Thursday 30 January 2014

Blueberry & Kale Smoothie

Blueberry & Kale Smoothie 

 Hello! I'm so happy to be here! Thank you, Claire, for letting me share one of my favourite recipes from my Radiate program. 

 If you want an easy smoothie recipe that helps curb sugar cravings and also gives you enough energy to start your day, this one is for you! This is also perfect for an afternoon pick-me-up if you're tempted to reach for junk food. By replacing that one bad habit (eating candy or chips in the afternoon) with a whole foods smoothie, you'll create momentum because you'll feel so good that you won't want to go back to being a slave to processed food. Depending on the season or how much "good fat" your body is craving, you can use coconut water (for warmer weather, lighter days) or coconut milk. You can use coconut milk in the carton (or homemade) which is more watery or full fat coconut milk from a can. Listen to your body, are you craving something creamy and rich or something lighter? If you have leftover kale, make some kale chips!

INGREDIENTS:

1 cup fresh/frozen blueberries

1 cup coconut water or coconut milk (in a carton or full fat canned)

1 tablespoon coconut oil

1 tablespoon ground flax or chia seeds*

Handful of kale

Splash of vanilla extract

Pinch of cinnamon

1 tablespoon raw, local honey, coconut nectar or stevia to taste (optional)

Ice (optional)

  • NOTE: If you use chia seeds, let them sit in the milk for 10 minutes or longer to "plump" up and expand. You can also just let your smoothie sit already made for 10 minutes and then consume.

INSTRUCTIONS:

Add ingredients to a blender and blend!

Tip: If you're giving smoothies to kids (or adults!) that are afraid of anything green, blend the kale (or whatever leafy green you're using) with the milk/water base first so there are absolutely no little leafy pieces, it just looks like green juice. Then add the fruit and other ingredients and blend. Enjoy!

TERRI INGRAHAM
Terri Ingraham is a wife, mom and holistic health coach that helps exhausted women live a more radiant life. She's a big believer in simplifying your diet and getting rid of clutter.
You can find her on her Website | Pinterest | Facebook | Twitter or sharing photos on Instagram.

Tuesday 28 January 2014

Peanut Butter Chocolate Hearts


As I recover from my surgery, I invited  some lovely bloggy friends help me out by guest posting !! Thank you so much !! 

Hi! This is Kristen, sister number two from Six Sisters' Stuff! We are so excited to be sharing one of our favorite Valentine treats with you today - Peanut Butter Chocolate Hearts!! They taste absolutely amazing, and make an adorable gift all wrapped up!

Peanut Butter Chocolate Hearts 
 

Peanut Butter Chocolate Hearts Ingredients: (6 oz) of peanut butter 1/4 cup butter softened 1/4 cup brown sugar 1 1/2 cups of powdered sugar 12 oz chocolate chips (I used milk chocolate)   Directions: Mix the peanut butter, butter, brown sugar and powdered sugar together. Melt your chocolate chips in the microwave using a microwave safe bowl, stirring every 45 seconds. In your heart tray place enough chocolate in the heart to cover the bottom. Then add 1 to 2 teaspoons of your peanut butter mixture on top of the chocolate.

peanut butter choc hearts 

 Cover your peanut butter with more melted chocolate until the heart is full. Stick in the refrigerator or freezer until hardened. Store in an airtight container in the refrigerator until you are ready to eat them. If you have extra peanut butter filling you can roll them into 1 inch balls (not any larger). Stick the dough into the refrigerator until cool. Next dip them into the melted chocolate. Set the chocolate coated ball onto wax paper and cool. Keep in the refrigerator until you are ready to eat them. Makes about 12 hearts, but it really depends on the size of your mold.

You can find the heart mold HERE for a great price!
Product Details
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Monday 27 January 2014

Pick Your Plum $25 Giveaway ..


This past weekend i reached (now) over 1,00 followers on twitter !! and what better way to Celebrate than with a Pick Your Plum Giveaway !!! 


What is Pick Your Plum ???

They sell products on-line.  They have limited supplies on some of the most gorgeous supplies.  They have agents out in the field who find killer deals on high quality products. They offer these products to YOU at great prices!  They sell it ’til it’s gone or ’til time is up!  I just love their tag line too, “Get it before your neighbour does!”

