{this moment} - and the weekly {Smile-Up}

. . . . . . . . . . 

"There are no ordinary moments." ~Way of the Peaceful Warrior

{this moment} - a Friday ritual. A photo (or few) capturing moments from the week. Simple, special, extraordinary moments. Moments I want to pause, savor and remember.

Served up with the weekly {Smile-Up} - gratitude practices to love and appreciate your life. 

If you're inspired to do the same, leave a link to your 'moment' and 'smile up' in the comments for all to find and see.

. . . . . . . . . . 

{this moment}

{Birthday Princess with her sexy Nurse husband ~_^}

{Smile Up}:

☺ My Birthday! Which included the actual day spent for myself being creative, and a tea date with my bestie. ♥

☺ Birthday with my hubby: lunch in Kaslo and hot springs ^_^

☺ Birthday weekend: costume part where I had a little too much fun with friends. ;)

☺ Dressing up, because it's fun, always! 

☺ Birthday breakfast with my siblings

☺ Surprise birthday flowers delivered to my door by Nixx ♥

☺ The birthday basket my bestie and her boyfriend put together for me (they know me too well haha)

☺ Drawing and writing like crazy! (almost done Book 1!!) 

☺ Yoga!

☺ Getting my health back!

☺ Being a part of amazing things

☺ Growing as an individual and watching the dreams of others inspiring me to do and be better. 

☺ Kitty cuddles-- Lyla has become quite the needy cuddly kitty! 

☺ Less mindless TV time! 

☺ Dancing like a fool, as always ;)

☺ More time with my nieces and my sister ♥

☺ The first sprinkle of snow

☺ Christmas lights already -- I'm feeling much more in the holiday spirit this year ^_^

☺ Getting blood work done and everything checking out healthy ^_^

Loving: Yoga • Writing • Drawing • New morning routine • Costume Parties • Colourful Hair and Dreadlocks • Thigh-high Leg-warmers and Stockings •  Toques (beanies) • Cozy Hoodies and Sweaters •  Pinterest • Vision Boards • Inspiring Women • 

Interests for the week:

✯ Reading: "Black Spring" by Alison Croggon. "D.Gray Man" Manga Comics. 

✯  Current Anime shows: "Guilty Crown"

✯  TV: How I met Your Mother. Sons of Anarchy. Wilfred (omg this show is Amazing!!! Hilarious!).

♫ Music Playlist: 30 Seconds to Mars. The White Buffalo ("Oh Darlin"--amazing song!). Hollywood Undead. We Are the Fallen. Bullet for My Valentine… same ol'.   ♫

✯ Food Faves: Protein Shakes ♥ Grilled Cheese w/ Daiya and Spelt (which I'm not supposed to eat O.o) ♥ Banana Ice Cream ♥ Creamy Pasta Sauces ♥ Chocolate ♥ 

Lessons of the week: 

Remember to have FUN! That no matter what you're doing you can have fun doing it! ☀ To always use PMA (Positive Mental Attitude) and to change your Perspective to change your Life! ☀ Some days are made to be moody, brush it off and smile extra hard the next! ☀ Say Yes! ☀ Writing is good for the soul. ☀ Take time for your Self every single day. ☀ Remember that Thoughts Become Things. ☀  Be in the Present Moment! Life is in the Present! Here and Now! ☀

I've still been rather lazy with these posts so apologies. I had a fun busy last couple of weeks, so here's my catch up. Hope you're all smiling and having a blissful day and week and life! 

Tell me about your lovely week and what you're grateful for in this moment! Tell me about your 'Smile Up' and 'this moment!' :)  ♥

If you found this article to be helpful, please consider a small donation or visit the shop. Thank you for your love and support.

{this moment} - and the weekly {Smile-Up}

. . . . . . . . . . 

"There are no ordinary moments." ~Way of the Peaceful Warrior

{this moment} - a Friday ritual. A photo (or few) capturing moments from the week. Simple, special, extraordinary moments. Moments I want to pause, savor and remember.

Served up with the weekly {Smile-Up} - gratitude practices to love and appreciate your life. 

If you're inspired to do the same, leave a link to your 'moment' and 'smile up' in the comments for all to find and see.

. . . . . . . . . . 

{this moment}

{seeing my two brothers on Milo's 13th birthday (he's taller than me, on the right)}

{Smile Up}:

☺ Pretty Fall Colours! 

☺ Tons of Drawing on my Cintiq, and sketching and writing Everwake ;p

☺ Tea Dates ♥ And discovering new little tea shops 

☺ Being a big kid with my two youngest brothers (1 just turned 13 and is taller than me!!)

☺ Working out on my elliptical again! Yes! 

☺ Yoga!

☺ Cleansing! (being done the cleanse! haha)

☺ New opportunities, manifesting, answers to manifestations

☺ My work room, I just love my space here :)  

☺ Talking to family -- even better seeing them! 

☺ When my hubby takes care of me when I don't feel well, and makes me supper ^_^    

☺ Music, alllll day ♥

☺ Learning more and more about health and nutrition with Cory doing his Holistic Nutrition Schooling! 

☺ Kitty cuddles. Always ♥

☺ Being successful at what I do

☺ Spending less time watching TV and more time actually socializing 

☺ Creating for Alter-Eco Clothing again! 

☺ Admiring the woodpecker hanging out near out home (thankfully our home is brick haha)

☺ Encountering wild Turkeys on my walk to the bus stop :)

☺ Catching the mice in our basement before the cats do so we can safely move them! 

☺ More time playing with our kitties in the evening instead of watching TV. Best thing ever! I love our kitties, they are hilarious! 

{ain't he cute?!}

Loving: My Cintiq • Writing • Drawing • Sleeping in • Walks outside • Pink Hair • More appreciation for food •  Yoga • Leggings •  Thigh-high socks • Layering clothing for fall • 

{wild turkeys}

Interests for the week:

✯ Reading: "Anansi Boys" by Neil Gaiman. "D.Gray Man" Manga Comics. 

✯  Current Anime shows: "Guilty Crown"! Rewatching "The Vision of Escaflowne" because I love it and it was one of my first anime loves. 

✯  TV: How I met Your Mother. Sons of Anarchy. Modern Family. 

♫ Music Playlist: Hollywood Undead. Seether. Red. Puscifer. We Are the Fallen. Soundtrack to Queen of the Damned. Disturbed. Bullet for My Valentine.   ♫

✯ Food Faves: Stir frys ♥ Protein Balls ♥ Oatmeal ♥ Blueberries ♥ Raw Veggie Burgers ♥ Chickpea Fritters with homemade tomato sauce and lobster mushrooms (mmmm)  ♥ 

Lessons of the week: 

When an opportunity comes your way, take it! It may be an answer to something you've been manifesting! ☀ Step out of your Comfort Zone! I have this awful fear of talking on phones, and it is something I am going to be forces to overcome! ☀ Talk, talk, and come from a place of love instead of resentment. Don't be afraid to speak your mind, it'll get you much further! ☀ Respecting the phases of our female cycles--we're not crazy, we just haven't learned to nurture and be respectful of it. ☀ Remembering to go over your Gratitude list every day! ☀ Be selfish with your time, and don't be afraid or feel guilty for doing it--if you're in a happy mindset because of it then no one will be able to complain! ;) ☀ 

Sorry for the lack of these posts, I honestly have been so lazy lately so I haven't been up to too much other than drawing and writing and sewing and being creatively introverted. ;)  

What are you grateful for this week? :)

Tell me about your lovely weeks! Tell me about your 'Smile Up' and 'this moment!' :) Pretty please! ♥

If you found this article to be helpful, please consider a small donation or visit the shop. Thank you for your love and support.

Ⓥ Vegan Kitchen: Creamy Lobster Mushroom Pasta Ⓥ

The husband and I went on a lovely hike the other day and we just so happened to stumble across our first lobster mushroom! Now, normally, mushroom picking scares me--what with the high possibility that you're dealing with poisonous mushrooms--but, fortunately, Cory had his iPhone handy (thank you technology) and we were able to google search lobster mushrooms. They have no poisonous look-a-likes, and unlike many mushrooms, they are very easy to identify. So we picked our very first ever wild mushroom. On the way back down from the hike (now that we were looking), we found a few more. How exciting! 

So we had several mushrooms, meaning it was time for a new recipe! 

While this recipe will be delicious with any mushrooms, lobster mushrooms really pack the extra incredible flavour--so if you can go wildcrafting or find some locally, I highly recommend it! 

