Momma Told Me: Nourish What's Next With Kellogg's® Special K® And Our DIY Pour Paint Zen Garden

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Nourish What's Next With Kellogg's® Special K® And Our DIY Pour Paint Zen Garden

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#NourishWhatsNext with this colorful and cheap DIY table top zen garden project. You'll love the pour paint rocks! (AD)
Momma Told Me: Take a step back to re-center yourself.

This year has been nothing short of a whirlwind so far. 

A string of bad luck in the first quarter of the year had me overwhelmed and ready to thrown in the towel on 2016- Do you ever have those times when you feel like just calling out of work for the week and sinking into the couch with a quart of ice cream? It doesn't sound good, but that's what defeated feels like, and I was good and there. Then, as it turned out, a string of unfortunate events began occurring to those around me, and I switched gears almost overnight- where as I had felt overwhelmed by my burdens and obstacles, I was not immediately empowered by the desire and need to help others overcome theirs. I no longer had time to wallow in pity for myself, and was instantly inspired to pull myself up, so that I could also be of strength and support to others.
#NourishWhatsNext with delicious, on the go, solutions from Kellog's Special K at Ralphs. (AD)
You see I'm a 'yes' woman- I thrive on setting goals, tackling obstacles, and, especially, helping others. When I saw my friends and family were struggling with problems of their own I immediately 'snapped' out of my own funk and found myself once again.

But giving so much of one's energy and resources can be emotionally and physically draining. Where I was instantly energized by the immediate need for problem solving and support giving, I was also, unintentionally, putting some of my own welfare and needs on the back burner unknowingly. Much like a mother often finds herself juggling the needs of many within her family, only to realize she hasn't even fed herself, or had time to shower that day- I was consistently letting my own routines and standards fall by the wayside.
Drip and Pour Paint Rocks are a fun way to create one of a kind art, and zen out! #NourishWhatsNext (AD)
This is where many might say- the new year is around the corner, you've worked so hard, let yourself slide a little. But life is more than a jumble of calendar years, and every day is a precious one we'll never get back. Luckily it didn't take long for me to realize the error of my wholehearted enthusiasm, and I've since realized I need to balance the time and resources I give to others with time and resources I focus on me. For me, when I get over-zealous like this, a simple act of meditation can help me prioritize my immediate goals and needs.

There are many activities one can turn to for meditation at home or on the go- and it doesn't have to include a yoga mat and heavy breathing. Some great ways to empty and re-focus your thoughts include simple repetitive or systematic tasks such as tackling a cleaning or organization task, pulling out an adult coloring book, or raking sand in a tabletop zen garden.
Which brings us to today's project, a D.I.Y Zen Garden- a simple 2 day project you can make primarily from objects found in or around your home. A real zen garden would require a large patch of land and some architecture skills but I've condensed the meditative experience to your average baking pan. Here's what you'll need:

Materials:

An old 9" round cake pan, or similar size high walled tray/pan
2-3 Cups of Sand (Craft Sand, Aquarium Sand, or Beach Sand works fine)
5-6 Medium Sized River (Rounded) Stones
4-5 Colors of Acrylic Paint
Cookie Rack or Mesh/Wire Bin
Old/Dollar Store Cookie Sheet
Spray Paint In Your Color Of Choosing
Drop Cloth
Tabletop Zen Rake (Cheap on Amazon) or Small Appetizer Fork
#NourishWhatsNext with delicious, on the go, solutions from Kellogg's Special K at Ralphs. (AD)
You're going to want to start by painting your cake pan/tray- I prefer to use spray paint for even coats that apply and dry quick to a variety of surfaces, but a brush applied acrylic color could be used as well. Keep in mind, if using spray paint you'll want to put down a large drop cloth, work in a well ventilated area, and wear a basic paper face mask if windy. While your tray/base dries you'll want to source some pebbles of medium size. For this I took a trip to our local creek.
As part of re-fortifying myself for the coming season I've also been paying a lot of attention to when I choose to fuel my body and mind, and what with. This year I've skipped many meals and simply forgotten to refuel throughout many of the trials and challenges I faced. It was easy to notice the toll as I'd slump into my bed exhausted each night, and fight through the hangry outbursts in the afternoons. I've since stocked up on some of my favorite Kellogg's® Special K® products for their delicious varieties that are equally convenient on the go. As I fit pebble hunting in between an afternoon conference call and my evening bowling league I reached for a Kellogg's® Special K® Strawberry Protein Meal Bar to ensure I wasn't skipping a meal.
Drip and Pour Paint Rocks are a fun way to create one of a kind art, and zen out! #NourishWhatsNext (AD)
Once you have the perfect pebbles (and I say pebbles because the often offer the most surface space for this project) you'll want to get down to decorating them. As someone who is energized by vibrant colors, and mesmerized by the flow and movement of liquids- this activity was 'zen' all on it's own. Using simple acrylic paints there are 2 easy techniques you can use to make 'far out' one of a kind rocks for your zen garden; pour painting and drip stamping.
Drip and Pour Paint Rocks are a fun way to create one of a kind art, and zen out! #NourishWhatsNext (AD)
Drip and Pour Paint Rocks are a fun way to create one of a kind art, and zen out! #NourishWhatsNext (AD)
Pour painting is actually a necessity to achieve the second technique, so feel free to grab a few extra pebbles and try both out to see what you like most.

