Saturday, February 23, 2013

Halftee Review!

 
I was so excited when my Halftee came in the mail the other day. I had heard about these from a friend's blog, and the concept immediately interested me.
 
In case you're wondering, or have never heard of these before, Halftees are for layering purposes - obviously you wouldn't wear that little tiny mini-shirt above as a regular shirt!
 
Maybe you have a really adorable blouse in your absolute favorite color...The only problem? Neckline's too low. 
In situations like this...Enter the Halftee! It's a marvelous little half-shirt which, unlike full layering tops, has less fabric and is therefore more practical and convenient...less fabric means it won't be as hot and you won't have a ton of excess fabric bunching up awkwardly.
 
I was sent a black lace (don't you just LOVE black lace?!) halftee to review. You can find it/buy it here.
 
Please bear with me on the lame photos. I took them last minute before I had to go to a church band performance, hence the shirt.  Okay, I'll be honest. This is positively the most ugliest shirt in my wardrobe so I guess it's ironic that I paired it with such a pretty little piece. :P BUT anyways. I needed to help Mom with dinner and I had just come from testing my tree-climbing skills in the woods...(don't ask) so...didn't have time to throw together something really fashionable or chic.
And truth be told I just look like an utter mess here.

 
As you can see, the lace is extremely see-through. I would not recommend this particular Halftee as a cover-up means for a low neckline. I chose this one mainly just because 1., I loveeee black lace and think it is so elegant, and 2., because I had NOTHING black lace in my closet before now. This Halftee is great for dressing up your more plain, everyday stuff.
 

 
Like I said, I was a mess. And my hair? This is how it is about 90% of my life. Yeah. Bleh.
I don't usually have the time for nice hairstyles during workdays around the house. We're talking practicality here, people, not fashion queen style.

 
Notice the intricate lace detail. Very feminine, light and delicate. One thing you should note if you get one of the lace Halftees, is that the sleeves, even on a tall, long-armed girl like myself, are very long
 I got a size large because when I looked at the options on the Halftee website, the sizes appeared to run small and I didn't want to send my Halftee back because it was too small. I am however usually a small or medium in shirts, and I do own a good number of extra-smalls(which ran true to size) in tops as well.
 
Now, my halftee is fine on me, and judging by the sleeves I probably could have gotten away with a medium, but when you're ordering off the web you just never know. I usually overestimate to be safe.  
 

 
As you can see, you can also wear this Halftee with more formal attire... even though this doesn't really match this particular dress...-_- I need to find a solid print dress to pair with the Halftee.
 And yes, these were more last minute messiness photos that I snapped in a matter of minutes. 



 
If you would like to buy your own Halftee, you can visit their website here. 
 
 This is my first official review so I'm sorry if I rambled or yacked too long on messes and minor trifles. And once again I apologize for the quality of the pictures. You will probably see a better outfit combination using the halftee in the future on the fashion blog I run.
 
 
Anyways, hope y'all are having a blessed weekend!

Friday, February 22, 2013

Oh The Joys of Movie Editing...


 
Here's the product of much annoyance with Adobe Premiere Pro and YouTube...not to mention, a good many hours spent trying to figure out how to correctly export the file...without it taking 20 hours to accomplish. (seriously, one time YouTube stated that's how long it would take...O_O)
 
This is just a bloopers/outtakes video compiled from footage we filmed about a year ago for GFP's Rumpelstiltskin.
 
Hope you enjoy! (And if anyone has any tips on how to utilize Adobe Premiere well PLEASEEE let me know. I've been having...er...quite a time figuring out this thing. At least I'm still on the trial for 7 more days. -_-)
 
P.S. I know it's unusual for me to post twice in one day, but with all the effort that went into this single video (That sounds pretty pathetic, doesn't it?) I just had to share it with y'all.

