Frugal Fridays: French Chic for $5 and Under

I have found some tres chic French-inspired finds this afternoon on Etsy for you. They are all from $3 to $5 and would be great stocking stuffers!

Fun magnet from Minds Eye Design

$4.95

Eiffel Tower ornament from Baby Moon

$5

Set of 10 gift bags from Parlene

$5

Cabbage rose barrette from French Flea Market

$5

Domino magnet from Galsfly2

$5

Vintage style cotton ticking is oh so Paris chic!

From Homestead Treasures

$5 (for 2 yards)

A fabulous soap dish from Paris Chic Boutique

$5

Pendant from Vintage 2 New Treasures

$5

Cupcake toppers from Joosy Card Co.

$3

Fleur de Lis tag set from Paper and Cloth Lover

$3

Thursday Night Thoughts

Do you remember the yummy smelling Nutmeg Creme?

The above is one of many great items found in the Christmas Wishes Gift Guide!

A couple of updates for you!

There are some new shabby chic finds for gift giving over at the C & G Christmas Wishes Gift Guide! Check it out by clicking here.

And....an announcement about a couple of special body care items which may come back for one weekend only.... Just click the link for details!

Makeup Review: Ulta Fabulous Face

Photos from ulta.com

I know that when you're seeking a decent paraben free foundation that it can be very difficult to find a liquid formula that is a true foundation as opposed to a tinted moisturizer.

In fact, I have only found 2 that I truly adore in a 2 year span: Natural Beauty Inspired by Carmindy Your Skin Makeup and Jane Iredale Liquid Minerals.

I can now add a third to the list.

I love going to Ulta, however, I have never been a big fan of their own line of cosmetics in terms of ingredients and quality. I had my annual rewards certificate to use, though, and earned a free product the other day.

I wasn't sure which free product to choose, so I looked at their foundations. I found Ulta Fabulous Face Natural Finish Foundation, tested a couple shades out, and then read the ingredients listing on the box. This is paraben free and petrochemical free. It contains an SPF of 15 and is free of fragrances.

I ended up choosing Light Ivory, which is a perfect match to my skin tone. The box says that the product will give "medium coverage with a natural a flawless finish." I would say this is a light to medium coverage. It is definitely a buildable coverage. I really like this. If you have tried Laura Mercier Oil FreeFoundation, this is of a similar texture and blendability. It is also about 1/4 of the price and contains better ingredients.

I applied this with my Eco Tools foundation brush, which is less than $7 and rivals any high end brush. It is ecofriendly and is just fabulous. I do my makeup between 6-7am each day. It is still there and hasn't worn off when I wash my face at bedtime.

The retail price on this is $12.50. Ulta has circulars almost weekly with coupons. You can find coupons online, too. This is also a part of their usual $8 foundation and BOGO specials. If you have the latest edition of In Style (the one with Taylor Swift on the cover), there is a $5 off a $10 purchase coupon as well.

If I had to rank this based on a 1-5 star rating, it'd earn a solid 4. It is a VERY GOOD daily foundation and can easily hold its weight against much pricier options.

Attention Jewelry Lovers

If you're a regular reader of C & G, you will know how much I adore the handmade earrings from Ronnie over at My Three Jewels. I wear her creations several times a week and she truly is in my top 3 for jewelry artisans.

Good news! Ronnie is having a fabulous Pre-Holiday Sale with free shipping and special pricing. Check out some of her offerings. Treat yourself--or someone else--to some stunning jewelry! I'm sharing two favorites of mine with you:

The "Jenny" earrings are made of milky aqua turquoise Czech glass. I {heart} this color!

$27.99

Stunning in Carnelian are the "Oprah" earrings..how beautiful!

$27.99

Thrift Shop Wednesday: $5.99 Well Spent

Cannon, especially, likes this thrift shop find!

I found this last week on clearance for $79.99 online! Mine was $74 less.

I didn't get this today, but found it last week at Goodwill on Bay Road in Webster. For $5.99, I bought a new king sized comforter and 2 king pillow shams. It still had tags from Overstock on it. I actually had seen this on Overstock.com two days before for $79.99 on clearance! I liked it, but thought it was too rusty-colored. I feel so lucky to have found THE SAME one two days later for 6 bucks--plus what shows as rust in the stock photo is a deep, rich burgundy.

