Sister's Choice Quilts

Some of My Favorite Things Lately

I thought I'd share a few things with you that I have been enjoying lately. These current favorites have nothing to do with quilting, just so you know. They are mostly beauty products or clothing items that have been making me feel more put together.

I have been living in these Everyday Relaxed Jeans by Talbots. I am not ready to completely give up my skinny jeans, but these more relaxed jeans are a very nice change. They aren't so baggy that you feel sloppy, and I always love a button-fly front. They are generous enough in fit that you may want to drop down a size, which is always good for the ego.

This is the Pure Jill Asymmetrical Collared Top by Jjill. It is made of a French Terry fabric and is a bit shorter length, which looks better with jeans that are a more relaxed fit. I got it in white, but it also comes in a very pretty seafoam blue/green. It is a lighter-weight top that is a nice change from the heavy sweaters I have been wearing lately.

I am 100% in favor of bras that smooth things out and eliminate any underarm bulges or the dreaded "back fat". This Lift Wear compression tank by HoneyLove is a real miracle worker. It doesn't ride up, and as promised, smooths everything out. It is so comfortable I forget I have it on. It comes in a ton of colors, but I stick to nude and black.

I love a good quality leather handbag, but not enough to spend hundreds of dollars on one. I got this Kacey Sachel leather bag at the Coach Outlet for just over $100. It is the perfect size for me, big enough for my wallet, small makeup bag, keys, phone and some tissues. I don't have a large frame, so a large bag looks weird on me. The proportions of this one are just right. I liked it so much I got it in another color too.

I don't know about you, but as I have gotten older, my eyebrows have thinned out dramatically. WIthout my Anastasia Brow Wiz, I look quite peculiar. From a distance I look like I have no eyebrows at all! This pencil comes in a super thin version as well as a thicker style that really fills in those missing hairs in a natural looking manner. If you think you are looking older and kind of faded, try using a brow pencil to add a little color and dimension to frame your eyes. It really makes a difference. 

Another thing about aging is that the makeup you wore when you were younger now may now look too heavy. I have switched to much lighter formulas and find them more flattering. Lancome's Skin Feels So Good is called a "skin tint". It is a moisturizer with some color that provides some coverage with a no-makeup look. It has all kinds of good ingredients too: anioxidants and hyaluronic acid and spf 23. On sale at Sephora right now.

Another product I have come to like is cream blush. Powdered products can look too cakey on my aging skin, and switching to cream based blush gives a younger more "dewy" look. This cream blush by Merit in the color Stockholm is easy to blend and gives a fresh, awake and yes, younger look to your face. 

You. may have seen these Thrive cream eye brightening sticks advertised on Facebook and elsewhere. They are every bit as good as promised. Forget about expensive eyeshadow palettes and a slew of different brushes. These one step sticks are easy breezy to use and look great. No more cakey looking powder shadows that emphasize every crinkle on your eyelids. These go on smooth and blend out like a dream with a touch of your finger. My favorite shade is Callie.

I'm not going to lie, this body oil and body butter by OSEA is pricey. But, if you have dry skin, it will be your new best friend. After a shower I use the body oil, then top it with some of the body cream and my flaky, itchy, dry skin is a distant memory. It actually improves skin elasticity and provides deep moisturization. It is infused with sea algae and anti-oxidants. It is rich, but not at all greasy. My skin loves it.

Last, but not least, my favorite notebook to keep track of all the details in my life. I love the dot grid paper in the Leuchturm 1917 hard back bullet journal. I keep track of the books I have read, quilting projects, birthdays, weight loss goals, recipes to try, you name it. I am on my sixth or seventh one of these. They make great journals for tracking your travels or your thoughts or anything else. 

Let me know if you have tried any of these products and what you think!

Have a great weekend everyone.

A Few More Things I've Been Enjoying Lately

I kind of dropped the ball on listing some of my recent favorites for you all. I promised to share a few more items I have been enjoying this summer so here we go. These clothing items are not bargain-priced, but I have always believed that finding something well-made is worth purchasing because you will have it for years. With the exception of the bra mentioned below, I have worn all these items for several years.

These are Chico's "Girlfriend Jeans", which have been around for countless seasons. I have them in a couple of denim washes, black, and white. Chico's sizing is different from other stores. It is a psychological thing they do. Their sizing runs 0, .5, 1, 1.5, 2, 2.5, 3 and higher. 0 is equivalent to a regular size 4, .5 equals a size 6, etc. I wear a size 1.5 which is equivalent to a regular size 10. Anyway, once you wrap your head around their sizing system you are good. They go up to a size 20 and come in petite and tall as well as regular.

