Creative Juices for Decor

Antique your Furniture with Lace Stencils - Guest Post

2013-05-17T06:00:00.000-07:00

I'd like to introduce Eva, she asked if she could do a guest post for me. :-)

I love introducing new people who would like to show their own DIY project to BlogLand. If anyone would like to send me their idea we can discuss it and schedule a guest post for YOUR next DIY project!

Eva wanted to show you guys how to add some character to a project using LACE as a stencil. I'll share a few of my favorite stenciled pieces before getting to her tutorial.

I have had this saved on my For the Home Pinterest Board forever! I can't get over how she used one of those rubber mats from the Home Improvement store, laid it over some stained boards and spray painted cream paint on top!!! SO EASY and beautiful, I LOVE IT!!!

Lemon Tree Creations

This next example is from my friend Laura from Finding Home. She also took a stencil and painted over stained wood. The result - elegant yet chic and definitely SPECTACULAR!

And since I already introduced her, I'll let Eva take over from here!

A couple days ago I tackled my first (mini) carpentry project and built myself a night stand from some beautiful cedar scrap wood from my local hardware store. I asked the staff at the hardware store to use their power saw to cut these scraps into usable pieces, bought a pack of nails and used my hatchet as a hammer. I decided to take it a step further to add some flair to my new piece. I picked out a spray paint color that I thought would go well with the motif and went to town.

In this post I will show you how to antique wood furniture pieces you may have around the house that could use some love. Vintage is all the rage right! If you’d like to construct your own nightstand all you need are a little math, creativity and $6.

Materials:

Tarp or old newspapers

Spray paint

Fine sandpaper

Masking or painters tape

Fabric or paper (to shield your furniture piece from over spray)

Lace

How To:

1. Evaluate your furniture piece. Do you want to use a large piece of lace to cover an entire panel, or do just a complimentary piece of a panel? This will determine how big your lace needs to be. I decided to do a simple complimentary strip. I didn’t want to make the night stand too busy because it could clash with the objects I actually want to put on my nightstand. Sometimes less is more.

2. Prep the area you’re working with by cleaning it.

3. Place the piece of lace on the area.

4. Use tape to hold the lace down, but more importantly shield the areas that could get over spray that you don’t want (newspaper works well). This is important because the project could get sloppy without it. Make sure that all areas that could accidentally get hit while spraying are covered.

5. The biggest key to this project is your spray paint technique. I’ll give you an important hint: resist the desire to keep spray painting one area that you want to perfect. This is very hard for me, I want to finish one area before moving on to another. You don’t want to do this because the spray paint will keep getting more wet and will drip and expand losing your crisp lines. Lightly spray one swipe with a continuous swinging motion of your hand, move on to another, and so on. Wait a few minutes for the first coat to dry and then you can go back to areas that need touching up. This technique goes for spraying over lace (what I call modern day batiking) or regular spray painting.

6. Let dry and remove tape and over spray materials.

7. Grab your sand paper and rub around the edges until you get the desired antique look. Voila!

The sky is the limit for spray paint and a little piece of lace. Keeping these two simple and small materials around the house can provide limitless fun and creative license.

Thank you Eva for sharing your DIY lace nightstand with us - I'm sure it will stir our Creative Juices for one of our next projects!

Author Biography: This DIY project has been provided by Shop4 Furniture, that is a reliable online source for traditional and contemporary furniture products including bedroom furniture, living room furniture, home office furniture, dining room furniture, sofas & chairs and many other home furnishings. Follow Shop 4 Furniture on facebook.

Sweet and Salty - A Mother's Day Surprise

2013-05-12T15:27:00.000-07:00

Just a funny little post to make you smile on this Mother's Day!

Would it be silly if I said I hope all you mothers out there are relaxing?? :-)

This was my surprise Mother's Day cake, decorated at our local grocery store and then secretly decorated more at home by my 5 year old.

This is what I see (and a surprise it was!)

How about a little closer.....

Yes, those are goldfish crackers....salty goldfish floating on the top of my sweet tasting Mother's Day cake :-)

I'm thinking there is a trend going on with my daughters taste buds......what do you think?

Or how about this on our last getaway trip?

Yes she stuck salty potato chips in her chocolate ice cream cone!

Oh how I love five year olds :-) And especially 5 year olds that love a good sweet and salty combo!

HAPPY MOTHER'S DAY!

(And a special thanks to my mother who put up with a lot more than her kids changing taste buds! Love you mom.)

How To Use Barnwood To Create a Room Full of Character

2013-05-10T06:00:00.000-07:00

Barnwood Barnwood Barnwood.

I honestly think I could never get tired of it.

Barnwood or any salvaged wood has so much TEXTURE and creates such interest in a space that it seems wherever and however you use it, you can't go wrong.

Just look at the eye candy below.

This lovely room casually put the barnwood along ONE accent wall. Notice how the greenery breaks up all the monochromatic colors in the room.

Barnwood beams are quite popular. I really enjoyed how this couple used the old barnwood but then updated it with some modern touches too. It keeps you guessing and wanting to see the rest of the home! Never be afraid of being ECLECTIC! Mixing textures and design styles can create a room with character and interest.

A lot of this bedroom below has a modern spin, but then the salvaged pine wood adds an instant age factor to the room. Now that I see it with the textured pine, I can't imagine it looking better any other way! Such a simple add and only on the upper half of the wall. Don't you think this could be doable in your own home? A little summer project ;-)

BHG

How about using barnwood for a simple built in? OK, I'll admit, it was the chandelier in this photo that really grabbed my attention! But once again, it's a great example of mixing OLD with NEW and completely pulling it off.

Houzz.com

Lastly, I just wanted to show how SIMPLE it can be to add some barnwood in your OWN home. These people just applied it in the entry between two rooms! I bet it is strictly decorative (not structural) but I just love the added character it gives to the space.

Houzz

There you have it!!! Hopefully it got your Creative Juices going! Till the next inspiration hits :-)

A Little Getaway in Idaho

2013-05-06T14:05:00.001-07:00

Have you ever just come to a point where you know you HAVE to have a little getaway or you'll go crazy!!?? Well that was us this past weekend, so we traveled east and went to the most awkward and DELIGHTFUL little towns of Kellogg and Wallace Idaho.

Why AWKWARD?

Well because every place we entered looked like it was created from the show PICKERS :-)

That is the show where these two guys travel around the US collecting old things like oil cans and vintage signs to sell in their shop. I actually love that show, it's just I'm not used to an entire TOWN looking like that!

I did LOVE that large rooster! Oh that is so funny, I just noticed how they tried to make the word Restaurant sound all fancy and ethnic by adding the E at the end.....nope, not working as the title Red Light Garage just doesn't fit the part!

I actually thought they might be serious about this one! (OK maybe not but I wouldn't put it past them!)

I DO think they were serious about this motel! They had a space ship right next to it.

We stayed at a wonderful place in Kellogg. (It was very classy, nothing like the stardust motel!)

I thought the foyer was delightful with that vintage factory cart table from Restoration Hardware and rock faced fireplace.

LOVE, LOVE, LOVE!

There was a big water slide park in the building next to us. The kids spent hours in there while my sweet husband chased after them! I spent hours in the hot tub, yes I did. :-)

Lastly we had a chance to get out in the most BEAUTIFUL weather of the year so far! The area had this amazing bike trail that went for miles.

We brought my youngest bike up without her training wheels (we were either stupid or genius!) and only a few crashes later, she was up and pedaling like the rest of us! (So ya, just to clerify, we were genius - hee, hee!)

I can't get over how GORGEOUS it was!!!!!

We stopped by a few playgrounds along the way - I LOVED how old this Merry-go-round was! I'm sure it was vintage ;-) I wanted to take it home and stick it on my wall somewhere, anywhere - LOL!

We had the best time ever - we wore the kids out and enjoyed a break ourselves :-)

Hope you enjoyed this little non design related post!

Here's to a great start of an enjoyable summer my friends!

Kitchen Counter Top Options From A Homeowner's Experience

2013-04-30T06:00:00.000-07:00

It's absolutely amazing these days how many options we have in regards to kitchen counter tops. Counter tops seem to make such a strong first impression that choosing the RIGHT one can be overwhelming and confusing.

I have lived in 6 homes in my 15 years of marriage and have had the opportunity to build 3 out of the six from scratch. Two were 100% my choice from top to bottom.

So it means I have had experience and LIVED with these 4 counter tops:

Laminate (or Formica)
Concrete
Tile
Honed Granite

Laminate counter tops is just a wipe-clean, plastic laminate of paper or fabric with melamine resin. It is VERY widely used in entry level homes because of it's excellent price point. Laminate comes in tons of different patterns and colors. Be sure to check out the different edges laminates has to offer.

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My favorite choice for laminate is to choose a dull finish that mimics granite or something with a LOT of texture (it hides a lot of stuff!). Although, If I was going modern, I would go with a sleek shinier color. Since it does have such a great price point, I always put laminate in rooms that are not a focal point like the laundry room or the kids bathrooms.

My children's bathroom - I choose a muted textured laminate and paired it with a mosaic tile backsplash.

Concrete counter tops are awesome! They are literally poured concrete placed in a form on top of your cabinets! You can add pigment (color) to the natural concrete, or leave it as grey. I added just a tinge of brown to my concrete counter tops when I had them installed. They applied a commercial sealer on top the concrete counters and I was good to go. I loved the look of the concrete counter tops! You can also choose what kind of an edge you want.

I enjoyed this article on This Old House showing pictures of each step of making and installing a concrete counter top - look at all these concrete colors choices!

Photo by Kristine Larson This Old House

Tile counter tops are very nice, but I always had a hard time keeping the grout clean. Personally, I don't think I would choose a tile counter top again. A tile backsplash is a different story! I love tile backsplashes.

Sweet Model

Granite or Honed Granite counter tops are very widely used in upper end homes. Granite is literally made from a rock that is sliced! It is incredibly durable, you can put hot items on top of it without being worried of charring and each piece is completely unique.

Traditional Kitchen in a standard Polished Granite

My kitchen done in a HONED non shiny granite.

The difference between Honed Granite and regular Polished Granite is just that - if it's highly polished or not. Honed granite, which has a very matte or dull appearance, is very popular in Europe. It is becoming more popular in the US but the highly polished granite is still more readily supplied. The price though for honed verses polished are equivalent.

My Latest Kitchen in Honed Granite

Honed granite appeals to those who want an aged, farmhouse or old world look. Those who lean toward the unpolished/matte honed granite finish usually dislike the formal appearance that polished granite can give. You can read more about my experience with Honed Granite by clicking the link.

Of course, there are many more options like:

Corian
Stainless steel
Butcher Block (wood)
Soapstone
Marble
Quartz

I'll leave that for another posting my friends!!!

What is your favorite counter top?

Leave us a comment!

(Description graphs by Sweet Remodel)

How to Decorate With Your Collections

2013-04-24T06:00:00.000-07:00

I have to say, I do love collections. They can turn something that would be very hard to decorate with singularly, into something that looks spectacular and demands attention.

Just look how Pottery Barn decorated this bedroom with a collection of vintage hand held mirrors! It really adds character to the room.

I've had my share of collections, probably my favorite is tea cups. I have a lot of unique ones and come tea party time, it's always fun to pull out the sets!

Or take a look at this clock from Umbra. Maybe I'll make that some day!

As you guy know, I've also collected old plates at thrift stores and have set up this plate collection in my powder room. That post comes with a great tutorial how to hang your plates for free!

And who doesn't come home with tons of sea shells after vacationing on the beach?

I love this idea by Cheryl. She used an old printer tray and filled it with her shells. She made such a great vignette by pairing it with other beach themed prints.

Beachcomber Simply Living

This collection box is wonderful too, it looks great mixed in with the letters!

Another easy collection is frames. They can be SO CHEAP at the thrift store. It doens't matter what color they come in originally becuase you can just spray paint them any color you want.

Aren't these color choices great!

Lastly, I want to show you what my friend Laura did with her collection of old vintage items.

Finding Home

Of course, this post could go on and on! Other collections are

MAPS

GLOBES

INSTRUMENTS

Etc...

Don't give up on your collections! The more you can collect, the easier it is to make a statement.

Till the next inspiration hits!

~ Decorating Around Driftwood and the Sea~

2013-04-17T06:00:00.000-07:00

I don't know about you, but I'm getting a little antsy for SUMMER! I want to see the sunshine and the blue seas sparkling :-)

How about this beautiful picture? Wouldn't it be nice to be there RIGHT NOW!

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I have always loved the idea of decorating around drift wood and the sea. As you know, my grandparents have lived up in the San Juan Islands for most of my childhood. I have the best memories up there and just steps away from their home is the beach with tons of driftwood!

Right on my grandparents property! Does it get any prettier?

I love how Pottery Barn just stuck a piece of driftwood above the child's bed and decorated around it! Easy enough and pretty much FREE!

How about this beautiful summery beach scene just painted on old wood. That would look so great in a beach themed kids room over a bed too!

Aimee Weaver

How about the next time you head to the beach, collect a few pieces for a basket (as long as it's OK to do that on the beach you're at!) Wire baskets have so much character and you can usually find them on eBay, or other fun home decor stores or antique shops.

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I also love sailboats and maps - look how thy used maps as wallpaper!

The closest I have decorated with maps and boat scenes is in my son's "Explorer" themed room.

For those that would like to see my step by step Canvas Map Tutorial just click on over!

It's by far the most popular post on my blog with over 40,000 views - wow.

As for the fun floating glass balls and sea shells......that came from my Opa up in the San Juans. :-)

Any one else excited for summer??!! Anyone else want to start collecting driftwood and seashells?!

Here's to getting our Creative Juices Stirred!!!

Ideas and Tips on Decorating with Shutters

2013-04-10T06:00:00.000-07:00

I absolutely LOVE shutters......I love them as unusable window covering options and I love them used separately as home decor.

Doesn't this picture just make you happy??

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You can see in my home, I placed "Cafe" shutters in my dining room.

Closed

Open

Like always, people all over Blogland have come up with fun and new ways to use leftover shutters.

How about as a HEADBOARD! Isn't that color gorgeous? Very coastal feeling.

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How about covering an entire WALL with old shutters!! Keep your eye out at thrift stores and garage sales!

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I have always adored how Laura turned her dining room into this work of art - talk about adding CHARACTER to a room!

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Of course, you can always just find ONE shutter and paint it to match your home decor and use it to :

hang kitchen accessories

make a coat/towel rack

or hang photos

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West Furniture Revival

I love the idea of using a piece like this for holding Christmas cards too! Holly put little key hooks on this to use as an organizational piece also....

Life As a Thrifter

I hope this has inspired your Creative Juices!

Keep your eye out this summer for shutters and when you do something with them, I'd love a picture!

Don't Waste Another Penny - Tips for Saving BIG on Kids Clothes!

2013-04-05T06:00:00.000-07:00

Hello my friends! (Mothers, Grandmas, and all clothes buyers!)

I just thought a post that lists great resources on how to buy kids clothes as inexpensively as possible would be fun.

I'll document the day I just had at the thrift store, and then I'll add some tips at the end for buying clothes at substantially discounted prices. For those thinking you can only find worn out, out of date clothing in thrift stores- think again!

Almost ALL my kids clothes are from thrift stores and they look cute ;-)

Thrift store boots, eBay $10.00 dress (including shipping) Jacket was a gift.

You see, people spend a LOT of money buying name brand clothes for their kids but they grow out of them SO FAST and most of those clothes end up at a thrift store. So, why spend tons of money every year when you can buy name brand clothing and shop like this!!

Here is my last trip to the local thrift store. It was their weekly 50% off day. I only had 30 min and this is what I got for less than $35.00.

Getting ready for SUMMER!

Son age 9

SIX awesome summer shorts and 2 Hurley T-shirts.

Daughter age 12

Adorable Gap Jeans and Gap uniform shorts.

I love the details!

My youngest age 5

Gymboree shorts and Levi skinny jeans.

Oh and I found a few cute skirts for ME....one of them from Patagonia. (which would have cost at least 40 bucks - they are pricey!!)

All that in 30 minutes!

I bought 23 items for 32.33 (that averages $1.40 a piece)

I hope I've inspired a few of you to hit up the thrift store before you spend your hard earned money at Gymboree and Gap. Even if you don't find a ton of things the first time, check back to the store twice a month (that's what I try to do). You'll hit a good day like the one above, I promise! :-)

Oh and get this!! I bought the wedding dress below for 19.95 at the thrift store! Believe me, if one of my girls choose to use it I'd be saving thousands!

I had to try it on for fun - I thought it was so pretty! Shoot, for 20 bucks it could even be a Halloween or play costume!

Thrifty Shopping Tips:

Thrift Stores

Be sure and ask ahead if they do weekly specials and it doesn't hurt to ask when they open and get there early. If you become friendly with the staff, ask what day they put out their new clothing items.

Consignment Stores:

They have lots of name brand clothes for great prices (not thrift store prices, but still good!)

Discounted Retail stores:

Ross (Tuesdays 10% senior discount)

TJ Maxx

Kohls – awesome end of season sales – 90% off if willing to save for next season

Target – check for 75% off clothing racks (children and adults)

Old Navy – they have 2 big end of season sales which are unbelievable. They are usually in August and January. They won’t tell you when so you have to call during those months. It is 50% off the 50% off.

Internet:

eBay – for great deals go to “advanced search” check mark “time ending soonest” enter in name brand and catch something that is about to end in a bid for a good deal.

Facebook "swap and shop" for your local area is also a great way to buy kids clothes.

Always Google for a promo code when you shop online. Example- I was buying at shoes.com and saw they had a space for a promo code – I googled promo code for shoes.com and saved 20% off my entire order.

Sign up for Gymboree.com – if you wait for the good sales you can save 60 – 75% off and sometimes even get free shipping on top of that. Just keep your eyes out! Up to three gift boxes are given to you free – they are so cute – just be sure and mark that you want them.

Here's to saving some money!

~ Easter Fun and Spring Break Ideas ~

2013-04-01T06:00:00.000-07:00

Hello friends!!

I hope you all had a great Easter!

(No, I'm not going to do an April Fools post.....I guess I'm not quite as cool as all those other bloggers who do - hee, hee!!!!)

This year I could hardly catch my kiddos in action! They were OFF and RUNNING to fill their baskets with candy eggs!

BEFORE they could scatter like little bunnies though, I made them sit down for a picture.....they love me for this type of behavior- ha!

Honestly, it was an amazing day - bright sunshine and hot! (Well, a high of 68 is hot for us Great N.W. folks!) For the past few years there has always been SNOW on the ground at Easter but this year I spent the entire time barefoot and wearing my first summer dress of the year.

I am SOOOOO looking foward to summer. Lots of camping trips planned :-)

And for anyone who is interested......

The kids just had their Spring Piano Recital - I promise, it's not Chopsticks ;-)

It's Spring Break for us all this week - Do you guys have any fun plans??

You could always make my Rock Candy recipe - kids totally have fun doing it!

Or just make some AMAZING carmelized Chocoate Chip Cookies ;-)

Hope you enjoy your week WHATEVER your plans are! Leave us a comment if you have a fun craft you are going to make - we all need good ideas :-)

Xylitol Caramel Corn and Giveaway From Xyloburst

2013-03-26T06:00:00.001-07:00

I know, some of you are thinking WHAT is Xylitol? I'll try to make it short and sweet ~ ha!

Xylitol is another HEALTHY natural (not artificial) sweetener. It has become VERY popular in sugar free gums (and toothpaste) because xylitol actually fights tooth decay.

One of my personal goals has been to get rid of all my sugar free (aspartame-ahhhh!) gums and switch to 100% xylitol gums/mints. They don't hold their flavor for hours like the generic chemical laden gums but the health benefit is SUBSTANTIAL!

Xylitol is not a no calorie sweetener like Stevia, but it has about 40% less calories than normal table sugar and is safe for diabetics (10 calories per tsp. instead of 15)

Today I'm going to give you a SIMPLE yummy healthy Caramel Corn recipe that was adapted by the most amazing healthy desert blog, Chocolate Covered Katie.

This is SOOOO good - you will not be disappointed!

Seriously, my kids were fighting over the fact that one kid ate more of it than the other. I was like STOP fighting, I can make more!! My daughters reply was this: "I'd be happy your kids were fighting over your healthier food versions mom, it means it was a success!" (gotta love my daughter's way of thinking!)

Healthy Caramel Popcorn (serves two people)

5 tbsp unpopped popcorn
1/4 cup xylitol
1/4 cup agave or honey
1/8 tsp vanilla
1 Tbsp butter
1/2 tsp baking soda
Sprinkle of salt at at the very end (keep sampling it until it has the right balance of sweet/salty!)
optional: any "extras" you would like (peanuts, chocolate chips etc)

Directions:

Pop popcorn.

Transfer popcorn into a large mixing bowl. In a small saucepan, combine the two sweeteners, vanilla and the butter. Heat on low stirring occasionally, until the dry sweetener is completely dissolved. Now sprinkle in the baking soda, this will foam it up and make it easier to pour equally. Pour this mixture over the popped corn and stir to coat. If the sauce falls to the bottom of the bowl, scoop it up and keep stirring for a full minute. Sprinkle on the salt and any extras IF you wish.

Recently I had the opportunity to try some samples of Xylitol products from Xyloburst. They have delicious xylitol gums and mints......watermelon being one of my favorites!

They are offering one reader a "goodie bag" with a xylitol bag and other great xylitol products worth around $50.00. (So Fun!!!)

Also you are ordering from them for the first time click the link and sign up for their newsletter and you will get 30% off your first order (I just ordered a bunch of stuff!)

How To Enter:

(You can enter up to 3 times with 3 separate comments if you do all below.)

First Entry: (please leave me your email, or have it easily accessible on your profile)

Become a follower of my blog if you aren't already :-) Leave me a comment saying you just became or already are a follower. (GFC or Subscriber, see left hand side of blog)

Second Entry:

Like my FB fan page OR follow my Pinterest! (either one, leave me a comment telling me you did it)

Third Entry:

Share this post via your Facebook, your Blog or Pinterest. (leave me a comment telling me you did it)

Be sure to either leave your email in one of the comments, or know that I can find your email easily by clicking your link. I'll have to go on to another winner if I can't find your email easily. :-)

~~I'll be using Random.org to collect winners on Tuesday April 2~~ . Good Luck!

ENDED: comment #2 was drawn by Random.org - Thanks!!!

PS this is not a paid (sponsored post) they just sent me samples and asked if I would like to do a giveaway for you guys, of course I said yes. :-)

Ideas on How to Decorate Your Decor with Vintage Books

2013-03-22T06:00:00.000-07:00

My two favorite ways to decorate and add personality to a home VERY inexpensively is by hanging plates, or setting up a pretty vignette with old vintage books.

The best place to find BOTH of these items for under a buck is at the thrift store. I know that Etsy and eBay also offer "lots" of old books so you can always check there too.

I picked up these maroon encyclopedias for .50 cents a piece. I move them around to different locations when I'm getting the decorating itch :-)

I thought for this version of my Creative Juices Award I would show you beautiful vignettes with ideas on decorating with vintage books.

Wrapping jute rope or raffia around a collection of books is a great way to add substance to your book collection and make it a focal piece on your dresser, mantel or console table.

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How about using books on your table to make a centerpiece! It's a great way to add height to something you love.

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I personally love books on coffee tables. I found that a lot of times, it really makes guests feel comfortable. If they want to sit down and flip through a picture book they relax and do it.

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AND if you're some one who has a TON of books and your not quite sure what to do with them - how about these ideas? ;-)

Fill up a non working fireplace with cool old books!

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I love how artsy this whole wall collection looks. The books just add a classic and yet eclectic flair to the room.

Via Domino

There you have it!! Did you get any good ideas from this post? Where do you put your old books? Leave me a comment with any other ideas!

Easy and Healthy Chicken Cacciatore Recipe

2013-03-18T06:00:00.001-07:00

Believe it or not, I am still keeping to my January resolution and attempting to eat "clean" and healthy! So........ finding good chicken recipes is top on my list.

I found this Chicken Cacciatore and it was simple and delicious.

It is made with chicken thighs which aren't as lean as the breast but those pieces of meat are TENDER! (And thighs have 50% more iron per equil pieces of breast.)

CHICKEN CACCIATORE (serves 4, adapted from link above)

4-5 Boneless skinless Chicken Thigh (I get a big frozen pack at Costco)
1/2 tsp pepper
1 large onion chopped
3 celery stalks thinly sliced
6 small mushrooms quartered
1/2 c dry red wine (or chicken stock, but I feel the wine is what makes this dish!)
1 can crushed tomatoes
1 bay leaf
2 sprigs fresh rosemary (or sprinkle in dried if you don't have fresh)
6 sprigs Italian parsley, plus 1 tbsp chopped to garnish top.
1/4 tsp paprika

Thaw out the chicken and then sprinkle the thighs with pepper. Lightly coat with an olive oil nonstick cooking spray . Coat a large nonstick frying pan with nonstick cooking spray and set over high heat until hot but not smoking. Pan-fry the chicken until golden-brown, about 5 minutes on each side. Transfer the chicken to a plate.

Reduce the heat to medium and add the onion, celery and mushrooms. Fry until the mushrooms are soft, about 5 minutes. Pour in the wine or stock. Reduce the heat to medium-low and stir in the tomatoes, bay leaf, rosemary, parsley sprigs and paprika.

Return the chicken to the frying pan. Simmer, partially covered, until the juices run clear, about 30 minutes. Remove the bay leaf, rosemary and parsley. Sprinkle the chicken cacciatore with the extra chopped parsley and serve.

For any one interested in approximate nutrition stats per serving: (not bad, huh)

268 calories

25 g protein

12 g total fat

11g carbs

9 sugars

6 fiber

If you want another chicken recipe - this one is my FAVORITE!!!! Perfect for your BBQ, and it has a sweet, spicy and sticky coconut chicken!

There you have it! Another easy, healthy and great tasting chicken

dish to add to your list. :-)

~ Selina

Garage Door Makeovers! Trompe l'oeil and Traditional Style

2013-03-13T06:00:00.000-07:00

Every once in a while, you run across an obscure blog and your jaw drops..... You're thinking, What? She should have a billion followers!

That's what happened when I ran across Lynda's trompe l'oeil painted barn styled carriage garage doors.

She mentions that they were STARK WHITE before she began.....ya, WHITE!

She PAINTED them to look like cool barn wood!

From white to brown in no time! (I love paint)

Or how about this little scrolly work she did on this ladies home - isn't it amazing?? Really!

The pattern reminds me of an artistic wall art board my friend and I saw at a local home decor shop. I would LOVE to make something just like that.....maybe I will :-)

This next set of photos was one of the very FIRST projects I saw when I entered the world of blogging. I am still a subscriber to Remodelaholic and Cassity has even featured a few of my projects on her blog. :-)
Garage doors make up SO much of your home, we may as well make them look the best we can!

BEFORE:

AFTER:

That project isn't painted :-) They put wood over the top of the garage doors.....they give you a full step by step tutorial.

Lastly, I wanted to show you what Terry did from Forever Decorating. Her husband wanted to have cool hinges, pulls AND windows for his garage doors. She knew that would be a ton of money so while he was away :-) she PAINTED on black hinges, pulls and yes, painted in windows. Now there is some creativity and some GUTS!

All that you see in black - was just painted on! Even the windows!

If I was to do my garage doors, I would probably buy some dummy hinges like you see on my front door that I did. They're cheap and hand made from iron.

I just glued on the cool iron hinges and hammered in the clavoses! You can see the step by step tutorial of my front door.

What do you think??

Planning to paint or add embellishments to your garage doors after seeing those pictures??

I found a great site that had TONS of garage doors to view in their image gallery. If you are thinking about updating your garage doors or have new home construction, take a look at all the ideas!

Here are a few:

Isn't the idea of adding windows ABOVE the garage doors cool!

Classic Carriage style doors with gridded windows.

Carriage style with dummy iron hinges and pulls.

Although this house is in a league of it's own, I couldn't resist adding it because it's just so pretty!!!

Here's to getting our Creative Juices stirred :-)

Grandparent Wall Gallery - Cherishing the Memories

2013-03-06T06:00:00.000-08:00

This grandparent wall is my favorite photo gallery in my home. Every time I walk by it I smile and think of the life my grandparents have lived. I am also reminded how richly blessed I was/am to learn and be loved by them for so many years.

My Grandparents when they were kids!!!

My Grandpa and Grandma on my mom's side. My grandma was an artist and would give me lots of fun art lessons.

My Opa (grandpa) and his sister - this is my FAVORITE photo because it captures the wittiness in his smile and the warmth and kindness in his eyes. He is still that person today. :-)

I count every day a blessing to still have my Opa around.

He is the world's greatest Opa and YES, he reads my blog - Hi Opa :-)

Relaxing in the San Juans

This past Christmas with my youngest!

Oh and just to be nostalgic here I am with my siblings being read to by my Oma (grandma). I'm the chubby one on her lap :-) And yes my dad looks like he's 17.....I guess they started out young - ha!

I plan to keep adding to that wall (once I collect some more rustic frames) for my husbands side of the family. There aren't words to describe how much all of these pictures mean!!

My husband's grandparents on his dad's side. I'm not quite sure what to think of that ruffle collar ;-)

Honestly, don't you love that swimsuit!

My husband's grandma on his mom's side. She looks a lot like Judy Garland to me :-)

I'd love this post to be an encouragement to all of you to collect some photos so that you can make a photo gallery too. :-) Don't forget to take some of those photos and scan them into the computer so you have them saved on a hard file!

And.........since we're talking about grandparents and preserving memories, my good friend wrote the BEST blog post about a notebook she made for her grandma to fill out. It's such a wonderful idea. I hope you guys click on over there and read what she did.....just a warning.....you may get a little teary eyed (in a good way!!!)

Experiencing the past and enriching the present - Selina :-)

Ideas For a Warm Romantic Master Bedroom - Add Drapes!

2013-02-27T06:00:00.000-08:00

I'll start off this post with a very romantic bedroom photo that I have had on file (even before Pinterest - GASP!)

And an up close of the old frame with a picture behind it.

Or how about this bedroom - they used distressed doors for the base of the shabby chic platform bed and a antique mantel as a headboard!!! LOVE THAT!

BHG.com

OK on to the title of my post.......One of my favorite ways to make a bedroom cozy is to add drapes that run floor to ceiling. Not only will the drapes add height to a room, they will add a lot of warmth and great texture.

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In Sherry and Johns (Young House Love) first house they show how fabric can soften their bedroom too.

young house love

If you know exactly where you will be putting your bed, making a built in niche is fun way to make your room feel custom. Notice they also have floor to ceiling drapes.

Although I didn't run drapes (yet!) around my personal master bedroom - I did sew my own drapes in the sitting bench area.

My Own Bedroom - a work in process!

The drapes in this bedroom add a lot of softness. Although they did not run these floor to ceiling, I love the way they border the bed and the low window.

The way they choose to accent the orange by long drapes does wonders for this room!

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And Lastly, this is a lovely bedroom with bamboo shades and patterned drapes running to the floor. Look at all the texture they bring into the room with the shaggy bedspread, fluffy carpet and the detailed chandelier!

Do you have drapes in your bedroom? If you don't, after reading this are you thinking about adding them??

How to Take a Good Photo on Your New Camera -A Beginner's Guide

2013-02-22T06:00:00.000-08:00

Ok my friends, so the good news is that I'm not a professional photographer :-)

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That's good because I can RELATE to all of you out there that SIMPLY want to know how to use your new camera to take a better photo than you did with your snap and shoot!

Young House Love (Kate, Emily and Renee too!) are doing their Spring Pinterest Challenge and it got me thinking of one of my favorite Pinterest boards. (Photography Posts and Tips) I have learned SO MUCH from reading blog posts and pinning amazing photographers that I decided to tell you what I have learned from them :-)

SO, here are some very basic and simple tips, but I promise you, if you apply them to your photos they are going to ROCK!

Simple and Basic Tricks That Will Change Your Photos Forever!

1.) Take outdoor shots with either early morning light or late evening light as the sun is setting.

You will not BELIEVE the pictures you can get with this light. You hardly have to try and they will turn out amazing.

Sun was just about to set - the "golden" hour!

Worst time to try to take photos?

When the sun is directly on top of you - say, noon. If you do end up taking photos at noon, make sure your subject is in the shade and you can turn that harsh direct light into something softer.

2.) ALWAYS (this is SO important!!!!) shoot in a position where the person has "catchlights" or sparkle in their eyes. (Yes, yes, there are exceptions to this rule, but this is a very good place to start.)

A catchlight is the white flecks (sparkle) that you can see in someones eyes when they reflect the sun/sky. Your portrait photos will never come to life without that fleck. They can be cool photos - but they don't come to life. So be sure that light is on their face AND you can see that white fleck.

Have them tilt their heads or move slightly to a different spot till you find it, but ignoring that catchlight can make or break the AWE factor to your photo.

Amazing Catch Light in Eyes (source)

My brother :-) See the sparkle in his eyes?

NO SPARKLE EXAMPLES BELOW:

Too much of his face is in the shadows and not enough catchlights!

Great examples of photo's MISSING the catchlights - they aren't bad photos but they definitely don't have that sparkle or AWE quality to them.

Can you see the difference it makes when you can catch that sparkle??

3.) Get a lens that has a LOW aperture setting. That means buying a lens that goes F / 2.0 or lower. My favorite portrait lens is a Canon 50mm f/1.8 . They are around 100 bucks and worth every penny.

When you shoot with a low aperture setting, you will get that fuzzy background (bokeh) which is vital for a good portrait shot. BE CAREFUL though, as a rule of thumb, you do not want your aperture to have a smaller number than the people in the shot. So if you have two people in your picture, make sure you set your aperture somewhere in the 2's, and three people in the 3's etc. If you don't do this and shoot a lower number aperture than number of people, one of the subjects in the photo will almost always be blurry.

You can see how low of an aperture the lens you have goes by setting your camera to Aperture Priority mode (A or AV on the program dial). Now turn the select dial that shows you your F stop to the lowest it will let you go. That number is it :-) If yours doesn't go super low, don't worry, you still have a great lens, it's just harder to get that fuzzy background. (and save up for that 50mm 1.8 lens above!)

As far as my OWN setting on my camera - this is what I almost always keep it at:

I shoot 90% of my photos on the Aperture Priority mode (A or AV).

I shoot automatic focus.

I shoot in Jpeg format in a large size

If it's outdoors or indoors on a sunny day, I shoot in the SHADE white balance setting because it gives such a warm feel to my photos.

If I ever see that my shutter speed goes below 1/30 (of a second) I change the ISO setting (higher) so that my photos will not be blurry. (the shutter speed is how fast that shutter clicks, so the longer it stays open in a second, the more likely you will get a blurry photo because of potential movement)

4.) Don't forget to get close to your subject if you want a more dynamic look.

Photo taken by my friend Sarrah @ Pixiesnaps

I hope this helps those who just want some simple tips on getting those amazing shots that are possible with your new camera. Go back and check your photos to see if you do the tips, if you don't, get ready to take your photo's to the next level!

Amazon link is to my affiliate page.

EASY Graham Cracker Recipe - Heathy and Sugar Free!

2013-02-18T06:00:00.000-08:00

Has anyone ever looked on the back of a graham cracker box and read the ingredients? It's pretty bad. (hydrogenated oils, preservatives and lots of strange words!)

When I saw this recipe (given to me by NuNaturals Stevia) I thought I would give it a try.

The result? GREAT!

I should have rolled them out thinner (to more resemble a traditional graham cracker) but honestly, I would make these again. It past the kid taste test too (Much more important than my taste test!)

Oh and did I mention the were EASY!!! (yep, my kind of recipe.)

Easy Healthier Graham Crackers (makes approx. 20 crackers)

Ingredients:

1 1/2 cup whole wheat pastry flour
1/2 cup ground flax meal (can purchase in bulk section cheaply)
1/2 tsp baking powder
1/2 tsp baking soda
2 tsp cinnamon
1/2 tsp NuNaturals NuStevia Prebiotic Blend stevia
1/2 cup melted coconut oil (with a dash of salt) or you can just use melted butter
1/4 cup Agave syrup

Directions:

Mix dry ingredients in a bowl.
In a separate bowl mix the melted oil or butter and agave together.
Add the oil and agave mixture to the dry ingredients and stir.
Spread the dough on the cookie sheet and roll out. *
I cut the dough into squares and then poked holes on the top with a fork before baking.
Bake 8-10 min at 400 degrees.
When done, go ahead and re-cut the graham crackers and cool.

*If you need to do a light dusting of flour to keep the roller from sticking that's fine.
I rolled my first batch out at 1/4+ inch but I would recommend even going for 1/8".

Before baking, I ran a knife through dough and dotted tops with fork.

Next time I'll make them thinner!

The longer they sit, the firmer they become (like original graham crackers) so enjoy them warm and soft or cool and crispy.

ENJOY!!!!

Recipe links are to iherb - my personal favorite site to buy healthy products. For details see my disclosure policy.

Decorating with Musical Instruments

2013-02-13T06:00:00.000-08:00

I know not every one out there is into the arts and music but for me, music is a huge part of my life.

On display is one of my old violins, unfortunately, when I was 16 I drove away while the violin and case was still on the top of my car and broke it to pieces.....yep, not a great teenage day when you do something like that!

Growing up, I had 3 siblings. We each started learning a musical instrument at the age of three.

Yes, that is me :-) Maybe I was 2 when I started playing?

Some of the mothers out there that have kids involved in learning a musical instrument know it's not really the THREE year old that practices and learns an instrument - it's the mother. God bless all the mothers out there that patiently go through the 20 minutes of practicing a day!

(and to my own mother THANK YOU!)

Anyway, our family formed a string quartet,

2 violins

1 viola (me!)

and a cello.

So it's not a surprise when I tell you my heart goes flutter when I see musical instruments being used as home decor. Honestly, garage sales are great for finding a steal of a deal on old instruments - keep your eyes on the look out!

Let's look at some ideas used around Blogland!

I love the way she brought your eye around the table using a large string bass. It sure makes a statement.

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This was a lovely home I did in American Clay - the cello alone, on it's stand really adds to the artsy feel of the room.

Placing old horn instruments in a bookshelf or on a console table really adds interest. This vintage trumpet has such lovely lines - don't you think it's a work of art?

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I can't forget using the piano as a beautiful home decor statement!! Two of my children play the piano.

What a bold TURQUOISE statement! :-) And as I mentioned in a previous post, how I love decorating with plates!

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I love the contrast between the white and the deep wood stain of the violin.

I think decorating your home with beautiful old instruments can be magical. :-)

What do you think - do you have any musical home decor?

Silly Designer Cups - A Post Just for Fun

2013-02-08T06:00:00.000-08:00

I know, this doesn't really have anything to do with my normal posts but someone awesome designed these cups and I LOVE them!

They completely crack me up!

My animal loving daughters would go crazy over these!

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Oh and they would LOVE these too - my daughter has a cute white hamster......I could see that cup being her favorite! Maybe I could get her to drink more milk with that cup??

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Now this coffee cup made completely with coffee beans could be for ME!
Can you smell it now??

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Yes, coffee does seem to start my day!

I hope you enjoy looking at them as much as I did....unfortunately, I can't for the life of me find prices on these or I would buy them. (ok,ok, if the price was right!) If you know or can figure out where to buy these leave me a comment!

Barn Wood Home Decor - Creative Juices Award

2013-02-02T07:58:00.000-08:00

One thing I love about barn wood home decor is you can take any type of themed home and transform a room that was once blah, to a room FULL of character.

Like always, I am amazed at the creativity of people around blogland but the one that takes the GOLD for my Creative Juices Award is Dana's pallet wood backsplash!

Dana wanted to give her 1980's kitchen some character so she and her husband just cut up and washed some FREE pallet boards, added some stain and applied liquid nails (glue) to the back and put them up. VOILA - an awesome backsplash full of character!

This photo below has been on my Pinterest account forever - I LOVE how creative the designer was using the old wood around an upholstered headboard. It's awesome because it creates so much TEXTURE!!! Texture is KEY to creating interest my friends - KEY.

(Remember my animal hide post? Great texture = lovely rooms)

Well Kim from Too Much Time saw the same photo and decided to make her own version from worn out fence pieces someone gave her.

Here it is up close:

Isn't that amazing?! I love how she added OLD with NEW.

I know not everyone has easy access to an old falling apart barn so there are ways you can still capitalize on the look without violating those no trespassing signs :-)

Cassity and Justin from Remodelaholic built this beautiful GLORIFIED baby gate (door) out of wood they bought at their local building store. They will give you step by step directions if you want to make one for yourself.

As you know, I LOVE the look of old wood beams as my own home is filled with them. Well, they aren't really old, just rough sawn and stained a deep espresso brown.

When I move to Europe and live in a 200 year old estate I'll be sure that my beams are full of cobwebs and natural luster from years of living ;-)

This was one of my clients homes that also used rough sawn beams and had then distressed. (They were even hand chiseled to make appear really old.) That was a working wood heated pizza oven - the owner was Italian :-)

All the walls were done in American Clay Natural EarthPlaster

I love this photo below by Domestic Bliss. Look how simply the whitewashed wood accentuates the green topiaries and neutral setting.

And lastly, I thought this home became full of character by adding antique wood paneling to their ceiling and accentuating with reclaimed wood beams! Just lovely and so warm.

Source

What do you think?

Are you ready to look for some weathered pallets or old fence posts? Or maybe just buy your own wood at Lowes and attack it with a hammer and bike chain before adding a beautiful stain to it? :-) Whatever it may be, I hope you were inspired and got your own creative juices stirred!

Valentine Heart Stained Glass Cookies!

2013-01-30T06:00:00.000-08:00

These stained glass cookies are just too much fun not to put on my blog!

I did a guest post over at Beckie's (Infarrently Creative) and made these into Snowmen and other Christmas shapes but today I am going to show you how to make

Valentine Stained Glass Heart Cookies!

Make this recipe for your sugar cookie dough:

What you will need:
(makes 12 - 15 cookies)

1 cup sugar

4 Tbsp butter

1 egg

3 Tbsp milk

1 tsp vanilla

2 1/4 cups flour

1 tsp baking powder

Crushed hard candy pieces (suckers or jolly ranchers work great)

Roll into long "snakes"

Put candies in a plastic bag and use a hammer to crush the pieces.

Layer the candies evenly inside the dough.

Doesn't that just look like so much fun!!!!!

Bake at 375° for 9 min. Let completely cool then peel off foil.

I hope you all enjoy doing this! Kids, teachers and friends will love the beautiful cookies. :-)

Of course, you can do this with ANY season - how about a:

Shamrock for St Patrick's Day

Easter Egg or Cross for Easter

Pumpkin or Leaves for Fall

You get the picture! ENJOY

Fess Up Friday - My Workout Days

2013-01-25T06:00:00.001-08:00

It's been FOREVER since I have written a Fess Up Friday post. I suppose it's because it takes a lot of mental energy to write a post of all the dumb or odd things I have done throughout the weeks. :-)

This particular post has to do with how my January is going.....

you know, the part of January that consist of eating better and working out more :-)

After I ridiculously (out of procrastination to start my workout) started snapping self portraits with my phone, I decided to document one of my work out mornings.

I start driving to the gym all the while thinking is there ANYTHING I need to do before I get to the gym?? When I do think of something (like depositing a check that really didn't need to be deposited that day) I get all excited - it means I'll get to the gym a little later.

Next I park and just sit in my car thinking, I really don't feel like working out, but I'm here, I must go in.

I check my emails on my phone, bummer, nothing new.

Next I check my weather app - is it still below freezing all week long?? Sure is.

Outside my window

Next look over my phone calendar - I re-read the things I already knew and head into the next few months before I tell myself that looking into June is just not normal and so I quit.

I am so desperate to have a reason to stay in my car that I start taking portraits of myself with my phone. (now that's normal - ha!)

My thought process is I'm the only one in the family who takes pictures, so my children will never remember what I looked like in my 30's if I don't do this. (Remember, I will do anything not to get out of my car!)

I start snapping away only to glimpse around nervously hoping no one is watching me. (This is totally why I don't write these fess up posts very often!)

OK got some really great shots - so much better than opening the car door to 12 degree weather and walking to the gym.

Finally, I truly run out of things I can do. I mean I just took my yearly portrait to be remembered for all my 30's so I'm feeling like I accomplished a lot.

Deep breath, open the car door and start walking to the gym.

Inside the first thing I see is the breakfast menu.......coffee and biscuits with peppered gravy. I believe they forgot we lived in the Northwest and not the South......I don't know anyone who serves PEPPERED gravy and biscuits for breakfast here. I would have been tempted if it read coffee and cinnamon rolls.

I begin my run, jogging around the circular track - no I do not feel like a hamster running in circles....OK, I totally do and I'm thinking WHAT am I doing???

I quickly decide that running is not my thing. I've never hit that runners high in all my 30+ years and wonder why I think I'd hit it now that I am closer to 40 than 30.

I jump on the elliptical machine because that show "I didn't know I was pregnant" is on.

Oh my word, have you seen that show where they go 9 months without knowing they were pregnant and then wake up with horrible stomach cramps only to give birth! Believe me, that keeps me entertained on that hamster wheel :-) I am OK that I am "running" with all my might and going absolutely no where.

Finally I am done. I get to stretch (my very favorite part of my workout) and I walk back in the freezing cold to my car.

Is it worth it?

I don't know - maybe :-)

Can someone out there relate???

Enjoy your day - hopefully this gives you a glimpse to the real me and gave you a smile :-)

~ Selina

P.S. If anyone would like to feel better about themselves, just enter Fess Up in my search bar on the right and you will see many silly "real life" posts.

Furniture and Home Decor Using Animal Hide - Creative Juices Award

2013-01-22T06:00:00.000-08:00

I love the amazing texture that animal hide creates. (it can be faux hide too!) It's just beautiful, so when I ran across this dresser, I knew I could do a fun Creative Juices Award post on it.

Here is Vivian's BEFORE shot:

And here is her AFTER shot!

She takes the GOLD for my Creative Juices Award!!!

Yes, that is real cow hide glued down to the front of each dresser panel and then tacked with upholstery tacks along the edges. (obviously, she stripped and stained the old piece which was purchased off Craigslist for 25 bucks)

You can purchase cow hide remnants off eBay for a decent price. Last time I was in IKEA they had hides there too.

Anyway, I just LOVE LOVE that dresser!!!

Look what this designer did to add texture to the room - they just draped a hide right over the coffee table. What do you think? Maybe it creeps you out? :-)

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If you have been following me for a while you know that the photo above just makes me happy :-)

Here are a few more fun photos using animal hides.

I love the off white neutral setting here with the brown/white cow hide and the iron chandelier

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The room below is full of fun textures and yes, an animal hide rug. You can't go wrong with textiles that have pile or unique textures. The designer (Ms. Howell) suggests decorating with furs, chenille, velour and wools. (As does this designer, me :-)

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And I don't want to forget my own little sheepskin addition to my living room.....it just adds some soft texture to the hardwood floors and the clay walls. :-)

And lastly, this awe inspiring piece......

What an amazing iron gate leading into this living room! I love the wood beams, concrete floor and the large animal rug.

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Una hermosa casa!!!

I just thought this house deserved to be flattered in Spanish....I don't speak Spanish so I'll leave it up to all you amazing bi-lingual people to translate. :-)

What do you think? Are you inspired or completely creeped out?

NuNaturals Stevia Giveaway! Ideas on How to Use Flavored Stevia

2013-01-18T06:00:00.000-08:00

All of my family knows how much I enjoy and use stevia. I like it because it is a 100% natural product (unlike aspartame, splenda, nutrasweet etc) and yes, because it isn't full of calories :-)

One of my favorite stevia company NuNaturals, just sent me a bunch of new products to try and asked if I would want to provide a giveaway for you guys. I said, "FOR SURE!"

I thought it would be fun to do a post on how I use the products that are in the giveaway and yes, since it is January, I know we are all trying to find ways to eat healthier and cut back on those calories. :-)

I had a very sweet and patient model.......good thing she LOVES her picture taken! (although, she was NOT trilled that she wasn't in color) :-)

1.) Make your OWN natural soda!

Natural Talking Rain with Orange NuNaturals Stevia

It will be 4 years this summer that I went off standard, store bought soda pop. Every once in a while I still will crave a refreshing carbonated drink so I buy the sparkling natural water (like talking rain, it's just carbonated mountain spring water) and I drop a few drops of the flavored stevia in them. In fact, as I am writing this I am drinking an orange stevia "soda" I just made! Completely hits the spot and I don't worry about calories or yucky chemicals!

2.) Flavor your own yogurt.

Non Fat Greek Yogurt with NuNaturals Vanilla Stevia

I buy plain yogurt in bulk from Costco and add a few drops of the NuNaturals Stevia to flavor it. It's DELICIOUS! My favorite flavor is the Vanilla but chocolate or lemon would also be nice.

3.) Flavor your coffee, tea or smoothies.

Mocha with NuNatruals Chocolate and Peppermint Stevia

This one is simply delicious.....try the chocolate one in your next coffee! Or how about chocolate and peppermint mixed? :-) For that matter, make your own healthy sugar free hot chocolate - just add a few drops to some steamed milk.

They have worked so hard at creating the best flavors and highest quality of stevia. If you are someone that has previously said you don't like the aftertaste of stevia (personally, this brand hardly has an aftertaste to me) I woud try their new prebiotic stevia that is a powdered stevia mixed with Tagatose. You can read more about Tagatose on their website but I'm very excited about it and the taste is amazing. I found that when they mixed the two - any slight aftertaste the stevia might have had went away.

That product is probably my favorite to put on my grapefruit and oatmeal.

4.) Add it to your water or make Lemonade

Fresh Squeezed Lemon with NuStevia Prebiotic Blend

One more idea :-) If you have a hard time gulping down plain water, just add a drop or two of the vanilla or lemon and now you have a tasty water to drink. You can also make the BEST lemonade just squeezing fresh lemons in water sweetened with the prebiotic stevia.

HAVE I SAID ENOUGH to get you excited about winning??? :-)

You guys get a chance to win four bottles (one each) of their newest product one bottle of the Lemon / Orange / Peppermint Flavored Stevia Liquids, PLUS their latest intro the CHOCOLATE STEVIA LIQUID. (oh and I get to draw FOUR winners and he said he would ship WORLDWIDE!!!)

You can also receive a discount on all orders placed on their website : www.nunaturals.com .

When you get to the checkout page enter the DISCOUNT CODE ; BLG0613 and you will receive - 15% DISCOUNT on your entire order. This discount remains effective till JUNE 30, 2013 . (So feel free to pin this is you want to remember a good coupon code for later.)

Online ordering customers also receive free shipping to the CONTINENTAL U. S. on all orders exceeding $35.00 after discounts.

How To Enter:

You can enter up to 3 times with 3 separate comments if you do all below.

First Entry:

PLEASE, become a follower of my blog if you aren't already :-) Leave me a comment saying you just became or already are a follower. (GFC or Subscriber, see left hand side of blog)

Second Entry:

Like NuNaturals and my FB fan page! (leave me a comment telling me you did it)

Third Entry:

Share this post via your Facebook, your blog or Pinterest. (leave me a comment telling me you did it)

Be sure to either leave your email in one of the comments, or know that I can find your email easily by clicking your link. I'll have to go on to another winner if I can't find your email easily. :-)

I'll be using Random.org to collect 4 winning numbers on Wed. January 30th. Good Luck!