And an interesting contest happening

by Jillian @ http://blueshelled.com . November 10, 2009 . 12:35AM

Ok, since my last contest only had 4 entries (hello!), here is what I decided to do. I have 2 planners and was going to do separate giveaways, but since only 3 people wanted them, I’m going to give away the 2 planners and a lipstick palette via drawing. The first two numbers drawn will get the planners and the person who doesn’t get drawn gets the palette! Everyone wins this time around!

Planner #1:
Here are your random numbers:
1 Timestamp: 2009-11-10 05:30:29 UTC

Congrats, Loopy! Please email me your mailing address to jillian at blueshelled.com within a week!

Planner #2: Here are your random numbers:
3 Timestamp: 2009-11-10 05:31:21 UTC

Congrats, Ellie! Please email me your mailing address to jillian at blueshelled.com within a week!

Lipstick Palette goes to my girl, Natalie! Please email me your mailing address to jillian at blueshelled.com within a week!

Thanks to all of you for spreading the word and for entering my contest and congratulations!!

The mystery of make-up

by Jillian @ http://blueshelled.com . October 13, 2009 . 2:27PM

The most beautiful makeup of a woman is passion. But cosmetics are easier to buy.” — Yves Saint Laurent

Women wear makeup for other women. It’s true and it’s not a secret. I’ve said it before, here in this blog. Men, it may come as a surprise for you and a small blow to your ego, but we aren’t competing with you, are we? We’re competing for you and your attention. For those married folks, we’re competing to keep what we’ve got or gain something new. For those who are single, they are shopping their options and the goal is to be the prettiest peacock on the block.

Over the summer, a friend of mine in my program at school, Susan (Not her name), mentioned to me that she thinks I’m beautiful. I mentioned to her that I’d pay her to say it all day long. She laughed and said that because I’m a white woman, and a large woman, that she gets it. And I think she does. I’ll talk more about this tomorrow. She stated that she noticed that I have more confidence on the days that I wear makeup and the days that I do my hair (instead of my favored ponytails) and pop some earrings in or wear jewelry. Adorning my face gives me confidence.

“She has such a pretty face, if only she’d do something about that body.”

Fair enough. Last week, I tested it. True to form, I get a different reaction from people when I “do my face.” Either, I’m projecting more confidence or I’m looking good and it gets a different reaction. I’m assuming it’s a little of both, but more the latter. Research has shown that attractive people tend to get more favorable reviews when asked how they are viewed by observers. We like pretty people. There is a reason the cosmetics corporations make billions of dollars.

Women want to look good and they like the way people respond.

I liked the way people responded to me last week. They were quick to meet my needs. They were complimentary. They were interested. It conditioned my response. I spent a good 20 extra minutes a day on hair and make-up. What? I’m still low-maintenance. You can’t pay me to spend more time than that on looking good.

You should see the responses I get when I don’t wear my wedding rings. That’s another post for another day.

Have any of you had similar experiences?

Winners of my Stila giveaway!!

by Jillian @ http://blueshelled.com . July 26, 2009 . 6:57PM

Winners were chosen Friday night while I was on vacation, but my service was spotty, so they are being posted today.

Random Integer Generator

Here are your random numbers:

18
34
16
Timestamp: 2009-07-25 01:30:13 UTC

So,

Prize #1 goes to Kristin
Prize #2 goes to Natalie (um, didn’t you just win something here, you lucky wench?)
Prize #3 goes to Olivia

Ladies, please email me your mailing addresses at jillian at blueshelled dot com within a week to claim your prizes. To everyone else, don’t despair. A new giveaway starts sooner than you think! Keep your eyes here!

Jillian

We’re friends: Mother and son friendship

by Jillian @ http://blueshelled.com . April 29, 2009 . 9:29PM

When AJ was little, and by little I mean 2 or 3 years old, I was into makeup. And by into makeup, you could clearly say it was an addiction. I had a tacklebox the size of a 4 shoeboxes stacked together. It was a green and creme Plano box whose loss I mourn daily. I still enjoy my cosmetics, but not to the extent I did then.

At whatever time of day I would have to get ready to go, I would lug out my Plano box and choose the daily colors. If I didn’t have to go out, I would sit in front of the tv with a mirror and play dress up with my girlie-metics. AJ loved to watch me put on my face and would often sit behind me and view me in my mirror.

He would come up behind me, hug me with his chubby little arms and grin at me in the mirror and tell me I was “bootiful.” One day, however, he was looking at me with a particularly tender smile and he said, “Aw, mama, we’re friends.” From that day on, when I did my makeup, he would come behind me, hug me, look at us in the mirror and say “we’re friends.”

As he’s grown, there are times he continues to reaffirm not only his love for me as a mother, but his genuine feeling that I listen to him and take care of him as a friend. This does not mean that I am not in charge or that I’m a permissive parent. I’m an authoritative parent with equal parts strict and loving. What I hear from him, however, is that my boundaries provide security and love and that my being his parent doesn’t effect how he feels about our friendship. This flies in the face of all of those parents that feel like they have to be permissive for their children to love them more.

Yes, AJ. We’re friends. I hope you will remember that when you become a teenager and hate me for all the times I reinforce your security and safety. I hope you remember it when I keep you away from the people I know aren’t good for you. I hope you remember it when you want to go on trips that lack structure and put holes in your body and dye your hair (hey, feel free if you want to pay for it). When you are an adult, freedom is yours and I’ll still be your mom and, yes, AJ, we’ll still be friends. Hopefully.