It'sa me, Mario!

It's been 15 years. I've had acne for 15 years.

That's about the only thing I can say has been consistent in my life for that long. I mean, my parents have loved me for longer... and, you know, I've been breathing for longer and stuff like that, but I can't say I've been married that long, or been working somewhere that long or anything like that. You know what I mean.

My face is worn out. And, at 29, I think it stinks that I don't get to have a complexion that's clear. Soon the fine lines start right? I didn't get to just enjoy my face before the signs of aging begin. There's been something on my face every day for 15 years. If there was a rare day without a blemish, then there's always the scars, the marks, the blotchyness.

I feel so vain. I'm near being depressed about this as of late. It's just exhausting. Every day, trying to either cover something up, or pretend it's not there and that others don't notice. Somehow, God has blinded my husband to it. Whew! I really never thought I would be comfortable in front of anyone without makeup on, but I can just relax and totally forget with him.

I've been on Accutane twice, all the topical and oral meds that dermatologists perscribe, ProActiv, Arbonne's acne kit, various face washes with salycilic acid or benzoyl peroxide and, most recently, a blemish-clearing routine by Juice Beauty.

nothing has worked

It's the kind of thing you just don't give up on though because you see people every single day talking about how they cleared theirs up. My skin can't be the one in a million that no product will help.

My next experiment is going to be with Mario Badescu. Never heard of him? Me either. Here's the web site. I don't feel like going into great detail about it, but his products contain sulfur instead of salycilic acid or benzoyl peroxide, so they have the potential to give me different results. My free samples are coming in the mail any day now, and I am hanging my hope on them, just like every other thing I've tried.

Here I go again.

Wishful Wednesday

I am wishing today for a date. A date with my husband without the kids. A date with my husband without the kids where we reminisce about how we met and other memories. A date with my husband without the kids where we reminisce about how we met and other memories while dancing the night away. A date with my husband without the kids where we reminisce about how we met and other memories while dancing the night away after dinner at Dante's Down the Hatch. Oh yes, now THAT's something worth wishing for.

Yum. Fondue at Dante's Down the Hatch in Atlanta. Their website describes the restaurant as:

"...an entertainment complex (built) around the illusion of an 18th century sailing ship tied to the wharf of a mythical Mediterranean village."

"Rising high above the Wharf is the impressive stern of a full-rigged sailing vessel... mast, sails and all... with a moat, complete with live crocodiles surrounding the hull..."

The menu is mostly fondue with a few exceptions...

and jazz music is played live six nights a week from the ship.

One thing I MUST try before I die is their chocolate fondue. You have to order it two days in advance (TWO DAYS) and it is served to you personally by Dante himself. He only serves one a night.

"The fruit is hand-picked at the market and the Swiss honey-base chocolate is hand folded by our chefs and brews for eight hours. "

"Dante suggests you finish your meal 2-3 hours before coming here for the chocolate fondue; then plan on gorging for a minimum of two hours."

wow.

I sense a 30th birthday celebration in the works. I am also sensing that my husband is going to read this post and take it in serious consideration when wondering what in the world to do for me for my birthday.

Vlogger, Blogger... whatever

I have, without really intending to, made my first vlog and posted it on YouTube. I intended to post it... I just didn't really know it was a vlog when I was filming it. I just felt like talking and getting some things off my mind while I had a few minutes.

The reason I'm letting you know about it is because it also counts as my "I Want That Wednesday" entry. By the way, I think "Wishful Wednesdays" sounds better, don't you? I rechristen Wednesdays "Wishful Wednesdays."

Now that that's done, you can go watch and see what I'm wishing for, if you're interested.

Click here.

It's Amazing...

what you can accomplish by foregoing a shower. :)

This dress is one of three pieces in an elaborate birthday outfit that I conceived the idea for after receiving my fabric order the first week of January.

I am truly amazed at how in love with my creation I am. As usual, it is far from perfect and I would never think of showing certain details because of my inexperience.

But the model really shows it off well, in my opinion. :)

N.M.M.

I did not just realize that there has been a fan on stand in my entry for I don't know how long. If you had asked me if there was a 4 foot tall fan standing in my entry, I would, of course have said "Yes, absolutely." I did not discover it because I was vacuuming up very large dust-bunnies and had to detour around the fan's base to get to the corner.

Favorite Friday

One day, along with many items of clothing from Anthropologie, I will also fill my wardrobe with dresses from Shabby Apple. Sophisticated, modest, attractive and unique, their designs are style-defining and I would love for mine to be defined by them.

The DIY Dish

Ah, to have a full day, or two or three just to sew and sew. I'm pining after my sewing machine and have so many things in mind (as usual) that I want to try. The fabric that I've bought stares at me from it's disheveled pile on the guest room bed when I change the baby's diaper or put her down for a nap and calls quietly to me throughout the day, "We want to become beautiful little tops, dresses and bags for you and your girls! Come play with us!" Alas, I only continue to find more inspiration and more patterns and less time to complete anything.

On that note...

In order to win a sewing machine or embroidery machine (how incredibly awesome would that be!!!) I'm posting this video here and unselfishly allowing you a chance to win too. Go to www.thediydish.com to enter and get on their newsletter to be updated with free videos that will have tutorials for all sorts of projects that maybe you will have time to do, since I don't.