Grocery Glam

SJP Tartt Shoe, Grey Denim & A KeVita Water

If I had a dime for every time I was asked "Where are you going"? because of the way I dress. Certain ladies in my circle experience the same thing in our sleepy coastal town. The truth is we are going to the grocery store, the bank, school drop/pick up, the dentist, the post office .... Living our lives really. I am of the personal belief that there need not be a "special occasion" to dress the way you want. Isn't LIFE a special occasion when you are here and have the freedom to live it? 

The geographical location in which this question is continually posed is coastal. The vast majority who inhabit this magical place wear what is dubbed "Central Coast Casual" which translates literally to trucker caps, puffy vests, flip flops and yoga pants. Sometimes all at once with a plaid flannel shirt or graphic tee, some worn a piece at a time. Swap out the flip flop for a to the knee boot in a neutral and you are good to go for evening here.. don't even get me started. If they are dressing authentically to express who they really are then BRAVA! I can fully support dressing from an authentic place. If they are dressing this way due to provincial pressures, trends or what I call "the herd mentality" they get the thumbs down from me. I also wear Yoga pants ... to YOGA! If you see me in them I can guarantee I am on route or coming from a legitimate yoga class.

 Recently, I've seen an influx of stretch jersey printed garments that are the trend dujour is from a company called LuLaRoe, a networked based marketing clothing company that has taken the Central Coast by storm. By storm I mean a sea of identical stretch jersey silhouettes in various colored prints. At drop off time I sometimes amuse myself by counting how many mom's are wearing a different variation of the SAME legging, tunic or dress. Again, if it is authentic and each person is expressing who they are then I can applaud them. I'm taking a wild guess that this too is provincial pressure. I have a client who has recently turned her back to her closet full of this stretchy, printed confections in exchange for dressing authentically and going with her gut instincts. I'll feature her story in a future post.

Anyway, when I go grocery shopping in a Vintage printed dress (from my eBoutique Evolution Vintage) and SJP Collection TARTT Shoe for example, I get the question .. Where are you going?

Instead of collecting my dime I felt compelled to share an image of myself grocery shopping with the caption ' I grocery shop like this bitch'  on Instagram I also wear sequins, or whatever strikes me. I am an emotional dresser and style from a place of authenticity, not trends.

I had the pleasure of speaking to The New York Post recently and chatted about the SJP TARTT being my favorite day shoe. She sparkled and shines in the natural light so brilliantly. The stand out quite from the piece was talking about how I grocery shop in them! 

My lessons for the day ladies: 

1) Don't reserve sparkle for evening.

2) Wear what you want, Where you want, When you want.

The End.

My friend Sydney, Vintage Style Maven wearing

A Vintage wide leg jumpsuit from Evolution Vintage

while shopping at Costco, why?

because she can.

Passion For The Portrait: Tara Deetscreek

The Artist in her studio

The Internet is a magical place at times. I enjoy connecting with people online and thoroughly enjoy the positive social networking side of the Internet. I love Instagram and sharing images. I had the pleasure of connecting with an artist recently who's gift's I would like to share with you.

It was this image that I shared which sparked some inspiration for Tara.

She transformed this 1950's Dior model into the ultimate shoe maven Sarah Jessica Parker and surrounded her with various SJP Collection Styles

Tara Says, "My love for art began at a young age.  I started to draw everything in sight around the age of 8 and my obsession continued through adulthood.  I ended up pursuing an art studio degree and graduated from Indiana University of Pennsylvania with a Bachelors of Fine Arts degree with my focuses being in drawing and ceramics.  I have always worked in 2D and 3D, loving different qualities about both.  It has always been a struggle trying to keep art a priority alongside being a wife and mother, and with different seasons I have focused on different mediums with varying degrees of time commitments.  

Since graduating about 15 years ago, I have done everything from murals, to pottery shows, to custom work. After raising my 4 boys and keeping my art career more on the side lines and being a mother in the forefront, I decided in 2014 that it was time to let art take more of a priority in my life than in past years.  This meant deciding to look at it more like a job and committing to work every day creating in my studio and searching for my personal voice as an artist.  It has been an exciting year for me, because even though I have created my whole life, I feel as though this year I have become an "emerging artist" in my own sense of the word.  

I looked within and searched within myself for the things that were always there.  I looked to inspirational artists, Bo Bartlett, Frida Kahlo, Alphonse Mucha, and Gustav Klimt, to name a few. I have always been inclined to draw people and love capturing a feeling, mood, or characteristic about a person.  Telling people's stories through portraiture is my passion.  Nothing excites me/ terrifies me more than creating someones likeness, and if I can capture something more about the person I am painting or make them feel beautiful through my work then its even better.  I have always been kind of a dreamer and my work tends to have a strain of fantasy in it.  Fabric and pattern have also been influential in my work, as have nature and everything vintage.  

Self Portrait

As I searched for my voice, I also searched for the perfect medium.  Drawing with pencil and painting with watercolor have been my mediums of choice, but I was frustrated at the size limit of a sheet of paper.  I found the perfect mixed media for me which is working on canvas with fluid acrylics (which act as watercolor) combined with colored pencils. I feel like after finding this medium combination I have been able to develop my work and have some consistency which is so exciting. I'm looking forward to seeing my work continue to develop and to learn people's stories along the way!"

When the UPS delivery man knocked on my door on Friday imagine my surprise to receive the most AMAZING portrait from Tara.

 She even gave me a peek at her process

I feel so honored that she used her time and talents to create this portrait for me. In the image I was in the Hearst Castle gardens of hydrangeas wearing a headdress from The House of Kat Swank. I love this moment and am truly thrilled it is now captured forever. The addition of the peacock feather is perfect for me too and I truly adore every element of this piece. It will proudly be displayed on my living rooms magenta accent wall.

Thank You Tara! 

Commission your own unique piece for your home or as a gift from Tara!

Connect:

EMAIL

WEBSITE

FACEBOOK

DSAM: Laura's Story

Mark Asher

As we welcome the 18th day of Down Syndrome Awareness Month I am pleased to introduce my friend and Birthday Girl Laura. We connected through the ' little something extra' shared by our beautiful boys. I'm so thrilled to be able to share her story as she was to write it. She communicated to me that really writing down her thoughts and feelings here was a very cathartic experiences. Through both tears and smiles she has graciously shared her real experience of being a mother to three lovely boys, one of which happens to have Down Syndrome.

Laura and I at Blake's Paw Patrol Themed 4th Birthday!

Hello, my name is Laura Hansen, and my husband Darin and I have three sons: Nate (13), Luke (11), and our sweet little angel boy, Mark Asher, who is almost 3 and one half years old.  Our story begins back on May 31, 2012. Mark Asher came into this world earlier than anticipated, as a "late term" preemie, meaning he was born on the last day of the 36th week of my pregnancy.  This alone was a shock, as I had always carried my previous pregnancies full term. My pregnancy was uneventful, and all appeared "normal" along the way. We had no idea that we were going to be having a baby born with Trisomy 21, or more commonly known as "Down Syndrome (DS)". 

Mark Asher was born late in the afternoon, with all my family there to greet and hold him, and was as beautiful as ever. He had ten fingers and ten toes, nursed like a champ (even though the nurses said that was unusual with DS), and he had the sweetest disposition. It's as if the sweetness in that room of a Mother's and Father's unconditional love for their precious child whom they so desired to have, prayed for, and received, bridged any fear that traversed the universe in that moment!  I leaned in and kissed his forehead and held him even tighter. I'll never forget later my Mother had some tears and I said, "Oh Mom, it's going to be ok," and she said, "Honey, I'm not crying because he has DS; I'm crying because you have no idea what a gift from heaven you have just been given."  So from the beginning, we were all caught off-guard, and yet, he was perfect from Day One as far as we were concerned. He was named after my Father (Mark), so that was also very special.  All would be ok, in time, as we learned to truly embrace our son, and trust God every step of the way with our little miracle baby. 

