DIY Face Mask - Cinnamon, Honey, Lemon

A simple three-ingredient face mask made out of ingredients you can find in you kitchen can help clear acne, slow down aging and brighten the skin.
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Every once in a while I enjoy pampering myself. But since LadyBug has joined our family, I'm happy if I can catch a solo trip to the bathroom! That doesn't stop me from making a three-ingredient face mask out of kitchen staples.

After I had LadyBug I got some gnarly acne on my face and back. Now that I am four months postpartum, I'm still dealing with the acne and I blame the huge swing of hormones that happen during and after pregnancy.

Click to tweet: Clear acne with this simple 3-ingredient face mask made out of items found in the kitchen.

There's tons of products on the market specific for those with acne but they usually contains loads of ingredients. I'm still unsure what I can use topically that is safe while nursing. So I stick to my trusty cinnamon, honey and lemon face mask because it always does the trip to heal and soothe my skin. 

Here are how the ingredients work:

Cinnamon - can help rid skin of acne, temporarily fills in fine lines and is a gentle exfoliant

Lemon - can help even out hyper-pigmentation by brightening skin, antibacterial properties (no more blackheads), can help decrease or eliminate oily skin and is a good cleanser

Honey - naturally antibacterial (no more acne), can slow down aging with antioxidants, unclogs pores and moisturizes skin

How To Use: Mix roughly 1 teaspoon ground cinnamon, quarter juiced lemon, and 1 teaspoon honey. Apply the mixture to a clean face with a cotton ball. Allow to sit on the face for at least 5 minutes.
(You may feel a tingly or burning sensation. Both of those are a result of the lemon juice and cinnamon.) Use warm water to gently massage face then rinse clean.

Have you ever made your own face masks?
How do you deal with acne?

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DIY Travel Themed Crate and Nursery Tour

It can be stressful and expensive to decorate your tiny human's nursery. We took a different approach and incorporated some diy crafts.
* This post contains affiliate links and I will be compensated if you make a purchase after clicking on my links.
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When we purchased our home last August, we knew exactly what room we wanted to be the nursery. It had a huge walk-in closet that could store all the baby items that we needed, including dozens of boxes of diapers.

We thought about what we wanted the nursery to look like. We browsed the internet and spent far too much time on Pinterest. Then we discussed how the nursery would actually get used. The nursery is upstairs, directly above the master bedroom that's on the main floor. To get to the nursery from the master, you have to walk down a hallway through the kitchen and living room, then up the stairs, then down another long hallway. We would definitely not be able to be super responsive with a newborns needs and knew LadyBug would be rooming in with us for some time.

Click to tweet: Check out @atravelingwife nursery room tour.

Knowing that we weren't going to be getting much use out of the nursery for at least the first few months, we didn't want to dedicate too much towards a specific theme. We furnished it to be functional and neutral. When LadyBug is old enough, we will let her choose decor that fits her personality.

The nursery was previously used as a little boy's room with three beige walls and one blue wall. Knowing that we were having a girl, we didn't really want to keep the blue wall so we painted over the blue with the same beige as the other four walls. We gave the room a crib, changing table, nightstand, and a baby rocker. It's about as bare-bones as could be.

Click to tweet: How cute is this DIY travel themed crate?! 

There was one specific item that we wanted to incorporate in the nursery - a globe. We want LadyBug to have a desire and passion for travel. To go along with the globe, I made road map crates to hold items such as books, blankets, stuffed animals, etc. They were super easy to make and can be customized however you'd like. I used road maps for the states that A and I had previously lived.

What You'll Need:

• wood crates (this set of three is a great price - better than what I paid)
• acrylic sealer
• craft knife
• sponge brush
• road maps or other paper of choice

How To:

• Use the craft knife to cut the map paper to the size of your crate.
• Dip the sponge brush into the acrylic sealer and coat the back of the map paper
• Lay the map paper onto crate and firmly press removing air bubbles
• Brush the top of the map paper with acrylic sealer
• Allow to dry overnight
• Use the craft knife to remove pieces of map paper that are too big for the crate

How long did your baby room in with you and your spouse?
Did you have a theme for the baby's nursery?
What's your favorite nursery theme?

