Fairy Lantern

So,  I saw this DIY video on Facebook that shows how to make a fairy lantern from an old glass jar..  So I came up with a paper version.  I love my Silhouette cutting machine!  I don't think I'm allowed to post the pattern since it came from designs from the Silhouette store but here's the finished night-light.

I didn't want my kids to be constantly taking the top off the base every time they wanted to light it up (the tutorial uses a battery operated flamless candle) so I adapted it for a plug-in night light:

I cut a notch out of the side of the base (I also had to cut a notch out of the lantern too) and cut a piece of wood the size of the base and cut out the shape of the extension cord that I plugged the night light into.  Now, to turn the light on the cord only needs to be plugged in!  

This fairy that I used is a compilation of two images I found in the internet..

The Silhouette Store cut files I used are:

Fairy With Wand #55784

Lantern #108847

Garden Gate #39123

Leaf #75959

Lilly of the Valley Lantern #134870

Hand and Body Cream

This cream does wonders on dry skin. It contains Hyaluronic Acid and vitamin B3 (niacinamide), which are known to both hydrate the skin and reduce wrinkles and fine lines.  Since I've been putting this cream on the backs of my hands, arms, legs, and tops of my feet, my skin feels more hydrated and less wrinkley.  Over time it will just keep getting better.  I wear flip-flops all spring, summer, and fall so my feet get really dry. I rub this onto the tops of my feet and the dryness just goes away.  It can take a bit for it to fully absorb (it's the hyaluronic acid and the vitamin B3...) so I wash it off the palms of my hands when I'm done applying it.  A little goes a long way so start with a small amount.

My Skin-Care Routine

This new line of skin care is awesome!  My family and I have been using these products for a while now and our skin is cleaner and has less acne.  

My teenage children and I use the Sugar Scrub several times a week before showering.  We use the accompanying spatula to dispense a large pea-sized amount of scrub.  Then we add several drops of water and mix it up - just enough to make it easily spreadable but not drippy..  Then it gets rubbed and scrubbed all over our faces.  Because of the Manuka honey in this scrub, we leave it on anywhere from a few minutes to an hour.  This gives the Manuka honey time to work.  In the shower we use the Facial Cleanser to wash the scrub off our faces.

This Facial Cleanser is great!  I have noticed that the acne on my children's faces is greatly reduced.   Use two or three pumps of foam and gently rub it onto your face then rinse with a warm wet washcloth.  Then I put Timeless Cream on my clean, dry face.  My adult daughter used the Timeless serum.   I love these products!

The other day my younger children had their faces painted and they looked great and had a lot of fun but then it became bedtime and the make-up needed to come off.  This removed it all quickly!  I was thrilled. = )

To finish off my skin-care routine,  here is the Timeless Cream that I use:

This stuff truly is amazing.  I contains Hyaluronic Acid which is well known for it's wrinkle reducing properties as well as all the amazing oils used in the Timeless serum.  If you're fighting fine lines and  wrinkles, this is the cream for you!

My oldest daughter uses this Timeless serum

Face Powder - DIY

     My daughter and I have been looking for more natural ways to take care of ourselves and she wanted to make face powder to replace the stuff we buy from the store.  The good thing about making your own facial powder is that you can match it to your skin tone.. also, you know what is actually in the powder!

The large brown container on the left matches my daughter's skin tone.. it's her regular face powder.  The darker powder on the top is her contour powder.  The one on the bottom right is mine and matches my skin tone.  We had fun mixing these up and helping each other get the color just right!

Here are the ingredients in the powders we made:

We both started with a base of Arrowroot powder- about 2 Tbs .  Since I have a very oily forehead (this is why I even use powder) I put a bit of White French Clay in mine - about 1/4 to 1/2 tsp.  

The Cocoa makes the powder brown and the cloves make it pink..  Start with a bit of each and stir it really well.  Use a spoon to make sure the clumps are broken up. Continue adding cocoa and/or cloves to adjust the color of the powder.  If you get it too dark just add more arrowroot powder.  = )  Since all these ingredients are relatively cheap,  you can always dump it and start over. 

I bought the hibiscus powder to make blush but it seems to be more brown than pink so my daughter uses it in her contour powder.

Whatever ingredients you can't find at the grocery store you can get on Amazon.  = )