Bling Element: Hematite

Metallics abounding in fashion magazines for winter season, I decided to make a pair of earrings that are metallic and smokey. I used hematite beads and sterling silver parts. At 1.5 inches these little hematite danglers are perfect for a night out and reminds me of New Years' Eve.

Hematite, according to Encyclopedia Britannica, is an iron ore. Ferric Oxide to be exact. The Greeks gave this mineral it's name due to it's red properties that reminded them of blood (think rust). The steely gray color is just one form of the minerals color spectrum. The gray color also occurs because of it's crystaline structre which make sit different from rust, though the two have the same chemical formula. According to NASA, hematite is an indicator that Mars may have had water on the surface at one point. Back here on Planeta Terra, the stone is noted for it's magnetic and healing properties. Often thought to purify the blood, During Victorian times the dark stone was worn during mourning periods. Another said use for the stone is to help with mental organization. Maybe i should wear it more often..my whole house needs to be better organized. Hematite is also associated with root chakra to ground and balance the body.

For me it's a beautiful dark stone I love using in design and wearing. In fact one of my most treasured pieces of jewelry is a hematite arrowhead necklace made by the Pueblo Indians from New Mexico that my then boyfriend, now husband bought for me.

Add a piece of steel gray bling this winter to your wardobe!

Vintage Santa Gift Tags bling with gold ink

With the holiday season upon us i have decided to make items that are Christmas themed. To that end I thought of something that i would enjoy and that could be done easily. Gift tags were the answer. I love vintage Christmas cards and images. Found some Free images and this is what I came up with, a set of three tags with a vintage feel on heavy cardstock.

They all have a red grosgrain ribbon about 5" long and they are quite large making them stand out among regular gift tags. I printed them out on Bazzil white card stock. Then proceeded to hank ink the border to give it a worn and antique feel. The ink color was simply called Gold by Stampabilities. The font I found on DaFont.com call Penshurst Shadow. It's a very classic font and I love how it fits in with the vintage cards.


I love this one. Bells for Christmas just make me happy and remind me of It's a Wonderful Life.
Found this information on Holidayinsights.com

Why Bells??
Bells announce the coming or arrival of an event, activity, or occasion. They toll for good times. They toll for bad times. They ring out warnings. Bells herald in the New Year. Bells are rung to announce the union of a man and a woman. They are rung during Christmas to announce the arrival of the season, to proclaim the birth of Christ.
Ringing of bells can be traced back to pagan winter celebrations. During those times, noisemakers were used to scare away evil spirits in the night. Among those early noisemakers were bells. People had fun ringing the bells and making noise. It was too much fun to just use bells to scare demons away. So over time, bell ringing was incorporated into other events and activities. Bells are rung at churches to call people to gather, as warnings, and to bring people together to make announcements.
From these ancient roots, the ringing of bells began to be used in the Christian Christmas season. The soft, cheerful tones blended well and enhanced the sounds of the season. Today, they play an important, traditional role during the holiday.

I love this tag with the mistletoe toe. It's just stunning and timeless.


My thrid and final tag:

What is Christmas without children. This cherubic pair fit the bill for happy Christmas carolers or children on the way to Grandma's house to celebrate. Bearing holly and misteltoe they are just too cute for words.

They are listed as a set in my Artfire store. I hope they make someone's gifts extra special or add great art to a scrapbook page. More to come soon keep checking back.

Get ready for the Holidays with mark!

Halloween is on Sunday and the thoughts of Thanksgiving and Christmas have just begun to flutter to my mind. How time flies. How to get gifts for relatives while on a budget and provide great quality and items that are en vogue are always a challenge.

