It is time to up the ante on your favor ideas, and this cute little favor is just the thing to do it! Let everyone know that you hit the jackpot with these gumball slot machine favors. The favors are personalized with your name and wedding date to give them an extra special touch. These would be perfect for a Vegas themed wedding, shower, or bachelorette party! The slot machines are fully functional and are sure to be a hit with everyone, even the kids!
Dress up your traditional chocolate covered strawberries for the wedding occasion. These cute little strawberries could cost you four dollars each if you bought them pre-made but now you can get them at a faction of the price! Make these ahead of time and serve them at your bridal shower, rehearsal dinner, or even the wedding!
SERVINGS: 18
TIME: Prep: 1 hour + chilling
Ingredients:
18 medium fresh strawberries with stems
1 cup vanilla or white chips
3-1/2 teaspoons shortening, divided
1-1/3 cups semisweet chocolate chips
Directions:
Line a tray or baking sheet with waxed paper; set aside. Wash strawberries and pat until completely dry.
In a microwave-safe bowl, melt vanilla chips and 1-1/2 teaspoons shortening at 70% power; stir until smooth. Dip each strawberry until two-thirds is coated, forming the tuxedo shirt, allowing excess to drip off. Place on prepared tray; chill for 30 minutes or until set.
Melt chocolate chips and remaining shortening. To form the tuxedo jacket, dip each side of berry into chocolate from the tip of the strawberry to the top of vanilla coating. Repeat on the other side, leaving a white V-shape in the center. Set remaining chocolate aside. Chill berries for 30 minutes or until set.
Remelt reserved chocolate if necessary. Using melted chocolate and a round pastry tip #2, pipe a bow tie at the top of the white V and three buttons down front of shirt. Chill for 30 minutes or until set. Store in the refrigerator in a covered plastic container for up to 1 day. Yield: 1-1/2 dozen.
Would you like to indulge in a spa treatment, but don’t want to pay the prices at the salon? Well now you can, thanks to the Spa Index Website. This site gives you homemade recipes for facial masks, foot scrubs, body scrub, and much more. Mix up a few of these little beauties and invite your bridesmaids over for a before the wedding spa day. Our favorite recipes are listed below, but check out the site and find something that fits your personal needs.http://www.spaindex.com/HomeSpa/HomeSpa.htm
Frozen Egg & Honey Facial Mask
Recommended for dry skin
1 egg
1/2 cup coconut oil, melted (but not hot)
1 tbs. honey
Step 1: Beat the egg in a small bowl until frothy and well-mixed. Slowly add the liquid coconut oil and honey, beating until your mask is the consistency of mayonnaise.
Step 2: Take an empty toilet tissue roll and set it up right in a clean bowl. Spoon mixture into the cardboard toilet paper roll (or consider using an empty deodorant container). Place tube, in the bowl, in the freezer overnight.
Step 3: To use, peel away just the top 1/4 inch of the cardboard roll and smooth the frozen stick over your face (think of it as a push up pop). Leave your mask on for 5 to 10 minutes, then rinse off with warm water. Return the cream stick covered with plastic wrap to freezer between uses. Particularly soothing on a sunburn. Keeps indefinitely.
This decadent mask is actually an excellent moisturizer — it leaves your skin baby soft. Recommended for normal skin.
1/3 cup cocoa
3 tbsp. heavy cream
2 tsp. cottage cheese
¼ cup honey
3 tsp. oatmeal powder
Mix all ingredients together and smooth onto face. Relax for 10 minutes, then wash off with warm water.
Strip it Off! Pore Cleaning Strips
This recipe makes a pore cleaning “strip” which works just like those sold in popular drugstores.
1 T Knox unflavored gelatin
1-1/2 T milk
Mix two ingredients and microwave for 10 seconds to slightly warm. Using a clean cosmetic brush, apply to nose and chin area. Avoid delicate eye area. Rinse brush immediately. Allow mixture on nose and chin to dry for 10-15 minutes. Mixture will dry quite stiff and form a “stiff film.” Peel off the film and stare at all the little porcupine quills that used to be in your nose pores (one of the chief entertainment factors with B’Strips!).
END OF SUMMER ALMOND BODY SCRUB
As the end of the summer season approaches, many of us are sporting that attractive tell-tale sign of fun in the sun: Peeling skin.
