DIY

Fun Hobbies You Can Start Now

Kath

2020 became the year of all things hobbies. Growing up, I didn’t have many hobbies, let alone stick with them long enough to become very good at them. Now that I’ve dove into learning and mastering all the things, I kick myself for not starting a long time ago. Well, there’s no time like the present and better late than never, right?!

If you’re anything like me and love to learn and try new things, keep on reading. Below is a list of fun and really not that hard hobbies that you can start NOW.

Indoor Hobbies

  • Crocheting, knitting, macrame
  • Jewelry making
  • Fitness regimens (pilates, barre, weight training, stretching, walking on the treadmill, TRX..so many options here)
  • Painting, watercolor art
  • Sewing (Again, SO many opportunities here. Creating new clothing, making blankets, pillowcases..the list goes on)
  • Decluttering (This one may not sound so fun, but I’ve been on a decluttering journey for the past 5 or 6 months and WOW what a difference in my daily to do’s and lessened stresses! It’s so worth it.)
  • Flower pressing
  • Photography
  • Book clubbing
  • Indoor gardening (Opportunities aren’t as endless as they are with outdoor gardening, but this is still a fun one!)
  • Writing, journaling, blogging
  • Baking, Sourdough
  • Cooking from scratch
  • Polymer clay creating, pottery
  • Learn how to can and preserve your food

Outdoor Hobbies

  • Gardening. You know we gotta start with this one. Growing your own vegetables, herbs, and fruit. There’s something so fulfilling about being able to simply walk out your back door and grab whatever it is you need to complete a meal.
  • Sports! This is a fun one especially to do with the kids. Basketball, soccer, baseball, frisbee..whatever floats your boat.
  • Hiking
  • Running or if you’re like me, walking preferred
  • Bike riding
  • Photography
  • Reading outside. Sometimes a chance in scenery is what you need
  • If your location allows it and you’re also into all things homesteading – add some wildlife to your property. Chickens, goats, rabbits.. if your area allows it and your family would benefit from something like gathering weekly eggs, having fresh goat milk, even just to add some interesting family pets to the mix, this could be great!

What hobbies are you into or wanting to learn? Let me know in the comments and be sure to follow us on Instagram @honestlymommin as we continue to learn and grow.

Mom Life

Screen Time Detox: Activities For The Kids That DON’T Include A Phone Or Tablet

Kath

I’m as guilty as the next parent who hands their child a phone or tablet. Whether it’s to get a few minutes to yourself, be a distraction to break up what feels like a never ending sibling fight, to put an end to the “Mom, I’m Bored,” complaints, or so you can simply get things done around the house..make dinner without any interruptions. It can be nice. But it also has its consequences. Meltdowns, addiction, preferring the screen as opposed to regular childhood activities like playing outside. It definitely has its drawbacks.

Aging myself here but growing up we didn’t have screen time to entertain ourselves if we were bored. That’s where our imaginations came in. And how much fun did we have?! Making up games with the neighborhood kids, riding our bikes, playing card and board games, building forts outside, playing dress up, so many things that today’s kids may never do because they’re consumed by a virtual world.

I want my kids to look back and have a childhood filled with fun and happy memories. I don’t want them to look back and only remember mindlessly staring at a screen. If I’m being honest this summer has been tough with that. Establishing a routine that works with both summer fun and all of the daily chores has been a challenge. Trying to maintain the house from NOT looking like a train wreck but also to ease the anxiety and stress that comes with managing the clutter. It’s tough. So, I’ve handed them a tablet more times that I’d like this summer. Granted it’s usually just for an hour, but I’ve come to realize that hour can make or break our day. The overstimulation from these screens is just not healthy for my kids, so we stopped. COLD TURKEY.

I was a little nervous putting an abrupt end to it, but it’s turned out to be the best thing ever. For them and for me. Their creativity has flourished, they’re finally playing with ALL the toys we have that hardly ever get used, we’re outside even more than usual, and we’ve picked up a couple new mom and me hobbies. We’re going on week 2 of no screens, so I thought I’d share a few of the activities the kids have picked up that have them not even thinking about those little gadgets.

Getting Creative

My kids LOVE to build. It can be sticks, paper taped together, legos, cardboard, you name it if they can build something out of it that’s what they’re going to do. So, naturally this has been a big one when it comes to what they want to do when mom’s cooking, cleaning or working out. Here’s a little list of some of their latest projects.

  • Legos. We are a Lego family these days. Superhero legos, pirate ship legos, cars, dinosaurs, it’s a lot. But they love it and it really brings out their creative and strategical thinking sides.
  • Forts. Pillow & blanket forts (sometimes to build the legos in!), cardboard box forts, or outside stick forts. These kids love their forts. And I love it because it’s been teaching them patience, problem solving, and team work. TIP – Save some of your bigger delivery boxes. These are awesome for decorating, making into a fort, boat, whatever your kid wants to imagine!
  • Drawing. This has always been a big one in our home, even with the screen time they’ve always LOVED to draw. TIP – if you visit your local dollar store you can get drawing pads and crayons/markers for a great price. There was a time I was going weekly because they’d fill up their booklets so fast.
  • Clay & Play Doh. Like the drawing this is awesome for allowing them to get creative and make something out of nothing. You don’t have to have all the fancy cutters or themed kits either. Find yourself some cups, spoons, bowls, even some of their own action figures and they will find a way to turn it into something super cool.
  • Baking. This is a new mom and me hobby that I am just LOVING. I’m learning with them, we’re spending more one on one time together, enjoying delicious, homemade food, and they’re learning the basics of cooking. I love it. So far we’ve made sandwich bread, dinner rolls, cinnamon rolls, and chocolate chip cookies. Next up, sourdough!
  • Playing outside. Just simply playing. Not only is being outside in the sunshine GOOD for our kids (and us too!) but there’s SO much they can do. Ride bikes, play tag, dig for bugs, help with yard work, play basketball, gardening, play on the playground..the options are pretty endless. Thankfully my kids have always loved being outside so it’s not a hassle getting them out the door for some play time.