This Christmas, mark is going to help me accomplish that task. The November 2010 magalog (Magazine Catalog)has been posted and my store is available 24/7 365 for shopping. Free shipping for any order over $20 ships free with code: MFS20

 Magalog 12 (11/9/10 to 12/7/10): http://youravon.com/static/catalog/2010/24/en/p900.html?ba=null
My Store: http://creedy.mymarkstore.com

Two of My faves: Below are two of my faves which are hookup and can connect together and easily fit in a purse and travel safely with you everywhere. Don't let the size fool you . This makeup is a follower of my fave saying "a little goes a long way." These would be great stocking stuffers and secret santa gifts for the gal on the go or the makeup lover in your family.

1)scanda-lash HOOK UP MASCARA

Thickens and defines lashes. Fits in your purse with ease and lasts a super long time. Sexy lashes in an NY-minute. I use it in Blacklash.

Price: $6.00 

 

2) glow baby glow HOOK UP LIP GLOSS

Mint-flavored lip gloss. Great color shine and a kiss of mint..yum! Pink Crush & Smooches are gorgeous! These remind me of Stila glosses and are $14 cheaper!  Ah savings!

Price: $6.00 

 Stop by my store and find something for yourself or for another either way shop mark and shop happy.
http://creedy.mymarkstore.com

Our newborn..Baby Julian.

I have a few men in my life that I have truly loved instantly. The First is my Dad. The first man i loved, my first Valentine, one of my fave playmates and the guy who gave me my first scooter ride (to a 3 yr old that is a HUGE thing).

The second is my brother. The one who made me a big sister. My shadow and the kid who wouldn't hold back when playing Teenage mutant Ninja Turtles or He-Man.

The third, my husband. I knew when we first met that he was THE one. It's been rough with ups and downs of life but the love is still there in spades.

My newest love is my newborn son, Julian. How small and perfect he is. Whether sleeping or crying he is just lovely. He makes my heart skip a beat like in high school when the cute guy would pass-by. I am truly humbled and blessed to have him in my life and can't wait to share in his life.

here he is:

Here he is with Big sister Victoria and my Hubby. My cup runeth over.

Dr. Bronner's for Baby- New HG for my kids

okay y'all, in my search for products that are better for my family and cost effective, I have rediscovered Dr. Bronner's Castile Soaps. I had read abot them from the raveson the HHWC forums and a few other blogs. However, at the time, with only one kid, the expense was just not right for my family at the time. now with the second kiddo almost here (typing this as i'm having contractions), now is abetter time to further reduce the family spending budget and use products that are better for my family.
I remember the pain for the Johnson's "Tear-free" shampoo causing me pain and tears. The same occurred to my daughter and i had to switch. Burt's Bees was no much help either though tipping my daughter's head back to lessen the amount of shampoo hitting her face improved things.

Okay, enter Dr.Bronner's into my mind. Castile soap that is mild and has rave reviews. Went to the Vitamin Shoppe and got the Organic Unscented Baby-Mild Pure Castile Soap.
Got the 8oz bottle for $5.49 and have diluted it with water into a travel shampoo bottle for my daughter. I know with Dr. Bronner's it's not tear free, but it's sulfate and harsh chemical free. My daughter has no incidents with me administered with the tilt back method and her curls have improved.

The ingredients fro Dr. Bronner's Baby-Mild formula are:
Water, saponified organic coconut & organic olive oils (w/ retained glycerin), organic hemp oil, organic jojoba oil, sea salt, citric acid, vitamin E.

All great stuff. In case you are wondering what saponified means, according to dictionary.com: "to convert (a fat) into soap by treating with an alkali."

I remember on Dirty Jobs a soap maker saying saponification is when the soapmaker adds something like lye to the fat, the chemical reaction results in soap.

Results so far are:
Skin is soft and no need for lotion. Hair, like i said curls are great and i don't have to use as much EV Coconut Oil to detangle. YAY!

glitter-graphics.com

Thinking about fitness

I have my Yummy Mummy Fitness plan and the Get Ripped Series by Jari love. Also have a few other videos to help me get me to shed pounds and get the heart rate up. But i love variety so I've been looking for other exercises to pack into my routines for the coming months.

Found this video on Self.com that uses resistance bands, i love resistance tubes and band they are wonderful. I can take them into any room and do what i need to do and get a great workout.



Also like this one:



Going to be journaling online and i think i have a separate blog just for that. Yes I do! here is the link: Journey to Fit Yummy Mumminess.

I stopped in October 2009. Pretty much right before hubby came home from deployment and before second baby was on the way, so a few changes will have to be made to the layout. Done! It's still pink but a lil fresher looking.

I am committed to making this fitness thing work and i may even be brave and post a food journal. that for me is the hardest thing to do. We'll see.

My workouts will all be at home until i add Zumba classes on base. It'll take me a while though until i fully recover. I hate going to the gym, so i have made my office a quazi gym. Free weights an adjustable bench and step, resistance bands, weighted bar, weighted ball ( do plan to get some more, but have yet to see them at a price i like.) yoga band and yoga mat. I might want a new peice of equipment but we'll see as i go along. Oh yeah i also have an elliptical i will use for cardio in addition to Leslie Sansone and Jari Love's interval training. HIIT (High Intensity Interval Training) is great stuff especially now that I will have two little ones- a 3 yr- old and an infant, it's important that i can get the max out of my cardio in a short amount of time.

Prayers and positive thoughts are needed.
So want to make my goal size and goal weight of 140-150 (will decide on a definite number later).

I'm excited!

Exhale: Core Fusion Lean & Toned DVD and Amazon VOD

I borrowed the Exhale: Core Fusion Lean & Toned DVD from the library because i have been curious about this workout series. The library is always a good place to borrow videos and materials! My beautiful tax dollars hard at work! Always a great thing.

The series is supposed to be yoga, pilates, barre work and other ballet inspired toning workouts. The reviews on Collagevideo and Amazon were all very good. Not really having to use weights or a pro ballet barre was another perk to this series. I had a mat, lite hand weights and chair so i was good to go.

The video is 55 minutes long including the intro. You can further break it up to 5, 10 minute workout sections which are great for this prego woman who can only do at most on a really really good day 20 minutes of working out (with a break in between to hydrate). This video is great. the thighs and butt portion really work the lower body intensely. I also find my core working and that is good so i can have some more strength for delivery. My legs were sore the next day, but it felt great. In between sets there is stretching and i find that really helps to calm and center before getting into another couple of intense movements.

So having previewwed the DVD thanks to my Public Library, i wanted to add it to my exercise collection for my postpartum getting my body back plan. To Amazon i went. Looking at the used versions of the video i came across the Amazon Video on Demand downloadable video. At $9.99 is looks like a good deal. It would DL straight to my computer and i can even transfer it to my Sansa or portable device to play anywhere. Also as long as i can access amazon.com I could also access the video via their Amazon player. This sounds really good.

At first glance this was great. Then after purchasing i realized it would only play on the Amazon Player so then i had to DL the Amazon Unbox which would allow it to DL to my computer and allow me to access it via Windows media player and other players i have on my computer. The down load took and hour...it reminded me of AOL in the 1990's when downloads took forever. You could walk away, have dinner, take a bath and then check on the download and it would still remain in the act of downloading ever so slowly. Finally after the long DL, i could open it in windows Media player, however much to my dismay, the chapter selections were not aviabale as they were on DVD. This is not to my liking because I only wanted two workouts, Thighs and Buns. I had to scroll through and look for the workout by sight. Very annoying. Went back to Amazon VOD FAQ and it did say that chapter selections were not avaiable on all videos. Which really bites because if in the main menu of the original DVD it's there it should transfer over to the VOD. My next thought was can i return the item and get a refund to purchase the DVD? Also in the FAQ the answer was no. Frustrating.

I am keeping in mind that Amazon VOD is a new concept for the site and they are still working out the kinks. However, i still feel disappointed with the lack of chapters and the fact that one cannot simply play a video on the default player installed on a computer and the Amazon brand of players and stuff has to be downloaded. It's like the kindle, where you are locked to amazon purchases and can't even borrow electronic items from the library. Very upsetting. I can't tell you how many kindle owners are upset when they find out they can't DL materials from the Library to their Kindle. Amazon needs to let go and realize customers just want to purchase and borrow from the library. Also tight budgets prohibit tons of book purchases. Also sometimes readers just want to preview the book before buying and the library is a great place to check out books and see if the book you are interested in is really something you can get into.

Ugh. Just makes me mad. So the result is I may have to purchase the DVD anyways and Amazon will get more of my money.

New Look To my Artfire Store

So the look to my blog has changed and now so has the look to my Artfire.com store. I have renamed my Shoppe and called it Encantada Creations by Christina. I really love the look and found an artist on Artfire who could supply me with a fabulous banner and avatar. Really looking forward t relaunching and getting the word out. I have a few more earrings i want to add to my store offerings and am very excited about.

If you click on the box that has an "EC" on the right hand bar it will take you to my shoppe. On the left hand bar is my Rapid Cart where you can click and purchase straight from my blog. No sign-up to artfire needed. yay! so excited!

Flax Seed Hair Gel..the revoloution for my curly hair!

Been poking around Natruallycurly.com and reading all the posts with the ladies who have decided to abandon conventional hair products and get back to using more natural products which are safe for curly hair and also not stripping or causing reactions on the skin.

When i hear natural sometimes I tend to think the item is going to be more expensive than the store item which i can get for a budget price. Going green does not always mean cheap. It's an adjustment but using items closer to the natural state of things does work better in the long run if the family budget allows for it and i can maintain it well.

Okay so let's lay out how much hair care was costing me before i went the natural route:

Living Proof No Frizz shampoo and conditioner: 2oz bottles = $10 each = $20
Living Proof No Frizz Styling creme: 2 oz bottle = $14
Tresemme Hair Spray: 11oz = $4.99
Bioterra Hair Gel: 38 oz = $9.49 (with club card) plus 13oz bottle to use for travel and refill with the 38oz = 5.99 (with club card)
Giovanni 50:50 Balanced Hydrating-Clarifying Shampoo, for Normal to Dry Hair
8.5 fl oz = $7.97
matching conditioner: $7.97

total: $54.47
The no frizz items only last for at most 1 and a half months. The hair spray last really long b/c i barely used it except for the third or fourth day of having curls. Bioterra 38oz lasts a long time. I think about 2 years...had i not stopped using it it would have finally run out this month. The Giovanni used for clarifying once a week and it took a lot to clarify and deep condition my hair maybe 2 months. Not bad but ever other month for Living Proof was driving me up the wall. Besides the ingredients still had Sodium Lauroyl Methyl Isethionate in the shampoo and that is drying.

Okay, so having been fed up with no relief from frizz at all...a researching I went. Found Naturally Curly.com and started reading about what these girls have been doing ot better thier curly locks. My hair profile according to the website is a 3b. I have nice corkscrew curls and they can be loose but yes my hair comes out like curls from a curling iron naturally. A blessing and a curse. The girls follow the Curly Girl method or the system of co-washing which is conditioner washing. Using only conditioner to cleanse the hair. Wen is the infomercial version of this process. Couldn't go that route b/c it's so expensive. However the girls on the board said they used inexpensive conditioner like Suave Naturals (which you can get in the dollarstore... hey $1 not bad) for the first rounds of cleansing then used a quality conditioner for the leave in portion.

