DIY Wood Photo Ornament

Every year I like to add a new ornament to our tree and this year I decided to make them and they turned out better than anything I could have ever bought! 

Our beloved angel Gigi!

To make your own photo transfer wood ornaments, you will need:

- A photo printed on basic computer paper with a laser printer 

- Branch slices about a 1/2 inch thick (I purchased mine from Hobby Lobby)
- Mod Podge
- Drill
- Small ribbon (I used some striped ribbon I had on hand, but color is up to you!)
- Small paintbrush
- Washcloth


Directions:

Cut out your photo to fit the wooden disc. Coat the wood slice with a thin coat of mod podge and place the photo face-down onto the disc. Carefully smooth out all the bubbles, and let it sit overnight. 

The next morning, use a wet washcloth to dampen the photo, rubbing it VERY gently until the paper starts to come off -- and you start to see the image on the wood underneath! Continue to do this until all the paper is gone, but be careful -- if you rub too hard, the image can come off too.

Once you've rubbed off the paper, paint a coat of Mod Podge and let it dry completely. Drill a hole, string it with your ribbon, and hang it on the tree!

Step 1

Step 2

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Step 4

                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                             

Ingredients:

• 2 lbs raw 93% lean ground turkey
• 1 cup all natural mild salsa
• 1 cup cooked quinoa, cooled
• 2 large eggs, lightly beaten
• 3 cloves of garlic, finely chopped
• 1 tsp sea salt or Pink Himalayan Salt

Directions:

1. Preheat oven to 375 F
2. Combine turkey, salsa, quinoa, eggs, garlic, salt, and pepper in a large bowl; mix well by hand or with a rubber spatula
3. Shape mixture into shape of loaf and place on ungreased 13 X 9 baking pan OR pace spoonful in muffin pan
4. Bake for 60-70 minutes in 13 X9 pan OR Bake 45-55min in Muffin Pan
5. Let stand for 10 minutes before serving.
6. Serve with veggies and sweet potato  

**Fellow 21 Day Fix/Extreme (1/2 yellow, 1 red, 1/2 purple for meatloaf muffin. This picture also has 1 yellow (sweet potato), 1 green (broccoli).

Tip: Cut cooked meatloaf into single serving (or use single muffin) and freeze in single resealable plastic bags for future meals! 

Not Just About Weight Loss

It's Transformation TUESDAY and I have to share something that's on my mind! It's been a year since we began our journey and looking back I realize JUST how many things have changed!

I see success stories all the time from people who lose weight with A program, B drink, and C meal plan...but to me it has been more than that..you see, just a year ago, I was a very unhappy person. I had no real reason, I had a beautiful life, a roof over my head, and a family that loved me, but I just couldn't get my mind off what I didn't have. I had this feeling inside that I needed more and I felt like I lost something inside. This way I was living my life took it's toll on my marriage and we constantly argued and had a hard time getting along. I also noticed that it affected my parenting...I was always on edge and I felt like any little thing would set me off. I didn't know what was happening to me and why I felt this way.

Then one day, my husband and I were driving home from Vegas and I was complaining that I wanted to do something with the way I was feeling. We both decided at that moment that we needed to work on ourselves and we decided to do it together! We had been drinking Shakeology for about 6 months at this point, not consistently and I had told my husband that I saw something about P90x3 coming out and thought maybe it was something we could do together. You see, at the time we were a little tight on money and that was also one reason we were at our wits end. We decided to go ahead and purchase the program and were committing to making a change in our lives because we felt like we didn't have any other options.

We started following a meal plan that was provided in my group, as well as a grocery list, and we focused on eating clean 80% of the time, drinking our Shakeology for breakfast, and pushing play on our workouts every day.  We didn't see immediate results, but what I did feel was accountability, support, daily encouragement, I learned how to manage my eating, and I was surrounded by others who were literally seconds away from lifting me up, keeping me motivated when I felt like quitting and they were my biggest fans! I had no idea who these girls were, but we bonded and became great friends! My two biggest fans were the ones who were watching me every day and they were my driving force to be better than I was, because they deserved a mom who was happy!

Our Transformation with P90x3

When I am talking to a potential challenger and they give me the line "that's too expensive, I can't afford it" I have to giggle a bit!! First, because that was where my head was when I started, I had no idea what Shakeology was and why the heck it was any different than what I could get at Costco. I remember not knowing if I was going to get the results I wanted by working out at home and if I was actually going to complete the program because I was always a quitter before. But I was so desperate for results and I couldn't stand the way I felt anymore and if I wanted my marriage to get stronger and my kids to learn from example, it was worth giving a shot! 

So, you see, a challenge pack is so much more than Shakeology, a P90x, T25, or 21 Day Fix workout program, free shipping, and discount pricing. It's about having someone on the other end to make sure that you open your program, that you push play on Day 1 and Day 90! It's having someone to lift you up when you feel like you can't do anymore. It gave me LIFE again and it opened my eyes to how differently life can be if you just take chances. Most importantly, it saved my marriage and it made our family whole again! To me, that is PRICELESS!!!

If it wasn't for my coach, I would not have finished my P90x3, I would not be 12lbs lighter, and 13% body fat, I would not have been asked to work out with THE Tony Horton himself, and I would not have completely changed my families eating habits and influenced those that I love most to make a healthy change too! So when you are thinking about the options...think of this! 

When you go to the gym, who is making sure you show up every day? Who is checking your nutrition to make sure you're eating correctly for the workouts you are doing? Do you know if the workouts you're doing are going to give you the results you're wanting? Who is going to keep you accountable from start to finish?

Answer those questions and then go with your gut and what you think will truly give you the best results and be the best BANG for your buck!! 

Is it time for your own transformation?

Join my January 19th Get Healthy For Life Challenge group today: