Reckless Bliss

Pin-Smitten

2012-09-12T18:23:00.001-07:00

By now everyone has Pinterest and if you don’t you’re probably either a boy or have a life. In case you are interested in seeing my unhealthy addiction to pinning you can follow my boards HERE.

Anyhow, every now and then I like to share some of my favorite pins with my reader peeps aka: you. So here is a selection of some of the pics tickling my fancy lately on Pinterest:

One of the only things I am addicted to equally as much as Pinterest are pumpkin spice lattes. I’m willing to bet I’m not alone in this. This pin confirms that.

I 100% agree with this sign but what really seals the deal for me is the top left corner that randomly says, “Kittens”. I have no clue what it is referring to but just the word is enough to please me.

Speaking of our feline friends…

Every once in awhile I feel like Pinterest is in my head. But then I realize I’m just not alone in my crazy quirks and we’re all a little mental.

It’s also a fun source for pictures of your favorite celebs like these two goofy dames.

One of my favorite boards I pin to is just random memories of being a kid. I completely forgot about most of my childhood shenanigans but thanks to Pinterest I’ve been able to get my nostalgia on.

Need a source for fun or inspiring quotes? Check!

With no actual plans to wed on the horizon it’s only natural of course that one of my biggest boards is imaginary wedding plans that could rival the likes of the Royal Wedding. What’s the point in fantasizing if it doesn’t border the extreme? Go big or go home right?

Speaking of la-la-land, I pin a lot of “haute couture” I will only ever wear in my head. Probably for the best anyways, I tend to spill. Thanks anyway Chanel!

Another one of my fave boards is my “Bucket List” board. It’s a fun reminder to have goals and go out and live life. I also have an accomplished goals board because, let’s be honest, who doesn’t enjoy a little pat on the back?

What are some of your favorite things to pin? Do you have a mild obsession too? Share the pinning love!

All these pictures are from the website www.Pinterest.com

-Snapshot Of The Week-

2012-08-14T01:10:00.001-07:00

“I truly believe that we can overcome any hurdle that lies before us and create the life we want to live. I have seen it happen time and time again.”

-Ms Gillian Anderson

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My Favorite Things Part VIII

2012-08-05T16:28:00.001-07:00

It’s about a million degrees outside and we’ve been spending this long weekend digging a trench around our house but more on that later. In case you’re curious, the spunky kitten above is named Krumb. My mom is currently fostering him and his three equally cute siblings. He is certainly one of my favorite things but that’s wildly obvious. I haven’t done a “favorite things” post in about 9 months even though they’re one of my favorite things to write about. If you want a quick way to make you smile then keep a list of your favorite things (have I said “favorite things” enough times yet?) and randomly add to it when you think of something new. Then when you’re feeling crummy, read over the list and it will perk you up. Here goes my latest:

1. Catching an old episode of a show you loved as a kid on T.V. Ahhh, nostalgia!

2. Fashion (I bet you thought I was going to say the lovely Kate Middleton) Whether or not you can afford, pull it off, or your tastes just run to the extreme, I think most people can appreciate the beauty in a well dressed person.

3. Stories of love and redemption against the odds. Easiest way to make me cry is a real life happy ending to any life on this earth that has struggled. (P.S. This is Oogy, if you would like to hear his story click here)

4. Hand written letters. I only ever see my Mom writing these because she’s the last person on earth not to own a computer but whenever I do see it it always kind of makes me wish I sent and received more of them. It’s a nice personal touch. I’ve heard of some people sending out a hand written letter to a random address and seeing if they write back. It’s sort of a fun idea to try out, or maybe just back and forth to a friend or relative. Either way, I wish we wrote more of them.

5. The anticipation you feel before starting a book you’ve wanted to read for a long time. For me it’s like reuniting with a lover. You’ve spent so much time thinking about it and finally you can be together! Sometimes it ends badly and you’re disappointed but if you’re lucky, it’s a long lasting love affair. (The Bell Jar is on my list of books I want/need to read)

6. A piece of art that actually makes you feel something. I find it really hard to choose artwork because I’m so picky and I get bored easily so when I find something I love it’s very exciting.

7. Checking off an item on your bucket list no matter how small. It’s a great feeling!

8. Fresh flowers. We always say not to do it, it’s a waste of money, it’s not worth it, yadda yadda, but let’s be honest, (unless you're deathly allergic) everyone secretly loves getting a beautiful bouquet of flowers for any reason because it feels like a wonderful luxury. Accept the appreciation and smell those flowers at every chance!

9. Planning your fake wedding on Pinterest. I know it isn’t just me, there are more of you out there! If you would like to attend my fake wedding click here, no rsvp required.

10. Farm animals. I think it’s fairly obvious I am an animal lover by now but there’s something about farm animals that I find so beautiful and majestic when they're allowed to be. I would absolutely love to have a little farm one day just so I could spend more time around the personalities of these creatures.

11. DIY crafts that are low on time and big on WOW. Some of the DIY crafts I see are so intricate and time consuming that I’d rather just buy the real deal so it’s nice to come by a craft that is actually simple and fun. This one is a knock off from Pottery Barn and is so cool for Halloween. Check it out here.

12. A beautifully decorated dessert. It’s art, adore it, bow down to it. Then tear into like a lion on a zebra!

So that’s my dozen favorites for this sweltering 2012 August. I’m always curious to hear about yours too so feel free to share them!

(Reckless Bliss is not compensated in any way to share favorite things. I share out of love.)

-Snapshot Of The Week-

2012-07-26T16:54:00.001-07:00

“I've always had a fascination for animals. I loved watching them, and even then I thought of them as beings rather than pets. I call it a birth affect!”

-Ms Tippi Hedren

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In The Kitchen With Mango Spring Rolls

2012-07-21T16:53:00.001-07:00

Ok folks, it’s “In The Kitchen” time which is probably my favorite time because I love me food. I find it fundamentally strange when people say eat to live, don’t live to eat. Can’t I do both? And what better food to eat during these excruciatingly hot summer months (yes, it gets hot in Canada too believe it or not) than to indulge in a super healthy and more importantly, oven free meal? I found the recipe for these spring rolls in Chef Roberto Martin’s new cookbook, Vegan Cooking For Carnivores.

Before you start moving your mouse over to the close button, WAIT! Vegan is not a scary, tasteless, or hippie word. Or at least not anymore. Spring rolls are a great example of food that tastes lovely and doesn’t involve a single animal to make. You can see the recipe in full at the bottom of this post. I’m also including a video of Chef Martin preparing another version of spring rolls on The Ellen Show below (he happens to be her and Portia’s personal chef. Lucky ladies!) so you can check that out too. I’ll be adjusting this recipe to what I happened to have on hand at the time so they wont be the exact same recipe but that’s another fabulous feature of this meal. You can make it a zillion different ways and have it taste like heaven every time.

The steps are super easy. Basically take all your veggies out of the fridge and chop up what you fancy. I went with lettuce, red and orange peppers, green onion, carrots and mango. Be sure to dice up everything nice and small so it will easily fill your rice paper roll.

Then I added some herbs from my garden which is so stupidly exciting for me. Something about having grown it myself and having it on hand when I need it is exhilarating. Some people like to jump out of planes, I have an herb garden.

I added cilantro, mint, and basil chopped finely. You can also cut some thin slices of avocado at this point and put them to the side to add with your filling later. Now pause and take a whiff of your bowl for the smells of summer at its finest.

This was my first time using rice paper but it was easier to use than opening and heating a can of beans. You literally just need to dip a sheet in some warm water for about 20 seconds and you’re good to go. I used a cookie sheet so the entire rice paper sheet can be moistened at once. The higher the temp of the water the quicker it will be ready to use.

Lay your sheet out on a cutting board and straighten it out, checking for tears and holes.

Now scoop a big spoonful of your filling onto the sheet about 1/3rd down from the top.

Add a couple slices of avocado and sprinkle on a little pepper if you dig it.

Then roll the bottom of the sheet up and over the filling and tuck it underneath nice and snugly. It reminded me of rolling up my sleeping bag as a kid except you wont have to stuff this into a ridiculously tiny bag once you roll it all the way up.

Now you want to flip both sides of the roll towards the center to seal up the sides. The moisture from the rice paper acts as an awesome glue to hold everything together so it’s really a cinch to get right. Then you just finish rolling it out to the end.

And viola, there’s your completed spring roll! I cut each of these babies on a diagonal so you can see the colorful goodness inside and arranged them on a plate all fancy-like:

This would be an awesome starter at a party or served with a summer BBQ. We had them as our dinner and they were perfect. I could eat them like potato chips. What’s also great is they are incredibly filling but you’re full of guilt-free food so everyone’s a winner :)

The dipping sauce for these guys is super flavorful. It’s also crazy painless to make too. Check out the recipe in full below for the instructions on the rolls and how to make a yummy sauce to dunk them in:

Mango Spring Rolls

Rolls:

1 package Rice Paper

2-3 cups of Lettuce, finely chopped (I used romaine)

1 Red and Orange Pepper, finely chopped

1 Medium Size Carrot, grated or cut finely

1 Mango, diced

1/2 cup Green Onions, finely chopped

1 Handful Each of Cilantro, Mint and Basil, roughly chopped

2 Avocados, in slices

Sauce:

Juice of 1 Lemon, Lime, and Orange

1 tsp Fresh Ginger Grated

1 Clove Garlic, minced

1/2 cup Soy Sauce

1/2 cup Water

Directions:

Combine all the vegetables for rolls except avocados in a large bowl and mix well. Lay a sheet of rice paper in warm water for 20 seconds. Lay paper out on flat surface and spoon filling onto lower portion of paper. Add 1 or slice of avocado and fold the bottom of rice paper over the filling tucking it snugly underneath. Fold over the sides of the paper towards the center to seal sides. Continue rolling to the end of sheet and slice roll in half. arrange on plate.

For sauce, whisk all the ingredients together in a bowl.

Enjoy.

And that’s all it takes. It’s a great way to beat the heat and get your fresh summer veggie servings. What kinds of things do you cook during summer that avoid the dreaded oven? Share your thoughts!

And as promised, here is Chef Martin preparing a similar version of these rolls on The Ellen Show:

(All photos are property of Reckless Bliss)

Summer Lovin’ 2012

2012-07-10T23:19:00.000-07:00

Last summer I shared with you folks what all the happenings were in my little neck of the woods. You can see that post here if you wish. This is my second summer in our first home and although summer is still in its early stages I thought I’d give you a look-see into my present life during these sun shiny days.

I purchased these sweet little porcelain garden markers from Chapters at 50% off (score!). This summer I’ve mostly stuck with herbs like mint and lavender but I’m hoping to learn some mad gardening skills and by next summer be able to grow everything you see labelled above. As a vegan lady it’s exciting to think one day I can cut way back on grocery shopping and just eat from my backyard the food I’ve put my hard working hands into. Or fail miserably with a bunch of dead plants…. who knows! :)

A big part of my summer lovin’ consists of buying sweet sweet local berries. I’ve been gulping down fruit smoothies in the morning as opposed to my regular steaming hot coffee since I feel like sweaty moose is not a great look for me-unless I’m kicking butt at the gym. Smoothies are such a satisfying way to fill your tummy up sans the guilt and sneak in all the yucky health powders and stuff people like to consume. I add maca powder, chia seeds and a B12 powder to mine for an extra nutrition boost. See more about those products here.

My galfriend gave me this hearty white ikea planter and every summer I put it by my front door to brighten up our entrance and give you a burst of flowery scent when you come and go. This year I filled it with some sunny begonias and other bright blooms. It feels extra jolly to come home to some peppy flowers.

I have to admit summer is not my favorite of all the seasons. I rather enjoy the crisp chill of a brisk Autumn day but when my pink roses come into bloom I forget all about the sweltering heat and feel downright jubilant. I can be a majorly prissy girl I know, but there’s just something so gosh dang pretty about roses growing in your yard. On that note here’s one of my favorite cheesy “think positive” quotes:

Instead of complaining about the thorns on the rose bush, be grateful that the thorn bush has roses.

These are my sweet “Welcome to our Home” flowers in my front door basket. Yes, more pink! I loves me some pink. I can’t remember the name of these little cuties but they are small flowering buds that stay fairly compact and are super easy to maintain. I know this because I tend to inadvertently kill most plants but these guys are hanging tough (while being adorbs!)

I’ve also been doing something I’m very good at: evoking my inner consumer. I went on a bit of a shopping spree with my lady friend and bought some spiffy new stuff. I found this daffodil scarf for $15 at Chapters and it’s one of those fantastically gigantic ones you can do all sorts of different things with (good thing you pinned “600+ ways to tie scarves” on Pinterest last week!) The tangerine ring is from H&M and only set me back $7. I have a serious “big funky rings” addiction. The lipstick is from Sephora (a store that could empty my bank account in one visit if I’m not on high alert) in a really sweet shade of, you guessed it, PINK. My skin is paler than a scoop of vanilla ice cream (I have a little chat about that fact here) so I can’t pull of the fun coral colors that you tanner beauties can or I’ll look like a clown. A soft pink is always my go-to color, this one is called Lovable. And lastly I picked up this adorable little book Baby Cakes from my local library for some sweet vegan treat ideas to make for weekend get togethers with my chums. It’s a pretty awesome little book, I recommend checking it out.

My other little shopping spree consisted of something a touch more extravagant. Recently my iPhone decided it was done being alive and just checked out. No good-bye letter, no forwarding address, just a cold hard black screen of hatred. I felt like I was missing a leg for the three or so days I had no phone. What did people do before cell phones? How do you leave the house without a phone? What if I was out and saw something mildly interesting or funny? How would I instantly tell everyone I know about it?!……. Anarchy!

So I walked into Best Buy all confident that I wouldn’t get swept up into any fancy sales footwork and walked out of Best Buy with Samsung’s brand new Galaxy S3, a nifty case and the extended protection plan. That sales person was smooooth! (I also found out I was his first sale, so maybe I just lack smoothness?) What I found silly was that I am so unhip and non-trendy that I had no clue this was the new “gotta have it” cell phone. I didn’t even look at the display model before I bought it; the salesmen just said this was the phone to get and I blindly agreed. What can I say? I was delirious from not being able to read tweets on-the-go. I would have bought a phone made of asbestos and the tears children if it had a data plan and a decent camera. Addictions are no joke people!

Anywho, after using my new phone in public and being constantly asked by excited strangers about it, I realized I fell head first into the latest trend. I suddenly felt like putting on my sunglasses and strutting my stuff.

At any given time in my life, a portion will consist of animal loving because I am one of those psycho: “Don’t swat at the flies!” “My cats are my children!” “What’s the harm in the racoons eating the leftovers out of the trash can? It’s not like we need them!” kind of person. My Ma is currently fostering four little black kittens. This cute little man above is named Luigi and is available for adoption to a good home.

Now for cuteness x4:

A hug full of sunshine is what this is. These four little tykes are all up for grabs to a home brimming with love. (IF you can pry them from my arms!)

And speaking of tykes. This is my little guy Henri who I’m always happy to be welcomed home by. Don’t be fooled by his sophisticated stance, this guy is a handful and a half. Curiosity with total disregard for safety and/or home furnishings is the definition of Henri.

Last but not least, what would summer be without spending time with your friends? My fella and I share in quality time with our friends and our godson whenever the opportunity presents itself and can you blame us? Look at that face. Not the virile hairy one with the deep brown eyes; that’s my guy:) I’m talking about the bald little goof-troop who is pleased as punch sitting in his big buddy’s lap!

Of course not nearly as pleased as when he’s sitting in Auntie’s lap! The boy has good taste.

So how is you Summer coming along so far? Any exciting plans or just relaxing in the sunshine with some delicious ice tea?

(Photos property of Reckless Bliss with the exception of #8)

-Snapshot Of The Week-

2012-07-05T03:39:00.001-07:00

“When I’m old and gray, I want to have a house by the sea and paint with a lot of wonderful chums, good music, and booze around. And a damn good kitchen to cook in.”

-Ms Ava Gardner

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Diane Keaton’s $5.6 Million Home

2012-07-01T03:55:00.001-07:00

Diane Keaton isn’t just an Oscar winning actress, director, photographer, and philanthropist, she also has “home flipper extraordinaire” listed on her already stacked resume. Ms Keaton has been known to purchase houses and restore them for resale all while remaining an A-list star (Suddenly I feel like a major under-achiever...) Although this adorable three year old Cape Cod style home is not currently on the market it wouldn’t be surprising to see it listed soon since she is known for purchasing, flipping and selling homes quickly.

Let’s take a look-see inside at some of Keaton’s mad skills:

The home is located in the Pacific Palisades, California and has 7,800 square feet for her and her two children, Duke and Dexter, to stretch out and relax in. Within that massive space there are a total of six bedrooms and nine bathrooms.

I feel anti-feminist just saying this but is there a woman alive who doesn’t love a gigantic beautiful kitchen island? If there is, we probably wouldn’t get along.

Of course the house has all the usual top of the line frills like a movie theater, wine room, gym and game room. If you’ve got 7,800 square feet to fill then why not right? I’m really digging the warm open living and kitchen area.

This bedroom reminds me a lot of the interior design from Keaton’s film “Something’s Gotta Give” which you can see more of on my post about Hampton style homes here. Men simply don’t understand the importance of a bed properly stacked with lovely pillows.

What do you guys think of Ms Diane Keaton’s purdy home?

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Happy Birthday Canada, Eh

2012-06-26T04:47:00.001-07:00

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O Canada!

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Our home and native land!

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True patriot love in all thy sons command.

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With glowing hearts we see the rise,

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The Truth North strong and free!

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From far and wide

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O Canada, we stand on guard for thee.

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God keep our land glorious and free!

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O Canada, we stand on guard for thee.

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O Canada, we stand on guard for thee.

A very Happy 145th Birthday this July 1st to the place

I’m proud to call my home!

-Snapshot Of The Week-

2012-06-12T16:40:00.001-07:00

“Do what you feel in your heart to be right- for you'll be criticized anyway. You'll be damned if you do, and damned if you don't.”

-Ms Eleanor Roosevelt

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Color Inspiration: Turquoise

2012-06-08T00:38:00.000-07:00

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Enjoy your weekend my beauties!

-Snapshot Of The Week-

2012-06-01T21:17:00.001-07:00

“Find something you're passionate about and keep tremendously interested in it.”

-Ms Julia Child

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Salt, Baking Soda and Vinegar, Oh My!

2012-05-28T21:51:00.001-07:00

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Hey folks, lately I’ve been trying to find some green solutions for house cleaning and just life in general. After doing a little digging I’m pretty amazed by how many “around the house” items can tackle so many jobs that I had been using harsher chemicals on. It’s cheaper, easier and better for you and your family to be exposed to, so what’s not to love about that right? Because I want you all to live greener and cleaner, as well as just knowing some groovy tricks in a pinch, I’m going to share with you some tips I’ve discovered using your typical household arsenal of products.

Vinegar:

Vinegar is such a useful household must-have. You can buy it dirt cheap in large quantities and use it as an alternative from the expensive products you would normally purchase:

1. Get the funk out of well used lunchboxes. Soak a piece of bread in vinegar then leave it in your lunchbox overnight and it will absorb the smell.

2. Soothe a sunburn or dry skin by lightly rubbing white vinegar on the affected area.

3. Forget about buying the fancy “stainless-steel cleaners” just dip a cloth in vinegar and wipe down your appliances, pots, etc.

4. Get the icky odors out of your clothes. If you smell like smoke or in my fella’s case, sulphur (from a site job-very smelly!) mix a cup of vinegar in with your laundry detergent while doing a wash and the smell will be demolished.

5. Soak your wilted vegetables in two cups of water and a tablespoon of vinegar to liven them up.

6.Make an irritating job much simpler. Using an extra gardening glove dip your fingers in equal parts water and vinegar then run your fingers along your blinds for easy cleaning of dust.

7. Clean those ugly sticker decals and price tags off by saturating the corners in vinegar then scraping them with a credit card. Any remaining glue left behind can can be wiped clean with more vinegar application.

8. Mix 1/4 cup vinegar with one cup water and bring it to a boil in the microwave to loosen all the food particles for easy cleaning as well as deodorize it.

9. Spray your furniture and other areas you don’t want those naughty pussycats clawing at.

10. Clean your garbage disposal by mixing equal parts water and vinegar into ice cube trays. Once a week drop a few cubes into the disposal. Rinse with cold water after.

Salt:

It has tons of uses other than just flavoring your grub so keep plenty on hand and you can put these tips to good use:

1. Salt works as an awesome stain remover. As an abrasive stain remover, sprinkle it on top of the stained surface (ie bathtub, counter etc.) and give it some elbow grease with a damp cloth. If you spill something like wine on fabric, blot up the excess liquid and then sprinkle this magic powder over top. Once it’s dry vacuum it up and rinse with a bit of cold water. Mix salt with some lemon juice and you can remove rust and mildew. Your stains don’t stand a chance!

2. Bugs hate salt! If you have a bug issue like ants mobilizing troops outside your home (a problem at my house every summer) sprinkle some salt around and they’ll retreat and wave the white flag. If your dog is crawling with fleas, let him take a dip in the ocean and he’ll be itch free -not to mention a very happy pooch assuming he likes water.

3. Get a bee sting this summer? Rinse it immediately then cover it with salt. No more pain for you.

4. If your unsure whether your eggs are still fresh, fear not. Combine two teaspoons of salt with one cup of water and place the egg into the water. Fresh eggs sink, not-so-fresh eggs float.

5. Salt removes odors like nobody’s business. If you have garlic or oniony smelling hands, rub them with lemon and salt. If your cutting board is smelling funky, cover it with a generous helping of salt and rub with a damp cloth then rinse it in soapy water. If your food boils over in your oven while baking, toss some salt on top to stop the burning smell then brush it away after the oven cools. No more stink fests at your house!

6. A pinch of salt in your vase will keep your freshly cut flowers perky a little while longer.

7. Pour salt over a grease fire to extinguish it quickly and safely. (Never use water)

8. Put your sliced apples or potatoes in a bowl of salted water to prevent them from turning brown.

9. Shake your artificial flowers in a bag with some salt (feel free to dance while doing this for added enjoyment) and your faux-flowers will be sparkling clean!

10. Kill poison ivy by mixing three pounds of salt with a gallon of soapy water then spray the leaves with the mixture. Bye-bye ivy!

Baking Soda:

Sodium bicarbonate, as it’s also known as, has been a staple in homes since the dawn of time (ok maybe not that long) but pretty much everyone has it in their home. Typically we have it for baking but the other uses are endless and quite handy:

1. Make a natural oven cleaner by making a paste of baking soda and water. Apply the paste to you oven and leave overnight. It should wipe clean easily in the morning.

2. Put four tablespoons of baking soda down your drains then rinse with hot water to give them a good cleaning.

3. Give laundry an extra boost by throwing 1/4 cup in with your wash

4. Apply it under you arms with a cotton ball and it will act the same as deodorant.

5. Put a cup of soda into your toilet bowl and let it sit for an hour then flush. It will remove odors and clean the bowl

6. Soak your dried beans over night in a baking soda solution to make them more digestible

7. Add a sprinkling to your kitty’s litter box to absorb those wretched smells between cleanings

8. Cure your heartburn by drinking a glass of water mixed with one teaspoon of soda.

9. Add two tablespoons to your baby’s bathwater to relieve diaper rash

10. Freshen up your mattress by sprinkling a light layer of baking soda over your bed when changing your sheets. Leave the soda to sit for a few hours then vacuum it up before putting on fresh sheets.

Hope these have been some informative tips for you to incorporate into your lifestyle. I’ll share some more of my favorite green ideas with you another time.

Have a fabulous week beautiful people!

-Snapshot Of The Week-

2012-05-23T19:31:00.001-07:00

“If you are losing faith in human nature, go out and watch a marathon.”

-Ms Katherine Switzer

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Celine Dion Lists Home For $29.7

2012-05-17T23:31:00.001-07:00

One of my most favorite people, Celine Dion, has listed her breathtaking French-Normandy style home for $29.7 million which just happens to sit on its very own gated 20 acre island. It’s said that she and her husband Rene Angelil want to spend more time in their main place of residency, Las Vegas, while Celine fulfills her performance obligations with Cesar’s Palace.

The home is being sold to include all furnishings and artwork. So all the grief of finding and filling this 24-thousand square foot home is done for you. And might I add that staircase is fit for royalty!

The home has its own private bridge, 3 dining rooms (one formal one which can sit 18 people), three living rooms, double master bedrooms, and a library.

This is the wood paneled library for all your reading needs. I wouldn’t mind curling up on that red sofa and snuggling in with some classic fiction like Bronte or Austen. Every room also has a water view brimming with inspiration and there is an elevator which can take you to any of the four floors the mansion has to offer. (Rich people don’t do four flights of stairs.)

This is one of the double master bedrooms. All the fabric, sheers and draperies are custom made for the home. Is that bed not incredible? Celine has some brilliant taste I must say.

Celine and Rene plan on buying a smaller home in Quebec once her contract is finished with Cesar’s Palace. I am a HUGE fan of hers so it’s kind of a thrill to think about the idea of living in the home of one of your idols. Too bad I’m not filthy rich, or mildly wealthy, or fairly well-off but it could happen….

And of course, like all palatial homes this one has its own wine cellar complete with a tasting room. Can you imagine living in a home that has its own room designated to just get loaded in? Talk about posh!

What do you think of Celine’s French Normandy style home? Too much frills or fabulously exquisite?

Share your thoughts!

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No More Cheese?…. But…. How?

2012-05-17T04:15:00.001-07:00

Happy Thursday my lovely readers. I’ve been absent from the blogger-verse lately because life just seems to be speeding by at a pace that won’t allow for a blog break. My best friend gave birth to her first child (sweetest baby ever!) which I spent most of last week soaking up. I’ve been elbow deep in tootsie kisses and nose nuzzles. I’ve also been researching/making some personal lifestyle changes to improve my health …which is quite time consuming when you want to absorb all the info available. That’s not to say I was unhealthy before but I’m always open to new information or as lady O would say: “living my best life”. I’ve been a vegetarian for about 8 years now and always had the goal in the back of my mind to give up animal products altogether (ie. milk, cheese, eggs, honey etc.) I wanted to do this for several reasons and trust me when I say there are countless reasons but I won’t preach about it because it’s a personal choice for every individual. Back to my original point, I finally achieved my goal of living on a plant-based diet and I’m pleased as punch about it! (Sugar free, 100% juice punch, but punch none the less.)

I love to spread the health-wealth to everyone and because we all deserve long happy lives I thought I’d share with you some of my current discoveries, cravings, and must-haves for my new lifestyle. Whether you consider yourself a carnivore, a herbivore or you just like to try new things, these are all neat ideas worth checking out for yourself:

One of the most interesting and exciting parts of taking up a whole new diet is the recipes. I should mention when I use the word “diet” I don’t mean it in the same way as when you hear, “The Atkins Diet” or “The South Beach Diet”. This is a permanent lifestyle change which is why it has a permanent and positive effect on your health. You don’t give this up in six months when you’ve reached your weight goals just to gain it all back and then some. But as I was saying, there is a whole world of yummy recipes to try. You also get to try foods you’ve never eaten before and have fun just being creative in the kitchen. I’ve honestly never enjoyed cooking as much as I do now. These are three recipes I highly recommend for you to try over this exhausting summer heat. They’re indulgent (in a good way; it’s difficult to gain weight on plant-based foods), super fresh, and soooo delicious: Mint Tahini Pineapple Kale Tofu Wrap

Avocado Mango Broccoli Salad

Cucumber Salad With Creamy Mint Dressing

These are a few of the super “health foods” I’ve found while browsing my local health food stores that I have rather enjoyed the effects of:Maca powder is a super food that is said to increase stamina, boost libido, and combat fatigue. All fabulous and greatly appreciated effects right? It has a slightly nutty taste that I use to sprinkle in my oatmeal and smoothies. This is not cheap stuff but you only need about a teaspoon a day so it does last a long time.

Chia Seeds are bursting with an insane amount of health benefits and are so versatile you can work them into a zillion foods. They offer Omega-3 and Omega-6 essential fatty acids, fiber, protein, calcium, and B-vitamins. They tend to gel when mixed into a liquid but as far as I can tell have zero taste. I throw it in pretty much everything I cook and no one even notices but their bodies are getting all the benefits.

Hemp Hearts are something totally new I’ve discovered and really enjoy. One of the biggest misnomers I hear constantly is: ‘you NEED meat in your diet for the protein.’ I promise you, this is 100% untrue. Yes, there is protein in meat and yes, you NEED protein however, there are so many sources of plant-based protein that meat isn’t worth ingesting the extra fat and other garbage your body doesn’t like. Hemp seeds are one awesome solution to protein (as is the Chia seeds above). Hemp also gives you your omegas and fiber as well. Dr. Oz is said to refer to these cute little seeds as “brain food.”

Flax powder is really great for your diet because of its high concentration of fiber. It fills you up and then cleans you out. It can also act as a great egg replacer. I made some vegan chocolate chip cookies earlier tonight and used this magic powder for just that. 1 tablespoon ground flax and 3 tablespoons water equals one egg. Flax also holds the valuable essential fatty acids we need. If you are taking fish oil for the omegas you can switch to flax oil for the same results sans the dead fish. You can also get flax seeds which are just as versatile in your cooking.

With every beverage I enjoy I tend to be so picky about the ingredients list. It’s got to be water, herbal tea or pure juice that has no additives, sugars etc. because it’s just empty calories I don’t need settling in on my butt. 100% Carrot Juice is one of my favorite health beverages because, well, carrots are healthy duh! I admit I have trouble drinking straight 100% carrot juice from a glass but I do add it to my smoothies which sweetens it naturally and still pumps me full of the goodness it offers. Carrots are outstanding sources of vitamin A, vitamin C, potassium and calcium. Who needs milk? Drink carrot juice!

Goji berries are considered a super food too. They cost a small fortune but they are really yummy. I’ve read that goji berries contain more vitamin C than oranges. They are used in treating diabetes, hypertension, malaria, fever, cancer, and other ailments. I bought a vegan snack with these red beauties, dried coconut, and maca that were so delicious I went out and bought some goji berries (in spite of their high rolling price) just so I could recreate them at home. They’re also great in cereal, homemade granola bars and tea.

Before I decided to make this change in my live I did a ton of mad-scientist reading on the subject of plant-based diets. I don’t like to make decisions lightly or from an uneducated perspective about anything let alone my health. I wanted to know why these diets are beneficial, what they will do for me and my body, and how it’s all put into action in a reasonable and manageable way for my everyday life. I feel like it’s important to know your stuff especially when you meet aggressive people -and you will, should you go down this path- who jump to conclusions about your choices and challenge your views. This has happened a lot to me even as a vegetarian so I knew I’d be up against some “discussions” soon to come. I’ve found that these books were hugely instrumental in my decision to make a change. Even if you know you will never give up your steaks and ice-cream there is still some pivotal information here and making healthful choices isn’t an “all or nothing” decision. Aka: You can have your cake and eat it too! Alicia Silverstone has been getting a lot of flack for her parenting style lately but I choose not to judge. (Maybe because I grew up in the nineties utterly addicted to her movie “Clueless”? But who can say for sure?..) Whether you like her or not, the girl knows her stuff. The Kind Diet is loaded with information that is helpful to everyone, from those who are just emerging into this new world, to those who are pros at it. It walks you through the entire process with such a calm non-judgmental tone to it that you feel like it really is possible for some of these options to work into your lifestyle and you don’t have to feel guilty if you can only make small changes because hey, that’s better than nothing. The Kind Diet is broken into three branches of vegan-ism. There’s “Flirting” which is for the newbies who are considering incorporating this diet into their lives and want to dip their toes in the water. “Vegan” for those that have decided they’re ready to fully commit to cutting out all animal based products and lastly, “Superheroes” which is a section all about the best of the best food for you to eat. Check it out from your library, order it on Amazon, or borrow it from a friend because it is an awesome read.

This book totally changed my way of thinking and is really what started me on this path to improving myself. Eating Animals by Jonathan Safran Foer (author of Extremely Loud and Incredibly Close) is mind blowing. You will look at everything on your plate in a totally different light. He approaches the subject of eating animals from a completely neutral point of view at the start of the book having battled with the decision for years. He and his wife have just had their first child and he feels like he has to stop jumping back and forth between eating animals and not eating them and just make a final choice for the sake of his son. This propels him into a research endeavor to find out for himself whether or not it is beneficial to eat animals. What I love about this book is he isn’t preaching anything, he isn’t hiding anything and he is brutally honest about all of his findings. He interviews vegans, farmers, slaughterhouse employees, and more. No stone is left unturned in his venture. Think “Eat, Pray, Love” but Italy is his grandmother’s kitchen, India is factory farms, and Bali is slaughterhouses. Sounds like a weird comparison I know and I’d be curious to know if Foer disapproves of my correlation, but in my opinion the end result of learning about who you truly are is paralleled in a very similar way. I greatly enjoyed reading about his journey to discovering what best suited him and his family’s life.

I recently purchased The Complete Guide to Vegan Food Substitutions off Amazon. I admit 20% of the purchase was based on the adorable cover but luckily for me it turned out to be 100% useful. The biggest questions about living off plant-based foods are: “How will I cook my famous spaghetti and meatballs?” or “Can I still have pancakes?” or “What am I going to put in my cereal?” This book answers all those questions and so much more. Everything you once used in your recipes such as milk, butter, eggs, etc. has an animal friendly substitution that is good for you and better for your body. I am constantly referencing this handy little guy when I cook. I think it’s a must have for people who are confused about how to substitute or curious as to how to incorporate healthier options in place of the less healthy.

The last thing I want to talk a bit about is a documentary I just watch last night with my fella called, “Forks Over Knives”. For all you squeamish people, there is zero animal cruelty depicted in the film. You will not see any suffering that has you grabbing for tissues and hiding your eyes like most documentaries on this topic. This film comes from a strong scientific foundation and is laid out beautifully from start to finish. It takes you through compelling research findings conducted by prestigious doctors and shows you exactly what is happening to our bodies and our society as a whole. If you eat food, you should watch this documentary.

So I hoped I shared some helpful information with you folks. This is just where my life is at right now so it’s kind of the focus of my day-to-day. I’ll never force unsolicited preaching on anyone or a wag a finger at their diet choices because that isn’t my place but I can tell you that since making the switch I personally feel so incredible compared to where I was at and I considered myself a normal healthy twenty-something woman. I’ve got more energy than I’ve ever had, excess weight is falling off, and my conscience is clear of all the grim discoveries about what the other foods were doing to my body and my animal friends. I’ll leave you with that and bid you adieu until my next post.

Much love!

-Snapshot Of The Week-

2012-05-08T16:24:00.001-07:00

“I don’t have any understanding of a human being who doesn’t respect the beauty of life and that goes for all creatures that have thoughts, feelings and needs.”

-Ms Alicia Silverstone

(1)

DIY Re-Useable Shopping Bag

2012-05-01T13:39:00.000-07:00

I’m going to begin this post by making a very soon-to-be obvious statement. I am not a seamstress or “sewer-person” of any kind. I am what you would call a novice at the skill. My lines aren’t straight and my techniques aren’t perfect but I am having a lot of fun getting the hang of using my sewing machine recently handed down to me as a gift. It’s an invaluable skill to have and it’s mighty rewarding making something from some pieces of fabric. I’ve been trying my hand at some beginner projects lately and this post is about one of them.

An eco-friendly re-useable shopping bag is a simple project that you can use any durable fabric for to make it. This particular bag has a flat bottom rather than a V-style bottom which I personally prefer because items tend to fit inside it better. I’ve been really trying to make my life more green and environmentally aware so this was an extra rewarding project for me because it cuts down on those nasty plastic bags. All this for the price of about $4 worth of fabric and thread; can’t beat that. The following is how I made my shopping bag:

No fancy materials needed for this project. The bag stays open so no zippers or buttons are needed (unless of course you want them to close). What you do need is some fabric that makes you happy to look at, matching thread, a pair of fabric scissors, pins, measuring tape (I used my fella’s manly one but most of you probably have the normal sewing kind) and a fabric pen which is a useful tool for this project to mark and cut straight lines. You’re also going to need an iron later on to make some straight edges for pinning.

I choose a happy looking fabric from Ikea that looked perfect for perusing produce stores and farm markets. Ikea has a really inexpensive collection of fabric to choose from but the choices are somewhat limited so if you want a better selection keep an eye on your local fabric store for a good sale. I wanted to spice my bag up a bit so I went for a different fabric for the side pieces; a green and white striped fabric. The front, back, and bottom of the bag will be cut from one long main piece of fabric and you will sew the sides on separately. Measure according to the size of bag you want to make and remember with every piece of fabric you cut you should leave about an inch on each side for the seams.

Next you need to cut your side pieces. Measure according to how big you want your bag to be. The side pieces will need to be as tall as your main piece of fabric when it’s sewn together and the width of the bottom of your bag (plus the inch extra for seams).

Cut the side piece in one long strip twice the size that you need for one side, then cut that piece in half to make the two even sides:

Viola!

Now’s the time for your trusty iron to heat up and make its guest appearance.

Iron down all those sides that you left an inch gap for when you cut your fabric. This makes it a zillion times easier to pin and sew later.

Once you’ve ironed down all your sides, center and pin the two side pieces to your main piece of fabric. You want to attach the sides perpendicular to the bigger piece. See the pictures below:

When the pieces are pinned in the center it will look like a lower case “t”.

Make sure you have an even crease with your pins and then you’re ready to start sewing.

You want a strong stitch for the bottom of your bag because it’s going to need to carry some hefty weight. I used a tight V stitch then went over it again with a small straight stitch:

I was told by someone who actually knows her way around a sewing machine that this was an effective way to make a strong and sturdy stitch. "In Mother in-law we trust"

Pretty straightforward but this is how your bag should look once you’ve attached the bottom of one side.

Going around the corner can be a little tricky. I pinned up the sides of the fabric together then sewed a straight tight stitch:

This is how the side looked when that line was stitched. Everything that wasn’t the bottom of the bag I did in this tight straight stitch.

Complete the other side and you’ll have an entire side of your bag finished!:

When the bag is turned the right away around you can see your bag really starting to take shape, it’ll look something like this.

Repeat the exact same process for the other side of your bag and both sides will be looking sharp.

Next step is going to be hemming the top of your bag for a crisp and even seam all the way around. Pin down the entire length of the bag making sure that it all sits at an even height (which may mean it looks ugly on the inside but it can be cleaned up later).

Hem down the length of the bag the entire way around and the base of your bag is now complete. Onto the handles!:

I cut one long length of fabric about two inches wide then cut that same piece in half like I did earlier with the side pieces for even length.

If you want to reheat your iron so the sides sit perfectly flat go for it. I skipped that step out of pure eagerness to complete my bag. It isn’t crucial but either way you want to sew down the top width wise to make a crisp seam.

Then pin each side down about a half inch in and sew both sides.

This is an excellent example of my less than perfect sewing abilities but it gives you the general idea of how it should look.

After that is complete fold your handle in half and sew straight down the side. I went over this twice just to be sure it was extra strong. Repeat these steps for your second strap and you’re ready to attach it to your bag base.

The handles will need to equally if not stronger, than the bottom of your bag so really have at it with the sewing. It’s a good idea when attaching your handles to do an X stitch like the one above. Be sure you sew all four ends of your handles at the same length within the bag so the straps are even when you carry it.

That’s it. Your bag is all finished! Don’t forget the pat on the back for a job well done. Now you just need to hit up the stores and fill your new bag with goodies.

Hope this was a helpful tutorial for you guys and you have fun making your very own!

(All photos property of Reckless Bliss)

-Snapshot Of The Week-

2012-04-26T16:07:00.001-07:00

“Good advice is always certain to be ignored, but that's no reason not to give it.”

-Ms Agatha Christie

(1)

Tea Party Baby Shower

2012-04-20T00:00:00.000-07:00

Happy Friday everyone! Don’t you just love that Friday feeling when you know you have two whole days of relaxing ahead of you? To wrap up my week I’m finally getting around to sharing the “Tea Party” baby shower I hosted a few weeks ago for my (still very pregnant!) BFF. Everything was hand-made and DIY’ed for the special day. You can see the step-by-step invites, favors, welcome sign, and games and cards I made here. It was so much fun planning it and I think it went great so I’ll just let the pictures I snapped do the talking for me. Enjoy!

So what did you all think? Have you ever hosted or been to a shower that was full of awesome ideas or fun decor? Please feel free to share any stories or ideas you have!

(All photos property of Reckless Bliss)

-Snapshot Of The Week-

2012-04-15T14:36:00.001-07:00

“I’m not terribly interested in beauty. What touches me is someone who understands herself.”

-Dame Vivienne Westwood

(1)

Baby Shower Games and Cards

2012-04-10T01:11:00.001-07:00

Hello my lovelies!

I’ve been posting up a storm here on Reckless Bliss about a baby shower I recently hosted. This will be the last post before I show you guys the actual shower pictures! Exciting right? I wanted to share the things I made -with the help of Microsoft paint- for games, cards and labels.

These are the games I cooked up for everyone to play during the shower:

Pretty straightforward games right? (Message me if you want me to post the answers and I will) Everybody said the celebrity baby names game was the hardest one FYI.

I also made up some cards for everyone to fill out for Mama and the baby to keep forever and reflect back on. The first is an “Advice” card where each person gets an opportunity to dole out all the things they want to tell the new Mommy. Since the shower had a tea party theme I added some pretty teacup pictures I found on Pinterest to the side of the card. The second is a “well wishes” card for the baby, giving everyone a chance to say all the things they hope for the baby’s life to be rich with:

Lastly, I made some place cards keeping with the tea party theme to label the food for the guests:

I used Pinterest, Graphics Fairy, and Microsoft Paint to mix all these components together and create shower fun. Stay tuned for my next post where I’ll be sharing these puppies in action along with all the rest of the baby shower decor and food.

(All photo property of Reckless Bliss)

-Snapshot Of The Week-

2012-04-06T02:16:00.001-07:00

“Sometimes you see how humanity can rise above any kind of cultural ills and hate that a person's capacity to love and communicate and forgive can be bigger than anything else.”

-Ms Viola Davis

(1)

DIY Baby Shower “Welcome Sign”

2012-04-03T19:14:00.001-07:00

I’ve been sharing some of the DIY projects I recently worked on for my BFF’s “tea party” baby shower. You’ve seen my tea party invitations and party favors and now I’m going to share with you good folks the welcome sign for the door I made!

I started out by heading over to Michael’s because what craft project isn’t better served by a trip to Michael’s? I found this great wooden cut out of a teapot for about $5 that was perfect for our tea party theme. Then I just had to figure out how to take it from dull to dazzle.

Cue the fabric paper! This adhesive backed paper was a new discovery for me and I was so excited to have an excuse to try it out. Since the gender was unknown the green worked well and the polka dots are just so darn cute. I scored it on sale for about $2 each.

I was so excited to get started on this project. To attach the adhesive paper to the wooden teapot I peeled off the backing and laid the teapot face down onto the sticky side. I considered just tracing the shape onto the back of the paper with the peel still on then cutting it out but soon realized it would be extremely difficult to center everything perfectly onto the teapot and not have any wood showing.

Once I had the teapot face down on the paper I stacked some heavy books on top to give the glue a chance to really grab hold of the wood and not peel away. I left it like this for about an hour. (And yes, I do have a mild Audrey Hepburn addiction)

After about an hour, I put the paper and teapot on a cutting board face down and used my little Martha cutting tool to cut carefully around the shape of the teapot. Once your are finished it should look like the picture above when you flip it over.

Because it is fabric paper there was a lot of little frays and runaway threads but these are easily taken care of with some sharp scissors. Just carefully follow along the perimeter of the shape cutting off any little imperfections.

For the next step I started to lay out my plans to decorate the sign. I measured exactly how much space I would need in the center of the teapot for my welcome message then hot glued some paper flowers (another Michael’s find) and a ribbon tied into a bow, to pretty up the front.

I hung up the teapot to let the glue dry and everything settle while I worked on the next step.

I decided on a bunting style banner to run across the teapot. I used my Martha letter stamps to spell out the words “BABY SHOWER” in a pretty purple color to match the bow then I carefully measured each letter into a triangle as well as the backing frame for the letters which is slightly bigger.

A simple glue stick did the work for me to attach each letter to it’s frame and then I was ready to attach it to my teapot.

Before attaching each letter I ran a piece of the purple ribbon across the top and bottom to act as the line the bunting hangs from. I then used more hot glue and attached each letter. Be sure to layout exactly where each letter will be placed beforehand so you can space it properly.

My little wooden teapot was complete!

Even though I was pleased with the result I still felt like it needed a little something to stand out. So back to Michael’s I went! I found a cute wicker wreath for about $5 that fit the teapot perfectly (thankfully they had more teapots in the store so I could test it out since I didn’t have mine with me) and figured it would frame the teapot splendidly: I wrapped some purple ribbon around the wreath with extra at the top to hang it from and hot glued some white flowers to the sides, all which was done really inexpensively for about $2. I think the wicker wreath and flowers really helped to make the sign stand out for the guests arrival.

In total, the welcome sign rang in at around $20. It was one of the more labor intensive projects because of all the small details involved but totally worth it since it’s the first thing guest see when they arrive so it’s got to be purdy!

(All photos property of Reckless Bliss)

DIY Baby Shower Favors

2012-04-01T11:07:00.000-07:00

Well my pretties, yesterday I threw a shower for my enormously pregnant friend and now that she’s seen everything up my sleeve for the special day I can share it here on Reckless Bliss with you good folks -including the card I got her which you can see above. Normally I’d get my craft on and make a homemade card but this one was too fun to pass up. (You can also check out a previous post I did on some DIY tea party themed invites here).

I’m going to be sharing a lot of the various things I made and eventually showing you the actual shower itself but let’s pace ourselves shall we? Today I want to share the French lavender soap favors I made for each guest to take home. It was super simple but turned out quite cute in the end.

I started out with some sweet little wicker baskets I found at a soap store for $0.88 each. Sold.

To make it look more like a nesty and cute I filled it with some run of the mill shredded tissue paper you can find at any dollar or craft store.

Each soap bar got wrapped in brown wrapping paper which I also bought from a dollar store.

I attached a clear piece of doubled sided tape in the center of the front of the soap.

I then wrapped a thin piece of ribbon cut to length around the soap and stuck it to the tape.

For the next step I laid another piece of doubled sided tape (amazing invention by the way!)over top of the ribbon on the face of the soap. Be sure that this piece of tape is long enough so it will give a big adhesive surface to hold your label in place.

I used Microsoft Paint and created personalized labels for each bar so when people go to use the soap sometime down the line they’ll remember the special day we all shared. Plus, personalized is always just more fun than generic!

After I cut each label down to size using my handing dandy Martha paper cutter I placed the label on top of the newly taped soap face.

Then each bar gets to relax in the little basket nest.

Don’t they look comfy-cozy altogether?

Once all the goodies are prepared I wrapped them in a piece of clear cellophane (word of the day: dollar store!) and tied them into little bows with more of the ribbon I used to wrap each bar.

One tip I would suggest is to tape the cellophane in place once you’ve twisted the top so it holds its shape while your tying your bow on, otherwise it can get pretty frustrating.

I’m a major planner so these beauties were finished for about two months before the actual shower. My home slowly turned into a storage unit for baby shower decor. This is part of the affected area above my T.V. I have to say though, I wasn’t hating how girly and tea party-like my place was becoming.

So that was my favors, pretty simple stuff. The bulk of time consumption comes from all the wrapping and assembling but it’s way less expensive then buying some pre-made ones online or from a fancy store. I estimate that each favor only cost me about $2.80 after materials cost. It doesn’t include my time to make each one but I was on Netflix the whole time while sniffing heavenly lavender soap so I can’t complain. Check back soon for some more DIY projects!

(All photos are property of Reckless Bliss)

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