I did need to launder it to get that thrift shop scent out, but it was worth stuffing it into my washing machine! What a difference the deep colors have made. I typically have a very light white and pastel patchwork shabby chic quilt or a vintage ivory matelasse coverlet on the bed, but I wanted something heavy and rich for the cold season.

I added some pillar candles in varying heights in ivory, gold, and rich jewel tones and it is just warm and cozy for fall and winter...as you can see, the dog agrees!

DIY Wednesday: The Perfect Holiday Room Spray

There's nothing better than a heavenly scented home, especially as we approach the holidays. I like to burn tarts and candles, but when company is coming I like to be able to spritz the curtains, furniture (which sometimes smells like Eau de German Shepherd with our pooch), and the guest bath downstairs.

I am going to share the recipe for my Holiday Blend Ambiance Room & Linen Spray. This was a huge hit last fall and winter in my old Etsy shop. It smells so good!

This is also 100% natural. There is a reason major companies fail to mention the ingredients in their home scent sprays--the Air Wick and other varieties come in aerosol containers and contain a host of ingredients that are bad for you and the earth. This one is safe. It is so safe that you can even spritz some on your clothes or skin if it strikes your fancy--although some people do have allergies and sensitivities to the cinnamon, so you'll want to do a patch test first.

This is how I usually scent my home from Thanksgiving through most of the winter.

You will need:

*Distilled Water

*A small handful of whole cloves

*Witch hazel (I prefer the alcohol free witch hazel hydrosol, but for a room spray, the typical witch hazel from the drugstore is acceptable and more economical)

*Cinnamon Leaf Essential Oil

*Nutmeg Essential Oil

*Sweet Orange Essential Oil

*Vanilla Absolute (you may also put a vanilla bean in the water/clove mixture if you have one on hand)

To make:

The amounts used will depend on how much you will make. Let's base this project on an 8 ounce recipe. You can make 4 small bottles to give as gifts or keep a large bottle around the house.

Combine 5 ounces of distilled water into a small saucepan. Add a handful of whole cloves. Simmer over low to medium heat for at least 30 minutes.

Strain the mixture so the cloves are left out of the liquid. Cool for a bit on the counter.

Now add 3 ounces of witch hazel to the cooled clove water.

Add in 20 drops of the cinnamon essential oil and 10 drops each of nutmeg essential oil, sweet orange essential oil, and vanilla absolute. If you have anise or almond oils, these are also nice substitutions and additions.

Stir slowly and pour into bottles. Shake lightly.

These are best in cobalt or amber glass bottles, but any bottle that is not a clear plastic will work well.

Vanilla absolute is expensive. It smells heavenly, but is pricey. You can put a vanilla bean in the clove mixture and simmer instead.

ENJOY!

Note: All skin care recipes posted on Chic & Green™ are the property of Karley Ziegler Mott and KZM Facial Care Boutique™ and may not be sold, used for profit in any form, reprinted, or redistributed and are for personal use only.

Oh So Pretty Star...

I just found this oh so pretty star for $5 on Etsy...

Isn't this so pretty? I found this over at My So Called Junky Life a few minutes ago.

The shop is owned by the lovely Sarah and I cannot tell you enough about how much I love her creations!

Here is the star I bought from her shop last year:

I am so excited about decorating for Christmas this year...I am thinking about a really shabby pink and robin's egg blue theme for ornaments in the living room tree and maybe doing my traditional tree with all the reds and old ornaments out on the 3 season room...

I better get my rear in gear and get to painting this living room!

Shop Local: Etsy Artisans from Rochester

A sampling of Rochester-area artisans from Etsy...

Frayed pink pillow from Painted White by Alice W., $40

Flower brooch from Refashioned, $14

Buttercream soy candle from Soul Sisters, $16

Vintage glass tree topper from Finds, $12

Porcelain lily pad plate from Carol Barclay, $28

Set of letterpress cards from Pistachio Press, $12

A "Kissing Ball" from local artisan Victorian Petals, $65

Rich and sparkly Christmas ornaments from Irondequoit's Artsy Chicas, $4 ea.

