This universe is not outside of you

Look inside yourself. There is beauty there.

Full Moon - July 27th

FULL MOON JULY 27th

As if you were on fire from within. The moon lives in the lining of your skin. 
-Pablo Neruda

Self Care Isn't Vanity, It's Sanity

Self care isn't vanity. It's sanity. And self care varies from person to person - it can be a bath or going to the gym or vegging out with your friends or partner or getting a manicure or eating something healthy. 

There's no wrong way - but just take the time to take care of you!

Henry David Thoreau

I took a walk in the woods and came out taller than the trees. 
- Henry David Thoreau

I used to..

I used to think that if only I were some other way than I am - thinner, smarter, rich, etc. only THEN would I be happier, but I am learning (and forgetting then remembering again) that happiness comes from being who I am and feeling what I actually feel without trying to bury it. It's for sure a lifelong practice but it's worth it.

Wise woman Brene Brown has this to say, “Understanding the difference between healthy striving and perfectionism is critical to laying down the shield and picking up your life. Research shows that perfectionism hampers success. In fact, it's often the path to depression, anxiety, addiction, and life paralysis....The dark does not destroy the light; it defines it. It's our fear of the dark that casts our joy into the shadows.” 
― Brené Brown, The Gifts of Imperfection
 

 

And I said to my body...

<3 I totally relate. How about you?

Be a Fruit Loop in a World Full of Cheerios

From the first time I saw the Island of Misfit Toys I felt like that’s where I belong. https://youtu.be/JIO0a-4hCvA for a little throwback. Can you relate? So grateful for #dearhandmadelife for creating #craftcation a creative entrepreneurs conference where fruit loops like me can connect, learn and grow. BTW you should totally check it out!

Look deep into nature

“Look deep into nature & you will understand everything better” - Albert Einstein

Connecting with nature can help transform a bad day into a good day. When it’s been hard, what helps me a lot is going for a walk. If I can get to a more secluded area the better - it always gives me the perspective that I need to recharge and feel better. 

Ingredient Spotlight: Aloe

I love using Aloe in our products, especially our Aloe Chamomile Moisturizing Cream. This wonderful plant originated in Africa but is found in most tropical and subtropical regions of the world. The juice from the plant is fantastic for first aid for burns, rough or irritated skin, and also wounds. And also a moisturizer that firms and tones the skin. Be sure that when you're buying Aloe Vera Gel to make sure it has no carrageenan, which is sometimes used as a thickener but it's a possible carcinogen and gastrointestinal irritant. Carrageenan is creepy stuff. Watercolor painting by our own Maggie.