Bathe Yourself in Chocolate

Wow, with a title like that you just gotta keep reading right? I think this is every girl's fantasy. So when I saw this incredibly cute "girl in a chocolate bath" over at the More Style Than Cash blog I had to share it with you!

Check out the directions to make this really cute cookie/chocolate bath at http://www.ow.ly/1Drqy

Better Brushes, Better Hair

A good brush is an investment. You may spend more than $20 on one, but it will last many, many years with care. To wash hairbrushes, soak them in a warm bath with a few squirts of a clarifying or baby shampoo, then rinse with hot water.

Here are some brushes you may want to check out.



T3 FREEFLOW VENT BRUSH
Designed to help shape and smooth hair while using a T3 hair dryer. Vents in the body and Tourmaline in the bristles maximize styling power by letting air freely circulate to dry and shape hair quickly. Vented body lets air circulate freely through brush. Tourmaline infused so brushing emits negative ions. Smoothes hair in preparation for drying.
http://www.t3micro.com/images/popup_tourmaline.jpg


TRAVEL BRUSH
Fekkai's Travel Brush leaves hair shiny and static-free as it protects the hair and stimulates the scalp.
(http://www.fekkai.com/)



ADVANCE TECHNIQUES CUSHION BRUSH
It stimulates your scalp with every stroke. The bristles are sufficiently spaced so that your hair comes out smooth and shiny, not plastered down or oily. (http://www.avon.com/) This one is only $5.



PADDLE BRUSH
Sephora's basic, handcrafted paddle brush is perfect for normal to fine hair. Customers love that it has a mix of boar and synthetic bristles, won't snag hair and won't fall apart in a year's time. At less than $50, it's may be worth the price. (http://www.sephora.com/)





HAIR CURLING BRUSH

This unique brush allows you to style your hair whether it's wet or dry. It curls, lifts and adds volume without tangling your hair. The Kurl*mi Brush has a vented center that allows for maximum dryingand quick style setting. You don't even have to section your hair before using the Kurl*mi Brush. The sophisticated design of the Kurl*mi Brush allows you to roll the brush continually through your hair, saving you time and energy. This versatile brush is also easy to use: Start underneath, brushing your hair from the roots to the ends while continually turning the head of the brush. For shorter hair, just twirl the brush through your hair to create the same styling effect as you would with a pick or a styling comb. (http://www.koolatrononline.stores.yahoo.net/)


What's your favorite hair styling tool? I always use a plastic pick (do they even make those anymore? Mine is incredibly old) to detangle my wet hair.

Better Brushes, Better Hair

Wordless Wednesday

House For Rent

Wedding Bliss: Words of Wisdom

With my son's nuptials coming up soon you know I have wedding on the brain. One of my favorite blogs (Marta Writes) had some really great words of wisdom for a bride. I'm going to take her words and tweak them just a little so they apply to the bride and groom. To read these five very wise and wonderful tips go to http://ow.ly/1AYzu I think they would be great to include in any newly wed couple's wedding card or gift.

By the way, do you have any tips to add before I tweak Marta's?

A Perfect Weekend

( The Happy Couple)

Have you ever had a weekend that you just wanted to freeze frame so you wouldn't forget a single moment? This past weekend is one that I'll remember for a long, long time!

It started with my son, his fiance and her mother flying in from Florida for the weekend. We wanted to have a bridal shower for Angela so she came with her mother for this event. Jerry did some bar-b-queing for us on Thurs. night. Good food, good wine and good conversation.

Friday we spent a leisurely morning and then went to see "Date Night" together. It was a fun light-hearted movie with a cute message about being satisfied with the life you've made with your spouse. (good message for the soon to be married Jon and Angela) Friday evening I ran a 5K. With family and friends cheering me on, I came in 1st in my age group. Talk about a surprise! I even got a gold medal.

Saturday we watched my daughter and her husband run a half-marathon. It was a beautiful warm spring day. Then later my daughter Lacie and I headed off to get our rented space ready for the shower. (The rest of the gang headed to the Mall of America. You can't come to MN and not visit the Mall at least once.) Lacie and I had put in lots of hours planning and preparing for the shower. We wanted to make it as special as we could.

It turned out to be a wonderful evening. Angela is a natural story teller. Each of the guests was given a question to ask Angela to help get to know her. For every answer she had a fun story. Guests found out where she and Jon met, where their first date was, how he proposed and other bits of information. Her charming personality won everyone over!

This morning the three of them headed back to the airport and their return trip home. They took lots of gifts back with them and hopefully lots of great memories. I miss them already but I'm really looking forward to their wedding in two weeks.