We now had a third son, a boy who was given to us as a blessing, yet we had no idea how that would turn our lives inside out, upside down , all the while learning to navigate, discover, advocate, and support a new understanding of what it means to have an "extra" chromosome. 

FOR NOW, we just needed to be parents, and adjust to having a little baby again, and all that comes along with that. Our boys adjusted very well, however, they had many questions and concerns obviously. Would he walk, would he talk, would he be able to go to school, play sports, make friends, even get married and drive a car!! The concerns were all "normal" and to be honest, those probably ran through my mind at one time or another. The interesting thing about our situation is that Mark Asher "looked" so normal, and acted so normal, so it all felt surreal. With the help of amazing doctors and our beloved pediatrician and OB, both being Christians and supporting LIFE, they made our fears, concerns, and questions seem legitimate and warranted. We knew that this was a walk that only a few are chosen to go on, yet the journey would prove to be the real test of time.  God must have known we were the perfect family to raise this little angel, and trust me when I say, he has brought immense JOY and LOVE, LAUGHTER and MEMORIES into our home, and that will last a lifetime.  We can't imagine our lives without him in it. 

Exactly four years ago today, on my birthday, we found out I'd be having a baby, something we'd longed for and yet it just had not happened thus far. Hence, that is the gap in our children. I think of it as if GOD was waiting for us to prepare for Mark Asher's arrival. Today, as this article is being presented in this blog, I am honored to share in such a special time of year, THE MONTH OF OCTOBER, which we celebrate as Down Syndrome Awareness Month. SO, it truly has a double blessing for me!  

Mark Asher is a normal little boy, and he is very well adjusted (figuratively, and also literally, since I'm a chiropractor!) He's so bright, very high functioning, funny as all get out, has an incredible attention span, and is extremely patient when learning new things.  He truly is a special little boy who brightens the world around him and he makes others feel loved and important too. Fortunately for Mark Asher, his love for anything musical is incredible, as his Daddy is an awesome pianist.  So, to sit and watch them play together is magical.  Mark enjoys many things as most toddlers do, but as of late, he has been attending preschool, and for that, we are very grateful. He is in a typical school where he is modeling behavior and learning one-on-one skills, learning to navigate the playground, riding all types of toys, climbing stairs, ladders, and sliding (his favorite), alongside of his wonderful Paraprofessional Educator. He is typical in so many ways, and uniquely different in others. 

While most  people are taken in by his "cuteness factor" and the "smile that is larger than life", they innately are curious about him, about raising a child who has special needs, and how I manage my life as a busy mother, wife, chiropractor, and now full time advocate for him. My answer is very simple: I take it one day at a time. I have learned to let things go that aren't important any longer, and trust the Lord with every step of my path. This experience has strengthened our marriage, taught me more patience as a parent, given all of us a greater understanding of people who have special needs, taught my children tolerance and patience, and we have all grown in our love for children with DS as we have met some of the nicest families and the support of our local DS community that is rich with love and information, as well as activities and a wealth of advocacy to glean from. Together we have formed close bonds with other DS parents, and in the month of October we gather to celebrate our special blessings in our lives with these kids. We are one big happy family. 

A dear friend recently shared with me that "we can all walk the road, not the journey!  The reason is that that journey means we understand your journey too."  The road we were chosen for, incidentally, is (for most) the road-less-traveled. The average age for a mother carrying a DS child is 26 years old, clearly not my age.  Secondly, Down Syndrome is not a genetic situation, it is a chromosomal situation. There is an "extra special" factor and occurs spontaneously approximately every 700 conceptions according to the latest in scientific research. When we heard these numbers shortly after his birth, from the head of DS in the world at Stanford, it's as if "we'd won the lottery!" And you'd only have to know and love a person with DS to know that is absolutely the truth. 

With all the interest in educational inclusion, and the majority of our population starting to become more educated about Down Syndrome because of our national and international communities worldwide, as well as our local chapters, the start of something big is just over the horizon. I for one am incredibly interested in continuing to share, advocate, learn, develop ideas, even continue to incorporate what I do as a chiropractor to help DS children (for example, helping my son to walk straight for the first time as his low muscle tone in his legs left him with a wide gait and weak stance), and come alongside of our other paraprofessionals to get the message out that there is a NEED, and a HUGE desire to incorporate all that we can to help prosper and move ahead with keeping Down Syndrome at the forefront of our communities, our school districts and educators, our county agencies, respite and care providers, our doctors and therapists, and most importantly, our beloved families of loved members with DS. It truly does "take a village" to come alongside of our children, but even today I was so excited to post a video of a gal that has DS, and has made amazing accomplishments in both personal goals as well as college goals. The sky truly is the LIMIT.  She herself was mainstreamed, never attended a special-day class, had some individual therapies along the way, benefited from a supportive family and network of providers...and she is beautiful.  I felt so encouraged because I want our son, Mark Asher, and every other child to have that same opportunity. 

MY goal in writing this article is to say this: WE all have something to offer in this life. With the proper early intervention, mainstream education or even home schooling with peers that model behaviors and speech with one-on-one learning, and an awareness that lets the world at large know that our kids matter, they have a voice, they are capable of so many things just like their typical friends if given the time and opportunities to develop.  We CAN truly change the course of history and incorporate these amazing happy and loving people that deserve the best life has to offer. We all can learn a lot from them. They love without judgement, they trust without fear, they need acceptance just like we do, and they just want to be part of this world. 

I am forever grateful that my son, Mark Asher is in our family, and his timing was perfect. He is an absolutely beautiful human being that makes every day GREAT to be alive. I hope you can see that the love and joy he brings to our lives is unmatchable. And trust me, his giggles are the best sound in the world.  Please try and find a schoolmate, a friend, a neighbor, even a person out and about that has DS, and give them a hug, a high five, or a simple smile today.  It will be a heart-to-heart exchange, and you will be forever changed...PROMISE! 

Cheers to you Laura on this your birthday and to the journey we will take together, as mothers and friends. Our destinations may be different but we will get to ride together on the same airline. I am so excited to see Mark Asher grow into the beautiful, smart, and capable boy that I all ready know he is.

Laura is a Dr of Chiropractic Medicine in Arroyo Grande, CA for the past 20+ years

A.D.I.O. Chiropractic

1054 E Grand Ave, Ste C

Arroyo Grande, California

(805) 489-1326

Dress To Express

Looking inward is SO important, in fact it is the foundation of your existence really. It is a practice that we should all do a lot more. There is just so much outside noise that distracts us. To live an externally motivated life is to rob yourself of who YOU are and what authentically motivates you. We cannot anticipate the reaction from the outside world to who we are internally so I think this may be why so many people never really try.

Buy this brand 

Wear this label

Follow the trends (or the herd)

Many of us are to easily accepting of marketing, branding, and exterior pressures to be "something" or "someone". What if we looked to the exterior ONLY to express what is on the inside. I use fashion in this way. Many would have a chuckle or a nice eye roll when I say that Fashion to me is another language. I use clothing and styling to express who I am and how I am feeling in the moment.

On a daily basis I dress to express. It is literally an outward manifestation of who I authentically am on the inside. I don't care about labels, prices, trends or eras. I wear what I like and only what I am instinctually drawn too. When asked to describe my style in one word: Authentic.

What I Wore - (left): Promesa Harem Pant Jumpsuit (Thrifted Stretch Belt - no label)

SJP Collection FAWN in Yellow (Ochre) Satin - Bloomingdales Zappos Couture

Evolution Vintage Burnout Tee in White

My Cousin (pictured R)

Black CACHE Jumpsuit

Evolution Vintage 70's Black Hat

BCBG Metallic Cut Out Heels.

