BEAUTY IS A LIFESTYLE THING

Tissue Paper? As we age our skin becomes thin, What can we do? What is Crepey Skin? First, Crepey Skin is a term that refers to skin that has the appearance of being thin and wrinkled and often likened to tissue paper or crepe paper! This is a picture of a hard-working hand, and this hand is mine! Myth There are many myths surrounding this subject. The number #1 myth associated with the appearance of Crepey Skin is due to aging and old age. It is true that as we age our skin does change and become wrinkled and often thin as well. However, here are the facts... According to the Cleveland Clinic and dermatologists, Crepey Skin is MOST often caused by the sun. Over time, the damage from the sun is cumulative. The exposure breaks down the elastin in our skin. Elastin is a type of "fiber" that is present in our skin that allows it to stretch and return to a normal position. Like a rubberband in similarity, it moves and stretches but over time the rubberband becomes loose and doesn

Happy 4th of July I want to start out by wishing you a Happy Independence day! No matter how you spend it today, please be safe. Practice safety in so many ways like watching out for the little ones, being sure you are safe around fireworks and sparklers! (while we see them as a lower-class firework they are dangerous!) Sparklers burn at between 1800 degrees-3000 degrees Fahrenheit! That's hot and super dangerous. Here's a very simple yet classic appetizer recipe for the picnic, backyard BBQ, or even wedding. I love to make food that all types of diets can enjoy. This is gluten-friendly, keto-friendly, and vegan. It can be made with all organic ingredients; including the cheese, but for this recipe today I cheated and used cheese sticks to save time.  Need -Cherry or grape tomatoes  (today I used 40) 2 on each stick -skewers (your choice I used bamboo but sometimes they're not perfect i.e. crooked or shredding) can use long party toothpicks as well. -Favorite Balsamic vineg

Overgrown and plentiful in my backyard Having a pandemic has put a huge strain on some bloggers that rely on craft stores, but for myself I really enjoy upcycling. I enjoy not only the benefits of not spending extra money (that I usually don't have anyway), but a lessening of my footprint as well as using "stuff" that may just be sitting around collecting dust or by using parts of something may be ready to pitch in the trash. Even "Dollar Tree" crafters are still buying things, though I am never opposed to their blogs or ideas, in fact, I think many of their ideas are super super creative!  I follow a ton of bloggers and Pinterest peeps and Instagrammers because all of it is so fun! I just love the aspect of taking something and changing it into something else.  For today's post, I'm going to highlight a copycat idea, found a really cute idea on a blog, and wanted to recreate it for a July 4th tablescape.  As you can see from the picture below, this blog

I love decorating for the 4th of July. Usually, I'd have people over either the 3rd of July or on the 4th itself. This year is different, because of Covid19, the celebrations will be on the down-low. I still love to have decor with the red white and blue and the American flags everywhere as well as something on the front door to be seen from the street. But again, this year is different. I'll put up what is still useable from years past, but adding in new things without buying anything is the ultimate upcycle move, and I saw something on another blog and I thought I can make that! If I could remember who that was I'd credit that blogger. (my memory is so short these days)  Enter the twig star.   This craft is so super easy and involves only what you may have on-hand, and thank goodness for the big thunderstorm we just had because my yard is riddled with sticks and twigs. I went around and assembled a large pile of twigs. From those, I'll pick out enough to make some sta

Photo Credit: unknown Pinterest I've heard it over and over again, I feel bored, stressed, compelled to act, fearful, depressed, and even angry. According to doctors at the CDC.gov social media posts and the opinions of others can make us feel stressed, depressed (blue), and otherwise sad. You sometimes know the poster and you and this person suddenly don't align or you even feel uncomfortable with the person's post.  Sometimes you don't even need to interact/react to a post at all to be interlaced with it as it is on your scroll line. Doctors agree that with all the things that are happening in our world today, it is very easy to become affected by these things. The best suggestion from them regarding social media:  1)  limit your exposure to social media itself.  Do this by only checking in once in a while and severely limiting the length of time spent on these sites. 2) Change the people you follow. Do this by looking for learning, motivation, and meditative sites. L

Green tea photo credit: kissclipart.com Green Tea and Resistance Exercise So much has been studied and so much misinformation is out on green tea itself. Scientists do definitively know a few things for example: A person that is most likely to include tea drinking into their daily regime is most aptly already living a healthy lifestyle.  Therefore, this inclusion is better for their health than possibly those who do not include tea as part of their daily drink choice. photo credit: 123rf.com Scientists continue to test and try to clarify the questions that the tea drinking and the exercise/diet community have.   Until as late as last year, debate still remains around the idea that tea (preferably green tea) “spikes” the metabolism and that will cause weight loss.   As reported through the American Journal of Clinical Nutrition that tea is helpful in health and they go on to include that researchers from the United States Dept. of AG, National Institute of