Make Your At-Home Manicure Last With CND® VINYLUX® Weekly Polish

I am such a fan of polished nails on a woman. The hard part for me as a homemaker is that it is almost impossible to have a proper manicure that I can do at home that won't chip after the first day. I received a few weekly polishes from CND® VINYLUX® to test out. Seeing the words "Weekly Polish" got me a bit excited. Could it be? I use my hands ALL. Day. Long. I can't imagine any polish being able to keep up with my active homemaking lifestyle. 

Pictured above is CND VINYLUX Weekly Polish in Scarlett Letter #145, Cream Puff #108, and Cerulean Sea #171

I decided to give the blue color a try. I'm a sucker for bright blue nail polish. I applied my first layer of weekly polish and was very pleased with the formula. It was very smooth, somewhat thick, and if I was in a hurry, I could have gotten away with just one coat. It dried super fast and I did do a second coat. I was really impressed with how vibrant the color was and the quick drying time. Now the real test was how long it would last. I did NOT use a top coat so this was really going to show my how long this product would last. I was so shocked to see that I went 5 full days with no chips. I did have one small chip by day 6, but that was expected with the type of week I had. Another positive thing is that it was very easy to remove. Overall, this polish really impressed me and I look forward to purchasing some other colors.

You can purchase CND® VINYLUX® Weekly polish and CND® VINYLUX® Weekly Top Coat retail for $10.50 per bottle at select salons, or visit cnd.com/VINYLUX, loxabeauty.com, ULTA or ulta.com.

6 Natural Alternative Cleaning Solutions

As much as we can, we want to save up on money and find thrifty ways to lessen our spending for the month. While cleaning agents can also take up a part of your budget, you’d be happy to know that you can actually save up a few if you know some natural cleaning alternatives and carpet shampooer.

Every homeowner’s advantage is stocking up on good natural cleaning solutions as a substitute to the products you see in television. Besides that, you can also make your own home cleaning solutions. In this article, here are some effective alternative to home cleaning products.

Lemons and Oranges
When you want to clean your dishes or utensils, a good alternative for dishwashing liquid are lemons and oranges. Any kind of citric fruit are effective disinfectant because of their citric and acidic attribute that can sterilize and kill bacteria.

Vinegar
Vinegar is great for cooking and also for cleaning! It is probably the most commonly used cleaning solution for greasy pans and stoves. They are also great for removing stains which is why carpet cleaning in Sunshine Coast has never been more easy and hassle-free!

Isopropyl Alcohol
This medicine-cabinet native has actually a lot of practical uses. Other than it being used for disinfecting, it is also used for cleaning grease and grime off mirrors, shower stalls and door knobs.

Cornstarch
Cornstarch is a good absorbent of oil. It is mostly used with alcohol. Combining the two, alcohol and cornstarch, into a really effective cleaning mixture will be an effective cleaning agent for removing grease off countertops and other greasy kitchenware. Cornstarch is also a great deodorizer as well as an effective window cleaner.

Salt
No kitchen will be complete without it! Salt is a natural condiment that’s commonly used for cooking but can also serve for cleaning purposes. Salt is actually used in helping scrape off those burned-food and dried stubborn grease in cookware. Aside from that, they are used for polishing those pots and pans.

Baking soda
A handy thing to have when cleaning the bathroom! Baking soda can effectively help you scrape off gunk and grease found inside your bathroom and in every corner of your shower tile. Baking soda with a mixture of distilled vinegar will help you remove that bad toilet odor and any lingering stink as well as properly clean the toilet bowl.

It’s best to stock up on these amazing natural ingredients, then. That way, you don’t have to spend too much on your housekeeping budget. All you need are these six natural cleaning agents!

Author Bio
Sean Si is the Marketing guy of Electrodry Carpet Cleaning. He is the go-to guy when it comes to the latest home improvement tips. When he's not busy, he writes about healthy home and life, and spends quality time with his family and friends.

Prepare Tasty Meatless Summer Meals

Summer is the season for easy living and cool foods. When the sun is shining and the temperatures are rising, no one wants to be slaving over a hot stove in the kitchen. This is also the time of year when farm fresh fruits and vegetables are in abundance. If you are embracing the meatless lifestyle, there are plenty of delicious meat-free dishes to prepare for breakfast, lunch, or dinner.

Breakfast

Breakfast has been called the most important meal of the day. It can set the tone for your mood and energy, so feed yourself healthy items that meet your protein needs and tantalize your taste buds. For example:

• Smoothie: The beauty of smoothies is that you can alter them to suit your taste. First, combine fruits such as frozen berries and sliced bananas to create your smoothie base. Next add a protein source, such as nut butter, nuts, or protein powder. You can also toss in some coconut or chia seeds, too, and then blend and drink. 
• Smoothie bowl: You can also create a smoothie bowl by keeping some of the ingredients whole and topping them with a smoothie-base dressing. Yum!

Lunch

For lunch, use the bounty of the season to create delectable salads and wraps. Try this meatless midday meal:

• Greek Salad Wrap: Make a salad with romaine, spinach, cucumber slices, and crumbled feta. Heat either tempeh or chikn strips in oil until browned, and then mix up a dressing of plain yogurt, Italian seasoning, and lemon juice. Layer in flour tortillas, and there you have it: a cool and satisfying summer lunch.
• Hearty Salad: Combine quinoa, black beans, avocado, and corn. Layer over lettuce and add citrus slices. Top with orange lime vinaigrette.

Dinner

You can create filling meat-free dinners without heating up the kitchen by stir-frying, grilling, and cooking up pasta dishes. Some favorites for dinner are:

• Spaghetti with Roasted Cherry Tomatoes: Buy multicolored tomatoes from your local farmers’ market, or grow your own. Sauté them in olive oil, basil leaves, salt, and pepper. Boil four quarts of water, toss in eight ounces of uncooked spaghetti, and cook until soft. Drain the pasta, mix with the tomato mixture, and add some crumbled goat cheese. This is a beautiful, colorful dish!
• Stir-fry veggies and tofu: Pick up the freshest looking veggies at your grocery store or farmers’ market. Some great vegetables to stir-fry are mushrooms, broccoli, onions, carrots, zucchini, and bell peppers. Buy the items that attract your eye with their bright hues and freshness, like orange/red bell peppers, golden zucchini, and deep green broccoli. Chop, slice, and dice the veggies, sauté in olive oil with chunks of tofu, and serve with steamed brown rice. Sprinkle nuts on top for additional grams of protein.
• Veggie burgers: Grill veggie burgers on your BBQ, just like you would barbecue hamburgers. Serve on whole grain buns with an assortment of fixings, and you’ve got a classic summer meal.

Summer is the time to relax, slow down, and enjoy the season’s bounty of fresh produce. You can make meatless dishes that will satisfy your taste buds and nutritional requirements. Take advantage of all the fruits and vegetables that are ripe and ready to be cooked into recipes for your dining pleasure.

Amaize Sweet Corn- Truly The Best Corn Ever!

Today's post is sponsored by Amaize Sweet Corn. All opinions are strictly my own. 

It's summertime and we are all about the summer veggies. One of our favorites is the classic, fresh corn on the cob. I was watching a segment on a health-related news show a while back and was blown away to find out that close to 90% of our corn is genetically modified. I find that really scary to say that corn is such a common go-to vegetable for families. I was thrilled to be introduced to Amaize sweet corn. Amaize sweet corn is bred using traditional methods through hybridization and is not genetically modified. Amaize is grown locally using conventional farming methods.

So why is this corn so special? It is the sweetest, most crunchy corn I have ever tasted. Some corn tends to get mushy once its cooked. Not Amaize. It stays so crisp and pops in your mouth when you eat it. My family is pretty traditional when it comes to how we like our corn cooked. One of my favorite ways to prepare fresh corn is parboiled in some plain water and then seasoned and grilled on my stove-top cast iron grill. 

I love adding a little something extra to my grilled corn and either grated Parmesan or crumbled feta is a great addition. You can transfer your grilled corn onto a piece of aluminum foil and sprinkle lightly with your choice of cheese and a small pat of butter if desired. Put it back on the grill just for a couple minutes and you will have the most perfect corn on the cob! 

Feta adds a nice salty flavor that pairs perfectly with the abundant sweet taste of the corn. My family raved about how sweet and tasty the corn was. My husband insisted that I must have added sugar to it and I had to ensure him that I did not! It is just that delicious. 

Amaize sweet corn is only available for a limited time-- from June- September in select stores. I am so happy that it is available at my local Food Lion stores. I will be purchasing some to freeze so that we can have some extras for after the summer ends. Check out some of the cooking tips and recipes here and be sure to follow Amaize Sweet Corn on Facebook and Youtube. 

If you are lucky enough to get your hands on some Amaize sweet corn, let me know how you liked it! I am pretty certain that you will LOVE it :) 

Ordering Trees Online- Is it Legit?

Have you ever considered ordering trees or plants online before, but was a bit skeptical? We have been planting trees in our yard since removing the old, overgrown ones. Thankfully for us, we were super lucky to score trees on clearance at our local home improvement stores. So far we have several evergreens, a corkscrew willow and a weeping cherry. Now that the pretty trees are in the ground, we decided on a pretty shade tree. I did many hours of research online and read probably close to one hundred reviews.

We finally settled on getting a Tulip Poplar tree. I went to a few local places and they wanted anywhere from $109-$170 for one. This didn't include delivery or planting. I'm sorry, that was just way too much for one tree. After getting the other ones for so little, I got spoiled and didn't want to spend a lot. I decided to take a chance and order a tulip poplar online for way less than half the cost of what I found locally. The company I used is actually located in SC about an hour from where I live, so this made me feel a little better. I figured if the trees are grown and harvested in SC, then they should be able to thrive. Here is what I got...

I was so thrilled to see how well the tree was packed and that it arrived in excellent shape. I ordered a 4-5 foot tree and got exactly that! The tulip poplar is expected to grow up to 30-50 feet with about 5-7 feet of growth each year. In the spring, it will have bright yellow tulip-like flowers that attract hummingbirds. The leaves will be big and broad, perfect for shade all summer long. In the fall, the leaves are supposed to turn a very bright yellow. It will be beautiful for all seasons! If you want to know where I ordered the tree from, send me an email.

My little guy was so excited to help his dad plant the tree while I supervised. Now we just have to keep it watered and watch it grow. I will post an update later in the year to let you all know how she's doing :)