Beautiful House and Garden Ideas

Sometimes the smallest step in the right direction ends up being the biggest step of your life.

Everything that happens helps you grow, 
even if it's hard to see right now.

Circumstances will direct you, correct you and perfect you over time.  Hold on to hope.  
The tiniest thread will twist into an unbreakable cord.  Let hope anchor 
you in the possibility that this is not the end of your story ... 
that change will bring you to peaceful time.

 

Supermodel Paulina Porizkova gives empowering message about aging

 

 In 2020, supermodel Paulina Porizkova, who recently suffered the loss of her estranged husband, late Cars frontman Ric Ocasek, has set out to extricate herself from the harmful beauty ideals women face as they age. Sharing a makeup-free selfie, silver hair growing in at her roots, the 54-year-old mused on the influence of social media on today’s notions of beauty.

paulinaporizkov

Verified

Today narcissism is king and constant self-improvement is queen. Who wants to see “real” people on social media? No, we want aspirational. We want tips and secrets and shortcuts to how best present ourselves in the most glowing light. We want people to envy us, to copy us, to buy what we sell them, whether it’s our words, our brands, torture or magic.
In this crowded forrest of aspirations, I look for the little meadows of peace. To me, those are the truthful ones, the ones that don’t always look amazing, and don’t always feel amazing, and aren’t just so fucking thrilled to be their awesome selves.
So, this is what I really look like. Not a great photo, early in the morning, no make up no filters, just the real true me. I’ll be turning 55 soon. At first glance, I think - ew. I look so old. Grief is certainly no beauty maker. My eyelids are starting to droop. The jowly bits next to my mouth don’t only make me look older but also somehow bitter. The gray in my hair is an easy fix, although, honestly, I’d love to just grow it out and stop coloring.
Now, how can I help to make all this -what we consider flaws - to be seen differently, to be seen as confidence and beauty of a mature age rather than something that needs to be eliminated? I used to think gray hair was aging, that it was a sign of giving in to being old, but thanks to many glorious and rocking hot women on Instagram, I’ve changed my vision to gray hair being sexy and confident. @themiddleagedgoddess @annikavonholdt
There was a quote by @pink to her little daughter, about how it was not for them to fix themselves to fit the standards of beauty, but rather to help other people discover their beauty. Now, that is something to strive for. Not change yourself to fit in the box, but to blow up the fucking box. I’d like to end this post with a rousing “ let’s blow up the fucking box, ladies”, but although I really want to, and will try my best, the truth is that I am a mid-fifties woman, I’m vain and insecure, and next week I could decide to have surgical help to fit the comfortable and warm and familiar box instead of crusading to blow it up. #selfie #truth #beauty #sexyhasnoagelimit#blowupthefuckingbox

www.vogue.com

Stay focused and keep aiming

 

Bouchon Bakery Coffee Cake

 

Ingredients

For the batter

• 203 g all-purpose flour
• 1⅛ tsp baking powder
• ⅜ tsp baking soda
• ½ tsp salt
• 75 g unsalted butter, room temperature
• 210 g sugar
• 75 g eggs
• 1 tbsp vanilla bean paste
• 1 cup crème fraiche

For the topping

• 60 g all-purpose flour
• 60 g almond flour
• 60 g sugar
• ⅛ tsp kosher salt
• 60 g cold unsalted butter, cut into ¼-inch pieces
• 15 g light brown sugar
• 15 g unsweetened cocoa powder
• powdered sugar and cinnamon, to garnish

Instructions

1. First, make the almond streusel topping. Whisk together the all-purpose flour, almond flour, sugar and salt in a bowl. Add the butter and toss to coat the pieces in flour. Using your fingers, combine the butter with the flour mixture, breaking it into small pieces until it is no larger than ⅛ inch. Put in the freezer while you prepare the batter.
2. For the batter, whisk together the flour with the baking powder, baking soda and salt in a bowl.
3. In the bowl of a stand mixer fitted with the paddle attachment, cream together the butter and the sugar and mix on medium speed for 2-3 minutes, or until fluffy. Scrape down the sides of the bowl. Add in the eggs and vanilla bean paste. Mix for about 30 seconds on low speed, or until just combined.
4. Add the flour mixture and creme fraiche, alternating between the two, in three additions each, beating for about 15 seconds after each addition. Cover the batter and refrigerate for about 20 minutes.
5. Meanwhile, preheat the oven to 325. Spray six 4¼-inch round paper baking molds or springform pans with cooking spray. Set them on a sheet pan.
6. Whisk together the brown sugar and cocoa powder.
7. Transfer half of the batter to a pastry bag, and pipe it into a spiral in the bottom of each mold. Dust with about 2 tsp of the cocoa/brown sugar mixture. Transfer the remaining batter to the pastry bag and pipe a second spiral over the cocoa layer. Sprinkle the tops with the cold streusel, about 3 tbsp each.
8. Bake for 35-40 minutes, or until the tops are golden and a skewer inserted in the center comes out clean. Set on a cooling rack to cool.
9. Before serving, dust coffee cakes with cinnamon and powdered sugar.

joanne-eatswellwithothers.com

Iconic Designer Dresses

 

Givenchy 1954

Balenciaga 1954

Pierre Balmain. Photo by Philippe Pottier 1955

Christian Dior 1952

1950's Nina Ricci

Christian Dior 1957

1956 Pierre Balmain

Maggy Rouff, 1954

Cartier Tiara's

 Since Louis François Cartier opened the first shop in 1847 in Paris, the jewelry house has become synonymous with luxury jewelry. Twenty-seven years later his son, Alfred Cartier, took over the bus…

This tiara was made by Cartier in 1920.  The tiara's top pearl element is removable and originally the pearls were interchangeable with emeralds.

This tiara was made by Musy circa 1860. The flowers can be removed and worn as other jewelry.

The above antique tiara was created by Cartier for Princess Marie Bonaparte in 1907.

The Manchester Tiara was made by Cartier, Paris, in 1903 to the order of Consuelo, Dowager Duchess of Manchester. Cartier’s records note that she supplied over a thousand brilliant-cut diamonds and more than 400 rose-cut diamonds, while Cartier supplied further rose-cut diamonds and the paste stones which make up the scrolls at the end of each side.

An imposing tiara if there ever was one, the Cartier Indian Tiara is a design of Indian inspiration (hence the name) rendered solidly in diamonds, sapphires, and pearls. Its attribution to Cartier is likely but not definite, and it was probably made in the early 20th century. It belonged to a fascinating, if lesser known, royal figure: Princess Marie Louise (1872-1956).

Cartier Portland Tiara was commissioned by the 6th Duke of Portland for his wife, Duchess Winifred. 

This tiara was made by Cartier in 1908.
 sapphires and diamonds

This tiara was made from diamonds belonging to Empress Maria Leopoldina of Brazil, Emperor Pedro's first wife.  The diamonds were inherited by her children after her 1826 death but Emperor Pedro later bought them in order to make a tiara for his new wife.  Diamonds set in gold and silver

                              Duchess of Leuchtenberg's Emerald Parure Tiara

               Empress Alexandra Feodorovna of Russia's Diadem of Ancient Pearls

This tiara was made in the late 1880s using pearls from the diamond fund.

                      Empress Alexandra Feodorovna of Russia's Turquoise Tiara

Was this tiara created by Fabergé circa 1895

                          Empress Elizabeth Alexeievna of Russia's Diamond Tiara

This tiara was made in the early 1800s.