kreativ blogger
i'm sure there was some sort of mistake.
i'm so not worthy of such an award,
but, in what i suspect was copious amount of black tar heroin consumption,
the divine deborah of dumbwit tellher bestowed the very generous kreativ blogger badge upon moi.
to say i have procrastinated is putting it mildly: she gifted me march 1st.
tis how i roll. i'm still sending out wedding invitations, and we're coming up on our 2nd year anniversary.
i tend to fall behind.
part of my hesitance has been the job of summoning up 7 personal items of substance and circumstance to impart upon, you, my loveliest of readers.
i can easily give you 7 things that are annoying and compulsive. but the former......i gots nuttin.
rather than try to dazzle i will go for the informative route. these may not be sparkly, antic facts, but all are true and differentiate me from the all the other mouthy, half-japanese/half caucasian, childless, compulsive eating, newport beach housewives around here.
1. i am terrified i will be the worst mother ever. we're talking joan crawford style wretched. i'm in love with a baby i haven't even conceived. but i'm deathly afraid said child will be asking hh for someone more adept and competent with her first words.
2. i love gummi bears. but only the haribo brand. and only the orange and yellow bears. i won't touch red, white and green. they taste like someone else's regurgitated jello shots: a senior graduation trip to puerta vallarta i'm still trying to forget.
3. i like to have things planned way ahead of time. and i make lists like ina garten makes cobblers.
i'm a moronic-scheduling-maniac, who writes everything done in my filofax (yes, i still live in the 1990's), re-syncs it in my blackberry, and triple confirms it to my desk calendar. i even schedule my spontaneity.
4. i take multiple baths everyday.
5. crickets. i hate crickets. i also hate silence which, in effect, is pseudo-crickets.
6. my left pinky toe lies horizontal. i was born with it this way. we call it bitch toe.
7. i am always cold. i wear a fluffy, cozy wrappy all the time to keep warm. even in 100 degree costa rica sunshine i had goosebumps. it's no longer adorable to my hh, but to still to get his attention i dramatically cry out, "baby, i am frijoles!!".
yes, i know this translates to " i am beans." BUT i like the way it almost sounds like "i am freezing", and it makes him smile.
so there you go. my seven things. it only took me 4 months to figure them out, put them to paper, and post.
i'm apparently supposed to tag the kreativ blogger onto 7 other blogs to keep the party going.
argh!! i hate that i have to narrow it down to 7....
duel living, jeune marie, sweet nothings, reverie, trust your style, with love from pittsburgh, and audrey onassis.
feel free to accept the tag if you like or pass it on to your discretion.
thank you again deb. you set the standard, oh goddess of katy, texas.
you make me happy when skies are grey....
what's that?
is that sun i see??
it must be a hallucination.
or all the lsd i had for breakfast.
i'm off to get any snippet i can.
my vitamin d deficiency should soon make me eligible for all local rickets and scurvy studies.
i am working on a MAJOR faux tan this week.
i have to be poolside this weekend, and don't want to scare the cabana boys with my sowhiteit'sblue skin.
any favorite self-tanners?
wednesdays are for waxing
summer is officially here.
ladies, if your bikini line resembles any of these houses.....
time to book an appointment with your local bee's wax salon.
it's just good housekeeping.
they wear short short....
so sick of my long hair.
i look at these photos, and it only makes it worse....
these women rock the short lock.
so tempted to saw mine off...
i'm then quickly pulled back into reality, and remember these are supermodels and beautiful actress.
signed,
happily hiding behind my long hair
happy weekend
2:30 alarm today. has anyone read the healthcare bill? say anything about a national naptime referendum?
all in favor say "aye".
a giant thank you to meghan, shannon and deborah for their meth face advice.
deborah, the last 10 checkups have included a thyroid check. in addition to meth face, i have crazy night sweats (think underage gay boys/studio 54 dance floor).
and when i'm not changing my sopping wet clothes (amazing i found a fella) i'm teeth chattering, freezing cold (wearing a parka in 90 degree weather). yet, my butterfly gland shows normal.
as for the gluten. i've never heard of it causing skin issues. ever since elisabeth hasselbeck stopped eating gluten it's been my mission to consume as much as possible. i'll try the celiac diet, but if i start squeaking in gibberish and quoting unicorns please give me back my wheat.
but give up dairy girls?
as in burrata con foglia and jasper hill cloth cheddar?
like for more than a 24 hour cycle? does this include greek yogurt too?
can't i just hold my breath all day instead? or make out with them instead?
anything, but give up dairy.
(sob)
(sob, sob)
grrrrrrrrr
really now? 33 years old and i have the skin for junior prom.
i rid myself of the coffee.
{kinda}
ditched dairy.......for a day.
i've had every peel, potion, and prescription known to cameron diaz.
i still wake up with meth face.
i'm hoping all this blotchy rudiness will translate into delayed onset wrinkle entrenchment (d.o.w.e.)
i must say both parents and both sets of aunts benefit from d.o.w.e.
the japanese-irish clans have fared well with their whiskey/sake elixirs.
as of today i'm relying on kate sommerville. i was promised her new product would do "wonders" for me.
i have enjoyed her spa clinic, and her quench serum is definitely the bee's knees for rendering faces fetching and fancy.
i'll be back with the results.
fingers, toes, eyes crossed.
spring hair
i know it's kind of an old trend, but i'm taking a liking to locks slashed with shades of pastel pretty.
the girly badass of it all, makes me happy.
kind of like a string of pearls and a filthy mouth.
even more giddisome is the all over pink shell:
a dreamy, flowery frosting,
but deep down 100% rebel rocker.
add a little smoke,
and throw your middle finger at the fear of grey hair.
sold.
pastel eyebrows though? no thank you. they can stay in wonderland.
images: knight cat, click photo.
ladylike tuesday
today i'm going to pretend i'm a lady who lunches.
the tops of my ears will balance perfectly over my shoulders, hip bones paralleled beneath.
ferragamo flats.
cornelia james' gloves
i will cultivate charisma and allurement.
and i will master the art of looking pensive, beautiful, and unavailable.
a tout a l'heure......
click images for source
think pink!!
hh and i aren't big valentine's practitioners. but as you know i am a sucker for all things rosy and pink. hope your weekend is flushed with love and peace.
some of my favorite alexander mcqueen lovelies in pink:
except for mr mcqueen, click on all images for source.
magical mood
giddy up summer.
sundress, we're in need of a date!!
i just received my new fragrances, 'you make me happy' & 'magical mind', from the uber-chic mary jo matsumoto of trust your style.
the heady orchid and jasmine are making me loopy, longing for warmer days and nights.
'you make me happy' indeed.
at first whiff, this yummy scent conjures black licorice and anise. but..... let it sit..... for a bit, and you'll recognize vanilla and orchid. this scent surprises me because, at first, it smells sweet, but deep down, i think she's a sultry fragrance (don't let the candy-colored gum drop facade fool you). the beautiful, aloof (just shy) girl with the cool grey nail polish, perfect stringy hair, who listens to leonard cohen, wears 'you make me happy'.
august nights so hot we'd ride around in the back of lindsay armstrong's car just to keep cool; night jasmine perfuming the air, monster ballads on the radio, sandy hair whipping in our faces, prowling the town for parent-free parties; this is what 'magical mood' is to me. mary jo has created a spicy floral with the addition of green forest fir. absolutely magical.
these two rousing scents are organic oils; not in any way chemically enhanced. i adore the roller ball applicators, and the fact that the fetching labels are from recycled paper.
i must say my favorite of the scents is the combination of both. mixing them produces the most intoxicatingly provocative bouquet. channeling sweaty, sizzling evenings with your hunkiest........
you must check out mary jo's etsy shop. there are other fragrances for purchase, and in different forumulas: solid natural perfume, organic hair oil; pure formulas producing the most pristine of quality. she also sells lip balms, scented handkerchiefs, lockets, and cameo pins. each product more unique than the next. i am such a fan.
happy shopping.
love,
katie
click bottom image for source.
Side Hair
Side Hair!!!
I have more side hair!!
I refuse to call it cutting bangs.I prefer side hair. It’s just a smidge of hair, sometimes across my forehead, a little on the side of cheek, only to (hopefully) make things more delectable and girly. kind of like a little bit of rainbow sprinkles on a sundae. and definitely don't call it fringe. it's not rickrack or peripheral fracas. just a bit of ruffle for my face.
me knowst what thou thinks. but they're not bangs!! bangs are a commitment. “bangs" connote an earlier alarm clock.....product....styling expertise (i can barely use chopsticks). please? this head is lucky if it gets conditioner. if ever i'm in the shower and need a chuckle, i'll read shampoo's suggestion that i repeat said process. i, then, howl rebelliously.
if, by chance you live in or will be in the southern california area come on over. my side hair specialist is giving away a free hair-cut!
illustration by Ingela och Vi on jedroot.com
truffle love
eeeeeeeeeeeeeeeeeeeeeeeeeeeeeeeeeeeeee!!!!
they're here! my valentines arrived. my mailbox bouncing buoyantly on the block, unable to contain the cheeriness inside.
the truffle girls have gifted us with the opportunity to buy their magic.
the truffle girls: karey and mary. mary takes the photographs that swell pupils and unfurl shrieks.
and karey.
karey.
karey writes words that days later, abate, and finally settle in, to lumps in your throat.
now some of their "candy for the soul" is available for purchase.
there are two available sets of 3 cards. good luck trying to choose. they arrive in the prettiest glasseline envelopes, with an "xoxo" sticker. here are mine. won't they make just the perfect valentine's?
birthday party brilliance
we had a birthday party saturday night.
although, there weren't st. bernards standing in for ponies. alas. i did manage to get to a whipped cream, frosted flower for my piece of the cake (happy heel clicks).
this sweet, candy-colored short validates my point that mommys and rainbow sprinkles can make days brighter.
merry monday friends!
[vimeo http://vimeo.com/4510492]
Simple Things
christina is hosting the simple things today.
a call out to bloggers to "show what we appreciate, and what we are grateful for - no matter how big or small, these things may seem."
if christina asked me to dig ditches with her all day long in the hot sun, i'd be the first to sign up.
in an effort to help the haiti rescue and rebuilding, she is giving one dollar to doctors without borders for every participant.
thank you christina for inspiring me daily. here is my laddleful of love to you:
katie's simple things 1/27/2010
freshly scented, french milled soap
clean, empty notepads. ready for my days' plans, ideas, and aspirations.
homemade morning coffee. french pressed with ground cinnamon. a mug reminding me what matters most.
waking up in the middle of the night holding hands with hh.
fresh, inexpensive, trader joe's flowers on my desk
our sweet tree standing tall again. post storm destruction. so glad we were able to keep you in the family.
peanut m& m's, and don't you dare try to substitute plain!!!!!!
profanity. terrible, i know. i'm a good girl otherwise. i just like to swear.
perfume before bed, after my bath.
afternoon naps.
mornings. the promise. the second chance.
this song.......it renders me tear faced every time i hear it. but happy, oh my god, i'm so damn lucky kind of tears.
it's hard to have animosity in your heart with this music in your soul.
i'd love to twirl on fence posts with you, na-na-na'ing to this song.
happy wednesday. love, katie
cloud nine weekend
oh my! don't you just love open weekends that just melt seamlessly from no plans set, let's see where the hour takes us to ....well isn't this delightful and unexpected? this morning i found myself making snow angels lying in bed; giddy still from our joyful non-events.
i think the weather played a major role in my dreamy weekend. seventy degrees, skies pale blue, just enough clouds to make it girly and scenic.
let me summarize (smile).
the beasts got an outing to the park.
football silliness at the local high school.
a presidential 40 yd field goal kick costing hh to fess up the big dough in a lost bet.
i found my new favorite nail shade.
the MOST beautiful flowers (big, fat peonies!!!!!) delivered to my doorstep
a fish taco so delicious, only expletives and moans suffice.
a bubblebath or two. or four or five.
where i finally finished a nice, didn't suck, book of short stories.
all the while green fiddlehead fragranced the house with tea, clean cut grass, and spearmint.
and as you can tell, i'm back to taking photos again. sadly, alice, at only 3 months old, was on the fritz. a lemon. i had to return her. tamra is her replacement. i'm already attached. tamra the camera is a sassy shot and hasn't given me any grief since we've started courting. i think i've found my new dance partner.
happy monday friends!
click book, nail polish image for more information.
aged and confused
i sit here, and can feel my face age as i type. the back of my brain sloping up and over my forehead snuffing out my eyebrows. with my iris' in tow, my temples have strung themselves out on opposite sides of the room giving my geisha heritage more facial real estate. no amount of la mer is going to remedy this hot mess. best to bid all a good day. and start fresh anon. a bientot mes amis.
