Budgeting With Boys

Buying and Selling on Poshmark vs. Mercari

I recently posted a blog on Making Money as a Stay at Home Mom. I buy and sell items on multiple platforms to maximize my sales. This blog post will take you through the ins and outs of buying and selling on Poshmark vs. Mercari. This is a more in depth account of my previous blog post on Buying and Selling with Poshmark.

Poshmark

Just over two years ago, I started my selling journey on Poshmark. Poshmark has a great platform that is easy to navigate. In the comparison of Poshmark vs. Mercari I am definitely more of a Poshmark girl.

To get started, download the app onto your phone. Launch the app and follow the on screen prompts to create your profile. Next, choose a great name and include a picture so the prospective buyer get an idea on where their new items are coming from. After you create your profile you can immediately start uploading items to sell on your page.

Uploading Sale Items on Poshmark

The key to creating a great listing on Poshmark is photographs and price point! Make sure the pictures you are taking properly document the condition of the item you are selling while highlighting its great features with a neutral backdrop. Ensure you have a clean backdrop that highlights the item you are selling.

If an item you are selling has flaws or stains make sure to properly document them in your listing. Items purchased from your Poshmark shop can be contested by the buyer. If the buyer wins, the item will be shipped back to you and you will not receive payment on that item.

To upload an item for sale, simply click the button on the bottom of the application that says “Sell” with a picture of a camera above it. The app will take you through a series of prompts to create your listing.

One of the most important parts of your listing is creating an appropriate price point for your item. The price point depends on the brand and item you are selling. Do research comparison for the item you will be listing by searching for the same item on Poshmark. If you price your item too high, it will just sit on the market. Poshmark allows you to edit or adjust your sale price at any time.

Advertising your Listed Items

Once your item is uploaded into your closet, you have a chance to advertise your sale items in different platforms. Different Poshmark “Parties” happen everyday at different times. You are allowed to share your sales items within the Poshmark Parties as long as the item meets the criteria for the Party. For example they always have a “Best in Shoes Party”, during that party you can share all of the shoe listing you have for sale in your closet. Joining these parties allows your listing to reach a larger buyer base.

Follow other peoples closets and share their listings because it will allow you to receive more followers. Poshmark has a Poshmark Ambassadors Program to become a Poshmark Ambassador you have to follow their set guidelines in the My Posh Stats of your profile. Becoming a Poshmark Ambassador indicates to others you are a trusted seller and you can get more sales because of your status.

Offer vs. Buy Now

There are two options when you are purchasing an item on Poshmark, you can either click Buy Now or Offer. If you click Buy Now, you will purchase the item at the listed sales price but remember as the buyer you will have to pay for shipping and taxes. The second option is Offer, you can offer the seller any price you would like for the sale item. The seller will either accept your offer, offer a counter offer, or decline your offer. If the seller declines your offer you can always offer the seller a different price and see if they will accept it.

I always make an offer on items because generally people will take less than what the item is listed for because they want to sell the item quickly.

As a buyer, if you “like” a listed item on someones page, they can send you offers for the item you liked with discounted shipping. This is a great option if you are tracking an item and not ready to commit to purchasing it yet. As a seller you can create offers for any listing that currently has a “like.” Poshamark requires as a seller if you are making an offer to prospective buyers that the item must be discounted at least 10 percent and you must discount the shipping.

Boxing Sales Items

After you make a sale, you must ship the item out within three days (there are exceptions for weekends and holidays). If you are going out of town, Poshmark gives you the option of putting your closet in “Vacation Mode”. “Vacation Mode” means people can still see your closet but they cannot buy anything from your closet while you are out of town.

The main thing about boxing and shipping your sale item is you want it safe and secure. Poshmark provides ALL of the shipping labels and allows you to print them from your computer. The great thing about shipping through Poshmark is you can use the Priority Mail Boxes from the Post Office to ship. Priority Mailboxes from the Post Office are FREE! You cannot use the Express Priority Mailboxes so be aware of that when grabbing boxes.

Generally, I grab a large variety of boxes when I go into the Post Office and bring them home with me. I also use polymailers for smaller items. I purchased my polymailers in bulk from Amazon. Although you can use any cardboard boxes you have on hand, you want your box to look nice. You can decorate your boxes or send Thank You notes as a way to earn a good reviews.

Shipping your Sales Items

Once you package your item, print and attach the shipping label that will be sent to your email by Poshmark. Take the time to the Post Office and drop it at their prepaid package counter, there is no reason to wait in line!

When your package has shipped, you can track the shipment on the Poshmark App. Once the item is received the buyer has three days to contest the item. Once the item has been accepted by the buyer the money earned for your sale will be deposited into your Poshmark account. The money in the Poshmark account can be cashed out of applied to purchases on the Poshmark App.

Mercari

To maximize my sales I began selling on Mercari as well. I basically create double listings; one on Poshmark and one on Mercari. If an item sells on either platform then I delete the other duplicate listing.

Mercari is a very similar platform to Poshmark. Start by downloading the App and launching it onto your phone. Create your username page with a picture. Immediately begin uploading items for sale onto your page.

Uploading Sales Items on Mercari

Uploading items for sale on Mercari is very similar to uploading items onto Poshmark. Just like Poshmark, to upload your sale item you simply click the “Sell” button on the bottom of your application. Follow the on screen prompts to list your item for sale.

In my experience, items listed for sale in Mercari generally sell for a lower price than Poshmark . Make sure you market and list your item exactly as you would do on Poshmark.

Boxing Sale Items and Shipping

The negative aspect of Mercari is you have to provide all of your shipping boxes. Mercari does not allow you to ship using USPS boxes like Poshmark. Mercari also makes the seller calculate their shipping costs. In order to calculate your shipping costs effectively you need a small postal scale. Using Poshmark all packages are shipped through USPS. Using Mercari, packages can be shipped through USPS, Fed-Ex, or UPS.

Mercari encourages the seller to cover the shipping costs in each listing. Shipping costs in general are more expensive on Mercari as opposed to Poshmark.

Mercari Messaging System

The thing Mercari has that Poshmark doesn’t is an instant messenger feature. Buyers and Sellers can directly asked questions about an item through Mercari’s instant messaging system which makes things easier.

Poshmark currently does not have a messaging system. The only way to talk to someone through Poshmark is by commenting on a listing in public forum.

Advertising Sale Items on Mercari

Currently the only way to advertise sale items on Mercari is to lower the price which allows that item to be moved to the top of the thread. There are no parties or events to share your listed items in like Poshmark.

Conclusion

Overall, I prefer the Poshmark platform to the Mercari platform. Poshmark has an easier user manifest and makes packaging an shipping items a breeze. The only thing Poshmark can approve upon would be a direct messaging system for buyers and sellers like Mercari.

I will continue to sell on both platforms to maximize my sales. Hopefully this tutorial in distinguishing the benefits and downfalls on buying and selling on Poshmark vs. Mercari.

Making Money as a Stay at Home Mom

I became a Stay at Home Mom after having my second son, and it has been challenging to say the least! I loved working but I felt that for me and my family it was more important for me to give up my career to be on the home front. Being a Stay at Home Mom comes with lots of challenges but one of the most challenging aspects of every household is money. I had the exact same salary as my husband so deciding to give up half of our income was not an easy decision. Over the last year and a half I have been trying to find ways to make money to supplement my husbands income and I am happy to say I am finally Making Money as a Stay at Home Mom! Here is my guide to making cash without any gimmicks or schemes!

Getting Started: Making Money From Home

I started my Stay at Home Mom money making mission by going through and purging my wardrobe, purses, and shoes. We all have those clothes we are holding onto from before having kids! Let me tell you, there is no way I am wearing low rise pants again…that just isn’t going to happen!

First, I started by listing my items on the buying and selling app Poshmark. In the beginning, I was simply selling the items I didn’t need anymore. As sales picked up, I realized I needed more inventory to keep my sales going! That is when I discovered my new business of buying and selling clothing, purses, and shoes!

