Feathered Morning: Beautiful Bird Feeder Footage to Start Your Day

Watch!  I set up a camera at the bird feeder in the backyard and caught some morning visitors.  💖

Dancing Sunflowers in the Wind

 

Let's Make Ground Cherry Jam

Making Bread & Butter Pickles is Easy and Fun!

Lisa's Oat Bread- WW Friendly Recipe

I adapted the original Grace's Oat Bread recipe to make a loaf that suits my personal taste and texture preferences.  This oat bread is WW friendly, especially if you have oats, eggs, and non-fat Greek yogurt as your zero-point foods.  Just click the link below the recipe and it will take you to WW (must log in) and calculate how many points it is on your WW Personal Points plan.

I thought the original recipe had too much yogurt in it for my liking.  I've dabbled in making gluten-free bread since I have Celiac disease and knew that xanthan gum is needed in gluten-free recipes since there is no gluten.  So I started adding xanthan gum to the original recipe and liked the results.  (This recipe is gluten-free if you use gluten-free oats.) Since eggs are free for me on WW Personal Points, I played around with the ingredients by using less yogurt and more eggs.  I also whipped the egg whites during my experiments to see if that would make a lighter loaf, but in my opinion, it didn't really help.  So I no longer do that step.

I hope you like this revamped recipe as much as I do.

Lisa's Oat Bread

Ingredients

4 cups of rolled oats

2 teaspoons of baking powder

1/2 teaspoon of salt

1 teaspoon of xanthan gum

2 eggs

1 cup of non-fat plain Greek yogurt

Everything But The Bagel Seasoning (optional)

1) Preheat oven to 350° F

2) Mix dry ingredients in a large bowl.

3) Add eggs and yogurt and mix thoroughly, working the wet ingredients into the dry ingredients.

4) When the mixture is totally mixed and it's holding together, press the mixture into a greased loaf pan. I use cooking spray. Make sure the edges are pressed down to avoid excessive browning. Sprinkle with the Everything Seasoning.

5) Place in the oven on the middle rack and bake for 40 minutes or until brown around the edges.

6) Turn the loaf out on a cooling rack and let cool completely before slicing. Slice into 16 pieces about 1/4" thick.

7) Keep refrigerated and your loaf will last about 5 days or so.

Print recipe here 

WW Personal Points Clickable Link

I found a smaller loaf pan at Walmart that works well for this.  You can find it here.  The larger the pan, the shorter your loaf will be.

XL Beautylish Lucky Bag January 2021 | Extra Lucky?

New Poshmark Listing!

Lane Bryant Maroon Wrap Blouse Size 18/20

I always loved this blouse! I tried to photograph it to show how it wraps. You feed the long tie through the hole in the opposite side of the blouse, then bring it around the back and then tie on the side. Made by Lane Bryant, it is a beautiful burgundy, gold and purple stripe. Cute pinched sleeve button closures. 55% cotton, 30% nylon, 11% rayon and 4% spandex.  See more pics in my Poshmark closet.

Weight Watchers Recipe Revamp!

Converting Old Weight Watchers Recipe Points to the New Freestyle Points

Today's recipe conversion is a recipe from the Weight Watchers What To Eat Now cookbook.  The old recipe was six servings at 6 points per serving.  With the new Freestyle Points, it is now only 1 point per serving!  What a difference!!

Weight Watchers Chicken, Black Bean and Corn Chili 

Watch my YouTube video below to see how easy it is to make.

Ingredients

• 2tspcanola oil

  33 Points
• 16ozchicken breast, grilled, skinless, boneless, 1" pieces

  00 Points
• 1largeuncooked onion(s), chopped

  00 Points
• 1item(s), mediumuncooked bell pepper(s), diced

  00 Points
• 2medium clove(s)garlic clove(s), minced

  00 Points
• 1Tbspchili powder

  11 Points
• 2tspground cumin

  00 Points
• 15 1⁄2ozcanned black beans, rinsed and drained

  00 Points
• 14 1⁄2ozKroger Tomatoes, Diced, with Green Chilies, Original

  00 Points
• 8ozcanned tomato sauce

  00 Points
• 3⁄4cup(s)cooked frozen yellow corn

  00 Points
• 1⁄2cup(s)reduced sodium canned chicken broth

  00 Points

Instructions

• Heat oil in large saucepan over medium-high heat. Add chicken and cook, stirring often, until lightly browned, about 5 minutes.
• Add onion and bell pepper and cook, stirring often, until vegetables are softened, about 5 minutes. Add garlic, chili powder, and cumin and cook, stirring constantly, until fragrant, 30 seconds.
• Stir in black beans, tomatoes, tomato sauce, corn, and chicken broth; bring to a boil. Reduce heat and simmer, partially covered, until chili is slightly thickened, about 20 minutes. Ladle into 6 bowls, sprinkle with cilantro and scallions if desired.

********************************************************************************************************************

After making this a couple of times, I decided to shred the chicken after baking it in the oven.  I love this change, it makes the chicken be in almost every bite.  As you can see in the video, I made it more of a soup by adding all of the chicken broth.  It doesn't change the points value in the least!  I didn't have any cilantro or scallions, but they certainly would make this flavorful dish burst with even more flavor.

My favorite part is that this whole pot of goodness is just 6 Freestyle points!  So enjoy a bowl whenever you want, it is sure to bring you comfort when you are struggling with staying within your points range.  I'm glad to have a backup in the freezer!

Organizing a Rolling Cart with Dollar Tree Bins ~ Cheap Bathroom Storage...

Ipsy Makeup Subscription May 2017 ~ Initial Thoughts w/ Price Breakdown

My Ipsy bag arrived this week and I must say this service just gets better and better!  The first few bags that I received were hit and miss, but since I started faithfully reviewing my bags each month, they have improved so much.  Watch my video to hear more about my thoughts on this bag.  I am wearing one of the products in the video.

This month's bag is cute, but there are others that I have loved more.  However, I can see me using this plastic see-through bag in my beach bag or gym tote.  I do love the ice cream design, it definitely screams summer to me.  (See what I did there?)

My favorite item from this bag is the Luxie 660 Dreamcatcher Foundation Brush valued at $23.00.  I am a sucker for colorful handles on my makeup brushes and this lavender or periwinkle blue color is such a cheerful addition to my collection.  Luxie brushes are becoming my favorite brand and it is good to know that they are cruelty free.  The brush is soft and tapered, which I can see being great for foundation.  I love my paddle brush for foundation though, so I may wind up using this one for setting powder under my eyes.  You can find out more about this brush here:  http://go.magik.ly/ml/5138/  (affiliate link)

Lip balm is something I hoard, as I can't stand to be without any nearby.  I do tire of the drugstore options, so this one by KVoss in Macaroon is a very welcome addition.  It is chock full of coconut oil, almond oil, olive oil and macaroon essential oil.  My only disappointment is that it doesn't taste or smell like coconut as I thought it might, but that isn't a deal breaker for me.  It feels great on my lips and adds a soft sheen.  It looks to be full size and is on sale right now on the KVoss website for $12.99.  https://www.kvossnyc.com/products/macaroon-lip-balm

A new brand to me, the Mellow Matte Lipstick is perfect in the color nude.  It has a pink tone to it, which I really like.  I don't like matte lipsticks as they usually make my lips too dry and I can't stand it.  However, this one feels like there is nothing there.  It is described as being a long wearing lipstick, which I agree, but there is some transfer if that is a concern of yours.  This full size tube sells for $13.00.  http://www.mellowcosmetics.com/lips/creamy-matte-lipsticks/matte-lipstick-nude

Ipsy knows I love body lotion and I am glad to get another one to try.  Hempz is a new brand to me and I am impressed so far!  The Pomegranate Herbal lotion is not greasy or sticky .  It absorbs quickly, leaving my skin soft and moisturized.  The scent is subtle and fruity and while it's not the best thing I have ever smelled, it is pleasant to use. The size of the sample is 2.25 oz and is on Ulta's website for $7.30.  http://go.magik.ly/ml/513j/  (affiliate link)  The full size is 17 oz. and is listed at $23.00.  http://go.magik.ly/ml/513m/  (affiliate link)

Urban Decay is another brand that I have been wanting to try, so I was excited to see a sample of this highlighter in my bag.  I love highlighters anyway and this champagne gold with the name Sin is beautiful.  It sheered out nicely and was definitely buildable when more layers were added.  It was creamy and gave a nice golden glow, just perfect for summer.  This sample size was .08 oz. and valued at $9.04.   http://go.magik.ly/ml/5139/  (affiliate link)

The grand total of my Ipsy bag for May was $65.33, which is outstanding for a $10 subscription service!  I love everything that I received and even though this wasn't my favorite bag, I will definitely get some use out of it.  This is my 7th month with Ipsy and feel like the feedback I have given them has really helped with the curation of my bag.  I can't wait until the next one!  To subscribe to Ipsy and get your very own curated bag, go to www.ipsy.com.

