How To Whip Up Luxurious Bath and Body Products For 25% The Retail Price

Imagine the simple pleasure of whipping up your own luxurious bath and body products. This sounds like a GREAT project for Camp Agape Cove.

While surfing through EzineArticles tonight, I happened uopon Katherine Durkes Article for How To Whip Up Luxurious Bath and Body Products For 25% The Retail Price.

Sounds like fun to me! How about you all? Want to join me for A Bath and Body Workshop?

So with out further ado... Here is Katherine's article:

How To Whip Up Luxurious Bath and Body Products For 25% The Retail Price
By Katherine Durkes

If you think about making your own spa products - such as lotions, body washes, and exfoliating scrubs - you probably think it sounds difficult. It probably brings to mind lots of weird ingredients, chemicals, and slaving away over a hot vat of goo for hours. After this article, you'll know that nothing could be further from the truth!

In fact, using my method (which I call The Easy Way), making your own bath and body products takes less time than going to the mall, and you get twice the quality of skin care.

There are two ways to make your own bath and body products - The Hard Way, and The Easy Way. The Hard Way means investing a lot of time in books and trial-and-error in your kitchen, and a lot of money in ingredients. Often, you need patience and perseverance as you attempt to make a basic lotion or liquid soap, but it doesn't come out as well as you'd hoped. Heck, you don't even get to the fun part, which is adding the scent and color!

The Hard Way is what is taught in soapmaking classes, websites, and books. It can be fun and rewarding because of the natural ingredients and the high-quality products that result. Shea butter lotions... aloe body washes... If you are prepared to invest the time and money, and you have a lot of patience, The Hard Way does pay off. You get wonderfully moisturizing products in your favorite fragrances - even hard to find ones - that are much better than Bath and Body Works.

The problem is, The Hard Way is often incredibly discouraging to beginners. As they pour their failed body wash down the bathtub drain, most beginners start to wonder if it's really worth the trouble. Sooner or later, they go back to the mall and pay too much for what is essentially drugstore-quality products in fancy bottles and scents.

The Easy Way of making bath and body products is, well, easy! With The Easy Way, you get all the benefits - the natural ingredients, the high-quality skin care products, and your favorite scents - for only 10% the work. The Hard Way is like baking a fancy Julia Child cake recipe, but The Easy Way is more like making a cake mix.

The Easy Way uses professional unscented product bases (also called "cosmetic bases") that are specially manufactured for this purpose. These bases are made with natural ingredients, such as shea butter, avocado oil, aloe, and goats' milk, so you still get high quality skin care, the same as if you had made the bases yourself with The Hard Way.

You can get unscented bases for almost any liquid product you can think of: body lotion, massage cream, bath oil, shower gel, bubble bath, salon-quality shampoo and conditioner, body scrub, hand soap, and face wash.

To these basic products, you add your own fragrance, color, and other special ingredients, such as silk proteins and botanical extracts. You can even experiment with natural anti-aging ingredients such as carrot seed oil, green tea extract, and collagen. These ingredients are what makes your products unique!

If you compare three bottles of shower gel from Bath and Body Works, The Body Shop, and Origins, you will see a lot of similarities in their first few ingredients. That's because they're all taking a basic body wash and making their own improvements on it, just like you can with The Easy Way.

There's no need to reinvent the wheel (or a basic body wash.) If what you want is to quickly and easily create your own high-quality spa products, The Easy Way is the method for you!

Katherine Durkes is an experienced teacher of bath and body. She runs a popular website on how to make bath and body products with articles and e-books, as well as the Yahoo Group “Home Bath & Body.” Her first e-book, “The Fast Guide To Making Bath Bombs (& Fizzies)” has over 10,000 downloads and has been featured on About.com and in Ready Made Magazine.

To find out more about The Easy Way of making products, you can request a quick 8-page PDF about The Easy Way with a recipe and photos. Just send a blank email to productreport@excellentlivingguide.com, and it will be emailed to your inbox. You must be able to receive attachments over 1MB (it's 1.1MB.)

Article Source: http://EzineArticles.com/?expert=Katherine_Durkes

Christmas Stuffed French Toast With Cranberry Sauce

While perusing EzineArticles tonight, I happened upon this yummy sounding recipe by Christie Will for Christmas Stuffed French Toast With Cranberry Sauce.

I have not tried it yet. But doesn't it sound simply divine? I would love to make this version, but since this holiday season I'm on a diet, I'll probably have to tweak the recipe to be a bit more diet-friendly.

But here is Christie's version. If you try it, let me know how it tastes!

Ingredients:


8-ounces Cream cheese, softened

¼-cup Cranberries, dried

¼-cup Pecans, chopped

8-teaspoons Strawberry Jam

2-loaves French bread, cut into 8 one inch slices

4-large Eggs

1-cup Milk

1-teaspoon Strawberry extract

3-tablespoons Butter

2-tablespoons Powdered sugar


Instructions:

Combine cream cheese, cranberries, pecans and strawberry jam. Cut a horizontal pocket into the top of each slice of bread. Spoon 2 teaspoons of cream cheese mixture into each pocket. Whisk eggs, milk, and strawberry extract. Dip stuffed bread slices into egg mixture, coating all sides well. Melt butter in a large skillet over medium high heat. Cook stuffed bread slices 2 minutes on each side or until golden brown. Sprinkle with powdered sugar. Serve with warm cranberry sauce (see recipe below).

Serves 8

Ingredients:


1-cup Sugar

3-1/2-cups Fresh whole Cranberries

1-tablespoon Orange peel

1-cup Water

1-cup Fresh Orange juice


Instructions:

Combine sugar, fresh whole cranberries, orange peel, water and fresh orange juice in a medium sauce pan. Cook on medium heat stirring often for about 30 minutes or until sauce has thickened into a sauce. Let cool before serving, but serve warm.

Makes about 3 cups

You can find this recipe and much more at Cristie's Cookin. Please submit your favorite recipe for a chance to win a free "Gotcha Covered" apron. While you are there check out Cristie's recommendations for losing weight and gaining wealth. If you like to read and looking for something full of suspense then pick up a copy of Cristie's newly released novel "11.11.11" by TJ Stokes.

Cooking lessons for Cristie began at 8 years old with the best teacher in the world -- her Mom! Later, she cooked for the restaurant the family owned, and her love of the "trade" has grown ever since. Cristie's creative cooking has continued for over 40 years. Her creations can soon be on your kitchen table. Check out Cristie's books at www.cristiescookin.com and www.tjstokes.com

Article Source: http://EzineArticles.com/?expert=Cristie_Will

Looking For A Free Diet?

It is diet time here at Camp Agape Cove.

Yep, over a month ago I decided it was time to get serious and lose some weight.

With a big watershed birthday down the pike in 2007, I want to look and feel as good as possible. Seems that for about sixteen years, I've been carrying around extra weight.

Strange that before 1991, my closets were filled with elegant couture garments in the mid-single digits.

I've always like the number 22, considering that I was born on the 22nd, but I have decided I don't want to wear a size 22 ever again! Next year at this time I want to be shopping for some 4's again! Looking for a Free Diet?

Working With Your Raleigh Real Estate Agent

"We like the looks of the house with the big old fashioned country porch."

"Lets start there. Are there any others that you would like to see today?"

"This Country Victorian sounds nice too."

"There is another house in the same neighborhood as the Victorian, that is very nice and it has
a beautiful landscaped backyard with a swimming pool. Are you interested in owning a swimming pool?"

"A pool would be nice. We sure are happy to be working with you as our Raleigh Real Estate Agent."

Stay at Orlando Condos For A Fun Vacation

Imagine this... the opportunity to spend time this holiday season in the land of year-round sunshine and fun.

Whether you spend the day, at the wonderful theme parks, or take short side trips to nearby destinations for antiquing, boat rides, horse back riding, or a step back in time to Marjorie Rawlings Cross Creek, you are destined for a fun vacation.

The first step in planning your trip will be to make reservations at a place to stay. The Orlando options are unlimited, but they do book up fast during busy holidays.

Check out Orlando condos .

Find Out Why Hoodia Has Become So Popular

I have heard reports that Hoodia is the wonder pill and the secret strategy of many celebrities in need of losing a few quick pounds.

I like the idea of anything that can help me lose weight. However, what I want to know is this: Is Hoodia safe?

Before putting anything in your body, take the time to do your due diligence and perhaps you will find out why Hoodia has become so popular.

Where To Stay In Outer Banks NC

"Where are we going to stay in North Carolina?"

"Do you want to stay in a tent?"

"No way!"

" Ok, I'm just kidding around! I read an article in the Washingtonian magazine about the best bet for rentals in Outer Banks NC . Let's check out the website! We can look at thousands of vacation home images, views, and floor plans!"

See Some Raleigh North Carolina Real Estate

I always thought it would be fun to have either my own bed and breakfast business, my own retreat center or my own camp in North Carolina.

But now as I'm getting older, I don't think I want all the responsibility that is involved in those type of businesses.

At this stage of my life, I would love to find a charming North Carolina Cottage Style Home in Raleigh.

I've been looking at some Raleigh North Carolina Real Estate and I like what I see!

Looking for Orlando Town Homes

I have been thinking that a trip to Orlando would be a great idea.

Orlando is a city of inspiration. The creativity within that county is beyond my comprehension!

Imagine the mind power that has gone into creating all the different theme parks! Maybe a little creativity will rub off on me.

What could be a better way to jumpstart my own creative juices than spending a week or two visiting Disney World, Epcot, Universal, etc? On second thought, I don't know if a week or two will be sufficient. Maybe, I'll just take my work with me and go stay in a community of

Orlando town homes for a month or two.

Life 101 ~ Lessons from The Kitchen

Life 101 ~ Lessons From The Kitchen: What Cake Baking Can Teach Us About Life!

I received the following story in an e-mail from a friend. Unfortunately, the author is unknown. I wanted to share it with you because this story resonates with hope, wisdom, and the incentive for patience when we want something NOW! As this story illustrates the ingredients alone can not create the synergy that is required to create a delicious cake.

Also I would like to add to the story, that even when you have combined all the ingredients, there is a heating process that the cake must undergo for a certain period of time in order to become the delicious cake that can later be enjoyed. What happens if the cake doesn't get properly baked? It tastes simply horrible and you want to toss it out.

There is great life application here! So here's to your life and to your hope, wisdom, and patience
in allowing the synergy to happen by accepting the ingredients and the heating process needed to take humble ingredients and transform them into something as delicious as a slice of home-made cake. Agape! Kathi

Here's the story...

Sometimes we wonder, "What did I do to deserve this?" or "Why did God have to do this to me?"

Here is a wonderful explanation!

A daughter is telling her Mother how everything is going wrong, she's failing algebra, her boyfriend broke up with her and her best friend is moving away. Meanwhile, her Mother is baking a cake and asks her daughter if she would like a snack, and the daughter says, "Absolutely Mom, I love your cake"

"Here, have some cooking oil," her Mother offers.

"Yuck" says her daughter.

"How about a couple raw eggs?"

"Gross, Mom!"

"Would you like some flour then? Or maybe baking soda?"

"Mom, those are all yucky!"

To which the mother replies: "Yes, all those things seem bad all by themselves. But when they are put together in the right way, they make a wonderfully delicious cake! God works the same way. Many times we wonder why He would let us go through such bad and difficult times. But God knows that when He puts these things all in His order, they always work for good! We just have to trust Him and, eventually, they will all make something wonderful!

God is crazy about you. He sends you flowers every spring and a sunrise every morning. Whenever you want to talk, He'll listen. He can live anywhere in the universe, and He chose your heart.

If you like this, send this on to the people you really care about. I did. Life may not be the party we hoped for, but while we are here we might as well dance.