Wizard of Oz Ballet Performance

my pretty poppies....on the way to their dress rehearsal for their "Wizard of Oz" ballet performance.











Dorothy made it back home safely...and so did Toto....just in case you were wondering;)

Bravo Ballerinas, Bravo!!!!

while the girls were at their dress rehearsal....

mommy and daddy had a date night where we had beautiful patio seating, at the Upper Crust, Sun City!  The temperature was perfect, the coastal breezes amazing...life is good:) 

Georgia Sea Turtle Center (hospital/rehab)

we took a fun field trip to Jekyll Island today, with our local homeschool group (Savannah Chapter...our groups often combine for social activities;).  Jekyll Island is about 2 hours south of us and of about 20 miles east (to get back to the coast).  First we saw the hospital on a guided tour, and then we headed over to the beach for a picnic and some beach time.  It was very interesting, but the water there was extremely muddy!  I googled to find out why, and it mentioned quite a few rivers dump into that area.  I also have heard that Brunswick, GA is fairly polluted with its industries, and I have no doubt that adds to the issue.  But, we had a great day!  

Here are some photos:



this is a loggerhead...on average, a full grown loggerhead is taller than my seven year old daughter; just to give you some perspective...

grilled summer vegetable salad with chickpeas

 

 

Ingredients: 

• 2 tablespoons extra-virgin olive oil, plus more for oiling the grill
• 1 yellow bell pepper, cored, seeded and quartered
• 1 red bell pepper, cored, seeded and quartered
• 1 small red onion, cut into thick rings
• 2 zucchini, thickly sliced lengthwise
• 2 yellow squash, thickly sliced lengthwise
• 2 cloves garlic, chopped
• 2 tablespoons red wine vinegar
• 2 tablespoons chopped basil
• 1 (15 ounce) can chickpeas, rinsed and drained
• Salt and pepper to taste
• 1/2 cup grated parmesan cheese   
• 
  
  Method: 

  Oil grill grates, then preheat grill to medium high heat. Working in batches, grill peppers, onions, zucchini and squash, flipping once, until just charred in parts and tender, 6 to 8 minutes total; transfer to a large platter as done. Set aside to let cool before cutting into bite-size pieces.
  
  In a large bowl, combine grilled vegetables, garlic, vinegar, oil, basil, chickpeas, salt and pepper. Garnish with parmesan and serve immediately or cover and chill until ready to serve.
  
  Nutritional Info: 

  Per Serving:230 calories (80 from fat), 9g total fat, 2.5g saturated fat, 5mg cholesterol, 620mg sodium, 29g carbohydrate (7g dietary fiber, 5g sugar), 10g protein 

   

  http://wholefoodsmarket.com/recipe/grilled-summer-vegetable-salad-chickpeas-and-basil?utm_source=email&utm_medium=Meat&utm_term=Whole%20Deal&utm_content=Recipe&utm_campaign=2013_05_22_Recipes 

might have to give my own knives a face life:)

I've got the metal stamps, I've got knives.....

Piper and His Pillow

i LOVE this

Dance Your Dream (see link below for ordering details)

 
click HERE for ordering details 

my homemade (rebatched) shea butter, lavender scented, topped with oats, lavender an rosemary craft soap!

it was fun, and I didn't have to work with lye....oh, and it was a LOT cheaper than buying it from craft fairs...add this to my "homesteading" it list!

random snapshots

 

I wrote a little thank you note to Island Cowgirl

and I just found this on her blog; I'm so touched!

http://islandcowgirl-blog.com/2013/05/19/postcards-from-hilton-head/

…postcards from hilton head…

Posted on May 19, 2013

We have the best customers. Yesterday I received a beautiful, heartfelt email from someone just reaching out to me in a random act of kindness. To let me know what Island Cowgirl means to her…and I am reminded again why I do what I do.

It is so easy to get caught up in the day-to-day chores of running a business and everything that goes into it…that sometimes we feel disconnected from what really matters. This is a common theme among my artist friends & I. We talk about this a lot. A LOT.

It meant the world to me that she took a tiny piece out of her day to write such a sweet email…and it pulled me back into the now, the present & reminded me that living in the moment is ever so infinitely important…so much so that I could almost smell the salt air and sun on my toes on that beach in Hilton Head.

Here is her letter:

Hi Gals! 

I feel like we’re old friends now!

Thank you for ALL the wonderful jewelry; it makes me happy, everyday, to pick out my outfits based on the Island Cowgirl bling I’m wearing;) (and inspires me in my own work). I feel genuninely uplifted and joyful, wearing your pieces.  They are truly filled with VERY beautiful energy…thank you!  Enjoy the photo, taken from Hilton Head Beach, my neck of the woods on the opposite coast;) (starfish anklet). Peace & Blessings.

Thank you Sherry! You made my day.

