Friday, April 30, 2010

Eco-Friendly Freckles First Boutique Debut - The Gift Emporium Grand Opening May 1st!


My first art-gallery style debut will be at the new boutique "The Gift Emporium" located in Kingston near the University of Rhode Island. I have six of my Eco-Friendly Freckles hand-painted upcycled decoupage canisters on display and for sale in the shop (including the canister featured above: "Paulie's Confession"). The Grand Opening for the store is May 1st and 2nd; so if you are in the area be sure to check out all of the beautiful, handmade, one-of-a-kind creative gifts at The Gift Emporium! To view all six of my repurposed decoupage canisters that will be for sale at The Gift Emporium, you can check them out here:

http://ecofriendlyfreckles.blogspot.com/2010/03/eco-friendly-freckles-art-to-be-sold-at.html

I received this darling message in my Etsy shop from Literary Tease commenting about my art that she saw being set up at The Gift Emporium!

"Hello! I just wanted to write you a note to tell you that I saw your work at The Gift Emporium in Kingston when I went to drop off some work today, and wow! I just love it! Your work is so beautiful and elegant! Best wishes!" - Moira (Literary Tease)

Thursday, April 29, 2010

Baby Girl Miniature Filly Born Last Night!


Last night we had a beautiful, pumpkin colored miniature baby filly born and she is so adorable! She doesn't have a name yet...today she has been exploring this fascinating new world, basking in the sun, and enjoying the nice breeze. Here are the pictures that I took of her and her mother, Cupcake, this morning:












Wednesday, April 28, 2010

Tea Time - Enjoying My Art From Holly E. Photography


As I am sitting back, relaxing, and sipping on my favorite cup of Celestial Seasonings tea: "Sleep Time Extra" (with Valerian), I am enjoying my two new lovely photographs from Holly E. Photography. Taken with a flattering technique using a fisheye lens, these gorgeous photos of a Japanese style tea house are perfectly titled: "Tea Time". I selected these photos for Joe's and my Japanese inspired yoga-meditation tea room in our future home...we both love these very high quality, serene photographs. Thank you Holly! :-D Please check out these Tea Time photos and Holly's other beautiful scenic photographs in her Etsy shop:

http://www.etsy.com/shop/hollyedwards


Tuesday, April 27, 2010

My First Giveaway - Organic Probiotic Kefir Grains!


Yippee! It's Time for My Very First Giveaway!


Emmy from Emmy Boos and Rawrs has kindly offered to host my first giveaway! I will be giving away an order of my probiotic kefir grains that are very delicious and beneficial for you health. You can check out and enter the giveaway on her blog:

http://emmysboosandrawrs.blogspot.com/2010/04/eco-friendly-freckles-etsy-shop.html

Once you have these kefir grains, you can use them to create wonderful kefir indefinitely! I have some delicious recipes using probiotic kefir on my blog that are very nutritious and delicious! You can check them out here from this link:
http://ecofriendlyfreckles.blogspot.com/search/label/probiotic%20kefir

Saturday, April 24, 2010

Chocolate Euphoria!


Do you need the ultimate cure for your chocolate attacks and cravings? Are you yearning for a cocoa delicacy to fulfill your deepest chocolate desires?! Well, I have found the answer to our crazed chocolate frenzies! This is a recipe for my favorite decadent dark, moist chocolate cake; I use my homebrewed organic probiotic kefir in this cake to give it that perfect moist, rich texture. If you would like to make your own Captivating Chocolate Kefir Cake or other scrumptious kefir recipes, you can find the organic, probiotic kefir grain cultures in my etsy shop...all you need to do is purchase them once and you can make delicious, healthy kefir indefinitely! This chocolate kefir cake is amazingly euphoric!

http://www.etsy.com/listing/45460962/kefir-a-cultured-dairy-product-full-of


Captivating Chocolate Kefir Cake

2 cups all-purpose flour
1 cup raw cacao (baking cocoa will work too)
2 cups granulated sugar (I use 1 - 1 1/2 cups)
1 teaspoon baking soda
1 teaspoon baking powder
1 teaspoon salt
2 large eggs
1 teaspoon pure vanilla extract (I use 2 teaspoons rum!)
1 cup kefir
1/4 cup melted butter
1/4 cup coconut oil
1 tsp. white vinegar
1 cup hot water

Heat oven to 350 degrees fahrenheit. Butter two 8 -inch-round cake pans and line bottoms with parchment paper. Combine flour, cocoa, sugar, baking soda, baking powder, and salt together in a large bowl. Add eggs, vanilla (or rum), sour cream (kefir or yogurt), butter, oil, vinegar (for leavening and a more tender cake), and 1 cup hot water, and mix with a wooden spoon until batter is smooth. Pour batter into prepared pans and bake until a toothpick comes out of the cake clean; 35 - 40 minutes. Cool cakes in pans for 20 minutes. Enjoy!

