The Pampered Princess

Life is rough on feet.  They, too, deserve a little pampering. Sometimes you just have to make the time to show them a little love!

Years of walking around in bare feet left my poor little tootsies dry and rough.  I tried all sorts of lotions and creams to soften them up, but without luck.  Recently I tried the simplest thing you could imagine.  I made up my mind I was going to try this one more time, and THIS time with PERSISTENCE!  I didn’t want to waste a lot more money on it, however, seeing that I hadn’t been terribly successful in past attempts.  I picked up a tube of Sally Hansen 18 Hour Cracked Heel Creme  at my local Wal-Mart, of all places. 

What I realized is that my impatience has been my worst enemy.  If you persistently use the product, you will see results within a week.  I forced myself to be persistent, which I haven’t pulled off in past attempts, and I was amazed that MY FEET could feel THAT SOFT! 

Although the product is touted as being specifically for heels, I used it on the entire bottoms of my feet. 

I put footies on immediately after applying the lotion in the morning before work, so that I wouldn’t loose the lotion walking around bare-footed.  If I wore sockless shoes to work, during the day I would slip them off at my desk and slip the footies back on.  If I had to leave my desk I switched back into the shoes.  It was kind of a pain, but it kept my feet pampered, which was my goal.  Luckily, I don’t have many reasons to have to leave my desk so I didn’t have to make that switch very frequently.  I also applied it as I slipped into bed every night. 

If you use this stuff religiously, you will be amazed at the results you can achieve in a short amount of time.

Gift It!

You can give this away in a gift basket full of other goodies, such as nail polish and foot scrubs.  You can even give it with a gift certificate for a pedicure, for the after-pedicure upkeep.  It’s sure to make someone’s feet soft and happy.

How can an every-day-girl feel like a pampered princess once or twice a month?  She can start by setting aside the time.  Pick a day that is all yours, whether you schedule a vacation day or set aside a Saturday.  Make it happen, folks.  You will be glad that you did! 

Don’t plan any to-do items – no bills, housework, or anything that remotely sounds like a chore.  This day is for you.  If your special day is going to take place at home, then make sure you have the house to yourself.  Make sure the kids are at school or at “Parent’s Day Out” – after all, that’s what PDO is all about, right? 

Prepare ahead of time as much as possible, so that you won’t have to interrupt your day making coffee or lunch.  You can start the night before by sleeping in your silkiest softest pajamas.  Spend at least part of the day just hanging out in those.  Watch your favorite DVDs, read a book, listen to your favorite music, draw, paint, play solitaire, do crossword puzzles, play Xbox games, make your favorite recipes, or any combination of these things.  Take a bubble bath and a long nap.  Whatever makes you feel rested and happy is exactly how you should spend your day.

If you don’t want to stay home you could always take a quiet reflective drive, take a trip to the mall, catch a movie, go to the bookstore or music store, get a pedicure, or get your hair done.  You could always treat yourself to a sweet coffee treat from your friendly neighborhood Starbuck’s.  While you’re at it, treat yourself to some flowers, too!  Grocery stores usually have a reasonably priced collection near the produce department.

Gift It!

Turning “princess day” into a gift could prove to be a challenge, but it is do-able.  The biggest help you can provide for someone who needs this type of day is to help him or her to find the quiet time to enjoy doing whatever his or her heart desires.  Brace yourself because this may involve offering to keep the kids.  If you can do this, the other stuff might fall into place without much trouble at all, though you can always give gift certificates for some of the activities that you know they will enjoy.  This gift can be as simple as a card with a note and/or gift cards, or it can be as fancy as a gift basket filled with gift cards and ideas for filing the day.  Depending on the combination that you offer, the cost of this gift can range from $0-$60.