Gift Guide for the Modern Crunchy Mama

With Mother's Day approaching, everyone is on the hunt for the perfect gift for their Mama, me included.  So, as a Mama myself who is all about a more natural approach to, health, wellness and well, life in general, I thought I would round up some ideas for my fellow modern crunchy mamas out there.

1. Matt & Nat REITI Bag - I LOVE purses and I really love this Mat and Nat cross body bag.  I adore the caramel colour and the casual cross body option for Summer.  Summer clothes always seem to be a bit more casual and this just matches perfectly while staying really stylish.  But, the best part about this bag is that it is made out of vegan leather.  It is completely cruelty free!

2. Sick Kids Get Better Gifts -   As a mama, the most likely thing you wish for your children is their health.  The Hospital for Sick Children, is a hospital that is exclusively pediatric and cares for those children that lack their health. Get Better gifts give you many options for many different price points all providing the hospital and/or it's patients with necessities. I know you've read my last post about little Addi. And although she was primarily cared for at McMaster Children's Hospital (another pediatric centre) she did receive care from Sick Kids as well.  I can think of no better way to spend your gift money than on the care of kids that need it.

3. Lululemon Align Leggings - I am a Lululemon lover and as a mama that generally works from home, leggings are a staple in the wardrobe.  Dress em up for playdate or dress em down for the gym, they work accross the board.  But, what I love about these leggings in particular is the high waist.  New mama belly?  Yep, these are your best friend.  In full disclosure,  I have heard some negative reviews regarding the management of this company but, for now they're the best I can find.

4. doTERRA Mothers Day Collection - This collection sold out SO fast.  It was brought back for a short time and then sold out again.  So, while you cannot get the full Mother's Day collection, I had to mention it because of it's beauty.  As well as, the Citrus Bloom oil, is being brought back maybe for good.  This blend is absolutely beautiful.  It is the perfect blend of cirtus and floral which is just perfect for the ladies in your life.

5. Vegan Cookbook - I love the Oh She Glows cookbooks.  I have her first cookbook and make those recipes frequently.  My favourite is the Cheerful Vegan Nachos. These have wonderful, flavourful and generally easy to complete recipes for vegans.  And, if your mama is an animal lover at all, it's a nice idea to try a vegan recipe here and there to limit your animal protien intake and explore other plant based options. I promise, it's delicious. 

6. Money Tree - Who ever said money doesn't grow on trees?  Well... I suppose it doesn't but a money tree is meant to bring good fortune to it's owner and this option actually gives you (the owner) a chance to plant the tree.  This allows you to watch it grow and thrive all while, theoretically,  watching your bank account grow and thrive.  That's a GREAT gift for mama.

7. doTERRA Rose Hand Lotion - Hand lotion is always a wonderful little gift for anyone.  But the doTERRA lotion is great for a few different reasons: It smells like roses which is so luxurious and feminine, it works so well to moisturize your hands which is a necessity for mamas who are always washing their hands after preparing food, wiping bums, playing with kiddos, grocery shopping etc.  AND the best part is that the profits from this rose lotion go directly to doTERRA's Healing Hands Foundation.

8. Beauty Counter Mini Lip Gloss Collection - I love Beauty Counter cosmetics for it's purity and 100% safe ingredients.  Not only is it completely safe for you and your kiddos (should they get into your make up or if you're an expecting mama), I find that it works and looks even better than my old-school Sephora make up. And, this little lip gloss collection is such a fun little gift.  It's always fun to add a little colour to your make up routine.

Share a little love with your modern crunchy mama next weekend!
Happy Early Mother's Day to all the Mamas out there.

Essential Living: Headache Relief

Who else gets the almighty headache whenever anything is amiss?  For me, stress = headache, cold/flu = headache, weather changes = headache, tired = headache and the list goes on and on.  And, because they tend to happen relatively frequently, I don't love reaching for Tylonol (which doesn't really seem to help me) or Advil all the time.  

So, logically, once I became a bit more involved with DoTerra, I was on the hunt for a more natural solution to my sore head.  And, low and behold there is an oil for that too ... SHOCKING! I know.  

With a mixture of fractionated coconut oil, peppermint (which can dull a headache and bring the temperature down all on it's own), lavender and frankincense in a roller ball bottle, I managed to whip up this little blend. 

Now, whenever I can feel anything coming on, I reach for this blend and rub it on my temples for quick relief.  I also end up smelling like the spa which is pretty darn relaxing.  

And, to be completely honest, the headaches have calmed down quite a bit since bringing DoTerra into my life and my home. It's most definitely because I've done my best to eliminate the artificial products and scents that used to populate my space.

Reach for this blend of oils the next time you feel a headache coming on and see how you feel.  I guarantee you'll be back to your old self quickly and without anything artificial.

You're Welcome!

Essential Living: Skin Care

Happy Valentine's Day! In preparation for many of the fancy dinners and dates tonight, I thought I would talk about skin care and how to prep your skin for that fancy dinner make-up.

My skin generally runs on the dry side, with few problem areas but if I am going to have break outs, it will be on my chin and usually during a period of time when hormones are running high.  So, I gravitate toward products that are simple, smell good and just make my face feel clean and moisturized.

I've tried dozens of products, partly because I was once a product junky but, partly because nothing seemed quite right.  That is, until I found this combination of DoTerra products. Some are ready made and some are home made with the oils to create the most perfect mealy of products that has now curbed my product buying obsession.

The DoTerra Essentials Facial Cleanser smells like a dream.  I like to use this in the shower.  It feels so nice on the skin and the fragrance is like walking into a spa.  And, using it in conjunction with the steam of the shower seems to help the scent linger and makes me feel very refreshed before I start my day.

The Hydrating Cream is something that I add in the winter.   The air here in Southern Ontario is pretty darn dry in the winter months and it reeks havoc on my skin. So, while I don't use the cream year round, I am so happy to have it to apply morning and night in the winter time to keep me well hydrated. It also allows your make-up to apply like a dream.

And finally, the miracle cleanser/ make up remover, moisturizer mix that I use in the evening...every evening.  This is a homemade mixture of Lavender, Geranium, Frankincense and coconut oil is the perfect end to every day.  I take a small scoop on my finger and rub it into the palm of my (clean) hands and apply all over my face, being careful around my eyes.  It will literally dissolve my make up and clean my face.  I rinse it off with a little bit of warm water and pat dry.  

In the summer months, that's it.  In the winter I'll add the hydrating cream just for that little extra moisture but, if you don't have dry skin, you may want to skip that step.

Anyone interested in testing these products out, say the word and I'll send you a sample (GTA/ Ontario Only) or you can order directly from the webiste from anywhere in the world.

Your skin will thank you!

Essential Living: Sleep, Glorious Sleep

Let's be real, everyone has trouble sleeping from time to time.  But, some of us have actual chronic sleep issues.  Whether it be due to a specific cause or just because we have trouble relaxing and turning off our brain for the night.

For me, I am generally a pretty light sleeper. But, after Brady passed away I had some pretty severe anxiety and the inability to sleep just exasperated that anxiety.  I was diagnosed with PTSD and given some pretty intense anti-depressants and sleeping pills.  But, after a week of using both, I just didn't like the idea of becoming dependent on anything artificial if I could find a better way.   I'm not opposed to medicine, I just like the idea of trying the natural route first.  If I can't find a solution this way, time permitting, then of course I would take anything the doctor recommended.  And, would encourage anyone else in the same way, free of judgement.

I had a friend who was a wellness advocate for DoTerra and she helped me determine which oils might work for me in trying to achieve a decent sleep at night.

At first, we tried Serenity & Balance, which I loved.  Then, for a little bit more intensity when the days were particularly tough, I was introduced to Vetiver.  I still use Serenity and transition between that and Lavender for simple relaxation in my bedroom and throughout the house.  I still have both Balance and Vetiver on hand for additional help but generally stick to what I like.   All of the above, can be diffused or applied topically.   In the beginning I did more topical application, mostly on the bottoms of my feet and now, use the diffuser more often than not.  It's a bit more subtle and allows both myself and my husband to benefit from just a couple of drops over 2-4 hours.

If you struggle with sleep, how do you cope?  Would love to hear your techniques for relaxation. And if oils are something you would be interested in trying, feel free to contact me via email for a sample (GTA / Ontario only) or order directly from the website from anywhere in the world.

No more sleepless nights!

Essential Living: Month of Love

As February and Valentines Day approaches, we're all looking for ways to incorporate a little more love into our lives.
If you own a diffuser, this is a great way to add the scent of 'love' into your home , or bedroom ;) But, if you don't, a little roller ball mixture added to your wrist and neck is another way to bring the love this month (and any month of the year).

Both Sandalwood & Ylang Ylang are very popular bases for these aphrodisiac blends.  They also make great bases for a DIY perfume. Which makes sense, since the whole point of a decent perfume is to turn some heads...so, why not turn your husband/ boyfriend/ partner's head?

Some of the DoTerra combinations you might consider are:

• Jasmine & Sandalwood
• Ylang Ylang, Cassia & Passion
• Bergamont, Ylang Ylang, Sandalwood, Wild Orange, Rosemary, Ginger & Black Pepper
• Ylang Ylang, Wild Orange, Sandalwood & Cedarwood

If you are making yourself a rollerball blend, make sure you use DoTerra's fractionated coconut oil as your carrier oil to ensure best results and no added scent.

All of the above mentioned oils can be found and purchased here.  If you're interested in the discounted wholesale price, make sure to send me a message or email for more information.