Start by placing one of your pebbles atop the mesh bin (turned upside down) or cookie sheet. Your mesh bin/cookie sheet should be positioned firmly in the center of your cookie sheet to not only act as a mobile workstation (for drying and storage while drying) but also to catch all of the, still very useful, poured paint drips collecting below.
Drip and Pour Paint Rocks are a fun way to create one of a kind art, and zen out! #NourishWhatsNext (AD)
This part of the project is literally so easy anyone can do it- and if you love the sight of contained messes and color mixing, like I do, you'll find this very cathartic. Begin by taking one paint bottle and slowly pouring a stream of color onto the center of your pebble, from about a foot above. Continue to do this with varied colors and amounts of paint until the entire rock is one fluid pool of swirling paint. Play with adding drops of color here and there, or zig zagging paint back and forth across your 'canvas'. Layer colors until you're happy with the ever evolving work of art, and repeat with another pebble.
Drip and Pour Paint Rocks are a fun way to create one of a kind art, and zen out! #NourishWhatsNext (AD)Drip and Pour Paint Rocks are a fun way to create one of a kind art, and zen out! #NourishWhatsNext (AD)
Once you've done a few pebbles you're going to have a pretty psychedelic pool of paint beneath your mesh bin/cookie sheet. Now it's time to remove the bin/sheet and drip stamp. Holding the edges of a pebble lightly dip the broad side of the pebble into the drip paint puddle, and remove. The sharpest swirls and stamping will occur when the pebble does not touch the bottom of the baking sheet/paint pool, so stamp lightly as to just grab the color sitting on top. The result is simply magical, and the colors can be layered endlessly to make truly one of a kind decor for your mini zen garden.
#NourishWhatsNext with delicious, on the go, solutions from Kellogg's Special K at Ralphs. (AD)
It's going to take a few days for the thick coating of paint to dry on your pebbles, so you'll want to store them somewhere dry and safe (away from pets and small hands) until they're set.

