Raindrops on Roses and Whiskers on Kittens....

Bright copper kettles and oh you get the idea. These are a few of my favorite things. Several people did posts like this one at the end of the year or at the very beginning, but I'm just getting around to mine. I really enjoyed reading everybody else's so I thought I would come up with my own!

As a child I really, really, really wanted blonde hair. Until my mom's hairdresser told me that you don't see many brunettes with blue eyes. That I was special. True or not, it made me feel special. Lo these many years later I'm still embracing my brunette locks (though occasionally with the help of Garnier Nutrisse or whatever brand of hair color happens to be on sale!). And to enhance my chestnut waves, I found this:


And it really works. I especially love the Runway Straight smoothing milk. It makes my hair so smooth and shiny. So I told two friends. And she told two friends and so on.....

I have fine hair. Which, okay, fine. But that means I have fine eyelashes, too. I've bought into every mascara marketing campaign that Madison Avenue has dreamed up. And can I just ask how Maybelline Great Lash keeps getting voted America's #1 mascara? Every time I've used it I look like I have tarantulas sitting on my eyelids. But then. THEN, I found this:

The rubber brush coats every lash evenly to "define every lash!" And there are NO CLUMPS! Just the other day I was talking to my supervisor and she commented on how great my lashes looked and wanted to know what brand I use. She actually said my lashes looked...gasp...PERFECT! Now I'm taking my lashes to fabulous lengths!

I've never been a big user of "utensils" or "extras" in applying my cosmetics -- no eyelash curler (at least not after I seriously pinched my eyelid one time), no lip liners (remember the Henri Bendel debacle?). I've never like using a sponge to apply my foundation -- the coverage was never right and it seemed like a big waste of makeup, just soaking there into the sponge. But my mom started trying to sell me on a foundation brush -- she had bought one from Clinique -- so I gave it a try. And I love it. It gives my foundation such a smooth finish. No lines and even coverage. Isn't that what we're all looking for? I'm easy, breezy, beautiful.

Yes, I realize that all of these are about my appearance. I'm vain. Sue me.

Anyhoo. Another thing I discovered this year was a little more, um, shall we say, refreshing?

These were perfect. Not too sweet. A little tart. Perfect for a summer evening. Unfortunately, I discovered that these have been discontinued. That explains why I haven't been able to find them lately. Dang! I'm living the high life...or I was.

And that's it. Or at least that's all I can think of. Is there anything you discovered this year that you want share with us? Come on! Get a little closer! Don't be shy!