Odd Chick's cooking... sort of..

yum, yum - my kitchen smells like mango butter and apricots but you can't eat it. I had an order from my chappedchick.com and so I'm making a fresh batch of cuticle salve and I added mango butter to the recipe this time and I love it.
While I was at it I remembered that I need a body scrub for my really dry skin and thought others could use a polishing. I've included an easy recipe. I can tell you an excellent scrub with things you probably have around your kitchen & bathroom.

Use 1/2 cup glycerin soap (pieces you have laying around will do)

Use 1/2 cup of shampoo base or some kind of liquid soap (just because it's mild)

Melt these things slowly in the microwave together or over a double boiler.

If you have beeswax add 1/8 cup or add honey. You want this to stick to you a little bit so it can do its job before it slides off. Melt this slowly in the mixture.

Now stir in an oil, if you have dry skin, any vegetable oil, plant, or tree oil so you won't clog pores, even castor oil will do. Olive oil is great, for dry skin. Almond or sunflower oil is light for oily skin. Do not use baby oil or mineral oil because after the scrub you need the oil to moisturize your skin unless you're really oily. Otherwise, mineral oil or baby oil just sits on top of the skin, clogs the pores and doesn't allow any nutrients into the skin.

Pour in epsom salt, or bath salts, or sea salt, or sugar, or brown sugar until you like the consistency, (I like lots of epsom salt). This ingredient must be fine, not big and coarse. You can throw stuff in your blender or food processor to get a fine consistency. Then add essential oils if you would like or some of your favorite perfume, or vanilla extract, and stir vigourously,melt again if needed but just until pourable. Now quickly pour into plastic jars if they are going to be by your tub or in your shower.
I just had to throw some mango butter in mine because my skin is so dry and some apricot oil.

When I washed up with the leftovers -my forearms and hands glowed and felt so smooth, and I'm old!!

If you've used non-clogging oils and fine ingredients, this can be used on the face once a week or so- you don't want to stir up the oil glands too much. Make extra to give as a gift or share with a friend. Add colors by adding colored soap or food coloring and layer in a nice jar, tye a ribbon around it, add a handmade tag and waalah!

The Greek Horse

" In ancient Greece this 3.3cm tall model would have been sold to visitors to the Sanctuary of Artemis Orthia on the banks of the river Eurotas at Sparta. Thousands of small figures have been found at the sanctuary which include animals such as stags, dogs, horses as well as models of the goddess herself. They were left behind as offerings to the goddess. "

However, my painting is an offering to the One God.

I traveled to Greece in March for 9 days. It was some grand trip for a little old farm girl like me. My sweet hubby gave me the gift 6 months before the planned trip so I began to read, and plan, and dream months before I even got there. I told my DH -"it was a gift that just kept on giving". Even after I've returned, the images of Greece are still enchanting me.

I especially loved their horses. They drew and sculptured horses and plastered them all over everything - and yet they were very Greek horses! So geometrical, and so classical. I brought a little replica home that I have enjoyed on my coffee table. And today, he called my name. Now that my office work is done, my house is clean, my laundry is put away, my yard is in good order, and all the week's commitments are behind me, and after a hard week of being a friend - I think it is time to paint. Only time will tell whether I can do the Greeks justice for inspiring me with their lovely artistic horses but I'm grateful for the delightful diversion and hope this classical pony will take me on a good ride.

I need a cup of tea....

Tea is so comforting to me. I watched my red tea flavored with mango pieces steep and it slowed me down for a minute. Long enough to pray.

I just got off the phone after starting a prayer chain for a very dear friend. His parents were in a horrible car accident earlier today and his mother just died from her injuries and his father's back is broken with severe internal bleeding and it looks like they will lose him too. One minute you have healthy, vibrant parents traveling on vacation and another.... minute... they're changed forever. I'm so sad for my friend, his wife, and their teenage kids who were the type of kids who really, really, enjoyed their grandparents. I know God is caring for, and comforting everyone His own special way. I think I will enjoy some time with Him now, and my tea.

Today's art journal entry.

Sometimes things just stink.

Sometimes it's my attitude.

Sometimes it's sad news I hear from friends. Like today, my dear friend called me and she has found out her 43 year old son is on meth. YUUUUCK! That stinks!

