A Purposeful Repurpose

I've been hearing the word "Repurpose" quite a bit lately.  It seems to be the trendy thing to take an item and give it new life, or "purpose".  Well, here's my own re-purposing story.  This was a fun little diy project that I completed in a weekend, and with a relatively small monetary investment.

I found this adoreable little chair at an estate sale.  Isn't it cute??  Looks like it might have been used as a naughty chair at one time :)  I knew I had to have it, but didn't quite know for what.  There's not much free space in my house, and we don't have any little people, either.  Then it hit me ~ I'll use it to display a pot of flowers on my front porch!

Step 1:  I sanded the laquered finish off the wood.  This would help the paint to adhere better.

Here is the chair after one coat of paint applied.  I used a quart of exterior paint with primer that I found on the "OOPS" rack at my local paint store.  Luckily I was open to the paint color.  I think the light shade of green is very nice, don't you?  It took 3 coats of paint to cover everything completely.  Since it was a warm day with low humidity, the coats took barely any time to dry.  Bonus!

 Here is the completed chair!   I think it holds my vintage bucket filled with wave petunias rather nicely :)    Total cost for the chair and half a quart of paint = $10.  Priceless!

DIY Facial Mask

I think I have tried just about every skin product on the market, with less than satisfactory results.  It doesn't help that I have the craziest skin on the planet!  It's oily, and prone to breakouts, yet most products dry it out too much, especially at this time of year.  I  prefer to use all natural beauty products whenever possible, but those can be hard to find.  After doing a little research, I whipped up this homemade facial mask.  It contains white tea, honey, apple cider vinegar, oatmeal and tea tree oil.  It is so refreshing, and it really tones down any redness in my skin.  Let me first say that I am not a chemist, or an aesthetician!  I just know what works for me.  So, here is the breakdown, if you'd like to give it a try:

Mix 1 T. of brewed white tea (cooled to room temp!), 1 T. honey, 1 T. cider vinegar, and 1-2 drops of tea tree oil (available at most health food stores).   Add oats and combine until thick and pasty.  I add oatmeal because it is good for dry skin.   Plain yogurt could be used in place of oatmeal, if desired.   Spread on face and neck.  Leave on for half an hour ~ read a book, take a bath, or drink a glass of wine.   The mask will tighten as it dries.  Rinse off with warm water.  Any leftover product can be saved in a jar and stored in the fridge for a few days.

This mask is perfect for oily/acne prone skin!   Apple cider vinegar is gentle on sensitive skin and contains AHA's, malic acid and amino acids, which help break up scar tissue.  Honey stimulates cell renewal, and it contains antibacterial properties.  Tea tree oil treats acne.  The tea helps to reduce inflammation.   Not to mention, this is the best tasting product I've ever put on my face!

Fun with Herbs

Don’t get any funny ideas . . . I’m not referring to anything illegal here ;) Thanks to a good friend, I’ve been learning some new ways to use the herbs from my garden, aside from just cooking with them. For instance, I have a bounty of parsley that is way more than I could ever use. I learned that you can make a homemade facial cleanser for oily skin with it. Perfecto! It’s very easy too. Here are the directions: Ingredients: · ½ cup chopped parsley · 1 tbsp. dried mint (or 2 tbsp. fresh mint) If using dry mint, add 1 tbsp. When using chopped fresh mint, add 2 tbsp. Combine the mint and ½ cup of parsley and add to 1 cup of boiling water. Allow the mixture to steep for one hour. Pour the mixture through a strainer into a jar or bottle. I tried it. It smelled good ~ very clean and refreshing. My sister told me of an herb farm that is near where she lives, and I plan to make a trip there in the next month or so. They are going to be having a seminar on using herbs to make chemical free cleaning products. I’ll be sure to pass along any good tips that I learn there.