This & That: No. 14

A beauty find I couldn’t wait to share, a summer dessert, a book to keep on your shelf and a treat for your pet as well . . . 

~Blog Post

~30 Traits Happy People Have in Common

Marc and Angel Hack Life, after having poured over endless books on happiness, suggest three books that do the best job of explaining how any one of us can bring more happiness into our lives, and in doing so created this list of 30 Traits that Happy People Have in Common. What I discovered is while I attempt, and in some cases succeed at their points, there are areas in which I’d like to improve, and this list is something I will certainly keep handy as a resource.

~Books

~Stumbling On Happiness

One of the three happiness books that made the cut mentioned above was Daniel Gilbert’s Stumbling On Happiness. Recommended by nearly every website I have visited focused on motivation and lifestyle (released in 2007), Gilbert’s book is a must-have if you too are seeking the realization that you do indeed have more control over your happiness than you may realize.

~Beauty

~Kevin Murphy’s Texture Master

Over the past few years, I have tried to streamline my hair time in the morning which means washing my hair every other or every third day. In my quest, I have been searching for quality products to help create the style I desire that lasts most of the day.

This past January, I was in Seattle and had the opportunity to have a blow-out at Swink Style Bar which lasted for three days – looking more fabulous the second day which thrilled me to no end. So what products did they use? Kevin Murphy. And the magic trick was his Texture Master. I have fine hair, but lots of it, so I didn’t want a heavy product, and this fit the bill, and it certainly did its job of adding volume that didn’t weight down my hair and held its style for days (only needing a bit of dry shampoo to spruce it up the bedhead).

Watch the video to see exactly how it works, but my stylist used it a bit differently as I wanted a slight curl/wave in my hair. How I use it is to apply it to the small section of hair that I am working with (at the root, but rubbed in to almost the end), then quickly curled with a 1” – 1 and 1/2” iron. The look was exactly what I wanted.

~Pets

~Cloud Star’s Buddy Wash in Lavender & Mint Shampoo and Conditioner - $12

For years, I have been in love with Cloud Star’s Buddy Wash in Lavender, and now with the addition of mint in their 2 in 1 conditioner, it's a product that is inexpensive, high quality and leaves my spaniels smelling wonderful after their much needed baths when they’ve enjoyed themselves a bit too much in the dirt and mud.

~Recipes

~Key Lime Pie

Always a fan of Lemon Merinque pie, I am on a mission to make and try Key Lime Pie which everyone seems to rave about. So when I saw this recipe and posted it on my Pinterest page, I thought it would be a perfect recipe to try this summer for my next dinner gathering.

~Kitchen Supplies

~Farmer’s Egg Crate - $14 Anthropologie

For my regular morning breakfast, one egg over-easy is a must-have, so I am always reaching into the refrigerator to grab one out of the egg carton; however, there have been moments when I have flipped over the carton with only a few eggs left, leaving a bit of a mess (okay, sometimes I am in a hurry and focused on something else, I’ll admit it).

In an effort to add ease and a touch of beauty to my fridge, I thought this ceramic egg create would be perfect. I have seen Giada de Laurentiis use it multiple times on her cooking show Giada at Home as her husband works for Anthropologie, and priced at $14, why not?

Another creative use may not be in the kitchen at all, as many reviewers have shared they use it to store jewelry – earrings and necklaces. What a great idea!