deliciousretreats

A Delicious Hiatus

2012-10-24T19:17:00.000-07:00

So, the blogger in me has returned after a brief hiatus...a delicious hiatus! Events like a cross country move and reinvigorating a business will do that! Now that things have settled down a bit, I can refocus on bringing topics that allow you to live deliciously.

Thanks for being so patient. Now on deliciousness!

Chocolate Face Mask Recipe

2011-02-06T18:38:00.000-08:00

Chocolate face mask recipe

Ingredients

1/3 cup cocoa
1/4 cup of honey
2 tablespoons of heavy cream (sour cream will work as well)
3 teaspoons of oatmeal powder

Preparation

Mix all the ingredient until the mass in consistent. Apply on the face, gently massaging it so that oatmeal can start exfoliating the dead skin cell layer. Leave it on for about 20 minutes and rinse off with lukewarm water.

In case you are wondering, there is a reason oatmeal and honey are added to this mix. Similar to its use in body scrub recipes, oatmeal it is recommended for sensitive skin, but can be used in preparation of facial masks for any skin type, as well as for preparation of facial exfoliants as it is gentle on the skin, yet highly powerful.

Honey on the other hand, is a great anti-bacterial agent, deeply cleanses your skin, and opens up clogged pores.

Now that you know all these benefits of chocolate, not only can you be guilt free while eating it, you can prepare an excellent chocolate face mask recipe and aid to your skins youthful look and nourishment.

Got Caramel?

2011-01-25T09:35:00.000-08:00

Want a treat that wraps you with the aroma of rich chocolate and creamy caramel? Check out our limited edition Caramel Truffle butter!

Christmas Reflections

2010-12-18T05:06:00.000-08:00

With Christmas only a week away, I find myself once again running around getting out last minute orders while squeezing in all the fun-filled activities my family enjoys. But as I sit here on this still morning, catching my breath before my energized children awaken, my mind ponders the bewilderment and expectation that Mary, the mother of Jesus, must have felt. Hers was not a journey of celebration. On the contrary, it was a journey of sacrifice...to be counted for taxes! Could you imagine riding on a donkey in your ninth month of pregnancy? Hardly a luxurious arrangement. The ridicule she received as a betrothed pregnant bride....the disappointment that her family may have felt...the loss of friends...all to bring a life.....the Savior's life.....into the world. While we prepare outwardly with the presents, decorations and delicious meals, let us be forever mindful that the most important way we can celebrate this season is with the internal renewing of the heart. As always, live deliciously......be inspired!

Juliet

12 Days of Christmas Question #12

2010-12-17T13:41:00.000-08:00

Today is the LAST day to win in our contest, so don't miss out! Our final question is: Who's birthday is celebrated every year on December 25th?

12 Days of Christmas Question #11

2010-12-16T19:15:00.000-08:00

The hustle and bustle of Christmas is definitely underway....and the fun here at Delicious Retreats continues on! Here's some more trivia for you: What does Alvin want for Christmas in the "Chipmunk Song"?

12 Days of Christmas Question #10

2010-12-15T13:32:00.000-08:00

We are winding down this contest family......BUT you still have a few more chances to win! Here goes: What animals kept time in the song "Little Drummer Boy"?

12 Days of Christmas Question 9

2010-12-14T02:23:00.001-08:00

Need a delicious treat? Well, answer this question and you could win! What holiday drink contains sugar, milk, and eggs?

12 Days of Christmas Question #8

2010-12-14T02:16:00.000-08:00

Goodmorning friends! Since we did not have a question on Sunday, we will select 2 winners today! Here goes: What 1990 movie told of a boy's experience when 2 men break into his house during Christmas? Good luck!

12 Days of Christmas Question #6

2010-12-11T04:05:00.000-08:00

Got shopping stress? Well, answer the following question for a chance to win a relaxing prize! Here goes: What color is the "Grinch"? Live deliciously.....be inspired!

12 Days of Christmas Question #5

2010-12-10T08:02:00.001-08:00

Goodmorning friends! Today's contest question is: What town was the baby Jesus born in? The answer you give today could lead to a prize tomorrow! Live deliciously......be inspired!

12 Days of Christmas Question #4

2010-12-09T15:31:00.000-08:00

Congratulations to Denise James and Lori our recent winners in the Christmas contest! Today's contest question is: What were the names of the ghosts in the story "A Christmas Carol"? An indulgent spa treat awaits the lucky winner!

12 Days of Christmas Question #3

2010-12-08T16:13:00.000-08:00

Head's up DR family! Today's contest question is: what did frosty the snowman have as a nose? A delicious prize awaits the lucky winner!

12 Days of Christmas Question #2

2010-12-07T04:23:00.000-08:00

Goodmorning friends! Looking to win a sweet treat today? Well, post your answer the following question on our blog: How many kings visited Jesus when He was born?

12 Days of Christmas Contest Question #1

2010-12-06T06:44:00.000-08:00

Hello friends! Today's contest question is: What are the names of Santa's reindeer? Answer correctly and you could be today's lucky winner!

12 Days of Christmas Contest

2010-12-05T21:19:00.000-08:00

Listen up friends! Our 12 Days of Christmas giveaway contest is officially underway! For the next 12 days we will post a new christmas trivia question...post your answer on this blog and you could be the winner of one of our products! There will be a new winner everyday.......so don't miss out on all the fun!

Sleep: Nature's Simple Beauty Secret

2010-11-16T21:14:00.000-08:00

Greetings Friends!
As the holidays approach, many of us may experience sleepless nights. Anxiety over impending family visits or a little overindulgence in that turkey dinner can often trigger a restless night. Hopefully, the following tips and delicious sleep ritual will help you get the rest your body needs!

Insomnia Triggers
Here are the main culprits to avoid:
Caffeine: Because it stimulates the body and brain, limit your intake after 2 pm.
Heavy meals: especially late in the evening can lead to indigestion and stomach cramping.
Salty and sugary foods/snacks: both of these can increase your level of alertness and prevent you from falling asleep.

A Delicious Sleep Ritual

Take a warm bath about an hour before bedtime for 20 to 30 minutes. After bathing, gently dry your body off and moisturize your skin with a luxurious body butter like Black Raspberry Indulgence. Dress in a comfortable nightgown.
Drink a cup of peppermint or chamomile tea before bed. For milk lovers, a warm glass of skim milk with honey will do!
Gaze at a lighted candle for a few minutes before you close your eyes.
Take 10 deep cleansing breaths; wait 5 minutes, then take 10 more. Repeat if necessary until relaxation occurs.
As you lie on your back, think of each body part as heavy and relaxed. Start with the feet and slowly move to your head.

A gift for new friends!

2010-10-18T13:41:00.000-07:00

Thanks to all of our new facebook, twitter and blogger friends! As a special gift to you, we will take $5 off your first purchase of $15 or more! Just enter the code DLRFB01. Continue to spread the love.....live deliciously......be inspired!

Got Rose Petals?

2010-10-18T07:46:00.000-07:00

Ever wonder what to do with those wilted rose petals from a beautiful bouquet of flowers? Well, here's a way to make that lovely flower arrangement twice as nice! Live deliciously.....be inspired!

Rose Petal Bath

* 1-3 cups of rose petals

* 1 tablespoon lavender flowers (optional)

* 1-2 drops rose essential oil

* 3 tablespoons Romantic Groove Bath Salt by Delicious Retreats

This bath is the ultimate luxury and perfect for an
indulgent evening. Fill the tub with warm water,
dropping in the rose oil and bath salts. Sprinkle the
rose petals on top of the water. Enjoy the muscle
relaxing properties of the bath salt while the petals
float around you.

Got Delicious Skin?

2010-10-08T01:22:00.000-07:00

As mothers, we spend so much time taking care of our loved ones and so little time taking care of ourselves! Here are a few tips for the busy mom:

*Remove all your make up before you go to bed. Wash your face twice daily to get the make up off and to give your skin a moment to breath.

*Use a facial mask on a regular basis or even everyday. You can even make one at home: mash up some banana or avocado and slosh it on. You could even dish out some yogurt and use it.

*To keep skin baby soft use a good body scrub like Honey Brown Sugar Scrub by Delicious Retreats (http://www.deliciousretreats.com/) at least once a week. Believe me you will love the skin you are in!

*Keep your skin moisturized all throughout the day. Simply, fill a spray bottle with distilled water and add a tinge of rose essential oil and a tiny bit of vitamine E oil, shake a bit and then spray on! You can even use this on top of make up!

*For good skin, keep the stress at bay! If you have, it’s going to show everywhere! Take time off to do something you love, EVERYDAY. Your face is the index of your mind, so show it some love!

Live deliciously......be inspired!

A Sanctuary Home

2010-10-06T20:29:00.000-07:00

Walking on my journey to a more spiritually aware and stress free home, I have been amazed at the things that God places in my path. One of these came to me in a article by Karen Maezen Miller. I hope her tips help you as much as they have helped me! Enjoy!

Observe light. The natural world wakes with the first light of the sun--why not you? If rising at daybreak is too late for your daily work and commuting schedule, wake before the sun and observe the sunrise. Think twice before you hit the snooze button. If your waking thought is resistance, you wake in stress. You start the day in a race against time, and you stay that way. The sun is not only a natural time management system, it delivers the neurotransmitter serotonin that enhances brain function and reduces stress.

Observe darkness. Turn the power off and see what happens when night falls. We've turned our homes into temples of electronic stimulation, and our default position is maximum overdrive. Gadgets are handy and appliances are useful, but everything from the microwave to the smoke alarm and the cell phone to the computer is discharging a constant pulsing stream of energy. We cannot afford to be careless about our electronic addictions because we are going out of our minds. Evening brings a natural end to the 24-hour workday, restores mind-body balance, and invites quiet.

Observe quiet. I'll be loud and clear. The quiet that needs observing is not an external silence like the kind imposed at a library or hospital. Our homes are not ivory towers or infirmaries. The quiet that needs stilled is our internal commentary--the nonstop thoughts that stir anger, resentment, anxiety and fear. You may never get around to practicing meditation, but try this technique in the meantime. Designate a comfortable seat in your bedroom as your "quiet chair." Clear it of clutter; keep it empty and available. When domestic chaos and turmoil overtakes you, retreat to your bedroom and take sanctuary in your quiet chair. Conflicts will decelerate by themselves when you take a step back. When the decibels in your head come down, come out.

Observe bells. A mountain of laundry, a forest of weeds, and an avalanche in the hall closet: the sheer size of untended tasks at home can topple us into paralyzing despair. When chores get out of hand, pick up some extra time. Set a timer for 20 or 30 minutes and focus on doing one thing during that period. It doesn't matter if you finish; what matters is that you start. Once you start, the finish comes into view.

Observe nature. Open a window. The view doesn't matter. Open a door. You don't have to be in a national park. Air and light are curative. If you doubt it, just take a walk around the block and watch your mood lift with the breeze and change with the scenery.

Observe order. Washing dishes, sweeping floors, folding clothes, clearing the table and sorting mail: these are not just simple means of practicing mindfulness, they are your mind. A well-known philosopher described our true relationship to our environment by saying, "There is no inside, there is no outside, and there is no in-between." When we resist order, we are messing with our minds.

Observe ritual. Light a candle, and elevate your mealtime. Burn incense, and alleviate anxiety. Sages have always known that rituals are not just symbolic. Your rituals don't have to reek of religious significance. Give yourself a set of completion rituals to signify the end of the day. Empty the kitchen sink; put your shoes in the closet; brush and floss your teeth. Repeated, rituals prepare you to enter a state of repose.

Stillness anybody?

2010-10-05T18:32:00.000-07:00

Being still and doing nothing are two entirely different things. On the one hand, being still implies a deliberate quieting of the mind and body...a kind of retreat from the chaos surrounding daily living. Stillness allows us to be centered in the eye of life's hurricane. It allows us to dance in the rain. To see the beauty in ashes of living. Doing nothing, on the other hand, involves seeing that action is needed but making the choice to remain inactive. Both are a matter of choice........which will you choose today? Continue to live deliciously.......be inspired!

Need a Delicious Retreat?

2010-10-04T18:47:00.000-07:00

Need a Delicious Retreat? Join our discussion on what you do to relax and you could be the winner of our new "Coconut Cashmere" gift set!