Creamy Lobster Mushroom Pasta 

Enough Linguini Pasta for 2! 

1 large Lobster Mushroom (or two smaller ones), chopped and diced

2 cloves Garlic, minced

2 Tbsp Olive Oil (+ 1 Tbsp)

1 heaped tsp Miso

1 1/2 Tbsp Balsamic Vinegar

1/2 Tbsp Tamari

1 tsp (just under) Salt

dash Garlic Salt

dash of Black Pepper

3 Tbsp Rice Flour (or any other flour)

2 cups Water

1/4 cup Vegan Cream Cheese (I used Follow Your Heart brand)

Handful of Spinach

Bring a large pot of water to a boil, and cook the pasta according to instructions on package. (depending how long your pasta takes to cook, start cooking accordingly ;)) 

Sauté the Mushroom and Garlic in oil for several minutes on medium-high heat -- the mushrooms will release a lot of water, so wait for some of the water to reduce so that they can sauté for a few minutes.  

Add the vinegar and tamari and sauté another several minutes. 

Add the rice flour and that last Tbsp of Oil, and sauté for a minute. Add the miso, salt and spices, and slowly add water; increasing the heat a little and cook until the sauce boils and thickens, stirring fairly frequently. This usually takes about ten minutes for the sauce to fully thicken up. 

Once the sauce has thickened, add the cream cheese and spinach, and continue to stir until fully melted and blended. 

Add more water if needed. Taste-test to see if it needs more salt or pepper. 

Pour the sauce over the pasta and enjoy!

Makes 2 servings. 

If you found this article to be helpful, please consider a small donation or visit the shop. Thank you for your love and support.

{this moment} - and the weekly {Smile-Up}

. . . . . . . . . . 

"There are no ordinary moments." ~Way of the Peaceful Warrior

{this moment} - a Friday ritual. A photo (or few) capturing moments from the week. Simple, special, extraordinary moments. Moments I want to pause, savor and remember.

Served up with the weekly {Smile-Up} - gratitude practices to love and appreciate your life. 

If you're inspired to do the same, leave a link to your 'moment' and 'smile up' in the comments for all to find and see.

. . . . . . . . . . 

{this moment}

{Smile Up}:

☺ Day off with the hubby :)… 

☺ Exploring new hiking spots nearby

☺ Sitting on sketchy bridges above a creek, talking about life ♥

☺ (Accidental) Mushroom picking for the first time!  

☺ Making the best cream sauce with (said) lobster mushrooms for supper!

☺ Dancing and taking in the rain

☺ Laying on the lawn while watching the moon and clouds (all the above in that lovely day off ^_^)

☺ My Wacom Cintiq arriving (early!)!!! And getting to draw and play with it eeeeeee love it so much! ^_^

☺ Writing my third book while soaking up the last bit of summer sun on the lawn.

☺ Getting outside as much as possible when the sun has been out (we're in for a lot of rain) 

☺ Relaxing with the hubby at Ainsworth Hotsprings, watching the full moon. 

☺ Seeing Customer photos of them sporting ReLove & Alter-Eco goods ^_^

☺ Tea Dates (as always, duh! ;))   

☺ Accomplishing my "to-do" list 

☺ Getting pounds and pounds of tomatoes (from our garden) to freeze for the winter (yay!)    

☺ Brunch with my sister and brother :)

☺ Kitty cuddles while drawing on my cintiq in my underwear in the mornings (joys of being self-employed) ;)

☺ Making the most epic chili with more lobster mushrooms (been a good week for food ^_^) 

Loving: My Cintiq • Writing • Drawing • Mushroom Picking • Adventures up Mountains • Creeks (the sound of water is so peaceful) • My Rose Pedals Earrings •  IronFist Boots • Lazy Mornings • the Full Moon • 

Interests for the week:

✯ Reading: "The Complete Natural Medicine Guide to Women's Health" (every woman needs to own and read this book!!)

✯  Current Anime shows: Guilty Crown! I just discovered the D. Gray Man "Abridged" series on youtube… omg I couldn't stop laughing. Anyone who has watched the show will (hopefully) find it hilarious. Good laughs! 

✯  Dexterrrrr!!! Ray Donovan. Sons of Anarchy.

