I am in love with Chalk Paint!

I had an idea. Many months ago I decided my lowly kitchen needed a little more storage, and so I decided to look for a sideboard to use as a beverage center in my kitchen. I searched for a few months on craigslist, but everything was either too expensive or too far away. I was then invited to join a local yard sale group on Facebook. Low and behold I found a piece I liked, at a price I liked and it was in my town. I went over to check it out with my husband, liked the quality of the piece and picked it up for $100.

So I really liked the bones of the piece, but that was about it. It had a few scratches on the top and door, some hardware was off, and the doors stuck. I decided to make it my own. I searched pinterest for coffee bar ideas as I have so many items I use for my Choffy business and I needed a place to store it all.  This includes my french presses, choffy, my husbands coffee, all my coffee mugs, my kids lunch boxes, straws, sweeteners and tea bags. I saw a few pieces I was drawn to and decided to go with the stained top and painted body. Only problem is that I do not care for cherry finish so I knew I had to start by stripping, sanding and staining the top a darker color. This was probably the most time consuming part of the project.

sanded top

I sanded and then put on my stain (I used an ebony stain), the first time I put it on I left it on too thick so the next day I had sticky spots.

first try with stained top

 I thought I was going to have to strip and sand it all again but found(through online research) that I could just add more stain and wipe it off better a second time and the sticky spots were gone. I let it dry a few more hours and started with the first of 5 coats of semi gloss poly. I let the poly dry 2 hours in between each coat.

top with 5 coats of poly

So now it was time for the body. I had thought long and hard about what I would use for paint and choosing the color was probably the hardest decision of the project. I finally decided on Annie Sloan Chalk paint. I loved all the projects I had seen online and knew from reading that I should go to a stockist to really take a look at the colors in person. I went to my local shop Counting Sheep Antiques in Berlin Ma.  I looked at the books and many pieces throughout the store but was still not sure what color I wanted. Luckily the owner Sally was there to guide me. I mentioned that I liked Aubusson Blue and she said that she had a door upstairs which she had just painted that color. She took me to see it and  I knew that was the color for me. We went back downstairs and Sally helped me pick out all the supplies I would need to start using my Chalk Paint. I bought a quart of Aubusson Blue, a can of clear wax, and a can of dark wax. I bought two wax brushes, one for each kind of wax. I also bought an Annie Sloan Paint brush. When all was said and done I spent about $200 on the supplies, but the brushes and wax will be used many times more and I only used about 1/4 of the paint on this project so I can use it for many more things.

It took me one day to paint the sideboard. I did 2 coats of Aubusson Blue and then 1 coat of clear wax and  1 coat of dark wax. I made sure to wipe off all the excess wax with a lint free cloth after applying it with the brush.  I also spray painted my antique brass hardware with an oiled bronze spray paint. I did not want to have to find new hardware and the spray paint was a quick and easy fix.

Painting in progress, you can see my mugs and french presses in the lower cabinets.

In the end I LOVE the final piece. The Annie Sloan Chalk Paint really is gorgeous. The wax brings out a depth in the paint. I would do this again in a second. I am actually now thinking of doing my dingy old kitchen cabinets over now also. They are 70's dark would cabinets and anything would make them look better, but I think that Chalk Paint may actually make them look great! I will keep you posted on this!

The final product! Annie Sloan Aubusson Blue!

 My husband loves it just as much as I do. He actually walks by multiple times a day saying, "I can't believe how nice this turned out, It looks so professional." It is also very functional, which is my favorite part! If you have any questions about using Chalk paint let me know. I am not a professional by any means but I can tell you what worked for me. Have a great day!

Maura

Finished Whole30!

Well my whole30 is over. I learned a few things.

1. I eat way to much dairy.
2. I eat way to much dark chocolate.
3. fruit is like candy when you are not eating dark chocolate.
4. I want dairy back- but in smaller amounts
5. Choffy can sub for dark chocolate

I am pretty happy with myself right now. I have been eating a primal diet for almost a year and a half now, so the switch to Whole30 was not super extreme, but it was harder then expected. Little things caught me by surprise like no ketchup on a burger and no butter on my sweet potato. I lost 8.5 lbs which surely shows I eat too much dairy and chocolate.
From here on out dairy will be a treat every few days and dark chocolate will be a once a week thing except for my daily Choffy. I do not really crave either one at all anymore but I feel like eating out would be very hard if I skipped dairy, you find it in pretty much everything even salads.

