Finance: Best Online Support Groups for Improving Your Finances

I’m not an accountant or financial advisor, information that I share here are things that have helped me while on my personal financial journey. It’s important to do your own research and figure out what will work best for you and your personal needs before adopting any new financial practices. Now, let’s talk financial resources…what are your financial goals for the new year? Do you need help with getting your finances in order? 

Bargain Shopping: Indoor Plants & Accessories

This post contains affiliate links. 

This is for my fellow plant moms, dads and botanist wannabes. If you enjoy gardening, discovering new house plant species or just watching your potted plants grow but also love saving money just as much, check out the below gardening deals I came across while shopping. I’m also including some of my favorite regular priced potting items as well. What are some of your favorites?

HAEVP: Wholesale Party Supplies

Locally – Texas

Arne’s (Houston) - arneswarehouse.com 

Party Boy (Houston) - partyboytexas.com Permanently Closed

Supreme Party Supply (Houston) - facebook.com/SupremePartySupply

Cool Kat Party Warehouse (Spring) - coolkatpartysupplies.com

Amols' (San Antonio) - amols.com

Raquel’s Party Land (Austin) - raquelrentals.com

Party Bazaar (Dallas) - partybazaardallas.com

Nationally

Burton & Burton - burtonandburton.com

Koyal Wholesale - koyalwholesale.com

Shimmer & Confetti - shimmerandconfetti.com

The Oriental Trading Co. - orientaltrading.com

DIY: Ridding Your Home of Gnats

I don't know what it is about this heat and humidity that they love so much but it is officially summer time and all of the insects have come out of hiding. So far the only major problem we're having (other than bees) is these darn GNATS! They are every where and can be very annoying and hard to get rid of. Ridding

Anyway, fed up with them and desperate to get rid of them with out spending a lot of money I decided to do some reading and found that a little vinegar mixed with a little dish washing liquid will to the trick. I set it out over night and the next more there was a cup full of the little critters.

What you need:

2 tsp. of Apple Cider Vinegar

2 tsp. of water

1 drop of detergent

1 small cup

Add vinegar, water and detergent to cup and cover with plastic wrap and then poke a few holes in the plastic big enough for the gnats to get through.

Closet Revamping - Getting Rid of the Clutter - My Simple Remedy

Salut Butterflies!

Please check out my simple, inexpensive, and very quick video on revamping a cluttered bathroom closet!

Beauty Trends: Every Natural Should Check Out Naptural85’s Channel!

Hair obsessed butterflies, so as all of my long time readers know I have been natural (no relaxer) for going on two years now (still a newbie) and for me the hardest part about being natural is finding a routine and/or products that work for my hair. So where do you go when you need a little help learning how to do something? For me it's YouTube! That's right YouTube, you will be surprised at what you can learn browsing the tube.

Anyway, so a few months back while browsing for natural hair care tips I stumbled across a natural hair care guru...Naptural85! The video above is one of the first ones I came across and I've been a fan ever since. Her tips are very economical and AWESOME if I may say so myself. If you haven't checked out her channel yet what are you waiting for? Go now!

Mom Life: Pink, Purple, and Turquoise “Princess Boutique” Birthday Party

Butterfly Mommies!! We celebrated my little human’s birthday this past weekend, it was so cute and lots of fun. There were handcrafted party boutique shopping bags I made using craft bags I picked up from the local craft store and cutouts of the Birthday Princess's initials to give the party a more personalized look.

Music: Wedding Song Playlist

If you had to choose one aspect of a wedding that you always look forward to, what would it be? For a music-head like myself, it is definitely the music. A wedding would be incomplete without a few romantic love songs to complement the atmosphere. Check out some of my favorite/the most popular wedding songs thus far:

Life, Love, and Relationships: Planning Your Wedding – Cost & Budget

It’s May and wedding season is in full swing. If you are getting ready for your big day depending on the number of guest you are planning for and your budget your wedding can be anything from an extravagant affair to an intimate romantic evening. However with adequate amount of planning, no matter your budget you can still have the wedding of your dreams.

Beauty Trends: Natural Home Facial

You want flawless beauty right? Your answer is probably yes as it would be for many of us; the desire to be beautiful has been around since the beginning of time. We’re all born with it we just need a little help maintaining it. According to Greek methodology Aphrodite, the Greek God of Love and Beauty born from sea foam, had very appealing physical features, and was portrayed as a flawless beauty with eternal youth. Unlike Aphrodite we don’t have everlasting youth and never changing flawless beauty so most of us have to use beauty regimens to stay flawless.

Keeping our beauty flawless can sometimes become VERY expensive that I know for a fact. Anyway I recently did some research on at home remedies for solving skin problems and I came across a site that I am now in love with. Recipe Goldmine.com, not only does this site have at home beauty tips and recipes but it also has tons of meal recipes as well and the coolest thing about it is you can follow these regimens using items you already have on hand in your home so there's no need to spend any extra money. These regimens have been used for many years, we all know and admire the beauty of ancient Egyptian ruler Cleopatra, some historians claim Cleopatra gathered salt from the sea to use in her beauty regimen, sea salts are said to be good for scrubbing off dead skin, leaving a polished fresh look.

After spending hours going through the site I finally found a DIY facial plan that I was interested in trying out. I have very sensitive/oily skin so I had to make sure I found something that would work for my combination skin and I did, so I’m sharing with you the at home beauty regimens I'm currently using. Below is the step by step guide to the complete at home natural facial I tailored to my skin type using tips and recipes I got from Recipe Goldmine. Keep in mind everyone has different skin textures so what works for me might not work for you, I suggest seeing a dermatologist if you are concerned about your skin. I hope you find this information useful and I wish you endless beauty. – XOXOXO Mika
 

Sensitive/Oily Skin Natural Facial


1. Cleanse & Exfoliate

Yogurt & Baking Soda Cleanser

Cleanse and exfoliate in one step by mixing 1 tsp. baking soda with 1 tsp. plain yogurt. Apply mixture and leave on for 2 minutes, then gently massage into skin. Rinse well with warm water. (Note: This combination gently cleans pores, removes dead cells and softens dry, sensitive skin without irritation.)


2. Tone
 
Apply freshly squeezed lemon juice or witch hazel with a cotton ball
4. Open the Pores

Then steam your face over a pot of boiling water splash on some hot water to

5. Mask

Yogurt Antioxidant Mask

Combine 1 tsp. fresh orange juice and 1 tsp. plain yogurt.  Apply the mixture to your skin and leave it on for 10 to 15 minutes, then rinse with warm water.

6. Close the Pores

Wash off gently and finish with a splash of cool water to close the pores.

Other Skin Care Needs

 

For Blemished Skin: 

- Oatmeal Tomato Mask

Blend 1 ripe tomato, 1 tsp. lemon juice, and 1 tbsp. instant oatmeal or rolled oats. Apply to skin, making sure the mixture is staying on the blemished areas. Add a bit more oatmeal to thicken the mask, if necessary. Leave the mask on for 10 minutes, and then scrub off with a clean washcloth dipped in warm water.

For Acne or Pimples: 

·        Nutmeg mixed with milk or

·        3 tbsp. honey mixed with 1 tsp. cinnamon powder overnight or

·        1 tsp. lemon juice mixed with 1 tsp. cinnamon powder or

·        Lime juice mixed with boiled milk

See www.RecipeGoldmine.com for a full list of DIY beauty tips and recipes!