The Evil Eye

The evil eye. You've heard the expression before. Every culture has a traditional form of warding off the evil eye.

Italians do the sign of the cross with their tongue when they feel the magnetic force of negativity, envy or dislike of others propel towards them. Often referred to as Malocchio, this superstitious spell of sorts, has been known to manifest as a curse or misfortune to it's target. In South America, parents tie a red ribbon around their child's wrist or ankle for protection. In Turkey, you can find the evil eye pendant or symbol hanging in homes or worn as jewellery to fend off bad energy or negativity.

Similar to the Turks, Greeks ward off evil with a similar blue eye charm but they also believe that garlic is the key to one's safety. If one can't stand the smell of garlic, the alternative is to say "Skorda" under your breath and spit three times and if someone is complimenting you and you feel others' jealousy, you ask the complimentor to spit on you too.

As ridiculous as this all sounds, we all have our own quirky traits that usually involve mind over matter when it comes to safety and protection. I used to be afraid of my own shadow. I would sleep with all the lights on, a knife under my bed and envision a protective shield around me when fear would seep in my room in the middle of the night. I was told to walk taller and stronger, and that my bad and scared thoughts actually attracted negative behaviours. It's simply a law of the universe that your thoughts turn into your reality.

Then, I became so tired from lack of sleep that I literally one day thought to myself, if someone really wants to get me, they'll get me. Sheer exhaustion will kill me before they do.

Now, I wear my Turkish evil eye bracelet, and whether it works or not, at least I can catch my zzzzzz's.

The Eyebrow Experiment

Looking for an instant makeover? Did you know that the quickest way to change your look in an instant is with your eyebrow shape? Gone are the days when over-tweezed, over-arched or over-penciled in brows are fashionable. Don't believe me? Take a look at these brow "dont" and brow "do" images below.

Here are some before and after's of how eyebrows can change your face. Be careful when plucking or shaping. You may end up looking permanently surprised or angry if your brows are angled too high or too straight.

Consider Anastasia, eyebrow guru to the stars. I ordered her kit from The Shopping Channel and have loved it ever since. I myself have fallen victim to having one of those 30 x magnified mirrors in my bathroom and plucked every stray hair I could see. Unfortunately for me, they never quite grew back the same.

Whether you're waxing or threading, cleaning up your eyebrows is a sure-fire way to instantly perk up your face. Check out this before and after photo of Oprah herself after taming her wildly overgrown brows with Anastasia's products and tools.

You can pick up Anastasia's products at Sephora or other speciality shops. The kit I purchased included an amazing set of tweezers, stencils, eyebrow powder and brushes as well as gel to groom those wiry hairs that have a mind and direction of their own.

There are a few basic things to remember when shaping and grooming your brows.

1. Do not over-tweeze.

2. Do not use harsh pencil to fill in sparse spots. Opt for a softer powder and use angled brush instead.

3. Do not overextend the line. Eyebrows should start in line around the outer nostril and end not too far past the eye.

4. Remember, natural is better.

5. If you dye your hair, your eyebrows should somewhat match. Although some people can pull it off, you decide what looks best for your face.

My own brows are awful. I've tweezed throughout the years and they've never grown back. Thicker and fuller brows went out in the 90's and so did the remainder of my eyebrows so now I rely on coloured powder to fill in the sparse spots. I have brow envy for images such as these:

Eyebrows can change your facial expressions entirely. If you're not careful with your tweezers, you may scare people away with your seemingly angry face, no matter how jovial you may feel.

For actual tutorials on how to obtain great brows, you can always rely on the ever popular You Tube.

8 new trends to try for fall

1. Wear purple. (Or a shade of purple such as plum, aubergine or mauve)

2. Let your ends hang out.

3. Mix and match prints.

4. Socks with heels

5. Loose, wide pants.

6. Try white tights.

7. Sport some velvet

8. Shaped, threaded brows. (Still looking for a place in Hamilton area that does threading. I don't want to have to drive to Waterloo or Toronto to get it done)

From Naples to Rishikesh to Bali ~ Eat Pray Love ~ A memoir

I ask you, have you ever wondered to yourself "Is this all there is to life?" Have you ever been stuck in a rut or been hurt so badly and rebounded quickly or been so low that you thought you were going crazy? Have you ever been alone and unhappy but then found yourself in a relationship and just as unhappy? Have you ever wondered exactly how you were born into your family because you're so different? Have you ever wanted more than you have but you're not sure what that more is? Do you have everything material yet yearn for the simple life and internal peace and harmony?

These are some universal questions that run parallel in every culture, all around our globe.

This was exactly me four years ago at the age of 30. It was a clear symbol of the universe that I picked up a copy of Elizabeth Gilbert's "Eat Pray Love" novel. I sat engulfed in every page of her writing for an entire weekend; mostly sobbing but just as often laughing. When I discovered this gem would be turned into a Hollywood production I was more than disappointed.

Let me tell you something. If any of the above questions ring true to you, you must head straight to the cinema and watch this screenplay. I was touched and shaken to my very core. My breath was taken away on more than one occasion and I felt my internal spirit soar.

I related to so many aspects of this story and the fact that it was someone's real life personal journey made it all the more astonishing.

I won't spoil it for you. I won't tell you more. If you've read the book, you will not be disappointed. It was exactly how I envisioned it in my mind. If you've seen the movie but not read the book, please do so.

Reading this book changed my life and how I look at things and myself, but seeing this movie has left me awestruck, content and at peace with myself, my journey and my choices. Trust me, it sounds simpler than it actually was.

There are loved ones around me struggling every day. We all suffer and struggle with our past or present and thoughts of a lonely future. One thing is for certain. Without a relationship with ourselves and God and a thirst to thrive and learn as well as make a difference, we have nothing but a house full of stuff.

I'm so lucky I could just cry. In fact, my husband felt the exact same way after watching this film. What's even better for me is that I know how the story ends up as I own the second book "Committed" which I have written about earlier when I first started my blog.

I've said it so many times before. Life is so hard and full of so much pain but we must go through it to get to the opposite end of the spectrum.

Eat, because you can. Pray, because you're thankful. Love, when you feel it.

Elizabeth Gilbert, you are my hero.

Goodnight.

Eat Pray Love Trailer 2

The colourful sole - Choosing non-traditional wedding day shoes

When it comes to style and fashion, these days, anything goes.

A friend recently asked me for my opinion on white wedding shoes and I had to be bluntly honest. I can't stand white shoes on any regular day. Bridal shoes even more so seem to be incredibly tacky and unflattering.

A recent trend is for the bride to sport coloured wedding shoes. From the red or blue lacquered soles of Christian Louboutin , yellow or polka dotted heels, barefoot sandals for the beach or rubber boots in the rain, women are really choosing to up the ante when it comes to their bridal footwear. Not to be left out or shown up, grooms also have been seen in fun and funky socks and scarps.

Say goodbye to tacky bridal shoes and hello to a rainbow of opportunity for your special day.

If you must wear white shoes, don't buy them from a bridal shop. Search around for something different and special.