Ashley Hackshaw, Author at Ashley Hackshaw / Lil Blue Boo

With an Open Heart

November 23, 2015 by Ashley Hackshaw

Brett takes Boo every Thursday to serve food to those in need. It’s their weekly date. I love that she waits to eat after all the homeless have eaten. I love that she is learning to serve. I love the smile on her face and that she comes home to tell me all about it. I love her open heart.

Last week Brett used the word “needy” and Boo said that she would like to not use that word, that it just didn’t sound right as a description for the people they were serving. It made me think about the fact that we use labels all the time without thinking about it, how quickly we can draw an invisible line.

Living with an open heart…I think that’s what we can aim for.

I saw this quote today by Cheryl Richardson:

Look for good.

The world doesn’t need more darkness.
We’ve all become highly skilled at keeping fear alive.

It’s time to become masterful at fueling the light.

True that.

DIY Ornament Ideas: Vintage Compass

November 19, 2015 by Ashley Hackshaw

This is a continuation of the big 2015 Dream Tree Reveal for Michaels Stores and my theme for this year: Vintage Camping and Hiking:

As part of my DIY ornament ideas I decided to go with a vintage compass:

I started out with these milk bottle lids from Michaels:

Step 1: I used a quick grip clamp to keep the milk bottle in place to drill holes in them using a small drill bit. You probably don’t even need a drill bit if you can get a nail through easily. I just like using power tools whenever possible.

You will need two lids for each compass. First I drilled a hole in one side where a hook will go for hanging:

When the lids are stacked they should look like this on one side:

Then I drilled two holes on the other side of the lid, and drilled two holes on the other side of the second lid:

When the lids are stacked they should look like this on the other side:

Step 2: You’ll need floral wire and pliers:

Cut two pieces of wire about 1″ in length and use them to create little loops to attach the two lids as shown:

The loops act as tiny hinges:

Cut about a 2″ length and twist both ends together to make a loop. This will be the ornament hanger.

Insert the loop through the single hole in one of the lids. I used a clothespin to create tension so that I could add a drop of glue on the inside to keep it in place while the glue dried:

Step 3: I forgot to take a photo of this step but I used gold metallic spray paint to spray paint each compass.

Step 4: I Googled “compass” and about 100 images came up for the inside of a compass. I picked a free one and imported it into Powerpoint where I duplicated it over and over on one sheet. I placed a layer of packing tape on each side to make the compass image glossy and to protect it from moisture:

Step 5: I cut out the compass images and glued each one into a lid:

Step 6: For the little needles I used regular old paper brads. I bent them down on either side and dabbed a little paint on them:

Then I glued those in place as well, adding a miniature brass brad in the middle:

Allow the glue to dry and here are your finished compasses!

An easy, inexpensive ornament to add to a tree:

More tutorials to come soon on the rest of the ornaments!

You can view all my Christmas related decor posts here! Thanks for reading!

Face Oil: Yes, You Can Put Oil on Your Face

November 18, 2015 by Ashley Hackshaw

The last time Congress passed a major law to regulate cosmetic ingredients was in 1938. The United States has only partially restricted 11 ingredients from use in the beauty industry; the European Union has banned nearly 1,400. It’s safe to say we’re dangerously behind the times. -Beauty Counter Petition for Safe Beauty

This is huge: This week Gregg Renfro, the founder of Beauty Counter, is in Washington to ask Congress to clean up cosmetics and prioritize safe beauty. We need stricter regulations in the cosmetic industry. Right now pretty much anything goes and it’s really scary.

MYTH —-> The government prohibits the use of all dangerous chemicals in personal care products, and companies wouldn’t risk using them.

FACT —–> With the exception of color additives and a few prohibited substances, cosmetics companies may use any ingredient or raw material in their products without government review or approval (FDA 2005).

(from Environmental Working Group)

Last week Beauty Counter announced that its one of the first two companies to join the Environmental Working Group’s new EWG Verified status. That’s huge too. This is why I love Beauty Counter and its mission. (see the NEVER LIST on their site here.)

Plus, I have the most complicated skin on the planet: dry, acne prone, not to mention rosacea that flares up every time I go out in the sun or eat spicy foods (which is everyday).

No makeup ya’ll.

And I’m almost 40…

And I’m a cancer survivor….

I need all the safe skin help I can get.

…so it’s my new mission in life to do everything I can to keep my family safe and to help educate others about safe products, especially those that follow the strict European standards (unlike most U.S. products).

I use only Beauty Counter products from shampoo all the way to my face lotion. Boo uses all Counter Kids. Because I know the products are safe. But the number one question I always get is:

If you had to pick one product, what would you pick?

And my answer is the Lustro Face Oil.

Why does oil work?

While most of us have been conditioned to think that oil is bad for skin, the opposite is actually true: Pure plant based oils are incredible healing for even the most problematic skin. These oils are full of power antioxidants and essential fatty acids that protect, smooth and plump skin. Oily, acne-prone complexions can benefit from pure plant based oils because of naturally occurring antimicrobial ultra-hydrating properties.

There’s a different oil for each type of skin. You can use it by itself or mix a few drops in with your regular moisturizer to start.

Here’s the difference between oils:
#1 Lustro Oil has Calendula. Calendula is known to soothe, moisturize, and refresh all skin types. It has a warm, earthy floral scent that works great for sensitive or irritated skin.

#2 Lustro Oil has Jasmine. Jasmine has a heady white floral scent and it enhances the appearance of skin suppleness and tone. It is ideal for dry or tired skin.

#3 Lustro Oil has Ylang Ylang and Wild Chamomile. Ylang ylang and wild chamomile balance oil production and soothe skin. This is idea for very dry, very oily or complicated combination skin.

Disclaimer: I am proud to be a consultant for Beauty Counter. Check out this post I wrote a while back about the products to NEVER use on your skin: THE NEVER LIST. Let me know if I can answer any questions about products, regimen or even becoming a Beauty Counter consultant yourself. It’s all about education.

Visit the Environmental Working Group to keep up to date on how to keep toxic products and toxic chemicals out of your home! You can search over 73,000 products to see their safety rating: