Encouragement

On a bit-sized fashion blog?

Is it necessary?

Why yes, it is.

Even beauty and fashion bloggers get knocked down.

In fact, we probably need it the most.

Good luck to you.

 

 

Black and White vs. Color (Fashion Blog Post)

I don't feel like I'm good enough for my husband.

I felt the worst when we first became serious. It took him only one date to make a commitment. Couldn't understand what appealed to him so much: he's great; I'm so-so; and that's fact. People closest to us, however, seemed to think that we fit so right together. 

"You are perfect for each other," his mom confessed after seeing us together for the first time. But even with my future mother-in-law's approval, I still felt self-conscious.

It's not self-deprecation talking; it's what I had to measure up to: his ex.

I'll call her Miss X. She's the Epitome of Success!

First off, she came from scholarly prestige: her Father triple-majored at ... where else? ... Harvard. He was also a Rhodes Scholar. Her Mother graduated from ... where else? ... Yale. Her uncle wrote books that sold well. If you watch the History Chanel, you've probably seen him. Her siblings work on Wall Street. They make a lot of money. Her Grandmother built an empire. Her Great Uncle did too.

You get the picture.

And the girl herself. Oh my God. 

Cool Infographic

#TRUTH!

Happy Hump Day!

What I'm Loving Right Now (Beauty and Skin Care Blog Post)

Hi there!

Been a long time. Hope you're doing well.

I've been busy--and am too busy to elaborate.

So, onto what I'm loving right now...

1. Aveeno Positively Ageless Night Cream

Like what Cameron Diaz said, there is "no such thing as anti-aging." But, there is good skin care for mature skin. To help with heavy moisture-loss during sleep, applying night cream is a must.

Most night cream are heavy in feel, but this Aveeno night cream, made with noncomedogenic formula, feels light and easy. The purchase was a good choice, and I definitely recommend it.

   

Solid-Blocking (Fashion Blog Post)

Jack of all trades, master of none.

Miss HR was a cool girl. 

I met her at a previous work place, a tiny consulting firm that no longer exists, and we immediately hit it off. Whenever I was in between projects, she proposed to my manager that I attend college job fairs with her.

I wasn't qualified to hire anyone, of course, but Miss HR liked my company, and Mr. Manager liked the exposure his department was going to receive. So I went, and had a good time with Miss HR.

During one of the job fairs...

...a young man, all dressed up and looking important, came to talk to us. According to him, he was THE-MAN: master psychologist, astute manager, genius engineer, communications expert...I don't remember everything, because it was a looooooooooong list.

"Check out this guy!" I exclaimed, "he's so smart!"

Miss HR, who was much savvier than I was, looked rather unimpressed. She leaned over and whispered, "Jack of all trades, master of none."

 

 

Ouch! (For him.)

Jewelry Making - Fun with the Preschooler (Fashion Blog Post)

Bored with a preschool-aged girl?

One cure is doing crafts--and specifically making jewelry. If you have a little girlie girl, she'll most likely adore making her own necklaces and bracelets. It's easy to do, doesn't require a ton of money, and supplies are sold everywhere. Head to Michael's, or any local craft store, you'll find a jewelry-making section with assortments of beads, wires, tools and other shiny objects.

I started with our daughter Jo when she was three and tell you what, it's one of the funnest projects we do. Not only is the kid being entertained--and we all know how hard that is with young ones--she learns from the experience as well.

Evil Teenage Girls (Fashion Blog Post)

Instead of being happy for me, frenemies said that my daughter will be an evil teenage girl.

Not in the exact same words, but I knew what they meant. I knew their intention too--to get me worried and arouse a negative reaction, even though the timing was right after I found out that our firstborn was going to be a girl, and I had just weathered three painful years of infertility.

They said that teenage girls are hormonal, and mean, and will cause a lot of trouble just for attention.

They could be right. My daughter could become an evil teenage girl.

Instantaneous Length - Benefits of Hair Extension (Beauty Blog Post)

Fuller hair can be faked.

No joke.

My stylist from a few years ago participated in a traveling stylist group that sent him to L.A to style the stars. Yes! The super-glam type who walked on the Red Carpet. According to him, their secret to hair volume is using extensions.

