Enjoy Natural Beauty this Summer with Tree Hut

This post brought to you by Tree Hut. All opinions are 100% mine.

When I first started doing jewelry and nail tutorials, I noticed something about my hands. My close up pictures showed just how dry my hands were, and once I could see it I started to really feel it too. As a creative person, and a mom of a 2 year old and a 3 year old, I wash my hands a million times a day, which of course really dries them out. It feels like my regular lotion just isn't enough to fix it.

That's why I was thrilled to get to try out these Tree Hut products: The Tree Hut foot scrub, the Tree Hut foot cream, and especially the Tree Hut hand cream. These products are great. Not only are they high quality, but they are made in the USA, not tested on animals, and parabin and DMDM free! Plus, they are available all over the country conveniently at Walmart and other stores.



The Tree Hut Renewing Hand Cream is AMAZING. With organic shea butter and natural Moroccan argan nut oil, it helps heal your overworked hands. I love how this lotion feels. It doesn't leave my hands feeling sticky after I use it, and my hands are smoother and more naturally beautiful than ever. The Moroccan Rose scent is also amazing, but subtle
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I also got a chance to treat my feet with the Tree Hut Exfoliating Foot Scrub, and the Peppermint foot cream. I absolutely LOVED the strong peppermint scent, and really enjoyed these products. Plus, the peppermint oil is a natural moisturizer. Other natural ingredients like organic shea butter and real sugar make this foot scrub an excellent exfoliator, moisturizer, and healer. My feet felt so good (and looked good too) after my little home pedicure.

The Tree Hut Foot Cream also has that strong peppermint scent that I love. I've been using this on my feet all the time lately, and I love how my feet feel. The natural formula also makes it not greasy, which is a must for me.

These Tree Hut products have my feet and hands ready for summer, so I wanted to share a fun summer outfit idea inspired by the idea of natural beauty. The idea is that you can wear the same accessories to either dress up a casual outfit, or dress down a fun summer dress. The natural pinks and brown leather accents are perfect for summer, and are beautiful in an understated but powerful way.

Made at Polyvore

Have you tried any of these Tree Hut products before? What does natural beauty look like for you?

If you want to keep up with Tree Hut, you can follow Tree Hut on Twitter or like Tree Hut on Facebook.

12 Tips for Healthier Hair

This is a Sponsored post written by me on behalf of John Frieda. All opinions are 100% mine.

It's worth it to take a little extra time and thought into your hair care, to get great results. Here are some ways that I've found, through personal experience, the advice of a stylist, or a great magazine article to achieve stronger and healthier hair.


1. Let your hair air dry as much as possible. Even if you use a hair drier to dry your hair, let it air dry or as long as possible before you start. Wet hair breaks and stretches much more easily than dry hair, plus your hair drier does some damage to your hair each time you use it. Letting your hair air dry a little bit before you start to blow dry it also minimizes this damage. Gently wrap your hair in an absorbent towel while you do your make-up, get dressed, and eat breakfast, and then come back and dry your hair as the last part of your routine.

2. Avoid the sun. Sun damages your hair and makes it more brittle and breakable. Put on a hat, or a scarf if you're planning on spending all day in the sun. If you're laying out in the sun at the beach, lay a small towel over your hair to protect it. You can also purchase special products that help protect your hair from the damaging UV rays of the sun.

3. Use quality shampoos and conditioners. Even if you don't use high quality products each time you wash your hair, using salon quality products some of the time will boost the health and vibrancy of your hair. I've started using John Frieda Brilliant Brunette shampoo and conditioner, and my hair feels and looks so much healthier, smoother, and more vibrant.



4. Get the most from your conditioner. The best way to use conditioner, is to start by applying it to the tips of your hair, and gradually work it up towards your roots. Don't apply any conditioner directly to your roots because it will make your hair look greasy. Once you've applied the conditioner, let it sit for 2 - 3 minutes before rinsing.

5. Rinse your hair with cold water. Right before you get out of the shower, rinse your hair with cold water. It will make your hair visibly shinier and healthier.

6. Wash your hair less. Everyone's hair is a little different, and some women can't get away with not washing their hair every day. However, other women have gotten into the habit of washing their hair every time they shower, and end up washing their hair every day, even when it's not dirty. Consider washing your hair a little less often when it isn't dirty for healthier overall hair.

7. Know your hair type. I have very thick, brunette hair with a lot of volume and body. It's generally straight, but it tends to be poofy and frizzy. So for me, it wouldn't make sense to use a volumizing shampoo. Instead, I've started using John Frieda's Brilliant Brunette shampoo and conditioner, as well as the John Frieda Frizz Ease Fresh Start Smoothing shampoo and conditioner. I've been surprised at how quickly my hair has started to feel smoother and healthier, plus my brunette color has never been more vibrant. (Visit John Frieda hair care products for more information about your hair and for some useful video tutorials.)



8. Use a good quality brush. Avoid cheap plastic brushes that can break and damage your hair. Boar bristle brushes are the most healthy and natural way to brush your hair. (source: stylist Edward Tricomi via SHAPE) Also consider using a wide toothed shower comb to run through your hair after you shower, when your hair is wet and most vulnerable to breaking and stretching. 

9. Get regular trims. Split ends can end out doing a lot of damage to your hair, not just your ends. Getting your hair trimmed about once every 6 - 8 weeks helps prevent split ends and promotes healthy growth.

10. Use a deep conditioning cream about once every 2 weeks. I've started using John Frieda Full Repair Deep Conditioner (a salon quality product you can conveniently purchase at WalMart), and it is amazing. After the first time I used it, my hair felt so soft and smooth, I couldn't stop running my fingers though it. 


11. Eat healthy foods. Vitamins D and E, and Omega 3 fatty acids are especially beneficial to your hair. Hair healthy foods include: salmon, walnuts, oysters, sweet potatoes, eggs, spinach, lentils, Greek yogurt, blueberries, and poultry. You could also add daily vitamins to your diet. (Source)

12. Don't over dry or over straighten your hair. You don't need to dry your hair until it is 100% dry. Stop at about 90% for healthier hair and a more natural look. When you straighten your hair, be careful to not hold the flat iron too long in one spot or continue to straighten hair that is already straight. Any time your hair is exposed to this kind of heat it is much more vulnerable to damage. 

What do you do to keep your hair healthy? Do your prefer to wash your hair in the morning or at night? What kind of hair do you have, and what kinds of products do you find work best?

Mint, Gold, and Coral: Picking out a Fun Spring Outfit

I LOVE being a mom more than anything in the world. I never really thought much about having kids, or planned for it until it happened. My husband and I met in high school, dated through college, and got married after graduation. 10 months after our wedding, our son Benjamin was born, and 16 months later, our daughter Lyla was born. The whole thing was like a whirlwind. My life changed so quickly and completely. I went from an adventurous, fashionable college student living in California to a married, stay at home mother of two living in Florida in what felt like the blink of an eye. Now my kids are 2 and 3 years old, and they keep me busier than ever.

By far, the most difficult part of becoming a mother, was getting used to the new flow of my day to day life, and dealing with the fact that being a parent (especially a stay at home mother) is a 24-7, 365 days a year kind of job. There are no breaks. Ever. You get woken up in the middle of the night when you're sound asleep, called home to your sick child when on a vacation, and you even have to take care of your sick children when you yourself are the sickest you've ever been. So as much as I adore my sweet kids and love being a mom, sometimes all I want in life is to be left alone. I've heard other moms joke about how a trip alone to the grocery store on a Friday night is like a mini vacation, and I totally relate.

It has also been difficult dealing with a constantly changing body. In the past 4 years, I've gone through about 10 different sizes of jeans. So lately, when I've gone shopping for myself, I usually try a few things on as quickly as possible while my kids sit in the changing room with me fighting over my phone. I'm not usually happy with how something looks or fits, and then I find myself picking out something cute for my daughter to wear (because it's always cute on her and I know exactly what size will fit).

