Phones ~ WW

Homemade Spa Favorites

Energizing Coffee Body Scrub

There are some well known coffee scrub benefits.

A great exfoliating scrub to use on a regular basis.

It's also rich in antioxidants and anti-inflammatory properties.

Ingredients:

1/2 cup fresh ground coffee

1/2 cup sugar, raw, brown or white (your preference)

3/4 cup carrier oil (almond, coconut, jojoba, or olive oil)

3-4 Vitamin E softgels 

Directions:

Mix coffee, sugar and oil in glass mixing bowl until well combined.

Puncture Vitamin E softgels and add to bowl.

Gently mix again.

Store in a cool, dark place in clean glass container.

This scrub can be used on hands and body, but 

do not use on open wounds or irritated skin.

Rinse off after using.

This scrub can absorb oil;

 to make the scrub wetter add more oil and stir.

4-6 uses.

Fun Bath Bombs 

These are fun to make with your child, or even to give as gifts.

Keep in mind humidity may make these bath bombs absorb moisture from the air. So keep in airtight container.

Should moisture reach them and they turn to powder,

 they can still be used when not in bath bomb shape!

Ingredients:

5 Tablespoons coconut oil

1 Tablespoon shea butter

1 cup baking soda

1/4 cup citric acid

1/2 cup cornstarch

1/2 cup Epsom salt

15-20 drops essential oil (your choice)

1 teaspoon water

a couple drops of food coloring (if desired)

Directions:

Place a glass bowl on top of a pan with 2-3 inches of water to create a double boiler.  Add coconut and shea butter to the bowl. Bring water to a boil and reduce heat to medium. Stir gently. Remove from heat and add essential oil. Stir gently. In another bowl add baking soda, citric acid, cornstarch, Epsom Salt and food coloring (if desired); whisk to combine.

Slowly mix the liquid using your hands, adding 1 Tablespoon at a time to dry ingredients. (Do this step slowly so you do not activate the citric acid) 

As you are kneading and mixing, the mixture should start to lump and stick together.  Pack into molds and let set and dry 24-36 hours. 

Approx. 10 uses.

TIP:

You don't have to buy special molds, muffin pans make good substitutes! 

 

Good Luck Gift for Dad

Buying something for the man in your life, be it your Father, Grandfather, Godfather or that special one that has been there for you all the way sometimes presents a problem. Let's face Men are hard to buy for!

Here's a little rustic ditty that easy enough that the kids can help with. It's just just rusty and grubby enough for a guy to hang anywhere.

And the meaning behind it can't be any better. 

Wishing him luck in all he does!

Grab some supplies:

a Horseshoe

faux succulents

wire, jute, or twine

moss

adhesive

I happened to have copper wire I picked up at a garage sale so that's what I used. But you could use any wire, jute, twine, cording, etc.

I pulled a length of wire out to straighten it and eyeballed the length I would need, then cut it.

I started wrapping the wire around the end of the horseshoe about an inch or so down. I didn't count how many times I went around, the choice is up to you.

When finished wrapping I pulled the wire under the wraps to secure it.

I left a long enough piece of wire to hang it by then

I started the same with the other end of the wire on the other side of the shoe. 

Once the wrapping was done I again wove the end of the wire under the wraps to secure it, then snipped off the extra.

I glued on some moss with GE Silicone II in case it ended up being hung outside.

I weighted it down overnight to be sure direct contact was made as it cured.

I picked up these faux succulents at Dollar Tree

Yay inexpensive!

I pulled one out of it's pot

It was too big!

I pulled a few of the bottom sections off until it was the size I wanted.

I cut the stem off.

Did the same to two others. Figured out where I wanted to place them.

Glued them down. Weighted them down overnight so all made contact and stayed where I wanted them to.

Finished!

Really like it

I think I need to make me one!

HAPPY FATHER'S DAY TO ALL THE DADS

OUT THERE!! 

Thinking Outside the Box

Isn't this adorable!

I picked up this nite lite for a song at a church rummage sale.

Love the sweet brass Hummingbird perched on that graceful leaf.

But alas, it didn't come with it's glass shade.

After researching I found that this is what it originally looked like.

Oh what I wouldn't give to find that gorgeous pink shade!

But until my search is complete I needed to find something 

that would suffice for now.

I checked my Treasure Pile not sure what exactly I was searching for,

and came upon a blue and clear glass vase.

Wasn't sure if it would fit or how it would look, but it was worth a try.

It fit pretty good on top of the light holder.

It turned out to be too bright with all the clear designs.

I thought if I could cover some of the clear up,

maybe it would make it darker. 

I thought of painting it.
I wasn't quite sure what color to use, but figured I'd try black.

 If it turned out too dark, I could clean it off and try another color.

It ended up just right.

I'm pleased with the way it turned out.

But still on the search for that elusive pink flower 😉

Where are the Bananas?

OK, so you know that quote

" Necessity is the Mother of Invention " ?

That's exactly how this came about.

Our Bananas always seemed to be in the way. 

In a bowl on the top of the kitchen table, of course.

Our kitchen table has become everything but.

Move them here, move them there.  

Then when you want one it's like a treasure hunt! LOL

Yes, yes, I've seen those Banana Hangers in the store.

My counter space is practically nil.

 Where would I put the darn thing?

I happened to walk out back and lo and behold my light bulb turned on.

It's usually pretty dim, it shines on occasion -

I'm in the middle of collecting hand trowels for a sign post and had tossed other infrequently used hand tools nearby for our annual garage sale.

The answer was staring me right in the face!

Hand cultivators!

I grabbed them up headed inside and ran them 

through the sanitize cycle of my dishwasher.

After letting the wood handles dry for a few

weeks - those darn real life interruptions again -

I got to work.

Gathered some supplies:

paints

napkin

Modge Podge

paint brush 

(or if your in a hurry with no time to clean a brush, Qtips work great!)

I wanted the base under my napkin to be a clean white

 so the pattern would show through in all its glory.

The wood handles got a coat of white craft paint. 

While the paint dried I separated my napkin

and started tearing it into small to medium pieces. 

By tearing it into pieces it makes it easier to apply it to the round handles. 

It also makes it harder to see any seams

Completely covered

Gave it a full coat of Mod Podge to seal it.

I let it dry to completely cure for a few days.

Here's one completely done

With Bananas :)

Here's the other!

Holding Bananas also :)

I love the way they turned out.

I love that you can coordinate them with you kitchen decor.

And hang them on the wall, where they aren't in the way!

So easy to do, but if you find yourself stretched on time, 

check out my Etsy Shop where the extra one will be.