A Deal to Share with You

 I've been using SneekPeeq to check out deals, and even got a super cute pearl ring for FREE. They've sent me this deal to share with you all, a gorgeous maxi dress for $34-shipped. I'm too short to wear maxis without hemming...but these look worth the extra time! =-)


Nothing says Summer is here more than a beautiful MAXI DRESS!  No one makes
them softer and more flowing than Colorfast Apparel.  We love the MahaloTriblend Jersey Maxi in colors such as bluebird or safari!  A MUST HAVE AT
70% OFF!  These dresses retail for $103, but your price is only $34!  SHIPSFREE! 

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Weight Loss Wednesday: and a Weekly Re-cap

Wow, I can't believe I haven't been able to sit down and write in a week! Wait, yes I can- it's been crazy here!

Crazy and all- I am down 4 pounds! I am SURPRISED because my back still isn't 100%, so exercise was minimal. BUT- I've been trying really hard to not skip meals, even if I only get a snack in. I didn't do too well on my breakfast goal, but on those days I tried extra hard to at least get something in for lunch.

As for my other goals, water intake was good! I've been loading my big cup up with ice water and sipping all day long. Lemon-ginger water is especially good. I've been eating whole foods, with the exception of whole wheat tortillas and whole wheat noodles- oh and the tiny bit of cake we had last night. Moderation! =-)

And a recap of my week-
Summer is here, it got hot, kids are getting restless. The summer reading program starts next week though, and each of their age groups are on different days of the week. That will give them something to do and time away from each other!

I've started an Etsy. Well, I've finally put something in my Etsy. I've had one since they started...but changed my name sometime last year....but still haven't put anything in until now. It's just (cute!)hair things for now, but I've got other things to enter. Busy busy! =-)

Today though, a day to rest my back before cleaning....watching Shaun the Sheep, and sipping coffee. (This coffee could use some ice!)

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Weight Loss Wednesday: Let's Get Going Again

Remember when this was a weekly thing? Hmmm....yeah, my consistency leaves something to be desired. To be honest, between getting sick with something over and over, and my back going out repeatedly, my weight was the last thing on my mind. Well, no. That's a big fat lie- my weight is ALWAYS on my mind...but dieting, was not. I've done surprising well sort of maintaining while on a workout hiatus, I'm only up TWO pounds from where I last left off. ONLY. So really, I can totally do this. I can totally just jump right back in.

This is me doing "The Corpse"...only bigger, and with a shirt on!

I'm still recovering from my latest back-crap-extravaganza, but I've been looking up things I can do even when my back is out. I may just be laying on the ground doing a yoga move called "The Corpse", BUT THAT IS SOMETHING. I have nutritional goals I can still do too.

So, let this mark my new beginning. It may be my millionth do-over, but that's better than a sit-there-and-don-do-it-at-all.

GOALS FOR THIS WEEK:

• Continue with the water drinking kick! See if I can add more in. (Studies show heavier people can benefit from more than the normal 8-10 glasses a day)
• EAT breakfast every day.
• Saying eating lunch too would be pushing it- I work better with baby steps- so I'm going to at least have a mid-day snack.
• Focus on the nutrition of foods, not the calories since I know calorie counting makes me a rabid beast of old BAD habits. 
• Take my mulch-vitamin every day! I forget it far too often!

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Meatless Monday: Black Bean Burgers

Tonight we tried something new. A veggie burger made from black beans. It sounded delicious to most of the family, but I knew I'd need to "trick" a couple people into eating it first. ;-)

I started with this recipe from Tammy's Recipes. I made a few changes to make it more traditional burger-y, I'll save the flavored burger taste for after I have them hooked. ;-)

Here it is with my changes:

In a food processor, combine 3 1/2 cups cooked black beans, 1/2 tsp onion powder, 1/4 tsp garlic powder, 2 tsp "Montreal Steak Seasoning", a good dash of soy sauce, about a tablespoon of Worcestershire sauce, a couple drops of liquid smoke, 2 eggs, and a little more cracked black pepper. Whirl until a smooth paste.

Mix in a bowl with about a cup or so of bread crumbs (any kind!) until the mixture resembles cookie dough. Let sit for about 10 minutes. It will thicken right up and be lovely!

Form into 8 patties, and heat some oil in a skillet. (I tried using our indoor "grill"- the grill marks were awesome, but the rest of the surface didn't look meaty enough in my opinion to fool the stinkin' kids...) Fry a few minutes on each side. They came out slightly crisp and meaty looking on the outside, and tender and moist on the inside. Gobbled right up! (Oh, and I am addicted to that site, so they were served on her Whole Wheat Buttermilk Buns...)

LOOKS MEATY, HUH!?

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Don't Fight With Elastic!

One of the things that frustrates me when sewing quick little girls' dresses and skirts is sewing in the elastic. Pulling it to get it in the right place, it slipping, over and over...BUT I just learned this super cool way to get your waistbands in without tugging and cursing!

First, unwind, BUT DON'T CUT, your elastic, mark the length you need.

Thread through your fabric as usual. Sew the end to secure.

Then, push the other end of the fabric back to the mark you made.

Now you can easily sew this side to secure too, without cursing. No stretching and pulling a small bit of elastic to fit!

Perfectly gathered.

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Review: Diva's Faith N Frills

I've been meaning to post this review forever, but I got behind on blogging, then the lovely lady who owns
Diva's Faith N Frills took some time off to have a beautiful baby...and well, it's been many months!

But those months have given us plenty of time to enjoy our little piggy-tail-sized flowers! I had these made in our school colors after seeing how well-made and beautiful the full-sized flower was that I had won from a contest of theirs. At about two inches, they are perfect for our preschooler's little piggy-tails!

It's a little hard to get a picture on a squirmy girl!

They came out so cute! They were exactly as I described, and NO EXTRA COST for them being made-to-order! They were just $3.00 for the pair!

Since my little one had nooooo interest in modeling for my pictures, I grabbed a few pictures off of their "Already Made and Ready to Ship" section to show you some of the AWESOME work they do.

I'm pretty sure most of their flowers are 5", but it looks like they could be made bigger. (Maybe that's just my eyes, wouldn't hurt to ask.)

Here's some info pulled from their Facebook page:

♥ All my Hair flowers are hand layered come on an alligator clip! (can do a french clip by special request!)

♥ I can custom design a flower to match almost ANY outfit!

♥ Flower Prices are posted below each flower picture

♥ Shipping cost is $1.50 for first clip, and an another $.50 for each additional clip. Further shipping discounts available for large purchases!

♥ To order, just comment below the photo of the item(s) you're interested in with your email address, and I will send you an invoice.

♥ I accept Paypal payments and Postal money orders! Payment details will be included on invoice.

♥ Further questions can be posted on the wall or sent to DivasFaithNFrills@yahoo.com!

My clips got to me super quick. Even though they were handmade FOR me, there was no sitting around waiting on them to be completed. And since I live rural, and have to mail-order things often, I've lost patience with companies that make me wait ;-)

I would definitely order from this company again. The quality of the clips were great, and exactly what I asked for. Everything was speedy, and the service was personal and friendly.

They are planning a Grand Re-Opening this week now that the little one is a little grown. (I'm thinking maybe she said Friday...) So hop on over and give them a look!  

EDIT:

Yes! Their Facebook page has confirmed they will re-open this Friday! =-)  There is also a GIVEAWAY to come!

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Quick Tip: Keep Dirt in Hanging Planters

You can easily keep dirt in most hanging planters with one simple, cheap, kitchen item.

A coffee filter in the bottom will keep dirt where it belongs!

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Roast Chickpeas For Snacking and Salads (Using Filippo Bario)

As you might be able to tell, we love chickpeas here. A (long) while back I posted a picture of some roasted chickpeas on our Facebook page, and since I'm currently doing a BzzAgent campaign for DELICIOUS olive oil, I figured I'd show you all how I make them. =-)

Preheat your oven to 425. Line a large baking sheet with foil or parchment paper. Drizzle lightly with olive oil.

Drain and pat dry 1 can of chickpeas (garbanzo beans) or have about 1 1/2-2 cups of home-cooked. Pat dry. Lay out on your baking sheet in a single layer. Drizzle with another tablespoon or so of olive oil. Shake pan, or stir to evenly coat. Sprinkle liberally with kosher salt, some cracked black pepper, and seasonings of your choice. (We like garlic & onion powder and a little chile powder.)

Roast for about 45 minutes, stir often, until deeply golden, with some black specks. Be careful to stay just on this side of burnt.

Serve warm or cooled. We eat them like nuts as a snack, or sprinkle over salads for a protein kick.

To make a quick and delicious salad dressing, mix or shake together 1 part olive oil with 2 parts balsamic vinegar or lemon juice. Add salt and pepper, and/or FINELY minced garlic and dried basil.  









***Disclaimer- I am a BzzAgent. I was sent a bottle of Filippo Bario to review and and "Bzz" about. All opinions are my own, and I was not told what to say about it or what to do with it.***

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Pink Lemonade With NO Artificial Colors

We LOVE lemonade over here in the Disheveled household. If it's pink, even better. Did you know that pink lemonade ISN'T made with food coloring? (Well, the packaged stuff is...but that's a whole other product...) Pink lemonade made from scratch gets its gorgeous hue from a teensy bit of cranberry juice!

It is super simple to make, in a pitcher combine:

• 1 cup HOT water (for dissolving sugar)
• 1 cup granulated sugar

Stir until dissolved completely.  Then stir in:

• 1 cup lemon juice, fresh is best but bottled works in a pinch, and is easier on the pocketbook
• 1/4- 1/2 cup cranberry juice, depending on your preferred color

Add water to fill the pitcher, chill, and serve.

Easy and delicious!

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Natural Hair Care and Shampoo

Some people don't shampoo their hair. They wash it, but they keep it free of all the mystery crap that's in commercial shampoos. They're not dirty hippies, or crazy people, and their hair often looks great. A simple mixture of water and baking soda cleans your hair well and leaves nothing nasty behind. Most of the time I just use a baking soda mix, or rinse my hair if I KNOW it's not dirty-dirty. But sometimes when I've used product on my hair, or done something particularly filthy, I like a little more assurance, and I use one of the following ideas. (These are also great for people who want something more natural but aren't ready to take a plunge into the world of No-poo.)

Shampoo #1- the easiest:

• In a bottle, (small spray bottles are GREAT for this because of it's watery consistency!), mix 7 ounces of distilled water and 1 ounce of Dr. Bronner's Castile Soap. Any scent is fine. The lavender is lovely and feminine, and the peppermint is invigorating!

 Shampoo #2- a bit more, but totally worth it:

• Get your 7 ounces of distilled water boiling, and pour it into a clean glass container. Steep in it a chamomile tea bag; a tablespoon each of dried thyme, dried basil, and dried rosemary. Let steep for about 15 minutes then strain. 
• Mix this with 1 ounce of your Dr. Bronner's in the preferred bottle. 

Shampoo #3 is a bit of the "washing your hair with conditioner" movement. Many people have tried using cheaper conditioners in the same way as the EXPENSIVE "cleansing conditioners" you can buy. It seems the general consensus is that a few of the low-priced brands, WITHOUT any added proteins or such work best. Suave, VO5, etc. Some people also like to give it a little boost in the form of Castile soap to avoid the lauryl sulfates and other crummy chemicals in shampoos.

• Simple fill your chosen bottle 4/5ths of the way with conditioner. 
• Add your Castile soap to the almost top, then shake the heck out of it. 

As with all these shampoos (and baking soda...) remember to shake thoroughly before each use.

What about conditioners?
I've used as a leave-in the following:

• A drop of olive oil rubbed on your hands and run through
• The same with vitamin E oil
• A small dollop of coconut oil melts easily on your hands, and is great for super dry hair

In the shower, I have a spray bottle of apple cider vinegar. I spray my hair thoroughly, let it be a few minutes, then rinse out.It works surprisingly well! GREAT for tangles! A little four ounce bottle should work, but I keep a bigger 12ish ounce bottle because my hair is LONG.

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My Favorite Decorating Icing

I recently started working on my cake decorating again, just for fun, after The Princess wanted a flower covered birthday cake. Boy was I out of practice! I tried several icing recipes, but I hit gold when I made my own little changes to one of Wilton's buttercreams.

Here's what I used:

• 1/2 C Crisco shortening
• 1/2 C (1 stick) real butter, unsalted
• 1 tsp vanilla extract
• 1/2 tsp Watkin's butter-flavored extract
• about 4 C powdered sugar, a little more on hand if you'd like some icing stiffer.
• 2 Tbs half & half, a tiny bit on hand if you'd like to thin some icing for spreading. 

I separated the generous amount (about 3 cups) into small cups for coloring, keeping much of it for icing the cake. I thinned the spreading icing with a few more drops of half & half. I also added a tiny spoon of powdered sugar to the frosting used for the roses. I affixed wax paper squares to my flower nail with a dab of frosting, to quickly form tons of roses while letting them all dry before placing on the cake. Just carefully pull off and put on a new square and go again. (This was SUPER helpful when practicing!)

This Tinker Bell cake was MUCH more feminine than The Jedi's Hobbit Hole cake!

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Heard Around The House: Preschooler Edition

The Princess has been on a roll this week, I can hardly contain the laughs. (But I have to, or she screams that I'm laughing AT her!) Besides her usual schooling-related declarations, ("A is for applesauce AND apples!"), she's been generally funny and adorable. I'd better enjoy it while I can, right!?

• When The Calculator came in to tell me the bathroom light had blown out- "Oh no! I guess now we have-ta buy a new house!"
• When we were discussing what to make for lunch- "Mooo-oom! I want you to feed me, not just TALK about it!"
• And totally out of the blue, decided to tell me she NEEDS FIVE brothers- "I have two brothers, then I get three, and then four brothers, then that turns into five brothers!"  And while I appreciate her GREAT math skills, um...what!?
• She's also cute when she's bossing around the cat- "Keelie, you just go sit over there and do cute cat stuff."

And she won't listen to reasoning with the brothers thing. I tried to remind her how much she hates the smell of her brothers, and complains about their farts. Can you just imagine THREE MORE butts to have to put up with!? 
     "Buy some more spray stuff when you go to the store."
She's just sooooo smart, isn't she!? =-D

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