Work It Wednesday: Spring's Hottest Nail Trends

I know it may not seem like it in some places, but Spring has sprung. So while you start switching over your wardrobe & accessories, you can get a jump start on the latest nail trends.

It seems that bold colors, pastels & sparkles accompany the classic hues this season. Which means that there's a variety of ways I can spice up my sometimes dull outfits. (Yes, I totally just admitted that.)

The Line-Up:

 •Neutral (somewhere between white & nude)

•Pastels

•Bold Coral

•Teal

•Sparkles

•Nude

 •Mint

 •Hot Pink

•Classic Red

After that, I've come to a realization. I need to go shopping! I'm in the mood for mint...polish & ice cream.

 

P&G "Most Loved"

Ever wonder why you tend to gravitate towards certain brands? I know I did. And not too long ago it dawned on me why. Lots of different brands are made by a "parent" company.

I find myself checking out CoverGirl cosmetics before any others. Dawn is my #1 choice for dish detergent (thanks to my Mom.) I love how soft Pantene Pro-V makes my hair feel. And Bounty paper towels are used for a variety of tasks in my house. (Just to name a few.) Translation: I'm a P&G gal (Proctor & Gamble). That's right, all of the above as well as Olay, Venus, Gilette, Cascade, Charmin, Febreeze, Swiffer & Tide, are part of the P&G family. Their "most loved" products actually.

The great thing is that the brandSAVER coupon booklets that are inserted into the occasional Sunday paper, offer tremendous savings on P&G products

*Check out the brandSAVER coupons booklet from March 31st if you still have it.

Guess what! It gets better! Join SheSpeaks today (if you're not already a member) & then join in on the Twitter Party!

Join us on April 18 at 9 p.m. for the #PGmostloved Twitter Party! You’ll have the chance to win P&G’s award-winning products from some of your favorite beauty, grooming and household care brands.

When: Thursday, April 18 at 9 p.m. ET

Where: Twitter - follow hashtag #PGmostloved Custom TweetGrid: http://bit.ly/XXeAIX Brand: @PGeveryday Party Panelists: @LisaSamples, @StacieInAtlanta, @Zipporahs, @AlyWalansky, @MommaDJane, @SavvyMommy RSVP: bit.ly/pgml

 "We inspire women to discover, influence and share products. SheSpeaks is a community powered by women who love to get the latest scoop and share what's hot. SheSpeaks gives you many ways to have a say, share and inspire others. Read and comment on our blogs, share hot deals and offers, create a review or join our discussion boards. You'll get helpful information, tips and expert advice on a range of topics, to keep you in the know. It's free to join and if you participate regularly in our community you might just get something free delivered to your door."

*Disclaimer: This is a sponsored post for SheSpeaks/P&G

Tasty Tuesday: Apple Butter Glazed Ham

Now back to the task at ham, err, hand. A while back I was looking for a recipe of some sort of sauce to serve with some ham steaks. I was so happy when I found one & loved it. But today, I decided to slightly modify it.

I followed the recipe for Apple Butter Ham Glaze, as much as I could without measuring anyways.  But then I brushed it right on my bone in ham I was about to put in the oven. Of course I couldn't just leave it at that. So I sprinkled black pepper & cinnamon generously over the top skin. Next up was a foil tent & a 275 degree oven for about 5 hours. Periodically I would brush on more glaze, but after 4 hours in the oven I decided to then score the ham & give it one more glazing. 

After 5 hours, I removed the foil tent, turned the oven up to 350 & cooked it until everywhere in the house smelled like ham. Which is more like 45 minutes in case you were wondering. 

The end result was the juiciest, tastiest ham I've ever made. I had a bit of the ham glaze left & used it as an accompaniment. 

Messy Monday: DIY Laundry Detergent

I like to save my family money where I can so that we can splurge on other things. One of the best ways Ive found is to make homemade cleaners.

Let's face it, laundry detergent can be pricey. especially if you do an obscene amount of laundry like I do. So unless there's a great sale or a high dollar coupon, i like to make my own. I know it sounds a bit...involved, but the best part is that even the kids can help me make it. Here's how.

•1 C. Borax

•1 C. Arm & Hammer Super Washing Soda (not baking soda)

•1 bar Fels Naptha or Ivory soap, finely grated (I was making a double batch so I have 2 bars in my picture.)

Mix all ingredients in a large bowl. Stir 5 minutes or until grated soap is thoroughly combined. Store in an airtight container.

•1 Tbsp. per load

•2Tbsp. per heavily soiled load 

*Notes: 
•Recipe can easily be doubled, tripled, quadrupled, etc.
•Scent booster such as Downy Unstoppables can be added for a "fresh laundry scent". 

Simple Sunday: John Creech Stonecrop

I discovered some John Creech Stonecrop at the new house. I can't wait till it starts to bloom.

Snacktastic Saturday: Fruit Salsa & Cinnamon Chips

Earlier this week it was in the 70's. Pure heaven for spring in NE Ohio. (We'll overlook the fact that it's now in the 50's.) Of course that first little bit of heat instantly has me wanting some fruit. So after I finally made it to the store, I got everything I needed for fruit salsa. (I already had everything for the cinnamon chips.)

Now some may refer to this more as a fruit salad, but when served with chips, it's salsa to me. Just toss in small pieces of whichever fruits you'd like. I used a can each of pineapple tidbits & mandarin oranges (drain most but not all of the juice), strawberries, kiwi & banana. Drizzle a bit of honey, sprinkle a bit of poppy seeds & give it a good stir. Just be sure you let it sit for about 20 minutes so the flavors can marry. - I always chuckle when I hear people say it that way.

For the cinnamon chips, cut pieces or tortillas & place on a baking sheet. Lightly spray with some nonstick cooking spray, dust with a cinnamon sugar mixture & bake in a 425 degree oven for a few minutes. Just be sure you keep a good eye on these so they don't burn.

Enjoy!

Fun Friday: Garden Marker Stones

One day I happened to see something on Pinterest (shocker). They were these cute little painted marker stones for your garden (here). So I thought I'd give them a try. Plus it would be fun to have the kids involved too.

We've already been collecting rocks that look like they would be perfect for our little project. And I've managed to paint one so far. (Although I do have to say that it's more of a rough draft.)

My "R" is a little off, but not waiting for the paint to dry with a 16 month old on your leg will do that. Regardless, I think this will be a cute little way to keep track of our plants before they start to produce. Not to mention it's something the kids can have fun with too.

Only a dozen or so more to go...