Have you ever gotten so lost in a creative project that time just seemed to disappear? All of the sudden you look up at say "wait, where did the time go?"

When I decided to launch Moonlit Spa Creations, I knew I wanted to do something creative but I'm not really skilled as an artist, writer, baker or any other maker of beautiful things. But I decided to give soap making a try and fell in love with the whole process! I remember the feeling of nervousness and excitement as I poured the lye over the oils and mixed it all together till it started to look like pudding. After I poured this mix into the soap mold, it was SO hard for me to wait 24 hours before I could unmold the soap and cut. It was excruciating to have to wait 4 weeks until I could even use the soap!

Patience paid off and I continued to make hundreds if not thousands of bars of soap with varying colors and scents. I went on to include several other products including body butter which took me 6 months to formulate to my liking!

With every product that I make, whether it's one I've made a hundred times, or a new formulation, I'm always amazed how much I lose myself in the process, like I'm almost in a meditative state when I create.

I share this because any form of creativity that is special to you is a form of self-care. It doesn't have to turn into a business like I was searching for, but as a way for you to journey within and feel the joy and excitement as you work with clay, write poetry, color, bake a loaf of bread, paint with abandon or anything else that brings on that childlike excitement when trying something new (or for the hundredth time).

What can you create today that that lets you drop inside your body and surrender to the flow of making something that's beautiful and fulfilling to you?

Did you sign up for The Self-Care Lounge yet? There's still time to become a Founding Member! Check out all the details here!

After I had my first child, I couldn’t wait to take my son out with me to run errands. I was so eager to join the other elite mothers who appeared to have it all together. They would run their errands with 1 child on their hip and 2 others in tow. Dropping them off at school or playdates while they ran their “To Do” list through their head, conjuring up the Pinterest perfect birthday party. A simple “How Are You?” would elicit a “Busy, You?”

The word humblebrag comes to mind as busyness turned into a competition. Between childcare, managing a household and working outside of the house, women have thrown themselves on this treadmill to prove their worthiness and value. The perception is that the busier you are the more money and status you have.

Early this year, life came to a screeching halt because of Covid-19. Families had to quickly reshuffle their lives to accommodate for childcare (or lack thereof), working from home, schooling from home, even shopping for groceries seemed unsurmountable. Some households had found themselves with a lot of extra time on their hands, many did not.

Busyness didn’t go away in my house. I lost 20 hours working outside the home, but gained them back, plus more with 5 of us now home full-time. I found plenty of projects to keep me busy, and even landed in the emergency room with a muscle tear in my stomach from physically overworking. I was hell-bent on getting these projects done. Why? I’m still not sure if it’s my own inner demons, or trying to attain that elusive status symbol.

What I know for sure is that I need to take a step back and practice what I preach…self-care is a necessity, not a luxury! Self-care doesn’t always mean massages, mani/pedi’s, or a spa day. It can be small moments of time to breathe deeply, have a cup of tea, read a book, or a quick chat or Zoom with your girlfriend.

Letting your body know that you care about her will help you attune to your own needs and give you that flow that will get you through your day with a better mindset and loving attitude.

Developing this loving attitude towards yourself is one of the reasons why I created “The Self-Care Lounge”, an online community for women to help you take those moments of deliberate self-care. You can find out more here, and make sure you sign up so you can be the first to know when the doors open!

May you have a refreshing day of flow and ease!

When my oldest son was a senior in high school, he started growing a beard for Movember. At first he looked a lot like Shaggy in Scooby-Doo, but after a while his beard started growing in nicely.  His one complaint was that it was irritating and itchy. So I decided to mix together some carrier oils and essential oils and have him try this new formula on his beard. And voila! He loved it! All you need to do is put a couple of drops of this lavish oil on your finger tips and work the oils into your beard. Not only are the oils nourishing to your skin, but the scent is very appealing to men (and women)! 

