Bringing Beauty into our lives….

***Update… Jessica has another post about Essential Oils today! Thanks Jessica! ***

Do you love the simple things in life that bring us beauty? What comes to your mind when I say ‘everyday beauty’?

We are surrounded by beauty at this time of year here in the mountains!

A photo of the mountains on Sunday when showers came in to give us a much needed rain.

I found a blog…it’s new to me, called Welcome to Sew Homegrown  !

She has some wonderful topics but one in particular really impressed me and I asked her if I could share the info here! So THANKS Jessica!

Feminine Essential Oils

As women, we have our own special set of physical discomforts and emotional fluctuations.  Today I wanted to share with you some of my favorite essential oils that aid in womanly discomfort.

Clary Sage - has a calming effect on the nervous system, lifts minor depression, and, as an anti-inflammatory, it eases the discomfort of premenstrual cramps.  You can add a few drops to a warm bath, or mix with a carrier oil and massage into your lower abdomen.

Rose Geranium - relieves mild depression and anxiety, and balances hormones.  It is anti-fungal and anti-bacterial.  This is the first oil I turn to when I am having PMS.  I usually put a drop on the inside of my wrist, rub my wrists together and inhale deeply.  This fragrance of rose geranium is quite strong, but the more you use it the more you will love it.

Lavender -  of course.  Lavender heals all.  If you never know what to use or if you have never used essential oils before, start with lavender.  It is safe for all ages and produces feelings of peace and calm - aiding in balancing those dreadful mood swings.  I like to put a drop on the outside of my eye mask, pull it down over my eyes and go to sleep.
So those are my top 3 essential oils for women.  Just a note - if you have never smelled essential oils before, they can seem very strong and some people think they are downright stinky.  Unfortunately we are used to more synthetic fragrances (dish soaps, lotions, shower gels, shampoos).  Essential oils are in their pure state and can be very overwhelming.  I want to encourage you to keep trying them anyway.  The more you use them, the more you will come to appreciate the potency - and certain oils will become your favorites.  If you have any questions about this post, or about essential oils in general, check the Contact Me section for my email or leave a comment on this post.  Have an aromatic day!
jessica

I took this photo of Lavender!

And for even more beauty….My girlfriend at Oodles and Oodles gave the new US website for Cath Kidston…click HERE !  What fun we will have visiting that website!

And then there are the creative blogs…listed under Artists in my sidebar! And all of the prim Blogs with cute things for Fall listed below that! It’s just a great time to have a blog and visit our friends!

Enjoy your day! Bring some beauty into your life today and share it with others!

Mosaic Monday – The Biltmore Estate

Every time you visit the magnificent Biltmore house you see something different. My husband and I went last week and spent a lot of time in the Conservatory!

I wanted to join with everyone at The Dear Little Red House on Mosaic Monday!

A few more photos of the conservatory…..

from our visit ….

Happy Monday! My MOST favorite day of the week!

Grab some Indian Fry bread….

and let’s watch the Cherokee dancers!

We had a wonderful day at the North Carolina Arboretum.

We were there for the Heritage Craft Weekend!

The dancers took partners from the audience…..

but we were too busy eating Indian Fry Bread! (we had already started eating when I realized I didn’t take a photo!!!)

We shared this huge plate of Indian Fry bread, with chili, cheddar cheese, lettuce, tomato and salsa.

The lady that served us asked if I had ever had it before! And I said LOTS of times! We lived on the Navajo Indian Reservations for over 3 years and they make an incredible Navajo Taco very much like this! And I have made it many times from a recipe that a Navajo friend gave me! (It helps to watch someone make it and cook it, too) The same recipe for the Fry bread is used for Sopapillias….little puffy fry bread that you can fill with salsa or honey…..or coat with powdered sugar. What a treat this was today! (I’m so glad my hubby likes to share)

PLEASE KEEP READING……

And now…..the MOST exciting part of the day! I had just taken this photo of some of the audience when it was announced that we had someone famous there today! What are the chances it would be someone on the list of ‘people I would LOVE to meet’?

Charles Frazier was there!

He danced alongside his beautiful wife….

and then stood there while I ‘gushed’ over him!  heehee!

But what an honor to meet him and get to tell him how much his books have meant to me!

I was so moved by Cold Mountain but when Thirteen Moons came out…it became one of my favorite books of all time! I have been buying every copy I can find at book sales to give to my sons and other family members and friends! His wife told me he is writing another book now! She was delightful! What a thrill to meet them both! (Can you tell I’m happy?)

We’ve had an amazing day! I hope your weekend is wonderful, too!

Tell me in your comment if you’re read Thirteen Moons! I may need to buy a few more copies !  ; )

Where are we going?

My husband always surprises me!

We drove away at 9 am to visit the Biltmore Estate (not on this Segway…heehee! ) but where did we go after that?

SHOPPING!

My husband actually LIKES to shop!

He likes to pick out clothes for me and doesn’t mind waiting while I try them on! I know….it sounds like I’m exaggerating! heehee! These new stores include…Chicos, J. Crew, Coldwater Creek, Talbots and Williams and Sonoma. Wonderful stores to ‘browse’ in!  At one point I left him in Williams and Sonoma! He loves that store!

 

We have been married for 15 years and we still go everywhere together….AND have FUN! (Time for a tour of the Biltmore Winery!)

 

He’s cute (at the fair..did the yellow rub off on his hat?)….

goes to Scout meetings with our grandsons….

goes BACK to the car for fresh batteries for my camera….

and sometimes acts like he doesn’t know me! teehee!

Time to go?

Just one more picture….REALLY!

Have a wonderful day! And thanks Honey! Did you give your hubby a hug today?

Fall Colors

The sunsets are boasting beautiful Autumn colors….

and I’ve done just a little bit of decorating to enjoy a taste of Fall before we travel.

Many of you know…..Fall is my least favorite season of the year. I know all the reasons for loving Fall but there are too many sad memories attached to the Fall months for me so I try to make the best of it. I am thankful for all of my blessings….and being thankful helps me more than anything!  So ‘nuff said….

I DO LOVE the colors of Autumn!

This is a little corner in my living room here in the condo…

with lots of Fall colors….

or ‘mountain’ colors!

What do you think of Pumpkin Girl?

I won this in a giveaway that Pat had at Alls Bright Crafts !

 

Isn’t she adorable?

And don’t you love this Tag that Carmelina from Creative Carmelina sent me? She is SO talented!

Fall is in the air!

There are so many things to be thankful for! And I’m thankful for all of my blogger friends!

What are you thankful for today? Happy Monday!

Fair News!

I wanted to post a few more pics of the Fair!

If you get a chance to go to a Fair near you…..you really should GO! It’s educational as well as entertaining!

This was a BIG fair and reminded me of a combination Carnival AND Fair with so much to see and do!

We didn’t ride any of the rides…and no….I didn’t eat any Cotton Candy! heehee! But those turkey legs looked good and the drinks served in a coconut shell! lol

But my BIG news…..my sister entered a craft in her local fair and won second place! I’m so proud of her! She’s a very talented artist. She entered a painting and won a ribbon! Wouldn’t it be fun to enter next year? We should all think about it!

These are some of the things we saw entered…..

More photos…..

from the many that I took!

And thanks to all my friends that complimented me on my new ‘short hair’! It’s easy to fix in the mornings! And a special thanks to my girlfriend, Mona, her blog, for saying I look YOUNG! heeheehee!

Have a wonderful evening!