Rose Sugar Scrub

I've been wanting to have a spa day for myself for awhile now.  I just want to take a Sunday and soak in the tub and cover my face in green goop and do my nails.  Hopefully this weekend will be my time.
I came across this recipe for Baby Rose Sugar Scrub that looks super easy and smells amazing.  I have a Pinterest board just on homemade spa recipes, so check it out if you want more ideas.  Here's this one from the blog Smart Schoolhouse.

Mini Lavender Squares

I love the smell of lavender.  I have it in my bedroom and bathroom.  (Lavender soap, lavender fabric softener, lavender candles, lavender lavender.)
These lavender squares are easy to make.  You need felt squares, lavender buds and thread to stitch it together. 
Put them in your dresser drawers, purses, in a bowl, everywhere.

Painted Stones

This is so simple, but would look beautiful in a bowl on lined on a bookshelf.  What an easy way to spread a bright color in your room for spring. All you have to do is paint half of a smooth stone in different color paints of your choosing. 

Life-sized Calendar

Make it as big as you want.  I guess it depends on how busy you are and how much space you have for it.  I love this bright, cheerful calendar.

Travel Collection

I came across this sweet idea whilst perusing Pinterest today.  It's from the blog Iowa Girl Eats, and while I couldn't find exactly where in the blog this particular post was, you should check out this girls site, she's got lots of fun stuff.

These are "travel boxes".  You know how sometimes you collect ticket stubs or rocks from a beach walk or tons of other little trinkets from your trip?  Well, this is a way to not just store photos, but all those little memories.  You can get these wooden boxes from a craft store and then just a little dye or paint to get a variety of colors.  I can't wait to get started on mine.

Sleep Masks to Keep Them Busy

From my latest facebook feed, it looks like a lot of kiddos are home from school again today due to the frigid temps around the country.  I'm sure they're (and parents) are starting to go a little bonkers.  I ran across this cute tutorial from the blog MandyLynne.com.  This might keep them busy for a short while.  (Every minute counts, right?)

Country Chic Crate

I came across this picture on pinterest this weekend and I'm obsessed.  Our house has a very cottage-y feel to it.  I love combining old with new and this would fit right in.  I love the pop of color, I think I'll be choosing a canary yellow or poppy orange to paint the edge of my crate.  Looks like I'll be going to thrift stores next weekend to find a "new" end table.

DIY Room Deodorizer

I really dislike any kind of fragrance plug-in.  Candles are my favorite to make a room smell yummy, that and open windows and fresh cut lawn, but sometimes that's not available.

I found this super easy tutorial on Pinterest to make your own room deodorizer.  Of course the pictures on pinterest look much cuter than mine, they would choose cute printed paper or fabric as the cover and had the ring for the canning jar to hold it on, but I couldn't find either of those things in my house, so I made due with parchment paper and a rubberband (classy, I know ;)

What you need:
jar
1/2 cup baking soda
8-12 dr0ps of oil (I used just lavender in mine, but I'm thinking of adding some mint and vanilla to my next one)
a cover (fabric, paper, tin foil)
nail or sewing needle to poke holes in the top

If you need to activate the smell again, just shake the jar a bit.

Here's how mind turned out (and it made the bedroom smell lovely):

Make Your Own Printed Fabric

I love this idea.  I've been getting antsy to change the color in my living room now that the holidays are over.  All the decorations have come down and I want to change my white and green theme to white and blue.  This idea for hand-printed fabric has given me the idea to add a little blue to some couch pillows, such an easy way to update color.

This idea comes from the blog, Lime Riot.  All you need is fabric, in this case she used linen, fabric paint and a toilet paper roll.  Click here for the full instructions.

Magical Butterflies

Holy smokes, I found this DIY on Pinterest yesterday and it's been repinned about 20 times so far.  I had to share.  This would be a fun weekend project with the kids.  I may try it with circles, so I can have a polka dot filled jar and then don't have to cut out those butterflies, ha!  From the blog, Repiny.

Gold or Silver Vase

I have a pile of vases under my sink that could use some loving.  I came across this project that would help add a little class to them.  This could also make nice candle holders. 

Choose your paint color in spray paint and have fun.
Use painters tape and after you've sprayed the vases, don't leave the tape on too long or when you remove it, it may remove the paint with it.
Also make sure the tape is on good (without any bumps that would allow the paint to seep in).

Pretty as a Postcard

I was hoping to get to this project this weekend, but alas, time got away from me.  Some of it was spent going to see Inside Llewyn Davis, written and directed by the Coen brothers.  If you haven't seen it and you like their stuff, you won't be disappointed.  It's definitely one of my favorite movies of the season and I see A LOT of movies.  Here's a little clip, the music is amazing.
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Okay, I'm done being distracted now.  Here are the postcards I will get started on soon.  I thought these could be fun Christmas cards, if you found old black and white holiday photos.  Even just old postcards with snow and use more "holiday" paint colors with them.  It's from the cute blog, Lovely Indeed.

It Smells A Lot Like Christmas

I hope you had a peaceful and joy-filled Thanksgiving weekend.  It's Monday and back to work.  Luckily we're still in the holiday season which always helps me to take things a little more slowly during this month.  For some reason, this season always makes me want to focus on being present and in the moment.

I came across this recipe for "Christmas in a Jar".  I am going to make up a batch tonight.  Our sense of smell is such a strong connector to memories and this smell brings back very happy memories for me.  It's from the cute blog, dandee.

 

Ingredients: 

• 5 cinnamon sticks 
• 1 dried lemon slice 
• 1 dried orange slice
•  1/2 cup whole cloves 
• 1 tbs. nutmeg 
• 1/4 cup whole allspice 
• 1 tbs. bay leaf pieces 
• 3 dried apple slices 

Combine ingredients. Add water to simmer on stovetop.

Thanksgiving Tables

Trying to figure out how to dress your table for tomorrow?  Here are few suggestions.

Pheasantly Surprised
White Table Cloth
White Plates
Bunch of feathers in a large white vase (probably found at a craft store near you)

Log Chop
Gotta a saw?  How about natural wood place settings.  Keep the plates clear to show off the wood.

Fall Centerpiece
What says Fall more than pumpkins, bittersweet and candlelight?  As a recommendation, make sure those candles are unscented.   No one wants to smell fake vanilla, when they're about to devour a home-cooked meal.

Heart Gloves

This is so easy and would make a cute stocking stuffer or Hanukkah gift.  You buy the gloves and some felt and emboridery thread.  Then cut out the two halves of a heart and stitch on right where your hands would make the heart if they were cuffed, like in this picture.  For the full instructions check them out here in the blog, maché.

Stamped Coasters

I can't believe we're already coming up on Thanksgiving next week.  November is going by in a blink.  We just got back from Cabo, Mexico yesterday.  We were there for the Baja International Film Festival.  I will post pics as soon as I have them.  Lots of red carpet fun.

With December a little over a week away, I've been thinking more of gifts I can make for the holidays and came across this easy tutorial.  Also, we could use some new coasters as ours are old and looking pretty gross and stained.  This owl stamp is adorable.  I may have to take a trip to Michael's to pick out some fun new stamps.

The only supplies you'll need are:

• Tiles from somewhere like Home Depot
• Cork stickers (for the bottom of the tiles so they don't scratch your coffee table), I suppose you could use felt as well.
• Rubber mounted stamps of your choosing.
• Satin or gloss latex paint

Changing Artwork Easily

I change the artwork in my office and bedroom quite often.  I'm a photographer and love to display photos from my trips or celebrations or everyday life.  Since I have so many photos and keep taking more, I like to give each one their time on my walls.  These displays with washi tape are a fun and easy way to do it.  I'm sure you can get Washi tape from many places, one quick check on Amazon and I found quite a few.

Small Spaces Bookshelf

I have been living in small spaces since I went to college.  After college I moved to NYC and eventually settled in to a 200 sq. ft. apartment with a roommate.  The kitchen was so narrow at points, that two people couldn't walk by the stove at the same time.  I'm now in CA, but we still have a smaller space and need to conserve space and make all the furniture in the living room moveable so it can work for many different situations.  That's where this sweet moveable bookshelf comes in.  The how-to blog uses two pieces of wood braced together, but you could also just buy one of those cheap shelves at ikea or a hardware store and only have to add the casters.  It just depends what look you're going for.

Bath Tea Soak

This was so popular when I pinned it yesterday, that I thought I should share it with you as well.  Maybe there are a lot of stressed people out there with Fall well on it's way. Make one of these and let your stress float away. From Whimsey Box.

Gift Wrap

With so many holidays coming up, there will be parties and it's always nice to bring a small gift for the hostess.  I saw this diy gift wrap and thought it was so cute.  You can change it depending on the holiday.  Maybe for Halloween you make Frankenstein or Dracula.