What are you doing NYE ?

Tonight I’m doing NOTHING for New Years Eve. I’m simply enjoying time to relax and chill. There’s no place like home.

This is how I spent my day so far:

I’ve made a delicious quiche with asparagus and Brie for brunch. Enjoyed hot chocolate and coffee combined and topped with whip cream and a small glass of fresh squeezed Florida orange juice.

Out of the oven! So good!

Read a few of my favorite books and magazines. There’s nothing like turning pages and learning!

Next… I thrilled my taste buds exploring some new recipes.

I prepared a pitcher of lemon and grapefruit slices infused 💧 in water for today and to drink first thing tomorrow. My mother taught me about the beauty of waking up and sipping a warm not iced cup of this.

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Wrote an old fashioned letter to a friend and write out some “Thank You” notes.

I made a bath treat for tomorrow night I mixed Epsom salts sprinkled with lavender essential. Next you shake the jar. Turn it upside down and stored the jam jar I repurposed it in. I let the essential oil infuse with the epsom salts for 24 hours.

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Spent cozy in bed with my favorite nightgown which translated to no clothing.

Oh and coated my hands & feet with a luxurious coconut lotion with a pair of white cotton socks on.

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Made myself a bowl of fresh dragon fruit and other exotic fruits and chocolates 🍫 my husband got as a gift. Sharing is caring.

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Tonight we are sipping champagne and enjoying the last night of 2023. I almost forgot what it feels like to just relax and chill.

How about you?

I wish you a Happy New Year’s Eve and all you wish for in 2024 and the gift of life and health too!

Bless you… wherever you are in the world.

Make your feet Happy!

Trekking all over town for errands, gifts and stocking stuffers is exhausting. So, this calls for a little self-care.

Take time for a mini nap or at least prop up your feet on your favorite pillow.

Put in some of your favorite music.

Light and turn on a faux candle.

Make a pretty potion like this!

Here’s what you’ll need for this DIY recipe for your feet.

Get in a relaxed state of mind. Think good thoughts.

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1 cup of Coconut milk

1 cup of organic or local honey

Boil a pot of water

Pour the ingredients above into a basin of water. Make sure it’s not too hot. Stir well.

Next I like to sprinkle a little cinnamon or nutmeg to this foot bath. So aromatic…Just for fun!

Pamper those feet! They do so much for you!

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Soak your feet at least 15 minutes.

Rinse with lukewarm water and a washcloth. Pat your skin with a towel.

Apply your favorite hand and body lotion or foot cream.

Put a pair of white cotton socks. Take a nap or you’re ready for bed.

Enjoy softer skin, relaxed feet and body and put a smile on your feet.

Body Gua Sha …

Do I have your attention?

In my beauty travels ✈️ I discovered a new Body Gua Sha tool. You know you see them for the face. Usually made of Jade, rose quartz and maybe another gem. But have you seen a luxe size BODY one like this?

This large body tool was created to tone & tighten, improves skin elasticity, reduce the appearance of cellulite, speed metabolism and relax the mind & body!

If you come across one. Or love to order online. You gotta check it out. I do not have much cellulite but I love to rev up my metabolism and circulation!

Here’s how to use it:

I began with a body oil. Like avocado or olive. I place it where I plan on massaging.

Be gentle on your body when you work with it.

Holding the gua sha in a horizontal position. Begin by gently stroking, starting at the ankle toward the inner thigh in an upward motion. Then continue the same motion for the back of the legs.

Repeat at least 3 to 5 times per leg.

It takes a learning curve and some practice !

Next, Use smooth and gentle strokes on your arms that you have applied oil on. Glide the tool wrist to armpit.

Repeat this motion on the outer parts of the arms too. Repeat 3 to 5 tones on each arm.

When reaching your torso area they say to use gentle strokes in a downward motion. Towards the pubic bone. I personally have not done this area yet.

Note: these areas will look pinkish and flushed. It’s a great sign as your body is detoxing and blood is circulating in these areas.

They mention you may use this tool twice a day for best results. But I am staring slow. Only in the evening.

I like to follow up with my favorite body lotion.

Lastly I sip a tea cup filled with warm water 💦 made from my tea kettle and add a slice or two of a lemon or orange slice. Allow the fruit to infuse into the water.

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Sip away and enjoy the “mini detox getaway” you gave your body.

Self care is the most important care! Take time to do what feels good and right for you! You’ll be glad you did.

Stress Less Tips!

In a hurricane , tropical storm or just life now… we NEED comforting.

Here are some of my personal tips to help!