I like several things about these jeans. One, they fit great. Two, the fabric is quite substantial (even the white jeans are completely non-see-through). Three, they are not super skinny in the fit. I love my skinny jeans, but these have a perfect fit through the hips and legs without being skin tight or unflatteringly baggy. Goldilocks "just right".  Extremely comfortable. Don't know if you keep up with fashion trends, but things are trending away from super skinny jeans. These are usually $99, on sale now: buy 2 and they are $79 each.

Soma is a lingerie company that is owned by Chico's. In malls, the two stores are frequently adjacent. They have marvelous sleepwear and all styles of bras and underwear for every size and shape we women come in. I know I have done favorite bra posts before, but this Enbliss Bralette by Soma is probably my all-time most comfortable bra ever. No wires, no hooks. You pull it on over your head. The lack of hooks and high sides means there is no back fat or bulges at all. Whatsoever. You will look smooth as a teenager from the back in this thing. The lack of wires means you can wear it all day in total comfort. You can even sleep in it and not think about it. 

Is it feminine and sexy? Nope. The lack of underwire means you don't have the uplift and support of a bra with wires. It may not be the bra for really large bosomed gals. However, for me, there is enough support so I still look good under my clothes and the supreme comfort makes up for the lack of frills. It does come in a gazillion different colors.

You want a snug fit in this bra so it doesn't move around and holds the girls in place nicely. Sizing is XS-XXXL. This bra fits very snuggly, so you will need to size up. It's a good idea to try it on to get the right fit. Once you figure out your size (which will be a lot bigger than you think you need), you will not go back. The cups have thin removable pads that make this the perfect bra for under tee shirts. It comes in a racerback style also. It is a good deal right now at Buy One, Get One for Half Price.

These Brittany sandals are from an Israeli company called NAOT. I have several styles by this company and love the comfort and fit of them. I wear them April through October in my climate. I bought several of mine at Nordstrom, but other shoe stores carry the line as well. I think they are considered "comfort" or walking sandals but in my opinion, they have more style than most in that category.

I like this style so much I have it in three colors. The pair I wear, I have had for four years and they still look great. I liked them so much I bought them in navy suede and tan suede as well.

This is the coziest sweater you will ever own. It is the Barefoot Dreams Cozy Lite Circle Cardigan. I got mine at Nordstrom, but I have also purchased them on QVC. They come in all sorts of styles, and the sizing is very inclusive. I usually get size Large. You feel as if you are wrapped in the warmest, softest cocoon of a sweater when you put this on. Perfect for airplane travel, wearing around the house, or out to do errands. There is a good color selection.

I got this Zip Up Jacket style on QVC in dark grey and in cream. I wear it all the time with jeans and like the shorter style. You can get it on QVCs easy pay plan, which spreads out the payments. Obviously I haven't been wearing my Barefoot Dreams sweaters in our 100-degree weather, but come cooler days, they will be on regular rotation again.

Hope you enjoyed these clothing favorites. If you have tried any of them, let me know how you liked them!

Summertime Makeup and Skincare Favorites

I thought it might be fun to share some summertime favorites with you all this week. Today I will talk about some skincare and makeup products I have really been enjoying.

Skin Care

I have discovered Glossier Skin Care products, which are wonderful. At this time, I think they can only be purchased from the company's website. I have used the serum and the skin cream, which are so emollient and nurturing. My skin soaks up all the goodness they offer and has been looking really hydrated and happy since I discovered the brand. The lip balm pictured above and the hand cream are also wonderful. They currently have a combo of cleanser, skin cream, and lip balm that is a great price. If you have dry skin you will love it. Add in the serum and you will be in heaven.

Make Up

I recently heard about a tinted moisturizer that offers the best of foundation coverage as well as skin care treatment. That is Nars Pure Radiant Tinted Moisturizer SPF 30. It does have great coverage for a tinted moisturizer and feels like a skin treatment when you put it on your face. I use the shade Alaska and find that I look natural, yet my flaws are covered, and my skin feels nourished. Big thumbs up from me. Not heavy at all, and looks like my skin but better. My skin can breathe and feels very happy when I wear this.

You may have heard of Buxom cosmetics. They are particularly known for their lipglosses, which are 100% amazing. It turns out, they also make blushes, eyeshadows and bronzers which are very high quality and lovely. Their powdered shadows, blushes, and bronzers are in a great color selection and also blend flawlessly. The blushes have a slight fragrance--kind of coconut-y, tropical, vanilla-y. You can choose from peach, mauve, pink and natural color tones for the blush. I have RoofTop Tan bronzer, Havana, Mykonos, and Seychelles blushes. Their eyeshadows are lovely and the only hard thing is choosing what colors to buy. Buxom pricing is very reasonable I think. Discovering their eyeshadows is going down a rabbit hole for sure.

Volumizing, non-clumping, conditioning, vegan. Those are all the words used to describe this budget-friendly mascara by Cover Girl. I love this Lash Blast Clean formula. My eyelashes look lush and thick, but are separated and full looking. It comes off easily with a makeup wipe or remover. I am a big fan, and for less than $10 you will be too.

I think that is all for today. Come back later this week and let's talk bras, cardigans, sandals, and jeans.

 

 

 

Taking Pleasure in Small Things

I waited for the longest time, but the hummingbirds knew I was lurking and just wouldn't come to the feeder.  With these last days of summer, in the days before our annual trip to Ireland, I have been enjoying the simpler things in my life.  It has been fairly hectic, trying to prepare for the trip, check off all the "to do's", and sort out what we need to pack.  This past week I haven't had much time to blog, but I have had some time to step back, take a breath, and enjoy some of the simpler things in my life which give me so much pleasure.

Love this furball.  He is always sitting in my favorite chair when I want to sit down and read my book.

This is what I am reading right now.  Remember The Chilbury Ladies' Choir?  So good.  This is the author's "sophomore effort", and it definitely is not as good.  But still, I am enjoying it.  A curmudgeon of a middle-aged lady goes to London to search for her daughter Betty, who has gone missing during the Blitz of WW2.  She finds her daughter and a whole new outlook on life and what is important.

I pick up this memoir by Ruth Reichl when I have a chance, and so enjoy reading about her life.  The book documents her life after she was fired as the editor of Gourmet magazine, and is so interesting.  She pretty much cooked her favorite dishes for a year while she licked her wounds.

Speaking of licking, I am so in the mood for some fall-inspired food.  Last weekend, I seasoned and browned up some boneless pork chops and covered them with a mushroom cream sauce.

Is there anything more heavenly than perfectly browned and caramelized mushrooms?

Except maybe that first cup of coffee in the morning?  My favorite is Cinnabon coffee pods for the Keurig.

Or maybe sitting on the front porch to watch the sunset with a glass of wine?  Oh.  Except the dog is in my spot.

Whatever they are for you, try to enjoy the simpler things that add the most pleasure to your days.

 

 

 

My Favorite Things Winter 2019

Many of you seem to love it when I do a post on the things I have been especially enjoying lately, so here goes for Winter 2019.

Have you heard of the Yeti insulated mug?  It is brilliant for keeping hot tea or coffee hot, and for keeping iced tea or water cold.  Either way, it keeps your beverage just the right drinking temperature.  The handle feels so good in your hand as well.  Someone gave us a no-handle cup called Corkscicle that is supposed to do the same thing only for keeping wine cold, but it works great for keeping coffee hot too.  However  I fear folks might think me one step away from the Betty Ford Clinic if I am always carrying the wine cup around.

This is the "Wet" brush.  It is just what you need to painlessly get tangles out of wet hair.  It is essential if you have a grand daughter who screeches bloody blue murder if you try to brush her hair.  Works great on wet or dry hair.  Like buttah.

Another hair related item.  This is the Revlon One Step Hair Dryer Brush.  You can't tell so well from the picture, but the brush part is kind of ovoid in shape.  I use this when my hair is 90% dry, to straighten it out.  It takes less than ten minutes, and you will look as though you spent a half hour blow drying your hair.  It is great for people who have wavy or curly hair, who like a straight look.  I like it so much I bought one with a UK plug to keep at my son's house in Ireland.  It is a teensy bit noisy and gets pretty hot, but you can use a lower setting option.

I am living in these pull on jegging style jeans from Talbots.  The waistband is wide and flat (and does not roll one bit), and you easily can pull these jeans up with no bulky zipper poking out in front.  The high waist prevents any sort of muffin top, and you will be smooth as can be under your tees and tops.  Very sleek.  I find them to be super comfortable and that they do not bag out, even though they have plenty of stretch built into them.  They are a regular denim weight, and not flimsy at all.  On sale right now as well if you buy more than one.  They have a choice of washes, so I'd say, buy two!  They also come in petite and plus sizes.

