Are you ready for Memorial Day and looking for a yummy but healthy treat!?
Look no further than this DELICIOUS fruity kebab with delightful wild orange and lemon essential oil!
Fresh, super delish and oh so easy to make!
Try it with the kids! I’m sure they will LOVE it!!!
XOX,
Since last Mondays blog post, I have really been thinking about the difficulty to actually BE myself. Sounds silly, right?
Maybe…But have you ever thought about it?
To be honest, posting and sharing a LIVE video was VERY exposing for me.
Monday was without makeup, hair up in a pony tail, just worked out, not a great camera angle and imperfect lighting. Needless to say it was SCARY… I think I might care a little toooooo much what other people think.
But I did it because I wanted to confront my own fears and be REAL with each other.
It was important for ME to breakthrough the insecurities I hide under and share from my heart. And you know what is CRAZY?? We reached OVER 3,600 views on that RAW, weak, honest video. 3,600!!!!
WHAT THE WHAT!!!? (Video can be found HERE in case you missed it!)
The crazy thing is how many emails, responses and comments FLOODED in by me simply being me.
Raw, makeup free, real ME.
It caused my heart to ponder the deeper work God was doing in my heart.
Why do I spend so much time hiding behind the masks?
Why do I fret over what others think of me?
What am I feeling when I give into those fears?
Rejection… Sadness… Hopeless… Anxious…
But what is the deeper desire in my heart?
That desire that was put there BY God?
For me its to make an impact.
To see lives and hearts awakened to truth.
To be known, seen and heard for who I truly am, not who I am projecting.
So that’s the question I want to pose to you:
What are you feeling when you allow comparison to steal your joy?
What desires are so deep down inside of you, screaming to be free?
Breaking free of false expectations and truly being YOU.
Wild, crazy, YOU.
Think about what you like to do.
What your passions are.
What YOUR dreams are.
What God says about you and how He made you PERFECTLY.
Do you agree with Him?
I struggle with it… still.
BUT I am asking for grace to love me for ME and love what He worked so hard to make.
Think about some of those fears that seem to paralyze you and comment below with something that you LOVE uniquely about YOU!
We are in this fight for life and light TOGETHER!
xox,
Ok yall… Before we dive into my Citrus in the Spring EO series,
(starting off with my fave Wild Orange)…
Can we just talk about SPRING for a minute!!?
ITS FINALLY SUNNY!
And beautiful! And warm! And breezy!
Spring colors, spring cleaning, spring nights and cool mornings…
Well, enough about ME. I’m sure you get it… I LOVE SPRING!
So let’s get started and kick off this “I love Citrus in the Spring” series with my best pal WILD ORANGE! Mmmmm. I love orange. OK, here we go!
Meet your new BFF. Seriously. In a few weeks you are going to ask me how you survived as long as you have without this gem of an oil. And oh boy is it a happy one!! I’m sure we can all use a little mood boost with a daily dose of vitamin D after those cold winter months, right!? RIGHT!!!
This is going to be a family favorite in NO time!
BASICS:
Wild Orange Essential Oil (Citrus Sinensis) is extracted from the rind of the orange and cold pressed. It is such a dreamy, lovely, intoxicating oil. If I am travelling and even crack the lid open, (heaven forbid I actually place a drop or two in the palm of my hand!) everyone around me sighs and says “ohhhhhh wooooow… that smells SO good!” AND RIGHTLY SO! Wild Orange is an uplifting, invigorating and renewing oil that is quite creative. Creative you ask? Let me explain…
Most oils in the citrus family (Lemon, Lime & Grapefruit) have a predominant uplifting effect on the body, mood and energy levels. Wild Orange not only has that ability but can ALSO have a lovely calming effect when the body calls for it. I like to think of it this way: Some of us are wired with a ton of energy and an INVIGORATING BOOST is not exactly what you need but RATHER a gentle, natural, calming effect. Wild orange does that and more! Many have found it to be helpful to lull them to sleep by diffusing it before bedtime AND help wake them up in the morning. Give the body what it needs and it works the way it is supposed to! Pretty cool huh!!?
TOP USES:
• Powerful cleanser and purifying agent
• Contains powerful antioxidants*
• Supports a healthy immune system
• Energizing and revitalizing aroma
EMOTIONAL BENEFITS:
How many times have you cut into an orange (or tried to peel it with your fingers) and that zest from the rind invigorates your senses?! That is your nose interacting with the essential oils! SO cool! Something that I LOVE about an orange peel is that the scent is so HAPPY. This energetic oil is often known for these amazing uplifting properties and can support and foster creativity, boost physical energy as well as inspire abundance. Simply breathing in this oil can affect many different things we might be emotionally going through. Wild Orange aids in letting go of fear, scarcity, poverty mindsets and so many more. When we breathe in these amazing oil molecules, they are actually affecting different parts of our brain that control our mood and emotions. Wild Orange helps us to connect to the playful part of our hearts, allowing us to walk in joy, fun and spontaneity!
BLENDS WITH:
One of the best part of using essential oils to support different parts of the body is that you can LAYER them with others! Not only will you SMELL SO GOOD but you will be layering the benefits one by one! I like to massage an oil into a reflexology point or desired area of the body for about 30-45 seconds before I layer another one on. This helps to increase circulation, allowing the oils to penetrate deeper into the skin. ALSO it is good to remember that these oils are so power packed that one drop goes a looooooooong long way. So only use 1-2 drops at a time, remembering that as soon as 15min has passed, DON’T BE SHY, REAPPLY!
(In case you are new, some EO Basics can be found HERE)
SO back to what blends BEST with Wild Orange!!? Nearly EVERYTHING! When you are looking at scent compatibility, Cinnamon, Lavender and Peppermint are your top winners! Looking for deeper emotional balance? Try Tangerine, Ylang-Ylang, Lemon or Peppermint. Some of my personal favorites are Frankincense, Bergamot, Clary Sage and Arborvitae. Discover what works best for you and have fun whipping up your own favorite blends!
TOP USES:
We have talked about a TON of different ways that you can use Wild Orange, but here is a snapshot of my faves!
WRAP UP:
Wild Orange is your BFF, your mood radar, your mid day energy booster and your super awesome kitchen cleaner. I hope you enjoyed learning a bit about this AMAZING and favorite oil of mine and will go grab yours RIGHT NOW and breathe it in deeply! Trust me, you will be glad you did!
Make sure to join the conversation and comment on my FACEBOOK page your FAVORITE way to use wild orange!
Are you new to this Essential Oil journey and want to learn more about how to empower you and your family with these amazing natural solutions!?
Make sure to fill out the link below and you will see some GREAT info flying your way!!! HAPPY OILING!
Have fun, stay healthy and smile big with WILD ORANGE!
I looooooove being married.
I mean SERIOUSLY, the Lord gave me a gift in my husband.
(Isn’t he just darling!?)
Something that I am INCREDIBLY grateful for though is the gift the Lord gave me in the family I married into! I am So thankful for my in laws!
They are so wonderful!
My sister-in-law is one of my favorite people on the planet <3
I have a wonderful new Grandmother!
And the BEST extended family!!!
(My wedding was SO dreamy… I will post a few more pics from that special day.)
(Steve Willis is a genius. So grateful for his artistic work!)
OK- Now that my wedding photo BOMB is done… 😉
My In Laws are amazing, compassionate, tender and LOVING parents to Justin and I. They are spending Thanksgiving with us this year and it is actually the FIRST time we have seen them since our wedding! That was almost 14 months ago!
(Hence the picture inspiration!!!)
As I am reflecting on family this holiday season, my heart is just so grateful to Ronnie & Brenda for raising up my husband as the man he is today. He is so sweet, kind and sincere, and I know that those traits were passed down from his parents!
I encourage you to purposefully reflect on things that make you GRATEFUL and THANKFUL this week. It is so easy to get caught up in all the holiday hustle and bustle, but really the things that matter are love and family. Think upon these things and tell those around you how much they mean to you and why you love and appreciate them.
So to you Ronnie and Brenda, I am thankful to be grafted into the Thomas family!
HAPPY THANKSGIVING WEEK FRIENDS!!!
Hello Lovelies & Happy Trendsetting Thursday!
Trendsetting Thursday? Rachael What is that!?
Well friends, I am SO glad that you asked!!
This is the first in a series I am going to be starting on a variety of fun fashion trends, new designs from my handmade jewelry line, as well as interviews with beautiful women in the fashion industry and real women who simply want to create and express their own fashion in everyday life.
Can I just say I am SO excited!
Over the past 9 months since I have launched rachaeldee.com, I finally started walking in a dream and passion that God gave me years ago. Its not just the ability to make handmade jewelry that is trendy, fashionable and affordable that has me excited. Its also the reality that I have met so many artisans who sell their products, fashion or art forms as they fully embrace and exude the beauty that God has given them in their own unique area of influence. This is what makes me excited to do what I love and call it my job!
Art, beauty and fashion, I truly believe is an expression that the God of all CREATION has blessed and gifted His people with. It is the unique trades and gifts that are meant to enhance and beautiful His people! For me, designing artisan, hand made jewelry is really about women adorning themselves with the beauty of Jesus and celebrating the fact that they represent the heart of God! The jewelry is just the fun part 😉
I want to take Thursdays as an opportunity to connect with YOU. I want to talk trends, take away points and hear your input on the day to day hustle and bustle of being the best YOU that YOU can be. You might be a stay at home mom, a college student, a working-two-jobs-single mom just trying to pay the bills. You might be some fancy pants lawyer with a gift of justice, a hairdresser or nanny. AND YOU KNOW WHAT!!? Each and every one of you is beautiful!
Each and every one of you have an aspect of Gods beauty to express and give to those around you…
AND I WANT TO CELEBRATE THAT IN YOU!
To start today’s first TRENDSETTING topic, I have chosen one of my favorite Fall/Winter color trends:
COBALT BLUE!
This color trend is a rich, saturated hue of blue that is sure to stand out on any skin tone.
It is seen to be paired well with a steel grey, simple black, white, cherry red or even neutral taupe!
Again, my motto is be bright, bold and beautiful in whatever you choose wear.
Let the daring and dashing side of your personality SHINE through a simple statement piece.
Now, lets talk accessories!
(Via Pinterest-fashionrooftop.com)
(Via Pinterest-beautyandsass.com)
Too scared to use Cobalt Blue as the main thrust of color in your outfit!?
I have some beautiful friends who love to keep a simple, sleek, neutral silhouette while using the trending color in their accessories instead of the totality of their ensemble!
(Picture source via Pinterest at thefrisky.com)
Cobalt blue is a fun, life-giving color that speaks of peace, stability, calmness but importantly of CONFIDENCE.
So this week, open up the door to trying this gorgeous fall color trend and see how it makes you feel, how it improves your confidence and makes you walk with a bit of swagger 😉
Comment below with YOUR best tips and tricks in using this stunning color! I read every response and want to hear your thoughts!
Until Next time, xox
Rachael Dee