If these walls could talk.

I just thought I'd make you aware of the fact I am going to bore you all silly with pics of my Budget Home Renovation.

I'm spending every spare moment at the house. Which really is lots of 2 hour blocks so not much time to get an entire house done inside and out. Truthfully - this is supposed to be my funnest time, but it's not. I am trapped by a budget that is minute, I don't have enough time to really chase down the things I want and I worry it's going to look weird and disjointed.

But I soldier on like a bloody trojan because the only way I'm going to get this done is to actually get it done.

I'm alone, the space is huge and I feel overwhelmed by the pain and sorrow infused into the walls I'm washing down. The long sleepless years, the fear of what the future held for Cyclone, the worries of how I was to keep everything together whilst the house and my family was falling apart.


So what do you do?


Ya call in your buddies!



Some are good with powertools





Some aren't but rock up with pizza and willingness to give anything a go



and some just come to keep me company and share a cup of tea, and sweet times with their little boys who thrive amongst all the noise.


And day by day, as the laughs get louder, pizza consumed, the old replaced with the new - the pain and sorrow washed away and replaced with joy and optimism.

I am rebuilding my house, my family home the place I've raised my babies and I'm also rebuilding my spirit.

Wax On, Wax Off.

Henna hair versus Chemical Dye

Alrighty, I have done both and can now give you the proper lowdown.

I have the attention span of a gnat and so does my hair. I get bored with it easily and luckily my tresses can take plenty of punishment.



I go from this



To this



To somehow finding the patience to grow it all out again.




So after this do was looking a bit tired I thought I might try Henna instead of chemicals. Henna is a natural plant derived dye used for centuries and comes in varying colours. I bought some Brown Henna from the health food shop and after crusing Henna Forums, decided to make my own concoction based on that information.

I mixed the henna with black tea, paprika and some lavender water I made up myself (steep lavender in hot water) for conditioning purposes. I heard it was very very messy and was also warned about the smell. I mixed it up to a fairly thick paste but had to thin it out to get it through my hair - which is quite long now.

I didn't find it any messier than a home dye but it was certainly harder to apply on your own. It has a very grainy texture and it felt a little heavy on my head. I just slapped it on and wandered around the house smelling like HORSE POO for a few hours. I recommend doing this in the backyard with a friend.

It took many, many rinses to get it all out in the shower, lots of conditioner and grumbling on my behalf. The next morning I couldn't be sure if it made much difference but WHOA did my hair feel great! Thick, healthy and heavy. I've never had such glossy hair in my life.



This pic was taken about 5 weeks after. The colour seemed to darken over a couple of days so I was very pleased with the result. The colour fades gradually - you don't end up with obvious roots, just an all over softening of the colour. My hair felt great the entire time.


Last night I used a home chemical dye. I couldn't get to the health shop and the box was on sale at the supermarket so I grabbed it. At the very least I thought to myself it will be a quicker process and easier to wash out. And it was on sale.



Yes it was a bit easier but I was very put off by the wastage of a single use foam pump! I didn't take much notice of anything other than the colour and price of the box. I certainly wouldn't have bought it otherwise.

So I like the colour and my hair feels nice



But I'm never using the chemicals again. I forgot how much it damages my scalp and leaves it sore. Whilst it does feel silky it also feels fragile and thin, not full and lustrous like it did with the henna. The packaging and waste is totally ridiculous with home hair dyes so it does more than damage to my skin and hair.

Henna all the way from now. I urge you all to give it a go! Yes it's messy and smells but it's worth it!

Cheers,

Take care of ya face...the basics

Taking good care of your skin is easy, and you CAN make time for it. You know you will feel better if you do.

As much as I love the luxurious bottles and sexy, sexy packaging of the cosmetics counter wares I am usually too poor for that. I also know it's damn easy NOT to spend too much money on potions.

The first place to start is from the inside. MmmmmK?

Good skin needs plenty of

Vitamin A - found in yellow and orange fruit and vegetables.
Vitamin C - found in citrus fruits, capsicum and broccoli.
Vitamin E - found in nuts, seeds and avocados
Omega 3's - cold water fish, and flaxseed.

Too hard? Do you live on lukewarm tea and toast like me? Take a supplement, it's better than nothing at all.






Yeah yeah yeah - we are supposed to drink 8 glasses or 2 litres of water a day. This just isn't realistic for some people, and those that boast of drinking 3 litres a day aren't doing themselves any favours unless they are running marathons often or are totally full of shit and are hiding the fact they botox their arses off.