Have you noticed the Soap & Glory brand at Target and Walmart?  You can also get this line of products from Amazon or Ulta.  They offer a large selection of very good quality, reasonably priced toiletries such as lotions and cleansers.  The Peaches and Clean facial cleanser is a real favorite of mine, and is under $11 for a huge container.  It smells so good you might be tempted to eat it.  But don't do that.

Next is a new lip product that is pricey ($26), but just divine.  Bobbi Brown calls this a "swipe and go no fuss lipstick".  The new Crushed Lip Color is a cross between a gloss and a regular lipstick.  You apply it with a doe foot applicator, and it lasts for quite awhile.  It isn't sticky, it doesn't dry out your lips at all, and in fact, feels like a lip treatment.  It comes in a ton of colors, and is really wonderful.  I got mine at Macy's.

Now, if you would rather pay $8 for almost the exact same thing, this Revlon "Kiss Plumping Lip Creme" is a very close dupe. Very comparable formula, and similar colors to the more luxurious brand.   It comes in a squeezy tube, and can be found at most drug stores.  

Lastly, if you like a cup of good tea, I think you might like Harney and Sons Victorian London Fog.  It is under $11 for 30 tea sachets, and is just so comforting and delicious on these cold damp days we have been having.  It is a black and oolong mix with bergamot oil, and a bit of lavender and vanilla overtones.  Very similar to Earl Grey, but fancied up a notch.

Hope you enjoyed this list of some of the things that are making me happy these days!

Thank You

Thank you from the bottom of my heart to all of you who commented on my Twelfth Anniversary post.  It has been so rewarding to have you follow along on my journey these past years and I hope we can continue our relationship for many more.  I love sharing my love of quilting, family tidbits, decorating, books and recipes with you.

Speaking of which, I have a recipe that I hope you might enjoy.  It has been so rainy, stormy and windy this month that I have turned  more often than not to filling, nourishing soups and stews that leave me feeling all cozy inside.  This recipe for Beef Barley soup is one of them.  Bon appetit!

Beef Barley Soup

1 pound beef stew meat, cut into small chunks, and dredged in flour and Lawry's Seasoning Salt
olive oil 
1/2 lb sliced mushrooms
1/2 half onion, diced
2 carrots, diced
1 32 oz box Swanson's Beef Broth, low sodium
1/2 c uncooked barley
1 tsp fresh thyme, diced
salt and pepper to taste

Season beef in flour and Lawry's Seasoning Salt.  Brown in 1 T. olive oil.  When nicely browned, remove from pan.  In remaining oil, add mushrooms, onion, carrots and saute until softened.  Add more olive oil if necessary.  Sprinkle with a bit more flour if desired, to thicken ( no more than 1 T.).  When veggies are softened, add box of broth, reserved beef, barley and thyme.  Bring just to a boil, reduce heat to simmer, cover and cook for 30-40 minutes, until thickened and barley is cooked through.  Season to taste with salt and pepper.  Add more broth if you like.  Serves 4 generously.

Have a great weekend everyone!  Dreaming of drier and warmer days here.

Too Cute Not To Share

Have you heard of Fat Quarter Shop's Sew Sampler boxes?  I have been hearing from various sources that they are a very good value and extremely fun. Supposedly the contents are at least a $65 value, and the cost for the box is $25.  I took the plunge, signed up, just received my first box and could not be more pleased.   So here is what is inside:

Nice presentation with the packaging echoing the color scheme of what is underneath.

A "Jolly Bar" of Corey Yoder's Pepper and Flax fabric.  In this particular pre-cut, which is exclusive to FQS, you get 42 5" x 10" cuts of each fabric in the collection.  This is the perfect size for most mini quilts, including Schnibbles and Little Bites.  It amounts to the same thing as half a layer cake or two charm packs.  You can do a lot with that.

Including making this small quilt from the pattern they give you.  You would need to purchase the background and border fabric obviously.  I am thinking what a cute table runner or square topper this would make.

And how about this?  A set of Alphabitties labels, a Creative Grids ruler, and two spools of Aurifil thread!

Last, but not least, a block pattern for the Barn Block Quilt Sew Along FQS is sponsoring.  There will be 12 of these block patterns.  There are a lot of pieces in this block, so I can see how the Alphabitties would be a big help in keeping them organized.

