**This blog post includes Amazon affiliate links and I will earn a commission for qualifying orders through these links. Have you ever noticed lines etched on the side of wine glasses at a restaurant? These lines are there to measure the wine pour - usually of 6 or 8 ounces of wine. Restaurants do this to make sure they have a consistent pour of wine for customers and profit margins. There are also good reasons to do this in your own home as well. For me, when I decided to very accurately count my calories - I didn't want to totally give up wine - but it was important that I measure my pour accurately. An ounce of wine has about 20-25 calories, so being off an ounce or two can really add up. (See my post How I created a healthier, happier me in 2023... to read more about accurate calorie counting.) Wine glasses can be so varied in size and shape, that having a marker on the side of the glass can help you know how much wine you've poured for you or your guests for various reasons - calorie intake, health reasons, or just divvying up the bounty ;-) There are many available to buy online, but if you already have a cabinet full of wine glasses - you can break out your creativity and tag some of your existing glasses yourself! You can learn how to make them by following the steps below. I've also included affiliate links to Amazon, and design links to Cricut if you would like to use similar materials and designs that I did. Primary materials are a Cricut and glass etching cream. Have fun creating!! Unveiling the finished product! Steps to make this project 1 Select a wine glass to etch. In my other post about wine glass etching I recommended to pick one that has a flatter surface towards the top. For a larger etching design like the one in that post, if the bulb of the glass is too rounded, you will have a hard time keeping the sticker and stencil edges down. These ounce markers are smaller, so a round in the glass might be ok. Just be very sure to adhere all edges. If they pop up, your glass etching cream will get underneath and cause fuzzy edges. 2 Measure your glass You'll need to measure where 6 and 8 ounces (or whatever measurement you choose) are on your glass to know how large of a stencil you will need. I used the 'precise fill' feature on my fridge to fill the glass with water to 6 ounces, then used washi tape to mark that level. I then used the 'precise fill' to add 2 more ounces and marked the 8 ounce level. Then I measured the size of stencil I needed. 3 Design your stencil I used my Cricut Maker 3 to design and cut out the ones you see in the picture gallery. Links to patterns I made can be found here: https://design.cricut.com/landing/project-detail/65909964af426853682b80af My size was pretty small at 3/8 inch so I chose to have the measurement be 6 ounces at the bottom of the image, and 8 ounces part way up the design. For example, it's 6 ounces to the bottom of the bunch of grapes and 8 ounces to the top of the grapes, not all the way up to top of the stem. For the two wine glass shapes, the bottom of the glass is 6 ounces and the top of the wine in the image is 8. I did that because otherwise they would have been too small. You could also choose to put a line and number on the glass also. 4 Be sure to thoroughly clean the outside of the glass. If there is any residue from labels or stickers on the outside, Goo Gone works really well to remove them. Once all residue is gone, rub down the outside of the glass with rubbing alcohol. This will get all dirt and oils off so your stencils stick really well. 5 After you have your design, cut your stencil, weed it, and place it where you measured. I actually put water in the glass to 6 ounces, let the water totally settle, then placed the stencil on. It was a bit nerve racking! I think my one wine glassed shaped stencil is set a little low, so I'll have to remember that when using that glass. Make sure that the edges of the stencil have no air bubbles by using a scraper. You can flip the glass over and look from the other side to see you have any bubbles. If you're new to using a Cricut, there is a good training video on how to do this step here: https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=C2l4QNAa0SY 6 Once you have your stencil on the glass, use a small paint brush to dab glass etching paste onto the open areas inside the stencil. You can pour some of the paste in a separate container first - but I just dipped my brush into the paste container. You can use the paste over and over again, so if you put in another container, put in back in the paste jar after use. There are several brands of etching cream to choose from. Can get at any craft store or on Amazon. It does seem a little expensive, but it lasts a very long time. I have had the same 10 oz bottle for several years and many projects. The brand I used is Armour Etch: Link to cream: https://amzn.to/3r4UDWB With two paint brushes: https://amzn.to/3NTDCYw 7 Unveil the finished product! After the etching is complete, rinse off the paste with soapy water and peal off the stencil. Enjoy your newly marked glasses :-) Recap of Materials Needed: Wine glass. Be sure to pick one that has a flatter surface towards the top. If the bulb of the glass is too rounded, you will have a hard time keeping the sticker and stencil edges down. If they pop up, your glass etching cream will get underneath and cause fuzzy edges. Glass etching liquid. Several brands to choose from. Can get at any craft store or on Amazon. It does seem a little expensive, but it lasts a very long time. I have had the same 10 oz bottle for several years and many projects. The brand I used is Armour Etch: Link to cream: https://amzn.to/3r4UDWB With two paint brushes: https://amzn.to/3NTDCYw Stencils. You can buy stencils at a craft store or make your own using a Cricut or other dye cutting machine.

**This blog post includes Amazon affiliate links and I will earn a commission for qualifying orders through these links. Adding fairy lights to a bedroom wall or reading nook makes the space cozy and inviting. Here are two examples of fairy light installations I did in my daughters' rooms. The project steps and materials are listed below. Have fun creating! - and please post a pic of your creative ideas in the comments below or on our Facebook page. The primary must-have product for this project is a set of curtain-style fairy lights. I used a 20ft by 10ft, 600LED set. There are also shorter sets available. Looking back at the process, two shorter sets might be easier to work with, but then you would need two plugs - you'll have to decide what's best for your project. Purple Reading Nook For the purple reading nook, I used a shower curtain rod, curtain holdbacks, two sets of sheer curtains, and lots of zip ties. I put a white sheer set of curtains in the back, and purple with sparkles in the front. Be sure that at least one of the curtain sets is netted, or tulle, vs solid material (see why below). One set of curtains had tabs, the other did not, so I had to cut tabs into the one in the back. Laying the rod on the floor, I weaved the curtains onto the shower rod, alternating tabs. I then attached the curtain of fairy lights between the two panels with large zip ties. I then hung the rod on the hardware I had already attached to the wall. Once the installation was hung, I attached each strand of the fairy light curtain to the netted purple sheer curtain with tiny zip ties. I did this so that the fairly light curtain would not tangle when it was moved back and forth to the holdbacks. It took some time to do - but it was worth it to not tangle. I cut a piece of sheer curtain I had and weaved it across the tabs on the front to cover up the zip ties. Finally, I attached the holdbacks to the wall. Now the reading nook can be opened and inviting, or closed for cozy reading. Behind-the-bed Curtain This one was a little easier because it is stationary and won't be moved on and off the holdbacks. For this installation I used a double rod curtain rod, two sets of sheer curtains (I already had the ones that are on the front side - they match the rest of the curtains in the room), and zip ties or 3M hooks. I hung the rods and curtains just like you would on a window. To attach the fairy lights, you can either zip tie them to the curtain rod, or use 3M hooks to attach them to the wall.

**This blog post includes Amazon affiliate links and I will earn a commission for qualifying orders through these links. Click here to go directly to the Meal Diary... I'm not totally sure that this blog relates to my website theme of 'creative energy', but I have tried for many years to eat right, exercise, and maintain my weight with varying success - so I had to get creative to figure out how to do this differently - and it certainly took some energy - so I guess it fits :-) Hopefully you'll find this post easy to read, and can use the tips provided that work the best for you. There are no pills or plans to buy. I'm just sharing the actions I took and a few links to products I bought that helped me succeed. I hope that they are helpful to you as well as we get ready for 2024! My Story: In August of 2022 I turned 48. I weighed about 170 lbs and I was frustrated that I wasn't able to lose weight, and I was often tired with low energy. I tried eating less and exercising more, but that didn't seem to be working well - I only lost 6 lbs in 5 months. In January of 2023 I weighed 164 lbs and I thought to myself, "Ok, I'm going to be 49 this year. I need to get this figured out." I realized that I needed to make a lifestyle change, and not just try to get a quick win. I took some time to deeply think about what routine and habits would work best for me in the long run and slowly made progress towards those goals. From January to July I lost 34 lbs. I have kept it off since then and make sure to stay in a range of 130-133. This screen shot is from my calorie counting app My Fitness Pal. My story of 'how' I achieved this is below. I'm not saying this is the exact journey that is right for you, but I hope that in reading it you find some inspiration that will help you create the journey that is yours. Disclaimer: I am not a doctor or a nutritionist. Use this info at your own risk. Here are the 4 actions I took 1 Counted Calories - all of them ;-) A primary key to my success was following the basic weight loss equation of "calories in, minus calories out = a number <0". I needed to be very real with myself about how much I had "going in" in terms of food intake, and "going out" in terms of exercise. Two things were immensely helpful in my success: Accurate Calorie Counting I didn't want to cut out any particular food - again, lifestyle change! So if I wanted to eat some potato chips I needed to have the calories correct. Here's an example of why.... A serving of 'about 12 chips' for 160 calories is hard to estimate especially when all of the chips are different sizes. If you are eating 1200 calories a day, 10 food calorie estimates being off by only 20 calories each, would add up to an error of 200 calories - you could overshoot your calorie goal by 200 calories and not even realize it! To avoid this mistake, I weighed as much food as I could. Weighing out 28 grams of chips is more accurate than estimating 'about 12 chips'. I know weighing food might seem extreme, but it was super helpful and became pretty easy to do at home. Weighing my food at home also really helped me visually learn what portion sizes really looked like. I now have a good visual of what 5oz of salmon, chicken, etc really looks like. Or 28 grams of chips :-). This learning helped me estimate my intake better when I was at restaurants or social events. If you only buy one thing to help in your journey, buy a kitchen scale! I use one like this and have one at home and at work. Taylor scale I use: https://amzn.to/45Hj77F Other options: https://amzn.to/44CfazQ In addition to the food scale, I bought another scale - to weigh myself. In the beginning, I weighed myself once a week to track progress. I recorded my weight in My Fitness Pal. I was using my old non-digitally connected scale at first, and typing my weight into the app. A few months in, I invested in a Withings digital scale that connects to my calorie counting and exercise apps. I really like seeing all of the data this scale provides, and I really wish I had bought it earlier in my journey. I strongly suggest this be an early investment for you. The one I bought was $199, but there are other versions for under $100 (click button below). Use a calorie counting app The app helps you keep track of both calories going in and exercise. It's convenient that it's right on your phone. There are many available, I used My Fitness Pal (MFP). It helps you calculate how many calories you should eat to meet your goals, and can also connect to your iWatch or Fitbit to give you credit for exercise. My initial goal was to lose 2 pounds a week. The app gave me 1200 calories. I would try to get at least 300 in exercise, so then I could eat a total of 1500 and still lose weight. 2 Increased Protein and fiber For the first month or two of my journey I wasn't really looking at food macros (proteins, carbs, fats, etc). Then I started reading more about them. I did a lot of research and read lots of material and decided that 1 gram per pound would be right for me - you will need to decide what's right for you! After I decided on my goal (I based the intake goal on my goal weight of 130, so 130 grams a day), I looked at my historical data in My Fitness Pal. I was surprised to see that I was only eating about 50-60 grams of protein a day. I started focusing more on adding protein to my diet, but I felt like it was almost impossible to get over 100, much less 130! What has helped me the most is a mixture of greek yogurt and protein powder. Make sure to use plain yogurt or it might be too sweet. My favorite is Oikos PRO 25g and Strawberries & Cream whey powder 24g. Mix a serving of both - just stir to mix - and you get 49 grams of protein; and it has a great taste! I eat this almost everyday. Here are pics of my favorites and a link to the powder if you want to order on Amazon. I also put granola on it on some days. Links to the one I use are below. This is one of my favorite granola flavors, and there are many others to choose from. Another great protein booster that I've added into my diet on almost a daily basis is bone broth. I have to admit that the first time I tried bone broth I was not a huge fan. But then I found this Swanson Sipping Bone Broth Chicken with Ginger & Turmeric. It tastes great! I heat it in the microwave for 1 minute, then enjoy. It comes in a microwavable container, but I just pour it into a mug. It has 9 grams of protein and only 45 calories. I now get about 100-130 grams of protein a day. Fiber was another one that I was woefully short on. I think women my age are supposed to get 25 grams a day (again, please look up what's right for you) - I was getting about 5!! I still haven't totally figured out a consistent plan for increased fiber intake, but I started drinking Evolve protein shakes and they have 10 grams of fiber along with 20 of protein. It is certainly helping. I have always ordered the Cafe Mocha - and they now have a Double Chocolate and Chocolate Caramel flavors that I will certainly be trying!! 3 Found a Workout Time that Worked for Me! For years I remember waking up, not feeling like working out, then telling myself I would do it when I got home from work - and it never happened. I was too tired at the end of day, so I wouldn't work out, then the same cycle would happen the next day. I knew I had to workout in the morning before work. Problem was that I was a bit of a night owl. I would go to be around 11PM and wake up around 6:30AM. This wake up time didn't give me enough time to workout, get ready for work, and be in the office by 8AM. I had to change my wake up time. I've read a lot of books and articles about waking up at 4 or 5AM and I always thought they were crazy - now I'm one of them! It took me about 6 months for it to be natural for me to wake up at 5AM, but I just shifted it a little bit at a time each day. Now I love it! I also didn't kid myself in thinking that I would start working out an hour a day right from the start. I just started with 15 minutes. I did that everyday until it felt natural to add more. Now I workout about an hour a day. I found that doing some deep thinking about when I could realistically dedicate time to working out, then slowly adjusting my habits to make it happen, worked best for me. 4 Added Strength Training **disclaimer again: I'm not a doctor, so check with one before you start a program* This was a game changer for me. Building muscle helps burn calories, makes you physically 'tighter', and makes you feel so much better! Even when I've weighed this same amount in the past, I was never this small. I started only doing 15-20 minutes a day and built up from there. For me, I wasn't really sure what program to do, so I bought a Tonal machine. I LOVE IT!! I honestly don't think I would have been as successful without it. Concluding Thoughts: Hopefully you found this post easy to read, and can use the tips provided that work the best for you. Again, there are no pills or plans to buy. You are in control of the actions you take in 2024 - and I wish the best of luck in success toward your goals! Meal Diary: A friend recently asked me, "can you just tell me what you eat everyday?". I agreed to do it for the first week of January, and I'll share it with all of you as well. I'll post screen shots from My Fitness Pal (MFP) and pics of some of the foods at the end of each day. Let me know if this is helpful for you, and maybe I'll continue after Jan. I weighed myself this morning and I'm a little bit over my goal weight range - I enjoyed the holidays a little too much lol! I'm going to set my goal to 1800 calories a day until I get back in range, then will go back up to 2000 after that. Disclaimer - I am not a doctor or nutritionist - so keep in mind that this is just an example of what you can eat in a day - you'll have to decide what's right for you. Click here to go to the latest entry... Jan 1, 2024: Click here to read disclaimer before continuing Updated at 7:46PM, Jan 1, 2024 (I forgot my coffee creamer in version 1) Breakfast: I usually eat deli ham with my eggs, but I had these little meat sticks from a holiday gift so I substituted this morning. It's a hard time of year to get fresh pineapple, so I used frozen. It's quick to defrost in the microwave. Weighing tips (click here to read why weighing is important): Scan or look up your food to see if ounces or grams is best measurement. Put the bowl on the scale, then set to zero, then add your pineapple. Set to zero again, then add your cottage cheese. Sometimes I put the container of food on the scale and measure how much is removed. There is an example of that in lunch below. Lunch: This is one of my go-to favorites, especially after a workout. High protein and tastes great. If you are interested in the products, click this link to go to Section 2 above. Weighing tips (click here to read why weighing is important): Scan or look up food to see if ounces or grams is best measurement. For the yogurt, I put the container on the scale and set to zero. Then I put the weight removed into MFP to calculate calories. I do some foods this way if I'm maybe going to take a bite while dishing it out, or if some will stick to the spoon. Put the bowl with the yogurt back on the scale, reset to zero, and add the protein powder. Then reset to zero again and add the granola. If you use the Kind granola be cautious of which one you pick in MFP. There is one that doesn't have the right calorie count. Dinner: Meals like this really make me happy about doing calorie counting rather than cutting out any particular foods. I want the steak, the potato, the butter, the sour cream - all of it! Oh and I guess the green beans too :-) Make sure not to forget to count your beverages. This goes for the whole day, not just dinner. You can put them with meals, or sometimes it's easier to group them under 'snacks'. I usually have wine with diner but I'm doing a 40 day cleanse (no alcohol and limiting sugar) so it was sparkling water for me tonight. I probably ate a little too much meat, but it was an awesome ribeye and my husband cooked it perfectly! So I went back for 2 more ounces after my first 5.5 oz portion. Weighing tips (click here to read why weighing is important): When it's just me and my family at the table, I just put my plate on the scale and weigh each item as I add it to the plate, reseting to zero between each food. Yes, my family looks at me like I'm nuts, but I've been doing this for a year now so the eyeball rolls have decreased dramatically hahaha. If I would be at a restaurant or a friends house for this meal, I would estimate the weights. Having nights where I do weigh everything is very helpful for me to learn how to estimate better. Snacks, Exercise, and final Nutrition count: If you are interested in information on the Bone Broth or Protein/Fiber shake, click here to go to Section 2 above. I told you you can still have chips! Within reason ;-) And weigh them :-) I left 280 calories on the table, but I ate 1,799 calories of food out of my 1,800 goal so I don't think I under-ate. The exercise gave me 279 more calories to eat that I didn't use. I really only focus on three nutritional goals: Protein, Fiber, and Sugar. The protein and sugar goals are higher than my actual goals because they are a percentage of calories and MFP increases the calories allowed based on the exercise. I also pasted in a screen shot of my actual gram goals based on 1,800. You can see that even with the Evolve shake my Fiber didn't reach the goal of 25 - but without it I would have been at 8! My sugar was a little higher than I want - but the Yasso bar was worth it. Jan 2, 2024: Click here to read disclaimer before continuing I think I'm going to change up the format a little here and put all of the days notes first, then the pictures from the day. Please post in comments if you like one better than the other. I also won't repeat all of the weighing tips here, and recommend taking a look at the Jan 1, 2024 post for those. Click here to read why weighing is important. Breakfast: I usually do deli ham with my eggs - but I couldn't let those awesome ribeye leftovers go to waste! Only 2 ounces though. I definitely weigh my cereals since there can be too much variation in how much is in cup or 3/4 cup, and it's a higher calorie food. The almond milk didn't have an option for a weight measure in MFP, so I weighed a 1/2 cup once and now know it is 124 g. I was 3 grams off this morning. If I have time, I do the math to make the calories precise, but since this is a lower calorie food, if it's within a gram or two I just add 1/2 cup. For me, it's actually easier to measure it all at once on the scale, just resetting to zero between adding each ingredient, than pouring into a measuring cup. Lunch: Again went to my go-to of protein yogurt and protein powder. I won't repeat the weighing process - you can see that on the Jan 1 paragraph above - however, I will point out the difference in the granola. They don't look very different visually, but those extra 7 grams = 26 calories. This is why measuring when you can is important - if you are off on 4 calorie estimations it could add up to over 100 calories. This doesn't mean you have to weigh everything - but it's good to weigh high calorie items and ones that can be more inconsistent in a volume measurement. For the pretzels, I actually do count the number - they