Garden Progress + DIY Palette Garden Bed - Mid March 2024

We are in year tow of our garden here in central Arkansas, zones 7a-8b,. Last year, we started some of our garden via seed, but we started all seeds outdoors. We built our amazing DIY palette garden beds (one of which we rebuilt this year), and cannot wait to plant our little seedlings in our new garden beds once they are a bit stronger.

HERE’S WHAT WE PLANTED ON MARCH 8, 2024

Notes from the garden: 2/25 and 2/28/2024

Planted basil seeds from our garden then planted organic basil seeds from store. Also planted Cave City Yellow Watermelon (one cup grew wonderful and one did not grow at all).

3/8/2024

Planted seeds of the following: Sunflowers, Bell Peppers, Cilantro, Dill, tomatoes, peas.

3/14/2024

Seeing growth on the following: Peppers, sunflowers, and peas, cilantro.


Below, you can see some of my most cherished seedlings! Last year we went on a fun adventure near Cave City, AR. The watermelons from that city are famous so we decided to wash/dry/preserve some of those seeds from last summer. We saved both yellow watermelon, shown below, and I just started some of the red Cave City watermelons a few days ago, and I am already seeing growth on them!

Above, Cave City Watermelon Seedlings after one week, and below, after two weeks and transplanted into a larger pot.

Below, you will see one misfortune in the seedling game we are playing. Before I thought to use my plastic cups for seedlings,we purchased two type of Spinach seeds online and the Giant Noble spinach seeds from a farm in Columbus, OH barely had any growth since 2/28/24, and the American Spinach seeds I ordered elsewhere has shown less than half germination. So, perhaps it was the seeds, but maybe I over watered, or something? So, I will try these same sets of seeds in my clear plastic cups and let you all know if it is the tray or what. You never know what you are going to get!

I am wondering if it is honestly these trays or what, because most everything else I started in my cups, has been germinating within 5-7 days! Below, you can see a cup I planted our Sugar Daddy Peas in on 3/8/24 and wow they are taking OFF!

DIY Palette Garden Bed Instructions:

Materials Needed:

4 Palettes, 2 1/2” wood screws, drill, saw.

Tools We Use:

Instructions:

We cut/sawed apart a total of 4 palettes length wise, and used them to create the four sides. We used 2 1/2” wood screws to attach all the sides together. Next, we used smaller boards which were still attached to the extra pallet pieces as sides, in lieu of using weed barrier fabric like we did last year on the blue bed.

After you have reinforced the sides and made sure there is nowhere for dirst to fall out, then fill the bed with as many sticks as you can. This helps us save because we use less bags of dirt

Lastly, fill the remaining space in with bags of dirt. We like using the Miracle Grow soil if we can!

Once our seedlings are strong enough and there is no more cold weather snaps forecasted, our seedlings wil be plated outside in these beds, in an efort to have an even bigger and more varied garden than year one, last year!

I wish I had known about these exact DEWAT Tools being on sale but I provided some links to the deals below for our handheld saw and our amazing cordless handheld drill from DEWALT. They have lasted a long time.

BELOW, OUR GARDEN FROM LAST YEAR (2023)

We got tons of tomatoes and tons of basil (which grew nestled beneath all of our tomatoes, shown here.

Below, out first palette garden bed built last year, then the awesome GardenWerx bag and gardening tools Travis got me as a surprise last year. I could not find a link for them, but I included a few cute ideas below.

Can’t wait to see how the garden performs this season!

Volunteer Work Days at Fults Nature Preserve

Lately I’ve been spending my time outdoors a little differently. I am honored to be helping Friends of Illinois Nature Preserves, a non-profit organization that spends its time helping to maintain nature preserves in Illinois. While the organization is still relatively new, and mostly based in northern IL, we have been making great strides to help in areas of southern Illinois. Fults is a stunning state-owned IDNR property, and while there have been certain challenges in navigating that system, I believe the rewards have outweighed any hurdles.

Below are photos from our Winter Solstice Work Day (12-21-21). We had a large group of amazing volunteers from around the state helping to clear bush honeysuckle and woody species from one of the sections of the Hill Prairies. We had a lot of fun, and WOW - that view is fantastic!

Additionally, I helped to facilitate Friends of IL Nature Preserves as this quarter’s Wooden Nickel recipients at the Neighborhood Co-op where I work! Donations have exceeded $1,500.00, way more than most other organizations have ever received in the Co-op’s history of the program.

Squish Global Grand Opening

Saturday, August 22, Squish Global in Marion, IL held their Grand Opening. It was so great to get out, meet some new folks, enjoy delicious CBD-infused food, and learn more bout the future of CBD. In attendance was most everyone in the wonderful Lawler family, two SIUC professors, the Marion Mayor, and other local officials in our community.

Squish Global Grand Opening Ceremony
Squish Global Grand Opening Ceremony

Below, CBD plants grow in an aeroponic system from aerosourceH, a high-performance, client-centered cannabidiol (CBD) wholesale, extraction laboratory and processing facility located in Kevil, Kentucky.

Squish Global Grand Opening Ceremony CBD plants

Below, the Chicken Satay Skewers, Potstickers, from Thai-D in Marion, IL. The peanut sauce that was infused with Squish’s CBD Avocado Oil!

Squish Global Grand Opening Ceremony (Thai-D Marion, IL)

Everything tasted absolutely delicious!

Squish Global Grand Opening Ceremony (Thai-D Marion, IL)

Powerful and impactful speeches were given by so many people.

Squish Global Grand Opening Ceremony

Before the Ribbon Cutting Ceremony!

Squish Global Grand Opening Ceremony

I love Squish products and that’s why I am so happy to stand behind them. I use the CBD-infused avocado oil on my skin every single day! I have always had dry lips and skin and this product works miracles. Below, we shot a few photos of a couple of their products while out on the lake. So happy to have a southern Illinois-based company I am SO happy to rep!

Next, a product that is new to me is the Squish CBD Muscle Freeze, a topical rub made with organically grown, high resin hemp flowers, arnica flower, shea butter, mango butter camphor essential, peppermint oil, and cooling menthol crystals to provide pain relief and a soothing, cooling effect. Shown below on the kayak on Little Grassy Lake.