While this sounded like the way to go for me i still read on and looked for other methods. Shampoo bars. Made with oils and all things moisturizing. They are portable and take forever to use up for nice prices from $3 to almost $10. This sounded like something i could definitely go for. Supporting artisan soap makers and moms, while getting clean and conditioned hair.So i looked at Chagrin Valley Soap. Many of the NC posters use these soaps religiously. So to the web page i went and read the ingredients and was loving it. Okay the prices are really good and the sample prices were also good but i kept looking. To Etsy I went and found that some soap makers used sodium hydroxide in their shampoo bars and had to keep looking. Thanks to CV i knew what ingredients i wanted in my shampoo bar: coconut oil, jojoba oil, shea butter and a few other really moisturizing oils and butters. I was worried about castor oil weighing down my hair but i would have to try it out. Found Koala Care on Etsy and she has this amazing bar called Aphrodite's Shampoo Bar Soap. For $3.50 this mid sized bar (cause CV's are huge) had what i wanted (i think now it's $4.50). Shipping was $2.50 so for $6 happiness achived and conditioner, conventional conditioner knocked out.

To follow that rinse with Apple Cider Vinegar for shine and that's like $1.50 for a small bottle at the grocery store.

Now for the thing this post is name for: Flax Seed Gel
This has the buzz of all the natural beauties on NC forums. Flax seed gel is a natural gel you make at home from boiled flax seeds.
Basic Recipe:

One cup water

Quarter cup linseeds

Read more at Suite101: How to Make Flaxseed Gel to Style Curly Hair http://hair-care.suite101.com/article.cfm/how-to-make-flaxseed-gel-to-style-curly-hair#ixzz0v89K3lyM

1 C. Water (distilled is great if you have hard water)
1/4 C. Flax Seeds
Natural Preservative like (grapefruit Seed Extract or Vitamin E)

1. Mix one cup of water to a quarter cup of flaxseeds and add to a pan.
2. Heat slowly, stirring often to stop seeds from sticking to the bottom of the pan.
3. Continue to stir gently as water comes to a boil.
4. A frothy jelly will form and it is crucial to turn the heat down a little when seeds settle in the jelly rather than falling immediately to the bottom of the pan turn the heat off.
5. Carefully pour the liquid through a strainer over a bowl checking for any seeds that may have passed through.
6. Essential oils or preservative can be added at this point.

To this recipe my preservative is Vitamin E ($6 for 200 capsules at Walmart) and for hold, agave nectar ($3 at grocery store) and for more moisture and great scent Sweet almond oil ($2 at Walmart Latino section of the hair styling products), oh yeah Flax seed at grocery store 1lbs for $2.99.

This has given me the perfect curls. Oh yeah must add EVCO just for volume and yes more moisture ( my hair is very thirsty). I use the EV Coconut Oil ($8.99 at Vitamin Shoppe) last because it seals the hair shaft. Air dry and my hair is just WONDERFUL! The gel lasts for about 2 weeks and i have made a more concentrated mixture so that the hold is stronger. My curls are tighter and frizz free! i love it! It's soft and touchable and even lasts in rain. I can even stretch out washings to almost 7 days and my hair looks better the more gel i add to it and do on water rinse mid week in case of the rim of fuzz appears from sleeping and tossing and turning due to pregnancy (so can't wait to get my body back so i can sleep still on my back).

Total: $30.48

Since I'm using very small amounts of everything this $30.48 is going to stretch a long way. I've only used a half cup- 4oz out of 16oz of the flax seed so far and the almond oil maybe half teaspoon (OMG my hair smells great between this and the EVCO..good enough to eat). ACV is only two cap-fulls in warm water. The shampoo bar has barely wasted away, same with the coconut oil. The vitamin E, two capsules per FSG mix and 1/2 tsp agave nectar. This is a great investment b/c i know this will last over months and $2 here and $6 bucks there my hubby will not complain about anything especially since he has seen the change in my hair health and look.

So for almost $6 more than the cost of just the shampoo and styling creme, I'm getting a much better value and usage. This to me is FABULOUS!

