Spiritual PFM: You Can't Age

image (via pinterest), words of wisdom (via)

If you never know what time it is because of what you're doing, how do you get older? People who love what they're doing stay physically younger and healthier...a concept that's very motivational by itself, but did you also know that you can actually end up changing the world by living a great life? Yep, together we can create a ripple effect that will continually inspire others to live the life they love. I want to know...what makes you lose track of time?

Beautiful ideas like this one have been keeping me in a very positive state of mind lately. It has lots to do with my current training as a Health Counselor. In school I'm learning from world-renowned wellness experts including Bernie Siegel, M.D. who happens to be today's source of inspiration for this post. His words were so amazing that I actually teared up with relief and realization. I guess it was my "ah-ha" moment. xoxo Becca

P.S. Interested in discussing your health concerns and goals and how I can support you? Well lucky you- part of my preperation is to do practice consultations in order to become more skilled about discussing health concerns...and I would love to offer you a free health history consultation. We can do this either in person or on the phone, so contact me for a one-on-one session! 

Daily Outfit: The Vintage Wrap Skirt

Everyone has at least one wardrobe piece that you've never worn, yet for some reason you can't let it go. You struggle with putting together an outfit that makes use of it, and end up pushing it to the back of your closet. Maybe you hold on to hope because it was such a good sale price, or it has sentimental value, or it was an on-trend impulse purchase that cost you a pretty penny. 

This vintage wrap skirt falls under the sentimental value category...it was once my grandmother's. I loved the pattern but wasn't sure about the fit and the style of it. So this simple little number kept getting taken out...and put back. I almost listed it in eBay a few times before talking myself out of it. Finally, I took the time to play around with a few different options that I already owned and poof- it was meant to be. The skirt needed a thick belt to define the waist and complement the colors within the print. Wooden wedges added to the ethnic vintage vibe of the skirt, and the most difficult choice was the most basic option- a fitted tank that offset the fullness of the skirt. My casual afternoon of leisure had me grabbing a denim jacket and hitting the road, looking laid-back and boho-chic!

(Skirt-Vintage, Tank- Shopbop, Belt- Anthropologie, Wedges- BCBG, Denim Jacket- J.Crew, Beaded Bracelet- Metal Monk, New Angle Sunglasses- Anthropologie)

P.S. What's your "questionable" wardrobe piece that has you stumped? The ladies of MavenFresh are up for the challenge...we would love to help you find a use for this piece and create outfit suggestions from your closet chaos! Ask the PFMs today!

PFMs Do It Better: Spring Fever for the Exterior!

Do you have it yet...that feeling of Spring Fever? Well if you have it and it's making you want to tackle some outdoor home projects that have been put off for months, I'm saying it's now the prime season for house painting. Choosing paint color can be intimidating; it may take you weeks to decide on the look that you want for your exterior redo. So let's start planning now!

We purchased our house a little over a year ago. It was originally built in 1920 as a small raised bungalow. This is what the house looked like after priming it for the new paint job.

Primed and ready for fresh paint!

I thought if nothing else, I wanted to paint over the black trim and the dark red door, but after a few months of living there I wanted to do much more than just that. The stucco was painted white, once, a loooooong time ago, and visibly repaired in a few places. It was in desperate need of a fresh coat of paint as you can see. 

Painting prep: repair stucco cracks

*It helps if you have a focus, or at least one color that you love and must have. Personalize the look, make it your own. In my case, it was the door. I just knew we had to have a bright yellow door. Narrowing it down to the specific shade of yellow came later!

*Think about the neighborhood. One option is to coordinate with your neighbors a bit since they are part of your curb appeal. Also, think about location. If you're near water, maybe you are inspired to create a palette based on cool blues of the sea or the beige colors of the sand. Maybe you're in a wooded area with lots of green and landscaping...then you would want to pick contrasting colors so that your house doesn't blend in too much and get lost in your surroundings. Living in a beachside community with close proximity to our neighbors, we decided to embrace the sand with our main color and contrast with crisp white trim that screams beach! We saved the bright colors for accents like the door, furniture, and (coming soon) accessories. Doing this made our house look bigger (yay!) and not stick out among the other neutrals on the block.

