A VERY useful Gift!
November 16th, 2009
In today’s economy gift buying is harder than ever. Many people are struggling just to find the money to buy groceries and pay bills. There are many other gifts that will be far more luxurious, but few will have as many uses as today’s feature: Epsom Salt. Epsom Salt has been around for years and has been proven to be beneficial in many ways. Many years ago I was a single parent…it was just Erin and me and money was really, really tight in those days. So, one Christmas we bought bags of Epsom Salt and we scented the salt with essential oils that we found on sale. We found pretty little bottles at the dollar store, filled them with our scented salt, tied pretty ribbons on them and gave them as gifts. Everyone got bath salts that year. We were very proud of our crafty selves. Erin was about 4 years old that year and she still talks about it. It was memorable for us and our family and friends. So, if your budget is stretched to the max and you are looking for gift ideas that are inexpensive yet come from the heart, consider Epsom Salt. It can be found in almost any pharmacy, supermarket, dollar store, etc.
The Many Uses of Epsom Salts…
For pampering
· To exfoliate: Mix 2 cups of Epsom Salt with 1/4 cup of petroleum jelly and a few drops of lavender essential oil. Use the mixture to gently scrub away dry skin patches.
· Facial: Mix 1/2 TSP of Epsom Salt into cleansing cream for a deep-pore cleansing. Massage on skin. Rinse with cool water. Pat dry.
· For a relaxing soak: Add two cups of Epsom Salt to the water in a standard-sized bathtub; soak for at least 12 minutes, three times weekly. For an extra treat, add a few drops of eucalyptus oil for a refreshing scent.
· For a simple hair volumizer: Combine equal parts of warm, deep conditioner and Epsom Salt. Work the warm mixture through your hair and leave on for 20 minutes. Rinse.
· For a foot scrub: Mix 2 cups of Epsom Salt with 1/4 cup of petroleum jelly and a few drops of your favorite essential oil. Use the mixture to gently scrub the heels and dry, rough patches on the feet. Repeat every few days.
Remove Splinters: Simply soak in Epsom salt and itwill not only draw the slpinter out but also to help it to heal.
Remove Hairspray and Gel Buildup: Combine a gallon of distilled water, a cup of Lemon juice (fresh or bottled), and 1 cup of Epsom Salt. Cap the mixture and let it sit for 24 hours. The next day, pour the mixture into your dry hair and let it sit for 20 minutes. Then shampoo as normal.
For gardeners
Epsom Salt helps seeds germinate, makes plants grow bushier, produces more flowers, increases chlorophyll production and deters pests, such as slugs and voles. It provides vital micronutrients to supplement your regular fertilizer. Epsom Salt is recommended by Master Gardeners and used regularly by commercial growers around the world. Tests by the National Gardening Association confirm that roses fertilized with Epsom Salt grow bushier and produce more flowers, and it also makes pepper plants grow larger than those treated only with commercial fertilizer.
· Houseplants: 2 tablespoons per gallon of water; feed plants monthly.
· Tomatoes: 1 tablespoon per foot of plant height per plant; apply every two weeks.
· Roses: 1 tablespoon per foot of plant height per plant; apply every two weeks. Also scratch 1/2 cup into soil at base to encourage flowering canes and healthy new basal cane growth. Soak unplanted bushes in 1 cup of Epsom Salt per gallon of water to help roots recover. Add a tablespoon of Epsom Salt to each hole at planting time. Spray with Epsom Salt solution weekly to discourage pests.
· Shrubs (evergreens, azaleas, rhododendron): 1 tablespoon per 9 square feet. Apply over root zone every 2-4 weeks.
· Lawns: Apply 3 pounds for every 1,250 square feet with a spreader, or dilute in water and apply with a sprayer.
· Trees: Apply 2 tablespoons per 9 square feet. Apply over the root zone 3 times annually.
· Garden Startup: Sprinkle 1 cup per 100 square feet. Mix into soil before planting.
After exercising
Epsom Salt- actually magnesium sulfate - can help people maintain optimum levels of both magnesium and sulfate. Sulfate helps form joint proteins and helps keep joints healthy, flushes toxins and improves absorption of nutrients. Magnesium regulates more than 325 enzymes in the body, performing more functions than almost any other mineral. Among the benefits: magnesium helps reduce inflammation to relieve pain and muscle cramps, helps muscles and nerves function properly and helps prevents artery hardening and blood clots.
Tips include:
· To ease muscle pain and fading bruises. Add two cups of Epsom Salt to warm water in a standard-sized bathtub (double the Epsom Salt for an oversized garden tub) and bathe three times weekly, soaking for at least 12 minutes. Also can be used to make compresses.
· To soothe feet aching from a tough workout or a long day, create a balm by adding a cup of Epsom Salt to a tub of warm water.
Animals/Critters
Get rid of raccoons: Are the masked night marauders poking around your trash can, creating a mess and raising a din? A few tablespoons of Epsom salt spread around your garbage cans will deter the raccoons, who don’t like the taste of the stuff. Don’t forget to reapply after it rains.
Deter slugs: Are you tired of visiting your yard at night only to find the place crawling with slimy slugs? Sprinkle Epsom salt where they glide and say good-bye to the slugs.
Household
Clean bathroom tiles: Is the tile in your bathroom getting that grungy look? Time to bring in the Epsom salt. Mix it in equal parts with liquid dish detergent, then dab it onto the offending area and start scrubbing. The Epsom salt works with the detergent to scrub and dissolve the grime.
Regenerate a car battery: Is your car battery starting to sound as if it won’t turn over? Worried that you’ll be stuck the next time you try to start your car? Give your battery a little more life with this potion. Dissolve about an ounce of Epsom salt in warm water and add it to each battery cell.
Frost your windows for Christmas: If you are dreaming of a white Christmas, but the weather won’t cooperate, at least you can make your windows look frosty. Mix Epsom salt with stale beer until the salt stops dissolving. Apply the mixture to your windows with a sponge — for a realistic look, sweep the sponge in an arc at the bottom corners. When the mixture dries, the windows will look frosted.
You can find much more information at www.epsomsaltcouncil.org and you can follow them on facebook at www.facebook.com/epsomsalt.
EQUIFUNK
June 26th, 2009Nestled in the Pocono Mountains and only a 2 ½ hour drive from NYC, EQUIFUNK is a unique and intimate music festival taking place September 4-6, 2009. The perfect end to the summer, EQUIFUNK promises adults and children alike, a fun-filled musical adventure, along with a summer camp experience, complete with sports, crafts, swimming and more.
The all-inclusive 2-day event features nightly live performances by acclaimed New Orleans’ artists, The Radiators and a late night performance by England’s funkiest, The New Mastersounds.
At EQUIFUNK, friends and families can ‘bunk’ in fully renovated cabins; enjoy all meals including outdoor evening barbeques, ‘mess-hall’ breakfast buffets and lunches and poolside snacks and beverages (beer and soft drinks) throughout the day; and various camp activities including sports, gymnastics, canoeing, zipline, rock-climbing, arts & crafts and/or relaxation with music at the resort style pool. Evenings will offer fun festivities and full nights of music with the Radiators, as well as a late night show on Saturday with The New Mastersounds. Babysitting is available so parents can get their groove on!
To purchase tickets to EQUIFUNK or for more information, please visit the website at WWW.EQUIFUNK.COM.
Popcorn Saves the Day!(GIVEAWAY)
June 10th, 2009THIS CONTEST IS NOW CLOSED!!!
Seriously. It does. I am not kidding one bit. See, during the Great Depression popcorn gained it’s popularity because it was one of the few luxuries that people could afford. It gave them hope, it helped them see the light at the end of the tunnel. And popcorn’s popularity never died. People remembered that it gave them hope and save the day for them. Now that we have the lovely economy that we have today, we need us some POPCORN! Because we can all still afford it while we might not be able to afford a gallon of gas.
Kernel Season’s Popcorn Seasoning has made it even better! You can now have White Cheddar, Ranch or even Caramel Seasoning on your popcorn…and that is just naming a few! You have to visit Kernel Seasons to see all the different varieties available. With the Popcorn Spritzer you can make your flavor of choice stick.
Kernels Season’s can be purchased at major retail outlets like Wal-Mart, Target, K Mart, Blockbuster, Safeway, Food Lion and at www.NoMoreNakedPopcorn.com.
Tasty! Healthy! Affordable! The Kernel Season’s popcorn is light and fluffy. Not a lot of kernels like other brands and I HATE the kernels, they get stuck in my teeth. And the seasoning…OH MY WORD! You will LOVE them!!! Sweet, savory, take your pick. You will like them all!
At 120 calories for 5 cups…you can’t go wrong.
Popcorn can be used to top salad and soups for a healthier alternative to croutons. You can use Popcorn to create healthy desert bars. Treat Bags. At holidays you can tint popcorn for a festive treat.
Popcorn can be used in crafts and games. Draw a sheep’s head and feet on construction paper and let your child fill in the body with popped popcorn. Teach your child to feed the birds by stringing popcorn and cut up apples and hang it on a fence post. Play Popcorn Trivia with questions like: How high can popcorn pop? As high as 3 feet. Who ate popcorn like breakfast cereal with milk? The Pilgrims. How much popcorn will 1 cup of kernels make? 40 cups!
Enter to Win!!
One lucky reader will win a Kernel Season’s giveaway package that will include the following:
- A bag of stove top popping corn
- Three bags of microwave popcorn
- Popcorn spritzer
- Six different seasoning flavors.
How to enter:
Visit Kernel Season’s Popcorn Seasoning and take a look at all the different products and recipes they have. Maybe join the Kernels Club. Then, leave a comment here stating how you could have fun with some popcorn today.
*All entries must be received by June 17th at 5 PM.
*Must have a valid US mailing address.
*Winner will be selected randomly, notified via e-mail and will have 3 days to respond before another winner will be selected.
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All extra entries must be left in separate comments to count.
MMM - MuddSpirit (GIVEAWAY)
April 13th, 2009THIS CONTEST IS NOW CLOSED!!
Welcome to another edition of Meet Me Monday! I would like to introduce you to Tina from MuddSpirit Ceramic Pendants. A delightful person who really, really needs to come to my house…she likes to de-clutter. And loves the creative process. And I need both in my life. She is a fellow homeschooler and doesn’t live to far from Hick Town. I plan to look her up one day and beg her to show me her shop and have coffee with me. She has some beautiful pieces and I hope you enjoy meeting her as much as I have enjoyed getting to know her a little.
Balance and Flow with Ceramic Pendants By Muddspirit
My name is Tina and I live in Acworth, GA with my wonderful husband and son. We moved here from CA about 5 years ago, and have had the great fortune to find wonderful friends and a great community that we love.
I really, really like this one!
I have always wanted to make art of some kind, but always been so involved in music that there really wasn’t room for anything else. A while ago I stopped teaching. I wanted more time to homeschool my son, who is now 13 years old. But having this insisting urge to create, be it pulling together an event, de-cluttering my house, research school books or make something crafty, I just couldn’t stay put doing only one thing. Since I love trying new things I signed up for a pottery class one day. I took one class and I was hooked! Now, I couldn’t afford a large kiln and a wheel, so to get started I bought a tiny kiln (called a test kiln after its use for testing glaze samples), and I decided to make tiny things that would fit in my tiny kiln. And so it is that I came to make pendants!
I love the elemental look of a lot of her pieces, it just speaks volumes to me
When I create, time disappears and there is a kind of flow that I don’t want to break. I like both the fast action and excitement of throwing on the wheel, and the detailed, slower work of decorating a pendant or a pot. It’s all absorbing to me!
Nature is becoming more and more important as I get older. It is one of my main inspirations now. Being in nature connects me with life and fills me with a sense of peace and joy that I often lose in the hustle and bustle of a busy life. I also like geometric shapes (especially squares!), lines in a simple pattern or as random, sparse accents. I guess simplicity speaks to me, and since I tend to constantly bring new things and activities into my life, I have a lot of opportunity and a great need to simplify and find space. It’s a balancing act indeed.
My favorite piece! I long to have it!
Another balancing act - the pull between working in the studio and staying close to my boy and being involved in his studies. That’s an act of balance truly. A wise teacher once said that balance is movement. The act of balancing is a series of never ending adjustments. And although I would like to “find” balance and stay there, I know that every day is a new opportunity to learn the fine art of finding balance - again. Luckily I have help. Both my need to create and my love for my son help motivate me to do the balance act, called life.
You can find Tina’s creations at MuddSpirit located on Etsy. Please visit her to see all of her creations. Tina is a proud member of TeamNorGA, the local Etsy team in North GA. Please take a look at what these talented and creative people have to offer in their shops - www.teamnorga.etsy.com.
Tina is offering up this great pendant for one of you lucky readers to win.
To enter:
Visit MuddSpirit and leave a comment here at The Post-It Place stating which is your favorite piece. All entries must be received by April 24th at 5 PM EST. Winner will be selected using Random.org. Winner will have 3 days to respond to the confirmation e-mail before another winner will be selected. Have fun and Good Luck!
Want extra entries? Blog it, with a link back to here (leave link where it can be found). Subscribe (either by a reader or request in your comment to be added to the e-mail list only for contests and giveaways). Place my button on your blog (leave link it can be found at). Stumble it (leave your ID in comment).Twitter it (leave ID in a comment, mine is jillybean01 if you would like to follow me). Technorati it (leave your ID in comment). That is 6 extra entries that you can earn for a total of 7. All extra entries must be left in a separate comment.
FYF-Daisycake Soap (GIVEAWAY)
April 10th, 2009THIS CONTEST IS NOW CLOSED!!!
Welcome to another great edition of Feature You Friday! This week we are going to come clean with our craftswoman. It is her desire to make the world a cleaner place one bar of soap at a time!
My name is Jean-Marie and I started Daisycakes Soap, LLC in New Orleans & Baton Rouge, Louisiana. Now based in Athens, GA, the business has survived our nomadic life style and has even thrived. My husband and children have helped Daisycakes grow over time, and for that I am so grateful.
(I love this one! She makes some of the cutest soaps as well as the traditional bar soaps)
I have a BS in journalism/photojournalism from Boston University and an MSW from Tulane, but have been making and selling soap full time now for 10 years. Fresh, fragrant soap can provide a unique comfort to the person using it. In that sense, soap making is a natural offshoot of being a social worker–I relate to the tangible comfort it offers.
(Have a hard time getting your kids to take a bath? Check out some of her kids soaps!)
My shop has built a solid retail Internet presence on Etsy: http://daisycakessoap.etsy.com. I still do some festivals and markets, but in recent years the focus has become markedly retail internet/wholesale. Most recently, I launched a new fund raising program to help teams, clubs, many organizations capitalize on the popularity of handmade soap! That site is: http://daisycakesfundraiser.com.
Our recent move to Athens was a great one for the business–it now has an expansive workshop, storage, curing and office space–much, much different from the beginning! It’s a space that allows a number of large projects to go on simultaneously, which is amazing. I’m committed to making Daisycakes better every single day. I love what I do & know I am incredibly lucky to get to do it.
Enter To Win It!
Jean-Marie at Daisycakes Soap is offering you each a chance to win one of her most popular items, a cake of Hockey Puck Soap!
To enter: Visit Daisycakes Soap and then leave a comment here at The Post-It Place stating what your favorite item on her site is. All entries must be received by April 17th at 5 PM EST. All entries must have a valid US Mailing address. Winner will be selected at random and will have 3 days to respond before another winner will be selected.
Want extra entries? Blog it, with a link back to here (leave link where it can be found). Subscribe (either by a reader or request in your comment to be added to the e-mail list only for contests and giveaways). Place my button on your blog (leave link it can be found at).Twitter It (leave your ID in a separate comment) Stumble it (leave your ID in comment). Technorati it (leave your ID in comment). That is 6 extra entries that you can earn for a total of 7. All extra entries must be left in a separate comment.
MMM - Katy at Aprons and More (GIVEAWAY)
April 6th, 2009***Attention, this contest is now closed. Winners will be announced as soon as possible**
Welcome to another edition of Meet Me Monday! We have another great artist to introduce you to today. I absolutely love her! Not only is she super sweet, she is really crafty. I love her outlook on things and she is just one of those people that you know you would enjoy spending a Saturday afternoon just hanging out with. Let’s see what she has to say:
My name is Katy Waters and I live in Warner Robins, GA., located right in the center of Georgia. Originally being from Savannah, GA, I moved here in 2005 after my mother developed a rare sinus cancer and required care. During the down times I needed to do something so I started crocheting purses, something creative to distract my mind.
She has lots of retro type materials, I love them all!
I have enjoyed sewing and crocheting since I was a teen and I guess you could say I learned at the hands of the Masters (at least they were to me!) Both of my grandmothers were very creative and taught me their craft! One made all of my Barbie doll clothes and the other could crochet anything! Grandmother time was always a treat for me as none of the other grandchildren (18 combined from both sides) were interested in learning. They were so very inspiring and from them I felt that I was carrying on a tradition that need not be forgotten!
This interest led my educational path so much so that I earned a Bachelor of Creative Arts -Theatre/Costume Design from UNC-Charlotte and I went on to work on my Masters of Fine Arts - Interior Design from Savannah College of Art and Design. I have worked many design jobs and creative jobs but have always wanted to work for myself doing what I love the most. It makes for a happy and satisfying life!
Isn’t this an adorable Mom and Daughter Set?
Fabric and yarn seem to piqué my creativity the most. I must have tons of both! I enjoy making functional items. I think that is why I make purses and now have branched out to aprons. (My brother in law comes from a cooking background and has inspired me to make “man aprons” as well.) The process of combining colors and patterns is so satisfying! Plus having something that is handmade is always special!
This one is my very favorite…because it is MINE! Made for me by Katy! Please don’t look at all the fingerprints on my cabinets. I can’t help it. I have kids. And lots of company on a regular basis. You can come too, if you are coming to visit. If you are coming to see where I live…please make an appt. a year in advance!
Surprisingly enough my Mothers’ illness made this happen. (She is 100% recovered by the way!) I have a shop, Aprons and More, on Etsy : www.apronsandmore.etsy.com , I also sell my aprons at Polk’s Fresh Market in Savannah, Ga and I am able to meet, greet and sell with other artists at the City Market on the Green in downtown Macon, Ga. I have even gone international with a sale to Australia from my Etsy shop! This was very exciting considering the site has only been up since Jan.15, 2009. Life is good. Good luck on the drawing for the apron and happy cooking!
ENTER TO WIN!
Now, take a minute and check out Katy’s site www.apronsandmore.etsy.com and her blog at www.apronsandmore.blogspot.com . Because she is offering one lucky reader a BBQ style apron of their choice, men’s or women’s! Leave a comment here at The Post-It Place telling me which you would choose. And why you love that one. Cause I am nosy today. I want all the details. Well, only if you want to give them to me…but I am nosy today! This contest is open to US residents with a valid mailing address. Deadline to enter is April 13th at 5 PM EST. Winner will be selected using random.org. Winner will have 3 days to respond to the verification e-mail before another winner will be chosen
Want extra entries? Blog it, with a link back to here (leave link where it can be found). Subscribe (either by a reader or request in your comment to be added to the e-mail list only for contests and giveaways). Place my button on your blog (leave link it can be found at). Stumble it (leave your ID in comment).Twitter it (leave ID in a comment,and you can follow me if you would like). Technorati it (leave your ID in comment). That is 6 extra entries that you can earn for a total of 7. All extra entries must be left in a separate comment.
FYF-Foxy G Knits (GIVEAWAY)
April 3rd, 2009CONTEST CLOSED!
Welcome to Feature You Friday! I just have to tell ya’ll, it is so much fun getting to know people. I love meeting new people and learning about who they are. I hope that ya’ll are enjoying meeting some of my fellow Georgians as much as I am introducing them to you. And this week, we have a doosie!
Meet Foxy G. She runs Foxy G Knits. Her shawls and scarfs are as unique and fun as she is. And when I say she is fun…let me just show you an example:
See, told you she was fun. I want to go where ever she goes because she just exudes this exuberance that is catching. You are guaranteed to have fun.
Foxy G, tell us a little about yourself!
How Did you get Started Doing What you Do?
Knitting is my passion that has its roots in childhood. I learned from my mom, way back when we were carving our needles out of dinosaur bones. And then, sadly, I fell off the wagon and embraced needlepoint and counted cross stitch for countless years (pardon the pun). However, being a woman of true grit and strong character, I saw the light and found my way back. (told ya’ll she was a hoot)
For a long time, knitting was an avocation and not a vocation for me. While others expressed their creativity through cooking or gardening or painting, I was clicking away on my needles. In sheer and utter desperation, friends and family finally convinced me to open a store on etsy. I just know that they were getting so tired of receiving scarves, shawls, baby blankets and hats for birthdays and every other special occasion! I recently took the plunge and opened Foxy G. Knits where everything is knit by hand - from my heart to yours.
How Did you Pick Your Shop Name?
I have a little granddaughter who is going on two years old. When we were selecting our grandparent names, I joked that I would be “Grandma Lo” by day and “Foxy G.” by night. When I was trying to come up with a name for my shop, Foxy G. Knits was a natural!
What makes your items special/unique?
Foxy G. Knits features hand-knit, one-of-a-kind shawls, wraps and scarves that are versatile and designed for today’s woman. My items encompass comfort and style, and you don’t have to give up one for the other.
Is there anything else we should know?
My favorite part of the creative process is coordinating and blending various yarn colors and textures within the same garment. In addition to designing and knitting all the items that appear in the store, I also knit shawls for a local hospice.
When I am not knitting, I am collecting weird, old ashtrays. Currently, I have more than 3,000. (They live in my master bedroom, and I inhabit the west wing!) I also have cigarette cases and boxes, lighters, old magazine ads, sheet music and many promotional pieces that were put out by the various cigarette companies. My goal is to one day curate an exhibit of the 20th century as seen through these items. (ok, so I forgot to mention she was a little eccentric as well, but I told ya she was a hoot!)
FOXY G says for ya’ll to drop in to her etsy store and have a look around. And if you do, come back here to The Post-It Place and leave me a comment telling me what your favorite item is and you will be entered in a drawing for a $20 gift certificate good torwards any item. All entries must have a valid US mailing address. Deadline for entries is April 10th at 5 PM EST.
Want extra entries? Blog it, with a link back to here (leave link where it can be found). Subscribe. Place my button on your blog (leave link it can be found at). Stumble it (leave your ID in comment).Twitter it (leave ID in a comment, mine is jillybean01 if you would like to follow). Technorati it (leave your ID in comment). That is 6 extra entries that you can earn for a total of 7. All extra entries must be left in a separate comment.
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