To get comfortable using the Poshmark or Mercari marketplaces, I would first start by going through your items at home and list the items for sale you no longer use. This will give you an idea of shipping rates, the shipping and packaging process, and pricing and selling.

Finding Inventory: Thrift Shops and Goodwill

There are several places I find inventory for my sales; my own closets, Facebook, Goodwill, and local Thrift Shops. By far the best place to buy designer clothes at a great price is Goodwill and local Thrift Shops.

Patagonia, Columbia, North Face, Banana Republic, Ralph Lauren, and Tory Burch are just a few of the name brands I have found at my local Goodwills. The best part about Goodwill and Thrift Shops are the prices. These stores often have sales throughout the year, so keep an eye out to maximize your savings.

I purchased this Tory Burch Purse at Goodwill for $4.99 and resold it for $75!

Make sure you do your research and check whether the item you are going to purchase has a good resale value. I generally just google the item on my cell phone in store prior to purchasing so I have an idea of the resale price. Sometimes I find expensive items just by feeling the garment and then looking up the designer. Recently, I found a shirt at the local Goodwill that I purchased for $9.99 and the original sale price of the shirt was $950!

I purchased this Roksandra shirt for $9.99 it has an original sale price of $950!

If you like to hunt and dig Goodwill and Thrift Shops will be your new favorite place!

Finding Inventory: Facebook Marketplace and Facebook Groups

Another place I find my inventory is from Facebook. I am apart of several online local Facebook groups that give clothing, purses, and shoes away for free. I pick up the free items locally and then resell them.

This is a Free Vegan Leather Diaper Bag I got on a Facebook Group and resold online for $30

Facebook Marketplace often has designer purses in my local area at reasonable prices. Recently, I purchased a large Tory Burch purse on Facebook Marketplace for $60 and resold it on Poshmark for $140.

I bought this Tory Burch Bag from Facebook Marketplace for $60 and resold it for $140 on Poshmark.

Just remember to do your research before buying on Facebook Marketplace. There are several scammers out there selling fake designer bags and merchandise. Also, always offer less than the purchase price. Just because an item is listed for a set amount on Facebook does not mean you have to pay that price. Haggling is your greatest tool on Facebook!

Dedication and Pay Out:

Typically, I check the local thrift shops and Goodwill a few times a month to keep my inventory fresh. I generally spend $60-$80 a month on new items. My average monthly income from buying and selling online is $1,000 a month.

For me, this is the easiest way to make money as a stay at home Mom. Buying and selling online takes a few hours out of my day. If the kids are having a difficult day, I can wait to do my buying, photographing, or packaging when they are sleeping. If you want to be your own boss while staying at home without any gimmicks this just might be the right side hustle for you!

Keep an eye out for my next blog post where I discuss selling and shipping on Poshmark, Mercari, and Facebook Marketplace! I will walk you through photographs, packaging, shipping, and site navigation. Stay tuned and happy hunting! Shop my Poshmark closet by clicking on the link for my ideas!

Three Ingredient Cake Mix Cookies!

I have a major sweet tooth! Every year we make a Christmas cookie box for our neighbors and friends. While some recipes are more complicated than others my favorite cookie to add to the mix are these simple and delicious Three Ingredient Cake Mix Cookies!

White cake mix is $0.79 at my local grocery store. Sometimes I mix it up in an attempt to be healthyish and I buy Sugar Free white cake mix, although this is a little more expensive at $1.45 a box. Taste wise, there is no real difference if you choose to use regular cake mix or the sugar free mix; choose the cake mix that is right for you and your budget.

Check out my recipe for these amazing Three Ingredient Cake Mix Cookies and help satisfy that sweet tooth.

Ingredients:

Box of White Cake Mix
1/2 Cup Vegetable Oil
2 Eggs
1/2 cup of sprinkles or candy (optional)

Directions:

Preheat your oven to 350 degrees. Prepare a cookie sheet by lining it with a silicone baking sheet or parchment paper.

