Saturday Meanderings

Happy Saturday and it is also Martin Luther King, Jr. holiday weekend. We have nothing special planned but are expecting houseguests (my brother and sister-in-law) and we are excited to spend time with them. Welcome to Saturday Meanderings where we chat about all good things this week.

A Finished Painting

Back in 2021, my blogging friend, Cindy Hattersley posted a picture of her end-of-season roses. I recall how pretty the photo was and printed a copy for my art files. Finally, 3 years later I decide to use this as inspiration for a painting.

As you can imagine, roses are hard to paint and wasn’t sure the painting was good enough to send as a gift to Cindy. My dear friend and talented artist, Janie, coached me through this, offering good advice on how to improve it. Once Janie said it was perfect, I knew I could send it (and not be embarrassed). However, I held my breath until it was delivered.

After a long and circuitous journey via USPS, the painting arrived. Cindy sent me this photo of the painting on a lovely twig stand (purchased on Amazon). I cannot tell you how happy I am that she loves it! Whew.

Speaking of Painting….

Back in October 2020, I purchase this old wooden cradle at a yard sale. We may have guests with a new baby at the end of May and this may be a fun refinishing project. I don’t think the wood is in good enough condition (very stained in parts) to sand and put on a clear coat.

Since you are all so talented, please send any thoughts or suggestions on how to refinish this. In my brain I see pretty painted cradle with flowers or stencils, a Scandinavian look, similar to the cabinet I refinished at our cabin (see it here).

I suppose I will need to make a pad as well so the fabric pattern may be another inspiration?

Washing Sweaters

My kitchen looked like a laundromat this week as I finally got around to washing my delicate sweaters, including cashmere ones. I have been hesitant to do this because I didn’t want to ruin any of them.

After researching detergents to use, I pick this scentless one from Lona Scott . It cleans not only cashmere, but wool and other delicates. It is biodegradable, allergen free, free of petroleum, phosphate, phthalates and artificial color. Cruelty free and with no animal by-products.

Fortunately I have two large kitchen sinks (my favorite from Franke), allowing me to suds up one and rinse with the other.

Having a large kitchen island really helps too as each sweater needs to dry flat. Really pleased with how they cleaned up. It is also an opportunity for me to store them properly. I love these cashmere pouches and did need to add another one to my collection. The sweaters and shawls are packed tightly in there and it was time to expand to another bag. Each pouch holds about 4-5 sweaters.

Foundation and Primer I like

Rarely do I discuss makeup products because I am not an expert or well-versed in what’s available. However, I have been using this foundation for over a year and love it. Recently, I am trying their Power Camo Redness Defense. According to Il Makiage’s website:

Power Camo is your secret weapon to neutralize redness and combat signs of aging skin.  A blend of green pigments and natural, anti-inflammatory ingredients – Azelaic Acid, Centella Asiatica, and Bakuchiol – promote calmer, smoother, more even-toned looking skin that’s beautifully prepped for makeup. With continued use you’ll reveal a brighter, younger-looking complexion. Wear this soothing green-toned primer treatment alone or layer with your makeup. $54.00

The Woke Up Like This flawless foundation is my go-to. It is a natural matte and you can build up from a medium to a high coverage look. Traditionally, I have purchased foundation at a retail location where I can see and touch it. However, all Il Makiage products are sold online. At first it takes a leap of faith that they will get the color right, but that is determined after you take an extensive online quiz.

At first, the foundation was a little light. However, in the winter months I do wear a lighter tone, so I did not return it. The next color they sent is perfect and that is what I use the rest of the year. $45.00.

You do get a 30-day money back guarantee and you also get to sample it for a certain period of time where you are charged about $5.00 for shipping. If you are happy with the product, then your card will get charged the full amount.

I do not get any commission or stipend for sharing this product with you. But I am very happy with it and if you have a foundation/primer dilemma, you may want to give it a try. Prior to ordering the Power Camo, I have used the No Filter Powerless Base Smoothing Primer, which helps fill in all the imperfections on your face.

If you do try these products (let me know), please review their instructions online to optimize application.

Finn’s 1st Birthday

Can you believe our puppy is 1 year old? Seems like yesterday that he was this small, cute bundle of joy.

On his birthday, Finn decides the compost pile is his present and proceeds to dig and scatter it all over the front yard. Dad is not happy and Finn doesn’t understand why, but boy did he have fun.

It’s hard to stay mad at such a cute face, right?

January~The White Sale Month

Stores in the U.S. have been having White Sales for over 140 years now, and generations of folks have come to equate January as THE best time of the year to buy home linens and bedding. If you are interested in learning about the history of the White Sale, check out this article by Jennifer Adams.

I am in the market for new sheets for our king size bed. My friend, Andrea from Design Morsels has a few blog posts about sheets. As a previous owner of a bed and breakfast, Andrea knows a great deal about bed linens. There is a plethora of bedding companies, so if you have a favorite please share.

Ever Dream of Living Abroad?

I certainly enjoy watching House Hunters International and have kicked the idea around of living abroad. Here is an article by Travel & Leisure about a destination that has great health care, low taxes and a high quality of life.

Have a terrific weekend! Looking forward to doing a bit of relaxing, cooking, baking and just lounging. As always, thanks for joining me today and stay safe out there!