DIY Herbal Bath Salts

Only two weeks of school left here in the sunshine state of Florida until summer vacation.  I do enjoy the summer months living on the coast line with the beautiful gulf being my swimming pool.  Being so busy with housework, cooking meals, laundry, playing with my daughter, my job and life’s chaos.  I have a Mommy tradition of spending a few days of “Me Time” just before school is out for the summer.  I spend this time alone doing what I love, floating in our swimming pool, taking a hot bath, shopping, reading or laying on the beach.  I am sharing my favorite Herbal Bath Salt recipe with you today.  Go ahead and enjoy some  “Me Time” soaking in a hot herbal infused bath.

DIY Herbal Bath Salt Recipe

Ingredients:

½ Cup of Epsom Salt

½ Cup of Salt

¼ Dried Botanicals {lavender, rose petals, calendula petals}

A few drop’s of Lavender Essential Oil

Directions:

Mix together all of the ingredients and store in a jar of your choice.  To use, simply scoop up about ¼ cup of the lovely salt mixture and toss into your bath water. Enjoy!

This recipe is perfectly formulated with a blend of organic ingredients to help draw toxins from your body, ease body aches, relieves congestion, improves breathing, and promotes a good night’s sleep.

I placed my bath salts in a old candle jar with a lid.  I think that it looks so pretty sitting in my bathroom.

Do you have any traditions before the end of the school year?

Smiles, Paula

Look Who's 12

My youngest daughter Destiny just celebrated her 12th birthday.

The years after her Dad and I welcomed her into our hearts

on her first birthday have literally flown by.

It is so hard to believe that she is now 12 years old.

Some things have not changed over the years.

She is still the same sweet brown haired blue eyed little girl

with a contagious smile.

She fills our home with joy, and I truly feel blessed to have her in my life.

Here are a few photos from her birthday party.

Happy 12th Birthday Destiny.

I am so glad that I am your Mom.

I love you!

Smiles, Paula

DIY Leave In Conditioning Spray

No matter what type of hair you have, you need to moisturize your lovely locks.  Many of us have a daily hair care routine that include using a leave in moisturizing spray.  I love being frugal, and using store bought hair care products can be costly.  Did you know that you could make your own hair conditioning spray for a fraction of the cost?  Major bonus in my mind, plus you control the ingredients, so you know that the product is safe, gentle and earth friendly.  The main ingredient in this recipe is vegetable glycerin. Vegetable glycerin keeps hair hydrated by drawing moisture from the air to the hair shaft.

Vegetable glycerin comes from the liquid and fats of vegetable oil.  Most local health food store carry vegetable glycerin.  It’s a great ingredient for adding moisture to your hair, and it is wonderful to use as a detangler spray as well.  

DIY Leave In Conditioning Spray

Stir together 1/4 cup of vegetable glycerin with 1 cup of distilled water. Then mix in about 1 tsp of your favorite essential oils. Store your homemade leave in conditioner in a spray bottle.  Shake vigorously before each application.

For different hair types use the following essential oils blends:

Dry Hair: sandalwood, ylang ylang, lavender essential oils.

Normal Hair: rosemary, rose, lavender, geranium essential oils.

Oily Hair: lemon, sage, lemon, tea tree, geranium essential oils.

I am currently using my leave in conditioning spray made with ylang ylang and lavender essential oils.  I absolutely love the smell, it is fabulous.  I feel so glammed up with the way my hair feels and looks super soft.

Smiles, Paula

Island Coconut Soap

Ready for Summer!

Hello my lovely friends!  Hope that all is well with you?

The end of the school year is around the corner.

Are you ready to hit the beach or pool,

one thing's for sure summer is almost here!

As the countdown begins for summer vacation,

I am giving away a bar of Island Coconut Soap.

How To Enter:

{ Follow, Comment and WIN }

Follow my Blog and leave a comment on any post

from now until the end of May.

Or simply do as many or as few of the following:

"Like" NaturalGardenSoaps on Facebook.

"Follow" PaulaParrish on Twitter.

Tell your friends on your Facebook/Twitter/Blog to enter this giveaway.

Post and Tweet the following:

"I hope I win the May giveaway on @paulaparrish blog

www.paulaparrish.blogspot.com.”

Good Luck!

Please remember to leave a way for me to contact you if you win,

I prefer an email address.

PLEASE NOTE: Must be US resident.

Smiles, Paula

April's Giveaway WINNER

I have selected a WINNER of last month’s blog giveaway.

All of the entries from the month of April have been counted.

The winner is Justine Harrison.

