Tuesday, September 22, 2009

I've seen my future


and it's covered in sequins. Erin, Raina, Kelley and I had our first day of kindergarten...Kindergarten of Burlesque that is. Burlesque, where have you been all my life? Remember how I said pole dancing combined my favorite things in this world...trampy shoes and great music? Well, add glitter, sequins, costumes, makeup, hairdos, wigs, boas, tiaras....I had to fan myself for a moment. Ok, I've collected myself, burlesque is all of that and more. Trixie Lane adopted us last night. The girls were looking at me as I almost overdosed on happiness. Stay tuned for updates on our costumes and burly names...we have a recital in October too!

Thursday, September 17, 2009

Hey Bright Eyes!




You are invited to attend our Bright Eyes Event at the Spa Scotta Beauty Bar™.




Join us on Saturday, September 26th from 10:30am until 3:00 pm for a complimentary eye opening treat. Helene Lawless from Pevonia will be at the Beauty Bar using Pevonia's effective eye treatments in conjunction with the Biotherapeutic Micro machine to lift and plump the eye contour. Katie Pfister will provide eyebrow makeovers with our favorite eyebrow line, Billion Dollar Brows.




This is a complimentary event but we are booking appointments, so call today to schedule your time. 206-522-5800. See you then!

Wednesday, September 16, 2009

Skindinavia at Spa Scotta


Skindinavia Cool Flash, I love you.
My brother got married in Tennessee recently and I brought my Cool Flash with me. Although I grew up in the South, my skin has long since acclimated to the Pacific NW and does not like hot, humid weather anymore. I also do not enjoy looking like a sweaty raccoon.
Cool Flash is an amazing product by Skindinavia which works to prevent meltdown and caking for hours on foundation, eye shadow, blush, and concealer. Its unique encapsulated cooling technology chills the makeup surface 20°F, like an air conditioner, keeping a fresh look in the warmest temperatures, and it works with all types of makeup.
We started carrying several of the Skindinavia products (Bridal Makeup Finish, Makeup Finishing Spray, and No More Shine Finish) and using them on ourselves and others at our events. It really works...not shine, no raccoon eyes and no makeup creasing. Try it ya'll, you won't be disappointed.

Saturday, September 12, 2009

August in Review

Spa Scotta was in hyperdrive the entire month of August, hence the lack of blog posts.

So here's the month in review:
We started the month participating in a Comcast Event called "Cablepalooza". We had our makeup team doing party makeup for the guests as well as Jennifer and Michael Sturgeon creating henna art for party goers. I also scared a drag queen. Busy night.











Tamara and Riley got married. More pics here. That was a joyous wedding and Spa Scotta burned up the dance floor (in other words, a typical wedding for the crew.)








I went to Cash Flow Camp by Inspiring Champions. It was three days of inspiration and perspiration (numbers make me nervous). I highly recommend this seminar to any and all salon/spa owners. The information I learned has been life changing.



I'm in the pictures with Lauren Gartland ( Founder/President/CEO Inspiring Champions) and Jill Ruone (my business coach). Do I look a little frantic? I was.

Tamara and I went to Bio-Therapeutic to explore the newest in skin care technology. We had fantastic facials with Blanca Gutierrez, the spa manager of Bio-Therapeutic Skin Spa. She demonstrated the latest tools developed by Bio-Therapeutic. We came away with new ideas for our treatments.












Spa Scotta rocked the makeup at Product Runway. Raina was in charge of this event for Spa Scotta and she really hit it out of the ballpark. Our makeup team (Raina, Ali, Alex and Tamara) produced gorgeous runway makeup. Raina did the advanced prep work to keep us organized and the event was a huge success. I was so proud at the end of the evening, I could barely stand it. Tons of pictures here, thanks to Laura Totten of Totten Photography.










Jenny Anderson and I attended the Gene Juarez Academy Student Portfolio Show on August 31st, bringing our busy month to a close. I was impressed by the quality of the student's work and by their passion for continuing their education...my kind of people.





