A Room of One's Own - My Living Room Makeover

*This post is sponsored by Wayfair.ca. All opinions are authentic and my own. Thank you for supporting the awesome companies that partner with Woman in Real Life.

I'm fortunate to have a dedicated area for work in my home - a room of one's own, if you will. In actual fact, this room is a combination office and living room, but most of our family living is done in the kitchen and connected family room. People rarely sit in the living room. So I have taken that as an invitation to do what I choose with the space.

Peanut Butter Chocolate Crunch Bars (Vegan, Gluten Free) + 10 More Peanut Butter Recipes

November is National Peanut Butter Lovers Month. As if we need another reason to eat peanut butter! Peanut butter is not only creamy and delicious, it's also a great vegan source of protein. And it makes the perfect partner to chocolate. Together, chocolate and peanut butter are the foundation of many rich, decadent and delectable treats. These no-bake Peanut Butter Chocolate Crunch Bars are one tasty, dessert-worthy example.

40+ Vegan Lentil Soups and Stews (With Gluten Free, Slow Cooker and Instant Pot Options)

Photos courtesy of Happy Kitchen.Rocks, Yummy Mummy Kitchen, Soup Addict, My Darling Vegan

Living in a climate with four distinct seasons, I try to see the best in each one of them. It's not that difficult to see the positives in fall. Cool breezes, richly hued leaves, warm sweaters, steaming mugs of hot cocoa topped with vegan marshmallows...and soup. Ah, soup. Soup can even make winter more palatable. For the first two months anyway.

Soup recipes are usually simple to make. They are frequently free of gluten. They are easily made vegan with the help of a good veggie stock. Soups are ideal for healthy, homemade meals. And many soups can be whipped together quickly. Those that cook for a bit longer allow you time to make other foods (like homemade biscuits!) or tidy your kitchen.

DIY Reversible Floral Tote Sewing Project (& Cricut Maker FAQ)

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I wouldn't call myself a sewer by any means. That's part of the reason I was so eager to get a Cricut Maker - the Maker takes care of the cutting part of the sewing equation and that's one big step towards effective completion of a sewing project. Cricut Maker cuts fabric without the need to apply a stabilizer. It also cuts much thicker materials, like chipboard. Check out my "She's Crafty" chipboard sign, the first project I made with my new Cricut Maker.

My second project had to involve sewing, because I was eager to test out the Maker's fabric-cutting capabilities. And Cricut actually sells little bundles of beautiful, coordinating fabrics, making it easy to pick the three fabrics required for this DIY Reversible Floral Tote. (Read on to see the reverse side of my tote.) If you would like to make your own tote bag or gift one to a friend, here's how it's done...

Double Chocolate Berry Muffins (vegan)

When I started to make these muffins, I didn't set out to create a new recipe. I simply wanted to replace the photos in this older Double Chocolate Muffins recipe. (Some of the old photos on this blog just aren't Pinterest-friendly if you know what I'm sayin'.) As I got going on my baking though, I decided to update the recipe just a little bit. I enjoy the classic combination of chocolate and berries. Plus, berries are so pretty! And the gorgeous natural hues that berries display speak to their abundant and health-promoting antioxidant content. Meaning these muffins are health food. Pretty much. If you don't want berries in your muffins today, please do go back to the old recipe (those muffins have lovely shredded coconut in them too!).

Off The Shelf: Warlight by Michael Ondaatje (Book Review)

It took me a bit of time to get around to writing this review. Just as it took me a bit of time to read Warlight: A novel  by Michael Ondaatje. It's not unusual for me to come around to a novel slowly. I often find it's around the 100-page mark that I finally get wrapped up in it. Many times I then end up wishing the novel were 100 pages longer. But was that the case here? Read on.

What's Inside A TIFF Celebrity Swag Bag?

Photo by Kennedy Pollard / Ryan Emberley Photography

Being a celebrity definitely has its perks, and getting loads of free stuff is a big one. In town for the Toronto International Film Festival, celebrities can pop around to different lounges and get treated to anything from food and cosmetics to soaps and footwear. Bask-It-Style, by GLO Communications, offers up a bit of a twist on that scenario, bringing their curated bags of goodies directly to the hotels where the busy stars stay during TIFF. This was the tenth year for Bask-It-Style's annual gifting bonanza and I got a peek at the VIP treats during a media day preview at the luxe Thompson Toronto Hotel.