Astrology Stitch Poster Recap

Well we did it! We completed our Astrology Stitch Poster series. All twelves astrological signs are up and ready for you to download. Create a poster for your wall or gift one to a friend. Hope you learned a bit more about your sign and started to crush on astrology like us.

Aries  //  Taurus  //  Gemini  //  Cancer  //  Leo  //  Virgo  //  Libra
Scorpio  //  Sagittarius  //  Capricorn  //  Aquarius  //  Pisces

No-Spend Month Recap

Well my No-Spend Challenge month is complete and the results are mixed. As most of you know, I tired to complete a whole month of not spending any money except for the essentials (bills, groceries, etc.). Overall, it went well. With only one item purchase slip up at Ikea - absolutely needed this chair, right - I definitely spent less money and learned more about self control. This might come easy to some, but when my eyes make contact with a sales rack or an item that I absolutely love and "need", I tend to go a bit crazy and buy buy buy! Now instead of making that impulse buy, I'll go home and think about it first. This prevents me from buying things I really don't need. After all, you can always go back and pick up that item if you decided you do really want it, right?

The one thing I had a hard time following was not going out for dinner/date plans. When the nice weather hits in the city, Chicago comes alive and there is so much to do! Sitting outside at restaurants, going on short excursions to explore what all the different neighborhoods have to offer, and having out of town friends visit left my no spend activities to a minimum and unfortunately I did got out and spend money.

So although I probably spent my usually amount on entertainment, I did save money overall by buying less items. I am happy with the experience and will probably try the no-spend month challenge again and this time actually NOT spend.

Did you attempt a no-spend month? How did you do?

{Claire}

A Month of The Whole 30

We did it, you guys. We completed The Whole 30! For those who don't know, we decided to try the cleanse for the month of March - see our thoughts on why here. Well the results are in and we both loved it! Sure the first week was a bit of a struggle adjusting - slight headaches from sugar withdrawal, missing chocolate immensely (who knew we loved it so much!), and not really planning out our meals - but we got into the swing of things by the second week and it was smooth sailing from there on out. Did we both have a cheat day? Hell yes! But we stuck with the plan for the majority of the month and are thrilled with all the positive benefits.

What we loved about The Whole 30…

Our smoother skin. Cutting out all the sugar and cheese really improved our skin! We barely had any breakouts and our skin felt and looked refreshed all month.

A little bit of weight loss. We decided to do the Whole 30 program as a nutritional reset, not a diet. However, we both lost a couple pounds and of course we're not mad about that! Now we're feeling a little bit more swimsuit season ready.

We feel a lot less bloated. Let's just say our tummies are feeling much more a-ok. Our digestion systems feel better than ever and our jeans are a bit looser around the waist!

Home-cooked meals. We got in the habit of cooking at home and eating out less. Not only did we have a blast exploring new recipes but it was much easier on our wallets.

One of the main reason we did The Whole 30 was to give our bodies a reset and think more about our food choices. We kicked some nasty eating habits that we took on over the cold winter months. Instead of picking up processed food like greasy chips or double stuffed oreos - we're snaking on nuts, fruits, and veggies. We cut our portions down from plate-fulls to hand-fulls. Cutting back on cheese and cocktails was hard for sure, but we have such a healthier outlook on moderation now!

Going forward, we probably won't be as strict with the cleanse as we were during the month of March, but we definitely are going to stick with a lot of the general elements. All in all, we had a great experience with The Whole 30. Have you tried it? We' love to hear your thoughts!

THIS MONTHS PIE: An Ode To Pie

With the year coming to an end, so is our "This Month's Pie" feature. Will my neighbors, Lauren, and our husbands be a bit sad that I won't be bringing them pie to try every month? Probably. Lucky for them, I now really enjoy making pie! I had such a blast trying new recipes and exploring different methods of pie making. I've always wanted to make free form pies and I finally did! Sure individually cheesecake and whiskey are delicious, but together in a pie...it's heavenly! When we first started this feature last December, I was really nervous every time my hands touched a pie pan, but now I have more confidence in my baking skills. So my advice to you, make a pie! Try a couple and perfect your craft. Practice makes perfect!

Here is a listing of the pies we've made and a few helpful tips I've come across over the year.

2014 This Months Pie //
Apple Pear Cranberry Pie

Double Chocolate Coffee Truffle
Free Form Fruit Pie
Honey Crisp Apple

Lemon Chess
Lemon Pie with Rosemary Crust
Mason Jar Key Lime
Mini Pumpkin

Moon Pies

Whiskey Cheesecake


All Things Pie //
If you're interested in a great pie book, definitely check out The Hoosier Mama Book of Pie.

I couldn't live without a Kitchen Aid Stand Mixer. Every time I make a pie or bake, I always use this mixer.
Purchase pie weights for when you need to pre bake your pie crust.
Want a traditional pie crust that works every time, try Martha Stewart's favorite pie crust recipe.


Next time you have a gathering at your home, make a pie! 

{Claire}