And that concludes August. I need a nap.































































































Jenny and I

Coffee Chat


Do you crave more opportunities to network with each other as well as spend more time with our entrepreness intelligentsia? After all, we are a community of intuitive, resourceful, passionate, business-savvy, adventuresome mavens! We will be hosting intimate, informal discussions on the third Sunday of every month from 2–4pm. These chats will take place at a different coffee shop or casual venue each month, and will be initially focused on our monthly business topic; however we will boldly go wherever the conversation takes us!

Upcoming Coffee Chat: Back to School: Social MediaAbout this Chat:· You already have a Facebook page, Twitter account and a blog… now what?· Shed away lazy summer days and get back into the business of maintaining your social media efforts.· Shake things up, maximize your tweeting, Facebook and blog outreach, and learn new tricks from the experts.· Learn new ways to create an efficient social media strategy that will help balance your schedule.

SEATTLESpeakers: Jessica Campbell (Spa Scotta) and Molly Hoyne (Stratejoy)Topic: Back to School: Social MediaWhen: Sunday September 13th, 2pm-4pmWhere: 5focus Studio, 1009 8th Ave N, SeattlePrice: $25 per person
Click here to register.

Thursday, August 13, 2009

Tubing the 'Natchee 2009



This year for our summer staff event, we went tubing on the Wenatchee River. I don't have all the photos yet because I had to use a disposable on the river and I'm too busy to go to Bartell's and get it developed (in other words, I haven't found someone to do it for me). We got off to a slightly rough start (s.o.p. with Spa Scotta). Judy got lost, Siobhan's battery died, Shanti forgot her aqua socks and I almost fell out of the shuttle van window. Despite these little setbacks, we had a blast. I want to know why everyone isn't tubing every single day of their life. That was the most relaxing day I have had in a long time, not to mention the company was excellent.

Last year, we celebrated the end of Summer with a picnic at Gas Works Park, an event that is affectionately referred to "Bum-a-palooza 2008". We were surrounded by a rag tag group of obviously drunk urban campers with overly hostile dogs. The guys were pretty friendly though.

My only complaint about this year's trip is the apparent love of porta potties by the businesses on Highway 2. Build a ladies room for the love of god. Not everyone has the constitution of steel needed to enter one of these cesspits of hell.

Tots and I Got Minxed!

Tots aka Kenyatta and I went and got our nails done today by Jessica Hoel at Salon Bella in Bellevue. We wanted to check out the Minx nails and see what they were all about. We had a great time with Jessica. I love meeting people who are as passionate about what they do as I am, not to mention experiencing something completely new like the Minx. I am interested to see how long they last. Jessica told us to expect anything from a couple of days to a couple of weeks.

Friday, August 7, 2009

I Scared a Drag Queen.







I love drag queens. Why? Makeup. Costume. Shoes. Attitude.

Spa Scotta attended the 2009 Comcast Cablepalooza event last night. Cable people know how to party. Special Guest? Bebe Zahara Benet. Oh sister girlfriend, you know I was ready to flip my wig. Bebe won Rupaul's Drag Race. Me being me, I had to get a photo and gush for a minute with my girl, Bebe. In a fit of overenthusiasm, I blurted, "I'm going to stalk you all night." The look Ms. Bebe gave me can only be described as horror-struck. I quickly amended, "But only for tonight", hoping this would allay her fears but no go. During her "number" she studiously avoided me and Raina, purposefully moving around us to dance with other members of the audience. Seriously? I'm 5'3, honey. I was wearing flip flops. You could have outrun me.

I really didn't think you could scare a drag queen but I guess I was wrong.

Drag Queens=0 Jessica=1

Tuesday, August 4, 2009

Back to School Clean Teen Skin Events



Get your skin Back to School beautiful at Spa Scotta's Clean Teen Events, hosted on Sunday August 16th and Saturday August 22nd. These events focus on teens and preteens and the unique skin issues they face during this time of their lives. This is a fun and informational experience where they learn good skin care techniques, dispel skin myths and ask the questions they have about their skin.
We are inviting your teen to spend 30 minutes at the Spa Scotta Beauty Bar™ experiencing dermalogica’s latest skin products…Clean Start. Participants will get a chance to try the products at the Beauty Bar while we share tips about good skin habits.
These events will run from 12pm until 3pm. These event are complimentary but you do need to RSVP to secure one of the limited spots. Please contact us at 206-522-5800 to reserve a space.