have a very consistent shape and size. Dinner: These little packs of rice noodles are a great base for many creations. For mine tonight I added peas and spinach for vegetables and shrimp and jammy eggs for protein. The noodles have a seasoning packet, and I added some curry powder since I added volume with the veggies and protein. For the olive oil, I do think it's easier to measure on the scale than to pour into a tablespoon measurer - a tablespoon = ~14 grams. Snacks, Exercise, and Nutrition: I went with a Caramel flavored shake today. Also got in some dark chocolate. I left 449 calories on the table, but I ate 1,703 calories of food out of my 1,800 goal so I don't think I under-ate. The exercise gave me 352 more calories to eat that I didn't use. And I don't feel hungry either - check out the protein intake of 140 grams, and sugar of only 30 grams. The calories I ate were nutritious and filling. I really only focus on three nutritional goals: Protein, Fiber, and Sugar. The protein and sugar goals are higher than my actual goals because they are a percentage of calories and MFP increases the calories allowed based on the exercise. Gram goals based on 1,800 calorie is 135 protein and 30 sugar. I actually got 22 in fiber today - I find that very exciting hahaha. Without the Evolve shake my fiber would have been at 12! If you are interested in information about the protein powder, shakes, or other protein items from other days, click here to go to Section 2 to check them out. If you are interested in the rice noodles, click here to price on Amazon. I actually have these on a subscription :-) Jan 3, 2024 Click here to read disclaimer before continuing I'm going to stick with the format from Jan 2 and put all of the days notes first, then the pictures from the day. Please post in comments if you like one better than the other. I also won't repeat all of the weighing tips here, and recommend taking a look at the Jan 1 or Jan 2 post for those. Click here to read why weighing is important. Breakfast: I had to go into the office today, so no time for eggs. I substituted mini Kind bars that I keep in the office. Lunch: See Jan 1 post for info on the pineapple and cottage cheese and yogurt and protein powder dishes. Showing a pic of my office scale that I use to measure the protein powder; I had weighed the yogurt at home. Dinner: This is the big tipper for today - going out to eat! Many chain restaurants will have menus online with fairly accurate calorie counts. If you have local places that you go to regularly, use the Recipes or Meal feature in MFP. You can estimate the ingredients in the dish, then next time you can just add that meal quickly. Tonight we went to a local place called The Ruddy Duck. They have a gluten free fish taco dish that I love. I estimated the lower calorie items - from learning the weights of sizes from weighing at home :-). For a higher calorie item, that can vary depending on brand, like the tortillas; I waited for a night when they weren't busy and asked my waitress if she could check the packaging in the back. She was happy to comply - again, do on a slow night or go in on an off hour. They were only 60 cals per tortilla - I had been overestimating them! Snacks, Exercise, and Nutrition: I went with a Double Chocolate flavored shake today. I left 304 calories on the table, but I ate 1,653 calories of food out of my 1,800 goal so I don't think I under-ate. The exercise gave me 157 more calories to eat that I didn't use. And I don't feel hungry either - check out the protein intake of 141 grams, and sugar of 56 grams (a little higher than I wanted but not terrible). The calories I ate were nutritious and filling. I really only focus on three nutritional goals: Protein, Fiber, and Sugar. The protein and sugar goals are higher than my actual goals because they are a percentage of calories and MFP increases the calories allowed based on the exercise. Gram goals based on 1,800 calorie is 135 protein and 30 sugar. I actually got 25 in fiber today!! - I find that very exciting hahaha. Without the Evolve shake my fiber would have been at 15! If you are interested in information about the protein powder, shakes, or other protein items from other days, click here to go to Section 2 to check them out. Jan 4, 2024 Click here to read disclaimer before continuing I'm going to stick with the format from Jan 2 and put all of the days notes first, then the pictures from the day. Please post in comments if you like one better than the other. I also won't repeat all of the weighing tips here, and recommend taking a look at the Jan 1 or Jan 2 post for those. Click here to read why weighing is important. Breakfast: I had to go into the office again today, so no time for eggs. Honestly, I guess going into the office isn't why I don't have time - I'm really just not giving myself enough time for cooking eggs. I have a strength workout tomorrow morning and the eggs would be better for me than just cereal afterwards. I have a goal to change this pattern for tomorrow, and my time to make the eggs - I'll let you know tomorrow if I have success :-). Lunch: See Jan 1 post for info on the yogurt and protein powder dish - it's one of my favs. Dinner: Repeating the big tipper from yesterday - going out to eat! Many chain restaurants will have menus online with fairly accurate calorie counts. If you have local places that you go to regularly, use the Recipes or Meal feature in MFP. You can estimate the ingredients in the dish, then next time you can just add that meal quickly. Tonight we went to a local place called The CD Cafe. They have great salads. I estimated the lower calorie items - from learning the weights of sizes from weighing at home :-). For a higher calorie item, that can vary depending on brand, like the salad dressing; I waited for a night when they weren't busy and asked my waitress if she could check the packaging in the back. She was happy to comply - again, do on a slow night or go in on an off hour. Snacks, Exercise, and Nutrition: I went with a Creamy Vanilla flavored shake today. If you haven't tried this Boar's Head Dark Chocolate Hummus, you are missing out. It's really good and 80 calories for 2 Tlbs (28 grams). I dip mini pretzels in it. You can find it in most grocery stores. Remember to weigh this, or you will be tempted to eat more than you want to! I left 420 calories on the table, but I ate 1,556 calories of food out of my 1,800 goal so I don't think I under-ate. The exercise gave me 176 more calories to eat that I didn't use. And I don't feel hungry either - check out the protein intake of 148 grams, and sugar of 42 grams (a little higher than I wanted but not terrible). The calories I ate were nutritious and filling. I really only focus on three nutritional goals: Protein, Fiber, and Sugar. The protein and sugar goals are higher than my actual goals because they are a percentage of calories and MFP increases the calories allowed based on the exercise. Gram goals based on 1,800 calorie is 135 protein and 30 sugar. I actually got 25 in fiber today - again!! - I find that very exciting hahaha. Without the Evolve shake my fiber would have been at 15! If you are interested in information about the protein powder, shakes, or other protein items from other days, click here to go to Section 2 to check them out. Jan 5, 2024 Click here to read disclaimer before continuing I'm going to stick with the format from Jan 2 and put all of the days notes first, then the pictures from the day. Please post in comments if you like one better than the other. I also won't repeat all of the weighing tips here, and recommend taking a look at the Jan 1 or Jan 2 post for those. Click here to read