Natural Living & Brown Sugar Hand Scrub Recipe

The last few years, I've become interested in using more natural products. I suppose, it probably started with a trip to the Lush store in Santa Barbara. Lush is a handmade cosmetic company that uses natural ingredients. It's not cheap, but it is a splurge that I enjoy once in awhile. A product from Lush can always bring a smile to my face. Because Lush is not really in the budget, I've been interested in trying to make some of my own natural bath and beauty products.

I'm slowly building a collection of supplies with which to create yummy natural stuff. I really want to get more essential oils and learn how to use them. The different scents always give me a lift. However, it seems as if VA is not as big into "natural living" as CA. Although Williamsburg is a much larger town than Solvang, it doesn't have a natural foods store where you can buy things like essential oils. Or, at least I haven't found one.

So, I do a lot of my research online. I've seen so many ideas that I want to try that I started a Natural Living Pinterest Board to keep them all easily accessible. Maybe this will help keep my thoughts organized and I'll experiment some more.

One product I have made successfully is a Brown Sugar Hand Scrub. We made it at MOPS a couple of years ago. Of course, since it is made of oil, you've got to be careful if you're going to use it in the shower. I keep this above my sink to use after I do the dishes. (Yes, I do the dishes by hand.) After I was it off, I blot my hands with a paper towel to get rid of the slightly greasy feeling. 

If you're interested in "natural living" too, I thought I'd mention a few things that are going on this week:

• "Natural Living" Bundle of the Week: This week's ebook bundle from Bundle of the Week is all about natural living. There are FIVE books packed with recipes and more for just $7.40 (a savings of over 80%). I haven't read any of these, but they do look good.
• Plant Therapy Essential Oil Kit Giveaway: Life Your Way has a giveaway for an Essential Oil Starter Kit from Plant Therapy ($43 value). If you don't win the giveaway, you WILL get a coupon code emailed to you as a thanks for entering. If at least 250 people enter the giveaway, the coupon code will be even better!

Oh, and of course, I'm sharing my recipe for hand scrub!


Brown Sugar Hand Scrub


1/2 cup extra virgin olive oil
1 teaspoon vanilla extract
1 teaspoon Vitamin E oil
1/2 cup + 1/3 cup brown sugar

Pour olive oil, vanilla extract and Vitamin E into 8 ounce jar. Mix very well. Then, add sugar and carefully stir until well blended (it will not dissolve). To enjoy, scoop some of the scrub into your hand and massage gently into your skin. For best results, leave on skin for 3 to 4 minutes before rinsing.

Other Scrub Ideas:

• White Sugar Scrub: We made a different version at MOPS last year. I can't remember the exact recipe, but it used white sugar, massage oil, and essential oil of your choice. You can try and experiment to find your own favorite creation!
• Lavender Hand Scrub: Life as MOM posted a recipe for this back in December. Yummy!

Homemade Christmas Craft and Gift Ideas

Hey folks! Things have been a little nuts around here, and alas, I didn't get around to writing a Make-It Monday post this week. I've actually been so busy creating crafts for Christmas Your Way and homemade gifts for DIY on a Dime over at Life as MOM that I've let things slide a bit here. Sorry!

But, I'm not completely empty handed! I thought I'd share a few things today that I've created for other blogs!

ABC Memory Game at Life as MOM

This month, Jessica at Life as MOM is posting a series of easy, handmade gifts that are perfect for Christmas. Last week, I contributed a Playdough Kit last week, and today I'm sharing my homemade ABC Memory Game. I'm actually planning on giving the game to Lu as a gift for Christmas. True, she's already seen it, but maybe if I hide it away for a couple of weeks she'll forget about it! Who knows? Maybe the girls will even get the playdough kits too. They loved those as well.

Playdough Kit at Life as MOM

All of the DIY on A Dime ideas are great. To make it easy to find them, Jessica has made a fantastic list of all the DIY on a Dime projects.



Christmas Tree Tags at Christmas Your Way

I have to confess, I've been so busy crafting that we haven't completely decorated out tree yet! Brett is busy studying for finals and I've been busy holding down the fort. I did manage to put the lights on the tree AND put up some of these little tree tag ornaments that I designed as part of the 101 Days of Christmas series at Christmas Your Way.

Well, I'm not done crafting yet. I've got a few more crafts up my sleeve. I'll post about them soon!

Frugal Homemade Gifts from Felt

It's kinda been a felt week here at my house. On Monday, I shared a quick little tutorial on how to make a superhero mask for an inexpensive gift for kids. Then on Wednesday, I shared how to create some fun decorations for your holiday beverages.

Really, I should use felt a lot more frequently. I have a HUGE box of felt in my craft closet that really I need to start making a dent in it. See?

Yeah, my husband probably thinks that it's a little crazy to have so much felt to require its own box. That mauve felt there? That's seriously OLD. Like, my mom used that to make me a 50s skirt when I was in elementary school. Yeah, OLD.