Be realistic and get yourself into the habit of drinking ONE glass in the morning (with a squeeze of lemon juice to kick start your liver), ONE glass at lunch and ONE glass in the evening. Much more doable.

Put a jug of cold water in the fridge with a few slices of lemon/orange. You will be surprised how much more tempting it is all ready to go. Excellent example for your children too.

Never overlook the power of water.




Next - keep it clean!

Wash your face before you go to bed. Use a cleanser to remove makeup - NEVER go to bed with makeup on. I know some of you would never dream of doing this but in my time as a makeup chickie babe it never failed to amaze me the amount of people that look surprised when I tell them it's nearly a crime to sleep with a faceful. If you are a working mummy, bum wipes by the side of the bed work wonders removing makeup.
Actually most of my face stuff is in my bedside drawer because I often tumble into bed exhausted and forget about ma face.

Even if you don't wear make up, you must clean the days dust, sweat and pollution away before you sleep.


I'll bang on about cleansers and moisturisers next Tuesday, see you then!

Get your babies ready for Botox!!!

I saw this ad on shitful saturday commercial television last week and it REALLY PISSED ME OFF.

A bunch of bouncing preteens in lab coats using syringes to do their own cosmetic science. "Rejuvenate your mom" says the voiceover whilst a tired looking run down mummy has crap splashed over her by this sparky bunch of kids. This toy is aimed at 8 year olds so by my calculations, the raggy old mum is around THIRTY TWO.....or maybe even FORTY. Shit, what if she is FORTY FIVE, perish the thought.


Already I have digressed, but ranty pants will do that to you.


So to make your own 'cosmetics and skin care' you clearly need a lab coat and syringes. Excuse me but 8-11 year olds need nothing more than a wash cloth in their fricken watermelon scented bubble baths.


Making syringes and lab coats normal when it comes to skincare just makes me sick, and hurl even further when it is directed towards children.


Yes, I know some kids can have skin troubles at a young age but even if they don't getting to mix up some revolting-ass cheapo chemicals and putting glitter in it will more than likely GIVE them a problem.


So of course the answer is - we don't buy this crap for our kids.
When they scream "I want THAT" when the stupid ad flashes on, we will laugh and tell them what a load of bollocks it is, and that when they are old enough we will show them the way.


And what if you don't know the first thing about it, have forgotten or don't really care?

Don't worry - ole Aunty Lulu will show you so stay tuned.


Am I the only one that thinks this sucks?

The WINNER of the competition that never was...

So - there were some things I didn't tell you...

Yes I can make a mean body scrub....but I don't often make a face pack/scrub/mask because I believe so much in the power of clay. Yes clay. I am very time poor so to source a good yellow or kaolin (personal fave) is too much hard work for me, so I don't mind buying prepacked stuff. A face mask will give you a deep, gentle clean. It will remove old dead skin cells, draw out impurities and leave you with a lovely glow. Anything that contains zinc is brilliant for healing topically.

All my fave face masks/scrubs come from The Body Shop because so many contain those magic ingredients of clay and zinc....but I have found something even more awesome.




If you remember recently I had a wonderful massage in a town that brings me peace (read about it HERE). It is here that I found this lovely yellow clay face mask.

I applied it the evening I had my massage (gotta complete the experience) and was so thrilled with the results that I decided I really must share.

It comes in powder form, you mix one teaspoon with water to make a paste, apply to your face - drink champagne and eat chocolate for 30 minutes, rinse off and WHAMMO, fresh, smooth vibrant skin underneath.

So back to the competition that never was. I posted some body scrub recipes and thought to myself that I will send some of this magic powder to the first person that makes a comment.

And that person was SARAH from Just Me, and since she already mentioned she has sensitive skin I will be sending Miss Sarah a blend that will make her face/day..whatever.

In the next week I will be heading back up to the hills and will pick up more supplies so next time I do a comp I will actually tell people about it...

I think yet therefore I DON'T

You know, I get though the week thinking 'if these bloody children would stop screaming/acting up/drawing on walls I could get this/this/this and that done in peace'.


If Betty Boo would stop fighting with me at bedtime (yes - she is fighting with me, I am Zen, I am Mary Poppins at bedtime, I endure hours of bullshit from her with a smile plastered on my face and NEVER give in to the crap until she sleeps. Non-violent resistance at its best, with alcohol as my main support) I could actually write a blog post every night like I promised I would.


So what happens when I actually DON'T have the kids around? Do I do all the things I wish I could? NO.