❤️ Take a warm comforting bath before the storm or you lose electricity. Or if the storm passes you or just any day chill out in a bath 🛀 even if you are a shower person. IT will make you feel better!

Add a few flowers 🌸 or rose 🌹 petals & it’s pure bliss!

I like to use Epsom salt and a few dashes of essential oil. Rose, lavender or lemon. I like to add shower gel to the tub for bubbles.

(Not crafters oil fragrance) The real thing!

❤️ This is NOT the time to go on a diet! Eat and drink things that comfort you. Bake some cookies from scratch. Make a pot of cozy hot chocolate or Chai tea.

Yum!

Rest up!

❤️ Try taking a nap or at least try and get a good nights sleep. It really helps with stress! It also is so good for your health!

❤️ Or give each other a massage. The scalp, shoulders, hands or feet. Even the family can get in on the fun.

Massage oil from your kitchen!

Practice a bit of meditation. Or start yoga. I have not been doing it for many years but I have added it to my life. It makes such a big difference.

❤️ Meditation 🧘‍♀️ calms the mind. If you don’t what to do. Just be still and quiet. Surround yourself with a salt lamp or a faux candle. Illuminate your space.

Soothe your spirits!

❤️ I’m not a doctor but my massage therapist and doctors over the years suggested I take one magnesium supplement at night. They say it relaxes the body and acts like a muscle relaxant. I practice that and it is quite effective. Sweet Dreams!

❤️ Spray your sheets or towels with lavender oil or peppermint oil. One calms and the peppermint lifts spirits.

❤️ Still feeling stress ? Chew gum or enjoy a hard candy. I love a candy brand called Jolly Ranchers!

❤️ Keep hydrated! Drinking Water 💦 is your body’s best friend. But a little Prosecco helps too. Or whatever floats your boat!

If you have a tip that you’d like to share with me. I’d love to hear from you.

I hope a few of these tips help and comfort you! Hurricane if not. We ALL need to take comfort.

Martha Stewart rocks!

I’ve always enjoyed Martha Stewart, her magazines, food TV shows and all her amazing talents. She’s had her ups and downs but now there are more ups than downs.

She’s pretty cool actually 😎!

She’s come out with her own chill pill kinda CBD products. My favorite thus far are the CBD Wellness Gummies. They come in a tres chic beautiful box like you are enjoying some decadent chocolates.

There are 60 gummies to a box! And the best part they are only 15 calories!!! 100 % natural hemp!

Delicious little CBD gems!

If you’re anxious, stressed, have got too much going on in your life. Instead of prescription 💊 pills, wine,beer,cocktails. Try a MS CBD Wellness Gummy.

Gourmet flavors include: Meyer Lemon,Persian Lime, Kumquat, Blood Orange and Red Rasberry to name a few.

They offer a sense of CALM.

A Delicious Way to Keep Calm

Tea! 🍵 What a beauty!

I love ❤️ taking time for tea. While I am still a coffee ☕️ gal. I have grown to love and enjoy tea too.

Blooming Flowering 💐 Teas come in round hand sewn tea ball like delights. Once brewed they are delicious to the tongue and look so pretty in a clear tea pot.

These exotic and unique beauties keep you calm and feeling relaxed. I created a ritual years ago sipping these green teas. I discovered them when given to me as gifts and on my visits to the Orient. My fave are jasmine flowers, green tea with lavender and green tea with roses.

• Take one of the tea bulbs
• Place in a heat resistant glass tea pot or in a large coffee cup.
• Boil water and allow it to relax for one minute.
• Pour the boiled water into the teapot or cup and fill it completely.

After 3-5 minutes the actual flowers and tea leaves will unravel themselves and tea steeped. I prefer not to add cream or sugar but you can if you wish. Sometimes I use honey to enhance a cup or the entire tea pot.

Now, enjoy the tea flower view before you!

Just sit,sip and relax drink to your good health. Now more than ever we need to take time for ourselves. Men love it too. Try and taste new things.

Enjoy every minute of life just a little bit more!

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Foot Bath Recipe

Time to take care of those precious feet of yours. Self care Sunday is here!

We are tired. Tired 😴 of this pandemic and need a lift! Right?

So here are two refreshing DIY recipes to try. Summer is here and you want better looking and softer feet too. Don’t you?

Fill a foot basin or create one with what you have with warm water and some 🍋 lemon and orange 🍊 slices. Place a couple of drops of peppermint essential oil.

Unless you’re allergic choose another oil of your choice like eucalyptus or tea tree.

Place your feet 🦶 in the bath.

Soak your feet for at least 15 minutes.

Rinse your feet and place your fave hand and body lotion or cream.