But, felt is so easy to use in crafts and homemade gifts. Best of all, it can be CHEAP! The most readily-available kind of felt that you'll find at the craft store is pretty inexpensive and often made from recycled materials. You can get a 9 x 13" sheet for usually about $0.30 or so. Fabric stores will also sell it off the bolt if you need larger amounts. The really nice felt (made from wool) is usually pricer and harder to find. Personally, I stick to the cheap stuff because I've actually never found any of the wool stuff in any store I've been in.

Felt is a great material to work with. It doesn't fray so it's great for handmade projects. You just need a good pair of scissors to make clean, easy cuts. Trust me, it makes crafting with fabric sooooo much easier if you have a good pair of scissors! Felt is also easy to sew by hand and gives a cute, rustic look.

Here are a few ideas of things that you can make as gifts this holiday season. Just click on the links to find the tutorials:

• Felt Crowns: This is another fun gift for kids -- especially those who like to play "castle" or "Princess"!
• Felt Flower Hairclip: This works for little or big girls.
• Fast Felt Purses: This tutorial includes three versions -- plain felt purse, a felt purse lined with costume satin, and a felt purse lined with costume satin with a divider.
• Felt Covered Journals: This journal would be great as part of a Morning Out Kit. Throw in a thought-provoking book and a coffeeshop gift card.
• Felt Coffee Cozy: This is fun gift for the coffeeshop lover in your life. A link to a template is included in this post to make it easier.

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For other frugal or money-saving ideas, check out Frugal Friday at Life as MOM on Fridays.

Gift Ideas under $12 for Little Chefs

While both of my girls enjoy cooking in the kitchen, Lucie REALLY enjoys it these days. I call her my little sous-chef. She's even started watching kitchen shows on TV for fun. Who knows if this is a life-long interest or a passing fad. But, I'm trying to embrace it now and enjoy moments in the kitchen with her.

Perhaps you've got a child (or niece, or nephew, or friend) who likes to cook too and for whom you'll be getting a Christmas gift. Here are a few inexpensive gift ideas for little chefs:

Make a Reversible Apron! Choose fabrics that your little chef will enjoy. I shared this reversible apron tutorial earlier this week.

Make a Love Spice Shaker Jar! Let your little one add that special ingredient at the end. This gift is practically free. Just reuse an old spice jar and embellish it with whatever you have on hand. I used scrapbook paper and Modge Podge. Instructions are available on Life as MOM.

Buy a child-friendly cookbook. Here are a few suggestions that are under $12:

• Food, Faith, and Fun: A Faithgirlz! Cookbook: I bought this for Lucie (sshhhhh...don't tell!). She saw it at the school's book fair and really, really wanted it. I'm not sure if I'll give it to her for Christmas or for her birthday since that comes right after Christmas. But, I know that she'll love it! It includes recipes for many different holidays as well. The "cornucopia" recipe for Thanksgiving was amazingly adorable!
• Once Upon a Time in the Kitchen: The librarian at E's school showed this to me. It looks soooo great. It has excerpts from classic children's stories and recipes that you can make together that are an extension of the story. It would be a great way to combine a storytime at home and a cooking lesson!
• Cook It in a Cup: Quick Meals and Treats Kids Can Cook in Silicone Cups: This cookbook comes with a set of silicone baking cups to use to create the dishes in the cookbook. So fun!

What would you give to the little chef in your life?

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For other money-saving ideas, stop by Frugal Friday at Life as MOM.

Make-It Monday: Child's Reversible Apron

Since 2010, I've featured "Make It Monday" on my blog during the holiday season. On the Mondays between Thanksgiving and Christmas, I share different ideas and instructions on how to make homemade (or partially homemade) gifts. My life is crazy right now, but I'm going to do my best to keep up the tradition. Stop by each week for a new homemade gift idea!

Today, I'm going to show you how to make an easy reversible apron for a child. I've got quite a dedicated little sous-chef here at my house. She loves using this little apron...and she looks pretty darn cute in it too. This is an inexpensive gift and a great way to use up small amounts of fabric that you might have around the house.

How to Make a Child's Reversible Apron

Supplies:

• measuring tape
• tissue paper to make pattern
• pencil
• two different fabrics (I used one print, one solid)
• scissors
• straight pins
• thread
• sewing machine
• masking tape
• safety pin
• ribbon or double-wide bias tape (stitched closed)

Directions:

Make the Pattern:
To make your pattern, you'll need the child's measurements -- the width across the front of the chest, the length of the top of the apron to the armpit, and the length you want the apron to be, and the width of the apron (usually the width of the front of the child plus a couple of inches).

Cut a rectangle out a piece of tissue paper that is as long as you want the apron to be and as wide as you want the apron to be. My rectangle started out as 18 x 15. Fold in half lengthwise so you get a skinny rectangle (18 x 7.5). Take half of measurement for the top of the apron and mark that along the top of the tissue paper from the fold. On the open side of the tissue paper, mark the measurement for the distance from the top of the apron to the armpit. Draw a line from the mark at the top of the apron to the armpit mark. Cut along the line. Unfold and you should have a shape that looks like this:

Make the Apron:

Trace your pattern onto two different fabrics and cut them out. I chose one printed fabric and one solid covered fabric.

Place the cut-out pieces with the right sides together, and pin along the edges. Mark the places where you'll want to leave an opening for the apron tie -- near the edges of the top of the apron and at the bottom of the arpmit side edge. I used masking tape to mark these places so I wouldn't sew over them.

Leaving an opening at the bottom and where your tape is marked, sew along all of the edges, skipping over the areas where the tape is. It should look something like this:

Remove tape and turn right side out. Iron flat. Place the tape on the same openings along the top and sides of apron. Topstitch along the edges of the apron, closing the bottom of the apron and leaving the tape-marked spots open.

Stitch a seam parallel to the armpit side edges of the apron to create a casing for the apron strings, like this:

Remove tape. Pin a safety pin to one end of whatever you're using for your apron strings -- ribbon will work. (I used double-wide bias tape that I stitched closed.) Use the safety pin to help you thread the apron string through the bottom side opening, through the casing, and out the top. Then, loop the string down through the casing on the other side. The apron string can be adjusted to fit over the child's head. You can add a knot in the string at the bottom of the casing to help prevent the string from pulling all the way into the casing.

Other Sewing Projects that Make Great Gifts

• Flaxseed Heating Wrap
• Reuseable Fabric Coffee Sleeve
• Fabric Journal Cover
• Fleece Scarf with Pockets
• Fast Felt Purse

I'm Keeping Cozy in my Scarf with Pockets!

The heat and humidity has finally left Virginia, and most days we have a lovely chill in the air! It's time for this California girl to bust out the scarves! I am notoriously bad for remembering gloves when I head out into the cold, so I decided to do something about it. I made myself a fleece scarf with pockets!

You can make one too! Head over to DIY Your Way and check out my tutorial on how to make a fleece scarf with pockets!

Make A Felt Purse for Fall!

A couple of weeks ago, I got curious about what THE popular fashion colors are going to be for Fall 2012. Well,a quick google search brought me to this Woman's Fashion Color Report where I found the answer. Don't be surprised if you see bold colors in the stores, like vibrant pink, tangerine orange, honey gold, chartreuse, ultramarine green, and olympian blue. A few days later while I was browsing the craft store, I came across the section of pre-cut felt. Guess what colors dominated? You guessed it!

So, I couldn't resist grabbing a few pieces for a mere $0.34 each, and took them home to make them into felt purses. Today at DIY Your Way, I give you a tutorial on how to make three versions of these little felt purses -- unlined, lined with costume satin, AND lined with a divider pocket. Come check it out and learn how to make your own! They'd make great inexpensive gifts either on their own or filled with gift cards, stationary, or other little trinkets.

Budget-Friendly DIY Crafts

Ever since I became a craft contributor at DIY Your Way in June, I have been crafting, crafting and crafting some more. It is just the motivation that I needed to carve out time to do what I enjoy and get a little bit more organized!

However, along with crafting comes the necessity of purchasing crafting supplies. Although I'm not a huge shopper, I love looking around the craft store. Translation? I need to be careful with my purchases! After all, this girl has a law school budget to keep. I keep my crafting costs down by shopping the sales and keeping an eye out for the discount coupons. Because I shop at Joann Fabric & Craft, I signed up for their mailing list and get coupons via email frequently. I can almost always find a 40% off coupon either in their mailer or email. Joann's is great because they will let you use more than one coupon as long as they aren't copies of the exact same coupon -- check their codes to be sure. So, oftentimes I can use a print mailer coupon along with one (or more) that I've received online.

In the past couple of months, I shared several do-it-yourself crafts (both here and at DIY Your Way) that are also budget-friendly. Just in case you missed them, here's the recap.

Raffia Vase - Transform a humble glass bottle into a vase that is perfect for a centerpiece, mantel decor or even a sweet little gift or token of appreciation

Satin Flowers - These flowers are simple, yet so pretty! Plus, you can use them in so many different ways!

Cup Identifiers - Got too many used cups in your house? Try making cup identifiers to help your loved ones keep track of their cups.

Photo Book - This is a great way to share your summer memories with others.

Kids' Chore Chart - I made these last week for my girls to keep track of their chores. They are ridiculously easy (and inexpensive) to make!

Woven Paper Storage Boxes - These stylish boxes are a fun way to reuse shoeboxes and organize your stuff. They'd also make great gift boxes too! If you don't have a shoebox for this craft, make your own custom storage box out of cereal boxes.

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For other money-saving ideas, be sure to check out Frugal Friday at Life as MOM.

DIY Simple, Yet Spectacular, Satin Flowers

I made a bunch of these sweet little satin flowers this past week as gifts for Ella's teachers, and I was oh so pleased with them! They look so pretty, but are surprisingly affordable. The flowers were only about $0.25 to make but can be used in so many ways. Head over to DIY...Your Way to check out my tutorial for these Simple, Yet Spectactular, Satin Flowers and see how you can use them.

DIY Raffia Vase Tutorial

Aren't these pretty? I think I'm in love with these sweet little vases. Best of all? They are an inexpensive, green and simple craft that you can make at home. Today, I'm sharing just how to do that in my DIY Raffia Vase Tutorial over at DIY...Your Way, a division of Life...Your Way. Come check it out!

Gifts of flowers don't need to be expensive. Skip the pricey bouquet, and fill one of these homemade vases with a few stems of flowers from your garden. It makes a sweet and simple gift for a friend, a teacher or a hostess.

