Homemade Lip Gloss

I haven't tried this recipe for homemade lip gloss yet, but I thought it would be a great way to use up the last bit of my favorite lipsticks in the tube. My usual thing is to scoop them out into an old compact and use it with a lipstick brush. Can't wait to try this!

1 teaspoon grated beeswax
1/2 teaspoon lipstick
1/2 teaspoon petroleum jelly

Melt the ingredients in a small can placed in boiling water. Stir it well
And pour it into a small jar.

Do you know how to pamper yourself?

Pampering yourself doesn't have to be an expensive endeavor . . . sometimes the cost is just taking time for yourself. When I found this article, I had to include it in my blog . . . it is one of the most important things that a woman can do for herself.

Pamper yourself today :)

Here are 5 Quick-Tips

By Sylvia C. Hall

Women. Ahh, we can do it all. We do it all. Right? Well, almost. I know of far too many mommies, or far too many entrepreneurs, or far too many work-from-homers that know how to do just about everything. That is, everything but pamper themselves.

Women today have to wear 10,000 hats just to get everything done. What does a normal week consist of? How much are you in charge of completing? Add it up. Make a list. I made a little list just to see what I was doing every week, and it made me realize something. I was in need of a break. A well deserved break.

Sure, men are busy, too. But, we will leave that to another article. This is an article for those who understand it’s NOT okay to leave an empty granola bar box in the cabinet. Are little things like these starting to drive you mad? Well, join the club, and then read these 5 ways to pamper yourself and retire the hats for at least just a bit.

1. Buy yourself something pretty. I’m a fan of jewelry and flowers. No, it doesn’t have to be especially pricey. You can find a bouquet of flowers at the grocery store for under $5. And, “fashion jewelry” may seem trendy, but if you think it’s pretty . . . go for it!

2. Do something to make you feel better about your body. Take a bubble bath, paint your toes, pluck your eyebrows . . . do something to pamper that body of yours.

3. About that body. Are you one of those “negative-self-talkers?” One of the best ways to pamper yourself is to STOP that right now. Stop that negative gibber-jabber.

4. Perhaps you’ve heard of a gratitude journal. It’s a wonderful way to make yourself aware of 3 good things that happened to you throughout the day. I want you to use this same idea for an "I Love Me journal". Take some time to write 3 reasons you love yourself, everyday! Point out all the wonderful things about your body, your mind, and your spirit. You can pamper yourself by loving yourself.

5. Daydream. Kids do it all the time. Go back to your child-like innocence and enjoy a lovely daydream. Imagine yourself somewhere beautiful. Think pleasant thoughts. Be at one with the moment, which is currently yours.

You can pamper yourself. You can take just a few minutes each day to appreciate and love yourself. Take care of yourself and everyone in your life will be better off. Even the one who left the empty granola bar box in the cabinet . . .

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Sylvia C. Hall lives and writes in Kansas City. Women's topics and children's literature interest her most. Sylvia has her BA degree in English with minors in Education and Psychology. She will begin teaching part time in the Kindergarten classroom this fall. Sylvia loves the creative process. She especially enjoys photography, dancing, and being a vivacious woman.

Check out her blogs to learn more:

www.sylvias-journal.blogspot.com

www.dream-imagine-soar.blogspot.com

Lifestyle changes . . . the holistic event of shedding the fat

There is nothing more empowering than sticking to a lifestyle change for more than a month, which brings back fond memories of how awesome I felt on the day that marked a whole month of not having a cigarette.

Although it was one of the most momentous things I have ever done for myself, the result was gaining back some of the weight I had previously worked so hard to lose. Seems like it came on overnight . . . my doctor called it chemical changes that I could get control over. Well, I didn't . . . until now . . .

I don't care what anyone says . . . losing weight, exercising, that whole ritual is a mind game. You have to have a reason to do it, a strong desire . . . just like quitting smoking was for me and losing weight the first time. Know where you want to go, have a plan and work towards it . . . getting healthy, changing your lifestyle and knowing how much better you will look and feel has everything to do with it. It is all in getting motivated. I knew it was time to move on with my life . . . that is what made the difference for me.

It has been over two months since I embarked on a journey that seems to keep me on my exercise equipment, dancing and jumping around like a fool . . . and yes, eating very sensibly, yet not depriving myself of anything that I want.

Maybe this approach won't take the fat off as fast as I want it to go away . . . tomorrow would not be soon enough for me . . . but it should be a lifestyle change. Many of my original lifestyle changes have stuck with me. It is a rare occasion that I eat meat anymore . . . and that is when I go to Chili's Restaurant, I must have one of their awesome cheeseburgers and fries . . . not something I do all the time. Gone are the days of a wonderful southern delight . . . sweet tea . . . no more for me! And my most wonderous discovery was no fat half and half that I use on everything that requires milk . . . all the richness and no fat. I never gave up real butter, but only use it in moderation. There are more . . . it is all about making a conscious effort of realizing what you consume on a regular basis and figure out how to cut it out.

Recent changes to get it off faster . . . not using butter or preparing anything that needs butter, I gave up Pepsi (that was a 2 liter a day addiction), cut my coffee consumption in half since I love those flavored coffee creamers . . . now I dilute with the no fat half and half when I do have coffee. Bread is a rare treat and I use it to make a sandwich made of lean deli turkey with no fat swiss cheese and NO mayo . . . I've resorted to rolling a piece of cheese in two twin slices of turkey for snacks instead of a sandwich and I haven't missed it.

ABSOLUTELY NO MORE SWEETS . . . no fat yogurt in assorted flavors has been substituted and I am completely satisfied. A very small spoonful of peanut butter also helps the sweet tooth stop screaming.

On day #655 of being a non-smoker, it took me a while, but I can finally say that I am back on the road to the holistic event of shedding the fat forever. Watch out world . . . I'm back and I'll soon be the new and vavavoom new version of myself . . .