Beanie Sigel- Feel It In The Air

Posted by Mags

Surprising Home Uses for Onions

Onions can spice up any dish, but they're also pretty useful out of the kitchen. From polishing metal to de-icing a windshield, we rounded up 16 surprising uses for this cooking staple.
 
Repel insects. Rubbing an onion on your skin or clothes is a nontoxic alternative to bug spray.

Soothe a sore throat. Whip up a batch of onion tea to soothe a sore throat. To make, boil a cup of water with the peels of half an onion.

Remove splinters. Place a piece of tape or adhesive bandage over a small piece of raw onion and lay on top of a splinter. Keep the onion there for about an hour. Once you remove it, the splinter should be loosened and easier to pull out.

Polish metal. Crush up a raw onion and combine it with equal parts water. Using a damp cloth, rub the mixture on metal surfaces like faucets or fixtures until they're shiny and clean.

Soothe insect bites and bee stings. Have a super itchy bug bite or painful bee sting that won't quit? Try rubbing raw onion onto it -- it'll calm the area down.

Clean the grill. Roughly chop an onion in half and spear it with a long fork. Scrub the grill with a wire brush to remove gunk, then turn on the heat. Use the fork to run the onion over the grill until all of the debris is gone.

Ward off ants. If ants are constantly invading your kitchen, leave a bowl of raw onion slices out. The scent will keep them at bay.

Create a DIY dye. Despite their translucent color, onion skins make a beautiful, vibrant red/orange dye. Gather the skins and place them in a pair of nylon pantyhose or a nut milk bag and tie knot at the end. Boil in a pot for about 20 minutes; the remaining liquid is a bright dye that's perfect for paper, yarn or fabric.

Soak up the smell of burnt rice. Want to get rid of that smoky smell from burnt rice? Place half an onion next to the stove -- it'll absorb the smell.

Avoid windshield frost. Slice a raw onion in half and rub it against the windshield of your car at night. It helps prevent frost from forming overnight.

Color Easter eggs. Wrap eggs in onion skins, then secure them in a towel. Place the tied-up towel in a pot of boiling water and boil the egg as usual. They'll come out with a beautiful, orange tint.

Keep avocados from turning brown. Place slices of red onion and avocado in an airtight container. Or, top guacamole with slices of red onion.

Absorb that “new paint” smell. Cut up slices of raw onion and place them in a bowl of water. Leave the bowl in the newly painted room overnight to absorb the strong scent of paint fumes.

Clean rusty knives. Jab a dirty knife into a large raw onion and -- presto! -- no more rust!

Keep unwanted animals out of your yard. Raccoons, chipmunks, even the neighbor’s cats will no longer step foot onto your property if you sprinkle onion slices around the yard or garden.

Soothe a burn. Rub an onion on top of a burn to temporarily relieve the pain. Bonus: Onions also have antibacterial properties to keep the wound from becoming infected.

From: IVillage.com/ Posted by Mags

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Interesting Ideas How To Store Your Shoes

Hey fashionistas today we have interesting ideas how to store your shoes. If you have lots of shoes and you don’t have any idea how to store this post is for you. Enjoy!!!

 Hang molding on the walls to create a pretty shoe display
 

 Paint cans nailed into the wall are the perfect size for flip-flops


Hang baby shoes on a curtain rod



Make a floating shoe rack

Alternate your shoes you’ll be able to fit more in a row

This Ikea Komplement slide-out rack holds an impressive 16 pairs of shoesUse an old ladder to hang heeled shoes on



Cover a shoe rack with a curtain
 

From: FashionDivaDesign/ Posted by Mags

Secrets Never to Keep in a Relationship

If you've been hiding any of this stuff, it's time to fess up.

 "Secretly spending and trying to hide the purchases is a big indicator that there’s not a lot of trust in your relationship,” says Ian Kerner, a relationship expert and author of Passionista. Try to figure out why you’re not disclosing what you buy: Do you feel that your decisions are being ridiculed? Does your husband tend to control the majority of the money or your relationship overall? Or do you have a problem with compulsive spending? Then, come clean. Explain that you know you spent too much, but that there's a reason you didn't share—for example, you haven't felt comfortable expressing your needs in general recently. Use this mistake as an opportunity to get on the same page about not just money, but also about how to effectively communicate and stand by your wants and needs. Kerner then suggests devising a budget in which you both allocate funds for personal discretionary spending, which will help set you up as financial equals. And make an agreement that any time you’re considering making a purchase over a set amount, say $100, you’ll discuss it with each other before you plunk down your credit card.

  

Telling your hubs that you’ve been faking it since giving birth six months ago would downright devastate him. Since he likely thinks he’s been doing a great job, avoid throwing grenade into your relationship and instead approach him with a new fantasy that you’d like try. “Have a vision about what would excite you and then present the sexy wish,” says Kerner. Suggest using a vibrator together, trying a new position, or simply locking your bedroom door if you’re worried about the kids and having a hard time concentrating. It's natural that passion ebbs and flows in a relationship—and just because it's on the low-end right now doesn't mean that situation's permanent.

 

You and your husband had a disagreement. Instead of letting bygones be bygones, you make a derogatory comment about him behind his back—to your kid. And this may not be the first time you’ve bashed your man in front of your children. “Forming alliances with your kids not only creates a wedge in your marriage, but it can also cause anxiety for kids, who you’re burdening with issues that they shouldn’t have to know about and simply can’t handle,” says Kerner. The best way to resolve the situation is to open up a three-way conversation. Tell your husband what you’ve been up to and that you recognize it’s a problem. Then have a conversation with your kid letting them know that dumping on their dad was a mistake and that it won't happen again. Either on your own or with the help of a therapist, try to figure out the root of your negative emotions, and work to tell your husband—not another person outside of your marriage—when you’re angry with him.

 

 It’s one thing to go out with some of your friends and have a couple of cocktails, but if you’re drinking to self-soothe, there’s a good chance you might have a problem. “Drinking and hiding it is a classic pattern of substance abuse,” says Kerner. If you think an issue is starting to develop, talk through your concerns with your husband. Are you lonely or bored with parenthood? Do you need to change your career?" Assure him that you’re asking for his help because you don’t like what’s happening,” says Kerner. If opening up about the problem alone isn't prompting you to cut back, Alcoholics Anonymous can help figure out next steps.

   

It started as a fight about who should come home to relieve the babysitter and ended in you both taking a couple of cheap shots. But the mud he slung is still smarting—and every time you think about it, your blood boils. Over time, bottling up your emotions creates resentment, which can lead to feeling perpetually angry with your partner. Ultimately, if you don’t express yourself, you’ll just lash out at each other and say hurtful things that you really don’t mean. “It’s not bad to argue—fighting is a form of communication—but you have to be constructive,” says Kerner. “As a couple, you need to learn how to complain about solvable problems instead of criticizing each other.” Start by fessing up to why you’re still upset and work to clear the air. Then move on by developing guidelines for how to argue more productively, such as instigating a no-name-calling rule.

  

Some not-so-classy pictures from a spring-break fling have found their way onto Facebook. Or that time you got arrested in college all of a sudden popped up on a Google search of your name. It’s not easy, but it’s better to fill your husband in before he discovers this stuff on his own. “When you don’t share your past experiences as they come up, you miss an opportunity to get your partner’s support and feel closer,” says Sue Johnson, Ph.D., a clinical psychologist and author of the upcoming book Love Sense: The Revolutionary New Science of Romantic Relationships. Say something like, “It’s hard to tell you this, but I’ve recently been reminded of something happened a long time ago, and it’s really bothering me. Can you listen to the story?”

“We usually get ‘extreme’ in response to stress—which is just the time when you should turn to someone you love for support,” says Johnson. “They can help us find our emotional balance.” Since food issues are potentially damaging to those around you too, you shouldn’t face them alone. “While it might seem like handling it on your own is the responsible thing to do, your partner is likely to become hurt and angry that you didn’t share or confide in him,” adds Johnson. She suggests broaching the subject by saying, “I have been restricting myself around food a lot, and this seems to have a life of its own now. I’m worried that I don’t know what to do. Maybe I just need to share it with you.” But if you suspect you have or may be developing an eating disorder, merely speaking with a loved one isn’t going to fix things. Consider getting professional help by contacting the National Eating Disorders Association.

  

 “Depression interferes with your ability to engage with others and tune into them,” says Johnson. “It will definitely affect your ability to be a really loving parent or partner. But we’ve found in couples therapy that an important step in coming out of depression is connecting with your partner.” So tell your husband that you’ve been sinking into a bad place, and that you don’t know what to do about it. Share your fear surrounding talking about your feelings—that it’s scary because you don’t want your guy to think less of you or see you as someone who can’t cope. “In the best relationships, people don’t have to be perfect—but they do have to be present,” says Johnson. And that’s hard to do if you’re hiding your feelings of vulnerability. While it’s important to tell your man if you’ve been down in the dumps, it’s vital to seek professional help if the black cloud doesn’t seem to lift on its own. Find a therapist through the American Psychological Association.

From: Redbook.com / Posted by Mags

No Pants Subway Ride Goes Global

This past weekend's annual No Pants Subway Ride is more a fun-filled flash mob for participants than a truly disruptive spectacle in New York, where locals are inured to all manner of subterranean weirdness. But nearly 60 other cities around the world hosted similar rides this weekend, putting pants-less pranksters onto mass transit on a global scale. Among the destinations where commuters probably weren't expecting to share a subway with the semi-clothed: Bangalore, Buenos Aires, Mexico City, Paris, and more.
    
     Kiev

From: CondeNastTraveler.com/ Posted by Mags

Fall In Love

It is so easy to fall in love but hard to find someone who will catch you.

-Anonymous

Posted by Smooches

Celebrate your unhappily ever after with a cake!

It’s often said that 50 percent of marriages end in divorce. For some, a divorce is a painful and traumatic experience, and for others, it’s a celebration of new life and freedom. The latter are the people who celebrate with cakes and we’ve found some honest, some humorous, and some downright horrifying divorce cakes.

 

Not sure, but it looks like this groom is going to come out ahead.



For that person who treated you like #2 in their life.

 
Kicked to the curb, kicked off the cake … same thing.

 
Why have a bear-skinned rug when you can have a bear-skinned husband?



This is for all the times he wouldn’t take the trash out!

 
Follow the yellow brick road to freedom.

 
But Barbie and Ken were supposed to be together forever…

  
A cake made for your favorite divorcee … or ex-con.

 
 And he wondered why everyone suggested a pre-nup.

   Current score: Bride 1, Groom 0

   
 Beer and cake, the quickest way to a man’s heart.

  
 “I do … promise to hide the evidence.”

From: Parentsociety.com/ Posted by Mags

Love Lessons I Have Learned From My Children

http://www.babble.com/relationships/16-love-lessons-i-have-learned-from-my-children/

Posted by Smooches

Ways To Keep Marriage Strong

http://shine.yahoo.com/love-sex/7-ways-keep-marriage-strong-mom-182700582.html

Posted by Smooches

Adelle- Rolling in the Deep

Posted by Mags

Live and Love In The Now

http://m.essence.com/2012/04/27/girls-best-friend-live-and-love-in-the-now/

Posted by Smooches

Things That Make You Go "Hmmmm"

http://m.essence.com/2012/06/26/modern-day-matchmaker-10-things-about-relationships-that-make-you-go-hmm/

Posted by Smooches

Single Girls Offense

http://t.living.msn.com/love-relationships/modern-day-matchmaker-10-behaviors-that-keep-you-single

Posted by Smooches

Outrageous Wedding Photos

http://m.theknot.com/wedding-planning/wedding-photography-videography/articles/10-outrageous-wedding-photos.aspx?cm_mmc=TK%20-_-MSN-_-Related%20Links-_-10%20most%20outrageous%20wedding%20photos

Posted by Smooches

What Your Engagement Ring Says About You

http://m.theknot.com/getting-engaged/engagement-rings/articles/what-your-engagement-ring-says-about-you.aspx?cm_mmc=TK-_-MSN-_-Related+Links-_-What+your+engagement+ring+says+about+you

Posted by Smooches

Marriage Proposals Gone Wrong

http://m.theknot.com/getting-engaged/marriage-proposals/articles/proposals-gone-wrong.aspx?cm_mmc=TK+-_-MSN-_-Related+Links-_-Marriage+proposals+gone+wrong&MsdVisit=1

Posted by Smooches

Wedding Trends For 2014

http://t.living.msn.com/love-relationships/weddings/10-hot-wedding-trends-for-2014-1

Posted by Smooches

Problems Every Bride Deals With

http://m.theknot.com/wedding-planning/planning-a-wedding/articles/problems-every-bride-deals-with.aspx?cm_mmc=TK%20-_-MSN-_-Related%20Links-_-19%20problems%20every%20bride%20deals%20with&MsdVisit=1

Posted by Smooches

The 5 Commandments of Looking Gorgeous on a Budget

Here's how to save money on your hair, makeup, and nails.

 

 

 1. Thou shalt use multi-tasking products.
One very straightforward way to minimize your beauty expenditures is to use fewer products. Fortunately, more and more products are multi-purpose, so they slim our cosmetics cases without breaking our budgets. Instead of using SPF, moisturizer, anti-aging product, and foundation, try a BB Cream (Beauty Balm Cream), which is a combination of all four.
2. Thou shalt try store brands.
A little while back we tested generic-brand beauty products to see how they compare to some name brands. We found that when it comes to body lotions, consumers like the generic kind just as much as big-name brands. Try making substitutions with other simple products like body wash and facial cleansing wipes. But keep in mind that when it comes to products with specific functions, like reducing wrinkles or getting rid of age spots, you're better off sticking with the household names.

3. Thou shalt let other products double as thy eye makeup remover.
I wear eye makeup every day, so I go through eye makeup remover pretty quickly, but I hate constantly shelling out money for it. My mother taught me that any basic face cream swiped on with a Q-tip works just as well, and it's a tip I rely on. (It's also a great way to get rid of mid-day eye makeup smudges.) Lately, I've been using store-brand baby shampoo and a washcloth, and it really takes everything off, and quickly, too. Since baby shampoos are "tear-free", I don't get any eye irritation.

4. Thou shalt color thy own hair.
Sure, we all love the way we feel when we leave the salon after getting our hair done, but regular visits really add up, especially when it comes to coloring. Luckily for you, we've done rigorous testing at the Good Housekeeping Research Institute to identify the best at-home coloring products. You don't have to convert completely: If you really love the salon pampering, try saving a couple of bucks by using a root touch-up between visits or a demi-permanent color to replace a professional glaze.

5. Thou shalt polish thy own nails.
Weekly manicures can make a dent in your budget, so try doing your own nails more often. Once you've mastered the process, you'll wonder why you ever spent time and money at the salon. I polish my own nails about 90% of the time now, and practice has made me almost as skilled as a pro.
 

From Goodhousekeeping.com/ Posted by Mags

The Best Chocolate Layer Cake You’ll Ever Have

  
Ingredients:
Cake Layers
- 2 cup(s) all-purpose flour
- 1 cup(s) unsweetened cocoa
- 1 1/2 teaspoon(s) baking soda
- 1/4 teaspoon(s) salt
- 3/4 cup(s) (1 1/2 sticks) butter or margarine, softened
- 1 cup(s) packed brown sugar
- 1 cup(s) granulated sugar
- 3 large eggs
- 2 teaspoon(s) vanilla extract
- 1 1/2 cup(s) low-fat buttermilk

Frosting
- 1/3 cup(s) unsweetened cocoa
- 1/3 cup(s) boiling water
- 1 cup(s) (2 sticks) butter or margarine, softened
- 2 tablespoon(s) confectioners' sugar
- 12 ounce(s) semisweet chocolate, melted and cooled

Directions:
1. Prepare cake layers: Preheat oven to 350°F. Grease three 8-in. round cake pans. Line bottoms with waxed paper; grease paper. Dust pans with flour.

2. On another sheet of waxed paper, combine flour, cocoa, baking soda, and salt. In large bowl, with mixer at low speed, beat butter and brown and granulated sugars until blended. Increase speed to high; beat 5 minutes or until pale and fluffy, occasionally scraping bowl with rubber spatula. Reduce speed to medium-low; add eggs, 1 at a time, beating well after each addition. Beat in vanilla until blended. Add flour mixture alternately with buttermilk, beginning and ending with flour mixture; beat just until batter is smooth, occasionally scraping bowl with rubber spatula.

3. Spoon batter evenly among prepared pans. If necessary, stagger pans on 2 oven racks, placing 2 on upper rack and 1 on lower rack, so that top pans are not directly above bottom one. Bake 22 to 25 minutes or until toothpick inserted in center of cake comes out clean. Cool in pans on wire racks 10 minutes. With small knife, loosen layers from sides of pans; invert onto wire racks. Carefully remove and discard waxed paper; cool completely, about 45 minutes. If you like, wrap layers well and store at room temperature up to 1 day or freeze up to 1 month. Bring to room temperature before frosting cake.

4. Meanwhile, prepare frosting: In small bowl, combine cocoa and boiling water, stirring until smooth. In large bowl, with mixer at medium-high speed, beat butter and confectioners' sugar 5 minutes or until fluffy. Reduce speed to medium-low; add melted chocolate, then cocoa mixture, beating until smooth and occasionally scraping bowl with rubber spatula. If frosting is too runny, refrigerate until just stiff enough to spread.

5. Assemble cake: Place 1 cake layer bottom side up on cake plate; spread with 1/3 cup frosting. Top with second layer, bottom side up; spread with 1/3 cup frosting. Place remaining layer bottom side up on top. Spread remaining frosting over sides and top of cake.

From: GoodHouseKeeping.com/ Posted by Mags

Hotels in Unlikely Places

Recycling is de rigeur, and no one wants to see a perfectly good historic property go to waste. That (and, of course, the marketing draw) is why you see so many hotels popping up in spaces once used for other purposes, whether primary school or prison. Someday, you might be heading off for a night's rest in a hotel that was once…

A Jet Setting Place

Hotel Costa Verde in Costa Rica

Transported the shell of an old 1965 Boeing 727  and transported it to the jungle—making it look like it "landed" among the treetops. The result is part-hotel suite, part-treehouse.


The now-teak interior is big enough for two bedrooms, a kitchenette, and a dining area, and the spacious balcony offers a toucan's-eye-view of the jungle beyond. We know some travelers find it hard to sleep on planes, but we don't think anyone will have any trouble here.

A Run-Down Paper Factory

A Quinta da Auga
Santiago de Compostela in Spain

 


When the Lorenzo García family found the property that became A Quinta da Auga, it could hardly be called a former paper factory—the site was basically in ruins, with vegetation climbing over the 18th-century stone walls.

A Centuries-Old Fort

Ahilya Fort, Maheshwar, India

   
When Holkar started renovating the fort in 2000, it had no running water. Today, though it still retains the impressive exterior of an 18th-century fortification, the inside is posh enough to receive a Relais & Châteaux distinction.

An Augustinian Monastery

Augustine Hotel in Prague Czech Republic

A Jam Factory 

The Henry Jones Art Hotel in Hobart Australia
  

A Primary School

Hotel Re! in Singapore

  

Not only did the 12-story site used to be the Pearl Hill School, but it was had the distinction of being the tallest school in Singapore when it opened in 1972. It remained in operation as a school until 2001. Though the blackboards may be gone, the spirit of the '70s remains in the new, psychedelic décor of the 140-room hotel.

Courtesy Hotel Re!

A Swedish Prison

Långholmen, Stockholm, Sweden

       

Operated as a prison from the 1840s all the way to 1975, and it's kept some cheeky nods to its past in its décor. You'll see them as you walk the cell blocks where the rooms are located. (Are those multi-paned windows supposed to look like they have prison bars.

A Norwegian Lighthouse

Molja Lighthouse, Ålesund, Norway

   

A Pullman Train Car

The Old Railway Station
Petworth, West Sussex, United Kingdom

     

From: CondeNastTraveler.com/ Posted by Mags