Tuesday, November 22, 2011

Quote of the Day!

chocolate

Tips on Tuesday - Are you a Shopaholic???

'Shopaholic'!


Hi there girls,

I went shopping again today, and got totally sucked in by this young German guy who got "me" to buy skin care........ do you get it, yes the Beauty Therapist/owner of salon/skincare shop......... oops! I am starting to think I am a shopaholic, so I looked up some tips on how to save money (yeah right), but although you may not believe me I am going to put some of these ideas into practice...... it will be my New Years Resolution!
So here goes......


1. Free Stuff

Enter rewards programs to get free stuff, but be discerning some schemes don't offer anything you want and some you have to spend too much to receive a reward. Just go with the ones that give you points for spending on what you normally would purchase. Instead of saving on purchases, you can avoid having to pay altogether. Sounds good right?


2. Banks

Check the banks for a different interest rates for both savings and loans. Don't just go with anyone, get the best rates possible.


3. Sell Sell Sell

Everybody has unwanted goods lying around their home gathering dust - Well, you might as well sell them and with the cash you get you can invest for the future. See this is what happens when you do shop too much, you need more space to put things in don't you??


4. Budget (help!!)

The first way to save money is to identify what you have to spend and what your weekly costs are. Budgets aren't boring, saving hard earn cash can be exciting when you have a long term plan.


 and controlling your spending is the first step towards saving more money.


5. Eat At Home

Stop eating out and coffee-ing all the time and start eating at home you will save a lot this way and you will know what is in the food. Help save money by preparing your food at home and creating fresh food.


6. Haggle Existing Loans

Threaten to take your business elsewhere and you'd be surprised how flexible lending institutes can be.


7. Repair Things

Repair your goods before they become very expensive to replace. Wait too long and it may cost you dearly.


8. Quit Vices

Quit smoking and other vices that not only hurt your health, but they also cost your a lot of cash in the long run. Quit Shopping?????


9. Leave Your Money At Home

Don't take your wallet or purse with you when you go window shopping. At worst take a few dollars with you but leave the plastic at home, this was the most brilliant idea yet!


10. Buy Generic

Often generic brands are equal in quality to their higher priced competition. Buy Generic and save cash. One of the classic strategies to save money


11. Bake A Cake

Actually, bake anything you want - The more the better - cakes, bread and cookies they taste better too.



12. Evaluate Grocery Items

Are the items you buy useful? Don't just buy from habit, make educated product comparisons and you will save money in the long run.


13. Make Large Meals And Freeze leftovers

By making extra you can save on waste and avoid extra electricity costs.


14. Pack Your Own Lunch

Don't buy lunch every day or you'll rack up the costs when you could save money by making lunch yourself.


15. Buy A Slow Cooker

Having a slow cooker means you can use cheaper cuts of meat and still have tender, delicious meals.


16. Home Brew

Make your own beer it's fun and you will save a lot of money.


17. Use Power Saving Appliances

Keep your power bills down by using energy saving appliances.


18. Buy Goods In Bulk

Bulk buy stores are great just don't buy too much or you may just end up throwing food away.


19. Pay Bills Online

Why drive to the store to pay bills when you can save fuel and pay online.


20. Buy A Home Gym


This may keep you at home instead of at the shop...... what do you think??

xx A

Monday, November 21, 2011

Motherhood - Its easy to fall into a rut!


Motherhood
Hello gorgeous ladies

I have been wondering, do you ever catch a look at yourself in the mirror and not like what you see...... I don't mean physically either, we are our own worst critics I know but I am trying so hard to be aware of what I do and how I act, knowing that like creates likeness and children do as children see!

