It’s that time of year again. . . when the inside of stores turn various shades of pink and red, flowers suddenly triple their value, and all the women band together in mutual agreement that (at least for now) chocolate calories do NOT count.

It’s also a time to reflect on those you love: the ones who make the hard times bearable and the good times memorable. Our family, friends, and that one co-worker who always grabs your stuff off the printer for you.

A few years ago (okay a decade), I married my high school sweetheart. He and our three little boys make this time of year particularly lovely. I could fill pages and pages with loving words about my guys but right now I would like to spend a little time on something else I have truly come to love: Sage.

I started Sage to fill a creative need that wasn’t being met at my current job. I have always enjoyed this flavor of design and longed to be a part of it. Living in a small town, access to this outlet was non-existent. So I created my own! In the beginning, it was just a fun way to express myself, but it has grown into such a wonderful publication. I enjoy putting this together so much and I am so happy that it has developed into a haven for artists, boutiques, crafters, and bloggers (among many others) who can share what they love with our readers.

Sage has become a place for these creative people to express themselves in the hope that like minded readers will find them. It’s social networking meets window shopping meets design and I couldn’t be more proud! So here’s a big thank you to our contributors and readers. You took my dream and made it into something great!

lindsey

Hello

XO

We need . . .…ContributorsIf you’re creative and love to write, we want you to contribute to Sage Magazine! If you would like to contribute, please email your ideas to sagemagazineonline@gmail.com with the subject line “I want to contribute!”

AdvertisersWe’re looking for small businesses and individuals who sell beautiful, inspired products. If you’d like more information about advertising, including rates, email sagemagazineonline@gmail.com with information about your business and the subject line “Advertising.”

we can’t wait to hear from you!

Love & Romance

Penny Jar Dates

Photography c/o Brandy Cardarelli Photography

by: pinkpistachio.com

by: pinkpistachio.com

Book Love Letters Choose a page in a book and create a custom love letter from existing words. Black out words & phrases in marker. Leave only the words & phrases to be read.

GolfHit a bucket of balls, taking turns to see who can hit it farthest. Take your skills to the putting green & see who can get their ball in the hole with the fewest number of shots.

Bed FortBuild a fort together adorned with twinkly lights & comfy blankets. Spend the night exchanging love letters, talking, playing games, & eating your favorite snacks.

Star GazingPack up a blanket, astronomy chart of constellations, and a thermos of your favorite beverage & look for constellations in the sky.

Memory LaneRevisit special spots, recreate an entire date from a past time, or look through old pictures that have significance in your relationship. Talk about your memories together while sharing a meal that has significance as well.

“The only thing worse than No Flowers are Half Ass Flowers.”

Valentine’s Day. For some, this holiday brings to mind sweet cherubs, fancy chocolates, and people who are happily in love. For me? Not so much.

When I think of Valentine’s Day, I think competition. In my eyes, Valentine’s Day is the holiday that turns normally nice, sweet, well-mannered ladies into crazy, wildly competitive Ultimate Fighters. There are many ways to ‘score’—from diamonds to chocolates, and flowers to champagne. Believe me when I tell you that every gift and every card is noted on an imaginary scoreboard. This scoreboard might not be visible to men, but to women it is as big and as bright as the scoreboard at The University of Michigan.

I think the trickiest part of this “score” is that many times there is no way to formulate a winning strategy, mainly because the opposing team (usually the Ladies) has made the path to victory a secret. How many times do men hear the answer “I don’t need anything, just you !”—which, if this is not their first rodeo, they will realize is a Big Fat Lie.

These days, I just want a card. Things like joint bank accounts make the allure of pricey roses and extravagant dinners less ‘fun’ and more ‘stupid’. Back in high school, however, I was much more direct. I wanted flowers, and I wanted them delivered to my high school. Having flowers delivered to my school was a really big deal.

My high school (Nerinx Hall) is an all-girls Catholic high school. The arrival

of any male was a huge deal—word spread around the halls like wildfire and suddenly, every girl would have to go to the bathroom (read: troll the hallways until the boy was sighted).

Valentine’s Day was our Superbowl, and it was played between the Girls With Boyfriends (GWB), and the Girls Without

Boyfriends (GWOB). As with any good Superbowl game, the preparations were impressive and the rivalry was fierce!

The day before VD (isn’t that a terrible abbreviation for Valentine’s Day?! Maybe a sign from Above...), the preparations began. Each team had a different strategy.

Valentine’s Day was our Superbowlby: Julia Pawlik Fincher

For the GWB, several long tables were carried into the lobby and set up. They also worked on their ‘smug’. For the GWOB, the preparations were less elaborate—markers, paper, and an increasingly bad attitude held the keys to victory.

The tables were erected for the plethora of flower arrangements. Before 10am, the lobby of my high school resembled an upscale florist. The scent of the blooms was intoxicating, and was a constant reminder of The Score. In this game, the Scoreboard was not only visual—the tables and tables full of flowers—it also had a

play-by- play. Every time a delivery

was made, the lucky lady’s name

was called to come to the front office. Classes

were a joke that day as no one could concentrate. The GWB were anxiously waiting for their name to be called over the PA

system; and the GWOB were busy whispering to each other how stupid the whole thing was. As outward sign of their

protest, the GWOB banded together in the “I Hate Boys Club”. This club was very vocal in their displeasure, and frequent chants of “We hate Valentine’s Day” and “Boys Suck” could be heard throughout the hallways.

I was firmly in the GWBs camp. I dated the same boy for all four years of high school (and some of college).

Our freshman year, we had only been dating a few months and I had no idea the magnitude of Valentine’s Day at Nerinx and therefore I did not receive flowers.

Our sophomore year, he blew it and did not have ANYTHING delivered to school.

Junior year, I had flowers delivered. In fact, he personally dropped them off. In theory, this sounds great-—especially the personal delivery part. Unfortunately, the

flowers he dropped off weren’t big, red roses. They were neither red nor roses. They

were carnations—two (white), in fact, nestled in some brown-

tinged baby’s breath. The whole arrangement (and I use that term loosely) was shoved into a small frosted glass vase.

If this sounds like something you would find in a hospital gift shop, you are, in fact right on the money. My boyfriend prided himself on his “frugal” inclinations and had in fact stopped by the hospital on the way to Nerinx and picked them up in the gift shop, His rationale was that the hospital never changed the price on flowers, and why should he waste his money? (In his defense, by the time we were graduating, he was buying me David Yurman jewelry.)

The only thing worse than No Flowers are Half Ass Flowers.

By the time senior year rolled around, I was getting desperate. I had a boyfriend every year on Valentine’s Day, and on the day it counted the most I had nothing to show for it. As I am one to take charge and control my own destiny, I came up with a game plan. I broke the Girl’s Code of Good Behavior and told him exactly what I wanted—flowers, not necessarily red roses but something above the gift shop at St. John’s hospital—and how I wanted it—delivered to school during classes so everyone could hear my name on the PA system.

All day, I was on pins and needles. Every time I heard the click of the speaker turning on, I froze, my limbs ready to propel me to the door. By midmorning, I was almost out of my head with all my anxiety. By lunchtime, I was starting to get concerned.

That afternoon, we had a school wide program in auditorium. At this point, I was seriously considering jointing the I Hate Boys Club. By the end of the program, not only had I joined the IHBC, I was practically the president. As everyone stood up to file out, an announcement was made- “Julie Pawlik, you have a delivery”. Yes! This was it! Wait- Julie? I have never, ever in my life gone by Julie. I am JULIA... and my boyfriend of four years didn’t know that? What was going on? Was it possible they were flowers for another Julie and somehow it was the last name that was wrong, not the first?

I ran out of the auditorium, leaping over anyone who dared to get in my way. It was my turn, damn it! I had waited three very long years for my prize. As I rushed into the

front office, I saw them. They were not the big, elaborate display I had been hoping for, but they were red. And they were roses... And my boyfriend had written my name as “Julie” (I would deal with him later).

So, in the end this story has a happy ending. Except THAT EVERYONE HAD ALREADY GONE HOME FOR THE DAY AND SO ONE COULD SEE ME IN MY GLORY.

Is it any surprise we didn’t make it for the long haul? Young readers, please marry a man who can follow directions. I did, and it was the best decision I ever made!

Julia Pawlik Fincher is a super busy gal: mother, wife, bill-payer, gym-goer, friend. She lives with her (very patient) husband and her (already opinionated) three-year-

old daughter outside of Atlanta

With Valentine’s Day here, we feel like we are going to see quite a few pink cakes popping up. We rounded up a few of our favorite pink wedding cakes to share with you from bakers all over the world. That perfect slice of pink velvet cake with white chocolate ganache was photographed by Rikki Snyder Photography.

Click HERE to see more from the Wedding Chicks

Although the first cake on our list is not 100% pink, we could not resist showing it to you. Designed by Wild Orchid Baking Company and photographed by Mark Davidson Photography. Wild Orchid Baking Company actually is also the creator of Make Your Own Cake Flowers out of Fruit Leathers, one of our favorite do-it-yourself projects. Wild Orchid Baking Company is located on the coast of NH, serving NH, ME, MA & beyond. Beautiful & delicious works of cake art is their specialty!

We could not resist showing you one more rainbow cake. This time from Australian cake designer Blissfully Sweet. They Incorporated every color in the rainbow in this ocean inspired wedding cake. Such a lovely cake for a brightly colored beach-themed wedding.

So pretty … don’t you think?

Click HERE to see more from the

Wedding Chicks

Allison Kelleher of AK Cake Design in Portland, Oregon created this tremendously gorgeous pink cherry blossom cake. As a sculptor turned baker, Allison strives to create beautiful cakes that taste amazing. She really enjoys the entire process from consultation to decoration and really does love when it all comes together – the look, the scent, the taste – something lovely and delicious from pure, simple ingredients

This pink swirls and red peonies stunner was designed and baked by The Couture Cakery. An incredibly cute cake boutique that bakes wedding cakes for the Central Pennsylvania area. Easily incorporate yellow and red into your color palette for the perfect spring time wedding cake.

The Pastry Studio located in Daytona Beach, Florida whipped up this exquisite Pink Ombre Ruffle Cake. So incredibly perfect for a soft and romantic wedding. Picture a lovely room with vintage white table cloths, milk glass bud vases filled with single stemmed peonies.

Our next favorite pink wedding cake is designed by UK baker Sugar Ruffles. She designed this particular cake around a Chanel Dress, incorporating the delicate branches and beautiful flowers as well as representing the fabric and frills of the dress. Sugar Ruffles loves to use fashion as inspiration for her cakes.

This vintage inspired cake was created by another cake designer Cotton and Crumbs. These crafty bakers specialize in creating beautiful bespoke cakes. So perfect for a vintage inspired tea party wedding with a color palette of soft pink and muted purples. We especially love the cupcake display below the cake.

Click HERE to see more from the

Wedding Chicks

Sweet and Saucy Shop in Orange County, California created this super pretty wedding cake. This flawless cake in shades of pink and topped off with a gold heart was captured by Carlie of Gabriel Ryan Photographers.

Classic Cakes by Lori based out of Texas whipped up this 5 tiered ombre ruffled wedding cake captured by Kelly Hornberger. To add to their rustic country theme they used a tree stump for their wedding cake stand. A trend that we feel will continue on, and can be an affordable option if you happen to know someone with a chain saw.

Click HERE to see more from the

Wedding Chicks

Cake Avenue designed this stunning white and pink wedding cake adorned with romantic sugar flowers, including Peonies, David Austin Sugar Roses, berries, buds, leaves and tendrils. Finished with an elegant lace trim for a vintage feel. A cake like this would serve 160 coffee portions. Cake Avenue is based in Sydney (Australia), and delivers their cakes to the Blue Mountains and up to Lithgow. The above cake was photographed by 3.2.1 Photography.

Sweet On Cake designed this regal pink and gold wedding cake. Ideal for a wedding fit for a prince and his princess. Sweet On Cake bakes delicious and stunning cakes for the Napa, CA, San Francisco Bay Area and Wine Country. This cake was captured by Jennifer Skog Photography. This also wraps up our favorite pink wedding cakes so far. Which one is your favorite?

Go to the batting cages. Have some fun hitting baseballs all night. It can be a good workout!

At home cooking class. Go online and find some recipes with ingredients you already have. Then teach each other how to make the recipes you’ve found.

Make marshmallow guns and have a marshmallow war. Buy some PVC pipe from a hardware store and make your guns. Then have an all out war!

Paint twister. Make sure to go to a place where you and your surroundings can get dirty! Put paint on the appropriate color dots. Then play twister.

Camp at home. If you have a tent, set it up in the living room and tell stories. Make sure to make smores!

Theme night! Mexican, 50s, Christmas. All food and activity must surround this theme.

Go to a sports game. If you don’t have a lot of money, go to a little league game and pick a side to cheer for and go all out.

Go to the zoo.

Horse-drawn carriage ride. Go downtown and take a carriage ride!

Quiz night. Quiz each other about your personal favorites. Have a piece of candy for each correct answer or keep score and have a prize!

Create a stop motion movie. Have some fun taking lots of pictures and putting it together to create a movie.

Romantic park dinner. Take those tea lights and that sparkling cider to a public park and have a romantic candlelit dinner.

Create a scavenger hunt for each other. Use clues only you both would understand.

Improvise dialogue for a movie you’ve never seen. Rent a movie, put it on mute, and make up the dialogue

Make ice cream sundaes. Pair it with a good movie and you’re set for a perfect date.

Put together a puzzle while watching a documentary.

Build gingerbread houses. Who cares if it’s Christmas? Do it anyways.

More Date Ideasby: Love, the Grows

Make a Pinterest craft. All of those crafts you’ve been pinning to your DIY board. Do one!

Go star gazing.

Make and decorate a cake. Go all out. And if you can’t eat it all on your own, give it to someone!

Play Scrabble.

Have a fondue night. Try new things dipped in cheese or chocolate!

Paint coffee mugs for each other. Use sharpie or paint pens and make sure to bake them so you can save them forever!

Build a fort and watch a movie. This is a favorite.

Walk around the city all night and find a place to eat breakfast in the morning! Go home & sleep for a long, long time together.

People watch at the mall and create stories about the people you see. Hungry? Try some mall food you’ve never tried before.

Go to an arcade. Nickelcade anyone?

Go play at the planetarium.

Redo your first date. You could even go all out not kiss (unless you kissed on your first date... gasp!!)

Go to a book store and read your favorite childhood books to each other. Chicka chick boom boom will there be enough room?

Pretend to be in the market and go look at model homes.

Dessert only night. Oh yes. You heard me. Only desserts Video game night! This is a favorite. When I proposed this to Josh he was more than

happy to oblige. And we got super into it and ate crappy food all night.

Make cookies and deliver them. Because let’s be honest. You don’t need another dozen cookies for the two of you. So make them, save a few, and give the rest to a neighbor, friend, or someone completely random!

Have breakfast in bed. No matter what time of day it is, make some french toast and bacon and relax in your bed.

Card games and dips. Make some onion dip for ruffles, try a homemade salsa and tortilla chips, make a cookie batter dip for vanilla wafers. Then play UNO and Phase 10 all night.

Watch kids movies and eat your favorite childhood foods. Macaroni and cheese and some Toy Story sounds great to me!

Go to a thrift store and buy each other gifts. Set a dollar limit and buy each other a gift. Take it home and wrap it up and give them to each other.

Be a tourist in your own town.

Make a time capsule. Include current events, letters to your future selves, hopes and dreams and expectations. Find those old movie tickets and fortunes and throw them in. Hide it in a safe place (and not the kind of safe place you’ll forget...)

Take personality tests. Jung, True Colors, The 5 Love Languages, or my personal favorite The Color Code.

Go to a concert or local band show. Most small local venues are cheap and have great undiscovered music! Or you can go all out and see what great artists are playing near you.

Grab breakfast to go and go on a morning picnic! Enjoy being outside in a park while it’s still quiet on a Saturday morning. Grab donuts, bagels, McDonald’s, whatever suits your fancy!

Create alter egos and meet up for a date. Stick to your alter egos. Get into it. Dress up if you want. Phil and Claire Dunfy style. Except maybe keep your clothes on in public.

Let’s face it. Some of us don’t have significant others to spend Valentine’s Day with. Some of us only have cats, dogs, hamsters, ferrets, or fish to treat to a fancy meal, give red and pink gifts to, and lather with affection. Then again, some of us have significant others, but choose to spend Valentine’s Day celebrating with our pets, because after all, there is no truer love. For example, my husband is an accountant and in the midst of busy season, so the chances of him being available for a date on February 14th are very slim. My cats, however, cleared their calendars and left that Thursday wide open. To express my

gratitude for their generosity, I have elected to celebrate my love for my felines with special gifts and activities. Originally, I planned to make homemade cat treats, but after researching, I realized lots of things outside the pet aisle in the grocery store are really bad for pets, and I didn’t want to risk a trip to the animal hospital, especially on such a special occasion!

My favorite gift on Valentine’s Day is chocolate, because … obviously. However, chocolate is deadly for most pets, so while they might appreciate the gesture, they will die shortly after expressing gratitude. So, I

A Very Furry Valentine’s Day

Pet Love

by: Megan Strange

found safe ways to show my love for my best friends in the whole wide world. • Buy some fancy pet food. Normally, my cats get weight control, natural, healthy food, because apparently cat diabetes is a real thing, and I’m a worrier, but I figured on such a momentous occasion, the cats could have a special treat. Plus, it came in a pink package. So, obviously the purchase was necessary. Make the meal special. Let them eat off human plates. Allow them to sit at the table, no matter how much your husband whines about it being unsanitary or “disgusting.”

• There are oodles of pink pet attire all over the Internet. However, if you’re on a budget or your husband has implemented

a rule in your household that you can no longer buy any outfits for your pets no matter the holiday, you can always just let your furry friend borrow something. For example, I re-purposed this Valentine’s-ish human scarf into a beautiful Valentine’s cat scarf for my cat, Lucy. Despite the look of disapproval on her face, she really felt beautiful.

• If you have a dog, you should consider taking him/her on a romantic walk in the park. Dogs love romantic walks in the park.

• If you have a cat, you might notice they don’t really like to go on walks. They prefer

to sleep. Occasionally, they play with feathers and fake mice. I went with some Martha Stewart cat toys this year. They were all read and pink and just screamed “classy pet toy.” We like to be fancy on the day of love. Martha Stewart also has a whole line of red and pink dog toys for those of you whose pets prefer playthings with a squeaker inside.

• The most important activity to include no matter who your Valentine’s Day date is, though, is some cuddling. I know my cats’ favorite place in the whole world is in my lap…or on a fleece blanket, but either way, give them some tender loving care and remind them how much better, and smellier, your life is with them in it.

Growing up, I had the misfortune of never having a “sweetheart” on Valentine’s Day. Every year, on Valentine’s Day, I had a gift though. My father would get me a flower, a card, or some other show of Valentine’s Day. At the time, the gesture meant a lot to me, however I might have traded that flower if someone had offered me a sweetheart in exchange.

Whenever romantic love rebuffed and rejected me, my father was there. He would take me to the movies on the night of dances that I hadn’t been asked to. As an adult, I am almost grateful that I never did have a “sweetheart” on Valentine’s Day, or a date for some of my high school

dances. It showed me something and taught me something about love, that I could never have learned from a stuffed teddy bear from some boy or spending my night smelling rented tux while slow dancing to Whitney Houston.

Love, no matter what the retail industry tries to convince us at Valentine’s Day, is so much more than just that romantic kiss, that proposal on bended knee, those dozen red roses. It is tangled through our whole lives and all of the people that live within our life.

As I get older, I discover every day a new layer to the love my family, my friends,

Blog

Peony In Love

my husband, my God has for me. If we look around, every day is Valentine’s Day.

Peony In Love by Lisa See is an eloquent letter about love, in all forms, from young infatuation love to mature love.

Lisa See writes about different periods in Chinese history, but does so from the woman’s viewpoint, always. Peony In Love is about a young girl in 17th century China. It’s loosely based on actual historical figures. The Peony Pavilion was an opera that became popular during that time. It was censured, due to the frankness in it about sex, about love. It was inspiring young girls to starve themselves to death in emulation of the main character in the opera. Women were gaining a cultural foothold in the literati scene at this point, the end of the Ming dynasty, the beginning of the Quing.

The main character, Peony, witnesses the opera because her father let it be produced and shown at their family compound. Peony is fifteen, the age where girls are betrothed. She has been informed of this fact. While watching the opera, which Peony already has read and loved, she sneaks off into a different part of the compound.

While there, she meets a scholar, whom she speaks with, breaking all taboos. The opera goes on three days, and all three performances, she sneaks off to meet with the scholar. On the last day, her father announces her betrothal and that her betrothed is right there. Peony refuses to look, in love with her scholar.

After this, Peony becomes obsessed with The Peony Pavilion, reading all her copies, making notes and composing poems.

She begins not eating, she fights with her mother. She wants to be the main character in the opera. The main character falls in love with someone taboo. She dies. Upon death, her spirit goes to the man. They are intimate. He then brings her back to life. She is still “unsullied” since intimacy as a ghost doesn’t count.

Their love reigns.

Peony begins to hope for this type of ending with her scholar. She becomes sicker and sicker. She knows the time to go to her new husband’s home is there. Right before, her father gives her something which sparks in her a new excitement for her marriage. Her family begins the rituals done when someone is on the brink of death. She feels they are doing the rituals that happen when a girl leaves her home to go to her new one. She doesn’t realize until she is lying

Peony In Love

Kimberly Campbell Moore has spent the last 30 years devouring books and is always on the hunt for a book that will end up devouring her. She believes in wearing t-shirts sporting literary quotes, as well as this quote from C.S. Lewis: “We read to know we are not alone.”

outside the door. Then she knows that she has starved herself to death.

After death, she goes to the afterworld. She makes her way to the Viewing Platform, where the ancestors can view their families on earth. She observes that her ancestral tablet, through the blindness of grief on her parents’ part remains unmarked. This means that until it is, she will remain to wander the earth, becoming a “hungry ghost”.

Lisa See writes a book that is mournful. It’s hopeful. It’s tears. It’s comforting touches on our foreheads. It’s expected and surprising. She weaves the tale with language that puts us at a different speed, a slower speed.

I really don’t want to go too far into the plot, as it will spoil the book. I will say though that Peony’s wanderings teach her about youthful love. It teaches her about the love parents’ have for their child, as the child. It teaches her the love one has as a parent for a child. It shows her how what one person thinks is love, another feels hate.

This is a tragic book. I know, weird that I’d recommend it for Valentine’s Day. I do though, because at the end, you’re left with a full knowledge of love. Not just Romeo and Juliet killing themselves over a doomed romantic love, but love as the thread that binds us all together.

So, do yourself a favor. Go and buy Peony in Love by Lisa See. Save it. At a time,

when you need the comfort of melancholy (you all know what I mean! Those times we watch a sad movie while eating ice cream!), read this book. It isn’t a long one and you will turn the pages quickly. When you close the book, think of all the love that Peony finds during her time as a spirit, from all places expected and unexpected. You’ll see what I mean, and maybe Peony will teach you some of the places to find those threads of love to surround yourself with.

Further Book Recommendations:Mystery: Still Life by Louise Penny—introduces a small town outside of Quebec and some pretty unforgettable characters. Lincoln Lawyer by Michael Connelly----if you’ve seen the movie recently, don’t read the book, as it is very similar. But definitely still worth the read. The movie was phenomenal because the book was. Chick Lit: The Undomestic Goddess by Sophie Kinsella. Very fun and charming book. Memoir: Summer At Tiffany, Marjorie Hart. This is definitely not written by an experienced author, but the detail Hart remembers her time at the end of World War II in New York City is a treat. She opens a window on a period of history that we all remember the iconic photo of (the sailor kissing the woman passionately) but don’t know about much of the life that happened around that picture.

“The more that you read, the more things you will know. The more that you learn, the more places you’ll go.”

― ~Dr. Seuss

“Do not read, as children do, to amuse yourself, or like the ambitious, for the purpose of instruction. No, read in order to live.” ― ~Gustave Flaubert

“Until I feared I would lose it, I never loved to read. One does not love breathing.”

― ~Harper Lee

DIY

Hi! My name is Kelly...I’m just a girl who likes to make things. I have a full-time job that offers little in the way of creativity...so this is my creative outlet. I enjoy photography and DIY and pretty stuff...but I’m not perfect. I just make it up as I go along.

the 3D Framed Heart Art

Hi! My name is Kelly...I’m just a girl who likes to make things. I have a full-time job that offers little in the way of creativity...so this is my creative outlet. I enjoy photography and DIY and pretty stuff...but I’m not perfect. I just make it up as I go along.

the 3D Framed Heart Art

He was a dark and stormy knight...I mean IT was a dark and stormy NIGHT.Sheesh.

The lightning flashed, the thunder crashed, the lights went dark and out I dashed.

It wasn’t me...it was the one-armed man!

Okay, maybe that’s a little dramatic.

But this fabulous Valentine art needed a proper intro...

Start with a paper mache heart, some scrapbook paper & a frame of your choice.

For your heart to look just right, you’re going to need to cut it in half. So, first seek out the vise from its hiding spot in the corner of the garage.

See that it’s covered in icky spiderwebs, retreat to locate your trusty garden gloves and THEN go back and get it.

Set it on your {husband’s} little workbench next to thepieces of another project that are still unfinished.

Wrap some paper around your fragile heart so as not to scuff it up in these vicious, unforgiving jaws of death.

Sorry, more drama.

Next, choose your weapon.

Waver between the hacksaw and the coping saw.

Start with the hacksaw just because the teeth are finer,and seem to work better on the paper, but switch anyway when you get to the bottom and need more height on your saw.

Hmmm. . . Make your cut slightly off center at the bottom.

Shrug and move on.

Be a little surprised that there’s actually newspaper inside.

Pick and paint your heart half in whatever fashion makes your own heart happy. Choose the fancy frame because, well, it’s fancy. Paint over your fancy frame with a creamy color and distress lightly.

Discover your frame has a couple pieces of cardboard behind the glass and do a little happy dance. Why?

Because you can attach your scrapbook paper to the cardboard so its sturdy & doesn’t pull out of the frame when you attach the heart.

Then you have to decide what part of the paper you want to use. Go with the part that has the fun little bunting and smile.

Search {in vain} for your spray adhesive,shake your head and wonder why SUCH an organized person can’t find stuff. Ha.

Give up and hot glue your paper to the cardboard. Put your frame back together, placing the glass somewherebehind the piece of papered cardboard.

Attach the heart to the front with hot glue.

Ta da!

Hmmm....

Decide it still needs a little something...

Add a key cut out when you are unable to locate the old rusty key you KNOW you have somewhere.

Remember the incident with the spray adhesive and vow to change your disorganized ways.

What do you do with the rest of that awesome scrapbook paper?

Put it in an Ikea frame that’s been waiting around for another project!

There you have it...your {almost} step-by-step guide to framing your heart.

I LOVE it and I hope you do, too!

Sooo, I’ve got the paint picked out for the half bath downstairs. I just need to find my motivation to get started and pick up supplies.

Hunh. Sometimes I put off larger projects by doing smaller, easier ones. You, too? Well, here’s a good example.

Most of us have a few of these hanging around the garage or basement. Real beauties, I tell you what!

Did you know that’s quite the easy fix?Yep, spray paint to the rescue!

I had seen a picture on Pinterest that linked back to a Flickr feed. So it wasn’t even a DIY thing...it was a photo of a bunch of chairs at some cafe in Europe.

I thought to myself: Self, this is a great idea!I had two like the one pictured above with the cushion. I primed the cushion really well with the Rustoleum primer. Let it dry for at least 24 hours...good to go!

The rest, I just wiped clean and started spraying. I learned some things about spray paint. It is NOT all created equal.

I never could find a LIGHT orange so I ended up with two pinks. However, I tried three different kinds...wanna know my opinion? Krylon was my favorite.

With the Valspar spray paint there was SOOOO much over spray dust - the whole

garage was coated...along with my feet!The Rustoleum I used was okay...but still quite a bit of dust. The Krylon covered well and had the least amount of over spray.And there’s my two cents worth. :)

Oh, and with two coats for each chair...I used one can per chair.

I really like the difference it made on the appearance of these chairs. Now they’re so much more fun!

by: Kelly from “the moon and me”

DIY Fabric Bracelet

1 Hand sewing needle1 Toggle Clasp1 16 1/2” x 2” scrap fabricScissorsClear RulerPencilIronFray Check (optional)Sewing Machine Needle 12 or 14Thread

What you need

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Step 1:Cut your strip of Fabric and iron flat

Step 2:Place your clear ruler an inch from bottom of your strip and draw a pencil mark, along the middle of the fabric

Step 3:Press with an Iron both sides inward towards your pencil mark, like so. Then fold over both outside edges

Step 4:Begin to pin along your strip

Now it’s time to sew....yippy!

Step 5:Set your machine to Zig Zag stitch, 5 Width, 3 Length, 5.5 tension

Step 6:Sew forward and reverse a little bit at the beginning and then begin to sew down the middle of your strip repeating the reverse and forward at the end, like below

Step 7:Cut your thread.  Thread a hand needled with a long piece of thread and begin adding your toggle clasps. Bring your hand needle from the bottom side of the fabric, but not through the top layer.

Step 8:Now it’s time to tie our decorative knot at the center of the bracelet. Lay it side by side to make sure your knot is in the middle of your bracelet, as best as possible.

Hilani EllisI’m a sewaholic and love being creative. Outside of being a mom, wife, and friend . . . I create hand sewn items for all ages.

Website

Complete:Enjoy, have fun, add extra bracelets, & be creative with colors!

Carla of Thirteen Winks can turn your treasured family recipe into original art for your home! Makes a great gift for family members and loved ones. Keep memories close

for years to come by having your favorite family recipe in your heart and your kitchen. Visit the Thirteen Winks Etsy shop to place your custom order today!

Thirteen Winks

Toilet Paper ChandelierMaterials:Toilet Paper CoreFishing LineSpray PaintNeedle Nose PliersHangerWireLamp Kit

Step 1:Using the wire cutter portion of the pliers, trim the hanger down to the approximate size you want. Bend the hanger into a circle to form the frame of the chandelier.

Step 2:Cut the cardboard toilet paper roll in half and lay it flat.

Step 3:Cut the roll into 8 equal rectangles.

Step 4:Spray paint both sides of the cardboard.

Step 5:Using an Xacto knife, poke a small hole near one end of each rectangle.

Step 6:Thread fishing line through the hole and tie a knot.

Step 7:Tie three rectangles onto each fishing wire strand.

Step 8:Tie the strand onto the frame you made in step 1. Continue steps 6-8 until you have filled the frame with strands all the way around.

Step 10: Wrap the wire that you wrapped around the lamp kit to the frame of the chandelier.

Step 11 (Optional):For a two tier chandelier, repeat steps 1-8, but make the frame smaller. Once the frame is filled with strands, suspend the smaller frame from the larger frame using finishing line.

I’m Kirsten, the owner and designer behind Kirsten Danielle Design. To say I love beautiful homes would be an understatement, and my blog, “Through the Front Door,” will attest to that fact. Click below to follow along as I share my passion for design, DIY and fabulous home decor.

Step 9:Take the lamp kit and securely wrap wire around it.

“Creativity is allowing yo

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which ones to keep.”

~Scott Adams

Stamped Quote Cuff Bracelet

DIY

The hardware store can be a treasure trove of affordable and unique options for jewelry and crafts. With a little inventiveness and elbow grease, you can turn simple aluminum strips into custom, hand-stamped bracelets.

What you needMetal stamping alphabet (find these at your local craft store or on eBay)Aluminum strips (Measuring .5 inches by 3 feet) Find this in the “metal pieces” section at your local hardware store.)Steel woolPermanent markerHammerOrbital sander with medium grit sandpaper, or metal fileMetal snips Or heavy-duty wire cuttersSteel pipe (to help you bend the metal)

Note: You’ll need a very hard surface, like a concrete floor or stamping block to stamp onto. If this is your first time to stamp, plan to practice on a scrap section until you get the method down.

Cut aluminum into 6 inch strips with metal snips. Mark off the middle 3 inches for your working area.

DIY

Be sure to choose a quote that will fit within two lines, ten words maximum. Plan out your words and how you’ll place them before stamping.

Be sure that your letter is the right way before stamping. With a household hammer, give it one, solid blow.

I like an imperfect, uneven look to give it character, so I space the letters as I go. It should leave a deep, even impression. Be sure not to apply too much pressure to one side or the other.

If you must stamp harder, line the stamp up carefully into the

groove and try again. This takes some practice!

When you’ve completed your quote, fill in the grooves with a permanent marker. Polish off the excess with a piece of steel wool. Round the sharp edges of the metal with a metal file or and orbital sander.

This may take a while, so be patient and be sure to round out all those edges. Sand over the quote for a distressed look.

Bend the piece of metal around a piece of steel pipe into a cuff shape. Bend slightly when on wrist.

Kayli HeadI’m a blogger, PR writer, artist and yard sale junkie. I’m loving

feathering our new nest in Nacogdoches, Texas, with my hubby Derek, and two puppies. I love traveling, good indie music and

pumpkin-spice lattes.

Fashion & Beauty

Say hello to this fun classy dress! Wedding season is approaching; you will no doubt turn heads in our Don’t

Say Goodbye Dress! Flattering on almost any figure this dress

is perfection!

We love everything about this chevron dress! It is comfortable and

classy, perfect for any occasion!

Colorful skinny pants & perfect for this warm weather! HELLO totally a staple that should be in every girl’s closet!

You can surely believe that we love a good blazer... And this striped

mocha/brown blazer is just our style! Rouched sleeves around the elbow

and a fit you can’t resist.

Ark & Company has to be one of our favorite designers! This dress features an intricate floral crochet detail on

the bottom and a Kelly Green pop of color at the top! More bonus features

on this amazing piece are pockets and an invisible zipper!

Green is the HOT color this season and how perfect is this skirt for spring? This skirt fits like it was

tailored just for you with the most beautiful embroidery.

Looking for the perfect wedge to wear this spring? Here it is these

adorable wedges the perfect neutral colors to be paired

with almost anything! This is a 5 inch cork wedge.

This tank top is bound to be your absolute favorite ever! It’s so soft and

has a perfect fit.

Comfort and style are two things that you cannot go wrong with together! Our Don’t Hold You Back Shorts are flowy and cute! They feature pockets,

pleats, and an elastic waistline.

Click here to see more great recipes from inspiringpretty.com

Natural Beauty Recipes

Click here to see more great recipes from inspiringpretty.com

Brown Sugar & Honey Facial Scrub

Brown sugar exfoliates the skin ridding the pores of all dirt, oil and dead skin cells causing blemishes. Honey is naturally antibacterial, so as the brown sugar scrubs away the things clogging pores, the honey cleans out the sources of the buildup to prevent future breakouts.

Coffee Grounds in Conditioner

This one is really simple. Instead of throwing old coffee grounds away, toss them into your conditioner to make your hair extra shiny. That’s all it takes!

Natural Beauty RecipesLemon

& Egg FacialHave red splotchiness on your face? Soothe both symptoms away easily by mixing together one egg yolk and the juice of one lemon into a paste. Cover your face with it and leave it on overnight. If this seems like too much work, leave it on your face for an hour. You might not get the optimal results with this amount of time, but you will see a difference.

Soften Skin with Oatmeal

There are many concoctions and mask recipes that involve oatmeal, but you can use oatmeal by itself to help your skin. Ground up about 1 cup of oatmeal using a blender or coffee grinder, and add it to bath water to soften skin to baby-like quality.

by: inspiringpretty.comUsing Everyday Foods

Step 1: Brush your hair – you want to remove any knots or tangles before you start to braid.

Step 2: Start on the right (or left if you prefer!) – I’ll explain as if you’re on the right, but pick whichever side you part your hair. Take a large section above your right ear and split into three.

Step 3: To make a Dutch braid, cross the right piece under the center section. Then bring the left piece under the right.

Step 4: Next add more hair to each section as you braid. Try to add in even amounts on both sides so you keep the braid shape equal.

Step 5: Keep braiding, bringing the right section under the center, and the left under the right. When you run out of hair to add in, bring your right hand around to the front and braid to the end of your hair.

Step 6: Secure the braid with a small clear elastic and then stretch out your braid.

Hair Romance shares tutorials, tips, tricks and beauty advice to help you to love your hair. Hair Romance posts hair news daily to bring you hair-inspiration and ways to have fun with your hair.

In the Kitchen

Chocolate CoveredStrawberry ValentinesPrep time: 15 mins Total time: 15 minsServes: 1 dozen Ingredients1 dozen strawberries, rinsed & dried1 cup good quality melting chocolate1 Tablespoon ShorteningInstructionsPlace the Chocolate & Shortening in a microwave safe bowl. Microwave at half-power for 30 seconds at a time, mixing every 30 seconds. Once your chocolate is smooth and melted, carefully dip each strawberry into the chocolate, tapping & shaking gently after each strawberry so there is an even coating.Place dipped berries on a piece of wax paper. If you are adding sprinkles, do so after dipping each strawberry (contrast color of chocolate can go on using a zip-lock bag with the corner cut off of it later). Once berries are all dipped & sprinkled, place in a cool place (like the fridge) to set & then enjoy!

20-something living in North-East Pennsylvania. Blogger, when not searching for recipes, thinking about food, or cooking & photographing my cooking (or everything around me) I enjoy teaching (computer technology to upper elementary students), spending time (outside whenever possible) with my dogs, enjoying a good book, keeping fit (still working on finding some sort of exercise that I actually like though), being with my friends & family…..

After moving into my own place I truly started experimenting in the kitchen (and yes I now feed my parents a lot more than I ever did when I lived in their house). Summer vacations are my time to truly experiment in the kitchen but I strive to make each and every meal I make worth my time that I spend making & eating it!

Teacher by Day, Chef by Night

For the cupcakes:3 sticks unsalted butter (1 1/2 cups), at room temperature1½ cups light brown sugar4 large eggs2 2/3 cups all-purpose flour1 teaspoon baking powder1 teaspoon baking soda¼ teaspoon salt1 cup milk2 teaspoons vanilla extract1 cup semisweet chocolate chipsPreheat the oven to 350° degrees. Line cupcake pan with 24 liners.

In the bowl of a stand mixer fitted with the paddle attachment, combine the butter and brown sugar. Beat together on medium-high speed until light and fluffy, about 3 minutes. Mix in the eggs one at a time, beating well after each addition and scraping down the sides of the bowl as needed.

Combine the flour, baking powder, baking soda, and salt in a medium bowl. Stir together to blend. Add the dry ingredients to the mixer bowl on low speed, alternating with the milk, beginning and ending with the dry ingredients, mixing each addition just until incorporated. Blend in the vanilla. Fold in the chocolate chips with a spatula.

Divide the batter evenly between the prepared cupcake liners. Bake for 18-20 minutes, until a toothpick inserted in the center comes out clean. Allow to cool in the pan 5-10 minutes, then transfer to a wire rack to cool completely.

For the Filling:4 Tablespoons (1/4 cup) unsalted butter, at room temperature6 Tablespoons light brown sugar

1 cup plus 2 Tablespoons all-purpose flour7 ounces sweetened condensed milk½ teaspoon vanilla extract¼ cup mini semisweet chocolate chips

To make the cookie dough filling, combine the butter and sugar in a mixing bowl and cream on medium-high speed until light and fluffy, about 2 minutes. Beat in the flour, sweetened condensed milk and vanilla until incorporated and smooth. Stir in the chocolate chips. Cover with plastic wrap and refrigerate until the mixture has firmed up a bit, about a half hour.

To fill the cupcakes, cut a cone-shaped portion out of the center of each cupcake. Fill each hole with a chunk of the chilled cookie dough mixture.

For the Frosting:3 sticks unsalted butter (1 1/2 cups), at room temperature¾ cup light brown sugar, packed3½ cups confectioners’ sugar (powdered sugar)1 cup all-purpose flour¾ teaspoon salt3 Tablespoons milk2½ teaspoons vanilla extract

To make the frosting, beat together the butter and brown sugar in the bowl of a stand mixer fitted with the paddle attachment until creamy. Mix in the confectioners’ sugar until smooth. Beat in the flour and salt. Mix in the milk (I used at least an extra tablespoon compared to this recipe) and vanilla extract until smooth and well blended.

Frost the filled cupcakes as desired and sprinkle with mini-chocolate chips. Store on the counter or in the fridge (fresher if kept in the fridge) and then you decide if you like them cold or room temperature!

chocolate chip cookie Dough cupcakesby “Teacher by day, Chef by Night”

Spinach & Artichoke Stuffed Portabella Mushrooms

Prep time: 10 mins Cook time: 20 mins Total time: 30 minsServes: 2 as a main dish Ingredients4 big portabella mushrooms, stems and gills removed1 (10 ounce) package frozen spinach, thawed, drained and coarsely chopped1 (14 ounce) can artichoke hearts, drained and coarsely chopped4 ounces cream cheese, room temperature2 Tbsp sour cream¼ cup shredded mozzarella3 cloves garlic, choppedsalt and pepper to taste

½ cup panko bread crumbs (or crushed crackers)¼ cup grated parmigiano reggiano (parmesan)InstructionsLine a baking sheet with foil & pre-heat oven to 450F. Clean the mushrooms and bake until softened, about 10 minutes.While the mushrooms are pre-cooking, mix the spinach, artichokes, cream cheese, sour cream, mozzarella, garlic, salt and pepper, along with about ¼ cup of the crushed crackers or bread crumbs.Divide the filling between the mushrooms and sprinkle on the bread crumbs and top with the rest of the mozzarella and parmesan cheeses. Roast until the filling is hot and the breadcrumbs are golden brown, about 10 minutes.

by “Teacher by day, Chef by Night”

Mardi Gras was celebrated on February 12th, this year. It is one of my favorite holidays to celebrate, because I get to share some of my Cajun roots with my friends here in northern Virginia. Each year, I like to make a menu of delicious Cajun foods, drinks and you can’t forget the king cake! I put my own twist on things of course, since not everything is exactly like home.

Now if you aren’t familiar with Mardi Gras traditionally, you may envision crazy parties with topless women, beads and drunks on the streets. Not at all. Mardi Gras, translated means “fat Tuesday”, and always occurs before Ash Wednesday, which is always changing so you could be celebrating in February or March depending on the year. The reason it is always celebrated before Ash Wednesday is because in the Catholic religion, that day

is the first day of Lent. Mardi Gras is the last day to get in all your indulgences before your fast. It is celebrated with society balls and carnivals. The colors, green, purple and gold represent faith, justice and power.

At my house, the party drink of choice are good ol’ hurricanes in a hurricane shaped glass. Instead of a traditional king cake, I bake king cake cupcakes with green, purple and yellow sprinkles, complete with a surprise baby inside. Hearty dishes would include, Crawfish and Shrimp Etouffee, Gumbo or Jambalaya. Finger foods range from fried shrimp, catfish nuggets, craw-puppies with a lemon remoulade or boudin sausages made into bite size pieces. My older brother sometimes dresses as a witch doctor complete with voodoo stick, and painted faces and masks are encouraged!

It’s all about the foodMardi Gras:

It’s all about the food

Craw-puppies: Serves 8-121 cup all-purpose flour¾ cup cornmeal1/2 teaspoon baking powder1 teaspoon kosher salt2 tablespoons sugar1/2 cup buttermilk1 egg1 stick (8 tablespoons) unsalted butter, melted1 ounce cream cheese, melted12-16 oz frozen crawfish tails1/3 cup shredded sharp cheddar cheese1 jalapeño, minced1 clove garlic, mincedOil, for frying

Directions:In a medium bowl whisk together the flour, cornmeal, baking powder, salt, and sugar until well combined. In a separate bowl whisk together the buttermilk, egg, butter, and cream cheese until well mixed. Add the wet ingredients to the dry and mix until most of the flour mixture is moistened. Add the crawfish, shredded cheese, jalapeño, and garlic and mix until well combined.

In a deep pot, fill it with enough oil to cover the puppies. Heat until about 350F. Scoop the mixture by the rounded tablespoon into the hot oil. Cook, turning occasionally, until the craw-puppies are golden brown all over, about 4 minutes. Drain on a wire rack and cool slightly. Serve warm.

Lemon Remoulade: Makes about 2 cupsIngredients:2 cups of mayonnaise¼ creole mustard2 garlic cloves, minced2 tbsp fresh parsley, chopped1 tbsp fresh lemon juice2 tsp paprika¾ tsp of ground red pepper

Directions: Whisk together all ingredients until blended. Cover and chill for at least 30 minutes before serving.

Miemo Khamvongsa lives in Northern Virginia, on the outskirts of our nation’s capitol. She is a graphic designer, wanderlust,

and food enthusiast.

Mardi Gras:

Laissez les bon temps rouler!

Family

10 things you should never say to your kidsRe-printed with permission from Brenna Hicks,

The Kid Counselor (thekidcounselor.com)”

When I think about all of the phrases, anecdotes, and sayings about the power of the spoken word I am reminded of how I changed my way of communicating with children upon learning Play Therapy principles. I realize that using Play Therapy based language is a learned and practiced skill that requires time and effort, so I thought it would be helpful to share ten commonly used phrases parents say to their kids. I will also give the Play Therapy based alternative with a short explanation of why it is more effective.

1. No (running, hitting, yelling, fill in the verb)!

Kids hear the word “no” far too frequently (Read more about that here). You can always rephrase the sentence from a negative to a positive, which will correct the behavior without sounding critical. Train yourself to say what you want them to do instead of what you don’t. So, you can say “Walk, please” instead of “No running”.

2. Good job!

I have spent a good deal of time on articles on the difference between Praise vs. Encouragement, and this phrase is arguably the most commonly spoken praise children hear. Train yourself to respond with “You did it!” or “You got it!” or “You figured it out!”. Notice the common element is starting with the word “you” and then acknowledging

what they worked at, rather than what you think about it.

3. Don’t argue with me.

Children are programmed to question, analyze and wonder about situations. This can sometimes present itself in an argumentative manner, but this is actually a normal part of development. Instead of cutting off the conversation, you can say, “I know you want my answer to be different, but it will not change”. You can also train yourself to make sure the child fully understands your response, with “I just told you my answer. Do you have a question about it?” This allows the child to present their opinion or get clarification. Either way, the child is allowed to express their thoughts or concerns and feel validated without an argument.

4. Wait until your Dad/Mom/other person finds out about this.

This does two things. First, it creates anxiety and fear in the child, especially of the person who you are going to tell about whatever happened. Second, it ignores your responsibility to deal with the issue at hand and passes it to someone else. By the time a child has gotten in trouble for something, they already feel guilty, sorry and embarrassed about it. Threatening to tell someone else rubs salt in the wound. Choose whether the other person really needs to know about the issue, and if yes,

let the child decide who will tell them. “Do you choose to tell (Mom) what happened, or choose for me to tell her with you there to make sure that I explain it correctly?” This gives the child respect and responsibility for their actions.

5. If you do that one more time...

I can’t tell you the number of times I hear that phrase when around other parents, even though it is highly ineffective. First, you are threatening a child, which makes them fearful of you. Second, the threat is usually not something that is feasible to do (we are going home, you are going straight to bed, you don’t get dinner, you are grounded for a week, etc.) What we say in frustration is not only impractical but easily forgettable. Then we contradict our credibility. You can train yourself to be clear and concise, using choices. “If you choose to (continue that behavior), you choose to (receive whatever consequence has already been established as a punishment)”. You might say, “Erin, if you choose to poke your sister again, you choose to not watch TV for the rest of the day”. This clearly communicates the expectation and the consequence, without a threat.

6. You are doing that the wrong way.

Parents tend to want control all of the time, and it takes work to allow kids to have freedom to do what they choose. Of course, there will be times when a task must be completed in a certain fashion (homework, etc.). However, many times we force kids to

do something the “right way”, when it could have been done in several ways. If a child is coloring the grass purple, it is easy to tell them it must be green. A kid can sit down on a chair facing the back, and we make them turn around. Train yourself to acknowledge their behavior without a judgment, such as “You chose to sit the other way on the chair” or “You colored the grass purple instead”. This gives them the freedom to be creative and discover things without expectations.

7. That is what happens when you...

We often try to teach lesson to kids about life at the most inappropriate times. If a child gets hurt because they were doing something dangerous or inappropriate, they already learned their lesson. It is wasted words to try to express a rule when a child is upset, as they focus on one thing at a time. Instead, train yourself to say, “You realized that you jumped off the chair and got hurt when you landed on the ground”, rather than, “See, that is what happens when you jump off the chair”. The former acknowledges that the child already figured out the problem, but is still comforting.

8. You can’t/Don’t do that.

When redirecting behavior, it is difficult to know how to phrase things in the best manner. Telling a child that they can’t do something makes them prove that they can, by telling you or showing you that it is in fact possible. Telling a kid to not do something makes them want to argue or rebel. Train yourself to explain the reason behind your

statement. “That is not safe” or “Your skin is not for coloring on” is specific and helps them learn why things are off limits, rather than just that they are.

9. We are (whatever the child doesn’t want to do at that moment), OKAY?

In an attempt to be kind and loving to children, parents tend to ask kids for their approval. I understand the rationale behind it, but I believe it becomes a habit when trying to convince a child to comply. Parents will often say, “We are leaving the playground now and we’ll come back again, okay?” The reality is that asking your child if it is okay sets you up for an argument when the child says no. You already know that he doesn’t want to leave, or you wouldn’t be negotiating with him. Train yourself to state things in sentence form, while acknowledging the child’s feelings. “Kevin, I know you want to stay and play, but it is time to go. We can come back another day”. This helps the child feel understood, but still communicates that leaving is non-negotiable.

10. You are making me really mad right now.

When I was a child and fought with my younger brother, I would complain to my mom that he made me mad about something. She would (and still does) respond with “No one can make you feel anything. You choose to get mad.” At the time, I hated that phrase. However, it is very true. Parents tend to let

their children control their emotions, when it is the parent who is ultimately responsible for how they feel. It is also important for kids to understand that they choose what they feel, and they are not creating emotions in you. Train yourself to say, “I need a break right now because I am getting upset” or “I am angry right now”. You can communicate your feelings to your children without placing the burden of cause on them.

Retraining your way of speaking will take time and energy, but can be done. I would encourage you to do it one step at a time, and feel proud when you hear yourself respond differently. It will not happen overnight, as I liken it to learning a new language, but it can happen with practice!

Previous to becoming a full-time Mom, Brenna ran a highly successful Child Therapy Private Practice. Brenna has been blogging and writing articles on Parenting since 2006, and is currently getting her PhD from the University of South Florida.

Site

Who am I?My name is Justin, and I am going to be a father. I also might die before my child turns 30 if I continue with the lifestyle I’ve been living. I have tried several times to lose weight before but gave up after either not losing weight fast enough or giving into my cravings.

What am I doing?I am giving up on what the government and media tell me I should eat. It may work for some people, but not me. With the help of my friend, I will be following one guideline, if God didn’t make it, I won’t eat it. I also will NOT be trying to get 6-pack abs in 6 weeks, nor will I take a dozen supplements a day. I will eat healthy, natural food, and getting good exercise every day I can.

About My WifeI’ve been married to my wonderful wife, Bridgette, since July 2011. She is the love of my life and my biggest encouragement. Without her I would not be doing this.

About My NutritionistThis is my good friend Jeremiah. He’s done some nutrition stuff in the Army, and now I’m enlisting his help to get me on the right track.

Weight-in Week 12..

I decided to hold off my weigh-in update an extra week so my next post would be the 2-0 (spoiler alert!) These last 2 weeks I broadened my focus to more than just food. I’ve detoxified the inside of my body, now it’s time to detox the outside of my body. I made the switch from “normal” body products to products that use chemical free ingredients. I changed my soap, shampoo, face wash, deodorant, hair gel, and shaving cream to brands that are completely natural, using no lab-created ingredients. And to my surprise, I feel cleaner than ever. It took a couple of days to get used to a new smell (all the fragrances in commercial products are chemically based), but now I like it.

Fun Fact: Did you know that the typical soap/body wash you buy at the store has so many chemicals in it, it can’t even be labeled as soap. It’s actually a “detergent”.

But the thought of washing yourself with detergent can seem a little scary, so the name brands get around that thought by labeling their products as, “beauty bar, moisture bar, body wash, body scrub,” and all sorts of other labels. Something else I focused on the last 2 weeks is trying to buy locally grown foods. I’ve looked at meat markets, stopped by a farmer’s market, and really investigated where my food is coming from, even at restaurants. Why? Because I want to support my community. I get to live in the great state of Texas, which is so large and diverse that our land can provide most commodities that people need. As a result, many products are cheaper here because they come from our own state, and money keeps flowing within Texas. That’s why the Texas economy has bounced back from the recession faster than other states, and why we haven’t suffered as much as other states in this economical disaster we’re in. So at the very least, I try to spend my money in Texas only, but I especially try to support the local communities of Belton, Temple, Killeen, and Austin. Furthermore, I don’t want to eat food that was shipped all the way from Montana (did you know there is no regulation on the transport of food???). I want to eat something as fresh as possible, and when I bought vegetables from the farmers market,

I have the word of the gardener herself that she picked them out of her garden the day before.

Enough of my ranting, let’s get to the results. After the last 2 weeks, I lost 3.1 pounds, putting my total at...

20.2 Pounds!!!Big milestone. I’ll be honest, I feel a lot better, but I can’t really see a difference in my own eyes. Bridgette says she notices it mostly in my face. My clothes do fit better, but I’m not quite down a shirt size yet. But overall I have gone down 3 belt loops, so that’s been nice. So, to put it into perspective, so far I have lost the amount of weight equal to:

-A car tire (mind=blown)

-A karaoke machine

If you’ve been following my Facebook page, you saw that I ran 2 miles for the first time in a long time. That’s my new minimum. It takes me about 35 minutes to do it, and I’ll be super happy when I can do it in 30. My first goal this week is a simple one, keep the kitchen clean. I blew my last goal of cooking all our meals for a week all because I didn’t keep the kitchen clean. I gave the kitchen and fridge a good cleaning yesterday, and I got food to cook for each day of the week, planning ahead. I also bought whole ingredients to make for me and Bridgette. I am roasting my own turkey breast and slicing it for sandwiches, I am baking our own bread (with stone milled whole wheat), and I baked and sliced chicken breast for our salads. I got just enough food to last us till Saturday, when I will be visiting the Waco farmer’s market for more local and fresh food. My second goal this week is to go the whole week eating only locally, with a 3 meal mercy. So if a social opportunity presents itself, I won’t be all “elitist” and decline. I’ll also continue running.

My apologies to Jack in the Box. True, you were very kind to my wallet, but now I am being kind to my body instead. Why should I die earlier than I have to?

My apologies to Casual Male XXL, you’re going to lose my business in the future.

scary mommy confessionsParenting doesn’t have to be perfect

You can read more anonymous confessions here

I hated being single. I hated dating. I hated being engaged. I hated being married. I hated being divorced. I hated being a single mom. I HATE being remarried the most.

I really miss when skeevy guys used to whistle and yell “Hey baby!” in the street back when I was skinnier.

Sometimes when our friends say “you got so lucky with your son he’s so good!” I wanna punch them. My son is good cause I’m a good mom. Their kids are brats cause they suck at parenting. No luck involved.

My BFF and I combined our 2 households into 1 huge house. It’s great! We share expenses, childcare, chores, wine, laughs. It’s like sister wives without sex. We will never live any other way :)

$10 until payday! Take that world!

Ds1 just added a LOT of salt to his dads coffee I’m not saying a word that’s why I Don’t let him sit on the table idiot!

OMG 5 years of TTC and I think I am holding a positive pregnancy test. The line is so so faint. I just dunno what to think. Could it be? Be still my beating heart...

I just ate my coworkers candy

Spied on my neighbors with binoculars today. I think I’ve reached a new level of nosiness.

Sometimes I “forget” to close the door when I get the mail in hopes that my DH’s psychotic cat will run away.

I’m a combination of sorta pretty and sorta smart. I would give anything to be dumb as a post but hotter then hell.

I spent 4 nights in hospital and I was devastated when they discharged me. It was so nice laying in bed all day, being given morphine and sleeping pills and meals and not having to take care of anyone else.

My 13 month old is eating the dog food out of her bowl again, and at this point I don’t even feel like stopping her. She’ll just be back in it in 5 minutes anyway.

I swear that when there is ice cream in the freezer it speaks to me....EAT ME. EAT ME....

I love my ds10mo so much and I miss him when I’m at work. But I’m not a very good mom. When I’m with him I just watch TV and let him play w toys.

I have come to a point in my life where I honestly hate anyone who makes me wear pants, or anything besides pajamas, on the only two days I have off every week. I also ignore phone calls. I need my me time.

Stuff My Kid Says

Talk About a Deal!

Have a funny quote from your child? Email it to

sagemagazineonline@gmail.com with the subject line “Submission to Stuff My Kid Says”

Valentine’s Day is silly because hearts look like butts. Ian, 5

Kase, 6

To get a boyfriend you have to dress nice and brush your teeth. That’s why I don’t brush my teeth! Abby, 7

Love is when two people kiss a lot. Then they have the same germs and don’t make each other sick. Dylan, 7

My wife is going to be just like my mom, only prettier.

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