You can make several of these and keep a few on hand for when you need a last minute gift. It's so much easier and cheaper than running out to the store!

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For other money-saving ideas, be sure to stop by Frugal Friday at Life as MOM.

Make It Monday: Felt Flower Hairclip

Valentine's Day is upon us! Each year, I like to give my girlies a little Valentine's Day gift. Since they will be getting plenty of candy as school, I usually avoid candy gifts and typically opt for homemade gift. Last year, I made them some sweet little heart-shaped flax seed bags that can be used as a "heat bag" or an ice pack of sorts. This year, I made them some new Felt Flower Hairclips.

As you might imagine, with two little girls in the house, we like hair accessories. Honestly, I'm not a talented hairdresser, for myself or for my girls. I'd rather brush their hair and pop on a headband (aka "crown") or hairclip and call it good.

At our house, we do have a preference for flower hairclips. When Lucie was just an itty bitty, I made my first felt flower hairclip to keep her crazy bangs out of her face. It was easy to make -- I just glued together two flower shapes cut from felt, added a couple of felt leaves on the back and a rhinestone in the center of the flower. She wore that clip all the time. It was just about the only hairstyle that I could do with her hair. 

This past December, I shared how to make a simple Satin Flower Hairclip. These are a bit fancier...and a bit more dangerous to make since you use the flame from a tea candle.

My latest version of the flower hairclip is simple. To make them, you'll need the following:

• felt in at least two colors - one for the petals and one for the leaves
• scissors
• hot glue gun
• metal hairclip 

Instructions:

Using the flower petal felt, cut out eight ovals. Mine measured about 1.5 inches by 1 inch. Then, cut out five felt circles. Mine measured 1 inch across. Using the leaf felt, cut out a couple of leaves.

Apply a small bead to the bottom of a felt oval and press the sides together. It will pucker the petal a bit. Do this to all of the ovals.

Take one felt circle and apply glue around about 1/4 of the circle. Press the puckered end of two ovals onto the glue. Repeat all the way around the circle until all eight petals are affixed to the circle. You now have the base of the flower.

Take a felt circle and fold it in half, and then in half again. Place a small drop of glue on the pointed end of the folded circle. Press onto the center of the flower. Repeat with the other circles until you've created the center of the flower.

Flip the flower over and apply a line of glue where you want your metal hair clip to go. Open the clip and glue on the top side of the clip. Slip the felt leaves between the two prongs and make sure they adhere to the backside of the flower.

Make It Monday: Homemade Dog Treats

Welcome back to Make It Monday, a source for inexpensive homemade holiday gifts. The past two weeks, I've shared some girlie gift ideas - Paper Bead Necklaces and Sating Floral Hairclips. Today I'm changing gears and sharing a homemade gift idea for our canine pals.

Three of my four siblings have given me nieces and nephews of the canine variety. They don't have (human) children of their own, so their doggies are their babies. We are happy to have Chipper, Condie, Dax and Danny as part of our family. Last year, the girls and I decided to give these sweet dogs some homemade dog treats as gifts. The girls LOVED making them. They were quick and easy to make with the kids...and I think the canine cousins enjoyed their Christmas gifts!

Homemade Dog Treats

1/2 cup cornmeal
6 Tablespoons oil
2 cups whole wheat flour
2/3 cup water or broth*

*Be cautious when using broth. Onions can be toxic to dogs. Make sure that the broth or bouillion does not contain onion. I use Better than Bouillion Chicken Base which does not contain onion - at least not the jar I'm using now. Check labels carefully.

In a mixing bowl, combine all ingredients together well. Roll out dough to about 1/4-inch thick. Use cookie cutter to cut into dog-biscuit sized shapes. Bake 35-40 minutes. Let cool completely and store in airtight container.

For other homemade gift ideas, see my recent tutorials on how to make Paper Bead Necklaces or Satin Floral Hairclips OR check out my Make It Monday archive.

Make It Monday: Satin Floral Hairclips

I love it when I learn how to make something new from a friend. My dearest friend Jillian taught me how to make these little beauties. Every time I see one of my girlies wear one, I think of Jill and that is a very good thing.

Today, I'm going to share with you how to make these Satin Floral Hairclips for Make It Monday!

These Satin Floral Hairclips are really easy -- and inexpensive -- to make. They are also versatile. You can use them as a hairclip, of course, but also as a gift package topper or if you add a pin it can be worn as a broach.

First, a disclaimer here. This craft is of a somewhat dangerous nature because it involves using fire. Please use caution. I am not responsible for any mishaps that may occur while replicating this craft. Boom. There it is.

