Thursday, February 14, 2013
Tuesday, February 5, 2013
{tipsy tuesday}
What can't you do do with Coconut oil??
Well... I'm not really sure but there is so much you can do with it!
It's: natural, anti-bacterial, anti-inflammatory, anti-fungal, anti-microbial, anti-viral, and an antioxidant! It is said to have many health benefits too! READ THIS BLOG about that!
according to wikipedia: "Coconut oil is very heat-stable, which makes it suited to methods of cooking at high temperatures like frying. Because of its stability, it is slow to oxidize and, thus, resistant to rancidity, lasting up to two years owing to the high saturated fat content."
But buyer beware!.... not all coconut oils are created equal...the good stuff is the virgin or extra virgin UNREFINED stuff.. (this basically means it is in its natural state and has not been chemically changed with heat methods etc.) I use the Garden of Life brand. I like to shop local and get it at our local health food store...however, I've heard that the cheapest you can find it is at Trader Joe's.
THIS BLOGGER has definitely done her research! Follow the link to her post on coconut oil...it's a great read with a wealth of information including 333 uses for coconut oil!!
I'm going to share with you ways I personally use it and have great results.
Before I do here's a quick tip:
Coconut oil will be solid at room temperature & will liquefy at higher room temp temperatures.
~ I eat it on toast instead of butter! it's so yummy!
~ I use as an after shower moisturizer...sometimes I'll add an essential oil such as lavender to it.
Here's a tip: a little goes a LONG way.. it feels a little greasy at first like baby oil (which I hate)...but it absorbs really quickly, and leaves my skins glowing and soft.
side note: my daughter has always had eczema and as soon as we started using this regularly her symptoms went away.
~use coconut oil place of other oils to cook. It's especially great tasting with veggies!
~I drop a tablespoon into hot tea along with some local honey to soothe a sore throat.
~mixed with baking soda and spearmint oil it makes a refreshing tooth paste.
~use it for diaper rash cream
~had amazing results using it instead of lanolin as a nursing mother.
~a personal lubricant (yes...that kind.. ;) It works better than the usual brand without all the chemicals...
side note: I 'm not sure if it's been tested to work safely with latex, spermicides etc.
~mix with peppermint oil, lemon balm, rosemary and water...put into a spray bottle to use as an insect repellent
~I use it as a lip balm for dry or chapped lips...you can also whisk in a little Crystal Light powder to make a lip stain.
~use as a hot oil treatment....put a few tablespoons in a shot glass and dip to heat in a coffee cup of hot water....apply to dry hair, leave in as long as possible and then shampoo as normal.
~use to tame frizz and fly-aways by rubbing a tiny bit on your palms and apply to your hair staying away from the roots the style as normal. I do this most mornings.
~makes a killer eye-make-up remover.... just dab a little on your eyes and wipe-off with cotton pads like usual...... I swear when I use it regularly this way my lashes get thicker!
hint: dab a bit to the delicate parts under your eyes when done and sleep in it for a night-time anti-aging eye treatment.
~dab a small amount onto burns. bites, and cuts... to help aid in less itching/quicker healing.
~used to oil my pans and baking dishes instead of PAM spray....and to "season" cast iron and butcher block.
~use as a cuticle cream by massaging into and around the nail bed.
~use it to calm a poison ivy itch...cause you know, I get it a few times a year ! & I swear that it clears it up faster too!
~use it to soothe and heal a sunburn
I know there are more... because I use this stuff almost everyday... I would love to hear your suggestions/ uses.... leave me a comment....perhaps we will re-visit coconut again on Tipsy Tuesday!?...
xoxo
Dejah
Well... I'm not really sure but there is so much you can do with it!
It's: natural, anti-bacterial, anti-inflammatory, anti-fungal, anti-microbial, anti-viral, and an antioxidant! It is said to have many health benefits too! READ THIS BLOG about that!
according to wikipedia: "Coconut oil is very heat-stable, which makes it suited to methods of cooking at high temperatures like frying. Because of its stability, it is slow to oxidize and, thus, resistant to rancidity, lasting up to two years owing to the high saturated fat content."
