Creating an Outdoor Space

Things are so chaotic right now…so much fear, violence, anger, anxiety, worry…between Covid 19 and the wrongful death of George Floyd and the protests and looting that followed, it’s just too much sometimes. Too, too much for my head and heart to handle. The United States is in so much turmoil, and I don’t know when it will end.

I’m an anxious person to begin with, but all of this turmoil has me seeking a mental health break. I’ve been praying a lot, journaling a lot, even started painting with watercolors to help calm my mind. It’s helped.

But I’m also am working on some space in my backyard because it has become a refuge for me. Thankfully, the weather is warm now and I’ve been hanging out a lot in my yard.

We have a storage shed that looks like a barn. It’s paint is wearing off and my husband wants to either get rid of it, or paint it. I love it the way it is.

 

It’s old and chippy and I like it that way.

I have been slowly carving out a space that is peaceful. I had a vintage cast iron baby crib sitting in my garage that I bought in the winter from a retired couple that were downsizing. I think I paid $40 for it…I’ve always wanted one because I had seen it upcycled into a day bed.

Now I don’t have a sunroom or screened in porch but I have a little space next to the barn that I thought would be a great space to set up the crib. I know my family thought I was bananas, but that’s nothing new when I get an idea in my head.

Right now, I have a crib mattress and I covered it with a painter’s drop cloth I had on hand. Soon I will be getting an outdoor mattress that could withstand the weather. For now, I’m just dragging the mattress into the garage if there’s rain in the forecast. I wonder what my neighbors think? But then again, I really don’t care.

I can’t figure out a style for my space, but I tried a couple stagings…

First up…Kitchy

 

I used some vintage linens just to see how I liked it. I love mid century linens!!

 

 

Then I tried a farmhouse look…

 

 

 

 

 

I love the details on this crib!

 

 

And then I tried a shabby chic look…

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

What do you think?

Whichever way, it’s a great place to recenter…

Here’s a view as you’re actually sitting there.

 

 

The branches actually make a natural canopy. And I can quietly watch the birds feeding at all my bird feeders.

I love to watch the hummingbirds flitting around and they don’t know I’m there.

 

 

I’m sorry for the way things are now…I have hope that better days are ahead. I will never take for granted how quickly things can change.

Wishing everyone peace and a peaceful space.

Love,

K

For the Love of Children’s Books

At dinner the other night, somehow we got to talking about books I would read to my boys when they were little. Books.  Most of them they don’t even remember. The ones they do remember, I have luckily kept aside so they may read to their own kids someday in the future. Interestingly, I have kept the books I adored as a child and then in turn read them to my own children. There is a scene in the movie “You’ve Got Mail” where Meg Ryan talks about how influential books are to young children, that when you read as a child it becomes a part of your identity like no other reading in your life. Something like that. Here are some of the books that I loved and read down to my own kids.

 

The Fourteen Bears in Summer and Winter. Each bear has his or her own house in a tree, each one different from the next. This was my absolute favorite, a gift from my Ciocia and my Nana or my mom read it to me over and over and over. We would image what tree house we would like to live in.

 

 

Little Bunny Follows His Nose

About a Little Bunny off on an adventure for the day, following his nose to different locations. The best part is that it was a scratch and sniff book. I remember the chocolate mint cookie part was my favorite.

 

Who’s a Pest?

This was the funniest book to me. I still quote parts of it when the situation is right. Poor Homer.

 

The Biggest Bear

This was actually my older brother’s book, but I liked it read to me too. It made me giggle but sad also. But don’t worry. It has a semi-happy ending.

 

 

Richard Scarry’s Best Word Book Ever

This one! I remember it so very well! So many identifying pictures, so much to look at. Each page was a treasure. I remember passing by the construction pages as a child, but that is what my boys liked the most.

The Little Engine That Could

Who knew we were learning life lessons with this beloved book?

Absolutely anything by Dr. Suess. The cadence in his stories is second to none.

Green Eggs and Ham was my favorite!

 

 

Finally, a timeless book that speaks to all ages.

The Giving Tree

 

I’d like to know what books you remember as a child? Or, what books do you remember reading to your own children?

Stay safe,

K

How to Make Lemon Italian Ice

A Summertime Staple

 

 

 

One of my favorite summertime treats is fresh Lemon Italian Ice. Not the snow cone type of ice-but the creamy, tart, brain freeze type of ice. The kind that shocks your salivary glands so you know they’re there.

I had a hankering recently for some ice and of course, due to these “unprecedented times,” everything is closed for the time being. (If I never hear that phrase again, it will be too soon.) I found a great recipe and it was really easy to make. Way easy. So easy that I could kick myself for not trying it before. However, there is something to be said for actually going to a mom and pop shop and lingering out in front, people watching and savoring the warm breezes. I miss it so much.

 

Some great Italian Ice places by me are, in no particular order, Gina’s, Johnny’s Italian Beef, Freddie’s and Carm’s. I can’t pick a favorite, they are all that good.

 

Most lemon ice recipes are the same. This one I made once and memorized it-it’s that simple.

 

Ingredients:

2 cups of sugar

2 cups of water

Rind of half a lemon-I basically used my cheese grater to shred my rind.

1 1/2 cups of fresh lemon juice

 

To Make:

Combine the sugar and water in a saucepan and bring to a boil.

Simmer for 5 minutes or until all the sugar is dissolved.

Add the lemon juice and lemon rind.

Let cool.

Place cooled mixture into ice cube trays and freeze until “slushy”.

Place in an ice cream maker and follow ice cream maker instructions. (I have an older edition of this one and it works great.)

You could also use a high speed blender but the mixture would have to be more frozen than “slushy” when you put it in the blender. Otherwise, you will have a lemon slush. That’s not a bad thing, especially if maybe you had some vodka on hand. Just sayin’.

Viola!!!

 

It looks even prettier, I think, in jadeite dishes.

And my kids and husband gave it two thumbs up, which is saying a lot as they pride themselves on being Italian Ice Connoisseurs.

 

I hope you try this and it brings a little sunshine smile to your face.

Stay safe, everyone.

k

Upcycled Pet Bed Project

 

The best therapist has fur and four legs…

 

I truly believe that. Throughout my life, my dogs have always been there for me everyday, no matter my mood. I know a lot of people feel the same way about their pets, whether that’s a dog, cat, lizard, bird, horse…they just love us unconditionally.

 

I know it has been a very long time since I blogged, but there has been so much going on in my life and blogging often takes a back seat. I’m hoping to do a better job and start making this blog more of a priority, rather than an afterthought. More to come, hang in there with me.

 

Now if you know me, you know I love to take something old and make it into something new again. Renew, upcycle, reuse.

 

I recently found this Samsonite suitcase at an estate sale and snagged it up because I knew I had a project in mind.

 

My idea was to turn it into a sturdy, trendy pet bed!

 

Oftentimes when I am at an estate sale and buy something, I often wonder about where its been, how old is it, what stories can it tell…

I don’t know how old this suitcase is, or where it’s been, or even who owned it—but I do know it is very well made. Thanks, Samsonite!

The interior is very cool and well taken care of.

 

My first job was to remove some of the “extras” in the interior and update it. I sewed a new backing but kept the original hardware and fitted it with the new fabric.

 

 

 

It’s all in the details, right?

Now for the hardest part…sewing a box cushion. I bought a 2 inch thick foam cushion from Joanne’s and fitted it to size the inside of the suitcase. I picked a very soft, gender neutral flannel fabric for the cushion and wanted to leave an opening for easy removal and washing. (Pet hair-you know how it goes.)

I found this tutorial from Pretty Handy Girl.

(Thanks Pretty Handy Girl! You’re pretty handy!)

Check her out.

 

 

 

Next came adding the legs. I love this part because I got to use my husband’s power tools.

Almost finished and no blood shed yet. I even took great care to add washers so nothing pointy would stab into the foam cushion.

{On a side note, it was very hard to drill into the suitcase-that’s what I mean by well-made.}

 

 

Done!

 

 

Almost. It needed a little more something.

 

What do you think? I know someone who was very confused as I worked on this….

Lucy!!!

Perhaps she figured out it wasn’t for her. I will have to be on the lookout for an extra large vintage suitcase for her.

(Don’t think they made them in her size…maybe a steamer trunk?)

Maybe she can just rest her big, ‘ol head on it.

Never mind, she has my lap for that.

 

Peace and love and big, wet, sloppy kisses.

Kathy

 

 

 

Popcorn Love

January 19th is National Popcorn Day!