It’s tough to give up screen time. Sometimes I’ll find myself mindlessly scrolling through my phone and I’ll have to stop and ask myself, what am I doing? Why am I on this right now? It’s a habit. And we’ve become so dependent on it because it’s convenient, and it feels like our entire lives are on it. Maybe they are. Some days I wish we could go back to our flip phones and personalized ring tones. But things are different now, and I think it’s important than we are mindful of what our kids are being exposed to, how they’re spending their time and if we’re also allowing these phones or tablets to prevent us from being present with our family and in our lives. It’s not easy! I struggle daily with it but if this is something that’s been on your heart and mind too there are habits we can do to shift that and lead a more present and productive life.

What new activities will the kids come up with next?! Stay tuned.. I’ll be sure to share all of the other new hobbies, activities and ideas we come up with as we continue on with this screen time detox.

Hair Care

Habits That Helped Me Achieve Healthier, Wavy Hair

Kath

I’ve been on a healthy hair journey for almost 2 years now. I can best describe the experience to that of a roller coaster. Between trying new things, sometimes failing at them, learning what my hair needs, and what to avoid at all costs, I think it’s safe to say I’ve finally found what works best for my dry, wavy hair. I do want to preface by saying this is all based on my personal experience. Everyone’s hair is different and what may work for me may not work for you and vice versa. If you are finding yourself to have serious hair damage concerns it is best to speak with a certified trichologist or doctor on the matter.

Alright, so moving on to the habits I learned I should be doing regularly. Here’s a quick breakdown and reasoning behind them.

Hair Habit Must Do’s

Mindful Hair Brushing

I used to rake through the tangles in my hair with whatever brush or comb was lying around. I’d start at the top of my head and work my way down. Since then, I’ve learned that kind of brushing can contribute to A LOT of breakage and split ends, which we definitely don’t need if we’re trying to grow our locks. Starting at the ENDS and working your way up helps with preventing breakage and split ends from occurring, keeping hair healthier and stronger.

Microfiber Towels

The things you learn when you want to start actually taking care of your hair. If you were like me, you’d use an identical towel to the one you had wrapped around yourself after getting out of the shower, twisted and plopped it on top of your head, and called it a day. Well, apparently that rougher towel material can also contribute to hair damage. It makes sense when you think about it, but it never crossed my mind all those years let alone was something I thought I needed to worry about.

Did you know that our hair is at its most fragile state when it’s wet? I had no idea until I dove into the world of hair care. Microfiber towels are great because they’ll soak up all that excess water and moisture like as sponge. It’s also said that they don’t create as much friction with our hair (also helping to prevent breakage), and may help to reduce frizziness, which being a dry and wavy haired girl I am all about.

Silk

Having a silk pillowcase and silk bonnet or scarf is an absolute MUST at bedtime. I feel like a total grandma saying that but if you’re a fellow curly or wavy girl, it will be a game changer! Silk is a wonderful option to sleep on because, unlike other fabrics, silk does not create friction with our hair when we sleep. Hair friction can cause split ends, breakage, tangles, a super cute bedhead look..it’s not ideal, so silk is definitely the way to go.

Did You Know?

Since researching more on proactive sleep routine hair care methods I’ve also learned that NOT sleeping with our hair down is most beneficial. Who woulda thought? But again, it makes sense if you think about it. Whether you’re rolling around, tossing and turning – if your hair is down it’s likely going all over the place, which can definitely lead to friction and potential damage. Styling in a loose braid or up high in one of those loose pineapple buns with a silk scrunchie are a couple great options to protect your hair.

Refresh VS Washing

Back before I was a mom, when I had time. I’d say I probably washed my hair every other day. & I’d go over it with a straightener EVERY. SINGLE. DAY. Honestly, I don’t know how my hair hung on for as long as it did. Well, with three rambunctious boys, a house that always needs cleaning, and what feels like a never ending list of things to do.. I do not have time to wash my hair every other day. And it turns out, I don’t need to anyways. Which I’m taking as a mom win because that is a process in and of itself.

Turns out it’s actually GOOD for our hair to NOT be washed so much. When we don’t wash our hair as often, it allows the natural oils to moisturize our scalp and move its way down our hair, helping to prevent dryness and giving it a little extra shine. However If you have super oily hair, you may need to wash your hair more than once a week. If you’re hair is on the drier side like mine, you’ll only need to wash it once maybe twice a week (unless you have a very active lifestyle – out in the sun, sweating a lot, swimming, doing intense workouts..in those kind of instances it will be best to wash your hair more to keep your scalp clean).

Since I have dry, poofy, frizzy wavy hair, it 100% needs to be styled almost everyday. Otherwise I look like a got struck by lightning. That’s when I discovered refreshes. They’ve helped so much with looking more put together while still working towards my hair health goals.

So what’s a refresh? Well..it’s a refresh. A touch up with the help of a few go to products that bring life and definition back to your hair. As far as what products you should use for your refresh, well.. that depends on your hair type. Since my hair needs all the moisture it can get, I reach for the hair oils, mousse, and gel for definition, hold, and a hydrated look. Some swear by wetting their hair when doing a refresh as it can help to reactivate some of the product you already had in your hair, but I don’t prefer this method as I find it a bit too risky since our hair is super fragile when wet. I don’t want to be adding fuel to the fire and potentially causing more harm than good to my hair as I try to heal it.

Another perk with refreshes is that I don’t need to use heat, which is awesome when you’re trying to heal your hair from heat damage. Heatless curls and reapplying a few of those products mentioned above have been my go to’s when I’m wanting to look put together.

And there you have it! A few of the must do habits that have helped me go from heat damage, hair thinning, frizzy dry hair to embracing my natural waves, adding shine, definition, and life back to my once dull and brittle hair. If you’d like to see what kind of products I use to set the foundation for healthier hair, visit my Instagram @honestlymommin – I’ve tried a handful of popular, trendy products that didn’t even make a dent in my hair progress, so I was beyond excited to have finally found something that worked and was visibly showing healthier and prettier results.

What would you like to see next? Let me know in the comments!

Talk soon
Kath

Homesteading, Recipes

The Most Delicious & Easy Bread Recipe

Kath

I’ve been on a bread baking journey on and off for the past year. On and off because when I make “bad bread,” I get discouraged and give up. Well, since bread prices have gone up along with the unnecessary ingredients in it, I’ve decided to fully commit to baking and have completely fallen in love with the process.

The first thing I wanted to make sure I knew how to bake was basic sandwich bread. Being that my kids love sandwiches, toast, and a slice of bread with their dinner, this was a staple I wanted to confidently get down. And thankfully, we have!

INGREDIENTS

  • 3 cups of unbleached organic all purpose or wheat flour (sifted)
  • 1 TBSP salt
  • 1 TBSP turbinado sugar (you can use whatever sugar you like, I’ve had the best outcomes with this type and enjoy it more)
  • 1 1/2 TSP bread yeast
  • Approx. 2 – 2 1/2 cups of water (ideally you’ll want to this to be anywhere between 117-120 degrees Fahrenheit)

RECIPE

This recipe is super simple and hardly takes any time at all to make! Heres what you do:

  1. Sift the flour. Sifting the flour will break up any lumps and creates a light and airy texture to the bread. Highly recommend doing when baking!
  2. Combine and stir the rest of the dry ingredients (salt, sugar, and yeast) TIP: Always remember to refrigerate your yeast. This is something I didn’t know or realize was on the label of our yeast. For months I’d ask myself why the yeast was no longer working…now we know!
  3. Now you’ll want to add your water. To help get an accurate measurement I’ll place a meat thermometer under the faucet and leave it on that setting once I reach anywhere between 117-120 degrees F. Add 2 – 2 1/2 cups of water to your dry ingredients.

    You want to make sure you don’t have any dry flour leftover in your bowl- but you also don’t want the dough to be TOO wet. Think of it more like a sticky, thicker pancakey batter consistency.
  4. Stir the dough until the dry and wet ingredients are completely combined. Cover with a dish towel on your counter for 1-2 hours to allow the dough to rise.
  5. Once the dough has risen, give it a little drizzle of olive oil and carefully fold over the dough with a fork or spoon. Then transfer the dough into whatever baking pan or dish you plan to bake it in. I find it helpful to use parchment paper in my dish when baking the bread.
  6. Bake your bread at 375F for about 40-45 minutes.

& that’s it! It’s so simple. We can bake good quality bread that our family will love AND that will save us money. It’s a win win. I find it most productive to make the dough first thing in the morning, give it those couple hours to rise, transfer it, another hour to rise, and we’re able to bake it in time for lunch or the kids’ afternoon snack.

Let me know if you give this recipe a try in the comments or be sure to follow along on Instagram @honestlymommin

Talk soon.
Kath

Gardening

3 Tips to Help You Start a Successful Garden

Kath

Growing up in the 90’s was awesome. Now that I’m in my 30’s I find myself looking back to that period feeling so nostalgic, missing the simple times. Now that I’m a wife and mom – & especially after the shock/stress/craziness of the past few years – I realized, there’s a lot I DON’T know when it comes to homemaking, cooking, self sufficiency, etc. Which brings me to the downside of the 90’s – the convenience era. TV dinners, tv shows, fast food and other unhealthy instant convenient items and lifestyle shifts have stripped us from learning how to do basic skills that benefit our family, save us money, and give us crucial knowledge. Learning these homesteading and homemaking skills have become a priority in my life. I certainly don’t blame my mother or grandmother’s for not teaching me these things, but I sure wish they had!

There’s no time like the present so we’re learning all the things NOW!

Gardening, baking bread, sourdough, recipes from scratch, sewing, herbs, homemade non toxic household cleaning items..there’s so much we can learn. We’re going to start with gardening. This was the first homesteading task I started with and it has brought so much fulfillment and fun to our family. It can feel a little overwhelming – not knowing where to start, what to plant first, how to keep the plants alive.. it can be a little daunting. But, once you get the basics down the rest comes naturally.

Know Your Zone

So what do you do first? Find your zone. What is a zone? According to the USDA Plant Hardiness Zone Map, a zone is, “the standard by which gardeners and growers can determine which plants are most likely to thrive at a location.” You can find your zone simply by googling. In doing so you’ll find out when it’s best to plant something and what perennial plants will thrive & survive in your location.

For example, if I’m wanting to plant cucumbers but not sure WHEN the best time would be- I can simply look up something along the lines of “when to plant cucumbers in garden zone 7a,” which then will tell me it’s best to plant them in the warmer seasons- anywhere from May-June. Thanks to the internet, this information is at our fingertips and can help us start a flourishing garden!

Soil

So we know our zone, now what? This one isn’t a non-negotiable, but it certainly helps if you plan to take your garden seriously and avoid mistakes. Soil provides plants with minerals and nutrients to help it grow – so it makes sense that we need to know its consistency and what kind of soil we’re working with. For example, if the soil is too loose, it may be difficult for the plant to hold onto water, leading to dry out.

The common types of soil are: Sandy, Loam, and Clay.

If you decide to have a garden bed, this won’t affect you as much since you’ll most likely be purchasing soil and/or compost to create a healthy home for your plants.

