Below is a post I started back in June. Why didn’t it post, you ask? Because I went off to Michigan for a few weeks for the summer and my Macbook crashed. The nearest mac store was over 2 hours away and sending it out didn’t seem economical so I went without for a few weeks. And by the time I got back to NY I had forgotten all about Cod Liver Oil. I’m up and running again. I’m on some new gizmo, Google chrome. I’m not really digging it but change is always hard. So I’m going to give it the old college try. My macbook is dead. RIP, along with all my passwords. I’m going to check out Cod Liver Oil again.
The post below was written in June.
I’ve been taking a tsp. of cod-liver oil everyday now for about a week. It’s not as bad as I feared. It has a strong lemon flavor. It’s really the oil texture that is left coated on the inside of your mouth. So I was it all down with a flavored La Croix.
But why? Cod-liver oil is packed with Omega 3 Fatty Acids, Viamin A and Vitamin D. It use to be given to children to help with rickets.
It’s believed to help relieve joint stiffness, arthritis, and repair teeth, nails, hair and skin. SKIN! That’s what I’m working on here. So I’m trying it. And if it helps me in other areas. That’s good too.
But as they say too much of a good thing becomes a bad thing so check with your doctor first.
I have been tested for vitamin D deficiency. And guess what? I’m vitamin D deficient. As are most of us.
It’s been a little over a week since I decided to over haul my entire diet and beauty regime. Starting Tuesday, May 29, I have not had dairy, sugar, grains, beans and legumes, and alcohol, following the recommendations from The Paleo Cure, by Chris Kresser. I’ve also switched facial wash, shampoo, body wash, facial moisturizer, and sunscreen.
As I stated in my previous post, I visited my dermatologist on Thursday, May 31, and he prescribed a low dose antibiotic, doxycycline hyclate. Which I hate taking, but agreed in order to try to get my face cleared up. My MD, said I had to take it for a month or even six weeks. SIX WEEKS! Not having it.
By Friday, June 1, my skin was looking a lot better and the antibiotic couldn’t have started working that fast. So something I’M doing is working.
Friday June 1, 2018
Wednesday May 30
I wish I had figured out how to take a more detailed picture on the 30th. The picture above really doesn’t do the rash justice.
Here’s my regime.
Morning: Rinse face with cool water, pat dry. Apply topical metronidazole cream. Wait a few minutes for it to absorb and then apply Avene Cicalfate Restorative skin cream. If going outside I apply Babo Botanicals super shield sport stick SPF 50.
After Breakfast, I brush my teeth with Jason toothpaste. A few blogs mentioned fluoride could aggravate the PD.
I wash my hair with Nizoral (only twice a week) and California Baby Eczema Shampoo and Bodywash. I turn the shower temp. down as low as I can take it.
Evening: I wash my face with Cetaphil gental skin cleanser and brush my teeth with Jason toothpaste.
My skin today. Thursday June 7, 2018.
I couldn’t be happier with the results. I’m going to keep doing what I’m doing and after 30 days I’ll start to reintroduce foods and then products, one at a time till I find what maybe the cause.
Also, I’ve added a 1 tsp. of cod liver oil to my daily routine. Which I wash down with an entire can of La Croix. And a cup of bone broth. I like to mix V-8 juice with the broth. Taste delicious and makes a good snack.
I was lucky enough to take a paper flower making workshop with this amazing woman Livia Cetti, through The Good Lodge. I also, happen to be, lucky enough to know the women who created The Good Lodge. (I’m very lucky) They organize talks, workshops, and events that fill your cup. I always leave their presence feeling inspired and ready to walk forward. AMAZING WOMEN!
My first attempt at a paper flower.
After the class I bought one of Livia’s books. The Exquisite Book of Paper Flowers. The next morning I woke-up itching to get my hands on some tissue paper and floral tape. I could kick myself because Livia was selling kits, beautiful hand-dyed paper and everything you would need to get started and I only bought the book. Dumb! You can buy her kits here.
I ordered what I needed on Amazon, the book gives you a list of materials and tools you need along with resources for the projects in the book.
And by the time my supplies arrived I also had a reason to make something. Having a reason was just the “bee in my bonnet” I needed to get me going.
Another AMAZING WOMAN I know was celebrating her 50th birthday and I really wanted to make her something special. Amy, my birthday friend, has one of the most beautiful Christmas trees filled with handmade ornaments. I’m not saying my piece will be worthy for her tree but I wanted to make her something beautiful and heartfelt that could be hung from a tree, or door knob or what have you, with Amy in mind.
Here it goes.
Hand cut leaves.
Hand cut petals
The Green card stock was mine. The tissue paper was from Amazon. The paper wasn’t of as high quality as the hand dyed tissue paper Livia had at the workshop. And when I tried to dye the paper I wanted to use, only one took, the pale pink. The dark purple did nothing. The floral tape was also from Amazon. Get good tape. Because some don’t stick and also slip and slide mine was not good. The wire was from the Michael’s Craft Store, average.
After you have cut and dyed your paper and created your petals, my petals consisted of two petals folded and pinched together, and prepare your wires, by wrapping the wire with floral tape. You start to build your flower from the bud up, adding each petal one at time. In the workshop I zipped through this wrapping of the wire part, but again, sub quality material made the process a lot slower. The floral tape I was using kept slipping and separating. Ugh!
Things got a little messy.
Bouquet of Poppy, Tree Peony, and bud.
Preparing the leaves for attachment.
But I finished in 3 days. Whoop! Whoop!
I decided to use the same silk ribbon I wrapped the bouquet with as a loop to hang on the tree. I attached it with hot glue and a vintage button from my collection. Yes I have jars and jars of buttons. Also, that blue tag says K.T. Buckels, so she never forgets who gave it to her. I’m bold. I hope she likes it.
Cheers to Amy! And all the AMAZING WOMEN I know. You fill my cup daily. I feel very lucky.
We had our house completely gutted and redone. But, by the time we were ready to design the TV room, we were tired and burnt-out. Basically, it became a dumping ground for all things family. Family photos, family games, furniture from the past and even the rug, which you can’t see, but had been in my daughters nursery. We couldn’t even be bothered to pick out a new paint color. This color had been used in a previous project. (Benjamin Moore, OC-16, Cedar Key) We really gave it no thought.
TV room in full use.
But after a few years, I started to get inspiration and really wanted to make this room beautiful, comfortable and part of the rest of the house. Here’s some shots I took for inspiration. Cecconis, on the right. I love everything about this restaurant.
I love the color and the different textures. Velvet, leather, marble and brass.
How’d I do?
Couch (Pit couch from Mitchell Gold) , Leather chair (Vintage, Brooklyn Flee), Red blanket (Gilt.com) and console (used, from someone in my building) are the only things that stayed.
I was diagnosed with Perioral Dermatitis(PD) maybe 3 years ago or longer. I was given a prescription antibiotic. I was told to use it all over the mouth area and nose, even though at the time the rash was only showing in the small right hand corner of my chin and mouth.
I was to apply the cream twice daily, for a month, even if the rash went away. I did. And it did. But it came back. It was so small I barely bothered with it. But then it got a little worse so about a year later I went back to the dermatologist and he once again prescribed antibiotic cream. This time Metronidazole. With the same instructions. Also, he said if I get a flare up again to just use the cream again with the same instruction, so I didn’t have to keep coming back for the same visit. It worked. Then it came back. Then the cream worked, again. Then it came back. And so on and so on. Until now.
Today! I’m in full-blown flare up of PD. All around my mouth, chin, nose and spreading out to my cheeks. It’s so painful. And itchy. And stings. And is tight. And generally looks disgusting. Yay me! And the cream is no longer working. But I’m afraid to stop using it because what if it’s keeping it at bay.
Here’s a pic. And know, I’m pretty vain, so the fact I’m letting you see this is bold. Just saying.
I stopped wearing make-up. That’s what the forums say to do. Stopped using facial cleansers, and lotions and creams. Wash my face with warm water. That’s what the forums say to do. Also, try zinc oxide (diaper cream), tea tree oil, lavender oil, grape-seed oil, wash towels and pillow cases, maybe anti-fungal cream, but the only concrete advice was don’t use steroid creams because it will only make it more angry. Lots of forums not a lot of help.