In a mixing bowl, combine white cake mix, vegetable oil, and eggs. Mix the ingredients with a spatula until they are well incorporated.

All Ingredients Added to a Bowl Prior to Mixing

Mix until Everything is Well Incorporated

Optional: Add the sprinkles or candy to the dough mixture. Fold the sprinkles or candy into the dough, do not over mix them because you do not want them to break down.

Using a small cookie scoop, scoop the cookie dough onto the lined baking sheet. Bake the cookies at 350 degrees for 8-10 minutes.

Dough Scooped out onto Parchment Baking Sheet

This recipe makes approximately 24 cookies.

Fun With Sprinkles

One of the reasons I love this cookie, other than the fact that they are delicious, is that they work for EVERY Holiday.

Three Ingredient Cake Mix Cookies with Holiday Sprinkles

Change the sprinkle color and shapes for each holiday season. Christmas, Halloween, Valentine’s Day…really the possibility of sprinkle choices are endless.

Candy Couldn’t Hurt

Three Ingredient Cake Mix Cookies with M&M's — Three Ingredient Cake Mix Cookies with M&M’s

Have any leftover Halloween Candy? Just dump them into this cookie instead of the sprinkles to make them extra decadent. Any number of common candies would be great in this cookie: M&M’s, Reese’s, Snickers, Twix, Milkyway…I could go on an on.

One of my favorite candies to add is of course M&M’s. That candy coated chocolate bite satisfies my chocolate craving every time!

Customizing Three Ingredient Cake Mix Cookies

These cookies are great to customize for parties and holidays.

Every year I make a holiday cookie box for my neighbors and every year this three ingredient cake mix cookie makes it in! I simply add a few drops of green food coloring to the three ingredient cake mix dough and place one red M&M or larger red heart sprinkle in the center of the cookie prior to baking. These easy cookies have now been magically transformed into Grinch Cookies!

ANY boxed cake mix can be used to create different flavor combinations. Chocolate Cake Mix, Lemon Cake Mix, and Spice Cake Mix are some of my favorites! What are you waiting for?

These simple and deliciously easy three ingredient cake mix cookies are sure to be a hit with the entire house!

Updating Discounted Chairs on a Budget

Velvet Chair with Gold Accents for less than $70 a Chair!

Decorating is something I enjoy doing, and I love the challenge of decorating on a budget. I wanted to add two chairs to our living room to make the area more functional but I did not want to break the bank. There were several chairs I fell in love with online but they fell within the 300-500 dollar range. Ideally for this project I wanted to spend no more than $100 a chair. Join me on my journey for Updating Discounted Chairs on a Budget!

The above picture is my living room space after completing my DIY Barn Door Shutters project. While the space is functional, we needed more seating for entertaining. I recently purchased blue velvet curtains for my home office and wanted to continue with the same material in the living room. My online hunt for the perfect blue velvet chair began.

Purchasing the Perfect Chair

While I found several chairs that would fit the space perfectly, they were all sadly outside my budget. I found a blue velvet chair on Wayfair that fit within my budget called the Alivia Armchair.

The chair was listed on sale for $150 a chair. While this seems outside of my budget it wasn’t because I had a credit at Wayfair for $128. I obtained the Wayfair credit because I ordered an electric fireplace for my Faux Built-in Fireplace with Shiplap home renovation project from Wayfair and it came with some marks on it. Wayfair will offer to completely replace your item or provide a credit for the damage. Generally, I take the credit if it is something I can easily fix.

Initially I thought I was paying $172 for both chairs however, when the chairs arrived they both had paint damage to the black portion of the chair. Wayfair gave me $60 off my purchase price because of the paint damage. This discount brought the price of both chairs down to $112, that is $56 per chair! For this project, the paint damage was not an issue because I already had plans to repaint the chairs. The moral of this story is don’t be afraid to ask for a discount if a product arrives in a less than perfect condition.

