Winter Solstice 2012/Doomsday 12/21/12

 

At 6:12 a.m. standard eastern time should of been the end of the world as predicted by the ancient Myans. Thankfully we spared and life as we know it goes on. Another great thing is also going on today, December 21, 2012.

"The winter solstice celebrates the return of hope to our land as our planet experiences the first slow turn toward greater daylight. Soon we will welcome the return of the sun and the coming of springtime. As we do so, let us remember and embrace the positive, enriching aspects of winter's darkness.

Again, the winter solstice time is the shortest day of the year, when the energies of the “night” temporarily overcome the day. This is the time to avoid letting yourself dwell on stuff, and don’t become morbid or reflect in a negative way upon your life, because that will draw in some of the yucky “ghoul” energies which always like to mess with people at this time of year. Honor your natural inst...incts, which will generally be to relax, reflect, and be still. This is a time to meditate on this past year and all that you’ve experienced, to make peace with the past, and to resolve to keep hope alive through the coming winter months. Some ideas to meditate on include: strength, willpower, protection, wisdom, clarity, and faith. Give thanks for the darkness which is the yin to the yang of light. Think of how soothing darkness is when you are exhausted and want to take nap. Recall how irritated you were in a hotel or motel where you could not block out the bright lights from outside when you wanted to sleep.

In the heart of every person on this Earth
burns the spark of luminous goodness;
in no heart is there total darkness.
May we who have celebrated this winter solstice,
by our lives and service, by our prayers and love,
call forth from one another the light and the love
that is hidden in every heart.

 Happy Winter Solstice!! Love and Light

♥ Gypsy *K*

October-Breast Cancer Awareness Month

 

 

As most of you know, and everyone should....October is National breast cancer awareness month. We help to honor the collaboration of national public service organizations, professional medical associations, and government agencies working together to promote breast cancer awareness, share information on the disease, and provide greater access to services. For 25 years the (NBCAM) have been at the forefront of promoting breast cancer awareness. And this month Miss S has an amazing and dedicating way to show your support to someone with breast cancer who has touched your life. This month, and this month ONLY show off your PINK with $50.00 breast cancer ribbon tattoos at

 

Apache Ink Tattoo !!!(link below)

687 James St.

Chicopee MA 01020

 

Ask for Justin (our honorary artist) https://www.facebook.com/cyndi.hart1/posts/422947914430523?ref=notif&notif_t=feed_comment_reply#!/pages/Apache-Ink-Tattoo/196519324459!!

 

This is a very important cause which is close to my heart and Sabrinas as well. Ladies Get your exams!!!!!If your a mother you need to be around for your kids.

 And show your support - The National Breast Cancer Awareness month website below.

http://www.nbcam.org/

The flow of the Yellow Ray-Citrine

 

Note to our followers and Chakra lovers: The Citrine represents our Solar Plexus Chakra-gateway from the sun- Third Chakra-Your life force energy- Your Solar Plexus Chakra embodies balance, power, and illumination.Your third chakra balances your seven chakra power points and is located in your solar plexus region and directly affects your ability to project your will into manifestation.

 

 

Ive been going back and forth with which stone would be my next purchase. And when i bought this one it wasnt planned either. I had been in a bunch of shops that evening , not seeing anything i really wanted when i seen it sitting in a basket. It drew my attention right over to it and as soon as i picked it up, i felt connected to it. So just like you would picking out a crystal, i applied the same method and connected with this yellow-y orange gem. Heres some reasons why this is such an amazing stone to add to your life. Citrine and the yellow ray loosens your hold on all that no longer serves you, so that you may progress to the next higher state of being. Citrine unwinds tension and increases flexibility in the cells, organs, and body as a whole, thereby encouraging your body to relax and move into greater alignment. Citrine gradually opens inner hearing. It helps you fulfill your spiritual potential by encouraging you to embrace ever-higher states of consciousness.

 

 

Benefits of Wearing a Therapeutic Citrine Jewlery

Citrine prepares your body, emotions, and mind to accept a greater flow of the yellow color ray. The yellow ray is the aspect of the life force that helps us release what no longer serves us and to accept what we need in order to move to the next higher state. This aspect of Citrine also has a greater overall purpose—to help you fulfill your spiritual potential by encouraging you to embrace ever-higher states of consciousness.

