I hope that everyone enjoyed their holiday and was able to spend it with good friends and family. Speaking of family, I found a great article thanks to my Brother, Chad Disbennett, of Disbennett Financial Services. It's all about making money doing what you love to do. Check it out here! Of course, after you have made your money and need help with financial planning, you should check out the services available from Disbennett Financial Services!
This is an email that I received last night from Mountain Rose Herbs. If you have never visited their web site, please do, it is awesome! Aside from selling great herbs and oils, they have a wealth of information for you to read and learn from! This is an important subject, so please take a minute or two and visit the links that they have provided. I am not in the pacific north, but we can all support their project, and we can do the same type of project wherever we live. After all, we live in one world!
"Mountain Rose Herbs has gotten together with our long term partner Beyond Toxics on their most recent project called 1000 Friends of Bees Campaign. As most of your know, a large percentage of our honeybee colonies are being threatened by habitat loss, introduced diseases, the spread of parasites, and worst of all, the widespread use of pesticides. Many biologists agree that without the simple honey bee, our entire food system would collapse as would other essential plant systems.
"Mountain Rose Herbs has gotten together with our long term partner Beyond Toxics on their most recent project called 1000 Friends of Bees Campaign. As most of your know, a large percentage of our honeybee colonies are being threatened by habitat loss, introduced diseases, the spread of parasites, and worst of all, the widespread use of pesticides. Many biologists agree that without the simple honey bee, our entire food system would collapse as would other essential plant systems.
The problem is that pesticides poison the bees by direct contact with the plants and flowers they pollinate and from here the compound chemicals eventually contaminate the honey, pollen, and entire hive. Entire bee colonies have been collapsing at an alarming rate and the latest research points to pesticides as being the biggest culprit of these declines.
But don’t let this shocking news get you down! Mountain Rose Herbs and Beyond Toxics are addressing the impacts that pesticides cause to honeybee populations and we need your support! 1000 Friends of Bees Campaign is a neighborhood-by-neighborhood and city-by-city project dedicated to the preservation of the honeybee. The goal of 1000 Friends of Bees Campaign is to create pesticide-free zones in communities throughout the Pacific Northwest so that we can live together with our pollinators in a healthy and safe environment free of harmful chemicals.
There are numerous ways that you can help us spread the message and it will only take you a mere 2-3 minutes of your time.
Our goal is to have 1000 new friends of bees and you can do this 2 ways….
- Take the Honeybee Friend Pledge at www.friendsofhealthybees.org
- Like Beyond Toxics on Facebook which will give you up to date information, action alerts, and essential bee information. Please seehttp://www.facebook.com/
beyondtoxics
Many thanks for helping us spread the word on pesticide free living and many cheers for a happy and healthy future!"
What to Make Wednesday- Creamy Fragrance Balm
Have you ever fallen in love with a scent but hated the price of it? Well you can easily make your own perfume for a lot less than the store bought ones, and you will know every ingredient!
All you need is;
1 ounce castor oil
0.1666 oz. beeswax, the white is best for this (this is about 1 teaspoon if your scale doesn't go this low)
And the fragrance oil or essential oil(s) of your choice. Make sure that they are skin safe, no potpourri oils or others that don't specifically state that they are skin safe. And then, make sure that you only use the appropriate amount that is recommended or you will run the risk of it damaging your skin. The supplier usually posts or will provide this amount when asked.
Just dissolve the beeswax with the castor oil. Most people use a double boiler, which will ensure that you do not burn the mixture, but I like to live dangerously and heat it in a pan, over a low setting. If you choose to live it up, just be cautious! Once it's completely melted, remove it from the heat and stir it. Allow it to cool a bit (but not so much that it begins to skin over) and then add in the fragrance or essential oil(s) and stir well. Pour into a jar and allow it to set up. If you want to use a twist up tube dispenser you may need to add a tad more beeswax. Try it this way and then remelt and add a bit of beeswax if you need too. If you want yours creamier, add a tad more oil. Simple! Then enjoy your solid perfume! This is so economical that you can make a different one for every day of the month!
And how's this for versatility? If you'd rather have a lip balm, you can use the same recipe and just add a lip safe essential oil, fragrance oil, or flavored oil. Just make sure that you only use a lip safe one. Most body safe oils are not also lip safe, so it specifically must say that it is lip safe!
All you need is;
1 ounce castor oil
0.1666 oz. beeswax, the white is best for this (this is about 1 teaspoon if your scale doesn't go this low)
And the fragrance oil or essential oil(s) of your choice. Make sure that they are skin safe, no potpourri oils or others that don't specifically state that they are skin safe. And then, make sure that you only use the appropriate amount that is recommended or you will run the risk of it damaging your skin. The supplier usually posts or will provide this amount when asked.
Just dissolve the beeswax with the castor oil. Most people use a double boiler, which will ensure that you do not burn the mixture, but I like to live dangerously and heat it in a pan, over a low setting. If you choose to live it up, just be cautious! Once it's completely melted, remove it from the heat and stir it. Allow it to cool a bit (but not so much that it begins to skin over) and then add in the fragrance or essential oil(s) and stir well. Pour into a jar and allow it to set up. If you want to use a twist up tube dispenser you may need to add a tad more beeswax. Try it this way and then remelt and add a bit of beeswax if you need too. If you want yours creamier, add a tad more oil. Simple! Then enjoy your solid perfume! This is so economical that you can make a different one for every day of the month!
And how's this for versatility? If you'd rather have a lip balm, you can use the same recipe and just add a lip safe essential oil, fragrance oil, or flavored oil. Just make sure that you only use a lip safe one. Most body safe oils are not also lip safe, so it specifically must say that it is lip safe!
Today was delivery day for my last commercial order. There are to be 75 guests, each receiving a gift bag, and then there were 3 gift sets for special awards, and then I did a [smaller] set for a door prize. The pictures turned out rather orange, but it was late and I was tired, and I think that you can see well enough to get the idea. It was a lot of work, but I thought everything turned out very well. More importantly, the client was pleased, so I am pleased!
Here are pictures of the display tables for the show that I did a few weeks back. My other soap displays were up North, so I had to make due with what I had. While I love the metal trays, I prefer the tables less cluttered, so the soap displays are great for helping with that issue, and help to make the trays look nicer too. Oh well, it's the first show of the season, so there's lots of time to get it right! Lol It didn't seem to slow business down though, so all was good!
Teaching Tuesday- Caring for your Feet
Yesterday's recipes made me think that it was time to discuss foot care again. While our feet may not show age like the hands do, they do work hard supporting our body weight, pounding the pavement, basking in the sand at the beach, and walking in ridiculous shoes. Sometimes they have circulation issues, sometimes they are cold and wet, other times they are overheated and sweaty. But, unless they are swollen and achy, or perhapse stinking, they are generallyi ignored.
Our hard-working feet should never be ignored, but should be cared for routinely, just as other skin is cared for on a daily basis. Just a few simple steps will ensure the health of the feet, the body's support.
As with all other skin care, good health begins on the inside. Simply making efforts to eat right, drink plenty of water, and to get adequate sleep will go a long way to maintaining good skin health and good foot health too!
Common sense is important too. Things like, making sure that you wear properly fitting shoes, and that you wear shoes that are appropriate for the activity, will impact your foot health tremendously. It is not healthy to cram your feet into those tight-fitting, pointy toed shoes, no matter how hot they look with that new dress. Don't sacrifice your health for fashion!
And here is something that you may not know, the best time to buy a pair of new shoes is in the middle of the day. This is usually when your feet have swollen slightly, so buying shoes at this time will help to ensure that you get a comfortable fit. And here are a few more tips that will contribute to good foot health.
-Make sure to dry the skin/area in between your toes completely after bathing or swimming. Moisture can lead to yeast infection/athletes foot, so it is important to eliminate any possibility of that.
-Inspect your feet and take appropriate care of any small cuts or nicks. Some diseases, age, and some skin conditions [may] impact the feeling in your feet. It is imperative that you take care of small cuts before they become large infections, so visually check your feet on a daily basis at minimum.
-Keep toe nails and cuticles away from soaps, detergents, and hot water as much as possible, and avoid frequent use of nail polish remover, as it dries out the nail bed and leads to splitting.
-Massage and moisturize your feet as often as possible, but at least on a daily basis. The feet are subject to issues of poor circulation, massaging not only feels good, but stimulates and increases the blood circulation.
-Give yourself, or get a pedicure at least once a week to maintain good foot and nail care.
-Do not use a sharp object to remove dirt from under the nails, instead, use a nail brush with baking soda as a cleanser. If your nails are dull and /or yellowed you can brighten them with white vinegar!
-Never cut the cuticles or use cuticle removers on them, instead, soak the toes in warm water to soften the cuticles, then gently push them back, using a soft, moist towel, or by gently applying pressure with an orange stick.
-Keep your toe nails trimmed, making sure that you always cut straight across to prevent hang nails.
-Soak the feet in a warm foot bath for 20 minutes before exfoliating the skin.
-A couple of drops of peppermint essential oil in a foot bath will help to stimulate blood circulation in the feet.
-Treat your feet with the same care and consideration that you treat your face and your other skin, after all, your feet work hard for you every day, and they deserve a bit of pampering!
Our hard-working feet should never be ignored, but should be cared for routinely, just as other skin is cared for on a daily basis. Just a few simple steps will ensure the health of the feet, the body's support.
As with all other skin care, good health begins on the inside. Simply making efforts to eat right, drink plenty of water, and to get adequate sleep will go a long way to maintaining good skin health and good foot health too!
Common sense is important too. Things like, making sure that you wear properly fitting shoes, and that you wear shoes that are appropriate for the activity, will impact your foot health tremendously. It is not healthy to cram your feet into those tight-fitting, pointy toed shoes, no matter how hot they look with that new dress. Don't sacrifice your health for fashion!
And here is something that you may not know, the best time to buy a pair of new shoes is in the middle of the day. This is usually when your feet have swollen slightly, so buying shoes at this time will help to ensure that you get a comfortable fit. And here are a few more tips that will contribute to good foot health.
