JOSIE'S PICKS: In Costume

Like most (if not all) kids, Halloween was always major joy for me. I loved the dress-up part, I loved recognizing the neighbor kids in their costumes and masks, and of course I loved the candy. Now that I'm a big kid with two little kids, I like Halloween even more. Rumi Joon's already revved up about her costume, and I'm revved up about Indi Joon's, since she's still young enough to let me put it together for her. I found some cool stuff for Indi Joon and for her mama on Etsy. Buying from real people, crafty people, is as good as chocolate. Well, almost.

Boo!

Josie

Butterfly Baby Costume

Black Lace Face Mask

Ghost Tunic Dress

Baby Owl Hat

Baby Sushi Costume

Candy Corn Cap

BABY LOVE Josie and Indi's Tips

If being a mom has taught me anything, it's this:  there's always something new to learn about parenting. My daughters—and my feelings about my daughters— never stop surprising me, which is a huge part of the wonder of motherhood. Discovering what works for your kids is always a work in progress, and mommy blogs are a great source of tips. Sometimes I try one of those tips and it backfires—screaming baby! But sometimes you get a gem, like these two:

Teething Treat: I mix breast milk with water and pour the mixture into an ice cube tray, using binkies as the "popsicle sticks." Once the "binkie pops" are frozen, I can pop one out when Indi's new teeth need cool relief.  

Diaper Game-changer: I can't believe it took me two kids and a mountain of diapers to learn this trick! I put the clean diaper under Indi before taking off the dirty one. It prevents messes and makes diaper-changing extra quick when we're out and about.  

With lots of baby love,

Josie

WHAT WE'RE EATING Halloween-y Treats

Halloween falls on a Wednesday this year, so we'll be celebrating in typical JMC style, with a big office bash and a competition to see who comes up with the best Prombie (Zombie/Prom Queen) costume. We love love love gummy bats and vampire teeth, but we're even more inspired by these grown-up Halloween treats. Have a favorite ghoulish goodie? Share, if you dare! 

Cauldron Curry

La Llorona

Prosciutto-Wrapped Grissini

Buckwheat Harvest Tart

Pumpkin Cinnamon Rolls

Beet and Apple Salad

ECO TIPS Recycling

Ok, so we all know we should recycle. But, sometimes, we just toss things into our recycling bins willy-nilly, thinking Hooray! I will recycle this! But, are the things we stick in that bin really recyclable? Here’s a cheat sheet to help you learn what can and can’t get another life.

Paper and Cardboard: You can recycle everything from junk mail to newspaper, as long as it’s clean and dry. Same goes for cardboard.  The key words here are clean and dry. That greasy pizza box? No way! Left your newspaper out in the rain? No can do.

Metal: You can recycle all aluminum, tin, metal, or bi-metal cans. Rinse them out too, to make sure you’re not sending a little bit of cat food or something into the machines. It might not be required in your region, but it’s still good to do.

Glass: We love glass here at JMC because it’s recyclable! This includes everything from your 100% Pure Argan Oil bottle to that empty jar of spaghetti sauce. Accidentally dropped your empty bottle of wine? That’s okay! Broken bottles are fine. But, not all broken glass is. Glass from mirrors and light bulbs is sometimes not allowed. Check your local sanitation department’s website to learn their broken glass rules.

Plastics: Now, here’s where it gets tricky. You know that little recycling triangle on the bottom of plastic items with a mysterious number inside? That tricky number identifies the type of plastic used in the container. Check out this link for more info on all the numbers. What can and can’t be recycled depends on your region. Numbers one and two are generally good—consult your local site for info on the rest. 

Images via: West Elm, Southern Living, Apartment Therapy

WORKOUT WEDNESDAY Eco Gear

Running my business, appearing on QVC a LOT, and breastfeeding are all helping me lose my baby weight, but I need to really get back into working out—soon! I admit it: I need a little incentive to get myself going. So I'm shopping for new, post-Indi Joon workout gear. When I was still preggers I loved my For Two Fitness duds, but I'm ready for some post-baby eco-wear. I found some great green brands that make workout clothes—Patagonia, Gaiam, and Green Apple. Do you have any workout gear recommendations from companies that make the environment AND our bodies look great?

With love,

Josie

Gaiam Sonata Sweatshirt

Patagonia Tranquila Leggings

Patagonia Active Cami

Green Apple Essential Balance Fitted Yoga Flare

IN THE KITCHEN Crackly Banana Bread

It's been brrrrr here in Pennsylvania. Actually, it's been in the 50s and 60s, but for this California girl, that's chilly! I've been doing lots of baking to keep warm and welcome the turn of the seasons, and I found this fab banana bread recipe on one of my favorite food blogs. It's healthier than the classic recipe—no butter, whole-wheat flour, and millet. So you can have a piece (or two) with your morning coffee or tea, guilt-free. The millet gives the soft, chewy bread a toothsome crunch. Super yum! 

