Karen

Good morning, my friend. How are you? ❤️ No, really…HOW ARE YOU? I hope you’re feeling well, and not just physically. This is a weird time right now, and you might be struggling to adjust to the new normal (I know I am).

So, this is totally going to sound nerdy, but I actually have a “self-care” section on my weekly to-do list, because if I don’t write things down, even basic life necessity things like remembering to stay hydrated, I’ll forget.

Ah… That’s better. 😊

Some weekend reading…

• Your fellow attendees will be mighty impressed if you wear one of these 11 simple, fun eye looks on your next Zoom meeting.
• Across the United States and Europe, perfume companies are ramping up production of hand sanitizer.
• Sheltering-in-place is changing how we look.
• Did you know that Ruby Woo, MAC’s number one lipstick shade in the U.S., was a happy accident that MAC magicians/product developers stumbled onto while they were tweaking the formula for one of their other scarlet shades — Russian Red? FUN FACTS!
• Something I’ve known for a long, long time: Pets aren’t big on surrendering space to their humans for the purposes of exercise, so forget trying to do that downw dog, plank or push-up without a cat butt in your face. It ain’t happenin’, folks!
• This artist hides cats in his “catscapes.”
• One positive amid the coronavirus crisis? Pet adoptions have soared. 🐈🐕🦄
• 13 rules I’ll teach my daughter

Wise words from Missy Elliot…

Take care, my friend. Talk to you soon.

Your friendly neighborhood beauty addict,

Karen

Looking for something fun, educational and interactive to do with your little one? Try showing them how to use the camera on your phone to take pics of the great outdoors while you’re on a walk. See the world through their eyes!

Every morning, rain or shine, without fail, during the stay-at-home order we’re under here in California, Connor Claire and I go out for a walk around the neighborhood, so we can get some fresh air, stretch our legs, and get allllll the wiggles out. We’re usually out about an hour, which is enough time to wear her out before her nap, and that nap time is golden! (I’ll usually do some work or squeeze in a workout.)

Sometimes, we’ll just casually wander around and check out flowers and say hi to the neighborhood cats, but other times I’ll try to do a more structured outdoor activity to keep things interesting, like this one: learning how to take pictures.

You definitely don’t need any fancy equipment. Your phone (ideally, with a sturdy case and a screen protector in case of accidental drops) or an old digital camera will work fine.

You also don’t need extensive photography experience. With phones these days, the pictures practically take themselves.

Connor’s hands are still very small, so I help her hold the camera while she takes her pics, but other than that, she makes all the executive art director decisions. When we’re walking around and she sees something she wants to take a picture of, she tells me to stop, and I take the phone/camera out. I help her decide if she wants the picture vertical or horizontal, then we frame the shot, and she pushes the shutter button.

A few things to keep in mind

• Still like statues: For a clear, sharp picture, you and your little one will want to stand as still as possible to minimize the movement of the camera. I’ll have Connor do a little “wiggle dance” or run a few circles, and then when it’s time to take the picture, we pretend to be statues and stand as still as possible.
• Choose a theme: Consider choosing a theme before you start your walk, like flowers in your neighborhood, dogs, or numbers. Our theme for our latest photography session was “signs of spring,” which ties in with what we’re doing for preschool homeschool this week.
• Crazy about collages: If you can print pics at home, print your child’s favorite pics, and have them glue the shots into a collage.

This activity isn’t just for the kids, either. How about stretching your photography muscles, too? Use your phone’s camera on your walks outside to document what moves you!

Your friendly neighborhood beauty addict,

Karen

P.S. Well, it looks like I’ll be doing a lot of outdoor activities like this one with CoyCoy in the near future because the schools in Marin will probably be closed until at least May 1.