Thank Goodness It Ain't Maybelline Homemade Mascara

Seriously.  There's some scary stuff in regular mascara, and if you don't believe me just read what The Naked Label has to say about it!  Even some organic mascaras sneak in harmful preservatives.

So what's a mascara lovin' lady (or guy) to do?  Simple: make your own.  I know it sounds like one of those crazy hippy projects--and it is--but not only do you end up with a product as good as any store bought makeup (and safer to boot), but it also costs you a fraction of what quality organic mascara does.  I would typically spend $15-$20 for a good mascara.  The cost of making one tube of your own is about $1-$2, maybe $4 tops if you splurge and buy your own $2 mascara tube online instead of recycling your old ones. 

The only potential downside to DIY mascara is that it's not out and out waterproof--you need synthetic stuff for that.  However, I find that if you add more beeswax, you get a product that is less likely to smudge under duress (rain, Lifetime Original movies, cute puppies--anything that brings on the waterworks).

So here is my recipe for homemade mascara, which I adapted from Thank Your Body, Ditch the Wheat, and Wellness Mama.  Ingredients can be found at your local health food store or herb store.

Ingredients: 

2 tsp coconut oil

1/2-1/3 tsp grated beeswax

1 tsp activated charcoal (or 2-3 capsules)

Melt beeswax on low heat.  I do this by placing the wax in a clean tin can.  This tin can then goes in a saucepan with about one inch of water in it (see photo).  Once the beeswax is melted, mix the coconut oil into the tin can and let it melt and combine with the beeswax.  Once the ingredients are in liquid form, gently stir in the activated charcoal.  Remove from heat and carefully pour liquid into your clean mascara tube.  I do this by pouring the cooling mixture into a plastic bag that has a corner cut out of it.  Place the open corner of the bag inside the mascara tube and slowly push the liquid into the tube (see Thank Your Body above for pictures of this).  Allow to cool before using.

Enchantment Learning & Living is an inspirational blog celebrating life’s simple pleasures, everyday mysticism, and delectable recipes that are guaranteed to stir the kitchen witch in you. If you enjoyed what you just read and believe that true magic is in the everyday, subscribe to my newsletter below for regular doses of enchantment. Want even more inspiration? Follow me on Instagram, Facebook, Pinterest, and Twitter. Here’s to a magical life!

On Rejuvenation

This time of year it is not uncommon to feel, as Bilbo Baggins once put it, "like butter scraped over too much bread.”

We can get lost in the flurry of the season, one that is equally fraught with frantic energy (buy! buy! buy! do! do! do!) as it is the celebratory warmth of the year's end.  Our nights can become quickly filled with one holiday party after another and our days with a string of errands and tasks that prepare us for the big festivities.  While some holiday rituals are fun--like making tamales or scouting out that perfect gift for someone you love--they can also make us feel spread thin with little time for self-care. In other words, we have altogether too much noise and not enough quiet in our minds and in our lives. 

I've been mulling this concept over as I unwind from a hectic semester, stopping to enjoy an afternoon cup of my Winter Solstice Tea after a day of tea blending and present wrapping.  The semester had been a difficult one, and I often felt "like butter scraped over too much bread."  I had overworked, given out too much, and felt as if I had nothing left for myself.  I didn't feel the light, joyful energy of the season, but a profound need to turn inward into my books and crafts, to tend my plants and develop new recipes. 

The week after the semester ended was filled with long days tinkering in the kitchen--whipping up body butter and homemade mascara one day, making tamales with family another.  There have been the holiday scones and bizcochitos scenting the kitchen with ginger and anise seeds; there have also been the lazy not-sure-what-to-cook-for-dinner meanderings and the welcome evening melody of a well-shaken martini being poured into its glass. 

My afternoons were filled with yoga and naps, my evenings with bubble baths and novel reading.  The week was spent doing what I absolutely love--tinkering in the kitchen and drinking tea with old movies playing in the background.  I didn't think of grading papers or other work demands.  I didn't think of rushing out to run this or that errand.  I simply played in my kitchen and got lost in novels.  And today, in the quiet of my home, the air smelling of warm beeswax from my body butter and pine from the holiday tree, I find that I no longer feel "like butter scraped over too much bread.”  I feel light.  I feel full.  I feel me again. 

This experience has taught me that there is no replacing the magic of self-care, the quiet time we take for rejuvenation and reflection, or the time spent dallying with family in the kitchen.  These things are the real meaning of the winter holidays. 

As I linger over my morning coffee and get ready to meet my mom for an afternoon of cooking our traditional posole feast for Christmas Eve dinner, I wish you and yours a mellow, rejuvenating holiday, full of the simple pleasures of the season. 

Enchantment Learning & Living is an inspirational blog celebrating life’s simple pleasures, everyday mysticism, and delectable recipes that are guaranteed to stir the kitchen witch in you. If you enjoyed what you just read and believe that true magic is in the everyday, subscribe to my newsletter below for regular doses of enchantment. Want even more inspiration? Follow me on Instagram, Facebook, Pinterest, and Twitter. Here’s to a magical life!

Warrior Tea Blend

This is a great tea for the warriors in your life.  It is made up of a variety of herbs and grains that restore vital nutrients to your body and at the same time help it get rid of toxins. 

I developed this blend for my brother-in-law, a personal trainer, who constantly needs to replenish and heal his body because of his constant activity.   He is on his feet all day helping clients get fit, so he needed something that would give him an energy boost--here in the form of vitamins and minerals naturally found in herbs--and something that would ease inflammation and sore muscles after a day of working out.  This blend is good for anyone who works long hours or needs an extra boost during the day; it provides energy without unhealthy snacking or caffeine consumption and soothes the nervous system. 

I've included the recipe for this blend below, along with the health properties of each ingredient.

Warrior Tea Blend (makes about 6 cups)

2 cups roasted barley

1 cup alfalfa leaves

1/2 cup dandelion leaves

1/2 cup cinnamon bark chips

1/2 cup calendula (marigold flowers)

1/2 cup tulsi (holy basil)

1/2 cup fennel seeds

Blend all ingredients in a bowl and transfer to an airtight container.    Keep away from direct sunlight and heat.  To brew, use a heaping tablespoon per cup of hot water.  Enjoy!

Health benefits of ingredients:

Roasted barley: antibacterial, aids in digestion, improves blood circulation, lowers cholesterol, cleanses body of toxins, balances blood sugar levels, rich in vitamins B1, B2, iron, and fibers.

Alfalfa leaves: natural diuretic, improves digestion, rich in vitamins A, E, K, B, D, iron, magnesium, potassium, and sodium.

Dandelion leaves: natural diuretic, aids with anemia, rich in iron and vitamin C.

Cinnamon: antiseptic, aids digestion, calms nervous system, anti-inflammatory. 

Calendula: anti-inflammatory, aids digestion, reduces swollen lymph glands, soothes irritated skin.

Tulsi: helps body adapt to stress by balancing out cortisol levels, antibacterial, and anti-fungal. 

Fennel: aids digestion, relieves bloating.

Enchantment Learning & Living is an inspirational blog celebrating life’s simple pleasures, everyday mysticism, and delectable recipes that are guaranteed to stir the kitchen witch in you. If you enjoyed what you just read and believe that true magic is in the everyday, subscribe to my newsletter below for regular doses of enchantment. Want even more inspiration? Follow me on Instagram, Facebook, Pinterest, and Twitter. Here’s to a magical life!

(Haunted) House Hunting!

Houses retain the energies of those who have passed through them.  The longer a person is in a home, the more the house absorbs the energy of that person--for better or worse.   Over the years, those energies settle into the house, becoming part of its foundation. 

I've been thinking about this lately as I've finished my own search for a new home.  Just as important as the big kitchen or the walk-in closet is the vibe of the home.  How do I feel when I enter it?  Does it invite lightness and good energy?  Or am I feeling anxious and heavy as I walk from room to room?  These sensations matter.  They tell us a lot about the residual energy of past residents--energetic hauntings if you will.

My sister, who is also house hunting with her husband right now, always asks the same question when talking to real estate agents: why are the owners selling this home?  What made the previous tenant decide to move?  Her reasoning is simple: she doesn't want a house that has absorbed negative energy from previous owners.  That energy remains and will then affect the quality of her household.  She listens to the answers, both implicit and explicit: the family needed a bigger house after having their second child, the woman is moving in with her boyfriend--both reasons showing a home of growth and abundance. 

She also listens to the half-truths the agents relate:  the house was too much work, the owners wanted a change.  These empty answers can sometimes inadvertently reveal the unsettled energies of the house--especially when paired with that creepy unfinished basement or the random cubbyhole built into the floor of the closet.  

Recognizing a haunted house is in more than just hearing strange whispers and seeing things out of the corner of your eye.  It is more than the cemetery in the back of the house, or the weird illustrations coating the walls in the attic.  It's about the feel of the house.  More than one friend has told me about an outwardly fine home they didn't like for no other reason than the fact that they felt uneasy in that space.  These impressions tell us that it isn't the right home for us--its energies are not our energies.  Or worse, there is seriously bad juju that saturates the walls, left there by former tenants.

Or course, not all hauntings are bad.  My apartment in Seattle was totally haunted--it was once an old mansion that was converted into an apartment building many years ago, so naturally, it had seen a lot of things and absorbed a lot of different vibes.  And not all the energy was the same from room to room in that building.  The laundry room in the basement, for example, was dark and heavy, as was the greenish corridor with the yellowed sunken-in flooring you had to walk down to get to it--certainly no place I would want to find myself alone at night, even though it was tucked inside a safe apartment complex.  On the flip side, my apartment itself was characterized by lots of friendly light that poured in through giant windows.  It was a happy space, a sanctuary from the heaviness of school.  I'd come to see my one-bedroom apartment as having its own spirit--a light, bright, playful spirit that had no room for droll professors or even more boorish theory books.  I was more than happy with this haunting, as we were in perfect agreement.

I felt the same zing in that apartment as I did in finding my new place here in Albuquerque.  That's how I knew this new home was right.  After months of searching for the right new home, I finally found the one that spoke to me (okay, an apartment!).  It didn't have creepy dark alleyways right behind it, or fake faded flowers outside its door; it didn't have dirty corners and thin walls; it didn't have sterile rooms or cold kitchens.  It was simply bright light and warmth, homey and clean, at once cozy yet spacious.  Our energies were simpatico.

So, is this new place haunted?  Probably, but from where I'm standing, it's absorbed nothing but good energy, so I'm happy with the kind of haunted it is.  I just hope it likes green chile stew and old movies as much as I do.

Enchantment Learning & Living is an inspirational blog celebrating life’s simple pleasures, everyday mysticism, and delectable recipes that are guaranteed to stir the kitchen witch in you. If you enjoyed what you just read and believe that true magic is in the everyday, subscribe to my newsletter below for regular doses of enchantment. Want even more inspiration? Follow me on Instagram, Facebook, Pinterest, and Twitter. Here’s to a magical life!

Nourishing Tea

Tea blending is daily magic in its most basic form: creating a healing concoction of herbs to create well-being. 

The curanderas, or medicine women of New Mexico, have been doing it for years to promote health and prevent, or in some cases cure, illness.  Tea blending draws from the power of the earth to nourish ourselves with the gifts of nature.  I'm not saying that I'm above using Tylenol for headaches or a good antibiotic when I get sick,  but a strong ginger and echinacea tea does wonders to prevent a cold, and Valerian and hops chill me out better than any shot of whiskey.  Plus, taking the time to blend my own teas allows me to consciously imbue my tea drinking habit with self-care.  

I feel like an alchemist when I'm in my kitchen adding a pinch of this herb and a handful of those flowers, thinking about what tastes, colors, and healing properties best work together to create a nourishing brew.

All if which is my way of saying that I've been tinkering with a new tea recipe.  I've been marinating on this idea of nourishment--how do we feed ourselves, our souls, or minds, our bodies?  What we ingest both physically and psychically determines our sense of personal well-being.  So with this in mind, I went to work in my kitchen, playing with herbs that would both soothe and nourish for my latest blend.

This new tea has got chamomile in it, the ultimate all around comforting flower.  It is known for soothing restless minds and minor aches and pains in the body.  To boost the soothing properties of my tea, I also added the happy flower calendula aka marigold.  This flower brings a burst of golden color to my blend, along with skin soothing and heart healing properties. The key nourishing ingredient in my blend is alfalfa, which is chock-full of vitamins A, E, K, B, and D, and minerals like iron, magnesium, and potassium to name a few.  The final touch to this blend is fennel seed.  It helps balance the grassiness of the alfalfa with its subtle sweetness--and let's not forget that these little seeds aid digestion.

I made a cup of this tea for my mom when she was frazzled after a sleepless night.  What a change it caused! Twenty minutes after a cup of this nourishing blend, she was back to her tranquil self, restored and ready to tackle the day's adventures. 

I'm including the recipe here and hope that you will try it.  You can find these herbs at your local herb store (mine is actually called "The Herb Store") or online at Rose Mountain Herbs. I look forward to hearing about the results! 

Ingredients:

1 cup chamomile flowers

1/2 cup alfalfa leaves

1/2 cup calendula (marigold flowers)

1/4 cup fennel seeds

Blend all ingredients in a bowl and transfer to an airtight container.    Keep away from direct sunlight and heat.  To brew, use a heaping tablespoon per cup of hot water.  Makes 2 1/4 cups. Enjoy!

Enchantment Learning & Living is an inspirational blog celebrating life’s simple pleasures, everyday mysticism, and delectable recipes that are guaranteed to stir the kitchen witch in you. If you enjoyed what you just read and believe that true magic is in the everyday, subscribe to my newsletter below for regular doses of enchantment. Want even more inspiration? Follow me on Instagram, Facebook, Pinterest, and Twitter. Here’s to a magical life!

Lingering Effects of the Harvest Moon!

I'm sitting at my vintage secretary style desk from the late 1800s, sipping from a fall themed mug and writing. 

I was able to get off work a little early to enjoy the crisp air and the golden late-afternoon sunlight.  It is a sweet gift.  Earlier in the kitchen, I played with my herbs.  I think I'm on the brink of a new tea blend--a pinch of alfalfa, an even bigger pinch of chamomile, a smidge of fennel seeds, and two or three calendula buds.  I let these healing herbs mingle in hot water and savor the earthy sweetness of the blend. 

That's me. 

I love quiet moments in the kitchen, tinkering with a new soup recipe or tea blend or body butter.  I love snuggling in my jammies and reading a good fantasy novel at night (yes, with a cup of tea).  I love crafting and will literally coat just about anything in glitter if left unsupervised.  I love carving out time in my day to relish these simple pleasures of self-care and domestic bliss--not an easy feat considering that a teacher's job can easily go on and on and on....if I let it.

But I don't.  Why?  Because I believe in the power of self-care and enjoyment to make the workday smoother, the weeks bursting with the fullness of living a balanced life.  Yeah, it can be hard sometimes to carve out that time, but it's worth the effort.  

I'm turning these thoughts over in my head as I reflect on the bounty of this year's harvest moon or the full, golden moon that hovers in this sky every autumn equinox.  Legend has it that the harvest moon is a beacon of abundance for the coming year, symbolizing the plenty of both the literal farmer's harvest and the ephemeral harvest of spiritual well-being that comes from living a balanced life.  It is the moon of transitional energy, shifting away from the outward moving cycles of summer towards the inward, more contemplative activities of fall and the coming winter.

This year's harvest moon is especially important to me, as it was under this prophetic moon that I made an important transition myself.  Overworked, sick (first a cold, then allergies), I found myself completely spread thin between adjusting to my first full-time teaching job and attempting to keep my tutoring business afloat.  I loved both jobs dearly, but somewhere between a bowl of chicken noodle soup and struggling to grade my first round of student essays, I realized something: these wonderful opportunities were beginning to feel like horrible burdens as I attempted to give 110% to both things, which is saying nothing of my desire to have an actual personal life.  

It was clear something had to change.  When I first moved back to New Mexico, it was so I could teach and live a full life in the Land of Enchantment.  Yet here I was, living the frantic life of my graduate school years: too much work, too little self-care.  When I was in school, I didn't always have a choice about my workload, but now, I realized, I did.  So I made a change--I let my tutoring go.  It was hard at first to give up something I had spent so much time and energy bringing into the world, but as the weeks went by, I felt better, was happier teaching, and found myself with more delicious moments when I could stare out at the Sandia Mountains and just breath.  After all, so much of my philosophy as an educator is centered on helping students find that proper balance between school, life, and work...so I have to practice my creed if I want to continue being a nourishing educator and happy person. 

I am grateful for this harvest moon and the wisdom it offered me as I made my transition: it taught me that to find that joyful abundance of our lives, we have to let go of things that no longer serve our sense of personal well-being.  In doing so, we create space for healthier, more productive ways of going about our lives.

It isn't always easy to find balance in your life, but if you take the time to pause, even just to linger over the golden sunlight filtering through the slowly turning leaves, there is everyday wisdom and enjoyment to be found.

Enchantment Learning & Living is an inspirational blog celebrating life’s simple pleasures, everyday mysticism, and delectable recipes that are guaranteed to stir the kitchen witch in you. If you enjoyed what you just read and believe that true magic is in the everyday, subscribe to my newsletter below for regular doses of enchantment. Want even more inspiration? Follow me on Instagram, Facebook, Pinterest, and Twitter. Here’s to a magical life!