Sunday, August 2, 2009

Happy Friendship Day Peeps!



This is one of my recent fav pics of some of the staff, the cheezy factor is level orange. I love the glamour shot flavor of this photo. Anywhoo, it's Friendship Day. I found this out on Twitter.

Am I the only one slightly mystified by Twitter?
We have been having "social media" meetings for the last couple weeks. My website designer/guru Marc Rapaport thinks Twitter is a fad, my social media director thinks it is a powerful communication tool, I don't have a horse in the race at this point but I'm still going to the track. I am interested to see what Twitter becomes or begets as time goes on and I certainly don't want to be left behind when the technology train leaves the station so I am Twittering and Blogging and Facebooking and Flickring and.......

Thursday, July 30, 2009

Somebody's Not Telling the Truth





I have a 24 item to do list for Spa Scotta. I honestly don't know whether to be proud or paralyzed. Jenny said making a list would make me feel better but I think she may be mistaken...seriously mistaken. In the spirit of full disclosure, I am not the only one responsible for the completion of the 24 items. Jenny is helping, Erin has taken some of the items and I have randomly assigned some of the work to complete strangers (wait until they figure out they have deadlines). But seriously, we all know that the 24 item list is nebulous. Like a hutch of bunnies, it's going to multiply. Unlike a hutch of bunnies, I don't think it's cute.

Tuesday, July 28, 2009

Vinegar Bottle Vigilante

When Bezoar was a puppy, she went to doggy day care. (Those were the salad days when I thought nothing of dropping money on babysitting services for my dog.) Bezoar is a special dog in a lot of ways and we explained some of her earlier behaviors by pointing to the fact that we got her when she was six weeks old. She never learned "the way of the dog" from her mom and therefore didn't pick up on other dog's cues to modify her behavior. The alternate theory, and the one I currently subscribe to, is that she saw the cues and actively chose to ignore them.

Bezoar's doggy day care leader used a squirt bottle filled with diluted vinegar in water to discipline the dogs. A quick shot usually did the trick, breaking up doggy squabbles, getting errant canines off the furniture, shutting up super-yappers. On countless days, I would pick up a damp, vinegary, and decidedly unrepentant Bezoar from day care. (Turns out she likes vinegar but that's another story.)

I want a vinegar bottle. I encounter a lot of people who have earned a quick squirt of liquid "knock it off". For example, the gentleman snoring next to me while I waited for a friend in the doctor's office. Or the two nearly catatonic sales people at the Northgate Macy's who demonstrated an almost epic lack of customer service. Squirt, squirt. I may mount a vinegar bottle to the front of my car so I can squirt the jerks who don't let people merge onto 520 off of Montlake. I do not, however, want Jenny, my office mate and right hand lady, to get her hands on a bottle. I'm afraid I may end up damp, vinegary and unrepentant.

Do you know anyone who needs a quick squirt of vinegar justice?



Tuesday, July 14, 2009

The Team That Celebrates Together


We threw Tamara a bridal shower on Saturday. Once again, I was reminded how lucky I am to have the staff I do. We are a group of people who genuinely enjoy each other's company...not bad for being together for so long. I haven't laughed so hard for so long in awhile. I love the fact that we are all so different but share a common vision. Thank you team for being who you are individually and as a group. You make me realize how truly blessed I am every day.

Thursday, July 9, 2009

Living the Dream


I was talking to my friend, Jennifer Worick, the other day and we were discussing life, as per usual. I can't remember exactly how we stumbled on this particular conversation but it was something like, " What would your life look like if your art/passion/craft/dream sustained your life?" We started to banter back and forth about what we would do if we had more money/time/energy/whatever and it suddenly hit me...THIS is what living the dream looks like. I am living the dream. I am doing exactly what I want to be doing, with exactly the people I want to be doing it with.
It's not always pretty, it's rarely very neat and tidy and linear, it exasperates me, it envigorates me, it leaves me crawling home sometimes on the verge of tears and despair, it makes me giddy with promise and opportunity. This is a hell of a ride, my hairs a mess and I think I have bugs in my teeth but as my dad used to say, that's how you can tell who's a happy rider.

Friday, May 15, 2009

Axxium Gel Lacquer...I still love it.








Why isn’t everyone wearing the new OPI Axxium Gel Lacquer? I am well known around the spa for my enthusiasm for new services and beauty products and I sometimes have to eat a little crow when my zeal for something exceeds it’s ability to deliver in reality… will I ever live down the Epilady episode (what sadist came up with that useless piece of torture)?



Initially, I was crazy for the idea of Axxium Gel Lacquer. It purports to stay shiny and chip free for up to two weeks. I have never been able to wear polish on my fingernails for more than a day before it looked more ragged than a sorority girl after rush week so Axxium was promising a whole new world to me. A small part of me wondered how the dream was going to end. I was a little nervous that I would have to mea culpa once again if the product failed to live up to the hype.



Let me just say, Axxium delivers…period…end of story. I have worn it while performing countless pedicures, up to my knuckles in acetone and the lacquer stayed shiny and perfect. I’ve typed, done laundry, performed spa services and washed my hands for 10+ hours a day and still the Axxium looked fabulous. I made it to eleven days before the Axxium chipped…a personal world record.



So what is Axxium gel lacquer and how does the service differ from a traditional manicure? The nails are shaped and the cuticles are pushed back using a nail file. The surface of the nail is prepped and then the first base coat of gel is applied. You slip your hands under a special UV light that cures the gel for a minute and then the colored gel lacquer is applied and cured. The final step is the UV cured topcoat. The entire service takes about an hour. You don’t apply lotion or any other oily products during the service because it’s important for your nail to stay dry and be slightly dehydrated. Once the top coat has been cured, you can use any lotion or oil you like.


The last bit of awesomeness that is Axxium? Your gel nail lacquer is completely dry at the end of the service, no more ruined nails when you grab your car keys and jet.

Wednesday, May 13, 2009

Chin Hair=Face Ninja



I’ve got my eye on you, you sly bastard. You aren’t there today crazy hair…I checked, but tomorrow? There you are, three inches long, coarse and waving coyly from my chin.

You are the ninja of unwanted facial hair. Like Inspector Clouseau and Kato’s game of hide and go seek, I’m constantly on the look out for you, I know you’re hiding and it’s only a matter of time before you jump out at me, fully grown and completely unwelcome.

Usually, I find you while driving. You’re sooo lucky I don’t travel with tweezers (never give an esthetician tweezers in the car).

I had a client that once told me, “Jessica, when the eyesight starts going, the hair starts growing.”

That’s just great…I don’t have stellar eyesight as it is…now I can look forward to a goatee and bifocals. Awesome.

Moving is Fun.






Q. Is moving one of the seven circles of hell?

A. yes




We are selling our duplex in West Seattle. My sister, brother-in-law and I have been living in this little slice of heaven for 7 years. I have the upstairs unit and they have the downstairs one. This living arrangement has worked beautifully for us and part of me is a little sad about the upcoming change. The other part is really excited to have a separate room for all my crafts and jewelry making stuff not to mention a garage.


As part of the moving ritual, we cleaned out the basement last weekend. To sum up the experience, we (and by we, I mean my sweet bro-in-law) took 1200 lbs of crap to the dump. Guess what that didn’t include? About 60 cans of paint. Seriously. Who has this much paint in their house? I mean beside us apparently. It was a veritable timeline of color. I am curious as to which tenant thought royal blue was a suitable color for the interior walls of our house and why said tenant needed 6 cans of it. The peach could only be from the 80’s…which decade claims the weird greens and purples is a mystery.


The best part of cleaning out the basement was finding my first diary. This powder blue gem contains my earliest recorded feelings and impressions. Bottom line…I really liked writing about two things: cursing and rating the boys in my third grade class. I don’t remember having such a sailor- like grasp on cursing but boy, oh boy, did I ever let loose in that diary. Things have changed over the years, I’ve stopped writing in diaries, there aren’t any boys to rate at work but I still savor a good curse. I just don’t feel the need to write them out anymore.

