Posted by Maria on March 24, 2010 under Esthetics School, Fitness, Green Living, Home spa, Ingredients, Newspapers and Newsworthy, TV Shows, Uncategorized, Wellness | 
by Maria Koropecky, Homespunspa owner
Did you know that in 1993, the United Nations General Assembly declared March 22 as the World Day for Water? I didn’t. I just found out from Dr. Phil that March 21st to 27th, 2010 is World Water Week and the funny thing is, I was already going to write about water on this post anyway. There must be something in the air.
Everyone knows that water is the universal spa ingredient. It works on the inside of your body as something you can drink and it works on the outside as something you can bathe or swim in.
But today I want to write about bottled water and how I don’t recommend it for your home spa or your home gym. I must admit though that I am guilty of buying bottled water on a regular basis. I buy it mostly for my Jazzercise classes because it’s a convenient way for me to hydrate myself while I’m exercising and I also like to have some on hand for my earthquake emergency kit.
But last year, one of my co-workers forwarded this PowerPoint presentation to all staff in my office and it really opened my eyes: water-disaster1. What a wake up call. From watching this slideshow, I was shocked to learn the financial, health and environmental costs associated with bottled water:
- Financial: Apparently, the average U.S. citizen spends over $400 a year on bottled water. As someone who is about to become a student again, I need to save money wherever I can.
- Health: Because of temperature changes (which can be extreme) during shipment from the warehouse to the store to you, toxic chemicals from the plastic bottles can leach into the water and therefore into your body once you drink it which can cause serious damage to your health.
- Environmental: Producing cases of bottled water and transporting them by the truck load and then disposing the empties all have a significant (and often unnecessary) impact on the environment.
What really got me was the part about keeping the bottles of water in your car. I’m not doing that anymore.
The case for tap water
What happened to good ol’ tap water? Somewhere along the line we stopped trusting it. But as someone who lives on the west coast of Canada surrounded by majestic mountains, flowing rivers, vibrant lakes and the Pacific Ocean, I am blessed to have lovely, wholesome water delivered straight to my home whenever I want at the twist of my tap. So why am I buying water from France? It’s ridiculous if you think about it and one more point for the 100 mile diet.
You’ll be happy to know that ever since I saw the above presentation on water bottles, I have started bringing a refillable metal container full of tap water to class.
Access to fresh, clean water is a big deal for our planet but we take it for granite 
(as it’s often pronounced). But I think the tide is turning and people are becoming more and more appreciative of this resource every day. Even AVEDA, my esthetics school, has a policy of not allowing bottled water in the classrooms.
If you want to learn more about World Water Day and related events and how you can contribute, check out the UNICEF Tap Project.
And from now on, I pledge to drink tap water instead of bottled water. Right here, right now, I’m going to take a page from Oprah’s handbook and start my own pledge drive.
Homespunspa’s No Bottled Water Pledge
I, ____________, when given the choice between tap water from a healthy source and bottled water, pledge to choose to drink tap water. And, if I happen to buy and drink a commercially-made bottle of water, I will return the bottle for recycling and will get the deposit back. Every lit bit helps. Cheers!
If you would like to sign this pledge with me, please fill in this form below. THANKS!
Posted by Maria on March 17, 2010 under Aromatherapy, Green Living, Hair, Home spa, Homespunspa, How to throw a home spa pajama party the Homespunspa way book, Ingredients, Photo gallery, Pop-Psychology, Recipes, TV Shows, Uncategorized |
by Maria Koropecky, Homespunspa owner
As it tis St. Patrick’s Day today, I thought it would be fun to talk about beer as a home spa ingredient.
Body on Tap Shampoo plus Irish Spring Soap equals Magically Delicious
Before you go out on the town tonight to celebrate St. Patrick’s Day, why not get into the spirit with some home brewed spa treatments. If only they still sold Body on Tap Shampoo. It was made with real Budweiser beer! Personally, I’ve never actually used this particular brand because I was underage at the time. I remember the ads from a lot of the shampoos from the 1970’s that don’t exist anymore like, Breck (“and they told two friends and so on and so on…”) and Gee your Hair Smells Terrific and “Squeeze and go from flat to fluffy, squeeze, with Prell Concentrate.” Good times. Good times. Hey, another 1970’s throwback!
