Mother’s day

A mother shapes, molds and hugs you.
She sends you out into the world with
a warm sweater and a word of advice,
then counts the minutes until you return
home safely. No one will ever care as
much about your joys and sorrows. No
one will be as interested in your dreams. So, just as motherhood is an art, the
perfect Mother's Day gift should be a
work of art!

Give your mom a Mother’s Day gift that makes her feel as special as she always makes you feel.

Lips

LipStick

Manners maketh a man but a lipstick maketh a woman!! Find out how you can attain sexy and sheer lips guaranteed to seduce!!

Firstly we all need to understand that lips also need protection even more so than our facial skin. As their protective layer known as stratum corneum is very thin so choose a non medicated stick like the Nivea Lip Care Daily Care and apply it daily to keep lips soft and supple. For serious flaking or soreness, look for products that contain camphor, menthol as both are soothers and always remember to apply lip balm underneath lipstick as it makes the lipstick easier to remove and cause less damage.

Some best tips to Sexy lips.

1. Here's the best bet to setting your lip colour. No matter what the texture of your lipstick is always apply lip balm first to soften and smoothen the skin. If your lips are chapped apply some Vaseline and softly rub your lips with a soft muslin cloth to remove dead skin leaving your lips looking healthier.

2. The first step to a fashionable mouth is to define your lipline, if you want to make your lips appear smaller use colours like dark berry or chocolate shades which make lips look thinner also apply the liner on the inner boundary of your natural line. On the contrary if you want a more fuller look recreate your lipline slightly above your natural line and use a sheeny or sheer moisturising lip stick in warm coal, rosy pink or a bronzed caramel tone. Make even more of your mouth by applying little gloss in the middle of your lower lip.

3. After a proper definition apply your lipstick with a lip brush this gives a more even and lasting look to the lipstick, then blot with a tissue. You can dust some powder through a single ply tissue to achieve a sophisticated matte look or reapply another coat of lipstick for intense colour.

4. If you always land up with lipstick on your teeth than simply put your index finger in your mouth, close your lips around it and slowly pull it out of your mouth. The residue will stick to your finger.

5. The new -look of glossy shimmering lips can be achieved easily by applying a gloss that matches your lipstick colour so it enhances the actual tone as well as add shine. Or think of updating a tired browny lipstick with a lick of shiny gold shimmer- it's instant sun-kissed splendor on your lips.

6. You can also choose a nude shade close to your own skin colouring and apply carefully with a brush all the way to the edges of the lipline and add a new dimension with a touch of sheer gloss for a striking effect for day and night.

7. You can also opt for one of the most versatile, classic and ageless colour red. By tapping your ring finger onto your red lipstick and apply them to your lips by dotting on the colour and then spreading it . Apply sheer gloss to add a touch of class. You can also decrease the voltage of red by applying a nude/natural lipstick as base colour.

General Tips for Lips

-Apply cold cream or moisturizer or lip balm before applying lipstick.

-To get natural pink lips apply beet root juice before bed.

-Grind rose petals and apply on lips to get smooth pink lips

-If you have thinner lips use more neutral lip color.

-If you want different shade of lip color mix two or three lipstick colors together and use as new lip color.

-If your face is bumpy, irritate or ruddy, or rash don’t use true red color, till you get normal skin. Red will show more attention on the skin.

-Pale shades makes lip look fuller.

-Apply menthol based lip balm and take an old brush and brush gently on lips ( don’t rub too hard, because lip are very sensitive) to get rid off chapped lips.

How to get those oomph lips

Follow the natural contours of your lips, outline the lips with a lip pencil. Match your lipstick or use one shade lighter or darker. Fill in lips with pencil for extra staying power.

• Dab some lipstick onto the back of your hand to warm and soften the colour. Dip a brush into the lipstick on your hand, then apply it over the liner and carefully fill in the lips.

• With a tissue wrapped around your index finger, gently dab at the lip line to blend and soften any hard pencil lines. Reapply lipstick for the last finish.

• Add a mole a la Cindy Crawford to give yourself that ultra romantic look.

Facial Mask for Oily Skin

Facial Mask for Oily Skin

Ingredients:

1/2 teaspoon tomato juice from fresh tomatoes

1/2 teaspoon potato juice from grated fresh potatoes

Mix it into a tablespoon of wholemeal flour and a half teaspoon cornstarch, mix well. Add water if necessary and apply on face and wait for 10 - 12 minutes.

Wash off with lukewarm water for glowing fresh looking skin. You can use it every day.

*****
For oily skin, mash up a ripe tomato and leave it on for 15 to 20 minutes. Rinse with warm (not hot) water.

U can use these masks for your oily skin. These are really good.

1. Soak 4-5 almonds overnight. Next morning peel and make a very fine paste. Mix 1/2 a teaspoon honey in this and apply. Wash after 20 minutes.

2. Take 1 tablespoon of fullers earth or multani mitti and 1 teaspoon rose water. Soak the mud for a while with very little water. When it is moist and pliable add rose water and mix. Apply on the face for 15-20 minutes. Let it dry and gently wash.

3. 1 egg white with 1 tablespoon honey. Mix both together and apply with a brush. Wash after 7-10 minutes.

4. Mix 1 tablespoon orange peel powder with 1 tablespoon honey and 1/2 teaspoon lime juice. Apply and leave for 10 minutes. Wash.

5. 2 tablespoons corn starch, 2 teaspoons margosa leaf juice, 2 teaspoons sandalwood powder and 2-3 drops of olive oil. Mix. Apply with a brush. Let it dry well. Wash with cold water.

Take 4 tablespoons mint paste and grind fresh mint leaves, 1/4 cup ripe papaya pulp, 2 teaspoons gram flour and 1/2 limejuice. Mix and apply. Wash after 15 minutes.

Oily Skin - Scrubs

1. After a bath, and as a base for make-up use some diluted lime juice. Dab it on very lightly on the face. Wait for 10 minutes before using foundation or make up.

2. Diluted buttermilk is also dabbed on the face and left on the face for 10-15 minutes before any other application.

3. While preparing for a night out or a very special party, rub a cube of ice all over the face. Let it dry and then use make up.

4. Slice an apple very thinly. Place these on the face and leave for 15 minutes. These soak up extra oil and also helps to close pores.

5. Take 1/2 a cup of rice flour, and 1/2 a cup of mashed ripe papaya. Add the juice of 1/2 a lime. Wet the face and gently massage the face with the paste. Always do the neck also.

6. Take 1/2 cup of green gram powder, add 1 tablespoon of yogurt. Add enough water to make a paste. Use it to scrub the face gently. Wash with cold water. Do not use soap after the treatment.

Three Cheese Green Salad

INGREDIENTS

• 1 large head leaf lettuce - rinsed, dried and torn into bite-size pieces
• 1 cup cubed Swiss cheese
• 1 cup crumbled feta cheese
• 1 cup shredded Parmesan cheese
• 1 cup toasted pecan pieces
• 1/2 cup olive oil
• 1/2 cup white balsamic vinegar
• 1 tablespoon Italian seasoning
• 1 tablespoon freshly ground black pepper

DIRECTIONS

1. Combine lettuce, Swiss cheese, feta cheese, Parmesan cheese and pecans in a large bowl. In a small bowl, whisk together oil, vinegar, Italian seasoning, and pepper. Add dressing to salad and toss well.

Oven Baked Jambalaya

INGREDIENTS

• 1/2 cup butter
• 1 large onion, diced
• 1 large green bell pepper, chopped
• 4 stalks celery, chopped
• 4 cloves garlic, minced
• 1 (6 ounce) can tomato paste
• 3 bay leaves
• 3 tablespoons Creole Seasoning Blend
• 4 teaspoons Worcestershire sauce
• 2 (28 ounce) cans whole peeled tomatoes
• 7 cups chicken stock
• 3 cups chopped cooked ham
• 3 cups cooked andouille sausage, sliced
• 3 cups cooked chicken, cut into bite-sized pieces
• 3 cups frozen cooked shrimp
• 4 cups uncooked long-grain white rice

DIRECTIONS

1. Preheat oven to 350 degrees F (175 degrees C).
2. Melt butter in large stock pot. Saute onion, green pepper, celery and garlic until tender, being careful not to burn the garlic. Add tomato paste and cook to brown slightly, stirring constantly. Stir in bay leaves, Creole seasoning blend and Worcestershire sauce. Pour into a large roasting pan. Squeeze tomatoes to break up into pieces, and add to mixture in pan. Stir in juice from tomatoes, chicken stock, ham, sausage, chicken, shrimp and rice. Mix well. Cover tightly with aluminum foil.
3. Bake in preheated oven for 1 1/2 hours, stirring once halfway through baking time. Remove bay leaves before serving.

Easy Vegetable Soup

INGREDIENTS

• 46 ounces tomato-vegetable juice cocktail
• 1 (14.5 ounce) can diced tomatoes with green chile peppers
• 2 (15 ounce) cans mixed vegetables, drained
• 1 (15 ounce) can kidney beans
• 2 potatoes, peeled and cubed

DIRECTIONS

1. In a pot, mix together the tomato-vegetable juice, diced tomatoes, mixed vegetables, kidney beans and potatoes. Simmer over medium low heat for at least 30 minutes.

Poppy Seed Chicken

INGREDIENTS

• 6 skinless, boneless chicken breast halves - diced
• 1 (10.75 ounce) can condensed cream of chicken soup
• 1 (8 ounce) container sour cream
• 2 tablespoons dry sherry
• salt and pepper to taste
• 8 ounces buttery round crackers, crushed
• 1 1/2 tablespoons poppy seeds
• 1/2 cup butter, melted

DIRECTIONS

1. Preheat to 350 degrees F (175 degrees C).
2. Place the diced chicken breasts on the bottom of a 9x13 inch baking dish sprayed with a nonstick cooking spray. In a bowl combine the soup, sour cream and sherry. Pour or spoon mixture over the chicken. Sprinkle salt and pepper on top.
3. Mix the poppy seeds and crushed crackers and sprinkle mixture over the chicken, salt and pepper. Drizzle the melted butter or margarine over the cracker/poppyseed layer and bake covered in the preheated oven for 30 to 45 minutes (take cover off for the last 5 minutes). Let stand a few minutes before servings.

Shrimp Lemon Pepper Linguini

INGREDIENTS

• 1 (8 ounce) package linguine pasta
• 1 tablespoon olive oil
• 6 cloves garlic, minced
• 1/2 cup chicken broth
• 1/4 cup white wine
• 1 lemon, juiced
• 1/2 teaspoon lemon zest
• salt to taste
• 2 teaspoons freshly ground black pepper
• 1 pound fresh shrimp, peeled and deveined
• 1/4 cup butter
• 3 tablespoons chopped fresh parsley
• 1 tablespoon chopped fresh basil

DIRECTIONS

1. Bring a large pot of lightly salted water to a boil. Add linguine, and cook for 9 to 13 minutes or until al dente; drain.
2. Heat oil in a large saucepan over medium heat, and saute garlic about 1 minute. Mix in chicken broth, wine, lemon juice, lemon zest, salt, and pepper. Reduce heat, and simmer until liquid is reduced by about 1/2.
3. Mix shrimp, butter, parsley, and basil into the saucepan. Cook 2 to 3 minutes, until shrimp is opaque. Stir in the cooked linguine, and continue cooking 2 minutes, until well coated.

Blanching and Shocking Vegetables

1. Blanching and shocking can be used to cook almost any vegetable. We have chosen to use green beans to illustrate the method. The green beans have been washed, and the ends have been cut off.

2. Prepare a pot of salted, boiling water and an ice bath (a bowl full of ice and water). The salt will permeate the outer walls of the vegetable being blanched and enhance the flavors. If you would rather not use salt, plain boiling water will suffice.

3. Place your vegetables a few at a time into the boiling water, being careful not to crowd them. Keep the water at a consistent boil. Test the vegetables for doneness after a minute or so; green beans should be crisp, yet cooked. To test larger vegetables like broccoli, insert a small sharp knife into the thick part of the stem. If the broccoli clings to the knife, it needs more time. If the knife slides in and out easily, the broccoli is ready to be shocked.

4. Once you have established that the vegetables are cooked, quickly remove them from the boiling water and plunge them into the ice bath (this act is called "shocking"). Immersing the vegetables in ice water will halt the cooking process completely.

5. Keep the vegetables in the ice water long enough for them to cool completely, then drain them well. If you remove the vegetables from the ice bath before they finish cooling, they will continue to cook from the inside out resulting in a mushy finished product.

Janu Shirshasana

Janu Shirshasana

Of all the Yoga poses or Asanas, Janu Shirshasana is one of the most important. Janu Shirshasana helps in stretching and opens back and hamstrings and improves flexibility of the body. First of all, sit on the floor with your legs extended in front of you. Bending one leg, bring the heel of the foot as close to the groin as possible. For comfort you may place a pillow under the bent knee. Always make sure that your spine is straight. Start turning your body a little so that you face out over the extended leg. Breathe in and raise your arms over your head.

Thereafter exhale and begin to move forward in a slow fashion. Remember to keep your back as straight as possible. Do not bend at the hips; concentrate on lifting the tailbone and rolling forward on your sitz bones. Breathe in and extend and straighten up the spine. Start exhaling and slowly roll forward. In order to move faster use thigh muscles. This helps in releasing the hamstrings thereby giving you more flexibility. After moving as far as you can, lower your arms and hold your foot. Remain in the same position for some time and breathe. Thereafter, exhale gently and pull yourself forward. While performing the poses keep your back straight. Straighten up after finishing and go for the next side.