Copper and turquoise ring from IV for 4, $24

Black & copper earrings from Webster's Maura Muir, $12

A Crafty Saturday

I dipped into my craft bin and decided to "get my craft on" this weekend!

Saturday was a beautiful day considering it's November in Upstate New York. We spent lots of time outdoors with the boys, and then I took a little break to do a bit of shopping, had family game time, and then I settled in for an evening of crafts while the boys built towers.

I made a couple of different things...and as soon as I finish the embellishments on the shabby chic bulletin board I made, I'll post pictures of that. This one took me a good part of the night. I had some scrap pieces of Tanya Whelan fabric that I didn't want to waste, so I turned it into a little pouch. It's more of a decoration, but I wanted to test my pathetic sewing skills and challenge myself to a little project. It was fun!

My sweet little bag is actually pretty...not so bad for someone who nearly flunked home ec!

I first need to say that I am not an expert crafter by any stretch of the imagination. I nearly flunked home ec in 7th grade (and I was a straight A student) because I was so lousy at sewing. Miss Skinner, my teacher, thought my sewing was so atrocious that she even called my mom at home and said I needed to stay after school each day for extra help. It was awful. I received a 40% on the "name the parts of the sewing machine test." Yes, I knew where the needle was. That's about all I knew. That machine terrified me.

In 8th grade, we sewed clothes--ugly, athletic apparel made of cheap synthetic fabric. I chose a pair of turquoise shorts. In my rush to just get the project over with, I sewed the crotch (can I say that word here? I suppose...) all the way up to the waist, I had two legholes and two separate waists--completely separate and unwearable. Miss Skinner gave me the seam ripper and it took me forever to pull out all of my uneven stitches. I was so thankful that home ec (which was then called "Home & Career Skills" was done after 8th grade.

I don't sew well at all. I have made valances before--making all of the window treatments for our apartment in Savannah. They turned out really well, but I was only sewing in a straight line, plus the windows were pretty high so no one could see the stitching.

I have been pondering getting a sewing machine this Christmas. Nothing fancy--just something basic and good for someone like me who has a difficult time following instructions. I love handmade fabric handbags and would love to be able to create some of my own for my own use using some of the pretty fabrics I have found.

I took this extra scrap of fabric (part of a fat quarter), turned it inside out and sewed the sides. I then turned it again and added ribbon trim and some extra touches. I am looking forward to trying my hand at more to put my handmade gifts in this Christmas--maybe putting in my mason jar lemon curd or sauce in the bags as a little gift.

This is the side tie....I sewed one of the vintage glass pearls I received in my "junk box" from Sarah at My So Called Junky Life. The ribbon was an extra in my order from the Sugar*Sugar Shop.

This little vintage doily looks pretty on here....along with an extra little piec made with German glass glitter and a pretty flower (from the "junk box" I ordered) add such a pretty touch.

A Girl and Her Pearls

I was under the weather last weekend and Tom was playing poker with the neighborhood guys, so I ended up channel surfing late Saturday night. QVC was featuring the Today's Special Value from Bare Escentuals, so I decided to watch. I ended up ordering the TSV, which was the new collection crafted in conjunction with Honora Pearls. Yes, the colors in this collection are infused with pearl powder from Honora.

I am not in love with Bare Escentuals. There are some items I do really like, such as Well Rested and the Dark Blonde/Medium Brown Brow Color. Those are staples for me and I use them each day and have for about 3.5 years. The foundation isn't great compared to superior mineral foundations such as Everyday Minerals and Organic Wear.

My kit arrived the other day and I have had a chance to test it out. I thought I'd share my opinions with you.

Impressions of what is in the kit:

Blissful Pearl Eye Color--this is a very lovely peach shade. Not an orange-y peach, just a lovely neutral and delicate shade. Glides on like a dream with a very subtle shimmer. I am very fair and this is a GREAT shade. If you're not fair, though, you may need to build on the color a bit since it is subtle.

