Resellers Unite

For the past two months I've been thrifting (what's new right?!?) but reselling my finds on eBay. Let me tell me you, this has been an amazing hustle. It does take time and energy, but it's a hustle. I'm even thinking of expanding on this hustle, but I go back and forth daily on all my ideas.

I learned today that Salvation Army and Goodwill actually have eBay accounts and sell too. Salvation Army prices were blah! Especially when you factor in shipping. However, the quality of the items were decent. Goodwill was a freaking score! Can you tell my excitement?!? I didn't bid on anything, but definitely added them to my favorite seller list. The items were priced very reasonably and I can still see myself reselling some things.

Lastly there's a program that allows people to send in their used items to eBay to be sold. eBay sends a bag with postage paid. If the item sells, you receive half of the selling price, and the organization receives the other half. Recycling at its best! If your item doesn't sell, you receive a receipt for your donation. Tax write off!

Weekend wrap up 6.13.2

Friday: hmmmm what did we do?!? The minors got of school. Crazy, I can't remember much else. I went shopping, I did my mama's hair. I can't recall anything else, but I know I'm forgetting something.

 

Saturday: early morning Mr. had football practice. I worked out and ran errands in between time. That evening we went to the beach for icecream. The beach was flooded with tourists. I brought my camera, so I could fit right in. I wanted to take pictures for a new project. However, in the midst of all the tourists, random photo shoots weren't permitted. The city had various acts along the "strip" to entertain its guests. It was a fun mix between a carnival and hippie concert. We even saw one guy smoking his hookah on the boardwalk. We came home and watched the movie "Parker," if you like action, you'll love it.

Daddy

Daddy

Huni

Huni 

Sunday: church...what else do we do?!? I don't know if I ever mentioned this, but my parents are pastors and we're always in church. Or so it seems. It was also Father's Day. We celebrated Huni and my daddy. I got my computer back. So you know that means more videos and better content.

 

Oh and I went couponing. For $25 I got all of this stuff which is worth about $150. I think  I'm getting the hang of these coupons.

I hope your weekend was just as amazing!

Soul Food for fatloss: Paleo Meatloaf "CupCakes" (gluten free)

Comfort healthy foods usually get the side eye from me. Mainly because the taste is so far from what my soul and tastebuds expect. I want to feel like I'm eating my mama's food minus the guilt, bloating, and fat!

I'm thinking about featuring Soul Food Sundays...Paleo style. We eat good at my house...real good! So why wouldn't I share the wealth of health with my friends?!?

And don't tell my mama, but this is the best meatloaf I've ever had. We've had it twice this week.

::Ingredients::

Grass fed organic ground beef
2 garlic cloves diced
2 shallots diced
Salt and pepper to taste
2 tsp of smoked paprika
1 tsp if garlic pepper
1/4 cup of your favorite * paleo barbecue sauce
1/4 cup of barbecue sauce (set aside for "icing")

*I made my own, but will make it once more to make sure it turns out right before I share*

::Directions::
1. Preheat oven to 350 degrees
2. Spray cupcake pan with olive oil or coconut oil
3. Mix ground beef with wet and dry ingredients well in a medium sized bowl.
a.) I wore gloves and mixed with my hands.
4. Fill the pan 3/4 just like with a cupcake mixture.
5. Bake on 350 degrees for 30-45 minutes. Start checking at 30 minutes to make sure it's cooked through.
6. Let cool in pan for about 10 minutes.
7. Pat off grease at the bottoms of "cupcake".
8. Spread barbecue sauce over the "cupcake."
9. Get cute and put it in muffin liners.
10. Serve and enjoy.

Yields 9-12 personal meatloaf "cupcakes"

I served these with sweet potato fries and steamed broccoli. The first time we had sweet potato mash and steamed broccoli.

The minors LOVED this recipe. Huni LOVED it. I guess it's a hit. Let me know if you try this recipe.

Meal Prep

Initially when I first discovered clean eating, I tried to prep my meals for the week. Kudos to all those that do. It was too overwhelming for me. The time it took to figure out what we were going to eat, then cook it all, then store it, and clean up. I told myself last week, that I wanted to do better with my eating. I'm usually 95% clean and 85% paleo.

Sunday after church I started on the barbecue sauce first as it needed a minimum of two hour simmer time.

Sautéed a head of cabbage
Steamed  3 lbs of broccoli
Roasted 4 sweet potatoes
Grilled 6 chicken breasts
Prepared meatloaf "cupcakes" (recipe coming soon)
Prepared barbecue sauce
Prepared kale chips
Prepared shredded chicken in crock pot

It didn't take as long as I expected, but I figure this will be a great starter to the week. By Wednesday ill need to re-up.

