Pearls Before Swine

Custom Gifts That Are SUPER COOL and AFFORDABLE!

2019-07-09T09:02:00.000-07:00

Seems nowadays the best gifts are the ones which are handmade with love. Gifts are very personal, especially given the occasion. They are also great to encourage someone or just make their day better. Everyone loves to get gifts and it truly feels even better to give them.

Today, I'd like to share with you a few gift ideas that are not only really cool (at least to me) but affordable. We all have lots of friends and family which can get a little pricey when you're trying to buy presents for everyone. With the vast tastes out there, where do you even start?

I have a few go-to items I like to use for special occasions. They all can be created and are made by hand to order. Ohhh, sounds expensive....don't leave just yet. You may be surprised!

Custom gifts are everywhere, just google custom gifts and watch the page will fill with a ton of suggestions from shirts to mugs to whatever you can imagine. I'm sure you can find someone with the skills to create it for you.

Ok..on with the list. Now, I'm not gonna lie, this is a small self-plug opportunity.

Earlier, this year I started an Etsy shop and have had some tiny, very small success. With a total of eight sales(actually, 12 or 13 now Whoop!)...I tell ya..I'm killing IT!!

One of my favorite things to make or personalize is coffee mugs. When I first started in this business I bought a huge box of mugs to practice and learn on. There is a slight learning curve, as there is when anything new. Such as ghosting, or placement issues, and of course, it wouldn't be complete without numerous printing issues. However, after suffering through the process, I believe I've got it for the most part.

Anywho, back to the mugs. After learning how to use the machine and print and apply it correctly I was ready to design. Let's preference for the next part by also saying I am not a professional Graphic Designer. I just play one on social media.LOL!! Sorry, I couldn't help myself.

So, yes I am no designer per se...but I have learned how to do a few things. When I first was learning I started on the free programs like Inkscape and Gimp. Once I got pretty comfortable with those I moved up to the big boy toys and bought Adobe Illustrator. Just a monthly subscription, it doesn't get too exciting there and they really don't give you any more options than that.

After the switch, I found the program extremely difficult to use. Maybe, I am used to doing all the stuff myself and so having a program where you just click a button seemed just too difficult for my little brain.

Like if you want to put text in a circle in Inkscape you need to first create a circle, and then create the text. Select both the circle and text and apply the text to a circle. You aren't done yet, oh no! Now, you have to adjust the circle and text to fit and look right.

With Illustrator you create text, select it, and under object pick envelope> make and wrap. Then pick which one like Arc, or Arch, Flag, Wave, etc.. and adjust the amount with the slider button.

Now, I explained that to you because Adobe sounds much faster and easier but for me believe it or not, Inkscape was just more comfortable and easier to make things, for me.

Ok, so back to the mugs. I ended up making a bunch for family and friends from church.

This was my first design which I made using Inkscape. As of today, it is still my best seller!

My passion is creating designs based on scripture and my belief in Jesus Christ. I try to take scripture or truth's from God's word and make them into visual art. Trying to display it in a way that would cause unbelievers and believers to seek God.

This mug I call Which Way and was inspired by a message I heard from church. We all have a choice to make, with every decision. Which way are you going to take God's way or My way?

Here is another design I made. I used Adobe for this one. The scripture I choose was Psalm 33:12.

There are numerous other gifts you can make as well. It is really too big of a list to name all the items but I will list a few below.

As mentioned above Coffee Mugs, T-shirts, Hoodies, Pillowcases, Koozies, Glass pictures, cutting boards, phone cases, coasters, and so much more.

What equipment will I need to make these?

You'll need a sublimation printer, sub-ink, sub paper, heat tape, protective Teflon paper, and a heat press. Plus, the design or image, and a product to apply it to.

Right now, I just offer mugs, clothing items, and some vinyl items decals, window lettering, bumper stickers, stuff like that.

You can check out my shop page on Etsy For more examples of products you can create or buy as gifts.

If you'd be interested in a video on how I make or create designs using either Inkscape or Adobe? Just comment and let me know. If I get enough or even one..LOL, I'll make one for you!

Keep in mind though, I am not a super great designer and don't know it all!

Thanks for reading, I feel this post was really pointless and meaningless. The fact that you are still here amazes me!! You should be find something better to do with your time. :)

Just kidding...thanks all!! <3 b="">

Vintage, Country, Farmhouse..What's trending in Home Decor?

2018-09-17T10:51:00.003-07:00

Hey Guys,

It's been a grip since we chatted last and I apologize. Life has been very busy this last year or so.

Ok, so I'm sure we have all (maybe, not all but most of us) seen the Fixer Upper type TV shows? Flip or Flop, Desert Flippers, Love it or List it? Is it just me or are we seeing a farmhouse style trend just blowing up in front of us?

Yes, we can all agree that the style may not be for everyone's tastes but it sure seems to be the majority. I can't walk into a store be it Walmart, Target, Hobby Lobby, Etsy, eBay....you get the picture! There are vintage, farmhouse, country style signs, wall hangings, porch decorations everywhere.

Here are a few examples that I made at home, they are made from reclaimed barn/pallet wood. Hand-painted and hand-lettered. Some boards I sand down to smooth out but for this Boo sign, I wanted it to look really old school vintage. So I left the board pretty rough. Nothing was sanded down and I think it gives it a more rustic, weathered feel.

For this sign I sanded it down, painted the base of the wood white, then went back and hand drew the letters and pumpkins.

Same with the Welcome to our home/state shape sign. The entire board was sanded, painted a white base and then I hand painted the black state shape and letters.

The Mill wood sign has a hand-painted pastel base as the sunset. Then I used black to draw out the wind/water mill silhouette.

These are some of my favorites that I've made so far. I really love the colors, they are so fall-e!

To make these I used either a black or copper base on the wood. The give thanks has black hand painted letters, hello fall I used white for the letters, leaf, and nut details.

Trick or treat wood sign has a black base but I was able to leave the wood grain as the letter color. Took forever but it came out great!

Making these signs are super fun and pretty easy once you get the hang of it. It is a fun way for me to relax and unwind. I really enjoy making things that people want in their homes or to give as a gift to a friend.

All you need to make these wooden signs are some pallet wood, paint, paint brushes, a pencil with a good eraser. If you want a certain font? I like to use transfer paper and trace my design on that. Then place that on my board and copy it to the surface. I try to always paint my base color first.

Just remember to have fun and be creative! If you never want to try this at home, I'd be more than happy to make you one. Just visit my Etsy store!

Good Luck, if you make yourself one? I'd love to see it!

Loaded Country Frittatas

2017-10-29T15:37:00.000-07:00

Recently, while volunteering at our local church we made these ( a little different) Frittatas for a Missionary Conference. I was so impressed with the recipe, I figured we'd try it out at home.

Unlike me, you won't be making 200 of these bad boys like we did! However, for our recipe, we did double it and made about two and a half muffin pans of them.

My only tip is making sure they are cooked fully because you are dealing with eggs. So, the recipe may say cook for 20 minutes or so but with ours, we went about 25-28 minutes. Partly because ours were so loaded with goodies, it took them a little longer to cook.

Let's get down to business!

Ingredients:

Preheat oven to 350 degrees,

325 if using a convection oven

Cook for 20-28 minutes or until lightly browned

1 can (12 fl. oz. ) Evaporated Milk

3 large eggs, beaten

2 Tablespoons all-purpose flour

1/4 teaspoon salt

1/4 teaspoon pepper

2 cups (8 oz. pkg.) shredded cheese mild or sharp

2 cups chopped frozen broccoli, thawed and drained

1/2 cup chopped bell pepper

cooking spray

For our recipe we added:

1 cup chopped up ham

or you can use

1 cup cooked, chopped up bacon

Directions:

In a large bowl, combine these ingredients.

Add your eggs, and beat well.

Then slowly add in the evaporated milk, stirring slowly. Mix well.

Next, you are going to add all your chopped and diced ingredients. Add the bell peppers and broccoli.

Lastly, add the shredded cheese and ham or bacon (which is optional but really makes them so much tastier.)

Stir all ingredients really well and set aside.

Completely coat, very well with cooking spray. These babies tend to stick and can be a pain getting out of the pan without enough spray. Don't use muffin tins because they will stick to them and are almost impossible to get off.

Then, you'll want to grab an ice cream scoop or a 1/3 measuring cup.

Fill each muffin cup just about to the brim.

Cook in the oven for 20-28 minutes. I always set the timer for 15-20 minutes and then increase the time by 5 minutes each additional time and check them. You don't want them to burn. However, slightly brown is good.

Once cooled remove from muffin pan by taking a plastic fork or knife and go around the edges of the muffin cups. Then I use a fork to gently lift them out and set on cooling racks to continue to cool.

You can freeze them as well. :)

Great breakfast for you or your family. Enjoy! :)

Product Review Vivo Per Lei Vitamin C Facial Serum

2017-10-14T17:49:00.002-07:00

Vivo Per Lei Vitamin C Facial Serum for Face and Neck, 36 Ml / 1.22 Fl. Oz

Buy Vivo Lei Vitamin C Facial Serum HERE!

Today, I'll be doing a product review for Vivo Per Lei Vitamin C Facial Serum. I have never tried this product before, which I purchased from Amazon with a discount code. I'm really excited to try this facial serum because being in my late thirties, I can definitely see signs of aging. This is a sponsored review, which I purchased at a discount.
First, let me tell you about the product. Plus, what you can hope to see in your skin after using it. I have only been using it a short time but already I'm seeing wonderful results.
What you'll notice first:

I love that has no smell and the softness of the facial serum. I didn't want anything that felt real abrasive, especially when applying around your eyes. It's such a sensitive area, to begin with.
The tone and texture of my skin have really improved and is looking more radiant, and flawless looking.
I love that Vivo Lei Facial Serum contains Vitamin A Retinyl Palmitate, Vitamin C, Vitamin E, Wheat Germ Oil, and Palm Oil. Which aids in the repairing of the appearance of fine lines and wrinkles.
Another favorite about the product is that it is non-greasy and lightweight. Great for all skin types whether that be oily, sensitive, combination, mature and dry skin.
An added bonus is that it's rather inexpensive. Most cream or facial serums cost so much money and you never seem to get the results you're looking for in the product.
Now, I think I've found a really great product and am excited to use it every day in hopes that with overtime use, I'll finally see the results I've been looking for.

Two Coffee Recipes Plus Three Goodies To Try With Coffee!

2017-09-28T22:23:00.003-07:00

Nothing is better to me than a nice cup of coffee. I swear, I could drink only that! If you follow me on Instagram (@jendevereaux) you'll figure out pretty quickly how much I love my coffee. Most days I have at least three or four cups but was thinking today, how can I make my coffee experience even better?

So, today I have two unique coffee recipes and I've paired it with some really yummy goodies that are good with or without coffee.

Let's get started:

Ingredients:

3 cups pure water

2 Tbsp. Arabic coffee

3 Tbsp.. ground cardamom powder

1/4 tsp. saffron

Directions:

Put 3 cups of water in a pot. Bring to a boil.
Add coffee and boil over a low heat.
Turn off heat after 5 minutes and leave the coffee to clear.
Pour coffee into a kettle and let coffee settle in the pot.
Add the cardamom and saffron to the kettle of coffee. Bring to a boil once before serving in small coffee mugs.

Ingredients:

1-1 1/2cups milk warmed up.

2 cups brewed coffee

Directions:

Heat 1 to 1 1/2 cups of milk in a medium saucepan, over medium-low heat.
Whisking until milk is steaming and slightly foamy.
Divide milk between two cafe au lait bowls or large coffee mugs, whichever you prefer.
Divide 2 cups of coffee between bowls or mugs and stir.

Ingredients:

1/2 cups unsalted butter, softened

1 1/2 cup sugar

2 eggs

2 1/2 tsp. vanilla extract

1/2 tsp. salt

3 cups all-purpose flour

4 tsp. baking powder

1 cup milk

Topping and Middle Layer:

16 oz whipped cream topping

Strawberry Filling Layers:

1/4 cup sugar

3 pounds fresh strawberries, sliced. Keep a few for decoration.

Directions:

Preheat oven to 350 degrees and prepare a 9x13 inch baking pan with parchment paper as the handles and baking spray, set aside.
In a separate bowl, combine the salt, flour, baking powder and whisk. Set aside.
Cream together butter and sugar, mix well with mixture.
Add eggs and vanilla and beat very well.
With a mixer on low, slowly alternate between adding dry ingredients and milk.
Pour mixture into a greased baking pan and bake for 20-25 minutes. Cool on a wire rack when done.
Place sliced strawberries and 1/4 cup sugar in medium saucepan over medium heat and stir until sugar is dissolved. Take off heat and set aside to slightly cool.
Once the cake is cool, remove it from the pan using the parchment handles. Slice in half vertically then again in half horizontally. Place the bottom half back into the baking pan with cut side up.
Spread half of the strawberries with syrup evenly over the cake, then spread half the whipping cream topping over the strawberries.
Repeat with the top half of the cake. Finish with the remaining whipping cream topping and decorate with reserved strawberries.
Refrigerate for 2 hours before serving.

To get the round look in the picture. I did the same steps but in a muffin pan. :)

Ingredients:

2 1/4 cup all-purpose flour

3/4 cup sugar

1 Tbsp. baking powder

1/2 tsp. cinnamon

1/2 tsp. salt

2 large eggs

1 cup milk

1/2 cup butter, melted

2 Tbsp. instant coffee granules

1 tsp. vanilla extract

Directions:

Preheat oven to 400 degrees.
In a large bowl sift together the flour, sugar, baking powder, cinnamon, and salt. Set aside.
In another medium bowl combine milk and instant coffee. Mix until the coffee is dissolved.
Mix in the large eggs, melted butter, and vanilla.
Add the wet mixture into the dry mixture. Stir until all ingredients are well combined. Don't over mix. Lumps are okay. :)
Fill greased or lined muffin cups 2/3 full.
Bake 20-25 minutes or until toothpick comes out clean.

Ingredients:

Cooking spray

1 pound pre-made cookie dough

1/2 gallon ice cream

Directions:

Preheat waffle iron. Spray the top and bottom very well with cooking spray.
Form cookie dough to cover the entire bottom of the waffle maker. Press closed.
Cook 1-2 minutes on each side.
Set aside cookie waffles to cool to room temperature.
Sandwich ice cream between two cookie waffles and Enjoy!
To get the heart shape, cut with cookie cutter. :)

Directions:

Draw or print out a skull pattern.
Cut out with an X-Acto knife. You want just the skull. Leave in the background. Just remove the skull pattern but make sure that the paper with cover the coffee cup and just the skull is open.
Hold over the coffee of your choice and using coffee grounds, cinnamon, or my personal favorite chocolate and sprinkle over. To use chocolate, I just used my food processor to make it very fine.

I hope you enjoy this new coffee and fun goodie recipes. If you try any? Come back and comment with a yay or nay. I'd love to hear your feedback and be sure to share with your other coffee lovers!

The Best Three-Cheese Lasagna Soup

2017-09-10T16:18:00.001-07:00

Today, I'll be sharing with you a family recipe for the best three cheese lasagna soup. I love recipes that aren't super time-consuming.

Being a mom, anything that saves you time is a life saver. Plus, this isn't a very spicy recipe and my kids loved it just as much as the adults did. We made it for our small group for church.

However, we all had to try a little bowl before serving it. I'm very happy with the results and hopefully, it will become a new family favorite for you and yours as well.

The Best Three-Cheese Lasagna Soup

Ingredients:

19 oz ground Italian sausage, hot or mild.
1 (14.5 oz) can fire roasted diced tomatoes with garlic
1/2 (6 oz) can tomato paste
1 (8 oz) can tomato sauce
1/2 Tbsp. dried Italian seasoning
6 cups chicken broth
1/2 Tsp. onion powder
1/2 Tsp. kosher salt
1/2 black pepper
8 oz dried campanelle pasta (Bell Shape)
1/2 cup part-skim ricotta cheese
2 Tbsp. grated Parmesan cheese
4 oz shredded Mozzarella cheese
2 basil leaves, chopped fine

Directions:

In a large skillet over high heat, brown sausage. Making sure to break apart into small bite size pieces, until fully cooked or no pink is left. Drain well.

In a large (12 quart) pot over medium heat add tomatoes, paste, sauce, seasonings, onion powder, salt, pepper, and chicken broth. Stir to combine. Once sausage is done, add to the pot. Cover and bring to a boil.

We cooked our pasta in a separate pot and was unable to find the campanelle shells, so we used two boxes of DaVinci signature tortellini which is a tomato & three cheese filled pasta. Two boxes because we wanted to double the recipe. You'd just be using one box if not doubling.

Once water is boiling add pasta, cook uncovered, until it is al dente or about 7-9 minutes. Turn of heat and drain.

Once our sausage mixture was boiling we transferred that to the crock pot and separated the liquid from the sausage mix. Added enough juice to fill the crock pot and discarded the rest.

Then added our sausage mix and pasta. We did it this way because we didn't want a real soupy mix. We wanted it to have equal amounts of liquid to sausage mix ratio.

Once in the crock pot, we added the ricotta cheese, parmesan cheese, and mozzarella cheese. Stir well to combine.

Sprinkle top with freshly chopped basil leaves and enjoy.

Serve with warm Artisan bread, sliced and homemade garlic butter.

Pool Safety and Pool Alarms.

2017-09-09T09:36:00.001-07:00

Vigilance is the best way to prevent a child from drowning. Nearly all pool mishaps happen in less than five minutes; the amount of time it takes to make a cup of coffee or a sandwich.

There are alarms that can help you promote pool safety. Pool safety alarms afford you extra protection for the ones you care about and love. They will help keep your children from becoming a statistic.

Pool Alarms come in 2 styles: Floating and Infra red Sensors

1. FLOATING/WAVE SENSORS

These alarms are mounted on the edge of the pool or in the pool. They are key activated, battery powered, and portable. Generally, these alarms sense water displacement when an object weighing more than fifteen pounds enters the pool. When this occurs a signal is sent to a remote receiver which is either in the home or carried by the guardian. The receiver emits an alarm of approximately 85 decibels. This type of alarm can be used with pool covers, pool nets or solar blankets and have an adjustment that can reduce their sensitivity. They are affordable. The disadvantages to this system in some models include the portability, which means some can be removed for swimming and not replaced, and the fact that someone must be in the water before you are alerted.

2. FENCE/ WALL MOUNTED PASSIVE INFRA-RED MOTION DETECTORS

These all weather-designed systems may be mounted on a pool fence or wall and can also be installed in a spa, patio, or garage. They protect an 8-yard semi circular area by emitting a 110-decibel alarm that can be heard up to 50 yards away. These alarms, which are most effective when mounted on a pool fence or wall, are armed one minute after being switched on and possess a 5-second entry delay feature which prevents the device from going off immediately after it's been activated. Unique features include both a movement and heat sensitive sensor that can only be activated by a small child or animal when performing movements and emitting body heat within its patrol range. 2 standard alkaline batteries or a DC power adapter run these alarms, which has a 12-month full replacement warranty.

POOL MOUNTED PASSIVE INFRA-RED MOTION DETECTORS

These alarms, which are some of the newest ones on the market, combine all of the important features found on other devices and are very affordable. Each unit simultaneously detects both motion and heat of anyone passing by and will not give any false readings for inanimate objects. With this device, a perimeter fence is not an integral part of the system as it is with most other systems.

This key operating unit runs on batteries or a DC power adapter and has a 24-hour warning signal for low battery power. With a 110-decibel micro siren, this is also the loudest alarm on the market and can be heard 50-yards away. These alarms cover an 8.5-yard radius and a 150-degree area.

The Pool Mounted Passive Infra Red Motion Detector protects all children before they get wet and also keeps your pool equipment safe from theft.

Pool Safety AlarmsThings to Think About

In considering a pool safety alarm one should compare features, price, and reliability. Consider the power source or sources, the fail-safes, and the potential for inadvertently disarming the warning system. Remember that pool alarms are one tool that will help to make your swimming area safer. Parental guidance and vigilance are primary in ensuring pool safety.

This is an investment in your family's future. Losing a child is devastating and most couples who do so end up in divorce. Statistics are cold hard facts; the hug of your child is a tender, heart-warming reality. Keep your little ones safe and protected.

Our children aren't always our only concern when discussing pool safety. The biggest tip I can give for our four legged family members is to make sure they know where and how to exit the pool. If on the off chance they get in the pool and have trouble finding their way out. Most dogs, we can assume swim but they can't swim forever. Work with your dog big or small and help them find the stairs or other safe areas for them to get out.

We have about 12 different models we offer for pool alarm through our distributor. If you have any questions or need any help, don't hesitate to ask. We would love to help you keep your family safe.

Mexican Bean Salad

2017-09-07T16:31:00.002-07:00

A yummy, spicy and family favorite!

Ingredients:

1 (15 oz) can black beans, rinsed and drained

1 (15 oz) can kidney beans, drained

1 (15 oz) can cannellini beans, rinsed and drained

1 green bell pepper, chopped

1 red bell pepper, chopped

1 (10 oz) package frozen corn kernels

1 red onion, chopped

1/2 cup olive oil

1/2 cup red wine vinegar

2 Tablespoons fresh lime juice

1 Tablespoon lemon juice

2 Tablespoons white sugar

1 Tablespoon salt

1 clove garlic

1/4 cup chopped fresh cilantro

1/2 Tablespoon ground cumin

1/2 Tablespoon ground black pepper

1 dash hot pepper sauce

1/2 teaspoon chili powder

Directions:

1. In a large bowl, combine beans, bell peppers, frozen corn, and red onions.

2. In a small bowl. whisk together olive oil. red wine vinegar, lime juice, lemon juice, sugar, salt, garlic, cilantro, cumin. and black pepper. Season to taste with hot sauce and chili powder.

3. Pour olive oil dressing over vegetables, mix very well. Chill thoroughly, serve cold.

Optional but I like to add fresh avocado to mine. Separate in my bowl. I don't recommend adding it to the whole mixture because it will turn all brown and ishy!

I hope you enjoy the bean salad with your family!

Homemade Garlic Butter. Two ways!!

2017-09-06T21:14:00.000-07:00

This is the best garlic butter and can be used on everything from bread, potatoes, to Salmon. Quick and easy to make and smells delicious when they are roasting.

Ingredients:

1 cup salted butter softened

2 small cloves of garlic, minced

2 Tablespoons minced fresh parsley

1 Tablespoon sliced fresh chives

2-3 teaspoon freshly squeezed lemon juice.

Directions:

Combine all ingredients together in a small bowl.

Serve with bread or over hot vegetables.

Notes:

To make garlic toast, spread garlic butter over fresh bread and place on a baking sheet. broil 2-3 minutes or until lightly browned.

Way #2

Slice off the head of the garlic clove cluster, not separated. Sprinkle with olive oil. Roast garlic head in the oven at 400 degrees, for 35 minutes.

Remove from oven and cool to the touch. Separate garlic clove from the casing and set aside. For a family of five, we use one stick of salted butter, softened, and four cloves of roasted garlic.

Smash garlic with a fork and remove any skin or heavily browned areas. Or this with give your butter a bitter taste.

Once smashed up, add to softened butter and mix well. Taste. Does it need more of a garlic taste? if yes, add one at a time until you acquire the right ratio for your liking.

Add finely chopped Italian parsley to make it pretty and enhance the taste. Done! This is by far, hands down, my favorite garlic butter I have ever had!!

The Truth About Hell.

2017-09-06T20:22:00.000-07:00

In today's society, people tend to talk about Hell as if it's this glorious place. We've all seen the memes out there but if you haven't? I'll add a few below I snagged from Pinterest.

The last one imparticular is one of my favorites but we'll talk about that later, let's get started.

Ok, first I'm going to make a list of facts that are true about hell. Next, I'll try to briefly go through them one by one. Now, stay with me until the end and it may really change how you feel about things. If you are a believer this won't be so difficult. If you are not, then I pray this is a wake-up call and will turn your heart towards repentance.

What this list is not, is a line-up of all the people I like are going to hell. I won't be shaming any select person or group. That is not the purpose of me writing this. I wanted to truly shed some light on the truths about Hell. I will be referring to different Bible verses because if you believe in a Heaven, that means that there is a Hell. You can't have one without the other. Even, the hardest of hardest people believe in Heaven. Everyone always says that RIP, rest in peace. Well, what do you think that means? Who rests in peace in Hell? Which makes my point.

Ok, ready? You gotta stay with me though. Don't get mad halfway through and think "screw her." Read the whole thing and know the truth. If your choice is still Hell at the end, that's cool. No hard feelings!

The Truth About Hell

Truth #1 Satan is not running Hell. He's not the boss on some throne.
Truth #2 Hell was not made only for Satan or his Angels.
Truth #3 Hell is a Lake of Fire.
Truth #4 Hell is eternal.
Truth #5 Hell is God's wrath being poured upon you.

Truth #1

Based on popular beliefs, many people think Satan is the boss of himself and He is just roaming around doing his own wicked thing. However, the truth is that God is in control. Of Satan? Yes, of Satan. Even Satan has to get permission before he acts. Now, wait a minute...are you saying God allows Satan to do evil things? Well yes, and although that is very hard for any of us to understand, that is no less the truth. We can get more into that on another day. So just know that Satan is subject to God. The Bible says in Job that Satan needed to ask permission to harm Job, who was a righteous man. He couldn't just do what he wanted. If that were the case we'd all be dead and pretty early on in our lives as well.

“And the LORD said unto Satan, Hast thou considered my servant Job, that there is none like him in the earth, a perfect and an upright man, one that feareth God, and eschewed evil? and still, he holdeth fast his integrity, although thou moved me against him, to destroy him without cause. And Satan answered the LORD, and said, Skin for skin, yea, all that a man hath will he give for his life. But put forth thine hand now, and touch his bone and his flesh, and he will curse thee to thy face. And the LORD said unto Satan, Behold, he is in thine hand, but save his life.”
—Job 2:3-6

Truth #2

Some churches today and tons of people think that Hell was just made for Satan or what we in society would call really bad people. You all have a few that come to mind as you're reading this. Again, as people, we can vary on opinion. What is not up for opinion is that those thoughts are so far from the truth. Hell is for Satan and his angels, yes. However, it is also for sinners. The gate is broad to hell and the gate to heaven is narrow. Why is it a narrow gate? Why is hell's gate so big? To answer each of those questions I can do so in one answer. Jesus Christ. He is the reason you go to Heaven or He is the reason you go to Hell. The gates are so big in Hell because so few people will find true salvation.

There are so many false salvations and religions. The sinner's prayer is the major culprits. Everyone, including myself at one time in my life believed this as truth. Stood for it. I grew up in non-biblical churches. I grew up believing a lie and thought God was who I was told he was. That I could confess things and it would happen. That I could ask and I was going to receive. I didn't make things happen and I didn't get what I wanted. God isn't what you think He is. He is what His word says He is. End of story. The only way to get to know him on a personal level. Is to read the Bible.

5 But because of your stubbornness and your unrepentant heart, you are storing up wrath against yourself for the day of God’s wrath, when his righteous judgment will be revealed. 6 God “will repay each person according to what they have done.”[a] 7 To those who by persistence in doing good seek glory, honor, and immortality, he will give eternal life.8 But for those who are self-seeking and who reject the truth and follow evil, there will be wrath and anger.

Romans 2:5-8

Truth #3

Hell is not some cool hip place where you can now fulfill all your wicked heart desires. Hell is a lake of fire. A hot burning lake of fire. After the tribulation, Jesus will return to judge each and every one of us, according to our deeds. There is a Book Of Life and a Book Of Deeds. Your name is written in one of those books. If, you don't have the slightest idea of which book you fall in, Here's your sign! Most solid true Christians know where they are going. The Holy Spirit is our confirmation. If you don't have that confirmation, hopefully by the end of this you'll have a good idea of how to obtain that.

Then death and Hades were thrown into the lake of fire. The lake of fire is the second death.

Revelation 20:14

Anyone whose name was not found written in the book of life was thrown into the lake of fire.

Revelation 20:15

13 The sea gave up the dead that were in it, and death and Hades gave up the dead that were in them, and each person was judged according to what they had done.

14 Then death and Hades were thrown into the lake of fire. The lake of fire is the second death.

Revelation 20:13-14

Truth #4

Hell is eternal. Something our little minds can't even grasp. It's just too big to think about, at least for me. I can't worry about tomorrow, let alone my eternal future. That is just plain stressful. What we need to worry about though is where are eternal future will be held? I certainly don't want to burn in fire for the rest of eternity. How can one even burn forever? Good question, glad you asked. The answer, we are given new bodies that burn but don't burn up. Just like you'll get a new spiritual body for Heaven, those going to Hell will be getting a new body too.

50 and throw them into the blazing furnace, where there will be weeping and gnashing of teeth.

Matthew 13:50

10 And the devil, who deceived them, was thrown into the lake of burning sulfur, where the beast and the false prophet had been thrown. They will be tormented day and night for ever and ever.

Revelation 20:10

Do not be afraid of those who kill the body but cannot kill the soul. Rather, be afraid of the One who can destroy both soul and body in hell.

Matthew 10:28

46 “Then they will go away to eternal punishment, but the righteous to eternal life.”

Matthew 25:46

Truth #5

Hell is for God's wrath.

5 But because of your stubbornness and your unrepentant heart, you are storing up wrath against yourself for the day of God’s wrath, when his righteous judgment will be revealed.

Romans 2:5

6 Let no one deceive you with empty words, for because of such things God’s wrath comes on those who are disobedient.

Ephesians 5:6

6 Because of these, the wrath of God is coming.

Colossians 3:6

10 they, too, will drink the wine of God’s fury, which has been poured full strength into the cup of his wrath. They will be tormented with burning sulfur in the presence of the holy angels and of the Lamb.

Revelation 14:10

All of us have sinned before we even knew what sin was. We sinned against our parents when they gave us a command and we disobeyed. Just that alone would get us to Hell but you and I both know we've done far more than that. I'm sure you've heard of the Ten Commandments? Those are 10 Laws of God, that most of us have broken. God's word says that if you have broken one, you've broken them all and are therefore declare a sinner and worthy of eternal Hell. Hell is not just for who we call wicked or evil.

How can we then be saved from eternal damnation? Who can save us from this? Jesus Christ was sent to Earth, walked a sinless life and died a sinner's death. He paid the price, taking God's full wrath for our sins. Jesus was not just a man but God in the flesh. A holy, sinless lamb lead to slaughter. He put the power of death under His feet and took the blame for sinner's who believe, repent from their sins, turn from their sins, and follow Him.

You have to understand that you are a sinner and on the road to eternal Hell. You have to see the need for a savior in your life. Why would anyone come if they thought they never needed one, to begin with? We don't run our own lives, every breath is given to us by Him. I prayed before writing this, and pray now for you who aren't save. I ask that God reveals the truth to you, softens your heart and calls you to true repentance. That you may be saved and spend eternity in Heaven, not Hell.

If, you aren't a believer ask God to show himself to you. Don't just assume He isn't real or won't listen. His word says all that ask, I won't turn away. Ask! and keep asking until your heart changes. Seek God's word and learn the truth. Only the word of God will open your eyes and heart to believe. Don't just settle for Hell, trust me on this!!

You don't want to burn forever with a bunch of wicked sinners, evil angels, and the most wicked Satan. Who has come to deceive the whole world and trust me...he is very good at his job. In fact, most of you will walk away thinking I'm just another wacky Christian trying to scare people.

Some of that may be true, LOL! However, truly it is out of love that I tell you the truth. I can't imagine anyone going through that punishment. I know for a fact some of my family members, some of which I was very close with, is headed that way. Breaks my heart. I can't change their out come but I'd like you to take another look at yours.

Wouldn't it be better to live for Christ now? Then, wish you had? Wouldn't you rather suffer now and maybe have to give up a few sinful things now, then pay for them in eternal Hell later? Will there be things that will have to go? of course! You'll be given the ability to sever Christ and not your sinful desires.

Just consider what I've talked about with you today. Ask God to tell you the truth, He is faithful and He will. Don't ever assume and let Satan lie to you that this is rubbish. Investigate it for yourself.

This is your soul on the line you know?

If you have any questions on this matter you can Visit Grace To You. There are a number of sermons that are very Biblical and you can trust. I don't make a thing referring you to them, so don't think this is some kind of plug. I just trust John and know he teaches the truth about God's word.

Do I need a swimming pool cleaner?

2017-08-16T14:02:00.000-07:00

Swimming pool maintenance is one of your most important tasks related to your pools. It really helps to keep your pool in excellent form. Swimming pools are attracting & inviting when they are neat, clean, and immaculately maintained, but they are rather repelling when they are lousy.

The neglected pools virtually become stinking hatcheries of germs & infections. Such pools are a source of a number of viral and bacterial diseases. So, your pools really require your serious considerations regarding their cleanliness.

You really need to maintain your pool in the right & proper ways, if you want to get complete fun out of them. Your pool requires regular pool maintenance programs. You need to follow weekly swimming pool maintenance programs.

Weekly pool maintenance programs generally focus on testing and correcting pool water chemistry, keeping your swimming pool pump and filter working well, regular brushing and vacuuming to remove the pollutants settled to the bottom of the swimming pool or “stuck” to the walls, and backwashing your pool filter to clean dirt out.

We often use chlorine or other disinfectants to keep your pool water clean. However, for brushing and vacuuming to remove the pollutants settled to the bottom of the swimming pool or “stuck” to the walls, you need swimming pool cleaners. Your pool cleaner will usually cover larger areas so it won't be handy cleaning your pool without proper cleaning tools, equipment, and devices.

www.phxpoolpros.com
www.facebook.com/phoenixpoolprosllc

Swimming pool cleaners offer you a great help in your pool cleaning programs. Swimming pool cleaners are pool cleaning devices specially designed for cleaning your pool. Pool cleaners are available in a number of sizes, designs, and brands. There are several manufacturers producing pool cleaners.

Some of the popular pool cleaner brands include Polaris, Legend, Platinum, Jet Vac, Kreepy Kauly, E Z Vac, Pool Vac Ultra, Navigator, Aquabug, Ranger, Zippy, Aquabot, Dolphin, Hayward and Dirt Devil.

You should go thru the reviews of several pool cleaners before going to buy a pool cleaner for the first time. There are a number of sites offering swimming pool cleaner reviews online. These online reviews will really help you make the right buying decision. You can ask a trusted pool professional for advice as well when trying to buy a pool cleaner. They can help you consider your needs and your pools size.

Does your dog enjoy the pool too?

If your dog or dogs are anything like mine? They love the pool too and it can really wreck havoc on your pool equipment and the pool chemistry itself. A good pool cleaner, as well as, proper maintenance will ensure that the pool stays in tip top shape. With dogs especially, filter cleans may require more cleaning than recommended manufacturers suggest.

Back to pool cleaner, you can buy your swimming pool cleaners online or through a pool professional. There are numerous sites selling pool cleaners online. The better idea is finding a good source online by doing some research online. It'll help you find a reliable online source and will also help you save your money.

If, you need advice or help? You can contact us anytime and we can walk you through which cleaners we have had success with in the past. Or what type of cleaner you may need depending on your type of pool (plaster, pebble tec, or painted) and the amount of debris that your pool has.

Check out our reviews here.

Homemade Rose Water Toner

2017-08-15T20:22:00.000-07:00

I decided to make my Mom a homemade rose water for her birthday. Personally, I love the stuff and found it to be a really good toner and it smells divine.

Recently, I was given these beautiful roses and thought they would make excellent rose water. Having never made it before, I wasn't sure how they'd work out verses normal red roses. Which is what most people use but I am a rebel and always tend to go against the grain. :)

To make the Homemade Rosewater:
Ingredients:

Roses (as many as you like-I used 12 stems)
Distilled water (enough to cover the rose petals- I used about 1.5 liters)

1. Remove petals from stems and run them under semi-warm water. You want to remove any leftover residue on the petals.

2. Add the petals to a large pot of water and top with enough distilled water to cover the petals. Add any more than that and your rose water will become diluted.

3. Over a medium-low heat bring the water and petals to a simmer and cover.

4. Let it simmer for 20-30 minutes or until petals have lost their color or are a pale pink (if you use red roses.) For me, mine became a lighter peachy type color an lost all the red accents around the tops of the petals.

5. Strain the petals to separate the petals from the water.

6. Discard the petals and place the rose water in a glass jar to store. I used a giant Ball canning jar.

To make a Homemade Rosewater Face Toner:

1 T pure rosewater (recipe above)
about 4 T of distilled water (or enough to fill your spray bottle)
1 2.5 ounce spray bottle

To make:

1. Combine all ingredients in spray bottle and shake.

2. To apply: spray directly on face or spray a cotton pad and wipe face to remove any residue.

Store any extra rosewater in the fridge to help preserve it for a longer time. It keeps for a long time if stored correctly.

Young Hollywood Conservatives Hats Product Review!

2017-08-06T12:07:00.004-07:00

Young Hollywood Conservatives Hats45th https://www.45yhc.com/

If you are a supporter of our current President? Then, I strongly suggest looking into supporting Young Hollywood Conservatives!

Their hats are really high quality, and come in a variety of great colors.

I got mine within days of ordering and they have super fast shipping.

Follow them on Instagram @younghollywoodconservatives to see all their hat choices and all their supporters! You can even DM them your own photo and see if you can get featured on their page!

If you are the silent majority? Take a stand and show your support! We need to stay committed to backing our President!

Overall, I really happy with my experience with the company and super stokes on my new hat! I would recommend them to others and will purchase from them in the future.

Love my new sponsors! Round Towel and Diva Mode Fitness!

2017-07-24T16:03:00.001-07:00

Diva Mode Fitness and Round Towel Co.

Be advised, clicking on these links may result in a commission made to me or points earned through the referral.

Sorry, I haven't wrote in awhile life has been absolutely crazy. Schools is right around the corner (can't believe it already??) and I had a sudden move. However, I'm back and excited about our new sponsors Diva Mode Fitness and Round Towel Co.

Most of us see all the Instagram posts or Facebook posts about working out, right? Have you ever wanted to be a Brand Ambassador? Help and inspire others to stay motivated and get healthy? Then Diva Mode Fitness is for you! They offer great perks and it's free to join. All their products are super high in quality and fit great. If, this sounds like something for you? Please follow the link to learn more about the program.
Diva Mode Fitness Referral Link!

Here, in Arizona especially in the summer we live by the water. Be the lake or a swimming pool, we are there! So, what is better than lounging out on super cute and comfy beach towels? Nothing is right?!! These are 100% cotton, and very large. Absolutely perfect for any day at the beach, lake or pool.

The animal print towels are 150 cm or 59.05 inches long. The Round Towels are 53"x 70"
100% cotton
Save 10% off with coupon code JENNY10
Visit the link below to browse all their cute designs, I posted some above. As you can see, the food ones are my ultimate favorites!!

Get your Round Towel Now and Save 10% Use code Jenny10

Wild Blueberry Muffins, Plus a Product Review!

2017-06-11T14:45:00.001-07:00

Every now and then I get sent free samples to try and give a review. Yesterday, in the mail I received some Gifbera Baking Cups and thought to myself what should I make...so Blueberry muffins it is!

Wild Blueberry Muffins

Ingredients:

1 1/2 cups all-purpose flour
3/4 cup white sugar
2 teaspoons baking powder
1 egg, beaten
1/4 cup canola oil
1/2 cup milk
1/2 cup fresh wild blueberries (or domestic)

Container: Muffin tin with

Directions:

PREP

10 mins

COOK

25 mins

READY IN

35 mins

Wash and drain blueberries, prior to adding them to the mixture.

Preheat oven to 400º F.
In a mixing bowl, stir together dry ingredients.
Combine beaten egg, oil, and milk, and then add to dry ingredients until just moistened.
Put foil liners in muffin tin and divide batter evenly, filling each liner approximately 1/2 full (reserve approximately 1/2 cup of batter). Spoon blueberries on top and gently stir in each muffin. Distribute remaining 1/2 cup of batter among the muffins, drizzling over top.
Bake approximately 20-25 minutes.

Product Review:

Overall, I'm very happy with the Gifbera Baking Cups. Unlike most baking cups these pulled away really nice and didn't take half the muffin with it.

The pretty colors add some fun to baking and I'd definitely use them again. As well as, recommend them to my friends and family. The price was very affordable and I'll have plenty to use in the future for upcoming baking projects. I'm very happy with my new Gifbera baking cups.

50% OFF Makeup Palettes, Ends This Friday!

2017-05-02T10:20:00.000-07:00

50% OFF Makeup Palettes, Ends This Friday!

Ladies, I normally don't share products like this but seriously this is just too good a deal to pass up.

*This post may contain affiliate links, and purchase of an item may or may not give me a commission.

Right now through Friday, you can get makeup palette collections with inspired colors from around the world for only $4.98!! You can buy all EIGHT palettes for only $34.98 and let me tell you, the colors are to die for!

Here are just a few of them!

Hurry, gals the sale ends this Friday!! And be sure to share this amazing offer with your friends. They will be totally bummed if they miss out too. I'm super excited, I ordered the Bali collection.

Do It Yourself Search Engine Optimization (SEO)

2017-04-07T13:45:00.001-07:00

Search engine optimization is a technique used to achieve a higher ranking in the search engine, so as to generate a lot of free traffic to your site.

If your website is not ranked in the first couple search result pages, chances are, you are missing out a great number of visitors that could potentially become your customers. This would also deem your website completely useless; after all, what is the use of a published web site that is not viewed by visitors and web surfers?

While SEO is an important technique that all webmasters need to employ in their sites, it is definitely not a simple task to do. Some big companies are even going to the extent of paying a big amount of money to hire SEO company to optimize their sites.

For individual who do not have the budget and would like to do-it-yourself (DIY) with search engine optimization, here are some simple techniques which are easy to learn:

Provide valuable and informative content on your website

For most websites, content is the key. When writing the content of your web pages, insert vital keywords which relate to the products and services that your company offers.

Make your content brief and concise, yet informative.

Keep your facts up-to-date so that users will visit your website more often. Do not forget to include a lot of helpful links, articles, and guides that users can forward to another user and add to your customer base.

Make the overall design user-friendly

The design of your website should be simple, nice and easy to navigate. Do not design your website in an overly-complicated way that users will find it too “frightening” to browse through.

Vary the keyword for each individual web page

Think of every possible keywords or phrase that will apply to your products and services.

Each user is different and may not necessarily use the keyword that you expect them to type in the search bar. Search engines offer tools which will guide you through finding the correct keywords for search engine optimization.

Include definitive and visible hyperlinks in your website

Providing users with hyperlinks which are useful and easy to find is yet another way to optimize your website.

Build incoming links to your site

Enroll in a link exchange program and start to exchange link with other sites that are related to your industry.

Write articles is also a good way to get free incoming links to your site. It can also help to build your reputation at the same time.

The above listed are only some of the few simple techniques used in Search engine optimization. The ‘One Page Search Engine Optimization Checklist’ offers more details and easy-to-read guide for serious webmasters who want to master the art of SEO.

Using the proper search engine optimization techniques listed in the checklist, you can definitely optimize your website and yield very promising results for your business.

Fake food: top 10 most deceptive foods that everyone...

2017-04-07T13:39:00.000-07:00

Fake food: top 10 most deceptive foods that everyone

thinks are healthy but are not!

1. Pasteurized Milk

Milk is touted as a healthy food, and most people assume that it does a body good. But pasteurization destroys active enzymes and denatures the fragile proteins in milk. It also kills beneficial bacteria and lowers the vitamin content of your milk.
A better alternative?
Raw milk is milk that hasn't been pasteurized. Why raw milk?
Supporters of raw milk say the pasteurization process kills most, if not all, micro milk organisms, including the beneficial ones that aid in digestion and metabolization. They also promote good health by crowding out bad bacteria and help prevent yeast overgrowth in the intestinal tract.

The Campaign for real milk says that raw milk comes from cows that are properly fed. Cows that eat green grass provide milk with nutrients like vitamins A and D. They argue that pasteurization enables the milk industry to raise cows in less-expensive, less-healthy conditions.

They also say that pasteurization destroys enzymes and diminishes vitamin content. Pasteurization, says the group, is associated with allergies, increased tooth decay, colic in infants, growth problems, osteoporosis, arthritis, heart disease and cancer. Many calves fed pasteurized milk die before maturity.

Raw milk will sour naturally due to the bacterial production of lactic acid and still be healthy, while pasteurized milk, which lacks the essential bacteria, will putrefy.

2. Fruit Juice and Sodas

Fruit juice may be delicious, but it often loaded with even more high-fructose corn syrup than actual juice! High fructose corn syrup has been linked to increased cholesterol levels, blood clots, and impaired immunity. Sodas are no better as we all are well aware.

Fructose reduces the affinity of insulin for its receptor, which is the hallmark of type-2 diabetes. This is the first step for glucose to enter a cell and be metabolized. As a result, the body needs to pump out more insulin to handle the same amount of glucose.

The annual Liver Meeting of the American Association for the Study of Liver Diseases which took place October in Boston reported results linking high intake of sugar (specifically fructose) to liver disease.

The research team concluded that consumption of high fructose can have negative effects on liver through overfeeding, as well as damage the liver by inducing increased oxidative stress.

A better alternative? Delicious, healthy and convenient Dong Quai and Coco-Biotic, both of which you are strongly urged to learn more about and try today!

3. Whole Grains

Many foods from bread to breakfast cereals advertise that they are now made with whole grains. Despite earlier reports discounting fibers role in colorectal cancer prevention, two recent studies say fiber from fruits, vegetables, and grains may indeed slice the odds of getting the disease. One study, surveying more than half a million people, found a 25 to 40 percent risk reduction from 30 grams of fiber daily (five to seven servings of fruits and vegetables). The fiber in food may be the key since those earlier studies focused on fiber supplements.

If you have digestive problems or suffer some of the classic autoimmune reactions (e.g. allergies) consider the possibilities that grains may be problematical. Look at your family members and your family history for clues about dietary problems. Adjust the ratio of cereal grains to meat, vegetables, and fruits and see if the adjustment has physiological and psychological effects. In my opinion, one should supplement with vitamins, minerals, protein, and free fatty acids. Above all, eat a varied diet and not too much of one thing.

Conventional whole grains lack vitamins and minerals, can be difficult to digest, and often cause allergenic responses, contributing to autoimmune disorders like Celiac disease.

A better alternative? Grain-like seeds millet, quinoa, buckwheat, and amaranth are gluten free, do not feed candida act as prebiotics, have a calming effect and are full of vitamins and minerals.

4. Cereal

Cold cereal seems like a convenient and healthy meal but combined with pasteurized milk, it can be a bowl full of nutritionally damaging food. The cereal itself undergoes a process called extrusion that denatures its proteins (making them toxic) and destroys the grains naturally occurring fatty acids. The result is a nutritionally void carrier for sugar and sodium.

For more on cereal and healthy alternatives, read: The Four Major Health Risks of Conventional Grains and the Healthy Weight-Optimizing Grains to Choose Instead.
A better alternative? Make your morning meal green! Try Vitality SuperGreen or a Good Morning Greens Smoothie to start your day off right.

5. Processed Cheese

Processed cheeses, especially individually wrapped slices, have little nutritional value. They are pasteurized and often have fillers and preservatives.
A better alternative? Make Young Coconut Kefir cheese or on stage two of the Body Ecology diet, once your gut is populated with dairy-loving microflora, try cheeses made from fermented raw milk to flavor your salads.

6. Protein Bars

Protein bars now compete with candy bars in convenience stores and grocery aisles, but protein these quick snacks are not necessarily healthy. Many protein bars use soy protein and count sugars in their top 3 ingredients! Instead of offering you a healthy option, they actually contribute to fungal infections.
A better alternative? Soaked almonds and other nuts are easy and delicious snacks for those on the go! Or try RenewPro for an energizing, gut-healing source of protein. You can mix it in water or even eat a scoop between meals. You'll love the delicious taste of this truly healthy source of protein.

7. Energy Drinks

Their labels say they contain various herbs, minerals, and the amino acid taurine, specially designed to boost your energy by the time you reach the bottom of the can. But if you look at the ingredients, you'll find that the main ingredients in most energy drinks are actually caffeine and sugar making them hardly more than high-priced soft drinks.

Yet their glitzy designs and claims to improve your performance, concentration and reaction speeds seem to be working. In 2004, energy drinks overtook bottled water as the fastest-growing category in the beverage business. Similar products have even been introduced to kids as young as 4 years old. A better alternative? Drink healthier fluids like water or tea, and if you must have a jolt of energy, a good old-fashioned cup of black coffee will at least spare you the sugar.

8. Fast-Food Salads

Yes, you went to that fast-food joint near your office for lunch, but all was not lost you ordered a salad! Most fast-food chains have jumped on the health bandwagon and are now salutes offering salads, wraps and other healthy menu choices for just such nutrition-minded customers.

And while some won't come right out and say they're healthy (McDonald's, for instance, no longer uses the word because our consumer research shows people don't understand it and it's actually a turn-off when it comes to food items.), it is certainly implied in their ads featuring fit, active people and catchy nutrition slogans.

But all salad is not inherently healthy.
In fact, most of the salad ingredients that most fast food chains use to make most of them no more healthful than a burger without the bun, dipped in salad dressing, said the Physicians Committee for Responsible Medicine (PCRM), which conducted a nutrition analysis of 34 fast food salads.

One of their more startling findings: McDonalds Crispy Bacon Ranch Salad has more fat and calories and just as much cholesterol as a Big Mac.
Culprits that make good salads go bad are fried meats, additions like croutons and crispy noodles, bacon, and high-fat salad dressings. Many even have added sugar.
A better alternative? Create your own fresh salad using lots of veggies, some lean protein (egg, chicken), a few nuts or seeds or a small amount of cheese, and a little olive oil and balsamic vinegar dressing.

9. Soy products

Soy products, including soy milk and soy protein, have been linked to digestive distress, immune system breakdown, PMS, endometriosis, reproductive problems for men and women, allergies, ADD, higher risk of heart disease and cancer, malnutrition and loss of libido.1
Soy milk has some negative aspects which are as follows:
-It contains a lot of phytic acids
-It contains hemagglutinin which causes the red blood cells to clump together. However, it is believed to be harmless unless soy milk is taken intravenously
-The genetic modification involved in the process of preparing soy milk may cause lysinoalanine or even nitrosamines
-It contains aluminum
-It contains trypsin inhibitors
A better alternative? Fermented soy products like miso soup, natto, and tempeh.

10. Oatmeal

For many people who suffer wheat and gluten allergy or intolerance, oatmeal also becomes and unsafe option. While oats themselves do not contain gluten, they do contain a protein which is relatively similar and current farming techniques create concerns as well. It is not uncommon for a farmer to rotate his oat crops with his wheat, rye or barley crops from year to year, and millers often encounter kernels from volunteer wheat when processing the oats.

Oatmeal seems harmless enough and doesn't actually contain gluten. But oatmeal can be unsafe if you have a wheat or gluten sensitivity2 because farmers often grow oats in fields that previously had grains like barley and wheat. The other grains can contaminate the oats and could be dangerous for anyone with gluten sensitivity.
A better alternative? For a warm, convenient morning meal, try Body Ecology's Hot Breakfast Porridge recipe.

BBQ Food is the Mental Cue that summer is Here!

2017-04-07T13:31:00.001-07:00

BBQ Food is the Mental Cue that summer is Here!

Winter is over, spring has sprung, and summer is on its way. It's the perfect time to take the cover off of the barbecue grill and get grilling. BBQ food is the perfect start to a great summer. As the smells of neighborhood grills begin wafting down the streets of towns all across America, there is a theme that permeates the breeze. Summer is here; its time for fun in the sun.

There is nothing that takes me back to my childhood quite like BBQ food. The smells, the flavors, and most importantly, the feeling of quality time spent with family and the knowledge that we are building memories for our children to someday share with their children. If you think about it, you can have BBQ food of some sort, almost any night of the week. As long as you are willing to use your grill, which has the benefit of keeping the heat of cooking on the outside of your home.

Here are some great grilling ideas that will enable you to have BBQ food almost anytime you want.

1) Veggies taste better when cooked on a grill. You can also have fun mixing flavors and seasonings. Kraft had a great idea of butter mix-ins for vegetables, I also like to marinate mine in Italian dressing and grill them in foil packets.
2) Almost any meat you can purchase will taste better cooked on a grill. I even enjoy smoked sausage cooked on a grill with BBQ sauce.
3) Make it a great night by allowing family members to make their own shish kabobs.
4) Have theme nights for your BBQ food, you can do Italian BBQ, Mexican BBQ, Caribbean, be creative and have fun.

The real beauty of BBQ food is that it is an excuse we use to build lasting memories of good times with family and friends. There is no reason we can't make meal times special each and every day, not just during the summer months.

3 Necessary Tools For High Rolling Affiliate Marketers.

2017-04-05T13:26:00.002-07:00

3 Necessary Tools for the High Rolling Affiliate Marketer

What does it take to become a successful Affiliate Marketer? What are the ingredients of an affiliate marketing success story? Is there a shortcut to Affiliate Marketing glory? All these questions play around in the minds of affiliate marketers who want to make it big in this business.

Although affiliate marketing is touted as one of the easiest and most effective ways to earn money online, it is not as easy as it sounds. The wise affiliate marketer plans every action and executes it the best way he can. He should also maximize the potential to earn by utilizing the right tools necessary for a successful Affiliate Marketing business. We have consulted some of the most successful affiliate marketers in the business and below are the top three necessary tools for a successful affiliate marketing business.

Important Tool #1: Your Own Website

The most important and indispensable tool in Affiliate Marketing is your own website. The first step in any successful affiliate marketing business is building a good, credible and professional looking website. Your website is the jump off point of all your marketing efforts. Thus, you must first build a user-friendly website, which will appeal to your prospects and encourage them to click on the links to the products and service you are promoting and make a purchase. Therefore, you must first concentrate your efforts in building a website that will cater to what your prospects need.

The most important thing you should consider is that almost all web users go online to look for information, not necessarily to go and buy something. Above all else, make your website full of original, relevant and useful content. People will love articles that are appealing and helpful. Keep in mind that, in the internet, content is still king and good quality content will not only build your credibility, it can also help you achieve a higher search engine ranking. By posting relevant and useful articles, you establish yourself as a credible expert in the field, making you a more trustworthy endorser of the product or service you promote. Establishing a good reputation is a good step in building up a loyal consumer base.

Important Tool #2: Incentives

Competition is extremely tight in the internet world. You must always be one-step ahead of your rivals to ensure that you capture a significant share of your target market. Therefore, you must use every possible means to encourage people not only to visit your site but also to click and proceed to the websites of the products and services you are promoting. Building an opt-in email list is one of the best ways to gather prospects. Offer a newsletter or an e-zine. Better yet, offer incentives to your prospects to encourage them to subscribe to your newsletters. You can present free software, access to exclusive services and other freebies that will be helpful to your prospects.

Important Tool #3: Link Popularity

The importance of driving highly targeted traffic to your website cannot be emphasized enough. The all-important web traffic is at the top of the list of the most important entities in the internet world. Attracting people to your site should be the first step you should carry out. Do everything to achieve a high search engine ranking. Link Popularity is one of the factors that search engines use to determine search engine rankings. Therefore, to enhance your link popularity, you must launch an aggressive reciprocal link campaign.

One of the best ways to do this at no cost at all is by submitting articles, with your website’s link at the resource box, to e-zines and free article sites. You will not only gain exposure, you will also have the opportunity to advertise for free, just include a link back to your site. The more sites you submit your articles to, the better your link popularity is. Make your articles original, relevant and useful so that more websites will pick it up and post it.

These are but three of the many tools that an affiliate marketer can use to maximize earning potential. The possibilities are endless and are limited only by your imagination, creativity, resourcefulness and determination. You can always explore other ideas and adapt other strategies, which you think might help you become a high rolling affiliate marketer.

7 Steps to World Class Gourmet Coffee, At Home!

2017-04-05T13:23:00.001-07:00

For a change, a good cup of coffee would be nice. It does take some time and some energy to find a great cup of gourmet coffee these days. If you do know of a perfect coffee shop, you are one of the lucky ones. But, did you know that you can basically make a nice cup of coffee on your own from home?

Here are 7 simple steps that you can take to produce the perfect cup of coffee every time.

Start with quality. One of the most critical aspects of coffee drinking is the grade of the coffee that you start off with. If you have a favorite flavor, then purchase whole beans in that flavor. If you can do this, it will allow you to get the freshest coffee accessible.

Grind away. Purchase a quality coffee grinder. Some of the best grinders available today are easy to use and easy to clean up. By grinding your own coffee beans, you'll be able to only grind what you need, meaning that you will have complete freshness in your coffee.

Store It Right And Tight. It is very fundamental to store your coffee tightly. Air oxidizes the coffee and can make it get bitter quickly. Metal canisters can also enable a metal taste to get into the coffee, making it taste bad.

The top solution is for a plastic or ceramic airtight container for your coffee and coffee beans. Also, store it at room temperature because the moisture in the fridge or freezer can make it go bad faster.

Getting To The Coffee

The Maker. The coffee maker that you use is also critical. No matter what style that you go with, you can get a good cup of coffee out of it if you take the essential steps to keeping it fresh.

For example, you should ensure that the coffee maker is kept clean after each use. In fact, you'll need to make sure that you detail clean it, with the assistance of vinegar, every so often as well. Your preferences will ultimately determine which style of coffee maker you will use. Make sure that it uses a permanent filter in it.

Even In The Water. Even the water that you use is central to the quality of the coffee you will get from it. It is essential that you use water that is free from chlorine and minerals.

Often, using bottled water rather than tap water will augment the quality of the coffee. Also, keep the water nice and hot. A good temperature for the water is about 200 degrees Fahrenheit.

Supply The Right Amount. It is also central for you to use the right quantity of coffee beans and coffee grounds in the maker. Too many and you will have a very strong cup of coffee and too few will make it be too weak. Follow the directions provided by the coffee producer for the best cup of coffee.

Lastly and probably the most vital aspect of getting a great cup of gourmet coffee is to make sure to enjoy your coffee when it is hot and fresh. Most restaurants are told to keep coffee for less than thirty minutes, but at home, the best coffee is the coffee that hasn't sat for more than twenty minutes.

Easter Meal Ideas, that taste yummy!

2017-04-05T13:18:00.005-07:00

Spring has sprung, Easter is just around the corner. One of the most celebrated holidays is Easter and part of the reason why this holiday is loved are the food associated with it. If you are hosting an Easter dinner with your friends or family this year, here are some good tips for some delicious Easter recipes.

Maple Syrup Ham and Sweet Potatoes with Marshmallows

One of the most requested types of food to eat at Easter is ham and you can sweeten up the taste of it by adding some tasty maple syrup. While your store bought maple syrup should work, try to purchase maple syrup that is 100% pure and not made from corn syrup. Adding pure maple syrup will add a sweet, delicious taste that your friends and family will love.

You can easily accompany your maple syrup ham with some tasty sweet potatoes smothered in miniature marshmallows. Sweet potatoes will be your maple syrup hams best friend. For an extra treat, add miniature marshmallows and you will definitely get some smiles from children and adults alike.

Easter Bunny Cookies

Even though chocolate bunnies are pivotal to Easter, cookies can also be an excellent treat. Just like Christmas cookies are fun to make and yummy to eat, so are Easter Bunny cookies. Most grocery stores, discount stores, and craft stores sell Easter Bunny cookie cutters to make your favorite chocolate chip or sugar cookie into some fantastic Easter Bunny shapes.

Easter Egg Cup Cakes

Easter Egg cupcakes are an awesome way to add enthusiasm to the holidays for your children. Easter Egg Cupcakes are an easy and fun way to bring color to any Easter dinner dessert. Instead of using cupcake holders, try to use small waffle cones to hold your cupcake mixture. Once baked, add coloring, sprinkles, candy, etc. to your creation.

Easter Bunny Carrot Cake

Easter Bunny carrot cake is an awesome way to add color and excitement for the whole family. What goes better with bunny rabbits than carrots and a yummy carrot cake goes with any Easter dinner. You can easily purchase a carrot cake and decorate the top by hand. Many people create their own frosting adding food coloring to color the carrot cake to look like an Easter egg.

Easter Cocktails

For those adults that like to top off their dinner with a delicious alcoholic beverage, there are many colorful cocktails that compliment the mood of any Easter dinner. For example, certain liquors come in various colors such as grenadine for rose, blue Curacao for cerulean and mixing clear liquor with assorted fruit juices for multicolored Easter drinks. For those that prefer a cocktail sans the alcohol, it's easy to add color to your event with a host of fresh fruit smoothies, just by adding fresh fruit with cream or milk. Some people even add some yogurt to the mix.

If you are looking for a great way to enjoy your Easter this year, follow the above Easter recipes. Then again, candy always works too. Especially chocolate!

3 Little Known Shopping Tips For Craft Supplies Online.

2017-04-05T13:14:00.000-07:00

Let me ask you a question. Did you ever think that the internet would become so powerful and pervasive, that even DIY Crafting Kits for Every Occasion">craft supplies would turn into big business online? Neither did I. But it’s true. You can actually find just about any type of craft supplies that you are looking for if you look hard enough through the different search engines (or your local retail store). However, there are a few big sites that you might want to peruse the next time you are considering buying craft supplies.

1) Amazon. Amazon has recently (during the last few years) expanded their reach into the far corners of the internet. By this, I, of course, am referring to the fact that a lot of online merchants sell through Amazon.com’s website. If you are searching for ‘leather craft supplies,’ Amazon might not have what you are looking for in stock. However, Amazon might have a partner retailer who sells their leather craft supplies and lists their goods on Amazon. Consider Amazon like a giant retail search engine that lists items from all sorts of different companies besides themselves.

2) Ebay. Ebay is a great place to find close-out merchandise. By this, I mean that companies go bankrupt and have fire sales. A lot of these sales have moved online and therefore you might be able to get a really good deal on some merchandise that is being auctioned off on the world’s biggest auction site.

3) Retailers’ own websites. Many of the well-known craft sites like Michael’s have their own websites. These sites often have great bargains on merchandise that’s also found in their retail stores. However, even these retailers need to occasionally close out some big lots of merchandise. The web is a perfect place to do exactly that. With no real overhead costs (besides the website’s operation), many of these big retailers will use the web to move a large amount of product really quick. Of course, the retailer needs a mail order, or store pickup, set up to do this, but most do. Check your local retailer’s website, you might be surprised.

How to make a twig cross, using things around the house and yard!

2017-03-20T21:07:00.002-07:00

Every now and then I come up with a cool project idea. Well, today was another one of those days!

I've been thinking of a neat way to represent the upcoming Easter holiday and in my house, we don't celebrate with eggs and little bunnies. Not that they aren't cute and sweet, it just doesn't convey the correct message. Easter bunnies, candy, and baskets do not represent Christ, His death on the cross, and His rising from the dead on the third day.

Recently doing some Pinterest searches for ideas I saw a lot of people using burlap and an empty wooden frame. They'd use the burlap to form a cross shape around the frame and secure it with a pretty ribbon or bow.

After looking for at a few pictures I got to searching around the house. We have a huge Jacaranda tree in the front yard that just recently dropped all of its leaves and branches. They are the perfect twigs for this project, as you'll soon see. I'm sure any small and medium size branches will work.

Let's get to crafting...

Here are the materials that I used to complete my twig cross:

Twigs small and medium sized in lengths from around the yard.

Old fabric, I used an old table cloth in a tan color.

That is all!!

I thought I'd need the glue sticks and was presently surprised that I did not need it. Winning!

Start by separating the twigs into two piles. Small and medium.

Lay the long ones with all the ends lining up as even as possible. For me, the twigs have a pointy end. So I pointed those ends towards the bottom.

For the smaller twigs, I made two even piles and then placed the two together, with the ends facing the opposite direction. So each side for me had pointy ends sticking out.

Depending on how thick your twig grouping is will determine how thick and long the fabric piece will need to be. You want it to be strong enough to hold all the twig cross pieces together.

I used about an 1" wide by 14" length fabric piece for tying them all together.

Place the fabric on the underneath side of the twig bundle. Place center twig piece in the middle, towards the top. Remember you want a cross shape, not a T.

Then with a crisscross pattern, fold over the ends of the fabric. Repeat the folding one more time around. Making sure the ends all meet in the back of the twig cross. Tie ends in two strong knots.

Wal-la! Now you can add any decorating that you'd like, I left mine just as it is.

I hung my new twig cross on the front door and I'm really happy with how it turned out. Especially, having never made one before. I hope you enjoy this easy to do Easter/Resurrection day diy craft.

Thanks for hanging and I'll talk to you soon!

If you found this fun and useful, please be sure to share the love!

My new obsession...Polymer Clay Charms! Plus, how to make your own!

2017-03-15T12:29:00.001-07:00

Working with clay has always been something I wanted to do. I remember all the cool crafts I'd make as a kid in school, which my awesome Mom still has by the way but with a busy life, it is almost impossible for me to get any free time to craft or create. I need that time, it helps me download and clear my head. Creating something from nothing is magic to me, nothing gets me more excited than to take something uncool and make it rock with radness!

I got blessed with having extremely crafty girls. They are always blowing my mind with their creations. The charms are no exception. Kaitlyn found them on Instagram and Pinterest. At first, I kept thinking oh how is that even possible to make something so small and cute. How do you make an eye that tiny? It's crazy!

Well after some research we hit the store. Sculpty Clay is what we use for all the charms we make and in less than a week, we've made quite a few already. The baking time is really quick in a low-temperature oven.

I like Sculpty Clay the best because it has a large variety of color to choose from and it is super easy to work with.

Today, I'll be quickly going through how I made a fox charm and the different items you'll need to make your own. Now, this does take a lot of patients but don't give up. It maybe won't work the first time, don't worry, just keep trying and you'll get it in the end.

Remember these charms don't have to be perfect. You'll notice on the smores I made that the eyes are a little whack. LOL! My daughter teases me constantly. So what, I haven't perfected my eyes yet. I will and it is so much fun making her laugh at my sad attempts now in the mean time.

To make this Fox Charm

Materials you'll need:

old eyeshadow palette (optional for shading and highlighting)

Orange, White, and Black Polymer Clay

Jump Rings

Lobster Clasps

Eye Pins

Tools you'll need:

Scissors

pliers

dry paint brush for shading

x-acto knife

a plastic plate or a clean working surface

To start I took a small amount of orange clay and working it with my hands. I rolled it into a ball using the palms of my hands in a circular motion.

Next, I grabbed more orange clay and started to form the body. I made the neck long tear drop shape.

Attach the head carefully by pressing down on the body. Turn over and smooth the seams together from head to body. Making it a flat even surface. I would suggest doing this all around the charms head and all seams. Just make sure you preserve the shape you want. Too much smoothing can ruin a design, trust me I know from experience.

Shape another small piece of orange clay for the ears and legs. The legs I made in a small tear drop shape as well. Place them on with the pointy end pointing down.

Now you should have something like what is pictured below.

Last, I made the eyes. Which are hard for me, I never know if I should paint them or make them with clay.

I used clay for the eyes in tear drop shapes as well. Small sides pointing together. Adding little slits of black with clay was so hard, I would maybe paint those on next time. Add little dots on the cheeks and done.

For the tail, I used small amounts of orange and white. I formed somewhat of a tail shape and left that separate.

Add the eye pins. One for the top of the foxes head. One below his bottom, and One more for the tail.

This is where you can add any shading or extra color with the eyeshadows. I used a little bit of orange and glitter.

Using the clay tools make small lines, not too deep along the body, head, and tail for fur marks. Add three little slits on the top of each foot.

Bake in the oven according to your clay's directions. For me, I bake at 220 degrees for 20 minutes. When they are done. I turn the oven off and let them cool in the oven.

BE SURE** to air out the oven before baking any food. Clay fumes can be toxic for your food. Always make sure you have properly aired out the oven before making any meals in there.

Once cooled. Remove from oven. Using pliers I added the jump rings and lobster clasps. Connect to a short chain and you have a cute little charm!

Gloss with a Modge Podge that dries clear for a nice shiny look!

Below is the finished product!

We have been very busy...

making charms...

as you can see!

LOL! These are the s'mores I was telling you about! Those eyes, though!!

A water wheel and yes the wheel moves!

Cookie, coffee mug, coffee bean, and cookie monster charms!

Avocados, cactus, pigs, and pearls!

Cactus charms

I also got creative and made a spoon rest with a cactus design. I am in love with this clay, so much fun to play with!

So, now you can see that I really have been obsessed with this sculptey clay and making charms. I wasn't lying! LOL!

I hope you can have as much fun as I have. I really just enjoy the time with my daughter and making her laugh. She is so precious and the time is worth every second.

**Updated 3/16/2017

I've made more!

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Vintage, Country, Farmhouse..What's trending in Home Decor?

Loaded Country Frittatas

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Two Coffee Recipes Plus Three Goodies To Try With Coffee!

The Best Three-Cheese Lasagna Soup

Pool Safety and Pool Alarms.

Mexican Bean Salad

Homemade Garlic Butter. Two ways!!

The Truth About Hell.

The Truth About Hell

Truth #1

Truth #2

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Truth #5

Do I need a swimming pool cleaner?

Homemade Rose Water Toner

Young Hollywood Conservatives Hats **Product Review!**

Young Hollywood Conservatives Hats45th https://www.45yhc.com/

If you are a supporter of our current President? Then, I strongly suggest looking into supporting Young Hollywood Conservatives!

Their hats are really high quality, and come in a variety of great colors.

I got mine within days of ordering and they have super fast shipping.

Follow them on Instagram @younghollywoodconservatives to see all their hat choices and all their supporters! You can even DM them your own photo and see if you can get featured on their page!

If you are the silent majority? Take a stand and show your support! We need to stay committed to backing our President!

Love my new sponsors! Round Towel and Diva Mode Fitness!

Diva Mode Fitness and Round Towel Co.

Be advised, clicking on these links may result in a commission made to me or points earned through the referral.

Sorry, I haven't wrote in awhile life has been absolutely crazy. Schools is right around the corner (can't believe it already??) and I had a sudden move. However, I'm back and excited about our new sponsors Diva Mode Fitness and Round Towel Co.

The animal print towels are 150 cm or 59.05 inches long. The Round Towels are 53"x 70"100% cottonSave 10% off with coupon code JENNY10Visit the link below to browse all their cute designs, I posted some above. As you can see, the food ones are my ultimate favorites!!

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Wild Blueberry Muffins, Plus a Product Review!

Wild Blueberry Muffins

Ingredients:

Container: Muffin tin with

Product Review:

Overall, I'm very happy with the Gifbera Baking Cups. Unlike most baking cups these pulled away really nice and didn't take half the muffin with it.

The pretty colors add some fun to baking and I'd definitely use them again. As well as, recommend them to my friends and family. The price was very affordable and I'll have plenty to use in the future for upcoming baking projects. I'm very happy with my new Gifbera baking cups.

50% OFF Makeup Palettes, Ends This Friday!

50% OFF Makeup Palettes, Ends This Friday!

Do It Yourself Search Engine Optimization (SEO)

Fake food: top 10 most deceptive foods that everyone...

Fake food: top 10 most deceptive foods that everyone thinks are healthy but are not! 1. Pasteurized Milk

2. Fruit Juice and Sodas

3. Whole Grains

4. Cereal

5. Processed Cheese

6. Protein Bars

7. Energy Drinks

8. Fast-Food Salads

9. Soy products

10. Oatmeal

BBQ Food is the Mental Cue that summer is Here!

BBQ Food is the Mental Cue that summer is Here!

3 Necessary Tools For High Rolling Affiliate Marketers.

7 Steps to World Class Gourmet Coffee, At Home!

Easter Meal Ideas, that taste yummy!

3 Little Known Shopping Tips For Craft Supplies Online.

How to make a twig cross, using things around the house and yard!

My new obsession...Polymer Clay Charms! Plus, how to make your own!

Product Review Vivo Per Lei Vitamin C Facial Serum

Young Hollywood Conservatives Hats Product Review!

The animal print towels are 150 cm or 59.05 inches long. The Round Towels are 53"x 70"
100% cotton
Save 10% off with coupon code JENNY10
Visit the link below to browse all their cute designs, I posted some above. As you can see, the food ones are my ultimate favorites!!

Fake food: top 10 most deceptive foods that everyone

thinks are healthy but are not!

1. Pasteurized Milk