Saturday, May 9, 2009

Decisions



The “economy” has our collective knickers in a twist these days. I was recently talking to my best Vegas buddy (and Aunt) Mary Sue about financial decisions we had made in the past months and we started in on the usual should haves, would haves, could haves that inevitably come up in these conversations. It suddenly hit me with perfect clarity (an Aha! Moment if you will), that I had made the best decisions I could at the time with the best information I had at the time and regrets were simply misplaced. If I had a Magic 8 ball, maybe I would have made different decisions but alas, I don’t and I didn’t. I’m not saying that I don’t learn from past decisions or that future plans aren’t influenced by the results of past events but I try to avoid beating myself up when things don’t go according to my plans. If I whipped my own ass every time I made a decision that went astray, I’d be more worked over than Mickey Rourke. That can’t be a good look for me.

Tuesday, April 7, 2009

Join Team Spa Scotta in the Race for the Cure


Join Team Spa Scotta on June 7, 2009 at the Susan G. Komen Race for the Cure. We would love for our clients, friends and family to walk/run with us and support this worthy cause.
We have set a goal to raise $15000 or the equivalent of 100 mammograms. You can help us reach this goal by making a donation here.
Spa Scotta will host a kick off party on May 28th from 5:30pm-8pm. We will be raffling off great prizes to raise money for our goal.
75% of the donation funds brought in via the Race for the Cure remains in the local community to fund educational outreach, screening and treatment programs for underserved women and men. The remaining net income, the remaining 25% supports the Susan G. Komen for the Cure Grants Program, which funds groundbreaking breast cancer research, meritorious awards and educational and scientific programs around the world.
RSVP for our kick off party at info@spascotta.com. Be sure to include the number of people in your party.

Friday, March 27, 2009

Lady and a Tramp

About a year ago, I fell in love with pole dancing. I started taking classes with Angi Cardwell, owner of Divine Movement, one of the most encouraging teachers imaginable. (that's her in the photo) As a dancer, my skillz were not going to pay the bills but the combination of dim lights, awesome tunes and my personal weakness, slutty shoes, wove a seductive web around me.

Have you ever seen those blooper clips on YouTube where rotund girls pull the poles out of the ceiling or end up spinning into the wall? Well, that's God's way of giving you the heads up that pole dancing may not be for you.
I found out I have arthritis in my dancin' arm and sometime last year, I tore my rotator cuff....exit pole dancing.

Enter my current obsession...makeup. A friend of mine opined that I need an outlet for my inner tramp and with pole dancing currently off the menu, it makes perfect sense I would channel my energy into makeup.

I was previously in a makeup rut...same colors everyday, no experimentation, no deviation. I didn't think I could wear certain colors, I didn't try new techniques. I recently took a Master Bridal Makeup Class with Victor Cembellin, Senior Pro MAC Makeup Artist-Northwest. (So adorable! He's cute too.) Victor believes makeup should be viewed as a celebration of one's inner beauty. That sentiment is as inspiring as mastering the black widow spin. Makeup shouldn't intimidate you. If you try something new and it doesn't look good, wipe it off. Experiment. Play. Follow your inner muse. I'm having fun following my personal muse: a tramp in six inch heels.

Tuesday, March 3, 2009

The "Brounding Effect"

Health Food Junk FoodLately, I've been getting browner and rounder. I think it's in direct correlation to stress...a phenomenon I like to call the "brounding effect".
My skin care consultants eye my golden brown skin, purse their lips and ask accusingly,"Are you tanning?" Yes, yes I am. I'm not proud of this, I know the damage I'm doing and frankly, it's a bit hypocritical as I am an esthetician. My sister chastises me, " At your age, you should be dropping vices, not getting new ones." Too true, but the tanning bed is my personal isolation chamber and unlike William Hurt in Altered States, I emerge toasty warm and at peace with the world.
The rounding aspect of the "brounding effect" is less appealing to me. I swear to God, I could get stranded on an island and gain weight, kind of like Hugo on Lost. In my case, I think the rounding occurs while I lay prone on my couch, watching endless hours of Law and Order (damn you TNT and your mini-marathons). To paint the complete picture, I am also wrapped in a Snuggie...which may or may not constitute one of the seven signs of the apocalypse.
I haven't found the antidote to the "brounding effect" (and honestly, I haven't been looking too hard) but I suspect it involves spray tan and a stairmaster.
I'll let you know how that works out.