Sometimes, the things the Lord uses to keep us on our kness just stinks. But He doesn't..... ever...

It truly amazes when I look around and see the many faces of Eve.

Today, I had two girlfriends drop by and one bought a piece of art from me after the other friend had practically sold it to her before she got here. I really appreciated her purchase but I mostly appreciated their encouragement and affirmation that what I was doing had value.

Both of these women are working out of their homes. One has become a very talented photographer and is soaring with her craft. The other is creating beautiful wooden crosses and wooden art plaques that are way beyond classy!

They both understand the need to network and encourage each other. When you work at home there are no peers within your four walls to motivate you, push you higher, or to educate you further. You must do that all for yourself. It was so nice to have real-life girlfriends show up and share their own struggles, joys and interest at building their business at home. And I love selling paintings so that I can keep doing what I truly love.

I wonder how others stay motivated to create their best work whether its done in or outside their homes.

And therefore, I look upon everything

as a brotherhood and a sisterhood,

And I look upon time as no more than an idea,

And I consider eternity as another possibility,

And I think of each life as a flower, as common

as a field daisy, and as singular,

And each name a comfortable music in the mouth

tending as all music does, toward silence,

And each body a lion of courage, and something

precious to the earth.

When it's over, I want to say, all my life

I was a bride married to amazement.

I was a bridegroom, taking the world into my arms.

- excerpts from When Death Comes by Mary Oliver

Today I sold my teas and tea accessories at Hagerman's Old Timer's Day. It was fun to see everyone and my teas sold well. It's nice to see other tea drinkers out there and to discuss their favorite teas and herbal tisanes.

Small town life is such a blessing. Just to take a look across the room and see your neighbor, and she runs over to tell you that if you need a bathroom break or lunch, she will help you - and she does. Or to see your preacher and his wife in another booth selling their beautiful wooden crosses and he helps you load when you go to leave. Your Extension Club girlfriends come by to encourage you and exclaim, "I didn't know you painted too!". Some nice looking kid who went to school with your son comes by to say hello because he remembered you... and your name! Everyone takes care of everyone else. That can be the hard part sometimes. “The nice part about living in a small town is that when you don't know what you're doing, someone else does” - an anonymous quote - but today, it was really, really nice.

Art Journaling

So this is my new passion - making sketches in an art journal. This was last Tuesday when my husband took me to Hagerman cafe and I had to wait on him for 15 minutes. Why not sketch the place? It was an awful lunch except for being with him. My coke was flat and my corn dog was still frozen in middle. DH's chicken taco had little hairs all over the outside of the tortilla. The waitress said, "Oh, those are just grill brush hairs", and we suggested she brush them off anyway. YUCK! But, I was pleased with the sketch. I notice that sketching a scene makes me very present in the moment and I study details around me.

Feeling different?

Normal is not something to aspire to, but it's something
to get away from.- Jodie Foster

It's true that I have always felt a little different from everyone. I hid my oddness for the longest time and tried to meld my mold into the normalcy of others. But secretly, as a young girl I would keep journals, listen to negro spirituals with headphones, learn German with the doors closed, always with a book on my headboard, nightstand and backpack. It was my goal that no one ever know. Because (omg!!) if they ever found out they would say the dreaded words, "You're weird".

It wasn't until I had children who exhibited the "weird" gene that I stood up for it. I fostered it and would fight to help them retain it in their critical world because I valued it so much. It was what made them so very unique from everyone else. DUH!! How was I going to teach them to enjoy the person God created if I kept my own authentic true-self hidden away? So I set her free! Or rather, the unconditional love of my heavenly Father set me free to be the me He intended me to be. I now have the courage not to be normal.

I believe that each of us exhibit within our core the infinitely fascinating, creative qualities of God as He breathed into each of us His own Life. Once we choose to connect with Him, He allows our created uniqueness to provide Life to others. If we never connect with Him, our significant contribution to the world may never be realized or fulfilled.

Dr. Seuss said it this way, "Today you are You that is truer than true. There is no one alive who is Youer than You.

So today I blog to the world for the first time my true You and hope I get to meet the Youer in You. But, I warn you, my blog may be weird- but wonderful, endearingly odd at times. But yahooooo, look who created it!!

Passions Of An Odd Chick