Three Steps Towards A Toxin-Free Home

It's a new year with new beginnings. Start your year off right by converting your home to a toxin-free home. This isn't something that needs to be done overnight, but you can follow these three steps to get you started with a toxin-free home. 

* This post contains affiliate links and I will be compensated if you make a purchase after clicking on my links.
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At the start of every new year, it's a chance for a new beginning. Whether you are starting a new fitness journey, personal growth journey, or health journey (I talked loads about resolutions when I shared my candied almonds recipe), the beginning of a year is a fresh start.

Since A and I are expecting Baby Girl very, very soon, I've had a chance to reflect upon all of the toxins that can be found in our home. There are so many products that I use everyday that are filled with pure chemicals. They can't be good for our health and definitely won't be good for our newborn.

Ever since becoming a subscriber with Grove Collaborative, I have been able to experiment with a ton of new products - some of my favorites being the natural cleaning products from brands like Mrs. Meyers and Method. Plus the convenience of Grove Collaborative is that they remember my favorite products so I don't fear running out of them. Each shipment is totally customizable and I only get what I want - I wish everything in life was that easy!

Join me in starting the new year out right by creating a toxin-free home. With just these three simple steps you are well on your way for creating a healthier environment for you and your family, which will likely lead to more happiness.

Click to tweet: Follow these three steps to get you started with a toxin-free home.

Cleaning Products

Have you ever read the label on your favorite cleaning products. The smell alone is usually enough to tell you that these products can't be any good for us. There is an easy solution to using toxin-free cleaning products. Seventh Generation has many natural cleaning products or you can even make your own using vinegar or essential oils. When making your own cleaning products, I'd highly recommend using a glass spray bottle over a plastic one.

Shower Liners

If the budget doesn't allow for an entire bathroom remodel to install fancy glass doors for your shower or tub, swap out those vinyl shower curtains for fabric. The smell of a new vinyl shower curtain tends to stick around for several weeks thanks to VOCs. Plus the nice thing about a fabric shower liner is that they can easily be washed multiple times.

Candles

I have always been a fan of candles and I love having my house smell lovely. Candles bring a sense of warmth to a home and every time we have moved in the past, they help make me feel a home quicker. However, traditional candles are filled with dangerous benzene chemicals. You can easily swap out those chemical-filled candles for soy-based candles or diffuse some essential oils.

Grove Collaborative wants to help you start your year toxin-free by offering new customers 

• Free Grove Collaborative Cleaning Caddy
• Free Grove Glass Spray Bottle
• Free Grove Collaborative Walnut Scrubber Sponges
• Free Now Essential Oil (orange)
• Value of over $40!

And if you are an existing customer, you can receive free Grove Collaborative Walnut Scrubber Sponges. 

To receive this offer, your order needs to be a minimum of $20 - sign up here. This offer ends Tuesday, January 17th and supplies are limited. 

How do you make your home toxin-free?

Do you make any homemade cleaning products?

PIN for later.

How To Tackle The New Type Of Stains [kale smoothie, kombucha, and all other artisanal foods]

This shop has been compensated by Collective Bias, Inc. and its advertiser. All opinions are mine alone. #ShoutSolutions #CollectiveBias

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Gone are the days of talking about grass stains and pen spots because there now is a New Generation of Stains™. I'm talking about kale juice splashing up on your boyfriend jeans, sriracha dribbled down your oversized white blouse, beet juice spilled on your apron, or cocoa powder coated wash rags from wiping down counters. Today's stains can be intimidating because we've never dealt with them before.

Click to tweet: Gone are the days of talking about grass stains, there's a New Generation of Stains™

Baking can get messy and one of my favorite things to play with in the kitchen is beet juice. Beets have so many wonderful health benefits and can be hidden in almost any chocolatey dessert. One of my favorites desserts to make and devour is beet brownies. They are decadent and cakey, sweet and buttery - the perfect brownie really.

