Flower Power|Sunflowers

My fixation with flowers has never so apparent until recently.  I always use to be the type of girl who would detest receiving flowers as gifts but as my understanding of their power has grown, I've come to bond with them with more sincerity and appreciation.  Lately I've been buying flowers to add a little flair to my rather blah home decor and it never ceases to make one impression or the other.  Be it its beauty, scent or color each flower's personality comes through.

I did an Aura bath with this beautiful Sunflower to promote happiness and strength for my Aura.  Not only did I take away from it's cheery approach but also gained a better understanding as to what strength is.  When I think of Sunflowers I usually see them stand so tall and sturdy, with their eye on the prize (the sun). It's stem was so heavy and strong that it brought the word "strength" to my mind and that became this Aura bath's motto.  Strength and Happiness.

Getaway to Paradise.....

Boca Chica

Yes, I have been away for quite some time, but with good reason.  I went away on a 2 weeks vacation to the Dominican Republic to rest, relax and visit family.  I'm part Dominican (and also part Haitian and Cuban) so I needed to see at least one of the three parts of my Caribbean heritage.  It was a delightful experience for my beloved and I, since it was my first visit and his since he was a teen.

We wanted to experience as much as we could in those days and actually got to do a lot of things, although there so much more we have left to discover. We toured the touristy parts of Punta Cana and stayed at Bavaro Beach.  We also experienced the city life in Santo Domingo and also the "Campo" Life in Yamasa.  As you may imagine when you hear the word Caribbean, it was truly paradise....I shall let the pictures speak................

Selfie of course

El Barrio

First Day and Night In the City, Santo Domingo

And off to Bavaro we went......

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Catch of the Day....

The sun is in my eye......

Raunchy Souvenirs

Hand Made Dominican Style Cigars

 Then it was off to the countryside, Yamasa........

Yamasa River,  Fresh Coco Water, Cacao plucked off the tree

I was so amazed to see pineapples and just fresh fruits and food everywhere.  It was an amazing natural experience.

There's So Much Character in What May Seem So Inanimate...........

  This is why my fascination with crystals and stones has been so fervent these past few years.  They're simply beautiful each in its own unique way.  My collection of stones has been growing steadily as seen in my feed here and I've been associating with each on an individual basis.  Whether it be for concentration, beauty, protection or attraction, there is a crystal or stone for each purpose.

Right now I've been using Hematite and Citrine.  I carry them with me at all times be it in my pocket  purse and the best place is direct contact with your skin.  When I have my stones with me I affirm their powers usually at the start of the day.  This allows the stone to awaken and begin to manifest its energy for your purpose.

Images|Pinterest

Candle of the Month|White

  Today in this post I'm sharing my spiritual uses for candles. I briefly touched based on this subject way back when I first started my blog here.  Since then I feel that I've gained enough knowledge to share some of my personal experiences.  I'll be doing a post for each color separately since each can be used to enhance your intent on so many levels and the subject is so broad that trying to narrow it down in one post just won't do it justice.

I'll start this series with white since it was the first color I started with when I first got into candles.  It's a good color to start with since it can be used in essence as a blank canvas or to symbolize the start of something. To many, white is associated with peace, truth, purity and beginnings and I primarily use it for these purposes.

To be clear black and white are neutral.  The intent you put forth is what makes anything what it is.  The difference between Black and White is that black absorbs, pulls and attracts.  White on the other hand reflects back and bounces energy off. So depending on your intent, black or white can work for you. Neither is necessarily better or worse than the other. (More about black candles soon)

Light a white candle if your house is a bit hectic.
Often time the space we live in may need some TLC and a soothing white candle can calm nerves, balance the energy of those who live there and bring arguments to a close.  It also helps deflect back any energy a visitor may have left behind thus neutralizing your space.

Light a white candle to represent peace within.
Self reflection is very important especially if you're going through changes and contemplating a new beginning.  Give yourself 15 mins of quiet reflection either at the start of your day or end to analyze what you want to achieve without all the outside chatter.  Allow the candle light and warmth to grasp your thoughts and transmit it to the universe.

Light a white candle to affirm your commitment to something new.
Sometimes you need to have a moment of "spark" to launch a new idea, desire, dream or goal.  If you're contemplating a change, be it career, relationship etc. light a white candle and as you light the candle affirm and visualize your intent.  I have found myself to be guilty of jumping from one project or idea to another and have often been left with half finished tasks.  This can be discouraging so try to limit your self to one thing at a time by organizing your thoughts.

Regardless of the reason you may want to light a white candle for the importance is to stay true to your purpose.  Candle magic can be a great way for you to start cultivating your spirituality and candles are great tools to help manifest those hidden powers.

Images Via Pinterst

What I'm Using Now|Daily Products

Estee Lauder Double Wear| Stay In Place Flawless Concealer

Apologies for my hiatus, been quite the busy bee at work and I moved once again recently so I been organizing and what not and have had so little time to be creative.  One thing I can't live without of course is shopping.  Recently I went to my department store on a hunt for a concealer. I opted for this on a whim really.  The sales girl came over and I said let me try this and off I went with it for $23.

It is a bit steep for my usual concealer budget, but had to give it a try.  The color is a bit too light for me even for this time of the year where I'm the palest.  The consistency is thick and coverage is medium I'd say.  The name "stay in place" holds true since it can be a little hard to blend, but once it's set I can feel it's not going anywhere.  With that said you may want to be careful if you have dry skin since it's not creamy per se.  I usually don't tend to touch up my concealer and did not notice that I needed to throughout the day with this concealer.   I may blend this with my camouflage palette to counteract the light color but overall a good buy. 

Quemet Biologics Amla and Olive Heavy Cream $20

I've been using this hair cream for roller set and blow dried hair. My air dried hair seems to soak way too much of this so I try to use it sparingly.  A great buy if you've been thinking about this.

Now Solutions 100% Pure Cocoa Butter $9

Last but not least cocoa butter, smells amazing and its my skin's best friend right now.  It's a bit different from shea so I'm curious to see the results I get when I melt it down. Stay tuned for a body butter with Cocoa included.

Everything was purchased with my own $.  Not a sponsored Post.

Hair Journey Up Until Now....

The above is a pic of me with my shortest hair length. I was surprised I got this picture because I always had a phony pony never revealing my hair. Coming across this picture made me realize how damaged my hair was back then.  That was 2008 and the damage continued into 2009 when finally around late fall 2009 into 2010 I got serious with my hair and started to blog about it.

November 2009 to about April it was a strict regimen consisting primarily of homemade recipes and no heat for 6 months.  Seal, moisture and protective styles.

♥ ♥ Love for Days......

♥ Lovely Heart Ring ♥

♥ Mood Lighting ♥

♥  Sacrificed Petals ♥

♥ Love Tea ♥

♥ Let's get away ♥

Images Via Pinterest

DIY | Coconut Oil and Vitamin E Oil Uses

This brutally cold winter has been wreaking havoc on my skin especially my hands and for some reason elbows too.  I've been meaning to make my homemade Shea butter and coconut oil body butter I did here, but time has not been on my hands lately.  So in the meantime I decided to make my favorite coconut oil and vitamin E oil concotion to help my cuticles, hands, elbows and lips. 

Winter is a great time to use coconut oil alone since it remains solid as long as the temperature is below 65 or so degrees.  With this arctic winter lately, no worries with that.  All you have to do is find a small container (you can find these at most travelers section), coconut oil (find at local natural health stores) and Vitamin E Oil, although you can use alone or add any other oil of choice.

I mainly carry this in my bag and have another for the office.  Since I've been washing my hands way too much to keep the flu away, my hands have been super dry so keeping this handy has helped.  I also use this for my cuticles to keep them from stripping (ouch!) and looking dry.  I also put a little dab on my elbows every morning and use as a lip protectant since chaptstick has not been cutting it..

I love the many uses for coconut oil and not to mention how soft it leaves your skin.

What do you use to keep skin soft and moisturized during these blistery cold days?

InstaLife|January

1.  Rocking my mustard top and leopard

2. Weekend with my sister and niece miss them :(

3.Working on New Beginnings Sachets

4.My Bare nails need of a maniCURE

5.My Birthday!

6.OOTD Stripes and Grays

7.My age? Shhhh

8. Snow and more Snow

9.Aztec clay mask with Vit. E and Milk

10.  Finally got my Mani (DIY)

11.Me at 5 yrs old

12.Dressing room

The Importance of Sleep

Many don't take into consideration how important sleep is to maintaining health.  A majority of us, especially in this fast paced society, are lucky to run off 5-6 hours of sleep.  I personally prefer to strive for 7-8 hours to help keep me alert and active throughout the day.

Legend has it that the body has a unique time cycle which detoxes and nourishes the body and organs on a specific schedule.  For example, Traditional Chinese Medicine dictates that our energy known as Qi (chi) flows dependent upon a 24 hour cycle as seen below.  It is essential that the body is able to detox over night while depending on you to assist the rest of the day.  Check this link out on more details on the body's Organ Cycle.

Benefits to Sleeping

• Boosts immune system by producing T-cells which are essential to fight off viruses especially flu like viruses.
•  Promotes a clear mind.  Lack of sleep can lead to depression, anxiety, mood swings and stress.  A calm and clear mind can save you time and frustration from the inability to think straight.
• Rejuvenates the body, keeps dark under eye circles away and assists with weight loss.

Tips to Keep in Mind Before Heading to Bed

• Prepare yourself before bed.  Turn off the phone, dim the lights and take a warm bath to calm your mind of distractions.  Diming the lights and creating an ambiance lets your body know it's time to unwind.
• Try not to sleep on an empty stomach.  You don't want to feast on a banquet before bed either but make sure you are satisfied enough  keep your mind from wandering into distracting thoughts (which I tend to do when hungry before bed).
• Try some alternatives.  Tea is one of my favorite,  just make sure to go with calming varieties like chamomile, since some may be high in caffeine which defeats the purpose.  Some calming teas you can try is Valerian, Lavendar, Passion flower and Kava.  Aromatherapy is another favorite method and have been faitlful to Lavendar oil and Ylang Ylang.
• Also keep in mind that electronics such as cell phones can interrupt your natural brain waves interfering with your sleep patterns.  So try not to sleep with your phone on your bed.

There are many more things to consider such as your mattress and other factors.  Make sure to always consult with your medical Doctor if having issues sleeping.

Some Links and Sources Below:

Chinese Body Clock

Why you feel the way you do on certain hours of the day