Friday, October 5, 2012

# 9: Thanksgiving Centerpiece

Last year we had a big Thanksgiving meal for our friends and are planning on doing it again this year.  When I saw this Martha Stewart pin, I knew I wanted to make it for my centerpiece.  Last week the dried wheat was half price at Hobby Lobby, so I picked it up to re-create this pin.

The pin: 



Directions:

Martha describes it as a bouquet of dried grains and grasses, but the pin does not include any instructions on how to recreate it.

 

My Twist:

It's on the dining room mantle and not the table right now because the cat kept chewing on it...
I didn't see any similar looking dried grains or grasses, so I just picked up 4 bundles of dried wheat.  I trimmed the stalks to the desired length (about half), twisted the stalks so that they fanned out and had a friend hold it. I used floral wire to tightly bind all the stalks and then added a ribbon (actually the hunter green ribbon from Williams Sonoma packages). 

With them half price, the centerpiece cost $12 and took about 20 minutes to make.

Verdict:

I like it, but it was close to being a fail.  The key that we discovered was when you twist the stalks, be sure to twist and tie the floral wire higher up on the stalks.  We were trying to tie it at the middle, and it kept falling over or not staying fanned. 

I will also be on the look out for pretty dried grasses and grains to incorporate into it to truly recreate that Martha look before my Thanksgiving meal.

Posted by Lauren at 2:02 PM 2 comments
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Tuesday, October 2, 2012

#7 & #8: Bye-Bye, Blackheads

The other day, I noticed a small blackhead.  It quickly multipled, and I began noticing several more. It was followed by a little uneven coloring, and some slightly blotchy spots.

Clearly, my Clarasonic alone isn't cutting it anymore, so I decided to hit Pinterest for a good blackhead removing remedy (er, two).  I tried both of these last night, and I couldn't distinguish between the results this morning, so I will review them together.


Directions for Milk and Nutmeg Microdermabrasion Mask:

Combine a milk (or any product containing lactic acid such as sour cream, buttermilk, etc.) with nutmeg (or an scrubbing exfoliant, like sugar, pepper, salt) until it forms a slightly-runny paste. Start with a clean face, rinse with water, and begin rubbing the paste on your face in light, circular motions for 3-5 minutes.  Do not rub too harshly, or it can damage your skin.  Rinse completely.

My Twist:

I made my paste first with milk and nutmeg, and then for good measure threw in a dab of sour cream and a hint of ground pepper. 


Directions for Egg White Blackhead Strips:

Spread a thin layer of egg whites on your face where you want to remove the blackheads.  Separate a tissue so you only have one layer, and cut/tear it into the size strips you would like.  Cover the egg white on your face with the strips, and apply another layer of egg white over each strip.  Allow your strips to harden (about 15-20 minutes), and then remove.

My Twist:

She recommended doing this for your entire face, but I focused on just my chin and nose.

Verdict:

The milk/nutmeg concoction really worked wonders, and my entire face feels incredibly soft.  I didn't notice anything too dramatic on the egg strips, but my blackheads seem much less noticeable to me this morning.  I think, if nothing else, the egg whites were moisturizing.  I purposely didn't use my moisturizing cream last night on anything but my eyes, and typically my face would be a giant flake if I don't use it.  But, this morning my skin felt very soft, radiant and more even-toned.  I definitely want to try to do both of these at least once a week.
Posted by Lauren at 10:25 AM 2 comments
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