Tamaras Treasure Trove on Handmade Hunt

I periodically do a internet search for Tamaras Treasure Trove and while I find various sites either myself or some of my store items are mentioned I was pleased to run across this synopsis of my Etsy Shop. This was listed on Handmade Hunt and it summed up my progress in a nice tidy bow.

Handmade Hunt's Article or check out my Etsy Store at Tamaras Treasure Trove on Etsy

Checker Berry Spring Celebration

The Checker Berry Spring Celebration is an annual event where you can come enjoy refreshments along with 2 floors of shopping to help bring in the season of Spring. Many items reduced for this event. 

Gypsy's Visit with the Vet

This morning I was tricked, tricked by my daddy who was loving on me one minute and the next I found myself in a container with the door promptly closed and the latch snapped shut.

Betrayed and confused I was put in the car and my mom drove me down the road, to where I am not sure. My mind is going in a hundred different directions wondering what I had done wrong.

After 20 minutes or so I was removed from the car and we approached a building I was familiar with. The vet, what??? I am not feeling sick, I had big plans today to play and frolic in the yard and now this.

We get called back to the room and I am sat on a scale. Weight up ¾ of a pound (I assume that is a lot for a cat based on the conversations taking place). After a few minutes of exploring my surroundings when in walks a pretty little lady (my doctor) and her assistant. I get the once over, body massage, teeth checked, ears checked and just when I think all is clear I get a needle to the behind.

They tell me the yearly Feline Leukemia/Fvrcp Combo shot will keep me a healthy kitty. Got my flea meds Advantage Multi that protects me from Fleas, Ear Mites and other little pesky critters and off to home we go.

The trip home was much more pleasant and relaxing, as a matter of fact I took a small nap.

Life is good and it is wonderful to be loved, love your pets and make sure they get their shots. I got my 3 year rabies shot last year so only the one today.

Zoodles Zucchini Low Carb Pasta

Continuing on my quest to treat myself better I was on a mission to find the perfect low carb pasta. One of my all time favorite meal is spaghetti. I have been hearing good reviews on zoodles so I decided to give it a try.

Being a gadget type person I first needed to seek out a spiralizer (I wanted my zoodles to look like noodles). I did not find one at Walmart so I headed to Target where lucky for me they had a very nice one on sale. I purchased the Farberware Spiraletti Slicer Cutter with Stainless Steel Blades for $22.49. Note: the blades are extremely sharp (I cut my finger and so did my son) so be very careful when using and when cleaning.

A quick stop by Kroger for some zucchini and I was set for my trial run. My zoodles turned out great (they looked liked noodles). I sauteed them in a pan with a little olive oil (zoodles will have a lot of natural water so just a touch of olive oil to keep it from sticking is all that is necessary). While sauteing my zoodles they put off a strong veggie smell which caused concern about how this would change the taste. I was pleasantly surprised after adding my tomato sauce, I used Contadina Sauce (as it is a lower sugar tomato sauce) and some lean ground beef and voila I had a very low carb spaghetti that even I the most critical spaghetti lover loved.

I have since used zoodles as a side dish. You can season them to taste with spices and other veggies to create many low carb dishes to suit your personal tastes.

This gadget came with attachments one that sliced thin chip sized slices. I tried sweet potato chips that were very tasty.

I like these so much I am going try my hand at container gardening this year and my main item will be zucchini.

Spray Paint Hand Cleaner Natural Recipe

When painting one of my favorite go to is spray paint (unless I am painting furniture then my prefered paint of choice is Benjamin Moore Latex brush on).

When using spray paint no matter how careful I am I usually end up with spray paint on my hands. I was using paint thinner or mineral spirits "in other words very harsh chemicals" to get this off my skin. This became an everyday routine for me which quickly became a health concern. I took to the internet to find a safer efficient way to clean up my oversprayed hands.

I want to share a recipe that I have been using for over a year now & it has not let me down.

I found a small half pint mason jar I had to store my hand cleaner in.
Mix

½ cup of Coconut Oil

½ cup of baking soda

This worked beautifully and the best part it left my hands silky smooth afterwards.

Because of the coconut oil it will leave your skin feeling a little greasy. Just put a dollop of Dawn dishwashing liquid to wash your hands with after thoroughly cleaning with the coconut oil/baking soda mixture and it will remove any oily feeling from your skin.

Note: If you have spray paint around your fingernails you may need to use a toothbrush or dish scrubby to loosen it from around your nails.

Favorite Finds From Trader Joe’s

Trying to treat myself better this year I made a trip to Trader Joe’s courtesy of my son and daughter-in-law. I found a few things I have been enjoying the last few weeks and thought I would share them with you.

Trader Joe’s Steel Cut Organic Oats

While these take approximately 30 minutes to prepare I took the suggestion of my son fixed the full cooking portion once and store them in the refrigerator. This worked out nicely for me the one who does not take the time to cook breakfast. I prepare it on Sunday, store in a mason jar so on the mornings I want oatmeal I spoon out a portion, heat in the microwave for 1 ½ minutes which results in my quick and healthy breakfast.

150 cal, 27g carbs, 4g fiber, 5g protein, 1g sugar

Like most things that are good for you it took me a few days to get used to it but now I find myself looking forward to it.

I alternate this and the Garden of Life Shake in a previous article to provide some variety to my morning meals.

Trader Joe's Oh My! Omega Trek Mix is a blend of the most Omega-rich nuts and dried fruit we could find, in one oh-so tasty combination. Almonds, walnuts, pepitas (aka pumpkin seeds), pecans and pistachios make up the nut portion of the mix. For the fruit, we've included omega-fortified dried cranberries—the added omegas in the cranberries actually come from oils extracted from the cranberries' own seeds. You get 560mg of Omega-3s in every serving.

There are times when a big bag of trek mix is appropriate and times when you really just want a handful. For those times, Trader Joe's just a handful of Oh My! Omega Trek Mix is likely just what you had in mind. We've taken 10 individual portions of this tasty mix—just a handful, really—and packaged them together for the ultimate in freshness and convenience. Toss one in a briefcase, lunchbox or backpack and you'll have Omega goodness at the ready any time at all. And since each "handful" is individually packed, the last is as fresh as the first.

While my last find is not food related I am excited about this product for my skin care routine. I use this soap as a body wash and a face wash.

Trader Joe’s Tea Tree Oil Soap

Very Basic, Natural Ingredients

Contains No Laurel / Laureth Sulfates

Cruelty Free – Never Tested on Animals; No Animal Products in Ingredients

Ingredients

Sodium Palmate, Sodium Palm Kernelate, Water, Glycerin, Tea Tree Oil, Sodium Chloride, Pentasodium Pentetate.

Checkerberry Shop Vendor #15 TamarasTreasureTrove

With the success of my online store Tamaras Treasure Trove on Etsy.com I have downsized my presence in the local mall atmosphere.

I currently have a small space in a large local antique mall in Bowdon, Ga called The Checkerberry Shoppe. I have spent the last 8 years renting spaces in as many as 4 different local area malls but it wasn’t hard to choose which one I would pick to keep a space in while I put my focus on my Etsy store.

The Checkerberry Shoppe is the oldest Antique Mall in West Georgia  and has the fresh but classic feel of what a Antique Mall should be like when looking for some great old stuff. While shopping two floors of goodness you will also find a variety of old and new gifts, collectibles, handmade items, repurposed creations, candles and local honey.

Check out their Facebook Page @ The Checker Berry Shoppe or better yet go by and pay this wonderful shop a visit. You will not be disappointed. They are located right in the heart of downtown Bowdon, Ga at 129 - 131 W. College St.

Organic Meal Replacement Shake

Like many people I have had ups and downs with my weight for most of my life. Diets do not work at least not for me. Now that I found myself in the midst of menopause I find health in general a struggle especially with my skewed schedule of trying to keep my online business running smoothly. My day takes on a life of its own and  in the past I have  looked at the clock just to realize I got busy and forgot to eat breakfast. I know in my heart breakfast is very important and very well may be the downfall of my weight struggles (not taking the time to eat). I have tried many times to slow down and take the time to  fix a nice healthy breakfast, for a few weeks anyway. I eventually fall back into my same old pattern.

A few months back I made the decision to find a way to resolve my breakfast dilemma with a solution that would work for me no matter what my mornings threw my way.

Shakes were going to be my easiest, healthiest, quickest way to get my day started in the right direction. I have participated in enough diets in my life to know the tried and true go to shakes would be the most accessible way to get started but my question was it really healthy? I knew enough to know that they are full of sugars and the low carb ones are full of fake sugars. I wanted something that would be easy to mix (I have a blender but I hate dragging it out and cleaning it up afterwards). Knowing this would derail my permanent hope for a healthy go to breakfast each and every day I would need a shaker cup mix.

Off to GNC I go as I feel confident the employees are pretty knowledge. I wanted a high protein, low carb healthy meal replacement with NO Soy and no aspartame/fake sugars  that would mix easily in a shaker cup. The GNC employee listened to all my requirements of what I wanted and suggested I go with their Total Lean 25 Shake.

• 25 grams of high quality protein
• 8 grams of fiber
• 24 vitamins and minerals

I did not like that it had 17 carbs per serving and upon internet research it did indeed contain two different artificial sweeteners in the powder mix. A side note it caused me to feel nauseated within 30 minutes of consuming. Fortunately GNC has a no questions asked return policy so I returned this product.

My next road trip was to The Vitamin Shoppe and after talking to employees there along with internet researching the recommended product I decided on Garden of Life RAW Organic Meal Replacement.

• 20 g of Clean Organic Plant Protein per Scoop Loaded with 44 Superfoods
• 6g of Organic Fiber and Less Than 1g of Sugar

I have enjoyed this meal replacement and all it has to offer for over 2 months now. It has been a consistent way for me to enjoy a complete healthy breakfast and a nutritious way to get my day started. When I have more time I may eat 2 boiled eggs with my shake or a small bag of nuts. Some days I add organic strawberries to my shake itself to “shake things up a bit”.

In the beginning I was using water which was fine but it lacked a little something for me so I ventured into the world of Almond Milk and love it.

Pot of Gold

Love the brilliance of the color gold?

Adorn your home and/or office with the striking color of gold with painted items from Tamaras Treasure Trove . When you enter my shop just search the color gold and it will bring up all the items to choose from on one screen.

In addition to metallic gold I recently added a line of items in a elegant shade of gold called “rose gold”.

Knobs and Pulls for Easy Decor Update

Knobs serve a function as a handle or something to grab onto when opening drawers and cabinets. They do not always have to be classic brass,silver or bronze.

You can find decorative fun and colorful  knobs in stock and ready to ship in the Knob Shop Section

Knobs can be used in other craft/decorating projects that can add color and a unique twist on functional home decor.

• Attach to the lid of a mason jar to give the age old classic a modern update
• Attach to a board (as many as you like) to create a coat, purse, key, leash, etc. hook(s)
• Add to the bottom of a box or drawer to serve as stylish feet
• Glue atop a covered butter dish
• Tried and true drawer fronts of furniture
• Jazz up kitchen, bathroom, laundry room cabinet

 Tamaras Treasure Trove on Etsy