This Giveaway is USA only , you will receive a gift card not the products shown, Giveaway runs for 1 week, 1 winner ~ Good Luck !!




a Rafflecopter giveaway




Sunday 26 January 2014

$100 JANUARY SPONSOR GIVEAWAY




Welcome to the A Night Owl January Sponsor Giveaway!

Just in time for Valentines shopping! Today the sponsors and friends of A Night Owl are joining up to bring you an amazing $100 Target Gift Card Giveaway! And we all KNOW you love Target, so what are you waiting for? Enter today via the Rafflecopter form below!
Open in the USA and Canada. Ends at 11:59pm EST on Sunday, February 2nd, 2013.



TERMS & CONDITIONS: this giveaway is open to US and Canadian residents ages 18 and over and ends at 11:59pm EST on February 2nd, 2013. By entering you give the right to use your name and likeness. Number of entries received determines the odds of winning. Approximate retail value is $100.00. One winner will be selected. This is a giveaway sponsored as a group buy, which means the bloggers pooled their money together to purchase this product for you. All liabilities and responsibilities with product is directly responsible by Target. Winner will drawn by random.org from all verified entries, contacted by email provided, and announced on this page at the end of the contest. Winner has 48 hours to respond or prize will be redrawn. Entrant is responsible for the email address they provide, whether through typing it directly or through the Facebook entry method. A Night Owl is not responsible for lost or misdirected emails. All prizes will be awarded. No prize substitutions allowed. This promotion is in no way sponsored, endorsed, administered by, or associated with Facebook and we hereby release Facebook of any liability. Information is provided to A Night Owl, not to Facebook and your information is never sold or shared. Facebook and Target are not a sponsor of this giveaway. Prize is mailed or emailed directly by Kimberly Sneed of A Night Owl and requires confirmation of delivery. Protected tweets do not count as an entry method for tweeting. Tweets must come from a public account. Bloggers in this group giveaway and their immediate family members in their household cannot enter or win the giveaway. No purchase necessary. Void where prohibited by law.

Saturday 25 January 2014

Craft, Create & Inspire Linky Party :: Valentines Addition


Hey everyone, How was your week ??
I am currently recovering from my surgery, which was yesterday (you can read more about it here) ..
However I am lucky enough to have Wi-Fi in my room so I will be looking forward to checking out your projects soon...

It was a great party last week and I loved all the Valentines Inspired projects linked up :)

Here are this weeks Features :


DIY Valentine Heart Tree ~ Crafts by Courtney 
Valentine's Day Coupons ~ Elegance and Enchantment 
Anthropologie Inspired Valentine's towels ~ View from the Fridge
Red Velvet Cupcakes ~ Our Mini Family 

Don't forget to grab your "featured button" from my button page !!
 Ready to get this weeks party started ?? 



  • Feel free to link up just about anything. Recipes, Tutorials,  Inspiration, Crafts, Printable's
  •     I would {love} for you to follow my blog. 
  •  Please link to your specific post and not your entire blog.  
  •  Please add this party to your linky party list.   
  • Take a few extra minutes to visit some of the bloggy loveliness that has been linked up. 
  •   Most importantly: HAVE FUN!
  •    Feel free to grab my button from my and spread the linky fun.

Friday 24 January 2014

Coffee Date Friday



Source 

Another week that seems to have flown by .. although there hasn't been as much bed-hopping going on this week , I generally have felt more rested this week, apart from last night which consisted of lots of tossing and turning and a restless mind ..

If we were meeting for coffee/tea, I would probably need a little reassurance for my operation this afternoon.  I think the hardest part of the whole thing is leaving the girls, but I am so ready to start living my life again ..

I would also be sharing with you that I am so grateful for some great blogging friends that are helping me out by guest posting over the next couple of weeks, for those days where I just need to rest..

I am looking forward to getting back creating, I have so many ideas for simple DIYs to share with you all..

I have packed a blank notebook and this really cute kikki.k diary as well as "The Happiness Project" and Oprah's Biography .. 




What would you share with me ??

Have a great weekend.

Claire xo

Thursday 23 January 2014

No More Baby's after 30 .....


I have stopped and started this post more times than I care to mention.... Sometimes I seem to write the perfect post in my head but when it comes to writing it down it never seems to be the same.