With love,

Josie

Images via: Smitten Kitchen, Diabetes Club

JOSIE'S TIPS Magic Marker Lip & Cheek Stain

The temperatures are dropping, and before you know it, everyone’s going to be rocking that smoky eye look that we all love so much. But why does cold-weather makeup have to be so one-note? Can’t we try something a little more…colorful? I'm so psyched that my Magic Marker Lip and Cheek Stain won a 2012 Allure Best of Beauty Award. The prize has renewed the appreciation that my JMC ladies and I have for this long-lasting, lightweight stain. Around the office, we’ve been flaunting Flamenco and whipping out Waltz for a fresh take on the Fall face. Here are my best tips for getting the most from your Lip and Cheek Stain.

Go Bare A bold lip + a bold eye + rouged cheeks = overkill! I suggest you focus on the lips and leave the rest of your face beautifully bare. Choose a bright, bold shade that complements your skin tone. (Flamenco seems to work for everyone!) Too naked for you? Pat some Argan Illuminizer onto your cheekbones and brow bones to give your skin some radiance.

No Undercoat Needed I know it’s tempting, but don’t apply balm before your lip stain. Most lip balms are oil-based, which keeps water-based stain from absorbing into your lips. Instead, lightly scrub lips with an old toothbrush to exfoliate, and follow immediately with lip stain. If you're batty for your balm, put it on top of the lip stain.

Move Beyond Berry Beauty magazines and blogs claim that berries, plums, and reds are the only Fall-appropriate shades. I say, step outside the box! Try a poppy coral like Jive, or a bright pink like Jitterbug (and bonus, it’s part of our Breast Cancer Awareness collection this month—15% of proceeds go to City of Hope). So unexpected! If you’re feeling more traditional, try Fox Trot, a deep berry wine, or Quickstep, a rich plum.

With love and luscious lips,

Josie

P.S. Don’t be afraid to get cozy with your someone special. This lip stain lasts even through a steamy evening of smooches. xoxo

Images via: Frijolita, Style.com, Bellasugar, Weheartit

BEHIND THE SCENES Coco Takes on M.S.

Coco, who is the Controller here at JMC, is a pretty awesome chick. In addition to having the best candy jar on JMC premises, Coco also has a fierce passion for doing good. A few months ago, Coco told us that she would be participating in the Bike MS Coastal Challenge in Ventura, CA and asked us to lend her our support.

In classic JMC fashion, we jumped in to help. Our Creative Director, Tom, designed a flashy “Team JMC” bike outfit for Coco. We all donated, and Josie and Ali matched every dollar donated, reaching Coco’s goal of raising over $1600 for the National Multiple Sclerosis Society. But let’s be real: our contributions were nothing compared to the contribution Coco made, riding 160 miles to help fight this terrible disease.  We sat down with Coco and asked her about her experience and why fighting M.S. means so much to her.

Why did you decide to participate?

I started biking about 3 months ago and was looking for some long distance biking event.  While searching, I found the MS Coastal Challenge—a two day bike riding event.  Many biking events are tied to charity, but this one is seriously involved in fighting MS. It seemed like a great way to do what I love while helping people who suffer from this debilitating disease.

It seems like the perfect time in my life to start doing this kind of charity work.  I appreciate where I am now, at my work—at JMC, everybody cares.  I am very fortunate to be here.   I want to give back and share what I have.  And we have a lot of LOVE at JMC. 

What kept you going when the challenge started to become difficult?

I started training every weekend and by doing a couple of other bike ride events.  I did San Diego Gran Fondo—72 miles—in September, and the OC Gran Fondo—101 miles—a week before the MS Coastal Challenge.  Every time I started climbing a hill, I thought abut my friends who supported me.  I could not let them down!!  I had each of their names on a button on my jersey to keep me going.

What do you want people to know about MS, and raising money for something they believe in?

MS is unpredictable disease. You never know when it will hit you. It is a heartbreaking disease for both the patient and their loved ones. They lose their ability to move. I chose this ride because MS doesn’t get a lot of attention. I want to help charities that have a hard time raising funds. 

To learn more about the National Multiple Sclerosis Society, click here.

A DAY IN THE LIFE Video Shoot on the Farm

It’s been a whirlwind week! I’ve been spending lots of time at QVC, promoting Deluxe Argan Oil (only available for a month, people!). The farm is my base of operations but yesterday I went to New York for an event hosted by the cool website Daily Candy. They got a group of established entrepreneurs (yes, that means moi) to mentor young, burgeoning business owners in our fields. I got to meet and work with some awesome up-and-comers in beauty who are sure to be big soon.

Right in the middle of all this hustle and bustle, we did a video shoot on the farm focused around an exciting new product we've got coming out in the spring. Top secret, except for those of you lucky Argan ladies who've gotten to sample it (hint, it has infinite uses). We worked on the video from sun up to sun down with the JMC Hollywood team, who bunked with us at the farm. My mom kept us all well-fed, as always, and at the end of the day, she threw us a beautiful dinner party—a delicious reward for a long day of hard work.

With infinite love,

Josie

JOSIE LOVES Sissy + Marley Blog

Hey Argan Mamas-

Looking for a cool site where you can read about all things chic mama—from baby outfit ideas to great interviews with mommy tastemakers like Ariane Goldman of Hatch? Look no further than the blog of NYC-based baby planning boutique, Sissy + Marley. Love love love! Do you have a favorite mommy blog? Share in the comments, pretty please. 

With love,

Josie