Spa Index has an excellent recipe for an Almond Body Scrub to gently and thoroughly exfoliate the top layer of dead skin cells. Body scrubs feel wonderful and relieve the itch of flaking skin.
2/3 cup ground almonds
1/3 cup oatmeal
Plain yogurt, milk, or buttermilk, sufficient to make a paste
Essential Oils for scent (optional)
Combine the dry ingredients in a blender or food processor until they are reduced to a coarse meal. Keep this “scrub base” in a glass jar with a screw top in your refrigerator until ready to use. When you want to use the scrub base, scoop out 1/4 cup into a small bowl, and stir in enough of the liquid ingredients (vary it by what you have on hand — yogurt and milk are best, but water works) to make a paste. Yogurt and milk are natural exfoliates known as alpha hydroxy acids, and they will slough off dead skin cells even without the scrub. Scoop up the paste with your hands or a washcloth, and rub over your body to exfoliate peeling skin. Rinse thoroughly.
Beach Sand Foot Scrub
2 Tablespoons Canola oil
2 Tablespoons dry beach sand
3-5 drops rosemary oil
The next time you decide to spend the day at the beach, take advantage of the “on location foot treatment.” Brazilians are known for scrubbing their entire bodies, particularly the feet, deep into the sand while they relax on the beach. When going to the beach, take a small vial of ingredients with you: 2 tablespoons of canola oil (or use your suntan oil!), and, a small vial of rosemary oil — or premix and take one vial. Once at the beach, use an empty container (a soda cup is fine) to mix the ingredients together. Mix into a paste. Massage sand scrub onto feet (and elbows), concentrating especially on problem areas. Rinse off in the foamy waves, pat dry with your beach towel.
AROMATIC MILK BATH
Use this mixed concoction immediately after making it, for soft and silky skin.
1 egg
1/2 cup light olive oil
1 tablespoon glycerin
1/2 cup dried milk powder
1 drop jasmine essential oil
1 drop rose essential oil
6 drops lavender essential oil
2 cups distilled water
Beat together egg, olive oil, glycerin and milk powder with a whisk or hand held beater. While beating add essential oils. Continue beating until a smooth paste forms. Add the water a little at a time, continuing to beat. Immediately add to your warm drawn bath (be careful…if the water is too hot you’ll make scrambled eggs).
Nail Brightener
1 denture tablet
1 cup warm water
1-2 drops essential oil
Saturate one denture tablet with a few drops of essential oil of your choice. Drop the tablet into a small bowl of warm water. Soak fingertips 10 minutes. Do not keep mixture. Discard after use.
Overnight Foot Masque
1/4 cup Almonds
1/4 cup Dry Oatmeal
3 tablespoons food grade Cocoa Butter
2 tablespoons Honey
Process almonds in a blender or coffee grinder until finely ground. Set aside. In the same blender, pulse your oatmeal until of the same consistency. In a bowl, combine ground oatmeal, cocoa butter, honey and ground almonds. Rub into your clean feet, step into cotton socks, and leave on overnight. The next morning, remove the socks and rinse feet in cool water. Pat dry. We recommend you not remove the socks until you’re standing in the tub!
This product is for all of you cowgirls out there. This personalized cowboy hat is the newest addition to our hat collection! The pre-curved brim, distressed finish and metal eyelets update this hat giving it a worn, broken in look. Customize the band to make it unique! This would be the perfect accessory for our Save a Horse Ride a Bride shirt!
Are you looking for the perfect tee for your rehearsal dinner or bridal party? If so then we have just the thing for you! We have just released our newest addition to our line of customizable apparel. This tee is a take on the classic crew neck that you new and loved, with a fun new touch. This is great fitting tee, updated with longer length and a two-tone style detail. Personalize this tee for any of your wedding events! Design yours now!
Many of us have problems keeping our faces perfect. I know my biggest crime is sleeping in my makeup. While I know it is the worst thing you could ever do, I still do it! However, I believe it is better to know why you’re breaking out, than be totally in the dark and helpless against breakouts. So I have compiled the most vital info to help you keep your skin as flawless as possible.
Clean!
