I have tried "Mistress", and it was too brown-red for my tastes.

Thanks. Lip colors are so hard to peg without trying them. I know I always look better in warmer and browner tones, so maybe that will be okay on me. As long as the formula is nice.

I am very tempted to go dig out all of the teeny-tiny ends of tubes of Vamp that I have, melt them all down, and pour a new lipstick from them.

That would be useful.

That is kinda my feeling too, Cass.

Once she shares the information with you is when I would say you can talk to her about it.

I doubt she ever will. This is the cousin who is too busy or whatever to keep in touch with her sisters let alone me. But when we go out of our way to see her, she appears delighted.

I have tried "Mistress", and it was too brown-red for my tastes.

Wait. Was it brown red enough for me????

That is kinda my feeling too, Cass.

I am honestly sorry that that is my advice, but it is.

If she's delighted when you go out of your way to see her, perhaps she'd be delighted if you just contacted her to say hello. Perhaps with some kind of ruse even. And that could lead to a conversation with opening up.

That was going to be my suggestion; just a funny card or something that lets you say "Oh, I was thinking about you the other day" and then you can segue to a story about some great thing you like about her, and "I love you, and we never see each other often enough! Wish you all the best for 2011" or similar.

You get the vibey good thoughts, she can keep her privacy, (and frankly, she might not be able to DEAL with anything besides a few people know), and she still feels some love and friendliness.

One of the many things I am excited about is that we realized that with this new job, we will finally have the space in 2011 for me to finally get my wedding ring, and for us to go on a mini-honeymoon. He really wants Seattle, and I think that's what it's going to be!

Hmmm...do I know anyone in Seattle who might want to go out for dinner and drinks?

Wait. Was it brown red enough for me????

Possibly, yes. I will see if I can find the sample of it.

Hmmm...do I know anyone in Seattle who might want to go out for dinner and drinks?

Oooh, gosh. I wonder.

So I rummaged, and I have about 1/3 of a tube of Vamp left, and then I had 3 tubes with 1/4" slivers that turned into 1/2" or more of lip color when I dug them out with a chopstick. I melted them down, poured them into one of the now-empty tubes, and stuck that in the fridge.

I also discovered I have a tube of Very Vamp, which is Vamp + brown, so that's why I didn't wear it very often; and a tube of the European import version of Rouge Noir from a couple of years ago, which is a nice dark red-wine lipstick, but doesn't have the cherry undertone that classic Vamp has. Watch, I've spent years and years searching for my perfect lipstick, and it will turn out to have been Vamp all along.

Tomorrow, I call every Nordstrom's Chanel counter and see if anyone has any tubes of Vamp left. And then, I put the word out on LJ. Because I want at least one more full tube to hang on to.

(Yes, I am very excitable about lipstick.)

You are to Lipstick what I am to Nail Polish.

I also discovered I have a tube of Very Vamp, which is Vamp + brown

Yep. I can still recall going in to buy myself some Vamp and getting talked into Very Vamp instead because it looked so much better on me. And I was a Red Head back then. Weird.

Two questions. Why did so many of my students decide to write on congenital insensitivity to pain? And why are their papers so painful to read?

(Yes, I am very excitable about lipstick.)

I have ZERO room to mock.

Unless you are wearing Homegirl but that's just the name because it really is a great color on you.

which is Vamp + brown

Which is also awesome. Because I like some brown in my lipstick.