Bugs in the Shower

Today I didn't wear my contacts, so when I took a shower this afternoon I left my glasses on the counter. For one reason or another, everything in the shower, through my blindness, looked like a bug.

I was using the excellent Lush body wash that Caryn gave me a while back, and the sticker came off. All Lush products have a sticker with a cartoon-ish representation of the person that made the product. Initially, I didn't see the sticker come off, and it only caught my attention as it was floating down the tub toward the drain.

Clearly looks like a bug, right?
Well, actually it looks like...

Clearly not a bug.

Then I thought that the tag on my washcloth was a bug.


Actually, it looked like this..

Again, clearly not a bug.

So, this evening, when I was going to wash my face, this sucker was on the floor:


Obviously an uninvited Waco bug.

I haven't seen a bug in my house since I moved in last May.

I WOULD have seen one today. Ug.

It's Easy Being Green: Eco-Chic Beauty

Besides things like, vintage housewares, clothing, and crocheted projects, I'm also pretty into being kind to my environment and my body.

I think I'm going to do a series of posts about using natural products to love your planet and yourself.

We'll begin with beauty products. That's the fun stuff!

Here is my favorite shampoo/conditioner combination.

The shampoo is Natures Gate Organics chamomile and lemon verbena moisturizing formula. It's perfect for colored or chemically processed hair. Marshmallow and witch hazel soothe, and wheat protein and b-5 smooth and shine. I love it!

One thing that is very important to remember the first time you use eco-chic shampoo, it won't suds up. The suds are not necessary to clean your hair, it's a detergent additive in products like shampoo, liquid hand soap, and toothpaste that we've begun to associate with the feeling of being clean.

The conditioner is the Burt's Bee's "More Moisture" conditioner that uses raspberry extract and honey to moisturize and brazil nut oil to nourish and protect.

All Burt's Bees products are packaged in 50% post consumer recycled plastic and are all recyclable. Remember, if you're not buying recycled, you're not recycling.

Let's move from hair to face, shall we?

Below is my favorite cleanser and toner made by Origins. I have oily, acne prone skin, so their mint was is perfect. Spearmint stimulates your skin, and your sinuses, while other natural ingredients that unclog pollutants, debris, and makeup from pores. When you rinse it off, you feel like your pores sigh.

I follow up with Origin's oil refining toner. Phlorogine (from seaweed) swiftly stops excess oils from welling up on skins’ surface. Tourmaline disperses trapped dirt and debris. Salvia cools and refreshes. And white china clay leaves a poreless matte finish that feels fresh for hours. Of course, less oil can lessen the likelihood of breakouts and blackheads. Used regularly, overall oiliness subsides and stabilizes. Mm-mm good.

Origin's is jumping on the recycling bandwagon, too.
Starting March 29, 2009, you can bring your empty cosmetic tubes, bottles and jars, etc. - regardless of brand - to your nearest Origins retail store or department store counter nationwide.* All returned packaging will be sent back to a central location where products will be recycled or used for energy recovery. Love it!

I also swear by Burt's Bees for lip care, too. On the left is their original beeswax lip balm. It also opens up the sinuses. It's very refreshing. On the right is their replenishing pomegranate lip balm. The's little tubes of goodness are also made from 50% post consumer recycled plastic and can be recycled with the rest of your #7's.


Let's end with our choppers, okay?
Here's my little speil about toothpaste. You know how you can't swallow toothpaste? Why? It's poisonous. Yes, you do have to ingest a lot of it for it to be poisonous, but still. I really don't want that junk in my mouth.

To you, ladies and gentlemen, I present you with the best toothpaste on the planet. Tom's of Maine, whole care anticavity and tartar control plus whitening gel flouride toothpaste. It tastes different from "normal" toothpaste, so don't expect it to. It's free from artificial sweeteners, preservatives, colors, or flavors. It hasn't been tested on animals and doesn't contain any animal ingredients. Crest = YUCK! I can't believe I ever used it.


There are many other products from natural origin beside what I've listed here. They work differently for everyone. These are the ones that work best for me. Find the ones that work best for you! You'll never go back!

Good Enough to Eat: Texas Traffic Jam Hamantashen

Today, March 10, 2009, is the 20th anniversary of my parents and I moving into the house they still live in, in the Meyerland neighborhood of Houston, Texas. If you are unfamiliar, the residents of the Big M, fondly referred to as “the land that time forgot”, are primarily Jewish. Growing up on a street that filled up with cars for all important Jewish holidays and was relatively empty on Christmas and Easter, really had it’s perks. Among them, the opportunity to learn about and try all the fab Jewish food.

Here I am in my younger, more stylish days, cruzing down the front walk in my sweet ride and cool shades.



Naturally, it seemed fitting to celebrate our 20th house anniversary with some awesome Jewish food. Since today is also the holiday, Purim, hamantashen fit the bill.

Purim celebrates the deliverance of the Hebrew people from the Persian Empire, specifically, Purim villian Haman, and his plot to toast their buns, as recorded in the Book of Ester. Because there’s food with everything that is well and good with the world, Purim has a traditional cookie, Hamantashen: a fruit filled triangle of goodness.

Texas Traffic Jam Hamantashen
35 min | 20 min prep

SERVES 9 , 18 cookies

* 1 1/2 cups all-purpose flour
* 1 teaspoon baking powder
* 1/4 teaspoon salt
* 1/8 lb butter or margarine
* 1/2 cup sugar
* 1/2 large egg
* 1/4 cup orange juice
* 1/2 teaspoon vanilla extract
* 1/2 teaspoon almond extract
* Your favorite jam or jelly. I used Texas Traffic Jam

1. Place rack in upper third of oven. Preheat to 350°F Line baking sheets with parchment paper, or grease them.
2. Sift flour, baking powder and salt.
3. In a mixing bowl with electric mixer, cream butter and sugar until light and fluffy, about 2 minutes.
4. Add egg and mix 1 minute.
5. Mix in orange juice, vanilla and almond extracts.
6. Add flour mixture and mix until incorporated. Shape into a flat disk, wrap in plastic and refrigerate until firm enough to roll out, at least 15 minutes. (Dough can be refrigerated up to 2 days.).


7. Divide the dough in half; it will be very sticky.
8. Cover 1 portion with plastic wrap and refrigerate. Place the other half on a well-floured surface. When you think it’s floured enough, flour it more. Roll it out with a well floured rolling pin.
9. Use a 3-inch circle cookie cutter or biscuit cutter, cut circles.
10. Using a floured spatula, pick up circles and place on prepared baking sheets.
11. Spoon 1 1/2 teaspoons filling in the center of each circle. Press three edges together to make a triangle, leaving an opening in the center with the filling showing.


12. Place 1 1/2 inches apart on baking sheets.
13. Repeat with remaining dough, rerolling scraps and cutting out as many circles as possible.
14. Bake for 15-18 minutes, or until golden on the bottom. If baking more than one sheet in the oven at a time, rotate baking sheet positions after 7 minutes.
15. Cool 5 minutes and remove to racks to finish cooling.
16. May be stored, airtight, for several days.

Sticking to My Guns

I'm a week and a half into my Lenten makeup exodus. Honestly, it has been quite different than I expected.

First, I thought that at least initially I would hear things like "are you feeling okay" or "you look tired" from my friends and family. The result has been quite the opposite. The sweet secretary, Shawn, at MCH asked, "I thought you weren't wearing makeup during Lent."

I never realized how poorly I cared for my skin until I couldn't cover it up. It makes sense, though. If you can just cover up what you don't like about your skin.. why worry about fixing it? I wash my face more carefully and make sure to get every spot with moisturizer in the morning. It definitely makes me think differently.

I have to be honest and say that I did wear makeup for two hours on Thursday. Well, I didn't. Peggy Pepper did. The 10-2-4 Collector's Club open house required her attendance. Pictured below is Peggy and my boss, Joy. She keeps me out of trouble.




I knew that same evening I was going to be swing dancing, and I knew I was going to want to cheat and not take it off. The opposite happened. I couldn't wait to take that junk off of my face! I took it off as soon as I got home. It was so nasty.

That evening, I noticed that my eyes were bright red.. I thought, great.. pink eye, for the 4th time since July. Since I had worn mascara for the first time in 8 days it did cross my mind that there might be some correlation. I hit Google and sure enough.. my fancy pants lengthening mascara has fibers in it that flake easily, and can irritate sensitive eyes. I was relieved to know the culprit for my pinkeye and promptly threw all the lengthening mascara I own in the trash.

Part of the deal was not to remove myself from any social events. I went to my friend Sherri's birthday party. She was born in 1969, so we obviously had to party like it was 1969 dressed like it was 1969. I was freaking out. I wanted to be Marsha Brady, but I resisted and used my makeup exodus to my advantage. I dressed like a bra-burning women's lib hippie who wouldn't wear makeup anyway. Let's face it. If I were alive then, I'd probably be involved in that craziness.

Here is my friend Caryn, @carynbrown and I ready to party like it 1969!



All that said.. I will never wear foundation/powder again. I don't know how I did it before. I do, however, really miss mascara.

Many thanks to Caryn @carynbrown , and Karen @blissspa for their support and encouragement!

So, Katie, how do you feel about this whole experience. It's amazing. I'd recommend it. It will change your life.

Confession.

Okay, So I like Bonnie Raitt. I know. Leave me alone.

I played "Love Me Like a Man" at swing tonight. I really enjoyed listening to it. No particular reason. She's just awesome.

The men that I've been seeing, baby
Got their soul up on a shelf
you know they could never love me
When they can't even love themselves

But I need someone to love me
Someone to really understand
Who won't put himself above me
Who’ll just love me like a man

......

And I need someone to love me
Darlin’ I know you can

Don't you put yourself above me
You just love me like a man

deviantart.com/whitneychristine

Wonderfully and Beautifully Made

Next Wednesday marks the beginning of Lent, and the beginning of my 40 days without makeup. I am not going to like it. As my twitter friend @blissspa said, "I have nightmares about leaving the house without concealer!"

I have, however, come up with a few exceptions to the "no makeup" rule.

1. I will always wear SPF moisturizer and chap stick. I'll come out with a ton of wrinkles if I don't.
2. I will wear mascara to work. Don't want to scare the children.
3. I will not remove myself from any of my typical social situations. (class, knitting, swing, pub church, hanging out with friends, or dates (I wish)).
4. I will not say or think that I am ugly.

That being said.. I'm trying to clear my skin up as much as possible from now until D-Day. My friend Caryn let me use this little bottle of pink miracle goop that's supposed to dry out blemishes. It looks really silly on, but man, it's awesome. Like the shower hair?




So, Katie. What you give up for Lent is supposed to bring you closer to God. How does that work? Makeup is a mask. It's hard to show other people or your God who you REALLY are without forgoing vanity. Forgoing vanity is true beauty.. and after all.. we are wonderfully and beautifully made.

A Hairy Situation

My wonderful room mate commissioned my mad old lady hairdo skills for her appearance at a "Clue" party as Mrs. Peacock. Her hair looked like this... a cloud of hairspray followed her around the entire evening.

Stupid Cupid..

When people call February 14th, "Singles awareness day" I want to puke. I suppose it's okay if you want to have that pessimistic outlook, but it's really not for me. Just because you find that your Valentines Day doesn't involve roses, chocolates, feelings of obligatory niceness and perhaps some additional... benefits, does not mean that a negative outlook must be adopted.

I do like the idea of Valentine's day, don't get me wrong, but I don't like the way that the theory is sometimes put into practice. A certain feeling of, "I have to love you today" is implied, and further a "I don't have to show you that I love you any other day" looms over the whole situation. I would much rather a special someone show me they love me, and I them, every day.. make our whole lives special.. instead of just one day that THE MAN has decided we all have to spend more money than we have and play nice.

A giver by nature, I have planned my Saturday in a way that shows love without all the frills. In the morning, I'm going to volunteer with Habitat for Humanity for the first time. I'm not really much into building.. we'll see how it goes. In the afternoon, I'm giving a tour at the Dr Pepper Museum to some girls from the Methodist Home, and in the evening I get to spend some time with my THREE Valentines: Zoe, Sam, and Olivia. I look foward to their chorus of... "You are My Sunshine.."

I am single and I feel that I am loved more than some of the people in a relationship I know. I have wonderful friends and family who show me every day of the year that they care for me as well as a roomate who I know loves me because I need to take the recycling to the bin.. in a really bad way.

Valentine's day, for me, isn't about the obligatory niceness or... benefits. It's a day that I am reminded how much I am loved and how much I love others, and how I need to continue to give and receive that love all year long.

Renaissance Euphemism Fun

"And like a good little girl she should keep her chamber of Venus tidy.

If she is intelligent, and well brought up, she will leave no cobwebs around, but will burn or destroy them, tear them down and sweep them up, so that no grime can collect anywhere."

- The Romance of the Rose

Still Stitchin'

A few of my latest creations.

This scarf is for my friend Thad. He is a Marian brother. It's wider than I would make a scarf for myself, but he's got to be manly.


I didn't use a pattern, it's just a bunch of v-stitches. Until I think of something more clever I'll call it a holy scarf.





This pill purse pattern I got from CrochetMe.com I think it's pretty cute. It was quick and fun! It's really good for leftover yarn!

Are you stitchin'? Let me know!