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Pumpkin Spice Sugar Scrub

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SUPPLIES:

Jar & Decorative Twine

SCRUB INGREDIENTS:

2 cups brown sugar
1/4 cup Sugar in the Raw
1/2 cup white sugar
1 tsp cinnamon
1 tsp pumpkin spice
1/2 tsp nutmeg
2/3 cup of oil*

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*When you choose your natural oil, try something like sunflower oil or coconut oil, which has a subtle scent so as not to take away from the delicious fragrance of your pumpkin spices in the recipe.

To learn more about carrier oils and essential oils, check out our Body Scrub post, which explains the purpose and benefits of both.

Now, here’s the easy part. Mix all of the ingredients together, stirring in the oil last. You can use 2/3 cup of oil, or you can decide to use more or less. It’s your personal preference how rich you’d like your scrub to be. I like mine rich and smooth with oil, like the scrubs at Bath & Body Works, a nice thick combination that leaves your hands super soft and smooth.

sugarscrub4_labelsSo now that you have this amazing fall body scrub, you’ll want to hand out a few as gifts (and just in time for Alicia’s housewarming!). Start by finding a nice jar container that has a solid seal. You can use a mason jar or a storage jar with a latch like the ones we found at Michaels. I’ve also seen these jars at Marshalls, Ikea and the Container Store. We designed these adorable Pumpkin Spice Sugar Scrub Printables for you in three different colors. Print out a few different sets, decorate with some festive straw raffia, and hand these out as gifts!

Furthermore, with the holiday season just around the corner, why not consider setting up an Etsy shop where you can sell beautifully gift wrapped versions of this scrub online? Creating an Etsy gift shop is a great way to start a business and make some extra money over the festive period. For more quirky online business ideas, take a look at this article.

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We’re so excited that you checked out this post! We really enjoy making homemade gifts for friends and maybe you do too so please share your ideas and thoughts with us below!
October 9, 2014 0 comment
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GiftsHolidays & EventsLivingTech

Create a GIF E-Card

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Mother’s Day is right around the corner and I’m sure we’re all looking to give our mothers something special.  You can certainly go out and purchase a heartfelt card, but thought it’d be very special to create something a little more personalized for this day.  Here I’ve created a photo e-card by making a DIY backdrop and displaying my sentiment on a blank canvas.  As another option, you can print your photos and create a card “booklet.”  As always, tweak the text to your preferences. When you’re done you’ll have a compilation of beautiful photos you can create into a card to give to your mother on that special day.
To start, I created a simple photo backdrop with burlap ribbon, lace, and silk flowers.  I cut two strips of burlap ribbon and adhered it to my wall with thumbtacks.  I then added the lace and attached it to the wall as shown.  I kept adding elements to this backdrop that worked together to create the final result.
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I then attached the silk flowers by bending the stem at the head and slipping it through the holes in the burlap.  Simple enough, right?  With the proper lighting (and Photoshop effects), the photos turned out very beautiful for my card.
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I am holding a flat artist canvas as the background for my text.  I added the text later in Photoshop, but feel free to use simple programs such as PicMonkey or Pixlr online to add your text.  You can also write on large poster board or foam core board to display your message as well.  Though for me, adding the text in the software is easier and also saves a little bit of money.  Check out our e-card below:
Image and video hosting by TinyPic

To send this as an e-card, I thought it’d be great to create a GIF.  I’ve tailored this card to represent someone who may not have the chance to see their mother on Mother’s Day, but still wished to send a sentiment; though, you can use any sentiment that is personal to you.  Coming up with the right words to say can sometimes be a challenge; so use sentiments from cards already written if that helps.

For Adobe Photoshop CS4 or higher, follow these steps.  We’re assuming that if you want to create a GIF using Photoshop, you already have a basic knowledge of the program.  If not, there are plenty of free websites online that will allow you to upload your pictures and create the GIF file for you.  Search “gif maker” in your internet search for those free programs.  I prefer Photoshop because I like the flexibility of design it gives me, especially for determining the speed of each frame.  This is a pretty easy tutorial, so load the program and let’s get started!

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STEP 1: Open up each of the photos you want to use in a new document.  Before creating the GIF, make sure each photo is exactly the same size (Image – Image Size).

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STEP 2: For each photo, unlock the background layer.  Double click on the layer and click “OK.”  You can rename the layer in this window if you’d like.