Walmart Winter Beauty Box ~ January 2017 (includes a $4 coupon!)

I was so happy to see my Walmart Beauty Box in the mailbox when I got home from work today.  This is one of my favorite subscription boxes, as I always use everything in the box!

I love the icy blue color of the box with the gold accents.  It definitely has that winter vibe!  Now you can rate and review your products using #WalmartContest for a chance to win a $50 Walmart gift card!

Even though I am on mascara overload, I love that this was in the box.  I haven't found the mascara that is my holy grail, so am happy to give this one a try.  Let me know if you have tried this one and what your opinion is on this one.

This is my favorite thing to try out of this box.  I like the colors on the packaging and that there is a flip-top lid.  Moisturizers are my best friend right now and I can't have enough.

This is a popular subscription box item, especially in the Walmart and Target boxes.  I'm not complaining, as I can always use body wash.  I do believe that I have gotten a different kind each time, so that will help me to decide what full size one to purchase.

Bring on the anti-wrinkle cream!  I am really starting to despise the wrinkles and creases that have been developing on my face and neck.  Finding affordable products that actually work is an ongoing search.  I am really hoping that this one from Pond's will work wonders.

I haven't tried very many Aveeno products.  Super happy that they have both the night and day moisturizers included in the box.  

I also received a coupon for $4 off of the Curel moisturizer, which I think is great.  That almost pays for the $5 I spent to receive the box.  Of course, it could be that I won't love the Curel enough to buy a full size, but I am keeping my fingers crossed.

Let me know if you receive the Walmart Beauty Box and if so, what was your favorite item that you received in the box?  If you don't currently subscribe, you can right here.  

FabFitFun Unboxing ~ Fall 2016

Subscription boxes are intriguing to me and I love to watch people unbox them on YouTube.  After I saw the contents of the fall FabFitFun box, I knew I had to have one!  (You can watch my unboxing here.)

Blanket scarves are on trend right now and I love that one was included in the box.  I don't wear a lot of black, but with the white and grey colors mixed in, I think I can make it work.

I'm loving eye shadow palettes at the moment and this Pure Cosmetics Nude Collection palette is very promising.  I love the neutral colors and the mix of shimmer and matte shades.  The BrowGal  gel eyebrow wand was also included in the box and I know that it will be put to good use.

With fall here and a switch to day shift at my job, this coffee tumbler will definitely hold my cinnamon hazelnut coffee in style.  I'm not a morning person, so the saying is rather ironic!

This Spongelle sponge comes loaded with cleanser and is multi-use.  This will be handy on those mornings that I am running late for work.

These adult coloring books are all the rage, but I can't seem to get into them.  I will be gifting this to my sister.

I love essential oils and was happy to see this lavender oil in the box.  It comes in a nice glass bottle that will be pretty to display.

These ToeSox will be great when doing yoga.  I have carpet and always have a problem sliding around when trying to hold a pose.  The grippers on the bottom will keep me in my place.

Since I've reached my fifties, my skin has gone downhill.  This restoring night serum from Skin Laundry may be able to help.

Cottonelle and Secret products are always welcome at my home.

I thought this was a great box for $49.99.  FabFitFun is a quarterly subscription box with over $100 worth of items that could be about beauty, fitness or fashion .You can order your own box here:  FabFitFun  I don't know how long this fall box will be available, but this link will give you a discount on whatever box you decide to get (I also receive credits when you sign up through my link).  

What were your favorite items in this box?

Target Beauty Box Unboxing ~ October 2016

I finally was able to snag a Target Beauty Box, thanks to My Subscription Addiction!  They will email you when the box goes live on Target's website, so you can be sure to run to the site and grab one while you can.  They sell out super fast!

I love that it comes with a $3 coupon off of beauty products.  It only is good for a couple of weeks, so I'll have to keep that in mind and not let it expire.

I have been loving the in-shower body lotions, so am excited about this product.  It's for use on wet skin after your shower, not in the shower.  I am hoping it will lock in some moisture for my overly dry skin.

I am a lip balm fanatic, so am so happy to receive this Chapstick.  It's tinted, so it will be great to keep in my truck for those days I'm running errands.

I love to try new-to-me products and this cushion foundation looks like a great one to try.  I like that they sent three different colors so that you can hopefully find one close to your complexion to try.

