Natural Rhythms: My Morning Routine

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Early to bed.  Early to rise. Makes a man healthy, wealthy and wise.

– Benjamin Franklin

I finally got back into my regular morning routine today after being off for a bit.  I feel so much better!

Until fairly recently, I never would have imagined that I would ever become a member of the 5AM club.  Technically, I am in the 4:55AM club because my clock is five minutes fast but I digress… Getting up early was never my thing and I fought it whenever possible.

I had been frustrated for a while that I wasn’t getting to my yoga practice or walking the dogs during the week.  I was drained at the end of the day after work and la mega-commute.  It eventually became obvious that the only way I could be sure to get these things done was to do them first thing.

Now, I wake up at 4:55 am.  I meditate for 20 minutes.  After I finish, I put on exercise clothes and walk the dogs.  When I get back, I open the sun room for them and put on the classical music station for Lucy, the Bichon. (Yes, I know she likes it!)  Then I practice yoga for 20 minutes, followed by my neck exercises.  I make my bed. (I don’t make it right away after I wake up.  I like to air it out for a bit even though I am freshly showered when I get in it.) I make a green smoothie for breakfast.   I drink tea as I make my lunch.  Then I get ready for work.

All of these activities serve me well throughout the day.  Meditation helps me to stay calm and centered.  Walking the dogs helps them and me, as I explained in Naturally Kind and Fit: Walk ‘dem Puppies! Yoga and my neck exercises stretch, heal and strenghten my body.  Making my bed makes me feel pulled together and tidy.  It’s also a nice site to behold at the end of the day!  The green smoothie is packed with energy and gets my day off on the right foot nutritionally.

My life runs so much more smoothly when I follow this routine.  It’s so nice to leave for work, knowing that I already accomplished quite a bit.  I don’t have nagging thoughts all day about whether I will be too tired to walk the dogs, etc.  The morning is usually the only time that is my own.  I don’t know if I am going to get stuck late at work or get jammed in crazy traffic later in the day.  When I take care of these tasks first thing, I can relax when unexpected events come up.

Are you an early riser or a night owl?  What’s your morning routine like?

Many blessings,

Cynthia

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justdragonfly

Naturally Inspirational: Some of My Favorite YouTubers

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It’s been a long day.  My neck has been acting up lately. (Teaser: I will be giving up some more arthritis coping tips in another blog post!)  So, I am going to keep this one short and sweet in the interest of not keeping my neck in an unnatural position, staring at the computer.  (The fact that I am currently sitting cross-legged on my bed and eating dinner as I type is besides the point…Good thing my chiropractor isn’t reading this!)  Let’s watch a little YouTube, shall we?

I want to share some other natural living bloggers with you, who also happen to be Vloggers.  I find the following YouTube Channels full of good info. on natural and healthy living.  I hope you do as well:

Sprout and Blossom

Sprout and Blossom is dedicated to to simple living.  Mary Harris is a college professor from New Jersey who is chuck full of tips on green living and holistic health.  Her channel definitely has a minimalist slant but she doesn’t take it to an unimaginable extreme.  Unfortunately, her “How To Zen Your Morning” video no longer appears to be available but she shares a lot of wonderful info. in her other videos

Ashley’s Green Life

Ashley’s Green Life is just as her title describes.  This busy mom of two, wife and kindergarten teacher shares her life and knowledge of green living with her audience.  She brings you everywhere on shopping trips, into the shower to demonstrate her no-poo hair cleaning method and even to her brother’s wedding to show you can enjoy family events while maintaining an organic, vegan, gluten-free diet.  She even demonstrated (in an appropriate way) how to use a squatty potty.  Ashley inspired me to up my chia seed consumption.  I am very grateful to her for that!

Frugal Green Girl

Are you guys sensing a trend in my viewing habits yet?  Frugal Green Girl is a tad more extreme than the previous two Vloggers I have mentioned thus far.  Oh my goodness is she full of great ideas!  “Green Living” has become quite chic over the last few years.  People end up spending a lot of money to be more Eco-conscious.   Frugal Green Girl proves that isn’t necessary with her amazing DIY solutions and money savers!

YouTips4U

I am going to change it up a little with this channel.  YouTips4U still offers some very interesting natural solutions but they are mixed into a potpourri of beauty tips, body language insights, fashion rules, crafts, exercise videos and even car maintenance advice.  This lady shares everything she knows and it works!  She also does some really lovely spoken word meditation videos.  Who knew a Long Island accent could be so calming?

I have a few more but I think that’s enough for today.  I need to put the laptop away and rest my neck.  I hope you check out and enjoy my selections!  Let me know what you think.

