Edie Wadsworth

Lisa Leonard Designs and a Giveaway

October 11, 2009 by Edie Wadsworth 129 Comments

Since starting this blog in May 2008, checking my email has been much more fun.

Y’all leave me the sweetest messages and ask me the funniest questions. I love getting email from you and try my darn-well best to reply to each one—and then I get lost in the archives of your blogs to try to get to know you better. My inbox has become like a little treasure box where I never know what I’ll find. I’m working on a post where I share with you some of the jewels I’ve gotten from you. Speaking of jewels……..

I recently got an email from Lisa Leonard asking me to partner with her and to support her lovely jewelry. I pulled my psoas muscle doing a hitchkick and yelled through the house, “Lisa Leonard sent me an email. WHAT?!! Lisa Leonard–the Lisa Leonard-—wants me to wear her jewelry and then tell you how much I love it?! (SHhhhh….don’t tell her that I already wear her jewelry–LIKE EVERYDAY FOR THE LAST YEAR— and that I did a post a while back about how much I love her jewelry).

So, I was breezy. And said, “OH MY GOSH, I’M YOUR BIGGEST FAN AND I LOVE ALL YOUR JEWELRY—AND YOUR BLOG—–AND YOUR LUSCIOUS, GORGEOUS HAIR!)

Breezy, I tell you.

I get more compliments on my Lisa Leonard ‘dogtag’ necklace—the one with my kids’ names on it–than any other piece of jewelry I’ve ever worn. And this is the perfect time to order for Christmas, just before the holiday rush. The jewelry comes beautifully packaged, ready to be enjoyed by someone you love.

I love this necklace and had someone very special in mind when I ordered it. This goes perfect with our upcoming series on ‘handmade Christmas’. All of her pieces are sterling silver, hand-cut, hammered, hand-stamped and antiqued; each a beautiful work of art. Join me in supporting Lisa, who because of her jewelry business, was able to quit work and stay home with her children.

She has been so kind to offer one of you this ‘my heart’ necklace just by entering a comment on this post. You may enter until 10p tomorrow night and then we’ll pick a winner. You’re all winners in my book but we only have one necklace to give away, so get to it.

Must-Have Makeup Tips :: Oh To Be 25 Again!

October 9, 2009 by Edie Wadsworth 52 Comments

Girls, you are in for a treat!!!! Savannah (political science graduate turned MAC make up artist) has graciously agreed to give us 30 and 40 somethings some tips. I was lucky enough to be on the receiving end of that magical make-up brush of hers, and though there’s probably nothing on the market (short of a scalpel) to make me look 25 again, I am completely in awe of her knowledge base and skill level with a wide variety of ages, colors, face and eye shapes, etc.

I’ve asked her a zillion questions since she’s been here and now I am thrilled to pass the ‘must have’ tips on to you all! (Any male readers still with me at this point should probably see if there are any good football games on. There’s nothing for you here. You have entered the sacred life of women’s beauty and trust me, you don’t want to know what goes on here. Do me this favor though, tell your wife she looks beautiful today!)

Beware of this ghetto video and don’t scramble to write stuff down because I list everything you need below. This video is proof that I love you. Amen.

Steps to a flawless face and the Audrey Hepburn (or Marilyn Monroe) look:

1. Start with your normal foundation and preferably a tinted moisturizer. Then apply Mineralize Skin Finish liberally all over the face. (I just bought one and it is WONDERFUL stuff—-and not that expensive compared to other department store brands)

2. Eye primer—Use the tip of your finger to apply painterly (from a paint pot) all over the eye from lid to brow. This functions like double stick tape for your eye shadow and gives much more even coverage. (I’ve been using this product or one like it for 3-4 years and I love it.)

3. Apply brule’ eye color over the whole eye. Then use a light brown like wedge for the crease. To apply the crease color, use a blending brush (MAC brush number 217) and apply the color at the lateral edge of the crease and then do a windshield wiper motion just under the brow bone in the crease. It’s better to start with less color and then build it; you can’t easily remove the color. Of course, if you’re Tammy Faye like me, then more is better.

4. A good way to brighten the eyes is to add a light color like brule’ to the tear duct. You can apply it with your finger or with the same blending brush.

5. The Audrey Hepburn eye is heavy on the black eyeliner. And it’s not rocket science, but it’s not that easy to do either. To make it easier, Savannah used a small angled brush (MAC #266) to apply a brown eye shadow (Handwritten) in exactly the place where the black eye liner is to go. It serves as a template for where to place the liner. Start by lining the lower lash line as close to the base of the lash as possible. Then extend the line past the corner about 1/4th an inch following the natural line of the lower lid. It’s a common mistake to just free hand the top liner without paying attention to the actual shape of the eye. (This usually results in having it curved upwards in an unnatural way).