This next set is a shampoo and conditioner with a great peppermint scent.  I'm going to save these for use in December, as that is the time of year that I love the smell of peppermint.  Really happy to see both the shampoo and conditioner!

That was everything in this month's box and I am so glad I was able to snag one.  I think it's a great value for only $7!  I am still waiting on my Fall Walmart Beauty Box, as it also usually packs a big punch and it's only $5.  

Take a look at my unboxing video.  Do you purchase the Target or Walmart beauty boxes?

GlossyBox Unboxing - September 2016

I'm so excited to share with you what I got in my first Glossybox.  I ordered the September 2016 box and used the code "Secret" and got a free box from an earlier month.  I'm going to start with the earlier box, which was from June 2016 and the theme was the Tony Awards.

It's a beautiful box filled with glittery and dramatic items.

Caolion Premium Hot & Cool Pore Pack Duo- Full size is $30.00/ 1.8 oz

LA Splash Lip Lacquer High Pigment Collection- Full Size is $18.00/ One Piece

SinfulColors Kylie Jenner Denim and Bling Nail Polish- Full Size is $3.00/ 0.5 fl. oz.

Sebastian Professional Whipped Creme- Full Size $20.00/ 5.3 oz.

TanTowel Half  Body Classic- Full Size $27.00/ 10 Towelettes

Icona Milano Emotion Allowed Mascara- Full Size $19.00/ 0.34 fl. oz.

So, the polish, the lip lacquer and mascara were full sized products.  The rest were sample sized, which gives the box a value of approximately $59.51.  

Caolion Pore Pack Duo Sample approx. $10.71

LA Splash Lip Lacquer - Full size $18.00

Kylie Jenner Nail Polish- Full size $3.00

Sebastian Professional Whipped Creme Sample approx. $3.40

TanTowel Sample (2 towelettes) approx. $5.40

Icona Milano Emotion Allowed Mascara Sample approx. $19.00

Now for September's box.  The theme was Secret Garden and included a specially designed box by Antonio Soares.  It is absolutely gorgeous!

Sesderma Sensyses Cleanser- Full Size Cleanser $20.00/ 6.8 fl. oz.

C-Vit Moisturizing Serum- Full Size Serum $52.00/ 1.0 fl. oz.

Premier Dead Sea Prestige Eye Serum- Full size $350.00/ 1.2 fl. oz.  I received the full size!!

Korres Modern Greek Apothecary Volcanic Minerals Twist Eyeshadow  Full Size $18.00/ One Piece

ModelLauncher Brow Duo Pencil- Full Size $12.00/ One Piece

Borghese Superiore State-of-the-Art Mascara  Full Size  $19.50/ 0.3 oz.

I received three full sized items for a box total of $393.17!  

Sesderma Sensyses Cleanser and C-Vit Moisturizing Serum Samples approx. $1.47 & $5.20

Premier Dead Sea Prestige Eye Serum- Full size $350.00!

Korres Modern Greek Apothecary Volcanic Minerals Twist Eyeshadow  Full Size $18.00

ModelLauncher Brow Duo Pencil- Full Size $12.00

Borghese Superiore State-of-the-Art Mascara Sample approx. $6.50

You can watch my unboxing video here.  If you would like to receive your own GlossyBox, click here.  What's the best item that you have received from GlossyBox?

Peaches & Petals Subscription Box - September 2016

Peaches & Petals is a monthly lifestyle subscription box that is $21 a month.  This is the second box that I have received since signing up for the service.

 Peaches and Petals includes a card that lists all of the items in the box, however, no retail value is given. On the back of this card they explain how to enter their monthly contest on social media.  This month's theme is Cuteness Overload and this month's prize for the contest is a $50 gift card to Starbucks. Also included was a coupon for $50 off two boxes from Hello Fresh.

I am going to include some price estimates based on  Google searches and will have them in parentheses so you can have an idea of the value of the box.  Here are the items that I received:

Mermaid Socks ($14 on Amazon)- this was this month's spoiler item revealed on Instagram

Unicorn Pillow Cover (16" x 16" sells for $20)

Cat Coin Purse ($6)

Totes Adorbs Tote Bag ($5)

Cute Surprise (XO Eco Sandwich Wrap $13 on Amazon)

I loved the cat coin purse and the sandwich wrap!  However, the remaining items were a miss for me. What was your favorite item this month?  Watch my unboxing video here
Peaches & Petals September 2016 Unboxing