Start SMALL

This is something I did NOT do in my first summer season of gardening. Let’s just say I definitely learned from it. If there’s 2 pieces of advice I can offer it’s:
1. Start SMALL &
2. Only grow vegetables/fruit that you will actually eat

I got a little too excited and decided to grow ALL the things.. okra, corn, eggplant, tomatoes, mint, bell peppers, cucumbers, jalapeños, zucchini, carrots, potatoes..I mean it was a little ridiculous. I ended up overcrowding my garden space, a lot of vegetables died or didn’t produce nearly as much as I’d hoped for, I had little to no knowledge of how to help these plants thrive, and half of it we didn’t even eat! So if you are wanting to start a vegetable/herb/fruit garden, start small. Get a few of your favorite seed packets, and start growing them (indoors if it’s before your last frost date, or outdoors if after). You’ll also want to learn about what it is that you’re growing. A few things I always make a point to research before planting is:

– When is the best time to plant
– How to plant (ie. how deep do the seeds need to be planted in the ground)
– What kind of care it needs
– Does it do well with a companion plant? (ie. Bell peppers do well being planted next to cucumbers!)
– How often it needs watering
– When & how to harvest


So there you have it! The 3 tips I wish someone would have shared with me when I decided to start our family garden. If you’re thinking about starting a garden, what do you want to grow? Let me know in the comments and be sure to follow along on Instagram @Honestlymommin for more of our homesteading endeavors!

DIY

DIY: Make Your Own Earrings with Polymer Clay

Kath

2020 is the year I got into the creative space of trying new things. Making my own bracelets is where I began. Easy enough, right? String the beads on the elastic and boom. You’ve got a pretty gemstone jewelry piece to add to your bracelet stack. As beautiful and stylish as they were, I tired of that process pretty quickly. I wanted a new challenge. Something that would take a little more effort, and something I could possibly sell. Enter polymer clay.

Polymer clay is a fun and simple way to create pretty much anything you want. Jewelry, accessories, dishes, magnets, candle holders. You really can get as creative as you want with it. For those who don’t know, polymer clay is a malleable paste of plastic base. It comes in almost any color, you can blend them, add glittery accents, change the color tones with ink – the opportunities are pretty endless, which is what I love about it!

If you’re interested in learning more about the basics of polymer clay jewelry- the tools you need, and the process of creating beautiful, unique jewelry pieces, then keep on reading!

**All images are personally taken photos of my handmade clay earrings. If you love the style and would like to check out more the link to my Etsy shop is included below.**

https://www.etsy.com/shop/SunflowerAndShores?ref=seller-platform-mcnav

GETTING STARTED: TOOLS

When it comes to creating with polymer clay, you don’t need that much. Are there a variety of sculpting tools, clay colors, and pretty little cutters you can purchase? Of course. But if you’re looking to stay on budget, you don’t have to have those to make beautiful jewelry. Here’s what I recommend you do need in order to get started, along with what you can also buy to expand your creativity.

MUST HAVE’S:

  • Polymer Clay – there are a variety of brands you can choose from. The most popular seem to be Sculpey and Fimo, but you can also buy generic brands off of Amazon. After giving them all a try I will say, you can tell a difference in quality between brands. You’ll just need to experiment and see what you like working best with.
  • Oven to bake your clay – You can use your kitchen oven or a separate mini oven, it really comes down to preference. Whenever I’m baking my clay I always try ensure the area is well ventilated and make sure to do it around times that I will NOT be cooking shortly after. Polymer Clay is not thought to be harmful but the idea of cooking something when there could be those lingering clay fumes doesn’t sit well with me. I’d rather do it in the off kitchen hours!
  • Sanding tool – I’ve found that even after I’ve triple checked my work, there’s always minor imperfections or a little clay bubble here and there. Sanding your work after it has been baked and cooled is essential to having a beautiful end result. Here are a few sanding tools that I use

    * Sanding paper
    * A dremel
    * Sanding stone
  • Cutters – To ensure that your earrings are symmetrical I do recommend having at least a few cutters for designing your jewelry. When I first got started I got the basic shapes – circles, diamond, triangles.. and I’d get creative with it. Cut a circle in half to make a moon like shape, or layer the triangles on top of each other to create a cool geometric dangle earring. If budgeting isn’t a thing for you, there are A LOT of cutter designs. Floral, shapes, tropical, boho, you name it someone’s selling it. Amazon and Etsy are great platforms to search for these on.
  • Jewelry tools – When I say this I mean – pliers, earring hooks, and jump rings. Gotta be able to assemble your beautiful work once it’s ready to be worn right?!
  • Something to roll out your clay – it’s not a must, but I do recommend spending the money to buy an acrylic roller. It just makes life so much easier when working with the clay.

Now that we’ve covered what the must have’s are, here are the additional fun tools you can also buy to enhance your polymer clay creating fun!

FUN ADD ON TOOLS:

  • Cutters – like I said before, there are SO many different styles of cutters you can get. It can be very easy to get a little crazy and buy allll the cutters. Speaking from personal experience. The perks are that it gives you so much creative space to work with. The con is that you most likely will forget about a handful of the ones you’ve bought, and will stick with the ones you like and are most used to.
  • Clay tools kit – This will come with items like an acrylic roller, and clay sculpting tools for molding, dotting, shaping, etc.
  • You can also invest in extruders, molds (great for florals), metallic foil flakes (gives your earrings an added sparkle)
  • Polymer clay roller machine (some people even use a pasta maker) – Again, not a total must have, but it really helpful for conditioning your clay, and ensuring that you get a flat, smooth, even surface to work with.
  • Resin – this can be a tedious process, but in my opinion, it’s SO worth it. Resin gives your earrings a beautiful, glossy, finished and professional look. Resin is a process in and of itself, so you’ll want to make sure you do your research and follow safety precautions, but once you’ve got it down, the process is pretty seamless.
  • Silk screens – I didn’t use these when I first got started, but now, I do use them occasionally. It’s basically a stencil and will leave a really pretty design on your clay slab. It can be of anything ranging from striped designs, to floral nature scenes. Makes for a really stunning jewelry piece!
Round polymer clay earrings with cottage core inspired silk screen design

MAKING THE EARRINGS

Onto the fun part..creating your earrings! That’s what I love about polymer clay. You can be as creative as you want with it, and each individual piece is unique in its own way.

