diy clay bangles

I have a bangle obsession...and I have a deep love for polymer clay. I am definitely keeping the polymer clay section at Michaels in business.

I have quite the collection going, which is filling up our kitchen panty pretty quickly. Ian opened the cabinet to get some food goodies last night and told me I should "Probably get organized." What?!! I think the kitchen cabinet is a PERFECT home for all my crafts. Okay maybe not. Anywhoo...

I am going to show you an EASY and inexpensive way to make just about any kind of bangle you want.

What you need:

• A few different polymer clay colors.
• A bangle. Use this as a guideline to measure and shape the bracelet before baking it.

Using the palm of your hand roll two thin tubes. If you just want to use one color you can.
My hand look a little dry...hello lotion where are you?

Wrap one color over the other. Roll them together with the palm of your hand to blend the two.

Using the bangle as a guideline wrap your tube of clay around it tightly. Mush the two ends together and smooth out with your finger.

Remove the guideline bangle and bake your bracelet at 275 degrees for 20 minutes.

You can make as many as you want!

baked kale chips

Most of you were not jumping out of your seats with excitement about the kale smoothie I mentioned last week. Raw kale is not one of those veggies that you pack in a little container and eat on your lunch break...it's more of a get it down fast so you can receive all the health benefits kind of veggie.

I ALWAYS have a little pep talk with myself before I eat tortilla chips. It goes something like this..."Only a FEW then WALK away." Never happens. I end up camping out by the chips and end up with a giant chip hangover the next day.

I made a batch of baked kale chips over the weekend. Ian and I ate every last one. YEPPPP Ian ate them...that is proof they did not taste like raw bitter kale. No chip hangover the next day makes me a happy camper.

Directions:

• Wash and dry Kale
• Remove the stem from the kale
• Rip them into chip sizes
• Spray olive or coconut oil on them
• sprinkle with sea salt and whatever seasoning you like
• Bake for 15 min at 300 degrees

SO easy and seriously delicious!

Skin Care Tip of the Week *Ingredients to avoid*

Reading ingredients on the back of a skincare label is something most people just don't do. Its one of those things where you may turn the bottle over, take a little peak and wonder what the heck Phenoxyethanol is and move on... never thinking twice. Today I am going to share the top three most common ingredients found in skincare products that should be avoided and why.

• Parabens- a commonly used preservative. They mimic estrogen and even have an impact on your hormone levels. EEEEK! Recent studies have related parabens to breast cancer. NOT good at all. So now when you see a product that is labeled "Paraben Free" you know why.
  

• Sodium Laureth Sulfate- This is the ingredient that causes your cleanser to be extra bubblicious. It is a MAJOR skin irritant that can make your skin dry and itchy. It has also been associated with eczema. I always ask new clients who have irritated and over sensitized skin what kind of cleanser they use. Most of the time the cleanser they name contains this...and I let them know it's time to switch!
  

• Synthetic Fragrance- The face wash that smells like "Morning Burst" is most likely full of synthetic chemicals. Synthetic fragrance can irritate your skin and cause major breakouts. When a product says, "Fragrance Added" and does not list what it is, this almost always means that it's synthetic. Fragrance added from essential oils are good, synthetic fragrances are bad..capiche?
  

I am not saying throw out everything you own... but just be more aware. Start by making small changes. Next time you go skin care shopping take a few moments to peek at the back label and look for these ingredients.

If you have any questions leave them in the comment section below and I will be happy to answer :)

strawberry yogurt muffins

I never want to paint a picture that my life is all dandelions and rainbows. I have bad weeks. This week was one of them. I wore myself too thin and feel pretty burnt out. To top it off Max is teething, miserable and running a low grade fever.

Sooooo anywhoo about the strawberries. There is a fresh strawberry stand by my house and I decided a frozen strawberry daiquiri sounded pretty fantastic. I was also desperately craving carbs...so i stopped and picked up a flat. SO that is how the strawberry yogurt muffin was born.

What you will need:

• 2 cups of fresh strawberries
• 2 cups of whole wheat flour
• 1 tbsp of baking soda
• 1/4 cup of sugar
• 1 1/4 cup of plain Greek yogurt
• 2 egg whites
• 2 tbs coconut oil
• 1tsp of vanilla extract

Directions:

1. Preheat oven to 350 degrees.
2. Stir together all the dry ingredients.
3. In a blender puree one cup of strawberries.
   
4. In a separate bowl beat the egg whites. Add the yogurt, strawberry puree, oil and vanilla extract. Combine with dry ingredients. Chop up the remaining strawberries and add to batter.
   
5. Spoon the batter into the muffin pan. Bake for about 15 min.

If your week is slightly suck-y these will definitely help, or if you are just craving carbs these will do the trick.

Have you entered THIS giveaway yet?

**giveaway** thrifty momma thursday

Vintage bright yellow Pyrex bowl.

Gold flats. Size 7 1/2

Bronze beaded necklace.

I LOVE thrifting and adding new fun things to my closet and home...but whats the fun of thrifting if you don't keep the cycle of giving going? No fun at all.

So here is the deal-e-o...I am going to keep on thrifting but I am going to start giving away most of the things I thrift. I believe nothing is worth enjoying unless you can share it with someone else...SO lucky you!

How you can win one of the items above:

Leave a comment telling me which item above is your favorite. Make sure to leave your e-mail address in your comment. Simple enough right?!

You do not need to be a follower to enter...BUT If you are a follower or decide to follow I will do a happy dance just for you!

The winner we will chosen via random.org within a week.

things that make me say yeay!

Mini packets of Nutella spread across my FAVORITE low carb cinnamon and walnut flax seed bread.

Mustache mint tin. It makes giving out mints just a little bit more fun :)

A new set of colorful pens. I find myself writing little notes that are not even needed just so I can use them.

A fresh bowl of cherries from the Farmers Market.

By the way... I thought summer started last month but I have been informed that it officially started YESTERDAY! So happy summer!

Skin Care Tip of the Week *Kale smoothie*

Whenever a client comes to me with a skin problem I always start by asking them about their diet and eating habits. Our skin is the largest organ and everything we put into our bodies plays a role on how your skin looks and feels. If you are loading up on processed carbs, genetically modified unhealthy foods...chances are your skin is suffering.

So today I am going to share with you a kale smoothie I make. Kale is SOOO good for you AND your skin. It is a true SUPER FOOD. Why?

• It is loaded with antioxidants
• It is an anti-inflammatory
  
• Its loaded with Vitamin K, A and C
• It is a great source of calcium
  
• It is good for your eyes
• It has a super high mineral content (great for your skin)
  
• It has also been shown to retard the growth of certain types of cancer. There is no reason why you should not add it to your daily diet.
  

Kale Smoothie:

5-6 organic kale leaves
1/2 organic avocado (also a super food)
1 cup filtered water

Optional: I add a little basil to mine..or you can add a banana or a little applesauce if you want it sweeter.

Blend and drink.

If you have any questions leave them in the comment section and I will be happy to answer! :)