The first and most important way to get rid of pimples is to clean your face twice a day. You want to wash your face once in the morning and once in the evening with a gentle, oil- and fragrance-free cleanser; preferably a non-detergent one labeled pH balanced. Don’t scrub – irritated skin swells around the pores, which can cause breakouts. Do not wash your face more than twice a day because it can increase your oil production and can also irritate sensitive skin. Also, never sleep in makeup because this will block your pores, thus causing break outs. If your skin is oily, use soap with benzoyl peroxide or salicylic acid both of these contain drying properties which will combat oily skin.
Take Care of the Problem
Apply a topical acne treatment containing benzoyl peroxide, glycolic acid, or salicylic acid over your entire face. Don’t just spot-treat acne; put the product on all acne-prone areas. That can include your entire face (avoid the lips and eyes), back, and chest.At night, use a drying spot-treatment product and dab oil-free moisturizer on dry areas. In the morning, apply an oil-free sunscreen all over your face.
Use a Concealer
To cover blemishes, apply a concealer that is the same color as your skin tone. To do this use a small brush and dab on the problem area. Use you finger to wipe off any excess concealer around the pimple. If it looks goopy or cakey gently wipe off and start over. Next, apply a light powder that matches your skin tone.
Warnings and Tips
If you have oily skin, use a clay mask as often as every three days to absorb excess oil.
To temporarily reduce redness and swelling dab on a drop of drugstore cortisone cream, Preparation H, or Vasocon-A eye drops.
Don’t pick, press, rub, scratch, or bother your pimples in any way. If you do, you risk spreading the bacteria and increasing the chances of scarring.
Only use oil-free products on your face.
Keep yourself hydrated. Drink eight or more glasses of water a day. This will help your body eliminate toxins.
Avoid touching your face, as this just spreads bacteria
When you’re picking out engagement rings, you better be ready to show off your selection. Whether you were able to design your own engagement ring or if you purchased one, everybody at your bridal party is going to want to check out the "rock" your hubby to-be purchased for you.
No matter if you pick out a preset engagement ring or go for something custom designed, what many online retailers have come to find out is that brides want their engagement ring to be truly one of a kind. Retailers are working with their brides to get drawings or photos of exactly what they are looking for so they can have their jewelers create a customized piece.
As any engaged woman will tell you, engagement rings are always the center of attention at a bridal party function or a bridal shower. While your diamond engagement ring is bound to be a hot topic at the shower, it’s also important to remember that diamonds aren’t just for the bride anymore. Many brides are presenting their attendants with gifts of diamond jewelry or diamond studded accessories to show their admiration and appreciation for those who have helped her the most during the wedding planning process.
The process of choosing engagement rings, wedding bands and bridal party gifts are some of the most important parts of planning a wedding. There are so many options available to you and you can easily incorporate this important process into your bridal party and wedding while having a lot of fun at the same time.
With the holidays just around the corner we all want to look our best. Would you like to look ten pounds thinner instantly? I know I did, so I did some research and found the best tips around for dressing thinner. So here we go…
We have all been there, you have this utterly horrendous day, where either, your heels breaks, your bra strap breaks, or something else awful and annoying happens. Well don’t worry girls!!! I have some quick fixes so that you may avoid a wedding fiasco. So take a deep breath, get a pen and some paper, cause your going to want to take notes on this one!
1. Make-Up Stains
Make-up stains are the absolute worst! You can go from looking super chic to super sloby in about two seconds flat. You can refrain from this embarrassment by keeping baby wipes in your purse. If you are a mom like me these are very convenient! Baby wipes can be used to remove or reduce makeup stains on clothing. Plus they are handy for removing lint from clothing and dirt from shoes. They are the all in one product!
2. Run in your Hose
We have all been there, we look down and are hose is unraveling before our eyes and if we don’t stop it soon, we’ll have nothing left! I am exaggerating of course, but this is the feeling we get when we look down and see a run starting. Well, this is a super easy fix! Use clear nail polish to stop a run in its tracks. Hair spray is another good short-term solution.
3. Broken Bra Strap
Grrr… this is the most annoying of all! But luckily this is the easiest fix of them all. All you have to do is use a small safety pin to fix the broken strap, and ta-da, your bra is fixed!
4. Broken Heel
Picture this you are walking along and all of a sudden you loose your balance and almost fall flat on your face. You think what just happened? Then you look down and see that the heel of your band new Jimmy Choo’s just broke off. Do you cry? No, well maybe a little, but then you pick yourself up and super glue that baby back on! Super glue also works great if the sole of your shoe comes loose as well.