♫ Music Playlist: The Birthday Massacre. In This Moment. Poets of the Fall. Evanescence. Dream Theater (Octavarium). Marilyn Manson.   ♫

✯ Food Faves: Lobster Mushrooms ♥ Vegan Chili ♥ Chocolate ♥ Smoothies ♥ Pasta ♥ Squash and Garlic from Garlic Fest ♥ 

Lessons of the week: 

Women's bodies are sooooo complex! So much learning to do and things you can do to regain balance in our physical and mental bodies. ☀ Speak only words of kindness about others--when we speak negatively about someone, they can feel it across the strands of the Universe. ☀ Patience. ☀ Respect yourself to say "no" when you don't want to do something. Respect yourself in general. ☀ Wanting time for yourself shouldn't make you feel badly or guilty! ☀ Stop procrastinating! ☀ Remember everyone is going through something! ☀

Hope you're all having a beautiful wonderful blissful week! Hope you enjoyed your last day of summer and are welcoming fall with an open mind and heart!  

What are you grateful for this week? :)

Tell me about your lovely weeks! Tell me about your 'Smile Up' and 'this moment!' :) Pretty please! ♥

If you found this article to be helpful, please consider a small donation or visit the shop. Thank you for your love and support.

{this moment} - and the weekly {Smile-Up}

. . . . . . . . . . 

"There are no ordinary moments." ~Way of the Peaceful Warrior

{this moment} - a Friday ritual. A photo (or few) capturing moments from the week. Simple, special, extraordinary moments. Moments I want to pause, savor and remember.

Served up with the weekly {Smile-Up} - gratitude practices to love and appreciate your life. 

If you're inspired to do the same, leave a link to your 'moment' and 'smile up' in the comments for all to find and see.

. . . . . . . . . . 

{this moment}

[Hike at the top of Idaho Peak! It was soooo foggy and clouded!]

["West View" ... what we were supposed to be able to see]

{Smile Up}:

☺ Hiking to the top of mountains! (or just a mountain ~_^)

☺ Garlic Fest in New Denver with 3 rad boys

☺ Sitting on the lawn soaking up all the warm weather I can this September! 

☺ Writing my third book while soaking up that sun on the lawn.

☺ Tea Dates and Hugs 

☺ Listening to the rain drum on the roof (we've had quite the weather these past two weeks!)

☺ The smell of fresh dew on the grass in the mornings 

☺ Cuddling up with my kitties and watching anime

☺ Playfulness    

☺ Receiving postcards in the mail

☺ Feeling good about money again!    

☺ Drawing every single day (there's enough time for everything!)  

☺ Getting excited over animes (bah, I'm a dork! ;))

☺ Lyla cuddling up to me for bellyrubs in the evenings 

☺ Getting surprise gifts ♥

Loving: Writing • Drawing • Hiking / Exploring • Festivals • my new Rabbit & Empee Shorts! •People Watching / Admiring •  the Law of Attraction • Smiling • Workouts • 

Interests for the week:

✯ Reading: I have done no book reading :( Lots of articles though. Still haven't finished "Neverwhere" (by Neil Gaiman). I need new whimsical books like this -- suggestions? 

✯  Current Anime shows: Guilty Crown!!! Loving this show! And oh, look, perfect timing as the english version has been released! ^_^ 

✯  Dexterrrrr!!! and Ray Donovan. SOA is back but haven't gotten around to watching the first episode yet! 

♫ Music Playlist: The Birthday Massacre (my new obsession!). Brand New. Hollywood Undead (songs: Sell Your Soul, Black Dahlia, Pain, Scava). The song "Broken Inside" by Broken Iris is so eerily awesome. Chevelle. Red.  ♫

✯ Food Faves: Pan-fried Potatoes ♥ Protein Bliss Balls ♥ Juice! ♥ Smoothies ♥ Homemade Raw Veggie Burgers ♥ Squash and Garlic from Garlic Fest = the best!! ♥ 

Lessons of the week: 

Law of Attraction works great, when it's working. It spirals very easily in either direction! ☀ Gratitude Practices help immensely to switch your mood around. ☀ Patience with my health and mind. ☀ Dreams can be super confusing… don't take them too literally, but do reflect on them. ☀ The heart is a very complex thing. ☀ Always tell the people you love that you love them. ☀

Hope you're all having a beautiful wonderful blissful week! 

What are you grateful for this week? :)

Tell me about your lovely weeks! Tell me about your 'Smile Up' and 'this moment!' :) 

If you found this article to be helpful, please consider a small donation or visit the shop. Thank you for your love and support.

{this moment} - and the weekly {Smile-Up}

. . . . . . . . . . 

"There are no ordinary moments." ~Way of the Peaceful Warrior

{this moment} - a Friday ritual. A photo (or few) capturing moments from the week. Simple, special, extraordinary moments. Moments I want to pause, savor and remember.

Served up with the weekly {Smile-Up} - gratitude practices to love and appreciate your life. 

If you're inspired to do the same, leave a link to your 'moment' and 'smile up' in the comments for all to find and see.

. . . . . . . . . . 

{this moment}

{Smile Up}:

☺ Portland Adventures! (take two!)

☺ Discovering new places, just having good wanders

☺ Eating Vegan Food in Vegan Restaurants! ^_^ 

☺ Quality time with friends!

☺ Thunderstorms (such a crazy one here the other night!) 

☺ Tea Dates, Tea Dates ♥

☺ Friday Night Market Fest in Nelson! 

☺ Cuddling up with my kitties and watching anime

☺ Quality time with my hubby   

☺ Hearing from old friends :)

☺ Planning trips!    

☺ Ordering my Cintiq!! (can't wait for it to arrive!!)   

☺ Getting excited over geeky things ;)

☺ Kitty cuddles (can never have too much)

☺ Drawing a photo a day! ^_^ 

☺ Hugging Trees! 

☺ Being a big kid! ^_^

Loving: Lots of Drawing, planning out my book • Simplicity of pencil and paper • Adventures • Summer Markets • Lazy evenings •  Self Work • Happy Diary Entries • Dancing • 

Interests for the week:

✯ Reading: On the last chapter (finally) of "Neverwhere" by Neil Gaiman. I don't want to finish it haha. Time for a new book!

✯  Current Anime shows: Finished "D. Gray Man" (onto the Manga now! ^_^). Started "Guilty Crown" (soooo good!!). Episodes of "Say I Love You" (such an adorable story, love it so much).

✯  True Blood is over, I'm sad. :( New Dexter and Ray Donovan episodes. Stand-up Comedy! 

♫ Music Playlist: Hollywood Undead (looooove them--although not all their songs), Chevelle "SciFi Crimes", Florence and the Machine, Breaking Benjamin, Dub FX, The Sounds.  ♫

✯ Food Faves: Chocolate Vega Smoothies with Spinach ♥ Vegan Pizza ♥ Cake (Petunia's in Portland) ♥ Sundaes (Back to Eden Bakery in Portland) ♥ Daiya and cream cheese grilled sandwiches ♥ 

Lessons of the week: 

Think Positive, Think Positive, Think Positive! ☀ Happy Diary entries every day are a Must when feeling insecure and/or down! ☀ Dancing and prancing are the best medicine . ☀ Realizing who in your life makes you feel good or badly about yourself and dealing with such appropriately. ☀ Don't over think, and go with the flow! Things happen much smoother this way. ☀ You control your mood = you control your life. ☀

Hope you're all having a beautiful wonderful blissful week! 

What are you grateful for this week? :)

Tell me about your lovely weeks! Tell me about your 'Smile Up' and 'this moment!' :) 

If you found this article to be helpful, please consider a small donation or visit the shop. Thank you for your love and support.

{this moment} - and the weekly {Smile-Up}

. . . . . . . . . . 

"There are no ordinary moments." ~Way of the Peaceful Warrior

{this moment} - a Friday ritual. A photo (or few) capturing moments from the week. Simple, special, extraordinary moments. Moments I want to pause, savor and remember.

Served up with the weekly {Smile-Up} - gratitude practices to love and appreciate your life. 

If you're inspired to do the same, leave a link to your 'moment' and 'smile up' in the comments for all to find and see.

. . . . . . . . . . 

{this moment}

 [hiking with two of my favourite guys ^_^]

{Smile Up}:

☺ Random hiking adventures 

☺ Discovering new places / exploring the wonders of where I live!

☺ First time in a little natural cave 

☺ Huckleberry picking!

☺ Thunderstorms 

☺ Tea Dates (as always ^_^) 

☺ Spontaneous afternoon swims (even when it's cold out! sep!) 

☺ My new pink wig -- and that no one so far has known it was a wig!

☺ My bestie helping me at the markets ♥   

☺ All my friends who collect bottlecaps for me haha

☺ Exercise!    

☺ Me Time -- getting to draw and write and work on my book ^_^   

☺ Planning our next Portland trip! (so soooooon!!)

☺ The ridiculously cute and silly things our cats do.

☺ Texting! Thank god for texting and being able to keep in touch with faraway friends ^_^ 

☺ Friends that give the best ever hugs! ♥♥

☺ Random acts of kindness. 

Loving: Me time • Smiling over old photos • Adventures • Creating • Kootenay Lake •  Thunderstorms • My job • Dancing • Mountains • Tea Dates •

Interests for the week:

✯  New Dexter, True Blood, and Ray Donovan episodes. (only three things I've been watching on TV lately… aside from…) Anime shows. ^_^

♫ Music Playlist: Hollywood Undead (SCAVA is just too awesome a song!!), Rabbit Junk, Brand New "Daisy", Chevelle "SciFi Crimes", Hurt "Vol. II"  ♫

✯ Food Faves: Chocolate Vega Smoothies with a ton of kale ♥ Stuffed Zucchini ♥ Mountain Magic Cookies ♥ Hazelnut Butter ♥ Homemade Icecream ♥ Daiya grilled sandwiches ♥ Wild Huckleberries ♥ 

Lessons of the week: 

I'm probably The Worst procrastinator! ☀ Patience! ☀ Remember to repeat Positive Affirmations in the morning and set your intentions for the day (every day!) . ☀ There's enough time for everything! Don't fall into the habit of saying "there's not enough time" or you will attract not enough time! ☀ Gratitude gratitude gratitude! ☀ Accepting that I'm (half) an introvert -- and that's okay. ;) ☀

Hope you're all having a beautiful wonderful blissful week! 

What are you grateful for this week? :)

Tell me about your lovely weeks! Tell me about your 'Smile Up' and 'this moment!' :) 

If you found this article to be helpful, please consider a small donation or visit the shop. Thank you for your love and support.

♥ New in the ReLove Plan.et Etsy Shop! ♥

If you're on my Facebook page or check out my Etsy shop you already know this, but this never stops me from wanting to share my new products on the blog too. ;) 

I'm still running around with etsy orders and getting ready for markets but there are always new projects I'm throwing into the mix. I've been wanting to make a "Love" shirt for a long time now and was playing around with a few ideas before landing on this simpler design. I finally decided to do it because my husband also encouraged me to make a shirt for markets this year that tourists and locals would want to show their love and pride of this beautiful place. For those wondering (or questioning), I live in the Kootenays, which encompasses Nelson and some other rad places in these beautiful mountains. So I was able to create a shirt for locals that also encompassed my "Love" shirt, allowing me to easily print it without the "Kootenay" part so everyone could enjoy it. I personally am super stoked about it. It made sense that I made this shirt considering my company is called ReLove and because of everything it stands for. Super happy. :) 

I'm also excited because I got in my new permaset inks, with pinks and greens and oranges which means other new colour combinations will be showing up in the shop. In the mean time when placing an order you can request any of these colours--or if there's a colour of ink you want but don't see I can probably mix some colours. Magic you know. ;) 

My old screen needed redoing since it was starting to get little pinholes in it that would show up on the print, so I redesigned one of my favourite piggy designs. I think this one is cleaner than the other and extra adorable. 

Two designs were retired due to lack of sales and they just so happened to be on this same screen, but you never know when they pop up in the future. Regardless, they made room for my new "Love" print and also this seal print that I've been wanting to also do for a while since I feel so passionately about stopping Canada's Annual Seal Hunt and want to spread more awareness. 

Hope you love them! They are all available on the racerback tank tops, slouchy tees, dresses and when the hoodies and sweaters are available on those as well. 

Links: 

"Love" Shirt

"I'm Too Cute to Eat" Pig Shirt

"Save the Seals" Shirt

If you found this article to be helpful, please consider a small donation or visit the shop. Thank you for your love and support.