Your feet will feel so AmaZzzing!

Another creamy and dreamy treatment you can do is simple and so delightful! It will cost you under $2.00 I hope you have it in your kitchen pantry.

Do one soak today and another foot soak later in the week.

Fill a bath with warm water 💦 and soak your feet with a cup of coconut 🥥 milk 🥛. It is a treatment many cultures like to do. Softens the skin and heels too. Afterwards be careful and rinse off the milk and water bath. Towel dry and put a pair of white socks on. Go to bed.

Wake up feeling better and softer and with a smile on your feet 🦶

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Can you smell the lovely scent ?

On a long holiday weekend I love to make things and they are usually with a beauty or baking twist.

Cause I am on the road for work alot I am happy to stay in and chill. I made sugar cookies with lavender. And I made this scalp treat for my hair. I LOVE LAVEVDER! Do you? The scent is so relaxing, soothing,RELIEVES tension and great for migraines or a basic headache.

5 drops of essential oil. (I prefer Aura Cacia)

1/4 cup of olive oil (organic)

I Warm the oil and shut burner off. Sprinkle in the drops on the stove top and stir. The oil will make conditioning hair love~

I like to apply on wet hair. Massage into the scalp and the ends a bit too.I take a shower cap I have from my hotel stays and place my hair up in it. Leave on at least 15 minutes.

Shampoo when done. Rinse well.

If you are up to your lips in work or that TO DO list enjoy making and using this aromatic softer hair and happy hydrated scalp too!

ENJOY the beauty of lavender!

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Sunnies,Vitamin SEA and Me!

I have just come back from a much needed early winter getaway!

When I arrived the palm tree lined streets home of Ringling Brothers (yes, the circus creator) I knew I was headed  to some place special!!!

Yes I live in Florida now. But I live closer to Atlanta and now was clear across the state.When I got to the sunny resorts door  I smelled a scent I recognized but was not sure of.  I got to my room and jumped for joy! I went to open the  curtain to the balcony I discovered I was just steps from the ocean. Finally, it dawned on me I work so hard and spend lots of time in my makeup studio,TV and at airports …I didn’t realize that scent was the beautiful salty ocean air! Oh how I EMBRACED and gave in to that awesome air.

 

A Tropical drink is ALWAYS a good idea. Even if it isn’t filled with alcohol. But this one was a tease of it on my tongue. Just what I needed.

 

(I decorated the table with some of my sea finds)

A heart healthy walk and an exfoliating facial for my feet and soles was next. My feet and calve muscles loved me too!

I rinsed my hair in the sunlight and salt water detoxing my hair of any oil and product buildup. And although I did NOT sunbathe at practice what I preach…I managed to get a little kiss of color and VITAMIN SEA.

I loved the hotel balcony I hated to leave it.I shopped and window shopped,dined in some yummy places and had an amazzzing relaxing time. UNTIL my iphone had plans for me!

It died  … I mean really died totally black screen would not fire up! For days!

I hated being less than 8 hours there and no phone. No connection to my beauty business. No blog posts,no social media. It was so STRANGE!  I hated the feeling of being so attached with my phone and all of it’s trappings.

Long story short. I had to drive to get it checked  on and perhaps get a replacement. I have only had the phone a few months. But did you know if you live out of town you cannot and they will not just give you a replacement from the Apple store? You have to go back home to where you bought it and work on getting it checked and perhaps a replacement there. Oh and it takes another week to get a new phone replacement. The diagnostics said my phone was from a bad batch that was recalled. But I was not informed. Quite a phone adventure I did not plan for.

Perhaps my phone was trying to tell me something along with the salty sea kissed air. SLOW DOWN…enjoy the beauty that surrounds you. Unplug. What do you think?

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A Rosy D.I.Y. Bath to relax!

In the wee early hours of the morning I whipped up this romantic lovely relaxing bath mix. I have not made it in awhile.I can’t wait to share this recipe for bath bliss with you.

Recipe for Rosy  BLISS

1/2 CUP OF BAKING SODA

1 CUP OF EPSOM SALT

2 TO 3 DROPS OF THERAPUETIC GRADE ROSE OIL

Pour all of the dry ingredients above together and sprinkle in the essential oil.

Stir it all together and leave in bowl with a lid a few days.

Stir and smell the rosy aroma.

Place in a pretty jar. I like to top mine with a faux or fresh rose pal before I close the lid. Keep it as a treat for yourself or give it to someone special.

Got FRESH rose petals? Sprinkle a few in your bath tub. Relax and enjoy this rosy relaxing delight.

Appreciate yourself and honor your body and soul.