Beer Rinse

So you all know beer can make your waistline thicker and your eyes glassy, but did you know it can do the same things for your hair? If you want shiner hair that feels thicker try a beer rinse. 

What You Need

Just beer :) I am not a beer expert but I hear if you use real hops brewed beer as oppose to chemically altered beer it works better. 

What To Do

1. Shampoo and condition your hair as normal.
2. Pour the beer over your hair.
3. Let it set 5-10 min
4. Rinse

Notes

The body and shine are unfortunately temporary. They will only last until you next wash. On the bright side flat beer works too, this means if you don’t use all your beer you can save it for your next shower. This trick can help you to be less wasteful too. If you leave your beer sitting around for to long on the quickly approaching Super Bowl Sunday, you know what to do with it.

DIY Headband

Headbands are so in right now! Which is great because it is an easy way to change up your hairstyle and it is an awesome way to rock 2nd or even 3rd day hair. Headbands, like all diy accessory have endless possibilities. The one I am sharing is one I just finished. It was really simple.




What You Need

• Iron on patch
• A small piece of fabric (I am using felt) 
• Thin stretchy headband
• An iron

Directions
1. Cut your felt just larger than your patch, give yourself some room to work, but too much material makes it hard to maneuver.
2. Place your headband between your patch and your material and then iron on following the instructions of your specific patch.
3. Cut around the edges of your patch so that no material is visible from the outside.
4. Put it on your head and prepare for compliments. :)

Colorful Desserts

January hits me hard with birthdays. It seems like minimum, once a week we are having cake or ice cream cake. My wonderful man’s birthday is the 24th by then we are all caked out. This year I decided instead of cake or ice cream I would make him a cheesecake, strawberry is his favorite. So I grabbed a jello no bake cheesecake and some fresh strawberries. As I began to pour the cheesecake filling into the crust my 3 year old looked upset. I asked him what was wrong and he told me he wanted Daddy’s birthday cake to be blue. I replied that it would be red soon because we were going to put strawberries on top. He said “How about red and blue?” 

This picture does the color no justice!

My initial reaction was to think of a reason we could not make the cake red and blue. Then I thought why not. I grabbed the blue food coloring and stirred in a few drops. Suddenly the cheesecake filling became a beautiful light blue. After the cheesecake chilled we added strawberries and red sugar crystals. We wrote a 33 in the middle with red gel icing and the plain strawberry cheesecake I planned was transformed into a colorful nontraditional birthday cake.

It was perfect for us because it did not taste like cake or ice cream cake but it still had the look of a birthday cake. Some of you may be thinking “duh food coloring” but some of you may be like me and that “duh” will be followed by a “How didn’t I think of that?” It is amazing what can happen when you think like a 3 year old simple, creative, and fun! Try adding color to your favorite recipes to bring out your inner child. :)

DIY Decor

Photo Collage 

I was inspired to do this project by someone I looked up to in high school. She had done a photo collage on a piece of furniture and I thought it was so cool. Years later, when trying to make a house a home on a budget, it came back to mind. I love taking pictures of my kids! They are soo adorable and photogenic too. I have tons of great pictures of them, too many to display at once in frames. The idea of a collage is great because in one piece I can use several pictures. I bought two decorative pictures at the dollar store for $2 each and turned them into beautiful collages of my boys. Here is how :)

What You Need

• Something to turn into a collage- It can be anything so use what you have or find something inexpensive that fits your need. I am using 2 square wall hangings.
• Modgepodge Glue- I am using Mate instead of glossy because I think it gives the look of professional photography but many people prefer glossy. Chose the look you like :)
• Pictures- I am using black and white, I think it gives the collage an elegant touch.

        Directions

1. Cut out your pictures and position them as you please on the item you are collaging. If you cut out items to their shape you can fit more pictures on. Doing it that way looks great and really artistic but it is more tedious and time consuming. So I am keeping my pictures cut in squares and rectangles so it is simpler to fit together the pieces of the puzzle. I also like the clean lines. The best part of a diy project is you create it custom to what you like and what works for you, so do it your way. 
2. Once you have your pictures arranged how you want glue them down with the modgepodge glue.
3. Now that they are all glued down its time for the important part. You want to go over you entire collage with your glue. Do a thin layer let it dry for 10 min and then repeat. The more layers of glue you add the more your collage looks like one fluid piece of art as oppose to several pieces stuck together.
4. Once they look as smooth and even as you like they are done.

This is what it looks like when it is wet.

Make Your Own Smoothies

I love smoothies. My son and I are snackers. Sometimes our snacks are more healthy than others. Smoothies work great because they are not only healthy but quick and easy too. I know a lot of people who drink the McDonald’s smoothies, they aren’t bad but they taste way better when you make them yourself. So here is my easiest DIY smoothie recipe.

What You Need

Blender

Frozen fruit of your choice

Plain or vanilla yogurt (they are not the same thing lol, most recipes use plain but I think the vanilla adds a little depth to the flavor)

Orange juice

Directions

Ok Im the Do it Yourself Diva not a Recipe Royal so you have to bare with me. I will warn you now, I don’t measure I eyeball things.

1. You need to get your blender set up and ready to go.
2. Next add the fruit and Yogurt. I do a 50/50 ratio.
3. Then a splash of orange juice on top
4. Now blend until your frozen fruit is smooth

If you are someone who is used to exact measurements, relax. Smoothies are not an exact science. If you think its too thick add a little more orange juice. Not thick enough? More fruit and yogurt. Or throw a little crushed ice in the blender. 

Tips

If you want to use fresh fruit just add crushed ice.

If you want it to be an adult beverage add rum and crushed ice.

Play with flavors to find your favorite :)

Egyptian Beauty

This week like so many others, I opened my fridge to find nearly half a gallon of expired milk. It seems like if I buy a half gallon we use it in two days but if I go for the gallon we always waste some.

If you happen to find your milk expired a couple days ago, or is about to expire don’t pour it down the sink. Pull a Cleopatra and pour it in your tub. Cleopatra was famous for her beautiful skin and milk baths. Try one yourself!

What You Need

milk

bathtub 

Optional

olive oil

honey

rose petals

Directions

Run a nice hot bath. Pour any milk you have into the bath. You may also add a teaspoon of honey or essential oil like olive oil or jojoba oil. Rose petals will add an element of luxury and is known to soften skin. Use what you have to make the bath your own. Turn the lights down, light a candle, ENJOY! 

Note: When I say expired milk, I mean slightly past the sell by date... Im not sure the exact amount of days past that it is usable. Use your judgement, if it stinks don’t bathe in it. 

Some nonDIY options :)

  

Longing for long locks?

Tea Tree Oil Scalp Treatment

Along with half the people I know, I am longing for long luxurious locks. People ask me all the time how to make their hair grow longer. So here is my answer...

Nothing besides extensions can give you immediate results. Although there are many products and natural remedies out there claiming to speed up hair growth none have PROVEN results. 

Although nothing has been proven it doesnt hurt to try some of the treatments ppl swear by. Here is a treatment that will keep your scalp healthy and stimulated. Even if nothing else results, it feels great.

What you need

Your favorite shampoo

Tea tree oil

Head massager (optional)

Directions

1. Squirt a quarter size of shampoo into the palm of your hand.
2. Add a few drops of tea tree oil and rub hand together.
3. Massage the mixture into your scalp.
4. Continue massaging your scalp with a scalp massager if you have one, it is not necessary but definitely takes the treatment to the next level.
5. Allow the mixture to sit for 5-10 minutes and then rinse and condition as usual.

If you feel “so fresh and so clean clean” it worked. :) 

<----- If you dont have tea tree oil on hand check this out a small bottle will last a while :)





<------ Dont want to mess with DIY try this :)