This is my projected menu for the week:

Breakfast
Warm lemon water
Two eggs either boiled or fried in coconut oil
Fruit or 1/2 avocado or 1/2 sweet potato

Snacks
Banana with 2tsp of almond butter
Kale chips

Lunch
Grilled chicken & veggies
Chicken and 1/2 sweet potato
Chicken & 1/2 avocado
Meat balls & zucchini
Meatloaf cupcakes
Taco salad

Snacks
Fruit
Nuts

Pre-workout snack
Boiled egg

Dinner
Grilled Chicken or salmon atop salad
Bacon chicken tacos


I usually eat every two hours or when hungry. 

Who wears short shorts?!?

*hums* do y'all remember that song? Was it from a commercial?

I love to cut up denim. Wether it's a jacket into a vest, jeans into shorts, jeans into a skirt...you get the point. I can never understand why people pay for denim cutoffs. Especially the high waisted shorts craze. High waisted jeans are plentiful at the thrift store. Look for the long zippers and BOOM! there's your high waisted pants. $5 at the most.
Studs are cheap and plentiful (look on ebay) and bleach is $2 at the most.

Shopping on Nasty Gal and Urban Outfitters I saw these beauties. Don't forget to look at the prices.

 

Pick your jaw up. Grab a pair of old jeans and get to cutting, bleaching, dying, and studding.

Here are my latest summer creations:

$2.50 for any jeans I had to thrift. I won't do a tutorial as distressing is super easy. Just make sure to hand wash and air/line dry any of your distressed creations. 

Maybe I'll do some quick design tutorials. I usually do those on Diva's clothes. Those shorts with the lion print on the back. Now that's easy...wanna see a tutorial, just let me know. Tumblr has great short shorts inspirations. Stay cool and beautiful!

Dining in for June Challenge

I'm sulking as I just typed the title. I don't cook Thursday through Sunday. Cooking on the weekends is so 1993. I hate it, I'll cook breakfast because that's my favorite meal, but that's about it.

Huni and I

Huni and I 

I told my Bestie a month ago that I was going to stop eating out in may. MAYjor fail, I didn't even try. We spend a lot of money eating out, considering we don't eat fast food.

No chipotle. No Sunday morning breakfast before church. No Saturday night date night dinner. I guess I'll be s cooking mama this June. Maybe I can finally get some abs. I'm over wanting abs for now, but how sexy would that be. I'll let y'all know how this eat in challenge goes. Join me? I'm sure new recipes will develop because I hate eating the same thing all the time.

Gingered Orange Mango Chicken Breast

This past weekend was incredible. Memorial Day usually brings in the summer for me. Cook outs and warm weather outings, short shorts and sandals, maxi dress and pedicures, and watermelon. I love summer!

After cookout after cookout, I wanted a restaurant quality meal at home. I only had chicken in the freezer. Isn't that all the protein I need? We eat so much chicken, but I didn't feel like grilled chicken or baked, or salad. But I wanted a summery meal.

I went to the grocery store and told myself whatever fruit was on sale would complete my dinner. I was scared. Mangos and oranges. In my mind I'm a chef and I knew I could do this.

Let me warn you these ingredients may scare you too, but I promise the randomness of this meal is what makes it sooooooo good! I ate my serving and wanted the kids...I kept asking "did y'all eat all your food?" Of course the one night I don't want them to, they do.

Gingered Orange Mango Chicken
::INGREDIENTS::

3 tablespoons coconut oil

4 skinless, boneless chicken breast

2 medium sized sweet potatoes

1/4 teaspoon basil

salt and freshly ground black pepper to taste

1 lemon, juiced

1 cup freshly squeezed orange juice

1 mango - peeled, seeded and sliced

1/4 teaspoon ground ginger

1/4 teaspoon ground cinnamon

::INSTRUCTIONS:: 

1. Pre-heat oven to 480 degrees.
2. Bake sweet potatoes for 45 minutes.
3. While the sweet potatoes are baking, start on the chicken. Heat the coconut oil in a medium skillet over medium heat.
4. Season both sides with basil, salt, and pepper.
5. Place chicken breast  in the skillet, and cook 10 to 15 minutes (my chicken breast were thick) on each side, until no longer pink and juices run clear.
6. Remove from heat, and set aside.
7. Pour in the orange juice, lemon juice, mango, ginger, and cinnamon  in the skillet over medium heat, and scrape up browned bits. Over high heat, cook and continuously stir 4 to 5 minutes, until thickened.
8. Once the sweet potatoes are finished, take them out and allow to cool for 5 minutes. The skin should be crispy.
9. Remove the skin from the sweet potatoes.
10. I used half a sweet potato per chicken. Place half the sweet potatoe on a plate. Add your chicken breast over the sweet potato. Then scoop the mango sauce over the cooked chicken breasts to serve.
11. Enjoy!

Huni ate his cold and still enjoyed every bite! I'm sure this would be amazing over rice for my non paleo friends. Send me a picture on Instagram or twitter if you make this.  -justburr

Perfect DIY Fruit party platter

I love parties. I love planning parties. I really love paid parties. Ok that's a lie...paid parties require so much more than a friend in need, but with spring here I want to share a fun pretty fruit tray. 

Ever since watching the video, I've made this a total of four times. Each time prettier than the next. 

I've included a list of edible flowers. I'm working on a summer salad with edible flowers now. Stay tuned for that. 

Frugal Fridays: Extreme Couponing

Recently I’ve started getting into couponing. I wanted to share what I know. I hope it’s helpful.  I am NOT an extreme couponer but a novice. This requires some reading, but its quick and worth it. Saving $100-$200 while grocery shopping and getting free items, makes the initial time worth it. 

Tips I've learned that are EXTREMELY helpful:

1. Buy four papers EVERY Sunday. 

I go to the $1 Tree and am guaranteed to save more than $4 so great investment. 

1a.) Here are a few sites that have coupons for you to print.

Coupons.com
Smart Source
Red Plum
Coupon Network
Target Coupons

1b.) Signing up for mobile coupons is a double score. I only do it for my favorite stores. Target has been the one to save me the most, since I am able to use manufacturer coupons and the mobile coupons to my smartphone. Target Mobile

2. Don't waste your time clipping coupons. I promise clipping coupons is a waste of time, and honey let me tell you, I despise wasting my time! Check this blog post on NOT clipping coupons. 

3. Go here and get the insert lists. Time saver and Godsend. 

4. Follow the following sites via email. There will be a box that says subscribe to our mailing list or similar wording. Go on and add your email addy, let them do the WORK for you. Emails usually come out daily about 3pm-5:15pm. 

http://thekrazycouponlady.com/

http://www.livingrichwithcoupons.com/

http://www.smartcouponing.com/

http://www.couponingtodisney.com/

http://www.passionforsavings.com/

http://dealseekingmom.com/

http://www.organicdeals.com/

http://www.healthylifedeals.com/

http://moneysavingmom.com/

http://www.freetastesgood.com/

http://www.sistersavealot.com/

http://coupondivas.com/coupon-matchups.html

4a.) On Instagram you can even search the hashtag #couponing or #extremecouponing and find some great deals. 

4b.) Couponing lingo.  So many acronyms.

4c.)The nitty gritty. Read these to understand some “rules,” I hate rules, but when they are in my favor, I can dig it.

Buy one get one free coupons

What does one coupon per purchase mean?

Coupon Policies 

Harris teeter double coupons daily

Farm Fresh doubles coupons up to $.99 every day but on Wednesday they double coupons up to $1. So a $1 coupon is worth $2!

Foodlion doesn't double coupons.

Kroger just stopped doubling coupons.5. Set up an email strictly for couponing. Or use an old email that you rarely use. The emails will pile up so no need to fill up your active email...I'm just saying. :)  

5. Set up an email strictly for couponing. Or use an old email that you rarely use. The emails will pile up so no need to fill up your active email...I'm just saying. :) 

6. Decide what to spend all your saved money on. Defeats the purpose right?!? Lol...or you can save it

7. Don't buy things that you will never use just BC it's free. UNLESS you know someone you can give it to. It's better to give than to receive right?!? 

8. Sometimes brand loyalty isn't worth the hassle. For example: I've always been a Crest toothpaste girl...UNTIL I got 4 tubes of Colgate for free. Remember my pamper haul? We're still using those pampers and no blow outs or leaks. I wouldn't have ever "tried" BRU pampers on my own. On the same note...it's some "major" brand things I won't deter from...mainly food. 

9. Lastly, recycle those newspapers. :) 

Next Frugal Friday, I’ll share how I save at my favorite retail stores. 

10 Things my Mama taught me

1. Love The Lord and your days shall be long.

2. Be with a man that loves you more than you love him, and he will make you his world and you will have no worries.

3. Don't let anyone dim your light...not even those closest to you...shine through the darkness!

4. People will hurt you and they won't think twice about it, but don't give in to hate. It will harm you more than the pain they inflicted.

