Bentonite Face Mask, 2nd Attempt.

I put this make up on my face, and it looked quite good. My blemishes had momentarily disappeared. But, I'm going to cleanse my face and try this sodium bentonite mask one more time. I have my honey, my apple cider vinegar, bentonite, tea tree, and lemon grass with witch hazel.

Recipe:

1 table spoon of bentonite
1/2 tablespoon of honey
1 drop of concentrated tea tree oil
2 drops of concentrated lemongrass oil
2 tablespoons of apple cider vinegar
1 1/2 tablespoons of witch hazel

It will be chunky. MIX WELL. It's difficult to apply evenly with the chunks of clay- which I ran into on my first application.

pre wash with my make up on

post wash notice the blemishes

ingredients

mix

close up, immediately after application

about ten minutes into it.
it tingles A LOT

About 2 minutes ago
the smell is the saving grace

just before rinsing off. it was tight, hard, and annoying. i couldn't wait to get it off

skin so soft, yet tight. i think i found the perfect mix! now, hopefully it will help with the new pop ups and i'll find something for the blemishes.

My tuck and pin style

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Feeling a little cold/ flu coming on?

This post is dedicated to my sister in curls and Christ who is now, praise Jesus, with child, but is sickly with a cold. Being with baby can already be a miserable start up as in the case with C- my baby- y'all he almost took me OUT! But, there is hope, you don't have to suffer through the headaches, chest congestion, weariness, etc due to a cold. Say thank you Lord for natural remedies, baby bean safe.

Being the google queen I am, I found a host of natural cold remedies, but make sure you run anything you take- baby or otherwise- by your licensed professional.

COLD REMEDIES:
Cold remedies during pregnancy could include the consumption of garlic or ginseng or capsules with their extracts. Drinking plenty of fluids such as lemon juice and honey in warm water and hot soups will help relieve some of the symptoms like a sore throat. Gargling with salt water also helps ease the pain in the throat. Drinking hot ginger tea and warm milk with turmeric are also natural remedies that can be safely used by pregnant women.

COUGH:
Coughs, colds, and fevers may make the mother feel miserable and wear out her body, but they will not affect the baby. Even severe bouts of coughing will not harm the baby, so the mother does not have to hunt for cold remedies during pregnancy if she can manage the symptoms with sufficient rest and a healthy diet. It is best to keep the fever under control with medication, as indicated by the doctor.

CONGESTION/ STOPPED UP NASAL PASSAGES:
Herbal teas, mentholated lozenges, capsules of echinacea, and combination supplements of vitamins and micronutrients are all considered to b e suitable cold remedies during pregnancy. Vitamin C is considered a natural antihistamine as it helps to reduce the secretion of mucus and clears the sinuses. Aromatherapy oils such as peppermint, lavender, and elder flower can be used to alleviate nasal congestion.

The slightly sluggish immune system and enlarged mucus membranes during pregnancy sometimes make it difficult to get over a cold quickly. During pregnancy cold remedies should be chosen carefully. The one cardinal rule with cold remedies when pregnant (as with any other illness) is DO NOT self medicate - not even with over the counter medication that you're otherwise used to taking. Always, always check with your physician or gynaecologist before taking any cold remedies while pregnant at all as it may affect the foetus.

Finally, remember that prevention is better than cure; cold remedies are not as effective as taking some precautionary measures. Colds spread through contact, so your best bet is to keep away from people who are infected. Women who are most at risk are school teachers and health care workers. If you belong to these professions, keep in mind simple rules of hygiene such as washing your hands frequently and especially after handling an individual with a contagious infection. If any cold remedies do not work for over a week, do consult your doctor to rule out allergies, sinusitis, bronchial infections etc.

Thanks to http://www.home-remedies-for-you.com I found these natural products to help you get over a cold pregnant or otherwise. If you're anything like me, I hate taking strange chemical compounds to alleviate ailments I may have.