I remember a time after my first baby Imogen was born that I realized I didn't like who I was becoming. My moment of clarity came while watching my husband bathe her. From where I was sitting, the bath water was too cold, the soap was all wrong, the washcloth forgotten, and the wrong non baby towel chosen. I seemed unable to keep myself from commenting so one enjoyed bath time that night and the feeling it left stayed with me for a long time. 
Almost 7 years and two kids later, I've become skilled at noticing the little ruts we mums can find ourselves in - patterns and attitudes that transform good mums into people we don't like. I've sorted these morphed-mums into groups.
The Critic: 
This is the bath time experience I just described - mum is commenting from the sidelines as dad tries to bathe the baby. The Critic believes that her way is the best way and a pattern emerges: My husband says his self confidence has disappeared since the kids were born - apparently its "my way or the highway"!
For example:
  • - Dad attempts to interact and care for baby;
  • - Mum disapproves and ‘helps' by providing suggestions (ha ha criticism;)
  • - Dad loses confidence and is reluctant to care for baby;
  • - Mom gets frustrated and resents dad of not pulling his weight.
Mum has now created her own monster. Dad has been made to feel useless and that is exactly what he has become. These days, when dad dresses the children in uncoordinated outfits, I keep quiet. Before the Critic speaks, she needs to ask herself  "does it really matter?"
The Nag:
What differentiates the Nag from the Critic is her tone of voice. We know we can be polite and respectful because we hear ourselves talk to our friends and her mother. However, when the question or favour is directed at our husbands, the tone completely changes and all "pleases" and "thank-yous" are completely abandoned. My husband still calls me Jekyll and Hyde, he says my mood completely changes when around people other than him. oh does that mean I am a nag and a critic?? When mums are exhausted by a new baby or energetic children, it's easy to fall into the habit of barking orders at your husband.. At the end of the day it doesn't make either parent feel good. 
The Score-Keeper: 
This is the mum who thinks nappies should be changed according to a schedule of "whose turn it is." If the man is going out with friends on Friday night, you better believe mum's going to spend all day Saturday at the gym or shopping. After all, it's only fair, isn't it? I believe children can interpret this score keeping as parents getting "stuck" spending time with their children. Kids should feel that both parents want to be with them all the time - even during those times we might not.
The Complainer:
I don't think there's anything wrong with having a good rant with your girlfriends - they can make for good sounding boards. But the Complainer takes it to a higher level. She can recognize herself by asking: does the phrase "I'm tired" find its way into every conversation she has? A sub-category is The Competitive Complainer. This describes the mum who if husband had a tough day at work, she had a tougher day at home. The reality is, being tired is what we signed up for and it is exclusive to no one. This mum needs to remind herself that complaining is not pro-active. If there is a problem, do something about it. I've personally never found that saying "I'm tired" lends itself to more sleep, have you??
Motherhood is hard work, very hard work. It's no surprise that at various times during this journey we find ourselves developing some of the symptoms that put us into one of these morphed-mummy categories. I've learned that catching myself as the Critic, the Nag, the Score-Keeper or the Complainer, makes me unhappy with my behaviour and certainly doesn't make any valuable contribution to my family. We all find ourselves falling into these ruts from time-to-time, but with some quick recognition of the signs - there's plenty of time to climb out!

Food for thought
xx A

Happy Monday!



Good Morning Ladies, It has been ages, a good friend of mine pointed out to me last week that she has been missing my posts (sweet) so I thought I would write again, and I have really missed it.  Time is just slipping me by at the moment. The "Silly Season" is just that for a reason, but mine seems to start way back in September for some reason..... I suppose that is the start to our busy time at the Salons.

Anyway loads and loads has been happening.... we have a puppy!! Ruby, she is a Cavoodle and is Red in colour and so adorable, we searched and searched and finally had to fly her over from NSW. Funny, I don't often buy online, this (or Ruby) was my first real purchase ha ha and she came fully delivered to my door last Friday. I have also been busy Christmas shopping, trying to settle new staff and new treatments and fitting all the "school stuff" in, and then there is the "list"!

I have this list........ my husband hates it........ and he is right. He says "throw it away and don't have one", but I cant, I literally cant function without my list, and it does get longer and longer and..........longer!

I DO HAVE TO GET RID OF IT........ but first I have to finish it.

Happy Monday ladies xx A

Sunday, November 20, 2011

Wednesday, October 12, 2011

How to apply perfect eyeliner! - Beauty Corner

Hello Ladies, I have been so busy with business I regret I have negleted my blog, but these are the sort of things I have been busy working on, I found this great tutorial on how to apply eyeliner which I have shared with my facebook fans... enjoy!

1. As always we start with priming our eyelid to make sure that the makeup will last all day.
 Make sure you get some on the outer corner as well if you want a winged eyeliner like
 Angelina Jolie. I’ve used Napoleon Perdis Auto Pilot (its a crime not to prime)
IMG 8509 How to apply a perfect soft eyeliner in 30 seconds

2. Get your favorite Napoleon liquid liner and line your lash line. You can choose if you
want it to end in the outer corner of if you want a little wing. If you want to wing it a little,
 make sure it’s at an angle with the outer corner of your eye and the end of the eyebrow.
The great thing about this technique is that it does not need to be perfect, but do it fast so
that it won’t dry before you get the chance to smudge it.
(Napoleon Perdis Neo Noir liquid eyeliner) draws like a texta.

