Back in July, I shared with you a project I have been wanting to try ~ stenciling a tile floor. Well, I finally started and I have got to tell you, this project is kicking my butt. I just re-read my first post about this (click here to read), and my enthusiasm is high.

Well, I am now day 4 into the project and it is like climbing a mountain. Sort of reminds me of that volcano hike I took last year in St. Kitts. What the heck was I thinking???

Prepping the Floor

I started this project on July 12th. That day, I started prepping the floor by washing it with TSP (trisodium phosphate). This heavy duty cleaner is recommended before painting. So one washing coat and then another with clear water to remove any residual TSP. Be careful using this product as the warning labels are pretty scary.

Priming the Floor

Next I primed the tile floor with 2 coats of Zinsser’s Bulls Eye 1-2-3 primer. This apparently is supposed to work on tile. But first, I taped all all the baseboards with Frog’s Green paint tape.

I apply the primer with a paint brush for the grout lines and a roller for the tiles. Letting the first coat dry, I then apply a second coat. I let the floor set for a few days. The floor is looking better already because the dirty grout is now a pristine white.

Here is the floor with the crisp, white primer on it.

After the floor is primed and dried according to the manufacturer’s instructions, two coats of Behr Decorative Chalk paint in white is applied as the base coat.

Selecting the Paint and Colors

I selected chalk paint because it gives an aged appearance and adheres well to any surface. But it does require a finish coat to protect it against staining and scratching.

There are now several chalk paints on the market today. After reading the article comparing Annie Sloan, Rustoleum and Behr chalk paint by Three Coats of Charm, I was inspired to try something other than my go-to, Annie Sloan.

During a recent trip to Home Depot, whose limited inventory of Rustoleum included black only, I picked 2 blues from the Behr paint line. What is nice about Behr is that they can mix whatever color you want, which is mixed in with the white base paint. My two blues are: Inked and Arrowhead Lake.

Naturally I am excited to start painting the stencil. I experimented with different colors of blue on some drawing paper beforehand. This step is time consuming, but well worth it.

After an overwhelming consensus that this stencil needs 3 colors, not two, I mixed up an additional lighter shade of blue by adding Inked to the white paint.

The Painting Process

As a side note, if you decide to do this, get good stencil brushes. Mine are from Royal Designs. I also bought a set from Walmart but the bristles keep falling out. This is tedious work so it’s important to use the best tools.

Here is the color combination I selected~ three shades of blue.

By the time I was comfortable painting the stencil, it took approximately 15 minutes to finish a stencil. I counted 77 tiles, some full size, others were partial tiles on the perimeter. Figure in additional time to accurately line up the tile and tape it down.

About every 10th tile painted, the stencil and brushes require washing.

Today marks 4 days I have been working on this. I was hoping that today’s post would reveal the completely painted bathroom floor. However, there is still a bit more to do~the partial tiles under the vanity and those around the toilet.

Each cutout requires hand dabbing and I use different size brushes for the size of the cutout. Some painting tips: The paint is in 3 individual bowls which I cover in Saran Wrap to prevent it drying out. It is also helpful to keep paper towels nearby to dab the excess paint off the brush before applying it to the stencil.

I apologize for the photos~I had the overhead lights on and it just makes the photos dingy.

My goal is to complete 10 tiles a day. It doesn’t sound like much but what I didn’t take into consideration is that all this work is done either on your knees or on your butt. Hovering over the tile, while on my knees, is a great isometric exercise, but very tiring. I tried spreading the pain by using different body positions. Plus the getting up and getting down added to an unexpected fatigue.

I recommend investing in good knee pads, not these! The plastic material increased sweating which made keeping the knee pads in place difficult.

Expect the unexpected

And then of course, are the unexpected disasters. Once I had completed this tile, I inadvertently kicked over my cup of coffee. It smeared the wet paint and this tile was ruined. I was able to fix it by priming it again with 2 coats of white chalk paint, and letting it dry for an entire day. A minor setback, but discouraging nonetheless.

So as of today, most of the floor is painted. This is the entry view from the hall. I still need to get the partial tiles done under the vanity and around the toilet.

Unfortunately, I need to take a break from this today to can the 50 lbs. of tomatoes I have, as those cannot wait. Once I complete the last few tiles, then I will paint the floor with 2 coats of a polyurethane.

I love how it looks, but in all honesty, this was a HUGE project to undertake. In retrospect, here are my thoughts. It would be much easier with a less intricate tile. Using one paint color the application could go faster and easier with a paint roller. Obviously having a smaller floor to finish would significantly cut the labor time.

But as I stand back and look at it, this is now a work of art. Once I finish I will sign a corner. And, at the end of the day it looks so much better than the previous floor!

Happy Tuesday to everyone! August is an interesting time of year here. Typically we get our monsoon rains but there hasn’t been a drop yet. The yard, regardless of our watering system, looks tired. Everyone is done with the heat and looking onward to a cooler fall.

Also, I am sending prayers for those along the eastern seaboard in hopes the hurricane doesn’t adversely affect you.

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Wonderful Wednesday Blog Hop

Thursday Favorite Things #451

Finding Silver Pennies Link Party #371

Between Naps on the Porch Metamorphosis Monday #602

After being out of town for 12 days, I’m feeling a bit lost here at home. The stacks of mail, bills need to be paid and I just don’t feel like doing much of anything in 111 degree heat. Seems like all the good relaxing vibes fly right out the window and are replaced with the foreboding sense of responsibility and chores. So today’s post is about catching up with you!

My time at the Cabin

The good news is that we finally got rain in the mountains and lots of it. When we have such a dry summer, it doesn’t take much for a massive forest fire to start. The one and only day I decided to go do run errands (Walmart, Home Depot, Lowe’s) is when I got caught in a torrential downpour. Given the ground is so dry, the volume of rain couldn’t absorb fast enough.

Here is what I posted on Instagram. The roads were badly flooded within minutes after the first clap of thunder. This felt like my first flash flood and when I was driving through this, escape options raced through my mind.

Perhaps the storm disrupted nature, as it was shortly thereafter that I had a bat(s), mouse and woodpecker experience. A bat, possibly two, flying around inside the bedroom, a mouse in the house and then several woodpeckers.

The next day I searched everywhere and never found the bat(s). Later that evening, Mr. Mouse visited me again. I set a trap, put really good Brie cheese on it and then hoped I didn’t hear it snap shut in the middle of the night. When I woke up the next morning, the trap was still engaged but the cheese was missing. Very smart mouse.

Did you know that a group of woodpeckers is called a descent? Well, that what it felt like. The woodpeckers are relentless in pecking at our cedar siding. All day long….tap..tap..tap. I must have looked like a mad woman running outside scaring them away. Look at the damage they’ve done. The challenge is that they are a protected species and insurance doesn’t cover the repair.

In search of the bats/mouse

The unintended consequence of not finding the bat(s) or mouse resulted in me deep cleaning. Envisioning a dead bat or mouse behind a sofa was impetus enough to get me scrubbing.

So how often do you deep clean? You know, really clean, where you move furniture, roll up the rugs, and wipe down every single surface? Me? Not so much. Maybe once a year?

Sprucing up the furniture

Since we are at 7500 feet in altitude, unless it is raining it is quite dry. And the furniture suffers.

This Howard’s Feed-N-Wax wood polish and conditioner is a good one. See the side that wood that is conditioned and the one that is not? The results are impressive and it smells nice. Click here for the link.

Cleaning all the Vents

If I could re-design something, HVAC vents would be it. These are the most unattractive and dust collecting devices ever created.

Hours were spent moving all the rugs, vacuuming underneath and then cleaning the floors with Bona Floor Cleaner. I use this same cleaner on our 110 year old hardwood floors in Phoenix and prefer it to other wood floor cleaners.

What is out of sight is out of mind, so I climbed on a ladder and looked on top of the curtain rods. Eeek! Lots of cobwebs.