But when baking with beet juice, or even cocoa powder, there is a huge chance that I will spill some ingredients on my clothes. It happens to the best of us. And I used to have this generalized thinking that any stains that occur in the kitchen will forever remain on my clothes, apron, and cleaning rags.

Not true! Shout®  Trigger Triple-Acting Stain Remover clings, penetrates, and lifts away those stubborn stains.

I know my fellow food bloggers create a mess on the regular in their kitchen. So let's talk about stains and how to keep your clothes, aprons, and rags looking like new.

Click to tweet: Tips and tricks for tackling a new generation of stains.

Never let a stain set in.

Once a stain has fully set, you will need to use a lot of elbow grease to get rid of that sucker. It's always best to start treating a stain as soon as it happens. Start by using Shout® Trigger Triple-Acting Stain Remover as directed on the package. After washing your garment, give it a once over to ensure the entire stain has been removed. If it's good, allow it to dry. But if parts of the stain remain, try to remove it again.

Don't let a stain dry.

This goes along with the first tip. By letting a stain dry, you are allowing the stain to set in. I remember a load of laundry where a pen exploded in the wash. I never noticed all of the ink marks and dried the entire load. It took weeks to remove all the ink, but I did it.

Patience.

Some stains are easier than others. Some only require a rinse of cool water, others require the aide of a stain remover, and others require vinegar or rubbing alcohol. But if the stain doesn't come completely out the first go around, don't give up. Remember, it took me over a week to get all the ink out of the clothes from an exploding pen. Just don't let the stains dry and you should be able to get every single stain out!

Now that you are feeling confident about your stains, go play in the kitchen. Or check out Shout® on Facebook, Twitter, or YouTube to get more tips and tricks for fighting stains and pick up a bottle or two of Shout® Trigger Triple-Acting Stain Remover from Walmart.

What are some tough stains you have had to deal with?

What other tips and trick do you have for removing stains?

What's your favorite messy ingredient to cook or bake with?

You can find more inspiration here.

Pin for later:

Truth Behind The Blog - DIY Eye Makeup Remover

One of my most popular posts is this DIY Eye Makeup Remover. With just three ingredients you already have in your home, you'll likely never run out and save loads of money. 
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Way back in January 2013 I had just moved from California to Indiana. Moving is expensive and I decided to try my hand at taking everyday storebought items and make them right at home. Basically I was just working on my Martha Stewart skills.

This is when I realized my $18 Clinique eye makeup removing solvent could be made with just baby oil, baby shampoo, and water. HELLO, that was like a savings of $17 a month. And to make it even better, I reused the Clinique container because I was going through a phase of protecting the environment - mostly because Indiana doesn't have a very good recycling program.

I quickly wanted to share this discovery with all my favorite people (you) and typed up a blog post. Since then, I continue to use this same DIY Eye Makeup Remover. It has removed even the hardest to remove waterproof mascara and is so gentle on my eyes. Long gone the days where I need to rub and rub my eyes to remove my makeup!


So why am I sharing this with you again? This year I am unlocking all of the secrets about this blog - better known as Truth Behind the Blog. Not all projects or recipes actually turn out and some projects just aren't relevant anymore. Join me in a stroll down memory lane this year to read the ins and outs of several projects. I'll share my thoughts behind the process and discuss the life of the diy project (#LifeofDIY).

Click to tweet: DIY Clinique makeup removing solvent - three ingredients. 

What type of everyday household items have you tried to DIY?
Do you use makeup removing solvent?

FITNESS 2015

I can fitness whole pizza in my mouth! But really, the past few weeks have been more about celebrating and less about fitness. Sure, I went out for a short rainy run on Christmas Eve and a 2 mile run on Christmas Day.

A photo posted by Jenn (@atravelingwife) on Dec 24, 2015 at 9:05am PST

Now I'm planning out my 2016 goals and reminders. I also think it's now appropriate to remember where this year has taken me. Follow me on my fitness journey throughout 2015.
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Running Through A Haunted Town

How To Stay Motivated During Fall And Winter

I shared three very fun and inspiring ways to stay motivated during the hardest times of the year - when the weather isn't in out favor.

