Gluten free, soy free, diary free, nut and much more free? Yup! I’ve always been nut free – deathly allergic to all things nut related. I gave up all these other things a few years ago. Here’s my story….
I’m not sure exactly when I started feeling bad, I think it was a slow decline. In 2008, I graduated from college, moved to a new city, started a new job, basically – I started being “an adult”. I felt like crap every day – I was tired, no matter how much I slept and I had trouble focusing. Every time I ate I felt sick and full, for hours, no matter how much I ate. I was gaining weight and I started getting random pains in my wrists and shoulders – so bad that it would wake me up at night. I wondered how I was going to handle a job, potentially a family, for the rest of my life feeling like this – So I took an intolerance test and realized I’ve been eating a TON of stuff my body hates.
Four weeks after cutting these foods our of my diet my family began mentioning that I looked really good, brighter, happier – I felt better too, I felt rested, I didn’t feel sick, and I had lost a few pounds. I had energy again; I could go out after eating or could get stuff done after work instead of just going to bed. Life was good! Then I realized that this had to be a life change and I was never going to be able to eat some of my favorite foods again….. so I decided to document all of my recipe creations here (because quite honestly, I always lose stuff).
Urban organic gardener? Why not? In 2010 I bought my little bungalow on the NW side of Chicago and in seeing my new neighbors beautiful garden decided that it would be a good idea to rip out all of the horrible shrubs in the front beds with garden delusions of grandeur. I tried flowers first…. Dirt, dirt, dirt, flowers, flowers, flowers, $$$, $$$, $$$. I planted for hours and hours – all afternoon, all night (hey gardening is really fun by street light with a vodka Red Bull ok?). One thing I didn’t realize – these beds get full sun, those plants like shade. Within weeks, I was left with shriveled twigs.
I almost gave up….until I realized that the 4 green bean plants and 4 cucumber plants in the tiny bed in the back yard were actually surviving. In a few short months – SUCCESS! We literally ate a cucumber a day for lunch and green beans every night for dinner during the entire summer! So year 3 I was determined to grow only vegetables and I did – in the front yard – with TONS of success! I’m still learning so as I do, I’ll post stuff here!
Homesteader? I’m not even close to being 100% self sufficient but I try in ways I can. What are you supposed to do when you get like 20 pounds of zuchinni, yellow squash and pickling cucumbers? No way to eat it all now, I figured I’d try my hand at canning (which I had never done before). I’ve been doing it ever since with everything I can get my hands on!
Ex-Fashion Designer? I hate to say ex but quite honestly, I haven’t designed much in quite some time. If I have a degree in it am I always one? A lot of designers don’t have degrees and are one so can I just say I am? Who knows. Hopefully you’ll see some posts in the Studio which means I’ve been able to set aside some time to do a little sewing!
Internet Marketing Consultant? Boring – not going to go into much detail here
Who likes to Craft? Uhhhh who doesn’t? Not going to lie, a few years ago I wouldn’t be able to say that but there’s been a craft revolution and some of the people I would NEVER imagine picking up a glue stick are – hopefully you can learn a few things from this seasoned craft veteran!
So yeah, who says life’s simple?