Great and Ingenious Uses for a Tea Bag!

After our walk at the mall today (it was pretty cold to walk outside and I needed some new scenery and a break from my treadmill...) Jerry and I stopped for a cup of tea. He's actually the tea drinker. I just had water. But after reading this, I may have to start drinking tea too!

*Better than expensive face creams—for nothing more than the price of a tea bag, EGCG, the major polyphenol contained in tea, works brilliantly at reactivating dying skin cells. The vitamin B2, also contained in tea, has a stimulating effect on skin as well—making it brighter and more resilient.
*Looking a bit puffy-eyed? Try this old-fashioned method (still used by top models today). Lie back with a used tea bag over each closed eyelid for 15 minutes. When you remove the tea bags your eyes will feel and look great and you’ll be able to face the world without a concealer.
*Freshen your breath with mint tea.
*Get subtle highlights and lustrous shine for your hair. Rinse your hair in strong brewed tea to add gentle and natural-looking highlights. Black tea adds golden highlights for brunettes—chamomile tea is good for blonds.
*Use a tea bag to help with acne. Brew up a pint of tea then leave it to cool. Wash your face in it to soothe irritation and get to the root of acne.
*For a lip toner, just apply a warm tea bag to clean lips for five minutes.
*In a recent study, people who drank green tea burned more calories than those who consumed caffeine alone. Now is that a good reason or what!
*For fresh-smelling feet, use a tea foot soak. Tea is a natural astringent and the tannic acid helps kill odor-causing bacteria.
*Tea fights plaque causing dental bacteria. Green and black tea even help to fight cavities.
*Get rid of corns on your feet with used tea bags. Tape one on for half an hour each day (while you’re looking at Gathered From The Garden's website, http://www.gatheredfromthegardenllc.4t.com/ or brochure) and the corn should be gone in a week or two.

*Tips taken from an article by Steeper’s—The Tea People. (http://www.steeperstea.com/)

Are you a tea drinker? What is your favorite kind of tea? (Jerry had a green tea "Cinnamint" flavor today.)

I found one more use--put a tea bag in your closets to act as a sachet!

Thursday's Top Ten Plus One

I just have to add one more great blog site because we are getting close to Valentine's Day.

http://www.loveactually-blog.blogspot.com/ It's filled with all kinds of fun romantic stuff. Enjoy!

Follow us on facebook. :) http://ow.ly/128Xc

Thursday's Top Ten

Here are 10 more really fun blogs in no particular order:

http://www.peopleofwalmart.com/ Just plain fun! Where do they find these people?

http://www.cheapchicas.com/ A guide to style

http://www.cakewrecks.blogspot.com/ When professional cakes go horribly wrong!

http://www.barbarabeerykidscooking.wordpress.com/ A great site for cooking with kids.

http://www.cantstopmakingthings.com/ Instructions for making crafts--no special skills or expensive materials needed. (My kind of crafts!)

http://www.jasminestarblog.com/ Beautiful wedding and engagement pics.

www.twigandthistle.com/blog Fun products are their store and a creative blog.

http://www.i-do-it-yourself.com/ One of the top ten bridal blogs as sited in Brides' Magazine.

http://www.vacationgals.com/ Advice on family travel,girlfriend get-aways and romantic escapes.

http://www.partyperfectblog.blogspot.com/ Lots of fun party ideas.

Wordless Wednesday

Just like dad, I'm always waiting for the girls!

Smart Packing for That Tropical Vacation

Pack-smart Beach Essentials for Stylish Chicks from an article by Kathryn D'Imperio

Dashing off to the beach for vacation or a weekend getaway? Not so fast! Be sure you’ve packed all the essential items you’ll need to stay stylish and chic during your time in the sun! To maximize your fun, minimize the number of beauty accessories you lug along to you vacation location with these helpful packing hints.

Skin Care
* No matter how badly you want a tan, bring suntan lotion to protect your precious skin from overexposure! Though they are possibly the most obvious item, don’t forget your sunglasses!
* Just in case you do get some sunburn, do your body a favor and slap on some aloe. (Gathered has a great “Too Much Fun in the Sun” aloe vera spray.)
• Have you ever been caught in a sand storm? Well I have, and I can’t stress enough about the value of a bottle of eye drops in case those pesky particles of sand find their way into your eyes.
• Don’t forget your normal necessities such as toothpaste and toothbrush, deodorant or antiperspirant, towels, shaving gel and razors, tweezers, body wash, etc.

Hair Care
• Remember to pack your shampoo and conditioner, brush and comb, elastic bands and/or barrettes.
* When you spend time in the ocean or playing on the beach, what happens to the top of your head is likely the last thing on your mind. To help prevent sunburn on your scalp, consider packing a hat of some sort, a bandana or a hair scarf.

