One thing about choosing simplicity is by doing so you are focusing your attention on only allowing those things into your life that are of your choosing. One of these things is the furnishings of your home. Some people will choose more austere surroundings and others desire a more full home.
Whatever your desires, make sure that the things you choose are of high quality.  High quality furniture is an investment that you will appreciate for years to come. This furniture happens to come from Italy, Germany, Spain and Belgium and is guaranteed to be authentic. It may mean more of a financial outlay in the beginning, but this is an investment that you will appreciate over time when your designer modern furniture stands the test of time. Maybe modern furniture isn’t your style and another style is…it doesn’t matter what you choose as long as the quality is high it will last through years of happy living!
As the new year has gotten underway, I am finding that I have been thinking about what exactly “Simple Living” means to me.
Does simple living mean leaving the city and finding a secluded spot in the country? Does simple living mean giving up your car? Does simple living mean giving up your earthly possessions and finding a hut in Tibet? Do you have to completely give up restaurants and malls and movies?
Well…I have come to the conclusion that the crux of simple living is to live deliberately. It’s really just that simple. Instead of rushing through life on auto-pilot you choose your existence. What you choose will be whatever works for you. Maybe it will be a simple life in the country…but maybe you’ll stay in the city. Maybe you will choose austere surroundings…but maybe you will choose to keep comfortable items around you that give you pleasure.
Whatever you choose, you choose it consciously. Your life doesn’t just HAPPEN…you make deliberate, thoughtful choices. The basic difference is that you have a full awareness of how and why you are living the way you are living and this is the life you have thoughtfully chosen.
So…take the plunge and design your life! YES YOU CAN! It’s never too late! Doing so will enable you to live a full, robust, honest, intimate life. This is truly the essence of simplicity…live with passion and with full awareness!
I am a fairly new convert to the world of stainless steel in my home. Recently I made the decision to switch over to stainless steel and stop using my teflon cooking equipment in my kitchen. I was growing more and more concerned about the harmful health effects of teflon. So I purchased a complete stainless steel cookware set and I have never looked back!
Now that I own my cookware, I have a new love of everything stainless. The options are endless – you can place lovely blomus stainless steel accessories in just about any area of your home.
Today, I was looking at these attractive stainless steel dining accessories and I really had to restrain myself. These prices are reasonable, they offer free shipping, and everything just looks so clean and streamlined.
As I continued looking, I found an impressive collection of blomus stainless steel kitchen accessories as well and any of these items would perfectly complement the cookware that I already have in my kitchen.
I would encourage you to try stainless steel products in your home. They are affordable, easy to care for, and are made to last a lifetime.
Quality, natural lip balm can be a bit pricey…but making it is inexpensive and this makes a neat project that you can get the kids involved in. The ingredients are readily available and the process is quite simple. Basically, you start with a base of Vaseline, cosmetic grade beeswax or petroleum jelly and add essential oils for flavoring.
There are three main benefits to making your own lip balm:
- Homemade lip balm has no preservatives, artificial colors, or artificial sweeteners.
- You can add skin-pampering ingredients like sesame oil, shea butter, and cocoa butter to your homemade lip balms.
- By experimenting you can create a one-of-a-kind product perfect for your unique preferences.
Melting the Base
The first step is to melt the base you are using. Once melted, you can add flavoring or coloring if desired. There are a variety of ways melt the base material…whichever way you choose melt only the material you will be using. It does not need to be heated more than to melt it. Use a double saucepan to gently melt the material with steam.
Flavorings
Once the base material has been melted, you can add the flavorings if desired. Add only a small amount until the taste is satisfactory. Essential oils must be handled carefully. Read the safety instructions accompanying the oil carefully.  Citrus essential oils should not be used because they can make your skin more photosensitive.
Suggestions:
- Almond oil
- Vanilla oil
- Cocoa powder
- Tea tree oil
- Camphor
- Cinnamon
- Ginger
- Peppermint oil
Coloring
Coloring is not necessary, but if you would like to color it a you can use few slivers of lipstick shaved from a new lipstick. Be sure to use new lipstick because lipstick that has been used could contaminate the lip balm with bacteria.
Vitamin E
Vitamin E is a preservative. To add vitamin E, puncture a capsule with a sterilized needle and squeeze out the oil into your balm.
Lip Balm Recipe
- 1 1/2 teaspoons cosmetic grade beeswax
- 1/1/2 teaspoons Shea Butter
- 1/2 teaspoon Jojoba oil
- 1/2 teaspoon almond oil
- 4 drops essential oil of your choice
- 3 capsules vitamin E
Carefully melt the beeswax with the Shea butter. Do not overheat because this may make the Shea Butter grainy. Allow to cool slightly then add the Jojoba oil, the almond oil, essential oil and the vitamin E. Pour into containers and allow to cool. Add a few more drops of almond oil to soften the lip balm if necessary.
Containers
Use small glass pots for your lip balm. Old lip balm containers can be used, but they must be sterilized first. Wash thoroughly with soap and water then rinse out with rubbing alcohol. Rinse with clear water then dry completely before use.
