Feels like summer

The temps are heating up and the humidity is increasing. It definitely feels like summer around here, especially yesterday, when my latest Eco Emi arrived in the mail. The summer-themed box was one of the best I've received so far.


As usual, Hayden and I made our unboxing video, right before heading out for her dance class. She has dance pictures today and a crazy recital week (rehearsals and two performances) coming up soon.

Anyway, in case you missed it, here's what we got in this month's box:

Assorted Nail Polish by Suncoat Girl: Hayden and I are definitely girlie girls, who enjoy a pretty mani-pedi every once and a while. We love the fact that this kid-friendly nail polish is water-based and odor-free. We received a pale orange color (Delicious Peach), perfect for summer and my warm skin tone (it looks like a soft nude shimmer on my nails). It glides on evenly and is easy to apply. I just wished it dried a bit faster on Hayden's nails (she's a bit impatient sometimes). However, it's so simple to remove; just soak your nails in warm water and peel away the polish (seriously, it works; Hayden and I tried it).

Vegan Assorted Natural Mascara by Suncoat: I'm so happy this mascara came in this month's box. Mascara is probably my "desert island" makeup product. You can barely see my lashes without it. However, this particular mascara has Hayden's name written on it this time (although I may have to purchase one of my own). It is natural, sugar-based, vegan and "kind to sensitive eyes." I finally have a mascara I can use on Hayden for her dance pictures tonight, as well as her recital (makeup is required, including black mascara). Although this mascara is not waterproof (no tears baby girl), it should resist smudging.

Mongo Kiss Honey Vanilla Lip Balm by Eco Lips: In our video, I failed to mention that this lip balm is made by Eco Lips. It amazes me how many varieties of lip balms they make, especially since I seem to love them all. This one is no exception. It smells lovely and is a nice chunky size for little hands to grip (Hayden is a big fan of natural lip balms). It's cruelty-free, GMO-free, gluten-free, USDA organic, fair trade certified, manufactured with 100% renewable energy, and the tubes and caps are made out of recycled materials.

Pink Champagne Powder Eyeshadow by Lauren Brooke Cosmetiques: Now you know I'm a big fan of all the Lauren Brooke Cosmetiques I have received in past Eco Emi boxes. This pink champagne color gives a rosy glow for summer and is just right for daytime wear. The best part is that it doesn't irritate my sensitive eyes. Hayden even tested it out. Oh, and did I mention it came in a full-size container?

AquaSport SPF 30 Sunscreen by All Terrain: In the summer, I gotta have my sunscreen. This one looks like it can handle a day at the beach or even the pool. It claims to be non-greasy, both water and sweat resistant, and the best part, won't cause eye sting. Hallelujah! ("Hallelujah, I Love Her So" just happens to be Hayden's dance recital song, if you were wondering). I can't wait to try it at Hayden's end-of-the-year preschool picnic this week.

Herbal Armor Insect Repellent by All Terrain: There are a lot of mosquitoes where we live, which reminds me of one of Hayden's current favorite flicks, "Lilo and Stitch" (Did you know aliens sent mosquitoes to Earth, because they are an endangered species that need humans to feed? Did I also mention this information is from an animated Disney film? Ha ha). Anyway, this insect repellent will be appreciated while watching the fireworks this summer. The mosquitoes certainly come out to feast then.

Pomegranate Bars by Athena Bars: This is the third Athena bar to come in an Eco Emi box (the other two were blueberry and pumpkin spice). Each bar contains two servings of fruits and veggies, 40 antioxidants, 10 grams of protein and also probiotics. Since I opt for vegan or "bee-gan" bars, I haven't sampled these for myself, but I hear they are really good.

Assorted Lotion and Hair Care Items by Beauty Without Cruelty: This company is vegetarian, natural, and of course, cruelty-free. I received their Rosemary Mint Tea Tree Conditioner, which is exactly what I wanted. I always seem to get samples of shampoo, but rarely any conditioner. This one is clarifying, yet moisturizing, and adds body to my fine hair. I think I could get away with using it without shampoo.

Seaweed Powder Bath with Hawaiian Kukui Oil in Lavender Scent by The Seaweed Bath Co.: I have to thank Eco Emi for introducing me to The Seaweed Bath Co. products. I highly recommend the shampoos and conditioners. They are a bit pricey, but they do wonders for my hair. I also like the powder baths, although my sister thought she smelled like she had bathed in the sea after using it. Maybe she'd prefer this lavender-scented one.

Anyway, that's what was in this month's box. Now we need to come up with a follow-up DIY. Have a lovely day!   

Having a Happy Mother's Day!

Happy Mother's Day! Hope you are having a good one. I sure am.

My hubby and kids presented me with these lovely flowers, along with some sexy heels I had been wanting and my favorite Endangered Species Chocolate. For a moment, I thought it was Valentine's Day again. It's nice to be loved.

Hayden also gave me a gift she made in her preschool class. I remember the days when Jacob would do the same. I can't believe Hayden is old enough now to be creating something special for me without my help (although I'm sure her teacher did some of it; thank you Ms. Penny). I just love the adorable way this work of art incorporates her tiny little fingerprints. There's no doubt they are hers.

As usual, I crafted some gifts for my mom (Nana) and grandmother (Granny). In a past post, I asked for advice, while making a piece of jewelry for my mom (her most requested gift from me). Here is the finished bracelet, using both the chain and the pink ribbon to jazz it up a bit. Thank you Jocelyn for your input. I think she'll really like it, along with some J.R. Watkins products I got her (her family is from Minnesota, near the J.R. Watkins company) and nail care stuff.

Also from that past post, Hayden and I decided to give Granny the flower we made as part of our latest Eco Emi DIY. She's the one that taught me to upcycle. Can you believe she's been saving odds and ends others perceive as trash for years and transforming them into new treasures? I wrote a note to her (she is a huge fan of handwritten notes) about how much I appreciate her teaching us this concept and showing everyone how to see the beauty in all things.

I actually got to see Granny at my cousin Holly's baby shower yesterday. Here she is checking out some photos with my mom (her daughter). I thought it was a sweet moment worth sharing.

They may have been looking at a photo of my mom with me and my sisters (Lori and April). It was nice to get a pic of all of us together.

I'll be seeing Lori and my mom at Sunday dinner tonight (April, you will be missed). I'm anxious to have some of the kale salad my mom tossed together before bed last night (so it could marinate and she wouldn't have to make it on Mother's Day). I had sent her this yummy Tone It Up recipe for her to try, but she decided to go more tropical and make one with mango. Yum!

It reminds me of the kale salad I made in this past post, when Hayden was just a baby (for those of you reading my blog for the first time, the pic below is of Hayden in that old post; she has grown quite a bit since then). I might have to make it this week. So good.

 Happy Mother's Day! :-)     

     

May the 4th be with you

Some of you may be looking forward to Cinco de Mayo tomorrow, but my kids are more excited about the 4th of May, also known as Star Wars Day. May the 4th be with you. Get it? "Fourth" sounds like "force."

Anyway, I thought it would be fun to link to another blast from the past post, in case you are celebrating, too. These Rawdorable Star Wars cupcakes have been a big hit in my house, and I hope they will be in yours, as well. May the 4th be with you!

Oh, and don't forget to check out the mother and daughter crafts from my last post. Mother's Day will be here soon.

Mother & Daughter Day Projects

My last post was an Eco Emi unboxing, so it's no surprise that today is my usual follow-up DIY post (here's my last Eco Emi DIY post with links to the others, as well). I had planned on making it a Mother's Day gift-themed project, but based on the color scheme and sparkling gold paper confetti shreds, I knew I had to include Hayden in this one. It just had her written all over it.

Hayden obviously thought the same thing as she climbed onto the table and dug into our materials from this month's box. Look at her ready to make a masterpiece of her own. She's such a good little helper, who loves to craft like her mama.

Here's what we had to work with this time: those pale yellow and sparkling gold paper confetti shreds I already mentioned, a pastel pink silky fabric pouch, light green tissue paper and a gift box tied shut with a piece of elastic string.

Hayden couldn't wait to do something with those sparkling gold paper confetti shreds, so we started with a DIY for her. All we needed were the shreds and the piece of elastic string.

We tied the elastic string to create a hair tie. Then, we cut off the excess, saving the rest of the elastic string for future projects (maybe a beaded charm bracelet for Hayden).

Next, we gathered groups of three shreds (two pale yellow and one gold per group of three).

We folded the first group of three paper confetti shreds in half and looped it onto the hair tie.

We continued to attach more groups of three shreds until about half of the hair tie was covered (okay, so maybe I did the attaching, but Hayden helped count out the groups of three shreds). We didn't cover the whole hair tie, because the other half would be used to wrap around Hayden's ponytail a second time when worn, as you'll see at the end of this post.

Once Hayden was happy with her project, we moved on to something you can make for mom. Hayden keeps reminding me how the April showers bring the May flowers, so we decided to make a flower, using the pastel pink fabric pouch. We started by removing the ribbons, which we saved for another project.

Next, I deconstructed the fabric pouch. Don't worry about all the fraying, as you'll hide it while creating your flower.

I folded the fabric lengthwise in thirds to help hide the fraying and to make it the perfect size for forming a flower. I opted to use some gold duck tape (I always have decorative duck tape on hand) to attach it to a pencil "stem" (I used a pencil that was missing an eraser, since it would be hidden anyway).

This is when it gets a little difficult to follow and explain. I just kept folding, taping and shaping the fabric until I created a flower. Here are some step-by-step pics to give you a better idea of what I did:

Once the fabric flower was finished, I decided to add some tissue paper leaves. I folded a square of light green tissue paper in half diagonally to make a triangle. I, then, formed the triangle into three leaves and attached them to the base of the flower with more duck tape.

I also added some sparkling gold confetti shreds to the base of the flower for fun. Hayden thought it looked pretty. Here she is holding the finished flower, while wearing the hair tie, too.

Ha ha. She even pretended to smell it :-)

As for the gift box, I still plan on using it for Mother's Day and I encourage you to do the same. Handmade gifts make the best Mother's Day presents, in my opinion. For example, my mom tends to hint for handmade jewelry, so of course, I have a piece in the works for her right now to give to her in the box (hopefully she's not reading this). I used gold wire to spell out "Nana" (that's what the kids call her). I would do the same thing with paper clips to create personalized jewelry in my youth, but I thought this was nicer. I just need to decide if it's going to be a necklace or a bracelet, and if I want to use the links from this past project or the pink ribbon from today's DIY. What do you think?

Thanks in advance for any suggestions left in the comment section. Have a wonderful weekend!      
 

Happy birthday to me

Well, today is my birthday, so I was extra excited to receive my April 2013 Eco Emi box in the mail yesterday. Actually, it's a nice gift to myself every month.

Hayden was anxious to check out what was inside and film it, as usual, too. "Mommy, let's do a video," she said, although I was unsure I'd be able to post it. I've been having computer issues lately, but lucky for you, my son was kind enough to lend me his laptop for this post.


Here's our video from yesterday and a list of what was inside this month's box with our thoughts on each product. Enjoy!

OluvCare by OluvSkin: I really enjoyed the bar soap from this brand that I received in last year's February Eco Emi box, so I had a hunch I'd like this, too. It looks like solid olive oil (it actually contains 100% extra virgin olive oil) that melts into your skin with the warmth of your touch. It's a multi-purpose salve that can be used on dry skin, cuticles, cuts, burns, diaper rash, etc.

Moisturizing Hair Milk by Shea Radiance: Don't be fooled by the word "milk," as this product is listed as vegan. Hayden had fun spritzing it in my hair, as I did using it to tackle her tangled curls. Our locks were soft and ready to for a rainy day. We got poured on going to her dance class that evening, but we remained "unfrizzed" and smelling sweet (the delightful scent seems to become stronger when wet).

Unscented Deodorant Towelettes by Crystal Essence: I was first introduced to these natural deodorant wipes in another Eco Emi box and I've continued to use them. They are just right for when the temperatures heat up and you need a little freshening up. I carry them in my purse for "emergencies."

