Going green?? No...saving $$ and crap on my skin?? YES!!!

Since I have discovered a love of Pinterest, a wonderful online pin board type thing, I have discovered this whole world of natural beauty products that I didn't know existed!  I have always been really into skin and hair care and was always on the lookout for the best products to make my skin and hair perfect.  Well needless to say, that product just doesn't exist.  Then a while back I read a book about being a normal everyday girl going green, I can't remember what it was called, but it was something like Green Diva or goodess or something.   Anyway, I didn't want to be nor am I even close to being a hippie, but I figured we should take care of this earth, and like Gandhi says "Be the change you want to see" so it starts with me.  Well after a while I realized I didn't want to take all these steps, they are major life overhauls, but I did start making my own facial moisturizer based on the book's recipe, which I loved!   So fast forward about two years to a few months ago.  I had gone away from my oil moisturizer and started going back to the beauty industry for my miracle cures.  On Pinterest people started pining recipes to make your own beauty stuff; like face and body scrubs, hair masks etc.  Now mind you, I have always been suspicious and hesitant of the beauty industry marketing practice.   They airbrush everything, check out my Pinboard on exactly this, I called it Gilded Lilies for obvious reasons :)  http://pinterest.com/cap92977/gilded-lilies/  
But it really has bothered me, that coupled with the fact that EVERYTHING you put on your skin goes into your bloodstream (a scary fact!!!) AND realizing that all this crap on the market is just that....CRAP!  Really!  I still see the same issues, same problems etc.  However, I also have bought into the whole notion that they have sold us through very effective propaganda that only science works....then all these companies started to realize that natural is selling so they all started using these "sell" words like natural, and organic, however these claims are very loosely regulated!  Real natural ingredients have short shelf lives and don't always have the pretty perfumey smells (actually never!)   So they add fragrance, which is literally toxic for our bodies.  I won't get into all the science because frankly I don't understand it, but I understand it enough to know its no good!  

The first recipe I came across was a recipe for body lotion, touted as the best lotion ever!  It was a mix of vaseline, baby lotion and vitamin E cream; mix it together and viola, best lotion ever....OR NOT!  Its just a mixture of a bunch of crap lotions, not to mention that petroleum jelly isn't the best for your skin.  Then I heard about this new craze of cleaning your face with oil!  Initially I was horrified by this!!  However I decided to read this article and was convinced, then googled it to make sure it was a big arguable debate and I wasn't going to possibly end up with boils and low and behold, nothing but good press!  http://www.simpleorganizedliving.com/2011/02/23/homemade-facewash/   So I use the normal skin mix and started using it.  I used 70% sunflower oil and 30% castor oil.  The first time I used it, thought it was very odd and a bit icky, it doesn't just rinse off, you have to used a nice hot towel and wipe it off, but then you don't need a moisturizer!    I loved it!  My skin issues started to clear up and it felt great!!!  My skin started to look healthy and had a nice glow!  

Then I  found a link to the miracle of coconut oil: http://www.hybridrastamama.com/2012/01/160-uses-for-coconut-oil.html:   I had never heard anything about this before but was interested...  so at the time I had athletes foot and it says it will cure it.  So i decided to try it, and it was gone in two days!!!!  Then I started using it for other things, like I used as a make- up remover and it was perfection!  I was nervous to use it on my face, but then I decided to try it, and let me tell you... I AM HOOKED!  All these things that the beauty industry promised is bull crap, its all lies that can't be substantiated, look at their tests they say 98% experienced this or that when using this product, but if you notice, its verses using NOTHING!  Well duh, you can use any lotion and EVERYONE will feel more moisture!  You could throw water on your skin and it will feel better!  Anyway, I finally found something that delivered!!!  I use it on my hair once a week as a moisturizing mask and it has truly changed my hair.  Its soft and silky, I actually finally can say I like my skin and hair!  No beauty product ever gave me these results (long term!)  I used coconut oil for everything!  I brushed my teeth with it for the first time this morning.  The jury  is still out on this one...since no one is here to smell my breath, though my mouth feels really clean and tastes good!  I did this because of my concern for animal testing and I use Colgate who is owned by Proctor and Gamble who tests on animals.  I have to say no to that!  I am ok with testing on animals for some things like cures for cancers etc, but for beauty products??? NO!  Test it on yourselves, why torture (and they do torture) these poor defenseless animals for our vanity!  It makes me angry.  We have to care about something other then ourselves, so if this is my small step, then its worth it.  We have to protect the defenseless.

