Extraordinarily Simple Knitted Washcloth

Dear Everyone Reading This,

 I have just finished my first week of doing the oil-cleansing method. I am not going to go into the whole shebang, but basically you wash your face with oil (I use coconut oil) and it is supposed to get rid of excess oil and perform magic on your face and stuff. So you just put a little bit of the oil on your hands, about a quarter-sized amount, massage it on your face, then put a hot washcloth on your face and wait for it to completely cool before kind of wiping off the rest of the oil. I have to say my face is a lot more moisturized, and my overall complexion is a lot better. My pore size has also very much decreased. But, I still have those stubborn black and whiteheads. I have found that using a hand knitted washcloth is a lot more fun to use, and it is softer and thicker. Here is the one that I made in about two hours:

It measures 10 inches by 6.5. I am not exactly sure how many yards it takes, but not very many. I’d guess about 150 yards. I used pretty standard weight yarn. Here is the pattern:

Gauge: 6 stitches by 6 rows equals 1 inch.

Needle size: US 11.

This washcloth, like you and I, are unique. It is knitted length wise. I may or may not have done that on accident ;)

Cast on 40 very loosely.

Knit four rows.

Now purl one row.

Then knit the next row. You just made a stockinette!

Repeat these last two rows about 17 times.

Now, knit four more rows! You are almost there!!!

Bind off very loosely.

Wasn’t that easy? I know! It is so great because it knits up super fast with those big fat needles.  :{

I have noticed that when you wash the washcloth the cotton kind of puffs up, making it very thick and great for sopping up oil on my face! LOL that sounded so weird . . .

If y’all want me to make a tutorial on how to knit, purl, cast on, and bind off, just let me know! 

God bless you and thanks for visiting me!

Come back soon!

Love,

           Ariella Lola 

do you want me to make a video on how to knit and do basic knitting things? answer me below in the comments! 

Running Advice and a Book Series Recommendation

hiya,
i have read two books this week, the first two books in the series Confessions of a Shopaholic! I started the third book today. I really like them and totally recommend them, but the first book is hard to understand some words because Becky Bloomwood lives in England and therefore uses England terms. 

I joined my school's track team, and it is so fun! I was doing the sprints (100 meters) and then I realized that it wasn't fun because i was just EXTREMELY bad and it made me feel super bad about myself, so i switched to doing long distance. Today, I ran two miles, and yesterday I ran 1.75 miles. I don't even know how many i did on wednesday and tuesday and monday. Grand total of probably 5 or 6 miles this week! it is super fun because my friends are doing it with me and i made a couple new friends! 

but when u start running everyday and you haven't ran before, make sure to stretch before and after!!! Super important! oh and make sure your shoes are probably fitted to your feet needs :) no seriously. you need running shoes .5 a size bigger than you usually do because your feet swell when you are running. oh and don't eat right before you run. and my last and most important piece of advice, try try TRY to breathe through your nose because on Thursday i swallowed a fly and then it like flew back up my throat and then i started spitting all over my friend and then i felt bad because i spit all over her and i didn't mean too. it was really gross and scaring.
have a splendid weekend!

love,
ariella  

Hello!
Welcome, welcome! Wow, go me I posted yesterday too! aren't you lucky. just kidding; i'm not conceited. Ummm . . . so on Friday I made my mommy's mother's day gift. her hands get dry super duper easily so I made homemade (sort of) lotion! Here is my newest addition to my favorite blog list: One Good Thing by Jillee!  I followed the recipe pretty exactly. Oh and I tried to go to my local dollar store, and they didn't have ANY of the ingredients. I got the baby lotion from CVS and then I got the coconut oil and vitamin E cream from Better Health health food store. I made it, but the coconut oil wouldn't melt so the lotion has little bits of coconut solids in it, but they melt (i think). I stored the lotion in a little circular tub ware container. 

Okay then yesterday, I made healthy mac and cheese! it is super easy to make! I was feeling pretty lazy so I didn't make the onion garlic puree, I just skipped it all together. I used about eight ounces of whole-wheat pasta. it could of been cheesier, so make sure you put a little bit more than recommended of the cheddar cheese. Oh and I swear you can't taste the greek yogurt. It smells awful, but just bare with it you won't be able to taste it. I used about half of the regular container that is a single serving. I didn't use whole wheat bread crumbs,  just used regular. Here is the link: http://www.fitnessmagazine.com/recipes/quick-recipes/dinner/healthy-mac-n-cheese/

Now on to today! I made low fat oatmeal raisin cookies with my brother! It was very nice because we have both been really busy in the last couple of weeks so we got to "bond" today. And the cookies are super yummy, and they have NO BUTTER!! I swear they are sooooo good. I ate three. They made about 30 little cookies. For the yogurt, I used a little less than half of the container I started yesterday of greek yogurt. oh and i didn't use whole wheat flour, i just used regular white all purpose. Super delicious cookies! Here is the recipe: http://www.sunmaid.com/en/recipes/recipe/low_fat_raisin_oatmeal_cookies.html

Have an amazing rest of your day!

love,
ariella

Piggy Bag!!

happy saturday!!
my goodness it is so beautiful outside today! perfect temperature, perfectly green grass everywhere, and blue skies. Gorgeous! Today has been a piggy day. Leo was screaming this morning, no joke. He was so wound up today it was hilarious! He was squealing like a mad man. So I fed him lettuce. He ate it. Then he cried out for more. So I made him a bag. :p Here is what happened when i put it in his cage:

You will need:

Fleece

Ruler

Pen/Marker/Chalk

Scissors

Sewing Machine (or needle and thread and a lot of time)

Lots of Love <3

Cut a 12x22 rectangle out of your fleece. Fold it in half. Pin three of the sides. Sew it. Flip it inside out. Give it to your piggy. Smile as they go in and roll around in the bag. Comment below that your guinea pig loves it. Then I smile. Then we smile together. 

sorry for no pictures, my iPod isn't letting me email pictures to myself for some reason. grrrrrrr!!!!! Have fun making your pig bag! when i showed my mom that Leo was in the bag, her response was this: "Baby Pig in a Bag!!" 

I am drinking some cinnamon tea . . .ICED!!! YUMMMY ZERO CALORIE WONDERFULNESS! NO-CHEMICAL CRAZY GOODNESS! 

love,

ariella