So often we worry about pampering our bodies and can neglect pampering our souls. This weekend was just about as perfect as it could be and just what my spirit needed! Now next week, a little pampering of the hair and nails before the wedding will be what the body needs. :)

How was your weekend? Hopefully your body, spirit or both got some pampering!

Say Cheese

A couple of weeks ago, my whole family was together (doesn’t happen very often) so we decided to have a family portrait taken. Here are some tips we used to help us look “picture perfect”.

*Unless you're the bride, avoid wearing all white. It will make you look large and distract from your face.
*Don't wear large bold prints or patterns.
* Select an outfit that flatters your figure. Be sure that the outfit you chose has a neckline that's very flattering to you.
* Wear only colors that look good on you.
*Wear earnings and a necklace. Even a simple pendent and a plain pair of earrings will add a degree of style to your outfit that will enhance your appearance.
* Use styling products that will hold your style, but won't make your hair appear stiff and unnatural.
* Use face powder to set makeup and reduce shine.
* Use a foundation with a matte finish.
*Do not use any cosmetics with a shimmer or shiny texture.
* Use clear light to medium color eye shadow.
* Use a medium shade, cream formula lipstick.
* Brighten your smiles with a teeth whitener.
* Smile with your eyes and your mouth (just as the photo is being taken, think of someone you love or think of something humorous

I'm just a very amateur photographer with my digital camera. I've seen lots of good tips on blogs for taking pics with expensive cameras. Do any of you have tips for me with my digital?

The First 10 Things

Well, here are the first 10 things to go. I had a wall grouping of "USA" themed things up for (yes I admit it) about 12 years. Yikes, does my house need a little updating? Anyway, I'm thinking my friend Barb might like this. She has a son that just got back from Iraq and another son that just went over there. I hope she can use it somehow.
Now on to the next 10...

Toss 50 Things

A while back I had read about a program where you agreed to give away something every day for 29 days. I signed up and worked really hard to think of something to give away each day.Then after the 29 days were up I kind of forgot about the giving. Oh it did cross my mind now and then but I hadn’t really gotten into the habit of giving.

Now Springtime is here. It makes me want to get busy cleaning my closets and areas that are neglected most of the year. I work full time so a lot of stuff gets put on piles and then is forgotten. Then I hear about Gail Blanke’s new book “Throw Out Fifty Things: Clear the Clutter,Find Your Life”. In it she suggests throwing out 50 things. Can I do it? Can I give away 50 things--not just one a day, but like lots at a time?

Seems like simple advice. As I’m cleaning I’ll just make a pile of items
that need to go. (not in the trash but to Goodwill, to my sister or to my daughter’s garage sale)
Ah yes, but I’ve tried it before and somehow I find a reason to go through that pile and keep most things. You know..."it’s still good, it has a memory tied to it, I know I’ll use it/wear it again." Gail must know me. So she has written what she calls “Rules of Engagement”.

Rule #1 If the thing is weighing you down, get rid of it.

Rule #2 If the item is not contributing something positive, get rid of it.

Rule #3 If it takes you a long time to decide if it should be tossed, get rid of it.

Rule #4 If you’re afraid to throw it out, get rid of it.

Her book is also divided into four parts. She tells her readers in part one to get rid of unnecessary stuff in your house. In part two, she says clean out your desk or your workspace. Clean up the mental mess in part three. After throwing out 50 things, the last part has you thinking about what you want in life. (Should be room for the new, right?)

So, do you think I can do it? Want to join me in finding things you need to pitch? Maybe we can encourage each other. My goal for this is to rid my home and myself of 50 things by May 1st. Hopefully someone else will also benefit from my throwing out 50 items. Stay tuned...

I don’t remember watching Audrey Hepburn movies when I was younger but I have seen snippets of her movies. She always seemed so full of grace and charm. She left behind these Beauty Tips that still work today.

Beauty Tips by Audrey Hepburn:
For attractive lips,
Speak words of kindness.
For lovely eyes,
Seek out the good in people.
For a slim figure,
Share your food with the hungry.
For beautiful hair,
Let a child run his fingers through it once a day.
For poise,
Walk with the knowledge you'll never walk alone.
People, even more than things, have to be restored, renewed, revived, reclaimed and redeemed. Never throw out anybody.
Remember: if you ever need a helping hand, you'll find one at the end of your arm. As you grow older you will discover that you have two hands; one for helping yourself, the other for helping others.

Spring Cleaning the House and...the Blog?

I've been doing some spring cleaning here at home. Rooms need to be reorganized and decluttered. I'm doing a little redecorating and painting. This got me to thinking about Pamper-U. I think it could use some freshening up too.

So...I need some help with my blog. Is it organized and easy to follow? What topics would you like to see me write about? Where can I improve?

I'd appreciate any and all feedback. And if you have an extra mop and bucket...