Spring Break Ideas With Indigo Kids

Natural Aromas

We've gone off of most artificial scents in our house lately. Not because we don't like them, believe me, we do (my husband is mildly obsessed and drives us all crazy with it). The main reason is that a lot of scents give me a headache and I've come to find that if any scented sprays come in contact with my skin, it causes a reaction.

While this isn't something new, it's something I figured one of two things; that I should probably stop torturing myself for the sake of smell, and that if it caused a reaction of numerous kinds with me than it probably wasn't something I wanted to stuff my kid with so an alternative was necessary. So, the simmer pot trend became a thing in our home.

Adventure In The Forefront

After my son and husband there a few things that I obsess over (the colour black, gelato, instagram shopping) but fresh blooms or healing plants out to add to our home environment is one and since that's the case, it became inspiration for me to create a photographic story vase as a way to keep my promise to Rheo (see previous post) out and visible.

What you will need:

Paper Souvenir (tickets, photos, etc.)

Glue (*if your photos are printed on photo paper, you need something seriously strong - I learned this the hard way).

Scissors

Paint Brush 

Vase

Newspaper (for laying).

And some greens or fresh blooms *cue man in your life*

Lay newspaper down on area incase of any spill or leakage of clue. Assemble tools prior to starting to make it an easy task.

Collect souvenirs for vase. I printed my photos in "Instagram" size for easier handling and less clumpy layering.

Trim photos, tickets, passes etc. as needed!

Once your selections are ready consider how you wish to arrange them prior to placing glue on anything. Also made this mistake at the beginning.

Generously coat vase (one side) with glue. Place photos on, one by one, as previously arranged being sure to add glue to parts that are now covering photo instead of glue covered glass.

Apply pressure. In my case, I turned it upside down on the newspaper and proceeded to, you know, mama-ing until dried.

Once dried, check all corners and edges of photos on thefts surface and continue to apply glue to extended edges and wrap around the corners. Continue on all sides or all the way around. Using an exact knife, trim around top/bottom/edge of vase before applying glue all over the top of photos (this acts a seal).

Let dry over night and fill with desired plant the following day. 

What's your #motherspromise and how do you keep it in front of you?

This post is sponsored by Pampers and Walmart.

Meatless Monday. | Vegan Chocolate 'PB' Mug Cake

So, it's not exactly the healthiest of them all but it sure is one for the cravings! (Not to mention, it takes about 3 minutes start to finish and provides a near instant, mouth watering, tummy warming gratification). I'm talking warm and gooey, vegan mug-cake y'all.

Ingredients:

Cocoa Powder (2 tablespoons)

Powdered Peanut Butter (3 tablespoons)

Salt (1/16 teaspoon)

Sugar (1 tablespoon)

Baking Powder (1/4 teaspoon)
Carob Chips (small handful/to preference)

Coconut or Vegetable Oil (2 teaspoons) / Banana or Applesauce

Almond Milk (3 tablespoons) / Milk of your choice

Vanilla Extract (1/4 teaspoon)

Substitution Options:

Coconut/Vegetable Oil – can be substituted with 1/3 mashed banana or applesauce for a more fat free option, personally prefer the oil additive.

Almond Milk – can be substituted with any milk product of your choice, ie: skimmed milk, 1-2%, half and half, or cream for vegetarian but non vegan results or rice milk for vegan dieters.

Powdered Peanut Butter – can be substituted with legitimate, roof of the mouth lickin’, creamy peanut butter (my personal preference by FAR).

Carob Chips – can be substituted for any flavour or variation of milk based chocolate chips.

Recipe:

Combine and mix all dry ingredients, be sure to mix as well as possible (even sift together). Add liquid ingredients, as well as slightly melted peanut butter and carob chips, continuing to stir (well) again before transferring into mug of your choice. Place mixture filled cup in the microwave and microwave on high for 1 minute 30 seconds. Sprinkle with toppings of desire, ie: crushed nut peices, vegan carob chips or chocolate chips, even whipped topping once cooled. Be sure to let stand for another minute after heating and be careful as both "cake" and mug can be extremely hot.

Enjoy this little indulgence or save the idea for a rainy day. Be sure to share if or when you do choose this quick and easy guilt, or better yet, grab a second mug and call this little preggo over.

Happy Monday!
XO, V.

DIY. | 7 Lucky Life (Clothing) Savers

The same way "nothing haunts us like the clothes we didn't buy," nothing ruins your blood pressure quite like a stain on the ones you already caved and did. There's hundreds, probably thousands, of cleaners on the market these days and if you have a go-to than that's perfect. But if you're anything like me you've wasted $5 here and $7 there on ones that don't get the job done and then sit there collecting dust afterwards. A majority of them also contain chemicals, more often than not, toxins. If you're expecting, have little ones or pets, are tired of throwing away money on chemicals, prefer to be eco-conscious or are a bit of a home body? Than this here is for you. It also saves you having to work a run to the store into your already busy schedule, so listen up!

1. When life hands you lemons, demolish your sweat stains.

What makes you cringe more? Tasting lemon juice or sweat stains? Good news. You don't have to taste it but if you use equal parts that and water, consider yourself golden.

2. Leather (vs) Oil.

Vinegar isn't the only thing that doesn't mix with oil. If you have oil based beauty products or are a fashionable kitchen queen, then you know that leather doesn't mesh either. Nothing a little baby powder can't fix - or soak up for that matter.

3. Wine. And a side of wine.

What's better than wine? More wine, right? Right. Spilling even so much as a drop of red wine on any outfit seems devastating. But don't fret. Why not add a little more. A dash of white will dilute the stain, making it easier to wash out later. Still worried? A sprinkle                                                                      of salt will prevent it from setting in. 

4. Signed, sealed, delivered and milked?

Got an ink stain? You don't have to worry about running all over town to find this one. It's more likely than not, already in your fridge. Milk. Soak. Rub. Wash (Rinse).

5. Double D's.

You're in a hurry to get ready, you want to smell just as on point as you look and your deodorant is - damn! On your outfit. An old wive's tale says to rub pantyhose on the mark but let's be real, very few us have a collection of pantyhose in our closets so an updated tip relevant to what our wardrobes do consist of? Jeans. Rub denim over the mark and voila.

6. I'll have a grande black, one baking soda, one peroxide.

We all throw coffee on ourselves in excitement and/or frustration sometimes. Okay, maybe I'm the only one in the excitement boat but you catch my drift. Mixing household products such as hydrogen peroxide and a dash of baking soda in a paste, will prevent and help remove the the harsh staining of coffee without breaking down the threads in your clothes. Don't have those on hand? A spoon of white vinegar mixed into a glass or two of chilled water can also work, a little less efficiently unless tossed into washer with said mix as soon as possible!

7. Martha by day, diva by night?

Be sure to save some of your soirée recipe ingredients (like baking soda) incase things get a tad too giggly and you end up with that ever so dark Matte Gunner by M.A.C. or Chanel's Rouge Allure on your crisp little number. A sprinkle of that on the mark (cornstarch will also get the job done) and a hot iron, a couple times over and washed off will restore your piece without any damage or a dry cleaner's bill.


I hope these tips pose as helpful in your life or at least make you Nancy-Know-It-All.

♛ Regardless, stay fabulous. Peeks At Five Ft.