Click to tweet: Tips for staying motivated during Fall & Winter. 

DIY Sanitizing Wipes

How To Run [or workout] Confidently Outside
I used to be so embarrassed to run outside or workout in public. Here I shared my tips so you too can workout confidently.

Click to tweet: Fake it 'til you make it - become a confident runner.

How To Eat Healthy While Being A Runner 
While I am no dietician, I think we all can agree that shopping the exterior of the grocery store is ideal. There are some other very useful ideas for choosing to eat a healthier lifestyle in that post as well.


Runners Should Not Eat Whatever They Want
Because let's face it, that beer and pizza will not make you run faster!

Running Streak - 50 Days
Running Streak - 20 Days
Running Streak - 10 Days
Because streaking is AWESOME!

Click to tweet: Let's go streaking! 

Why You Should Limit Your Fruit Intake 

Five Ingredients To A Healthy Lifestyle

Fitness Inspiration
Your don't have to pay to get a good workout in.
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Click to tweet: Fitness round-up 2015.

Where has your fitness journey taken you this year?

Better For You Gingerbread House Alternative

This shop has been compensated by Collective Bias, Inc. and its advertiser. All opinions are mine alone. #HoneyMaidHouse #CollectiveBias
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This holiday season brings many firsts for me. A and I purchased our first real tree and this is our first Christmas in Maryland. We also hosted our first gathering in our new house to celebrate both the holiday season and my birthday. And another first for me is decorating a gingerbread house, but not just any gingerbread house - a better for you graham cracker holiday house. 

My body is in dire need of a sugar break from all the sweets at Halloween, Thanksgiving day pies, and Christmas cookies (I believe Christmas cookies are best enjoyed at the beginning of December) so I opted to make a better for you gingerbread house. I swapped the gingerbread for Honey Maid graham crackers and replaced all the decorations with a mixture of dried fruit, nuts, cereal, and other health concious food items. 

Click to tweet: Check out this better-for-you gingerbread house. 

However, you really can't make a sturdy gingerbread house or holiday house without the use of the very famous glue - royal icing. Yeah sure, it's filled with loads of sugar but I'd like to know who actually eats their holiday house after it has been sitting out for weeks? It's really all about the snacking as you decorate! All you have to do is avoid the icing and stick to munching on those nuts, fruit, and other delicious items. 

Royal Icing Recipe

Ingredients:
- 1 egg white
- 2-3 cups powdered sugar
- 1 teaspoon vanilla extract

Directions:
- Using a hand mixer or stand mixture, beat egg white until frothy white bubbles form
- Add vanilla extract and powdered sugar (1/2 cup at a time) and beat until peaks have formed and icing is thick
- Spoon into icing bag or plastic sandwich bag for piping

Now that your icing is made, let's talk about the structure of your holiday house. It's all about setting up the foundation to allow your roof to be sturdy. Using lots of royal icing, patience and supports, your house will hold up long past the celebrations of Christmas. Follow the pictures below for how I built my very first 'gingerbread' house. 

1. Taking two full pieces of graham cracker, diagnally cut peaks for the front and back of your house. 
2. Using royal icing, glue the two pieces together and place in the freezer to set. *I recommend adding a support piece to the back of these walls by using the cut triangular piece.
3. Glue two full pieces of graham cracker using royal icing to form one side of the roof. Add a support by gluing a square of graham cracker to the middle. You will need to do this two times to form both pieces of roofing. Place in freezer to set.
4. Take two full pieces of graham cracker to build your base. Use the royal icing to glue all four sides together. Again, adding supports to the inner walls to hold everything together. Place in freezer to set.
5. Glue your roof pieces to the holiday house. Place in freezer to set. 
6. Decorate!

Click to tweet: Nix the sugar and try this alternative to a gingerbread house.

There are so many options to decorate your house with style all while sticking with better for you options. You can find some ideas for decorations below. The wonderful thing, they all can be purchased at Walmart, along with the Honey Maid graham crackers. 