When is the last time you purchased something that you authentically loved or were naturally drawn too and DIDN'T make an excuse about not having somewhere to wear it? or it being too expensive? or any other issue?

Many of the outward roadblocks in style and in life we create for ourselves. Trust me, no one gives a shit really what you are doing, even though many of us perceive that they do. Toady's assignment, head to your closet's and whatever you instinctually FEEL like wearing, or strikes you as beautiful put it on. Wear it in the house, go to the grocery store, out to dinner or vacuum in it, who cares. There is NO excuse not to DRESS TO EXPRESS... 

Share your images with me on Intagram: @evolutionvtg

Hashtag #DressToExpress

DSAM: Jennifer's Story

Jennifer and Liam

It is day 16 of Down Syndrome Awareness Month and I am so pleased to be able to share Jennifer's story with you. Every parent has their own unique experience and I wanted the opportunity to share a variety of perspectives here in hopes of shedding some light on what it is like to be a parent of a child with Down Syndrome.

My name is Jennifer, and at age 28 I found out I was expecting.  I was so thrilled and excited and scared. My entire pregnancy was not easy from the very start, I was constantly sick pretty much the entire time.  To make things even more difficult I found out I had gestational diabetes.  At my 33 week ultrasound the doctor told me that Liam's humorous and femur measurements were short, which is know as a soft marker. Before this ultrasound all my ultrasounds came up "normal". The doctor proceeded to tell me that I had a 1 in 150 chance that my baby would be born with Down syndrome. For a very long time I hated my doctor for telling me this. With this information hanging over my head I was a mess, I cried, I was angry, I couldn't understand how this could possibly happen to me. At 37 weeks I went into labor and three days later I gave birth to a healthy beautiful baby boy. Liam weighed in at 7 Lbs and measured 19 inches. He was absolutely precious. The second I saw him though I knew, I knew he had Down syndrome. I could see it, but no one else could or they decided not to see it. Through genetic testing we confirmed that Liam did have Down syndrome. The next few months were dark for me. I mourned the life I wanted for my child. I cried. I just couldn't understand. 

As a new mom, already not knowing what I was doing, add low muscle tone into the picture.... it's a game changer. Two days after we were released from the hospital we were re-admitted. I had no idea that Liam wasn't latching on, he lost 11% of his body weight was extremely dehydrated and extremely jaundiced. I felt terrible! How could I not know that he wasn't nursing, how could I think his constant crying was normal? I thank god every day that something worse didn't happen due to my inexperience. Low muscle tone, tongue tied and nipple shields were my new reality. I worked closely with a lactation consultant for a full three months to get Liam to nurse successfully.  We worked tirelessly together to figure out this dance called nursing, I pumped and bottle fed meantime. Our hard work paid off, literally at the three month mark he just got it. It was such a big moment, I was so happy I didn't give up or give in. Everyone around me was telling me to just give him formula. 21 months later and we are still nursing strong. Like our nursing adventure, every milestone has been just like that. We work and work and work to get Liam to achieve his next milestone, and then one day he just does it.  Liam is amazing and silly and smart, it just takes him a little longer to do things.  It's truly amazing watching his determination and motivation to achieve what he wants.

  Every single day I celebrate the little things, all the things that parents of a "typical" child would over look.  I have forever been changed in such an amazing way.  Now I look to the future with optimism and hope, and I know that it's just an extra chromosome ... It doesn't define what a wonderful little human he is.

Thank you Jennifer for sharing your story!! 

Liam is AMAZING!

Self Care: An Essential Service

I think the term Self Care should become a part of every humans vocabulary. People often confuse the term "Selfish" with "Self Care". I proudly carve out time for myself with none of "mommy guilt" or worries about being perceived as selfish. To me what is selfish is a person who runs themselves ragged and is a sub par parent, partner or friend. Someone who is so focused on what other's think that they spend all their time trying to live up to someone else's thoughts or the delusion that you have imagined in your head of what people are thinking. I know so many mother's who work so hard but find it difficult to take time to care for themselves and it sadly shows. 

It is my personal belief that if you do not care for yourself all other area's of your life suffer. There are several ways to care for yourself. Take a bath, go for a walk, do yoga, read, spend time with friends, take a nap, exercise, get a hobby, and more. 

When I can, I go to my favorite local spa for a treatment or two. In the beach side town of Cayucos, California is Illuminate Spa Owned and Operated by a gorgeous soul named Naomi. We have had the pleasure of working together for my eBoutique Evolution Vintage but I have also enjoyed several treatments at her lovely day spa. 

Naomi along with her friendly and professional staff have serviced both my husband and I. May I suggest the massage, facial AND the hot steam tent with dry brushing and mud application. Enjoy a complimentary glass of champagne, lavender or lemon water. Truly heaven. These treatment are affordable to all, it's just about prioritizing.  

Naomi Wilkinson -Creator, Lead Massage Therapist And Esthetician shared the following information about her spa and her personal mission.

Our wish is to help you experience radiant health, energy and beauty from the inside - out.  May this be a place for you to feel peaceful, uplifted and inspired to live your best life.  We provide organic beauty, indulgent spa treatments, therapeutic bodywork and a boutique created to illuminate you. Our staff is trained monthly with hands on technique, education and tips to perfect our signature illuminating spa experience. Come and enjoy the art of skin and body care.

We proudly offer; Eminence Organic Skin Care, Airbrush Tanning, Organic Waxing, Full Body Detoxifying Steam Sessions, Massage, Skin Care, Body Treatments, Make Up Services and Lash Extensions.

We invite you to discover the benefits of self love... A soothing massage, indulge in a facial, a customized airbrush tan, or try an incredibly relaxing steam session - it’s so much more than a temporary escape. It is an opportunity to exhale deeply, to relax completely and to nurture a healthier lifestyle.  We are happy to host bridal parties, groups, couples massage or events.  Looking forward to meeting you soon!

Beauty is the illumination of your soul. 

MEET NAOMI

Naomi Wilkinson is locally and internationally trained.  She is a California certified massage therapist and skin care specialist.  With over 1000 hours of massage training and over 14 years of experience working all over the central coast.  As well as an esthetic license with advanced skin care technique training and some Yoga training.  Specializing in Swedish, Deep Tissue, Shiatsu, Thai, Lomi Lomi, Ayurvedic treatments, Reflexology, Esalen, Prenatal & Spa treatments.  

Each session is a unique blend of east and west that is intuitive and sculpts the body with love.  She hopes to enhance the health and well being of each of her clients and that you will leave illuminated.  Her treatments are magical and therapeutic, you will leave in a blissful bubble of light. 

Naomi offers massage, spa treatments, facials, waxing, lash extensions and custom airbrush tans.

Naomi, is our lead skin and body therapist and personally works with each one of our staff to create an illuminating experience from start to finish. We hold monthly skin and body training to perfect each one of our relaxing and indulgent treatments. All of of wonderful massage therapist's and estheticians have there own style blended with a signature "Illuminate Spa" feel.  We welcome you to try each of our talented staff to find the perfect fit for you!  

Don't take my word for it, take some time for yourself and book a treatment now.

Get an Eminence Pumpkin Peel FREE in October!

Book a 60 or 90 minute Facial in the month of October, mention this deal, and receive a FREE Eminence Pumpkin Peel* Accelerate the exfoliation process with this enzyme peel that removes dead skin cells, reduces the appearance of pigmentation, fine lines and sun damage. This delicious purée of yam and pumpkin leaves skin looking firm, plump and radiant. 

*A $20 value