#15FactsAboutMe - Hashtag Monday / New Year's Eve

I've decided to integrate my Twitter and Blog. So, every Monday will be #HashtagMonday.

The hashtag that has caught my eye today is #15FactsAboutMe.
 

Now that you know a few more things about me, what are some things that others may not know about you? Do you secretly still listen to the Spice Girls? I do.. I don't know if that's a secret, but it's a fun fact I guess :)

Not only is today #HastagMonday but it's New Year's Eve!!
Are you ready for 2013?
Do you have a resolution?

I do.
I want(will) eat more raw foods (fruits and vegetables) which will help me move towards my main life goal of living a healthier lifestyle. I would like the majority of those raw foods to come straight from my garden that I WILL be starting in early spring.


While I was thinking of which goals I'd like to work for I found myself wondering what the most popular New Year's resolutions are.

Top 10 New Year's Resolutions:
1. Get Healthy - Exercise more, eat right, Lose Weight
2. Spend more time with Family and Friends - Start hosting Sunday dinners!
3. Stress Less - Try some yoga!
4. Get a Better Job
5. Quit Drinking
6. Quit Smoking
7. Get Out of Debt / Save Money
8. Enjoy Life - Take a Vacation, Plan a Couple's Day every few weeks, Make a Bucket List
9. Get Organized
10. Find Love<3

What are your goals for 2013? Leave a comment and let me know!

  
See you in 2013

The Natural Benefits of Essential Oils

As some of you may know, I am a huge fan of all things organic; natural healing methods included, some of which I'm going to share with you today.
I'm not a doctor, I'm not educated in Essential Oils or alternative medicines; I just know what I like. I have used the oils I'm about to write about, so I have some experience with them.

In this post, I'll be focusing on the healing properties of my 5 favorite Essential Oils.

1. Lavender

2. Peppermint

3. Rosemary

4. Rose

5. Eucalyptus

Lavender is an incredibly versatile herb, not only does it have many health benefits but it's also used in many natural household cleaners (a great germ killer!).

• This oil's scent is very calming and helps lower blood pressure, tension and stress. Place some in a diffuser in your bedroom and let it soothe you to sleep.
• Dab a drop or two of oil on your finger and lightly rub your temples to reduce migraines and headaches.
• As a natural anti-inflammatory, dabbing a few drops on itchy, red, or swollen skin will quickly begin to reduce irritation. The same goes for minor cuts, scrapes, and puffy eyes!

Peppermint not only smells great, but it's also a decongestant and wonderful pain reliever.  I use peppermint oil a few times a week to relieve sinus pressure and stomach pains; it works wonders.

• Put a few drops of Peppermint oil into a glass of water and drink to help relieve stomach cramps and ulcer pains.
• The cooling properties of peppermint can reduce fever, by rubbing a drop on your forehead; this will also help clear your sinuses. Adding a drop of the oil to ice water and dabbing it on the sides of your nostrils will also help reduce congestion as well as nasal swelling.
• Adding peppermint oil to lotions or body scrubs will revitalize dull and oily skin.
• Drop some oil on a q-tip then rub on an aching tooth, it will numb the pain make your breath smell good.

Rosemary is great herb to eat and to apply topically to skin.

• Adding Rosemary leaves to food will help calm stomach cramps and indigestion.
• Rosemary helps relieve headaches, migraines, and mental fatigue, do this by adding the oil to lotions, scrubs, or by applying a drop of the oil to your temples.
• Applying Rosemary topically will remove dry skin while revitalizing and toning it.
• Put this oil in a diffuser to help with respiratory problems. The scent helps relieve congestion and cold like symptoms. 

Rose Oil is bright and fresh, just like the flower. It's used as an antidepressant, aphrodisiac, skin revitalizer, and has plenty of other benefits.

• Use as an aromatherapy treatment to help brighten your mood. Rose oil's scent keeps anxiety at bay and will keep you energized and happy.
• Rose oil will boost almost anyone's libido ;)
•  It also promotes blood circulation, which can reduce inflammation and redness of the skin. Put Rose oil in a carrier oil, such as Sweet Almond or Apricot Oils, and apply it to your skin. If you do this once a day you will notice your skin becoming brighter and healthier looking.  

Eucalyptus has many medicinal properties, some of which include being a decongestant and an analgesic.

•  Dabbing Eucalyptus oil, diluted in water or carrier oil(Sweet Almond Oil, Sunflower Oil) on the sides of the nostrils will alleviate sinus pressure and congestion. This is also an effective way to help relieve bronchitis and asthma symptoms.
• Massage this oil on aching joints and muscles to relieve the pain; Eucalyptus is a natural pain killer. If you have arthritis, this is a great healing method to try.
• Dab oil on bug bites or small wounds to disinfect and stop the itching.

I hope I've been able to provide some knowledge and interest on these few oils that I hold near to my heart (and health.) I swear by them, but don't only take my opinion, try it yourself. It's really easy to get Essential Oils. I have 2, organic, go-to websites for them: YoungLiving.com and LuckyVitamin.com. If you don't want to purchase your own Essential and Carrier Oils I have a few options in my Organic Skin Care Shop that does feature a lot of the oils I just wrote about.

 Click Here for your Organic Skin Care needs

Rosemary Mint Lotion & Mint Eucalyptus Lip Butter

Organic Peppermint Scrub for Hands and Feet

 In my next Healthy Living post I'll be speaking about Stress and natural, effective ways to lessen it.

Sources: OrganicFacts.net, YoungLiving.com, LuckyVitamin.com, Livestrong.com

Move Your Bones

I need to blow off some steam and the only way to do it is to have a dance party.

For years my friends and I would get together, drink, and dance for hours. It was a time that we could be us and wind down.

I'm not talking dancing in the club.

I'm talking about the music that gets you going, music you can't help but smile to (even if it is raunchy and uncalled for.) Ya know, something that moves your bones without any conscious thought.

That's why this music filled Friday I'll be posting 2 of my old favorites. I hope you dance along❤

Congratulations to Marcy, the winner of my giveaway!

Holiday Shopping Guide

To Shop or Not to Shop?

That is quite the question.

Ya know, I wasn't going to go shopping this weekend, especially today, but I did. I woke up this morning with a sore throat and no coffee or tea, so I decided to leave the house. Before I got my 99 cent EXTRA LARGE Pumpkin coffee from Dunkin Donuts (how awesome is that?), I went to the mall. My demise..?

No way!

 I got 2 pairs of skinny jeans for $10 each at JC Penney!

JC Penney is really stepping up their game; they have some cute things in there.

I also got a cute sheer black shirt. 

And that was my Black Friday.

 

Her:

•  Striped Infinity Scarf, Jersey Knit -- $26.50 ElizaAndRo
•  Peony Petal Beaded Earrings -- $81.79  BlackMarketJewels
•  Merona Green Ostrich Clutch -- $20.69 Target

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Him:

• 16GB Apple iPad Mini -- $329.00 at Apple, $329.99 at Best Buy
• Hero3: Black Edition Surf (Waterproof GoPro!!) -- $399.99 at GoPro
•  Joseph Abboud Leather Computer Bag -- $126 (Black Friday), $180 original at JC Penney
  

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Teens:

• 16GB Apple iPod Nano - $149 at Target, $149 at Wal Mart, $138 at Apple
• Gold Tube Bracelet with Blue Cotton Cord  -- $8.60 LeiniJewelry

•  Halo 4 for Xbox -- $59.99 at Target, $59.99 at Best Buy
• La Mer Coral Triple-Wrap Watch -- $39.99 at $39.99 at Target

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Kids/Toddlers/Infants:

• Easy Bake Ultimate Oven - $38.00 at Target, $49.99 at Toys R Us, $38.00 at Wal Mart 

• Hot Wheels Terrain Twister R/C Vehicle -$79.99 at Target, $99.99 at Toys R Us,  $69.87 at Wal Mart

• LeapFrog LeapPad2 Explorer Learning Tablet - $99.99 at Target, $99.99 at Toys R Us, $99.00 at Wal Mart 

• Jake & the Neverland Pirates Musical Pirate Ship, Bucky - $38.99 at Target, $44.99 at Toys R Us, $38.89 at Wal Mart

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 For the Home:

•  Silver Oval Serving Tray Chalkboard Tray -- (Picture 1) $22 ReWorkedTreasures
•  Metal Tree Card Holder -- (Picture 2) $15 Rinnovato
•  Wedding & Anniversary Wooden Sign/Plaque -- (Picture 3) $29.45 ArkwoodUK
• Threshold Crushed Bamboo Candle Holders -- (Picture 4)  $24.99 Target 
• Threshold Windham Accent Storage Cabinet -- (Picture 5) $130 at Target

❄Happy Shopping❄

Don't forget to enter my Happy Holidays Giveaway!

Salt Dough Tutorial // Giveaway Preview

I've got the holiday itch. I want to start decorating for Christmas but I must wait until Saturday. I think I want to start decorating so early because Olivia is making Christmas exciting again. That's a pretty good reason to be early, ya?

However, instead of full on decorating, I decided to give Olivia and myself a few fun pre-holiday craft projects.

Yesterday's project was Salt Dough Ornaments.

You will need:

2 cups flour

1cup salt

1 cup warm water

A bit of extra flour to roll dough on

*This dough can be saved for a few days in the fridge*

Heat oven to 200 degrees Fahrenheit.

Mix the dry ingredients together. Once mixed, slowly add the water while stirring. Lightly whisk the mixture until a soft, non sticky, dough forms.

Now it's time to knead! Knead the dough for 3-5 minutes then roll it out on a clean, lightly floured surface. Grab your favorite cookie cutters or shot glasses (makes cute little circles) and cut out your desired number of shapes. Put your dough ornaments on a nonstick baking pan, or a pan covered with parchment paper and bake for 100-135 minutes (time depends on thickness of dough) at 200 degrees Fahrenheit. Cooking the ornaments a bit longer will give them a light tan color/rustic look.

**Don't forget to cut a small hole for ribbon or an ornament hook BEFORE baking, straws work really well for this**

Once the ornaments have cooled it's time to paint.

We used watercolors, but acrylics work really well, too.

 

☆★☆★☆★☆★☆★☆★☆★☆★☆★☆★☆★☆★☆★☆★☆★☆

GIVEAWAY PREVIEW

 The giveaway begins tonight at Midnight EST.

One winner will receive a 2oz Organic Honey Cocoa (Beeswax and Cocoa Butter) Lotion Bar, a 2oz Natural Coffee Scrub, and a Vanilla Lip Butter tube ~ valued at $13.50

Contest is open to US and Canada residents.

Holiday Prepping & Things to Come

It's that time again.

I heard Christmas music on the radio, blah.

However, this means that it's time for egg nog, winter hats, sparkly lights, hot cocoa, family gatherings, holiday treats, and snow. 

I can't wait to make new traditions this year with my little family.  Olivia is older and can finally join in on all of the holiday fun. There's something about little kids and holidays, they make them feel magical again.

I have a lot planned for the upcoming season; things that I can't wait to share with all of my readers.

Things to look forward to:

(including a Giveaway!)

Salt Dough / Handmade Ornaments Tutorial

Amazingly Delicious Cookie and Pie Recipes

An Ultimate Shopping Guide

 A Giveaway featuring items from my Etsy Shop

'Coffee Time #1' by LittleWoodyDuck

COFFEE SCOOP Qualit... Beadz2Pleaz $49.99	Knitted mug cozy, t... shumshu $10.90	Coffee Stained Natu... PattisAnnex $18.00	Coffee Jewelry - Co... BeautifulByCha... $9.00
BOGO SALE, Food ph... Raceytay $15.00	Live Edge Walnut Ca... brandmojointer... $700.00	Natural Coffee Soa... SummerfieldSoa... $5.50	Coffee Art Print MacGregorArt $25.00
Natural Vegan Coffe... StellaKenton $14.00	Crochet coasters, S... DecoZoneStudio $22.00	Coffee Heart Orname... YanArt $45.00	Little Moons - Croc... Febystan $17.00
Vintage Brass Sugar... VirginiaVintag... $18.00	Cross stitch patter... CrossStitchFor... $4.00	Quilted Zipper Pouc... EweniqueEssent... $12.00	Ice Cream Cozy Pint... AllThingsGrann... $15.00

Treasury tool supported by the dog house