 

*Consider any special characteristics that you want to highlight...like ornate trim, or the ceiling of your porch. We brought in the surf with a light blue porch ceiling color. It's so relaxing sitting under there. Maybe you want to play up the colors of your roof? After taking a good look in daylight I realized our slate roof tiles weren't just blue-grey; they have lots of rich beige-brown in them. This totally helped with the paint decision. The main sand-beige paint color I chose for the stucco really brings out the color variations in our roof tiles. We've been getting plenty of compliments from people walking by who say they didn't realize we had a slate roof until the house was re-painted!  

*When it came time to make color decisions we just painted samples directly on the house since it was white(ish). But painting samples on white foam core board will really help you decide where to put the color, and what colors to choose. Have fun with it!

 *Relax...there's lots of other details that you can update easily if you're not ready to tackle a paint job: replace your house numbers/mailbox/doorknocker/hardware. These minor changes will create an overall makeover without breaking your budget or costing you lots of time.

 

We used Sherwin Williams Duration Exterior Paint (HIGHLY RECOMMEND) which was colormatched to these Benjamin Moore colors: Body- Alexandria Beige HC-77, Door- Bright Yellow 2022-30, Ceiling- Jamestown Blue HC-148, Floor- Tamarind AF-120, Trim-Frostine AF-5.

 

I loved every second of the planning, shopping, and paint swatching. I'm all smiles each time I come home and see our bright yellow front door. Trust me, this type of a makeover will have you feeling unbelievably fresh and happy...after all, the exterior of your house is something that you look at every day. My next project for Spring will be the porch. On my to-do list: redo the landscaping below, add planters on the railing filled with fresh flowers, buy bright new pillows on the sofa to pull the paint colors together, paint a rug on the floor, and accent with some candles or mirrored mobiles.

What's going to be your Spring Fever project? Let us know if we can help you with anything.

PS- I have a fantastic painter you can contact...!

Got Decorator?

We've already mentioned that there are many different sides to MavenFresh, and today I'm excited to introduce yet another- we are available for design consultations!

I really have a passion for staging homes and redesigning spaces. Real Estate Staging might be considered an impersonal form of decorating, but it's still fun and rewarding to me. And doing a room redesign is like going into your closet and realizing you can pair your blazer-that-you-only-wore-once with that skirt-you-almost-donated, accented with those booties-that-are-so-hard-to-match; you just created a new fresh look from these items that you already own. A room can completely transform just by rearranging the furniture setup or bringing in existing artwork and accessories from another part of the house. And isn't it enticing to have a room makeover without buying all new things?

So just to be clear, we are not interior designers per se. In other words, if you need architectural renderings of your formal living room, or someone to tell you how the acoustics and temperature will be affected by the proposed footprint of your kitchen...well...that's not us. But...do you need to pick new paint colors for your entire home? That's our thing. De-clutter your closet? Accessorize your guest room? Find ombre curtains or a vintage yet modern sofa...we are your gals. Is there a question you have about styling a room, or choosing that perfect shade of blue for your walls? With our combined training in staging, interior redesign, merchandising, and styling, MavenFresh is here to create and inspire. Whether it's fashion, design, decor, or food- let's chat!

 

PFMs Healthy Living: Food Lockdown?

Not sure if y'all are a fan of The Office (personally I love it) but a recent episode made me want to share something important. In it, Darryl was getting all down on himself, explaining that he's never been a lucky guy "Who gets a soy allergy at 35? And why is soy in everything?" This had me laughing, then had me remembering. OK so I am not yet hitting the 35 mark, but I did just recently find out a have a soy sensitivity. And did I mention that I've been a vegetarian my whole life? And that so much of my diet consisted of soy?