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STEP 3: With the “Move Tool,” click and drag each photo from its original document into the same document file.  Make sure the photos are centered on top of each other.  In doing so, Photoshop will automatically make each photo its own layer.  As you can see here, I have 7 photos, and 7 layers.  For the next steps, I’ve scaled this down to 3 photos for tutorial purposes.

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STEP 4: At the top, click “Window – Animation.”  This should bring up an animation window at the bottom of the screen, showing a thumbnail of one of your photos.

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If you see a timeline view (as shown above) instead of a photo thumbnail, click the drop up menu in the right corner and choose “convert to frame animation.”

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STEP 5:  Click the drop up menu button at the right corner and select “make frames from layers.”

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Each layer/photo should now be its own frame, shown at the bottom of the screen in the animation window.

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STEP 6: Click “0 sec” at the bottom of each thumbnail and select the delay (in seconds).  Some of my photos show for 2 seconds, 3 seconds and 5 seconds.  Customize the timing for each frame as you like.  If your message is wordy, you might want to delay that particular frame longer, so it can be fully read.

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STEP 7:  Also make sure that the file loops the way you want.  You have the option of it looping once, 3 times, or forever.  I clicked “Forever” because I want the slideshow to start over and over again on its own.  To play your GIF before saving, click the play button at the bottom of the animation window to preview.

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STEP 8:  Finally, it’s time to save.  Click “File – Save for Web and Devices.”

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STEP 9: Make sure “GIF” is selected in the top, drop down menu.  Here you also want to make sure the file is sized properly for the program you’re uploading it to.  If sending via email, note your email provider’s size restrictions and modify it in the “Image Size” section of this window.  Click “Save,” and save it in a folder on your computer.  Then you’re done!

To view your GIF, open the file up in your web browser and it should play just as you created it!!
Again, some people prefer printed photos and that’s just as beautiful.  Try both!

How to Create a Roped Mother’s Day Sign

For a little extra love, I created a “Happy Mother’s Day” wall sign to add to my backdrop.
For this DIY you’ll need:

  • Jute rope
  • Thumbtacks
  • Scissors

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Guide the rope on the wall to create the letters using the thumbtacks.  If you do not want to put tacks directly into your wall, tack the lettering into a piece of plywood, foam board or an artist canvas before hanging it on your wall.  You can also glue the rope to a canvas before mounting.

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And that’s it!  I absolutely love that it appears as though tiny lights are twinkling from the letters.  This card/backdrop combination is a perfect gift for Mother’s Day.  It’s very thoughtful, sweet and will definitely bring joy to her day.  Have a happy holiday!
May 1, 2014 0 comment
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FoodGiftsHolidays & EventsLiving

Place A Greeting in an Egg

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Easter is well on its way and I know we’re all looking forward to our Sunday parties, and Easter brunches with friends and family.  In our family and church, Easter is big.  It is by far one of the most, if not the most, attended Sunday service of the year and one of the biggest holidays for family brunch.  This year, it also falls on my mother’s birthday weekend, so I know it will be one to remember.  I thought that it would be cute bring a carton of eggs to brunch on Sunday.  Each egg could have it’s own greeting specifically for the person to whom you’re giving it.  So, today I’ve put together a simple DIY showing how to hollow out an egg to insert a greeting. When you gift it, the user will crack it open to reveal your personalized message!
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For this DIY, you’ll need an egg and a safety pin.  I purchased my eggs from my local grocery store in a clear carton.  I was specifically looking for a clear carton because I think it looks better when giving it as a gift to someone else.  To start, prick a tiny hole at the top and bottom of the egg.  Continue pricking around the first hole to make the holes a bit larger.  Make the bottom hole slightly larger than the top, so that the egg contents can fall out easier.  Once you have the two holes, you’ll need to blow out the egg yolk from the top hole.  I must admit, this is the not-so-fun part.  Blowing in the top hole will cause the egg yolk to slowly fall out of the bottom hole.  If your holes are too small, you will find it very hard to get the yolk out- you will then need to make your holes larger.  You shouldn’t have to blow so hard that you feel like you’re going to pass out; but at the same time, you don’t want a super large hole.  Try it with a few eggs to get the hang of it.  And save the yolk- you can use it for breakfast!easter-eggs-spark-and-chemistry-16easter-eggs-spark-and-chemistry-17

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Once the egg yolk is out, run it under some water to rinse out any remaining yolk.  Put it back in the carton and let it dry.  I let mine dry overnight just to be safe.  It needs to be completely dry so the paper you insert is not soggy when the egg is opened.

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Next, decorate your egg any way you’d like.  You can see some of our pictures below for inspiration.  Write your message on a tiny slip of paper- about 1 inch by 3 inches- though this dimension is not set in stone.  It just needs to be small enough to fit through the hole.  Roll it up very tightly and insert it in the bottom hole of the egg.  And then you’re done!  Give it to your friends and you’ve got a greeting-in-an-egg!

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I had so much fun making these eggs- I felt like a kid again.  Glitter everywhere, paint all over the place, and sharpie marks on my hands lol.

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Martha Stewart’s pearl paint worked perfectly for this DIY.  I love the blue, sea glass color of my eggs.  Also, you can use permanent marker to decorate them, for a modern look.  The combination of the permanent marker and the glitter together really modernize these eggs.
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I picked up some rafia from my local dollar store.  It came tightly rolled in a clear bag.  With very little manipulation, it gives the appearance of eggs in a nest.  All I had to do was fluff it up a bit to loosen it and it insert the eggs.  You can use this piece as a part of your tablescape or centerpiece.

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You can also gift it in a clear carton for see-through wrapping.  And that’s pretty much it!  I hope you all enjoyed our egg tutorial!  Happy DIY and Happy Easter!
April 15, 2014 0 comment
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GiftsLiving

T-shirt Cup Cozy

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As winter comes to a close (yay!), I wanted to squeeze in a quick and easy craft suitable for the last few chilly weeks we may have. In Maryland, you never know what you’re going to get. The end of March is supposed to be the start of Spring, but it’s not uncommon to still see brisk weather. So, to end the winter season, I’ve created a simple cup cozy that I made from old t-shirts. At first I wanted to create another t-shirt necklace, but I decided to try something a little different. Traditionally, cup cozies sit flat against the cup, however this cozy sits out a bit. At first glance it may look bulky, but as you’re creating this, you will find that you control the thickness. It can be as thin or as thick as your hands can hold. So, if you have some old t-shirts, use them for this DIY before deciding to throw them out!
Traditionally, cup cozies sit flat against the cup, however this cozy sits out a bit. At first glance it may look bulky, but as you’re creating this, you will find that you control the thickness. It can be as thin or as thick as your hands can hold. So, if you have some old t-shirts, use them for this DIY before deciding to throw them out!

For this DIY, you’ll need:

  • Old t-shirts
  • Fabric glue or hot glue and gun
  • Tiny elastics
  • Painter’s tape
  • Scissors
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Begin cutting your t-shirt width-wise. I cut up just about the whole t-shirt, but you won’t even need half of this for the project.
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Make sure to cut off the ends of the t-shirt strips as well.
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Grab four strips of each color and tape the tops down to allow for easy twisting. This is the part where you control its thickness. If your cup is already pretty bulky, try only using two t-shirt strips of each color. Make sure you measure the circumference of the cup so you know how long your strips should be. My strips were about 10 inches in length.
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To create the rope twist, twist each individual color towards the right, and then twist them both together in the left direction.

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Remove the tape, and temporarily secure both ends with an elastic band so it won’t come loose.
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Create about five of these t-shirt braids. If you wanted your cozy to be thinner, and so you only twisted with two strips instead of four, you will need to make more of these (probably 7 or 8). Glue the strips together, side by side with fabric glue. Now, it doesn’t really matter which glue you use as lot as it’s a strong one. If you know your glue isn’t going to stick or hold its position, I would recommend visiting Chemicalwiki.com and taking a look at the glues they have on offer. The better the glue, the longer your creation will last! Once the glue is dry, cut off the elastic bands (it should still be secured together). Though, it’s not a big deal to leave the elastics on because you’re covering them anyway. Your choice. Cut a small strip of t-shirt fabric for the closure.
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As you can see, the closure needs to be long and wide enough to wrap around the ends of the cozy. For me, that was about 7″ long and 1″ wide. Glue the closure around the ends of the cozy to secure it. Let the glue dry, and you’re done!
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If you get all the way to the end and you find that it’s too thick for your liking, no worries, you have a whole pile of t-shirt strips to try again with. Or, you can use it as a cute fabric bracelet! Happy DIY!
March 13, 2014 0 comment
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