Happy Valentines Day!

Will you be my Valentine?

I've been having fun using all the premium tools on picnik since they are free until they close and switch over to google in April.  This one I did sepia, then cross process then faded and obviously font, stickers and border added  :) FUN for someone like me who used to know a little photoshop but hasn't used it in years.

Lose the Love Handles while Watching TV?

Burn Calories Like Your Breastfeeding

just 30 minutes a day, no expensive contraptions

Okay, I have been weaning my son from the boob as we have had chronic PAINFUL thrush PLUS he'll be turning 2 in a couple of months so it's the right time for us.  But one of the benefits of breastfeeding I'm NOT excited about giving up is the extra calorie burning power!  I already exercise and so I either have to exercise even more or diet (I refuse to count calories).  Well, I came across this article in my inbox today that may be a viable solution to make up for not breastfeeding and keep burning those extra few hundred calories!!!  Here is the quick synopsis

Brown fat is a heat-generating type of fat that burns energy instead of storing it, acting more like muscle than fat

Research has shown that brown fat can be activated to burn more fat by cooling your body

Studies have also shown that animals convert white fat into brown fat simply by exercising. The conversion is triggered by an enzyme called irisin, which is released by the muscles during exercise. It’s still unclear whether this phenomenon is true for humans as well, but humans do have the same protein

According to Tim Ferriss, author of The Four-Hour Body, you may be able to increase your fat burning potential by as much as 300 percent simply by adding ice therapy to your dieting strategy. You can do this by placing an ice pack on your upper back and upper chest for 30 minutes a day; drinking about 500 ml of ice water each morning; taking ice cold showers; and/or immersing yourself in an ice bath three times a week

And while Ice baths are NOT in the cards for me, I think I could handle a cold pack while on the computer or watching a TV show or drinking more ice water!  Also as the article elaborates...

"A NASA scientist told ABC News that's no hyperbole. In studying the effects of temperature on astronauts, he saw people's metabolism boost by 20 percent in environments as mild as 60 degrees. A Joslin researcher told National Public Radio that 3 oz. of brown fat could burn 400 to 500 calories daily."

......well maybe it' sa good thing that we don't crank up the heat haha...save money and make our metabolism work harder.  Due to our frugalness we usually keep the thermostat around 63 this winter.  I turn it up for company.

Check out the full article while includes four more ways to boost your metabolism here.

This Trick May Force Your Body to Burn 400-500 Extra Calories/Day by Dr.Mercola

Scrappy Saturday

Scrappy Saturdays Link Up

Happy Saturday everyone! I hope your weekend is off to a great start!  I had so much fun looking at all the links from last weeks Scrappy Saturday projects, you all continue to inspire me each week! Here is just a sample of the goods from last week...

Mother Daughter Sweater Pillows (I never get tired of seeing these why haven't I made any yet!?!?) by Alderberry Hill

Love this Burlap Valentines Banner by Rebekah Dawnusing burlap, twine and bookpages!!!

What a fun way to recycle a prescription bottle!  Check out this Valentines Prescription by Shelstring

An easy to make sisal rope placemat by Loopyloop Creations

I've always loved those projects where you dress up an old tin can to make a utensil or pencil holder. I love how avsusanne painted the inside of her decorated tin can!

If you've been featured, you can grab a brag button here

Now link up your awesome projects using scraps (of any kind), upcycling, redo/makeovers, and anything you made including materials you found or had on hand.  We love thrifty, resourceful creativity!

if you like this linky/blog you can follow me on GFC, Facebook, Twitter, Pinterest or vote for me on Top Mommy Blogs...:)

Visit some of the other links and leave some comment love :)

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Bedtime Blessings

Bedtime Blessings

100 Bedtime Stories and Activities for Blessing Your Child

by John Trent

We've been doing the Book Bedtime Blessings with our 4.5 year old before bed and it has been so enjoyable and something we both really look forward to each  night.  The stories and activities are short and sweet and each activity ends with a related blessing for your child.  Tonight was maybe one of my favorites, the activity was for her to write a letter to God and here is what she dictated for me to write down

Dear God,

Angels protect us.  I'm Jordan and you can send me email God.  God, thank you for giving lots of dress up clothes and please, God, help me be brave.  I love you God thanks for dying on the cross.  God, thank you for my lipstick I got for Christmas. Thank you for my butterflies that hang on my tree and protect me. Thanks for my beautiful room. Please bless that I can have a life with you God.  Thanks you for my wonderful church dresses.  Thank you for art I can do.

Bathroom Redo

Bathroom Reveal

Well this is one of those "reveals" where I'm a little apprehensive to share...it's not TOTALLY done because we need to paint the trim and woodwork, but I'm done with this project for now I need a break!  

The original paint in this bathroom was not looking so great, there were tons of water streak stains on all the walls...I think mainly due to the fact that the towel rack was no where near the sink so people were walking around with wet hands which were then dripping down the walls?  Anyways, I picked up some metal decor from Hobby Lobby 50% off and we wanted to go with an old world rustic look, using a faux finish on the walls.  But here is what happened...the tan color I picked out as the base went on and looked more like a creamy, peachy skin color...I felt like I was surrounded by skin.  So instead of just a light faux finish, I ended up doing a heavier, more dramatic faux with dramatic cracks in the walls to cover up the awful base color.  I also painted the cabinets and doors the same light color and started glazing them but it wasn't looking that great (I'm new to this stuff) and my husband said the door looked like it was covered in "diarreah juice" okay sorry for that gross description, that is just his sense of humor...I originally wanted to go darker with the woodwork anyways so I think that's what we will do now.  

Still can't decide if I like it...I've spent way too much time in that small bathroom over the last 3-4 nights and feel totally indifferent....don't know what to think of it.  I also want to put a decorative bracket type thing with a vase of flowers above the toilet possibly?  

Anyways, here is the before and after....and who knows...maybe there will be another "after" down the road if I decide I don't like this and redo the whole thing again!  Maybe at least an update after painting the trim and woodwork differently.

Here is when I had all the colors up to pick from...and of course the one I got ended up looking nasty and NOT like cappuccino! haha The swatch I went with was the 3rd in from the right on the 2nd to last row....

I did find out  after bringing home a ton of swatches that the main color throughout our house is Bistro Chair!

 See, need a different color on door and trim because it's too much the same...

Mod Podged/hotglued paper over the light switch cover

Here is the faux "process" I did (really was experimenting)

 Made a glaze with burnt umber and raw umber acrylic paint mixed with water and smeared a bunch on randomly with a 4 inch paintbrush....then take a wet rag, wring out all the water and then smear it, wipe it and dab it around until it looked like this....I would also go back with an almost dry paintbrush and do crosshatching to blend and texturize it as well

Anyways....did I ruin my bathroom? Last night I dreamed that I started over and painted the walls a solid darker color with light trim...

UPDATED PIC AFTER PAINTING CABINET AND BASEBOARDS with BEHR French Roast (or espresso roast...something to that effect)

Scrappy Saturdays 18

Scrappy Saturdays Linky

Hello everybody!  Last week was a great linkup with lots of awesome stuff and I can't believe it's saturday again already!  I've been busy this week repainting the main bathroom at our house which my husband initially hated when he saw it last night, but after cleaning the room up and putting the decor and everything back up on the walls it's starting to grow on us.  The tan paint I picked out looked more like a peachy creamy skin tone when it went on the walls and I wanted to puke everytime I walked past the room...but then I made a glaze and starting fauxing the walls to give it an old world appearance and added some cracks....maybe too many cracks...to the walls and anyways....that has been keeping me busy! (I was just winging it, the only decorative painting I've done is rag rolling my moms living room at least 10 years ago with my sister) so anyways...on with the party...

DIY Dino Hoodie by The Sasse Life

DIY Chore Magnets by Live a Fabulous Life

Valentines Crayon Art by Loopyloop Creations

Felt Logs with Canvas Initials by Felt Tree

Felt Fireplace by The Little Giggler

Lacey Heart Valentines Shirt

FYI-Head on over to Wanna Be Balanced Mom today to see my latest guest post featuring my new tutorial.  It's a super cute customizable character (make it  like your child) and rainbow magnet set to be used as a "chart" to get your kids eating healthy called Rainbow in My Tummy!

Doily Heart Valentines Day Shirt Craft

From Family Fun's February Issue

We have been really making use of our February issues of Family Fun Magazine! After making the Indoor Snowman...we made these Valentines Day shirt activity is something J was DYING to make when she saw it in the magazine.  I found the turtlenecks on clearance at Target for $1.78 and just cut the neckline as I did with her other clearance turtleneck shirt and made the turtleneck part into a headband (SEE HERE) We also tied a piece of tulle into a bow on the headband.  We did everything else the same, put a heart shaped doiley on top of the shirt and then the girls sponged on fabric paint.  After you remove the doiley, this is what it looks like....

You can find the instructions for this Adoily-able Shirt Here.

And we are making a bunch of valentines for our MOPS group that the kids can hand out to the residents at a retirement home so we used one of the valentines ideas from the February family fun too.  Instead of useing madlibs, We rolled up crossword puzzles, wrapped in a heart doiley and secured with a ribbon.