With ingredients like green tea and silk amino acids, shampoo has come a long way in 30 years, (how much do you pay for a bottle these days?) but the idea of putting real beer in shampoo isn’t complete flimflam. What may seem like marketing shenanigans to us in 2010 actually has some validity. Not only does beer bring out hair’s natural shine and highlights, it also adds body and volume too. And some people may consider beer’s unmistakable scent as aromatherapy at its finest. So, if you’d like to make your own beer shampoo, here is a recipe.
St. Patrick’s Day Beer Shampoo
Ingredients:
- 2 bottles of Guinness beer — adds shine, body, volume and fragrance to hair
- 1/4 cup apple cider vinegar — astringent vinegar restores the natural pH balance of skin and hair
- 2 TB honey — has moisturizing and antiseptic qualities
- 1/4 cup regular, as unscented as possible, shampoo (optional)
Method:
- Pour the beer from one bottle into a glass mug and take a swig.
- Pour the other beer, apple cider vinegar and honey into a saucepan and reduce over medium-high heat to a half cup in volume. Keep your eye on the pan and stir occasionally. Adjust the temperature if necessary. Within 20 minutes, the mixture should start looking like thick syrup.
- Once the liquid reaches the desired consistency, take the pan off the heat and let it cool to room temperature.
- If you want, you can keep this recipe as it is (as a hair rinse) without adding extra soap. You can also combine the beer mixture with pre-made, unscented shampoo and pour the mixture into a recycled shampoo bottle. Make sure to label it so you don’t forget.
Manner:
- Massage the beer shampoo into wet hair. Lather, rinse and repeat. Follow with a conditioner.
- Tell two friends about this recipe
Storage:
- The alcohol, honey and shampoo base should act to preserve this recipe without refrigeration for at least a couple of weeks, but you’ll use it up by then, anyhow, right?
Cheers and Happy St. Patrick’s Day!
Posted by Maria on March 11, 2010 under Green Living, Home spa, Stress Management and Relaxation, TV Shows, Uncategorized |
by Maria Koropecky, Homespunspa owner
As you may already know, my Homespunspa Ewesletter blog is all about living a home spa lifestyle. To me, “home Spa” is an umbrella term that covers everything from making homemade spa treatments for sleep and beauty to topics like wellness, nutrition, fitness, stress management and green living to name just a few.
Design is another branch of the spa world and designing and decorating a space that encourages people to feel calm and relaxed is one of the pillars of a successful spa. Some spa spaces just have a way of melting stress from a person even before they receive their first spa treatment! With this in mind, I want my home to be my sanctuary, a quiet haven where I can rest and relax and I want it to feel and look more like a spa. I’m doing everything short of installing a water feature — because that would be over the top. Maybe next year.
So, I’m in the throws of a massive spring cleaning campaign. At first I was just going to paint many of my mismatched pieces of furniture a shade of white that most closely resembles cream cheese but now that I’ve pulled that thread, I’m also in the process of cleaning all of the nooks and crannies that I normally gloss over in my regular housekeeping routine. I’m also de-cluttering stuff from my junk drawers. Why I keep half of the trinkets and t-shirts I do, I don’t know.
There’s No Clutter In Spa Land
Every now and then, I watch an episode of Hoarders — to let’s face it — light a fire under my butt to clean up my act — before things get out of hand. While I don’t have “mountain of things” like in the Tracy Chapman song, there is an ever so slight tendency towards pack-ratiness in my family and I must admit I do collect a few odd things. Like when I went through all of my cosmetics, toiletries and medicine cabinet while I was painting my vanity, I found 3 brand new Secrets. Not that kind of secret — I’m hoarding antiperspirant. I can understand having a spare — but three? I also have at least 10 mini shampoos and soaps from hotels that I never plan on using, but like to have, and tons of expired cough, cold and flu medicine, just in case.
I can understand how hoarders, when confronted with the questions, “stay or go” and “keep or toss” freeze at seemingly useless items. I picked up a broken key chain while I was sorting my things into “like with like” piles and I shutter to say that even after holding it in my hand and recognizing it’s flaws and thinking about it for a minute or two, I kept it. I like to scrapbook and I have a box filled to the brim with things that might eventually look good in a collage. So that’s where it went, probably never to be heard from again, because, surprise, surprise, I don’t scrapbook much these days.