-Make sure to dry the skin/area in between your toes completely after bathing or swimming. Moisture can lead to yeast infection/athletes foot, so it is important to eliminate any possibility of that.
-Inspect your feet and take appropriate care of any small cuts or nicks. Some diseases, age, and some skin conditions [may] impact the feeling in your feet. It is imperative that you take care of small cuts before they become large infections, so visually check your feet on a daily basis at minimum.
-Keep toe nails and cuticles away from soaps, detergents, and hot water as much as possible, and avoid frequent use of nail polish remover, as it dries out the nail bed and leads to splitting.
-Massage and moisturize your feet as often as possible, but at least on a daily basis. The feet are subject to issues of poor circulation, massaging not only feels good, but stimulates and increases the blood circulation.
-Give yourself, or get a pedicure at least once a week to maintain good foot and nail care.
-Do not use a sharp object to remove dirt from under the nails, instead, use a nail brush with baking soda as a cleanser. If your nails are dull and /or yellowed you can brighten them with white vinegar!
-Never cut the cuticles or use cuticle removers on them, instead, soak the toes in warm water to soften the cuticles, then gently push them back, using a soft, moist towel, or by gently applying pressure with an orange stick.
-Keep your toe nails trimmed, making sure that you always cut straight across to prevent hang nails.
-Soak the feet in a warm foot bath for 20 minutes before exfoliating the skin.
-A couple of drops of peppermint essential oil in a foot bath will help to stimulate blood circulation in the feet.
-Treat your feet with the same care and consideration that you treat your face and your other skin, after all, your feet work hard for you every day, and they deserve a bit of pampering!
Make it Yourself Monday-Foot Wash and Foot Mask
The warm weather is upon us, and that means it's time for the feet to be exposed. Whether bare, in open-toed shoes, or in sandals, your feet are sure to be on display. This means that it is time to pay a bit of attention to your hard working feet. These easy recipes will not only get your feet looking nice, but they will make you feel great!
FOOT WASH
You will need
1/2 cup of dried lavender flower buds
1/2 cup of fresh sage, finely chopped
2 cups of water (I like to use Spring water or distilled)
8 drops Bulgarian lavender essential oil
Pour the water into a pan and add the lavender and sage, cover and simmer over low heat for 20 minutes. When the time is up, strain the infusion through cheesecloth, toss the solids, and allow the liquid to cool. Once it's cooled, add the essential oil and stir well. It is now ready. Use this to pat onto or pour over your feet (also great to use on the hands too). You can repeat as frequently as you like. This recipe is great for relieving tired, swollen, achy, and red feet.
If you'd rather a bath than a splash, use 2 cups of fresh lavender or 1 cup of dried lavender. Steep the lavender in 2 gallons of boiling water for 20 minutes, then strain the liquid and toss the plant material when the time is up. Allow it to cool slightly, then place the liquid into a foot tub and soak your feet for 20 minutes, then pat dry and don't forget to moisturize.
Foot soaks are easy to prepare and are ideal for sore, tired and/or swollen feet. A foot soak is a great way to pamper yourself. It doesn't cost a lot, yet it is of great benefit and truly makes you feel renewed. You can use other herbs besides lavender if you wish, or a combination of herbs. Try using comfrey, elderberry, pine, rosemary, chamomile or sage.
FOOT MASK
You will need;
1/2 cup (powdered) green clay
1/2 cup Spring or Distilled water
This recipe pulls impurities from the skin, restores minerals (directly into the skin), and gently exfoliates at the same time. Since clay is also an effective heat conductor, this treatment is also very soothing and effective as a muscle relaxing treatment for tired, aching feet. To get the most out of the treatment, make sure that you use the green clay and do not substitute another. The green clay is especially rich in magnesium and silica, is highly absorbent, and makes a good deodorant.
To make it, simply mix the green clay with the water. You don't need to use all the water, and may not need too. You just need a paste consistency. Try for a medium thickness, one that is easily spread while not too thin and watery. Coat your feet with the clay paste and allow it to dry, then rinse your feet clean with warm water, pat dry, and moisturize.
Fearless Friday
I was behind the times due to watching my Grandson, my Son's 29th birthday, a large commercial order that I am trying to get finished up, as well as just a general tiredness that seems to be following me around lately! Lol So my apologies for not getting the photographs up yesterday, but they are here now.
I hope that everyone enjoys this Mother's day weekend, and is able to spend time with dear Mom, your children, or someone that you love. If not, how about visiting a nursing facility or senior center and spending an hour with people who don't usually have visitors? Try it, and you may just find that you are as blessed by the visit as the people you go to see!
I took my Mother out to lunch last Sunday afternoon and these pictures are along the way back home. We are truly live in a beautiful area and I am constantly reminded that God pains pretty pictures!
I hope that everyone enjoys this Mother's day weekend, and is able to spend time with dear Mom, your children, or someone that you love. If not, how about visiting a nursing facility or senior center and spending an hour with people who don't usually have visitors? Try it, and you may just find that you are as blessed by the visit as the people you go to see!
I took my Mother out to lunch last Sunday afternoon and these pictures are along the way back home. We are truly live in a beautiful area and I am constantly reminded that God pains pretty pictures!
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