I am so happy to help share these incredible products with the world! If you have any questions, comment below! Check out Squish on Facebook, Instagram, or their website!

Roots Run Deep Street Food

We are so happy for our friends, they recently set out to live their dream of offering some of the most delicious and local street food to folks in southern Illinois! We were so happy they invited us to photograph their first ever event at a local country club and this week, they begin Food Truck Fridays in Marion, IL!

Learn more about Roots Run Deep Street Food on Facebook here!

Roots Run Deep Street Food
Roots Run Deep
Food Truck Fridays in Marion, IL! Learn more on their Facebook Event Page.

Food Truck Fridays in Marion, IL! Learn more on their Facebook Event Page.

Roots Run Deep Street Food
Roots Run Deep Street Food
Roots Run Deep Street Food
Roots Run Deep Street Food
Roots Run Deep Street Food

Comfy At Home with Plush Necessities Robes

Now, more than ever, is a great time to Treat Yo Self! These Plush Necessities Robes are out of this world amazing. Great for men and women, these would also make a delightful Mother’s Day or Father’s Day gifts. They are roomy, ultra-soft, and washed up great. Absolute LUXURY, in your own home. I have never owned a robe THIS nice, and now I get to appreciate some of the finer things in life. YAY!

Things have been so crazy lately, that when Plush Necessities sent me two robes, and I slipped them on, the worries actually melted away…thank you SO much!!!!

Last month, we spent a little time at our friends’ cabin in the woods and had such a great time! The robe made our time there EVEN better! Just look at how relaxing that fireplace makes things…

I have honestly taken a little step back from the crazy business of life, blogging, and travel, and have been focusing more time on doing meaningful things at home than I ever have before. I have been aiming to make a few more considered meals compared to quick bites for dinner, incorporating more local ingredients thank in years past. Luckily, too, foraging for local morels, wildflowers, hiking, and getting on the lake a bit have been extremely good therapy.

Also, I have been doing deep cleaning and organization of all my clothing, craft, and sewing supplies, as well as helped clean up our yard a bit. It’s sometimes hard though, with the current situation at hand to be able to push aside the thoughts of worry and uncertainty for the future, and focus on these sorts of things. Perhaps they are just distractions…but productive distractions to say the least.

I was trying to honestly hoping to avoid mentioning the stay at home / shelter in place / pandemic on my blog at all, perhaps in hopes of it just “going away”. Our society has really had to adjust to a major change in lifestyle, and people are all handling the social distancing thing in their own ways, making me wonder how we will all have adjusted and how these changes will stick to our social interactions from here on out, even after the COVID is “over”.

We can’t even go to bars and restaurants like we used to. We can’t have friends and family over for dinners or parties, or go to others’ homes to do the same. It’s been rough. We never really went out to eat or drink THAT regularly, since I believe the best food and drinks around here come from our home here in southern Ilinois.

BUT, with no live music to attend, and with the Makanda Mushroom Fest postponed until late September, I have to now re-focus energy back on myself, on mental health, and relaxing. None of which I have ever been THAT good at. I love focusing energy on making others happy and making life beautiful for others, and that in turn makes ME happy.

So, this is the moment to TREAT YO SELF, and I am loving this new way of thinking. Little special treats like this robe and a few delicious recipes, and some delish beer are getting me through…

Now, instead of going out to a live show, I can even more appreciate a night at home, watching a movie, enjoying a delicious beverage…

Our friends did such an incredible job with the remodel on their rental cabin, and soon, it will be available to rent again! It’s such a retreat in the woods, but not too far from town. Such a relaxing oasis.

Cranberry Juice For A Better Life

This post is sponsored by Ocean Spray® as part of an Influencer Activation for Influence Central. All opinions expressed in my post are my own.

This year, health became more of a focus for me. I have always lived a pretty healthy and active lifestyle, but this year, when we upgraded our kayak, it got us outside, getting fit, and overall appreciating the benefits of treating our bodies better than ever. 

I am always looking for new things to incorporate into my mission of living a healthy lifestyle. This year, I was able to spend so much time outside doing fun activities like hiking and boating, and now that the weather is a bit chillier, I tend to do more activities inside like yoga and light weights.

Ocean Spray® Pure Cranberry Juice has no artificial colors, flavors, or preservatives, and is Non-GMO. This is a big incentive for me to purchase this juice over others, because I love to find new ways better myself through what I am drinking!

You can get Ocean Spray® Pure Cranberry Juice at Target, Walmart or Kroger. I got my juice at Kroger, in the juice aisle, near the other 100% juices. It’s towards the very beginning of the aisle. The juice is 100% pure cranberry juice, and there’s NO added sugar. The only sugar in this juice is 9g per serving, which occurs naturally in the cranberries themselves. This is an excellent option compared to traditional juices that may contain 23g of sugar or more.

Cranberries have been referred to as a superfood, and they are known for their high levels of nutrients and antioxidants. Each bottle of Ocean Spray(R) Pure Cranberry juice is made from the juice of 850+ cranberries.

Throughout this post, I will share some of the simple ways I adapted to a healthier lifestyle, share the health benefits and nutritional information of cranberries, and share how you can easily incorporate cranberries into a more health conscious lifestyle. Plant based wellness is such an easy way to take our health into our own hands and help our bodies prosper any way possible!

MY HEALTH JOURNEY

Years ago, I decided to completely give up fast food and most convenience foods. By eliminating fried foods and gave up drinking soft drinks almost completely. That one was so difficult, but once you don’t give into certain temptations like excessive sugar, then your body does begin to crave it less and less. By finding alternative ways to indulge in those sugar cravings is so always have bananas, apples, and oranges on hand. And, feel free to of course keep a bit of chocolate around, but I recommend getting a bag of dark chocolate chips and eating a small handful of them, instead of keeping bags of processed candies around.

Also, through food photography, I was able to start learning more about eating plant based foods, incorporating new ingredients into my meals, and to consider what I ate and drank SO much more than ever. In addition to that new kayak we got this year, which allowed us to get outside, get fresh air, and get more active, we have been on an upward slope to being overall in better health. Cranberries are so fun to cook and bake with as well, and their all natural color makes for some gorgeous food.

CRANBERRIES FOR A BETTER LIFE

The Ocean Spray website has a lot of great recipe ideas, and some of them include smoothies and a variety of Cranberry Mocktails like these. The holidays are a fun time to try new drinks and ingredients, so here are some ideas. 

Cranberry Moscow Mule Mocktail

Muddle ice and mint leaves in glass, then add all other ingredients. Enjoy this refreshing drink.

1 C. Gingerale

1 C. Ocean Spray® Pure Cranberry Juice

¼ Lime wedge

2 Mint leaves

1/4 C. Cranberries to garnish drink

Ice

Cranberry Martini Mocktail

Pour all ingredients over ice together, garnish with fresh cranberries.

·    4 tbsp of Ocean Spray(R) Pure Cranberry Juice

·    1/2 Can Cranberry sparkling water

·    4 tbsp of freshly squeezed orange juice

·    1 tsp lemon juice

·    Cranberry and mint for garnish

·       2 Cups crushed ice

It’s so easy to incorporate cranberry juice into your life, making your journey towards health even more rewarding and achievable!

Makanda Mushroom Festival - April 17-19, 2020

Join us for the first annual Makanda Mushroom Festival held in the gorgeous Shawnee National Forest in southern Illinois. During the weekend of April 17-19, 2020, Camp Manitowa at Cedar Point in Makanda, IL boasts a gorgeous backdrop for mushroom foraging hikes, food and fermentation workshops, a mushroom dinner with chef Anne Millard, live music from incredible local talent, art, vendors, camping, cabins, and much more. Stay tuned for more details. Perfect for families and people of all ages! Enjoy spring with us here in the Shawnee, we cannot wait to see you in April!

Find us on Facebook here!

I recently took on a fun, new project. I am helping to coordinate a new, local festival here in southern Illinois. Myself and the two owners of Flyway Family Farm have embarked on a journey towards something they have dreamt of for years and years. I’m thrilled with the community that has some out of everywhere to support the Mush Love movement, so I can only imagine how incredible this will be.

Below, you can check out a few photos of the camp. It’s going to be so amazing!

Early Bird Tickets NOW AVAILABLE!!

Gates open at 3pm on Friday, April 17, 2020.

Festivities run Friday - Sunday.

Checkout Monday, April 20, 2020 12:00pm.

Purchase Tickets Here!
http://bit.ly/Makanda-Mushroom-Fest-Tix

Adult tent camping:
$80.00

Child 12 and under tent camping:
$40.00

4 person hogan cabin - includes festival ticket
(only 20 available):
$150.00

I’m excited that we will be offering guided hikes, and with the foraged edible mushrooms and other wild edibles we find, we will then be hosting a Forage and Fermentation Mushroom Dinner. This will be so wonderful, and I am going to be very excited to get to use my love of food photography to likely capture the event!

Festival Decor will also be so fun!!! I cannot wait to create a whimsical and elegant look for the camp.

The Camp also offers free kayaks and canoes to camp attendees for the festival, which is one of the best ways to enjoy this area, boating around on Little Grassy Lake!

See you in April!!!

Happy Birthday to Me!

What an exceptional birthday! I turned 34 last weekend, and we celebrated at a cute pavilion on Devil’s Kitchen Lake. The weather was just perfect, and the full moon that started on Friday the 13th and carried into my birthday things even more special. Wow, I am so thankful for all the wonderful people in our lives!

Big Muddy Monster Homebrew Competition + Brew Fest 2019

We love craft beer! We went to the Big Muddy Homebrew Competition in Murphysboro, IL, and it was so fun sampling craft homebrews from all over Illinois and Missouri. This competition leads up to the Big Muddy Monster Brew Fest, in Murphysboro, IL on Saturday, October 5, 2019 (noon - 4pm). Excited to frequent the homebrew tent at the event next weekend!

I’m so happy we had the opportunity to stop by and check out the 100+ Homebrew recipes that were submitted.

Check out the poster I created for the homebrew competition, below. The winner will have their beer recipe brewed at a larger scale, and is a huge honor! **NOTE - Contest has ended.

Simple and Indulgent Moments with Oikos Oh! Double Cream Yogurt

This post is sponsored by Oikos but all opinions are my own. #OhMGMoments

Time to de-stress and indulge in the simple pleasures of the NEW Oikos Oh! Double Cream Yogurts. There are four indulgent flavors to choose from, can you imagine how good the Salt Dusted Caramel Crème tasted?! This new yogurt is unlike any yogurt you’ve ever had. Made with double the cream versus Oikos whole milk yogurt, to create a one of a kind thick and luscious texture that you won’t be able to get enough of.

Delight your mouth with a spoonful of yogurt, no toppings are needed, That’s because The Salt-Dusted Double Creme Yogurt was such a treat! Enjoy this as a simple treat after a long day, during a movie or TV show, or even as dessert after a yummy home cooked meal.

The anticipation of that next bite is an indulgence in and of itself. As someone who works from home, I am always on the move. I find it hard sometimes to simply let myself relax and enjoy the simple pleasures in life because I know that something or other can be checked off the to-do list.

But, rewarding myself with a tasty snack like this one really helps me stay grounded and enjoy something to myself, time to take a deep breath, and time to indulge.

Learn more about Oikos Oh! Flavors Here!

Double Cream Yogurt Honey Drizzled Blueberry, Magnificent Mixed Berry Rhubarb, Lemon Sweet Cream Delight, and my favorite, Salt-Dusted Caramel  Crème. So many incredible flavors to choose from! I would recommend trying one of each to see what you like best.

What flavor would you choose? What are some of your favorite indulgences?

Our Montana Road Trip with Expedia Add-On Advantage

Thank you Expedia for sponsoring this post. Book your travel on Expedia.com to save with the Add-On Advantage!

We just got back home from an amazing adventure out west in Montana! We have a soft spot in our hearts for Montana and cannot seem to stay away! Travel fuels our creativity, inspires our work, and helps us bond in ways words cannot describe!

We love driving around the mountains and small towns of Montana, and renting a car from the new Expedia Advantage Add-On program is an excellent choice for a fun road trip like this, through southwestern Montana! 

When you book a flight, you can get awesome deals on add-ons like car rentals and hotels. Keep reading to learn more about their awesome deals AND see lots of photos from our recent vacation out west!