I didn't know where to start, so I am starting from the beginning....

I am so blessed to have 4 beautiful daughters. I had my first daughter aged 19, my second at 21 and 3rd at 25.. These pregnancies where beautiful I loved being pregnant and my labours were really good.

To say it was a shock when I found out I was pregnant again when my 3rd child was 4 months old, was an understatement !! However I loved the thought of having another child so close together.. however a month into the pregnancy I started bleeding, this bleeding persisted and ended up clotting in my womb it almost looked as though I was having twins.. the clot grew and at times was double the size of this tiny baby .. 
I knew that this pregnancy was 50/50 , that was tough I needed rest but with 3 young children it was hard.. I spent a lot of time in hospital , we did find out that this tiny baby was a boy :) we couldn't be happier..
My joy soon to despair and heartbreak as i went into premature labour at 26 weeks my baby boy was stillborn , perfect in every way weighing 1lb.. 







The months after loosing my son were a blur and I am not sure how I got through it,  but I knew I had to my girls needed me and I needed them .

In 2010 almost 2 years after my tragic loss, I conceived again, this time though there was no joy only possibilities of the unknown , how could i love another little being growing inside of me not knowing what the outcome could be ?? 
The bleeding started not long into the pregnancy, only this time it was worse, I was devastated, scans showed that i had once again clotting in my womb, I was giving the option of aborting the pregnancy .. I refused, deep inside I knew that this would be the last time..
Somehow I managed to get to 30weeks, and then 34 weeks, my water broke I was admitted to hospital I had steroid injections to help this tiny baby just before 35 weeks my contractions started, I ended up having an emergency c-section .... 
My tiny baby girl was born healthy at 4lbs, we celebrated her 3rd birthday last Friday.


Something happened to  my body during these last 2 pregnancies, my periods became heavy, longer and painful.. I made the decision to be sterilized, knowing i would never want to go through another pregnancy, I just couldn't cope with the mental torture of the uncertainty..

I also had another procedure, Endometrial ablation to help with the heavy bleeding, which was successful but after the bleeding stopped I developed constant pain, almost like "after birth" pains almost everyday..

Fast forward to today, tomorrow I am having an Hysterectomy, as I am left with no other option.. My Consultant thinks I am a little young to be having this procedure, but the pain is too much. I am so lucky to have my girls especially the youngest , for me my family is complete as it can be.. Always in my heart I will know that I should have a 5 year old boy running round but he will forever be in my heart.. 

The next 6-7 weeks are going to be hard as I recovery from my operation, but for my own health and quality of life I know that I am making the right decision. 





I hope that my story will help other mommys, who may be going through a similar situation ..

If you have any comments or questions please ask or email me ..

Thank you for reading 

Claire xo



Tuesday 21 January 2014

Valentines Gift Idea ~ Jasper Jewellery


Jasper Jewellery Review

Jasper Jewellery have a huge passion for fine Swarovski Crystal jewellery and bring you unique, beautiful, high quality and classy Swarovski Crystal jewellery at everyday prices.

What do they Carry ?

Jasper Jewellery carry, bracelets, necklaces, rings, hair accessories, ear rings and brooches. Some of my favourites are shown below. I was really impressed with their wide range and something to suit everyone's budget and style.



Their website is easy to navigate. You can search by price, item, trend or style.




Each item comes beautifully gift wrapped and I loved the little extra, love heart sweets .. 
Delivery is quick and Worldwide delivery is FREE!!! 

Here is the piece I selected for review ..




I love !! this Heart Necklace.. Its so pretty and versatile to wear everyday or to have as a key piece for special occasions, I have wore it many times since I received it !!. 



If you are thinking of buying your loved one that special piece of jewellery for Valentines Day this year , I would highly recommend checking out Jasper Jewellery !! 

Even better use the code livecreate5 to receive 5 Euro off your order (valid until 31st of March) 



Disclosure: “This is a A Feature Post by jasper jewellery” The company who sponsored it compensated me via a cash payment, gift, or something else of value to write it. Regardless, I only recommend products or services I use personally and believe will be good for my readers. This is written by me and no one else.

Monday 20 January 2014

Who Loves Me ? Valentines Giveaway ...





I have another awesome giveaway for you to enter today, just in time for Valentines day !! What better way to show your loved one some love, than a personalized gift ??

The Grand Prize will be Who Loves Me? Personalized Book and Lovie Blanket Set from I See Me! {$49.95}



I will be giving away a $25 Amazon Gift Card (which will be emailed to the winner) 




a Rafflecopter giveaway Open Worldwide and to U.S. residents. You must be 18 years old to enter to win. This giveaway ends at 11:59 PM EST on 2.3.14



Disclaimer: This giveaway ends at 11:59 PM EST on February 3, 2014. The Be Our Valentine Event Bloggers are not responsible for sponsors that do not fulfill their prizes.



Good Luck :) xo

Saturday 18 January 2014

Craft Create & Inspire Linky Party


Hey everyone, how was your week ??
We celebrated my baby girls 3rd birthday yesterday .. I am ready for a little time out this morning, I am having my hair cut and coloured :) 
So, who is ready to party ? I am so glad you have stopped by to join us !! I love to browse through everyone's projects with a hot cup of tea and a sneaky chocolate . 

Another great party last week..


Featured Projects from last week :



Edible Dessert Cups ~ Something Sweet Winnies Blog 
Vintage Map Pillows ~ Chic California
DIY Girls Headboard ~ Namely Original 
DIY Gold Leaf Jewellery Tray ~ Homeyohmy


Don't forget to grab your "featured button" from my button page 

Ready to get this weeks party started ??





  • Feel free to link up just about anything. Recipes, Tutorials,  Inspiration, Crafts, Printables 
  •   I would {love} for you to follow my blog.
  •  Please link to your specific post and not your entire blog. 
  •  Please add this party to your linky party list. 
  •  Take a few extra minutes to visit some of the bloggy loveliness that has been linked up. 
  •  Most importantly: HAVE FUN!  
  • Feel free to grab my button from my and spread the linky fun. 


I am looking for guest bloggers, craft, diy, recipe, tutorial posts , if you are interested let me know :)



Friday 17 January 2014

Coffee Date Friday




If I thought last week went by quickly, this week went by like a flash !! So glad that the weekend is here though !! 
The school routine has been easier this week, but midnight bed-hopping has made me one tired mommy .

If we were meeting for coffee/tea today, we would be celebrating my baby girls 3 birthday, there would be Minnie Mouse cake and home-made cupcakes .. 
I would be Thanking you (all) for your support and kind words last week, I was glad I opened up about my upcoming surgery (next Friday).

I would share with you that I went for my Pre-Op appointment  yesterday, which went well and I had a lot of my questions answered.. 

I would be excited to tell you that I my No Sew Fabric Bow Tutorial , was accepted onto CraftGawker which has made my week !! Working on my photos is something that I hope to improve on this year too !!

This week I will be focusing on getting organised for next weekend.. 

Today though is a day of celebration, Minnie Mouse style !! Its hard to believe that she is already 3.. After a traumatic birth (emergency c-section ) at 34 weeks, she weighed only 4lbs .She has such a lovely nature, full of smiles..



What would you share with me ??

Joining Alissa @ Rags to Stitches for Coffee Date Friday

Claire xo



Wednesday 15 January 2014

No Sew Fabric Bow Tutorial ...





Its no secret I love bows, over the next couple of weeks I will be sharing some fun and quick "bow" inspired DIY posts..

Today i am sharing this fun and simple no sew fabric bow tutorial, which can easily be made into a headband, hair clips or even use a different colour for a bow tie ..



What you will need :

  • Glue Gun and sticks 
  • Sciccors 
  • Fabric : 7 1/2" x 9 1/2" this is for the main bow 
  • Fabric : 3" x 4" this is for the centre
  • Pencil
  • Ruler
  • Felt 
  • Accessories, elastic, clip ect Depending what you are going to use your bow for. 




Directions :

Cut your fabric ~ you can vary the measurements depending on the finish size bow you need .

Fold your fabric in half (width) then fold into the middle ( I used an iron for this part) see image 2 
Fold the smaller fabric in half and glue to hold in place.

Pinch the middle of the bow with your fingers, to create a bow shape. see image 3 

Then place the smaller piece of fabric around the middle, wrap tightly and glue in place trim any over-lapping fabric.. see image 4.

Finished !!