Citrine works to loosen blockages and increase flexibility through the wave-like motion characteristic of the yellow ray. Citrine works gradually, one step at a time, to increase flexibility on a cellular level. This flexibility enhances the ability of the substances within a cell to move around as required—either within the cell or through the cell membrane. These substances can include the cell's organelles and fluids. Any intracellular processes that require movement are also enhanced and made more efficient.

If enough Citrine is worn over an adequate length of time, this flexibility will begin to extend beyond the cellular level to the organs and organ systems to which the cells belong. Most obvious will be Citrine's effect on the muscular system. After wearing a Citrine necklace for a while, you may find that you can stretch a little farther.

As a living organism, the body wants all its components to be in proper alignment. When any component is out of alignment, the flow of life force that keeps the body alive and gives it spiritual sustenance diminishes. As the body ages, it grows more and more out of alignment. Citrine can help the body—at any age—relax to the point where the life force can rush in, take hold, and move the physical body into a healthier state of alignment.

Citrine’s ability to loosen blockages and increase flexibility can be felt as a stirring or unwinding effect. This unwinding supports Citrine’s ability to move the body into greater alignment. When worn as a necklace, Citrine unwinds the entire body, especially the stomach chakra. If the stomach chakra is stuck or tightly shut, the Citrine will gently massage it and encourage it to open.

In someone with a yellow-ray deficiency, emotions are often out of balance. By providing yellow-ray nourishment, Citrine fosters awareness of one’s emotional center. Thus, Citrine can greatly benefit those who react in emotional extremes or whose emotional nature lacks balance.

~K

 

 

"The Stone of Love and Devotion"

Not only is this January's and my oldest daughters birthstone, it can also be used in matters of healing and protection. There are many beliefs in the power garnet has over not just physical health, but mental health as well. Garnets virtues have been long believed to include passion, true friendship, fidelity, success, self esteem, loyalty, devotion, energy, faith, consistency, and truth. The stone also sharpens your perception of yourself and other people you encounter. Long ago, garnets were claimed to help the wearer resist melancholy and warn off evil spirits, especially spirits of the night which were referred to as demons and night phantoms. Today we might interpret this as a stone that can ward off nightmares:) The garnet is also an ancient symbol of friendship. In the past, garnets have been exchanged between parting friends to symbolize their affection and to ensure that they meet again. In some circles of belief, it is said that a garnet’s magic cannot be accessed unless the stone has been cut and polished. Garnet has been believed to be extremely beneficial in the realm of business as well. The stone causes people to be attracted to the wearer, which aids in business, as well as in personal success. It is especially beneficial to those people whose business is people-oriented. The stone is an ideal choice for people who are entering new realms, for example, people who are moving to a new city. Furthermore, the garnet aids in giving strength to the business minded person. Any sort of crisis is turned into challenge under the garnet’s influence.

<3 For the Ladies~ Garnet also has many virtues when it comes to love and sex as there is a strong aspect of sexual and sensual energy in garnets. The stone is said to balance the sex drive. It supposedly aids in sexual potency and fertility, brings out sexual attraction and frees ones sensual side to release passion and love. Garnet moves a couple deeper into a passionate and sensual exploration of sexual magic. The stone inspires commitment, monogamous and stable marriage, and promises one’s love, devotion, and fidelity with surety. It can also aid in finding true lovers.



Metaphysical:

• Friendship / Fellowship: This stone makes you very attractive to other people by bringing out your best qualities. Many people new in recovery experience loneliness as they change "People, Places, and Things". Many need to form new friendships and associations. This stone can help attract new friends, who will be attracted to you for who you really are.
• Romantic: A passionate gemstone that inspires love and mutual attraction. Enhances libido (physical desire) as well as balances the wearer's sexual energy (drive).
• Isolation: Many people in Recovery have been loners all their life, often isolated and feeling misunderstood. This stone will help to attract like-minded people to you.
• Balance. It provides a stable, balanced connection between the physical, the spiritual, and the nervous system. It both monitors and adjusts the flow of energy, providing for a balanced energy field around the physical body, and aligning the emotional, and the intellectual bodies with the perfect vibration of a Higher Power.

Garnet is the stone of passion and courage. Stimulates devotion to your family, your friends, yourself, and your purpose or goals . Garnett will stimulate the senses, and increase your vitality and stamina.
~K

Our Loyal Readers

Hey y'all! Sorry we haven't been around for a few days! I just started working a new job and going back to school and I'm sure K is a busy busy bee in her house with her little man, and the big one! We will be right back to posting very soon so thanks for bearing with us! In the meantime here are some inspirational words to live and love by!

~S

How having positive thinking can lead to success and happiness

Studies show that people who participate in Positive Thinking lead more successful and happier lives than people who don’t. The biggest difference between Success and Failure is that root of that person’s attitude. If you believe in being successful, you will be and if you believe you will fail then you will fail too. To help you with your challenges and obstacles in life here are some motivational tips to keep you on track to success.

1. Surround Yourself With Positive & Motivating People - They say that success is built on the foundation of surrounding yourself with successful and like minded individuals in business. The same process can be applied in Positive Thinking Motivation. Positive Energy is contagious and you will want to keep your environment and entourage filled with Positive people.
2. Gratitude - Incorporating gratitude in you life greatly improves you becoming more happy and content in your life. Realizing first that you must be thankful for what you have and to be happy with what you have will put you in a position of already achieving happiness. If you are always complaining about things you don’t have then you will never be happy. Be grateful and be blessed.
3. Start Your Day By Envisioning Success – Everyday start your day by envisioning your goals that you want to accomplish for that day and empowering yourself in being successful. Start by getting into the habit of already achieving success by first envisioning it. You want to be in a winners mindset each day rather than starting your day off with a negative spin. Just because you woke up on the wrong side of the bed in the morning, turn it around by envisioning a successful rest of the day.
4. Persistence – Michael Jordan has missed over 9,000 shots in his career and Thomas Edison performed 50,000 experiments before he succeeded in producing a light bulb. Failures is the biggest downfall for most people where they give up too easily and think just because they failed a few times, it’s impossible. Success is only failure turned upside down, we learn to be the best by learning from our mistakes and growing from them. Do not give up, push yourself to the limit and go above and beyond that. Stay focused on the goal at hand and don’t miss out on opportunities by giving up, that extra effort, that extra try may be the winning ticket to success.
5. Be a Leader – Don’t just sit on the sidelines waiting for the world to change and expecting others to change for your benefit. Grab success by its horns and take charge. Go out and be the leader where you can inspire others to become positive and productive too. Having people becoming inspired and being a role model for excellence will also help you establish in surrounding yourself with successful people. Don’t wait for things to happen, go out and make things happen.
6. Goal Setting – Have a plan for success. Set your goals on a daily piece of paper and plan out your priorities from the top to bottom. Finish each task before starting another. With long term goals plan out a vision board and business plan for the rest of the year. Having goals outlined in your life will give the drive and motivation you need to become happy and successful in life.
7. Work Out & Eat Right – In order to take care of yourself on the inside you must also reflect wise decisions on the outside. Eating healthy and working out will keep in you a great state of being more productive and help maintain an active mind. You will become less groggy and more focused in concentration. A great anecdotal evidence to cure for writer’s block has always been going for a long walk, run, or hitting the gym most would tell you.

Welcome to the 2012 NFL Season!

Considering K and I are both football fans, it's only right we post tonight about NFL season kickoff! Now I am a Dallas Cowboys girl whole hearted and K is a New England Patriots girl through and through. Tonight my Cowboys took on the reigning Super Bowl champs the New York Giants and of course my 'boys took it home and WON!! Whooo-hoooo!! So being in the season of football I wanted to talk a little about Fantasy Football. Most guys will tell you that a girl can like football, not a problem, but know enough to participate and actually do good in a fantasy league.....no way!! Hey guess what?? I'm in a fantasy football league!! Oh and my Mom is the commissioner of her league! Therefore we both must know a thing or two about football. Guys, it's really not that hard to do a little research on these players and create a roster based on the best players. I'm pretty sure even a child can be a part of a fantasy football league so don't consider yourself to be a football genius if you are in one!! I love every part of being a part of this age old tradition and I love love love football season!!

~S

after thought

It is not easy to live life sometimes, and face the world with a smile when you're feeling discouraged. It takes a lot of courage to reach down inside yourself, and find the strength and believe that tomorrow is a new day with new possibilities.
But there is!
Each and every new day offers you these wonderful beginings. Hold on to these thoughts and you'll come out stronger, with renewed hope and with a new pride in yourself from knowing that you made it!! ~k

Observing Aura Color

First let's start with what an aura is. An aura is the ambient light surrounding a person or object, almost like a glow coming from these things. Auras are important to know and know how to read because it tells you what kind of person someone is. When you see a person with a bright, clean aura, you can be sure that such person is good and spiritually advanced, even if he/she is modest and not aware of it. When you see a person with a gray or dark aura, you may be almost sure, that such person has unclear intentions, regardless how impressive, eloquent, educated, "good looking" or "well dressed" he/she seems to appear.

Interesting fact about auras and children: Very young children, up to 5 years of age, see auras naturally. Infants frequently look above a person in front of them. When they don't like the color of the aura above the head, or if this color is much different from their parent's aura, they cry, no matter how much smiling the person does.

Now I'm going to explain how to read an aura.

1. Situate the person in front of a very softly illuminated plain white background. A color background will change Aura colors, so you need additional knowledge about combining colors. Some combinations of background and Aura colors may cause misinterpretation problems.

2. Choose one spot to look at. The middle of the forehead is very good. This is a location of so called Brow Chakra or the Third Eye. In some cultures like India, they put a mark on a forehead. Such a mark in ancient times could mean the invitation to look and see the Aura.

3. Look at this spot for 30 to 60 seconds or longer

4. After 30 seconds analyze surroundings with your peripheral vision, while still looking at the same spot. Continuing the concentration is most important. Resist temptation to look around. You should see that the background nearby the person is brighter and has a different color than the background further away. This is your own perception of the Aura. The longer you concentrate, the better you will see it. Remember, concentration on one spot increases your sensitivity by accumulating the effect of the Aura vibration reaching your eyes.
 
To read your own aura stand in front of a mirror, preferably in a room that is white or off white. Then follow the steps above as if you w all ere looking at another person.

Now that you know how to read auras, i'm going to tell you what the colors mean.

Purple - indicates spiritual thoughts.
Blue - relaxed, balanced, and feel ready to live in a cave and survive.
Turquois - highly energized personality.
Green - natural healing ability, love gardening, very peaceful.
Yellow - Joy, happy, very generous and not attached to anything. Also signifies a spiritual teacher.
Orange - uplifting and absorbing, inspiring, a sign of power.
Red - materialistic thoughts, thoughts about the physical body.
Pink - idicates that the person achieved a perfect balance between spiritual awareness and the material existence.
Brown - unsettling, distracting, materliaistic.
Grey - dark thoughts, depressing thoughts, unclear intentions, presence of a dark side of personality.
White - serious disease, artificial stimulation, drugs.
Sulfur - color of a mustard, pain or lack of ease, anger.


You should now have a better understanding of what an aura is, how to read one, and what the colors mean. You can also amplify your aura colors by meditating and matching your aura to your environment. It is also important to keep your chakras aligned to strengthen your aura.


My aura is Yellow! What's yours??

~S

My Best Friend K

I just want the whole world to know just how much I love my best friend K! We have been friends for about 15 years now and we have had our times of losing touch but we always seem to come back to each other and it's like no time has passed at all! She's the one I count on for advice, a shoulder to cry on, a friend to laugh with and most importantly someone who supports every single thing I do! She has been with me through all of my ups and downs and has never once criticized or judged me, it's always been love and support. She is my soulmate of the best friend world. She knows everything about me and for that I am grateful because it simply means I can be 100% me and she still loves me! There are times I wish we could see each other more but we talk just about everyday and that is good enough for me! I think if you don't have a friendship like ours you should try to find one! There is no one I would rather share my laughter, tears, pain, or shoes with! I love you so much more than a best friend K, you are my family and that will never change. Thank you for being you!  ~S

Crystal Cleansing Ritual~ Next Full Moon Aug. 31st!!!

 ~Full Moon is my time of reflection and rejuvenation. Basking in the glow of the powerful Full Moon I welcome this gift as I gaze upon it's beauty~

Your crystals are precious gifts of the earth, and should be treasured. The first thing you should consider in your crystal care is a proper storage system to prevent any damage. Keeping an assortment of crystals in a bag may cause them to harm each other. Some harder crystals, such as quartz, will begin to nick, scratch, and chip away at the softer crystals, such as calcite.
 
CLEANSING YOUR CRYSTALS AND GEMSTONESCleansing crystals is not about physically cleaning them, but about removing any negative or unwanted energies that they may have absorbed. You should clean your crystals regularly, particularly when: -you first obtain them -they are kept out in the open -they are used frequently in ritual or when traveling -after you have been ill -after you have gone through a negative ordeal -if it has come into contact with a stranger or person harboring negativity -when they feel weak, or have a strange vibration or energy
MOONLIGHT: The light of the full moon is a powerful cleanser, and is 100% safe for all of your crystals. That makes it a great method for cleansing any of your precious stones.

It’s important to remember that gems and crystals are alive. To remain alive and energized once removed from within Mother Earth, gems, crystals, and objects made from elements taken from the earth, need to be cleansed and energized on a regular basis. If you take these simple measures in caring for your crystals, they will last you longer and serve you well.~k

Chakras

Again, sticking with my new found zen mind state, I wanted to share this important part of my new lifestyle, the Chakras.

There are seven main energy centers of the body, these are known as Chakras. These Chakras are like spirals of energy, each one relating to the others.  If our energy centers become blocked or depleted then our body cannot function properly and this can lead to a variety of problems on a variety of levels. This is why it is important to learn about your Chakras, how they work and also how to align them.

The first Chakra is the Crown or Sahasrara. This Chakra is located at the top of the head and it's color is violet which relates to self knowledge/spiritual awareness. It is the union with your higher self.

The second Chakra is the Third Eye or Ajna. This Chakra is located at the center of the forehead at the brow line and it's color is indigo which relates to self responsibility. It is about being responsible for ones own life.

The third Chakra is the Throat or Anahata. This Chakra is located at the throat and it's color is blue which relates to self expression. It is about the ability to communicate our needs and requirements.

The fourth Chakra is the Heart or Anahata. This Chakra is located at the heart and it's color is green which relates to love/self love. It is the ability to give and take unconditionally.

The fifth Chakra is the Solar Plexus or Manipura. This Chakra is situated right below the ribs and it's color is yellow which relates to self worth. It is how we feel about ourselves and how we feel others perceive us.

The sixth Chakra is the Sacrum or Swahishana. This Chakra is situated in the lower abdomen and it's color is orange which relates to self respect. It connects us to our senses and and helps to remove inhibitions and makes us independent and social.

Finally the seventh Chakra is the Root or Muladhara. This Chakra is situated at the base of the spine and it relates to self awareness. It connects us to our physical body and gives energy on all levels.

Now that you have a better understanding of all the Chakras, it is important to align them. I use the 7 minute tune up with this great video I found on YouTube. I apologize, I cannot seem to figure out how to post a link into this page but if you go to YouTube.com and search Chakras: 7 Minute Tune Up by soundheals.

After you have done this you should already feel more relaxed and calm. I usually do this at night, in a dark, quiet room with candles burning. I hope you all enjoyed this post and hope it brings you all to a more peaceful mind state.

Peace, Love and Happiness

~S

message from K

Hey everyone...i guess I've gone sort if ninja on you. My apologies. I have been vacationing with family and the first couple of days back home involve laundry, unpacking, unwinding, and just getting back to normal.Got a chance to check out some great little shops on the strip and ate some really good food. So now I'm back and i feel like I've been gone for a year miss S. Whats this new zen stuff??  Please tell us more! You have me intrigued. <3 K

PS I'm sorta obsessed with this really cheep and fab nail polishes from Sinful Colors. Bought at any local Walgreen's. This is my new favorite trio- Unicorn-Rain Storm- Out of This World.~K

Golden

As I posted yesterday I have found a new zen mind state so I decided to stick with that theme for today's post. I definitely needed a nail polish change and considering I have discovered my aura color is yellow I decided to go with this golden hue from China Glaze called Lighthouse. It took a good 3 coats of this glitter based nail lacquer to get enough of the yellow to show through but it is a great end of summer color. It's neutral but bright at the same time. I find it stays on quite well and it costs about $3 at any drugstore. Hopefully it will bring me more zen!  ~S

Finding Zen

I recently woke up feeling like I needed a change. I wanted to weed out all the negativity in my life and fill it with positvity. I did a little research and discovered a way to live life zen and carefree. I have been mixing a little Feng Shui with the study of Chakras and mediation. I have only been at it for about 2 days but already I'm feeling more at peace. I cleaned my entire house, think spring cleaning on steroids. I then went through the rooms in my house and made sure they were properly set up according to the Feng Shui recomendations so I can allow the negative energy to flow out and positive energy to flow in. I now take at least 10 minutes a day to meditate, as a beginer I use a free app on my smartphone called Learn to Meditate which is a guided meditation and it's very relaxing. I also am learning about cleansing my house as well as cleansing my aura and aligning my chakras. I will have to get into this further before I can give you all a total overall experience so stay tuned for my next zen update!