You WON a bar of handmade soap

and body scrub cubes in the

fabulous, refreshing scent of Rosemary Mint!

Hope that you all will stop back by this week to enter May’s giveaway!

Remember this is a monthly thing,

and is open to ALL of my amazing readers and followers.

Make it a Great Day!

Smiles, Paula

DIY Coconut Vapor Rub

I was hit hard a few weeks ago with the cold flu bug that went around, here in Florida.  It was the kind of nasty bug where I just laid in bed for an entire day.  I had congestion, a fever, a cough, the chills, a sore throat, the whole whole kit and caboodle.  My home became a hide out for me for about a week.  It was pretty strange being sick because I haven’t been sick for so long.  I stuck to the normal natural remedies.  Cool air humidifier, lots of soft tissues, lots of fluids, eucalyptus essential oil, hot tea and homemade coconut vapor rub.

Today I am sharing my homemade version of the store bought Vicks Vaporub.  I favor my homemade recipe because it doesn’t contain any petroleum or active turpentine.  It has a amazing smell and clears up my sinuses quickly.

DIY Coconut Vapor Rub

Ingredients:

2 Heaping Spoonful Organic Coconut Oil

5 Drops Eucalyptus Essential Oil

2 Drops of Menthol Essential Oil

2 Drops Lemon Essential Oil

3 Drops Peppermint Essential Oil

Directions:

1. Mix them together in a small pot and rub into your chest and upper back as desired.

2. Store in a cool dry place, and use as needed.

Stay well and healthy everyone!

Thanks for stopping by my blog.  Happy Monday!

Smiles, Paula

Great American Pie Festival

The town of Celebration, Florida will become the ultimate “Pie Heaven” this coming weekend. Thousands of pie lovers, tasters and bakers come together for the Great American Pie Festival sponsored by Crisco®. The highlight of this event is “The Never-Ending Pie Buffet”, featuring award winning pies of all kind.

Of course, no pie festival would be complete without a Pie Eating Contest, Destiny participated last year.  It was so fun to watch your kids attack the yummy chocolate pies.

Are you now in the mood for some yummy pie?  I have the perfect solution, if you can’t make it out to this super yummy event.  Why not make some pie at home?

Cris with Goodness Gracious has the perfect recipe to please everyone’s personal pie tastes in your family.  Cherry, Apple, or Peach?  How about baking some Mini Pie Bites?

You can find Cris’s recipe on her blog at Goodness Gracious.

If you are planning a birthday or get together, and simply don’t have time to bake.  Just order some yummy pie bites from Old Time Favorites on Etsy.  Kristy has a tasty selection of Traditional Southern Baked Goods.

Be sure to check out Kristy’s Shop on Etsy, Old Time Favorites.

How about pie in a jar?  Every type of food on earth tastes better from a jar right?   Paige’s offers scrumptious gourmet baked pies in jars.  You choose strawberry, rhubarb, cherry, apple or mixed berry.  Are you hungry for some pie yet?

Paige offers delicious baked goods in a jar on her Etsy shop at Let Them Eat Pie.

Bake like a pro with this foolproof fifth generation recipe for sweet potato pie.  This recipe is Sheila’s dear Grandma Addie's original pie recipe.  Her grandparents had a farm and they grew sweet potatoes and yams in the winters.  Sheila’s Grammy made the most enjoyable pies with the best crust!

This recipe can be found for purchase in Sheila’s Etsy shop at Sheilas Blessings.

We will be selling our handmade soap and organic skincare line at the American Pie Festival again this year.  So if you are in Florida, come out and visit our booth and grab a slice or two of pie.

Smiles, Paula

DIY Dinosaur Washcloth

Being a Mom of four children I know all about bath time with kids.  Bath time was fun for my oldest son, but not all of my kids enjoyed taking a bath.  To this day I still struggle with my youngest daughter Destiny.  Lo and behold, often when she steps out of the shower I discover that she didn't even wash her hair, and who knows if she washed her body.  I often tell her you are a hot mess, and send her back into the shower with a smile.  I repeatedly want to let out a crazy Mommy scream, but I hold back as all of us Mom’s do.  Over the years I have attempted to make bath time more fun with toys, bubbles, bath crayons, and fun soap.  I remember that my oldest son Justin had a favorite dino bath mitt, and simply refused to take a bath without it.  I commonly overact at bath time with a excitement that is contagious, giving the feeling that my kiddos may be missing out on something Fun.  I’ll run the water, start playing in the tub, laughing loudly, letting my kids know just how much fun bath time is for Mom.  Works like a charm every time.  ;o)

You may have stumbled upon my previous blog post with a tutorial for Surprise Dino Soap Egg.  Head over and check out that post, surprise dino soap eggs are great to give the kids incentive to wash.  Each dino egg soap has a dinosaur inside of the soap.  As we moms know, new bath soap or fun washcloths can commonly make things exciting so that we can entice our little ones into the tub to wash.

