Do Your Own Growing + #MyPostMonday Link-Up

I love the whimsical holiday of St. Patrick's Day, the national Irish fest where Americans of all nationalities use it as a reason to party, make merry in the streets, and have a drink and a song together. 

The Irish came into America as poor immigrants, wanting to make better lives for themselves and willing to do back breaking labor to do so. They were treated very badly, but rose to the occasion and overcame prejudice, malnourishment, and segregation. They helped build New York City, the railroads, worked in the coal mines, the power plants, and the automobile factories. 

And with their hard work, they brought their Catholic religion, their love of beer, their love of freedom of expression, and the Irish potato. I am definitely part of this American culture, even though I have no Irish blood that I know of. 

....just like I'm part of every culture that has come to America, struggled to gain their place and contributed hard work to build the country, as well as rich culture. It must be like that with every new culture that comes. It is their way of initiation, their way of making a statement that they are determined to blend into this country as citizens. If it weren't like this, our country would cease to assimilate immigrants and would begin to spew them because it can't support those who can't or won't contribute. There is only so much resource to go around before the system crumbles.

I feel a little sad for newcomers who are coming into the country now. They aren't given the chance to prove who they are. They are given a benefit package and told to go use it. That's not ever how it was, and I feel it is actually a disservice to them. They will never be able to prove what they are made of. They will never have it said of them that they overcame great obstacle in order to assimilate into this land, THEIR land. Will they ever become loyal to the America we know? It is said that you only love what you sacrifice for. If there is no sacrifice, can there be love? 

Maybe this is a different era, maybe the newcomers will contribute in ways that I don't yet understand. Just maybe. But right now, I'm remembering how it used to be, how the Irish came, endured, worked, and conquered. And they say with surety, 'This Is My Country!' 

Today is "My Post Monday!" It's all about original content from bloggers who care to share what is on their minds--from Crafts to Camping, Wellness to Wealth, Fashion to Food, and whatever else is on the brain!  I, for one, love to explore other sites for original, non-sponsored posts, tips, pictures and videos! Sponsored posts are great and I appreciate the information from well-written and authentic sponsored posts, I write them myself! But this linky is for non-sponsored posts because they are all about what the writer thinks, believes, and knows. It's not about a specific brand and what it compensates the blogger to promote! If I happen to find a great original, non-sponsored post, I'll link it up and share it with you here and on Twitter via the #MyPostMonday hashtag!  It's like being featured!  I can miss some amazing posts, but I don't want to!  So, in addition, if you'd like to link up yourself, you can do that too!  I'll visit your site, comment, promote and publicize! Remember, any link to your posts helps your blog numbers increase! (Affiliate links OK)

Decorate Clear Dinnerware With Paint! #StPatricksDay #Easter

We've been seeing a lot of fun things being done with clear stemware and plates, so with St. Patrick's Day AND Easter coming up, we went to work. 
Old Time Pottery was kind and cooperated with us for this project, providing some of the materials for this DIY Craft!
We found the perfect clear plates and stemware at Old Time Pottery! 
Next I found a cute shamrock online! We wanted to incorporate St. Patrick's Day on one of our clear plates and make it simple and quick. It was fairly easy to transfer the printable onto a piece of cardstock and cut it out, making a simple template.

We found our acrylic, multi-surface paints and went to work! We used simple sponge brushes to fill in the shamrock and we used the back of a regular paintbrush to dip into the paint and make the dots. Alicia's turned out much better than mine, that's for sure, so we won't be showing mine today! I'll save it for my blooper edition! Just make sure you cover the shamrock with an even coat of paint and make sure the template is securely fastened down so the paint won't bleed elsewhere onto the plate.

Polka dots on the glasses and plates, and one with a simple shamrock on the side, made these plates easy yet charming! They make a great way to deliver special goodies during March.  After the painting is done, heat the oven to 350 degrees and bake for 30 minutes!

Other fun shades of green around the house and kitchen make celebrating this Irish holiday so much fun!

