The Summer of Coconuts is upon us!

Hi guys!

I have been so busy getting ready for our move, that I totally missed Fanciful Flamingo’s one year anniversary! The Flamingo turned 1 on June 12^th, can you believe it?!

I wish I could go back in time a few months and find Past Jen, who thought that moving wouldn’t be all that hard, and give her a good solid punch in the nose.   It has been utter chaos in our household for the last month! We went down to visit our new home and take some things with us over the holiday weekend.  We put down new flooring in 2 rooms, painted, and replaced outdated fixtures with nicer, newer ones.  There’s still some work to be done but we made really good progress. I can’t wait to share before and after pictures with you guys!

It’s funny how things snowball.  I love all things coconut, be they coconut scented, coconut flavored, or just straight coconut.  I had been buying coconut-scented soap, shampoo, body spray—anything to make me smell tropical. I was "nuts for coconuts."

When my father-in-law passed away, it really got to me.  We all know that cancer can be deadly, but I don’t think it really registers until you lose someone you love from it.  My husband and I vowed to always use sunblock and to practice safe sun, but it got me thinking.  I can be smart about sun exposure, but what else can I do to lessen my risk of getting cancer?

So about 3 months ago, I made the decision to go as chemical-free as possible.  I stopped drinking diet soda (although to be candid, I do slip up every now and again), I cut out artificial sweeteners, and started going all natural with my personal care products.  Once I started researching, I found it hard to stop... there's so much information out there that I was able to feel confident in my decision to quit mainstream personal care products. I shudder to think how much propane- and butane-containing dry shampoo I sprayed on my locks. Yes, butane!   Now here I am 3 months later, making everything from makeup removers to deodorant to perfume and dryer sheets, even dry shampoo.  I have lessened my exposure to products with known carcinogens and found a great new hobby at the same time.  All because I wanted to smell like a coconut.

So for the next few posts, I would like to pay homage to the wonderful coconut.  I never dreamed that the coconut could do so much more than smelling and tasting yummy.  Even if you don’t like the taste of coconut, I urge you to give these recipes a try.  You aren’t eating any of them (hopefully!) and the benefits are pretty special.

  

 Summer of Coconuts, Part 1: Makeup Removers

Buying makeup removers is a necessary evil if you are a makeup wearer.  I dreaded when my makeup removers would start to get low, knowing I would have to go to the store the next day and spend more than I wanted to on a seemingly silly product.   I spent years trying to find removers that didn’t make my eyes burn or make my face break out.  I finally found a brand I was comfortable with, but they still left my skin feeling kind of… well, yucky.  It left my face kind of dry, kind of sticky and almost seemed to contribute to my frequent acne break outs.  So when starting on my coconut quest, makeup removers were at the top of my list of things to try.  I’ve tried two different versions of this, and each has their own advantages and disadvantages. I’ll share with you the recipe I like best that I’ve had the best results with.

The star of today's post!

These homemade makeup removers not only make my skin feel lovely afterwards, but they’re not toxic little money suckers! On average I was spending about $6 every time I needed to buy my name brand makeup wipes.  These DIY wipes cost less than half that, and take less time to make than it takes to drive to the store! This recipe makes enough for about 2 months, depending on how many wipes you use each time and how frequently.  I wear eye makeup during the week and usually go au natural on the weekend, and I use 2 to 3 wipes each time I use them.

You will need:

• 2 pint sized wide mouth mason jars with lid and band
• Measuring spoons & measuring cup
• 2 tablespoons coconut oil
• 1 tablespoon tear-free baby wash, preferably organic/all-natural
• 1 teabag of green tea (see benefits below)
• Coffee cup
• 2 cups purified water
• 2 packages of cotton rounds, preferably organic
• Spatula or spoon
• Microwave safe bowl

Supplies you will need

1. Begin by bringing 2 cups purified water to a soft boil. Put green tea bag in a coffee cup and pour hot water over it.  Let it steep for 2 minutes, remove the bag, and allow the tea to cool before proceeding.

WHY GREEN TEA? Used topically, green tea is said to reduce sun damage, diminish wrinkles and slow down signs of aging due to its antioxidant and anti-inflammatory properties. You can leave this ingredient out if you wish & the makeup removers will still work fine.

My "ManaTEA" chillin' and steepin'.

2. If your coconut oil is in its solid state, place the 2 tablespoons in your microwave safe bowl and microwave in 5-10 second intervals until it is in its liquid state.  Add 1 tablespoon baby wash and your 2 cups of {cooled} green tea. Stir until all ingredients are blended.

3. Open one package of cotton rounds and place about half in each jar.

4. Pour liquid mixture over the rounds, pressing down to help the rounds soak up the mixture.  Add more pads, pour and press again. You want all the pads to be wet, but not over saturated.  You'll end up using almost all of the rounds in the two packages with just a small amount left over. (I use the extra rounds to apply apple cider vinegar toner a few nights a week.)

5. Close the lid tightly and store in a cool, dry place such as under the bathroom sink.

Ta-Da! 

A Few Remarks...

• I chose to use Burt's Bees Baby Bee for the baby wash ingredient.  It works great, is 99.9% natural, and only ranks a 1 on the Environmental Working Group's Skin Deep Cosmetics Database.  You can use whatever brand you like, but I would suggest staying away from the cheapy kind you might find at the Dollar Tree.  You only need a little bit of the wash, but it's great for other things, like washing your baby! ;)

• I absolutely love these makeup removers, and will never again purchase them from a store.  The only downfall to these that I have experienced is that in the morning, I wake up with little crusties around my eyes.  Yeah, it's kind of annoying but given the overall benefits, I can deal.

These makeup removers make my skin feel so incredibly soft, and I no longer have to deal with burning eyes and irritated skin.  These wipes combined with a new all natural skincare routine has actually cleared up my acne and is starting to fade those annoying red scars left behind by pimples.  As with any skin product, try to avoid getting it IN your eyes as this may irritate them.  

I have posted a before and after photo below, to show you that these puppies DO actually work! 

BEFORE: Eye makeup, face powder & mascara

 

AFTER: No more makeup, and no irritated skin! Yay!

 After taking these photos, I decided to make a custom label for the top, to pretty it up.  I have included the image below for you to print and use on yours too, enjoy!

I'd love to hear how you like these if you decide to make them.  I hope you'll love them just as much as I do!

NEXT TIME: Summer of Coconuts, Part Two: Coconut Sugar Scrub. Stay tuned!

***

DISCLAIMER 

This blog is a labor of love whose purpose is strictly for entertainment purposes. Its content is the work of its author and has no affiliation with or support from any organization or institution. All opinions expressed on this blog are solely mine and do not reflect the opinions of any organizations or any affiliates.

MEDICAL ADVICE DISCLAIMER
All opinions express on this blog are just that: opinions.  I am not a doctor, and there is no substitute for actual medical advice.  Content of this blog should never be taken as medical advice. Any information found here should not be acted upon without professional input from one's own health care professional.  You should always consult a licensed physician in all matters relating to your health. By reading the content of this blog, you hereby agree that you shall not make any health or medical related decision based in whole or in part on anything contained on this site.

Going Coastal!

I suppose it’s not every day you tell someone that you’re quitting your job, leaving the only world you’ve known for the last 30 years, and risking everything to move to a tropical island. 

I first fell in love with Sanibel Island when I was 3 years old.  When I was a little bit older and could comprehend that a person could live anywhere they chose, I realized I wanted to live by the beach.  I have spent my whole life trying to fill the void that is there when I am not near the ocean.  I used to pretend that my uncle’s beach house was our house every time we’d visit; lying in bed at night wondering what it would be like to wake up every morning knowing the beach was right there.  When we moved to our new house when I was in high school, I put up a full wall mural of the beach right next to my bed, because that was as close as I’d ever actually get to waking up on the beach.  In my late teens and early 20s, I spent just about every weekend at the Jersey Shore, a 6 hour round trip drive.  I didn’t care about the time spent driving or the gas money; I did what I needed to do to be near the ocean. 

I figured that once I was older and married my compulsive desire to be near saltwater would wane.  I don’t know, maybe I thought my ocean obsession was a phase.  What happened was quite the opposite. I became infatuated all over again with Sanibel, doing anything to get there at least once a year.  Our entire apartment became homage to the sweet little island; “Sanibel North” if you will.  We spent so much money in airfare and hotels, we joked it would be cheaper to just move there.  Then one day, we weren’t joking anymore.

The hardest part by far has been announcing our plans to everyone.  Even though anyone who has ever met us knows that this was our dream, I guess nobody really expected it to actually happen.  My parents will probably never speak to me again.  Some of our friends have already begun treating us differently and saying things like “Everyone is leaving me.” And that’s when it hit me; very few people have just been genuinely happy for us.  It always comes back to “how will this affect me?” We as people have become so selfish and self-centered that all we can think of is ourselves.  Yes, perhaps you could call our move to the south selfish too.  I’ll admit it; it is.  I want to live out my dream before I’m too old, too disabled, too lonely or too sick to enjoy it. If wanting to be genuinely, truly happy is selfish, then so be it.  (End rant—sorry!)

For the most part, everyone that we’ve told is fairly happy for us, or at least good at pretending to be.   We seem to be getting “good for you” a lot. Most of the time it doesn’t even seem real as the words leave my mouth. Then I think, “HOLY CRAP WE OWN A HOME ON SANIBEL!”  We’ll be downsizing like mad and having a few yard sales.  It will be hard to say goodbye to the fish tank and fish we’ve had for years, and our vintage record player, and the antique dresser I lovingly spruced up last year.  But when you get down to it, it’s only stuff.  I want to live a life full of happiness and memories, not one that is centered around the things I own.

We plan to come back and visit family frequently, as Allegiant flies into the airport by home.  As a bonus, Allegiant also flies into Des Moines, where the rest of hubby’s family is.  And I realize that life isn’t going to turn into one big vacation just because we’ll be living on an island.  I have realistic expectations of our new life. Yes, we will have jobs and won’t be able to spend every waking moment on the beach.  But knowing that when I get home I’ll only be a 5-minute bike ride from the ocean will make any job more bearable. 

Are we crazy? Possibly.  Selfish? Probably.  Are we completely thrilled to live our dream? You bet. We might be a lot of things, but what we are for sure is lucky.  We had to go through some pretty awful stuff to get to where we are now.  We’re not rich by any means and we still put our flips flops on one foot at a time like everyone else.

I know not everyone will understand our decision, and I don’t expect them to.  I just refuse to sit back and watch life pass me by because I’m living the life someone else wants for me. 

I am overjoyed that in a few months, once things are wrapped up at work and we’re packed and ready to go, that we will be following our dream.  It hasn’t been an easy road to get here, and when I think of what we had to go though, it brings a tear to my eye knowing that we could turn a really bad thing into an amazingly good thing.  Dreams do come true, just not always in the way you expected them to.

And now, may I present to you... our glorious little yellow beach cottage! 

Home Sweet Beachy Home

Coasting into warmer weather! *FREE Printables!*

Unlike most parts of the country, it has been relatively cold here in PA until the past week or so. Thursday the 9th was Opening Night for the Lehigh Valley Iron Pigs, the Phillies' triple A affiliate.  We love going to Iron Pigs games, and opening night has become somewhat of a tradition for us, even though it's ALWAYS cold.  This year it was 40 degrees, drizzly and windy.  Needless to say, we did not last very long.  Even in our winter coats and hats, the cold temperatures defeated us again.  What can I say-- we weren't made for cold weather.

Freezing Fans!

Sunday morning we headed down to the gem & mineral show that was put on by our local chapter of the Lions club.  We admired sparkly geodes and gorgeous polished gemstones, but my favorite was the table that had all kinds of shells for sale. Would you look at those Junonias and that Lion's Paw?!

Lion's Paws and Olives and Junonias, oh my!

I have never purchased shells for our collection before. Our collection has always consisted of whatever we have found naturally, most of them on Sanibel.  But. that. Lion's. Paw.  The color was even more stunning in person and -wait for it- both halves were there!  It just HAD to come home with me.

The new addition fits in perfectly with my Sanibel books.

Sunday was also officially the first day it was warm enough to sit out on our balcony for a while and boy was it nice! After the winter we had (cold & snowy) nothing feels better than the warmth of a bright spring day.  Our kitties love to go outside, so we put on their leashes and collars and out they went. They both immediately plopped down on their sides and began rolling around in the sunshine. I can't blame them; I kind of wanted to do the same thing.  

Our goofy boy Vadar in the foreground, and Sanibel in the back.

We're finally getting into warming weather, and I know much of the country is already experiencing beautiful warm (some even hot) days.  With warmer temperatures comes outdoor parties and drinks on the patio.  My husband and I ALWAYS use Tervis tumblers because they don't sweat like other glasses do.  But if you use traditional glasses, you are familiar with that nasty little ring they leave on coffee tables, end tables etc.  Spare yourself the grief of Windexing every afternoon and bring some beachy flair into your home with these DIY coastal coasters! 

They're inexpensive to make--about $5, compared to about $20 for a nice set in stores.  Plus, you can mix and match patterns to create your own one-of-a-kind set!

You Will Need:

• 4 cork-bottomed tile coasters. I got mine at Dollar Tree for $1 a piece.  It doesn't really matter what pattern they are since they will be covered up, but I chose a light tan to prevent bleed-through of the color.
• Mod Podge or other decoupage. Dollar Tree happened to have a small bottle of Mod Podge so I picked some up there, but a simple online search will bring up recipes to make your own.
• A sponge brush (not pictured)
• Printer, paper, etc

Step One
Select your design(s) from the options below.  These are sized to the Dollar Tree coasters I bought-- 3.5" by 3.5".  You may have to resize them depending on where you get your "starter" coasters.  Below are three themes that I designed, but feel free to mix and match them; I did! Just click below and you will be able to download them.  

Step Two
Carefully cut out your 4 designs. Brush a thin layer of Mod Podge on the back of your design, and place it on the coaster. You don't want this layer to be too thick or it will cause wrinkles or tearing. Once you have it in position, let it dry a bit.

Try to keep the layer thin and even.

Step Three
Brush a coat of Mod Podge on the top of your coaster.  Make sure to seal down the edges of the paper and brush around the edges of the coaster.  You may get some air bubbles-- do your best to smooth them out without tearing the paper.  Let the first layer dry a bit before putting on any additional layers.  

Make sure the edges of the paper are completely and evenly sealed.  If there are any gaps, it is possible that the moisture from your glass will drip down and get between the paper layer and the coaster layer and will eventually ruin your pretty new coaster.  I put about 3 individual layers of Mod Podge on mine.  Let your new coasters dry overnight before using.

Step Four
Enjoy! I had so much fun making this mix-and-match set that I may go back and make full sets later on.  The tile coasters are super-durable and the designs make them personal and fun.  

Have fun making your new Coastal Coasters! I can't wait to see the sets you come up with! If you try this project, post a pic to Instagram and tag me, @FancifulFlamingo. (www.instagram.com/fancifulflamingo)  Happy crafting!


**Disclaimer: The material contained in this project may not be used for commercial use or financial gain. If you intend to use this artwork for commercial use or financial gain, please contact me to obtain a Commercial Use license. **

Don't wait for the good stuff

Hey y’all!

After a brief hiatus, I have returned.  The last few months have been a whirlwind.  I can hardly believe it’s April already!

Warning: This portion of my post is kinda sad, but I promise it gets better.

Last year, my father-in-law went to his doctor’s office for a checkup and for a lung cancer screening—he had been a smoker for years and figured the odds were that he was destined for lung cancer.  While he received a clean bill of health in other areas, the doctors discovered a spot on his back that would end up being stage 4 melanoma.   Over the next months, he and his doctors tried everything to control it, from surgeries to extensive treatments.  My husband and I flew back to Iowa several times to visit him and help him in any way we could, as did the rest of his family.  And then, at 59 years old, the father of 5 and grandfather of 13 passed away in the wee hours of the morning on March 29, 2015.  Our hearts were, and will continue to be, broken.  He was loved by just about everyone who met him, and was taken too soon by a thoughtless disease. 

May is Skin Cancer Detection and Prevention month, but that doesn’t mean we shouldn’t think about it other months of the year.  Protection from the sun has become a very big deal in our household.  From choosing the right sunblock, to wearing a hat, to donning UV protective clothing—my husband and I will never again subject ourselves to the harmful rays of the sun unnecessarily.  The skin is your body’s biggest organ, so take care of it like you would any other part of your body.  I will be posting more about skin protection options and sunblock in the future, but for now, let’s lighten the mood.

The focus of this blog is to promote the idea of a coastal mindset regardless of your geography.  Its secondary mission was also meant to be an account of my journey of chasing my dream of living on the beach.  In recent months, chasing that dream has been the least of my concerns, thus the hiatus.  My father-in-law really got a kick out of my husband and I constantly going on and on about how much we loved Sanibel.  We talked so much and so highly of the island that he took us down for a vacation in January because he wanted to see the island that had stolen our hearts.  We spent a week there with family and friends who had never visited the island, and they all finally understood why we never stop talking about it.

 One of the things my father-in-law really wanted for my husband and I was for us to live life how we see fit, not how others think it should be lived.  He was proud of us for wanting to choose the beach path less traveled, and supported our dream of someday soon moving to Florida. 

It’s time to get back on that path.  We’ve started downsizing our belongings, trying to focus on keeping only what we really need. (And of course, a few things that we just really want.  We’re not animals, you know!)  We’ve looked at housing options and have made a financial plan.  Our dream is on its way to becoming a reality and I can’t wait to share every step with you guys. 

Life is too short to wait for the good stuff.  The truth is, none of us is guaranteed to grow old.  We never know what’s around the corner, so I’d prefer my corners to be draped with bougainvillea.

So join me on my journey of following my heart, won’t you?

"In order to see birds, it is necessary to become a part of the silence"

Sanibel recap PREVIEW!!

We have begrudgingly returned from our lovely trip to Sanibel.  Each and every time we visit, the island takes another piece of my heart.  I could never run out of reasons to love that beautiful island.

I'll be playing catch-up with reality for a few days, but I will have more wonderful Sanibel pictures to share with you soon!

Sanibel, Here We Come!

I can't believe it, but tomorrow we are heading back to Sanibel! This trip is a little different than our normal retreat, however.  My father-in-law, my husband's siblings & their families, and several family friends are all along for the ride.  

See you all in a few weeks...Stay tuned!

I'm Dreaming of a Tropical Christmas...

Merry (almost) Christmas, Fanciful Flock!

Love,
Jen

xoxo