5. Loose Button or Fraying Button Threads
A loose button can quickly turn into a missing button. Here is another instance when we can use our handy dandy clear nail polish! Okay, that was probably too much enthusiasm, but hey the stuff works for everything! All you got to do is dab the top of the button with a little clear nail polish and this will prevent it from completely falling off.
6. Static Cling
Static can always pose a problem. One minute your skirt is exactly where it should be and the next it is cling to the top of your Buttocks! To prevent this embarrassing mess, you can do one of two things. First you can slide a metal hanger over your panty hose, under your skirt, pants, or blouse. The second choice, which I personally prefer is to use a fabric softener sheet.
7. Fallen hems
For a make-do hem in a hurry, use short pieces of masking tape or duct tape to fix a fallen hem. Lighting professionals and musicians usually use duct tape or gaffer’s tape for their equipment, so locating some at an event shouldn’t be tough to do. On a side note, toupee tape can also come in handy for this problem ‑- but good luck finding someone who will admit to having it on them.
8. Stuck zipper
Stuck zippers can be a real nuisance. Try rubbing a bar of soap or a wax candle onto the problem area. With a little manipulation, the zipper should come unstuck.
Are you looking to get those perfect summer abs? Doing the following exercises will get you well on your way to that coveted washboard stomach. This regiment works every portion of your stomach muscles. Leaving you with abs to die for! Do one repetition of a hundred, of each of the following exercises and you will see results in no time flat.
THE TRADITIONAL CRUNCH
1. Lay on the ground with your feet firmly on the ground and your knees in the air. Place your arms behind your head for support.
2. While keeping your stomach tight, lift your head up off the ground.
3. Lower your head back down so it almost touches the ground.
Tip: To avoid bending your neck forward and straining it, try keeping your eyes on the ceiling while doing the crunches.
THE BICYCLE CRUNCH
1. Lie on your back placing your hands behind your head for support. Lift your legs in the air so that your legs form a 90° angle.
2. Move your legs in a bicycle motion. When your left knee is closer to your body, reach your right elbow to it. When your right knee gets closer to your body, bring your left elbow to it.
THE SIDE CRUNCH
1. Lay on the floor as if you were doing regular crunches. Starting at your waist, turn your legs completely to the left side. Place your hands behind your head for support.
2. Lift your head up slightly off the ground as if you were doing a regular crunch.
3. Lower your head back down so it almost touches the ground. After desired number of reps is achieved, repeat exercise on other side.
Tip: To avoid bending your neck forward and straining it, try keeping your eyes on the ceiling while doing the crunches.
* This is great for getting rid of those love handles!
THE REVERSE CRUNCH
1. Lay on the floor with your arms supporting your neck. Keeping your legs together, bring your knees up so your legs form a 90 angle.
2. In a slow movement, bring your knees in towards your chest.
3. Move your knees away from your chest, bringing them down a little past the starting position. Do this at least 100 times a day and this will get rid of your flabby pouch to reveal the six pack that lies beneath! *This is great for getting rid of a flabby pouch.
Crunches on an Exercise Ball
1. Rest your body on the ball in a way that your neck, head, and part of your shoulders do not touch the ball. Hold your head up by placing both arms behind your head.
2. While keeping your body steady on the ball, lift your head up as if you were doing a regular crunch.
3. Lower your head back down to starting position.
Tip: To avoid bending your neck forward and straining it, try keeping your eyes on the ceiling while doing the crunches.
The Ab Reach
1. Lay on the floor with your right foot resting on your left knee.
2. Lift your shoulders and neck as if you are doing a regular crunch, however reach your left hand above and over your right foot.
3. Lower your head to just above the ground. After desired number of reps is achieved, repeat on other side.
To get the optimum results you need to incorporate cardio exercises into your exercise plan. This is because crunches can only tone the abs; it cannot get rid of the layer of fat on top of the abdominal muscles. Only way to lose the fat, is to do some form of vigorous aerobic exercise like skipping, jogging, cycling and so on for no less than 30 minutes 3-4 times a week. These exercises help increase the metabolic rate, causing your body to use up all stored forms of energy, your fat. Aerobics exercises target specific areas of body fat, while weight training increases the body’s overall metabolic rate. So in a way it enhances the action of aerobics. When you get rid of the layer of belly fat, you can start doing crunches.
