Hello, friend. Good morning! Only two more sleeps till October. That’s just crazy to me.
So I was outside watering the plants on my deck this morning, a.k.a. the Lady Sanctuary, and I’m trying to figure out what the heck I’m gonna do with that space later this fall and winter… The plants are still hanging on, but they won’t be much longer.
Every summer I plant a lush little cat-safe garden back there (it’s on the deck off my bedroom, which is above the deck that has the Tabby Command Center), and every year I just let the plants slowly wither through the winter, mostly because I don’t hang out much on the deck when it’s cold, not that it really gets THAT cold in the Bay Area, but still… Cold enough to not want to be out there.
But it’s kind of depressing when I open my bedroom curtains around Christmas and see a bunch of sad, dead foliage, so maybe if I jooj-ed it up with some fall and winter plants, I’d be motivated enough to take care of them? I dunno… I don’t know anything about gardening in winter. Maybe I should start with a winter test garden with just three or four plants? What do you think? I know there are a bunch of gals here on MBB who are kindred spirits with ‘ze plants. Please halp.
Hmm… While I contemplate botany and breakfast, here are some articles to get you going on this lovely Caturday.
- Makeup is a full-body, 360-degree thing when makeup artists prepare celebs for the stage or red carpet. Not only do artists have to consider their clients’ faces, but also their arms, necks and feet!
- Most American men don’t wear makeup, but that might be changing, as more and more men look at makeup and beauty as part of “self care.”
- Dust off your old pink velour tracksuit (the one you wore EVERYWHERE in 1999), because Juicy Couture’s coming out with a new makeup line.
- NYX just launched a library of beauty how-to videos called Masterclass, where you can learn from industry artists like Patrick Ta (he does makeup for Gigi Hadid; I’ve been following his career since forever!), as well as popular YouTube influencers.
- Why is dating app Bumble releasing a skin care line? Maybe their reasons are similar to 7-Eleven’s. Many large companies that previously didn’t have any ties to the fashion or cosmetics worlds are coming out with their own beauty products or collaborating with beauty brands.
- I’m totally not a nail art person (I’m so bad at it, unless it’s basic), but I think I have the skills to handle this Sharpie manicure.
- Photography stalwart Canon’s latest printer does a bunch of cool things, but most importantly, IT PRINTS OUT NAIL ART.
- A Swedish grocery chain just released a fragrance that smells like rotten milk… Eau du no thanks!
- Do you like surprises? If you do, you might love the new mystery kits Sephora is releasing for the holidays.
- —–> Favorite story of the week
- If you merged foundation with tinted moisturizer, you’d get this.
- Sephora and Ulta’s fight for the $48.3 billion makeup industry…
The history behind Sephora and Ulta in the US and their ongoing battle for customers
ENJOY
Nope, I’m not crying.
Gorgeous. On repeat at the moment.
See ya later! 🙂
Your friendly neighborhood beauty addict,
Karen
What about mums? They’re a fall hardy plant here and have really pretty blooms!
Hi Rachel,
I love the mums but it doesn’t appear that they’re cat safe. *sad face* Tatiana suggested lavender so I will probably get one of those when I go to the gardening store!
How’s your weekend going? Doing anything fun?
Oooh lavender is so pretty and smells so good. Plus bees love it! I am about to go out to sushi with my boyfriend and another couple! Yummy!
Oh, have fun! I love sushi. Enjoy your date night. 🙂
Two suggestions for your garden deck. A french lavender. They’re drought resistant, so if you forget to water them for a week they do ok. They bloom in the spring through summer and when you cut back the blossoms you can leave them in a bowl for potpourri. And the silvery gray green leaves look pretty all year round. Or if you have an Indian grocery around you, try to find an Indian Curry leaf tree. Dear Husband and Dear Daughter got me a small potted one for Mother’s Day one year. It out grew the pot. I transferred it. Thought I killed it. The roots grow out the bottom of the pot into the plot of ground I had it on. Thought I killed it getting it out of that pot. It came back. It’s close to 6 ft tall now. They don’t like dry soil, but they also don’t like super soggy soil. They do extremely well in the summer heat and like to be protected a bit in the winter. Best of all you can use the leaves in Indian dishes like butter chicken, tikka masala, Delhi chicken, okra masala, etc. It’s a very pretty, tropical looking tree and does well in large pots.