Downtown Virginia City, MT.

Montana is a magical place. "Keep Montana Majestic" is a fitting slogan I thought of as we were leaving this time, because it's such a gorgeous and majestic place that has only 1 million residents - one . We spent a lot of time in southwestern Montana this past month, visiting the areas around Yellowstone including Big Sky, Bozeman, Hebgen Lake, and Ennis, MT. We also spent time in the Missoula area for an awesome rafting trip on the Clark Fork River Gorge. Keep reading to learn more about some of our favorite places in Montana and get insights on these awesome travel deals.

BOOK A FLIGHT, CAR, OR PACKAGE AND UNLOCK UP TO 43% OFF SELECTED HOTELS!

So, if you already have a trip planned, and want to access a SUPER GREAT price on a hotel, this is a great opportunity! 

I checked on car rental prices around Missoula, which also unlocked deals on hotels! There were some awesome cars available, and all of the hotels in the screenshot below (with a yellow stripe above their name) offer additional discounts to those who use Expedia Add-On Advantage! I just love saving on travel, so I can use that part of the travel budget for something more fun. Like a rafting trip, which you will see below. We had SO much fun!!

Below, we spent one particularly fun Sunday on the water with a river guide. As a team, we worked together to get the inflatable raft through rapids. We had no clue how much fun we would have, since we generally never plan trips with any sort of guide or service - we love just driving and exploring places that way.

See the car rental deals I found, below, plus more suggestions of awesome places in and around Missoula to visit. 

If you ever have the chance to visit downtown Missoula, you will love it! I would even suggest 2-3 days to fully experience a couple of days of shopping plus being able to eat and drink at the MANY bars and restaurants is so much fun. The city is walking friendly but a little spread out, and luckily parking is super easy here in the summer, so feel free to use that rental car to get around town.

We have been so fortunate to visit Ennis, MT several times in the past couple of years. We love the gorgeous mountain vistas in the Madison Valley and I absolutely love how free you feel when you're in such a beautiful place. It's a very small town, but the Madison River runs right through town, as well as being one way people get to Yellowstone, the town's rather small population gets over a million visitors. It's very popular to fly fish in this area, and we love finding a place to let the dogs swim too. 

When you're in Ennis, you must check out the Gravel Bar (aka G Bar - see beers in the image below), which has lots of local MT beers and spirits, and their food is really pretty good. They are also opening a brewery next year, which should be really neat. Across the street from G Bar is Willie's Distillery. Deemo's Meats is a place to stop and grab groceries (they specialize in amazing meats and cheeses), and make sure to grab some of their frozen brats near the register - the green onion ones are AMAZING)! Perfect for roasting over a campfire too. 

Below, I thought this was so funny. Your typical Monday, with a Side By Side just leisurely driving through town! Some of our other favorite places to visit in Ennis include Plain Jane's (clothing, shoes, and the best Montana gifts ever), Nacho Mama, and Shedhorn, which sells outdoor gear, really nice quality women's shoes and clothing and also hunting and camping gear.

A historic gold mining town situated high above the Madison Valley. This is always a fun place to stop and shop or stroll through the wooden boardwalks that used to be hustling and bustling. 

Sure, since Big Sky, Montana sits at around 7200 feet in elevation, it's a great place to ski, snowboard, and snow mobile But, it's an amazingly vibrant and fun place to be in the summer as well. We spent several different days in Big Sky, and saw local music at their free Thursday Night Concert Series, drank a few local Montana beers at their bars, and visited the Big Sky Farmer's Market. The shopping in this area is really wonderful, if you like that sort of thing! There are also amazing restaurants in almost every style of food, so you can please everyone with something delicious!

These Thursday Night concerts are packed - especially this one weekend when the rodeo was also in town. If the line for the beer vendor is too long for your liking, just run into the Hungry Moose grocery store and grab something to drink - you can have open containers in the unincorporated town of Big Sky during these events. Grizzly Outfitters also has the most impressive selection of the latest women's clothing from the best outdoors brands. Yay! During the summer, people also love to mountain bike here, as well as fish the surrounding rivers. The Gallatin River runs through and all around town and is surrounded by huge pine trees.

The Big Sy Farmer's Market was really impressive. While around 90% of the vendors had art, I felt that the quality of most everything was nearly art gallery quality jewelry and decor, made with antlers, beads, and other local materials. This flower vendor was also incredible - I wanted to bring home a huge, rainbow colored array of Montana grown flowers, but that was a bit unrealistic :) There was live music which was also super great, and then you could walk to grab some food in a nearby restaurant or food vendor after walking around. This Montana Alpaca at the Farmer's Market was rather cute too! 

Montana Flathead Cherries are in season during the summer, so grab up as many of these as you can if you are in Montana! They're SO sweet and delicious and I would love to bake a cherry pie from them. Huckleberries are also in season, but way, way harder to find than these cherries.

Hebgen Lake was formed in 1959 when an earthquake occurred, causing part of the mountainside to fall into the water, creating a rather amazing lake that is unlike any other place we have ever been. Our friend has a boat slipped on this lake, so we drove out and spent time over several different days in the sunshine! The water is absolutely gorgeous and great for tubing and water skiing too.

This lake is situated along the drive from Ennis to Big Sky. You can also drive through Bozeman instead, but this drive avoids the traffic altogether and it absolutely stunning! You even drive partially through the western part of Yellowstone. making this one of the most scenic cruises you can do in this part of southwestern Montana.

There are so many rivers in Montana, and we loved fishing various places to pull over and get in the water. Below, the Ruby River.

We loved driving around Montana this summer, and if you want any more travel advice, please leave questions or comments in the section below!

I hope you enjoyed this recap of our recent vacation to Montana! Have you ever been to any of these towns pr places in Montana? Comment below to let me know!

I was selected for this opportunity as a member of CLEVER and the content and opinions expressed here are all my own.

FREE Summer Fun + A Cute DIY Gift Idea!

This post is sponsored by Zynga, but the content and opinions expressed here are my own.

Looking for fun and entertaining ways to enjoy the summer? Well I have teamed up with Zynga Words With Friends 2 to help share some fun and easy ways to have fun for FREE. Hey, we can all use a break, right?!

With this fun gift idea + a brand-new version of the Words With Friends app will help entertain everyone this summer. Help create more winning experiences this year, enjoy the thrill of the game.

Learn more about Words with Friends 2 here.

Download the game here (Apple store) or here (Google Play). Brush up on rules here!

You may be familiar with their first WWF game, but this one is a bit more updated and runs SUPER fast on my phone.

I love how you actually stretch your brain capacity and also learn new words. It’s fun for the whole entire family, and even fun with groups of friends too. I feel smarter during and after playing Words With Friends – I always pull out new words in conversations later that day! The game helps me connect with friends (new and old)!

I have met all sorts of new friends through the WWF app! There are always tons of players ready to start or complete a game with us, every time we login. We play ALL the time, and since we are always on the go, it’s something familiar in each place too.

With all of the Double Letter (DL), Triple Letter (TL), Double Word (DW), and Triple Word (TW) spots on the board, you can really gain a lot of points in just a turn or two.

Some of our highest scoring words are: CLOTS, TAXED, and HANDLED!!

DIY SUMMER GIFT IDEA

I know that rock painting has been around for decades, but I thought that a fun way to commemorate our friendship and share the beauty of the river would be to paint our friends’ names on rocks, then spell out their names in a gift. I had so much fun, and the best part of this crafty activity, is that you may already have everything you need – deeming this a FREE project!

MATERIALS:

Smooth River Rocks

Acrylic Craft Paint in White, Coral, Mint, and Raspberry

2-3 Small Craft Paintbrushes

Paper To Cover Work Surface

INSTRUCTIONS:

1.) Head to your local river to collect rocks, find them at a craft or hardware store, or find them anywhere else you like!

2.) Wipe off excess dirt from rocks with damp washcloth.

3.) Paint thick, white letters onto each rock. I used two coats of white paint for each letter. Below, you will see some rocks with two coats of white paint and some rocks in-process with only one coat of white paint.

4.) Paint colorful designs on top of white paint, on each rock.

5.) Give rocks as gift and let recipient spell out their names or secret message once they receive your gift! That’s it, and this project was so fun and easy. What a thoughtful gift.

THE FINISHED PRODUCT:

Luckily, The Words With Friends app is free as well, and while I was painting the rocks, my boyfriend Bobby entertained himself with the Words With Friends app on my new phone.

A SENSE OF CONNECTION:

With the weather being so warm and beautiful right now, it was a lot of fun to gather rocks for this project, then gift such a special and thoughtful memento to my friends. I feel like we are even more connected, just like how we will be able to play WWF from afar and know that we are still connecting and interacting.

Do you play Words With Friends yet? If so, what are some of your best words? Do you play with old friends or new ones?

Have a wonderful rest of the summer! Tag me on Instagram with @happysolez if you make this project, and tag the brand, @wordswithfriends on Instagram and as @wordswfriends on Facebook to show them how you spend time playing!!

Camping With Dogs – Tips and Tricks with #WalgreensPetshoppe

I was asked by Carusele to participate in the #WalgreensPetshoppe campaign, sponsored by Walgreens. Although I have been compensated, all opinions are my own.

I was asked by Carusele to participate in the #WalgreensPethoppe campaign, sponsored by Walgreens. All content and opinions are my own.

We recently had the opportunity to take the dogs on a fun camping trip in Montana. There were almost more dogs than people, but that’s how the majority of our gatherings wind up anyway! Here are a few tips to help you through your next camping experience with dogs. We stocked up on TONS and TONS of amazing Petshoppe items from Walgreens before heading out, and since we had a pack of dogs, they all behaved very well because of the Petshoppe treats from Walgreens. What a fun addition to an already amazing weekend.

We have been taking our pups hiking and camping for over ten years now, and we always learn something new each time. It’s such a fun learning experience, and moreover, camping trips are the absolute best way to help our pets get lots of fresh air, exercise, and even social time with other dogs. The campground becomes such a fun experience for everyone. We could hardly imagine a camping trip without our dogs around. Below, our pupper friends Craig and De De came for a visit as well!!! Porter LOVES playing with these two brothers.

TOP CAMPING TIPS FOR PET OWNERS:

1. If there is no water spigot in the campground, or fresh water available, please make sure to pack 2-3 extra gallons of water for your pets per day. They drink a ton of water every time we are camping, especially if it’s super hot out, or if we are in an arid place like the mountains or desert.

2. Bring food and water dishes. Each dog needs their own food dish, and they generally all share their water bowl.

3. We love using our electronic collars to keep our dogs close by. While most camp grounds are going to require dogs on leashes, these e-collars add a bit of extra protection to make sure your dogs are listening to you and behaving around the campground.

4. Stock up on treats because the dogs will need a bit of extra incentive to listen J They also burn so many extra calories while camping, hiking, and swimming, that we always treat them to a few extra treats while camping.

5. Bring soft, supportive, and warm bedding for night time. We bring an air pad for the dogs to use in the tent at night, and we also either cover them with our coats, or bring extra blankets for them. Cabbie loves cuddling in, and Porter loves the chilly air and would never want to be under the covers.

6. Watch your dog(s) around the fire pit. Sometimes dogs will try to play around the fire, or play with extra fire wood, just keep an eye on them!

7. Make sure to keep an eye on your dog(s) at ALL times! They could wander off and disturb wildlife or eat something they find in the woods that could upset their tummies.

Some of our favorite treats from Walgreen’s Petshoppe collections include the Chicken Bites with Pumpkin and Cranberry, Sweet Potatoes with Cranberries, and Chicken Bites with Pumpkin and Cranberry – all of which contain NO corn, wheat, or soy! The dogs all shared very well – we definitely had more than enough to go around.

WALGREENS PETSHOPPE IN-STORE PROMOTIONS

2 for $10 mix and match Petshoppe toys and bones every day

Week of 8/5/18 – BOGO 50% off on Petshoppe Pet Treats

Week of 8/19/18 – Petshoppe Pet Treats and Petshoppe 50 count puppy pads on sale for $7.99!

Porter was extremely interested in every flavor variety, and the Chicken Strips were definitely a crowd favorite :)

Porter had a blast – she stayed up all night looking around the tent, listening for animals and noises that peaked her interest.