Updating the Chairs

The chair base color needed to be redone in order for the chair to have more character and fit into my design style. I picked out a Metallic Gold spray paint made by Rust-Oleum.

I removed the chair base from the chair seat. The chair seat was easily removable and was only connected by a few screws.

Each chair base was coated with two coats of Metallic Gold Rust-Oleum paint. It took 3 cans of Metallic Gold paint for both chairs.

After the final Metallic Gold paint coat dried, I sprayed each chair base with Rust-Oleum Matte Finish Clear Protective Finish. The Clear Protective Finish helps prevent the gold paint from being scratched off.

Once everything was completely dry, I reattached the chair seats to the chair bases.

I played with the placement of my new fabulous chairs and finally came up with the perfect layout.

These chairs are comfortable, stylish, and best of all they did not break the bank. The total cost of BOTH chairs and all of the spray paint was $135. Think outside of the box and have fun revamping inexpensive furniture to fit your design style and needs. I can’t wait to see what you create!

Buffalo Plaid Painted Pumpkins

Halloween time is here in full affect! We have been decorating our house like crazy trying to get ready for our favorite holiday. I decided to decorate my farmhouse porch with pumpkins and mums because it will be transitional staple for Fall, Halloween, and Thanksgiving! Originally, I put a mix of white, green, and orange pumpkins out on the porch of various shapes and sizes. My porch was cute but it missing something. I decided to paint the orange pumpkins and my project turned out better than I could have expected. Check out my step by step guide for these fabulous farmhouse Buffalo Plaid Painted Pumpkins!

Materials:

Pumpkin
White Paint
Black Paint
Paint Brush
Ribbon (optional)

*There is no down time when applying paint for this project, no need to wait for anything to dry just follow each step!

Directions:

Place the pumpkin of your choosing on a surface you don’t mind getting paint on, I put down some old Trader Joe’s bags to paint on.

Paint the entire pumpkin white. I had leftover paint from various projects around the house so I utilized it to make these pumpkins! If you are worried about getting paint on the stem simply cover the bottom of the stem with tape and remove after painting. I didn’t tape the stems of my pumpkins because I knew I was adding ribbons at the end of the project.

Place a good amount of white paint into a disposable plate or bowl and add a drop or two of black paint. Mix the black and white paint together until you have a beautiful gray color.

Place 8 vertical lines on the pumpkin with gray paint.

With the same gray paint, paint two horizontal lines onto the pumpkin. Place one horizontal line towards the top half of the pumpkin and one towards the bottom half. If your pumpkin is on the taller side you might need to add an extra horizontal gray line to make the pumpkin look more uniform.

Using black paint only, paint a square at each point that the horizontal and vertical gray lines meet. There should be 16 black squares on each pumpkin. Don’t worry if your lines are not perfectly straight, everything will look great in the end, I promise!

I had extra farmhouse fabric from a set of no sew curtains I recently completed (stay tuned for that tutorial). Once the pumpkins were dry, I cut the fabric into long strips and tied them into bows around the stems of each pumpkin. I placed the pumpkins onto the porch and they could not be any more perfect!

Buffalo Plaid Painted Pumpkins on the porch

DIY Built-in Closet Organizers

At our last house, we hired a big name closet storage company to come in and redo our master closet. We spent a ridiculous amount on built-ins for basically particle board. For our new house I knew we needed drawer storage in our Master Bedroom closet but sadly it was not in our budget. I challenged myself to think outside the box or closet in this case! I came up with a plan to build my own storage! Follow my DIY built-in Closet Organizers guide to help make your life and your closet a little more organized.

Materials:

4 IKEA Rast 3 Drawer Dressers
Paint
Decorative Drawer Pulls
Trim
Nail Gun
Brackets (8)
Wood
Peel and Stick Wallpaper
Caulk
Full Length Mirror

Simplifying the Project

Instead of building everything from scratch I found inexpensive three drawer wood dressers from Ikea of all places. The Rast 3 drawer dresser from Ikea is only $39.99 per dresser.

I wanted to build a built-in dresser for myself and my husband so I ordered 4 Rast 3 Drawer Dressers(2 dressers for each person)

I do not live near an IKEA so I ordered the dressers online and had them shipped to me. IKEA offers reasonable shipping, I had all of the dressers shipped to me for a flat rate of $9.99.

Accessories

The Rast 3 drawer dressers are pretty plain. I decided to paint the dressers with a gray paint I had leftover from another project. I love to utilize the paints and stains I already have on hand to help save money.

Amazon had some really cute, really inexpensive crystal drawer pulls that were perfect for my closest renovation.

I got 25 glass drawer pulls for $15.25. They are cute and inexpensive, which fit my project perfectly.

Getting Started

First, start by assembling all four dressers. Once the dressers have been assembled, it is time to paint. Paint each dresser with the paint of your choosing.

After everything is dry, make sure the drawers have been removed and attach the bottom dressers to the wall using the support strap that is included with the dresser.

Stack the second dresser on top of the first dresser and attach it to the wall with the provided support strap.

Attach the top dresser to the bottom dresser using 4, 2 inch brackets (2 on each side). These brackets will help keep the dresser stabilized.

Once the dressers were in place, I attached a piece of decorative trim to the gap between the two dressers to give it a more customized look

Using a nail gun, I attached a piece of wood to each side of the dresser. I decided to run the wood on each side all the way up to our existing closet shelf. Running the wood up the side gives the built-in dresser a shelf to place belongings.

I added trim to the wall along each side of the unit using a nail gun. After all of the trim pieces were in place I caulked and touched up paint on the unit.

I assembled the second built-in unit using the guide above.

I had left over Peel and Stick Wallpaper from my Pantry Renovation and Reorganization on a Budget, so I decided to incorporate it into my closet renovation.

I used the Buffalo Plaid patterned Peel and Stick Wallpaper to line the sides of the built-ins and the back wall behind the unit.

I decided to add a full length mirror to the built-in unit. Target had the perfect mirror for $16.99. I attached the mirror to the built-in dressers with Command Strips.

These DIY built-in Closet Organizers cost less than $300 total and completely changed the functionality of our space.

Guiltless Microwave Mug Cake

I LOVE dessert. I am one of those people that needs something sweet after lunch and dinner. While I know dessert is not the best thing for me, I am always looking for new recipes to curb my sweet tooth without busting my waist line. The idea of microwavable mug cakes have been around for a while. I have created my healthyish version of a microwave mug cake using Kodiak Cake mix and I am obsessed. Follow my recipe below for the best Guiltless Microwave Mug Cakes you will find!

If you like and use Kodiak Cake Mix, then you know there are a variety of cake mixes including, almond poppyseed, chocolate chip, dark chocolate, and buttermilk. There are several other Kodiak Cake Mix varieties, head over to their website for a complete guide!

The key to making the best Guiltless Microwave Mug Cake is to use whatever flavor of Kodiak Cake Mix you are craving. I keep a variety of Kodiak Cake Mixes on hand at all times! Here is the recipe for my Guiltless Microwave Mug Cake:

INGREDIENTS:

1 Tsp Unsalted Butter
1/4 Cup Kodiak Cakes Mix of your choice
1/4 Tsp of Baking Powder
1 Tablespoon Maple Syrup
2 Tablespoons Almond Milk

ADD INS (OPTIONAL):

Feel like making this mug cake a little less guilt free then feel free to add the following to give it an extra pump of greatness.

1/4 Tsp vanilla extract
8-10 chocolate chips
sprinkling of cinnamon and sugar over the top
drizzle of powdered sugar mixed with almond milk over the top

DIRECTIONS:

Place 1 Tsp of unsalted butter into a microwave safe mug and heat in the microwave for 30 seconds

Add 1/4 cup Kodiak Cake Mix of your choice, 1/4 Tsp of Baking Powder, 1 Tbsp of Maple Syrup, and 2 Tbsps of Almond Milk to the mug and stir to combine. (add in any of the extras you like at this point)

Place the mug back in the microwave for 1 minute and 30 seconds.