Thanks for reading this friends!  I hope you will try some of these!  Take your beauty into your own hands!  What you can get from nature is far better and WAYYYYYY cheaper then anything you can get at a drug store or department store  (which, I might add is where I got all my stuff, I used pricey department store brands)

cooking and stuff....

So many things going on in my life....trying to accomplish things is really difficult.  One of the things I am working on is blogging some of my recipes.  I will say, that I use cook books and the internet for the recipes.  I make them once then I use that as a base and start changing things.  One thing I have learned about cooking....well a few things rather!  Anyone can cook...however being a good cook takes some finesse, practice and education!!!  When I got married in 1999 I didn't even know how to make rice!  Then, years later I had some birthday money burning a hole in my fabulous Hobo wallet (best wallets EVER BTW :)  and decided to go into Williams Sonoma, I had always walked by that store and wanted to go in, so pretty and colorful, but since I didn't cook it was useless...but I decided today to go in!  I bought a bunch of fun cooking stuff and decided to start watching the Food Network, which I did, actually that was all I started watching!   In that time I was just absorbing, learning and understanding food, properties of different foods etc.  Things that would take years to learn by trial and error, if ever!  For example, Williams Sonoma's website has free recipes, you can search for anything and its most likely there!  They are wonderful and easy, always turn out great!  I used it constantly...but I digress.... I found a recipe for brownies on there, there is a part of the recipe that calls for you to add beaten eggs to the hot batter!  Thankfully I had learned how to temper an egg on Food Network. the recipe takes for granted that you would know not to add the eggs straight up as it would obviously scramble...but years prior, I would not have known that at all!!  

I have spent a lot of years being single and not wanting to cook for one, till recently, I decided to pick back up my old love...so I am learning to cook recipes that either store and re-heat well or I can make for one and its still worth it!!!  I will try to get some recipes up, I have some awesome ones!!!!

Some important things for cooking also is having the right tools, so as I come across good stuff I will write about it.  Along with all my home improvement, that is still going on, I just haven't had time to really do anything that would be interesting to blog about :)   School is out in a few weeks for a little break, I will power through some projects that are bound to be a mess, making a great blog!

So back to chef's tools... I have learned that in the kitchen I do not like a bunch of gadgets and crap!  I like a few good quality tools and I like a little old school cooking.  I love chopping and using my amazing knife!  I bought a Shun knife at Williams Sonoma about 8 years ago, it was a brand new knife in their collection, its the Ken Onion chef's knife.  Previously I just had my knives from our wedding that were like $50 for the block.  They were great when I only needed a knife to open a box from time to time, but when I started cooking I needed knives! So the lady at the store said I was better off getting a good chef's knife, a paring knife and a bread knife.   So instead of buying lots of medium priced knifes, I invested in a $200 Shun chef's knife!  I still have it and still get excited every time I pull it out to use it!  There are two types of  people when it comes to using a knife...there are choppers, more of a traditional japans style, going straight down, then there are rockers, those who like to rock and roll their chopping.  The choppers would like the santuko style japansese knife, straight flat blade, here is a beautiful example (http://www.williams-sonoma.com/products/shun-ken-onion-hollow-ground-santoku-knife/?pkey=cknives-shun.)  Where you see hollow ground that is referring to the groves in the knife, it is said to eliminate food sticking to the blade.   The rockers would like more of a western style chef's knife, a curved blade.   Here is a good example of a rocking chef's knife (http://www.williams-sonoma.com/products/shun-reserve-chefs-knife/?pkey=cknives-shun).    I love Shun knifes, I will never use anything else!  I need to try more of their knives, but they are pricey, worth it!  I have had mine 8 years and never had to sharpen it!!! They don't need to be as expensive as this! I just found the coolest ones to put here :)    

Also I use All Clad cookware!  I took a bonus I earned at work and went and bought the set!  It was about $650!  That was about 8 or 9 years ago.  These are items I will have for the rest of my life and will be giving to my daughter some day!  They are hands down the best cookware!!!  They are as beautiful today as they were all that time ago!

Anyway, I am tired, I have so much to say about cooking!  But this will be it for tonight!  

Have a good night!  If anyone reads this and has any questions please leave me a comment :)

New things to say...but really nothing to say...hey I'm a politician!

So I have decided to entertain my one loyal follower (my mom) with new posts on other DIY stuff that I endeavor.  Since I have always liked to do things myself and can sometimes feel like everyone in marketing is lying to me, I like to do all sorts of stuff on my own, like DIY beauty!  I make my own face "wash" oils, body lotions, body exfolients, facial moisturizer, all different types of hair and face masks etc.  I love trying new "recipes" for beauty.  I like the idea of natural beauty, as natural as I can get and stand :) Mind you, I do not mean make-up!!  I love the Sephora store!!  Give me a shopping basket, 1 hour and $100 and I will be so happy, of course with only $100 to spend, I would only need about 10 minutes...but I digress.  So in the near future (i hope) I will blog about other things I am doing, recipes for food, beauty stuff and of course house stuff.  Haven't done much lately as time and money are at a low right now.  Had a great time during Christmas with my parents, they came out here for a few days and my dad put up paneling in my living, dining room and kitchen wall....then my mom and I painted!  It was awesome!  My mom and I also went and did a little shopping for treasures :)   We went to Goodwill where I found a rare blue mason jar, I was beside myself and held it tight as I was sure everyone knew the value of this jar and was about to tackle me (good luck with that! haha); then I found a whole bunch of other stuff that I needed!  My mom, made sure we were pleasantly scented for the trip by breaking a very fabulous bottle of Avon perfume that was about 30 years old!  No one would go near us and all the lovely, elderly ladies commented on how we stunk!  We laughed so hard, I think I tinkled a little....a benefit I have enjoyed as I age.  I don't have any fabulous pictures to post right now as I am laying in bed about to pass out....not even sure this post is coherent...if its not...well sorry about about that.  Read it again tomorrow night, late...might make more sense then.


I have just started back to school full time and it takes much of my time, ssssooooo as much as I love to blog, and I really do love it!  I don't much time to do it, or really anything to blog about, unless you all, meaning my mom who is probably the only one reading this, wants to here the saga that is my life, then I will wait for something titillating to write about...  night all  (mom :)  and mom, since you are my audience, i am changing the font :)  "well thats fantastic"


BUT WAIT! THERES MORE!!!


No not really....not yet

Small projects...BIG GRINS!!!

Since I have moved into my condo I have been busy with my giant 100 pound puppy and completely overwhelmed by all the millions of projects I need to do in my house...not to mention the fact that within each of these project there are two huge issues...A:  MONEY, B: the fact that I don't know how to do anything or even know where to start.  I felt so overwhelmed with just those two things...then know where to start....because as I look at each project that is the project that is most important, of course till I move on. Then there was the whole issue of not being exactly sure what colors and the fine tuning of what I wanted was not complete.  

But, one day, I decided I knew what I wanted to do in my guess bathroom, so I decide to get started.  I painted it this pretty soft aqua color called Watery by Sherwin Williams...BTW....hands down, best paint, great store, awesome staff!!!  Then I found this really cool way to do faux paneling from a Pin on Pinterest (best website ever!!!) and I already had this awesome antique chandelier that my dad bought me, it was spray painted white and had tons of crystals...it was perfect!  The plan in there is to tear out the tub/shower combo and put in a big fabulous bath tub only!  I love taking baths so I am so excited!

