Cupcakes & Coffee Breaks

How to Do Dip Powder Nails

2021-01-10T16:59:00.003-05:00

Staying at home means avoiding the nail salon, and as someone who always smudges regular nail polish (seriously, how is it possible that they can still be ready to smear by the time I go to bed?), I have a newfound appreciation for the variety of modern manicure solutions available.

I previously reviewed Ohora's at-home gel strips, which are a great option for hassle-free designs. Another option that I really like, even though I am far from a pro, is dip powder.

Dip powder is essentially an acrylic powder that contains pigments or glitters. You purchase a set of liquids that can be used with the powders of your choice for a quick and clean manicure that requires very little dry time.

Dip powder is easily accessible, and if you're new to dip nails in general, I'd suggest a reasonably priced option for practice. I started with the Lavender Violets brand on Amazon, which comes with a set of powders + all the liquids you need for a beginner. I did find that the longevity is less than other brands, but it's a great way to test out this nail solution, and start building up a supply of colored dip powders.

The first time that I tried it out, it was a disaster. I ended up with far too much excess powder on my nails, and it took me a while to even attempt doing dip powder nails a second time. So, if you're new to dip powder nails, read ahead to get started!

You Will Need

Basic manicure tools (ie: nail trimmer, cuticle cutter/pusher).
Rubbing alcohol.
Dip liquids-- a base coat, activator, and a top coat. You can use a gel top coat as well, just keep in mind that you'll need an LED light to cure.
Dip powder-- the colorful part of the manicure. Note that these often don't look the same in the jar as they will when activated.
A fluffy brush, like a kabuki or similar.
A nail file.

What to Do

Start with clean, polish-free nails, trimmed and filed to the shape that you would like. Push/remove any cuticles from the nail.
Wipe the nail with rubbing alcohol. I find that this helps with longevity.
Paint one nail with a thin coat of the base coat. You want this to be thin, to cover your entire nail, and nothing but the nail. The dip powder will stick to this base coat, so anything that is covered will be polished.
Gently dip your nail into the powder. You can experiment with different ways to dip, but I would suggest dipping either vertical into the pot, or at a 45-degree angle, with the nail facing upward. Pressing down with your nail facing downward or parallel to the floor results in an uneven amount of powder sticking in spots, due to varying pressure. You'll get an even result with thin base coats, and light or no pressure, just letting the powder naturally stick in a thin, even coat.
Either brush or blow off any excess. Sometimes, brushing can cause lines to appear in the powder, so if this happens, I like to gently blow off the excess instead. I only really worry about it if I have obvious lumps and bumps on my nails. If it's smooth, I tend to leave it untouched.
You have the option to add a second, thin coat of base coat if needed, gently repeating steps 3 and 4 until you reach the desired opacity.
Gently coat the nail with the activator liquid. The nail dip activator tends to spread easily, and I usually don't need to "paint" it on as it spreads across the nail quickly on its own.
Once the activator is added, your nail powder will solidify. If you need to smooth any bumps or imperfections, you can file them with your nail file at this time.
Lastly, add a top coat. You can use a liquid top coat and let it dry, or a gel. The liquid top coats that I have used tend to dry faster than regular nail polish. However, I've recently favored clear gel nail polish, particularly when working with glitters. I really dislike having any rough glitters poking through the topcoat, so I add enough gel to encase them and smooth them out a bit, curing with an LED gel lamp.

Products I Used

Glass nail file
Rubbing alcohol
Dip powder:

Lavender Violets, light purple from this package of pinks/purples.
Once Upon a Manicure, "Tamatoa" (ring finger)
Revel Nail, "Imagine" (middle finger)

Liquids:

Revel Nail

Top Coat

Ohora Gel Top Coat + LED Lamp

As I said, I am far from a nail professional, but I find this process to be easy, and with the upgrade to Revel nail dip liquids, these nails last about 2 weeks before I lose one, but at that point I'm ready to redo them to due to new growth. For removal, you will definitely need 100% pure acetone, and a glass bowl to soak them in-- don't try plastic to hold acetone! It will eat through it immediately like a weird hallucination until the bottom of the cup falls out and will splash all over your fiance's laptop, eating through the plastic shell and rendering it useless. Allegedly.

Easy Meal Prep Continued: A Home Chef Review

2021-01-06T22:10:00.005-05:00

A few weeks ago, I reviewed Freshly, which is a meal service that sends prepared microwavable meals on a weekly basis. I didn't really have any complaints, but I found that I was exclusively using these meals for lunches, which typically didn't require much prep time from me in the first place.

I am not affiliated with Home Chef in any way, beyond purchasing a meal kit, and I am not in any way being compensated for my review.

I decided to pause my subscription, and check out Home Chef, which, again, came to my attention through the power of social media advertising.

I've received my first shipment and cooked all of my meals, so I feel I'm in a good place to review my experience, in case you're considering simple meal-prep options as well. If you decide to try it for yourself, you can save $35 with my link.

Home Chef has a variety of options to choose from, starting with the number of people that you'll be feeding, and the number of meals you'd like. I found this to be much easier to use than some other sites because it required little to no guesswork on my part. I just clicked what I wanted, and a plan was presented to me. I selected the option to feed our family twice per week and chose the "Fresh and Easy" plan, which requires very little prep work. There are options for more traditional meal kits that provide whole ingredients and require longer prep time, but my reason for choosing a meal kit in the first place is to reduce the time needed to prep.

What I liked about this option was that the meals are not strictly microwaved. In fact, it's basically a meal kit with all of the measuring and chopping done for you. The ingredients are fresh, but it requires as little effort as possible. Even the pans are included with each kit!

I can't believe I'm saying this about a meal kit, but I was pleasantly surprised by the amount of effort that seemed to go into the unboxing experience. Every meal is packaged in a zippered bag, again, with the pan included. You also won't find any flimsy or soggy recipe cards here-- a full-page, colorful, pre-hole-punched recipe description for each meal was included, along with a nice plastic Home Chef Recipes binder to clip them in. Also included in the binder was a welcome packet, with information about the program, company, and customer feedback.

What immediately struck me about Home Chef is that it is incredibly well thought out. It isn't just food in a box, it's an experience.

The Food

I selected the plan for 3-4 people and chose the Smoky 'n' Sweet Shrimp Wonton Tacos (because shrimp, wontons, and tacos sound like three separately delicious meals on their own), and the Swiss Chicken (because I know I should eat chicken and vegetables, but I struggle to make that exciting).

I received 4 bags of ingredients + a pan within each, so clearly each individual bag is meant to serve 2. Honestly, we probably could have opted for a smaller plan, but that will just give me the flexibility to try more meals moving forward if I need to switch to fewer people and more days, for a similar price point.

The shrimp and chicken were packaged separately from the meal kits, which made storage and prep incredibly simple. I could just drop the meat into the meat drawer, and stack the other bags on the shelf. No sorting or separating was required, and the recipe pages clearly state how long the meals will last once delivered.

Meal prep was extremely simple and consisted of tossing ingredients into the pans, seasoning with the provided spices (along with salt, pepper, and olive oil), and baking for about 30 minutes. The Swiss Chicken was slightly more involved, but only because the green beans needed to be cooked slightly longer than the chicken, so it wasn't quite set-and-forget, but very close to it.

So how was the food?

We all thought it was great!

The cook times were accurate, and the Swiss Chicken was perfectly done, not at all dry. I especially liked the clever yet simple mixes for slaw on the tacos and the honey mustard green beans that were served with the chicken dish. Surprisingly, even my picky eaters finished their plates both times, and that's really saying quite a lot considering they wouldn't touch the kid-specific meal plan I once tried.

If I had to provide a single criticism, I would only mention the amount of packaging-- it's necessary because of the pre-measured ingredients, but I cringed a little with all of the plastic bags.

So would I recommend Home Chef? Yes! I absolutely would. I love the fresh yet simple-to-prep meals, and the options available. Because it uses fresh ingredients, it's doesn't taste like a microwave meal, and the options include a lot of fresh vegetables-- something I'm really trying to incorporate more of into my diet. Home Chef is an easy way to cook dinner at home but skip the measuring and chopping when you're short on time.

Want to try Home Chef for yourself? You can save $35 off of your first order with my link.

5 Ideas for a "Stay at Home" Date Night

2021-01-06T14:56:00.003-05:00

Goodbye to 2020, and a cautious "hello" to 2021! If you're like me, you had a pretty uneventful New Year's Eve.

That's not to say that my NYE has been particularly exciting every year until now, but the pandemic has certainly ensured that there is zero possibility of that changing for the foreseeable future. We settled in for a night of Schitt's Creek and oddly depressing NYE broadcasts, and yours truly is the only one who made it to midnight!

With the monotony of stay-at-home life, I think it's important to try and plan different things to look forward to. Valentine's Day hasn't always been a "big deal" in our household, but what I've noticed over the years is that if you treat everything as "not a big deal", you start to look back and realize... you haven't made anything a "big deal" in a while. Paired with significant USPS delays, I'm planning for next months' activities now so that our Valentine's Day plans are ready to go!

With all of that being said, if you find yourself looking for stay-at-home date night (or day!) ideas, whether due to the pandemic, sheer desire to stay in, or any other reason, I've pulled together a curated list of low-key, fun activities to shake up the norm, and make memories with your loved ones. Read on for more!

Cooking Competition

A few years ago, we celebrated our anniversary with a pizza competition. Each "competitor" came up with a recipe, shopped for ingredients, and came up with a punny name. Then we ate them!-- err, I mean judged them.

You can incorporate this idea with any favorite type of food!

pizza
cheese fries
nachos
tacos
ice cream sundaes
lattes
cocktails or mocktails

Hint: if you decide on a pizza competition, you can check out my winning garlic parmesan mac and cheese pizza recipe, pictured above!

At Home Paint Night

Image by Pexels from Pixabay

Paint nights are a fun activity that usually includes a group of friends led by an instructor to create the same painting. It's a really fun way to get creative, and many studios or paint night companies are offering an at-home option. You can find virtual classes in your area, or buy a paint night kit.

I'm particularly excited about the paint night kit because this way we won't create the same piece, like we would in a live class. We've picked out two different paintings to complete at the same time, so we'll both end up with pieces that we like, and they won't be two interpretations of the same painting.

Favorite Meal Re-Do

Image by Anna Prosekova from Pixabay

One of my favorite anniversary dinners was a re-do of our wedding meal that we attempted at home. We made crab cakes, beef wellington appetizers, and a red velvet cake, among other items that we could recall from 2 years prior!

This doesn't have to be specific to a wedding, but if you have any special memory related to food-- whether a first date, a great meal that you had on vacation or something from your favorite date-night restaurant that is not an option at this time, try to recreate it at home!

If you aren't a chef, go easy on yourself. The point is to have fun, and of course, eat delicious food! There is no harm in choosing some premade options and doing what you can to replicate the meal as closely as possible. For example, I certainly didn't make crab cakes from scratch, and I'm pretty sure we either purchased a cake or used a box mix. The point is to have fun and end up with too much food!

Game Night

Image by top10-casinosites from Pixabay

This one can certainly be paired with any of the other suggestions, but in a world of smartphones and video games, it can be nice to sit down and dig out some board or card games for some unplugged competition fun. Try some old favorites like Scrabble or Monopoly, or newer card games meant to make you laugh. If you have the time and the headspace, you can also attempt a murder mystery game, like the Hunt-a-Killer series.

Outdoor Movie Night

Image by Andy Giraud from Pixabay

This one won't work for me, but for those friends in warmer climates, a change of scenery can make the difference between a special date night, and your regular socially distanced Netflix streaming.

Set up with an outdoor projector screen (some of which are surprisingly affordable!), a movie projector, some blankets, pillows, + food and drinks. Add a fire pit, if you have the space to do so, to complete your set up!

Note that links may be affiliate links, which I may make a small commission off of, at no impact to you. Thanks for reading!

Christmas Morning Casserole

2020-12-28T15:42:00.000-05:00

A tradition in my husband's house when growing up was "Christmas Morning Casserole", which has morphed into "any special occasion casserole", simply because it is delicious.

It's simple to make, and we recommend making it the night before you plan to serve, so you can simply preheat the oven and let it bake while you enjoy present unwrapping or Netflixing.

Conscious of the fact that COVID-Christmas 2020 has passed, here's to hoping you have a few days off of work to spend at home with your loved ones. If not, this would be a great dish to make for New Year's Eve at home.

Whatever the occasion, grab your mimosas and slice into this breakfast casserole. It's a winner for sure.

Ingredients

6 slices of white bread
2 lbs sausage
1 tsp of mustard
12 oz sliced swiss cheese
6 eggs
1 3/4 cup of milk
1 cup half and half
1/4 tsp salt
1/8 tsp pepper
1/8 tsp nutmeg
1 tsp Worcestershire sauce

Instructions

Place the 6 slices of bread in the bottom of a greased 9 x 13 baking dish.
Fry the sausage on the stove, draining the grease when cooked.
Mix the sausage with the mustard, and then sprinkle the mixture over the bread in the baking dish.
Layer the Swiss cheese slices over the sausage.
Mix all of the remaining ingredients together and pour over the cheese.
Cover the baking dish, and refrigerate overnight.
In the morning, set the casserole on the counter until it warms up to about room temperature.
Bake at 350 degrees for 30-45 minutes, or until the top is browned.
Enjoy!

You can absolutely switch this up with wheat bread, or your bread of choice. The bread gets a bit absorbed into the casserole, so it doesn't really matter. We have also used spicy sausage, so feel free to substitute!

During this crazy time, I have come to rely on Walmart grocery pickup. I'm not being paid to say this, but if you sign up using my link (which I appreciate!), I may receive a small promo. Check out Walmart + here.

Be Gel-ous! A Review of Ohora Gel Nail Strips

2020-12-23T11:30:00.001-05:00

Affiliate links may be included below. This review is purely my opinion, and I am in no way associated with the product or compensated for it.

Again, falling prey to social media marketing, I purchased a set-- okay, several sets-- of Ohora gel nail kits.

We had enough strips leftover so that we could match!

I am not a professional, but I'm certainly no stranger to different manicure trends. I remember about ten years ago when Sally Beauty came out with nail polish strips in fun designs. I've recently been reintroduced to press on nails, and I'm experienced with doing my own dip powder manicures, too.

So I was intrigued by the idea of semi-cured nail strips, and after having worn several sets, I'm comfortable sharing my experience in case you have been eyeing these up, as well.

What You Get

Each nail kit comes with a set of nail strips on little plastic sheets, a file, a stick, and two prep pads to clean your nails beforehand. I also used a discount code for a free gel lamp, but if you already have one, you may not need to do this. The Ohora version is very compact, though, and I like that you can stand it up or hold it one hand while curing the other.

I also used Ohora's gel topcoat, which I also received with a discount code on my second order.

What You Do

The premise is simple: clean your nails with the prep pad, clip and file your natural nail to the desired length and shape, and push back any cuticles as needed.

Next, you peel the desired sized nail from the plastic sheet. Ohora makes this really easy:

The gel strips are on clear backing, so you can easily hold them up to your natural nails and gauge the best size before peeling them off of the plastic.
Each nail has its own protective plastic cover over the top, so it's easy to expose only the nail that you want, without accidentally removing the others.

Note that the nails are a slightly stretchy, jelly consistency. You can stretch them a bit to make any slightly-too-small sizes work. I try to avoid this because I don't like touching the sticky side (just in case it affects the adhesive) but it does work in a pinch. I have also successfully removed a misplaced nail and replaced it without noticing any issues with longevity.

Clip off the excess with a nail trimmer (not included), and file the edges. Each kit does come with a cardboard file, but I notice this goes much quicker with a glass file that I have on hand.

Then, cure it! I use the light for 2 cycles on each hand, which seems to suffice. If using a gel topcoat, which isn't completely necessary but increases the shine a bit, cure once the gel strips are placed, and then again after using the topcoat.

I also think that the topcoat makes the nails look a little less like press-on nails. They are really cute and come in so many fun designs, but adding some gel over the top is my preference-- even if it's all in my head!

What You Should Not Do

Ohora touts a damage-free manicure solution, and that's likely true. However, be sure to follow proper instructions. I was not able to read the instructions on the box, and initially, I (*cringe*) just peeled them off. Note that my nails are a bit damaged from that.

The proper way to do this is to soak the angled edge of the orange/wood stick in acetone/nail polish remover, and press along the edges of the nail. Continue dipping the stick into the acetone and pressing to loosen up the nail. This is surprisingly easier and faster than it sounds-- plus, your nails will thank you.

Should You Try It?

In summary, I really like this system for the following reasons:

It's very simple to use
No dry time
Really cute designs
You can usually get everything you need with a promo code

The only thing I don't like about it is the price, especially with shipping. It's not expensive per se, especially if you are used to professional manicures, and most kits I have seen for ~$14-16 USD. However, the shipping is a bit expensive, so I'd recommend trying a few sets at once so that you get more for your money in that regard.

Sustainable Style: Are Rothy's All Hype or Plastic's Happily Ever After?

2020-12-22T18:33:00.003-05:00

If you're a woman who has spent any time on social media, you've likely seen the ads for Rothy's. These sustainable flats have been seen on the feet of Silicon Valley tech professionals, celebrities, and politicians. There are Rothy's fan clubs that trade and sell "unicorn" shoes, or those discontinued but highly coveted colors and patterns, who share pictures of colorful shoe collections. But do these plastic shoes live up to the hype?

It took me a while to take the plunge, and I think it's worth sharing the good, the bad, and the confusing so that you can make a decision about whether or not this shoe brand is right for you. I am just a consumer and am not being compensated in any way for this review. All opinions are just that-- opinions, and should be treated as such.

Now, on to the fun part!

About a year ago I tried out Rothy's new-at-the-time Chelsea boot, which is honestly less of a boot, and more of a high top slip-on sneaker. This is pretty obvious when you buy it-- they all have cream or white soles. At the time of this writing, Rothy's has actually released an ankle boot that is truly a boot, but the Chelsea label still remains.

I purchased the Chelsea in black and actually returned them. Not because I didn't like them, but because I already had something similar. For the price, I didn't want something close to what I already had in my closet. I actually did this a handful of times, purchasing a pair of glen plaid flats in my street size (9), which, while I thought they were comfortable, I tried on with a pair of my current favorite Anne Klein Sport black flats*, and there was just no comparison, unfortunately.

* affiliate link, and note-- I buy a half size down from my usual size in this brand.

Back they went, as well. Luckily Rothy's has free shipping and free returns, which you'll likely need at some point because their sizing is just not consistent or true to size. In fact, that's what held me back for a bit from trying again. There are groups of Rothy's fans who actually share advice about sizing, not only for the shoe style but even for different colors that may have been sized slightly differently.

I've acquired a collection over this past year-- blame it on the need for excitement and increase in online shopping-- so here is everything that you need to know about Rothy's shoes. My opinion, of course.

The Good

My Rothy's Collection

They're really cute.

Rothy's has a fool-proof formula of classic shoes in fun colors, and they can easily become a closet staple. They regularly release limited colors, either in their physical locations or for holidays like Black Friday, and they've perfected the game of scarcity. It's not unusual to see coveted pairs, often referred to as "unicorns", resold for hundreds of dollars apiece.

If you're someone who likes the fit and likes classic closet staples that last, even at a slightly higher price point, these might be right for you.

Free shipping.

At the time of this writing, and again, not a guarantee and only based on my experience, these shoes ship free. You can also exchange for the same style in a new color or size (or both) very easily online if your first selection doesn't work out.

They're made from recycled plastic.

There's no question about it-- the fact that Rothy's are knit from a yarn made of recycled water bottles is pretty freaking cool.

They're washable.

Sweaty feet, spills, muddy puddles, etc. are no longer worthy of panic. Just toss Rothy's into the cold cycle and they're practically new.

The Bad

They can be pricey.

Everyone has a different budget, but Rothy's are not coming in at a low price point, with the cheapest adult sizes starting at $125. They increase from there, so it's up to you to determine if the pros justify the price.

Additionally, Rothy's is not known for sales. Single-use loyalty coupons, referral codes, and a special discount page for teachers and first responders (yes, with proof) are the limit. You might luck out if you buy pre-owned, or if you have small enough feet to fit the kids' sizes.

The sizing is insane.

Rothy's website encourages consumers to size up, usually about a half size. I'm here to tell you that this is simply not enough, and many, many Rothy's fans size up anywhere from half of a size to two full sizes depending on the style, and sometimes even on the color. Over time, fans have noted changes, from the rise in the vamp on points, different heel heights, and certain colors running smaller or larger than others. Some customers even order Rothy's releases in multiple sizes to ensure they get a perfect fit. Even wilder, some will order two of the same size because sometimes the sizing is inconsistent even with the same shoe.

For reference, I am a street size 9, almost reliably. I wear a 9.5 in Rothy's flats and 10 in every other style. Note that I swap out the insoles in sneakers and Chelseas, and my grey Chelseas ("graphite melange" if you're fancy) are my go-to shoes this season. Your mileage may vary.

There are fakes.

Like any good product, there are nefarious souls willing to fraudulently mark counterfeit Rothy's. This means you might see legitimate-looking social media ads that promise deep discounts on Rothy's flats. If you spot these, don't debate. They're fake.

They are not waterproof.

They're washable, but they're still a knit fabric. If you think your Rothy's sneakers are going to protect you in the rain, you're in for a soggy surprise. No puddle jumping in these!

They could use some more support.

This one is up for debate. Some say that Rothy's are the most comfortable shoes they've ever worn, and in some ways, I can see how that would be the case, especially once we start talking about sneakers and Chelseas. It's not unheard of for Rothy's fanatics to remove a midsole or swap out the Rothy's insole for an Allbirds or other more comfortable insole. If you've never had foot problems or issues with flats in general, this may not be the case for you. I personally expect to need to give my shoes additional support, so I'm okay with making modifications as needed. That said, these shoes aren't cheap, either, so it's not unreasonable to expect more support out of the box.

All of that to say...

I'm a big fan of Rothy's, and I wear them pretty regularly. Honestly, when I think of "shoe addicts" I think of Sex and the City, Carrie Bradshaw, stilettos, and shoes that just don't work for this point in my life, or my lifestyle. But Rothy's definitely have a place in my life, mixed in with a pair of Uggs, Sperry's boots, and some Allbirds sneakers. I won't go out of my way to "make them work" just because they're Rothy's, but when they release a color or pattern that I love in a style that I'll wear, I'll probably snag a pair.

Plus, their Black Friday plaid loafers were AMAZING this year and they make me smile every time I wear them.

Friends can receive a discount by using my link on their first qualifying purchase. I may also received a reward at no extra cost to you.

Apple Cinnamon Sheet Pan Pancakes

2020-12-21T12:29:00.001-05:00

My most popular post on this blog is my Apple Cinnamon Sheet Pan Pancake recipe. I thought it was time for a revamp of that post, one, because I initially wrote it as a gluten-free recipe, and two, because the world looks a little different this year, so you may not be cooking for a crowd.

It turns out that I don't need to avoid gluten, but if you do, the recipe is mostly unchanged, except you'll obviously be using gluten-free Bisquick!

I initially wrote this recipe with the intention of cooking for a crowd. We are big fans of breakfast, and I totally miss our weekend routine of family breakfasts at our local diner. As breakfast fans, we were making breakfast sandwiches for a birthday brunch, using pancakes as the "bread". These sheet pan pancakes (sheet pancakes?) work well as part of a sandwich, but they also shine on their own.

I love to cook. I love food. I love cooking for friends and family.

But this year, I've also consciously decided to slow down a bit. I don't want to spend all of Christmas morning cooking. I want to enjoy a cup of coffee and open presents with my family. I'll post a few recipes that will enable you to do just that, starting today with this sheet pancake recipe.

Apple Cinnamon Sheet Pancakes

Ingredients:

1 cup Bisquick
2 tbsp cooking oil of choice, plus a little for greasing the pan
1 egg
1 cup milk
1/2 tsp cinnamon, plus extra for topping the batter (I recommend being very generous with the cinnamon, personally!)
dash of nutmeg
1/4 tsp almond extract
1 apple of your choice, peeled and chopped. I used gala because that's what I had on hand
A few slices of bacon, optional but recommended!
Maple syrup

Preheat oven to 425 degrees, and grease the baking pan.

If cooking bacon, do this now (I usually bake this on a separate baking sheet as well, following the instructions on the package).

While bacon is cooking, mix ingredients 1-6 together in a large bowl.

Pour into the greased pan.

Sprinkle cinnamon over the top of the batter, and swirl gently with a butterknife to give a nice "cinnamon swirl" appearance. Sprinkle apples over the top of the batter.

Bake for 15 minutes. Broil for 3.

Slice into squares and serve!

Post on instagram and tag me @cupcakesandcoffeebreaks.

Curly Girl Routine for Wavies: My Secretly Wavy Hair

2020-12-21T11:36:00.001-05:00

My hair has been straight for my entire life. Puffy-straight. "Needs time to calm down" after blow drying it, straight. Works great with extra heavy conditioner, straight.

Sure, occasionally I'd wake up with a few curls here and there, but after brushing my hair-- because brushing is a must!-- they would disappear into a puff of frizz, so I'd add some serum and calm it down.

It literally never dawned on me that my straight hair struggles were happening because my hair wasn't straight. Sure, it had some wave, sometimes, but I just assumed straight hair was the default. Mine was puffy and needed help all the time, but it was straight.

It turns out, I'm not alone. In fact, this blogger had the same realization, and the descriptions of her hair rang true for me as well. I've always had "damaged ends" or "a texture issue", even right after a major haircut. So what gives?

About two years ago I decided it was time to do a big chop, and cut my hair a bit shorter. I thought maybe I could play up that "sometimes" wave, and desperately wanted to avoid any "poof" that required a constant flat iron, so I did what everyone does in this decade and went straight to Google.

I stumbled upon the r/curlyhair subreddit, and a bunch of unfamiliar terms and routines popped out at me. Squish to condish? Cowash? NOT brushing my hair? There was no way this would work for me, but I decided to give it a shot anyway.

If you're not familiar with the curly girl (CG) method, it basically breaks down to avoiding harsh sulfates (detergents common in shampoo), silicones, and other harsh ingredients. It isn't a set of products or a system, and many CG communities take a hard stance against MLM or other pricey products that promise miraculous results.

One of the popular recommended options is Tresemme Coconut Conditioner. You use it as a shampoo, AND a conditioner and it was the first purchase I made in my CG journey. However, I didn't wait to try the techniques, I just used whatever decidedly non-CG products I had on hand, and tried the "squish to condish" method, which is essentially combing your hair in the shower, and squishing the conditioner + lots of water in a scrunching motion to encourage curls and keep your strands hydrated.

Was this a great result? No. But at the time I was shocked because I actually had some twists and swirls in there!

For a while, I got caught up in trying to force my hair to be as curly as possible. Some of the themes that I ran into frequently in the curly hair community were:

- more conditioner

- more gel

- even more gel

That really works for many people, but my hair type certainly isn't the curliest. It's very dense but semi-fine, and it gets weighed down very easily. The more I scrunch, and the more I try to do to it, the less definition I seem to get.

I also can't stand crunchy hair. I would try the "palm full of gel" approach and would feel like I couldn't move for the hours it took my hair to dry, only to end up with producty-feeling strands that only held curl on the very ends, and looked terrible on day 2. I prefer for my hair to not put me in a terrible mood, and so a low maintenance approach was needed.

The routine that works best for me is the following:

I wash with a gentle shampoo. I do avoid sulfates, but I don't rely on co-washing, because it doesn't work for me. I've been using Prose recently, but I also like the Love, Beauty, Planet line, because it seems to get my hair clean, and the conditioner doesn't weigh my hair down.
With silicone-free conditioner in my hair, I brush with a flexible Wet brush. I've used the paddle brush style Wet brushes, but I find they smooth my hair a little too much, so I definitely prefer the more open design of the flexible version.
Rinse!
I skip the leave-in, and I use only one product. I've tried a lot of products, but my favorite by far is Kinky Curly Curling Custard. It's usually about $14 or so for a little tub of it. A little goes a LONG way, without making my hair crunchy in any way, which is really important to me. It helps reduce frizz, create definition, and honestly I use it even if I'm planning to brush my hair out straight. I brush a dime to a quarter size amount through my hair in the shower, again with the wet brush.
Scrunch, and squish with a t-shirt. I also use the same t-shirt to plop my hair on my head while I get dressed.

That's it!

If you've stumbled upon this blog because you're also looking for ways to fight frizz and keep your hair routine low maintenance, I definitely encourage you to give the CG method a try. My hair is not always "curly" but I notice a major difference when I let it do its thing, instead of fighting it to be straight.

Kitchen Island in the Sun

2020-12-19T16:19:00.002-05:00

"..hip hip..."

When you have an open concept home, your kitchen is the center of your house, which can be a good thing or a bad thing. For example, being able to see your kids while cooking dinner? Great. Not being shut off in the kitchen away from company? Great.

Having a sink full of dishes visible from all angles? Not so great. Having a builder grade, barely painted drywall and trim set up as the centerpiece of the home? Not terrible, but not great, either.

Sad, builder-grade island...

It's not like I didn't try. I had ordered supplies from the Home Depot that basically never arrived until I canceled the order months ago, but with the encouragement of a new neighbor mom friend, I ventured back to the "Deep" as I affectionately call it, and we packed her car full of 8-foot pine boards and I crossed my fingers and went in with the pry bar side of a hammer.

I am not afraid of color. I've painted an accent wall in an old home plum purple. I've had a dark teal kitchen wall covered in art and photos. But as the center of my home, I was set on white. Maybe slightly gray.

I started with nails, which didn't work in any way. My horrified daughter watched in amazement as I pried off the trim and painted in a barely noticeable gray hue. It just.. wasn't enough. While my neighbor suggested a navy blue, I opted for a medium gray-- Behr Euro Gray in satin, to be exact. And I cheated and used Loctite construction adhesive, which I 100% recommend since it took zero effort and nothing fell and knocked out my pets.

One thing you should know: if you opt to purchase wood (we used pine boards) is that the dimensions stated do not necessarily match what you will receive. You wouldn't think that you need to be "in the know" to get a piece of wood the right length, but evidently, it's a club. Take a tape measurer and ensure you get the right fit for your project.

I was terrified to ruin the center of my home, but I am blown away by how great it looks, now that I'm finished.

The tips I would give:

- measure everything, even if numbered

- my cabinets were already painted, so I didn't need quite as much priming and prep, but if you're painting wood or laminate, you'll need to look up specific instructions for that

- definitely think about the finish you want

- be brave! You can do it, and redo it if it doesn't turn out the way you want.

Essentially, we framed in the top, bottom, sides, and on the longer front-facing area, we added two additional vertical planks to make a framed design.

And then I painted it!

I added a touch of Stuart Semple's silver pigment on the curvy part of the corner piece.

It's barely noticeable, but I like different textures and it adds a little something if you're paying attention.

Prose and Cons: My Review of Customized Shampoo

2020-12-09T20:10:00.004-05:00

This post may contain affiliate links, which means I'll earn a small amount based on your click-- that doesn't mean that it costs you anything, and I'll never recommend something I don't like.

I have a problem, and it's called "I'm a sucker for social media advertising."

Little glass bead roll on bracelets? Got 'em. Sustainable shoes? Bought too many, shared a bunch of pictures, have a bunch of "sole sisters" I've never met. DIY lash extensions? Bought 'em, subscribed to 'em, joined the Facebook group for 'em.

So it's safe to say it was only a matter of time before I clicked through the custom haircare ads and tried out my recommended shampoo conditioner. When my Love Beauty Planet bottles were running low, I figured it was the perfect time to try it out.

Prose was the company that fell into my newsfeed on that fateful day, and so off I went, clicking through the questions that asked me about my glorious mane.

You get to choose your hair goals, whether or not you want silicones in your formula and your fragrance.

My hair is very fine and I have a lot of it, and it took me until my late twenties to discover that it wasn't straight. I describe it as "secretly wavy". When you grow up thinking your hair is straight, you only know that hair needs to be brushed, and thus, I spent much of my life thinking that hair only looks good when you blow it out and flat iron it. By accidentally discovering the CG (curly girl) method, I've discovered that my hair is pretty darn wavy if I treat it properly. While I've gotten highlights, I rarely (and during the pandemic season, never) use heat in any form, and I use sulfate and silicone-free products. All of that to say, my hair is in great condition, so I wasn't exactly expecting a huge change.

I chose basically all of the "goals" they offer. I want shine. I want volume. I was definition. I want my scalp to be happy. The end.

Prose doesn't come in a super fancy bottle. The label and font are a type-writer-esque print, and I was a little disappointed that my label seemed to have half printed or faded so it wasn't totally legible. However, I also found the style of the bottles a bit sciency and endearing, in a "we care and are a small business" way-- you can kind of tell there will be a revamp at some point, but it's exciting to be there on the ground floor trying their products.

I chose "Elixir" as my scent, which was described as "floral and beachy". I found it to be floral and powdery, similar to the Amazing Grace Perfume by Philosophy-- it's "nice" but not really my style. However, it's not overpowering so it isn't a deal-breaker, though I'll be trying something new if I order again.

The shampoo, itself, however, is amazing. As mentioned, my hair is fine-ish but dense. I often feel like sulfate-free shampoo doesn't reach my scalp somehow, but Prose is different. It doesn't just sit on my hair, but it actually cleans and I don't need to scrub vigorously to actually get through the layers of hair on my head. That alone makes Prose worth trying, in my opinion, especially if you're committed to sulfate-free products; so many require you to really scrub, without the harsh detergents to do the work for you, and I just don't find that to be necessary with Prose.

The conditioner is nice as well. I'm still deciding on it because part of me thinks conditioner "needs" to feel thick and heavy, and this certainly doesn't, but at the same time, I don't necessarily have any complaints. I sometimes have some frizziness, but nothing major. I wouldn't say the shine has increased, but overall, I'm pretty happy with my hair, especially because it's now down to the middle of my back, and still holds its wave.

Prose allows you to review your purchase, not only as a consumer to advise others but also to their team, so that they can adjust your products moving forward. I didn't sign up for a subscription when I first tried the products, but it's nice to be able to update my choices and give feedback, in case I'd like to place another order.

So, was Prose a dramatic difference in my hair?

Like I said earlier, my hair was in good shape before Prose. If you're looking for something helpful because you're struggling, even good things will take time to work. I have not seen an instant improvement in shine or volume, but my hair is soft without being "too" soft or flying away. It detangles without static or knots. It comes out of an invisibobble easily and I've noticed less hair fall. It also really gets my scalp clean, which is something that those of us with dense hair can appreciate. Plus, they take your feedback into account and let you make changes, and nothing is more refreshing to me than a company that you find on social media that actually lets you change things easily.

Overall, I find it to be a low-risk option for those who want clean beauty, good hair, and options. I think Prose has promise, and I'm looking forward to seeing how it treats my hair going forward!

Want to try Prose for yourself? Use my link and get $10 off of Prose.

My Freshly Review: The Best Microwave Steak You've Ever Had, and Then Some

2020-10-28T17:13:00.001-04:00

I have a love/hate relationship with meal kit delivery services. On one hand, it's nice to get a bit of variety in the weekly rotation. On the other, I have often found that the prep time, delivery delays, or more-than-occasional rotten vegetable made the experience more frustrating and less reliable than I would like, especially because, after the initial promo period, they are not exactly cheap.

On a neighborhood Facebook page, I scrolled past a request for meal delivery recommendations and saw that a neighbor had recommended Freshly pre-made meals. I had never heard of, let alone tried, a meal service that did not require any prep work on my part, and this sounded like a great alternative to take out for those busier weekdays.

Freshly touts fresh, nutritious, and chef-prepared meals that are ready in 3 minutes or less. This means that you'll need to use a microwave to truly have it ready in that short amount of time. There are oven instructions (which require a separate tray of your own for heating), but I'm impatient and have only followed the microwave instructions.

You can also set dietary preferences, and there are plenty of healthier alternatives to favorites, such as cauliflower pasta or cauliflower mash.

I selected the 4 meal per week plan, with the intention of getting two meals for myself, and two for my husband. The first selection included Chicken Tikka Masala and Swedish Meatballs and Cauli-Potato Mash.

Unable to perfect my own tikka masala recipe at home, I always try it when it's an option. While the flavor of the sauce was a little bland, the chicken itself was well cooked. In fact, I've found that all of the Freshly items have a great texture. These are not frozen entree quality, and while I wouldn't choose this particular dish again, it wasn't off-putting, and the meat was really well cooked.

The Swedish meatballs were excellent, and I would definitely try them again. The sauce was delicious and the cauli-potato mash is a great texture.

The real star of the show (so far) is the Steak Peppercorn. I have to admit, I was underwhelmed before I placed it in the microwave, but I am so glad that I didn't judge this book by its cover, and gave it a shot anyway. I am not sure what sorcery the Freshly chefs use, but the steak, even when microwaved, is amazing! Cooked to a perfect medium, the steak is tender, lean, and well seasoned. This dish got rave reviews from my husband and me, and I would definitely order it again.

Some things to keep in mind regarding expectations:

- I'm not sure that it's possible to make microwaved pasta dishes quite the same texture as those that are made from scratch at home. I'd recommend going for the cauliflower options (since they are more difficult to make at home) and skipping the traditional pasta. Considering that pasta is cheap, relatively easy to make, especially with a pasta pot like this, I'd add it to the grocery list instead of the Freshly order.

- Some items can get mixed within the container during shipping. This doesn't affect the flavor, but your collard greens might get mixed in with the barbeque, for example. It definitely affects the appearance in some instances, so if that's important to you, it could be a bit of a turn-off.

Overall, I am enjoying using Freshly to supplement my weekly meal plan. The convenience simply cannot be beat, and it makes a great quick lunch or dinner option once or twice per week.

Interested in trying Freshly? Use my link for $40 off!

Keep an eye out for more reviews from me, including the Little Spoon Plates, coming soon.

When Baby Blonde Lashes Get Lashified

2020-10-25T20:18:00.002-04:00

This post may contain affiliate links, which means that I may make a small portion based on your purchase through it. No worries-- I'll never recommend anything that I don't truly believe in, and I appreciate your readership!

There is a saying that, "blondes have more fun," and that might be true! But any natural blonde or light-haired beauty knows that fair hair means light eyelashes. In my case, this led to a love of eyeliner. Starting in ninth grade, I was all about the mascara and the lined waterlines. Some purple eyeshadow would make my blue-green eyes pop, and I was good to go!

But I am into the natural look, at heart, and my current lifestyle, which is a mix of constant momming, virtual schooling, and a full-time job, means that I want to wake up refreshed and beautiful, and ready to go.

Enter Lashify.

First, it needs to be known that I am not a false lash goddess. In fact, once I could get false lashes to fit, they had the "special occasion, only" look. The idea of placing eyelash pieces under my lashes was laughable at best, and it wasn't until I saw a review by a popular influencer (Milabu) that I was ready to give it a shot.

While I was used to giving myself a quick cat eye and a swipe of mascara, I was honestly tired of my eyes feeling irritated or just having makeup on. I love colors, and makeup, but for every day? I just wanted a fresh, pretty look.

False strip lashes have always been a struggle for me. Magnetic lashes were an amazing and simple to apply innovation, that somehow was just too much on my blonde lashes.

So I gave Lashify a shot.

First off, having blonde eyelashes means that every few weeks I tint them. I do it myself, with a kit off of Amazon. I've used a few, but 1000 hours is one that I've used on my brows and lashes to give a quick tint. I've purchased it in dark brown and left it on my brows for 5 minutes so that they don't get too dark. Tinting my lashes means that I don't have any gaps between my waterline and the false lashes, and also allows me to tint my lower lashes as well.

Lashify has a Control Kit, and I'd definitely recommend that you purchase it so that you get the supplies you need plus any guarantee. The kit comes with instructions, and you'll be able to find tips and tricks on the Lashify Life Facebook group as well.

The first time I tried Lashify, I tried the B lashes. I think they are okay, but I prefer my lashes to be a bit denser, and therefore I'd recommend A or C. There isn't a "wrong" choice because the options in the kit are all very natural, and you'll want to choose a variety after getting your initial Control Kit and giving a shot.

Lashify, while intimidating at first, blew me away with the ease of application. Like many of you, the idea of applying lashes to the underside of my own was mind-boggling, and I thought for sure it would be a painful, sticky mess. This couldn't be further from the truth. In fact, I, like many others, immediately signed up for a membership, because once I found how easy it was to apply, there was no going back.

My application method:

Cleanse the eye area with Pre-Cleanse.
Swipe Bondage on the lashes with one quick swipe, and cover all lashes. If they get clumpy or gooey, use a fresh spoolie/mascara wand, and swipe off any excess.
If you are stacking or layering, OR if it's taking you a bit of time to apply, dab a little extra bondage on the spine of your gossamer before applying. Gently place your gossamer about 2 millimeters above your water line. Once it's placed, you shouldn't be able to feel it. Note that heavier gossamers, like the volume collection, may feel heavier even when placed correctly.
Once your gossamers are in place, leave them for a bit. The less you can touch them, the better.
Swipe Glass on your wand, and gently bond.

That's it! I've found that Glass bothers my eyes a bit in the shower, so I only use it to help reduce any stickiness when bonding. Some Lashifiends recommend letting the bond get tacky before applying. I don't find that this is necessary with Bondage, but you might find it to be helpful with the whisper-light bond that comes with the control kit.

On that note, I would caution that the Lashify products may bother sensitive eyes when washing your face. Even after reducing my use of Glass, my eyes are visibly red for a few minutes after a shower, and the Pre-Cleanse, while a great product that I recommend for longevity, will burn if you use too much of it.

Lashify recommends that you work on placement first, and I completely agree. Somehow, longevity comes with time, and with a fairly quick application time, even if you need to replace a gossamer or two, you can easily fix it and move on with your day.

Cloth Diapering-- The Good, The Bad, and The Smelly

2020-09-13T17:06:00.003-04:00

Poop.

There, I said it. It's the single thing that I've heard people say when we talk about cloth diapering, as the ultimate, omega, challenging, "no way I can deal with that" reason to not use cloth diapers. Because somehow we perceive it as easier to bundle up poop and two-finger carry it to the trash can, where it sits in our kitchens, rather than to keep it confined to the bathroom.

Let me tell you, I did the googling when I was putting together our baby registry, and I was sure that even if I wanted to use cloth diapers, it was something that was going to take up so much time, but I was ready for the trade-off.

I'm here to assure you that this couldn't be further from the truth. In fact, cloth diapering has made life with one in diapers easier than I could have imagined-- and I say this as someone who had one in traditional disposable diapers so I feel like I'm a safe judge of cloth diapering in general.

The main difference that I've experienced is that paper diapers use stickers, and cloth diapers use snaps.

Yes, that's it. Modern cloth diapering isn't all diaper pins and cotton cloth (unless you want that!).

Why Did I Decide to Cloth Diaper?

I have no idea. Maybe it's because I see something and think "life is short, I should experience this." Maybe because I think "I can't help but plan things, better add another task to the schedule." It's at least partly due to living about 15 minutes out from a shopping center, and knowing what it's like to be completely and totally out of paper diapers, and wanting to avoid needing to scramble for a trip to the local store.

Whatever the reason, it certainly has its benefits.

The Benefits of Cloth Diapering

The Cost

It's pretty much a one and done purchase. Sure, you might figure out what you like, and need to stock up on a few extras, but with the name brand disposable diapers (which were better, and as a fan of generic, it pains to me to say the name brand was worth it) running at $45 a box, that's about $90 a month give or take. Giving a generous estimate, with cloth diapering, I spent about $300 on diapers overall. That's a HUGE savings! I also sold the newborn size diapers (that weren't really worth it, to be honest) on eBay for almost the full cost.

Some of my diapers were secondhand, eBay purchases, and with that, there is always a risk. Definitely read up on a laundry routine for your specific washing machine before you make the switch, and get a good detergent.

I purchased a mix, but recommend Mama Koala pocket diapers, and Bumgenius. You'll probably want a few foldable cotton inserts, just in case, and I'll always recommend hemp as the highest absorbent insert.

As I've already mentioned, cloth diapering is an upfront cost, but altogether, it's much much less than we spent on disposables. Cloth diapering fans LOVE to resell (it's one of the benefits!) so you can generally find some diaper shells and basic inserts for cheap, and then spend your money on the heavy-duty inserts.

You'll save on swim diapers, too! Diaper shells can be used without the inserts as swim diapers. If you would like something similar to a swimsuit, check out the Grovia two in ones.

The Laundry

Yes, it's true, you'll do a few extra loads of laundry. Our daycare provided diapers as part of tuition, so at that point in my life, we did diaper laundry (a double wash) twice per week. With the kids at home, that is about 2-3 days, which is manageable, because the diaper pail gets a bit rank around then (and yea, your trash can will too, if you use disposables), so we don't really want it sitting around anyway.

We use a regular diaper pail to hold the dirty laundry, with a reusable, washable diaper pail liner.

You will want to determine a wash routine, which essentially means, "my diapers get clean". This might mean that you will need a stronger detergent than you're used to, or you'll need to ensure that your washing machine is full enough to really scrub everything clean-- especially if you don't have an agitator.

Overall, most cloth diapering groups agree-- you do a cold wash with minimal detergent first, followed by a hot wash with full detergent. I recommend powdered Tide, which is especially great if you have hard water.

The Poop

Ah, finally. The part that everyone cringes about when you mention cloth diapering.

Here's the thing-- babies poop. They poop a lot. In fact, you've probably seen the pictures or heard the stories of the epic blowout someone had to deal with in the most inconvenient of places. I once flew cross country with a couple seated in the row behind me that experienced an epic blowout right before landing. So yeah, poop happens, my friends.

The thing is, I can't remember a single epic blowout with cloth diapers. Paper diapers are loose at the top, so you don't get the same containment that you do with the elastic band at every opening that cloth diapers provide, so I can honestly say that any leaks we have had have been of the pee-variety, only. In fact, the only "omg eeeew!" moment we have experienced was within the short period of time when our baby was too little to fit into the cloth diapers properly and we used the regular disposable kind.

When it comes to dealing with the poop that your baby's diaper contains, there really isn't that much to think about. If your baby is breastfed, you don't need to worry about it at all-- just throw it in the washing machine without thinking about it, as it's water-soluble.

If your baby is older and eating solid foods, just carry the offending diaper to the toilet, and shake it off.

If your baby is formula-fed, you might need to invest in a diaper sprayer, which hooks to your toilet and lets you hose it off. Otherwise, the occasionally messy poop will likely work with a little "dunk and swish" action. Then, just throw it in the bin and launder as usual.

I feel like this section is really short, and I think that's important to call out. There is a lot of fear around poop and cloth diapers, and I've dealt with poop a lot less with cloth diapers than I ever did with disposables.

You'll shake it off of a diaper, or peel a poopy onesie off of your baby's clothes, and I would much rather keep it contained.

The Catch

Your newborn might be too small for cloth diapers, since we can't really predict how big they will be, just yet. We used paper diapers for about a month before our newborn would fit into the one-size cloth diapers.

The Recommendation

Read up on cloth diapers, particularly the absorbency of materials and a laundry routine. It's only complicated when it's new, but that is how everything is with a new baby!

When your baby is tiny, the microfiber inserts that come with the diaper will probably be enough. When your baby gets older, you'll probably need something a bit more absorbent. I definitely recommend getting familiar with the speed and absorbency of different materials, but my quick recommendation is a microfiber (usually comes with the diaper) over a hemp insert within a pocket diaper. Be aware that all-in-one type diapers might seem easier at first, but typically have a lower absorbency, which is why I recommend pockets since you can adjust the absorbency level.

No matter the choice, always remember that microfiber should never be placed against a baby's skin-- either put it in a diaper pocket or layer it with another material (another insert or a piece of fleece) between the material and the baby, to avoid irritation.

Overall, cloth diapering is nowhere near as intimidating as it might seem at first. All that is takes is a collection of enough diaper materials to last for about 2 days, minimum, and a solid laundry routine. There are plenty of Facebook groups, and websites available to help answer any troubleshooting questions that you may have, and the resale value and environmental aspect is a huge benefit, as well!

Have any questions about cloth diapering that you would like to see answered? Reach out in the comments!

Sustainability, Lashes, Painting, and Fall

2020-09-07T13:01:00.003-04:00

It's been a while since I've blogged, and so much has changed in the past year-- not just for me, but for everyone!

We've obviously been dealing with a pandemic situation, and whether you're in an area that is still under lockdown, recovering, or somewhere in between, there has certainly been an adjustment over the past several months.

I've always been a bit of an introvert, so I've actually embraced the opportunity to be a bit more focused at home. We've completely revamped our life, but I think it's for the better, and I'm looking forward to the opportunity to grow; while at first, it seemed like the coronavirus pandemic would be a quick disruption, I've shifted to a home office, long-term, abandoned daycare for a mix of in-home care and virtual schooling, and finally (finally!) started to organize this "new" house.

We bought our first home because it had "potential", and while I don't regret living there, I don't think we were quite cut out for it at the time. Knowing more about what works for us, and what doesn't enabled us to package up those sweet memories of our first home, and move into something much different for our second.

The result of that is that many of the rooms in our new home are still completely unpainted! After moving, I was so tired of fixing and painting and remodeling and repairing that I was just done with any home improvement project. So since I'm spending a lot more time here, I've been focusing on really making it into a space that I love. Sometimes it's a new closet system to organize a space, and turn it into a pantry. And sometimes it's as simple as painting over some errant pen scribbles that won't scrub off.

The things I've done in the past 2 years (with much of it condensed into the past few months) include:

Discovering that my straight hair that just needs to be brushed a lot and also "settle" after it "freaks out" from drying is actually wavy.
Discovering a really cool paint company with a small selection of paint colors that just work, and appreciating that the color you think you want might just be a bit too much.
Starting my foray into being more sustainable and mindful of my impact on the environment, and my wallet.
Cloth diapering, the modern way.
Getting decently good at makeup.
Venturing away from makeup, and focusing on skincare and lashes.
Spending a lot more time outside.
Gardening.
Learning to do more things myself, and having the time to actually do it.
Getting really, really ridiculously organized.
Trying to focus more on cooking-- my waistline will thank me since quarantine did a number on me.
Volunteering.
Playing a lot of video games.

So, I'm excited to get to blogging a bit more, even if it's less about just cooking, and more just a rambling of thoughts in general.

Anyway, the first topic to cover is the before and after of our downstairs half bath!

There's really nothing about this house that I didn't like (besides any yellow shades-- not a fan), and so this was a room that was just "fine" as it was. It's a downstairs bathroom-- the colors were fine and it did its job.

It was so fine, that I didn't get a great "before" shot, but you get the point. There was a basic builder grade mirror hanging over the sink-- again, fine. But with such a small room, I wanted something a bit bolder. I love neutrals and prefer to mix textures, but for a tiny little place, it needed to pop. This room featured two brown walls, and two white, which was either for dimension or because someone didn't want to paint around the sink and toilet-- admittedly these are intimidating feats, which is why I bought the paint and let the can sit in the bathroom for about two weeks before I dug out my trusty paintbrush and got started.

I wanted a bold, dark blue-- not a teal, but a true blue. I chose Hyperlink by Clare. The kids wanted Sublime, but I knew what I wanted, and I think I made the right choice. Oddly enough, it photographs differently and so it is difficult to get the "true" color, but it looks like the photo on the left.

I'm also making an effort to really go for it with decorating this year, so I've brought out the fall decorations this weekend. Just look at how the orange pops against the blue! The color wheel, my friends.

My best friend told me, upon seeing this, "I want to poop there!" which until you receive that as a compliment, you don't realize how high of a compliment it truly is. That Febreze is for you, boo. 😘

I'm loving the new mirror, too. I picked it up at Home Depot and needed to use command strips to hang it since we hit "something" when drilling.

When we sold our last house, our realtor told us a fresh coat of paint can make a huge difference, and I think this project proves just how true that can be!

I'm also super excited to be back to blogging, so I'll be sure to update a bit more frequently with everything that I've been up to lately. Thanks for reading!

Sweet and Spicy Sheet Pan Stir Fry Bowls

2018-05-28T20:20:00.001-04:00

I love sheet pan recipes. Sure, you could spend 30 minutes standing and sautéeing, but why do that when you can throw everything on a sheet pan (or two), spend those 30 minutes scrolling through Instagram, and then come back to a finished meal?

I initially made this for dinner, but you know how the old saying goes: tonight's leftovers are tomorrow's meal prep! People say that. Honest.

So let me get straight to the recipe-- but first, in the interest of full disclosure, this is pretty close to a sheet pan meal BUT, I had a lot of chicken once it was cut, so I used two sheet pans, plus I needed to boil the rice. If you have rice already made, you're all set, but otherwise, toss that pot of water on the stove and then we can move to the sheet pan portion.

Sweet and Spicy Sheet Pan Stir Fry

Ingredients:

2 lbs of frozen stir fry veggies
2 lbs of chicken breast, sliced
olive oil
soy sauce
basmati rice, cooked
salt and pepper

Sauce (similar to a "bang bang" sauce):

1/2 cup of mayo
2 tbsp sriracha
2 tbsp sweet chili sauce
1/2 tbsp of vinegar (I used red wine vinegar, as I had it on hand)

Instructions:

Preheat oven to 425 degrees.

Grease a sheet pan, and lay your chicken and veggies in a single layer.

Drizzle with olive oil, and mix veggies gently to coat. Sprinkle chicken with salt and pepper.

Drizzle veggies with soy sauce.

Bake for 30-40 minutes until veggies are roasted and chicken is thoroughly cooked.

Optional: you may top the veggies with additional soy sauce if needed for flavor.

In a small bowl, mix the mayo, sriracha, sweet chili sauce, and vinegar to make the sauce.

Layer your cooked rice, veggies, and chicken in a bowl. Top with the sauce.

If you're feeling fancy, you can pour the sauce into a zip lock bag, and drizzle it on top of your bowl by snipping a small corner from the bottom. This is a quick, delicious and light dinner, that is super filling and makes excellent leftovers-- perfect for easy meal prep!

Stuffed French Toast Roll Ups

2018-04-22T09:39:00.003-04:00

It's been a while, but I have a new kitchen, so I'm back and better than ever with these stuffed french toast rollups!

I saw this recipe on Tasty's Facebook feed this week, and knew it would be a great weekend breakfast. Original video can be found here.

On this Sunday morning, I only attempted the strawberry cream cheese and the banana peanut butter version, but I'm a big fan of sweet and savory combined, so the sausage roll ups are on my "must try" list for the future.

My verdict? The actual process of rolling and assembling these was super easy. I didn't drizzle these with syrup as shown in the video, but instead served them with a dipping cup of maple syrup on the side, AND, as you can see in the photo above, I left the crusts on, which made no difference in the taste or texture whatsoever.

If I make these again, I think I'd mix in a little powdered sugar with the cream cheese to make it a little more "cheesecakey". It would be a little more labor intensive, but I think it would take the strawberry cream cheese version from "good" to "delicious".

Looking for more great breakfast recipes? Try these easy pancake breakfast sandwiches, or a crustless savory breakfast quiche with veggies and bacon.

Copycat Gluten Free Crunchwraps

2018-02-10T17:58:00.001-05:00

I did not invent the crunchwrap, do not lay any claim to the product, and am in no way sponsored by any company or inventor that has anything to do with them. Anyone who needs to eat gluten free already knows this won't necessarily be even close to the real thing, so I'd heavily encourage Taco Bell to make any effort to have any gluten free options whatsoever.
Everyone's favorite Tex-Mex fast food restaurant is the expert at arranging the same handful of ingredients into a multitude of products that bring the masses in for tiny packets of hot sauce, cheese, and tortillas. The Holy Grail of the Taco Bell menu is arguably the Crunchwrap Supreme, known for it's portability, crunchiness, cheesiness, and overall deliciousness.

Unfortunately, the gluten free "menu" is limited to mainly soft drinks and hot sauce packets, and the chain does not guarantee that anything is gluten free or recommend their own products to those who cannot eat gluten. Even the ground beef-- pretty much a staple-- is not gluten free due to the filler, according to several sources found online.

This leaves us with a few notably risky options when the taco cravings begin. So just in case requesting a Nachos Bellgrande without meat and possibly receiving a ton of chips with only a teaspoon of dried refried beans on top is not your thing (this has happened several times), we have endeavored to recreate the crunchwrap classic, gluten free style.

Gluten Free CopyCat Taco Wraps

Ingredients

large gluten free tortilla, this will be the challenge for you, because they tend to ~~fucking suck~~ not be as versatile as the real thing
hard taco shells
pound of ground beef
gluten free taco seasoning
sour cream
tomato, chopped, or pico de gallo
shredded lettuce
cheddar cheese
hot sauce, optional

You will also need

panini press

Instructions

Heat up the panini press.

Cook the ground beef, and prepare as indicated on the taco seasoning.

On the tortilla (warmed if needed to make pliable), layer the seasoned beef, thin layer of cheese, taco shell (crack in half and lay flat), sour cream, lettuce, tomato, and another layer of cheese.

Fold the tortilla around the ingredients. This takes some practice, but after several attempts we made a pretty clean wrap.

Press the wrap in the panini press for 20-30 seconds, or until slightly crunchy and starting to brown. You may have to get a little creative-- we ended up holding the wrap closed with a spoon and slowly closing the top of the press over it until we could remove the spoon without the wrap popping apart.

Remove from the panini press, let cool, and enjoy!

I'd recommend adding a little more sour cream than you think you'll need. It will blend with the taco seasonings and cheese to make more of a sauce. This also a collaborative effort-- my husband is the one that perfected the wrap and press method, so all accolades go to him.

Valentine's Day Hearts Door Hanger

2018-01-07T10:48:00.002-05:00

Nothing says "I love you" like solid sugar hearts with sassy sayings, so why not dazzle your doorway with this simple Valentine's Day decoration?

This quick and easy craft is great for crafting with kids, too! All you really need are some foam shapes and paint.

You can go with classic Valentine's Day colors, or draw your inspiration from the classic pastel conversation hearts.

Valentine's Day Hearts Door Hanger

Supplies

Heart stencil
Sheets of lightweight craft foam
in the colors of your choice
Coat hanger
Ribbon
hot glue gun and glue
Paint
Thin paint brush for lettering
Scissors or exacto knife
(exacto knife is recommended!)

Instructions

Align your stencil on the craft foam, and trace around it with the exacto knife to cut out 12 colorful foam hearts. I found that cutting two at a time was the best mix of speed and efficiency-- three was a little more difficult. I also worked on top of an empty Amazon box, so that there was no damage to my table beneath it.
Using a paint color that shows up on the hearts that you created, carefully paint various sayings on the hearts. You can draw inspiration from actual conversation hearts, or make up your own! It's completely up to you how sweet or sassy you would like to be.
Let the paint dry.
Arrange your hearts into three columns of four, in a pattern that you like.
Flip all of the hearts face down, and cut three lengths of ribbon. You will want to have about 4 inches of ribbon above the top of the top heart in each column, and then have enough ribbon to extend to at least the center of the bottom heart.
Make a line of hot glue on the back of each heart, and press the ribbon firmly to each heart until stuck. If your ribbon has a pattern that you would like to be visible between the hearts, remember to glue it pattern-side down.
Double checking that your hearts will be in the correct order (since you flipped them over, the pattern will be backward, so you may want to switch columns 1 and 3), loop the ribbon around the bottom of the coat hanger and hot glue to seal the loop. Do not hot glue the coat hanger itself to the ribbon, because it may be off balance.
Hang it on your front door and enjoy!

Grilled Cheese and Tomato Bisque

2018-01-02T19:33:00.001-05:00

Happy New Year! 2018 has rushed in at a balmy zero degrees Fahrenheit, and what better way to warm up than with this seriously amazing creamy tomato bisque?

I've been exhausted lately, so I've been fairly quiet on the blogging front. That's not to say that I haven't been cooking up a storm (just check out my instagram), even though the holidays knocked me off of the healthy train for a few days.

So, today I dove back in with an awesome tomato bisque. The original recipe is by Debi at Lifecurrents, but my adaptation is below.

I had every intention of making this a slow cooker dinner, but you know how that goes... I'm 15 minutes away on the interstate heading to the office when it dawns on me that I never actually put anything in the crockpot. Oops.

Luckily, this wasn't too difficult, and with a few chopped veggies and a whirl with the immersion blender, this was an amazingly filling and delicious dinner.

You can make your own grilled cheese anyway you like to pair with this tomato soup, but we used Udi's gluten free bread and lots of cheddar.

Creamy Tomato Bisque

28 oz petite diced tomatoes
4 cups of chicken broth
4-6 carrots (depending on size) peeled and chopped
1 small onion, diced
1 tsp herbs provence
1 tsp salt
dash of black pepper
1 bayleaf
4 tbsp unsalted butter, softened and sliced into smaller pieces
1/4 cup olive oil
1/2 cup gluten free flour
2 cups half and half or cream (I used 1 cup of each, as that is what I had on hand)
3/4-1 cup shredded parmesan

Instructions

In a large soup pot, add the undrained can of tomatoes, broth, chopped carrots, onion, spices and bayleaf. Bring to a boil on high, then reduce heat to medium and cover, letting it cook until the carrots are soft.

Use the immersion blender to blend soup until the vegetables are smaller. Do not completely puree-- smaller chunks are fine and add a nice texture to the soup.

Cover the soup and let simmer.

While the soup is simmering, add oil and butter to a small pot and heat until the butter is melted. Be careful not to let it burn, and whisk as it is melting.

Slowly the flour a bit at a time, whisking constantly until you have a roux (all of the flour is blended into the butter mixture).

Slowly pour the flour and butter mixture into the soup a third at a time, stirring in between pours until well blended.

Add the cream and parmesan cheese, and mix until well blended. Cover and let it heat until hot, stirring every few minutes so that the cheese does not clump.

Enjoy!

Migraines, Part I: "Too Much Information"

2017-12-11T07:00:00.000-05:00

Migraines have been an unwelcome guest in my life since I was about seven years old. Back when I was a kid, you were allowed to play outside all day with the neighborhood kids (which I hear is frowned upon in the age of helicopter parenting), which is what I was doing when the headache set in.

With all the resilience of a second grader who was on summer break, I ignored it as best as I could, until I went inside, not feeling well and needing to lie down.

I don't remember much about the rest of the night. I do remember that the horrible headache would come back time and time again. The pain has always been on one side of my head, and would radiate from behind my eye, through half of my nose, half of my forehead, and the roof of my mouth or teeth, usually with the bonus of nausea and vomiting.

As a child with parents who also suffered from migraines, the suggestions for ice packs, heating pads, dark rooms, etc., were readily available. To me, logic followed that, if the pain was coming from inside my head, and radiating through my nose and mouth, that maybe applying hot or cold inside my mouth would provide some relief directly to the pain.

Unfortunately, a seven year old trying to use an italian ice or cup of hot chocolate to solve a medical problem doesn't necessarily get taken seriously, and so my migraine journey continued, until I was a teen and asked my doctor for a prescription.

I did get the prescription, which was taken as needed (and provided in minute amounts, might I add, thanks to insurance), and seemed to help for a while.

I would go through stretches of time where I would honestly think that the migraine phase of my life had ended, only to have them resurface a few months later. Desperate to determine which triggers to avoid, I went through the common dietary choices, but I what I really found out was that I have no idea what triggers my migraines, and that the things considered to be a trigger for some people are the cure that others swear by. Further, some of the things that I would attempt to label as triggers- and then remove from my life- were just coincidental. It wasn't a glass of wine that triggered my migraine, it was just that I happened to get one anyway. It wasn't chocolate or fast food or too much coffee, it was just the designated day of the week that my body would decide to revolt against me, and there was nothing I could do about it.

This year has been different. After a migraine that came back day after day for over a week this spring, I went to the doctor and it was determined that a particularly bad allergy season was to blame. As someone who had never been diagnosed with any kind of allergy, I was in denial, but agreed to a regimen of daily allergy medications.

To my surprise (and delight) the daily migraine dissipated, and I thought I was cured.

Of course, that wasn't the case, which brings me to this weekend. A few days of waking up with an achy feeling in my head prompted me to step it up with the Mucinex. I was relieved when this seemed to help, but was then graced with two days of nausea. Fantastic.

It's important to note that a migraine is more than just a headache. It's a full-body encompassing jacket of feeling like crap that can erupt into the headache from hell at any time.

This morning, I had the same achy feeling, so I took the Mucinex, and started to feel better. We had planned to run a few errands, so we went to breakfast and did a little shopping. Walking through the store, I started to get the sense of "information overload" which not a technical term that I'm aware of, but describes exactly what a migraine has become for me.

Imagine that all of the normal sights or sounds around you become so annoying that you physically feel nauseous. Walking through the store, I suddenly saw a drifting fog out of one eye that quickly dissipated. Walking a little further, everything was just irritating to look at. The signs, the televisions, the displays were so inexplicably overwhelming, that I was unable to read anything or look at what I needed. I could physically read them, but it was extremely uncomfortable to force my eyes to focus and actually do it.

On the ride home, the headache set in. Prescription. The clock. Timer. Not working. Tears from pain, frustration, and simply letting some goddamn pressure out of my face. Back up prescription. Timer. Waking up 2 hours later. And the headache was still there. It didn't go away for another hour, and I can still feel it threatening to come back.

So basically, Sunday was a complete waste for me, and I feel a mix of guilty, frustrated, and annoyed that I still have no idea why this happens. I downloaded an app when I could look at the screen for a few minutes earlier to track the duration of my migraine, so we will see if this helps when I finally schedule time to see a specialist, and I was awestruck to see that while, according to the Migraine Research Foundation, migraines are the 3rd most common illness worldwide and the 6th most debilitating, in 2015 the amount of funding that went toward migraine research was 50 cents per migraine sufferer. That is crazy!

So, we will see where my migraine journey takes me. Now that I have been able to treat my apparently-not-so-normal daily stomach pain by maintaining a gluten free diet, maybe I can move on to step two of living a better life and confronting migraine pain head on (haha... but pun not intended).

Writing about pain was just a little bit inspired by a little bit awesome friend of mine who is chronicling her health journey. You can and should read her story, here.

Crustless Savory Breakfast Quiche With Veggies and Bacon

2017-12-10T20:25:00.000-05:00

Like the rest of the recipes I've posted lately, this one is an attempt to incorporate more vegetables into my diet.

I used to think that eating well had to be all or nothing. You either threw away the entire day stuffing your face with bacon cheese fries, or you subsisted on veggies and broth. There was no in between!

I spent a good portion of last year counting calories, and what I found out was that couldn't be farther from the truth. So during a time of year that we associate with indulgence, it's the perfect time to try and balance things out with lots of vegetables, proteins, and good-for-you fats. That's where this crustless quiche has got you covered.

It's cheesy. It has bacon. It's packed with vegetables and protein. And it's SO EASY to make.

Crustless Savory Breakfast Quiche with Veggies and Bacon

Ingredients

6 eggs
1/2 cup milk
1 cup shredded cheddar cheese
1 bell pepper
1/2-1 cup of sliced mushrooms
1 cup brussels sprouts
1 clove garlic, crushed
salt and pepper
10 slices bacon, cooked
gouda, for topping (swiss or parmesan would work, too)

Preheat your oven to 350 degrees.

In a large bowl, whisk together eggs and milk until combined.

Chop the bell peppers and brussels sprouts into bite sized pieces.

Mix together the egg and milk, cheddar cheese, garlic, salt and pepper, chopped bell pepper, mushrooms, chopped brussels sprouts, and pour into an 8x8 baking dish or similar.

Chop the bacon into bite sized pieces, and layer on top of the quiche, along with the gouda (or similar cheese) until quiche is close to covered.

Bake for 40 minutes, or until the center is no longer runny.

Enjoy!

You could customize this to your liking, or to whatever vegetables you have on hand, but this is super filling, and clearly packs a ton of veggies into the first meal of the day. Plus, it's pretty enough to serve to a crowd!

Ramen Zoodles

2017-12-10T17:54:00.001-05:00

One of the easiest, healthy dinners that I have found is homemade ramen.

Is it authentic ramen? I have no clue. But is it tasty, easy to make gluten free, and a great way to pack a few servings of vegetables into the end of your day? Absolutely!

Taking that a step further, I decided to give it a try by using mostly spiralized zucchini. I've really been trying to get more veggies into my diet, and this seemed like the perfect way to incorporate them. I did add a small handful of pad thai rice noodles, just in case the squash zoodles were a flop, but I think it actually would have been fine with squash noodles only. They were really good, and really absorbed the flavor of the broth!

Ramen Zoodles

Ingredients

4 zucchini, spiralized
5-6 carrots, peeled and chopped
8 oz sliced mushrooms
6 cups of water
1 tbsp chicken or beef boullion
4 tbsp gluten free soy sauce
Sriracha (optional)
pad thai rice noodles (optional), soaked in water
4 oz meat of your choice, cooked and set aside (I used steak)

The vegetables are totally customizable to your tastes, and what you have on hand. I included the rice noodles just because I used a small handful, but I would probably skip them next time.

Add the water and chicken boullion to a large pot and bring to a boil.

Add soy sauce, and any vegetables besides the zucchini noodles. Boil under vegetables are tender, about 10 minutes.

Add noodles and the optional rice noodles, and let simmer for 3-5 minutes.

Serve, and top with a drizzle of sriracha if desired.

That's it! So easy, right? The most time consuming part of this is prepping the vegetables, but if you know that you have a busy weeknight on the schedule, you can chop everything ahead of time and toss it in the pot when you get home.

I hope you enjoy it, and please tag me @cupcakesandcoffeebreaks if you share your ramen zoodles on instagram!

Black Pepper & Swiss Pumpkin Soup

2017-12-04T19:12:00.000-05:00

Painted pumpkins may be past their prime, but it's still pumpkin season as far as I'm concerned. Today's recipe is brought to you by none other than the familiar orange gourd, and a small serving of swiss cheese.

I had originally planned to make this parmesan pumpkin soup, which is a sure winner, but as it turns out, I was all out of parmesan cheese.

Cheddar was an option, but it just didn't feel... right. I'm a little over adding cheddar cheese to everything right now, so I wanted to switch it up. I had a little bit of shredded swiss cheese, which is great because you only need a little to get that nice strong flavor.

Here is my simple soup recipe. I hope you enjoy it!

Black Pepper & Swiss Pumpkin Soup

Ingredients

1 can of pumpkin puree
2 cups chicken stock (or water and chicken boullion)
1/2 cup of shredded swiss cheese, plus extra for garnish
1 tsp of thyme
dash of smoked paprika
black pepper, to taste

Start by adding the pumpkin puree and chicken stock to a pot, and heat on medium high, stirring until well blended.

Once it starts to steam, stir in swiss cheese, thyme, paprika, and pepper. Stir constantly until the cheese melts.

Lower heat to medium/medium-low and let simmer for 5-10 minutes, stirring occasionally, until soup is hot.

Serve immediately, topped with swiss cheese and a dash of black pepper for garnish.

This soup is creamy and filling, without adding any cream or flour, and packs a lot of flavor with minimal ingredients! It's perfect for a quick dinner on a busy weeknight.

Pancake Breakfast Sandwiches

2017-11-29T20:21:00.001-05:00

The holidays are here, and that means lots of hosting. Maybe you have family in town, and you need to cook much larger meals than you usually would. Well lucky you, I tested this fuss free breakfast recipe for a crowd at a birthday brunch, and it's a winner!

I'm a big fan of sheet pan recipes, which is why I love these sheet pancakes. You can bake all of your pancakes at once, so that you don't need to spend all of that time flipping them at the stove.

The sheet pancakes are step one. Would they be able to stand on their own with a few scrambled eggs and slices of bacon on the side? Sure! But why be so basic when you can mix your sweet and savory together for an easy breakfast recipe for a crowd (or just your family... I won't judge)? Plus, making it into a sandwich saves you from needing to wash all of those utensils after breakfast.

The premise is simple: bake or make all of your pieces of the perfect sandwich-- and do it in bulk. You have pancakes as the "bread", scrambled eggs (or eggs anyway you like), a slice of cheese, and your choice of breakfast meats. Top it all off with a drizzle of maple syrup and you have a grab-and-go gourmet breakfast sandwich!

Pancake Breakfast Sandwiches

Ingredients

Sheet pancakes, recipe found here (note that I omitted the apple slices for the sandwiches)
Eggs
Bacon
Sausage
Sliced cheddar cheese
Maple syrup

You can mix, match and modify your ingredients as you wish, but these are a few good staples. The important thing is that you pick your favorite breakfast staples, and sandwich them between two perfectly square sheet pancakes.

I was able to cook everything besides the eggs at the same time on various racks in the oven. Besides scrambling the eggs (which takes very little time), there was no need for me to stand alone at the stove while the party started.

Mustard Panko Crusted Flounder

2017-11-27T18:41:00.000-05:00

I've always liked mustard with fish. I had it growing up, and thought this was a common thing, but according to my husband this is not the case.

Weird or not? I'll let you decide. There's no better to try it than with this super simple, gluten-free optional, mustard panko crusted flounder.

However it came about, I decided to incorporate that mustard flavor into this flounder recipe to make it look a little more appealing, and to incorporate a few great, simple flavors and textures.

The measurements are all approximate, and this recipe is easy enough to have on your table in about 20 minutes, tops!

Mustard Panko Crusted Flounder

4 flounder fillets, thawed
2 tbsp yellow mustard
thyme, to taste
2 tbsp gluten free panko breadcrumbs (I used gluten free, but there is no reason regular would not work if you are not eating gluten free)

Instructions

Start by greasing a baking pan, and preheat the oven to 425 degrees.

Lay the flounder fillets on the baking sheet.

Top with 1/2 tbsp of mustard per fillet, and spread evenly over the top.

Sprinkle with thyme.

Top with breadcrumbs.

Bake for 15 minutes. If not golden brown, feel free to broil for 2-3 minutes.

Serve immediately.