Lemon-Berry Sugar Scrub

It summertime! It’s time for swimsuits, sunshine, smooth skin, and zesty smells to liven things up.  I have something that helps with two of those, and gets you in the mood for the rest.

This ALL-NATURAL scrub exfoliates the skin, making it nice and smooth while bringing in the fresh smell of summer.  After using this, you’ll want to put on that bathing suit, make your favorite tropical drink, and lay out to soak up some sun.

What you need:

3 cups granulated sugar
¾ cups dried strawberries and blueberries; before grinding
½ cup Almond Oil
2 tsp. Strawberry Extract
Zest from a small lemon
Juice of ½ a lemon
Sifter, bowl, & spoon
Storage jar

**I couldn’t find specifically dried strawberries and I wanted something quick so I didn’t dry them out myself.  Instead, I found a package of dried mixed fruit and picked out the strawberries and blueberries.**

Pour your granulated sugar into a bowl.

Blend or grind the dried fruit.  **I used a coffee grinder.**

Sift the dried fruit powder onto the sugar in the bowl.  This helps to remove the larger pieces that could hurt the skin.

Mix together.

**I ran the sugar and fruit mixture through the sifter a couple times together to make sure all the larger piece were removed.**

Stir in the almond oil and the strawberry extract.

When everything is well mixed, zest a lemon over the top.

 

Cut the lemon in half and squeeze the juice from one half onto the sugar scrub. Mix well.

This fills four 8oz wide mouth Mason jars to keep as spares, or to give as little gifts.

 

I printed off a cute label, tied it with my hemp twine that I love so much, and handed it off.  One jar went to my mom, another went to a woman I look at as a second mom, and the third went to her daughter; my best friend.  The fourth… well, the fourth went to me, of course.

This was a great little addition to our kitchen sink area.  Whenever my hands felt chapped or I wanted to feel slightly pampered, it was right there within arm’s reach.    

**It lasted me quite a while, but to keep it fresher longer, store in the refrigerator.**

What scent is most appealing to you?

What other scrubs have you made before?

Comment below to let me know!

Until next time…

Happy DIY-ing!!!

"I Love You Because" Changeable Picture Frame

Recently, my husband and I celebrated our 12^th wedding anniversary.  I mean, wow! It’s amazing how fast time flies by after you get married, have kids, and live your life connected with a person that becomes your other half.  It seems just like last week, I had a crush on this guy and thought it was funny to shove his face in his birthday cake, or when I got flowers from that guy the very first time, or when his 2 year old son snuggled with me the first time, and even when he first said he loved me.  We said “I do” and life took off. 

Now, 12 years later we are the playful and loving parents to 4 kids.  They push our buttons, but at the same time bring an unspeakable amount of love to our lives. Life isn’t always sunshine and roses, but we conquer all obstacle together.

However, sometimes we get lost in the crazy shuffle called life, and miss out on those slight touches or quick kisses to let each other know that we haven’t forgotten how it all started.  That’s why I know my husband got the perfect anniversary gift from me this year!

This frame says, “I love you because: __________.”  With a dry-erase marker, you are able to tell someone exacting why you love them that day, hour, or minute.  The best thing… it can be changed whenever you feel the need. 

This is very simple to make, and it took no time at all.

Here’s what you need:

Picture frame (mine was a 5x7)
Light colored paper
Printer
Small trinket
Hot glue gun w/ glue
Dry-Erase marker  
Frame hangers

Grab your picture frame and colored paper.  My paper had a design, but white paper would work just fine.  **I used scrapbook paper with a muted script design.  It talked about memories, so it worked perfect for this particular project.**

Find a font that you like and type “I love you because:” on the computer, with a line underneath.  With your document zoom at 100%, hold the glass from your frame up to the computer screen.  That way you can be sure it will fit and have an appealing position.  Size accordingly.

Print directly onto your background paper, and cut to fit your picture frame.

 

**I was thinking about painting the words onto the glass, but chose the printer version instead.  This way, the paper can be changed at a later date to say something different.**

Now, the frame could be done at this point.  However, the dry erase marker kept rolling off the top of the frame.  I needed a "marker-stopper." ß Yep! That’s technical talk right there! LOL 

This can be just about anything.  I went digging in my things and found a trinket with the word “Journey” on it.  This tied into the script for the background, and it also helped that our first dance at our wedding was to a song sung by Journey.  Just saying… That’s a win-win in my book!

Take your hot glue gun and glue the trinket to the top of the frame.  That way when the marker rolls, it’s blocked from falling off.

 

Use your frame hangers and place it on a wall somewhere accessible.  Make sure it’s secure so it doesn’t keep falling off when you write and erase.  **I used the Velcro Command Strips.  They will not allow your frame to move, AND they don’t put a hole in the wall.**

Next, use the dry erase marker to write what you love about the person you’re giving it to.  It can be sweet.  It can be funny.  It can be anything you feel like saying to them. 

Then easily erase it and do it again, and again, and again!

This was given as a gift to my husband.  However, he has started to use it as well.  Once in a while, it will talk about my smile or how great of a “Mommy” I am.  I always get an overwhelming sense of love when I see this because I know that he was thinking of me when he was getting ready for work, taking a break from what he was doing, or right before he went to bed.

After years of marriage, kids’ activities, and busy lives, sometimes we forget to acknowledge the ones we love, or stop to appreciate them.  This is a great gift to break through that and bring back the love that sometimes slips through the cracks. 

In addition to the frame, I needed something fun.  That’s why he also got a lucky bouquet of scratch-offs.  This was so easy! Fill a vase with the person’s favorite candy, tape the scratch-offs to skewers, and arrange them in the vase with some decorative flowers.  If you want to add a personal touch, stick in a little note that’s also taped to a skewer.  Bam, done!

He had so much fun with this, but I must say, the bouquet he got was nowhere near as beautiful as the one I got from him.

If you make either gift, let me know how it turns out, and most definitely what the person thought of it!

How many different ways can you tell someone you love them?

What other things would you make the frame say besides, “I love you because:”?

Comment below to let me know.

Until next time…

Happy DIY-ing!!!

Soccer Ball Painted Mason Jar w/ Acrylics

Recently, my son’s soccer teammate had a birthday.  He knew she liked Reese’s Peanut Butter Cups, and wanted to give her some.  However, he wanted something unique to put them in. 

We have A TON of Mason jars stored away for when my husband cans pickles, and I thought it would be cool to turn one of them into a soccer ball.  That way, it stores her candy, and then she can reuse it for whatever she wants.

I have an abundance of acrylic paints, but every tutorial I found, said to use a paint specifically made for glass.  When I finally found one for acrylics, it was only a picture with no how-tos. 

I decided to try it anyways, cross my fingers and hope for the best.

What you need:

Mason Jar
Paint Brushes
Acrylic Black & White Paint
Paper Hexagon Template
Acrylic Gloss
Spray on Acrylic Sealer
Cookie Sheet & Oven
{To add personalization}
Contact Paper
Template
X-Acto Knife

First things first… Make sure your glass is clean.  I always use a little rubbing alcohol over the surface to take off debris and fingerprints.

{If personalized}

This is where you transfer your design onto the contact paper, cut it out, and place it on the glass, smoothing out all the wrinkles.  I did this the same way I do when I etch glass.  To see how, visit my page on glass etching.

Now it’s time to paint.

Paint the whole jar white. Let dry.

 

Use a hexagon shaped piece of paper, and hold it to the surface so you can trace around it with black paint.

**Yes! I do know that the shape on a soccer ball is a pentagon.  However, that design only works on sphere shaped objects, otherwise the edges don’t match up.  How do I know this? Yep, I tried. That jar had to be scrapped.  At that point, I could have scraped off all the paint, but I just grabbed a new jar to save time, and I started over again.**

**On another note… That’s one of the reasons I love contact paper so much.  I peeled it off one jar and placed it on the new one.  It stuck like it was brand new, with no problem.**

Once the jar is covered in hexagon shapes, fill in the black spaces and cleaned up the lines.  That’s when you have your soccer ball Mason jar. Let dry.

I then wanted the paint to really stand out, so I covered it in an acrylic gloss medium.  It gave it that little extra shine and added an enamel like coating. Let dry.

Time to seal it.  Spray on an Acrylic Sealer. Use at least two coats, following the direction on the back of the can.  Let dry at least 20 minutes before going onto the next step.

{If personalized}

Use an X-Acto knife and cut around your template.  This helps to separate it from the paint on the jar.

Slowly peel off your design.

You’re almost done...

Place the jar on a cookie sheet and slide it into an empty oven.  With the glass in the oven, preheat the oven to 350 degrees. 

**Important… If you place the glass in an already preheated oven, it could crack.  The glass has to heat slowly for safety reasons.**

Once the oven is done preheating, set a timer for 30 minutes. More time might be needed for a larger piece.

Turn off oven and let the glass cool completely inside the oven. 

**I found it helpful to do this right before bed.   That way, the jar got to cool while everyone was sleeping and wasn’t in the way of any cooking.**

Take it out of the oven and admire.  The paint is sealed, dried, and ready to go. 

All in all, it might have been easier to use glass paint.  If the acrylic paint is too thin, you can see through it, but if it’s too thick it will chip.  You have to find that happy medium.  However, this was a great example of working with what you have.

Once the jar is ready to go, fill and decorate.  Mine, of course was filled with mini peanut butter cups and tied with soccer ball ribbon. 

This project was very simple to accomplish.  It WAS time consuming, but that was only because of all the drying times. 

I would definitely do this again, maybe to make a cute little wine glass. 

Have you ever painted any glass?

If so, comment below and let me know what you used and how it turned out.

Until next time…

Happy DIY-ing!!!

Eucalyptus Green Tea Bath Bomb

What's under the bubbles??? A bath bomb, of course...