How often do you clean your lampshades? Finally, I did this to all of mine.

This cluttered cord look is disturbing and I really need a system to label each and every cord. But in the meantime, I just vacuumed behind all the various cabinets.

The great room has 3 large sliding doors. The grooves where the doors slide get so dusty and dirty.

After all of this, which literally took me hours, I didn’t find any mice or bats, dead or alive. Which makes me wonder where they went….

The good news now is the cabin is the cleanest it has ever been and then, of course, I had to leave to head home to Phoenix!

Project Update

Now that I’m back home, yesterday I started the actual stenciling of the pool house bathroom floor. To date, the floor has been cleaned, primed and painted with 2 coats of white paint.

This will be a time consuming one. Here’s my progress so far. I do feel like I’ve bitten off a bit much but I can’t stop now.

This room doesn’t get a lot of natural direct light so the photos are a bit dingy with the overhead lights on. A bigger project than anticipated, it will definitely take some time to complete. To see another floor stenciling project I did, click here.

Summer Canning

My friend, Rick asked me if I wanted 50 pounds of tomatoes as he has a farmer resource. Naturally I said yes and now wondering when I’m going to have time to can them. But homemade tomato sauce is so good and worth the effort!

So between stenciling, canning and paying bills, that’s my exciting weekend! Please tell me you are doing something fun and exciting so I can live vicariously through you!!!

Happy Saturday, my friends.

This post may contain affiliate links. I may receive a small stipend if you make a purchase after clicking on my links, at no cost to you.

Since it is still summer, it is almost hard to think ahead to fall or winter. But during a very chilly day at our mountain cabin, I was inspired to put together this woodland table. Actually, with some different elements it could also be a summer camping/s’more theme. It was fun for me to put this together as entertaining accoutrements are limited up north.

The Tablecloth

Starting with a leftover bolt of fabric, the colors are appropriate for a warm, cozy dinner. You don’t necessarily need a bonafide tablecloth. Think of the vast possibilities with any fabric available.

The Place Setting

In my blog post about fun Home Depot finds, here are the dishes that coordinate well with this table’s theme. If you missed yesterday’s post, see it here.

The 14″ wood disc chargers are also from Home Depot. They are large and thin. In retrospect they would probably look better with a round plate, but I think this works. Click here for the link. Online the price is $55.98/for 4.

At the cabin, I don’t have many centerpiece items, mostly because when we entertain it is often casual. My antique wooden dough bowl is a good size and my go-to for creating the centerpiece of the table.

The Centerpiece

Channeling my inner Bonnie Chase, I scoured the cabin for items to use. If you don’t follow Bonnie Chase, can that woman design a table! I love how she uses unusual things and incorporates them into her gorgeous table settings. You can also find her on Instagram @bonniechasedesigns.

Meet Mr. Squirrel and his pinecones.

I didn’t want it to feel too juvenile so I looked to nature for a solution. There are many evergreens in our natural setting so I clipped a few branches to add fullness and color.

Using some wonderful dried flowers to tuck among the branches, color and texture is slowly added.

The centerpiece is now starting to look less cute and more purposeful.

The Place Cards

Let’s talk about these place cards. We attended a charitable event and our hostess, Kathy found these on Etsy and had them made for the table. Aren’t they wonderful? They come from Latvia so Kathy recommends you may want to check the shipping costs beforehand. Kathy glued a wooden pick and then stood the reindeer upright in a bed of green moss.

First of all, I wouldn’t have thought to look for something like this on Etsy. However, the selection is quite good. Here is the link to Ludoviko Boxes, the resource for this particular reindeer place card.

Without getting too carried away, I found a few more floral and fauna elements to add to the theme. At an auction house, I picked up this Ainu Hokkaido Black Bear and cub and love the details of the hand carving.

Well, today I am back in the triple digit heat and the serenity of the mountains is becoming a distant memory. I hope this woodland table setting has you dreaming of cooler days and the autumn ahead.

Please share your fun table setting ideas. I typically set a holiday table but don’t often do something themed in between. And have a wonderful Wednesday! Wherever you are, I hope you are in great spirits and not letting the weight of the world get you down.

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Inspire Me Mondays by My Uncommon Slice of Suburbia

During a recent trip to Home Depot, I found a few fun things and bargains that I want to share with you. Typically, when I think of Home Depot, lumber, plumbing and hardware comes to mind. But in the last few years, Home Depot has become so much more. Here is a list of some of the fun finds and bargains I discovered. Also, this is not a sponsored post by Home Depot, only my personal recommendations.

If you do not get their seasonal catalog, I would highly recommend signing up for it. Here is an online version of their Summer one, which is chock-a-block full of ideas on summer home decor and entertaining. Granted, many of these products are not in the actual stores, but ordering online is very easy.

If you are doing your summer canning, click this link to see all the supplies Home Depot offers.

Unique tile

Recently, I ordered this beautiful green tile for our barbecue backsplash from Home Depot. They have an extensive tile collection on their website. Their stores tend to inventory what is popular or a best-selling item, but if you are looking for something unique and different, try their website. If you missed the blog post on the BBQ project, please click here.

Lanterns

During my latest trip I picked up these fabulous outdoor lanterns. They are 22″ tall. This must be the clearance price, but the cost is $12.98 each. I purchased two and went back and bought the remaining 3. When I first checked, they were available online at the price. But I believe they are now out of stock online. However, you may only get this price at the store level. Check out the inventory in your local store too.

Think of all the different ways they can be used for fall and Christmas decorating!

Even the smaller 14″ lantern sitting next to this one on the shelf, was more expensive (regular price $24.98 reduced to $16.00). Go figure.

Right now, they are sitting outside on the covered porch of the cabin. The battery operated candle is not included, but I have several of those anyway. Isn’t this just a steal? It feels so good to get a bargain!

Halloween Items

In the fall, Home Depot also has the BEST selection of Halloween items. A few years back, I ordered several fun decorations, all done from the comfort of my home. They were ready for me to pick up at my local store~~which now with their curbside pickup makes shopping a breeze. It appears that Halloween items will be available after August 1.

Entertaining

Check out the variety of entertaining items in their catalog! Their photos are beautifully staged and they also include a recipe for Grapefruit Rosemary Cocktail.

With the holidays coming, Home Depot’s prices are so affordable for glasses, dishes and serving pieces. Check out some of the fun items here.

And look how cute these blue and white melamine plates are? Perfect for outdoor use or pretty enough for indoor entertaining too!

I’m not sure how much holiday entertaining any of us will be doing, but check out these sweet oversized red and white dish towels for $2.49 each. Aren’t they ideal for wrapping baked goods or lining a gift basket. The online price is less than the catalog at$18.00 for 8 ($2.25 each).

Another fun find is a set of ceramic dinnerware that I purchased for our cabin. This is the first time I have ordered dishes from Home Depot, and am delighted with this set. Online price is $116.12 for the 16-piece set.

Outdoor Furniture Covers

Finding a good quality outdoor furniture cover is a challenge for me. They are not inexpensive and often, made of plastic, which doesn’t last more than one season. This new purchase from Home Depot is an attractive brown and beige fabric. It’s large size can accommodate a big table and 6-8 chairs.

This cover has handles and a venting system on either end. So far I am impressed with the quality and the roomy construction. Let’s see if it will survive the elements. So if you are looking for outdoor furniture covers, the collection online is rather extensive. Online price for this one is $41.98.

If you click on the links I provided, it will take you to the Home Depot website. If you decide to buy something, I may get a small stipend at no cost to you!

Home Depot’s fall catalog will be mailed sometime in August so keep your eyes open for it. Now with more online ordering and curbside pickup or home delivery, you can truly enjoy the vast number of fun Home Depot items.

This post shared with Thursday Favorite Things #450 with An Artful Mom

I always find it fascinating to learn something new. You know, a little tidbit of trivia that perhaps most don’t know. Here are some fun facts you may not know, or maybe you do! Feel free to use them when there is a lull in the conversation or if you want to impress your friends!

Throughout all of my son, Benjamin’s formative years, he would burst into the kitchen after school and say, “Mom, did you know…..”. He was filled with curiosity and inquisitiveness, always happy to share his new found information. And I did learn something new. I miss those days.

Recently I wrote a blog post on the 10 Things to Aging Well and one of the tips was about not complaining and/or waxing on about your medical issues. These fun fact might be useful if you want to change the direction of the conversation (because we don’t want to gripe or hear about hip replacements). You can use these facts and say, ” Did you know….”.

Wasps are Carnivores and Cannibals

I didn’t know this. The only reason I recently learned this is from personal experience. Remember the bird’s nest in my geranium plant? A mama bird with 4 sweet little babies? Well, each day I would go out and spy on the nest to see how the young ones were getting along. One day the nest was completely empty. However, I saw a spot of blood. Doom set in and then I noticed a dead bird (the mama?) on the ground.

There was a swarm of bees all over it. What? That prompted me to research why bees? and I discovered that some wasps are carnivores and cannibals. Within 48 hours those bees devoured that bird. They were the clean up crew. I’ve never seen anything like that ~ever. Apparently they also eat each other. Look it up. Good to know, right? I am also convinced the baby birds were big enough to fly off and live happily ever after.

Grand Central Station has a hidden tennis club

Next time you commute through Grand Central Terminal in New York City, don’t forget to bring your tennis shoes. Roughly 750,000 people pass through the station on an average weekday. But it’s unlikely many of them realize that a hidden tennis court exists on the terminal’s posh upper level.

Built in the 1960s, the Vanderbilt Athletic Club catered to an exclusive clientele for decades. It was shut down in 2009 to make way for a new lounge for MTA employees. However, the courts were moved to a new location on the fourth floor in 2011 and are now open to the public. You’ll find them behind the station’s famous vaulted windows. Photo from Railway Age.

There is a Seed Vault Near the North Pole

Deep inside a mountain on a remote island in the Svalbard archipelago, halfway between mainland Norway and the North Pole, lies the Global Seed Vault.

Worldwide, more than 1,700 genebanks hold collections of food crops for safekeeping. Yet many of these are vulnerable, exposed not only to natural catastrophes and war, but also to avoidable disasters, such as lack of funding or poor management. Something as mundane as a poorly functioning freezer can ruin an entire collection. And the loss of a crop variety is as irreversible as the extinction of a dinosaur, animal or any form of life.

It was the recognition of this vulnerability that sparked the idea of establishing a global seed vault to serve as a backup storage facility. The purpose of the Vault is to store duplicates (backups) of seed samples from the world’s crop collections. 

Permafrost and thick rock ensure that the seed samples will remain frozen even without power. The Vault is the ultimate insurance policy for the world’s food supply, offering options for future generations to overcome the challenges of climate change and population growth. It will secure, for centuries, millions of seeds representing every important crop variety available in the world today. It is the final back up. Interesting, huh?

Capitalsaurus~Washington, DC.

Workers were digging a sewer trench beneath a Capitol Hill street in 1898.  They came upon a few fossil fragments — among them, a 6-inch bone that now represents the largest piece of the District’s controversial “official dinosaur,” the Capitalsaurus.

The scientific world hasn’t yet been convinced — and the capitalsaurus name remains only an informal designation.  But D.C. Council has slightly lower standards.  They embraced the classification wholeheartedly in the “Official Dinosaur Designation Act of 1998, Bill 12-538.”  Capitalsaurus is the District’s official dinosaur and January 28 is “Capitalsaurus Day” in D.C., marking the date that Murphy presented the bone to the Smithsonian.

The block of F Street, SE where the fossil was discovered was formally dedicated as Capitalsaurus Court on January 28, 2000. Dinosaurs definitely roamed D.C. streets before they were streets.

Why Does a Chef’s Hat have Pleats?

The pleated white chef’s hat, called a toque, has pleats to signify a chef’s level of expertise. According to the Reclutant Gourmet, one chef had 100 pleats because he knew 100 ways to prepare eggs. The more experienced the chef, the more pleats. Good to know when we can go back to eating out again.

Unicorn~Scotland’s National Animal

But it’s true: the unicorn really is the official national animal of Scotland. And their love for this famous mythological creature dates back many centuries.

With its white horse-like body and single spiralling horn, the unicorn is a symbol of purity, innocence and power in Celtic mythology.

These proud, untameable creatures are fiercely independent and famously difficult to capture or conquer. This will sound familiar to anyone who has read their Scottish history. Even though unicorns are mythological, Scots have always felt drawn to what they represent.

A Whale’s Heartbeat

A whale’s heartbeat can be heard more than 2 miles away. With a 9 inch aorta and a heart the size of a small golf cart, its heart weighs approximately 30 lbs. At the surface, the whale’s heart beats 25-37 times per minute and during dives it slows to 4 to 8 beats per minute. For more whale facts, click here.

Lincoln Logs

Since we have many examples of Frank Lloyd Wright’s architecture here in Phoenix, I was surprised to find out that his son, John Lloyd Wright, designed and developed Lincoln Logs in 1916.

The idea for Lincoln Logs came to John Lloyd Wright when he was working with his father in Japan on building the Imperial Hotel in Tokyo. The hotel’s foundation was made of beams of wood that interlocked with each other. The interlocking structure was supposed to make the building earthquake-proof since earthquakes were (and still are) an issue of concern in Japan. 

John Lloyd Wright was inspired by this foundation design and saw the potential for a building type of toy with the interlocking wooden beams. When he came back to the United States, he started the Red Square Toy Company, which was named after a famous symbol his father used in his building designs. John officially began marketing Lincoln Logs in 1918. Lincoln Logs just celebrated their 100th anniversary.

I hope you enjoyed these fun facts today! Happy Saturday. I am still at our mountain cabin. However, the picture above is not the weather lately. It finally rained, actually ALOT which is wonderful. It is nice and quiet here and I’m getting quite a bit of work done. Wishing you a fabulous weekend. Any you doing anything fun?

Unfortunately, as I grow older, I spend more time on thinking about the concept of aging. The basic fact remains that each day we get a little bit older. Gravity takes over at some point and even though we feel 20 from the neck up, the rest of our bodies don’t follow suit. Yes, we are gaining years, but we can also age well.

Genetics plays an important role too. However, there are many things we can do to respect and enhance the aging process.

Get a Great Haircut

I am not a clothes horse, nor do I spend money on jewelry or shoes. But I do invest in a really good haircut. Daily we look in the mirror and if our hair looks good, then we feel good. I have been using the same hairstylist for over 25 years. And he never disappoints. It’s not inexpensive but a good cut can last me up to 8 weeks, and worth the 6 x a year expense.

Consult with an expert who can tell you the best style for your age, hair type and lifestyle. For example, I have a lot of hair but it is very fine. If I let it grow past my shoulders, it looks thin and wimpy. I will never have long hair. Unless you have gorgeous long gray hair like my friend Karin, you may want to reconsider your high school haircut if you are over 50.

Are you coloring your hair or letting it go gray? Either way, there are shampoos and conditioners that help you achieve your best locks ever.

Sleep and sleep aids

It is so important to get a good night’s sleep to feel refreshed in the morning. As we get older, this becomes harder to do. But having white scleras is a sign of vitality vs. the yellowed, blood shot eyes that often come after lack of sleep.

We all are familiar with Visine, but lately I am using Lumify. I am very impressed with how quickly it works. Within a minute after applying the drops, the redness is gone from your eye and it lasts up to 8 hours. These drops are a bit pricey so you don’t want to be spilling them down your face. Click here for this product.

If you are having difficulty sleeping, consult your physician. Check out this article on ways to help improve your sleeping patterns. As we age, sleep is so critical to our physical and cognitive health.

I have written about meditative outlets like Calm and Headspace, which I listen to frequently. Their bedtime stories always lull me to sleep. If I awaken in the middle of the night, I just put in earplugs and continue to listen to a story or do a meditative exercise. Works every time. To see my previous post on how I stay healthy using these apps, click here.

Exercise

I know, right? Don’t groan. Exercise is so critical to aging well. The ONLY known factor in staving off dementia is cardiovascular activity…yes, that’s getting more oxygen to your brain. Plus if you don’t use it, you lose it, right?

According to Younger Next Year you can become functionally younger if you follow a program of exercise, diet and maintaining emotional connections. I can honestly say, prior to COVID, I was exercising 5-6 days per week. Now with the gym closed, my personal attempt has been pathetic. As a result, I don’t feel as good~both mentally and physically.

So if you are NOT exercising at all, start small. Do 15 minutes per day the first week and increase it to 30 minutes the next. You don’t need to be an extreme athlete but get moving. Walk, bike, swim, use weights, take Pilates or yoga. Remember: Sitting is the new smoking.

Stop Sounding like an Old Person

It is very typical for those who are aging to sit around and complain about every ache and pain. Granted, many of us are having knee and hip replacements or cataract surgery, but if this is the main topic of every conversation, stop. Find something interesting to talk about that isn’t your latest ailment.

Don’t Complain about the Younger Generation

This is very hard to stop doing. Right? Those ungrateful millennials. But stop and take the time to learn more about who they are. What are they interested in? What do they care about? I am a bit of an anomaly because my children are much younger than most of my peers.

My son loves to explore the chemistry of cooking. My daughter is an expert on dog training and pet care. My youngest is learning to speak Korean. They are amazing and quite honestly, keep me young. Stay connected with other generations, both older and younger. Those emotional connections are critical. You will be more interesting in the long run.

Find Your Style

We all can picture that aging woman in short-shorts…..groan. Find your style and make sure it flatters you and is age appropriate. Unless you have a 6 pack, showing your abs over 50 in a cropped shirt is just plain gross. And if you have a larger bottom, please make sure it is covered. No one wants to see your underwear (or thong)~~really at any age.

There are two women whose blogs I follow because I like their style sense. Both Cindy Hattersley and Beth Djalali from Style at a Certain Age have a collected look in fashion, home decor and entertaining. Check them out!

Whiten Your Teeth

As we age, all those years of red wine, coffee and overall use, tend to yellow our teeth. Here is an article from BestLife that outlines 20 Secrets for Whiter Teeth after 40. There are numerous products available over the counter. Here is one example you can find on Amazon. Consult with your dentist as to the best approach for obtaining your whitest teeth.

How nice to have white teeth and white scleras! I read somewhere that your white blouse should not be whiter than your teeth…think about that!

Learn How to Apply Makeup to Aging Skin

Get rid of the blue eye shadow! There are so many skin care products for aging skin. And we all know that person whose makeup is so caked on it actually accentuates wrinkled skin. I am not an expert on this because I hardly wear any makeup, but I hope to learn how to emphasize my assets and hide my flaws. Click here to see Bobbi Brown’s Beauty Tips for Women over 50.

Also, drink LOTS of water~~which will help plump out any wrinkles.

Posture

Stand up. I know it’s hard as gravity has been pushing on our spines for decades. But hunching over makes us look much older. Pull back your shoulders, align your head with your erect spine. Just by doing that you will look thinner and stronger. Give your organs some space and tighten your abdominals.

Smile!

A smile is so contagious and makes you look younger. How many times do you see an older person frowning? Create happy lines on your face vs. deep furrows of worry. Plus you never know if your smile really made someone’s day. Plus it gives you a chance to show off your pearly whites from your teeth whitening! To see my post on the Importance of Smiling, click here.

Getting older doesn’t have to be all gloom and doom. You have a lifetime of experience and perhaps much more patience and understanding than you did 20-30 years ago. Be interesting. Learn something new. Stop complaining. Feel vibrant……because you ARE!

Happy Wednesday, my friends! Thank you for joining me today. Let’s agree to graciously grow old together!

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