National Novel Writing Month

Well, I have finally decided to actually apply myself fully to the National Novel Writing Month this November. I signed up for NaNoWriMo this year, and already have a novel planned out.

I've signed up for it in the past, but between school, painting commissions and a new baby, it always seemed to take a back burner to everything else that was going on with life. This year though, is the first time that I've actually had a plan in place and an idea outlined and ready to go!

Check out NaNoWriMo if you are looking for the motivation to actually put pen to paper (or fingers to keyboard) to knock out that story that's been bouncing around in your head for a while!

Rekindling a Flame

I reacquainted myself with an old love this weekend. I'd been far too neglectful this past year... with pregnancy and a new baby coming between us. It felt so nice to be back in touch!

My husband took the baby over to my in-laws in order to give me a few hours to become reacquainted with my studio. As I was laying down a blue inkwash on a model, it hit me. How I had missed the quiet solitude of my studio. The warm sunlight filtered in through the window, warming my back as I bent over my station. The soft sunlight in the room and the high-intensity LED and Ottlite bulbs shining on my table provided a pleasant contrast. The slightly acrid scent of the acrylic ink and paint that I was working with bit into my nostrils. I never realized how just how much I had missed the quiet solitude until I was back painting again.

I was saddened when I was pregnant, because throughout most of my pregnancy, the slightly acrid odor of the paints and inks would immediately call down a bout of intense nausea. And then, after I had Thorin, I was so caught up in the trials and tribulations of being a new, first-time mother, that I hadn't taken the time to get back into my studio space. Now, with the baby being four months old, and better able to be taken places without me, it is high time that I get back on the horse, as it were.

I still have a bit of a journey ahead, even with just finishing this one commission. After this one, I have another, smaller, commission lined up. Those models are currently sitting on my shelf, watching me as I get closer to putting brush and paint to them. It is a feeling that up until this weekend, I had been unable to describe. But, getting back into the swing of painting definitely carries the same nostalgic, comforting feeling of reacquainting oneself with an old friend.

Best Gift Ever for New Nursing Moms!

Lemongrass Spa's Nursing Balm was one of the BEST gifts I received after I gave birth to our son. Before I go into a more detailed review, let me just give you a little background on my breastfeeding journey thus far…

As soon as I found out that I was pregnant, I knew that I wanted to breastfeed. I’d like to preface this review and say that I have nothing against mothers who choose to formula feed their babies, but for me, it was a very important thing that I wanted to do. 

The first few weeks were rough going…  I had to use a nipple shield for the first month; my nipples blistered; I got a really bad clogged duct that took over 3 weeks to clear up, and turned into a bout of mastitis... needless to say... completely miserable!

One of my girlfriends is a consultant for Lemongrass Spa and she gifted me a jar of their Nursing Balm to try when I started breastfeeding. At first, I wasn't sure if it would be anything special, or if it would just be like any other skin balm. But, after a couple days postpartum, I was convinced that it was one of the best gifts I had received! (It's right up there with the bamboobies nursing pads!) 

In the first few days, when my nipples started blistering, I applied the balm after nursing and before bed. After the first application, I started to feel better. Within the first day, my blisters were completely healed and the dry, cracked skin had almost healed.

Now that I have gotten into a routine and my son is a little bit older, I still use the Nursing Balm every few days to keep moisturized and comfortable… especially now that I have returned to work and am on a pumping routine during the day.

If you are a new mom, a soon-to-be mom, or know someone who is, Lemongrass Spa has some fantastic (and affordable) gift ideas that will be used and appreciated a thousand times over!

Interested in giving one of them a try?

Check out Cealia’s page, Hello Health Nut and shoot her a message!

Nostalgia is Baking Molasses Cookies

This past weekend was spent baking up a storm of Christmas cookies with my girlfriend and her mom. We baked 4 different cookie recipes that are family traditions in their house, and they offered for me to use the kitchen to make one of my own.

When I was looking through my recipe box, I came across my mother's old recipe for Molasses Sugar Cookies. They were my grandfather's favorite cookie and as my friends and I were talking, we decided that I should make a batch. Fortunately, there was molasses in the pantry already, as none of us were feeling inclined to go to the grocery store on a busy weekend.

As I was melting the shortening on the stove, and adding all of the ingredients one by one, I was overcome with the biggest wave of nostalgia that I have experienced in years. Each ingredient added to the mixture seemed to bring one more memory to the surface of watching and helping my mother make double batches of molasses cookies - one for us, and one to package up in a box and ship to my grandfather in Florida. 

Nostalgia is a bittersweet emotion... on the one hand, it is pleasant for all of the happy memories it brings back; but, on the other hand, it is melancholic because it so often reminds us of those whom we have loved and are no longer with us. 

Molasses Sugar Cookie Recipe

1 1/2 cups shortening - Melt in a large saucepan and allow to cool slightly (still melted, but not hot... you don't want to cook the eggs)

Add and beat well into melted shortening:

2 cups sugar

1/2 cup molasses

2 eggs

In a separate bowl, sift together:

4 cups flour

1 teaspoon ground cloves

2 teaspoons ground cinnamon

1 teaspoon ground ginger

4 teaspoons baking soda

1 teaspoon salt

Gradually add the dry ingredients to the shortening mixture, mixing well. (Note: the dough will get very stiff, so make sure you have a sturdy wooden spoon!)

Chill overnight.

Roll dough into 1 inch balls and roll in sugar until they are completely covered. Place on cookie sheet or baking stone 2 inches apart. (Note: If you live in a hot and/or humid environment, it is a good idea to put the dough back in the refrigerator in between batches.)

Bake @ 375° for 8-10 minutes.

Let cool and enjoy!