The tea pot and kettle can also be found at Old Time Pottery!
Mmmmm....I can just taste the Dublin Coddle I'll be makin' in my wee fryin' pan and stew pot, with some lovely tea a-boilin' in the kettle! And I'll be leavin' you with an Irish toast - "May I see you grey and combing your grandchildren's hair!"

Longer Lash And Cash #Giveaway + 40% Discount Code

           Welcome To The Longer Lash And Cash Giveaway!
                                 Open Internationally
 Have you ever thought about using one of the many lash-lengthening methods out there but haven't yet? Now is your perfect chance! Green Esthetics has created a premier lash-lengthening serum that is the best in the industry. It is natural and contains the perfect blend of vitamins, polypeptides, and proteins to foster eyelash growth that is amazing. What it won't contain is propelyne glycole, phenoxyethanol, or parabens! (Yuk!) It encourages lashes to grow longer and thicker within 4 - 6 weeks. Longer Lash is an over-the-counter product, non-prescription, and made in the U.S.
Simply swipe the wand over the base of your eyelashes morning and night after make-up has been removed. Results are shown to occur within 4 - 6 weeks. It lasts about 2 - 3 months. Read the review HERE and make sure to also visit the Green Esthetics Website to find out more! Use the Discount Code below for a 40% discount on all products plus free shipping through March 14th!

Follow Green Esthetics on Facebook and Twitter

And Now For The Giveaway!

1 winner will receive a tube of 'Longer Lash Eyelash Conditioning Growth Serum' (ARV $69.95 US), along with $20 PayPal or Visa Gift Card! Open internationally, age 21+ and one entrant per household. This is a Rafflecopter Giveaway and winner will be selected through random draw! Also, many thanks to the great bloggers participating in this giveaway! For more information about this giveaway, please refer to disclaimer on the Rafflecopter Form.

a Rafflecopter giveaway

Learning From Yesterdays + #MyPostMonday Link-Up

When I think back to my childhood, I can't say that it was fraught with hardships. It wasn't....not really. My mom wasn't well, though. She had a childhood disease that left her unable to handle any kind of stress without totally losing it, starting with tremors. Combine that with her OCD-like perfectionism and the fact that I was the eldest child, the most precocious of the lot of 4, and let's just say she won and I lost. Many times. My dad was gone most of the time. We lived with my grandmother and sometimes I could rely on her to deflect my mom when she went off the reservation. Those times were really traumatic for me because she was mean to me, as she stated in later years. I was left confused, sad, and felt like I was a terrible child for making my mom get so upset that she would completely lose it. After the episodes, she would inevitably come and apologize and I would collapse, sobbing, as she hugged me. I just wanted her to love me.
Other than that, I remember some really great times. Especially when my dad was involved. Summers on my cousins' ranch in Montana, trips to buffet restaurants, riding bikes to the local swimming pool, playing on my girls softball team, playing in piano recitals, violin recitals, and doing dance recitals. 
But I just couldn't handle my junior high years. I would ditch school like my life depended on it. I flunked out of at least 1 full year of Jr. High, starting in the middle of 7th grade and continuing into my 8th grade year. Finally my mom sent me to Lodi Academy, a private school, where I developed my love of music. I couldn't very well ditch school because Lodi was not the town where I lived. I couldn't just leave campus and go hide out at the local library, or go to my piano teacher's house and ask her to let me hang out there, or sneak into my bedroom and hide under my bed while my mom was home in another area of the house. 

It was there that I learned that I could function at school, learn new things, and that I was an awesome person. It was there that I learned to sing in a choir. We actually did a full performance of the 'Messiah', which I love to this day. So, in the end, it was my mom who saved me by sending me to this wonderful private school, run by Seventh-Day Adventists. She sacrificed money that should have been spent on my other siblings, who didn't go to private school. She felt partially to blame for my insecurities, I suppose. Finally, after two years, I decided on my own that I was ready to go to a public high school and said my good-byes to Lodi. My mom and I became very close over the years. She's gone now, her heart was damaged from that early illness, and she left us too soon. I remember all the good she did and her determination to see her children do well and be good people. I think she succeeded in that goal.

