$5 Beauty Feast

For my Artist Date today, I feasted on the beauty at my favorite mall and only spent $5.  To be honest, I was just going to window shop, but when I saw this beautiful glass doorway (below), I couldn't help but fish my camera out of my purse.  Picture after picture, my Artist Date took on a life of its own and turned out to be more beautiful and inspiring than I even expected.  

Another reason I couldn't help but snap pic after pic was the stunning light in the mall today.  I was just talking with one of my adult flute students about how October has a special light to it.  The windows and sky lights in this mall drench you with sunlight as you  take in the sights and sounds of shopping.  

I love Earthbound Trading company and stopped in to browse the odds and ends. The smell of incense filled the store and the eclectic mix of items today was geared towards the mysterious in honor of Halloween.  Looking briefly at few trinkets, I headed to the back of the store.

My imagination lit up when I saw this blue hookah vase (below).  I instantly thought of the caterpillar in Alice in Wonderland.  The shine and sparkle of all the vases reminded me of the treasure room in Return to Oz. To watch the caterpillar, click HERE and to watch the scene from Return to Oz, click HERE.

In the mood for a little more magic, I wandered into the Disney store.  Some of my earliest memories of connecting with music involve the heroines singing in  The Little Mermaid, Aladdin and Beauty and the Beast.  Today, however, my eyes were drawn to the villains.   

On my way out of the store, I took a picture of one of Disney's latest heroines, a rambunctious redhead named Merida.  I love the waterfall scene when she is so happy, she throws her arms out in sheer joy.  I also like that she has crazy red hair!  To see the trailer for Brave, click HERE.

Because it's October and smelling candles is a surefire way for me to conjure up images of comfort, warmth, nostalgia, holidays and the like, I stopped in a candle store and inhaled my way through their current selections.  The "Home Sweet Home Candle" (below) instantly transported me to an overstuffed couch, curled up with a great book and a cup of cider.  The "Peppermint Bark" candles smelled good, but I was a little dismayed at the push for Christmas when we haven't even had a chance to process the fact that it's fall, yet!

The window displays at this mall are beautiful, especially with the sunlight and reflections making the glass windows shine.  I really like "words as art" and was taken by this creative display of the word, "tranform" (below).  It reminded me of the study described in one of my favorite movies, What the Bleep Do We Know?.  To watch a scene from the movie that explains what I'm talking about, click HERE.   My favorite quote from the scene is, "...if thoughts can do that to water, imagine what our thoughts can do to us."

The gorgeous blue butterfly (below) was on a poster that read "Living Beyond Breast Cancer."  Part of me wished I could just take in the idea of flight, imagination and color without the sadness of thinking of all of the women who suffer and have suffered from breast cancer.  I think of my grandmother, who recently passed away from the disease, and hope that wherever she is, there is beauty all around her like I see around me here.  

Somewhat accustomed to breathing through sadness, I reminded myself to appreciate my lovely day and to keep enjoying the fact that I am lucky enough to have energy, life and the ability to see, hear and smell the wonderful sights, sounds and scents around me.  All of the sudden, I was invited (rather enthusiastically) into "Teavana" by a sales associate offering me tea samples.

Appreciative, I tasted the Youthberry White Tea and was delighted by the flavor.  I asked the salesperson if the tea was sweetened and he, again enthusiastically, explained all about German rock sugar and then how strainers were part of the cast iron tea pot.  I felt a little bad that I wasn't planning on spending money today, just enjoying all the free sensory pleasures.  I did enjoy the free lessons, though!

After a quick thanks and assurance that I would "be back for Christmas gifts," I headed out to the food court.  The carousel was lit up and parents were watching their children go round and round. The air smelled of fried butter and flour and lunchtime mall goers had loud conversations over their various crispy items.  

I was amused by the blend of high art meets Texas paraphernalia in this large, overhead sculpture (below).  Thankful that I had a particular lunch in mind, I was happy to bypass the greasy fast food selections and wait until the end of my mini date to eat.  Relieved to leave the cacophony of eaters behind me, I headed out of the food court.

As I strolled through the sunlit mall, I passed by a big display of Clinique products.  Since one of my motivations for starting this blog was to get the word out about my side business, Rodan & Fields, let me just take a moment to say that I am SO glad to be out of the scramble to find good skincare.  I feel relaxed and confident, knowing I have at home my Anti-Age Daily Cleansing Mask to tighten my pores, comfy Anti-Age Eye Cloths to remove my makeup,  Unblemish Dual Intensive Acne Treatment to keep acne at bay and Rodan & Field's unbelievable Multi-Function Eye Cream to prevent under eye circles. Even the super creative, eye catching Origins display (below) didn't prompt me to go in!

