The Friday Forum - June 3

Clematis, a beauty that rambles around and through other plants, is one of my favorites this time of year. This beauty in my garden may not be show quality, but it delights nonetheless. I took this photo while I was out grabbing swatch photos one day last week. The flower called out, "Do me too!" I was happy to oblige.

Yesterday, I arrived home from work to find so many boxes, I couldn't get in my front door. That's guaranteed blog love for days to come! I won't spoil the suspense; let's just say that my boxes included makeup, skin care, and fragrances - and a new camera toy too. I need to figure out the camera over the weekend. I decided not to sniff all the fragrance at once, but dole out my treats one by one. The first one I opened, though, left me in such a state of delirium I had to call Kathy Shoreman, one of my few friends who gets as excited about beauty products as I do.

I had the treat of the year when my friend and reader Clarisse wrote from France to tell me she had been able to procure Chanel's Byzantines de Chanel Palette Highlighter for me. I had seen it on Amy's site, and I wanted it so badly, I started calling every Chanel boutique in the United States. The answer was always the same, "We're so sorry; that sold out before it arrived at the store." I did make a few new friends on the phone, so the effort wasn't wasted. Then, I had the idea of asking Clarisse if she could look for it in France. That sweetheart went above and beyond. She got on a waiting list at the boutique in Paris because it had not yet arrived there. They called and gave her a few hours to pick it up; she sent her son, a attorney who works nearby; he purchased it; and he FedEx'd it from his workplace - all in one day. How am I going to return THAT favor? I think I see a huge box headed to France.

I have a "reasonable suspicion" that Charlie brought a mouse in from the screened porch last night. The commotion in the kitchen, preceded by his appearance, was suspect. He brings them inside to play with them. Now, thanks to hunter cat, I think I have a poor mouse in my house. I hope I can catch and liberate him before one of the cats decides to torture him to death. Catching a worn-out mouse isn't as hard as you might imagine.

I'd like to remind you about a couple of upcoming events and promotions - both national and DC-area.

Chantecaille will be celebrating World Ocean Day (June 8) with a promotion from June 5 to June 12. Please help them save blue whales, creatures that symbolize the health of the high seas, which are responsible for producing close to 80% of our planet's oxygen and are now threatened by industrial fishing, acid toxicity, plastic garbage, sonar pollution, and other human interference. Online only, from June 5-12, Chantecaille will offer a free Amaretto Lip Gloss with the purchase of any La Baleine compact. Use code WHALES at checkout. Proceeds will go to the International Union for Conservation of Nature. I'll be posting this promotion again this weekend - with the pretty photo Chantecaille sent me last week.

There's an upcoming Chantecaille event at Neiman Marcus in the DC area. On June 10 at Mazza Gallerie and June 11 at Tysons Galleria, you could have a consultation with national makeup artist Eddie Hernandez. The event is during the Neiman Marcus' Camp Gorgeous promotion, which runs Sunday, June 5, through June 12. There will be a Chantecaille gift with purchase. DC gals will want to call their closest Neiman Marcus to make an appointment with Eddie. I'd love to see you. I'll be seeing him at Tysons on June 11.

We are having a very special Fresh event with Jawn Marques at Neiman Marcus at Tysons Galleria on June 22. It's a master class, and I can't wait! Jawn is as talented and fun as it gets, and he is flying in from New Orleans for our party. If you would like to attend that evening, please call (703) 761-1600 and ask for Kathy Shoreman at extension 3282.

I have other DC-area events I'll be telling you about very soon. Stay tuned!

It's time for The Friday Forum? We use the forum to share information and chat. Did you find any deals you couldn't resist this week? Are you using a fabulous product and want to sing its praises? Did you find a beauty product disappointing? Do you have a question others might be able to answer? Want to talk about skin care? What's new in your life? Just use the comments. Don't be shy. Just make sure to ask any question you might have over the weekend. By Monday, most (not all) readers have moved on.

Don't forget, even though it's buried on the blog at this point, that I have a giveaway contest for a fabulous Bobbi Brown Bare to Bold Eye Palette. My heart dropped last year when I saw the photo of this palette in the company's training manual, marked Asia Only. I thought I would have to try to get it from Asia, but it popped up at QVC. It's absolutely gorgeous. The deadline for entries is Saturday, June 4, at midnight. Hope you'll enter!

What's happening in your life?

Photo by Best Things in Beauty