Category Archives: Beauty Tips

Last Saturday to enjoy us @The Providence Holiday Market

Posted on by
Reply

The Saturday Providence weather forecast 38°/26° a touch of breeze and not much of a chance for rain!

Reyonals Farm Goeat

For those last minuet gifts- come and down and see us! Local Arts, Local Goats from The Reynolds Barn - Yes, that means fresh wonderful goat milk soap and scrub! Delicious local granola from Providence Granola which means  a twist of helping folks out as well as yum… Fraggles and Friggles is Jewelry to bedazzle, Local Beautiful Wreaths from Robin Hollow Farm along with all sorts of Local Fresh Greens made into beautiful holday greenery gifts and home decor…and of course- US – The Botanical Beauties and Beasties.  We still have some of our “Marvelous Easy Peasty Ready to go Mug Gift ” sets: 4 Themes-1) Beauty 2) Words 3) Dog and 4)  Garden. All have amazing beautiful organic products inside them! Here’s a quick run down: ALL  are Dishwasher/Microwave safe 15 oz.  mugs/ have 3 bookmarks/have a gift tag already on them for you/ have a card telling about the Botanical on one side and about community and working together  on the other side and a bell to jingle as you give the gift! In addition to that- 

Beauty: The image is Jolie- out Local Herbalist of beauty remedies/all natural all organic Face Toner, Amazing Bee Balm Sauve, and a beautiful Lip balm.
Words: The image of Vaboom- Keeper of new words, kindness and ecology are her favorites Inside the mug are 3 fancy pencils, 3 BIC pens, a ruler, a fancy bulbous pen,  and the organic is “Clarity” – a spray for head fog! How great is that!!!!
DOG – The image is Wellie- Created to honor  Therapy Dogs .  Inside: A doggie kerchief, Calming drops- place on dog or kerchief, a wonderful salve for doggie paws, and since its winter and closed rooms and dogs..a room odor spray!
Garden: On the mug is featured Ron La Fluer ( Our Master Gardner) Inside:3 packs of long shelf life sees (Burbee)/A dream sick for Gardner planing, an amazing lavender salve and a butter for you lips or cuticle/ and gift from me to the purchaser of a very special piece of Quarts to help energize your garden.

Mug Gift Sets

AND never to be forgotten, The FABULOUS SANTA AND MRS CLAUS!

 

Like Pie? Like Art? Like Fairs?… how about gifts?

Posted on by
Reply

The weather forecast is glorious and we hope to see you there! This is a 2 part post… check the second half for a preview of our new Holiday Product line! You can click on the images to see them larger.

Pies
mug gift sets
This is a preview of our NEW READY TO GO GIFT SETS.
One more theme will be coming…but here is 3 out of 4!It’s a “pick and pay” easy peasy gift solution.There will be 4 themes:
3 are ready and will be available this weekend!

  • Jolie with a “Love to you” mug set.
  • Ron with a Garden mug set.
  • Vaboom with a Desk mug Set.
  • The 4th and final one is a DOG set- stay tuned!

♥ Jolie: Our Herbalist who creates, makes, produces, and shares her products of Herbs and natural oils for both Beauty and medical remedies. Her image is featured on her set, and the mug holds:
Delightful Body products made from all organic materials made by Garden Gate Herbals right here in Franklin MA : Lip Balm to pamper your fall and winter lips- either Lavender or Wintergreen / Comfrey Salve – for reliving minor rashes, insect bites wounds – like those paper cuts from gift wrapping! Rosehip or Lavender Glycerite: Rosehips are high in Vit. C and tasty too! Both are Calming for all ages. (Take a few drops on your tong or right down the hatch!) …Topping off  this set is 3 bookmarks,  a flower and gift box adornment.

♥ Ron: Our Master Garden and Climate change guy: His mug contains 3 packs of Burpee Garden seeds that all have long shelf lives-have fun and plant inside now or you can wait. They all have a small Garden Sick/Marker with a butterfly attached for Garden Dreaming all winter long! They too have a Body product, made by another woman who’s business is called: Aromatherapy for the 2 legged & the 4 legged,  this time so local it’s down the street! Enclosed is a Garden Lavender Salve  for soothing and calming yourself as needed! …Topping off  this set is 3 bookmarks and a gift box adornment.

♥ Vaboom: She is the Keeper of New Words, kindness and Eco words are her thing and she is champion of the Desk Set Gift. Her mug holds: 3 Bic Pens, 3 fun Pencils, 1 Ruler, 1 fun chunky roundish Pretty Pen, and a bottle of “Mental Clarity“  Spray. This spray helps keep the “muddle” at bay! This one is also by Aromatherapy for the 2 legged and 4 legged and is essential oils – you spray this very yummy warm and comforting spray in your “personal area” and you indeed feel better and “clearer in the head!” Amazing!! ..Topping off  this set is 3 bookmarks and a gift box adornment.

All are wrapped and ready to go! All include a small according folded pamphlet with a story about Collaboration, Community, woman helping woman in business and in life, and why that Botanical is champion of that gift set. Each package has a cushion on the base of eco friendly shredded paper, a clear bag, a ribbon and even a GIFT TAG… but you may still want to purchase a special Botanical Beauty Card as well!

 

 

 

 

 

Do you have time for beauty? What’s the moral mathematics of the moment?…Art without a frame.

Posted on by
1

“Context matters…

For many of us, the explosion in technology has perversely limited, not expanded, our exposure to new experiences. Increasingly, we get our news from sources that think as we already do. And with iPods, we hear what we already know; we program our own playlists.

…art without a frame. Which, it turns out, may have a lot to do with what happened — or, more precisely, what didn’t happen — on January 12, 2007. “

—————————————————
Huh? Just what do these 3 above snippets have to do with each other? Five years later, I just found out about this thanks to my friend Christine. I am amazed, fascinated, and intrigued. Their are two funny peronal coincidences I will share first. 1) This happened in my home town of Washington D.C. 2)  The article originally ran on April 8, (2007) – my birthday.

After reading the whole article on the Washington Post site- I take exception the sentance below that says -” The one who paid the most attention was a 3 year old boy.” It turns out that 2 adults did actually stop and were truly in the moments for the beauty and joy. – Curious? Read the abbreviated version below (from Urban Legends)… and read the whole story called Pearls Before Breakfast on  The Washington Post site.  By the way, I checked around- this IS legend, NOT myth!

A Violinist in the Metro 

A man sat at a metro station in Washington DC and started to play the violin; it was a cold January morning. He played six Bach pieces for about 45 minutes. During that time, since it was rush hour, it was calculated that thousand of people went through the station, most of them on their way to work.

Three minutes went by and a middle aged man noticed there was musician playing. He slowed his pace and stopped for a few seconds and then hurried up to meet his schedule.

A minute later, the violinist received his first dollar tip: a woman threw the money in the till and without stopping continued to walk.

A few minutes later, someone leaned against the wall to listen to him, but the man looked at his watch and started to walk again. Clearly he was late for work.

The one who paid the most attention was a 3 year old boy. His mother tagged him along, hurried but the kid stopped to look at the violinist. Finally the mother pushed hard and the child continued to walk turning his head all the time. This action was repeated by several other children. All the parents, without exception, forced them to move on.

In the 45 minutes the musician played, only 6 people stopped and stayed for a while. About 20 gave him money but continued to walk their normal pace. He collected $32. When he finished playing and silence took over, no one noticed it. No one applauded, nor was there any recognition.

No one knew this but the violinist was Joshua Bell, one of the best musicians in the world. He played one of the most intricate pieces ever written with a violin worth 3.5 million dollars.

Two days before his playing in the subway, Joshua Bell sold out at a theater in Boston and the seats average $100.

This obvisously applies to ALL ART. Since Birdelini has The Oscars on tap for this week and her mind…. one can’t help but wonder- Just what did miss? What were we too busy or tired to go see? What politics played with the nominations?  What if…….
Don’t forget – stop, see, smell, and hear the beauty  the roses today! 
“It’s an old epistemological debate, older, actually, than the koan about the tree in the forest. Plato weighed in on it, and philosophers for two millennia afterward: What is beauty? Is it a measurable fact (Gottfried Leibniz), or merely an opinion (David Hume), or is it a little of each, colored by the immediate state of mind of the observer (Immanuel Kant)?” (read on)

13 Healing Powers of Lemons – Fun Food Fridays!

Posted on by
Reply
Wiz, Bou's cousin
Lemons are so good for you! I love lemons, the look, the smell, the taste and the color! 

These words come to you from a care2 post on Feb 2, 2012.  This may not be the most glamorous list but…..(http://www.care2.com) ”If you’re not getting fresh lemons into your diet, you may want to reconsider after reading the many health benefits of lemons, lemon juice, pith (the white part), or zest (skin).

Here are 13 amazing healing powers of lemons

  • Bowel-Cleansing:  The bitter taste of lemon gives these fruit the ability to increase peristalsis–a pumping-motion in the bowels–which helps to eliminate waste from the bowels and improve regularity.  Add the juice of one lemon to warm water and drink first thing in the morning.
  • Cancer:  Lemons contain 22 anti-cancer compounds, including limonene—a naturally-occurring oil that slows or halts the growth of cancer tumors in animals.  Lemons also contain a substance called flavonol glycosides which stop cell division in cancer cells.
  • Colds and Flu:  Lemons are rich in vitamin C and flavonoids that work in conjunction for a serious punch against infection.
  • Liver:  Fresh lemon juice added to a large glass of water in the morning is a great liver detoxifier.
  • Nutrition:  Lemons contain vitamin C, citric acid, flavonoids, B-complex vitamins, calcium, copper, iron, magnesium, phosphorus, potassium, and fiber.
  • Balances Body Chemistry:  While lemons are acidic they interact with the body’s metabolism to have an alkalizing effect on the bodily fluids helping to restore balance to the body’s pH.
  • Allergies:  Lemons contain the phytonutrient hesperetin which has been shown in studies to alleviate allergic symptoms.
  • Brain and Nervous System Disorders:  Containing the potent phytonutrient tangeretin in the peel, lemons have been proven to be effective for brain disorders like Parkinson’s disease.
  • Eye Disorders:  Rutin, found in lemons, has been shown in research to improve the symptoms of eye disorders, including diabetic retinopathy.
  • Anti-Viral:  In addition to being effective against cold and flu viruses, terpene limonoids found in lemons have proven anti-viral effects on other types of viruses.
  • Diabetes: In addition to improving eye problems linked with diabetes, lemons contain hesperetin which lowers blood sugar levels (when they are high).
  • Gall and Kidney Stones:  The citric acid found in lemon juice helps to dissolve gallstones, calcium deposits, and kidney stones.
  • Anti-Aging:  The vitamin C found in lemons helps to neutralize free radicals linked to aging and most types of disease.

Cook with Lemons!”

Read more: http://www.care2.com/greenliving/13-healing-powers-of-lemons.html#ixzz1mbarrzx3

 

Oh – and don’t forget, Drink that water too!  I like warm lemon water all year round.

See ya all on Monday!  

 

Aha: Behold the simple(?) Salad.

Posted on by
Reply

lettuceIt’s Salad for this weeks topic:  In the psychiatric world salad may be the patient with multiple personalities!  Salad takes on so any forms: a vegetable salad, pasta salads, egg salads, potato salads, grain salads, meat/fish or chicken salads and even fruit salads. Did I forget any? Probable so!  First we will start with the health benefits of a traditional green salad. Tuesday – Friday will be fun recipes and the health pros of a particular element of the dish. If we go down the road of an ingredient(s) you do not eat, or like, not to worry, remember that Salad almost means – “hey you can sub or omit as you please” – it is very much like vegetable soup in that way!

Lets start with good old lettuce!  Did you know  arugula, watercress and mizuna are not technically lettuce but are indeed vegetables? These greens are often used interchangeably with lettuces in salads, and we will mix them into our salad/lettuce bowl as well!

A little History of lettuce (who knew!?)

Native to the eastern Mediterranean region and western Asia, lettuce has a long and distinguished history. With depictions appearing in ancient Egyptian tombs, the cultivation of lettuce is thought to date back to at least 4500 BC. The ancient Greeks and Romans held lettuce in high regard both as a food and for its therapeutic medicinal properties. (Can be a Diuretic, good for the digestive tract, improves circulation in that it can help to diminish cholesterol, and as a Sedative – lettuce has a tranquilizing effect. It helps to calm the nerves, to control palpitations and to sleep better at nights – all according to http://www.botanical-online.com/medicinalslactucasativasangles.htm)

In China, where lettuce has been growing since the 5th century, lettuce represents good luck. It is served on birthdays, New Year’s Day and other special occasions. Christopher Columbus introduced varieties of lettuce to North America during his second voyage in 1493. Lettuce was first planted in California, the lettuce capital of the United States, by the Spanish missionaries in the 17th century. Its popularity across the US did not become widespread until centuries later with the development of refrigeration and railway transport.”  (www.whfoods.com)

A little Health knowledge about lettuce.
As a general rule, the darker the color, the higher the nutrients. Darker leaves contain vitamin C (ascorbic acid), iron, beta-carotene, calcium and fiber. Do you wonder what  Vitamin C, Iron, beta-carotene, calcium and fiber do for you? Well read on and you shall know.

Vitamin C: An. Antioxidants Vitamin C and beta-carotene work together to prevent the oxidation of cholesterol. We all know Rich sources of Vitamin C are citrus fruits, tomatoes, berries, and potatoes….But did you know, Fresh, green, leafy vegetables (that would be lettuce folks) , as broccoli, brussels sprouts, collards, turnip greens, parsley, sweet peppers, and cabbage also contain high amounts of vitamin C.

Iron: Iron is an essential component of hundreds of proteins and enzymes in your body. It aids in oxygen transport and energy metabolism and plays a role in DNA synthesis.  And… Iron is a vital nutrient. Your body needs iron to make hemoglobin, the protein found in red blood cells that carries oxygen from the lungs to the rest of the body. A low iron intake can lead to iron deficiency anemia. This condition can cause mental and physical impairment, especially in teenagers. There are two forms of iron: heme and non-heme. The heme iron comes from animal sources, and is more readily absorbed by the body than the non-heme iron in vegetables. (Read more: http://www.livestrong.com/article/374512-nutrition-iron-rich-foods-meats-vegetables/#ixzz1Rl1FWdVw  and  http://www.livestrong.com/article/437749-list-of-iron-rich-foods-vegetables/#ixzz1Rl0HblBD

Beta-carotens:  Beta carotene, which is a powerful phytonutrient that boosts the immune system’s production of infection-fighting natural killer cells and T cells. These cells are healthy and attack and kill off disease-ridden microbes. http://www.askmen.com/sports/foodcourt_150/159_eating_well.html   Best sources of beta carotene Dark-colored produce, such as carrots, sweet potatoes, tomatoes, watermelon, papaya, broccoli and spinach. ( http://www.shape.com/beauty-and-style/skincare/skincare-basics/skin-solutions/healthy-foods-and-the-good-skin-diet)

Calcium – Well, need I say more than BONES.

Fiber: Need I say it – you all know about fiber but just in case… In the colon, fiber binds to bile salts and removes them from the body. This forces the body to make more bile, which is helpful because it must break down cholesterol to do so. This is just one way in which fiber is able to lower high cholesterol levels.

Lettuce can be classified into various categories with the most common being:
Romaine: Also known as Cos, this variety of head forming lettuce has deep green, long leaves with a crisp texture and deep taste.
Crisphead: With green leaves on the outside and whitish ones on the inside, this variety of head lettuce has a crisp texture and a watery, mild taste. The best known variety of crisphead lettuce is iceberg.
Butterhead: These types of lettuce feature tender large leaves that form a loosely arranged head that is easily separated from the stem, a sweet flavor and a soft texture. The best known varieties of Butterhead lettuce include Boston and Bibb.
Leaf: Featuring broad, curly leaf varieties that are green and/or red, the leaf lettuces offer a delicate taste and a mildly crispy texture. Best known varieties of leaf lettuce include green leaf and red leaf.

Ok – so straightaway you are hopefully psyched to eat tons of salad, it’s so easy to do in the summer. You are now  ”in the know” for lettuce/salad and we will get on with recipes starting tomorrow!  In the meantime, how about a nice clean wedge if lettuce with a few cherry tomatoes to go with tonight’s dinner? Can it get any easier to eat salad? I don’t think so!

 

Beauty, your face, and the blueberry!

Posted on by
Reply

Blueberries Huh? Yesterday we spoke of Blueberries, their massive amounts of antioxidants and all the great things they do for you… but wait… there’s more… “Blueberries also are a great source of vitamins, especially vitamin C. 140g (5 oz. or 3/4 cup approx.) of blueberries actually contains 30% of our daily recommended dose. The purpose of vitamin C is to help the body in cell renewal, which is essential to the skin. Cell regeneration naturally slows down when we get older, which is why we get wrinkles and weak spots, but a plentiful supply of vitamin C along with antioxidants can help to keep this at bay. Consuming blueberries on a daily basis can help to keep you beautiful, both on the inside and the outside.

Blueberries can also be used to literally keep you beautiful. There are recipes that can be used as facemasks and body scrubs that are easily home-made and cost very little to prepare. One example is a paste that can double up as a facemask and a body scrub. It is designed to perk up tired skin as well as exfoliate dead skin and remove excess oil. Regular use should actually reduce the excess oil produced by the skin. (DIY Beauty Mask #1) Simply put a cup full of blueberries in a blender with a cup of oats, five or six almonds and two tablespoons of honey. Mix until the contents of the blender become a fine paste and then use on your face. It should be left on until it is dry, which takes roughly around 15 minutes, and then washed off with warm water. If you want to use it as a body scrub, just roughly blend it until the oats are chopped before use. The mixture can be refrigerated for future use, but you should be careful that the blueberries don’t get on your clothes because they do stain! “ Article Source: http://EzineArticles.com/608303

Blueberries DIY Beauty Mask #2  (from lipglossnheels.blogspot.com)
Blueberry Facial Mask
2/3 cup blueberries
2/3 cup plain yogurt (I always use plain greek gods brand yogurt)
2/3 cup honey (pure)
1 tsp. oatmeal
Add all ingredients to a blender and blend thoroughly. Once done, pour mask into a reusable container (which you must store in the fridge between uses) and apply to face with either fingertips or cotton pads. Leave on for 15 minutes and, once dry, remove with a warm cloth. …Ladies, your skin will feel amazing after using this mask. Not only will your skin be more smooth but the redness or problem areas will seem to have disappeared completely.”

Blueberries DIY Beauty Mask #3: Turns out that without the oatmeal is a “hollywood secret” – I suppose it could be true! (the next 2 are from http://organicpassion.info/honey-blueberry-facial/) This  Honey Blueberry Facial is a Hollywood all-natural beauty secret. Created by Christopher Watt Esthetics for his high-profile clientèle like Halle Berry, Jennifer Lopez Ricky Martin, this honey blueberry facial is truly all-natural goodness and you can actually whip this delicious Hollywood beauty secret at home with very little cost.

The ingredients are:
1/2 cup blueberries, fresh or frozen
1/2 cup pure honey
1/2 cup plain yogurt
The method is fairly easy. You will need to rinse the blueberries and place in blender or food processor. Next, add honey and yogurt, blend until smooth. Using fingertips, apply blueberry smoothie on clean skin, let sit for 10 to 15 min. Remove with cool water and damp cloth.

I know this has nothing to do with blueberries but I could not resist when I saw this one..

Chocolate Facial Mask
The Chocolate Facial Mask is a guilt free way to nourish and soften your skin. The cocoa powder that we will use in this recipe is a wonderful and powerful antioxidant. It protects and frees the skin from free radicals, that cause significant damage to skin layers.

With this decadent mask recipe, we will also use two skin-food ingredients – oat and honey. Oats are highly absorptive, hypoallergenic and can help to soften skin. Oats have also been clinically shown to help heal dry and itchy skin.

Honey on the other hand, is a great anti-bacterial agent, deeply cleanses your skin, and opens up clogged pores.

This decadent mask is an excellent moisturizer – leaving your skin baby soft. To start indulging, you will need:

  • 1/3 cup cocoa powder
  • 1/4 cup of honey
  • 2 tablespoons of heavy cream (sour cream will work as well)
  • 3 teaspoons of oatmeal powder

Mix all ingredients together and smooth onto face. Relax for 10 minutes, then wash off with warm water.

July is National Blueberry Month!

Posted on by
Reply

Since July is National Blueberry Month, according to the U.S. Department of Agriculture, BLUEBERRIES are our topic this week! 

From the official whole foods market blog…
” If any fruit deserves its own month of honorable recognition, the little blue beauty certainly does. Native to North America, blueberries are grown in 35 out of 50 states. That translates into supplying roughly 95% of the entire world’s crop. With flavors ranging from puckery tart to mildly sweet, blueberries are in full seasonal swing somewhere from April through October, but July is prime blueberry season. (They can also be enjoyed frozen or dried at other times of the year.)

Experts often include blueberries in their Top 10 Lists of the healthiest foods. That’s because, like many fruits, they are rich in fiber, low in calories and boast Vitamin C and other important antioxidants. Blueberries get their deep purple-blue color from anthocyanin pigments that have long been thought to have health benefits.

When shopping, be sure to look for firm blueberries with even coloring. Shake the container gently to make sure they move easily and are free of mold, moisture or damage. Once you get them home, don’t wash them until ready to eat or use in a recipe. Try to eat them within three to five days. If you’ve got extra on hand, freeze them in an air-tight plastic bag for later.

Blueberries are perfect for topping hot or cold breakfast cereal and you’re probably familiar with blueberry pancakes and blueberry pie. But there are other great ways to use them. Ever tried tossing a handful on your green garden salad or stirring them into a whole grain pilaf?” http://blog.wholefoodsmarket.com/2011/06/july-blueberry-month/

Blueberries

image from http://www.lighterliving.com

Tomorrow (Wed) the focus will be on the health factors of these amazing little berries. Thursday= Beauty and Blueberries.. Friday = Food and Blueberries. Stay tuned!

Summer Beauty Skin Care tips – Natural of course.

Posted on by
Reply

Ronfleur Beauty tipsRonfleur and I wanted to chat with you about summer beauty al ‘natural. We sat down to write this post and we began by looking around and finding some good tips: some of it is common sense & some of it was news to us. Jolie jumped in and took us under her wing (Jolie is our local Herbalist: Beauty and Remedies) and she lead the way for our beauty feature today.

Jolies (and Ronfleurs) Summer Face Skin Care Secrets & Tips: The sun is happy to shine on us and we are happy to feel it on our skin but maintaining your skin during summer time is important. Did you know: Skin comprises between 12 – 15% of an adult’s body weight and your skin absorbs 60% of whatever you put on it.

1. Choose the Right Foods - Put into your body fresh veggies and fruits to keep the skin healthy and fresh.
2. Continue to drink lots of water. Even though you may not be thirsty, drink plenty of water through the day, not merely to replenish humidity lost to the heat but also to help flush toxins out of the body and keep your skin looking great.
3. Use Natural Homemade Cosmetics:  Some natural preservatives are:Tea Tree Essential Oil, Thyme Essential Oil, Grapefruit Seed Extract, Bitter Orange Extract. Here are some words of wisdom for you. If you can not pronounce it then don’t eat it or wear it on your skin.
4. One of the secret of looking cool and fresh in summer lies in the cleansing routines. You should never go to bed with makeup on. Use a natural, homemade cream after washing: mix extra-virgin coconut oil with a couple of drops of essential oils of carrot seed and sweet orange. This fragrant, rich and creamy balm has antioxidant and emollient properties. While you sleep, it will slowly penetrate your face skin to restore its vital moisture and beauty.

You can try out this Refreshing Masque.
Yummy Natural Face Mask!: Cooling Papaya Masque©

4 tbsp ripe papaya pulp, mashed
½ tsp pure honey
A squeeze of lemon juice
Mix all ingredients together. Apply on face. Leave on for 10 minutes. Rinse off with cold tap water.  (credit for this )

Ideas for your skin from your kitchen to keep you looking fantastic:

.    A teaspoon of cod liver oil supplies you with the daily requirement of essential fats (including Omega-3 fatty acids), as well as Vitamins D and A, which are crucial for rejuvenating cells and keeping skin moist and smooth.

.    Any skin care discourse which does not include a discussion of nutrition is lacking a fundamental principle of healthy skin care. Good health and beauty are synonymous.

.    Lacto-fermented products such as sauerkraut, yogurt, fish sauce and miso, are highly beneficial for your digestive tract. Good looking skin is a reflection of what you put in your tummy.

.    Avoid using sunscreen. Potentially deadly skin cancer (melanoma) is NOT caused by the sun, but by artificial chemicals in our food, air, and… laboratory-produced body care products! Moreover, exposure to the sun is the only way for the body to convert and use Vitamin D – one of the most important fat-soluble vitamins. A word of caution though, use sun in moderation.

.    Many of us believe that use of tanning oils on skin and then getting tanned is safe. But that is not true. No tanning oil prevents the sun. If it had prevented sun, you would not have tanned!



.    Try a natural body scrub. For clean and glowing skin, use a scrub made of equal amounts of corn flour and honey, once a week.

.    A great, easy exfoliation treatment is to use a little organic honey and a little sugar mixed together. The honey will moisturize your face while the sugars natural acids gently exfoliate without creating microscopic tears in your delicate skin.

.    Brew your own amazing body lotion. Combine a couple of drops each of essential rose and lavender oils with almond oil, and pamper this fragrant and delectable concoction on your skin after a shower or just before tanning. The results are truly wonderful!

Gardens & Green Spaces

Posted on by
Reply

Gardens and Green SpacesWill you be in S. County R.I. today?
Sat. April 30,  8:15 − 4pm
RI Garden Symposium, “Gardens & Green Spaces” Browse the Gardeners’ Marketplace where Botanicals Beauties and Beasties will be.

Where? At the Center for Biotechnology and Life Sciences
University of Rhode Island – Kingston, R.I.

(register to go and get a $5.00 off coupon to use in the Marketplace) More info:
click for web site 

Visit the show or just visit the marketplace.

Sunday The Botanicals will be busy – it’s a wedding shower for one of their own! Get ready for the big day in June. Stay tuned for more info.

See you all on Monday.

In the meantime, plant some trees for Arbor Day and  ReDuce, ReCycle, ReUse.

Millinery and the Mad Hatter?

Posted on by
Reply
Birdelli and her Hat

Birdelli and her Hat - ready to go!

No Mad hatters here- but indeed there must be crazed Royals running about. Perhaps reading the Poem of The Jabberwock to calm their nerves?
Twas brillig, and the slithy toves
Did gyre and gimble in the wabe.
All mimsy were the borogoves,
And the mome raths outgrabe.

I doubt it! Alas, back to topic, or off with someone’s head (as ordered from the Queen of Hearts!)

Speaking of tomorrows Royal Wedding it impossible not to chat about Hats today. UK and Hats = Royal Gala Events. USA and Hats = Couture Kentucky Derby. Many woman of The South love their hats.  Oh, how yummy a hat can be. In the “early days” – umm I mean up to the 40′s-50′s, “ladies” would not leave home with out a hat. Today hats have had a comeback – fun, funky, silly, outrageous, spectacular, sophisticated, extreme fashion, and magnificent. Everyone can find a hat to suit them in todays fashion. It may be a fashion statement, it may be a practicality, or it may be just be for a smile, all are good reasons to don a hat. Not everyone has a chance to wear an amazing hat made special for them from a millinery. Birdelli did! She went all out to find the perfect hat for the big day, and had it “custom made.” Although she was not invited to the Royal Wedding (shocking) , as the wonderful Fashion Designer she is, she feels the need to celebrate and dress for the occasion! 

“The term “millinery” was not known until the fifteenth and sixteenth centuries when fine felt, fabric and straw hats were made in the Duchy of Milan and were known as ‘Millayne bonnets’. This is where the modern English word ‘Milliner’ comes from, as the London maker of these feminine caps and bonnets was called a ‘millianer’.

The Anglo-Saxon word for hat, Haet or haett appears to have signified the shape resembling the petasus; meaning, with crown, wide brim and easily removed from the head. Until the sixteenth century, any hat other than the ‘hood’ was a ‘cap’ in English, or a ‘bonnet’ in French. Only the Scotsman calls his cap a bonnet today. … The hat of today is really not much different to that of the 1700′s whereby it consists of a brim and/or crown. Some of the materials used today are different to those used in the past, which gives the difference in appearance, however, today’s milliners are prepared to take the craft that much further, and one Milliner, Phillip Treacy, who works out of London, leads the way with his innovative creations. Here is some of his work.” http://www.millinerytechniques.com/history-of-millinery.html

Philip Treacy creation

Philip Treacy creation

The phrase “as mad as a hatter” refers to the 19th century usage of a mercury-based compound in the making of fine hats. Due to long-term exposure, hatters would often develop symptoms of mercury poisoning, such as tremors or mood-swings, that would make them appear “mad” to others.” Luckily I believe todays hat makers have a better time of it all.

Tarrant Hightopp, The Mad Hatter, Hatta, Hatter

Tarrant Hightopp, The Mad Hatter, Hatta, Hatter