Hunger Games Nails and More

Have you seen The Hunger Games yet?  I loved the books so I had to go see the movie. Hubby went along but I had to fill him in on parts of the plot. The books developed the characters much better than the movie I thought.  One of my favorite characters besides Katniss, of course, was Effie Trinket. I just loved her colorful outfits. So when I saw this easy tutorial for doing her nails, I had to share!

These bunny nails are cute too and look easy to do. Go here for the tutorial.  I think I'm going to try these on my granddaughter's nails. Wouldn't they be sweet on a seven-year-old's nails?  Yours, too, I think!

Wordless Wednesday

                                                                                       House for rent.

How To Save Your Picnik Faves

Oh...we are getting so close to the date Picnik will no longer exist. Are you like me trying to Picnik as much as you can until they are gone? If so, you will appreciate this blog post  on Living Laughing and Loving. Renee has figured out a way to save a little bit of Picnik--the fun stickers that she is going to use as clip art. Her tutorial is very easy to follow. Go check it out.
What will you miss most about Picnik?

Do Our Imperfections Enhance Our Beauty?

                                                 l to r:  me, my sisters Nancy, Mary, Lisa and Pam--sister Annie not pictured

This weekend I had a somewhat unnerving experience. A colleague of my younger sister Mary (who is 10 years younger than me) asked if I was Mary's mother! I had never met this woman before so I was a little short with my answer "NO!".

Later, after I had the chance to reflect on it, I realized there will always be someone who is thinner, smarter, better-looking,more creative or younger than me. I can wallow in some self-pity or rail at that woman's insensitivity or accept the fact that we all have imperfections. In the book "The Woman's Book of Courage" by Sue Patton Thoele, she says that even clothes have a disclaimer. "This garment is made from 100% natural fibers. Any irregularity or variation is not to be considered defective. Imperfections enhance the beauty of the fabric."

I hadn't really considered that my imperfections could enhance my beauty. I'm still striving to be the best I can be but I 'm trying to accept that I am unique and can appreciate myself as I am now. This woman doesn't know what's on the inside, she was judging by what she saw on the outside. Yes, I'm older, but I have a lot of life experience to celebrate.

I also have to consider that maybe Mary is just VERY young-looking! If I got to add another daughter to my family, I'd be very proud to be her mother. As it stands now, I am enjoying the relationship that we have as older sister/younger sister. She is intelligent, generous and hard-working--one heck of a woman!! She has her imperfections too but that only adds to her beauty.

To celebrate the beauty of you why not pamper yourself with a jar of our Satin and Silk Shea Butter Lotion. I can't think of a better way to moisturize your skin on these beautiful days of spring!

Wordless Wednesday

                                                                                                    Spring evening.

Happy St. Patrick's Day

Everyone is Irish today aren't they? We will be taking the grandkids to a parade in a little town about 15 miles from here that goes all out! So we'll pretend we are Irish today and join in the fun.

May your pockets be heavy and your heart be light,

may good luck pursue you each morning and night.

May your neighbors respect you, trouble neglect you,

the angels protect you, and heaven accept you.

                                       How are you celebrating St.Pat's Day?

Say No To Tanning

I read an interesting article on the Skin Deep website about Amy Forman Taub, MD, a board-certified dermatologist, founder of Advanced Dermatology in Lincolnshire, IL, and assistant clinical professor at Northwestern University trying to get the public to sign a "No Tanning" pledge.More than two million people are diagnosed with skin cancer each year and one in five Americans will develop skin cancer in their lifetime. (My mother and sister-in-law both have skin cancer. My SIL loved to lay in the sun, my mother worked outside in her flower and veggie gardens.) Ms Taub would like to lower those numbers.

Skin Inc. says..."In a 2010 study, people who tanned indoors had a 74% increased risk of melanoma compared to those who never tan indoors. And occasional visits can be harmful, too: The risk of melanoma increases by 11% with just four visits per year." Ms. Taub is trying to particularly target teens who usually feel they look better tanned. Their skin is much more vulnerable to the harmful UV rays.

Pledge takers promise to stop using tanning beds or intentionally tanning outdoors. They also agree to protect their skin with sunscreen and care for their skin with visits to their dermatologist. As summer approaches, Taub suggests using sunless tanning. I have used both the at-home spray-on tan and the spray-on tanning booth. Both gave me a tan very easily and safely.

So...can you take the pledge?

The Pledge

I promise to....

Stop using tanning beds or intentionally tanning outdoors.

Protect my skin and health by wearing sunscreen, and by making regular dermatology visits.

Find the beauty in my natural skin color.

&Educate my family and loved ones on the damages of tanning.

You can sign up to take the pledge online if you'd like. Go here. ( I'll take the pledge on my own.)