Ch-ch-ch-Chia Seeds! {FabHealthFriday}

 
"Long ago, before the Spanish conquest of Latin America – and well before the Ch-ch-ch-chia Pet was born – chia seeds were a staple food, like corn and beans, in the diets of the Aztecs and Mayans. Chia actually got its name from the Mayan word for “strength.”
 Aztecs and Mayans consumed chia seeds regularly, grinding them into flour, pressing them for oil and drinking them mixed with water. At this time in history, chia seeds were considered to be almost 'magical' because of their ability to increase stamina and energy over long periods of time.
After the Spanish conquest of Latin America, chia seeds and their benefits became somewhat eclipsed, as the Spanish introduced their own foods and prohibited the farming of chia. Now, as modern scientists and nutritionists are recognizing the extreme lack of certain nutrients in the standard American diet, they are looking to history for natural solutions, including chia. Because of this, it is regaining popularity and its benefits are becoming known to modern America.

The chia seeds are “super” because, like a superfruit, they deliver the maximum amount of nutrients with minimum calories. They have several of the same benefits as the more well-known “super seed” flax, but unlike flax seed, you don’t need to grind them to reap the health benefits. The nutritional benefits of chia include fiber, omega fatty acids, calcium, antioxidants and much more – even protein! Chia absorbs up to 12 times its own weight and expands to curb your appetite, so adding just an ounce or so of chia seeds to your diet can reduce caloric intake and help lower the energy density (or calories) of foods, plus double the amount of fiber you receive."  (Information source)
 
 
 
If you haven't guessed by now what we're going to talk about today, it's the fabulous little chia seed.
 
Part of the Bulk Herb Store order we got recently (read about it here), I have just started adding it to my diet. My favorite way to have it is to throw a teaspoon of the tiny seeds in a salad, with almonds, sesame seeds, sunflower seeds and fresh greens from the garden; topped with my homemade Italian vinaigrette.
They are hardly noticeable in the salad because they are just so teeny! So it's not trouble at all getting them in my body.
 
 
 
Here are some of the many, abounding health benefits of chia seeds:
 
1. Helps with weight loss/maintaining a healthy weight.
2. Boosts metabolism and stamina.
3. Is a good source of calcium.
4. EXCELLENT source of essential omega 3 fatty-acids. In fact, chia seeds have more of this than salmon which is famous for high omega 3 fatty-acid content.
5. Great source of potassium.
 
If you are an athlete or distance runner you will definitely want to add chia seeds to your diet. Many marathon runners now swear by them. They’ve been known to provide surges of energy during and after a workout.  Being a distance runner myself, I can say I certainly am interested in getting extra energy during my runs!
 
You can eat chia seeds both raw (like I do in my salads) or in cooked items like breads and just about any other food product.  You can eat them by themselves, or mix them into  yogurt and even ice cream or pudding! The possibilities are endless.
 
If you're convinced you need to try some of these amazing little seeds, the Bulk Herb Store has some for sale for a pretty reasonable price.
 
Happy Friday!

Wednesday, February 20, 2013

Come Check out Creation Gals!

Howdy y'alls! I just wanted to invite you to come visit a new Creation Science blog a friend and I started. We named it Creation Gals since it is the two of us writing the articles.
 
The blog is still under construction so bear with us for a couple days while we straighten things out.
 
We will be posting about all things Creation Science related...everything from fulgurites and astronomy to marine biology and physics. Also, information on debunking evolutionism and atheistic theory.
 
We'd love to have you come check it out!
 
 
Blessings,

Tuesday, February 19, 2013

You Name-Caller! 25 Princess-y Character Names {WriterlyWednesday}

 
To start off, I wanted to share with y'all a couple articles I've written for Randomosity Writers, which you might find useful.
 
 
After much pondering I decided to do another You Name-Caller! post thanks to getting the idea from Elizabeth L. *smiles at you, Elizabeth.* Thanks for the inspiration!
 