Magnificent Pearl Eye Color--This is a nice steel gray meets taupe shade. Perfect to use damp as a liner or just a deeper, night shade. I noticed, though, that this takes more effort to blend than my other colors from Bare Escentuals. You need a very light hand with the brush and LOTS of blending. Once you do that, though, it is stunning.

Intense Black Big & Bright Mineral Eyeliner Pencil--A nice black liner. I typically use a homemade mineral eye liner or else one from Smashbox. This is fabulous. You may want to add a light dusting of mineral foundation or finishing powder first, though, because it smudges a bit without.

Flawless Definition Mascara--Paraben free. This is nice. It's not as natural in terms of ingredients as the Almay Pure Blends or Physicians Formula Organic Wear. The ingredients are as natural as the ones in Tarte Lash Hugger. It gives more length and volume, though, than all of those and is very buildable in terms of coverage. This is great. I think this may replace my typical Organic Wear!

Precious Pearl Blush--This is a gorgeous shade. It's a true dusty mauve without peach tones. It is so, so soft when applying. This is a very subtle shade. Some blushes are choppy going on, but this is soft and beautiful. Think a softer, more muted version of Lancome's popular Aplum.

Brightening Pearl Mineral Veil--This is slightly different than the traditional finishing powder, Mineral Veil. There is a hint of warmth to it and an ever so slight shimmer. The pearl powder adds that little bit of radiance and it's quite nice.

If you have tried Laura Geller's Balance & Brighten or Prescriptives Magic before, this is along the same lines. It is more for evening, in my opinion, but I am more conservative with my daytime makeup.

Sugared Strawberry All Natural Lip Gloss--This is a very pretty neutral pink. It's actually gorgeous. I could wear it daily. The one issue I have with this 100% natural product? It contains carmine, which comes from crushed insects....there are far better ingredients to give color (natural fruit colorants) and I suggest Bare Escentuals follow 100% Pure's lead when it comes to coloring lip products.

3 Brushes--Oh so very disappointing. These feel so cheaply made and are really of mediocre quality. Everyday Minerals and EcoTools offer far superior brushes! In fact, EcoTools are the best brushes on the market, in my opinion. I won't use these....I'm not sure whether to sell them on eBay or give them to my boys for their little pretend beauty salon...

The bottom line?

This has a retail value of $108. I saved more than 50% in this Today's Special Value. I won't use the brushes, but I really adore everything else. I used to have very mixed feelings about Bare Escentuals, but the company is back is my good graces with this kit.

Oh, and about the Honora pearls....I really don't think the pearl powder made a difference in anything other than the look of the Mineral Veil. The color wasn't richer or longer lasting in the other products, so I think that part is more hype than anything else. Other than that, I love this new kit!

The Next Chapter: Laughter

These 3 guys give me my daily dose of laughter.

"The most wasted of all days is one without laughter."

~e.e. cummings

It's Friday again, so time for another brief discussion of the book The Joy Diet by Martha Beck. I'm reading this for my online book club for bloggers, The Next Chapter from Jamie Ridler.

This week's chapter focuses on LAUGHTER. I am not going to make a long, reflective post this week like I normally do. I belief laughter is wonderful medicine. I think we all need multiple doses of laughter each day.

Surround yourselves with people who make you laugh. Life is simply too short for a laughter deficiency.

What makes me laugh? My boys....my hubby...my friends....watching Chevy Chase movies, "How I Met Your Mother", "Friends" reruns and old episodes of "The Three Stooges."

Get off the computer and go find something to laugh about!

I love watching my friends laugh...the laughing lady on the right is my favorite neighbor at a luau party.

We spend lots of time laughing with our friends. At the neighborhood luau party, two fun neighbors made us laugh when we were taking this photo...these are our friends Mrs. Marzouk and Marc.

Mr. Ben at age 3 making mommy laugh, as always.

This is my Mia, my late grandmother, with Nick when he was 11 months old. He made a face to make her laugh.

Nick in July 2004 laughing at something...most likely his daddy

So Promising....Until You Read the Ingredients

The Classic Cleanser is one of several FranBrand items with large amounts of Palm Oil and an incomplete ingredients listing.

