Art Break: Recession Relief Art

The Day I Had Everything, Johnny Taylor

While searching on Etsy I came across Johnny Taylor who has delightful paintings for sale. In addition to these paintings he has decided to list "Recession Relief" art. The works are listed for .20 cents but he specifically states that he does not want the .20 cents. Taylor encourages you to download the pdfs and print off your own version of his paintings!

Check him out and thanks to Johnny Taylor!

Yes to Carrots!

Yep just like the veggie but these carrots, tomatoes, and cucumbers you don't eat!

The picture was a must just cause it is SO funny!
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Just wanted to share these products with you cause I think they are great.

I have some of the most sensitive skin on the planet and have been told I am allergic to all kinds of things causing dry skin, breakouts and other such appealing and attractive things. Since I have not been to a dermatologist in quite sometime to refill my steroid cream I have been trying to do some problem solving and find lotions, soaps, shampoos and make-up that will not cause me such issues. Thanks to a friend of mine I am now using Bare Minerals make-up which is wonderful! However I still could not get my eczema under control. To make a long story short I tried a bunch of products and only stumbled across this one when I was on a quest for new shampoo. I bought the Yes to Carrots shampoo and fell in love with it. So I decided to take the plunge and try some of the lotion to see how it went, I mean really what did I have to lose. Boy was I surprised when it worked, no reaction at all and it has a nice little smell to it! My fiance (being the PhD in organic chemistry and all:-P) and I after reading bottle after bottle of lotions I have used and the Carrot potion figured out that I am allergic to the main preservative in most cosmetic products.

Break for science lesson:

SLS = Sodium Lauryl Sulfate, "The sodium lauryl sulfate found in our soaps is exactly the same as you would find in a car wash or even a garage, where it is used to degrease car engines." I will not give the details but it is some pretty nasty stuff and does have an effect on your body.

Paraben = in simple terms is a preservative also not stellar for your system

Back to regularly scheduled programming...

Needless to say these products are ALL free of parabens and most of them are SLS free. I am no health, go green freak but I have realized what is good and what is bad for my body so I figured I would share and you can check it out and see if you like it! You will never go back to your old products!

http://www.yestocarrots.com/

BSM (Beautiful Small Machines)

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Looking for a good listen? I ran across this band while trying to find a band for my wedding. No, they are totally not wedding band material but it is some of the best music I have heard recently. They only have a few songs out but they are a lot of fun and will get you going. I am not sure how to classify them but they consider themselves to be the "retro-future". Trust me after a few listens you will be addicted, I can say I already am!

BSM Website

Long Awaited 1st Post

After spending what seems like forever trying to get this blog going here we finally are, the first post. I cannot but laugh is a selection from an Abigail Adams quote. I graduated from an all woman's catholic college in South Bend, IN and through those experiences I have been able to achieve a great deal and am always drawn to the wisdom of great women. I thought this phrase in particular was most relevant since I find myself far from home and friends and most of the situations life has recently thrown at me leave me with no other option than laughing.

For a little back story: my family is currently in Grand Rapids, MI and my friends are strewn, for the most part, around the midwest. I was born and grew up in the north and now find myself in the south, Nashville, TN to be specific. My fiance, boyfriend at the time, moved down here to carry out his post-doc in organic chemistry and I was soon to follow. I am currently working in an art gallery right downtown and live only a block and a half away with my fiance and our two cats, Frida and Einstein.

I imagined Nashville to be like Chicago--HA! I was so wrong! Through the experience though many good things have happened, I became engaged and have just learned a lot about the world, myself and my fiance.

I Cannot But Laugh, will not be anything earth shattering as much as I may want it to be but I can always promise a good laugh, a good quote or just something exciting, at least according to me with some wedding stuff mixed in since that is consuming a great deal of my life currently.

Hope you enjoy reading and commenting:-)