Maximize Lotion Application

Mommies, ever wonder if you can stretch the use of your lotion? Or are you thinking of replacing your current pick for a more effective one? Before you do that, you could try this one first - a trick to get more out of your favorite lotion.

Rub some oil or lotion of your choice on your hands and wrap your hands with plastic for 5 to 10 minutes. The heat trapped by the plastic activates the moisturizing effects of the oil or lotion.

The longer you keep your hands inside the plastic, the better (but I understand if you want to get it over as quickly as possible - mommies are always on the go and hardly have a minute to spare).

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13 Things I Do Not Want to Run Out of In The Kitchen

Bummer to run out of these and I try hard not to. But if it gets to that, I'll sure see what I can do. So here are the 13 Things I Do Not Want to Run Out of In The Kitchen -not in particular order.

• Ginger

• Tea

• Water

• Baking Soda

• Honey

• Cucumber

• Fruits

• Bread

• Cheese

• Cream

• Tomatoes - that's still fruit right? :-)

• Vinegar

• LPG (for the stove)

How about you? what can't you do without in the kitchen?

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Wordless Wednesday: Anchovies

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Homemade Hair Conditioner

If you want to utilize the eggyolk which we cannot use for this facial mask, here's a cheap and homemade mix for a softer hair.

Mix eggyolk with a teaspoon of baby oil or virgin coconut oil. Apply the mixture on your hair and cover the hair with shower cap or cellophane bag. Rinse thoroughly and shampoo after 20 minutes.

From experience, it's best to use lukewarm water to wash off the oil.

Homemade Facial Mask

For a very cheap facial mask, all you need to do is open your fridge. You'll be surprised to find ingredients for a facial mask in there.

Look for an egg and a lemon or calamansi. Separate egg white from the yolk. Extract juice from lemon or calamansi (straining it is ideal). Beat egg white and calamansi juice for 3 minutes. Apply to face and leave on skin for 30 minutes. Rinse thoroughly.

Note: Be careful to avoid the eyes during application.

You may do this at least once a week to give your tired skin a lift. If you don't have 30minutes to spare, you may leave it on for 10 minutes -whichever suits you. Rinse thoroughly.

13 Things To Remember

Summer is coming. And before long, everyone will be saying "beach." So I'm posting 13 tips that may be helpful before you don a swimsuit, hit the beach and take the plunge.

1) If you want to look slimmer, choose swimwears in dark colors. Go for monochromatic look.

2) When choosing swimwear, go as far as what's comfortable for you. It helps if you can shop with your friends who will be honest with you.

3) Whatever you wear, rememeber that confidence is not bought along with your swimsuit. Confidence is a mindset. You don't need to have JLo's body to be confident.

4) Eliminate hair. Waxing- or shaving can give you smooth and clean-looking skin.

5) Stretch your body before jumping into the waters. Be sure muscles are warmed up before you take a dive so you don’t experience cramps or other injuries when you get in the waters.

6) Don’t dive in the water unless you know how deep it is –or have an approximate estimate.

7) Enter feet first if you don’t know the depth.

8) Flotation devices are not for kids. You may bring some if you want to. Better prepared than sorry.

9) Don’t chew gums or eat anything while swimming; you might choke.

10) Drink lots of juices and water to keep you hydrated inside. Cucumber juice is recommended as a source of silica to improve skin. Its high water content makes it naturally hydrating – a must to make our skin healthy and glowing.

11) As a reminder, exposure to UV radiation leads to wrinkles, discoloration, freckles and cancer-related problems. (UV rays attack collagen in the dermis and this results to loss of elasticity and resilience of skin). So don’t forget to use sunblock.

12) Reapply sunblock minimum of two hours after the swim to prevent sunburn.

13) Chlorine or salt can make the hair dry. It is best to use a headcap or apply hair protectant.

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MakeItFromScratch carnival is up and running at GreenStyleMom.

Wordless Wednesday: Hibiscus

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To Salt Or Not To Salt

SALT is both boon and bane to mankind. Or maybe I should say, womankind.

Do you know that salty foods could be the culprit why you feel bloated when you have your period - or even days before you have it. So I learned. And yes, I learned not to salt, despite craving for it around the time of my period. It does help. and I'm really better off without it.

How about you? Do you munch on junk food around the time of your period? Junk food like chips and fries are loaded with salt. It's really best to cut down your salt intake. Also, try alternative seasonings in your cooking and remove the salt shaker from the dinner table. Have someone hide it during that time of the month. :-)

Salt is also bane to hypertensive people because it is a triggering factor to high blood pressure. So lessen your salt intake. Yes, all the more reason to stay away from junk foods. Avoid the risk of high blood pressure. Eat potassium enriched food like banana, sweet potato and tomato instead. These counteract some of sodiums unhealthy effects.

Now given all that, do you know that salt is a terrific exfoliation aid? Honey plus salt. Mineral oil plus salt. Or olive oil plus salt. Choose among these combination and you have a homemade scrub. Just remember to rub and scrub your skin gently to prevent scratching yourself. (Note: You could also opt for a fine grain salt)

Aloe Vera

Choose beauty products with Aloe Vera because Aloe gives your skin nutrients such as amino acids, vitamins and minerals. It also has a moisturizing component that helps regenerate and heal the skin.

Trick using Aloe Vera for the scalp:

Peel off the outer green skin of aloe vera. Blend flesh using a food processor. Or you could mash them until it becomes gel-y. Rub the gel on scalp and leave there for a few minutes giving it time to condition the scalp. Rinse well. This will keep your scalp healthy.

Myth: Brushing The Hair A Hundred Times

I grow up thinking that one should brush her hair 100 times before sleeping to make it shiny. A myth. I didn't know that this will not hold true to all or that this may do more damage than good.

True, brushing your hair before going to bed stimulates the scalp and helps bring out natural oils. However, you don't need to do 100 strokes of brushing since excessive pulling (of hair) may damage the hair shaft and result to breakage and falling hair.

Falling Hair Fix

Falling hair is caused by a lot of factors: stress, pollution, hormonal change, etc..

For a homemade remedy:

Mix some calamansi juice with coconut milk. Thoroughly massage this mixture on the hair. Apply once a week until you achieve the desired result.

Note: Obviously, I'm not over my TT post. :-)

13 Ways To Use Calamansi

In one of my WW entry, I posted this picture and I received few comments asking of its uses. So now, I decided to list few of the uses of Calamansi.

1) Juice. Squeeze halved calamansi (4 to 5 pieces, but it depends on the user) to a cup. Strain it. Add honey or sugar. It's a good source of vitamin C.

2) Zinger for ginger tea. Ginger tea + 1 tbsp calamansi juice + honey/sugar.

3) Tequila shots. Others use lemon, but mostly we use calamansi here.

4) Natural Air Freshener. Halved calamansi and put them in a bowl. Their peelings could do the trick, too.

5) Deodorizer. Can be placed in the fridge to eliminate odor. Or say you’ve just finished cleaning some fish (or handling something unpleasant in smell), you may rub some to eliminate the icky odor.

6) Skin whitening Agent. Definitely good for the dark knees and elbows and armpits…

7) Dip. Basic Filipino Dip = soysauce, calamansi (optional vinegar)

8) Marinade. Soysauce. Calamansi. Vinegar. Pepper. Garlic.

9) Dandruff Treatment. Cover halved calamansi with a cloth (prevents the pulp from getting stuck in your hair). Rub gently to the scalp.

10) Bleach. Its juice is proven to remove minor stains on clothes.

11) When we - my bros and sisters - were still kids, we would carefully peel and part its segments, and devour them as if they’re the sweetest thing on earth.

12) Hair highlights. In a punk, funky mood? Comb calamansi juice through the hair or into some strands and leave it there. The sun will lighten the strands faster, giving the hair a sun-streaked look. (I have not actually done this, but I have friends who have tried this trick.)

13) Thursday Thirteen subject. Wink.

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Also the Carnival of Family Life is up and running at TheFullHouse.

Wordless Wednesday : Tomato

Kid Style Cold Compress

It’s not always easy to apply cold compress on kids. But oftentimes, there is a need for this because kids often bump their heads on furniture, walls, etc... To me (and I'm speaking with my son in mind), it seems that they get bruised more easily than they get "iced."

Mine doesn't like to get "iced." That’s why I’ve been experimenting with things around the house and have been trying to make cold compress attractive to him.

Here are few things I use as alternative:

- Frozen hotdogs. I’ve tried cocktail with very good results.

- Frozen veggies. Actually, there’s one that my mother placed on our freezer for this purpose: cucumber.

- Juice, medicine bottles. Glass bottles are cooler and unexpectedly acceptable to my son.

So, does your kid hate the sight of ice or even ice covered in washcloth? What's your alternative to ice/ice packs?

Thursday Thirteen #4

As a spin-off to last week's entry, I'm listing down 13 Things I Love About My Wedding.

1) The Flowers. I especially love my bouquet.

2) The Gown. I designed it myself – well half of it.

3) The Family. As I had hoped, everyone in my immediate family was there.

4) My Friends. They were there, too.

5) The Songs.

6) The Wedding Singer. I would love to sound like her when I sing.

7) The Officiating Priest. I just wouldn’t have it any other way.

8) The Church Ceremony. I love the service itself.

9) Our photographs. Lifetime memory captured on film.

10) The Photographer. He’s my husband’s officemate and friend who has now given up the Design Industry to concentrate in photography.

11) The “I dos.” While the priest was asking it from the groom, would you believe that the what-ifs crossed my mind. I mean what if he suddenly changed his mind. You cannot imagine how relieved I was when I heard him say I do.

12) The Union. It was the moment we’ve both been dreaming and waiting for. Nothing beats the feeling of finally being “one” with someone you so love.

13) The Groom. I’m so head-over-heels inlove with him.

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Wordless Wednesday: I Want Some Virgin

Virgin Coconut

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Make It From Scratch #54

Welcome to Tips And Tricks Edition of MIFS!