So one Saturday I spend taping painting, I am happy with that... then my friend Jason came over and took out the original light fixture and showed me how to hook up my new one!  Then we went to Home Depot and got all the stuff I needed... Like a hook to hang the chandelier on, and some other random type stuff.  My first project was to get out my drill, which I haven't used yet and drill a hole!  I used the guide on the back of the hook to tell me the drill bit size I needed...I was so excited when I just found the drill bit and didn't need help (small victories, am I right??)  then I actually put the drill bit on..anther big grin!

So then I held the light up to see exactly where I wanted to to hang and drilled my first drill hole....

BEFORE:

 AFTER  (sorry its so dark...but its really not exciting)

 Then screwed in the hook!!!  YAY!  This was so exciting for me, so empowering me!

 Next step....hang up the light and hope it doesn't all come crashing down....but it didn't....BIG GRIN!!

 Did all the wiring....this wire nut was a very interesting thing to me...so easy, each wire just went with the matching wire...Jason told me to make sure the light fixture wire went in the nut first, then the wire from the wall or it would all get messed up.  I was so proud of this...but even more proud........

 OF THIS!!! IT WORKED!!!! and it was so pretty all lit up!  I can't wait to hang another light fixture!

Next came the paneling, I had already measured and done a crude, totally uneducated sketch of what I wanted, then I went to Home Depot and bought the wood, to my surprise, I was very difficult to get assistance, I was shocked and very disappointed that I was struggling with all this lumber and no one offered any help to me at all....Home Depot lost big points from me on this day :(   Oh well, who needs those big stinky men anyway, I can do this ALL BY MY SELF!  So I took the wood to the wood cutter dude, and told him the exact cuts I wanted...of course I was adding all the feet of the wood in total and forgot about the waste that was too big, so I needed some help figuring that out...but the kid that was cutting was a butthead and no help at all, I asked him which size I should get and he thought for about  two seconds and then said, well, you can get whichever one you want.... THANKS DIP!  So I sat down and figured it all out again and got the cuts.  I went home and started putting it up....glue and nailed it all by myself!  I felt very proud!  Made an error in some of the measurements by one inch...so two of the boards are two inches too long and two are two inches too short :(   Oh well...easy fix!  


Something else I saw on Pinterest was the Get Naked in the bathroom and loved it, so I bought letters at Michaels and am still working on getting that all figured out...I just taped them up for now.  So here is the picture of the pretty wall color, paneling (that needs to be painted and my chandelier... small projects that brought big grins and a proud feeling to my soul!

adding a puppy to the crazy mix...

So I haven't blogged in a while....there is a reason for that...

.

This is Toby...my "puppy" he is an 8 month old bullmastiff.   For the first time, I am living alone, in my new single story condo.  This makes me nervous...so I decided I wanted a dog to make me feel safe an keep me company.   Toby is a good dog...however, one thing I have learn is that I am very selfish, I have lived alone for a long time and never had to take care of anything.  Toby is a very laid back dog, but he wants to be near me at ALL TIMES!!!!

This is the face I see when I am trying to do anything!  I was trying to do my homework, I look down and here is Toby!

So needless to say...trying to get work down around my new condo and all my projects have taken a backseat until Mr Toby can be just a little more independent!

just need to do a little laundry...oh guess not

Excitedly I bound up to my new stacked washer/dryer to do my first load of laundry in my new pad!  So I put clothes and soap in and press all the buttons...then start AND....nothing happens!  WHAT!!!  So first thing I think is that I have to buy a new washer/dryer!  But first I decide to investigate... so I pull the unit out of the closet....Lesson 1.. Unless you are looking for a rollerskating challenge...never were socks, on linoleum and try to move heavy items...it was like being on wheels!

Anyway, so I get a look behind the unit and low and behold...nothing is hooked up!  My initial reaction was to call someone to come and help me...but it looked simple enough, so I decided I SHOULD be able to do this all by myself! 

So I get it all hooked up....