All the concealer in the world.....
isn't going to cover up the hot mess creeping and crawling around my kisser. I must be camera ready tomorrow, and it's more like ready for my possession of crystal meth mugshot. Those fourteen pounds I was supposed to lose over the weekend actually developed into a 2 pound accrual. At the time, my wine was telling me "birthday cake (2 days worth) is cleansing and detoxifying." I should have known better. Wine also once told me, "guys think it's really hot to pick out places to honeymoon on the second date."I'll let you know how tomorrow goes. I was cast for an athletic shoe commercial/DVD. Keep your fingers crossed they don't fire me upon arrival.* image Eleanor Hardwick
Oh My Stars!!!!
Michael Stars that is.....
For all this time I thought Michael Stars was good for just yoga tees and leggings. Boy was I wrong! We just got a sparkly new boutique in the neighborhood who's windows summoned me into a game of dress up this past weekend. HH played Richard Gere to my Julia Roberts' whore as I tried on frock after frock. He still owed me for the empty toilet paper roll, so I settled up with these three shifts.
But perfect dresses to match my new favorite nail polish:
And my old favorite Isaac Mizrahi for Target Mary Janes!!!:
Softer than a baby's......
I think the last time I had a facial there was still hot, steamy sex happening in the Gosselin household . Don't get me wrong I'm a complete skin product junkie. I can spend precious (working) hours on beauty blogs, thousands of dollars (over the years honey) on creams, serums, and potions, but when it comes to settling down, and committing to that 2 hour date with an esthetician I'm a total George Clooney. My lovely friend, Alexei, though spoiled me with a gift certificate to her facialist, and the expiration was fast approaching. I knew I'd be in great hands. Alexei is stupid pretty with skin so creamy and smooth you want to serve her in a bowl with sliced strawberries. I want to hate Alexei, but she's so effing nice and lovable instead I've just made her a close friend so she can give me street cred.Let's just say the bitch's secret is up!!! Can you say "dermaplane" baby? Dermaplaning is a skin resurfacing procedure that uses a special surgical blade to scrape away the top layer of dead skin. This scouring of the skin lets the underlying layer of smooth, luminous, baby skin to surface. Dawn Haymond, at Beauty Laser & Wellness in Newport Beach, Ca, apparently is the Southern California dermaplane extraordinaire. This is Alexei's magic wizard, and I can see in the mirror why. A one hour facial with Dawn and her "shank," and my skin is truly transformed. Now the only question is whether to put a diaper or sunblock on my face???!Happy Weekend! Love, Katie
My New Holy Grail!!!
I've found it!!! My miracle worker!! My saving grace!!! My sud in the bucket!!! This week i had to face the facts. The breakup of 2004 is finally showing up in fine (not fun) lines around my eyes, and my days pre bucket-hats are rearing their ugly heads with unlovely melasma spots on my cheeks. After heavy research I stormed the Neiman Marcus makeup counter having narrowed my options down to two products: Clea De Peau Beaute' Concealer and Laura Mercier Secret Camouflage. From my profuse online investigation I was more than convinced that one of these concoctions was going to transform me into the Kelly Garret I know I have inside of me. 
But low and behold, I happen to stumble upon a NM salesgirl who's not counting the minutes until she breaks free for Cosmos at Fleming's. Bridget looked at my wreckage, and said I'd be much happier with the Yves Saint Laurent Anti-Cernes Multi Action Concealer. 
And boy was she right!! A couple of dabs here, a few swipes there, and it was like coming home to my early twenties........in really great lighting........after six cocktails......maybe with some veiling. But nevertheless, it DID make me happier. Just to quell any doubts with my other pre-conceived product notions we did a blind Folger's taste test of all three. Definitely the YSL was the best. NO question. So if you're looking for that new makeup marvel, flutter your way down to get this little stick of love. If you need visual proof, here's what I looked like walking into Neiman's
and here's what i looked like walking out:
