Terrified T-Rex- A Toddler's Room Makeover

Most of us see something on a blog, Pinterest or otherwise, think how awesome it would look in our house, realize how easy and fast it could be and then we try the whole "Make it your own" thing that Marquette and I have been talking about a lot lately. Now sometimes this works awesome, like we have shown in a few of our recent posts, and sometimes we choose supplies or variables that just don't click together like we had hoped. However, there is a light at the end of the Pinstrosity tunnel, (and that light generally involves spray paint, glue, and power tools of some sort)...Briana had one such story. Briana set out to give her son's room a makeover, taking it from baby land to a boys dream play/bedroom for her toddler, let's see how it all went down...hill.

The Original

http://paperyandcakery.com/2012/07/glittered-animal-canvases.html

Cute idea, no?! Well I think it is a great way to take those toys that the little ones don't play with anymore and turn them into art. 

**A reader brought it to my attention that the Dutch website that I had up first was in fact NOT the original (It can be hard to track down these days , so thanks reader!) and so here is the original blog once again, we love to give credit where credit is due: http://paperyandcakery.com/2012/07/glittered-animal-canvases.html **

 Briana thought that spray painting her little guys T-Rex with a gunmetal color would make it look a little more boyish than pink giraffes and sparkly butterflies. However when she got to the painting part, it didn't go as planned...

The Pinstrosity

Can you tell there is glitter on him? Hardly, not quite the pop that the original had, Briana didn't like the look, and I would have to agree with her, it just doesn't give that same stand out look that makes it so fun. She said she was COVERED in paint and glitter after this one piece and wasn't about to go back to the store. 

Due to updated information I have had to change this post to accommodate the original link that a reader found for me! Thanks reader!!

 The original blog said she took her animals painted them with craft glue, and then glittered, please go to her blog for a full tutorial it can be found here: http://paperyandcakery.com/2012/07/glittered-animal-canvases.html

Also she attached the animals with an epoxy like glue, which she has a link to on her blog.

Anyways, after all the hassle of painting and glittering her T-Rex, here is what Briana ended up doing...

No, it isn't the original  and  she didn't have to put a lot of effort into it, but sometimes less is more, and I think this looks better than if everything had been boring and grey.

She points out that had she decided to do all the fun colors of glitter it would have turned out better, but this says boy more than glitter and I think that it looks cute! A spin off to an already easy project, that makes it even easier! I love it! I think this could also be used in a girls room, if you have an animal or jungle theme, little effort required.

P.S. Now days they have spray paint specifically for plastic products, which may work better( less coats, longer lasting), but the fact that these won't be being played with says that you probably won't need that...if you are having problems with it sticking to those fun plastic animal figurines though, that might be why.

Anyone have any other ideas how to take this easy project in another direction? I thought about maybe having a big canvased map, and placing each animal where it would be found geographically on the map, for a little educational twist, and if you haven't noticed by now I LOVE MAPS and I will use any excuse I can to sneak them in there somewhere! I have them everywhere.

Have an awesome Friday Pinstrosipeeps! 

See ya Monday!

Stay tuned for Marquette's post tomorrow! 

Fantastic Tasting Diet Shake Recipes Will Help You Lose Weight

Nothing can be quite as delicious and satisfying as a great diet shake, especially in the hot weather months that we are now “enjoying.”  Whether you choose to go to the mall and visit a nutritional supplement shop, so you can add supplements to your diet shake recipes or whether you prefer your diet shake recipes to contain just what you can get at the farm stand or grocery store; there are a million diet shake recipes out there.  It can also be quite fun to experiment with your diet shake recipes and add your own personal touches to your delicious creations.

One of my favorite ingredients to add to any smoothie or diet shake recipes is low-fat yogurt.  No mater whether you are making a water-based (ice) shake or a dairy-based (2 % milk) diet shake recipe, a little container of yogurt can add a lot.  Yogurt adds a nice creamy consistency to your diet shake recipes, and I wholeheartedly recommend that you try it in your favorite smoothie recipe the first chance you get.

Here are five tried-and-true diet shake recipes.  Give them a whirl in your blender:

Strawberry-Orange-Banana Diet Shake Recipes

•    Some orange juice – about 2 cups or so

•    Some sliced bananas – 1 or 2

•    Some strawberries -- a cup or so

•    Some ice – about a cup

•    A container of strawberry-banana low fat yogurt

Mandarin-Mango Diet Shake Recipes

•    Some mandarin orange pieces – 2 cans or so

•    Some cut up mangoes – 2 mangos is about right

•    Some ice – about a cup

•    Protein supplements from the nutrition store—follow the label directions

•    A container of mango-flavored low fat yogurt

Berry Berry Special Diet Shake Recipes

•    Some cranberry juice – about ½ a cup

•    Some apple juice -- about ½ a cup

•    Some strawberries

•    Some blueberries

•    Some raspberries

•    A banana

•    A container of strawberry or blueberry low fat yogurt

Banana-Chocolate-Vanilla Diet Shake Recipes

•    A cut up frozen banana

•    A teaspoon of vanilla

•    A cup of skim milk

•    A teaspoonful of Splenda

•    A teaspoonful of cocoa powder

•    A container of low fat yogurt—plain or vanilla

Coffee-Mocha Diet Shake Recipes

•    One teaspoon instant coffee

•    One teaspoon cocoa powder

•    One teaspoon of Splenda

•    Ice

•    A container of vanilla or plain low fat yogurt

•    A powder protein supplement if you like

Regardless of which of the diet shake recipes you are making, the procedure is the same.  Just pop all the ingredients into your blender and turn it on.  Run the blender until the shake is the desired consistency, pour into a beautiful glass, and enjoy your homemade, healthy, nutrient-dense, diet shake recipes. Not only will it help with your weight loss; it taste delicious.

By: brown Michael

Discover The Truth About Gastric Bypass Surgery

For those of you, who are unfamiliar with gastric bypass surgery, allow me to explain. The basic idea of the surgical procedure is to help to treat morbid obesity. Morbid obesity is classified as an excessive accumulation of fatty tissues and excess weight. A lot of people that get this surgery only do so because other forms of weight loss have been unsuccessful. This type of surgery should only be considered by people that have had problems with losing weight their entire life and not people that are just looking for a short term fix.

People that are interested in gastric bypass surgery should consider many things. Firstly, the price of this type of procedure will depend on your country’s national health plan. A lot of times this procedure will not be covered by your national health plan. This is because, for the most part, this procedure is considered cosmetic. However there are cases where they may deem the surgery necessary to your health. In these cases you might be able to get a portion or all of the surgery covered by your health plan.

There are many different forms of gastric bypass surgery; they are all pretty much the same however the process may vary from country to country, or even doctor to doctor. The basic idea of the surgery is to get you to feel full quicker resulting in eating less food and thus eventually losing weight. It is important to note that this surgery isn’t the only thing that contributes to weight loss. After recovering from the surgery it is still necessary to maintain a healthy lifestyle and exercise.

For those of you that are unfamiliar with gastric bypass surgery, the basic idea is actually quite easy to understand. The basic idea of the surgery is to split the stomach into 2 pouches. The upper pouch is the smaller of the two and the lower pouch is larger. Once this procedure is completed the doctors then re-attach the small intestine to both pouches. This procedure, although basic, has proven to be very effective for a lot of people. Perhaps the most important part of the surgery is the recovery. During this time is when you will start to set the bar for the new diet and workout regiment.

If you are interested in learning more about gastric bypass surgery you should do all of the necessary research in order to find out if you are an ideal candidate for this type of procedure. The good news is that there are a lot of resources dedicated to this surgery. There are many other options of weight loss that should be tried before taking part in this procedure. If you have considered all of your other options and are still considering this surgery, you always consult your doctor or medical health professional to get their medical opinion. They will be able to inform you on all of the risks that are commonly associated with this procedure as well as refer you to other professionals that specialize in gastric bypass surgery.

By: brown Michael

Try These Proven Weight Loss Exercise Programs

Almost everyone is always on the lookout for killer weight loss exercise programs. There are hundreds, if not thousands of programs out there, and you can waste weeks on a program before finding out that it’s just not for you. In today’s fast-paced world, who really has that kind of time to waste? This article outlines a few popular exercise programs that you might be the right fit for you.

The most basic sort of exercise program that you can undertake is to design your own. This type of program offers ultimate flexibility, as you can customize it to your own needs, goals, and schedule. Designing your own workout program takes some work and some research, however.

In order to properly for a personal workout program, you’ll need to understand how exercise affects the body. Obviously, it’s important not to go too easy on yourself – if you don’t work your body hard enough, you won’t burn fat, and you won’t lose weight. What some people don’t know, though, is that you also can’t overwork your body. Exercising too hard cannot only lead to injury, but can also lead to a less productive workout overall.

A basic personal exercise program will consist of both cardiovascular exercise and strength training. Cardio exercise can be a simple jog outdoors, a run on the treadmill, or even performing aerobics along to a video. Strength training includes weight lifting, as well as activities like pushups, pull-ups, and crunches. It’s up to you to find the right mix of exercises that will challenge you and keep you motivated.

