Product & Service Spotlight: Aloe Facial Cleanser & Mini-Facials

Aloe Facial Cleanser

Rich, Moisturizing Lotion for Normal & Dry Skin

Like no other cleanser -- this product contains no soap! Cleaning is done with active enzymes (naturally present in aloe vera) that penetrate into pores to wash away dirt, makeup and excess oil.

Moisten face with Aloe Misting Spray or water, apply a small amount of the lotion cleanser, massage lightly and remove with a towel. You can actually clean without water -- so convenient (think camping!).

Lecithin in the cleanser will emulsify the oils to be cleansed from deep pores. This vegetable lecithin adds collagen and elastin for better skin tone.

The calming and anti-inflammatory properties of chamomile will soothe irritation and reduce puffiness making it excellent on areas of eczema and psoriasis too. Enjoy the smooth and never-dry feeling after you remove this lotion cleanser.

Available in sample size $1 each, 4oz $11, 8oz $18. 

Mini-Facial 

Cleanse--using either the Aloe Facial Cleanser described above or Aloe Enzyme Cleanser for oily skin or a deeper cleansing for normal-dry skin, pH toner, skin firming mask, and moisturizer--using Aloe Milk Moisture, Aloe Moisture Cream, or Day-Night Emollients, depending on your skin's needs.

This is, as the name implies, a Mini-Facial. It won't be the extensive facial you'd get from an esthetician, but is a wonderful way to extend your relaxation time during a massage. Usually, I will do the Mini-Facial at the end of the massage and incorporate more facial massage as well. When adding on to your massage, just let me know before we get started that you'd like to do the Mini-Facial also, to be sure I'll have time and finish preparing for this service.

Available as an Add-On for $15 or a la carte for $30.

Recipe of the Month: Tomato Basil Pasta Salad PLUS a Bonus Pasta Salad Recipe

My sister found this recipe last summer and kindly passed it on to us. It's become a favorite for sure.

Tomato Basil Pasta Salad

Ingredients

1 1/2 cups grape/cherry tomatoes, cut in half

1/3 cup chopped red onion

1/4 cup extra-virgin olive oil

2 tbsp red wine vinegar

1 tsp minced garlic

1/2 tsp salt

1/2 tsp pepper

1/4 tsp dried oregano

12 oz. your favorite pasta, we usually use wheat rotelle

1 cup fresh basil leaves, cut into thin strips

Directions

1. Put tomatoes, onions, olive oil, vinegar, garlic, salt, pepper and oregano in a large bowl; toss. Let stand at room temperature at least 30 minutes or until tomatoes release their juices, tossing occasionally.
2. Cook pasta. Drain and add to bowl with tomatoes; lightly toss. Let come to room temperature. Add basil; toss. Serve at room temperature up to one day.

Bonus Pasta Salad Recipe

This recipe doesn't actually have a name. It's a sauce recipe (French Dressing?) that I got from one of the girls I went to massage school with. I hadn't made it in YEARS and suddenly a couple weeks ago, I HAD to have it, and searched through my stockpile of cookbooks, recipe clippings, online, etc. Finally found it, and love it as much as ever. The quantities for sugar and oil seemed a bit excessive to me (at 1 cup for each!), so you may want to play around with how much works for you. Enjoy!

Ingredients

1/2-2/3 cup sugar

1/2 tbsp paprika

1 tsp dry mustard

1/2 tbsp salt

1/2 cup cider vinegar

1/2-2/3 cup salad oil, olive oil works well

Optional add-ins: 1-2 cans tuna, sliced olives, onion, etc.

Directions

1. Mix all ingredients well in large bowl.
2. Cook your favorite pasta, our's is medium-size wheat shells. Drain. Mix with sauce. 

The sauce won't appear to be that much in the bowl, but it really coats a lot of pasta. Be prepared to have a large, very full bowl of pasta when you make this, or consider halving the sauce recipe.

Upcoming Events: Welcome June and Sunshine!

Welcome June, and your long lost friend Sunshine!! 

Who do you know that's graduating this month? What an exciting time in life, closing one chapter and bursting with energy to move on to the next. Show them you care and wish them well as they follow their journey in life. I have special "Congratulations" gift certificates, if you find that helpful. 

Father's Day is coming up June 19, and while I do prefer to work with women's bodies as opposed to men's, your husbands, dads, sons, and brothers are welcome--gift certificates are available if he's like MY dad, that is impossible to shop for otherwise.

This month, I decided Summer Thunder would be our tunes to relax to. This CD is fairly quiet--one track in particular, so enjoy the added moments of peace between the piano, rain and thunder--on the CD, hopefully not so much outside! ;)

So the weathermen say we'll be seeing sunshine and warmer temps this weekend--let's keep our fingers crossed! Supposing the weather follows suit, I expect the weekend warriors will be out in their yards, out at the park with the kids and dog, or otherwise overdoing themselves in true Oregonian form. I also expect that'll bring some sore bodies come next week. Good news for you--my schedule has some play in it this month. If you find yourself a stiff pile of sore muscles, be sure to seek relief for it, so you can be ready to get back out there when the sun strikes us again. 

Remember to put on sunscreen before you head out, and drive safely. Keep aware of "the other driver." As you may or may not know already, I do insurance billing for clients who've been in car accidents. More often than not, my clients are the people who were rear-ended, not the people who rear-ended someone else. In either case, I'm here to help you recover if you find yourself in such a situation. The 4 clients I've been working with over the past several months have improved dramatically, resulting in my schedule now being more open and able to accommodate a new set of these clients. While I don't wish the trauma of a car accident upon anyone, please keep me in mind if you find yourself or someone you know in that situation.

Recent feedback has been helpful and is appreciated. In the next week, I will be adding a "Share" menu button to my website (like the one below), making it easier for you to send others to check out my website. Follow me on Facebook to get more frequent notifications of changes I'm making, and get involved.

A Dose of Inspiration: Balancing Time

A week managed to pass me by without getting my last blog written. 

My email started piling up again.

I had a 3day weekend, enjoying time with family, soaking up some R & R with a sick kid.

Yep. Excuses. We all have them. So this morning, I set myself back on track, nevermind hitting snooze and all my other begrudgements. 

First things first, I spent 45 minutes on the phone correcting my order for brochures, business cards, etc. Couldn't let a terrific price slip by. And then....procrastination about that blog came rushing back. The email inbox daunting me all over.

Small steps. Chip away at the email, delete the things that are quick to make decisions about.

Harder steps. There's still more email than I'd like to see. Dig deeper. I read the posts on blogs of two other people--one is also a massage therapist, the other is a marketing guru. Both got me moving. And by reading them, a part of my goals were met (eliminating the email beast), my procrastination dwindled (taking action!!).

Besides meeting my goal of actually posting this blog, what IS my point? Balancing time is an on-going struggle for me, which I fully admit. But I'm also hoping to show my struggles in a way to help others realize they aren't alone, and to reach success in life together, one small accomplishment at a time. 

Tell me your struggles, tricks, and accomplishments in the comments below.

Product & Service Spotlight: Aloe Foot & Callus Rub, Foot Polish

We're finally beginning to see some sunshine!! YAY! How ready are your feet for flip-flop and sandal season? If your feet have calluses, rough spots, are very dry/cracked, or you're just interested in preventing those things, my spotlight product Aloe Foot & Callus Rub and Foot Polish service would be helpful for you.

Aloe Foot & Callus Rub cools hot, tired feet, softens calluses and corns. When I massage your feet, this is the stuff I use. Contains 60% aloe, vitamins A & E, and menthol. Currently, I have samples available for you to try out, and I plan to stock up again soon on the 4oz size. If you'd like to have some to keep your feet super soft throughout the summer, let me know soon so I can be sure to order yours. Planning to place my order in the next week. Samples are $1 each, the 4oz size is $11.

The Foot Polish may not be what you expect. The polish is really a scrub, not nail polish. You'll begin with soaking your feet in foot bath with some Lavender Wash for 10 minutes. I'll apply some Lavender Wash directly on callused areas. Then, I'll remove your feet one at a time and towel dry, lightly misting with Aloe Misting Spray. I'll then apply a cream made with Foot & Callus Rub and Comfrey Gel to your feet and lower legs, covering with plastic film, then warm towel. These stay on for 10 minutes, then I'll polish your feet and legs with a scrub cloth soaked in heated Aloe Vera Liquid. Next, I'll pat you dry with a warm towel, apply Cuticle Aid and small amount Foot & Callus Rub. 

This service can be added on to a massage for $10, or $20 as a stand-alone service. You are welcome to purchase a scrub cloth. Small size is $6, large is $9. Aloe Vera Liquid and Cuticle Aid are also available in sample sizes for $1 each. 

Recipe of the Month: Breakfast Casserole

(Not sure what happened to the original post, seems to have disappeared, so here it is again.)

Our usual weekend breakfast consists of homemade (not a big deal for me to make, but to some it is) wheat waffles, smothered in either that blueberry sauce or peanut butter and maple syrup, so this breakfast casserole really was something special for us. Hope you enjoy!

Breakfast Casserole

Ingredients

2- 12oz packages breakfast sausage links

6 English muffins, cut or torn into 1" cubes

1 cup (4oz) shredded cheddar cheese

1 cup (4oz) shredded mozzarella cheese

1/2 cup onions, chopped

1/2 cup red pepper, chopped

1/2 cup green pepper, chopped

12 eggs

2 cups milk

1/4 tsp. salt

1/4 tsp. pepper

1/4 cup bacon bits (I used Costco's real bacon bits, also delicious added to green salads and baked potatoes)

Directions

1. Cook sausage according to package directions. Cool slightly; cut into 1/4" slices.
2. In a greased 13x9" baking dish, layer half the English muffin cubes and half the cooked sausage. Repeat layers. Top with cheese, onion and peppers.
3. In a large bowl, combine the eggs, milk, salt, and pepper. Pour over casserole. Sprinkle with bacon. Cover and refrigerate overnight.
4. Remove from the refrigerator 30 minutes before baking (husbands that wake up earlier on weekends than they do during the week are excellent at this part!). Uncover and bake at 350*F for 45-50 minutes, or until a knife inserted into the center comes out clean. (I'm a bit uneasy with under-cooked eggs, so I kept mine in there quite a bit longer. It just may be our oven than I'm still getting used to, but beware, it might take more time than indicated here.) Let stand 5 minutes. Makes 12 servings.  

Upcoming Events: Mother's Day

Happy May! This month's CD we're enjoying during your massage and spa treatment sessions is Columbia River Gorge by Gary Jess, gifted to me by one of my wonderful clients last week. It has a lot of piano--something I don't think I have in my other CDs, so I, for one, am excited for having something different. One of my clients over the weekend commented that it sounded "royal wedding-y." Come take a listen--unless otherwise requested (and you are always able to bring your own music or request something else), it'll be playing all this month.


Mother's Day is just around the corner. I hear backyard barbecue pits make nice gifts, and massages do as well! Gift certificates are available. You may purchase one (or as many as you might need) directly from my website, by phone, or in person after contacting me to set up a time to meet at the office. As always, cash, check, Visa and MasterCard are accepted. I'm now able to accept your Discover cards as well.


With any luck, we'll find ourselves with more flowers and sunshine this month. If you wind up sore from gardening, yardwork, sports, etc, you'll also have better chances to get in for appointments now that my husband's bowling leagues are done. Tuesdays and Thursdays will soon be marked open for evening appointments--he still gets to go collect his winnings! His recent 278 game helped his team win the league!