Salon Manicures and Pedicures At Home

Spring is here and its time to get those toes and fingers in shape. Maybe you can't afford the expensive salon treatments. If you would like to save money and want to attempt your own manicures and pedicures at home, here are the simple steps to achieve your own salon style treatment.

1. Remove all nail polish, clip & file nails where needed.


2. In a large bowl or plastic tub, put Epsom salts, milk or essential oils into warm water to create a luxurious, at-home spa experience. Put olive oil, baby oil or any oil you have at home onto your cuticles while you’re soaking.


3. Push back cuticles with a cuticle stick after soaking, but don’t cut cuticles!. Only trim hangnails or ragged cuticles on the side. If you trim your cuticles the wrong way, it can cause damage and peeling.


4. Exfoliate with a scrub. Scrubs can be purchased or you can make one with sugar or salt and olive oil. You can also add lemon or lime for the citrus touch and smell. The texture from sugar and salt will scrub your dead skin off. After exfoliating, scrub your calluses on your feet with a pumice stone. Then rinse well.


5. Place a moist towel warmed in the microwave just like they do at the nail salon on your hands and feet. This promotes circulation it feels really good and makes you feel pampered.


6. Use a non-greasy lotion to moisturize your hands and feet. Next, remove any oil and lotion residue on your nails with a non-acetone nail polish remover. This is an important step: your nail polish will not last if there’s any greasiness on your nails.


7. Base coat: If you have weak nails, use a nail strengthener in place of a base coat. Otherwise, apply one coat of base coat. Carefully apply two layers of nail color and make sure the polish dries in between coats. Then, one coat of top coat will seal your nails—preferably a quick dry top coat.

Be sure to touch up the edge of your nails with color and top coat since the polish comes off there first. Plus, it will look finished and professional—like you got them done at a salon!

Hint: To ensure your nail products retain freshness, store them in the refrigerator.

Bloggin’ Chocolate Eatin’ Coffee Drinkin’ Gabbin’ Gals and God.

There it sat… like a big blank piece of paper handed to me in school. The teacher had just assigned an impromptu writing assignment due in 20 minutes. I had no clue where to start. I was in shock. What do I write? Where do I start? Will anyone read this blog? What am I doing?

That’s how I felt the day I decided to start this blog.
I had read a few blogs here and there, but hadn’t given much thought to it. I had been busy building my website, and had never planned to do much with blogging. I had some blogger friends that seemed to be having fun, but I wasn’t sure it was for me. Lately, as my decorating site had been growing, I was feeling the need to connect with women in a more personal and heart-sharing level. There seemed to be something missing and I needed to find out what it was.

Then, I began to pray for God to lead me and show me what He wanted for my blog and for me. I knew through my less-than-normal life experiences, struggles, hurts, triumphs, and victories God had things for me to share, hearts to reach and hands to hold.

Like a huge door opening wide, like a big breeze had just blown through my back door, I stumbled upon the Relevant Conference.

Relevant was going to be a gathering of Christian bloggers, who had a common interest to blog with a purpose while blessing their family and others. As I read that, I knew this was for me. That’s all I needed to hear! It came like a shot in the arm, at just the right moment.

Immediately after signing up for the conference, it was like the floodgates opened up. I had instant friends and tweeting peeps to join me in my blogging journey. I quickly felt encouraged by common hearts who would come alongside me in this journey of faith, home, marriage, mothering, and LIFE. I began to read blog after blog of women sharing their hearts on a common life path. I instantly felt connected.

As you can see I am now over my shock and stage-fright and getting my feet wet with this thing called blogging. But it is so much more…

As I look forward to the Relevant conference, I pray God will reveal my unique voice for my blog. It’s easy to feel intimidated by those who are further along than me in their blogging pursuits. Maybe feel I have nothing unique to give or say. However, I know God has a unique purpose and plan for me in any endeavor I pursue. I am on the Road to Relevant as a jumpstart to my blogging pursuits and very ready to take in all God has for me in that special weekend.

The best part of the conference will be meeting face to face for the first time, all my new-found tweetin’,bloggin’, chocolate eatin’, coffee drinkin’, gabbin’ gals who love God!

Hope you can join me. See ya there!
Are you bringing the chocolate?

If you want to know more Relevant gals and see the blog that has become a place to meet other christian blogger gals like me. Head over to Gather Inspirit where you can even join a forum and get in on the fun!

Make Your Own Homemade Cleaners And Save Money!

Are you looking for ways to save money? Making your own homemade cleaners is a great way to start. It also cuts down on the toxic fumes that are so obtrusive to us all! Here are 4 great recipes to get you started.

Homemade Window Cleaner
Mix together the following and put into a spray bottle
1/4 - 1/2 tsp of liquid detergent
3 tablespoons vinegar
2 cups water
Use this cleaner as you would any other store-bought multi-purpose cleaner. The key to this cleaner is the soap. It cuts the wax residue from the commercial brands of window cleaners you might have used in the past.

Homemade Oven Cleaner
Water
1 Cup Baking Soda
2-5 drops of liquid detergent
Sprinkle water generously over the bottom of the oven, then cover the grime with enough baking soda that the surface it totally white. Sprinkle some more water over the top. Let the mixture set overnight.
You can easily wipe up the grease the next morning because the grime will have loosened. When you have cleaned up the worst of the mess, dab a bit of liquid detergent or soap on a sponge, and wash the remaining residue from the oven. If this recipe doesn't work for you it is probably because you didn't use enough baking soda and/or water.

Homemade All Purpose Cleaner
1/2 tsp. washing soda
1-2 Drops of liquid soap
2 cups hot tap water
Mix the ingredients in a spray bottle and shake until the washing soda has dissolved. Apply and wipe off with a sponge or rag.

FURNITURE POLISH
1/2 teaspoon oil, such as olive (or jojoba, a liquid wax)
1/4 cup vinegar or fresh lemon juice
Mix the ingredients in a glass jar. Dab a soft rag into the solution and wipe onto wood surfaces. Cover the glass jar and store indefinitely.

Happy Cleaning!