Knitting My Way To Ireland...With Guinness

My arse is going to Ireland at the end of the August and I'm so excited. Ireland is known for many things I love: pubs, U2, words (Yeats, Joyce, Oates, McCourt, Binchy) and gorgeous Aran sweaters. To get ready for the voyage, I decided to knit my own Irish fisherman sweater.

I may not be fully Irish, but I sure do appreciate the pure joy in knitting and wearing a cable knit sweater. There's something about the rich texture and cozy feel that's so appealing to me. Plus I love the fact that this beautifully crafted sweater serves a purpose and has meaning.

I've decided to knit Deirdre from Rowan's Lima Collection. I bought 17 skeins from Knitty City in an oatmeal colorway. The beautifully soft Lima yarn is made from a blend of baby alpaca, merino wool and nylon and is available is 12 natural shades including greys, greens, blues, browns and gold. The cloud-soft wool, intricate stitches and easy, swing shape will eventually turn into one extraordinary sweater.

Rowan's Lima collection

Deirdre

As you can see I still have a ways to go on knitting my sweater, but this intricate pattern really is nice to work with.

This ball of yarn will turn into something beautiful and amazing.

The start of my fisherman sweater.

Knitting and wool have enjoyed a long, rich history in many European countries and especially in Ireland where there might be as many sheep as their are pubs. Although the exact origin of the Aran sweater is unknown, there is a strong relationship between Aran stitches and Celtic art. Many Aran patterns are found on ancient Celtic stones, crosses and jewelry. The popular Irish cable knit fisherman sweater were first seen when the wives and mothers of fishermen on the Aran Islands began to knit them for their husbands and sons. The sweaters were to keep them warm through the harsh island conditions and as a way to identify them if they got lost at sea. The variety of stitches used have different meanings and each sweater is knit with a custom pattern special to each family. The off-white, natural color comes from the unprocessed, unbleached wool used. Wools that are still unprocessed contain natural sheep lanolin which makes the sweater virtually water-repellent. This obviously was ideal for the person who spends their days at sea. While many different patterns can be used, the cable is one of the most frequent because the fisherman uses cables and it represents safety and good luck.

Of course, nothing goes better with this traditional Irish sweater than a Guinness.

Shawn, Abby, Rob, Michael and I having some Guinness at Beer Around The World.

If you have ever visited Ireland and have some tips on places to visit, I would love to hear any suggestions.

Happy Monday everyone and Happy August!

Walk The Runway With Stacy

Did you ever picture yourself walking the runway?

My body shape makes this dream a challenge and the prospect of facing the whirling cameras and having the fashion editors nod in approval is dim.

But now size doesn't matter. My mega-talented friend Stacy of Taffetadarlings is going to launch her own line come this fall and you could sponsor a dress named for you that will do all the walking. And the best part is you get to keep the dress after her presentation.

The fabulous designer

Her fashion blog highlights many of Stacy's etchings and they're really amazing. Her most recent rendering is perfect for Miss WendyB. I just wonder how Wendy will accessorize her new dress. Fabulous I'm sure.

The WendyB Dress

Sponsor this dress for Stacy's Spring 2011 launch and it will be all yours.

Stacy has worked in New York City's garment center for fifteen years and is now setting out on her own with her signature collection Stacy Lomman: New York.

Her fashion sensibility combines streamlined geometry with innovative fabrics with body-confident dresses and angular jackets. Strength and structure are juxtaposed with sensibility and femininity. Stacy's modern silhouettes and sophisticated flair offer an fresh take for cutting-edge style.

MissB modeling one of Stacy's earlier designs.

If you would like a dress named after you to walk the runway and you'll own that hot number afterwards, contact Stacy for details. To make a donation, you can donate directly on Stacy's website, StacyLomman.com. You can also reach her at taffetadarlings at gmail dot com.

Get A Snooki Makeover

My fists are pumping and my Made In The Shade Self-Tanner is flying off the shelves. Season Deuce of MTV's Jersey Shore begins tomorrow at 10 pm.

In honor of tomorrow night's premiere of Jersey Shore, I'm offering 20% off this amazing self-tanner now through Friday, July 30.

Made In The Shade Self-Tanner

My favorite star is Snooki. And despite Cathy Horyn's recent New York Times story, this pint-sized guidette is seriously necessary and over-the-top fun. All you'll need to dress the part is a little poof on top and a glowing tan to easily transform yourself into Snooki. While our favorite little star may prefer tanning booths, lucky for us Arbonne's Made In The Shade Self-Tanner with SPF 15 are a safe and healthy alternative to the sun's or tanning bed's harmful rays. And, even better, this protective, botanically-based self-tanner won't leave you with that horrible orange or streaky color. No offense Snooks.

Photo: Getty Images

I've never been a person who liked to lay out in the sun. I'm the woman under an umbrella wearing an oversized hat and sunglasses at the beach. It's not that my skin lacks any pigmentation. I just don't like all the damaging effects from the sun.

However, I do love a "healthy tan" - one that looks like I just got back from some fabulous trip to the Mediterranean. That's why I love my Arbonne sunless self-tanner.

To use, it's best to cleanse exfoliate your skin. Next shake the self-tanner well and smooth evenly over your skin. Do not spray directly in your face. Wash hands with soap and water immediately after use. You will turn a very nice shade of tan in about two hours. To deepen your tan, reapply each day until desired tone is achieved. I have used the spray this summer and I've never noticed any streaking and have never turned orange.

If you're still want an even darker tan, you have to try my silky-light bronzer. You'll get color that pretty natural glow. You just put a little bit on and it really brightens up your face.

Bronzer

The Made In The Shade Self-Tanner is blended with avocado oil, arnica, chamomile, linden and rosemary extracts and works great for all skin types. If you are interested in the self-tanner, bronzer or any of the Before Sun products, you can reach me at jennifer.weitzman15@gmail.com or check out my website, jenniferweitzman.myarbonne.com.

A Perfect Recipe For Sandals and Sangria

One thing I can count on over the summer months is dirty, dry feet. Ga-ross.

I'm either wearing sandals, flip-flops or some type of open toe shoes. This means I'm pounding the city sidewalks and attracting lots of dirt.

Your feet bare the full weight of your body for much of the day, but they probably get the least amount of attention in terms of moisturizng, relaxation and massage. So to keep your feet looking healthy, beautiful and ready for summertime, here's an Arbonne, relaxing way to kick up some fun. To add to the festivities, why not enjoy a mouth-watering sangria by Tina of The Occasional Cook. You can follow her peachy Tinagria recipe here.

First, you want to sink your feet in a relaxing Detox SeaSource Soak. You'll feel so relaxed in the warm bath water as it helps to dilate blood vessels, improve circulation, increase perspiration and release toxins. This will also energize your feet, similar to the way exercise stimulates your muscles and helps induce a deeper sleep. You'll emerge with a renewed spirit and pampered skin.

Detox SeaSource Soak

Next, you'll want to scrub the tops and bottoms of your feet as well as your legs by using the Awaken Sea Salt Scrub. This will exfoliate dead surface cells and reveal a brighter, healthier foot. Best of all, the amazing, fresh scent will invoke your senses thanks to its avocado and sweet almond oils.

Awaken Sea Salt Scrub

Follow the foot scrub by applying the SeaSource Mud Mask to your legs. The detoxifying actions of the sea mud and bentonite clay helps draw out impurities as they absorb excess oil from your skin. It will wrap you in comfort, while leaving your skin glowing.

SeaSource Mud Mask

Next, apply either the Skin Conditioning Oil or the Detox 5-1 Oil to your cuticles and heels. This will further remove toxins, sooth your skin and deliver nourishing minerals. These hydrating formulas will moisturize dry skin, leaving it feeling soft as silk.

Skin Conditioning Oil

Massage the Herbal Foot Cream to your feet and legs. Your feet will be exquisitely pampered and soothed with this herbal formula that moisturizes and restores supple skin with alpha hydroxy acids. This is totally relaxing and can be an incredibly romantic luxury.

Herbal Foot Cream

Finally, apply the Renewing Body Gelee, a cooling gel that nourishes, hydrates and moisturizes while it helps to restore skin's surface ionic balance.

Renewing Body Gelee

The end result...

...My happy feet.

So, do your feet feel better?

Get your for summer fun with Arbonne products on your feet. Email me for products or book your sandals and sangria party at jennifer.weitzman15@gmail.com. You can also check out my website, jenniferweitzman.myarbonne.com.

Are Your Skincare Products Killing You?

The huge oil spill in the Gulf of Mexico is dominating the news, but what if I told you your skincare and makeup had that same crude oil as well as other harmful chemicals and animal by-products in them? Would you still use those products?

Unfortunately, most products that aren't natural or botanically-based do contain these harmful ingredients. In Europe, there are over 1,100 chemicals banned from their skincare products, while the US has banned a mere 9!!! European countries like Switzerland have always enjoyed a much higher standard when it comes to their skincare and food products. And the results can easily be seen in the way the women there carry themselves. Last Wednesday, the New York Times listed 10 Ways to Age Like a Frenchwoman. The article said French women simply take better care of themselves by using lotions and hydrating creams for the face and body and never soap.

Getting back to oil that's put into skincare. An oil is any substance that remains in a liquid state at room temperature and that is insoluble in water. In other words, it floats on top. Skincare and cosmetic products need an oil in their cleansers and moisturizers. The three most popular oils used in the cosmetic industry are: mineral oil, vegetable oil and essential oil.

Mineral oil is a liquid petrolatum (crude black oil from the ground) and is the same oil we use for gasoline in our cars. Mineral oil is a lightweight, inexpensive oil that is odorless and tasteless and is used in almost all skincare and cosmetics. Mineral oil comes in different forms and has many different names. Go look at the ingredient lists on your skincare products and this is most likely one of the top three ingredients even though it is banned in Europe. Mineral oil doesn't add any moisture to the skin. Putting mineral oil on your skin may make it feel moisturized but it blocks the skin from ever receiving moisture, making your skin dry and ages it. In addition, it deprives your skin of the nutrients it needs and blocks your skin from releasing toxins. This can result in toxins remaining in your body.

Crude oil, harmful ingredients and dead animals are in a majority of personal care products.

Arbonne doesn't use petroleum-based oil ingredients like mineral oil. Instead, Arbonne's oils include vegetable (derived from plants and naturally contain vitamins, minerals, nutrients and essential fatty acids) as well as essential oils (oils derived from leaves, bark, roots and other aromatic portions of the plant) in its formulations because of Arbonne's botanical-based heritage and because of the many additional healthy benefits plant oils can bring to the skin.

Everything you put on your skin is absorbed into the blood stream within 30 seconds. Shame on skincare and cosmetic companies for including toxic ingredients in their products to save a few bucks.

Imagine this. It's cold and pouring rain outside. Would you rather be standing under an umbrella in that rain? Or would you rather be in your favorite chair, watching your favorite movie, eating your favorite foods? In each scenario, you are protect from the rain. All good. So do you want to be just protect or would you want to be protected, comfortable and nourished all at the same time. What's your choice?

Hopefully by now you're feeling a bit disappointed and wondering what to do? You can actually start by using something that works better than what you're currently using and is safer. Arbonne has completely blown me away. I sleep better knowing I'm not putting harmful chemicals or animal fat on my skin. All of Arbonne's products are formulated in Switzerland who have much higher standards than the US, but they are made here.

If you want to experience the Arbonne difference, holla at me at jennifer.weitzman15@gmail.com or visit my website, jenniferweitzman.myarbonne.com.

The Best Watch for Summer

Nothing refreshes your summer neutrals and khakis or highlights your summer tan like accessories in candy-colored hues.

That's why I just love this color wheel watch. It's fun and brightens my day, even when dark rain clouds are threatening. And, after all, isn't it much more fun to tell time in lavender and sunny yellow.

Wonder Women: Kate, Audra and myself

My friend Audra designed this fabulous watch. She said she set out to find the perfect watch to place art of a color wheel design in. "I had seen color wheel designs on umbrellas and I thought it would be further awesome to have the design on an everyday article - a watch," said said. "I love rainbows of colors more than chocolate and puppy dogs which to some could be hard to believe."

The watch comes in white, grey and black straps. You can purchase your own at here or contact me directly.

Summerize Your Hair With A Detoxifying Hair Mask

My hair!!!!

Hazy sunshine, hot humid air is in the forecast and even my normally pin straight hair needs a boost. This humidity wreaks havoc on any type of hair - curly hair often mutates into the frizzes while straight hair can experience the same fate. In general, it just feels ga-ross and difficult to control.

To fight the dryness and breakage and help tamp your hair and make it appear smooth and shiny, why not add a hair mask to your weekly hair maintenance to help keep your hair hydrated throughout the summer.

Arbonne's Fortifying Hair Mask from the fabulous SeaSource Detox Spa line is perfect for sultry weeks like we're experiencing. It's made from a compelling blend of the ocean's most potent botanicals to shore up your hair against environmental toxins and harsh climates while hydrating it to renew, put back in and revitalize the hair column for glossy, robust hair. This hair mask can be used on all hair types.

Fight the frizz with Arbonne's Fortifying Hair Mask

This hair mask is rich with antioxidants, vitamins and minerals with a superb, hydrating formula that helps strengthen, condition, repair and revitalize the hair shaft for a lustrous, healthy shine. It's also perfect for a scalp massage. And, like Arbonne's shampoo and conditioner, the hair mask is safe for chemically treated hair.

I use Arbonne's deep-conditioning hair mask 1-2 times each week, depending on how my hair feels. If my hair is feeling especially dry and damaged and needs some TLC, I'll use it more. When I'm done blow drying it, I feel like I walked out of a salon and had my hair professionally blown out. It's that amazing.

I also find the Detox Hair Mask is not only great as a deep hair conditioner, it's also amazing as a finishing product. I like to put a dime size or less through my hair after I've towel dried and combed my hair. Then I use a small amount in my hair after I've styled it to help control frizz. I just love this product!

If you would like a sample of the hair mask or if you would like to purchase your own hair mask, you can reach me at jennifer.weitzman15@gmail.com or visit my Arbonne website, jenniferweitzman.myarbonne.com.