{Beauty Tuesday} Nailed It

I shall never profess to be a hand model of any sort, but household craft supplies lent me a spark of creativity and I concocted this precious idea to shake up a boring old DIY manicure. Look at me, being innovative.

Start off with clean, filed-down nails. Apply one layer of base coat to each nail.

Paint on one coat of matte black or dark grey. Wait at least half an hour for it to dry (this is where outdated Disney movies come in handy) and then apply another coat of the same shade. I personally like to wait for a day so I know my nails are completely dry, but the incredibly impatient are welcome to just sit still for another half hour or so.

Find some cute little stickers in the junk drawer, preferably with an interesting edge. Flowers like these aren't too complex a pattern, so they're easy to use.

Lightly place the stickers over the [completely dry!] coat of black polish and press down the edges to prevent creating a lip with the next layer. Paint a neon, metallic, or pastel shade atop the whole nail, painting over the stickers as well. Allow this coat to dry completely, then use tweezers to slowly peel off the stickers.

Finish up with a layer of clear top coat and allow this layer to dry. Now, go show off your cool hands.

Most days I have a rough time deciding what to make for lunch. Therefore, many of those days I give up and forgo the daytime meal. This, my dears, is a poor choice. I would advise you to learn from my mistakes and act in the opposite manner. Eat lunch. If you're like me in that you suffer from midday apathy, here's a manageable sandwich that won't cost you $45 or any of that hard-earned muscle tone.

Stuff a halved, split pita or flat bread with the following:
2 slices thinly sliced roast beef, turkey, or chicken
A leaf of lettuce
A halved slice of provolone or swiss cheese
1/4 cup broccoli slaw
1/4 cup alfalfa sprouts
1 tablespoon reduced-fat ranch dressing

Pair with a handful of cracker chips and a tall glass of ice water, and don't forget to raise that perfectly manicured pinky.

Happy painting! 

{How To} Get Your Act Together

As some of you may have noticed, last week I was a particularly skimpy blogger in comparison to the previous week or two of consistency. Alarmingly Charming was busy as can be working our (cute) little tails off in preparation for Friday night's WhySound show with the incredibly talented Sofia Talvik and our fellow locals, Hoodoo, and after a slammin' event and too much excitement for one Andrea Alexis to handle, I was wiped out. So, against my better judgement I convinced myself to take a personal day...or weekend...or whatever.

Generally when you imagine taking a few days off work, you're either lying in bed wailing of ailment or carelessly heli-skiing in the Swiss Alps. Fortunately for my health and safety, my downtime was spent in neither category. Instead, I was efficiently and peacefully readjusting all the areas of my life I had given slack due to other obligations. Seems a bit counterintuitive, right? Using the few days you've allotted yourself to do whatever-the-heck-you-want to work? Nah. It puts you ahead. I've learned that it is one hundred percent possible to relax and get things done at the same time. You simply have to go about it the right way.

Here's how to put your soul at ease while fixing the forsaken pieces:

1. Accept the right to spend a couple hours on your own. It's always nice to spend time with friends and family, but without any alone time our sanity deteriorates more than we realize. It really and truly is okay to be by yourself for a short while. Try going outside and taking a walk. Fresh air does tremendous things!

2. Drink water. And lots of it. Water is positively miraculous in every way.

3. Cook yourself a healthy meal. We always turn to quick, easy junk food on lazy days, but cooking is a calming activity and you will truly feel better eating fruits and veggies and whole grains and white meat than including lettuce and tomato on your Big Mac to make it feel healthier.

4. Get an adequate amount of sleep. I'm certainly not one to be dishing out this kind of advice, as I tend to function at a higher level on slightly less sleep than is on average recommended. However, it's physically impossible (and stupid) to try and do your best when you get three hours of sleep each night. So please, even my fellow night owls, shoot for the eight-hour moon at least once in your life.

5. Give your face a break. Take a hot bath, wash your face and hair, slather on lotion and a deep conditioner, and leave it at that. No makeup or hair products for a day is good for you. If you're looking to help out acne-prone skin, whip up 1/2 cup plain oatmeal like you'd normally make it and mix in one raw egg and a tablespoon of lemon juice. Spread it on your face and wash it off after half an hour. To moisturize dry skin, mash up half an avocado with two tablespoons of aloe vera gel and leave on for 20 minutes. I also like to scrub my skin all over once every week or so with three tablespoons of olive oil and 1/2 cup sugar or salt. Trust me, this works wonders.

6. Stretch or do yoga. Slow, steady exercise improves balance in every aspect of your life.

7. Write in your journal. It doesn't have to be terribly detailed, but catch up with yourself. I write religiously, but if once a month is all you can manage, that's just fine. A journal keeps you in check and lets you get all your thoughts down on paper. I've worked out many of my issues just by writing them down.


8. Rearrange your living space. Even hanging a new picture or moving your desk to another spot in the room can refresh your whole outlook. This is my go-to activity when I feel like I'm stuck in a rut or when I've been stressed. Sometimes all we need is a small change to get us motivated for bigger and better things, or even to face the challenges of each week.


9. Speak sparingly. A day of vocal rest is so precious to me, especially before and after shows. It always helps me to realize how little talking is actually necessary for communication. We as a society seem to jabber and raise our voices so much more than we need to. Speak quietly and less often than you might normally. And practice thinking before you open your mouth!

10. Play. It's really more simple than you think - just enjoy yourself! To laugh and be silly is the advice I most often give to anyone who's feeling exhausted or under the weather. I used to be so easily embarrassed until I learned that it's not a crime to laugh at myself. Every day is full of things worth smiling about, so take advantage of it.

Most importantly, take your time. Notice the details that you normally wouldn't give a second glance. You'll be surprised by how quickly you regain your sanity and happiness. A day off spent working on yourself needn't be a momentous occasion. Just allow life to run its course for a little while and absorb the good things that come your way.

Happy renewing!