Friday, November 15, 2013

DIY FRI-day! Salted Carmel Coffee Sugar Scrub


Christmas is fast approaching! Believe it or not we are almost a month away from the most wonderful time of the year! Checking to make sure we get everyone on our list and some spare change would be nice too. Enter this little DIY- to save the day! It's great because you should have most of the ingredients in your home, if not- don't fret- they are pretty inexpensive and can be found at your local grocery store or Walmart. 

This mixture made about three 1/2 pint mason jars full. Here's how I made the scrub:

Ingredients:

2 cups brown sugar
1 cup coffee grounds (nay to decaf-ay)
1 cup Epson salt
3 tbsp honey
A little vanilla essential oil
A little caramel extract
1/2 cup oil (skin friendly, of course, think: jojoba oil, almond oil, olive oil, coconut oil)

Directions: In a large bowl combine the dry ingredients. Mix together with spoon. Drizzle in your honey, hun-ay! Top it off with your oil and add in your vanilla and caramel.mix all together until the consistency or wet sand. You may need a little more oil. Place into 1/2 pint mason jars or container of choice. 

This scrub is intended for body only. Do I need to go over the specifics? Okay, I will. Please do not use this scrub for your eyes, nose, ears, mouth or lady parts (yea, I just said that) because you know some people can get a bit crazy. 


To use: Shower as you normally do. After washing body turn off shower. Grab yourself a helping of the scrub. Start with your feet and scrub your way up to your arms and hands. You can also take some extra time focusing on dry areas like your feet, heels, knees, elbows and cellulite. The coffee and Epson salt act as a detoxifier and the coffee will do wonders to tighten and firm cellulite trouble spots. Rinse off and pat dry with towel. Your skin should be soft from the oils but you can also double up on your body cream boo boo!

For gift giving: I wrapped mine up in some tulle, yarn and a sparkly snowflake. You can also pair this with a body butter for a more luxurious gift or you can add in a face mask and nail polish to make it more spa-la-la if you want. 



For $34 I purchased these ingredients. I spent the extra at the health food store for the oils and for the essential oil and extract. Everything else came from Walmart. I still have left over to make the other 12. So for $34 dollars you can make 12 wonderful mostly all natural, handmade, body lovin' gifts for Christmas time or whenever! Look at you being all crafty and DIY! So proud! 

-Emma 


Wednesday, November 6, 2013

Easy DIY Holiday Gift Wrap for Etsy Sellers or Homemade Gifts



I have been preparing the shop for Christmas on time, actually, considering last year I didn't have any gift wrap planned. Kudos to me, right!? I wanted something easy, inexpensive, a little bling and something handmade with cardstock. All of it came together perfectly thanks to the help of my graphic-etsy-craft-friend Maggie of DesignsByMaggieL and a few inexpensive items that I found at the craft store and already had on hand.

Supplies you'll need:
 
* Cute Holiday Cardstock Cutouts
* Scissors
* Hot Glue Gun
* Peaches N Cream Cotton Yarn
* Small Glittered Snowflakes or other glittered Holiday Cutouts
* Tissue Paper 


I started placing a small gift in the center of the tissue paper.


You can purchase these awesome bling bobbies here.

I wrapped it nicely around the gift.



Take your yarn out, I measured 36 inches but used way less, depending on your size of the gift. You're going to have to eyeball estimate this one.
Place it across the square like so...



Flip over the square like this...



Cross over your yarn so it makes a cross...



Move your thread so it's perpendicular to the other string...


Flip over the package and tie a knot.


Then tie a bow...



Snip the ends with your scissors...


Take a glittered cut out and place a small pearl size dab of hot glue and place over the knot.


Take your cardstock printed holiday card and place it under the knot and you can secure with a little hot glue.


And there you go. Simple, sweet and looks like a handmade holiday well done! 

I hope this helps you whether you are last minute gift wrapping, an etsy shop over or just want a simple and pretty gift wrap. 

Let me know what other DIYs you're looking to do this holiday! I'd love to help and share a DIY!

-Emma