Lauren Douglas Creative

This Blog

noreply@blogger.com (Lauren Douglas Creative) — Tue, 28 Feb 2017 16:01:00 +0000

Hi all. This blog is getting a new look...
I'm thinking this title best fits my goals so...

Peace.
I'll update as I can.

Lauren Douglas

Welcome, Rowan Sage Paul Douglas!

noreply@blogger.com (Lauren Douglas Creative) — Thu, 05 Mar 2015 00:08:00 +0000

Rowan Sage Paul Douglas was born via scheduled repeat cesarean February 20th, 2015.
He weighed 8 pounds, 12 ounces and was 21 inches long.

He looks so much like Lennon (our eldest) did when he was the same age!

Life has been so different but so much the same since he's been here... It's been so, so good.
I'll write more on our new life soon, I just wanted to post an update on his birth! It was amazing, by the way.

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Mama Gets Real; Menstruation. Period.

noreply@blogger.com (Lauren Douglas Creative) — Wed, 18 Feb 2015 14:52:00 +0000

I am excited to get my period back.

Most women are quiet about their menstrual cycle... ashamed even.
Why? Periods are so amazing.
Our bodies produce an egg; assuming we'll have someone fertilize it, and then when it doesn't get fertilized, our body says.. "okay, we'll try again next month!"

"But... blood is gross!"

Why? Everyone has blood. Always. And vaginal blood is no less clean than any other blood.

Why are we taught that having periods is gross? Why are we taught that talking about our menstrual cycle is a no-no?

I've never had easy periods.
From the very beginning of my menstrual journey, I remember having very, very bad periods. Vomiting, lots of cramping, lots of blood, headaches... It was hell. For years. I was used to it, but it would throw me for a loop every time it came around. I even missed school often because of it. The worst part for me was that my periods have always lasted about a week / a week and a half. Always. I don't mind so much now, but back in the day I hated it.

I remember sitting with my mom, talking about periods. She would tell me that she (and basically every girl she knew) used cloth pads with safety pins. (For those of us that never tried that, can you imagine sitting on a pin all day, knowing it might stab your precious bits?!) That they would have to go to school despite stains on their clothes because that's all they knew. The way she described it sounded absolutely humiliating and, despite my having access to disposable pads and tampons, I was always really freaked out about my periods.

I used to wear tampons because I didn't want anyone to know I was on my period. Wearing a disposable pad felt like wearing a diaper. And, despite the fact that it's not like anyone could possibly tell that I was wearing a pad, I felt like they could... But eventually, I stopped wearing tampons because I would forget how long I had them in. I've always had very heavy flows and, regardless of how heavy my flow was, my tampons were never saturated. They never worked for me. They were painful and I hated, hated, HATED using them.

Matthew and I have always had a healthy sexual relationship. He's always been so respectful of my body and feelings. This changed everything for me; I realized that I had literally no one to impress with being in pain and using a tampon so I quit using them. (And never have since; that was ten years ago!)

Fast forward to after I gave birth to our eldest, Lennon; I had off-and-on periods for a good long while. I treated my body like shit and my menstrual cycle was completely confused. In 2013, I started taking care of my body; I started loving it, I started listening to it, I started taking care of it. And I got my periods back, consistently. And they had never been better. I was still in pain; still having a lot of cramping, still lots of blood... But the headaches and vomiting were gone. Finally taking care of myself was what I needed for my periods to become regular.

Around the same time I bought some reusable pads and a menstrual cup. The menstrual cup was a good idea but with my fingernails I felt like I was stabbing my vagina every time I would go to take it out; and with my heavy flow I had to empty it too frequently to warrant using it often. So I quit. But the pads... I love them. I would use them and hand-wash them. I don't have enough for how heavy my flow is, but that's something I plan on remedying soon.

With Lennon, we hadn't been trying to get pregnant, but we sure weren't trying not to, either. We had thoroughly discussed the chance of pregnancy for a good long while. So after quite some time of not getting pregnant, we actually assumed maybe we couldn't. We figured if it were meant to be, it would be.

Well, we did make some changes. Not necessarily to get pregnant, but to better our health and to possibly increase our chances of pregnancy in the future. Matthew started wearing boxers, he stopped taking such terribly hot showers, I quit sitting my laptop directly on my lap... And in addition to those things, we both quit eating meat. It ended up still being a while, but we did get pregnant. On one hand it was a huge surprise, on the other it wasn't. Obviously we knew that sex could lead to a baby.

Fast forward again to 2014. Matthew and I discussed having another baby.
After how unhealthy I had been for a few years (for a good, long time actually,) we didn't know if we could get pregnant again. Despite me having lost about 100 pounds, getting consistent, pretty normal (albeit heavy) periods back, having a much healthier body image outlook... And despite us both being significantly healthier (bowel issues, year-round allergy and sinus issues, so on and so on... gone) we just didn't know if it was practical. Could my body handle it? Would I have the issues that I had while pregnant with Lennon? After much discussion, we (ultimately I, as it's my body,) decided to try for another child.

We saw how amazing Lennon was with his younger cousins. We saw how well he took care of our cats. We see every day how sweet he is to us, how much he enjoys helping take care us if we need it... And we knew that he would make the most amazing big brother ever.

We went home one evening and made the decision to begin trying to get pregnant immediately. We initially had planned on waiting a few months and realized that by the time we were planning on trying to get pregnant that our new baby could actually be here. We decided that there is never a perfect time for anything and that if it were meant to be that everything would work out.

Within the week, I knew that I was pregnant. It was the same with Lennon, though we weren't trying to get pregnant then. With both pregnancies, I actually knew long before it would be possible to get a positive on a pregnancy test. I ended up testing earlier than recommended with both, as well, and got positives very early on. (A week before my period was even due.) We couldn't believe how quickly we got pregnant. We thanked the gods and just tried to continue taking care of ourselves as we had been.

Fast forward to now... My cesarean is scheduled for this Friday. Two days from now. Our second baby will be born. All because we trusted our bodies, we both trusted in eachothers' bodies...

After a child is born, the woman will bleed for some time; relatively sporadic. And I'm awaiting that. I'm not afraid. I wish I could have a very large stash of heavy-flow or post-partum cloth pads but I don't; and that's fine. I'll slowly get them as I can. I'm not sure how my periods will be, as I'm planning on breastfeeding. (I never have before.) But I am excited to end up getting them back. My periods empower me. The awe I am in of our bodies, as women is just... surreal. We hold, within us, most of what is needed for life. We create life. LIFE. Within ourselves!

I urge each woman to become familiar with her periods, with her blood, with her body. There is likely not much more beautiful than a woman that realizes how much of a goddess she is.

If you need encouragement or just want to talk about all things menstruation, vaginas, feminism and empowerment... I'm here.

Let me also just note that I realize not every woman has periods. Not every woman can get pregnant. There are so many possibilities out there. I encourage each and every woman, though, to become empowered by their bodies and realize how wonderful they are for what they *can* do; not for what they can't. Don't care to get pregnant? That's cool, too.

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Pregnancy and Birth; A Poem and My Thoughts

noreply@blogger.com (Lauren Douglas Creative) — Tue, 17 Feb 2015 13:31:00 +0000

My back aches,
My belly swells,
I grow.

I nourish,
I encourage,
You grow.

We thrive,
We are one,
We know.

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I was inspired this morning to write a short poem about pregnancy and birth.
I have felt so empowered by this pregnancy...
Only in the past week or two has it been difficult; and that is such a blessing to me.
Only just now am I feeling tired, swollen, achey...

When I was pregnant with Lennon five years ago, I was so unhealthy. My entire pregnancy was difficult. So much pain, so much aching, so much difficulty, so much sickness...

I didn't know until mid-pregnancy this time around that I had pre-eclampsia with Lennon (our eldest). It was something that we had discussed before becoming pregnant; we didn't know if we wanted to get pregnant again because of the issues I had with my first pregnancy, but I'm glad I didn't know that I actually had pre-eclampsia beforehand. Thank the gods, I haven't gotten pre-eclampsia with Rowan. Because I previously had pre-eclampsia, though, we have been thoroughly monitored; more so than this crunchy mama was into at first. But whatever needs to be done to ensure that Rowan and I are fine is alright by me. And the frequent visits have actually quelled my anxiety to a point. Instead of overwhelming anxiety every visit, it's been just a small amount and, thankfully, infrequently.

It's so very strange to me to know that I'll only be pregnant for three more days. I feel like we just started trying to get pregnant... But on the other hand, I feel strangely like I've been pregnant for a year and a half. My cesarean is scheduled almost exactly three days from now. After how difficult my pregnancy was with Lennon I didn't know if I'd ever want to be pregnant again. But I knew that I had overcome all of the issues with him and we both ended up being more than fine. I know that I am strong and I know that our babies are strong. So I knew that if I could do it when I was less healthy that I'd be able to do it again in a healthier, happier body for sure. I knew that I could handle being pregnant again with the outcome being another baby.

In just three days I will be the mommy of two boys.
Matthew will be the daddy of two boys.
Lennon will be a big brother.
Rowan will be Lennon's little brother.
Our boys... Our boys.

All of the anxiety, all of the "what about..." questions I had...
None of that matters. Everything works out.
All I care about is making sure we are all safe, happy and healthy.

Lennon is so excited to be a big brother.
I think he's just as excited to help Matthew take care of Rowan and I, though, as he is for Rowan to actually arrive. He is a fantastic helper and such a beautiful soul. I am so proud to call him mine.

Today and tomorrow are all Matthew has left to work before Rowan arrives.
He is taking Thursday off as we still have much left to do; a long doctor's appointment early Thursday morning, we need to get some food for Pooh and us (Lennon needs to take Vegan food to my parents' house for the few days we'll be in the hospital and we don't expect the hospital to have much if any Vegan food.) We need to finish getting the house all ready; one last sweep of the floors, make sure the dishes are finished, make sure everything is picked up, nice and cozy, the cats and our fish are taken care of...
Thursday night we'll be dropping Lennon off at my parents' house and then Friday morning we go in early and will be having Rowan!

We aren't having visitors on the first day, though... We figured it would be easier on us if we got some alone time with him. Not to mention, I'll need to heal some after my surgery and I also want to breastfeed... Preferably without an audience.

I am so in love.
So full of love.
So empowered, so... excited.

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My Blessingway

noreply@blogger.com (Lauren Douglas Creative) — Mon, 16 Feb 2015 15:16:00 +0000

This past Sunday, (February 15th, 2015) Corrine held a digital blessingway for me.
I didn't really know what to expect, but it was so magical.
It was held at 10:00AM EST which, honestly, was clearly too early for most people, but it was the most convenient for myself and she so that's what we went with.

Around 9:30AM I began getting ready; I got my little blessingway altar all set up, I saged the space, put on some Loreena McKennitt and got comfortable.

I put a lot of thought into the items that I included on my altar.

I knew I wanted it to be beautiful, inspirational and filled with pregnancy-and-birth-centered love.

Top left; My carved stone elephant with a baby carved stone elephant in her belly.

Top middle; One of our oil burners; just using it to hold a candle.

Top right; My stones.

Middle left; My large amethyst piece.

Middle; Me.

Middle right; My blessingway cord.

Bottom left; My pregnancy stones.

Bottom middle; My sage.

Bottom right; One of my favourite Ganesha statues.

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We started with a "welcome" post; we all introduced ourselves and shared our altar spaces.
Then, a nature offering where people told me what flower reminded them of me and why. Oh, the replies made me so happy...
Next were affirmations; each goddess posted a (very large) number of inspirational mantras for me to say to myself. This was so empowering... Knowing they were all thinking of me, of us when they wrote these...
Then blessings for myself and Rowan were said.. Oh my heart is so full still thinking of them!
The next step was music; people posted links to beautiful, calming music / sounds that I could relax to.
And then the closing circle, followed by the blessingway crown. A few of us tied cord around one of our wrists to be cut off just before the birth in encouragement. Corrine asked everyone to choose a stone to make me a crown and she'll be sending it out soon. How blessed am I?

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The things that were said about me... about the kind of person these people see me as... Lifted me up higher than I can tell you. Matthew makes me feel like a goddess every day and Lennon could not be sweeter when it comes to me. But knowing that people outside of my immediate family feel like I have an impact on them... And a good one? Wow.

I feel so empowered and not as scared about the birth...
Which is fantastic because I wasn't very scared about it until quite recently. But I know I can do this. I am strong. My body is ready for this and so is Rowan's. We will be safe and healthy.
I am so excited!

I doubt I'll post again before his birth so I'll likely be back in a couple of weeks.
Thanks for all of the love thrown our way; we feel it so strongly.

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A Week From Today, Rowan Will Be Here!

noreply@blogger.com (Lauren Douglas Creative) — Fri, 13 Feb 2015 14:15:00 +0000

So basically, this is a semi-hiatus notice for my blog.
I'll be back to active writing eventually, but please understand that family comes first!

One week from today, our second son, Rowan will be born. (If I don't go into labor before then. By this time next Friday, I'll already be prepped and in surgery.)

I can't even believe it's so close... Soon we will be the parents of two boys. "The boys" we'll call them.

My amazing friend Corrine is holding a digital blessingway for me this Sunday and I am so, so excited.

My heart is so full...

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The Term "Vegan" and Living With Compassion

noreply@blogger.com (Lauren Douglas Creative) — Tue, 10 Feb 2015 08:00:00 +0000

"To have compassion means to have passion for all things, not just between two people, but for all human beings, for all things of the Earth, the animals, the trees, everything the Earth contains..."
- Jiddu Krishnamurti

Our Meat-Eating, to Vegetarian to Vegan Story

In 2006 I became really interested in PETA. I watched a ton of those gory animal abuse videos to convince myself that I couldn't possibly eat animals or use their bodies. I was the one kid in class that refused to dissect animals, the one that did the speech on Vegetarianism and it's advantages... I was that odd hippie kid with way too much time on their hands.

But that's where it started for me. Matthew and I had already been together almost a year by the time I became a Vegetarian. My Veg-i-versary is Autumn 2006. For the following year and a half, I was super passionate about my Vegetarianism and what it meant to me... And that included not kissing Matthew after he ate meat. I'd make him brush his teeth first; so if we were somewhere other than his parents' home, he didn't end up eating meat anyway. In Spring 2008 Matthew (finally) quit eating meat. (Not because I didn't want his meaty-kisses, haha.) I remember sitting in Applebees with him that day... He never ate meat again. I don't remember what he ordered but I remember that I was trying to be a Vegan and I ordered a plain salad... and it came with cheese on top. So I gave up on trying to be a Vegan and just ate the salad... I remember Matthew being Vegetarian for a couple of weeks and saying "I can't believe it took me this long... I love animals but you never would have known..."

Fast-forward to February 3rd, 2010; Lennon is born and I was a Vegetarian throughout the pregnancy. He turned five recently and has never eaten meat. His entire life, we've had people strongly suggest that we give him meat... that we give him the option to eat meat. "Why would you make him eat like you do?" is the most popular question. What cracks me up about that is that 1. that's what parents do; they raise their kids doing what they think is best; and often times it looks like how they live their own lives. and 2. Why do *you* make your kid eat meat without explaining to them what it means, where it came from, what happened to get it onto their plate and so on?

Fast-forward again to April 2013; Cheese had always been our downfall. Every time we "tried" to be Vegan, we ended up getting a hankering for (and giving into) cheese. Cheese and I were best friends. Basically, if I could have had cheese, baked in cheese, covered in cheese, dipped in cheese with cheese sprinkled on top, I would have been all over that. So in an effort to break that cycle (I'm not kidding; we'd stop eating animal products for two weeks at a time and then go back and do it all over...) I finally researched how cheese was made. Without going into too much detail, it grossed me out so much we haven't eaten it since.

Fast-forward yet again to Summer 2014; We tried and got pregnant immediately. With Lennon, we were so unhealthy and thought it was just a beautiful gift that we ended up getting pregnant. So getting pregnant so quickly when we wanted to was... so amazing. It really confirmed to us how good for us our lifestyle is.

Is Lennon a Vegan? Will Rowan be a Vegan, too? Yes. But that's the thing; under our roof they will be Vegan. But if they grow up, do their research and decide to not stay Vegan that's fine. As long as they are well-informed and still eat healthfully. Lennon at 4 totally understood why we were Vegan. He has always been so passionate about it and really, truly gets it. Better than most adults.

Why Are We Vegan?

Well cheese ended up being what did it for us, just like those gory videos did it for me back in the day... And while I definitely don't think that those videos would help everyone (there's a reason I don't share them...) they were exactly what I needed, right when I needed them.

Matthew became a Vegetarian mostly for the animals. I became a Vegetarian mostly because after a certain point, I was so grossed out by the idea of eating something that had been alive; had family, had pooped, had sex... that I couldn't possibly eat it. Something we got asked a lot was if we ate chicken or fish... Because a lot of people don't consider either (especially fish) "meat." Meat, to me, is a dead animal that some people eat. One of the first animals you learn to recognize are fish. How do they stop being animals when it comes to the dinner table?...

After researching and discussing how other animal products were made, we decided that those weren't something we could eat either. Animal milk is for that specific animal's baby. I was never a milk-lover anyway (actually, I hated it;) Matthew was never the biggest fan of eggs and basically the biggest thing that left was cheese and... we just stopped eating it.

Living With Compassion

Even while Vegetarian we didn't use animal products; leather, suede, silk, wool, found-skulls, etc... We saw all of these as non-touchables because where would the line be drawn? Only within the past couple of months have we decided that the use of wool, found-skulls, honey are okay. (We still will never use leather, suede, silk, etc...) After a long talk together and with a good friend, Matthew and I realized that we wanted to be in harmony with other animals. Instead of wasting what they don't need, we can find practical uses for them that are better for Mama Nature than highly processed crap like plastic. We still consider our lifestyle Vegan because we still don't use anything from an animal that would possibly require harm to them.

This brings up some interesting questions that we get a lot; would we eat meat if it were humanely killed? No. Never. "Humanely" doesn't mean anything. The animal was still killed the animal for pleasure. What if it weren't killed for pleasure? Nope. No way would we eat meat. Period. Would we eat other animal products if they were humanely gotten? What if we had a chicken who laid eggs? What if we had a cow that overproduced milk after having a baby? No. We would still not use these things. Because our reasoning isn't so much the "oh poor animal" thing, but the "that is so nasty..." thing.

Our stance is really complicated, but that's just it; it's ours. And no one else's. Everyone has their reasons (hopefully) for doing what they do. And all you can hope for is some research and compassion.

The Term "Vegan"

I'm not really one to go by terms... But in some cases, it's necessary. For one, we always are excited to see "Vegan" because we know it's something we can have. Do I think that really encompasses our lifestyle now that we've changed? No. But "Vegan that eats honey and doesn't mind using wool" is a bit confusing. And requires a lot more of an explanation that we just don't really always feel like giving. As passionate as we are, we're passive; I realize that I pushed a lot of people away as an OMG STOP EATING MEAT Vegetarian back in the day. And in being passive, I've helped a ton of people. I've made the change in my personal life instead of smothering them with unwanted information. People have seen the change and realize "wow... maybe there is something to their lifestyle..." That's really all I could ask for. But regardless to whether we help any other people or not, we're helping our small family and some animals. And that makes me so happy.

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Flaming Ice Cube; Cleveland Vegan Restaurant Review

noreply@blogger.com (Lauren Douglas Creative) — Mon, 09 Feb 2015 09:00:00 +0000

For Lennon's 5th birthday we went out to eat. We figured we'd try a new (to us) restaurant. If we're going to take a long trip, we like to find somewhere Vegan-specific with a lot of options. (Or at least somewhere Vegan-friendly.) Something most people take for granted is going to a restaurant and ordering basically anything they want. It's really nice going to restaurants that are Vegan-specific because we don't have to give it any extra thought. The only "non-Vegan" thing at some of these places is honey and... we eat honey. So it's not even an issue.

After searching online the entire morning, I found a place that looked awesome; the Flaming Ice Cube. The one we visited is in Cleveland; in the midst of all of the gigantic buildings and other restaurants and shops.

We had to park a couple of blocks away in a parking garage; that was my least favourite part. But definitely worth it to eat here. And we'll be back. A lot.

The first thing we noticed were the colours on the wall and the awesome decor all over; Sun & Moon, Chakra and Yoga inspired... We were in love. They had a couple of bookshelves stocked full of amazing Vegan goodies; we've been looking for the Vegan marshmallows forever but didn't buy them that day. (We'll be back for them, haha.) They also had an open cooler with tons of Vegan treats; they all looked amazing! We had such a hard time deciding what to get!

So... We each got a meal and a treat... and then took home half a dozen chocolate chip cookies.

Top left; the Pizza Burger; doubled and supreme with a side of peppers, onions & mushrooms. Side of curry quinoa and a pickle.
Top right; a PB&J sandwich on pita bread with a side of mandarin oranges.
Bottom left; the cover of the menu.
Bottom right; the Western burger; doubled. Side of curry quinoa and a pickle.

Matthew and I split both burgers so we could each try them. They were both so, so, sooo delicious. I've never had a more delicious burger. I am super impressed by how fresh everything was, too! Oh man, even the pickles tasted exquisite haha.

Top left; chocolate chip cookie. (We ordered half a dozen and ate them on the ride home.)
Top right; mini chocolate lava bundt cake. (Matthew's.)
Bottom left; pumpkin spice cupcake. (Mine.)
Bottom right; chocolate chip cookie sandwich. (Lennon's.)

We ordered half a dozen of the chocolate chip cookies to eat on the way home because 1. they looked amazing and 2... No that's about it. Matthew went to order our desserts and they were just bringing out the bundt cakes and he ordered that for himself. I had a couple of bites and oh my gods, it was so rich and delicious! My pumpkin cupcake was... amazing. So amazing. Matthew dislikes basically anything pumpkin-flavoured and enjoyed it too! And then Lennon got the chocolate chip and icing sandwich. He seemed to really love it.

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We will be going back super soon. (I wonder if they allow breast-feeding?) Likely not too soon considering Rowan will be born within the next few weeks.) We so, so enjoyed it. We didn't really want to leave, haha. The people working there could not have been nicer or more accommodating; it was just super pleasant all around and I am so excited to go back!

(And it was also worth the two-block walk for this almost-full-term pregnant mama. That shows how amazing it was!)

Flaming Ice Cube links: Website | FaceBook

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Gratitude Journal; A Daily Reminder To Be Grateful

noreply@blogger.com (Lauren Douglas Creative) — Fri, 06 Feb 2015 09:00:00 +0000

My friend Corrine of Wolf Den Holistic Farm posted a beautiful challenge on her blog. She encourages us to take the time each day (just a few minutes) to write down in a special journal 10 things we are grateful for. Simple enough, right? And can you imagine how amazing you'll feel looking back at all the beautiful things in that journal?

So I'm taking her challenge. I can take a few minutes each day to remember what I'm grateful for. They don't even have to be anything huge; just simple things throughout the day. I just grabbed a lined book that I had on hand and wrote "Gratitude Journal" on the cover. So simple.

Here is what my first page looked like;
1. My family's health.
2. Sunlight coming in the bedroom window mid-Winter for the cats to bathe in.
3. The burden of "too much."
4. Decent weather today.
5. Our apartment. It's small but perfect.
6. Abundant water & living somewhere that I can drink all the clean water I want.
7. Food in our home. Especially food we enjoy & can make the decision to eat all depending on what sounds good.
8. Generosity from friends & family.
9. Matthew's job & the ability to sustain ourselves.
10. A doctor that actually pays close attention to & cares about Rowan and I. (And is awesome with Matthew and Lennon as well.)

If you take the challenge, go tell Corrine at her blog or on her Instagram account WolfDenHolisticFarm and keep her updated via the #wolfdengratitudechallenge tag!

You can find my updates on Instagram over at LaurenDouglasCreative. I'll be using the #wolfdengratitudechallenge tag as well!

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Pieces of Home: A Peek at Some Recent Re-Organization

noreply@blogger.com (Lauren Douglas Creative) — Thu, 05 Feb 2015 09:00:00 +0000

I'm nesting.

Hard.

But nesting is kind of my thing and... I kind of nest year-round, pregnant or not so it's not really anything new. I really like simple change; a change of colour, a change of paint, a change of layout... Lately, we've been kicking it into high gear for Rowan's arrival; purging, cleaning, organizing, wash, rinse, repeat.

One thing that has been my goal lately has been to make little vignettes or little altars of items we love and actually use / want to use more often. These are a few of our little set-ups in the living room. I'll be sharing more soon; all depending on when Rowan makes his arrival.

Okay, let me preface this by saying that I have no idea why I have a thing for fire and hell. I don't even believe in hell. But oh man, Damned is one of my absolute favourite books. Ever. So... go read it. Beside my stack-o-Satan is the adorable Vampirina Ballerina sleepover book; I can't get over how adorable these books are. And then our little collection of Edgar Allan Poe books. Matthew and I are both huge fans of his work, independently of each other.

The little elephant beside the Poe books held tea; we never drank the tea inside because we got it at a thrift store, but isn't the elephant adorable?

The Andy Warhol things hanging came attached to purses I bought back in the day. I'm a huge Andy Warhol fan; his name in his mom's writing was my first tattoo. Fun story; When I was pregnant with Lennon, Matthew told me he would love to go to the Andy Warhol museum in Pittsburgh for my birthday. (We live in mid-Ohio so it was a few hour drive both ways.) I was so excited I threw up! Haha. It was a great time; I really enjoyed viewing all of the work. I was so overwhelmed but so, so excited. I want to go back, though, because we were short on time (thanks, Pittsburgh traffic and my husband's total lack of directional skills; though I was the one driving... I now know to go with *my* directional instinct...) and because I felt really sick half-way through. But maybe this summer we can take the boys...

The art in the frame is by Lolle; it's a custom family portrait. I'll post a better photo of it soon. We are going to commission her again because our family is going to look different here very soon! She was a total pleasure to work with and, despite being an Italy-based artist, she has fantastic English skills. She sent updates super frequently and asked our input on every last thing. And, for being such an amazing artist, the cost was definitely justifiable; she *is* one of my favourite artists after all. (Probably second right after Andy Warhol; and honestly, if he weren't part of the reason I fell in love with all things art-related in the first place, she'd likely be first.)

Links to Lolle: DeviantArt | Etsy | FaceBook | Tumblr | Blog

I got this fantastic jewelry box at a rummage sale last year for just a couple of dollars. It's got some scratches, some dents, but it is so perfect. My original plan was to paint it but I actually really like it how it is. Even the little windows are perfect! So, that holds mine and Pooh's jewelry. I keep my body jewelry in there (not organized.. that's something I'd like to do soon...) I don't really have anything at all in there that is worth anything; most of it is costume jewelry; but as long as the quality is good enough to not stain my skin (and I'm super sensitive to that, so I don't have much jewelry,) it's good enough for me.

On top of my jewelry box is a candle holder, a Ganesha incense holder and sticks, two cone incense holders, a Ganesha box and a fake plant. (All plants in our home are currently fake save for our two cacti; with cats and kiddos, I want to keep it safe while still having green around...) Inside the Ganesha box are cat whiskers; whenever I find them, I pick them up and save them. I've read that finding them by chance is good luck. We've found so many.

The books beside the jewelry box are Vegan, schooling and parenting related. As much as I love Vegan books, I only have a couple of favourites so there aren't many here. And beside the books is our little Himalayan salt candle holder.

All of our Wiccan, Pagan, religion and self-care books can be found on this little dresser. Beside those is a beautiful elephant statue I got a few years back. He's one of my favourite pieces. There's also a little leaf container with nothing currently in it (made to look like real leaves; it's ceramic;) and my cat-and-sun candle holder that I received as a gift last year from my friend Corrine.

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I love looking at peoples' homes and getting a peek into how they live their daily lives. I plan on sharing many more of these posts as time goes on. And with how often I change things up, I'm sure they'll be frequent.

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Handmade Love; Reviews of Things We've Recently Gotten

noreply@blogger.com (Lauren Douglas Creative) — Wed, 04 Feb 2015 10:00:00 +0000

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Over the holiday season, we were gifted money on PayPal so we decided to use it on special things we had been wanting to get for Rowan. Earlier in December, though, my husband wanted to get me something very special for our 9 year anniversary and for Yule. Very recently, also, I have been gifted sage by two very generous ladies. I'd like to share my thoughts on all of the items we purchased or were gifted.

MacRae Naturals
Shop | FaceBook | Website
Link to the baltic amber butter teething necklace: HERE

My thoughts: Our eldest son had a terrible time with teething. In anticipation of that likely being the case with our youngest, we researched natural remedies for teething pain. In addition to different natural health remedies, we kept finding that people were using amber necklaces. We did a great amount of research to figure out how they were used, when they could be used, how they worked, what was best and what was the highest quality.

I can't say how the necklace actually works yet but I'll be posting about it as we actually use it. The quality is very nice; the beads are very well made and seem to be nice and sturdy. I was pleasantly surprised by the quality of the necklace and I am so excited to have Rowan use it!

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Brigid's Grove
Shop | FaceBook | Website
Link to the cesarean goddess necklace: HERE
Link to the Brigid's Tree of Life pendant: HERE

My thoughts: This past Yule, my husband wanted to get me something special. He didn't know what to get me so he told me to find something that really stuck out to me. This necklace was part of my gift from him. The little goddess is a cesarean goddess with "love" across her belly.

I was actually gifted the Brigid's Tree of Life pendant by the shop owner as a well wish for Rowan's birth. In addition to the tree of life imagery (representing Brighid) that connects to their business name/mission, they sell them in their shop as a "mother blessing amulet" for a safe birth.

I wear both of these daily (I am currently wearing them.) The only time I take them off is to bathe and sleep. I am so madly in love with these; I feel so empowered when wearing them. I had a hard time with my new body after my cesarean and after a couple of years of feeling very close to depression, I finally found myself. I submerged myself into the body positive scene and fell in love with my body; (perfect) imperfections and all. I am now proud of my body and totally in love with it. I also treat it better now; Instead of just going with the flow, I make a point to give it what it needs. Matthew will be wearing these necklaces when I give birth because I can't have them on; though I want them there.

Brigid's Grove has so many different goddess pendants and I super, super recommend them to any mama. My heart is so full when I wear these.

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Zúbky
Shop | FaceBook | Website
Link to the beeswax polish / salve: HERE
Link to the small natural wood teether toy: HERE
Link to the natural wood teether necklace: HERE
Link to the optional customization for said necklace: HERE

My thoughts: First off, this shop is fantastic. They are local to me (Ohio,) and they work with you and communicate to make sure all is right in your order. They go above and beyond what needs to be done and I am so, so impressed with their customer service.

I bought the beeswax polish / salve for a few reasons; they mention it helping keep the wood looking / feeling great. So that's fantastic; I haven't used it for that, yet, but once Rowan uses them, I'll post an update on how well it works. But, the other reason I bought it was because they mentioned it could be used for just about anything, including lip balm! So I figured it would be a great thing to keep with us. It works so well and feels amazing. After this is all used up, we'll be buying more!

Next, we bought a small teether toy with Rowan's name on it. I love, love this so much and I am so excited for him to use it!

Onto the necklaces... I received the blank necklace initially, despite having paid for the addition of Rowan's name to the necklace. I brought this up to the shop owner and she kindly said she would ship out the fixed version ASAP. Not only was that fantastic (I was concerned about having to pay to ship back something I hadn't messed up...) but she told me to keep the blank one!

So, because we don't really need more than one of these necklaces, she and I spoke and in a few months (sometime after Rowan is born...) I'll be doing a giveaway with the blank teething necklace! So keep an eye out for that if you have / are expecting a little one!

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Kathryn Riechert Jewelry
Shop | FaceBook | Website
Link to the stacking rings: HERE

My thoughts: These two rings were the other part of my anniversary / Yule gift from Matthew. I am so, so in love with them. I wanted nice, small, simple stacking rings with my boys' names and these were so, so perfect. Kathryn Riechert's shop has so much beautiful, customizable jewelry that I was so overwhelmed (in a good way) while choosing what I wanted. They came in adorable little boxes and bags and I even got a little cleaning / shining cloth with them. They are so perfect. I never take them off. And oh my gods, the price was perfect. Enough that I knew the quality was fantastic, but not a penny more.

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Sage Goddess
Shop | FaceBook | Website
You can purchase large sage bundles from the Sage Goddess: HERE
Or you can purchase miniature sage bundles from the Sage Goddess: HERE

My thoughts: This was a gift so I don't have a link to the sage that I received. The Heaven bath blend came as a little sample and I also don't have a link for that, but it does smell wonderful!

I haven't used the sage or the bath blend yet but they smell absolutely amazing. The sage bundles are tied up with such precision and the petals on front are so pretty to look at.

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And from a friend of mine...
She gathered sage and lavender from her backyard, strung it up and added her favourite stones; citrine. Citrine is known to be a "good luck" or a "bringing light into your life" stone. How thoughtful!

We used this sage to cleanse our apartment and stones last night; the full moon is tonight. It was such a pleasure to use.

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I really enjoy supporting handmade / homemade artists... I am madly in love with Etsy!
Speaking of, I'm hoping to open up a shop within the next year or so... I have a shop, but I haven't sold anything on it, yet. And I'd like to offer more than just custom portraits.

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Happy 5th Birthday, Lennon!

noreply@blogger.com (Lauren Douglas Creative) — Tue, 03 Feb 2015 18:43:00 +0000

My baby boy is five. Five years old... I could write pages upon pages about how much I love him...
I just.. I just love him so much.

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Imbolc; A Crystal Grid, Stone Identification and Explanation

noreply@blogger.com (Lauren Douglas Creative) — Fri, 30 Jan 2015 14:00:00 +0000

Imbolc is very soon; Monday (February 2nd), in fact!

When it comes to date, it really all depends on where you are / when you want to celebrate / what you read. Festivities are traditionally had between January 31st and February 2nd. The full moon where I live is technically on February 3rd, but half of what I'm finding is that people local to me celebrate it on the first and the other half on the second. The second is just what my gut keeps referring to so that's what I'm going with. We are, though, celebrating on February 1st, for sake of convenience. My hubs has the weekends off so it's easier to celebrate during them.

Imbolc is the halfway point between the Winter Solstice (Yule) and the Vernal Equinox (Ostara.) The days begin to lengthen about this time; we've quite recently observed the light earlier in the day and dark later! Within the past week or two, actually. Imbolc has historically been celebrated predominantly by Irish and Scottish people. (My husband and I both have Irish and Scottish heritage; and thusly so do our boys.) The Celtic tree month of Rowan is January 21st - February 17th. Whether or not Rowan is born in that time, I am still amazed by all of the signs pointing to this being the right name for him.

In old Irish, Imbolc means "In the belly." One sign of the Springtime-to-come is the lactation of expectant mothers preparing to birth new life! How appropriate for this about-to-give-birth mama! This holiday is about physical transformations, looking deeper into ourselves and strengthening our soul and spirituality.

The patron Goddess of the Sabbat is Brighid; you may recognize her as "Saint Brigit". She symbolizes fire and fertility, the Sun, hope, new possibilities, new life, birthing and the young.

To propagate the birth of Springtime, we'll be spring cleaning, lighting candles, making a meal; something including seeds likely, as they are a symbol of new life; invoking Brighid and making wishes for our family.

The stones found in my Imbolc crystal grid above are as follows;
Selenite (the tower in the middle)
Rose quartz (South)
Tiger's eye (South-East)
Quartz (East)
Carnelian (North-East)
Hematite (North)
Amethyst (North-West)
Moonstone (West)
Lapis Lazuli (South-West)

I chose these stones to be used in my Imbolc crystal grid for their unique and wonderful properties.

Selenite is an amplification stone; I like to use mine basically as an energy tower; gathering the energy from the surrounding stones and putting it back out into the world stronger. It also represents the Moon; not only is this stone even more amazing to me because I follow the Moon, but the moon also symbolizes water. Water is also a symbol of the patron Imbolc Goddess Brighid; using water in your rituals (or just envisioning bad energy flowing from you during a shower;) cleanses you; not only physically but mentally as well.

Rose quartz is a love stone. I keep mine with me because it promotes love, understanding and a healthy pregnancy and birth. Imbolc is the Sabbat of new beginnings and this year, we have a new baby to be born very close to the Sabbat!

Tiger's eye is a stone of protection and power. It also symbolizes the Sun and His soon full-return.

Quartz is another amplifying stone. It's also a good stone to represent a clear mind and visions of exactly what you need.

Carnelian promotes safety and is a guarding stone. It's another wonderful stone to have during pregnancy and childbirth.

Hematite promotes protection and grounding. It is a fantastic stone to keep with you if you experience anxiety often.

Amethyst is an amazing stone; it promotes calmness, creativity, good-luck, love and growth. It also dispels negative energy and promotes positive energy.

Moonstone amplifies love; love given and received; along with love of one's self. It is a wonderful fertility stone and great to carry for growth and birth.

Lapis Lazuli promotes awareness, calmness and the opening of the throat chakra; which is helpful if you need to voice your desires or stand up for what you believe in. It helps strengthen relationships and encourages truth and honesty.

How are you celebrating Imbolc?

(I do want to note that I'm in the Northern Hemisphere; anyone in the Southern Hemisphere is celebrating Lughnasadh / Lammas. Come August I'll have written a post for that as well.)

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Mama Gets Real: Get Up, Stand Up; Why I Want To Learn

noreply@blogger.com (Lauren Douglas Creative) — Tue, 27 Jan 2015 14:24:00 +0000

It was in high school that I had heard Bob Marley's music for the first time. (For age reference, I graduated at 17 in 2008.)
I was huge on the "hippie" scene; the "fuck the man!" scene; the "think for yourself!!" scene. ("Was"?)
Apparently I never grew out of the "hippie" scene and based my entire lifestyle around it. Who'd have thought?

I remember teachers (and my peers, actually,) assuming I was just a stoner because I wore Bob Marley shirts and shit all the time. The first time someone asked if I had "become a dumbass stoner" was so strange... I didn't even understand where it came from. It's interesting how stereotypes penetrate. Toking wasn't really my bag, man, and I was determined to bust that stereotype. And now, as a grown-ass-woman with responsibilities, it's still not for me, but I still push to bust the "dumb hippie stoner" stereotype that tends to be tacked on to anything out-of-the-norm or a bit more "green". (Note: I don't smoke weed, but I don't believe that it's worse than alcohol; and, not-pregnant, I have a glass of wine occasionally. So my feelings on the "dumb hippie stoner" stereotype are on the stereotype itself, not the stoner aspect of it.)

What has always frustrated me has been people accepting everything as-is; no one asks "why?", no one questions "how?".

Well... why? Why don't most people want to know more? Why do people want to be dumbed-down? Why do people not yearn to grow, to transform, to metamorphose? Why are we content being ignorant?

How do we live life not knowing why?

I am so grateful to have had my eyes opened so young in my life. I was raised a certain way, and was raised to believe it was the right thing. But my parents never put me down for wanting to learn more. And my parents have been so supportive as I've grown and become a woman. One thing I am most proud of is my thirst for knowledge. Being content isn't my jam. I take that back; I am content in life... But... Well, this quote sums it up pretty well:

"To be content doesn't mean you don't desire more,
it means you're thankful for what you have and patient for what's to come."
- Tony Gaskins

I will always desire more knowledge. I am content in what I know but always long to know more.

These two lines are two of the biggest reasons I am still a huge Bob Marley fan. And they sum up why I live my life the way I do.

"But if you know what life is worth,
You will look for yours on earth..."

and

"You can fool some people sometimes,
But you can't fool all the people all the time."

Do you long to learn more?
Or are you content just going with the flow of whatever someone has spoon-fed you?
Discuss!!

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Gifts For A Friend; Stone Identification and Uses

noreply@blogger.com (Lauren Douglas Creative) — Mon, 26 Jan 2015 10:00:00 +0000

I have been a collector of stones for years. It started for me as a kid when I would collect beautiful stones from the creeks all around and sometimes even from our driveway. I wasn't picky.

As I grew, I began to learn more about certain stones. And that these stones actually had different properties; different energies from each other.

A friend of mine and I were talking and she told me she actually had no stones. None! At all! To someone that has been collecting for years, this totally broke my heart. So I got together a few of my stones and made a nice little beginner collection for her. I hope she enjoys these stones as much as I have!

I'm sharing this post today to help identify a few stones and list a few of their uses. I hope you find it helpful!
I am considering turning this stone identification and use post into a short series; stones and some of their basic properties...

Carnelian | Aquamarine | Hematite

Carnelian attracts prosperity, good luck and creation. It also promotes courage, confidence and community. Carnelian also encourages love and protection.

Aquamarine promotes tolerance and intelligence. If lacking confidence or courage, aquamarine would be a good stone to carry as well.

Hematite helps with grounding and self-confidence. It's also a great stone for anxiety relief.

Moonstone | Tiger's Eye | Rose Quartz

Moonstone promotes sleep and positive, even vivid dreams. It also helps soothe anxiety.

Tiger's Eye is a good stone to carry to promote prosperity. It also is a fantastic stone for grounding and protection. It makes you see situations a bit more clearly.

Rose Quartz is a love stone; it promotes love in all places. It's a great stone for bonding and pregnancy. (Rose Quartz is my personal favourite stone!)

Onyx | Green Aventurine | Clear Quartz

Onyx is a great stone for willpower; if you're having trouble with self-control, onyx would be a great stone to carry. It's also a great stone if you need help with emotional pain.

Green Aventurine helps with anger and the inability to focus. Carry it to attract prosperity. Also, if you're particularly clumsy or accident-prone, you might want to carry Green Aventurine.

Clear Quartz amplifies the energies of other stones and helps you focus and also helps you have clear dreams.

Honeycomb Yellow Calcite | Orange Yellow Aventurine | Amethyst | Amazonite

Honeycomb Yellow Calcite is another amplifying stone. It also is another fantastic stone for pregnancy and children as it promotes good health.

Orange Yellow Aventurine helps with focusing and calming the mind. It also is a great stone for creativity if you feel that you're lacking in that area. Orange Yellow Aventurine is another good luck stone.

Amethyst calms and helps with anxiety. It promotes balance and protection.

Amazonite dispels negative energy and is another good luck stone.

I wanted to share more about each stone, but when researching stones, I personally want to know about their properties before anything else. Each of these stones has more properties but these collectively seem to be the most common. I shared what information I knew about each stone and researched each one to make sure that 1. I had the right information on them and 2. I could add more if necessary.

What are some of your favourite stones?
Do you shop by colour, energy, or do you research properties before you purchase?

I have not been compensated for this post; all stones have come from my personal collection purchased from various sources over many years. All information about stones is from what I know personally and from comparing various resources.

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25 Self-Nurturing Activities

noreply@blogger.com (Lauren Douglas Creative) — Fri, 23 Jan 2015 10:00:00 +0000

We, as a whole, tend to not spend enough time on ourselves. Either we spend too much time on our kids and not enough on ourselves, or maybe we spend too much time doing things that don't mean much to us just to pass time.

It's time for that to end.

Self-care is hugely important. I'm a better mom and overall person for having taken better care of myself in the past couple of years. And I highly recommend it. Does this mean I never take time to do what someone else wants to do? Of course not. But it means knowing when to say "no" and not feeling guilty about it.

Something that I think is huge for self-care are selfies. I know. But seriously. Take a ton. Waste a ton of space on your mobile device. Feel silly, feel sexy, feel giddy... But do it. Selfies are huge. I find that when I make a point to take selfies (whether or not I feel like it; some days I don't feel stellar,) I feel better about myself. And let's be honest, who doesn't enjoy looking back on photos of themselves? I love it!

Staying on the same vein as my 22 Free or Cheap Ideas to Avoid Spending Money post, I thought I'd share some ideas for saving money and taking care of yourself.

25 Self-Nurturing Activities

1. Take selfies!!!
2. Listen to music that is not predominantly filled with anger.
3. Practice yoga.
4. Meditate. (With or without calming music.)
5. Light incense and (natural) candles.
6. Dance around while listening to upbeat music.
7. Smile. (I always feel better when I make the point to just smile!)
8. Compliment yourself.
9. Take a nice walk outside.
10. Paint, sketch, play. Anything artsy.
11. Make something. Anything crafty.
12. Take a nap.
13. Take a nice, long, warm shower or bath. (Maybe with some music in the background.)
14. Practice an instrument. (Maybe you've had a keyboard in your closet for five years and have only played "Chopsticks" five times?)
15. Relax. Just sit or lie down and relax. If you fall asleep then awesome; your body needed it!
16. Stretch or do some yoga!
17. Smile and say "I love myself!"
18. Snuggle with some fur-babies.
19. Receive a massage. (Or look up reflexology and perform some on yourself!)
20. Go hiking or nature-walking.
21. Hug a tree!
22. Have a nice, nutritious meal.
23. Practice deep, slow breathing.
24. Work in the yard / work on a container garden.
25. Watch a movie with no super sad or angry parts. (It's all about staying emotionally neutral or positive!)

Maybe this will inspire you to take a little more time out for yourself soon.
I promise, it's a good idea as long as you don't forget about everything else in your life.

What do you do to take care of yourself? Do you have any hobbies you enjoy?

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22 Free or Cheap Ideas To Avoid Spending Money

noreply@blogger.com (Lauren Douglas Creative) — Thu, 22 Jan 2015 10:00:00 +0000

We just started the Spending Fast, but I thought that it might get a little boring to just sit at home twiddling our thumbs with nothing to do. Obviously "cheap" and "avoid spending money" contradict each other, but here "cheap" means no more than probably $10.

A couple of years ago, I attempted a Mission 101 project; ~~it didn't go so well~~. I've had this list sitting partially-done since then. So I thought I'd finish it up and share it with you.

20 Free or Cheap Ideas To Avoid Spending Money

1. Sketch / paint / draw. Anything artsy.
2. Sew / cross stitch / learn to knit. Anything crafty.
3. Watch a movie. (Have a marathon with your family!)
4. Visit the library. (You can even get the movies for your marathon there!)
5. Play board games.
6. Visit a museum. (Some are free on certain dates and others are just always cheap!)
7. Practice Origami.
8. Try a new recipe! (Or prepare food to be frozen / canned.)
9. Take a nap.
10. Do yoga or Zumba. (You can find videos on YouTube!)
12. Go to the gym. (Most gyms have a small "one-time-visit" cost of something like $5.00, or some people have the option of somewhere like Planet Fitness for $10.00/month.)
13. Read.
14. Take a bath or shower. Do nails / makeup. Pamper yourself!
15. Meditate or spend time by yourself.
16. Get dressed up for yourself.
17. Do something your kids want to do. (Normally say "no" or "in a little bit"? Say "yes" to something your child is interested in more often!)
18. Create homemade versions of some of your toxic products. (Recipes are out there for everything from body products to cleaners and beyond!)
19. Take a drive. (Maybe find somewhere new!)
20. Turn music up loud and dance! (Bonus points if you get your kiddos involved!)
21. Try out some of your Pinterest ideas. You can find my boards here if you want some inspiration.
22. Go outside.

I hope that some of the ideas help you!
What are some of your favourite free or cheap things to do?

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Food Prep & Stocking Up: Staying Realistic

noreply@blogger.com (Lauren Douglas Creative) — Wed, 21 Jan 2015 10:00:00 +0000

Top left: Ice Cream (cat), Stocked freezer (including homemade Vegan parm!), Bread pizzas with Vegan chee, our huge stock of Coconut oil.
Top right: Some of our groceries. Not even half.
Bottom left: Our fridge door (including lots of homemade goodness; ketchup / tomato soup, Vegan ranch dressing, lots of store-bought and homemade seasoning...)
Bottom right: Homemade mustard soaking up vinegar, Strawberry banana smoothie, Circe (cat), our smoothie ingredients (which are now in flat bags in the freezer.)

This past Friday, Pooh and I went grocery shopping. We stocked up on everything I could think of and then some. My friend Corrine helped me sit down and think of a basic grocery list to start from. That was a huge help! We spent the entire day out and went to four different stores. (Three of which are local!)

We tried to be realistic when it came to buying groceries and stocking our pantry. Usually, if we buy fresh food, we tend to get over-excited and buy more than we know what to do with and it ends up being wasted. So sitting down and really deciding what we wanted to make before-hand helped. We'll see how it ends up working out, but so far it's been amazing.

Saturday we had some errands to run (we needed more tomatoes!) and then came home and made a ton of food from scratch. Sunday hubs and I didn't feel very well but we still spent the entire day making more food. I ended up making some homemade ketchup but, despite following the recipe exactly, it turned out more like tangy tomato soup; so I tried taking some of the tanginess out and we had it for dinner last night as tomato soup (along with some Vegan grilled cheese sandwiches!)

I'm really proud of us because usually, whether or not we feel well, we don't really bother to spend a good amount of time in the kitchen actually working on making food... And if we feel less-than-stellar, you can usually count on us lying around, playing video games all day. And while we still totally got in some video game playing time, we spent, by far, the bulk of our time fixing up food in the kitchen.

THAT is the difference in our lives. THAT is progress. And I am so excited that it just is coming naturally. Granted, I need to make a point to take it easier and realize that I'm far along in my pregnancy and can't push it too hard, but... When I became pregnant, I would always tell myself "active pregnancy!" I knew I couldn't just sit there and let hubs do everything with the excuse that "I'm pregnant!" Not that he wouldn't; he definitely would do anything for me, no questions asked. But I am not okay feeling lazy. I spent a couple of years after I gave birth to our first boy feeling that way and... never again. (At least not when I am totally capable of doing something... Usually.)

I have an appointment with the ultrasound technician every Monday and Thursday; and this Thursday, I also have a full-ultrasound and also see my OB. This Thursday I'll be 34 weeks along. I'm 33.5 weeks now; if I have Roo at 37 weeks, that's 3.5 weeks away. And if I have him at 40 weeks, that's just 6.5 weeks away! Both are so close!

I wish I'd gotten a picture of our girlie Charlie (our third cat; the top left is Ice Cream and the bottom right is Circe.) But Maybe she'll pose for me soon enough, haha. She was quite the snuggle butt this weekend. Man, I love our cats.

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Why I'm Doing A Spending Fast

noreply@blogger.com (Lauren Douglas Creative) — Tue, 20 Jan 2015 01:42:00 +0000

January 20th, 2015

My word for 2015 is "Present" and hubs is "Harmony". Together, we want more peaceful lives where we spend more time being present; not preoccupied by other things. And getting rid of debt will help both of those happen more naturally.

While browsing Pinterest for frugal budget ideas, I found Anna's blog And Then We Saved. She created something called a Spending Fast ® to get your ass in gear to start paying off debt and start saving money. After reading her story, I realized that it wouldn't be too unrealistic to think that we could do the same thing. Maybe not in just fifteen short months, but if we are diligent, it won't take too long.

I realize that not everything is going to be black and white; "Yes" and "No".

For example, if we're out of the house and need to eat or drink, we will. But considering we can't eat basically anywhere fast food is served anyway (we're Vegan!), we will try to go to a grocery store. That will be a positive as far as money and health are concerned.

"Won't it be boring?" Maybe. But it's not like we don't have enough to do at home / cheap / free outside of home... I think it looks more daunting than it will actually end up being.

"What about spending for your boys?" They're the biggest reason we're doing this. We have too much in debt to be able to relax; we can't do everything we'd like because too much goes to bills each month. We want to end up maybe buying a home in a few years... And we definitely aren't in a position to do that today.

We've taken Anna's advice and outlined two lists; "My Needs" and "My Wants". The "My Needs" list will be things that we absolutely have to use money on. Period. The "My Wants" list will be things that we will not be spending money on. Of course, there are always going to be situations where spending money will be necessary, but it's our goal to not do that. I'm going to be blogging the whole thing, so if we slip up (I should say when; just being realistic,) you will know about it. And just as Anna wrote, our list can't be totally comprehensive, but this is a pretty good start.

What I Will Have To Spend Money On (My Needs)

Rent

Utilities (unplug more often, use less water, etc)

Car Payment

Gas

Car Insurance

License Plates

Car Upkeep

Credit Card Bills (work on paying off...)

Food

Toiletries & Essentials (toilet paper, dish soap, etc; try homemade / using greener versions...)

Cell Phones

Internet

Anything the Boys Need (diapers, clothing if they've outgrown theirs...)

Pet Stuff (litter, food...)

Faucet Filters

School-related items (text books, paper, etc for when Pooh starts Kindergarten this Autumn...)

Our handfasting (we're married but are having a handfasting sometime this year.)

What I'm Not Spending Money On (My Wants)

Credit Cards (here I mean not using the money once it's available...)

Starbucks (or any other treats...)

Going Out To Eat

Collectibles (comics, action figures, pop vinyls...)

Thrifting

Garage Sales

Body Modifications

Etsy

Clothes & Accessories (Shoes, purses...)

Unnecessary "usuals" (Perfume, candles...)

Unnecessary pet stuff (toys, catnip, fish tank statues...)

Stuff For the Apartment (dishes, tapestries, tchotchkes...)

Gifts (family and friends will understand and hopefully appreciate cards and homemade gifts...)

Random things we didn't budget for (photobooth pictures, souvenirs, gas station snacks...)

Most trips (if we plan a trip, it'll be local and as cheap as possible...)

Our plan is to basically do what we can at first... With hubs having to take off a few weeks for the birth of our second boy (and only getting paid for one of those weeks,) we don't really know what we'll be looking like money-wise. But after he goes back to work and we're back to getting regular paychecks, then we'll figure that out. We're thinking that when we pay off something, we'll use part of it to pay toward another thing and then a small portion of that will go into savings. I know, it's a super inventive idea... Haha.

I'll be posting about our Spending Fast pretty often... In years past, when I've done "Mission 101" projects, I've made big lists of cheap / free ideas to do... So I'll be sharing things like that, too.

Instead of making a post every time we slip up or pay something off, I'll write about it here on my Spending Fast Updates page. I'll mention most when I post as well, but I thought having them all in the same place would be a good idea.

Alright, well... here's to being debt free!!

Spending Fast ® via And Then We Saved

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Vegan Nut Butter Cookies

noreply@blogger.com (Lauren Douglas Creative) — Mon, 19 Jan 2015 10:00:00 +0000

Until I was pregnant with our first son, I was never a sweets person. Unless I wanted some specific chocolate-y thing, that is. My craving with him were all things sweet. And while I don't sit here and eat my weight's worth of chocolate any more, I never let go of that new-found love for sweets.

My husband, on the other hand, has always been a huge lover of sweets. Our oldest son, thankfully, doesn't have much of a sweet tooth. He is perfectly content having just one cookie (or sometimes none at all.)

Well, he really liked these cookies and definitely asked for more than one. We followed a recipe by Blissful Basil, found here. What we hand on hand wasn't exactly what was called for; and we ended up using half peanut butter and half almond butter. But they turned out perfect. Just the right amount of tender, crumbly and deeeeelicious. If you're in the mood for something sweet (or happen to have the ingredients on hand; everything used in these cookies are staples we almost always have,) then I suggest you give these Vegan nut-butter cookies a try!

I'll be sharing a Vegan ranch dressing recipe soon!

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Weekend Plans & A Vegan Grocery List

noreply@blogger.com (Lauren Douglas Creative) — Fri, 16 Jan 2015 14:27:00 +0000

We're big on travel. It's always local; always in Ohio or very close in the surrounding states. But it's been our entertainment outlet for years. Driving new places, finding new favourite cities... Most often, we drive to one of the larger cities we're familiar with and then just drive around a bit until we find something interesting. We don't have smart phones and until this past few months, didn't have a GPS either (but now we do; thanks, Dad!) So we basically stick to my (great, if I do say so myself) sense of direction. (Which I'm so thankful for, considering hubs doesn't have much of a sense of direction at all.)

I am the driver in the relationship; hubs doesn't mind driving but I love, love, loooove it.

Our favourite and most-frequent trips are an hour / an hour and a half South to visit specialty stores like Whole Foods. We make that trip usually monthly (more in the warmer months,) to just buy groceries. But considering that Roo will be here in just a few short weeks, we want our lifestyle to be sustainable, whether or not we're able to be able to (or want to) make that trip.

So what we're planning on doing this weekend is visiting different local stores to see what we can stock up on here. Our goal is to buy a pantry (or something to act as a pantry,) and build a nice little stash of food. And if we can't get everything we need here, then we'll make that trip. But I'm really excited to push our boundaries and see what we can do local.

I thought I would share my giant grocery list for this weekend. (It doesn't include flour, flax seeds, baking soda, coconut oil (we have four giant jars of it,) agave nectar, EVOO (we don't use it much at all; maybe once every few months, but we have it on hand,) salt & other random spices... Because we already have those items; we always try to.)

VEGAN GROCERY LIST

FRESH FRUIT
Bananas (enough for a week)
Lemons (1-2)
Tomatoes (a goooood amount)

FRESH VEGGIES
20lb Potatoes
10-20 Large Onions (White and a couple of red) (or 2-4 bags)
4 Heads of Garlic
3 Large Bags of Carrots
1 Red Bell Pepper
Broccoli

GRAINS, BEANS, LENTILS
40lb Rice
15lb Pinto Beans
15lb Red Beans
15lb Great Northern Beans
10 Cans Butter Beans
Lots of Chickpeas
2 cups Sesame Seeds
Lentils
Cornmeal
Dried Yeast

SPICES, EXTRACTS
Oregano
Cumin
Cajun
Bay Leaves
Vanilla Extract
Nooch
Mustard Seeds
Cayenne Pepper

FREEZER, FRIDGE
12 Bags Frozen Fruit
12 Bags Frozen Veggies
2 Tubs Vegan Butter
2 Packages Daiya Cheddar Slices
Daiya Cheddar Shreds

OILS, ETC
White Vinegar
ACV
Raw Local Honey (get a few since we're using the hell out of it)
Lemon Juice
Maple Syrup
Grapeseed Oil

NOT COLD
4 Big Applesauces
3 Packages Tofu
12 Boxes of Pasta
1-2 Boxes Cupboard Soy and 5-6 Boxes Cupboard Almond Milk (original, unsweetened)
4 Bags Coconut Sugar
2-3 Loaves Bread
Nut Butter

Some of the items could be made from scratch; applesauce (super simple) to name one. We are planning on making our own pasta sauce, ketchup, bbq sauce, mustard, hummus, Vegan ranch dressing and Vegan "parmesan cheese" to name a few. But instead of making every single thing from scratch in the next couple of weeks, we thought it'd be easier (and probably cheaper since we don't want to waste food) to just buy some of the pre-made things in an effort to not overwhelm ourselves. We also don't generally buy Vegan butter but once every couple of months, but I figured if we're stocking up, it might as well be on the list. And when it comes to Daiya cheese, we actually *never* buy it. But I'm wanting to try and make some Vegan mac & chee, Vegan pizza and Vegan grilled chee sandwiches (with homemade tomato soup!) so... those are on there, too. Those definitely aren't normally in our kitchen, though.

I will be posting soon about stocking a Vegan pantry (and kitchen!) and how this list has worked for us.

What are your plans for this weekend? Anything exciting like grocery shopping? (I actually super love it.)

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Vegan No-Bake Cookie Recipe

noreply@blogger.com (Lauren Douglas Creative) — Thu, 15 Jan 2015 16:42:00 +0000

When my husband and I were dating, his mother would frequently make no-bake cookies. She always made obscene amounts and I usually went home with a decent amount (I'm talking about a large tupperware container, here) to ~~eat all by myself~~ share with my parents. We have no idea what ingredients his mother used in her no-bakes, but we are sure that they weren't Vegan.

We have been Vegan since April 2013 and haven't eaten no-bake cookies since long before then. We were missing (and craving!) them something fierce! Hubs finally had enough and searched high and low for a recipe. Nothing we found was exactly what we were looking for, so we ended up playing around and made our own based on our needs.

They were so delectable and decadent that we made them twice in two days.

I thought I'd share the recipe we ended up using so maybe some of you could try these out.

Hint: You should.

Recipe for Vegan No-Bake Cookies:
Adapted from this recipe.
This makes about 3 dozen-ish cookies, all depending on how big your plops of cookie are.
It takes only a few minutes to make; maybe 10-15; but if you let them cool, it obviously takes longer.
You'll want to make sure you have everything measured and ready before starting!
1/2c peanut butter
3c oats (we used quick-cooking oats because we had those on hand)
1tsp vanilla extract
4tbsp cocoa powder (unsweetened)
1/2c Vegan butter
1/2c unsweetened almond milk
1 3/4c coconut sugar

Instructions:
1. Grab a large saucepan.
2. Stir unsweetened almond milk, Vegan butter, cocoa powder and coconut sugar.
3. Let boil and start timing once it starts boiling. Let it cook for 1 1/2 minutes.
4. Take off of stove, stir in peanut butter, quick-cooking oats and vanilla extract.
5. Plop onto wax paper or Silpat.
6. Let cool. (Totally optional and not recommended. They are perfect fresh and warm. Just as delicious cooled but... come on...)
7. Enjoy!!!

We also made a batch of nut butter cookies recently, too. I'll write about that soon. We've been on a sweet kick lately!

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Getting Ready

noreply@blogger.com (Lauren Douglas Creative) — Tue, 13 Jan 2015 13:52:00 +0000

My blog is currently under construction but I wanted to share what we've been doing to get ready for Roo lately!

In regards to the blog, instead of going through every old post and resizing photos manually to fit the new width of my blog, I'm leaving them as-is. It's not the most aesthetically pleasing, but no matter.

This past weekend, we took the doors off of our upper kitchen cabinets. We had contemplated doing it for some time, but finally took the plunge. We also purged a lot of our dishes and random kitchen supplies. We cleaned the fridge, stove, floor, dishes, cabinets... you name it, we took care of it!

We are so in love with our kitchen now. I love peeking in there in the middle of the night and just breathing a sigh of contentment. We have such big plans, though! This summer, we are planning on painting most things in our kitchen white and then painting a couple random things (window trim, top cabinet trim) green! We also want to add some shelves in front of the window to add more beautiful planties! We have two cacti currently; I definitely want to bring more in! We also want to add a tiered fruit hanging basket and maybe somewhere to dry herbs. Ooh, it's going to be so perfect!

All that really needs done is some more organizing; mostly because we'd just like to purge a decent amount more before Rowan gets here. We don't want or need so much. But our hospital bag (and Lennon's bag to take to Gran and Poppy's house) are mostly packed, baby stuff is washed and organized... The carseat is installed and we have basically everything we need, thankfully. We are all set! I'd like to write a review for all of the lovely items we've recently bought from Etsy. I will do that as soon as the last few things arrive.

I'm planning on sharing my little remedy for sinus and allergies on the blog soon. I sure know it's been a blessing to us here!

I have been so blissed out today. I have so many wonderful ideas for my blog. My amazing friend, Corrine, who blogs over at Wolf Den Holistic Farm, inspired me to get back into active blogging. I've spent a good part of the past couple of days over on their blog, helping them make it fit their lifestyle. I love that my friends appreciate what I'm good at. Thank the Stars for good friends.

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In 2015

noreply@blogger.com (Lauren Douglas Creative) — Mon, 05 Jan 2015 13:59:00 +0000

I was really holding back as far as goals and being "green"-er went this year because I didn't want to overwhelm myself after Rowan is born. But I decided that if I don't think I can take on much, then I can't.

So I will.

I am going to breastfeed, (never have before,) we are going to cloth diaper once Roo is a couple of months old, we're going to eat healthier, be more active, spend more time in nature as a family, spend more time making art and learning...
We're going to use less processed things and make less waste... I want to compost this year...

I AM SO EXCITED.

I am totally overwhelmed but not in the way I normally am. Normally me being overwhelmed is me giving up on it but.. No.

This is good.
And a journey.
And doesn't need to all be done in one day.

AHH YES.

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Life lately; New Year

noreply@blogger.com (Lauren Douglas Creative) — Mon, 05 Jan 2015 02:04:00 +0000

So life lately has been great! I'm 31w3d pregnant today! We have twice-weekly appointments at my doc's office to keep an eye on the pregnancy; and we're doing fantastic, thank the gods. Matthew got me the most lovely jewelry for Yule; two rings with each of the boys' names on them and a necklace with a cesarean goddess with "love" on her belly (the other thing came with it and it was a gift from the shop! I'll talk more about them later.)

We put the car seat into the car yesterday! What else... We finished washing all of Roo's clothes and now all of his stuff is nice and ready for him! We spent this past weekend cleaning, organizing and relaxing... It was great!

We've made some deeeeelicious food lately. Holy moly. No bake cookies, mashed potatoes, gravy... I could go on, oh good gods. Yum!

Our kitties have all been so snuggly lately. I love my meow meows! And what else... we took a trip to Mohican a few days back just to get some nice, fresh air during a warmer (almost 50 degree!) day. So nice!

Oh! Rowan's middle name is Sage; I don't believe I've written that on my blog yet, considering it's been forevvvver since I wrote. Roo's full name is Rowan Sage Douglas. Rowan is an Irish name meaning "little red-headed one" and Sage means "wise one" and is a cleansing, healing plant. I just recently found out that the Moon during February - March is the Sage moon. And the Celtic month of the Rowan tree is January - February. I am so overwhelmed by the clear divine intention given to us in finding his name. How perfect! Now let's see if he comes out with red hair; there's a good chance he may! Life has been good, we're just so, so busy. Sooo busy.

My word for the new year is present. As in, I want to be more present in the new year. Matthew's chosen word is harmony. I might have him guest-write a post about why he chose that word.

Okay, well... I think it's about time for bed. I hope all is well. Well wishes for the pregnancy and birth would be appreciated! Maybe I won't end up writing until after Roo is born! We'll see! (Roo is Rowan's nickname. Pooh is Lennon's and Roo is another character on the show... it rhymes... aaaaand I guess it just kind of.. stuck.)

I'm still pretty active over on Instagram. I'm @LaurenDouglasCreative if you want to follow my feed!

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