IMG 8513 How to apply a perfect soft eyeliner in 30 seconds

3. Take whatever colour you want your line to be on a small brush and smudge out
the liner with the eye shadow. You can use brown or black for a neutral look, or go
for a colour that will compliment your eye colour. For example brown eyes look 
fabulous with green (Napoleon colour disc or loose dust) which brings out the
brown eye. Napoleon sable brush 5a is perfect for this.

IMG 8521 How to apply a perfect soft eyeliner in 30 seconds

4. …and apply Mesmerise mascara. How easy was that? :)

IMG 8553 How to apply a perfect soft eyeliner in 30 seconds

IMG 8539 How to apply a perfect soft eyeliner in 30 seconds
by make up tutorials

Tuesday, September 27, 2011

Motherhood - The best dressed parent ever!



Hello Ladies,


I am so mortified, the worst thing happened to me yesterday. Oh my God, I was sitting at Dome with friends 
(I use the term loosely because it was an accident that we were sitting together anyway and I have never thought that she has really liked me.)
I suddenly felt a tap on my shoulder, I turned to see an old lady. "Excuse me dear but your G String is hanging out, I thought I would tell you in case some not so friendly people start looking at you and think the wrong thing". What the............. what wrong thing???? I was SO humiliated and I have to set this straight, I am so conscious when I wear hipsters and would never knowingly let my G hang out....... and she wasn't being diplomatic either she was being horrid. Somebody on my facebook page suggested maybe it was time for "granny knickers" but no.......... I am so not ready for that, and anyway they would look soooo much worse hanging out don't you think? 


The funny thing is, the "Mum" I was sitting with, I never completely felt as though I FITTED properly in her circle....... I don't know why, but maybe I am a little " too" fashionable, which made the humiliation SO much worse. I cant help it, I love clothes............


At the school gate, as elsewhere, clothes express your tribe, and your status – where you fit in, in other words. Apparently if you look too groomed, you alienate the stay-at-home mums and miss out on themorning-coffee camaraderie. But I definitely get taken more seriously by the teacher on days where I'm dressed up for work, so if I've got something to discuss I save it for when I look smart. Like so many things, it's a balancing act for women. Whether you're a politician's wife or going for a job interview, you want to look stylish but not snooty. And it's human nature for other mums to want to be your mate a little bit more when you do look on trend.


Anyway there are two kinds of mums in the world: those who wear trackies/PJ's in public (she is this one), and the Best Parent Ever, who would never be caught outside the house in anything but full make-up, designer clothes, and heels.(I am this one - well I try anyway ha ha ha x)

Of course, some may admire the Best Parent’s effort to overcome the saggy-baggy doldrums of motherhood while on a simple kiddy-run to the playground. But is it really worth the effort of tottering perilously through the sandbox in heels like a drunken sailor? Or ducking  like a limbo-party reject beneath the metal loops of the jungle gym to preserve one’s freshly-styled do?
Yes, of course it is. Because no matter how painful or clumsy it may appear, the Best Parent’s stylish get-up is specifically engineered to make all the other sweatpants-wearing parents nearby feel even more fat, ugly, and hopeless than they already feel. This once again proves that the Best Parent Ever is not only better than you, they are “hotter” too.
So take that, mumsy, with your dowdy get-up and practical childrearing fashions. The Best Parent Ever may not be able to sprint over in time to stop their littlies from falling headfirst off the monkey bars, but at least they will look good trying, in a trashy, MILF kind of way (G String and all).
What are your thoughts on this? I do think its gross to let your G hang out, but lets face it accidents happen xx A





Quote Of The Day

Words to live by ... Quotes mantra words of wisdom type

Monday, September 19, 2011

Happy Monday!


Hello Ladies,

I hope you had a gorgeous weekend, we did, however it was very windblown here in Perth, and the wind has a habit of making you feel a little out of sorts doesn't it? We have a new friend living in the roof. He or she has been there a little while but last night I woke to what sounded like him using a hammer and nails to build a house of his own above my head. I need a humane trap..... now to find one.

