Turmeric is a spice that has been used for centuries
by women in India for beautiful glowing skin.
It has been proven to help with anti-aging, preventing
acne, soothing inflamed skin, & giving a beautiful complexion.
Turmeric is one of the universes healthiest spices.
It is an anti-biotic & anti-inflammatory that when ingested daily
has been known to prevent & treat many kinds of cancer, chronic
pains, Alzheimers, diabetes, & acne.

Basically, turmeric rocks whether it’s eaten or
put on your skin.
Let’s make a face mask to minimize those
pores & make our skin glow…

What You will Need { & some other options}

1. Turmeric- you can find this spice at your grocery or
you can find it raw & grind it yourself!

2. Milk- I used milk, but you can substitute plain yogurt, sour cream,
honey,  olive oil, almond oil, coconut oil… the list goes on!

3. Finally ground oats- I used oats, but you can use milk powder,
sandalwood powder, oatmeal flour, & again the list
goes on!

4. Bowl & spoon for mixing

5. Honey- Honey is optional, but I’m obsessed with honey
& it’s anti-inlamitory properties, so I include honey
in all of my beauty rituals.

I keep finally ground oats around at all times. I will blog about my
love for oats & all the skin benefits I have discovered soon.

This is what your face mask should look like…

It looks a little scary. I mean it’s a strange orange/yellow color
& let me tell you, you should be a little cautious.
A couple warnings… It will deposit color on your clothes, rugs,
& other items.. no worries, I have had no problem washing it out.
Also apply a thin layer on your face, you can use a sponge
or an applicator. I use my fingers & I have had no problems
with it staining my skin like some have said that have had.

 I apply the mask to my face & let it set for about 20 minutes before
I rinse it off with warm water.
I am left with a glowing complexion with a more even skin tone &
my sensitive skin loves this homemade natural mask!

 Final thoughts:

Turmeric has become one of my favorite things in the world.
I mix it in my green tea {adds a distinct flavor that I love} & I am
going to continue consuming it for it’s amazing health benefits.
As far as using it on my skin… I AM OBSESSED! My pores
are minimized, & when I apply it to my breakouts they become
less inflamed & less red. I also make a spot treatment out of it
by simply mixing water & turmeric together & applying it to the
breakout.. It works like a dream!

 Have you experimented or used Turmeric before?
What was your experience or thoughts?
I would love to hear from you in the comments below
or on the facebook page {here}.
If you try the mask, let me know how much you love it!

Talk to you soon…

Liz Marie

Ps. Don’t forget tonight & every thursday night the “Link up with me, Liz Marie” Party
will be live on the blog! Come link up your blog posts from this week &
see other peoples posts as well! Party will be live at 10pm eastern standard time.
Bonus: Each week along with the linky party, there will be a giveaway!
Hope to see you all there!

 All items this month were hand picked for a black tie,
uptown New York feel. Along with all the
items the box included 30% off
all month to RomeoandJulietcouture.com
using the code “RJCXOXOBIRCH”.

The Birchbox had cute packaging this month
I was really impressed with it.

May Birchbox items…

1. Dior: Diorshow Extase- Dramatic Mascara for tons of volume & length.
2. Dior: Miss Dior Perfume- Chic & feminine perfume
3. Miracle Skin Transformer- Body SPF 20 in Glow
4. Shu Uemura- Cleansing Oil Shampoo
5. Notecards- Modern stationary

 I also ordered some full size products from the website this month
as well! They happened to be delivered the same day
with my May Birchbox with free shipping as well..
Can’t beat that!!

 Full size items from Birchbox…

Kiehls- Ultra Facial Oil Free cleanser
Yes To- Blueberries facial cleansing wipes
Benefit- The PORE fessional
Stila- Prime Pot in Taffy 

What did you get in your Birchbox this month??
I would love to hear what you got in yours!
Share it in the comments below or on the
facebook page!

I want to wish all of you mommy’s out there
a VERY happy mother’s day.
I was woken up at 4am this morning by one
of my bestfriends telling me to come over because
she was in labor & my husband & I were her
designated “babysitters” for her other two boys.
What an amazing Mother’s day gift she got
when her third baby boy was born this morning.
Congratulations Candice of Just2Moms!
I couldn’t be happier for you!!

Talk to you soon…

Liz Marie

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& The winner of the grand opening of my Etsy shop {Liz Marie Shop} Giveaway is:
Cristina from The Painted Past!!! Congratulations Cristina & thank you
to everyone who entered!!!

Don’t you just love her quirky shape & that color is
to die for.

I instagramed this picture when I hit the
sewing table jackpot a while back.
She is the one on the right.
{Instagram: Lizmariegalvan} 

 & now this old sewing table has a whole new life…

The color I used for this piece is Twilight Meadow from
Valspars new spring line.
I bought a few of their color pre packaged samples from Lowe’s
for $2.97 & the color sample was more than enough
to paint this piece & have lots of leftover paint.
I posted this picture to Instagram when I bought my
colors… Aren’t they stunning?

 Aren’t these colors fun?
Twilight Meadows was one that stuck out to me
right away…

New favorite paint color for sure.
It really is the perfect turquoise.

I did love the beautiful wood on the table, so I decided
to sand the top of the table & stain it with a dark walnut stain.

& this lovely vintage table just gets better & better…

The sewing machine inside the table is beautiful & in perfect condition.
I haven’t tried using it yet, but the seller said it works.
Such a lovely vintage piece!

To antique this piece, I simply used 80 grit sandpaper &
sanded in the areas where I thought there would be
normal wear & tear.

I wanted this piece to be very shabby chic, so I sanded
a lot to add more drama.

What do you think of my first sewing table makeover?
Is this your new favorite color too?
Share your thoughts, questions & ideas in the comments
below or on the Facebook page {here}.

 One more thing! I made it official.. I will be hosting a linky
party every Friday {Goes live thursday night} starting
next week!! It will be open to every blogger to post their
blog posts from that week. In order for it to be succesful we need
to spread the word! Share this with your friends on your blogs, facebook, twitter,
& any other social network site. I look forward to
seeing all of your lovely posts next week!!

Talk to you soon!

Liz Marie

linking to…

 This table was lovely before, but needed a little
pick me up…

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I instagramed this photo earlier this week during
sanding the piece. You can follow me on
Instagram {lizmaregalvan}

For this piece I decided to again use my homemade
chalk paint recipe…

 & this time I didn’t add the stain when I was done painting.
Instead I simply distressed with a sanding block &
called it a day

 I love all of the details & I think they pop so much more
with the white paint.

 I kept the original hardware because lets face it.. It’s beautiful.

Seriously this buffet made me want to get rid of my hutch
and replace it with a lovely shabby buffet.

 The storage in this beast is awesome too.
This buffet would make a great TV console as
well. Can you picture it in your living room with
a Television on it or mounted above? I can, & I love it!

Seriously my love for homemade chalk paint
is growing by the day.. It’s hard for me to even use
normal paint. Have you tried DIY chalk paint yet?
I know I have been blogging about it a lot lately..
but it’s only because I truly love it.
Find me on Facebook or Twitter & let me know about your
experience with chalk paint or leave it in a comment
below. Also don’t forget to enter the giveaway for the
Grand opening of my Etsy shop {here}. I am
giving away an item from my shop. Thank you
to all of those who have already entered!!

talk to you soon…

Liz Marie

ps. I am going to be starting a linky party on Liz Marie Blog starting next week.
Do you have opinions on a day? Or do you have a name suggestion?
Leave a comment below or tell me on the facebook page {here}

linking to..

Since the shop has just opened this week, there are items being added daily,
so stay tuned for more items coming soon!
All Items are handmade by me & all Items can be customized for you!

Mason Jar organizer with hardware.

Shabby Chic Mint Mason Jar Organizer.

Hand painted sign.
{All signs can be custom ordered with your colors, letters, exd..} 

Mason Jar organizer with Bronze Holders.

Cottage chic painted sign.

Mason Jar organizer with hardware.

These are just the beginning of the shop.. stay tuned for more handmade
items by me & thank you for all of your continued support!!

I wanted to kick the Grand Opening of my shop with
a little giveaway for you!!!

I am giving away $25 to my shop! That means you can get
the most expensive thing in my shop FOR FREE just enter
to win in the comments section below &  I will pick one winner
next week Friday {5/11/12}

To Enter {Each one is an additional entry}:

1. “Like” Liz Marie Blog on Facebook & comment below saying you did

2. “Favorite” Liz Marie Shop on Etsy & comment below saying you did

3. Visit Liz Marie Shop & comment below your favorite item

4. “Pin” an item from Liz Marie Shop & comment below saying you did

Good luck to you all!! & again thank you for all of your support
It means so much to me.. & I’m thankful for each & every one
of you.. *sappy moment*

Ok I’m done Talk to you soon…

Liz Marie

I love this little mint table so much. I think I just love everything
mint.. yah, maybe that’s it.

 I just re-did this table yesterday.. It was a pretty sad
mini table & I decided to refinish it with homemade
mint chalk paint. Here is what the little guy
looked like before…

Pretty sad & for some reason the people had the legs on
backwards? Not quite sure. haha, but here is the
after of this lovely mini mint table…

want to learn how to make this chalk paint that I love
O so much?? Here it is…

 There you have it.. Now of course you do not have to be
exact with it, and your measurements will vary sometimes,
but this recipe has never failed me.

When painting this table, It felt so small compared to other pieces
I have recently done, but when placing it next to my couch
it was the perfect little table…

I love doing a lighter color on top of such a dark finish
when the dark finish peeks through.. it adds so much drama
to the piece.

Can you remember the other piece I did in this color?
You can peak at it {here}

I added some new worn nickel hardware because I wasn’t
happy with how dainty the piece of hardware was on
the original piece.

This minty color makes my heart stop & this isn’t the last
time you will see it on Lizmarieblog.com {sorry! haha}
For those wondering it’s Valspar’s Mint Gala.

Have you tried my recipe for DIY chalk paint before?
What are your thoughts?
I hope you all get the chance to try it &
please let me know how you like it..
share your thoughts in the comments below,
on the Facebook page {here}, or Tweet me.
Can’t wait to hear from you guys!!

Talk to you soon..

Liz marie

ps. If you have not followed me on Pinterest {here} or Instagram {lizmariegalvan} you should! I share lots of fun things on both, that don’t always make it to the blog.

linking here…

 Here is the lovely little table before…
{sorry for the lazy quick cell phone picture in the dark}

 yup, it was in pretty bad shape, but with a little paint, some
new hardware I knew she would be a beauty again.

 I decided to use chalkboard paint on the top of the table for an
extra fun addition. It wasn’t my first time using chalkboard paint,
but it was my first time on a piece of furniture.
It really was no different from using any other kind of paint.
Here are my thoughts on the chalkboard paint:

-I bought my chalkboard paint from Lowes
-Valspar Chalkboard paint {here} 
-I used a normal paint brush to brush it on.
- I did about 5 layers on the top of the primed piece.
-It matched the black paint I used on the other parts of the table
-It’s easy to erase the chalk { I used a damp cloth}
-The texture seems the same & very durable.

The hardware I picked for the piece is hand painted black & white with
gold accents. I purchased these at TJ Maxx.

 I decided to keep on the metal accents on the front of
the end table & paint them black along with the rest of the table.

 This table would look great as an end table or a nightstand & would
be fun to leave little love notes or draw fun little coasters like I did here.

That lovely terrarium on the table? It was made by me from an old light
fixture.. you can see the post {here}. 

I never use black when refinishing furniture.. but
I just may start using it more often…

So what do you think about my lovely chalkboard table?
Have you used chalkboard paint on furniture before?
I want to hear about your chalkboard adventures.
What do you think about me using black on furniture
makeover? Pretty different for me huh?
Share your thoughts on facebook, tweet me, or post in
the comments below…

Talk to you soon…
Liz Marie

Ps. I’m hosting a scentsy party online. Are you in need of any scents, warmers, lotions, or
any Mothers Day presents? It ships to your house within 5 -7 days from ordering.
You can order {HERE}

linking to..

 This month was the most random Birchbox that I have recieved.
Which isn’t a bad thing, It was another pleasant surprise.

In my April Birchbox:

1. Zoya Nailpolish- Lotus
2. Taylor Swift perfume- Wonderstruck
3. Juice Beauty- Oil Free Moisturizer
4. Amika- Nourishing Hair Mask
5.Dropps- Laundry Detergent

 If you have been living under a rock & not heard of Birchbox,
you can read more about it {here}.
You can also sign up for Birchbox {here} to recieve your
very own Birchbox monthly.. It’s $10 a month with {free shipping}!
I hope you enjoyed a peak of my April Birchbox… & that you
had a great weekend! Let me know what you think of Birchbox
in the comments below or on the facebook page {here}!

Talk to you soon…

Liz Marie

ps. To keep up with me & my life you can follow me on Instagram: LizMarieGalvan
I am pretty much obsessed with Instagram & would love to follow you too!

 This little boy was looking a little rough & was missing one
drawer. But he had a good shape & I knew that a missing
drawer was a good opportunity to make some dresser
shelves…

 Yup. Not so pretty.

I decided to cover the shelves with burlap to
add to the rustic beachy feel of the antique blue finish.

This dresser didn’t have any hardware, so I added
my own.. & these antique brass ones were
the perfect fit!

This dresser would be a great entertainment center, storage in
a bedroom, sofa table, or Great for an entryway table.. there is literally
endless possibilities.

  The shelves are great for storage or displaying items.

So what do you think of my second Dresser to shelves makeover?
I am pretty excited that this one actually had drawers & shelves
together. Have you made over a dresser into shelves? How
did you do yours? I would love to see them.. Go link them
up on the facebook page {here} or leave a link below. You can
also tweet me the link or picture!

Talk to you soon…

Liz Marie

linking to….

I love them! I have not tried to get the wrinkles out yet, but
I do not mind them at all.. I think the wrinkles will fall out
with time & I might try steaming them to help them fall out.
In all the reviews I have read, I have learned that after washing them
& putting them on the couch when they are damp, the wrinkles fall
out very nice.

The one thing I was surprised about when we got the couches set
up was how short the sofa & loveseat were compared to other couches.
I was a little taken back at first, but now I can’t even tell the difference.

 I still need a rug, but I did finally pick one!! Ordering
soon.. It only took me 2 years to finally pick the right one haha

  I really love our Media center, the shape & storage are amazing,
but the paint finish will be changing very soon.

 & that chair you ask? Well, I blogged about it before {here}
but in short… It’s a chair I purchased off of craigslist
& bought an Ikea slipcover off of ebay to put on it..
yup.. I cheated a little.. but it still fits in perfect

 You can see the changes we are making to our living room post
{here} & I am very happy with our progress & enjoying the
ride of all the changes…

What I love about the couches….

- Washable slipcovers
-Very comfortable
-Replacement slipcovers are only $49.99!
-The white goes with everything
-They are pretty much my dream couches

We set up my computer in the living room while we assembled the
couches & recorded all of the fun… Here is the 45 minutes of us
putting the couches together… don’t worry it’s only 5 minutes long
Don’t mind us staring at the TV in the background, It was opening
day for the Detroit Tigers.. we are pretty big fans haha…
Enjoy!!

What do you think of the new couches? Do you have
any furniture from Ikea? What are your thoughts?
Let me know in a comment below or on the facebook page!
I will be doing a review in a month or two to give you all
an update on how I feel about the couches & a full review.

Talk to you soon…

Liz Marie

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