DIY: Great Skin for the Big Day

EASY STEPS TO MAKE YOUR SKIN GLOW ON A BUDGET

You will probably be the subject of more photos and looked at more lovingly on your wedding day than ever before. Why not a few steps to look as radiant as possible?

It is so easy to make your skin look impeccable, soft and smooth with just a few simple ingredients that you have on hand or and don't cost a fortune.

Microdermabrasion is wonderful, but it can cost a couple hundred dollars or more, depending where you live. Same goes for facials but, who cares about that! You can achieve great results even if you don't want to pay for it.

Here is our little guide to getting great skin!

STEP ONE:  Amlactin

Wonderful all over body cream that smooths skin, evens tone and fades blotches.  I love it for my legs mixed with a little Sublime Bronze by L'Oreal.

http://amlactin.com/product/amlactin-moisturizing-body-lotion 

L'Oreal Sublime Bronze


STEP TWO: Fish Oil Capsules

A steady dose of these pills a month or two out from the event can give your skin a beautiful, healthy glow.


STEP THREE: Bi-weekly Honey Masks


This is so effective for a bunch of reasons: It has an astringent quality that clears up skin, tightens pores and just gives your whole complexion and clean, clear glow. I have even witnessed it clear up acne in some cases.

Seriously, just plain everyday honey, about a tablespoon or two put directly on your skin (avoiding eyes, of course) produces amazing results. Leave the honey on your face for 20-30 minutes, rinse off with warm water and a wash cloth.

The honey will not dry out so it will stay sticky the whole time.  You have to be kind of careful or you can get it in your hair, etc.  However, the sweet taste is a bonus and it washes out of everything easily with staining.

STEP FOUR: Weekly Egg White Masks

Just the egg whites, right on your skin, (again, avoid the eyes) and let it dry until you can't stand it - probably about 30 minutes until it is totally dry.  For real, it will tighten up and make you look really creepy!

After it dries, wash it off with warm water and a wash cloth.  Again, it will tighten your pores and make your skin wonderfully clean and clear.

STEP FIVE: Water, Water, Water

You had to know I was going to mention this one.  It will be one of the best and cheapest ways to get that plump, soft, youthful skin.

Whatever you have to do to get at least 64oz. per day will do you good! 

My personal tip is drinking really cold water out of a huge cup with a straw. It seems to go down so much faster and taste better.  Also, I often mix it with fresh lemon juice for it's purifying properties and the taste or a packet of Emergen-C.  Or sometimes, if I am feeling totally wild, I will use BOTH!

Anyway, it really makes a huge difference, so drink up!

STEP FIVE: Sleep

Again, are you surprised? But, this may be the hardest thing to work in during the last weeks before your wedding.  That is why it is extra important to plan accordingly ahead of time.  My best advice to getting good sleep before your wedding?  DON'T TAKE ON TOO MANY EXTRA PROJECTS!

Trust me, it is more important that you are well rested and unstressed than getting those 1000 paper flowers cut out of silk.

You know what I mean, those little projects that I have heard brides say "I'll just do it myself a few days before the wedding." Nooooo!!! Don't do it. It's just not worth it. Skip it, buy it, delegate it or something!

Get your rest. It will make you feel and look better!

STEP FIVE: Curb the Smoking and Drinking

Another side effect of stress and taking on too much is the desire to drink and smoke if you are prone to that.  Yet another reason to keep your projects at a minimum and your rest and relaxation level as top priority.  Drinking and smoking do so much to damage, dry and discolor your to your skin, not to mention what it does to your hair!

A little here and there is ok, but realize that if you over-indulge, it will show.

STEP SIX: Apple Cider Vinegar in Water

If you can stand it, (and really it's not as bad as it may sound) try drinking a glass of water with a splash of cider vinegar in it.  Usually about a tablespoon or two in an 8oz. glass will be good. This concoction has astringent qualities that will brighten up the whites of your eyes! 

There are many other health benefits of apple cider vinegar! (Too many to get into in this post.)  Check out this very informative post about the raw apple cider vinegar here.



Let's see those glowing faces!

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Easy Dessert Treat for Kids and Adults

 

Sweeten Someone's Day with an Easy Cookie and Ice Cream Message Dessert

Thanks again to Trader Joe's for making alphabet cookies because they make this little treat possible!

I got my hands on some caramel swirl ice cream and used my TJ's cinnamon flavored alphabet cookies to make a little dessert treat for a sweet friend who had a rough day. 

Just when you thought this terrific treat couldn't get any better:

The caramel ice cream is that awesome Edy's Slow Churned variety that is a shockingly low 2g of fat per 1/2C serving!! Those cookies are equally low sugar and low fat, so when serving it to kids or those watching their weight, they will be even MORE appreciative of this totally adorable and guilt free dessert.

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DIY: Valentine's Day Quick Gifts - Part One

Show folks you love them with decorated cookies...

Here is a quick (and cheap) thing to do when time is short and you want to do something that feels special and genuine for your loved ones.

In fact, no one says you even have to make the cookies form scratch!  You can just buy the Pilsbury pre-made sugar cookies in a roll and do the same thing!

This works just as well for family and kids as well as a romantic gift. I think most guys like to have something baked for them... reminds them of mom, maybe? But it's also pretty great for guys to do the same for their girls! If I was given homemade cookies from my boyfriend or husband, I would be really touched and thoroughly impressed.

What is important here is baking them and decorating them.  

My kid, who is 2 did most of these decorations so skill level is not a huge issue here.

We bought some great robot valentines at Dollar General for $1.00!

They are good quality and a great design WITH robot stickers included. As a  side note, let me just tell you how wonderful Dollar General is for holiday and seasonal items. Whomever is working in the creative department at Dolgen Corp. is doing a bang up job.  

That little "Be My Valentine" banner in the background was also $1.00! 

 

I just filled out the To: and From: on the little valentines - no big love note required.

We bagged them up in little cellophane bags with some ribbon. (I got the cellophane bags at WalMart a while ago, but they are easy to locate at party stores and drug stores)   

 

Since we were making "friend" gifts, we hand delivered them to some of our favorite people around town a few days before Valentines.  It was a really fun experience!

If you are making them for a romantic gift, think about hand delivering them to your sweetie's job or leave them on their doorstep on Valentines day...(But only go to the person's house or job if you think they would be cool with that. Don't be a stalker! Even if you show up with cookies, that could be kind of weird.)

Happy Hearts Day!

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DIY: Valentine's Day Quick Gifts - Part Two

Clever, Inexpensive and Super Easy! Hidden Hearts - for Valentines Day and Beyond.

This has been my favorite go-to Valentines "gift" for years!  It's so easy and so sweet. It amounts to three steps.  

1: Cut hearts out of any paper you like. 

(You can buy special paper or use an assortment of whatever you find around they house; construction paper, wrapping paper, book pages, magazine pages, newspaper inserts with pretty fruit, even the inside of business window envelopes often have really cool patterns inside.)

2: Write a sweet note on each heart. 

Simple or complex. Romantic or platonic. Just a little "hi" on a heart.

3: Hide them where the person will find them... eventually. 

Of course, it's nice to hide 10 or 15 that they will find on Valentine's day, but it's nice to hide them in unusual and rarely visited spots that they will find 6 months down the road.

** The only catch is that the recipient should be someone that you know fairly well and have easy, LEGAL access to their belongings and that won't be weirded-out by you putting something in their underwear drawer. Right? Right.

I would love to hear where you decide to hide your hearts!  Let me know if you try this one and tell me how it went...It's always been a winner for me.  You?

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