UPDATE: her is my hair i hope you can see it well:

One cup water

Quarter cup linseeds

Read more at Suite101: How to Make Flaxseed Gel to Style Curly Hair http://hair-care.suite101.com/article.cfm/how-to-make-flaxseed-gel-to-style-curly-hair#ixzz0v89K3lyM

One cup water

Quarter cup linseeds

Read more at Suite101: How to Make Flaxseed Gel to Style Curly Hair http://hair-care.suite101.com/article.cfm/how-to-make-flaxseed-gel-to-style-curly-hair#ixzz0v89K3lyM

One cup water

Quarter cup linseeds

Read more at Suite101: How to Make Flaxseed Gel to Style Curly Hair http://hair-care.suite101.com/article.cfm/how-to-make-flaxseed-gel-to-style-curly-hair#ixzz0v89K3lyM

The difference between this and my profile pic...i can touch it and it moves well and it's soft! and $23.99!!!!!!!!!!

Natural Makeup removers: reviews and feelings

Okay so in effort to better my skin and save a few bucks, I have decided to go the natural route with makeup removers. Granted i was only spending $6 at Sephora but i noticed I was getting sensitive to the removers. Maybe it's pregnancy but stinging is not a great thing when trying to remove mascara and eyeshadow.

So here is what i have tried so far:

1) Olive Oil: I use oilve oil from my kitchen which when i do purchase every so often is about $8 for the grocery store brand which i love to cook with has a light fruity scent and is not too heavy. I have used this olive oil along with brown sugar for a face scrub and as a makeup remover and it is great stuff. I have to be careful around the eyes because sometimes it will sting but that is if i over soak my cotton ball. It leaves my skin very soft and removing the oil takes minutes to a routine which i enjoy taking my time with. So rinsing off olive oil with cool water is not a problem for me. I also add it to my dry cleanser for extra oomph and a better exfoliating experience.

2) Milk: Simple always have it on hand and refreshing. Milk does do a body good and apparently my face loves it too. Using milk as a makeup remover is very effective and moisturizing. I rinse with cool water after 2-3 min of removing makeup just to let some soak in and my skin feel very soft and refreshed. Milk is supposed to cleanse and balance the skin so no need for toner. Also love mixing it with my dry cleanser for a mask or with Aveeno oatmeal powder for a soothing face mask..what a wonderful thing milk it.

3) Vitamin E Oil Capsules: Okay this was on the fence for me. Vitamin E has anti-aging qualities and can soothe the skin..Okay good stuff so far. Bought my Vitamin E capsules at walmart for about $6 to mix with my Flaxseed hair Gel and decided to try it out as a makeup remover. By itself i can use half a capsule on my eyes and the other half capsule on my face. also mixed with my dry cleanser and it took off my makeup but left my skin with a layer of the oil. I was a little worried but maybe a half hour later my skin was supple and smooth. Not greasy or gross. I'm glad i stayed up to read and give it a chance to soak in. In the morning my skin was fine and not an oil slick, but i'm still on the fence about this oil and i think i may need to mix it with another oil to work out the way I would like.

4) Coconut Oil: I use Coconut oil for my hair and to moisturize my prego belly. It soothes my itchy skin that I've had with this pregnancy and i love the smell!As an eye makeup remover this is great! it also removes makeup pretty well, not as well as milk or olive oil but it does get stuff off. My lashes are looking much better since using it as an eye makeup remover and i think i would keep it to that. The oil i have is Extra Virgin CO from the Vitamin shoppe. 15oz for like $9.

5) Sweet Almond Oil: Found a very small jar of this in the Spanish/Latino items section of the hygiene section of Walmart for like $2. Also using it to add to my Flax seed hair gel with great results! and wow what a miracle that stuff is! Smells great and removes everything! Eye makeup, mascara and primer! (that's been my problem i have a great primer and my makeup just stays on) No stinging and my face feels like my daughter's uber soft and smells great. Teh oil is very lite and not greasy and very little goes a long way. I also tried a mixture of this oil and oilve oil and love it!

