HerReality

November 20, 2000
In a recent issue I covered presents for your friends. But what about yourself? Haven't you been a good girl this year? What if you could buy yourself any present? What would you pick?

If you have a collecting habit (glass perfume bottles, copper pots, antique hat pins) your answer might be on the tip of your tongue. Others might have to think about it a little harder. This issue will help you find some things to dream about if you're building a collection of just about anything--as long as it's fancy. Sotheby's doesn't mess around when it comes to collectibles. You'd be amazed at what people want to gather. Gathering a collection that is truly you can be an ultimate indulgence, that actually builds value, as well.

Winter is setting in. I don't know who the women are for whom this is their prettiest season--maybe women from Scandinavia or Ukraine. Winter's dry air and cold temperatures (especially in the office) leave me feeling like a staticky Eskimo. Now, I know that's not really how I look, but it seems that no matter how good I appear, I feel gross from about November 1st to March. During these cocooning months, I need all the beauty help I can get. To that end, I've included a little something about home beauty recipes.

Finally, I'm addressing the issue of the cocoon itself, and whether or not it is fit for human habitation. Feeling smothered under a pile of newspapers you're going to read "someday"? Just because it's cold outside doesn't mean you shouldn't stay on top of the recycling! Get organized and get through the winter in saner shape.

If you have any great sites to recommend or comments on what you would like to see in this newsletter, please feel free to contact me at Betsy@herreality.com

Betsy Boyd
Editor, Her reality.com


		Beauty recipes are a great way to turn a love of cooking to another use. Some of the simplest ingredients in your kitchen can have great benefits, if you think of them in terms of how they might be able to make you beautiful. Using beauty recipes can help you put your creativity to use, while you spoil yourself! They're such a great way to unplug and relax on the weekend--or in the middle of a hectic week! There are entire sites devoted to the exchange of ideas and tips for making your own products at home - from conditioners to face masks. Beautybuzz is one such site. Resources



	Collections can help make your house your own; they can be the element of your decorating scheme that tells people "this is HER place." Collections of anything can also help people figure out what to give you as gifts, so be careful what you choose. My parents, for example, have a huge collection of rooster "things" (from artwork to chocolate molds to canisters) that began when two house warming presents happened to be rooster-y. What followed was 25 years of increasing barnyard influence, until finally they moved and sold a huge number of the roosters, and issued a decree that they didn't want any more. Though they like the roosters, they simply got to their limit. Of course you know that Sotheby's has been auctioning off the best in decorative and fine arts for centuries. Recently, they've taken their process online. Interested buyers can access information about upcoming auctions and specific pieces over the Internet; no trip to London or New York is required. But that's not all the site offers: Sotheby's wants their customers to be educated, so they provide a Collecting Guide to help you in your quest for truly beautiful things. You can learn about collecting pieces as specialized as 18th century tea caddies, or read guidelines for collecting all types of antiquities. Piece-specific considerations (what to look for in fabric on an antique chair, for instance), and terms that may be unfamiliar to some are glossed with a linked guide. It's a quick intro or supplement to your knowledge of collecting, and since it comes from Sotheby's experts, you know it's solid knowledge. No matter what you fancy, whether it's Asian ceramics or jewelry, Sotheby's can help make your collection richer. Of course I need not say that most of the prices here are out of the reach of most young women, but at least you can dream. Collecting Guides

Winter is the perfect time of year to dig through all your stuff and get it organized. I know, the legendary process is called Spring Cleaning, but consider this: generally, you pile up so much extra stuff in the winter that you HAVE to dig out in the spring. Imagine how much easier spring cleaning would be if you were able to prevent the build-up before it even began?

What better way to pass a chilly winter evening than digging through old boxes of stuff and throwing out another year's worth of old letters and boyfriend debris. I've moved every year since I was 18, at least once per year--until this year. I'm feeling a huge need to throw out trash-bags full of old things, to send clothes out to charity, and just generally to get rid of the things I don't use.

Cleaning out, and cleaning up, can really help you get organized and stay that way. Being organized can help you get through your days in a more calm and coherent way. Here's a handy quiz that will help you figure out exactly how much more organization you need. Having written this, I think I'll race home after work and start shedding.

Where is Your Stuff?

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