For someone looking for something more structured, one of the most popular weight loss exercise programs is known as Tae Bo. This program became famous for supposedly blending martial arts and self-defense techniques with an aerobic workout. Actual martial applications of the program are slim to none, but it does provide a great structured workout that you can follow along with at home.

Tae Bo combines basic aerobic maneuvers like jumping jacks with various series of punches and kicks, sometimes done very rapidly. Although some Tae Bo programs sometimes use aids, such as resistance bands to enhance the workout, they are not necessary. People are often surprised by how much the simple act of punching and kicking the air can leave you sore the next day!

Another extremely popular exercise program is called Pilates. Pilates bridges the grasp between intensity and relaxation, and shares some similarities with yoga. It uses slow, deliberate movements rather than rapid repetitions to achieve weight loss and muscle growth.

One the major focuses of Pilates is on breathing – you might say it’s the most important part. Even if you don’t decide that Pilates is for you, this idea can be put to use in other weight loss exercise programs. Breathing is very, very important to any exercise program. Proper breathing technique can help reduce fatigue during exercise, allowing you to workout longer, which can only help to speed you along to your weight loss goals.

By: brown Michael

Burn Excess Fat Green Tea Weight Loss

With the boom of herbal products in the last decade or so, one of the most popular products has been green tea – but did you know you could use green tea for weight loss? There’s been a lot of talk about reasons to use green tea to help improve your health, but a lesser-known fact is that is that green tea can help you burn calories, as well. Before you decide to stop your diet and quit exercising, you must realize that green tea is merely an aid for weight loss.

Green tea is a weight loss aid, but it’s merely meant to help you shed pounds – it’s not going to do all the work for you. So how can green tea help you lose weight? It’s pretty simple, really: green tea contains caffeine. As a stimulant, caffeine naturally helps you burn extra calories. The thing is, most drinks that contain caffeine are full of calories of their own, too.

Coffee, soda, and energy drinks are never going to help you lose weight, because they’re filling your body up with fat and calories along with the caffeine content. Again, it’s key to remember that green tea is just a little boost, in the neighborhood of an extra 70 to 80 calories burned per day. That number much is less than the amount of calories in a single serving of soda or coffee.

One thing that gives green tea weight loss an advantage is the compound called epigallocatechin gallate, commonly known as ECCG. The ECCG in green tea increases the effectiveness of the caffeine, leading to a greater amount of calories burned. Along with the fewer calories contained in a serving of green tea, this means the caffeine in green tea can help you lose weight where it would not if you got it from soda or coffee.

It can’t be stressed enough that green tea is just a small ally in the war against fat. If you were to lose 80 extra calories per day, that only adds up to about 8 pounds lost in a year, assuming you made no other dietary or exercise changes. If you want to shed pounds quickly, green tea can help, but it’s not the answer.

The good news is drinking green tea does more than just help you lose weight. As an antioxidant, green tea provides a number of benefits to your cardiovascular health – this means green tea can help reduce the risk of heart problems. Green tea can also help improve your metabolism and control your cholesterol level, and some claim that it can help your mental focus, as well.

Replacing your daily coffee intake with green tea can be a great way to help lose weight and improve general health. You’re replacing all the calories and chemicals found in coffee with pure herbal tea. This change can help make you feel healthier in months, and experience the effects of green tea weight loss at the same time.

By: brown Michael

Dementors or Owls?

What do you call an owl with a sore throat?

A bird that doesn't give a hoot!

Thank you Laffy Taffy. 

Dara sent us an owl Pinstrosity she encountered while trying to decorate for her daughter's owl and pinwheel themed birthday party. Through the wonders of Pinterest she had found these adorable owls made with tissue paper, a Styrofoam ball and a little bit of felt. 

The Original Pin

http://www.ucreateparties.com/2011/09/owl-tissue-poms.html
Tutorial: http://www.littlesproutcreations.com/2011/09/diy-tissue-pom-owls/

Aren't those cute? Dara said, "I have made about a million tissue paper poms before so when I saw this pin, I figured it would be no problem." 

The Pinstrosity

 That was about as far as Dara got. She told us that "[her] husband pointed out that they kind of look like dementors (from Harry Potter)." They decided not to use these for the party in the end.

Don't know what a Dementor looks like? 

http://www.amazon.com/dp/B0057QDTR8/ref=asc_df_B0057QDTR82206396?tag=thefind0197883-20&creative=395261&creativeASIN=B0057QDTR8&linkCode=asn

Now you do. 

Dara explained what she thought the problem was: "I think it was the dimensions in the pin that were all off, because clearly that head is way too big!  And they were supposed to be mini, but they were huge!" So I decided to start by taking a look at the dimensions and then we could expand from there if needed.

My first initial query with her owls was if adding the finishing touches (mostly the face) would help turn the Dementors into owls. So I opened up my photo editing program, cut the eyes out off of the original owl picture and stuck them on Dara's owl. 

Looks slightly more like an owl...but not enough to solve the issue. So then I took a look at the dimensions issue that Dara mentioned. 

 I opened up the tutorial on Little Sprout Creations and scoured the process. In all fairness to Little Sprout Creations, they don't actually tote these as being mini...that was probably a caption that someone added when they pinned this project on Pinterest. They list a 5" Styrofoam ball as one of the supplies, so you know there that these are going to be decent sized little buddies. So there's the mini myth debunked. 

So then what about the head to body ratio? That's a 5 inch head for 20" of fluffed "feathers" for the body. Granted, the 20" of feathers are not going to be sticking straight out. Little Sprout Creations says to "Squish it together to make it more oblong, and less round.  You’re aiming for an owl-like body shape." So let's say you turn the body into a circle...you're going to have roughly a 6" diameter sphere of tissue paper (there you go...an answer to the math student's "When am I ever going to use this in real life?" question. Using the length of the tissue paper to calculate how big of a ball it would roughly make. Math in a craft post...who knew?). Now I know you squish the tissue ball into an oblong shape, but for simplicity, let's just work with that ratio of a 5" head and a 6" body. Is that just too big? Let's take a look at an actual owl

http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Owl

That guys head is wider than his body! And his body is only about one and a half times longer than his head. So...owls heads are large compared to their body. What would these proportions look like on a human? 

Wow...glad I'm not an owl so I don't have to look like that every day. 

Okay...so owl heads are big. So my next thought was that maybe Dara's owl's bodies were a little big for their heads. So I tweaked Dara's picture again to see how that would look. 

Much more like an owl! If you then just mold the tissue paper body more down rather than sticking out I think you've got yourself a tissue pom owl! 

So with making these, if the head just seems too small trim up the body feathers until they are more the right size (or go buy a larger Styrofoam ball...but trimming the feathers will be quicker and easier). Then, shape the body first into a ball shape, and then squish it a little so it is a little taller than it is wide. These two things will help to ensure that you have little owls at your part and soul sucking Dementors. 

Well...I guess this is it so "owl" be seeing you later. 

Winter Weight Gain - Why Does It Happen And What Can We Do?

Winter weight gain is a common complaint of many people. It seems that every winter we add a few pounds, and come summer we don't lose them all again either. A few of them always stick around, making us a little heavier every year. They seem to be very hard to lose extra pounds! Why does this happen and what can we do?

There are many contributing factors. First, it seems likely that we have a genetic disposition to store more fat as winter approaches. Many animals do this and it was probably vital to survival for our ancestors. Extra layers of fat on the body protect us against the cold and then can be used as fuel in the late winter and early spring when food stocks would historically be very low. We probably have a tendency to eat more in the fall, when food is plentiful after harvest time, to help this process along. We may also unconsciously choose foods that are higher in fat content at this time.

Hormone levels can also influence our weight gain. The interaction of hormones and other chemicals in the brain can bring about variations in appetite and cravings. Some neurotransmitters can also influence the way we eat. People who are overweight often have low levels of these neurotransmitters and the results can include excessive appetite, depression and sleep disorders. At the same time, the lack of daylight caused by the shortening days during late fall and winter can bring on seasonally affected disorder or winter depression. One of the quickest ways to give a boost to the energy levels and emotions is to eat high carbohydrate foods including sugar treats, chips and cereals that give us a fast blood sugar 'fix'. So people who feel low in the winter will tend to overeat or eat the wrong foods, leading to weight gain, more depression and a vicious cycle that is hard to break.

So altogether there are many reasons why we eat more high carbohydrate foods such as cookies, pies and chocolate in the winter, and of course most of these foods also contain high levels of fats. The best way to handle this is generally to substitute other foods that are also high in carbohydrate so that we get what our body craves, but which have low fat content and plenty of fiber. This means potatoes, wholegrain bread without butter, wholegrain rice, cereals, and fresh whole fruit.

It is also important to take more exercise. Often our physical activity levels drop in the winter and we have a tendency to want to stay home and rest. This is natural when it is cold outside. But we are not cavemen! We have heating in our homes and can be sure that there will still be plenty of food in the stores come February. We do not need to stow fat the way that they did. Sign up with a gym or get a stationary bicycle for the den. Transform those carbs into energy now instead of keeping it on the waistline until spring. Winter weight gain is easily avoidable this way.

By: brown Michael