So my results are almond oil and olive oil work best for my skin and EVCO for just my eyes. Love using milk and Vitamin E hmmmm jury still out on that one. My skin is usually oily but has changed to dry due to pregnancy. When it was oily i did use olive oil with wonderful results.

Try these out and save a few bucks..you might be surprised at the results.

Handmade earrings for a friend

Okay so now that the creative juices are flowing...i have made a belated birthday gift for a friend. a pair of earrings that are just super cute. I used gold filled chain bought at the craft store, and beautiful chunky dark smokey topaz acrylic beads which i found on ebay. Crystal pearls in an olive color also bought at craft store with gold tone hypo-allergenic surgical steel ear wires.

I wanted something flirty and that could go from end of summer right into winter. The dark smokey topaz was just the right shade of sexy. The olive pearl adds earthiness and softness to the facets of the topaz and the hard edge of the chain.


Still experimenting with new scanner so sorry about the fuzz in some places. And it also made the earwires look silver on the end when they are gold. I'm just very happy with these earrings. i 'd love to add them to my Artfire store. Gonna do another pair in silver. I've got deep emerald green chunky beads which would look great for the holidays. Also very sheer lavender which are so nice. I am hereby inspired. Now to create a bracelet to match...hmmm

Coconut Oil back in my life

Okay my hair has gone through so many changes during my twenties and now added on is pregnancy my hair has had it with me and i with her. That being said i looked back to my teen years and how awesome my hair was then. What was the deciding factor in my hair looking so wonderful back then? Coconut oil. It was a small 4oz jar i used to buy in Perth Amboy in one of the grocery stores and it was just pure unrefined coconut oil. Lasted a whole long time and i think the jar was like $2-3 each so not bad.

In the winter it was a great heat protectant for when i straightened out my locks, and the rest of the year a great conditioner and deep conditioning treatment once a week.

So having spent much bucks on stuff that only worked for like a day or a month now I'm going back to what worked for years.

Went to the Vitamin shoppe and got my self a 15oz jar of Organic Extra Virgin Coconut Oil for $8.99. It's cold processed and has no additives..just pure coconut oil! The smell is heavenly.

washed my hair after going to the pool and just put the oil and aloe vera in my hair. My hair is bouncy, soft and shiny!

This is with only a dime size amount of product by no frizz in it and I'm very happy. Even put a little into my daughter's hair and what a nice transformation it has made to her curl formation..Shirley temple has nothing on my kid.

Used it on my belly for stretch marks from a very active and growing babe and they are already going away. Much better than the Cocoa Butter which was clogging my skin and causing unsightly breakouts. Hesitant to use it on my face but I've got a good system with rosewater cleanser going on there anyways. On my hands and arms for over night it's great.

I wonder how long it'll take me to go thru this jar? Oh yeah i keep it in the fridge to keep it solid b/c at room temp (76 degrees) it becomes a clear liquid. A little bit goes a long way.

yay! Next project..will be to make natural hair gel from Flax seeds. I'm sick of buying drying hair gel that makes my locks look dry and unhealthy. Hubby is now happy with the reduction in cost for hair products and i can toss conditioner, hopefully gel and other styling products.

this is the you tube video with the flax seed process that i'm going to try:


Until next time!

Update:
second day with coconut oil and i upped the amount in my hair and my hair is fabulous! Shiny, soft moves and i can fluff without frizz! sorry about the grain..my laptop camera needs to be cleaned again.

New Blog Layout

New blog layout. Wanted something more clean and open. So to Etsy I ran. Looked and looked. My original thought was to do something with pink in it. But then i found this template by SplendidSparrow.

It had colors I had previously used and was brighter than what i had before. Time to make a change and to purchasing i went. PLUS i LOVE damask patterns! This is just perfect!

I have rearranged some of my gadgets and widgets but i do love the new layout and installing was quite easy. (yes i had my fingers crossed as i clicked on save new template) Even my husband noted the nice change and how it looks some much more clean and open.

