Ruffle *Poof* Pillow

I found this on U Create and Love Love Love this pillow. The tutorial was done by WhimsiKel. So stinking adorable I just might have to attempt it. Check it out!

Cupcake Carnival at Attempting Creative

Today I am guest blogging over at Attempting Creative and it's all about Cupcakes. Yahoo!!!

I have a lot to say and one thing to share with you. Head on over to check out my post and to get a freebie.

Homemade Lotion and Lip Balm

So, I was camping last week and my awesome Aunt Gina taught us how to make homemade lotion. It was fun to watch and learn. She also brought homemade lip balm and gave the recipe of both to us.
This is what the mixture looks like when you put it all in together.

This is the different fragrances that we got to smell and choose from. I was really close to choosing the Monkey Farts one. Yes, that is the real name of it. It was kind of tropical smelling. I ended up choosing the Sensual smell. Just to be different from what I normally gravitate towards. Which is fruity.
Here is what it looks like after cooling it down and blending it up with a submersible blender. Nice and creamy. Sorry, terrible lighting.
The hardest part was getting the lotion from the bags to the containers. We had to put the lotion in a bag and add our fragrance, squish it around to mix it all up, cut a hole in the corner of the bag, and then squeeze it into the container. Obviously Grandma cut a hole too big and got it all over. Everyone helped out though and gave a leg or arm to rub the lotion on.
These are the lip balms that Gina brought. They were already done and we only had to pay 25 cents per tube. We all grabbed a bunch of them. I love peppermint so I got a few of those. Just think of Burt's Bees and that is what it was. Gives a tingle to your lips. The way I like it.
Since I think the lip balm is easier and has less ingredients to use I will do that recipe on here. If you would like to know where to get the supplies to make the lip balm or lotion go to The Sage. They have just about everything on there. They also have a bunch of recipes to make lip balm, soap, lotion, and liquid soaps.
I have to warn you. The recipe is in grams (sorry to those of us not using the Metric System) and you will need a scale to measure. You would need one anyways. Just saying. Some other supplies I might suggest are the Lip Balm Containers, Pipetts and the lip balm filling trays.

Lip Balm with Virgin Coconut Oil
Makes 24 tubes

1. Extra Virgin Olive Oil 60 grams
2. Beeswax (cleaned) 30 grams
3. Virgin Coconut Oil 21 grams
4. Shea Butter 9 grams
5. Flavor oil (is smell, not flavoring) 3.6 grams

Directions:

-Measure each ingredient into a glass measuring cup or container.
-Remember to tare the scale after each ingredient. Tare means zero out the scale after you put in each ingredient so that you measure the correct amounts each time.
-Heat on medium low until all ingredients are thoroughly melted.
-Stir.
-Add Flavor Oil.
-Stir.
-Pour into lip balm containers.
-Allow to cool.
-Apply lids and labels.

Cherry Preserves

On Saturday I was able to whip out my canning stuff and make some Cherry Preserves. My Grandma was kind enough to donate some cherries from her garden so that I could make some.
Here I am cooking the cherry mixture up and flushed because I am SO HOT!!! It is not fun standing in front of a hot stove constantly on a hot day. Blech! I do have to say that it was worth it though. It is so yummy. I got the recipe from Recipe Zaar. It's called Best Cherry Preserves.

With this recipe I didn't cut up or pulverize the cherries. Instead I just threw them in whole (minus the pits). I did crush them a little with the potato masher but that was it.
Everything is ready for the water bath canning. That is another thing I did different from the recipe. I heard that it's not as sterilized the other way so I did it this way.
This is what it ended up like. I did have one jar that didn't seal and I think it's because I didn't clean off the top that well. Oh darn. I'll have to use it up. I have something in mind for it. Something that has to do with pork. Mmmmm...
What do you do with the rest of the cherries you don't use? We froze them. I put them on a cookie sheet and stuck it in the freezer. That makes sure they freeze and don't get stuck together. Then I transferred them to a freezer bag all ready for a smoothie or whatever I decide to use it for.

If you are really into canning I would try this recipe. I really really like it. The tartness of the cherries and the sweetness of the sugar make it a yummy treat.

Camera Strap Cover

I made this camera strap cover after getting this tutorial from Everything Etsy in my email. The tutorial is done by Priddy Creations. LOVE it! The only thing wrong is that it's just a tad too short. I think the tutorial may be for a Nikon camera strap. I have a Canon. My strap is longer I guess. If you do this then just make sure you measure your camera strap first.

I think I am going to make a couple more just because it's so easy. I may even do a ruffle just because I can. So there.
There is a giveaway going on at Everything Etsy on this post. It goes on till the 10th. Pop on over to enter.

Flowers

The other day I had another get together with a bunch of ladies to show them how to make flowers for their hair. It was a fun night and got some people hooked. Check out Stacy's post that she made for her friend. She did a tutorial and did a good job.

Here is what I made the next day. Not much for me to do while I'm teaching but I had everything out so why not dabble?
I made this burlap ribbon flower for my hair. It's huge.
I wear a lot of bobby pins and so I made some more. I'm a little hooked.
I am really into lace and ruffles so I made some cute little flowers with both and I also did the burned satin which I love too.
Here is another lace flower that I turned into a broach and a fabric flower. It's bigger than the other ones I have made. I did it with 4 inch squares instead of 3 inch. I made some bobbies with tiny squares and it turned out so cute.
So! Check back later for a giveaway on two of these flowers. It will actually be two giveaways so there are two chances of winning. I am going on vacation and after I come back I will do the giveaway!

Linking up at:

Senior Portrait and Head Shots

I was able to do two photo shoots in one shot. I did my youngest brother's senior pictures and graduation card and also my other brother's head shots. It was a spur of the moment thing but it went well enough. I hate to say that it was right at noon but that's when it happened. I did get some pretty good lighting bouncing back from the white house. Not great on their eyes but great on their skin.
My brother Tyler has been doing a lot of acting in the area as well as some movies and commercials too. Check him out at IMDb. Not much on there as far as local acting and internet but there is a little bit. Here are three pictures I have been messing with on Photoshop. If you want to see more go to my family blog. They are the unedited versions though.

I Heart Faces Photo Walk

On Saturday I went on a Photo Walk in Downtown Sacramento. I Heart Faces put it on and I was so excited to do it. It was a great learning experience and it was awesome being able to photograph a model. Marina was great as our model and it was fun working with her. Oh to get her by myself. *sigh* Katrina Kennedy (our leader) was awesome and had lots of great tips. Thanks Katrina! You're awesome!!! To see more photos from other cities too go here.

Here are a bunch of photos that I took. I now need to narrow them down to my favorite three. Which would you choose?
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I was able to hang out with some other awesome people and get some photos of them. Here is Kathleen. Isn't she beautiful? Thanks for hanging out and letting me take pictures of you. I love your hair.
I came to the photo walk with Stacy and her daughter Teryn. I got a couple photos of Teryn and I loved this one. I just love her smile.
Could anyone have more gorgeous skin? I don't think so! This is Charisse. A beautiful name for a beautiful woman. We seriously should of done more of you. Thanks Charisse for being in front of the camera.
The rest of the pictures are just what else I shot around Sac. This was an older lady who we passed that was drawing the flowers and we asked if we could take a picture. She was really nice but didn't want us to take a picture of her because she thought she would "break our camera." I thought it would have been an awesome picture with her in it. She did let us take a picture of her drawing. Thanks!!
I was really digging the sun coming through the trees so I had to take it. This was at the end of the walk. "It's a tree star!" (shout out to Land Before Time)
Gotta love me some sun flare!
Just the wall. Trying out my lens and seeing what it can do.
And.....last but not least.....me. Now you know it's me behind the camera.