Kodiak Almond Poppy Seed Mug Cake Fresh out of the Microwave!

Remove from the microwave and top with cinnamon sugar or a drizzle of powdered sugar and almond milk if desired.

Buttermilk and Honey Kodiak Cake Mix with Cinnamon Sugar Top

*The calorie count above is for the classic recipe without any of the add ins. If you add any additional items be aware the nutritional information will change.

I love this recipe and I hope you will too!

~Enjoy~

DIY Rolling Umbrella Stand

Recently, I have been doing a lot of renovations to our backyard but because we purchased a new build we are seriously lacking shade. I wanted to buy a movable umbrella stand so I didn’t have to lug a stationary umbrella stand around the yard. After doing some online research I discovered one thing–umbrella stands are super expensive! While on an impromptu shopping trip to Hobby Lobby, I found a really cool metal rolling laundry cart that was 75% off. I knew I had to buy it and turn it into a cool outdoor farmhouse umbrella stand. Follow me on my journey to the best budget friendly DIY Rolling Umbrella Stand.

Materials:

Metal rolling cart or bucket: $20
5 Gallon Home Depot Bucket: $2.98
50 Lb bag of fast set concrete mix: $3.98
1″x24″ PVC Pipe: $2.34
Duct Tape
Filler
Pea Gravel or decorative element
Umbrella: $30
Spray Paint (optional)

*I purchased all of my materials from Home Depot, except for the rolling cart which I purchased at Hobby Lobby. If you can’t find a cute metal laundry bucket on wheels, there are several metal buckets online you could purchase. If you find a bucket you love without wheels, you could always purchase small wheels at Home Depot and attach them to the bucket.

Step 1:

Take the PVC pipe and completely Duct Tape one end of the pipe. The Duct Tape is added to the end of the PVC pipe to prevent cement from coming into the pipe while mixing. The PVC pipe will be what the umbrella is placed into so you want to ensure nothing will obstruct the umbrella pole from going into the pipe.

PVC Pipe Covered in Duct Tape- Go Longhorns!

Step 2:

Take the Home Depot 5 gallon bucket and place it on a level surface. Place the PVC pipe duct tape down into the center of the bucket. Hold the PVC pipe in place while you add the entire bag of quick setting cement into the bucket.

PVC pipe in Home Depot bucket with quick setting cement

Step 3:

Follow the directions on the bag of quick setting cement and add the appropriate amount of water into the Home Depot bucket. Once the water has been added, work quickly using a scrap piece of wood and stir the quick setting cement without disturbing the PVC pipe in the center. Mix until the cement is well incorporated. Let this set for several hours.

Quick set cement drying in bucket with PVC pipe in the center

Step 4:

Once the cement is dry I took a can of black spray paint I had in the garage and used it to spray the PVC pipe black. I didn’t want the white PVC pipe to stand out like a sore thumb against the black umbrella base.

PVC Pipe set in the bucket painted black

Step 5:

Place the Home Depot bucket inside of the rolling metal bin. Because I was adding pea gravel to the top of the metal bin for decoration, I had to add a lighter filler to the surrounding areas so the bucket would not be too heavy. I decided to cut up an old moving blanket I found in my garage and layer it inside the metal bin. I poured a thin layer of pea gravel on top of the moving blanket. Simply place your umbrella of choice into the PVC pipe and enjoy the shade!

Peanut Butter Protein Balls

I try to convince my kids to eat somewhat healthy snacks occasionally. However, I have two super picky eaters. I tweaked a recipe for Protein Balls to make it my own in hopes my kids would eat it….and it worked my kids loved it! Let me tell you how to get this amazingly healthyish kid approved Peanut Butter Protein Balls snack!

Chia seeds are a regular in our house but my kids rarely choose to eat them because of the texture. While my husband and I love our Chia Seed Breakfast Bowls, the kids will not touch them. So this recipe is great to get some nutrients into their bodies while they think they are eating dessert.