Many blessings,

Cynthia

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justdragonfly

Naturally Cranky: Almost there… Why Don’t I Feel Like It?

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I am coming into the home stretch of my August Adventure Blogging Challenge.  Challenged is how I feel at the moment…part of me would like to stop now.  I’m at the point where if Burgess Meredith were my coach, he would be giving me a pep talk about having heart.

The odd part is that I don’t have writer’s block exactly.  I still have a bunch of ideas jotted down.  I just find myself staring at them and not knowing exactly how I want to frame them in a post.  Every time an idea starts to take shape, a big cranky baby inside me slaps it down with a big, “NO!”  Then I start to think about other things I want to do like make jewelry, practice yoga or go walk on the beach.  Then I start to question,”Why did I publicly committ myself to this challenge again?”

“Why is this happening when I am so close,” I ask myself.  I think it is the other side of resistance, the dark side.  I mentioned last week in Naturally Balanced: Half-way Check-in and Knowing When to Take Five that feeling resistant can be fatigue or a sign that something is wrong but I don’t think that is what is going on here.  I wrote in Naturally Determined: So Long Procrastination! that while I work hard at not letting other people down, I have often fallen short on meeting personal goals and keeping promises to myself.  What I have going on here is one bad habit!

Gay Hendricks wrote in The Big Leap (Highly recommend it, by the way)  about how we all have an upper limit that we have unconsciously set for ourselves. We are like a dog who is used to being chained.  Even when we’re no longer tethered, we will not go beyond the area that the chain once imposed on us.  When we butt up again this self-imposed limitation, many of us will fall back instead of jumping up to the next level.  It’s a mentality that keeps us stuck in our comfort zone.  Oddly, many of us do not even find our comfort zones all that comfortable but the comfort is in the known versus the unknown.  The devil you know…

I don’t know what’s going to happen after I complete this challenge.  Maybe nothing.  Maybe something great.  Maybe something in-between.  However, I do know, if nothing else, I will complete it!

Many blessings to all,

Cynthia

 

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justdragonfly

 

Naturally Dairy-free: Vegan Parm “Cheese” Recipe

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I mentioned in my Naturally Healthy Fat-free Snack: Baked Kale Chips post that I make a vegan Parmesan to sprinkle on my chips.     A few of you expressed interest in the recipe.  So, here it is:

Vegan Parmesan

One Cup of Cashews

One Tablespoon Dried Dill

One Teaspoon of Salt.

Throw everything in the Vitamix or high-powered blender. Grind it down until it resembles Parmesan.  Store in an air tight container for up to a week.

You may want to use less dill.  I love dill and put it on everything.  To me, it’s like the little black dress of herbs.  I can’t get enough of the stuff.  There are a lot of recipes for  vegan parm that use nutritional yeast.  That would be the way to go if you don’t like dill (which is practically impossible for me to imagine) or you don’t want green flecks in your parm.

Many blessings,

Cynthia

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justdragonfly

Naturally Passionate: Make Time To Do What Feeds Your Soul

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I have a birthday present to make for my friend, Sylvia, who I will be seeing later.  So, I am going to share one of my passions with you today.

These are the first pieces I ever made.

These are the first pieces I ever made.

I started making jewelry almost 15 years ago.  I had a naval ring at the time and wanted to change the bead on it.  Being too… thrifty to pay $10 bucks for a bead change at the tattoo place, I decided to buy a bead and change my own.  It’s very difficult to buy one small bead.  So, I bought a package.  Since I only needed one for the purpose at hand, I decided to get some beading wire and fasteners to make use of the rest of the package.  I was hooked on making jewelry immediately!

I put this chain together link by link and set each of the beads.

I put this chain together link by link and set each of the beads.

I made pieces for myself that other people really dug.  So, I started making jewelry for friends, coworkers and family members.  The more I made, the more I wanted to make.  My pieces began to get quite interesting and complex.  I started selling my all-original jewelry under the name Chickyrhumba (a nickname my mom had for me when I was little) in 2006.  I had just begun to do quite well and then the economy tanked.  Understandably, original, handmade jewelry wasn’t a priority for people to purchase at that time.  I closed Chickyrhumba in 2012.  The truth is I never enjoyed selling it as much I enjoyed making it.

boothphoto

I took the big tumble down the stairs a few months later, so I didn’t make jewelry for much of 2013.  When finally I started again,   it was just like it was in the beginning.  I LOVED it!  Making jewelry gets me down into my hands and keeps me from over-analyzing anything that may be going on in my life.  I would definitely describe it as a form of meditation.

tweednecklace

It’s such a delightful one because it is so sensory.  I love feeling the smoothness of the stones.  I enjoy looking at all the colors and natural variations in gems.  Bending wire into submission can be like therapy!  I also love getting vintage beads and remaking them into something new.  I guess most satisfying of all is being able to see the fruits of your labor.  Executing something tangible from start to finish that I can give to someone else makes me very happy.

JosieNeck9

I made this for Josie Stevens using vintage beads and Swarovski crystals.

 

Ah done!  Do you think Sylvia will like it?  I hope so.  I know I enjoyed making it.

Sylia's birthstone is peridot. Amethyst is a healing stone. Who couldn't use an angel?

Sylvia’s birthstone is peridot. Amethyst is a healing stone. Who couldn’t use an angel?

Do you have any hobbies or passions that you need to make more time for? Leave me a reply in the comments section.  I would love to hear from you.

Many blessings,

 

Cynthia

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justdragonfly

 

Naturally Crafty: Upcycled Cards and Gift Tags

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Ever go to the card store and find yourself thinking,”Man, cards are really expensive!?” Ever go to the craft store and find yourself thinking, “Man, paper is really expensive!?” Yes? Excellent! I think you are going to like this upcycled solution.

tissue boxes

I started noticing some really nice designs on tissue boxes after watching a few of Jennibellie’s videos on YouTube.  Definitely, check her channel out for inspiration.  She creates truly beautiful projects and often incorporates pre-used materials into her designs.

I picked up a few punches from Michael’s and began making some creations of my own (which I would have photographed more of if I had known I was going to write this post. )  Punches are a good investment.  They save you time, as well as wear and tear on your scissors… and your hands!

tissue hearts

It’s a lot of fun making your own cards because they can be as simple or complex as you want or have time to make.  You can add hinges made from ribbon or brads.  You can also personalize them to suit your gift recipient by adding their name, embellishments and using their favorite colors.  You’re only limited by your imagination!

Use what you already have whenever you can!

Use what you already have whenever you can!

Once you start doing these types of upcycled projects, you develop an eagle for materials that can be made over like these old name tags from work.  Why not? The card stock is good quality.  They would only end up in the trash.  Why not flip them over and give them a second life?

punched out name

Before you know it, you’ve created a pretty little, thoughtful gift decoration and it cost you practically nothing!  You didn’t have to go to a store.  You got away from electronics for a little while.  You have exercised your creative muscles.  You have made choices that are kinder to Mama Earth.

Heart pearlmonogram pearl

Do you make your own cards and gift tags? Leave me a reply in the comments section and let me know.  I would love to hear from you.

Many blessings to all,

Cynthia

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justdragonfly

 

Holy No Smoke: Why Is the Smoke Detector Going Off?

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I am used to the smoke detector going off while I am cooking, particularly if I am frying something… even though nothing is burning.  I automatically grab the broom handle, hit the “silence” button and open a window.

Yesterday morning though it went off for NO detectable reason.  I was just sitting at the computer when it began blaring.  “FIRE! FIRE!” Chauncy, my Havanese, awoke from his snooze and began his panicked, “I am upset!  I am excited! I don’t know why! Help me!” keening, adding to the din.  I grabbed the handle and silenced the confused instrument; picked up Chauncy and began to check every room in the house just to make sure all was well.  It was.

As soon as I sat back down, the smoke alarm went off again.  I quickly silenced it again. Then I began searching the internet for a smoke-free reason, it could be going off. Dust!  Turns out, if dust happens to collect on your smoke detector’s sensor, it can cause it to go off.  The solution was to vacuum it gently with a brush attachment.  It was too early to find the brush attachment and I was feeling anything but gentle toward the smoke alarm at that point but I did vacuum it.  It appears to have worked.

I wanted to share this bit of info. for you to tuck away, just in case your smoke alarm goes off at 6AM, or an even ungodlier hour for no apparent reason. … You’re welcome!

Many blessings to all,

Cynthia

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justdragonfly

Natural Lady: DIY Make-up Remover and Reusable Rounds

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It took me a very long time to find an eye make-up remover that I liked.  A lot of them would sting my eyes or leave my skin chafed.  I found I really like the make-up remover wipes from Trader Joe’s but they were quite pricey. There were only 20 in a pack, requiring me to buy 2 a month.  All that plastic packaging and disposable material made me feel a little guilty.  So, I decided to try to make my own.

I culled through dozens of Do-it-yourself recipes on the internet.  They were wildly disparate and contradictory at times but three ingredients kept coming up over and over: witch hazel, water and some kind of oil.  Of course, I could find little consensus on how much to pour of each in order to make a bottle.  So, I decided not to use a bottle at all.

reusable rounds

I use a reusable round (mine are made out of bamboo and are really more oblong) and I put a drop of jojoba oil on it, followed by a drop of witch hazel and then I spritz it with rose water.  And voila! It works great and doesn’t sting.

Effectiveness is only one benefit.  There are others. I like keeping all these ingredients separate because I use them all separately as well.  By combining them as needed, on the spot, I am less likely to run out of anything and not have it available to use for another purpose.  Oh my goodness, the money you save!  I used to spend between around $10 a month on those wipes.  I have had that bottle of witch hazel for years.  Jojoba lasts a really long time too because you need to use so little of it.  The rose water I go through fairly quickly but that’s only because I like to spray all over my body from head to toe.

Do you think you will give it a try?  Do you have your own formula?  Leave me a reply in the comments section.

Many blessings,

Cynthia

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justdragonfly

 

Naturally Eco-conscious: Upcycle that box!

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May I ask you a personal question?  When you empty a box like this:

Finish Box

 

What do you do with it?  Do you throw it away?  Do you recycle it?  Would you like to know what I’m going to do with this one?  I am going to upcyle it into a mailer.  It’s so easy!

1. I open the bottom up:

open bottom

2. Then I gently open this inside seam:

inside seam

3. Then I am left with:

open flat

4.  Now, I flip it around and re-join the seam:

brighter join edges

 

5. Tape the seam closed with packing tape.  (Make sure you press it into the tape really thoroughly.)

Secure Edge with tape

 

6. Tuck in the bottom flaps and tape those with packing tape as well.

Finished Box

 

Voila!  A cute little, free mailer box is born.  I wasn’t ready to put the item in yet.  So, I just used the orginal tab closure on the box.  Of course, when It is ready to go, I will tape the top down as well.  You can write your adress right on the box with a permanent marker or use a label.  I saved money and re-used something that may have just gotten tossed.

Do you upcycle the packages that your household items come in?  Do you think you might try it?  Please leave me a reply in the comments section.  I would love to hear from you.

Many blessings to all,

 

Cynthia

Please follow me on Twitter.  Also, please LIKE my Facebook Page.

justdragonfly

 

Naturally Better: Make Your Own Vanilla Extract

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I bake A LOT, just about every weekend. So, I go through a lot of vanilla extract. I kept buying those cute little two ounce bottles of it every month or so. It was really quite expensive. I wondered if I could make my own cheaper and better.

Vanilla extract, real vanilla extract, is just vanilla beans extracted into alcohol. That’s it! Vanilla beans + alcohol + time= vanilla extract. So easy! The neat part is you can vary the taste depending on what alcohol you use. I use bourbon. I think it gives it a really rich warm flavor. You could use rum for a more exotic flavor. Use vodka if you want a more exact, straight vanilla flavor. Use brandy for a … if you like brandy…

The other great part is you can make a HUGE amount of it with a relatively small investment. Currently, I have a 750 ml bottle steeping. I spent less than $35 on the bourbon and vanilla beans. That’s going to make over 25 ounces of vanilla extract or the equivalent of 12 and a half of those little bottles! That has to be savings of well over $25.

A word on vanilla beans: they should be soft, bendable and very fragrant. If they are hard and dry, you probably are not going to get much out of them.

Fresh vanilla beans bend

Fresh vanilla beans bend

The first time you try it, I would suggest starting with a half-pint of liquor. There is some debate over how many vanilla beans you need but really it depends on your own taste. I think a really easy place to start is half a bean per ounce. So, that is four beans for a half-pint. (Make it five if you want it extra vanilla-ey!)

Split the vanilla beans length-wise.

Split beans length-wise. All the little seeds will be revealed.

Split beans length-wise. All the little seeds will be revealed.

Put them in the bottle.

Beans in bottle

Shake the bottle.

Wait for at least a month before using. Two is better. Give the bottle a shake every once in a while.

Once the extraction process is complete, then you can strain out the beans if you like. I just leave them in there and let them keep steeping.

It’s a good idea to re-label your bottle, lest it end up on your bar cart.  (Although, that would probably make for some delish cocktails!)  Also, you can put the date that you created it on or the date it’ll be ready.  By the way, vanilla extract never expires.

Relabeled

Relabeled

Do you make your own vanilla extract already? Would you give DIY vanilla extract a try?  Leave me a reply and let me know.

Many blessings to all,

Cynthia

Please follow me on Twitter.  Also, please LIKE my Facebook Page.

justdragonfly