why weighing is important. Breakfast: Yesterday I had a goal to make time to make eggs this morning - and I did it!! Also got back to my honey ham to go with the eggs. Lunch: See Jan 1 post for info on the yogurt and protein powder dish - it's one of my favs. Dinner: These little packs of rice noodles are a great base for many creations. For mine tonight I added peas and spinach for vegetables and chicken and jammy eggs for protein. The noodles have a seasoning packet, and I added some curry powder since I added volume with the veggies and protein. There is another version in the Jan 2 diary that has shrimp. Snacks, Exercise, and Nutrition: I went with a Creamy Vanilla flavored shake today. I left 406 calories on the table, but I ate 1,539 calories of food out of my 1,800 goal so I don't think I under-ate. The exercise gave me 145 more calories to eat that I didn't use. And I don't feel hungry either - check out the protein intake of 172 grams (a little higher than usual - I usually stay around 130-140) - this high protein was paired with a strength training workout), and sugar of 46 grams (a little higher than I wanted but not terrible). The calories I ate were nutritious and filling. I really only focus on three nutritional goals: Protein, Fiber, and Sugar. The protein and sugar goals are higher than my actual goals because they are a percentage of calories and MFP increases the calories allowed based on the exercise. Gram goals based on 1,800 calorie is 135 protein and 30 sugar. I only got 18 in fiber today - a little under my goal!! Without the Evolve shake my fiber would have only been at 8! If you are interested in information about the protein powder, shakes, or other protein items from other days, click here to go to Section 2 to check them out. Jan 6, 2024 Click here to read disclaimer before continuing I'm going to stick with the format from Jan 2 and put all of the days notes first, then the pictures from the day. Please post in comments if you like one better than the other. I also won't repeat all of the weighing tips here, and recommend taking a look at the Jan 1 or Jan 2 post for those. Click here to read why weighing is important. Breakfast: I had a little bit bigger breakfast than usual. That tends to happen on my days that I'm not in the office. Pics and weighing tips for these dishes are in previous days. Lunch: See Jan 1 post for info on the yogurt and protein powder dish - it's one of my favs. Dinner: Tonight we had my husband Greg's famous pasta dish - Greg-a-toni. :-) It's the kid's favorite so we end up eating this about once a week. He makes gluten-free pasta for me and rigatoni or another type of pasta for everyone else. Pasta is a tough one because the weights for the servings are for the pre-cooked, dry form. The weight of the cooked pasta depends on how much water it absorbs, which can be inconsistent. Here's how I approached it - early in this calorie counting process I weighed 2 oz of dry pasta, cooked it, then really tried to learn how that volume looked visually after it was cooked (if you cook it very consistently you could also weigh the cooked pasta and use that - with someone else cooking or dining out that can't work so having the visual is good). I also have to estimate the sauce since the meat is already mixed in. If the meat's not super integrated, I've measured and weighed out a "1/2 cup" (that's typical serving size) of pasta sauce so I have a good visual on that when I'm just using a spoon. I estimate the sausage and meatballs based on how many pieces I take. I did weigh the shrimp since that wasn't in the sauce (some of the kids don't like shrimp). Also weighed the cheese - it can add up fast if you don't. Snacks, Exercise, and Nutrition: I had 112 calories left today. I ate 1,860 calories of food against my 1,800 goal. The exercise gave me 172 more calories to eat that I did use today. Protein intake of 135 grams and sugar of 55 grams (a little higher than I wanted but not terrible). I only got 18 in fiber today - a bit under my goal. I ran out of Evolve shakes so didn't have one of those today - if I had my fiber would have been 28. If you are interested in information about the protein powder, shakes, or other protein items from other days, click here to go to Section 2 to check them out. Jan 7, 2024 Click here to read disclaimer before continuing This is my last planned update to the meal diary. I'm going to stick with the format from Jan 2 and put all of the days notes first, then the pictures from the day. Please post in comments if you like one better than the other. I also won't repeat all of the weighing tips here, and recommend taking a look at the Jan 1 or Jan 2 post for those. Click here to read why weighing is important. Breakfast: I had a little bit bigger breakfast than usual. That tends to happen on my days that I'm not in the office. Pics and weighing tips for these dishes are in previous days. Lunch: See Jan 1 post for info on the yogurt and protein powder dish - it's one of my favs. Dinner: Tonight we had take out from Mission BBQ, with side dishes made at home. I looked up the Mission BBQ brisket on line to know the calories per ounce. Then I did the same process as on 1 Jan of resetting the scale to zero between adding other items. Snacks, Exercise, and Nutrition: I had 193 calories left today. I ate 1,767 calories of food against my 1,800 goal. The exercise gave me 160 more calories to eat that I used most of today. Protein intake of 133 grams and sugar of 50 grams (a little higher than I wanted but not terrible). I only got 11 in fiber today - way under my goal. I ran out of Evolve shakes so didn't have one of those today - if I had my fiber would have been 21. My subscription doesn't deliver until 24 Jan - I'm probably going to have to update the frequency because my husband and son have decided that they like them too :-) If you are interested in information about the protein powder, shakes, or other protein items from other days, click here to go to Section 2 to check them out.

**This blog post includes Amazon affiliate links and I will earn a commission for qualifying orders through these links. I don't know about you, but I am tired of seeing a bright yellow container of cleaning wipes on the counter everyday. I try to keep it under the sink, but somehow it always ends up back in plain sight. Instead of trying to convince the whole family to put it away after use, I decided find a different way - if it was going to be on the counter - let's make it pretty to see. I had some leftover peel and stick wallpaper from the pantry makeover project, and that seemed like the perfect option to hide the wipes in plain sight. Project steps and materials needed: Gather all the supplies needed: See photo of items below: Fabric tape measurer Exacto knife Rubbing alcohol Plastic smoother (I used the one from my Cricut). Level, or long straight edge to guide your exacto knife cut Cardboard or other protective material so you don't cut your table :-) Peel and stick wallpaper I picked out a gray damask peel and stick wallpaper. This is the same material I used in the pantry makeover - so it's a nice match. You can use a scrap from any project. Many options to choose from! General Link to others: 2. Next step is to measure. Measure the circumference and height of the wipe container you are using. 3. Cut. Use your level to make a even cut. If you have a shorter wipe container, you can use a paper cutter as well. 4. Clean. Be sure to wipe down the wipe container with rubbing alcohol before adhering the wall paper. 5. Peel and stick your paper. I was worried mine would unpeel on the seam, so I also put a strip of packing tape down the back.

