Uncategorized Archives • Page 15 of 55 • New Nostalgia

DIY/Crafts/ FUN/DIY/ HOME/ Organizing/ Sponsored

DIY Glittered Glass With Glittered Duck Brand® Tape

This post brought to you by Duck Brand. All opinions are 100% mine.

I’m so excited to share this easy DIY Glittered Glass project with you! I’m all about organization, simple beauty, and being frugal, and this project envelopes all three of those things with the help of Duck Brand Craft Tapes .

I’m a girl who loves sparkle, but the mess of glitter projects make me cringe! Thanks to Duck Brand® Glitter tape, I now can have my sparkle without the mess. Duck Brand® Glitter Crafting Tapes give a cool glitter effect without flaking! There is no paper backing to mess with as it is self-adhesive just like all of the Duck Brand® crafting tapes. It comes in fun bright colors – Pink, Aqua, Silver, and Red.

I chose the silver and aqua for my crafting project to match the colors of my bedroom. The aqua is actually a soft blue. I needed extra storage for my beauty items that I wanted on hand and ready to grab. I am using my glittered glass containers to hold cotton swabs, fingernail files and my hand lotion, and one to add a touch of green plant beauty.

At the other end of my dresser, I used a glittered glass vase to hold a candle. The candlelight reflection makes the glitter tape come alive when lit, which is really beautiful!

Here is all you need to make your own Glittered Glass with Duck Brand Craft Tapes.

~Miscellaneous glass containers

~Duck Brand® Glitter Crafting Tape

~Scissors

~Crafting knife

~Craft Cutting Board

I used the round shape of the Duck Brand® Glitter Tape as a stencil for my half moon shapes. I love anything with a curve!

I simply stuck the tape to the cutting craft board and used the craft knife to cut squares, strips and triangles.

Then the fun part! I stuck the shapes onto the glass containers, some random, some layered. When you are working with sparkles you really just cannot go wrong! Use your imagination and get creative with your shapes! Get the kids involved and let them help you stick the tape on.

_______

If you love crafting tape as much as I do, make sure to check out the other types of tape from Duck Brand®. The have Fabric Crafting Tapes, Prism Crafting Tapes and Washi Crafting Tapes! They can be used for so many things, from labeling to scrapbooking to home accents–creativity is never stifled by the Duck!

For tons more crafting inspiration, make sure you follow Duck Brand® Tape on Twitter at @DuckTape.

RECIPES/ Sponsored/ Sweets

Salted Caramel Reese’s Peanut Butter Chocolate Dribble & Drizzle Mix

This is a Sponsored post written by me on behalf of REESE’S® Brand for SocialSpark. All opinions are 100% mine.

College basketball is a pretty big deal around our house. It is a great excuse to hang out, get loud and eat sweets, like this amazing Salted Caramel Reese’s Peanut Butter Chocolate Dribble & Drizzel Mix. How’s THAT for a name?

For most of our home games, my Todd is gifted with tickets to the game from his Dad. Todd has been going to home games most of his life. He now takes our oldest daughter, Teagan, who has also become quite the college basketball fan. For many of the games they meet up with Grandpa and uncles and cousins to eat out before the game, then go to the game as a family.

For away games that are shown on TV, I can always count on having our basement come alive with sports fans– my husband being the biggest one. He is one of the quietest, most introverted people you will ever meet, but when a college basketball game comes on, boy…he is LOUD! I am usually upstairs chuckling to myself whenever I hear him hooting’ and hollering. I love hearing my quiet man come alive.

I also love using our home for game viewing, as it gives me an excuse to get in the kitchen and make something sweet. Todd’s all-time favorite flavors are chocolate and peanut butter, so most of the desserts I make when I am stepping away from more healthful desserts, have that perfect combination of chocolate and peanut butter.

My all time favorite flavors are salted caramel and chocolate, so this Salted Caramel Reese’s Peanut Butter Chocolate Dribble & Drizzle hit the spot for both Todd and I. It is sinfully delicious. It will be my go-to snack mix, as it is a real crowd pleaser, easy to make, and makes a lot.

It was so very good that I am entering it in the REESE’S® Baking Bracket Challenge and I am asking YOU to vote for me! I was asked to compete with 32 other amazing Game Day Recipes. These recipes were put together with Mom’s in mind, to help create some chocolate peanut butter family fun on game day!

If you vote for me, your name will be entered in a daily $100 Walmart gift card drawing. Winner of the REESE’S® Baking Bracket Challenge receives $2,500! That my friends, would go a long way in helping us pay off a few medical bills, so please vote for me!!

On to this awesome recipe. All of the ingredients can be found at Walmart.

Salted Caramel Reese’s Peanut Butter Chocolate Dribble & Drizzle Mix

8 cups chocolate Chex cereal

3/4 cup packed brown sugar

6 tablespoons butter or margarine

3 tablespoons light corn syrup

1/4 teaspoon baking soda

1 cup REESE’S® Peanut Butter Cups, MINI size

1/2 cup Reese’s Pieces Candy

1 cup miniature marshmallows

1/2 cup caramel bits (found by the chocolate chips in the baking aisle–or chop up regular caramels)

1-3 tablespoons heavy cream

1/2 cup milk chocolate baking chips

1/2 cup white chocolate baking chips

1 teaspoon coarse sea salt

1. Into large microwavable bowl, measure cereal; set aside. Line cookie sheet with waxed paper or foil.

2. In a 2-cup microwavable measuring cup, microwave brown sugar, butter and corn syrup uncovered on high 1-2 minutes, stirring after 1 minute, until melted and smooth. Stir in baking soda until dissolved. Pour caramel mixture over cereal, stirring until evenly coated. Microwave on High 3 minutes, stirring every minute. Spread on cookie sheet. Cool 10 minutes. Break into bite-sized pieces.

3. Make sure Chex mixture is cool to the touch (so candy doesn’t melt.) Evenly sprinkle mini peanut butter cup candy and miniature marshmallows over Chex mixture.

4. In a small microwavable bowl, microwave caramel baking bits and cream uncovered on high about 1 minute or until chips can be stirred smooth. Use a spoon or fork to drizzle over snack.

5. Microwave the milk chocolate baking chips next, starting with 20-seconds and stirring, then at 20 second intervals until the mixture is completely smooth (microwave temps vary, so watch the chocolate and stir frequently until it’s of drizzling consistency.) Drizzle over the snack mixture. Then microwave the white baking chips in 20-second intervals, stirring until smooth. Add heavy cream if needed for drizzle consistency. Drizzle that over the snack mixture. Quickly sprinkle coarse salt over all while candy drizzles are still wet.

6. Refrigerate until set. Break apart and store in tightly covered container.

Enjoy!

————-

Again, don’t forget to vote for my recipe by visiting the REESE’S® Baking Bracket Challenge!

Uncategorized

How To Get My Husband To Speak My Love Language

From our new Monthly Contributor, Cassie from True Agape:

Last week, I wrote about making sure your husband knew your Love Language. Today, we are going to go into what if he knows it but you don’t feel like he speaks it. When talking with those ladies, which I mentioned in the last post, some said they just felt like their man didn’t make the effort to speak their Love Language even though he knew what it was. That of course got me thinking. I started wondering, “But what can we really do about it?”

Ok, so my husband knows my Love Language. We discussed it clearly, but I just don’t feel like he speaks my Love Language. Here are a few things to think about and consider:

1) We often speak the Love Language that we enjoy receiving. It is natural to us. Your man may have to learn how to speak your Love Language. It is foreign to him. It is like learning any other new skill. It feels awkward at first, it take practice and time to get the hang of it. (This may also be true for you in learning your mates language if it is foreign to you.) Therefore, we must be patient.

2) Take into account the other ways he is showing you love while he is crafting the art of speaking your Love Language. You may need Words of Affirmations yet he brought you a gift of flowers. No, receiving gifts does not fill your love tank nearly as fast as sweet, kind words, but consider this- he did think about you and he took the time to get the flowers. It is a hard task, but try to be grateful for the other ways that he shows you that he loves you.

3) When it comes down to it you cannot force him to speak your Love Language. You may communicate about your desires and ensure he knows your Love Language, but you cannot control him. The only person we can control is, who? Ourselves! If we choose to nag our man saying, “You’re not speaking my Love Language!” He will very likely take that as condemning him and telling him he is a failure. Not great for a man’s ego. This will likely make him withdraw from you further. Instead, we control what we can. This again is a very hard task to do! I propose that you go about filling his love tank with his primary Love Language several times a week for several weeks. This will ensure his love tank is overflowing. If you have not been doing this previously you will see a change in your guy’s attitude! Once you have done this for about two months, then ask, “Sweetie, would it be possible for you to…” where you request he does something that would speak your Love Language. The odds are since he is feeling so loved he will gladly do what you ask. It is a balance of give and take. In the beginning it will be a lot of giving. Then, he will start to give. Next, it begins to balance out more equally. I promise you the upfront work of giving will be worth it entirely!

I realize that these past two posts challenge you to some possible hard tasks. Communicating openly, maybe with someone that is not so willing. Giving more, when maybe you feel like you have been for so long. But I challenge you to seek prayer through this process. Not for it to be about how to change your man, but how can I better my marriage. Be willing to take these hard actions to further your marriage, to be a good example for your children and to show your husband that you do truly love him. When focusing on ourselves to better our relationships things often change in ways you never thought possible. Sometimes it’s a perspective change and sometimes our shift in actions change others actions.

Take a step today to make sure your husband knows your Love Language and that you are filling your man’s love tank!

-Cassie {Marriage Contributor}

———

7 Ways To Avoid Sickness & Help Your Immunity System

This is a Sponsored post written by me on behalf of Fellowes for SocialSpark. All opinions are 100% mine.

We are smack in the middle of cold and flu season, and natural ways to help build my families immunity and avoid germs is certainly been on my mind!
Here are the 7 main ways we have been fighting colds, allergies, and flu viruses. So far so good this year!

1. Green Smoothies
Lately I have been adding yogurt to our go to our go-to green smoothie recipe. We use coconut milk yogurt. It helps build good gut flora. A healthy digestive system is critical to a healthy immune system. You must be able to absorb the vital nutrients that the body needs.

2. Vitamins
We love Shaklee around here. The kids chewables are great. My girls take a multi-vitamin and extra vitamin D specifically for immunity. I have been setting my phone alarm to remind me to remind them to take their vitamins! I love how it allows me to name the alarm, and give each specific alarm a specific tone. Consistency is key when taking supplements.

3. Immunity Building Soup
We enjoy lots of soup during cold and flu season. It is a warm and comforting way to get my kids to eat their vegetables!

Here are 2 of our family’s favorite soup recipes:
Cleansing Chicken Vegetable Soup
French Lentil Soup

4. Elderberry
I am new to Elderberry, but have been SO AMAZED by it. I used it during my battle with an infection after surgery, and amazed my doctor with my bodies ability to keep the infection at bay in just the skin area. Because infection did not go all througout my body (like expected) they were able to go ahead with reconstructive surgery and get rid of all infection which was contained in a very small area.
Elderberry syrup tastes amazing. We get it from our local health food store. Take a couple teaspoons a few times a day throughout the days when you feel worn down or a cold coming on. I’ve done this several times with my family and it seems to stop the dreaded cold in its tracks. A sore throat turns into nothing the next day. I know many people who use it coupled with Vitamin D on a daily basis througout the cold and flu season as an extra insurance to stay sickeness free.

5. Washing hands
I make sure I encourage my family to wash their hands. Key moments are when my girls get home from school, before their afternoon snack; after using the restroom (of course); after blowing ones nose; and before eating meals.

6. Wiping down surfaces
I usually just use vinegar and water as my main cleaning soloution. If there are lots of cold and flu viruses going around, or if any of my family members are sick, I make my own natural disinfectant.

7. Fellowes AeraMax technology air purifier
Fellowes AeraMax™ DX-55 is another thing that I am new to, but I am sold! I care much about the food my family eats, but have just recently been thinking about the air quality that they inhale. Indoor air is 5 times more more polluted than the air outside, and 90% of Americans spend more time indoors than outdoors. This is very true for my little ‘homebody’ family! We love our home time.
Airborne germs and viruses can spread further than you might think. Some flu viruses can spread up to 6 feet away, even without a cough or sneeze to propel it, where they can live up to 24 hours! Ew.
I tell this to my kids to motivate them to wash thier hands! It works. Maybe too well…I now have a little germaphobe!

———

According to the Fellowes 2014 Cold and Flu Report, half (46%) of Americans are somewhat or very concerned about getting sick during cold and flu season. They recommend a 4 step process to reduce the risk of getting sick:

1. Ask about a flu shot

2. Wash hands regularly

3. Wipe down home surfaces

4. Purify the air indoors

——-

A few reasons why I love the Fellowes AeraMax™ DX-55 air purifier:

~it is ultraquiet

~it automatically monitors the indoor quality of air and adjusts the fan accordingly

~no more stuffy noses and sore throats when waking up

~uses a true HEPA filter, which removes 99.9% of airborn particles, including germs, viruses, allergens, dust, mold, pollen, ragweed, pet dander, and cigarette smoke.

~the LED lights on the machine clearly let you know what the machine is up to…when it is purifiying and when it is done, or when the filter needs changed.

~it is portable. I can move it from on daughter’s room to another.

~it is sleek-looking. I do not find it obtrusive.

~it is easy to find. You can buy the Fellowes AeraMax technology at BestBuy.com. Prices start at $189.99.

~it not only works for cold and flu season, but helps my girls allergy and asthma during allergy season.

———–
What are your favorite ways to stay well during cold and flu season?
Have you ever considered an air purifier?

FUN/DIY/ HOME/ Homemaking/ Sponsored

Streaming Music From Your Showerhead

This is a Sponsored post written by me on behalf of Kohler Co. for SocialSpark. All opinions are 100% mine.

I thought there was nothing better than a great showerhead with a steady stream of hot water, until I found out about a shower head that streams both water and music!

Meet Moxie. Cute name, right?

It is the new, brilliant, music -streaming shower head from Kohler.

KOHLER Moxie is a shower head + wireless speaker that will give you a new way to sing in the shower. Sync a streaming source enabled with Bluetooth technology of your choice (my choice is my iphone, my daughter’s choice is her Kindle Fire) with the wireless speaker from up to 32 feet away.
Streaming your music playlist is just the beginning! You can stream audio books, podcasts, live news…whatever you are in the mood for.

The speaker offers up to 7 hours of battery life before needing to be recharged. It pops right out of the showerhead to recharge.

Here is the cool thing. Not only can you use it in the shower, but you can also use it as a wireless speaker. You can take it poolside, slip it in your car drink holder, or just take it out in your backyard as a way to provide music for all to enjoy.

My youngest girl takes it to the art desk with her to listen to an audio book as she creates. I take it into the laundry room with me to listen to my Daily Audio Bible app while folding laundry. I also use it while I take a bath, keeping it tucked into the shower head so I no longer have to worry about dropping my iphone into the tub!

I’ve used it to play romantic music in the bedroom; I’ve put zen music on while doing yoga –the possibilities are endless.

I must say, my favorite way to use it is in the shower. There is nothing like listening to Viva La Vida by Coldplay to wake up in the morning while showering. I plan on playing a few practical jokes with it, too. Since you can stream from up to 32 feet away, I will stand outside the bathroom door and sync Madesa’s ‘Good Morning’ song when a grumpy someone is needing a little morning pick-me-up. I’m sure it will make them jump out of their skin!

I am super impressed with the sound quality of the speaker, and Kohler certainly did not compromise quality in the sprayface feature. The spray is perfection. Installation is a breeze.

My middle daughter likes to take long showers, so I plan on using the shower head as a sort of timer for her, reminding her that 3-4 songs should be long enough. My youngest daughter takes the worlds fastest showers, so to make sure she stays in there long enought to smell good when she comes out, she has to stay in there for at least 3 songs.

The cute factor does not end with its cute Moxie name. The colors you can choose from are Chartreuse, Navy Blue, Cherry Red, Retro Blue and Original White. I prefer Original white to match my simple grey and white bathroom. My daughter went bananas over the Retro Blue.

Make sure you follow KOHLER on Facebook and on Twitter to see how others are using it, and learn little fun tidbits of information–like the fact that KOHLER Moxie was inside this year’s Grammy gift bags!

What do you think?
What color would you choose?
What would be your songs of choice for the shower?
Would you use the speak outside of the shower? How?

GF, Vegan & Raw/ RECIPES/ Sides/ Sponsored

Grape Jelly Meat-Less Balls + Heinz Happy

This is a Sponsored post written by me on behalf of Heinz Ketchup for SocialSpark. All opinions are 100% mine.

If you have been reading this blog long enough, you know I like to say “Makes Me Happy!”

You know what Makes Me Happy? Heinz Ketchup.

Why? Because they offer organic ketchup with no high-fructose corn syrup!

I make a lot of things homemade to avoid unhealthy ingredients, but I draw the line at having to make my own ketchup, and thanks to Heinz, I don’t have to!

Heinz ketchup put together a Heinz Super Bowl spot for this year’s game that is sure to make YOU happy. I got to preview it and it made me chuckle. It made me very happy to have a commercial that the whole family can enjoy. You can Watch the Heinz Super Bowl spot below, then tell me if it made you happy.

Heinz is also running a photo promotion where you can share a photo of you and your family showing off your love for Heinz. It is called Show Us Your Heinz. When I first read about this, I was reading too fast and thought it said “show us your hiney.” That, too, made me chuckle. Leave it to Heinz to make me happy that people are not showing us their bums.

On to this awesome recipe.

The happiness theme continues. I was super happy to see a sauce made from just 3 ingredients. Ketchup (Heinz of course!) lemon juice, and grape jelly.

You can make this simple sauce and toss your favorite meatballs in it. To make it even more simple for those Super Bowl Games & parties, you can buy frozen meatballs and just whip up the sauce. Throw it all in a slow cooker and keep a jar of toothpicks nearby for guests to serve themselves.

I used the sauce with this great Lentil Meat-less Balls recipe. They were delicious. We didn’t miss the meat one bit! A great little snack with a nice punch of plant protein–now THAT makes me happy!

Lentil Meat-Less Balls
2 Cups Cooked Lentils
2 Eggs, lightly beaten
3/4 Cup Ricotta (I used pureed cashews, add water until ricotta-like consistency)
1/4 Cup Grated Parmesan Cheese (I used nutritional yeast)
1 Large Garlic Clove, minced
1/2 tsp. Fennel Seed, crushed
2 Tbsp. Finely Chopped Fresh Parsley
Hefty pinch of Dried or Fresh Thyme
1 tsp. Each Sea Salt and Pepper
2/3 Cup Breadcrumbs (fresh or panko, preferably)

Sauce:
1 cup Heinz Organic ketchup
1/3 cup lemon juice
1/3 cup grape jelly ( look for jelly with no high-fructose corn syrup in it!)

Meat-less Balls:
In a food processor or high speed blender, pulverize the lentils into mush.

Add the rest of the ingredients except the breadcrumbs. Mix well.
Add the breadcrumbs. Mix and let sit for 20 minutes.

Preheat the oven to 400 degrees. Check the lentil mix by rolling a 1″ round ball between your palms, it should hold together fairly well. If it seems pretty wet and is falling apart, stir in another Tbsp. or two of breadcrumbs until the ball will stay together. (I had to add quite a bit more breadcrumbs)

Line a baking sheet with parchment paper or grease well. Roll the mix into balls and line them up on a baking sheet (they don’t need lots of space between, they won’t spread). If you like a bit more of a crust, brush them with oil.

Bake on the middle rack for 15-20 minutes until the tops are golden brown, gently turning the balls over halfway through baking. Remove to cool slightly.

Sauce:
Melt sauce ingredients in a pan, stirring constantly. Pour over meatballs. Can keep it all warm in a slow cooker with toothpicks nearby for serving at parties!

GF, Vegan & Raw/ Healthy Eating/ RECIPES/ Uncategorized

My Kitchen Staple – Sprouted Buckwheat

{crunchy sprouted cinnamon buckwheat with stevia in almond milk with a dollop of coconut yogurt.}

*post by our Contributing Raw Foods Author, Teniel Moore

I have a long list of food staples I have on hand every week to make my life easier.

~Chia seeds

~Coconut flour

~Almond milk

~Freshly washed veggies

~Pre packed green juice bags, one for every day of the week

~Goodie balls

~Raw chocolate

I could go on so I’ll stop there.

But the number one thing I make every week is sprouted crunchy buckwheat.

Why?

Because it’s so easy to sprout

Buckwheat is such a versatile seed. Yes that’ right its a seed, not made from wheat as the name suggests.

~Its also gluten free.

~Its cheap to buy

~Its nutritious – a great source of easy-to-digest protein

Click here for 10 Health Benefits of Buckwheat

What you will need:

Filtered water

Large bowl for soaking

Raw buckwheat

Large strainer

Dehydrator – not essential but keeps it raw and makes them crunchy

How to:

First of all you will need to give your grains a really thorough rinse. You will see a pinkish slim as you rinse them well. You want to rinse until the water runs clear.

Now soak your grains in a large bowl filled with filtered water and cover. I do this overnight.

In the morning drain your grains and rinse really well and leave out to sit well drained in a large strainer or dehydrator mesh tray. Anything that allows water to strain through and breath will be fine.

Then again at night rinse again and drain well.

In the morning you will start to see the cutest little baby tails growing from your buckwheat. You can repeat the process another day if you like or else give a final rinse and your buckwheat is sprouted and ready to go.

{Pictured above is my buckwheat sprouting in a large mesh strainer.

I got this strainer especially for sprouting buckwheat.}

Next Step:

You can store this raw sprouted buckwheat in the fridge for a few days just as is. Its great to make raw tabouli with or use as a sprinkle on salads. It is however soft.

If you want to make it crunchy which is how I love it, you will need a dehydrator or oven.

In your dehydrator, lay the buckwheat evenly over the sheets and dehydrate on 105 till crunchy. This will only take around 4 hours or so and this will keep it still raw.

If using the oven bake for a short time only. Keep an eye on it. It will burn and become very crunchy quite fast. This will not keep the sprouts raw but is handy if you don’t have a dehydrator. I’ve only used this method once. I prefer the dehydrator.

Allow to cool and store in a glass jar in your pantry indefinitely. My container is often left out on my kitchen counter because I use it so much.

To make buckwheat flour all you need to do is grind the crunchy buckwheat in a high speed blender. Easy right?

Images above are some of the great things ways I use sprouted buckwheat.

Buckwheat pizza base

Raw chocolate with buckwheat crunch inside

Buckwheat pancakes

Buckwheat chocolate crackles

————–

Raw Foods Contributor

You can follow her here:

{Facebook}{Instagram}