STEP 1 – CONDITION YOUR CLAY

When you first unwrap your clay, most likely it’s going to be cold and stiff, making it difficult to mold. That being said, the first thing you’ll want to do is condition it. This allows it to be more malleable and a lot easier to work with. However you don’t want the clay to be over-conditioned as this can lead to the clay’s temperature being too warm, causing it to create this melted consistency that is very hard to work with.

This is probably the most “unfun” part, but it’s necessary. You can approach conditioning in a variety of ways. The 2 ways I prefer to condition are simply by using my hands – rolling, smooshing, squeezing the clay to get it ready to work with, and by using my roller to help get things moving along. I have seen a lot of people use their pasta or roller machines to help with this. I haven’t had the best of luck with that as my clay tends to tear and get stuck in the machine – but if it works for you, go for it!

After the conditioning is complete, you’ll want to roll out your clay into an even, flat slab. This is your workspace, and where a clay or pasta roller machine will come in handy.

STEP 2 – GET CREATING

Now we’re onto the fun part! Grab your cutters, and start styling your earrings. If you have one, I do recommend working on a ceramic tile. I got mine at our local home improvement store. The reason being that you won’t have to transition or transport your earring styles to a different surface when it’s ready to go into the oven. When I first started, I would do the transport and it’d create scratches, folds, and other imperfections in my clay work- which in the end wound up being even more challenging.

Once you’ve finished cutting out all of the earring shapes, it is helpful to correct any imperfections you see BEFORE placing the clay in the oven. Trust me, it’ll save you a lot of sanding time! After doing this your earrings are ready to go into the oven. I bake mine at 275F anywhere between 30-40 minutes. It really depends on the thickness of your clay. Some clay brands will include the baking temperatures on their packaging so I do recommend checking for that before baking.

STEP 3 – PUTTING IT ALL TOGETHER

You’ll want to let the clay cool down for at least an hour. Even after baking, it can feel and appear pretty malleable, so you’ll want to give it the time it needs to settle. Once it’s cooled and ready, it’s sanding time. Also an unglamorous side of earring creating but, without it your earrings can appear sloppy and unfinished. Sand paper is always handy for this, but I prefer to use a dremel. It makes the process much quicker and helps me to get into any hard to reach crevices. After sanding it’s important to also buff your jewelry. This creates a smoother and shinier appearance to the clay. I’ve seen some simply use a cotton ball to buff, but there are dremel buffing attachments that I’ve found to be a lot more helpful.

If you want to stick with the basics, then that’s pretty much it! All you’ll need to do next is assemble your earrings with a jump ring and earring hook.

I like to take it a step further when designing earrings. I’m all about that glossy look! It’s more eye catching and attractive in my opinion. I think it also makes the earrings look more professionally done. You can do this one of two ways. Either with polymer clay gloss glaze or with resin.

Now, I’ve used both before, and I have to say resin is the winner hands down. It’s trickier to work with and you have to ensure you’re being safe and taking the proper precautions when working with resin – but it’s so worth it and makes the earrings look so beautiful. Below is an example of clay earrings I made when I first got started. Here I used a clay brand’s glaze. The photo below it is an example of resin finished earrings. See the difference?!

Using the clay glaze
Amethyst inspired earrings with resin finish

And there you have it! The basics of getting started with polymer clay earrings. It may seem a bit daunting, but aren’t all things we’ve never tried before? The more you do it, the better you get at it. And you wind up with beautiful earrings for yourself, or to gift and/or sell!

If you decide to give it a try be sure to share your earrings and tag me on Instagram @honestlymommin

Talk soon.

Kath

Mom Life

A Little Bit About Me: Twin Pregnancy Experience

Kath

Since this blog is predominately about mine and my family’s journey through a variety of endeavors, I felt it makes sense to also share some personal stories that may be relatable and even helpful for other mamas.

** Please note that this is my personal experience and none of this is medical advice**

Let’s start at the beginning – when I found out I was going to be a mama to twins! Before I get into this and- my fellow twin moms will understand — we did not do IVF, yes, I can tell them apart, I do have my hands full, and even though it’s A LOT, it’s such a blessing and I wouldn’t trade it for the world. Those questions were a solid standard anytime I’d leave the house.

Oh Sh!t

So the twins were a complete surprise for us. I’ll never forget the day I found out. Leading up to it I knew something was off. I felt nauseas, I was late, moody, doing half as*ed workouts at the gym, eating complete junk as opposed to my usual gym rat clean eating regimen. But I was in denial. No way could that even be possible. I figured what the heck, let’s take a test just to rule it out. So I went to the supermarket, grabbed a bag of BBQ chips that I’d been craving all day, took a test off the shelf and headed home. Needless to say, a “+” sign showed up right away and I went into oh sh!t mode. I didn’t feel like I was ready for this. I had just started a new job and had other things in mind for the future. But, God had other plans for me. And I’m so grateful for this path he’s led me on. And then, plot twist! We go in for our first ultrasound and get asked, “Did you do IVF? There’s two in there.” My husband just about fainted right there in the room.

High Risk Pregnancy

The “it’s twins” bliss wore off sooner than I wanted. Not because we weren’t thrilled, but because of the interactions that followed. Due to it being a twin pregnancy, we were warned by my OBGYN that it would be high risk. We were fortunate to have a highly recommended team of doctors throughout those 9 months, however the experience was not great. If there’s one piece of advice I can offer to new moms it’s that you want to really trust and like your doctor. Especially if it’s a high risk situation. Being told things like, “this is not good, don’t be excited,” and “this probably won’t end well,” were horrible things to be told being pregnant for the first time. Fear was the last thing I wanted in this journey.

Thankfully, all was good throughout my pregnancy. The only hiccup was failing the glucose test and having gestational diabetes, which I credit to the chocolate cakes I craved every day of my first trimester. We monitored and managed it, I cleaned up my diet and the boys were growing healthy, strong, and on track. One regret I do have is not being active in this pregnancy. Going from gym rat mode to doing the bare minimum was hard – and it was out of fear of doing something that I thought would cause harm or make me go into preterm labor. I didn’t educate myself enough, or stand up for myself as much as I wish I would’ve – but I’m so proud to say that I made it to full term for a multiples pregnancy! I had a scheduled C-section at the end of my 37th week.

My C-section experience was a doozy and left me with quite a bit of trauma, but I am so thankful that all turned out well and everyone was healthy and safe. Pregnancy, labor, delivery, postpartum.. it’s a lot. It’s worth it, no doubt. But man, it can take a toll. If there’s one benefit I think social media has brought us in between all the toxicity it’s the community, relatability, and helpful information for moms who can feel so alone in this ever-changing journey. I was pregnant with twins when Instagram was just becoming a thing, so the reels, helpful info posts from doctors and physical therapists weren’t there, and i really wish they were.

If you enjoyed this post or found it helpful and would like me to share more leave a note in the comments below!

Talk soon.

Kath

Mom Life

Keeping Self Care Simple for the Busy Mom

Kath

Since becoming a mother, I find myself saying, “There aren’t enough hours in the day,” almost every day. I tell myself I’ll wake up an hour before the house, which, when you have a toddler who still wakes in the middle of the night is easier said than done. So, that never happens. I’m a night owl by nature, so getting productive or having that “me” time is something that often happens between the hours of 8-11PM. Also not ideal when you really should get to bed at a decent time, and want to have downtime with hubby. It’s still a work in progress, and probably always will be, but I’ve found that sprinkling in simple self care tasks throughout the day not only helps me actually get it accomplished without the overwhelm, but also helps me feel better and more balanced as my busy day goes on.

I love seeing other moms share their routines via blogs or social media. It gives me ideas when it comes to productivity, meals, efficiency hacks, home organization, even parenting. So, I thought I’d share how I break down my daily self care routine with a toddler that’s attached to my hip and super energized twin boys!

When it comes to my self care and overall health, you’ll find that a lot of what I share is with a more holistic approach. I find it much more fulfilling to spend 20 minutes in the sauna or doing pilates as opposed to drinking a glass of wine or binge watching a tv show. Nothing wrong with that if it’s your jam! It used to be mine until I shifted lifestyles and found something that worked better for me. If you’re struggling to find the time to take care of YOU, this approach may help you as much as it’s helped me.

MORNING ROUTINE

There are a couple self care oriented things I do first thing in the morning. I use my tongue scraper, which is great for fresher breath and overall health. I apply my hair growth serum – along with using my scalp massager (feels AMAZING and is great for encouraging hair growth!) for a few minutes, and then I’ll use my facial ice roller. I LOVE my ice roller. It reduces inflammation, gets rid of that puffy look we can get, and wakes me up more than a cup of coffee would!

Once I started being more proactive with my self care routine I made it a point to include it in my daily to do list. Every night, I write out the to do’s in my phone’s notepad for the following day. That day, I’ll emoji check off the tasks as I get them done. It’s very satisfying and helps me stay on top of everything. Here’s a sample idea of what I’ll write out in case you think this could work for you too:

Tuesday Morning

  • 6:30 wake up, tongue scrape/brush teeth, ice roller, start breakfast
  • pack lunches
  • dishes
  • apply hair serum/scalp massager
  • tidy up
  • drop kids off at school
  • barre & pilates workout

MID MORNING – AFTERNOON

I make it a point to workout every day. It helps with stress and anxiety, keeps me clear headed, and just makes me feel good overall. Back in my pre-baby days, I was alll about weight lifting. Now it’s much more low impact. Following the birth of our third son, I shifted my workouts to be more postpartum and pelvic floor friendly, and have stuck with it ever since. It’s been a total game changer. Barre, pilates, daily stretching, and walks on the treadmill sum up my everyday exercises.

Afternoons are also when I make time for creativity. Ever since the pandemic, I’ve gotten into all things DIY and crafts. Jewelry making, polymer clay creations, and crocheting have become my creative outlet and it is honestly so much fun! I highly encourage finding a craft or something you can make with your hands. It’s not only fun but very rewarding.

It can be tough to find the pockets of time to fit things like this in – I’ve found nap time, when the kids are at school, or when the kids are having their downtime to be the best opportunities to get a little crafty. You can even include your kids in on this if you want. I’m all for either being outside or physically doing things versus zombie screen time mode.

PM ROUTINE

Once the kids get to bed, I have two options. Lounge on the couch and binge a tv show, or get productive. It comes in waves, especially when my husband and I have found a tv show that has us hooked! Even in that case, I try to always be doing something that I’ve either been meaning to do, or that I know will be beneficial in the long run. Again, there’s nothing wrong with having those do nothing nights, that truly can be self care in itself sometimes. It can however be easy to fall into doing it too much. Even on the nights where I want to catch up on a show, I can do a little stretching, continue with crocheting projects, sit in our portable sauna, use my gausha skin care stone. There’s a lot we can knock out even if we are just sitting on the couch. Below are a few of the nightly self care things I do, along with a few that I’ll make a point to do 1-3 times a week.

