Personal Progress Update

Hello, Ladies!

We've done several Personal Progress related activities in the recent past that haven't been recorded on here, so here's a breakdown of the basics. If you participated in any of these, be sure to read the rest of the requirements in your Personal Progress book, finish the experience, and then report it to Sister Stevens!

Good Works #1:  We worked on this at Mutual a few weeks ago after making Irish Soda Bread (click here for the recipe!) for Pioneer Days. We gave you time to read all of the required scriptures, and we discussed what you could do to acknowledge the service of your family members. You were supposed to observe your family members serving others for 2 weeks, record your observations in your journal, and acknowledge the service you observe in a meaningful way.

Choice & Accountability Project:  Modest Fashion Show:  You needed 10 hours to complete this project. If you participated in EVERYTHING we offered, you should have earned your 10 hours. Here is a breakdown of some of the activities we completed for this project during Mutual:

-Fashion Show (2 hours)
-Fashion Show Rehearsal / Prep (1.5 hours)
-Fashion Show Planning / Prep (1.5 hours)
-Modest Discussion, Lesson, Photos, and Hand-Out with Sister Stevens (1.5 hours)
-Modest Peek-A-Boo Slip Extender Making (1.5 hours)
-Modest Fashion Magazine, Newspaper, and Dresses with Sisters Olsen and Davis (1.5 hours)
-Slumber Party 2011 Modest Fashion Show (1 hour)
-Slumber Party 2010 Modest Fashion Show (1 hour)

Individual Worth #6:  Heritage Night with ethnic food and BINGO- You were asked to bring a pedigree chart filled out with your family information to use for BINGO, as well as a dish made from a recipe native to your ethnic ancestry. To complete this experience, you need to list temple ordinances that have been completed for each person on your pedigree chart. You should visit with living relatives to find out as much as possible about those who are deceased!

Knowledge #2:  For this experience, we completed 2 activities to teach about the skill of cooking:

1. The $5 budget dinner:  Teams of girls had to make a complete, well-balanced, healthy meal to share with the others using only $5. Girls learned about budgeting and grocery shopping, then went shopping for the items and prepared the meal during Mutual.

2. Cooking with Sister Appah:  Sister Appah came to teach about cooking during a Mutual activity.

To finish this experience, you should have listed talents you have and would like to develop in your journal, read Matthew 25:14-30, and then shared with your family, class, or Young Women leader what you learned about the talent you chose to develop (cooking, in this case!)


So if you were present for ANY of these activities, get to work on finish them and report it to Sister Stevens so you can start stacking up your stars on the board!

Natural Spa Day Recipes

Spa Day was so much fun this week! Below are the recipes that the fabulous Sister Davis found for us. Remember to start with clean skin!

BASIL ACNE TONIC:  2 to 3 teaspoons dried basil leaves or a large handful of fresh leaves, 1 C. boiling water

Steep basil leaves in water for 10 to 20 minutes. Cool, then apply to face with a white cotton ball.   Basil is known for its soothing and toning qualities. Keep tonic refrigerated.  Recommended shelf life:  90 days.

 

STRIP IT OFF! PORE CLEANING STRIPS:  1 tablespoon Knox unflavored gelatin, 1-1/2 tablespoons milk

This recipe makes a pore cleaning "strip" which woks similarly to those sold in drugstores. Mix two ingredients and microwave for 10 seconds to slightly warm. Using a clean cosmetic brush, apply to nose and chin area. Avoid delicate eye area.  Rinse brush immediately. Allow mixture on nose and chin to dry for 10-15 minutes. Mixture will dry quite stiff and form a "stiff film."  Peel off the film and stare at all the little porcupine quills that used to be in your nose pores!

LEMON FACIAL MASK:  2 tablespoons sour cream, 1 teaspoon finely ground oatmeal, 1 teaspoon fresh lemon juice, 1 drop lemon essential oil, cucumber slices (optional)

Mix the sour cream, oatmeal, lemon juice and essential together in a bowl. To use, massage over clean face and neck skin and the rest for 10 minutes (with cucumber slices if you have them) over your eyes. Rinse well with warm water and follow with toner and moisturizer. Always use Lemon Facial Mask immediately for best results -- the lemon juice will cause the sour cream to curdle if it is not used quickly.

APPLE HONEY FACIAL MASK:  1 medium size apple (grated), 5 tablespoons of honey

Mix the grated apple and mix with honey to make a mask. Smooth over skin then let sit for 10 minutes, rinse off with cool water.

STRAWBERRY HAND AND FOOT EXFOLIANT:  8-10 Strawberries, 2 tablespoons Apricot Oil (you may substitute olive oil), 1 teaspoon of coarse salt, such as Kosher Salt or Sea Salt (note: we used a LOT more salt)

Mix together all ingredients into a paste, massage into hands and feet, rinse, and pat dry. Strawberries have a purpose here; they contain a natural fruit acid which aids exfoliation.

BEACH SAND FOOT SCRUB:  2 Tablespoons Canola oil, 2 Tablespoons dry beach sand, 3-5 drops rosemary oil (do not use if pregnant)

The next time you decide to spend the day at the beach, take advantage of the "on location foot treatment."  Brazilians, particularly, are known for scrubbing their entire bodies, particularly the feet, deep into the sand while they relax on the beach.When going to the beach, take a small vial of ingredients with you:  2 tablespoons of canola oil (or use your suntan oil!), and, a small vial of rosemary oil -- or premix and take one vial.

Once at the beach, use an empty container (a soda cup is fine) to mix the ingredients together. Mix into a paste.  Massage sand scrub onto feet (and elbows), concentrating especially on problem areas.  Rinse off in the foamy waves, pat dry with your beach towel.

AVOCADO HAND & FOOT TREATMENT:  1/4 to 1/2 mashed fresh avocado, 1 egg yolk, 1 teaspoon honey, 1 teaspoon rice bran, and 10 drops of oil of evening primrose

Mix ingredients then gently massage this treatment onto your hands and feet, and leave in place for 20 minutes. Rinse. This natural treatment will revive your dry, wrinkled and rough hands, feet, elbows and knees. The avocado and egg nourish the skin with proteins and oils; the rice bran exfoliates dead skin cells; the oil of evening primrose contains precious gamma linolenic acids, essential for healthy hair, skin and nails.  Consider purchasing a small jar of Oil of Evening Primrose capsules from your health food store. Open one, and voila...you have the ingredient for this recipe.

NAIL BRIGHTENER:  1 denture tablet, 1 cup warm water, 1-2 drops essential oil

Saturate one denture tablet with a few drops of essential oil of your choice.  Drop the tablet into a small bowl of warm water.  Soak fingertips 10 minutes. Do not keep mixture.  Discard after use.

KATHY'S PEPPERMINT LIP SCRUB:  One Pot for storage, 1/2 teaspoon brown sugar, 1/2 teaspoon caster sugar, Peppermint oil, Almond Oil/Vitamin E oil, Glass Ramekin (for mixing)

Pour the sugar into the ramekin and then add the oils depending how you want the consistency of the lip scrub. I used about a quarter of a tsp of each oil as I like to add the liquid so there is enough flavor and enough liquid for it to hold together, but not so the solution is runny.  A variant of this scrub is that it can be used with lemon oil as well, or generally any other COOKING oil you like the taste of! To use the scrub dab a small amount onto lips and rub together to gently exfoliate. You can then lick off the scrub or wipe off with a cloth.  This product can be stored at room temperature.

Tip:  If you have Vitamin E capsules, poke one with a pin and squeeze the oil into your recipe.

LEMON LIP GLOSS:  1 tsp Honey, 1 T Vitamin E Oil, 1 tsp. of Aloe Vera, 2 tsp of grated beeswax, 1 T pure almond extract, 6 Drops of Lemon Essential Oil  

Melt beeswax, remove from heat and while constantly stirring add honey, aloe vera, almond extract, and Vitamin E. Add the lemon essential oil last.  Store in a clean pot, preferably in the refrigerator.

Fundraiser Recipes

Here are the recipes for the yummy Mother's Day treats we sold for our fundraiser this year! Now you can make them with your momma all year long! Enjoy!

Quick Fudge- 3 cups chocolate chips, 1 can sweetened condensed milk, 1 1/2 tsp vanilla, dash of salt

Heat milk in a saucepan on medium heat. Add chocolate chips and salt. Cook on medium-low heat stirring constantly until chips are melted and mixture is smooth. The mixture should turn glossy and begin to pull away from the sides of the pan as you stir when ready.  Remove from heat, add vanilla, and stir till well mixed. Pour into lightly greased square pan (8"x8") and cool completely before cutting.

Chocolate Covered Peanut Clusters- 1/2 package chocolate almond bark, 2 1/2 cups roasted peanuts

Melt chocolate in saucepan on low heat stirring constantly until smooth. Fold in peanuts and stir until coated. Drop 1 Tbsp of mixture onto wax paper to cool.

Chocolate Covered Pretzels- Meltaway chocolates, pretzel rods, sprinkles

Melt meltaway chocolates in a microwaveable bowl in intervals of 20 seconds.  Dip pretzels in melted chocolate to cover 3/4 of the length of the pretzel, then roll in sprinkles. Dry on wax paper.