Saturday, February 28, 2009

Spa Scotta Bridal Soiree

Spa Scotta held a Bridal Soiree on Sunday, February 22nd, and it was a great success. We partnered up with vendors we love, recommend to others and have personally used for our own events.


Brown's Catering provided delicious appetizers. The food is always first rate from Brown's Catering , that's a given, but the fact that they always leave my place looking cleaner than when they arrived is fantastic. The team that Chef Anthony Brown has created is a joy to work with before and during an event. We have recommended this caterer to many, many people and have never had anything but glowing reviews. Four stars all the way.


Bamboo Beats provided the background music for our event. When I win the lottery, I am going to have DJ Tecumseh follow me around to provide my personal theme music. Jojo, Bamboo Beats' event coordinator, is a dream to work with, very personable and really invested in making sure we got the vibe we were looking for at the party.



Moms, Maids and More provided the bridesmaids' gowns for the evening. I've known Erin Green, owner of this gorgeous store, for many years and she continues to amaze me. She is an incredibly gracious and graceful lady and I always steer brides to her store to check out the incredible selection of Mother of the Bride, Bridesmaids, Flowergirl dresses along with shoes and accessories.

Linda Cummings, owner of Flowers!, provided all the floral arrangements for the party. Linda's wonderful arrangements offered splashes of color throughout the spa.


Laura Totten of Totten Photography documented the entire evening. Laura is another person I've known for years and have long admired her ability to truly capture the moment on film. She has a wonderful spirit and an incredible talent.


Sandra Watson of sewbride and Go2Girl Event Planning & Design displayed her original ringbearer pillows. It's the little details that make your special day unique and sewbride offers many creative options. Sandra also custom designs other fabric items for your wedding like ceremony kneeling pillows.

Spa Scotta is designed to host parties and we especially love our bridal parties. We provided mini spa services including polish changes, mini massages and brow waxing during the Bridal Soiree. It gave us a chance to meet with the brides and their friends, moms, fiances and get to know them. We had a blast!


Raina Green, one of Spa Scotta's resident makeup artists, worked some magic on the lovely Bridal Soiree attendees. Raina was responsible for all our models' makeup and showcased her skills during the event.
Spa Scotta would also like to thank Seattle Bride Magazine and Seattle Bride & Groom Magazine for providing issues for our goodie bags

Thursday, February 26, 2009

Sleep Vs. Me



Sleep and I have never been on the best of terms. As a child, I was in and out of bed like bunny hopped up on goofballs. Why my parents didn't invest in a tranquilizer gun is beyond me... come to think about it, the omnipresent bottle of Benadryl of my childhood memories makes sense in hindsight.

As an adult, sleep and I have continued our game of cat and mouse. I resigned myself to sleep as solid as a slice of swiss cheese.

Enter the dragon...Murad's Sleep Reform Dietary Supplements. A supplement formulated to encourage the onset of sleep, improve the depth and duration of sleep and support your skin's cellular repair cycle. Long story short, this supplement works. I fall asleep easily and miracle of miracles, I stay asleep.

I literally can't remember the last time I slept through the night. I don't wake up groggy or feeling that druggy hangover you can get from OTC sleeping aids. Honestly, I'm feeling a little Y2K about this stuff- I want to dig a shelter an stockpile cases of it...and I have the energy to do it thanks to my much improved sleep.

Wednesday, February 25, 2009

We Nailed It...OPI's Axxium Gel Lacquer




I can't keep polish on my fingernails. I'm good for about eight hours before the nail lacquer starts to peel off. Blame it on oily nail beds, frequent hand washing or bad karma, it just won't stay put.

Jenny Richer, OPI educator and Spa Scotta nail technician extraordinaire, recently broadened my horizons and polished my nails with OPI's Axxium Gel Lacquer. She gave me a basic manicure and then applied the base coat, colored gel lacquer and top coat, curing each layer under a UV light. This polish lasts up to two weeks.

Imagine the possibilities...for moms, business women, brides, on vacations or business trips. Fabulously shiny nails and no fussing for at least two weeks. Spa Scotta nailed it!