Just got a text with a selfie from Dear Daughter. She just finished survival school and is in the van back to civilization. She is beyond filthy and looks a bit tired. But she made it!!!
I will definitely get a lavender (or two or maybe even three). I’ve had them before and know they’re cat safe so, yay! Will keep an eye out for the Curry Leaf Tree because it’s sounds like something I’d love (and I’d want to get one for my dad too).
So glad your daughter’s well! I’m curious to know what they ate during their time out in the wild.
Definitely mums for the Lady Sanctuary (if they’re recommended for your USDA zone). And if you really want to go full-on Fall, maybe a small haybale (Joann’s or Michael’s) and a couple of pumpkins from TJ’s! (Fall decorating is the best!)
I’ll admit to being a bit of a makeup snob, but I love me some NYX, so I’m excited to watch those videos. And to do the Sharpie manicure. I’ll have to show it to my niece; I bet she ends up doing it for homecoming in a couple of weeks, lol.
That Neutrogena Hydroburst Gel Cream is, in fact, the bomb, just as you said.
So glad you like the Gel Cream! Did you get the scented or unscented version?
I would love to plant mums but unfortunately I’m not sure if they’re cat safe. Not that Tabs would want to hang on the deck in the winter (he’s become quite the diva in his advanced age), but I still have to anticipate him darting out there. I love the idea of a haybale though! I was just at Michael’s and saw some out in the front. BTW Michael’s is having a 50% off sale on lots of items today (including Halloween decor)! I got a bunch of baskets for my living room.
I got the unscented. I liked the scent, but a lot of perfumes and dyes irritate my skin. I never know which will and which won’t, so I tend to just go unscented.
You’re right, I just looked it up and mums are toxic for cats. We can’t have sweet Tabs accidentally poisoned while Patrolling The Perimeter. (That’s what we say our J is doing when she lays outside in the sunshine, occasionally barking at a passing delivery man.)
The unscented one is great. I like it for days when I’m wearing a heavier scent, like Tom Ford Vanille Fatale. So glad you like it!
Oh, and I’m sure J. has good reason for putting the delivery people in place! How dare they disturb her sweet slumber? THE NERVE.
I am not a plant person, so no advice there. But I adore the video of the cat with the Halloween hand. I’ve watched it several times this week and sent it to my cat people friends.
I met my friend’s teeny 12 week old daughter today – she was 7 weeks premature so she’s little – and she was wearing a tiny denim jacket with all these cute patches that said “cat lady,” “girl gang,” “riots not diets,” and one of a cat giving middle fingers. It was amazing. And her little sneakers had cat shaped shoe tongues. She has two kitty big brothers, you’d love her.
Wow! That video on Sephora and Ulta was really interesting. Learn something new all the time.
I wish I had plant advice for winter but it gets so cold (by cold I mean single digit numbers lol) plants would get on a plane to the beach lol!
Hi Karen, winter flowering pansies and violas are lovely. They are so colourful and cheerful looking. I grow mine in pots and hanging baskets so I can have them near the house and see them even if I’m not outside. Another favourite of mine are the hardy cyclamen, they can be grown in pots and containers or in the open ground and will come back year after year, even after a really cold winter. If the climate in your area is not too hot and dry they should work.
Thanks, Jane. I’ll look those up. 🙂 Hopefully they’ll be cat safe, woo hoo!
I’m weirdly excited about this fall/winter gardening adventure.
I’m totally useless when it comes to gardening. How about a couple of small, potted evergreens? There are varieties that are cat safe, they’re pretty easy to maintain and you can be a step ahead for Christmas. 🙂
Ooh, good idea, Kim!