**This blog post includes Amazon affiliate links and I will earn a commission for qualifying orders through these links. As all good crafters know, if you want to get your creative energy and mind flowing with no distractions, you need a well organized crafting space. I was using our garage utility sink area for craft work - especially glass etching since I didn't want the chemicals in the house. I was having a hard time staying organized because the space had no shelves or cabinets to store or set any items. So I set out to create a space for creating.... I don't have a great 'before' picture of the totally blank space. Closest I have is when it was already painted green. You'll have to use your imagination to visualize this as white walls with nothing on them. I painted the area green - matches the color of our siding - to create the feeling of a separate room or area. This short video gives you a feel for the space. Below the video is a list of the process and products I used in the project (underlined text are links). I hope you leave this post inspired to create your own space for creating! Picture gallery below. Step 1: Painting The first thing I did was tape off the area and paint the walls green. I used a higher gloss paint so I can wipe the walls down if needed. I painted behind the refrigerator because the crawl space opening - floor height to the left of the fridge - seemed like a logical place to tape off the space. When I later decided the fridge being that close to the sink seemed a bit cramped, I ran into an issue that I'll explain in Step X. Step 2: Storage I wasn't sure if I wanted cabinets or shelves, or what shelve spacing would be best. Then I came across this peg board solution from Wall Control. The ability to move shelves and bins around as I used the space seemed the best solution. They have tons of options and colors that you can find here: https://amzn.to/3qkNwcx. I also found these really cute peg boards bins from Spectrum Diversified. Specific bins that are in the pictures: https://amzn.to/44YiUwo https://amzn.to/43XwSgM https://amzn.to/45eB4K8 General LinK: https://amzn.to/3DIGRMr Step 3: Hanging the boards The hardest part about hanging the Wall Control panels was measuring, spacing, and leveling. Once I had the holes marked in the right place (3 per side of each panel), attaching them to the wall with anchor screws was a one-person job. I really wanted them to be spaced just right so that bins and shelves could span between two panels. I used pennies as spacers and the gap was the perfect width! Step 4: Lighting Our overhead garage lighting left the space feeling a bit shadowy and dark - especially with the fridge that close, and the overhead storage above the space. I decided it needed to brighter and a little bit more fun. I used some old party lights that I had and I bought a string of plug-in fairy lights and a clip light. I nailed the fairy lights to the wall before I hung the panels so they back-light the pegboard (a little hard to see in the pictures, and better in person). So plug is behind the fridge, so all of the lights plug into a wifi connected plug so they can be turned on and off by my phone. Step 5: Moving the fridge After I used the space for a while, the fridge being that close to the sink was cramping the space. I decided to move the items we were storing to the left of the fridge and move the fridge over as far as I could. It would put the fridge in front of the crawl space access, but it can easily be pulled out to provide access. I also had one additional pegboard panel, so I was excited to use that in the extra space. When I moved the fridge, I was surprised to see an electrical conduit going directly through the area where I wanted to hang the pegboard! I had forgotten we had to run additional electric when we put a dehumidifier in the crawl space. I had actually asked to have it placed behind the fridge since - "no one will ever see it there" - ugh. Now it's in my way, and I'm very bummed that I can't hang my extra pegboard there. Then my husband Greg came to the rescue! He had the idea to put a spacer on the wall so the pegboard panel could go over the conduit. The best part was that he made the spacers and hung the board on them for me :-). The baskets above and the dragonfly below the panel make the conduit hardly noticeable. I hope you have fun creating your own spaces. If you have one to share, please put in comments.

**This blog post includes Amazon affiliate links and I will earn a commission for qualifying orders through these links. This project is great as a gift for your pet lover friends, or for yourself to organize your own pantry. It keeps your dog's or cat's treats fresh, and you can easily see if you're running low on these very important supplies. See the Steps to Make and Materials Needed below the Photo Gallery. If you make this, please post a pic or your creation in the comments, I would love to see it. Photo Gallery: Steps to Make: Select a treat jar to etch. It needs to be glass, and can be any size. Be sure to pick one that has a flatter surface length-wise. If the jar is too rounded, you will have a hard time keeping the sticker and stencil edges down. If they pop up, your glass etching cream will get underneath and cause fuzzy edges. Be sure to thoroughly clean the outside of the glass. If there is any residue from label on the outside, Goo Gone works really well to remove them. Once all residue is gone, rub down the outside of the glass with rubbing alcohol. This will get all dirt and oils off so your stencils stick really well. Design your stencil. I used my Cricut Maker 3 to design and cut out the ones you see in the picture gallery. Links to patterns I made can be found here: https://design.cricut.com/landing/project-detail/5f052bc749e7880dbc5cde08 Now you can cut your stencil, weed it, and place it where you like on the glass - make sure it's on a flat area of the jar. Make sure that the edges of the stencil have no air bubbles by using a scraper. You can flip the glass over and look from the other side to see if you have any bubbles, if so, flatten them out using the scraper. If you're new to using a Cricut, there is a good training video on how to do this step here: https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=C2l4QNAa0SY One you have your stencil on the glass, use a small paint brush to dab glass etching paste onto the open areas inside the stencil. You can pour some of the paste in a separate container first - but I just dipped my brush into the paste container. You can use the paste over and over again, so if you put in another container, put in back in the paste jar after use. Materials Needed: Glass Jar. Be sure to pick one that has a flatter surface towards the top. If the glass is too rounded, you will have a hard time keeping the sticker and stencil edges down. If they pop up, your glass etching cream will get underneath and cause fuzzy edges. I got the one I used at Michael's and used a 40% off coupon. You can find this same style here if you would rather order online: Jars with lids Glass etching paste. Several brands to choose from. Can get this at any craft store or on Amazon. It does seem a little expensive, but it lasts a very long time. I have had the same 10 oz bottle for several years and many projects. The brand I used is Armour Etch: Link to cream: https://amzn.to/3r4UDWB With two paint brushes: https://amzn.to/3NTDCYw Stencils. You can buy stencils at a craft store or make your own using a Cricut or other dye cutting machine. See #4 above in 'Steps to Make' for Cricut info.