Dead Sea Mud Mask by Rainwater Botanicals: Hayden was a bit turned off by the gray mud, although she loves making mud pies. I, on the other hand, have been a fan of mud masks for years. They are so detoxifying to the skin. I think I'll use this one today. Oh, and for those of you who may be wondering, I really enjoyed this company's pumpkin mask from my November Eco Emi box.

Dahlia Creme Eye Shadow by Lauren Brooke Cosmetiques: I've been loving Lauren Brooke Cosmetiques since I received that eyeliner in my very first Eco Emi box. This eye shadow pairs perfectly with it and my aging eyes. Now that I'm older (I'm 37, as of today), I tend to prefer creamy makeup versus a powder, which can settle into fine lines (yes, a have a few of those). This subtle pink glides on like a cream, sets like a powder and gives a light rosy glow, that only you'll know you're wearing it.

Organic Hemp Shine Lipstick by Colorganics: Hayden claimed this right away. It is a moisturizing lip shine that can be worn alone or over lipstick. Hayden especially likes the fact that it is shaped like a lipstick, rather than a classic lip balm. P.S. They come in other hues, too ;-)

Organic Gluten-free Guacamole Dip by Simply Organic: At first, I was excited to find a guacamole mix in this month's box. I mean, who doesn't love guacamole? However, guacamole is so easy to make that I've never needed a mix. I was also surprised to see it contains dairy. I, personally, don't make guacamole with dairy, but for those of you who do, you might want to check out this mix.

Comforting Geranium Mineral Bath Salts by Aura Cacia: This has my name written all over it. I can't wait to take a relaxing aromatherapy bath. This one has geranium, lavender and rose. Since my kids are off from school (I'm not sure way schools are closed around here today) and my hubby took off work to be with us, I'm going to take advantage of him being here and take that bath now. Happy birthday to me!

Have a lovely day!      

An upcycled Earth Day gift to the birds

My son's teacher tends to be a bit spontaneous, which keeps her classroom fun. For example, I attended Parent Observation Day this year. She surprised all the adults by having us put on a play for the students with only minutes to prepare. It was quite entertaining.

Anyway, just yesterday, she gave the class a homework assignment to make an upcycled, yet weather-resistant, bird house out of items found around the house. It's due tomorrow to be displayed at a green expo for Earth Day. Here's what Jacob came up with in a pinch.

Basically, it's just a plastic snack container (this one was originally filled with almonds) with a large hole drilled into the front for a "door," a smaller hole drilled beneath the "door" to hold a stick perch and two more holes positioned on either side of the top for attaching an old wire to hang it. Jacob opted to paint the container, leaving just a bit unpainted near the top to act as a skylight.

It was just luck that all the colors coordinated and blended so nicely with the scenery. I hope his teacher likes it. I'm sure any minimalist bird would (Jacob said that although his classmates were planning more elaborate designs, he thought most birds would prefer something simple like this).

Happy early Earth Day everyone! :-) 

*****

BTW, there are a lot of special offers going on in honor of Earth Day. For example, I recently ordered some items from Josie Maran and received a free gift with my purchase (I got a mini mascara). From what I understand, the offer is valid through Earth Day (Monday, April 22), while supplies last.

To-Go-Ware is offering 20% off with the code EARTHDAY20 today through April 30th.

One Lucky Duck is offering 10% off items from their glow section though Friday, April 19th (tomorrow), with the code GLOWSAFE10 (I'm a big fan of many of the items in the glow section, including 100% Pure, RMS Beauty, Sprout, Priti Polish, Simply Divine Botanicals and more).

NaturalZing is offering $6.99 flat-rate shipping on all orders (orders over $99 receive free shipping) this weekend (ends Monday, April 22) and will toss in either a free package of white milled chia seeds (mention FREEWHCHIA) or 4 oz. red maca (mention FREEMACARED), while supplies last. 

Just so you know, no one asked me to post these offers. I just decided to share them as they popped up in my e-mail. Enjoy!