THIS time, we're going to grab a cup of tea, don our big, fluffy pink dresses (ha! Who am I kidding? Fluffy pink dresses? Ick, nooo.) and take a look at some names fit for a fairy-tale princess.
 
Hold on just a sec as I grab my character names notebook...
 
 
1. Ahealea/Ahaelia
2. Adelaide
3. Estelle
4. Florencia
5. Garnet
6. Docia
7. Carnation
8. Jewel
9. Irisia
10. Odessa
11. Natalia
12. Topaz
13. Winerva
14. Wysteria
15. Sapphire
16. Emra
17. Nadina
18. Magdalena
19. Guinevere
20. Zira/Zyra
21. Anastasia
22. Caprice
23. Elodie
24. Cosette
25. Evanthe
 
 
I don't know about you, but I can picture a fantasy-story princess standing behind any of these.
Do you have any favorite "princess" names?
 
 
Have a very blessed Wednesday!

Box O' Herbs!

 
 
We got home yesterday to discover that our Bulk Herb Store order had arrived! The dogs had started to tear into the box, (If they had been successful in ruining the herbs, I swear I'd have shot them. -_-) but thankfully everything inside was fine.
 
After watching a number of the BHS's health videos and reading a number of articles I convinced Mom get us stocked up on more Berry Herbal Brew, Brain Booster tea and a variety of other healthful herbs. This shipment was very much anticipated.





 
Is it strange for a girl to get all excited over a box of herbs, bentonite clay and diatamaceous earth?
And is it even stranger that the girl couldn't resist getting photos, to boot?
 
In case you didn't already know, I am obsessed with the world of herbs, plants and natural healing. I'd say it is a healthy (haha, pardon the pun!) obsession though since I am training to be an herbalist and naturopath. The knowledge of how to use these ingredients can save lives, if not save a lot of pain and sweat.
 
I am still debating whether or not to do a WriterlyWednesday post tomorrow, or to instead post a movie review. What do you think? Maybe I'm just being lazy, but with running APOC (Hey, have you checked it out yet? Click here to do so!) and also contributing to Randomosity Writers on Wednesdays, I just haven't been as eager to do WW posts lately. Not to mention the eons of work I have to do with my own personal writing projects. I love writing, y'all, but I guess I just feel kinda overloaded with it right now.  Still pondering how my MMC Griffin's (from my screenplay) recurring nightmares should happen, and what goes on in his mind during their progressions.
Don't you just love plotting how your characters' nightmare should go?  O_O
 
Bah. Oh well. It'll come to me. And I guess that was totally off-topic as usual.
 
Just forget I even said anything about writing. Yes. Forget. Think instead about how amazing fenugreek seeds are. ^_^ (Spellchecker hates that word! It's trying to get me to replace it with phonograph and encourager. XP)
 

Friday, February 15, 2013

The Importance of Getting Enough Exercise {FabHealthFriday}

 
Howdy y'all! Today for FabHealthFriday we're going to take a look at the importance of getting enough physical exercise.
 
In this country, just about everyone already knows about the need for it.
 But not everybody takes it seriously. And then, there are some people take it too far. Just like anything else, exercise should be a balanced activity. Enough to burn calories, strengthen your body and refresh your spirit, but not so much that you find yourself cringing in pain for the next week.
 
So, why exactly does the human body require exercise and movement?
 
  1. Aerobic exercises benefit the circulation of your blood through your heart and blood vessels -your cardiovascular system. Exercise makes the heart work harder, pump more blood, and it also reduces the risk of developing heart disease. With each beat of your heart, a surge of blood is pumped into your body's intricate web of blood vessels. The pressure exerted on your artery walls as blood passes through helps keep the blood flowing smoothly (what you know as ‘blood pressure'). A build-up of plaques in your arteries, caused by cholesterol in your bloodstream can affect your blood flow and cause serious damage to your cardiovascular system. A workout on a regular basis benefits your heart because it helps lower the build-up of plaques in arteries by increasing the concentration of high-density lipoprotein (HDL) cholesterol (the "good" cholesterol) and decreasing the concentration of low-density lipoprotein (LDL) cholesterol (the "bad" cholesterol) in your blood, while keeping the blood pressure at the optimal level.  As a result, your heart is able to do a better job in delivering oxygen to all parts of your body. Blood travels more efficiently, bringing much-needed oxygen from your lungs and nutrients to the rest of the body.  That's why you may noticed that you feel refreshed and energized after exercising. (Information source here)
  2. Exercise builds muscle and strengthens bones, as well as preserves bone mass, and increases bone density. Regular resistance training can help prevent the bone-weakening disease, osteoporosis.
  3. Exercise helps keep a healthy, balanced BMI (body mass index) and weight.  Once again, most people know this. It's a no-brainer if you're trying to lose weight. Calories burn the fastest and most effectively when the body is moving in some way or another, especially during vigorous exercises such as jogging, quick walking, biking, and peppy dancing.
  4. Exercise helps induce better, quality sleep. Many people who have problems sleeping find doing moderate exercise at least three hours before bedtime helps in sleeping better at night. The recent Hibernation Diet Theory teaches that regular exercise could activate production of recovery hormones during sleep and increases the body's metabolic rate.
  5. While the above reasons have given us enough incentive already to work out, there is yet another reason. Exercise also benefits the extremely essential lymphatic system. The lymphatic system is a vital network of vessels and nodes responsible for regulating fluids, distributing proteins and filtering out poisons in the fluid between the cells. It is a protector and a defence system against infection, viruses, harmful bacteria, and disease. The three most important methods of lymphatic circulation are external massage, muscle expansion and contraction, and intense exercise. This means the more you move, the livelier it becomes. When the lymph is not overloaded, health is maintained by the lymphatic system's natural detox design. But if the lymph is running sluggish and there is too much waste, a blockage in the lymphatic system happens, leading to symptoms like chronic fatigue, water retention, eczema, allergies, arthritis, and infections. 


Next week we'll cover different forms of exercise how each one directly effects the body.
 
Do you have a favorite way to get your body moving?
 

P.S. Be sure to check out my new modest fashion blog, A Pinch of Classy!


Wednesday, February 13, 2013

It's Not Easy Being a Writer {WriterlyWednesday}

 
So I was originally planning on doing another You Name-Caller! post today. It was going to be about historically correct middle ages names. I started doing some research on it, but quickly dumped the whole thing when it began consuming too much of my evening writing time. Maybe I'll continue it when I have acquired some more patience. I mean, seriously, did you ever think about how hard it is to get reliable, accurate information on popular names of the medieval era? I'm not talking about medieval fantasy names (which we covered last time). I'm talking names of people who actually lived then.
 
It's not quite as easy as looking up popular 1860's names.
 
And that brings me to what I decided to talk about instead, today.
 
Easy.
 
 
It's not easy being a writer.
 
Sometimes we have our euphoric moments of almost-Divine inspiration. Sometimes, we find ourselves chucking out thousands of words in an hour. Winning every word war. Feeling a great satisfaction about your work because you are aware of your encouraging progress on it.
 
Sometimes.
 
Most of the time? This scenario is only an idealistic daydream.
 
Let's face it, people. If you are writing a book(or screenplay, for that matter), and dead serious about getting it finished and published, than the trip's not going to be smooth. You're going to have multiple trials and tribulations, and buckets full of blood and sweat to boot. What am I getting at? This is merely figurative lingo for a simple reality: You're going to kill your emotions. You're going to kill your mental energy, and if you don't watch out, even your physical demeanor will also be affected.
 
Writing a quality book or screenplay is a taxing task, a huge aspiration, and few make it to becoming a New York Times' Bestseller.
 
I'll have you know, I'm certainly not bashing the art of authoring something. Not at ALL. Truth is, I adore writing and can't seem to get enough of it. I have spent countless hours on my writing projects over the years.
 
 
I'm just stressing the fact that you can't expect the trip to be all fun and games. At some point or another you will fall into ruts and ditches.  You will experience writers' block, lack of inspiration and motivation, or you will probably find yourself just fed up with your WIP altogether. As much as I love my characters to death, there's a flip side. As much as I love the plot in my screenplay, I have spent crazy amounts of time and energy, pouring my all my being into its completion. After several months, (or, with The Rebels of Florida, almost five years) this process can become very old, tiresome, and even plain boring.
 
Sometimes you wonder if you have any mental energy left at all. Sometimes you feel like you've deprived your brain of all creativity, from hours of brainstorming, or working the details of a problem scene that just doesn't seem to fall into place with everything else you've written so far.
 
Sometimes you feel like your brain has been tossed on a skillet and fried to a crisp.  And, sometimes, you feel like you just want to climb back into bed and forget about the whole morass altogether.
 
It's not easy being a writer.
 
You gotta have guts. You gotta have discipline, and loads of it. You gotta have good time managing skills. You gotta be tough as nails.
 
But while there is indeed an immense challenge to starting what you finish, as a writer, and keep plugging along even on the toughest of days, I think the challenge is part of what makes it so appealing. To finish such a project well, only results in immense satisfaction.
 
Keep going. Don't procrastinate. If you're still single/living at home, like I am, then you are probably blessed with time that many people do not have.
Don't give up. Develop a love for learning new things and you will find inspiration in places you never dreamed qualified for the topic. Try your hardest and write your best. Don't give your WIP left-overs or mediocre quality.
 
Use what time you have wisely and by no means will your project be a failure.
 
Have a blessed Wednesday!

Friday, February 8, 2013

Runner's High... Real or Not Real? {FabHealthFriday}

 
Runner's High.
 
That euphoric feeling that long distance runners (and anybody who exercises on extreme levels) experience, sometimes after their work-out. Is it a myth? Fairy tale? Simply an idealistic bit of imagination? Real or not real?
 
I am a distance runner. Personally I can testify to getting the 'runner's high'. Usually, it comes after a run. At least 5-6 miles worth. I have yet to get it while dancing, biking, walking or weight-lifting.
 
It's hard to explain, what it feels like. I've never used drugs so I have NO clue what it's like to be on a "high". (I don't plan to find out, either!) But multiple people have claimed that runner's high is like the high acquired when taking cocaine.
 
In an article from the NY Times, Bill Fox, a recreational bicyclist and an I.B.M. research lab technician, says his exercise highs do not come easily.
 
-
''You've really got to work for this high,'' Mr. Fox explained, saying he usually needed two hours or more of sweaty, intense, vigorous exercise. But when the feeling comes, he said, it is just like cocaine, a drug he knows from his days as an addict. ''It has that well-being kind of feeling, that Superman kind of feeling,'' said Mr. Fox of Middletown, N.Y.
-
 
"That Superman kind of feeling."
 
Exactly how I would describe it. People who follow me on Facebook can tell you that I've posted numerous "running raves" about feeling like Superman at the end of a run.  It truly is an incredible sensation, and, personally, I only get it when I push myself to the limits.
 
It isn't predictable.
 
I don't get it after every run or exercise session.
 
Some people claim that this high is the result of endorphins being released, in the brain.
I read these three articles and found them to be very fascinating resources on the topic.
 
 
If endorphins truly are the cause of the "runner's high", and runner's high isn't merely a delusion, is it possible to get addicted to it?
 I don't know, but let me tell you, I don't plan on quitting running any time soon. *winks*
 
What do you think? Runner's high...real, or not real?
 
P.S. I apologize that this post is a day late - hopefully you will still find it useful and informative!

Tuesday, February 5, 2013

You Name-Caller! Unusual Character Last Names {WriterlyWednesday}

 
 
So, in the last two WriterlyWednesday posts, we covered first name ideas for characters. Today I thought I'd switch things up and list some interesting, unusual LAST names. Some may be slightly bizarre, even.
 