I'm sure you know someone with a food allergy, but "food sensitivities" are also quite common and because these reactions are much less violent and dangerous they are potentially more deceptive and often left undiagnosed. I was struggling on and off with migraines, fatigue, weight gain and digestive issues, but it was so easy to just write it off as not getting enough sleep, or just eating a little too much, etc. Since I've always been such a health conscious eater, there may have been some denial that my issues could be food-related. Then I reached a point when I knew it was time to focus on getting answers.*

two of my favorite foods- edamame & tofu

It could mean that something you ate last Friday is causing a headache on Monday. It's very difficult to find out the connections between your symptoms and specific foods, but so worth it to find out! One way of doing so is a food elimination diet, which is a pretty common solution. There are plenty of variations, but here's a simple example: eat clean for seven days, avoiding meat, fish, wheat, citrus fruits, dairy, soy, corn, caffeine, alcohol, bread, eggs, sugars, peanuts, artificial food colorings or preservatives. No packaged foods! Try hard to increase your intake of whole foods, including fruits, grains, vegetables, and protein sources. I made lots of fresh vegetable juices and fruit smoothies. And then on the eighth day begin to introduce foods back in one at a time. It's very important to keep a food journal of what you eat, the way you feel throughout the diet, and any changes in weight. This will get you to connect the dots. Don't forget to pump up the probiotics during and after the elimination diet. It will re-establish the proper balance of healthful bacteria in your intestines which was probably depleted if you have a longtime food sensitivity.
 

i highly recommend this acupuncture office!

With the help of my amazing friend who is an acupuncturist we customized an elimination diet plan that I stuck to for over 30 days. This was also combined with daily Bikram yoga classes, weekly acupuncture sessions, and some Chinese herbs before introducing any potential food culprits back in. I was determined to detox my system and bring it back into a state of balance. I can't begin to tell you how much better I felt; and how bittersweet it was to find out out soy had been the cause of my symptoms. I also realized a few more things about myself along the way...like my body doesn't really love dairy. Or gluten. And I don't always need to drink wine with dinner. Ha. But hey- all in moderation, right? I am taking a much-needed break from soy, but may try to reintroduce it in a year or so. In the meantime I have so many other delicious options to choose from, and I learned a few tricks along the way. Who needs soy milk in a cappuccino when you have coconut milk? Seriously. Side note: I've developed a strong love of rice pasta. (And breakfast smoothies with a handful of spinach.) Sure I most likely will have lots of questions about the menu when we go out to eat in a restaurant, but that's fine with me. Having to be creative with food choices can bring delicious results, so just go for it...you can only get healthier and feel happier. I have a big ol' food journal full of unique recipes and positive reactions to prove it.

* Disclaimer: a 30 day elimination diet is likely to cause weight loss, clear skin, heightened energy, and decreased stress levels. Be prepared for good things! If you have questions about any of the above suggestions, don' t hesitate to ask.  As with any health advice, please consult your health practitioner(s) to prepare a plan that best suits you.

Got Stylist?

there are so many reasons why Becca and i decided it was time to really focus on getting our blog out there.  we have had so many women come up to us, when we are together and/or individually, and ask us where we bought something or if we can take them shopping.  well, the good news is that this is one of the other facets of MavenFresh!  not only can you come to us for statement accessories, but we are available for style consultations - for fashion and for life.  our fashion style consultations can consist of helping you re-vamp your look for the season or in general by taking you shopping or suggesting things that you can look for while on your own.  life style consulting includes assisting a transition into vegetarian or vegan living or the choice to incorporate healthier life choices - cause let's face it, you have to feel good to look good!  we both have impressive resumes when it comes to both style and health and we want to assist you in feeling and looking your best!  life should be fun! fashion and healthy living are our tools to use to make it fun.  interested? inbox us at mavenfresh@gmail to get started today!!

Don't we look like we are having fun? lol