I learned a lot from those days. I learned that people aren't perfect but it doesn't mean you can't forgive them and love them anyway. I learned that sometimes we need a chance to heal and it can mean doing hard things that we don't necessarily want to do. I hope that you can look at your yesterdays and learn something from them too!

Image - Robert Vosper

Today is "My Post Monday!" It's all about original content from bloggers who care to share what is on their minds--from Crafts to Camping, Wellness to Wealth, Fashion to Food, and whatever else is on the brain!  I  open up with a post of my own and then follow it up with a linky of the week's top original blog posts! It's all about what the writer thinks, believes, and knows--in other words, they are active, writing blogs. If I happen to find a great original, non-sponsored post, I'll link it up and share it with you here and on Twitter via the #MyPostMonday hashtag!  I can miss some amazing posts, but I don't want to!  So, in addition, if you'd like to link up yourself, you can do that too!  I'll visit your site, comment, promote and publicize! (Affiliate links welcome!)

A Special Group Of Eco-Positive Clothing

When I first experienced clothing made by artisans who use the most natural and eco-positive methods to produce their wares, I was in heaven. The feel of an alpaca wool sweater made in Peru is like nothing else! The art that local Peruvians use to make their alpaca and other kinds of clothing has been handed down for generations and is preserved in families and communities. That is why, in my opinion, we need to have textiles made in a fair-trade environment, supported by a company that ensures fairness for both producer and buyer. In that way, one can experience the luxury of exotic materials without wondering at what sacrifice this indulgence may have been produced.

I was provided product for review purposes. All opinions are 100% my own and are not swayed by sponsor affiliation. Affiliate links may be used to support this site!

 Novica is known for its beautiful and unique gifts for everyone! And now they have a new clothing line called Indigenous, a group of supremely comfortable, attractive tops, scarves, and cardigans for men and women that are made for years of comfortable wear. The colors are natural, using no artificial dyes. The fibers are undyed, 100% organic cotton yarn. You know these pieces must be pretty special for Novica to make a special brand for them!

You can find these special wearable pieces showcased in the last minute gifts section, with over 7170 other unique items to choose from as well or you can search 'Indigenous' on the website search bar. 

I received the 'Eco Cognac Luxe' Tunic in a wonderful shade of warm brown. It is such a great shade and feels so soft and natural! I feel like I could be part of a world "covered in a cobbler crust of brown sugar and cinnamon*" when I wear it. Nature, as it turns out, is usually the most beautiful and satisfying of elements, whether it be the clothing on your back or the food that you eat, or the roof that you sleep under. I can see myself wearing this top forever, never tiring of its comfort.

I wore it to school, to a conference, and lounged in it around the house. In all 3 of these situations, the top is perfect. It is not tight-fitting, but it is very flattering and comfortable. To keep the integrity of the shape and consistency, wash by hand and let it air dry flat. 

These tops would be a very unique and thoughtful gift for someone special in your life! Likewise, they would make the perfect reward for yourself after you have accomplished a personal goal or have gone through a hard time.What better way to affirm to someone that they're worth it?
*Sarah Addison Allen 

Naturally Beautiful Eyelashes With Green Esthetics Longer Lash Serum + 40% Discount Code

She was in my 5th grade class, far too young to be worrying about mascara or false eyelashes. Every time she looked down, her eyelashes shadowed her cheekbones. When she looked sideways, her lashes were outlined in her silhouette. Her eyelashes were so long and I was immensely fascinated! I wondered how I might get my eyelashes that long! 
(This post was facilitated by Green Esthetics and I was provided product for review purposes! All opinions are my own! This post may contain affiliate links.)
 It wasn't until at least 2 more years that I found out about mascara and the lengthening effects it has on lashes. What in the world would women do without mascara? They would most likely have longer lashes! What a paradox! The thing that magnifies our lash length can ultimately dry them out and cause breakage! I know that is what happened over time to me! My eyelashes started to break off and at one point I barely had any!

Most people don't have naturally long eyelashes (myself included), but there are plenty of ways to get long lashes besides mascara. One popular trick these days is to get extensions. The advantage of extensions is that you can choose the length and thickness you want and you don't need to rely on mascara...until the extensions wear off. If one isn't careful, you might end up with lashes that look like the fringe on a rug! I've seen some really unattractive and unnatural looking extensions! Really not a good look. Why would you want overly long, thick, dark eyelashes that could possibly age you? There is such a thing as too much! A nice, natural look is the best! Another drawback to extensions, for me personally, is that I don't like sitting or laying for 2 hours with someone hovering over me applying individual eyelashes. It seems so tedious! And the cost is pretty steep! Regular maintenance is required---more tediousness! Not to mention the risk of infection or allergic reaction!

What I CAN settle for is an all-natural eyelash growth serum that gets results. I was given the opportunity to try Longer Lash by Green Esthetics. I love it. By putting it on twice daily, once before bed and once before putting on make-up in the morning, you can stimulate the natural growth of your eyelashes. 

Longer Lash contains the most natural ingredients in the most optimal formulation, making lash growth almost inevitable! Some of the more familiar ingredients include emu oil, argon oil, castor oil, and copper peptide. But there are also natural growth stimulants, vitamins, and proteins. These are all designed and proven to stimulate natural lash growth. It doesn't contain potentially harmful ingredients such as propelyne glycol, phenoxyethanol, or parabens.

My husband was my photographer, with only a little arm twisting. I know you want to see all the eye photos we took, but let's just leave it at a few! 

 One of the things I was a bit nervous about was eye color change. I have heard that some eyelash growth serums actually change eye color if it is blue. I asked about it and was told that this is only for the prescription serums, with chemicals. I was very pleased with my results and while I still feel like I need to wear mascara, my lashes look so much fuller and thicker. I used the formula for about 4 weeks (best results are between 2 - 3 months of consistent use) and I still have 3/4 of the tube left, which shows that it goes a long way. Basically the cost is about .40/day, much less than eyelash extensions, which average about $3.50/day and maintenance every 2 - 3 weeks! It all boils down to your patience and your desire to have natural vs. false lashes! What is your personal preference to get longer lashes? Extensions, mascara only, or serums? Any other ways you know of?
 You can read more about specific questions about 'Longer Lash' lengthening serum on their website!

Before and After (At 4 Weeks so far)

Discount Code: If you have made it to this point, you obviously are at least a little bit interested, thank you! Let me make it a little bit more worth your time. You will receive 40% off Longer Lash or any products at Green Esthetics, + free shipping if you use this code at check out: GALNEEDS40 Good thru March 14.

To See All The Possibilities + #MyPostMonday

I don't have even 15 minutes to get this post, My Post, out this evening. But even in this short amount of time, I am seeing that there are so many ways to make obstacles become stepping stones, problems become possibilities, and turn adversity into advantage. Just because I don't understand everything there is to understand about something, doesn't mean that I need to give up. It doesn't mean that just because I missed the Grammy's tonight, I can't find out what happened. I heard that neither Carrie Underwood nor Adele were quite on their A games. That's OK, I love both those ladies and I'm sure that we'll all forgive them for not having a stellar night. Apparently even Taylor Swift came up on the losing end of the fashion police vote. She got a worst dressed award, yet made history for best Album of the Year! Yikes! If they can do it, I certainly as heck can do it too. And I don't need to feel like I have anything to be ashamed of, either. Just buck up, be myself, make some mistakes, and move on! Turn that into fodder for the history books! At least it won't be boring!

Image by Ed Whitmore

Today is "My Post Monday!" It's all about original content from bloggers who care to share what is on their minds--from Crafts to Camping, Wellness to Wealth, Fashion to Food, and whatever else is on the brain!  I, for one, love to explore other sites for original, non-sponsored posts, tips, pictures and videos! Sponsored posts are great and I appreciate the information from well-written and authentic sponsored posts, I write them myself! But this linky is for non-sponsored posts because they are all about what the writer thinks, believes, and knows. It's not about a specific brand and what it compensates the blogger to promote! If I happen to find a great original, non-sponsored post, I'll link it up and share it with you here and on Twitter via the #MyPostMonday hashtag!  It's like being featured!  I can miss some amazing posts, but I don't want to!  So, in addition, if you'd like to link up yourself, you can do that too!  I'll visit your site, comment, promote and publicize! Remember, any link to your posts helps your blog numbers increase! (Affiliate links OK) 

 

Cheerfulness + #MyPostMonday

If I were more cheerful in the morning, I'm sure my days would be better. It seems that members of my household have different periods of the day where we have better outlooks than other times. Speaking of myself, I am not a morning person, I need a chance to wake up and get moving. That's not the case for my husband. As a matter of fact, if I want to approach him when he's in a good mood, I should do it in the morning, when he first wakes up! Sometimes it's just annoying to see him so cheery. I just can't match his perpetual good mood. I feel sorry about it, because he seems so disheartened when I can't come up to his level. I remind him, though, that if he leaves me alone for a moment, I can generally come closer to his level as the morning progresses.

I have two friends who work together. One of them can't stomach the other one. The reason is because my other friend is too cheerful. What a reason to dislike someone! But people who are cheerful, really do tend to bother more morose individuals.

But who is to blame? The cheerful person or the grump? Let's get this straight. The cheerful person is going to be happier overall AND healthier every time! The sooner us grumps realize that, the better off we'll be. 

Basically, I need to start coming up to the mark and becoming more cheerful in the morning. Sometimes I think we make an excuse to be grumpy when things aren't perfect. That isn't the case.  One of the measures of living greatly is facing disappointment with cheerfulness. That means that if your Super Bowl team lost, you still need to be cheerful! No more doom and gloom, Panther fan!

Let's address the elephant in the room and stop making excuses for the grumps in the world. Cheerfulness is where it's at. Being an Eeyore isn't cute like on Winnie the Pooh, it's something to learn to get over. That being said, I now have to practice what I preach tomorrow morning as I get along on way less sleep than what I wanted!!

Image - Raeda Bawadi

Today is "My Post Monday!" It's all about original content from bloggers who care to share what is on their minds--from Crafts to Camping, Wellness to Wealth, Fashion to Food, and whatever else is on the brain!  I, for one, love to explore other sites for original, non-sponsored posts, tips, pictures and videos! Sponsored posts are great and I appreciate the information from well-written and authentic sponsored posts, I write them myself! But this linky is for non-sponsored posts because they are all about what the writer thinks, believes, and knows. It's not about a specific brand and what it compensates the blogger to promote! If I happen to find a great original, non-sponsored post, I'll link it up and share it with you here and on Twitter via the #MyPostMonday hashtag!  It's like being featured!  I can miss some amazing posts, but I don't want to!  So, in addition, if you'd like to link up yourself, you can do that too!  I'll visit your site, comment, promote and publicize! Remember, any link to your posts helps your blog numbers increase! (Affiliate links OK) 

Facts About Heart Disease In Women

Yesterday was National Heart Awareness Day For Women or #GoRed sponsored by the National Heart Association! All day we saw women and men dressed in red! What a great excuse to #GoRed for such a great cause! It is a very important thing to be aware of, since 1 in 3 women die of heart disease or stroke and it is 80% preventable.

Since that is such a staggering figure, one needs to ask why has it been so hard to prevent thus far? One of the major things that has emerged, thanks to some very influential women, is that women are different than men, therefore studies need to be done on women for women, instead of the opposite. Previous to this, men had been the majority of test subjects for heart disease for women.
For example, the 1982 Multiple Risk Factor Intervention Trial, one of the first to establish a link between cholesterol and heart disease, involved 12,866 men and no women; the 1995 Physicians’ Health Study, which found aspirin to reduce the risk of heart attack, involved 22,071 men and, again, no women.

This has slowly begun to change thanks to strong and influential advocates like Barbara Streisand, who came out strongly about the above discrepancy and has been a major player and advocate in the women & heart disease discussion. The Barbara Streisand Women's Heart Center is playing a leading role in identifying female pattern heart disease, developing new diagnostic tools, and advancing specialized care for women. It's director, C. Noel Bairey Mertz, MD states, "We are just at the beginning of understanding the difference between the sexes when it comes to heart disease."

We do know that symptoms for heart attacks in women include the following:
1. Uncomfortable pressure, squeezing, fullness or pain in the center of the chest. It lasts more than a few minutes, or goes away and then comes back.
2. Shortness of breath, with or without chest discomfort.
3. Pain or discomfort in one or both arms, the back, neck, jaw, or stomach.
4. Other signs such as breaking out into a cold sweat, nausea, or lightheadedness.
5. As with men, a woman's most common heart attack symptom is chest pain or discomfort. But women are more likely than men to experience some of the other more common symptoms such as shortness of breath, nausea/vomiting and back or jaw pain.

Do these symptoms smack of other common diagnosis'? Actually, they do. What about an anxiety attack? The flu? Very similar symptoms occur with those. But I would say err on the side of caution. If you are experiencing at least 2 of these symptoms, you need to be alert to the implications and see a doctor as soon as possible.

If you would like to learn more about this too silent of a killer, there are excellent books now being published on the subject that include prevention strategies, as well as early detection methods. I hope that by writing this non-sponsored post, that I will help just one woman live the life she was meant to live and not leave us prematurely!

I received no compensation to write this post. Affiliate links may be used to help support this site. All opinions are 100% my own and are not swayed by sponsor affiliation!

Courage In The Face Of Challenge + #MyPostMonday

I love a good movie. I love an inspiring movie. What makes a movie good? I think that for most people, there needs to be a main character that has an element of courage in the face of danger or hard times. It is the possession of a certain rare quality that most of us don't have--courage, that makes a character in a movie worth watching. I've realized that I am a history buff and a reality show fan. I don't have the time to watch many shows at any given time, so I do try to choose things that are more worthwhile, or really funny! The most recent historical docudrama I watched was 'Joan Of Arc'. I wanted to watch the beautifully done show because I had heard the main points about her--that she was a young French woman who led an army in defense of her country, but was later killed. I really didn't know much more. After watching the docudrama, I am in awe of her. She most certainly saved the country of France! Without her, we wouldn't have France as we know it. We'd have another British country. Joan had to single-handedly convince the reluctant heir to the throne to make a very hard march through British invaded territory to Reims for his coronation. She inspired the soldiers to be better soldiers and men. They won battles that weren't theirs to win. Alas, when she had accomplished her mission she was handed over to a pro-British Bishop who succeeded in burning her at the stake at only 19 years of age. As she burned, she was heard to cry out to Jesus to save her. She was dignified until the end. I can't even imagine doing anything like that. I think of her when I get into a very hot shower and am shocked by the hot water pouring over me. I have the luxury of turning down the heat. She didn't. You can see the full story here.

Joan of Arc teaches me that one of the elements needed to live a truly great life is courage, something I'm still working on and I'll wager many of us are! 

Image by Jolie Gordon

Today is "My Post Monday!" It's all about original content from bloggers who care to share what is on their minds--from Crafts to Camping, Wellness to Wealth, Fashion to Food, and whatever else is on the brain!  I, for one, love to explore other sites for original, non-sponsored posts, tips, pictures and videos! Sponsored posts are great and I appreciate the information from well-written and authentic sponsored posts, I write them myself! But this linky is for non-sponsored posts because they are all about what the writer thinks, believes, and knows. It's not about a specific brand and what it compensates the blogger to promote! If I happen to find a great original, non-sponsored post, I'll link it up and share it with you here and on Twitter via the #MyPostMonday hashtag!  It's like being featured!  I can miss some amazing posts, but I don't want to!  So, in addition, if you'd like to link up yourself, you can do that too!  I'll visit your site, comment, promote and publicize! Remember, any link to your posts helps your blog numbers increase! (Affiliate links OK) 

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