DIY Coconut Lime Ginger Sugar Scrub.

DIY Coconut Lime Ginger Sugar Scrub.
My sister Rachel has been getting crafty lately. I have practically no capacity in my own life for craftiness - no time AND no energy for such things. But Rachel has been baking, DIY-ing, fancifying her gift wrap, hand-lettering, the works. I am a bit jealous of all the creative energy she is able to exert. I would just like to have enough oomph in me to whip up a happy cocktail. But alas. Too much work. Haha this coming from a bit of a burned out new mom. But! Rachel is a senior in college, and I am really happy that she has found such a healthy way to blow off a bit of steam from school. Being creative is one of the best ways to cope with all that school pressure. And watching her be creative? That's been my way of coping with my exhaustion. I literally poured a cup of coffee and watched her make this DIY sugar scrub. No wait. I zested some lime, too.

Rachel cleverly concocted this recipe after some trial and error of her own. And gifted to her friends (don't you wish you were her roommate? I wish she were still my roommate.) But if you're looking for a cute, handmade addition to a baby shower/wedding shower gift? Or looking for something to slip into that Easter basket? This little project is super easy and smells sublime. The aroma will put a bounce in your step and make you believe that Spring is just around the corner! (Please God. Pretty please.)

Ingredients:
- 2 cups Coconut Oil
- 3 cups Sugar
- 2 tbsp. Apple Cider Vinegar
- 1 cup shredded Coconut
- Zest from 6 Limes
- Juice from 4 Limes
- 20 drops Edens Garden Ginger essential oil

Method:
Combine all the ingredients, mix well. Distribute into jars and then gift away!

Yields approximately 8 3-oz. jars.

// That's Rachel's hand. It's also the extent to which she would let me photograph her on this day. But if you want to know how breathtaking she is, see here, here and here. You're welcome. //

Scrub with Love.
Slipping down into a bathtub and getting your scrub on with this recipe is the JAM. Let me know if you decide to make this! Happy Monday to you!

Watercolor Your Own Valentines Cards.

Watercolor Your Own Valentines Cards.
I've been doing this thing where I am actually trying to follow through with my New Years resolutions. It's actually kind of hard. Why is it such a struggle to do the things that are in my heart?! It shouldn't be. Especially because my resolutions were hilariously self-centered and with the purpose of intentionally having more fun. My whole philosophy this year was "set the bar low", so that I could be uber proud of myself. Ha. Now that I think of it, I have got to get to the gym this month...

Watercolor painting was one of my resolutions because it seems like a relatively easy (and beautiful!) way to ignite my creative brain. It's been a looooong time since I've gotten crafty, but I am, at my core, a creative individual. I know that if I take the time to be intentional and invest in myself creatively, it will be good for my soul. And probably my skin.

This is the moment where I should mention that I am not an excellent watercolor-er, but that is hardly the point of the exercise. This was fun. Who needs to be having more fun? Don't act like you didn't just raise your hand in your heart. On top of the whole, "Let's have fun by watercolor painting today!"-thing, I also really love giving people presents, so I decided to make my own watercolor Valentines this year. I was inspired to do this by my bff Natalie, because she used to make her own cards and it was SO evident that she put special effort and thought into each one. So I put my best effort forward and you should try it, too!

// Don't laugh at my picture. It was the exercise round and I was just blowing off steam. WHY AM I DEFENDING MY ART TO YOU. //

Watercoloring Your Valentines:
1. Set up your spot.
I laid down newspaper, set out my paint set & brushes, fetched a bit of water, and snagged some flowers for inspiration. When I say "snagged", I mean it. They weren't my flowers. They were my mom's from my dad. Side note, no matter how old you are, it just warms your heart from the inside out to know that daddy bought flowers for your mommy. Sigh.

2. Find a friend.
In my case, I convinced my sister to join me in this endeavor. And she is endlessly more creative and talented than I. No seriously - she actually painted those roses, I just copied stuff I found on Pinterest. But getting shown up by your sister is the best feeling. Because, you know, she's your sister and she's so cute it hurts. If she only knew.

3. Set the stage.
I'll admit it. We know how to party. We made my new favorite granny beverage, turned on some French Cafe Pandora and went to town on our feelings. And I've got the heartfelt cards to prove it. Okay, you could have basically done exactly what I did with a set of Sharpie markers from Walgreens, but just so you know, they are all hand-painted with watercolors. So there.

// I came up with this one all on my own. I'm actually quite proud. //

Fetch the Paints!
Do it! Paint your feelings! Make up cheesy sayings and put brush to paper! I guarantee that you will feel so fun and fancy free after doing so. And also, tell your dad to buy your mom flowers. Because somehow it will weirdly make you feel great, too.

Happy Valentining to you :)

Noel: DIY Cigar Box Jewelry Box

The Inspiration.
Christmastime is so twinkly and magical. I was inspired by these West Elm's boxes, like this and this. I thought the mixture of gold, silver and charcoal colors would look really pretty on my dresser, so I began brainstorming. These boxes were clearly out of my price range, so I thought, "I will just make my own." My DIY desire was confirmed when I stumbled upon these cigar boxes (below) at a flea market in the neighborhood. They are super legit, solid wood with hinges and everything - the guy sold all three for $20, which I thought wasn't too bad. Then I began hunting for the perfect paper. I went over to my friends at the to-die-for Paper Source, where the ladies there helped me pick out these three styles: Gold on Cream Mums Fine Paper, Metallic Wash on Natural Fine Paper & Gold Linear Dots on Slate Fine Paper. We were in business! This is such a great DIY for a Christmas gift or for yourself. And the gold-silver theme is very holiday-esque, but will blend beautifully year-round as well.

The Items You Need:
- Cigar box
- Paper - Any kind of sturdy paper will do - Perhaps even wrapping paper!
- Mod Podge (I used the glossy because I already had some at the house, but matte would probably look really awesome)
- Scissors (the sharper, the better. You're about to get your trim on.)
- Xacto Knife or pocket knife
- Foam paint brush
- Newspaper

The Budget:
- 3 Cigar Boxes (varying sizes) - $20
- 3 sheets Fine Paper - Approx. $20
= GRAND TOTAL: $40

The Method:
If you are good at wrapping presents, you will be excellent at this. Because essentially, all you are doing is wrapping this box, very precisely, with the paper, and applying the glue as you go.

1. Go ahead and lay out the newspaper (this will be your workspace) and wrap the box in the paper, eyeing the separate sections. If you're into measuring, you could get out a tape measure and go to town (I am not that kind of gal.) Decide about how much paper you will need for each section. Make sure to leave a little extra around all the sides.

2. Once you have an idea of the measurements, begin cutting the paper very to fit the box. Do this as you go in sections. I started with the front of the box, measuring the necessary "cut out" of the front hinge, and carefully traced the area with my pocket knife (if you have an Xacto knife, it would be super easy to trim this area away, just watch your fingers!)

3. Once the box has been measured and the paper has been trimmed to fit around the hinges, you can begin wrapping the box and glueing, very carefully, all around the box. Apply the glue, and immediately smooth the paper across the chosen section of the box. Smoothing it is very important, so that you won't have any bubbles in the paper. The glue dries pretty fast, so once you apply a coat, make sure to immediately apply the paper.

4. Watch the corners, make necessary trims as you go (this is where the very pointy scissors will come in handy!) This process is more about "touch" and less about step-by-step instructions. Make sure to wipe excess glue from the box, you don't want it getting stuck in the hinges!

5. Once the box has been completely covered, set it aside for 24 hours to dry. Make sure to leave the box open, so that it won't glue shut!

6. After 24 hours, apply another all-over coat of the Mod Podge and then let it sit (open) for another 24 hours.

Voila! Your up-cycled cigar jewelry box is complete! Just fill with your favorite treasures and set in a special place.

Merry Christmas and happy DIY-ing!

DIY: Pretty Up Your Bathroom for $7

Easiest DIY Ever.
Want a weekend project? I've got the EASIEST ever DIY for you. Project "pretty-up-my-creepy-bathroom" has been enacted on all fronts since we moved in. NYC apartments just aren't the cleanest. Or remodeled. Or pretty. So little by little, my apartment is getting a facelift. The bathroom got voted first. Mostly because it's small and easiest to tackle and see semi-quick results!

Materials.
Ok, here's the deal. My bathroom mirror is an old-school medicine cabinet that opens in 3 panels. Behind each mirrored panel is some of the oldest, skeeziest particle board ever. I tried scrubbing it when we moved in, but to no sparkling avail. The next best thing? Covering it up. I bought this Green & Gold Tile paper at Paper Source down the street for approx. $7. And that is all you will spend on this marvelous project. Seriously.

// Sorry for the spooky lighting. Bathroom lighting is always a tough one for me. //

Method.
1. I pulled out all the toiletries in the medicine cabinet and wiped everything down again. I removed the shelves and then I tucked the paper behind the mirror. Some excess paper hung outside the cabinet. It's all good.

2. & 3. I folded the paper back when it needed to be trimmed. Using my husband's favorite tool, I cut along the edge of the paper. You can also use an x-acto knife.

4. Using tape (it doesn't have to be any specific kind), I carefully taped the back of the paper to the edges of the inside cabinet.

5. Voila. Open the cabinet, prettiness abounds. Thank goodness. It's the little things that can make you feel better about the space you live in, am I right?

6. This post was NOT endorsed by Tom's. Ha but I do love him.

Let me know if you decide to give this a try! I will be doing some more work on our apartment this weekend and will have more projects to share. Have the happiest of happy weekends.