So when I got the opportunity to go to Sears to shop for something fun and stylish for myself for Mother's day, I was thrilled. Shopping by myself would be fun enough. Honestly though, I had never shopped for clothes at Sears before, and I figured I'd end out picking a new pair of shoes or a summery purse. (Check out more pictures from my shopping adventure here.)

When I got there, I wandered all over the store checking out all of the fun departments. Without my kids grabbing at things and wandering all over the store, I was actually able to enjoy myself, and take the time to look around. I was actually slightly underwhelmed with their selection of shoes and purses (although there were a few that I would have taken home with me in a heartbeat), but I was really thrilled with their selection of stylish clothes. I especially loved the Kardashian Kollection from the Kardashian sisters. I picked out a lot of different pieces to try on, even ones that didn't seem like my style, in a lot of different sizes.

I was thrilled with what I found. By actually taking the time to look through all of the clothes on the rack and try on styles and sizes that I wouldn't have 5 years ago as a college student, I was able to find things that fit my body and lifestyle now as a mom, but that were still stylish and fun. I ended out getting this gold striped loose fitting top, and these mint capris, both from the Kardashian Kollection. I also used my Shop Your Way rewards membership. It's free to sign up, and you can download a convenient app for your phone, or just give your phone number when you check out. The prices were also great!

I love this outfit I picked out, for three reasons:

1. The color pallet. I LOVE these colors together, and they are very popular this spring: Mint, gold, pearl, and coral.

2. The style. Since I live in Florida where it's HOT HOT HOT, I need clothes that aren't too constricting or warm. But of course, I don't want to wear shorts and a tank top all of the time. Capris are a great alternative to jeans or long pants, and even though this top has sleeves, they are light, loose, and cool.

3. The stripes. I love stripes. The end.

I paired this outfit with boots and coral wedges from my closet. I think it would also look great with gold or pearl accessories.

What about you? Has your style changed since you had kids? Do you find it easy to shop with your kids, or do you need to shop alone? What color pallet do you love for the spring/summer?

I am a member of the Collective Bias®  Social Fabric® Community.  This shop has been compensated as part of a social shopper insights study for Collective Bias®  and Sears. All thoughts, opinions, and photos are 100% my own. #cbias #SocialFabric #ThisisStyle

If you want to keep up with Sears' style tips, you can follow them on Facebook and Twitter.

Geometric Flower Pots and Oriental Lilies

This is a Sponsored post written by me on behalf of iBulb for SocialSpark. All opinions are 100% mine.



What are your favorite flowers? I absolutely LOVE lilies. In fact, the entire theme of our wedding was built around gorgeous stargazer lilies. There is something so modern and dramatic about lilies that I just love. We had fondant lilies floating down our wedding cake, and included them in our centerpieces.



I especially love potted plants and flowers, because they can last for years and years, instead of just for a few days like cut flowers. Lilies make great gifts for all occasions, from Mother's Day to birthdays to anniversaries. They are available at your local grocery store, garden center, or florist, and make a big impact.
I found these BEAUTIFUL potted Oriental Lilies at Home Depot for just under $7, and I had to take one home with me. They look and smell incredible. They are perfect for my front porch, because they need 6 hours of sunlight a day, and I live in sunny Florida. They make me happy every time I step out of the front door.



A fun and quick way to turn these into a more personal gift, is to makeover a flower pot. I made these geometric spray painted flower pots to create a beautiful, handmade, long-lasting floral gift that costs about $10 total.



What you need: Oriental Lily, plastic flower pot, spray paint, tape



What you do:
1. Wipe down your flower pot of dust and dirt. Tape off geometric patterns around the pot with painters tape or washi tape. Make sure the paint is pressed down fully and evenly. My favorite pattern was the Chevron one seen in the turquoise pot.

2. Put your flower pot face down onto newspapers outside. Spray two coats evenly around the pot. Make sure that the spray paint you're using is intended for plastic surfaces.

3. Flip the pot over, and spray paint the top and the inside.

4. Let it fully dry, then remove the tape carefully. To protect the pot and pattern, spray a sealant or top coat of paint over the finished pot.






The vibrant colors of these lilies are so beautiful that I had to create an Oriental Lily color pallet.



