Through the Years- "Love" Me Some Fragrance

Love's didn't just have the classic Baby Soft, which I loved (and got for my 10 year old for one of her stocking stuffers this year) but they also produced a few other scents in a variety gift set I got one year for Christmas from my parents.

My favorite of the bunch was the Gentle Musk, which I'm pretty sure they no longer sell, but you can still purchase the others. The Fresh Lemon was crisp and tangy, the Soft Jasmin, soft and sensual. It seems the Rain Scent was my least favorite, but mostly because it just wasn't "me."

All the scents in the Love's collection were soft and fun, youthful and I hope my daughter is going to enjoy the Baby Soft enough to enjoy the others in the years to come, the way I fondly remember opening them on Christmas morning.

The was something really special, almost magical, about tearing back the wrapping paper and discovering those sweet little bottles, sparkling behind the cellophane where they nestled snugly in their plastic insert bedding. Their soft pastel caps and colorful liquid, inspiring the warmth of excitement in having so many choices of fragrances to choose from. There is something romantic about it. I remember how I would slide the insert out and gingerly pop the bottles from it, taking a moment to savor each scent, still uncertain which one I would wear first.

A bottle of perfume that means something, that inspires a memory or makes you feel good about yourself, that makes you feel sensual or romantic is definitely worth cherishing, enjoying and reminiscing over.

This close to the holidays, I'll have posts going up on some days, but I may not be around much to check in, so I will leave you with this-

To your and yours from me and mine-

I hope you have a SCENTsational Saturday

and a WONDERFUL Christmas with your family and friends.

A Touch of Hearth & Home~ Seasonal Scents of Love

I think one of the strongest things attached to my memories of this time of year are the scents I associate with Thanksgiving and Christmas. There's comfort and warmth and the feeling of love that emanates from food, from homes, and even those outdoorsy smells we notice less or not at all in the warmer months of the year.

Some of those things are just simply more common to the fall and winter months, so it makes a lot of sense that I would associate things like apples and cinnamon or the sweet luscious mixture of apple cider with brown sugar and other spices- cinnamon as well as clove and nutmeg with the holidays. There's a feeling of comfort in sipping the hot liquid, the slight tingle of the spices on your tongue and in your throat.

As a child, the smell of those mixed apple and orange fruit bags planted me firmly in my grandparents house, peeling back the thick skin on a navel orange and then squeezing the oils so that they spritzed against the side of the wood stove, the sizzle as it hit and the aroma of orange filling the air, nearly burning your eyes with its pungent odor. But man, did it smell so good!

Oranges also smell delicious with whole cloves. Piercing the outer peel with those fragrant little stems fills the house with comfort and reminds me of my mom, who does this often. I just looked it up and found out it's called an Orange and Clove Pomander (here's a tutorial if you feel like being crafty.)

Another favorite smell of mine is pumpkin pie or one of those pumpkin rolls or logs. There's just something about the sweet rich aroma of pumpkin and spices, topped with whipped topping. My mom makes this fluffy Pumpkin Chiffon pie that's to die for! It has a light texture that's more airy than a traditional pumpkin pie, really more of a jelled set pudding pie and it's scrumptious- in aroma and flavor.

Another good one is sweet sugar cookies, baked with vanilla. It's soft and warm, and hints of the care and kindness and love that goes into baking and filling your home with the wonderful goodies, the aroma that greets the kids at the door when they come in on a cold winter afternoon after school.

And let's not forget the great outdoors. Though we'd generally rather stay in at this time of year, there is something wondrous and comforting when you step out into a bitterly cold night- one of those nights where you can almost "smell" the cold- the froze dampness of dead dry leaves and the hint of snow in the air as your breath materializes before you.

I take a deep breath and hold it, latching onto memories of time long past. Nothing hearkens me back to my childhood more than a cold blustery day when I can feel the tingling in my ears and my throat, when the wind stings my eyes. It's times like that when the woodsy odor of pine and cedar fills the air and the comforting tang of wood burning in someone's fireplace or furnace suffuses itself to me, clinging to my clothes and weaving it's way into every fiber of my being.

It's that touch of hearth and home that gets me, every time, that fills me with the knowledge that I'm HOME and I'm LOVED and really, that's what it's all about. (Here are a couple of the great smells I've discovered recently- Air Wick Apple & Shimmering Spice and Air Wick Vanilla Sugar Sparkle. One of Glade's Limited time Winter scents- Nutcracker Crunch, which smells of walnuts and mocha- delicious! Glade's Limited time Fall scent- Maple Pumpkin. Yummy!)

What are YOUR favorite scents this time of year? What brings back fond memories?

Have a SCENTsational Saturday!

The Way to a Man's Heart- Homemade Chicken Noodle Soup

The Way to a Man's ♥

Homemade Chicken Noodle Soup

I've been thinking a lot about this and since December will be the last of my SCENTsational Saturdays regarding my own favorites about perfumes and fragrances- Ironic, my favorites worked out to be just the right amount for each month this year when I started doing it.

Starting next year, I'm switching things up and turning Saturdays fully into RECIPE day, so I hope you'll continue to join me through the rest of this year and into next year, as

The Way to a Man's ♥

 gets underway.

Today I'm offering my own version of Homemade Chicken Noodle Soup. My tastes have outgrown Campbell's Basic Chicken Noodle, but though Progresso has a decent one with big noodles and chunky veggies, I'd rather have fresh chicken instead of what comes in a can and a person can only eat so much Ramen before the body says- whoa...what's up with all the salt?

 It doesn't hurt that after making this on the fly based on what I thought ought to go in typical homemade chicken noodle soup, my husband and kids love it so much, it gets suggested all the time for the menu, even when we've had it the week beforehand.

So here it is-

Taryn's Homemade Chicken Noodle Soup

Ingredients:

2- 32 oz. Chicken Stock/Broth

2 chicken breasts

1 small onion, diced

3-4 carrots, cut in rounds

3 celery sticks,

1/2 to a whole stick of butter

salt and pepper

12 oz bag Extra Wide Egg Noodles

Water

Crackers

Instructions:

1. Dice onions and cut up celery and carrots
2. Add them to a stove top dutch oven or large pan with 1/2-1 stick of butter
3. Add chicken breasts, broth and pepper
4. Simmer for 2-3 hours until chicken is tender, remove from stock and cut into bite-size pieces, then return to pan
5. Add 2-3 cups water, salt & (more pepper if needed) to taste and entire bag of Egg Noodles
6. Simmer on low-to med until noodles are done, serve with saltines

Have a SCENTsational Saturday!

#SCENTsational Saturdays Favorite Jovan's Vanilla Musk

Another soft scent by Coty. I just discovered this one in the four pack gift set I got last year with Christmas money. I was surprised that I enjoyed it, as usually I prefer a more realistic vanilla scent. If I'm wearing it, I usually prefer to smell like a sugar cookie, but instead this one has subtle tones of cedarwood, sandalwood and musk, giving it a much more exotic fragrance than simply smelling of fresh baked goodies.

We're getting started on these holidays and this inspires me into a different direction musically...

Have a SCENTsational Saturday!

#SCENTsational Saturdays Through the Years~These Moments

I discovered this perfume when I was probably in my late teens at the good ol' Rite Aid and instantly loved it. It was definitely a more mature scent than the other fragrances I wore at the time- Exclamation, Electric Youth, Tribe. They were bold, funky young scents, but this one made me feel like I was growing up and coming into my own as a woman. It had sensual tones and floral notes that made me think of mature love.

I remember using every last drop in the bottle and then when I went back to buy more, it was gone, as though it never existed. I'm sure I could find some sort of knock off or old bottle of it nowadays, but I prefer to remember it simply as a fragrance I "grew up" on.

The perfume came out in 1991, so I'm going to share a couple of songs I really loved back then. ;)

Have a SCENTsational Saturday!

Taryn Raye's The Way to a Man's Heart- Stroganoff

 The Way to a Man's ♥

Taryn's Stroganoff

A while back, I got the notion that making beef stroganoff couldn't possibly be that hard and would probably taste better homemade than out of one of the quick dinner boxes or one of those "helper" meals- so I decided to try it myself. This is, of course, another favorite of my husband's and my kids.

Ingredients:
1- 1 1/2 pounds round steak, cubed
1 small onion, diced
1 package of fresh mushrooms, sliced (Your choice)
1 (13-3/4 oz) Can of Beef Broth
salt, pepper to taste
Wide Egg Noodles
2 Tablespoons All-Purpose Flour
1 8 oz. of Sour Cream

Instructions:

I prepared the meat, onion, mushrooms, broth, salt and pepper early in the morning for a supper meal. Place all these ingredients in the crock pot and cook on low all day.

Cook noodles (8-12 oz) package until tender, drain water from them.

Drain broth from crock pot into a pan and mix together with the 2 Tablespoons of All-Purpose Flour and the 8 oz. of Sour Cream until thickens and is creamy, then mix all ingredients- meat/onion/mushrooms with noodles and sauce. Add additional salt and pepper to taste, if needed. 

Serve hot and with rolls and a side if you wish.

Have a SCENTsational Saturday!

SCENTsational Saturdays- Favorite 10- Body Fantasies Vanilla

A very soft and sweet vanilla, this body spray calls me home and makes me feel warm and safe. I'm not sure why, but vanilla tones in perfumes make me think of fairy tales and knights on white horses. Perhaps it's the simplistic natural aroma of vanilla that harkens back to homemade cookies and childhood.

I lures me with memories of holidays spent with my family. Of warming my hands next to the fire and the sharp aroma of wood smoke spiraling from a chimney on a cold winter day. It's a scented journey through my youth that gives me inspiration and reminds me of my mom and her encouragement.

I wish you a lovely weekend and a reminder that life is nothing if you don't Try... ;)

Have a SCENTsational Saturday!

#SCENTsational Saturdays- The Way to a Man's Heart- Pineapple Upside-down Cake

The Way to a Man's ♥

Pineapple Upside-down Cake

Since October is my husband's birth month, I'll share his favorite dessert- Pineapple Upside-down Cake.

My recipe is a spin off of the Betty Crocker box recipe-

Ingredients:

1/4 cup butter or margarine

1 cup packed brown sugar

1 can (20 oz) pineapple rings in juice, drain juice and reserve it

1 small can crushed pineapple, drain juice and reserve with other

Maraschino Cherries, destemmed, drained

1 box Yellow Cake Mix

Vegetable oils and eggs called for on cake mix box

Instructions:

Preheat oven to 350º (325º for dark or nonstick pan). In 9X13, melt butter in oven. Sprinkle brown sugar evenly over melted butter. Arrange pineapple rings on top of that, add in drained crushed pineapple in surrounded empty areas. Place cherries in center of pineapple rings. Press gently into brown sugar.

Use reserved pineapple juice and enough water to measure 1 1/4 cups. Make cake batter as directed, substituting the pineapple juice for water. Pour batter into pan and tap pan a few times on counter to knock out air bubbles.

Bake 40-45 minutes (42-48 for dark or nonstick pan) or until toothpick inserted in center comes out clean. Run knife around side of pan to loosen cake, then place heat-proof plate upside down on pan and turn plate and pan over. Leave for 5 minutes so brown sugar topping drizzles over cake, then remove pan. Cool 30 minutes (though my husband loves it fresh and warm out of the pan). Serve warm or cool, store covered in refrigerator.

Note- I've found, that due to the use of fruit and fruit juices, the pineapple with sour the cake if it's left out or if it's not eaten within a couple of days, so eat that baby up!

Have a SCENTsational Saturday!

#SCENTsational Saturdays- Favorite Number 9- Cool Water Woman by Davidoff

I'd have to say that this is probably one of the most sensual fragrances on my favorites list. I discovered it from one of those magazine inserts and my husband got it for me for Christmas several years ago. Perhaps it's the fact that I'm an Aquarius, the "water bearer" or because I'm drawn to the blue bottle that shimmers like a tropical ocean that I'd love to dip my toes in, but this one makes me feel warm and soft and sexy in a different way than the others.

It could also have to do with the fact that it was a new fragrance I added to my list and I only associate it with my husband. It makes it special. Some of my other favorites that I've had for the majority of my life bring to mind other times in my life before I met my husband, when I was in other relationships, but this one I associate solely with him and that makes it all the more special.

It reminds me of a warm house on a cold winter night and Christmas decorations and time snuggling on the couch. Marriage isn't always an easy dynamic for two people and there have been plenty of times I didn't see my husband as my "hero" but he truly is. He loves me with a sometimes unconditional love that I always hoped to have but never believed possible. He takes care of my needs and the kids needs before his own more often than he should and his favorite place to be is here with us. I couldn't ask for better.

A little poetical love song for my hubby today- One of "our" songs-

Hope you have a SCENTsational Saturday!

#SCENTsational Saturdays- Through the Years- Wild Heart by Trisha Yearwood

I received Wild Heart from my parents for Christmas the year I was 17. I think I was also wearing a lot of Coty's Wild Musk and Lady Stetson at the time. I listened to Garth Brooks almost constantly and I liked Trisha Yearwood, too. I was just starting to learn to type by using my dad's old college textbook. It was orange and you sat it up beside your typewriter and read along as you typed the lessons out. I'd just gotten my Smith Corona Word processor, as well.

One of my best friends and I didn't speak for almost a year after that Christmas because of a stupid fourteen or fifteen year old boy who looked older so he played it up that he was already 18. Damn, we were stupid 17 year old girls to fall for his bull.

I honestly don't remember what Wild Heart smells like, but I know it was floral and it was loud because it often gave me a headache, but I still loved it. Funny how that works, isn't it? When I think of this perfume, I think of Garth singing "Wild Horses." I would share the video, but apparently Garth shares NOTHING on Youtube which just makes me want to cry.

The very thought of this perfume brings back vivid memories of that holiday...of my youthful stupidity because I had hopes just like any other girl who didn't feel attractive, that someone had taken an interest in me. Unfortunately, he'd taken an interest in a LOT of girls I knew and he played us all for fools.

Standing on my parents' front porch in my mom's green Army jacket, shivering from head to toe as snow fell, the only light from the Christmas lights on the shrubs. Breath puffing out, nose red from the cold, laughing and believing in something...Yeah, I hadn't had a boyfriend yet, so I was believing in love...but that just wasn't meant to be...Ah....Lesson learned. Stupid boy!

Hope you have a SCENTsational Saturday

and an

AWESOME Autumnal Equinox!

#SCENTsational Saturdays- #Autumn in the Air

Autumn is sneaking right upon us. I know a few people who aren't enthused about it, but for me, this is one of the best times of the year. The aromas in the air, the chill infiltrating the heat of summer in the breeze, the quietness across the land that inspires me to be descriptive and poetic in my ramblings. The other morning I had the window up and the only sound I heard was a squirrel sitting on a branch on a tree in the backyard, nibbling on a walnut or something he found worthy of eating now instead of saving and hiding somewhere in the yard, unlike the green walnut I found on the post next to our mailbox where it couldn't have fallen from a tree and conveniently situated itself there. I'll leave it there and see if a squirrel ever comes back for it in the spring. It just seems funny that they'd hide it in plain sight. Silly squirrel!

Earlier this week at the store I got some air freshener that smells like Maple Pumpkin- Lordy! It smells delicious. Normally I go with floral scents or sugar cookie/vanilla & apple and cinnamon. Those are smells that speak to me of the change in season, that hearken back to me the memories of childhood that remind me of home and gathering around the coal stove and eating homemade vegetable soup and chili or oyster soup (milk, butter, salt, pepper and oysters) that my grandma made....

Every morning when my kids get on the bus now, I can smell it in the air...Autumn is coming and it scratches something in my soul that wakes me up. My sense of smell is heightened by the musky odor of the leaves and grass as they die back, taking their greenery with them for a spell. The pungent aroma of brush piles being burned, of bonfires and wood-burning stoves- the earthy tones of decay and hibernation as the earth begins to take her rest from the weary heat of the summer sun. She withdraws into herself while at the same time, drawing us near in the circle of her warmth, beckoning us to retreat indoors.

I inhale deeply the spicy tang, the incense-like crispness that permeates into all things at this time of year, the dying back, the rustic fragrance that takes on a life of its own. Instead of the fresh sweet smell of roses blooming, there is a cloyingly sweet headiness in the air, suffused with the smell of damp earth and cold rains, as the moisture sinks into your bones.

 

I'm reminded of cool Halloween nights, seeing your breath in front of your face as you shivered your way around the neighborhood and the warm smell of neighbors burning wood, the sweet aroma of apples and oranges and chocolates and candies in your bag.

The meaty buttery goodness of turkey baking in the oven for the family's Thanksgiving gathering warms you through, while the zesty smell of basil fills the air while the dressing browns and you give thanks for all you have. One of my favorite things is making a crock-pot full of spiced apple cider, with cinnamon, nutmeg and cloves and brown sugar. The aromatic beverage not only tastes good, but it perfumes the house with that sweet spiciness.

Welcome Autumn, I'm glad you're back. I dedicate my first cup of chocolatey good cocoa to you!

What are some of your favorite smells during Autumn? Your favorite memories? Please feel free to share! I'd love to hear your favorites!

Have a SCENTsational Saturday!

#SCENTsational Saturdays- Does Your #Hero Smell? #Horizon

Horizon by Guy Laroche is a subtle, yet powerful scent for men. This fragrance is perfect for any time of day. Horizon combines citrus and lavender scents with tones of wood and sweet spices to create a cologne perfect for any occasion. First introduced in 1993, this cologne has been widely used by men for day-to-day activities. Lightly apply this subtle scent to your neck or wrists and feel ready to take on whatever the day throws at you.

****

I don't normally post about my past, at least not in regard to relationships because I'm married and I've moved on, but when I pulled up the calendar post for today and remembered I'd endeavored to post about heroes and what they smell like and my favorites, I forgot momentarily that I would kind of have to travel down memory lane to describe the reasons this is probably still a favorite men's cologne, though I haven't smelled it in years.

From 1995 until around this time of year in 1999, I was in an on again, off again relationship, thrice (count 'em- 3 times) engaged to a man who once told me that on his first day on the job where we met- I was 20 at the time, that he went home that night and lay down to go to bed and he KNEW I was the woman he wanted to marry, that I was the woman he could see himself growing old with.

Of course, he told me that only after we officially started dating at the beginning of 1996 (I was seeing someone else when we met). We'd gone to school together but he didn't remember me, so I couldn't imagine someone could feel that deeply about me without even knowing me, but it was clear he was love-struck from the start and after spending more time with him, I really started to like him, too. Horizon was his signature cologne and for those few years of my life, that scent was a comfort, it turned me on because it smelled so good and I associated it with him and his love. He was, after all, the man I loved, the one I intended to marry someday.

In his arms, I felt like the most beautiful woman in the world and his nickname for me was "Pretty Eyes." We went through a LOT together, deaths of family, health scares with our parents, job changes, life changes. Things were not always easy, but for the first time in my life I knew what it was like to care about someone who actually told me and showed me that he cared about me, too. I know I took that for granted, I didn't always appreciate it. I was young and wondered if there were more out there in the world. I worried I didn't love him and at one point, a very low point for me when I gained a lot of weight and was depressed, I ended it. I wasn't happy and he wasn't happy and we weren't making each other happy.

He didn't want it to end though. He still loved me, at least, at that point he did and when I was supposed to start a new job on my birthday in February, we ended up with one of the biggest snowfalls to hit Central Kentucky in a long time- 2 foot of snow lay on the ground outside our front door and since I would have to walk to work, I didn't end up having to go that day. This man, who loved me so much, walked across town from where he lived with his parents, to the flower shop in the shopping center, and then through the park and the long way around my neighborhood in 2 FOOT OF SNOW to bring me a stuffed Ty cat for my birthday—while we were broken up.

Now, after we got back together, it was all down hill from there...the fights, the differences of opinion and ideas for what we each wanted for our life together. It seemed that what we once shared as like-minded individuals, the things we believed in and valued- something shifted and I don't really know what. But those things collided and ricocheted off each other and the vile words we said to each other wounded deeply and couldn't be taken back. 

I was told NOTHING anyone said could change his love for me and then within a few breaths he told me that his love came with conditions that had to be met or he "couldn't" love me. I still don't understand and sometimes, it does still hurt because I've never figured out what happened or how we fell apart.

What I try to remember though, is that people come into our lives for reasons beyond our comprehension. Some are there to love us always, but sometimes love isn't enough to make it work. We might not understand why things don't work out the way we plan, but I do believe there is a bigger picture that we can't see because we're just too close. I believe EVERY relationship teaches us about love, about ourselves, about loss and about strength to see beyond and continue traveling toward the "horizon." (Nice how I worked that in there, isn't it?) There's still life out there, even when one story comes to an end- there is still road to travel and you can't always see what's up ahead. You just have to keep going.

And so, now that I've had a good cry and pulled myself together (and in some ways hope I never catch a whiff of this cologne again) I'll leave you with this- it was just one of "our" many songs-

Don't forget to live in those moments....it's all very precious, even when the memories are hard to bear.

Hope you have a SCENTsational Saturday!
Enjoy it to the fullest!

#SCENTsational Saturday- The Way to a Man's Heart- Meatloaf

The Way to a Man's ♥
Taryn's Meatloaf

Ingredients:
1 pound ground beef

1 egg

approximately 1/2 cup Quick Oats

Salt & Pepper

Ketchup

1/2 small onion, diced fine

Instructions:

Preheat oven to 350º-375º

Mix ground beef, egg, 1/2 cup Quick Oats (enough to make solid but not too much), diced onion, salt and pepper (eyeball it) and generous squirt of ketchup together until it's a moist yet firm loaf. Place in foil lined 9X13 to shape and flatten to thickness you desire. I usually pat it down to nearly fit the pan, leaving 1/2 inch to an inch around so that sides of meat are not touching foil. Usually pat it down to about an inch thickness.

Smear top with generous layer of ketchup and sprinkle with pepper. Fill dish with enough water to surround meatloaf- I do this to keep the meatloaf from burning on the bottom, plus I find it seems to draw the grease away from the meatloaf without detracting from the moistness or flavor.

Bake 45 minutes to an hour. Serve with mashed potatoes and green beans or your favorite meatloaf side dishes.

(Seen served here with sweet peas, brussel sprouts and my Cheesy Bacon Tators)

Have a SCENTsational Saturday!

#SCENTsational Saturdays- Favorite Number 8- Jovan Musk, Original

Experience the sexy feeling of Jōvan Musk for Women. A delicate floral accord of jasmine, neroli, and bergamot blends with the earthy, seductive scent of musk. This mysterious fragrance unleashes your own natural powers of seduction. It's what attracts.

Again, here I go with another Jovan fragrance. They apparently know what I like. This is a heavier, more sensual perfume that is best for an evening out with that special someone.

On account of the events of this past week, I think that's about all I have to say on the fragrance, but I will leave you with this video which always reminds me of my grandparents.

My grandfather passed in 1991, my grandmother, not until 1997. In the years after my grandpa died, she dreamed of him often. The dreams were always the same- she met up with him, across a field of flowers, at the creek to go fishing. She missed him so much and those dreams made her so happy- as though she stole from death for a moment what death had taken from her far too soon.

When she passed away in 1997, all I could think was that she and grandpa were reunited and they were somewhere fishing together, for always. Maybe it's sounds silly, but I like to think my aunt's sitting on the bank with them now, reunited with her momma and daddy.

Have a SCENTsational Saturday!

#SCENTsational Saturdays- Through the Years- Love's Baby Soft

I'd swear this was one of the very first perfumes my parents gave me for Christmas as I was approaching adulthood. Caught somewhere in the middle of being a child and a grown woman, I supposed loves is a very good "transitional" perfume. I haven't smelled it in a while, but I'm tempted to get a bottle of it, just as I did for the can of Skin Musk, which I've really been enjoying. Funny how taking a trip down memory lane is a wonderful reminder of who we were before we became who we are.

This does have a soft powdery scent, but not something so loud that you'd feel suffocated by it's sweet floral and woodsy tones. This perfume was introduced the year before I was born (don't ask)...and is still a very popular fragrance, even now, so it definitely has staying power.

Heck, I might have to get it simply to share the experience with my own daughter. My mother shared it with me and now it's my turn.

I looked up commercials for Love's Baby Soft, but honestly the ones from the 70's were downright embarrassing and silly and there weren't any I could find from when I was growing up in the 80's, so instead I offer you The Supremes...so lovely!

Have a SCENTSATIONAL Saturday!

#SCENTsational Saturdays- Dry Hair & Scalp Needs Moisture

A while back I posted about how every shampoo and conditioner I use breaks my scalp out and I couldn't seem to find a combination that worked and yet still made me feel "like the heroine" of my love story. Well, I think I've discovered the secret.

For years, I've had very think, coarse, oily hair, so I normally bought shampoo for normal to oily hair types. That's all well and good, but I do believe that as we age, things about us must age and change as well. My hair has, as I've discovered. Yes, the "dandruff" shampoo works to keep my scalp from breaking out in sores, but I found that wasn't always helpful either.

And then one day it occurred to me as I was looking through shelf after shelf of shampoos and conditioners and treatments, what if I've used the ones that "strip" the oils and moisture from my hair and scalp all these years, in fact creating the need for something specifically aimed at people with DRY hair.

I mean, after all, my hair was no longer limp and greasy a day after shampooing. No, it was wild and frizzy and utterly out of my control. I really had become Rosanne Rosannadanna, as I'd been teased by my parents in my childhood. What if I had misdiagnosed my hair type all these years?

So instead of grabbing the next normal to oily product, I reached instead for Suave Professionals Almond & Shea Butter- for moisturizing the dryness away. And guess what? It worked. I've almost used up both bottles and have yet to have any sores break out in my head. Granted, my ears are dry, but not sure I can blame that on the shampoo and conditioner or just this hot hot dry weather we've had this summer.

Regardless, I've found that switching my type of shampoo needs has made a drastic improvement to my hair. Not only do I not have sores, but my hair is smoother and more manageable and I know I sound like a commercial, but I'm actually just tickled that I figured what the issues was with my shampoo. Here's hoping that this continues to be a good solution to the problem and it was a cheaper solution than I had thought it would be.

Have a SCENTsational Saturday!

#SCENTsational Saturdays- The Way to a Man's Heart- Taryn's Shepherd's Pie with a Spicy Twist

Taryn's Spicy Shepherd's Pie

 Hubby and I tend to sometimes "make up" our own recipes and here is one my husband really loves-

Ingredients:
3-4 jumbo potatoes (or enough peeled potatoes for 4-6 serving mashed potatoes)
1 stick of butter or margarine
8 oz. Sour Cream
salt & pepper to taste
Whole Kernel Corn in a can, drain water
Ground Beef
1 package Taco Seasoning
Green Onions, thinly sliced tops and bottoms
8-16 oz. bag Shredded Cheddar (mild or sharp, depending on your tastes)

Instructions:
Preheat oven to 350º and spray a 9X13 casserole dish.

Peel and cook enough potatoes for approximately 4-6 servings of mashed potatoes. I used jumbo potatoes, so sometimes I only need to use 3-4 potatoes. I also use a steamer rather than boiling them until they're soft enough to mash. In my steamer potatoes take approximately 40 minutes.


Mash potatoes with stick butter, salt and pepper and sour cream. Layer potatoes in the bottom of the casserole dish, smoothed to fit.

Sprinkle drained corn over potatoes, then sprinkle 1/2 of cut green onions and a generous sprinkling of shredded cheddar over top.

Meanwhile, cook ground beef as you would for tacos, drain fat, mix in the water and seasoning packet and cook 3-4 minutes for sauce to thicken.

Layer taco meat over other ingredients already in casserole dish, then generously layer the rest of the shredded cheddar evenly over meat and top with remaining cut green onions. Bake 30 minutes at 350º. 

Not only does it smell great while it's cooking but it's delicious.

Serves well on it's own, but I also believe it would be really good with tortilla chips on the side to dip in salsa or some other fiesta style dish on the side.

Have a SCENTsational Saturday!

#SCENTsational Saturdays- Fave Number 7- Degree Sexy Intrigue

Rich jasmine and exotic red rose blend sensuously with strawberries, blackberries, and peaches. While sultry back notes of creamy sandalwood and amber mingle with Tahitian vanilla for an addictive scent that’s sure to leave a lasting impression.

This is one of my new favorites and it's not even a brand name perfume, but an accompanying fragrance to be used with the Degree Sexy Intrigue Deodorant. It's soft, sweet and makes me think of warm summer nights, sweet goodnight kisses, and a lover's embrace. It's youthful, but mature and smells absolutely fantastic.

In fact, it kind of makes me feel like this new Maroon 5 song- Love Somebody. No video yet, but would love to see one.

Have a SCENTsational Saturday!

#SCENTsational Saturdays- Through the Years- Heaven Sent

The original Heaven Sent, this is a fragrance full of rain-washed breezes, of poems waiting to be written; Born of music, tender as love, Fresh as laughter, Free as flight, A scent so full of gentleness and dreams. It says what you have no words for. 

 

Fragrance Family: Powdery
Fragrance Notes: Apple Blossom, Mandarin Orange, Jasmine, Lily of the Valley, Rose, Patchouli, Oakmoss, Sandalwood, Musk

This fragrance reminds me of my childhood. It was one of my mother's favorites and she's the one who introduced it to me, this soft powdery scent that is not only classic, but can be worn anytime.

I found this commercial from around 1968 or 1969, probably the radio commercial my mom heard in her youth, and I had to share it!

Have a SCENTsational Saturday! 

#SCENTsational Saturdays- Healing Garden Fragrances

 The Healing Garden

I've had this collection for a very long time and it seems from my online search for it, The Healing Garden products still exist, though they are not all the same as they were when I bought these originally. In fact, it would seem that mine were put out by Coty (LOL, isn't EVERY fragrance I own?!?!) but now the line is owned by Calgon instead (Take me away!) (and I do have the Hawaiian Ginger put out by Calgon, and I tried their Moon Petal Musk but gave it to my mom because it didn't smell good on me and gave me a headache.)

These have lasted longer than most regular bottles of perfume though because they're made with essential oil extracts of their ingredients so they've held up well over the past decade and I can still use them now, unlike some perfumes that tend to age poorly and become more alcohol than fragrance.

From left to right are as follows-all mention that its light, silkening conditioners bond with the moisture in your skin, allowing the soothing scent to linger.

1.) lavendertheraphy- relaxation body mist- with natural extracts of lavender flowers, chamomile and valerian.
2.) jasminetheraphy- sensual body mist- with natural extracts of ylang ylang, passion flower and neroli.
3.) junipertheraphy- clarity body mist- with extracts of geranium and ginkgo leaf.
4.) gingerlily theraphy- positivity body mist- with natural extracts of rosemary, cypress and st. john's wort.
5.) tangerinetheraphy- energizing body mist- with natural extracts of tea tree, ginseng, mandarin and balm mint.
6.) green teatheraphy- enlightening body mist- with natural extracts of asian sandalwood, peony petals and everlasting.

The tangerine one was my favorite, as evidenced by the fact that the bottle is nearly empty, but the jasmine comes a close 2nd and the green tea 3rd. Overall, I enjoy each one and find that on days when I need a touch extra to boost my mood, these are wonderful, light scents that don't take themselves, too serious.

Enjoy this relaxing song from Ben Taylor from his Famous Among the Barns album....

We sure could use the Rain....

Have a SCENTsational Saturday!