eo | diy for hair + lash serum

I’m not a huge DIY person (although I love the idea of it!) but since bringing essential oils into our home my sister, daughter and I have started experimenting with a few things and we have loved the way that they have turned out.

LOVE YOUR hair

I have read a bunch of different recipes for a spray for your hair and scalp to support your hair growth and in doing so have created a blend that we love here at my house.

With a 4oz clear glass bottle from Amazon (resources at the end of this post…) use a tiny funnel and add the oils as listed above. Add a splash of witch hazel for the oils to mix and fill the remainder of the bottle with water. I spray this at the roots of my hair after towel drying and combing through.

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LASH SUPPORT SERUM

Getting anything near my eyes has always worried me as I have incredibly sensitive eyes but my daughter and I wanted to give this one a try and we have loved the results. Apply to the ends of your lashes only.

Using a new and empty mascara tube from Amazon, put the recommended drops into the tube and top off with 1/2 vitamin e oil and 1/2 v6 oil. You can substitute both of those for cold pressed castor oil if you prefer which I will be doing for my next batch. Apply to clean lashes morning and night - ends only.

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MY FAVORITE SUPPLIES

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I’d love to hear about some of your favorite DYI projects with essential oils or some ideas on what to try next.

xo,
c

02 | choosing your word for the year

Resolutions are great - goals and plans and dreams are awesome. But the practice of selecting one word to carry throughout the year that encompasses the many things that are meaningful to you for the year is one of my favorite things.

I first learned of this idea from an old scrapbooking friend Ali Edwards. She has a huge amount of information about the practice on her blog (going back several years, in fact) and it’s definitely worth the read if you’re interested in this idea.

WHY I CHOOSE A WORD each year

I love goals and dreaming big and planning things, so picking a word that can help me do those things has always seemed like a great fit. I’ve been doing this for several years although I don’t always finish strong with the word. I try…and in my opinion that’s better than nothing…for me. I’ve taken Ali’s class before and the content is amazing at keeping your word close to you all year long. Other years (like this one) I’ve purchased an item like this key necklace from The Giving Keys that can help remind me of the word that I have selected and why it is important to me.

HOW DOES THE WORD [CHOOSE] TRANSLATE FOR ME?

There are a ton of cute quotes on pinterest all about choosing joy or today I choose to be happy…those are simple, easy to remember and sometimes simple is the best. I wanted a word that put me in control. I wanted a word that reminded me every day that I could choose the way I saw the world and reacted to it. I could choose the things that I can control (like how often I exercise, what I eat, how much water I drink, how hard I work and how often I let my responsibilities slide). And I can choose how I respond to the things that I cannot control.

“discipline is choosing between what you want now, and what you want most”

— abraham lincoln

how to select your word

Every year towards the end of the year I start thinking about my current year and how things have gone for me and I start thinking about what’s coming up. What are the things that I want to go after? Who do I want to be, what do I need to stop doing? What do I need to do more of? Sometimes a word will just jump out at me, sometimes I will read through past OLW posts on Ali’s blog to see if something speaks to me. There really isn’t a wrong way to choose a word (or a wrong word).

1. Reflect on your past year

2. Look at areas in your life that you’re struggling with

3. Look at areas in your life that you want to create a change

4. Look towards a subject that interests you

5. Think about where you would like to be, how you would like to feel a year from now

ways to live your word throughout the year

The biggest thing about choosing a word for your year is not to forget all about it by the 3rd week in January. You took the time and selected a word that you felt was going to help you be the best version of yourself - don’t give up on it. (Now…if the word isn’t working for you in the way that you thought or a new word all of a sudden feels better for you there is no shame in changing lanes…you do you.)

1. Share your word with others and if you feel comfortable, let them in on why you selected that word

2. Take a class (ali’s class is amazing) and join a community of like minded people working on their word monthly

3. Purchase or create something that keeps your word visible daily

4. Create a pinterest board that celebrates your word with quotes and other things that relate to how you want your word to work for you in the coming year

5. Read the definition of your word and look for synonyms that you can also use to keep your word close.

6. Revisit your word every month if not more often. Set a reoccurring event on your calendar with a reminder to take some time to think back on why you selected your word and how you have been incorporating it into you life and how you can make improvements.

how this relates to your self care

Self care is all about making sure that you are taking the time to ensure that you are working towards being the best version of yourself. Sometimes this means working hard towards something and sometimes it means taking time to relax, reflect and refresh. You need to do what is best for you and if you select a word to carry with you throughout the year, make sure that you choose one that is in line with your goals for the year. Don’t make this harder than it needs to be but find something that pushes you a bit (whether it’s pushing you to work harder or pushing you to slow down) and brings you joy.

Have you picked a word for your year? I would love to hear about it - what it is and why you selected it.

xo,
c

instagram recap | december 2018

This month was pretty empty on instagram…so much so that I actually had to pull some images from my camera roll. December was busy and full of family but I did realize that I took a lot more time to just be present in what we were doing and didn’t do a lot of documenting. That’s a good thing…and a bad thing. It’s great to just experience the moment but I love looking back through my images and remembering all of the things that we were experiencing.

When I look back through these images I see lots of good memories, time with family and a few images that I knew that I wanted to get but didn’t take the time to do it properly. Either I was worried that I was in the way, or that someone would think I was being silly or that the kids just weren’t interested. There used to be a time when I would do whatever was needed for the shot but I’ve somehow lost a bit of that. No more.

January will be a mix of enjoying the moment, getting out and experiencing new things and making sure that I take the time to look around and notice the little details and document our lives a bit better.

If we’re not friends on Instagram I would love to be! What are you going to be sharing this month?

xo,
c

01 | documenting everyday life with teens

Tell me about when your child was little - better yet, show me. I am willing to bet that you have tons of photos and videos and maybe even albums full of little moments of their lives as young kids. Now show me a recent photo of your teen...tell me about their everyday moments. Are we losing touch in the hustle and bustle of our overly busy days? Do we struggle getting them in front of the camera for a year end photo for the holiday card? Or do they just "refuse" to let us take photos of them anymore? My kids are nearing that moving out of the house stage and I don’t love it. I’m proud of them and know that we’ve taught them well…but I want to make sure that we’re documenting the memories that we’re making now for our future.

A couple of years ago I wrote a series on the Carrie Owens Photography blog about documenting your everyday life and all of the little components that go into that. (Documenting your Everyday Life) Now that my children have all moved into that teen area it's gotten more difficult to document their everyday lives the way we used to so I thought it would be a great time to revisit many of those tips and ideas.

me, typing a paper, sophomore year (1990)

This series will be held here on the Carrie Diane blog as I will also get into what to do with those images and some tips and tricks on getting those teens of your on board with your efforts. I would love to hear thoughts and ideas and questions from parents of teens and tweens and even adult children or those that are away at college - what are you struggling with? Do your teens put their hand in front of their face every time you try and take a photo? Do you feel like you're invading their space by taking photos? Do they demand that you don't ever post a photo of them on social media? I get it - and I get all of those responses from my own three at various times and in various ways. I have come up with some really great solutions that have put us all on the same page and we can all get what we want out of the deal.

WHAT WILL WE FOCUS ON?

• getting your teen on your side (it was so much easier when they were 2)

• capturing everyday moments (everyday moments are quite different from 8 years ago)

• capturing traditions (how have traditions of your child changed over the years)

• capturing those moments you don't want to forget when they've moved away (yes - even the not so great moments)

• getting images with you AND your child together (very important!!!)

• social media and privacy issues for your teen (let your child lead in this area and be sure to have an open dialog)

• what to do with these images (the answer is not to leave them on your phone)

• phone and camera tips - as well as some social media tips from the teens themselves

WHY IS THIS IMPORTANT?

When our children are little and brand new and going though all of those amazing milestones we cannot wait to snap a pic and share it with the world. This is great - even if we aren't sharing those photos with the world, we're telling them (in a way) how proud we are of them, how much we love them, how important they and their stories are. Once our kids start growing older and becoming more independent those photo ops change. They don't necessarily become less frequent - they're just different. We need to actively look for them. Their stories are just as important to tell (and we need to make sure we're getting their permission on where and how we tell them). These are the years that they remember and having their stories told from your point of view to look back on are more valuable than you can imagine.

me, first day of school, junior year (1990)

I'm sure you're still getting those first day of school photos...when they'll let you. Those are important. I love looking back at mine (my mother was adamant about getting these shots - she even had my college roommate take my first day of school pic my freshman year). I love to see the clothes that I wore, the car that I drove, the way my hair looked. There are many things that I wish I could see, but having these images reminds me of things I might otherwise have forgotten from this time in my life.

me, first day of school, senior year (1991)

Other than these images, birthdays and holidays and images before dances there aren't a lot of photos from my teen years. And that's ok. I was busy, my mom was busy and there wasn't a camera attached to our hands at all hours. That's simply not the case today.

me and erin, a random shot, december junior year (1990)

This photo above of my best friend and I at her home in a random little moment means so much to me. We've been best friends since we were 5 yet have seen each other just once in the past decade. But we're still close, will always be close. Seeing that photo, I can hear her laugh. I can remember what it felt like being in her home. I remember her family. I remember our matching J. Crew jackets. I don't know why I'm smiling so big or what we are doing but I can feel how much our friendship still means to me.

I know that my kids have a lot of pics on their phones, selfies and photos with friends. I know they have instagram and other ways of sharing those images, but I want to make sure that I'm continuing to tell their stories as well. That we continue to create memories together and document those times for them (and for me) to relive when they're older.

Don't stop taking photos just because they're growing up...don't think that a photo of them walking away from you and into practice doesn't tell a story.

everyday life is in the details.

xo, c

planner love + happy new year

It’s that time of year - I love it! I love all of the things about the new year. People always say that there’s nothing special about January 1st, that you can make a change any time and any day. They are 100% correct - but for me, there is still something magical about the first of the year.

It’s amazing to me to thing that the things that I’m going to be doing at the end of this same year may look nothing like what I imagine today. That’s ok, life is full of changes. But I like to plan and prepare the best that I can. So much so, in fact, that I often over plan…or intend to over plan. I have always looked for that perfect planner, that perfect idea on how to set and achieve goals that I often find myself in a continuous planning loop without actually doing the work that I’m planning. Of course soon comes disappointment or discouragement or thoughts that maybe my idea isn’t good enough when it’s really just that perhaps I gave up before it got really good. But still…I plan. Because some planning and hoping and trying is better than nothing in my book. I also really love to highlight tasks once they are finished. Even if I write them in just to cross them out.

My planner of choice is the Get To Work Book by Elise Cripe (one of my favorite bloggers and instagrammers and overall super creative talented types) and you can see from my post about planners back in 2017 I’ve been using it for a few years.

How I use the planner

Once I get my new planner, I take some time and write down all of the things that are a “given” in my little world with a good pen and some alone time. I use the Sharpie pen in fine or medium (I prefer fine) and sometimes I will add in other colors for certain things (like blog calendar info). Then I start filling in all that I know on the monthly pages:

1. Things that happen every year like birthdays and anniversaries that I need to make sure to remember.

2. Dates of things like vacations and school days off (and start and end dates)

3. Any sporting events that I know ahead of time (sometimes I know these things, sometimes I don’t and then I’ll just add when they become available).

4. My blog posts that I have planned out using my blog planner (this keeps me accountable and also reminds me of things that I need to get photographed or purchased for upcoming posts).

After those items are entered in I will often go to the the weekly pages for January (or the upcoming month) and start filling in certain things that I know that I need to do daily (water, vitamins, instagram posts, blog posts, etc). I like having these on the actual days so that it gives me something to highlight when they are done and also keeps me on track. I will also go in and enter dates from the monthly calendar now so that I can write down any tasks/to do lists that coordinate with those events.

There are also some awesome project pages and reflection pages in the planner that I use every month as well. These are perfect for mapping out a big project you’re working on into smaller, bite sized pieces so that you can actually start tackling your to do list without being completely overwhelmed.

As I mentioned above I love crossing things off my list, but it wasn’t until I saw someone else’s planner that used a yellow highlighter to run through each item that they had finished that I tried that method. I love it and think that it’s such a great way to get a quick reminder of the things that you’ve accomplished in your day.

Do you use a planner? Digital or paper? What is your favorite and why? If you’re looking for a little inspiration for your Get To Work Book, check out the instagram #gettoworkbook for some great ideas.

xo,
c

the psk | will I really use them all?

Yes. Yes you will.

I remember a year ago when my Premium Starter Kit arrived with all of the oils and the information and I was a bit overwhelmed. I remember thinking…what on earth am I going to do with all of these oils? I really just wanted to find a couple that might help support the sleep issues that I had been having (my entire life). But I was also excited. I was excited that our family was taking steps to add this healthy aspect to our lives. I really had no idea where we were headed.

The oils were each used for various things - I used them to diffuse in the various diffusers in the house (as I quickly realized one diffuser was not going to be enough), I used them to make rollers and used them in teas. I used them topically to relieve strain in my joints from too many photo sessions. I used them on dryer balls to replace the dryer sheets that I had used my whole life. I began to use them in my water and to roll them on my face for skin support. Eventually I found that I needed to replace these little bottles one by one and started adding new and different bottles to our collection…my drawer full of empties is pretty impressive.

what can you use the oils for?

There are so many things that these oils can be used for, some of the different ways that my family has been able to see benefits from the oils.

• sleep support: Lavender, Stress Away, Copaiba

• skin support: Lavender, Frankincense

• immune support: Lemon, Thieves, Frankincense

• muscle/joint support: PanAway, Cppaiba

• emotional support: Frankincense, Peppermint, Stress Away

• digestive support: Copaiba, DiGize, Peppermint

HOW Can you USE THE OILS?

Diffuse them, apply them topically, use them internally - but only the Vitality Oils! Here are a few sample diffuser blend with your Starter Kit oils - be sure to experiment, there are lots of ways to use these oils for your family.

WHAT ARE THE OTHER THINGS IN YOUR KIT?

There are two little red packets of Ningxia Red and a little yellow packet of Thieves Household Cleaner. Do not throw these out and do not leave them in the bottom of your kit (don’t forget - there are two levels to your Premium Starter Kit - there is so much goodness in that bottom layer!). Pop the two red packets into your fridge and enjoy them cold - over ice, mixed with a sparkling beverage (some people love LaCroix with theirs) or just plain - the benefits are amazing and you should really make the effort to get Ningxia into your family’s daily routine. Even my pickiest little one drinks it.

Go grab that yellow packet and a 16 ounce spray bottle and dilute it in water for the safest, nicest smelling household cleaner you have ever tried. We use this for everything in our home now - mixed with varying amounts of water or other products it makes the best cleaner for all of your needs.

There is a little black roller fitament and lid in your bottom tray as well - pop that baby on the oil of your choice and roll on the goodness. I use a roller top (you can purchase more through Young Living) on my Lavender, my Frankincense and Stress Away (and many other non-starter kit oils).

Best of all…your kit comes with a wholesale membership to Young Living. That’s right. 24% off retail on all of the best products for your home and family.

WHAT’s NEXT?

If you have a Premium Starter kit that you haven’t gotten the full use out of yet it is time to pull it out and start trying things. The best way to get the full benefits of the oils is to use them daily. Consistency is the key here. Create routines around the oils and you will start seeing the most amazing results. If you have yet to get your own Premium Starter Kit now is the perfect time…trust me, you want this in your life.

I can’t wait to start this journey with you.

xo,
c

01 | all about self care

What does self care mean to you?

Everyone is talking about it these days, self care is all the rage. But everyone is right. It’s the same concept as when you’re on an airplane for the safety speech and they tell you to secure your mask before you try and help others. You’re really no use to help others succeed if you aren’t taking care of yourself. As mothers we often feel like there are so many things that must get done (and there are) and that we’re the only ones who can do it all (and we’re not). Taking care of yourself and making time to make YOU a priority is vital to your own long term success in life.

Today marks the first week in a series here on the blog that’s all about self care and the different ways that you can incorporate it into your life. Not every idea will resonate with you but the hope is that over time you will begin to create or enhance your own routines and methods of self care.

For me, self care comes in three areas: mind + body + soul/spirit. I tend to get tunnel focused in my life and will focus heavily in one area while letting the other areas slide. My goal is to find some balance and find joy in a little bit of middle ground. To be slow and steady and to try and elevate each area consistently while attacking my goals and dreams to continue towards being the person that I desire to be. Over the following weeks each topic will play into one or more of these areas but for now, here are some thoughts on each one.

“Self care is giving the world the best of you, instead of what’s left of you.”

— Katie Reed

MIND

The following are some of the ways that you can incorporate self care for your mind into your life:

1. reading fiction or non fiction books without distraction

2. learning something new

3. limiting screen time

4. creating time for goal setting/planning

5. social media detox

BODY

The following are some of the ways that you can incorporate self care for your body into your life:

1. being conscious of the food and drinks that you allow into your body

2. giving yourself adequate outdoor time

3. moving your body more with exercise or other activities that you enjoy

4. ensuring that you allow yourself time to get adequate sleep

5. taking excellent care of your skin

SOUL/SPIRIT

The following are some of the ways that you can incorporate self care for your soul or spirit into your life:

1. finding time for something that you love to do

2. making the time for a gratitude journal every day

3. surrounding yourself with like minded and positive people

4. creating time in your day to focus on you (there’s time somewhere, you just need to find it)

5. listening to music that you enjoy

Now what? Now it’s time to think about you…what do you love about where you are and what areas do you think you want to make some changes? Don’t overwhelm yourself by trying to make a thousand changes all at once, but do get a clear picture on where you want to be and start making small and meaningful changes daily.

What areas of self care do you need to focus on in your life? Is there a particular element that is lacking in your life? What are some topics that you would like to see explored deeper in this series? Drop a note in the comments and we’ll make sure that it’s addressed in the coming weeks.

xo,
c

the premium starter kit | young living

Once I jumped in - I was in. I was so excited to get the Premium Starter Kit. I really had no idea what I was doing or where this would lead me, but I knew it was right for me and my family. I had tried to find some oils at different stores around town, but I really had no clue how to begin to get the full benefits of these little bottles. Young Living and the Premium Starter Kit and my team made everything so easy for me.

When the PSK arrived at my door, I dug in and began reading everything I could about these cute little bottles…but it really came down to just looking at what I needed at a particular moment and grabbing the oil that most closely matched my need. And the best thing is that these oils can do so many things…not just the one or two things that is listed below. Each oil is my favorite for so many different reasons.

why would someone want the PSK?

If you’re looking to get started with Essential Oils many people ask…why Young Living and why get a kit? Can’t I just get the oil that I want here and there? Well..that’s a pretty loaded question.

• why Young Living? For me…I loved what they stood for, I loved the company mission and their Seed To Seal Promise. I knew that the oils I was going to be bringing into my home were the best that I could find. And I loved that they had such a wide variety of oils, blends and other products (hello Thieves!!).

• why the kit? There are so many reasons, but the biggest really is the value. The price is amazing and you get a diffuser, 11 5ml bottles of oils, 2 sachets of NingXia Red (you’ll love it!) and a 1-ounce sample packet of Thieves Household Cleaner…and a wholesale membership which gives you 24% savings on future orders.

HOW TO USE your oils?

There are so many ways to use your oils - we use ours everyday.

• Topically - Follow the bottle’s dilution recommendations. Use a carrier oil if needed, apply with your fingers or a roller bottle.

• Aromatically - Directly inhale from the bottle. Use a few drops in your diffuser. Put 1-2 drops on a cotton ball and place in car vents or home air vents.

• Internally - Put several drops of oils from our Vitality Line into an empty vegetable capsule and take with water. Add a few drops to a glass of water (I love Grapefruit Vitality in my HydroFlask!)

Do I have to do the business?

Nope. So many people get the PSK and simply use the membership to continue to get their oils each month, get freebies and earn points towards free oils…that’s totally ok! I hadn’t planned on doing the business side at all, but naturally sharing these oils and their great benefits has given me the opportunity learn so much and has given me a little extra income - I can’t really say no to that!

YOUNG LIVING INCOME DISCLOSURE:

are you ready to get started yourself?

I would love to have you on our team - when you get your Premium Starter Kit you gt a community to help you along the way. A place to ask questions, giveaways and other great incentives and maybe even some new friends along the way. I’ll send out a welcome packet with great information to help you get started…I can’t wait to help you on your wellness journey!

SIGN UP LINK - enroller/sponsor number: 13871676

xo,
c

instagram recap | september 2018

This past year has been crazy and busy and full of new things and somewhere along the way I stopped documenting our lives quite as much. The kids are all so busy - often out doing their own things…so what do I take photos of now? I’ve been trying to work on making more of an effort this past month but I can see that I’m still falling short of where I want to be. This month (hello October!!) I’m looking forward to a new month with new goals on getting the images of our daily lives that I love.

Why is documenting our daily lives so important to me? I often forget these days, or just think that it’s ok not to take the photo or make the post. But when I look back at a series like the one I did 4 years ago on my Carrie Owens Photography blog (31 days of documenting your everyday life) I see so many amazing things that I’m grateful that we have the images that I would take of the family. Do my kids get tired of me asking to take their photos? Maybe. But I know that they appreciate it, it’s a little reminder to them that they are important. That their story is important. And it is.

For October my goal is to post something on my instagram (carrieowensdaily) of our daily life everyday. Which means a lot of football and polo and basketball. And a lot of days of me at home working or out doing “boring stuff”. The challenge that I am giving myself and would like to challenge you is to look for the little things in the everyday. The things that you will for sure forget in a couple of years time. Capture the big moments, of course, but look for the in between moments. What little details tell the story of your everyday life in October of 2018? I’m excited to tell the story of our next 31 days.

happy instagramming,

xo,
c

what I'm reading | business

Business books and self improvement books are my very favorite kinds of books. I used to be a huge fiction reader - especially mysteries - but the last several years have me reaching for goal driven books that give me something to work towards. Some of the latest books on my shelf...

The You Are a Badass books are next up on my reading list - there's both the regular one and You Are a Badass at Making Money - how could I pass that one up?? I've loved The Miracle Morning by Hal Elrod and The 5 Sencond Rule by Mel Robbins...perhaps two of my very favorites. Have you read Elise Cripe's book on 100 Pep Talks - a book she wrote from an instagram series she did a while back. It's a great quick read with a ton of really awesome nuggets of goal driven advice.

What business and goal books are your favorite? Are you a physical book reader, a kindle reader or do you love the audio books?

Happy Reading!
xo,
c