Tip#1. Albert Einstein once said: An empty stomach is not a good political advisor. So before we attack our preset tasks, let's satisfy the demands of our stomachs first.

If you're a vegetarian, Jean Mosher at Always in Motion suggests Kelly’s New Vegetarian Cooking Blog while Lane offers Vegan Cream of Asparagus Soup posted at Vegan Bits.

Joanie also offers a healthy and tasty soup at Nini Makes.

If you want a meaty meal, Alison offers Under 10 Recipe: Lomo Saltado posted at This Wasn't in The Plan.

Or if you want some spaghetti, you could use some of Marsha's Slow Cooker Spaghetti Sauce posted at Beetle Eyes. And pick some of Joanna's pita chips over at Sunflowers in my Kitchen as side to your spaghetti.

Spuds anyone? GP offers This Spud's for You posted at Innstyle Montana- Come on Inn and Nicole Stevens presents Spuds and Stuff posted at Minimalist Mommy.

I'm serving Strawberry Delight dessert for you and your little ones. And VH of Funny about Money is serving an awesome drink to cap this feast.

Later, when we're all done with our tasks, we can head over at Our Red House because Kate is serving Pumpkin Scones for Afternoon Tea. Or drop by the The Sojourner for Erica Burgan's Homemade Granola Bar Recipe.

Tip #2. With all the food that's readily available to us, let's not forget to mind what we're eating and to adopt better nutritional habits. Remember what Victor Hugo said? Indigestion is charged by God with enforcing morality on the stomach. And I think, so is cholesterol.

Life. Money. Development. lists Diet Tips for Preventing High Cholesterol Levels posted at Life. Money. Development.

Tip #3 John Alves said: The hard way is the right way. Although I also believe in simple solutions but let's take what Thomas Jefferson said: I find that the harder I work, the more luck I seem to have.

So roll up your sleeves, get on your knees and try Mopping the Old Fashioned Way as done by Stephanie at Stop the Ride!.

Tip #4. Be productive. Be creative. Helmut Jahn once said: Creativity has more to do with the elimination of the inessential than with inventing something new.

An amazing way to recycle plastic is to use them as "plarn" for crocheted bags and Cindy shows us how to make the Recycled Ripple Purse at My Recycled Bags.

HowToMe shows us How To Sew a Roll-Up Pouch for Cars while GreenStyleMom shows us how to make Waldorf-Inspired Dolls.

Deborah of Pennies To Nickels suggests ways to recycle Plastic Containers.

Suzanne McMinn presents Handcrafted Herb Pot Markers posted at Chickens in the Road.

Doug Boude presents Making Your Home a Pleasant Place to Be: Project Birdbath posted at Doug Boude (rhymes with 'loud').

N. & J. presents The Making of Homemade Soap Making posted at Bad Human! Don't take chemicals from strangers!.

Product Launch Formula 2.0 Jeff Walker presents How To Launch Your Product Even If You Only Have A Tiny List posted at Product Launch Formula 2.0 Jeff Walker Hands You The Insider Secrets To Successful Product Launches.

Tip #5. Limit, if not eliminate debt. I personally believe that we can save more if we remain debt free. A Yiddish Proverb says: Interest on debts grow without rain.

"A mortgage is a debt, and debts are risky by nature." John Crenshaw presents Pay Off Mortgage Tips posted at Truthful Lending Mortgage, Refinance Advice.



Tip #6. Make the most out of life. Life may not be the party we hoped for, but while we're here we should dance.

Raymond presents How To Get Free Stuff By Using Drug Store Rebates (CVS, Rite Aid, Walgreens) posted at Money Blue Book.



Tip #7. Give the mind some exercise.

Freddie L. Sirmans, Sr. presents Can The US Prevent A Starvation Crisis? posted at Can The US Prevent A Starvation Crisis.

But as Bugs Bunny said: Don't take life too seriously. You'll never get out alive.

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Next week's MakeItFromScratch host is Pajama Mommy. You may submit your entry here.

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(Date of post adjusted)

Strawberry Delight

I was in the mood of experimenting during the weekend and the subject were these succulent berry red berries. I, of course, only had a little idea what to do with it. Because, as far I am concerned I can eat them - with or without cream.

My mother, however told me to try to mash them (because she tried mashed berries while on vacation and she said it's delicious). It seemed like a good idea because my son loves to eat strawberries and mashing them would be perfect for him.

So I mixed freshly cut berries with cream and added a small amount of condensed milk. And then mashed them.

I guess it would be better to mash them first (the right thing to do) but I did it the other way around. BTW, I didn't use a food processor because I was only making a little of it (and using a 4000-watt processor is not practical at all).

So predictably, kiddo loves it. He alternately ate it as his dessert and snack (I'm really thinking of yogurt replacement) for two and a half days.

Also, my not-really-little sister loves it, too.

~*~

Ingredients:

1/2 cup Nestle All Purpose Cream

1/4 cup condensed milk

a cup of strawberries

The measurement is just an estimate because I normally do not measure my ingredients. I am inclined to decide by tasting. :-)