**This blog post includes Amazon affiliate links and I will earn a commission for qualifying orders through these links. I imagine many homes have a charging station that can get out of control with cords all over the place. And if you have a house full of teenagers... cords have a way of magically disappearing :-). I did a quick project to tackle this, and would love for folks to comment with other creative solutions too! Steps in the project: 1 First thing you need is a cardboard or paperboard decorative box with a lid. I used one with a flip top magnetic lid - one of the little suitcases would be really cute too. 2 Once I had my box picked out, I used my Dremel to cut holes in the back of the box. I put a large round hole towards one side for the main power cord. Then I put five oval shaped holes near the bottom, with two smaller holes above it. The ovals are for the charging cord access, and the smaller ones above the ovals are for a zip tie. Make sure to keep the Dremel moving while cutting. I left mine in one place a little too long and it got too hot! You could probably also do the cutting with a good utility knife. Dremels are awesome for lots of projects. If you don't have one - you are missing out! 3 The holes on the box seemed a little rough after cutting, so I lightly sanded them and then used washi tape to finish them off smoothly. 4 Assembling the box: Place a power cube in the box and weave through the large circle hole in the back. Then plug all the chargers into the cube and zip tie them to the main cord. The zip ties will keep them in place - and also discourage anyone from taking cords from the charging station - it could certainly still be done, but they would have to work for it :-). Weave the charging cords through the oval openings and secure them with a zip tie. Don't cinch these down too tightly. These ties ensure that the end of the charger is easily found, and you can push them back behind the box when not in use.

**This blog post includes Amazon affiliate links and I will earn a commission for qualifying orders through these links. After I bought my Cricut - which I LOVE!!! - I was searching for a good way to store it. I was hesitant to store it too far out of reach knowing that if it was hard to get to, over time I would be less likely to 'dig it out' to use it. But I also didn't want it just out in the open. So I was looking to balance accessibility with some storage style. I happened to be scrolling Amazon one day and saw a cute bar cabinet and thought, "I wonder if a Cricut would fit in that?" I took some measurements to see if it would work. Only being able to see the bar on line vs in person was tough because the measurements were very close - but I decided to take a chance. It worked out great! I made a few modifications to make it work. I removed the wine bottle holder from the second self. This made that shelf open for storage. I left the wine glass racks above the top shelf. I didn't need to remove them for the Cricut to fit, and figured it could be turned back into a bar cabinet someday if I left them there. I used peel and stick wallpaper to cover the second shelf. I had to do a bit of measuring and cutting to get the design to be centered - but it was worth taking the time. The side compartments are the perfect size to hold vinyl rolls, and there are two drawers below for other supplies. Supplies needed for this project: I bought the bar cabinet on Amazon in 2020 - it was a little cheaper then. I paid $291 for it, here's the current https://amzn.to/3NOgxpQ I used a small crowbar to remove the wine bottle rack - just popped out where it was nailed. ThenI used sand paper to smooth it out. It doesn't need to be perfectly smooth because you are going to cover it with the wall paper. I used peel and stick wall paper to cover the second shelf. The style I used is called Kensington Damask: https://amzn.to/3NsWE6j You'll definitely want to use a wallpaper smoothing tool kit: exacto knife, smoothing squeeges, and scissors or a cutting tool. https://amzn.to/46o7R0K

**This blog post includes Amazon affiliate links and I will earn a commission for qualifying orders through these links. These are some fun wine glass etching ideas to get your creative energy flowing! These glasses can make holiday gifting, or any festive occasion, super special by making your friends a wine glass etched just for them! You can learn how to make them by following the steps below. I've also included affiliate links to Amazon, and design links to Cricut if you would like to use similar materials and designs that I did. Primary materials are a Cricut and glass etching cream. Have fun creating!! Steps to Make 1 Select a nice wine glass to etch. Be sure to pick one that has a flatter surface towards the top. If the bulb of the glass is too rounded, you will have a hard time keeping the sticker and stencil edges down. If they pop up, your glass etching cream will get underneath and cause fuzzy edges. 2 Be sure to thoroughly clean the outside of the glass. If there is any residue from label on the outside, Goo Gone works really well to remove them. Once all residue is gone, rub down the outside of the glass with rubbing alcohol. This will get all dirt and oils off so your stencils stick really well. 3 Design your stencil. I used my Cricut Maker 3 to design and cut out the ones you see in the picture gallery. Links to two patterns I made can be found here: https://design.cricut.com/landing/project-detail/5ff0c43bc7f4c807b89ce559 https://design.cricut.com/landing/project-detail/61a16cc20819b4ecc6db4949 There are also many pre-made stencil paks available to choose from 4 After you have our design, cut your stencil, weed it, and place it on the flattest part of the glass you can find, without getting too high on the glass. I also 'tagged' my glasses with my initials on the base of the glass (you can see where in the photo gallery below). Make sure that the edges of the stencil have no air bubbles by using a scraper. You can flip the glass over and look from the other side to see you have any bubbles. If you're new to using a Cricut, there is a good training video on how to do this step here: https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=C2l4QNAa0SY 5 Once you have your stencil on the glass, use a small paint brush to dab glass etching paste onto the open areas inside the stencil. You can pour some of the paste in a separate container first - but I just dipped my brush into the paste container. You can use the paste over and over again, so if you put in another container, put in back in the paste jar after use. There are several brands of etching cream to choose from. Can get at any craft store or on Amazon. It does seem a little expensive, but it lasts a very long time. I have had the same 10 oz bottle for several years and many projects. The brand I used is Armour Etch: Link to cream: https://amzn.to/3r4UDWB With two paint brushes: https://amzn.to/3NTDCYw Recap of Materials Needed: Wine glass. Be sure to pick one that has a flatter surface towards the top. If the bulb of the glass is too rounded, you will have a hard time keeping the sticker and stencil edges down. If they pop up, your glass etching cream will get underneath and cause fuzzy edges. Glass etching liquid. Several brands to choose from. Can get at any craft store or on Amazon. It does seem a little expensive, but it lasts a very long time. I have had the same 10 oz bottle for several years and many projects. The brand I used is Armour Etch: Link to cream: https://amzn.to/3r4UDWB With two paint brushes: https://amzn.to/3NTDCYw Stencils. You can buy stencils at a craft store or make your own using a Cricut or other dye cutting machine.