 

 

 

It seems there is a “National” day for anything and everything, right? Just in January alone, there is “National Chocolate Covered Cherry Day”(January 3rd),  “National Bubble Bath Day” (January 8th), “National Kiss a Ginger Day” (January 12th), and “National Have Fun at Work Day” (January 28th).

 

And January 19 is “National Popcorn Day”!!

(For more “National” days, check out this website)

 

Popcorn is one of those foods that makes me happy-because I usually eat it while enjoying some sort of other treat. Like a movie, or a sports game, or a good book.

But here’s the thing-I know popcorn can be a pretty low fat snack when it’s air popped with no toppings. That NOT what I’m talking about. And I’m not talking any microwave popcorn either. Just yuck.

I’m talking about making it on the stove, the old fashioned way, with oil and corn kernels,  and watching those little kernels explode! With real butter and sea salt. Yum! And maybe even burning it just a little bit. Love me some of those popcorn kernels just a little burned.

 

There are a ton of recipes out there to make your popcorn even a little better. I’ve rounded up a few from Pinterest.

 

                                                                                                                                   This is Garlic Parmesan from Little Spice Jar

 

 

                                                                                                                                                 This one looks fantastic!

                                                                                                                                                                           Chili Lime Popcorn from Kitchen Heals Soul

 

                                                                                                                                         Buffalo Ranch Popcorn from Serena Bakes

But my most favorite way is very, very simple.

Popcorn cooked on the stove, real butter, some salt and the pièce de ré·sis·tance:  M & M’s!

Just make your popcorn, pour some hot, melted butter on it, sprinkle some salt and pour in M & M’s. The sweet M & M’s get kind of melty and blend very perfectly with the crunch and salt and butter. Not the most low calorie, but I don’t care. It’s so yummy!

 

If you are in the need for Valentine treats for your kids’ classroom, this is an easy one!

Peace,

K

Sew Your Own Dog Crate Cover

Meet Lucy!!

Lucy Lou is our newest family member who is now a year old. A couple years ago I wrote about my Bailey, who we had to say good-bye to…seriously broke our hearts and I NEVER thought I’d get another dog again.

Well, Never Say Never! I guess we were ready and it sure felt lonely and incomplete without a family dog.

Out of the blue, I received a phone call from Bailey’s breeder that he may have another bull mastiff pup for us if we were interested. We thought about it and it sounded so nice to once again have a loving, loyal companion in the house. I had kept in touch with Bailey’s breeder over the years and he knew how much we loved her. So thankful he thought of us as another owner for one of his pups! But it almost didn’t happen!  There were a lot of people in line for her!

(Side note) When considering a pure bred puppy, it is IMPERATIVE that you get to know the breeder. A great breeder loves the dog and the breed and knows all of its qualities and is breeding for the love of the breed. They will take the time to get to know you and your family and your background and will not sell their puppies to just anyone. PLEASE-do not go out and buy a puppy from just anyone!

 

Lucy’s mama is from Guardian Angel Bullmastiffs and her daddy is Rudy G from Trugrit. She was meant to be a show dog, but that was never in our plan for a dog. We just wanted a bull mastiff puppy, to grow up with us and love us and be part of our family. Luckily for us, it all worked out and she came to be our girl.

 

 

Look at the size of her paws!

Lucy is so full of personality and intelligence and agility. You would not think such a big dog could be so agile, but she is! She moves with a lot of grace and power, one day I will post a video.  She is seriously one of the most beautiful dogs I’ve ever seen in person. (I don’t brag much on her, do I?) She’s also so sweet and loving and likes to snuggle right up to you.

 

 

Lucy kept growing…

And growing….

 

And growing…

 

 

I’m a big believer in a dog having its own space. So enter the dog crate. Now, I have a very small living room and Lucy’s crate is right there, all big and metal and black. I had to think of something to kind of cover it up, blend it in a little bit. I decided to make a crate cover for her and I loosely based it on this tutorial for an ottoman. It’s actually very simple and any beginner sewer can do it.

 

I started by using an old full sized bedspread that we weren’t using and draped it over the crib. Make sure you have the inside of the cover facing you, and the outside (the part you want seen) of your finished project facing the crate. So in sewing terms…the right side down.

Then I pinned the corners like this….

 

 Make sure you get the corners nice and tight.

Then I cut off the excess at the corners, leaving the pins intact.

