Just before the holidays my friend Christine started mentioning Skinny Wraps on Facebook. She was researching them and wanted to try them. She found out that there wasn’t a local rep for her to buy from so she decided after a LOT of research to become a rep for It Works! Global the good folks who distribute these wraps.

The most common side effect is measurable results with use of the naturally based body wraps that detoxify, hydrate, tighten, tone and firm where applied to the skin. It reduces the appearance of cellulite and loose skin and the results are immediate and long-lasting. The before and after photos on her Facebook page are quite dramatic and I will admit after reading the details and looking at the before and after photos, I was interested.

I’ve had two kids, my middle is a wreck from that and yes we all should be proud of our parenting scars or battle wounds but when it comes down to it, my mid-section is something that really bothers me. Note: it bothers ME not anyone else but ME. So I felt like if this treatment works the results would be for me and me only! I don’t care what others think about it I just really wanted to see results for myself because it would make ME feel good about my middle and we all know how good it feels when you feel confident and comfortable in your own skin right? So, I did a wrap!

Christine suggested I take a hot shower just before to open up my pores so that the wrap could absorb. She then came over, took before measurements and applied the wrap. We then sat and gabbed for about an hour then we removed the wrap I rubbed the rest of the lotion into my skin and we measured again. After a 45 minute application, I had lost 3 1/2 inches between my belly, waist and hips. I continued to lose 4 more for a total of 7 1/2 inches across the entire area. I was hooked so I purchased more.

I had plans to wrap myself again sooner than I did, but I was sick and on medication that made me very thirsty and part of the process with the wraps is that you need to stay hydrated during the process. So I didn’t want to compound the problem… I finally did my 2nd wrap last night and have since lost 2 more inches. The entire loss window can last up to 72 hours and I will wait until then to measure again. However, I do want to add for me it’s not about the inches, it’s about the look. My skin looks and feels more taught. It’s no longer papery and is looking more and more healthy with each application. It has felt this way since my 1st application and by doing more applications I hope to improve the look and feel.

I am 100% sold on this product and I will admit if I had a normal m-f 9-5 job I would consider becoming a distributor for It Works! Christine is seeing major results and a decent income from her wrap parties and is looking to grow her team. So if you are interested in getting wrapped or if you are interested in becoming a distributor, please visit Christine’s Facebook page and her online distributor site for more information. She is always willing to answer any questions you might have (I know I had a TON!). Again, I suggest you take a few minutes to look through the before and after galleries on her Facebook page. I hope to have my own before and after photos to share with you if I work up the nerve to do it.

Christine has also offered this to my readers if you book a party, you’ll get a free wrap if you have at least 6 guests. AND she will sell wraps for $25 instead of $30 for anyone who mentions they heard of her and Pittsburgh Skinny Wraps from my post!

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I was not compensated for this post monetarily, I did receive my first wrap free of charge in trade for a product review. I will admit I really wanted to give this product a try so I’m glad Christine offered! All opinion on the product is my own and are my own words and thoughts. 

Regardless, every night he moves to a new tricky spot in the house to keep an eye on the kids for the day. And the kids think he’s grand and it’s a fun little game we play each morning. I do have to say, we are NOT creative with our Christopher placement like some of the other parents out there… Only twice has he been caught doing anything acrobatic. Once in the photo featured here, and another when he was climbing up the books on the shelves. He’s a tricky elf!

Now, if you’re a friend, you probably recognize that our elf Christopher got a new look this year… He used to be a little tiny thing that limited him to where he could hide. He always had to be in front of ledges and couldn’t ever hide IN things because he was too short… So the weekend after Thanksgiving, Santa left a book and a new elf on the front porch for the kids while we were out. There was also a letter penned directly onto Santas Letterhead! “from the desk of Santa”. The letter introduced Christopher, and mentioned our old elf, Steve, retired this year. LOL I love a good story. The kids were quite excited too!

So when I saw a few pine cone crafts pass through my Pinterest stream I got a little excited. See, I have a neighbor with a pine tree on the edge of his property and every fall he collects them and tosses them out. So I mentioned to Chris that a good task for him with the kids to do one afternoon while I was out would be to gather a few pine cones from our yard. ONE FULL (REALLY FULL) grocery bag later, I found myself seriously perusing Pinterest for some crafty mojo. And that’s when I saw it, a GLITTER encrusted pine cone! {angels singing}

I needed a fix. I remembered seeing a friend earlier in the week post something like a 12 oz container of fine glitter. To which I thought to myself, wow, ‘fine young mommy friend’ really must like to get her glitter on, ’cause wow, that’s a heck of a lot of glitter. So I text ‘fine young mommy friend’ who is also ‘fine young mommy friend who LIVES AROUND THE CORNER’ (perfect for when you need that late night glitter fix). She said, “I have the goods my ‘must get crafty on a Monday night neighbor mommy of two boys friend’, we’re here if you want to stop by.” Five minutes later, or maybe twenty after I had tucked the boys into their snug beds, I left them with their Daddy and went into the dark damp night so I could get my glitter on. 

Now some of you might have been thinking, Oh what an awesome mommy, she’s going to introduce her fine little boys to glitter and such and that is right where you are WRONG! Because while I might like my own glittery goodness, I do NOT want to see what it might look like if I allowed my cute as can be little mess mongers boys.  So as SOON as  I got home , I glittered up some pine cones. All alone! Oh it was divine!

Regardless of all that, I was so excited to have found a fun craft that involves such pretty clear glitter, Mod Podge and free as can be pine cones from my back yard. Ooh and a little ribbon too! I also chose to personalize mine with little tags as well (totally optional).

What you’ll need to make Glittered Pine Cone Ornaments:

Pine cones, preferably some that have open seed pods. If the seeds are kind of tight and close together, it still looks pretty (I did one like this that the kids picked up on the way home) but it was also kind of hard to get a ribbon into it without breaking the seed pods up… so, open pine cones with a stem works best. 

Small paint brush, you’ll use this to paint on the Mod Podge.

GLITTER! Not 12 ounzes but maybe 4 oz.

You’ll want to find a large mixing bowl that can be out of commission for a few days if you plan on making more than 5 of these. You’ll just want something to contain your project while the glue and glitter dries. You’ll need to wait on that before tieing on your ribbon hangers. 

Each one takes about 3 minutes to paint the glue on and glitter. I use a little cup to sprinkle the glitter on the glued pin cone, I do this over the large mixing bowl. I then shake the excess glitter off into the same old mixing bowl and I reuse the glitter scooping it up with the little cup I use to sprinkle it on with. A little goes a long way here. 

Other options:

You could totally use colored glitter. Traditional Christmas colors might be fun or go crazy and do some PINK and TEAL. You could add ANY other decorations to your pine cones too, like buttons or feathers! You can really go nuts! 

I had a funny experience a few years ago, when visiting good friends who are teachers over the holidays she showed me be PILES of gifts her students had given to her. There were TONS of candles, LOTS of soap in scents she MAYBE liked, shower caddies, personalized ornaments, cook books, holiday decorations, a few things she could use in the classroom… but MOST were personal items and so much of them that it seemed like the parents involved had a gift to buy so they just mindlessly went to bed bath and bozos and made a bee line to the nearest gift set for that “special” teacher in their child’s life. It seemed very impersonal and quite forced at the time and to this day, I have vowed to NEVER buy a teacher such an impersonal gift.

For the past few years, I’ve decided to bake for my son’s teachers and EVERY year, it’s a HUGE hit! Upon returning back to school after the holiday each teacher has mentioned their appreciation for the home baked goodness and then shared how they enjoyed it. Which usually was with their family during the holiday and well isn’t that the point of the holiday anyways? Spending time with and enjoying your family.

Here’s the quick loaf I usually make courtesy of the Baking Bites blog. I have been told this particular loaf makes a FANTASTIC french toast too!

Orange Cranberry Bread

2 cups all purpose flour
1 cup sugar
3/4 tsp baking soda
3/4 tsp baking powder
1/2 tsp salt
3/4 cup fresh squeezed orange juice
1 tbsp orange zest
2 tbsp canola oil
1 large egg
1 1/4 cups fresh or frozen (unthawed) cranberries
1/4 cup dried cranberries

Preheat oven to 375F and lightly grease a 9 x 5-inch loaf pan.

Whisk together flour, sugar, baking powder, baking soda and salt in a large mixing bowl. Add in in orange juice, orange zest, oil and egg and mix until just combined. Stir in whole and dried cranberries. Spread evenly in loaf pan.

Bake for 45-55 minutes or until a toothpick inserted in the center comes out clean. Cool on a rack for 15 minutes.

Remove from pan and cool completely before slicing.

Makes 1 loaf.

With the holidays upon us and the influx of new toys about to rain down on our children we make it a annual ritual around Thanksgiving to gather toys that are unused and not being enjoyed in our home in order to donate them to Goodwill or Saint Vincent DePaul. We always involve our boys by encouraging them to donate their unused toys so that children without will be able to have some too. They love it! There is usually a little hesitation but I feel a little pushing is good for them. I would never suggest they donate something like Froggy (my 3 year old’s favorite stuffed animal) but instead it’s something they maybe have only played with once in the past few months. We then pack it up and out the door it goes and I rarely hear about it again.

Play It Forward Pittsburgh is a grassroots effort created by two local Moms Heather Starr Fiedler and Amy Kier Reinhart in an effort to provide gently used toys, books, and stuffed animals to children and families who are in need in the Pittsburgh area. Families who need a little help this holiday season are invited to “shop” for five free toys for each child.

Details:
Saturday, December 17th
9am – 3pm

Two Locations:
Propel Braddock Hills High School
1500 Yost Blvd.
Braddock Hills PA 15221

Freedom Fellowship Church
140 East Main Street
Carnegie PA 15106

If you are looking to donate toys, books, stuffed animals, batteries and gift wrap/bags please reference the Play It Forward Pittsburgh Facebook Page and connect with a donation collecting mom (like myself).

If you are west of the city near Moon Township/Robinson/Coraopolis, I will be at the Hobby Lobby parking lot in Robinson Wednesday Dec 7th from 7-8pm collecting donations. Look for a white Mazda van and I will be sure to have the lights on and will be parked away from the rest of the cars. I will also be at the Port Authority Park & Ride on Neville Island Sunday Dec 13th from 2-3pm. If you would like to meet me at either of these two times please send me a quick note via Facebook or cararolinson at gmail dot com. If you would like to donate and these two times and dates do not work, please reach out to me and we can arrange something.