Happy February everyone!

Time flies! Can't believe we are heading toward the middle of the month already!

I have been working a bit on the tavern and made some decent progress, for a change.  I was just thinking that I need to pull threads for another project I have been meaning to start as well.  The pattern is on loan so I need to get working!  Here is the tavern thus far-

This is an older pattern; I think the copyright is 1977! But the friend I am stitching it for wanted me to do it with overdyed threads.  I think it will add a little something. 

I have been playing with my oils again- yesterday I made face cream and today I made shower gel.  The face cream works wonderfully! I haven't tried the shower gel yet. I will in the morning.  The face cream was so easy and quick! I found a recipe on Pinterest and changed it slightly.  You need 1/2 cup coconut oil, 2 tsp almond oil, 1 tbsp raw shea butter, and essential oil.(your choice- I used lavender and frankincense because they are good for your skin. 5 drops each.)

Put all ingredients in a mixing bowl.

Blend until a light, fluffy texture.

Put in an airtight container! Done!

This cream really works well.  I put it on my face at night before bed, and in the morning before I put my makeup on.  It is 7:21 pm and my face still feels so soft! And there is something comforting knowing that all the ingredients in it are not harmful in any way.

I started reading a new book this week - a Netgalley advanced reader copy.  It's called No One Knows by J.T. Ellison.  I wanted to read it because the preview reminded me a bit of the movie "Double Jeopardy", which I loved. I am curious to see if this book is similar or different.  I am also reading Spirit Driven Success by Dani Johnson. I have recently just discovered Dani via a friend and she is amazing.  Very inspiring and has good insight for all aspects of life. I highly recommend reading her books! 

That's it for today- hope everyone has a great week!

Tracey ♥☺

Snow Day?

Well, the threat of inclement weather has caused the school district to call off school- wondering how the roads will be for going to work tomorrow?  We'll see what happens. 

I have made a little progress on Chowning's Tavern- not as much as I would like, but it's something.

Maybe if the roads are too bad tomorrow I can get stay home and get some more done. They did salt the roads so we'll see.

I was so excited to get the Dr. Bronner's Castile soap I ordered from Amazon today. (Thank you Bing Rewards for the gift card!) There are so many things you can make with it and there are no toxic chemicals.  The first thing I made was some foaming hand soap.  It was so easy! I had a foaming hand soap container I got from a friend.  I filled it 1/3 of the way with the Castile soap, added a few drops of Young Living Thieves oil(it has antibacterial properties and smells great), and filled the rest of the way with oil.  Easy peasy! 

Next I am going to make DIY dishwasher detergent, but I am waiting on the citric acid I ordered, also with a gift card. (Thanks, Swagbucks.) Also on the list: face wash, regular dish soap, and maybe shampoo. It's so fun!  And healthier!

I finished a really good e-book recently, called Under The Ice by Aaron Paul Lazar. I think maybe it was offered for free on Amazon at some point. It's the 9th book in a series about a man named Gus LeGarde. It was kind of like a cozy mystery, but also like a regular suspense book.  I am looking forward to reading the others in the series.  It was a good time of year to read this one as it took place in the winter. ☺  

Well, I better get to bed- in case I do have to work tomorrow.

Good night!

Tracey

Semi-lazy Sunday..

This picture of Kona was actually taken yesterday- this is where he lays most of the time, on the back of the chaise lounge chair, usually when I am sitting there too.  That blanket came from my grandma's house. ♥ I got it when she moved to assisted living.  I love that blanket, and I love that it came from her, and a place where I have so many fond memories.  Usually it is over my lap. ☺ 

Today has been an alright day- went to church this morning then had to pick up some groceries.  It was a rainy morning so I was glad to get home.  Since then, I have just been doing things around the house off and on.  I started to make dinner and my daughter came in and promptly stopped me because she already had something in mind she wanted to make for dinner. So I let her do it! ☺ I folded laundry instead.  I was feeling a little blah off and on today- had an acidic stomach and heartburn.  I had made a roll-on of Peppermint essential oil and an oil blend called Di-Gize, as well as some almond oil to dilute it.  I rolled it on my stomach and my heart and am feeling much better!