This DIY was interesting to say the least.  You know that friend that I told you about during my Leprechaun Loot post, the one that’s surrounded by boys.  Well, along with the fun Leprechaun Loot, I wanted to send something that was just for her; something that she could use to just relax and take some time for herself.  That’s when I remembered seeing adorable little heart shaped bath bombs on YouTube.

After watching video after video and reading countless blogs, I came up with a plan to make my own.  Of course since this was part of a St. Patrick’s Day gift, I had to make them green.  What if I were to go one step further and use actual Green Tea?

Green Tea Bath Benefits

Restores Skins Elasticity

Antioxidant

Healing Properties

Click here for more…

Then there was the oils… Every single tutorial I watched or read talked about essential oils, so I had to go get some.  When I was at the store, I saw eucalyptus.  I am a sucker for eucalyptus, and the combination with Green Tea sounded so earthy and appealing.

Benefits of Eucalyptus Oil

Anti-inflammatory

Decongestant

Antiseptic

Helps with joint & muscle pain

Click here for much more…

Here was my journey into the world of DIY Bath Bombs…

Mini Eucalyptus Green Tea Bath Bombs

Items Needed

¼ Cup Epsom Salt
½ Cup Baking Soda
¼ Cup Corn Starch
1/8 Cup Cream of Tartar
3 Family Size tea bags of Green Tea
3 tsp Lemon Juice
1 Tbsp Water
3 tsp Eucalyptus Essential Oil
3 drops Green Food Coloring
1 Tbsp Almond Oil
Mold
Bowl and Wisk

***There are a lot of recipes with citric acid as the main ingredient to counteract with the baking soda.  Problem… I could only find it online, and I wasn’t going to wait.  Then I saw that Cream of Tartar has the same effect.  However, I only had a small container and bigger ones were pretty pricey.  I also saw how lemon juice can be used, but it doesn’t make the big fizzing action like a citric acid bath bomb. That’s how I came to the conclusion to use the Cream of Tartar I had and lemon juice to make up the difference.***

First, combine all your dry ingredients (Epsom Salt, Baking Soda, Corn Starch, Cream of Tartar, & Green Tea) in a bowl.

Wisk together.

Combine all your wet ingredients (Lemon Juice, Water, Almond Oil, Essential Oil, & Food Coloring) in a separate smaller bowl.

Now, this is where I put the wet mixture into a small spray bottle, planning on spraying it onto the dry ingredients.  However the oil started to clog the sprayer, so I ended up taking off the top and slowly dripping it in.

***Important… Add the wet ingredients SLOWLY, so the mixture doesn’t react to the liquid.*** 

Put in a drop or two and whisk together.  Put in a drop or two and whisk together… So on and so on…

I thought I would never stop whisking!  Eventually though, it started to look like my favorite mint chocolate chip ice cream.

Check your mixture.  If it clumps when you squeeze it in your hand, you know it’s done.

Put it into your mold, and pack it in.

I used a flower silicone tray, but I have seen people use plastic molds, Christmas ornaments, and even a plastic bag.

If using a silicone mold, like me, don’t even think about touching it for at least 24 hours.  I covered them and waited.

Even after that, mine were still damp at the bottom and falling apart.  I pressed them back into the mold and stuck the tray in the freezer. 

If a freezer is needed.  Keep them in there for 30 mins to an hour, take out the tray and let it cool before removing the bombs. 

After taking them out of the tray, I placed them on tissue to help remove any excess moisture. 

Finally, it was time for the moment of truth… The fizz test!

 

Disclaimer… No, it did NOT fizz as much as I hoped it would have. It fizzed, but VERY slowly. 

Ok, I might have been a little disappointed that there was no big fizz action going on, so there was only one thing left to do… I took it to the tub!

It dissolved much faster when I was in the bathtub and there was movement in the water. Plus, it smelled SO nice!  Since mine were mini bombs, I saw no problem with popping another one into the bath as well.  I got out of the tub after I was thoroughly prunie and my skin felt so light and airy.  I told that to my husband, and he had NO clue what I was talking about.  Humph... <eye roll> That’s why I have you people…  You get it!

Because these were a gift, and my friend LOVES clovers, I painted a quick Celtic clover on a mini draw string bag, wrapped up the bath bombs in foil to protect them and keep out any moisture, and placed them inside.  It was so cute, and I was a little sad when I had to mail them out.

 

Overall, I think these were a winner.  They are easy to make, and there are so many different ways you can play around with them.  I’m thinking I might try lavender ones next time, maybe even with citric acid to get that big fizz.

Have you ever made bath bombs before?  How was your experience?

What combinations of scents do you think would go good together?

There are SO MANY possibilities!

Until next time…

Happy DIY-ing!!!

St. Patrick's Day Fact from Global News...

Green has NO historical link to honoring St. Patrick.

Turns out blue was the color knights wore in the Order of St. Patrick.
The association with green likely dates back to the 18^th century when Irish independence supporters used it to represent their cause. (Plus it goes nicely with the country’s grassy, viridescent hills).

For more facts you might not know, click here.