Have a great week everyone xx A

Tuesday, September 13, 2011

Tips on Tuesday - The Magic of Vinegar!

pink dish gloves



Hello gorgeous girls,


I hope your having a great week so far , I found these fabulous tips on how to use vinegar in many ways shapes or forms, I already use it to clean the tiles and have been told many different ways of using it at other times, I just haven't put it into practice yet. Now is the time....... Some of these tips are amazing.  xx A
Unleash the power of white vinegar―an all-purpose cleaner, brightener, herbicide and more. Just a bit of this multitasker, straight up or mixed with water, can replace many pricier products huddled under your sink. Try these tips to see how vinegar can make your life cheaper and easier.
1. Freshen up the fridge. Clean the shelves and walls with a solution of half water and half vinegar.
2. Brighten coffee cups and teacups. Gently scrub stains with equal parts vinegar and salt (or baking soda).
3. Eliminate odors. Swab plastic containers with a cloth dampened with vinegar.
4. Kill bathroom germs. Spray full-strength vinegar around the sink and tub. Wipe clean with a damp cloth.
5. Save a garment. To remove light scorch marks on fabrics, rub gently with vinegar. Wipe with a clean cloth. This technique also works on antiperspirant stains.
6. Tidy up a toilet. Pour a cup or more of diluted white distilled vinegar into the bowl. Let sit several hours or overnight. Scrub well with a toilet brush and flush.
7. Lose the carpet stain. Make a paste of 2 tablespoons white distilled vinegar and ¼ cup salt or baking soda. Rub into the stain and let dry. Vacuum the residue the next day. (Always test an out-of-sight part of the carpet first.)
8. Renew paint brushes. To remove old paint, place brushes in a pot with vinegar. Soak for an hour, then turn on the stove and bring the vinegar to a simmer. Drain and rinse clean.
9. Wipe off a dirty faucet. To get rid of lime buildup, make a paste of 1 teaspoon vinegar and 2 tablespoons salt. Apply to sink fixtures and rub with a cloth.
10. Stop static cling. Add ½ cup of white distilled vinegar to your wash cycle. The acid reduces static and keeps dryer lint from sticking to your clothes.

