DIY whipped body butter + Shea Butter productreview #BioFinestSheaButter

Promo image provided by BioFinest. Other photos were taken by me.

Today I made a glorious mess 

and my skin feels fabulous!

I follow a few bath and body DIY craft sites and have been meaning to play around with Shea Butter for a while now. When the chance came up to try out Biofinest's Premium Raw Unrefined Shea Butter, I said "Heck Yeah!" and started scrolling through my bookmarks for an easy yummy online project.

Disclaimer: I received this package of BioFinest Premium Unrefined Shea Butter at a discount in exchange for an honest & unbiased review.  All opinions expressed here are my own. 

So, what is shea butter? It is a fat extracted from the shea tree nut through a fairly elaborate process. Wikipedia has an easy to follow synopsis here.

It has a number of applications, but the majority are cosmetic. Applied topically, it alleviates dryness. I find the silky feel lasts for hours - much longer than the average store bought lotion. Shea butter is full of Vitamins A & E, as well as antioxidants and fatty acids. Repeated use is is reported to help relieve eczema, psoriasis and other skin conditions. 

It also is supposed to lessen wrinkles and stretch marks when applied regularly. When I was pregnant and gained about a million pounds, I was given a shea butter and herb cream to try and prevent stretch marks. I used it daily and don't know if it was the lotion or lucky genes, but something worked. 

For the last few weeks, I've been rubbing straight shea butter on my perpetually cracked heels (always running around barefoot) and it is fantastic. Semi firm when you first break a piece off, it softens in your hand. It is very greasy when first applied, so I'll wait until I'm going to be off my feet for a while, rub it in and put on a pair of spa booties or old socks. You'll want to be sure to clean your hands before touching any papers or whatever.

Well, enough of my yaking. Let's get on with the project: This is what the shea butter looks like fresh out of the resealable package. It is double packed, which is a good thing as the inner bag was a bit slipper. Love that the outer sack has a zipper lock, as a little shea butter goes a long way.

If you purchase your shea butter from BioFinest, they will email you an e-book loaded with recipes and ideas. I managed to lose my email (note to self: contact them for a replacement) but found an impressive quantity of bath/body craft projects online. Many involve melting, mixing and cooling ingredients. I decide to start with something even easier. I found this DIY for Whipped Shea Butter Moisturizer on The Sparkle Collective. Monique makes it for her hair, but it works well as a skin cream too. Super simple sounding and I already had the other ingredients - perfect!

Following Monique's directions, 1 cup of shea butter goes into the bowl. It looks a lot like cow's butter but has a slightly firmer texture (at first). It kind of feels like creamy wax, if that makes any sense.

A quick twirl of the electric beaters on high. Then a couple of tablespoons each of jojoba and coconut oil were added, as directed. I ended up using 2 jojoba and 3 coconut. Things were getting pretty liquidy but a couple more minutes of whipping fluffed the concoction back up again. It had more of a white than yellow color at this point. 

Then essential oils were added. I used lemon and lavender, mostly lemon. And more than the original project called for, since this unrefined shea butter has a distinctive scent that I don't really care for. I didn't really notice this when rubbing it on my feet, but the scent is a bit to strong for my arms or face. It is often described as nutty or smoky. I wouldn't say that. This is going to sound odd, but it reminds me a little of play dough. Please note, this is just my take on it. Many folks don't notice and even like the smell. 

Here's the final body butter. The amazingly light and silky texture is fantastic! However, I couldn't get past the "undercurrent" shea butter smell. After tested it out on a couple of folks. I found someone who absolutely loves the scent and was happy to make her a gift of it.

The little tin is from Michaels Crafts and perfect for gift giving

This was a fun and fast project to make and the final feel of this lotion is absolutely luxurious. I will definitely try it again once I track down a more neutral scented shea butter. Wondering why I was able to use a similar product while pregnant without the aroma bothering me, I poked around and found this interesting and very thorough Guide to Different Shea Butters over at HumbleBee & Me. It looks like my nose might prefer a product that is more refined and neutral smelling. I'll have to track some down and let you know how it goes.

For more info about BioFinest Premium Raw Shea Butter, visit their website, Facebook and Amazon pages. They also have a 100% money back guarantee if you purchase from Amazon. (By the way this is not an affiliate link - I receive nothing from any purchases. )

Thanks for taking the time to check out this post. Are you into making your own bath and body products? Do you have any favorite ingredients or recipes? Have you ever used/worked with shea butter? I'm new to this type of crafting and am looking for any advice or suggestions.

Pop by later this week for a decoupage photo project and craft kit product revew. Here's wishing you a creative day! 

Vintage tattoo fabric for new project

Originally spotted this fun vintage tattoo style Alexander Henry fabric on Pinterest. A google image search eventually led me to best price for a few yards at etsy shop BrooklynDollFabric, my new go-to spot for textiles.  

Now what to make? To be honest I seriously stink at sewing. Like, seriously seriously. Like Kryptonite seriously. So I'm leaning towards recovering the dining room chairs - a long overdue project and no sewing required. Any thoughts? 

I'll give it a try in a week or two and share the process. If you are in the net neighborhood the next day or two, pop on by. My first attempts at making some shea butter bath/body projects will be on display. 

Spiral Veggie Noodles made with the WonderVeg Slicer - Product Review #WonderVegSlicer

Colorful salad made with spiral cukes, carrots, radish and more.

I love veggies!

And I love slicing veggie spirals! They are so much fun to eat and to make.

For the last couple of years I have been using another brand of spiral cutter. It is showing some wear, so I jumped at the chance to test out the WonderVeg Slicer Tri Blade Spiralizer. Disclaimer: I received this WonderVeg Slicer at a discount in exchange for an honest and unbiased review.  All opinions expressed here are my own. 

Freshly opened WonderVeg - woo hoo!

The WonderVeg's design is similar to other tabletop spiral cutting machines. Unlike my old machine, this one comes with a small bottle brush for cleaning. (The box also contains an instruction booklet which includes a few recipes to get you started.)  One outstanding difference between this and my last machine is the size of the spikes which "grab" the produce and hold it still while you turn the crank. The WonderVeg slicer's prongs are significantly wider and sturdier. This is important for securing compact items like hard root vegetables. My last device had thin narrow spikes and I accidentally broke a few off the first time I made carrot "noodles". So far, there have been no problems attaching root veggies to this new machine.

English vs Regular Cucumber - see results below

So, how does it work? The base anchors to your work surface via suction cups. It also has a stabilizing handle which folds for storage. It has 3 easily changeable cutting blades. To use, install the blade you need in the upright slot. (The 2 not in use are stored at the base of the unit.) 

Your fruit/veg to be spiralized will fit best if you slice the ends to flatten them; for very long veggies, cut in half crosswise, if needed. Center one flat end of your selected fruit/veg onto the metal circle sticking out of the blade. Center the other end on the spikes coming off the handle. Then you just press gently forward while turning the crank. Easy Peasy! 

The photo above shows an English cucumber sliced 3 ways: Top Left uses the slicing blade for a fettuccine-like ribbon. Top Right uses the larger grate/slicer for a french fry/noodle cut. Bottom Left uses the smaller grating blade for a thin noodle; it is my fave, by the way. 

The thinner "noodle" blade was also used on the Bottom Right cuke. However it is a "regular" cucumber, softer, with more seeds and a squishier center. It is possible to work with this type of cucumber, but it can be messy and sometimes you get something more resembling strips than thin spaghetti.

The video above shows how to change blades to create the different sizes. I also compare working with the two different types on cucumbers.

One unusual thing I did notice about the WonderVeg was that when the handle was within a few inches of the blade, sometimes the handle would shake a little bit. This did not happen every time, but it never happened with my older unit. The only problem with this is that the slight jiggling cut small items, like the radish above, into individual rings instead of a longer spiral. Without the wiggle room, my older machine would make a long spiral of each radish. Totally not a big deal, but after reading that an amazon reviewer had the same thing happen I thought I should point it out.

Same spiral cut veggies as top salad - this time with an Asian twist.

The WonderVeg is super easy to disassemble and clean. Leftover bits of produce are easily washed off by hand or you can put all of the slicer's pieces into the top rack of your dishwasher.

zuchinni noodles tossed with wilted spinach,shallot,artichoke hearts,olives, red pepper and cheese

Several meals a week feature tasty twisted produce at my house. There are so many fun-filled, yet healthy, ways to serve them. My husband loves spiraled vegetables in salad and soups (try adding cut zucchinni or broccoli stems to chicken or vegetable soup), the kiddo is crazy about oven-baked curly fries, which he customizes with his favorite-spice-of-the-day. And I will pretty much eat them with everything. The WonderVeg also makes fast work of slicing a mound onions, perfect for folks (like me) who tear up when chopping with a knife "old school" style

Play around and find your family's favorites. Since it is so simple to change out the blades, you can easily tweak everyone's dish using the same ingredients for a unified meal. I like my zucchinni "pasta" sliced on the smallest blade and served raw with whatever sauce or veggies/protein mixed in. My family prefers the same sauces served over zukes that are first cut with the larger "pasta" blade and then saute'd for 2-3 minutes in olive oil.  

Spiral veggies are all the rage right now; there have to be thousands of free recipes online. I have collected 100+ (and counting) that sound intriguing on a special pinterest board. Click here to check it out. Have you tried any of the veggie "rices" or sandwich buns made from compressed and cooked veg noodles yet? Those are definitely on my To Do list!

As far as old school cookbooks go, I've looked through a few and my favorite is Ali, Maffucci's Inspiralized. She also has tons of spiral slicer recipes on her food blog. 

Want to know more about the WonderVeg Spiralizer?

Visit their FaceBook page https://www.facebook.com/WonderVegSpiralSlicer

And for more info or to purchase visit http://amztk.com/wonderveg

Do you make spiral cut fruit and vegetable dishes? If so, what is your favorite recipes? I am always looking for new ones to try.

Product Review - iPhone 5 Sport Band with Credit Card Holder #iphone5armband

armband fresh out of the package

Where has the summer gone? 

I can't believe it is already time for kids to return to school. I don't know about you, but I am not a morning person. (Or a fan of the alarm clock.) Once I get moving, it is okay though... and sometimes the morning walk to school and back is the best part of my day.

I do not like to carry a bag on this walk and some days I am stumbling out the door in sweatpants, instead of an outfit with pockets. I've been meaning to order an armband or other no-fuss system to carry my phone, house key (and maybe a credit card or a few bucks as I pass the grocery store on the way home). When the opportunity came up to check out this iphone 5 armband from Airbundle,  I was psyched. Disclaimer: I received this iphone armband in exchange for an honest & unbiased review.  All opinions expressed here are my own. 

There is a wide velcro closure for securing the band to your forearm/bicep. It is not huge, so maybe not for bodybuilder types. Good for the average person, though. My iphone 5 slips easily into the slot on the backside of the armband.

There are also slots for a key, a plastic card, cash and headphones. By the way, my house key has an oversized top; an average size key shouldn't stick out quite as much.

The reflective frame is a safety bonus on those winter mornings when it is still dark as we head off to school, 

The clear plastic front is flexible and adds some weather protection, while still allowing me to access the phone's screen. 

While headphones do plug in easily, I love my wireless headphones and find this to be a very comfortable and convenient combination!

Pros and Cons Quick List:

Good for iphone 5/5s/5c, 4/4s and ipod touch 5th gen. My 5s had to be inserted without a case in order to fit.

Secure storage for key, card and cash - yet easy to remove items when needed.

Comfortable and flexible armband will fit many builds,but probably not large biceps. The manufacturer states that it fits arm sizes that are approximately 9" - 15" inches.

Made of nylon, velcro and nyoprene, this case offers your phone some protection from elements and can be hand washed and air dried if needed. I don't know how well it would keep out heavy precipitation though.

It is priced reasonably. Today this armband is on sale for $7.99 on Amazon, with free Amazon Prime shipping available. Click here to check it out! (This is not an affiliate link; I don't receive any compensation for purchases).

Happy Anniversary Music Monday! Celebrating with Cole Porter and Myrkur

Seems like forever since I played along with XmasDolly's Monday Music Moves Me. I popped over to StacyUncorked when I had a minute, found out that today is the 5 year anniversary of this fun tune-filled blog hop and had to jump on the bandwagon.

Today's theme is a freebie, so here is what has been playing in my house this week. The Dude (now that he is going into jr high I'm not supposed to call him "Little Dude" anymore; mind you he is almost as tall as I am, so I get it) discovered Cole Porter through one of his post apocalyptic video games and was pleasantly surprised to find that his old Mom has a ton of "old people music" (his words, not mine) on these ancient things called CDs. He was even happier to find that the Amazon Prime music library has a ton of free Cole Porter, covered by just about everyone. 

The thing about Mr. Porter, he seriously gets under the skin. Listen to Anything Goes a few times and you WILL be humming it. Nothing like the classics.

To counteract the earworms (& simply because I'm hooked)  I've been listening to the prereleased tracks of Mykur's album coming out August 21. Not everyone's cup of tea, but I'm liking it much more than I expected. You can catch it early on Youtube (among other places).

I've read that she's coming from a pop music background. Quite a change. Here's a short where she talks about her music a bit:

So, what are you listening to lately? Please share. Join in the fun - looks like there are even giveaways this week, for some extra celebrations! 

---------------Side Note--------------

If you pop by here now and then, you may notice that I've been crazy inconsistent with blogging for a while. (For consistency and content, you'll want to time machine back a few years.) Now-a-days I'll chatter away in my nut... but then the clock ticks faster than expected... and life-stuff beckons. (How many cliche's can you lick before getting to the center?) The plan was to share 2 tutorials last week and a review....but life happened. I addition to the usual distractions, I'm consulting on an unexpected project that dropped into my lap. It is all very hush hush for a couple of months, but is super cool, out of my comfort zone... and I can't wait to share eventually!

That said, I probably won't be around this week but will return with those reviews and projects, as well as random thoughts (& tunes) before the month ends. It is also our 23rd wedding anniversary, so the family is hitting the road for a few days of fun before the school year starts again.

Hope you have a wonderful week and a creative day! And be sure to check out the Music Monday blog hop. Never know, you might be one of the lucky winners.

TOO DARN HOT SALE! Everything 1/2 OFF

Missing You - signed print with 12" x 20" mat

It seems like ages since there's been a sale in my online shop, Artsnark.etsy.com - Time to do something about that!

Pyrrha - Digital art ACEO print with 5" x 7" mat

Everything in the shop is 50% OFF through August 22nd. 

Red's Winter Walk - ACEO with 5" x 7" mat

This includes originals, prints, ACEOS, photos, paintings, drawings, digital art ... you name it. 

Blue Dryad - Original Drawing, framed & ready to hang

Many pieces are already matted. Some are framed and ready to hang! You will find details in each item's description. Feel free to contact me with any questions. 

Red's Dream - Digital Art print with 11" x 14" mat

Witches Protection Program by Michael Phillip Cash - book review

Disclaimer: I received a copy of this book in exchange for an honest review. Opinions expressed here are my own.

While a  fan of the supernatural, I've always been more of a monster kind of gal - not so much into the witchy- thing... until recently. Last spring I finally got around to watching Season 1 of Salem while playing with a few enchantress canvases and went off on a full blown sorceress-binge. Several books and movies later I came across Michael Phillip Cash's short novel, Witches Protection Program. I loved the silly title with its Mike Hammer meets Men In Black kind of vibe. The promo summary had a fun feel too:

"Wes Rockville, a disgraced law enforcement agent, is given one last chance to prove himself and save his career when he's reassigned to a 232 year old secret government organization. The Witches Protection Program. His first assignment: uncover a billion-dollar Cosmetics company’s diabolical plan of using witchcraft for global domination, while protecting its heiress Morgan Pendragon from her aunt’s evil deeds. Reluctantly paired with veteran witch protector, Alastair Verne, Wes must learn to believe in both witches and himself. Filled with adventure, suspense and a rousing good time, Michael Phillip Cash creates a tongue-in-cheek alternate reality where witches cast spells and wreak havoc in modern day New York City."

And the youtube trailer has cheesy-beach-read all over it, just right for a sleepy sunburned(out) brain:

I really wanted to like this book but just couldn't get into it, even with tongue firmly placed in cheek. While a quick read, it never quite grabbed me. I'd pick up a few pages, only to set it aside with every little distraction. The author's writing style, dialog and characters remind me of the hard boiled detective stories and pulp magazines I enjoyed as a kid. However the cliche's, at first amusing, became tiresome and I lost interest half way though. I think this book is good for a certain type of reader, maybe just not me. 

My copy of WPP came with some fun witchy swag, immediately claimed by the kiddo.

Witches Protection Program seems well suited for a quick interlude, say a plane ride or bout of insomnia.  My husband took it on a trip before I finished, so I purchased the audiobook version of WPP on Audible.com to finish. Dan McGowan's stilted narration is well suited to the pulpy prose style and I found the story made excellent background entertainment. It didn't have enough to hold my full attention, but was amusing enough to entertain me while doing chores. While I will not be seeking out any of the author's other books, I 'd still give Witches Protection Program 3 stars (out of 5) as it seems a good example of its genre.