Like Watching Paint Dry
How is the painting going, you ask? Painting furniture is posing it’s own challenges for me. Picking paint colour is one thing. Picking the type of paint is another. (I went with a greener solution — a special primer and acrylic-based paint combo because I didn’t want to fuss with oil-based paint, which is going to be outlawed in 2012, anyway). And then there’s a little thing called patience. I’m discovering I’m not as patient as I think I am. I have to remember that patience is a virtue and painting anything, whether it’s a piece of art or a wall in my basement, can be quite a meditative and zen-like experience. I’m learning I end up doing a better job if I take my time with all of the steps and don’t rush the brush strokes. So far, I’m really happy with the results I’m getting and I think this huge project will be well-worth the effort.
Over to you. Are you in the midst of spring cleaning your homestead? Are you having trouble getting rid of clutter or picking a paint colour? While you’re on a break waiting for the paint to dry, write a comment. I’d love to hear from you.
Posted by Maria on March 2, 2010 under Gift Ideas, Ingredients, Photo gallery, Uncategorized |
by Maria Koropecky, Homespunspa owner
My mom recently returned from a trip to Dubai, the land of luxury and opulence. I asked her to bring me back some sand as a souvenir because I’m not likely to go there any time soon. Well, she came through with flying colours and brought back two different kinds of sand for me. One was a silky, fine, pale tan sand from the beach and the other was a lovely peppery bronze sand from the desert. (I wish I still had the Bermuda pink sand my late father brought home from one of his navy expeditions in the late 1970’s in my collection, but that stash is long, long gone).
The question is, now what do I do with this new sand? I wanted to put the sand in some sort of container, like a wine bottle, or picture frame or an acrylic box so I could display my exotic treasure. I also wanted the presentation to be somewhat artistic.
Sand is such an interesting subject to contemplate. Sand is timeless and is found on shorelines all over the world and the granules are infinitely unquantifiable. Comedian Steven Wright’s quote comes to mind, “I have the world’s largest seashell collection. You may have seen it, I keep it spread out on beaches all over the world.”
From a spa point of view, dry sand is like the antithesis of wet water, the primary foundation of all spas around the world. Any spa worth its salt is based on the healing powers of water in some way, either historically or geographically. Still, somehow, the powdery and gritty texture of sand belongs in the spa also. Sand and sea are neighbours and they meet each other half way. What’s a breaking wave without a sandy beach?
So, in the spirit of wanting to bring the beach feeling home, I went to Michael’s Crafts to see if I could find a vessel for my sand. After an hour of walking up and down the aisles, I decided I was going to look for something that could serve as a centerpiece on my dinner table for my next home spa party. I wasn’t exactly sure what I was looking for and then I spotted the answer on the bottom shelf: A 5.9-inch/15-cm glass cylinder with an insert for a candle by a company called Ashland for #13.49 CAD. The vanilla pillar candle was only $3.49 so the whole craft project cost me less than $20. (Of course, that’s not counting the airfare to Dubai to get the sand, but I’m sure you can find some near your house or buy it in a store, if you’re landlocked, for a lot less .
Use this sand and candle centerpiece in your next home spa party.
Notice the contrasting red and tan sands in this home spa craft project.
All you have to do is get some sand and pour it into the big cylinder. If you want, you can get fancy and use different coloured sands and layer them in some sort of pattern. If you stick a toothpick and a removable piece of paper into the sand along the container, you can fill the tunnel with contrasting sand for finer details. The problem is, as I discovered, once you join the sands, it’s difficult, if not impossible to separate them again, so make sure you’re OK with whatever pattern emerges and don’t try to fix it afterward. You can also include rocks and seaweed and shells in your composition.
For added effect, you can float your candle in some water in the smaller insert. Unfortunately, that didn’t work for me this time because the candle kept on capsizing. (A different size and shape would have probably worked better).
Remember, you can also give this quick and easy centerpiece as a hostess gift or you can put it next to your bathtub the next time you take a bath. In my mind, the sand, the water and the candlelight are poetry. It’s like having a mini beach at home (complete with high noon sunshine) and it will definitely add to the ambiance and mystique of your home spa.
Let me know what you think of this home spa craft project. Do you have a favourite beach that you’d like to bring home? Please leave a comment.
Posted by Maria on February 26, 2010 under Aromatherapy, Books, Magazines, Music, Gift Ideas, Meditation, Photo gallery, Pop-Psychology, Sleep, Sponsors, Stress Management and Relaxation, Uncategorized, Wellness |
by Maria Koropecky, Homespunspa owner
I love my iPod. Admittedly, when I found out my new car had an iPod jack on the dash, I was sold. I have access to 14.2 days of music and a playlist for every mood.
According to Spa Finder, the Global Spa & Wellness Directory, “high tech” is one of the top spa trends in 2010. Apparently, some people are gravitating to spas that allow them to listen to their iPod while getting a massage.
At first blush, the idea of using techno gadgets in a natural spa setting sounded a little counter-intuitive to me, but the more I thought about it, the more I realized technology and gadgets may have a place in spa land.
Originally, I was concerned that the relationship between the customer and the massage therapist, would be compromised because a big part of going to a spa and getting a spa treatment is interacting with the people who work there and not tuning them out. But some people aren’t chatty and don’t want to engage in small talk. Personally, I never want to chit chat during a massage and I’ve said this before and I’ll say it again, I always close my eyes and listen to the music when I get my hair washed at the hair salon. For those five minutes, I just want to relax and soak it all in.
I guess it all depends on the treatment you’re getting. Like if you’re getting a face-to-face, hands on manicure or pedicure then maybe leave your iPod at home. And by all means, don’t even think about your Blackberry or cell phone. Texting is a sure fire way to wreck a fresh manicure. And this is your time to relax. The outside world can wait.
I probably wouldn’t bring my iPod to a massage simply because it’s one more thing to drag around and one more thing to accidentally forget and leave behind. Hello, high tipper. And where are you going to put it while you’re receiving your treatment?
On the other hand, if I were to bring my iPod to the spa, I have a few ideas on what the soundtrack would be. For a spa-like ambiance, I’d pick my aromatherapy playlist, with titles like “Awaken the Senses,” “Eternal Wave,” and “Lavender Mist.” Over the years, I have collected several spa-themed cd’s to help me relax and fall asleep. The (often instrumental) music is gentle and soothing and may have overlapping layers of nature sounds like waves rolling onshore or birds chirping in the trees, for added comfort. I’m actually listening to “Natural Sleep Inducement” right now as I write. Yawn and stretch.
Of course you can’t go wrong with Enya. Her music will whisk you off to the Caribbean in no time.
If, however, world music isn’t your cup of tea, and you prefer white noise or selections that have been specifically designed to help you reach a deep, meditative state, then I recommend Holosync from Centerpointe. I have been listening to their cd’s for years and really enjoy them. Check out Holosync through my banner “Meditate like a Zen Monk at the push of a button” in the sidebar to get your free demo. I think listening to Holosync while getting a massage would be a stellar combination.
More and more, people are bringing their iPods to the spa. Photo by Maria Koropecky.
What do you think? If given the choice, would you prefer to listen to your iPod while receiving a spa treatment like a massage? Do you think your iPod would enhance your spa experience or would it get in the way? Would you pick a spa that said “thumbs up” to iPods over one that didn’t? Please leave a comment, I’m curious to know your thoughts on this topic. And if you’re a spa tech or massage therapist or an esthetician, I’d like to hear your opinions too.
Posted by Maria on February 12, 2010 under Books, Magazines, Music, Fitness, Gift Ideas, Home spa, Pets, Photo gallery, Pop-Psychology, Sleep, TV Shows, Uncategorized, Vancouver 2010 Olympic Games, Weight Management, Wellness, Yoga |
by Maria Koropecky, Homespunspa owner
The Olympics are here! The Olympics are here!
Yesterday, while I was in the midst of running on the treadmill (24 minutes non-stop — a new record for me), I was chatting with my personal trainer and she was telling me her plans for re-decorating her studio. I was surprised to hear that she has been planning to install a tv near the treadmill for quite some time.
I suggested now is the perfect time to set up her tv because in the past, I’ve found watching the Olympics while exercising myself to be a lot of fun. It just gives you an extra boost of energy and somehow you end up increasing your speed and your enthusiasm. She agreed wholeheartedly and said “It’s a great motivator” and “thanks for the reminder!”
Here I am after one of my workouts with my trainer.
If you’d like to add a home gym to your home spa, here are my suggestions. Start small and build as you can. And don’t just admire it, use it!
- Dedicate Space: Where will you workout? Do you have access to a spare room or is your living room multi-purpose like mine is? If you’re going to be setting up shop in your living room (I don’t recommend your bedroom because the equipment and the activity will interfere with your sleeping environment), then you’ll want to choose equipment that you can store and access easily. I have a treadmill that folds and stands upright against a wall and that works for me. I keep it next to the tv so when it’s time for a walk/run, I just move the coffee table and extend the platform and I’m off to the races.
- Big Equipment: I’ve already mentioned a treadmill because that’s what I use. I highly recommend getting one. They can be quite expensive and keep in mind that the cheaper ones will be noisy (which will annoy the rest of your household) and will not have a lot of extra bells and whistles, like built in heart-rate monitors or a cushy running base, but even a cheap one is good to have. If you prefer some other equipment or have a lot of extra room, you can look into buying an elliptical trainer, a stairmaster, a stationary bike, a rowing machine or a strength-training machine. You might even consider installing a pole which will work your abs like nothing else once you get past the hanging upsidedown part. Your home gym will be really high end if you also have access tennis courts and swimming pools and saunas. I have a friend you had a squash/basketball court in his house which was really cool, I always thought.
- Handy Equipment: There’s a ton of great equipment that you can use in your home gym. Start with a yoga mat for your stretches. Hand-held weights are useful to have — start with low weights (two each of 1-, 2-, 3- & 5-pounders) and work your way up to 7’s, 8’s, 10’s, 12’s, 15’s, and 20-pluses. There are also adjustable weights you can strap on to your legs. For more resistance, get some tubes or bands that come in green, red, pink and purple depending on their strength. Suzanne Summers’ Thigh Master is still a winner. There are also inflatable pilates balls that are very versatile but only buy the ones that say “anti-burst.” You can also buy a mini trampoline or a low-tech jump rope that will really save space. I also have a plastic step from the 90’s which I’m planning to use again one of these days. Remember to use the built-in stairs in your house, too. My trainer has a Bosu (that half-ball in the picture) and last week on the Biggest Loser, I saw an Olympic athlete balance on one foot while doing the hoola-hoop on one. It looked fun and hard to do at the same time. I wonder if you can buy those speed skating gliding strips that they also used on the Biggest Loser for home use? My trainer told me that those are way harder than they look and are great for building endurance.
- Extra Features: To make your home gym more enjoyable, design it with care. If it’s a dark and dingy room in your basement, you won’t use it. To brighten things up, install a large, full-length mirror so you can see your form while you’re working out. Also, having a tv within sight that plays your favourite workout videos will add variety to your exercise routine. A stereo is also good to have. I have a few playlists on my iPod that I listen to while running. Also hanging posters with inspiring quotes and photos of fit people also help with motivation. And have a place for your bottle of water. Remember also to plug in some fans to circulate air. Even though I always seem to forget this, have a clean towel handy. You might also like to buy tools like heart-rate monitors and pedometres to track your progress.
- A note on safety: Make sure your home gym will give you an effective workout and will also be a safe environment for you. I advise getting pets and small children out of the room while you’re exercising. Also, make sure the room is clean and uncluttered and there aren’t any tripping hazards or electrical overload concerns with your equipment. Read the safety manuals and use the equipment as intended. Clean your equipment regularly with disinfectant wipes, especially if many people are using the facilities.
I hope you use your home gym for many years to come. Invite your friends and workout buddies over from time to time so they can enjoy your gym too. Leave a comment and tell us about your home gym. And have fun working out while watching the Olympics — that’s what I’ll be doing for sure.
Posted by Maria on November 20, 2009 under Dating, Hands and Nails, Home spa, Homespunspa, How to throw a home spa pajama party the Homespunspa way book, Ingredients, Recipes, Self-Care, Spa and Sleep Dictionary, Stress Management and Relaxation, Uncategorized, Wellness |
By Maria Koropecky, Homespunspa owner
It’s Friday and you’re going out on the town tonight. Maybe you have a hot date. Why not give yourself a quick home spa manicure and get some housecleaning done too?
In my last post, Dishwashing — Good Clean Fun, I mentioned that I would write a post on manicures at a later date. Well, here it is.
As some of you know, I have written a book called, How To Throw a Home Spa Pajama Party the Homespunspa Way and I have a whole chapter dedicated to manicures.
