Category: Uncategorized

Our Herb Garden

Posted on by Michelle
Lavender Flowers in our herb garden

This morning the hubby and I got up to harvest a few herbs from our garden.  Almost everything in it is edible except for a few flower bushes and ground covers.  The soil is dark and rich and most of the plants come back each year which gives us lots of herbs all summer long.  Herbs can really take off once in the ground but we also have some planted in containers.  



Fresh cut lavender ready for drying

Our lavender bushes were the main concern today because the flowers can lose essential oils as the heat sets in later in the afternoon.  We have to cut them in the morning so that they’ll be at their best for later use.  Afterwards, we hang them to dry in a cool, dark place and then use the flowers and buds in crafts like lavender sachets or Lavender Vanilla Sugar. 









Potted rosemary
I try to use most of the herbs fresh when I cook during the summer and whatever is left in the fall, we cut and dry for the winter months.  My husband also uses some of the herbs to make his own fruit & herb flavored vinegars which we currently sell in our Etsy store.




 
 
 
 
 
Fresh cut chives
This week we’re planning on cooking steaks for the first time on our new grill so the chives we cut today will go great with baked potatoes.  I’m also looking forward to using the mint in drinks this weekend or to top a creamy dessert.



CHECK OUT our Etsy store, MimisCraftPantry for Dave’s Herb Flavored Vinegars.



Sage

I use this in chicken dishes
and my homemade cornbread dressing



Peppermint
I love that it grows continuously
throughout the summer
Potted thyme
Adds flavor to soups and sauces

Sale This Week at SamsBeauty.com!

Posted on by Michelle

I just found out that the already reasonable shopping on SamsBeauty.com is going to be even better this week with their 4th of July Sale.  Some things are still “Buy 1 Get Free,” even though it says Saturday and Sunday only.  I’ve been browsing through the Synthetic Lace wigs on sale and there is a lot to choose from.  Other items include jewelry, cosmetics, skincare and hair products.  I got the heads up from one of my favorite YouTubers Dezi1016 in a video where she is talking about some of the things that are for sale.  There’s even a clearance section.  Check it out!

Click here to see Dezi1016’s video

Denver Natural Hair Meet-Up: The Re-Cap

Posted on by Michelle
Me and Sabrina Perkins of
SeriouslyNatural.org

I’m winding down and letting my feet rest after all of the days’ activities.  There were plenty of things to do today before the meet-up downtown but we managed to pull it off.  The great thing about all of this is that Sabrina (of SeriouslyNatural.org) and I have lots of ideas for the next event.  Getting ready for tonight was like opening up a whole new world of possibilities.  We met lots of great contacts and found support from places we didn’t know were there. 

The Rio Grande Mexican Grille served up some excellent strawberry margaritas and mexican dishes.   Thanks to the friendly staff who were also very accomodating, we had an enjoyable evening.  A big thanks to everyone who came out to our first event.  It was really great to get a chance to speak with everyone and share our tips and experiences.


Rio Grande Mexican Grille
in Downtown Denver






Hair talk and good food

 


Me with Shanae Smith and Ayanna Blueford
Loved talking with you ladies

 



 


Goodie bags with free samples
Thanks to all of the businesses that offered items for our gift bags including:  
Kinky Curly
Curlformers
Sephora Shops at Cherry Creek Mall and Northlands



Giveaway Prizes

(Carol’s Daughter & Ojon Samples) More Than Curly Salon in Aurora (Ouidad Samples)



We look forward to doing it all again in the future so be sure to email either Sabrina or myself if you would like to receive info on upcoming events.






Godrej Nupur Henna Review

Posted on by Michelle

I’ve been using henna for the past year and a half now and can say that I have tried a few different types.  I use it to blend my greys with the rest of my dark hair and keep my scalp issues at bay.  Previously, I ordered it online but now purchase it locally from an Indian Grocery store.  Recently I picked up a new brand from Ananda Bazaar in Aurora, that I heard others rave about in the hair forums.  It’s called Godrej Nupur and is actually a mixture that includes brahmi (promotes hair growth), shikakai (cleanses hair and scalp), amla (darkens hair and prevents scalp infection) and bhringraj (conditions).  Finding all of these in one package is quite a deal.  I figured at $1.49 (USD) per package, the Nupur henna was definitely worth a try.

I added green tea and juice from

half a lemon
One package of Godrej Nupur henna holds 60 grams so I used two packages for my hair which is past shoulder length and very thick.  I kept my mix pretty simple and just added green tea and juice from half a lemon.  I added enough water to make it into a yogurt like consistency and let it sit for a few hours.  Before applying it to my hair, I added a little more water so that it was creamy enough to work with.  One thing I noticed is that the texture of the henna is a lot smoother than some of the others I have worked with (i.e. Reshma and Jamila).  This made it very easy to apply.  The color took very well and did a good job of staining my greys that were starting to peek through. 
Added plain water until the
henna was a yogurt like
consistency
I have used the product twice since purchasing it and can definitely say that my hair appears to be darker which is more to my liking (I found out last year that my adding honey to my henna applications caused it to lighten my hair a little).  I was looking for a darker result so the Nupur henna works for me.  Even so, my hair still looks a deep burgundy color when I’m outside.  For this reason I’m currently looking to do the 2 step process where you apply henna and then indigo to go completely black.  Overall though, I enjoy using the Godrej Nupur and will make sure to keep it stocked in my ever growing henna stash. 

Denver’s Natural Hair Meet-Up is Almost Here!

Posted on by Michelle

I can’t believe that the Denver Natural Hair Meet-up is finally coming up this Saturday, June 25th.  Naturals, transitioners and anyone considering going natural are all welcome to join us for what will be a “Girl’s Night Out” style gathering.  We’ll talk hair and swap stories while enjoying some great food.  We’ll each be paying for our own eats but hopefully we can pick-up a sponsor for future events.

Sabrina of the blog, Seriously Natural, has done a great job talkin’ the event up to local stylists who we hope will also be in attendance.  She has even gathered samples of hair goodies from companies like Kinky Curly and Carol’s Daughter!  I’m excited too because this will be the first hair meet-up I’ve been to.  Hope to see you there!

Don’t Forget to R.S.V.P.