I haven't done any stitching yet today- going to get to that as soon as I finish this post!  Watching "The Longest Ride" too- so far it's a great movie. I haven't read the book yet, which is good. I almost always watch a movie before I read the book it's based on, because the book is always better. ☺

Well- off to stitch!

Tracey

Happy New Year!

Hello! I know you all thought I fell off the face of the planet.  I haven't, just been very, very busy.  A lot of changes lately, even before the new year started!  

A short time before Thanksgiving, my husband was put on third shift.  Since he was the dinner-cooker in our family, this made things a little crazier in the evenings, as the kids and I usually go to the YMCA, or my daughter to judo class, or my son to Confirmation class at church. So many evenings are just rush, rush, rush. As of right now we have no commitments on Thursdays.  I didn't have any on Fridays or the weekend either, but my son has joined a basketball team so sometimes we have games on Fridays and/or Saturdays.  

My husband and I also started the 21 Day Fix plan a couple of months ago.  I really like it and it has helped us lose some weight.  We are still following it because we aren't done yet. ☺  Until recently, I had been getting up in the morning and working out first thing.  I need to get back to doing it.  It is tough but I was surprised how it energized me for the day.  The meal plan is "clean eating"- fruits, veggies, meats, anything healthy really, just in controlled portions. We eat smaller meals and snacks but six times a day, so we are rarely hungry.  This too gives you plenty of energy!  Once you get used to it, you don't really want the "junk" anymore and find it makes you feel yucky (for lack of a better word) when you eat it.  

With the start of this plan, and an essential oil class I went to a few months ago, I have started a journey for an overall healthier life.  I was invited to a Young Living Essential oil class by a friend.  I had used essential oils before, here and there... for aromatic purposes, to keep mice away, to help with headache pain..and I was surprised to find out there is so much more you can do with them! I became a member and was welcomed into this awesome community of others trying to support their body systems naturally, as well as keep toxins out of their homes.   Not only does Young Living have 100% therapeutic grade pure oils (see www.seedtoseal.com) but have cleaners and body care products that have no harmful ingredients.  Did you know you have 2000 pores in your feet? So when you mop with Pine-Sol or some other cleaner and step on the wet floor, you are absorbing those chemicals into your body.  Or your kid's body, or your pet's body, as the case may be.  I have always been a little nervous about the cleaners we use but this really hit home for me.

I am still stitching, though not as much as I used to.  I need to make time for it again.  Here is where I'm at on Chowning's Tavern-  

I want to make some good progress on it and then maybe work on one of my other UFO's.

I am still reading too but haven't read for NetGalley lately.  I hope they don't disable my membership!  I did cancel my Scribd membership for now. It's a great app and has a ton of books, but I have so many e-books saved and so many paperbacks on my bookshelf, I need to read those first.  Though what did I do today? Went to my library to order a copy of Spirit Driven Success  by Dani Johnson.  It was available at another local library so they are going to get it for me.  I just recently found out about Dani through one of my support team at Young Living.  She is amazing! She came from an abusive family, ended up homeless on the street and is now a multi-millionaire. She gives lots of great business advice as well as spiritual and life advice too.  I am not into "motivational speakers" but she is different.  I recommend checking her out when you have a chance.  You can find her at danijohnson.com or on youtube.  She has an app as well where you can listen to her radio show.

Well, I think I have gone on long enough, huh?  Thanks for checking in with me. ☺ And if you would like to know more about Young Living's wonderful oils, or about using essential oils to promote your family's wellness, please leave a comment or email me through the "about me" section.  Of course you are welcome to leave a comment about anything else too! ♥

Peace, love, and Corgis-

Tracey

(My tree is down now, this was from Christmas.)