Today, I am sharing with you a simple tutorial on how to make a Dinosaur Washcloth.

DIY Dinosaur Washcloth

Step ONE:

Cut one square 9x9 of a fun dinosaur print 100% cotton fabric, then cut on square from terry cloth or an washcloth.

Step TWO:

Pin the squares right sides together to prepare for sewing.

Step THREE:

Simply sew the square together using a straight stitch on all edges leaving an opening to turn the right sides out.

Step FOUR:

Finish off the washcloth with a straight top stitch around all edges, and whala you are done.

I hope that you enjoy this tutorial for a fun washcloth to help keep the kids smelling nice.

Have you struggled with your kids to take a bath?

Smiles, Paula

Springtime Skin Care

The springtime pollen, humidity, and seasonal outside irritants can make an impact on our skin. Lavender filled products like Lavender Shea Butter Facial Lotion and Lavender Body Lotion both offer a calming relief to skin looking for balance from itching and mild sensitivities.

Hotter weather means that more skin is exposed under lighter, looser and less clothing.  Has the cold winter weather left you with imperfections, breakouts and blackheads on your face and body?  Give my Mucky Seaweed Soap infused with coconut carbon powder a try.  This detoxifying soap is loaded with coconut carbon which gently removes excess debris from your pores all over your entire body.  You will love the results of this soap.

Is your body ready for the pool and beach?

Swimsuit season is just around the corner, so give my Rosemary Mint Body Scrub a try too soften and smooth your whole body.  The harsh winter weather may leave our skin looking less than ideal. Exfoliate away the dead skin left on the surface from the cold months with my sugar scrub cubes, this scrub will uncover the fresh and radiant skin hiding just beneath the surface.

We are all seeking radiant and youthful skin, you can confidently strut your best spring glow with these springtime skin care tips. Be good to your skin by creating an amazing skin care routine, you will see and feel the difference.

Smiles, Paula

DIY Tea Bags Eye Treatment

Did you know that the antioxidants in tea can be highly beneficial to your skin especially the delicate skin around the eyes?  Tea tightens the skin while the caffeine is highly effective in reducing the dark circles and puffiness.  Try this at home eye treatment to improve your appearance and dump the appearance of tired looking eyes, or black circles.

DIY Tea Bags Eye Treatment

1. Take two green tea bags and place them in warm almost boiled water, let them steep for about 10 seconds.
2. Wrap them in plastic wrap, glad wrap or place them in a freezer bag.  Leave them in the fridge for about a half hour or the freezer for about 15 minutes.  Remove after they are completely cooled.
3. Lay down and relax, gently place the cooled tea bags over each eye for about 15 to 20 minutes.

Tips:

• Enjoy the benefits of this DIY homemade remedy for tired dark puffy eyes.
• Tea bags are full of antioxidants which soothe the skin.
• You will notice best results if you continue using tea bags on a regular basis.
  
  I love to hear your feedback, if you are planning to use this DIY skin care recipe or would like to share your comments or thoughts.  Please leave me a comment below, thanks. ;o)
  Smiles, Paula

April Giveaway

Happy Thursday!

As many of you know I love giving away things here at

Paula Parrish Living A Blessed Life.

I have another lovely giveaway to share with you today,

and just in time for Mother's Day which is May 12th!

OMG enter to WIN a bar of handmade soap

and body scrub cubes in this

fabulous, refreshing scent of Rosemary Mint!

This giveaway has a retail value of 25.50.

The perfect Mother’s Day gift for Mom.

How To Enter:

{ Follow, Comment and WIN }

Follow my Blog and leave a comment on any post

from now until the end of April.

Or simply do as many or as few of the following:

"Like" NaturalGardenSoaps on Facebook.

"Follow" PaulaParrish on Twitter.

Tell your friends on your Facebook/Twitter/Blog to enter this giveaway.

Post and Tweet the following:

"I hope I win the April giveaway on @paulaparrish blog

www.paulaparrish.blogspot.com.”

Good Luck!

Please remember to leave a way for me to contact you if you win,

I prefer an email address.

PLEASE NOTE: Must be US resident.

Smiles, Paula