 

Or so I thought...I turn the washer/dryer back around and proceed to get it all set back up, press the "go" button...again...NOTHING.  Which brings us to LESSON 2....DON'T get it all set up and ready to go, till you KNOW its fixed!

So I pull the unit back out and realize I forgot to turn the water on...DUH!  So I turn both the hot and cold on and they spray everywhere  :(   I work on tightening them, nothing worked.  One thing I do know is that water and electricity make a wonderful combination IF you are looking for a new hair do...something more vertical, not wanting to change my hair, I UNPLUG the unit.   Work on the water a little more and realize, I have to make my first trip to Homedepot!

Off I go to Homedepot, having a pretty good idea that I will just need to buy new hoses, I say NO to everyone that offers me help and decide I want to do it BY MYSELF!  Finally after searching and searching...staring and starting, a nice man offers me some help, so with defeat I accept, as I go on explaining about the thing and thingy that I need to fix, all the while irritated at my own ignorance, he goes on to tell me I probably just need a washer and some teflon tape...$4.00 total!  SWEET! 

I get my stuff and decide that I need some tools and a tool box.  Excitedly I go to the tool box isle thinking, surely I will find something cute for girls there...WRONG!!!! I was terribly disappointed by the total lack of femininity in the tool isle!  Apparently I am the ONLY female that has ever bought a tool box and tools!  I ended up with a red and black tool box with HUSKY written on it :(   So NOT feminine...must we also look like men when we are working on our house?  This disappoints me, however I suck it up and go on about my way.

I get home with my new box of manliness and put the washers in and put the tape on the water hook ups...

I plug it all back in, turn the water on and squeeze out from behind the unit, press the buttons and PRESTO...it works...no squirting water, and everything appears to be working!!!!  I get it all set back up, and start my first load of laundry!

SUCCESS!!!

I am VERY proud!!!  

So here we go...

 So I am 33 (34 this month....but I still have a few weeks at 33...so I am 33)...anyway I digress.  I just bought my first home...its a little 938 square foot, single level town home.  From the minute I walked into it I loved it!!!  It has a cool breezy, beachy look.  In my search for my perfect home I learned that words like "cute" and "quaint" are clever euphemisms for "small"...however, for one single girl like me, small was just right!   

 So I put an offer in and get it and the rest is history....NOT!  Then comes the moving and then comes living in your own home...no landlord, no maintenance team and no one to call to check or fix things...there is you or the alternative...is paying someone or constantly relying on your wonderful male friends.   I decided, its time to be a big girl and do it on my own.  I am sick and tired of having to ask for help and rely on the generosity of my friends.  Besides...this is the year 2011...there is no reason I can't learn how to do everything "they" know how to do!  

My journey is just beginning.  Right now, I am not the DIY darling AT ALL!  I am a student at ASU, I work full time, I teach yoga and self defense/fitness.   I love pink, bows, and sun shiney days and my favorite quote is “A girl should be two things: classy and fabulous.” said by the one and only, Coco Chanel. I love to read, cook and take long walks on the beach....OOPS wrong website  ;)   So you see...I am just an ordinary girl with NO, NONE, ZIP, NADDA, ZERO knowledge on how to do ANYTHING related to home repair or improvements.   

My goal is to become that powerhouse DIY darling in my title, and hopefully do it without blowing up my new house, or killing myself in some electrical fire I have caused because I decided I could re-wire my house by myself. 


I will write about each project I take on...and decide if I should DIY it OR call a professional.  My blog will also include info about tools that I learn about, where I bought them, good deals and all my blunders and success along the way...IF however this blog randomly stops, then you will know I have blown something up, hopefully not myself and have decided to leave it to the pros or my friends.


I have many projects I will be working on... no too much in the way or repairs right now...mostly just improvements and some renovations, and decorating.  However, as I am sure every homeowners knows, shit breaks....and I will fix it and blog it!


I hope other women out there will take up their hammer and tool belt and bear a new burden of becoming POWERHOUSE DIY DARLINGS!!!