Easy way to remove deodorant stains

Super easy way to remove deodorant stains!

Start with a pair of pantyhose, and pull them tight over your hand.  (Attention horseback riders: this also works with a pair of Zocks!)

 

This is the stain I was working with.  I had just pulled on my shirt, so the streak was fresh.

Begin "wiping" the deodorant away!  Easy as that!

I haven't had as much luck with older, dried deodorant stains, but it will still lighten the marks.  The example on the red shirt was a shirt I pulled out of my laundry hamper.  The stain had been sitting there for at least three days.  It didn't come off the fabric completely, but it definitely looks better than it did before.

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www.AshleyGesslerSHD.com

When God sends you red lights

One morning on my way to work, I was driving down a familiar stretch of highway where all the cross streets had red lights on sensors; they only turned red for the main road when a car was sitting, waiting to cross. Eleven lights stood between me and the interstate, but it was 6:30 in the morning and there wasn't a lick of traffic to be seen.

As I approached the first intersection, the light turned red. I slowed as I should have done, but before I came to a complete stop the light turned green again. Funny. No car had been at the cross street to trigger the sensor. Well, it must have just been a fluke. I paid it no mind and continued on my way. A block down the road I approached the second of the eleven lights. Like magic the light turned red ahead of me, so I began slowing down, but before I could come to a complete stop the light turned green again. Just as the previous light had done. Now that was weird. Again, there hadn't been a car at the cross street to trip the sensor so I was thoroughly confused as to what was going on. Once was coincidence, but twice? Twice was odd.

Each of the next 8 lights did the same thing. They turned red ahead of me as I approached and then promptly returned to green before I had had the opportunity to come to a complete stop. Each cross street sat utterly vacant. I never once had to stop; the lights merely forced me to slow down and add a few seconds to my morning commute. As each new light changed to red and I took my foot off the gas I glanced into the rear view mirror at the trail of green lights behind me reaching as far as I could see. What on earth was going on?

Light number eleven. The last light that stood between me and the interstate was finally in my view... and it was green! I could hardly believe my luck! Finally! In my blind excitement I never saw the flash to my right. It happened so fast that I couldn't even comprehend what had just happened until it was all over. Not three car lengths in front of me a little red car on the cross street had blown through the intersection without even so much as a yield. Their light was red. I knew it was red because mine was still green! If I had been even a few seconds ahead of where I was then that little red car would have clobbered me.

And then it hit me.

How many seconds had each of those previous ten lights slowed me down when they miraculously changed from green to red? One? Two? Maybe. If even that much. However, when added all together those precious seconds had spared me from what could have been a life-changing wreck. Right then and there I stopped to thank the good Lord above for watching over me.

That got me thinking about the red lights in my life. How many times had I grumbled to God over something that hadn't gone my way? A relationship didn't work out. I didn't get that dream job. The car broke down. I hit red light after red light on a morning with no traffic...

Perhaps those hardships and troubles are intentionally placed in our paths by a God who loves us, wants the best for us, and in order to spare us from something horrible we couldn't possibly have foreseen with our limited sight. From that moment on I began thanking God for the red lights in my own life. I started praising Him in the storms. And, I took a moment to look for the little sliver of positivity in every heartbreak.

Thank God for red lights.

Please visit my website
www.AshleyGesslerSHD.com

Five Reasons To Embrace Oily Skin

If you were born with honest-to-God oily skin then you know how infuriating it is to listen to women complain about filling up half a beauty blotter sheet by lunch time.  Psshhh!  I can fill up an ENTIRE sheet fifteen minutes after I finish powdering my nose in the morning, and you can forget how many I can fill up by lunch... I couldn't make enough money in a lifetime of earning to cover how much I would spend on oil blotters if I attempted to keep my face shine-free.

I know some of you out there and nodding right along with me.  We know the plight.  We've experienced the utter grossness of the dreaded summer makeup melt.  We've mopped up puddles of supposed "shine-free and stay-put" goo from our jaw lines halfway through the day.  We've tried every "guaranteed" hack available out there on Pinterest, podcasts, blogs, you name it... to dry up our weeping pores (I've even gone so far as to put liquid antacid on my face.  The woman in the podcast absolutely SWORE by it.  Sadly, it was just another miss.)

We've masked.  We've mopped.  We've blotted, creamed, medicated, dried, tried, and applied, but nothing ever works.  There is no miracle cure for the ones cursed with a constant need to check their eyes for mascara and eye shadow that has suddenly decided to make a run for it.  (Har har har.  Pun fully intended.)

In spite of all the struggles that are oily skin there are a few perks as well.  Here are five reasons why having oily skin should be seen as more of a blessing than a curse.

YOU HAVE THE WORLD'S EASIEST MAKEUP REMOVAL

Back when everyone and their mother was hosting Mary Kay parties, I discovered that there is an actual thing women can buy that is guaranteed to remove even waterproof mascara from a girl's face.  I was intrigued!  Who knew there was an actual product (aside from a cleansing wash) that women paid money for to get their faces clean at the end of the day!  I've never had need for such a concoction.  If you have oily skin then you know that your makeup requires nothing more than a gentle wipe of the face to get your skin clean.  A little water and a a good oil-cutting wash is all you need to return your natural beauty.  Apparently, that's a very desirable trait!  No need for removers here!

NEVER FEAR THE MAKEUP BLUNDER

We've all been there... delicately sweeping on mascara after spending a great deal of time and effort getting your shadow applied accurately only to accidentally touch the tip of your brush to your lid, cheek, or whatever.  Oops!  You're now the proud wearer of a black beauty mark in a rather undesirable location.  Never fear!  Those of us with oily skin know that a mere rub with a finger tip will remove any stain... even the supposed "waterproof" mascara.  Waterproof shmaterproof.  Nothing, and I repeat NOTHING, stays stuck to this skin.  A simple wipe with a fingertip will erase any smear and return you to the utter perfection you were before the beauty blunder.  Oily people rejoice!  It truly is a blessing in disguise and an often overlooked perk.

BUILT IN TANNING OIL

I happen to be a fair-skinned individual, but according to one of my exceptionally oily friends there is little to no need for spending money on tanning oils.  She has hers naturally built in.  Her face has always been blessed with an even, radiant glow which she accredits to her oily skin.  She tans more quickly and more evenly than people who are non-oily.  Plus, she says she's less prone to breakouts because she's not applying store-bought gunk that clogs her pores-- something I can't personally vouch for seeing as how I'm as white as a ghost on a good day, but it sounds right.

YOU HAVE A NATURAL GLOW

Speaking of store bought gunk, have you seen the powders with built in skin brighteners?  Now, have you TRIED these powders?  The ones that are laced with iridescent ingredients designed to enhance your natural glow?  I did.  And, let's just say that my glow didn't need any help.  Having oily skin means you are blessed with something that women pay big bucks to get.  Oil keeps your skin more resilient and able to stand up to the elements of the great outdoors.  It fills lines and wrinkles, gently reflects light, keeps your skin more plump, and gives you that natural glow that beauty products and cosmetic procedures simply cannot duplicate.  You are blessed more than you know.

YOU WILL AGE GRACEFULLY AND WELL

This was the only thing that got me through the torment of high school when girls made comments about "being able to see their reflections in my forehead."  I am descended from a very long line of oily women, and my mother always told me that oily skin leads to fewer wrinkles in the long run.  That was little consolation to me at the time, but I always kept it in the back of my mind that the girls I admired and were jealous of would eventually appear to age much faster than I would.  Now that we are thirty I am finding that my mother was right.  Not only does oil preserve the natural springiness of your skin, but the oil tends to disguise any wrinkles that you might have accrued.  Also, as gross as it may be, that very same oil that separates your makeup from your skin now will come in handy when you're trying to prevent things from settling into the crevices around your eyes, mouth, and wherever else.  The oil floats on top of your skin (carrying your foundation and powder with it) giving you a more flawless appearance.  Yay!


Alas, humidity is not our friend.  On the days where you feel like you need a tissue taped to your forehead to keep your makeup from running into your eyeballs it can be a challenge to see anything positive coming from this mess.  I can promise you that there IS a light at the end of the tunnel.  You WILL bump into people you haven't seen in ten years and realize how much less you've aged.

Maybe it will make up for the years of agonizing over keeping your skin's radiant beam somewhat under control, or maybe it won't, but I bet that someday you'll be grateful for your oily skin and you'll come to appreciate it... even if it is in a love hate kind of way.

Please visit my website
www.AshleyGesslerSHD.com

Books You're Better Off Just Watching the Movie

If you're an avid reader, as am I, then you've had that friend who exclaimed, "Oh, you just HAVE to read the book!  It's soooo much better than the movie!"  9 times out of 10 I completely agree with their opinion.  The books usually are "sooooo" much better than the movies, however, there is that rare story that is simply better when it is seen (or heard) in real life.

1. GAME OF THRONES

Utterly fantastic story.  There are no two ways around that one, but if mountains of details are not your thing then skip this book and head straight to your HBO channel or borrow the disks from a friend because the show is absolutely worth seeing.  Everyone I know who read the books pictured characters and details in exactly the same way as I did- which is both good and bad.  Scenes were so thoroughly described that there was no mistaking what George Martin was trying to convey- good point.  In some instances, the amount of detail (though thorough and beautiful) bogged me down and became a bit much to take in- bad point.  Some people may not feel the same way, but I had to take this book in small chunks because it was a bit too much to absorb in long sittings.  Not to mention there are about a thousand characters you have to keep straight.  The easiest way to get through it was to watch an episode of the show and then go back and read until I had caught up.  I didn't read beyond the first book, so I can't say whether this would work for everything that followed, but the show stayed amazingly true to the first story (almost word-for-word at parts).  I honestly couldn't point out anything you would miss by just watching the episodes on TV (aside from lots and lots of visualizing details and maybe a little character development).  If you're a Song of Ice and Fire fan, I'm sorry for raining on your parade.

2. HARRY POTTER AND THE SORCERER'S STONE

Having already seen the movie, I came to this book with great enthusiasm.  Many friends of mine were Harry potter nuts (and I mean that in the nicest way possible).  The series came highly recommended, so I took an afternoon of sitting at Barnes and Noble and sipping on a hazelnut latte to read the book.  The impression I came away with was a wonderful story that had been perfectly replicated on the screen.  Now, I am not the type of person who can sit down and tell you all the minute details that were either portrayed or written incorrectly for the screen, but from what I could tell the movie director had done an excellent job of staying true to the story.  Sadly, the writing style was juvenile at best because it had been intended for children- not adults.  The rest of the series was much better written and Rowling's style evolved as she went, but you aren't missing anything by skipping the first book entirely.  If you've seen the movie, start with Chamber of Secrets.

3. THE LORD OF THE RINGS

Details, and details, and more details!  Don't get me wrong... I honestly believe that Tolkien gave us an unparalleled gift when he wrote The Lord of the Rings, and many people are probably shocked that I listed it here, but Tolkien took such painstaking care of explaining Frodo's journey that I found myself almost shaking with anxiety while trying to hurry the story along.  For the same reasons I found Game of Thrones to be a heavy read, Lord of the Rings also fits the bill.  The language Tolkien used also flirts with a hint of Old English which can be a struggle to read in and of itself.  While the movies are phenomenal and I've watched them at least 50 times each, there are very important sections of the book that were left out in the interest of time, I'm sure.  If details are your thing, then this is the book for you.  I don't regret reading it (I say "it" because I own the three-in-one version instead of the individual books), but it was a bit heavier than I had anticipated and I found it less enjoyable than the movies.  Also, the music score absolutely MADE the movie, but more on that in a bit.

4. THE PHANTOM OF THE OPERA

Speaking of music!  When the trailers for the new movie of The Phantom of the Opera came out while I was in high school, I decided I needed to read the book first... because that's the responsible thing for a college-bound student to do, right?  For a book that was written around the turn of the century, it was surprisingly enjoyable.  Leroux goes into greater detail of the phantom's history and painful childhood which was captivating, however Andrew Lloyd Webber's musical rendition brought me to tears!  The movie is a tad long (though not as long as seeing it live on Broadway due to the intermission) but there is no replacement for the music.  The story without "The Music of the Night" is nothing more than a mere story.

5. WICKED

This book was one I picked up at Hasting's on a 4 for $5 deal.  It made for an extraordinary musical, so I figured the book would be amazing as well.  The thing I missed most?  The music.  Oh, the music!  The story is still there (obviously, since that's what the musical was based off) but the writing felt very blah with loads of conversations about seemingly important topics that vanish in the next chapter and turn out to be nothing.  I know people who have read the book and tell me they enjoyed it, but I struggled.  If someone asks my opinion on this one... just see the musical.

6. SEX AND THE CITY

Watched it... LOVED it... read it... felt a little let down.  If you've seen the show and fallen in love with Carrie and her friends then reading the book leaves you feeling a little, "Wait, where's the rest of the story?"  There is surprisingly little mention of the main characters we know and love, and while reading the book woke up my inner creative voice and inspired me to do a little writing of my own, I found there to be very little of an actual story line.  Mostly, the book is random encounters with random fabulous people and their conversations.  While an exhilarating read, if you come to it looking for the show you'll be let down.  The book felt completely different.  Bushnell's writing style kept me engaged and the book was a very fast, very entertaining read, but it's not the story from the show.  Come to it, enjoy it for what it is, and that's that.

7. THE HUNT FOR RED OCTOBER

I believe it takes a certain kind of person (probably with a military background) to enjoy Clancy's writing style.  That person is obviously not me.  After seeing the movie, I found the book on a clearance rack and decided to give it a go.  I figured that knowing the movie's plot would help me keep the story straight in my head while I read- this trick worked wonders for me later when I was reading Game of Thrones.  Sadly, the cut and dry story laced with military jargon and dry characters left me appreciating the movie even more.  In all honesty, I made it- maybe- a quarter of the way through the book and had to put it down.  It was simply too dry for my taste.  Love the movie, though!

8. THE TIME TRAVELER'S WIFE

"The book where nothing much happens," is what I would have entitled this one.  In the grand scheme of things, the story is beautiful: a woman falls in love with a man tortured by uncontrollable time travel, and she suffers a life with a man who unwillingly comes and goes.  It has all the makings of a great movie.  The book, on the other hand, felt like a lot of waiting.  There was nothing difficult about the read, but not a whole lot happens over the 500+ pages.  While muddling through the boring interior, I kept thinking, "It's going to get better.  It HAS to get better.  They made a movie out of it for crying out loud!"  My male doctor walked in for my appointment and happened to see the book laying on the counter.  "How are you liking it so far?" he asked, and I had to be honest... I was bored.  He laughed, "Yeah, I felt the same way about it.  It doesn't get any better, either."  I was less than 100 pages from the end, I knew what ultimately happened, so I threw in the towel.  Great idea.  Great movie.  Less than stellar book.  If you get an itching to read it you're more than welcome to my copy- KEEP IT.

9. A WALK TO REMEMBER

I know I'm probably alone in this, but Sparks' writing style had me wishing for more.  And, this isn't the only book of his I didn't care for... I own several because I keep telling myself that maybe I'll like the next one.  Just as it had with The Time Traveler's Wife, the overall story had me hooked, however the writing style didn't impress me in the least.  The book is short, it was easy to read, and yet I didn't enjoy it at all.  Again, it's probably just me.  There hasn't been a Nicholas Sparks movie that I HAVEN'T bawled my way through, and yet the books always seem to fall flat in comparison.  It's nothing I can stick a pin to and say this is the culprit... I just don't care for the written versions of his stories.

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www.AshleyGesslerSHD.com

Breathe New Life Into An Old Wreath

Last year I was given a beautiful, live wreath in the shape of a horse head.  It was gorgeous and smelled great!  Any way, by the time Christmas rolled around the wreath was well past its prime and was begging to be tossed out.  On a whim, I decided to pull the withered branches off and keep the wooden horse form.  Surely, something could be done with it...

The original horse wreath

Thanksgiving of the next year:

It was finally time to do something about the bare horse form that had been cluttering up my husband's garage.  I pulled two rolls of artificial greenery from my Christmas stash (purchased for $1 each at a yard sale) and taught myself how to use our electric staple gun.  I feel silly for even admitting to my undeserved fear, but I truly was intimidated by the thought of using a GUN!  

$1 rolls of artificial greenery.  Yard sales are fantastic!

The bare horse form (Ignore the horsey mustache.  I got a little ahead of myself and started stapling greenery before remembering to take the BEFORE picture.  Oops!)

As you can see in the picture above, I started at the tip of the horse's nose.  The garland actually wraps around the edges of the form and staples into the back.  We have a glass window in our door and my husband would kill me if the wooden back on the wreath scratched its trim... so I did this to give it some padding.

I went up the face as far as I could until I could no longer wrap around both the top and bottom.  Next, I started at the base of the neck and worked my way up in exactly the same way.  Once I had the neat little square of bare wood you can see in the above picture I cut greenery pieces to fit the available space.  I was very careful to pull back the greenery of the previous pieces and staple underneath them so the silver staples wouldn't show.  I wrapped the tops over the top of the wooden form and stapled to the back of the wreath.

All that was left was the ribbon for the bridle, and tada!

Please visit my website
www.AshleyGesslerSHD.com

Super easy organization tip

REAL QUICK: What's the simplest tip for making your space appear more organized without really doing much?

Stick all your clutter (aka bottles, wash rags, table junk, whatever) in a basket.  Easy peasy!  And, done!

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www.AshleyGesslerSHD.com

Personalize your knock-off bags

I purchased a bag off eBay for a measly $7 (shipping included).  It was nothing fancy, but I put an opening bid in when the item was first posted and low and behold I won the darn thing!  When it arrived all squished into a "if it fits, it ships" box from the post office, I found a Prada tag tucked into one of the interior pockets.

Without meaning to, I had purchased a knock-off Prada bag.  Oops!  It hadn't been obvious in the pictures, but now that I was seeing it with my own eyes there was a noticeable empty space on the front of the bag where the Prada logo should have been.  I felt cheap carrying it with Prada on it, but empty without it.  What's a girl to do!?

Everyone has that family member who gives strange or odd gifts at Christmas, and I remembered receiving a horse pin ages ago which I never had any use for.  A quick removal of the old Prada tag and a switch for the horse pin, and voila!  The old knock-off bag had been transformed into a personalized horse bag for me!  Creative AND resourceful!

Please visit my website
www.AshleyGesslerSHD.com