**This blog post includes Amazon affiliate links and I will earn a commission for qualifying orders through these links. Use your creative energy to transform a plain olive oil bottle into a beautifully etched work of art! You can customize it to make personalized gifts for friends and family. This project uses glass etching liquid to etch any part of the bottle that is not covered by a sticker or stencil. I made 11 bottles for Christmas gifts one year and was able to customize each bottle for friends and family. It was really fun to create a unique gift for each of them, and to receive pictures back with how they are using and enjoying the gift. Steps: First, be sure to thoroughly clean your olive oil bottle. Soap and water will work. If there is residue from labels on the outside, Goo Gone works well to remove. Rub the entire outside of the bottle with rubbing alcohol to remove all oils - then try not to touch with fingers and hands again. Next put stickers on the bottle in the design pattern of your choice. I used my Cricut Maker 3 to create a pattern and cut the stencils out. You can find the pattern I made here: https://design.cricut.com/landing/project-detail/5fc1455cc85eab15cc5d3656 I put the larger olive leaf wrapped around the bottle neck Two smaller versions of the same leaf on the bottom of each side Family/friend name on the front just above the bottle curve Olive bunch on the back - I have to admit that the pattern I picked for the olive bunch took a lot of patience to weed! Once the stickers are on, make sure they are very well adhered around all of the edges. I used a scraper to go around the edges really well and remove any bubbles. Now your ready to dip your bottle in the etching liquid following these steps: Find a plastic container that your bottle can completely fit into. I used an old zip tie container that was tall enough. Do not use a glass container! The liquid will etch that too ;-) Before pouring in your etching liquid, you need to determine how much you need. Follow below to make sure you don't have too much in the container - it there is too much, it will spill over the top when you put your bottle down into the liquid: Place the bottle in the empty plastic container Pour water into the container until it is up to the level you want it on the bottle Remove the bottle from the water, then mark the water level on the outside of the container. This is the same level you will want your etching liquid to come up to. For the ones I was making, I didn't want the bottle to sit on the bottom of the container and cause an un-etched rim, so I made a contraption out of wire hangers to hold the bottle just above the bottom (picture in gallery). Fill your container with etching liquid up to the line you made in step 4.b.iii. Fill your olive oil bottle with water. This will let it easily sink down into the etching liquid. I capped mine off with a wine bottle stopper so etching liquid wouldn't get into the bottle. It also provided a way to attach the wire hanger contraption. Slowly lower the bottle into the etching liquid. I watched quite a few YouTube videos on how to do this as well. There are several opinions on how long to leave the bottle in the liquid. I did 20 minutes. After 20 minutes, pull the bottle out of the liquid. I immediately put a paper plate under the bottle and carried it over to a utility sink. Run water over the bottle to get all etching liquid off before you remove the stickers. I wore gloves and used warm soapy water. Remove the stickers and wash again. Materials needed: I used the Siena 16 oz olive oil bottle. You can get on Amazon (https://amzn.to/3NRbyEY), or if you want to make a lot of these you might want to try a restaurant supply site to try and get a bulk price. I ordered 12 from Webstaurant Store Glass etching liquid. There are several brands to pick from. I used Etchall Dip-n-Etch (https://amzn.to/3flYg52). It seems expensive but you can use the same liquid over and over again. I've been using my same liquid for several years.

**This blog post includes Amazon affiliate links and I will earn a commission for qualifying orders through these links. Ever see those cute Oui yogurts in the store and wonder what you could do with those jars! Well here are some ideas using paint and lids to help spark your creativity... In this project we painted the jars (see gallery below), decorated it with jute and embellishments, and gave it a lid. Steps: First, be sure to thoroughly clean your jar. Soap and water will work. If there is residue from labels or the foil on top, Goo Gone works well to remove. Next put painters tape around the lid top (picture of this step in the gallery). Hold the jar by the inside and rub down the outside with rubbing alcohol. This will get all oils off and allow the paint to stick well. Then place the jar upside down on top of something you don't mind getting paint on. I used an empty Parmesan cheese can with cardboard underneath (picture of this step in gallery). Then spray your jar evenly in one or two coats and let dry overnight. Once dry, tie your jute with embellishments around the top. For the lid, drill a hole in the center of the wooden lid and attach a mini drawer pull. Materials needed: I used a smaller dessert Oui jar, but the regular size would work just as well. Paint. I used Krylon Stained Glass and Sea Glass spray paint. General Krylon Paints: https://amzn.to/3r9u7rG Sea Glass Agua: https://amzn.to/3ra9prT Stained Glass Royal Purple: https://amzn.to/3SbYE4j Sea Glass Sea Foam: https://amzn.to/3Sw1DE9 Jute, string and beads. I recommend taking a trip to Micheals or Hobby Lobby to pick out the ones you like. If interested, I did get these two: https://amzn.to/3dLszBh I also got a set of silver and gold... can't find the exact one I got, but should be easy to find in a search. Mini drawer pulls - these are so cute!! Here are the ones that are pictured: https://amzn.to/3RblUhd https://amzn.to/3LGwzPY https://amzn.to/3xOlmak Lids: The specific one I used is well made, but kind of expensive. Definitely would search around and find one that works for you. Link to jar lids can be found here: https://amzn.to/3Sd7ezL

**This blog post includes Amazon affiliate links and I will earn a commission for qualifying orders through these links. Check out the transition of this pantry. Goes from disorganized to organized in one weekend Cooking, baking, and snacking are much more fun if you can easily find and use your pantry items. I was certainly feeling like mine was getting a bit chaotic, so I mapped out an organization plan to get it under control. My pantry was also all white and was laking some style, so I added some color with peal and stick wallpaper. Steps in this project and materials needed: First thing you want to do is take everything out of the pantry and wipe down the walls and shelves. If you have wire shelves take them out too. My shelves are wooden, permanent shelves so I had to work around them. Next step is to measure. Measure the square footage of the wall space so you know how much wallpaper to purchase, and measure the shelf length and depth to help in selecting canisters and organizing options. I picked out a gray damask peel and stick wallpaper. I can't find the exact pattern I used, but this one is similar: https://amzn.to/3UmSu2d. Many options to choose from! General Link to others: https://amzn.to/3XtdcQg I started on the left side and worked my way around. I had to make a lot of cuts because I couldn't remove my shelves - if you can remove your shelves definitely do. You will absolutely need a wallpaper smoothing kit and a sharp knife. To pick out storage containers I recommend going to Bed Bath and Beyond, or searching on line. There are tons of options and no wrong choices... unless you didn't measure ;-). Here are some of the items I chose: Lazy susans: https://amzn.to/3fWA2hQ. Before, the corners of my pantry were hard to access and became a mess. These really make the corners more usable. My shelf depth is 11.5 inch. I got 18 inch lazy susans. This puts a little bit hanging over the corner edge, and that actually makes it easier to turn. Food containers: https://amzn.to/3UKt2n6. Definitely get clear food and cereal containers. It makes it easy to see what it running low and you can add any labels you would like. I still need to add better labels on mine, so that will have to be another blog :-) Tiered shelves for spices: https://amzn.to/3hsXcg9. These allow you to see your spices much more easily. I keep my extra spices in the pantry and also converted one of my kitchen drawers into a spice-draw - I highly recommend doing this! Photo Gallery: