Hold My Hand, No, Wait, Don’t!

To go along with Wendee’s article on chapped lips, I thought I would put in my 2 cents worth on dry, chapped hands. About this time, as the thoughts of spring fill my head, I start to get really chapped hands, mostly between the spaces between my rings. It gets so bad, that I have to take my wedding rings off and have naked hands for a couple of weeks. I really hate this time of the year, but it always seems to happen. I have a few tricks that I use that help to lessen the “itchiness”, but I have found that it is just like the common cold and has to run its course.
So here are a few tips:
1. I like to use “Gardener’s Therapy”. It is a great lotion and really helps to heal the skins without the burn.
2. I also have put Vaseline on my hands and worn gloves to bed. This works well if you are not inclined to take the gloves off during the night!
3. Another product that I love is called “Glovin Care”. It is for people who have to wear gloves all the time and have dry hands as a result. It is a little expensive, but it does work really well.
4. I always try to carry extra travel-sized lotions with me at all times. The small size is easy to tuck in a jacket, purse, briefcase or lunch sack.
Like I said, it seems it is really hard to get through a winter without cracked, dry hands, but hopefully these tips will help us get to the sunny days of spring!

A Winter Must-Have

With the weather staying right above the freezing mark for the next couple of days, it is time to bundle up and stay warm. BUT, you still have tons of errands to run and walking around in a snowsuit is much too cumbersome, so what is a girl to do? Add a scarf to your coat and stay warm and stylish. There are several ways to wear them and a few tips to know before you head out the door.
• Wear a flattering color next to your face.
• Don’t overwhelm your look with a huge scarf.
• If going to a dressy event, a scarf and add that extra little sparkle.
• Don’t add too many extra accessories; a hat may be too much with the scarf.
• Go for a monochromatic look to keep things simple and sleek.
• Use simple ties for the scarf. Twist the scarf and then throw end over each shoulder.
• Take a long scarf and wrap it around your neck and let then ends drape down your coat.
• For chilly days, double the scarf and wrap one end through it to keep your neck warm.
Good Luck, have fun, stay warm and most of all look fashionable as you are running around in this cold weather!

Good grief, it’s freezing! And I mean REALLY freezing!

How are you staying warm this winter? Weather forecasters are saying that we are in the longest period of cold weather since the 70’s. I love cold weather, but this stretch of freezing temperatures is a little intense for me. Just wondering . . . how are you staying warm? What do you do to comfort yourself and protect yourself from the cold, both mentally and physically? What works and what does not work for you?

One thing that works for me is creating a winter “nest.” I have actually had to create two nests this winter! My first and favorite nest is located in a room that has many windows and gets quite warm in the winter. However, due to the lack of sun, it has been necessary for me to create a second winter nest. This nest is away from windows but has a lot of light.

In my nests are blankets, good books, a journal, high quality hand cream, the phone and, most importantly, my dog. Additionally, this year, for the first time in my life, I have begun drinking coffee – it warms me up quick! And finally, in a failed attempt to keep me away from the thermostat, my husband purchased me a Snuggie. I’ve found that it doesn’t work well for me because it is too light and is a static electricity generator.

How are you staying warm during this unusually cold winter? Do you have a nest? What is in your nest?