I feel like my goal of revving up my metabolism worked and I wonder how I can transition back to dairy without a major stomach upheaval.  I do not have a plan to purposely eat dairy today but I want to be prepared when the time comes to have a very small amount to start, so my stomach can adjust.

I am due to get bloodwork done, and may stick with the plan for a few more days to see what kind of difference Whole30 has made on my numbers? Anyhow. To anyone thinking of doing whole30 I highly recommend it. If nothing else you will feel good about making the effort and using your will power. Any questions just ask. Have a great weekend!
Maura

I am half way through my whole30!

The past two weeks I have been doing my version of whole 30. I have already been grain free and almost all sugar free for well over a year. I decided to cut the last of the sugar...dark chocolate, any paleofied baked goods, and the dairy from my diet for a month. The first few days were really hard, I felt pretty bad and was not eating enough. I guess I use dairy as a crutch. I filled in gaps between meals with a cheese stick and have quite a bit of cheese on burgers, salads, eggs etc. However after the first few days I  found a few new meal options and started feeling like myself again.

This is an example of my lunch. Applegate farms ham with whole grain mustard, guacamole, cucumbers,carrots, and some macadamia nuts.

I made it to day 15 and I am feeling great. My kids feel bad for me, but I do not feel bad at all. I feel great as a matter of fact. I feel like I have lost a few pounds and I have been sleeping like a baby at night. I also have a lot of energy. At this point I am still having cravings for dairy and the chocolate, but everytime I want chocolate I make myself a cup of Choffy with some coconut milk (full fat from a can) in it. It fills me up a bit, gives me a little energy boost and gets rid of the chocolate cravings.  

Choffy with coconut milk

With two weeks left I still feel as though I will go back to dairy but not to the extent I was having it before. As for dark chocolate, I am not sure yet. I am thinking I may try some 90% dark which has less sugar then the 85% I was eating. I think it will taste very sweet to me now that I have been without it for so long.

If you read my post on going primal, then you know my total cholesterol dropped by 87 pts. I am planning on getting my numbers run again after I complete my whole 30 to see how it affects them. It is time for my yearly thyroid check and physical anyhow.  So far I feel like this has been a success. I have 15 more days to learn. I am already so proud to have made it halfway. It does take some will power and it makes me feel like I am accomplishing something great.
Have any of you done Whole 30? What did you think. Did you make it 30 days?

Hope everyone has a great day!
Maura

Choffy

So as you know I am now eating a primal diet but that does not mean I am going without. I still bake with dates and a tiny bit of maple syrup, I eat whipped cream on fruit all the time (I make it in my ISI whipped creamer so I can control what goes in it and I have 85% dark chocolate. I also have a new love for a very special drink called CHOFFY. It is made of one ingredient, which is ground cacao beans, and that my friends makes it primal!
                                                         drinkchoffy.com/maura
Even if you are not eating primal, CHOFFY is a great way to start, end or just get through your day. All you need to make it is a french press, a mug and some CHOFFY. The beauty of Choffy is you can add as much or as little to it as you would like. Right now my favorite way to drink it is with some full fat coconut milk from a can and a little cinnamon, but I also love it with half and half and whipped cream.  You also have the option of hot or cold Choffy!

You can even make it a great after dinner drink by adding some baileys or Kahlua to it.

I also use it to bake with by adding it to my banana bread, you can go to my Facebook page here to get recipes I use for grain free baking.

Choffy is such a versatile drink and a great ingredient to use in baked goods. It is high in antioxidants and is very low in caffeine, It is a great coffee alternative or a great thing to pair with your coffee. 

So I enjoy Choffy so much and I decided to become an independent distributor. If you would like to order  Choffy, you can go to my webiste  drinkchoffy.com/maura and order online!

My new primal way of life.

So two years ago I started making some changes in my life and in my diet.   I started eating whole foods, whole grains, and no processed foods. I started making everything from scratch. I made granola bars for the kids, made homemade bread, ate more fruits and vegis, cut the fats  and did just what you are supposed to do to live a "healthy" life. Or so I thought. In June of 2011 I had some blood work done and found that my cholesterol was sky high. My total cholesterol was 239 while my  LDL was 145 and HDL 36. Now hear comes the shocker , my triglycerides were 352! I was a heart attack waiting to happen. My doctor suggested that I add more whole grains and cut back on fats etc. Just to give a little background I called my 30s my hurty thirties because for ten years I would wake up with a stomachache, I was diagnosed with IBS in high school, diverticulitis and ischemic colitis in my 30s I had 1/2 my thyroid taken out after the birth of my son, I constantly had knee pain. I was diagnosed with a rare autoimmune skin disorder called wells syndrome. I always felt awful.

january 2012

Well  I went on another six months after getting those results doing what I had been doing until I went to visit my sister in Arizona.  We had been talking on the phone before my visit and she had mentioned that she cut out grains and cut added sugar from her diet and I thought she had flipped her lid. She said her blood work had come back better and her doctor told her to keep doing what she is doing. How can anyone give up grains and sugar? It can not be possible, at least that was what I thought. Well before I left my sister gave me a book by Gary Taubes called Why we get fat.  I had nothing to do on my flight home so I started reading and reading and reading until I finished it a few days later. It is a tough read with a lot of examples and data showing that carbs are the real reason we get fat and not fat we eat. My sister had also suggested I read a blog called Marksdailyapple.com which I did. I read success story after success story of people who ate according to marks Primal Blueprint diet which is similar to what Gary Taubes suggested in his book.  I decided on april 1 of 2012 to give it a shot. I now avoid all grains except quinoa once a week and cut out almost  all added sugar. I do have 2 pieces of Trader Joe's 72% dark chocolate each day as the benefits of dark chocolate out way the little bit of sugar . I eat whole foods at home and my kids and husband do the same.   We eat a lot of meat and organic eggs, seeds and nuts, lots of fruits and vegis and full fat dairy including whole milk, cheese, yogurt and grass fed butter. I also cook with olive oil and coconut oil and have a few pieces of coconut each day. No bread, no pasta, no rice no crackers.

Friends and Family nearby thought I was crazy, just like I thought my sister was crazy. However after two weeks and a little "carb flu" I was feeling amazing, I was starting to lose weight and my stomachaches and everyday aches and pains went away.  I was starting to feel great.  I started walking and then running and I am back to walking again due to a knee injury.  I only walk or run 2 days a week so I am not going crazy with exercise, but the weight keeps coming off. So now it is November 2012 and I am down 25 lbs. which is great but to top it all  off I recently got my numbers back and my total cholesterol went from 239  to 145, my LDL went from 145 to 100 and my triglycerides went from a whopping 352 down to 53! I have been waiting for my blood work to comeback before I "talked about it" on the blog but I can say 100% now that I suggest this to anyone.

december 2012

Let me know if you have any questions.

Maura

It really is a place where dreams come true!

I just returned back from a ten day trip to Disney World with my husband and two kids. It is my favorite place to vacation. My husband and I thought that after taking the kids to Walt Disney World three times in four years that they would be bored with it or tired of going, but much to our surprise they had as much fun this trip as we did two trips ago.

I put a huge emphasis on planning these trips. I want to enjoy my vacation, but i think if you just show up with no plan your Disney vacation will be a bust. I start by printing out the time schedule for each park and by using Touring Plans park attendance predictor to put together a rough schedule. I always leave wiggle room to change things around. For example, this trip was full of sunny warm days but our first full day in orlando was really warm and sunny so we moved things aroung to allow us to go to the waterpark (Blizzard Beach) instead of epcot.  Typhoon Lagoon was closed for refurbishment. Be sure to check out closures ahead of time so you are not disappointed.

View from our room at the Beach Club

We usually pick a hotel together as I want everyone to feel as though they are a part of the planning.
This trip we stayed at the Beach Club. This is on Disney property and was just a quick 5 minute walk to EPCOT and the Boardwalk area. We could also take a ferry to Hollywood Studios and the bus to Animal Kingdom , Magic Kingdom, Downtown Disney and the Water Parks. My kids loved making smores on the beach each night and swimming in the hotel pool. They have a great water slide here.

My kids making smores on the beach

My only issue was some construction at the pool, which made it hard to get from one area to another. We loved eating at Beaches and Cream for dinner, and We had breakfast and dinner at the Cape May Cafe. My husband loved the crab legs at Cape May and even my picky eater found something he liked at the buffets. I really liked the location of this hotel. We have stayed at Wilderness Lodge and Animal Kingdom Lodge in the past, and enjoyed each hotel for different reasons.  Based on my kids ages this trip we knew we could keep them up a little later and the EPCOT fireworks were on our to do list. We actually saw the fireworks 3 times as it was so easy to walk over for desert and Illuminations as we had the park hopper option on our tickets.

