If I were a rich man...

Etro

Printed silk-chiffon scarf

$450

Rebecca Taylor
Now And Later tweed mini dress
$425

Roberto Cavalli

Neon python snake-clasp clutch

$1,850

I am going through some serious shopping withdrawls from this "no buying" year. So I did a little fantasy shopping... sad,sad,sad. If I had money and weren't on some personal crusade, these are the things I would buy right now. I am a retro-junkie so it's really killing me that all the fashion right now are 60's throwbacks. sigh.

 Love and longing,
Kerry the Momster

Mist-ified

Often I read about facial mists sprayed on faces for a variety of reasons; prior to moisturizer for extra suppleness, after makeup for a "dewy" effect and when traveling on planes to counteract the drying effects of the cabin. As this is a "no buying" year for me I had to find a way to make this on my own, using household products. I found this great recipe, that works SO well and thought I would post it for anyone else who might like to try it. 

According to fashionista.com a facial mister " not only sets your makeup, but it also helps with: calming, hydrating, replenishing, adding radiance, and irritation. Mists are beauty lifesavers and can take you from looking tired and lackluster to bright and dewy in seconds. " (Nov, 2011)

"How to Make a Homemade Beauty Mist in 4 Easy Steps"
By Naweko San-Joyz (December 14, 2007)

Why would anyone need another skin care product like a beauty mist? Facial mists moisturize the skin and, when properly formulated, help you feel more refreshed in the morning.

Creating your own facial mist is easy and affordable. Here are the basic ingredients you will need for formulating your own moisturizer mist and all of these items are readily available at most drug and health stores:

4 ounces of aloe vera juice or aloe vera gel (Note: If you use the aloe vera gel, get the clear colored gel. The bright green aloe vera gels typically contain extraneous dyes.)

2 ounces of filter water or 3 ounces of witch hazel

1 4-ounce bottle of “Rose Water” with glycerin (you can find this generic item in the skin care section for less than three dollars)

1 eight-ounce bottle with a spray nozzle

1 small funnel

Optional- springs of fresh lavender, citrus, peppermint, or hibiscus.

Actually, there are millions of ways to create your own moisture mist. I’ll show you the basic recipe but do not be bashful about playing around with this formulate to create you own moisturizing mist.

Step 1:


Pour three ounces of the aloe vera gel or aloe vera juice into the spray bottle using your funnel to prevent spills. (Note: the aloe vera gel will be thicker than the aloe vera juice so you may add use two to three ounces of the aloe vera gel to prevent your mist from becoming too thick to spray easily)


Step 2:


Add, one ounces of water or two ounces of witch hazel to the aloe vera. Witch hazel is preferred if you wish to add herbs to your beauty mist later. The witch hazel will help draw out the therapeutic properties of the herbs while the alcohol in the witch hazel will help to better preserve the botanicals.

Step 3:


Add two ounces of “Rose Water” to the mixture. Rose water is a combination of a rose hydrosol and a skin softening moisturizer called glycerin. This ingredients will help lock in moisture to your skin all day long.

Step 4:


Toss in any herbs that you wish to use to the mixture. Tightly screw on the spray nozzle on to the bottle and then shake well. Now you have your very own herbal beauty mist.

To further customize your facial spray, you can add one to two drops of essential oils like rose, geranium, white grape fruit, or ylang-ylang. Just make sure to only add one essential oil at a time because overdoing the essential oils will make your facial mist too irritating to the skin.

Have fun and mist away!

Love and natural beauty,

Kerry, the Momster

Best Pie Dough Recipe on Earth

Here is my special pie dough recipe I use, from my mother, who got it from her old high school ec. teacher.:


Pie Dough/ Pastry

(500g) 2 cups cake flour
(250g) 1 cup milk or margarine- cold
1/2 tsp salt
60 ml cold water
15 ml vinegar or lemon juice
1 egg yolk

Beat all liquid ingredients together.
Cut into flour, and rub till it resembles bread crumbs.
Now roll/cut and use to your hearts desire. (I use it for mince pies mmmmm)

200C (about 380 F) till brown

Love and sugar,
Kerry the Momster

Dairy-free Queen

Yep. Still on the dairy free wagon. Breastfeeding is definately not the land of milk and honey... well maybe honey.Every time but a drop of milk passes my lips, my baby becomes a misery. However I think the lack of dairy is making me a more creative eater. However, recently I've been craving some good old fashioned choc-chip cookies and am also very sad about not being able to get a big box of yummy chocs for the big day of hearts. So I took a trip this week to Whole foods for some un-holy foods; read: junk and chocolate.

So along with my usual tofu, organic meats and sesame seed butter,I found so many delicious dairy free items to gorge on.

1. Cherrybrook Kitchen Fudge Brownie Mix with Chocolate Chips, Peanut Free!, 16-Ounce Boxes (Pack of 6): I bought this for my birthday as a substitute for my cake.
2. Home Free Mini Chocolate Chip Cookies 5 Oz. Box (Pack of 6): These are great tasting, but the texture isn't that great. However they are organic, nut free and dairy free.
3. So Delicious Minis Frozen Dessert, Non-Dairy, Organic, Fudge, 10.98 fl oz, (pack of 6): One of the best finds ever!! My daughter and husband both loved these too, so now after one night I have to go buy more. These ice creams are made with coconut milk and are so tasty! Organic, natural ingredients and dairy free and sweetened with agave which is a much healthier alternative to sugar. I can't wait to go try more by this brand.
4. And finally a tasty cookie! Andean Dream Quinoa Cookies Chocolate Chip is gluten-free and dairy free and vegan and has quinoa and TASTY!!! So much so that I will continue eating this cookie even when I'm allowed dairy. 

So, if you are lactose intolerant, or vegan or just creeped out by beverages squeezed from a cow's udder, but still want some chocolate, then do like I do, and buy some of these yummy treats. Now excuse me, I must wipe the chocolate from seeping from my pores.

Love and agave sweetness,
Kerry the Momster