11. Make old socks look new. Get the stains out of old socks and sweaty gym clothes by soaking them in a vinegar solution. Add 1 cup of white distilled vinegar to a large pot of water, bring to a boil and drop in the stained clothes. Let them soak overnight, and in the morning stained clothes are fresh and bright.
12. Restore handbags and shoes. Wipe white distilled vinegar on scuffed leather bags and shoes. It will restore their shine and help hide the marks.
13. Banish weeds. Pour white distilled vinegar on the weeds growing in the cracks of your walkway and driveway. Saturate the plant so the vinegar reaches the roots.
14. Liven droopy flowers. Don’t throw out cut flowers once they start to wilt. Instead, add two tablespoons of white vinegar and one teaspoon of sugar to a quart of water. Pour the solution into your vase, and the flowers will perk up.
15. Put an end to itching. Dab a cotton ball soaked in white vinegar on mosquito bites and insect stings. It will stop them from itching and help disinfect the area so they heal faster.
16. Whiten your teeth. Brush your teeth once a week with white distilled vinegar. Dip your toothbrush into the vinegar and brush thoroughly. It will help prevent bad breath, too.
17. Make nail polish last longer. Before you apply your favorite polish, wipe your nails with a cotton ball soaked in white distilled vinegar. The clean surface will help your manicure last.
18. Keep car windows frost-free. Prevent windows from frosting over in a storm by coating them with a solution of three parts white distilled vinegar to one part water. The acidity hinders ice, so you won’t have to wake up early to scrape off your car.
19. Let your dog shine. Spray your dog with one cup white distilled vinegar mixed with one quart water. The solution is a cheap alternative to expensive pet-care products, plus the vinegar will help repel pests like fleas and ticks.
20. Battle litter-box odor. Cat litter can leave behind an unwelcome smell. Eliminate it by pouring a half-inch of white distilled vinegar into the empty litter box. Let stand for 20 minutes, then rinse with cold water.
21. Kill bacteria in meat. Marinating in vinegar knocks out bacteria and tenderizes the meat. Create a marinade by adding ¼ cup balsamic vinegar for every 2 pounds of meat to your own blend of herbs and spices. Let the meat sit anywhere from 20 minutes to 24 hours, depending on how strong you want the flavor, then cook it in the morning without rinsing.
22. Prevent cracked eggs. Prevent eggs from cracking as they hard-boil by adding two tablespoons of white vinegar to the water. The eggs will stay intact, and the shells will peel off more easily when you’re ready to eat them.
23. Steam away a microwave mess. Fill a small bowl with equal parts hot water and vinegar, and place it in the microwave on high for 5 minutes. As the steam fills the microwave, it loosens the mess, making clean up a breeze.
24. Repair DVDs. If you have a worn DVD that skips or freezes, wipe it down with white distilled vinegar applied to a soft cloth. Make sure the DVD is completely dry before reinserting it into the player.
25. Get those last drops. If you can’t get that final bit of mayonnaise or salad dressing out of the jar, dribble in a few drops of vinegar. Put the cap on tightly and shake. The remaining condiments will slide out.
26. Rinse fruits and vegetables. Add 2 tablespoons white distilled vinegar to one pint water. Use the mixture to wash fresh fruits and vegetables, then rinse thoroughly. The solution kills more pesticide residue than does pure water.
27. Brighter Easter eggs. Before your kids dye Easter eggs, mix 1 teaspoon of vinegar with ½ cup of hot water, then add food coloring. The vinegar keeps the dye bright and prevents the color from streaking.
28. Loosen a rusted screw. Pour vinegar onto the screw, and it will easily come unstuck
29. Remove gum. To remove gum from fabric or hair, heat a small bowl of vinegar in the microwave. Pour the warm vinegar over the gum, saturating the area. The gum will dissolve.
30. Keep cheese from molding. Wrap cheese in a vinegar-soaked cloth, then place in an airtight container and refrigerate.
31. Renew a loofah. Soak your loofah in equal parts vinegar and water for 24 hours to dissolve soap residue, then rinse in cold water.
32. Remove wax. If you get melted candle wax on your wood furniture or floors, gently wipe it away with a cloth soaked in a solution of equal parts white vinegar and water.
33. Take a relaxing bath. Add ½ cup of vinegar to warm bath water for a cheap spa session at home. The vinegar removes dead skin, leaving you feeling soft and smooth.
34. Brighten your hair. Remove hair product buildup by rinsing a tablespoon of vinegar through your hair once a month.
35. Freshen fabrics. Fill a spray bottle with white vinegar and spritz your home to neutralize odors in fabrics, carpets, shoes or any sprayable surface.
36. Erase crayon. If your kids get crayon marks on the walls or floor, dip a toothbrush in white vinegar and gently scrub. The vinegar breaks down the wax, making for an inexpensive, nontoxic way to clean up after children.
37. Sticky stickers. Don’t scratch at the residue left by stickers or price tags. Instead, apply vinegar to the gunk, let it sit for a few minutes, then wipe the glue away.
38. Clean the dishwasher and coffee pot. Reduce soap buildup and food residue by pouring a cup of vinegar into your empty dishwasher or coffee pot once a month and letting it run a full cycle.
39. Sanitize pet accidents. You can remove the stain―and smell―of your pet’s accident by mixing ¼ cup vinegar with a quart of water and blotting the mixture onto the mess with a washcloth. Continue dabbing until the spot is gone.
40. Prep for summer grilling. To remove charcoal buildup from your grill, spray white distilled vinegar on balled up aluminum foil and scrub the grate thoroughly.
41. Restore shower head pressure. If your shower head gets clogged with mineral deposits, soak it for 15 minutes in a mixture of ½ cup vinegar and 1 quart water.
42. Clean your scissors. When your scissor blades get sticky, wipe them down with a cloth dipped in full-strength white vinegar. Unlike soap and water, vinegar won’t ruin the blades or rust the metal.
43. Unclog drains. For a natural, nontoxic way to clean clogged pipes, pour one cup of baking soda, followed by one cup of white vinegar, down the drain. Let the products bubble and foam, then flush the pipes with a pot of boiling water.
44. Eliminate dandruff. If your scalp is feeling dry or flaky, vinegar can be a simple at-home remedy. Once a week, pour one cup of apple cider vinegar over your scalp, and let it sit for 15 minutes. Rinse thoroughly with cool water.
45. Soften your feet. Summer sandals leaving you with cracked heals and calluses? Soak your feet for 20 minutes a day in one part vinegar to two parts warm water. The vinegar removes dead skin, leaving your feet soft and smooth.

Saturday, September 10, 2011

Have A Glorious Weekend

I love this idea of an outdoor theatre, the cushions are fabulous, it looks so cosy  xx A

Ladies

Spring is here and our weather has been fantastic this week, it feels as though we have hardly had any winter at all, not to say i am not glad about that xx Anyway, I hope you  all have a glorious weekend, eat, drink and be merry wherever you are in the world .

Here are some gorgeous Spring things to browse through xx A

Some simple Wedding Rings

A beautiful Spring porch

Some of Ali's gorgeous creativity

Beautiful People

Pineapple and kiwi ice poles..... yum!

looks do count - Body Image


Hello gorgeous ladies,

Do looks count?

I am writing this post today because it has become apparent to me, regardless of how much I try not to believe, that the latter is true.......Looks do count.

A client came in to the Salon yesterday and during  a conversation with him we both came to realise that he had just employed a previous employee of mine. The Girl in question was squeaky clean looking, very pretty, outgoing, polite etc..... everything a employee looks for in the Beauty industry. But on the other hand, after working with us we found her to be unreliable, not at all punctual, self absorbed and not very loyal. to cut a long story short she left us and has moved on to four or five other jobs in the past year.......Back to the client, he employed her obviously going by everything on the outside rather than past resumes. (she does present herself very well.)

So that answers my question......... looks do count!


Who says you can't judge a book by its cover? Why not be as superficial as possible? Why not trust first impressions? We all do it, and sometimes we're actually correct in doing so.
A study released several weeks ago noted women can look at a photograph of a man's face and assess with high accuracy whether he's the kind of guy who likes children, and thus shows good potential as a long-term mate. Conversely, the females identified correctly the men who had the highest testosterone levels and most suitability for a short-term fling (i.e. someone who won't tolerate nagging over changing diapers, chauffeuring the kids, doing household chores, keeping beer stains off the furniture, etc.).
University of Chicago researcher Dario Maestripieri, a co-author of the study, guessed that the women judged men with "a more rounded face, a gentler face" to be those most favorably inclined toward children. Another researcher suggested the men who liked children seemed to have a happier expression on their face when photographed, and women must have picked up on that.
Of course, the men showing a fondness for children may never have actually been around them. Once properly exposed, they may hate the brats, and in fact become foul-tempered, depressed louts from whom the children cower. But that would take a longitudinal study to determine, which we don't have time for.




Girly-men look good



Back in 1998, Scottish psychologists concluded women tended to prefer the faces of men with more feminine features because they were perceived as gentler, trustworthy types who would be loyal mates and good fathers. In fact, men as well as women had more favorable opinions of those with more feminine features. It's a long-term trend, apparently.
"If you look at the evolutionary record, we've moved from a more robust form to a more graceful form as a species" in overall features, said Scottish researcher Ian Penton-Voak. We're too illiterate to know the word "gracile," but we think it means someone who looks more like Leonardo DiCaprio than, say, one of the hillbillies in "Deliverance."




Shallow little people
It's never too early to begin showing bias toward attractive people, and prejudice against those among us who are not. Infants, in fact, lead the way.
University of Texas professor Dr. Judith H. Langlois wrote of how babies spend more time looking at attractive than unattractive faces, if they're given a pair of images to look at side by side. When able to play with a woman wearing either an attractive or unattractive life-like mask, babies focused far more on the prettier choice. Newborns, it seems, are just as shallow as anyone who ever watched "The Man Show."
Dr. Langlois was also among the researchers who concluded years ago that nothing is better than looking average. Computer technology has demonstrated that composites of various faces are typically viewed as more attractive than individual photos of any of the subjects themselves.
"Despite the old adage 'never judge a book by its cover' and despite the prevailing belief that attractiveness does not matter once we know a person, even parents judge and treat their own children differently based on attractiveness, although they are not aware of it," Dr. Langlois wrote.




Vive le difference?
Does anyone doubt that men care more about their partners' looks than do women? Author David Buss, in "The Evolution of Desire," found proof for the assumption in surveys done repeatedly of the two genders worldwide. On a scale of 0.00 to 3.00, men tend to rate the importance of looks as about 0.5 more important than do women.
"Regardless of the location, habitat, marriage system or cultural living arrangement, men in all 37 cultures ... value physical appearance in choosing a mate more than women," Mr. Buss wrote. Back in the day, as they say, men wanted youthful-looking wives who gave the appearance of being able to pump out babies at a high rate. Modern studies have shown, according to Mr. Buss, that men acquire social status by having an attractive mate, although women with handsome husbands don't reap the same benefit.
"People suspect that a homely man must have a high status if he can interest a stunning woman," Mr. Buss says.