We packed a lot into our 10 day trip including a side trip to Universal Island of Adventure for my daughter's 12th Bday.  The rides were very intense compared to Disney.  My son who is a short 9 year old could not go on many of the rides at Island of Adventure.  We did enjoy going to Hogsmeade and riding on the Forbidden Journey and the Flight of the Hipogriff. Butter Beer was on our list of things to do in the Wizarding World. The kids loved it but I found it to be very,very sweet. We split one mug between the 4 of us and I think it was plenty.

Mr CC enjoying Butter Beer

 We went on a couple easy going rides at Suess Landing and the Pteradon flyers ride (only for a tween and an adult). We also went on the Spiderman ride and the Bilge rat Barges. We ended the day with the Barges as we were soaked to the bone. We had ponchos on and still all manage to get soaking wet feet and shirts. Over all we had fun but I don't think we would splurge next time for one day at Universal  as it was quite expensive.

We try to stay within our budget and in order to do that I pack one suitcase with snacks, drinks, cereal, bowls, utensils, and I ordered bagels, cheese sticks, fruit, water and milk from a local service called Garden Grocer. It was delivered to our room on the second day and It worked out very well. We ate breakfast in our room most mornings. The kids had some healthy snacks to munch on and we brought our own water to the parks everyday. Waters are about 2$ a piece in the parks so this was a major money saver. I also use the empty suitcase for souvenirs on the trip home. We always fly on Southwest so we don't have to pay any extra fees for the bag.

Well, we really enjoyed our trip, If anyone has any questions about Disney trip planning don't hesitate to ask. Hope everyone is having a nice night!

Maura

The two year tree.

Well, it's that time of year again. The holiday season is upon us and I am proud to say that after two years of working on it I have finally finished my large sequin and beaded christmas tree. Two years ago I worked on two smaller trees, one in silver and one striped in silver and green. I also started on the last and largest of my set. Christmas came and went and I put the tree aside thinking I would work on it the following fall. Well, then came the shoulder surgery and poking pins with little beads and sequins into a foam christmas tree was out of the question.

So when September 2011 rolled around I started back at it. I tried to get 2 or 3 rows done each night while my husband and I watched tv. While I might have missed a night or two here and there, I was totally committed to getting it done. Tonight while at my son's swim practice I finally finished it! The cutest thing happened while I was working on it also. A little girl about 7 came over and I could tell she was watching me. I said hello and she asked me what I was doing. I told her my story of the "two year tree" and she started rooting me on. With each pin I poked in the tree she would get more and more excited. "You're almost done", "just a few more"and "this is the last one and then it will be perfect". It is not perfect, some lines are not straight and some pins are too close, but I love it as though it is perfect. I worked so hard on this tree and my perseverance has finally paid off.  This last tree used up over 3000 pins.  Some might call me crazy for even making a small tree but I absolutely adore the way they all turned out.

I told my kids that someday the two of them will be fighting over who gets moms beaded trees. Remembering me sitting on the couch for months, working on them.  I never gave up and I feel good about that. I hope you all find something to commit to this holiday season. Wether it be a good deed, a project or a loved one. Don't give up on your "Two year tree".
Maura

I need a fresh start!

Waterfall in Bar Harbor Maine 

First of all I had a manipulation done on my shoulder back in march as after my shoulder surgery I ended up with a frozen shoulder. So basically they put you to sleep and wonk on your arm to break up the scar tissue that has built up.  I am happy to say that I am actually going to my last physical therapy appointment in the morning and after 10 months I will be able to get back to my regular routines. I was going to pt 3 times a week for 2 hrs a day.

So my next set back was about 6 weeks ago I got this horrible rash/ welt on my leg. Now 2 years ago I had the same thing and both times my doctor ( and a few other doctors) put me on antibiotic after antibiotic trying to heal it up. Well none of those worked and one even gave me an allergic reaction. Both times I was finally treated with prednisone and the welts cleared up. This time however the on call doctor at my primary care office sent me to see a dermatologist who did a biopsy on my leg. Come to find out I have a rare skin disorder called Well's Syndrome or Eosinophilic Cellulitis. Basically something like a spider bite or a cut or a medication can turn into a large painful itchy cellulitis( to many white blood cells called eosinophils go to the injured area, causing swelling and itching). I guess my body just over reacts to certain triggers.  The treatment is prednisone for now. If it gets worse or more recurrent then we move onto another medication. So my last flare has finally healed (other then my skin being discolored on my leg which goes away in about 8 weeks) and then it happens.