Visit this Pinterest page for more lily ideas, arrangements, and inspiration.

What's awesome is that iBulb is giving away a $25 gift certificate so that you can enjoy some lilies in your home. Enter by leaving a comment below telling me what kind of craft project you would make with your lilies if you won.

Raindrop Stenciled Craft Organizer

If you know me at all, you know I LOVE geometric shapes and patterns. So of course, when I received this amazing set of Handmade Charlotte stencils full of fun geometric patterns, I was thrilled! Although, how was I supposed to pick just one for this project?

I've had this boring unfinished wooden shelf that I bought at some craft store on clearance years ago, and never got around to painting. I knew it would be perfect for this project, and would look great in white and yellow, a vibrant and invigorating color. I had also decided to use spray paint for most of this project, and to touch up with FolkArt acrylic paints. I ended out choosing the raindrop stencil, although I was seriously tempted by the geometric triangles, polka dots, chevron, and hexagon stencils.

What I did:

1. Clean your surfaces and sand any uneven areas. Spray paint the outside and front edges of the shelf white.

2. Use painter's tape to tape off the front edges.

3. Spray paint the inside of the shelf yellow. Use two coats.

4. Prepare to stencil. Tape the stencil to a corner of one side of the shelf. Make sure that the stencil is sitting completely flat against the wood.

5. Spray one light coat of yellow spray paint evenly over the stencil. Make sure to stay at least 12 inches away from the stencil. I immediately removed the stencil and let it dry away from the shelf to keep them from getting stuck together.

6. When the first section is dry, move the stencil up so that the bottom rows of the new stencil line up with the top rows of the first one. Spray this new section yellow. Repeat the same process to cover the extra area on the right as well. Then stencil the other side of the shelf in the same way.

I was worried that the cardboard stencils wouldn't hold up well, but they worked perfectly with the spray paint. I could easily use the same stencil over and over again without any wrinkling or tearing from the paint. There were a couple of places where I got the can of spray paint too close to the shelf and the paint smeared a little past the stencil. I used white FolkArt acrylic paint to touch up these spots. If I hadn't made that mistake, I don't think I would have needed to touch up any areas at all.

I wanted to use this beautiful shelf as a craft organizer for my ribbon and paint. I found a dowel at the craft store that fit through the middle of spools of ribbon, and then drilled three evenly spaced holes through the top of the shelf. (I actually drilled these holes before I painted the shelf.) Then, I cut the dowel into three pieces that slightly stick out of the top of the shelf. Right now this organizer is sitting on the shelf next to my desk, but I will probably end out mounting it to the wall next to my crafty peg board.

Here are some other great projects you could make with the other AMAZING stencils from this same set. I will definitely be using these in some other upcoming projects!

Connect with Plaid: Plaid on Facebook, Plaid on Twitter, or Follow Plaid on Pinterest

*I wrote this post as part of a sponsored campaign with Plaid and The Blueprint Social. All opinions in this post are my own.

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Check out some of the other projects from this campaign:

A Healthy Surprise (plus ten things you didn't know about me)

I'm happy to share with you Green Giant's healthy surprise: New Veggie Snack Chips! Now snackers have an option they can feel good about eating.

I got the chance to try the Roasted Veggie Tortilla Chips and the Multigrain Sweet Potato Chips with Sea Salt. I'm a huge fan of anything sweet potato and I love Sea Salt, so naturally I was drawn to these.

The Sea Salt Multigrain Sweet Potato chips are made with real sweet potatoes, have 19 grams of whole grain per serving, and have 40% less fat than regular potato chips. While they are still something that you should eat only in moderation with a balanced and healthy diet, they are a tasty way to get your salty fix and your whole grains at the same time with much less fat. I love the subtle sweet potato flavor of the chips and their thin crunchiness.

I LOVE that the number 1 ingredient is Whole Grain Corn Flour. I also feel like the healthiest products have the smallest ingredients list, like this one.

Green Giant also now makes Roasted Veggie Tortilla Chips in a delicious Zesty Cheddar flavor. They are made with real vegetables, 17 grams of whole grain per serving (48g are recommended daily), and are naturally flavored.

Save more with this printable coupon from Green Giant.

Check out all of the surprise talents Green Giant has unearthed here or submit your own through their Facebook page.

Instead of sharing a hidden talent, I thought I'd share some things about myself that you all probably didn't already know.
10 Things You Probably Didn't Know About Me:

1. When I was 12, I got a black belt in Tae Kwon Do.

2. The first time I wore make-up I was 18. I was 19 when I got my ears pierced.

3. My secret lifelong dream is to be an inventor.

4. My husband is in the official contestant pool for Jeopardy. He knows everything about everything. It's ridiculous.

5. I was named Rachel after my mom's dad, Ray. I continued the tradition by naming my daughter Lyla after my dad (whose middle name is Lyle).

6. I'm 5'8", but I was usually the short one growing up. I just kept growing when everyone else stopped.

7. I have 2 cats, but I'm more of a dog person. Really, I'm an animal person.

8. I don't know anything about sewing, but I would LOVE to learn. I don't think I've ever seen a sewing machine on and working.

9. I took a LOT of Latin in school, all the way through high school. I didn't keep up with it in college, but I took a couple of French and Italian classes instead. 

10. I am a shy extrovert. I was VERY shy as a kid and I've mostly outgrown it, but I'm still a shy person who loves to be around people. 

Thank you to The Green Giant™ for being a sponsor. Show the Giant your surprise talent at www.facebook.com/greengiant

Delicious Pairings - Some Things are Better Together

Have you ever noticed that some things are better in pairs than alone? The two things combine into something new and when it's a good pair, they bring out the best in each other. Peanut butter and jelly. Road trips and good music. Hot chocolate and a snowy day. Coffee and a chocolate brownie.

Last week, I was excited to get the chance to go to Walmart and check out the new "Delicious Pairings" section, featuring Starbucks coffee and Walmart's bakery. I loved the display, and all of the helpful suggestions for finding the right coffee and pairing it with the best baked treat. I was impressed with the amazing selection of the Walmart bakery, from brownie bites, to marble cake, to mini muffins. #deliciouspairings

I really enjoy coffee, and the taste and quality matters a lot to me, however so does the price. That's why I rarely ever get coffee out, and just brew quality coffee at home. My husband used to be a barista and is pretty picky about what coffee he gets. We do enjoy trying different coffees and flavors from time to time, especially seasonal ones, but our go-to favorite coffee is Starbucks Blonde Veranda Blend.

I like coffee by itself, but sometimes it can be just a little bitter, and it leaves you wanting something more. I got some of the Atlanta Bread Brownie Bites at Walmart as well as some Starbucks Blonde Veranda Coffee (although we already had some at home), and hurried home to try them together. It was difficult waiting for the coffee to brew to break into the brownies, haha.

The brownies were really delicious and went together so well with the coffee. Both the brownies and the coffee complimented each other so well. When I took a bite of the one, I wanted a sip of the other, and vice-versa.

When I think of coffee and brownies, I automatically think of my Grandmother. In honor of International Women's Day, I wanted to do something special to honor her. We have always been very close, and she has always been a huge inspiration to me. Unfortunately, her memory has been failing her lately. She still remembers who we all are, but doesn't remember most things that happen from day to day, what year it is, or even a lot of things about her own life and personality. It's interesting, there are several things that she has always loved, and it seems that as her memory fades more and more her love of these things grows stronger and more resolved: coffee, chocolate, bridge, Gone with the Wind, her family. I know that when I bring her a cup of coffee, a brownie, and the bridge hand from the morning paper, her face will light up and it will literally make her day. I think it's both the delicious taste of coffee and desserts, as well as the lifetime of memories associated with them, even those memories she can't quite recall, that makes my Grandmother get so much joy from something as simple as a little plate holding a cup of coffee and a brownie. I think I enjoy taking them to her and sharing in this little ritual with her as much as she does.

*I am a member of the Collective Bias® Social Fabric® Community.This shop has been compensated as part of a social shopper insights study for Collective Bias™. All opinions are my own. #cbias #SocialFabric