Archive for July 2013

Home Archive for July 2013

I did a post on this a couple years ago (on a different blog) using a recipe I found online. I loved all the comments because it made me really think about what was in the scrub that wasn't good for my skin and what I could use that would be better. And now I'm passing this new, revamped, better-for-you recipe on to you! :)

I've got this amazing facial scrub down to a science now! I call it my "Wake Up Before Makeup Scrub" because I use it in the morning before I put on any makeup. When I make it as a gift, I call it Peppermint Scrub because it's the strongest smell that comes from all the oils I add. Ingredient and Suppy List This recipe makes about one small jar as pictured. It lasts about one month, depending on how often you use it and the amount you use. 1. 1 cup Sugar 2. 1/3 cup of Coconut Oil 3. Peppermint, Lavender, and Melaleuca(Tea Tree) Essential Oils. About 2 drops of each, but you can play around with them a bit. 4. 2-3 Tablespoons of Vitamin E. You can use more or less for your desired consistency. If you can't find a small bottle in a local store, try the vitamin E Capsules and break them open and squeeze out the oil into your scrub. A little more work but it will work the same, especially if you have it already on hand! 5. Optional Food Coloring. The food coloring does not dye your skin and can be a fun umph if this is a gift for a friend! Add only one drop at a time until you have your desired color. A little goes a long way. 6. A mixing bowl 7. Small Jar with a lid - I got mine from Wal-Mart!! You can also find them at Target and most craft stores. I've even seen them at Ross. If you're worried about the glass breaking use a plastic container instead. First make sure that your jar, container, and mixing bowl are completely dry. You want to be extremely careful not to get any water into your scrub. It will make it go rancid too early. Mix together your sugar, coconut oil, and drops of Essential Oils. Sometimes I put 3 drops of peppermint and only one of both the Lavender and Melaleuca oils. After they are all mixed thoroughly start adding your Vitamin E. I would start with 2-3 Tablespoons. From there it depends on the consistency you prefer your scrub to be! Mix well. Keep this scrub at room temperature and start using it right away! Vitamin E is a natural preservative so you can keep this scrub stored at room temperature. This quantity should be used within about one month. I give an expiration for this because anything that has the risk of getting water in it has the potential for mold growth. You're safe for a month! If you are really worried and want to add an extra preservative, I've read that Liquid Germall Plus is effective. I have never used a preservative in my scrubs because I use them quick enough and keep them on my vanity away from the bathtub and shower. Yayness for finally answering all the questions from my old blog post! Enjoy! :) Where I Party:
Someday Crafts, No Minimalist Here, Sew Much Crafting, I Gotta Create, Seven Alive, Live Laugh Rowe, The Shabby Creek Cottage, Ginger Snap Crafts, Trendy Treehouse, Sew Much Ado, The DIY Dreamer, If It's Not Baroque, Hickory Trail, My Turn For Us, Funky Junk Interiors, Create, Craft, Love, Simply Dream & Create, Suburbs Mama, Raising Memories, Classy Clutter, I Should Be Mopping, Under the Table and Dreaming, Keeping It Simple, Piggy In Polka Dots, Homemaker on a Dime, Alderberry Hill, C.R.A.F.T., Sew Can Do, Crafting My Way to Success, A Peek into My Paradise, Create With Joy, Natasha in Oz, The Gunny Sack, Better With Age, Crafty Confessions, Elizabeth & Co., Katherine's Corner, Lamberts Lately, Uncommon Designs,

Just before I turned 27, I visited the ocean for the first time. Lucky for me, it happened to be in my new home, Hawaii. I felt incredibly drawn to it. The ocean called to me, and in it, I felt home. A piece of my soul was found and I knew I never wanted to leave.

On my second ever trip to the ocean, I braved surfing for the first time. I tried it without any knowledge and without a professional surfing lesson. Knowing nothing about the ocean, before learning the respect it deserves (and almost drowning months later), I failed at surfing miserably. I felt like such a wimp. I was saying to myself what I've heard over and over again from others, and that is, "I'm pretty athletic. It shouldn't be too hard." But surfing was different from anything I'd ever done before...even knee boarding. And after two kids and a few donuts later, I realized I'm not in the shape I used to be! Ha! ;)

Later, on one of my vision boards, I put a picture similar to the one you see below of a girl "duck diving" while surfing. When I pasted the picture onto the cardboard and looked at it in comparison to all of my other goals around it, I honestly thought it would be last on this particular board to achieve. Funny enough, this surfing goal of mine, which was to simply 'get up' on a wave, happened first!

This past June, my Mother-in-Law was in town. I wanted to take my hubby down to Waikiki for Father's Day weekend and get him a surf lesson. To my surprise, he penciled me in to go with him. It was perfect having grandma there to watch the boys at the beach while we went surfing.

We had one surf instructor for the two of us at first. After he gave us instruction on the beach, we paddled out. It was nice to have someone able to immediately tell me I was laying on my board wrong. THAT'S why I can't get my balance! Anywho, I was soooo tired after paddling all the way out to the big enough waves. Surfing is the best workout ever! Our instructor turned us around and we were off.

Catching the first wave and standing up for the first time was such a rush. I got up so fast that I really thought I did something wrong. When I told the instructor that I was shocked I was strong enough to get up, he said it's my adrenaline kicking in. Five waves later and standing up on all of them, he was so right! Each time a wave came and I paddled for it, I could do anything. I popped up each time on top of my board with so much ease and strength. It was so fun and a little over an hour of surfing passed quickly.

When we were headed back to the beach I caught a good wave and didn't stand up. Instead I did kind of a little mermaid pose....you know...like this one below. Actually exactly like it...my face and everything!

And as I was riding in, a turtle popped its head out of the water right next to me to kind of say, "That was some wicked surfing!" Haha! I had seen another one earlier waiting for a wave, but this one was kind of special.

Everyone should try surfing. Especially if you visit Hawaii. Don't pass it up and definitely book your lessons early so you already have it on your to do list! Have a great Friday everyone!! :)