Gluten-Free Newbie Foodie

Hello, my little peach pies (gluten-free of course!),

Guess who finished her Summer semester yesterday! Yup, this girl!
Guys, I am so happy to be done. This was a tough semester for me. Summer ones always are since the professors are trying to fit 16 weeks of information into a month. Now, I can focus on packing up my apartment and moving next week.

This evening some friends and I were out on a walk and when we were almost home we walked past a driveway with a bunch of boxes in it. I said I wanted to ask the people who lived there if I could steal their boxes but I was too shy. One of my girlfriends, who is super outgoing, said she would go ask. The people were happy to give us the boxes and now I am ready for a big day of packing tomorrow! People are just awesome sometimes. We have to remember that!

Okay, now, the real purpose of this blogpost is to talk about going gluten-free and to share some of the recipes I am obsessed with at the moment. I was gluten-free for about a year a few years ago and I thought it was difficult. Now, its not so hard, but it does take some planning ahead. I think the hardest part for me is if I don't feel like cooking or if I am on a road-trip. Its not like I can just pull over and get some McDonald's. I am a procrastinator at heart, so believe me, the planning ahead is not always easy for me. Here's a list of things I eat when I am on the go:

• Nuts - almonds and pistachios are my go-to
• Fruit
• GF crackers or pretzels ( I think GF pretzels are better and crispier than regular ones!)
• Beef Jerky (Make sure it is labeled GF, I like the Krave brand)

I know that going GF can feel like you are missing out on a lot of things. There are definitely things I miss (donuts!) and you aren't always going to find a GF version of things that you love. However, I think that something that really helps is making your food so flavorful that you don't feel like you are missing out. There are a few ways of doing this, but I think having flavorful condiments and sauces is a big part of it. Some of my favorites are:

• Guacamole, homemade if possible. Costco also sells a delicious version in single serving sizes that are pretty tasty and perfect for on the go. 
• Pico de gallo - so easy and flavorful it will kick up your eggs, taco bowls, chicken, or with some tortilla chips. Yum!
• Sesame oil - I try to incorporate this into as many recipes as I can. Its one of my top three favorite flavors of all time!
• Garlic - Because, DUH. 

I will leave you with a couple easy recipes and I hope that you try them and enjoy them! It gets easier I promise. I was listening to a podcast by Pretty Little Celiac and she made a really great point: She said that it is pretty amazing that Celiac Disease can be controlled by eliminating gluten from a person's diet. Think about those diseases that don't have this option, like cancer. I like to remind myself of this when I start to feel self-pity. Sometimes a change perspective makes a difference. 

Pico de Gallo (Amount of ingredients depends on how much you want to make. I just eyeball it!)

• Chopped tomatoes
• Chopped sweet onion (about 1/2)
• Chopped bunch of cilantro
• Juice of one lemon
• Mix all of it together

Stir-fry sauce (I literally eat this 3-4 times a week. I love it. Makes enough for two portions)

• 2 tablespoons brown sugar
• 2 tablespoons tamari
• 2 teaspoons sesame oil
• 1 tablespoon seasoned rice vinegar
• 1/8 teaspoon ground ginger (or some fresh would be great!)
• 1 tablespoon cornstarch mixed with 2 tablespoons water to thicken sauce
• Mix together. 

xoxo,

Alicia

The Times They Are A'changin'

Hello, Lovelies!
It has been too long in between posts, again. I know. I fail. But what can I say? Life as a grad student and mom is challenging and lately I have barely had time for 6 hours of sleep a night so my social media and blogging has taken a major hit. I actually had a two-week hiatus from Facebook and Instagram as part of an experiential exercise for an addictions class I just finished. It was actually an eye-opening experience and I learned so much about myself. I didn't realize how addicted I was to social media but I would find myself clicking on the apps anytime I had a free minute and it was ridiculous. I mean, I would waste time on Facebook when I should have just gone to bed earlier. Here is what I learned in those two weeks:
1. Not having my phone constantly in my face meant I was more present in the here and now
2. I started reading my Bible and other books before bed which was way more relaxing than staring at a screen before hitting the hay.
3. People don't really need to see what I had for breakfast or what my grocery store haul looked like
4. I wasn't comparing myself to people and their seemingly fun and perfect lives on FB
5. I can survive without social media. In fact, when I graduate and become a full-fledged therapist, I will probably give up Facebook since it seems to be the most intrusive.
I have since started using social media again, but not as much as I was before and I am more mindful of the time I spend perusing the sites. I think if I find myself slipping down into the social media abyss again then I will take a break again. It felt very cleansing for me.