 

Sew a straight seam connecting the two sides together. Do this for all four corners. I used a double stitch just to make sure it’s strong.

Turn your cover inside out and straighten it out over the crate- and there you have it!

I had to have Lucy pose for a picture…

 

 

And…in true to me form, I had to jazz it up a little.

I used my embroidery machine and embroidered an arrow, and used my silhouette cameo to cut out the letters. The letters were then ironed onto the front.

And as you can see from the picture, Lucy prefers the couch! 

On a little personal level, when we first got Lucy, I felt such joy-but I also felt a little guilty, like we were somehow replacing Bailey.  But over time, I have come to realize that the human heart has such a capacity to love. While Bailey has left her footprint on our hearts forever, there is also plenty of room to love and enjoy another dog. Has anyone else ever felt that way?

Lucy & Me

Linking up!

niftythriftythings

flamingo toes

Life on Lakeshore Drive

Why “Feathers and Dimes”?

“He shall cover you with his feathers, and under his wings shall you trust:  his truth shall be your shield and buckler.”

 

 I sit here on the first day of 2018 and feel vulnerable because I am about to share what is very precious to me…

Many people ask me why I have the name “Feathers and Dimes” for my blog, facebook page, Instagram page, etc..

I am hesitant to answer because I am afraid they will think I’m a bit crazy, a bit of a religious zealot, a bit out there.

But I’m not any of those things-I’m just a person who has noticed some things.

It all started many years ago, about 23 years ago to be exact. At least, that’s when I started to notice. I was a twenty something, living far from home, engaged to be married, starting my adult life. It was my Nana’s birthday, she had died several years earlier from complications of Alzheimer’s Disease, and I was missing her something awful. I was missing my whole family, trying to establish a life for myself in a strange place. Trying to figure out who I was, where I was going, blah, blah, blah.  I was sitting out on my balcony that overlooked the water, reading my Daily Guidepost, a devotional book my mom had sent me to help ease me through this transition…it was a warm summer morning, with an ocean breeze and birds singing and sunlight warming my skin. It was beautiful and perfect, but I was in tears, covered in sadness and just wanting the comfort that I always found in my Nana’s presence.

And then it happened. A beautiful, white feather floated down from the sky and landed right in middle of the page I was reading.

Of course I looked up into the sky to see where it came from. Just blue sky and clouds. I stopped crying and started wondering.

My Nana…is it possible she knew what I was going through? Someone up there knew what I was going through and gave me this gift? I didn’t know, but I knew it was a wonderful coincidence.

Sometime later I spoke with my mom on the phone and told her what happened. I remember very clearly what she said.

“Oh yeah, that happens to me sometimes, but I find dimes.”

I have always felt that I helped my Nana somehow in her last day. In full blown Alzheimer’s, she no longer recognized anyone. She was just a shell of the wonderful, loving person she was. Alzheimer’s Disease stole my grandmother from us and she was “living” in a nursing home, needing full time care. My grandfather faithfully visited her every single day. But she didn’t know him, or any of us, anymore. She didn’t talk or laugh anymore. She was just there, in that awful hospital bed, repetitively crinkling the sheets and blankets in her hand. I had just returned from my junior year in college for the summer and went to visit her. She was moaning and groaning. My grandfather was there and I could see how hard it was for him to see her like that. I told him to go home and I would stay with her. I asked the nurses to check on her because she seemed to be in pain. They couldn’t find anything wrong with her, her vital signs were stable, and she couldn’t speak to tell us what was wrong. I remember how pissed off I was at God that my Nana was living like this. “How unfair, how awful, how unjust are you, God?” All these things I said as I “prayed” for my grandma.

I sat real close to her and laid my head on her shoulder. I whispered in her ear…”It’s Ok, Nana,” I told her. “It’s time. We will be OK. We will miss you, but it’s time for you to go.” I prayed for God to take her, I couldn’t bare this life for her. She deserved so much better.

I stayed with her a while longer and then I left…That night we got the phone call from the nursing home that they thought the end was near. We rushed there but she had already passed…my Nana was gone.

That feather on her birthday was the first of many, many feathers I find in my life. And since that moment when my mom told me she finds dimes, I find dimes also.  Times when I am scared, feel alone, worried. Times when I am celebrating something. Random times when I’m just going about my day.