Select varieties of Petshoppe treats are Made in the USA – Look for the label on the front of the packaging! They take the utmost care in delivering high quality pet treat, which have no corn, wheat, or soy – perfect for almost every dog!

Their toys have held up super well! Above, the Plush Turtle which comes in two colors. Below, the two Boston Terriers were playing with this Squeaker Pig ALL morning together, it was adorable!

Above, you will see a few more varieties of their treats. We are definitely stocked up for a while. Walgreens Petshoppe offers quality products for your best friends!!

Connect With Walgreens On Social:

Facebook / Pinterest / Instagram / Twitter

Use hashtag #WalgreensPetshoppe to show us how you and your pets enjoy these products too.

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Zero Waste Reusable Produce Bags

It seems funny to go through the effort to being reusable bags to the grocery store only to fill them up with plastic bags full of produce. Sometimes, the produce needs to be weighed separately, or sometimes the lettuce might be doused in water, and would get all of your other groceries soaking wet. This is the perfect time to use some reusable cotton drawstring produce bags. 

I created a few adorable, zero waste produce bags recently, and while many or all of them have sold at our local Neighborhood Co-Op, I thought it would be fun to share some of my hand sewn work, as well as encourage others to use something similar. I sewed these out of some thicker decor weight cotton, but stuc with 100% cotton, except for the drawstring closure. 

I used pieces of fabric I already had, washed and dried them, then ironed them. These higher quality brand fabrics always feel so wonderful after they're washed and dried. 

Not that Zero Waste is a super new concept, I have been really trying to use as many reusable containers as I can. This really makes me so much more conscious of how much unnecessary waste and packaging...aka...PLASTIC...that I am consuming and bringing into our home. Believe me, I buy a ton of food and other supplies because of all this food photography, so I try to do my part in helping reduce!

I even created a Zero-Waste Pinterest Board and wanted to share a few of the most inspiring images ever. Check out the board here!

And here, she shows the Zero-Waste shopping in action!

These were so fun to make, and here are a TON of DIY Drawstring Bag tutorials to inspire you to make some as well. Enjoy!

Delicious No Bake Tiramisu Recipe

This Italian inspired dessert has been described as "sexual" and will make your tastebuds go crazy! Perhaps this recipe will start off your weekend just right! But in all seriousness, since this is a no-bake treat, and can be served in individual jars, it's perfect for summer parties, and everyone is going to love this recipe. 

Both rich and somehow light at the same time, the homemade whipped ricotta filling and the familiar taste of coffee really make for a decadent treat.

Easy Eggless No-Bake Tiramisu

Prep Time: 20 min + chill time

Yield: 9

INGREDIENTS

·       1 cup (250ml) whipping cream

·       1 cup (250g) mascarpone, softened

·       1/4 cup (50g) granulated sugar

·       1 tsp (5ml) vanilla extract

·       1&1/2 cups espresso or very strong coffee, cooled

·       2 tbsp (30ml) coffee liquor (I used Kahlua)

·       2 dozen lady fingers

·       2 tbsp cocoa powder

INSTRUCTIONS

1.   Beat the whipping cream until stiff peaks form. Set aside.

2.   Mix the mascarpone, sugar and vanilla until combined. Add in the whipped cream and beat again until smooth.

3. Prep small Ball jars by removing all lids, rinsing and drying thoroughly, and setting them all out onto a tray or surface.

3.   Stir the coffee and liqueur together. Lightly dip 2-3 lady fingers into the coffee mixture, then place the 2-3 lady fingers into the jars to create the bottom layer of the dessert. Make sure not to soak the lady fingers too much or there will be lots of coffee left in the bottom of the jars. Repeat in all jars.

The Kahlua is optional but adds a nice kick and authentic flavor to the flavor of this dessert!

4. Using the small ice cream scooper, scoop a generous amount of the ricotta mixture over each jar, making them look as much like a perfect scoop of ice cream as possible.

5. Sprinkle cocoa powder (or even hot cocoa mix) through a metal strainer over top of each jar. A light dusting of the cocoa powder really gives them a nicer, upscale look. Enjoy!

The other fun thing about this post is that I get to show off my new kitchen update, we painted and I installed new "tiles" from The Smart Tiles, here!

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Music Festival Camping Tips with Coleman at Target

This post has been sponsored by Coleman®. All thoughts and opinions are my own.

Happy Memorial Day Week!

This weekend, I am attending the Summer Camp Music Festival and I am so excited. It’s been almost ten years since I first attended, so I am really looking forward to seeing old friends and listening to some live music. (I will share some photos of the event in this post throughout the weekend!!)

It’s important to set up a cute campsite to have as your home base for the weekend, and the NEW Coleman® Dark Room Tent is a great option you might want to consider! Head to Target to find everything you need for all of your upcoming adventures, and save on Coleman products with this Ibotta rebate offer here!

Since music festival season is upon us, I wanted to share some tips and tricks on how to make camping at a music festival even better, beginning with considering your tent.

This tent comes with a convenient carrying bag too!

Head to Target to get inspiration for your upcoming festivals and summer gatherings!

One of the features I find most appealing about the Coleman® Dark Room Tent would be the roomy interior, which is great for holding everything during the festival - plus, being able to change in the tent is priceless! There is more than enough room for us in here.

I love the dark outer fabric (which is considered their Dark Room Technology), that blocks light! Since you will likely be camping around a lot of other people, it’s so sweet that this tent’s rainfly blocks 90% of sunlight so you can sleep in past sunrise. Since a lot of music festivals have festival goers camp in open fields without trees, shade is very important. If your tent gets super hot in the morning the moment the sun shines on it, think of just how HOT you would be when you’re trying to get some good rest before another big festival day. Getting a little extra sleep is really amazing.

This tent is pretty easy to set up. I would recommend at least having two people on the job, but it’s pretty easy to find a friend to help you set up your tent in this situation. There are three poles, two that go into the actual tent, and one pole that gives the rainfly a nice awning, which would reduce any water dripping into your tent.

Speaking of rainy weather, you never know what to expect here in the Midwest, but this tent will keep you nice and dry because of the WeatherTec system, which uses a tub-like floor with welded corners and protected seams.

One of my favorite parts of any camping trip is actually when we get to head to bed. I do love that part of the night where we get to retire into our ultra comfy sleeping bags, cots, and our awesome, sunlight blocking tent.