But the thing is, WHAT IS IT? WHY AM I GETTING IT? No one knows. It affects mainly women, over 90%, so it’s probably not surprising that there’s little research. (Yes, that was a feminist dig.) Truth is, there seems to be little research as to why dermatitis flares up for all walks of life.
I can’t help but think it has something to do with my diet. Over the years I’ve had these little tiny bumps on my fingers, that look very similar to the pustules on my face. For years I suffered from the itchy bumps and no doctor could tell me how to clear it up. First it was heat bumps. Bu,t I got them at different times of the year. I finally discovered that if I eat a lot of sugar, including anything made white flour, I would get a break out. So I would cut back on sugar and yummy sweets and the bumps would go away.
But my skin issues didn’t end. I had some major dental work done about 7 years ago. And after, my mouth broke out into white sores on my gums and roof of mouth, (So painful. ) I went to 3 different doctors, a dentist and 2 different GP’s. Many blood tests later, nothing. I guessed it was thrush. Only because it looked and acted like the thrush my baby had when she was little. Say, “thrush,” in a doctor’s office and they won’t even put that on you chart. One doctor put it in my chart as thrush and another doctor changed it to Aphthous ulcer of the mouth. Now that’s fine, only mine doesn’t occur on the inside of the cheek or lips but on my gums. But, whatever.
I was given a mouth wash that you held in your mouth on the sore spots but wasn’t suppose to drink. Gross! I followed the instruction but it did nothing. So I took matters into my own hands. It’s THRUSH. Which is a yeast infection. So I stopped eating sweets and held plain yogurt in my mouth 3 times a day and by the next day it was almost gone. I don’t get it as often and usually only when I’ve had serious work done in my mouth or have been on vacation and overindulged in all sorts of bad food and drink.
Yogurt and done. Bye-bye doctor. By the way. I throw a little yogurt on those hand bumps the minute it looks like it’s flaring up and it too goes away.
But now. I have this. Perioral dermatitis (PD). And if looks and feels very similar to all the other issues. Only each issue gets more severe and harder to ignore. My face is so gross I don’t want to leave the house. So I can’t ignore my body any longer.
Something is wrong. And no doctor seems to have the answers.
Lately I’ve been trying a lot of fad diets. Trying to get my weight under control, in doing so, I think I’ve thrown my body into a tail spin.
This isn’t even all of them.
I’m not saying that these books don’t have something to offer. But they are a one size fits all thing and if it’s not sustainable then I think it does upset the natural order of things in your body.
New strategy: 30 days. No dairy, wheat, grains, beans, legumes, sugar (except what natural occurs in whole food) and no alcohol. Why, because these food are not high in nutrients and hard on your system for digestion. Maybe some have good nutrients, I’m talking about you beans and legumes, but if your body can’t break it down then your body is not absorbing the good stuff. Let’s just say if you recognize it out the other end of your body, you probably didn’t reap the benefits. It’s a theory.
Now I’m reading The Paleo Cure, Chris Kresser. But not as a diet but maybe as a life line to good health.
I’m on my second day. I have a call into the Dermatologist. But not hopeful. I’m currently using Metronidazole Cream. Maybe it’s helping. And I’ve cut all the bad food. But I’ve been addicted to sugar and all baked goods for over 40 years. I only hope that when it’s all over, that one day I’ll be able to have pasta, bread, chocolate, and alcohol. Wine, Beer and spirits, I love them all. Continue reading “Healing myself from Perioral Dermatitis”→
Well, maybe not blowing my mind but certainly vintage globes have become the new vintage suitcase for display in retail stores. While out shopping with my friend A, we were enamored with the display at Athropologie but we couldn’t find a price.
Then I was walking down Hicks St. and they had them in the window at J. McLaughlin:
So I did a little checking and found some on line-cheap.
My friend A has asked for some help-sorry A it took so long.
Both for around $20 including shipping. Of course you can find some for over $100 but it depends on what you’re looking for. I bought mine for around $17. I love it because it has the U.S.S.R on it and now I can belt out Back in the U.S.S.R and I will be able to tell my daughter what I’m singing about. It’s bad enough that I’ll have to explain what an album, 8 track and cassette is. She knows what a CD is because she has an Elmo cd. Every morning “Elmo cd, Elmo cd, Elmo cd” like a broken record. Oh the irony!