If you would like to attached your bow onto a headband you will need to follow this extra step ...




Measure around yours or your child's head with the elastic.
Glue one end to the back of the bow. 
Then glue the other end of the elastic on top, making a loop with the elastic. 
Finally add a small piece of felt over the joins..








Stay tuned for more "bow" inspired DIY posts.


Claire x




Tuesday 14 January 2014

Simple Party Dessert Ideas


Last week I shared with you birthday gift ideas for a 3 year old , as my baby girl is turning 3 in 3 days !! 

the presents have been bought and the bike is on its way from the USA !! so excited , so all that's left to plan is the party and food. This year with my operation the week after I opted to have a party in a play area , where the food , party bags and entertainment is all ready organised !!

I am however going to have some sweet treats at home too , here are a few cute, simple ideas ..




Chocolate Dipped Marshmallows ~ Tokyo Sugar 
Sugar Cookie Sprinkles ~ Cooking with my Kid 
Dipped Oreo's ~ Polkadot Prints
Fruit Kebabs ~ Heart felt Confessions  


I have a few ideas too ..

How about party decor .. I found this on Pinterest and I love it !!!




Do you have any simple party desserts or decor ideas ??? I would love to hear them :)

Claire x



Monday 13 January 2014

$500 New Year Cash Giveaway



Welcome to the $500 Warm Up The New Year Cash Giveaway!

I've joined an amazing group of bloggers to bring you this great giveaway. One lucky person will win $500 cash.

What I great way to start the year with an opportunity to win $500 !! How would you spend the $$$ ????? New wardrobe, Mini Vacation, Home decor ??
I would put the money towards a new camera :)

Follow the simple instructions below and good luck !! 



Enter to win $500 cash via PayPal.

Complete the tasks below to earn entries into this giveaway.
Refer your friends using your unique link to earn even more chances to win.

Open Worldwide.
Ends at 11:59pm EST on January 26th, 2013.

a Rafflecopter giveaway

This giveaway was coordinated by Giveaway Promote.

Saturday 11 January 2014

Craft, Create & Inspire Linky Party



Hey everyone, How are your first weeks into the new year going ?? 
getting back into the early morning routine has been a bit tougher than I thought and I am definitely ready for the weekend to be here !!
So, whose ready to party? I am so glad you have stopped by to join us!  It’s so much fun to browse through your projects each week with a hot cup of tea and a sneaky chocolate hehehe ...

Awesome Party last week :) 

Featured projects from last week :



Paper Rosette Tutorial ~ The Casual Craftlete
Goal Printable 2014 ~ Life After Empty Nest
Sun Room Re-Do ~ Delineate your Dwelling 
Chocolate Caramel Fondue ~ Made from Pinterest 


Be Sure to Grab a Featured Button from my Button Page 


Ready to get this weeks party started ....



  • Feel free to link up just about anything. Recipes, Tutorials,  Inspiration, Crafts, Printables 
  •   I would {love} for you to follow my blog.
  •  Please link to your specific post and not your entire blog. 
  •  Please add this party to your linky party list. 
  •  Take a few extra minutes to visit some of the bloggy loveliness that has been linked up. 
  •  Most importantly: HAVE FUN!  
  • Feel free to grab my button from my and spread the linky fun. 


I am looking for guest bloggers, craft, diy, reciepe,tutorial posts , if you are interested let me know :)



Friday 10 January 2014

Coffee Date Friday ...




This week has flown by, so glad it is the weekend though. getting back into the routine has been tougher than i thought.  I am tired, looking forward to a small lay-in tomorrow and a movie with my girlie's. 


If we were having coffee (or tea) in my case, I would tell you that writing this post is part of my goals for my blog, being more intentional and personal about my content. 

I have been busy planing my baby girls 3rd birthday and even though I am having her party in a "play area" I am still going to decorate our home and bake a few goodies :)

I also received a letter from the hospital that confirmed my surgery  for the 24th of this month, I am both thankful and scared at the same time .. Not only am I worried about the surgery, the recovery, (6 weeks) , the 4 nights stay i am worried how my girls will cope , especially the youngest.. 

I would also tell you that I am loving blogging at the moment and feel that I am chasing my dreams at the moment ...

What would you share with me ?? 


Linking up with Alissa @ Rags to Stitches