I usually wander around the house with a stupid look on my face for awhile. Then I sit and try to read a book/hit the laptop/clean my room. Everything gets done far more quickly that I think and I'm stuffed for the rest of the day and night. It's not so bad if I know the kids will be off with Scorpio for a couple of days because I hit the ground running. All fiddly bits are done quickly and I can plan something - even if it is to FINALLY watch the last of The Lord of the Rings.


It's worse in winter because I just don't want to do anything but if I stuff around doing nothing at home all day I feel it's time wasted. In summer it's not really a problem - I go visit friends, or have them over for drinks, or go out and dance my pants off, knowing a I have full day to recover from all the kid-free shenanigans.


A couple of times lately, I have returned home from dropping off the children to literally fall on the couch and sleep for HOURS. This frightens me a little bit when I realise how tired I must have been. And how on earth I can possibly function like that on an ongoing basis. It sucks balls when I wake and need even more sleep. No, really NEED even more. Then I go into the whole 'wasted day' thing again.

I am finding a balance though - very slowly, and I know when spring and summer return my energy will too. I allow myself the time to rest, but only after I have done a few key things so I can prevent the banshee in my head from screaming too loudly, so I can really enjoy some solitude and self-care and stay in that moment.





Cos if the Mumma ain't happy - aint noooooo one happy.

Yummy skin for winter

So we have spent the last few weeks wearing layers and rugged up against the cold, curled up in front of the heater and blasting our electric blankets as high as they can go.

Therefore it's time for a good body scrub to get rid of all the (eewwww) layers of dead skin building up.


Here are a couple of very EASY and basic body scrubs -


Easy 1
Favourite moisturiser + a handful of salt OR sugar. Yep that's it. I prefer salt myself. Mix in a small bowl so it's a bit runnier than a paste.

Easy 2
Salt or sugar + Extra Virgin Olive Oil (or avocado, almond, even a massage oil). Add a drop or two of lavender if you like.


Green Tea
For something a little more refreshing use half a cup of sugar, a teaspoon (or bag) of green tea leaves, add your oil of choice and stir together.


Oat Scrub
Half a cup of Quick Oats (if you only have rolled oats or oatmeal you should whizz them in a blender first.
Half a cup of sugar, mix it up with your oil of choice.


I put my hair up, jump into the shower (and therefore always use plastic containers to mix the scrubs!) wet myself down then scrub in a circular motion. Don't go too hard - let the exfoliant do the work.

I start with my boobs, then tummy and legs, then arms/shoulders of course paying attention to knees, elbows and heels. Get someone to do your back for you. Heaven.




Rinse yourself off, pat dry and you will feel like a million dollars.


Now - like I said these are basic scrubs. All you need is an exfoliant and a moisture base.

Exfoliants - Ground Oats/Oatmeal. Salt. Sugar - white/caster, brown sugar is lovely and not as rough.

Moisture Base - any type of oil. Plain Olive Oil can be a bit heavy (and smelly), so I use the extra virgin. I just love olive oil for everything.


Extras - green tea leaves, your fave essential oil, honey, bi-carb soda - oh just chuck a bit of that in anyway, it's great stuff too.


I only ever make enough for one use. You probably could make a big jarful and store it but there could be an issue with spoilage, unless you have a mainly salt base.

So go ahead and have fun, make up your own personal blend with all your favourites or just do the most basic for a very quick, yet very effective skin pick-me-up.


Yes you can use them on your face. Just go very gently ok?

Onion Syrup for coughs

Don't panic people. It's not as bad as it sounds, it's cheap, easy and IT WORKS.

I don't believe in most cough medicines because they just don't work AND even though they don't work they have horrible things in them that you can't ingest if you are under two or pregnant. Which sucks.

So it's winter and I probably should have posted this before but sometimes I forget I don't have ESP.


You need -

An onion or two
Honey (Manuka is good but any will do)
2 jars with wide necks.
A knife and a chopping board.


Slice the onion thinly.
Wash the jars thoroughly. Dribble a couple of teaspoons of honey in the bottom.
Layer about 2 cms of sliced onion, then a layer of honey.
Repeat till you are out of onions, squashing down the layers as best you can.
Put in the fridge overnight or for a good few hours.

Strain off the liquid, or just tip the liquid from one jar to another - whatever. Leave the onions behind.


Take a teaspoon full whenever you need - safe for children and preggos.

The astringent qualities of the onion will infuse into the honey and you will barely taste the onion at all. It reduces the frequency of the cough and is great for chest infections.

Onions are awesome for everything by the way...

Spoilage

So I lashed out this weekend and took myself off for a massage.




