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IwishIhadallofthe money I've spent over the years on manicures — both pro- fessional and do-it- myself. I'd have quite a tidy sum and still be stuck with these hor- rible nails and even worse cuticles. Thankfully, after un- told trials and errors, I've come up with a six-part manicure routine that has turned my nail life around — and keeps me out of the pricey nail salon. By way of a little his- tory and just so you know, over the years I've done the acrylic thing (don't even get me started on what years of that did to my natural nails). I've also tried wraps, gels, hot oil and even superglue. My cuticles have been snipped, nipped, ripped and clipped. I've pur- chased expensive lotions, potions and nail notions but to no avail. Noth- ing has ever worked long- term. I'd just about given up completely on finding a reasonable and workable solution for my nails when finally, I put together a routine with specific prod- ucts that has given my nails a brand new life. I've been testing this for about six months now and can report without hesitation: This is it! The best do-it- yourself manicure and nail care program ever for any- one with dry, cracked, hor- rible cuticles and jagged, splitting, peeling nails. My routine requires one tool and five products. The initial purchase might seem high until you con- sider that at around $25 a pop plus tip for a pro- fessional manicure, an in- vestment in these six items pays for itself in a month or two. 1. Glass nail file. This is the secret to keeping my nails smooth as a baby's bum. I use it almost daily to keep my nails nice and smooth. No more jagged edges, splitting or peeling. 2. Avoplex Nail & Cu- ticle Replenishing Oil. There are lots of prod- ucts out there that prom- ise good cuticle health, and I've tried them all. This is the only one that works for me. I call it Miracle in a Bottle. I ap- plied this oil twice daily for two weeks and the re- sults were amazing. Now I apply once a day. So easy and with beautiful results. 3. Chip Skip. Another little miracle product from OPI, this makes every- thing stick to my nails and stay there for what seems like 10 times longer than without it, even as I spend hours every day pounding on this keyboard. 4. Original Nail Envy Nail Strengthener. There are lots of competitors out there, but this is the only one that has ever worked for me. And when I say "worked," I mean with amazing results. 5. OPI Nail Lacquer. Of all the brands of polish available, this is the one that I can count on to not get thick before its time. Used with the products above, it doesn't chip or fall off like a bad wallpa- pering job, which has hap- pened to me on more than one occasion. If you're cu- rious, currently, my favor- ite color is "Lincoln Park After Dark." 6. Seche Vite Dry Fast Top Coat. I'd take a bath in this stuff, if that were even possible. That's how much I love it. I'll tell you why in a bit. There you go, the six se- crets to the perfect do- it-yourself manicures. It strikes me that these six products, beautifully placed in a small box or basket, would make the best gift ever for Moth- er's Day, a Bridal Shower, Graduation or Birthday. You could even include the following instructions from a very happy user of said procedure: Step 1: Lightly file and shape nails with the glass file until smooth. Step 2: Brush on Avo- plex to all cuticles twice a day, gently rubbing the oil into the cuticles (you do this even after you have completed a full manicure, just as you brush your teeth routinely, apply lo- tion or other daily hygiene. Step 3: To begin your manicure, apply Avoplex, message into cuticles gen- tly and push them back as needed. Step 4: Apply two coats of Chip Skip to your nails, avoiding the cuticles. It will immediately disap- pear, but don't worry, it's doing its job to prime your nails to accept the next steps. Step 5: Apply two coats of Nail Envy. Allow to dry for about 5 minutes. Step 6: Apply one or two coats of nail polish. Step 7: Apply one more coat Nail Envy. No need to allow any time to dry. Step 8: Apply one coat Seche Vite over the still- wet polish and Nail Envy. That's what I love about it. You apply Seche Vite over wet polish to make it dry almost instantly. This may look like a lot of steps, but the routine is quick and easy. And the results are so worth the ef- fort. By the way, Nail Envy instructions suggest ap- plying an additional coat every day or two — right over the top. I did that for a while, but find now that it's not necessary. I do re- apply another coat or two of polish and top coat as necessary between mani- cures. This way, my man- icures last for up to two weeks, which for me is re- markable. When my nails are beautifully manicured, something weird happens. I feel better. I do better. I think I ever write better! I can't wait to hear what you think of these six se- crets for a perfect DIY manicure. For more info and photos regarding the products above, please visit www.everydaycheap- skate.com/manicure. Wouldyouliketosend a tip to Mary? You can email her at mary@ everydaycheapskate. com, or write to Everyday Cheapskate, 12340 Seal Beach Blvd., Ste. B-416, Seal Beach, CA 90740. EVERYDAYCHEAPSKATE Sixsecretsforthe perfect DIY manicure Mary Hunt PLEASE RECYCLE THIS NEWSPAPER. Thank you! COURTESYPHOTO William Gentry, Vincent Chin, Sarah Boone, Christopher Gray, John Minton, Gerry Gray, Wyatt Haywood and Jim Long. The Benevolent and Pro- tective Order of Elks Lodge 1250, Red Bluff, at 355 Gilmore Road, celebrated Flag Day Sunday with pre- senting eight national col- ors back through history to today. Students from Tehama County high schools and others from the Elks and parents carried these na- tional colors into the main meeting room. Exalted Ruler Sharon Stone read the Elks Lodge national proclamations to the au- dience. Marine Corps League, Detachment 1140, mem- ber John Minton read about each of the flags as they were carried and pre- sented individually by the students, parents and Elks members. The Elks also presented several of the high school students with awards and scholarship funds for col- lege. The audience was then invited to witness the proper disposal of na- tional flags from citizens who wanted a proper dis- posal of their flags. Detach- ment 1140 performs this ceremony on Elks property each year on June 14, Flag Day. June 14 is also the U.S. Army's birthday and this year marks 240 years. These ceremonies are free to attend each year at the Elks Lodge. For in- formation about the Elks, call 527-3421. For infor- mation on Marine Corps League, Detachment 1140, call Commandant Buddy Male at 528-8813. Flag Day ceremonies held Sunday ELKS LODGE By Brin Greer Many homeowners and tenants have replaced ap- pliances over the years and casually updated their homes as pieces age or fail. Did you know install- ing LED lights, insulation, weather stripping, and high-efficiency appliances are a few small-scale per- sonal investments you can make that will greatly in- crease your home energy efficiency? What may seem like a small step in home im- provement is in fact a critical component of a larger system. These small changes add up and make a significant impact by re- ducing demand on the en- ergy grid, conserving en- ergy, and lowering elec- tricity bills. Your home, whether it's a mobile home, apartment or single family residence, is an integrated system in- tended to provide comfort. Properly functioning heating, air-conditioning and water heating units all work together to help maintain your ideal indoor conditions. In taking a compre- hensive, whole-home ap- proach to energy efficiency — rather than focusing on individual improvements — you ensure optimal energy efficiency invest- ments. For example, when en- ergy is lost through un- der insulated duct sur- faces, heating and cool- ing equipment has to work harder to make up for the loss, whether it is a high efficiency appliance or not. As a result, main- taining your comfort each day, season after season, will end up costing more money than making mul- tiple improvements simul- taneously. Energy Upgrade Califor- nia's Home Upgrade Pro- gram rewards consum- ers for implementing the whole-home energy effi- ciency approach. Many re- bate and financing pro- grams are available to make home upgrades af- fordable now and for the long term. The program is ideal for those focusing on key en- ergy efficiency measures, such as improving insula- tion. The program's user- friendly rebate and incen- tive calculator makes it easy to estimate savings at the beginning of your proj- ect, to help develop a real- istic budget. Before starting an up- grade or purchasing your next appliance, check www.EnergyUpgradeCA. org to see which programs and rebates are available in your area. This website also lists Home Upgrade Participat- ing Contractors who have been trained to identify all energy efficiency op- portunities and can help you select the best up- grades to lower your en- ergy use, improve home comfort, and maximize rebates. Brin Greer is the watershed coordinator of the Resource Conservation District of Tehama County. CONSERVATION Take a whole-home approach to energy savings Staff Reports The Portuguese Festival of the Holy Spirit for the Orland and Willows area will be held on Sunday. The day's events begin with Mass at 10 a.m. at St. Dominic's Catholic Church in Orland where this year's queens will be crowned. This is the 73rd year of the festival that was started in 1942 at the Or- land Parish. Lunch will be served from noon to 2 p.m. and dinner from 6:30-8:30 p.m. at the Glenn County Fairgrounds. Dancing to Portuguese and Ameri- can music will be featured from 1-4 p.m. and 7-10 p.m. The queen of this year's festival is Britton Bas- setti, and her side maids are Anna Mendes and Sara Boone. The little queen is Sara French, with side maids Sydnee Wilson and Bailee Haywood. Queen Isabella the founder of this festival. She cared for the welfare of the poor and is consid- ered a saint by her contem- poraries. GLENN COUNTY Po rt ug ue se F es ti va l pl an ne d Su nd ay i n Or la nd CONTRIBUTED PHOTO Big queen for this year's Portuguese Festival on Sunday in Orland is Britton Bassetti (center) with her side maids Anna Mendes (le ) and Sara Boone. 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