"Miracle" dry skin treatment

If you have dry itchy skin you will love this cream.   I made it with the ingredients exactly as I was told.   Per my mother's neighbor's friend's doctor you have to go to Dollar General Store and buy the 2 pack vitamin E cream, one large petroleum jelly, one large baby lotion.   Mix well with a hand mixer.  I bought large mouth jars from Hobby Lobby to store the cream.    It is light and fluffy and it moisturizes amazingly.

Corset Training

I just started hearing about this new rage "Waist Training" also called  "Corset Training", "Waist Cinching"' or "Tight-lacing".  It is said that many celebrities like Beyonce and Jessica Alba have been in on this secret to get those hourglass curves and pre baby shape.   Basically you wear a corset daily starting with two hours at a time then increasing to up to 24 hours.  Taking breaks for showering and exercising of course.  Experts say you can reduce the size of your waist by up to 1-2 inches in a few months.  For waist training to be effective you have to be dedicated and go slow.  Listen to your body.   Many women give up before they achieve any result and some go way to far.  It is necessary to have a proper diet and regular exercise. Most of all do your research on training and products.

A good place to learn about corsets and training is Glamour Boutique.

Orchard Corset YouTube has information on fitting your corset.


Disclaimer:  I am not compensated in any way by these companies or have any affiliation with them.

Lemon Infused EVOO

I love lemon infused olive oil but it is difficult to find and expensive when I do find it.  So, I am making my own!    It's super easy.    You need a clean dry jar.  6 lemons washed and dried.  It is very important not to get any moisture in the mix or bacteria will grow.   Peel the lemons, making sure not to leave any of the fruit on the peel, put the peels into the jar. fill your jar with Extra Virgin Olive Oil to completely cover the peels.  Tightly close the jar and put it aside for about 2 weeks.  After 2 weeks strain the oil back into it's original bottle or a decorative bottle.  Enjoy on vegetables, pasta, or fish. Yummy!

Love this spot cleaner

I just wanted to share this spot and stain cleaner with everyone.  It works wonders and is very inexpensive. Like the name, its INCREDIBLE.  With my messy artist, Anna, in the house we use this plenty.

Back in my blog place again

Wow have I been gone a really long time.  My quality of life was slowly slipping away.  I was hurting all over and feeling weak and fatigued.  Even though I was going to the gym to work out twice a week I just never felt good.  In June 2010 I ended up with torn cartilage in my knee and had surgery.  I spent about 4 months in physical therapy to get my knee to straighten and bend completely.  It never happened.  I finally went back to a rheumatologist and for the second time was diagnosed with fibromyalgia.  That is a diagnosis I just never "believed in."  I was at the end of my rope so I went ahead and took the medication he prescribed.  On the fourth day on the medication I felt like a person again.  My leg was better, my random aches were gone, and I had energy.   Now I am back in the game and starting to live.  I am signed up for a series of stained glass classes, I have sewing projects to work on, a new garden that is dying for some TLC, and lots of reading and learning to do about writing.   I also plan on keeping up with my blogs.

Home Sweet Smelling Home

I walked into a friends home and the first thing my daughter and I noticed was how great it smelled. I began my Scentsy journey because I wanted a house that smelled wonderful when I walked in. I bought those plug in air fresheners but they worried me because they get so hot and I was afraid to leave them plugged in. I did not want lit candles in the house with children and what if I forgot to blow it out... I found the perfect solution Scentsy!  Scentsy is so wonderful it sells itself.


What is Scentsy?  Scentsy is the authentic wickless candle company, founded on the simple idea of offering a safer alternative to traditional candles. Highly scented wickless candles, heated in decorative warmers where the wax is melted by the heat of a low-watt bulb, infuse a space with beautiful fragrance – without a flame. The concept is simple. The warmers are beautiful. The fragrances are unique.

With no flame, soot, smoke or lead to worry about, the Scentsy system is a safe way to enjoy more than 80 delightful Scentsy fragrances. Scentsy offers decorative warmers in three sizes, along with a line of Travel Tins, Room Sprays, and Hanging Fresheners.

-->

How I spent my day

Sometimes I feel like I spend most of my time in the kitchen.  My daughter even wrote a paper for school about me and the subject was how much time I spend in the kitchen.  Go figure.

Last night I did not get to sleep until around 1:30am.  Ugg!  This morning started at 6am getting everyone ready and fed and off to school.  These are the piggies I made. Oh and that is the sweet cream I put in my coffee, my little bit of luxury.

Went back to bed at 7am until 8:30am then Sofia and I got up, had breakfast, looked at the newspaper, and unloaded the dishwasher.  Then I got this crazy idea to make a triple batch of spaghetti sauce.  I let it cook for about three hours.

This then led to me deciding to chop and freeze celery, and a mix of red and green peppers with onion and garlic. I use these for cooking quite often. I scoop it into muffin pans, freeze, then put veggie muffins into freezer bags.  When I need one I just take out a muffin.  Nice, easy, and handy.

I made lunch for Sofia and I.....Sofia ate, I got busy and never ate.  My bad.  I then cleaned and rearranged the refrigerator freezer and the big deep freezer.  That led me to see the ham bone and decide to make red beans for red beans and rice.  Hubs loves it and it will be cold this weekend so it's the perfect comfort food.
It also cooked for about three hours.  I got to use some of my chopped veggies, the ham, and sausage.

I put Sofia for a nap around 2:15pm and was still in the kitchen cleaning and cooking when Anna and Cooper came home.  I separated the cooled spaghetti sauce into three containers and froze it.  I had to wait on the beans to finish cooking.  Before long it was time to think about cooking dinner.  That is hard to do when you've been cooking all day.  I decided on stir fry beef. Sorry no picture.  I cut up the meat, made a marinade, let the meat marinate, started the rice, and got the stir fry veggies ready.  Got the stir fry going and fried a little meat for Cooper who won't eat stir fry.  It came out really good.  I cleaned the kitchen and we all watched American Idol.  We only like the audition part of the season.  Soon it was time for the kids to go to bed and for me to blog.  Sofia was crying and I had to go up to her four times before she finally went to sleep. I called hubs. He will be home in two days.  It's been a long week.  Tomorrow is a busy day and I need to get to sleep.  I will probably be dreaming about the Apple iPad which was revealed today...sooooo cool.

Ciao and good night

Scary Recalls - Must See

If you are a parent check out this link  SCARY RECALLS

Basic Pantry and Spice Rack Items

Spices and herbs do not last forever.  No telling how many years I have had some of mine...ewwww.  I have decided to start replacing them slowly because it can get expensive.  As I purchase new items I am writing the month and year on the container with a sharpie.   I am also adding a few new Asian inspired items.


This is a good quick pantry guide I found      Pantry Raid!


Here is great list of food items to stock in the pantry Pantry Partners

Here is a wonderful list of substitutions Ingredient Substitutions

Clean, Organize, and Sell

I have been gone for so long and have finally found some time to try to get back to blogging.
Check out these tips for getting your clutter back under control

100+ Organizing Tips and Ideas

or try Oprah's tips :

Conquer Your Clutter Room By Room

Sunscreen SPF 100+ what???

If you have shopped for sunscreen lately you probably saw everything from SPF 15 to SPF 100. American SPF numbers are double the SPF numbers on European products. An American SPF 20 sunscreen is the same as SPF 10 in Europe. It is really getting confusing. One would automatically assume that SPF 30 is twice as protective as SPF 15 and that SPF 80 or 100 would be the best. But it is not really that simple. Let me enlighten you.

The SPF indicates the time a person with sunscreen applied can be exposed to sunlight before getting sunburn relative to the time a person without sunscreen can be exposed. This is usually 20 minutes in spring, without any sunscreen. On any day, someone who would burn after 12 minutes in the sun would expect to burn after 120 minutes if protected by a sunscreen with SPF 10.

Both UVA and UVB contribute to the risk of skin cancer. SPF (Sun Protection Factor) refers to the ability of a sunscreen to block ultraviolet B (UVB) rays, which cause sunburns, but not UVA rays, which are more closely linked to deeper skin damage. Finding a sunscreen that adequately protects against UVA rays is much harder, but just as important. UVA radiation reaches deeper into the skin and contributes to wrinkles and skin cancer risk. Some products labeled "broad-spectrum UVA/UVB protection" do not provide good protection against UVA rays. The best UVA protection is provided by products that contain zinc oxide, avobenzone, and ecamsule. Titanium dioxide gives good protection, but does not completely cover the entire UV-A spectrum, as recent research suggests that zinc oxide is superior to titanium dioxide.

The MOST important factor is using a sunscreen and using it correctly. Limit time in the sun, wear protective clothing and wide brim hats, apply at least one ounce (shot glass) of sunscreen, and reapply sunscreen at a minimum of every two hours, especially after swimming or perspiring.

Pamper your skin with stolen time

Time is something we never seem to have enough of. How much time do you spend on yourself?
My "beauty" routine definitely suffers and I really need it. I try to find little ways to cheat time.

Something I do is use an exfoliating facial scrub in the shower. It is always in there so I actually
use it. I really love Garnier Nutri-Pure® DAILY EXFOLIATING GEL CLEANSER. It is inexpensive, invigorating, and leaves skin feeling smooth and tingly. You may already have a favorite so give it a try..

Need a healthy snack

Need a healthy snack? All of my children love steamed soy beans, aka edamame. Even my two year old and super picky 11 year old. I found these dry roasted soy beans at COSTCO. They are loaded with protein, inexpensive (a big plus), crunchy, nutty, and did I mention yummy? Best of all my kid eat them.....it may take a few tries but then they become addicting.

Take the "shopping" out of shopping

I just found this great site Mommy Snacks it lists weekly sales (best deals) from local stores, coupons and where to find them. Lists of freebies and samples and how to get them.

Andrea Deckard, the Founder and Author of Mommy Snacks does all the hard work for you. She adds some personal posts as well, so not only is it helpful, but fun to read and personable.

Mommy Snacks

Food: when to throw it out

Do you ever open the refrigerator or pantry and wonder if things are still good? I found a really cool site that has advice on shelf life and optimal storage practices.

Still Tasty is easy and offers a simple search or you can browse by category. There is also a forum for asking more specific questions.

Check it out...it is pretty interesting.

Reducing dust - from Reader's Digest.com

8 Smart Strategies to Make Your Home Dust-Proof

Strategies that vastly reduce the never-ending dusting chore.

By Gary Wentz Reader's Digest

1. Keep closet floors clear for easy cleaning.
Closets are dust reservoirs, full of tiny fibers from clothes, towels and bedding. Every time you open the door, you whip up an invisible dust storm. You can't prevent clothes from shedding fibers, but you can make closets easier to keep clean and vastly cut down on dust.

• Box or bag items on shelves.
  Clear plastic containers are best -- they lock fibers in and dust out and let you see what's inside. When you dust, they're easy to pull off the shelves and wipe clean.
  
  
• Enclose the clothes you rarely wear.
  Those coats you wear only in winter shed fibers year-round. Slip garment bags or large garbage bags over them. They help to contain fibers and keep the clothes themselves from becoming coated with dust.
  
  
• Keep closet floors clear.
  If the floor is cluttered, chances are you'll just bypass it while vacuuming. But a wide-open floor adds only a few seconds to the vacuuming chore. And a wire shelf lets you clear all those shoes off the floor without losing storage space.

2. Upgrade your furnace filter.
If your home has a forced-air heating or cooling system, it can help control dust by filtering the air. Most visible dust settles on floors and furniture before it can enter the heating/cooling system, so no filter will eliminate dusting chores. Still, a filter upgrade can make a noticeable improvement.

The most effective system is an electrostatic filter connected to your ductwork ($700 to $1,500, professionally installed). An electrostatic filter may be worth the expense if you have allergies. But if you just want to reduce dust buildup, it's smarter to spend $40 to $100 per year on high-quality disposable filters. A standard fiberglass filter traps only the largest dust particles. It's effective enough to protect your furnace but does almost nothing to reduce household dust. Better filters are made from pleated fabric or paper. Most pleated filters also carry an electrostatic charge that attracts and holds dust. A pleated filter can capture virtually all the visible dust that reaches it. Manufacturers usually recommend that you change these filters every three months, but you should check them monthly, especially if you have cats or dogs, and replace them if they're dirty. Dirty pleated filters can restrict airflow and damage your furnace.

3. Rotate bedding weekly.
Your cozy bed is a major dust distributor. The bedding collects skin flakes, sheds its own fibers and sends out a puff of dust every time you roll over. To minimize the fallout, wash sheets and pillowcases weekly. Items that aren't machine washable don't need weekly trips to the dry cleaners -- just take blankets and bedspreads outside and shake them. You can spank some of the dust out of pillows, but for a thorough cleaning, wash or dry-clean them. When you change bedding, don't whip up a dust storm. Gently roll up the old sheets and spread out the new ones; even clean bedding sheds fibers.

4. Capture dust -- don't just spread it around.
Feather dusters and dry rags pick up some of the dust they disturb, but most of it just settles elsewhere. Damp rags or disposable cloths that attract and hold dust with an electrostatic charge (like Swiffer or Grab-it) work much better. Cloths that attract dust with oils or waxes also work well but can leave residue on furniture. Use vacuum attachments only on surfaces that are hard to dust with a cloth, such as rough surfaces and intricate woodwork, because the exhaust stream from a vacuum whips up a dust storm.

5. Beat and shake area rugs.
In most homes, carpet is by far the biggest dust reservoir. It's a huge source of fibers and absorbs dust like a giant sponge. Even the padding underneath holds dust, which goes airborne with each footstep. Some serious allergy sufferers find that the only solution is to tear out wall-to-wall carpet and install hard flooring like wood or tile. Those of us who don't want to take that drastic step have to vacuum regularly. Vacuum pathways and busy areas at least once a week. The dust that gathers under chairs or behind the sofa is less important. It stays put unless it's disturbed by a toddler, a pet or a breeze. Vacuum large area rugs too. But also take them outside three or four times a year for a more thorough cleaning. Drape them over a fence or clothesline and beat them with a broom or tennis racket. A good beating removes much more dust than vacuuming. Take smaller rugs outside for a vigorous shaking every week.

6. Take cushions out for a beating.
Upholstery fabric not only sheds its own fibers but also absorbs dust that settles on it. You raise puffs of dust every time you sit down. The only way to eliminate upholstery dust is to buy leather- or vinyl-covered furniture. But there are three ways to reduce dust on fabric:

• Dust settles mostly on horizontal surfaces; vacuum them weekly. Vacuum vertical surfaces monthly.
• Take cushions outside and beat the dust out of them. An old tennis racket works well and lets you practice your backhand. A thorough beating removes deeply embedded dust better than vacuuming.
• Slipcovers for chairs and sofas are easy to pull off and take outdoors for a shaking. Better yet, some are machine washable. Slipcovers are readily available at discount and home furnishings stores and online ( surefit.net is one good source).

Do air cleaners reduce dusting?
An effective air cleaner removes large and small particles from the air in a single room. Within that space, it can relieve allergy or asthma symptoms and even reduce smoke and cooking odors. But don't expect it to relieve you of dusting duty. Air cleaners are sized to filter a small area, so only a small portion of the airborne dust in your home will ever reach the unit. For air cleaners to have a real effect on overall dust levels, you would need one unit in every room-at a cost of $60 to $500 per room.

7. Clean the air while you clean house.
All vacuums whip up dust with their "agitator" (the cylindrical brush that sweeps the carpet) or blowing exhaust stream. That dust eventually settles on the surfaces you've just cleaned. But if your forced-air heating/cooling system is equipped with a good filter, you can filter out some of that dust before it settles. Just switch your thermostat to "fan on." This turns on the blower inside your furnace and filters the air even while the system isn't heating or cooling. Leave the blower on for about 15 minutes after you're done cleaning. But don't forget to switch back to "auto." Most blowers aren't designed to run constantly.

8. Match the vacuum to the flooring.
Suction alone isn't enough to pull much dust out of carpet. For good results, you need a vacuum with a powerful agitator. Upright vacuums are usually best for carpet, although some canister vacuums with agitators work well, too. When it comes to wood, tile or vinyl flooring, your best choice is a canister vacuum without an agitator (or with an agitator that can be turned off). An agitator does more harm than good on hard flooring because it blows dust into the air.

Cooper is a Boy Scout

Make a Smilebox slideshow

Plants to clean the air in your home or office

Not only do plants use CO2 and produce oxygen, they also filter toxins from the air.
(Did anyone discover plants that also filter dust.........aaaahgggggghhhhh!?)

NASA did a study to find out which plants would best filter the air on the space station.
This is a chart of plants in the NASA study that most effectively removed pollutants from the air.

WIKI LIST:
* English Ivy (Hedera helix)
* Spider plant (Chlorophytum comosum)
* Golden pothos or Devil's ivy (Scindapsus aures or Epipremnum aureum)
* Peace lily (Spathiphyllum 'Mauna Loa')
* Chinese evergreen (Aglaonema modestum)
* Bamboo palm or reed palm (Chamaedorea sefritzii)
* Snake plant or mother-in-law's tongue (Sansevieria trifasciata 'Laurentii')
* Heartleaf philodendron (Philodendron oxycardium, syn. Philodendron cordatum)
* Selloum philodendron (Philodendron bipinnatifidum, syn. Philodendron selloum)
* Elephant ear philodendron (Philodendron domesticum)
* Red-edged dracaena (Dracaena marginata)
* Cornstalk dracaena (Dracaena fragans 'Massangeana')
* Janet Craig dracaena (Dracaena deremensis 'Janet Craig')
* Warneck dracaena (Dracaena deremensis 'Warneckii')
* Weeping Fig (Ficus benjamina)
* Gerbera Daisy or Barberton daisy (Gerbera jamesonii)
* Pot Mum or Florist's Chrysanthemum (Chrysantheium morifolium)
* Rubber Plant (Ficus elastica)

The Foliage for Clean Air Council, a communications clearinghouse for information on the use of foliage to improve indoor air quality, recommends a minimum of two plants per 100 square feet of floor space in an average home with eight- to ten-foot ceilings.

My "little girl" rocks the court

I'M BACK!!!!!!!!!!!!!!

Make a Smilebox scrapbook

Puttin' Up

In my life I do alot of "Puttin' Up". This time I am "Puttin Up" in the old fashion sense of the phrase... storing food, canning, freezing and such. Since I like to cook I often need fresh red, yellow, and green peppers but only a small amount of each. I got tired of having to throw out the unused portions so now I buy a bunch, chop them up with onion, put them into these mini muffin pans. I then put the pans in the freezer to freeze them then take them out of the pans and put them into freezer bags. Now I alway have them ready to add to whatever I am making!!! Ta da!!!