Here are some examples:

• My sister and I and my young niece were travelling via Amtrak to New Orleans to attend my oldest brother’s graduation from graduate school. We sat down in the dining car to eat dinner and stuck to the wall was a beautiful white feather.
• I had just had my 20 week ultrasound with my youngest child, and they had told us he had a marker for Down’s Syndrome. I was an anxious mess. When I opened my front door the following morning, there was a nest of feathers stuck to my welcome mat.
• I had a job interview that I bombed completely: I mean, I couldn’t have messed it up any more if I tried-I even showed up on the wrong day! Feeling very confused and very bad about myself, I stepped into the elevator and found a feather on the elevator floor. And then the janitor that was in the elevator with me began to sing my favorite hymnal.
• Speaking of jobs, many years prior to the above incident, I was driving home from a job interview that would mean moving to another state. Talk about plans up in the air! A bird literally flew in my open car window and started fluttering all around, and in the chaos, left many feathers behind.
• In the Rock and Roll Hall of Fame, I watched my youngest, a budding guitarist, marvel at all the rock and roll paraphernalia. I was thinking how happy he looked. And there, in the middle of a huge exhibit, was a little, bright shining light. It was a dime.
• I was having a particularly difficult day at work-I was near tears but was fighting it. Something caught my eye. There, by my foot underneath the desk, was a shiny, new dime.

I could honestly go on. But for a lot of the feathers and dimes that I have found, I have forgotten some of the stories behind them. I keep them all in two jars on my kitchen windowsill and I keep adding more feathers and more dimes as I find them. I also have them in my car, in my wallet, in my coat pockets. As I find them, I keep them.  I just know that this is more than just coincidence. I know that they are put in my path for a reason. Is it my grandmother, letting me know she is always with me? Is it a guardian angel or angels or guides? I am sometimes sure of it. Sometimes I think it is all part of the greater scheme of things I just don’t understand. Things I am not meant to comprehend. But I know now that when I get one of these “signs”, I don’t try to understand it, or make sense of it, or try to explain it.

I just say, “ I receive this.”

 

So now you know. And you may think I’m a bit off my rocker.  And you may judge me. But that’s OK now. I feel this needs to be shared. And I think a lot of people have similar stories and I would love to hear them.

Peace and Love and Feathers and Dimes,

K

Making Your Own Soda

 

Homemade Summertime Refreshment

 

 

Last Christmas, my husband asked for a Soda Stream so he could cut down on the sugary soda and make his own sparkling flavored waters. I thought this was a great idea and searched the internet for recipes for homemade soda syrups.  Turns out there are so many great combinations and they follow a basic recipe of a simple syrup and fruit and herbs.

 

To make a simple syrup, combine one cup of water to a half cup of sugar. To flavor your simple syrup, throw in about 3-4 cups of fresh fruit and fresh herbs and bring to a boil. Mash up your fruit with a potato masher to release the juices and flavors. Simmer for a half hour. Strain the fruit and herbs with a fine mesh sieve, mashing the fruit into the sides to further bring out the flavor. Store the syrup in a glass jar in the refrigerator for up to one week.

When your want to make your soda, add 3-4 ounces of your syrup to your sparkling water.

 

For my first attempt, I made a Ginger Peach Combo

 

It was delicious, so I tried a Grapefruit and Mint Combo. (Not so delicious.) But there are so many flavor combinations to try, I’m ready to experiment.

 

Like…

Strawberry Basil

Cherry Vanilla

Blueberry Sage

Pineapple Mint

I think you’re only limited by your imagination! And these sodas are especially good if your kids, like mine, drink too much commercial sodas. These are all natural and you can control the amount of sugar. And these soda syrups would make really pretty hostess gifts. You don’t need a soda stream-you can just add it to plain sparkling water from the grocery store.

 

If you try this, I’d love to hear how yours came out!

 

Peace,

K

The Curse

I finally realize my mother was probably right…

Picture this…

It’s about 1981 and I’m 10 years old. I’m in the fifth grade and it’s time for the much anticipated sex education curriculum at school. We are separated from the boys and told we are to bring our moms for a “special movie” to talk about growing up. Our bodies will be “changing”. We all heard about this “change” about to occur in our bodies. Most of us girls have older sisters who gave us the run down. I, however, didn’t have an older sister. I had my mom to tell me these things. And I had Judy Blume. Thank you, God, for moms and for Judy Blume.

