November 1st Make n Take

Sisters ~ Mark your calendars for the Elkhorn Springs 1st Ward 2nd Annual Make 'n Take!  Coming on Thursday, 1 November from 5 PM to 8:30 PM. 

Featured are the following projects:  Paperback pumpkins, Small Sweet Gifts for VT and stocking stuffers, Candy Bar Snowman, Harvest Banner (can be hung on the fireplace mantle, over a doorway, or on the wall), and Sammy the Snowman (made from a garden paver brick).  We will also have tables set up so you can bring your UFO's (unfinished objects.  When you sign up for this one, let us know if you need help and what kind of help... We will have someone there to help you complete your projects.)

Sign up sheets for all of these projects are in the RS binders and the samples of the projects will be displayed each Sunday outside the RS room.  (The actual projects may vary slightly from the samples.......)  You must be present to make the projects.  We are not able to reserve them.  (sorry)

The night will also incude dinner, a pumpkin roll demonstration, Wassail tasting and take home, assembling bags of goodies for servicemen and women, and a Home Decor Exchange.  Bring your slightly used decorating items and exchange them for others..... giving your home a new, fresh look ~ FREE!  (You can take items even if you don't bring any......)

A nursery will be provided for the entire event.  Just bring a sack lunch for each child and put their name on the sack. 

This night has been a year in the making.  We have something for everyone..... Come join us!

Facial Massage by Sandii May

General Instructions:

v  Do all massage steps three times in a slow manner, pressing lightly with the third and ring fingers (massage fingers), except as noted. 

v  When making circles on the face, rotate up and away from the face so as not to break down muscles and cause sagging.   

v  When making circles on the neck, reverse the direction to in and down –  chin to shoulders.

v   When massaging, do not remove both hands at the same time, unless necessary. 

v  You should wash your hands before giving a massage.  If the person’s skin is dry and rough, you may want to apply a light coating of massage oil or lotion to aid in moving your hands without pulling their skin.

v  The person receiving the massage can be in a recliner, with you sitting on a chair at their head ~ or on a bed or the floor with their head in your lap on a pillow, whichever works best for the both of you. The important thing is that you both are comfortable and you can reach their face, neck (front and back) and behind their shoulders during the massage.

v  The massage is done from the forehead down to and around the shoulders, then feathered off at the upper arms.

v  The person receiving the massage should have eyes closed and be relaxing.  Do not talk unless you have to.  Play soft music for a really relaxing atmosphere.

v  Each massage step can be done individually.  A full facial massage includes all of the following steps and should take some time.  I usually allow 45 minutes to an hour.

v  Do not rush….. when done properly this actually can put the person to sleep.  It is so relaxing. 

 

1.   Forehead/Temple Massage ~ Placing the massage fingers of both hands on your right side of their forehead close to the temple hairline, slowly slide them up and down diagonally across the forehead (hairline to brow and back) to the area where the nose joins the eyebrows.  When at the brow/nose junction, hook the pointer finger of your right hand into the hollow of the left junction and with a gentle-firm motion, pull the brow up.  Move to the other side of the nose and repeat on the right junction with the left pointer finger.  Then continue the diagonal sliding across the forehead with both hands to the left side of the forehead by the temple. Place your right hand lightly on the right temple (or lay it gently across the forehead) and with your left hand massage the left temple in a circular motion clockwise (up to the hairline, down towards the cheek, forward to the front of the face and back to the hairline).  When you have massaged the temple three times, place the right hand with the left again and diagonally slide to the right, stopping at the brow/nose junction and then moving on to the right temple.  Massage in a circular motion on the right temple.  

2.   Eyebrow Pinch ~ Slide both hands to the nose/forehead junction, make a soft fist and using your thumb against the pointer finger gently pinch the eyebrows moving outward from the nose to the end of the brow.  Go back to the nose junction and repeat 2 more times.    

3.   Hairline Massage ~ After completing the eyebrow pinch, slide your hands apart and place your massage fingers on each temple. In circular motions using the massage fingers, move down the hairline to the back of the neck.  When at the nape of the neck, cradle the head in both hands and gently stretch the neck, pulling the head up away from the shoulders.  Hold for a second and release.  Slide the fingers along the hairline to the temples and repeat.

4.    Cheek Massage ~ Slide the fingers to the cheek area with a hand on each side.  Here you will be changing your hand position and will be lifting your hands off the face.  Move your hands to the center of the face by the nose and with a gentle pinching motion, pinch the cheek bone to from the nose to the hairline.  This is done with the thumbs up and “pinching” against the 2^nd joint of the pointer finger with the fists closed. You can also do this step with the thumbs touching the face at all times – just slide it gently towards the hairline as you pinch.  (This step is also called “Rosing the cheeks” as it adds color when completed).

5.   Cupid’s Bow Massage ~ Slide the left hand to the chin and gently cradle it as if holding it up from the chest. Slide the right hand to the area just under the nose and above the mouth.  This is the Cupid’s Bow area. Place your right pointer finger inside the indentation, and with the thumb and middle finger, gently pinch the bow area together, slightly pulling out as you pinch.  You may lift your right hand off the face as your complete each pinch.

6.   Chin Massage ~ Move your right hand to the chin to cradle it as you gently pull your left hand along the jawline to the hairline.  Your right hand should be cradling the chin by the time your left hand reaches the hairline.  Then move your left hand to the chin again, as you gently pull the right hand along the jawline to the hairline.  This massages the jaw area.   

7.   Front Neck Massage ~ Slide both hands to the sides of the neck just under the jaw line.  With the massage fingers, massage in small circles down to the shoulders then slide hands up to the starting point and repeat.  Do this very gently as the neck sags easily and you do not want to stretch the muscles causing them to break down and prematurely sag. 

8.   Back Neck & Shoulders Massage and finish ~ As you complete the third front neck massage set, move your hands to the back of the neck at the base of the skull.  With your massage fingers, rotate down the neck in small circular motions.  The circles should move towards the vertebrae, down towards the shoulder blades, out to the side of the neck and up towards the head.  When you get to the shoulders, change the position of your hands, one at a time so you don’t lose contact, and place them on the back of the shoulders with the fingers pointing down towards the back.  Cup the shoulders and pull them forward to the breastbone in a scrolling motion as you slide your hands forward to the front of the shoulder area.  Hold the shoulders in the curled forward position for a second, release and slide your hands back to the starting position.  Repeat this three times.  After releasing the third time, slowly and gently ~ like a feather ~ slide your hands down the upper arm towards the elbow and off into the air.  This is called feathering and it completes the massage. 

Green Machine Smoothie by Brittany Worthen

Blend the following in a blender:  

     *1 tbsp yogurt

     *1 tbsp honey
     *4-5 strawberries
     *1 whole peach
     *1 banana
     *½ cup blueberries
     *1 cup spinach
     *½ cup ice

Strawberry Shortcake Smoothie by Brittany Worthen

 

Blend the following in a blender:

    * 2 cups strawberries

    * 1 cup crumbled pound cake
    * 1 ½ cup milk
    * 1 ½ cup ice

     Sugar to taste

 *Top with whip cream and strawberries

Candy Cane Bath Salts

(for Holiday Giving – from the book “Natural Beauty for All Seasons” by Janice Cox

ä  2 cups Epsom salts

ä  ½ cup sea salt

ä  4 – 6 drops Peppermint oil

ä  2 – 3 drops red food coloring

Place 1 cup Epsom salts and ¼ cup sea salt in a bowl or Ziploc bag.  Add 2 – 3 drops peppermint oil.  Place the remaining ingredients in a second bowl.  Mix all ingredients well.  Layer the red and white salts in a clear bottle or jar.  Half liter water bottles work well because they have stripes.  Tie with a ribbon and some small candy canes.  This makes a great holiday gift for friends.

Bath Crystals by Dorothy Waldron

They are fun and easy to make and can often be made with items you already have at home & are great for a last minute gift.

The basic recipe is;
    * 1 Cup Epsom Salts
    * 1/4 cup sea salt (there are many varieties of sea salt) or kosher salt (salts may be in large chunks or finely ground).
    You can experiment with amounts, use equal amounts or only one item.  The Sea Salts help to detoxify.

Other items that can be added that soften the skin are:

     Glycerin, Oatmeal, cornstarch, powdered milk, baking soda (if using baking soda do not mix it into the bottle.  Add them SEPARATELY as it can cause the bottle to exploded!)

Coloring: 

     10-15 or more drops of regular food coloring (the drawback is that this makes the salts moist and then you need to lay them out to dry:  it also makes the crystals much smaller)
    The Wilton brand of food coloring is very vibrant and you need very little of it:  it is thicker and not wet like regular food dye and works very well.  (it has become popular not to add any color at all!)
    Plants, herbs, citrus peels, rose buds, lavender, can also be used to add color:  if using plants you may want to use a spice sachet or an organza so it can be easily removed after the bath and you won't have a messy tub to clean!

Essential oils:

    10-15 or more drops (again this makes the salts moist:  see above).

I use professional quality oils as they are pure:  they do cost more but you need very little  - 1 to 3 drops.   You can also use extracts: almond, lemon, vanilla, etc...

Mix salts in a mixing bowel or in a zip lock bag.  The bowl seems to keep the salts from getting crushed. Stir gently.  If you want a variety in color mix slightly and you will get some specs which are nice contrast. The zip lock is handy if you are teaching a large group how to make the salts and they can take them home in the bags. 

This is a fun activity: experiment and have fun!

"Spa"Tacular Sisters Night was a success!

 

We had a fabulous night tonight at our "Spa"Tacular Sisters Night!  Dorothy Waldron taught us how to make our own bath crystals using Epsom salts, sea salt, oils and coloring.  Then Brittany Peterson taught us how to care for our skin.  She stressed drinking LOTS of water daily and using sun screen every day - whether you think you need it or not!  Sandii May followed up with a lesson on how to give a facial massage for relaxation.  We enjoyed two types of smoothies for treats and were given a bag of bath crystals to start us on our own "home spa".

 

If you were unable to attend, you can still make your own smoothies and bath crystals and teach your special someone how to give you a massage to relax after a long day.  Look at the archive on the right of this page for the links to those posts you want to keep for future reference.  Enjoy!