"Oh! Nicole Richie, Brittany Spears...they all use extensions," he said, "I was just doing Nicole's hair last weekend...it was...like...all extensions!"

No wonder she always looks so, um, va-va-voom!

After feeling pretty impressed that he knew Nicole Richie on a first-name basis, I also felt a little shocked that extensions are so popular. Then, I started noticing a lot of beauty blog posts about hair extensions over blogosphere. They really are popular!

However, not all extensions are the same.

Post Memorial Day Clean Eating Meal Plan - and HIIT bonus!

Breakfast

Oatmeal Banana Peanut Butter Smoothie

Ingredients

• 1 banana, chopped
• 1 table spoon of all-natural peanut butter
• 1/2 cup of cooked organic oatmeal
• 1 table spoon of real maple syrup
• 1 cup of organic unsweetened almond milk
• 1/2 tea spoon of real vanilla extract
• 1 cup of ice

Directions

Add everything into a blender, and blend til' smooth.

Enjoy!

Happy (Almost) Summer! (Fashion Blog Post)

Just a few days til' Memorial Day.

I can't wait! Though there's rain in the weekend forecast, Seattle's seen nothing but blue skies this week. All this cheerful weather leads ideas to summer dressing.

Cute shorts and shoulder-bearing tops? 

Um...yes please!

Happy Friday!

And Happy (Almost) Summer!

Relaxed (Fashion Blog Post)

Do you miss Seattle?

A few people have asked. 

Of course I do! The city is raw, and lively, and has layers and layers to peel. It's always moving, ever evolving. You dream so much bigger there.

Look across the Sound. Possibilities are endless. 

 

But I also don't miss the city.

Clean Eating Meal Plan - Fit Friday's Sample

Breakfast

Banana loves avocado smoothie (makes 2)

1 frozen banana, chopped
1/2 avocado, peeled, de-cored and diced
1/2 cup of frozen Greek yogurt
3 cups of unsweetened organic almond milk
1 tea spoon of honey
1/2 tea spoon of vanilla extract

 

Add everything in a blender, and blend til' smooth.

Enjoy.

 

 

Mid Morning Snack

Roasted pistachios

 

 

Lunch

Double the protein, triple the green (makes 1)

1/2 cup of organic firm tofu, diced
4 ounces of cooked organic chicken breast, diced
2 cups of shredded lettuce
1 cup of cooked sweet peas
1/2 cup of cucumber
Fresh parsley to garnish
2 table spoons of Greek yogurt salad dressing

 

1. Lay shredded lettuce on a plate, then top with cucumber, sweet peas, chicken and tofu.
2. Garnish with parsley, and add dressing.

 

 

Mid Afternoon Snack

 

 Fresh watermelon.

Dinner

 

Chicken in homemade peanut sauce, with broccoli (makes 2-3)

Ingredients for sauce:

1 cup of coconut milk
1 cup of almond milk
1/8 cup of Thai curry powder
1/2 cup of all-natural peanut butter
1/4 tea spoon of lite and all-natural soy sauce
1/4 cup of organic agave nectar
1 table spoon of dark vinegar 

 

 Ingredients for chicken:

8 ounces of organic chicken breast, sliced into strips
1 table spoon of cooking wine
1 table spoon of olive oil
1 broccoli head, cut with head only

 

Cooking instructions:

1. Start with peanut sauce by heating sauce pan on high, and adding coconut milk, almond milk, curry powder, peanut butter, soy sauce, agave and vinegar. (If you want sauce thicker, then stir in 1-2 table spoons of corn starch mixed with water.)
2. Stir for about 1 minute. Reduce heat and let simmer for 3-5 minutes. Set sauce aside.
3. Now, you need to marinade chicken strips. Do so by add chicken, cooking wine and 1 cup of peanut sauce in a mixing bowl.
4. Marinade for at least 2 hours. (I prefer over night.)
5. To cook chicken strips, place broiler rack at 6 inches from heat source.
6. Preheat on broil - high.
7. On cooking sheet, grease with olive oil.
8. Lay chicken strips and broccoli evenly on cooking sheet.
9. Broil for 5 min.
10. Take it out, flip chicken to the other side.
11. Broil for another 3-5 minutes.
12. Done.

