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Monday, January 24, 2011

Valentine Day Gift Ideas part 1

This is just a sampling of what I have coming for Valentine's Day.  Actually, these ideas could be used any time of the year when you want someone special to know that you are thinking of them. 

Chocolate Lovers Type  Fusion of lemon, orange, bergamot and mandarin, lily of the valley and coriander emerged with unmistakable notes of sweet chocolate, along with warm vanilla and musk. 
Remember, these are carb free and calorie free.  :) 

Gift boxes of all kinds are being loaded into my shops.  Hyenacart has them all listed together.  My friend made the hang tags for me.  Fragrances to look for or watch for are Sinfully Hot, Victorian Rose, Chocolate Amber, Chocolate Lovers Type and others. 

Another fun thing is every order you also get something for "you".   These cute little 1 oz. heart soaps (colors and fragrances vary) will be included.  Also, because the Packers are going to the Super Bowl double the free samples.  For every $5 spent you'll get one of these cuties instead of every $10.  While supplies last.  No code or coupon needed.

Monday, January 10, 2011

Hair...Some have it, some don't

   I've been growing my hair out for the past 3 years.  This was an interesting article in a newsletter I just got.   Since I make shampoo I'm always looking for ways to enhance it. 

How to grow long hair and keep it healthy
by Carole Somerville

There are around 100,000 strands of hair on the average person’s head. Hair grows at a rate of approximately a half an inch per month.
There is no magic food or ingredient that might help hair grow in an instant. If you have short hair and you are growing it long: be patient! Even so there are ways to enhance your hair growing cycle. Vitamins and minerals, for instance, can help boost your health and keep your hair healthy. Since your hair often reflects your overall health, exercise and taking care of your general well-being will help maximize your hair growing potential.
Tips on how to make your hair grow more healthily:
Watch what you eat: Food that can enhance hair growth include: dark green vegetables, carrots, seafood, dairy foods, cabbage, yogurt, a balanced source of iron such as in liver, poultry, whole grains, egg and fish, bananas as a source of potassium and don’t forget to drink plenty water to wash chemicals and toxins out of your body.
Exercise and Relaxation: Exercise helps improve the circulation which is vital for hair growth. Massaging the scalp with a few drops of Vitamin E oil can also help strengthen fragile or damaged hair.
Cut out smoking, caffeine and alcohol: People who don’t eat healthily but drink excessively are at risk of hair loss. Alcohol affects the liver which is critical for managing the body’s metabolism. Smoking too, has been found to possibly accelerate hair loss.
Herbs that might help hair grow:
There are some herbs that have been found to enhance hair condition. These include Gingko which helps with the circulation which is essential for hair growth; Birch Oil which is thought to help slow down hair loss, Rosemary helps the hair grow shinier and Chamomile can help calm an itchy scalp which could cause hair loss.
Take care of your hair: Minimize anything that might encourage split ends such as hair-dryers, tongs and heating appliances, hair sprays etc. Find a conditioner that suits the condition of your hair and use it regularly. Get your hair trimmed every six to eight weeks to prevent split ends.
Life and Hair Loss:
At times in life, due to health and circumstances, hair can be seen to go through phases and hair loss may for instance be experienced in women after giving birth, people with diabetes or with thyroid health disease. Stress can also cause hair loss.
 How to Add Volume to Hair:
There are many products on the market that promise to add volume to hair: again experiment and choose the best one for you. Whether your hair is short, medium or long a good cut can do a lot to give hair movement and fullness.
No matter how long it takes for your hair to grow, the more effort you put into keeping your hair in good condition, will help keep your hair more manageable as it grows.

Tuesday, January 4, 2011

Forever in Blue Jeans

     Our farm girls love their blue jeans and will wear them until they show too much, if you know what I mean.  Heather, Hannah, Angie and Emily have saved every pair and even though they were full of holes didn't have the heart to toss them.  The idea of a jean quilt was brought up but knew we need the time to make them.  Before winter break we discussed doing them when they'd be home for a few weeks.  We also talked about the weight of these quilts and thought a lap quilt would be the best idea. 
Cutting 6" squares


After laying out a pair of jeans we decided that a 6" square would be the best choice for size.  It used most of the leg plus we were able to use some of the pockets and smaller holes.  I was a little concerned when I cut the very first pair of jeans thinking that these girls were going to turn on the water works remembering when they wore them.  It turns out that the first pair was a hand-me-down from Aimee to Angie and she wore that pair when we dropped Heather off at college her freshman year.  Each of these pairs has/had a story to tell and the girls are quick to tell you.  That's why these quilts mean so much to them. 










Each of the girls took a job when assembling the quilts.  Emily sewed, Heather double checked each of the squares because most of them ended up cut with scissors, Hannah cut apart each group of squares and too over to Angie who was ironing.  Then Hannah took back to Emily the groups of squares.  The girls did most of the work.  I helped for a while just to get a good push.  Within 4 hours they had the tops all put together. 











 Then came the tying...with the weight of the tops we just sandwiched everything and laid them out on the floor.  Again, they each took a job and in no time they were done. 















The quilt(s) before I put the binding on for them.  They chose this funky flannel I had picked up a couple of years ago from JoAnn Fabrics on black Friday. 










Angie and Hannah
Emily and Heather

Our girls with their finished quilts.  Great job girls!!!!  They are already saving squares to make their little sisters quilt too!   Now Emily is trying to figure out how to recycle their barn shoes...I don't think so!!!!

These quilts took 1.5 yards for each of the backs and roughly .5 yards for each of the bindings.  I used 3" strips for the binding.