Pretty as a picture

Of course, this is the kind of knowledge from which Hugh Hefner and other publishers have profited for decades, without any researcher needing to tell them anything.

Amen xx A

Wednesday, September 7, 2011

Photo of the Day!

the return of the mona lisa after the war (paris, 1945)

The Mommy Diaries - I am sure exercise is just a fashion!

Hello again ladies

As a mum, I find it so hard to find time to exercise, do you? If I do, it means I need to get up before its light and then what to do? sadly, I don't even like exercise, I can summon up enough energy to do half hour if I have my most fabulous possession (my ipod) blaring me into the unknown.
Truth is I live  right next to the ocean, which IS where I love to walk, but unless I go in the middle of the night, there is no chance......... anyway my theory is that exercise is just a fashion, I am sure it all started with Jane Fonda because since when did you see Marilyn Monroe, Elizabeth Taylor or any other Hollywood legends jogging down the street.


So I have googled and googled and come to realise that you don't have to join a gym to burn calories. Great workouts are all around you — in your home, at your desk or just outside your front door. And while everyday activities might not seem like much, over the course of a day, the number of calories you burn can really add up. Check out some of these "chores" to see how you can burn up to 150 calories as you go about your everyday stuff.


1. Gardening
Pulling weeds, digging holes, spreading mulch or grass seed — all these activities burn a significant number of calories. In just 15 minutes, you could burn as many as 75 to 100 calories while enjoying the fresh air — and crossing off one of your chores at the same time.


2. Housework
Don't think of it as more chores; see it as a chance to stay fit. Vacuuming burns plenty of calories, but add in mopping the floors, dusting and changing the sheets, and you can burn up to 50 calories in just 15 minutes!


3. Mowing
Why pay someone to cut the grass when you can do it yourself? Add as much as $30 to your weekly budget and trim your figure as you trim your lawn. Stay off that riding mower and burn 50 to 100 calories.


4. Climbing stairs
Do a load of laundry, take it upstairs. Come back down, pick up the bedroom linens, head back up — you get the idea. The more weight you carry up, the more calories you burn — as many as 100 calories in 15 minutes.


5. Shopping If you're heading to the mall, add an indoor lap before you do your shopping and after you've found what you're looking for. And forget that close spot — park in the distance to add steps to your tally.


6. Make your desk work count
Don't just sit at your desk — get active! Try leg lifts under your desk or hold your tummy in for a count of 10, firming muscles with isometrics. Press your palms flat down on your desk and release to strengthen your biceps.



So what do you think girls? I think we could do this don't you? after all as soon as summer gets here its time to expose those legs and arms again.........yay!! have a great day xx A

Women - Friendship

Good Morning Beautiful Ladies, This poem was emailed to me the other day by a dear friend, I thought it was beautiful so I decided to share with all of you. The painting I love also but have wildly been trying to find out who the artist is but haven't had any luck. I am going to print a copy of this poem off for a friend of mine who sadly lost her dad on fathers day this last weekend.

Anyway Girls have a fabulous day xx A



One Flaw In Women

Women have strengths that amaze men....

They bear hardships and they carry burdens,

but they hold happiness, love and joy.

They smile when they want to scream.

They sing when they want to cry.

They cry when they are happy

and laugh when they are nervous.

They fight for what they believe in..

They stand up to injustice.

They don't take "no" for an answer

when they believe there is a better solution.

They go without so their family can have.

They go to the doctor with a frightened friend.

They love unconditionally.

They cry when their children excel

and cheer when their friends get awards.

They are happy when they hear about

a birth or a wedding.

Their hearts break when a friend dies.

They grieve at the loss of a family member,

yet they are strong when they

think there is no strength left.

They know that a hug and a kiss

can heal a broken heart.

Women come in all shapes, sizes and colours.

They'll drive, fly, walk, run or e-mail you

to show how much they care about you.

The heart of a woman is what

makes the world keep turning.

They bring joy, hope and love.

They have compassion and ideas.

They give moral support to their

family and friends.

Women have vital things to say

and everything to give..

HOWEVER, IF THERE IS ONE FLAW IN WOMEN,


IT IS THAT THEY FORGET THEIR WORTH.

Quote of the Day!


words to live by quotes