The designer Teresa is very nice. Here is a bit of info about her from her Esty page:

Hi there! I'm Teresa -- most call me Reese. I'm a graphic, web & blog designer from the East Coast. I currently work with the Blogger and Wordpress (self hosted) platforms. That being said, I would certainly be able to create design elements that you can implement with other platforms - note me if you're interested.

To view more of my work, please visit me at http://www.splendidsparrow.com - my design site & portfolio, where I offer many more premade templates.

Thank you so much for stopping by.


Visit her website you will NOT be dissappointed. I just have the blog button to change and that's all to that.

Hope you like the new look!

New silver hoop earrings

I have been looking all over for new sterling silver hoop earrings for years. None really ever tickled my fancy and if they did they were out of budget.

I wanted a mid sized silver hoop that could go with everything. When I get or am gifted hoop earrings they must go with everything and have to be pure silver or pure gold in order to withstand being on in the shower and sleeping in them. Yes i sleep with earrings, a watch and bracelet on. My mom used to have bangles on...try that ..every time she moved you could hear the light tinkling of the bangles and bracelets. That was when I was little, I think she only has on one or two bracelets now.
So my search has been going on for a long time. It's not like i don't have a pair already but they are my great grandmother's handed down to me and the latch needs to be adjusted so i don't want to loose a 4 generation heirloom. so the search became a lil more important.

well looking for a suit to interview in while being prego (yeah exactly..not happening) i decided to give up and buy just earrings to go with an outfit i had at home already. At JCPenny they had tremendous sales and i found a gorgeous pair of Sterling silver hoop earrings at a ridiculous percentage off. The original price was $35 and i got them for $10 including the tax! How insane is that!

They are simple, lightweight and just what i needed. Just goes to show that you can find great value and quality during times of fashion distress. They came in a few different sizes and they were all at really good prices.

Mark magalog #7

Okay all the new Magalog for mark is here!
The campaign runs from Tuesday 06/22/2010 to Tuesday 07/20/2010

Here is the full onlinemagalog:
http://youravon.com/static/catalog/2010/14/en/p900.html?ba=null

It's very exciting. There are some great specials going on!


The full-sized mask is a $9 value FREE when you spend $16 in skincare products.
Choose from TheShine Fighter Oil-Control Mask and the Calm Yourself Hydrating mask:

I like the Shine fighter with summer oily skin happening because it has: kaolin clay, a natural, oil-absorbing clay. Apricot, rich in vitamins A and C, which protects the skin against environmental damage.

Get perfect skin from head to toe!

Gorgeous skin is a must for summer.
Get that glow with mark skincare and the Anti-Acne skincare line.

Back Me Up is a spray specially made for treating acne and other body acne. It also contains apple and cinnamon extracts, plus salicylic acid. The bottle is specially made to allow easy spraying on the body- even if it's held upside down! This will be $10.

Another addition to the line is Blemish Banisher ($12). They are medicated, soaked pads; they contain apple and cinnamon extracts, as well as salicylic acid. These are great for on-the-go use. Just keep the container with you on vacation and use it. All you do is wipe down your face, and you're good to go! It also contains glycolic acid and alpha hydroxy acid that exfoliates the skin for a smooth appearance! You get 50 soaked pads for $12.00. By the way, these are GREAT for guys! They're already ready; all you do is swipe it over the face. Unscented, and easy to use. These are most effective after cleansing, before you apply Break Out Plan lotion!

Break Out Plan is a revolutionary formula that is a lightweight gel lotion. It contains apple extract and cinnamon extract, but is unscented. It also contains 1.5% salicylic acid, a drying agent that helps clear up blemishes! It's appropriate for all skin types, but is specially formulated for blemish prone skin. This moisturizer also helps reduce the redness commonly associated with acne! $16

So with mark's new specials and anti-acne additions you are covered for the summer.

more info to come.