Next Update: I am moving! Yay! I am so excited to leave this apartment living behind. A friend of the  family owns and lives in one side of a duplex and is going to rent out the other side to us. I am beyond ecstatic to have my own washer and dryer again, a fenced in backyard, more space, and a more peaceful living situation in general. She is also letting us paint the walls any color we want and installing a new dishwasher. I am so thankful that God has blessed us with this opportunity for not much more than we are paying now. In addition to all of this we are inheriting a new, bigger couch (a sectional) from my in-laws. His blessings have been so abundant lately!

Health Update: The last six months of my life (actually probably longer but I wasn't truly paying attention to my body) have been really rough in regards to my health. One of my worst symptoms has been my eczema which has been spreading and becoming more severe and painful as the months have gone on. My hands are the worst and I have had to resort to wearing gloves when I am doing anything in the kitchen and I dread showering or giving Tucker a bath because the water makes it more painful. Really, all my symptoms (eczema, bloating, stomach issues, fatigue, and nausea) have been taking over my life. I finally met with my doctor and she wanted to me to do a Celiac blood test because she was fairly sure that is what the symptoms are pointing to. I had the test about a week ago and I am now waiting of the results, which is tough. I want the test to be positive because at least I will know then what is going on with me and its an easy solution, NO GLUTEN! If its negative, then I am back at square one. I was gluten-free/dairy-free for six weeks before I went to the doctor and I noticed a lot of benefits from that and I felt so much better. Then I had to eat gluten for two weeks for the test and I literally felt like I was poisoning my body. I have been off of gluten now for about five days and I'm looking forward to feeling better agin.

Anyway, those are the updates, and now that I am on break from school I will be posting more often. If you have any suggestions on gluten-free living or Celiac Disease or life in general then please let me know!

Cheers,
Alicia

I Can't Stop, And I Won't Stop!

Hello, my little chocolate chip pancakes!

Happy May Day

Tucker with my mom's dog, Bentley

to you! I can't believe it is already May, this year seems to be flying by. Our little Tucker man will be two this month and this mama is a little sad about that. He is no longer my little baby and he is now a full-fledged toddler. He is curious, sweet, and stubborn. He is getting more adventurous everyday and while it is hard for me to see him grow up so fast, I know he needs to differentiate from his Mama (sorry for the therapist-speak, just finished taking Human Growth and Development, so its fresh on my mind!).

So, I have to admit something, just get it off my chest. I have an addiction...to buying art supplies. Guys, its bad. I never spend a ton of money and I ALWAYS use coupons, but it seems like I get one new thing every week. I am really working on reigning that in though. Is there like a support group for this kind of thing? I don't think I am alone in this! Please, tell me I am not alone!

Okay, so I whenever I need a little art journal inspiration I tend to peruse Pinterest (not that I need a reason to go on there!). I keep seeing a lot of Jane Davenport's girls and faces on there and I really love her work. I was at JoAnn's the other day and I picked up her book, Beautiful Faces for 40% off and I am so glad I purchased it! I love that she talks about the different supplies she uses in the beginning of the book. She also does an amazing job of breaking down the face-drawing process into small, do-able steps, which I appreciate as a beginning artist. I am about halfway through the book now and I thought I would share the faces I have done so far. The girl with the blue hair was my first attempt and she is ok, although I notice that the right side of her jawbone is small compared to the left. The other girl, who I think looks a bit like the little mermaid, is my second attempt. I feel like I never got the shading quite right on her, but I am still learning! I do love the way her hair and eyes came out though. I need to work on not being so critical of my work...

My mom also has taken up art journaling recently and asked me if I wanted to take a class with her at her local scrapbooking store this month, so I said of course! I have never taken a class in any type of art or crafts so it will be interesting. I am also getting a large Dylusions journal out of it so that is cool. The store where the class will be held is amazing. They have every kind of stamp you could ever want. The downside (for me anyway) is that the prices are pretty steep. I understand that they are a local business, but I just can't pay $22 for a stamp set when I know I can get it on Amazon for $10. This lady is on a budget! The picture to the left is a new stamp I bought when I was signing up for the class. She was $7 and I just couldn't say no. I did look at the price on amazon and it was not much cheaper, so that is good.  If you want to get this stamp on amazon, click here.
I colored her with copics, spectrum noir and tombow markers and cut her out and put her on a mother's day card for my grandma. I think she will love it!

Well, I hope you all have a fabulous weekend, and enjoy some sunshine if you have it in your neck of the woods!

XO, Alicia

Just a Mini Art Supply Haul

Hello, my little vanilla cupcakes! 

I hope you are having a wonderful start to your weekend. I know I sure am. I had such a busy week that I didn't have much time or energy to be creative which I don't like at all. It kind of puts me in a funk. Does anyone else get like that? I did get a couple hours of art time in tonight so I am happy about that! 

I thought I would share a mini art supply haul with you. I ordered two things off of amazon last week during my textbook order for summer term and then got a few more things tonight at JoAnns. I get weekly coupons texted to my phone for JoAnns and usually they are just 50% off one non-sale item and I rarely get to use them because it seems everything I want is on sale but usually only 30-40% off so that doesn't help. But every couple of months they send out a 20% off total purchase coupon which is a great deal! So my mom (she is an art addict too!) and I went shopping. Here is the loot (I spent $17 total!): 

These Fiskars cling stamps were in the clearance section for .97 each. Major score! 

Tim Holtz Butterfly ménage stamp set

Ranger Dylusions ink spray set: Pure Sunshine and Postbox Red. My Dylusions collection is almost complete! I also got a Tim Holtz stencil but didn't take a photo. 

From Amazon I ordered a Dylusions stamp set and a black Stazon Ink pad. That stuff works great! 

I am happy with my new art supplies and look forward to working with them more! Already have a page in progress! 

What are some of your favorite art supplies? 

Have a great weekend lovelies!

XO, Alicia 

New Tutorial: Freedom From Your Acceptance

Hello, my little Hot Tamales! (mmm, my fave!)

I am in a good mood today! The sun is shining and it's almost 70 degrees here today. I only have class tonight and next Thursday and then I finished with the term. I will be happy to have a couple of weeks off before Summer term starts. I plan on doing A LOT of art journaling and of course hanging out with my little man, Tucker. We are about to head off to the park, but before we do I wanted to let you all know that I just uploaded a new art journal tutorial on my YouTube channel. You can find that here: https://youtu.be/giKO4UnzuH0

The picture to the right is the page I did the tutorial on. I am loving this journaling journey and I hope you will continue with me. I would love for you to share some of your pages with me as well! Thanks for stopping by and I will be back soon!

XO, Alicia

Twitter and Instagram: @sweetmamacitas
Facebook: facebook.com/sweetmamacita48

A Beautiful Weekend and New Art Supplies!

Hello, my little chocolate kisses! I hope that you have had a relaxing weekend, or if it was busy that you at least have a few minutes of quiet to relax and recharge. I used to hate Sunday nights because I knew it meant the weekend was almost over. Now that I am in graduate school and only work about one day a week subbing (but 24/7 Mama) I don't mind them. I know eventually I will have to enter back into the weekly rat-race and so for now I am truly grateful for the time I have at home with Tucker and enough money to pay our bills. We have been truly blessed.

We have been at my parents' house this weekend and the forecast originally called for rain all day Saturday, which isn't anything new at the coast, but it only rained in the morning and turned out to be a beautiful, sunny weekend. Tucker had a lot of fun yesterday when his grandpa and I took him down to the boardwalk to look at the boats and to run around. Today my dad took him to this park down the street that has a huge pond with ducks and geese and swans. There is also a fun playground and a walkway goes around the whole pond. I love seeing my dad and Tucker together, they have such fun together and are like two peas in a pod.

Painters pens and Pen-touch pen

Using Painter pens

While I am here I always make a stop by the JoAnn's. We have one in my town, but it is so small that I hardly ever go there. It is really only fabrics with limited arts supplies. I have been watching a lot of YouTube videos about art journaling just to see the techniques that others use and on one of them the woman was using a paint pen that looked great for sketching backgrounds and highlighting. I asked her what they were and she replied thankfully! They are Painters and can be found at JoAnns and come in different colors and different point sizes. There are fine, medium, and chiseled. They are a bit like having spray paint in a pen! I have found that they are especially helpful when doing hand lettering on a piece of art I am working on for my apartment. So much easier than doing it with a paintbrush! The pen in the bottom of the picture is a black Pen-Touch which is similar to the Painters. It is an extremely fine point pen but again, uses paint instead of ink. Each of these pens were about $3-4 each.

I will leave you with these art pages I have completed over the weekend. Have a great Monday and make time for art!

XO, Alicia

Art Journaling, YouTube, and Branding

Guys! I know, I know, its been almost a year since I have posted. Life is crazy hectic. Between Tucker, graduate school, and life in general, the blog has been put on the back burner. I also have been focusing on my YouTube channel, as well as my newest obsession, Art Journaling! I even made my first ever tutorial. So here it is the link:

https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=PGZ_NEWbsrM

If you are new to art journaling or need some advice on supplies to get started I have a video on that as well.

https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=Vwxohk2-hys

Another goal is to really work on my branding because I feel like this art and crafts stuff is something I am really passionate about and I want to share my passion with others. I am in the process of creating a logo and figuring out where I really want all of this to go. Thanks for stopping by and I hope you will keep coming back!

XO, Alicia