 

My mom sat me down and told me how in a couple of years, I would be “becoming a woman” and every month my uterus would shed it’s lining and I would bleed for a week.

I remember thinking, “WHAT ARE YOU TALKING ABOUT? WHY WOULD I BLEED FOR A WEEK EVERY. SINGLE. MONTH?” I was the quintessential tomboy. I climbed trees and collected tadpoles, and played sports and did everything I could to keep up with my older brothers and their friends. I hated wearing a dress, had no interest in wearing a bra like some of my friends, and I sure didn’t have time to bleed for a week from “down there”. What a crock.

“Well, why?, “ I remember asking. “Why does this have to happen?”

My mom answered, “It’s Mother Nature’s way to prepare your body for having a child someday. When a baby is not created, your body has to get rid of the lining and the cycle starts all over again.”

So I asked the next question…”Well, how are babies made?”

Insert uncomfortable silence. “We don’t have to talk about that now,” she said. “Just know that it’s normal and natural for your body to do this as you grow older. I don’t want you to be scared or surprised.”

Mother Nature, huh? She must not like us much if she wants us to go through this. In fact, she must hate us. But if my mom said it was normal, then OK. I believed her.

But then she said, “In my day, we called it ‘The Curse’.”

“The Curse? Why?, “ I asked.

“Because Eve ate the apple in the Garden of Eden and now women are cursed with menstruation and pain during childbirth. And because every time you go on vacation or have something special planned or are wearing white, you’ll get your period.” My mom laughed when she said this.

“What???? I have to pay for Eve’s stupidity? And what does wearing white have to do with anything??? I guess I just won’t wear white, ever.” These are all the thoughts that went through my head. But again, I didn’t have time for this growing up stuff. There was a baseball game going on at the vacant field in my neighborhood and I was the pitcher and everyone was waiting for me.

Fast forward a couple years and I was still a tomboy, but I had a copy of “Are You There God? It’s Me Margaret.” I had read it about 4 times. Margaret was very excited to get her period. So maybe I should be, too.  I found out how babies were made, (thanks to our Encyclopedia Britannica and Amy Skrekrut who demonstrated on her hands what goes on…)

My friends and I were curious about this period thing and when it would happen to us. We took bets on who it would happen to first. Our best bet were the ones who were “most developed”. We even sat around my friend Annie’s basement and asked the Ouija Board when it would happen to us. I put the notion of “The Curse” out of my head.

And then it happened to me…An innocent 12 year old girl/woman. Instead of celebrating my womanhood, I cried and cried.  My mom was there for me. “Why are you crying? This is normal and natural, it’s ok.”

But I wanted to GO SWIMMING WITH ALL MY FRIENDS IN THE NEIGHBORHOOD!!! And now I couldn’t for 5-7days!!!!

“Well,” my mom laughed. “I told you it was The Curse.”  I moped and moped. This becoming a woman thing sucked.

(On a good note, surprisingly an Atari gaming device was added to our household that day. I hung out at home playing Megamania while my friends hung out at the pool. I am still so thankful to my mom for that silent gesture. I knew it was a stretch in finances to buy it, but I think she just wanted to make me happy.)

So the years go by and periods come and go…

In Eighth Grade when I was a cheerleader, our uniforms were white and we had to wear white skivvies underneath. In the Big Game of the Year against our rivals, we had to perform a dance routine at halftime on the football field. Yup, you know who came to visit for that—Aunt Flow.

The night of the Sleepover of the Year with your friends and your brand new pink sleeping bag…there SHE is.

The all day field trip to the state capitol and having to approach your teacher for some “supplies” because you are not prepared properly

The Prom…

The day you actually DID  wear white pants…

The much anticipated trip to the Bahamas in college…

Meeting my future in-laws for the first time and spending the weekend at their house…

Just some of the many moments that come to my mind. And my mom and I would always laugh…”Well, it’s the Curse.” (And we didn’t actually believe it was a Curse on women. It is more like Murphy’s Law.)

 

But now that I am in my mid ‘40s, I’m starting to wonder…because now I’m in another phase of my ‘womanly’ life…

 

Perimenopause

 

And I ask, “Why? Why Mother Nature? Why do you hate us so?” It’s night sweats and sleeplessness. It’s gaining weight around the middle. It’s irregular cycles and forgetfulness and hot flashes and “flooding”. It’s intense mood swings, crying spells,  irritability, headaches. My skin is drier, and oh shit! Is my hair thinning??? I’m not cute anymore! Dear God, it’s freaking awful! Maybe my mom was right?