- pretzel sticks
- freeze dried strawberries
- freeze dried pineapple
- apple rings
- raisins
- dried cranberries
- sliced almonds
- slivered almonds
- toasted whole grain cereal
- powdered sugar for snow dusting
*Tip: Place all ingredients into a muffin tray to have them all organized within arms reach.

Let your imagination go wild and enjoy snacking on these delicious decorations as you go. The freeze dried strawberries and pineapple pieces were my favorite. I'm surprised I had any left to decorate my holiday house. 

Click to tweet: It's not too late to make your gingerbread house. 

Have you ever made a 'gingerbread' house or any alternatives for holiday houses?
What are your favorite decorations to use on holiday houses?
If you need more better-for-you gingerbread house ideas, you can find so many here. 

Easy and Inexpensive Hostess Gift Idea

This shop has been compensated by Collective Bias, Inc. and its advertiser. All opinions are mine alone. #LoveAmericanHome #CollectiveBias
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If I were to pick one fragrance that reminds me of all things holidays, it would have to be cinnamon. The sweet and spicy aroma makes me think of Fall, cooler temperatures, cookies, and presents. Anyone else with me?

By now, you can't walk into a store without smelling the delicious cinnamon spiced pine cones or candles to remind you of your greatest childhood memories. And I'm not going to complain about that one bit. But this does get me thinking about all the holiday festivities I am attending this year. I never want to show up empty handed so this year I am making a large batch of Gebrannte Mandeln, or burnt almonds, packaging them in mason jars and they are ready to grab as I run out the door. Pair that with an American Home™ by Yankee Candle® brand collection candle from Walmart and you have the perfect hostess gift.

Gebrannte mandeln are almonds coated in a browned, crunchy sugar - a well know treat in Spain and Germany. They remind me so much of the holidays from when I traveled to Germany a few years ago during the month of December. Plus when you are cooking these, your house will be filled with this overwhelming aroma of deliciousness. It's intoxicating!

To make these perfect hostess gifts, you'll want to make a few batches of gebrannte mandeln. You can find the recipe below, but I must say the burnt almonds can be a little tricky at first. Just have patience and keep the first batch for yourself if it doesn't turn out perfectly. I call that a win-win.

Then you can decide if you want to include the recipe for your recipient. I just printed out the ingredients on one side of cardstock and the directions on the other side. I think it adds a nice personalized touch to the gift. I also used the lid of my mason jar to trace a circle on festive cardstock. This way the jars are a little more unique.

And, ribbon. Don't forget the ribbon. Ribbon can be used to decorate the jar or it can be used to attach the recipe card. Let your creativeness go wild.

Combine everything together and you have a super simple, homemade hostess gift. And these can be set aside for the entire month of November and December so you never have to worry about showing up to a party empty handed. Don't forget the candle.

Click to tweet: Don't show up to your next party empty handed. Bring this instead.

The American Home™ by Yankee Candle® brand collection at Walmart is a wonderful selection for perfectly seasonal candles. I think Santa's Treat™ and Shades of Fall™ are two great options and an inexpensive addition to your homemade gift. Santa's Treat™ smells rich and buttery, just like sugar cookies and Shades of Fall™ has fragrances of juniper and amber, just like the smell of Fall. 

Let's get to partying - grab your gebrannte mandeln and candle, and get on your way. 

What is your favorite gift to bring to parties?
What is one of your favorite hostess gifts to receive?
What is your favorite fragrances from the American Home™ by Yankee Candle® brand collection?

Gebrannte Mandeln
Original recipe from a traveling Wife

Ingredients:
- 1/3 cup + 2 Tablespoons water
- 1 cup + 1/3 cup sugar, separated
- 1 teaspoon ground cinnamon
- 12 ounces raw almonds
- 1 teaspoon vanilla extract

Directions:
- Using a dutch oven, bring water and 1 cup sugar to a boil over medium heat
- Add almonds and stir, stir, stir
- Once the water has dissolved and the sugar starts to stick to the almond (roughly 5-8 minutes), add vanilla extract and remaining sugar
- Stir for another 1-3 minutes until sugar is to your desired clumpiness or smoothness
- Pour onto silpat and allow to cool completely
- Enjoy!