While my zen garden was on hold I decided to take stock of my cabinets and shelves and continue my re-focusing by working on a new meal schedule for my busywork week, and planning out some snack solutions to ensure I was never left hungry or grumpy on an especially important day. Thankfully my local Ralphs has a large selection of my favorite Kellogg's® Special K® products, from Kellogg's® Special K® Granola, Cereal, and Bars to munchy snack time solutions like Kellogg's® Special K® crackers and pastry crisps. I always have something delicious on hand to help fuel me through the day's schedule to achieve my goals.
#NourishWhatsNext with delicious, on the go, solutions from Kellogg's Special K at Ralphs. (AD)
In fact, one of my favorite Kellogg's® Special K® snacks, the new Sea Salt Original Multigrain Crackers are made with Quinoa for an elevated snacking experience that gets away from the typical sweet treat to a savory delight that fuels and satisfies. We usually toss a box in the dog stroller, yes dog stroller, whenever we go walk the beach parks hunting for characters on a certain popular mobile game app.
In fact, you'll find Kellogg's® Special K® products across the aisles at Ralphs; and the brand is always innovating new products to help fuel their customer's active lifestyles- I've even heard there's a new Kellogg's® Special K® Crustless Quiche that'll really help elevate my zen time! But, for now, I'm stashing delicious, individually wrapped, Kellogg's® Special K® Berry Struesel Pastry Crisps in my purse for my on the go instant moment of zen.
Once your 'far out' pebbles are dry you simply need to pour your sand of choice about 3/4 full into your painted cake pan and arrange your favorite 2-3 scattered across the top. An appetizer fork will suffice as a zen 'rake' but I also like to keep a variety of tools and stamps on hand to play with patterns and shapes as well as movement. The process of 'raking' sand in your tiny zen garden is as equally rewarding as updating and rearranging it. Feel free to swap out pebbles with your mood, change the color of the sand to match the season, and even add an air plant or two!
#NourishWhatsNext with this colorful and cheap DIY table top zen garden project. You'll love the pour paint rocks! (AD)
It's never easy to get 'back on track' when you've lost motivation or focus- but every life has a rhythm, and it's important to fortify the core of that rhythm order to set one's self up for success. If you're not quite ready to make a zen garden, or don't find any of our other suggestions quite suit you make sure you are at least setting time out for yourself each day. Whether it's just a few minutes here or there, 'me' time is the surest way to re-focus and recollect ourselves so that we can achieve our most immediate, and long term, goals. Now, share with me a goal you've drifted away from, but would like to work on re-focusing.

Did you love our zen garden tutorial? Check out some even more amazing inspiration and ideas to help fortify yourself on the Kellogg's® Special K® Social Hub!

What Daughter Says: Sometimes a quick time out can help refresh and ready the mind, body, and soul for the tasks and goals ahead.

#NourishWhatsNext Special K at Kroger

19 comments:

  1. If you looked inside my cabinet, all you would find are Special K snacks. They are low cal and always taste awesome.

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  2. Those rocks are really cool! That something that my son can create and we can actually make a little Zen Garden. He has such a collection of rocks and this would make them look so pretty.

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  3. That zen garden is gorgeous! I need to make something like this with the boys. It would be so much fun!

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  4. What a beautiful zen garden! As I read this I was thinking about how much I need to create something like this for me and my husband who both have anxiety. It would be a calming creative project and then calming to use the garden after it's done. {client}

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  5. I love Special K snacks! They are so tasty and healthy for you. This Zen Garden looks like the perfect activity to do together with my kids.

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  6. I will have to get the supplies I need to make a Zen Garden. I love how nice the painted rocks look. I always stock up on Special K snacks.

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  7. This Zen Garden looks amazing. I am excited to give it a try. It will be perfect for this weekend.

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  8. I have been enjoying Special K Nourish bars. They are a great snack on the go. I love how nice the Zen garden looks.

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  9. It would be so fun to make a Zen Garden. It looks easy to make. Special K has so many great products you can feel good eating.

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  10. Special K snacks are great when you are on the go. I love how colorful your pebbles for your Zen garden are.

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  11. Those pebbles turned out great! They look amazing! I also have to say that I love Special K products. These bars look really good. I haven't tried them out yet.

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  12. I absolutely love your zen garden tutorial and wild love to follow your instructions and create my own! And I can't think of a better on the go snack than special k snacks! My kids and I both love them!

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  13. Cool garden. I like what you did with the rocks.

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  14. Your rock garden is the most beautiful I've ever seen. The Special K bars look delish too.

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  15. I really love Special K products. They are totally satisfying and yummy too. Your Zen garden is so cute too! The paint swirls look amazing!

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  16. I have drifted away from so many goals. I think it is the summer weather. Just gets me so unfocused and off track because I just want to be in the water. That zen garden is too cute!

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  17. This is so cute. This would make a great sensory bin for the kids too

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  18. These are such gorgeous photos! I love how pretty the stones came out with that vibrant paint!

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  19. I'm mesmerized by the zen garden. They turned out good! Now that summer is over and the kids are back to school, I'm working harder on my goals and making more time for me.

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