Emergency Surgery

Dear Friends,
I just wanted to let you know that I will be needing to take a little time off from my blog to recover from emergency eye surgery I underwent today. I had a detached retina repaired, and though I am feeling pretty hunky dory at the moment (pain killers are grand), my surgeon tells me I am in for a fairly rough recovery. I hope to be back soon :)


xoxo,
Lindsay♥

Marolsha Giveaway Winner!

Thank-you to all that entered this week's giveaway! Huge thanks to Maddy for making it possible and for being on the Podium this week!
Congratulations to Nicole of Bedouin (funny, I just featured one of her fabric bouquets in Friday's post!) She said,

"Everything is beautiful, delicate craftsmanship and such classic colors.
I like the following...
Oasis - Matte finished 16k gold plated branch Earrings Listing
Yuki Yanagi (earrings featured left)
Fun and gracious give a way fingers crossed ~*~"

Nicole will enjoy $15 in store credit to Maddy's shop, so that she may pick out her favorite Marolsha piece! And if your bummed you didn't win, don't forget that Maddy is running a buy one get one half off promotion to all readers! Just enter code: SkylarkDawn in the notes to seller upon checkout. (Good until the end of the month!)

As always, it doesn't stop there! A new seller steps on the Podium later today, and brings with her another SuperFabulous giveaway!

Time Wasters Wednesday - Let's Get Jammin!

I can still remember the delectably sweet taste of my Grandmother's strawberry freezer jam that I ate as a child. My Dad tells me that Grandma made it every year from the strawberries from her garden, and I remember her storing it in any random jar or container she could find that could hold its

d e l i c i o u s n e s s !

So in efforts to stick to my oath and only give gifts that are handmade, I decided to take a crack at making my own to give as Father's Day gifts. Though I opted for a cooked jam (I needed to practice canning in anticipation of this Summer's harvest!) , I must say that I am seriously pleased with myself. It was my first time making jam and I have never canned before, so it just adds to my delight that it turned out so well!

5 cups crushed fresh strawberries
(they say not to use a food processor as it can break down the natural pectin found in the berries and alter the set)
1/4 cup lemon juice
7 cups sugar (yes seven!)
1 box fruit pectin (I used Ball Natural Gel fruit pectin)

Combine crushed strawberries and lemon juice into a LARGE sauce pan and gradually stir in pectin.
(do not dbl recipe as the fruit will not be able to get up to the right temp)

Bring to a rolling boil that can not be stirred down, over high heat, stirring constantly.

G A S P! Add all that sugar! (Do not reduce or substitute with sweeteners as the sugar is needed to work properly.)

Stirring constantly, return to a rolling boil and let boil for one min.

Remove from heat and skim foam if necessary. (They say you can add a 1/2 tsp of butter to prevent foam, but really... after all that sugar, who wants it to also contain FAT?)

Preserve in jars by following your canning unit's instructions. YUM!

Beauty Tips Tuesday - Breakouts Bumming You Out?

We all know how much of a bummer it is to be plagued with an occasional breakout, but how totally frustrating when you struggle with it on a daily basis! Believe it or not, many persistent bouts of acne are exacerbated by common things like phones, pillow cases, and dirty make up brushes. They all can harbor insane amounts of bacteria, (not to mention styling products, make up residue, and oils from your face), and they are items we generally use everyday.
Touching your face with your hands can be a huge culprit too. Just think of all the things your hands come in contact with! By touching your face needlessly, you are inviting pore clogging bacteria to wreak havoc on your skin.
So make sure to wipe down your cell phone, (I like to use those handy little wipes made to clean computer monitors), change your pillow case often, (if you have a bad case of acne, use ea. side of your pillow once and then change), make sure to avoid touching your face (this includes picking/popping!), and wash your make up brushes often (click here for a how-to).

Like the cell phone b l i n g ? The photo is courtesy of Crystal Icing, and their site can be checked out here.

Coordinated Finds

1. Paper Biscuit cell pouch 2. The Glass Chef cupcake charm
3. Cucio cell case 4. Candy Bead purse charm