Friday, April 23, 2010

I'm Tickled Pink!





Holly from 504 Main has graciously featured me and my art in her "Tickled Pink Friday's" post! She links to my shop, blog, tutorial, and even my blog post about the benefits of sunshine! Please check out this delightfully sweet feature on No. 504 Main! Thank you Holly!

http://504main.blogspot.com/2010/04/im-tickled-pink-no-4.html

Thursday, April 22, 2010

Happy Earth Day Feature on Waterstone!


Lori from Waterstone Jewelry has kindly featured me on her blog in honor of Earth Day and for her Earth-Friendly DIY Wednesday! She links to my tutorial of how to create my hand-painted upcycled decoupage canisters and to my blog! Please check out this awesome feature on her blog...Thank you Lori! ;-)

http://waterstonejewelry.blogspot.com/2010/04/in-honor-of-earth-day.html


Happy Earth Day! :-D

Wednesday, April 21, 2010

I Won My First Giveaway! - Holly E. Photography

I just won my first giveaway! Holly E. Photography has kindly offered one of her beautifully talented 5x5 photographs in a giveaway hosted by Designs by Vanessa...and I won! :-D

I will be getting back to you all about which of Holly's photographs I have selected and won...I can't wait! Please check out Holly Edward's gorgeous Etsy shop...her photography is spectacular!

Tuesday, April 20, 2010

Earth Friendly DIY Wednesday!

Waterstone
Lori from Waterstone Jewelry is hosting an Earth Friendly DIY Wednesday...which is perfect timing since tomorrow (Thursday, April 22nd) is Earth Day! My "Do It Yourself" Earth Friendly project is a tutorial showing how to create one of my hand-painted upcycled/repurposed decoupage canisters. The canister that is in this tutorial is currently for sale in my Etsy shop and it is titled, "Lullaby of Angel's Enlightenment"...please check it out as well as my fun and fascinating tutorial!


http://www.etsy.com/listing/40082245/lullaby-of-angels-enlightenment---hand-p


My Earth Friendly DIY Wednesday tutorial is one that I created in February for the Supplies for Tutorials Exchange...ENJOY!

http://ecofriendlyfreckles.blogspot.com/2010/02/eco-friendly-freckles-tutorial-supplies.html

Now Selling Homemade, All-Natural Golden Goddess Vegan Soap Gift Sets!


Take a luxurious escape and transform yourself into a glowing, youthful, serene golden goddess with an Eco-Friendly Freckles Homemade All-Natural Golden Goddess Vegan Soap Set that is very therapeutic for your body and sense of well-being! These exquisite soap sets fit perfectly inside my hand-painted upcycled decoupage canisters making them a unique, artsy gift!


This sensational all-natural soap will give your skin a golden glow and make you look and feel like a goddess! This wonderful soap also lathers very well (great for shaving) and is made of all-natural ingredients (containing no Alcohol, SLS, Glycols, parabens, and absolutely no synthetic and harmful chemicals):

Coconut, Palm, Castor Oils, Vegetable Glycerin, Distilled Water, Sodium Hydroxide, Borax, Tumeric, Rose Petals, Chamomile, Neroli and Petitgrain essential oils.


Turmeric is added to this spectacular soap for it's incredible medicinal benefits for the skin. Turmeric is used to heal many health disorders like digestive disorders, liver problems, and treatment for skin diseases. In Thailand , Turmeric is traditionally used for golden youth and soft skin. In many Asian spas, Turmeric is used as an ingredient in facials for smooth and soft skin.

Curcumin is the active ingredient in turmeric which has been shown to have a wide range of therapeutic effects. In the late 1970s a scientific study on turmeric was taken up and in the beginning was restricted mostly to its anti-inflammatory characteristics. Today, Turmeric is universally recognized for its cosmetic and therapeutic benefits:

1. Leaves your skin soft, smooth, and glowing.

2. Used as an external antibiotic in preventing bacterial infection.

3. Improves skin complexion.

4. Reduces hair growth on your body.

5. Maintains youth by controlling wrinkle and crease formation on the surface of the skin.

This All-Natural, Ageless Golden Goddess Soap is wonderful for treating acne, rashes, sensitive skin, and has anti-aging properties! This soap naturally takes on the warming colors of a sunset and is suitable for all skin types, especially sensitive skin.


Also in this lovely soap is chamomile, neroli and petitgrain essential oils...

Chamomile- The Ancient Romans used chamomile for it's anti-inflammatory properties, to treat skin complaints and to help in the healing of wounds. Chamomile has anti-depressant qualities and alleviates muscular pain, especially if connected to nervous conditions and stress. Chamomile can regulate the menstrual cycle and ease period pain; it also relieve premenstrual syndrome and helps any problems associated with menopause. Chamomile also improves digestion and soothes the stomach. For the skin, chamomile benefits burns, blisters, inflammations, ulcers, boils, and wounds. It can help hypersensitive skin, acne, athlete's foot, herpes, dermatitis, psoriasis, and allergc conditions. Chamomile is good for dry, itchy skin and it improves skin elasticity.

Neroli- Characteristics include: antidepressant, aphrodisiac, hypnotic, and soothing to the nerves (especially in difficult times). Neroli helps regenerate skin cells and improves skin elasticity (dry, sensitive, and mature skins respond best to it). Neroli improves circulation and helps with acne, thread veins, scarring, and stretchmarks.

Petitgrain- This wonderful essential oil is extremely beneficial for acne and can actually be applied directly to pimples. Petitgrain is also good for edema and general puffiness brought on by premenstrual tension or digestive problems.


These Golden Goddess soap sets have seashell and celtic designs and the small round soaps come with black satin pouches that perfectly fit inside one of my smaller sized (soup can size) one-of-a-kind hand-painted, upcycled canisters. The larger, oval soap bars come with an elegant, lacy, crystal clear polypropylene bag and a soft pink lace ribbon that perfectly fit inside one of my larger sized hand-crafted, repurposed canisters. These soap sets combined with a unique, artsy canister make a wonderfully eye-catching and therapeutic gift set for someone you love or to treat yourself! All of my All-Natural Golden Goddess Soaps are wrapped in pretty tissue paper to enclose the natural aroma of the essential oils and to protect them.


Important Note- My soaps are created by melting the soap base in a double boiler on my stove top instead of using harmful radiation from the more convenient approach: the microwave. Minerals, vitamins, and nutrients of anything that is microwaved (including food) is reduced or altered so that the human body gets little or no benefit, or the human body absorbs altered compounds that cannot be broken down. Therefore this hand-made Golden Goddess Soap is heated in much safer conditions so the essential oils and other natural, beneficial ingredients can be properly absorbed into the skin.

Monday, April 19, 2010

Sunshine Love


Are you giving yourself enough sunshine love? Are you aware of these wonderful benefits that sunlight provides?

Benefits of Sunlight
• It increases the circulation of the blood.
• It stimulates the production of more red blood cells, increasing the oxygen content of the blood, and thus increasing muscular endurance.
• It increases liver function and stimulates the liver to produce a drug-metabolizing enzyme. This increases one's ability to withstand pollutants in the environment.
• It stabilizes blood sugar levels.
• It lowers cholesterol and triglycerides in the blood. Sunlight may decrease cholesterol by more than 30%.
• The ultraviolet rays are antiseptic, a short morning sunbath (before 9am) several times a day will kill germs and promote wound healing. Even reflected light from windows can destroy bacteria in the dust on window sills and floors.
• The heat of the sun is useful in the treatment of neuralgia, neuritis, arthritis and other pain.
• It increases gamma globulin - a protein that helps the body fight infection.
• It is a good treatment for jaundice in the newborn baby.
• It increases muscle tone, persons who exercise in the sunlight build muscle faster than those who exercise indoors.
• It increases body metabolism.
• Sunlight has been shown to increase to relieve depression and to improve sleep.
• Resting heart rate, blood pressure, and respiration rates are all decreased after a sunbath.


Looking at myself in the mirror as the sun warms my face through the window (this photo was a candid shot of me taken at my sister's wedding).

Also did you know that…SUN EXPOSURE REDUCES THE RISK OF MULTIPLE SCLEROSIS (a disease that has paralyzed my mother and has harmed my sister, but she is a real fighter and will overcome any challenges):

http://articles.mercola.com/sites/articles/archive/2003/08/27/multiple-sclerosis-part-four.aspx


Third time’s a charm…I just received my third Sunshine Award from the super sweet Kayz Kreationz! Thank you for giving me some sunshine on this cloudy day in Bixby, Oklahoma! Here is a link to her blog and Etsy shop...she has some lovely jewelry and mosaics in her shop:

http://www.etsy.com/shop/KayzKreationz

http://kayzkreationz.blogspot.com/

So I'm passing on the sunshine to some people who have enlightened my heart and hopefully this will brighten their day! Here's what you have to do.
1.Put the Sunshine Award logo (of the flower) on your blog or within your post
2.Pass the award to 12 well-deserving bloggers
3.Link the nominees within your post
4.Let them know they received it by commenting on their blog
5.Share the love and link to the person from whom you received the award.
…And here are the wonderful bloggers (in no particular order) who I am passing the Sunshine Award to:

504 Main
Gerber Days
Waterstone Jewelry
Going Green in 2010
Victorian Inspired Arts & Crafts From Etsy!
Bungaloe Handbags
Post Grad Hair Cut
Tyler Handmade
Lithuanian Egg Art
Slow Lane Notes
Knit Matters
Nicole’s Homemade Treats

Sunday, April 18, 2010

Surprise Blog Feature - Knit Matters Giving Some Love!



Knit Matters: Hand Knitted Items and Quality Yarns has graciously surprised me with a blog feature...I just noticed it and it was posted on March 28th! Regardless, of missing this post's "debut"; it is still a fabulous feature with lots of other earth-friendly creations featured...the post is titled "Breath of Fresh Air" which is the feeling of relief and comfort I get from recycling and creating something beautiful! Thank you Knit Matters!

http://knitmatters.blogspot.com/2010/03/breath-of-fresh-air.html

Saturday, April 17, 2010

Polly Cook: An Intriguing and Influential Artist


A Polly Cook print my sister has displayed on her fireplace mantel in her living room.

Being raised by our very hip and artsy grandmother (known to my sister, Andrea, and I as “Nana”), she and our grandfather would take us on summer trips to Hot Springs, Arkansas; a not too far away destination (from our hometown near Tulsa, Oklahoma) and getaway to satisfy our craving for Victorian-style bed and breakfasts, fine dining and chocolate crème brulées, and our favorite Gallery Walk. On the first Friday of every month, the art shops of downtown Hot Springs host a “Gallery Walk” where art lovers can mingle, have wine and cheese (as young girls, Andrea and I drank grape juice), and enjoy gazing at the one-of-a-kind works of art!


The stunning Polly Cook print I have hanging in my bathroom.

On one trip, we had the pleasure of meeting our favorite artist from California, Polly Cook, who makes feminine, Picasso-esque oil paintings and sculptures that are breathtaking. Like me, Polly also has a shop on Etsy! I think my love for art at a young age intrigued me to find my inner artist; thus I began creating my own unique creations!


The very romantic Polly Cook print my sister, Andrea, has sitting on her nightstand in her guest bedroom.

For our Nana's birthday last September, I purchased a hand-crafted necklace from Polly Cook's Etsy shop that Andrea and I added to her birthday gift; it perfectly portrayed our grandmother and expressed the most beautiful positive affirmation that we wanted her to remember and hold close to her heart. The necklace pendant was painted by Polly Cook and it features a blonde lady wearing a sun hat by the sea and on the back of the pendant, scratched into glaze, it reads: "I am a radiant being, filled with light & Love".




This is a Polly Cook print that I have displayed in Joe's and my bedroom...Andrea and I purchased this one when we were young; it reminds of of our mother, Vicki.


This is one of my favorite Polly Cook prints that I have (I find it to be a fascinating and unique piece of my small Polly Cook collection)...I have it hanging in my bathroom.

Please check out Polly Cook's beautiful creations in her Etsy shop; she paints on canvas and also makes breath-taking sculptures: vases, jewelry boxes, trays, necklace pendants, more!

http://www.etsy.com/shop/pollycook



This is a Polly Cook print that Andrea gave me as a birthday card this year (April 2nd)...she is so thoughtful! I am going to hang it up soon! :-D