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Morning Cranberry- Orange Creamsicle Smoothie – A Vitamin C Monster

CRANBERRY-ORANGE-SMOOTHIE

There is something about the new year that excites me and makes me want to just do better.  I love setting goals and figuring out how I can grow as a person.  I am so not ok with staying ‘as is.’ Oh Heaven help us all if I were ok with that! I have so much growing to do, but do you know how thankful I am to be alive to do that growing?  It is so cliché’ to say that God isn’t finished with me yet, but boy, do I rest in that truth.  He allows us a brand new day, a new morning, to get back up again and start anew.

New Mornings & Morning Routines

I am discovering a key way to stay strong and be ready for whatever life brings is to have a solid morning routine. I cannot tell you the difference this is making in my life.  I happened upon a life-changing podcast that introduced me to Hal Elrod and his book ‘The Miracle Morning.‘  I have been implementing his strategy the last 3 days and it is seriously blowing me away–yes, big change in just 3 days! Today I was up at 5:30 and how I spent my time during that extra hour and a half made the world of difference in my day.  Life even brought me a huge bump emotionally later in the morning, and because of the prep work I did early morning with getting my thoughts where they need to be, I was able to pick myself back up, realize what is in my power to change or not change, and move on with my day.  I will share my specific early morning routine in up coming posts, but for today I want to focus in on the simple routine I’ve implemented in the mornings to nourish my body.

Routine To Nourish My Body

1.before coffee.

2. Eat a nutrition-filled breakfast that includes a bit of protein.

3. Take Extra Vitamin D + Turmeric. (The rest of my supplements I take at night)

4. Early morning OR mid morning smoothie. (As breakfast or as a mid-morning snack)

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Let’s talk smoothie.

It is amazing how many nutrients one can pack into a smoothie.  Fruits, veggies, leafy greens, superfood, and even oats or nuts. I have been adding yogurt to my smoothies because yogurt has amazing probiotics in it.  This makes me especially happy because I am on a big probiotic kick.  Why? Because gut health effects brain health, and gut health starts with balanced flora which is what probiotics help do.

Although I limit dairy, I don’t hesitate to add yogurt to my day due to its amazing probiotic content. By adding it to my  routine of morning smoothies, it knocks out #2 & #4 above. Another plus is it gives my body a great dose of protein!  It is amazing how much longer I feel full when I have a bit of protein for breakfast.

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Hello Yulu. Goodbye Greek.

My new favorite brand of yogurt is called Yulu.

I have never been a big fan of the sour taste of yogurt.  I’m a bit picky with my yogurt, as I prefer it to be creamy, but not as thick as Greek yogurt. Greek yogurt tends to be an “acquired taste,” as it is quite tangy, so I have stayed away from it.

Yulu is an Aussie-style yogurt that is made here in the USA.  It is double-smoothed and double-creamed, so it was a whole new yogurt experience for me.  It is not too thick or not too thin. It does not have the too-sour quality that is found in Greek yogurt. I think it tastes divine.

It comes in a container that is see-thru, which I thought was pretty cool and is a clear sign of the honest company that it is.    The ingredient list made me smile as they use real fruit, fruit juice and even vegetable juices for color and flavor– so no artificial colors– and it there is 9 grams of protein in each cup.

If you want to know more about Yulu, you can check out at yuluyogurt.com or follow them Facebook or Instagram.  You can also check out all their Aussie style ‘pinspiration’ at their pinterest boards.  Keep in mind that Yulu is a new product on the market, so check their site for locations & availability in your area.

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Morning Vitamin C, Antioxidant, and Protein Monster

I must to tell you about this new smoothie creation that I have been crushing on.

I call it my Morning Cranberry -Orange Creamsicle Smoothie & it is a vitamin C, antioxidant & protein Monster!

I stock up on Cranberries when they are in season, because they are so good and so healthful.  I love combining them with the flavor of orange and a hint of cinnamon.  This smoothie recipe does just that and  is extra creamy thanks to Yulu yogurt and the addition of a banana.

This smoothie is really special and delicious.  Special enough to be served in fluted champagne glasses on Thanksgiving, Christmas, New Year’s or Valentine’s morning.  Or you could just do what I do and fill up these cute little bottles, pop on a lid, store in the refrigerator and have them ready to go for the morning.  I’m not sure how long they last in the refrigerator.  I have stored yogurt filled smoothies up to 3 days and they keep their deliciousness.  My kids get to them so fast that they never have been around for longer than that!

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Morning Cranberry Orange Creamsicle Smoothie

1 cup fresh raw cranberries

1 cup freshly squeezed orange juice (or a whole orange if you have a high-powered blender)

1 banana

1/2 to 1 cup milk of your choice

1 container honey or vanilla flavoed Yulu brand yogurt

3-4 Medjool dates (or other sweetener of your choice. Only use dates if you have a high-powered blender)

1-2 tsp orange zest

1 teaspoon vanilla

1/4 teaspoon cinnamon

1/2 cup ice

pinch salt (preferably sea salt)

Add all ingredients to blender and blend until creamy.

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What about you?

Do you do smoothies for breakfast? Do you have a morning routine?  Do you wake up just in the amount of time needed to get out the door or do you give yourself extra time?  Do you like the idea of a less tart, new creamy- textured yogurt?

This is a sponsored conversation written by me on behalf of Yulu. The opinions and text are all mine.

FAMILY/ Kids/Family/ Spiritual/ Sponsored

Save A Life With A Quarter

This is a sponsored post written by me on behalf of Vitamin Angels for IZEA. All opinions are 100% mine.

There is just something about watching a young child play.

The constant motion.  They can’t help themselves.  Have you noticed?  A child rarely just stands still.  They are either swinging their arms around or dancing from side to side, walking on their tip toes or running when they should be walking.

I have a niece whose default mode of transportation is twirling.  She just twirls and twirls until she gets to her destination! It is a beautiful, uninhibited sight to behold. She is carefree, full of life, &full of joy–just as young kids should be.

Kids are in awe of the world around them and want to experience it to the fullest.  They notice things we adults are to distracted and busy to see.  They walk around with their chins raised up, curiosity getting the best of them, exploring eyes & hands that are just itching to touch everything–especially the things they are told not to!

Children walk around with a spark in their eye & a face as bright as the sun.

But not all children.

There are children around the world whose spark is literally gone from their eyes.  Replaced by dullness. Lethargy. A weakened immune system that causes bugs to get into digestive systems which cause infections that take away precious lives. Lives that can be saved by something so small that it would cost one only a quarter. Yes, Even the smallest gift can change a child’s life

What can a quarter buy?

VITAMIN A.

And Vitamin A Saves Lives.  I know this because I know about Vitamin Angels.

Vitamin Angels helps at-risk populations in need–specifically pregnant women, new mothers, and children under five–gain access to lifesaving and life changing vitamins and minerals.

That quarter we use to flip? It can reduce mortality in at-risk children by up to 24% by providing one dose of vitamin A, twice a year.  Vitamin A supplements are the least expensive solution to addressing preventable child deaths.

Even the smallest gift can change a child’s life

I don’t know about you, but my head can barely wrap around that!  That simple coin that we flip to determine which of my kids has to do the dishes that night — that very coin can save a life! What? Who knew? Awesome!

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Get involved. Donate now.

Want to help?  Yes, so do I.  So here is an idea.

How about this Christmas, in lieu of giving a gift, you donate to Vitamin Angels in honor of whoever is on your list that you know would get it.  Someone who will understand how this would be a gift that lasts beyond the holidays and someone who would even want to continue the legacy of giving.

When you make a donation you will receive a downloadable or sharable card that shows the donation to Vitamin Angels.  That. Is. Cool.

Just last night I unpacked our Christmas decorations and found 3 mini stockings with each of my girls initials on them.  I now know what I will do with these adorable stockings.  I will make a donation for each of my 3 girls, and put the card in the stocking for them to open on Christmas morning.  After all, this season is all about giving.  It will be the perfect way to get minds onto what really matters on Christmas morning; remembering how precious life is. So precious that the MOST precious life was given, which is the very reason why we celebrate Christmas in our family.

If you want to do the same, Vitamin Angels is having and end of the year giving campaign–which runs now through midnight December 31, 2014.

Visit their website:  http://www.vitaminangels.org

Make a donation: www.vitaminangels.org/gift

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You can also find Vitamin Angels on Facebook

www.facebook.com/vitaminangels

& Twitter  

@vitaminangels

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Drinks/ RECIPES/ Sponsored

AlmondMilk Tasting Challenge + Almond Vanilla Maple Spiced Mocha

 

WHO DOESN’T LOVE A GOOD OL‘ FASHIONED TASTE TEST?

My newly homeschooled Colsie girl & I had some fun recently with a taste test of 2 different brands of almond milk. We participated in the Silk Almondmilk Taste Challenge and used a brand that we are familiar with against Silk Almondmilk. These are the fun things I get to do with her during the day & I love it!

 

WHY A PLANT BASED MILK?

We have been drinking plant-based milk around here for over 4 years. When I was diagnosed with breast cancer in 2010, I read the book ‘The China Study.’ In it the authors link breast cancer to the long-term exposure to higher concentrations of female hormones and a high concentration of blood cholesterol. They argue that all these risk factors are linked to a diet high in animal protein, particularly casein from cow milk. The average Chinese woman is exposed to 35-40 percent of the lifetime estrogen exposure of the average British or American woman, and the rate of breast cancer among Chinese women is about one-fifth of the rate among Western women. {source}

Needless to say, because my cancer was estrogen fed, my ears perk up to findings like this. It makes me want to be more balanced when it comes to consuming animal products, and using plant-based milk in place of cow milk is a way we do that in our family.

 

OUR MILK OF CHOICE

Almond milk has been our milk of choice. It is super versatile in recipes, and has a really clean and light taste.

Plus:

~It has 50% more calcium than dairy milk

~Is a great source of vitamin D & E

~It has no casein, no gluten, no lactose, no egg, no soy & no MSG–which makes it a great & healthy product for those with food sensitivities.

 

 

THE SILK ALMONDMILK TASTE CHALLENGE

We don’t usually drink milk by the glass in our family. Never have. We use it over cereal, in oatmeal, in smoothies, in soups & to make warm, comforting drinks. When my girl saw that she was going to drink it straight from a jar, she was a bit unsure, as this is not the way we usually use almond milk. When she realized it was a taste test and would get to have an opinion (she is at that age where there seems to be an opinion on everything!) and that opinion was actually WANTED (grin), she was on board and eagerly gave both brands a try.

She took a sip of both brands of milk, and immediately pointed to her choice — Silk Almondmilk. I asked her why she chose Silk and she said it tasted more ‘real.’ I agreed with her. The texture was creamy but light, and had a ‘just-right-not-overly-sweet’ flavor.

I was happy she chose the Silk brand because Silk Almondmilk had a shorter ingredient list than the other brand, with no artificial colors, flavors or funny business!

 

INGREDIENTS FOR SILK SWEETENED VANILLA ALMONDMILK

INGREDIENTS: Almondmilk (Filtered Water, Almonds), Cane Sugar, Sea Salt, Natural Flavor, Locust Bean Gum, Sunflower Lecithin, Gellan Gum.

VITAMINS & MINERALS: Calcium Carbonate, Vitamin E Acetate, Zinc Gluconate, Vitamin A Palmitate, Riboflavin (B2), Vitamin B12, Vitamin D2.

 

 

ON TO THE RECIPE

You are going to really love this one. Really, REALLY! This drink took just minutes to whip up, and has the flavor of a drink that one would pay way too much for at a fancy -schmancy coffee shop.

Speaking of coffee shops, a local coffee shop is where I got the inspiration for this ALMOND VANILLA MAPLE SPICED MOCHA. They have an Aztec Mocha that is chocolatey and has a bit of a bite at the end. They use cayenne pepper, and it gives the warm drink a super interesting taste sensation. A hot drink is already warming, but add a bit of heat to warm the palette and boy…is it amazing & addicting. Perfect for a chilly, fall day.

This recipe is super similar to the one at my local coffee shop. I had my little taste tester taste this recipe, and she loved it. She asked how much coffee was in it, and seemed pretty impressed with herself that she liked a drink with coffee in it! That made me smile. She is growing up and is simply adorable.

 

MY LOVELY

She would not let me take her picture for the taste test…she just was “not in the mood” for a picture. Luckily we had a photo shoot with her talented Aunt Laurie the day before so I have this picture to share with you.

 

Isn’t she lovely?

 

 

ALMOND VANILLA MAPLE SPICED MOCHA

serves 1

1 cup Silk Vanilla Almondmilk

1/2 cup double- strength brewed coffee

1 Tbsp cocoa powder

1-2 Tbsp maple syrup

pinch of cinnamon

2-3 dashes of cayenne or a pinch of red pepper flakes

pinch of salt

 

Directions:

Brew you double strength coffee. Heat the almondmilk until quite hot. Add cocoa powder. Whisk the cocoa powder into the milk, briskly stirring until all clumps have melted away. Stir in the coffee, spices and maple syrup. Adjust the sweetness and spice according to your own taste.

 

{for your pinning pleasure}

 

TAKE THE SILK ALMONDMILK CHALLENGE TODAY!

CLICK HERE to sign up for the Silk eNewsletter and get a free coupon to try Silk, plus a chance to win awesome new prizes each month!

This conversation is sponsored by Silk. The opinions and text are all mine.

Decorating/ HOME/ Homemaking/ Sponsored

Deconstructed Chevron Wall

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

DECONSTRUCTED-CHEVRON-COVER

Our home office is pretty small–I like to call it cozy. Because of this, I have wanted to bring interest into the room without adding clutter. The best way to do this was with a fun, deconstructed chevron wall treatment using paint. I have had this project in my brain for a while now, but procrastinated because the texture in our office walls freaked me out a bit. I wanted a large, geometrical design, and I knew I needed to use tape to get the lines I desired.

We all know tape on textured walls usually means disaster, but this is no longer the case, thanks to Textured Surface by FrogTape® for textured surfaces. I knew this would work beautifully for our office walls, because I had already done this Chalkboard Paint Treatment on my daughters textured walls using Textured Surface by FrogTape®  That project was so easy that I no longer could procrastinate on getting this fun deconstructed chevron paint treatment out of my brain and onto my walls.

Textured Surface by FrogTape® is a pretty impressive product.  The kit comes with a tape roll (it is orange), and a bottle of Liquid PaintBlock® Edge Sealer.  I also had FrogTape® Multi-Surface on hand (it is green) to tape all the wood trim and around the doors and windows of our office.

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So let me tell you why I decided on a deconstructed chevron.  I am a big fan of the chevron pattern, but the traditional pattern was just a bit too proper and structured for me.  I’m also feeling a bit ‘over-it’ –ya know?  It is EVERYWHERE!  I wanted the same geometric, clean lined feel of chevron, but without the trendiness of chevron.  I also loved that this deconstructed version would require NO measuring.  Both the vertical lines and the horizontal lines are spaced out however your little heart desires.  The only thing that needed to be exact was the vertical lines needing to be straight up and down.  I used a laser level to do this, which made it super easy.

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1. I started by using FrogTape® Mulit-Surface (green) to tape off all trim, windows and doors.

2. I decided how close together I wanted the vertical lines, then used a laser level to mark them, then used FrogTape® Textured Surface to tape them.  I was purposeful about not having them all the same distance from each other.

3. I then started in on taping off the horizontal lines.  This was very easy and really mindless.  I turned up the music and enjoyed the process, which took about 40 minutes to complete all the taping.

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4. I used a damp cloth to simply wipe each line of tape per instructions that came with the kit.  The instructions are very clear and easy follow.

5. I then unscrewed the lid to the Liquid PaintBlock® Edge Sealer and added the brush lid provided in the kit.  I gave it a good shimmy-shake, and used it to paint along each edge of tape. It seems like a tedious task with all of the tape I used, but it went fast and was easy.  The pic above is after using the Liquid PaintBlock® Edge Sealer.

This step is what makes Textured Surface by FrogTape so impressive.  It is treated with patented PaintBlock® Technology, a super absorbent polymer that reacts with the water in latex paint and instantly gels to form a micro-barrier that seals the edges of the tape, which helps prevent paint bleed.  It really works! I have seen it work on walls with much more texture than my walls have.  It is really a great product for getting that sharp line that looks so professional.

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6.  I then stirred my paint, and started with outlining all along the edge of the wall, just as you would when painting a normal wall.

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This went very fast and I was getting giddy excited to peel off that tape!

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7. As soon as I finished painting, I started removing the tape.  This needs to be done before the paint dries.  My WORD it was so much fun to pull and see the stripes reveal themselves and the wall come to life.

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I was super happy with the paint color, it is exactly the stormy blue/grey that I was wanting.  I was also super happy with how amazingly sharp the lines were.  Isn’t it impressive?  I love the fun pattern the paint made on the vertical strips of tape.

office-before

Here is a picture of our home office before the paint paint treatment. Boring & bland!

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And here is the after.  I decluttered and minimalized our desk top and the wall.  Less is best.

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I found a fun clock screen saver.  No need to have a clock on the wall. I see it as one more thing to dust, and who wants more to dust?  Not me.

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The paint color looks great in all light, even at dusk.  I’m glad I left the rest of the walls white.  If I would have done the treatment on every wall it would have closed the office in and made it look even smaller.

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I added this precious chair that was just given to me by my sweet Grandma.  It was my Great Grandmother’s Grandmothers’ chair.  I wrote some thoughts about the chair here.  I sit in it and have some prayer time most mornings after my kids go off to school.  There is a small square table out of the frame to the right of the chair, perfect for holding my mug of coffee.

See that small wall to the left of the door?  I have yet to decide if I should put the same deconstructed chevron paint treatment there.  I decided not to because it is not flush with the door…it comes out about a foot.  What do you think?  Leave it or treat it with paint?

DECONSTRUCTED-CHEVRON

{for your pinning pleasure}

 Do you have a textured wall you have wanted to paint? Do you have a vision for it yet?   I say get the Textured Surface by FrogTape® and do it!  It can be found at participating Lowes & Walmart stores, and can be found in all Menards across the United States.  For inspiration,  follow the FrogTape Textured Surface board on Pinterest.

I never dreamed this small home office would become a favorite place of mine to sit in our home.  It is amazing what some paint and great tape can do!

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FAMILY/ Love/ Sponsored

On Father’s Day My Heart Broke For The Children

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

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Today is Father’s Day, and although I sit here feeling so very blessed with the amazing men in my life whom I get to call Dad, Dad-in-Law, & Husband, my mind is also somewhere else.

I’m thinking of a story of a boy named Tejas that I recently read about.  Tejas is a 10 year old boy who was forced to leave school and work in the cotton fields in India alongside his parents to supplement the family’s US $1.67 a day earnings.

With today being Father’s Day,  wonder what it is like to be Tejas Dad.  I wonder how it would feel to watch your own child labor all day, to sacrifice your son’s childhood to put food on the table, food that is barely sustaining the family, and to feel like you have no choice.  I wonder what kind of relationship this precious 10 year old boy could possibly have had with his Father, when his days were spent laboring in the sweltering heat, enduring the unending chore in the cotton fields.

Tejas is not alone. India has largest number of child laborers in the world, with 13 million boys and girls, ages 5 – 14, relegated to fields, farms and factories.

This morning I just put my 11 year old daughter on a big bus headed to camp I saw her in the bus window, wiping her face, knowing her tears were streaming as she was about to head hours away from home to an amazing week of camp fun!  She is super excited, but the tears were nervous tears, as she is attending camp this year without the company of her older sister.  My husband and I stood waving until the bus drove away, both of us feeling like a little piece of our heart drove away with it.  No parent wants to see their kid sad.  We naturally all want to do whatever we can to make them feel safe, protected and find their smiles again.

My girl was wiping tears that I know will very soon disappear as she has lots of fun, smiles and laughter.  I think of Tajas, and can imagine the little one wiping his face, too, wiping sweat from his brow as he worked along side his Father, and I wonder if tears mix with that sweat, or if he just accepted the work as a way of life.  Either way, my heart breaks for him, and not just for him, but for over 13 million boys and girls, ages 5-14, relegated to fields, farms and factories. 

My 3 girls are in that age range, and I can’t even bring myself to imagine them in the place of those sweet kids. Right this minute, while I sit here drinking my coffee in my air conditioned home, in this very day and age, so many, many children are laboring.

Something must be done.

June 12 was World Day Against Child Labor, and I am honored to use this space to get the word out about the IKEA Foundation and its partner Save the Children. They unveiled a $7 million program to protect 790,000 children living in cotton communities in India.

The effort is the second phase of a long-term program which aims to keep children out of cotton fields, and in classrooms where they can learn, play, grow and develop and be children. Phase I of the program reached more than 600,000 children in India!  That is amazing.

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The above picture of Tajas family is exactly why I wanted to help spread the word.  Today, thanks to a Child Protection Committee established in his village through Save the Children and the IKEA Foundation Child Labor initiative, Tejas goes to school regularly and he aspires to become a police officer. Even Tejas’s mother joined a program-instituted self-help group in the village, where she learned why it’s important for children to go to school and how to save money for Tejas’s schoolbooks.

Why specifically the IKEA Foundation?

~ their approach is holistic. They aim to improve opportunities for children and youth in the world’s poorest communities but funding long-term programs that can creates long-lasting change.

~they work strategically with strong IKEA Foundation Partners, and use an innovative approach for huge results in 4 key areas of a child’s life:

     *a place to call home

     *a healthy start in life

     *a quality education

     *a sustainable family income

~currently funded programs are benefiting an estimated 100 million children.

~more than 10,000 migrant children moved back into their home communities thanks to the IKEA Foundation

~nearly 2,000 teachers trained & improved school enrollment rates in participating villages

~1,866 Anganwadi (health, education) workers trained in teaching practices, giving each village in the program a skilled community worker

IKEA Foundation video

Will you help me spread the word?  You can like the IKEA Foundation Facebook to keep in touch with all that they are doing and easily spread awareness to your friends and family. Social channels is a GREAT way to quickly spread the word, but we need your help to do that. Join me!

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Decorating/ Homemaking/ Sponsored

Using A Rug To Transform A Room

This is a Sponsored post written by me on behalf of Kalaty Rug Corp for SocialSpark. All opinions are 100% mine.
Rug
Our home has a lot of hardwood floors, which we love, but without a cozy rug they can be cold during our Midwest winters.  I love using the cold as an excuse to buy beautiful rugs.  Rugs can add an instant feel of warmth, transforming the room from cold to cozy.

Rugs are also a great way to bring style & beauty into a room.  I personally tend to go with grey tones (surprise!) but I also love a rug that can give a fun pop of color.

The rugs in this post all come from Kalaty.com. Kalaty is known for their amazing handmade (and oftentimes hand knotted) rugs. It is a great company and their designs are so beautiful and innovative.  I appreciate the different styles of rugs they offer, all super tasteful and well made.

I am wanting a new rug for my bedroom.  My bedroom is decorated in whites, greys and soft baby blue.  Above is a mood board I created that shows the style and feel I am wanting for our bedroom.  I am almost there…but we are missing a cozy rug. I think about this every morning when I get out of bed and my feet hit the cold wood floor!

Look how the rug just pulls everything else together in the photo above. Do you see the New and the Nostalgia in the collage?  I love putting old items with new modern items, it is so much fun! Rugs are a great way to get inspired when it comes to designing a room.

Pictured below is another favorite of mine. I am so in love with the ombre effect on this NOVA rug from Kalaty, Very pretty.

I’ve learned the hard way that well-made rug is so very important.  There will be wear and tear on a rug everyday, and it will have a vacuum ran over it at least a few times a month.  There is nothing more disheartening than buying a beautiful rug, only for it to become drab, pilled, and unwoven within months.  I now know that rugs are an investment, and well worth buying high quality and well-made.

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Do you know your rug style?  Are you more contemporary or traditional?  Not sure?  Visit Kalaty.com and browse through the rugs.  They are searchable by collection, size, style, color & weave.  Leave a comment and tell me which rug is your fav.  


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Books/ Sponsored

She Makes Hats + Book Giveaway!

My name is Robyn, and I make hats. I make hats on repeat, at least one hat-in-progress always on my knitting needles, piles of finished hats on our desk, our dining room table, and in bins waiting to be donated. Almost every hat I make is given away to someone in need, with the remaining few given to friends and family. It’s a compulsion, some might even say an obsession – I simply keep knitting.

I started knitting hats in earnest back in 2009. Newly married and looking for a new challenge, I decided to knit 100 hats for 100 people in one year, using 100 different patterns. That project, completed on September 1, 2010, changed my life.

Since 2010, I’ve made close to 700 more hats, working slowly but surely towards my goal to make 10,000 hats in my lifetime!

I started blogging at She Makes Hats around the same time I began the One Hundred Hats project. What started as a way to keep track of the hats I was making has blossomed into a website dedicated to not only sharing the hats I’m making, but also a space to encourage folks to knit more hats and give them away. I share hat patterns, charities that accept finished hats, and share some of the tips and tricks I’ve picked up along the way.

People often ask me, why hats? The short answer is hats are simple — they take just one skein of yarn, can be carried with you wherever you go, and don’t need any special measurements.

Most people’s heads fall under one of three or four sizes (baby, child, smaller adult, larger adult) so you can be fairly certain the hat you’ve made will fit one of these four sizes of person depending on the number of stitches on your needle.

Hats can do quite a bit to keep a person warm. Little babies have a hard time regulating their temperature, so a hat can mean the difference between health and sickness. For folks living on the street, a hat can help stave off sickness in the coldest of temperatures. Naval ships run cold so a hat can help keep soldiers warm while on and off duty. For folks dealing with a wide variety of illnesses, a hat can not only help keep them warm through treatments, but can be a reminder that they are still seen and valued as more than their diagnosis.

I’m excited to share my first book, She Makes Hats with the New Nostalgia community! A short collection of stories, She Makes Hats tells the longer version of how I became a knitter, then a hat
knitter, then a wife and mother. I share some of my favorite hat-making stories with the hope that I can encourage more folks to cast on a hat they plan to give away!

To celebrate my book, I’m giving away two copies to New Nostalgia readers, with a bunch of ways to enter to win!

If you would rather not wait and want to purchase my book now, buy She Makes Hats here on Amazon, in print or Kindle form.

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