Sarah Kate Newsletter
Summer 2007 Issue

Welcome to the summer edition of Sarah Kate, style bites for practical fashionistas who dig the Dove campaign and would be willing to drop apparel if a Dove talent agent came calling.

Statement Rings
We all know diamonds are forever, but so are many other rocks. Bold aquamarine, citrine, onyx, chalcedony, topaz, amethyst and agate are just a handful of semi-precious stones coloring “statement rings.” These bulky right- or left-hand rings say a lot about a person, such as colorful, artistic, unique, stylish or daring. About the only statement they don’t make is “I’m married.”

4 Oh!
For those of you who know me, I’ve been talking about turning 40 for the last 11 months. Well, it’s finally here, and I’m still on the planet with no trace of Botox. Now that the big day has arrived, and has for many of my fellow 40 girlfriends, I’ve got four gift ideas for your soon-to-be-40 BFFs:

1.      A subscription to More Magazine

2.      Forty dollars worth of scratch-off lottery tickets

3.      Forty Starbucks

4.      Four Ts from www.threadless.com, a Web site with an ongoing T-shirt design competition. You vote on designs that may/may not come to fruition. Worth a peek.

Not Enough Cooks in the Kitchen
In my spring e-newsletter, I mentioned I was undergoing a kitchen renovation, which is laughable if you know my cooking skill level. At any rate, my snappy kitchen is completed, within budget, on time, and looks even better than how I envisioned. Isn’t that unheard of with remodel jobs, especially the part about “within budget?” So, I’d like to thank my builder/neighbor, Mike Spillane of Spillane & Sons, and his team of talented contractors for such a great experience and for calming my neurotic nerves during the process. Get this: One of the painters offered to paint the walls going down my basement staircase for free because he thought it looked “junky.” That’s the meticulous mentality of the team. If you live in Chicago's western suburbs and are in need of a powerhouse general contractor for a house build (particularly a historic reproduction) or a remodeling job, get on the horn with iron Mike at (630) 688-4479 or mickeyspillane@comcast.net.

A Double Skinny To Go
I’ve been watching hair trends from afar (a.k.a. a tradeshow floor in Las Vegas), and have noticed a multitude of tousled ponytails adorned with double skinny headbands. As my friend Erin points out, this look does showcase the forehead, so it’s a stretch for my wrinkly brow, but it seems pretty darn cool for the dog days of summer. I’ll give it a whirl if you will.

When Double Skinny Isn’t An Option
If you know me, you not only know I’m 40 and a bad cook, but you also know about my own personal battle with an eating disorder and my hope to help others recover. Recently, I’ve come across a number of excellent Web sites devoted to helping anyone suffering/recovering from eating disorders as well as family members and friends. Please do share if you see or hear of a need.