~heather

other uses for Castile soap

1. Shampoo: Use castile soap as a stand-in for a harsh detergent-based shampoo. Give your head a break! Just mix castile soap with water at a ratio of 1:3.
2. Laundry Detergent: You can make your own laundry detergent with simple, common ingredients. Save tons money and do the environment a friendly favor. It’s a win-win!
3. Tub Scrub: Make a tile or toilet “soft scrub” out of baking soda and castile soap. Simply fill a spray bottle with a dilution of 1:3 castile to water. Sprinkling the area you wish to clean with a liberal dusting of baking soda, then spray the castile solution over the top. Scour with a sponge or scrub brush and watch the stains disappear. This also works great on crusty stovetops!
4. Mopping Solution: Use 2 or 3 tablespoons of castile soap in a full bucket of water, and mop mop mop your floors to a sparkly new luster.
5. Dish Soap: Make a dishwashing soap (for hand washing) or a liquid hand soap (for washing hands) by simply mixing a 1:1 ratio of castile to water.
6. Dishwasher Detergent: Make a fancier DIY liquid dishwasher detergent that’s inexpensive and eco-friendly.
7. Soap Dispenser Refill: You can refill your foaming hand soap dispenser with 1 part castile soap to 4 parts water.
8. Body Wash: You can use castile soap as a gentle yet efficient bath soap/body wash. They actually sell castile bar soap, but if you want to use the liquid just dilute it in a 2:1 ratio of castile to water.
9. Dog Shampoo: What’s good enough for you is even better for your pet! Use the same ratio listed above for an awesome DIY doggie shampoo.
10. Toothpaste: You can actually use castile soap in place of your toothpaste, and pure soap is much better for your teeth than the nasty chemicals they put in most commercial pastes. Just add a few drops directly to your wet brush. It works wonders, although the flavor can take some getting used to!
11. Veggie Wash: Make a simple veggie wash for cleansing all your produce. Add 1 tablespoon castile soap to 2 cups of water, and keep the mixture in a squirt bottle near the kitchen sink.
12. Carpet Cleaner: Finally, you can make an effective carpet cleaner by mixing 1/4 cup castile into 1 cup water. Place the solution in the blender and let it fly until it forms a stiff foam. Apply as you would any other carpet cleaning product.

Read more: http://www.care2.com/greenliving/12-great-ways-to-use-castile-soap.html#ixzz2TmVOniti 

http://www.herbsandoilsworld.com/uses-for-castile-soap/

Homemade citrus coconut soap

And here is my actual soap, tweaked with ingredients I like...lavender essential oil, lavender and rosemary from my garden, oats from my kitchen;)  easy peasy!





Making homemade soap is one of those crafts that sounds intimidating, doesn’t it? You picture yourself slaving over a stove, scorching your fingers pouring hot soap into tiny molds. But fear not! Homemade soap is actually one of the most insanely simple things to do at home. If you have a microwave, then you’re all set. No special equipment is required – not even tiny soap molds.
And if you like knowing what goes into your cleaning products, especially the ones you use on your skin, definitely give this homemade soap a try. Your hands will thank you!
The fun part of making homemade soap is playing around with different recipes. You can take things you already have in your kitchen – like fresh herbs or citrus – to make all-natural scents. Adding fruit, like strawberries, would be fun too. And I like giving mine a bit of decadence by adding chocolate cocoa powder or shredded coconut.

Homemade Coconut Citrus Soap Supplies:

• 1/3 of a block of shea butter soap base. This is available at most craft stores (mine came from Michael’s). They also make goat’s milk and olive oil soap bases.
• 1 tablespoon of citrus zest.
• A few drops of orange essential oil.
• 1-2 tablespoons of shredded coconut.
• Plastic containers.

Melt the soap base in a microwave safe container (I like to use Pyrex measuring cups for easy pouring) in the microwave in 30 second intervals. When it’s completely melted, add the zest, essential oil and coconut.
Mix together well and pour into a container. I used a few plastic bowls but you can also use empty milk cartons or other cardboard shapes you find in the recycling bin. Just make sure to wash them thoroughly before using. After pouring the soap into the mold, sprinkle more zest or coconut on top if desired.
Let the soap harden for about an hour and then pop it out of the container. That’s it! I told you it was easy!
 
this recipe was sent to me from my good friend Anton....I can't WAIT to make this...NO LYE....and I happen to have ALL the ingredients...well, except the microwave...ours konked out two months ago, and I haven't really missed it....til now...although I'm pretty certain I could manage to accomplish this stove top:D

http://petitelefant.com/homemade-citrus-coconut-soap/

one of my friends posted this....made me giggle;)

Purchased the winning numbers...have my beautiful good joojoo hippie Dragonfly Inspirations Bracelet Creations giving it good mojo!!!!

Believe and Inspire (see ordering details below)

click HERE for ordering details

chocolate covered strawberries

CHOCOLATE, STRAWBERRIES AND AN ICE CUBE TRAY

Spray an ice cube tray with a small amount of oil.

Slice strawberries and place half in each hole of tray.

Melt dark chocolate bars or chips on your stove top in a small cooking pot. (3 large bars for each pint of strawberries)

Pour over strawberries.

Cool in fridge for 1 hour.

Invert tray and pop out!

dew covered car window art

while J and his girls had a date night (a festival that involved bands and pizza;)....me....mama's night out!!!

and it didn't involve the grocery store...wooo hoooo!


and while I was standing in the warm coastal waters, I was gifted with a baby dolphin, awkwardly jumping....it was amazing! 


this book's kind of cool (even though I didn't really read a whole lot;)...because Edisto is a beach just north of my county...south side of Charleston County....drove the girls out there once when we first moved here...but honestly, the beaches all look kind of the same around here....beautiful!

and I was gifted with a fabulous sunset over the tide pool 

Removing Dark Circles from Under the Eyes