These past few weeks

What have I been up to?  Lots!  For those who don't follow me through Instagram:

We discovered Campbell's farmer's market!  So fun!

 We had a game night at some friends' house and their dog fell asleep on Peter's lap!

I decorated a notebook with my new washi tape.  Unfortunately only the hearts and music stayed on...

I *finally* hung up my Korean paintings!!!

The tree in my front yard started blooming!

Joey and Kelsie got married!!!

I realized I own entirely too many lip products!!! (Not pictured: the five in my purse)

I have been enjoying my delicious-yet-overpriced-gluten-free cookies with tea, yummy yummy!

What have YOU been up to???

Random

Took this picture at a castle in Korea.  I love love love brick.  Was trying out my new ipad apps and thought it would be a fun pic to edit.  Don't like the end result, but it was fun to experiment.  

Homemade Spa Day

I thought I'd do a round-up of all the wonderful ways we can pamper ourselves at home, with natural, healthy ingredients we most likely have on hand!  All ideas are from the website Organic Authority, which I just recently discovered!

Give your face a nice steam with essential oils!

Sinus Steam directions from here.

Ingredients4 cups water
3 drops of any/all of these essential oils: rosemary, eucalyptus, lavender, juniper, peppermint and bergamot
DirectionsIn a large and wide pot, bring water to a low boil. If using whole herbs instead of essential oils, add them now (about 1/8 cup herbs in total). When water is steaming, remove from heat and add the essential oils. They will be very powerful from the heat so don't overdo it. Better to add more as needed than make it too strong. But if you do make it too potent, add more boiling water to dilute it.
Carefully set the pot on a surface such as a kitchen table so that you're able to lean directly over it while seated comfortably.
Drape a large towel over your head and over the pot to lock in the steam. Begin to take deep breaths in and out through the nose and mouth, alternating as needed. You may need to dip your head out of the steam for a breath or two every couple of minutes as it gets quite hot in there! Just keep the pot covered so the heat remains. Try to breathe in the vapors for at least 5 minutes, but 10 are recommended. Repeat as needed.

Indulge in a calming rose mask.

Rose mask directions from here.

Simply soak 8 petals in 3-4 tablespoons of water for 2-3 hours. Then mash the petals into the water and add 3 tablespoons of honey. Mix well, and apply to entire face. Leave on for 15-30 minutes. Rinse with cool water.

Exfoliate, one of two ways!

Yogurt-Honey Exfoliating Mask directions from here.

Ingredients
1/4 cup full-fat yogurt
2 tablespoons raw honey
Directions
Mix the yogurt and honey together until evenly combined. Apply a thin layer to face and let sit for 20 minutes. Rinse face and pat with a towel until dry. Repeat at least once per week for best results.

Baking Soda Exfoliation (face or body) directions from here.

When exfoliating with baking soda you have a couple of options. You can add about a teaspoon of baking soda to your usual facial cleanser, massage it into your skin and rinse like normal. Or, you can use baking soda on its own. Pour a small amount of baking soda into the palm of your hand, add a bit of water, and then gently rub the mixture into your face and rinse.

Finish with lip gloss and cheek stain!

Lipgloss directions from here.

What You'll Need:

12 Fresh Cranberries
1 Tablespoon Avocado Oil (any Vegetable Oil will work)
1 Teaspoon Honey
2 Drops Vitamin E (or one capsule)
1 Cheese Cloth
1 Tiny Tin of Your Own Choosing
What To Do:Heat up the Cranberries, Oil, Honey and Vitamin E on the stovetop, bringing it to a boil
Crush up the Cranberries with a wooden spoon until the color has turned to your lip-stain liking
Let it cool for ten minutes and then strain through Cheese Cloth to get out the Cranberry bits
Let it cool again - but not too long - and then spoon it into your Tin

Do you think you'll give any of these ideas a try?

DIY Rose Water

You must make a visit to this website to see her beautiful pictures and tutorial on how to make your own rose water!!!  The pictures are divine.  Go here: http://www.roostblog.com/roost/rose-water-video.html

photo from roostblog.com

She says, "Rosewater is a delight to the skin, its anti-bacterial properties smooth and heal. I enjoy spritzing the water onto my face before applying a few drops of argan oil to soften and moisturize. The robust scent is calming and feminine, an there is something old-worldly about it's perfume, I almost imagine myself living in a different time. 

Rose water also boasts of  Vitamin C, an antioxidant that can help protect skin cells from damage. In ancient times it was widely used to soften the hair, and its moisturizing properties are perfect for achieving that dewy glow."

I can not wait to try this!  Won't they make the perfect gifts?  Now I just need to find some beautiful bottles and fresh rose petals (not tainted with chemicals).

Wish List - Living Areas Edition

I'm obviously in wedding mode!  Only 156 days left!  I've been looking at Macys.com to find stuff to register for!  Can't wait!  In the meantime, here is my wish list for the home in general.  I can't wait to have my own home, apartment, condo - anything that's mine and Peter's and not shared with other housemates - to decorate!

I love love love clocks! via Mamie Jane's

DIY CDs into coasters or clocks, via White Life

I love a good globe, via Etsy

Ok, I don't know if I would actually put this in my house, but you have to admit, it's pretty cool!  via the internet

more to come....

Wish List - Kitchen Edition

A roundup of pretty things I would buy for my kitchen - if I had the money, of course!  I have a kind of eclectic style.  I don't care if things match.  I prefer individually unique and pretty things to matchy-matchy.  Of course that might change once I have a house of my own! :)

Jadite things, via website

Ceramic bowls, perfect for dips, via Etsy

Bowls, via Anthropologie

Floral measuring cups, via RedEnvelope

Teapot, via Mariage Freres

To see more of my never-ending wish lists, follow me on Pinterest! Pinterest.com/juliesmithmusic

Mini-Adventures

It's been awhile since I've posted.  School started and then I immediately got sick!  Eek.  Still recovering.  Slept in till 11 today.  :)   I had a few adventures before I got sick though.  Here they are, Instagram style!

The day before school started we took a grip to Santa Cruz.  The weather was perfect but we were both feeling really tired.

I saw some random construction stuff on the pier in Santa Cruz.

Last weekend we had dinner with my friend from APU and her husband!  It was sooo fun!  I'm glad they live so close!  We went to a Japanese restaurant.  It was yummy!

The Droullards

The Soon-to-be Arthurs

(Buckwheat soba noodles are naturally gluten-free)

We went to the Droullard's house for the super bowl.  Another friend from APU met us there but I didn't get a picture with her.  It was sooooo fun!

Raeshell bought me this beautiful teacup that she knew I had been admiring!  "Early birthday present."  (My birthday isn't until August!)  :)  Then another friend, Rashel, brought me freshly picked oranges because she knew I was coming down with a cold!  How sweet are my friends?!?!?!

Meanwhile, I didn't necessarily feel sick, yet I completely lost my voice.  I decided to go with Dr. Benson and some fellow students to see the St. Olaf Choir in SF.  

St. Olaf College (in Minnesota) was one of the pioneering universities for choral music.  They developed the distinct "St. Olaf sound," which was opposite from the "Westminster Choir sound."  Over the years the two sounds have gradually moved toward each other, yet I thought that the St. Olaf choir retained much of its original sound: clarity, purity, simplicity.  It was an amazing concert and I'm so glad I went!  The St. Ignacious Cathedral was amazing, too!

That's all for now.  Hopefully I'll have more free time in the next few weeks to do some art projects!  Meanwhile, Valentine's day is coming up and I don't know what to do for Peter!  Suggestions???

My Big Idea

I wanted to share with you an idea that I've had brewing for quite some time, a decade at least.  (Many of you already know about this...)  

I can't fully commit to this full-time, or even part-time, until I finish Grad school and get married.  However, there is nothing stopping me from thinking and planning!!! :) 

I have always wanted to combine my two passions: music and overseas ministry.  My idea is this:

- Start an organization that partners with existing children's ministries (orphanages, projects, etc.) around the world to host music camps
- My organization would be in charge of sending teams to run the music camps, along with providing curriculum and training for the teams
- The long-term goal is to have several camps happening in several different countries (sending multiple teams out each year)

I have already began planning, coming up with a mock Mission Statement, long-term goals, start-up needs, etc.  Peter is going to help with designing logos, creating applications and documents, etc.  I know this is going to be a HUGE time and financial commitment, so I'm trying really hard to hold my horses until after I finish this semester and get married.  However, I think that once we get married and settled in to wherever we'll be, I will go at this full force!  My goal is to take one team to South America Summer (2014).