Ingredients:

1 cup Rolled Oats
1/2 cup Chocolate Chips (I like dark chocolate but the kids prefer semi sweet…use whatever you have on hand)
1/4 cup Chia Seeds
1/2 cup Peanut Butter (or whatever nut butter you prefer)
2 TBSP of Honey

Directions:

Start by adding your 1 cup of Rolled Oats to a large mixing bowl.

Add 1/2 Cup of your Chocolate Chips of choice to the Rolled Oats.

1/4 Cup of Chia Seeds

Next, add 1/4 Cup of Chia Seeds to the mixing bowl.

1/2 Cup of Peanut Butter

Next, add 1/2 Cup of Peanut Butter to your mixing bowl.

Add 2 Tablespoons of Honey to the mixing bowl.

All of the Ingredients Mixed Together

Finally, mix all of the ingredients together with a spatula until everything is well incorporated.

Scoop out Protein Balls onto Parchment

Using a small cookie scoop, scoop the Peanut Butter Protein Balls onto parchment paper. Store in the fridge and enjoy!

Tips and Tricks

If you decide to use a different nut butter such as Almond Butter, Cashew Butter, or All Natural Peanut Butter you may have to add more or less honey depending on the consistency. The honey is the binder in this recipe and helps the balls stay in their natural form.

A variety of healthy options could be added to these balls to make them amazing such as toasted coconut, nuts, or dried fruit!

If you are looking for a healthier alternative to dessert or a mid day pick me up then you definitely have to make these amazing Peanut Butter Protein Balls!

Chia Seed Breakfast Bowls

I am always looking for something sustainable and healthy to eat for breakfast to get me through the day. My husband came to me and expressed his desire to go back on a lower carb diet. I always make our Easy Sausage, Cheese, and Potato Egg Cups. Although the egg cups are amazing, I needed to incorporate a new breakfast dish into our rotation to keep things fresh. I decide to go with a dish that was vegan and keto friendly, Chia Seed Breakfast Bowls.

Chia seeds are chalk full of nutrients and are great for you! I always have a bag of chia seeds on hand that I buy in bulk at the grocery store. Generally, I use chia seeds when I make Peanut Butter Energy Balls. I decided to branch out and make Chia Seed Breakfast Bowls also known as Chia Seed Pudding. Here is the super simple recipe!

Ingredients:

2 Cups of Coconut Milk (almond, oat, cow milk can be substituted here…use your milk of choice!)
1/2 Cup of Chia Seeds
2 Tsps Vanilla
4 Tbsps Syrup
Fruit/Toppings of Choice

Directions:

Combine all of the ingredients into a glass bowl and mix well.

Portion the mix evenly into 4 glass jars with lids.

Chia Seed Bowls Portioned and Ready for the Fridge

Place in the refrigerator and let it set overnight.

Remove the lid, add your favorite toppings, and enjoy! Personally I enjoy it with strawberries but it would be great with any nut or fruit you have on hand. Make it decadent by adding chocolate!

Chia Seed Bowl with Strawberries and Bananas

Mix it Up!

The toppings are literally endless for this amazing breakfast item! I generally like to add something naturally sweet, strawberries are my go to. However, I use whatever I have on hand.

The other morning, I took the kids leftover peeled apple slices and transformed them into baked apples. I simply cut the apples into small chunks, added a teaspoon of cinnamon, a teaspoon of coconut sugar, and a 1/2 teaspoon of butter into a microwave safe bowl. Next, I microwaved the apples for 2 minutes, stirred them, then microwaved them for another two minutes. Then, I let the apples cool before adding them to my cold Chia Seed Pudding. This was literally the best combination I have tried yet!

Chia Seed Breakfast Bowl with Baked Apples

While these tasty treats are generally enjoyed as a breakfast item for me, they can be easily transformed into a dessert dish! Whatever the day and whatever the craving may be, you have to try this amazing low carb, vegan friendly, keto treat!

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