~S

Got Frizz??

There is no way you can tell me you don;t have frizz with all this New England humidity! Even the greatest hair, which I happen to have :), gets frizzy. Well my friends don't fear the frizz anymore with this product from Garnier. I personally use this everyday and it's magic in a bottle! This anti-humidity smoothing milk uses fruit micro-waxes to wrap hair strands with humidity-resistant formulas. It also makes my hair silky smooth all day! You can pick some up at any drugstore for about $3-$5 and go smooth and frizz free all day!! You're welcome!   ~S

What I'm Wearing Right Now

I have fallen in love....with a perfume. It is the first fragrance ever from Grammy nominated platinum recording artist and Broadway star, Jordin Sparks. She named it "Because of You" as a tribute to her fans that have helped her and cheered her along the way with her career.The perfume is dinstinct, innovative, elegant, and subtle, this fragrance offers a long lasting sensuality. It celebrates the renaissance of extreme femininity and power of spontaneous emotion. This fragrance is a unique combination of luxury, art, and modernity for timeless elegance. With top notes of clementine, white imperial currant and orange blossom; a heart of nectarine, sharry baby orchid and coral charm peony, and a drydown of sheer musks, vanilla bean, Baltic amber and blond woods. This fragrance surprised me so much I just had to write a post about it. Silage is good, after the initial spray it stays close to the skin but you can still smell it. Another great surprise is that longevity is about 4-5 hours on me which is better than other more expensive fragrances I've used. Best part of all...its wicked inexpensive! ~K

Stoppin' by to say Hi!

Hey guys, sorry I haven't been around for the past few days, had to go into reality and do the work thing! I was going to write something longer tonight but I'm too exhausted from working and cleaning the house today! I promise I'll be back to my posting-self tomorrow!! In the meantime, here's some eye candy for you to look at, since you took the time out to read this boring post!!

~S

Water Marble Manicure!

Are you looking for a new nail technique that will create designs that are unique and all your own??

As a creative and crafty DIY-er I just had to try out this new trend! It is easy and I think it’s a perfect option for beginners. My mother who is in her 60’s and my daughter and nieces who are pre- teens LOVE it. Its for any ages. Marbled patterns make an excellent choice to express an outfit, holiday, or mood. You can add designs using gemstones or other elements, but it also looks great on it’s own! With just a little practice, each time you will create a unique design that will leave others speechless. I received so many complements, even the hubby thought it was cool.

Here’s some of MY easy steps that should get you started on your next water marble manicure!

A List of tools you will need.
Set aside 30-40 mins.

*Scotch Tape!

*Small bowl or manicure bowl with luke warm FILTERED water

*Lots of tooth picks or marble tool (needle, end of a thin paint brush ect. )

*A Base coat ( preferably white or lighter hues ) remember the marble design goes OVER your base color

*3-4 Nail polish colors of your choice (do NOT use quick dry polish- stick to the watery ones)

*Top Coat

**Just a side note in my experience it helps if your in a room with NO ceiling fan, fan, or AC is on. It tends to dry out the polish in the water faster.**

1. Paint your nails with the Base color- let dry

2. Tape Up your fingers, across the bottom of the cuticle and two up and down each side. Some choose to put an extra strip on the top of the finger as well.
3. Now, proceed by placing a few of drops of your choice nail polish( make a color rotation with your choice colors) at the centre of the pool. For the first layer of polish, it’s important to use several drops, otherwise the base coat could dry out too quickly. Just place one drop at a time and watch the polish slowly stretch outwards towards the edge of the bowl as you see above. This will create what is called the bulls-eye effect. If you can, try to use thin nail polish whenever possible. If you use nail polish which has a high viscosity, the technique will NOT be successful. Once the color spreads out to the sides of the bowl continue on with your repetitive color rotation until you have enough rows for a design.

4. Using your tooth pick or marbling tool, start making a design. Gently move the tool through the bulls-eye pattern to create lines and curves in any pattern that you like.
For beginners go ahead and have fun with it. After each line that you make, remove the tooth pick and give it a quick cleaning. This will ensure that your lines are as clearly. But make sure you do your work QUICKLY the nail polish can dry out while sitting on top of the water.

5. Now the pattern is complete, carefully insert your finger into the water (FLAT) at the edge of the bowl, being careful to make sure that you don't mess up the polish pattern. Then bring the fingernail under the polish pattern and slowly lift it up so that the polish adheres to the surface of the nail. With your free hand take a tooth pick and clear out the rest of the remaining polish. You can do this by twirling the tool and going in circles collecting the extra polish. Once cleared take your finger up out of the water.

Repeat these steps on each finger. Take off the tape and using a Q-tip use acetone to remove any polish that is on the skin around the nail.

6. Finally, apply any embellishments and your top coat!

　
It should only take you a few times to master. I wouldn’t worry or get discouraged if the first few results aren’t favorable. ~ K

Bye Bye Brown, Hello Blonde!

I would like to start off by saying that if you have brown hair and want to go blonde, don't ask a hairdresser what to do because they will tell you that you NEED to do it at a salon and by a professional. Well guess what, I did it by myself and so can you! I stared off a medium brown and have dyed my way to a nice golden blonde hue. First of all you will need a bleaching kit, I prefer Clairol Nice 'n Easy Born Blonde Blonding, Maxi. It costs about $10 and you can get it at any drugstore. I apply it to my unwashed dry hair and I leave the bleach in for about an hour, checking every so often if it's the color I want, don't forget that your hair will be wet from the dye so it will be a shade darker than what the actual color will look like on dry hair. Then I wash that all out with shampoo and I put in a toner which you can get at any beauty supply store for about $6. I prefer Wella Color Charm in T18, White Lady. The name may have changed but as long as it is T18. Following the instructions I mix the entire bottle of toner with 3oz of a 20 volume creme developer like Sally Beauty Supply brand Salon Care which costs about $2. I then apply the mixture to my dry hair and leave in for about 10-15 minutes. This product works very quickly so I check it every couple minutes to make sure it doesn't turn too grey. Then I wash it all out, shampoo, condition, blow dry and style as usual. Voilà, the perfect blonde for under $20!   ~S

Mommy "Me" Time

No matter how busy you are with kids and work, it's important to set aside a little "me" time every week. Its not only okay, its required! Have someone else watch the kids, even just for an half hour or so. Take a bubble bath with all your favorite soaps, salts and oils (maybe even light a candle or two) ,put on some music or read gossip magazines, or put your feet up and watch TV, maybe catch up on your DVR. Give yourself a home facial or manicure... or better yet, take a quick trip to a salon. As a mom you never get a break otherwise and at times we feel overwhelmed and unappreciated. We all get a little frazzled with the day to day craziness of running a family and a work schedule. Its ok to allow ourselves to recharge. When we are tired and stressed out we aren’t any good for the kids nor ourselves. Once a week I go grab a DD coffee, turn the radio on loud and go for a little drive. I don’t have much time away from my son so this works perfectly for me. I get to release any of the bad energy I was feeling and I really do feel better as I pull back into the driveway. You are still your own person and although you may have to change a few things in order to get your "me time" it is VERY important for you to stay tapped into the person you were before the family.   ~K

Airbrush in a Bottle

How smoothly does your makeup go on? This dream in a bottle is Victoria's Secret VS PRO Airbrush FX Perfecting Primer SPF 20. Smooth this silky soft formula on after you mousturize and before applying any makeup, even on eyelids. Not only does this stuff really make your makeup last throught the day but it also makes application of makeup super smooth. It comes with a hefty price tag of $18 for .75 oz but you only need a drop which makes it last about 8-10 months depending on how often you use it. It also has an added bonus of SPF in it!

Let's Talk!

Since both Katie and I love nail polish more than any other beauty product I decided to review one in particular for our first post! This color is called "Let's Talk" by Sinful Colors. I LOVE LOVE LOVE it! It has a bright purple/blue hue in the daylight and gradually gets darker as the daylight turns to night which then the nail polish transforms into a dark purple/blue hue. It lasts for 3-4 days and that's even including cleaning the house! I can't tell you how much I enjoy this collection of polish and I will be buying more colors for sure. You can pick yours up at any Walgreens store and the best part, they range in price from $0.99 to $1.99!

Welcome!

Welcome to our Beauty Blog. We are going to be reviewing beauty products, testing them and passing on our secrets to you. If you would like us to post about something in particular please feel free to contact us! We hope you enjoy our blog!

Sabrina & Katie