My go to cold treatment is an elderberry coctail. Elderberry tabs with zinc and vitamin C. A little echinacea and lavender to help open my sinuses. My mamma told me to put some tea tree oil on my forehead and scalp to alleviae headaches.
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CHEESECAKE!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!

OK... I'm supposed to start with a recipe, right...

BUT, I'MMA START WITH THE NEW SINGLE BOUT THE STORE I GOT MY STUFF FROM:

LMAO! New ringtone alert!


WELL.... CONFESSION:

I don't really have one. I kind of made it up as I remembered making the cheesecake and pecan pie for Christmas. I'll try. I barely measure stuff, and I don't follow recipes too well. But, this is fool proof.

Preheat your oven to 350


about 8 whole Graham Crackers
about half a bag Nilla Wafers
about 1 1/2 sticks of Butter
Nestle Dulce De Leche
3 mixing spoons of Karo LIGHT syrup
2 eggs
2 packs of cream cheese- SOFTENED
1 mixing spoon vanilla flavor
1 cup granulated sugar
1 cup nuts- whatever kind you want
2 cake pans
some milk- maybe about 1/4 or so, you'll have to see, start at a little and add a little if it's not enough
maybe about 10-20 semi sweet chocolate chunks

Crush your nilla wafers and graham crackers with some softened butter. Half a stick each pan. Mix crumbs until they are all moist with butter. Stick it in the oven for about 10 minutes.

You're supposed to mix the cheese, sugar, karo syrup, vanilla flavor. Then mix half of the dulce de leche and one egg at a time. Mix well.

In a sauce pan on the stove, put your milk, a couple handfuls of sugar, splash some liq if you want to (grand marnier, flavored brandy, schnapps, etc), add the rest of the dulce de leche. let the chocolate melt by heating at LOW heat. MIX. Pour about 2 spoon fulls over your crust.


Pour the cheesecake mix over the crust in layers. Some cheesecake mix, some nuts, some chocolate sauce. Repeat until the cheesecake mix is gone. Make chocolate circles on your cake batter. Sprinkle the nuts. Take a knife, rake through the chocolate to make a design of your choice. If you don't like it, well, you'll have a chance to try again on the next cake because this mix yields 2 cakes. LOL.

Bake 350 for 40-45 minutes. Second cake, turn the oven down a tad bit, and bake same time. ENJOY your cake!

This evening's goodnight playlist

Bentonite Clay

I got my bentonite clay today! YAY! I love Granery Street, the natural store- they have all kinds of wonderful vitamins, minerals, essential oils, every organic, natural product EVER- and with little mark up! I originally got it for my face, but after speaking to the man at Jack's in Longview, he said I could take it internally. Jack's charges 20 bucks for this same product I got at the Granery for less than $5.50!! I was concerned to use a hair mask because of the drawing agent that Bentonite is but I'm going to go for the gusto next wash. Thanks to my sister in curls telling me to check out youtube videos, I came across Black Onyx. Her videos are really great. The first one she was talking way too fast, but the information was insightful. The ones I posted are after her tutorials on making the hair and skin masks.



I did more youtube research, if you can call it that, and AFTER being creeped out by something called mucoid plague, I'm nervous to try the bentonite internally. BUT, I'm in the midst of actually looking at more info about it now.

In the meantime, because my face is constantly breaking out due to my ever increasing stress level, something has to give with these cheetah spots I have on my face. I had a good friend the other night look at my pix on facebook, and I was mortified because he hadn't seen me in a couple years, and the first thing he asked me was what was up with the acne on my face... I used to never break out like this... even when I was bearing C and my body was rejecting everything about him- especially in my face. My mom is such a good mommy, for Christmas, she got me a gift pack of Neutrogena Stress facial stuff.

A confession- I haven't washed my face with soap in ten or more years... and with few breakouts, scars, dark marks, etc. This is tripping me out because my face won't stop breaking out!!! So, today I washed my face for the first time in over a decade, literally.

But, I digress- the point I'm getting to: the tutorials in the videos didn't really indicate specifically- like step 1. WASH YOUR FACE... Step 2. Mix your product... Step 3. Apply, etc... you get the gist of where this is going. I don't know whether to wash my face first and then apply the clay mask or what.

I'm going to try and make a video I guess, washing my face with a very unnatural Neutrogena scrub and foam wash

and apply the clay mixture. I know somebody around here has some apple cider vinegar. My mamma used to give that to me during my 9 months to help lower my blood pressure- it didn't work, and tasted disgusting!


Oh, by the way. To cover my cheetah spots, I've been using Cover Girl True Blend... That junk can go on just as pale as the day is long, but two minutes or less, and the color is blended into my skin tone. I mixed a powder and a liquid with some pure maleleuca oil to possibly treat my acne while wearing the makeup... it was an effort. I'll see how it works, but the makeup blends great, and I love it. It's not thick and doesn't rub off easily on my clothes or on my hands.
UGH! For the first time, I actually have to care for my face. I liked being afforded a carefree-ness about my face... My hair was enough.




With this post being scatterbrained about Bentonite, look for a more concise, succinct video in the next few... days... weeks... um... yeah... about my first trial with the facial mask. I might even do one for the internal cleanse, because I probably will give that a go'fer. 

We Are Praying for you Uncle Bert

Uncle Bert on the left. Love you Unc

My Uncle Bert... I vividly remember riding back from Houston to Longview with my daddy and Uncle Bert in this truck... we all sat in the front seat because it was one of those old timey trucks that didn't have all that fancy stuff, especially two rows of seats. I sat in the middle the entire 3 1/2 hour drive from Houston on home. As Daddy and Uncle Bert told stories of whatever hilarious, wise, tall tales they were telling, we drove through all the towns between... Houston, Splendora, Livingston, Corrigan, Diboll... and we came to a town named BURKE. Uncle Bert began explaining to me how that was very much like his name, except it was spelled with a ERT instead of an URKE... That was so significant because as a child, I didn't have very much experience with my father's side of the family. It wasn't until my oldest brother, Bubba, was murdered in October 2009 that I really began to get to know my father, and the "other" side of the family. BUT, even between those times where communication lagged, Uncle Bert was still always my favorite uncle and in that little town, that even to this day that I drive through, when i see that sign that says BURKE, population.... so and so... I think of my uncle. (He actually had me confused for YEARS because I didn't know what the hayle he was talking about replace the urke with an ert- I mean years... as in last year, 2010 did I get it.)!

Always debonair

Uncle Bert was wild! Much like my spirit... but I was tame in comparison to those Sanders boys Just this past new years, we celebrated C's bday, and we all were out to Daddy's by the fire. He was telling us some hilarious stories!!!! I wonder if he had a chance to get that brand new leather jacket patched between then and now. (Inside story of snowballs, women, a chicken wire fence, and a brand new patch leather coat). Right now, I pray that Uncle Bert is making God laugh as surgeons are working on repairing the tear in his aortic valve. He had been taken to the hospital on Saturday because he was found in his home paralyzed on one side of his body and non verbally responding. Since then, he's been living on hospital food with a change of address of Mother Francis hospital. Today, my daddy let me know Uncle Bert was rushed into emergency surgery for a tear in his aorta. Around 1pm he went into surgery. I asked if I could do anything, and Daddy's reply was: "Just pray for your Uncle Bert." After teaching the remaining few periods, & getting a phone call from C's school letting me know he was hitting teachers and slapping little girls on their derrière, I had a headache the size of Houston, but I came home and cooked my chicken stew. C wanted to know how Uncle Bert was doing, so we called Dadd-O (my dad), and all I can hear Daddy say was "It doesn't look good." I went into chicken head mode... I ran off the internet, as best as you can "run off the internet," and began preparing to make way to move closer to family like a chicken with it's head cut off. I slowed down after doing the dishes, clothes, dealing with C's bedtime issues, and talking to my girlfriend. I began texting family and friends to pray for Uncle Bert. I posted a prayer on Facebook:

Lord, God almighty, hear the corporate prayers said over your son Bert Wayne that he may find comfort in you in this exact moment! Step inside of his room Lord, let your spirit fall fresh upon every1 involved in his care. Lord, hear us, as the prayers of the righteous avail much. Be a balm in Tyler TX! In Jesus name, Amen!

Forever in that hat! 

I am now asking anyone who reads this blog, who reads this post, and believes in the mighty hand of Jesus working a miracle to either leave a prayer or say a prayer on behalf of my uncle as he is fighting for his life. The tear in his valve has been repaired, but the doctors cannot stop the bleeding nor can they end the leaking.  Please, Lord God, in all your holiness, and in your magnificence, step in, hold my uncle's heart in your hands, and heal him by your stripes. In our prayers Lord, hear our humble cries. Fall fresh upon Uncle Bert Wayne Lord. Allow him another day to do your work Jesus. We continue to pray for you to work a miracle.

MY DADDY JUST LET ME KNOW, GOD IS A HEALER! MY UNCLE IS IN ICU!!!!!!!! HALLELUJAH! THANK YOU JESUS!

Bert is out of surgery in icu hes got a long way to go but God is in the blessing bizness

Please keep praying please, because it ain't over!

My twists are still standing up!

Refreshed some twists with my new batch of shea butter and put the back up in a couple of french-esque twisted buns. My punkie poo says he loves my hair, and that it is pretty. I love my punkin & I love my hair too! I've noticed, its healthier, more malleable and nourished than its been in years! Go team natural! It does make a difference being natural under weaves or braids than being curly and hairfree. I'm all for this feeling! Girls who twirl curls rock the freshest locs!
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Furniture Polish

This is good as gold for cleaning your wood furniture.


1 parts Vinegar
a couple of drops of Lemon Grass essential oil
a squirt or two of avocado oil
a smidgen of shea butter


put all this in a squirt bottle. MIX WELL.

squirt on a towel. spread on your furniture. walla! you're all set with protected shiny polished, and clean furniture.

Chicken Stew- Dinner Anyone

I made this up as I was tearing through the aisles of Wally World.

INGREDIENTS:
6-8 strips of bacon- sliced
3 or 4 frozen grilled chicken breasts- sliced
1/2 of a large onion- chopped
several sprigs of cilantro
4 stalks of fresh green onion- chopped
A couple tablespoons of flour
1 can of diced tomatoes (green pepper and onion flavor- Del Monte I think)
2 boxes of chicken broth
6 golden potatoes- chopped into quarters
1 small pack of frozen corn
Tony Chachere
Cayenne Pepper
Black Pepper
1 box of rice a roni chicken flavor
1 big ol' soup pot
1 big ol' spoon


PREPARATION:
Slice the bacon Fry it in the bottom of the pot with the onion.
put in a couple pads of butter if you so desire
place your flour
pour your two boxes of chicken broth, add tony chachere, dash of cayenne to your liking, and the black pepper and bring to a boil
put your potatoes in
BOIL for about 20 MINUTES
add the chicken, tomatoes, green onion, cilantro, frozen corn & entire box of rice (with seasoning)
Stew for another 15 minutes or according to the package directions


GARNISH
Sharp cheddar cheese
Tortillas

  

Adult Lemonade- EASY STYLE

Daily's Pomegranate & Acai Margarita
Kool Aid Pink Lemonade- ALREADY MADE
Mix over ice, stick a straw in it, and drink til your heart's content!

STICK A FORK IN IT, IT'S DONE

I made my General Tso's Chicken Salad again tonight, and by golly not only is it delicious, but it looks fantastic too! This oh so quick and easy meal is not for faint of heart or the weak palate. Get a tissue, and another bowl ready to go!

When you try it let me know how it turned out!

THE MAKINGS OF A SALAD:

I'M LIVING THE SINGLE, SINGLE, SINGLE, SINGLE LIFE

Unfulfilled albeit. I'm watching the marathon on BRAVO of Millionaire Matchmaker, and I'm so into Patty. Being the single chick I am, and this feeling that came to me at the start of the year, I am feeling cross between Charlotte pre-tre and how she kind of forced herself into a marriage, and like the stars are aligning or whatever; I can't explain it, but it seems like something is on the horizon, very close to there being a change in my long term relationship status, and it seems that it is good aura.

I find myself coming into more of who I am and really getting to know me, so as the stars shape themselves into a spigot, and get ready to pour out an abundant love blessing, I await... expectantly for Patty's DVD to hit the shelves!

I could definitely use some tips on how to properly date because I am so shy, I just rather not date, or spend my time chasing my own tail, a phantom-like substance. I watch those chicks (and dudes) on the show, and how the matchmaker puts people together, and it's not that i can't pick a guy, I think I just have date repellent.


My friend girls refuse to match me up, and it's quite the entertainment for them: I remember a cold, dreary night, at a lonely Stop N' Go (7-11 for those of you not Texans), where I had to singlehandedly pump gas for a truck full of married women all because of my relationship status. I vowed NEVER again will I be discriminated against because I am THE single one. (And my mate/ partner/ husband, etc best believe I don't mind pumping my own gas, but if he'll do it for me, that'll be great).

Various Assets NOT FOR SALE

It would be nice to have that person carry out the trash on a cold, late Tuesday night; help me hang pictures, laugh with me in the kitchen as i cook another sweet potato pie, take the dog for a walk, rub my shoulders, listen to me tell them about my headbanger babies, help me come up with creative classroom ideas when mine have hit a wall and splat like a fresh egg on a brick, pray with and for me, be the ideal- non demonic, child molesting, role model for my son when his father can't be a live presence, be the person who encourages me to be a better person, and gets the same encouragement from me.

I want someone who can talk to me, and not lie, about transgressions, hopes, dreams, aspirations, regrets, mistakes, desires, fantasies, twisted things he wouldn't tell his pillow, someone who will challenge me to be a better wii player, and foster my passive aggressive competitive side. I am ready to take on someone who loves music as much as I do, one who enjoys the spontaneity of life, and goes full throttle into the pool with me not knowing if there is water in there or how deep it is, just because he knows I'm a lunatic, and I do that kind of thing, and I might need some protection. That one who will pick flowers for me, and take my random asinine knowledge of useless information and love it, love me, my son, dog, and turtle (who by the way is still on hunger strike- i swear he's on a suicide mission, but my son refuses to let him go). I am not picky, but particular. I am not a lister where a potential person MUST qualify. I'm too easy breezy for all that foolishness. Lord, send me what you have for me. Boaz, Ishmael, my suitable and affordable help meet.


NOW PLAYING: MADLIB, MANAGUA- LISTEN

Swisha-Stiletto's- Brandi Garcia

LISTEN

• 1.Brandi Garcia Intro 
• 2.Throwed Off - Treal Lee Prince Rick
• 3.Make It Rain - Travis Porter
• 4.Shawty What It Is - Young T
• 5.Certified Diva - T. Roberts ft. Beat King Candi Redd
• 6.Blowin' Money - The Heavyweights
• 7.Act A Azz - Candi Redd
• 8.She Can Get It (Rmx) - Creeze ft. Louisiana Cash, Dorrough Chalie Boy
• 9.Birdman Speaks
• 10.Mz. Aquafina - Supastaar
• 11.Fight Dat - Fat Pimp
• 12.Back It Up Dump It - Cali Swag District
• 13.Bow (Rmx) - Ray Nitti ft. Rasheeda Chalie Boy
• 14.Bank Roll - Fat Pimp
• 15.Ain't About Money - FAM 420
• 16.Beam Me Up - Yung Redd
• 17.Plies Speaks
• 18.Move Slow - Paul Wall Baby Bash
• 19.Freestyle - Coota Bang
• 20.Don't Do Me - Candi Redd Surreall
• 21.Dopegurl Fresh - Surreall
• 22.Think About Me - Fade Dogg ft. Paul Wall
• 23.Last Time - Lee Bannon ft. Paul Wall Tha Jacka
• 24.Brandi Garcia Outro