6. Then fill in the template with the black liner. The one from MAC is called Boot Black liquid liner and it is fantabulous. After Savannah did my left eye, I practiced on my right eye. Not too bad, huh? Then finish the look with the brow groomer. It is applied with a wand (like a mascara) and makes a huge difference in the overall look. I used to never leave the house without lip gloss and mascara. Now, I never leave without brow groomer heavily applied. It would be one of the ten items I’d take if I were stranded on a deserted island.

7. Apply blush (Dainty) with a good brush (MAC #168) on the apples of your cheeks. A peachy pink blush (or as close to the same color as you would naturally blush) works best. I love dainty. DO NOT UNDER ANY CIRCUMSTANCE apply blush in a stripe on your cheekbone. (Savannah’s emphasis) You apply blush where you would naturally blush.

Go ahead and confess it, ’cause we both know good and well that you’ve been guilty of the striped cheek.

Quick tips: what you must have

1. Mineralize Skin Finish powder

2. Brow Groomer

3. Painterly paint pot (to use for eye primer)

4. Boot Black Liquid liner

5. Dainty blush

6. Hue lipstick (for me) but Savannah says the lip color is not limited with this eye look because it’s so basic and pared down.

Big round of applause for Savannah!!! Thank you for taking the time to teach us. Being around you makes me FEEL 25 again—-that counts for something!

Disclaimers:

This is NOT, unfortunately, a paid advertisement for MAC. I’ve been using their products for 7-8 years and love them. I’m doubly blessed that our wonderful Savannah works for them. This would have been way more fun if they would have sent me $200 in free products to sing their praises. But they didn’t.

I’ve written a much more important post on beauty that I highly recommend you read. A woman who is at rest— comfortable in her own skin—accepting of her own flawed body—is a beautiful woman to me. But, hey, we’ve got to take help where we can get it. And make-up, to a southern women, is serious business. I’m still working through Kubler-Ross Stage 2 over all the MAC lip gloss I had stolen last year. It is not safe to come between a woman and her beauty products.

Post Edit: I re-read this post this morning and I’m not sure I made it sufficiently clear about the power of the brow groomer.
I need you to be on the same ‘brow-groomer’ page as me. There’s power in the brow.
So, I snapped another little pic for you this morning.
Go to MAC. Go directly to MAC. Do not pass go. Do not collect $200. Get some brow groomer—which is officially called brow set. Mmmkay?

A Field Trip with Savannah

October 8, 2009 by Edie Wadsworth 18 Comments

Savannah (Steve’s beautiful 25 year old, actress/model, MAC make up artist—with a degree in political science– daughter) is visiting this week. She’s so much fun to be with and the girls and I are in heaven, having her here to teach us all about makeup, clothing trends, and the craziness of pop culture. She is smart, well-read, funny, and can knit like a champ. Oh and did I mention she’s drop dead gorgeous?

So, on our escapade to Abingdon to see Tom Sawyer at the Children’s Theatre (which was wonderful) we stopped in at a local yarn shop and oooh-ed and aaaah-ed at the luscious wools and cashmere’s. I could just live in this room I think.

Then, we visited the MAC counter, where she showed me everything I needed to make myself look 25 again. We’re working on an eye make up tutorial today that I’ll share with you later this week. You’re in for a treat.

And the wonderful, crisp fall day came to a perfect close by meeting my teens for dinner in Johnson City.

How lucky am I????

Calling all Crafters

October 7, 2009 by Edie Wadsworth 36 Comments

Steve’s parents left yesterday and it was a whirlwind of fun; cooking, baking, knitting, and enjoying family time.

I was thrilled to learn to do cables and LOVE this yummy tiffany blue yarn.

Which brings me to the point of this post.

What if we all made an effort toward a more handmade Christmas.

Less stuff, more meaningful.

Not that we could go ‘cold turkey’ because last time I checked, noone was making handmade legos.

But you know what I mean. A little less Walmart, a little more from the heart.

So, to support and encourage us in our quest for more meaningful gifts, I plan to host

12 days of Handmade Christmas-Tutorials

beginning November 1 through November 12

here on my little old blog

with guest posters for 12 days straight.

Sounds like so much fun to me!!

I have been asking some really awesome bloggers/crafters to join me but I have some slots left

so if you want to show us how to make some Christmas-y craft/food/gift/etc

then let me know all about your ideas.

Or if you know someone

who knows someone

who’s really cool and crafty

then by all means

tell a sista.

Y’all may be so good that it turns in 28 days of Handmade Christmas Tutorials!

And why in November?

Because I don’t know about you, but I only have two hands.

And I’m working on some giveaways for that week too.

And I’m making wassail

And singing carols

And in general annoying all the people who hate the mention of Christmas

before Thanksgiving.

Let’s change things up a bit.

How ’bout it?

Happy House Guests and a Recipe

October 5, 2009 by Edie Wadsworth 19 Comments

Come on in y’all!

When you’re having company, make an effort to make the entrance of your house inviting.

I love creative tablescapes and this time of year, the possibilities are endless. Natural elements like pumpkins and hay make for visual interest.

And what fun we had sitting around the table when Savannah arrived. We can’t wait to spoil her this week.

The blackbird kept watch over the zucchini tart.

And then Grandma made these gorgeous and delicious apple pies. She’s not only a master knitter but an expert pie maker. Apple pie + zucchini tart= happy house guests.

It was so wonderful having Caiti home too. We have missed her terribly!

Find out what your guests love and plan to make it. Caiti’s favorite: Blueberry Almond Coffee Cake!

Recipe for coffee cake:

1/2 cup butter,softened

8 ounces cream cheese

2 ounces almond paste (or 1 t. almond flavoring)

2 cups sugar

4 eggs

1 1/2 c. flour

1 1/2 t. baking powder

1 1/2 t. salt

1 3/4 cups blueberries tossed in 1 T. flour and 2 T sugar

Lemon Glaze:

2 cups powdered sugar

2 T. lemon juice

2 T. heavy cream

1 T. softened butter

Preheat oven to 350. Combine butter, cream cheese, almond paste and sugar; beat until fluffy. Add eggs and then flour, baking powder and salt. Then fold in blueberries. Bake in a well-greased bundt pan for 35-40 minutes. While it cools, combine ingredients for glaze and stir until smooth. Drizzle over pound cake and enjoy!!

I’m joining Rhoda for a recipe swap. Click here for more deliciousness.

Sunday Grace……..

October 3, 2009 by Edie Wadsworth 10 Comments

Because I have company and am learning some great fun things from Steve’s mom (like how to make krumkake and pepper nuts and how to knit cables) and because I have graciously acquired some wonderful new readers (welcome and thank you for reading), I am reposting from my archives (September 28) about my wonderful husband. He was trained well by a mother and father who loved him and taught him many wonderful things—–and now I get to reap the benefits. Thank you Ed and Evadne. I am one lucky girl.

There are so many things to love about this guy. He’s rugged, funny, smart, loves football and fishing and good scotch, can name nearly every tree in nature, reads theology books, can water ski and snow ski like a pro, likes classical music and Pearl Jam, and occasionally loses his temper. He’s edgy like that sometimes…..in a masculine, Jesus-and-the-money-changers sort of a way. He has huge biceps and makes you feel like he’d crush anyone who tried to hurt you…….all the things that make a girl go weak in the knees.

Yesterday, he saw our children and their friends throwing small matchbox cars in the pool. It was right after the Vols got beat so he was already a little ‘frustrated’, let’s say.

He yelled……

they cried……

I was bewildered.

Today, as we pulled into the church parking lot, he put his right hand on my shoulder and gave me a little touch of affection. He asked the girls if they remembered the pool incident and they, of course, did. He told them that he was wrong to lose his temper and asked if we would forgive him. Elea said, “Yes, daddy, I forgive you.” The exchange was powerful. I can’t think of a better way to teach forgiveness to your children. The historic liturgy of the church is beautiful on this subject, and thank God we say and hear these words every Sunday;

“Lord we confess that we are by nature sinful and unclean and have sinned against you in thought, word, and deed by what we have done and by what we have left undone. We have not loved you with our whole heart and we have not loved our neighbors as ourselves. We justly deserve your present and eternal punishment. For the sake of Your son Jesus Christ, have mercy on us. Forgive us, renew us, and lead us, so that we may delight in Your will and walk in Your ways……Almighty God in His mercy has given His son to die for you and for His sake forgives you all your sins.”

Now, that is comfort. We fail. We screw up. We lose our tempers, get angry. And He stands there waiting…..to forgive. It is a powerful force in any relationship, but especially in families. To forgive and be forgiven, what a gift from God! I am thankful for a man who is passionate enough to get angry and man enough to ask for forgiveness. He also just so happens to able to identify nearly every bird flying overhead and he can wind the bobbin on my sewing machine! I’m starting to feel so inadequate!