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!

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!

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,

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.

 

Love Triangles {The Do's and Don'ts of Writing Romance}

The Do's and Don'ts of Writing Romance {part one}

5 Tips on Staying Inspired and Motivated 24/7 

 

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)

 

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!