I added the prices of all these items if purchased individually, and it came to over $67 including tax.  It was lovely to receive the box, and I felt as if I were getting a present.  The contents were very thoughtfully curated, with items that went together and were very Springy in color and theme.  I am quite happy with it, and can't wait to get June's box!  If you call Fat Quarter Shop and sign up over the phone, you can probably still get your hands on this May box.  

April Favorites

I thought it might be fun to start a new monthly blog post of things that I really enjoyed over the course of the month.  I'll start with this past month of April, and share a number of items (books, cosmetics, recipes, tv shows, household things, sewing accessories etc) that you might appreciate as well.

Let's start with the jeans I want to wear every.single.day.  These are the Boyfriend Jeans by NYDJ.  I got mine at Nordstrom a few months ago and paid full price.  But guess what?  They seem to be on sale at the moment.  You can also get them on Amazon.  These are style 2028.  They have a high rise, are not distressed at all, have a longer length (just above the ankle) and are not the baggy boyfriend style that a lot of brands seem to offer.  The fit is slightly relaxed, but still slim.  If you can't find this style in your size, just keep trying other NYDJ styles until you find one you like.  Both Macy's and Nordstrom have a large selection of styles to try on.  They are my favorite brand of jeans, bar none.

These little navy flats are by Born and are only available at Macy's.  And they are on sale.  Regularly $90, on sale for $63.  Navy blue shoes in just the right shade are impossible to find, so if you've been wanting some, jump on it.  Born is such a high quality, comfortable brand.

These cleansing wipes from Sephora are wonderful for the first step in removing your makeup.  I love the Coconut Water variety, but they have at least six "flavors" to choose from.  Each variety has different claims.  The coconut is "soothing and relaxing", the rose is "moisturizing and brightening" etc.  They are only $7.50 and I like them much better than the brands you can find at the drugstore.

After my first swipe with the coconut cleansing wipes I wash my face thoroughly.  My favorite cleanser at the moment is the Bobbi Brown Soothing Cleansing Oil, which not only cleans my face and removes all makeup, but leaves my skin feeling soft and moisturized.  I have repurchased this many times.  It is on sale right now too, at Macys.  I have never seen this product on sale and it is 15% off currently.  $39 instead of $46.

Last of the cosmetics I promise.  I purchased two new Hourglass eyeshadow palettes at Nordstrom recently, and while pricey ($58), they may be the best eye shadows I have ever owned.  Creamy, blendable, smooth, long lasting, great colors...I love these.  The one at the top is "Ravine" (neutral browns) and the lower one is "Expose" (plum, mauve, grey).

This is the new pink "Splash" rotary cutter by Olfa.  I got mine at Fat Quarter Shop for $16.48.  It is the style that has the easy change blade.  I found I could not resist this fun pink color, even though I have a bazillion rotary cutters.

This is a recipe for slow cooked Korean Beef, from the website Damn Delicious.  I am always looking for great crock pot recipes and this one will be in regular rotation at my house.  Basically, you buy a nice boneless chuck roast and cut it up and put it in the crock pot with some other seasonings for 8 hours on low or 4 hours on high.  The only thing I did different from the recipe instructions was to brown the beef ahead of dumping it in the slow cooker.  It made tons, the house smelled delicious all day and the family loved it.

The BBC tv series "Howards End" is absolutely outstanding.  I believe there are four episodes total, and we have watched the first three.  It is just so good.  The acting is great, the costumes and set designs are incredible.  You will just immerse yourself in the story and find the hour has sped by like lightning.


 "The Observations" is a book by Jane Harris, which I thoroughly enjoyed. Set in 19th century Scotland, this book's main character Bessie Buckley, is not someone you will soon forget.  The book is written from her point of view, which is totally hilarious at times.  Bessie definitely has a checkered past, despite her young age.  She finds employment as a maid with a very eccentric woman who wants her to write down her daily experience in a journal, as well as submit herself to some odd experiments.  Darkly funny at times, some hint of the supernatural, and a bit of mystery.  Think of the character Moll Flanders set in a Sarah Waters book. I liked it so much I read another book by the same author.

Set in turn of the century Glasgow, "Gillespie and I" tells the story of a well to do London woman who befriends a Scottish artist and his family and the saga of the situation that befalls them all.  The narrator is unreliable, to say the least, and you will find yourself wondering at every turn of the page who might have been responsible for what.  A great read.

Hope you enjoyed this list of current favorites!  I am on vacation with the family right now, but will get back to regular posting next week.