product review M2 skin care

In full disclosure the fine folks at Skin Care RX who are also my only sponsor here at richie headquarters asked me a while back would you be interested in testing a skincare line called M2? Skin care? Me? hells-to-the-yah. And then I stopped. Er...um I dunno, I'm really partial to my Clarins I thought, what is it you want me to test? They said this set that involves an Alpha Hydroxy Acids or something of the sort.



I don't think I'm the right person for you, I said. I'm super sensitive. I'm allergic to everything I say trying to weezel out of it [the Alpha Hydroxys have not been kind to me in the past]. Some more emails went back and forth we have one for "sensitive skin" it will be great they say, I say sure and expect to be making a trip to my allergist when it's all said and done.

This review thing is harder than it seems I have to admit. What if I hated it I thought? Ok, I just won't write about it. I mean they did give me a free set of product I would hate to bum them out by a bad review. No wonder every product reviewed in a magazine talks about how amazing it is. Don't believe it unless you hear first hand I'm telling ya.

But here's the thing, since we're talking about it. I like it. And I've been using it for 4 weeks or so and no skin irritation [amazing I might add on that part] and this Malic Acid [a type of hydroxy acid] thing? whoa a little zingy but I'm telling you whatever it is ate off the top layer of skin and my face is baby-butt soft. I'm not blowing smoke up your ass either. This weekend when Chris was home I had planned on handing it over to him for his take on it but I don't think I'm ready to give it up just yet. I am as surprised about this fact as you are at the moment.

so exfolating cleanser, skin refinish and skin recovery moisturizer. is what I've been using. The kit is $90, which considering I've paid that for one product, makes it a steal.

Some side notes on the product though. I don't find the moisturizer to be enough for me [I'm dry] and I've needed to supplement it with some of my standbys. I also might add I didn't care for the neon yellow color of the moisturizer either but it was just color, the smell was fine.

The Skincare RX site is pretty impressive. I've been poking around a bit to make sure they were on the up and up. Sothys, Murad, Perricone, Jan Marini, Kinerase, Dermalogica, Decleor [love their oils!], Cellex C are just some of their brands that I know and either have personally used, or have been used on me in treatments.

So from this skin junky...a surprising thumbs up

The cutest art book in history

OOps I used that word again but seriously...Do you know Jay Ryan of The Bird Machine? I've featured him here before. He's famed for his snuggly bear posters kinda like this:


I was at the book store today and saw his new book, featuring many of his top posters and graphics featuring his curious animals: bears, fish etc. It's really swell and I had to fight myself to put it back.

If you have a art person in your life, or a teen involved in good music they would love it. He has done posters for bands such as The Melvins, The Flight of the Concords, The Monsters of Folk, My Morning Jacket, Jeff Tweedy and more. The book also features a funny graph in the back of the book listing the amount of times an animal appears in his graphics. The bear I think won out but, fish, cats, pigs and the like made appearances.



The book is available at Amazon $15.61 significantly less than the Barnes folks or check out the other book he has called 100 Posters 134 Squirrels also available on Amazon or The Bird Machine Site.

#3 IN THE SERIES

I purchased camera poster #1 some years ago, then I purchased #2 and gave it to a photog friend for his new home, #3 is done and as cute as always. I mean not cute, Chris says I am not to use cute when describing masculine things. Are cameras masculine or feminine? anyway it's RAD and it's $30 And if it didn't cost $200 to match the frame I have on the other one I would totally buy it right now.
by Rod Post

funny how...

shoe image from here who by the way, I'm jealous of. I might add she's 13!! and dog image from here, she's for adoption.

Sade is back

short music week finishes up here with the queen of smooth



via starworks Sade's new CD drops Feb 2010
Till then lets have a listen to a lovely tune. sorry it's a static pic but the song wasn't available in full video.

Tuesday Music

More Tunes for this holiday week.

Iron and Wine's Naked As We Came



They haven't been on my radar even after one of the cool kids at the local music store told me about them oh, 7 years ago or something. Which as we know in music is like dog years. I don't know why I didn't like them then. I'm a sucker for sad, melancholy music as all my friends will attest too. I prefer to think of it as quiet, soft, thoughtful music myself.

So Naked As We Came? I hear it and want to curl up under my down comforter. Warm and Fuzzy for your holiday week

She Does

she said yes, and so did she



There is the most stunning photos up over at my favorite wedding photog Anna KuperbergI don't know these two women, but you can just tell that "this is what love is" by the way they look at one another.


------
I often wonder what it says about our society that can deny LOVE because it doesn't look the way they think it should. Love prevails always. This, I'm sure of.

please go click to the full slide show, it gave me chills, made me cry and smile all in 3 minutes flat

Happy short week

Well, how about that excitement from Friday hu? I've been catching up on the breathing thing and the sleep thing ever since. We had a lot of prep around here to make sure we had enough goodies in stock. Anyway, I'm still recovering. How about some tunes for this holiday week?

First up Nick Drake


I dunno it just makes me think of itchy wool sweaters [in a good way], fall leaves blowing along the ground and drives with the heater on and the windows down. perfect for this week

This is why I couldn't breathe

I didn't want to say it until it actually happened but this is why I couldn't breathe.



Author, TV star and the patron queen of style featured me on The Zoe Report today. My Illustrated shoe cards were spotlighted.

I'm truly honored and a little speechless today.

SUPER CUTE

a look book for a clothing brand Suno. Shot in cuba with the girls being towed behind moving cars?! The music is to die for, makes you want to cha cha.

> fashionista

Do you forget to breathe?

I forget to breathe all the time. It's much better than years ago when I barely inhaled at all. I got super sick during those years as you might guess since oxygen is important and all. I guess enough seeped into my skin to keep me standing upright. Some day I'll tell you how it began, the not breathing, but I feel like keeping things happy and chipper today.

Somehow I programmed my body from that time that anything good, bad or in-between that's out of my day to day norm sets me into this little not-breathing-thing. Even the good or the great.



And today I'm not breathing because of great. Something exciting is suppose to happen tomorrow. I'll tell you when it actually goes through because well, the chubby lady hasn't sung just yet. So I'll wait for a little Do-Rey-Me before I spill. Till then, posting a big yellow stickie to my computer reminding me.

image

Fishing

Don't laugh but I went to a fishing and tackle store on Saturday. And no it wasn't of my own accord as you might guess.


Chris has a small lake outside his back door over at his other house by school and he's been borrowing his roomies fishing pole. And as you might remember me telling you, I met him in a fly fishing store. As-in he was a professional guide for a number of years. Pros have to have the right gear don't cha know. Even if you only are catching little catfish out your back door in a man-made lake and tossing them back.

He got me suckered in with a comparision to shoes and a bag matching or something fashion related. Got it. Let's go. So we did. 15 min into it I got antsy and trying to humor myself began taking pictures of sparkily fish kinda like this.


they're all very facinating. These rubbery,sparkily pretend fish. I dream of having 400 of them and glueing them to a skirt so that the little rubbery things dance all over as I walk down the isle of the grocery, or maybe this saturday to the movies. But after my red carpet moment faded in the lovely tackle store [next to the sports bar I might add]. I began posting them to facebook along with a humorous note that read "I feel like dudes do when their chicks force them to the mall. Honey, are you still looking at plastic fish? Really?"

and my lovely brother who has a similar quiet, wicked sense of humor responded. "Hell yeah, still looking at plastic fishy, then hooks with fuzzy stuff tied to them, then some long sticks (aka fishing poles)"

Fair enough, next stop though the shoe department at Macy's.

strong girls

Karey is worried about her NO Girls today. The talking back girls, the possibility of teenage years run-amuck. Because I was not really a kid that said no and I'm not a parent who has to contend with the no, I'm seeing it as a positive.



Now don't let me fool you I was and am stubborn. I'm a Taurus after all. We invented stubborn. But I was a quiet-give-you-evil-stares-kill-you-with-silence kinda stubborn. I don't think no was allowed. By the way I'm still good at evil stares. I'm quite good at it really. Chris has seen a couple and was surprised at the level of evil I can shoot out from the hazels. He was on the receiving end of only a couple, most were aimed at others who don't know how to read it quite like he does.



But the No part. What if the good part is learning to stand up for yourself? I didn't know how to do that until was in my mid 30's. No, wasn't allowed remember? No, can be a good thing to the boy in highschool who thinks too highly of himself, or No, can be a great thing when someone mistreats you. No, could be a better thing if the wrong person asks for your hand in marriage. It can also be good when a friend throws you under the preverbial bus for the last time. Maybe one day one of the NO Girls will be sitting in her big office on Wall Street and someone comes to her with a shady deal and she says no.

