Honey face wash!!! LOVE IT!

I am so excited to share with you my latest craze over the past few weeks. After hundreds of dollars wasted I can not believe that I have the perfect facial products sitting in my kitchen pantry. This really is the best thing since sliced bread!!!

I have very sensitive skin. Not to the point that I get rashes or irritation, but to the point that I have to be very careful about which products I use on my face because I get red itchy eyes, super dry skin, and the occasional small bumpy breakout. Recently, I wanted to find something more natural to put on my face. Something that didn't have many ingredients and something that didn't have the undesirable parabans and chemicals.

I searched high and low and read a TON about the "Oil Cleansing Method", it sounded nice but I was a little nervous. I continued my search and started to read a ton of great stuff about Honey!!! People were actually using natural honey as a natural face wash and reporting excellent results. I went straight into my kitchen to grab the golden bear and I washed my face. It felt clean and moist and I was excited that I started to try different variations for the next couple of days. I tried honey and brown sugar and honey and baking soda both with great results. My skin was refreshed, clean, and hydrated. So how does it work you ask???

Well, Honey has a ton of antibacterial and healing properties that is great for acne and sensitive skin. It also helps your skin get back its natural pH and acidity.Many people have been using Honey for wounds and burns and they just apply it to the skin and leave it on the wound for several hours. To use Honey as a wash, I simply take a teaspoon of honey and rub it all over my face. I pay special attention to my trouble areas and then I let it sit for a minute and the I rinse with warm water. Make sure to use raw or natural honey...and not honey flavored syrup!!! If you are looking for some extra exfoliation try baking soda or brown sugar to the mix. I usually add about a half of a teaspoon. It is so delightful and I still can not believe how well it works!!!

Try it as a daily cleaning regimen or simply as a mask!!! Your face will Thank You!!

And stay tuned...because I have some other amazing uses for things in your pantry coming up soon!!!

I am linking up to:

Much to do... putting the kids to work!!

It's that time of year, here is CA it is really warming up. It is Sunny and breezy and wonderful. The park down the street is calling our name, the water table outside looks so appealing for the kids, and the swimming pool will soon be just right. All this to say, that soon we will not want to be indoors at all so I have much to do in the line of spring cleaning.

This week I noticed that the baseboards were looking a little dusty, so this is first on my list to do. I researched a ton of different methods for cleaning  baseboards and found one I think will be simple enough, yet effective. I even figured out a way to have the kids help!!!


Step 1- Vacuum baseboards

Step 2- Clean baseboards
1/4 cup of fabric softener
1 gallon of water
3 microfiber rags (1 for me and 1 for each kid)
With this method, you can easily clean any leftover dust or grime and repel any future dust since the fabric softener naturally repels static electricity (which attracts dust).

My kids are age 3 and 1, but I am noticing that when I am focused on a task or a chore, they seem to suddenly need my attention. I have found that if I can get them involved, they are a lot less likely to distract me from my housework. They are kept busy and out of trouble and I have some extra work company! It works for me!

Do you have any clever or easy tips for cleaning baseboards? Please share!!!

I am linking up at:

Cash only Christmas- Start Now!

I am linking up with "Works-for-me wednesday" over at http://wearethatfamily.com/


After following a strict budget and using and envelope system for almost everything, we have managed to become debt free in the sense that we no longer charge our expenses. If we want it, we try to save for it and pay with cash. If we need it, we pay out of our emergency savings, but most everyday things; groceries, gas, Dr. apts, eating out and regular bills are paid with cash or our checking account.

This is all fine and dandy and it works really well for our current financial situation, but we still have very little leftover to spend on extras that are NOT budgeted for. In the past few years around August or September, we would sit down and budget our very modest Christmas budget. I have done well with it and managed to chase sales, bargain shop, and most importantly shop the awesome Amazon sales!

This year I want to do something different, I want to pay for Christmas strictly with gift cards, points, coin jars and "extra" income not part of our regular finances. There are several ways I plan to make this happen, and I know you can too! Today I will just blab about two that I am already doing...yup in March!

1.
 
Swagbucks: sign up for Swagbucks and do your regular everyday online searching through their site. Every time you search you get a chance to win points and then the points can be turned in for gift cards. Target and Amazon gift cards are what happen to be at the top of my list, but there are several other options for redeeming points, ranging from gift cards to merchandise. It is super easy! I added the toolbar to my computer from their site and make sure I am always signed in. I kid you not, I win points every single day and have already made enough for a $25 gift card in just one month. Go ahead and check it out!! use this link and you can sign up and earn some free bucks now!!! Also, you can add a banner to your blog or your facebook and have people sign up and you will earn a ton of swagbucks that way.

2.

 My own mini- business which is really (Mama's girl time). A friend of mine told me all about Vault Denim and got me hooked, her family has partial ownership in the business so I knew that it was legit. I love it because it is the easiest most fun money I have ever earned, I mean who doesn't love to shop? Denim parties are a simple success because there are so many people out there who buy these same designer jeans from department stores, but we offer them at a fraction of the price! How you ask??? Well, vault buys all of their denim straight from the vendors overstock. They have worked for years to develop professional relationships with these high end vendors so that we can bring designer jeans straight to your doorstep! Yes, there are many denim party type business out there who bring you seconds, damaged, or imitation jeans, but we are not one of them. These are 100% Authentic and real designer jeans. I plan to save all of my income from my parties and save it for Christmas.
If you think you would like to sell designer jeans and become a Vault Denim fashion consultant, comment here or send me and email. I would be more than happy to sponsor you and give you any information to get you on the road to making some extra cash, while hanging with the ladies:) Best part about Vault is that there are no costly start up fees and you don't have to pay for your inventory, you simply check it out for a day or two, have your party, and return what you don't sale!!!

Anyway, I have a few more frugal Christmas tips to share later down the road, but I just wanted to remind everyone that Christmas is only 9 months away, so why not start some sort of savings or extra income plan now!! I can't tell you how awesome it feels to start off the New Year after Christmas, knowing that everything that was gifted is paid for in full. No credit bills or interest!

So what about you? Do you have any awesome saving tips for the Holidays?

Works for me Wednesday- Kid proof bedding

Every Wednesday, I will be linking up to "Works for me Wednesday" over at http://wearethatfamily.com/. Go check out all of the amazing mom tips, you might just learn something super cool!! She also has an awesome giveaway going on, so check it out!



Have you ever been awoken out of a joyful slumber by the cries of a sick baby, a potty training toddler, or simply a diaper malfunction (the kids not yours)? I have! I always stumble into their rooms and then get the kids cleaned up and then try to make their bed and clean up any mess without waking the rest of the house. I don't know about you, but I am just NOT my best at those crazy hours in the middle of the night.

Luckily, I came  across a VERY clever solution to this while reading some tips on my Birth Board (love you Yuku ladies!!). Now, I simply make my 3 yr old daughters bed as follows; mattress protector, fitted sheet, another mattress protector, another fitted sheet, and then the rest of the normal bedding. It is genius really, I mean I wish I would have learned about it long ago. Now, whenever either of my kids wakes up because of a tummy bug, an accident for my 3 yr old, or a diaper malfunction for my baby boy, I simply clean the kid up, grab the top fitted sheet and mattress protector, throw all soiled clothes and bedding into the garage, tuck the little darling back into bed, and go back to sleep. The night is much too short to be re-making a bed and doing laundry at such un-Godly hours. This mama NEEDS that sleep.

LOVE it! and it WORKS for me!!!

My First 'Works for me Wednesday'!! "Finding quality substitutes"

I LOVE to shop! But I HATE to spend money unnecessarily. I really do like what the typical woman my age does, but I just have a hard time justify large purchases if I can find something just as good for less. I really depend on quality and I have found that often times, you do not have to spend big bucks to get qquality items.

For example: I love the concept behind Toms shoes. I mean who wouldn't want to have a pair of shoes donated to a third world country every time they bought one for themselves right? The only problem is that I do not want to spend $44 on a pair of casual everyday shoes. Also, I am ALL about comfort and while these shoes are SUPER comfortable, I will admit I am not crazy about the way they look. Luckily Payless shoe source offers an affordable substitute! They too donate a pair of shoes as part of "the good shoe project" and they only charge $20!!! Score!!! The shoes are so comfortable and cute to slip on for quick trips outside and they hold up well too. YEAH!

Look at how similar they are:

Works for me!

 

Another example is dishes. We just recently bought our first house, but we have been married for five years. We never had a nice set of dishes and I was always waiting until we bought a house. I found the dishes I wanted from Pottery Barn . I LOVED the classic look of them and wanted them badly, but had a bit of sticker shock when I saw the price of a full set!!! I mean I had a LONG list of things I wanted to buy for our new house and I could not spend that much on dishes. So I did my research and went to pretty much every store possible until I found the look I wanted for the price I could afford.

 

Finally, I found the perfect substitute!I found a wonderful set at Jc Penney and I am so so happy with them. The quality is excellent, the style is exactly what I wanted, and the price was unbelievable. I got a 72- piece set on sale with a coupon for $67!!!

 

Check these out:

 

Pottery Barn

 

Jc Penney

http://www5.jcpenney.com/jcp/X6.aspx?GrpTyp=STY&ItemID=16d0ff2&DeptID=70755&CatID=74183&SO=0&SelDim=4294957900%7e&CatSel=4294944854%7cdinnerware&NOffset=2&Ne=4294957900+5+586+1029+8+18+904+949+833&x5view=1&shopperType=G&N=4294944854&Nao=0&PSO=0&CmCatId=70755|74183&sa=1

 

I can't get the picture to load, so I will have to take my own and add it later...but they are fab!

 

Finding quality substitutes at affordable prices WORKS FOR ME!!