I think taking care of our hands is important because they really work hard for us. They are our primary envoys and ambassadors which we send out to investigate and influence our physical world. And like diplomats, we need to treat them like V.I.P.’s with the best of the best. And like diplomats, they need to be polished and well-groomed even during the toughest of negotiations.
Steps to a home spa manicure
- Soaking
- Exfoliating
- Cleaning
- Shaping
- Massaging
- Moisturizing
- Buffing
- Painting
The housekeeping part is optional, of course, and happens at the beginning of this process because no one wants to accidentally wreck their freshly painted nails.
Step 1: Soak your nails — While washing dishes, your nails and cuticles will soften and the dirt under your nails will loosen. This part will set the stage for the rest of the manicure.
Step 2: Exfoliate your hands — If you don’t have time for this step tonight, you can skip it. Here is a recipe for a quick scrub for your hands:
Milk and Sugar Scrub
Ingredients:
- 1/4 Sugar (white or brown) — Brown and white sugar granules are abrasive and make sweet alternatives to salt in exfoliating scrubs.
- 2 TB Safflower Oil — Excellent carrier oil in massage and has conditioning properties that promote healthy skin and hair.
- 2 TB Evaporated or Fresh Milk — Moisturizes, nourishes and softens skin.
Method: In a bowl, mix together the sugar, safflower oil and milk into a creamy consistency.
Manner: Gently massage the mixture all over your hands to exfoliate dry skin and increase circulation. Rinse with warm water.
Storage/Shelf Life: Pour any left over mixture into a sterilized jar. Store in refrigerator for a couple of days. Discard if fresh milk sours.
Step 3: Clean your nails — By now, you should probably feel how soft your hands are. After you have rinsed the scrub from your hands, take a moment to clean under the nail tips with an orange stick or similar tool.
Step 4A: Shape your nails –Using nail clippers, cut your nails. For a rounded tip, cut both sides of the nail on the diagonal and trim the point off the top. Then, you can use a fine emery board to soften the edges but make sure you use long, sweeping strokes in the same direction to avoid possible splintering.
Step 4B: Shape your cuticles — Here is a quick recipe for cuticle oil:
Lemongrass and Rosemary Cuticle Oil
Ingredients
- 2 TB Olive Oil — Calms, soothes, nourishes, cleans, softens and moisturizes skin. This heavy, fragrant and stable oil can be used as a base in massage oils and moisturizing creams.
- 2 drops Rosemary Essential Oil — Lifts depression, erases fatigue and relaxes stiff muscles.
- 3 drops Lemongrass Essential Oil — Strong anti-bacterial properties and is useful for treating problem skin and acne.
Method: Add the drops of essential oils into a tiny, sterilized glass bottle. Roll the mixture around the bottle to blend. Carefully pour the olive oil up to the bottle’s shoulder. Replace the lid and roll again to compound the oils.
Manner: Dot each nail with the cuticle oil and rub in using the ball of your thumb. With an orange stick or similar tool or your thumbnail from your other hand, gently push the cuticles back to expose the lunula (whitish half-moon arc) at the base. Without using scissors, gently peel away any thin bits of extra skin. You should have a nice clean edge defining the area between your nail and your skin, the nail folds.
Storage/Shelf-Life: Label and date the mixture. Keep the bottle tightly closed and store in a cool, dark place for a year or so.
Steps 5 and 6: Massaging and Moisturizing — Make it a routine to massage your hands with moisturizer or massage oil daily. You can use the cuticle oil for this step also, if you’d like. Here are steps to a moisturizing hand massage:
- Apply moisturizing cream.
- Stroke down from your wrist to your knuckle.
- Squeeze between each finger with the thumb and index finger of the other hand.
- Massage between and along each finger with firm circular movements.
- Scissor each finger with the first and second fingers of the other hand, pulling firmly and gently from the base to the tips.
- Massage the palm of one hand with the thumb of the other, using a circular motion.
- Using firm, upward movements, stroke excess oil from the palm to the elbow. Lift the hand away at the end of each stroke.
- Massage the forearm from the wrist to below the elbow with more thumb circles.
Step 7: Buff your nails — With a nail buffing tool or chamois cloth, buff your nails until you notice a natural, healthy-looking sheen. Buffing is just applying some friction to the top of the nail and the cut edges to clean up any residue and to prepare the surface for nail polish. Buffing your nails helps boost circulation, even out ridges and seal nail tips. If you would like to add extra shine, dust your nails with some cornstarch before you begin the buffing step.
Step 8: Painting your nails — Starting with your non-writing hand and working from the pinky to the thumb, apply a clear, protein-enriched base coat of enamel to each nail on your writing hand. Have your hand lie flat on a solid surface and place the wet brush of clear base on the lunula of each nail and drag it evenly toward the tip — painting evenly from the left of the nail, then over to the right, then down the middle.
After the clear base coat has dried, (takes about 10 minites) apply a coat of polish in a colour that flatters your skin tone. Take your time and be careful not to let the polish spread across the nail folds (ridges that join your nail to your fingertip’s skin). If you happen to colour outside the lines, it’s no big deal, just clean it up with a hint of acetone-free nail polish remover.
Wait at least 10 minutes and after the first coat has completely dried, then apply a second coat of colour to each nail. After 10 more minutes, you can paint a final clear coat to add shine and have an extra layer of protection against chipping.
There it is, a home spa manicure. If you try any of these recipes, let me know how it worked out.
Posted by Maria on November 18, 2009 under Aromatherapy, Green Living, Home spa, Homespunspa, How to throw a home spa pajama party the Homespunspa way book, Ingredients, Pets, Photo gallery, Pop-Psychology, Self-Care, Sleep, Stress Management and Relaxation, Uncategorized |
By Maria Koropecky, Homespunspa owner
Here I am washing dishes (circa early 1970's).
Which do you think is greener — washing your dishes by hand or with an automatic dishwasher?
I was surprised to learn from my online research that it is marginally better for your purse and the environment to wash your dishes with an automatic dishwasher than it is to wash them by hand.
I said “marginally” because there are a lot of variable factors involved in the final tallies, like whether or not you fill the dishwasher to capacity every load, how you heat your water, whether or not you rinse your dishes first, what kind of soap you use, how new and efficient the appliance is, how new and efficient you are;> etc. etc.
Given that I don’t have a dishwasher appliance in my home, I have to wash dishes the old fashioned way. It says “Chief, Cook and Bottle Washer” on my business card, by the way. Of course if I had the option, I would choose to use an automatic dishwasher in my quest to live a greener life but hand-washing dishes has its benefits too.
In defense of hand washing dishes
Communication — Back in the days when I was living in my first apartment on Piccadilly Street, one my friends mentioned a study that she had read that talked about washing dishes. She said that the study concluded that if two people, like say a mother and a daughter or a husband and a wife, were having a hard time getting along or if there was a difficult subject that needed discussing, washing dishes together was a good way to get the conversation going. Sometimes it’s hard to look someone square in the eye and tell them what you really think and feel. If you’re busy doing a mindless task and so is the other person and are not posed in a confrontational stance and neither is the other person, and you’re working to achieve a common goal like cleaning the kitchen, it sets the stage for lots of deep and interesting talks.
You’re soaking in it — Remember good ol’ Madge, the manicurist, from the Palmolive commercial? (I believe that’s an almost empty bottle of Palmolive on the window sill in the above picture). Washing dishes by hand is a great home spa trick. It’s like a bubble bath for your hands! If you don’t have the time or money to go and get your nails done on a regular basis, try adding a little home spa treatment into your daily routine. Think of washing dishes as “me time.” Let your mind wander as you go about your tasks. Appreciate the quiet time. Play with the soapy water. Afterwards, grab yourself a cup of tea and give yourself a manicure — more on that at a later post.
Aromatherapy — I can’t say I’m entirely convinced about this one but I did buy my latest bottle of Dawn botanicals dishwashing liquid because it said “soothing relaxant” on the label and because the colour was purple.
One more chance to wash your hands — There has been a lot of talk about washing your hands often to reduce your chances of catching the flu and getting sick. I think I have managed to dodge the H1N1 Swine Flu bullet this year because I hand wash my dishes and therefore wash my hands daily. Something to think about.
Sense of Accomplishment — After a little elbow grease, it’s a nice feeling to see a clean and tidy kitchen. There is a rich reward in getting the job done with your own two hands.
Over to you — Do you wash your dishes by hand or appliance? Which do you think is better? Feel free to comment.
Posted by Maria on July 5, 2009 under Aromatherapy, Green Living, Home spa, Homespunspa, How to throw a home spa pajama party the Homespunspa way book, Ingredients, Photo gallery, Recipes, Self-Care, Sleep, Stress Management and Relaxation, Uncategorized, Yoga |
By Maria Koropecky, Homespunspa owner
I went to the 5th annual Organic Islands Festival & Sustainability Expo with my friend Faith. What a lovely way to spend a summer’s day.
Held at Glendale Gardens in Victoria, BC, this was not something to rush through. I’m glad we got there at 10:00 am just as the gates were opening because that gave us time to stroll through the whole place and chat with vendors along the way as we nibbled on the free samples made with organic ingredients. We were there under the hot summer sun for 4 hours!
I was mostly looking for ideas and products that would fit in nicely with the Homespunspa philosophy of stress management, self-care and sleep. Although I didn’t find a close match, I realized that meant there would be room for Homespunspa next year. Time to start planning.
As we walked through the gardens, we learned about local yoga classes, shea butter, hemp, agave syrup, juicers, composting, old-growth forests, vegetarian diets, etc., etc., etc. I bought some organic salmon treats for my cat, Charlie — which he gives a thumbs up to — and I gave a couple of dollars to the Green Party of Canada. Faith bought a lovely purple scarf. We each sat in the air chair to test it out and to me, it was like sitting in a space shuttle. Fun, fun, fun.
My favourite moment was when I stumbled upon some lemon verbena. I bought a cutting from certified organic, Echo Valley Farm and was so excited, Faith had to buy one too. Everyone who was in earshot of us wanted to buy their own also, but we took the last two.
The next time you come across a lemon verbena plant, rub the leaves with your thumb and forefinger and you’ll immediately fall in love with the bright, lemon fragrance. It’s a perfect ingredient for a home spa. It’s also, as I learned in my research, Scarlett O’Hara’s mother’s favourite herb.
Organic lemon verbena plant.
Because it is one my faves too, I have many recipes using lemon verbena in my “How to throw a home spa pajama party the Homespunspa way” book ($24 CAD plus shipping).
Tea made from lemon verbena leaves is mildly relaxing yet refreshing at the same time. Drink a cup for sleeplessness, nervousness, irritability, bronchial and nasal congestion, indigestion, nausea and flavour.
Here is a recipe for Loungey Lemony Tea from page 93 of my book. Drink this bright and cheerful tea to help you manage stress and relax.
Loungey Lemony Tea
Ingredients:
- 2 TB lemongrass — Tones oily skin and leaves hair feeling soft and conditioned. As a tea, it can be taken to diminish headaches, digestive problems and fevers.
- 1 TB lemon verbena — Tea is mildly sedative. Fragrance lends itself well to baths and is soothing for puffy eyes. Not recommended for pregnant women.
- 1 TB lemon balm — Calms depression and restlessness. Useful in treating inflamed skin, conditions oily hair.
- 1 TB oatstraw — Helps manage stress. High in B vitamins, calcium, iron and zinc, tea also nourishes bones, teeth, hair.
- 2 tsp passionflower — Makes a sedative tea useful for anxiety, insomnia, PMS, tension. Soft on skin in beauty recipes. Use only Passiflora incarnata. Not for pregnant women.
- 2 tsp rosehips — Anti-depressant and sedative. Can be added to beauty recipes for fragrance and for their astringent, anti-inflammatory and wrinkle-reducing properties.
- 2 tsp calendula — Good for all skin types. Antiseptic, astringent, cleansing, moisturizing, toning.
- 2 tsp skullcap — Steep as a relaxing tea to strengthen nerves, soothe headaches, reduce muscle cramps, calm anxiety, help digestion and clear away insomnia.
- 1 tsp lemon peel — Can be massaged into temples for headaches or added to relaxing tea blends for flavour or to baths for their zesty aroma.
Method: Combine dried herbs and flowers and store in an airtight, light-proof canister.
Manner: Place 1 tablespoon of loose tea in a tea pot. Boil 2 cups of water and pour over herbs. Steep for 5 minutes. Strain out the herbs and pour into cups. It’s also great cold, over ice.
Caution: Prolonged use may cause stomach irritations, photosensitivity and may irritate skin. Not recommended for pregnant women.
In addition to drinking this tea, Loungey Lemon Tea is a great recipe to pour into an aromatherapy bath that will soften your skin and inspire sweet dreams.
For more information on Canada’s largest outdoor green festival, visit, organicislands.ca
