Apple Cider Vinegar Tonic

Yesterday I posted about my nightly routine of taking a shot of a garlic shooter.  My road to healthy restorative continues with my morning routine of an apple cider vinegar tonic.  Apple Cider Vinegar acts as a body cleanser.  When taken internally it detoxifies, brings mental clarity, helps with premature aging, skin health, hair loss, blood purificiation...and much more! 

So I take two teaspoons of raw apple cider vinegar (must be raw & organic) and pour in eight ounces of purified water.  Add a little bit of raw honey to taste and 1/8-1/4 tsp of cayenne pepper (organic--must be 40,000 heat units).  Stir and drink.  It definitely wakes me up!

Favorite Things: Nail Polish Strips

Not the greatest image, but on my way out to pick up my kids from school I had to take a picture of my Day 6 nail polish strips.  Still going strong with all the abuse they've been getting.  They are Sally Hansen Salon Effects and I absolutely love them!  Wish they had a little more basic colors, but you know I will definitely be trying out the Misbehaved next.

Garlic Shooters

I've been on a crazy health kick lately.  Well, honestly I'm always doing something that is a little usual when it comes to dealing with my body and health...but always in a good way.  I recently just finished nursing my baby (sniff, sniff) and have been trying to get my body back on a healthy track--regular periods, replacement of lost vitamins,etc.  When I nurse I lose my hair...I have brittle nails...my hormones are always a little whacked...I break out.  You get the idea.  Only for a good cause.  So, I'm going to share some of these health routines I do this week that seem to be doing the trick. 

The first one is garlic shooters.  Every night right before bed, I take a garlic shooter (yes, stinky breath that my hubby doesn't like...sorry babe).  Garlic is one of earth's healers.  It prevents cancer, blood cleanser, healthy digestive tract, increases energy and strength throughout the body, strengthens metabolism and immune system.  I use fresh garlic whenever my children are sick and have been able to fight ear infections and colds.  And that's just the tip of the iceberg of garlic's health benefits.  Anyway, here's the recipe for garlic shooter which is from Gilroy Garlic Festival Cook Book. 

Fresh squeezed juice of 1/2 lemon (1-2 tablespoon)
1-2 tablespoon water
1 clove garlic, crushed

Put lemon juice and water into a cup.  Add freshly crushed garlic clove.  Immediately swirl cup to achieve a circling motion and drink in one gulp.  The 'shooter' experience may be followed by an immediate feeling of rejuvenation called the 'shooter rush'.

  

My Girl

Happy Birthday to my baby!  My wish is for you to stop growing, never leave my nest, continue to stay sweet and innocent and so full of your contagious happy attitude.

Stella at her birthday party this weekend



Wedding in the Garden

It was a perfect day to have a wedding in the garden.  Not just any garden, but the Minneapolis Sculpture Garden which is known for the famous sculpture of a cherry and a spoon.  We were so excited that my brother-in-law Eric and Anita finally tied the knot.  The ceremony was sweet and personal.  I've come to accept that it's a given that I'll shed a tear or two at weddings.  They had the biggest smiles on their faces the whole entire night.  I'm so excited to have Anita be apart of the family.  She was so sweet to my kids, and at HER wedding she offered to watch Jackson for me so I could change Chloe's diaper.  Only knowing her for a few hours, I knew right then and there why Eric was so head over heels for her.  No I didn't take her up on her offer, but I could tell she's always thinking of others before herself.  Stella was the flower girl and Lucas the ring bearer.  They were really excited to participate and felt really special.

    

Favorite Things

These candle tins have the best scent and will fill any room with sweet fragrance.

Fembot on the Red Carpet

I feel honored that the beautiful and most-inspirational Amy Purdy wore my Idalis necklace on the red carpet.  Amy is a double leg amputee who continues to excel at everything she does.  She is a competitive snowboarder, spokesperson, skater, wakeboarder, actress, model.  She started Adaptive Action Sports and just won her 3rd world cup gold medal in snowboarding.

Gifts in a Jar

These days, the classic Mason jars aren't only used for bottling up fruit, jam or grandma's favorite soup.  I've seen them used at weddings, birthday parties, restaurants and for many different homemade gift ideas.  Here are a few of my favorite gifts in a jar:

cupcakes in a jar with wooden spoon

Sewing kit in a jar

Ice cream kit in a jar 

Memories in a jar

Flowers in a jar

Homemade granola in a jar



Cosmopolitan Hotel

The uber-haute Cosmopolitan Hotel, located right in the center of the Las Vegas strip, is not your typical Vegas hotel.  Not overly large, the interior style is modern but elegantly chic with numerous chandelier crystal swags hanging from high ceilings.   The hotel attracts a much younger crowd; so instead of being greeted with slot machines right when you enter the doors, you are greeted with a party-hopping nightclub. Their lineup of concerts are pretty good--Adele and Death Cub for Cutie were both playing to sold-out shows the weekend I was there in Vegas.  Anyway, I had to check out the hotel since I heard so much rave about it.  My girlfriend Ashley and I had fun with a mini-photoshoot.  Ashley was my beautiful model.

Frye

This season I want to get me some Frye boots.  They've been on my "want" list for quite some time and I just haven't been able to scrape together enough money to buy a pair.  I love how their boots have a weathered vintage look with antique brass trimmings.  Here are a few I have my eyes set on:

Billy

Taylor

Melissa 

Woo Hoo

Owl fever is still going strong in my opinion.  In the last week, I've seen three different owl motifs that I've wanted to snatch up and have in my home.  Are owls a seasonal thing?  Perhaps it just the upcoming fall season that has owls popping up.

1. Pallas Necklace

2. Owl butter dish

3. Owl wallpaper

4. Owl measuring cups 

5.Girls' cool Owl tee

6.Wise 'ol owl print

7.Sleepy Hollow pencil cup

8.Stuffed Owl pillow

9. Victor the Owl print

Playing Catch Up

Today I've been playing catch up on my life and have been doing all the not-so-fun things you have to do when you get home from a trip--bills, laundry, putting away luggage.  I've also been also catching up on orders placed while I was away, which reminded me of my newest sister-in-law who ordered the Tamsin necklace for her bridesmaids.  We tweaked the style a bit and she wanted it in silver.  I think the necklaces were a lovely compliment to the dusty rose bridesmaid's dresses.

Summer Travels

I've been missing from my computer for most of last month.  We have been traveling all around the West Coast.  Seven hotels, two rental cars, three airplane flights, one sick baby and three wired off-scheduled children--we have gone to Las Vegas, Salt Lake City, Yellowstone back to Salt Lake City and now Minneapolis.  And during my absence my house got hit by a minor earthquake and a hurricane.  Niiice.  But all is well!  I hope to be able to share some of my pictures when I fully get home.  My shop will re-open the Tuesday after Labor Day and I hope to be back to blogging sometime next week (after first day of school and one of my besties coming into town!).

Here we are after hiking up Mt. Washburn in Yellowstone.  Such a beautiful view!