Materials Needed:

• Costume Satin - the feel of this can vary. What is shown here is of a stiffer nature. While it was easier to cut, I do prefer the feel of a softer costume satin. Feel free to experiment.
• Scissors
• Tea light & match
• Needle & thread
• Rhinestone or other embellishment
• Hot Glue Gun
• Metal hair clip

Instructions:

1. Cut out three satin circles of diminishing size - Large, Medium and Small. Make sure that your largest one is bigger than the hair clip you want to use. You don't want to be able to see the clip on the finished product.
2. Light a tea light. Very carefully melt the edges of each circle by holding the fabric close to, but not in, the flame. This will keep the fabric from fraying. Then, hold the circle above the flame to pucker the fabric. Repeat this over several parts of the circle. Be careful not to scorch the fabric (or light it on fire, obviously).
3. Once your circles are edged and puckered, stack them on top of each other by size with the smallest on top. With your needle and thread, stitch the three circles securely together. Tie off on the backside.
4. Use the glue gun to adhere a rhinestone or other embellishment in the center of the flower.
5. Cut out a small fabric oval shape that is as long as the prong on the hairclip. Seal the edges with the tealight just as you did the circles. Then, sandwich this between the two prongs of the hairclip.
6. Apply some more hot glue to the back of the flower where you want the hairclip to go. Place the hairclip and the fabric oval securely over the glue. The fabric oval will prevent glue from sticking to the other prong of the hairclip...you know, so it will actually open as a hairclip.

Hints:

• To make a circle easily, fold a square of satin into fourths, hold onto the folded corner and cut an arch from one side to the other. Open up, and you've got a circle.
• Speed up the preparation by making several circles at one time. Just stack layers of satin and cut multiple circles at once. They don't have to be perfect since you'll be making them uneven with the fire anyway.
• While little girls love these hairclips, I don't recommend that you let them get anywhere near the fire. However, you can involve them by letting them pick out colors of the fabric and embellishments.

For other inexpensive homemade gift ideas, check out my archive of other Make-It Monday posts. For other money-saving ideas, check out Frugal Friday at LifeasMOM.

Valentine's Day Gift Ideas

When I was a kid, my dad would often give each of us kids a special kid-size box of See's Candy for Valentine's Day. We didn't often get candy, so it was an extra-special treat to get our very own box. Although I haven't set a tradition with giving a specific type of gift each year, I do have something in mind for Monday.

Since our Cinderella Ice Pack bit the dust this weekend, I thought that I would make Lucie and Ella each their own Heart Boo Boo Bag. It's basically the same thing as a flaxseed heating wrap, but in the shape of a heart. It can either be stored in the freezer for ouchies OR heated in the microwave for warmth. Ella loves using my flaxseed wrap, so I think she'll enjoy using the heart as well.

These are super-cheap to make. They cost me nothing since I already had some leftover supplies from other projects. However, if you don't want to buy flaxseed, you could also use plain ol' uncooked rice. The smell would be different, but the result would be the same.

Here's what you need:

• heart template
• fabric
• scissors
• sewing machine
• thread
• iron
• funnel
• whole flaxseed or uncooked rice (I used 1 cup per bag)

Here's what you do:

1. Cut out a heart template that is slightly larger than you want your finished bag to be. Trace and cut out 2 hearts out of fabric. (I cut out one solid colored heart and one floral heart.)
2. Place the two hearts with the right sides of the fabric facing together. Use straight pins to hold the hearts together while you use the sewing machine to stitch them together, leaving about a 1 - 2 inch opening.
3. Turn the hearts right side out. Iron to press the seams.
4. Finish the edge by sewing around the heart again and be sure not to stitch the opening closed.
5. Place a funnel into the opening and pour in the flaxseed. Use straight pins to hold the opening shut.
6. Stitch the opening shut and remove the pins.

Sewing not your thing? You can still make a cute homemade gift! Fishmama has two great ideas -- a personalized Candy Bar Wrapper and a free downloadable and customizable Valentine's Coupon Book.

Make It Monday: Etched Glass Gifts

Welcome to the last Make It Monday of the Christmas 2010 season! Over the past couple of weeks, I've talked about some homemade gifts like flaxseed heating wraps, dancing ribbons & felt crowns for kids and flavored liqueurs. Today I'm going to talk about etched glass gifts.

I got this idea from another M.O.P.S. craft that we did a few years ago. Personally, I have only etched a small glass, lidded container (seen above) and a small oval mirror. But, basically you can use etching cream on all types of glass products -- drinking glasses, vases, candle holders, storage containers. You could even etch something on a glass bottle like the ones I used for my Vanilla Liqueur. One project that I would love to do with etching cream is to make a set of numbered wine glasses - no need for wine charms and no mixing up your glass with someone else's. Simple and cute. It's on my "to do" list one day.

Here's a basic explanation of how I've done this project in the past. We made our own templates with contact paper and an exacto knife However, keep in mind that the cream actually etches into glass, so it is caustic. Use it carefully and be sure to follow the instructions that come with your etching cream.

Here's what you need

• glass item to etch
• glass cleaner & towel
• print out / template of your design
• contact paper
• exacto knife
• plastic gloves to protect your hands
• etching cream (such as Armour Etch Cream)
• paintbrush

Here's what you do:

1. Clean the area where you plan to etch your design with a glass cleaner.
2. Transfer your design onto contact paper. When I made the container above, I used a computer print-out of the letter P, cut it out (including the loop of the P) and traced it onto the contact paper. Then use the exacto knife to remove your shape from your piece of contact paper. In my example, I ended up with a square of contact paper that was missing the shape of a P. I also cut out the inside of the P and used it as part of the template.
3. Adhere your template to the glass and press firmly so that all edges are stuck completely to the glass. You don't want etching cream to get under the edges or it will blur your design.
4. Wearing gloves and using a paint brush, apply a thick layer of etching cream to your design. Wait several minutes or as instructed by the cream's directions.
5. Rinse the cream off thoroughly and remove your contact paper template. 

