubis is the Greek name for a jackal-headed god associated with mummification and the afterlife in Egyptian mythology. In the ancient Egyptian language, Anubis is known as Inpu. The oldest known mention of Anubis is in the Old Kingdom pyramid texts, where he is associated with the burial of the Pharaoh. At this time, Anubis was the most important god of the Dead but he was replaced during the Middle Kingdom by Osiris.

He takes names in connection with his funerary role, such as He who is upon his mountain, which underscores his importance as a protector of the deceased and their tombs, and the titleHe who is in the place of embalming, associating him with the process of mummification. Like many ancient Egyptian deities, Anubis assumes different roles in various contexts, and no public procession in Egypt would be conducted without an Anubis to march at the head.

Black Gold Ring

Those are a few of my favorites, but the artist uses gold, silver, plastic and wood if you’re interested in jewelry in other media.

You can bet I have my eye on the Isis and Anubis rings though!

Check out Arosha on Etsy, or through the Artist’s design portfolio.

Related posts:

1. In Plain Fashion
2. Winter Inspirations
3. Color Alchemy

Seattlites – this is it.  Go here.  If you’re looking for a massage therapist, you should call on Carissa first. The atmosphere at Clear Awakening is so serene, even though the little house is located in the hustle and bustle of lower Queen Anne. The room was charming – decked out in ice blue, with chocolate accents. Light softly filtered in through the blinds, and the music wasn’t your normal “nothing” music – it was relate-able, sort of jazzy and ultimately relaxing.

Now, my last massage was ages ago (a year?) at Dreamclinic and they’re good.  However, when I first went in, my LMP told me that I’d have to schedule a second appointment because she couldn’t get the muscles in my back to relax enough that she could work with them. This visit was different. If I felt myself tense up, Carissa had a little trick to get the muscles to relax again. I spent the session pulling a little trick I learned from Savasana (a yoga pose) – every time a thought would pop into my mind, I recognized it and brushed it away. I was in sort of a meditative trance (which isn’t a hard state to accomplish during massage) and it allowed me to just clear out my mind-space.

At the end of my session I felt better than I have in weeks – relaxed, rested, but totally clear.  The session was a total investment in my overall well being and peace of mind.  Now if I can just get through this week, I’ll be set! �

To learn more about Clear Awakening, visit their site, or check out the blog (especially this post).

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