Homemade Bath Bombs

Good Morning, friends! I hope all of you are well ;)

The past few days have been pretty great! Lots of relaxing, a little learning, and a little crafting. There's no better way to spend time!

In the spirit of trying to eat cleaner and to be more conscious of what's in my foods, I thought that I should be more aware of what's in my beauty products as well. What I put on my body should be just as important as what I put in my body, right??

These Homemade Bath Bombs are a much better alternative to many store-bought bath fizzies. No crazy chemicals or funky dyes here! They're so easy to make and can be so easily customized for any occasion or taste. Use any shape of silicone mold and use any scent or essential oil. The possibilities are truly endless.

Homemade Bath Bombs

Recipe from Dixie Crystals

What you need:

1/2 cup citric acid
1 cup baking soda
1/ 4 cup extra fine granulated sugar
Witch hazel (in a squirt bottle)
Fragrance/essential oil
Silicone mold

How to make them:

Mix the first 3 ingredients in a bowl. Break apart any clumps with a spoon. Add the essential oil/fragrance, just a few drops at a time. FYI: a few drops go a long way. Mix up the mixture evenly. Squirt in the witch hazel, a little at a time, stirring to combine. Only add a few drops at a time so that the mixture to start the fizzing process. Once the mixture seems moist enough to pack together like damp sand, distribute the mixture evenly between your molds, but only fill the molds about 1/2 full. Press the mixture firmly into the mold. The more compacted the mixture is, the better the bath bomb will hold up. Let the bath bombs set up and dry for at least 2 hours to overnight, depending on how wet your mixture is.

Tips & Tricks:

To be on the safe side, I let mine sit for well over 24 hours to dry. They just seemed too damp after a few hours! And they turned out pretty great! I also halved the recipe because I didn't have enough baking soda. I ended up with four bath bombs, so if you follow the recipe as-is, you will get at least 8. I used Now Foods Lemongrass Essential Oil that I picked up at Whole Foods, but it's available on Amazon too.

So go make these, take a bath, and relax :)
Does anyone else wish they enjoyed baths more than they actually do?? Ha!

Paint Chip Valentine Bookmarks

Hi, friends. I hope you all had a wonderful weekend.

Right now, I'm on I-95 making my way back to Wilmington. I had a great time visiting my grandma and family in Maryland. It was also great to spend so much time with my mom. I miss that lady :) And it was also nice to spend time in the wonderlands that are Ikea and REI.

I have a fun Valentine craft for you all today... Paint Chip Valentine Bookmarks!

It costs practically nothing. I sort of stole the paint chips from a hardware store (and it shall remained unnamed), the ribbon was 50 cents, and the heart hole punch was $2.13 from Michael's (with a mobile coupon). I can only imagine how much fun I will have with that hole punch for future Valentine days-- totally worth the $2.13.

Anyway, I love this craft because it doesn't require any artistic or creative ability whatsoever. A child could make these!

You will need some paint chips, a regular circular hole punch, a  heart hole punch, ribbon, and scissors or a paper cutter.

Cut or trim the paint chips to the desired size. Use the hole punches to make fun patters or designs. Finally, add ribbon through the circular hole. Ta-da! And now you have a fun Valentine's book mark. If you have kiddos or co-workers, these would be so fun to pass out on Valentine's Day.

Happy Valentine crafting & have a wonderful week :)

If you're looking for more DIY Valentine ideas, check out this post.

DIY Valentine Round-up

Hi, friends. Happy Friday!!! I hope all of you had a great week and that you have an even better weekend. I'm heading out to Maryland to see my grandma tomorrow morning and I couldn't be more excited. I'm also pretty happy about spending some quality time with my mom. We're meeting up in a central locating and making the drive together. Road trip!!

I've been spending some of my free crafting up some Valentine-themed goodies over the last few weeks. It's no surprise that I adore Valentine's Day. I'm a Valentine baby after all. Yes, my parents were deprived of a Valentine's day until I reached dating age.

Valentine's Day is all about the good stuff: hearts, candy, and love. It's perfectly acceptable (and preferred) to get a little creative and have some fun with diy gifts and tokens of love. Here are just a few ideas of mine from years past. I'm sure your Valentine will adore anything you gift them, as long as it comes from the heart <3

Strawberry Bread with Glaze

Valentine Burlap Votive Holders

Candy-Filled Valentine Flower Pots

Fabric Button Earrings

Valentine Pennant Wreath

Polymer Clay Heart Charms

DIY Heart Banner

I'll be back next with more fitness, recipes, and new diy Valentine ideas.

Chalkboard Witch Hat {DIY}

Hello, hello. Happy Wednesday. I hope all of you are having a wonderful week. I'm starting to get into a groove at my new job as Marketing Director at a local Chick-fil-A, which seems like a lot of fun so far. And I get to eat gorgeous salads for lunch every single day.

I have a super easy and inexpensive Halloween craft to share with you today.

I found a paper mache witch hat at Michael's at the end of the fall season last year for ten cents, so I decided to turn it into a fun piece for Halloween. This is where the chalk board paint comes in. Along with some festive ribbon and a a chalkboard pen, there are endless possibilities for your witch hat!

Have a wonderful day! I'll be back on Friday with a recap of this week's workouts.

Easy Spring Wreath

I hope you all are having an amazing week so far. Today, I'm sharing a fun spring wreath I recently made. It was so easy to make and it's so simple, yet lovely. Perfect for the whole spring season!

This wreath starts with a wreath form (available at craft stores) and burlap ribbon (I got mine at Wal-Mart for less than $3). Begin by wrapping the wreath form with the burlap ribbon. Wrap the burlap tight enough so that it doesn't come loose.

Once you have completely covered the wreath form, cut the excess burlap off and secure the end of the burlap with a few dabs of craft glue or hot glue.

Next is the fun part! Add whatever fun spring embellishments you wish to add: Easter eggs, flowers, etc. I added little birds nests with faux robin eggs-- so perfect for spring. You can find similar nests here and here. Finally, attach a big ribbon for hanging and you're good to go!

Are you ready for Easter?

I'm still finalizing our menu, but other than that, we're good to go!

Easy Painted Mason Jar

Our daffodils have been blooming like crazy over the last few weeks. It's a sure sign that spring is finally here, whether the weather wants to admit it or not... 

I often arrange flowers in mason jars; it's simple and easy. And if the jar breaks, it's no biggie. In an attempt to spruce up my mason jar, I bought enamel paint to add some color. This paint has a bit of a frosted look, which was really neat. I didn't realize that it was frosted paint until after I baked the jar, but if I had realized prior, I would have put the paint on the outside of the jar. Either way, it still looks great and it was a really inexpensive solution to pretty-up a plain jar. 

To get this look, clean your jar with rubbing alcohol and let it dry. Apply DecoArt Americana Frost Glass Enamel Paint. I used their turquoise paint; it made for a beautiful contrast!

If you are painting the inside of your jar, squirt 2 ounces (depending on the size of your jar) of paint into the jar and rotate the jar until it is fully covered in paint. Flip the jar upside down and allow the excess paint to drip out for about 15 minutes. Placing your jar on paper plates or newspaper works well. After, turn your jar upright and let it dry.

If you are painting the outside of your jar, grab a brush and start painting!

Once you have painted your jar, (either the inside or outside) allow it to dry for 4 days. Once 3 days has passed, bake your jar at 275* for 30 minutes in a non-preheated oven. Let the mason jar cool with the oven door open.

The photo below is a more realistic representation of what the color looks like.

**For safety reasons, if you plan on drinking out of your jar do not paint the inside of the jar. I wouldn't recommend putting paint anywhere that your lips would touch.

Does it feel like spring where you live??

"Luck of The Irish" {Free Printable}

Hello, hello. I hope everyone is enjoying the first day of March! Despite the chill in the air, it's a beautiful afternoon on the island and it certainly looks like spring might just be around the corner! 

St. Patrick's Day was never a hugely celebrated holiday while growing up, but I was always sure to wear something green to avoid the dreaded pinches! Now that I'm older, I take advantage of every holiday-- each one is the perfect excuse to craft, decorate the home, and get festive. Over the next few weeks, I plan to share a few fun crafts and ideas with you so that you can bring some St. Patty's cheer to your home as well. 

First up, an Irish blessing inspired St. Patty's Printable. Please feel free to print it and display it in your home, at work, or use it as a tag for treats. This printable would look so cute as a tag attached to a little bag of lucky charms! The possibilities are endless. Happy crafting :)

Hope you all have a wonderful weekend!

Covered Button Earrings + Valentine Printable

Happy Sunday! I'm so excited to share a super simple DIY project with you: Covered Button Earrings. I've been meaning to share them for a while, but now they can be turned into a super cute Valentine to give out to the special ladies in your life. Depending on which type of fabric you choose, you can create a look that everyone will love-- from children to grandmas, you can't go wrong with these easy earrings! 

To make Valentine gifting a bit easier, I've included free printables.

All you need is some scrap fabric, earring posts and backs, and a button kit. Button kits can be purchased online and in craft stores and they come in all sorts of sizes, so choose whatever size you'd like to rock on your ears!

Begin by cutting a scrap of fabric about 1.5 times the size of the button. Place the fabric into the form. Next, place the button top in the form. 

Place the excess fabric scraps into the button and place the button bottom (the part with the metal loop) into the form. 

Place the button press over the button and firmly press it in until it is well secured.

Remove the button from the form. With a pair of small pliers, remove the loop from the back of the button. 

Finally, glue an earring post to the back of the button. You now have an earring! 

To make a super cute Valentine, just print your favorite printable (from below) on some card stock, cut out the heart, secure the earrings through the heart, and you're good to go!

Feel free to use my Valentine printables. Just right-click to save or copy/paste!

Hope you all have an amazing week :)

Valentine Burlap Votive Holders {Inspired by Target}

When you live on an island in the middle of nowhere, going to Target is a real treat. I love browsing their seasonal decor! The last time I was at Target, they were stocked for Valentine's Day. I remember seeing small votive holders that were wrapped in burlap and pained to look "Valentine-y." I almost bought them, but I quickly remembered I had everything at home to make them myself! So, here's my Target copycat Valentine Burlap Votive Holders.

You don't need much to make these-- just a votive holder (can be found at the $ store), burlap (Wal-Mart or your favorite craft store), a hot glue gun or craft glue, and paint.

Begin by cutting a strip of burlap to wrap around your votive holder. Make sure it wraps around completely!

Next, paint the burlap as desired-- polka dots, stripes, chevron, hearts, a love message, etc. Let the paint dry. Finally, secure the burlap with a few dabs of glue. Once the burlap os secured, the votive holder is ready for a candle. Now you have a pretty, easy, and inexpensive Valentine's decoration.

What are you up to this weekend?

I'm heading to Raleigh, NC for a Pilates workshop. I'm super excited, but nervous as I'm brand-new to Pilates. Any advice?

Candy Filled Flowerpot {Cheap Valentine Ideas}

I hope you all had a fabulous weekend. I did! My Pilates workshop was great. I learned a lot {I practically knew nothing about Pilates before Sunday}and if I can get the hang of it, I'll start teaching it next month.

 I'm back to share another Valentine project with you today.

Valentine's Day is the perfect time to tell someone how much they mean to you and to share the love! This easy craft will do just that, but will cost you very little. That's a win in my book! If you have kiddos, they will love to get involved with this project-- let them paint the mini flower pot and fill it with sweet treats for neighbors, teachers, grandparents, and more.

Supplies:

 All you need is a miniature flower pot, some paint, a paintbrush, candy, and a mini cellophane bag. I was able to find the flower pots and cellophane bags at the dollar store. Score!

Directions:

Lay down some newspaper and paint the flower pot as desired; it couldn't be easier. Some simple hearts would be adorable and a hand-painted love note would be even sweeter. After the flower pot dries, fill it with a treat and it's ready to be gifted!

An easy and inexpensive way to show someone that you've been thinking about them!

Share a link to your Valentine projects in the comment box below. I'd love to see them :)

Polymer Clay Heart Charm with Fingerprint

It's officially February. I'm thrilled! I'm not only excited to share a few Valentine crafts and recipes with you, but I'm incredibly excited for my 23rd birthday, which happens to be Valentine's Day! Ahhhh... Valentine's Day!

And the best part about today (being February 1st) is that I can now share my first Valentine Craft with you all and not feel crazy about it! For my first DIY Valentine project, I'm sharing a Polymer Clay Heart Charm.

All you need is polymer clay, a heart-shaped cookie cutter, a rolling pin, and a piece of ribbon.

The options here are really limitless. The heart is a blank slate, just waiting for your imagination!

Begin by rolling out the polymer clay with a rolling pin or drinking glass. I actually used a smooth pint glass, just because my rolling pin is wooden and very porous. Use a heart-shaped cookie cutter to create a heart.

If you have kids, I bet Grandma and Grandpa would love to get a heart charm with the kiddo's fingerprints! Just have your child press firmly into the clay with their finger (or thumb) to create a heart shape. If you want to hang the charm, be sure to make a hole at the top! Toothpicks and push-pins work like a charm...

To harden the charms, just bake them at 275*F for about 30 minutes. You can use a toaster oven or a regular oven - just line a baking sheet with foil for easy clean-up. After the charms have hardened, attach a pretty ribbon and ta-da! A pretty Valentine to give :)

If you choose not to make these with a fingerprint, make your own conversation heart by painting a Valentine-themed phrase like, "love", "xoxo", etc.

Have you already started crafting for Valentine's Day?

What are you up to this weekend?

Saturday will be a day of relaxation and Sunday evening will be spent watching Super Bowl commercials. Fingers crossed for a great half-time show!

How to Knit a Coffee Cup Cozy {Step by Step}

It's Monday-- hope you all had an amazing weekend!

I've been seeing knitted coffee cup cozies for a a few years now, but they've really become popular over the last year. Today, I thought I'd share a tutorial so that you can learn how to knit your own. 

I'm no professional when it comes to knitting. I promise that if I can do this, so can you! I can knit scarves and more scarves and I only know how to straight knit (no purls here)-- that's about it! Knitting a coffee cup cozy is kind of like knitting a tiny scarf, but it's a ton less work. 

I used size 13 straight knitting needles and super bulky yarn for this project. However, you could easily use smaller needles and thinner yarn. 

Begin by knotting the yarn around one knitting needle. Let the "tale" hang off to the side.

You will now "cast on." Because my yarn is really thick, I'm only adding seven stitches. If your yarn is thinner, you will probably want to add more rows. To cast on, wrap the yarn over the front of the needle and around your index finger.

Loop the needle under the yarn and loosely pull the yarn over the needle, creating a stitch. 

Now you have two stitches. 

Continue the process until there are seven stitches total (including the initial knot).

Next, you will knit the first row. Just to warn you, the first row is the hardest! Just make sure that you don't pull the yarn too tight-- the tension matters! 

Hold the needle with the yarn in your left hand. With your right hand, begin to knit the first row. Insert the point of the right needle into the first stitch from front to back, under the left needle.

Take the loose yarn and wrap it in-between the two needles.

Now, draw the yarn through the stitch with the point of the right needle. Slip the first loop of the left needle off, so that the stitch is now on the right side.

Ta-da!

Repeat the process until all of the stitches on the left needle are on the right needle. Because the left needle is now empty, it becomes the right needle. 

Continue the process.

Continue knitting until you have reached your desired length. Remember, the yarn does stretch! Mine is about 8" long.

Now, we will "cast off." In other words, we will now get your coffee cup cozy off of the knitting needle! Begin by knitting two stitches. 

Once you have knitted two stitches, bring the first stitch over the second stitch (don't let the second stitch fall off) and let the first stitch drop. 

The second stitch is all that is left on the right knitting needle and it now becomes the first stitch. Continue by knitting another stitch and repeating the process...

Eventually, you will have two stitches left. Repeat the process one last time.

You are now left with one stitch attached to the needle. While carefully grasping the stitch, gently slide it off of the needle.

Don't let go!

Cut your knitting from the excess ball of yarn- leaving just enough yarn to secure a knot (or leave a few inches for sewing the cozy together- *see below). Thread the yarn through the loop and knot it.

Trim the excess yarn from both ends. Your coffee cup cozy is now ready to be stitched together! *If you left extra yarn at the end, use it to stitch the ends together. If you trimmed the ends, grab a piece of yarn and stitch it together. You could even sew a button to one end and a loop to the other end-- this way, you can use your coffee cup cozy on a mug that has a handle.

Let me know if you have any questions! If you make your own cozy, I want to hear how it turns out :)