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For other "Make It Monday" ideas, visit last year's posts -- the Playdough Kit, Family Calendars, Morning Out Kit, Romance Kit, Pizza Night Kit, and Personalized T-Shirts.

Holiday Tradition: Food Gifts

Food traditions and holidays go hand in hand. For me, no Christmas is complete without a slice of Toffee Dream Pie! The recipe sounds so strange, but it is oh, so, good. It's one of those desserts that we'd eat the leftovers for breakfast because if you waited for a more "appropriate" time, there wouldn't be any leftover to be had.

Another "holiday food tradition"that I love is to make food gifts for friends, some family members and those special people who do nice things for our family (caregivers, work support staff, etc). Back in high school and in my office days, I liked to make either bags or plates of goodies. Some of my favorites treats to include have been Chocolate Chip Cookies, Snickerdoodles, Reese's Chewy Chocolate Cookies and my once top-secret recipe for Walnut Bars.

However, since we all seem to be beseiged by cookies at this time of year, I find that it's also nice to make gifts of the non-cookie variety. Last year, I bottled up some homemade liqueurs (amaretto & coffee) for my brothers-in-law in Oregon. This year, I purchased some cool bottles at World Market and tested out my own creation for Vanilla Liqueur. I'm still not sure who is going to get those ones yet. The Oregonians won't be headed here, and I don't really want to ship a liquid...that just sounds like a mess. So, someone nearby just might be a lucky recipient!

Along with those glass bottles, I bought some cool little seasoning jars with red ceramic lids. Using this recipe as a guide, I'm going to mix up some dipping oil seasoning to put in these jars. On Sunday, I tried my version out, and it was quite yummy with some toasted sourdough bread. If I have time, I might try out this ciabatta recipe and include a small loaf along with the seasoning mix. I think the dipping oil seasoning is an idea that I just might experiment with in the future.

Hot cocoa mix is also a quick and easy gift idea. Ella's teacher and classroom aide will be the lucky recipients of some of Lynn's Homemade Hot Cocoa mix that the girls and I mixed up on Monday night. Rather than buying jars, I'm repurposing some Bonne Maman jam jars and including a tag with the recipe (and Lynn's website, of course!)

While I enjoy making homemade food gifts, I have purchased food gifts in the past few years to make my life just a bit easier. I imagine that there are others out there who feel the same way. You can easily put together a cute and inexpensive "thank you" gift for those people you want to give a little something to WITHOUT actually having to make anything. I like to buy a few boxes of the Awesome Bars from See's Candies (Awesome Peanut Brittle Bars, Awesome Walnut Square Bars and Awesome Nuts & Chew Bars. Then, I wrap up 2 or 3 bars with some cellophane, ribbon, and a tag that says, "You're awesome!" along with a personal note. It costs less than $3 per gift, and has been just perfect to give to the sweet caregiver who watch my girls at MOPS.

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For other recipes of holiday traditions, be sure to stop by Jessica's Ultimate Recipe Swap at Life As Mom. For other homemade gift ideas, check out "Make It Monday."

Make It Monday: Vanilla Liqueur

Welcome back to "Make It Monday," a source for homemade gift ideas and instructions. This Christmas season, I've explained how to make a Flaxseed Heating Wrap as well as the child-friendly Dancing Ribbons and Felt Crowns. Today, I'm going to talk about a homemade gift for adults -- homemade liqueurs.

Some liqueurs can be made rather quickly (typically those that use extracts) while others take some steeping time (typically those that use fresh ingredients like citrus peel). Last year, I made coffee liqueur as well as amaretto for two of my brothers-in-law. They were quick and easy to make, and had the benefit of tasting yummy together. (Just mix 1/3 amaretto, 1/3 coffee liqueur and 1/3 half-and-half and serve over ice.)

As for bottling up your homemade beverage, you can go the "green" way and recycle a glass bottle with a screw lid. Just be sure to sterilize the cap and bottle before filling them up. You can also check out stores for pretty bottles. I just bought the one pictured above from World Market (they're sold out online but you can check stores).

Recipes abound for different homemade liqueurs. Last year, I used All Recipes to research and read feedback about particular liqueur recipes. Here's one of their articles about making homemade liqueur if you're interested for more info. This year, I tried my hand at making some Vanilla Liqueur. Since it is made with an extract, it doesn't need steeping time. However, it will taste better after the flavors have some time to blend and mellow.


Vanilla Liqueur

1 cup water
1 cup sugar
1/2 cup brown sugar
2 cups vodka
4 Tablespoons vanilla extract

In a saucepan, combine the water and two sugars over medium heat. Bring to a boil and make sure all of the sugar is dissolved. Remove the pan from heat and let the sugar mixture cool for at least 20 minutes. Add the vodka and extract and stir well to combine. Store in a sealed bottle.