In Warburton, one of the prettiest (if not THE prettiest) towns in Victoria. I love this place, it's only 90 minutes away in the hills and just being there makes me feel calmer. Summer is just as lovely and the river is a perfect place to cool off but sometimes a little scary on a hot windy day. It was sheer luck and a change of wind direction that spared Warburton from tragedy on Black Saturday.





I walked into the Wellbeing Centre strung higher than a racehorse, and walked out after an hour with Manfred floating an inch off the floor. $65 for an hour of heaven - well half an hour really - I should have warned Manfred he would need a meat tenderiser to get my shoulders down from around my ears before he could get me into a workable state.
Truly, my voice was about 3 octaves lower and the static in my head was down 95%. I rugged up and spent nearly an hour wandering down the main street and fossicking in the shops.





Some handmade soap and 2 second-hand books later I headed home for a bath and a facial.


Total bliss, highly recommended.

Eeermm, well this is the truth bit.....

Yes, there were 3 of us in a motel room, completely free of partners and children.
Yes, we could have done the whole "Sex in the City" shopping-cocktails-in-trendy-bars thing.

But we didn't wanna.

We DID frock up and hit the town. It also took us about 95 pictures to get the final Awesomely Fabulous Photo before we left.



We DID have a fabulous cocktail at a fabulous bar - $60 a round and it was sooooo worth it.

We also went to the last place we had a great time many, many months ago....but that was NOT fabulous.

We ran into clouds of testosterone fuelled masses with more hair product I have ever used in all my born days.

It was a Long Weekend so everyone descended on the city.....and every venue thought it was a capital idea to squash as many people in as the place could hold.

This is NOT conducive to drinking fabulous cocktails...it was 5 deep at the bar.

This is NOT conducive to having a boogie on the dance floor. Unless you like standing in one spot bobbing up and down with your arms firmly by your sides. Lots of people DO think that is cool and apparently it gets a bit territorial because no sooner than the lovely Sushee and I dared step on the holy dance floor some 12 year old TWIG hip-and-shouldered Sushee nearly clear across the room. Very deliberately.

The little twerp nearly put my eye out with her pointy shoulder blade.

I wasn't too happy with this development....I wasn't sure whether give the twig a stern lecture, feed her a sandwich or throw her across the room.

I quickly realised I was feeding off the anger in the room - this comes with large groups of men clustered together making loud, unattractive remarks about females walking past and the resulting frustration at the prospect of going home alone AGAIN, nuff said - and wasn't having a good time.

So we hopped a taxi back to our lovely temporary home, sipped a fabulous cocktail or two....and laughed our asses off. We actually saw TWO girls wearing black opaque tights and white court shoes. We really did.

But I certainly DID sashay around that beautiful lobby, we definitely annoyed the crap out of the kitchen by demanding bigger tea cups - and causing the shy room service man to blush deeply as we squealed with delight when he met our request.

We did have a collective blonde moment when we noticed the lift hadn't moved for about five minutes because we were laughing so much that no one pressed the button to get to the ground floor.

and yeah....we did a bit of this

Taking care of yourself.

So, I'm a pretty busy person -but aren't we all?

We often leave ourselves last on the 'taking care of' lists and this is a HUGE mistake. I put myself first where I can - cos if the mumma ain't happy, ain't NO ONE happy. If I'm feeling tired and ratty everyone suffers, but me foremost because then I feel guilty about being tired and ratty.

This is what I do to take care of me and it works every time. I can't afford the time or the money to get to a salon so I pamper myself.

Instructions - to give you NO excuse not to do this in the next week

Run a deep bath and put smelly girly stuff in. Take the weekend magazines in with you because it doesn't matter if they get wet.
Soak for awhile and read.
Apply face mask.
Apply hair conditioning treatment.
Soak longer whilst it works the magic.
Apply body scrub and scrub down all the bits you can reach.
Rinse everything off.
Into the shower for a final rinse

AHHHHH

OR if you are a dedicated bath freak do it like this.

Apply face and hair treatments.
Run bath.
Clip your toenails in front of the telly whilst no one is watching.
Run shower, rinse everything off.
Do body scrub and rinse.
THEN hop into a luxurious bath and soak away.

Let your hair dry naturally - give it a rest from the dryer.

Hop into nice, fresh sheets and dream a good dream. This is guaranteed after a good pamper session. You will feel every inch of you is shiny and new.

I'll stick up some recipes for easy scrubs and treatments later on. In fact I'm going to keep this going as it is a subject close to my heart.

Taking care of YOU.

xoxo