This is my thought, I think that No can be a positive when you learn it along the way to becoming strong and independent. And I say this without having a 4 yr old having a giant screaming match with me by the way. But just remember to giggle a little when you walk away, they're just getting strong just like you want them to be.

So now little ladies, you have to do your chores and no, isn't part of the answer for that. Aunt Richie says so.

isn't the word no, suppose to have a comma after it each time? lordie I hate english rules. anyway, I thought about it here but sometimes it just didn't read right to me. I never claimed to be writing for the NY Times people.

what's a blind impression?

remember the holiday notecard project?



I didn't have a chance to photograph an example of a blind impression [no ink] the other day, this morning the light was pretty in my office and I got a snap off. blind impression is letterpress with no ink involved, just impression.

click the photo to enlarge the super yumminess

On my short list

An Education. I love Alfred Molino

Let's Letterpress for the holidays

after a number of people inquired for affordable letterpress gifts for the holidays, I came up with a simple, affordable way for paper lovers to give something unique this year.

you have a few choices to make. It will be difficult, I know. I think you’re up for it though. There are a couple of things to note:

1. Don’t dilly-dally around, there is limited space available [hey, I can only print so many hours a day! ]

2. Registration closes Saturday November 28th at noon

3. Packages will be shipped out on Wed Dec 16th

4. first name only for this super swell dealio but if you would like a full name [first, last] we can work it out. lets chat via email first.

5. sorry US folks only

6. To order: Email me to set it all up and I'll make an Etsy Order based on your requests and send you the link to pay.
RICHELE[AT]RICHIEDESIGNS.COM

7. ready? here’s the scoop...


[CLICK TO ENLARGE THIS FOR DETAILED INFO]


[CLICK TO ENLARGE THIS FOR DETAILED INFO]


[example of a blind impression/click to enlarge]

Domino Mag goes online

I'm not reading the usual suspects anymore [design sponge etc] so I'm sure it's out there already but did you know this? It's not really Domino, but almost Lonny Mag

Former Domino Editor Michelle Adams and her side kick Patrick Cline are kicking some serious internet bootie with this one. All the pretty but none of the snuggle in bed factor I'm afraid. None the less. Very Impressive all the way around.

50 looks pretty good to me

Ok, I know she's photoshopped within an inch of her life / as I would be if given the opportunity but still how hot is she?

W Magazine

LiL Bee shipping out

It's been such a treat working with Melisa over at LiL Bee on her baby announcement. I got it printed this week for her [gratefully before the press decided it needs a doctor and stat!]



two color letterpress with area for photo. fuchsia and yellow elephant color scheme
[click to enlarge]

Once upon a time, in a stupid youth-induced bad decision, I married the attention-starved lead singer and I was not the coked out supermodel. Come to think about it he wasn't really Bono either so I think we're even.



He was obsessive to put it mildly about the cd's in the house. I joked that we weren't married till a year later than the wedding date when he finally merged the cd's together. It was High Fidelity in my house in many, many disturbing ways.

I totally put my name in all my CD's back then. Don't think you're going to take my catalog of Indigo Girls mister and get away with it.

heart available at Reform School Rules

Ye Old Anthropologie

So have you watched Man Shops Globe yet? I've only caught it once so far [and yes, I'm the last person on the planet not to have a DVR] If you're not familiar with the show it's the main buyer for Anthropologie. They film him shopping his brains out searching for unique furniture and items to sell in the stores. I caught the French Market episode. It's done well if you want to know, being on Sundance and all. Full of shopping suspense I was on the edge of my seat errr not really but I did start to feel sorry for him that he hadn't found the really big item he was looking for that day. Once upon a time in my styling moments I had to shop, sometimes a lot and it wasn't much fun. Something about the it. wasn't. for. me. thing. I know right? horrible totally wrong in so many ways.

Anyway, the reason I say any of this blabber is that I was on their site today. I'm sure if you're reading this you saw they launched a new section last week something about art collaborations. I haven't looked yet but I headed straight over to the furniture. As you might guessed it, it's all amazing and F*&King unbelievably expensive. But who cares lets just look at some right?


the Calligraphy bed featured on the episode I watched. They're replicating it now. You too can have you very own French bed, not French Bread, although if you wanted to eat French Bread in your new French Bed I suppose you could! $2498 -$2698


The Media cabinet made to look like a type cabinet. This grabbed my heart I have to admit. Has holes cut out in the back so wires won't be seen [how thoughtful of them] $1698


I like this stool for a few different reasons, one it reminds me of the stools my dad makes from old tractor seats [they're super cool] this is the grown up version $398


This is totally not me in any way but I can appreciate the beauty of it. It would look fab with a chandelier and a white couch don't you think? $598 coffee table

Anyway go check em out or not it's your call

New In the studio - The holiday party

George's At The Cove in La Jolla, California have a annual holiday party. They were interested in something holiday, a green way in which to do it, and something that said "them".



I used a standard snowflake motif but used the company colors to put a twist on it. Invite was not printed, but sent to guests via email for a cost effective and green solution.

The House of Esquival

It's not a secret here that I love shoes. I also madly love craftsman and artisans that love what they do [shock right?] So it shouldn't come as a surprise when I tell you I'm obsessed with this man, George Esquival


From the site:

George began honing his craft 15 years ago under the tutelage of a retired master cobbler and his creativity and love for footwear quickly blossomed into a full-time passion. His early rock and roll inspired designs soon became staples on stages across the country. Esquivel's hands bare testament to his years of personally working on each pair himself. Esquivel now oversees a team of skilled artisans with over 120 years of shared experience.



Esquivel's clients include some of the most demanding and discerning tastes in the world – Oscar winners, Heads of States, Grammy Nominees, members of royal families, rock royalty and world class athletes. Esquivel's are sold exclusively at premier retailers worldwide including Douglas Fir in Los Angeles and Rubensteins in New Orleans. But titles aside, Esquivel's exist solely to satisfy the individual that regardless of personal accomplishments or accolades loves and appreciates distinguished and unique footwear.



In 2004, Esquivel was nominated as Designer of the Year, along with Bruno Magli and Ralph Lauren, by a leading industry trade magazine. George's unique designs have also received praise from other leading publications including the Robb Report and LA Times.

---
And I'm proud to say it's all happening here in my town. Rock on Los Angeles. Though he caters to menswear, I would die to have a pair of loafers, you know... me and my men's shoe thang.

The Bird Machine

Nothing else to say about this except awesome.
$30
Sixteen Candles
Over at The Bird Machine

Sneak Peek New In the studio - Lil Bee

I'm printing baby announcements at the end of this week for Melisa of LiL Bee. How amazing is this little peanut? So cute you just want to chew on a cheek.

I'm excited to print a girly announcement! Melisa will be adding the photo post letterpress but we were too excited not to include it to see what it will all look like in the end.

New In the studio - T. Ruffle Logo

If you are here, I know you would like T. Ruffle which is launching today. I designed the main logo [they added a few fluffs of sparkle] for the new site for Karey and Mary so I'm kinda proud. The way this works is that the day starts out with a photo via Mary and then Karey finishes the day with her magical words. Twice the love all in one location. I know, sit down, you're looking a little pale. It's going to be that good.

So this logo started out with a cry for help from Karey a few weekends ago. A cry for help and a simultaneous warning of death I might add. As in, you tell anyone about our. top. secret. site. and I will sic a 4 year old at your knees with a frying pan. Got it sistah. Totally, I've seen those types in action and there is no getting out alive.



So as she calls it, I made sense out of non-sense. I call it listening to your client, err friend, I mean client I guess. She is both. So I did and sent her some things and she said yes, and this and maybe this, so I did and then we all went Yah! and then she did and then This happened. It was pretty fab and one of the fastest logos I've ever generated. I think that's what happens when you get to work with magical people. She. is. magic. as you all know. And if you don't know yet, please go read her now it will change all of your cells I swear.

And by the way I've failed to mention Mary Ruffle who I'm now default friends with. She is an ah-mazing photographer. But I'm still a default friend so I feel a little shy still. I think they will let me sit next to them at lunch today since I helped with the homework I'm honored.

FUN STUFF

I'm working on a few new things right now. This one for a new hairdresser that is working on her clientel while she is an assistant to some of the girls I use to work with.



She wants this other frilly little design which of course I'm doing it for her as an option [because you always need to show a client what they ask for... then do what you think is right] but I want her to pick this one. She's a pixy of a cute girl and the frilly card? it's so girly and her info gets lost with all the loopies. I think she should start bold and go girly later.

This one says "dammit I can do HAIR!" we also have to distinguish her out from the other Diane at the shop. Little miss thing has two N's in her name.

Max Wanger Photography + Store

One of the most awesomest wedding photographers Max Wanger has a new store open with tshirts based on some of his photography as well as prints [seen here] I just really *heart* his work. Visit his shop here