But buyer beware!.... not all coconut oils are created equal...the good stuff is the virgin or extra virgin UNREFINED stuff.. (this basically means it is in its natural state and has not been chemically changed with heat methods etc.) I use the Garden of Life brand. I like to shop local and get it at our local health food store...however, I've heard that the cheapest you can find it is at Trader Joe's.
THIS BLOGGER has definitely done her research! Follow the link to her post on coconut oil...it's a great read with a wealth of information including 333 uses for coconut oil!!
I'm going to share with you ways I personally use it and have great results.
Before I do here's a quick tip:
Coconut oil will be solid at room temperature & will liquefy at higher room temp temperatures.
(Coconut oil has a high amount of saturated fatty acids.... and so it has a high melting point. Above 76 degrees ....coconut oil is a colorless liquid. Below this temperature it solidifies into a pure white solid) Therefore, your body heat is enough to liquefy solid coconut oil
(don't believe me?... just rub a bit between your fingers and watch it turn into a drip....
Because there’s no need to melt it in the microwave (which could possibly change the chemistry and eliminate any benefits.... etc)
(don't believe me?... just rub a bit between your fingers and watch it turn into a drip....
Because there’s no need to melt it in the microwave (which could possibly change the chemistry and eliminate any benefits.... etc)
....if you need to melt some: (of course if you are cooking with it just throw it into the pan.) my suggestion is to put some into a shot glass and then dip that shot glass into hot water until melted.
You can also do a zip-lock baggie...and I have before .... only I really can't help but think about the plastics that may leach into this natural wonder stuff... so get creative and use glass when you can.
You can also do a zip-lock baggie...and I have before .... only I really can't help but think about the plastics that may leach into this natural wonder stuff... so get creative and use glass when you can.
how I use coconut oil....
~ I use as an after shower moisturizer...sometimes I'll add an essential oil such as lavender to it.
Here's a tip: a little goes a LONG way.. it feels a little greasy at first like baby oil (which I hate)...but it absorbs really quickly, and leaves my skins glowing and soft.
side note: my daughter has always had eczema and as soon as we started using this regularly her symptoms went away.
~use coconut oil place of other oils to cook. It's especially great tasting with veggies!
~I drop a tablespoon into hot tea along with some local honey to soothe a sore throat.
~mixed with baking soda and spearmint oil it makes a refreshing tooth paste.
~use it for diaper rash cream
~had amazing results using it instead of lanolin as a nursing mother.
~a personal lubricant (yes...that kind.. ;) It works better than the usual brand without all the chemicals...
side note: I 'm not sure if it's been tested to work safely with latex, spermicides etc.
~mix with peppermint oil, lemon balm, rosemary and water...put into a spray bottle to use as an insect repellent
~I use it as a lip balm for dry or chapped lips...you can also whisk in a little Crystal Light powder to make a lip stain.
~use as a hot oil treatment....put a few tablespoons in a shot glass and dip to heat in a coffee cup of hot water....apply to dry hair, leave in as long as possible and then shampoo as normal.
~use to tame frizz and fly-aways by rubbing a tiny bit on your palms and apply to your hair staying away from the roots the style as normal. I do this most mornings.
~makes a killer eye-make-up remover.... just dab a little on your eyes and wipe-off with cotton pads like usual...... I swear when I use it regularly this way my lashes get thicker!
hint: dab a bit to the delicate parts under your eyes when done and sleep in it for a night-time anti-aging eye treatment.
~dab a small amount onto burns. bites, and cuts... to help aid in less itching/quicker healing.
~used to oil my pans and baking dishes instead of PAM spray....and to "season" cast iron and butcher block.
~use as a cuticle cream by massaging into and around the nail bed.
~use it to calm a poison ivy itch...cause you know, I get it a few times a year ! & I swear that it clears it up faster too!
~use it to soothe and heal a sunburn
I know there are more... because I use this stuff almost everyday... I would love to hear your suggestions/ uses.... leave me a comment....perhaps we will re-visit coconut again on Tipsy Tuesday!?...
xoxo
Dejah
Monday, February 4, 2013
{Motivation Monday}
50 life lessons
- Life isn't fair, but it's still good.
- When in doubt, just take the next small step.
- Life is too short to waste time hating anyone.
- Don't take yourself so seriously. No one else does.
- Pay off your credit cards every month.
- You don't have to win every argument. Agree to disagree.
- Cry with someone. It's more healing than crying alone.
- It's OK to get angry with God. He can take it.
- Save for retirement starting with your first paycheck.
- When it comes to chocolate, resistance is futile.
- Make peace with your past so it won't screw up the present.
- It's OK to let your children see you cry.
- Don't compare your life to others'. You have no idea what their journey is all about.
- If a relationship has to be secret, you shouldn't be in it.
- Everything can change in the blink of an eye. But don't worry; God never blinks.
- Life is too short for long pity parties. Get busy living, or get busy dying.
- You can get through anything if you stay put in today.
- A writer writes. If you want to be a writer, write.
- It's never too late to have a happy childhood. But the second up is up to you and no one else.
- When it comes to going after what you love in life, don't take no for an answer.
- Burn the candles, use the nice sheets, wear the fancy lingerie. Don't save it for a special occasion. Today is special.
- Overprepare, then go with the flow.
- Be eccentric now. Don't wait for old age to wear purple.
- The most important sex organ is the brain.
- No one is in charge of your happiness except you.
- Frame every so-called disaster with these words: "In five years, will this matter?"
- Always choose life.
- Forgive everyone everything.
- What other people think of you is none of your business.
- Time heals almost everything. Give time time.
- However good or bad a situation is, it will change.
- Your job won't take care of you when you're sick. Your friends will. Stay in touch.
- Believe in miracles.
- God loves you because of who God is, no because of anything you did or didn't do.
- Whatever doesn't kill you really does make you stronger.
- Growing old beats the alternative - dying young.
- Your children get only one childhood. Make it memorable.
- Read the Psalms. They cover every human emotion.
- Get outside every day. Miracles are waiting everywhere.
- If we all threw our problems in a pile and saw everyone else's, we'd grab ours back.
- Don't audit life. Show up and make the most of it now.
- Get rid of everything that isn't useful, beautiful, or joyful.
- All that truly matters in the end is that you loved.
- Envy is a waste of time. You already have all you need.
- The best is yet to come.
- No matter how you feel, get up, dress up, and show up.
- Take a deep breath. It calms the mind.
- If you don't ask, you don't get.
- Yield.
- Life isn't tied with a bow, but it's still a gift.
written by : American Author Regina Brett
- xoxo
Dejah
Sunday, February 3, 2013
{a song for sunday}
Vanessa Paradis.... I don't even know what she's saying becuase I don't know french.. but this is lovely!
Thursday, January 31, 2013
{organized chaos}
Since moving to our new house I've yet to unpack everything...and so those pretty pocket doors lead to a very formal dining room complete with a full wall mural of Italy...and antique chandelier and a four and a half foot wall of boxes and tubs that need to be put away....it's just that every time I open the doors I get a little overwhelmed and freak out then I quickly shut the doors and pretend that room doesn't exist just yet. Funnily, I actually had a vision of myself the other day imagining my surprise when I am actually able to get that room squared away....I imagined myself like one of those home-owners on HGTV's show "Buying & Selling" (the one with the two hot twin brothers) ...who comes home to find their space has been added on to and beautified!...I mean it'll be like a I gain a whole new room! How exciting!! (yes.. I'm a bit of a delusional dreamer...and I'm ok with that).
So we couldn't find the iron...and ... well, you know being adults and all we should probably have access to that. I went in with the purpose of locating the iron and came out a few minutes later with a huge tub filled to the brim of old photographs... LIKE REAL photographs. An entire journey in that box. It holds photos from when Mr. Quinn and I were young and dating....our wedding...births, birthdays, and milestones of our two Indians...all the way up to about four years ago. I had assumed with all the moving we had undergone in the past years that the box had fallen off a truck or gotten accidentally thrown out and here it was! I quickly jumped over the four foot wall of China (er..boxes)...bumped my head on the antique chandelier...and ran right out of Italy...slammed the pocket doors shut tight and then, me and my tribe sat in the living room floor gazing, laughing, and having precious bittersweet floods of memories. After about and hour... and several little yawns later I was snapped back to the present time and realized it was an hour past bedtime on a school night!! I promised to leave the neat, tidy stacks of photos on the floor and we could continue our tour the next day....
FAST FORWARD to the next eve (last night)... while cooking dinner I could hear the belly laughs....the "oohs & ahh's" and "ohhh! LOOK!"...coming from the living room and new they were pilfering through the piles of photos.. they would even bring me one occasionally and ask "who's this chubby baby?"
When the call to dinner came... they shut the pocket doors to the living room, washed up , and we sat down and ate. That was followed by our regular scheduled evening marathon of homework, showers, and what seems like a three hours of me proclaiming "go back -to bed!!"
THIS MORNING.....after the kids were off to school I danced through the house doing my morning ritual of opening up the blinds and doors in all the rooms...allowing the space and the light to greet and kiss...when I opened the living room doors...I almost fell over!
..............................................................................................
those little rascal's sure did have fun though... and as I replayed the giggles and chuckles I heard coming from this same room the night before.....
I just decided...that I was ok with that..(but darn-it i never did find that iron!)
xoxo
Dejah
Wednesday, January 30, 2013
{the road I'm travelin'...}
the road I'm travelin'......
January always throws me into spirals.... Perhaps it's the cold, dreary weather...or the contrast of the pace from what a whirlwind December is...either way I am always grateful for another January --a privilege , I realize , is denied to many....but I am also always a little happy to see her go.
February always brings calm, quiet, clarity and beauty. My mind flourishes with dreams and goals. I feel my course changing this 2013... the road I'm on looks different and I am so excited to explore and find where it takes me.
a lovely old photo of my great grandma (Granny's mom) Pearl Amelia and some of my great uncles
xoxo,
Dejah
Tuesday, January 29, 2013
{tipsy tuesday}
Tipsy Tuesday!
1) don't throw out those brown bananas.......instead... carefully peel them and then chop into inch sized slices...store in freezer bags and freeze.... They are perfect for quick breakfast smoothies...and since they are frozen....no need for ice! (this tip is from my friend andrea marie)
( p.s. you can do this for all fruits and veggies that are just getting a bit too ripe....please don't throw them out!!!)
2) keep stored potatoes from budding those nasty poisonous roots by placing an apple in the bag/basket with the potatoes.
3) have left over wine from your latest girls night-out? hmm ..take- it from me...it's just not gonna taste as good later after it oxygenates... but come-on...don't throw out all that leftover wine, Instead...when the party is over remember to pour it into ice trays and freeze.... you can use it later in your cooking for sauces etc.
4) buy garlic by the bag instead of by the clove..it's cheaper and it only takes a few more minutes to dice it up .... then store in freezer bag and freeze it.... now you have fresh garlic to throw on all your dishes.....Love me some garlic!
5) cooking Rolls? ....beat some egg whites and brush them over your crescent rolls before baking.this makes a beautiful glossy, crust. (this tip is courtesy of my mother -in-law aka: BOSSY)
6) put a tablespoon of dry rice into your coffee grinder and turn-it-on- to clean it!
7) Spoon your favorite flavored yogurt into a plastic baggie... snip the end... then squeeze nickel sized drops onto a cookie sheet..... FREEZE... makes an amazing and healthy snack! (p.s. my kids LOVE them...and they don't know they aren't candy... so please don't tell them!
source: pinterest)
8) baked potatoes in the CROCK POT!!!.... WUUUT!? ( in the morning)
use a knife or fork to pierce the potatoes all over... then wrap completely in foil....place in the crock pot and cook on low for about 8 hrs... or high for about 4 hrs...and DONE! :)
(p.s..on busy work days I stop off on my way home at my local BBQ joint and pick-up chopped beef ...for a loaded spud dinner-- top them off with shredded cheese and sour cream... & it's a family favorite! YUMMY! )
9) store your already chopped lettuce in left-over wax paper bags (from the kiddos emptied cereal) to make it last even longer!
10) got a rug that just won't stay put?
flip it over an apply a few lines of acrylic-latex caulk with the hubby's caulk gun....about every 4-6 inches should do it.. let dry and viola!
11) did your SWIFFER wet-jet run out mid-stream?..simply place the solution bottle... cap down in a few inches of boiling water and hold it down. be sure to protect your hand with an oven mitt.... after a few minutes...when the bottle starts to really bloat... carefully , use another mitt to twist off the cap ....then refill with your own cleaning solution. :)
12) refill your bathroom/kitchen anti-bacterial foaming soap dispensers by simply filling them with water and just a teaspoon of antibacterial dish soap!
13) take just a few minutes to cover your refrigerator shelves with plastic/saran wrap....no one will ever know it's there yet... makes cleaning almost effortless when your littles make grape juice spills etc..
14) got fine silver? if you place a piece of chalk into a bag with your fine silver... it will draw out all the moisture and prevent tarnish! swanky huh!?
15) have a favorite pair of shoes that bite??....fill two plastic sandwich bags 1/4 way with water....lightly spray the outsides of bags with Pam or other cooking spray to avoid sticking... place the bags into your shoes... then the shoes into your freezer...once the water is completely frozen remove.... when the water starts to melt and the bags sweat, remove the baggies and wipe down your shoes..let them sit for a day and then try them on for size!
hope that helps
xoxo
Dejah
1) don't throw out those brown bananas.......instead... carefully peel them and then chop into inch sized slices...store in freezer bags and freeze.... They are perfect for quick breakfast smoothies...and since they are frozen....no need for ice! (this tip is from my friend andrea marie)
( p.s. you can do this for all fruits and veggies that are just getting a bit too ripe....please don't throw them out!!!)
2) keep stored potatoes from budding those nasty poisonous roots by placing an apple in the bag/basket with the potatoes.
3) have left over wine from your latest girls night-out? hmm ..take- it from me...it's just not gonna taste as good later after it oxygenates... but come-on...don't throw out all that leftover wine, Instead...when the party is over remember to pour it into ice trays and freeze.... you can use it later in your cooking for sauces etc.
4) buy garlic by the bag instead of by the clove..it's cheaper and it only takes a few more minutes to dice it up .... then store in freezer bag and freeze it.... now you have fresh garlic to throw on all your dishes.....Love me some garlic!
5) cooking Rolls? ....beat some egg whites and brush them over your crescent rolls before baking.this makes a beautiful glossy, crust. (this tip is courtesy of my mother -in-law aka: BOSSY)
6) put a tablespoon of dry rice into your coffee grinder and turn-it-on- to clean it!
7) Spoon your favorite flavored yogurt into a plastic baggie... snip the end... then squeeze nickel sized drops onto a cookie sheet..... FREEZE... makes an amazing and healthy snack! (p.s. my kids LOVE them...and they don't know they aren't candy... so please don't tell them!
source: pinterest)
8) baked potatoes in the CROCK POT!!!.... WUUUT!? ( in the morning)
use a knife or fork to pierce the potatoes all over... then wrap completely in foil....place in the crock pot and cook on low for about 8 hrs... or high for about 4 hrs...and DONE! :)
(p.s..on busy work days I stop off on my way home at my local BBQ joint and pick-up chopped beef ...for a loaded spud dinner-- top them off with shredded cheese and sour cream... & it's a family favorite! YUMMY! )
9) store your already chopped lettuce in left-over wax paper bags (from the kiddos emptied cereal) to make it last even longer!
10) got a rug that just won't stay put?
flip it over an apply a few lines of acrylic-latex caulk with the hubby's caulk gun....about every 4-6 inches should do it.. let dry and viola!
11) did your SWIFFER wet-jet run out mid-stream?..simply place the solution bottle... cap down in a few inches of boiling water and hold it down. be sure to protect your hand with an oven mitt.... after a few minutes...when the bottle starts to really bloat... carefully , use another mitt to twist off the cap ....then refill with your own cleaning solution. :)
12) refill your bathroom/kitchen anti-bacterial foaming soap dispensers by simply filling them with water and just a teaspoon of antibacterial dish soap!
13) take just a few minutes to cover your refrigerator shelves with plastic/saran wrap....no one will ever know it's there yet... makes cleaning almost effortless when your littles make grape juice spills etc..
14) got fine silver? if you place a piece of chalk into a bag with your fine silver... it will draw out all the moisture and prevent tarnish! swanky huh!?
15) have a favorite pair of shoes that bite??....fill two plastic sandwich bags 1/4 way with water....lightly spray the outsides of bags with Pam or other cooking spray to avoid sticking... place the bags into your shoes... then the shoes into your freezer...once the water is completely frozen remove.... when the water starts to melt and the bags sweat, remove the baggies and wipe down your shoes..let them sit for a day and then try them on for size!
hope that helps
xoxo
Dejah
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