Another great source: Etsy. A little home-grown Brooklyn site.
Poufs have arrived at Target. In silver and gold and they are super cheap.
Of course it’s out of stock on line because it’s been in every magazine, including Family Circle but I did a check and it’s available in some stores in Brooklyn.
When I was a little girl, my mother wore a locket around her neck with a picture of my sister and brother. I would sit on her lap and play with the locket while she told me about the pictures and how they were taken before I had been born. It’s a nice memory for me. After I had my daughter I became enamored with the current “mommy necklace” trend. I pointed them out to Andy, thinking he might buy me one for Mother’s Day, but all he said was, “if you want one buy one.” So….
There are so many choices. If you are looking, I would google mommy necklace or mommy charms. Even with all the choices, I always find myself asking, Why? Why do I want this? What am I trying to say about myself? That I’m a mom, okay, but who cares. Do I think that wearing a necklace will somehow bring me closer to my daughter when we are not together? In the end the idea always seemed insincere.
And then I made this.
I had been looking for something to put on, but just the one pendant seemed small so I started to add more from the loose pendants in my jewelry drawer. After a few different combo’s I thought the three pendants looked interesting. Later that day my daughter was sitting on my lap and playing with my necklace. I started to explain what each stone was, the diamond was an earring that belonged to her great-grandmother, the aquamarine was from her Gaga (my mother) and the garnet was mommy’s birthstone. There it was, my “mommy necklace.” When I showed Andy he looked at it and said, “Now that’s Mash-up life design!”
For any new mom out there who has stumbled upon Serena & Lily and fantasized about decorating their nursery with their bedding and one of their whimsical poufs, have I got good news for you. I too was lured into the beauty of Serena & Lily and I’m ashamed to say I purchased my daughter’s crib bedding from them. But at $450 for a small leather ottoman, otherwise known as a Moroccan Pouf, the S&L style was too extravagant even for me.
But since I started my quest for a Moroccan inspired foyer I just couldn’t live without a pouf and so started my internet search for a more reasonable pouf. Say it, “Pouf”, so fun.
And here it is, Tazi. The poufs are half the price and I would wager that S&L purchases their poufs from this source. But that’s only a guess.
My beautiful pouf:
And my S&L bedding? The crib bumper and dust ruffle, both of which was no longer usable after we lowered her crib the first time, is stuffed in the top of the closet while I rack my brain on how to reuse them. Damn if I’ll throw them away! I plan to frame the sheets when she moves to a big girl bed.
My husband, Andy, and I were in Savannah Georgia over the weekend. It was beautiful! Neither one of us had been there before, which rarely happens, because Andy’s been everywhere. I won’t lie to you, ever since I read Midnight in the Garden of Good and Evil, I have wanted to go to Savannah. Now that I have, it makes me feel a little cheesy to say that. It seemed like everyone there had the same idea. And if they weren’t there to see where Jim held his huge Christmas parties they were waiting in line to eat at Lady and Sons. And guess what? All the locals make fun of you. It’s true. But don’t worry, not to your face. I have to say that by the time we left, we were enchanted. Andy was wondering what the school system was like, and I was already hunting for real estate on zillow.com.
Besides the beautiful homes and 22 park like squares there are an abundance of antique and furniture stores. We did manage to stumble into 24e Furniture, because of this beautiful MOROCCAN LAMP!
Alas, it’s still too big, and it only has one bulb so the lighting is more for ambience than actual illumination. However, while we were there the gentlemen helping us pulled out a couple of catalogs, and I spotted another lamp! But the baby started to have a meltdown, which basically means, “We gotta go!” And we never made it back to the store to find out the maker or get a tear sheet.
I was not looking forward to many hours of googling to find that lamp or at least something similar. And then I got this email on Monday:
“When we were in SAV, and saw that lighting, they pulled out catalogs for us from these 2 manufacturers. I made a note of it, in case it would be helpful.
Sundance Catalog. 
Super cute!
Mash-Up Life Design 