In addition to awesome camping gear, we have lots of fun ideas of how to decorate our campsite, a few of which are shown throughout the post.

A dream catcher was so adorable and easy to hang, plus it brings that whimsical element into your campsite.

My favorite décor item would probably be adding an extra large sunflower (from a craft store), which I attached with zip ties.

Use 2 white twin sized sheets and zip ties or ribbons to add inviting softness and volume to your tent. I first folded one sheet in half to find the center. I then attached that to the sheets in an arched pattern. I used two sheets, but you could use a few more to get an even more festive and inviting look.

Think of your campsite as a living room of sorts, and try to create a relaxed, comfortable environment for your group, or for friends you might meet at the festival. Use outdoor rugs, tapestries, solar lights and more to personalize your campsite and make it stand out.
 

Prepare for the summer with the Coleman® Dark Room Tent and enjoy!

Revamping My Studio with California Closets X Marie Kondo

Learn more about my home studio renovation and tips on how to create a smart space of your own, inspired by California Closets and Marie Kondo! Schedule your own consultation today!

Thank you California Closets for sponsoring this post. #MarieKondoXCaClosets

I recently had a very inspiring online consultation with Jessica Ballesteros, a very talented Design Consultant for California Closets. She and California Closets recently teamed up with Marie Kondo, the author of "The Life-Changing Magic of Tidying Up" and creator of The KonMari Method. 

I sent Jessica a brief explanation of what I wanted from my space, and she gave me lots of amazing suggestions and explained what one could expect from an in--home consultation, which I will explain further into this post. After that, she inspired me to completely re paint, and then overhaul the closet in my home studio / photo studio space. I am so excited to share my experience and new space with you!

The company's professional design consultants will collaborate with you to create custom designs at a range of styles and budgets.

THE STUDIO

To explain the space a bit better, this is one of our three bedrooms, and we had nice Pergo flooring installed a few years ago, but never got around to painting it. We use the space for our photo studio and any other fun and creative projects we come across.

It's a great size space for our photo studio, and the space basically needs to be kept very neat and tidy because when one project is done, we start the next, The space has to be versatile, and changes depending upon what we are working on. These projects range from food and drink recipes to product photography and home decor projects and more!

BEFORE + AFTER

Below, you can see my studio before the transformation. While it definitely wasn't stuffed to the gills with things (yes, it was at one time), it was not very tidy or inspiring. There are things that had been in this closet for years and years, and I would just keep adding thins to it because I didn't have any place else to put them. That should have indicated to me to get rid of some things, but I never gave myself enough time to really dive into making a more inspiring space.

While I did not install actual pieces from California Closets, I did use their mission to inspire my own design.

WHAT I DID

Painting really did help so much. I chose a light grey color called Filtered Shade from Valspar in an eggshell finish.

I also added a metal shelf to the closet, which holds a lot of weight per shelf. This will be amazing to hold props, my cameras, and anything I am using for current projects. This shelf even now has a few empty spaces that can be utilized in the near future for lots of upcoming projects. 

I also hung my fabric pieces on hangers, which I use for backdrops or as tablecloths in lots of my photos. I like having a smaller selection of fabrics hung, because then it sets the color scheme for lots of my images, making my posts look more coordinated.

I made sure to keep everything in view, without crowding the shelves too much. I was able to easily store the two large camera cases in the closet and this will overall just be great because I will have everything at my fingertips during photoshoots, instead of having to run to different rooms of the house, which does waste time and energy (which never brought me joy).

IN PROCESS / BEHIND THE SCENES

THE KONMARI METHOD

After reading more into the KonMari Method, here are some key points.

Step 1: Decide what you want to get out of your space.

Ask yourself, what is your ideal lifestyle, and how can this space help you attain that? For me, I want to be a professional, very organized lifestyle blogger, and so this closet space needed to help me with that mission.

Step 2: Declutter and divide like items into groups

Take everything out of the space and organize it into piles of similar items. If there are certain items that do not actually make you feel happy, or that distract you from your initial goal(s), then it may be time to pass those items along. Then, you will be able to better organize those things that you do need.

Step 3: Decide what "sparks joy".

Marie Kondo explains what it means to spark joy. Ask yourself questions like

- Does the item contribute to making you feel good about yourself, your job, and your space? 

- Will it help you with that particular job?

If not, then time to remove that item from the space and either discard, donate, or recycle it.

Step 4: Say Thank You and Discard (or Donate)

This is probably the most important and hardest of all of the steps. It's important to first realize how much space you even have for things, because if there are things we just never have room for, it may be time to just simply purge things. It can definitely be "scary" getting rid of things that you are so sentimental or that you have had for along time, but if it's something that you never use, or keep moving back and forth without using or having space for, then it may be time to let it go. 

As suggested by Marie Kondo, say a little "thank you" to the items which have served you in the past, and send the items on their way. Discard, recycle, or donate those items which are not fulfilling your mission to "spark joy" in your life, and then give a quickly tidy up or reorganize to the space to now suite your needs better.

For me, I have gotten rid of tons of clothing, old papers, and other photography and food/drink styling related props by asking myself, would I ever really use this again, or is is outdated? Or, is this s timeless piece that I will be able to use again and again?

The Design Consultation with Jessica

As I mentioned, Jessica is a Design Specialist for California Closets, and you can read more about her in the below articles:

https://www.californiaclosets.com/expert-tips-for-displaying-and-organizing-everything-in-your-new-closet/

https://www.californiaclosets.com/blog/whats-your-organizing-style/

She gave me some expert advice, as stated below:

"If you were wanting to try the KonMari method of organizing your office closet you would first start by removing every single item, and I mean everything.  One by one you would hold each item deciding what to keep (things that Spark Joy) and what to get rid of. Then putting everything back in an organized way. Using bins or baskets is always encouraged to help compartmentalize items by category if no drawers are available. Mari Kondo loves using boxes inside boxes to help divide things into categories."

I loved her ideas, and utilized as many as I could.

What an inspiring project this has been! I know that going forward, my new space will be an amazing home studio that inspires me each and every time I see it! 

Learn more about California Closets Here! And again, check out my studio space after the revamp, below!

California Closets has an extensive range of beautiful finishes to choose from, from clean and simple white, to proprietary textures imported from Italy, all of which are environmentally sustainable and California Air Resources Board (CARB) compliant. You can really go wild and create a dream space of your own.

I was selected for this opportunity as a member of CLEVER and the content and opinions expressed here are all my own.

Time To Rethink What Your Pups are Eating

This shop has been compensated by Collective Bias, Inc. and its advertiser. All opinions are mine alone. #CheckYourPetFood #CollectiveBias. We are so excited to share our favorite new pet food today!

Happy dogs, happy life - that's my motto! We are definitely dog lovers through and through. We literally don't spend a day away from them unless we absolutely have to. We cater each and every day, as well as each and every vacation to making sure our pups are happy, healthy, and enjoying the right food. Above, you can see our cousin dog Mickey, the English Bulldog. She also LOVES this food so much and could not wait for her turn to show off her new favorite food.

We care about each and every dog in our families, as well as our friends' pets, and we often get asked what sort of food we feed our dogs. That's probably because everyone knows we are such dog lovers. 

TIME FOR A REALITY CHECK

It may be time to do a reality check on your dog food. Does it contain real meat? Is it grain free? If not, it’s time for a change…for something that is a better value both to your pet and to you! Meijer has great products for your dog that are full of quality ingredients and at a great price. I love shopping at Meijer for Purina® Dog Chow and Purina® Beneful® products, and I encourage you to do the same. We brought some on our latest vacay, and the dogs were super happy about it.

We treat them like family, so making sure they are fed the right ingredients makes me know they will be happier for lots of years to come. Our two beautiful girls, Porter and Cabbie are definitely food-motivated. This means that I can even give them a few kernels of dog food as a treat, so I stick to their diets properly, and I do not overfeed them. I'd be lost without these dogs, they're my everything! 

NOW THROUGH MARCH 3, 2018 - GET $1.00 OFF Purina® Dog Chow (32 lb and smaller) and Purina® Beneful® with mPerks coupons at Meijer!

Porter is only a year and a half old, so she was a bit harder to motivate to sit still. The whole time we were taking photos, she only wanted to sit near the dog food :) She kept pawing at the Purina Dog Chow making sure we knew which one she wanted! While she wouldn't actually sit there long enough to take a portrait of her, I thought this in-action shot of her giving Cabbie a kiss was pretty cute. She loved the food so much.

TREATING THEM LIKE FAMILY

Re-think What You’re Feeding Your Dog - take a closer look at your dog food, and compare its quality and value to what can be found in Dog Chow and Beneful.

Feed Them Like Family - Our dogs are 100% part of the family, too. That means feeding them quality nutrition.

Take Them On Walks and Give Them Plenty of Exercise Through Play Time - I try to walk the dogs for at least one hour, five times a day, weather permitting (basically only rain or SUPER freezing temps will keep me from doing this). While this may seem like a lot of time, I think of those hours that I may spend watching TV or playing on my phone. Time flies, so it's fun to refocus your energy and free time on your pets when possible.

Provide A Comfy Dog Bed - Our pets do need a comfortable and supportive bed. Meijer does have a ton of great options, and while some beds may be made from cute fabrics, above all else, I always make sure to look for a bed that has super thick, supportive memory foam and a washable cover.

Include Them In Travel - like I mentioned before, we always try to take our dogs on vacations with us. We make sure to stay in pet friendly hotels, go camping, or rent a rental house that's pet friendly. More and more, establishments are welcoming well behaved dogs with open arms, so do a quick search for dog friendly travel, and you may find something new! Otherwise, feel free to do a staycation with your pets, and treat them like royalty in your own home.

Take Time To Do Special Dog Activities With Them - while we humans have TONS of things to entertain us like our phones, tablets, games, conversations with other people, etc, dogs only have a limited amount of entertainment just within your home. I love taking the dogs on special car rides to the dog park, pet store, or if I will only be in a store for a few minutes, I sometimes take the dogs for a ride then too. They absolutely LOVE that extra stimulation of a new setting, smells, or environment. 


FEATURED PRODUCTS:

Purina Dog Chow Natural Plus Vitamins & Minerals Dog Food 4 lb

Purina Beneful Grain Free With Ream Farm-Raised Chicken Adult Dry Dog Food 12.5 lb

Now is the time to take advantage of the in store savings, and MPerk deals at Meijer! Here are a few more tips that make me choose Purina products! 

Quality Doesn’t Always Mean a Fancy Label - Just take a look at Beneful and Dog Chow. Both brands come loaded with quality nutrition, and they’re backed by Purina—a leader in pet nutrition with 90+ years of experience.

Every Dog Deserves Real Meat - Dogs love real meat. It’s what they seek in nature, and what they deserve. And you deserve to buy it at the prices you find when you shop Dog Chow and Beneful at Meijer.

No More Compromise - Think you can’t get real meat dog food at a price you can afford? Think again. That’s what Reality Check at Meijer is all about—finally, you can get real meat at the right price and don’t have to settle for lower-end dog foods.

Better for Them, and My Budget - Tout the benefits of feeding your dog real meat, quality nutrition like Beneful and Dog Chow, and the positive impact it has on your wallet when you save at Meijer.

What to Look for in a Label - Meat, or meat flavor? Real meat, of course. Showcase the quality ingredients found in Dog Chow’s and Beneful’s label as a part of a ‘label lesson.’

Real Ingredients, Right Prices, Remarkably Easy - Reality Check is all about finding real meat dog food at the right price, and it’s even better when you throw in Curbside shopping—it becomes super easy, too. Order Dog Chow or Beneful for pickup or shipment to your door, and you’re done. You can do it with the rest of your regular grocery shopping for even less hassle.

Connect with Meijer on Social

Facebook - https://www.facebook.com/meijer/

Twitter - https://twitter.com/meijer / @meijer

YouTube - https://www.youtube.com/user/meijer

Instagram - @Meijer

Connect With Purina On Social

Facebook - https://www.facebook.com/purina

Twitter - https://twitter.com/purina / @Purina

YouTube - https://www.youtube.com/purina

Pinterest - https://www.pinterest.com/purina/

Instagram - @Purina

Thanks for stopping by!