Some people breeze through our lives and others come in and take up camp, even if that’s not their goal, so as part of a sponsored post with #CollectiveBias and their client,
#AmericasTea
, I created a bath bomb recipe for a friend that I know needs a mommy time out. I’m weird about friends. I like having a smallish, very close inner circle and a larger base of friends and acquaintances. It’s not that I feel any differently about that large atom body of friends than I do about the nucleus, it’s just that that nucleus keeps you going, lifts you up, and steers you where you want to go. The rest of them, they’re a ton of fun, I love them all, but that core base just keeps me going.
I love it when I meet women who are like me, women who love to be the counselor to people, women who love to solve problems, women whose mission in life is to love and nurture other people. It’s easy to relate to people when you feel the same way about things as they do. It’s those same people who you can turn to when you have nobody to talk to, or you need someone to smack you back to reality.
Those same women have a tendency to put others before themselves, often to a detriment. They give and give and give of themselves, with no thought to simple necessities that keep their bodies running and healthy. One of those women is Brandi from Mama Knows it All . She is the Senior Manager of Community Relations with Collective Bias. She works from home most of the time while also caring for her 5 year old little miss sassypants of a daughter. She is the person our entire community of bloggers turns to, to lift us up, keep us happy, and move us along. She gets so busy giving her time, knowledge, and love to others, that she forgets to take care of herself. You guys, she recently was so exhausted and dehydrated , that her husband came home to find her unresponsive. This is not OK.
I’ve done it before too. Sometimes it’s easy to get lost in helping others and your own basic needs go by the wayside, but we just keep trudging forward, helping people to help them, even if it overdraws our bank accounts and nearly sends us to a mental institution. This isn’t a reflection on those people, it’s a reflection on our willingness to give everything we have until our love banks are overdrawn. People like Brandi? They need folks to take care of them too. They need people to place deposits back into their love banks, because at some point, they will run out of gas.
Don’t let this happen to someone you care about.
It is our job as friends to make sure that the very people who take care of us are also taken care of. I don’t have a whole lot of money just lying around to be able to whisk my friend away to a secluded island somewhere, but what I do have is time, ingenuity, and a lot of love & concern.
I knew that I was going to see Brandi at SoFabCon and I wanted to do something special for her, for doing so many special things for us, for me. Without spending a lot of time talking to her, she has often steered me right when I was thinking wrong, she has placed her trust in me and allowed me to shine by taking a step back and just letting me run, and she has just been such a light in my life since we met. I knew this Mama needed a reason to take a time out, so I created a little love bundle that I could give to her at SoFabCon.
I went to Walmart and picked up a few things for her including a cute tumbler so she’d have an easy way to drink water each morning, some Bigelow Tea to help her relax and feel good, some Epsom Salts for the bath bombs I planned to make for her, some cheesecloth for those bath bombs, and I made a leather bracelet for her that says “Choose Happiness”. Because sometimes we all need a reminder that it’s OK choose our own happiness.
Before I go any further, I have to tell you why Bigelow. Well, for a few simple reasons. 1. They’re an American, family owned company. I love supporting American made, and for Bigelow to be such a household name and family owned, I just feel like that’s impressive. 2. The tea is quality. I’m not worried about making a bath bomb that someone will be soaking their body in, because this stuff is quality and not manufactured somewhere with questionable practices. 3. Because it’s our household tea and I’m a brand loyal kinda gal, that’s why. So don’t let me down, use Bigelow. Your bath bomb recipient will thank you.
So I know some of you saw “Bath bombs” and probably got really excited. You think you know, but you have no idea. These aren’t the fizzing, bubbly bath bombs that you can find at that awesome, Lush specialty store. This is more of a tea bag for the bath, but I just can’t say that without giggling like a 14 year old boy, so I’m calling them Steeping Bath Bombs. Just roll with me, OK?
The purpose of this whole care package was to give Brandi a reason to take care of herself for once. I wanted to give her a reason to want to slip into a hot bath while sipping something relaxing and remembering that it’s OK to choose her own happiness over the happiness of others every once in a while.
She hasn’t sent me a selfie of herself bathing yet, so I’m not sure she’s used them, but epsom salts are great for relaxing tired, sore muscles, and green tea is fantastic at detoxing your body. The skin is the largest organ on your body, and it absorbs everything that it comes into contact with. I mean, everything that can fit in your pores anyways. You can’t really absorb the giraffe at the zoo, or your dining room table when you lean on it, can you? I thought that Bigelow’s green tea would be a nice, relaxing detox bath for Brandi to enjoy after, or shoot, during those super stressful days. I also got Bigelow’s spiced chai flavor, because not only does it taste phenomenal, it smells like a trip through an exotic spice market. I close my eyes, inhale, and it just takes me away. I thought that it would be a great scent for when Brandi needs a vacation of the mind.
OK, OK, now that you’re dreaming of your own tea bag bath, er, steeping bath bombs, here’s the recipe!
Steeping Bath Bombs
Serves | 1 |
Ingredients
- 1/2 cup Epsom Salts
- 2 Bigelow Tea Bags (Any bag you'd like, I used caffeine free green tea for some & spiced chai for the others)
- Cheesecloth
- Butcher's Twine
Directions
Step 1 | |
Cut cheesecloth into 7"x7" squares, placing three layers on top of one another. | |
Step 2 | |
Pour 1/2 cup epsom salts into the center of the cheesecloth squares, then empty two Bigelow tea bags of the same variety on top of epsom salts. | |
Step 3 | |
Bring corners together and tie with Baker's Twine to secure. | |
Step 4 | |
Gift to someone who needs a mommy time out and tell them you'll break their kneecaps if they don't relax. |
Emilee Rister says
You amaze me!!! You know how to be a friend!
Patricia Cook says
I would never have thought to use tea this way, such a clever idea! And what gorgeous pics of Brandi. Both you ladies are lovely.
Christy says
I love everything about this. 1) Brandi is one of my favorite people on the entire planet as she is giving, caring, and just genuinely gorgeous both inside and out. 2) Shopping for cheesecloth with my beavers in Arkansas at the best Walmart in the nation is one of my fondest (funniest) moments from our entire trip. 3) That moment Brandi and I had above, staged or not, was fantabulous. 4) You’re extremely clever and the whole gift was amazing.
Amy says
I basically consider Brandi my #PersonalOprah, but, you know…I’ll share her with you. Just a little. Because she’s too awesome to keep all to myself.
Also, this whole post makes me happy-it’s full of so amazing memories and kick ass people.
JanetGoingCrazy says
Just thinking of Brandi and her having a chance to relax makes me cry. She’s such a beautiful person all around and if I could be half the woman she is, I would have served my purpose on this earth. Thank you for honoring her like this and thank you so much for the best gift idea I’ve seen in a long time!
Your Big Sis says
You’re such a good friend. Brandi is so lucky to have a #blogger friend like yourself! Great idea.
Mallery Schuplin says
I have to agree with every stinkin’ thing you said. What would we do without her? <3
Stephanie says
Love this post! You’re such a great friend – and what an awesome idea for a gift for someone who needs to slow down or pamper themselves. Thanks for sharing!
Brandi says
So, I had to come back to this post. I read it this morning, and it got me to thinking. And crying. And thinking.
I have so much to be thankful for. So many amazing, lovely people like yourself who just…treat me so good. I appreciate you, and I appreciate this. Everything about it. Your timing is impeccable, because…
Just…thank you! <3 <3 <3
Summer says
Your gift is definitely service to others. You are a great leader, a wonderful motivator, and a strong shoulder. Never stop any of that – it IS who you ARE. We are all very lucky to have you too, and we want you to take care of yourself. And, you’re welcome. <3 <3 <3
Brandi says
Summer, you should know that I also took this idea to children’s church yesterday. We were talking about healing. The kids loved it, and the parents were excited to try the bombs their kids made for them. Your gift just keeps giving! 🙂
Brandie (@ Home Cooking Memories) says
Very sweet and thoughtful….Brandi is definitely deserving of this gift. I’m glad you were able to do this for her. #client
Rebecca | Botox Toronto says
This was a great read. Thanks for sharing this, Summer.