Always scale the fabric pattern to the size of your body. In my opinion, clothes should be a decorative frame around YOU – THE WORK OF ART!  So, when you first see yourself in the mirror, if all you see is the print, its too much for you. If the fabric print does nothing more than add a few bits of color, then make it the center of your outfit and have everything else be secondary to it.

Now we can discuss the pattern of line flowing throughout your outfit. Look in the mirror. Do you see mostly horizontal lines, mostly vertical or diagonal lines? Avoid the tendency to make it  too busy which will communicate a fastidious, busy-body type of person. Keep your outfit simple and calm with a put-together feeling using color’s hue, value and intensity; pattern that is in scale to your body’s stature with lines flowing from top to bottom. Consider what your outfit is communicating to others.

My entire “Dress to Impress” talk can be delivered in person to your business associates, club members or your organization.

Analogous colors are next to one another on the color wheel and are harmonious. Any two or three next to each other on the color wheel are considered analogous. This is a good way to wear colors when you are needing others to agree with you.

Keep looking in the mirror and consider what you are communicating with your look. Be objective and consider the point of view of the audience. Think as if you were in a modern day play and this is your costume. How clear is the message you are communicating?

My entire “Dress to Impress” talk can be delivered in person to your business associates, club or organization.

Color has three properties: Hue (the color), Value (pastel or a dark shade) and Intensity (bright or dull)

I suggest using one color, only one Hue. Psychologically this communicates a person who is organized and has it all together. Add interest with variations of that Hue using Value and Intensity of that one color, like a brighter silky scarf or a pastel shirt/blouse.   Adding a second Hue will add more interest, but which hue?

Refer to a color wheel available at all art supply sources.  The primary colors Red, Blue and Yellow are bold, making a strong statement and while dressing should only be used as accents or to point to your best features. Use Value and Intensity to vary a primary color; a pastel or a darker shade of that color, like a navy blue or burgundy suit color with a brighter or more intense version of that same color to pull your outfit together.

Primary colors are good to wear when you want to stimulate the thinking or actions of others.

My entire “Dress to Impress” talk can be delivered in person to your business associates, club or organization.

The first was brought to me by a new grandmother. She supplied her wedding gown with the sleeves removed. Her daughter had used the sleeves on her own wedding dress a number of years earlier. My customer asked me to use the remaining gown to make a christening gown and bonnet/hat for her first grandchild. And asked that the design be unisex in anticipation of more grandchildren of either sex.

The second job is a 8 1/2 ft. wide roman shade for her home based office made from the kitchen drapes. The fabric has an embroidered border top and sides. I also added it to the bottom of the shade. I had to visit a local farmer to weld the weight rod together for me because our local hardware store only had an 8 foot rod.

The third is an 18″ throw pillow embroidered with branches and birds. I was asked to use her teenager’s favorite jeans, flatten the curves of the back of the jeans to sew over the back of the pillow and add more jean detailing to the front of the pillow.

I have often thought of offering a service of detailing jeans for folks. I even have a book on all the ways to detail jeans. Is that a service you would want? I could make an order form to check off lace, velvet, grommets, sequins, etc., and when I get the jeans along with the order form from you I could then price it out. Or perhaps also have a choice of six levels of pricing . What do you think?

At any rate, I really liked the “recycling” aspects of these jobs.

“Winter is the coldest and darkest of seasons. We are dominated by the Yin principle of Chinese Medicine. It is important to stay warm and to have a cozy spot to relax, sleep, and dream.”

“Winter relates to the water element, the kidneys which rule over the emotions, fear or lack of faith. The kidneys control the life force energy; our vitality and longevity; will power and ambition.

“Drink Peppermint and chamomile teas, eat seaweeds like kelp, dulse, nori, and hijiki are high-protein vegetables, high in vitamins E and A, and particularly rich in calcium, phosphorus, potassium, iron, iodine and other trace minerals. They stimulate and strengthen the skin, hair and nails, and nourish the endocrine system, especially the thyroid and adrenal glands.”

I hope this information assists you in dealing with Winter. I have found both seaweed in the form of nori to be a big help with my hair, skin and nails.  I welcome your comments.

Let me share with you part of a testimonial sent to me by one of my clients. In short, these are HIS words. ” I credit Mary Kay skin care products a great deal for the fact that my psoriasis is almost GONE! It was costing me a great deal of time and discomfort, not to mention prescription drugs . . . in spite of ten years of Betamethasone Diproionate, the itching and blistering had spread to over both legs surfaces and a third of my back . . . With the Mary Kay exfoliating Cleaning Bar and two more of their face and body moisurtizing lotions . . . within three months the psoriasis was on the run. A year later, it’s practically gone.  I sleep through the night. Because of those results I tried the Firming Eye Cream which is allowing my eye skin to restore itself and undo the excessive folding around my eyes.”

Mine: Its for these kind of results that I promote Mary Kay products. I’m grateful.

Merry Christmas

My copy became worn to the point of having it rebound by an independent book binder in Ann Arbor, MI after a very taltented graphic designer scanned the cover and reprinted/ laminated it in full color glory. See DavidClassicDesign.com  The original cover art shows a heightened view of all four seasons,  in nature with rivers and trees, full of life.  

Personally, I found that the ability to dicipline myself to do the right things at the right time for a healthier life comes from the successes of doing those very things. Its a Catch 22, and also a welcoming, clear path to a better life. Our bodies want to be healthy, with radiance as Pasha’s Salon promotes. We are so used to doing for others, ourselves last. As we age, picking  up more and more toxins, you know the story, the time to start seems to be soon, if not yesterday.  Check into it.

At “fat” one losses 4% of their brain tissue, that is 4 billion less brain cells, aging the brain by 8 years. So your brain is 8 years older than your actual age.

At “obese” one losses 8% or 8 billion brain cells, aging the brain by 16 years.

Our brain function is what separates us from all those valuable creatures we call “animals”.  Think about it.

You can find out all bout Dr. Amen’s work by entering his name in a Google/Yahoo search.

I’ll have more on better eating in my next entry.

Looking forward

Over the next few months of Spring, our season of renewal, I will suggest a number of methods for picking and choosing your particular and unique style which will create confidence. I suggest trying things for two weeks or more to see the difference it makes. Notice peoples responses, and how you feel about yourself.  Adapt the change for 21 days. I may be wrong but I think that is the number of days it takes to develop a habit.  The slightest little changes done daily brings huge results building one’s confidence and power of attraction. I appreciate your comments.

I cut-out and have yet to sew together a beautiful blouse for myself. At least I think its for myself! I will photograph it and display it somehow, either on this blog or on my website. I’m not sure if I can display photos on this blog?

Picture this.  An Asian style blouse, form-fitted with princess line seaming in a tropical floral print . Along the  serpentine neckline, twelve tiny buttons made of simulated ivory in the shape of stylized Birch tree leaves. I should have it finished by the end of this Easter weekend.