Ultimate Spring Cleaning Checklist 2.0!

Here in Ontario we have gone from +15 T-shirt weather to -8 and a blizzard the next day. But I'm guessing you all know what I am thinking about. Yes, that's right. SPRING. CLEANING. My 2nd Favorite time of the year! Fall is a hard #1! 

Since spring is fast approaching, I found it necessary to update and remake my spring cleaning list to accommodate those who needed to add tasks of their own to the list. It is a free download for everyone to use and I hope you all enjoy cleaning out the old and bringing in the new!

 Click the HERE for your free download that will open in your google documents!

Another great thing I love to do with a lot printable's I make and come across on pinterest is print them off and then I stick them into a plastic sheet protector and then it becomes reusable. You can add in your own tasks then and check off as you go along then when your done erase (if you use permanent marker you can use bug spray and paper towel to wipe clean) neat little trick eh? 

Pinterest Fail or Holy Grail? - DIY Tape Labels

Pinterest has been my go-to every since I stumbled upon it years ago and my life changed forever. Want to make a no-sew purse? Pinterest. Personalized Decor? Pinterest. How to make yourself slowly go mad trying a DIY? PINTEREST! No but seriously, it's the truth. Have you seen the pinterest fails out there? Goodness gracious..

Well I had been seeing this tutorial on how to make your own stick on labels with clear packing tape, a printer with your design, and some patience. Let's have at er shall we? 😊 

First off you will need some supplies. Which is simple since 95% of us have these lying around the house, amiright?! You will need:
✦ Scissors
✦ Printer Paper
✦ Your lettering design - I used KG Manhattan Script on my word program
✦ A Printer and
✦ A bowl of warm water  

LET'S GET TO IT!

 These are what my pantry labels look like for the time being. Basically got a packet of white sticky labels from the dollar store and went to town. My jars are also from the dollar store, about $2.00 for the smaller sizes and $4.00 for the larger sizes. I Soaked the label in warm water for about a minute then using a razor blade scraped off as much of the label and then scrubbed of the rest with a scrubby. Voila, clean surface. I then wiped the surface where I wanted to put the label with rubbing alcohol to make sure there was no leftover residue. 

I printed off my wording onto a piece of scrap paper cause believe it or not I had NO plain paper ANYWHERE. Then you will want to lay the packing tape over what you printed off. Using a hard surface (such as a Popsicle stick) make sure to press the tape firmly onto writing to make sure it sticks to the tape. 

You can see where I had been rubbing the tape compared to where I didn't. It's great because then you can double check to make sure you had rubbed everything down properly. 

You want to soak the paper in a bowl of Luke-warm water for about 1-3 minutes. I found the longer I left it in the easier the paper peeled off on the back, but really the 2 minute mark was the sweet spot! Then lay your labels sticky side up to dry for about 5 minutes. 

OKAY so now to get down to the details. It really did work! BUT.. it'd wasn't as legible as I was hoping for. So of course I did some more research. Another lady tried this and had the same outcome. This type of tutorial is good for those of us who own a LASER printer and not a INK JET since the ink will most likely run when left in the water too long (oops) She suggest you fill in your lettering with a permanent marker and try again. Which is the right side outcome. I am still not thrilled with the end result, and some of paper wouldn't come off unless scraped off which in turn scraped off the lettering on the tape so all in all I think this is a FAIL! BUT if you do own a laser printer and want to try this out for yourself, please let me know in the comments below if it's a fail or holy grail! :D

I will probably try and redo my labels but instead using a tape/label method, I will use my Sharpie paint markers (which are the best inventions since white glue had a rubber tip) and will make an update post!

 

Momma Monday - How to keep your sanity while raising kids

I can relate to so many other parents out there that the most on-going struggle these days (especially with the youngin's) is to teach them how to be kind to one another, mind your manners, don't forget to say please and thank-you, to do their chores and so on. At least keep a little composure and act like well put together little individuals when need be.

Enter: THE FAMILY RULES! I have tried A LOT of rewards systems, charts, diagrams, you name it for potty training, reminding the kids of chores, etc. Lately my husband and I have been having to do quite a bit of reminding when it comes to behaving for what is acceptable and what is unacceptable and the reason that we have rules to begin with. They are to teach us, to guide us, and to keep us safe. If we do not follow the rules, then we are putting others safety and well being at risk, which could be physically and even emotionally.

Yesterday I compiled some simple, yet powerful rules that have now been put in place in our home. With these rules I paired them with scripture, since we are trying to teach the kids the word of God and how we can use it to guide us in the right direction that we need to be.

I have yet to find a nice frame to put ours in as I just made it yesterday, which means a trip to the dollar store is in order! My husband is at work right now but I'm pretty sure I just heard him groan and shake his head at me *snickers*

Right Click and Save to your Computer to use in your own home!

Welcome Back Everyone !

Hello all ! I am proud to be announcing that I am coming back to my blog full force! I must say how I have missed blogging and it was always something I looked forward to planning and doing every single day. Writing was always my stronghold in school, a and was always the crazy one overjoyed when I knew we would have essay questions on exams and tests. I promise I am not an alien, I just really love English and Literature 😁

As you can tell I am currently in the middle of updating EVERYTHING, so I apologize for it being quite messy and roughly out of place.

My leave of absence was unplanned, but that is life in all it's fine beauty. It throw's you down a path of twists and turns, dead-ends, and turmoil, but also into a world of love, laughter, and precious moments. Since then we have moved 3 times, yes I agree it is crazy and hectic to move even once, but we have become professionals in the midst of it all. You give me boxes, a bottle of wine and a packing tape gun, I got you covered. 

Since then we have had 2 more beautiful, exuberant children. The girls have started school, Makayla is in grade one (oh lord, stop growing) and Charlotte is in SK (JUST STOP). Owen will be 3 years old in just 2 short awful months (stay little forever please!) We also had a pet pig. And he was WONDERFUL! Until we were moving (3rd time) and decided to start eating our freshly completed renovations, so we sold him to a lady with a large property wayyyyy (like 3 hours) outside town who wanted to breed him and by golly he will probably make the cutest piglets ever and enjoy having so much free space to run and be a free little piggie! The last few years have been astoundingly amazing.There was only one major event that was upsetting, and was the passing of my beloved grandmother. She was the most influential person to me growing up. I loved the car rides to her house. The werthers candies she shoved in our pockets by the handfuls as we left, and just her overall positive optimistic outlook on life. She was loved by everyone who knew her and who's heart she touched. But at 103 (I kid you not!) it was to be expected that last year would be her last with us, and I am so honestly grateful and thankful for all the time, holidays and days spent watching her smile and be apart of our childs lives also, that she lived to see so many grandchildren just adore her. *sobbing relentlessly now*

BUT.. on a lighter note, some exciting news! Kyle and I are finally getting married! After planning for so long, some financial struggles, 3 kids, and moves we just kept pushing it back because we had other priorities of more importance. Come October 13th 2018 that will change! We have already planned so much, and cannot be more thrilled to marry my best friend 💘

Now prepare yourselves for the ultimate come-back! I am SOOOOOO much planned already. So many amazing great things are coming to artsy fartsy annie you can bet your bottom dollar! Printables, freebies, tutorials, DIY'S, Decor and more! It will knock your socks off I am already itching with excitement and holding back not trying to post everything all at once haha this weekend will be getting back into the swing of thing and stay tuned for my FIRST comeback post MONDAY morning! 

STAY TUNED!

Momma Monday: 6 Toddler Friendly Snacks for Traveling

We've all been there. The dreaded long car rides where you get 5 minutes down the road and the children in the backseat are already wanting food. But stopping at the golden arches or getting a box of tim bits can get quite costly especially on long car trips. So pack up the cooler and get out your zip lock bags, because here are 6 great snack foods that aren't messy, healthy, and easy to prepare before you hit your destination.

CHEESE & DELI MEAT

This combo is a sure fire way to keep the little ones at bay for a while. I usually get cookie cutters and cut out cool shapes of the meat and cheese so that it's something different. Or you can cut the cheese into easy pick-up cubes for little fingers, use string cheese, and even add in some crackers for something crunchy.

TRAIL MIX

My kids love trail mix, and because you can either buy it at a bulk food store, or make it yourself, it makes for a great snack on the go. You can use dried fruit pieces, nuts, chocolate chips, pretzels, etc. to suit the wants of whoever is eating it.

FRUITS & VEGGIES

Also another huge hit. I use carrots, cucumbers, celery, berries, banana, apple slices, grapes, you name it you can put it in a baggie or little snack box and they'll be happy.

GRANOLA BARS

Opt out for the chocolate covered, ooey gooey caramel filled ones and you'll have a snack full of fiber, easy to eat and will keep them full until you reach your destination. You can also find great recipes online to make your own granola bars :)

MINI SANDWICHES

Huge hit with my kids. They love PB&J so i make a bunch of those and throw in some deli meat & cheese slices in another, and its like a mini lunch that doesn't make hardly any mess (give or take some crumbs) and will leave them satiated.

CEREAL

Last but not least. Fill up those little snack packs with cereal like cheerios, fruit loops, lucky charms, reese puffs, mini wheats, you name it. I opt out for only fruit loops & cheerios because there not full of lots of sugar, and even if they drop some they don't break into a gazillion crumbs everywhere.

Weightloss Wednesday: 5 Protein Packed Smoothies

Smoothies are always convenient, and great for those of us who are on the go. There great meal replacements (when done properly) and post-workout snacks to replenish your body with nutrients. Yet using protein powder can be quite costly and high in calories if your not careful on what types you buy and how many grams of protein you get out of each scoop of powder. I found this protein called Dyna-wave and its only 30$ a bag you can find it online, at no frills, Costco and some other nutrition stores. Per 1 scoop is 135 calories with 30g of protein.

Different Forms of Protein
Peanut Butter                    Coconut Milk
Flax Seeds                        Oats
Chia Seeds                       Milk
Almond Butter                  Quinoa
Raw Egg                           Yogurt

Those are just a few ways to add protein into your smoothies without using protein powder, saves on calories also. Here's a few recipes of mine I use on a daily & weekly basis, ENJOY! :)

Peanut Butter Power Banana Breakfast Smoothie

•  1/2 cup 1% milk
• 1 banana cut into chunks
• 1 tbsp peanut butter
• 1/2 cup cottage cheese
• 1/2 cup plain greek yogurt
• 1/2 tsp instant coffee granules
• dash of cinnamon
• 2-3 icecubes

Makes 2 servings

Calories: 239 Per Serving
Protein: 22.5 grams

Chia Green Protein Smoothie

• 1 tbsp chia seeds
• 1 cup spinach
• 1 cup almond milk
• 1 banana
• 1 scoop vanilla protein powder
• 2-3 ice cubes

 Makes 2 Servings

Calories: 300 Per Serving
Protein: 26 grams

 Very Berry Banana Protein Smoothie

• 1 scoop vanilla protein powder
• 1 cup flax milk
• 1/2 banana
• 1/2 cup blackberries
• 1/2 cup raspberries
• 1/2 cup strawberries
• 2 ice cubes

Makes 2 Servings 

Calories: 288 Per Serving
Protein: 24 grams

Go Green Protein Smoothie

• 1 scoop vanilla protein powder
• 1 cup unsweetened almond milk
• 2 cups spinach
• 1/2 - 1 cup kale
• 1 tbsp chia seeds
• 1 cup pineapple chunks
• 1 1/2 cups water

Makes 2 Servings

Calories: 295 Per Serving
Protein: 26 grams

 Strawberry Chocolate Protein Smoothie

• 1 scoop chocolate protein powder
• 1 cup unsweetened almond milk
• 1 1/2 cups strawberries
• 2 1/2 tbsp cocoa powder
• 2-3 ice cubes

 Makes 2 Servings

Calories: 270 Per Serving
Protein: 27 grams


And there you have it, 5 delicious smoothie recipes to try for any time :)

Weightloss Wednesday: How Many Calories Should I Eat?

When I began my weight loss journey I didn't know where to begin. How does one lose weight? It's not rocket science, right? I've heard many different ways. Like padlocking your mouth and throwing the key away :) The point is, to lose weight, you have to eat less calories than you burn. Or start off by changing your diet piece by piece. Switch out soda & high sugared fruit juice for water, eat one piece of cake instead of the whole thing, if you go out to McDonalds or whatever order a salad or a grilled chicken burger WITHOUT making it a combo. These are sure fire ways to help you start on your weightless journey.

When I first started out losing weight I tried playing around with daily calorie intake needs and it started me off at eating 6 meals a day equaling out to 1600 calories, and I did 1-2 hours of exercise daily. I GAINED weight within my first week. I looked even more like a beached whale and I died a little on the inside. There is so much that your CI depends on. Whats your weight, height, age, gender, BMI, BMR, etc... Because everybody is different and unique that everyone's CI will be a lot different. Same as if you start off at 200lbs (like me) I had to eat 1200 calories to start off with to create a calorie deficit to actually lose weight whereas now im 145lbs and I eat 1400 calories to keep losing my weight. Weird huh? This site is what helped me and is very useful is a DAILY CALORIE NEEDS calculator. Plug in your information and get going :P

The site said I needed to eat 2099 calories (which I nearly gagged) to maintain my current weight, 1679 calories for fat loss, and 1260 for extreme fat loss. So I came to a median between the two and stick to 1300-1400 per day :) It also gives you this really cool 7 day calorie cycle (the zig zag), and also has meal plans for all calorie needs and shows you what the meals should look like that your eating.

Weight loss Wednesday: A Guide To Clean Eating

About a month ago I decided to start clean eating, and it's been one of the hardest yet gratifying and rewarding things I think I've ever done. It took me about a couple weeks to get into the swing of things because I had no one to help me and basically followed everything off of websites because I had no idea what foods are okay, and what foods I should avoid. After that ordeal I thought to myself, there has to be an easier way to do this. So I have put together a Guide on how you can start clean eating too without all the hassle and hopefully have an easier transition than I did :)

1. Throw out ALL the junk in your fridge and pantry.
I didn't throw away all my food I gave some of it to my parents and kept some for my husband who still needs to eat that crap because he's in the middle of bulking up while im trying to widdle down so our diets collide quiet frequently, and also makes this process a lot harder. Sift through to make room for all your new healthy foods :) The easiest way to do this is to check the ingredients, if you can't pronounce it, have no idea what it even is, or if theres an ingredient list of 10 gazillion things, CHUCK. IT. OUT. Say your goodbyes and give it the boot. The more junk food like chocolate, chips, ect you don't have stashed in your cubbards, the less tempted you'll be to inhale them when nobodies around and lie to yourself that you don't feel bad for eating them anyways :)

2: GROCERY SHOPPING
The hardest part of my transition. Finding a BASIC clean eating diet grocery list was like finding a needle in a haystack in the middle of a blizzard.

TIP: It will be a bit difficult at first but try substitution first rather than just dropping everything cold turkey if you think you won't be able to stick with it right away. I went cold turkey and it was EXTREMELY difficult to keep to it at first but eventually my taste buds got used to what I was eating instead of the crap it had before.

Here's a list of everything you should try to incorporate into your new clean eating diet.

 TIPS
- Steam, Bake, Grill, or eat your food raw
- Fill 2/3 of your plate with veggies
- Eat Fruit for dessert
- Drink your body weight in water daily (or at least 64oz)
- If you incorporate red meat into your diet have it 90% lean or higher beef

Fashion Trend Tuesday: Spring Makeup Video Tutorials

Spring is an amazing time of year for bright colorful makeup. Keeping it subtle but vibrant will have all eyes on you and the compliments will be endless. Some top trends of the 2014 Spring scene is light pinks, bright orange all over, color blocking eyeliner, glowing radiant skin, and a bold colorful lipstick to match. Let's get started

Spring Sunrise Inspired Makeup by Carli Bybel

Spring Inspired Makeup by Easy Neon

 

Dewy & Radiant Perfect Skin Makeup by Pixiwoo 

 

Blue Liner & Pink Eyeshadow Makeup by Annie Jaffrey 

 

Colorful Spring/Easter Makeup by xsparkage

Those are the top 5 in my books. There vibrant, make your eyes pop, and I follow all their youtube channels religiously and are just amazing people and their tutorials are to every detail and so easy to follow, enjoy playing with your makeup! :)

Freebie Friday: Easter Printable

I am so happy about this Easter! My children will both be old enough to have their first real Easter Egg Hunt by themselves! :D I can't wait. I went out and bought those plastic eggs that you can fill yourself so instead of just hunting for little chocolate eggs, they get eggs, candy, and small toys like bouncy balls, pretend jewelery, crayons, etc. I am just so excited to see their little faces light up when they wake up Easter morning and discover that their are Bright colorful Easter eggs spread about the house that the Easter bunny left behind the night before :)

As with every holiday that comes around I've created a simple Easter Subway Art Printable for you all to enjoy!