Beard oil is all the rage these days as many men are sporting a beard. And November is traditionally known as Movember or No-Shave November. Movember is an annual event involving the growing of mustaches during the month of November to raise awareness for men's health issues such as prostate cancer, testicular cancer and men's suicide. The Movember Foundation runs this charity event and you can find more information here . No-Shave November is a month-long event where men forgo shaving and grooming to raise cancer awareness which is run by No-Shave.org. 

What started out as a way to raise awareness for men's health issues, turned into something else and this is why the term "Lumbersexuals" is now a thing. Urban Dictionary defines a Lumbersexual as: "Young and middle-aged male urbanites whose sartorial choices are characterized by thick and well-groomed beards, styled haircuts, and clothing that tends towards the rugged."

So do the Lumbersexual in your life a favor and check out our Pirate Booty Beard Oil. He'll have a more confident swagger knowing his rugged good looks and flannel is now a thing.

I’m trying to write a blog post on Self-Care Sundays and am having a hard time getting started! I want to sound original and authentic, but I feel like it’s coming off as too scripted, trite, already been said, tell me something new. I want to write about how women always put themselves on the backburner as they take care of those around them first. Which isn’t always a bad thing, you need to take care of your family, but the problem is that somewhere down the line you’ll be exhausted, sick, and worn out and will question how this happened!

Women, especially mothers, shoulder much of the household responsibilities even in this age of equality. We reach out to our partners and children for help, but sometimes it’s just easier to do the work ourselves. So we dive in and finish the task and wonder why we are exhausted and resentful at the end of the day. Wow! I just reread that and I sound kind of bitter don’t I? I have a very supportive and loving husband. He takes care of many of household tasks. In fact, about 2 years ago he started cooking dinner which was always my least favorite! By the end of the day I was done! Had no desire to cook dinner! But, the kids don’t want to eat cereal every night….

I don’t know, still not liking this post. Was going to go into why my husband started to cook dinners. But I don’t really want to delve into that right now. The wound must still be too new.

What I really want to talk about is taking care of yourselves ladies! Even if it’s just one day a week to settle in and take some time for self-care. I was raised Catholic and it was strongly impressed upon us to take Sunday’s off from work. This is a great practice in self-care, but doesn’t always happen. After a long work week we usually take the weekends to play catch up. It’s always in the back of our minds that we should be taking Sunday’s off, but we figure we’ll get there after just one more chore, project, task…

I’ve been blessed to be able to work from home. Although I can get lost in running my businesses and not allocating my time correctly like getting stuck in the black hole of social media for instance. I need to spend more time on getting the actionable items done quickly so I can spend some time daily on household chores that would free up more time on weekends for family, friends and most importantly, myself!

What I really want to write about is a movement called “Self-Care Sundays”. Taking a few minutes an hour, maybe two, to pamper yourself; read, journal, exercise, walk in nature, soak in a warm bath, polish your toes, give yourself a facial, make a healthy meal. You get the idea. You know what you need!

So what do you say? Can you commit to this? I think you can. Mark the time in your calendar like you would any other important appointment and make it a weekly practice.

I’d like to get you started on your journey to self-care. I would like to gift you a sample of one of my amazing soaps to enjoy during that long bath. I’ll be giving away 25 samples a week! All you need to do is sign up here so you can be added to my list. I will also be sending out Self-care Sunday reminders with tips on ways to pamper and rejuvenate yourself!

Like the instructions the flight attendants give you on an airplane ride, put your own oxygen masks on first, than help those around you. Taking time for your own self-care is self-love. You need to love yourself first so that can fully love those around you.

Whenever I tell someone how soap is actually made, they are usually amazed that they were so clueless. Many people just walk into their local grocery or drug store and pick up their favorite bar of soap without giving it much thought or even reading the label.

Soap is made when you mix fats (vegetable or animal) with water and lye. There are so many yummy fats that you can use; coconut oil, shea butter, palm oil, jojoba, olive oil and avocado oil to name a few. When the water and lye mixture comes in contact with the fats, a saponification process starts as the ingredients are mixed together. A natural occurrence that happens when making soap is that glycerin is produced. Glycerin is extremely moisturizing and nourishing for the skin. Many commercial soaps have the glycerin removed and sell it as a by-product for lotions and creams. This can actually make their soap drying and irritating.

There’s a misconception that soap made with lye will burn you and some people even request soap that is not made with lye. A true soap is always made with lye and when cured the appropriate time, 4-6 weeks, you will discover that it does not burn the skin as the soap has gone through the saponification process and is safe to use.

So the next time you’re purchasing your favorite brand of commercial soap, look at the label to see what the ingredients are. I use about 4; cocoa butter, coconut oil, olive oil, and palm oil, along with the essential oils of my choice and micas or clays for coloring. It’s amazing how many chemicals are in commercial soaps and this just adds to the other chemicals you put on your body with makeup, hairspray, deodorant, perfume, lotions, etc.

So pamper yourself with nourishing handmade soap that’s gentler and better for your skin. You’ll know exactly what the ingredients are and that it was made with your health in mind.

There is so much interest in all things hemp these days and I wanted to clarify the difference between hemp seed oil and hemp oil. Although they are both very beneficial, they also have different uses.

Hemp seed oil is an extremely valuable moisturizer for the skin as it has very similar qualities to your skin’s lipids (fats) such as Omega 3, 6 and 9. These essential fatty acids help to promote a positive anti-inflammatory response as well as protect the skin without clogging the pores. It also provides powerful antioxidants that help promote beautiful skin and is gentle and suitable for all skin types.

Hemp seed oil is made from the seeds of the industrial hemp plant which is a cousin of the marijuana plant and does not contain high levels of THC and is non-psychoactive. Hemp seed oil is not to be confused with hemp oil  which uses the whole plant to extract the oil and contains a much higher concentration of cannabidiols (CBD) and again low TCH.

My new formula of body butter contains this rich and moisturizing hemp seed oil which produces a creamy light green color. You can purchase this body butter in different scents; Lavender and Rosemary (Calm), Grapefruit (Rejuvenate), and Coconut (The Beach).

This body butter is best used when you get out of the shower and your skin is already damp (towel dry a bit). This will help trap in the moisture from the shower and keep your skin soft and subtle all day! You can also lather a healthy amount on your feet and put cotton socks on at night. Your feet will drink in this nourishing butter and plump up and refresh those cracked heals. Body butter is especially pretty when used on bare arms and legs to show off that summer tan!

So go ahead an order yours here! Remember, a little goes a long way as you only need a small amount to reap the benefits.

School is back in full force and along with that comes the extracurricular activities. So moms around the country are busy driving their kids to soccer, dance, music lessons and band practice to name a few.  While you're waiting for them to finish whatever activity they're doing, take about 9 minutes in your car to do this meditation to help relieve stress and anxiety. It's all about focusing on your breath and taking time for yourself to sink into this quiet moment. 

How do  you feel? Just taking a few minutes a day to do this meditation with bring you back to calm. Remembering how to breathe is so important. As we go throughout our day we tend to tense up and hold our breath without realizing it. I hope this helps to bring a little more peace to your day!

As a reminder, make sure you sign up for our newsletter here to keep up to date on events, special offers and other tips on self-care to bring you a sense of calm in your otherwise crazy day!

Jusko's Greenhouse Vintage Artisan Market

The Vintage Market is this weekend, November 24th 9am-6pm and November 25th 9am-5pm. Do some Holiday shopping while you enjoy a festive atmosphere featuring handmade crafts by local artisans and crafters like me!

The Vintage Market will also feature vintage items, repurposed pieces, hand lettered signs, old doors, Christmas decor, candles, soaps, furniture, jams and jellies, machine and hand embroidery and so much more!

Jusko's has fresh and handmade wreaths, roping, porch pots, as well as indoor table and mantle arrangements that smell awesome! They also have grave blankets, pillows, loose bundled greens, swags, Christmas hanging baskets and of course, Christmas Trees!

Santa will be here too for a free pick with the kiddos 12-3 both days. Admission is FREE! There address is 29615 Armada Ridge Road, Richmond, MI 48062

This will be the last weekend you can enter to win the basket of goodies containing my "Calm" line which is my Lavender and Rosemary line. This basket is filled with body butter, soap, linen spray, lotion stick, lip balm, and bath bomb and more and is worth $110. So stop by to enter!

During the winter humidity levels drop because cold air holds less moisture than warm air. Forced air heating in your home also lowers the moisture levels. Ideal in home humidity levels should be around 45%. If it’s under 30% it’s too dry and anything over 50% is too high. All this dryness wreaks havoc on your skin and it needs your help to survive these dry winter months!

Below are 9 tips on how to alleviate dry winter skin:

1. Get a humidifier: Adding a humidifier can help raise humidity levels in your home and offer your skin, and even your home itself including furniture, some relief.
   
   
2. Drink lots of water: We tend to choose warm drinks like coffee and tea in the winter months, but forget to hydrate with water. Water is imperative to healthy skin.
   
   
3. Shower with warm water: Even though it feels so good on a cold winter morning, hot water strips the moisture from your skin very quickly. Shower with warm water and help to stave off the dryness.
   
   
4. Moisturize after your shower: After you get out of the shower, lightly towel dry and use a good moisturizer like this body butter that will help seal in the moisture and keep your skin supple all day! 
   
   
5. Moisturize before bed: Slather your hands and cracked feet with the same body butter mentioned above. Put cotton gloves on your hands and cotton footies on your feet and let them drink in the body butter while you sleep! If you don’t have cotton gloves, just put another pair of cotton footies on your hands! They will probably fall off during the night, but by then it will all have soaked in.
   
   
6. Exfoliate: When you have too many dead skin cells on your hands and body, moisture can’t get in so a good exfoliate like Brown Sugar Body Scrub will not only exfoliate, but will moisturize at the same time! Keep a plastic spoon in the shower and after you’ve washed with soap, scoop out a spoonful of the brown sugar body scrub and starting at your chest scrub your way down and rinse off! (I would omit your private parts!) 
   
   
7. Use a natural, high quality body soap: Many commercial soaps remove glycerin in their soap making process. Glycerin helps to keep your skin hydrated and soft. Using a natural soap like these will help keep your skin soft and supple as the glycerin is not removed! 
   
   
8. Don’t forget your lips: Your lips need moisture too! Make sure to use a natural blend of waxes and oils like this one. Many commercial lip balms use petroleum which actually dries your lips out. Ever wonder why you’re so addicted to your lip balm and keep using it over and over again? It’s the drying petroleum and it becomes a vicious cycle as you keep applying more and more on your lips. Stop the madness and use an all-natural remedy!
   
   
9. Lotion Sticks: Have you heard about lotion sticks? These cute little tubes that look like tiny deodorants are actually roll up lotion sticks! They have a beeswax base that help to protect your skin and are great to keep in your pocket or purse and use whenever you need to give your hands (or even your cracked feet) a little pick-me-up! 

Do you have any tips on how to keep your skin looking great in the dry winter months? Join the conversation on Facebook and let us know! And ladies, make sure you join our Self-Care Sundays Facebook Group were we share tips on how to take time out of our busy lives to take care of ourselves!

Do you find it difficult to take time for your self-care? You say you’re going to stop for a few moments for some pampering, meditation or journaling but your day comes and goes and it never happens. Join me for a 7 Day Self-Care Challenge! This free challenge will set you up for a positive experience with journal prompts and self-care ideas. 

Reporting daily in the Self-Care Sundays Facebook Group will keep you on track and motivated as you read everyone’s posts on how they’re doing with the challenge. You don't have time for this you say? I think you can manage 10-15 minutes a day. Taking this time will actually give you more time? I know this doesn't make sense but when you take care of yourself, you have more time to take care of others.  And don't worry if you can't complete each day, do what you can and feel good about that!

The challenge will begin Monday, February 18^th and you will be emailed a reminder with the challenge details on Sunday, February 17^th. Sign up here and show yourself some love!