Amaretto Variation: Substitute dark brown sugar for the light and 2 Tablespoons of almond extract for 2 Tablespoons of the vanilla.

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For other "Make It Monday" ideas, visit last year's posts -- the Playdough Kit, Family Calendars, Morning Out Kit, Romance Kit, Pizza Night Kit, and Personalized T-Shirts.

Make-It Monday: Felt Crowns & Dancing Ribbons

Welcome back to "Make It Monday". Each Monday from now until Christmas, I'm going to attempt to post some ideas for inexpensive, homemade gifts. Last week I started off "Make It Monday 2010" with instructions on how to make a Flaxseed Heating Wrap. Today, is your lucky day! You're going to get TWO homemade gift ideas for children instead of just one -- Play Felt Crowns and Dancing Ribbons. They would make a great stocking stuffer -- small, cute and inexpensive! It's easy enough to make several at a time and stash some extras for future gifts as well.

A couple of years ago, I read about the book Creative Play for Your Toddler: Steiner Waldorf Expertise and Toy Projects for 2-4s on a friend's blog. I loved the idea of simple, homemade toys and ordered the book primarily for the toy ideas. The book is filled with lots of projects; however, I discovered that many of them probably required more time than I wanted to spend to create them. One project that particular caught my eyes was "Crowns and Cloaks." At the time, Ella was going to have a Castle Birthday Party, and I thought it would be fun to make crowns for all of our little guests.

Inspired by the book, I decided to make felt crowns with one particular change that my brilliant mother had suggested. Rather than sewing elastic to the sides of the felt crown, I used an elastic headband.  This created a one-size-fits-all crown and simplified the process -- no worrying about how large a child's head was and not having to stitch the elastic on. (You can see the red headband in the photo above -- I got a pack of 5 at the dollar store and they were in basic colors. Perfect!)

For our party, I made the crowns ahead of time and allowed the children to choose rhinestones to decorate them. They told me where to place them, and I affixed them with a hot glue gun. Obviously, rhinestones can be a choking hazard for young children, so a sewn on felt embellishment might be a better choice for little ones. Use your common sense.

Play Felt Crowns

Here's what you need:

• felt in your preferred color(s)
• scissors
• needle & thread
• elastic headband (I got a pack of five at the 99 cent store!)
• embellishments (sequins, small shapes of colored felt, rhinestones etc.)
• hot glue gun & glue  

1. Draw a template of what you'd like the front of your crown to look like.
2. Trace your template onto a strip of folded felt and cut out.
3. Sew decorations onto one side of the felt. If you choose to glue them on, you can do that now or later if you wish.
4. Slip the elastic headband between the folded felt and then stitch around the crown to close it. You may want to reinforce the stitching near the headband.
5. Glue on your embellishments if you haven't already done so.

Dancing Ribbons

Like many kids, my girls love to dance around the house. I made these simple dancing ribbons for my niece and my girls. Here's what you'll need:

• a thick wooden dowel 
• sandpaper
• small eye screws
• craft paint or wood varnish
• several yards of ribbon in various colors
• embroidery thread, fishing wire or elastic bead cord

1. Cut the wooden dowel into several pieces to make handles. I cut mine to lengths of about 5 inches long. Use sandpaper to smooth the wood, especially the cut ends.
2. Put an eye screw into one end of the handle. This might be difficult -- I used a set of pliers to twist it in.
3. If you wish, you can either paint the handle or put some wood varnish on it. This takes more time, but I liked having a nice clear finish on mine. That way, you can wipe down the handles to clean them and the wood won't get stained by grimy little hands. I varnished them after I put the screw in so that I could hold it more by the eye screw while I worked and was then able to hang them to dry.
4. Cut your ribbon into long lengths. Mine were about a yard long each. Fold over one end of each ribbon about 1/2-inch and stitch down to make a little loop. I used 5 ribbons for each handle.
5. Thread some thread/wire/cord through the little loop and make a double knot. Then place the thread through the eye screw and tie tightly. Repeat with all ribbons. Initially, I tied mine on with embroidery thread, but I noticed that it has a tendency to come untied. So, I've repaired mine with elastic bead cord and it seems to be holding better.

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For other "Make It Monday" ideas, visit last year's posts -- the Playdough Kit, Family Calendars, Morning Out Kit, Romance Kit, Pizza Night Kit, and Personalized T-Shirts.

For other frugal ideas, visit Life As Mom on Fridays for Frugal Friday!

Make It Monday: Flaxseed Heating Wrap

Last year, I instituted "Make It Monday" here on my blog. I featured a different gift that you could make/assemble at home each Monday in the weeks leading up to Christmas. If you followed "Make It Monday" last year, you'll recall the Playdough Kit, Family Calendars, Morning Out Kit, Romance Kit, Pizza Night Kit, and Personalized T-Shirts. I hope to continue that tradition again this year. However, since it is "Birthday Season" in addition to the Christmas season here at my house, I'm not making any big promises. But, I'll do my very best to keep it up. If you have any great homemade gift ideas, feel free to share them in the comments section!

Today I'm going to give some basic instructions on how to make a Flax Seed Heating Wrap. This is a useful AND frugal gift. Last year I made several of these for the ladies of the family, and they were a hit! My sister Jamie just used hers over the weekend and her friends were clamoring for their own. The price will depend on how expensive your fabric is and the cost of flaxseed in your area. I figured out that they cost me less than $5 to make last year, but I paid most of that for flaxseed that I got at the grocery store. If you're going to make several, go ahead and buy flaxseed in a larger quantity. Amazon sells Bob's Red Mill Whole Golden Flaxseed in a 4-pack for about $3.25/bag. You can check the internet for other sources, but Bob's Red Mill worked for me. It's also widely available in grocery stores. Just make sure you get WHOLE flaxseed and NOT flaxseed meal.

This gift requires some basic sewing skills, but it really isn't all that difficult to make. I am no seamstress, but I managed to make these successfully. I created separate channels to keep the flaxseed evenly distributed throughout the bag. I like the smell of heated flaxseed (it smells better that feed corn or rice in my opinion), but you could also add dried lavender or chamomile with the flaxseed for a different scent.

To make one of these babies, you'll need:

• fabric of your choice
• matching thread
• whole flaxseed
• sewing machine
• iron
• scissors

1. Decide on the size that you want your wrap to be. I wanted mine to be a finished size of about 20 x 7 inches so that they could be draped around the back of the neck easily. Add a 1/2 inch to each dimension for a 1/4 inch seam allowance on each side. Cut two rectangles of this size.
2. On each rectangle, fold one short end over about 1/4 (or 1/2 inch if that's easier) and press. These will be the ends you keep open to fill with flaxseed and then stitch together at the end of the project.
3. Place the fabric rectangles right sides together and stitch down one long side, across one short side and then up the other long side. Keep the short side with the pressed edges open.
4. Turn the stiched rectangles right side out and press flat with the iron.
5. To make a nice edge, stitch around the same three edges about 1/4 inch in from the edge.
6. To make stitching guides for the flaxseed pockets, fold the rectangle lenthwise and press with the iron so that there is a good guideline there. Unfold. Then fold the rectangle in half the other way and press another guideline. Unfold. Then fold the ends in to the center guideline and press them too. You should be able to see eight rectangles with the creases.
7. Stitch from the bottom up to the top of the rectangle to create two main channels where you will dump in the flaxseed.
8. Fill the bottom two rectanglular pockets with flaxseed. A funnel might make this easier. You want them to be full but not so full that it is difficult to sew that section closed. Figure out the amount of flaxseed needed for your size of wrap.
9. Sew from one side of the wrap, over the center seam and to the other edge of the wrap to close off this section.
10. Repeat until all of your sections have been filled. To make it easier to sew each section shut, you may want to prop your wrap on a book to support it at the sewing machine's level. Stitch the final section closed and then stitch the pressed ends closed again.
11. Include instructions on how to reheat the bags. Make sure to stress the importance of heating in a clean microwave -- you don't want oil or food to get on the fabric and ignite the bag. Just 1 to 2 minutes should be sufficient to heat up the wrap. Since microwaves vary, begin at one minute and then adjust as necessary. Always be sure that the wrap is not too hot before use.

As you can tell from last year's "Make It Monday" gift ideas, I'm a big believer in "kits." Spend another $5 and you can turn a wrap into a "Cozy Evening In" Kit by adding a candle, chocolates and some tea bags or cocoa!

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If you're looking for other inexpensive gift ideas, stop by Life as Mom on Friday for "Gifts for $10 or Less" themed Frugal Friday!

Make-It Monday: Personalized Shirts

Okay, I admit it. I slacked off. I neglected to post an idea last week for Make-It Monday last week. I'm so sorry!

My excuse? Well, things got a little nuts with our road trip to Oregon, the ensuing recovery period and then the preparations for my hubby's bday and our first family trip to Disneyland. Sadly, Make-It Monday slipped through the cracks. But, I'm back today with another gift idea.

But first, let's recap the previous Make-It Monday ideas:

• Homemade Playdough Set
• Family Calendars
• Morning Out Kit
• Romance Kit
• Pizza Night Kit

Today, I'm returning to the child-theme again. I confess, I haven't actually made this particular gift, but I have been the recipient of two, or rather my girls were. It's a super-cute and frugal gift - personalized shirts!


When Lucie was born, Naomi, an out-of-state friend, made these cute t-shirts for the girls. Being a mother of multiple kids herself, Naomi not only sent a shirt for the newborn baby but one for the big sister as well. Although they may be low in cost, they are high in the cuteness factor!

All you need is a plain white shirt, a pencil, a needle and some colored embroidery thread. Rather than using just a plain Hanes t-shirt, Naomi used shirts that had a more stylish looking sleeve. I think that they were probably only a few dollars -- I bought some similar ones from Walmart when Ella was little and I remember them being inexpensive.

Directions:

1. Using the pencil, lightly sketch out the child's name on the shirt using small x's. You could look for a cool looking font on the computer and try to replicate it by hand. (Naomi used a more girly-looking script that I just love!)
2. Using the needle and thread, cross-stitch over the small x's to form the name. For more visual interest, use different colors for each letter.
3. You can wash the shirt to remove any visible pencil marks.