(Click on any of the products above to browse or shop my R&F website - there might be a couple of "text enhancements" so if it's not Rodan & Fields it's not a link by me).

Next up, the "As Seen on TV" store!  I get such a kick out of thinking of all of the people and situations that came together to get these creative little items on store shelves.  Pictured below are an "Extendable Back Scratcher," a "Perfect Tortilla Pan Set" and the item that the salesperson said was their biggest seller lately, "The Magic Mesh Hands Free Screen Door," hanging magnets that part when you (or your pets!) walk through them and then *snap* back together (rather comically, if you've seen the commercial J).

I took a picture of these sweet bracelets (below) because I love words on art and jewelry.  If you haven't seen the new bracelets by Kelly Rae Roberts, my favorite mixed media artist, I highly encourage you to click HERE.  I've often had the urge to make jewelry, but get quickly overwhelmed at the craft store looking at all the beads and tools. Oh well - I've got plenty of other creative outlets at the moment!

I forgot where the footsteps on the mall floor were urging me to go, but I just liked that some of them said, "Follow Your Feet."  As you might have read in an earlier blog post, I love the quote by Dr. Suess, Theodore Geisel, that says, 

You have brains in your head.

You have feet in your shoes.
You can steer yourself 
any direction you choose. 
You're on your own. 
And you know what you know.
And YOU are the one who'll decide where to go....  

Taking a picture of this footprint (below)  reminded me of his sound advice.  

I just love Macy's.  It makes me think of the Macy's Thanksgiving Day parade, Miracle on 34th Street and, even though it is WAY too early for Christmas, the department store festive decorations are beautiful and put me in a good mood.  October, November and December are my favorite three months of the year and I'm looking forward to shopping for presents sooner than later! (Earlier, in the candle store, I was put off by the Christmas pushing, but my time at the mall has won me over).

Starving at this point, I head for my lunch destination.  On the way, I pass by one of my magical portals, the escalator leading up to the movies.  Another day, another Artist Date, I will be back here again.  Today, I've got to get back to work soon!

Ahh... my home away from home.  I adore Barnes & Noble.  Pictured below are the entrance, the view from the top floor (I love it when a Barnes & Noble has escalators!) and the mural above the table where a sat to eat my lunch (quickly).  Some of my favorite memories of Artist Dates and Morning Pages are at this wonderful store.  To learn more about both of these creativity tools, click HERE.

Up at the counter, I ask the cashier if he minds me taking a picture of the sign (he doesn't care).  The beautiful Pumpkin Spice Frappuccino beckons me (first picture below), but I remind myself that I've been meaning to try Chocolate Covered Katie's healthy makeover of the same drink (second picture below).  To get the recipe from her blog, click HERE).  Temptation avoided, I order my favorite lunch (Spinach and Artichoke Quiche) and head to my table.

I have a lot of affection for the picture below.  It is the scene I look at on lots of mini lunch dates with myself.  In an ideal world, I would sit, eat slowly, journal and ponder life and beauty.  In reality, I seriously need to hurry up if I'm going to make it back for my next flute lesson.

Even with the clock ticking, I couldn't help but pause at this particular book display.  I chuckle inwardly at The Ultimate Beauty Guide (below).   While Lauren Conrad may have the keys to "looking glamorous 365 days of the year," I know I have the secret to seeing beauty 365 days of the year, something I'd much rather have.  The secret, by the way,  is simply to open your eyes! I hope this post and all future blog entries inspire you to not only take time for yourself and enjoy indulgent self care (which, by the way, spreads much more kindness to people in your life than neglecting yourself does), but also to see beauty in the small things, the free things and the (at first glance) ordinary things.

Here at home now, I have enjoyed reviewing my pictures and writing this blog post.  My husband will be home in approximately 3 minutes (great timing!) and I am satisfied with a long day full of music, teaching and a pretty awesome lunch break.  I've recently discovered Picasa (downloadable for free HERE), and I hope you enjoy my little collage of my trip to the mall.  So much beauty, sunlight and sensory delight and it only cost $5! (Which, if you are wondering, was for the quiche J).


Click on the collage to see a full-sized version: