Beach Culture

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   Living the dream! 

Jump in the Mini Moke and head for the beach.
An early morning surf is the best way to start the day.
As the sun climbs higher in the sky,
escape from the soaring heat and
relax in the inviting cool shade of the back deck
 Grab a icy cold drink and chill out for the afternoon!

Melissah xox 

Images via 1, 2, 34, 5

Check out Coastal Style on tumblr and Pinterest

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Friday Favorites

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Goodness, due to acts of nature and the dazzling array of aftershocks in my life, my blogging schedule has been spotty to say the least. I wish I could get it together for you guys and get back to having a busy blog but for now I have to let myself at least be happy with the fact that I'm able to bring you my weekly Friday Favorites and an update here and there. But I do promise...when we get our lives closer to normal this blog will be my priority and will be leaps and bounds better than it was before. 
And despite all of the troubles over here I'm so thrilled to have some fantastic new sponsors and some of my fave returning sponsors. I'll be doing a Sponsor Spotlight very soon and I'd love for you all to check out the fantastic gals who occupy my sidebar. 
So, back to Friday Favorites... sharing my finds and fave eye candy from the week's tiny escapes is essential for me. All the fab stuff I catch on other blogs and pinterest simply cannot be kept to myself. Right now all of us need to have as many pressure free moments as possible. Me and Aaron are working around the clock trying to get out all of the orders to our wonderful customers...and that is such a rewarding task! I kiss those boxes as I push them across the counter at the post office! We're also trying to maintain normalcy in some tiny areas of our ripped apart home...these domestic oasis's are so necessary. Aaron and I are working on some really exciting things amid the chaos and we are so excited to share them with you...as soon as we can! :) 

Now... for these Friday Faves! and what better what to kick 'em off than with that fab image above!

It is not very often that I come across a room or a style of decor that just makes my heart go all aflutter. I don't personally know these people but I love their style! They've got the same couch as we have ( but ours isn't leather)...their color palette is right in step with ours! And the whole balance and vibe of the place is just a WIN WIN WIN! This blog is full of eye candy! What an amazing home!


How darling is this?! It's a Chalkboard fireplace banner, and it is so simple but packs such a sweet whimsical punch!  
Drop Cloth + Drapery Hardware = Faux Mantel
Oh gosh...think about doing one of these even as a temporary stand-in for the holidays. So many homes are storm ravaged right now and to keep the mood light you can create a faux fireplace and still hang the stockings with care...love it!


Of course I found this image on pinterest...and I was super excited to find that it was by Wood & Wool! They never disappoint. This makes two Friday Favorites in a row for W & W! :)  Have you guys seen the paper bag floor tutorials floating around the web? So fab! I don't know what this floor is made of but it made me think of that paper bag idea for our studio floor... and then we'd maybe add some gold hardware store letters. Aaron and I are seriously tempted to do it in our studio... which is in very poor shape right now due to Hurricane Sandy. It is an empty shell...so the possibilities are endless!
A friend sent me the link to these posters  knowing that I'd be ga ga for the fab color palette. These maps come in pink, aqua, and clay... each hue is so so up my alley! And each poster comes with adorable heart stickers to add to the places that are closest to your heart. I was given a gift card and I ordered the one pictured above...can't wait to hang it!


Another pinterest find. What a fabulous eye treatment! I'd wear it any day of the week...but for you less kooky peeps I'd recommend this look for New Year's Eve!...fo' sho!  


And the look above is finally giving me the excuse to buy this Heavy Metal liner! I have picked this product up a hundred times but my extreme frugal nature prevents me from actually purchasing it. ; )




     Ok...stop the presses, hold the phone, cancel all my appointments... I've got some serious cooking to do. Just like the image that started this post...this too makes my heart go all aflutter! The food gods behind this call it the Palermo Christmas pizza or Sfincione di San Giovanni. This is comfort food with a capital C. Be still my fluttering heart!

Ok, thanks so so much for stopping by for Friday Faves! I hope this little break brightened your day.
xo, Jenny

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Good News! Most Kids Outgrow Food Allergies

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Picture Source: Food Allergy Foundation

Many children nowadays have very limited diets due to their food allergies. It is a challenge for even a dietitian to get in all the nutrients when working with someone who is allergic to soy, milk, and wheat. However, there is hope! It is estimated that 85% of children who are allergic to milk and eggs will outgrow that, and most allergic to soy and wheat will outgrow that by 10 years of age, many by 5 years. Peanuts are less common to outgrow, with only about 20% of those kids being able to safely consume peanuts later in life. Only about 9% of children with tree-nut allergies ever outgrow them.

Instead of just assuming that your child will always be allergic to a food or foods and never allowing them to consume them, have them re-tested with the IgE antibody test, especially if they haven’t had any reactions recently. If your child shows up as no longer allergic it will make their life (and yours!) much easier and more enjoyable. There are many health benefits in all the major allergens (soy, wheat, tree-nuts, milk, fish, shellfish, peanuts), so it is a shame to unnecessarily avoid a food if a child (or even adult) has outgrown it. 

On a similar note, many of my clients have recently invested in “food intolerance” panel testing, and find that they are intolerant to dozens of foods (gluten, oats, buckwheat, soy, milk, most fruit, eggs, many vegetables, garlic, onions, etc). At that point, it is important to speak with a doctor about whether you are actually having any negative reactions to eating that food and if avoiding it is completely necessary. If you just go by what the "intolerance panel" shows you possibly intolerant to, you could be risking malnutrition. Try eating a healthy diet that eliminates most grains, fruits, veggies, and dairy- it cannot be done! I do always encourage my clients to try going at least 2 weeks without a food that they think is the source of a problem. For example, if a client thinks dairy is causing them stomach problems, I have them go on a dairy-free diet for 2 weeks. If nothing improves, bring back dairy, because that most likely isn't the culprit.

References: American Academy of Allergy, Asthma & Immunology;  The Food Allergy & Anaphylaxis Network


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