Are you paralyzed by the words I can't in your life?

Are you paralyzed by the words I can't in your life?

 

Just. Go.

There are a dozen reasons why you can’t.  In fact, there were 6 reasons why I couldn’t write this blog today.  If I told you the reasons you’d roll your eyes and probably utter an ‘oh brother’.  They weren’t life threatening moments but I couldn’t get started.

This reminds of some friends.  Wildly talented women that could take the world by storm.  But they can’t.  They have their reasons and we are the lesser without their contributions.

Let me share something with you – the words “what would you like to do” paralyze me.  I’d rather be told what to do then have the whole world of options open. 

What is my potential now and am I reaching it?  Am I reaching for the stars every day?  Am I standing on tiptoe to dream the impossible dream?  Probably not.  I tend to look at the lack of instead of what there is.  Like counting out your change and realizing you don’t have enough.  But what about what I do have?  Why don’t I feel like that’s enough?  Why must I compare and come up lacking?  I met with some friends the other day and they were so complimentary about our website/products and I kept shushing them down.  But I came home and rewound what they said and I thought “I need to start listening and believing and dreaming more”.  Because seriously, we can do the impossible.  And today is the day to stop listening to the inner critic.  Together.  We need to do this.  No more“I can’t” and more “well, let’s do this, even if I do it slowly”.

Are you with me?  Are you willing for the next 48 hours to say more yeses to yourself?  Ready.  Set.  Go.

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Caron is one of the blooms of Two Blooms Design Studio Est. 2002. She is the dreamer, production manager and the social media wannabe. Caron is married to the word adventure and she will never stop dreaming.

Are you believing a lie that everyone is perfect except you?

Are you believing a lie that everyone is perfect except you?

When the movie “Enchanted” came out I loved it. It stars Amy Adams and Patrick Dempsey.  What struck me most was the scene where Giselle opens the windows of her home and hears the birds chirping and starts singing to them. Her life seems perfect.

Those who know me well have heard me say that some people look like they were dressed by birds. What do I mean by this sentence? It’s the look that someone projects as if they have it all together. Their clothes look amazing and hang perfectly, they move about their day with ease, their hair looks great and they make all the burdens and complexities of life just melt away and seem effortless.  I think these are the type of people that everyone seems to emulate.

The more I get to know some of these people I realize they all have something in common. What we all see outwardly is really preparedness behind the scenes. It doesn’t look like they prepared because we don’t see that part of it. We just get caught up in the here and now. We imagine,  that they just woke up like this and are able to breeze through life.

I’ll give you a few examples of people I’ve seen who seem to embody this breeze through life mentality. One person I know actually plans out her outfits the night before and gets everything ready.  If they are going shopping or have an appointment they gather everything they need for that day.  They allow for last minute interruptions, traffic etc.  for the upcoming event.

Recently I heard a talk online and the presenter was calm, confident and in control of her subject.   Nothing seemed to ruffle her at all. In my naïve imaginings she just was able to pull this presentation out of a hat. I later learned that she had spent over 100 hours preparing for it and had many last minute changes leading up to that day.

So no one is really dressed by birds although we like to think it’s possible. Everyone we idolize  has planned and prepared, so the day of, they manage to look carefree and unruffled.

Have you experienced this?

SHOP TWO BLOOMS

 Hi, I'm Michelle the artist, visionary, creator and designer of Two Blooms Design Studio. I moved from a big city to Vancouver Island and fell in love with the west coast. My world is surrounded by beautiful scents, on trend design and endless possibilities.

Matcha Tea Snack Bar Recipe

Photo Credit:  naturallivingideas.com

Matcha Tea Snack Bar Recipe

   

It's that time of year when summer is almost over and you are looking for healthy snacks to get you through Fall. These are perfect for on the go meals and we love to bring them to our local market where we sell as a quick snack. 

I love Matcha Green Tea lattes. We’ve even used matcha in our soap for a beautiful green colour.  There are days when I’m on the go ie. running errands and I don’t want order a meal because it takes extra time during my day (although sometimes that’s a good thing). Or maybe I’m hiking and want to pack light nutritious snacks to just munch while I'm enjoying the great outdoors. Maybe some of you have kids and want to pack them a healthy lunch snack. Or you are running out to a fitness class and want a snack after you are finished.

Granola bars have always been a fun treat to eat but adding Matcha Tea makes them extraspecial. Did you know that Matcha Green tea is full of antioxidants?  It has the nutritional benefits of 10 cups of regular green tea.  It’s rich in vitamins, chlorophyll and fiber.   It can boost metabolism and help burn calories (but you have to be watching what you are eating and exercising as I know some people think they can eat whatever they want and drink Matcha Tea (if only it were that simple).

We used to host International students at our house as we live near a university and one year a student from Japan brought us Matcha Green Tea and a ceremonial Japanese tea whisk with instructions. Every time I use it I think of her.

Here is the "Matcha Tea Go-Go Bars" in a handy recipe card. Click to read, then there is a little arrow type button on the bottom kinda pointing in one direction and if you click on that there is an option to download it.  

Tips for making this recipe. Really cut dried fruit finely or bars are harder to cut. If you leave it in the fridge too long before cutting it's crumblier. A lower bar height wise will produce a cleaner cut.

Have your tried Matcha Green Tea or used it in some special way?

See our blog posts as soon as they are published.

About Michelle

Michelle is one of the blooms and founder of Two Blooms Design Studio Est. 2002. She is in charge of production, designing all of our labels in house, photography, customer service, alchemist behind all of our scent blends, designer, creator and pretty much whatever else needs to be done.

5 Things You Didn't Know About Coconut Oil

5 things you didn't know about coconut oil

   

Coconut Oil (if it’s pure) smells like coconuts and has that warm almost sweet scent. Most of you are familiar with the scent from suntan lotion (well at least that is the kind I used when I was younger).  Now it’s very trendy as coconut water.  Why is it popular? It’s a great drink high in Vitamin E and it works wonders for dehydration.

It provides shine to your skin and hair due to it’s high Vitamin E content.

Did you know that Coconut oil:

• melts at 250 C (760 Fahrenheit)?

• It’s smoking point is 1770 C (3500 Fahrenheit)

• Ithelps with hair loss. In India it is used to keep hair black, prevent hair loss and also keeps it from going white (I think we all want to use it for that alone).

• prevents dandruff

• Has Anti-Aging and Antioxidant abilities due to it’s saturated fats including Capric, Capryllic Caproic & Acid Acid

• You can use it to clean your face before using a cleanser.

In a study that came out in 2006 subjects with Alzheimers were giving medium chain triglycerides (found in coconut oil) and after 90 minutes there was improved cognitive function.
A recipe I found while researching said it cleared head lice by combining coconut oil with anise spray.

Here is another recipe you can try to rehydrate dry skin.

• Take 2 TBSp of oats and coconut butter (the solid form of the oil)

• Place in a muslin bag

• Heat for 30 seconds or less until it becomes a paste

• Take the bag and roll or massage all over your body.

The ingredients from the coconut oil and the oats will bring back your skins pH levels and you skin will feel smooth.
We love using it as a replacement for oil or non stick spray.

Looking for beauty products with coconut oil?

 

 

Try our Organic lip balms and soaps.

How do you use coconut oil? Let me know in the comments. 

If you enjoy reading our blogspot blog check out our new blog home.

Hi, I'm Michelle the artist, visionary, creator and designer of Two Blooms Design Studio. I moved from a big city to Vancouver Island and fell in love with the west coast. My world is surrounded by beautiful scents, on trend design and endless possibilities.

No Junk Food Here

No Junk Food Here

   

You eat the best so why not wear the best? Today’s spotlight ingredient is Avocado Oil. Did you know that the oil comes from the flesh of the fruit and not the seed?  There are many benefits to this oil besides using it for cooking.  For this article I’ve focused on skin benefits but there are so many benefits to consuming the oil as well.

• It contains Vitamins A, E & D (It is one of the top five foods highest in Vitamin E)

• It has anti-aging properties.

• Applying it will keep your skin supple

• Applying it helps reduce wrinkles

• Great for relieving an itchy scalp

• Use it to help improve hair growth

• Using avocado oil as a moisturizer gives your skin a boost, helps replenish and makes stronger cells within the body. The Vitamin E, lecithin and potassium are readily absorbed into the skin.

• It’s a thicker oil and won’t absorb as quickly as other oils so if you suffer from eczema or extreme dryness, try a thin layer on your skin as it will help prevent itchiness.

• Can be used on burns, cuts or scrapes.  Your skin will heal faster and it may prevent scarring. 

  • Can be used on burns, cuts or scrapes.  Your skin will heal faster and it may prevent scarring.

  • Based on a study done in 2013 in the journal issue of “Dermatology” Avocado Oil combined with B12 may help treat psoriasis.

  • Works great as a makeup remover

  According to Elle Magazine published on September 17, 2014 Avocodo Oil maybe the new Coconut Oil.
  
  Here is a simple recipe you can try:  Try mixing a few drops of avocado oil with a bit of warm water or toner (we have one here) and massaging it into your face and neck.
  
  At Two Blooms we love using this amazing oil in our products. It is in 95 percent of our organic Soaps, Nerola Skin Nourish, Deodorant, lip balms and lotions.
                                                                                                                                             Research by:  Avocado Oil Benefits, Natural Living Ideas, Live Strong, Pretty in Primal
  

 

 

  Hi, I’m Michelle the founder of Two Blooms Design Studio Est. 2002. I’m in charge of production, designing all of our labels in house, photography, customer service, alchemist behind all of our scent blends, designer, creator and pretty much whatever else needs to be done.

What happened to the lost art of penmanship?

What happened to the lost art of penmanship?

The other day I had to hand write a thank you card and it was agony. It’s not that I never jot down notes during the day but I print quickly and get on with the next task. What happened to the art of handwriting?  The reason writing was such agony? I had to slow down, concentrate on forming letters and write as neatly as possible.  The card stock was beautiful and naturally I made mistakes but covered them up with my hand drawn loops and hoped the recipient didn't notice.  The whole process made me sad. What had happened to me?

Years ago I remember getting letters in the mail and writing all the time. In fact I love fountain pens and started collecting them years ago. To this day I love the feel of the nib on malleable paper. There is something majestic about the whole process. In this fast paced world of constant technology and trying to do things quicker we’ve lost something in the process. Even typing on a computer loses that connection to the paper and to the art of penmanship. 

Writing that card made me realize I have to more of it and often. It forces me to think, to connect, to slow down and use concentrate. I simply can’t zone out.  It takes me back to my childhood and to a deep appreciation of the past. Using a fountain pen makes me feel I’m in a different century where life is meant to be savoured and not rushed?

When is the last time you hand wrote a letter? Why not give it a try.

Like what you've read? Check out our main blog page. 

Hi, I’m Michelle the founder of Two Blooms Design Studio Est. 2002. I’m in charge of production, designing all of our labels in house, photography, customer service, alchemist behind all of our scent blends, designer, creator and pretty much whatever else needs to be done.

Mouth watering Zucchini Noodle Pad Thai

Mouth watering Zucchini Noodle Pad Thai

Photo Credit:  Google Images

It's been pretty hot here on Vancouver Island this summer and you know those muggy days where you just don't feel like eating much. Lately I've been craving lighter vegetarian meals so I was thrilled when Caron (the other bloom and my sister) found this divine vegan recipe. We had it earlier this week and it is one of my new favourites.

Here is what you'll need for the noodle part:

• 2 zucchinis (spiralized see below)

• 2 TBSP olive oil

• 2 large cloves garlic, minced

• 1 red bell pepper, seeded & sliced

• 4 green onions, sliced

• 2 cups bean sprouts

• 1/4 cup raw cashews (Reserve before serving)

• some lime wedges for serving (optional)

The sauce:

• 2 TBSP rice vinegar or white vinegar

• 1-2 TBSP fish sauce

• 2 TBSP ketchup

• 1 teaspoon (5ml) packed brown sugar

• 1/2 tsp cayenne pepper

• 1 tsp chili garlic sauce

• 1 tsp Soy Sauce

• 1 TBSP toasted sesame seeds (add before serving)

   

  Directions:

• Get Your Zucchini and use a Spiralizer or veggie Peeler

• Put a TBSP of Olive in the pan and add heat to cook

• Add your garlic, pepper, green onions & bean sprouts and cook for about 3-4 minutes or until done

• While you are waiting prepare your sauce & toast your sesame seeds

• Once your veggies are cooked pour into bowl and add sauce

• Before serving add your toasted sesame seeds and cashews and serve

• We pan fried our noodles right before serving for 3 minutes but next time we'll use them raw, heating them made them a little mushy but still very good.

For other variations add:  meat, chicken or tofu.
You now have a recipe that will impress your family/guests. Let me know in the comments if you try it out.  Like what you've read? Keep with us at our blog.

Hi, I'm Michelle the artist, visionary, creator and designer of Two Blooms Design Studio. I moved from a big city to Vancouver Island and fell in love with the west coast. My world is surrounded by beautiful scents, on trend design and endless possibilities.

Let me show you how to turn a lemon seed into solitude

Photo Credit: Unknown

 Let me show you how to turn a lemon seed into solitude

Plant. Wait. Grow

The cashier asked me where I got the glue.  I waved over to the front of the store and she said ‘school supplies?’ and I said ‘yes’, because that was the area I bought it in.  She automatically reduced the price assuming I was buying school supplies for my children.  What does this have to with lemon seeds and solitude? Read on to find out more.

It didn’t dawn on me until I got home what she meant.  I thought she was referring to the section of the store, she meant were they school supplies.  I tabulated the nine cents of savings and decided it wasn’t worth the drive back to the store.

Its ingrained in me after years of teaching school.  No matter where in the world I taught (Canada, US, Hawaii (I know its in the US, but it deserves special mention), Panama, Fiji, Russia – the school year brings a sense of anticipation to children worldwide (and the same sense of relief to parents :)
It’s a new school year and to me it’s the real new years.  It’s the time to clean up from a wild summer of BBQ’s, lemon iced tea, beach parties and trips to the cabin (or, if you’re an entrepreneur, a summer of working way into the night and catching glimpses of the neighbours as they come home with tales from the beach :)

So whether you’re prepping for school lunches or just slogging away at the same old, same old – I have a challenge for you.  The lemon you squeeze in your water?  Take those seeds and plant them in a pot of soil.  Put it on your windowsill and watch the magic of newness unfold.  Even if it doesn’t sprout into a lemon tree, the new leaves unfurling will remind you that there’s still a whole lot of life still to be lived.  New challenges, new joys and new days ahead.  So don’t get too bogged in the day to day stuff, plant something and watch what blooms and enjoy the solitude.

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About Caron:  Caron is one of the blooms of Two Blooms Design Studio Est. 2002. She is the dreamer, production manager and the social media wannabe. Caron is married to the word adventure and she will never stop dreaming.
                                                                                                                                                                                                                        

"How Do I Order That?"

Some customers aren't sure how to order from our website. I decided to do a video to explain the process.  By practising the ordering steps it showed me a few mistakes I needed to fix.

 I pretended as if I had never been to this site and tried to view it from a customer's point of view.

A tutorial on ordering from Two Blooms Design Studio.

Some quick tips:

• Don't be hard on yourself. I find I often get impatient with my mouse and wanted it to be quicker as you'll notice in a few spots in the video where I impatiently push the button repeatedly. My mouse batteries are running a bit low which is why it wasn't it's usually snappy self. If you make a mistake, just contact us in the contact form and let us know. We are happy to help.
• There is always an option to change the quantity either through a little up or down arrow to the right of the quantity box or you may just see a number that you can change. 
• If you get to the end of the order and are ready to check out and see something you didn't want you can always click the x next to the item to delete it. I forgot to show that option in the video.

My hope is you find this video helpful. If you have suggestions or questions just let us know.

Don't forget to check out our blog home.

About Michelle

Michelle is one of the blooms and founder of Two Blooms Design Studio Est. 2002. She is in charge of production, designing all of our labels in house, photography, customer service, alchemist behind all of our scent blends, designer, creator and pretty much whatever else needs to be done.

I'm All About That Butter, Bout That Butter

I’m All About that Butter, Bout That Butter

All images taken from Google Images.

Ghanaian women have used the wild Shea Butter fruit for years. They use it to protect themselves from the intense heat and hot dry winds coming from the Sahara. Their skin looks fantastic so it’s no wonder this fruit has gotten such a good reputation.  The shea butter we use is completely unrefined and wild crafted by the Wali women in Ghana.

Shea Butter is used for it’s emollient and moisturizing benefits. It’s rich in vitamins and penetrates deeply into the skin leaving a smooth, satiny finish.  The natural version has a slightly nutty smoky odour and is usually a golden yellow colour with darker spots in it.

Did you know that shea butter has been used for years to help heal scars, sores, burns, psoriasis, dandruff and stretch marks.  It contains cinnamic acid, a substance that helps protect against UV rays. It is high in Vitamin A which can help with blemishes and wrinkles.

While some people don’t like the smell of the natural unrefined shea butter I quite like the nutty smoky aroma. The type we use has a smoky scent as it’s heated over the fires in Ghana. With essential oils added you are left with a beautiful subtle scent.

Here are my top reasons to use Shea Butter:
1.     Works wonders on dry skin.
2.     Helps soothe rashes.
3.     Can be used on sunburns to soothe sun damaged skin
4.     Many use it on stretch marks
5.     Helps itchy skin
6.     Protect skin against sun and wind which is how the women in Ghana use it.
7.     It’s ultra moisturizing
8.     Helps dry dull lifeless hair

Here is a recipe I found: Use a small amount like a teaspoon and apply evenly all over your hair.  Wrap hair in warm towel and leave on for 20-30 minutes. Shampoo as usual and apply Shea Butter again if your hair is really dry or damaged.

I make no medical claims about Shea Butter. This information is based on my research.

Looking for shea butter products? May I suggest:

Our Organic Lotions:  Organic Bliss, Calm Coast, or Lemon Grove

P.S. I've made it easier to add comments for those having problems trying to post.

See our new blog.

Hi, I'm Michelle the artist, visionary, creator and designer of Two Blooms Design Studio. I moved from a big city to Vancouver Island and fell in love with the west coast. My world is surrounded by beautiful scents, on trend design and endless possibilities.

Hang on to August

Mystic Beach Vancouver Island, BC

Hang on to August

Enjoy the End of Summer

It happens every year. We anxiously wait for spring, then summer to appear when August hits all of the sudden it’s swept away into fall. But wait….it’s still August and there are just over 2 weeks left to enjoy the lovely weather (well at least in Canada and the USA). I know school starts in August in the USA but here in Canada it doesn’t start until early September and if you’re not in school it’s a moot point anyway.  So ignore all those people talking about prepping for Halloween, or those chatting about Fall and what to wear (maybe keep one ear open for fashion trends J) 

So why does August get lost? I really don’t know but I do know that the world rushes by at a dizzying pace so refuse to let that happen. When someone talks about an event after August just say you are trying to enjoy August.

What can you do in 2 weeks? A lot, actually so here’s a handy dandy list to soak up the last days of summer. If you are in BC the nice weather goes well into September and sometimes can creep into early October.

1.     Head to a local coffee shop, sit outside, enjoy every sip of that coffee/tea/cold drink.  Relish the beautiful day, people watch or chat with a friend about anything.

2.     Walk, bike or drive to an ocean and listen to the waves, walk along the shore.

3.     Pick a new area of town to explore and just enjoy all the sights and sounds.

4.     Read a good book or magazine and make a nice tea or coffee at home.

5.     Hike with a friend up a mountain or trail.

6.     Sit with a candle outside and watch the sunset

7.     Make a picnic and head to the beach.

How do you spend the last days of summer where you live?

See our delightful blog here.

About Michelle:  Hi, I'm Michelle the artist, visionary, creator and designer of Two Blooms Design Studio. I moved from a big city to Vancouver Island and fell in love with the west coast. My world is surrounded by beautiful scents, on trend design and endless possibilities.

Photo Credit:  Facebook

Its S’More time I Say!!

So maybe you won’t pack your tent this weekend, you can still enjoy a smore and wait for it – WITH YOUR OWN HANDMADE MARSHMALLOWS!!  Be warned, once you eat home made, you will never be able to eat another puffed ball of store bought mallowness again.

Here’s a recipe from Alton Brown that is perfect.
Ingredients

• 3 packages unflavored gelatin
• 1 cup ice cold water, divided
• 12 ounces granulated sugar, approximately 1 1/2 cups
• 1 cup light corn syrup
• 1/4 teaspoon kosher salt
• 1 teaspoon vanilla extract
• 1/4 cup confectioners' sugar
• 1/4 cup cornstarch
• Nonstick spray

Directions

Place the gelatin into the bowl of a stand mixer along with 1/2 cup of the water. Have the whisk attachment standing by.

In a small saucepan combine the remaining 1/2 cup water, granulated sugar, corn syrup and salt. Place over medium high heat, cover and allow to cook for 3 to 4 minutes. Uncover, clip a candy thermometer onto the side of the pan and continue to cook until the mixture reaches 240 degrees F, approximately 7 to 8 minutes. Once the mixture reaches this temperature, immediately remove from the heat.

Turn the mixer on low speed and, while running, slowly pour the sugar syrup down the side of the bowl into the gelatin mixture. Once you have added all of the syrup, increase the speed to high. Continue to whip until the mixture becomes very thick and is lukewarm, approximately 12 to 15 minutes. Add the vanilla during the last minute of whipping. While the mixture is whipping prepare the pans as follows.
For regular marshmallows:

Combine the confectioners' sugar and cornstarch in a small bowl. Lightly spray a 13 by 9-inch metal baking pan with nonstick cooking spray. Add the sugar and cornstarch mixture and move around to completely coat the bottom and sides of the pan. Return the remaining mixture to the bowl for later use.

When ready, pour the......continue here.

About Caron:  Caron is one of the blooms of Two Blooms Design Studio Est. 2002. She is the dreamer, production manager and the social media wannabe. Caron is married to the word adventure and she will never stop dreaming.