Leap of Faith

I've always dreamed of being my own boss, living life on my terms and making my own mark in this world. I've wondered what it would be like to find something that inspires you to the point that you can't stop thinking about it and you NEED to do something about it. One small problem I never found anything I was that passionate about, that was until I became vegan. That may sound strange, but non the less it's true. I immediately fell in love with this lifestyle and more so as time went on. I truly feel I am meant to live this way. Nothing has ever felt more natural to me. 

Another thing I've become passionate about on this journey is limiting the number of chemicals we are using. I've become obsessive when it comes to reading product labels and I couldn't believe how many chemicals were in our everyday items. This is what led to me creating my own products. I've made my own sugar scrubs, beard balm, body whips and bath salts to name a few. I've had a few friends and family try them out and the feed back was amazing. Everyone raved about them. Their excitement made me excited. Then I had a thought that there might be something here. This could be something that not only I enjoy, but could make a career out of. It's creative which I love and it's vegan which I love!! Then one evening when I was making a sugar scrub my husband suggested that I turn this into more than a hobby. Little did he know that the little push I needed.

 8oz. Lavender Chamomile Bath Salts and 4oz. Vanilla Chai Sugar Scrub

Beard Balm

Vanilla Almond Body Whip and Coffee Sugar Scrub

So today I got my business license and Handmade with Love by Kathleen was created. I have never felt more inspired, excited, anxious, nervous, creative, passionate and confident in all of my life. I know this will not be easy, but I also know it's not impossible. I'm willing to do the work to make myself successful. I'm going to be starting off small. I will still be working at my current job until I can focus solely on my business. Fortunately I only currently work part time so I will have plenty of free time to focus on building my business. I will be selling organic sugar scrubs, bath salts, lotion bars, room sprays etc. All of my products are handmade, natural, vegan and cruelty free. 

My plan is to set up a store on Etsy within the next month or two. I would also like to do a few local farmers markets to promote myself in my area. I am ready for this next chapter in my life and I am thankful to everyone who has supported me and given me words of encouragement. I am taking a leap of faith on myself and appreciate the love! If you are dreaming of starting a new chapter in your life I encourage you. Just believe in yourself and have faith. Now it's time to set more goals and demolish them! Stay tuned!! 💚

Roasted Veggie Bowls

Sorry I haven't really been blogging everyday. I'm starting a new adventure and have been very busy. I can't wait until I can share the news with you! In the mean time I hope you enjoy this recipe. I made this for dinner last week. I just love roasted veggies and dinners that come together fast. 

Roasted Veggie Quinoa and Brown Rice Bowls

Ingredients 

1 large red bell pepper. Seeds and ribs removed. 

1 head of cauliflower

1 large bunch of asparagus (snap off tough ends)

3-4 large carrots peeled 

1 box organic brown rice and quinoa 

(You can also sub just rice, just quinoa or use cous cous)

Olive oil

Salt 

Pepper

Nutritional yeast

Garlic powder

Directions 

Preheat oven to 425 degrees Fahrenheit 

Prepare all veggies by chopping them into large bite size pieces.

On a large baking sheet toss the veggies with a few splashes of olive oil, salt, pepper, nutritional yeast and garlic powder. 

Once you have seasoned to your taste place in the oven. Roast veggies for 15 minute, flip then roast for another 10-15 minutes. 

While your veggies are roasting prepare the rice and quinoa according to the package. Once everything is done place some of the rice and quinoa in the bottom of a bowl and top with your veggies. That's it! 

Such a delicious meal with minimal effort. Perfect for busy days. I hope you enjoy!'

Chocolate Peanut Butter Energy Balls

Vegan and Gluten Free

Ingredients:

15 Organic Medjool Dates pitted & halved 

3/4 Cup Gluten Free Non-GMO Oats

1/4 Cup Organic Cocoa or Cacoa Powder

1/2 Cup Non-GMO Walnuts

1/2 Cup Organic Dark Chocolate

1/2 Cup Shredded Organic Coconut

1/2 Cup Natural Peanut Butter 

Directions:

Combine all ingredients in a food processor. Pulse until you have a thick paste. Be sure to scrape down the sides in between pulsing to make sure you have an even mixture. Once you achieve the desired consistency use a mini ice cream scoop or tablespoon to scoop out mixture. Roll into balls. Chill for at least 15-20 minutes on a baking sheet before transferring into an airtight container. You can store them up to two weeks as long as you refrigerate them, but they never last that long in our house. I hope you enjoy these. They are great for snacking in between meals or taking with you on the go for a fast and healthy meal.
Makes 36 Balls.

My Favorite Things: Cleaning Supplies

In this weeks "Favorite Things" it's all about cleaning products. For years I tried different types of "Natural" cleaners and it didn't matter they always made me feel like I could not breathe. Cleaning is never fun, but it's miserable when you feel like you're dying while your cleaning. My body just HATES chemicals. There were times where I could feel my lungs and chest tightening up. It would take at least a day for me to feel normal again. However since going vegan and switching to vegan friendly products I haven't had that problem. All of the products I use are incredibly affordable. You can find all of these at Target. One way to save money is to buy multi surface cleaners that way you don't have a ton of different cleaners for each room which of course will add up at checkout. 

#1 is my all time favorite dish soap 

Seventh Generation is my favorite brand. I love the scent and how well it cleans my dishes. I also love that a little soap goes a long way so I don't feel like I'm wasting any. In the past some dish soaps I would be constantly adding more to my sponge and it just felt wasteful. I truly feel I get my money's worth. The Lavender Floral and Mint is my fave. 

#2 is my favorite household cleaner 

Mrs. Meyer's Clean Day Lavender Scent in their multi-surface everyday cleaner is my go to household cleaner. I'm pretty sure I've used it on every inch of my house. 

#3 is my favorite laundry soap

Seventh Generation Natural Laundry Detergent of course in their Lavender and Blue Eucalyptus Scent. Can you tell I like Lavender?! Just like their dish soap I love the scent, how well it cleans and how a little soap goes a long way. 

Of course I also love that these products are vegan and cruelty free. I truly love everything about the vegan lifestyle. I honestly only wish I decided to do this sooner. I hope you'll try one or all of these products and see that you can have quality cleaning products without harming animals or going broke.