The latest setback started as another spot on my leg and then a spot on my face and then another and another. I went to the dermatologist again thinking my Well's is at it again only to find out I have poison ivy on my leg and face.  I am itching like crazy and a little embarrassed by my blotchy face.

Any how I am turning 40 in December and I have decided that I am due for a fresh start. I had nothing but health problems in my thirties. Shingles, thyroid surgery, GI problems, shoulder surgery, hernia, Wells and poison ivy and I have decided I am ready for the fabulous forties. Please send any and all good karma my way and I promise I will be posting and back to projects asap.  I have decided I need to look into hiring a landscaper so I can avoid spiders and poison ivy for a while! Have a great day.

Maura

It's a bird, It's a plane, No It's an antenna!

So, back in December my husband and I made a New Years Resolution to complete one large project each month.  Our January task was to disconnect our cable and bring our phone and Internet bills down. Not everything worked out as planned.

 We hooked up our Roku mid December to make sure we could live with it. This is a streaming box and we pay under $20  a month for Netflix and Hulu Plus.  We disconnected the cable and I brought the cable boxes back to Comcast mid January. My husband hooked up the antenna, but after many hours of frustration. He was putting up the antenna and dropped a clip (important piece) in the snow. We searched for over an hour and finally asked a neighbor boy if we could use his metal detector to find it. No luck. I then emailed the company who makes the mounting kit to see if I could buy another and they were so kind, Or they thought we were so pathetic and they sent us 2 free ones (just in case). So he finally mounted the antenna and we found out we get 17 local channels. Check out this photo- NO CABLE BOX!  YIPPEE!  Just our tiny little Roku, our dvd player and our radio- for surround sound.

Now here is where things got tricky. We were hoping to change to Verizon for our Internet and phone but my husband was concerned about email accounts. We have had the same ones for about 10 years and he did not want the hassle of contacting everyone we know and every company we have accounts linked to these addresses. So we decided to keep the Internet with comcast which will be $60 a month (highway robbery) and to get an extra cell phone on our family plan for 9.99 a month. We will be using it as our home phone.   Our original plan was to pay $75 for TV, phone and Internet and we only got it to $90 but we are still saving $70 per month.

So on to the next project for February. My daughter wanted to change her bedroom around so we will be giving her room a makeover. Stay tuned for that update.

Thanks for following along with me
Maura

A Shopper's High? No a Savers High!

?

As you may or may not know. I am a semi- extreme couponer. I say semi because I don't want you to think I am as crazy as some couponers you may have seen on tv. I am a normal married mom of two who decided (after meeting with our financial planner a few years ago) that I needed to get my spending in hand. He actually looked at our spending and noticed that a large chunk was being spent at target and grocery stores.  I felt a little embarrassed and a little mad. I decided from that moment on I was going to cut back and find a way to spend less without missing out. So two years later I now thrive on saving money. That same high others get from buying things, I get from saving.

I used to be a regular couponer who would cut a few coupons from the Sunday paper each week and go to the store to buy our weekly groceries and household items. Now I actually take the time to plan a monthly menu based on the items I have in my pantry and freezer . Each week I check my menu and make my shopping list based on what I need to complete meals.  I also buy any stockpile items (items on a really great sale with coupons to match that I can buy and put away in my pantry) I also buy my fruits and vegis based on what is on sale that week.  I have cut my grocery bill from $150 a week to $90  a week (this includes my health and beauty supplies and cleaning supplies).  One week I may go a little over, then the next a little under but $90 is about average for our family of four.

The deals have been a little slim over the past couple months but this week was a jackpot week.  A local grocery store had many staple items like pasta, sauce, peanut butter, canned tomatoes, and cereal on sale with a Catalina. ( a coupon good on your next order -OYNO) If you bought $20 worth of participating items you got a coupon for 10 OYNO.  I actually had my husband do this deal and then I went shopping with a friend and did another transaction.  I am planning on making one more trip this week. So this week I went a little over budget.  I will be spending $120 but I will have 30$ to use next week on meats or fruits and vegis.  I told my husband I was having a Shoppers High and he said "That would make a great blog post". Hence the title of this one.

Oh I should also tell you we completed January's Resolution Project. I will post soon about that!


Have a great Day
Maura