And Clothes!
• For a flirty appearance, bring a cute sarong or wrap to wear to the beach, or simply pack a pair of comfy shorts if you hope to beat up on the guys in football and Frisbee!
• Take two towels: one to lie on and one that is sand-free for when you need to dry off. A beach blanket or beach mat also serve a handy purpose for shore-goers.
• An old T-shirt doubles as an escape from the sun’s powerful rays when you just want to relax and enjoy the sounds of the surf. Also, a T-shirt is good to have on hand as it is important to cover exposed skin when the sun has already burned it.
• Normal clothes that you should be sure to bring: Shorts and tanks/tees, jeans or other long pants, perhaps a long-sleeve shirt and a hooded sweatshirt, a sundress, pajamas, bathing suit and underclothes. Don’t forget to bring a windbreaker or light jacket for those chilly nights off the coast!
• Footwear: Bring sandals or flip-flops, sneakers and shoes to go with at least one nice outfit. (Hint: Try to pack outfits that look nice with the same sandals to reduce the need for extra shoes. As long as you can help it, you should not be toting an entire bag dedicated to shoes alone!)

Love for Haiti Project by Skip To My Lou

Cindy from Skip to my Lou is offering to email this adorable Valentine's Day kit to anyone who will make a contribution to a charity of their choice. (for Haiti) The kit includes printable heart cupcake toppers, printable valentine papers and digital files that you can manipulate. For more details go to http://www.skiptomylou.org/ . If you haven't already donated to this cause please consider doing so. If you already have, bless you!

(I have just started really getting into cupcakes so I was excited to see this! I can imagine all kinds of fun things to make for Valentine's Day with her kit.)

Self-Massage Treatments

I am following one of my New Year's Resolutions so I scheduled a massage for Sat. morning. It's been too long since I enjoyed that pampering! While my budget and sometimes my schedule don't allow for massages more often, I've read about a way to give yourself a massage. It would help during those inbetween times until the next real massage.

While a self-massage will never be as relaxing as the real thing, it still has some benefits. You can do it where and when you want and you don't require anyone else's assistance. It can be done in the tub, on your bed, or even at your desk.Use self-massage to energize yourself before school or work in the morning, or to unwind in the evening. You can massage your feet while watching TV, or massage your hands while talking on the phone. You do not need to undress, but you must be comfortable. Use massage oil if you are massaging on bare skin. The easiest areas to work on are your feet, neck, shoulders, arms and hands.


To relieve headaches

Cup your hands over your eyes and look into the darkness. Circle your temples with the pads of your middle fingers. Then sweep your fingers from the center of your forehead out towards the sides.

To relax your shoulders

Raise your shoulders up and down a few times, using a circular motion. Gently move your head from side to side. Rub your neck, shoulders and scalp firmly with both hands using your fingertips to massage with small circling movements. Tilt your head to the side and massage the opposite shoulder down to the arm to the elbow. Repeat on the other side. (You can do this at your desk.)

Loosely clench your left hand into a fist and gently pound your right shoulder. Keep your wrist flexible. This can be very invigorating if you are tired. Repeat on the other side.

Feet
Put one hand on the top of your foot and the other under the sole. Stroke smoothly from your toes to your ankles. Glide your hands back to your toes and repeat.

Support your foot with one hand and work on each toe individually. Squeeze each toe firmly, and gently stretch with a gentle pull.

With one thumb on top of the other, do a line of firm pressures down the center of the sole and lines on either side. Then, with one thumb, do circular pressures on the arch and ball.

Support your foot with one hand and make the other into a loose fist. Do knuckling movements all over the sole by rippling your fingers around in small circular movements.
As an alternative, massage your feet with a tennis, golf, or other small ball. Run each foot over a ball for a minute or two, pressing and holding on tender or tight areas.

Hands

Stroke the back of your hand, pushing firmly up toward the wrist and gliding back gently. Then squeeze the hand all over, pressing it between your palm and your fingers.

Squeeze each finger and make circular pressures over the joints with your thumb. Then hold the finger at its base and pull it gently to stretch it, sliding your grip up the finger and off the tip.

Turn your hand over and support the back with your fingers. Do firm circular and static pressures with your thumb, working all over the palm and around the wrist.


Be gentle and go slow. “A little goes a long way and if you are not careful, you can over-do it. Pressing hard is not always necessary.


Important: If anything is painful, don't do it. Be careful if you have recently been injured or seriously ill. If in doubt, consult a massage therapist or other healthcare professional.