5. Love with no regrets!

6. You're amazing, act like it!

7. Follow your dreams and create more once you get there.

8. Don't give yourself to everyone, each time you let others in, you give a small piece of yourself away. Save some for you.

9. Tell the truth. Honesty will always be your best bet.

10. Smile


Happy Mother's Day!

Best Paleo Buffalo wings- EVER!

I've been craving HOT wings. And NO, I'm not pregnant, just hungry. I wanted wings with no worries of bad fats and bloating from the flour used to fry the wings. BUT with the same great taste. These are the result and let me tell you, they are amazing!

::Ingredients::
2 pounds of wings
1tbs smoked paprika
1 tbs garlic powder
1 tbs oregano
Salt and pepper to taste

2 tbs apple cider vinegar
2 tbs coconut oil
12 oz Franks Red Hot Sauce (original is Paleo)

::instructions ::
Pre-heat oven to 480 degrees
Mix herbs and spices together
Sprinkle the herbs on clean chicken wings/wingettes/drummetes

(I was lazy and just cut the part of the wing that has no meat off) you can be fancy and make the wings restaurant style.

Place cooling rack on baking tray.
Add chicken to cooling rack. (*key to crispy baked chicken*)
Bake for 15 mins
Flip chicken onto other side (should start to look crispy)
Bake for 15-20 mins 

Once you flip the chicken, begin to prepare your buffalo sauce. In a small pan mix the hot sauce, coconut oil, and vinegar on low. ((You won't taste the coconut oil)) Stir continuously.

Once the chicken is cooked. Add to a large bowl and mix with buffalo sauce mixture. Serve.

 I served with sweet potato fries & celery.

Huni said these wings were the best hot/buffalo wings he's ever had. I guess I have Hooter's beat! 

 

Fit & Fabulous

The last 8 weeks I've been eating horribly! Why?!! Probably because I can, no excuses! I've gained a little weight, no worries, until I couldn't fit into my favorite jeans. The extra weight wasn't cute anymore.

All winter I've slaved in the gym, only to be fall ready (sexy with clothes on). My November body was summer ready...I've been slacking! I've had so many distractions keeping me from the gym. The minors activities, event planning, and just life!

I created a group on Facebook Fit & Fabulous to foster motivation and fitness amongst the ladies. Join us if you would like :)

Strictly paleo eating for a month. That will set me straight and of course exercising. I'm going to commit to working out 5 days a week and no cheats (except the wine fest Saturday). I will do Fitness blender's 8 week challenge, but with a few twists. If i gained it in 8, i can surely lose it in 8. Wish me luck!

Beyonce for Goodwill

Beyonce is encouraging people to donate to goodwill to provide opportunities for others. Whereas that be work for the employees or those less fortunate for fashion, electronics, and home goods. My heart jumped three beats! I love this lady!!!! Y'all know how much I love the goodwill & thrifting. This makes my heart smile :)

Check out the article for more information.

Shameless Mya did it!

She said she would shave her head on today (her one year anniversary of YouTube). Initially her channel was a social network experiment to shameless promote herself, which she has done an amazing job at doing. I think the experiment went left back in August lol. What do I know, I'm a mere admirer that has benefited from her motivation of "do you boo...be shameless." My bestie and I encourage each other by texting "WWMD?" What would Mya do? :)

The act of putting yourself "out there" is definitely challenging. The shameless movement has definitely pushed me to new limits.

The natural hair nazis probably drove her to this. I always thought it was funny how naturals gravitated to her, because she openly said that she's not here for the hair, not did she do her hair prior to these videos.

I love her personality and creativity. I have my own hair to detangle, so that's the least of my worries. :) I hope the NHN aren't harassing her. I remember how empowered I felt after shaving my head. At first it was difficult to go from a long mane to being bald. I remember Mr. said, "mommy, I have more hair than you." Lol and he did.

I'll add my favorite videos from Mya.

Easy, breezy, beautiful cocooning curls

Modified cocooning: soft, bouncy, voluminous natural curls.

:Tools:
Spray bottle with water
Favorite moisturizer
Gel
Bobby pins

1. Start with stretched hair
(Old twist out)

2. Dampen with water

3. Divide hair into sections. Smaller sections produce a tighter curl pattern.

4. Apply a small amount of moisturizer. Detangle as needed.

5. Apply gel to roots and throughout section

6. Allow hair to dry completely.
(My hair air dried for four hours & was still slightly damp on left).

7. Fluff

8. Be fabulous

CVS has Milani lippies for $1.69

I purchased two using two separate reward cards. It rings up $3.69 then you get $2 reward bucks available for use immediately.