There has been quite a bit of publicity over Fran Drescher's newly released line of natural skin care called FranBrand. Drescher, a cancer survivor, wanted to introduce a line of products without harmful ingredients linked to cancer. I was very excited to see what she had in store for women. The fact that FranBrand also donates a nice chunk of their profits to Cancer Schmancer, Drescher's charity, is even more commendable. I had very high hopes for the line.

The new line was introduced earlier this week and my hopes were dashed when I read the ingredients for her products.

As it is Orangutan Awareness Week, I feel it is important to discuss this now, as opposed from a couple weeks down the road when I had planned to mention the products.

First of all, they are very good ingredients. There are no parabens and other nasties. I have two problems with the ingredients chosen for a bulk of Drescher's new products.

What is in it? I don't know...

The first one is the fact that "Organic herbal infusion" is the first ingredient in some of them. While that may be wonderful and healthful, it is very vague. Infusion of which herbs? As much as I adore herbs in skin care and use them regularly, it is very important to fully list which herbs are used, as some are not to be used if pregnant or if other health conditions are present. Many people are sensitive or allergic to specific herbs and failing to disclose them is the equivalent of small companies simply listing "preservative" on the labels (you don't know what you're getting).

When I contacted customer service at HSN to find out more specific details about the herbal infusion, I was told that the ingredients label states what is in the product. I am aware of that, however, the label is extremely vague. On the product description for the Toner Gel, it mentions aloe, white tea and green tea extract as being part of the infusion, but it doesn't mention what else is officially in the infusion. It might be something someone is sensitive to such as calendula, which makes my mom sneeze like there's no tomorrow.

Her eye product also has the infusion as the #1 ingredient, but there is no mention anywhere of what the infusion contains. For a product being used around the delicate eye area, this is of particular concern. Being vague like this does not help the consumer. Knowing what is in a product is the most important thing you can do before you buy it.

The same applies to the vague "proprietary essential oil blend." You all know how much I adore essential oils. Aromatherapy has been such a part of my life for so many years and I have experienced its benefits. That being said, I cannot tolerate patchouli, as essential oil. There are so many essential oils to be avoided if you're pregnant or have another health condition--you HAVE to know which oils you're using if you're in one of those categories.

It's more than just the vague ingredients disclosure.

The second and, to me, more important issue I have with this healthful, "eco-friendly" line is that it is not truly eco-friendly. It uses palm oil in large amounts in the bulk of the products. Palm oil is anything but eco-friendly, as it results in deforestation and the process is responsible for the death of countless orangutans. Read more here for more information. You may also read a letter I received from the director of the organization called Orangutan Outreach regarding palm oil here.

Palm oil is found as the #2 ingredient in Drescher's day lotion, night cream, and cleanser. This is the deal breaker for me.

FranBrand's ingredients, for the most part, look wonderful. Compared to many high end skin care brands full of chemicals and nasty toxins, the ingredients are nothing short of stellar. Unfortunately, my two major concerns are major enough for me not to be able to recommend the line.

Final Thoughts

Using palm oil when there are so many alternatives available is just something I cannot understand now since we have so much awareness of the damage caused to animals and to our ecosystem. More and more companies are seeking alternatives to palm oil. I think this is huge. It is commendable and I hope the trend continues.

One thing I am pleased by, though, is the different types of organizations and businesses who've reacted to damage done by palm oil. When we were at the National Zoo in Washington, DC this summer, I remember eating at one of the zoo's restaurants and seeing signs with orangutans sating that they do not use any type of palm oil product in eateries at the zoo.

More and more small businesses seem to be aware of the consequences, too. It is always nice to see small soapmaking businesses follow Aunt Nancy's lead when it comes to using oils other than palm in their soaping. Nan was one of the first sellers I came across on Etsy who doesn't use palm and her products show that it simply isn't needed to produce a good soap. Another shop that comes to mind on Etsy is Alchemic Muse, also palm oil free.

Does it matter to you?

I ask more of you to pledge to stop producing products with palm oil. It really will make a difference to orangutans and to our planet as a whole if one business at a time would join in and commit to being palm free.

If you're reading this and you're a business free of all palm oil ingredients, please comment so my readers can be aware of this! If you use palm oil now and plan to stop, please comment and make the pledge to be 100% palm free by 2010.

You can make a difference!

Frugal Fridays: Tangled Up in Blue for $10 or Less

"Arctic" soap from Alchemic Muse is palm oil free, $6

Vintage floral hankie from Serendipity Treasures

$2.75

Fabric headband from Gemdrops

$8

Sweet baby girl cap has blue floral accent.

From Quite Simply, $5

Navy Swarovski crystal earrings on sterling silver are from JLR Designs

$7

This felted brooch from Sewn Sunday would be great on a denim jacket.

$10

Set of two lavender scented sachets from Lars and Addie

$10

This cup was handmade by Etsy's MUD Stuffing.

$10

Dress up that boring bulletin board with these tacks from Fabric Farrago.

$7

Mark Your Calendars! Local Shopping Fun

On Tuesday, local residents can get some shopping done at the annual Holiday Night Out at Christ the King School on Kings Highway in Irondequoit. The night is always busy, with loads of food, vendors and good times.

The event runs from 6:30-9:30. Tickets are $5 in advance (you may contact me) or $7 at the door.

I have donated a basket to be given as a raffle prize to one lucky attendee since this is where my Benjamin attends preschool. Here's what someone (maybe YOU?) will win Tuesday night:

Great 4 piece collection! Value of $50!

Includes: Fruit Enzyme Cream, Rosewater & Aloe Facial Mist, Goat's Milk Liquid Cleanser, and a Fresh Rose Lip & Cheek Tint!

Things I am Working On....

Sharing a few items I have ordered to use on craft projects for holiday gifts and for my home. I am feeling very creative these days!

This is the fabric I am using for my kitchen chair cushions.

I ordered some of this pretty tinsel in aqua, green, and pink from Etsy's Sugar Sugar.

These pink tickets will be fun to work with! They are also from Sugar Sugar.

For $3, I bought a huge assortment of "yo yos." I am eager to see how they inspire me when I sit down to craft with them. These are from Yo Yo Cottage on Etsy.

My So Called Junky Life sells "junk boxes." I ordered this one and cannot wait to use the pieces for some handmade gifts!

I bought some of this glitter from a sweet lady who has an Etsy shop called Bird Song Studio and eBay store, The Little Feathered Nest. I am getting several colors of this German Glass Glitter and cannot wait to use it!

I am going through another phase when my creative juices are flowing. I have lots of things I am working on right now and if I write them down, I can look at the list and tackle it faster!

First things first...the decorating projects in the home are going slowly. I thought I'd be energized and tackle all the painting I want to do right away. I finished the kitchen and all I need to do is sew the new Tanya Whelan fabric I bought into cushion covers for the chairs. Then I will be 100% done and will post pictures.

I have to paint the hallway and going up the stairs, too. That is going to be a rich golden shade.

The living room is what I want done the most and have the paint for, but the thought of painting the ceiling is holding me back. I will do it soon, though, as my goal is to have the hallway, living room, and dining room painted by Thanksgiving. The dining room was going to change from lavender to a rich, regal purple with crisp white trim. Since I am a bit flaky, I have changed my mind once again. I'm going to do a soft cocoa of some sort and paint some furniture robin's egg blue.

I also have plans for sharing lots of homemade gift ideas with you. Our goal every year is to have a beautiful Christmas, and that we do. However, with the exception of the boys' gifts, the goal is to have a completely handmade Christmas. Last year, I found the bulk of our gifts right on Etsy. This year I am not working more than full time hours with my business (yay!) and will have time to play around with crafts and homemade goodies.

I have found some great supplies on Etsy and eBay and cannot wait until they are all here so I can get going on my latest projects!

On my list of DIY projects to share with you on the blog:

DIY Handmade Edible Christmas Gifts

*Lemon Curd in mason jars

*Cupcakes in jars

*Sour Cream Pound Cake

*Marinara Sauce

*Double Chocolate Cranberry Bark

*Peanut Brittle

Some recipes from the Nigella Christmas book:

*Marintated Feta

*Vanilla Sugar jars

Other DIY handmade gift ideas

*Paper Tussie Mussies with embellishments

*Shabby Chic fabric rag balls

*Easy French chic pillow covers

*Lots more!