I don't know why, but for some odd reason I'm drawn to the names which are crazy sounding. Different. Unusual. Peculiar.
 
Whoever thought last names of characters had to be boring? Last names can be as fun as first names if you let them be.
 
Here's a short sampling of unusual last names, for your writing pleasure.
-
 
Zule
Harper
Redpath
Fowler
Everly
LaVonda
Ferry
Rowe
Phox
Marlow
Reed
Damascus
Gunnar
Langston
Wood
Hawthorne
Greenlaw
Duncain
Hawshank
Torrence
Ashby
Skene
Skyne
Toires
Brindle
Morley
Chamberlayn
Mallowburne
Pole
Yancey
Pratt
Wishart
Zander
Sparrow
-
 
What are some of your favorite character last names? Do you like to use different sounding last names or stick to more traditional, 'normal' ones?
 
 
Have a blessed Wednesday!

Friday, February 1, 2013

Berry Herbal Brew {FabHealthFriday}


 
{Hola amigas y amigos!}
 
Todayyyyy, I have the privilege to talk to all you fabulous people about something really amazing in the realm of natural health and herbalism.
 
What is it?
 
None other than the famous Berry Herbal Brew from The Bulk Herb Store!
 
This powerhouse of nutritional goodness contains Indian gooseberry, Bilberry fruit, Bilberry leaf, pomegranate, fig leaf, and grape leaf powder.
 
Short Description:
(taken from bulkherbstore.com)
 
Berry Herbal Brew is a unique blend of specially formulated ingredients that combine during the fermentation process to release their healthful benefits, including antiviral, antimicrobial, and very high antioxidant properties. The herbs are useful in the treatment of rheumatoid arthritis, osteoporosis, inflammation, cancer, diabetes, heart disease, liver function and eye health. The combination of nutrients and elements help prevent vision and eye problems, improve brain function, balance digestion, are a good source of vitamin E and C, very strong in anti-cancer actions, improve heart disease, as well as help degenerative nerve diseases, viral infections and mechanisms of Alzheimer’s disease.
 
  (You can learn more about the incredible, miraculous results of taking this blend in Debi Pearl's The Vision book.)
 
-
Soooo, Mom bought two pounds of this and I made up a batch. It takes a minimum of 3 weeks to ferment and from then on, you can take 3 oz. of it every day if you want! (That is the recommendation, for adults and older kids/teens. Kids should only take 1 oz./1/8 cup.)
I put it in several glass Mason jars...two half-gallon, and one quart-sized. I would suggest that if you decide to make up your own batch, consider making TONS of it. Meaning, buy at least several pounds or more and make it in bulk. If you have a large family this stuff goes really quick!
 
I will warn you, that this is nothing to mess around with. The fermentation process renders it a bit alcoholic, so don't take any more than 3 ounces/3/8 cup of it daily. And as stated above, kids don't need to have any more than 1 oz. daily. 
The taste? Woah. Let's just say....it's STRONGGGGG. Strong as in you get a strange, numbing sensation in your throat as it travels down the esophagus. It almost takes your breath away.
 
But from my experience, it is the stronger, more unpleasant-tasting things which are the best for your body. Garlic. Apple cider vinegar. Oil pulling. Cold tinctures.
 
I was immediately interested in the Berry Herbal Brew when I saw it, primarily because BHS said it helped with getting better eyesight. My eyesight isn't horrible, and I can see just fine without corrective lenses of any kind, but at the same time my vision isn't 20/20.
 
So I have been looking for way to improve my vision, naturally.
 
But there are so many other benefits that come with drinking the Berry Herbal Brew. I have heard amazing stories from people who have used it, and can't wait to see the effects in my own body and my family's bodies as well.
 
If you want to purchase your own Berry Herbal Brew mix, or get more information, visit here.
 
Have a blessed weekend!