But I can’t forget that even with all these symptoms and issues and what not, my body has been good to me. When the time felt right to conceive a child, boom! It happened. And the same for my second child. My womb held those babies safely and securely for nine months. I was able to successfully nurse both for over a year.   I never had issues with cramping or migraines or anything else my friends would complain about. I was always so amazed at what the female body could do, I spent my professional career in Maternal-Child Health.

I talk to my mom about these things…”Oh, it’s OK, you’re just going through the beginning of The Change.” (First, The Curse, now The Change).

“But it’s awful, Mom!”

“I know, honey,” she tells me. “But in a few years, this will all be done. You won’t have to deal with it anymore. This is normal and natural. Just another phase in your life.”

“Ok,” I believe her.

But then she pauses…”Yeah, soon you will be done with this phase of your life and you’ll be free.”

“Freedom,” I think. “That sounds nice.”

Another pause…”But then you’ll dry up like a prune.”

I laughed so hard I peed my pants.

I just love my mom so much.

And by the way… Thanks for nothing, Eve!

Homemade Bath Bomb Fizzies

 

The only time the world beats a path to my door is when I’m in the bathtub.

                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                           Unknown

 

When was the last time you took a long, hot bath? I’m a quick shower person because I don’t have the time to lounge around very much in the bathtub. This is something I’m working on-making time for myself. Also, I can’t relax if I hear other people walking around (my kids) and shouting things to each other. And by the time they are asleep, I’m too tired to put forth the effort.

But I do have some friends who SWEAR by the relaxing qualities of a hot bath. This is for them.

Now one store I just LOVE is Lush. They have all these fun soaps and creams and lotions and it smells so good in there. Everything is pretty natural-even the facial masks have a short shelf life and have to be refrigerated.

But my favorite things at Lush are their Bath Bombs!

It’s like being a kid in a candy store! I have tried these bombs once or twice and they really are THE BOMB! All fizzy and smelling all pretty.

Whelp, whilst perusing Pinterest, I came across a whole bunch of DIY recipes and wanted to see if they really work. Some recipes call for carrier oils, corn starch; all need baking soda and essential oils for fragrance.

I pinned and tried this one from The Beauty Bar Blog.

The recipe calls for Citric Acid which I found to be hard to find. I finally found it at Fruitful Yield, but it can also be found at wine making stores. (You know, in case you make some wine with your fizzies for your relaxing bath.)

I made half the recipe so what you need is-

1/2 cup citric acid

1/2 cup baking soda

1/4 cup corn starch

1/4 cup melted coconut oil

4-5 drops of essential oil

food coloring

molds

 

Mix your dry ingredients together in medium bowl and add your desired coloring. I added red because I was looking to make some pink bath bombs for Valentine’s Day.

 

But it wasn’t really showing any color even though I mixed it with my hands like the directions said. (But my hands were red…)

Combine the coconut oil and essential oil together in another bowl.

Here’s the tricky part

SLOWLY add the coconut oil mixture to your dry ingredients. If you pour too quickly, your citric acid will react and start a-bubbling and fizzing.

Mix this together with your hands until the mixture feels like wet sand.

The good news is that once the wet ingredients went in, the coloring really started to show.

I packed it in real tight to a silicone Valentine mini cake mold I found and hoped for the best.

 

The instructions say to wait for them to dry for 24 hours before taking them out which is kind of torturous for someone like me.

In the mean time, there are lots of great blogs and sources out there for making Bath Bombs.

Check out these lavender ones from A Pumpkin and a Princess. They are so, so pretty!

 

Urban Soapsmith is just one of many that sell on Etsy…and the packaging really caught my eye.

And, of course, there’s the queen of stuff like this…Martha Stewart.…she even has a video to make things even easier.

But mine…well, after 72 hours, I popped mine out and here’s how they looked…

Tahh-Dahhh!

 

Umm, not so good. I thought I could salvage them by spritzing the mess with water, thinking they were not wet enough when I originally did it. Easy save, right?

 

No…I think I then spritzed too much water and they started expanding and reacting.

Oh well, back to the drawing board. Maybe I should watch the Martha Stewart Tutorial.

Peace and Fizz,

Kathy