EVERY NIGHT:

~ at least 10 minutes of stretching
~ skin care regimen (consists of moisturizing, retinol, hyaluronic acid, and using the guasha stone)
~ at least 10 minutes of reading my Bible
~ hair care routine (scalp massaging, using hair oil at the ends of my hair to prevent breakage)

1-3 NIGHTS A WEEK:

~ at least 20 minutes in the sauna
~ dry brushing
~ red light therapy
~ castor oil packs

It’s not easy to find time for ourselves as mothers. For me at least, it can feel like a constant battle ranging from “I should be completely selfless and ignore my needs” to “I need to do something for me but I feel so guilty.” Bottom line and my personal opinion, we can’t be at our best for our family if we aren’t taking care of ourselves too. I think it’s natural and inevitable to feel that sense of mom guilt, but we gotta get past it and realize that taking care of us is also what’s best for our kids.


I hope these ideas were helpful and sound like something you may want to give a try! Remember every day is different, routines change, we’re not always going to get the things done, but if we can at least take advantage of those little pockets of time to do something positive for ourselves it will be so beneficial in the long run!

What would you like to see next on here? Homesteading, gardening, DIY crafts, fitness, specific mom life things? Let me know in the comments, I’d love to hear from you!

Talk soon.

Kath

Mom Life

Healthy After School Snacks for the Kids

Kath

If your kids are anything like mine, they live and love to snack. I could make 3 to 4 grocery runs a week and will still feel like I’m running short because of all the snack demands. Which is why I put an end to it. Instead of spending hundreds each week on highly processed foods that never fully satisfy my kids (or benefit them nutritionally), I’ve pivoted to now focusing on simple, time friendly snacks- sometimes made from scratch.

Snack Plates – A GameChanger

I’ve found that the “snack plate” system works best for my kids. When they get home from school, they’re ravenous and want one thing after another. Then, come dinnertime they hardly touch their plate! The hunger doesn’t resurface until it’s time to get ready for bed – which is the last thing us parents need or want when we’re trying to wrangle the kids for bedtime. This is how I came to snack plates, which is basically a charcuterie board of various kid friendly snacks. It’s super simple, and helps your kids feel that they have a variety of options that aren’t limited to just one thing. Added perk – it’s easier to sneak healthy options in too! Here’s an example of a typical after school snack plate:

  • Fruit – I usually opt for fresh, organic blueberries, strawberries, or raspberries
  • Something salty- My kids LOVE crackers and chips. So, I’ll throw in our homemade sourdough starter cheese crackers, or one of our favorite, cleaner, grain free ingredient chip brands
  • Healthy fat – string cheese, cut up & cubed raw cheddar cheese, spoonfuls of peanut butter, chocolate sun butter, or cubed avocado bites
  • Something sweet – dark chocolate chips or squares are always a win
  • Homemade Power Balls – My husband and I are always grabbing a couple whenever these are made. You can find the ingredients for this on below in the “From Scratch Snack Ideas.” Until then, think protein packed snack bites with a sweet and salty crunch!
  • Drink – Either water, a glass of milk, juice, or a homemade smoothie

And that’s it! Putting all of the options in front of them to pick and choose from has been so helpful in giving them a balanced snack that will not only fill them up until dinner but also isn’t filled with empty nutritional value.

Snack Ideas

I like to rotate the snack food options so the kids don’t get tired of any foods. Here are a few ideas that you can use to build onto your kids’ snack plates!

  • Hard boiled eggs (my kids love these with the everything but bagel seasoning)
  • Jerky
  • Veggies with hummus, homemade ranch dip or tuna salad
  • Greek yogurt with berries, granola, or dark chocolate chips
  • Homemade guacamole or salsa with grain free tortilla chips
  • Tuna fish on bread or slices of cucumber
  • Protein smoothies
  • Ants on a log (celery with nut butter and chocolate chips or raisins)
  • Sliced banana with nut butter dipped in melted chocolate
  • Apples with nut butter
  • Deli wrap roll ups – pick your go to deli meat, wrap it up in a tortilla, add cheese, avocado or whatever the kids eat, and enjoy!
  • Avocado toast
  • Popcorn – I’ve found that most pre popped popcorn is cooked with inflammatory seed oils. Opt for the kernels you can pop yourself! Butter or olive oil are great options to make this with.

From Scratch Snack Ideas

  • Homemade banana bread
  • Homemade greek yogurt “bark”
  • Homemade ice cream or popsicles for the sunnier days
  • Omelette egg bites – wonderful for adding extra protein and veggies into your kids diet
  • Homemade pizza bagels
  • Build your own charcuterie – grab your go to crackers, throw on some fresh deli meat and sliced cheese
  • Homemade muffins
  • Homemade sourdough with butter or jam
  • Homemade Power Balls – made with organic oats, nut butter, dark chocolate chips, chia & hemp seeds, your choice of nuts (I usually use chopped walnuts), protein powder, maple syrup, and finely chopped medjool dates
  • Homemade chocolate chip cookies – something for you and the kids to enjoy together (and without all of the highly processed ingredients!)
  • Homemade granola with yogurt
  • Homemade chicken nugget bites
  • Homemade slurpees for the spring and summer days – grab some watermelon or berries, throw in a little extra ice, blend and slurp!

And there you have it! A handful of cleaner and healthier options for the kiddos. I hope this was helpful! If there are any of the homemade snack ideas stand out and you’d like a recipe for, leave a comment below!

Talk soon.

Kath

Hair Care

On the Path to Healthier & Stronger Hair

Kath

My personal story and journey to healthier, growing hair

Fall of 2021 is when I first recognized that my hair had considerably thinned..ALOT. I’ve always had very thick, wavy hair, so this was a new insecurity and challenge that I was not used to. Since then, I’ve been on a slow but steady healthy hair regrowth journey.

If there’s one major takeaway to share it’s that you’ve got to be patient. It’s not easy, but it is worth it and you do see the results in time. So, I figured I’d share some helpful tips and hair care routine changes that I made to help my hair get back to it’s healthiest and fullest state. Of course if you’re unsure about anything with your hair, it’s always best to consult with your doctor first. This is my personal experience and what has been currently working for me.

Hair Care & Routine

Knowing what I know now, it’s amazing to me that my hair pulled through as long as it did without the proper care. Here’s a few hair care habits that I used to do, why it was NOT good for the health of my hair, and what I do now.

  • Towel Drying. After washing my hair, I used to aggressively shake it out in a towel, wrap it up for a half hour, blow dry it on high heat, then straighten it – sometimes with heat protectant sometime without. Literally cringing as I type this! Thankfully, now I know that using a standard bath towel can increase the risk of damaging and causing breakage in our hair. The coarse, rough texture of a towel can contribute to this breakage along with the weight of a heavy towel on top of your head. Something I did not know before this journey was that our hair is at its most fragile state when it’s wet. Makes sense, but still, something I never thought about. Now, I am as careful as can be when my hair is wet. If I need to detangle it, I’ll use a leave in conditioner and then comb starting at the ends of my hair and work my way up – also to prevent breakage. If I want to wrap it up I ALWAYS use either a lightweight microfiber towel or a cotton T-shirt.
  • Hydrating my Hair. Personally, my hair is on the dryer side, especially at the ends. Based on my lengthy hair health research, this can also contribute to hair breakage which we definitely DON’T want if we’re trying to grow our hair out. If we get split ends, not only will that hinder the chances of us getting our hair to longer lengths but if we don’t get regular trims that split will work its way up our hair, leading to more damage and a necessary, shorter haircut. Which is the last thing we want if our goal is longer locks. In an effort to be proactive with this, I use oil on my hair – specifically at the ends almost daily (especially in the winter time, when our hair and skin can be at its driest). You can use whatever oils you prefer, my favorites have been jojoba, amla, and almond oil. Those have seemed to work best with my hair type (dry, wavy) and don’t make it feel too weighed down. Along with this I also check my hair ends on a consistent basis and trim any split ends that I can find.
  • Products. I never used to think twice about what shampoo or conditioner I was using. Granted, I never had any hair issues so I didn’t think it mattered. Now I’m not only super mindful about the ingredients in our food, but also what we’re putting ON our bodies, because that will affect our health too.

    Knowing your hair type is also very important because a lot of brands have products that will help enhance the appearance, texture, and taming of our hair. Also knowing that the brand you’re buying from is reputable and has great reviews is equally important.
  • Scalp Care. Again, never took this into consideration but scalp health is so important if we’re wanting to grow healthy hair. That’s where it all begins! Personally, having a clarifying shampoo or rinse has been so so helpful. Clarifying shampoos/rinses are amazing because they remove any buildup on our scalp or in our hair. Think of it like our weekly face mask, it removes the dirt and build up so that we can achieve that clear complexion we want. It’s not something you want to use at every wash, as it can dry your hair out if used too much, but it is great to include into your hair wash rotation.
  • Hair Oiling. I am obsessed with hair oiling. It has not only brought new hair growth, but has left my hair feeling shinier and healthier overall. Because my hair is on the drier side, I only wash it 1-2 times a week. Honestly, I try to go as long as I can because I’ve read that it’s actually better for our hair not to wash it super often. Over washing can wind up stripping our hair of its natural oils, creating that dry, dull feeling and appearance.

    When I’m hair oiling, I’ll first thoroughly detangle my hair. Then I’ll concoct a mixture of my go to oils in a bowl, use a dropper and distribute it around my scalp. Here are my favorite oils that I currently include in my hair oiling routine:

    ~ Rosemary Oil
    ~ Pumpkin Seed Oil
    ~ Amla Oil
    ~ Castor Oil
    ~ Black Seed Oil

    After I’ve oiled my hair, I’ll usually wrap it up in a hair clip and leave it in anywhere from 1-3 hours. I try to avoid tightly tying my hair back with a hair tie as this can also cause breakage along with a receding hairline. If I can leave my hair loosely styled and tied back, then that’s my go to. If I’m having a productive day and really on top of it, I’ll throw my microfiber towel in the dryer to warm up for a few minutes and then wrap my hair up in that. The reason being that heat will help activate the oils.

    Once that step is complete, I’ll wash my hair using shampoo, a clarifying rinse, apply a hair mask from the mid length to the ends of my hair, and then use conditioner. It’s a lot of steps, but I’ve found that they are crucial if I want to keep moving forward with healthier, growing hair.

Healthy Hair Tips

Now that I’ve shared my current care routine and experience, here are some additional hair tips that I’ve learned along the way and applied to my daily routine:

  • Always brush your hair starting at the ENDS, then work your way up
  • Scalp massages are not only so relaxing but they’ll help in promoting hair growth
  • Applying oil to the ends of your hair will help moisturize and prevent split ends
  • Avoid using heat on your hair everyday. Shoot for every 3-4 days to avoid heat damage
  • After applying your conditioner in the shower, rinse it out with COLD water. The cold water helps with closing your hair cuticles.
  • When washing your hair with shampoo, only apply to your scalp. When washing your hair with conditioner, only apply to the mid length and ends.
  • Washing your hair everyday should be avoided if possible as it will strip your hair of its natural oils
  • Pay attention to your water intake and nutrition! What’s going on on the inside is much more important and pertinent than outside.

    As I said before, patience is so key when you’re on a hair growth journey. We live in a world of instant gratification, tempting hair extensions, and “quick fixes” that can sometimes lead to more damage than good. My journey is ongoing. I have my days where I’m frustrated and feel like things are going nowhere. That is until I look back at pictures and can clearly see the changes. Not to mention, seeing and finding alll the new hairs growing is such a great feeling!

Talk soon.
Kath