 

 

Thanks for reading!

Hope you picked up some clean eating ideas from today's post.

Happy Fit Friday!

For-profit blog. Non-profit post.

The Girlie Blog is a for-profit blog. My other blogs and websites are for-profit too.

None of them make a huge profit -- and with the increasing demands of motherhood they makes even less now -- but they make something, and I'm happy about that. 

Earning, after tax, goes towards sustaining the sites themselves (hosting, SEO, research, marketing, etc.), as well as kids' extracurricular projects and activities that my husband and I would otherwise think twice about spending money on.

For-profit blogs are often frowned upon.

It's been a controversy in the blogging community for a long time. Whatever opinions you have, I respect. However, do realize that many, many NON-PROFIT blogs are written to drive traffic to for-profit businesses and services. (I've actively studied the IM forums for years; I know what goes on.) These bloggers often disclose their real names that can be easily found through social platforms like Linkedin, or post links to businesses they support. These blogs scream so righteously that they are non-profit, but indirectly they make quite a pretty penny.

Why. So. Sneaky.

This blog is for-profit.

I proudly disclose that, and urge you to do the same. There is no shame in getting paid for the hard work you do. At least you're not paying five dollars to a kid in a third world country to pump out really bad content that you'll stuff with keywords -- and on a .org too.

Once in a while, for-profit blogs do non-profits deeds.

What I'm Loving Right Now (Skincare, Beauty and Fashion Blog Post)

1. Chain-rimmed bags

If you're aiming for an edgier style, but don't want to draw too far outside of the box, adding metal details is a great way to go.

I found the bag below on clearance at Marshall's. MSRP's $98 but sale price was $30. It's a great tote -- clean n' simple, but still alternative-looking with neatly aligned metal chains.

2. Summer-y prints

While May in most places in the U.S signifies summer's arrival, May in Seattle is still cold and rainy. Even with this week's surprise sun break, we Seattllites know that this is merely a tease.

Well, rain or shine, we still love to wear vibrant hues and summer-y prints. Sky's blah but not our clothes.

See all the colors in my 8-dollar skirt below? Blindingly exciting, right?

3. ROC facial cleanser

Always appreciate multi-purpose products.

This ROC cleanser is great in that it cleans but also exfoliates. The formula creates a bit of a foam through gentle rubbing, and the micro-beads do a great job exfoliating. I thoroughly enjoyed the refreshing sensation after use.

4. Biore self heating charcoal mask

Charcoal is the new rage in skin care right now, and I'm not surprised. When activated, charcoal becomes quite absorbing of surrounding particles. (Ever seen burning charcoal and how it kind of suctions itself until near disappearance?) When charcoal mask is applied and heated on skin, it vacuums impurities from pores.

This Biore mask was neat. After wetting fingers with warm water, you rub the gooey formula on, and it heats up instantly to absorb dirt and oil. It leaves a tingly sensation that feels fresh and clean.

5. Pastel polishes

It's spring. It's fine to wear pastels.

The Essie polish below is in the color "To Buy or Not to Buy." I don't know why makeup has such complicated names, but they sound charming and girlie, so I guess it's all-good.

Thanks for reading.

Happy May Day!

Mother's Day Present Ideas (Fashion Blog Post)

Hello girlies. 

How's your week going so far? 

Seattle has been blessed with sunshine lately, and I've been taking the girls to a quaint beach on the Northeastern border of Lake Washington called Juanita Beach. There's not much there, but the place is serene and scenic, and offers hiking trails, dirt-sand beach, play ground, and a shopping strip full of local coffee shops, boutique stores and restaurants.

Mommy's tired, but the girls had a wonderful few days in the sun.

Today we came home around three, and while the toddler napped upstairs...

and the 3-year-old played in the yard, I opened up my email box to find messages about Mother's Day sales.

Couldn't believe it! Is it almost Mother's Day already?!?!?

There was also an email about a sponsor offer on a jewelry store called Chic Jewelry. Of course, I checked it out.

About Chic Jewelry

Chic Jewelry specializes in high-end cubic zirconia jewelry. Now I understand that the word "cubic zirconia" sounds rather cheap, Chic Jewelry is, however, anything but. The store prides itself on the quality of its jewelry. Its website claims that "While other synthetic gem manufacturers have disappointed customers with cloudy, brittle jewelry, we have impressed ours with a clarity and color so perfect, it’s hard to tell a difference between our CZ stones and the real thing."

In fact, Chic Jewelry has such high quality that some of its merchandise cost in the thousands.

I took a look at their web site, and found amazing pieces that are good enough even for mom.

Below are a few items I've picked out to consider as Mother's Day present. They're beautiful, thoughtful and certainly not cheap-looking. I hope you read on to see each one of them.

Clean Eating Meal Plan - Happy Fit Friday!

Breakfast

Banana and Almond Smoothie

- 1  frozen banana, chopped

- 2 medjool dates, pitted and chopped

- 1/4 cup of roasted and salted almonds

- 1 cup of unsweetened organic almond milk

Blend til' smooth.

 

Old Friend (Fashion Blog Post)

Do you have a lot of friends?

I bet you do. You have probably always been popular.

I don't have a lot of friends.

I intend not to. I have a lot of acquaintances, but only a handful of people, outside of family, that I can completely trust and call real friends.

Quality over quantity--to me that's important.

Smart Skin Care - My Diamond Microdermabrasion Facial at SkinSpirit Skincare Clinic & Spa (Skin Care Blog Post)

The modern woman wants more than just a facial.

She wants luxurious experience, individualized attention, and most of all, knowledge. She doesn't want someone just cleaning and picking her face; instead, she wants an expert, with credible background and advanced tools, to care for her skin.

The whisper on the street is that women are technically-challenged.

Do you think it's true?

I'm gonna stay out of this argument today, and let the gung-ho feminists handle it. However, I do think that when it comes to their skin, women get extremely technical, as long as there's genuine interest.

And because women get technical about their skin...

SkinSpirit Skincare Clinic & Spa was founded on the winning idea of combining "cutting-edge technology and a luxurious spa-like setting." Owned and supervised by Stanford-trained, board-certified plastic surgeon Dr. M. Dean Vistnes, SkinSpirit Skincare Clinic & Spa not only offers aesthetically-pleasing results, but also industry leaders' knowledge base and modern procedures. It's run by experts in skin care who truly care about their craft -- and that's what sets SkinSpirit above the rest.

I never thought my blog was good enough to be noticed by businesses around Seattle.

Buy Shoes Online (Fashion Blog Post)

I like buying shoes online.

I like it better than buying clothes online. Different brands of clothes have different sizing. Shoes are almost always sized the same. 

Another reason why I like buying shoes online is because it saves time. Nowadays, with two little ones, I have no spare time to fight traffic, drive to the stores, and shop around for bargains. Online shopping enables me to browse around, find the best deals and make a purchase with no effort what-so-ever.

If you buy shoes online, Peltz Shoes is a good store to try. It carries some of the top brands today, like Aerosoles, CL by Chinese Laundry, Crocs and Clarks, and offers competitive prices. (Start with the "sales" tab, and you'll find appealing choices.) Also, all orders over $69.99 get free shipping.

The store offers shoes for men, kids and toddlers. It's a family-friendly place.

One of the features I like about this site is that it allows you to search by size, color and even width. If you have wide feet like me, you understand my dilemma: even if shoes are of the right size, they still feel uncomfortably snug.  

At last, a few of what I recommend from Peltz Shoes. Please tell me that they are absolutely adorable!

 Women's Madden Girl Getta Pump

Everyone needs a pair of cute pumps - for work or play.

 Women's Sperry Slip On

How cute is the nautical print! I'll be wearing these everyday in the summer.

Sketcher's Heart Bob Slip On's

Looks comfy. Sketchers are the best. Plus, the chevron print is so in right now.

 

Sam Edelman Penrose Ankle Boot

How cool are these booties! Love the tough-looking buckles in the back, as well as the ever-so-stylish camo print.

 

Vibram Five Fingers KSO EVO Training Shoes

I've heard so much about these, and can't wait to try them. Supposedly, they are great for running.

 

My favorite are probably the short booties.

What's yours?

Thanks for visiting.

Happy Easter!